"We cannot build a nation without love, peace and unity.
- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Author of "The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Dream", "The Prophet Lied", "In the House of Dogs", "Scarlet Tears of London" and other books distributed by Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Tower Books and other booksellers worldwide.
Do Events in Our Life Shape Us?
"It's not the events of our lives that shape us, but our beliefs as to what those events mean."
-Tony Robbins'
How do events shape our narratives and perspectives on life as artists, filmmakers and writers?
I don't totally agree with Tony Robbins' opinion, because the events of unforeseen circumstances in human lives have shaped the characters and attitudes of many people, especially the innocent children who don't have beliefs to define or determine their reactions to the events in their lives.
They simply react by their human nature as an earthworm reacts when you drop a pinch of salt on it.
What beliefs do children have?
They just want to survive and live happily.
Boko Haram terrorists strapped bombs to the waists of two innocent little girls who were totally clueless about bombs. They took them to a crowded market and pushed them to go into the midst of the crowd. Then left them. Minutes later, the bomb on one of the girls exploded and blew up the girl and killed those surrounding her. The second girl screamed in fear and shock; and trembling, she ran away from the crowd helplessly trying to remove the bomb strapped to her waist. Everyone was running away from her whilst she was crying and screaming for help. The bomb exploded and left her in pieces. People were crying, screaming, yelling and wailing at the horrifying suicide bombings. The innocent girls, daughters of the victims of the Boko Haram terrorists had been used as suicide bombers without their knowledge. The horrors of the tragedies of terrorism have altered the beliefs of many people in northern Nigeria to hate the Islamic religion, to hate their political leaders or to lose faith in Almighty God.
The loss of a beloved younger sister made one of the foremost educationists in south western Nigeria to become an atheist, because his cries, prayers and tears did not save the life of his sister. If God really existed, He would have been moved by his cries, prayers and tears. I could understand his unbelief shaped by the harrowing event of the loss of his beloved sister. I reached out to him before he passed on. Because, in our mortality, we cannot comprehend Immortality.
The catastrophic event of the internecine Nigerian civil war from 1967-1970 affected the psyches and shaped the lives of millions of Igbo children who were the worst victims of the war and actually has been more critical to my existential attitude to life and my faith into what is called Christian Existentialism.
And I agree with Jean Paul Sartre’s maxim that “man is nothing else but what he makes of himself”. But what he called the first principle of existentialism, another writer said, "flies in the face of a belief in a God greater than all of us.". What Sartre meant is, our choices in different circumstances of life will either make us succeed or make us fail in the world.
St. Augustine, the famous Catholic Philosopher and author of the classic, "The City of God" and other books was a Christian existentialist.
The critical events in our formative years shape the characters of most of us before the development of our beliefs.
I would not have been an artist and writer if my parents did not relocate our family from Obalende on the Lagos Island to Shomolu on the mainland of Lagos. I was only 13 when it happened and that disrupted my growing up, because I was separated from my childhood sweethearts and playmates in Obalende and in the St. Michael's Catholic Church in Lafiaji. To me, moving to Shomolu was a nightmare and I suddenly became an introvert and being called the "Monk of Morocco Ville", because I preferred to stay indoors after returning from school. Morocco Ville was the name of the bungalow where we resided at the Morocco Bus Stop on the Bajulaiye Road in Shomolu. I did not like the other children in the neighborhood. And I became engrossed in reading books and daydreaming and started drawing, painting and writing.
Parents don't know that relocations can affect and alter the development of the characters of their children. Relocations can cause depressions in children if you don't discuss with them before relocating your family to another environment.
Children are innocent of our beliefs and choices in life.
No child asked to be a victim of circumstances in the existential realities of life.
No child asked to be born poor or rich.
Before we take decisions on the affairs and situations in our lives, please let us think of how the consequences will affect our innocent children and their future in the world.
Hemorrhoidal illness represents one of the most common medical conditions in man. The most recent statistics indicate a prevalence of about 25% in the adult population, and higher than 50% for those older than 50. However, the prevalence and incidence are most probably higher, considering the fact that, in certain patients, the illness begins in an asymptomatic fashion.
The origin of hemorrhoidal disease can be either mechanical or vascular (hemodynamic):
According to mechanical theory, the supportive structure of the hemorrhoidal plexus undergoes spontaneous involution which includes excessive laxity and leads to displacement of the internal hemorrhoids. Acute intrarectal or abdominal pressure are worsening factors.
Vascular factors are increasingly recognized as playing an important role in the development of hemorrhoidal disease through alterations of the vascular plexuses and dysfunction of the arteriovenous shunts, the effect of which are amplified, as above, by increased abdominal pressure.
Hemorrhoidal disease is often associated with inflammation. Therefore, the treatment of hemorrhoids has to achieve three objectives: to eliminate mechanical and local triggering factors, to reduce the inflammation, always present in acute manifestations and to reestablish optimal hemodynamic and microcirculatory conditions.
#fintech #banking #banks #Paypal #Mastercard #Visa #Amazon #Apple #apps #smartphone #money
Traditional Banking is Obsolete
I have not been to my bank for any transaction since 2020. I have been using only my smart phone and fintech app.
No need for bank tellers and no need for banking halls.
The big buildings and skyscrapers of big banks are soon going to become abandoned buildings before 2030. Banks don't need big buildings and staffs can be reduced by 70%, because fintech apps are what banks need now and not overstaffed branches. Decentralized fintech apps will end centralized banking and financial operations. Even #Paypal and other online payment platforms using credit cards will become obsolete if they don't change.
We will say bye, bye to #Mastercard, #Visa, #AmericanExpress and others. All the decentralized fintech apps will be on our mobile phones, tablets and laptops.
REINVENT or become EXTINCT.
- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
https://angel.co/u/michael-chima-ekenyerengozi
AFRIFF announces Prime Video’s James Farrell, International Head of Local Originals, and Ukonwa Kuzi-Orizu Ojo, Chief Marketing Officer, as Keynote Speakers for its 10th anniversary edition!
Lagos, Nigeria – 15/10/2021
Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), today announces James Farrell, International Head of Local Originals at Amazon Studios, and Ukonwa Kuzi-Orizu Ojo, Chief Marketing Officer for Prime Video & Amazon Studios, as its keynote speakers for its 10th anniversary edition. The Prime Video leaders will join together in a Fireside Chat for the session at 7.00pm WAT on Sunday 7th November, where delegates will hear more about Prime Video’s plans for future investment in local storytelling in Africa.
This announcement comes as AFRIFF continues to solidify itself as Africa’s most innovative film festival, celebrating African content, film making and a unique platform for the many stories Africa has to share with the world. AFRIFF is focused on building the necessary bridge with the rest of the world.
AFRIFF founder, Ms Chioma Ude stated; “AFRIFF has continued to scale new heights year after year! After the last 18 months with the pandemic, I am beyond excited to welcome Film and Television leaders such as James Farrell and Ukonwa Kuzi-Orizu Ojo to be our 10th anniversary keynote speakers. James and Ukonwa’s visit to the festival is not only a testament to Amazon’s commitment to amplifying global and diverse stories, but also their unwavering support for the foundations built over the years by a very hard-working team, further identifying AFRIFF’s shared values with a global giant such as Prime Video!”
AFRIFF takes pride in celebrating some of the best films in Africa in the Feature, Documentary and Short category through careful selection by its Creative Director and International Jury. This year, about 4,000 films have been submitted in all the categories and the selection process for films that will screen at the festival is currently on going.
Ends.
ABOUT JAMES FARRELL
As Head of Local Originals, James is in charge of all Original TV and film created by Amazon Studios outside the US. James joined Amazon in April 2015 to lead content for Prime Video in Japan before moving on to other roles encompassing India, Latin America, and ultimately the rest of international in 2018 reporting to Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios.
Local content has been a key driver for the success of Prime Video, and James now manages more than 20 teams based around the world including across Europe, Latin America, Asia, Canada, Australia, India and Africa.
Prior to Amazon, James spent 10 years at Sony Pictures Television with executive roles in Los Angeles, Toronto and Tokyo during that time. He has an MBA from Columbia Business School, a BA from Middlebury College, and currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.
ABOUT UKONWA KUZI-ORIZU OJO
Ukonwa Kuzi-Orizu Ojo is Chief Marketing Officer, Prime Video & Amazon Studios, responsible for leading global brand and originals marketing. She joined Amazon in September 2020 and reports directly to Mike Hopkins, Senior Vice President, Prime Video & Amazon Studios.
Ojo was previously Chief Marketing Officer for M∙A∙C Cosmetics, where she oversaw brand positioning and increased M∙A∙C’s presence and appeal to a global consumer in growing markets around the world. She helped drive customer engagement strategies and delivered breakthrough product innovation in order to maximize consumer connection to the iconic brand.
Prior to that, she served as Chief Marketing Officer of Consumer Beauty at Coty, where she led P&L, brand development strategy, advertising, innovation, social/digital, design, and media planning/buying. Other positions include Senior Vice President at COVERGIRL, and brand and general management roles at Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser PLC, General Mills Corporation and Meadwestvaco Corporation.
Over the course of her career, Ojo has been recognized with over 50 awards and honors, including Business Insider’s list of 25 Most Innovative CMOs, World Federation of Advertisers’ Global Marketer of the Year, WWD Brand Builder of the Year, Ebony Magazine Power 100, Financial Times Top 100 List of Minority Executives for three consecutive years, and Fast Company’s Top 100 list of Most Creative People in Business among others. She is a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute and a Member of the Executive Leadership Council.
Ojo is a graduate of the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina and holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
ABOUT AFRICA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (AFRIFF)
The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) is a celebration of Cinema and filmmaking talent from Africa and the diaspora. It consistently delivers a rich programme to foster invaluable exchanges of ideas, production connections, and business relationships. It creates an energetic and exciting hub for entertainment industry professionals to make rewarding connections and has gradually gained a reputation for delivering incredible value.
The objectives are to develop the film industry to a level where the products compete favourably with their contemporaries all over world; provide a growth opportunity for these film industry professionals to eventually export their products to the world; facilitate access to investors, equipment, technical and skill acquisition through several capacity development opportunities.
The Rise of the Gen Z VC
“The barriers to entrepreneurship and investing have never been lower, and our generation is very aware of the opportunity we have.”
Generation Z is growing up and getting a tech job.
The oldest members of the world’s first truly digital native generation—folks born from the mid-1990s to 2010—are starting their careers, and they overwhelmingly want to work in tech.
Google, Apple, and Netflix top list of companies they want to work for, and 72% fancy the idea of becoming founders themselves.
Which raises a question: Who’s going to fund all those new startups?
According to a new report from AngelList, a new crop of Gen Z investors is emerging. They’re 10k strong and launching VC funds from their dorm rooms.
Click here to read the report
What Makes A Great Movie?
What makes a great movie is not the size of your camera;
It is not the size of your cast;
It is not the size of your crew;
It is not the size of your budget;
But the size of your IMAGINATION.
- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Artist, writer, filmmaker and publisher.
Author of "Children of Heaven", "Scarlet Tears of London", "Bye, Bye Mugabe", "In the House of Dogs", "Diary of the Memory Keeper", "The Prophet Lied", "The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Dream" and co-author with Dr. Chika Christian Onu of "Naked Beauty", the first Nigerian screenplay published for commercial distribution.
One of Chima's most popular short stories, "Daughter of a Beggar" is included as "Beggar's Daughter" in the critically acclaimed "CAMOUFLAGE: Best of Contemporary Writing from Nigeria".
What's the 2021 theme?
The 2021 theme is: 'Digital generation. Our generation.' This theme is a call for equal access to the internet for girls as well as digital devices. It also supports targeted investments to facilitate opportunities for girls to safely and meaningfully access, use, design and lead technology.
For International Day of the Girl (11 October) 2021, girls from across the world are speaking up against false information online.
UN Women has said on its website girls are a "fundamental source of transformational change for gender equality, and technology is a crucial tool to support their work, activism and leadership".
Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person” – Mother Teresa
"My mother always told me, ‘hide your face people are looking at you.' I would reply, ‘it does not matter; I am also looking at them.” – Malala Yousafzai
My Voice, Our Equal Future
Digital generation. Our generation.
Girls know their digital realities and the solutions they need to excel on their diverse pathways as technologists for freedom of expression, joy, and boundless potential. Let’s amplify the diversity of these tech trailblazers while simultaneously widening the pathways so that every girl, this generation of girls – regardless of race, gender, language, ability, economic status and geographic origin – lives their full potential.
The gender digital divide in connectivity, devices and use, skills and jobs is real. It is an inequity and exclusion gap across geographies and generations that is our challenge to address if the digital revolution is to be for all, with all, by all. Let’s seize the momentum to drive action and accountability of GEF commitments made, for and with girls to achieve a bold vision of bridging the digital gender divide.
Ways to get involved
Share stories / blogs / videos of inspiring adolescent girls who are tech trailblazers while collectively amplifying our call to action to expand these pathways for every girl, everywhere.
Amplify your GEF and other commitments to address the gender digital divide experienced by today’s generation of girls, illustrating that we must take a strong generational gender lens to the digital divide if we are to achieve meaningful and sustainable change for a digital revolution by, with and for all.
https://www.un.org/en/observances/girl-child-day
Photos Courtesy of Dreamtime httpshttps://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/computer-kid-africa.html
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, is the richest Federal Minister in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He should be on the cover of Forbes.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan said he made many of his beneficiaries millionaires. President Muhammadu Buhari is making many of his own benefiaries billionaires that should be on the Forbes list of the billionaires in the world.
The following details of his multi-million dollars assets are published by Sahara Reporters .
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For example, Malami has an underground hotel in Sokoto, three houses at Peace Estate, Abuja, a brand new state-of-the-art school in Kebbi, two houses for his sons worth N100million each, and a new hotel under construction in the Jabi area of Abuja.
He also bought a house in 2020 worth N150 million in the Gwarimpa area of Abuja.
Part of Malami’s assets since becoming a minister is also a newly constructed school which is located at the back of NITEL in Gesse Phase 1, Birnin-Kebbi.
A new house worth N600million on Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano, was acquired by Malami also after becoming a minister.
Malami also built a N3billion multipurpose event centre in Kebbi state named Azbir Arena for his son in Kebbi.
This is apart from Rayhaan Hotel located on Zaria Road, opposite Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, which the AGF massively upgraded.
Ever since SaharaReporters published a series of detailed reports exposing these illicit acquisitions, the online news medium has been a target for the AGF’s camp.
Despite the open display of unexplained wealth by the AGF and members of his family in recent times, President Buhari, who rode to power in 2015 on the back of a promise to crush corruption, especially in the government circle, has yet to offer any statement on the development.
Observers say Buhari’s silence is an endorsement of the atrocities of one of his most trusted lieutenants, Malami.
Read more on
http://saharareporters.com/2021/10/09/exclusive-nigerias-ministry-justice-under-attorney-general-malami-goes-bankrupt-exhausts
