"And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and i will give thee rest" (Exodus 33 v 14)

When in Sorrow, .......................................... call John 14
When Men fail you, ..................................... call Psalm 27
When you have sinned, ............................ call Psalm 51
When you are in danger, .......................... call Psalm 91
When you worry, .......................... call Mathew 6 v 19-24
When God seems far away, .......................... call Psalm 139

When your Faith needs strength, .......................... call Hebrews 11
When you are lonely and fearful, .......................... call Psalm 23
When you grow bitter and critical, .......................... call 1 Cor. 13
When you feel down and out, .......................... call Romans 8 v 31-39
When you want peace and rest, .......................... call Mathew 11 v 25-30
When you want Christian assurance, .......................... call Romans 8 v 1-30
When you leave home for work or travel, .......................... call Psalm 121
When your prayer grows narrow or selfish, .......................... call Psalm 67
When you want courage for a task, .......................... call Joshua 1
When you think investment/returns, .......................... call Mark 10
How to get invention/opportunity, .......................... call Isaiah 55
For secret to happiness, .......................... call Col. 3 v 12-17
For idea of Christianity, .......................... call 1 Cor 5 v 15-19
If you are depressed, .......................... call Psalm 27
If yiu want to be fruitful, .......................... call John 15
If you are losing confidence, .......................... call 1 Cor 13
If people seem unkind, .......................... call John 15

Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti and his Egypt 80 band, has been nominated for 61st Grammy’s best world music album for his Black Times album.

The youngest son of late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti will be contesting the category with four other nominees: Bombino – Deran, Fatoumata Diawara – Fenfo, Soweto Gospel Choir – Freedom and Yiddish Glory – The Lost Songs of World War II.

The nominations, which were announced Friday, saw Kendrick Lamar leading the field, with eight nods recognising his work for the “Black Panther” soundtrack, including the hit song “All the Stars” with SZA.

Variety.com reported that Drake is right on his tails with seven nominations, and producer Boi-1da and Americana singer Brandi Carlile are just behind them with six apiece.

Cardi B, Lady Gaga, Childish Gambino, Maren Morris, R&B newcomer H.E.R., and producer Sounwave all notched five grammy nominations.

According to Variety.com, in a departure from last year, in which Jay-Z was the only artist to score nods in the top three categories, this time around, Drake, Lamar, and Carlile all garnered nominations for record, song, and album of the year.

Drake’s single “God’s Plan” and his album “Scorpion” are both recognized; Lamar’s “All the Stars” and the “Black Panther” soundtrack he curated are vying for the top categories; and Carlile’s song “The Joke,” along with her album “By the Way, I Forgive You,” nabbed top nominations as well.

The 2019 Grammy is set to hold on February 10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, US.

See some nominations below:

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Record Of The Year:

“I Like It” — Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin
“The Joke” — Brandi Carlile
“This Is America” — Childish Gambino
“God’s Plan” — Drake
“Shallow” — Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
“All The Stars” — Kendrick Lamar & SZA
“Rockstar” — Post Malone Featuring 21 Savage
“The Middle” — Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey

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Album Of The Year:
“Invasion Of Privacy” — Cardi B
“By The Way, I Forgive You” — Brandi Carlile
“Scorpion” — Drake
“H.E.R.” — H.E.R.
“Beerbongs & Bentleys” — Post Malone
“Dirty Computer” — Janelle Monáe
“Golden Hour” — Kacey Musgraves
“Black Panther: The Album, Music From And Inspired By” (Various Artists)

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Song Of The Year:

“All The Stars” — Kendrick Duckworth, Solána Rowe, Al Shuckburgh, Mark Spears & Anthony Tiffith, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar & SZA)
“Boo’d Up” — Larrance Dopson, Joelle James, Ella Mai & Dijon McFarlane, songwriters (Ella Mai)
“God’s Plan” — Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Brock Korsan, Ron LaTour, Matthew Samuels & Noah Shebib, songwriters (Drake)
“In My Blood” — Teddy Geiger, Scott Harris, Shawn Mendes & Geoffrey Warburton, songwriters (Shawn Mendes)
“The Joke” — Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile)
“The Middle” — Sarah Aarons, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Marcus Lomax, Kyle Trewartha, Michael
Trewartha & Anton Zaslavski, songwriters (Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey)
“Shallow” — Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper)
“This Is America” — Donald Glover & Ludwig Goransson, songwriters (Childish Gambino)

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Best New Artist:
Chloe x Halle
Luke Combs
Greta Van Fleet
H.E.R.
Dua Lipa
Margo Price
Bebe Rexha
Jorja Smith

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POP FIELD

Best Pop Solo Performance:
“Colors” — Beck
“Havana (Live)” — Camila Cabello
“God Is A Woman” — Ariana Grande
“Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?)” — Lady Gaga
“Better Now” — Post Malone

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Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:

“Fall In Line” — Christina Aguilera Featuring Demi Lovato
“Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” — Backstreet Boys
“‘S Wonderful” — Tony Bennett & Diana Krall
“Shallow” — Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
“Girls I Like You” — Maroon 5 Featuring Cardi B
“Say Something” — Justin Timberlake Featuring Chris Stapleton
“The Middle” — Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey

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Best Pop Vocal Album:
“Camila” — Camila Cabello
“Meaning Of Life” — Kelly Clarkson
“Sweetener” — Ariana Grande
“Shawn Mendes” — Shawn Mendes
“Beautiful Trauma” — P!nk
“Reputation” — Taylor Swift

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DANCE/ELECTRONIC FIELD

Best Dance Recording:
“Northern Soul” — Above & Beyond Featuring Richard Bedford
“Ultimatum” — Disclosure (Featuring Fatoumata Diawara)
“Losing It” — Fisher
“Electricity” — Silk City & Dua Lipa Featuring Diplo & Mark Ronson
“Ghost Voices” — Virtual Self

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Best Dance/Electronic Album:

“Singularity” —Jon Hopkins
“Woman Worldwide” — Justice
“Treehouse” — Sofi Tukker
“Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides” — SOPHIE
“Lune Rouge” — TOKiMONSTA

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CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL FIELD

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album:

“The Emancipation Procrastination” — Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah “Steve Gadd Band” — Steve Gadd Band

“Modern Lore” — Julian Lage

“Laid Black” — Marcus Miller

“Protocol 4” — Simon Phillips

ROCK FIELD

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Best Rock Performance:

“Four Out Of Five” —Arctic Monkeys
“When Bad Does Good” — Chris Cornell
“Made An America” — The Fever 333
“Highway Tune” — Greta Van Fleet
“Uncomfortable” — Halestorm

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Best Metal Performance:

“Condemned To The Gallows “— Between The Buried And Me
“Honeycomb” — Deafheaven
“Electric Messiah” — High On Fire
“Betrayer” — Trivium
“On My Teeth — Underoath

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Best Rock Song:
“Black Smoke Rising” — Jacob Thomas Kiszka, Joshua Michael Kiszka, Samuel Francis Kiszka & Daniel
Robert Wagner, songwriters (Greta Van Fleet)
“Jumpsuit” — Tyler Joseph, songwriter (Twenty One Pilots)
“MANTRA” — Jordan Fish, Matthew Kean, Lee Malia, Matthew Nicholls & Oliver Sykes, songwriters (Bring Me
The Horizon)
“Masseduction” — Jack Antonoff & Annie Clark, songwriters (St. Vincent)
“Rats” — Tom Dalgety & A Ghoul Writer, songwriters (Ghost)

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Best Rock Album:

“Rainier Fog” — Alice In Chains
“M A N I A” — Fall Out Boy
“Prequelle — Ghost
“From The Fires” — Greta Van Fleet
“Pacific Daydream” — Weezer

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ALTERNATIVE FIELD

Best Alternative Music Album:

“Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino” —Arctic Monkeys
“Colors” — Beck
“Utopia” — Björk
“American Utopia” — David Byrne
“Masseduction” — St. Vincent

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R&B FIELD

Best R&B Performance:

“Long As I Live” — Toni Braxton
“Summer” — The Carters
“Y O Y” — Lalah Hathaway
“Best Part” — H.E.R. Featuring Daniel Caesar
“First Began” — PJ Morton

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Best Traditional R&B Performance:

“Bet Ain’t Worth The Hand” — Leon Bridges
“Don’t Fall Apart On Me Tonight” — Bettye LaVette
“Honest” — MAJOR.
“How Deep Is Your Love” — PJ Morton Featuring Yebba
“Made For Love” — Charlie Wilson Featuring Lalah Hathaway

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Best R&B Song:

“Boo’d Up” — Larrance Dopson, Joelle James, Ella Mai & Dijon
McFarlane, songwriters (Ella Mai)
“Come Through And Chill” — Jermaine Cole, Miguel Pimentel & Salaam Remi, songwriters (Miguel Featuring J. Cole & Salaam Remi)
“Feels Like Summer” — Donald Glover & Ludwig Goransson, songwriters (Childish Gambino)
“Focus” — Darhyl Camper Jr, H.E.R. & Justin Love, songwriters (H.E.R.)
“Long As I Live” — Paul Boutin, Toni Braxton & Antonio Dixon, songwriters (Toni Braxton)

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Best Urban Contemporary Album:

“Everything Is Love” — The Carters
“The Kids Are Alright “— Chloe x Halle
“Chris Dave And The Drumhedz” — Chris Dave And The Drumhedz
“War & Leisure” — Miguel
“Ventriloquism” — Meshell Ndegeocello

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Best R&B Album:

“Sex & Cigarettes” — Toni Braxton
“Good Thing” — Leon Bridges
“Honestly” — Lalah Hathaway
“H.E.R.” — H.E.R.
“Gumbo Unplugged (Live)” — PJ Morton

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RAP FIELD

Best Rap Performance:

“Be Careful” — Cardi B
“Nice For What” — Drake
“King’s Dead” — Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future & James Blake
“Bubblin” — Anderson .Paak
“Sicko Mode” — Travis Scott, Drake, Big Hawk & Swae Lee

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Best Rap/Sung Performance:

“Like I Do” — Christina Aguilera Featuring Goldlink
“Pretty Little Fears” — 6LACK Featuring J. Cole
“This Is America” — Childish Gambino
“All The Stars” — Kendrick Lamar & SZA
“Rockstar” — Post Malone Featuring 21 Savage

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Best Rap Song:

“God’s Plan” — Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Brock Korsan, Ron
LaTour, Matthew Samuels & Noah Shebib, songwriters (Drake)
“King’s Dead” — Kendrick Duckworth, Samuel Gloade, James Litherland, Johnny McKinzie, Mark Spears, Travis Walton, Nayvadius Wilburn & Michael Williams II, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future &
James Blake)
“Lucky You” — R. Fraser, G. Lucas, M. Mathers, M. Samuels & J.
Sweet, songwriters (Eminem Featuring Joyner Lucas)
“Sicko Mode” — Khalif Brown, Rogét Chahayed, BryTavious Chambers, Mike Dean, Mirsad Dervic, Kevin Gomringer, Tim Gomringer, Aubrey Graham, John Edward Hawkins, Chauncey Hollis, Jacques Webster, Ozan Yildirim & Cydel Young, songwriters (Travis Scott, Drake, Big Hawk & Swae Lee)
“Win” — K. Duckworth, A. Hernandez, J. McKinzie, M. Samuels
& C. Thompson, songwriters (Jay Rock)

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Best Rap Album:
“Invasion Of Privacy” — Cardi B
“Swimming” — Mac Miller
“Victory Lap” — Nipsey Hussle
“Daytona” — Pusha T
“Astroworld” — Travis Scott

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COUNTRY FIELD

Best Country Solo Performance:

“Wouldn’t It Be Great?” — Loretta Lynn
“Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters” — Maren Morris
“Butterflies” — Kacey Musgraves
“Millionaire” — Chris Stapleton
“Parallel Line” — Keith Urban

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Best Country Duo/Group Performance:

“Shoot Me Straight” — Brothers Osborne
“Tequila” — Dan + Shay
” When Someone Stops Loving You” — Little Big Town
“Dear Hate” — Maren Morris Featuring Vince Gill
“Meant To Be” — Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line

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Best Country Song:

“Break Up In The End” — Jessie Jo Dillon, Chase McGill & Jon Nite, songwriters (Cole Swindell)
“Dear Hate” — Tom Douglas, David Hodges & Maren Morris,
Songwriters (Maren Morris Featuring Vince Gill)
“I Lived It” — Rhett Akins, Ross Copperman, Ashley Gorley & Ben
Hayslip, songwriters (Blake Shelton)
“Space Cowboy” — Luke Laird, Shane McAnally & Kacey Musgraves,
songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)
“Tequila” — Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds & Dan Smyers, songwriters (Dan + Shay)
“When Someone Stops Loving You” — Hillary Lindsey, Chase McGill & Lori McKenna, songwriters (Little Big Town)

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Best Country Album:

“Unapologetically” — Kelsea Ballerini
“Port Saint Joe” — Brothers Osborne
“Girl Going Nowhere” — Ashley McBryde
“Golden Hour” — Kacey Musgraves
“From A Room: Volume 2” — Chris Stapleton

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JAZZ FIELD

Best Improvised Jazz Solo:

“Some Of That Sunshine” — Regina Carter, soloist
“Don’t Fence Me In” — John Daversa, soloist
“We See” — Fred Hersch, soloists
“De-dah” — Brad Mehldau, soloist
“Cadenas” — Miguel Zenón, soloist

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Best Jazz Vocal Album:
“My Mood Is You” — Freddy Cole
“The Questions” — Kurt Elling
“The Subject Tonight Is Love” — Kate McGarry With Keith Ganz & Gary Versace
“If You Really Want” — Raul Midón With The Metropole Orkest Conducted By Vince Mendoza
“The Window” — Cécile McLorin Salvant

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Best Jazz Instrumental Album:

“Diamond Cut” — Tia Fuller
“Live In Europe” — Fred Hersch Trio
“Seymour Reads The Constitution!” — Brad Mehldau Trio
“Still Dreaming” — Joshua Redman, Ron Miles, Scott Colley & Brian Blade
“Emanon” — The Wayne Shorter Quartet

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Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album:

“All About That Basie” — The Count Basie Orchestra Directed By Scotty
Barnhart
“American Dreamers: Voices Of Hope, Music Of Freedom” — John Daversa Big Band Featuring DACA Artists
“Presence” — Orrin Evans And The Captain Black Big Band
“All Can Work” — John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble
“Barefoot Dances And Other Visions” — Jim McNeely & The Frankfurt Radio Big Band

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WORLD MUSIC FIELD

Best World Music Album:

“Deran” — Bombino
“Fenfo” — Fatoumata Diawara
“Black Times” — Seun Kuti & Egypt 80
“Freedom” — Soweto Gospel Choir
“The Lost Songs of World War II” — Yiddish Glory

The National Conscience Party (NCP), a member of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), has described as an affront, the endorsement of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar by CUPP as consensus candidate for 2019 election.

Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President of Nigeria, is the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

NCP National Publicity Secretary and member, Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) Media/Publicity Committee, Dr Emmanuel Okereke, said in Lagos that the purported endorsement was an affront to the spirit and vision of CUPP.

He noted that NCP entered into alliance with some political parties with the aim of producing consensus presidential candidate that would be financially and structurally supported by CUPP.

“The NCP National Executive Committee and National Coordinating Council unanimous resolve to fully go into alliance with the CUPP) for credence.

“Disappointedly today in CUPP, same poor Nigerian masses we all came together to rescue are alarmed as just few elements against the letter and spirit of CUPP purportedly adopted the PDP’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar as a consensus candidate for the February 2019 presidential election.

“This is a rape to the ethos of political alliance viz social re-engineering; an affront not only to the NCP which gave the alliance credence but also to CUPP, therefore must be unfalteringly resisted.

“NCP dissociates itself from this macabre dance of shame,” he said.

Okereke, also frowned at the CUPP steering committee chairman, Mr Olagunsoye Oyinlola, for not following the guidelines for selecting a consensus candidate.

He said the Oyinlola’s committee invited all political parties in the coalition to forward intelligent memoranda.

“The same persons changed the goal post now, right in the middle of the match, no, and never, this is unacceptable!

“NCP resists this shenanigan in totality, hence CUPP initial procedures for this exercise is not only dubiously jettisoned but clandestinely emasculated,” he said.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) had also on Thursday distanced itself from the endorsement.

SDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Mohammed Alfa who disclosed this said the party already had a candidate, Mr Donald Duke whose name was submitted to INEC as its presidential candidate for the 2019 election.

Nigerian singer, Reekado Banks, whose real name is Ayoleyi Solomon, has parted ways with Don Jazzy’s Marvin Records.

The 25 year-old singer announced his departure from Mavin Records on Instagram, with an emotional note.

He thanked Don Jazzy for the opportunity he gave him when he signed with the record label in 2013.

And Don Jazzy was graceful enough to wish the former protege well in his career.

“Sign small boy …small boy turn big man. It’s been an incredible 5 years. Wishing you nothing but success”.

Reekado post read: “Today I write in tears, not from a place of pain, but of joy and gratitude. A place of bliss and satisfaction because I am more than contented with how far this opportunity has brought me. The last five years have been the most blissful years of my career. The journey has been extremely wonderful and filled with the best experiences.

“I’ve learnt that family is not just about blood ties but about the love, sacrifices and friendship that exist amongst its members. The relationships I have fostered has proved to me that love is thicker than blood. Joining the @mavinrecords family was the best thing to have happened to me in the last decade. @donjazzy took me in and treated me like his own son. I’ll be eternally grateful to him for sacrifices he made towards the growth of my career.

“His selflessness and efforts towards me and the entire Mavin crew is one that is admirable and worthy of emulation. A true KING with a large heart, full of kindness and ready to accommodate even more people. And to the rest of the crew, Our family is a clear example of the saying, ‘We rise by lifting others’. Thank you all for all the times you’ve lifted me at my lowest moments, for the support, the amazing hits and most especially, the LOVE. Taking this bold step and moving on from Mavin Records onto bigger opportunities is something that, though not easy, is absolutely necessary because of my growth. I am very ecstatic about what the future holds and I cannot wait to share with everyone what new opportunities have come. Long Live Mavin Records.”

Role of English Language in Nigeria?

• According to Bamgbose (1971:36) the most important role of English in Nigeria is it's use as a medium of social communication. It is used for inter-ethnic communication amongst people of different linguistic backgrounds.

• English is the language through which Nigeria is heard outside her borders - United Nations, Common wealth e.t.c

• English is the language of bureaucracy; official government records, administrative instructions and minutes are all in English. Also deliberations in the National Assembly and states Houses of Assembly are conducted in English.

• English is also the language of Education. It is officially recognized as the medium of instruction through out the federation from primary three to the University level.

• English is the language of educational evaluation. All subjects (apart from the Nigerian and Foreign languages) are examined in the English language.

• English is the language of the mass media. It is the primary language in which news are written and cast before being translated into the indigenous language. It is extensively used in the radio, television and news papers.

• English has developed a second language (now referred to as L2) in Nigeria. It is Nigeria's lingua franca or official language.

• English is the language of politics. Used for electioneering campaigning manifestos, political speeches, radio jingles and sponsored advertisement in newspapers and on bill boards are in English because of the multilingual nature of the country.

• English is the language of commerce in Nigeria. Used in import / export business, advert negotiations, presentation of irrevocable letters of credit, filling of foreign exchange forms etc.

• English is also used as the language of law. For legal business and documents. The Nigerian Constitution is written and interpreted in English.

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WHEN CAN CAC REFUSE REGISTRATION OF A COMPANY - section 36 CAMA

• Where the memorandum and article of association does not comply with the provisions of CAMA-S.36 CAMA
• When the business the company wishes to carry on or the object for which it is formed or any of them is illegal.
• Where the subscribers to the memorandum are incompetent or disqualified by virtue of SECTION 20 of Companies Allied Matters Act
• Where there is noncompliance with the requirement of any other law as to registration and incorporation of a company or;
• Where the proposed name of the company conflict with or is likely to conflict with an existing trademark or business name, including where the name is one of those prohibited under SECTION 30 of the Companies Allied Matters Act.

WHAT ARE THE MANDATORY CLAUSES IN A MEMO - SECTION 27(1) CAMA

• Name of the company
• Registered office address of the company. Not including Private mail bag or postal box address.
• Business object of the company
• The restriction on the powers of the company
• Status of the company
• Liability of the members of the company
• Authorised Share capital

IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE IN REGULATION OF CORPORATE NAMES
Names of a company - S. 30(1) & (2)

• The name of the company must end with the status of the company either in full or in abbreviation pursuant to section 29 CAMA.

• Even though a company is entitled to have any name, some names are prohibited while some others are restricted.

• The rules on corporate names are so strict that even if a name was inadvertently registered in contravention of CAMA, then by section 31(1) & (4) CAMA, the owner of the new contravening name would have the option of either voluntarily dropping the name, or would be forced to compulsorily change the name, either by the directive of CAC acting suo motu or upon a petition by the aggrieved original owner of the name.

• It is important to note that a person cannot claim monopoly to a generic name. Thus, use of generic names should be avoided.

Prohibited names - s. 30(1) when Registering a Company in Nigeria

• A name identical or resembling an existing name of a company as to be calculated to deceive. There is an exception here to the effect that such name can be used where the existing company is in liquidation or in the course of being dissolved and its consent to the use of that name has been obtained. See section 30(1)(a) CAMA; NIGER CHEMISTS LTD v NIGERIA CHEMISTS LTD (1961) ALL NLR 171; DAILY NEED PHARMACEUTICAL IND. V DAILY NEEDS INDUSTRIES LTD (1997) 3 NWLR (Pt. 491) 99

• A name containing the words "chamber of commerce" unless it is a company limited by guarantee. See section 30(1)(b) CAMA; LAGOS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE v REGISTRAR OF COMPANIES (1952) 14 WACA 197

• A name, which in the opinion of CAC, is capable of misleading as to the nature or extent of its activities or is undesirable, offensive or otherwise contrary to public policy. See section 30(1)(c) CAMA, Amasike v Registrar-General CAC

• A name which, in the opinion of CAC, would violate any existing trade mark or business name registered in Nigeria, unless the consent of the owner is obtained. See section 30(1)(d)CAMA. It must be noted that even if the trademark or business name is registered, remedy can be sought from the Court through the common law action PASSING-OFF.

The foregoing rules do not apply only to already registered and existing names. They also apply to names which have been reserved under section 32 CAMA, for the period for which they were reserved. See section 32(1) & (2) CAMA

With respect to the registration of business names, the principles are basically the same and they are provided for under section 579(2) CAMA

Under section 31(1) & (4) CAMA, CAC can compel any company using a prohibited name to change its name. Note that under section 31(1), the time limit within which CAC can compel a company to change its name is 6 months from the date the offending name was registered and the company shall change it within 6 weeks from the date the direction is given. After the 6 months period, the only remedy is through a common law action under the economic tort of Passing-Off.

In furtherance of sections 31(1) & (4), there are new grounds upon which CAC can cancel the registration of an approved name.

They are provided in Regulation 10 of the Companies Regulations 2012 as follows:

• The CAC can cancel an approved name where the CAC has reasonable grounds to believe that the name; whether for a company, business name, or incorporated trustee, was obtained by fraud. Reg. 10(1)

• The CAC can cancel an approved name when it inadvertently or erroneously approved the name. Reg. 10(2)

Restricted names - s. 30(2) when Registering a Company in Nigeria

Under CAMA, restricted names can be used with the consent of the CAC but in practice, the consent of the relevant authority must also be obtained before CAC can grant consent. That is, although CAMA provides that the consent of CAC is what is required, in practice, CAC usually requires evidence of the consent of the appropriate authority or person. For instance, if I want to register “Nsukka Global Ltd”; before CAC would grant consent, I must first show evidence of consent to use the name Nsukka from Nsukka Local Government in Enugu State by producing a Letter of Authority.

The restricted names are:

• Names that contain the words Federal, National, Regional, State, Government or words that suggest that it enjoys patronage from the federal or state government or any ministry or department of government. See section 30(2)(a) CAMA

• Names that contain the word ‘municipal’ or ‘chartered’ or in the opinion of CAC suggests or is calculated to suggest that it enjoys connection with any municipality or local authority. See section 30(2)(b) CAMA

• Names that contain the word ‘cooperative’ or ‘building society’. See section 30(2)(c) CAMA

• Names that contain the word “group” or “holding”. See section 30(2)(d) CAMA
  Note that a name may be reserved for a period of 60 days pending incorporation upon a written application to the commission and payment of prescribed fees – see section 32(1) and (2) CAMA.

• Registered address: the registered office address must be expressed to be situated in Nigeria to comply with the Nigerian status of the company despite the name.

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Friday preside over a `Special Federal Executive Council meeting to deliberate solely on 2019 draft budget proposal.

Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, revealed this when he briefed State House correspondents at the end of the Councils meeting.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the FEC meeting was presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

Adesina stated that the Fridays Special FEC meeting would endorse and approve the 2019 draft budget for onward submission to the National Assembly for its approval.

NAN reports that on Oct. 18, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udoma, at the consultative forum on the medium term expenditure framework (MTEF) and fiscal strategy paper (FSP) 2019 to 2021, said the Federal Government plans to submit a leaner 2019 budget to the National Assembly before the end of November.

In spite of the recent oil output drop to about 1.9 million barrels a day, Udoma said government was optimistic the 2.3 million barrels a day target was achievable with production now rising to about 2.15 million barrels a day and new oil productions being put into play.

Although a $50 per barrel oil price benchmark was proposed in the ERGP, he said with a significant rise in the price above $80 per barrel currently, government has proposed a $60 a barrel oil price for the budget.

He said N305 was proposed as exchange rate to the dollar, with government working to keep inflation down after slight increases in the last two months on the heels of 18 months consecutive decline.

The projected target gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate for the budget was put at 3.01 per cent, reduced from 4.5 per cent in the ERGP; 3.6 per cent in 2020 and 3.9 per cent in 2021.

Growth is expected to increase from 0.8 per cent in 2017 to 2.1 per cent this year and 3.01 per cent in 2019 with the continued implementation of the ERGP in 2019 and improved outlook for oil prices, he said.

On revenue, Udoma said based on the oil price and oil production assumptions, government expects to generate about N3.6 trillion from oil, up by about N500 billion from last years figure.

About N6.9 trillion revenue is projected to be available to the budget in 2019.

With other projections showing government expects to collect less revenue from some independent sources, he said only about N624 billion is expected to be realised, against about N847 billion in the 2018 budget, among others.

Source: NAN

Eight East Africa countries have topped 20 most visa-open rating in the region in the 2018 Visa Openness Index.

The African Union (AU) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) which carried out the survey list the countries as Kenya, Uganda, Comoros, Djibouti, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, and Tanzania.

West Africa that has seven countries in the top 20 most visa-open countries among them Benin, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Senegal and Togo while Southern Africa has the least number with four and North Africa one.

The top 20 list is based on progress made on visa openness score between 2016 and 2018 across Africa. Countries in the list have enacted policies allowing Africans greater visa free or visa-on-arrival access.

Kenya is the most improved nation in opening up its borders for free access.

According to the report, Kenya moved six places up thanks to the governments decision to allow citizens from African States to obtain visa on arrival.

Nationals from 18 African countries do not require visa to enter Kenya, 33 require visa on arrival while only two countries need to obtain visa before arrival.

Meanwhile, Kenyans can travel to 18 African countries visa-free and to 15 African countries with a visa on arrival, which represents one of the highest mobility rates on the continent.

Rwanda was also another big mover rising to position three this year up from number nine in 2017.

There is liberal access to Rwanda, with no visa required for 15 countries and visa on arrival for 38 countries.

The AU has since 2016 when it launched a continental passport as part of a strategy to encourage open borders has been pushing for the adoption of a free travel in Africa to help improve trade and tourism in the continent.

In their joint report, the AU and AfDB stated: Removing obstacles for Africans to visit, explore and invest in the continent fits into this context .

More countries are putting in place visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to catalyse tourism and attract investment, alongside measures to improve their business environment, the AU and AfDB said in a joint report.

The liberalised visa regime was set up to promote more open borders across the continent and to boost trade, security and Africa-wide integration.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Single African Air Transport Market were launched in 2018 and progress has been made on the Free Movement of Persons Protocol.

The continental free trade area was signed by close to 50 countries at the AU Summit in March last year, alongside the Kigali Declaration and the Free Movement Protocol.

It creates one African market of 1.2 billion people, with a GDP of $2.5 trillion, which has the potential to boost intra-African trade by 52 per cent by 2020, benefiting African producers, consumers and traders.

Source: NAN

Murtaza Ahmadi moved the world with his love for footballer Lionel Messi in 2016. His dream of meeting the Argentinian came true, but now the seven-year-old boy is living a nightmare as one of thousands of Afghans displaced by war.

Murtaza and his family abandoned their home in southeastern Ghazni province in November, along with hundreds of others fleeing intense fighting after the Taliban launched an offensive in the previously safe area.

Now they are among the thousands of similarly uprooted people struggling to get by in Kabul, and also living with the fear that the Taliban are hunting for their famous son.

The image of Murtaza sporting a makeshift Messi jersey made of a blue and white striped plastic bag and with Messis name and famous number 10 written carefully on the back in felt-tip pen flooded media and social networks in 2016.

The media hype drew the football superstars attention, and that year Murtaza met his idol in Qatar, where he walked out onto the pitch clutching Messis hand as a mascot for a Barcelona friendly.

Messi, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, also gave his tiny fan an autographed jersey and a football.

But the moment of happiness has quickly dissipated.

AFP met with the family recently in the cramped room in Kabul they are renting from another impoverished family, where Murtazas mother Shafiqa told how they had fled their home district of Jaghori in the night after hearing gunshots.

We couldnt take any of our belongings, we left only with our lives, she said, her face half hidden by a scarf.

The family belongs to the Shiite-denominated Hazara ethnic group, who were targeted by the Sunni Taliban in their November operation in Ghazni.

The UN says up to 4,000 families fled, with witnesses describing absolute terror to AFP. Hundreds of civilians, soldiers, and insurgents were killed in the fighting.

The fear felt by the Ahmadi family was ratcheted up when they learned that the Taliban were searching for the small Murtaza by name.

(They) said if they capture him, they will cut him into pieces, Shafiqa said, her eyes horrified.

Sports were rarely tolerated under the 1996-2001 Taliban regime, and the Kabul football stadium was a well-known venue for stonings and executions.

Shafiqa said she hid her famous sons face with a scarf to prevent him from being recognised as they fled.

They took refuge first in a mosque in Bamiyan, before arriving in Kabul six days later. Among their belongings left behind are the football and jersey signed by Messi.

Although Afghan security forces have beaten back the Taliban in Jaghori, the family says it no longer feels safe.

The danger of the Taliban coming back is high, going back is not an option, Shafiqa said.

The attention they received as a result of Murtazas fame has added to their fears, she continued.

Local strongmen were calling and saying, You have become rich, pay the money you have received from Messi or we will take your son, she said.

At night we would sometimes see unknown men, watching and checking our house, and then the calls. During the days, we wouldnt dare let him outside home to play with other children.

The family have already fled once before, to Pakistan in 2016, where they sought asylum in any safe country.

They returned reluctantly to Jaghori after their money ran out, Shafiqa said.

Murtazas father Arif remains in Jaghori working as a farmer while his family lives in Kabul under precarious conditions, with inadequate shelter, food, water or sanitation available to the refugees.

They are among the more than 300,000 Afghans 58 percent of whom are under the age of 18 who have fled their homes due to violence since the beginning of this year alone, according to the most recent tally by the UNs agency for humanitarian affairs.

Homayoun, Murtazas eldest brother who made him his plastic jersey, says that even in Kabul he is afraid. We are worried something bad will happen if they know who Murtaza is, he said.

Little Murtaza, meanwhile, says he misses his football and his jersey from Messi.

I want them back so I can play, he told AFP.

I miss Messi, he added.

When I meet him, I will say, Salaam and How are you? Then he will reply saying thank you and be safe, and I will go with him to the pitch where he will play and I will watch him.

AFP

Source: NAN

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement signed by South Africa in July 2018 in Nouakchott, Mauritania, has been ratified by the parliament.

The AfCFTA was launched during an extra-ordinary summit of African Union (AU) heads of state in March 2018 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Thus far, 49 countries have signed the Agreement and Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda, eSwatini, Chad, Niger, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Guinea Conakry have deposited their instruments of ratification.

But Nigeria is one of the few remaining countries that have withheld their signatures.

South African Trade and Industry Minister, Rob Davies, said the country was expected to deposit the instrument of ratification during the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU in February 2019.

The Agreement will enter into force once twenty-two member states have deposited their instruments of ratification.

AfCFTA, comprises of 55 African countries and, once entered into force, will constitute the largest free trade area globally.

As a flagship project of the African Unions Agenda 2063, the AfCFTA aims to build an integrated market in Africa that will see a market of over one billion people with a combined GDP of approximately $3.3 trillion, Davies said.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa estimates that the AfCFTA will increase intra-Africa trade from the current 10 percent to 16 percent, to approximately 52 percent by the year 2022.

Davies said that the AfCFT will create a single set of rules for trade and investment among all African countries and provides legal certainty for traders and investors through the harmonisation of trade regimes.

In support of these objectives, the AfCFTA covers both goods and services under Phase I and will include investment, intellectual property and competition under Phase II of the negotiations, Davies said.

It also facilitates intra-Africa investment and increases the continents prospects of stimulating industrialisation, employment, income generation and poverty reduction.

Source: NAN

China is angry over the arrest in Canada of Sabrina Meng Wanzhou, a top executive and daughter of the founder of Chinese telecom giant Huawei.

She now faces extradition to the United States.

Chinas embassy in Ottawa has demanded Mengs release.

The Chinese side firmly opposes and strongly protests over such kind of actions which seriously harmed the human rights of the victim, the embassy said in a statement.

The Chinese side has lodged stern representations with the US and Canadian side, and urged them to immediately correct the wrongdoing and restore the personal freedom of Ms Meng Wanzhou.

The detention of Meng Wanzhou, Huaweis chief financial officer, comes after American authorities reportedly launched an investigation into suspected Iran sanctions violations by Huawei, which was already under scrutiny by US intelligence officials who deemed the company a national security threat.

The arrest stirred tensions just as the United States and China agreed to a ceasefire in their trade spat while negotiators seek a deal within three months.

News of her detention rippled through stock markets in Asia, particularly Shanghai and Hong Kong, with tech firms among the worst hit. By lunch Shanghai was 1.3 percent lower while Hong Kong was 2.6 percent off.

China is working creatively to undermine our national security interests, and the United States and our allies cant sit on the sidelines, US Senator Ben Sasse in a statement linking the arrest to US sanctions against Iran.

Sometimes Chinese aggression is explicitly state-sponsored and sometimes its laundered through many of Beijings so-called private sector entities that are in bed with (President) Xi (Jinping)s communist party, he added.

Meng was arrested in the western city of Vancouver on December 1, Canadas ministry of justice said in a statement, the same day that Trump and President Xi Jinping announced a truce in their tariff war in Argentina.

The ministry said the US is seeking her extradition and she faces a bail hearing on Friday, adding it could not provide further details due to a publication ban that was sought by Meng, whose father, Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, is a former Chinese Peoples Liberation Army engineer.

Huawei said it was unaware of any wrongdoing by Meng and was provided very little information about the charges.

Huawei complies with all applicable laws and regulations where it operates, including applicable export control and sanction laws and regulations of the UN, US and EU, the company said in a statement.

The Wall Street Journal reported in April that US Department of Justice had opened an investigation into suspected violations of Iran sanctions by Huawei.

The New York Times said the company had been subpoenaed by the Commerce and Treasury Departments over alleged violations of Iran and North Korea sanctions.

Huawei is not the first Chinese telecoms equipment firm to face the ire of US authorities.
Earlier this year, the US imposed a seven-year ban on the sale of crucial US components to Chinese smartphone maker ZTE after finding it had failed to take action against staff who were responsible for violating trade sanctions against Iran and North Korea.

The ban nearly killed the Chinese tech company, which said it was forced to cease major operations in May.

A month later, Washington and Beijing reached a deal that would strike ZTE from the sanctions list just days after China reportedly offered to ramp up purchases of American goods to help cut the yawning trade imbalance with the US. American officials denied any connection between the two.

In exchange, ZTE agreed to pay a hefty $1 billion fine and put an additional $400 million in escrow in case of future violations. It was also ordered to replace its board of directors and retain outside monitors.

The case showed that China is highly dependent on imports of US-made semiconductors or computer chips and reinforced Beijings need to become self-reliant on this key technology.

Huawei is one of the worlds largest telecommunications equipment and services providers.

But despite global success, its US business has been tightly constrained by worries it could undermine American competitors and that its cellphones and networking equipment, used widely in other countries, could provide Beijing with avenues for espionage.

In May, the Pentagon said that devices from Huawei and ZTE posed an unacceptable security risk. Personnel on US military bases are banned from buying equipment manufactured by the Chinese tech firms.

Over the summer, Australia barred Huawei from providing 5G technology for wireless networks in the country over espionage fears.

New Zealand followed suit in November, but said the issue was a technological one.

Britains largest mobile provider too has joined the global ban on Huawei.

On Wednesday, BT announced it was removing Huaweis telecommunications equipment from its 4G cellular network, following a warning from the head of MI6 foreign intelligence service that singled out the Chinese company as a potential security risk.

Despite being essentially barred from the critical US market, Huawei surpassed Apple to become the worlds number two smartphone maker in the second quarter of this year

Source: NAN

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Accenture have launched YAS! (Youth for Africa and Sustainable Development Goals), a pan-African entrepreneurship portal-platform with a two-day programme in Lagos.

The Portal-Platform addresses four main pillars of the entrepreneurship ecosystem Information, Mentorship, Funding and Network.

Africas entrepreneurial space is advancing rapidly however, success stories are often isolated and commonly found only on the national or regional level, according to Lamin Momodou Manneh, UNDPs Regional Director.

In North and West Africa, Nigeria and Egypt are taking a lead role while other localities remain marginalized.

YAS! will help to scale these efforts across the region and the entire continent to improve on the individual achievements and make them collective.

YAS! is an initiative of UNDP, developed by its Regional Service Centre for Africa (RSCA) and powered by Accenture that aims to connect entrepreneurs to the resources they need to develop and grow their ideas or businesses.

Users can interact on the platform, leveraging features such as learning, an ecosystem map, and information around opportunities for funding youth development.

The activation, which will take place on the 10th and 11th of December 2018, in Lagos, will be a two-day programme, where entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, corporates and donors will discuss entrepreneurial topics, attend workshops and network.

Day 1 will comprise panel discussions, workshops and a shark tank. On Day 2, there will be a hackathon, where entrepreneurs will learn about emerging technologies such as blockchain, big data

(Reuters/NAN) Oil prices fell along with weak stock markets on Thursday, but trading was tepid ahead of a meeting by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

The meeting is expected to result in a supply cut aimed at draining a glut that has pulled down crude prices by 30 per cent since October.

International Brent crude oil futures LCOc1 were at 61.04 dollars per barrel at 0531 GMT, down 52 cents, or 0.8 per cent from their last close.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were at 52.38 dollars per barrel, down 51 cents, or 1 per cent.

Traders said oil prices were being weighed down by weak global financial markets, which saw stock markets tumble on Thursday.
Since early October, crude oil has lost around 30 per cent of its value amid surging supply and fears that an economic downturn will erode fuel demand.

A massive liquidation in long positions by money managers has dampened market confidence on oil prices considerably, said Benjamin Lu of Singaporean brokerage Phillip Futures.

OPEC is meeting at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on Thursday to decide its production policy.
Led by Saudi Arabia, OPECs crude oil production PRODN-TOTAL has risen by 4.1 per cent since mid-2018, to 33.31 million barrels per day (bpd).

Oil output from the worlds biggest producers OPEC, Russia and the United States has increased by a 3.3 million bpd since the end of 2017, to 56.38 million bpd, meeting almost 60 per cent of global consumption.

The increase alone is equivalent to the output of major OPEC producer United Arab Emirates.

Russia, a major oil producer but not a member of OPEC, will meet with the producer cartel on Friday to discuss production levels, and it is widely expected that a supply cut will be agreed.

Marketsbelieve the production cut deal will be in range of 1-1.3 million bpd, ANZ bank said on Thursday.

Source: NAN

Twitterati are questioning why President Donald Trump did not join other attendees at former President George H.W. Bushs funeral on Wednesday as they read the Apostles Creed.

The cameras showed Trump standing solemnly beside the Clintons and Obamas as the former presidents recited the Christian creed from their programme.

Trumps behaviour triggered many reactions on Twitter, as reported by TheHill.com:

Curious moment here as all of the former Presidents and First Ladies read and recite the Apostles Creed President Trump

• Insurance business
• Banking business: The Minimum Authorised Share capital is 25 billion.
• Stock brokerage
• Partnership with more than 20 members. Exceptions where no company must be incorporated here is in respect of firms of legal practitioners, Accountants and Cooperative Society registered by Law.
• Pension custodians/Administration/fund managers/issuing houses
• Aviation companies
• Private Guards company
• Foreign companies; the authorised share capital is 10 million.

EFFECT OF INCORPORATION OF A COMPANY S.37 CAMA

• The company has power to hold property
• The company becomes a juristic person that can sue and be sued in its company name,
• The company is distinct from its members, having a common seal with perpetual succession.
• It also has the powers of a natural person -S 38 of CAMA. Thus, it can join in the formation of another company.

POSITION OF A MINOR IN FORMATION OF A COMPANY

• For a minor to join in the formation of a company as a shareholder, a member, there has to be two adults of full capacity in addition Ss. 18;S.20(2) CAMA
• He cannot be counted for the purpose calculating the legal minimum of 2 persons-S 80(2) CAMA
• Thus a minor is only restricted as to his capacity but not prohibited from joining to form a company. In terms of appointment as a Director, a minor is absolutely prohibited – S. 257 CAMA

CAN A COMPANY COMMENCE BUSINESS BEFORE INCORPORATION?
No. A company cannot start any business activities before incorporation- S 37 – 38CAM

Terms Used:
CAMA: Companies And Allied Matters Act

Gaining Control in a Private Company

CLAUSES TO BE INCLUDED IN THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION TO GAIN CONTROL IN A PRIVATE COMPANY

• Appointed as a life director. S. 255 CAMA.
• Power given to a particular person under the MEMART to appoint and remove the other directors pursuant to section 41(3) CAMA
• Appointment as Chairman/MD of the Board of Directors to preside over company meetings. He has the right to casting vote in the event of equality of votes during voting on any resolution- section 240 CAMA.
• Substantial share holding to give due advantage during voting by demand of a poll.
• To be in custody of the common seal of the company.
• Creation of classes of shares with preferential rights with benefit of payment of accumulated dividend upon profit and winding up.
• Pre-emptive right upon transfer of shares.
• Pro-rata distribution of unissued shares

WHAT ARE THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR STAMPING

• Two copies of memorandum of association, section 27(6) CAMA.
• Two copies of articles of association, section 34(4) CAMA.
• Two copies of the application for registration of company

Terms Used:
CAMA: Companies And Allied Matters Act

To some of us, nothing may be as heartrending as losing data or files that had previously been safely stored on a device – be it our PC, smartphone or memory card. The reason for this can be traceable to the saying that ‘information is power’. However, when that valuable information gets missing, we are left helpless or made to go through the stress of gathering a fresh one from different sources.

But provided the gadget that once had the files is not lost then there is still a glimmer of hope that you can recover the lost files. Thanks to technology and software developers that have been working round the clock to make available apps that can help to retrieve ‘lost’ or deleted files. Five (5) of these apps shall henceforth be discussed in this article.

• Recuva: This is a very popular and effective app for recovering lost files on flash drives, memory cards, system’s hard drives and some other portable storage devices. It is specifically compatible on file systems with either FAT or NTFS architecture. It is quite easy to use as you only have to select the files to be recovered from the list of recoverables presented [after scanning has been completed]. It is however important to state that the earlier you trigger the recovery process, the brighter your chances of having the (deleted) files restored. So, whatever you accidentally deleted those important files of yours, do not hesitate to undelete them with Recuva.

• DiskDigger: Here is another one for undeleting and recovering different types of files from photos to documents, music and videos. It works on Windows and Linux operating systems, and it is capable of digging deep into a variety of storage mediums to bring back to you that (file) which was once lost. And even more interesting is the fact that there is a version for Android devices.

• EaseUS: EaseUS recovery app is a highly revered tool that has proven its effectiveness over and again. This can help to recover lost or deleted files or even the files that have been damaged from hard drives or external hard disk drive. There are versions available for Windows and Mac O. Furthermore, there exist the free and paid versions. However, while it is possible to recover data of any size with the paid version, the free version can only retrieve data with a cumulative size of 2GB.

• Undelete 360: Have you just unintentionally deleted some documents, photos or music files from your device – smartphone, hard drives, camera – you name it. If so, you do not have to worry, just undelete them with this app, and experience a 360o turn-around – from carrying a sad face to putting some smile on again. Undelete 360 is fast, efficient and very easy to use but it is only compatible with Windows.

• PhotoRec: Do not be deceived by the name, PhotoRec is not solely for recovering pictures; it can help to retrieve other (lost) data like videos and documents from different storage mediums. Plus, it can run on a wide range of operating systems – Windows, Linux, Mac OS X amongst others.

This is all we can take for now but it is worth noting that the list of recovery apps is really expansive and a search through the internet will surely let you discover more valuable apps that can be of use to you.

The world has gone full-blown techie and in this age of ours, it is somewhat ‘unimaginable’ to see any business stand the test of time without having a dose of technological input. The speed of service delivery as well as the ease of doing business have made the integration of software application rather quintessential. These inputs seem to give some companies the edge over others as customers demand peak.

Although service delivery within the banking sector may be far from being perfect – amidst varying complaints from customers – it is hard to imagine what life would have been like without the utilization of a couple of software by different financial institutions. It is in view of this that we have decided to shed light on some of the major software used by Nigerian banks

• Finacle: Finacle was developed by Indian technology company, Infosys. The software is renowned for its flexibility, high processing speed and the reliable interactive interface featured on it. It is primarily functional for running core banking operations, updating customer details, performing periodic operations [like standing instruction calculation of interest and so on]. Additionally, it is useful in mobile banking, internet banking and business analytics. Versions of this software that have been released include Finacle 7, 10, 11 and 11E. In Nigeria, Wema Bank, UBA Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Heritage Bank, First Bank, and First City Monument Bank use Finacle 10 while Fidelity Bank uses Finacle 7.

• FLEXCUBE: FLEXCUBE was originally developed by Citicorp Information Technologies Industries Limited – which is now named Oracle Financial Services Software Limited after the acquisition by Oracle Corporation in 2005. This software serves a tremendous purpose in retail banking, customer relationship and management, investor servicing and asset management. The list of Nigerian banks using FLEXCUBE include Access Bank, CitiBank, Diamond Bank, Ecobank, Union Bank and Polaris Bank.

• ICS Banks: Guaranty Trust Bank recently won the Nigerian Bank of the Year once again this year and one cannot but acknowledge the influence of the core banking system in place. Well, ICS Banks – which is the software used by GTB – is known to be efficient for taking care of several financial activities. It has got many advanced features that makes it seamlessly possible to carry out the following functions: core banking, ATM management, Online Banking, risk management, teller operations, transaction monitoring, investment banking and so on.

• Temenos T24: This banking software was developed in 1993 by Temenos Systems, a tech company based in Geneva. Modules available on this software include Corporate banking suite, retail banking suite, Asset Management, wealth management, funds management and so on. Temenos systems is not resting on its oars as it keeps investing in the latest Artificial Intelligence advances in order to maintain its market edge. Keystone Bank and Sterling Bank are the two Nigerian Banks currently using Temenos T24.

• FusionBanking Essence: FusionBanking Essence is a customer-focused software created to help financial institutions run their operations smoothly. It was developed by Misys. The platform is hinged on utilizing advanced analytics to ensure banks promptly cater to the needs of their customers. In Nigeria, Zenith Bank is the only financial institution using this very software.

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, on Monday said he would run a people-friendly government if elected in 2019.

Atiku made the promise while addressing thousands of PDP supporters at the North-West Zonal launching of the 2019 Atiku/Obi Presidential Campaign Rally in Sokoto.

Our Nigeria of today needs leaders that will involve all in government, not some individuals who only care for their personal interests and not the country.

We have plan to involve all Nigerians in any decision making, most especially the masses that remain our priority in PDP.

Our target is to ensure Nigeria of our founding fathers, a country for all, a united and secure Nigeria that will attract more investors to participate in its economic growth.

As such, we expect all hands to be on deck in order for us to successfully achieve the Nigeria we deserve, he said.

PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, called on supporters to secure their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to enable them to vote for the party in the forthcoming election.

Our PVCs are the only weapons for us to attain the required victory of our choice in 2019, as such, we protect them for the best interest of our desire.

We are fully confident that Nigeria is for PDP and such will always remain, as it is the only party that can deliver for the people.

So, our collective responsibility is to ensure that we come out en masse and vote for the party and also protect our votes after casting without any fear of intimidation, he said.

Secondus called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure free and fair election in the best interest of the country.

Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State in his remarks, welcomed all the PDP supporters from the zone and other parts of the country to the state.

He called on Nigerians to vote massively for all PDP candidates in their respective States to enable the party to deliver on its campaign promises.

Tambuwal described Atiku as a leader that can deliver all the necessary needs of Nigerians in the area of human development and all other sectors that needed to be addressed in the country.

We are confident that our partys candidate, structure and reputation will be the best for Nigeria and Nigerians and will surely deliver the necessary needs of our people.

As such, we have to come out en masse in February 2019 to vote for PDP for the best Nigeria of our dreams, Tambuwal said.

In his remarks, former President Goodluck Jonathan said that Nigeria has a lot of challenges that need to be systematically addressed.

We believe that today we are facing a lot of challenges in our country and we believe Atiku is the only candidate that can deliver well in tackling such, Jonathan said.

Former Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso, described the gathering as a great achievement for the zone and the success of PDP in the country.

He said Atiku remained one of the tested and trusted leaders in Nigeria who deserved the support of the people to achieve a greener country for all.

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, said Atiku is contesting to unite Nigeria and tackle all the challenges in the country.

Other personalities who attended the rally were former governors Babangida Aliyu of Niger, Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti and Attahiru Bafarawa of Sokoto State.

Former President of the Senate, David Mark, former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmad Makarfi, former Governor of Adamawa State, Boni Haruna as well as all the PDP governorship candidates from the seven States in the zone, also attended.

Source: NAN

By Isaac Aregbesola

Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, says 2019 election is not a matter of `life or death for President Muhammadu Buhari because he will be happy to accept the verdict of the electorate.

Onyeama in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said that all the president wants to do is to create a level playing field for all the political parties.

He is fully committed to ensuring that the next election in 2019 is free, fair and transparent and that each vote should count.

I think most importantly for him, it is not a matter of life or death. That is where he is coming from. He is very happy to accept whatever the outcome is and the will of the people.

He doesnt want to interfere with the process, he wants INEC to be totally independent for them to do the right thing.

He is ready to invest and provide all the resources for them to be totally independent, he said.

He recalled that Buhari almost did not purchase the nomination form but for the intervention of well wishers.

Onyeama assured Nigerians that Buhari is going to practice what he preached.

He has been to Supreme Court to challenge election, he has been on the other side; he appreciates more than anyone else the importance of free, fair and transparent election.

He always said that the electronic process that has been introduced helping to take away the human element has been the game changer, something that he loves, so he believes in free and fair election, he said.

Onyeama said that Buhari would show good example to West Africa and other countries by practicing what he preaches.

He said that the president led the intervention of ECOWAS in the Gambia and sent special envoys to Mali, Guinea Bissau and Togo to ensure democratically elected government in those countries

He has sent me as a special envoy to ensure that the electoral process in Guinea Bissau is on course; he sent me as a special envoy to Mali get the opposition to accept the court ruling after the election.

He sent me as envoy to Togo to help them to push for a transparent and fair process as they are also prepared for legislative election.

He went to the International Criminal Court as a special guest of honour and delivered a speech to the world about the importance and the rule of law and fair election, he said.

Source: NAN