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Ekiti: Sterling bank disburses 2nd phase low interest facility to 202 tourism entrepreneurs
Standing tall to its mission of empowering the low cadre tourism entrepreneurs in Ekiti State with the low-interest facility, Sterling bank, on Wednesday 19 May 2021 in Ado Ekiti, credited the accounts of 202 tourism entrepreneurs in Ekiti – State, Nigeria.
The disbursement of the loan was the 2nd phase of the Sterling Bank Tourism Development Fund Initiative, a product planted by Sterling bank and facilitated by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Ekiti State on Tourism Development, Ambassador Wale Ojo – Lanre to make fund available to tourism practitioners to boost their trade and expand their business.
At the disbursement ceremony held at the Conference Hall of Ekiti State Ministry of Women Affairs, Block V, Lot II, Ekiti State Secretariat , Prof Rasaki Ojo – Bakare, Ekiti State Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, who was the Special Guest at the event, said that Governor Kayode Fayemi was keenly interested in boosting the economic activities of all stakeholders within the ambit of arts, culture tourism, hence, seeking a way of opening doors of financial platforms where the practitioners can leverage on low interest facilities.
He lauded Sterling Bank for its interest in the development of arts, culture and tourism sector and called on the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the loan adding that it would not only shore up the economy of the state but put them in a firmer financial stead to expand their businesses.
He commended the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Ekiti State on Tourism Development, Mr Wale Ojo – Lanre for his innovative tendencies at driving the tourism sector in Ekiti state not only for visibility but economic viability while lauding the synergy between the Office of the SSA Tourism Development, Bureau of Employment, Labour and Productivity being led by Mr Lanre Ogunjobi and the Special Assistant to the Governor on Informal Sector, Mr Oroya Aladeloye on this scheme
Mr Shina Atilola, Divisional Head of Retail Banking and Customer Banking pointed out that the soft loan scheme to tourism entrepreneurs is strategically conceived by the Managing Director of Sterling Bank, Mr Abubakar Suleiman, to provide a platform where the low cadre tourism entrepreneurs can access fund of low interest.
He said that it was the mission of Sterling bank not only to provide the loan for the beneficiaries but also network their services, craft items and provide to buyers and patrons
Mr Atilola pointed out that Sterling bank is out to empower and enhance the business and economic endeavours of tourism practitioners and stakeholder noting that the sector encompasses almost everything that a typical traveller will need in a strange land
He commended Governor Kayode Fayemi for being pro-poor and pro – masses in his drive at placing the economic base of Ekiti on a sustainable pedestal by aligning it with low cadre entrepreneurs and for putting proactive and positive-minded persons attending the tourism sector.
Mr Atilola lauded the efforts of Mr Ojo- Lanre, SSA Tourism Development for his doggedness and resourcefulness by networking with Messer Lanre Ogunjobi, DG, ELP and Oroya Aladeloye, SA, Informal sector at making the scheme working and walking in Ekiti State
He called on the beneficiaries to be faithful and prompt on repayment schedules as this would accelerate and pave the way quickly for others as the scheme targets 2000 beneficiaries in Ekiti State.
Bola Hamzat and Eniola Eyinafe both beneficiaries of the scheme lauded Governor Kayode Fayemi for networking tourism stakeholders and entrepreneurs in the state to Sterling bank and happy that the soft loan would help in creating employment opportunities in the state.
Mr Ojo – Lanre commended the Sterling Bank team especially Mrs Abiola Adelana , Sterling Bank Tourism Desk for her goal-getting strides at pushing the tourism vision of the bank efficiently to Ekiti State , lauded Mr Gbenga Adegoke, Divisional Head, Product Proposition, and Ado Ekiti Sterling bank Staff being led by Mr Lekan Afuye for the success of the first phase disbursement to 90 beneficiaries and the commencement of the empowerment of 2nd batch for 202 beneficiaries under Sterling Bank Tourism Fund Development Imitative in Ekiti State.
Bitcoin and other leading cryptocurrencies extended their gains on Monday, driven by positive investor sentiment despite concerns over upcoming U.S. tariffs and key economic data releases later this week.
As of 9:55 am WAT, Bitcoin rose 3.71% to $87,480, while Ethereum gained 4.05%, trading at $2,093. The global cryptocurrency market capitalisation increased by 2.94% in the past 24 hours, reaching $2.84 trillion.
Other notable performers included XRP, Cardano, and Dogecoin, which posted gains of 3%, 2%, and 3.8%, respectively. Chainlink, Avalanche, Hedera, and Stellar also recorded growth ranging from 3% to 10%.
“Bitcoin is holding above $86,000, registering a 3% gain today. The key resistance level to watch is $86,700; a breakout could pave the way for $90,000,” said Vikram Subburaj, CEO of Giottus.
Bitcoin’s market capitalisation surged to $1.727 trillion, with dominance rising to 60.73%. Its 24-hour trading volume soared by 93% to $18.2 billion, while stablecoin transactions accounted for 94.74% of total crypto trading, reaching $57.58 billion, according to CoinMarketCap.
Solana Leads the Charge
Solana (SOL) emerged as a standout performer, surging over 7% in the past 24 hours to trade above $139.
The rally was fueled by reports suggesting that President Trump’s April 2 tariffs may be more targeted than initially feared, easing market concerns.
Solana’s momentum aligns with increasing adoption rates. DeFiLlama reported that Solana’s total value locked (TVL) reached 54.87 million SOL, its highest level since June 2022. Additionally, Ali Charts revealed that a record 11.09 million addresses now hold SOL, underscoring growing investor confidence.
Further supporting the bullish outlook, over $72 million in assets have recently been bridged from Ethereum to Solana. Solana’s weekly active addresses (17 million) now significantly exceed Ethereum’s (1.8 million), while Binance’s rising SOL wallet balances suggest fresh accumulation following recent selling activity.
Institutional Interest on the Rise
Institutional acceptance of Solana continues to grow, with Volatility Shares launching two Solana futures ETFs (SOLZ and SOLT) on Nasdaq on March 21.
Major asset managers, including Franklin Templeton and VanEck, have also applied for spot Solana ETFs, signalling increased interest in the cryptocurrency.
Meanwhile, BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes expressed optimism about Bitcoin’s trajectory, stating, “The Fed’s policy orientation could help Bitcoin achieve $110k before it retests $76.5k.”
With the crypto market gaining momentum, investors remain focused on key technical levels and macroeconomic developments that could shape future price movements.
The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) has unveiled the nominees for its highly anticipated 2025 edition, recognising outstanding achievements in African filmmaking, acting, and content creation.
The shortlist, released on Sunday night, features some of the most celebrated talents in the industry, with Uzor Arukwe and Omoni Oboli among the nominees. Uzor has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Suspicion, while Omoni secured a spot in the Best Supporting Actress category for Wives on Strike 3.
This year’s AMVCA will feature 28 categories, including both voting and non-voting awards, covering various aspects of filmmaking, from acting and directing to cinematography and digital content creation.
Top Contenders and Categories
The Best Supporting Actress category boasts a stellar lineup, including Meg Otanwa (Inside Life), Tina Mba (Suspicion), Ireti Doyle (All’s Fair in Love), and Mercy Aigbe (Farmer’s Bride), among others. Meanwhile, Best Supporting Actor nominees include Adedayo Adebowale Macaroni (Lisabi: The Uprising), Richard Mofe-Damijo (Christmas in Lagos), and Gabriel Afolayan (Inside Life).
In the leading categories, Best Lead Actress nominees include Bimbo Ademoye (Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre), Chioma Akpotha (Seven Doors), and Hilda Dokubo (The Uprising: Wives on Strike 3). Best Lead Actor contenders include Femi Adebayo (Seven Doors), Stan Nze (Suspicion), and Gideon Okeke (Tokunbo).
Celebrating African Creativity
This year’s edition features an exciting mix of Indigenous Language Films, with nominations for Seven Doors (Femi Adebayo), Lisabi: The Uprising (Adedimeji Lateef and Adebimpe Oyebade Adedimeji), and Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre (Kunle Afolayan). The Best Movie category sees strong competition from Lisabi: The Uprising, Skeleton Coast, Suspicion, and House of Ga’a.
Other notable categories include Best Director, where nominees such as Bolanle Austen-Peters (House of Ga’a), Norman Maake (Inkabi), and Robert O Peters (Skeleton Coast) will battle for the top honour. The Best Cinematography award features Inkabi, The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos, and Agemo.
Additionally, the AMVCA recognises digital content creators, with nominees including J
A police inspector, Effiong Bassey, has shot three people in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, leaving one dead and two others injured.
The Cross River State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday, describing it as tragic.
According to the Command’s spokesperson, Ugbo Irene, the shooting occurred in the early hours of Sunday at the Divisional Police Headquarters in Atakpa, Calabar.
She explained that Inspector Bassey had returned from his night duty at Ekondo Microfinance Bank when he began exhibiting abnormal behaviour.
“Inspector Bassey refused to hand over the AK-47 rifle he was assigned and instead proceeded to block the station’s gate, preventing anyone from entering or leaving the premises. Despite attempts at peaceful dialogue to resolve the situation, the officer’s actions escalated,” the statement read.
Tactical Units and patrol teams were then deployed to the scene. However, Bassey, suspected to be mentally unstable, opened fire on bystanders who had been instructed to leave the area.
“Tragically, three individuals were struck by the officer’s stray bullets, including Ijeoma Wilson Obot, a 41-year-old female, who later succumbed to her injuries. The other two victims, Charles Mkpang and another individual, are currently receiving medical treatment and are in stable condition,” the police said.
The officer was eventually subdued, disarmed, and taken into custody. He is now undergoing further investigation.
Concerned by the incident, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 6 Headquarters, Calabar, along with the Cross River State Command Management Team, visited the hospital where the victims were receiving treatment. The AIG also made a donation to support their immediate care.
The Command assured residents that it was working with key stakeholders to prevent any escalation of tension in the community.
It further urged the victims’ families and the public to remain calm, pledging a thorough investigation into the incident.
“The Cross River State Police Command is committed to ensuring that justice, fairness, and equity prevail, and the outcome of the investigation will be made public in due course.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery,” the statement added.
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