PZ Cussons has announced it’s intention to exit Africa’s business environment.

Speaking on Wednesday, April, 24, the company said it has begun a strategic review of its African businesses to exit Africa, partly due to economic challenges in Nigeria.

PZ Cussons explained that its sales in Nigeria plunged by 48% due to the naira devaluation and inflation.

The CEO of the company, Jonathan Myers, stressed the importance of looking towards the future while respecting the company’s past, stating that the review’s outcomes could include changes in ownership.

Myers said, “The macro-economic challenges and complexities associated with operating in Nigeria are significant, and there is much more to do to unlock the full potential of the business.

“As such, we have undertaken a strategic review of our brands and geographies and have embarked on plans to transform our portfolio, refocusing on where the business can be most competitive.”

The company’s CEO said that in addition to the challenges of the exposure in Nigeria, the group is too complex for its size, with financial and human resources spread too thin to generate returns.

Reno Omokri, a former presidential spokesman has given reason why he is exposing the lies of former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi on social media.

Omokri, in a tweet on Thursday said Obi failed to condemn his ‘Obidients’ followers when they threatened the life of his one-year-old daughter.

He said if Obi had cautioned his followers, he would not have dealt with him the way he is doing now.

Omokri said Obi kept quiet and even subtly encouraged them in their dastardly act.

Omokri wrote: “If this man had only condemned his Obidients when they threatened my one-year-old daughter’s life, I would not have dealt with him like this.

“But he kept quiet and even subtly encouraged them. You guys rightly condemn the bullying at Lead British School. What about what Obidients did to my one-year-old daughter?

“Today and tomorrow, you will know the wrath of a father. I can forgive everything, but not that!”

The founder of Woodhall Capital, Mojisola Hunponu-Wusu, has disclosed that despite being married for 20 years she has never cooked in her home.

In a conversation with Ifedayo Agoro on ‘The Diary Of A Naija Girl” podcast, Hunponu-Wusu explained that though she would have loved to cook and do other chores, she never had that time.

” I don’t get to cook. I would have loved to get more time; not even for cooking but for other things across the family. So, I’m not even zooming in on cooking…

” I love and admire women who have the time but I’m through to the path God has set me and that is the entrepreneurial path,” she said.

When asked if her husband was bothered, she responded that cooking might not be his love language.

Hunponu-Wusu’s revelation has again brought to the fore conversation about the roles of a woman in the home.

Though it is believed that, these days, men should compliment their wives in kitchen duties, a popular Nigerian chef Hilda Effiong Bassey, aka Hilda Baci, recently declared that she wouldn’t date or marry a man who knows how to cook.

According to the former Guinness World Record holder,  she loves cooking and would not want a man who will outshine her in the kitchen.

“I don’t want a man that knows how to cook. I don’t want it. I like cooking so much. My friends would tell you like Hilda would show you love, she will send you food. You will cook for you. That’s kind of one of the things I like to do for people that I care about, especially for my man.

“You can wake me up in the middle of the night and say, ‘Babe, I want a doughnut. I want meat pie.’ And I’m flying to the kitchen to make it for you. That’s my thing. I want a man that can order me food. If you don’t have a problem with ordering me food, I’m in love,” Baci said in a viral podcast video that made the rounds on X (formerly Twitter).

Some Nigerians have expressed outrage over suspected discrimination against Nigerians at the Indian Language School, Ilupeju, in Lagos.

This is as the Lagos State Government condemned the development and subsequently ordered a probe.

The PUNCH reported on Wednesday that the Indian High Commission vowed to sanction the workers at the school who refused The PUNCH correspondent access to the school facility for inquiries.

This followed online reports that the school was not admitting or welcoming Nigerians on its premises which prompted our correspondent to proceed to the school to investigate the claims.

While reacting to a post by @DejiAdesogan on Sunday, bordering on discrimination against Nigerians at an Abuja-based Chinese store, an X user @decommonroom shared his experience about the school.

He wrote, “The Indian school in Ilupeju only admits Indians. You need an Indian passport for enrollment.”

In a further chat with our correspondent, the user said, “My experience with the Indian international school in Ilupeju dates back to when my school had a debate competition with them in 2009. I discovered there were only Indian students. I was curious as to why because my school was also an international school and run by a foreign embassy with primarily expatriate kids and few Nigerians. Then I was informed their passport was a prerequisite for admission.”

Our correspondent visited the school on Monday but was denied entry by security officials who claimed to be acting on instructions of a receptionist.

When our correspondent asked to make inquiries for his uncle who had two kids and would like to enroll them in the school, one of the security men asked, “But that your uncle is an Indian man?”

“They said as a Nigerian, they (the management) cannot attend to you. So the person should come, the Indian person,” another security man added, saying that was the response of an unidentified administrative worker, said to be an Indian.

An email sent to the principal of the school, Sonali Gupta, seeking a reaction was not responded to on Tuesday. A reminder was also sent by our correspondent on Wednesday with no  response as of the time of filing this report.

On Tuesday, the press officer of the Indian High Commission in Abuja, Vipul Mesariya, said the commission was shocked by the experience of our reporter vowing sanctions.

Vipul said, “We are shocked to hear that you were not allowed inside the school. We are disciplining the security guard and the receptionist as they did not have the authority to make such a decision.”

It was however gathered that the school is primarily meant for Indian wards where they get accustomed with Indian style of learning and traditions.

Some Facebook users who commented on The PUNCH investigation expressed dissatisfaction over discrimination against Nigerians.

A Facebook user, Valentine Leo wrote, “Indians and Chinese are doing the most in this Nigeria. What’s the socioeconomic advantage of these businesses in Nigeria to Nigerians?”

“Terrible things are going on in this country,” Emmanuel Wilson lamented.

Another user, Freeman Ayo, called attention to how some Nigerians were treated at some Indian restaurants in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, but did not provide specific details.

He wrote, “You people need to go to Indian restaurants, especially in Abuja and see how Nigerians working there are treated especially the girls. It’s a long story.”

A user identified as More Blessing Catering and Rental Services, called the attention of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to the issue, saying, “Your attention is needed this shouldn’t be happening in Lagos State.”

“I know the school they’re talking about. They should be questioned as well. It’s high time Nigeria stepped up to some of these foreigners (who) look at us like slaves most especially Indians” Agber Lover Victor commented.

Busuyi Johnson wondered why Nigerians would be discriminated against in their country with the government folding arms. The user said, “Chinese bar Nigerians in their supermarkets, Indians bar Nigerians in their school and we have a government in Nigeria.”

Posting a laughing emoji, Uvwie Girl wrote in pidgin language, “Dem go dey come Nigeria come open schools and supermarket, dem no go allow Nigerians, inside Nigeria.”

But Ridwan Abdulkadir expressed a different opinion noting he would ordinarily not want his children to get used to the Indian culture. He wrote, “Why would I (a Nigerian) want my child to school in an Indian school? Schools don’t just teach Maths, English and sciences. They also teach customs/traditions and moral values. So why would anyone want his children to be taught by people whose customs/traditions and moral values are completely different from Africans?”

On X, users expressed similar outrage and some shared their experience with the school.

“I used to live close to the school 14 years ago. Even the black drivers that brought children to school will park and wait till closing hours so the children won’t interact with nobody,” @demongoakombo wrote.

Another user noted it was important for foreigners to respect Nigeria’s democracy.

@ezechukwumicha4 wrote, “We practise democracy and if you can’t operate on a fair ground, please leave Nigeria, period.”

“They are like this almost everywhere in the world. They form their own community, do their own things, hire their own people, etc. All Asians not just Indians,” @daviconet22 also said.

A user asked if Nigerians could do same in India. “Can Nigerians do this in Indian? Lols,” @victor_omonowa_ asked.

However, checks online show that some Indian and Chinese schools in the United States are primarily for natives. It could not be immediately verified if they were open to foreigners or barred foreigners from visiting the school premises.

Riverside Indian School in the United States is home to nearly 800 students representing over 75 native American tribes from throughout the US, according to information on its website.

Information about the school located in Oklahoma as seen on the website of Oklahoma Historical Society, said, “Riverside school presently has students from dozens of Indian regions attending grades four through 12. Admission requires a Certified Degree of Indian Blood. Riverside’s board of education, administration, staff, and faculty are predominantly American Indian. The State of Oklahoma and the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Elementary Schools accredit the school, which offers numerous specialised academic programmes.”

An activist and General Secretary of the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights, Gerald Katchy, in an interview with our correspondent, said discrimination of any kind “is a serious breach of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights Article 23, Article 28 Article 30 and other international and national treaties including our constitution.”

Gerald said, “Discrimination is any unfair treatment or arbitrary distinction based on a person’s race, sex, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, age, language, social origin or other status.”

When contacted on Wednesday, the Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, said the state ministry of education would be informed and a probe would be carried out to ascertain what was going on in the school.

The commissioner said the state government was not in support of any form of discrimination.

“The Lagos State government frowns at any form of discrimination in whatever guise or disguise. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is in the second term of his administration and in everything he has done, he has not discriminated against anybody irrespective of religion, colour or affiliation. I’m not sure the ministry of education has gotten a complaint from anybody but if what you’re saying is true, it is not in our character.”

Omotosho added, “The ministry of education will investigate the matter.”