…Demands retraction, apology to Optiva
Leading investment immigration wealth management company, Optiva Capital Partners, has decried what it termed a “defamatory publication by NiDCOM on 23rd January 2024, published via your verified official “X” handle (@nidcom_gov) and signed by a certain Abdur-Rahman Balogun, your Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, at the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abuja (NiDCOM).
This was contained in a letter addressed to the Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM by the law firm of Babalakin & Co., signed by Oyetola Oshobi (SAN), on behalf of Optiva Capital Partners, titled, ‘Complaint about the Defamatory Publication Made Against Optiva Capital Partners Limited By NiDCOM.’
According to Optiva Capital Partners’ lawyers, “We hereby state unequivocally that the allegations and imputation against our client in the referenced press statement are false and unjustified.
“If NiDCOM had conducted basic research and investigation on the allegations, it would not have published same on its verified official “X” handle (@nidcom_gov) with over 68,500 followers (which broadcast has acquired about 3000 views on X as at 2:00pm on Wednesday 24th January 2024 ).”
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The protest letter emphasised that the “publication continues to have a severe adverse effect on our client’s business, reputation and goodwill. Our client’s business operates and thrives on the trust reposed by its clients, customers, partners, stakeholders and members of the public. The said tweet is not only defamatory of our client but also extremely defamatory of its identified directors in their personal capacities.”
Babalakin & Co. law firm restated that “Optiva Capital Partners has been in operation since 2020 and operates globally, with over twenty-one offices spread out across Africa. Our client is also registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Nigeria and has been approved to operate as a Corporate Investment Adviser. (copies of our client’s certificate of incorporation with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and SEC are attached herewith).”
The law firm further stated that “our client’s Chairman (Franklin Nechi) and its Managing Director (Jane Muchiku Kiememia), are highly accomplished and reputable investment professionals and business people. It is important to state that the Managing Director of our client has been in the employment of renowned international financial institutions, including Barclays Bank, where she occupied the esteemed and highly coveted position of the Executive Vice President on Investment for Barclays Bank East African Operations. She subsequently moved to Standard Chartered Bank, where she held the position of Executive Director, Wealth Management, in Nairobi, Kenya. She also held other top managerial positions including serving as Managing Director of two subsidiaries of Standard Chartered Bank.”
Babalakin and Co. Law Firm further stated that the Chairman of Optiva Capital Partners, Franklin Nechi, was an “Insurance Broker of repute with American International Insurance Company, where he laid the groundwork for what would become the leading Investment Immigration Company in West Africa – Optiva Capital Partners Limited. With the support of its extensive network of elite international partners, our client provides comprehensive range of investment solutions and its end-to-end service delivery is unparalleled. Under the distinguished leadership of our client’s Chairman, the company has recorded notable achievements and recognition from various stakeholders.”
The Law firm listed some of Optiva Capital Partners merit awards, which include – Platinum Partner of Heng Sheng Group National Resort Project; Best Overall Non-Oil & Gas Sector, awarded by the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) 2021; and the Recognition of Optiva Capital Partners meritorious support to the success of the Lagos State First Lady Open Golf Championship 2022. Other awards listed include the BusinessDay Newspaper Next Bull Award 2023 at which Optiva Capital Partners CEO, Dr. Jane Kimemia was awarded the title of one of the top 25 CEOs in Nigeria; Ladies With Legacy of Coal – Camp City Enugu Foundation, Inauguration and Empowerment award, presented to Mr. Franklin Nechi, Chairman of Optiva Capital Partners; Southwest Advancement Award & Investment Summit 2023, presented to the CEO of Optiva Capital Partners, Dr. Jane Kimemia; and the CEO of Optiva Capital Partners, Dr. Jane Kimemia, was honored by the Guardian Newspapers as one of Nigeria’s Fifty Most Inspiring and Definitive Top CEOs in 2023.
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The law firm of Babalakin & Co. noted that “although NiDCOM has taken down the publication from its official X handle, it remained online for over 24 hours, it was viewed by over 3000 people, shared and reposted online and offline by other media outlets and blogs.”
Oyetola Oshobi, SAN, stated that “while NiDCOM has now posted a statement directed at assuaging the adverse effects of the earlier publication, there is nothing in the second publication that formally retracts the very injurious statements earlier published to the whole world, and apologise for the damaging effect on our client and its directors’ reputation. In view of the above, our client is constrained to request an unequivocal apology and revocation/retraction of the press statements published in the referenced tweet on NiDCOM’s “X” handle on 23rd January 2024.”
A key aspect of Optiva Capital Partners success story is in its ability to develop partnerships with strong and well recognised reputable institutions. Some of the partnerships with strong and well recognised reputable institutions that have enabled its clients to explore boundless global opportunities include Stuart Financial with headquarters in Montreal, Canada; Green and Spiegel, Canada; Heng Sheng Group; Range Developments; and Anchor Capital. Others are AIL, an international insurance group; TIW Capital Group; and CTP in Tampa, Florida, USA.
Optiva Capital Partners is also a socially responsible corporate organisation committed to positive impact in the communities where it does business. It is currently in talks with the Lagos State Government on the area of Maternal Healthcare where it has proposed to rehabilitate already assigned Primary Health Care Units in addition to the provision of the necessary medical equipment, delivery beds and consumables within the premises. The company has also been involved in the rehabilitation of infrastructure including building community roads and schools in Enugu State and many more.
