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Dolphin Senior High School Wins Sahara Group’s Chess Competition

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Lagos, Nigeria– Dolphin Senior High School in Lagos has emerged winners of Sahara Group’s #CleanLoveFeb Chess Competition which was organized as part of the energy conglomerate’s ongoing campaign against substance abuse, especially among young people.

The competition featured two players each from four government owned schools including Dolphin Senior High School, Boys’ Senior Academy, Girls’ Senior Academy and Ebute Elefun Senior High School, all located within Lagos Island.

The chess tourney, according to Bethel Obioma, Head, Corporate Communications, Sahara Group, was designed to serve as a platform to inspire young people to look to sports, books and educative web portals for recreation and academic excellence. “Chess is a game that stimulates mental alertness and critical thinking. We chose public secondary schools to encourage the students to  aspire to challenging for laurels in a game that is considered elitist. The competition also served the purpose of creating awareness on the dangers of substance abuse and inspiring these young future leaders to channel their energies into activities that will help them realise their dreams,” he said.

At the preliminary stage which held on Wednesday, February 19, 2020, the four schools competed intensely and played skillfully for over four hours before Dolphin Senior High School and Boys’ Senior Academy made it to the finals.

Also Read: Interview: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy For Girls Executive Director, Gugulethu Ndebele On Girls And Leadership

The finals featured four students from the two schools. Odusanya Isaac of Dolphin Senior High School competed against Olabode Quadri of Boys Senior Academy, while Lediju Abul-Lateef of Dolphin Senior High School played against Amoo Mubarak of Boys’ Senior Academy.

At the end of the competition, both contestants from Dolphin Senior High School outplayed their opponents to emerge as the overall winners of Sahara Group’s #CleanLoveFeb chess competition. Lejidu Abdul-Lateef went on to checkmate his way to claim the coveted Best Player of the Tournament Award.

The elated Abdul-Lateef said: “This is a very happy moment for me, and I am proud of what I have achieved. I also learned a lot from the session we had about substance abuse when Sahara Group brought a Psychiatrist, Dr. Tunde Fadipe to tell us more about saying no to substance abuse in any form. I hope to keep learning and playing the game and possibly end up as a grand master someday.”

Finalists from both schools photographed with Bethel Obioma (middle) Head, Corporate Communications, Sahara Group

All finalists were rewarded with prizes including books, Sahara corporate souvenirs and chess sets to the schools to encourage the cultivation of the chess-playing culture.

The competition which was implemented through Sahara’s Personal and Corporate Social Responsibility vehicle, Sahara Foundation, enlisted the support of the INVENT Programme, a mentoring platform for in- school youth.

The Sahara #CleanLoveCampaign which also includes other activities across the energy giant’s locations in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East continues for the rest of the month of February.

Sahara Group

Philanthropy

McEnies CEO, Dr Olaosebikan Bags Chieftaincy Title, Gimbia Of Durumi

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McEnies Global Communications CEO, Dr. Omolaraeni Olaosebikan has been honoured with the chieftaincy title, Gimbia of Durumi, (meaning Women Leader) in FCT, Abuja, North Central Nigeria. Dr Olaosebikan recorded this latest feat on Friday, March 22, 2024, during the global commemoration of the United Nations World Water Day, where a solar-powered borehole was donated to the Gudu Community in Abuja by the LG Electronics, a global leader in technology and innovation.

The theme of this year is ‘Water for Peace’, emphasizing the vital significance of water in ensuring the stability and prosperity of human existence. Expressing her joy during a chat with some journalists, the integrated marketing communication expert said:

“A chieftaincy title has been conferred on me this last Friday, March 22, 2024, as, GIMBIA of DURUMI, meaning Women Leader. I am so pleased to announce that I am now Dr. Chief (Ms) Omolaraeni Olaosebikan. It’s a huge privilege for me to have been conferred and honoured with the distinguished title, Gimbia Of Durumi in Abuja”. 

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“Durumi (Gbagi) is a small community in the Northern part of Nigeria that has decided to recognize my tenacity to bring some goodness for the first time into their community through a corporate organization and I assure them that I will not disappoint neither will I disappoint humanity in the journey of life. This worthy honour simultaneously came during the drilling of a solar-powered borehole for the people of Durumi, Gudu. The CSR initiative was part of the well-thought-out programme to celebrate the United Nations World Water Day”.

“I so much love and appreciate everyone who has been part of the feat, particularly the traditional institution in Gudu community, FCT Abuja. I feel so elated to extend my appreciation to the District Head, Garki, Chief Tanko Zekeri, as well as Chief Iya Bawa and others.” She said.

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Corporate Citizenship

World Water Day: LG Donates Solar-powered Borehole to Abuja Community

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LG Electronics, a global leader in technology and innovation, joined the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation in the global celebration of the United Nations World Water Day by donating a solar-powered borehole to the Gudu Community in Abuja. The theme of this year is ‘Water for Peace’, emphasizing the vital significance of water in ensuring the stability and prosperity of our world.

In situations where water is limited or contaminated, or where access is unequal or nonexistent, tensions can escalate between communities and nations. It is crucial to proactively tackle water-related issues to prevent conflicts and encourage collaboration for sustainable water management. A series of events took place to celebrate this special day from the Peace walk around FCT to the special press conference with all the relevant partners, international NGOs, Federal Ministries representatives, and private corporations.

Speaking at the commissioning of the solar-powered borehole, the Minister, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev said; “We are extremely happy to celebrate yet another World Water Day with everybody and in particular with the donation of this borehole which is most significant of the celebration. The Gudu Community is grateful for this”.

“All year round we sensitize and celebrate the day to bring attention to one of the leading environmental issues, the scarcity of water.” Water is life, and we cannot even imagine our life without water. Water means a lot to us more than just quenching our thirst, but it plays the role of a vital component of human development; This day provides us an opportunity to think about this issue and how we can make a difference”

The Minister additionally said “Around 2 billion people around the world do not have access to clean and safe drinking water, and approximately 3.6 billion people – 46% of the world’s population – lack adequate sanitation services, according to a new United Nations World Water Development Report released. This is a major contributor to the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhea”

Prof. Utsev added, “In Nigeria, approximately 60 million people lack access to safe water sources, leading to numerous health challenges and impeding socio-economic development.” Hence we need to keep appealing to corporate organizations such as what LG Electronics has done today to provide good drinking water for vulnerable communities like Gudu and all across the country so we can gradually reduce the numbers”

Also at the event, the Managing Director, LG Electronics, Mr. Hyoung Sub Ji thanked the Ministry for the opportunity to collaborate with them to contribute to the community. He said the relevance of LG’s slogan cannot be over-emphasized which is “Life’s Good” With good drinking water people can live and have a good life. This is what has prompted us to do this” he said.

Mr. Ji advised “This year, we at LG are proud to align with the theme of Water for Peace. We urge other corporate organizations to collaborate with relevant institutions in combating the scarcity of clean water, which tragically leads to the premature deaths of vulnerable children and adults nationwide. Together, through partnership and collective action, we can make a significant impact on ensuring access to safe and clean water for all. Let us work hand in hand towards a future where every individual has the basic human right to clean water, promoting health, peace, and prosperity in our communities.”

Giving a thank you speech, the leader of the community, Alhaji Jubril Musa said, “We are very happy for this water as it solves more than half of our challenges. We will ensure we safeguard the borehole to last longer for us in the community. We thank LG Electronics and the Ministry for the gesture”

Present at the celebration are WaterAid, United Nations International Children (UNICEF), Education Fund (UNICEF), UNESCO, Action Against Hunger, Gillmor Engineering Nigeria Limited, FORDMAX Nig. Limited, CGC Nigeria Limited, Food and Agricultural Organization, (FAO), Borehole Drillers Association of Nigeria (BODAN), Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), and other relevant ministry representatives.

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LG Electronics continues to demonstrate its commitment to environmental sustainability and social responsibility through initiatives like this. Clean and easily accessible water is indispensable for economic growth, public health, and environmental integrity. By giving priority to water as a means for peace, we can strive towards a more balanced and harmonious global community.

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NGOs - SDGs

Laila Bastati on the importance of diversity in shaping Africa’s future

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Laila Bastati, Chief Commercial Officer, APO Group (Source: APO Group)

As we observe International Women’s Month with the theme of ‘Inspire Inclusion,’ it is essential to contemplate the importance of diversity within organizations and its crucial role in shaping a more equitable and inclusive society. This year’s theme calls on us to inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion, not just for the benefit of women but for the advancement of the African continent. 

Women across Africa face unique challenges, from cultural barriers to limited access to resources and opportunities. However, despite these difficulties, they continue to defy the odds, breaking barriers, and making significant contributions to their communities and economies. As we recognise such achievements, it’s crucial to underline the importance of promoting the role of women in driving more diverse, competitive, and future-looking workspaces.

“At APO Group, we’re proud of our extremely diverse team of professionals from all over the world. The diversity we see in age, gender, locations, backgrounds, and experience all combines to forge a formidable team that brings the best of APO Group to our clients. In an industry that has achieved, in recent years, a good gender balance, we strive to lead by example, leveraging our platform to advocate for broader gender equality and diversity initiatives, aiming to inspire other organizations to follow suit.” said Laila Bastati, Chief Commercial Officer, APO Group.

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“For us, such diversity reflects a leadership that values and promotes the unique perspectives and contributions of women, at all levels of the organisation. It also clearly demonstrates that we’re an organisation that values inclusivity and equality, and that the different voices and ideas of our team reflect a unique understanding of the African markets in which we operate. The result of being firm proponents of an environment in which all contributions are valued, and where collaboration is part of our culture, is that innovation and creativity come naturally.” Laila Bastati Added.

The importance of embracing diversity

Embracing diversity, especially gender diversity, is essential for any organization aiming to create a balanced, fair, and dynamic working environment.There’s no doubt that for any type of organisation, embracing diverse perspectives and expertise, highlighting achievements and success stories, and advocating for equal opportunities and recognition, are all aspects that contribute to a more equitable and inclusive environment where everyone has the chance to succeed based on merit and talent. 

Successful companies intentionally cultivate diverse leadership at all levels. While this may initially appear coincidental, the process of building diverse teams is a deliberate and strategic endeavour that underscores a commitment to creating spaces where women’s leadership and insights drive innovation and strategic decision-making.

What makes a diverse team?

Firstly, promoting diversity in leadership is crucial. Actively recruiting, developing, and promoting the right female candidates into leadership positions ensures women’s perspectives are represented at the decision-making table. Secondly, reviewing and revising policies to ensure they are gender-neutral and promote equal opportunities for all employees is essential. Thirdly, providing equal access to training, mentorship, and career advancement opportunities, with a particular focus on supporting women, is key.

Additionally, creating a supportive work environment and nurturing a culture of inclusion where all employees feel valued, respected, and supported is paramount. Regularly monitoring and evaluating diversity metrics to track progress and identify areas for improvement is also important. Finally, embracing a culture of work meritocracy where individuals are recognised and rewarded based on their skills, contributions, and performance, rather than on gender, race, or other characteristics, completes the foundation of a diverse team.

In the context of this special period of the year, I urge organizations across Africa to recognize and harness the unique strengths women bring to the table, not only to promote gender equity, but to ensure these organizations will continue to have a place in the workspace of tomorrow.

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