Monday, May 30, 2016

Misappropriation of Federal Revenue Allocation for National Security is Treason

Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser, received an extra-budgetary allocation of $2.1 billion from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) within nine months after approvals by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Misappropriation of federal revenue allocation for national security is treason.
It is the worst crime to commit against a sovereign state.


What former President Goodluck Jonathan did caused the unfortunate deaths thousands of innocent Nigerians, including women and children who would have been alive today.
Only the bereaved families, relations and friends of the unfortunate victims know the depths of their great loss .
Mohammed Sambo Dasuki said he only obeyed the instructions of former President Jonathan.

If Mr. Jonathan did not lose the 2015 presidential election, the rest of the world would not have known about these criminal misappropriations, and the national security of Nigerians would have been further jeopardized with more loss of precious lives, because of the evil greed for political power by Mr. Jonathan and his cabal of political contractors and cultists from the Niger Delta to Abuja.

Political amnesia is a common disease among majority of Nigerians who forget the horrible acts of terrible political leaders of the past and fail to learn from the political calamities of the past..

 I have not forgotten the unknown little girl the demonic Boko Haram strapped explosive device around her and sent her as a suicide bomber to blow up people at the market, but she chose to run away and blew up herself to sacrifice her life to save others. Oh! What a horrifying way for an innocent Nigerian child to die. But I know majority of us have forgotten her. To me, she is a martyr and I will never forget her
If only she was identified, her name should have been used in memorial tribute to her and the other innocent children used and killed as suicide bombers by the demonic Boko Haram terrorists in the north eastern region of Nigeria.

Those who forget the lessons of history will repeat the mistakes of the past in the future.

President Buhari’s Approval Rating Averages at 64 Percent after One Year in Office - NOI Polls.

President Buhari’s Approval Rating Averages At 64 Percent after One Year in Office - NOI Polls.

Transform Awards MENA 2016 Winners


Transform Awards MENA 2016 Winners:

The Winners
CONTENT
Best use of a visual property
Gold - Abu Dhabi Sports Council and CBA Memac
Silver - Bank Muscat and OHI Leo Burnett
Bronze - Alef Group and Brand Union
Bronze - Borouge and MBLM
Highly commended- Seha and G Creative
Highly commended- Vodafone and Brand Union

Best brand architecture solution
Gold – AHC: Al Habtoor City and Ruya International
Bronze - Bank Muscat and TBWA\ZEENAH
Bronze - VOX Cinemas and Bellwether

Best use of copy style/tone of voice
Gold - General Motors Corporationand Grow
Silver – Jawwy from STC
Bronze – Jumeirah Restaurants and JansenHarris

Best brand experience
Gold - Jawwy from STC and Frog
Silver - Brown-Forman and JansenHarris
Bronze - Borouge and MBLM
Highly commended - Commercial Bank of Dubai and Industry
Highly commended - Dettol and G Creative

Best use of packaging
Gold - Brown-Forman and JansenHarris
Silver - MBRCGI and Bellwether (Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation)
Bronze - ADCB and StartJG
Bronze - du and Bellwether
Highly commended - Vodafone and Brand Union

Best audio branding
Gold - Al Aan and Turquoise Branding

Best use of typography
Gold - GFH and Unisono
Silver - Edara and Bellwether
Silver - Makarem and Landor
Bronze - AWASR and Bellwether
Highly commended - Ajman Tourism Development Department and MBLM

Best place or nation brand
Gold - Kenya Ministry of Tourism and G Creative
Silver - Moroccan National Tourism Office and Spring
Bronze - Ajman Tourism Development Department and MBLM
Highly commended - Alef Group and Brand Union
Highly commended - GFH and Unisono
Highly commended - King Abdullah Economic City and Turquoise Branding

PROCESS
Best external stakeholder relations during a brand development project
Gold - MBRCGI (Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation) and Bellwether

Best internal communication during a brand development project
Gold - Boubyan Bank and MBLM
Bronze - DP World and Brand Union

Best implementation of a brand development project
Gold - VOX Cinemas and Bellwether
Silver - AZM University and Tagbrands
Bronze - AIBA International Boxing Associationand Grow
Bronze - Kaya and Bellwether
Highly commended - DP World and Brand Union
Highly commended - Grayling and G Creative

STRATEGY
Best creative strategy
Gold - Moroccan National Tourism Office and Spring
Silver - Kaya and Bellwether
Silver - VOX Cinemas and Bellwether
Bronze - GSA and Bladonmore
Bronze - King Abdullah Economic City and Turquoise Branding
Highly commended - Arkad and Unisono

Best brand evolution
Gold - Kaya and Bellwether
Silver - Al Aan and Turquoise Branding
Silver - DP World and Brand Union
Silver - Makarem and Landor
Bronze - GSA and Bladonmore
Bronze - VOX Cinemas and Bellwether

Best strategic/creative development of a new brand
Gold - Jawwy from STC and Lippincott
Silver - AZM University and Tagbrands
Silver - Edara and Bellwether
Silver - nawah and Brand Lounge
Bronze - Abu Dhabi Sports Council and CBA Memac
Bronze - Sharjah Book Authority and Brand Union

Best naming strategy
Gold - Jawwy from STC and Lippincott
Silver - Arkad and Unisono
Bronze - AWASR and Bellwether
Highly commended - Edara and Bellwether
Highly commended - MAF Finance and Unisono

TYPE
Best brand development to reflect changed mission/values/positioning
Gold - Union Bank and Landor
Silver - Bahrain Finance Company and From6 Communications
Silver - Gürallar and Landor
Bronze - ALO and Bellwether
Bronze - Commercial Bank of Dubai and Industry
Bronze - Gulf Finance and StartJG
Bronze - VOX Cinemas and Bellwether
Highly commended - Abu Dhabi Sports Council and CBA Memac
Highly commended - Bank Al Bilad and Brand Union

Best brand consolidation
Gold - Bank Muscat and TBWA\ZEENAH
Bronze - VOX Cinemas and Bellwether

Best rebrand of a digital property
Gold - Red Bull Malja and Unisono
Silver – VOX Cinemas and Bellwether
Bronze - Commercial Bank of Dubai and Industry
Bronze - MAF Finance and Unisono
Highly commended - Entrepreneurs’ Organisation (Bahrain Chapter) and Unisono
Highly commended - QADIC and Industry


SECTOR
Best visual identity from the education sector
Gold - Layton Preparatory School and Ellae Creative Design Agency
Silver - King Abdullah Economic City and Turquoise Branding
Bronze - AZM University and Tagbrands
Bronze - Jebel Ali School and Bellwether
Highly commended - Sharjah Book Authority and Brand Union

Best visual identity from the energy & extractives sector
Gold - The Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) and Siegel+Gale
Silver – NPCC: National Petroleum Construction Company and Ruya International

Best visual identity from the financial services sector
Gold - Union Bank and Landor
Silver - Bank ABC and Brand Union
Silver - MAF Finance and Unisono
Bronze - ADCB and StartJG
Bronze - Commercial Bank of Dubai and Industry
Bronze - Gulf Finance and StartJG

Best visual identity from the healthcare & pharmaceuticals sector
Gold - Kaya and Bellwether
Silver - HealthBay and Omnia

Best visual identity from the industrial & basic materials sector
Gold - DuBox and Latitude
Silver - Arkad and Unisono
Bronze - CBG and Omnia

Best visual identity from the professional services sector
Gold - Qudrat and Unisono
Silver - Edara and Bellwether
Bronze - JLA Architecture and Omnia

Best visual identity from the property sector
Gold - Texture and Ruya International
Silver - GFH and Unisono
Bronze – AHC: Al Habtoor City and Ruya International
Highly commended - Alef Group and Brand Union
Highly commended - King Abdullah Economic City and Turquoise Branding

Best visual identity from the public sector
Gold - Abu Dhabi Sports Council and CBA Memac

Best visual identity from the retail sector
Gold - Yamanote Atelier and Ruya International
Silver - PRECISE Group and MBLM
Silver - Provedore and Ruya International

Best visual identity from the technology, media & telecommunications sector
Gold - Jawwy from STC and Lippincott
Silver - Al Aan and Turquoise Branding
Silver - Cognit and Omnia
Bronze - Alo and Bellwether
Highly commended - AWASR and Bellwether

Best visual identity from the travel & leisure sector
Gold - VOX Cinemas and Bellwether
Silver - Moroccan National Tourism Office and Spring
Bronze - Makarem and Landor
Highly commended - dans and StartJG
Highly commended - King Abdullah Economic City and Turquoise Branding
Highly commended - Shurooq (Al Noor Island) and Omnia

Best overall visual identity
DuBox and Latitude

Grand Prix
Jawwy from STC and Lippincott

Saturday, May 28, 2016

$50 Oil Means Stability to American Producers, Says Canary CEO

Dan K. Eberhart, CEO of Canary, LLC.
 
HOUSTON, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The history of the oil industry is a tale of boom and bust cycles. But when oil climbed to $50 per barrel for the first time since last fall, it may have signaled the end of one of most protracted slumps American producers have seen, says Dan K. Eberhart, CEO, Canary, LLC.
During the historic price collapse of the 1980s, oil fell to about $25 per barrel in 2016 dollars, while this time, oil bottomed out at $26.21 per barrel in February.

Friday, May 27, 2016

Official AMAA 2016 Nominations List



 Official AMAA 2016 Nominees
 
We're excited to share the African Movie Academy Award's 2016 nomination list with you first; bearing in mind your strategic position in the African media space. 
 
The AMAA nomination list was announced yesterday evening at the Protea Hotel, Ikeja - Lagos, Nigeria by the AMAA Jury President Husseini Shaibu.
The 2016 AMAA awards holds on 11th of June 2016 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State - Nigeria. Kindly visit www.ama-awards.com for all updates on the 2016 AMAA awards.
Please use these tags to accompany your posts: AMAA Awards, 2016 AMAA Awards Nominees, 2016 AMAA Awards Nominations, Port Harcourt, Rivers State,

AMAA 2016 NOMINATION LIST ANNOUNCED BY PRESIDENT OF AMAA JURY 2016 MR. HUSSEINI SHAIBU ON MAY 15, 2016 AT PROTEA HOTEL IKEJA, LAGOS.

1. EFERE OZAKO AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM

1. Encounter – Nigeria
2. Le Chemin – Cote De Voire
3. Blood Taxi - Nigeria
4. Meet The Parents – Nigeria/Canada
5. Nourah The Holy Light – Burkina Faso
6. Ireti – Nigeria
7. Life of a Nigerian Couple – Nigeria

2. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATION

1. The Pencil – Burkina Faso
2. The Peculiar Life of a Spider – Ghana
3. Funsie Fast Fingers – Nigeria
4. Lazare Sie Pale – Burkina Faso

3. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY


1, My Fathers Funeral – Cameroon
2. Nollywood – Nigeria
3. Tchindas- Cape Verde
4. The Fruitless Tree – Niger
5. Runs ‘I too Seek The Horizon’ – Nigeria/UK
6. Camera/Woman – Morocco

4. OUSMANE SEMBENE AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST FILM IN AN AFRICAN LANGUAGE


1. Brotherhood Eye – Mali
2. Bala Bala Sese – Uganda
3. Missing God – Nigeria
4. Cursed Treasure – Ghana
5. Wako – Uganda
6. Daggers of Life (Agbe Fe Akumehewo) - Ghana

5. MICHAEL ANYIAM OSIGWE AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST FILM BY AN AFRICAN LIVING ABROAD:

1. Lambadina – Ethiopia/USA
2. Skinned – Liberia/USA
3. LAPD African Cop – USA/Nigeria
4. Boxing Day – USA/Nigeria
5. MONA – Nigeria/UK

6. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA SHORT

1.  Lines  - USA
2. Raptors  - USA
3. Across The Track - USA
4. Reset -USA

7. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY


1. Agents of Change- USA
2.Can You Dig This- USA
3. America’s Blues - USA
4. Spirits of Rebellion - USA

8. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA FEATURE

1. America Is Still the Place - USA
2. Ben & Ara - USA
3. Luv Don’t Live Here - USA

9. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN


1. The Cursed One - Ghana
2. Soldiers Story - Nigeria
3. Ayanda- South Africa
4. Missing God - Nigeria
5. Out of Luck- Nigeria

10. AMAA 2016 ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN

1. Eye of the storm
2. Oshimiri
3. The Cursed One
4. Ayanda
5. Soldiers Story

11. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP


1. Oshimiri
2. The Cursed One
3. Missing God
4. Soldiers Story

12. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUNDTRACK

1. O-Town - Nigeria
2. Tell Me Sweet Something – South Africa
3. The Cursed One - Ghana
4. Hear me Move – South Africa
5. Le Pagne- Niger

13. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECT


1. Hear me Move  - South Africa
2. Oshimiri  - Nigeria
3. Stupid Movie – Nigeria
4. House Arrest – Uganda
5. Soldiers Story – Nigeria 

14. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND


1. Eye of the Storm- Burkina Faso
2. Fifty - Nigeria
3. The Cursed One - Ghana
4. Behind Closed Doors - Morocco
5. Falling - Nigeria
6. Rebecca- Ghana

15. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY


1. The Cursed one
2. Eye of the Storm
3. Ayanda
4. Tell me Sweet Something
5. Fifty

16. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING

 
1. Behind Closed Doors
2. Rebecca
3. The Cursed One
4. Eye of the Storm
5. Hear me Move

17. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREEN PLAY

1. The Cursed One
2. Tell me Sweet Something
3. The Visit
4. Eye of the Storm
5. Beyond Blood

18. AMAA 2016- RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT ENDOWED AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM

1. Beyond Blood
2. Dry
3. Fifty
4. Missing God 
5. Falling
6. O’Town

19. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG/ PROMISING ACTOR

1. Nyanso Dzedze – Hear Me Move
2. Ophelia Klenam Dzidzornu – The Cursed One
3. Zubaidat Ibrahim Fagge – Dry
4. Ifu Ennada – O’Town
5. Eve Esin – Oshimiri

20. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

1. Joseph Otsiman – The Cursed One
2. Uti Nwachukwu – Breathless
3. Abidine Dioari – Eye of the Storm
4. Odunlade Adekola – Taxi Driver
5. Kenneth Nkosi – Ayanda
6. Thomas Gumede- Tell Me Sweet Something

21. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE


1. Thishiwe Ziqubu – Tell me Sweet Something
2. Maureen Okpoko – Missing God
3. Ijeoma Grace Agu – Jimi Bendel/ Taxi Driver
4. Bontte Modiselle – Hear Me Move
5. Nthati Moshesh – Ayanda
6. Linda Ejiofor– Out of Luck

22. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE


1. Oris Erhuero – The Cursed One
2. OC Ukeje – Ayanda
3. Fragass Assande – Eye of the Storm
4. Masego ‘Maps’ Maponyane – Tell me Sweet Something
5. Daniel k. Daniel – Soldiers Story
6. Biuferi Yakoubi – La Pagne

23. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

1. Zineb Odeib – Behind Closed Doors
2. Adesua Etomi- Falling
3. Fulu Mugovhani – Ayanda
4. Maimouna N’Daiye – Eye of the Storm 
5. Iretiola Doyle, Dakore Egbuson, Nse Ikpe Etim, Omoni Oboli – Fifty
6. Nomzamo Mbatha – Tell me Sweet Something

24. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST FIRST FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR


1. MONA - Anthony Abuah
2. Beyond Blood – Greg Odutayo
3. 8 Bars and A Clef- Chioma Onyenwe

25. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR


1. Nana Obiri-Yeboah- The Cursed One
2. Biyi Bandele- Fifty
3. Sekou Toure- Eye of the Storm
4. Sara Blecher- Ayanda
5. Moussa Hamadou Djingarey- La Pagne
6. Stephanie Linus - Dry
7. Akin Omotoso - Tell me Sweet Something
8. Mohammed Ahed Bensouda – Behind Closed Doors 

26. AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST FILM


1. The Cursed One - Ghana
2. Fifty – Nigeria
3. Eye of the Storm  - Burkina Faso
4. Ayanda – South Africa
5. La Pagne- Niger
6. Dry – Nigeria
7. Tell me Sweet Something- South Africa
8. Behind Closed Doors- Morocco
 
 
ABOUT THE AFRICAN MOVIE ACADEMY AWARDS (AMAA) 

The African Movie Academy Awards, popularly known as AMAA and The AMA Awards (and fondly dubbed 'The African Oscars'), are presented annually to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry. Founded by Peace Anyiam-Osigwe and run through the Africa Film Academy. The awards are aimed at honouring and promoting excellence in the African movie industry as well as uniting the African continent through arts and culture. The award presentation is attended by numerous media executives, celebrities, politicians, journalists, actresses and actors from all across the world. The AMA awards are widely considered to be Africa's most important film event  and the most prestigious film award in Africa.The 2016 ceremony is scheduled to hold on11th June 2016 and will take place in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State - Nigeria.

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Lagos Joins New Members of 100 Resilient Cities in the World


Lagos, Africa's largest megacity has been named among the next group of cities ready to take the lead, joining 63 existing members of the 100 Resilient Cities pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation.

100 Resilient Cities And The Rockefeller Foundation Announce 37 New Member Cities, Reaching 100 City Milestone For Its Global Network 
Diverse Group of 100 Cities to Shape Global Urban Resilience Movement, Building Off Notable Progress Since 100RC's Inception in 2013

100RC Provides Member Cities with Funding to Hire a Chief Resilience Officer, Access to Over $200 Million (USD) in Services, and Critical Support to Develop a City Resilience Strategy  

WASHINGTON and NAIROBI, Kenya, May 25, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, 100 Resilient Cities – Pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation (100RC) announced the next 37 member cities to join its global network. Together with a prominent group of mayors from around the world, The Rockefeller Foundation President Dr. Judith Rodin and 100RC President Michael Berkowitz announced the newest cities to join the $164 million (USD) global initiative at joint events in Nairobi, Kenya and Washington, DC. This new cohort spans five continents, including major urban centers Nairobi, Jakarta, Buenos Aires, and eight American cities – including a unique partnership across Miami, Miami Beach, and Miami Dade County – and fulfills the organization's founding commitment to build a network of 100 cities. Through three challenge processes since its inception in 2013, 100RC has received more than 1,000 applications to join its Network, including 325 in this most recent challenge.

As members of the 100RC Network, cities receive grant funding to hire a Chief Resilience Officer (CRO), an innovative new position within municipal government to work directly with city leaders in developing a city Resilience Strategy. The strategy, designed with support from 100RC, helps cities plan for more integrated solutions to the challenges posed from globalization, urbanization, and climate change – including important social and economic impacts.  The 100RC Network provides member cities with greater than $200 million (USD) in direct support from the 100RC Platform of Partners, which provides critical tools, services, and technical assistance from organizations like Swiss Re, Microsoft, the World Bank, and the International Rescue Committee. And cities in the 100RC Network are connected through a peer-to-peer network, leading to groundbreaking cross-city partnerships and solutions. Notably, in the fall of 2015, 100RC hosted a Network Exchange in Rotterdam, the Netherlands – which aggregated challenges from across the 100RC Network on water management issues to learn from leading water experts and bring solutions home to cities as diverse as Berkeley, Calif. and Surat, India.

"The 100 Resilient Cities Network is showing the global community a new way of coping with shared, complex challenges – building urban resilience," said Dr. Judith Rodin, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. "Incorporating resilience planning and principles not only prepares cities for disasters and long-term threats, but also improves everyday living standards for all members of an urban community. The geographical, political, and cultural diversity in the now-complete 100RC network demonstrates that when it comes to dealing with this century's toughest challenges, resilience planning is essential."

"Since 100RC's founding in 2013, we have seen the resilience movement grow from a bold idea into a burgeoning fixture of local governments all over the world," said Michael Berkowitz, President of 100 Resilient Cities. "We are proud today to celebrate the fulfillment of our initial commitment to reach 100 cities – but the real work lies ahead. The threshold of success for 100RC will not solely be progress within our network of 100 cities. Instead, it will be the ability for solutions to scale, and for all cities around the world to build off of the innovative work leveraged by these 100 Resilient Cities through implementation of their Resilience Strategies."

The final cohort to enter the 100RC Network includes:
  • Greater Miami and the Beaches, USA
  • Washington, DC, USA
  • Nashville, USA
  • Seattle, USA
  • Atlanta, USA
  • Honolulu, USA
  • Minneapolis, USA
  • Louisville, USA
  • Calgary, Canada
  • Toronto, Canada
  • Vancouver, Canada
  • Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Colima, Mexico
  • Guadalajara (Metro), Mexico
  • Salvador, Brazil
  • Panama City, Panama
  • Tel Aviv, Israel
  • Luxor, Egypt
  • Greater Manchester, England
  • Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • Tbilisi, Georgia
  • The Hague, The Netherlands
  • Pune, India
  • Jaipur, India
  • Seoul, South Korea
  • Kyoto, Japan
  • Can Tho, Vietnam
  • Jakarta, Indonesia
  • Melaka, Malaysia
  • Haiyan, China
  • Yiwu, China
  • Lagos, Nigeria
  • Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
  • Cape Town, South Africa
  • Nairobi, Kenya
  • Paynesville, Liberia
"Washington, DC has always been a symbol of strength for our nation, and the city's inclusion in the 100 Resilient Cities Network will put us on a path to an even brighter, more resilient future," said Mayor Muriel Bowser. "As our nation's capital grows, we must find ways to bolster our resilience while protecting and preserving our prosperity. We look forward to our partnership with 100 Resilient Cities, and the ability to hire a Chief Resilience Officer to lead DC's resilience efforts, while connecting and learning from other global cities in the networks.

100RC selected cities based on each city's demonstrated commitment to building resilience in the face of the complex, multiform challenges of the 21st Century – along with strong mayoral leadership and commitment to the initiative. 100RC's program empowers cities to design, implement, and manage proactive solutions to the challenges posed by urbanization, globalization, and climate change, including short-term shocks like natural disasters, and long-term stresses like sea level rise and cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
Since its inception in 2013, the 100RC Network has seen remarkable progress – laying the foundation for expanding the impact of its work from 100 cities to a broader group of cities around the world:
  • Since 2013, more than 50 CROs have been appointed through 100RC, which has also inspired governments around the globe to appoint CROs on their own, separate from the 100RC program – including CROs at higher levels of government. In the 100RC Network, cities are reorganizing around the concept of resilience—with many cities in the 100RC Network already formalizing the role of the CROs as a permanent fixture within their city government.
  • A dozen members of the 100RC Network have already released Resilience Strategies, including Resilient New Orleans, winner of the 2016 American Planning Association National Planning Excellence Award. These strategies are outlining specific initiatives for resilience building and are laying the groundwork for significant investment—both from governments and from outside funders. Three members of the 100RC Network – New York, N.Y.; New Orleans, La.; and Norfolk, Va. – received a combined $400 million (USD) in federal funding after successfully leveraging their Resilience Strategies to apply for funding through the National Disaster Resilience Competition, administered by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. Now cities will also have access to a tool that helps them assess their resilience using a new, best-in-class index (the City Resilience Index).
  • 100RC Member cities have leveraged tools and technical assistance through more than 100 engagements with the 100RC Platform of Partners. In addition to their more than $200 million (USD) in commitments to the 100RC Network, partners have innovated and developed new services and tools to better meet cities' resilience building challenges. Collaborations between 100RC Platform Partners, such as the work of 100RC partners Swiss Re (the world's second-largest reinsurer) and Veolia (a transnational service and utility giant), are better preparing cities in the 100RC Network to understand the risk exposure of critical assets under current and future climate scenarios. This partnership not only arms cities with new tools to deal with the constantly evolving risks they face, but will also ensure the livability and vibrancy of cities by building their economic and physical resilience.
  • Markets are beginning to react to the work of 100RC, notably in 2015 when Moody's, one of the big three credit agencies, credited the Resilience Strategy process in Norfolk, VA as partial rationale for maintaining the region's credit rating.
A list of the full 100RC network is available here.
For more information, visit: www.100ResilientCities.org.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160524/371707LOGO

SOURCE 100 Resilient Cities
CONTACT: media@100resilientcities.org, 646-612-7236
RELATED LINKS
http://www.100ResilientCities.org

Mandela Washington Fellows Discuss Sustainable Future for Africa

Mandela Washington Fellows Discuss Sustainable Future for Africa

 ACCRA, Ghana, May 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 160 young leaders from 21 West African countries gathered in Accra, Ghana, to share their expertise and engage on critical issues for the future of Africa.  In support of U.S. President Barack Obama's Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, USAID and IREX organized the West Africa Regional Conference for the Fellows in Accra from May 19 – 21, 2016. The Fellows are leading social entrepreneurs, public servants, and community activists who are creating positive change in their communities.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

How To Apply for the Mandela Washington Fellowship

Applying for the Mandela Washington Fellowship: Pitching yourself in the personal essay

Whether you’re writing an essay to apply for admission to university, graduate school or the Mandela Washington Fellowship, your job is the same: demonstrating to the decision-makers that you’re the person to choose. That’s the essence of a “pitch,” whether in business meeting or a personal essay.
In the case of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, focusing on “how to write a personal essay is the most important,” according to Edward Monster, public affairs officer in Malawi who reviews applications for the Fellowship. “Too many applicants used the essays to describe ‘big-picture’ problems in their country or region,” said Monster, “but failed to describe exactly what they as individuals were doing to confront the specific challenges in their communities.”

Onitsha Tops 20 Worst Cities in the World for Air Pollution

According to World Health Organization (WHO), Onitsha in south eastern Nigeria has the worst air pollution in the world.

See • Chart: The 20 Worst Cities Worldwide For Air Pollution | Statista

https://www.statista.com/chart/4887/the-20-worst-cities-worldwide-for-air-pollution/

Top Reports

May 25, 2016

Monday, May 23, 2016

"I, Daniel Blake" Wins the Palme D'Or



British director Ken Loach's "I, Daniel Blake" was the surprise winner of the Palme D'Or at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival in France

The 69th Cannes film festival ended yesterday Sunday and for the first time in the festival’s history, the Palme d’Or winning movie was screened at the ceremony.
 Click here for the full report.

Lagos Has the Highest GDP in Africa


Lagos Has The Highest GDP In Africa

Lagos has the highest GDP in Africa according to Wikipedia. See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagos

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state said Lagos is the fifth largest economy in Africa.


News Extras

May 21, 2016

May 20, 2016

May 19, 2016

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Cannes Film Festival 2016 Official Selection


Cannes Film Festival 2016 Official Selection  
In Competition
Opening Film          
           
Woody ALLEN (USA)     CAFÉ SOCIETY     Out of Comp.
           
      ***    
           
Maren ADE (Germany)     TONI ERDMANN    
           
Pedro ALMODÓVAR (Spain)     JULIETA    
           

Andrea ARNOLD (United-Kingdom)
    AMERICAN HONEY    
           
Olivier ASSAYAS (France)     PERSONAL SHOPPER    
           
Jean-Pierre DARDENNE, Luc DARDENNE (Belgium)     LA FILLE INCONNUE    
           
Xavier DOLAN (Canada)    

JUSTE LA FIN DU MONDE

(IT'S ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD)
   
           
Bruno DUMONT (France)    

MA LOUTE

(SLACK BAY)
   
           
Asghar FARHADI (Iran)     FORUSHANDE
(THE SALESMAN)    
           
Nicole GARCIA (France)     MAL DE PIERRES
(FROM THE LAND OF THE MOON)
   
           
Alain GUIRAUDIE (France)     RESTER VERTICAL
(STAYING VERTICAL)
   
Jim JARMUSCH (USA)     PATERSON    
           
Kleber MENDONÇA FILHO (Brazil)     AQUARIUS    
           
Ken LOACH (United-Kingdom)     I, DANIEL BLAKE
   
Brillante MENDOZA (Philippines)    

MA' ROSA
   
Cristian MUNGIU (Romania)     BACALAUREAT
(GRADUATION)
   
Jeff NICHOLS (USA)     LOVING    
           
PARK Chan-Wook (South Korea)     AGASSI
(THE HANDMAIDEN)    
           
Sean PENN (USA)     THE LAST FACE    
           
Cristi PUIU (Romania)     SIERANEVADA    
           
Paul VERHOEVEN (Netherlands)     ELLE    
           
Nicolas WINDING REFN (Denmark)     THE NEON DEMON    
           
Un Certain Regard

Opening Film          
           
Mohamed DIAB (Egypt)     ESHTEBAK
(CLASH)    
           
      ***    
Behnam BEHZADI (Iran)     VAROONEGI
(INVERSION)    
           
BOO Junfeng (Singapore)     APPRENTICE    
           
Delphine COULIN, Muriel COULIN (France)     VOIR DU PAYS
(THE STOPOVER)    
           
Stéphanie DI GIUSTO (France)     LA DANSEUSE
(THE DANCER)     1st film
           
Michael DUDOK DE WIT (Netherlands)     LA TORTUE ROUGE
(THE RED TURTLE)     1st film
           
FUKADA Kôji (Japan)     FUCHI NI TATSU
(HARMONIUM)    
           
Maha HAJ (Israel)     OMOR SHAKHSIYA
(PERSONAL AFFAIRS)     1st film
           
Eran KOLIRIN (Israel)     ME’EVER LAHARIM VEHAGVAOT
(BEYOND THE MOUNTAINS AND HILLS)    
           
KORE-EDA Hirokazu (Japan)     UMI YORIMO MADA FUKAKU
(AFTER THE STORM)    
           
Juho KUOSMANEN (Finland)     HYMYILEVÄ MIES
(THE HAPPIEST DAY IN THE LIFE OF OLLI MÄKI)     1st film
           
David MACKENZIE
(United-Kingdom)     HELL OR HIGH WATER    
           
Francisco MÁRQUEZ, Andrea TESTA (Argentina)     LA LARGA NOCHE DE FRANCISCO SANCTIS
(THE LONG NIGHT OF FRANCISCO SANCTIS)     1st film
           
Bogdan MIRICA (Romania)     CÂINI
(DOGS)     1st film
           
Stefano MORDINI (Italy)     PERICLE IL NERO
(PERICLE)
           
Michael O’SHEA (USA)     THE TRANSFIGURATION     1st film
           
Matt ROSS (USA)     CAPTAIN FANTASTIC    
           
Kirill SEREBRENNIKOV (Russia)     UCHENIK
(THE STUDENT)    
           
Out of Competition

Shane BLACK (USA)     THE NICE GUYS    
           
Jodie FOSTER (USA)     MONEY MONSTER    
           
Jonathan JAKUBOWICZ
(Panama / USA)     HANDS OF STONE    
           
NA Hong Jin (South Korea)     GOKSUNG
(THE WAILING)    
           
Steven SPIELBERG (USA)     THE BFG    
           
Midnight Screenings

Jim JARMUSCH (USA)     GIMME DANGER    
           
Jean-François RICHET (France)     BLOOD FATHER    
           
YEON Sang-Ho (South Korea)     BU-SAN-HAENG
(TRAIN TO BUSAN)    
           
Special Screenings

Thanos ANASTOPOULOS (Greece)
Davide DEL DEGAN (Italy)     L'ULTIMA SPIAGGIA
(THE LAST RESORT)    
           
Karim DRIDI (France / Tunisia)     CHOUF    
           
Mahamat-Saleh HAROUN (Chad)     HISSEIN HABRÉ, UNE TRAGÉDIE TCHADIENNE
(HISSEIN HABRÉ, A CHADIAN TRAGEDY)    

Grégoire LEPRINCE-RINGUET
(France)
LA FORÊT DE QUINCONCES
(FOOL MOON)
    1st film
           
Bernard-Henri LÉVY (France)     PESHMERGA    
           
Jonathan LITTELL (USA)     WRONG ELEMENTS     1st film
           
Rithy PANH (Cambodia)     EXIL
(EXILE)
           
Albert SERRA (Spain)     LA MORT DE LOUIS XIV
(THE DEATH OF LOUIS XIV)    
           
Paul VECCHIALI (France)     LE CANCRE    
   
 Source: http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/article/62135.html.

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

The Popular WAEC Bus Stop in Yaba, Lagos

 The Popular WAEC Bus Stop in Yaba, Lagos

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Bus Stop in Yaba on the mainland of Lagos is one of the most popular locations in Lagos state, because the headquarters of WAEC is located near the bus stop with the tallest building towering above other buildings in the area. It is also the main bus stop of the famous Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), the first tertiary institution in Nigeria founded in 1947. It is directly opposite the WAEC building and close to the nearby Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC). Therefore, thousands of students of the two schools use the bus stop with hundreds of other commuters taking different public and private transport vehicles such as the popular "Danfo" minibuses, "Keke" tricyles, "Okada" motorcycles and taxi cabs.

Monday, May 16, 2016

Facebook and Twitter Are the Top Social Networks for Advertisers

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are the top three social networks for advertisers. More than 200,000 businesses advertise on Instagram every month. Source: Statista.

Monday, May 9, 2016

Free and Unlimited VPN App for iPhone and iPad Available Today

Free and Unlimited VPN App for iPhone and iPad Available Today
Opera is first major tech company to launch free VPN app for iOS

OSLO, Norway, May 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
If you own an iPhone or iPad, the free Opera VPN app can help you enhance your online privacy, access more content and extend the reach of your apps. This is especially relevant on campuses and workplaces as people often experience restricted access to social-media and video-streaming websites.

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Read The Mafia Manager for Victory in Corporate Warfare



Have you read The Mafia manager : A Guide to The Corporate Machiavelli ?
 If you want to know how to compete and succeed in the corporate world, then read the book asap.
 I have read it and I recommend it as I have also once recommended the Holy Bible, The Art Of War by Sun Tzu and The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

In the dog eat dog corporate world, being ruthless is necessary for success according to the Machiavellian rules of the Mafia. All I know about the author is that V is a Capo of distinguished fame, keeps several residences around the world. His present location is a guarded secret.

Review

“Whoever V. is, he offers the sort of advice it is dangerous to refuse.” ―Playboy
“A grimly brutally humorous book at the business world. Consider it a merger, or hostile takeover, so to speak, of How to Get Ahead in Business Without Really Trying by The Godfather.” ―The Washington Post

The world's oldest and best-organized conglomerate now reveals management techniques everyone can use. Unlike other guides to business, The Mafia Manager shuns theoretical verbiage to present the philosophy of leadership that founded and captained "The Silent Empire" through centuries of expansion and success. Some sample pearls of wisdom:
-"Be sure you understand what your boss has ordered before you act on his command. What if you whack the wrong guy, or bomb the wrong joint...Learn the art of asking questions."
-"Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer."
-"Don't become involved in any office political battle without first asking yourself, 'What's in it for me?' and then 'What's in it for them?'"
-"If you must lie, be brief."

WCommunity Invites Nigerian Children To Studying Abroad 1.0.1


Ivy League schools are some of the most prestigious schools in the world with high selectivity in admission. The combine academic excellence with the development of the students’ particular and individual skills and talents. They also encourage a strong network of alumni bodies with connections to the best opportunities after school life. The schools are eight in number: Cornell University, Harvard University, Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, Columbia University, Brown University and Dartmouth College.

Getting into any of the Ivy League schools requires adequate preparation on the part of parents as well as the child. Although these universities are for young adults, any parent that intends to enroll his/her ward in one of these schools would need to start the training the child from a tender age.

The College admissions process can be very stressful and confusing, especially for families located outside of the United States, including Nigeria, we are facilitating access to accurate information and expert guidance to help families and students face the college application experience more informed, better prepared and equipped to find a perfect institution.

The session is complimentary and will be facilitated by Peggy Hanefors of Ascent Education Advisors, USA. Years of experience in Ivy League recruitment and admissions combined with in depth knowledge of international educational systems and curricula uniquely positions Peggy to provide guidance and support to students and families around the world.

We thought to extend this invitation to you because we believe this training will be beneficial to you.

Please see invite below.

Due to the limited number of slots, kindly register at https://thewcommunity.com/events/family-in-focus-the-ivy-league or RSVP to kike.ibirogba@accessbankplc.com.

While the Saturday, May 14 session is for Parents and their children, there will be a Parents only session same time on Thursday, May 12, 2016.

The Facilitator, Peggy Hanefors will be taking event participants on the step-by-step practical guide of raising and getting children prepared for the school of their dreams- specifically The Ivy League Schools and other top schools around the world.
Details of the event are as follows:
Date: May 12 & 14
Venue: Plot 1665, Oyin Jolayemi street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Time: 10am

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Producing a Documentary Film is More Challenging than Making a Movie

Meg Masha at the new Tinubu Square in "Sights and Sounds of Lagos" tourist documentary film.

Only filmmakers who have produced both documentaries and movies can understand what I am saying.

I have been professionally engaged in TV and Film productions since I was 17 as a script writer and puppeteer for TV puppet drama at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Channel 10 on Victoria Island in Lagos before I joined others on different locations of Nollywood movies more as an observer than an actor in the 1990s. Then in 1998, I ended up as the Production Manager of "Money Wise" on DBN TV, the first private TV station in Nigeria founded by Sonny Adun in the 1980s.

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Femi Odugbemi's "Gidi Blues" is A Must See Romantic Drama


What's your #GidiBlues is the fast trending buzz in Lagos now, from the street to the internet.
Femi Odugbemi's star studded romantic feature "Gidi Blues" is a titillating love story showing us a romantic drama in Africa's largest mega city of Lagos as never seen before in movies from Nigeria's Nollywood.


What's your #GidiBlues? Seeing your sweetheart topless or eating hot Amala with vegetable soup at the popular White House in Sabo Yaba? My #GidiBlues is hot sex with my sweetheart! Sex makes the world go round 360 Degrees! Without sex, none of us will be here today. Whatever makes your day or turns you on is your #GidiBlues.


"Gidi Blues" is a must see romantic movie you will enjoy.
Starring Gideon Okeke, Banky W, Aduke, Hauwa Allahbura, Lepacious Bose, Daniel Lloyd, Nancy Isime, Bukky Wright, Tina Mba, Segun Obadare-Akpata, Toyin Oshinaike, William Ekpo and other stars in Nollywood and from abroad.  

Synopsis
Akin is an indulged playboy from an affluent family who accidentally meets an interesting beauty in an unpredictable place. Nkem is a beautiful, confident but unusual young lady who devotes herself to her work as a community volunteer in the belly of the city’s worst slum. Their encounter drags Akin into a whirlwind experience that unravels his world.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

TED CRUZ WAS HERE




Dr. Phil Osagie Announced Among Board Members for 2017 WCF Davos

Dr. Phil Osagie.

One of Nigeria's leading international PR experts, Dr.Phil Osagie has been announced as one of the Board members of the 2017 World Communication Forum in Davos, Switzerland. See details in the following official press release.


WCF Davos Switzerland Forum announce board members for 2017

On April 15, 2016, the new WCF Committee was officially announced – the Program Board in charge of the preparations for the next, 8th edition of the annual World Communication Forum in Davos Switzerland. Announcement of the Board is the first step towards the organization of the next WCF forum.

The event will take place on 9-10 March, 2017, in Switzerland, again at the Davos Congress Centre, a traditional meeting place for an annual survey and marking the trends of the global communication industry worldwide.

The goal of the forum is to strengthen the impact of communications both as a business branch and as a professional community that fosters the global development of the world.

The high-level expertise of the 36 Committee members includes public affairs, country reputation, intra-governmental and global corporate communication, social and digital media insight, crisis management, cross-cultural interaction, branding, design, integrated marketing, and more. They represent the national communication industries and professional communities of 24 countries on 4 continents.

Among the Committee members of WCF’s Program Board for 2017 are:
Alfred Koblinger, CEO of BBDO Holding (Austria)
Prof. Dr. Ali Murat Vural, Executive Board Member, Bersay Communications (Turkey) Donald Liphoko, Director General, Government Comms & Information System (South Africa)
Dymitr Romanowski, Co-founder and CEO of The Story digital branding agency (Poland)
Eva Snijders, Storyteller. Coach. Change Agent (Spain)
Faith Muthambi, Minister of Communications of the Republic of South Africa Gabor Hegyi, Founding Managing Director of Capital Communications (Hungary)
Guntram Kaiser, Chief Executive Officer of KaiserCommunication GmbH (Germany) Gianni Catalfamo, Web 2.0 evangelist, Founder of cc:catalfamo (Italy)
Irina Bakhtina, VP Global Sustainable Biz Comms Capability & Training, Unilever (Russia)
Iryna Zolotarevych, Head of the PR&GR Practice at AGAMA Communications (Ukraine)
Jamie Vernon Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief at American Scientist, Director of Science Communications & Publications at Sigma Xi (USA)
Jon-Hans Coetzer, Executive Dean, Glion Institute of Higher Education (Switzerland) Kara Alaimo, Ph.D.,Assistant Professor of Public Relations, Hofstra University (USA) Lorenzo Brufani, Competence Communication, Owner and General Manager (Italy)
Maxim Behar, ICCO President, Chairman of Hill+Knowlton Strategies in Prague, CEO & Chairman of the Board of M3 Communications Group, Inc. (Bulgaria) Mustapha Khalfi, Minister of Communications and Government Spokesperson of Morocco Nurul Ashiqin Shamsuri, Program Diector, Information and Communication Secretariat at Wanita UMNO, and Head of Program at UCSI University (Malaysia)
Paul Holmes, Founder and CEO of The Holmes Report and the SABRE awards (UK) Dr. Philip Osagie, Global Strategist of JSP Communications & African PR expert (Nigeria)
Philippe Borremans, Director Strategy at PR Media - Morocco (Belgium)
Rana Nejem, Founding Director of YARNU (Jordan) Sabitha Natraj, Chief Manager Corporate Communications, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (India)
Saurabh Kumar Uboweja, Founder, CEO & Director Brand Strategy at Brands of Desire (India)
Sean Gardner, Co-Founder of the Huffington Post "Twitter Powerhouses Series" (USA)
Sergey Zverev, Founder and President of CROS PR & Public Affairs (Russia)
Sherwet Kafafy, Marketing and Communication Director at TAQA Arabia (Egypt)
Scott Fahlman, Research Professor, Carnegie Mellon University (USA)
Solly Moeng, Managing Director, DonValley Brand, Marketing & Comms (South Africa) Srdjana Janosevic, Chief Press Secretary at the President's Office, Republic of Seychelles Stuart Bruce, Digital Corporate Communications, Online PR trainer and consultant (UK)

Tanuja Kehar, Vice President, Corporate Communications at Unitech (India)
Tatevik Pirumyan, Executive Director of APRA - the Armenian Public Relations Association Xu Wejdong, Vice Secretary General, China International Public Relations Association Yogesh Joshi, President of ABCI - the Association of Business Communicators of India Zhao Dali, Executive VP & Secretary General, China International Public Relations Association. Yanina Dubeykovskaya, member of the Committee in her capacity as WCFDavos Founder & Content Director as well as President of the WCFA association, shared: “WCFDavos, both as a forum and as a global community, is developing only through the human beings it unites. For 7 years, we have been able to involve representatives of about 60 countries and transform the event into the most influential and most appreciated diversity-of-expertise platform in the world.

The WCF Committee acting as the Program Board in 2017 includes leaders of the global professional community who, as key drivers of the Forum, provide a unique agenda content and intensify its impact worldwide.”

The function of the WCF Committee as a Program Board is to outline strategic key points for the conceptual format of WCF’s 8 edition, announce a draft agenda, steer the preparation phases, make resolutions on due partnerships, suggest or approve topics and applications by speakers, and monitor all the marketing and implementation throughout the year, taking also into account the schedule for due upcoming regional forum sessions till the end of 2016. The WCF Committee’s first action as a Program Board will be to approve the draft agenda for the World Communication Forum in 2017 and announce it on the official website.

Ends

WCF Committee & Program Board for 2017: http://www.forumdavos.com/committee  WCF is an annual global event held at the Davos Congress Centre in Switzerland. Initiated by an International Coordinating Committee in 2010, it has united a great number of acknowledged professionals from 58 countries worldwide.
Since its third annual edition in Davos, WCF has started expanding its global professional community with regional sessions held in some of the largest cultural centers and business capitals across Europe and Asia. The two-day conference covers the latest trendy areas and issues and outlines future tendencies in the global communications industry.

Follow #WCFDavos in the social media: Official website: http://www.forumdavos.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WorldCommForumDavos
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/WorldCommForum YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/forumdavoscom

Contact:
Yanina Dubeykovskaya, WCFDavos Founder and Content Director, President of the WCFA
+41 76 241 3224, yana@forumdavos.com