Adesina, Mohammed, Mba, Idahosa, Nollywood Stars, others for Famous Faces unveiling - ITREALMS

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The publisher of leading online newspaper DAYLIGHT, Azuh Amatus will be unveiling and presenting his two new books, FAMOUS FACES...Interactions with Nollywood Stars and Stakeholders, to the public this Sunday, October 9, 2022.

The event, according to a statement issued by Amatus and made available to the public, holds elaborately at the high-end Colonades Hotels, on 21 Alfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, under the distinguished chairmanship of Chief Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity).

FG resolute in tackling violent extremism - Mohammed

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The Federal Government is resolute in dismantling the structural conditions that make violent extremism to thrive in the country, so says the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, reports ITRealms.

He gave this outline in Abuja on Tuesday at the public presentation of the 'Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism', identified such structural conditions to include unemployment, poverty, lack of education, corruption, and other social-economic factors.

According to him, the Federal Government has embarked on developmental programmes as part of efforts to dismantle the conditions that feed into violent extremism.

"For example, the Anchors Borrowers programme has created over 6.3 million jobs for farmers through rice farming. Equally significant, the Federal government has served no fewer than 246.4 million meals to Primary school pupils across 20 States under the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) to encourage children enrolment in schools.

''According to a widely reported recent survey, no fewer than 10.27 million children have been enrolled in public primary schools in the North West and North Central Zones of the country in the last one year, representing an increase of 20% in some of the states. This was attributed largely to the school feeding programme. Development programmes like the school feeding scheme are at the heart of our efforts to prevent violent extremism.,'' Alhaji Mohammed said.

He also said the N-Power programme of the Federal Government has engaged and deployed over 200,000 young Nigerian to public primary schools, primary healthcare centre, and in agriculture development project centres across local government areas in the country, adding, 'This is with a view to helping build community resilience against violent extremist group. That number is set to increase by 300,000 this year."

The Minister said the government is also taking a bold step to address the issue of recharging the Lake Chad Basin, which has shrunk by 90% between 1963 and now, thereby impacting negatively on the livelihood of the people that depended on it for farming activities.

He said that as part of its soft approach in tackling security challenges, the administration is equally engaging in dialogue with different key stakeholders in order to find possible and lasting solutions to the issue of herder-farmer conflicts, which is one of the security challenges confronting the nation.

Alhaji Mohammed said the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture is committed to developing narratives and communication strategies that will completely dismantle and neutralize Boko Haram ideology and messages.

"We did that when we launched the national sensitization campaign against insecurity in December 2015. I am sure many of you would have heard the slogan, 'if you see something, say something. We intend to take that campaign further'.

"As you are very much aware, extremist groups thrive on two major things: One is to get their ideologies and messages out to the public, which today has been facilitated by the democratisation of the cyberspace, for the purpose of recruitment and radicalization. The second is publicity, which is the oxygen that they live on," he said.

While applauding the critical role the media is playing the fight against terrorism, the Minister encouraged the media to sustain the momentum and deny extremist groups the oxygen of publicity which they badly crave.

Alhaji Mohammed hailed the leadership and political will demonstrated by President Muhammadu Buhari, which has served as a morale booster for the military to decimate Boko Haram and put the terror group on the run.

He said the Sambisa Forest, which used to be the fortress of Boko Haram, has become too hot for the terror group, which is now escaping to the neighbouring communities.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Pix:(L-R) The National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Mohammed Monguno (rtd); Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and representative of Chief of Defence Staff, Maj.-Gen. A Mohammed at the Public Presentation of Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism in Abuja.

Calabar carnival, veritable for job creation - Mohammed

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The Calabar Carnival has been described as a veritable platform for job creation and the promotion of creativity among Nigerians,  according to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, reports ITRealms.

The Minister made the remarks in Calabar, Cross River State, on Saturday during the tour of some carnival bands ahead of Sunday's flag-off the Third Dry Run of the 2017 Calabar Carnival.

He said the Carnival has grown beyond being a mere street procession and dancing to a venture that is positively impacting on the economy and the unity of the country.

"What we have seen today is an industry that is making use of the abundant talents of Nigerians not just in dancing but even in manufacturing and creativity. We have seen the shoes that they are
going to wear, they are made in Nigeria - the design and materials. So Calabar Carnival provides that platform to give vent to your creative energy," he said.

Alhaji Mohammed highlighted the critical role of the themes of each band, which include "Climate Change", "Bush Burning" and "Environmental Degradation", describing the themes as topical issues
in the global discourse on the ecosystem.

He expressed delight that the Calabar Carnival has keyed into the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari towards promoting locally-made products in order to make the country self-reliant economically.

"The President said until Nigeria produces what it consumes and grows what it eats, it cannot be economically independent... This is a very good example of made-in-Nigeria both in terms of materials, in terms of the labour force and creativity. So I am really very fulfilled coming here because I see how much the carnival is contributing not just to the economy but to bringing individuals to self-reliance," he said.

The Minister used the occasion to commend the band managers, whom he described as patriots who are actually not driven by profit but by the passion and commitment to grow the nation's economy.

He also appealed to the private sector to show more interest in the Calabar Carnival because of its huge impact on the economy. 

Mohammed visited the Freedom and Seagull Bands and inspected their costume-making factories, which employ a lot of people in shoe-making, tailoring, weaving and knitting, among others.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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PIX: L-R: Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture; Deaconess Grace Isu Gekpe; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Cross River State, RoseMary Achibong and the Leader of the Seagull Band, Senator Florence Ita Giwa when the minister visited the Seagull Band in Calabar on Saturday as part of activities to flag-off the Dry Run of the Calabar Carnival.

Mohammed mourns Adebayo Faleti, says a colossus is gone

ITRealms:

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has described the death of renowned author, poet, broadcaster and actor, Pa Adebayo Faleti at the age of 86, as a huge loss to the country's Creative Sector in particular and to the entire nation in general, reports ITRealms.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, the Minister said Pa Faleti was a trailblazer and a colossus across many genres, who left an indelible footprint in the Nigerian landscape.

He said generations of authors, poets, broadcasters and actors owe Pa Faleti a debt of gratitude for his dedication, hard work and love of country.

Alhaji Mohammed commiserated with the family and friends of the departed, as well as all practitioners in the sector, and prayed that God will comfort them and grant repose to the soul of the departed.

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DSO: Lai Mohammed in Beijing, says African nations united on digital broadcasting

ITRealms:

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that African nations have agreed to work together in their quest to successfully transit from Analogue to Digital broadcasting, reports ITRealms.

Speaking at the 6th African Digital TV Development Seminar in Beijing, China, on Thursday, the Minister said the decision to engage in shared experiences and synergy on a continental level was reached by the African Ministers in charge of Information and Communication, who attended the 3rd Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation also in Beijing, which preceded the Seminar.

 

‘’It is indeed worrisome that so far, only two African nations have successfully transited to Digital broadcasting. Others are in various stages of transition. It is therefore imperative that we all work together to achieve our set goal.

‘’In this regard, let me formally announce that the African Ministers in charge of Information and Communication who are attending this Seminar have agreed on the need for all African nations to jointly face the transition challenge, with a view to enhancing their success in meeting the deadline. 

‘’I am happy to inform this audience that the Ministers held an exploratory meeting here in Beijing on Tuesday - on the sidelines of the 3rd Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation - in furtherance of this agreement,’’ he said.

Alhaji Mohammed expressed gratitude to his fellow African Ministers for their ‘’Pan African solidarity’’, saying he had no doubt that working together on this digitalization process ‘’will not only improve our chances of achieving a successful transition, but will also open a new vista of cooperation in other areas, for the benefit of all our peoples’’.

He commended the organizers of the Seminar for continuing their tradition of providing a forum for advancing the cause of digital television development in Africa. 

The Minister said in spite of the challenges faced by Nigeria in its efforts to transit from Analogue to Digital broadcasting, the country is confident of meeting the June 2017 deadline to switch off Analogue broadcasting, especially as it has successfully launched the pilot phase.

‘’We are confident because we, as a government, have the political will to drive the transition process. Also, all the stakeholders have demonstrated uncommon passion, patriotism and dedication to the cause of digitalization,’’ he said.

 

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