HAPPY BIRTHDAY PROF. WOLE SOYINKA The Lion of African Literature

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PROF. WOLE SOYINKA

The Lion of African Literature.

Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka(Yoruba: Akínwándé Olúwo̩lé Babátúndé S̩óyíinká; born 13 July 1934), known as Wole Soyinka (pronounced [wɔlé ʃójĩnká]), is a Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet, essayist, human rights activist, actor and filmmaker in the English language and Yoruba. He was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature.

A #Netflix documentary film on SOYINKA will be a hit from OTT platforms to the cinema. He is the Big Picture of African Literature.
I am the best for the production design of the documentary film.
Netfix, HBO or Amazon should not miss this great opportunity.

Morocco's Oasis Studios Venture Looks to Fuel Pan-African Production - Variety

Khadija Alami 

                            Chioma Ude

#Nigeria

#africa

#morocco

#Nolllywood

#oasis

#studio

#Movies

Morocco's Oasis Studios Venture Looks to Fuel Pan-African Production - Variety

Moroccan producer Khadija Alami and Nigerian producer and Africa Intl. Film Festival founder Chioma Ude have announced a 50-50 partnership in Morocco’s Oasis Studios, a thriving production hub that they aim to use as a launching pad for the next generation of African filmmakers.

Read the report on 

https://variety.com/2021/film/global/morocco-oasis-studios-khadija-alami-1235010676

Juliet Ibrahim in "African Bodyguard" Action Movie

Juliet Ibrahim in "African Bodyguard" Action Movie

 African Bodyguard

Synopsis:
Pangea is a small but wealthy country between Mauritania and the Sahara Desert. When the First Lady of Pangea does the unthinkable, the bodyguards at the Presidential Palace become vulnerable. Discover what happens when their head of state takes charge of the dilemma that threatens to destroy lives and damage his reputation.

Directors
J Leo Uche
Starring
Juliette Ibrahim, Akin Lewis
Genres
Action, Romance
Subtitles
English [CC]
Audio languages
English

The Scarcity of Film Curators and Hairstylists in Nollywood

Elizabeth Banks (left, as Effie Trinket) and Ve Neill (right, makeup artist) on the set of The Hunger Games. Photo by Murray Close. Courtesy of Lionsgate.http://academyartunews.com/newspaper/2016/06/celebrity_makeupart.html.

"The study of film criticism comes before the study of film curation."

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima.

You cannot be a film curator without the knowledge, experience or expertise in film criticism. 

Film schools in Nigeria must teach film curation or programming, because of the scarcity of professional film curators or programmers in the Nigerian film industry.

The lack of this can be seen in the substandard selections of movies and TV series on cable TV channels and public TV channels in Nigeria, especially in the selection of Yoruba movies and series of low quality and the most annoying subtitles by half-educated translators or subtitlers whose poor knowledge of English grammar either makes you laugh or upsets you. 

Another widespread common erroneous practice in #Nolllywood and #Kannywood is the fact that many of the filmmakers don't know that a makeup artist is different from an hairstylist. And there must be an hairstylist as there must be a makeup artist for every film or TV production. There is a hairstyle for every character in a drama or comedy.

There is Film Hairstyling for Storytelling and should be included in the top courses in film schools in Nigeria.

 

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,

Publisher/Editor,

NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series,

247 Nigeria @247nigeria on  #Twitter

Barack Obama: My 2021 Summer 2021 Lists

My 2021 Summer 2021 Lists. Whether you’re camped out on the beach… | by Barack Obama | Jul, 2021 | Medium

@barackobama

Whether you’re camped out on the beach or curled up on the couch on a rainy day, there’s nothing quite like sitting down with a great book in the summer. While we were still in the White House, I began sharing my summer favorites — and over the years, it’s become a little tradition that I look forward to sharing with you all. So without further ado, here are some books I’ve read recently. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

At Night All Blood Is Black — David Diop

Land of Big Numbers — Te-Ping Chen

Empire of Pain — Patrick Radden Keefe

Project Hail Mary — Andy Weir

When We Cease to Understand the World — Benjamín Labatut

Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future — Elizabeth Kolbert

Things We Lost to the Water — Eric Nguyen

Leave The World Behind — Rumaan Alam

Klara and the Sun — Kazuo Ishiguro

The Sweetness of Water — Nathan Harris

Intima ucies — Katie Kitamura

See the complete lists on 

https://barackobama.medium.com/my-summer-2021-lists-f522aac3b97c

Our Daughters Are Like Herds Of Sheep Without Shepherds

Our Daughters Are Like Herds Of Sheep Without Shepherds

They are like herds of sheep without shepherds.

Our churches have failed to guide and guard them.

Our Mosques have failed to guide and guide them 

Their fathers and mothers have also failed to be their role models.

See the.birthday parties of these impressionable and vulnerable teenage girls, they play and dance to psychedelic songs about romantic and erotic pleaures in the presence of their parents who claim to be Christian or Muslim families. 

I have left one of such dirty parties by a family fellowshipping with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Surulere. The parents ignored my call to stop playing pyschedelic songs of Davido and Wizkid to their teenage sons and daughters.

Their principals and teachers play the same songs at the school parties. 

Many years ago when I was mentoring a young woman and never touched her and she told her father, he laughed at me and asked if I was impotent. And many parents are like that.

We have seen young daughters of poor parents are pimped to Rich older men. And life goes on.  

They said "Mind your business!"

Yes. It is my business when anyone in my community is showing misguided lifestyle to others in the community. It becomes our business when little girls are raped by men and some gruesomely raped to death and dumped on.the streets and horrifying deeds terrify us with headlines of the news.

If you want to help a poor girl, you can sponsor her education without making her your fifth wife or girlfriend and making her a mother when her mates are in the university. 

Many years ago, I had a dream of Rev. Chris Okotie leading a group of male secondary school students on the Marina by the General Post Office and I wrote him a letter about it that Almighty God has called him to be a leader of the youths in Nigeria. But he ignored me. That was before Yahoo-Yahoo and GSM came out in the country.

Then in 1988 as a young national Program Consultant for the UNICEF Nigeria, I submitted a project for Nomadic Education for herders and their children, but it was ignored. Now, the chickens have come to roost. 

A stitch in time saves nine.

Prevention is better than cure.

There is no smoke without fire.

I know why since 2013, I have organized the Nigerian premiere.of "Girl Rising" to celebrate the United Nations' International Day of the Girl Child for the first time in Nigeria at the Silverbird Cinemas in the Solverbird Galleria on Victoria Island and also organized another one with the Nigerian premiere.of "HE NAMED MALALA" in 2015 at the same Silverbird Cinemas on Victoria Island, Lagos. Followed by the Nigerian premiere of "In the Name of Your Daughter" in 2019, for the promotion of girl education and public enlightenment on the dangers of the deprivation of.the education of the millions of underprivileged girls out of school in Nigeria. Because, we must secure the future of the mothers of our nation. But have you noticed that, no one else organized it in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018 when I did not organize it? 

Meaning?

None of the secondary schools, NGOs, Federal Ministry of Education and state governments cared about doing so. 

The biracial wife of a retired general in the Nigerian Army queried me that if every girl goes to school, where will they get the housemaids for their households? Because the underprivileged children of the poor are the regular supply of housemaids and houseboys used for the chores and errands in the households of the middle class and upper class Nigerians, including the public officials.

That is why they lured hundreds of the poor with N1, 000 per person to join the Pro Buhari supporters against the June 12 protests yesterday in Abuja, while they kept their privileged sons and daughters far away from the chaos caused by the political crisis in Nigeria since 1999 to date. 

The bandits, hoodlums and terrorists on rampage are the underprivileged children of the poor who never went to school decades ago.

The chickens have come home to roost.

The worst is yet to come if we fail  to do what is best and right for Nigeria.

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund Appoints Dr Fejiro Chinye-Nwoko as General Manager

Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund Appoints Dr. Fejiro Chinye-Nwoko as General Manager

The Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF) has announced the appointment of Dr Fejiro Chinye-Nwoko as General Manager. 

With the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Nigerians, the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund aims to support vulnerable groups, strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare systems and reskill the Nigerian Youth for a post COVID-19 era. To this end, the NSSF has set its main priority for 2021 going forward: To get One Million Nigerians vaccinated against COVID-19.

Dr Chinye-Nwoko is a qualified medical doctor and an accomplished executive with over ten years of experience in program management. With a proven track record in designing and implementing multi-donor projects from inception to completion, she is ideally placed to oversee the focus on a vaccination program for Nigerians, driven by her passion for healthcare delivery.

After qualifying from the University of Port Harcourt in 2010, Dr Chinye-Nwoko spent the first part of her career as a medical doctor with the Lagos State Health Service Commission. She spent four years at the Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation where, amongst other initiatives, she led the development of policies and guidelines for the improvement of maternal and child health outcomes in Nigeria.

In 2019 she gained a Masters degree in Global Health Policy from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Through her consultancy work she has been at the forefront of innovations in telemedicine, and provided program management for EpiC, the USAID funded program which provides support to the Government of Nigeria to mitigate COVID-19 transmission, morbidity and mortality.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr Chinye-Nwoko to steer the NSSF towards its goal of vaccinating one million Nigerians,” says Tijani Babatunde Folawiyo, Chairman of Global Citizen Nigeria.

“Her wealth of knowledge and experience in healthcare equips her to navigate this huge task, which includes making sure that our citizens are well informed about the vaccine. We are excited to move the work of the fund forward with her involvement,” he says.

Dr Chinye-Nwoko says that she aims to contribute to the building of a resilient healthcare system in Nigeria, with a focus on removing the barriers to access quality healthcare. She says her first task will be the focus on vaccine equity and education.

“I would love to see NSSF bring together like-minded passionate Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, to help finance this new focus. We have identified the great need for our people to be protected against COVID-19 and to this end will be working to acquire vaccines and ensure that Nigerians have the benefit of knowledge about the vaccine. We will work towards creating an understanding of why it is necessary for as many of us as possible to be protected from the disease.”

The NSSF has raised over $ 2.4 million and is launching a new drive to encourage Nigerian philanthropists, HNIs, corporate organizations, the public sector and international businesses, to contribute to the pool. The fund for Nigerians by Nigerians aims to raise $ 50 million, and you can support this initiative by visiting     https://nigeriasolidarityfund.ng/donate/. All donations will support the health and economic crises caused by the pandemic.

-ends-

For more information please contact: 

Kirsti Lyall

kirsti@hitch.co.za / +27 83 450 6665

About NIGERIA SOLIDARITY SUPPORT FUND (NSSF)

The NSSF is a private-sector led institution born out of a partnership between the Global Citizen (GC) and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to complement efforts in combating the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic through fund raising to address three core COVID-19 response areas: supporting the most vulnerable, strengthening health care systems and re-skilling of Nigerian youth for The New Nigeria.

The Institution believes that everyone should have access to quality and affordable healthcare services when they need it, young Nigerians should be enabled with opportunities for self-empowerment and well-skilled for a post-COVID era and that the most vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalized groups in Nigeria should not be left behind.

For more information, visit https://nigeriasolidarityfund.ng/

KIRSTI LYALL | HEAD OF PR

021 879 1150 | 083 450 6665 | HITCH.CO.ZA

 

 

How Do You find Great Content from Anywhere in the World?

How Do You Find Great Content From Anywhere in the World?

This is Why Vuulr is Where You Need to Be.

"A Soldier's Story 2" Becomes First Nollywood Movie To Be Acquired by Lionsgate

"A Soldier's Story 2" Becomes First Nollywood Movie To Be Acquired by Lionsgate.

Congratulations to Nollywood for another international breakthrough in the global film industry with the acquisition of “A Soldier’s Story 2- Return from the Dead” by Lionsgate of America. The sequel to the multiple award-winning film, “A Soldier’s Story” has become the biggest acquisition of a Nigerian movie since the acquisition of "'76" at the 2016 annual Toronto International Film International (TIFF).

"A Soldier's Story 2- Return from the Dead" directed by Frankie Ogar and produced by Martin Gbados is a star-studded thriller starrying Academy Awards nominated actor, Eric Roberts with fellow Hollywood actors, John J. Vogel and Berit Glaser alongside outstanding Nigerian actors Daniel K Daniel, Alex Usifo, Akin Lewis, Segun Arinze, Linda Ejiofor, Somekele Iyamah-Idalamah, Michelle Dede,  Tope Tedela, Baaj Adeuble and Sambasa Nzeribe with popular Ghanaian actor Chris Attoh and Zimbabwean born actress/TV host, Vimbai Mutinhiri-Ekpenyong.

The film is showing on Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, Comcast Xfinity, FandangoNOW, YouTube, Redbox, FlixFling, DIRECTV online and Apple TV.

I am happy about this good news, because this is the Big Picture of the future of Nollywood I predicted in the first edition of the NOLLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series published in 2013 in Raleigh, NC, USA and the movies I selected as the top 10 most anticipated Nigerian movies in the second edition in 2014 included "'76" directed by Izu Ojukwu and "Ojuju" by Fiery Obasi that later won top awards. And as I said in my TV interview on the Morning Ride of NTA2 on May 29, 2021; that with the same advanced digital cinema cameras, Nigerian filmmakers are making highly rated movies of the same quality with the best movies in Hollywood and Bollywood. 

The international competition for Nigerian film and TV productions will increase the appreciation of Nollywood in the global film industry.  The Big Picture is getting bigger and I can see Nigerian movies pulling crowds of moviegoers at the cinemas in America, the UK and other countries and among the highest grossing movies at the box office.

- By EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima, 

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

TECNO Is Going Premium with PHANTOM X, And 2021 Marks Its New Focus

TECNO Is Going Premium with PHANTOM X, And 2021 Marks Its New Focus

TECNO’s journey to a premium reflects the new trend of current competition of peers in technology, design details, overall experience  TECNO Mobile PRESS RELEASE TECNO Is Going Premium with PHANTOM X, And 2021 Marks Its New Focus TECNO’s journey to a premium reflects the new trend of current competition of peers in technology, design details, overall experience LAGOS, Nigeria, July 6, 2021/ -- TECNO's (www.TECNO-mobile.com) release of its premium flagship PHANTOM X hitting the mid-to-high-end brought no small disturbance. It is not only a major move for TECNO, but also a positive signal for the industry – mid-to-high-end smartphone technology and market has become more mature today, and market demand is likely to spread rapidly to global emerging markets led by TECNO, a global expert dedicated to bring the latest technology and innovative designs to consumers in emerging markets. The Newest Global Evolvement around “Flagship” and “Premium”  Looking at today's mid-to-high-end market, although competition has reached a fever pitch and the market seems to have been divided up, yet changes around “premium” and “flagship” have started long ago. While each brand is fighting in the flagship market through its own differentiation, the previous method of dividing the high and low end by pure performance or technical parameter stacking has evolved into new set of dimensions including design, details and total user experience, which are now the new fashion to define a premium phone. Under such trend, TECNO PHANTOM X resembles the industry trend. Considering TECNO’s strategic focus on emerging markets, TECNO might be pushing the competition into new boundaries to make flagship technology and premium design innovations available sooner to global consumers. TECNO’s Breakthroughs in “Premium” with PHANTOM X TECNO’s journey to a premium reflects the new trend of current competition of peers in technology, design details, overall experience. Premium Flagship Means Breakthroughs in Design with Exquisite Details Consumer behaviors will change with time, but the core is always the same -- the pursuit of beauty and a better life. Smartphones are the most used portable devices nowadays, which require a more ergonomic design that is practical and stylish with exquisite details. Post near a hundred testing trials, a huge and flexible 70-degree curves, industry leading 3D borderless screen with borderless display and a golden grip of 36.5-degree have been implemented on TECNO’s newly flagship. Ensuring users with high standards have the most comfortably experience in the palm, while providing the unbounded visual experience. Also, PHANTOM X replaces the universally used mobile phone back cover with an industry leading silk glass etched texture that almost doubles the challenge of production. But the intensified efforts are totally worth it due to the premium flagship quality that TECNO has promised to meet for customers. Premium Flagship Redefined More by Smooth Experience of Cutting-technology, not simply by technical parameter Without a doubt, the camera is an essential feature of any smart phone in current times. TECNO are an actively innovative, international brand dedicated to elevating smartphone photographic technology to another level. They have six TAIVOS laboratories spread across the globe, driving extensive research and development and helmed by a robust leadership that aims to create the most optimized photographic experience. There has been a huge rise of customized, large-pixel sensors being integrated in premium smartphone designs. Increased pixel dimension results in paramount performance allowing users to capture the most detailed and vivid snaps. Photosensitive detectors have been significantly enhanced to deliver pictures that capture the most light. TECNO have successfully incorporated the most impactful digital trends dominating today’s markets in their latest flagship device, the PHANTOM X. This includes the advanced 50MP Ultra-Night Camera with a 1/1.3-inch Ultra-Large Sensor, enabling much greater light sensitivity and a better sensitivity to low-light environments, helping users capture the most striking images which display excellent visual quality and extreme clarity. Premium Flagship Differentiates with its Service TECNO believes, while continuously satisfying consumers' high standards for technology experience and exquisite design, the premium flagship also differentiates with its exclusive concentration on exploring new demands of premium markets in the ever-evolving social context. For example, with the advent of the Internet of Everything era, people's lives are becoming more and more dependent on mobile phones. Occasionally, users’ business documents, family affairs, financial documents will have to be processed on the smartphone which has led to a privacy protection issue. TECNO accurately identified and provided a premium service in data security and privacy protection by introducing newly launched PHANTOM X. While the fierce competition in the smartphone market will continue, the players among which have been changing all the time. It is no doubt that there will always be full of changes and opportunities with various smartphone brands are raging in mid-to-high-end market. However, from newly launched flagship of TECNO, the company has figured out a right strategy in terms of many aspects like elegant design language, technology, and fast and smooth user experience. Just like General Manager of TECNO, Stephen Ha said “With PHANTOM, rules are challenged, broken, and redefined.” The future of TECNO is worth looking forward to. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of TECNO Mobile. SOURCE  TECNO Mobile Distributed by : APO Group Voie du Chariot 3 1003 Lausanne – Switzerland Tel : +41 21 547 44 44 E-mail: info (at) apo-opa.com www.APO-opa.com