Fair and White Gold Celebrates African Beauty as New Brand Ambassadors Are Crowned

The Miss Fair and White Gold beauty queen Dimoke Tiana posing with her brand new Nissan Rouge SUV.
Dimoke Tiana a third year philosophy undergraduate of UNIBEN emerged the overall Fair and White ambassador. Tiana, an Indigene of Aguata L.G.A in Anambra State was emotion struck while being unveiled as the brand ambassador. Tears freely cascaded down her cheeks while she was being handed the keys of her brand new Nissan 2013 Rogue. Tiana also went home with a diamond studded Russian Jewel crafted Swarovski wristwatch. 
 

The first runner up, Uba Chikosolu Uzondu.

Fair & White Gold Celebrates African Beauty
~ By Ingram Osigwe

Chairman of Bozac Continental Limited, Sir Patrick Chibueze and Lady Chinyere Chibueze.

It was a night of colour, glamour and glitz with the crème de la crème of society in attendance. Indeed the ambiance of the civic centre, in Victoria Island Lagos was electrifying and the audience thrilled on the night of Friday March 28, 2014, when Fair & White Gold Range of Cosmetics products were launched and the brand ambassadors unveiled among the high profile dignitaries who gathered at the Civic centre for the event include Director General of NAFDAC, Dr, Paul Orhii, IT Guru and Chairman of Zinox computers, Leo Stan Ekeh,Chairman , Embassy Pharmacy, Pharm Nnamdi Obi, Chairman Neros Pharmaceuticals, Chief Poly Emenike, Hon(Barr) Uzama Okpaleke, MD, Ginpat Aluminium,Chairman & MD of Green Life Pharm, Obiora Chukwuka & Ebere Obi,Publisher of Encomium magazine,Kunle Bakare, among others. Stake holders in the fashion and beauty industry were also there. The pack was led by foremost cosmetologist and Iya Oge Opral Benson, Foremost Fashion Designer, Hajia Abba Folawiyo, former NTA Big Girl, Barrister Grace Egbagbe, Nollywood actress,Uche Jombo, Toyin Alakiu, and Kemi Adewunmi . Labo DERMA Group France was represented by their CEO/PRESIDENT, Mr. Xavier Tancogne and Ms Marie Helene Girard of Yelen Paris. Captains of industry like, Chief Ben Amuta, Benneks Group of companies, Chief Ben Chinemelum, Chinbell Industries and Chief Bego Uluabuike graced the occasion.

Hajia Abba Folawiyo presenting a cheque to 2nd runner up, Miss Loveth Awode.
 

Chairman of Bozac Group, Sir Patrick Chibueze and Hajia Abba Folawiyo.

Brand Ambassadors posing with President/CEO of Labo. DERMA Paris, France, Mr. Xavier Tancogne.

Chief Opral Benson. 

Happy beauties at the event.

The Highly Elated CEO of BOZAC conglomerate, Patrick Chibueze, in his welcome address, paid glowing tribute to BOZAC partners and manufacturers of Fair & White, Labo Derma of France for its rigorous research which culminated in the production of the brand. BOZAC which is also Labo Derma’s representative in Nigeria and sole distributor of Fair and White Gold, Chibueze assured, will work hard to ensure that the product dominates the Nigerian Market. The BOZAC boss said that the Fair and White Range meets the aspiration of the Nigerian woman who desires a glowing skin. Representatives of Fair & White Gold at the event were full of praises for Bozac and pledged that the company will continue to strategically partner with BOZAC. The Trio of Egbagbe, Benson and Hajia Folawiyo were on hand to masterfully unveil the brand ambassadors.

Barrister Grace Egbagbe and Ndidi Obioha.

Chief Opral Benson and Dupe.

Nollywood diva Uche Jombo.

Beauty queen Dimoke Tiana, the 2014 Brand Ambassador and Mr. Ingram Osigwe.

Dimoke Tiana a third year philosophy undergraduate of UNIBEN emerged the overall Fair and White ambassador. Tiana, an Indigene of Aguata L.G.A in Anambra State was emotion struck while being unveiled as the brand ambassador. Tears freely cascaded down her cheeks while she was being handed the keys of her brand new Nissan 2013 Rogue. Tiana also went home with a diamond studded Russian Jewel crafted Swarovski wristwatch. The first runner up, Uba Chikosolu Uzondu an undergraduate of open university won a diamond studded Russian crafted wristwatch, 250,000 while second runner up, Loveth Sade Awode a model and student of OAK fashion school Lekki, got the same wristwatch, 150,000. Mrs. Benson congratulated the winners and urged them to be good ambassadors of Fair and white Gold.
The evening featured surreal musical performances by Akin Shuga and his band, popular comedian Dauda and other A-List Stand up Comedians as well as the famous Ohafia war dance. Aficionados and connoisseurs of good wines and champagne had a Good Friday night treat and bar tenders kept the guests busy with constant supplies.

The Brand Ambassadors. 

Vivian Obi. 

Victoria Opara.

Valerie Olakojo.

Tosin Igbenoba.

Tonia Madueke.

Tonia Akajiobi.


Fair and white gold range comes in a line of exceptional skin care formulae with focus on different aspects of the beauty of the African woman. With the launching, supermarkets and stores across the country will have the products.

Beauty queen Dimoke inside her brand new car.

Tina Scott. 

Susan Eyo-Honesty.

Duchess Jenamy.

Dupe Ajayi.

Elizabeth Onyebuchi Osule.

It is true that Nigerian’s cosmetics market is saturated with a plethora of skin products, the entry of Fair and White Gold in the fray will no doubt cause a major upset as regard consumers’ loyalty. This is because excellence and efficacy are part of the hallmark and Unique Selling Position (USP) of the brand. Besides, Fair & White Gold ranges of products do not leave a hole in your pocket. It is cost effective and can be afforded by a broad spectrum of consumers across income strata.

Dr. Paul Orhii, Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).  

Popular Nollywood actor,singer and MC,Kingsley Ogbonna popularly called Dauda.

Chioma.

Chima Mbadugha and Tony Okafor.

Chika Anolue.

Chief Uche Obiakor, Hon (Barrister) Uzama Okpaleke and Chief Emeka Uzoetuo and Ede Azia. 

Chief Okey Anolue (Afunwa) with his pretty wife Chika.

The presence of NAFDAC DG at the event bears huge testimony to the fact that Fair & White Range underwent rigorous test set by the relevant regulatory authority, NAFDAC, and received a clean bill of health

The BOZAC boss expressed optimism that with their efficacy and affordability, the products will tremendously enjoy consumer’s loyalty.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Ingram Osigwe is the Media Consultant to Bozac Group.


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AfDB Approves US$ 125 Million Line of Credit to Zenith Bank for On-lending to SMEs

TUNIS-BELVEDERE, Tunisia, 28 March 2014 / PRNewswire Africa / - The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a US$ 125-million Line of Credit (LOC) to Zenith Bank PLC (Zenith) for on-lending to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria.

This 4th LOC to Zenith approved by the AfDB's Board of Directors on Wednesday 26 March 2014 in Tunis, will enable Zenith gain access to long-term foreign currency funding to generate additional lending to its SME clients operating in various sectors of the Nigerian economy including agriculture and agribusiness, transportation and manufacturing.

In approving the LOC, the Board of Directors underscored the fact that the SME sector represents a strategic pillar for Nigeria's quest to modernize and improve its economy while diversifying away from the heavy dependence on the oil industry.

According to the Nigerian Federal Office of Statistics, SMEs account for 97% of all businesses in Nigeria, contributing 50% of employment and output in the non-oil sector. This compares unfavorably with many peers, reflecting a relative underperformance of the SME sector in Nigeria. One of the major impediments to SME growth and development is limited access to bank credit and despite the various widely documented positive reforms to the banking sector since the crisis in 2009, access to credit for the SMEs is still severely constrained. The proposed LOC will therefore contribute to filling this critical financing gap.

The LOC aligns with the renewed strategy of the Government of Nigeria to revitalize the economy by developing its SME sector. It also aligns with the AfDB's country assistance strategy to support private sector led growth in Nigeria. Furthermore, it is consistent with the AfDB's strategy to support SMEs through sound and reputable financial intermediaries. Finally, it aligns with the AfDB's new inclusive growth priority by supporting SMEs in critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.

SOURCE African Development Bank (AfDB)

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Half of A Yellow Sun is Not the First Nigerian Film to Premiere at the Toronto International Festival

Half of A Yellow Sun is not the first Nigerian film to premiere at the Toronto International Festival

"Half of A Yellow Sun" is not the first Nigerian film to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival as claimed by the principal Executive Producer of the film, Mrs. Yewande Sadiku and published in The Guardian newspaper of Nigeria quoted below. ‘’I want us to see this project as our own. If it succeeds, we all take the credit. I mean for the first time in our history as a nation, a Nigerian story that was funded wholly from here screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. That for me is very huge.’’  http://ngrguardiannews.com/index.php/life-magazine/moviedom/155628-the-long-tortuous-road-to-half-of-a-yellow-sun-by-sadiku Tunde Kelani's "Abeni" was the first Nigerian film to premiere at the TIFF in 2006, followed by Faruk Lasaki's film "Changing Faces" that also premiered at the TIFF the following year. I reported it on Sola Osofisan's Naijarules on http://www.naijarules.com/xf/index.php?threads/faruk-lasaki-at-the-31st-annual-toronto-international-film-festival.18325/ and the full text is quoted below. Caption: Faruk Lasaki and Okeke Cydrian Osita Headline: 31st Annual Toronto International Film Festival - Planet Africa Venue: The Drake Hotel Location: Toronoto, Canada Date: September 11, 2006  http://www.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?navtyp=gls====210677&nbc1=1 PRESS STATEMENT TIFF 2006 is another visual representation of Nigeria’s greatness – Information and National Orientation Minister Information and National Orientation Minister, Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr, has described Nigeria’s participation at the ongoing prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF 2006) as a concrete visual representation of Nigeria’s greatness and a positive outcome of President Obasanjo’s efforts to unlock all barriers undermining Nigeria’s journey to destination. Mr. Nweke Jnr stated this at the Nigeria Stand in Sutton Place, venue of the film festival, as other participants swarmed the Nigerian stand to appreciate the features of the Nigerian film industry which has been rated the third largest in the world.  Nigeria’s entry at Toronto 2006 is 'Abeni", a transnational love story from the stable of Mainframe Production, directed by Mr. Tunde Kelani, Nigeria’s ace cinematographer and a patron of Nigeria’s cultural entrepreneurship. An impressive global audience of film critics, journalists and enthusiasts will see "Abeni" at its first public screening on September 14, 2006, at the Royal Ontario Museum. Further screening of the film will also hold for another group of media men and industry enthusiasts on September 15. The Minister who was evidently pleased by the reception and enthusiasm other participants showed towards Nigeria’s rising film industry said such interests certainly underscore Nigeria’s central role in a changing world and a testimony to how good leadership, right environment and a resourceful citizenry could turn around the fortunes of a nation. Corroborating the Minister’s statement, Mr. Tunde Kelani, says art and culture remains a major vehicle for telling the Nigerian story, especially within the context of The Heart of Africa Project, a cohesive information programme for the management of Nigeria’s image, the promotion of her brand assets and tackling of the negative attitudes which undermine the image of the nation. Mr. Kelani says this is the focus of Mainframe Production, which has also been invited to submit Nigeria’s entry at FESPACO, a biennial film festival holding in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, February 2007, and solicited for government support to ensure its success. He expressed pleasure at the efforts of the Federal Government to restore the glory and pride of Nigeria as an important member of the global community through its various reforms but he urged the Federal Government to become more involved in goings-on in the film industry in Nigeria. Mr. Afolabi Adesanya, Managing Director, Nigerian Film Corporation, who led a team of film producers, directors, marketers and other stakeholders from Nigeria to the Festival says although this is the first time a Nigerian movie is being premiered at TIFF in its thirty-one years history, it is a great outing for Nigeria’s film industry which home video sub-sector is the world’s largest. Giulla Filippelli, Head, Sales and Industry Office for TIFF 2006, says “we are honoured to have Nigeria participate to showcase her greatness and limitless promises”. The Festival is also featuring renowned names in global movie and entertainment industry including Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey, WyClef, who spoke glowingly about Nigeria, as well as Nigerian actors and producers in diaspora including American-based ‘Gucci’ and Akin Omotoso, a Nigerian based in South Africa, who is currently directing a movie adaptation of "In the Shadow of a Saint", a book written by Ken Saro-Wiwa Jnr. Next year’s TIFF is expected to premiere more Nigerian films including "Changing Faces", a movie by Faruk Lasaki, a Nigerian film maker who is also attending TIFF 2006. The making of "Changing Faces", is showing today at the Nigerian stand in Sutton Place. http://www.nigeria.gov.ng/ministers_PressStatementTIFF.aspx It is good for every literate person and in particular those seen as well educated professionals and stakeholders in the Nigerian film industry to be factual in the information they share with the public to avoid misinformation and misleading the ignorant majority.  ~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, "Orikinla Osinachi", Author of Children of Heaven, Scarlet Tears of London, Bye, Bye Mugabe, Diary of the Memory Keeper, In the House of Dogs, The Prophet Lied, co-author of "Naked Beauty" and Publisher/Editor of Nigerians Report Online, Nigerian Times, Nollywood Mirror and Nollywood Digital.

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Jumia Gets More Than 2 Million Visitors Monthly

Jumia offers more than 100,000 products online and gets more than 70,000 visitors daily. In 2013, Jumia was the first African winner of the World Retail Award for “Best Retail Launch of the Year”.

Top 10 eCommerce Facts About Nigeria

1. According to the World Bank, 32.9% of the population in Nigeria was dependent on the technologies of this age like, High-speed Internet, Broadband and LTE Broadband amongst others, as of 2012.
2. Nigeria ranks 8th out of a total of 212 member countries of United Nations in terms of number of internet users. Contrastingly, it occupies 128th spot in terms of internet penetration.
3. Although, the number of internet users in Nigeria are more in absolute terms but internet penetration in percentage terms is much lower than other African countries.
4. According to Internet World Stats, there were 55.9 million Internet users, representing 32.9% of the population of Nigeria in 2012. During the same year, number of Facebook users totaled to 6.6 million, being the most popular internet activity amongst Nigerians.
5. According to World Economic Forum, out of every 100 urban Nigerians, 50 access the internet monthly, 58 have internet capable mobile phones and 21 have smart phones.
6. Public expenditure on internet technologies is $3.14 per capita. It is noteworthy that 25% of expenditure on internet is due to e-government initiatives in Nigeria.
7. According to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the number of payments in the country made by mobile phone more than doubled, to 2.4 million, in the first half of 2012, while Internet payments rose 9.3 per cent.
8. Among urban residents, it is estimated that 99 per cent have access to mobile phones and 50 per cent go online. 
9. Social networking is the most popular online activity, followed by reading news and watching videos.
10. In general, urban Nigerians are more than twice as likely as the average African Internet user to conduct transactions online.

Source: BUSINESS DAY.

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Africa Still Rising, But Needs Economic Discipline: AfDB

Africa Still Rising, But Needs Economic Discipline: AfDB

Sub-Saharan Africa's economy will grow more than 6 percent this year, the African Development Bank said on Tuesday, but its president urged governments to build resilience to capital outflows and commodity price shocks. ..

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Nigeria's Troubled Road To Prosperity

Nigeria's troubled road to prosperity

Huge potential, huge challenges. As one of the 'MINTs' - the new kids on the economic block - Nigeria is trying to map a path for the future whilst confronting insurgency, corruption and .

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Attacks on the Press: Journalism on the World's Front Lines

Everyone who can read and really wants to know the challenges and dangers of being a journalist in the world today, should get copies of Attacks on the Press: Journalism on the World's Front Lines (Bloomberg) by Committee to Protect Journalists (2013).

Book Description

Publication Date: February 19, 2013 | ISBN-10: 1118550552 | ISBN-13: 978-1118550557 | Edition: 1

The world's most comprehensive guide to international press freedom
From Aleppo to Zacatecas, Beijing to Brasilia, the past decade has seen a sharp rise in the number of journalist imprisonments, assassinations, and disappearances worldwide. Caught between warlords and religious extremists, corrupt police and drug cartels, and hemmed in by increasingly oppressive censorship laws, journalists have never been at such peril, nor asked to pay such a high price for the ethical practice of their profession.
Begun as a simple typewritten list in 1986, Attacks on the Press has grown to become the definitive annual assessment of press freedoms globally. Compiled by the Committee to Protect Journalists, it provides up-to-the-minute analyses of media conditions, press freedom violations, and emerging threats to journalists in every corner of the world.
In this 2013 edition, you will find front-line reports and analytical essays by CPJ experts covering an array of topics of critical importance to journalists, including:

• Journalist casualties at the front lines of conflicts in Syria, Nigeria, Somalia, Afghanistan, and other global hot spots
• The curtailment of Internet freedoms across Southeast Asia, with an emphasis on the draconian measures now in place in Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand
• The status of investigations into the disappearances of 35 journalists worldwide, and why more than half of those disappeared went missing in Mexico and Russia
• The rise in journalist imprisonments globally, the spate of new anti-terrorism laws that made it possible, and the example set by the U.S. government in the wake of 9/11
• The state of journalistic freedoms in Iran since the Green Movement and the practice of summary imprisonment of Iranian journalists
• How the rise of mobile Internet technology and social media has engendered new dangers for journalists from both insurgent groups and the governments they are fighting

In addition to being an invaluable source of timely information and guidance for media professionals, Attacks on the Press gives voice to journalists globally, providing them with a platform for direct advocacy with governments and a seat in discussions at the UN, OAS, EU, AU, and other official bodies.

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Kanayo O Kanayo Calls for Anti-piracy Police for the Protection of Intellectual Property

KOK speaking at the press conference and product launch.

Nollywood actor and Chairman, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Studies, Kanayo O. Kanayo, has called for the establishment of an Intellectual Property Police in the mould of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to help fight piracy in the country.

“Piracy constitutes intellectual terrorism; it is more deadly than HIV and AIDS,” he said  at the press conference and product launching of  Job Alert Management System (JAMS), designed to curb piracy to a barest minimum by Transerve Disc Technologies Limited at the prestigious Golden Tulip in Festac Town, Lagos on Friday March 21, 2014.
Kanayo also decried the lack of quality in recent Nigerian home movies, putting blame on the activities of pirates, who he said have taken over the show from producers, starving them of remuneration.

 The Chairman/CEO  Mr. Cyprian Orakpo and his wife Mrs. Doreen Orakpo, the Director/COO of Transerve Disc Technologies Limited with KOK

Transerve Disc Technologies Limited, a company which specialises in the replication of discs, also displayed three products – DVD 5 and DVD 9 Replication, Glass Mastering (Stamper) and Job Alert Management System (JAMS), designed to curb piracy to a barest minimum.

 Mr. Cyprian Orakpo speaking at the event.

The chairman of the company, Cyprian Orakpo, said: “The Job Alert can help curb piracy in the sense that if you are a content owner and you bring your job to Transerve and we register it with your data, and have a record that this is the owner of this work; you are alerted on every order placed on that job. You are given opportunity to checkmate pirates from the source; if pirates should forge your authority letter, and pretend that they are the owners of the work, when they come to us, the moment we schedule this work, you will receive an alert telling you that your work has been scheduled at Transerve and that you have 12 hours to get back to us or else, we will take it that you authorised it.”

 Mr. Afam Ezekude, Director-General, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC).

The Director General, Nigeria Copyright Commission, Mr. Afam Ezekude, commended the company and noted that the commission is also doing its best to stamp out piracy in the country, despite low funding.

 Gabriel Onyiyechi Okoye, aka Igwe Gabosky, President of the Motion Picture Distributors of Nigeria (MOPIDON) and producer of Nollywood best selling movies Nneka the Pretty Serpent, Tycoon, Beyond the Vow, Picadilly and Wedlock of Blood.

Accomplished filmmaker Mahmood Ali-Balogun and Gabriel Onyiyechi Okoye, aka Igwe Gabosky, President of the Motion Picture Distributors of Nigeria (MOPIDON) and major stakeholders in the entertainment industry, including Director-General, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Mr. Afam Ezekude, Ms. Patricia Bala , Director-General of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) and President of Copyright Society Of Nigeria (COSON) Mr. Tony Okoroji were among the dignitaries at the event.

Ms. Patricia Bala , Director-General of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB).

Transerve, the biggest producer of audio and video CDs, DVDs and other digital products in West Africa launched the Job Alert Management System (JAMS), its pace setting anti piracy Optical Disc Software that monitors the production and distribution of all products and services from the company to all the customers in Nigeria and the rest of the world.
This is the first of its kind innovation by any manufacturer of digital distribution audio and video tapes in CDs, DVDs in Africa.

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