Harvard’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies Opens Field Office in Tunisia

The Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES) at Harvard University today opened its first overseas office, in Tunisia, home to a tradition of learning and research that extends from Antiquity to the present. The office and the year-round programs run from the location are made possible by the support of Harvard College alumnus Hazem Ben-Gacem (AB ’92).

From left to right: Professor William Granara, Director of the Center of Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University; Mrs. Margot N.Gill, Administrative Dean for International Affairs in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University and Hazem Ben-Gacem, Founder of the Center of Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University, Tunis

“The Middle East is a part of the world that you’ll never fully understand unless you get your feet on the ground and experience it first-hand,” said William Granara, CMES Director and Professor of Arabic. “Thanks to Hazem’s generosity, Harvard students and scholars have greater resources to pursue in-depth field research and can more substantively engage in language and cultural immersion experiences.”

Wema Bank Unveils Solar-Powered Mobile Branch

Wema Bank Plc has unveiled a solar-powered mobile branch to make banking services available to everyone in all parts of the country. Mr Damola Bolodeoku, the bank’s Head of eBusiness, in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos, said the mobile branch was fitted with two automated teller machines (ATM).

According to Bolodeoku, the mobile branch tagged: “Wema Bank on Wheels”, will bring convenient banking services to Nigerians at their door step in line with global best practices, using technology. “We are taking banking services to Nigerians, no matter where they are.

Gregory Ovie Jobome Becomes ED, Risk Management Division at Access Bank

Access Bank Plc has announced the appointment of Dr. Gregory Ovie Jobome as its new Executive Director, Risk Management Division.

The bank in a statement filed with the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Wednesday described Dr. Jobome as a thorough bred banking profession with excellent academic pedigree, who obtained a First Class Degree in Economics from the University of Maiduguri in 1986 and a Distinction in Master of Business Administration from Obafemi Awolowo University in 1990.

Founder of Ecobank receives AfroChampions Lifetime Awards for pan-African vision

The AfroChampions Initiative, an innovative project designed to promote African private sector champions, has been officially launched in Bamako, Mali, at an inaugural dinner sponsored by the Organizing Committee of the Africa-France Summit for Partnership, Peace and Emergence, advisory firm Konfidants and ADS group. Partners of the initiative have honoured on that occasion co-founder of Ecobank and Asky Airlines, Gervais Koffi Djondo.

Gervais Koffi Djondo

Mr. Djondo received a special lifetime award for his remarkable contribution to economic exchanges within the continent.

John Legend, Keith Urban, Others To Perform On 59th Annual Grammy Awards

The first round of performers for the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards telecast has been announced and includes 10-time GRAMMY winner John Legend, eight-time GRAMMY-winning band Metallica, and seven-time GRAMMY winner and current nominee Carrie Underwood with four-time GRAMMY winner and current two-time nominee Keith Urban.

Award-winning television personality and performer James Corden is set to host Music's Biggest Night for the first time. Taking place at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live in HDTV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network, Sunday, February 12, 2017.

Security agencies hunt for producers of concocted Amstel Malta video

Following the recent discovery of serial attempts to defame Amstel Malta, through concocted video productions, the nation’s security agencies have begun a massive cyber hunt for the brains behind the act.

In August 2016, Amstel Malta, the premium, low sugar formulated malt drink from the stable of Nigerian Breweries, launched a new credential campaign #WhyAddMore. Shortly after the campaign, a picture went viral that a fake version of the Amstel Malta is in circulation. This was because the new packaging wore the new NIS logo while the old packaging had the old NIS logo of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria.

Soon after this, the Nigerian consumers were greeted with another offensive video of an Amstel Malta can drink allegedly containing a strange object. A faceless consumer recorded an alleged contaminated drink and circulated it on social media.

Toyota Partners with German Olympic Committee

The German Olympic Committee (DOSB) has entered into partnership with Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota.

As part of the agreement, the DOSB will be given hybrid Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Toyota Germany will hand over various hybrid vehicles from the Toyota and Lexus model range to the DOS

The partnership continues Toyota's considerable Olympic involvement. Having announced an agreement with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in March 2015, the Japanese manufacturer joined The Olympic Partner (TOP) programme at the start of this year.

Thank you President Obama - Tony Elumelu

Tony O. Elumelu, Chairman at Heirs Holdings message to Barrack Obama:



I don’t take it lightly that an African like me had an opportunity to run for public office in the United States and ran all the way with it, becoming President. Everywhere I go across the continent, I tell youth that I speak to, to dare to dream but also to act to implement those dreams and stay focused. I can’t think of a worthier example than the outgoing President of the United States Barack Obama who has inspired the whole world. 

Stanbic IBTC Offers School Fees Payment Solutions To Parents, Guardians

To help parents minimize the financial burden of school fees as schools reopen for a new term, Stanbic IBTC Bank, a member of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, has encouraged parents to take advantage of its bouquet of payment solutions.

Stanbic IBTC Bank listed its educational payment solutions to include, Short Term Loans, Salary Advance (SALAD) for salaried workers as well as its Credit Cards that parents can take advantage of to pay the school fees of their children/wards without negatively impacting the family income. The bank said its prepaid cards are available to load pocket money for children/wards while the credit cards, which currently offer a 55-day interest moratorium, can be used to seamlessly pay school fees. The school fees payment solutions underline the importance the financial institution attaches to education, it added.

Executive Director, Personal and Business Banking, Stanbic IBTC, Mr. Babatunde Macaulay, said the educational development of children is the key to unlocking a prosperous future for the family and the bank is desirous to offer the necessary assistance to parents/guardians to ensure they bequeath their children this important legacy. “Stanbic IBTC understands the pivotal role education can play in transforming a society, which is why we have developed these products tailored to the needs of our customers as they strive to provide quality education for their children/wards,” Macaulay said.

Juventus Goes "Beyond Football", Unveil Controversial New Logo

Italian football club Juventus on Tuesday unveiled a controversial and polarising new logo after 120 years of their iconic club crest.

The new minimalist design sees the Italian side drop their famous vertical black and white stripes containing black and white stripes, the bull representing the city of Turin or a zebra that have featured as the club's logo in various forms since the 1920s.

It's been dubbed as the transition from a badge to a brand. The design, led by Interbrand’s Milan office, was unveiled in the city as Interbrand and Juventus shared details of Juventus’ international growth plan, titled Black and White and More.

Airtel to Premiere Touching Lives Season 3 on February 4th

...Premiere to hold at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos

Leading telecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria, will hold an exclusive VVIP event on Saturday, 4th of February, 2017, to premiere the third edition of its CSR initiative, Airtel Touching Lives.

The premiere, which will hold at the Eko Hotel & Suites, will be attended by several dignitaries and will serve as a platform to promote the culture of giving, self-sacrifice, love and charity among Nigerians.

Top business executives, philanthropists, important government personalities, leaders in Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), media chiefs and prominent Nigerians have confirmed to grace the premiere of the CSR initiative.

Search For Inventors Begins As 2017 Cowbellpedia Secondary School Mathematics TV Quiz Show Opens

The search for the best students in Mathematics amongst Secondary Schools in Nigeria has kicked off as the 2017 edition of Cowbellpedia Secondary School Mathematics TV Quiz show opened with excitement on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, Mr. Olivier Thiry, Managing Director of Promasidor Nigeria Limited, the sponsor of the initiative, explained to Journalists that though Cowbell has been involved in the improvement of standard of education in Nigeria especially Mathematics in the last two decades, the company however brought all its intervention under one umbrella; Cowbellpedia last year.

From Left to Right: Dr. Ikechukwu Anyanwu, Director, Quality Assurance, National Examination Council, NECO; Master Ayooluwa Oguntade, winner, senior category, 2016 Cowbellpedia Mathematics TV Quiz Show; Mr. Olivier Thiry, Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited; Miss Juliet Ekoko, winner, junior category, 2016 Cowbellpedia Mathematics TV Quiz Show and Mr. Festus Tettey, Head of Marketing, Promasidor Nigeria Limited at  the 2017 Cowbellpedia Mathematics TV Quiz Show press briefing in Lagos on Tuesday

He added that for this year, the thrust is to provide a credible platform that will identify and reward excellence in the subject area of Mathematics among Junior and Senior Secondary School students in Nigeria.

Nigeria Export Workshop Team Launches Training For First Time Exporters

• Unveils Plan to Launch Global e-Marketplace

The Nigerian Export Workshop Team has launched its maiden workshop and capacity building for first time exporters with the ultimate purpose to diversify the nation’s economy and increase exportation rate as a key means to boost foreign exchange.

The workshop, which is sponsored by BusinessCabal and supported by different stakeholders, is meant to equip new exporters with knowledge about production, value addition, marketing and exportation.

While unveiling the programme at a recent press briefing, convener of the Nigeria Export Workshop, Mr. Olatunde F. Wealth, disclosed that the workshop became imperative in order to solve some major obstacles facing new exporters trying to start the business at this crucial time.