Jonathon Nevett emerges new CEO Public Internet Registry - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Internet industry veteran, Mr. Jonathon Nevett, has emerged as the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Public Interest Registry (PIR), effective December 17, 2018, reports ITREALMS.

PIR is the nonprofit operator of the .org top-level domain, the world’s third largest “generic” top-level domain with over 10 million domain names registered worldwide.

Nevett, ITREALMS gathered was unanimously selected by the Board of Directors, based on his proven deep expertise in the domain name industry.

Disclosing this, chair of the Public Interest Registry, Board of Directors, Lise Fuhr, said that Nevett, is to guide the growth of the .org domain while advancing the organization’s advocacy efforts in support of collaboration, safety and security on the internet.

“It is my great pleasure to announce Jonathon Nevett’s appointment as the new CEO of Public Interest Registry,” Fuhr said, stressing that Jon’s combination of industry expertise, commercial experience, ethical values and commitment to nonprofit mission means will continue its leadership as an exemplary registry. 

"I would also like to thank fellow board member Jay Daley for acting as our interim CEO and laying the foundation for an enhanced and refocused strategy that ensures the resilience of .org and its continuing place as the go-to domain for mission-driven organizations and individuals,” she said.

Nevett will bring his proven track-record of leadership to Public Interest Registry and reaffirm its continued ambition to be an exemplary registry. He will spearhead the organization’s strategy to expand the reach of the .org domain, strengthen security and resiliency, and advance outreach and education to the millions of forward-looking organizations and individuals that rely on Public Interest Registry’s domains.

Nevett co-founded Donuts Inc. in 2010 and helped to raise in excess of $150 million to form a registry of more than 240 top-level domains. He served as Donuts’ executive vice president for corporate affairs and on its Board of Directors. Nevett is also a founding board member of the Domain Name Association, the domain name industry’s trade association. Previously, Nevett served as senior vice president at Network Solutions, where he was responsible for policy, government affairs, registry relations, and the corporate ethics office. He also served as chair of the board of NameJet and Central Registry Solutions.

Nevett has served on numerous task forces, working groups and panels for ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). He is a member of the ICANN Nominating Committee and served on ICANN’s IANA Stewardship Transition Coordination Group, the group tasked with steering the move of this function from the United States Government to the global multi-stakeholder community. In 2009, Jon was appointed to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Online Safety and Technology Working Group related to issues of child safety and the internet.

“Over the course of my career in the domain industry, I have admired Public Interest Registry and its dynamic team. I’m incredibly humbled to be part of it,” said Nevett. “PIR has a long history of ensuring all who are committed to the public interest have a voice online. I look forward to working with the growing PIR team and wider domain industry to continue advancing that mission,” he said.

Nevett received his Juris Doctor cum laude from Harvard Law School and his undergraduate degree with honors from Binghamton University. He serves as a member of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee of the Green Acres School, a progressive school located in Rockville, Maryland.

Nenye Dom/DoP

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Chieftaincy: Protest rocks Iwo, family demands justice - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Barely a week after assuming office, Gov. Isiaka Oyetola of Osun State may have recorded his first public protest as members of the Baale Olatifede family, Olatifede village in Iwo Local Government Area of Osun State on Friday staged a peaceful protest, urging the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Akanbi, to respect the tradition by installing the eldest male in the family as baale of the community, reports ITREALMS.

They made the call during a peaceful protest against a purported plan to install a younger candidate over Rasaki Akande, a septugenarian who is the eldest and the most popular candidate for the position. 

The Baale Oloba Olatifede family members, who took to the streets in Iwo town on Friday morning, displayed placards bearing messages such as: "We appeal to Kabiyesi Oluwo to approve the installation of Rasaki Akande as our Baale,"; "Baba Akande is our choice; let's follow tradition,"; "We are for peace and justice. Pa Akande for fairness".

Speaking on behalf of the group, the leader of the protesters said: "Our message is clear and we are taking to the streets as well as the palace to ventilate our demand. We are appealing to our royal father, the Oluwo of Iwo, to acede our demand as his subjects. 

"There are procedures set by our forefathers in filling or nominating candidate to the stool of Baale of Olatifede. Filling the position should, ordinarily, not generate controversy because there is an agelong practice of installing the eldest male in the branch of the family whose turn it is to produce occupant for the stool." 

A communique addressed to the Oluwo, signed by the head of the Oloba Olatifede family, Staff Sergeant AbdulMojeed Agbaje (retd.); Secretary to the ruling family, Pastor Isiaka Akanji; and Community Leader of Oloba Olatifede, Hon. Sunday Salawu, reads in parts: 

"There is a norm and tradition. The eldest son (in the ruling family is) to fill the vacant stool of Baale.

"Unless the eldest son is mentally retarded or not of sound mind or when a candidate is seen to have bad antecedent, the eldest son should fill the vacant stool of Baale."

Akande explained that there should be no contention on the rightful person to fill the vacant position because "as the eldest person I am unarguably the next baale. The family took a unanimous decision to forward my name to Kabiyesi (Oluwo) but it appears is making moves to circumvent the agelong tradition. 

"The entire community and its council, the Oke Oba Parapo adopted me as the next baale, so there is no room for arguments about the whole matter.”

Meanwhile, Morufu Adewale, younger half brother to Akande, who is the eldest son, said in a telephone interview that he was well qualified for the position as a bonafide member of the family. 

Insisting that he is the best candidate for the position, Adewale said: “I am the preferred candidate. I left the village (Olatifede) 31 years ago and still met it the same way; nothing has changed since then. Akande who is claiming right to the position is hated in the village. I will spend my time and money on the village as baale.”

While addressing the procession at the palace of the Oluwo, the Secretary to the Oluwo assured the people of the readiness of Oba Akanbi to ensure that justice and peace were guaranteed.

The secretary said the interest of the people would be addressed appropriately without fear or prejudice.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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Pix: Gov. Isiaka Oyetola of Osun State

Osolo tasks BOS on youth employment - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Osolo of Isolo Oba Kabiru Adelaja Agbabiaka on Friday charged the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu (BOS) to focus on policies that will create job opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths in the state, reports ITREALMS.

The monarch made the call on the APC candidate and his running mate, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat when the duo visited him and other traditional rulers at the Osolo Palace in continuation of their consultative meetings with royal fathers in Lagos State.

Speaking on youth unemployment which he said has become endemic in the state and Nigeria as a whole, Oba Agbabiaka appealed to Sanwo-Olu to focus on policies that will create employment and stimulate the economy of the state to be more productive.

“We have thousands of young people who graduated for many years without jobs. Youth unemployment is a time bomb because many of them can be restive and become easy tools for evil machinations. We cannot have a future without the youth.”

The monarch stated that the youths in Isolo do not need handout from politicians rather they want to work to earn a decent living like responsible people.

Oba Agbabiaka also charged the APC standard bearer to look into the allowances of the royal fathers in Lagos State for upward review. He informed Sanwo-Olu that what the traditional rulers in Lagos get as allowances is too poor to meet their needs. .

Sanwo-Olu who was elated with the warm reception accorded him and his team thanked the Osolo of Isolo, the other traditional rulers in attendance and assured them that he is ready to govern along with his deputy as soon as the people of Lagos State give him the mandate to govern.

The APC candidate enjoined the natural leaders to continue to play their roles in the communities as the custodians of culture and tradition.

"Part of our campaign mantra is inclusiveness. What we have come to do here is a demonstration of that. We want to listen to you and know exactly what your needs are. I have heard you on youth employment. Our policies will create jobs. We are working to create thousands of jobs through enabling technology start-ups that will solve some of our social problems. Our investments in infrastructure too will be tied to employments, " Sanwo-Olu stated.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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Pix: Osolo of Isolo, Oba. Kabiru Adelaja Agbabiaka (middle); flanked by Lagos State APC Governorship Candidate, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu (left) and his Deputy Governorship Candidate,, Dr. Kadir Obafemi Hamzat, durng the fomal endorsement of Mr. Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, by the Obas and Chiefs of Aworis division, at the Palace of Isolo, in Isolo, Lagos....

50,000 Nigerians now work in 127 construction sites says Fashola - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babajide Raji Fashola, has disclosed that over 50,000 Nigerians are now engaged in 77 works and 50 housing construction sites across the country while only 277 foreigners are working in the sites, reports ITREALMS.

This was disclosed Thursday in a speech entitled “Solid Infrastructural Backbone - A Catalyst for National and Sustainable Development” he delivered at Sheraton Hotels, Lagos during the 2018 Nigerian Infrastructure Development Awards (NIDA) Night and the unveiling of Nigerian Infrastructure Development Magazine.

Mr Fashola, who won the NIDA 2018 ‘Icon of National Infrastructure Development” Award, was represented at the occasion by Engr Funsho Adebiyi, Director of Highways South West.

According to him, the figures are contained in the ‘Inception Report’ the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing recently commissioned to ‘ascertain the number of foreigners employed on those sites and whether they have work permits for the work they are undertaking’.

‘The Ministry has now commissioned a more detailed audit of all sites and we await the results and findings’, he stated.

The Minister explained that ‘while Government welcomes foreigners and investors, we expect that like in all law abiding countries, foreigners can only work after obtaining work permit’

He explained further that while Nigeria took loans from overseas to execute some projects, ‘we did not sign away the rights of Nigerians to benefits from such projects’.

The Chairman of the occasion of the occasion, Otunba Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye who commended the organizers of NIDA Awards said in his speech that infrastructure development of Nigeria is very critical and an issue that should be of concern to all stating that ‘no nation develops above the level of infrastructural resources available to her.

He also called for vibrant private and public sector players to partner in driving infrastructural revolution in order to fast track development on the country.

‘We need more public budget investments, foreign capital and creative funding avenues to achieve this goal speedily as we cannot afford to be observers. As an emerging economy with growing population, we have to take the need to improve on our various infrastructure very seriously’ he added.

In his welcome remarks, the Chairman, Nigerian Infrastructural Awards (NIDA) and Managing Director of Prospers Strategy Limited, Mr Lanre Alabi, said the issue of Infrastructure is very vital to national development as the state of infrastructure is a key determinant to gauge the health of nation.

Mr Alabi explained that ‘’NIDA was established to honor corporate organisations, government agencies and individuals who have made huge and outstanding impact in the Nigerian infrastructural development sector over the years.

He added that with the debut of the first Nigerian Infrastructural Development focused magazine, a public platform to raise the bar on infrastructural awareness has been created. ‘The publication offers a credible avenue for both the public and private sector players to share ideas and to imbibe best practices that have helped other economies on infrastructure development’.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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Igwe Ezenwa: Made of a standard by Mbazulike Amaechi - ITREALMS

Tribute@ITREALMS:

Excerpts from tribute to HRH Igwe Peter Ezenwa MFR by first republic Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, on his final Ofala recently in Oba Idemili LGA, Anambra State.

"One significant thing I will say that many people did not know is that the first indigenous airline that was to run in Nigeria was known as Standard Airways, this airways was formed in 1966 by a company formed by Igwe Peter Ezenwa, from Oba, On the board were Joe Nwankwu, from Abagana, Edward Ebo from Ezinifite, all of Anambra State, John Anyaehie from Nkwerre, in Imo State, and my humble self, Mbazulike Amechi, the five of us formed the company and then acquired two brand new planes .

We had our four pilots, Nnachi, John and Emma Ngwu, and Felix Ofor who was to be the General Manager of the airline, but just about the time for it to take off, the crisis of military take over erupted in the North and the Planes were on the way for delivery to us, in fact the bank handling the transaction was to allow them be flown from the United States, but when the news of the war broke out in 1967 the insurance company cabled the cancellation of the aircrafts, that they will not be able to cover the cost and risk of aircraft being flown into a war area. So we asked the manufacturers to take the two Planes back to their country and hold on for us for six months thinking the war will end in six months and they held on for six months but the war did not end in one year and so we asked for the refund for the cost of the aircraft and they deducted some money and then refunded and deposited the money at ACB, in London.

However, when the money was deposited there in London, sometime in 1969 at the peak of the war, Odumegwu Ojukwu wrote to us as Biafrans, that we should surrender the foreign exchange to Biafran government, that when the war ends the government will refund us, so we held a meeting and did as he requested and we allowed the government to take over the whole money in ACB London and the war ended the way it ended and we lost everything."

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Goodnight Gloria Mayen-David Ese - ITREALMS

Tribute@ITREALMS:

Mrs. Gloria Mayen-David Ese, the amiable wife of the Marketing Communications Specialist, VDT Communications Limited, Mr. David Ese was finally laid to rest at the Atan Cemetery in Yaba, Lagos at the week in a solemn ceremony attended by family members, friends, and members of staff of VDT Communication and the media amidst tears.

Gloria’s journey to her final resting place began at the International Church of Christ, Eric Moore, Lagos, where a funeral service was held in her honour and encomiums were poured on her in remembrance of her good deeds.

In a biography written by her husband and read by the eldest child of the Ese family, Victoria, the deceased was described as a woman full of great virtues of hard work, integrity, honesty and self-disciplined, which imbibed at a very early age from her late parents: Mr. David John Africs and Mrs. Atim Africs both of Itu Local Government Area of  Akwa Ibom State.

Gloria who could be said to be a Lagos girl having started her primary education at All Saint Anglican school 2, Yaba, Lagos, was a bright child at school who applied the lessons of hard work and diligence she learnt from home to her education.

And such she kept to what seems to be an educational time frame drawn by her parents thereby completing her primary education in flying colours, as she sat for the common entrance, passed and gained admission into the then highly esteemed Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School.

 In secondary school she was a child that the school passed through engaging in every social activity as evident in her membership of Literary and Debating Society besides showing great interest and seriousness in her studies.

She later in her educational career saw fate taking her to another precious school, the Evwreni College, Evwreni, Ughelli Delta State from where she proceeded to Agbon Teachers College, Agbon, Delta State where she successfully earned her Grade Il Teacher Training Certificate.

Beyond distinguishing herself there in the literary and athletic skills in the school where she was a member of the Dramatic Society and a star player in Basketball and Handball team of the College, her stay at the Agbon College was late in life to launched her into a successful teaching career.

But she had to sponsor herself through school when she was admitted in 1999 to study Biology and Chemistry Education at the University of Lagos, Akaka, Yaba.

 Gloria was highly industrious and apart from few establishments that she worked with, she was mostly running her own business during her lifetime.

She worked with Perfecta Shoes, Nuga Paul Primary School and Marybene Nursery and Primary School besides running her fashion outfit Glovick Elegance, which gave her opportunity to make business trips to Dubai and other foreign cities to import unique wears, gold pendants and other accessories.

An astute business woman, Gloria who got married to her heart throb David in 2000 also ran Glovick Loyal Restaurant and much later went into transportation business.

Described by her husband as a supportive wife, an excellent adviser who helped her husband to make right and godly decisions, Gloria the last child in a nuclear family of 7, had three healthy and vibrant children; Victoria 17, Kingsley 15 and Promise 12.

According to her husband she was a very dedicated wife who stood by him through thick and thin adding that she had a kind and friendly disposition to others.

He said his late wife was totally down to earth with others, always giving a listening ear and acted as an adviser and counselor to the younger ones within and outside the church noting that she abhorred a flamboyance lifestyle, pomposity and pretense.

He said: “With Gloria ‘what you see is what you get’” saying that she preferred a moderate and quiet lifestyle and maintained few close friends.

The husband said that in their 18 years marriage, there has never been a time that he was called upon to settle a quarrel between her and any other person and she never brought her family any trouble.

Among those present at the church funeral service was the Managing Direction/CEO of VDT Communications Limited, Mr. Abiodun Omoniyi, VDT staff, friends and the media.

Pix: David Ese and children during the funeral service in Lagos.

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U.S. backs full inclusion of persons with disabilities - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The United States Consulate in Lagos on Thursday called for more concerted efforts to ensure the full inclusion of persons living with disabilities in every aspect of social, political, economic, and cultural life, reports ITREALMS.

Delivering remarks at a program organized by Project Enable Africa in commemoration of the 2018 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Officer Russell Brooks, reaffirmed the U.S. government’s support for the inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Brooks explained that the United States, as part of its foreign policy, works to remove barriers and create a world in which disabled people enjoy dignity and full inclusion. According to him, promoting disability rights is an integral part of the promotion of human rights.

“In pursuing diplomacy that is inclusive and empowering of persons with disabilities, the United States opposes discrimination against persons with disabilities everywhere and in all its forms. If we permit anyone in our society to be accorded less than their full human rights, we are all diminished as a result,” Brooks stated.

At the event, rights activist and President of Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, and Access Bank’s Head of Sustainability, Ms. Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan, emphasized the importance of the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society.

In 2017, Project Enable Africa, a Nigerian civic organization that promotes the rights, empowerment and social inclusion of persons with disabilities established a disability-friendly digital hub in Lagos with funding from the U.S. government.

To date, the hub has trained 20 young persons with disabilities in various information and communication technology-based skills, and supports them through mentorship. During today’s event, Project Enable Africa announced a second cohort that will be trained next year. Project Enable Africa is also the winner of the Google Impact Challenge Funds Competition in Nigeria and will receive an award of $250,000.

Project Enable is led by Mr. Olusola Owonikoko, a 2016 Mandela Washington Fellow and 2014 Fellow of the Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative (CYFI).

Uj. N. Dominics/GEE

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Buhari salutes Gov. Obiano on Papal’s honour for social harmony - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The President, Muhammadu Buhari has saluted Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State for the recognition by Pope Francis over his promotion of social harmony, good neighbourliness and a willingness to help individuals, institutions and other states, reports ITREALMS.

Disclosing this, Special adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, told ITREALMS that the President felicitated with the government and people of Anambra State for the deserved award to the governor, which takes into full cognizance the maturity and decency of the governor in handling the last elections in the state.

Also, he said, President Buhari commended Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments at the Vatican, who will lead a Pontifical Mass preceding the special award by the Catholic Church to Governor Obiano on December 8, 2018.

The President affirmed that the recognition by the Catholic Church will send the right signal to other states and all Nigerians that free, fair and peaceful elections are realisable, especially when political leaders declare their stand against non- violence and properly sensitize the electorate.

Buhari equally congratulated Chief Obi Adimora and Mr Chidi Amamgbo who will also receive awards at the event.

Nkem Nweke/GEE

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Nigeria, 43 African countries sign Free Trade Area agreement - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Nigeria alongside 43 other African countries have signed the landmark African Continental Free Trade agreement earlier this year, just as 12 nations have already ratified the accord, reports ITREALMS.

For ratification, ITREALMS gathered that a total of 22 countries is required for this accord, but policy makers say there is time enough - and practical solutions - to move the process ahead, as agreed at the African Economic Conference (AEC2018) in Rwanda.

The African Continental Free Trade (AfCFTA) area aims to create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments, and thus pave the way for accelerating the establishment of the Continental Customs Union and the African customs union.

African countries could use the time in the run up to March 2019, the deadline for ratification, to strengthen their capacity in the legislative and tariff instruments required for the process and other “low hanging fruit” measures, presenters at a panel session during the African Economic Conference, currently underway in Kigali Rwanda, told delegates.

“We have learned a lot of lessons,” Dr. Trudi Hartzenberg, Executive Director of the Trade Law Centre said. “We have a window to build capacity… most implementation is done at national level…there is lot that existing (free-trade areas) can bring,” she said.

The signing of AfCFTA, with its potential to create the largest free-trade area in the world – uniting fifty-four African countries with a combined population of more than one billion people and a combined gross domestic product of more than US $3.4 trillion - has also engendered much debate about the challenges of harmonizing disparate tax, fiscal and regulatory regimes as well as the varied socio-political make-up of nations on the continent.

But Rwanda, which has taken bold leadership of the integrate Africa agenda, argues that the benefits outweigh the losses.

Noting that Rwanda was one of the first countries to sign AfCFTA, the country’s Minister of Trade and Industry Soraya Hakuziyaremye, one of the panelists, said it was imperative for the country to champion regional integration and African integration.

“We understand the benefit,” she said, adding that she preferred using the term “land-linked,” rather than landlocked, to describe her native Rwanda.

“Africa cannot afford not to be part of a larger bloc advocating for a common market,” she said

The Minister and Hartzenberg were part of a panel entitled “What next after the Launch of AfCFTA?”.

The session, moderated by African Development Bank Director of Regional Integration Moona Mupotola, also included Prof. Ademola Oyejide, Emeritus Professor of Economics, University of Ibadan and Professor Olu Ajakaiye, Executive Chairman, African Center for Shared Development and Capacity Building.

The experts looked at the costs of integration: the downside for smaller economies and the absence of Nigeria – Africa’s largest economy.

“Nigeria is the big elephant in the room,” Oyidije said. According to the professor, although Nigeria had always led Africa in regional integration, in the case of AfCFTA, “the costs are too high relative to the benefits.”

Returning to the topic of the March 2019 ratification deadline, Hartzenburg said it would serve as a good time for countries to “take advantage and prepare a comprehensive implementation strategy with detailed work plans.”

“Expectations are high the private sector is waiting,” she said. “We should not hold back in terms of preparatory work for implementation.”

Raising the issue of freedom of movement, Hakuziyaremye said it was a vital
African countries currently attracting the most Foreign Direct Investment, including Rwanda, have a robust visa openness policy, the Minister said. Rwanda announced at the beginning of this year, an entry visa on arrival for travelers from all African countries.

Prior to the panel session, there was a short presentation of the Africa Visa Openness Index 2018, which measures how open African countries are when it comes to visas by looking at what they ask of citizens from other countries in Africa when they travel.

This year’s report, authored by the African Development Bank and the Africa Union Commission, has already been published via an online launch on 27 November.

Thousands of African youths yearning to study, tour and travel across the continent, can only do so if they can move freely, Jean-Guy Afrika, a Principal Policy Expert at the African Development Bank said.

Highlights of the 2018 Visa Openness Index, revealed improvement in the ease of movement across the continent.

The Visa Openness Index website is accessible at www.VisaOpenness.org

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Broadband challenges top NITRA Forum, as NCC, ALTON Lineup - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Nigeria Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) Quarterly Forum has concluded plans to host the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Association Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) to its Quarterly Forum with focus on broadband challenges, reports ITREALMS.

The forum, ITREALMS gathered, has been slated for Friday, December 14, 2018, at the CitiHeight Hotel, Opebi Link, Ikeja, Lagos.

NITRA, under the supervision of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, is an umbrella body for journalists reporting information and communications technology in Nigeria.

In collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), NITRA promises to address the challenges of broadband, especially with last mile connectivity, at this fourth quarter forum.

The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta is the keynote speaker at the event expected to draw the largest gathering of ICT industry players under one roof.

Themed: “Achieving Last Mile Connectivity Through Affordable Broadband,” the forum will not only highlight the opportunities and challenges of deploying affordable broadband in Nigeria but will look at the strategies being adopted by the NCC to achieve this.

Experts argue that in order to address Nigeria’s last mile connectivity, it’s important that the Government creates incentives that would encourage telcos to invest in connectivity in rural areas and other less profitable regions.

Achieving last mile connectivity in Nigeria, therefore, requires a concerted effort among Government, Civil Society Organizations, Policy makers, mobile operators, service providers, academia etc. It also requires a combination of solutions ranging from policies to technologies, transparency to regulations etc.

Recall that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had in 2016, rolled out an 8-point agenda aimed at broadband access and penetration. Through the agenda, the NCC hopes to promote deployment of universally available, fast and reliable network infrastructure that will stimulate seamless broadband penetration to drive technology innovation and overall productivity of Nigeria’s economy.

In the last two years, NITRA has through the Quarterly forum engaged ICT stakeholders to brainstorm on various topical issues affecting the ICT industry in Nigeria.

Uj. N. Dominic/GEE

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Alimosho APC promises to deliver 0.5m votes

ITREALMS:

The people of Alimosho area of Lagos State have declared their total support for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, promising him no fewer than 500,000 votes.

The Alimosho residents, yesterday, trooped out in their numbers to welcome Sanwo-Olu, who was in the area for consultative meeting. They said it would be a waste of energy for the APC candidate to come to the area for campaign, noting that Alimosho votes were naturally for the party to which the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, belongs.

Sanwo-Olu was at the consultative meeting in company of his running mate, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, lawmaker representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Sen. Olamilekan Adeola, the Director General of APC campaign, Mr Tayo Ayinde, the Deputy Director General, Cardinal James Odunmbaku, and federal lawmakers.

Speaking on behalf of the residents, Alhaji Abdullahi Enilolobo hailed Sanwo-Olu for taking time out to listen to the requests of the residents, describing the gesture as a sign of being a “good listener”.

Sanwo-Olu described Lagos West as critical to winning the election, stressing that Alimosho remained key constituency that must be equipped with modern infrastructure that would make life easy for the people.

He said: “We regard Alimosho as a country on its own. This area is not only important to us to winning the governorship election next year, it is also very critical to create greater Lagos.

“We believe Alimosho has credible leaders, who are strongly organised and close to the people. We are coming through them to reach out to the people on our programmes.

“Having listened to the demands of people of Alimosho, I promise we will consider your expectations in our manifesto and we will not play politics with your wellbeing if you support us to win the election. 

“As part of our programmes we are initiating in Alimosho, we will build the first mini-stadium in this area as requested and we will also strengthen the free healthcare service to our people. All we require is your support. When you get us elected, we will listen to you in creating greater Lagos.”

The Alimosho CDC Chairman pledged to deliver more than 300,000 votes of the artisans living the area. 

The Alimosho residents made a number of demands from the APC candidate, and told him not to forget the area.

Alimosho has 697,991 registered voters, making it the largest voting bloc in the state.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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Increasing demand for fiber connectivity, Nokia, Oi sign tech deal - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Nokia and Oi have signed a long-term technology partnership to enable Oi to meet increasing demand for fiber connectivity in the home and expand mobile broadband coverage and capacity, while preparing for the future introduction of 5G, reports ITREALMS

Nokia will leverage its radio access, IP and optical transport and fixed broadband solutions and services, working with Oi on the service provider's operational restructuring process, as part of its recovery plan.

Reductions in broadband subscription prices and a growing adoption of smartphones have led to an increase in demand for data services in the home and on the move in Brazil. The introduction of fiber-to-the-home has led to renewed demands for residential broadband services in regions previously covered only by copper networks. Oi and Nokia have signed a series of agreements under which they expect will drive new speeds, capacity and performance in Oi's network to meet these growing demands and connect up to 10 million houses by 2021.

Nokia will continue Oi's widespread optical transport and IP access network expansion, delivering up to 10 Terabits per second capacity throughput using dense-wave-division-multiplexing optical transport and IP routing technology. The optical transport network will serve as the backbone for high-speed fiber-to-the-home services, in addition to the Nokia AirScale radio access network to support growing mobile broadband demand as Oi transitions toward 5G.

The deployment of the Nokia AirScale single radio access network across the country will support 2G, 3G and 4G services and can be software upgraded to support 5G. This will allow Oi to expand its 4G offering as it gradually reduces 2G and 3G services, while preparing for the delivery of 5G.

Network and service operations will be enhanced through increasing use of automation and analytics, including the Nokia AVA cognitive services platform. An improved customer experience will be enabled through machine learning and prescriptive analytics that can predict and prevent service degradations up to 7 days in advance.

Nokia and Oi will also explore residential broadband service quality, adopting new models to improve the 'Oi Fibra' and 'Oi TV' services as well as the customer experience. The companies have signed a reseller agreement that will enable Oi to offer Nokia WiFi beacons in its retail outlets in the country. This solution, once installed, quickly establishes a whole-home meshed WiFi network that significantly enhances ultra-broadband coverage and performance.

Eurico Teles, CEO of Oi, said: "We expect that this long-term technology partnership agreement will allow us to consolidate our suppliers and benefit from greater operational efficiencies as we continue our restructuring process."

Osvaldo Di Campli, head of Nokia Latin America, said: "With an end-to-end technology and services portfolio we are able to work with service providers such as Oi to deliver new capabilities in fixed and mobile services as they transition toward 5G."

Nenye Dom/GEE

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Dell predicts 2019 as year of data-driven ecosystem - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Dell Technologies has predicted there will be the next era of Human-Machine Partnerships where all will be immersed in smart living, intelligent work, and a frictionless economy, reports ITREALMS.

"We made some bold predictions last year – some coming to fruition a bit faster than others…there’s still much to do in advancing artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, and autonomous systems are continuing to take shape as organizations build the digital backbone to support them.

"Virtual assistants continue to be pervasive in consumer technology – smart home technologies, “things” and connected cars – learning your preferences and proactively serving up content and information based on previous interactions. We’ll see this machine intelligence merge with augmented and virtual reality in the home to create truly immersive experiences – like a virtual sous chef that can help you whip up an easy meal for the family. And you’ll be more connected to your personal health with even more intelligent wellness tracking devices that can capture more information about the body, like heart rate variability (HRV), sleep patterns and more that you can easily share with health care providers for better care.

"Immersive intelligence will also follow us to work. Our PCs and devices we use every day will continue to learn from our habits and proactively boot up with the right apps and services at the right time. Advances in natural language processing and voice technologies will create a more productive dialogue with machines, while automation and robotics will create faster, more fluid collaboration with technology to get more done. And, with augmented and virtual reality applications creating on- and off-site immersive experiences – people will have access to the data they need to do work whenever, wherever they are.

"Organizations have been stockpiling big data for years. In fact, it’s predicted that by 2020, the data volume will reach 44 Trillion gigabytes, or 44 Zettabytes. That’s a lot of data. Soon they’ll finally put it to work as Digital transformation takes shape.

"As they derive more value from that data – with insights driving new innovations and more efficient business processes – more investments will be born out of the technology sector. New startups will emerge to tackle the bigger challenges that make AI a reality: data management and federated analytics where insights can be driven from virtually everywhere, and data compliance solutions for a safer, smarter way to deliver amazing outcomes.

"The first 5G devices are slated to hit the market sometime next year with the much-anticipated next-generation network that promises to completely change the data game in terms of speed and accessibility. Low-latency, high-bandwidth networks mean more connected things, cars and systems – and a boat load of AI, Machine Learning and Compute happening at the edge, because that’s where all the data will be generated.

"It won’t be long before we begin to see micro-hubs lining our streets – mini datacenters if you will – that will also give rise to new “smart” opportunities for real-time insights happening on the corner of your street. Cities and towns will become more connected than ever, paving the way for smart cities and digital infrastructure that we predict will be thriving in 2030. And it’ll be a game changer for industries like healthcare or manufacturing, where data and information being generated out in the field can be quickly processed and analyzed in real time – versus having to travel back and forth to a cloud – and then readily shared with those who need it.

"Last year we predicted the arrival of the Mega Cloud – a variety of clouds that make up a powerhouse operating model as IT strategies require both public and private clouds. So far that’s holding true. The public vs. private cloud debate will continue to wane as organizations realize that they need to effectively manage all the different types of data they’ll be processing. A recent IDC survey pointed to more than 80% of respondents repatriating data back to on-premise private clouds – and we can expect that trend to continue, even with projections for public cloud growth.

"Multi-cloud environments will drive automation, AI and ML processing into high gear because they give organizations the ability to manage, move and process data where and when they need to. In fact, we’ll see more clouds pop up as data becomes increasingly distributed – at the edge in autonomous car environments or in smart factories, in cloud-native apps, in protected on-prem centers to meet a host of new compliance and privacy standards and of course, the public cloud for a variety of apps and services that we use every day.

"Millennials are going to have to make room for the next generation with Gen Z (born after 1995) badging into the workplace over the next year – creating an increasingly diverse workforce spanning five generations! This will create a rich range of experiences in life and technology. 98% of Gen Z will have used technology as part of their formal education, many already understand the basics of software coding and expect the only the best technology to be a part of their work experience.

Gen Z will spark a new evolution in technology innovation for the workplace and create more opportunities for technology literacy and on-site learning for new skills with older generations of workers. AR and VR will become increasingly commonplace and close the skills gap across an aging workforce – while giving Gen Z the speed and productivity they demand.

"Believing in the many advantages to running a sustainable business, organizations will follow our lead and begin to accelerate ways to design waste out of their business models through new innovation in recycling and closed loop practices. To help, we at Dell are sharing our blueprint for turning ocean bound plastics into recycled packaging and turning soot from diesel generator exhaust fumes into ink for printing on boxes.

"We’ll see advances in supply chain traceability, by scrutinizing and harnessing emerging technologies to identify precise opportunities to course correct. Blockchain will likely play a role as well, to ensure trust and safety in sourcing, while also securing information and data about goods and services along the way.

"There’s never been a better time for technology – with innovation in 5G, AI and Machine Learning, cloud and blockchain throttling full steam ahead. I’m willing to bet that we’ll make great use of those 44 zettabytes of data in 2020. We’ll unlock the power of data in ways never before imagined before, transforming everyday business and everyday life. So, buckle up – we’re riding full speed into the Data Era – and 2019 is going to be one heck of a year.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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0.9m Africans to benefit from HP LIFE center - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

HP has pledged to empower 100,000 learners across Africa in next three years through the HP Foundation’s HP's Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs (LIFE) programme, reports ITREALMS.

HP, ITREALMS gathered, opened a tech-enabled HP LIFE Center in South Africa, aimed at supporting local entrepreneurs Commitment supports HP’s goals to enable better learning outcomes for 100 million people by 2025, and to enroll a million HP LIFE users between 2016 and 2025

Today at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, HP (NYSE: HPQ) announced a new commitment to reach 100,000 learners across Africa over the next three years through the HP Foundation’s HP LIFE (https://bit.ly/2QuAzsD) programme, and kicked off the commitment by opening a new tech-enabled HP LIFE Center in South Africa. HP’s pledge supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (https://bit.ly/2HUe9gd) and furthers the company’s goals to enable better learning outcomes for 100 million people by 2025 and to enroll a million HP LIFE users between 2016 and 2025, as outlined in the HP 2017 Sustainable Impact Report (https://bit.ly/2KOnogZ).

By 2030, Africa will be home to 32% of the population under the age of 30, and the largest working age population by 2035. Yet, today’s youth unemployment in Africa is up to 3x higher than adult unemployment. HP LIFE offers free, online learning for users to gain the skills to start and grow their own business or improve their employment opportunities. Building on the success of this global program, HP is working with partners to open technology-enabled HP LIFE innovation centers to further support entrepreneurship and workforce development across the continent.

“We believe that education is a human right, that technology in the classroom is a critical component for a 21st century education, and that in today’s economy our learning is never done,” said Nate Hurst, Chief Sustainability and Social Impact Officer, HP. “Africa is experiencing rapid urbanization and digitization—and it’s essential that people have access to learn skills for the work of tomorrow. This new HP LIFE Center provides a launchpad for innovation and opportunity across the continent.”

In 2017, on the global stage at the Global Citizen Festival in Hamburg, Germany, HP announced a commitment to enabling better learning outcomes for 100 million people by 2025. The commitment to education is a part of HP’s broader Sustainable Impact strategy – a strategy to use the scope, scale and expertise of HP to drive positive, lasting change for the planet, its people and the communities where we live, work and do business.

“Sustainable Impact is fundamental to our reinvention and core to achieving our vision – to create technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere,” said Hurst.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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Kwara Berlin Wall: Lai Mohammed, Ilorin Emirate spoil for war

ITREALMS:

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed may be warming up for battle over the declaration of broken Kwara Berlin Wall with the Ilorin Emirates, saying his inference was on his country home federal constituency, reports ITREALMS.

A press statement personally signed by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, he said, his attention has been drawn to a press conference addressed by the Ilorin Emirate Magaji/Alangua Forum in Ilorin on Tuesday, 4 December 2018, during which "I was alleged to have said that the 'Berlin Wall' of the Ilorin Emirate had been broken by the outcome of the 17 Nov. 2018 by-election in the Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency of Kwara State."

Those who made the allegation referred to a news item published in The Nation newspaper of Monday, 19 Nov. 2018, entitled ''Kwara Berlin Wall Broken, Says Lai Mohammed''.

Reacting to the news, Mohammed said it was indeed true that he mentioned the Berlin Wall in his speech at the victory rally in his country home in Oro on Sunday, 18 Nov. 2018, it was undoubtedly in reference to the stranglehold of the Saraki political dynasty on Kwara politics. 

He insisted that "Not once did I mention the Ilorin Emirate during that speech, and I challenge anyone who has any evidence to the contrary to release such. It is instructive that the news item that was referenced by those who made the allegation never mentioned Ilorin Emirate or made any reference to the traditional institution."

"It is safe to conclude, therefore, that those who tried to inject the Ilorin Emirate into the whole issue acted out of shameful desperation.This is not a surprise, considering that they are yet to recover from the devastating defeat that they suffered in the by-election.

"For the record, I hold the Ilorin Emirate, and indeed all our nation's traditional institutions, in very high esteem, and will never do anything to bring them to disrepute. No candidate for any political office in Kwara State will downplay the importance of the Ilorin Emirate, which is a father to all. Those who are grappling at straws, having realized that their hegemonic hold on Kwara State is coming to an end, are the instigators of this lie from hell that the Berlin Wall of the Emirates has been broken.

"The traditional chiefs who echoed the fake news concocted by the fading political warlords of Kwara should be wary of doing anyone's hatchet jobs. They should not allow themselves to be used to denigrate the revered Ilorin Emirate, which should be absolutely non-partisan.
The traditional chiefs must realize that it is only by standing up for truth and justice that they can most effectively play their role of maintaining the 'ever solid wall of peace, unity, progress and stability' in the Emirate.

"The defeat suffered by the tormentors of Kwara on 17 Nov. 2018 is a sign of what they should expect in the forthcoming general elections in the state. No amount of lies or other acts of desperation will save them from imminent defeat. Power flows from the people, and it is clear that the people of Kwara have totally rejected those who have appropriated the state's commonwealth to themselves to the detriment of the long suffering people of Kwara State.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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We’ll review allowances of traditional rulers, says Sanwo-Olu - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has revealed his administration’s plan to review the allowances of traditional rulers upwards in response to the demand of traditional rulers from Igando area of Alimosho Local Government, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking Tuesday at a meeting with the traditional leaders in Igando area in Alimosho Local Government, as part of his ongoing state-wide consultation to listen to the expectations of the people, assured them of the resolve to review their allowances, especially given the economic realities of today.

The Onigando of Igando, Oba Lasisi Gbadamosi, received the APC candidate and his running mate, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, in company of other traditional rulers within his domain.

Oba Gbadamosi, who spoke on behalf of the traditional rulers, tasked Sanwo-Olu on security of lives and property in Igando area, pointing out that cultists were making lives difficult for the people.

The monarch stressed the need to rehabilitate the Igando General Hospital and expand facilities in the hospital to cater for large number of people. This, he said, is necessary due to the increasing population in the area. 

Oba Gbadamosi also made a case for increased representation of Awori people in the state affairs, urging Sanwo-Olu to stop what he described as “sustained discrimination” against Awori people in governance of the state.

In his response, Sanwo-Olu promised to capture the concerns of Awori people in his programmes. He also promised that security would be strengthened in the area and across the state.

He said, “We have come to seek your support and to also listen to your concerns as we prepare to start our campaign. We are reaching out because we want everyone on board our train that is ready to take Lagos to a greater heights.

“During our consultations, we have listened to our royal fathers who have a lot of complaints about their welfare. We are going to review the allowances of our traditional rulers and re-organise our traditional institutions to make them to carry out their functions in proper ways as expected.”

Sanwo-Olu promised he would not be far away from the traditional rulers if elected, soliciting their support for his vision to build a Lagos that will be a pride of residents.

The monarchs endorsed the APC candidate and pledged to mobilize their subjects to vote for him.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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Imagine your president is digitally hijacked? - ITREALMS

Commentary@ITREALMS:

Health Care Concerns: Let us imagine there is a mega cyber cum digital security trap awaiting developing nations! Can your President and African Presidents in particular who receive health care delivery services outside their countries become a victim of intelligent microchip implant into their bodies as a way of hijacking the control of governance of a nation? 

With Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and robotics, nothing is impossible! Simply defined, a human microchip implant is typically an integrated circuit device with identification and control capabilities. The above may therefore be classified as the mega Cybersecurity concern – when the president is digitally and remotely hijacked. The crisis situation and disaster recovery response certainly dwarfs what we know as cyber threat today! Can chip implant order a president to perform instructions he doesn’t want to perform?

When it comes to technologies, especially information and communications technology, health issues occupy a very sensitive high priority. In this era of intensive research in IoT and related embedded intelligent systems, developing nations should be concerned on the state of development, competence, capacities and capabilities of their Health Care sector, facilities and delivery systems. Mind control is possible through human implant.

Thinking outside the box, if we agree that the digital workplace revolution is irreversible and leaves no avenue of escape for anyone – especially when it is now almost a done deal that AI and Robots will replace qualified teachers in a decade or so; then, it therefore becomes easy to reason that a combination of concealed microchip implant, AI and Robots can covertly takeover the President’s mind and governance of the unconscious and unprepared nation. Today, regime change is by force or arms. Tomorrow it may be via chip implant!

Chip technology and health issues have come a long way in the scientific research domain. Well documented studies reveal that the first experiments with Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) implant was carried out in 1998 by the British scientist Kevin Warwick. This intelligent chip implant was used to open doors, switch on lights, and cause verbal output within a building. RFID uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. Without doubt, RFID has significant wide range uses to our lives and world. From digital library, health records management, aviation system tracking, supermarket product identification, credit cards and many more.

Also, according to Wiki, “on 16 March 2009 British scientist Mark Gasson had an advanced glass capsule RFID device surgically implanted into his left hand. In April 2010 Gasson's team demonstrated how a computer virus could wirelessly infect his implant and then be transmitted on to other systems. Gasson reasoned that with implanted technology the separation between man and machine can become theoretical because the technology can be perceived by the human as being a part of their body. Because of this development in our understanding of what constitutes our body and its boundaries he became credited as being the first human infected by a computer virus”.

Indeed, the national risk of the future of digital workplace takeover by external forces is not limited to the teaching, greater part of engineering, legal, aviation, agricultural and other critical professions but to those of human resources management, physical security, policy makers, leadership, etc. Engaging the emerging monumental challenges dictates that unless we retool the education and entire national workforce, massively invest in the software engineering, enthrone e-Government and knowledge workforce capacity building, we may be further surprised with a sudden eclipse of our efforts to deliver sustainable development. Education, health, digital and environmental infrastructure remains non-negotiable strategic imperatives.

*Contributed by Chris Uwaje/GEE

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