chidi Nduka Aja

Jim Ovia What is in a name? Not much one would say, just a label to identify a person, institution, place or thing. But there is much to a name. More than a means of identification, it is believed that names have a way of affecting an individual or institution. Nothing is farther from this truth than the story of Zenith Bank Plc. Older generations of Nigerians will recollect a time when banking was a nightmare. Operations and services were manually driven, queues were a common sight in banking halls as customers were subjected to delays and stress. The Zenith of banking All that changed with the banking liberalisation of the 90s; in came banks that were nimble, trim, fit and swift, and dared to tread where the old generation banks feared. Among the change agents was Zenith Bank Plc. The name of the bank suggests that the founders had big dreams; they knew where they want the bank to be. From a small commercial bank operating out of Ajose Adeogun Street on Victoria Is...

As the contemporary African society struggles with the dilemma of choosing åbetween Western/Eastern religions and sticking to their native religion and practice, most people still shuttle between orthodox Christianity, in conformity with the trend, and consulting native deities when they seek relief from the vicissitudes of life yet, one cannot but shudder at how much influence rituals, customs and traditions as preserved by these various religions continue to rule over the affairs of men, most times independent of reason. One of such Oracles, Ogwugwu Ezenebo of Nimo in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, continues to rule over the affairs of men even in this 21st century. Ogwugwu Ezenebo Festival is an annual event in memory of the ancestors and the oracle Ogwugwu Ezenebo in Nimo, Njikoka Local Government Area Anambra State. The event which is held in the Oracle’s Temple, runs for four Igbo market days. it starts on Nkwo, which is when the Orac...