Alexandre-j

Montaigne Place, the leading luxury beauty haven in Nigeria, has unveiled the Alexandre J fragrances. This is another addition to the recently launched luxury fragrances.

The brand offers a wide range of fragrances- The Collector, The Oscent, Le Royal and Western Leather.

The Collector is a mix between the Oriental desert and the French baroque architecture. This collection of eight fragrances evokes a timeless journey, the warmth of elements and the change of scenery. It focuses on a magical place talking to everyone’s imagination.

Sensual and sophisticated, the fragrant composition is an invitation to a journey of both the mind and the body
Advocating luxury craftsmanship, Alexandre J bottles are unique and elegant, demonstrating handmade art and painstaking design. The collector comes in aluminum bottles with golden accessories packaged in leather boxes.

Ben Murray-Bruce

BEN MURRAY-BRUCE: A Senator With Common Sense!

“Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world”. Don’t fall for the lie that one man cannot make a difference. All powerful movements began with the actions of individuals striving for change. The basic prerequisite for change is just one man! Through the audacity of one woman, Rosa Parks, whom the United States Congress called “the first lady of civil rights”, the war against black segregation in America was triggered. Through one man’s tenacity, Thomas Edison, the light bulb was birthed and the whole world bid farewell to ‘physical darkness’. Through one man, Nelson Mandela, apartheid was terminated in South Africa. Through one man’s dream, Martin Luther King Jr., the salvage treatment of people due to their skin colour was abolished. Through one man, John F. Kennedy, the Americans took the lead in landing a man on the moon. Through one woman, Mother Teresa, the whole of Calcutta in India saw a great light. Through one woman, Mary Slessor, the eastern part of Nigeria was delivered from the brutal death of twins. Through one woman, Helen Keller, God gave great hope to all deaf, dumb and blind. God doesn’t need the ‘recalcitrant many’ to make a change; He is always on the lookout for just one man!

The landing of a man on the moon in 1969 was inspired by one man. One of the most famous inaugural speeches was given by the former President of the United States of America, John F. Kennedy. The President stood before the United States congress on May 25, 1961 and delivered a speech that drove the Americans beyond the zone of complacency; a line from his speech read thus: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth”. JFK was a daring leader; his courage alone gave the Americans the momentum needed to land a man on the moon. King Philip of Ancient Macedonia, the father of the courageous Alexander the Great emphasized the critical role of a leader in the advancement of a nation when he said in one of his famous quotes; “An army of deer led by a lion is more to be feared than an army of Lions led by a deer”. In 1961, President Kennedy’s vision was just about the wildest dream imaginable. Back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, America was in a space race with the Soviet Union, and the Americans were actually lagging behind. USSR was the first to launch a satellite, Sputnik, into the orbit, and then they launched Sputnik II, which carried the first space traveller, Laika, the dog. And in 1959, they sent off Luna I, the first space craft to escape the earth’s gravitational field and fly by the moon. The Soviets also sent the first man into space, and one of their ships made the first orbit of the earth. None of these feats was awe-inspiring like landing a man on the moon.

President John F. Kennedy stood before the United States Congress and said he foresaw a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Most people thought it was impossible. Even some of the people running NASA thought it could not be done. People believed that the technology required did not exist and they were not sure that it could exist. Despite all the ridicules and contagious skepticism, JFK went ahead to put their doubts to the test and initiated a mission that would later put his name among the ‘immortals’. Despite all the doubts, on July 16, 1969, Apollo II lifted off from Pad 39 at Kennedy Space Center and began its journey of 244,930 miles to the moon. Four days later (July 20, 1969), Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin Jr. landed the Lunar module Eagle on the surface of the moon, and over 500 million people watched on the television as Armstrong took his first step on the moon and uttered his famous line, “that’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” America had achieved the impossible and that is why till today, it is called the land of possibilities. People thought it was Armstrong that took the first step on the moon; physically, they may be right, but the first man on the moon was actually President Kennedy, he was there mentally before anybody else! Armstrong would not have stepped on the moon if Kennedy had not made the first mental step. The Americans were able to achieve the unimaginable because of one man’s step. JFK showed the world that there is no impossible goal but unwilling steps.

Ben Murray-Bruce is a Nigerian business magnate, serial entrepreneur, and erudite politician. He is the founder of Silverbird Group, a diversified multi-media company with holdings in Radio, TV, real estate and Cinemas. He is also a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing the Bayelsa East Constituency. The Silverbird Group was founded in 1980 and the company has placed Nigeria in the mainstream of the entertainment industry. He served as Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) from 1999 to 2003. He has been the brain behind the promotion of the Miss Universe Nigeria Pageant, Miss Intercontinental pageant and the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Pageant. Silverbird’s Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) brand produced the first and only black Africa Miss World in 2001; Agbani Darego won the Miss World Contest and became the first ever Nigerian and African to win the Miss World Pageant.

It is amazing to see a noble man navigating through the murky waters of Nigerian politics but it is more amazing when he has succeeded in maintaining his sanity and nobility in a country where people join politics for the wrong reasons. Paulo Coelho once said, “The world is changed by your example, not your opinion.” In an era when politics is played by political fugitives and outlaws and when so many politicians believe that politics is an avenue for self-aggrandizement, flagrant and ostentatious display of wealth; one man stood out to redefine the essence of holding political offices. He has consistently encouraged frugal spending in ‘high places’ and has been an agent of change in the campaign against the over bogus allocation to Federal and state legislatures to the detriment of national growth. He has fought against the unnecessary suffering of civil servants and their exploitation; he is campaigning aggressively through his actions and exemplary lifestyles for the support of our local brands and patronage of made-in-Nigeria goods.

The man that I have decided to refer to as the ‘Common sense senator’ is a blend of unique attitude and ‘strange’ mentality. His firm belief in the Nigeria project is beyond psychological redemption and political pollution. He is undoubtedly an ‘outlier’ and divergent among Federal legislatures and has chosen to tread uncommon paths to engineer the re-designing of a new Nigeria. His #BuyNaijaToGrowThe naira initiative has really been a lifebuoy initiative to save the Nigerian naira from further deterioration and devaluation; he recently took delivery of his made-in-Nigeria cars from the first indigenous car manufacturers in Nigeria, Innoson Motors. He has at various fora campaigned aggressively for youth empowerment and the need to prioritize the ministry of youths, a ministry that has always been abused by appointed misfits and politicians that were never in tandem with the hopes, needs and ‘language’ of the teeming Nigerian youths.

In his recent book that I greatly recommend for every responsible mind; A COMMONSENSE REVOLUTION, which was launched and presented on February 19, 2016 at Eko Hotels and Suite, the ‘Common Sense’ Senator succinctly and painstakingly chronicled the origin of our deteriorated sense of value, examines the erosion of the Nigerian society, emphasized the decline of individual responsibility and offers hope in the prospect of a culture of renewed character. It is a book written to put Nigerians in the right perspective as change agents.

I want to categorically say at this juncture that without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible. Our over dependent attitude on the Nigerian oil has been an ‘anathema’ to the Nigerian naira. Our dependency on oil has killed a lot of novel initiatives and ideas; we need change gladiators and not spectators in order to redesign a new Nigeria. We must rearrange our priorities because to change your life, you need to change your priorities. We have to be resolute and firm in our shift towards diversifying the economy. In order to stabilize the growth of this great country, we need to plan and design a future that is beyond the Nigerian oil. The debilitating effect of blatant dependency on oil has paralyzed and destructively polarized the Nigerian economy. Our dependency on oil has turned Nigeria into gangster’s paradise by rewarding political miscreants and social touts ahead of people with great intellectual value. We need leaders that can see beyond the ‘mirage’ of the Nigerian oil. We are in great need of leaders that will provide a platform for the diversification of the economy. We need leaders with common sense!
If there is anything that must never be underestimated, it is the power of ‘one’! I am reaching out to the youths, to join the revolutionary march for the evolution of a new Nigeria. And to those outside there that can only see the bleak future of this great nation, I am assuring you that this nation will shine, even brighter than you can ever imagine.

Married to a Yoruba man from Nigeria, Dorien Oluwakemi Jacobs is a Dutch that loves the African culture. And with the way she is going, performing at different events, religious and secular with her husband, she seems to be telling the world that all that matters in a relationship is love for her family, the people and culture.

Born and brought up in The Netherlands, Dorien picked interest in music as early as six, where she enrolled in a music lesson to learn how to play classical flute and also sang in a Dutch church choir up till her late teens.

Mastering the flute, the young lady soon began to learn other musical instruments like the violin and piano. It was the experiences she got while learning these instruments that gave her the courage to play the guitar untaught.

Meeting her husband, Abiodun Jacobs, a Nigerian from the Yoruba tribe; Dorien for the love of learning, set out to study the Yoruba culture and gradually integrated herself into the culture of her husband’s people. Within years of marriage, she begins to speak Yoruba to the extent that she could compose songs with it.

Armed with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from a university in Ede, Netherlands, Dorien has decided to follow her passion, music.

Together with her husband, who is also into music they established the Jacob Cornerstone House of Music to minister to the unreached in songs and exude the grace and glory of God to mankind.

Dorien has taken her superlative stage performance to different parts of the globe; sing before large audiences that cut across different races and religions.

The mother of two released Oluwamodupe, a Yoruba language album in 2012. Registered in the UK and Nigeria, the album has been making waves among gospel music lovers in Nigeria and other West African countries that speak Yoruba.

With this album, Dorien becomes the first white lady to produce a Yoruba album in Nigeria.Aside this, the Nurse-turned-artiste is also trying her hands on the talking drum, performing her gospel songs in big stage across the United Kingdom.

Omowunmi Akuruli

Omowunmi Akuruli is a gospel artiste and songwriter, who apart from aspiring to be among the best singers, wants artiste playing gospel genre of music to eschew mixing their lyrics with secular songs. The Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, accounting graduate started singing in her teen years, when she joined her church choir at the age of 14. In a chat with GERALDINE AKUTU, the lady gospel singer talks about her music and other issues.

At what point did you take up music professionally?
I went professional in 2012, but released my first album in 2014. It’s an eight-track album with a bonus track. The bonus track is the added instrumental of one of the tracks.

How has it been since you started?
It has been challenging and at the same time interesting. The challenges have made me stronger and better; they spur me to work hard and to put in my best in anything I do.

What’s your genre of music?
It is more of inspirational and worship. It’s a Christian gospel music.

What makes your music different from others?
It’s the message. Everybody has a message to pass through his or her song, but mine is inspiring and soul lifting.

What’s your take on our gospel artiste in Nigeria?
The Nigerian gospel artistes are still coming up. Most gospel artistes tend to mix gospel music with the secular one with the hope of being acceptable across board. They, however, forget the fact that it is only God that can take one to the pinnacle of success.

Where did you get the inspiration to sing?
It’s from the Holy Spirit, nature and things happening around me.

What comes to your mind when writing your songs?
It depends on my mood. Sometimes, the idea comes while I am in the kitchen cooking. It could also be while in my bedroom or any other place. And when such happens I pick up a pen and paper and write them down.

Who are your role models within and outside Nigeria?
I admire Chris Morgan, who songs are good. Onyeka Onwenu for her inspiring songs; she is always into her song when she sings. I look forward to collaborating with her. Outside the country, I love Donnie McClurkin because his songs minister to the soul.

How long does it take to master your songs before going on stage?
It takes a minimum of two to three-week rehearsals depending on where I am going to perform.

What positive changes would you like to see in the music industry?
I would like to see an industry that is full of sincere people who would do music the old school way. I mean the way it was done in the past. I think there should be a clear difference between gospel and secular music; we should stop muddling things up. We should go back to the message of God.

What changes would like to see in Nigeria, if given the opportunity?
I would like to see great change in the power sector because epileptic power supply is crumbling a lot of things. Everything that will make Nigeria what it ought to be is solely dependent on the power sector. We are spending money we should have spent on feeding and doing other things to fuel our generators. If power supply is good other things will fall in place.

Any advice for gospel artistes?
Yes, they should focus on God, who is the main source of inspiration and do not deviating. Gospel music should inspire and touch lives positively and not the other way round. They should go back to their source, which is God; make good music and be role models.
Your philosophy of life
Be yourself!

OBIAGELI EZEKWESILI: THE FREEDOM FIGHTER!
“But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away… for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.”-Isaiah 49:25
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

One of the greatest warlords that have ever walked the face of the earth, Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “The world suffers a lot, not because of the violence of bad people, but because of the silence of good people”. Most times God doesn’t change the situation; He changes us for the situation, because it is only changed people that can change the world. The world encroaches on our sanity the moment we begin to lose our sensitivity to injustice. While people that are supposed to be the custodians of the hope and security of others have grown numb to the suffering of the citizenry, one woman has decided to take full responsibility of the plight of the forgotten Chibok girls in the hands of their ‘mighty’ captors, the seemingly elusive and invincible Boko Haram gang.

It is even more sympathetic and poignant to know that the monies assigned to procure Military gadgets and equipment to checkmate and curtail the marauding surge of the nasty gang were embezzled in high places with unprecedented impunity; an impunity that has evolved into the study of a degenerated form of uncivilized stealing that is now known by the hashtag, #Dasukigate. The calibre of people involved in this act of demented sabotage has revealed further that Nigeria has over the years been ruled by the enemies of state.

While many of our so called leaders have come over the years to steal, kill and destroy; a role that is similar to that of the devil, one woman has stood her ground in the fight against injustice and social misdemeanours. She has been a crusader of ethical orientation and structural changes in a country that has been permeated with systemic corruption, an epitome of unblemished virtue in a country where corruption exists even among saints!

Life is full of stories of great women that fought gallantly for the emancipation and freedom of the oppressed; women like Mother Teresa of Calcutta and her passion for the downtrodden, Rosa Parks and her revolutionary courage against black segregation, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and her relentless fight for women suffrage, but the one whom Oby Ezekwesili bear a similar resemblance to in terms of vigorous advocacy is Mary Slessor of blessed memory. Mary Mitchell Slessor, born at Aberdeen in Scotland on September 2, 1848, died at USE, Calabar, Nigeria on January 13, 1915. Mary Slessor was famous for putting a stop to the killing of twins in the Southern protectorate of Nigeria during the colonial era of the late 1800s.

Mary Slessor gave her life to Christ and became strongly interested in mission work while in Scotland. She was inspired by the works of another great Scottish missionary, David Livingstone but her legacies surpassed that of her mentor. When she was 27, she heard that David Livingstone; the famous missionary and explorer to Africa had died and decided whole-heartedly to follow in his footsteps.

She was assigned to the Calabar region of Nigeria and warned about the people there who believed in witchcraft and other superstition and ultimately the ritual sacrifice of children – twins in particular. Despite being the first European to step her foot in the region of West Africa and all the horrible news she had heard, she was determined to make a change to the existing situation and remained undaunted.

As a young missionary, she witnessed human sacrifice, lack of education, lack of status for women. The birth of twins was considered an evil curse, Calabar people believing that the father was an evil spirit and the mother was guilty of a great sin. Despite Mary’s illness and constant danger she was exposed to, she lived with the tribes, learnt their language and respected their traditions. Beyond evangelism, she spent time settling disputes, encouraging trade, establishing social changes and even introducing western education.

Mary Slessor also took in outcasts and worked tirelessly to protect children especially twins. Amazingly, she successfully fought against witchcraft, superstition and the evil practice of killing twins at infancy. Slessor made a giant change in Calabar despite her constant and overwhelming challenges. Slessor died in 1915 at the age of 66 with great mourning amongst the tribes to whom she had dedicated over 38years of her life to. The global significance of the work of Mary Slessor was underscored by the visit of Queen Elizabeth the second to her tomb in Calabar when she visited Nigeria in 1956. Her name still rings a bell not only in Calabar and Nigeria but also in her native country, Scotland. The authorities in Scotland, in recognition of her missionary work, put her image on Clydesdale Bank’s £10 note in 1997 to replace the image of her mentor, Livingstone.

She became the only non-Royal female to feature on a currency note. Mary lives on in Calabar having streets, hospitals and an effigy depicting her carrying a set of twins conspicuously built on a roundabout all in Calabar. Mary Slessor was indeed the “white mother” of the darkest Africa; the true ‘goddess’ of Nigerian twins!

On the night of 14th April, 2014. 276 female students were kidnapped from the Government Secondary School in the town of Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria. Responsibility for the kidnappings was claimed by Boko Haram, an extremist and terrorist organization based in north-eastern Nigeria. A few of the schoolgirls managed to escape and some have described their capture in appearances at international human rights conferences. #BringBackOurGirls is an advocacy group that emerged in April 30th, 2014, after the abduction of the 276 schoolgirls.

The group was created to bring the world’s attention to the dastard act and also to keep the missing girls on the news radar; the group has relentlessly campaigned for the release of the Chibok girls. As I was writing this piece, I was perusing through the website home page of the #BringBackOurGirls group and I was struck by the counter that has been counting relentlessly. I saw 708 days 11hrs 30minutes and 50 seconds, and today will be ‘712 days’ that these precious girls have been under isolation, detention or even worse, abuse! The front runner of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, Obiageli Ezekwesili is a woman of value, valour and vigour. An ‘avatar’ and champion of social justice for the oppressed.

The lackadaisical handling of the issue of the abducted Chibok girls by the previous government fired up Ezekwesili to raise an ‘army’ of civil citizens. The campaign went viral on social media thereby inspiring a coalition of like-minded individuals all around the globe. Amnesty International and UNICEF have backed the campaign as well as world leaders. Where so many groups and people have waned and lost steam in their campaign on the return of the girls, one voice has refused to dwindle with time. International personalities and celebrities like Michelle Obama, Hilary Clinton, Malala Yousafzai, Justin Timberlake, Wyclef Jean,Chris Brown, Alicia Keys, Puff Daddy and the like of others unified resolutely to clamour for the release of the abducted school girls.

Oby Ezekwesili was once the vice-president of the World Bank’s Africa division, a position she held from May 2007 to May 2012. She used her office to relentlessly campaign against corruption and to strongly support the need for greater social accountability coupled with the promotion of regional integration. She was also a co-founder of Transparency International, serving as one of the pioneer directors of the global anti-Corruption body based in Berlin, Germany.

Her foray into sanitizing the Nigerian system started off as the pioneer head of the budget and price intelligence unit where she led a team of professionals in bringing ‘due process’ to the way procuring and contracting were being carried out at the federal level. Her gallant and painstaking way of scrutinizing the release of public funds and tax payers’ money was able to redeem the nation from plundering at federal level.

It also helped establish credibility for the country’s anti-corruption drive. She created the system of major contract prices review that saved Nigeria billions of dollars between 2001 and 2005. Indeed, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, then finance minister gave Oby the title “Madam Due Process” which stuck. She was appointed Minister of Solid Minerals (Mines and Steel) in June 2005 during which time she led a vibrant reform program that led to Nigeria’s global recognition as a credible mining investment destination.

In June 2006, Ezekwesili was appointed the Federal Minister of Education, holding this post until she took up her World Bank appointment in May 2007. In March 2014, she delivered a keynote speech at the national summit of the all progressive congress (APC) and lashed out on some political fugitives that had migrated to the then opposition party in other to satiate their garrulous political appetite and not necessarily for the interest of the populace.

She bluntly shocked her audience when she said, “the leadership that will serve above self is not yet in your party manifesto”.
I want to reach out to Nigerians all over the world, we must renew and re-fire our commitment to bringing back the Chibok girls . Yoggi Berra once said, “It is not over until it is over”, Oby has shown us a more resilient form of this great quote through her tenacity to the dream of bringing back the Chibok girls, and that is: “It is not over until you win!” And to the Nigerian youths I want us to emulate the exemplary life of our dear Oby Ezekwesili ; always stand up for what is right even if you have to stand alone. Finally,I want to use this platform to reach out to President Muhammadu Buhari, we are sincerely pleading that you redeem your pledge on the Chibok girls.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

• To Train 100 youths in Footwear free
• Turn Ikorodu To City Of Footwear
Adesola Omotayo-Benson, 44, a shoe designer and a native of Ikorodu, Lagos State studied Footwear at the University College of Footwear in Britain in 2000. Before then, he had graduated from the Federal College of Chemical and Leather Technology, Zaria in 1993; he also studied at AS Astoria in Milan, Italy in 2014. In this chat with KABIR ALABI GARBA and MARGARET MWANTOK, he underscored his desire to turn Ikorodu into a city of Footwear by conducting free training programmes for the youths and his satisfaction seeing Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi wearing the shoes he specifically made for him to different occasions including during the monarch’s wedding ceremony recently. Excerpts:

How did you come about designing shoes for the Ooni?
I just took a bold step when I found out that he is a young guy, and most of the things he talks about have to do with the youths, I seized the opportunity to try and reach him. It was difficult getting to him from the beginning, but I imagined that he is tall and his shoe size should be 45 or 46. I also know that in Ife, their most cherished costume is in white colour, that was how I designed the white shoes for him and sent it to him with a proposal through someone. I sent the shoes with a proposal on how to empower the youths through footwear. He loved the shoes and the proposal I sent, and he asked to see me, he has worn the pair to most of his recent functions.

How many pairs have you made for him?
So far, I have made just a pair for him but I have two in progress. He has asked me to come back. He wants to see a video footage of where I manufacture the shoes in Ikorodu.

When did you meet the Ooni?
As soon as he was installed as Ooni of Ife on January 7, I started making enquiries on how to reach him. In the process, I met someone who discouraged me that the Ooni does not wear locally made shoes, but I said my shoes are also of international standard. I finally got the opportunity to see him on a Tuesday, there were so many people waiting to see him too.

What was your impression of Ooni when you eventually met him?
There were so many people who wanted to see him as well. When I finally met him, Ooni was very jovial, and we related well. Personally, I have passion for the youths, so it was like meeting someone of like-mind. He said my idea was wonderful, but I should bring to him a documentary of my factory.

Was your encounter with Ooni a breakthrough?
My meeting the Ooni was more than a breakthrough because he is interested in home- made products. I was more satisfied when he used my pair of shoes. Most people spend huge amount of money in buying imported shoes, and if Ooni of all people could use my own shoes, then I think my job is well done.

When did you establish the factory?
In 2011, and my factory is called, Sola Benson Exclusive Shoes Company.

When did you relocate to Nigeria?
I have been shuttling between Nigeria and Ireland in the last two years. My family lives in Ireland.

What has been your experience since establishing the company in Nigeria?
I have been doing this job for the past 30 years. I was producing shoes in Nigeria for 10 years before travelling out to further my studies. I already knew the problems in Nigeria. For more than 15 years, I would come to Nigeria once in awhile to get familiarized with how the business works here. Eventually, I got tired of Ireland’s system and decided to return home, because I found out that most Nigerian youths are not empowered, and footwear is the only business that we don’t have the correct expatriates in Nigeria. I thought it was better to relocate my business to Nigeria.

Do you still have a business abroad?
When I was leaving, I sold all my machines. Though while abroad, I was only a shoe designer, but here, I get to do the practicals as well. Thank God the government is talking about youth empowerment, and I want to contribute my own quota.

Apart from Ooni, who are your other clients?
My past customers include former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, current Commissioner, Ministry of Works, Ganiyu Johnson. I have made shoes for several people in government.

Why do you target only the high-class and government people?
My aim is to make affordable shoes for everyone. When I first returned to the country, I needed to interact with the government, and so I started with government officials on what the shoes look like. But at the moment, I make shoes for virtually everybody.

What is your view on fake labeling?
I don’t do such! You see, it’s a sure sign that these people didn’t study footwear, they only came across it, but I have been doing it since my second year in secondary school. There is no need for me to put any fake labels because I have seen while in Italy the respect they have for Nigerian products.

How do you source your raw materials?
We have leather in Nigeria; we are one of the biggest countries in leather exportation. We export about 98 per cent of our leather. We have different styles in Kano. I get my materials from Mushin when they arrive from Kano. I don’t import my raw materials.

Do you see prosperity in footwear business in the country?
I am actually satisfied and fulfilled here. Most footwear companies collapse due to the owners’ shallow knowledge about the business. We don’t export shoes in Nigeria; we are a fashion conscious people. So I see a lot of prospects for the business. In Italy, shoes are made in almost every area; my hope is that one-day, Nigeria would be on that same level.
Tell us more about your programme to empower the youths

I live and work in Ikorodu, and I found out that most people are jobless, and my only contribution would be to teach them the art of shoe-making free of charge, but all they need to do is to buy the materials to be used during the training. This programme would last for two and a half years; I want to turn Ikorodu into a shoe-making city.

What do you think was responsible for the collapse of Bata Shoe Company?
Bata was functioning very well under Thomas Bata, the Canadian, but as soon as it was handed over to Nigerians, it became bad. The management knew nothing about footwear, all they knew was how to buy shares, and they squandered the money. In this business every worker’s opinion matters a lot, not just the board.

Where can people find your shoes?
My shoes are not yet in the market because I like to do things properly. I still have one or two things to put in order. Because of the standard I am starting with, some of the things I need are not in Nigeria, which is why I am not in a hurry to deliver.

Miss Cynthia Ochoga

When Miss Cynthia Ochoga announced her intention to vie for the post of Salford University Students’ Union President in far away United Kingdom, her focus was on the vision that leadership is all about bringing positive changes to people. CeeWhy, as her admirers fondly call her, emerged victorious in the election, setting a record as the first international student to occupy the position of the Students’ Government President in the school.

As it is, CeeWhy’s success presents three-dimensional challenges: first, to herself, then to Nigerian youths and finally, to Nigeria and Benue, her home state. Apart from the recent mindless killings in Agatu, Benue has the singular record of being the only state where the state governor, Samuel Ortom, found his way to the top through the instrumentality of education, having been a motor park tout. Together with Cynthia’s recent exploits in Salford University, the youth of Benue State can now see more reasons to embrace education and eschew all forms of deviance.

Cynthia has also proved that Nigerian youths are winners anywhere. Her victory in the election serves as morale booster for young people everywhere.

Recalling how she felt, when she was elected, she said, “to be honest, I’ve still not been able to put the feeling into words. But one thing is that, I’m very happy that the months of planning came to fruition.

I have always been politically inclined if you like. I’ve previously been very active in promoting student issues, student representation and welfare. During my first degree at Middlesex University, I was International Students’ Association President at the Mauritius campus for two consecutive years and it was an amazing experience, so, I’ve just seized every opportunity since then,” she disclosed.

Were you daunted that you are a foreign student? “Oh no, I was not,” she continued, “ if anything, it spurred me on. I felt like I had to do this for our international community. I wanted to put Nigeria in the history books and I’m thankful it has happened,” she disclosed.

Compare teaching/learning methods in Nigeria with that of the UK, CeeWhy revealed that they are not the same. According to her, the UK system gives students a lot of independence and involves group work. She added that lectures are discussion based and students are encouraged to participate.

We are taught the basic framework. We are also encouraged to develop concepts and we learn that way. However in Nigeria, lecturers spend a lot of time giving lecture notes and there isn’t much of conversation and discussion about the topics and concepts. In the UK, students are informed of the dangers of plagiarism, which most students who started their study back home are not aware of and spend some time learning when they get here because it has a significant impact on their study,” she said.

How are you coping with funds, especially now that the Naira is nose-diving? CeeWhy disclosed that the issue is a big one. According to her, the situation is seriously having its effect on students on government scholarship and grants.

“Just last week, we dealt with case of a Nigerian student being asked to leave one of the universities because government has not sent his fees. Thankfully, we were able to resolve it, but that was just one of the many cases that are brought to the attention of Nigerian students’ leaders in the UK. It is very sad.

“I have put myself in the place of these students, many of whom are at their final year and may not likely complete their studies. These are future Nigerian leaders that should be encouraged to be their best. The emotional pressure is very heavy on them and I want to say this to the government: ‘Many of us are in the UK because we want to improve ourselves and ultimately our country, Nigeria. An investment in us is an investment in the country. I want government to please, look into the issue of grants and resolve it quickly so that some of us can continue our studies,” she pleaded.

Sharing her thought on leadership, the Salford University Students’ Union Government president noted that leadership is all about service. According to her, leadership should be about a passion to positively impact one’s society. “All those who find themselves in leadership positions should strive to be transformational leaders. By this, I mean they should have a genuine desire to improve the lives of the people under them, engage them actively to make positive changes,” she noted.

Disclosing what she intends to achieve as student president, CeeWhy said they are many, but she has ticked two items as most important in her agenda. “I have a long list of things to do as president, but two out of them are very important to me. The first is to promote the issues of Blacks, minority and ethnic students in the university. I am one of them and, so, I know the issues and will handle them squarely. I shall use my position to also promote the diversity that exists on the campus.

“Second item is to promote entrepreneurship and employability among our students. The jobs are getting fewer and, so, it is time for us to begin to create some things. And for students who might not be passionate about entrepreneurship, I want to lobby the university authority to create more course specific workshops and seminars with industry experts invited to prepare students for life after university and possible internship opportunities,” she said.

Commenting on the challenges facing the youth globally, CeeWhy disclosed that their major challenge is the lack of belief in themselves. “From my experience, anything is achievable if you set your mind to it; work hard and smart also. So, if the youth believe in themselves and are not afraid to be ambitious, then nothing will be impossible for them,” she advised.

Prior to her travel overseas, Miss Ochoga had attended Home Science Primary School, Ikoyi; Queens College, Yaba and University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka; all in Lagos State. Completing her diploma course in Cell Biology and Genetics in UNILAG, she moved over to University of Salford in United Kingdom for her bachelor’s and Masters in Media Psychology.

NOC Secretary General, Tunde Popoola; General Manger, Sports, NTA, Mr. Abdurahman Ibn-Mohammed; President, NOC, Habu Gumel; CEO, HipTV, Ayo Animashaun and 2nd VP, NOC, Babatunde Fatai-Williams

Nigeria’s foremost entertainment channel, HipTV has been appointed official entertainment partner of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).

NOC, the custodian of the Olympic movement in Nigeria unveiled HipTV as partner in delivering top-notch entertainment content to television viewers across the continent during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. At a press conference held, during the week, at the NOC Secretariat, National Stadium, Lagos, NOC announced HipTV (entertainment partner), AIT (broadcast partner), NTA (broadcast partner) and STV (broadcast partner) official media partners for the forthcoming Olympics.

HipTV will be responsible for showing all the fun, passion, excitement and drama, before during and after Rio 2016 in Brazil with exciting behind-the-scenes content that never gets on TV. The urban culture channel will also be responsible for creating, developing and deploying content in Lagos, Rio and around the world. HipTV will deploy a massive build-up campaign for the Olympics in form of public events to create awareness ahead of the global sporting fiesta.

Speaking about the partnership, NOC President, Habu Ahmed Gumel disclosed that the appointment was based on the station’s track record in quality programming and in delivering highly entertaining contents on TV. In his words, “HipTv, NTA, Silverbird and AIT will continue as our partner beyond Rio 2016, providing fantastic coverage of the Olympic Games and related programmes for free to the audience in Nigeria across a variety of media platforms. We plan to make sure that Rio 2016 is a memorable participation for Team Nigeria and we have faith in the capacity of the channel to bring a wider and entertaining coverage for the sporting competition.

“Recall that this the second time that the music and lifestyle channel will execute a project like this. In 2014 at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, HipTV was a FIFA accredited media partner, bringing its viewers exclusive insights, behind-the-scenes sneak-peeks and thrilling moments from footballers, fans, tourists and people of Brazil. This is the first time an entertainment channel will be put in the fray of Olympic media partnership in Nigeria,” he said.

Giving his take on the partnership, the delighted, HipTV CEO, Ayo Animashaun, noted: “We are extremely proud and excited to be a part of the biggest sporting competition on the planet. The entire team at HipTV and Smooth Promotions cannot wait to execute a project of this magnitude. We feel honoured to be the first entertainment channel to partner with NOC and we can’t wait to get started. We will share our detailed execution plan for this partnership in the coming few weeks.

Beyond empowering creative talents, the Etisalat Prize for Literature has also become a veritable platform for winners to earn more global acclaims. So, after the Etisalat Prize, what is next for Mujila?

Apart from rewards the Etisalat Prize for Literature (EPL) bestows on winners, the long term benefits associated with the Prize, perhaps, serve as motivation for the participants of the prestigious award and possibly the raison d’être lovers of literature follow it intimately from the call for submission of entry stage to the grand finale of each edition.

Held consecutively for the third year since 2013, the EPL is the first ever pan-African prize that celebrates first time African writers of published fiction books. Each year, the winner receives a £15,000 cash prize, an engraved Montblanc Meisterstück, a high-end device and the opportunity to attend the Etisalat Fellowship, worth £13,000, at the prestigious University of East Anglia, United Kingdom, under the mentorship of Giles Foden, a renowned professor of creative writing. The winner also undertakes book tours of three African cities.

The Prize serves as a platform for the discovery of new creative talents out of the continent and invariably promotes the burgeoning publishing industry in Africa. In addition to the monetary reward that the winner receives, Etisalat Nigeria purchases 1000 copies of each of the three shortlisted books for distribution to schools and libraries across the African continent.

While it is no longer news that Fiston Mwanza Mujila was the winner of the 2015 for his first novel, Tram 83, what may be uppermost in his mind and indeed most of his admirers and lovers of literature would certainly be, ‘what next?’ for him.

The 35-year-old Mujila from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) had beaten two other debut writers, whose books also made the shortlist. They were South African female novelists – Penny Busetto, writer of The Story of Anna P, as Told by Herself and Rehana Rossouw, author of What Will People Say?

As expected of any winner or champion in a contest, it is just natural to say that the ‘next big thing’ would be the most important thing for Mujila whose creative strength is still being celebrated across Africa and beyond. This is more so because the exploits of the two previous winners – NoViolet Bulawayo (2013) and Songeziwe Mahlangu (2014) – have served as great testimonials of the long term positive impact it can have on the career of the winners and others shortlisted for the prize.

For instance, NoViolet Bulawayo, winner of the inaugural edition of the Etisalat Prize for Literature 2013. After her debut novel, We Need New Names was picked as the winner from three shortlisted books, the Zimbabwean female writer has assumed global limelight, and the sphere of positive influence has grown continuously wider for her.

The same year We Need New Names won her the Prize, the book was also shortlisted in the 2013 Man Booker Prize, making her the first black African woman and the first Zimbabwean to be shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

Today, Bulawayo’s exploits have grown in leaps and bounds having won many more accolades including the prestigious Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award and Stegner Fellowship at Stanford University. She has also begun work on a memoir project while she sits on the Board of Trustees of the pan-African literary initiative, Writivism.

South African novelist and winner of the 2014 Prize, Songeziwe Mahlangu, is also sharing the testimonials of his exploits after his book, Penumbra, won him the prize. He is currently working on his second novel. The young African writer, who currently lives in East London, also works at a large accountancy firm to underscore his capacity to do more.

The exploits of Bulawayo and Mahlangu, without any doubt, have set the benchmark for Mujila. Analysts are not in doubt that Mujila is more than capable to raise the bar. The Man Booker International Prize recently revealed Tram 83 as part of the ‘Man Booker Dozen’ of 13 books in contention for the 2016 Prize.

His credentials speak volume. A scholar of repute, Mujila studied Literature and Human Sciences at Lubumbashi University and is pursuing a PhD in Romance Languages, in Graz, Austria where he currently lives. He has also won many accolades for his writing, including the Gold Medal at the 6th Jeux de la Francophone in Beirut as well as the Best Text for Theater (State Theatre, Mainz) in 2010. His works are a response to the socio-political turbulence of post-independence Congo.
His winning book, Tram 83 is also the first novel by a DR Congo writer to be translated into English in over two decades.

Originally written in French, Tram 83 was translated into English by Roland Glasser and published by Deep Vellum. As Mujila is celebrated and honoured back home in his native DRC, Africa and the world at large, his exploits remain salutary as the first Francophone writer to win the prestigious Prize.

But while the sky appears to be Mujila’s stepping stone, as they say, it is not out of place to say that Africa and the world at large are awaiting the next big thing from this great African creative ambassador.

It was glitz and fun on Saturday, March 26, as the best of Nigerian culture fused with the rich cultural heritage of Okirika light up the stage, when the Heritage Bank sponsored Seki Dance drama was staged before a selected audience.

The dance, an official entry to the 10th anniversary of the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta Georgia, is a collaborative rhythmic agreement of dance patterns of five different masquerade groups of the Okirika stock of Rivers State.

According to the Minister of Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who was special guest of honour, Seki is a good source of entertainment, education and information, adding that Nigeria is united as a nation by the different cultures, therefore, Nigerians must celebrate the diversity by reinforcing the things that unite its people. He commended the bank for the initiative

The Managing Director/CEO, Heritage Bank Plc, Ifie Sekibo, explained that the bank as part of its corporate social responsibility and sustainability seeks a balance between tradition and innovation. Therefore, it always, responds positively to the rich African tradition through various art forms as a way of promoting cultural diplomacy.

He said, “The name Heritage Bank was born out of a desire to project an essence that fosters a generational mind-set, and is reflected in the unique physical and ideological atmosphere that defines our business.”

For the director of the drama, Yibo Koko, culture is the totality of way of life evolved by a people in their attempt to meet the challenges of living in their environment, and Seki remains a traditional representation and dramatic imitation of the belief system of the Okirika people.

While actress, Kate Henshaw, was the compere of the show, former Delta State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Richard Mofe-Damijo and others Nollywood stars were on parade.

Although, this year’s Gidi Culture Festival may have held, the frills and thrills of the unique interactive and music experience that make people feel more alive — experiences tailored at giving passionate music lovers and ‘live-rs’ the opportunity to live the power of their music in more accessible and affordable ways, particularly the aesthetic of the major sponsors’ (Heineken) brilliant glow ambience in the arena and organisational improvements will remain with the festival goers.

With the festival returning to its last edition host venue, the Eko Atlantic, Victoria Island, Lagos, the organisers believe that growth and improvement are inseparable twins, as both have continued to show up year after year and hand-in-hand, the music festival bigger and better.

Tagged The Takeover, this year’s event saw festival goers ‘takeover’ from the DJ and control the playlists through customised wristbands, allowing them to enjoy a variety of unique music genres such as Pop, Jazz, Afro-Pop, R&B and more.

One quality feature of this year’s event was that it went cashless with an e-currency, which came with easy-to-use system of purchase, balance inquiry and refund managed by NextGen Technology. Also, the VIP section was brought closer to the fold, unlike the last edition when it was flung far into the expanse reclaimed beach land.

Performances on the night were alternated and each act was granted autonomy to either perform with the live band put in place or go with the DJ’s aid. The lineup was peculiar, with upcoming acts interspersed with the A and B-listers.

Hosted by Nigeria’s Sensei Uche and South Africa Nomuzi, who kept the large crowd in high spirits with their combined chemistry and strong humour; David Jones David hosted the Takeover session.

Mavin Records eclectic first lady, Tiwa Savage, was in her usual element of rocking the audience to ask for more as she seamlessly run through her hit songs: My darlin, Kele kele love, Oyari, and African Waist, among others. There dancers added more fun to the performance with their sexy choreography dancing to Tiwa’s every move.

Mr. 2kay, who has had a measure of success with his releases from last year to date live to his billing, performing his songs Count it all joy, and Bad girl special. Baseone worked the crowd with his indigenous rap, just as Dice Ailes made everyone love him with the live band.

Phyno gave a good account why he is regarded as one of the best rappers in town as he exuded stage presence hit after hit with his performance. Dem Mama Soldier commander and egberi papa 1 of Bayelsa, Timaya gave everyone the most engaging performance of the night.

Poe and Funbi put up a formidable appearance, as Saeon gave off her energy, while 2Star General brought old time reggae back. Small Doctor was the most energetic as he came up with high level of energy, which made him climb the stage tower during his time. Adekunle Gold made love becomes tangible and put everyone in prayer mood with his rave making Baba God, while Yemi Alade, proved that she is the new ‘Mama Africa’ with her performance.

South African acts K.O and Ricky Rick brought the Hip-hop sounds that pervade their country, making the audience feel their stage vibes as they danced to their hit songs. Like the Ejanla or Kokomaster that he is called, D’banj capped the event in style, flirting on stage, digging deep into his discography and unearthing songs such asOlorun maje and ‘Suddenly. He combined delightful raunchiness with generosity and dancing to end the night on a high note.

The 2016 festival leaves many with more than they expected, with every turn promising a greater level of pleasure. There were shouts for more of this next year.

Emma Paillard, International Brand Manager Louis XIII, Ludovic du Plessis, Global Executive Director Louis XIII and Thibault Robert, Marketing Manager, EMEA at the press briefing at the Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, V.I.

Any product that takes four generations to produce would certainly be a world-class product that should be celebrated. When Louis XIII falls into this category, cognac lovers were not surprised to hear the global executive of Louis XIII; Ludovic du Plessis describe it as the ultimate luxury in the world of wine and spirits.

Describing the process that goes into each bottle, Du Plessis explains that four generations of cellar masters are needed to craft each decanter. In other words, any bottle made today would not be ready until the next 100 years. The knowledge, technical know-how and heritage have been passed from one generation to the next and this is why it has been described as the ultimate luxury in spirits.

Du Plessis explained that each bottle is a blend of 12 eaux de vie (bottle of life) with the youngest being 40 years old and the oldest, 100 years. He insists that no two bottles are the same because they are blended uniquely. Describing the long, pain-staking process that goes into making the spirit, he discloses that every drop boasts of 250 flavours.

“It is guaranteed that only the best quality gets turned out. Louis XIII is not just a cognac, but also a luxury brand rivaling the likes of Chanel, Hermes, Dior, Louis Vuitton and Bellucci,” he said.

This exclusive and limited range comes in magnum, different bottle sizes and two limited editions, black pearl and royal cask, are available.

A cross section of youths at the event

In a bid to support young Nigerian entrepreneurs, a new scheme YESGrants has been unveiled by the Nigerian Young Professionals Forum in partnership with Heritage Bank. Under the scheme, which was launched recently at the Four Point Hotel, Lagos, over 1000 Nigerians will this year be beneficiaries of N500 million Grant seed capital set aside for young Nigerian entrepreneurs and students.

The well-attended event, which had in attendance dignitaries, including representatives of the Nigerian University Commission (NUC), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), as well as captains of industries and top government functionaries, is part of efforts to grow more indigenous entrepreneurs among young Nigerians and deliberately create over 50,000 jobs in the next five years.

Speaking during the launch, Chairman, NYPF, Moses Siloko Siasia, said he was inspired by the big impact small businesses can have on the economy and that was why the grant was created to provide incubator support to enable young entrepreneurial postulants with creative ideas in agriculture, ICT and other sectors of the economy.

“I have built businesses from the scratch and I understand the challenges people face and that is why I am optimistic that if given the necessary support, young Nigerians will not only grow the Nigerian economy, they will completely revolutionise it,” he said.

The Managing Director of Heritage Bank, who was represented at the event by the Head of Marketing Strategy, Mr. Obioma Emenike, is optimistic that the initiative would lead to start-ups and give a boost to economic growth. He called on entrepreneurs to use their network to encourage their friends and colleagues apply for the loan.

The YESGrant will provide business training for up to 600 aspiring young entrepreneurs spread across all geo-political zones in Nigeria and will encourage expansion, specialisation and spin-offs of existing businesses, which is to enable young entrepreneurs access a wide business professional network and improve their visibility, while entrepreneurs will receive up to N2 million annually as grant.

The idea is to enable Nigerian students with extreme financial need pursue their academic dreams and aspiration in the areas of research and technological/scientific innovation, aside helping low income and disadvantage students with their tuition of which over 500 students will benefit from this year’s grant.

Based on the plan, students studying in Nigeria will receive up to N500, 000, while those studying in the United Kingdom will receive up to 3,000 pounds and those studying in the United States will receive up to 5,000 dollars annually.

To apply for the YESGrant, interested individuals are to log on to www.yesgrant.com and must be between the ages of 18- 40. He/she must be a registered member of the Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF) and must have an account with Heritage Bank prior to the disbursement of the funds in August 2016. Student’s award recipients must in addition provide their matriculation number and academic progression report.

Akpalapa

Akpalapa Rejoice, also known as Emperor the Akpalapa1 in the entertainment industry, is one of those upping the ante in humour business in the country. His stagecraft and jokes show that he is not into the business by accident or lack of things to do. Though not counted among the A-list comedians in the country, Emperor has surely carved a niche for himself with his presentation.

Emperor, who attended the Niger Delta University, where he studied business management, ventured into the business in his university day, but went professional in 2010 after graduation.

On his journey so far into the entertainment sector, the Oloibiri, Bayelsa State-born comedian said “I started comedy in the church at my first year in Niger Delta University. I discovered my talent at a tender age because I used to crack jokes whenever I go to farm with my late mother. I never knew I would become a professional comedian until I began to handle MC jobs, make people laugh and make some money that I discovered I could do better if I put in more effort.

“Though my pastor told me I can do better and that I can even become a great comedian like Gordon, Akpororo and other big stars in the industry. Her advice spurred me to do more and I am not relenting,” he said.

Going professional in 2010, Emperor said if he had not been a comedian, he would have been a behind-the-camera person, editing and producing videos or a public relations officer.

“I can also edit and produce videos. I am equally good at public relations. In fact, had comedy not chosen me, I would have gone for any of these jobs,” he disclosed.

MTNF. Umuzocha: L-R: Umuzocha Community Leader, Chief  Chukwudi Nnajide cutting the tape during the commissioning of a 500KVA Transformer donated by MTN Foundation to the Umuzocha Community in the MTNF What Can We Do Together Campaign.

Bakwato is a community in the Dutse local government area of Jigawa State. The peace loving people of the community go about their daily activities with little or nothing to worry about. However, lack of potable water remained a major challenge, as residents walk long distance on a daily basis in search of clean water.

This situation, however, created an economy for meruwa (water hawker), who usually have filled day servicing their growing clientele with water, thereby exposing indigene to waterborne diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms that most commonly are transmitted in contaminated fresh water. Such infections commonly results during bathing, washing, drinking, in the preparation of food, or the consumption of food thus infected.

The late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti once recorded a popular song, Water No get Enemy. And for the indigenes of Bakwato, they could really not say water was not important. So, when Mudassir Adam Bello, an indigene of the community, heard on radio about the MTN Foundation ‘What Can We Do Together’ campaign, he did not hesitate to nominate his community to be provided with this essential of life – water.

In celebration of its tenth anniversary last year, the MTN Foundation launched a new campaign tagged What Can We Do Together. The idea behind the initiative is to create a platform for the telecommunication company to help provide basic amenities to rural communities in line with its CSR.

“At first, I was not sure of the authenticity; I was in doubt if application will be granted. But, I just kept hope that something good will come up” Bello said.

One day, his phone rang and a voice announced, “your application is being processed, when we can come for inspection in your area”. The rest, as they say is history. Today, Bakwato can boost of pipe borne water as part of the What Can We Do Together project.

If that was the story of Bakwato, Okatari Minadum, the nominator of Kolo Community in Bayelsa State for another borehole project was simply ecstatic when she discovered that her community will eventually benefit from the project.

“What more can I really say than a big thank you to the MTN Foundation. We saw an announcement on-line and tried to see if it will work for us. I tried and it worked for me. There was an option to choose pipe borne water, electricity transformer, furniture for schools and renovation of Motherless Babies Homes. I chose the water borehole project because my community needed it. I never really knew it was going to work.  We have few boreholes built by individuals but they sell water to us and sometime we cannot afford it. Our mothers now will no longer have to buy water for household chores anymore. The water is portable and good for drinking and the whole village is happy,” Okatari said.

The gesture by the MTN Foundation to provide water is in line with this year’s UN World Water Day themed “Better Water, Better Job”. According to the world body, water is the essential building block of life. But it is more than just essential to quench thirst or protect health; water is vital for creating jobs and supporting economic, social, and human development.

Today, half of the world’s workers – 1.5 billion people – work in water-related sectors. Moreover, nearly all jobs, regardless of the sector, depend directly on water.

MTN Furniture Warri: L – R – Government & Community Relations Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Esun; Principal, Ugborikoko Secondary School, Mr. Charles Okotie; and Customer Relationship Manager MTN Nigeria, Ms. Gloria Osako during the handing over school furniture donated to the school by the MTN Foundation as part of its ‘What Can We Do Together’ initiative.

In this regard, Dr. Pascal Dozie, Chairman of the Board, MTN Nigeria noted that, “as a responsible corporate citizen, one must give. We prefer to call is social investment; for these are the people who patronize us on a daily basis and we see it as crucial to investment in their welfare”.

However, the What Can We Do Together initiative is not all about provision of water. It is also about the provision of electricity transformers for nominated communities.

Igwe Titus Okolo, while congratulating his indigenes of Amorji Nike, in Enugu State said, “this transformer will definitely bring more life to people of this community. We have struggled with regular electricity due to lack of transformers but with this one, we are happy that things will be better”.

Meanwhile, residents of Old Kuntunkun Compensation Layout in Gwagwalada Abuja were not left out of the largesse, as Sadiq Oche nominated the community for electricity transformer. For a community in the Federal Capital Territory, the provision of the transformer by MTN Foundation supports government’s effort to improve the standard of living of people in the area.

The Chairman of the residents association, Mr. Emmanuel Abbey at the commissioning said, “this is good. It is a form of social responsibility that will benefit people in our community. Before now, we have written to several quarters for assistance but with very little success. Now, with this donation by the MTN Foundation, we are greatly relieved”.

For Mrs. Stella James, a frozen foods seller in Ajobo/Omilabu Community in Ibadan Oyo State, business just got better with the 500KVA transformer installed in the community courtesy of the What Can We Do Together initiative.

“I thank the nominator, Mr. Titus Oke for nominating this community. With this new transformer, there will be constant electricity supply which will definitely boost business activities around here” James said.

The Chairman of the Ajobo/Omilabu Community, Mr. Abdul-Waheed at the commissioning informed that “about 11 areas that are under Ajobo/Omilabu Community depended on the old 200KVA transformer. Virtually everyday, there was one problem or the other. Many times, the communities were in blackout for months. As a result of these challenges, the communities resorted to load shedding, rotating electricity among the communities. No doubt, MTN Foundation is the reason for our celebration today because if the initiative was not one, our community would not have been nominated”.

Yet, concerned with grooming Nigeria’s leaders of tomorrow, part of the initiative is providing school furniture to ensure students learn under a conducive atmosphere.

Mrs. Akinyemi Patience Head Teacher, Nawarudeen Primary School, Mowe, in her comment said “the provision of chairs and desk came at a time when such facilities were highly needed by the children. These items will help to increase the number of students that the school admits as there is assurance that the children will now learn under a conducive environment”.

During the presentation of furniture at Community Nursery and Primary School, Magodo, Lagos State Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Hon. Seye Oladejo said, “we all know the impact of the Foundation across Lagos and indeed Nigeria. Looking at the joy on the faces of these children, all we can say is thank you for supporting the development efforts of the government”.

Also, the Hajiya Kaltun Dauda-Rufai, Executive Director, Niger State Science and Technical School Board, while commissioning the project at Government Technical College, Eyagi, Niger State said, “we are happy at this gesture. I know this college will be better off with this donation. We want to encourage other corporate organizations to emulate the Foundation in supporting efforts of government to make life better for Nigerians”.

Speaking at the launch of the What Can We Do Together Initiative, the Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation said, “we have asked Nigerians what could do together, they have answered and part of their request is what we are now fulfilling. We remain committed to supporting the efforts of the government in improving the lives of Nigerians and well-being of communities by partnering on selected social investment projects, which promote people’s dignity, nurture inherent abilities and help create economic value in the communities”.

Steve Babaeko

From absolutely nothing, Steve Babaeko has built one of the most thriving advertising agencies X3M (Extreme) Ideas and record label, X3M (Extreme) Music in Nigeria. He left home in Kaduna at 16 on a journey to face the world, with a dream to accomplish feats, be successful, impact on others and make other people more successful.

Armed with a certificate in Theatre Arts from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, his path led him to Lagos with just five hundred naira, but there was nowhere to stay in the mega city. The challenges of getting a job in a city where he knew no one did not hinder him from his goal. Today, he is one of the successful advertising gurus and record label owners in Nigeria.

From a young copywriter at MC&A Saatchi & Saatchi, Babaeko, developed his creative reputation that help moved to Prima Garnet Ogilvy and later 141 Worldwide, where he was Nigeria’s most celebrated business/creative director before his resignation in 2012 to pave way for X3M Ideas, an advertising agency, which has grown to be one of the forerunners in the Nigerian advertising industry.

With a career spanning over 20 years and immense contributions to the growth and evolution of Nigerian advertising and entertainment industries, nurturing individuals and building brands through impressive advertising campaigns for indigenous and international brands alike.

Despite all odds, Babaeko as CEO and Chief Creativity Officer of X3M Ideas to become a brand to reckon with locally and internationally. At the 2015 edition of Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival Awards (LAIF), X3M Ideas carted away eight awards — three gold, two silver and three bronze medals to emerge third on the overall medals table.

The gold medals were won in three categories — Ads that never ran (Virgin Atlantic Radio), Corporate Image (Diamond Bank Doors) and Best use of Original Photography (Lagos Photo). The silver medals were for Diamond Bank doors commercials and Easy Clip Cypher Radio creative, while the bronze medals were for the Etisalat Prize for Literature (Short Film), Jollification Dog – Ads that never ran and Western Union Radio Just So you know – Ads that never ran.

According to him, “we set up this agency to be number one and until we become number one, don’t congratulate me. We are still the most creative agency in this country, whether they give us the grand prix or not it doesn’t matter,” he said in an interview shortly after the awards.

An avid music lover, Babaeko’s never allowed his advancement in the realisation of life dream to stop at advertising. He ventured into the world of entertainment and created X3M Music, which is home to some of the Nigeria’s respected musicians like R&B singer and MTN Project Fame 2009 runner-up, Praiz Adejo and Jamb Question crooner, Simisola Bolatito well known as Simi, while the label has also worked with Ade Bantu, Nneka Egbuna aka Nneka.

For him, X3M Music is a way of encouraging young people who have dreams and ambitions and who are not able to realise it. “The motivation is to be able to encourage myself first and foremost, encourage young people and encourage other people to be able to find their voices. What we do as a music label is take a literally unknown artiste, make him or her a national icon that people recognise and reckon with.”

“Music is kind of a social responsibility to me because I give the artistes a platform to explore their talents and explode. There are so many young people who believe that being in paid employment alone is not going to solve the problem of unemployment. If mountain won’t go to Mohammed, then Mohammed should go to the mountain. If we have a situation in our country where 160 million people and government is not able to cater for people, we are not going to roll over and die.
As young people, we need to take over the gauntlet and take our destiny into our hands and begin to think of positive ways of earning a living without going into crime or some unsavoury ways that some other people might want to consider. Always look inward and keep pushing. You may face disappointment but devise a means to overcome and endure till the end of the journey,” he added.

To celebrate his creative innovation and indomitable spirit of enterprise and conquest, the social entrepreneur will today be hosted to a ‘Taste of Luxury’ by Chivas Regal, world’s first luxury whisky, through its ‘Win the Right Way Campaign’ that celebrates outstanding personalities who have excelled in their fields of endeavor and touched lives in the process.

Weekend Beat gathered that luxury whisky will not only be celebrating the creative powerhouse for his entrepreneurial spirit, but also for his spirit of generosity through the lives, businesses and communities he has impacted through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives including school renovations at Opebi Junior High School, Awuse Estate, Opebi, and Special Correctional Centres for Boys in Oregun; donation of ICT equipment to Oregun Senior High School, Oregun and Community High School, Wasimi, Maryland, all in Ikeja, Lagos.

‘Taste of Luxury’ is Chivas brand’s effort to showcase its attributes of connoisseur, and Steve Babaeko is seen as an unquestionable embodiment of the ‘Taste of Luxury’ character. He equally, demonstrates what luxury whisky stands for as he exemplifies the ‘Success Tastes Better When Shared’ slogan of the Win the Right Way Chivas Campaign.

JAMB Candidates protest in Lagos House of Assembly, yesterday.

Jamb: Joint Admission ‘Manipulation’ Board!
Edmund Burke once said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”. Over the past few weeks, I have been receiving messages and complaints on the need to write something on the just concluded UTME CBT Examination. In the face of great indictment and obvious manipulations, JAMB’s ability of being a fair umpire for tertiary admissions has become sickly questionable and manipulative. As I began to ponder on the content of my piece, I suddenly realised that this problem is not just about JAMB but also actually about a nagging fault and in our educational system.

The JAMB issue is simply an open reflection of a hidden flaw in our educational assessment system. I was privileged to be in Dubai last year (December, 2015) where teachers, educators, Heads of Schools and stake- holders from all around the world convened to talk about the evolution of a new form of education that is expedient for the future.

The conference was designed by the British Council and the theme was: “Education Fit For The Future: Planning For A Changing World.” It is poignant to note that the Nigerian form of education does not prepare students for the future. Our children are becoming endangered species in the face of a changing world; the Nigerian form of education is preparing students for a world that no longer exist, as we are churning out degree holders every year with certificates that have face value but no intrinsic worth!

We need to redesign our educational system to produce global citizens, as our students are no longer in tandem with global standards. Many people are going to the universities to do Masters and PhD for traditional, mundane and wrong reasons, there are many Master’s and PhD project works that have been dumped in the ‘heap of academic refuse’ in our libraries because they were done, not to proffer solutions to problems, but rather to add to the academic degrees of the recipients.
Alexander Trenfor said: “The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see”. I remember one of my very brilliant students in one of the South-western Universities failing a particular course just because she was unable to copy “word for word” from her lecturer’s obsolete lecture notes. It is only in Nigeria that a lecturer prides and delights himself that students are failing his courses. Most lecturers set questions with massive failure in mind; the prime purpose of examination is to evaluate the progress of the students.

Most institutions are filled up with lecturers and pseudo-educators with lecture notes, methods and approaches that have lost relevance in a changing world. Our educational system prepares students to look for job and not to create jobs. Education is meant to be a part of the solution to unemployment but in Nigeria, our own form of education is part of the problem.
Our means of archaic educational assessment punishes students destructively for making mistakes when actually mistakes are an integral part of learning. International Examinations have designed an assessment method that rewards students even for floundering intelligently. Imagine a system that rewards students for making intelligent mistakes! When Thomas Edison was being questioned by a mischievous journalist on how he felt for having failed for 999 times before getting the idea of the light bulb, his response stunned the whole world when he confidently said: “I have not failed 999 times, I have only learnt 999 ways of how not to make a light bulb.”

A staggering number of students numbering about 500 carried placards on March 15 to the Lagos State House of Assembly calling for the state to intervene in the blatant impunity displayed by JAMB in the March 2016 University Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). JAMB’s mode of assessment has always been enmeshed and shielded in ominous mysteries and dark secrets, from the ambiguous tale of negative markings to the mysterious ways with which they’ve always determined the fate of students in getting placements into tertiary admissions, they have never come out to plainly set their rules straight.
I am not in outright support of putting an end to the JAMB CBT Examination because technology makes learning and assessment simple, accessible and efficient. There is nothing wrong with the application of technology; the problem is always with the system. International and professional examinations like TOEFL, GMAT and GRE are CBT-based and they have, over time, become a form of reference and standard for emerging exams. While JAMB has succeeded in fighting and checkmating the devil of malpractices with the introduction of CBT, it has also succeeded in introducing a higher monster called ‘manipulation’.

If the truth be told, the last JAMB CBT examination was a fluke and a farce. The chasm between Professor Dibu Ojerinde’s assumed ideal examination and the actual reality faced by frustrated students during the last CBT test is pitiable. The least I expected from the JAMB Registrar was to understudy what went wrong and come out openly to apologise to Nigerians and many students whose “educational destinies” were tampered with. I was not able to ascertain the veracity of the pathetic story of a young boy in Lagos that committed suicide because he had 159 in the last CBT exam. Owing to the outcry from parents and students, I personally did an understudy of the claims of bogus marks allegations, addition of jumbo 40 marks for students that did theirs in the first three days of the exams and allocation of abysmal marks.

Also, the issue of unstable marks as JAMB data-base was generating ludicrous marks for students at their second and third checks of their exam results online, technical hitches, logistic flaws and various other claims. In fact, many of the students interviewed said that their English questions bear up to like 95 per cent resemblance to that of last year.
Dear Professor, could it be that JAMB has exhausted its bank of questions? I was able to get a student that was seriously marked down in the last CBT Exam; it was interesting to know that her school did a pre-Jamb test in which she got 291 but to everybody’s surprise, the ‘almighty’ JAMB gave her 182. I am challenging the Registrar of JAMB to set standard JAMB questions for this student and call professionals to ascertain that it is actually their standard, set the venue, pick the time, but, this time, the whole world would be the umpire instead of JAMB. I challenge you sir, as this student will be representing all the others that were unjustly marked down. I promise to supply her name and examination number on request. I say these on behalf of all the students that were unjustly marked down.

At this juncture, I want to emphasize a major disease in the Nigerian system of education. Our educational system has no place for vocational training and the nurturing of individual gifts. Vocational Education Training (VET) program will provide a unique kind of education that directly relates to getting a job. The Nigerian education curriculum must be redesigned to integrate VET courses, which are typically shorter and more practical than higher education courses and have industry and trade focus.

We need to redesign our educational sector in such a way that it allows for the nurturing of individual gifts, the kind of education that prepare learners to stand out rather than fit in.
I will sincerely plead that the Honourable Minister of Education set up a committee to investigate JAMB’s excesses. I am not calling for the removal of the JAMB registrar, Professor Dibu Ojerinde, I am only interested in JAMB ascertaining what went wrong and taking a bold step towards apologising officially to Nigerians and making sure that this does not repeat itself again.
I dedicate this piece to thousands of Nigerian students that were victims of JAMB’s inordinate overzealousness in the March 2016 UTME CBT Test.

Her name is Dikibujiri Diri and she goes by ‘Diki.’ She left Nigeria in 2009 and came back five years later a different person. “When I left Nigeria, I actually thought I was very mature and knew exactly what I wanted. I was also very confident and thought I could handle myself well … Life in America changed me completely. I found out who I was; I discovered my true self,” she said.

Diki is from the Opu Dukofa Compound of Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State and grew up in Port Harcourt. She was one of 11 young people from The Kingdom, who were sponsored by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and its joint venture partners to attend university in the United States, under a General Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) with the Bille community.

She attended Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas. She also applied for and was admitted into the university’s honours programme — the W.E‎.B. DuBois Scholars Programme. Diki says her experience studying in the United States was an opportunity she remains forever grateful for. “I left Nigeria with the intention of studying medicine. There was no doubt that was what I wanted to study,” she said.

But she took a difference course — literally and academically. She ended up graduating with a degree in biology and discovered her passion for teaching and coaching. “I worked in the peer learning centre my entire time in the university. It started out as an easy job to earn a bit of money. I started as a tutor, then I became a peer-learning consultant and ultimately, a supplemental instructor in English language and mathematics … my jobs entailed teaching, as well as helping freshmen settle into university life. I attended classes with them, organised tutorials, helped with homework and editing papers,” she said.

In addition to all that, she was a student ambassador from her Sophomore (second) year until graduation. Diki spoke passionately about her love for being in the classroom, teaching and helping students excel. She was so involved at the learning centre that she became known as a go-to person when students needed help. “It stopped being a job and became my calling … people would come to my room anytime, at all hours to get help.”

She returned to Nigeria in October 2014 with a determination to pursue that calling and make a positive impact in the community that gave her the opportunity to grow. She started by serving in the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) at a secondary school in Bayelsa State.

“I served at CSS Otuedu in Ogbia Local Government Area. I was posted to a school that had no teachers. The students did not have an English language teacher until SS 3. They were only taught by Youth Corpers.”

Diki said she taught extremely bright students who had an ironic disadvantage. “I was privileged to teach very smart students who just did not have the opportunity to express themselves … I decided to do something about the plight of students at home who genuinely want to learn,” she said.

Since returning to Nigeria with a degree and a wealth of teaching, coaching and mentoring experience, Diki has turned her passion and sense of responsibility to give back, into action. Today, she is the Founder and Chief Executive Office of Chairein Academy (pronounced ki-rain), which was registered in December 2015 in Bayelsa and Rivers States.

“I run an educational training consulting firm, which was inspired by my NYSC experience and my desire to contribute my own quota to my community. We train public school teachers and offer a range of courses that teach them leadership skills in class … helping them to recognise the impact of what they do and hopefully to bring back the passion in teaching.”

The firm’s stated vision is: to re-invent education in Nigeria by constantly introducing innovative strategies focused on creating access to quality education through quality academic trainings and consultation. With two employees and number of volunteers, Diki is not only giving back through her experience and expertise. She is also providing jobs and hopes to grow so that more people can benefit from an experience she says SPDC made possible.

“I can’t quantify what this experience means to my community … we are a very small community; in fact, we don’t even have any influential person in government. So, for Shell to believe in us and to allow us to spread our wings this way, is something we can never forget; they gave us something immeasurable,” she said.

Diki added that after the success of the original 11, another set of youths from a neighbouring community also benefitted from the overseas university sponsorships under the GMoU.

Asked why she came back to Nigeria she said: “I could have stayed in the United States. I chose to come back to Nigeria because I wanted to experience Nigeria again, through different eyes. When you’re in a bad situation, you don’t realise how bad it is. It seems normal, and so, it’s difficult to change things. When you step out and come back, you are wiser and you do things differently and better.”

Blast Champ is a new kid on the block, but strong enough to compete favourably with others in the Afro-pop genre of the Nigerian music industry. Having graduated from the University of Benin in 2013 with a degree in Economics, Blast Champ abandoned his degree and focused on music.

BC as he is fondly called by fans, the Afro pop singer has been able to blend the Igbo flavour of highlife with the contemporary hip hop music. His first single Boo Boo Me was released in 2014 and was produced by Nedz Beats. The release of his second single Nwayor shows BC has come to stamp his feet in the sand of time in the music industry. BC is a singer, rapper and a songwriter and he is working with a couple of music producers to bring out the best music.

Interestingly, like Psquare, he also has his twin brother with him in his music sojourn; but unlike the singing twin brothers, Psquare, Blast Champ sings while his twin brother produces most his songs under the name Nedz Beats.

At the heat of the fight in the Psquare music empire, BC once said, “he knew the fight was not going to last long because the brothers are twins.” He said he believed that the brothers would soon come to terms because they shared the same womb as twins. Just like he had predicted that the Psquare twins would apologise to their fans and came back together as a group.

When asked if he had learnt any lesson from the twin brothers’ fight, as he is working with his twin brother, BC, said, “yes and that it is more secure working with a brother you shared the same passion with and that despite the crisis rocking the Psquare brothers, he has no regret working with his twin brother.”

BC was born Anigala Chuka on May 30, 1991 in Delta State. The singer and songwriter is signed to Meshtro Entertainment. BC has always had passion for music because of the background in which he was brought up and then he discovered his talent in music at a tender age. BC played the flute in primary school and was a member of his secondary choir. He performed at various school events as a student of University of Benin, Edo State.

BC is working on a new single that will help launch him into the big league of artistes in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

Nwayor (it easy) is a love story between a bar attendant and a big girl, who went to the bar to relax. The attendant approached her, but she turned him down. He then went hallucinating having big money and the babe.

Drawing inspirations from things happening around him and the society at large, Blast Champ for now is concentrating on dropping singles. He is working to drop an album later in the year.

His latest single Nwayor is a fusion of Afro hip hop and the video is on Youtube.

Toyosi & Da’jazzytee band is set for the American tour, festival of culture, beginning later in the month. The tour is sponsored and promoted by Sammek Entertainment.

The hip jazz Fuji crooner, Toyosi Jazzytee Ogundele, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Da’jazzytee band, started his music career at a very tender age in the Church. With two albums, Appreciation Volume 1 and 11 to his credit, Ogundele is currently in the studio preparing to drop another hit song.

He recently toured three African countries, the Republic of Benin, Togo and Ghana, where he performed to the delight of his fans.

Jazzytee, an international musician is a versatile band that serenades music lovers with different genres music, including old skool selections. Years back, the band toured the globe, where it performed in different events and live concerts such as festival of culture, Ankara night (Xpression magazine), American Thanksgiving Eve, Turkey Night and others.