Ten Reasons Not To Quit In 2014

The path to prosperity—however you define it—was never paved with Krispy Kremes, and we all need extra motivation now and then. Here are ten reasons not to reach for the remote control, linger on Facebook, or smack the snooze button in the new year. Best of luck!

1. Because a company founded eight years ago that still hasn’t turned a profit is worth $15 billion.

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At a recent $82.50 a share, Workday WDAY +0.9%—a Pleasanton, Calif. purveyor of cloud-based software that automates corporate payroll and human relations departments—trades at 35 times its annual revenue. Insane—and yet nothing caffeinates quite like a mugful of zeroes.

2. Because nobody wants to subsidize your unhealthy lifestyle.
Health care costs aren’t rising quite as fast, but with or without Obamacare, demographics dictate that reprieve likely won’t last. If we’re all in this together—and given the fiscal implications, we most definitely are—then we should start acting like it. Fewer donuts, more dumbbell presses.

3. Because you might find yourself out of a job for a long time.
The double-digit unemployment rates of the last recession are gone. (We’re now at roughly 7% in the U.S.) However, 40% of the unemployed—about 4 million people—have been sidelined for at least six months. That’s the highest long-term unemployment rate since the Great Depression.

4. Because Peyton Manning just set the NFL single season record for touchdown passes.
He’s 37 and had four neck surgeries. What’s your excuse?

5. Because a 71-year-old Beatle can still bring down the house.
Last summer Paul McCartney had 65,000 fans singing at the top of their lungs for nearly three hours at the Bonnaroo music festival near Nashville, Tenn. Many in the audience looked barely old enough to legally order a beer, yet they knew every lyric. Now that’s a legacy.

6. Because Kim Kardashian made $10 million in 2013, according to Forbes’ list of the Most Powerful Celebrities.
Imagine what you could do with actual talent, vision and execution.

7. Because the world is ready and willing to outwork you.
The first of three exams to obtain the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation is six hours long and covers everything from economics to derivatives. The test is given in English. It’s hard enough in one’s own tongue, but tackling it in a second language—as did many of those who took it with me in December—is something else entirely. My Forbes softball cap is off to them.

8. Because you want to go here:

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9. Because your efforts mean something.

There’s a reason “It’s A Wonderful Life” is still everyone’s favorite holiday movie.

10. Because you can.
Nearly four years ago, my dear friend’s Dad—hewn from stone in his early-60s—was diagnosed with ALS. He was a model father, husband, friend and entrepreneur. After a tortuous fight, he died in July.
Each day is an opportunity: Honor and cherish it. And never quit.

6 Fundamentals That Can Make You A Better Manager In 2014

When it comes to management, I’ve always been a bigger believer in fundamentals than fancy. Sure, there’s nothing at all wrong with, say, presentation skills that spellbind an audience of thousands, but when it comes to operational effectiveness, chances are that will be determined by how well you execute fundamentals day in and day out. In that spirit, here are 6 fundamentals that can make you a better manager in 2014.

1. Be open to new ways of looking at things - The best managers are flexible, adaptable, and closely attuned to their environment. They’re always looking for opportunities. Be a good listener. Many of the best process improvement ideas routinely come from employees in the trenches, as they’re the ones closest to the actual work. Rigidity is the enemy of progress. Don’t be afraid to shift the paradigm and move away from, “This is the way we’ve always done it here.”

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2. Expect excellence – Set high but not unattainable standards and expect your employees to meet them. The best managers are ultimately not those who are “toughest” or “nicest,” but those who get the best results from people in their charge. Once your employees recognize you have unfailingly high standards, that’s key data they won’t forget. If your employees know you demand excellence from yourself, they’re more likely to find it in themselves.

3. Make sure your employees know – clearly – where they need to focus - About those high standards just noted in point number 2… be sure your employees’ job objectives clearly reflect them. Well-conceived, measurable employee objectives are a manager’s best friend. They move job performance from the realm of the subjective into – no surprise – the objective. If created thoughtfully at the start of the year, objectives will be a valuable guide for both employee and manager as the year unfolds.

4. Protect your time as if it were gold (or perhaps Bitcoins?) – Time is an underrated but crucial management asset, essential to thoughtful decision making. Managers are routinely pulled in too many directions. I know I was, which often resulted in just getting stuff done…rushed work rather than optimized work. The most effective executives I knew protected their schedules vigilantly. They did what they needed to do, of course, but they prioritized well, delegated effectively, and left themselves with enough time to carefully think through what they most needed to.

5. Communicate regularly by providing meaningful feedback in real time – Sure, effective communication may sound a little trite, but that’s because it‘s so fundamental to sound management. Strong managers invariably are excellent communicators. Providing ample feedback – both positive and negative – is a core skill. Make yourself readily available to those you manage. Be there, be present, be accessible. Even if you’re managing remotely, you’re still easily reachable by phone, email, text, etc. Better to be physically remote and easy to communicate with… than to be physically nearby but a distant communicator.

6. Don’t duck conflict, but deal with it directly and fairly – As any manager knows, the workplace environment is a fertile breeding ground for conflict. Interpersonal issues, compensation, recognition, cost-cutting, layoffs, management-employee relations… there’s never a shortage of emotionally charged issues that can lead to conflict. As much as it’s often tempting to look the other way, the best managers aren’t “conflict avoiders” – they address problems quickly and fairly. Employees are keen observers; they note who takes action when needed and who doesn’t. They respect managers who confront difficult situations, just as they’ll lose respect for those who chronically avoid them.

Meet The Richest Tobacco Man In Africa, Tribert Rujugiro Ayabatwa

Tribert Rujugiro Ayabatwa is Africa’s Number 1 Tobacco man. The 73 year-old Rwandese industrialist is the founder and controlling shareholder of Pan African Tobacco Group (PTG), the continent’s largest indigenous manufacturer of tobacco products. PTG manufactures cigarettes in 9 African countries including Nigeria, Angola, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and the United Arab Emirates. PTG is the most formidable competitor to the international tobacco giants, Altria and British American Tobacco on the continent. The company employs over 20,000 people and has annual revenues of over $250 million. Ayabatwa has a personal fortune estimated at about $200 million.

Ayabatwa recently spoke to me, recounting his early days in business and his entry into the tobacco business, musing about his one failure and highlighting the work of his charity in grooming and supporting young African business leaders.

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You had a difficult childhood experience. Your mother died when you were 12, and you were expelled from school when you were in the 8th grade. You later went into exile as a Rwandan refugee in Burundi. That must have been tough. Tell me about it.
My early life experiences as a boy and young adult can be described as “hard knocks” referring to hardship, adversity and disappointments I experienced at tender age. After losing my mother, the church and colonial authorities that controlled Rwanda’s education system expelled me during my eighth grade when I was 16 years. That is how my academic future ended prematurely. With colonial authorities dividing Rwandans on ethnic lines of Hutu and Tutsi, and intent on discriminating against the latter to which I belonged, I saw no future in my country. Leaving my family behind, I went into exile as a refugee at the age of 19. That is the background to my moving to neighboring Burundi to try my luck there.

In 1960 you secured your first job as a clerk in the Regional Post office of Rwanda-Burundi. How was the job?
‎After moving to Burundi, I landed a job as a‎ clerk/typist in the regional Post Office that served Rwanda and Burundi. I loved my new career and I worked very hard at it. I quickly learnt on the job and even excelled under supportive managers and supervisors. Soon I was training future post office officials that were to take over from the departing colonial managers as Burundi and Rwanda were now independent states. The Post Office gave me a strong foundation for organising and managing people and other resources. In my determination to improve myself, I spent most evenings at the Alliance Francaise learning French, the dominant working language. Soon, I was proficient enough that I began teaching French to fellow Rwandan refugees. This experience taught me early in life the importance of community solidarity and helping others.
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At what age/year did you start your first business? What was it, and what inspired your business decision?
‎To understand what inspired me as a young man to go into business, we have to go back into my career at the Post Office and what followed. Once in the Post Office employment, another problem soon emerged. While in Rwanda, my path to education was shut down by the colonial administration that favoured members of the Hutu community, the route to public sector work was slowly shut in Burundi as the country gave preference to its indigenous nationals. These early challenges in Rwanda and Burundi stand out for me. Refusing to be kept down, I had to confront various forms of discrimination by colonial authorities who prevented my pursuit of education in my native country and preference of citizens in public sector employment in my host country. These realities forced me to look for other options. ‎Venturing into the private sector, I managed to secure a job in a petroleum-storage company with an absentee employer. At the age of 22, I rose quickly to the highest ranks.‎ I had to rise to the challenge by, among other things, strengthening my management skills that I soon put to my own use. My savings while still in this particular employment enabled me to experiment with own entrepreneurial ideas for the first time, buying a pickup truck, hiring a driver, and transporting people and goods.‎
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Give me an overview of the other businesses you started out as a young man. Which of them was the most exciting and why?
‎When I realised that I could support my family much more easily by making more money as part time businessman, it made no sense holding an 8-5 job. In less than a decade in private sector employment, at 29, I saw an opportunity to enter the business world on a full time basis, beginning with a bakery business after quitting transport. I started importing wheat, flour and salt. When conflict and armed clashes along the border with Tanzania stopped my salt imports, I found alternative routes through and around rebel-held areas. This is how I helped to end salt shortage in Burundi an achievement that earned me an exclusive salt-trading license — and the moniker “King of Salt.”‎ Which of these businesses was most exciting? I would say each of them was exciting to me as a young man gaining experience and understanding roles and challenges of entrepreneurship.‎ Each of these efforts was a building block to gaining capacity and leadership to develop, organize and manage an enterprise. Each venture had its own risks and profit margins — and lessons to teach me in my formative years as an emerging businessman.‎

You failed in an unsuccessful gold trading business. Tell me a bit about it and what lessons did you derive from that failure?
My failure at gold trading was one of the most crucial lessons I encountered that taught me a life-long lesson. I jumped into the trade without adequate knowledge of it and hoping to make quick and easy money. I lost what I put into the venture. At the time this was a tough defeat, and as we all know failing is a tough pill to swallow. But there is a healthier way of looking at failure; it can be the best teacher in the sense that falling and landing on your feet so-to-speak can and should lead to perseverance and positive mindset to life. This was my attitude — to stand up and venture into a business that is better-conceived and executed. I later realized that with that attitude I was in a good company. Most successful entrepreneurs have to go through failure before realizing success, an experience that builds confidence whereby the so-called failure is merely a stage in the journey of success. In this respect, failure is indeed “delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end” as someone rightly put it.‎
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In 1974, you started importing cigarettes to Burundi from Tanzania. I am curious – of all the business opportunities out there, why did you settle for cigarettes? What was the attraction; what was the opportunity?
The early 1970s is the period when I saw another opportunity, namely the importation of cigarettes to Burundi from Tanzania. Cigarette trading became my main focus due to keen observation – I was at this time experimenting with various commodities that appeared to have mass appeal, such as wheat, flour, salt and cigarettes. By 1974, cigarettes were out-selling other items, a push factor that made me pay attention and eventually persuaded me in 1978 to begin manufacturing the product locally as opposed to importing. My transition from trading to manufacturing tobacco products was facilitated by a combination of factors. First, importation was adversely affected by unreliability of supply due to either poor infrastructure or political instability in the region making trade at times difficult if not impossible. Second, I had built an excellent relationship with Tanzanian suppliers who exposed me to manufacturing principles and encouraged me to start my own manufacturing venture. At first, the possibility of manufacturing seemed far-fetched given that making cigarettes is a highly capital-intensive process dominated by a handful of multinational corporations. Looking back, it was a daring step to even think about it let alone enter manufacturing. Some people thought I was crazy to think an African could manufacture products. But I did. I took the risk and it soon paid off, beginning with my original Burundi enterprise soon followed by the second venture, namely, my enterprise in the Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire). In Burundi, my work was seen as a model for delivering development and jobs to rural areas after I introduced a growers’ program to supply my factory.‎ Unusual events in Burundi, however, were soon to unexpectedly turn my business upside down. A coup d’etat brought into power a new military ruler, Pierre Buyoya, who nationalised my cigarette business and imprisoned me in 1987 on the false charges that I was in partnership with the overthrown government. After three years in prison, with help from both inside and outside that involved a daring night-time escape, I ultimately fled to South Africa, where I moved my family and established my corporate headquarters in 1990. Seizure of my business proved to be an immense opportunity in that it expanded my horizon by forcing me to locate and operate in Africa’s most developed and challenging economy — South Africa.‎ If I could compete in South Africa I would succeed anywhere on our continent and even beyond. That is how we entered the big league and became a Pan African operation with presence in the Middle East.

What eventually happened to your business ‎in Burundi, and have you experienced other hostile asset takeovers in Africa?
There was a happy ending in the Burundi case. The government later reversed itself and returned my business intact which still thrives to this day.‎ With regards to doing business in Africa, the continent has been conducive to my work and I am most thankful for that. I believe in Africa and I am unreservedly committed to its social and economic transformation. I have excellent relations with African governments and we continuously expand where and when opportunities arise. Case in point is our recent investment in northern Uganda valued at $20million aimed at increasing input supplies from within Africa. There are, however, occasional misunderstandings, such as the recent seizure of my flagship shopping complex, the $20million Union Trade Centre (UTC) by Rwandan authorities. The Rwanda government falsely claims that the shopping mall is “an abandoned property” because I, the majority shareholder, reside outside the country. How a modern, well-managed ‎commercial hub in the city centre of the Rwandan Capital, Kigali‎‎, with 81 leading businesses operating in it, and employing over 400 workers can be classified as “abandoned” is beyond belief. The biggest loser in this illegal and uncompensated seizure is unfortunately the country whose leaders are in effect telling the world that Rwanda is high risk for investors. But I am sure even in Rwanda it is a matter of time for reason and decency to prevail.‎

You’ve made an enormous amount of money in all your years of doing business. How are you giving it back?
‎I have recently established the Tribert Rujugiro Ayabatwa (TRA) Foundation to assist me pursue my philanthropic work. ‎The foundation will concentrate on helping those closest to my heart: African young people with drive and determination, who need a shot at opportunity and a little help for overcoming the odds — those who are in a similar situation to the one I faced as a young refugee.‎ I have two main goals for this project at the outset: first, developing internship opportunities for African students to give them the practical, hands-on experience they need to succeed in today’s job market in engineering and technology.‎ Second, providing mentoring and venture capital to budding African entrepreneurs so they can pursue their business development goals. The countries in which we do business are a priority in this regard. I should note that the TRA Foundation is the logical extension of my lifelong passion to promote African education, community development and business opportunity through philanthropic efforts, civic work and public service. Since my early days in Burundi, investing time and material resources in community development projects and youth education were my passion. More recently, between 2005 and 2012, we provided scholarships for 84 high school students and nearly 30 university students in my native country of Rwanda.‎ In an effort to encourage business development, I helped establish the Rwandan Chamber of Commerce, serving as its first chairman. I also served as chairman of the Rwanda Investment and Export Promotion Agency and co-chairman of the Akagera Task Force, which was the driving force behind many of Rwanda’s economic reforms.‎ In community development, I helped build a housing complex with about 100 homes for returning refugees after the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, when banks and commercial agencies were not yet operational. We presently contribute to various community improvement initiatives especially in countries where we operate. Whether providing electricity to 500 families near the Nshili Kivu tea plantation in Rwanda; donating cement to build new roads, a church and a football stadium in Burundi; or providing water and seedlings to farmers in Northern Uganda, I am committed to improving African lives.‎ Through the TRA Foundation, I plan to keep thanking the people who helped me succeed through concrete deeds. In particular I hope to contribute to putting creative and innovative African youngsters on their own paths to success.

The Man Who Sells fake Twitter Followers

These days many people measure their prestige and social standing not just by their real-world influence, but their online one too.

Journalists, politicians and celebrities in particular are known to be competitive about who has the most followers and friends on social networks like Twitter and Facebook. And those with a lot of influence, can even leverage this with advertisers to make money.
But what if you could simply buy your friends and followers online?
Mukul Devichand of #BBCTrending tracked down a man who has made this his line of business. Although not a criminal offence, using and selling fake followers is a violation of most social network's terms of service.

Please beware of this scam.  You only get more followers on twitter based on how often you twit and your popularities.
 

Don't Fall In To These Leadership Traps In 2014

I have been a proponent of the importance of leaders developing strengths as a means to improve toward excellence. After all, the best leaders are characterized by the presence of strengths, not the absence of weakness. That concept is illustrated in the article I coauthored for Harvard Business Review, called Making Yourself Indispensable. While it is clearly the path to developing the traits that allow a leader to stand out as remarkable, there are times when leaders need to address their areas of weakness. Some call these “derailleurs”, others call them “fatal flaws”, and still others, euphemistically, refer to them as “opportunities.” By any name, when those weaknesses overshadow a person’s strength, they have to be dealt with.

In my experience reviewing the data in thousands of 360-degree feedback instruments and consulting with senior leaders, these are the biggest traps that render them ineffective.

1. They are lousy role models. Leaders must be the exemplars of behaviors that are valued by any organization. They need to walk their talk and need to talk their walk. That is, they need to behave consistently with the standards set forth and actively support those standards verbally, combining actions and expressions to reinforce the desired actions.

2. They have poor interpersonal skills. We have all experienced leaders that are brilliant technically, or who possess incredible strategic thinking ability but who are abrasive, rude, and harsh to work with. As a result, they create a negative environment that stifles creativity. In other cases, a leader may simply lack any emotional engagement with others, and have simply transactional relationships. In my executive coaching work, this is by far the most common reason I get called.

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3. They neglect the development of bench strength. Coaching, mentoring and developing others are the key areas of competence, when it comes to battling the inevitable attrition that occurs in a majority of organizations. When leaders fail to prioritize staff development, it not only hurts the future of the organization, it creates disengagement among individuals as they feel they are not being invested in.

4. They are closed-minded. These leaders have their way of doing things, (most often the way things have always been done,) and they are not interested in new ideas. In fact, they actively shut down suggestions from others and smother innovation. They reject even exploring new ideas on the basis that they know best.

5. They lack positive energy. Not to mention the harmful influence of negative energy. Even in a neutral state, a leader who is too often phlegmatic can come across as apathetic. No leader can be expected to hold elevated levels of enthusiasm at all times, but at least part of the time, people expect to see passion and even a little fire. The implication of this lack of positive energy is low levels of engagement for those who are lead.

6. They build silos. Collaboration, teamwork, and shared goals are more and more required for success in organizations. One of my clients is fond of saying that the profit dollars for the business “falls through the cracks between the silos.” Leaders who don’t take into account their influence on others, and think only of what their team needs, are too often, not acting in the best interest of the whole organization.

7. They fail to paint a compelling picture of the future. Few employees are motivated by the completion of tasks alone. Most want to understand their part in making the vision of the organization come to life. Providing clear strategy and direction for employees, is one of the critical success factors for leaders. Without it, individuals become mired in tasks and adrift from the mission.
At the end of the day, the saddest part about leaders who routinely exhibit these characteristics is that they are often unaware of them and the impact they are having. These leaders tend to have a very different view of themselves that others do and that gap creates problems for them. I have had to have very direct conversations with clients about the implications of their behaviors and the consequences of not changing. Frequently, that feedback can be a self-correcting mechanism as few leaders show up each day wanting to do a poor job.

Each of us needs to excel by leveraging our natural strengths and abilities. Peter Drucker pointed this out in The Effective Executive over 40 years ago, and that body of work continues to evolve today. But we also need to be mindful of avoiding these leadership traps. Your success will be determined by it!

Nigeria's Most Innovative Entrepreneur 2013

Dr. Innocent Chukwuma, Chairman of Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing Co. Ltd, the first indigenous vehicle manufacturing plant in Nigeria was born in 1961 in Umudim, Nnewi, Anambra. He is the last of six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Chukwuma Mojekwu of Uru-Umudim Nnewi, Anambra State. After his education, he started trading in spare parts under the name Innoson Nigeria Ltd in 1981. His company is third after Leventis and Boulos Enterprises in assembling branded motorcycles in the country.
His business has metamorphosed into four manufacturing companies namely: Innoson Nigeria Limited Nnewi, manufacturers of motorcycles, tri-cycles, spare parts and accessories; Innoson Tech. & Industries Co. Ltd Enugu, manufacturers of Household and Industrial Plastics, Health & Safety accessories, Storage containers, Fixtures & Fittings, Electrical components & accessories; Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) Nnewi, manufacturers of Capacity City bus, Mini & Midi buses, Pick-Up trucks and Garbage Collecting vehicles; General Tyres & Tubes Co. Ltd Enugu, manufacturers of Tyres and Tubes.
The vehicles in IVM fleet range from cars, trucks, SUVs, compactors, etc . Presently, the company has made in-road into some African countries such as Ghana, Sierra Leone, Chad, Niger, Togo.

As the first indigenous motor manufacturing company in Nigeria, he says he wanted to prove that Nigerians can do it. This he says has been proved. According to him, the inspiration to go into vehicle manufacturing was drawn from a desire to see Nigerians drive new cars. “Nigeria has become a dumping ground for second hand cars. I know it was the high price of new vehicles that made Nigerians resort to patronising old vehicles, but since we decided to manufacture the vehicles here, the price is affordable, and our people can drive new vehicles again,” he told Vanguard in a recent interview.

When the company began, no one gave him a chance. He recalled that not so many believe it will work, but today, ” they can attest to the fact that it’s working. People from other countries are coming to copy what I did to replicate it in their own country”. This story success has ensured employment for about 7,400 Nigerians who work in the company’s factory.
For his efforts, he has been made Deputy Chairman, Board of Trustees, National Coalition for Jonathan/Sambo Presidency, November 2013; The honorary Life Vice President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Agriculture (NACCIMA) on November 23, 2013; Ambassador for Peace by St. Andrews Anglican Church, Trans Ekulu, Enugu, April, 2012; Entrepreneur of the Year by Wesley University of Science and Technology, Ondo, Ondo State, Nigeria, March 2012.

He is also Most Outstanding Indigenous Entrepreneur in the Manufacturing Sector by Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) in January 2012; National Council Member, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria. Conferred the National Honour of the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) on November 2011 by His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan; Awarded Doctorate Degree in Business Administration (DBA) by Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu in November 2011 amongst several other awards. Dr. Chukwuma who loves playing tennis is married to Ebele and they are blessed with children.

During an earlier interview with him, he recalls that : “I started as a small business man dealing on spare parts at Nnewi. At that time, people were bringing only second hand motorcycles to Nigeria, and I felt there should be a way to reduce the price of the new ones, so that people will be interested enough to buy new ones, rather than the second hand motorcycles.
“I travelled overseas and found out that there were four companies importing motorcycles into Nigeria. First was Leventis that was bringing the Honda brand, the second company was Yamaco that was bringing Yamaha, the other company was Bolus that was bringing Suzuki and the fourth was CFAO that was bringing moblet.

“These were the companies that were dealing on motorcycle in Nigeria, and my company was the next one. So when I went there, I discovered that when they brought the motorcycles in crate and each crate contained one motorcycle which took a lot of space and you can put about 40 units in one 40ft container. In one container with 40 units of motorcycles in a 40ft container, the motorcycle will become expensive. So after evaluating it, I went to overseas and packed 200 units in one 40ft container and my price came down by 40%. Of course, this was cheaper.”

How was he able to pack 20 units into one container? His response was simply ingenious:
“Because of my experience in spare parts, I knocked it down and brought them here, and arranged mechanics to assemble them, to couple them manually. The first five containers I brought in took me about three months to sell. I went back and brought another ten containers which took me about one month. I went and brought twenty containers and it took one week, and when I brought fifty containers, people were now paying in advance before they landed.
“There was a time I was bringing 200 containers of motorcycles every month and spread them across Nigeria. Because of that idea, my own price was cheaper by 40%, before other people saw what I was doing and followed suit. That is why today, motorcycle price crashed to N60, 000 ($375 usd) from a high price of N150, 000 ($940 usd) in the past.

“It was in the course of doing this that I discovered that there are a lot of plastics in a motorcycle, and that is one of the reasons I set up a plastic plant to produce the plastics components locally. These are some of the things I did to bring down the cost of motorcycle to about N60,000.($375 usd) Today, nobody thinks of buying second hand motorcycle anymore in Nigeria. Everybody wants to buy new one because new one is cheap, and I am going to do the same thing with motor vehicles.
“In the near future, you find out that all these “Tokunbo” vehicles in Nigeria will not work out as people will prefer the new ones. With the support of Nigerians, we will see that we will be there.
“Today, we are importing engines; we are importing certain components for motor manufacturing, but after sometimes, we will make them here. With the support of Nigerians and the government we will make everything here, then Nigeria will be the first in Africa to manufacture full made in Nigeria vehicles. According to Dr. Chukwuma, the vehicle factory was set up for the entire African continent and not Nigeria alone.

Said he said: “In the near future, I’m sure we will take over the motor business in Africa. This of course is with the support of Nigerians.” To this end, the federal government has directed all MDAs to patronise locally made vehicles and other goods. Inspite of this good intention and directive of the federal government, Dr. Chukwuma observed that “sometimes some ministries would prefer Toyota or other brands that they have used for 50 years. They don’t want to try our made-in-Nigeria brand. But the ministries that have taken the bold step of using our products, are happy they did”.
The Innoson boss would boast beating his chest that the Innoson brand is comparable to any in the world and that spare parts are no problem. “Presently, our manufacturing plant at Nnewi is built to service the entire African continent, and good enough we have been meeting up with market demands. Our strategy is to plan futuristically, knowing that huge orders will come, and as it stands today, we are able to meet up with the huge demands. We have the manpower and modern technology to cope with expected challenges.”

Recently, at the Federal Executive Council meeting, the Minister of Trade and Investment revealed that the multinational Nissan company has written that they want to partner with Innoson in vehicle manufacturing in Nigeria. While Dr. Chukwuma, acknowledged this development, he was not so willing to let the cat out of the bag. According to him, I’m aware that they have made such move, and on our part, we are ready to go into any cooperation that will boost the nation’s economy, and lead to increased productivity and provision of jobs for our youths.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/01/innocent-chukwuma-innovative-entrepreneur-2013/#sthash.u5Z5CzEY.dpuf

Fourteen things and people to watch in 2014

As we approach the new year, a round-up of what and who you need to be paying attention to in 2014.

Russia

One thing you have to say about Sochi 2014 is that it has already been the most talked-about Winter Olympics in living memory before even starting. Unfortunately, that has largely been down to international concerns over the country’s treatment of homosexuals.
Some wonder whether the anti-gay regulations will prompt a high-profile protest akin to Tommie Smith and John Carlos’ Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympics. Either way, it will certainly put the Russia’s colourful leader Vladimir Putin in a renewed bout of scrutiny.

Virtual money

2013, you might argue, was the year of Bitcoin. The cryptocurrency saw a stratospheric rise in value, meaning anyone who invested £100 in the currency at the start of the year would have finished it with a return £5,000. And that’s even withstanding an almost 50% drop from its peak of $1,200 per coin.
It’s certainly controversial (not to mention volatile) but Bitcoin’s progress will continue to make for fascinating watching; as will the raft of similar ventures growing in popularity, such as Litecoin and Namecoin.

World Cup

Aside from the inevitable arc of hope and despair for England fans, this summer’s World Cup will be an opportunity for Brazil to prove it has overcome safety concerns following a string of riots and some worrying construction problems.
The country’s beleaguered president Dilma Rousseff will be hoping it paints a positive picture of one of the world’s fastest-developing nations. She was roundly booed by a stadium full of Brazilian fans during last year’s Confederations Cup in the country.

3D printing

It seems every day brings another news story about the wonderful/terrible things that can be produced with 3D printers. Human body parts; good. Working guns; perhaps not so encouraging.
2014 is expected to be the year when 3D printers depart the realm of fantasy and move towards becoming available and affordable for members of the public. That’s because a number of key patents that have prevented competitors entering the 3D printing business are set to expire – which will likely see a raft of new prospectors entering the market.
Considering it could mean the end of modern industry as we know it, it’s certainly worth keeping an eye on this particular development.

Commercial space travel

Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic is planning the first-ever commercial space flight in August

Another thing coming in 2014 that seems positively space-aged is the onset of commercial space travel – led by Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic.
The 63-year-old British entrepreneur is set to fly into orbit with his children Holly, 31, and Sam, 28 in August – marking the first ever commercial space flight. Following that, anyone able to pay $250,000 will be able to take their seat onboard the VSS Enterprise - Virgin Galactic says it has 640 people paid up already.

Ed Miliband

After a year which saw something of an improvement in his public image and had his party maintain a steady lead in the polls, Labour’s Ed Miliband faces the first serious test of his policies in the local and European elections coming in May.
If Miliband is to be the next prime minister of Britain, he’ll need to consolidate the PR gains won with his shrewd vow on energy bills – despite his party’s growth in popularity, most polls still have him lagging behind Cameron in terms of personal ratings.

Nigel Farage

Another man to watch in the local elections will be the man some Conservatives fear more than Miliband.
Nigel Farage’s UK Independence Party has enjoyed a swell of support in the years since the 2010 general election, and many are tipping them for significant gains in May’s elections. European elections, with their low turnouts, are often seen as an opportunity for protest voters – something that could well work in UKIP’s favour.

Scotland

The coming year is arguably the biggest in Scotland’s recent history, with both sides already briefing heavily ahead of September’s referendum.
Bookmakers currently seem confident that the vote will go in favour of keeping the Scots in the union, but a lot can change in politics over a short period of time.

Oscar Pistorius

One of the stories of the year was Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius’ fatal Valentine’s Day shooting of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Oscar Pistorius faces trial in March, charged with the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

Pistorius faces what is likely to be a hugely publicised trial in March and denies a charge of murder – claiming he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder in his Pretoria home.

Hillary Clinton

Wishing her Twitter followers a Merry Christmas, Hillary Clinton finished with a perhaps telling sign-off: “Looking forward to 2014. So much to do.”
The US presidential elections may not be until 2016, but the process of American politics is such that 2014 is likely to be the year we discover whether or not Clinton will put her name forward for the world’s biggest job.
If she does, it’s likely she’ll be the Democrats’ front-runner; meaning a good chance she could become the first-ever female US president.

Afghanistan

On the final day of 2014, British and American combat troops will formally end their controversial occupation of Afghanistan after what will have been 13 years.
That won’t be the end of things entirely, however, and it remains to be seen exactly what form of US and NATO presence will be seen in the country once the 31 December deadline passes.

The tech giants

The jostling of the tech giants is always fascinating to follow, but 2014 promises to be a particularly exciting battle.
All eyes will be on Microsoft – the parent company of MSN – at the start of the year as they seek to point a successor to long-running CEO Steve Ballmer, while plenty of attention will be paid to Tim Cook’s plans to revive Apple’s struggling stock price. And, of course, there’s a host of new tech on the way including Google Glass and the rumoured iPad Pro.

Prince Harry

Following this year’s royal birth, all eyes are now on Harry to provide the next big royal celebration.