ICT Sector Contributed 18.44% to Nigeria’s GDP in the Second Quarter of 2022

According to the recent GDP report by the National Bureau of Statistics, the ICT sector contributed 18.44% to Nigeria’s GDP in the second quarter of 2022, higher than the oil sector. The sector saw a 6.55% growth rate from Q1 2022.

The Speech by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari at the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

 

STATEMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE GENERAL DEBATE OF THE 77TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS @UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, WEDNESDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER, 2022

#UNGA #UNGA77 #NigeriaAtUNGA #PMBatUNGA

Mr. President,
Heads of State and Government,
Mr. Secretary-General,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Mr. President,
On behalf of the Government and people of Nigeria, I congratulate you on your well-deserved election as President of #UNGA77. I assure you of the full support and cooperation of the Nigerian delegation during your tenure. I commend your predecessor, H.E Abdullah Shahid for the many remarkable achievements of the General Assembly under his leadership during these challenging times.

May I also congratulate the Secretary-General, Mr. @antonioguterres on his ceaseless and untiring efforts to promote peace, security and development, very much in line with his exalted role.

Mr. President, The first time I could have addressed this August Assembly was in 1984, when I was the Military Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Thirty-one years later, I had the great privilege to personally address the Assembly in 2015, as the democratically-elected President of my country. As I approach the end of my second and final four-year term, I am reminded of how much has changed in Nigeria, in Africa, and in the world, and yet, how some challenges remain.

We are now more severely tested by these enduring and new global challenges, paramount among which are conflicts increasingly being driven by non-state actors, proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons, terrorism, violent extremism, malignant use of technology, climate change, irregular migration, and disparities in opportunities for improved standards of living.

Despite the challenging international environment, the United Nations has proved that it can be strong when the will of its members is harnessed for positive collective action. The guiding principle of this extra-ordinary institution is the promotion of peace and security, development and human rights.

Latest in a chain of events challenging these principles is the Ukraine conflict which has already created strains that are perhaps unprecedented for a generation.Such a conflict will have adverse consequences for us all, hindering our capacity to work together to resolve conflicts elsewhere, especially in Africa, the Middle-East and Asia.

Indeed, the ongoing war in Ukraine is making it more difficult to tackle the perennial issues that feature each year in the deliberations of this Assembly, such as nuclear disarmament, the right of the Rohingya refugees to return to their homes in Myanmar, and the Palestinians’ legitimate aspirations for statehood and reduction of inequalities within and amongst nations.

The danger of escalation of the war in Ukraine further justifies Nigeria’s resolute calls for a nuclear-free world and a universal Arms Trade Treaty, which are also necessary measures to prevent global human disasters. In this regards we must find quick means to reach consensus on the Nuclear non-proliferation Treaty with related commitments by nuclear weapon states.

I remain firmly convinced that the challenges that have come so sharply into focus in recent years and months emphasize the call by #Nigeria and many other Member-States for the reform of the Security Council and other @UN Agencies.

We need more effective and representative structures to meet today’s demands that have since outgrown a system designed for the very different world that prevailed at its foundation in 1945. CHANGE IS LONG OVERDUE.

Mr. President, This is the first meeting we are having here in New York without the restrictions that characterised the last three years. The COVID-19 pandemic ripped across National borders like a toxic whirlwind, leaving in its wake a legacy of pain and loss.
Happily, we also witnessed an incredible level of innovation and creativity from those who devised treatments & vaccines. These laudable achievements were underpinned by partnerships and international cooperation.

We have also seen the bravery, care and endurance of health professionals at every corner of the globe.I am happy to note that in Nigeria, our healthcare agencies were able to form effective local management and engaged international partnerships with multinational initiatives like COVAX and private groups like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation @gatesfoundation

These efforts helped mitigate the impact of the pandemic and we were mercifully spared the images
of overwhelmed hospitals, overworked healthcare personnel and high mortality which sadly we saw elsewhere.With #COVID19, we saw very clearly how states tried to meet the challenge of a threat that could not be contained within national borders.

The results were mixed; but at its best, cooperation among stakeholders was outstanding. It facilitated solutions that saved countless lives and eased the huge burden of human suffering.That same theme of unilateralism and the promotion of national interest competing with the common cause in the face of an existential threat has been our recurring experience in recent times.

In every address I have delivered to this august Assembly, I have dwelt on the issue of climate change, especially as it fuels conflicts and complicates food security. Climate change reduces opportunity and prosperity which, in Africa, Latin America and some parts of Asia, also contributes to transnational organized crimes.

As part of Nigeria’s efforts at achieving our Global Net-zero aspiration, the current Administration last year adopted a National Climate Change Strategy that aims to deliver climate change mitigation in a sustainable manner.The measures we took at the national level also require climate justice. Africa & other developing nations produce only a small proportion of green-house gas emissions, compared to industrial economies.

Yet, we are the hardest hit by the consequences of climate change as we see in the sustained droughts in Somalia and floods of unprecedented severity in Pakistan. These and other climate-related occurrences are now sadly becoming widely commonplace in the developing world. We are, in effect, literally paying the price for policies that others pursue. This needs to change.

At the #COP26 in Glasgow last year, I did say that Nigeria was not asking for permission to make the same mistakes that others have made in creating the climate emergency. Fortunately, we now know what we can do to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis and the related energy challenge. As a first step, we must all commit to releasing the financing and the technology to create a stable and affordable framework for energy transition.

Development Finance Institutions must prioritise de-risking energy projects to improve access of renew-able projects to credit facilities. There should be no countries “left behind” in this equation.Rocketing energy costs worldwide are, in part, the product of conflict and supply disruptions to Europe and the Americas.

Yet, we are all paying the price. It is, therefore, our expectation that this UNGA 77 & the upcoming COP 27 will help galvanise the political will required to drive action towards the fulfilment of the various existing climate change initiatives.

Another feature of the last decade has been the growing partnership between states and increasingly influential non-state actors.There was a time when the most important event at this Assembly was speech by the world’s most powerful leaders. Now a Tweet or Instagram post by an influencer on social or environmental issues may have greater impact.

Technology offers us nearly limitless opportunities and sometimes runs ahead of the imagination of regulators and legislators. At its best, social media helps strengthen the foundations of our society and our common values.At its worst, it is a corrosive digital version of the mob, bristling with intolerance and division.

When I began my tenure as President in 2015, distinctions were drawn between the experience of poorer countries and those apparently better able to manage the avalanche of unfiltered information.
Nigeria has had many unsavoury experiences with hate speech and divisive disinformation. Increasingly, we also see that many countries face the same challenge. Clearly, data also know no borders.

In confronting these challenges, we must also come together to defend freedom of speech, while upholding other values that we cherish.We must continue to work for a common standard that balances rights with responsibilities to keep the most vulnerable from harm and help strengthen and enrich communities.

Efforts to protect communities from the scourge of disinformation and misinformation must also be matched with efforts to reduce inequalities and restore hope to our poorer and most vulnerable of our communities as a means to stem the many socio-economic conflict drivers with which we are faced.

In spite of our efforts, humanitarian crises will continue to ravage some of our communities. Nigeria, therefore, implores our global partners to do more to complement our endeavours.Indeed, the multifaceted challenges facing most developing countries have placed a debilitating chokehold on their fiscal space.

This equally calls for the need to address the burden of unsustainable external debt by a global commit-ment to the expansion and extension of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative to countries facing fiscal and liquidity challenges as well as outright cancellation for countries facing the most severe challenges.

Mr. President, Your Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Democracy is an idea that crosses time and borders.Certainly democracy does have its limitations. The wheels of democracy turn slowly. It can demand compromises that dilute decisions.Sometimes, it bends too much to special interests that exercise influence, not always for the general good, in a manner disproportionate to their numbers.

But it has been my experience that a democratic culture provides a Government with the legitimacy it needs to deliver positive change. In Nigeria, not only have we worked to strengthen our democracy, but we have supported it and promoted the Rule of Law in our sub-region.

In The Gambia, we helped guarantee the first democratic transition since independence. In Guinea-Bissau we stood by the democratically-elected Government when it faced mutiny.And in the Republic of Chad, following the tragic death of its President, the late Idris Deby Itno in the battlefield, we joined forces with its other neighbours & Int'l partners to stabilize the country & encourage the peaceful transition to democracy,a process which is ongoing.

We believe in the sanctity of constitutional term limits and we have steadfastly adhered to it in Nigeria. We have seen the corrosive impact on values when leaders elsewhere seek to change the rules to stay on in power.Indeed, we now are preparing for general elections in Nigeria next February. At the 78th UNGA, there will be a new face at this podium speaking for Nigeria.

Ours is a vast country strengthened by its diversity and its common values of hard work, enduring faith and a sense of community. We have invested heavily to strengthen our framework for free and fair elections.I thank our partners for all the support that they have provided our election institutions.

As President, I have set the goal that one of the enduring legacies I would like to leave is to entrench a process of free, fair and transparent and credible elections through which Nigerians elect leaders of their choice.Mr. President, The multiple challenges that face us are truly  interconnected and urgent, and your choice of this Session's theme, “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges” is apt.

In keeping with our obligations as Member States of this noble Organisation, we all must do our utmost to work with you toward resolving them. In this regard, I reiterate my Delegation's full & resolute cooperation.

Let me convey my final reflection from this famous podium.We live in extraordinary times with interdependent challenges but enormous opportunities. The pace of change can seem bewildering, with sometimes a palpable and unsettling sense of uncertainty about our future.

But if my years in public service have taught me anything, it is that we must keep faith with those values that endure. These include, but are not limited to, such values as justice, honour, integrity, ceaseless endeavour, and partnership within and between nations.

Our strongest moments have always been when we remain true to the basic principles of tolerance, community, and abiding commitment to peace and goodwill towards all.

I thank you all.

The World Premiere of “Elesin Oba, The King’s Horseman” at the Toronto International Film Festival

The World Premiere of “Elesin Oba, The King’s Horseman” at the Toronto International Film Festival

"Elesin Oba, The King’s Horseman” coproduced by the EbonyLife Studios and Netflix premiered at the 2022 annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Saturday, September 10. But I am still waiting for the reviews of the  premiere.

How was the reception?
How did the audience react?
What of the reviews by the film critics and journalists?

Bella Naija simply reported that it premiered at TIFF with the Executive Producer  Mo Abudu,  Odunlade Adekola, the lead actor, Omowunmi Dada, and Deyemi Okanlawon and showed their photos.
That's all.
No reviews and no interviews.

Biyi Bandele who directed the film adaptation of Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka‘s play “Death and the King’s Horsemen.” unfortunately passed on suddenly weeks ago before the world premiere.

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
The Publisher/Editor, NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series

When Will Paramount+ Launch in Nigeria?

When Will Paramount+ Launch in Nigeria?

An executive of Paramount came to Nigeria last year during the 2021 annual Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF).

Will Paramount+ be able to compete with Netflix , Amazon Prime Video and Showmax for the increasing millions of subscribers to SVOD streaming channels in Africa?

I had a dream two days ago of the take off of Paramount+ in Nigeria like a plane taking off. I was given two tickets for the flight at the airport and I woke up.

#Nigeria #svod #netflix #streaming #subscribers #amazonprimevideo #paramount #channels #africa #annual #international #filmfestival #executive #launch #millions

There Are No Breakthroughs Without Breaking barriers and Protocols

There are no breakthroughs without breaking barriers and protocols.

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,

Author of "The Prophet Lied", "Diary of the Memory Keeper", "Scarlet Tears of London", "In the House of Dogs" and other books distributed by Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other booksellers worldwide.

#breakthrough 

#ThursdayMotivation 

#motivation 

#success

#triumph

#victory

#champions

#heroes

#heroines

Sony Future Filmmakers Awards 2022

Sony Future Filmmakers Awards 2022

Supporting creative excellence within filmmaking

Win a visit to Sony Pictures Studio and gain exclusive insight into the industry.

Submit your best short films for free by December 13, 2022 

Enter now
https://www.sonyfuturefilmmakerawards.com/node/1

The winning and shortlisted filmmakers will be flown to Los Angeles, the home of Hollywood, for a three-day event.

Taking place in the historic Sony Pictures studio lot in Culver City, California, the inspiring program provides invaluable opportunities to support career progression. The 30 successful filmmakers will gain unparalleled insight into all aspects of the filmmaking process. From pitching to legal to working with talent agencies and using cutting-edge technologies, the outstanding workshops provide exclusive access into the inner workings of the industry. Winners are announced during a black-tie awards ceremony at the Cary Grant Theatre.

Filmmaker winners
The Filmmaker competition elevates original voices that bring a fresh perspective to storytelling. The three winners receive $5,000 (USD), an FX9 Cinema Line Camera (plus lens), and are flown, along with the shortlist, to Los Angeles for a two-day workshop program and a black-tie awards ceremony.

Student Filmmaker winners
The Student Filmmaker competition rewards the talent soon to shape the industry. The two winners and their institutions receive a range of Sony camera equipment ideal for filmmakers. Winners are flown, along with the shortlist, to Los Angeles for a two-day workshop program and a black-tie awards ceremony.

Future Format winners
The Future Format competition challenges filmmakers to respond to a technical brief. The winner receives $2,500 (USD), a range of Sony camera equipment ideal for filmmakers and is flown, along with the shortlist, to Los Angeles for a two-day workshop program and a black-tie awards ceremony.

Awards Timeline
July 26, 2022

Competitions open 

December 13, 2022
Competitions close 

February 22, 2023
Winners announced during ceremony.
February 23 to 24, 2023
Two-day workshop program
#filmmakers #filmmaking #career #opportunities #future #creative #event #legal #talent #storytelling #awards #competition #prizes #winners

From Mati Diop To Alice Diop: Two French Senagalese Female Filmmakers Who Have Made History

From Mati Diop To Alice Diop: Two French Senagalese Female Filmmakers Who Have Made History in Cannes and Venice

First it was Mati Diop, the French-Senegalese filmmaker whose first feature film "Atlantics" made her the first black female director to be in the Official Selection in competition for the Palme d'Or and won the Grand Prix equivalent of the silver prize at the 2019 annual Cannes Film Festival, making her the first black female director to win an award in Cannes' 72-year history. And another French Senegalese filmmaker, Alice Diop with the same surname has just made history as first black female filmmaker to win the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize, for her first feature, "Saint Omer" and also the Lion of the Future LUIGI DE LAURENTIIS Venice Award for a debut film at the 79th annual Venice International Film Festival in 2022.

Mati Diop was born in Paris on June 22 in 1982 and Alice Diop was born in Aulnay-sous-Bois, France in 1979.

-  By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Publisher/Editor, NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series.

The following is from an interview with Alice Diop on the making of "Saint Omer".

What led you to develop it as a narrative feature?

A documentary was never the plan. At the time, I was too busy with research, plus we couldn’t shoot in the courtroom and I would never [make the real participants] reenact the proceedings. Anyway, I wanted to recreate my experience of listening to another woman’s story while interrogating myself, facing my own difficult truths. The narrative had to trace a series of emotional states that can lead to catharsis. It’s like accelerated psychotherapy.  

https://variety.com/2022/film/festivals/venice-alice-diop-saint-omer-1235367521/

Complete List of Winners at the 79th Annual Venice International Film Festival

Official Awards of the 79th Venice Film Festival

CINEMA - 10 SEPTEMBER 2022

OFFICIAL AWARDS OF THE 79TH VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

Announced by the five international Juries during the Awards Ceremony that was held on Saturday 10th September at 7:00 pm.

VENEZIA 79

The VENEZIA 79 Jury, chaired by Julianne Moore and comprised of Mariano Cohn, Leonardo Di Costanzo, Audrey Diwan, Leila Hatami, Kazuo Ishiguro and Rodrigo Sorogoyen, having viewed all 23 films in competition, has decided as follows:

GOLDEN LION for Best Film to:

ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED

by Laura Poitras (USA)

SILVER LION – GRAND JURY PRIZE to:

SAINT OMER

by Alice Diop (France)

SILVER LION – AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR to:

Luca Guadagnino

for the film BONES AND ALL (USA, Italy)

COPPA VOLPI

for Best Actress:

Cate Blanchett

in the film TÁR by Todd Field (USA)

COPPA VOLPI

for Best Actor:

Colin Farrell

in the film THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN by Martin McDonagh (Ireland, UK, USA)

AWARD FOR BEST SCREENPLAY to:

Martin McDonagh

for the film THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN by Martin McDonagh (Ireland, UK, USA)

SPECIAL JURY PRIZE to:

KHERS NIST (NO BEARS)

by Jafar Panahi (Iran)

MARCELLO MASTROIANNI AWARD

for Best Young Actor or Actress to:

Taylor Russell

in the film BONES AND ALL by Luca Guadagnino (USA, Italy)

ORIZZONTI

The ORIZZONTI Jury of the 79th Venice Film Festival, chaired by Isabel Coixet and comprised of Laura Bispuri, Antonio Campos, Sofia Djama and Edouard Waintrop, after screening the 18 feature-length films and 12 short films in competition has decided to award:

ORIZZONTI AWARD FOR BEST FILM to:

Jang-e Jahani Sevom (WORLD WAR III)

by Houman Seyedi (Iran)

ORIZZONTI AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR

Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel

for the film VERA (Austria)

SPECIAL ORIZZONTI JURY PRIZE to:

CHLEB I SÓL (BREAD AND SALT)

by Damian Kocur (Poland)

ORIZZONTI AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS to:

Vera Gemma

in the film VERA by Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel (Austria)

 

ORIZZONTI AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR to:

Mohsen Tanabandeh

in the film JANG-E JAHANI SEVOM (WORLD WAR III) by Houman Seyedi (Iran)

ORIZZONTI AWARD FOR BEST SCREENPLAY to:

Fernando Guzzoni

for the film BLANQUITA by Fernando Guzzoni (Chile, Mexico, Luxembourg, France, Poland)

ORIZZONTI AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM to:

SNOW IN SEPTEMBER

by Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir (France, Mongolia)

VENICE SHORT FILM NOMINATION FOR THE EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS 2022 to:

SNOW IN SEPTEMBER

by Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir (France, Mongolia)

ORIZZONTI EXTRA

ARMANI BEAUTY AUDIENCE AWARD to:

NEZOUH

by Soudade Kaadan (UK, Syria, France)

VENICE AWARD FOR A DEBUT FILM

LION OF THE FUTURE – “LUIGI DE LAURENTIIS” VENICE AWARD FOR A DEBUT FILM Jury at the 79th Venice Film Festival, chaired by Michelangelo Frammartino and comprised of Jan Matuszyński, Ana Rocha de Sousa, Tessa Thompson and Rosalie Varda has decided to award:

LION OF THE FUTURE

“LUIGI DE LAURENTIIS” VENICE AWARD FOR A DEBUT FILM to:

SAINT OMER

by Alice Diop (France)

VENICE CLASSICS

The VENICE CLASSICS Jury, chaired by Giulio Base and comprised of 21 students of Cinema, chosen from the professors of Italian University Cinema programmes, has decided to award:

VENICE CLASSICS AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY ON CINEMA to:

FRAGMENTS OF PARADISE

by KD Davison (USA)

VENICE CLASSICS AWARD FOR BEST RESTORED FILM to:

Koroshi no Rakuin (BRANDED TO KILL)

by Suzuki Seijun (Japan, 1967)

VENICE IMMERSIVE

The VENICE IMMERSIVE Jury, chaired by May Abdalla and comprised of David Adler and Blanca Li, after viewing the 30 projects in competition has decided to award:

VENICE IMMERSIVE BEST EXPERIENCE to:

THE MAN WHO COULDN’T LEAVE

by Singing Chen (Taipei)

VENICE IMMERSIVE GRAND JURY PRIZE to:

FROM THE MAIN SQUARE

by Pedro Harres (Germany)

VENICE IMMERSIVE SPECIAL JURY PRIZE to:

EGGSCAPE

by German Heller (Argentina)

Source

https://www.labiennale.org/en/news/official-awards-79th-venice-film-festival

Notable Nigerian Female Filmmakers

Notable Nigerian Female Filmmakers

Ngozi Onwurah

Prof. Branwen Okpako.

Sandra Mbanefo Obiago

Amaka igwe (of blessed memory)

Remi Vaughn-Richards 

Mildred Okwo

Emem Isong

Michelle Bello

Tope Oshin-Ogun

Ego Boyo,

Stephanie Linus

Chineze Anyaene

Chika Anadu

Blessing Egbe

Ema Edosio

Amaka Anioji

Grace Edwin Okon

Belinda Yanga-Agedah

Vanessa Nzediegwu,

Nosarieme Garrick

Zina Saro-Wiwa

Dolapo Adeleke, aka "LowlaDee"

Destiny Ekaragha

Mary Remmy Njoku

Akindele Olufunke Ayotunde

Adebukola Bodunrin

Kemi Adetiba.

Jade Osiberu

Lilian Aimiehi Onyinyen Afegbai

Genevieve Nnaji just got on the list, because of the outstanding success of her directorial debut, "Lionheart".

#Nollywood

#Filmmaking

#Filmmakers

#movies

#series

#Scholars

#students

#Africa

#Nigeria

#Nigerians

#film

This is not the complete list, because there are still some notable female directors in Nollywood who emerged after this selection who will be included in the third edition of the NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series printed in Raleigh, NC, USA.

This edition is a special focus on the Nigerian female filmmakers in Nigeria and the Diaspora.

I am the sole funder of the NOLLYWOOD MIRRO ® Series, the first book series on Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry since the first edition in 2013. I have not received any support from anyone else, private or public organization.

The articles in the first and second editions are among the most cited and quoted references in film studies, anthropology and African Studies by film scholars, students and others.

The Art Editor and Book Designer, Juvelin Aripal in from the Philippines.

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,

Publisher/Editor, NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series.

QUEEN ELIZABETH II: HER GLORIOUS REIGN

QUEEN ELIZABETH II: HER GLORIOUS REIGN

TRAILER:

https://www.visionfilms.net/film-detail?id=1a02c191-23b4-ec11-828e-0e415c66ce57

Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning monarch in the history of Great Britain and the Commonwealth. While her service to her country is legendary, she has become a figure of strength, endurance, and dignity the world over and indeed we all feel connected to her. Through triumph, loss, scandal, and celebration, witness the story of how a young Princess became Queen to the people of the world.

STARRING: Dicky Arbiter (former spokesman for Queen Elizabeth II), Sarah Bradford (Royal biographer), Gyles Brandreth (broadcaster/former Parliament member), Phil Dampier (journalist)

DIRECTED BY: Alan Byron

GENRE(S): Biography, History, Royals

RUNTIME: 95 Min, 2022

#QueenElizabeth 

#QueenofEngland 

#QueenElizabeth2

#Elizabeth2 

#Elizabeth

#england🇬🇧 

#Britishempire 

#Charles

#KingCharles

#KingCharles3