Thursday, February 21, 2013

Justus Esiri, One of the Greatest Actors in Nigeria Passes On


Justus Esiri. November 20, 1942 - February 19, 2013.

Justus Esiri, one of the most accomplished actors in Nigeria passed away on Tuesday, February 19, 2013. He was 71 years old.


Justus Esiri in The Assassin's Practice.

Esiri was a popular actor on TV and film, featuring in many TV soap operas, teleplays and was a household name for his unforgettable role of the incorruptible school headmaster in the nationwide TV series "Village Headmaster" of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) from the 1970s to 80s. He also played a prominent role in the 1987 TV drama adaptation of Chinua Achebe all time classic novel Things Fall Apart directed by David Orere and broadcast on the network service of the NTA. He was also a pioneer of Nollywood, the phenomenal Nigerian film industry of home videos and won many coveted awards including Member of the Order of the Niger (MON).

Esiri will be remembered as one of the greatest Nigerian actors of all time.
May his soul rest in peace.

Filmography

2010 Home in Exile

2008 Small Boy
Daddy Queen
2008 Kingdom of Men (video)
2008 Kingdom of Men 2 (video)
2007 Big Heart Treasure (video)
2007 Big Heart Treasure 2 (video)
2007 Cross & Tinapa (video)
2007 Cross & Tinapa 2 (video)
2007 Forgive Me (video)
2007 Forgive Me 2 (video)
2007 Keep My Will (video)
2007 Keep My Will 2 (video)
2007 Minority Tension (video)
2007 Most Wanted Bachelor (video)
2007 Spiritual Challenge (video)
2007 Spiritual Challenge 2 (video)
2006 Put It on Me (video)
2006 Put It on Me 2 (video)
2006 Angel in Hell (video)
2006 Angel in Hell 2 (video)
2006 Angels Forever (video)
2006 Angels Forever 2 (video)
2006 Blood on Ice (video)
2006 Blood on Ice 2 (video)
2006 Blood Stain in Bokodo (video)
2006 City of Kings (video)
2006 City of Kings 2 (video)
2006 Connected Firm (video)
2006 Connected Firm 2 (video)
2006 Dying for Tomorrow (video)
2006 Dying for Tomorrow 2 (video)
2006 Dying for Tomorrow 3 (video)
2006 Fair Game (video)
2006 Fair Game 2 (video)
2006 Married for Money (video)
2006 Passionate Crime (video)
Father Martins
2006 Passionate Crime 2 (video)
Father Martins
2006 Silence of the Gods (video)
2006 Silence of the Gods 2 (video)
2006 Sitanda
2006 Tomorrow Lives Again (video)
2006 Traumatised (video)
2006 Traumatised 2 (video)
2006 Women of Faith (video)
2006 Women of Faith 2 (video)
2005 Blood Battle (video)
2005 Blood Battle 2 (video)
2005 Day of Atonement (video)
2005 Eagle's Bride (video)
2005 Eagle's Bride 2 (video)
2005 Endless Passion (video)
2005 Endless Passion 2 (video)
2005 Indecent Desire (video)
2005 Indecent Desire 2 (video)
2005 My Precious Son (video)
2005 My Precious Son 2 (video)
2005 Never End (video)
2005 Never End 2 (video)
2005 One God One Nation (video)
2005 One God One Nation 2 (video)
2005 Rising Moon (video)
2005 Rising Moon 2 (video)
2005 Rising Moon 3 (video)
2005 Six Demons (video)
2005 The Ghost
Anderson
2005 The Ghost 2
Anderson
2005 The Tyrant (video)
2005 The Tyrant 2 (video)
2005 Unforeseen (video)
2005 Unforeseen 2 (video)
2005 Vampire's Call (video)
2005 Vampire's Call 2 (video)
2004 For Real (video)
2004 For Real 2 (video)
2004 I Swear (video)
Ezeigwe
2004 I Swear 2 (video)
Ezeigwe
2004 King of the Jungle (video)
2004 King of the Jungle 2 (video)
2004 Love After Love (video)
2004 Masterstroke (video)
2004 Masterstroke 2 (video)
2004 Melody of Life (video)
2004 Miss Nigeria (video)
2004 Miss Nigeria 2 (video)
2004 My Driver (video)
2004 My Driver 2 (video)
2004 Never Say Ever (video)
2004 Never Say Ever 2 (video)
2004 Shattered Illusion (video)
2004 Shattered Illusion 2 (video)
2003 Love Oh! Love (video)
2003 Love Oh! Love 2 (video)
2003 Sister Mary (video)
2002 Evil-Doers (video)
2002 Evil-Doers 2 (video)
2002 Wisdom and Riches (video)
2002 Wisdom and Riches 2 (video)
2001 A Barber's Wisdom (short)
2001 My Good Will (video)
2001 My Good Will 2 (video)
1987 Things Fall Apart (TV series)








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President Barack Obama On Nollywood Movie Poster



Anything can happen in Nollywood, Nigeria's phenomenal film industry. So, don't be surprised by this Nollywood poster with President Barack Obama posing as a native African Juju man.







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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Nigerian Politicians as Gangsters



Nigerian Politicians as Gangsters

American Films and Nigerian Political Culture
 

~ By Uche Nworah

My favourite all time movie is The Godfather trilogy by Francis Ford Coppola. Back then growing up in Nigeria, if you were a guy and you had not seen any of the Godfather movies, then you were generally ‘dissed’ by peers as not knowing ‘what time it is’, The Godfather movies glamourised crime, and so do other gangster movies.



The director of the Godfather movies, Francis Ford Coppola brought to the big screens what decent folks only discussed privately at their dinner tables, he was smart and creative in the production, mixing and combining of the power of crime in very sexy ways, his all-star cast includes Marlon Brando playing the lead role as Don Vito Corleone, and Al Pacino playing the role of Michael Corleone (Don Vito’s last hope for a breakthrough into white America). Robert de Niro and James Caan complete the cast amongst other notable actors and actresses.


My other favourite movies are Scarface, featuring Al Pacino in his star performance as Tony Montana, the Cuban immigrant and drug lord; Once Upon A Time in America and Good Fellas, which featured Robert de Niro, Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci.

My fascination with these movies were just for their sheer entertainment value, they also provided me with some form of escape as I could easily slip into my regular daydreams and assume the role of any of the vicious characters from the movies, and then go after my imaginary enemies with sawn - off short guns, or best still I could fantasise about sending Luca Brasi or the volatile Joe Pesci’s character after them. In this my world, I remember killing emeka ifedi (not his real name) many times for using his father’s Citroen car and his privileged status as a doctor’s son to capture Ijeoma, my love interest at the time.



In all these however, I was conscious and cautious not to let my fascination and fantasies get the better of me, else my murder count would have been in the hundreds by now. I also knew that these movies were only works of art, although art does sometimes imitate life and reality, but my own reality, though twisted by some personal and political events at the time didn’t warrant my trying to imitate art by taking the laws into my hands.


These may not be the case with Nigerian politicians; I just think that they watch too many gangster movies, to the extent that they have now become gangsters themselves. They seem not to be able to draw the line between art and reality. Their actions point more and more to a gangster mentality.


To understand the mentality of gangsters, it also important to identify their key features and characteristics.

Gangsters by their very nature are sworn enemies of the law, they are always on the other side (opposing) of the law, they do not hide this attribute hence they wouldn’t engage in any of their multiple illegal activities. If that is the case, then Nigerian politicians deserve to be classified as gangsters because although they are law and policy makers, that alone does not make them to be on the good side of the law. They are among the greatest lawbreakers, they are artful tax dodgers and evaders, and do not pay for the public services they enjoy; they steal and rob public coffers with their gold pens in addition to committing other nefarious activities.


Just like their gangster idols, Nigerian politicians are highly skilled in the art of deception. They are very good at presenting and projecting personae to the public quite different from their real selves, they are able to cover their tracks such that it is difficult, if not impossible to trace their illegal acts to them.


Nigerian politicians are good at opening multiple bank accounts using false aliases, these bank accounts both in Nigeria and abroad then become hosts of stolen public funds, also they are very good at investing in properties and in other businesses under assumed names, Joshua Dariye, the governor of Plateau state showed Nigerians recently by his actions how this is done, Chimaraoke Nnamani of Enugu state and Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia state belong to this category of Business men cum governors, Orji Uzor Kalu in particular owns an airline (SLOK) and was widely reported to have bought a dream mansion worth over $1.5m in the Potomac area of Washington D.C.


Also there have been this rumour, which refuses to go away about Atiku’s covet investments in African Petroleum, and also about IBB being the real owner of all Otunba Michael Adenuga’s Business empire. Gangsters will operate in this manner; they have people known as ‘fall guys’ who go down for them should anything go wrong, and while the fall guy is away in prison, his or her family will continue to be taken care of by the gangster. This fall guy theory was seen in action in the Maryam Babangida and Glory Okon/Jennifer Madike saga, Nigerians still do not know the whole truth of the level of Mrs Babangida’s involvement in the alleged cocaine stories. Once again deception at its highest.


How about womanizing? Gangsters are the quintessential playboys, it baffles me how they have such high devotions to their wives and family and still live sleazy lifestyles on the side, they are very good at setting women up in rented apartments and paying them huge sums to be at their beck and call, such high class women (prostitutes) are usually trustees of information about hideous crimes their gangster lovers commit.
We all know how Nigerian politicians are and their low level of morality, do not be surprised at the number of big bosomed women that throng their offices daily in search of contracts, hotel operators and owners will ever be grateful to them for their patronage, they are known to keep different specifications of women at the same time in different hotels, sometimes they do not have time to come and ‘service’ these women, this responsibility then falls on their hundreds of aides who would normally demand a ‘sample’ before handing over their masters’ money gifts.



Several women have also benefited from their largesse; they have received gifts of cars, houses, expenses paid travel to Europe and America, etc. Are you surprised that the late military president Sanni Abacha was rumoured to have died in the arms of a Russian prostitute at Aso rock? The Russian lady allegedly was part of a larger conspiracy.


Notice how the different state governors have been adding ‘sweet sixteens’ to their harem, Orji Uzor Kalu came to Enugwu-Ukwu for a chieftaincy title in 2000 and took home a maiden as well, James Ibori has recently annexed a beautiful Enugu girl, who in turn has given him a bouncing baby boy, the story just like the snake between their legs is too long for these pages.


Government houses and lodges are famous for the select parties that take place there, anytime a compatriot or fellow politician comes into town, a gala night is organised for the ‘August’ visitor, with lots of young and half naked women on offer, these women are usually from nearby schools and universities, any surprise then that most state governors usually have it as a priority to set up their own state universities, not for the educational benefits to the people but so that they would have supply bases and hunting spots. Do you know that in Nigeria, pimping for a politician can be quite lucrative? Hmm!


If you live in Enugu, you may still remember the famous Jim Nwobodo parties at the government house while he was the governor of the then Anambra state, the stories of the coveting and philandering that took place in his parties are better not repeated here, else parents would quickly withdraw their daughters from Enugu schools and universities. At such parties catering is provided by the best caterers in town, and only the best wines and champagnes are drunk, sometimes customised champagne are shipped in just like Chief Adisa Akinloye, the then NPN chairman did when he celebrated his first 1 Billion Naira with a grandiose party.

There are other examples, especially amongst the military politicians, remember the woman tussle between the Bamaiyi brothers? And the Ndubuisi Kanu and Jubril Aminu wife swap/snatch?


Picture Al Capone in his champagne parties, with women doting on him and also Al Pacino’s character in Scarface as he coveted his boss’ (Frank Lopez) girlfriend. This is another aspect of the symbiotic relationship between gangsters and Nigerian politicians: parties, women, and frolicking.


Gangsters are known forgers and dodgers. The American government found it difficult to nail Al Capone because Al Capone constantly manipulated his books, records and his bookkeeper, the key witness sought desperately by the government. There is no difference between Al Capone’s tactics and antics and those of James Onanefe Ibori, the Delta state governor. It is only tact and craft that enabled him to wriggle out of his recent legal problem over the identity of the James Ibori that was convicted by an Abuja court in 1995 and the James Ibori that is currently the governor of Delta state, the star witness (the ‘other’ James Ibori) in the matter was missing and could not testify, just like Al Capone’s bookkeeper.


Play back the tape to the Toronto scandal of the ex- speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, I am sure that wherever he is now, Salisu Buhari will be wondering why him and not the others?

Perhaps the greatest resemblance between gangsters and Nigerian politicians is in the area of perpetrating mayhem, killings, and the hiring of hoodlums and goons. Party politics in Nigeria is never complete without political thuggery and assassinations. There is a long list of opponents in Nigeria that have fallen from assassins’ bullets sponsored by political opponents. In gangster land, putting out a hit or contract on a rival gangster is also commonplace.


Gangsters are known to belong to mobs and so are Nigerian politicians, hence the descriptions Kaduna Mafia, Langtang Mafia etc. This mob mentality actually became a permanent feature of party politics in Nigeria in the second republic.


In the eastern part of Nigeria, there were lots of such hired goons, who were financed by the politicians at the time; Jim Nwobodo was financing the Jim’s Vanguard while Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu financed the Ikemba Front. Clashes between these two opposing camps were widely reported in the media and at the time provided real entertainment to the party politics followers, their rivalry culminated in the now famous Nkpo junction clash between the Jim’s Vanguard and the Ikemba Front, this clash led to the ‘ignominious pimp’ speech by the Ikemba.


In Imo state, the ‘weeping’ governor late Sam Mbakwe set up the Onunaka Front Organisation (OFO) which he used as his own private security outfit, Mbakwe had no problems in recruiting members into this organisation as he had ample supply from the unemployed weight lifters who normally congregated at the Aba stadium, known as “ndi akpu obi’ (Big and muscular lads).


These political thugs later metamorphosed into armed robbers when they were disbanded as a result of the Buhari/Idiagbon military coup, but having tasted power they never really went away and have continued to provide ‘executioner’ services to successive politicians, they were recently seen in action in Anambra state but this time under the direction of Chris Uba.


Militia and Vigilante organisations such as the OPC, MASSOB and The Bakassi have also been used in the Western and Eastern parts of Nigeria by politicians as thugs to intimidate their opponents; the politicians are known to sponsor these organisations through the purchase of arms and also by making financial contributions.


The other associated characteristics between Nigerian politicians and gangsters are betrayal and back stabbing (the kiss of death theory). OBJ demonstrated this in his saga with Audu Ogbeh, he was having lunch with him while at the same time detailing security operatives to his house to put him under house arrest and force his resignation.


IBB did the same to his alleged friend, late M.K.O Abiola when he annulled the June 12 elections, which Abiola had contested with IBB’s assurances and won, this made Abiola to remark that ‘with friends like this, we no longer need enemies’.

I can recall Michael Corleone kissing his brother-in-law in the presence of his sister, despite having given the order for him to be executed.

Picture Al Capone in his dapper immaculate suits, remember how Tony Montana described the attempted assassination on his life, ‘they wanna spoil my $800 suit’ he said.


Nigerian politicians are lovers of high fashion, their fashion budget can offset the interest payments of the mounting debts they incur on behalf of the electorates, in his days Jim Nwobodo was famous for his canali suits, when they come abroad, they only shop at the best shops, the Harrords, the Russell & Bromleys. Mrs. Maryam Babangida is still remembered today, not for her better life programme but for her fashion contest with Mrs. Maryam Abacha. The politicians wear the best and most expensive lace and brocade materials, their shoes and slip-ons are usually of the best animal skin and Italian leather. How are they able to afford such luxuries? With our money, of course.


There is now a growing trend of godfatherism in Nigerian politics, the same way Amerigo Bonasera came to kiss Don Corleone’s (the Godfather) feet to ask for favours, so do Nigerian politicians run to their respective Godfathers for help, for the state governors, these Godfathers force them to sign away their federal allocations, they also enter into pacts with the devil by swearing oaths of loyalty and allegiance at native shrines. IBB is now the biggest Godfather of them all, every known politician in Nigeria have benefited from his benevolence, no wonder they are always running to his Minna residence to pay homage.

In the west, Chief Lamidi Adedibu and Alhaji Azeez Arisekola-Alao hold sway, Arthur Nzeribe may be waning in importance but he still has his loyals, in Anambra state Chris Uba has taken over from Emeka Offor as the political Godfather in the state, in the other states Godfathers abound as well.

Nigerian politicians and gangsters are also known to be corrupt, they bribe judges and therefore corrupt justice. They intimidate their opponents using different tactics; finally, they are professional liars, and always speak from the two sides of their mouth, you can never trust a gangster, neither can you trust a Nigerian politician, not with your life nor with your protection, because they think only of their own survival.


(First posted on 22 Januray 2005.)

Profile of Uche Nworah
Uche’s passion is in motivating and inspiring people to achieve and excel, as a life coach and public speaker, he preaches self - enterprise as the key to people and economic empowerment drawing from his experiences which includes running his own lottery business at the age of 10.

Uche holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Arts (second class honours upper division) from the University of Uyo -Nigeria and also a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Marketing from the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. He also holds the BEEC professional certificate and diploma in advertising, and the Post-graduate Diploma in Marketing of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, London.
In addition to a teaching qualification (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) obtained from the University of Greenwich, London, he is currently studying for a doctorate degree (EdD) in Education at the same university.


Uche has extensive management and marketing experience having worked for Leading Edge Consulting Ltd, Lagos as a management consultant and also Sunrise D’Arcy, Lagos as Head of Events and Public Relations. He also worked as an independent investment adviser for African markets in Germany before leaving to pursue his life long dream of teaching, first at Bexley College, London as a business and marketing lecturer and currently at NewVic, London. Uche speaks and writes German fluently, enjoys travelling, football, movies, writing and meeting people.


He is the founder and project director of T.O.T.A.L PROJECTS, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that promotes e - learning in Africa.


Uche’s email address is: uchenworah@yahoo.com








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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Five Books Advance to the 2013 Lionel Gelber Prize Shortlist



19 Feb 2013 15:00 Africa/Lagos

Five Books Advance to the 2013 Lionel Gelber Prize Shortlist

TORONTO and WASHINGTON, February 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Patricia Rubin, President of the Lionel Gelber Prize Board, today announced the 2013 prize shortlist:

Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe 1944-1956 by Anne Applebaum (Washington, DC and Poland)
The Second Nuclear Age: Strategy, Danger, and the New Power Politics by Paul Bracken (Connecticut, USA)
Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else by Chrystia Freeland (New York City, USA)
Ghosts of Empire: Britain 's Legacies in the Modern World by Kwasi Kwarteng (London, England)
From the Ruins of Empire: The Intellectuals Who Remade Asia by Pankaj Mishra (London, England)

"These five books offer fresh perspectives from the past that bring deeper understanding of current global issues, and compelling perspectives on the future that speak of things to come. The wisdom of this small crowd is worth the world's attention," said Jury Chair William Thorsell.

The 2013 prize jurors are: Jury Chair William Thorsell (Toronto, Canada), Daniel W. Drezner (Medford, USA), Gaynor Lilian Johnson, Ph. D. (Manchester, UK), Walter Russell Mead (Annandale-on-Hudson, USA), and Margaret Wente (Toronto, Canada).

About the Lionel Gelber Prize: Presented annually by The Lionel Gelber Foundation, in partnership with Foreign Policy Magazine and the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, the Lionel Gelber Prize is a literary award for the world's best non-fiction book in English on foreign affairs that seeks to deepen public debate on significant international issues.

For further information:

Media Contact: June Dickenson: junedickenson@cogeco.ca / +1-905-689-0388
Prize website: http://www.utoronto.ca/munk/gelber/
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Nigeria Police Force Has Performed Averagely Since the Appointment of Current IGP



PRESS RELEASE: The Nigeria Police Force has performed averagely since the current IGP took over office

PRESS RELEASE

The Nigeria Police Force has performed averagely since the current IGP took over office


Abuja, Nigeria. February 18, 2013 – Latest weekly poll results released by NOI Polls Limited have revealed that 43% of Nigerians are of the opinion that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has performed averagely in providing security since the current IGP, M.D. Abubakar, took over office. Also, the most significant issues affecting the performance of the Nigeria Police Force are corruption in the rank and file, as well as poor salary and welfare package. These were two key findings from the recent poll conducted on the Police Force in the week commencing February 12th 2013.

Respondents to the poll were asked five specific questions. The first question sought to establish the performance of the Police Force since the current Inspector General of Police (IGP) assumed office. Respondents were asked:
In your opinion, how has the Nigeria Police Force performed in providing security since the current Inspector General assumed office in July 2012?

The results indicate majority (43%) of the respondents are of the opinion that the Police Force has performed averagely since M.D. Abubakar took over as IGP in July 2012. This is followed by 28% who think they have performed well, and 17% who said they have performed poorly. Only 8% think they have performed very well, while 3% think they have performed very poorly. Overall, the proportion of Nigerians who think the Police Force has performed well (36%) are more than those who think they have performed poorly (20%).



Respondents were then asked the following question: Would you say the Nigerian Police Officer is your friend? From the results, majority of those polled (52%) responded “No” to the question, implying that they do not consider the average Nigerian Police Officer as a friend. This is followed by 38% who answered “Yes”, and 10% who were not sure how to respond to the question; stating “Not really”. While it may seem that about half of Nigerians do not consider Police Officers as friends; 4 in 10 Nigerians (38%) do consider them as friends.



The third question sought to establish the opinion of Nigerians regarding the general wellbeing of the Nigerian Police Officer. Respondents were asked: How do you perceive the general wellbeing of the Nigerian Police Officer (In terms of work motivation, salary & benefits, accommodation, pension etc)? Results indicate that majority (40%) of respondents are of the opinion that the general wellbeing of Nigerian Police Officers is “Average”; followed by 24% who think it is “Poor”. A further 16% think their wellbeing is “Good”, while 6% think it is “Very poor”. While a small 2% think it is “Very good”, 12% simply replied “Don’t know” to the question. Despite the average perception of the wellbeing of police officers, the poll clearly shows that respondents who perceive their wellbeing as poor (30%) outweighs those who perceive their wellbeing as good (18%).



Next, respondents were asked the following question: What would you consider the most significant issue affecting the performance of the Nigerian Police Force? In response, majority (29%) of the respondents are of the opinion that the most significant issue affecting the performance of the Police Force is “Corruption in the rank and file”. This is followed by 22% who think that “Poor salary and welfare package” is the most significant issue affecting the performance of the Police Force. Other significant issues mentioned by respondents are “Inadequate training & work equipment” and “Poor orientation & work ethics” with 20% each. In essence, this finding on corruption in the rank and file of the Police Force sheds some light on the recent documentary by Channels TV that highlighted corruption as one of the factors responsible for the dilapidated state of Police Training Institutions across the country.



Finally, respondents were asked: Which of the following do you consider the top 3 issues that need to be addressed immediately in order to promote a more credible and efficient Nigerian Police Force? From the results, the top three issues that require immediate attention for enhancing a more credible and efficient Police Force include: Better training facilities (22%); Improved working equipment (21%); and Improved welfare package (21%). Also mentioned are: Education of police officers (16%); Integrity of the officers (8%) and Police Uniform (8%). A further 3% of the respondents were of the opinion that the Police Force should address other issues such as the orientation of police officers, corruption, motivation and moral values.



In conclusion, while this latest poll has revealed that most Nigerians think that the Nigerian Police Force has performed averagely since the current IGP took over office in July 2012; only about 4 in 10 (38%) Nigerians consider police officers as friends. The poll found that while about 40% of the respondents perceived the wellbeing of Nigerian police officers as average, a further 30% perceive their wellbeing as poor. Also, “Corruption in the rank and file” and “Poor salary and welfare package” has been identified as the most significant issues affecting the performance of the police force. Finally, issues such as training facilities, work equipment and welfare package of the officers have been identified as the three top issues that requires urgent attention in order to enhance a more credible and efficient police force.

Survey Methods
The opinion poll was conducted on February 12th to 15th 2013. It involved telephone interviews of a random nationwide sample. 1,025 randomly selected phone-owning Nigerians aged 18 years and above, representing the six geopolitical zones in the country, were interviewed. With a sample of this size, we can say with 95% confidence that the results obtained are statistically precise - within a range of plus or minus 3%. NOI Polls Limited is Nigeria’s leading opinion polling and research organisation, which works in technical partnership with the Gallup Organisation (USA), to conduct periodic opinion polls and studies on various socio-economic and political issues in Nigeria. More information is available at www.noi-polls.com

Disclaimer
This press release has been produced by NOI Polls Limited to provide information on all issues which form the subject matter of the document. Kindly note that while we are willing to share results from our polls with the general public, we only request that NOI Polls be acknowledged as author whenever our poll results are used, cited or published.

NOI Polls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect its views of respondents surveyed for the poll, and background information is based on information from various sources that it believes are reliable; however, no representation is made that it is accurate or complete. Whilst reasonable care has been taken in preparing this document, no responsibility or liability is accepted for errors or fact or for any views expressed herein by NOI Polls for actions taken as a result of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions or views herein constitute a judgment as at the date of this document. If the date of this document is not current, the views and content may not reflect NOI Polls’ current findings and/or thinking.


Press Contact
The Editor
Email: editor@noi-polls.com







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Tony Abulu's "Doctor Bello" Gets Major U.S. Distribution



Tony Abulu's blockbuster "Doctor Bello" has secured major American cinema distribution according a press release on Tuesday February 19, 2013.

The following is the complete report.

19 Feb 2013 14:35 Africa/Lagos

Black Ivory Communications Signs Exclusive U.S. Theatrical Distribution Deal with AMC Theatres for Release of 'Doctor Bello'

NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning February 22nd to 27th, 2013, "Doctor Bello", the latest Tony Abulu produced and directed film, will show exclusively at AMC Theatres®. "Doctor Bello" is the first film to be released under an exclusive theatrical distribution partnership between AMC Theatres and Black Ivory Communications, a multi-faceted media firm specializing in film production, entertainment, and tourism.

Coinciding with Black History Month, "Doctor Bello's" unprecedented theatrical release marks the first ever in the U.S. for Nollywood films -- the bustling Nigerian film Industry. AMC Theatres has agreed to expand the film to a wider release if there is a strong performance during the critical make-or-break first week of its release.

Starring Isaiah Washington, Vivica A. Fox, Jimmy Jean-Louis and Nigerian superstars Genevieve Nnaji and Stephanie Okereke Linus, "Doctor Bello" is the first in a new line of film products supported by the Nigerian government's $200 million intervention fund for the entertainment industry. The film's synopsis captivatingly states, "The cure for cancer has been found in the sky mountains of Africa, and an American oncologist will risk everything to get it."

"Showing a Nollywood film in American theaters not only proves the cross-marketability of the industry, but it clearly demonstrates that there is a niche market here, and we are pleased to partner with AMC to fulfill its demand," said Abulu, the award-winning filmmaker who also produced and directed "Crazy Like a Fox" and "American Dream."

"Having recognized Nollywood as a rapid growing industry, AMC is pleased to not only provide a platform for sharing more socially and culturally relevant stories, but to respond to the feedback from our diverse guest base," said Nikkole Denson-Randolph, vice president of alternative and special content.

The film will open at AMC Theatres across the United States in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC, Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Jacksonville, Columbus (OH), Chicago, Detroit, and Los Angeles.

For more information on specific theaters and screening times, please visit www.AMCtheatres.com, www.doctorbello.com or connect on www.Facebook.com/doctorbello.

About Black Ivory Communications

For the past 30 years, Black Ivory Communications has been at the forefront of African culture propagation worldwide. From producing several historical events in America including U.S. tours of the spectacular Nigerian National Troupe, the Africa Music Festival in New York, and international fashion extravaganzas, the outfit has also produced captivating films: "Back to Africa," "American Dream," and "Crazy like a Fox," which was nominated for Best Film in the Best Film category at the American Black Film Festival, 2008. Black Ivory recently established the Filmmakers Association of Nigeria, USA to protect the integrity of the African film Industry in the United States, and in furtherance of that objective FAN, USA recently organized the successful crackdown against illegal sales of pirated Nigerian films in the United States by the Brooklyn District Attorney's office. Visit www.fanmovieland.com for more information.

About AMC Theatres

AMC Theatres delivers distinctive and affordable movie-going experiences in 332 theatres with 4,804 screens primarily in the United States. The company operates 22 of the 50 highest-grossing theatres in the country, including four of the top five. AMC has propelled industry innovation and continues today by delivering premium sight and sound, enhanced food and beverage and diverse content. Visit www.AMCTheatres.com for more information.

Media Contacts:

For Black Ivory Communications:
Nenye Njoku
+1 410.375.7626 (U.S.)
Nenye@doctorbello.com

Ngozi Mba
+1 323.544.1450 (U.S.)
+234 8131694169 (Nigeria/International)
Ngozi@doctorbello.com

For AMC Theatres:
Ryan Noonan
AMC Theatres
+1 816.480.4724
rnoonan@amctheatres.com

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Sunday, February 17, 2013

Countering Terrorism Overseas



Countering terrorism overseas

LONDON, 14 February 2013 / PRNewswire Africa / - Foreign Secretary William Hague speaks about countering terrorism overseas. Originally given at Royal United Services Institute. This is a transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered.

“On January 16th a terrorist group linked to Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb attacked a gas production facility in the Algerian desert.

Thirty-nine hostages from nine countries died, including six British nationals. It was the largest and most complex attack affecting UK citizens since the 7/7 bombings.

It naturally raises questions about the threat posed by Al Qaeda and its affiliates, and how we work with others to reduce that threat.

The United Kingdom has a long experience of confronting terrorism, and we have some of the finest Intelligence Agencies and police forces in the world. They stop terrorists from entering our borders, they detect and stop terrorist attack plans, and prevent potential recruits from being radicalised. Thanks to their efforts there have been no successful attacks on our mainland since 2005.

But unless our foreign policy addresses the circumstances in which terrorism thrives overseas, we will always fight a rearguard action against it.

We will never give up for a moment of course our right to defend ourselves, including through military force if needed. But there is rarely, if ever, a purely military solution to terrorism.



And we are in a long, generational effort to deny terrorist groups the space to operate, to help vulnerable countries develop their law enforcement capabilities, to address the injustice and conflict which terrorists exploit, and to combat their ideology.

We must never forget that those who suffer the most are the citizens of countries blighted by terrorism and extremism: the women and children killed by Al Shabaab suicide bombings in Somalia; the girls who cannot go to school in Pakistan, because of Pakistani Taliban intimidation; or the communities devastated by Al Qaeda attacks in Iraq.

Muslim communities are bearing the brunt of terrorism worldwide, at the hands of people who espouse a distorted and violent extremist interpretation of a great and peaceful religion.

There can never be any justification for terrorism. The indiscriminate targeting of civilians is contemptible in any shape or form and our resolve to defeat it must never weaken or falter even for a day.

But in standing up for freedom, human rights and the rule of law ourselves, we must never use methods that undermine these things.

As a democracy we must hold ourselves to the highest standards. This includes being absolutely clear that torture and mistreatment are repugnant, unacceptable and counter-productive.

Our bottom line is always that we are determined to uphold the law. Any allegation of UK complicity in the sorts of practices I've just mentioned must be investigated fully.

So to tackle terrorism we need to combine creative work from our Intelligence Agencies and police with intelligent diplomacy. We have to help build stability and the rule of law in other countries, living up to our values at all times. And we need to make common cause with peoples and governments that reject this violence. This combination of intelligence, diplomacy, development and partnership with other nations is the only way to defeat terrorism over the long term. We must be resolved, decisive and principled.

Twelve years after 9/11 the greatest source of the terrorist threat to the United Kingdom remains Al Qaeda and its ideology. But the nature of the threat has changed, in three principal ways:

First, it is geographically more diverse. We face a determined ‘Al Qaeda core' in Pakistan and Afghanistan's border region, and multiple groups inspired by Al Qaeda in the world's most fragile regions.

Al Qaeda in Pakistan is diminished and under severe pressure. Nonetheless, it is still capable of devising sophisticated attacks. As in other parts of the world, it exploits the presence of those Westerners drawn to the region for extremist purposes, and it abuses diaspora links, including to the UK, which are in other ways such an asset to our country. At the same time Al Qaeda affiliates in Yemen, Somalia and other parts of Africa are capable of mounting dangerous attacks. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has attempted multiple attacks on aircraft that would have caused mass casualties if they had been successful, such as the attempted printer cartridge bomb.

Second, the threat is more fragmented. Al Qaeda does not control a franchise of groups all operating to the same agenda, however much they would like us to think this. We should not make the mistake of overstating their support or coherence. Al Shabaab in Somalia for example ranges from those who object to the presence of African troops and aspire to establish an Islamist state, to others seeking ‘a greater Somalia' in the region, to foreign fighters who regard Somalia as a platform for global terror. However, this fragmentation of the threat means that each group has to be tackled separately and across a far wider area, making for a more complex effort and difficult choices about the prioritisation of resources.

Third, terrorism today is based even more closely on the exploitation of local and regional issues. Terrorists are constantly searching out new areas where they have the greatest freedom to plan external attacks. They take advantage of unresolved conflicts to infiltrate local communities who otherwise would be likely to reject them. In this way, like a virus, the threat spreads where local defences are weakest.

For example, since its emergence as an Al Qaeda affiliate in the middle of the last decade, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has exploited a sense of exclusion amongst the Tuareg people across the region. From northern Mali they plan and conduct terrorist operations, kidnapping foreigners for ransoms to fund their activities. Before the intervention of France we faced the prospect of the Malian state being destroyed by terrorists.

The Arab Spring revolutions were a grievous blow, of course, to extremist ideology. The idea that that change can be accomplished by the people of a country demanding political and economic freedom contains the seeds of Al Qaeda's irrelevance.

Creating the building blocks of stable democracy - the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, constitutions that respect the rights of women and minorities, security forces that can maintain order without repression, and economic development - all takes a long time.

The assassination of an opposition leader in Tunisia and the attacks on the US consulate in Benghazi demonstrate the security challenges in Arab Spring countries. And that is why we are providing the new Libyan government with advice and technical assistance on police and defence reform, public security, and building justice systems that protect human rights.

We should not lose faith in the people of the region. Any suggestion that the repression of the past would somehow be better for the region is wrong. The worst outcome of all would be a lapse back into authoritarianism or conflict. There is no substitute for painstaking work to build a new political order, so we are also devoting £110 million through our Arab Partnership Initiative to civil society and economic reform in the region.

But in the short term extremists and terrorists will take every opportunity to try to hijack these revolutions. Syria is the most acute case of all.

The vast majority of people opposing the Assad regime are Syrians, fighting for the future of their country. But Syria is now the number one destination for jihadists anywhere in the world today. This includes a number of individuals connected with the United Kingdom and other European countries. They may not pose a threat to us when they first go to Syria, but if they survive some may return ideologically hardened and with experience of weapons and explosives. The longer the conflict continues, the greater this danger will become, a point that should not be lost on policy makers in Russia and elsewhere. More innocent lives will be lost, extremists will be emboldened, sectarianism will increase and the risk of the use of Chemical or Biological Weapons will grow.

A negotiated agreement leading to a new government formed of the opposition and elements of the regime, on the basis of mutual consent, is the best way to chart a way out of Syria's divisions. We want Russia and China to join us in achieving this transition, backed by the United Nations Security Council.

But there is a serious risk that the violence will worsen and we must keep open options to help save lives in Syria and to assist opposition groups that are opposed to extremism. So we are working with other European countries now to amend EU sanctions so that the possibility of additional assistance is not closed off.

We also believe the EU must also take robust action in response to the terrorist attack on a bus carrying Israeli tourists in Bulgaria last year. The Bulgarian investigation has indicated that Hizballah's military wing was responsible. The European Union must demonstrate that no organisation can carry out terrorism on European soil without consequences.

And as we work to eliminate safe havens for terrorists further afield, we must be clear that no state should allow terrorist groups to operate from its territory and that terrorism as a tool of foreign policy is always unacceptable.

If we know that the threat we face from terrorism is likely to come from a wider range of fragile countries; that plots against the United Kingdom are frequently prepared overseas; and that we cannot disrupt such plots without working with nations where the risk originates, then a long term, coordinated international approach is the only way we can defeat terrorism.

The Government's counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST, combines a full range of international and domestic responses, ranging from the overt to the covert, from security to development, through to working with our communities at home.

We have maintained and where necessary increased police, intelligence and other counter terrorist capabilities.

We are ensuring that we have the powers in place to detect, investigate disrupt and prosecute terrorist activity through legislative changes, and we have made significant improvements at our borders to reduce threats to their security and to civilian aircraft.

We are also making continuous improvements to improve the complex, coordinated response needed from our police, agencies and emergency services if acts of terror do take place, learning lessons from attacks such those in Mumbai in 2008, in Norway in 2011 and in Toulouse in 2012.

In the 12 months leading up to July last year, more than 220 people were arrested in the UK for terrorism-related offences, so the threat from home grown terrorism remains challenging. So we also work to prevent people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. This includes resisting the efforts of those who actively seek to stoke tensions with Muslims in Britain. The Government and all communities need to continue to work together so that we can reject messages of division, hate and extremism, wherever they originate.

But a large part of our effort to counter terrorism is now overseas where terrorists train and plan for attacks against the UK or our interests abroad. We cannot do this without working with other countries.

First of all, we must address the conditions in which terrorism thrives, whether it is restarting the Middle East Peace Process or intensifying our conflict prevention work to help fragile countries become more stable and secure.

Helping Somalia is a major priority for our government. Two years ago Al Shabaab controlled large parts of the country, piracy was booming and the threat from terrorism was growing. Today, a coordinated effort by the international community has seen African and Somali troops drive Al Shabaab out of its strongholds; the creation of a new and legitimate government; and the reduction of piracy to its lowest levels since 2008. In May, there will be a second conference here in London to plan support to rebuild Somalia's armed forces, police, coastguard, justice system and public finances.

We must never assume that what works in one country will work exactly in another. But the key features of what is working in Somalia are helping a new legitimate government, African troops bringing peace and security, with the international community giving constant diplomatic, financial and humanitarian support.

This should be the model that we follow elsewhere in Africa wherever we can, including in Mali, where a full and inclusive democratic process, including talks with non-violent groups in the north and support for Malians to rebuild their livelihoods, is urgently needed. As a country we give generous humanitarian assistance to countries affected by conflict, including £13 million in Mali, £55 million in Yemen and £80 million in Somalia, in the current financial year.

We must also strengthen the ability of states to counter terrorism, while protecting human rights, as called for by the UN. This is extremely difficult and challenging work, since the threat from terrorism is greatest in the countries where the rule of law and human rights are weakest.

And that is why today I wish to set out a clear direction the Government will follow over the coming years.

When we detect a terrorist plot originating in a third country, we want to be in a position to share information to stop that planning, and do it in a way that leads to the arrest, investigation and prosecution of the individuals concerned in accordance with our own legal obligations, and with their human rights respected at every stage.

This gives rise to extremely difficult ethical and political decisions, such as whether to pass on information which might save lives and disrupt an imminent attack, but which could also create a risk of someone being mistreated if detained.

Our Secret Intelligence Service has the lead responsibility for sharing intelligence with foreign partners on terrorist threats. Requests to share intelligence in these difficult and finely-balanced circumstances come to me.

Where there are serious risks, it is right that it is the Foreign Secretary who takes the ultimate responsibility for these decisions, just as it is right that our Parliament and ultimately the Courts hold government to account.

In many cases, we are able to obtain credible assurances from our foreign partners on issues such as detainee treatment and legal processes that give us the safeguards we need, and the confidence that we can share information in this way. Where this is not the case, we face a stark choice. We could disengage, or we can choose to cooperate with them in a carefully controlled way while developing a more comprehensive approach to human rights adherence. This approach brings risk, but I am clear that the risks of the first option, of stepping back are greater still, placing our citizens at greater risk of terrorist attack.

The need to cooperate with other countries is growing for all the reasons I have described. So I am convinced that we need to have a coherent approach that is sustainable for the long term, that upholds our laws and has safeguards, and that works to strengthen the ability of other countries to observe human rights and meet their own obligations. How we go about this will have to vary from country to country depending on the scale and nature of the challenge. But we will seek justice and human rights partnerships with countries where there is both a threat to the United Kingdom's security, and weaknesses in the law enforcement, human rights and criminal justice architecture of these countries.

These are not one-off initiatives or stand-alone agreements, but rather – as the name suggests – a systematic process of working with the authorities in question to identify shortcomings in capability, and to address these through the provision of British assistance and expertise, over many months or years.

The sorts of measures we will take include:

-Building up the counter-terrorism capacity of overseas security services to improve compliance with the law and human rights and to make them more effective;

-Working with local investigators to improve the ability to build cases based on evidence rather than on confessions;

-Supporting prosecutors and judges to ensure that they are capable of processing terrorism cases through the court systems, effectively, fairly and in line with the rule of law;

-And working to improve and where appropriate monitor conditions in detention facilities so that convicted terrorists can be held securely and their treatment meets with international standards.

We are already doing many of these things. In Somalia for example, we are already working with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime to construct prisons to hold convicted pirates in facilities that meet international standards.

What I am making clear today is that given the changing nature of the threat I have described, and given our determination to uphold human rights and the law, we will be doing more of this and developing more of these partnerships.

But crucially we are creating a strong and systematic framework for this work, with strong safeguards, with five safeguards:

First, we will only engage in such efforts where there is serious and potentially long-running threat to the UK or our interests abroad, such as that flowing from terrorist networks in South Asia, Yemen, and parts of North and West Africa.

Second, all our counter-terrorism capacity building work will be carefully considered in line with our Overseas Security and Justice Assistance Guidance in order to assess and to mitigate human rights risks, and specifically designed to improve human rights standards and strengthen the rule of law in that country.

Third, it will not be carried out in isolation, but will be part of UK and international diplomatic and development efforts in that country.

Fourth, the intelligence dimension will be subject to the same robust scrutiny and oversight that exists in other areas of Intelligence activity and always be in accordance with the law.

Fifth, every aspect of this work requires Ministerial oversight and approval. If I or another responsible Minister see any credible evidence that our support is being misused we will take immediate action. Any work that would involve breaking our legal obligations simply would not go ahead.

So this is a framework of accountability and human rights to ensure that our counter-terrorism work supports justice and the rule of law as well as our security, with the goal of creating the long term conditions for better observance of human rights in countries that have a poor record and where the threat from terrorism is strong.

We believe that the British people can have confidence in this framework; that it puts UK capacity building overseas onto a surer footing; and that it will give greater confidence that UK and international law and our democratic values are upheld. Even with these safeguards in place, there may be some people who say that this approach is wrong.

But we cannot keep our country safe if we are not cooperating at all with countries that don't fully live up to our standards. Only a minority of countries in the world do that. We have to work with other countries. Justice and human rights partnerships will be a powerful framework for doing so.

Without such partnerships our ability to tackle threats before they reach the United Kingdom would be severely limited. And there are good arguments that by introducing important legal and human rights concepts and professional ways of tackling terrorism, and by insisting on the highest standards ourselves, we can encourage better human rights observance in those countries.

Achieving security, justice and advances in human rights together will not always be straightforward and despite our best efforts we may not always succeed. But it will always be our aim.

This is consistent with one of our first acts as a Government on this issue, which was to issue Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel on the Detention and Interviewing of Detainees Overseas, to ensure their actions uphold our domestic law and our international obligations. Additionally the Prime Minister also asked the Intelligence Services Commissioner to oversee compliance with the Guidance.

We are also taking steps to strengthen Parliamentary scrutiny and oversight of the agencies through the Justice and Security Bill currently being considered by Parliament. This also aims to ensure, where strictly necessary, that judges in civil cases relating to matters of national security will be able to consider all relevant material, including sensitive material, to ensure that justice is done while upholding national security. The objective is not to hide away the actions of the most secret parts of the State, but precisely the opposite: to strengthen their accountability and public confidence in them as they go about their difficult, dangerous and necessarily secret work.

Few if any countries have a stronger system of clear guidance, Ministerial decision-making, and strength of legal considerations in the area of counter-terrorism than we do. We are a world leader in upholding the highest possible standards.

But we are also a country that needs to be able to keep people safe and that is threatened by many who would do great harm to our citizens. Therefore we also intend to be foremost in the world in how we develop partnerships that are effective in protecting our security while upholding human rights. Far from being contradictory, these two concepts go together.

In tackling terrorism overseas we must approach the world as it is, rather than as we would like it to be. But that does not mean that we should not try to shape it and improve it and, when necessary, find means of working with others in ways that are consistent with our values: the very values which terrorism is intent on destroying.

So this is our government's approach to tackling terrorism overseas:

Governments, agencies, police and prosecutors working together in a coherent, long term manner to address immediate threats from terrorism and the causes of terrorism;

Combating terrorism while upholding our values, within a framework of strong democratic accountability, seeking greater respect for human rights in other countries;

And using foreign and development policy to build stability in fragile countries.

This is how we enable the greater global cooperation that is essential to eliminating the risk from international terrorism over time, and support a safe, secure and prosperous future for our country.”

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SOURCE : UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office











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