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• OLUREMI TINUBU

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has reiterated the need to invest in women as a pathway to building progress in Nigeria.

She said this in a statement to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD). She said this year’s theme: “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress”, is a call to action, while noting that investing in women in all spheres is crucial to nation-building.

Senator Tinubu also called on women to stand for one another.

Below is the full text of her statement: 

“Today, on International Women’s Day, I celebrate every woman – Daughters, Sisters, Aunts, Mothers, Grandmothers and also Great grand Mothers, for your resilience, passion, courage that brought us thus far.

The theme this year resonates deeply – “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress”. It’s a call to action. This is the time to invest in women more than ever. Accelerating progress in any sphere requires that women have to be more involved. 

That is why I see investing in women, not as charity, but a strategy to build the future of our dear nation, Nigeria. Equipping you with education, resources and opportunities to unleash your full potential, supporting your businesses, helping to dismantle economic barriers, and ensuring your voices are heard is a very crucial step.

Therefore, my question to all women is: what are you doing to help the other woman? How are you investing in her?

Let us all come together, bond and love one another. This is the pathway to accelerated progress. I charge all women; just pull a sister up, one at a time. You will be amazed what we can achieve collectively.

#Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress

Happy International Women’s Day.

God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria

• Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, is the First Lady of Nigeria

By Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede

It is with profound sorrow that we extend our deep and sincere condolences to the Wigwe Family of Isiokpo, Rivers State, and the Nwuba Family of Achina, Anammara State, as they grieve the untimely passing of their wonderful son, Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe, alongside Chizoba, his beloved wife, and treasured first son, Chizi. Their lives were tragically cut short on Friday, 9th February 2024, in a devastating helicopter crash in California, USA, that has left our nation and the wider African continent in shock and mourning.

Herbie was a trusted partner, a visionary leader, and a loyal friend; he was a game changer to all who had the privilege of knowing him. His dedication and passion for excellence were the cornerstone of our business partnership, and his loss leaves a void that can never be filled. We shared an extraordinary friendship which transcends human understanding and cannot be explained. I consider myself exceedingly blessed to have enjoyed, with Herbert, the type of friendship that everyone wishes for but very few will ever enjoy.

Chizoba was a beacon of grace, always full of laughter, bringing warmth and kindness to everyone she encountered, while Chizi, their first son, was a bright and promising presence, embodying the values of his illustrious family with joy and enthusiasm.

Together, they were a formidable team, inspiring us with their resilience, creativity, and unwavering commitment to success. Their legacies will forever be remembered and cherished by all whose lives they touched.

As we mourn the painful loss of our dearly beloved Herbert, his wife, and their first son, we find solace in the memories we shared and the impact they made on our lives. Their absence leaves a deep void in our hearts, but their spirit will continue to guide us in our endeavours and inspire us to honour their legacy.

We lift up Herbert’s surviving family in prayer, particularly his children Tochi, David, Hannah, and Okachi, his parents Pastor Shyngle & Pastor Stella Wigwe, his siblings Joyce, Emeka, Peggy, and Kokomma, and his in-laws Mrs. Nwuba and Chizoba’s siblings. We ask for God’s comfort and strength to surround them during this difficult time. May His peace, which surpasses all understanding, fill their hearts and minds.

Obsequies to celebrate their lives and commemorate their contributions to humanity will take place between Monday 4th March and Sunday 11th March 2024.

May their souls rest in eternal peace, reunited in a place where there is no pain or sorrow.

Their memory will forever be etched in our hearts, and their legacy will endure through the bonds of friendship and partnership they forged.

With heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathy,

This is my birthday month. There can be no better gift than what is happening today. In 2002, I lost my mom, Raliat Boluwade Ojudu, to a brain tumor. She was 65. For three months after her passing, I would wake up in the morning, sit at the edge of my bed, and sob.

To bring closure to the tragedy and grief of losing such an amazing woman who sacrificed all for her children and to honor her memory, my wife Omotola and I decided to build this house to train indigent women to acquire skills that will earn them and their families a good life. I named this place the Raliat Ojudu Women Development Center (ROWDEC). I registered a foundation of the same name. Unfortunately, when I decided to go into politics and seek office in 2010, all efforts to put this place to good and noble use were seen by beneficiaries as taking from me a share of our national cake. I once selected 570 indigent women, got a consultant to train them on participating in and managing a cooperative, opened bank accounts for them, and offered each of the members N25,000 to ply their trades with through revolving microcredit to be given by the cooperative. They were not happy with the arrangement. They demanded that the money be given to them individually. My wife spent the whole night counting and enveloped the money. Right before my very eyes and on this same premise, they shared the money with their political leaders and sponsors.

Several efforts made to train women went awry. I would gather them, train them, offer them the tools to work with, and the day after, they would take the tools to the market and sell them, and that was the end of it. I got frustrated, and the center was abandoned.

Early this year, His Excellency, the amiable Governor of this State, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, appointed me Chairman of the Olowe of Ise Art Foundation. On the night of the inauguration of the foundation, we went for dinner at the governor’s lodge. It was during that dinner that Mama Nike Okundaye, a member of the Foundation, a world-renowned artist, and proponent of our local Adire fabric, offered to help our First Lady train Ekiti State women and youths on how to make Adire. Right after her speech, I offered to donate this facility and the adjoining warehouse for this purpose because I could immediately see the convergence of our passions to give and to help.

Since that night, our First Lady has picked up the gauntlet, and she and her staff have not rested ever since. I too have done a partial relocation to Ekiti since then to enable me to assist in sharpening the idea, supervise the renovation, and make sure this dream becomes a reality. It is a demonstration of what love, collaboration, and sacrifice can achieve.

Thank you, my very dear sister, Oja omo Ewi Ado. Thank you, Mr. Governor, for your determination to lift our people from poverty. Thank you, Mama Nike, for the generosity of your purpose. And thank you to all our sisters and brothers who have worked day and night to make Adire Ekiti Hub possible.

My mother, in whose honor this place was built, lies a few meters from here with my dad, her husband. Today will be a day of celebration for them both, wherever they are, as they were incredibly given to helping the needy during their lifetimes.

It is our hope and prayer that every woman who shall be trained here will seize this as a good opportunity for personal development. Having a skill and making use of it is an incredible path to escaping poverty. Empowering a woman is the easiest way to assist her in training her children to make a great contribution to societal development. My mom, with very little but a huge sense of sacrifice, was able to raise six of us, who are doing very well today in our chosen endeavors. We too have taken the baton from her to raise children who are everywhere working hard to make the world a better place.

It is this opportunity that our very dear sister, the First Lady of Ekiti State, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, is offering you today. After all it is said that “ the wealth of a nation lies in the skills of its people”. Make the best use of what you will learn here. You can never imagine how far it may go.

Thank you all for coming, and God bless.

SEUN OLOKETUYI

King Wasiu Omo Gbolahan Olasunkami Adewale Ayinde is a man of destiny, focused and passionate about what he wants.

Or, what do you call a man, who rose from the streets of Isale Eko chasing his dreams to be a musician highly insipired by Islamic beliefs before trying out as an actor and then going back fully to Fuji, a genre of music that has blessed him and vice-versa.

Over the years, the princely singer from the Fidipote family has remained focused with his eyes firm on the crystal balls.

Despite his royal status, the Ijebu people, humanity, building bridges and indeed the entertainment industry have been the better for it as he remains one of the biggest act from Africa as at today.

KWAM 1 or K1- de Ultimate as many love to call him, loves his root – the Yoruba people – and undoubtedly, he loves his Ijebu root more and that’s why he has moved back home for about a decade.

Since moving back to Ijebu, he has established businesses and continues helping the development of the land.

Little wonder, the Awujale of Ijebuland, the highly respected Monarch, sees KWAM 1’s efforts and contribution to the growth of the revered Ijebuland and decided to reward him by bestowing upon him the important title of Olori Omo Oba – a position formerly occupied by banking doyen Otunba Subomi Balogun until his demise.

Alhaji Wasiu is 67 today in good health and we pray his tenure is peaceful and brings progress.

Long May you live Olori Omo Oba

Long May you live Awujale

Long May Ijebu prosper

• Seun Oloketuyi, is the Producer of Awujale Bio pic

Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has extended his heartfelt congratulations to the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye on his 82 birthday.

He made this known in a statement on Saturday.

Sanwo-Olu wrote: ” Today, I celebrate a remarkable milestone in the life of a man who has been a beacon of wisdom, faith, and divine guidance for countless souls across the globe.

“Happy Birthday to a spiritual father, Pastor E.A. Adeboye. Your relentless dedication to spreading God’s word and your unwavering faith have not only transformed lives but have also been a source of inspiration and strength to me personally.

“As you mark another year of God’s faithfulness, my prayer is that He continues to bless you with unwavering strength, profound peace, and boundless joy. May your days be filled with the same love and grace you’ve generously shared with all of us.

“Happy Birthday, Daddy G.O. Your light continues to shine brightly, guiding us towards a path of righteousness and love.”

African countries have been urged to renew their commitment to women’s empowerment as a crucial step towards nation-building.

This call was made by a former Rector of the Yaba College of Technology, Engineer Obafemi Omokungbe, in his keynote address during the 10th anniversary of the African Women Foundation for Nation Building (WINBAFRICA) held at the Alliance Francaise, Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Omokungbe, who is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, aligned his advocacy with the broader initiative by WINBAFRICA for women’s empowerment in Africa, which aims to improve access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and political participation for women. He emphasized that this multifaceted effort aims to eliminate gender inequality, uphold women’s rights, and create an environment where women can thrive socially, economically, and politically.

WINBAFRICA is a non-profit organization that implements various projects and interventions including Education First Series, Project Sapphire, Orphanage Challenge, Project Back-to-School, WINBAFRICA Monthly Round Table, WINBAFRICA Food Bank, and Monthly Newsletter production.

According to Omokungbe, the journey toward women’s empowerment in Africa involves a comprehensive approach that spans various sectors, including education, healthcare, economy, and politics. By investing in women’s empowerment, the scholar believes, African countries can cultivate a more equitable society where women can achieve their full potential and contribute to the growth and development of their nations.

He said: “These renewed commitments would require collaboration and partnership among governments, Civil Society, the Private sector and International Organizations. They include the implementation of programmes and initiatives to promote women’s entrepreneurship, access to credit, land ownership, and participation in the formal economy including targeted support for women in agriculture and small businesses. Commitment to increasing women’s representation in political leadership and decision-making positions through measures such as quotas, training programmes, and support for women’s political participation at all levels of government and comprehensive strategies to prevent and address gender-based violence including legal reforms, support services for survivors and campaigns to change social norms and attitudes that perpetuate violence against women.”

President, WINBAFRICA, Dr Bukola Bello-Jaiyesimi, said the event with the theme, Bridging the Gap: Celebrating a decade of Nation Building” was designed to celebrate the legacy and advancement of women’s course.

“Nation-building is an ongoing effort carried out by women of every generation. As we reflect on our accomplishments over the past decade, we remain committed to empowering future generations in all sectors of the economy. We provide tuition, teaching equipment, and other resources to young girls and boys to show them that we care about their education and that they are the ones who will continue this effort. Our ultimate goal is to promote unity and peace and to inspire hope for a better future,” she submitted.

A school debate competition between Steady Steps School in Lekki and Bomak International Schools in Surulere, Lagos highlighted the commemorative event. The two schools had made it to the final stage of the competition. Victoria Osademe of Bomak International Schools, Surulere, Lagos emerged as the best speaker of the day while Steady Steps School, Lekki won the WINBAFRICA Young Nation Builders’ Trophy (WYNBT).

During the WINBAFRICA Business Roundtable, senior secondary students of Bomak International College in Surulere, Lagos discussed Environmental Responsibility. Additionally, 20 young girls and boys were beneficiaries of the WINBAFRICA scholarship program at the event.

Other dignitaries that graced the occasion included Dr Kemi Akiyode Adebayo (BOT, WINBAFRICA), Toyin Joe Bassey (Secretary General, WINBAFRICA), Dr Oluseun Popoola (Panelist Chairperson) among others.

President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, hailed Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), acknowledging the grace of “stewardship and leadership” in anticipation of Pastor Adeboye’s birthday on March 2, 2024.

Tinubu thanked the “Lord’s servant” for his regular prayers for the country and his “wise counsel”.

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He commended the cleric for his “patriotic zeal and manifest determination to see Nigeria succeed”.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the President congratulated Pastor Adeboye on “hitting another milestone” and joining the “Body of Christ in thanksgiving for the General Overseer’s remarkable life of impact that transcends cultures and borders”.

The President prayed for the continual well-being of the General Overseer and his wife, in addition to many more years in the service of God Almighty.

Iris Apfel, the influential fashion icon and interior decorator who helped restore the White House for nine presidents, died Friday at the age of 102.

Talent agent Lori Sale confirmed her death. Apfel died at home in Palm Beach, she said.

Apfel’s Instagram account posted an image of a stunningly dressed Apfel and the words “August 29, 1921 — March 1, 2024.”

In 2018, at age 96, Apfel appeared on “TODAY” to talk about recent trends and what constitutes style. She was interviewed at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City.

She called ripped denim “insanity” and criticized those who wear athletic clothes for everyday activities, saying, “Athletic wear should be worn at the gym.”

She said those with style are expressive and self-aware.

“You have to be original, but not original to the point where you’re nutsy,” Apfel said. “I think you have to be true to yourself, know yourself, not be a trend follower. You’ve got to take a few risks.”

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As a girl, she was fascinated by her grandmother’s scraps of unused fabric. “What I saw made my eyes pop: a gigantic bunch of little fabric remnants in all sorts of colors and patterns,” she wrote in her 2018 book, “Iris Apfel: Accidental Icon.”

Apfel came to fashion through fabric, founding Old World Weavers, an international textile manufacturing company, with her husband Carl, in 1950, according to her bio from publisher HarperCollins.

Carl died in 2015 at age 100.

Apfel’s eye for detail brought collaborations with many designers and brands, including the White House, where fabric she designed was displayed in the Gold Room, according to the publisher.

According to the book jacket for “Accidental Icon,” Apfel helped style Greta Garbo, Estee Lauder, Montgomery Clift, and Joan Rivers.

In 2005 she became the first person who wasn’t a fashion designer to be the subject of an exhibit at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, HarperCollins said. It featured her clothing and accessories.

The Jewish Women’s Archive said it was around this time that Apfel earned a moniker, “the geriatric starlet.”

She has an IMDB listing for appearances in “Iris,” the 2014 documentary about her, and in 2010’s “Bill Cunningham: New York,” a documentary about the fashion photographer.

The year she released “Accidental Icon,” Mattel revealed two versions of a Barbie Styled by Iris Apfel doll. The company noted in a news release announcing the line that Apfel was the self-described “oldest living teenager.”

True to form, in 2019, at the age of 97, Apfel signed a contract with modeling agency IMG, according to IMDB. She was also featured in ads for brands like M.A.C. cosmetics and Kate Spade.

The author Leandra Medine Cohen wrote a blurb for Apfel’s “Accidental Icon,” stating, “Personal style really originated with Iris Apfel.”

Asked on “TODAY” where she got her passion for fashion, Apfel said, “I guess I was born with it.”

By Dare Babarinsa

So, Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe would be carried home like a man who has fallen at the war front. He was a different kind of hero, with a lot of medals and a lot of scars. He won many battles. He, like Admiral Horatio Nelson of Trafalgar, won his last battle, but still fell. He could not have believed that his story would end so soon. He had dashed out to the United States with his wife Chizoba and his son, Chizi. They were to watch the super bowl of American football and then dashed home to resume the fast life and good money they were used to. Now, they are coming home for the final time to join the company of the ancestors.
The death of Wigwe on February 9 is a tragedy. He perished with his wife and son and his bosom friend, Mr Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc. Abimbola was the son of iconic lawyer and businessman, the late Chief Chris Ogunbanjo. The younger Ogunbanjo was a big man whose death would have been regarded as a national tragedy. But Wigwe was a bigger man and he lost more. Ogunbanjo’s wife and children are still around to mourn him.
Wigwe was a phenomenon in the Nigerian banking industry. In truth, his exploits were controversial, but he made good and lasting impacts. He was a goal-getter and a warrior of uncommon prowess who was not in the habit of capturing prisoners. He loved to win. His exploits connected many major institutions in the contemporary Nigerian banking history. Now he is history.
He was a man on fire. He was born in 1966 in Ibadan and attended the University of Nigeria Nsukka, graduating with a degree in accountancy in 1987 and became a chartered accountant in 1989. He worked for two years with Cooper and Lybrand before he got employed with the Guarantee Trust Bank, GTB, coming under the leadership of iconic banker, Fola Adeola. It was at GTB that he met his destiny and learnt the esoteric trade of making money. In that field, he soon became an alchemist with the special skill of turning anything into gold. He was young, relentless, brilliant, daring and tireless. He got things done.
His bosses quickly recognised his appetite for the big game and they thrusted him forward. By 1998, he was already a management staff of the bank and yet wanted more. He was just 32 and the fire in his belly was roaring at full force. No promotion could satisfy him. He was an alpha male and wanted his own territory.
It was at this period that he and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede forged their impressive friendship. Both of them have ferocious appetite for success. They loved to make deals and they were the new carpetbaggers in town. They did not have the kind of scruple that would worry the traditional bankers or restrain the old generation. They were the kind of men that build empires when the rules are fluid and the prospects great. To them what was important was victory. They were fiercely loyal to each other. They were each other.
Around 2010, I had wanted to meet Imoukhuede, then the Managing Director of Access Bank, for an important discussion. The meeting was arranged by a mutual friend. I could not meet him but met instead Wigwe, then the deputy M.D of Access Bank. I complained to my friend that I could not meet the M.D, but met Wigwe, his deputy, instead.
“What is the difference?” my friend asked. “They are the same! Whatever Wigwe tells you is what Imoukhuede would say!”
Wigwe and Imoukhuede became twins of the same soul. So, the sudden death of Wigwe must have left his twin brother in deep mourning. Access Bank provided for them their first operational field. The bank was originally owned by a group of investors led by Chief Abiodun Omole, a wealthy entrepreneur and son of the legendary late Chief Lawrence Omole of Ilesha. Omole also brought in some of his friends, including Prince Tokunbo Aromolaran, to be part of the dream when the bank obtained its licence in 1988. Access Bank was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 1998.
In 2002, Wigwe and Imoukhuede were able to buy out Omole and his team. How they did it is not clear till today. Chief Omole is alive, but has kept mum about his lost jewel. The take-over only whetted their appetite for bigger and better targets. They would not relent. They were soon to have on their menu lists banks like Diamond Bank and Intercontinental Bank. Wigwe and Imoukhuede were two sharks hunting in the deep.
One leviathan in the deep was the Intercontinental Bank founded by Erastus Akingbola, a swashbuckling corporate raider. It was a bitter fight and the ocean was full of blood and Access Bank gobbled the giant Intercontinental Bank which for years had been weakened by internal dealings and corruption until the Central Bank waded in to save it from collapse. It was then the CBN sold the bank to Access. Akingbola became a king in exile attended by memories of past glory and the memorabilia of a lost court.
The battlefield is silent now, but the echo of the struggle is still ringing in our ears while the moaning of old ghosts occasionally rent the air. But Wigwe was determined to live life to the fullest. He bought a jet. He built a palace in Lagos. He went to his ancestral home to make peace with his ancestors and give a gift to the generations. He was determined to give back to the land where his progenitors were buried in ancient graves and where his panegyrics still recount the lore of old battles. The Wigwe University, Isiokpo, Rivers State, he told his people, would be one of the best in the world. They knew he was right because Wigwe would never do anything in half-measure. He said it was his gift to them and to generations yet unborn and he was determined to poured his resources into it. They never reckoned that in few weeks ahead, their hero would be claimed by the deities like a burnt offering.
Wigwe’s wife, the formidable Chichi, was the Managing Director of Craneburg, the first-class construction company. The Lekki-Epe Express Road remains a testimony to Craneburg’s political muscle and competence. Chizi, the 29-year-old son, was the crown-prince of a financial empire of Catholic relevance.
It seems those who were closest to Wigwe were eager to confirm that he would never return. Few days after the crash in the United States, Access Bank announced Bolaji Agbede as the new Group M.D to replace Wigwe in acting capacity pending confirmation by the CBN. They could not even wait for the terrible news to be fully absorbed by Wigwe’s aged parents, Engineer Shyngle Wigwe and his wife Stella. Few years ago, the Wigwes had lost their eldest son, Osita. Now this.
Few days later on February 25, Siju, the socialite wife of Pastor Idowu Iluyomade of the Redeem Christian Church of God, RCCG, City of David parish, Lagos, gave a talk-of-the town 60th birthday party. The irony was that the Wigwes were perhaps the greatest donor to the church and they pay tithes in millions. Siju’s party was hot and the glitterati of Lagos illuminated the place. It was only just 16 days after the Wigwes perished in the United States. The Italians would say, “You need the loots of the soldiers to keep the priests at the temple!” Now the priests are dancing and making merry.
There is no need to pass judgement on the Wigwe’s friends and colleagues at the bank or the merry-makers of the RCCG. Let the grieving families endure their moment of profound sorrow. Wigwe lived a remarkable and impactful life. He was not perfect, but he was great. For the surviving children, who became orphans suddenly, and the rest of the family, something truly big has struck them. Their hero had gone to battle; never to return. Let the dead, the valiant Wigwe, his beloved wife and son and his great friend, Ogunbanjo, depart in peace!
-the end-

Spotlights Role of African Philanthropy inTransforming the Development Agenda in Africa

At a time of renewed geopolitical interest in Africa, and an increasing questioning of traditional development finance models, Harvard Business School today released a case study examining the role and impact of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), and its unique approach to catalysing entrepreneurship in Africa.

The Foundation, Africa’s leading funder of young entrepreneurs, has pioneered an innovative approach to seeding, capacitising and networking young entrepreneurs across Africa. Drawing directly from Tony Elumelu’s entrepreneurial journey, his acknowledgement that luck and chance played an important role in his success, the Foundation democratises luck, spreads opportunity, in a sector agnostic approach, and has developed a bespoke infrastructure that reaches every country in Africa. The Foundation is a direct expression of Elumelu’s philosophy of Africapitalism, that the private sector must play a pivotal role in Africa’s development, and that investment must seek social, as well as economic returns.

The case study, the first of its kind focused on African philanthropy, was launched today, Thursday, February 29, 2024, before a class of graduate students at Harvard Business School and exploredthe Foundation’s unique approaches and transformative initiatives, showcasing how the strategic philanthropy offered by TEF, is drivingpositive change and elevating countries and communities.

The case study recognises challenges the Foundation faces, and its responses, as it developed its mission, since founding in 2010. The track record is impressive, with over 20,000 entrepreneurs funded, over a million connected digitally and the development of an impact assessment capacity. TEF has disbursed over USD$100 million, reaching every African country. The Foundation is increasingly developing a partnership-based approach, working with institutions such as the EU, US agencies, the UNDP, the ICRC, the Ikea Foundation, and others to develop bespoke programmes focused on fragile states, female entrepreneurs and sustainability initiatives. 

Tony Elumelu, who spoke at Harvard said, “TEF is creating economic hope and opportunity for African entrepreneurs. We know that entrepreneurship is the solution to youth unemployment and insecurity. Through the intervention of the Foundation, we aretransforming our young people, giving them hope.Collectively, all of us can resolve the challenges that we have on the continent.

It is wonderful to have had the opportunity to work with HBS, to spotlight our successes, acknowledge the challenges that we have at times faced, and provide the opportunity to spread our experience, for the benefit of others.”

The Harvard Business School session provided an opportunity to engage in a meaningful discussion on the role of philanthropy in shaping sustainable and inclusive economies. As the world grapples with complex challenges around demographics, climate and sustainability, the Tony Elumelu Foundation model offers a fascinating model of how strategic philanthropy can be a driving force for positive change.