Don Crucifixto, the acclaimed artist and business owner, is poised for another remarkable achievement in a year filled with musical successes. He is set to unveil the official music video for "Mama," a standout track from his latest album, "MISUNDERSTOOD." This highly anticipated video, skillfully filmed in Atlanta by ShotByReginald and expertly directed by Robert Peters, is scheduled for a grand premiere on October 14, 2023.
The "MISUNDERSTOOD" album has garnered widespread recognition since its release, earning praise from both critics and fans. Each track in the album weaves a unique narrative, with "Mama" standing out for its poignant lyrics and soulful melodies. The upcoming video promises to visually capture the song's emotional depth, offering fans an immersive experience.
Beyond his musical accomplishments, Don Crucifixto has demonstrated his prowess on the global stage as a performing artist and business analyst. His electrifying performances at the SDLIC in London and various U.S. venues have showcased his extraordinary stage presence and musical talent, further strengthening his connection with his expanding fanbase.
During a press briefing, the Head of PR for Savage Music, Oluwatosin ‘Orisha’ Adesanya, and Don Crucifixto's logistics manager, Awofeso Jeremiah Ebunoluwatobi, shared insights into the artist's journey. "Don Crucifixto's unwavering commitment to his craft has set him apart. From chart-topping albums to mesmerizing live shows, he continues to raise the bar. The 'Mama' video is another testament to his dedication to delivering unparalleled musical experiences to his fans."
About Don Crucifixto
Emerging from the vibrant music scene, Don Crucifixto has created a niche for himself with his unique sound and captivating storytelling. His journey, marked by hit singles, groundbreaking albums, and unforgettable live performances, has solidified his status as a global music icon. As he continues to push boundaries, the world eagerly anticipates his next move.
CORRUPTION FIGHTS BACK AS ECHONO IMPLEMENTS SWEEPING REFORMS
The attention of the Management of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has been drawn to a publication by the Sahara Reporters dated 20th July 2022 titled “Disquiet in Nigeria Education Agency, TETFund over Contracts Fraud, Procurement Racketing, Others under New Head, Sonny Echono”.
In the said report, it was alleged that the Executive Secretary of TETFund had turned the Fund into a fiefdom where contract splitting and padding was the order of the day.
It would be recalled that Arc. Sonny S. T Echono was appointed as Executive Secretary of TETFund by President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR in March 2022 after his retirement as the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education; and this was based strictly on his track record as an astute administrator, having served meritoriously in the same capacity at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as well as Federal Ministry of Communication.
In demonstration of his determination to provide quality, transparent and accountable leadership, the Executive Secretary on assumption of office, in a widely publicized press conference, expressed total commitment to upholding and entrenching tenets of accountability and transparency in the Fund and this he has demonstrated in the period of being at the helm of affairs, through introduction of innovative policies and reforms aimed at improving efficiency.
“I know petitions will soon start flying and my opponents will join forces” – These comments were made by Arc. Sonny Echono, the new Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) as he signed the final batch of letters disengaging 37 members of the 87 members National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee (NRFS & MC) for failing to diligently discharge their duties or whose roles were at best unclear.
Earlier, he had frozen, cancelled or suspended programmes and consultancies adjudged wasteful or economically disadvantageous to the Fund. Some of those affected are licking their wounds while a few who initially threatened legal actions have settled for renegotiation after realizing their weak positions.
The unwieldy 99-man Technical Advisory Group (TAG) has been put on notice to right-size for prudence and greater operational efficiency. The Executive Secretary is indeed stepping on some long toes and the expected response is to question his qualification for the job which none of his five (5) predecessors (3 academics and 2 technocrats) was better prepared for.
It is worthy of note that part of the reforms introduced by Arc. Echono include the need for curriculum review, skill acquisition/Entrepreneurship, advancement of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as well as deepening Research, Development and Innovation. Others are provision of funds for capacity building of lecturers to equip them with requisite skills for Entrepreneurial Studies and Research Studies in Digital Technologies and prepare Nigerian students for global competitiveness with the end goal of building a knowledge economy and increasing the country’s global presence.
He has also initiated series of partnerships with notable institutions globally and locally, such as University of Brazil, Vicosa on tuition free agreements for training of more Nigerian professionals in Agriculture, transnational cooperation with the Government of Britain, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), African Union (AU), signing of an MoU with the University of Sussex for the development of tertiary education in Nigeria, partnership with the European Union (EU) on Research, Development and Innovation at Brussels among others; all aimed at articulating new strategies to reinforce existing efforts of the government at improving standard of education in Nigeria.
Internally, he is undertaking a holistic review of the operating procedures of the Fund, operationalized the zonal offices with delegated functions and set targets for all departments and standing Committees. For example, the Book Development Committee which last published books in 2014 has been directed to publish at least 40 standard, peer-reviewed academic textbooks on diverse topics by 31st December, 2022. The Monitoring & Evaluation Department must complete site visits and process recommendations for tranche releases within 2 weeks of receipt of request from institutions. Starting with ICT interventions, beneficiary institutions shall henceforth make submissions electronically (Online) to minimize human contact. Staff of the Fund were also requested to make sacrifice by forgoing certain privileges in response to the sharp drop in tax collections in 2021, with a promise that they will be restored when the situation improves. He is also committed to the completion of on-going projects rather than starting new ones, and has taken steps in that direction. He interacted and secured the buy-in of Management and Staff of the Fund for the reforms, which have received widespread support of stakeholders.
Perhaps more problematic are the Procurement and Project Management reforms introduced to eliminate corruption, reduce delivery time of projects, prevent cost escalation and improve general efficiency in the discharge of the Fund’s mandate. Under the new dispensation, all projects to be executed by the Fund are to be planned, packaged and selected by the beneficiary institutions for review and concurrence of the Fund. No more TETFund or vendor promoted projects, as the needs of the institutions shall prevail.
Annual disbursement allocations were made directly to the beneficiary institutions at a public ceremony held at the National Universities Commission (NUC) on 9th May 2022. The Vice-Chancellors, Provosts and Rectors were directed to advertise and procure their projects through open,competitive bidding to achieve value for money. This was widely reported in the media and commended by the Procurement Professionals Association of Nigeria along with the threat to punish erring contractors who delay project execution or deliver poor quality jobs. Hardly the stuff of a wheeler and dealer.
It is therefore laughable that these measures are being described by some aggrieved vested interests as “unwholesome practices”. Equally instructive is the fact that TETFund is not a contract awarding agency on behalf of beneficiary institutions so the reference to contract splitting and padding are totally baseless and incomprehensible. The design and costing of projects are done by the respective institutions. So also is the supervision and management. TETFund only monitors milestones attainments ahead of releases in tranches.
To allege that someone who publicly distributed allocation letters “is in the habit of asking for advance payment in dollars before grants are given” is standing truth on its head. It is on record that since resumption of duty, Arc Echono has not personally issued any grant or letter to any beneficiary institution but rather through technical departments responsible for each intervention area. It is indeed cruel to insinuate that Vice Chancellors will be happy to meet the monetary demands without complaining; and the same Vice Chancellors will be instructed to award the contracts to anointed contractors. When people are consumed with evil and hate, logic departs. It is noteworthy that no institution or Vice Chancellor was cited to buttress or corroborate this callous claim. Is anybody hurting? Why?
Equally curious is the allegation that Arc Echono has a list of anointed firms that execute TETFund projects, yet the author failed to mention even one of them for fear of rebuttal. It was even asserted that his control of TETFund contracts preceded his appointment judging from the singular example of a twin lecture theatre in a University in Southern Nigeria. Sahara reporters should find the courage to mention the institution so that serious minded investigative journalists can unearth the truth and debunk the fat lies. The suspicion is that since 2022 allocations were only made recently in May and the projects are still being packaged and prepared by the institutions, it will be difficult to sustain any allegation under his recent tenure. Solution? Back date the allegations.
Brilliant though incomprehensible attempts were also made to make a link as well as draw parallels with an alleged phantom contract scam at NECO some years back. What Sahara reporters did not say is that those allegations were thoroughly investigated by five (5) different anti-corruption and regulatory agencies and not a single one of them even mentioned, let alone, associated Arc Echono with any allegation of wrongdoing or misdemeanour. In fact, neither Arc Echono as Permanent Secretary nor the Federal Ministry of Education’s Ministerial Tenders Board approved any contract for NECO throughout the period and not a single contractor with NECO was associated or linked to him in whatever form. In fact, Arc Echono met and recognized Mr. Ibrahim Peter Alih for the first and only time at Jalingo, Taraba State at the close of the 2021 National Council on Education Conference, more than one (1) year after the allegations were made. So much for relation (not even from the same State), front and tacit support. Yet Sahara reporters chose to rubbish the reputation and character of an individual without an iota of evidence or proof.
The allegation of lobbying powerful Vice Chancellors to facilitate his appointment betrays further ignorance of how such appointments are made and does not merit further comment. It is however unfortunate that the sacred duty of the fourth estate of the realm (media) to hold institutions and public officers accountable has been misappropriated for lucre and as a weapon for slander, libel and character assassination in this particular case. Equally tragic is the fact that a once credible and respected medium has reduced itself to a purveyor of falsehood and trash.
It is instructive that some of the measures introduced have led to stepping on many toes of individuals and firms whose services were considered not necessary, wasteful or lacking in value, and have had to be disengaged/discontinued. The public may therefore expect further false allegations with maximum prejudice.
We seize this opportunity to reassure our stakeholders and the general public that TETFund is being run with a deep sense of responsibility. The Executive Secretary remains committed to providing quality, accountable and exemplary leadership and will not be distracted in any way whatsoever, by such unfounded allegations.
“De Testament” OMOTANWA Mi Aesthetics Set to Unveil Beacon Hills Lounge in Ibadan
Come Saturday, 7th of May, 2022, the ancient and historical city of Ibadan is poised to witness the commissioning of one of the best HubSpots in Entertainment, Spa and Skincare Services as Omotanwa Mi Aesthetics is set to open its new addition: “Beacon Hills Lounge” to the use of the general public through an official unveiling ceremony themed “De Testament”. With all modesty, Beacon Hills Lounge is a one-stop spot for those who desire to heal and unwind within the confines of a serenic ambience.
It is imperative to note that Omotanwa Mi Aesthetics is an existing brand established in 2018 with a principal aim to cater for clients skincare needs; irrespective of its existing state and also offer several Spa and beauty enhancement services as its versatility and expertise in this terrain stands this brand out from its peers in an industry saturated with neophytes and quacks. Moreso, the requisite acumen and practical experience garnered over the years by the brand’s Chief Executive, Ms. Lawal Oluwatoyin puts them in good stead to provide topnotch beauty enhancement, Spa and Skincare needs.
The Alliance between the Aesthetics and Entertaiment giant is geared towards creating great values and new development, especially in the areas of providing excellent services as healing stems from the mind to the body, hence, the combination of the pair.
Also, with their newly acquired advanced equipment, the quality of services will be greatly improved as their new space prides itself with a simple, but classy and admirable interior that is designed to provide a mind-blowing aesthetic value and comfort for guests and customers alike.
In a recent chat with Oyo Mind, the Chief Executive Officer of Omotanwa Mi Aesthetics & Beacon Hills Lounge, Ms. Oluwatoyin Lawal highlighted the various units contained in the main building which houses the partnership of the two businesses. According to her, the
skincare line, spa, barbing saloon, pedicure and manicure, dental service and nails services are domiciled within the main building, while the lounge is strategically positioned in a U-shaped space outside & surrounding the building.
The vision as expressed by Ms. Oluwatoyin Lawal is to bring an encompassing all-in- one service spot to serve the social and wellness crave of the Ibadan residents as well as visitors seeking to relax, revive, to heal and unwind in an exquisite way, whilst giving their clients a complete relaxation hub with wholesome nourishment”.
In the beauty and wellness industry, Omotanwa Mi Aesthetics is a brand that has gained prominent visibility and carved a niche for itself on the local and global scale, therefore, every client’s patronage is an assurance of getting pampered with services worth every penny spent.
The grand opening ceremony will be held at the brand’s new corporate office; UI- Secretariat Express Road, beside Methodist Church, Bodija, Ibadan on 7th, May 2022 at 12:00pm prompt. Bookmark this space.
Value Exchange Platform is a platform that brings to society a first-of-its-kind experience. It seeks to restore values to society by rewarding things/acts of value. VEP rewards good deeds, it is created to remind people of the importance of morals and values in society and also to encourage people to be morally upright, thereby creating a community of morally upright individuals with regard for values. VEP further provides a Platform for trading amongst members, it provides a rating system that recommends several beneficial options to its members based on each member’s value rating.
With recent developments in social media, peer-to-peer software, and smartphone technology, we have seen the definition of money extend beyond the traditional, physical tender of government-backed currencies to include mobile payments, digital currencies, and virtual goods. Joining this revolution of payment technologies is VEP, “the world’s first completely decentralized digital gold.
VEP is powered by honesty and that will be the standard for evaluation. VEP will serve individuals, corporations, businesses, etc. by granting them access to services based on their honesty rating. VEP could be easily misunderstood, as one could say “is this not playing God? as only God can reward a man for being good” look at VEP as an instrument to understand the premium value principles behind God's laws on upright morals.
VEP would be backed by a currency of its own known as DG (Digital Gold), which is the equivalent of actual Gold and can be exchanged for any other fiat, at the prevailing market price of Gold. Thus, trading on VEP would also be done with DG, rewards will be received in DG, payments in and out of the platform would be in DG. The plan is to encourage people who have chosen to be upright or have chosen good over evil to continue through the reward program.
