Business

Benin Royal Hotel Swimming Pool Is On The 6th Floor Bouraima Dine, The President Blushes With Pride

Published

7 years ago

January 17, 2018 10:57 am

This interview is a must read by lovers of tourism, art and culture as the hotel President is a well mannered speaker with Exceptional humility. So much to learn from this interview ad it is an amazing and educative one because the president seems to have answers to all questions. He answered with so much confidence and so proud of their services which i think should always be so when it comes to hotel or any other business

Benin Royal Hotel, Cotonou, is a darling to tourists any day, not because of its dazzling facilities, but the hotel is the first hospitality house in the country with a suspended swimming pool, located at the sixth floor.

Wale Ojo Lanre who was in the hotel had a chat with Mr Bouraima Dine, Chief Executive Officer of the hotel who talked about the innovation and other issues. The Intercontinental Hotel Rating Forum, (IHRF) last year declared Benin Royal Hotel as ‘A world Class Hospitality Haven in West – Africa”. This is coming against the background that it is built and managed by an African.

Following are the interviews extractedby Wale Ojo during one on one interview with the hotel President

Why do you think your hotel deserves this rating?
My background as hospitality practitioner and a man who has travelled to many cities of the world, berthing in hotels of different brands, grades and star-rating, exposing myself to different culinary tastes, mingling with different peoples on global platforms, attending hospitality conferences, seminars on running hotels and event centres, participating in intercontinental tourism and hospitality shows moulded my thinking, set my vision and situated my gaze about planting this hotel . It is a dream of having an enclosure of bliss, luxury, hospitality, exceptional facilities and cosy ambience. A place you can be proud of. And to Allah be the glory, it is a reality.

It seems the French system has a lot of impact on your outlook particularly in terms of service delivery and customer’s relation. How true is this?
Well, one thing you must understand is the fact that no one can safely live out of his milieu. I am a Beninese by birth and by inclination and invariably a Frenchman by colonisation, language, mode of dressing and culinary taste. However, I am a man of the world with my background as Yoruba Ajase, a man who has travelled and tasted the major continents. The French are good when it comes to hospitality, food and wine, I imbued that culture. I have the traditional value and culture of Yoruba Ajase. I am also grounded in the authentic and original, local value of Benin Republic. All these combined fashioned what I do and plant. Thus, in Benin Royal Hotel, you cannot miss its cosmopolitanism.

Your hotel is regarded as being the most preferred by prominent and distinguished tourists visiting Cotonou from African countries. What is the magnet?
You see, one major vision of this hotel is to offer exceptional services, a brand of which you cannot get its measure anywhere in this country whether of international brand or of the local operation. The vision here from the gateman to the CEO is “a customer is your Lord “And you know how you relate to your Lord with reverence, adoration, utmost respect and keen devotion. Also, we personalised our culinary service. We have the best of the chefs. We served the choice of their taste. Services here are personalised. Our facilities are superb and of the international benchmark. Remember, we parade the latest innovation in fixture and fittings

There is this facility which your hotel has monopolised…
I don’t know the one you are referring to

I remember now, the suspended swimming pool!
Yes. Yes. In our attempt at offering the best facilities and telling the world that whatever you get in London, America, Dubai and South Africa, you can have it here. I was in South Africa, Durban, and I stayed in Holiday Inn, Marine Parade, the swimming pool is on the 35th or 36th floor. There were many hotels in Dubai too, US, Paris with their swimming pool on the rooftop. I love the setting and I realised that distinguished and high calibre patrons like relaxing in arena out of people’s focus, a kind of privacy. This and others are the reasons we located the swimming pool on the sixth floor. And you see, it is with all facilities better than locating it on the ground.There, you get a panoramic view of Cotonou and its environs.

You seem to have a foolproof marketing strategy which lures patrons and customers of high calibre and prominent citizens all over of the world here
I don’t think it is a foolproof strategy. I think it is about our commitment to exceptional service and the high standard of services here. Also, we are in partnership with the international corporate institution which can vouch for us in terms of service delivery and which referrals we have never let down. We formed a synergy with credible intercontinental and transcontinental tourism enhancers and promoters like the one we have signed with Motherland Beckons in Nigeria with Destination Ouidha, being chaperoned by Ambassador Wanle Akinboboye, the man who owns one of the best Beach Resorts in West – Africa located in Ibeju Lekki, Nigeria

Can you let us into Destination Ouidha?
It is the win-win and sequential movement of discerning and corporate tourists from Nigeria to Republic Du Benin which will take them on tour of all the major historical, cultural and religious sites in the country with an emphasis on Ouidha, the Slave Trade town of note and centre of world voodoo. It is also of ensuring a repeat of tourists’ traffic from the Benin Republic to Nigeria. And to tell you how it works, the test run of this intra-regional tourism movement will be held on January 20. And I hope And I hope to see you in Cotonou.

Business

UBA to raise N239bn through rights issue to expand lending capacity

Published

2 days ago

November 16, 2024 2:23 pm

BodexNG

The United Bank for Africa (UBA) says it will raise N239.4 billion through a rights issue to existing shareholders.

According to a statement on Thursday, the bank is offering a rights issue of 6.83 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N35 per share.

The financial institution said the offering, opened on November 15, gives existing shareholders the opportunity to buy additional shares in proportion to their current holdings and is being offered based on one new ordinary share for every five existing ordinary shares held by shareholders, as of November 5.

Speaking to shareholders, Tony Elumelu, group chairman of UBA, said the rights issue is the first step in its broader capital-raising programme.

“UBA’s rights issue aims to raise N239.4 billion, through the issuance of new Ordinary Shares to our shareholders,” Elumelu said.

“The primary objective of this Rights Issue is to further strengthen our capacity to take advantage of growth opportunities and sustain our leadership in the banking industry.”

Elumelu said beyond regulatory compliance, the funds would expand UBA’s lending capacity, investment in digital infrastructure, support sustainable business practices, and expand its African operations.

The group chairman also highlighted how UBA is driving economic growth across Africa.

“Our historic partnership with the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, where UBA pledged up to US$6 billion in financing over the next three years to support eligible SMEs across Africa underscores our commitment to fostering economic development,” he added.

The businessman also said the issuance complies with the revised minimum capital requirements for Nigerian commercial banks announced by the apex banking regulator in Nigeria — the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) earlier this year.

In April, UBA sought shareholders’ approval at the company’s 62nd annual general meeting (AGM) to raise capital.

The development followed the CBN’s directive to commercial banks with international licences to raise their capital base to N500 billion, pegging the capital requirement for national and regional financial institutions at N200 billion and N50 billion, respectively.

Business

FBN Holdings to change brand name to First Holdco

Published

2 days ago

November 16, 2024 7:54 am

BodexNG

First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Holdings Plc says shareholders have approved its plan to change the company’s name to First Holdco Plc.

In a notice on Friday, Adewale Arogundade, the company secretary, said the decision was approved by shareholders at its 12th annual general meeting held virtually on Thursday.

According to the company, the change will be extended to all subsidiaries.

“That there should be a change of the legal and brand names of the Company from FBN Holdings Plc and FBNHoldings to First Holdco Plc and FirstHoldco, respectively,” FBN Holdings said.

“That the change of legal and brand names should be extended to the subsidiaries of FBN Holdings Plc

“That the directors be and are hereby authorised to perform all such other acts and do all such other things as may be necessary to give effect to the above resolutions, including, without limitation, complying with the directives of any regulatory authority.

“That upon completion of the processes for the change of name, Increase of the Company’s share capital and allotment of the new ordinary shares in accordance with the resolutions above, the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company be amended as necessary to reflect the Company’s new legal name and Issued share capital.”

Business

Nigeria’s inflation rate rises to 33.8% as food prices’ surge persists

Published

3 days ago

November 15, 2024 2:10 pm

BodexNG

The National Bureau of Statistics says Nigeria’s inflation rate was 33.88 percent in October — up from 32.7 percent in September.

The data is captured in the NBS’ latest consumer price index (CPI) report for October published on Friday.

The CPI measures the rate of change in prices of goods and services.

The data bureau said the headline inflation rate in October rose by “1.18% points when compared to the September 2024 headline inflation rate”.

“On a year-on-year basis, the Headline inflation rate was 6.55% points higher than the rate recorded in October 2023 (27.33%),” NBS said.

“This shows that the Headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in October 2024 when compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., October 2023).

“Furthermore, on a month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate in October 2024 was 2.64%, which was 0.12% higher than the rate recorded in September 2024 (2.52%).

“This means that in October 2024, the rate of increase in the average price level was higher than the rate of increase in the average price level in September 2024.”

‘INCREASE IN RICE, YAM PUSHED FOOD INFLATION RATE TO 39.16%’

The NBS also said the food inflation rate in October surged to 39.16 percent, compared to 33.77 percent in September.

On a year-on-year basis, the food inflation rate was 7.64 percent higher compared to the rate recorded in October 2023 (31.52 percent).

“The rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis was caused by increases in prices of the following items: guinea corn, rice, maize grains, etc (Bread and Cereals Class), Yam, Water Yam, Coco Yam, etc (Potatoes, Yam & Other Tubers Class), Palm Oil, Vegetable Oil, etc (Oil and Fats Class) and Milo Lipton, Bourvita, etc (Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Class),” the bureau added.

The statistics firm also said the month-on-month food inflation rate in October was 2.94 percent, showing a rise of 0.3 percent compared to the 2.64 percent recorded in September.

“The rise can be attributed to the rate of increase in the average prices of Palm Oil, Vegetable oil, etc (Oil & Fats Class), Mudfish, Croaker (Apo), Fresh fish (Obokun), etc (Fish Class), Dried Beef, Goat Meat, Mut-ton, Skin meat, etc (Meat Class), and Bread, Guinea Corn flour, Plantain flour, Rice, etc (Bread and Cereals Class),” the NBS said.

“The average annual rate of food inflation for the twelve months ending October 2024 over the previous twelve-month average was 38.12%, which was an 11.79% point increase from the average annual rate of change recorded in October 2023 (26.33%).”

Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others