Otonye Tamuno Iworima Becomes First Nigerian To Receive AISTS Future Female Leader in Sport Scholarship

Commonwealth Games Medallist Awarded AISTS Future Female Leader in Sport Scholarship 

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

The AISTS (International Academy of Sports Science and Technology) has awarded Triple Jumper, Otonye Tamuno Iworima, the AISTS Future Female Leader in Sport scholarship.
 She represents the first Nigerian woman to participate in the programme.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150625/225642 )

The scholarship will support the Commonwealth, All African and Continental Championship medallist in pursuing the 14-month AISTS Master of Sports Administration taking place next year in Lausanne, Switzerland.

"The scholarship means the beginning of the fulfillment of my dreams and aspirations, as well as being an inspiration to all the future female leaders in sports," said Otonye.

"The programme is an opportunity for self-development, learning from great minds and leaders in the sports and ultimately to be exposed to sports at its highest level."

Otonye stood out among a formidable field of applicants for her strong leadership potential, most notably as a Board Member for the River State Sports Council Board of Nigeria.

"Otonye's already significant contribution to athletics and her intention to develop young athletes is exactly the example of leadership that we wish to support with this scholarship," said AISTS Executive Director, Dr Claude Stricker.

"The scholarship is just one initiative that we hope will shift the balance towards more women represented at the critical decision-making levels in sport." 

Applications to the 2016 AISTS Master of Sports Administration remain open until 15 August, 2015. To apply, visit http://www.aists.org/msa

The AISTS MSA has four graduates from Nigeria, including Olympian Enee-Udo Obong, who received the AISTS Athlete scholarship in 2014.

About AISTS
The AISTS was founded in 2000 by the IOC and leading Swiss institutions and universities as a not-for-profit foundation. The AISTS is committed to professionalising sports management through education, research and connections.

Media Contact:
thuy.khuc-bilon@aists.org
+41-21-693-85-92

SOURCE AISTS

With Love from Nike for Women 

Tweet

iNumber Number, Run, Timbuktu and October 1 Top 2015 AMAA Nominations

iNumber Number, Run, Timbuktu and October 1 Top 2015 AMAA Nominations 

Donovan Marsh of South Africa’s crime thriller "iNumber Number" and Côte d'Ivoire native Philippe Lacôte's feature film debut "Run" are leading the contenders for the 2015 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) with 12 nominations each and followed by famous Mauritanian-born, Mali-raised filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako’s critically acclaimed "Timbuktu" with 11 nominations and Nigeria’s outstanding filmmaker Kunle Afolayan’s multiple award winning film "October 1" with 8 nominations.

"iNumber Number" premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and attracted international attention with Universal Pictures about to remake the thriller.

"Run", one of 15 projects selected by the Cinéfondation of the Cannes Film Festival premiered in Un Certain Regard section at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
Lacôte's “Run” was part of the Jerusalem International Film Lab's first edition in 2011-12 and won the Lab’s first prize of $50,000. The film was also screened in the Discovery programme of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. "

Timbuktu" was in official competition for the highly coveted Palme d'Or at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival and won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and the François Chalais Prize. The film was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards.

"October 1" won three awards at the 2014 Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), including the awards for "Best Feature Film", "Best Screenplay" and "Best Actor" for veteran actor Sadiq Daba who is also among the nominees for AMAA’s Best Actor; "October 1" also won 9 awards at the 2015 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) out of 12 nominations.

This will be the first time the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) is going to be held outside Nigeria, scheduled to take place on September 26, 2015, at the world class Sandton Convention Centre in Sandton CBD, Johannesburg, South Africa.
The capital city of Bayelsa State, Yenagoa has hosted the AMAA since the inaugural edition on 30 May 2005, but the 2012 edition was held in Lagos. The gala night for the 2015 edition was moved from March to June in honour of the late Nze Michael Anyiam-Osigwe, the Co-ordinator-General of the Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation, a longtime entertainment patron and brother to the Founder and former CEO of AMAA, Ms. Peace Anyiam-Osigwe who formally resigned as the CEO in March.

This will be the most competitive AMAA with 800 entries from both new and accomplished African filmmakers in Africa and the Diaspora. Only the very best have made the final list of nominees.
The following is the complete list of nominees in all the categories of the 11th Africa Movie Academy Awards.

NOMINATION SHORTLIST OF THE 2015 EDITION OF THE AFRICA MOVIE ACADEMY AWARDS (AMAA) ANNOUNCED ON JUNE 20, 2015 IN LOS ANGELES, USA.

EFERE OZAKO AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM

Stories of Our Lives ‘’Run’ – Kenya 

Aissa’s Story – Nigeria 

Gulped of the Blue Sea - Togo

Memoir of a Honest Voice- Sierra Leone

Twaaga – Burkina Faso

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATION

The Throne – Nigeria 

Alternative to Corporal Punishment – Namibia 

The Legacies of Rubbies – Nigeria 

Akorkoli - Ghana

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY

Egypt’s Modern Pharaohs  – Egypt 

The Dream of Shahrazad – South Africa
 
Nelson Mandela, The Myth and Me - South Africa

Beats of The Antonov – Sudan

The Supreme Price – Nigeria/USA

OUSMANE SEMBENE AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST FILM IN AN AFRICAN LANGUAGE

Timbuktu – Mauritania

Triangle Going to America – Ethiopia

Chetanna – Nigeria 

Juliet and Romeo - Burkina Faso

iNumber Number – South Africa

MICHAEL ANYIAM OSIGWE AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST FILM BY AN AFRICAN LIVING ABROAD:

Gone Too Far – Nigeria/UK

Thorns of Roses (O Esphinho Da Rosa) – Guinea Bissau/Portugal 

Fevers – France/Morocco
Affairs of the Heart – Nigeria/USA

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA SHORT 


Sound of Tears - Canada 

Hand to the Sky – USA

Calm – UK

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY

Jimmy Goes to Nollywood - USA/HAITI

The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution – USA
Bound: Africans VS African Americans – USA

Black Panther Woman – Australia

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA FEATURE

Under the Starry Sky - France

CRU - USA 

Supremacy - USA

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN

iNumber Number - South Africa 

October 1 – Nigeria

Le President - Cameroun 

Run – Cote d’Ivoire

Timbuktu – Mauritania

AMAA 2015 ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN

Dazzling Mirage- Nigeria

Run – Cote d’Ivoire

Njinga: Queen of Angola – Angola

October 1 – Nigeria
 
iNumber Number – South Africa

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP

Run – Cote d’Ivoire

Iyore – Nigeria 

Silver Rain – Ghana

iNumber Number – South Africa

Njinga: Queen of Angola – Angola

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUNDTRACK

A Place in the Stars – Nigeria
 
Triangle Going to America – Ethiopia

Iyore – Nigeria

Njinga: Queen of Angola – Angola

Timbuktu – Mauritania

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECT

Invasion 1897 – Nigeria
 
Kpians The Feast of Souls – Nigeria
 
Run – Cote d’Ivoire

iNumber Number – South Africa
Triangle Going to America - Ethiopia

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND

Lobraz Khan – Mauritius

Le President – Cameroun
Run – Cote d’Ivoire

Timbuktu – Mauritania
 
iNumber Number – South Africa

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY

Triangle Going to America – Ethiopia

iNumber Number – South Africa
 
Run – Cote d’Ivoire

Lobraz Khan – Mauritius

Timbuktu - Mauritania

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING

October 1

iNumber Number

Triangle Going to America
 
Run

Timbuktu

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREEN PLAY

Le President

While You Slept

Timbuktu

Love or Something Like That

Run

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST COMEDY FILM


30 Days in Atlanta

Iya Alalake 

Last Three Digits

AMAA 2015- BAYELSA STATE GOVERNMENT ENDOWED AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM

Invasion 1897

Dazzling Mirage 

October 1
 
Iyore
 
A Place in the Stars

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST CHILD ACTOR

Layla Walet Mohammed and Mehdi A.G Mohammed – Timbuktu

Joshua Ibrahim and Daniel Ibrahim- A Place in the Stars 

Any Bobmanuel and Akonte Bobmanuel - Stigma

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG/ PROMISING ACTOR

Demola Adedoyin - October 1

Vinjeru Kamanga - BELLA

Kemi Lala Akindoju – Dazzling Mirage
Hassan Spike Insingoma - Boda Boda Thieves 

Chiedza Mhende – Love the one You Love

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Israel Makoe - iNumber Number

Paul Obazele – Iyore 

Chumani Pan- Silver Rain

OC Ukeje – Love or Something Like That

Samson Tadesse - Triangle Going to America.

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Hilda Dokubo - Stigma

Toulou Kiki - Timbuktu

Reina Salicoulibaly – Run

Prossy Rukundo - Boda Boda Thieves

Ama Amphofo – Devil in a Detail

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Tony Kroroge – Cold Harbour 

Sdumo Matshali - iNumber Number

Abdoul Kareem Konate – Run

Sadiq Daba – October 1

Gerard Essomba - Le President

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Lesliana Pereira - NJINGA: Queen of Angola

Queen Nwokoye – Chetenna
 
Aida Wang - Juliet and Romeo 

Jocelyn Dumas –Silver Rain
 
Ini Edo – While You Slept

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST FIRST FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR

Carey Mckenzie -Cold Harbour

Jenna Bass - Love the one you love

Destiny Ekaragha - Gone Too Far

Tawonga Taddja Nkhonjera – Bella

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR

Theodros Teshome Kebede- Triangle Going to America - Ethiopia

Donovan Marsh - iNumber Number 

Abderrahmane Sissako - Timbuktu

Phillipe Lacote - Run

Kunle Afolayan - October 1

AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST FILM

Run – Cote d’Ivoire
Timbuktu – Mauritania
iNumber Number – South Africa
Triangle Going to America – Ethiopia
October 1- Nigeria


~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Publisher/Editor of NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® SERIES. 
https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima

Tweet

© Nigerians Report Online. International Digital Post Network Limited. 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this content can be duplicated or reproduced in any format of media and anywhere without the authorization and permission of international digital post network limited.

Leo Burnett wins three Gold Lions at Design, Product Design, Radio and Cyber Lions Awards

Leo Burnett Wins Three Gold Lions At Design, Product Design, Radio And Cyber Lions Awards 
Gold Lion for Samsung "Safety Truck" from Leo Burnett Buenos Aires Marks First-Ever Cyber Lion for Argentina 

CHICAGO, June 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Leo Burnett Buenos Aires won a Gold Lion in the Cyber category for the Samsung "Safety Truck" campaign at the 2015 Design, Product Design, Radio and Cyber Lions Awards. The campaign also won a Silver Cyber Lion for Innovative Use of Technology. This achievement marks the first Cyber Lion win for Argentina.

St. Gregory’s College Vs St. Finbarr’s College in Finals of GTBank Masters Cup Season 4

GTBank Masters Cup
Season 4 Finals 
Mon 22nd June, 2015

The Finals of the GTBank Masters Cup season 4 comes up on Friday, 26th June 2015 at the prestigious Onikan Stadium, Lagos.

The Competition which is for First Generation Heritage Colleges and Private Secondary Schools with pedigree in Lagos State has 28 Schools participating this season and over 160 goals scored in the course of the tournament in both male and female categories.

The last standing schools that has made it to the finals of the competition are  – St. Gregory’s College Ikoyi, St. Finbarr’s College Akoka, Queens College Yaba and Ansar Ud Deen Girls High School Itire.
In the male category, it will be a battle of the Catholic missionary schools as St. Gregory’s College take on St. Finbarr’s College. Both schools will be playing to lift the trophy for the first time since its inception. In the female category, it will be a repeat of last year’s finals between defending champions, Queens College and Ansar Ud Deen Girls High School.

The Finals will surely be a fun filled day, packed with excitement, delightful display of skills and talents of future stars plus a dash of history.
Come, witness and support young talents as they bring to life unique and fresh dexterity enriched with history of grassroots football in Nigeria.
For more updates, visit www.gtbank.com/football .

Finals Fixtures
Finals – 26th  June                                                                                                                      
Time
Female Team
Queens College, Yaba
Vs
Ansar Ud Deen Girls High School, Itire
1.00 pm
Male Team
St. Gregory’s College, Obalende
Vs
St. Finbarr’s College, Akoka
2.30 pm

Players to Watch
Master Obi David – St. Gregory’s College, Obalende
David is leads the attack for St. Gregory’s College. This strong and clinical striker currently has 8 goals to his credit.
Master Alex Mario Rosario – St. Finbarr’s College, Akoka
This young lad’s pace and skills on the field of play is to be reckoned with. He usually steps up when called upon on the field of play and scores when it counts the most. Alex is the top goal scorer for St. Finbarr’s College with 3 goals.
Miss Fatima Oyebanji – Ansar Ud Deen Girls High School, Itire
Fatima is proving to be a prolific goal scorer has she has 12 goals from 4 matches which makes her the overall highest goal scorer so far in this competition.

Facts

St. Gregory’s College

• St. Gregory’s College will be playing in the finals of Masters Cup back to back (2014&2015)

• Came 3rd in 2012 and 2nd 2014.

• Defeated St. Finbarr’s College last year on penalties (5-4) at the quarterfinal round.
• Defeated St. Finbarr’s College 1-0 at the 1979 Principal Cup Final.
• St. Gregory’s College has the highest number of goals scored this season (16)     
• Key Players: Obi David, Fadayin Ebenzer, Onigbo Oke.     

St. Finbarr’s College

• This is the first time St. Finbarr’s will be playing at the GTBank Masters Cup Final
• Best Masters Cup Appearance: Quarterfinals, 2014.
• St Finbarr’s won the most Principals Cups (11) in Onikan Stadium
• St. Finbarr’s is the most successful secondary school football team in Nigeria
• They defeated St. Gregory’s College in the Principals Cup Finals of 1962 and 1978
• Produced the likes of Samson Siasia, Stephen Keshi Henry Nwosu.
• Key Players: Nicholas Ekeoma, Opara Nnadozie and Alex Mario

Tweet

Emirates President Sir Tim Clark to Host Webcast in Washington D.C.

Who:                 Sir Tim Clark, President, Emirates airline
When/Time:      Tuesday, June 30 at 9:00am EDT.
What:                Emirates airline President Sir Tim Clark will host a live webcast. Opening remarks will be followed by Q&A.
Webcast Info:Access a live stream at http://www.visualwebcaster.com/Emirates. 

Emirates in the U.S.
Founded in 1985, Emirates is a global connector of people, places and economies. Based in Dubai, the airline's global network serves over 146 destinations in 81 countries across six continents. Its luxurious amenities, regionally inspired gourmet cuisine, award-winning in-flight entertainment system – ice – and unmatched hospitality provided by its iconic multi-lingual Cabin Crew have made Emirates one of the world's most recognized airline brands.

Emirates has carried more than 9 million passengers on U.S. flights since launching services to New York in 2004. The airline currently serves nine U.S. gateways – Chicago (ORD), Boston (BOS), San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX), Seattle (SEA), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Houston (IAH), Washington (IAD) and New York (JFK), as well as operating a trans-Atlantic route between JFK and Milan and a freighter service to Atlanta. Beginning September 1, 2015, Emirates will launch service from its tenth U.S. gateway in Orlando (MCO).  Emirates SkyCargo transports up to 650 tons of U.S. exports each week – including auto parts from New York, apples and cherries from Seattle, and oil and gas equipment from Houston – stimulating trade and opening new markets for American businesses across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

For more information, please visit www.emirates.com.
Follow @Emirates on Instagram and Twitter and find us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Contact:Ariel Cohen
646.500.7919 or 917.794.8813
ariel.cohen@mslgroup.com
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150623/225029LOGO
/PRNewswire -- June 23, 2015/
SOURCE Emirates airline
RELATED LINKS
http://www.emirates.com

  Tweet

GTBank Confirms Innoson’s Outstanding Debt

GTBank Confirms Innoson’s Outstanding Debt
(Exclusive )

A lawsuit was recently filed by Innoson Group of companies claiming damages up to the sum of N30bn against GTBank, a leading and reputable bank in Nigeria. It has been in the news in the last few days. Our investigations revealed that in the course of the Banker and Customer relationship between GTBank and Innoson Nigeria Limited (“Innoson”), GTBank granted various credit facilities totalling N2,400,000,000.00 (two billion, four hundred million Naira only) to Innoson, to finance the importation of motorcycles and spare parts.  

In the case of banker-customer relationship, once the contact is agreed by both parties, the bank has an obligation to provide the agreed facilities stated in the contract while the customer has the obligation of utilizing the said funds for the agreed purpose and ensuring loan repayments as and when due as contained in the contract.

The facilities granted to Innoson were secured by, lien over shipping documents covering the imported goods financed by GTBank; Legal Mortgage over properties located at Calabar, Enugu and Nnewi and Personal Guarantee of Chairman/Managing Director of Innoson, Chief Innocent Chukwuma. According to very reliable and confirmed sources from GTBank, Innoson and Chief Innocent Chukwuma however failed to meet repayment obligations due under the facilities. It was at this stage that, the Bank discovered that Innoson and Chief Innocent Chukwuma had gone ahead and  cleared several consignments of goods financed by the Bank without endorsed shipping documents, the originals of which are still in the Bank’s custody.  Upon discovery of the fraud, the Bank filed a Petition before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (“EFCC”) in May 27, 2013, to investigate the fraud committed against the Bank and bring Innoson and its Promoters to book.

 Based on the Bank’s petition, Chief Innocent Chukwuma was arrested and interrogated by operatives of the EFCC, following which he agreed to make monthly payments into Innoson’s account until the full liquidation of Innoson’s indebtedness to the Bank.  However, Innoson defaulted in making the agreed payments.  Investigations by the Nigeria Police following a petition by the Bank in September 2013 also found Innoson and Chief Innocent Chukwuma culpable of the criminal allegations levied against them by the Bank, and Chief Innocent Chukwuma was accordingly charged to court by the Police.

To stall the criminal proceedings against him, Chief Innocent Chukwuma and his company instituted suits at the Federal High Court, Abuja, as well as the Federal High Court, Awka in January 2014 against The Inspector General of Police, The Nigeria Police Force and Investigating Officer(s), seeking declaratory and injunctive reliefs, including orders restraining the Police from commencing criminal proceedings against Innoson and Chief Innocent Chukwuma. Furthermore, in a bid to stall the Bank’s recovery steps, and distract the Bank from focusing on the criminal action, as well as civil actions filed for recovery of the debt, Chief Innocent Chukwuma and his company Innoson, have continued to institute various spurious suits before various courts, claiming frivolous and outrageous sums against the Bank.

With no other alternative and to ensure the recovery of depositors funds held by Innoson, the Bank instituted a recovery action against Innoson at the Federal High Court, Lagos. This is in addition to a Winding up action instituted against Innoson by the Bank, which is still pending in court. Pursuant to the suit instituted by the Bank at the Federal High Court, Lagos, the Bank secured mareva orders against Innoson freezing its Bank accounts in all Banks in Nigeria in September 2014.

The new N30 Billion action filed by Innoson at the Federal High Court, Awka was instituted on the basis of purported damages which it suffered as a result of the mareva orders granted by the Federal High Court, Lagos in favour of the Bank.

According to some legal experts we spoke to, this new suit is in continuation of Innoson’s antics to distract the Bank from focusing on the criminal matter pending with the EFCC and the Police.
The legal experts also interpreted these  Innoson’s moves as legal delay tactics antics, to avoid or delay  paying its indebtedness and discharging its obligations to the Bank, which stands in excess of N2.billion, while interest continues to accrue.
We gathered from our source in the Bank, that the recovery of borrowed funds is a matter of integrity and is always in the long term interest of its depositors and the society at large.

  Tweet

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar Can Still Become President of Nigeria

Lest we forget, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Turaki Adamawa, has not given up his presidential ambition. And I actually felt sorry for him when former President Olusegun Obasanjo, for personal political vendetta stopped Atiku from succeeding him after Atiku served as his Vice-President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007, and denied Nigeria of having a better, healthier and stronger President, because Atiku would have become the best Nigerian President from northern Nigeria.

Please, those who don't like Atiku for personal reasons or political vendetta should look at themselves in the mirror first. I don't believe in those who want to stop the best intentions of others, because of their past imperfections. I always look at the bright side and let your light shine as God also does so as long as you are ready to make amends and go on to excel and succeed for the common good. After all, the senior citizen castigated as "Mr. No Certificate" is today his excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces of Nigeria by the grace of God who qualifies the unqualified. Supporting retired General Buhari cost me millions of naira and hatred from the goons of the former ruling party, PDP. But at the end of the race, the will of Almighty God prevailed. But if Buhari had given up, he would not be sitting on that great seat he is sitting on today since he moved into the State House yesterday. Therefore, Atiku should not give up his Nigerian Dream as long as he means well for Nigeria. And whosoever means well for Nigeria should not give up his or her Nigerian Dream.

All I am going to do is to challenge Atiku and other Nigerian politicians to become more of patriotic nation builders than greedy title chasers and repent from using the poor masses as their political pawns and sacrificial lambs in their evil greed for power. Lest we forget, the election of President Muhammadu Buhari cost the lives of many people in Rivers State, where I lost my in-laws who were members and supporters of the APC; in Kaduna where people were also attacked and murdered and other parts of Nigeria. Today, as the leaders of the APC are dining and wining in celebration, let them remember those who sacrificed their precious lives for their victory. I doubt if President Muhammadu Buhari has gone on condolence visits to their bereaved families.


 ~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, author of The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Dream, In the House of Dogs, The Prophet Lied and other books.
See more books by Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima on Amazon

The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Dream By Michael Chima Ekenyerengozi

Paperback: List Price: $38.20 $34.38 | You Save: 10%

Ships in 3-5 business days.

The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Dream: My Testimony on the 2015 Presidential Election is an important chronicle of the 2015 presidential election in Nigeria and the principal actors in the emergence of the first Nigerian presidential candidate to defeat an incumbent President in the political history of Nigeria.

  Tweet

Huge Global Investment Ploughed Into Africa's Telecoms Industry

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, June 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

The telecoms industry forms a crucial foundation to Africa's economic growth affecting all aspects of the business and social sphere. The continent has seen a dramatic expansion in its telecoms sector over the past 5 years. Mobile subscription expansion in Africa is currently the fastest worldwide (72% penetration on average across the continent).


Consequently a huge amount of investment is happening to improve Africa's infrastructure to cope with higher levels of data usage and the need for better connectivity, particularly in rural areas. For example, Algérie Télécom, in northern Africa announced plans to deploy 20,000km of additional fibre by the end of 2015.

The international telecoms community also recognises Africa as an area of high value for new business. Gagun Gahir, director of carrier services for EMEA for the American telecommunications company, IDT Corporation, said Africa "is a massive investment opportunity" with $25 billon needed "to build the next generation of internet-ready networks".

Due to the size and scale of investment opportunities in African telecoms, wholesale telecoms carriers from across the globe meet annually at Capacity Africa, the largest pan-African wholesale conference to network, develop business and hear industry leaders deliver future commercial strategy. Taking place on 8 & 9 September in Dar es Salaam, 400+ senior telecoms executives from over 65 countries will take advantage of the entire African telecoms ecosystem being represented, all looking to secure new deals in the region's lucrative telecoms market.

Discussing the event's importance, Mike Last, Director, Marketing and International Business Development, WIOCC said "Capacity Africa is without a doubt the best networking event for the African wholesale telecoms industry," adding it attracts "a very strong set of African and international carriers and creating a great environment for doing business."

Expanding networks means increased demand for infrastructure and competition amongst operators. Regulators are playing a key role in providing stability to these operators active in the region ensuring a market driven industry. Capacity Africa recognises this, offering an agenda which brings together both the C-level executives of major telecoms organisations such as Seacom, Liquid Telecom, WIOCC as well as the regulators such as the Nigeria Communications Commission to discuss the latest growth opportunities in front of an audience made up of the key decision makers in African telecoms.

To find out more information about Capacity Africa 2015, please visit http://www.capacityconferences.com/Capacity-Africa or contact Simon Murray on simon.murray@capacitymedia.com, +44(0)207-779-7235

SOURCE Capacity Africa 2015

  Tweet

Bukola Saraki is A Political Title Chaser and Not A Nation Builder

Senate President Bukola Saraki.

The new Senate President, Bukola Saraki is a political title chaser and not a nation builder. And he brings nothing new to the table, because it is going to be business as usual at the senate.
Change of political leadership does not automatically translate to change of political policy or change in governance.
Changing the bottles or kegs of sour palm wine does not change the taste of the sour palm wine.

The desperation of Senator Bukola Saraki and his political gang has done more harm than good to the new ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC). He is the political joker of his political power group for the 2019 presidential election. And their plan is to upset the political apple cart of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
But can Saraki win the support of the south west?

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Leader and Power Broker of the new ruling party APC.

President Muhammadu Buhari won the 2015 presidential election as the presidential nominee of the APC.

The political mantra of "Change" that won the presidential election for the party is now becoming the noise of clashing cymbals making discordant sounds of more noise than music, because the players are not obeying the conductor of their orchestra.
The national leaders of the APC who promised to take Nigerians to the Promised Land of a New Nigeria are already fighting over political titles, because that is what they are really after and not the nation building of a New Nigeria.
That is why on World Refugee Day June 20, instead of President Muhammadu Buhari to address the humanitarian emergency of Nigerian refugees abandoned and neglected in the neighbouring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroon, he preferred to return to his farm in Daura to have a meeting with his cattle and not meeting with the National Assembly on the security and welfare of more than 100, 000 Nigerian refugees and over 3, 000, 000 internally displaced people (IDPs), the largest population of IDPs in Africa. The welfare of his cattle is more important to him than the welfare of Nigerian refugees and IDPs. Even former President Goodluck Jonathan would not have been that clueless on the World Refugee Day. It is a great pity.

The political crisis of national leadership plaguing Nigeria since 1960 to date is the lack of nation builders, because majority of them have been political opportunists and political title chasers and not nation builders. That is why their desperation for the highest political office has caused widespread political crises from the days of the bloody and gruesome wild wild west political riots in the western region in the First Republic to the first coup and counter coups that plunged Nigeria into the tragic civil war that left more than one million people dead and changed the fortunes of the nation. And since that terrible civil war, Nigerian political leaders have not repented, but have continued in their do or die political contests with more military coups disrupting the democratic system and the former successful military coup plotters forming and joining the leadership of political parties which they have used to contest for political leadership of Nigeria.

The Boko Haram insurgency ravaging  northern Nigeria would not have become worse if the political leaders have been nation builders. And without inspirational political leaders, Nigeria will continue to suffer in the crooked ways of political title chasers manipulating  the electoral system in their greed for political power and using the masses of poor and powerless voters as their political pawns and others as their sacrificial lambs from the Niger Delta to Lake Chad and from Lagos to Abuja. Nothing has changed.

The victory of Muhammadu Buhari may not fulfill our Nigerian dream for the nation building of a New Nigeria in the leadership of Africa in the 21st century.


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

Paperback: List Price: $38.20 $34.38 | You Save: 10%

Ships in 3-5 business days.

The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Dream: My Testimony on the 2015 Presidential Election is an important chronicle of the 2015 presidential election in Nigeria and the principal actors in the emergence of the first Nigerian presidential candidate to defeat an incumbent President in the political history of Nigeria.

  Tweet

See How President Buhari of Nigeria Celebrated World Refugee Day

President Muhammadu Buhari and his son, Yusuf at his farm in Duara, Katsina State, taking stock of his livestock. Photo Credit: Nairaland. 

President Muhammadu Buhari did not know yesterday was World Refugee Day. And he was visiting his farm to see his cattle instead of visiting Nigerian refugees in neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad and Cameroon. And he did not even address the humanitarian emergency of these innocent victims of Boko Haram insurgents in northern Nigeria.

This is really disappointing. Has he seen the 2015 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)subregional report on the humanitarian emergency of Nigerian refugees on http://www.unhcr.org/?

Nigeria Refugee Crisis - A Journey of Survival Today, United Nations Agencies and non-governmental organizations are launching the Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRRP) for Nigerian refugees. This appeal is urgently seeking USD 174.4 million to protect and assist some 192,000 people who have fled brutal attacks by insurgents in north-eastern Nigeria. The plan also foresees to respond to any additional population movements to the neighbouring countries. The appeal is seeking funds to provide life-saving assistance to at least 74,000 Nigerians who have found refuge in northern Cameroon, to 18,000 in south-west Chad and to some 100,000 people - a mix of Nigerian refugees and returning Niger nationals - in Niger.

  Tweet