Gists and Jabs …… with Emileo Castrol  (08030991024)

For Aviation, Oil and Gas Business Mogul, Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina, Azman Boss, The Love Of Family is Life’s Greatest Blessings…

Families come in many shapes and sizes and, whilst it is important to note that not all offer a safe, supportive, and secure environment for their members, Business Mogul, Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina,  President and Chief Executive Officer of Azman Air Services Limited and Azman Oil and Gas Limited reminds us all to look at the family as an important source of support.  If the annals of Nigeria’s business elites, leadership, and entrepreneurial pursuit were to be documented today, the Azman Group Chairman’s name would surely make the list, and on the merit of his sterling leadership qualities and outstanding contributions to entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

The Kano-born businessman plays a key role in the country’s business sector for over 35 years, with Azman commencing operations in 1975 as part of renowned transporter, Sani Brothers Group, who was one of the major transporters of Total Nigeria Plc in the northern part of Nigeria. Sarina then expanded his company’s business interest by venturing into the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria. As a result of the ambitious expansion plan, Azman Oil, as of today, has more than 50 filling stations nationwide and over 200 trucks in its fleet to transport petroleum products across the country.

Following the successful operation of the petroleum company, Sarina expanded his business portfolio into the highly competitive aviation sector by establishing Azman Air in 2010. The airline began commercial operations in 2014 with its first commercial flight from the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on May 15, 2014. The airline currently operates return flights from Lagos to Abuja, Kano, Kebbi, Kaduna, Yola, Gombe, Maiduguri, and Port Harcourt. Within eight years, the company has also operated international routes and is regarded as one of the leading airlines in the country.

Not many businessmen from his extraction have earned traditional titles in the Eastern part of Nigeria. His unassuming demeanour, excellent spirit, and camaraderie across the border have earned him the chieftain title, the Obi of Obinugwu, and Chairman Igbo Traditional Rulers Forum recently. He is indeed a man of vision and enterprise, but he holds one thing a lot more dearly and in high esteem, and that’s family. With interests and a business enterprise spread across Aviation, farming, real estate, and more, one thing he doesn’t take for granted in his everyday life is family. If he’s not attending to matters of the airline, he’s on the farm. Whether east, west south, or north, above all else, for him, home and family are where the heart is. If you know him well enough, you would attest to the fact that through his life, he exemplifies, simplicity and family, an integral part of his everyday life. The rare billionaire is one you are sure to spot riding his motorcycle to his farm in Kano State. His humility is legendary.

For a man who holds in high esteem family, it becomes easy to know the source of his improved personality, how his life is shaped, and why he teaches all who come in contact with him, the value of love, affection, care, truthfulness, and self-confidence. It’s well known that when people feel better connected, they feel better physically, they’re certainly less likely to feel depressed — or if they do, they’re in a better position to get out of being depressed. And so Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina’s gospel of feeling connected becomes very reinforcing, to all of us.

With Ramadan around the corner, offering the opportunity for sober reflection and introspection for Muslims and everyone else, Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina, Azman Boss would in his element, again, bring to the fore the unique essence of family, friends and that the Love of one and all is life’s greatest blessing..

Hurray, Dan Darma of Lokoja, Nasser Ahmed is 60

 Dan Darma of Lokoja, Nasser Abubakar was born in Kano, on the 29th of March 1961. Last week Monday, he clocked sixty. The Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria graduate of Law and entrepreneur has made great strides across the nation’s real estate and hospitality business. Growing up in Kano saw him glean a thing or two about commerce and his entrepreneurial instincts from the commercial city. Joining the team of developers and using his entrepreneurial drive led them to join the Protea Hotel Group. Having signed with Protea Abuja saw its first Protea Hotel at Apo, Abuja in 2006, and then within 14 months, he won the bid for Central Hotel, the oldest hotel in Northern Nigeria. The Hotel was initially a Holiday Inn( IHG) then Protea, and eventually under full local management now called Grand Central Hotels. Key to its success is the franchises being signed with both Best Western(International) and BON (West Africa). he has since launched the brand in Lagos, Benin, Ghana, and eventually Egypt.

 With his late Great Grandfather as the first Chief Imam of Lokoja sent there by the Etsu from Bida as Lokoja was just being made the first capital of a modern Nigeria and a safe haven for freed slaves. His family history is full of Islamic Law Jurisprudence and it has continued to this day.

As the Dan Darma of Lokoja, he has restored and realigned with his family history old and the new, far and the near to bring progress peace, and modern development worthy of the first capital of a modern Nigeria. He is indeed the developer and driver of the progress of the city. He is restoring respect due to the gravesites of the emirs and famous warriors who stood up against colonial rule. Notable in his strides is his drive to have a rail line from Lokoja to Abuja, intention to create an annual durbar thus turning Lokoja into a tourism gateway.

 For the cerebral, workaholic, shrewd entrepreneur, and golfer driven by logic, audacious and frightening visions, he wants to help Nigerians break the poverty trap by build well over one million homes, own a bank, and an airline-all before he dies.

For a man whose influences straddles the nation’s economy – from the legal to hospitality sector and real estate. Yet, Dan Darma of Lokoja, Naseer Abubakar Ahmed is not slowing down.

With a heart heaving with dreams and ideas, he is driven to serve his people among other things. Nasser Ahmed wants to be remembered as one who made things happen, and as a catalyst  who has brought change and financial wealth to people in a hopeless situation, happy 60th birthday

IGP and the Investigation into Death of 22 Cows

Haba!!! The Police didn’t investigate the dead human beings, yet it is the death of cows struck by the African voodoo they are investigating. What a life! Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we shouldn’t care for animals, but not to the detriment of human beings! Is the life of a cow more important or valuable than the human being? The Nigerian Police isn’t that Jobless, neither should they be portrayed as such. The force has suffered enough reputational damage. A further attempt to deploy men of the Nigerian Police to investigate dead cows, when weightier matters can be focused on put to test the priorities of the police force. My Oga at the top, you may want to reconsider this decision.

Oga Danladi Umar, Dignify that Honest Security Guard…Do the Right Thing.

 When I watched the video showing the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar physically violently assaulting a security guard identified as Clement Sagwak at Banex Plaza, I couldn’t but be drawn to tears. This powerful Chairman looks too clean, suave, gentle, and mentally stable to have displayed such assault on the security man as seen in the eleven minutes 39 seconds video. After several pleas to let the defenseless man be, the Chairman’s temper was not satiated. Only God knows what would have happened to the young man if that drama played out in a private and more secluded space with no onlookers nor cameras to come to the victim’s defense.

The Chairman and his brutish security guards weren’t emotionally regulated. Losing his cool in public and behaving irrationally begs the question of how many cases before the tribunal have his unbridled emotions and anger negatively affected?

Although many have called into question the mental, academic and behavioural standards considered before appointing a person for public office, especially a position as noble as the head of the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

 At a time the world id watching and get-rich-schemes need to be strongly eschewed from our society, It is very instructive to note that, that young man making an honest living deserve s respect and dignity at his duty post. Mr. Chairman Sir, abeg do the right thing by apologizing to the young man.

With a Big Bang, Screen Goddess, Regina Askia-Williams is Back

Fearless, successful, Kindhearted, and graceful.A true believer of the word-change.Regina Askia-Williams indeed stands out as a celebrity and a trailblazer. From the height of the world of pageantry, she sauntered into the up-and-coming world of the Nigerian movie industry. Deft in her role interpretation and unique in her carriage. She is the grand matron of beauty, brain, brawn, panache, and style in Nollywood. She gave the entertainment industry a start long before Instagram, although she left at the height of her career in Nollywood. With her type of lifestyle, certainty as to when the next income is coming in is definitely important. The reason she left a dysfunctional country for the United States of America to pursue a career in Nursing and earned her Ph.D. The ageless screen goddess and is set to hit our screens again. For lovers of quality and timeless movies and fans of Regina Askia- Williams, set to hit your movies screens and cinemas near you with a big band, she is back and better. Watch Out.

Sultry ‘Jezebel’, ‘Daughter Of Perdition’- Toyin Lawani, In The Eye Of A Failed Media Blitz, Knocked and Rebuked over racy nun outfit.

It wasn’t shocking to see Nigerians from all works of life throw tantrums and expletives on the newest ‘daughter of Jezebel’ and the ‘daughter of perdition’, Popular fashion designer, Toyin Lawani for dressing to the premiere of a movie over the weekend in what was meant to be a representation of an attire worn by sacred sisters known as nuns of the catholic faith. Toyin, this was off- the mark. All in the name of making a fashion statement, her indiscretion could be least described as totally outrageous, belittling, bestial, blasphemous, outrageous, and anti-christ. What a slap and disrespect to the Christian faith!

Come to think of it, even the bible has stated that at the end of times, the hearts of man would wax cold towards their God.’ The daughter of jezebel’ may just be fulfilling part of the prophecies. And that means we shall see more of all shades of madness in the name of fashion and civilisation. She get mind ooooo! If she were really as bold as she claims, I dare her to replicate this same exposure by disrespecting the Muslim hijab the way she disrespected Christian reverend sisters and see if she won’t be stoned to death! If the Bishop Wale Oke-led CAN isn’t a political tool in the hands of its paymasters, by now Toyin Lawani should have a public apology to the Catholic community and Christian faith.

Weak Seyi Shay and Bullies on Nigerian Idol

If we must describe Seyi Shay in only one word, we’d most likely use “extraordinary”. The Nigerian music industry has always seen her as an eccentric woman. More often than not, her unique stage costumes have always caught us off guard. Seyi is just an exceptional woman and an immensely talented artist best known for her exotic looks and beautiful gait. As such, it’s really hard to imagine her as a vulnerable judge who would beat to shred, the self-esteem of a 17-year-old singer. Maybe her vibrant personality and the desire for perfection got her in serious trouble that day.

 When the 17-year-old singer auditioned in front of Seyi Shay, DJ Sose, and Obi Asika on the music reality TV show, Nigerian Idol, the singer most have thought the judges are the luckiest in the world. In reality, on that stage, they are bullies! Without a doubt, it must have been a disgusting experience when the teenage singer experienced the awful torment of being told that he should never have auditioned for the show in the first place, adding that he ‘‘can not make money being a singer.’’

The teenager must have wished it was a tasteless joke, but no, it’s as real as it gets. It must have been emotionally and psychologically shattering.

Seyi Shay, there is no doubt that you are extremely gifted and cherished by all, but you sef cross the line and the 17-year old singer has been seriously hurt by your words. My sister, abeg reach out to that young voice and apologise to the teenager. You could take it further by taking the singer to lunch or do something to erase the negative perception you may have created unconsciously. Seyi, trust me, you can be put to good use your charming, charismatic and flamboyant personality to fight off bullying. With this, the backlash generated from your encounter with the singer would disappear. We know that Bullying is a very common, complex, and potentially damaging form of violence amongst us. Even our leaders daily bully us. But let’s be the difference. Help him restore his confidence and inspire the singer to greatness. It’s the right thing to do.!