The Shameful Activities Going On At Ikoyi Registry

The Federal Marriage Registry in Ikoyi, Lagos State, is in shambles. And, that should be a big cause for worry, to the people put in charge to oversee the activities at Federal Marriage Registries across the country. As such, the Ministry of Interior under the leadership of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, as the Minister, should as a matter of urgency, set machineries in motion to arrest the shame of a nation being currently depicted at the Federal Marriage Registry in Lagos, before it goes from worse to worst. The truth is, it is no longer bad, but worse at the moment.

Or, how would you describe a situation where sanity is no longer the order of the day at the most popular Federal Marriage Registry in the country? Though, it is understood that a new Registrar has recently being posted to Ikoyi Registry, but that should not have been a reason for things to turn upside down immediately. Because, as private assessment of what is currently going at the Registry has revealed, coupled with the videos accessible online of weddings that were supposed to be conducted at the Registry which could not be done, things are certainly no longer at ease for intending couples heading to Ikoyi Registry.

It was learnt by this medium that, unlike what was obtainable before now, mass wedding for about 30 different couples at the same time, is what is being done there now. Then, the question would be, how do you conduct weddings of about 30 couples within the small hall in Ikoyi, simultaneously without having issues? How do these couples amidst the crowd of other couples, take photographs that would be decent enough to be used for some form of documentation they might need to do with it now, or later in the future. So, for that singular act of mass wedding from the officials of the Registry, it simply means something has gone really wrong out there.

And again, it was understood in one of the online videos already damaging the image of the Federal Marriage Registries in the country in which a Wedding Registrar threatened to discontinue the administration of vows on a couple, simply because the groom smiled when the commissioner asked him to say that, he would forsake all other girlfriends for his bride. As a matter of fact, the Registrar in question who was supposed to be a friendly father figure to the young couple in the video emphasised that he was not joking with the couple as far as the threat he issued to them was concerned. And again, where does a Registrar derive the power to discontinue joining couples together in a legal wedding? According to Marriage Act, such power is vested ONLY on the High Court. So, the man definitely lacks the basic knowledge of his job.

And, the most baffling aspect of the whole sorry scenario later turned out that, the same Registrar in the very embarrassing video on which some witty  Nigerians have inscribed the comment: "...when your father-in-law is the marriage commissioner", is said to be the new Registrar now at the Ikoyi Registry. So, one should not wonder any more, why things have gone the way they have gone at the Registry in Lagos since his resumption of duty. Call it a clear case of a square peg in a round hole, and you would not be wrong. That is a misfit, to say the least.

Hence, it is doubtful if such a man can really manage the affairs of the most patronised Marriage Registry in Nigeria, the Ikoyi Registry, without bringing it into serious disrepute. So, if the people in charge at the top are seeing the embarrassment the conduct of their man has brought to the Registry in Lagos, they should not hesitate in taking steps in restituting the situation before it is too late. So, it would strongly be advised that the immediate past administration be brought back . Because, findings have revealed that the Registrar that just left performed very well, as he was said to be on top of his job throughout.

Certainly, the videos of happenings currently at the Registry which have gone viral, are sad commentaries on how critical agencies of the government should not be managed. And, the ball is now in the court of the people saddled with the responsibility to remedy the situation to do their job. And they need to do it very fast.

This medium would keep tabs on the situation at the Registry, as things keep unfolding.

Lasaco Holds 41st AGM, Declares 2020 As Year Of Awesome Performance, Despite Covid-19 Pandemic

The Chairman of Lasaco Assurance Plc, Mrs Olateju Philips, has disclosed that in spite of the challenging situation experienced in the year 2020 has a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company was able to deliver an awesome performance with a record Gross Premium Written of N10.937billion. 

Mr Philips who made this known during the company’s 41st Annual General Meeting held at Marriott Hotel, Ikeja GRA Lagos, added that Lasaco Assurance Plc was able to generate N8.05billion in net underwriting income as against N6.71billion made in 2019, signifying an increase of 20% year on year. 

According to her,”In spite of the challenging situation experienced during the course of the year, the company was able to deliver an awesome performance in 2020 and grew stakeholders’ value. We recorded a Gross Premium Written of N10.937billion. 

“This signifies a 17% growth in performance compared to Gross Premium Written in 2019. The company made N8.05billion in net underwriting income as against N6.71billion made in 2019 signifying an increase of 20% year on year. 

“100% increase was recorded in profit before tax from N315.7billion in 2019 to N679.4million in 2020. Our total asset grew from N18.5billion to N20.5billion signifying 11% increase while shareholders’ fund declined by 2% from N7.98billion in 2019 to N7.80billion in 2020.

Speaking further, she said that with the array of economic events which the company was able to manage in the previous year and strategies put in place by the leadership of the organization, 2021 promises to be better for Lasaco Assurance Plc. 

“We are also hopeful that the economic policy adjustments and reforms will aid the business environment positively.

“In the last one year, we have worked assiduously to map out strategies to improve our identity and visibility to increase sales and market share. Our strategies to improve our identity and visibility to increase sales and market share. 

“Our strategic digital transformation plan will aid customer experience and the diversification of income streams deepening will add tremendous value to the bottom line.

“Plans have also been devised for the diversification of our Investment portfolio. This will spur the organization to growth through increase in investment income.

She lamented that the COVID-19 pandemic placed Nigeria in a critical condition in 2020 as the country locked down economic activities at the beginning of quarter 2020 in order to minimize the spread of COVID-19 virus. 

She said the country entered the crisis with the failing per capital income, high inflation, and governance challenges which affected every aspect of business and economic lives.

“The Nigeria's economy experienced a 3.6% contraction in the first three quarters of 2020 leading to the worst recessions in decades, oil prices improved and the authorities employed policies to counter the economic distress. 

“The economy even with the various unrest experienced across the country, returned to growth albeit marginally, in the final quarter of year 2020, with GDP expanding 0.11% year -on year beating market expectations of 1.9% decline.

“Inflation galloped to a 34- month high 15.75% in December 2020 from 11.98% same period in 2019, fueled by increase food prices due to constraints on domestic supplies and the effect of an exchanged premium that widened to about 24%. 

Mrs Philips lamented that citizens agitations in many parts of the country, especially End SARS protest also disrupted lots of activities leading to lost of lives and properties. 

She stated that this affected insurance businesses in the country as claims in both high frequency,high severity and near  catastrophy were recorded country wide. 

“In 2020, Nigeria financially markets based her actions on the monetary policy. The equity market rose to 50% in 2020. It tops performance is over a decade. However, stock performance in 2021 depends on the direction of monetary policy and relative to business environment.

“Nigeria economy is anticipated to grow by 1.8% in 2021. Despite the current encouraging external situation with oil prices recovery and growth in advance  economies, reform shortfall would hinder the renewed economic expansion and undermine progress towards Nigeria's development goals. 

“Hopefully, policy adjustments and reforms designed to shift the country from it dependence on oil and to diversify the economy towards private sector -led growth will set Nigeria on a more sustainable path to recovery,” she averred.

She assured the shareholders, board members, management, and staff of Lasaco Assurance Plc, that it is the dawn of new era adding that together with their continuous supports, the legacy of the organization will be sustained.