Oby Ezekwesili Named Among Top 5 Igbo Leaders Who Can Become President of Nigeria

Oby Ezekwesili Named Among Top 5 Igbo Leaders Who Can Become President of Nigeria

Ms. Obiageli Katryn Ezekwesili, Vice President of the World Bank's Africa Division and former Federal Minister of Solid Minerals and Federal Minister of Education during the second term presidency of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and co-founder of Transparency International, one of the pioneer Directors of the global anti-corruption body based in Berlin, Germany is among the top five Igbo leaders recognized as having the outstanding presidential qualities for the future leadership of Africa's most populous nation.
"This African amazon is an anti corruption crusader and a proven administrator who can become a great female President of Nigeria and transform Nigeria into the China of Africa with due process, " noted the author.
Source: Transform Nigeria Network.

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Uche Jombo is Hot And Sexy in "When Dreams Fall Apart"

Uche Jombo is the dynamite that explodes in Nollywood movies. 

She leaves a long lasting impression on the viewer of her movies and I actually gave her excellent marks for her gripping "Damage" trilogy (damage,My life my damage, My country their damage) on the traumatic consequences of domestic violence in homes: a socioeconomic cause thats very personal to her. "My life, My Damage" deals with drugs and HIV; while "My Country, Their Damage" is on human trafficking and human labour.

 

 Uche Jombo is the star of prolific Nollywood filmmaker Chico Ejiro's latest movie "When Dreams Fall Apart' " which reminds me of many unforgettable circumstances in relationships.
The film has already won awards, including the Best Movie Award in Nigeria at the 2013 Abuja International Film Festival.

When dreams fall apart is a story about a girl on the run, to save her life. When her uncle whom she's living with died, the death was framed on her so she ran away to stay with a group of friends who are into big time runs. One night they set out to hustle and she meets a rich expatriate guy who pays to sleep with her. In the process of their love making the guy had a heart attack and died instantly. The girl takes off again, a fugitive running from the law. She gets knocked down by a moving car and she's rushed to a nearby hospital. The rich young man who hit her falls in love with her and her romance kicks off against the will of the guy's parents who have a rich and influential background. They begin to dig into the girls past and expose her dirty secrets but the guy is blinded by love still goes ahead with the wedding plans

On the wedding day as they were about to be joined as husband and wife, we see a band of policemen who surrounds the venue and arrest the bride to be. When dreams fall apart is an intriguing story of love, betrayal, murder and pain.

Starring: UCHE JOMBO, VINCENT OPURUM, EMMANUEL V. MENSAH, MAUREEN OKPOKO.

Producer/Director: CHICO EJIRO

 When Dreams Fall Apart opens at the cinemas in Nigeria and Ghana from March 14. 2014.

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The Task Before Eze Duruiheoma, New Chairman of National Population Commission

Eze Duruiheoma, the new Chairman of the National Population Commission, NPC.


The Task Before Duruiheoma

~ By  Ingram   Osigwe

When service to fatherland beckons and tough task has to be handled, men with patriotic fervor do not shy away; they stand to be counted. This tells why Generals only retire but never tired because they spring to action and are called to defend their fatherland when threatened with conquest by enemies. Eze Duruiheoma, the new Chairman of the National Population Commission, NPC fits this characterisation.

Duruiheoma has paid his dues in the bar and has also served his fatherland in other capacities. But the Imo State born Legal luminary is now saddled with a different kind of service to Nigeria; the very challenging task of heading the Nigerian Population Commission (NPC).

Last December when President Goodluck Jonathan named him Nigeria’s Chief population enumerator and was immediately confirmed by the Senate, Duruiheoma was not under the illusion that his new job was a picnic. And as he formally takes charge of the NPC, Eze Duruiheoma is also not unmindful of the huge expectations of Nigerians on him. His appointment as the NPC boss is in tandem with President Jonathan’s desire to embark upon the issuance of National Identity Card to all Nigerians.

Therefore, the new NPC Chairman is aware of the huge, challenging job ahead of him. He does not need to be reminded that the task of conducting acceptable country-wide population census in a diverse and politically charged country like Nigeria is a no mean one. President Jonathan also has the presence of mind to recognize this hence he went for one of the nation’s best brains and a team player as NPC boss. Duruiheoma is aware that credible census figure is key to peace and stability in an emerging economy and multi-ethnic society like Nigeria. A population and housing census is the total process of collecting, compiling, analysis and publishing and disseminating data on demographic, economic and social conditions of the people as well as the conditions under which they live at specific period of time. Census is the primary source of the basic benchmark statistics on the population and housing characteristics of the nation. It provides information on population size, age and sex composition, geographic distribution and housing characteristics and facilities bearing on the social aspect of the nation.
With Duruiheoma at the driver’s seat of the NPC, the fundamental purpose of census is expected to be his and his team’s guiding light. Essentially, another cardinal purpose of census is to provide the facts essential to government for policy-making, planning and administration. The characteristics of the population drive the decision making that facilitates the development of socio-economic policies that will enhance the welfare of the population.

The Duruiheoma -led NPC, no doubt will have it at the back of their minds that population census provides important data for the analysis and appraisal of the changing pattern of rural/urban movement and concentration, the development of urbanized area, geographical distribution of the population according to such variables as occupation and education, as well as the socio-economic characteristics of the population and the labour force. These variables also provide the basis of question of scientific interest that are of importance both to pure research and for solving practical problems of industrial and commercial growth and management.

As former Chairman of the Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Eze Duruiheoma has been a manager of men and resources, it is therefore expected that he would have no problem providing efficient leadership to the NPC. And as the man who would superintendent Nigeria’s next population census, he will be bringing this wealth of experience to bear in handling the exercise.

Obviously, the President was guided in his choice of Duruiheoma as the boss of a sensitive government agency like the NPC by the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN’s) tenacity of purpose.

Duruiheoma is also a unifying factor. This could be gleaned from the way he was able to weld Imo PDP together after inheriting a severely fractured party in the state.

The new NPC boss’ taciturn nature does not in any way dwarf his doggedness. Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, during Senate’s screening of Duruiheoma and other members of the Commission, described the new NPC helmsman as a man of good character and a team player who is hugely knowledgeable. What it therefore means is that President Jonathan needed a man with tenacity of purpose and dogged spirit to drive a hydra-headed octopus organization like the NPC, the very character traits the man Duruiheoma replaced, Eze Festus Odimegwu possessed.  . And he found that in Duruiheoma. It is gratifying and to the credit of Mr. President that following the resignation of Odimegwu, one of Ndigbo’s nay Imo’s best, as the NPC Chairman, he (President Jonathan) found another bright Imo son worthy of replacing him. The huge expectations on Duruiheoma is why failure on his part is not an option.

As Nigerian’s Chief population enumerator, Duruiheoma is aware that the 2016 census must be got right because population size and characteristics aid in influencing the location of businesses and services that satisfy the need of the target population census, the 2016 census inclusive. It also constitutes the principal source of records for use as a sampling frame for household surveys during the years between census.

Senate President, David Mark probably thought this way when he advised Duruiheoma and his team to take their jobs serious because according to him, population is a very important issue. “We do not want inflated census figures and we do not want our population to be underestimated so you must live up to expectation”, Mark told the new NPC boss and his team. Eze Duruiheoma, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), hails from the same Orlu zone, of Imo State as his successor, Odimegwu.


***************
Ingram  Osigwe  wrote  from  Umuopia – Akokwa  in Imo State.

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There is No Transformation Without Reformation

There is no transformation without reformation.
We have to reform the government before we can transform Nigeria.

Two terrible things plague Nigeria. Ignorance of the populace and the incompetence of the corrupt ruling class.
We must get rid of these terrible plagues to Transform Nigeria.

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Nollywood Star Stephanie Linus Saves 22 Women with VVF and Donates Surgical Equipment

Stephanie Linus’ Extended Hands Foundation Performs Repair Surgeries on 22 Women with VVF & Donates Surgical Equipment

It all started out as a passion to spread the word to as many people as possible on the dangers of Vesico Vaginal Fistula. Many years ago, as a student of the University of Calabar, Nollywood star actress Stephanie Linus heard about some young girls who had been forced into early marriage and were suffering the negative and embarrassing effects of VVF. The encounter lingered in her memory until she began to seek ways to raise awareness on the condition. She embarked on a journey of research and visits to several hospitals and VVF centers both within and outside Nigeria to interact with girls and women suffering from the condition and doctors who took care of them. She also partnered with NGOs in other African countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone.

These visits, interactions and research conducted over some years provided the blueprint for the script of her self-produced movie called ‘DRY’. Set to be released soon, DRY is a movie centered around two girls who found themselves in the same cultural trap full of ignorance and cruelty. But beyond the movie, raising awareness on VVF for Stephanie is a passion.
 “For some reason, I am deeply moved by young girls and women suffering from this condition and would continue to do everything I can to help as many of them as possible,” she said.

And so, for two weeks, Stephanie and her team from the Extended Hands Foundation (a charity organization founded by her) were in Ogoja, Cross River state, attending to the needs of 22 women living with VVF. The project was sponsored by SNEPCo/NNPC with the support of some dedicated doctors and nurses at the General Hospital, Ogoja, Cross River state. The team of doctors carried out repair surgeries on the 22 women and catered for them for 2 weeks, nursing them back to health.

Aside from the surgeries, the foundation also donated surgical equipment and electrical supplies which was presented to the hospital at an event attended by the Cross River State Commissioner for Social Welfare & Community Development, Cross River State Barrister Patricia Endeley and the Director Health, Population and Nutrition Office USAID Dr Nancy Lowenthal. Other people who were present include Dr Joseph Monehine , Dr Adamu of Engender Health and the Chief Surgeon Dr Sa’ad Idris.

Not only did Stephanie have very close interactions with the women who shared their devastating experiences, she watched the doctors perform the surgeries on some of the women and described her experience as “life changing”. Many of them had been living with the conditions for several years.

“There’s nothing like being in the theatre and seeing these doctors delicately restoring these women back to health and giving them another chance at living normal lives. The experience was life changing and I’m really glad I could be a part of this,” she said. For Stephanie and the Extended Hands Foundation, it’s not the end but the journey and awareness still continues. “In our own little way, let’s help spread the word against child marriage and VVF and ensure we live healthy lives,” she advises.

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So Why is Nigeria a MINT Country?

So why is Nigeria a MINT country?


It's one of the MINT countries which are supposed to be replacing the BRICs as key nations to invest in. It's also challenging South Africa as the top African economy. Caira Sutton looks ...

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Berlin Film Festival Opens With Late Actor Hoffman A Noted Absence

Berlin Film Festival Opens With Late Actor Hoffman A Noted Absence

 The death of celebrated American character actor Philip Seymour Hoffman of an apparent drug overdose dampened the opening on Thursday of the 64th Berlin film festival where director Wes Anderson's comedy "The Grand...

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The Relationship Between Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts and Nigerian Petroleum Development Company

TEMPLARS MEDIA STATEMENT

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ATLANTIC ENERGY DRILLING CONCEPTS AND NIGERIAN PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

1. On the instructions of our client, Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited (Atlantic Energy), we are constrained once again, following recent comments by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, to set the records straight regarding the nature of the relationship between NPDC and Atlantic Energy.

2. At the resumed hearing by the Senate Committee on Finance on 4 February 2014 on the non-repatriation of oil revenue to the Federation Account, the CBN Governor, while making his submissions to the Committee stated inter alia as follows:

“We have held the position that some of the crude shipped by NPDC is shipped from oil wells that belong to the Federation. JV’s that Shell went out of which NNPC took over and handed over to NPDC which then handed over to two Nigerian companies, Atlantic Energy and Seven Energy and transferred revenue that should come to the Federation to private hands”

3. This unfortunate and misleading statement totally mischaracterizes the relationship between Atlantic Energy and NPDC. It is indeed cause for grave concern that despite Atlantic Energy’s past efforts to clarify, in the public domain, the nature of its relationship with NPDC the facts of this matter continue to be deliberately distorted by otherwise knowledge persons.

4. In the interest of accuracy and for the benefit of the public it is necessary, even at the risk or repetition, to clarify as follows:

a. In 2011, Shell Petroleum Development Company (Shell), Total E&P Nigeria Limited (Total) and Nigerian Agip Oil Company (Agip) divested their interests in OMLs 26, 30, 32 and 42 (the “Diversted OMLs”) to various Nigerian companies.

b. Around the same time, the NNPC simultaneously exercised its rights under the joint operating agreements (JOAs) governing the Divested OMLs and assumed operatorship of the OMLs. The NNPC subsequently assigned its interests in the Divested OMLs as well as its new role of
operator to its subsidiary NPDC.

c. In May 2011, NPDC entered into a Strategic Alliance Agreement (SAA) with Atlantic Energy in relation to the Divested OMLs. Under the SAA, Atlantic Energy has undertaken to, among other things, provide NPDC with required technical capacity, assist NPDC in funding its share of the costs of petroleum operations through payment of its cash call obligations, and also provide technical training to NPDC’s staff. In return for the foregoing, Atlantic Energy simply receives remuneration from the NPDC and does NOT have any ownership interest of any kind whatsoever in the Divested OMLs.

d. For the avoidance of doubt, the SAA model is not uncommon in the oil and gas industry. Indeed, it has been successfully adopted in Malaysia, China and Iran as a tool by national oil companies like NNPC to meet cash obligations as well as to develop technical capacity.

e. Nothing in the transaction between NPDC and Atlantic Energy involved the transfer or handover by the NNPC or the NPDC of any portion
whatsoever of NPDC’s 55% participatory interest in the Divested OMLs to Atlantic Energy.

f. Atlantic Energy has made investments in hundreds of millions in the relevant OMLs including the payment of the entry fees prescribed by the SAAs.

g. Among other significant investments and contributions, Atlantic Energy has in furtherance of the SAAs, invested in a number of key projects including the upgrade of the OML 34 area to a 360 million standard cubic feet of gas per day producing facility. This all important plant is the single largest gas supply facility for the Escravos-Lagos pipeline system which distributes critical gas feedstock to power plants in
South East Nigeria and to a number of countries in the West African region.

h. The production optimization activities and infrastructure improvements initiated by NPDC and Atlantic Energy following the SAAs have  arrested production declines in the underdeveloped fields comprised in the relevant OMLs, thus resulting in increased production year-to-year.

i. Furthermore, on account of Atlantic Energy’s contributions, NPDC has recorded significant step-change progress in understanding the  subsurface reservoirs and surface facilities in the areas comprised in the relevant OMLs, thus resulting in a 200% increase in certified reserves and of 200 million barrels of crude oil in new field development plans.

j. In return for the enormous obligations assumed by Atlantic Energy, the SAA explicitly confer on Atlantic Energy the entitlements to receive
remuneration-in-kind from the NPDC.

These are the facts of the matter and we trust that members of the public shall be guided accordingly.



SIGNED

MANAGEMENT

TEMPLARS (LAW COMPANY)

Victoria Island, Lagos.


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Chief Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom Lauds Lancelot Imasuen's Epic Film "Invasion 1897"

Mike Omoreigbe who played the lead role as “Oba Ovoramwen”, Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom and Lancelot Imasuen.

Chief Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom Lauds Lancelot Imasuen's Epic Film "Invasion 1897"

On Sunday February 2 2014,lancelot Oduwa Imasuen the producer/director of "Invasion 1897" and the leading stars Mike Omoregbe, Ehinwema Nosa and writer Ossa Earlice paid a courtesy visit to the home of one of the great citizens of Benin Kingdom in Edo State his excellency Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom as part of the efforts to increase the cooperation and support for the local and international premieres of the epic film.

Chief Igbinedion lauded the effort of the filmmaker saying: "Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, I have enormous respect for having thought of bringing a great story like this to greater limelight, because in Benin, we do not write history, we make history." He further opened the doors of his media houses, ITV and Radio, Benin and Abuja in support of this noble and just cause for the restoration of the dignity, integrity and nobility of the great heritage of Benin Kingdom as the pride of Africa in the world.

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Nollywood Digital:The Nollywood Digital Revolution in Motion!

For the first time in the Nigerian film industry, I have launched Nollywood Digital, to connect the filmmakers, cinematographers, photographers, broadcasters and marketers to the knowledge base of digital media technologies of the manufacturers and also to bridge the wide communication gap between them.

Nollywood Digital focuses on digital film production and digital distribution of Nollywood movies in all genres for the promotion of accessibility to the latest developments in digital cinema technology to improve the quality of the movies and increase the appreciation of Nollywood to boost the Nigerian film industry in the world.

Visit the Nollywood Digital Blog on http://nollywooddigital.com/wordpress/.

Nollywood Digital Logo designed by  Daniel Kale of IDEA & IMAGE Limited, Lagos, Nigeria.
Tel: 234 805 350 9116

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