BUA Group has decided to being down the price of Cement effective October 2, 2023.
According to a statement from the Cement manufacturer, the organization decided to bring the price reduction forward rather than waiting till when its new production lines were completed as it had earlier promised.
Based on the latest development, the ex-factory price has now been fixed at 3,500 NAIRA per bag, ‘so that Nigerians can begin to enjoy the benefits of the price reduction even before the completion of the new plants’.
The statement further revealed that upon completion of the new plants which will increase BUA production volume to 17million Metric tons per annum, the company intends to further review downwards the price of cement by first Quarter of 2024 in line with earlier promise.
See full text of the statement below
BUA Cement reduces ex-factory cement prices to N3,500/bag effective October 2, 2023.
We refer to our previous pronouncements regarding our intent to reduce cement prices upon the completion of our new lines at the end of the year, in order to spur development in the building materials and infrastructure sectors.
As per the commitment made to reduce prices and following a periodic review of our operations for efficiency, the management of BUA Cement Plc wishes to announce and inform our esteemed customers, stakeholders, and the public that effective October 2, 2023, we have decided to bring the price reduction forward. As a result, BUA Cement would now be sold at an ex-factory* price of 3,500 Naira per bag so that Nigerians can begin to enjoy the benefits of the price reduction before the completion of our plants.
Upon completion of the ongoing construction of our new plants, which would increase our production volumes to 17million metric tonnes per annum, BUA Cement PLC intends to review these prices further in line with our earlier pronouncements by the first quarter of 2024.
NOTE: all pending, undelivered orders which had been paid for at the old prices will be reviewed downwards to N3500/bag in line with the new pricing from October 2, 2023. Our licensed dealers are also enjoined to ensure that end-users benefit from this reduction in ex-factory prices as we will monitor field sales to ensure compliance.
A photogenic five-year-old from Nigeria has been dubbed the world’s “most beautiful girl” after portraits of her went viral on social media.
Official images of Jare Ijalana were recently shared on Instagram and Twitter by photographer Mofe Bamuyiwa. “Oh yes, she’s human! She’s also an angel!” the Lagos camerawoman captioned one of the portraits of Jare.
With piercing eyes, a beautiful complexion and gorgeous hair, the child is revered as “doll-like,” a “true work of art” and “absolutely stunning.” The three portraits of Jare have garnered nearly 50,000 likes and thousands of comments on Instagram.
“I want to portray the interception between her childhood and adulthood so both stay timeless!” Bamuyiwa captioned another shot of Jare. “I could have made her smile and make her laugh out loud but I put her in their natural moments for us to see through their eyes!”
Bamuyiwa added, “Posing them as adulterers is my trick to create a timeless portrait! Jare, when you clock 21 remember to do the same pose and style.”
And Jare isn’t the only one in her family to be an up-and-coming model. Her sisters Jomi, 7, and Joba, 10, have also posed for Bamuyiwa’s camera and the siblings are also featured on their family’s social media pages.
“All I want is for everyone to see Jare’s powerful potential,” Bamuyiwa told Yahoo Lifestyle on Tuesday. “I want the photo to speak to her when she has reached adulthood.”
The viral “most beautiful girl in the world” movement first started back in the early 2010s after France’s Thylane Blondeau, now 17, was called “the most beautiful girl in the world” at age six, leading to her photos being published at Paris Vogue‘s Vogue Enfants years later.
President Bola Tinubu has lost his bid to block Chicago State University from releasing his academic records to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The development came after a United States Judge, Nancy Maldonado, adopted all the ruling of Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert of the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, ordering the immediate release of the academic records of Tinubu by the CSU.
Tinubu had objected to the Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert ruling ordering the immediate release of the academic records by the CSU.
According to the President, releasing the documents with deposition would cause him severe harm because they were private to him and would not be admissible in the ongoing petition against him in Nigeria.
SPY NIGERIA recalls that Atiku, who contested the February 25 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has been seeking Tinubu’s academic records to establish that he presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
However, in her ruling on Saturday, Maldonado said the decision of a lower federal magistrate judge on September 19 was appropriate and adopted it in full.
“The Court overrules President Tinubu’s objections to Magistrate Judge Gilbert’s recommended ruling, and therefore adopts the ruling in full. Mr Abubakar’s application is therefore granted,” the judge ruled.
The Judge also gave CSU until noon on Monday to release the documents and the deposition of officials of CSU completed by 5pm CDT on Tuesday.
“In light of the pending Supreme Court of Nigeria deadline, represented to the court as October 5, 2023, and based on CSU’s representations that it is ready to comply with the discovery requests and produce a witness, the court sets an expedited schedule for completion of discovery,” the judge said.
Maldonado warned that any attempt by Tinubu to appeal the judgement in the district would no longer be tolerated as Abubakar must transfer the collected evidence to the Nigeria’s Supreme Court for use in an ongoing election petition case by October 5.
The judge, however, said Tinubu is free to file his appeal directly before the Seventh Circuit – an appellate court overseeing Illinois and nearby states.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that for the next six months, an average low-grade worker shall receive an additional N25,000 per month.
The president said this in his nationwide broadcast as part of the programme of events marking Nigeria’s 63rd Independence anniversary celebration.
“Based on our talks with labour, business and other stakeholders, we are introducing a provisional wage increment to enhance the federal minimum wage without causing undue inflation. For the next six months, the average low-grade worker shall receive an additional N25,000 per month,” he announced, while outlining measures being taken to relieve the stress on families and households after the removal of fuel subsidy and unification of exchange rates.
President Tinubu said his government was doing all it could to ease the load, stating, “We have embarked on several public sector reforms to stabilise the economy, direct fiscal and monetary policy to fight inflation, encourage production, ensure the security of lives and property and lend more support to the poor and the vulnerable.”
The president said THAT commencing this month, the social safety net was being extended through the expansion of cash transfer programmes to an additional 15 million vulnerable households.
He added that the government had set up an Infrastructure Support Fund for states to invest in critical areas to ensure better grassroots development, stressing, “States have already received funds to provide relief packages against the impact of rising food and other prices.”
President Tinubu said the government had also opened a new chapter in public transportation through the deployment of cheaper, safer Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses across the country, adding that “These buses will operate at a fraction of current fuel prices, positively affecting transport fares.
New CNG conversion kits will start coming in very soon as all hands are on deck to fast track the usually lengthy procurement process. We are also setting up training facilities and workshops across the country to train and provide new opportunities for transport operators and entrepreneurs. This is a groundbreaking moment where, as a country, we embrace more efficient means to power our economy. In making this change, we also make history.”
The president said his administration was providing investment funding for enterprises with great potential to boost employment and urban incomes.
He added that the government was equally “increasing investment in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.”
President Tinubu, who restated the reasons behind the ongoing reforms in the country, appealed for more understanding from citizens.
He said, “I said bold reforms were necessary to place our nation on the path of prosperity and growth. On that occasion, I announced the end of the fuel subsidy.
“I am attuned to the hardships that have come. I have a heart that feels and eyes that see. I wish to explain to you why we must endure this trying moment. Those who sought to perpetuate the fuel subsidy and broken foreign exchange policies are people who would build their family mansion in the middle of a swamp. I am different. I am not a man to erect our national home on a foundation of mud. To endure, our home must be constructed on safe and pleasant ground.
Reforms may be painful, but it is what greatness and the future require. We now carry the cost of reaching a future Nigeria where the abundance and fruits of the nation are fairly shared among all, not hoarded by a select and greedy few; a Nigeria where hunger, poverty and hardship are pushed into the shadows of an ever fading past.
“There is no joy in seeing the people of this nation shoulder burdens that should have been shed years ago. I wish today’s difficulties did not exist. But we must endure if we are to reach the good side of our future.”
On his pledge of a thorough housecleaning of the den of malfeasance the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had become, President Tinubu said, “That housecleaning is well underway. A new leadership for the Central Bank has been constituted.”
He added that his special investigator would soon present his findings on past lapses and how to prevent similar reoccurrences, stressing, “Henceforth, monetary policy shall be for the benefit of all and not the exclusive province of the powerful and wealthy.”
The president, who said his administration shall always accord the highest priority to the safety of the people, stated that inter-service collaboration and intelligence sharing had been enhanced.
He said service chiefs had been tasked with the vital responsibility of rebuilding the capacities of our security services.
Tinubu also commended security forces for their gallantry.
The president congratulated the National Assembly for its role in the quick take-off of his administration through the performance of its constitutional duties of confirmation and oversight and the judiciary as a pillar of democracy and fairness.
He also thanked members of civil society organisations and labour unions for their dedication to Nigeria’s democracy, saying, “We may not always agree, but I value your advice and recommendations. You are my brothers and sisters and you have my due respect.”
enedict, the father of Sylvester Nnanna, has banned watching cartoons by his children after his son almost lost one of his eyes while mimicking a popular cartoon, Batman.
Four-year-old Nnanna reportedly got injured when he missed his steps while jumping from one cushion to the other in their house.
“He would return from school and be demonstrating the acrobats of Batman actors,” says his father, a resident in Enugu. “He started watching cartoons very early in life, and we thought we were using it to control him.
“Recently, he began to dress as a fighter. It was like a play, but today, being Saturday, I returned home and saw our parlour dotted with blood stains. It was gory, and when I saw him wearing a blood stained t-shirt and a swollen face, I asked him what happened. He said he fell down while imitating Batman actors. It was so bad that I had to take him to hospital. He was lucky that the cut didn’t affect his eye. It was only his eyelid.
“For now, I have banned watching cartoons in my house till further notice. This is an eye-opener. I now realize why some kids are reported to shoot guns at their peers in developed countries where guns are licensed with ease. They are simply imitating what they watch. I advise parents to observe what their kids watch.”
The victim said, “I like Batman because it teaches me how to fight and defend myself. I didn’t want to injure myself when I fell. I wanted to fall like one of the actors that I was watching, but I hit my eye on the door. I wanted to fall, but not to wound myself.
” I didn’t want my dad to know I watch Batman. When he is around, I watch Jimjam. But when he is not around, I watch Batman. He taught me how to operate the remote control, but warned me never to watch another channel except Jimjam and Kiddies. But I like Batman. I will not watch it again.”
Felix Otabor, the father of Season 7 Big Brother Naija winner, Ijeoma Josephina Otabor, known as Phyna, has recounted his hardship experience following his daughter’s triumph in securing the coveted N100 million prize during the ‘Level Up’ edition of the show in 2022.
Phyna clinched the coveted N100 million BBNaija prize in 2022 during the ‘Level Up’ edition of the show.
The father of the reality TV star cried out after his daughter asked him to stop working and abandoned him.
According to the 68-year-old ambulance car driver, his daughter’s win brought a heavy sigh of relief that God has finally answered their prayers.
The father who cried for help revealed that Phyna doesn’t pick their calls any more and he only get to see her on Facebook and Instagram when ever the she post pictures.
Narrating his ordeal to newsmen, Otabor said, “I haven’t seen Phyna, my daughter since she won BBNaija ‘Level Up’ edition last year. She hasn’t returned home since then. I don’t know why?
“I am a professional hearse driver, and when she won the reality TV show, she asked me to do away with all my old cars, promising to change my life. But since then, I haven’t seen her. And I don’t have a car again. Once in a while, the Vice-Chairman of our association will allow me to drive his own car.
“I sold all my four cars because at the time , my daughter won the show. I thought that God had finally answered our prayers. I called her on the telephone, and she said God has blessed us.
“She asked me to do away with all my old cars, or she would give them out to Aboki, any day she returned. So, instead of allowing her to dash out my cars to scavengers, I decided to sell them as scraps and used the proceeds to renovate my house. And that was the beginning of my suffering.
“I stopped doing my business because I had no car again. And my neighbours thought I was either stingy or pretending as if my daughter just won a N100 million grand prize. I was the Vice-Chairman of our association, but when I couldn’t show up at our station for some time, they replaced me with another person.
“From that moment, things started getting tough for me.I am even looking for somebody that will give me a car on hire purchase. I need help, it has come to that point/. I don’t want to die in silence.”
Joseph Aloba, the father of Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad, has disclosed how the late singer met his wife, Wunmi, at Naira Marley’s Marlian Music label.
Mohbad died on September 12, 2023, in Lagos State.
While describing Mohbad as a simple and modest individual, he added that the duo had known each other at a very tender age at Oke-Iletu, Ikorodu, Lagos, before they were able to reconnect at Naira Marley’s label.
However, before they reconnected, there was no string attached between them.
Wunmi is said to have given birth to Liam, son of the deceased.
Clarifying this through the song “Komajensun” which Mohbad sang in 2020, Aloba spoke of a lyric, “Naira lo gbe omo fun mi, I’m not a womaniser”, in the song referencing how Mohbad reconnected with Wunmi at Marlian record.
He (Mohbad) met the lady (Wunmi) there (at Marlian Music) but they had known each other from Oke-Iletu, even though the lady was a student then,” Aloba disclosed to this reporter.
The Lagos State Police Command has commenced an investigation to unravel the circumstances leading to the artiste’s death.
Meanwhile, the Coroner’s inquest into the death of Mohbad has fixed October 13, 2023, for witnesses to appear before it.
Attorney Funmi Falana, who represented Mohbad’s family, alongside other lawyers, had closed-door proceedings to discuss the modalities for hearing of evidence.
Speaking to the journalist after the proceedings, Falana said, “What we did today was to decide how and when the procedures would help get justice. The date has been fixed and will be bringing our witnesses.”
Nigerian businessman, Sam Larry has revealed why he attacked Late Nigerian singer, Mohbad in a viral video.
He revealed this to the police following his arrest.
In his statement, Sam Larry accused Mohbad of defaulting on a 2 million naira performance fee.
Larry claimed that he paid Mohbad to perform at his mother’s remembrance concert, but the singer never showed up.
According to him, when he he called the deceased to ask why he didn’t show up, the singer told him that he was not feeling well.
Larry added that he asked for a refund but Mohbad said that he had lost his phone and money in a recent NDLEA raid and was leaving Marlian Records, so he was broke and couldn’t pay back the money.
Larry claimed he later found out that Mohbad was filming a music video the next day, so he went to ask for his money again.
However, they got into an argument and the money was not paid till date.
Larry says that he had moved on and had traveled to Kenya to find a new African act to perform at his mother’s concert this year.
He concluded by saying that he doesn’t know anything about Mohbad’s death and that he came to the police station willingly and happily.
In his words:
“2 year’s ago, I gave Ileri N2m to perform at my mother’s annual remembrance concert at Ikorodu,he boy never turned up, so I called him to ask why?
He then said he was not feeling well and when I asked for a refund, he said he lost his phone and money recently when the NDLEA raided his place in the process and since he was leaving Marlian Records, he is now broke, with no commitment to repay, then left, all for me to later hear that this same boy was having a musical video shoot the next door, practically next street to my house, so I went there o ask for my money again, we had an argument that lasted 5mins, even one of his friends insisted he was going pay the money, up till today one kobo they have not paid me, this was early last year.
I have since then moved on, I traveled to Kenya to find new African act that can perform at my mother’s concert this year. I have been away since August 20!, till now I don’t know anything other than what was written in the blogs and press.
I don’t even know where he lives, I only know his former label boss and their house. I don’t know any nurse or doctor or hospital, I don’t know anything about his movement, I don’t have that time, I have lost a lot more money than that before, you win some you loose some.
That is my story case close. I came here willingly and happily. I know nothing about how the musician died “
Controversial Nollywood actor, Uche Maduagwu has alleged that he was offered a N3 million bribe to paint the wife of late rapper, Ilerioluwa Olademeji Aloba, aka Mohbad as the “prime suspect” in his sudden death.
He said the people who attempted to bribe him also asked him to use his social media platform to agitate for a DNA test for Mohbad’s five-month-old son.
The thespian in a video message shared via his Instagram page recently, said he was instructed to allege that the late singer is not the biological father of his son, Liam.
He said he, however, rejected the offer because he was not a member of Mohbad’s family to demand for a DNA test to be conducted on his son.
Maduagwu said, “I just have to say this right now. I was offered N3 million in Lekki exactly on the 15th of September. The person who approached me said I should come on social media to twist the story [of Mohbad’s sudden demise]; that I should claim his wife is the number one suspect.
“He also said I should agitate for a DNA test for her child, that the late singer is not the biological father of the child. But I said to myself, I’m not a member of Mohbad’s family. I’m not even his best friend. My people, I need money but I said I will not do it. If I see the person that approached me, if I see his picture, I will recognise him.”
– “I was offered N3million to paint Mohbad’s wife as prime suspect”- Uche Maduagwu reveals
Introduction: Every successful entrepreneur begins by identifying a market need and crafting a solution. This principle is magnificently embodied by Rotimi Williams, an ambitious ex-journalist who embarked on a transformative mission to address a fundamental challenge facing Nigeria – rice production. The founder and CEO of Kereksuk Rice Farm, Rotimi Williams, has emerged as a beacon of agricultural innovation, contributing to food security and economic growth. This article chronicles Williams’s remarkable journey, from his early career in journalism to his transition into banking, and ultimately, to his role in empowering communities through Kereksuk Rice Farm.
Early Beginnings: A Journey from Journalism to Agribusiness:Rotimi Williams’s journey began in the world of journalism, where he honed his skills in observation, analysis, and storytelling. His early career equipped him with a unique perspective and an eye for identifying underlying issues. This ability to uncover stories and understand complex narratives would later prove instrumental in his transition to the agricultural sector.
The Transition to Banking and Agricultural Awakening: After leaving journalism, Rotimi Williams’s path led him to the world of finance. His role as an analyst at the European Economics and Financial Center in London provided valuable insights into economic dynamics. Subsequently, his tenure at Euromoney Magazine, covering the African space, exposed him to the continent’s burgeoning agricultural potential. It was during this period that he observed a strong emphasis on agriculture in several African nations, igniting a spark that would later drive him back to Nigeria with a new purpose.
Trials and Transformation: Pioneering the Agricultural Dream: Despite encountering challenges in aligning banks with his agricultural aspirations, Rotimi Williams remained undeterred. He embraced a shift from banking to full-time agriculture, driven by a passion to contribute to Nigeria’s agricultural growth. Co-founding a Structured Trade and Commodity Finance company enabled him to consult for small agricultural enterprises seeking capital. This pivot marked the beginning of his transformative journey and a mission to turn Nigeria into a self-sustaining rice producer.
Kereksuk Rice Farm: Nurturing a Vision into Reality: Rotimi Williams’s journey culminated in the establishment of Kereksuk Rice Farm, located in Nassarawa State, Nigeria. Collaborating with a farm owner, he developed over 17,000 hectares of farmland, ushering in a new era of domestic rice production. Challenges tested his mettle, but his dedication led to the creation of a small rice mill and the expansion of the farm’s landmass to an impressive 55,000 hectares.
Growing through Incremental Progress: Rotimi Williams adhered to the philosophy of incremental growth, starting small and methodically expanding his operations. His approach, marked by pilot schemes and measured expansion, allowed him to fine-tune strategies, manage risks, and lay a solid foundation for his agribusiness empire.
Kereksuk’s Impact: A Catalyst for Change: Kereksuk Rice Farm stands as a symbol of Rotimi Williams’s commitment to agricultural transformation. The farm produces an impressive quantity of quality paddy rice annually, significantly contributing to Nigeria’s domestic rice supply. Through strategic initiatives, Kereksuk enhances economic growth and embraces environmentally friendly practices, creating a positive cycle of development.
Empowerment and Community Building: Beyond business success, Rotimi Williams champions social entrepreneurship. Initiatives like the out-of-poverty initiative and the empowerment of Fulani women in rice farming exemplify his commitment to holistic development. By providing education, empowerment, and livelihood opportunities, he fuels positive change at both individual and community levels.
A Lasting Legacy: Rotimi Williams’s journey from journalist to agricultural magnate underscores the power of vision, resilience, and innovation. His story serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs, showcasing the transformative potential of seizing opportunities and navigating challenges. As Nigeria seeks self-sufficiency in rice production and sustainable agricultural growth, Rotimi Williams and Kereksuk Rice Farm remain beacons of progress, embodying the spirit of empowerment, innovation, and prosperity.
