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Mayor Of Housing, K O Baba Launch Scheme To Create Wealth In Diobu

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Some eminent persons who grew up in Diobu, Port Harcourt, including Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, and K.O. Baba Jornsen have joined hands to launch a scheme that will create job opportunities and wealth for the residents of the area.
The take-off point was the TEDx Diobu which has won a license from TED International to organize a talkshow on Diobu to help rebuild the brand and the spirit of that section that drives the overall spirit of the Garden City.
A major sponsor and rated speaker at the TEDx Diobu, the Mayor of Housing, said it was emotional for him to be back in Diobu where he said it all started for him some 18 years ago.
Speaking on what Diobu puts in one’s life and career, China talked about courage and grit, adding that his journey had a lot of courage as well as vulnerabilities.
“There were days I frowned. But guess what, it started with that result here in Diobu that birthed the most important legacy every entrepreneur must aspire to build. That legacy is the legacy of grit”, he said.
“Grit is what happens when you’re able to blend your experience with lots of courage; blend your experience with embracing your vulnerability and not denying them, but growing bigger than them and not wishing that things were easier but wish you grew better.
“Then, you will tap into the biggest and deepest well of treasures in the world inexhaustible: the world and the wealth of human capital and your mental capital.
“When you develop that grit and come out, you will begin to see opportunities where people no longer see opportunities.
“You begin to see challenges as bread. Where people are complaining, there are different challenges and you’re asking where is the akara to add to the bread to make it a balanced diet.”
He agreed with Dan De Humorous who made brief appearance at the event, saying every story has a beginning, middle, and the end.
“Building a business, making an impact are all summed up in one word: the capacity to do more and the power of your story.
“Ask yourself the business you’re building, when the story is told, will it make the hearer weaker or stronger?”
According to him, one of the greatest liabilities that we have produced in our age is that we have failed to make impact even on the direct beneficiaries of our success, our children.
“Because at the end, it is not what you leave for them that is important, but what you leave in them. I am hoping as I leave, that what I’ve left in you will be more important than what I left for you.”
Also speaking, the TEDx Diobu franchise owner and entrepreneur who has linked up with Mayor of Housing said at the first edition of TEDx Diobu that the project is to promote the reality of Diobu, “which is about good, not the bad, not about snatching of phones”.
O.K. Baba who is also a well-known comedian and creator of ‘Mayor of Pitakwa’ annual comedy series, said the project is to bring the finest persons that once lived in Diobu to come and talk to Diobu of today.
The man who emerged as a force in Diobu years ago revealed how it came to be, saying he began helping the boys and then, every disagreement in the area was brought to him to resolve.
According to him, he emerged the street chairman without an election.
He reminded well-to-do people that one criminal could kill up to 1,000 persons, saying it was important to pull the youths off crime with social facilities.
He hinted many schemes that may soon come in Diobu, including an economic summit, adding that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) would be targeted for support after the TEDx Diobu event.
In his speech, an entrepreneur, Daniel Okwara, revealed his business techniques and the things he did to grow his business.
“Give back all to your business. I did this and grew from buying a mere 25% of container to becoming a global business today.
“I opened a joint account so I will never withdraw at whims. There must be a cogent reason and a process before withdrawing.
“Save cost, maximise. This means save the cost of operations so nothing can touch it. Then maximise the deployment of your resources so it increases your profit.”
In his own contribution, J.J. Folami showed how he used traffic of his blog to promote his music, now recording over 3.5m followers.
Another speaker simply named Dickson said he was born in Diobu and that he had found out that the spirit of competition dominated by ‘I pass my neighbour’ mentality had held Diobu and other such towns down.
“The rich collaborate; the poor compete; at best, they cooperate”.
He warned that collaboration will become the new competition and that the big fishes do not swallow small fishes but swallow slow fishes.
Dan De Humorous said though he did live in Diobu (D-Line area), that TED has a unique way of telling stories around the globe.
“In every story, there is a beginning, middle, and the end or climax. That’s the beauty of TED stories. I urge the audience to pay attention to the middle of stories. That is where the battle is, where the process that decides the end is found.”
In his admonition, a lawyer and activist, Chizi Wigodo, urged people who have ideas to join groups or political parties to push the ideas.
He said: “Civic participation is key. Government knows that the people have the greater power. Join a group to amplify your idea.
“Know it that the next election begins after the current one. So, the next election (2027) begins now. Post-election fights in court are however better than causing chaos. The court works with the story, the evidence, the law.”
A female broadcaster, Oby Ify Fakae, wrapped it up when she pointed out what makes persons not to collaborate, saying it’s a trust issue.
“People only trust you when you know them. Not all money is good money.”
The participants, including Hilda Dokubo agreed on efforts to rebuild the spirit of doggedness and grit which they said Diobu gave the Garden City, and turn the ideas to wealth and job creation.

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Learn How To Form Coalition Party From Tinubu, Sowunmi Tells Atiku 

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Spokesman to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Segun Sowunmi, has advised his principal, Atiku, to learn from President Bola Tinubu on how to form a coalition.

The Tide reports that in a bid to wrest power from President Tinubu in 2027, Atiku has been leading the movement by opposition politicians to form a coalition of political parties ahead of the next general election.

Last month, opposition politicians set up a team comprising former Minister of Transpiration, Rotimi Amaechi, and former Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, to decide whether to float a new party or fuse into an existing platform.

While the main opposition party, PDP, struggles with a perennial leadership crisis, the former Vice President is bent on establishing another political force to take power from the ruling party in 2027.

But Sowunmi, who has been Atiku’s ally for many years, disagrees with his move, saying instead of forming a coalition with another political platform, he should coalesce opposition politicians into the PDP.

Speaking during an interview on TVC on Tuesday, Sowunmi, who was Atiku’s campaign spokesperson in the last election, asked his principal to learn from President Tinubu on how to form a coalition.

Sowunmi believes Atiku, having benefitted from the PDP as a former Vice President and getting the party’s presidential ticket twice, should not seek to form a coalition that will not have the PDP as its base.

He said, “I’ve always said to people, people love with their hearts. I love atiku with my bones. But I can’t help him against himself. You can’t run vice presidency on PDP two times with Obasanjo, get presidential candidate on that same party two times. I don’t agree with him that the next best thing is to be shopping for…(a platform) If you want a coalition, why are you not coalescing them into your party?” he asked.

The former PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State advised the ex-VP to learn from Tinubu on how to build a coalition without dumping his political party.

“Look at your rival, your friend. You guys started together. At best, even if you want to say he’s building a coalition is he not coalescing opponents into his place”? Sowunmi asked again.

The PDP chieftain, who recently showered praises on Tinubu after he visited him, said the President has an “uncanny ability to make everybody individually feel special” regardless of political affiliations.

His words: “That guy (Tinubu) is something oh, he has this uncanny ability to make everybody individually feel special. It doesn’t matter whether you are a former foe or a president’s friend, every moment you share with him, I don’t know how he does it, though you’re going to leave the place feeling that you matter, feeling that he gets it, feeling that what you guys are talking about is important. And there’s something about him, when he gives you his word, he will say something like ‘ko le ye’, meaning that to the best of human ability, it will stand.”

Meanwhile, there have been conversations about Sowunmi’s political stance as many questioned his relationship with Atiku, with whom he shares a longstanding political relationship.

Asked about his relationship with Atiku following his meeting with Tinubu, Sowunmi said he doesn’t know if the former Vice President is upset.

“I don’t know whether Atiku is upset or not upset, but I know a lot of our followers are talking a lot of nonsense, and I’m wondering how I became attached to Atiku when I’ve been in PDP since 1999 never leaving,” he responded.

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FIRS Introduces New SOP To End Tax Confusion Nationwide 

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The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has introduced a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to fix inconsistencies in tax services across its over 300 offices nationwide.

The move aims to make tax processes clearer, more transparent, and easier for Nigerians.

In a statement, Special Adviser on Communications and Advocacy to the FIRS Executive Chairman, Mr. Collins Omokaro, said the updated SOP is a key part of the agency’s plan to improve taxpayer experience.

He explained that, in the past, different FIRS offices used different methods, which often confused taxpayers.

“This is about people, experience, and impact. It’s a step towards a tax system that supports voluntary compliance and national development,” Omokaro said.

The new SOP provides a single guide for key processes like registration, payment, audit, and enforcement. This will ensure all FIRS offices follow the same steps, making the system fairer and more predictable.

FIRS Executive Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, described the SOP as more than just a set of rules.

“This SOP is not just a technical document; it is a declaration of who we are becoming as a service. It reflects our commitment to transparency and service to the Nigerian people,” he said.

The SOP also supports FIRS’s digital transformation, combining human and technological systems to deliver faster and more reliable services. It will also improve internal efficiency by providing clear guidance and better training for staff.

“With this rollout, every FIRS staff member has a clear mandate: study it, apply it, and embody it. That’s how we’ll earn the trust of Nigerians,” Omokaro added.

The reform is part of FIRS’s efforts to become a more service-driven organisation, focused on clarity, consistency, and national growth. The agency hopes the new SOP will make tax services better for Nigerians and increase public trust in the system.

 

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FG Working Towards World-Class Public Service -Walson-Jack 

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The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, says the Federal Government is committed to building a world-class public service in Nigeria.

Walson-Jack made this known in  Abuja, on Wednesday, at a World Press Conference ahead of the International Civil Service Conference and the African Public Service Week scheduled for June 25 to 26 in Abuja.

She said a recent study tour to Singapore was part of preparatory activities aimed at positioning Nigeria’s civil service for excellence and attracting global participation in the upcoming events.

“The study tour to Singapore was the first major activity we undertook under the collaboration between the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and the Heads of Service of the 36 states and the FCT,” she said.

According to her, the visit, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), involved 20 State Heads of Service and was designed to benchmark best global practices and enhance Nigeria’s public service delivery.

“The idea was born out of our ongoing collaboration, where we share ideas and knowledge across federal and state levels.

“Singapore was chosen because it is globally recognised for excellence in public service,” she explained.

Walson-Jack noted that the second phase of the tour will involve the remaining 17 heads of service later this year.

She said the tour provided participants with the opportunity to engage with both public and private sector institutions in Singapore, compare administrative practices, and gain insights into global standards.

“It was an eye-opener and a capacity-building opportunity.

“Since our return, several state civil services have begun implementing reforms in collaboration with the federal service, particularly in areas such as capability development and digital transformation,” she added.

Walson-Jack further disclosed that Nigeria would host a reciprocal study tour during the upcoming African Public Service Week, where foreign delegates will engage with various federal institutions.

“They will see firsthand our digitalisation efforts, performance management systems, and other reform initiatives aimed at transforming our civil service.

“We hope the experience will inspire similar actions in their home countries,” she said.

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