What 13-year Zuriel Oduwole, others told TedxKids @Gbagada

ITRealms:

The 2016 TedxKids may have come and gone at Gbagada suburb of Lagos, but recollect that in the late 80’s and early 90’s when we watched TV educational series by and for children, ‘Speak Out’ and ‘Kiddie Vision 101’? Now, imagine such fun and education for today’s children on land.

ITRealms gathered that for the first time in Lagos, TedxKids@Gbagada took place recently at the Corona School in Gbagada, Lagos. 

With the theme ‘Interconnected’, this year’s conference, ITRealms reports, chose Nigerian teenage speakers, drawn from within and outside the country, to connect with and motivate 100 young ones present to think big and birth transformation through inspiration, education, introduction to innovative arts and lots of fun. 

The speakers were Zuriel Oduwole, a 13-year-old filmmaker and girl education advocate who has interviewed 19 presidents around the world; Kofoworola Jolaoso, 13, president of VOLT club in Lagos and Tejiri Emore, 14, Nigeria’s youngest saxophonist.

Zuriel used her experience as an example to show how easily kids could make global impact. Kofoworola spoke on the difference between the current thinking pattern of kids and adults. She pointed out that thanks to new technology advancements available to young people, they could make more positive difference and therefore contribute to a brighter future for Africa.  Tejiri highlighted the importance of attention devoted to the emerging generation and how all factors work to help the children achieve their aspirations.

The organiser of TEDxKids@Gbagada, Mrs. Mercy Yemi Akamo, revealed that conversations and creative activities at the event were designed to introduce the children to innovation. “It was such a surreal experience watching the children collaborate and think deeply as they created a Lego smart house, produced a 45-minute documentary and used paper art to design a wedding dress,” she said.

“The objective of TEDxKids@Gbagada is to get our children to see themselves as part of a global community and challenge the assumption that it is impossible to make an impact in one’s community at such a young age. We want young people to know how to open their minds to creativity that has global relevance. We want them to believe that if you can think it, then you can achieve it, regardless of background, age, race or geographical location,” Mercy Yemi Akamo said.

It is expected that next year’s TEDxKids@Gbagada will embrace more children from across the country to inspire more positive transformation.

Meanwhile, preparations have started for the second annual TEDxGbagada conference for youth leaders. It is slated to hold on the 8 October, 2016.

TEDxGbagada is licenced by TED, which is a US-based not-for-profit enterprise devoted to the propagation of Ideas Worth Spreading. It also celebrates and spreads locally driven ideas in technology, science, entertainment, design and business, through conferences in more than 100 languages across the world.

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Pix: Speakers at TEDxKids@Gbagada, Zuriel, Tejiri & Kofoworola

Jackeline: A tale of childlessness

Gender ICT@ITRealms:

“The harrowing story of Jackeline Mwende , a victim of childlessness stigma in Africa”

Jackeline Mwende Munywoki from Machakos, Kenya is the recent victim of the brutal physical and psychological assault that women in Africa face as a result of being ‘infertile’ and are unable to bear children even when they are not the ones with the problem.

She recently had her hands chopped off by her husband of five years for not conceiving and giving birth.

Jackline Mwende who says she had a stable upbringing, in a loving home where she grew up with six of her siblings narrates how she came to lose her hands because of not being able to have children in her marriage.

Her parents did their best to take her to school from kindergarten up to primary school class 8. Upon completing her studies, Mwende enrolled in a tailoring school where she learnt how to sew and make garments. It was at this school that she met and fell in love with Stephen Ngila – her husband. They got married in 2011.

“A year into the marriage and with no child, I began to notice changes in my husband. He had picked up bad habits such as drinking alcohol and started to become abusive. It was at this point that I confided in my parents, who were also wondering why I had not become pregnant yet. They advised me to leave the marriage since it was becoming abusive,” Mwende narrates.

“As an avid church goer, I also sought advice from my pastor,” she adds. Even at the start of the violence in the marriage, both she and Ngila would go to seek counselling from him. The pastor advised both of them to live in harmony; however, Ngila ignored. The pastor advised her to stay with her husband, of which she tried as long as she could.

Both Mwende and Ngila went to hospital for diagnosis.  It was confirmed that Ngila- the husband- was infertile. “I constantly pleaded with Ngila to go to hospital to seek a treatment for his infertility, but he always made up excuses. He would say that he would go after work but never did,” she says sadly.

Their marriage continued to get strained and the abuse increased because Mwende had not borne a child. On several occasions, the couple wound up at the police station due to their fights and arguments. The couple eventually separated and Mwende set up her own small shop from where she was getting some income to support herself and even her parents.

On August 1st 2016 in the evening, Mwende was peacefully eating her dinner when she heard a knock on the door. When she went to open the door, Ngila who was drunk started to attack her with a panga machete and cut off her left hand. In shock, Mwende collapsed on the floor while Ngila continued to hit her with the machete on her face, and cut off her other right hand.

“Today you have decided to kill me?” Mwende recalls screaming at Ngila. His intent was to kill her, but she continued screaming until her neighbours came to her rescue and Ngila escaped. She was taken to the hospital for treatment and she is currently on medication and nursing her wounds – which will always be a constant reminder that the reason she is in the state she is now is because she never bore any children.

“If it is God’s will that I do not have a child, I am content with this,” Mwende bravely said. She is hopeful for her future and grateful for all the support the community has given her. She would not like any other couple to go through what she has experienced and advises couples to seek solutions together if they cannot have a child, and visit the hospital for check-up’s regularly.

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Get Glo data plan, get smart phone

ITRealms:

Globacom Nigeria is dangling smart phones before any potential first-time data subscribers who care to grab the opportunity, reports ITRealms.

A press statement made available to ITRealms by the Manager, Public Relations at Globacom, Modupe Olubanjo, hinted that a subscriber would have to get 1.7 Giga Bytes (GB) of data per month for the next 12 months when such a customer buys a data plan worth N18,000 which is a cumulative data of approximately 21GB, and a free smart phone worth similar sum.

Glo Mobile, ITRealms gathered also noted that the offer is mainly for first time data subscribers and those who wish to upgrade their phones adding that the promo is particularly attractive to young professionals who seek to enhance their occupational efficiency while also boosting their social lifestyles.

The mobile operator anticipates that the promo would create enormous enthusiasm and advised subscribers to take advantage of the extraordinary offer by visiting any of the Gloworld outlets spread nationwide.

Further, the telco reiterated promise to redeem pledge for those ready to explore new world on Glo network.

Nenye Dom/ED, Ops 

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NITDA, NCC team-up on resourceful ICT sector regulation

ITRealms:

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has teamed-up with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on ensuring resourceful regulation of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector, reports ITRealms.

This was the reason behind the recent visit of NITDA management team led by its acting Director-General, Dr. Vincent Olatunji to NCC under the watch of the Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Garba Umar Danbatta, at the weekend.

Head, Corporate Affairs, NITDA, Mrs. Hadiza Umar, in a press statement made available to ITRealms quoted Dr. Olatunji as saying that the essence of such a visit is to explore areas of mutual collaboration between the two sister agencies under the Federal Ministry of Communications.

He also said that ICT is one of the few options government have to diversify the economy and to build capacity to improve productivity and service delivery for Nigeria so as to cope with the present economic reality and increase the ICT contribution to nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 50 per cent.

NITDA, he said, as the Information Technology (IT) regulator oversees the overall development of the ICT industry in Nigeria to ensure steady growth of the sector, and increase the integration of ICTs across all sectors and under-served communities in a manner that supports diversification of the economy while achieving growth, job and wealth creation.

Olatunji also said NITDA has identified the challenges of ICT and the need for multi stakeholder partnership to brainstorm and formulate policy to drive the ICT sector, the agency over the years have two platforms for bringing stakeholders together to brainstorms on thematic areas identified and highlighted in the communiqué for implementation so as to accelerate the growth of ICT including the annual eNigeria conference in Nigeria and the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) which takes place in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE).

Responding, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, expressed delight with the visit and commended the Acting DG of NITDA for his brilliant strides since his assumption of office in repositioning the ICT sector, stressing that NCC will be very much interested to play pivotal role in GITEX and e-Nigeria respectively.

Danbatta affirmed that NCC is ready and willing to collaborate with NITDA towards effective and efficient service delivery to the public in the area of job creation in ICT as economic cash cow of the country.

He further called on both parties to work closely toward a pervasive penetration of ICT while taking into consideration the existing ICT infrastructures to coincide with the mandates of the two agencies.

Doris Minimah/GEE

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Pix: NITDA DG, Olatunji and EVC of NCC Prof. Danbatta in a handshake.

Agriculture: Nigeria must act differently – Adenij...

Agriculture: Nigeria must act differently – Adenij...: NaijaAgroNet : The Managing Director of Niji Group Limited, Mr. Kolawole Adeniji has advised the Federal Government to deliberately ... ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

Kasie Abonie’s mum for burial

ITRealms:

Prolific social crusader and journalist, Mrs. Kasie Abonie, nee Okonkwo, and family have concluded plans to give their Matriarch, late Ezinne Comfort Ifeyinwa Okonkwo, a befitting burial in Oye-Agu, Abagana of Anambra State, reports ITRealms.

The matriarch, ITRealms gathered, died on April 15, this year at the age of 80 years.

Disclosing these to ITRealms in a public statement endorsed by Mr. Peter Okonkwo and Mrs Kazie Abonie, nee Okonkwo, the family said they would celebrate the home-going of their mother and matriarch, because she lived her life caring for others.

“Oblivious of selfish needs, she always sacrificed totally and passionately devoted to children, women, family and friends,” she said.

Abonie also noted that for her mother, integrity at all situations at all times coupled with hard work was her love to deeply and roundly felt.

According to them, some of the laid down activities for the celebration of life commences with a service of songs and night of tributes slated for Thursday, August 18, 2016 at her late husband’s compound.

They equally said that Mrs Okonkwo’s body will do a brief stop at her father’s compound at late Silvanus Nwolise’s compound, Umueze Village along Amawbia by-pass, from where she will be moved to Eliezer Okonkwo’s compound, Amaenye Village by Oye-Agu, Abagana on Friday, August 19, for lying-in-state.

While the celebration of burial service, they informed, would hold at the St. James Anglican Church, Abagana.

On Saturday, August 20^, ITRealms gathered, would be for condolence visits by in-laws, relations, friends and well-wishers, whereas the outing service has been slated for Sunday, 21^st at St. James Anglian church, Abagana.

Ujunwa Nweke/GEE

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Pix: Late Ezinne Comfort Ifeyinwa Okonkwo (Kasie Abone's mother)

Nigerian Guild of Editors confirms Funke Egbemode as president

ITRealms:

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) on Friday confirmed Mrs Funke Egbemode as its latest President after she acted in that capacity for close to one year, reports ITRealms.

This followed the appointments of some leadership of the guild including the Malam Garba Deen Mohammed who is current the General Manager, Corporate Affairs at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and has to relinquish his position as President of Guild after taking over from Femi Adesina, the incumbent Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Mohammadu Buhari.

Mrs. Egbemode who is the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of New Telegraph Newspaper was confirmed at the ongoing 12th All Nigerian Editors Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Friday as contained in the agenda.

In her acceptance speech, she commended the guild for confirming her as the substantive president without any counter motion.

She pledged to ensure that every member is carried along and urged members to continue to act in a manner that will unite and uplight NGE.

ITRealms recalls that Mrs. Egbemode is the second female president of the NGE after late Mrs. Remi Oyo.

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Pix: Mrs. Egbemode, NGE president

Glo leads in June data acquisition

ITRealms:

Globacom is leading on data subscription acquisition for the month of June 2016, reports ITRealms.

A press statement made available to ITRealms by officials of Globacom, says the Mobile Network Operator (MNO) is on top position in the area of acquisition of new internet subscribers in the month of June.

The telco said that the latest figures released by the industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for the month of June, indicated that Globacom closed the month with a total of 26,628,065 internet subscribers up from 26,355,391 in May.

This, ITRealms gathered, showed that the operator added a total of 272,674 new subscribers during the month. 

The telco says the figure represents a quantum leap from the total number of subscribers gained between April and May. Glo recorded 49,124 new subscribers in April.

The closest operator to Globacom is Airtel, which recorded a total of 17,325,423 subscribers in June, up from 17,280,089 in May. In essence, Airtel added 45,334 new internet subscribers.

On the other hand, Etisalat had a total of 15,253,513 internet subscribers at the end of June, down from the 15,508,024 internet subscribers the operator had in May, effectively losing a total of 254,511 internet subscribers in one month.

MTN Nigeria on its part recorded a total of 32,974,177 in June, down from the 33,108,786 internet subscribers that the operator had in May. Consequently, MTN lost a total of 134,609 within a month.

In all, the industry gained a total of 318, 008 new internet subscribers, out of which Globacom alone had 272,674 new internet subscribers.   

Therefore, Globacom claimed responsibility for about 86 percent of the total internet subscriber acquisitions in the industry in the month of June.

ITRealms recalls that Globacom has recorded in the area of acquisition of new internet subscribers may not be unconnected with a broad bouquet of innovative products and services the company has introduced in recent times. 

Among the offerings currently thrilling subscribers is Jollific8 which gives subscribers eight times the va`lue of their recharge. It is widely acclaimed to be the best value for money in the industry.

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Online visibility matters a great deal - PwC

ITRealms:

The Lead, Tax, Technology and Innovation unit at the Price waterhouse Copper (PwC Nigeria), Mr. Victor Olorunfemi, has declared that at this era of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) online visibility matters a great deal, reports ITRealms.

“In this age of digital revolutions and globalisation, online visibility matters a great deal,” he asserted, at the 2016 one-day Capability Enhancement Workshop for journalists in Lagos hosted by PwC Nigeria on the theme: “Technology and Journalism.”

He noted that it has become very easy to classify everyone as a ‘journalist’ regardless of the quality of their content and this has become prevalent in the face of authentic journalists inability to master the art of online visibility, resulting in society receiving garbage as information.

“The public will be perpetually stuffed with garbage information to society’s detriment,” he lamented.

Olorunfemi stressed that online visibility requires a quick self-check, mostly by online media practitioners beginning with “How strong is your online profile?”

He told ITRealms, this could be done by looking up one’s name on the internet on any of the search engines including Google and Bing among others.

“What comes up first? Your profile? Or your name sake’s?” he asked, but quickly added that usually the top results arise from social media, Wikipedia and online publications.

He also made a case for those practicing trade online to have accounts on various social media platforms and be mindful of how to use them.

“What can a stranger in Singapore find out about you or your work from the internet? • How credible do you appear,” Olorunfemi wondered, pointing out that perception is a powerful force that is not too difficult to build and project.

As said by him, branding a company online, for instance, cannot be distanced from the social media, by way of making oneself and company more visible with the platforms around them.

This, he said, is because of the underlining advantages attached to these platforms if well used such as LinkedIn which is known with its professionals, has the capacity to stand you out peers.

For the journalists, he explained that LinkedIn offers media practitioners premium account after completing a given survey in profile, post and shares, and similar advantages could be taken on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Google+, Instagram, Medium and Quora.

He further explained that with Facebook one could easily showcase a profile, status updates, pages or groups, just as Twitter showcases bio, tweets, retweets and lately likes, even as YouTube primarily offers videos, Google+ takes on profile, communities, posts, whereas the Medium affords individuals to post articles; the Quora enables responses to questions, comments and Instagram is a microblog which usually is photo-driven.

Ujunwa Nweke/GEE

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Pix: Victor Olorunfemi

FG rejects appointment of new Boko Haram leader

ITRealms:

The Federal Government of Nigeria has rejected the alleged appointment of a new Boko Haram leader, describing it as a cheap propaganda, reports ITRealms.

Reports have it that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has appointed a new leader for Boko Haram in the name of Abu Musab Al-Barnawi.

Reacting to the announcement, the Federal Government through the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, dismissed the appointment, saying it is too late to employ such tactics to revive the defeated Nigerian terrorist organization.

He told members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) attending the 2016 Annual Conference of Editors (ANEC) in Port Harcourt, on Thursday during the opening ceremony.

''By the way, don't believe the cheap propaganda by the global terrorist group ISIS, which has reportedly named a new leader for Boko Haram. Our gallant military has put Boko Haram on the run and nothing will bring back the terrorists, not even the wishful thinking by ISIS,'' the Minister said in his remarks at the ongoing All Nigerian.

According to reports, ISIS, to which Boko Haram is affiliated, has named Abu Musab Al-Barnawi as the new leader of Boko Haram.

He also urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and reach out to the security agencies if they suspect any security breach in their environment.

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