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Why You Should Double Date

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By Chisom Asogwa

That caption must have grabbed your attention, and you’re here to find out if this piece is in support of a single woman living a polygamous lifestyle. I’d advise, to take a deep breath and shut down that judgmental rebellious part of your brain and let’s be logical about this.

Award winning novelist Chimamanda Adichie rightly opined in her ‘We are all feminists’ TEDx speech, “Because I am female, I’m expected to aspire to marriage, keeping in mind that marriage is a source of love, peace and joy.”

Women, especially African women have been psychologically wired to look up to marriage. Raised as competitive beings not for jobs or accomplishments but to get the best deal off the husband market. I know, that tiny weak argument that this is the 21st century and women are attaining more in career and business but still, all those women at the apex of their careers are married.

The feminist cheerleader herself is married. Let’s not get carried away, as Africans, having a family of your own is in itself a great feat that social accomplishments is yet to surpass. Since it’s bound to happen, why not get the best deal?

Dating is the pre-requisite to marriage (at least that’s the way it should be). This is where the picking, sorting, selection and transfer of the heart organ is done. Silly girls will tell you fast fast that they are double dating because if one should disappoint them,the other could be there…But that’s a silly logic or is it?

Having more than one partner introduces the concepts of choice, scale of preference and opportunity cost into your love-life.

You gain more experience in the field of dating, relative to your one-partner counterpart.

There is the notion, that a lady who is in a relationship with more than one man at a time is a flirt and untrustworthy. She is often termed as someone who ‘sleeps around’. While they maybe a flicker of truth in this ideology, this perception works only for relationships. Would you restrict yourself to one source of income, knowing you have the opportunity to make diverse investments and reap profit? You know it’s possible to be in a relationship and not sleep around right? Keep your options open, life can be funny, it can change course in a jiffy.

Then there’s the issue of loving both partners equally, like it or not, we’re different versions of ourselves with different people. You may meet someone who brings out the excited playful child in you, whilst someone else relates more to the business lady embedded in your core. It has also been proven by research, and a lot of broken homes; love only, doesn’t sustain a marriage, understanding and temperament does.

That is not all, considering that women are on a invisible time clock (the age factor), the deal needs to be signed before 30- tops 35. There are countless stories on the internet, newspapers, magazines; of women disappointed by men they thought would marry them. There is the one of the lady who trained her boyfriend in school with proceeds from her business with the affirmation that they’ll be married upon his graduation.

The boyfriend graduated successfully but turned around to say he couldn’t be married to an illiterate, that he was going to get a job and pay her back all her money. Imagine the heartbreak. Or the story of the lady who had a very jealous lover and didn’t let anyone else come close to her. They were in a relationship for seven years. On the eight year, he suddenly broke up with her, he had fallen out of love with her.

It is unwise to put all of your eggs in one basket, you mustn’t sleep around to have more than one option. Don’t chase other people away because ‘you have a boyfriend’. If there’s no ring on the finger yet, you don’t BELONG to anybody.

GrassRoots.ng is on a critical mission; to objectively and honestly represent the voice of ‘grassrooters’ in International, Federal, State and Local Government fora; heralding the achievements of political and other leaders and investors alike, without discrimination. This daily, digital news publication platform serves as the leading source of up-to-date information on how people and events reflect on the global community. The pragmatic articles reflect on the life of the community people, covering news/current affairs, business, technology, culture and fashion, entertainment, sports, State, National and International issues that directly impact the locals.

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NOTAP Announces Plan for 2025 Technology and Innovation Summit

….Harnessing R&D and Innovation Potentials of Nigeria’s STI Ecosystem

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NOTAP

The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has announced the forthcoming NOTAP Technology and Innovation Summit (NTIS 2025), scheduled to hold on Thursday, 6th and Friday, 7th November 2025 at THE HALL, 16 Musa Yar’Adua Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, commencing daily at 9:00 AM.

Themed “Harnessing R&D and Innovation Potentials of Nigeria’s STI Ecosystem,” the two-day summit will convene key leaders from government, private sector, academia, development partners, and the startup ecosystem to explore strategies for strengthening Nigeria’s innovation landscape and positioning the nation as a hub for technology-driven economic growth.

Speaking on the upcoming summit, Dr. Lady Obiageli Amadiobi, the director-general of NOTAP, emphasized that the forum will serve as a strategic platform to foster dialogue and action around innovation policy, technology transfer, intellectual property, and commercialization.

Our goal is to accelerate the transformation of research and creativity into commercially viable enterprises that drive national development,” she noted.

Summit Highlights

The NOTAP Technology and Innovation Summit 2025 will feature:

  • Ministerial Address and Keynote Sessions by renowned leaders in innovation, policy, and technology.
  • High-Level Panel Discussions on key themes such as technology transfer, intellectual property sovereignty, and building an AI-ready human resources.
  • Launching of Project NOVA (Nigeria’s Outsourcing Value Acceleration) and promotion of the NOTAP Local Vendor Policy (LVP) across all sectors of the economy.
  • Workshops and Breakout Sessions on IP management, funding access, and talent development.
  • Exhibitions and Innovation Showcases, featuring startups, research institutions, and technology companies.
  • Hackathon and Pitch Showcase, for emerging innovators and young entrepreneurs.
  • Networking and Partnership Sessions to foster collaboration across sectors.

The Summit will also host a Special Exhibition Pavilion to highlight Nigeria’s emerging technologies, research outputs, and development partnerships, reflecting NOTAP’s commitment to bridging the gap between invention and commercialization.

Partnership and Collaborations

The event is organized by the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) in partnership with Crestsage Limited and collaboration with stakeholders, to ensure a world-class experience that aligns with NOTAP’s mission of accelerating technology, promoting innovation and sustainable development across Nigeria.

The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) is a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, mandated to regulate the acquisition of foreign technology, promote local research, and encourage the development and commercialization of indigenous technologies. Through strategic partnerships, policy advocacy, and capacity development, NOTAP continues to play pivotal roles in advancing Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.

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Ortom, NOA DG, others to feature as Panelists at GOCOP 2025 Conference

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GOCOP speakers
Panelists at GOCOP conference

The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has announced that Chief Samuel Ortom, former Governor of Benue State, will serve as one of  the  panelists  at the upcoming GOCOP 2025 Conference.

The conference theme is “Reconciling Campaign Promises with Governance Realities: Challenges and Prospects.”

A press statement by GOCOP publicity secretary, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, disclosed that the panel discussion will feature esteemed panelists, including Prof. Abiodun Adeniyi, Registrar, Base University, Abuja; Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika,2025 Director, Institute of Continuing Education (UNILAG); and Alhaji Lanre Issa-Orilu, Director-General, National Orientation Agency.

The conference, he said, will take place on October 9, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos. 

He recalled that GOCOP had earlier announced that the keynote speaker will be Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and immediate past Governor of Katsina State.

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Takang, Ladid Lead Africa’s Digital Sovereignty Debate At DACE 2025

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LADID-TAKANG - DACE 2025
L-R: Prof. Latif Ladid and Dr. Armstrong Takang

How can Africa remain safe and powerful in a world being rapidly redefined by Artificial Intelligence?

That pressing question will take centre stage at the 13th Digital Africa Conference & Exhibition (DACE), scheduled for October 28–29, 2025, in Abuja.

The two-day gathering will be anchored by two powerhouse keynote speakers: Dr. Armstrong Takang on Day 1 and Prof. Latif Ladid on Day 2, each bringing unique expertise to Africa’s digital sovereignty conversation.

Dr. Armstrong Takang, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), will open the conference with a keynote that situates Africa’s digital sovereignty within the broader context of economic reform, institutional innovation, and strategic governance.

A consummate professional and visionary thinker, Dr. Takang has spent decades bridging the gap between public reform and private investment across Africa and the United States. Before his current role at MOFI, he served as Special Adviser to the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, where he led the MOFI Transformation Team. 

His career includes leading Growth Alliance Partners (GAP), a pan-African firm that helped turn around several businesses to create shareholder value, and working at KPMG in New York.

He has been instrumental in designing and implementing key national initiatives such as the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), the Voluntary Asset and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS), and the ICT components of EFCC/NFIU systems.

Dr. Takang has also chaired national ICT committees and contributed to landmark policies, including Nigeria’s Content Development in ICT and the country’s 50-year Development Plan. His keynote will highlight how digital and financial sovereignty intersect to secure Africa’s long-term competitiveness.

On the other hand, Prof. Latif Ladid, Founder & President of the IPv6 Forum and Chair of the AI & Blockchain Global Forum, brings decades of global leadership in internet architecture, digital policy, and emerging technologies.

His expertise spans across pivotal roles from IEEE Future Networks to the Internet Society, 3GPP, and EU research on next-generation networks.

Organizers say his keynote will set the tone for the conference, unpacking how Africa can assert digital sovereignty, safeguard its data, and lead in shaping the ethics and standards of AI on the global stage.

“This year’s theme, ‘Sovereign Intelligence: Africa’s Voice in the Global Digital Order,’ isn’t just a concept, it’s a necessity,” said Dr. Evans Woherem, Chairman of Digital Africa Consult. “Prof. Ladid’s keynote will highlight what it takes for Africa to remain safe, independent, and powerful in the new AI era.”

At a time when global powers are racing to define AI norms and secure digital dominance, Africa risks being left behind if it fails to act. Much of its technology remains imported, its data stored abroad, and its languages invisible in mainstream AI systems.

DACE 2025 is designed to change this narrative, by equipping Africa with the tools, strategies, and partnerships to become a proactive co-author of the digital future.

The conference will feature high-level dialogues on digital sovereignty, policy innovation, and cross-border cooperation, alongside exhibitions of homegrown startups, developer workshops, and showcases of African-built AI tools for health, agriculture, finance, and education.

Beyond the panels and showcases, DACE 2025 is expected to produce a concrete roadmap for Africa’s digital sovereignty.

“This isn’t just about technology,” noted Woherem. “It’s about agency, safety, and independence. With Prof. Ladid setting the stage, we hope to leave Abuja with a united vision of Africa’s place in the global AI order.”

With delegates expected from across Africa and the world, the two-day gathering promises to be a defining moment in the continent’s digital journey.

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