Tag: Art

ECONOMIC UPDATE: Proactive or Defensive CBN?

In the month of January, daily average turnover at the Investors and Exporters Window (IEW) touched an all-time high of $274million, 35% higher MoM with a total of ~$6.1 billion sold. Notably, although the CBN has been a net buyer in the market since August 2017, (~$569 million average net purchase from August – December 2017), the apex bank mopped up sizable dollar flows in the month of January – net purchase of $1.3 billion.

Basically, supply in the IEW has consistently outpaced demand, providing the CBN with scope to shore up its external reserves. As at 31st January 2018, the apex bank reserves grew by +5% MoM to $40.7 billion. In our view, the CBN is taking pre-emptive measures for any expected outflows stemming from global monetary policy normalisation and domestic political risk. However, this observation begs the question on why the excess supply has yet to force a noteworthy appreciation in the naira, especially when the CBN accounted for ~22% of transactions in the window. Is the CBN trading off between an appreciation in the value of the naira for currency stability over 2018?

Further analysis into trading activities in the market reveal increased dollar inflows as client sales to the I&E Window jumped 27% to $2.3billion while member (dealing banks) purchases declined 19% to $848 million – indicating increased FX liquidity in the window. The CBN also increased sales across other segments of the market in a bid to close market spread. Precisely, the apex bank increased its sales to Wholesale, retail SMEs and invisibles’ market by 25% to $1 billion.

Over the rest of the year, we do not see any shock to the currency as our analysis reveal the expected monthly oil and non-oil inflow as well as the current build-up of the country’s reserve puts the apex bank in a better position to defend the naira. Underpinning our view is a scenario analysis carried out on the potential impact of a capital flight from the fixed income market as we believe foreign investors will remain attracted to the equity market. We look at maturing bills for the rest of the year and assume foreign investors hold back from rolling over their maturing bills because of expectations of lower return and election risk.

Furthermore, on the basis that foreign investors hold 30-50% maturing instruments, we overlay the expected outflow with our expectations on oil and non-inflow for the rest of the year. For us, despite the higher outflow in May 2018 due to the maturing bond worth N302 billion ($838 million) – the current build up in reserve ($40 billion) as well as the move by CBN to take up the excess FX supply at the I & E window takes out thought of a depreciation in the currency.

 

VIEW FULL REPORT HERE

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Source: Articles

Valentine for three…

If I wanted that life, I could easily be a ‘baba for the girls’. Easy on the eyes, good job, great personality, many ladies have referred to me as the possible answer to their prayers. But I am all about one girl. Cynthia has been with me since before I was me. I have fond memories of her traveling to visit me in the one room I shared with three other guys while I served my country. She was the one who ironed the shirt I wore on the first day at my first job. She sent me the link advertising my current power job. When I could finally afford a place of my own, she was the one who chose the two bedrooms flat in Thomas estate where I currently reside.  The decoration screams her name, but I will have it no other way.

Another good thing about Cynthia is her simplicity and prudence. While I would like to take her on a short vacation somewhere for Valentine, she would never agree. Her reason- why spend so much on a 24-hour event when we could do much more with the money. Smart girl, my Cynthia. So, our Valentine routine is simple; a day in, just the two of us, no outing, no dates, no friends or family- just us. And it is always super cool. Until about 5 pm when my landlord and his family members return home from their offices and schools. Then everything scatters.

You see, my landlord is a polygamist,  two wives and seven children and they make the loudest noise you can imagine just going about their day. Unfortunately for me, their kitchen is just behind my bedroom window, so I am usually able to catch all the action live. If the wives are not arguing over whose turn it is to make landlord’s dinner, one child will be accusing another of stealing his drink in the fridge while another set of children are fighting over what television station to watch. On some days, I do not mind the noise, I try to mentally tune them off and enjoy the comfort of my house but not on Valentine’s day.

Three years ago, the eldest son came to borrow my spanner while Cynthia and I were watching our Valentine movie. Let’s just say he ended up watching the whole movie with us and even stayed to share his opinion of the story. Two years ago, Cynthia was trying out the ayamase recipe she just discovered for our special Valentine lunch, baba landlord’s junior wife perceived the aroma while she was picking clothes from our shared laundry line and decided to stop by to ask about the source of the aroma. We eventually shared our Valentine lunch with her.

The most annoying of all Valentine fiascos was last year’s episode. I had planned to propose to Cynthia on Valentine’s day last year. I had a selection of carefully hand-picked songs. Songs that had meant something to us at different points of our journey together. The way I envisioned it, the songs would tell a story and eventually lead to the perfect moment. Alas, Baba landlord and his family won’t allow me be great. They chose that hour of the day to have a ‘don’t forget the lyrics’  contest. The jeers and cheers from the other children as each child had his/her turn were so loud Cynthia and I could hardly hear each other, not to talk of the soft music I was playing. When I increased the volume in an attempt to drown out their noise, she decided the sound collision could not be healthy and proceeded to turn off my music player since we could control that sound. The ring immediately felt heavier in my pocket as I saw my proposal plans scatter. I eventually had to plan an entirely different proposal, this time, not situated in my home.

This year, as we look forward to our wedding, I want nothing more than to give my babe the Valentine she has always wanted- intimate, void of disturbances, focused on just us but I cannot dare hope. My landlord’s children cannot be trusted. I wonder how we will cope when we marry, all this noise and interference cannot be good for a young marriage.

As always, Cynthia saved the day. She sent me a link she had found online. It said I could fire my landlord with just 1.2 million. We knew the opportunity was for us and jumped on it.  It’s ok whatever stunt the landlord’s family pulls this year, we can’t be bothered much- we are looking forward to our happy intimate life in a house that will eventually be 100% our own.

 

Nothing says I love you like offering her peace of mind in a home that is completely yours. Make your babe happy, fire your landlord with just 1.2 million and start the rewarding journey of living in your own home.  How does it work? Find out here.

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Source: Articles

Five budget friendly ways to show love this valentine

Love is a beautiful thing! But it can also be expensive, especially at a season like Valentine. While it is OK to splurge on the person you love, sometimes you are unable to. Your wallet and your heart just refuse to cooperate. We feel your predicament and agree that you and your bae still deserve a good time, even if you are not balling right now. Let’s hook you up with a few not -so- expensive ways to show your boo you care and give you both memories to treasure.

1. Dinner for two- at home

Who says a romantic dinner has to be at the most expensive rooftop restaurant in town? You can turn your balcony or a section of your house into the right atmosphere for an intimate dinner. What do you need? Two chairs and a table(not compulsory really, sitting on the floor can also be romantic), petals and flowers, good wine, soft music collection and good food. If you can cook, making the delicacy yourself gives it extra thrill (especially if you are a guy). Picking the right songs is also important, as is lighting. Create a walkway to the dinner table with the petals and provide desserts and appetizers.

P.S You have to handle this with all seriousness, even if it’s at home. Dress up, go all out, your date deserves it.

2. Movie night – at home

Let’s be honest, all the big cinemas will be extremely full that day. Spend half of the money you would have spent at the cinema on good wine and corn which you can pop together at home. You can each select your favourite movie and enjoy the evening watching old movies while creating new memories.

P.S Don’t show up in your pajamas just because it’s your house. Dress appropriately, just as you would if you were going to the movies. Of course, popcorn fights are more than welcome.

3. Handy man on duty

You know all those low key (or not so low key) complaints your beloved has been making about stuff that needs to be done around the house (especially if you are married)? Well, this is the perfect time to be Prince Charming. How about you take some time to actually change that padlock, repair that gadget, attend to all the little things you never have time for. You will be surprised at how pleased your spouse will be. Nothing says I love you like showing you listen and going out of your way to make him/her happy.

P.S Given that this is Nigeria, the above might not be enough to be termed a Val gift, consider buying the Gift of a Lifetime to complement this loving gesture.

4. Art or Park day

If you both are into that sort of thing, you can easily find art galleries in your vicinity which you can visit at very little cost. You can enjoy an evening of interpreting art works together and taking pictures with your favourite pieces. Imagine how cute a picture of both of you at Nike art gallery will look on the gram. The danger with this is your boo might ask you to buy that art work she really loves. Well, you will need a creative response at this point. Alternatively, parks like Omu resort and Freedom park only demand an entry fee or no fee at all for a plethora of fun activities.

5. Take her home to mama

This is the ultimate ‘I love you’ gesture. Give her the best valentine story to share with her friends by taking her home to meet your parents. This shows you are committed to your relationship and the future. It also makes her feel valued and puts her mind at rest.

P.S Be very sure you are in it for the long haul before you take her home. Once she bonds with your family my brother, just go and start ring shopping.

Lastly, experiences form the best memories, but keepsakes cement them. They are like tangible proof that the special moment happened. The perfect keepsake for beautiful valentine’s day memories is the Gift of a Lifetime, it is flexible enough to adjust to your pocket and keeps growing, making you look really good long after Valentine is over.

We wish you a happy valentine and a wonderful life filled with love.

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Source: Articles

How to create a CV that gets you the job

Your CV could be your ticket to getting your foot in the door for a job interview, and constructing one is easy once you know how. It is simply taking all your skills and experience and tailoring them to the job you’re applying for.

Here are a few tips to help you create a successful CV and hopefully land your first and future jobs.

Don’t mess up the basics

There are some common sections you should make sure you get right in your CV. These are: education and qualifications, personal and contact information, work history/experience, relevant skills to the job you’re applying for, own interests, achievements or hobbies, and some references.

Presentation is everything

Make sure you clearly present your CV on printed, clean and crisp white paper. The layout should always be clean and articulate. Never crumple your CV – using a big manila envelope helps to prevent this.

Remember to include your most important information in the upper middle area of the first page of your CV. It’s the CV hotspot and you want it to catch your recruiter’s eye.

Aim for two pages

A good CV is concise, clear and communicates every point without flickering. You don’t need countless pages – it’s not a writing contest. Keep things short and sweet. Tick the right boxes with your potential employer using your CV and if he/she is impressed, you may have yourself a job.

Again, you should know that employers get dozens of CVs all the time so it’s unlikely they’ll read each one page to page. Most employers often make a judgement about a CV within seconds, so stick to a maximum of two pages of A4 paper.

Never use a ‘generic’ CV

Every CV you send to a potential employer should be tailored to the role you’re applying for, so don’t get lazy and hope a general CV will work – because it won’t.

Read the details of the job description from start to finish – hidden within are clues you can use to tailor your CV to the role. When you’ve established what the job requires and how you can match each requirement, create a CV specifically for that role.

Take the time to create a unique CV for every job you apply for. No, I’m not asking you to re-write the entire thing every single time – instead simply adapt details so they are relevant.

Let’s talk skills, interests and experience

Under skills section of your CV, mention key skills that stand you out. Skills can come from the most unlikely places, so think deeply about all the skills you’ve developed over time. They may be:

• Communication skills
• Computer skills
• Team playing
• Problem solving
• Or even speaking different foreign languages

Under interests, emphasize the things that show off skills you’ve acquired and that employers look for. Describe examples of positions of responsibility, working as part of a team or even remotely that clearly shows you can use your own initiative.

Be sure to include anything that shows how diverse, interested and skilled you are. Make yourself come across as interesting.

In the experience section, employ assertive and positive language under the work history such as “achieved”, “organized” or “developed”. Try to connect the skill you’ve learned to the job role you’re applying for.

Who you should list as referee

References should be from a former employer or someone in a senior position who has worked with you in the past and can corroborate your skills and experience. If you’ve never been employed before, it’s okay to use a teacher as a referee. Try to include two if you can.

Keep your CV up-to-date

Review your CV regularly and add new skills or experience that’s not there. Potential employers are impressed with candidates who go the extra mile to improve their own skills and experience.

 

When you get your job, be sure to keep tomorrow in mind and make plans for it before it comes. ARM Pensions is right here to help you plan for a better tomorrow.

 

 

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Source: Articles

In the news: NSE all-share index plummets by 0.9%

PUNCH Forex: Banks cancel commissions on PTA, tuition, medical bills Members of the Bankers’ Committee have agreed that banks in the country should stop charging commission on the sale of foreign exchange to customers, particularly those meant for Personal Travel Allowance, Business Travel Allowance, tuition and medical bills payment. NPA declares N300bn revenue for 2017 The Nigerian Ports Authority on Tuesday declared a total revenue of N299.56bn for the 2017 fiscal year. We’ve not withdrawn case against SEC, says Oando Oando Plc has stated that its legal tussle with the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to the planned forensic audit of the oil firm is still on. VANGUARD Banks’ lending to private sector drops to N15.74tr Banks reduced lending to the private sector to N15.74 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2017 (Q4’17) according to the report released by NBS on Monday. Discos distribute 3.45 million metres —- NBS The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) yesterday, said that the 11 Distribution Companies (Discos) have metered 3.45 million customers as at end of 2017. THE NATION Wike signs 2018 budget Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has signed the 2018 Appropriation Bill  of the state into law. The governor  signed a budget of N510billion  passed by the  Rivers State House of Assembly. AfDB okays $10million bond support fund Board of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved  $10 million to the African Local Currency Bond Fund (ALCB Fund), to further enhance its portfolio and promote the development of domestic capital markets across the continent. GUARDIAN NSE all-share index plummets further by 0.9% Equity transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), continued on a downward note yesterday, as more blue chip stocks joined the league of losers, resulting to a further slide in the All-share index by 0.9 per cent.

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Source: Articles

There’s something wrong with my wife

…This is a true-life story.

 

I know something is wrong because I have been married to her for six years, and right now she’s not acting normal.

My wife Oma is a modern day ‘slay queen’. Yes, I know I make a lot of money running my import and export business, but I had thought I would marry a woman who was ambitious. Well, I got my wish in a different way. Oma was ambitious about spending my money.

At first, I tried to coerce her to maybe get a job or even open a business for her. She would have none of that. After all, she was my ‘ori-aku’ – wealth consumer (as she likes to call herself) and intended it to remain that way. Even when I told her she would get bored staying at home, she proved to me that motherhood, shopping, vacations, girl’s hangouts and being an Instagram celebrity were enough to keep her busy.

Even the arrival of our children, Dera and Buchi did not un-slay my wife. Far from it. She turned our children to ‘slay-kids’ too creating and managing their individual Instagram accounts where she showcased their arsenal of baby clothes and fashion styles all for likes, follows and comments.

So, you see, I was used to my wife spending and spending my money.

But something changed yesterday. She came into the bedroom looking serious. I knew she wanted money. That was the look whenever she had a money-spending mission.

But instead she said “Darling, God forbid something happens to you now, how will I and the kids survive? I mean, will Dera and Buchi still school abroad like we planned? Will our lives remain the same?”

I looked up from the Manchester United vs Huddersfield game I was watching in shock. “But bae, nothing will happen to me. Where’s this question even coming from?” I asked. “How do you know nothing will happen to you ehn? Is that not what our former neighbor Nneka’s husband told her in February before that horrible accident the following month, now I just heard that she has moved her children to a public school. I even heard that she’s now depending on goodwill from family and friends to survive despite how well-to-do her husband was.”

“I think we need to put money aside for the children’s college study abroad, and then that fashion store you wanted to open for me three years ago? I’m ready for it now. At least I can make my own money and save too. Nothing will happen to you o, but let me err on the side of caution”, she rambled on with every seriousness.

This unexpected change from Oma got me thinking. Yes, something is wrong with my wife and it is something good. For the first time, she thought of something other than lavish spending. She not only thought about saving but also earning.

Her first question played in my head like a track on repeat as I went about my week. She was right. I didn’t have my life in my hands and God forbid that anything happens, I wouldn’t want my unpreparedness to alter my wife and children’s future.

 

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Source: Articles

In the news: Shareholders back NSE’s one-kobo pricing rules

The Nation $5.5b loan: Moody’s downgrade raises borrowing cost The Moody’s Investors’ Service downgrade of Nigeria’s long-term issuer and senior unsecured debt rating to B2 from B1 (with a stable outlook) means higher cost of international borrowing, top financial analyst Bismarck Rewane has said. Shareholders back NSE’s one-kobo pricing rules Retail shareholders have expressed support for the planned implementation of a new pricing rule that will allow stocks on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to trade below their nominal value and as low as one kobo. DisCos’ revenue shortfalls hit N892.4b Electricity distribution companies (DisCos) have piled up a loss of  N892.4 billion. CBN commits N44b to Anchor Borrowers’ programme The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has committed N44.1 billion to the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) through the 13 participating financial institutions. NCRIB advocates compulsory agric insurance for economic growth The Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) has underscored the need for government to make agricultural insurance compulsory in the country. Punch Banks weigh recapitalisation options as pressure mounts Commercial banks, especially mid-sized and small lenders in the country, are considering new options to raise additional capital as pressure continues to mount on them from various fronts. Construction firms asks FIRS to refund N36bn excess tax The Federation of Construction Industry has said that over N36bn Withholding Tax credit belonging to its members is pending with the Federal Inland Revenue Service. N700m spent on IT infrastructure, others – Mines ministry The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development has denied spending N700m on the acquisition of a web portal. Insurance bill will enhance underwriting business, says NAICOM The Commissioner for Insurance, Alhaji Mohammed Kari, has said that the insurance bill will boost insurance business and regulation when passed into law. Vanguard N261bn inflow to stabilise interbank interest rates The interbank money market will this week receive inflow of N261 billion which will enhancing stability of cost of funds in the market. Last week, cost of funds fell sharply due to inflow of N233.8 billion on Thursday from matured treasury bills (TBs). Senate to increase AMCON powers for speedy loan recovery The Senate is set to increase the powers of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) in order to facilitate its debt recovery mandate. Worry, as other banks lose market share to big 5 Capital market operators and investors have expressed concern that the widening gap between tier-1 and tier -2 banks may lead to loss of depositors’ confidence in tier-2 banks as full results of 14 banks listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, in the first nine months of this year (9M’17) point to increasing dominance of the market space by the tier-1 banks to the detriment of the tier-2 banks. Guardian CBN’s policy saves N217b from rice import The capital control policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which excluded 41 items from accessing foreign exchange (forex) at the official window, saved the country N217 billion ($600 million) worth of forex in its first full year of implementation in 2016. This Day Market Remains Bullish on Sustained Investor Sentiment The Nigerian bourse sustained its bullish performance as the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index (ASI) rose further by 0.49 per cent to close higher at 37,120.28. Market capitalisation added N62.5 billion to close at N12.847 trillion. Reuters U.S. crude oil exports to Asia soar, complicating OPEC’s efforts: U.S. crude oil is flooding into Asia, and may continue to do so as the arbitrage window that was initially created by Hurricane Harvey remains open, even though the disruption from the costliest storm to hit the Gulf of Mexico has faded.

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Source: Articles

START-UPS AND MONEY – Growing your seed into a tree

Every day, start-ups are born.  The decision to launch a start-up is not for the faint-hearted, so congratulations if you’ve taken the first big step. With the rave about ‘being your own boss’, your decision to start-up a business needs to be guided by working financial principles to ensure success and that you stand out of the pack.

You need to identify common financial mistakes to avoid and how to make wise use of your startup capital.

Here are some tips to help you:

Manage your cash flow

Lack of financial accountability has caused many businesses to begin and crash prematurely. You need to know where every kobo is coming from and where every kobo is going. No matter how grand your start-up idea is, without careful money management, it will not survive.

It is important to monitor your cash flow critically, to avoid setting your business up for failure.

You must put measures in place to handle your accounting. If hiring an accountant in the beginning is not budget-friendly, check the internet for accounting software to help you stay organized.

With this in place, your cash flow can be managed optimally. As your business grows and the accounting becomes more complicated, you can consider employing a professional accountant.

Keep your fixed expenses to the minimum

When launching a start-up, generating revenue should be your top priority, not expending your seed money. Bear this in mind and keep your expenses low to ensure a long life for your business. Why furnish your office expensively when you can make do with the basic necessities to run your business? Why look for a large space when all you need is a moderate business space? Many startups make this mistake by focusing and spending on the wrong things.

Spend reasonably so you can channel the bulk of your capital to growth, which will enable you to someday enjoy any additional features you want.

Monetise your time

Don’t spend so much time going for meetings that are unrelated to your business or browsing social media platforms for pleasure rather than business during business hours. Plan your daily schedule and adhere to it. Time is money and every second you spend doing something that doesn’t add to your business is time and money wasted.

Want customers? Get them

Customers are the life of any business. Your company has greater chances of growing when you learn how to acquire customers and retain them. Once you learn different channels of getting customers, optimize them to cut costs.

Because it is nearly impossible to test every customer lead generation channel in the beginning, focus on the most lucrative opportunities you have identified to maximize the use of your time. When you successfully scale those, you’ll have the available finances to explore other channels.

Plan for your future

Even entrepreneurs someday retire. What plans have you made for retirement?

You are responsible for your retirement, so when you start making money, consider things like a Retirement Savings Account. Set aside money for that time in your life when you finally rest and enjoy all you have worked for.

In addition to this, consider micro-investing opportunities. Some investment companies offer the direct debit option where you mandate a certain amount to be deducted periodically (e.g weekly, monthly e.t.c) from your bank account to service your investments. This way, you can concentrate on running your business while your invested money accumulates to guarantee you a secured future.

Pay Yourself

You have needs and should cater to them by making sure you pay yourself each month. You don’t need to compensate your hard work and dedication with a fat salary at the start, but enough to live decently.

When the personal financial stress is taken care of, you are super-charged to stay focused on building your business.

Set financial goals

It is not enough to decide you want to build a multi-million Naira company. Breakdown your financial goals into small, reachable and measurable targets.

Breaking your goals to daily, weekly or monthly targets help you stay on track and make any alterations necessary to achieve the bigger goal. Imagine the confidence boost you get when you consistently hit those little goals? They make you feel powerful enough to blaze consistent trails in your entrepreneurial journey.

Now is the time to get to work on nurturing and watering your seed. Keep your garden free of weed. Many years down the line, your seed will grow into a tree that gives you and those coming after you comfortable financial shade.

Interested in lucrative opportunities to invest the returns from your business? Explore the possibilities here.

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Source: Articles

Who says a girl can’t ‘toast’ a guy?

I’m a dreamer and a believer in the Indian movie kinda love. I’m that babe that read all the Mills & Boon series back in secondary school. I’m that babe that cries when a guy writes me love poems. I can spend all day listening to R&B music.

My name is Mimi and I’m an unapologetic romantic.

I’ve been hoping and searching for that guy that does it for me, but somehow Cupid thinks matchmaking celebrities like Banky and Adesua is more important than hooking a babe up.

So, what do I do but face my ‘fitfam’ lifestyle building a body strong enough to house the emotions bottled up within me. But my visit to Twitter a few days ago shows that good old Cupid may have remembered me after all.

I came upon the ARM Run For the Future post on those who come for a run to find bae and my antenna picked up a frequency. Ha! This must be me.

My love for fitness might get me the romantic ‘boo’ with a shared love for fitness that I’ve been searching for. Who says a girl can’t go after what she wants eh?

I quickly head over to register for the run and what do I see? My favorite comedians EmmaOhMyGod and Nedu plus that funny, cute babe WofaiFada who I follow closely on Instagram are even part of the package. See me dancing Kukere and “dabbing” in my mind. How can I pick a team when I love all of them die? Omo, I’m for all contenders o!

My mission for this run is clear. I’m coming to run for my future (It depends on how you see it, but ‘future’ can be a guy who is a potential hubby abi?) and a little bit of celebrity famzing on the side.

I’ve saved the date November 25, 2017, bought my cute colourful running shoes and sports leggings (I gats to be noticed o) … Now the wait begins!

 

If you have not registered yet, you’re dulling o. Go here and register sharp sharp!

 

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Source: Articles

Abu’s journey (5) – Tomorrow is looking good

In Episode one, Abu was just passing out from the compulsory 3-weeks orientation camp. Episode two sees him counting the days until NYSC is finished. In Episode three, Abu goes full mode job seeker. In episode 4, the job market tide turns favourably for Abu. Now in this final episode, we go through with Abu to see what his future becomes. Read on…

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Life was smiling at Abu and he was smiling right back. He was living the dream he had from way back in the university. Judging by his colleagues from school and their progress, he wasn’t doing badly.

With 6 years spent at DKY Oil and Gas, Abu had gained some financial muscle and a befitting title. But knowing Abu and his hunger for success, satisfaction was still not gained. He needed more. He was a realistic guy who understood that life wasn’t all smiles. He knew to expect the unexpected and this thought always had him constantly searching for ways to bulk up his financial strength so that the twins will have the life he desired for them.

As he thought of possible ways to do this, life had other plans.

When Abu got to work the following week, the atmosphere was apprehensive. Abu dropped his bag in his office, slammed the door and went straight to his superior’s office.

“Good Morning Razaq sir. How is the family?” he asked. “Mehn, family is fine o. I’m just worried about my family here at work” Mr. Razaq responded.

The hairs on the back of Abu’s neck stood as he pressed on, “Ah ah, boss what could the problem be”. “Haven’t you heard? Because of that issue of crude oil’s depreciating value, we have orders from above to start downsizing. Omo, even my hands are tied on this one. I don’t know who the bullet will hit.”

After the discussion with Razaq, Abu went to his office and put on his thinking cap. Perhaps this news was the push he needed to launch forward with his plan.

Abu quickly dialed Stoneface. “Hey my guy, how far? How’s wifey and the boys? Baba, we need to meet asap. Remember that importing and exporting business we spoke about the last time?” Stoneface responded in the affirmative. And Abu continued “I think it’s time to flesh out that skeleton.”

—-

Yinka had always wanted security both financially and otherwise, so when Abu told her of the shake in all the oil companies and how this could affect him, she also went into thinking mode.

With the twins seven years old and in Primary school, Yinka had changed jobs three times. Now, she had joined forces with Felix, her friend from secondary school who was skilled at creative and graphic designs to float IDEAZ. While she managed Copy as the Copy chief with her network of freelance writers, Felix did the design bit.

This helped Yinka have some flexibility with her various roles as parent, wife and business owner. She had followed their savings culture always putting away something monthly. Their two houses were bringing in decent income too, but she knew they couldn’t relax into that comfort. There was more work to be done.

With this in mind, Yinka threw her full support behind Abu and despite the stiff competition in the Importing and Exporting business, Abu and StoneFace managed to dine with the movers and shakers in the industry. Soon, jobs started coming in and Abu founded ABKA Import and Export company.

With each contract he delivered, Abu knew he could do better and, so he did. While the uncertainty in the sector remained, Abu built his company doggedly while making sure to deliver on his duty at DKY Oil and gas. But a miracle happened.

The sector soon became stable and some staff got promoted. Abu was one of the lucky ones.

He got the best hands to manage ABKA while he worked hard to prove to his bosses that he deserved the promotion.

—-

This all seemed like it was happening a lifetime ago as Abu and Yinka gave away their only daughter Hadizat in marriage to Jeffery Daniels, the son of the Lagos state governor.

While the couples danced, Yinka poked at Abu “Hey handsome, have a dance with me na”. Abu came back from his journey down memory lane, grabbed the wife of his youth by the waist and swung her around to the amazement of those watching.

“Now that our work with the children is done, and the business is growing stronger, we should make the best of our retirement and go on that world tour we planned. Our Pension Fund Account with ARM Pensions is juicy enough to handle it. What say you, babe?” Yinka laughed, threw her head back to catch a glimpse of her daughter dancing now with her twin brother Ahmed and responded “Yes sure. After all these years, I think it’s time too. The tomorrow we’ve prepared for is finally here and it’s looking really good.”

Before Abu could affirm, Ahmed swept his mother away to the dance floor “Come with me, pretty lady. I want to introduce you to the babe that rocks my world, second to you of course.” Yinka laughed and pinched his face.

 The end…

 

 

The post Abu’s journey (5) – Tomorrow is looking good appeared first on Realising Ambitions.

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