Jonathan's Presidential Pardon As Part of the Good and Bad of Democracy

Presidential Pardon, as part of the Good and Bad of Democracy

We all remember President Bill Clinton in his last day in office using his presidential power to give clemency to his half-brother, Roger Clinton, whom the President pardoned for drug charges after serving his entire sentence more than a decade earlier.

Many will remember Marc Rich, a fugitive who had bolted from the United States of America during his prosecution, and resided in Switzerland for some time. Rich owed $48 million in taxes and was charged with 51 counts of tax fraud, and Clinton pardoned of tax evasion.

In the same vein, President Goodluck Jonathan, in a country that have on the surface, modeled after the U.S politically, democratically and presidentially, used the power of pardon on the highly celebrated convict, former Bayelsa State Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

The Nigerian public is now being conditioned by the media to see presidential pardon like this one as a messy exercise in understanding at best, and a corrupt flexing of authority at worst, when he recently issued the contentious pardon.

Jonathan, made a presidential grant of clemency to a kinsman, thereby helping to restore Alamieyeseigha ‘s basic human dignity, and with this pardon, his right to vote and hold almost any job that would otherwise be off limits is now guaranteed.
President Jonathan, rightly took advantage of the pardon power—a virtually unique tool that allowed him to explicitly and unilaterally override the other branches of government—in order to oblige history and the true principles of Democracy.
No matter the political cost of this move to the Jonathan legacy, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha,a sensational case in Nigeria and a wanted man in U.K is a free man, at least at home.

Dr. Jonathan saw in the former governor of BayelsaState, as apparently in need of compassion, as such used his constitutional power to grant pardon to a fellow kinsman and nothing else.

May be he should do what President Clinton did in February 18, 2001, when he wrote about the intense scrutiny and criticism that followed the pardon of one Marc Rich and his partner Pincus Green.

Here is what President Clinton said: “the Constitution gives the president broad and unreviewable power to grant ''Reprieves and Pardons'' for all offenses against the United States…A president may conclude a pardon or commutation is warranted for several reasons: the desire to restore full citizenship rights, including voting, to people who have served their sentences and lived within the law since; a belief that a sentence was excessive or unjust; personal circumstances that warrant compassion; or other unique circumstances…”

Again, Jonathan did not feel that Alamieyeseigha should suffer from any more subtle bodily and emotional discomfort, experience any more agony and anguish, and in the process the President developed empathy for his fellow kinsman, no matter how his presidential judgment is viewed nationally or globally.

President Jonathan knows that with time this too shall pass into elapsed history.


~ By John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D.
E-mail: Jos5930358@aol.com

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IBM Helps Nigeria's Ekiti State Improve Its Governance and Education Capabilities

18 Mar 2013 19:00 Africa/Lagos

IBM Helps Nigeria's Ekiti State Improve Its Governance and Education Capabilities
Effort part of IBM's pro bono Corporate Service Corps program

ADO-EKITI, Ekiti State, Nigeria, March 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A team of IBM (NYSE: IBM) specialists completing a month-long pro bono consulting assignment today presented recommendations to Nigeria's Ekiti State Government (EKSG) for strategies that will help improve efficiency and engagement with citizens. The team also completed projects and plans that help improve productivity at the state's university.



(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO)

The 15-person IBM team, from 10 countries, was the sixth group since 2009 to provide assistance to Nigeria as part of IBM's Corporate Service Corps, which provides problem-solving support to educational institutions, small businesses, non-governmental organizations, and governmental agencies in emerging markets.

Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Ekiti State Governor, thanked IBM team members at a ceremony marking the project's completion. He said, "Our partnership with IBM will be a crucial performance enabler and game changer for Ekiti State, as effective application of information and communication technology will certainly help our state build a more accountable system. The collective vision of my administration for Ekiti State is to create a society that everyone will be proud of. We must eradicate poverty and develop the human capital for which we are known."

Working with the state's Bureau of Infrastructure and Public Utilities, the IBM team suggested the establishment of an inter-governmental paperless system for official documents, making it easier to share information and collaborate internally. Externally, the team developed a blueprint for a system to make it easier for citizens to obtain information. Transparency and accountability were the key themes underpinning these projects.

IBM also reviewed the computing technology assets of the Ekiti State Ministry of Education and the state-owned University- Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, where the IBM team worked on databases and Web sites that will make promotional, student, and administrative information more readily accessible.

The work by the IBM team will make it easier for the state to work with non-governmental organizations such as the New Initiative for Sustainable Development, which promotes the effective use of technology in the academic, commercial and public sectors.

"Technology combined with sound management strategies has the power to unlock underdevelopment and help boost economic activities," said Taiwo Otiti, IBM's Country General Manager for West Africa. "IBM's intention is to assist the people and government of Ekiti State to lay a solid foundation for future growth and enhance its human development programs and initiatives."

Ekiti is one of Nigeria's 36 states. Nearly two-thirds of its population of 2.5 million is involved in agriculture, producing a variety of cash and food crops, including, timber, cocoa, coffee, citrus fruits, and vegetables. "Putting People First" is the theme of the EKSG's 2010 - 2014 fiscal blueprint, which aims to ensure that efficient management of the state's natural and human resources yields social and economic dividends.

Previous IBM Corporate Service Corps teams in the Nigerian states of Calabar, Cross River State, and Abuja worked on government projects for education, healthcare, finance, poverty eradication, forestry research, and electric power policy.

IBM's Corporate Service Corps provides access to sophisticated expertise to help improve local conditions, enhance government services, and foster job creation. Team members, who are among IBM's top talent, offer skills in areas that include information technology, research, marketing, finance, consulting, human resources and law.

Africa is a significant focus for the initiative. Since 2008, IBM's Corporate Service Corps has deployed more than 500 IBM employees on 50 teams to South Africa, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, and Egypt. Worldwide, more than 2,000 IBMers from 50 countries have participated in Corporate Service Corps, deploying completing more than 700 assignments in 30 countries.

To learn more about IBM's previous work in Nigeria as part of Corporate Service Corps, please visit http://bit.ly/Yyqgz7. To discover more about IBM's Corporate Service Corps in general, please visit http://citizenibm.com/category/corporateservicecorps

To find out more about IBM's corporate citizenship initiatives, visit http://www.citizenibm.com and http://www.youtube.com/user/citizenIBM.

Follow us on Twitter @citizenIBM

Editorial contacts:

Ari Fishkind
IBM Media Relations
fishkind@us.ibm.com
+01 914 499 6420

Charles Olumuyiwa Moyela
IBM Media Relations
charlesm@ng.ibm.com
+234 808 667 5257

Yinka Oyebode
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ekiti State
yoyebode@ekitistate.gov.ng
+234 802 307 2779

SOURCE IBM

Web Site: http://www.citizenibm.com

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U.S. Postal Service Made $65 Billion in 2012

Mail is Big Business

The U.S. Postal Service is the core of the $1 trillion mailing industry that employs more than 8 million people.*
These types of mail brought in most of the $65 billion in revenue in 2012:

• First-Class Mail — $28.9 billion
• Advertising Mail — $16.4 billion
• Shipping & Package Services — $11.6 billion
• Periodicals — $1.7 billion

If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 42nd in the 2012 Fortune 500.
In the 2012 Global Fortune 500 list, the U.S. Postal Service ranked 135th.
* The Mailing Industry Job Study, March 2011, reported that there are more than 8 million jobs and more than $1 trillion in revenue attributed to the mailing industry.


Postmaster General and CEO Patrick R. Donahoe.

Postal Facts 2013

Both literally and figuratively, the United States Postal Service delivers for America.

Even in an increasingly digital world, the Postal Service remains part of the bedrock infrastructure of this nation’s economy, serving its people and businesses and binding the nation together.

The core function of the Postal Service is the safe, reliable, affordable delivery of mail and packages to every address in the country and its territories.

The Postal Service delivers more mail to more addresses in a larger geographical area than any other post in the world.

The timely service provided daily depends on an astonishing network of facilities, technology and people that collect, transport, process and deliver the nation’s mail.

Postal Facts 2013 ›

A Day in the Life of the U.S. Postal Service ›
Size and Scope

The United States Postal Service delivers more mail to more addresses in a larger geographical area than any other post in the world. The Postal Service delivers to more than152 million homes, businesses and Post Office boxes in every state, city, town and borough in this country. Everyone living in the United States and its territories has access to postal products and services and pays the same postage regardless of their location.

By the Numbers *

65 billion — 2012 revenue, in dollars
160 billion — number of mailpieces processed
40 — percent of the world’s mail volume handled by the Postal Service
1.8 billion — dollar amount paid every two weeks in salaries and benefits
522,144** — number of career employees
108,000** — number of military veteran career employees
31,272 — number of Postal Service-managed retail offices
212,530 — number of vehicles — one of the largest civilian fleets in the world
1.3 billion — number of miles driven each year by letter carriers and truck drivers
39.7 million — number of address changes processed
39 — percent of retail revenue from alternative access channels
423 million — total number of visits to usps.com
67.5 million — number of inquiries handled by the Postal Service Contact Center
246 million — dollar amount of online stamp and retail sales at usps.com
44.1 million — number of Click-N-Ship labels printed
483 million — total revenue, in dollars, from Click-N-Ship label purchases
83.8 million — number of packages picked up using Free Package Pickup
5.7 million — number of passport applications accepted
109 million — number of money orders issued
497 million — amount in revenue from 2,500 Self-Service Kiosks
70,000 — number of stores, banks and Self-Service Kiosks that sell stamps
654,560 — number of new delivery points added to the network
0 — tax dollars received for operating the Postal Service

* all information based on 2012 data, unless otherwise noted
** as of January 16, 2013.

SOURCE: U.S. POSTAL SERVICE.

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Winners Emerge in Xcite Africa’s “Christmas Quick Wins” Promo

Winners Emerge in Xcite Africa’s “Christmas Quick Wins” Promo

TINAPA, CALABAR (JANUARY 18, 2013) It was a great way to end the year 2012 and the most exciting start to the New Year for five lucky winners in the online “Christmas Quick Wins” promo organized by EbonyLife Xcite, the buzzing online community of EbonyLife TV, Africa’s First Global Black Media and Entertainment Channel.



The Christmas Quick Wins Promo, which was a Seasonal Version of the on-going “Xcite Africa Popularity Contest” was also a mini-popularity competition in which the first contestants to add 300 more votes to their existing votes from the bigger Xcite Africa Popularity Contest stood the chance of winning various gifts, including DStv Decoders.



By the December 31 2012, the end of the Christmas Quick Wins Promo, five winners had emerged, turning in superior numbers of votes from friends, family, fans and associates to clinch the prizes available for grabs. The lucky winners were Stephen Ezenwa, Dinoflex, Sir Dede, OJ Segzy and Just Ugo.

During the Prize Presentation which took place in Lagos on Friday, January 18, 2013, the winners were not only excited, they were also individually highly hopeful of being able to win any of the bigger prizes up for the taking in the progressive “Xcite Africa Popularity Contest”.

According to Dinoflex, “I’m really excited to win in the EbonyLife Xcite Christmas Quick Wins promo. Trust me, there’s no better way to start the year 2013 than this. It’s great to start the year a winner and I believe I will win all through the year. I believe I will win the SUV in the Xcite Africa Popularity Contest. I’m definitely going for it.”

For Stephen Ezenwa, “Winning is everything for me. And I am happy I won the prize I worked for. For me, it is just the beginning. My name is written on that Jeep and I will try to win it. I love Xcite Africa and I believe it is the online platform for young people like me who are seeking excitement, information and opportunities every day. I’m grateful to Xcite Africa and I am a fan for life!”

EbonyLife TV launched its online platform, www.xciteafrica.com, in September 2012, in progressive fulfillment of its promise to interact with its target demographic on every possible and relevant modern device, including Online, TV, Mobile, Apps and Live.

About Ebony Life TV
EbonyLife TV is Africa’s first Global Black Entertainment TV Channel on the DSTV Platform broadcasting to a territory known as Sub Sahara Africa and syndicated on other pay TV Platforms worldwide. The EbonyLife vision is to create Africa’s first flagship entertainment brand, by broadcasting premium quality locally commissioned and internationally licensed programming targeted at:

- The growing middle and upper class audiences within Sub Sahara Africa
- Global Africans – Africans in Diaspora
- Non Africans with business and leisure ties to Africa.

Office Address:
Ebony Life TV
VLA House
Plot 1646, Oko Awo Street,
Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

Media Contact:
Olajide Olaoluwa
Email: jolaoluwa@mediaandentertainmentcityafrica.com
Tel: 234 (0) 803 313 5747.

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Transparency International Calls on President Jonathan To Rescind the Pardon of Diepreye Alamieyeseigha

17 Mar 2013 13:46 Africa/Lagos

Transparency International calls on Nigerian president to rescind controversial pardon of corrupt politician

BERLIN, 14 March 2013 / PRNewswire Africa / - Transparency International, the global anti-corruption organisation, calls on President Goodluck Jonathan to rescind the pardon granted to Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the former governor of the oil-rich state of Bayelsa, who was convicted for money laundering and other serious corruption offences in 2007.

“This decision undermines anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria and encourages impunity. If the government is serious about uprooting public corruption, sanctions against those who betray the public trust should be strengthened, not relaxed,” said Akere Muna, vice-chair of Transparency International.

Mr. Alamieyeseigha will now be able to stand for public office again.

President Jonathan should show that he is committed to fighting corruption and endorse the efforts of law enforcement agencies to end impunity for corrupt officials.

Nigeria was ranked 139 out of 174 countries in the 2012 Corruptions Perceptions Index. Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has prosecuted and convicted a number of high-profile corrupt individuals since its inception in 2003, but most of them have escaped effective sanctions.

SOURCE : Transparency International

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Ebonylife TV Set For Its Second Auditions In Tinapa, Calabar, Cross River State

Left to Right: Producer, Amaechi Obi; Sandra Amadio, Associate Director Programmes, Magazine & Talk- EbonyLife TV; CEO EbonyLIfe TV, Mo Abudu, at the just concluded EbonyLife TV Auditions in Lagos.

Ebonylife TV Set For Its Second Auditions In Tinapa, Calabar, Cross River State

TINAPA, CALABAR (JANUARY 18, 2013) Following its highly successful Auditions in Lagos last December for roles into its upcoming programming, EbonyLife TV, Africa’s first Global Black Media and Entertainment Channel, is now set for its second national Auditions which will take place in the beautiful and scenic city of Calabar, precisely within Tinapa, Africa’s premier and preferred business and leisure resort.
The EbonyLife TV Auditions, which are scheduled for January 29 and 30, 2013, between 8am and 5pm at the Tinapa Studios, Calabar, Cross River state, would not only hope to replicate the massive success it enjoyed at its outing in Lagos last month, but it would also expect to set The Nation’s Paradise agog with the usual excitement, passion and possibilities that attend auditions of such events.

According to Ijeoma Agukoronye, Associate Producer, EbonyLife TV, “Calabar is the home of Media and Entertainment City Africa, which is equally home to EbonyLife TV. Calabar is therefore important to us. The good people of Calabar have welcomed and embraced us. The Auditions is our way of not only appreciating them, it is also our way of extending opportunities to them, knowing that in the process we would discover talented people and give them the platform to shine on our Channel and beyond.”
EbonyLife TV, through its Auditions, seeks to discover new, emerging talents in Nigeria and across the continent who fit into specific roles for the Channel’s upcoming programmes. It is an opportunity for all young Nigerian and African people with talents in Acting, Presenting, Modeling and even Comedy, to demonstrate their skills for a chance to become the stars they have always dreamt of becoming.



One of EbonyLife TV’s major differentiator is its programming which is going to be uniquely interactive and participatory. The programming will be rolled out in a Pan Africa wide broadcast on the DSTV platform through a channel distribution agreement signed with Multichoice Africa in 2012, and a Joint Venture Agreement signed with the Cross River State Government on building Africa’s first global multi-broadcast platform, at Studio Tinapa.

As part of its extensive distribution strategy, EbonyLife TV will also sit on Sky TV in the UK and DISH in the United States. Brazil, Canada and other parts of Europe are also not left out of the Global Roll out plan. In addition, EbonyLife TV has struck a remarkable partnership with Globecast, the leading global provider of content management and worldwide transmission services for professional broadcast delivery, to provide technical backbone and drive the Global Black TV Channel’s content distribution on multiple broadcast platforms like Android, Tablets, Mobile, Web and any other modern technological device made by man.

The EbonyLife TV brand is special because its programming is produced by Africans for the global black audience. The bouquet of programming cuts across content in drama, comedy, reality, lifestyle, talk, magazine, feature film and factual that speaks to the yearnings and aspirations of the African person.

About Ebony Life TV
EbonyLife TV is Africa’s first Global Black Entertainment TV Channel on the DSTV Platform broadcasting to a territory known as Sub Sahara Africa and syndicated on other pay TV Platforms worldwide. The EbonyLife vision is to create Africa’s first flagship entertainment brand, by broadcasting premium quality locally commissioned and internationally licensed programming targeted at:

- The growing middle and upper class audiences within Sub Sahara Africa
- Global Africans – Africans in Diaspora
- Non Africans with business and leisure ties to Africa.

Office Address:
Ebony Life TV
VLA House
Plot 1646, Oko Awo Street,
Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

Media Contact:
Olajide Olaoluwa
Email: jolaoluwa@mediaandentertainmentcityafrica.com
Tel: 234 (0) 803 313 5747.


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Nat Geo WILD and Partners Launch First Annual WILD To INSPIRE Short Film Competition

15 Mar 2013 22:00 Africa/Lagos

Nat Geo WILD, the Sun Valley Film Festival and the African Wildlife Foundation Announce First Annual "WILD to INSPIRE Short Film Competition"

Winning Filmmaker Will Apprentice With Acclaimed National Geographic Filmmaker in Africa

SUN VALLEY, Idaho, March 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nat Geo WILD, in partnership with the Sun Valley Film Festival and the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), announced today at the Sun Valley Film Festival the first annual WILD to INSPIRE Short Film Competition—a short film competition that will give independent documentarians the chance to win an apprenticeship in wildlife filmmaking with an acclaimed National Geographic filmmaker in Africa.

The WILD to INSPIRE Short Film Competition will accept submissions from April 1 through October 1, 2013. To capture the "WILD to INSPIRE" theme, each film should focus on nature, with the goal of inspiring people to let the wild into their lives every day through content that is awe-inspiring, real, unexpected and fearless.

Films should be no more than 5 minutes long, and will be judged on the following criteria:

Connection to the theme of "WILD to INSPIRE";
Quality of the storyline and script;
Creativity and/or content originality;
Production quality; and
Editing.

Filmmakers can enter and get official contest rules by visiting the Vimeo contest page at https://vimeo.com/groups/wildtoinspire.

The top three finalists will be flown to the Sun Valley Film Festival in 2014, where they'll screen their short films for festival attendees and a panel of judges, including Geoff Daniels, executive vice president and general manager for Nat Geo WILD; Casey Anderson, wildlife expert and host of Nat Geo WILD's "America the Wild"; acclaimed National Geographic filmmaker Bob Poole, and others, including representatives from Sun Valley and AWF.

The grand prize winner will receive a trip to AWF's Maasai Steppe Heartland in Tanzania, Africa, home to a host of wildlife, including African lions. There, he or she will receive a crash course in wildlife filmmaking through an apprenticeship with a National Geographic filmmaker.

"Sun Valley Film Festival is passionate about supporting established as well as new filmmakers. This competition is a wonderful opportunity to discover and nurture fresh talent," said Ted Grennan, executive director of the Sun Valley Film Festival.

During their stay, the winner will act as documentarian of record for Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park and AWF's Manyara Ranch on behalf of Nat Geo WILD and AWF. Through regular updates, including blog posts, video and photos, the winner will shine a light on African wildlife with a focus on big cat research and conservation efforts. Additionally, the winner will give Nat Geo WILD fans an inside look at what goes on behind the camera and show what it really takes to be a wildlife filmmaker.

"WILD to INSPIRE showcases Nat Geo WILD's commitment to supporting filmmakers who are passionate about capturing the awe-inspiring wonder of the natural world that exists both in our own backyards, and in places many of us only dream of going," said Daniels. "Our goal every day is to take our viewers to new 'wild' places, and we are excited to see where each submission in this competition takes us next."

"Many people love Africa and its wildlife but don't have the opportunity to visit this amazing continent. The WILD to INSPIRE Short Film Competition is a way for the African Wildlife Foundation to bring Africa and its big cats, elephants and other awe-inspiring species to the world while also shining a light on some of the challenges Africans face in living alongside wildlife and conserving their natural heritage," said Craig Sholley, vice president for philanthropy and marketing for AWF.

As an extension of National Geographic's Big Cats Initiative, the WILD to INSPIRE Short Film Competition also provides a real-world, hands-on opportunity for filmmakers to Cause An Uproar with Nat Geo WILD in support of the ongoing effort to halt the decline of lions and cheetahs worldwide.

For more information and complete rules, visit https://vimeo.com/groups/wildtoinspire. Only U.S. residents are eligible to enter this contest.

About Nat Geo WILD
For more than 30 years, National Geographic has been the leader in wildlife programming. The networks Nat Geo WILD and Nat Geo WILD HD, launched in 2010, offer intimate encounters with nature's ferocious fighters and gentle creatures of land, sea and air that draw upon the cutting-edge work of the many explorers, filmmakers and scientists of the National Geographic Society. Part of the National Geographic Channels US, based in Washington, D.C., the networks are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Cable Networks. In 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) debuted, and 10 years later, Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled. The Channels have carriage with all of the nation's major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with Nat Geo WILD currently available in 56 million U.S. homes. Globally, Nat Geo WILD is available in more than 100 million homes in 90 countries and 28 languages. For more information, visit www.natgeowild.com.

About the Sun Valley Film Festival
The second annual Sun Valley Film Festival, March 14–17, will feature a curated slate of more than 60 cutting-edge films and TV premieres, engaging coffee talks with industry insiders like Hollywood legend Jodie Foster, fabulous parties with top entertainment including indie rock legends Built to Spill, a Screenwriter's Lab led by Independent Spirit Award nominee Will McCormack and a spectacular Alaska Airlines Closing Awards Apres-Ski Ceremony. This spring, filmmakers from around the world will bring their vision to the Sun Valley Film Festival and movie lovers are invited to watch it come into focus. For festival details and tickets, visit http://www.sunvalleyfilmfestival.org. Get festival updates on Facebook and Twitter.

About the African Wildlife Foundation
Founded in 1961, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is a leading conservation organization focused solely on the African continent. AWF's programs and conservation strategies are based on sound science and designed to protect both the wild lands and wildlife of Africa and ensure a more sustainable future for Africa's people. Since its inception, AWF has protected endangered species and land, promoted conservation enterprises that benefit local African communities and trained hundreds of African nationals in conservation — all to ensure the survival of Africa's unparalleled wildlife heritage. AWF is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Kenya and registered as a 501(c)(3) in the United States. For more information, www.awf.org.

SOURCE Nat Geo WILD

CONTACT: Chris Albert, calbert@natgeotv.com, +1-202-912-6526, Kristin Montalbano, kmontalbano@natgeotv.com, +1-202-912-3244, Mayu Mishina, mmishina@awf.org, +1-202-939-3333, Carol Waller, carol@cw-communications.com, SVFF, +1-208-720-3965

Web Site: http://www.natgeowild.com

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New Social Media Platform, Vir2o, to Launch in Beta on Friday April 5

15 Mar 2013 13:39 Africa/Lagos

New Social Media Platform, Vir2o, to Launch in Beta on Friday April 5



True real-time interactive social media experience is finally a reality.



ATLANTA, March 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- East Coast Diversified Corporation (OTCBB: ECDCD) announces that its new social media engagement platform, Vir2o, will officially launch in beta on Friday, April 5, 2013.

The highly anticipated beta launch of Vir2o, a fully interactive media site that's been in development for 15 months, will create a new paradigm in the social media landscape by offering a level of interaction not yet experienced with other social networks.

"After a couple false starts due to technical challenges, we managed to pull together the right team to finally make Vir2o happen," said East Coast Diversified CEO, and creator of Vir2o, Kayode Aladesuyi. "I am extremely excited that what we have imagined social networking could be is finally a reality."



The Vir2o beta release is a key step toward delivering the first truly interactive real-time social media experience to users across the globe. Once registered at www.vir2o.com, beta users can:

Upload and share music and photos interactively with friends and family
Shop the marketplace together, see the same products, recommend favorite items to friends
Play games with friends anywhere in the world while live-chatting

Additional features including movie and music services are in queue to be rolled out with the full launch of Vir2o in the second quarter of 2013.

"As I have stated before, Vir2o facilitates real-time social interaction between people, friends and families regardless of where in the global village they are," added Aladesuyi. "The desire for a real-time social media platform sprang from my own experiences of living in the U.S. while having family in Nigeria and Brazil. I didn't just want to send emails or talk on the phone with them. I wanted to share a deeper, more meaningful experience with them. No existing social networking site could do what I wanted, and this is why I decided to create Vir2o."

In addition, Vir2o platform allow advertisers to reach and engage users in a nonintrusive way. The Vir2o environment lets advertisers send targeted, relevant messages to users to foster a mutually beneficial social experience. With Vir2o social communication is two-way and interactive.

About East Coast Diversified Corporation (OTCBB: ECDCD) - ECDC is a holding corporation with a diversified group of technology companies. Its business portfolio includes companies offering technology for logistics and asset management, media entertainment, transportation safety and class attendance monitoring and social media applications.

For more information on ECDC and its group of companies, please visit www.eastcoastdiversified.com.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995: The statements contained in this release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in or implied by forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include the Company's entry into new commercial businesses, the risk of obtaining financing, recruiting and retaining qualified personnel, and other risks described in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company disclaims any obligation to provide updates, revisions or amendments to any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in the Company's expectations or future events.

East Coast Diversified Corporation
770-953-4184
866-503-9316
mediarelations@eastcoastdiversified.com

SOURCE East Coast Diversified Corporation

Web Site: http://www.eastcoastdiversified.com

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It’s A Wrap! Ebonylife TV Concludes Filming Of One Of Its Flagship Programmes, Sistaz!

L-R: Sistaz! Director, Heidi Uys; Lead Casts, Jojo Stavro and Stephanie E. Coker; Director, Reality Programming, EbonyLife TV, Pamela Ofoegbu; Lead Cast, Eleni Stavro; Producer, Pris Nzimiro; Asst Sales & Marketing Manager, Eko Hotel & Suites, Roland Eze; at the Press Conference on Thursday announcing the Wrap-Up of one of EbonyLife TV’s flagship Programmes, SISTAZ!

It’s A Wrap! Ebonylife TV Concludes Filming Of One Of Its Flagship Programmes, Sistaz!

TINAPA, CALABAR (JANUARY 31, 2013) EbonyLife TV is proud to announce the wrap up of the filming of one of its flagship programmes, SISTAZ!

Directed by Heidi Uys, Sistaz! is a compelling Reality TV Series about two sisters of Greek-Nigerian descent, the STAVRO sisters, who decide to check into the famous Eko Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, for a long overdue holiday reunion. While there, they meet STEPHANIE, a British-born Nigerian friend who has also checked in to relax from a busy schedule. Together, they set out on a 30-day roller-coaster to rediscover afresh the passion of sisterhood, friendship and the lively City of Lagos. However, their holiday soon turns into a mission when they host a party at the Hotel. When their diverse worlds connect, their attitudes explode with a bang.

A tight budget production no doubt, but nevertheless a highly professional and world class one, with a first class production team and crew, Sistaz! is bound to redefine paradigms in Reality TV programming in Nigeria, Africa and beyond.

About the success of the filming, Pamela Ofoegbu, Director, Reality Programming Ebonylife TV, had this to say, “It has been an awesome, exciting and dramatic roller coaster ride as we watched events unfold daily. This is truly reality at its max.”
For Priscilla Nzimiro, Producer, Sistaz! “This type of project is the first of its kind in this market. It hasn’t been easy but we are glad we were able to pull it off successfully. This is just the beginning. We thank Eko Hotel and Suites for their support on this project.”

On the Reality Genre, Series Director, Sistaz! Heidi Uys, said, “in reality, making Reality TV takes you on a huge adventure into the great unknown. Every day, fantastic stories unfold as real people live out in a landscape that has been designed for them. Neither they, nor the director know their destiny until it’s discovered on camera everyday – it is riveting stuff and not for the faint-hearted.”

Apart from being the quintessential Reality TV Series, Sistaz! is also a show-piece and resounding statement in nationalistic pride and patriotism as it showcases a beautiful Nigeria and indeed Africa that the foreign media Channels may have deliberately chosen to ignore in favour of its preferred theme of Afro-pessimism and its attendant look and feel of doom and gloom.

To buttress this point, Executive Producer, Sistaz! and CEO EbonyLife TV, Mo Abudu said, “We wanted to make Reality TV that thrilled, with a great storyline, the glamour the gloss. We wanted to showcase the best of Lagos; that many would watch globally and say, is that really Lagos? Is that really Nigeria? Is that really Africa? And we will say, yes it is!!! We wanted to reveal an Africa never portrayed by most mainstream western media channels.”

Continuing on this subject she said, “What we see from them are the projects and women in villages carrying firewood on their heads. Of course these societies and realities exist, but so does the modern African city with all the trimmings of glamour; with beautiful and chic women. The village setting imagery portrayed by western media channels continues to undermine the progress made in Africa by African brands! However, this is what EbonyLife TV, through its programming, is poised to change. We are positioned to give African brands, big and small, an opportunity to be heard and seen, like never before, and in the light that they truly deserve to be seen! That’s why our Mantra at EbonyLife TV is ‘everything you think you know about Africa is about to change forever!’”

EbonyLife TV is Africa’s first Global Black Media and Entertainment Channel set to broadcast Pan Africa wide on the DSTV platform, and globally on Sky TV in the UK and DISH in the United States, with roll out plans also spanning Brazil, Canada and other parts of Europe.

The first TV Channel in Africa set to produce and broadcast over 700 hours of premium and original African content for a global audience, EbonyLife TV’s programming which cuts across drama, comedy, reality, lifestyle, talk, magazine, feature film and factual, is produced by Africans for a global black audience and is uniquely positioned to reach its target demography across an exciting multiplicity of media platforms, including TV, Web, Mobile, Apps and Live.

Sistaz! and other EbonyLife TV flagship programmes will be available for viewing on DStv Channel 159 in the coming months.

About Ebony Life TV
EbonyLife TV is Africa’s first Global Black Entertainment TV Channel on the DSTV Platform broadcasting to a territory known as Sub Sahara Africa and syndicated on other pay TV Platforms worldwide. The EbonyLife vision is to create Africa’s first flagship entertainment brand, by broadcasting premium quality locally commissioned and internationally licensed programming targeted at:

- The growing middle and upper class audiences within Sub Sahara Africa
- Global Africans – Africans in Diaspora
- Non Africans with business and leisure ties to Africa

Office Address:
Ebony Life TV
VLA House
Plot 1646, Oko Awo Street,
Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

Media Contact:
Olajide Olaoluwa
Email: jolaoluwa@mediaandentertainmentcityafrica.com
Tel: 234 (0) 803 313 5747.


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Statement from the Family of Brendan Vaughan Murdered By Islamic Terrorists in Nigeria

Brendan Vaughan.

13 Mar 2013 15:22 Africa/Lagos


Statement from the family of Brendan Vaughan

LONDON, 11 March 2013 / PRNewswire Africa / - Following recent events in Nigeria, the family of Brendan Vaughan have issued the following statement.

“The family of Brendan Vaughan aged 55 from Rothwell, Leeds are obviously shocked and saddened by recent events. Brendan, best described as a lovable rogue by everyone who knew him, lived his life to the full and on his own terms. He was a loved Father, Brother and Fiance who was tragically killed on March 10th 2013. He has been deprived of meeting his first grandchild, a baby girl to be born in May, Brendan may be gone but will be never forgotten.”

“The family would like to thank friends and family for their support, kindness and condolences. We would also like to thank the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Police for their fantastic support since Brendan was abducted last month. We would ask the press and media to respect our wish to grieve in private at this very difficult time.”

SOURCE : UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office

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