Headlines

Eloquence club kicks off 2025 with transformational learning event

The Eyewitness Reporter

The Eloquence Club, Nigeria’s premier public speaking community, launched its 2025 calendar with a powerful and inspiring learning event held at the School of Eloquence Headquarters in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The event, which attracted a well-attended audience of club members, School of Eloquence (SOE) alumni, and invited guests, reinforced the club’s foundational pillars of Communication, Continuity, and Community.

The forum provided a supportive platform for members to strengthen their public speaking skills, with a key highlight being the Impromptu Speaking Segment.

Participants confidently took the stage to deliver short, unprepared speeches, showcasing their speaking prowess while receiving constructive feedback and analysis.

The atmosphere was electric with camaraderie and encouragement as applause filled the room for excellent performances.

Areas for improvement were also identified by peers and the Dean, ensuring that every participant left the session with actionable steps for growth.

The Dean’s Insightful Discourse

The event also featured an impactful discourse session by Mr. Ubong Essien, CSP, the Dean of the School of Eloquence and the only Certified Speaking Professional in West Africa.

His keynote focused on the power of mentoring in public speaking, emphasizing its role in fostering growth and confidence.

Mr. Essien also outlined an ambitious roadmap for the Eloquence Club’s 2025 activities, igniting excitement among members as they set goals for their speaking improvement for the year.

A Testament to the Club’s Impact

Established in 2017 to provide sustained support for SOE alumni following their masterclass training, the Eloquence Club has grown into a vibrant community of learners and leaders.

The club offers a unique combination of social interaction and professional skill development, ensuring members continue to refine their public speaking abilities.

With monthly learning events at its Lagos headquarters and a centre in Abuja, the Eloquence Club has become a vital resource for public speaking enthusiasts and professionals.

During the event, several members and alumni shared testimonials of how the club’s monthly gatherings have significantly impacted their communication skills and personal growth.

The testimonies were a powerful reminder of the club’s enduring relevance and its ability to transform lives through the art of eloquence.

Looking Ahead

The Eloquence Club’s 2025 agenda promises an exciting lineup of activities, including monthly meetings, guest speaker sessions, and focused training events designed to elevate members’ communication capabilities.

As the year unfolds, the club continues to invite new members who are eager to master the art of public speaking and be part of a supportive community.

A STAGE FOR GROWTH, DEBATE, AND CONNECTION

The next Eloquence Club Learning Event is scheduled for Saturday, February 8, 2025 at the School of Eloquence Headquarters, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Building on the tremendous success of January’s kickoff event, this session will continue to offer members and guests an engaging platform to refine their public speaking skills within a supportive and interactive environment.

As always, the event will be guided by the club’s three foundational pillars: Communication, Continuity, and Community.

This event promises a vibrant mix of learning, connection, and personal development, offering members and guests an opportunity to enhance their public speaking skills while building meaningful professional networks.

Event Highlights: “Get on Stage” Impromptu Speaking Exercises

Attendees will have the chance to step onto the stage and deliver spontaneous speeches, sharpening their ability to think on their feet and express themselves with confidence.

Constructive feedback from peers and the Dean will provide clear guidance for improvement.

Debate Faceoff

Experience the energy of dynamic team debates on carefully selected topics.

This interactive segment encourages participants to articulate their thoughts clearly, counter opposing views effectively, and build teamwork skills in a fun and engaging format.

Dean’s Discourse

Led by Mr. Ubong Essien, CSP, West Africa’s only Certified Speaking Professional and Dean of the School of Eloquence, this session will delve into debate techniques and their application in enhancing public speaking.

The Dean will also share insights on mastering communication challenges in personal and professional contexts.

Interactive Feedback and Goal Setting

Participants’ performances will be evaluated in real-time, with a focus on celebrating excellence and addressing areas for growth.

Attendees will set actionable goals for their speaking improvement in 2025.

Networking Opportunities

Beyond the stage, the Eloquence Club learning event provides a unique platform to build meaningful connections with like-minded individuals, including public speaking enthusiasts, professionals, and alumni of the School of Eloquence.

This social aspect fosters collaboration, mentorship, and lasting relationships within a supportive community.

Why Attend?

This event combines skill-building activities with valuable networking opportunities, ensuring that attendees not only improve their public speaking but also expand their personal and professional circles.

The Eloquence Club remains a space where Communication, Continuity, and Community thrive, offering members an environment to grow both as speakers and as leaders.

Event Details

Date: Saturday, February 8, 2025

Time: 10:00 AM

Venue: School of Eloquence Headquarters, Ikoyi, Lagos

About the Eloquence Club

Founded in 2017, the Eloquence Club has become Nigeria’s premier public speaking community, providing monthly learning events and sustained support for alumni of the School of Eloquence.

With centres in Lagos and Abuja, the club is dedicated to helping members achieve excellence in communication while fostering a sense of belonging and professional growth.

Join us for this transformative event and become part of a network that is redefining public speaking and leadership in Nigeria.

Customs

How NPA’ s ETO call- up system hampers seamless export processes at Lilypond Terminal — Customs

Funso OLOJO

The Customs Area Controller of the Lilypond Export Command, Comptroller Ajibola Odusanya, has attributed the persistent delay in export cargo movement at the command to logistics issues associated with the Nigerian Port Authority’s Eto call-up system, rather than any bottlenecks from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

Eto call- up system is a structured movement of container- laden trucks into the terminals meant to decongest Port access road and facilitate quick goods clearance at the port.

It was developed by the NPA and driven by a private company.

However, Comptroller Odusanya, speaking at a Roundtable with members of Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN),emphasized that while the command has streamlined the export process, lack of available slots for trucks to enter the ports remains a major challenge.

He noted that despite the command’s efforts, numerous containers remain stranded at Lilypond due to the inability of trucks to secure clearance under the Eto system.

He explained that prior to the implementation of a centralized export processing system, multiple customs units across Apapa, Tin Can, PTML, and Lekki ports handled export documentation.

However, in July 2024, the government directed the full centralization of all export processes under the Lilypond Export Command.

This move, driven by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) and backed by agencies such as the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), was aimed at streamlining operations and reducing multiple checkpoints.

Odusanya revealed that between January and December 2024, the command processed exports valued at approximately $1.9 billion, a figure that could have been higher if the consolidation had occurred earlier in the year.

He added that in February 2025 alone, the command facilitated exports worth $225.1 million.

He attributed these successes to inter-agency collaboration, with Customs working alongside the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and quarantine services, among others.

Despite the improved export facilitation, Odusanya acknowledged that challenges persist, particularly with the Eto call-up system, which has created logistical constraints.

He explained that export containers often get delayed at Lilypond not due to customs processes but because of congestion at the ports, caused by import containers awaiting clearance.

He pointed out that while Apapa remains the busiest port for exports, the congestion problem is less severe at Tin Can due to the presence of an export processing terminal.

On the issue of the Nigerian Export Proceeds (NXP) form, Odusanya stated that the command has ensured compliance with all regulatory requirements.

He, however, acknowledged exporters’ concerns about the process and assured that Customs is working to facilitate seamless trade while ensuring adherence to financial regulations.

He urged maritime stakeholders, including the media, to continue sensitizing exporters on the ease of processing export goods through Lilypond, emphasizing that the command operates transparently and does not condone extortion.

He reiterated that officers at the entry points are strictly there to verify processed cargo and not to serve as an additional checkpoint.

Odusanya concluded by reaffirming the commitment of the Lilypond Export Command to supporting Nigeria’s growing export sector, ensuring efficiency in cargo movement, and addressing any emerging challenges in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.

Economy

Dangote group remits N402.3 billion tax to government coffers in 2024

Gloria Odion

The Pan African Conglomerate, Dangote Industries Limited and its subsidiaries, have disclosed that it paid over N402 billion in taxes in 2024, making it the highest taxpayer in the country.

Dangote’s Chief Branding and Communication Officer, Anthony Chiejina, declared during a meeting with some senior media executives who visited him in his Lagos Office.

He said Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) and its subsidiaries, namely, Dangote Cement, NASCON, Dangote Packaging Limited among others, remitted a total of N402.319billion for the out-gone year as taxes as responsible business enterprises.

Recall that Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) had in late 2024 recognised Dangote group and its subsidiary, Bluestar Shipping as the most tax compliant organizations in the country during its Special Day at the 2024 Lagos International Trade Fair organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

The Federal Inland Revenue Service is Nigeria’s agency responsible for assessing, collecting and accounting for tax and other revenues accruing to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Chiejina told his visitors that as a responsible business organisation, DIL and its subsidiaries have never shieded away from its obligations either to the government in the form of tax payment at all levels or to host communities in the form of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

According to him, the Group’s corporate strategy has evolved just as its businesses have grown, matured and diversified into new sectors and regions over the last four decades.

He noted that Dangote Group has almost single-handedly taken Nigeria to self-sufficiency in cement and refined petroleum products and is expanding rapidly across Africa.

Dangote Group and its subsidiaries were recognised as number one most compliant in tax payment in the country, just as its subsidiary Dangote Cement, the country’s leading cement manufacturer, at another occasion won three awards at the FMDQ Gold Awards in Lagos as the most active business in the Foreign Exchange market.

Dangote Cement Plc was adjudged as the Largest Commercial Paper Quotation on FMDQ and Single Largest Corporate Debt Issue on FMDQ.

Also, Dangote Industries Ltd also emerged as the “Most active corporate in the foreign exchange market”.

Headlines

NIWA Chairman charges Oyebamiji to phase out wooden boats from Nigeria’s waterways

Funso OLOJO

The newly appointed Chairman of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Hon.Musa Sarkin-Adar, has charged the management team of the Authority led by its Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji, to phase out wooden boats from Nigeria’s waterways.

Musa Sarkin-Adar, who paid a

familiarization visit to the management team of NIWA in its Abuja liaison office, in a bid to minimize boat mishaps on the waterways.

He believed it would be a lasting legacy for the present leadership of NIWA if accidents could be minimized on the Waterways.

The Chairman’s advice is however in alignment with the NIWA’ s resolve to stamp out wooden and rickety boats on waterways.

However, Musa Sarkin-Adar further encouraged the NIWA team to do more in connecting other states in the water transportation.

He emphasized on the need for the involvement of the private sector in the development of water transportation, as government cannot do it alone.

In his response, Oyebamiji expressed appreciation for the visit and encouraging words of the chairman and pledged the commitment of of NIWA management to make the nation’s waterways safe and secure.

Oyebamiji also commended the efforts of his management team in the development of the Inland Waterways

Transportation sub-sector.

According to him, he is blessed with an experienced and dedicated team which he cannot take the glory alone.

The Chairman’s visit was attended by all the management staff of the Authority.