DON'T MISS AY LIVE THIS EASTER SUNDAY!!!

DON'T MISS AY LIVE THIS EASTER SUNDAY!!!

Subscribe to Stream AY Live (Virtual Edition) on @wakaati across all android and IOS devices.

Use my referral code: 'AY Live' to get the following

-Exclusive online access to stream AY Live

-3 Months unlimited access to watch premium nollywood movies

-50 New premium nollywood movies per month

TO GET STARTED: 

Visit www.Wakaati.com/aylive

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The North is the Problem of Nigeria

When they say Nigeria is poor and underdeveloped, northern Nigeria is actually the basis for this conclusion from the demographics of the country.

All the indices of the deficits in sustainable human development in Nigeria used for the analysis of poverty and underdevelopment are more pronounced in the northern region of the most populous country in Africa. 

The collapse of security in northern Nigeria is beyond the economics and politics of the North-South Dichotomy.  The northern region is the problem of Nigeria.

The north has the largest population of illiterates.

The largest population of poor people.

The largest population of underprivileged children out of school.

The largest population of criminals, including the bandits and terrorists who have been terrorising people for decades.

The population pyramid of Nigeria.

The largest population of the most intolerant fanatics of the Islamic religion; the breeding ground of Islamic terrorism.

The chickens have come home to roost in northern Nigeria; the consequences of decades of maladministration of governance by corrupt and incompetent public administrators from the local government to the state government. 

The political elites of the ruling class and political opportunists of different social backgrounds have misruled their people and exploited the intellectual ignorance of the most underprivileged and deprived masses since the independence of Nigeria on October 1, 1960. 

The northern bourgeoisie cannot escape from the wages of their sins. 

Unfortunately for the north,  the worst is yet to come in every state and the Caliphate will not be spared. Because the home of the Caliphate, Sokoto State is also the home of the poorest people in Nigeria and poverty is the hotbed of crimes of indignation and rebellion.

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, author of "The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Dream", "The Prophet Lied", "In the House of Dogs" and other books.

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

 

 

Open Call For Directors and Screenwriters in Nigeria

Wednesday✌

Open Call For Directors and Screenwriters in Nigeria

Two newly launched cable TV channels in Nigeria need professional directors and screenwriters for the productions of original features and TV series.

A Yoruba director and Yoruba screenwriter are needed for the production of an epic on a Yoruba myth of a demigod.

An Igbo screenwriter is needed for the writing of a screenplay on a period war film set in the Eastern region.

An Igbo director and screenwriter are needed for the production of a period drama set in the 1940s in the Eastern region.

A Benin director and screenwriter are needed for the production of a biopic on an armed robber and his criminal gang in Benin, Edo state.

Directors and screenwriters are needed for the productions of a romance comedy set in Lagos and London and romantic drama set in Lagos.

Interested directors and screenwriters should send only your biography and filmography to my email address: ekenyerengozimichaelchima@gmail.com

PLEASE, NO PHONE CALLS AND NO TEXT MESSAGES.

Regards,

EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima 

The CEO,

International Digital Post Network Limited,

Publisher/Editor, 

NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series 

247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) / Twitter

https://mobile.twitter.com/247nigeria

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

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchimaeyerengozi.

Happy Birthday To A Great Leader: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Happy Birthday to His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,the cofounder and national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the national ruling party of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He holds the highly esteemed traditional leadership titles of the Asiwaju of Lagos and the  Jagaban of Borgu kingdom in Niger State, Nigeria.

We wish you happier returns for the day with all thanksgivings to Almighty God for beautiful long life and more prosperity.

"Asiwaju Bola Tinubu's feats are bold and exceptional; from business to governance and politics ... a true hero of democracy, a light that cannot be concealed!" - Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Speaker, 8th Assembly, House of Representatives, Abuja

"Asiwaju Tinubu has become a political pillar and leader, not only in Yoruba land but in Nigeria." - Gov. Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti state (2003-2006 & 2014- ), Ado-Ekiti

"Asiwaju's pragmatism in politics are his very good sense of judgment in identifying and nurturing exceptional leaders. Tinubu's leadership role is a guide to the young and old." - Gov. Kashim Shettima, Borno state (2011-2019) , Maiduguri.

Asiwaju Tinibu was the 12th Governor of Lagos State from May 29, 1999 – May 29, 2007.

On his assumption of office as Governor of Lagos State in 1999, Asiwaju Tinubu inherited a state that was practically bankrupt. The country’s commercial nerve centre was one of the worst victims of the previous one and a half decades of military dictatorship and neglect.

Public infrastructure had disintegrated abysmally. Delivery of social services had collapsed in virtually all sectors. The environment was in chaos as Lagos was routinely described as one of the dirtiest cities in the world. The state was largely dependent on insufficient financial allocations from the centre as she lacked the capacity to generate adequate revenue internally to meet her numerous challenges.

The public sector was demoralized and ill-equipped, psychologically and logistically, to effectively perform its functions and achieve set objectives. While the citizenry was alienated from the state and thus demotivated from paying taxes or the ones they paid being stolen making the state technically bankrupt, the organized private sector had little or no incentive to partner with the government in meeting the immense developmental challenges of the Mega City.
Assembling a team of accomplished technocrats, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration drew up a Ten-Point Agenda, which it began to systematically implement for the re-vitalization and re-invention of the state. The total budget size of Lagos State at the inception of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Administration in 1999 was a little over N14 billion,  while the state’s Internally Generated Revenue was approximately N600 million monthly. Yet, the monthly public sector wage bill was N800 million. The implication was that Lagos state was entirely dependent on allocation from the Federal Government, which was grossly insufficient to meet the huge challenges of re-building a state that had been neglected and allowed to decay for over two decades since the federal capital was moved to Abuja in 1991.

Eight years later under Asiwaju’s astute guidance, Lagos had become financially viable and autonomous of the federal government; lives and property had become more secure; public infrastructure was being aggressively modernized and expanded; there had been a dramatic improvement in the quality and efficiency of public health care, education, the environment, water supply and public transportation; Lagos was attracting new investment in diverse sectors on a daily basis despite the depressing national economic climate.

 The new Tinubu Square.

Lekki - Ikoyi Link Bridge.

The Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration from inception drew up a clear and focussed Action Plan for the state in conjunction with critical stake holders including the Organized Private Sector, civil society groups and the public service. The result was the evolution of the Ten-Point Agenda focussing on Education, Health care, Job creation/poverty alleviation, Power and water supply, Public transportation/Traffic management, Physical Planning/Environmental renewal, Infrastructure renewal, Justice/Law and order, Food security and public sector reforms.

Tinubu’s visionary adminisration re-structured the machinery of government creating new ministries such as Housing, Physical Planning Sports and Youth Development as well as Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation for more effective policy implementation. Asiwaju Tinubu brought seasoned and accomplished technocrats into government as Commissioners and Special Advisers in their areas of expertise. Through meticulous planning and disciplined implementation, the Asiwaju Tinubu Administration grew the budget size of Lagos State from N14.200 billion in 1999 to N240.866 billion in 2007. It is significant that at no time under Tinubu’s stewardship did budget implementation performance fall below 60%. In a similar vein, the Tinubu Administration consistently maintained an annual budgetary ratio of at least 60-40% in favour of Capital over Recurrent expenditure to ensure rapid infrastructure development.

The futuristic Eko Atlantic City under construction on Victoria Island.

A first class financial strategist, Asiwaju Tinubu, through creative and innovative financial engineering, took Lagos from a yearly Internally Generated Revenue of N14.64 billion in 1999 to N60.31 billion in 2006. By March 2007, the state had achieved a monthly Internally Generated Revenue of N8.2 billion.

This impressive revenue performance achieved by the Tinubu Administration in Lagos State did not happen by chance or luck. It was due to carefully thought out and effectively implemented policies such as the introduction of the Electronic Banking System/Revenue Collecting Monitoring Project, computerization of the revenue collection process, introduction of Electronic Tax Receipts, re-organization and professionalization of the former Board of Internal Revenue now the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, tax administration reforms and the creation of robust data base of tax payers.

Lagos State under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu became a pace setter in sound and innovative public sector financial management. In September, 2002, for instance, Lagos State was the first government in Nigeria to raise funds from the Capital Market for infrastructure development. This was in recognition of the fact that long-term funds were necessary for long-term projects. The state raised a N15 billion Floating Rate Redeemable to prosecute such development projects as roads construction, millennium housing, water works, construction and rehabilitation of courts, waste management projects and millennium class rooms among others. The bond has since been fully redeemed and other states and even the federal government have copied the Lagos State model. Again, in 2003, the Tinubu Administration invested N3.84 billion in Celtel (now Airtel) and by the time the state divested from the company in 2006, a surplus of N19 billion had been reaped, which was invested in the provision of infrastructure. As a result of its financial ingenuity, prudence and discipline as well as extensive public sector reforms for improved service delivery, the lasting legacy of the Tinubu Administration in Lagos State between 1999 and 2007 are still there for all to see.
They include:
Massive roads construction, dualization and modernization across Lagos State such as Kudirat Abiola road, Oregun; Awolowo road, Ikoyi; Akin Adesola road, Victoria Island, Adeola Odeku road, Victoria Island; Agege Motor road; Ikotun-Igando road; Yaba-Itire-Lawanson-Ojuelegba road; LASU-Iba road, Ojo; Ajah- Badore road, Eti-Osa; Oba Sekumade road, Ikorodu; Adetokunbo Ademola road, Victoria Island and the ongoing expansion and modernization of the Lagos-Epe Expressway as the largest concessioneering project of its size and compexity in Africa among several others.

Reconstruction and upgrading of the Lagos Island Central Business District including the modernization of 16 roads in the area and the historic Tinubu square.

Upgrading of the buildings and facilities at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to world class grade; expansion and rehabilitation of old General Hospitals in Lagos, Gbagada, Epe, Isolo, Ikorodu, Badagry, Agege and the Island Maternity; building of new General Hospitals at Mushin, Shomolu, Ibeju-Lekki and Isheri-Iba as well as upgrading of existing health centres to full fledged hospitals at Ijede, Ketu, Agbowa and Agege among others.

Provision of free health services for children under 12, the aged above 60 and free ante-natal care for women; Free eye screening, eye treatment, eye surgery and provision of free eye glasses popularly known as ‘jigi Bola’, free treatment for maleria, tuberculosis and leprosy, free Limb Deformity Corrective Surgery, free Cleft-Lip Corrective Surgery and the introduction of the Quarterly Eko Health Missions that provides free medical services including free heart surgeries to local communities.

Elimination of mountains of refuse that used to deface and disgrace Lagos through the introduction of community-based Private Sector Participation (PSP) in refuse collection and disposal, expansion and modernization of land –fill sites, construction of Transfer Loading Stations, establishment of waste-to-wealth facilities in Ikorodu as well as re-organization, modernization and re-equipping of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).

Massive construction of new drainage channels as well as the creation of Drain Ducks as well as the Emergency Flood Abatement (EFAG) to clear existing drains and respond to flooding.

Rehabilitation of primary and secondary schools in all Divisions of the state through the Schools Rehabilitation Programme, massive construction of school furniture and equipping of laboratories; provision of free education in all public primary and secondary schools including payment of WAEC/NECO fees as well as all internal examination fees to ensure that indigent children do not drop out of school.

Construction of 6,000 housing units such as Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah, Ibeshe low income housing scheme, Oba Adeyinka Oyekan Estate, Lekki, Ayangburen Phase II, Ikorodu, Gbagada Medium Housing Scheme, Amuwo-Odofin Housing Scheme, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Phase II, Ojokoro Millennium Housing Scheme, Alaagba low income housing scheme as well as the Oke Eletu and Oko Oba low income housing schemes among others.

Massive construction of rural roads as well as rural electrification and water supply schemes; construction of micro water works at Onikan, Ikeja, Iwaya, Igando, Oworonsoki, Atan, Bariga, Isolo, Shomolu and Iponri among others to improve water supply in Lagos state.

Construction and equipping of new High Courts, computerization of court registries, enhanced welfare for judicial officers to stregthen the rule of law, establishment of the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) to provide free legal services to indigent persons and the establishment of the Citizen Mediation Centre as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism.

Establishment of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) for enhanced traffic management; establishment of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) to plan and manage an integrated transportation master plan for Lagos; initiation of the revolutionary Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme that has transformed the face of public transportation in Lagos State; construction of 55 bus stop shelters; construction of 25.9km of median barriers to enforce lane discipline and improve travel time on major high ways; fabrication and installation of 50,000 units various types of traffic signs to improve road safety; installation of at least 63 functional traffic lights at major road intersections among others in the transportation sector.

Initiation despite stiff opposition by the federal government of the first successful Independent Power Project (IPP) by any state government generating 260MW of electricity from Ikorodu to the National Grid.

Completion of such abandoned projects as Teslim Balogun Stadium and the new Government House at Alausa as well as finding a permanent solution to the erosion and perennial flooding of the Bar Beach by constructing an enduring shoreline defensive barrier.

Creation of 37 new Local Development Council Areas bringing the total number of Local Government Areas in the state to 57 in order to accelerate grassroots development. He successfully sustained and nurtured them to maturity despite the fierce opposition of the Federal Government that illegally withheld N24 billion of the state’s Local Government Statutory Allocation for two years despite a Supreme Court directive to the contrary.
In 2007, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu successfully handed over the mantle of the state’s leadership to Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) who has continued to build on the firm foundation laid by his predecessor. In the just concluded general elections, Asiwaju Tinubu’s influence was a critical factor not only in his party’s retention of power in Lagos State but also its success in recovering the states it had earlier lost in the South West in the 2003 and 2007 elections.
For his excellent performance as the Executive Governor of Lagos State of Nigeria (1999 – 2007), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu received several awards.
These include

Best Governor in Nigeria for Y2000 by the Nigerian-Belgian Chamber of Commerce;

Y2002 Best Practices Prize in improving the living environment, awarded by the Federal Ministry of Works and the UN Habitat Group;

Y2000 Best Computerized Government in Nigeria Award by the Computer Association of Nigeria.

Citation by the New York based World Trade Association on June 12, 2002, as the symbol of progress in Nigria. The only other recipient in Africa was President Nelson Mandela of South Africa.

Y2003 Green Crystal Award for enhancing the value of the environment by Clean Up Nigeria

Winner of the Health Care Award for Y2002 as the producer of the best health service in Nigeria

Presidential Merit Award for technological development by the Nigerian Society of Engineers

Y2001 National Literacy Award for outstanding contribution to mass literacy in Nigeria

Y2005 and Y2006 World City Awards for exemplary performances in health care delivery, environmental renewal and youth development.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has won several awards for exemplary leadership qualities and commitment to humanity. Among these are:

One of the ten winners of Y2002 Outstanding Alumnus Award of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC); He was the first African outside North America to be accorded this honour

2001 distinguished Alumnai Award by his Alma Mata, Chicago State University

Distinguished Service Award for exemplary leadership by the Lagos State Economic Summit Group (LASEC)

Recognition for distinguished service to Nigerian women by the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS)

Lagos State University MBA Y2001 Merit Award for contribution to academic excellence in Lagos State

Certificate of commendation by the National Conference of Black Mayors

Award of Excellence by the Nigerian Society of Engineers

Silver Jubilee special award by the University of Jos for his commitment to the growth of the university

Exempary award for thoughtful leadership and outstanding public service by the Lagosians Club of Chicago

Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree by the Abia State University in recognition of his immense contribution to democracy, good governance and development of Nigeria.

The Birth of a Nation: The Rebirth of a Racist Nation

#KKK#racism #Bigotry#BlackLivesMatter @TIME @TheAcademy @AmericanFilm @BFI @Festival_Cannes @BarackObama @SamuelLJackson @Oprah @ava @badassboz

A Tarnished Silver Screen
How a #Racist Film Helped the Klu Klux Klan Grow for Generationshttps://t.co/Dr0NK14fTA pic.twitter.com/nkLnolNF7l

— 247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) March 25, 2021

President Buhari Can Stop Terrorism in Nigeria

 

@USinNigeria @AJEnglish @GarShehu @adamugarba @CNN @HQNigerianArmy
Dear President @MBuhari , If you know how highly esteemed you are by your people, you can stop the #terrorism of #Bandits and #BokoHaram by addressing them in your mother tongue and not in English. pic.twitter.com/Rv12TxIKLW

— 247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) March 22, 2021

TOP FLIGHT, Flying High!

TOP FLIGHT, Flying High TV show is a new TV magazine on  air travel and tourism to increase the local and international corporate profile, public relations and patronage of airlines and promote air transportation and improve interactive communication between airlines and travellers worldwide.

Airlines, airports, operators of airlines, travellers, tourists and travel agencies.

Contact: EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima The CEO, International Digital Post Network Limited, Publisher/Editor, NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series 247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) / Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/247nigeria https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchimaeyerengozi Tel: +2347066379246

Nations Are Not Built On Political Titles

Nations are not built on political titles.

Nations are built on principles.

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,

Author of "In the House of Dogs" , "The Prophet Lied", "The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and The Nigerian Dream", "Diary of the Memory Keeper", "Scarlet Tears of London" and other books.

Nigeria is in sociopolitical crisis, because the country is ruled by political title chasers and political title chasers are not nation builders.

So, public office holders who are obsessed with their political office titles don't care about principles of visionary leadership. And until they realise their follies of selfish pursuits of political titles and greed for Machiavellian power over others, they will continue to fail in nation building from the local government to the Office of the President.

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

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchimaeyerengozi

AAFT is Bringing #Bollywood To #Nollywood

 

AAFT is Bringing #Bollywood To #Nollywood 
For the "Bollywood To Nollywood" Filmmaking Workshop in Lagos.

The Asian Academy of Film & Television (AAFT) is among the top 7 film schools in India. It is located in India's Noida Film City in the National Capital Region (NCR); a central planning region centred upon the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.

This groundbreaking film workshop includes the production of a short film.

Notable Alumni

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
Gaurav Nanda
Rajat Arora
Uttar Kumar, actor
Mohit Marwah, Bollywood actor
Luv Ranjan, Bollywood director and producer
Arjun Kapoor, Bollywood actor
Kinshuk Mahajan
Kaushik Ghatak, Bollywood director
Aradhana Jagota, Bollywood actress
Hasleen Kaur, model
Ximena Navarrete, Miss Universe 2010

For participation and partnership, contact WAKAATI Network 

WAKAATI TV 

StarTimes Channel 100

Tel: +234 904 693 4427

Is Canon Doing Anything for Women Making Movies in Nollywood?

 A scene in the Nollywood blockbuster movie, "King of Boys", a political thriller by Kemi Adetiba that premièred in 2018.

#InternationalWomensMonth

#InternationalWomensDay2021

Is @Canon doing anything for women making movies in #Nollywood ?

Nollywood diva, Genevieve Nnaji, director of "Lionheart".

Most of the highest grossing Nigerian movies so far have been made by women and Canon digital cameras are the most favourable cameras of filmmakers and photographers in Nigeria. But I have not seen what Canon has done in appreciation of the outstanding women making movies in Nollywood, the largest indie film industry in Africa. 

I have just read the following report on "Canon Middle East launches 'Women Who Empower' programme in the Middle East. 

The initiative seeks to support women by offering them Canon's direct support to build their brand and reach wider audiences.

- By Digital Studio, Middle East Staff. 09 March 2021

On International Women's Day (IWD) 2021, Canon Middle East launched its latest programme, ‘Women who Empower’, coinciding with this year’s IWD theme #ChooseToChallenge. The theme encourages women to choose to challenge gender bias and inequality and celebrate women’s achievements as well.

The year-long programme is kicking off with a social media campaign which invites women in the creative industries in the Middle East, Central and North Africa and Turkey (META) to be a part of an initiative that enables them to showcase their creative works and be given the opportunity to take their projects forward.

Read more on 

https://www.digitalstudiome.com/technology/content-production-tech/36519-canon-middle-east-launches-women-who-empower-programme-for-creatives