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 “ENDING 2020 WITH AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUTDE” – Sijibomi Ogundele’s Goodwill Message To Nigerians  

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Corona was a blessing and also a curse. A blessing because it reminded us of the importance of life and how the slightest negligence can result in a worse accident.
It is also a reminder, of how the greatest asset of ANY government is their Human Resources and not their Physical Resources! From Dubai to Denmark, Cairo to Cape Town, and Los Angeles to Lagos, Covid 19 has disrupted our LONG-anticipated 2020,  which was POPULARLY referred to as the golden year. Having said that, to move into a new era of 2021, our first attitude must be that of gratitude.
COVID 19 like a joke, came FASTER than a tsunami, crippled economies; stole the lives of many loved ones – without regards for political status, nationality or qualification.  Some, who felt like gods, were REDUCED 6-feet down, but I repeat again, our first attitude must be that of gratitude.
As we keep extending our condolences to families of those that have lost their loved ones, WE USE THIS opportunity to remind us that COVID is real and the fear of Corona is the beginning of wisdom.
THIS YEAR, we’ve had to fight lotS of battles…from the Black Lives Matters, where discrimination and racism held the breath of our brothers in America, to the death of the Iconic sports entrepreneur – Kobe Bryant.
THE WHOLE WORLD, was held in SHOCK, when we woke up to the death of our Wakanda brother – Chadwick Boseman; we can’t still get over the death of radio personality – Dan Foster;
The explosion that erupted in the small city of Beirut, which was SO LOUD that the whole world felt the cry of our Lebanese brothers. History will never forget the controversies surrounding the American election, where one man almost DISRUPTED the democratic foundation that has held a nation for over 200 years.
It goes on and on! Our fine pilot leader Jerry John Rawlins, one of the champions of African nation! No other man has captivated the world in mental and physical dribblings  like Diego Armando ‘Maradona’!. We at Sujimoto extend our deepest condolences to thw family and the people of Argentina!  Ladies and gentlemen, we shall not move into a new era, without first making our attitude be that of gratitude!
While still recovering from this HORRENDOUS pandemic, the EndSARS protest happened! The EndSars agitation was not only about the brutality of the Special Armed Robbery Squad, but a way to put an end to the historical and institutional looting of our educational palliative, infrastructural, economical and medical  palliatives.
 The EndSARS protest was to put an end to the injustice and institutional looting of the common wealth of our nation! And my first attitude is that of gratitude to my brothers and sisters, for lending our voice, knowing that one tweet can travel and start a conversation, that can change the narrative of our generation.
From the corners of Kastina to the borders of Borno, INSECURITY has become the bedrock of our nation. Inflation has skyrocketed, causing food insecurities, making life difficult for the COMMON MAN. EVEN Onions has become the local man’s diamond!
Economic chaos, job losses and Inflation, has made people commit suicide and many carring their bags seeking for opportunities in Canada.
In spite of COVID 19, the tension of #EndSars and the face of recession, we were FACED with two options; we had a CHOICE to give up or find opportunities where others saw calamity.
At Sujimoto, we made the choice to CONVERT our fears into fortunes, WE created NEW iconic projects, that will not only compete with the best locally but stand among giants globally!
The Leonardo – the most sophisticated residential building in Banana Island, WHERE every inch from foundation to finishing will elaborate the true essence of luxury. We took Abuja by storm and created Queen Amina -a luxury twin tower in the HEART of Maitama, designed to disrupt any form of mediocrity in the real estate industry.
We didn’t stop there! We are creating the Sujimoto Diamond City, where we would have about 1200 apartments, 98,000sqm of office spaces, 2 five star hotels, 20,000 seater conference hall, 10,000 car parks, hospitals, sport centre, independent power centre and many more…CREATING a mini Dubai in the centre of Lagos!.
What we couldn’t achieve in 5 years, we’ve achieved in 5 months! THIS WAS only made possible because we made a CAUTIOUS decision to turn our problems into opportunities and our fears into fortunes. YOU TOO can do the same but first, we MUST NOT enter into a new era, without attitude be that of gratitude.
From Kaduna to Calabar, Awka to Ikeja and Ikorodu to Ikoyi,  I USE this opportunity to call on ALL NIGERIANS, to unite against the DISEASE of tribalism and enter the new era of 2021 with the attitude of gratitude.
Opportunity has no tribe or religion, but SHE ONLY understands entrepreneurship! I have travelled all over the world and trust me, Nigeria is the BIGGEST ground for uncommon Opportunities!
The Nigeria of the Adenugas, Dangotes and the Coscharis, IS THE SAME Nigeria where a Lebanese man can come as a Trader and become an industrialist; an Indian comes as a Storekeeper and end up a Manufacturer!
This can only happen because while many realist and pessimist are discussing, these guys are taking optimistic advantages that is changing the narratives of their destiny. We too can do the same by making a CONSCIOUS decision to  turn our Lemon into Lemonade and produce diamonds from our coal.
To Nigerians home and abroad, and everyone who has made 2020 beautiful for us, we say may the odds be in our favour as we enter a new era!
Once again, let’s not forget the essence of making our attitude that of gratitude. BE a source of HOPE to the hopeless, because 2020 has shown us all that when your neighbour is hungry, your chicken is not safe!
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Update : FG, States, LGs Share N1.894trn February Revenue from Federation Account

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The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared a total of N1.894 trillion among the three tiers of government as federation allocation for February 2026.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Federal Ministry of Finance, the distribution was made from a gross revenue of N2.230 trillion generated during the month.

From the amount shared, the Federal Government received N675.086 billion, the 36 states received N651.525 billion, while the 774 local government councils got N456.467 billion. Oil-producing states also received an additional N110.949 billion as derivation revenue, representing 13 per cent of mineral proceeds.

The statement further disclosed that N77.302 billion was paid to revenue-generating agencies as the cost of collection, while N259.078 billion was allocated for transfers, interventions and refunds.

The ministry explained that gross revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT) for February stood at N668.450 billion, compared to N1.083 trillion distributed in the preceding month, indicating a decline of N414.710 billion.

From the VAT revenue, N26.738 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N22.593 billion was set aside for transfers, interventions and refunds.

The remaining N619.119 billion was shared among the three tiers of government, with the Federal Government receiving N61.912 billion, the states N340.515 billion and local government councils N216.692 billion.

Similarly, the gross statutory revenue of N1.561 trillion recorded in February was lower than the N1.957 trillion received in the previous month, representing a decrease of N395.138 billion.

From the statutory revenue, N50.564 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N236.485 billion was allocated for transfers, interventions and refunds.

The balance of N1.274 trillion was distributed as follows: the Federal Government received N613.174 billion, states got N311.010 billion, and local governments received N239.776 billion, while N110.949 billion was allocated as derivation revenue to oil-producing states.

New tax regime designed to boost growth, ease burden on Nigerians — Experts
The ministry noted that revenue from oil and gas royalty as well as excise duty recorded significant increases during the period.

However, it added that collections from Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Hydrocarbon Tax (HT), Companies Income Tax (CIT), Capital Gains Tax (CGT), Stamp Duties (SDT) and Value Added Tax (VAT) declined substantially during the month under review.

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Contempt of Court: How Onwukwem and Associates Ended Up in Jail in Lagos

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In what looked like a syndicate, a Lagos Lanlord, Mr. Lawrence Onwukwem and his gang, who specialise in swindling innocent Nigerians through properties in their care, have run into trouble and earned jail terms for fraud and illegal eviction of a couple, Mr. Olusola Alabi and his wife, Mrs. Olufunmilola Alabi, who rented an apartment from them and were summarily frustrated.

Like a thief whose time of reckoning has come, Onwukwem, alongside his accomplice; Mr. Davies Ijele, Mr. Sodiq Kazeem, and Ms. Peace Igbo, who operates under Green Birch Tech Ltd, was recently jailed for six months each by a Lagos Chief Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Eti-Osa for contempt of court.

The imprisonment of the defendants is due to the contemptuous order of the court. The court held them in contempt, which they displayed all through the court proceedings.

In the charges, marked MISC/MCE/07/2023, the court invoked Section 44(1)(a) of the Tenancy Law of Lagos State 2011 as amended against the Defendants by convicting the Directors of the 1st Defendant (including the 2nd Defendant, Mr. Lawrence Onwukwem (Managing Director) and Mr. Isaiah Davies ljele) and one Sodiq Kazeem, the Estate Manager and one Ms. Chidinmma Igbo, all of the 1st Defendant, for forceful ejection of the Claimant/Applicant for the three (3) Bedroom flat and one (1) Room Boys Quarters with appurtenances situate, lying and being at Block A, Flat 3, No. 96B, Ladipo Omotosho Cole Street, Lekki I, Eti-Osa, Lagos State held by the Claimant/Applicant as a yearly tenant of the 1st Defendant/Respondent by unlawfully trespassing into the said Apartment, forcing the door open, and removing the Claimant’s furniture and electronics, beddings, refrigerator, air conditioners and gas cooker with gas cylinder, etc. and changing the keys to the entrance door, without any Lawful authority of any Order of any Court of competent jurisdiction, whilst the Claimant’s Suit No: MISC/MCE/07/2023: and the 1st Defendant/Respondent’s Suit No: MCE165/CIV/2024 were pending before the Court.

Delivering the judgement, the Chief Magistrate, Kikelomo Olaiya Doja-Ojo, on June 5, 2025, said that Lawrence Onwukwem, Hon. Davies Ijele, Mr Sodiq Kazeem and Ms Peace Chidinma Igbo, were to be sentenced to six months in correctional centre for continuously flaunting the order of the court while also mandated to pay the sum of N250,000 each to the court.

“The claimant is to be restored back to possession. All her belongings removed are to be returned to her immediately,” the CTC read.

Meanwhile, since the court judgement, the couple claimed that only Kazeem is already serving the jail term at Ikoyi Correctional Centre, while the other three have since gone into hiding.

Reacting to the judgement, the couple said that disputes arose following an alleged breach of the tenancy agreement by the landlord, prompting Mrs. Alabi to seek legal redress in court.

The couple said that while the tenancy matter was still pending in court, Mr. Onwukwem and his partners unlawfully broke into the apartment, removed their properties valued at N25million, and subsequently rented out the flat to another tenant.

When this reporter reached out to Mr Lawrence and Ijele for comments, their telephone lines were unreachable.

However, Igbo denied allegations that she was arrested and charged to court for failing to produce Mr Kazeem.

She refuted claims that she stood as surety for Kaeem , insisting that she never signed any legal documents in that capacity.

“They have spoilt my name and career. I don’t know how to reach them. They have issue with a particular person and why involving me instead of meeting those concerned directly. I know nothing about it,” she said.

“For the record, I didn’t sign in as a surety…I was working as a secretary and HR for the firm. I was not a lawyer in that instance. I was in law school in 2021”

She, however, acknowledged that steps have been taken to address the matter, including efforts to obtain a remand order.

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Breaking : UK Tightens Security With Road Closures, No-Fly Zones for Tinubu’s Visit

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Britain will impose airspace restrictions and deploy armed police officers in Windsor next week as President Bola Tinubu arrives for a state visit hosted by King Charles III.

Tinubu is expected to begin the visit in the company of his wife Oluremi Tinubu on Wednesday, March 18, with a reception at Windsor Castle.

Thames Valley Police in a statement on its website on Wednesday, said it is working with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, the Royal Household and other security partners.

The force said airspace restrictions over Windsor Castle, which are in place permanently throughout the year, would be extended on Wednesday, March 18, to cover the period from 7am to 11.59pm.

Chief Superintendent Adrian Hall of Thames Valley Police’s Joint Operations Unit said the air restrictions formed part of a broader security operation for the visit.

“The air restrictions are just one part of our robust security operation for the state visit of Nigerian President Tinubu next week, with many measures you will see and others you will not..

“As a force, we have a vast amount of experience in policing Royal events in Windsor and significant planning, and preparation has gone into this event,” Hall said.

He said the force would take a strong stance in enforcing the restrictions, warning that any breach would constitute a criminal offence under the Air Navigation Order and could lead to arrest.

“We will be taking a strong stance in enforcing the restrictions; anyone who breaches them will be committing a criminal offence under the Air Navigation Order and could be arrested.”

The police chief said officers with specialist capabilities, including search teams, the Mounted Section, road policing, and armed units, would be deployed across Windsor, alongside neighbourhood policing and Project Servator resources.

“We will also be deploying numerous police officers to Windsor with specialist capabilities, including our search teams, Mounted Section, Roads Policing and armed units, while our neighbourhood and Project Servator resources will also be on the ground engaging with the public,” he said.

The authorities will also deploy an extensive closed-circuit television network, hostile vehicle mitigation barriers, and other undisclosed security measures for the event.

Hall said, “We will also be using the extensive CCTV network in Windsor, Hostile Vehicle Mitigation barriers, and many other security measures that you may not be able to see to make sure the event runs safely.”

He urged members of the public to support the security operation by remaining vigilant.

“The public plays a critical role to support us so we encourage them to report any suspicious activity or anything that does not seem quite right by calling 101 or speaking to one of our officers. If there is an immediate threat or emergency, then call 999,” Hall added.

Road closures and parking restrictions will take effect from Tuesday, March 17, with possible temporary disruption to roads in and around Windsor during the visit.

Thames Valley Police said it was being supported by the Civil Aviation Authority and National Air Traffic Services to enforce the flight restrictions. Persons with legitimate reasons for drone flying were directed to email [email protected].

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