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Wednesday, June 30, 2021

The Power of the Dot in a Circle for Dummies


The Power of the Dot in a Circle for Dummies 

From the street to the Office of the President

When President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR called the Eastern region "Dot in a Circle", most likely intellectually ignorantly did not know the meaning of Dot in a Circle and majority of his people in northern Nigeria who are intellectually challenged ( my euphemism of the intellectually retarded) who are ruled by their herd mentality have been using the statement to mock the Igbos.
But whatever they do or say, the Sun will always Rise in the East and set in the West.
Dot in a Circle is Center of Attraction and the Nucleus of the nation.
The central and most important part of an object, movement, or group, forming the basis for its activity and growth.

In physics it is:
The positively charged central core of an atom, consisting of protons and neutrons and containing nearly all its mass.

The circled dotcircumpunct, or circle with a point at its centreis an ancient symbol. It can represent:


Solar system

Solar symbol used to represent the Sun

The sun / Gold (Alchemical symbols)

The sun / Ra (Egyptian hieroglyphs)

The sun / a day (Chinese oracle script, the modern character being 日)


Without the Dot in a Circle, Nigeria will be like the solar system without the sun

- EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima.

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Ecobank Group Named 2021 African SME Bank of the Year

 PRESS RELEASE

Ecobank Group Named 2021 African SME Bank of the Year

The African SME Bank of the Year award 2021 recognises the bank which has significantly contributed to the development of the SME sector

LOMé, Togo, June 30, 2021/ -- The Pan-African banking group, the Ecobank Group (www.Ecobank.com), is the African Banker’s 2021 African SME Bank of the Year.

Ecobank beat a host of other banks in the African Banker Awards 2021 to take home the SME Award in a 2020 tumultuous year characterised by the Covid-19 pandemic which continues to ravage many African economies, with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) taking the greatest hit.

Among other criteria, the African SME Bank of the Year award 2021 recognises the bank which has significantly contributed to the development of the SME sector, thus helping them to build the economic backbone of the continent. Part of the entry criteria required that the winning bank has significantly catalysed funding into the private sector in Africa and promoted enterprise development by facilitating credit and access to finance for SMEs.

Since the onset of Covid-19, the Ecobank Group has considerably ramped up investments in programmes targeting SMEs by expanding SME-focused lines of credit, providing technical assistance to SME development institutions and building SMEs’ capacity via linkage programmes in partnership with its strategic partners. The Group has been at the forefront of promoting gender inclusion and closing the gender finance gap through innovative initiatives such as ‘Ellevate by Ecobank’ that targets women-led and women-focused businesses across the continent.

Ecobank Group Executive, Commercial Banking, Josephine Ankomah, said “2020 was a year of unprecedented challenges on account of the Covid-19 pandemic. It required resilience and innovation. We needed to rethink our business and provide innovative ways to assist our SME customers to help them to survive the difficulties brought about by the pandemic. We are truly honoured to receive this recognition. Our immense gratitude goes to our staff, customers and partners who have made this possible.”


Some of the measures taken by the Bank to support SMEs in 2020 include:

Proactively instituting mitigating actions, including tenor extensions and moratoriums on interest, to assist SMEs to manage their loan repayments;

Increasing the utilisation of digital channels, such as Ecobank Omni Lite, to provide customers with capabilities to make payments remotely and conveniently;

Upskilling staff to ensure their capacity to help develop the SME sector;

Collaborating with existing risk sharing partners, particularly Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), to share a portion of the risk associated with our lending to the SME sector;

Partnering with tech giant Google to provide SME customers with the means to develop free online presence through the Google My Business platform;

Collaborating with the African Union’s Development Agency - AUDA-NEPAD - to focus on strengthening Africa’s support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and assist their recovery from the impact of the pandemic by empowering MSMEs with access to capabilities, markets and finance, so that they can play a pivotal role in restarting Africa’s economies;

Launch of ‘Ellevate by Ecobank’ which is a women-owned and women-focused product offering women an end-to-end partnership, through which they gain access to both financial and non-financial services such as financial education, product information, networking and recognition; and

Growing the number of merchants using Ecobank’s point-of-sale (POS) terminals from 5,571 to 15,878, in addition to attracting significant onboards onto EcobankPay, our flagship QR collections platform, from 180,060 to 248,664.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ecobank.

Media Contact:

Christiane Bossom

Group Corporate Communication Manager

Email: groupcorporatecomms@ecobank.com

Tel: +228 22 21 03 03

About Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (‘ETI’ or ‘The Group’):

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (‘ETI’) is the parent company of the Ecobank Group, the leading independent pan-African banking group. The Ecobank Group employs over 14,000 people and serves about 29 million customers in the consumer, commercial and corporate banking sectors across 33 African countries. The Group has a banking license in France and representative offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Johannesburg, South Africa; Beijing, China; London, the UK and Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. The Group offers a full suite of banking products, services and solutions including bank and deposit accounts, loans, cash management, advisory, trade, securities, wealth and asset management. ETI is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchanges in Lagos, the Ghana Stock Exchange in Accra, and the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières in Abidjan. For further information please visit www.Ecobank.com.

SOURCE

Ecobank


Reel Price Index of Content Globally

Reel Price Index: Participate To Get a Report of the Relative Value of Content Globally

As content goes global, we are all faced with the question of how to value content in territories we are not familiar with.

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Simply participate by sharing your perspective on some examples we suggest to you via this 3-minute survey and receive a detailed report and analysis of relative value of content globally. 

You’ll also stand a chance to win one of 100 Amazon Gift Cards worth US$50!

https://www.reelpriceindex.com/?referredBy=vuulr-email



Social Media Adoption Powers SMBBs in Africa

 


PRESS RELEASE 
Social media adoption helps small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to power Africa’s economic growth 

SMBs are the vehicle to achieve youth employment, gender parity and intra-regional trade in Africa 

 JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 29, 2021/ -- A study conducted by Genesis Analytics in eight African countries - Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, the DRC, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Mauritius, and Kenya - reveals that social media platforms help accelerate economic growth and opportunity across the continent. 

The African continent is heavily reliant on its small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the backbone of the economy. As many countries across the continent have embarked on their digital transformation, the research shows that digital platforms can play a key role in the continent's development. 

According to the results of the study conducted by Genesis Analysis, SMBs are the vehicle to achieve youth employment, gender parity and intra-regional trade in Africa. The report shows that surveyed SMBs that use the Facebook apps have younger employees with an average share of 45% of employees under 30. Additionally, SMBs using Facebook apps reported a higher frequency of being owned by women, while SMBs in the manufacturing sector ranked the ability to access new foreign markets as the most beneficial advantage of the apps.

Commenting on the report, Kojo Boakye, Director of Africa Public Policy at Facebook said: “84% of surveyed SMBs reported that Facebook apps have been important for their business growth. This reinforces our commitment to providing the access and skills that help people use Facebook apps to increase employment opportunities, incomes, gender equity, and trade.” 

Ryan Short, Partner at Genesis Analytics added: “The Genesis Analytics study shines a much-needed light on how small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) on the continent are embracing digital tools and platforms. It shows empirically that the use of digdigita tools can drive economic growth by bringing more women into the formal economy; creating economic opportunity for young people; and boosting intra-African trade. We urge policymakers and digital platforms alike to understand these opportunities and to create an optimal environment for SMBs to thrive using digital tools and social media.” 

The report also identified the barriers that policymakers may need to further focus on to increase the adoption and drive significant growth, with expensive internet and data costs and low levels of trust in data privacy being barriers to greater uptake. Resolving these challenges will take close cooperation between governments and private companies to foster a digital environment that can power small businesses to unlock Africa’s rich opportunities. 

Access the full report here (https://bit.ly/2Ucaxy1). 
Download the media kit here (https://bit.ly/361NcBz) [Infographic report and Country one-pagers]. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Facebook. 

Media Contact: 
Idea Engineers 
PR agency for Facebook Africa facebookfr@ideaengineers.co.za 
or pressfrancophoneafrica@fb.com

SOURCE 
Facebook 

Distributed by : APO Group Voie du Chariot 3 1003 Lausanne – Switzerland Tel : +41 21 547 44 44 E-mail: info (at) apo-opa.com www.APO-opa.com

Monday, June 28, 2021

Highest Grossing Movies in Nigeria in June

See the complete box office report on https://ceanigeria.com/box-office

SHOWTIME @ the Movies TOP MOVIE OF THE MONTH

My Village People

A Nollywood comedy that tells relatable African folklore. It follows the tale of a prince, who finds himself in a bizarre love triangle with the marine world and a coven of witches as a result of his reckless lifestyle.

SYNOPSIS

My Village People

The plot

A dark comedy that tells relatable African folklore. It follows the tale of a prince, who finds himself in a bizarre love triangle with the marine world and a coven of witches as a result of his reckless lifestyle.

DIRECTOR Niyi Akinmolayan

STARRING Nkem Owoh, Venita Akpofure, Sophie Alakija, Ada Ameh, Binta Ayo-Mogaji, Zubby Michael, Oyibo Rebel.

RELEASED 11 June, 2021

RUNNING TIME 140 mins

LANGUAGE English

Friday, June 25, 2021

Brown Sugar: The Highest Grossing Film by a Nigerian Filmmaker

 


The Highest Grossing Film by a Nigerian filmmaker is "Brown Sugar" of 2002, an American romantic comedy  written by Michael Elliott and Rick Famuyiwa, directed by Famuyiwa, and starring Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan.
It grossed US$28, 316, 451.

Famuyiwa is a Nigerian-American director, producer and screenwriter of outstanding films,  including The Wood (1999), Brown Sugar(2002), Talk to Me (2007), Dope (2015), and Confirmation (2016).

 

Monday, June 21, 2021

SHOWTIME'S MOVIE OF THE MONTH: Promising Young Woman



The movie poster won Best Poster of the Year by IMP Awards in 2021.
 


Promising Young Woman is a 2020 black comedy thriller film written, produced, and directed by Emerald Fennell (in her feature directorial debut). The film stars Carey Mulligan as a young woman seeking to avenge the death oft her best friend who was a rape victim. It also features Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Clancy Brown, Jennifer Coolidge, Laverne Cox, and Connie Britton in supporting roles. 

Promising Young Woman had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2020, and was theatrically released in the United States on December 25, 2020, by Focus Features. It received positive reviews from critics, with praise directed at its screenplay, direction, and Mulligan's performance, and grossed $15 million worldwide. The film won the Best Original Screenplay at the 93rd Academy Awards, with additional nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Mulligan) and Best Film Editing. Fennell also won Best Original Screenplay at the Critics' Choice Awards, Writers' Guild Awards and British Academy Film Awards.




Saturday, June 19, 2021

Red Sea Film Festival announces $10m fund for Arab and African Filmmakers

The Red Sea Film Festival Foundation has announced the $10 million Red Sea Fund that will support projects with directors from the Arab World and Africa, launching a new generation of filmmakers and supporting established auteurs as they bring their work from script to screen.

The Red Sea Fund is part of the Red Sea Film Foundation’s commitment to the regional screen sector, that will also include launching the inaugural Red Sea International Film Festival that will take place from 11th to 20th November 2021.

The fund will support fiction, documentary and animation feature films, as well as episodic content. Additionally, Saudi nationals will be able to apply to the Red Sea Fund to support short films in development and production.

“Helping African and Arab cinema grow, that’s a very exciting responsibility. That’s what the Red Sea Fund will do at every stage of the making of the chosen movies and episodic content. In providing more than 100 grants of up to $10 million to help the development, production and post-production of movies across the Arab World and Africa, the Red Sea Fund will help cinema that is in full metamorphosis,” says Edouard Waintrop, Artistic Director, Red Sea International Film Festival.

Applications are welcome from around the world to support projects that are being helmed by an African or Arab director. The fund is open from 15th June – 21st July 2021, with all details and requirements available via https://redseafilmfest.com/en/red-sea-fund/.

The Red Sea Fund will be split across three main categories:

Red Sea Fund – Development

The fund aims to support bold and creative directors in developing live-action, emerging media, and animation projects from treatments to production-ready screenplays and concepts. Red Sea Fund will develop projects from Arab, African and Saudi directors that have a director and producer attached.

Red Sea Fund – Production.

The Red Sea Fund – Production is for projects going into production and is aimed at supporting any aspect of the shoot. Open to viable projects at the production stage, with a script, committed director and producer attached, as well as potential cast and confirmed timeline. The team can be emerging or established, but with proven experience in filmmaking.

Red Sea Fund – Post-Production

A fund supporting all aspects of post-production on feature-length projects. Once a rough cut is ready, these grants will support filmmakers to complete their films and get them ready for distribution and exhibition. The team can be emerging or established, but with proven experience in filmmaking.

The festival will see the launch of the Red Sea Souk, its market place and industry hub for the region. Red Sea Souk will include a Project Market, with pitching sessions of more than 20 projects from the Arab World and Africa, as well as the Films-in-Progress workshop. All projects that apply to the Red Sea Fund will automatically be eligible for Red Sea Souk – Project Market and Red Sea Souk Films-in-Progress Workshop.

The Red Sea Souk - Project Market will take place from 12th to 15th November 2021 at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah. The projects will compete for the Red Sea Development and Production Awards respectively in the amount of $25,000 and $100,000.

The Red Sea Souk Films-in-Progress Workshop will take place from 12th to 15th November 2021, at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah. Each selected project in Films-in-Progress will compete for the Red Sea Post-Production Awards in the amount of $30,000.

“The Red Sea Fund is a major boost for the African and Arab film industry. Over the past two decades, we have seen the Arab and African film industry grow and flourish. The Fund and the Red Sea Souk will provide more tools to support the Arab and African film business to make even more of an impact on the international marketplace with the launch of its project market and films in-progress workshop this November,” said Shivani Pandya, Managing Director, Red Sea International Film Festival.

The Red Sea Souk will also contain panels, networking events, workshops and booths connecting the international film community to the exciting new Saudi market.

Friday, June 18, 2021

A Good Filmmaker is A Good Storyteller

"You cannot be a good filmmaker if you are not a good storyteller."

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima.


A good filmmaker is a good filmmaker regardless of the gender, race, tribe, class, religion and location. And every good filmmaker should be rated by the quality of the work whether in #Hollywood, #Bollywood or #Nolllywood .

 It is unacceptable to me to rate a filmmaker by the color, class or location in the world.

Every good black or African filmmaker should be rated and valued as every good white Caucasian or Asian filmmaker.

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,

Publisher/Editor, NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series

mehohome

Thursday, June 17, 2021

Africa: Canon Gets Closer To Inspire Creative Communities Across Africa

Amine Djouahra, Sales and Marketing Director – Canon Central and North Africa (Source: Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA)

PRESS RELEASE

Canon gets closer to inspire creative communities across Africa

Canon Central and North Africa is inviting film and photography communities to get closer and announce collaborations with creative communities in Egypt, Kenya and Nigeria.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, June 16, 2021/ -- Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) (www.Canon-CNA.com) is inviting film and photography communities across Africa to connect and collaborate. They are excited to announce the first three: SYNC School in Cairo, Egypt; Peexoo, a Nigerian photography hub, and the Photographers’ Association of Kenya (PAK). More are welcome as the global imaging leaders would like to develop creative collaborations in every country in the region.

Canon has been a long-standing supporter of film and photography education groups. These relationships can now go deeper by sharing Canon expertise, knowledge and technology, with regular masterclasses, training opportunities, photo booths and competitions.

Canon is committed to build closer ties with its customers and the collaborations are a way to inspire and enrich the next generation of image-makers. “Our mission is to empower people to see the bigger picture, on a grand yet local level,” explains Amine Djouahra, sales and marketing director for Canon Central & North Africa. “In this rapidly changing, image-based culture, we want to explore new and innovative ideas with a wider audience.”

There has been an enthusiastic response: “SYNC is a community based school of 94,000 for creatives in Egypt with photographers, filmmakers and content creators. We are thrilled to build this relationship with Canon and learn, grow and create together,” said SYNC’s founder and creative director, Mustafa Sharara.


Peexoo, a photography hub powered by artificial intelligence, brings together 2,000+ photographers and videographers from across Nigeria. “We change perceptions through film and photography,” said Peexoo Co-Founder, tech-preneur Steven Kelechi Nwadike. “We are ecstatic that Canon is joining us on this journey.”

The Professional Photographers’ Association of Kenya (PAK) is the leading photographic society in the country, representing professionals, amateurs and hobbyists. “We are proud to partner with Canon at this time, a collaboration which will uplift, inspire and encourage our photographic community,” said Victor Otieno, PAK Treasurer.

Through the collaborations, community members gain exclusive access to masterclasses with Canon ambassadors including Emmanuel Oyeleke (https://bit.ly/3xpFaOD) and Yagazi Emezi (https://bit.ly/2SHkx1A) who will present a masterclass to Peexoo members and Menna Hossam (https://bit.ly/3vvefzE) who will present “Fine art and fashion photographer: Challenges of this genre & the future of creating enchanting images in the era of social media”, to SYNC School members.

Regular competitions will be used to challenge and inspire with exciting prizes such as Canon’s mini phone-to-printer Zoemini, the portable Selphy and the G-Series printers, as well as a compact Powershot SX720 and mirrorless M50 cameras.

Hands-on ‘touch and try’ sessions with cutting-edge Canon R system technology, EOS cameras and lenses are in the plan with special, members-only discounts available on Canon equipment.

Canon’s interest in developing and recognising excellence both in amateur and professional photographers goes beyond this. The Canon Future Focus programme for students is in its fifth year and the inaugural Redline Challenge for amateur photographers received great response in entries from African region.

 “We believe in enriching local creatives and welcome the opportunity to connect and support the next generation of visual storytellers. By investing expertise, technology and opportunities in them, we hope to enhance their art, skills and future careers,” said Amine Djouahra.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA).

Media enquiries, please contact:

Canon Central and North Africa

Mai Youssefe. 

Mai.youssef@canon-me.com

APO Group - PR Agency

Rania ElRafie. 

Rania.ElRafie@apo-opa.com

About Canon Central and North Africa:

Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) is a division within Canon Middle East FZ LLC (CME), a subsidiary of Canon Europe. The formation of CCNA in 2015 was a strategic step that aimed to enhance Canon’s business within the Africa region - by strengthening Canon’s in-country presence and focus. CCNA also demonstrates Canon’s commitment to operating closer to its customers and meeting their demands in the rapidly evolving African market.

Canon has been represented in the African continent for more than 15 years through distributors and partners that have successfully built a solid customer base in the region. CCNA ensures the provision of high quality, technologically advanced products that meet the requirements of Africa’s rapidly evolving marketplace. With over 100 employees, CCNA manages sales and marketing activities across 44 countries in Africa.

Canon’s corporate philosophy is Kyosei – ‘living and working together for the common good’. CCNA pursues sustainable business growth, focusing on reducing its own environmental impact and supporting customers to reduce theirs using Canon’s products, solutions and services. At Canon, we are pioneers, constantly redefining the world of imaging for the greater good. Through our technology and our spirit of innovation, we push the bounds of what is possible – helping us to see our world in ways we never have before. We help bring creativity to life, one image at a time. Because when we can see our world, we can transform it for the better.

For more information: Canon-CNA.com

SOURCE 

Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA)



Sunday, June 13, 2021

Top 10 Posts on Kisses 'n' Roses

#sundayvibes ✨💋✌🏼️

Kisses 'n' Roses:

http://kissesandroses.blogspot.com/

TOP 10 POSTS

1. Mariah Carey Weds Rapper Nick Cannon, But Anna Kournikova Refuses To Wed Enrique Iglesias

Posted by EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima

64, 500 Views

2. Scarlett Johansson, Kiera Knightley and Miley Cyrus Nude Poses: Imitation of Classical Nude Paintings

Posted by EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima

24, 300 Views

3. Photos of Top 10 Japanese Models and Top 10 Japanese Bikini Models

Posted by EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima

23,.800 Views

4. Kate Upton: The Anatomy of a Sex Symbol

Posted by EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima

15, 100 Views

5. Apollo Theater Fourth Annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Posted by EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima

8, 071 Views

6. Rihanna is third sexiest woman alive!

Posted by EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima

7, 032 Views

7. Beauty of the Month

Posted by EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima

6, 096 Views

8. I Love Jenni' Premieres Saturday, March 5

Posted by EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima

6, .100 Views

9. #Nollywood Star Actress Kate Henshaw Nuttal Speaks On "Love International" @ the Berlinale Talent Campus

Posted by EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima

5,.800 Views

10. 5 Things You Did Not Know Your Phone Can Do‏

Posted by EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima

5.003 Views

PS: Can Your Man Kiss Your Feet? is my most viewed post with over 300, 000 views so far on the internet, followed by The Rape of a Woman in an Uncompleted Building with over 193, 000 views so far 


Saturday, June 12, 2021

Happy Democracy Day!

 #Democracy

#DemocracyDay

#Nigeria

#June12

# Buhari

#PresidentBuhari

#BuhariMustStay

June 12, 2021 Democracy Day Speech By President Muhammadu Buhari


SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ON THE OCCASION OF COMMEMORATION AND CELEBRATION OF DEMOCRACY DAY ON 12TH JUNE, 2021

Fellow Nigerians,

I join you all today to commemorate and celebrate our Democracy Day. It is a celebration of freedom and a victory for one people, one country and one Nigeria.

2. As with all democracies we will always be going through improvement processes in our desire to reach the goal of a mature democracy, a strong, evolved and integrated nation state to be reckoned with globally.

3. In the last two years we have witnessed and overcome a good number of testy challenges that would have destroyed other nations especially relating to our collective security.

4. The indefatigable CAN DO Spirit of the Nigerian has sustained us and would keep pushing us to put these challenges behind us.

5. Unfortunately some of these challenges came in the shape of violent outrages leading to the loss of lives of many of our dear compatriots and the destruction of some of our infrastructure, including those devoted to improving our democratic processes.

6. Once again, I want to render my sincere and heart-felt condolences to the families and friends of our gallant service men and women who lost their lives in the line of duty and as a sacrifice to keep Nigeria safe.

7. I extend the same condolence to the families and friends of our country men, women and children who were unfortunate victims of such senseless arsons, kidnappings and murders.

8. I also share the pains of families and direct victims of ransom-seeking, kidnaped victims who went through unimaginable trauma in the course of their forced imprisonment.

9. Let me assure my fellow citizens that every incident, however minor gives me great worry and concern and I immediately order security agencies to swiftly but safely rescue victims and bring perpetrators to justice.

Fellow Nigerians,

10. When you elected me as your President in 2015, you did so knowing that I will put an end to the growing insecurity, especially the insurgency in the North East, but the unintended consequences of our scattering them in the North East pushed them further in-country which is what we are now facing and dealing with.

11. We will, by the Grace of God put an end to these challenges too.

12. Unfortunately, like in most conflict situations, some Nigerian criminals are taking undue advantage of a difficult situation and profiteering therefrom with the misguided belief that adherence to the democratic norms handicaps this Administration from frontally and decisively tackling them. 

13. We are already addressing these obstacles and we will soon bring some of these culprits to justice.

14. We are, at the same time addressing the twin underlying drivers of insecurity namely poverty and youth unemployment. 

15. Interventions led by Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria driving economic growth over the past 6 years are targeted mostly to the agricultural, services, infrastructure, power and health care sectors of the economy.

16. In the Agricultural sector, for instance, the Anchor Borrowers Programme resulted in sharp decline in the nation’s major food import bill from $2.23billion in 2014 to US$0.59billion by the end of 2018.

17. Rice import bill alone dropped from $1 billion to $18.5 million annually.

18. This initiative supported local production of rice, maize, cotton and cassava. Government financed 2.5 million small-holder farmers cultivating about 3.2 million hectares of farmland all over the country and created 10 million direct and indirect jobs.

19. Several other initiatives, namely AgriBusiness/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme, the Non-oil Export stimulation Facility, the Targeted Credit Facilities operated across the 774 Local Governments.

20. In the manufacturing sector the CBN – BOI N200 billion facility financed the establishment and operations of 60 new industrial hubs across the country, creating an estimated 890,000 direct and indirect jobs.

21. The CBN’s N50 billion Textile Sector intervention Facility increased capacity utilization of ginneries from 30% to nearly 90%.

22. The Economic Sustainability Plan – our rebound plan for the COVID-19 pandemic developed in 2020 is currently being executed. The plan is primarily focused on the non-oil sector, which has recorded phenomenal growth contributing over 90% to the GDP growth in Q1 2021. 

23. Though marginal we have recorded GDP growth over two quarters; Q2 2020 and Q1 2021. This is evidence of a successful execution of the ESP by the Federal Government. 

24. My vision of pulling 100 million poor Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years has been put into action and can be seen in the National Social Investment Programme, a first in Africa and one of the largest in the world where over 32.6m beneficiaries are taking part. We now have a National Social register of poor and vulnerable households, identified across 708 local government areas, 8,723 wards and 86,610 communities in the 36 States and the FCT. 

25. Our conditional cash transfer program has benefited over 1.6 million poor and vulnerable households comprising more than 8 million individuals. This provides a monthly stipend of N10,000 per household. 

26. I have also recently approved the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy Plan that augments existing plans to further reduce poverty in Nigeria.

27. As at the end of 2020, the Development Bank of Nigeria had disbursed 324 billion Naira in loans to more than 136,000 MSMEs, through 40 participating Financial Institutions. I am to note that 57% of these beneficiaries are women while 27% are the youth. 

28. We are able to do all these and still accelerate our infrastructure development through sensible and transparent borrowing, improved capital inflow, improving and increasing revenue through capturing more tax bases and prudent management of investment proceeds in the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

Fellow Nigerians,

29. Our infrastructure revolution continues with key projects attaining critical milestones under the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund; The Second Niger Bridge, The Lagos- Ibadan Expressway and the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway.

30. I have also approved the establishment of Infraco Plc, a world-class infrastructure development vehicle wholly focused on Nigeria with a capital structure of N15 trillion.

31. The rail system is not left out as the Itakpe-Warri standard gauge rail was completed and commissioned 33 years after construction began. The Lagos-Ibadan double track railway line which I have just commissioned has commenced operations. 

32. We are focused on ensuring that our infrastructure drive is key to economic growth and one that can be felt by every Nigerian. Building critical infrastructure in our ports is also opening up opportunities for the Nigerian economy. 

33. My approval for 4 new seaports using a Public-Private-Partnership approach is hinged on growing the Nigerian economy. These four sea ports; Lekki Deep Sea Port, Bonny Deep Sea Port, Ibom Deep Sea Port and Warri Deep Sea port will create massive job opportunities and foreign investment inflows.

34. We have worked at deepening our Eastern ports leading to success like having three container ships berth at Calabar port, a first in 11 years. Similarly, on October 30 2019, an LPG tanker operated by NLNG berthed in Port Harcourt, the first time an LPG ship is berthing at any of the Eastern Ports.

35. As we invest in these new assets, we have also made strides in ensuring that they are secured and protected. In this regard I am also pleased to note the launch of the NIMASA Deep Blue project – which is an Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure that I recently commissioned. This initiative is designed to add to the layer of security we have to safeguard our maritime sector. 

Dear Nigerians, 

36. I will be the first to admit that in spite of our efforts and achievements which are there for all to see, there is still much more to be done and we are doing our best in the face of scarce resources and galloping population growth rate that consistently outstrips our capacity to provide jobs for our populace. Our over-all economic target of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years is our goal notwithstanding COVID-19.

37. In the last two years we lifted 10.5 million people out of poverty – farmers, small-scale traders, artisans, market women and the like.

38. I am very convinced that this 100 million target can be met and this informed the development of a National poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy. The specific details of this accelerated strategy will be unveiled shortly.

39. In the last one year, Nigeria and the whole world faced COVID-19 for which no one was fully prepared.

40. Our response to the pandemic involved making hard choices in balancing livelihoods and public health concerns. You are all living witnesses to how successful this has been due to a number of pro-active measures put in place. Our response to COVID-19 is globally acclaimed.

41. We were able to ensure that the various lockdown measures did not impact too negatively on the ability of ordinary Nigerians to continue sustaining their livelihoods.

42. During the pandemic, we disbursed N5,000 to 1 million Nigerians using a Rapid Response Register and advanced N20,000 to 750,000 beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer Progamme and provided 1.37 million Nigerians with palliatives from CACOVID.

43. At the same time the Federal Government released 109,000 metric tonnes of food reserve stocks and 70,000 metric tonnes of grains to the poor and vulnerable in all 36 states of the federation.

44. In addition, Government reduced interest rates from 9% to 5% for struggling businesses and extended credit facilities to 548,345 beneficiaries.

Fellow Nigerians,

45. When this administration decided to change our Democracy Day from 29th May to June 12th in my first tenure, it was not only to honour the sacrifices of the men and women of our country who fought for the return to democracy but also to demonstrate our commitment to satisfy the aspirations of the people and creating an environment for democracy to be an accepted way of life.

46. As your President, I remain committed to providing an enabling environment for a free, fair and credible electoral system under my tenure.

47. However, you need to play your part by getting involved at any level you can supporting a democratic system that works for all and not for a section or a select few and demand accountability from your elected leaders.

48. My commitment to bequeathing a sustainable democratic culture remains resolute, my pursuit of a fair society remains unshaken and my desire to see that Nigeria remains a country for each and every one of us has never been stronger.

49. In responding to the challenges that this period imposes on us, Government also recognises the need to acknowledge notions of marginalisation and agitations for constitutional amendments among various segments of our population. 

50. While this government is not averse to constitutional reform as part of our nation building process, everyone must understand that the primary responsibility for constitutional amendments lies with the National Assembly.

51. This body which, as I said, is the arm of government responsible for constitutional changes has concluded the preliminary stages of amending and improving our constitution in a way that the majority of Nigerians will be happy with. 

52. Government is, however, willing to play a critical role in the constitutional amendment process without usurping the powers of the National Assembly in this regard.

53. As a nation we have come very far from where we started and we are getting incrementally closer to where we ought to be.

54. Overcoming the present challenges is but one of a necessary process that we have to undergo as a nation so that we can come out stronger. The day I joined the Nigerian Army I was prepared to lay down my life for Nigeria.

55. As your President I remain ever committed to upholding and defending Nigeria’s Corporate existence.

56. In adhering to the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy notably section 14(2)(b) I shall do all within my power to ensure that the Security and welfare of the people remain the primary purpose of government.

57. I have, throughout my tenure, provided the security agencies with all they require relative to available resources and will be providing more as te dynamics unfold to put an end to our security problems.

58. My strong belief in the Nigerian spirit gives me comfort that we are facing these challenges with renewed commitment to keep our country one.

59. I thank you for your patience and attention and more importantly your resolve to join hands in making Nigeria the country of our dream.

Happy Democracy Day! God Bless us All, God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.


Real Estate Today on Wakaati TV

Until you have your own house, you don't have a home. 
- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima. 

The N100 million you spend on buying a new Bentley car would be better spent on building or buying a house that will be uours for life.

An expensive posh car cannot last longer than ten to twenty years.
How long will a posh car last? 
10-20 years and it will end up parked in the garage or end ip in the junkyard 

A house will last longer than a lifetime and will be an inheritance from you to your children and even grandchildren. 

Watch REAL ESTATE TODAY on Wakaati TV for the -

5 Reasons Why Real Estate Is a Great Investment

As one of the stars of "Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles," James Harris knows a thing or two about making money in real estate.

1. Real estate provides better returns than the stock market without as much volatility.

2. Real estate has a high tangible asset value.

3. Real estate values will always increase over time. 

4. An investment in real estate can also diversify your portfolio.

5. Last but not least, real estate investing comes with numerous tax benefits.

Wakaati TV on StarTimes DTT Channel 100 and DTH Channel 200 broadcast nationwide in Nigeria, Ghana and 17 other countries in Africa and streaming live worldwide on https://www.wakaati.com 24/7 with over 5 million viewers so far and increasiing every day.


Friday, June 11, 2021

The Prophet Lied

 #Twitter

#TwitterNigeriaBan

#TwitterNigeria

The Prophet Lied is a must read 

The Importance of Location Managers and Real Estate Agents in Nolllywood and the Film Industry

Photo credit:  http://www.tadejznidarcic.com/nollywood

The Importance of Location Managers and Real Estate Agents in Nolllywood and the Film Industry

There is no film or TV production without a location manager. And every location manager needs the service of real estate agents in locating the appropriate and suitable locations for a film or TV production.

As already known:"The location manager handles the creative side of finding appropriate locations, but they also handle the logistics needed to make that location work, like paying the property owners, securing permits, and alerting neighbors about the film shoot. The location manager reports to the production designer, but collaborates frequently with the director. The location manager oversees and hires the entire location department."


Real estate includes the land along with any permanent improvements attached to the land, whether natural or man-made—including water, trees, minerals, buildings, homes, fences, and bridges.  

Photo credit:  http://www.tadejznidarcic.com/nollywood.

R
eal estate agents in Nigeria have not realized that they are important to the production of movies, TV series, documentaries and music videos and they can contribute a lot to the advancement of Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry. They should have regular communication with location managers, production managers, production designers, producers and directors in film and TV productions.

Bankable stars in Nolllywood build or buy houses worth millions of naira.

The importance of real estate in Nolllywood and the Nigerian film industry can also be seen in gentrification. Gentrification in urban studies means the renovation and transformation of a neighborhood, previously occupied by the lower class to suit the tastes of the middle or upper class. (Atkinson and Bridge, 2005, smith 1996). It can also be seen as a lens through which to examine a variety of intersecting phenomena in a city or neighborhood context. (Lees et.al, 2008); which can be seen in various Nigerian movies and TV series showing the social class hierarchy of the Nigerian society with the actors playing personalities in the middle class and upper class either living in, building or acquiring palatial mansions and those in rags to riches stories shown relocating from the ghettos to upscale neighborhoods to keep up with the Joneses. In fact, several bankable stars in Nolllywood are often seen announcing acquiring new mansions or building houses on different locations in Nigeria and others have become brand ambassadors of popular real estate companies.


- By Jaiyesimi Olamide Yusuf,

Senior Features Editor, NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series.


Thursday, June 10, 2021

Dear America, Don't Mistake Idiocy For Democracy

 #Twitter

#twitternigeriaban

#TwitterNigeria

"Don't mistake Idiocy for Democracy."

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,

Publisher/Editor, 
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series 
247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) / Twitter

Author of "In the House of Dogs", "The Prophet Lied", "Scarlet Tears of London", "Diary of the Memory Keeper", "The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigeria: My Eyewitness Account of the 2015 Presidential Election" and other books.

Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Eze Agha, The King of War!

Eze Agha: King of War!

Inspired by the history of Igbo Ukwu, I want to produce an epic film of a great Igbo King called Eze Agha, King of War, who was known for being a defender of the defenceless chiefdoms by fighting for them against their oppressors. He attacked and freed slaves from the wicked kings of other kingdoms. 

He was said to be the son of a great prince and a river goddess. He was born with powers of immunity to weapons and could disappear and reappear. But it was an abomination for him to sleep with a married woman. Committing adultery would destroy his immunity. And that was what was used to capture him.

A beautiful young woman who was already married was hired to lie to him that she was a maiden who was still a virgin. He fell in love with her and slept with her. After sleeping with her, he suddenly felt weak and knew that he had done the forbidden act of adultery.
The seductress escaped to inform her people and they prepared for battle against him 
His witch doctor warmed him to avoid the battle to save his life. But he refused.
"Eze Agha! You are now as visible and vulnerable as mere mortals. Flee before it is too late," the witch doctor lamented.
"No. If I cannot be brave in my mortal body as other mortals, then I am not worthy of being a warrior and to be the King of War," he said fearlessly.

He went to war against his enemies and he fought bravely as his warriors, but was wounded and captured. They took him away as a prisoner of war to their kingdom where he was paraded and mocked. 

In his pains, he cried and called for the spirit of his mother. Suddenly torrential rain fell and the kingdom of his captors was flooded. And his mother appeared walking on the waters with her arms stretched out to him. 
"Come my beloved son. From the canal of my womb you came and to my womb you shall return," she said in echoing voice with thunder and lightning. 
He held her arms and as she embraced him, the waters of the flood rose above them and carried them into the Imo river.
After the rains, the captors in fear and trembling came to the prison where they kept him and did not see him. They told the story of his mysterious disappearance to everyone and his story continued to be told till date 

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima.
©All rights reserved. No part of this content should be copied, duplicated or extracted from in any format of Media without the authorization and permission of the author. 
June 7, 2021.


Sunday, June 6, 2021

Leos Carax Makes "Annette" Masterpiece of Modern Cinema



"Annette" by Leos Carax is an awesome poetic romantic musical drama that is going to become an all time classic in modern cinema.


The cinematography by Caroline Champetier is awesome in poetic imagery of impressionism.  

Adam Driver as "Henry McHenry" and Marion Cotillard as "Ann Defrasnoux" were outstanding in unforgettable performances of their iconic characters of two famous entertainers who became starstruck lovers in Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world.

Synopsis:

Present-day Los Angeles. Henry is an outspoken stand-up comedian, Ann a world-famous singer. They’re a happy celebrity couple, living life in the glare of the spotlight, but their world is turned upside-down by the birth of their first child, Annette, a mysterious little girl with an exceptional destiny.

The opening film of the 74th annual Cannes Film Festival is most likely going to win the Palme d'Or. 

I  look forward to seeing it nominated for the Best Picture and other Oscars at the next Academy Awards of the Academy  of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), in 2022.

Release Date:

Friday, August 6, 2021 (Limited)

Friday, August 20, 2021 (PrimeVideo)

 Runtime: 2 rs, 20m  

Language: English

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,

https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima

Saturday, June 5, 2021

Chad and Morocco in Official Selection of the 74th Annual Cannes Film Festival

Chad and Morocco in Official Selection of the 74th Annual Cannes Film Festival


Two films by African filmmakers are in competition for the prestigious Palme d'Or, the most coveted award of the annual Cannes Film Festival in France 

In competition is "Lingui,” by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, who was the  Minister of Tourism, Culture and Crafts of Chad from February 5, 2017 to February 8, 2018. He is well known for his award winning films, including "Bye, Bye Africa", winner of the Best Film Prize at the 1999: annual Venice Film Festival; "Daratt", winner of the Special Jury Prize at the  2006 annual Venice Film Festival and the Yennenga bronze stallion and Best Photo Award at 2007 FESPACO; "A Screaming Man", winner of the Jury Prize at the 2010 annual Cannes Festival and the Robert Bresson Prize at the Venice Film Festival (awarded by the Catholic Church).

The second film is "Casablanca Beats" (Hauts et forts) by Nabil Ayouch, the first by a Moroccan filmmaker to qualify for the competition of the Official Selection of the annual Cannes Film Festival. The  74th annual Cannes Film Festival, is from July 6 to 17, 2021.


- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,

Publisher/Editor, NOLLYWOOD MIRROR ® Series.