FG places creative industry in front burner

ITRealms:

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that the Federal Government has placed the Creative industry in the front burner, reports ITRealms.

“We have succeeded in putting the Creative Industry in the front burner of national discourse due to its critical role in the diversification of the economy,” he declared.

Speaking in Abuja, Monday, while granting audience to the Music Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (MUPMAN) on a courtesy call, the Minister reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government and his ministry in particular in positioning Creative Industry.

“We have taken practical steps to demonstrate our commitment to the promotion and protection of the Creative Industry. Mr. President has said it many times that we must diversify our economy and that we must produce in Nigeria what we consume in Nigeria, and in the last two weeks or thereabout, the Creative Industry, through the programmes and actions of this ministry, has dominated discourse," he said.

Mohammed also said, despite criticisms and unsavory comments, the ministry remains overwhelmingly committed to re-positioning the Creative Industry into a viable sector of the economy.

The Minister expressed the optimism that the newly-inaugurated
Anti-Piracy Committee consisting of officials of the ministry, Creative Industry stakeholders and the police will stamp out the piracy of intellectual property that has become rampant.

In his remarks, the National President of the Music Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Sharon Essco-Joshua, hailed the Minister for his uncommon commitment to the growth of the Creative Industry in Nigeria.

He briefed the Minister on the forthcoming Nigerian Music Stakeholders Awards being organized by the Association, and which is aimed at recognizing major stakeholders in the industry with a view to encouraging them to strive for excellence.

Also speaking at the occasion, the President of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji, allayed the concerns raised by the Association on the menace of piracy, saying the minister has activated a plan of action to tame it.

"The meeting going on here (conference room of the Hon. Minister) is a major historic development. We have major stakeholders here. They are meeting with two Deputies Inspector General of Police sent by the IG and we have crafted a serious attack on piracy and none of this could have been possible without the support, the inspiration and leadership of the Honourable Minister.

"What I can say to you confidently is that during his tenure Alaba will no longer be a no-go area. We are dealing with it and we have set up some important action plan but it shows what can happen when you have the right kind of leadership," he said.

The Association later honoured the Minister with the title of the Grand Patron and also conferred on him the "Most Prestigious Stakeholder Award".

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE
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Cisco names David Meads, VP, MEA

ITRealms:

Cisco has named Mr. David Meads its Vice President for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) operations, reports ITRealms.

Cisco noted that in the current era of digital disruption, Meads, in this newly created role, would oversee the execution of company’s strategy in these two regions, ensuring the technology leader maintains its momentum at the forefront of digital transformation efforts.

The President, Cisco Europe, Middle East & Africa Region (EMEAR) Mr. Edwin Paalvast, pointed out that as digital adoption gathers pace in the Middle East and Africa, the new geographical set up under Meads would allow for greater synergies, relevancy and sharing of best practices across the two regions.

“David Meads’ appointment to lead Cisco’s business in the Middle East and Africa comes at a time of tremendous potential for the region to reap the benefits of digital transformation, supported by the prioritization of digitization in both government and business agendas,” he said.

Meads, ITRealms gathered has over 30 years’ experience in the Information Technology (IT) industry, having joined Cisco in 1996 and was most recently Cisco’s Vice President for Africa, where he was responsible for partnering with organizations across the continent to help them implement strategies to unlock the full potential of the digital era.

Over the years, ITRealms reports, he developed a reputation as a trusted advisor to enterprises and governments, partnering with them to deliver competitive advantages and efficiencies gained by adopting digital technologies and would be based in Dubai, Cisco’s hub for the Middle East.

“As we deepen the commitment to the region, we’re excited to have someone of David’s caliber at the helm to spearhead our strategy and support customers along their digitization journey. One of David’s priorities will be helping Cisco’s customers and partners create value in a highly connected, digital world, while enabling greater responsiveness to emerging market and customer needs,” Paalvast said.

Cisco also named Cathy Smith, who is currently the Managing Director for Cisco Southern Africa to now look after the whole of the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region reporting to David Meads. 

While, Olakunle Oloruntimehin retained his role as General Manager: Nigeria and English speaking West Africa as well as David Bunei who is the General Manager: East Africa and Indian Ocean Islands, remain in their roles but now report to Smith in her expanded role.

Nonye Dom/GEE 

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ntel gets Acting CEO, Abhulime Ehiagwina as Abass steps down

ITRealms:

The acclaimed Nigeria’s first 4G/LTE-Advanced network, ntel, has announced the departure of Kamar Abass, its pioneer Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, reports ITRealms.

The Director, External Affairs, ntel, Mr. Osondu C. Nwokoro, told ITRealms in a press statement that Mr. Abass has stepped down from his role as CEO due to urgent personal and medical considerations.

“The NatCom board has named Abhulime Ehiagwina as Acting CEO and the company will embark on the search for a substantive CEO in due course,” he said.

ITRealms recalls that Mr. Abass joined the Board of Directors of NatCom in 2015 as the CEO of ntel and led the company through launch on April 8, 2016 with operations in Lagos and Abuja and then subsequently in Port Harcourt by December 2016.

He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Lagos, Nigeria and holds an MSc in transportation planning & management from the University of Westminster, London, UK as well as an MBA from Cranfield University’s School of Management, Bedfordshire, UK.

With wide ranging experience in the global telecommunications industry Kamar Abass led ntel to record a string of firsts; first advanced 4G/LTE network providing superfast Internet access that enables voice, data video and TV on demand; first network to make a 4G data call  on Monday January 18, 2016; First network to make a VoLTE Call on Tuesday, February 23, 2016; First 4G/LTE Advanced network to begin full operations in Nigeria  on Friday 08 04 2016 in Lagos and Abuja; First network to launch a bespoke 4G/LTE dual-SIM phone in Nigeria.

Abhulime Ehiagwina, holds a BSc Accounting degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University, an MBA from the University of Lagos and an Advanced Management & Leadership Programme (AMP) certificate from the Said Business School, Oxford University, UK.

Prior to joining ntel as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Abhulime was CFO & Board member of Helios Towers Nigeria, where he oversaw the Finance and IT functions. He helped grow the Company EBITDA by over 300% in 3 years and raised a $250m Eurobond, first non-bank or Oil/Gas Company out of Nigeria. He also sat on the board of Interswitch as a non-Executive Director during this period. He has over 25 years financial management experience.

The company has assured all stakeholders that it remains committed to existing obligations and will honour same. It has also clarified that the leadership transition will be smooth and orderly in accordance with no impact on its operations.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Pix: Change of guards – (l-r) Capt. Hosa Okunbo, Executive Director, Dr. Olatunde Ayeni, Vice Chairman, Abhulime Ehiagwina, Acting CEO & CFO, General TY Danjuma, Chairman, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, Director, Nkechi Newton-Denila, Executive Director, Legal/Company Secretary and Dan D. Kunle, Director all of ntel during a courtesy call on General Danjuma by the board to present the Acting CEO, today.

MeCAM takes Nutrition Symposium 2017 to Welcome Centre

ITRealms:

The Media Centre Against child Malnutrition (MeCAM) has declared that all is set to host its first-ever Nutrition Symposium scheduled to hold in Lagos on Friday, August 4 at Welcome Centre Hotels, this year, reports ITRealms.

The National Coordinator of Media Centre Against child Malnutrition (MeCAM), Mr. Remmy Nweke, said the theme would focus on "Malnutrition, child development and the media."

This, he said is coming as MeCAM is partnering with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and Scaling-up Nutrition Business Network (SBN), to enhance information sharing as far as nutrition in the country.

He also said that the partnership would benefit child development and the role of media, in a developing economy like Nigeria and beckoned on other stakeholders to emulate GAIN by partnering with MeCAM in this auspicious event.

Equally, Nweke who is  the Group Executive Editor, DigitalSENSE Africa that at the forthcoming Nutrition Symposium by MeCAM, would see to the leadership of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and Scaling-up Nutrition Business Network (SBN) taking discussion on “Communicating Nutrition Messages to Stakeholders: Role of the Media.”

The GAIN and SBN team, he confirmed, would be led by coordinator of SBN Nigeria, Uduak Igbeka, and would dwell on the sub-theme with expertise and dispatch, alongside other experts with vast experiences on the subject matter.

Further, he quoted the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as recently declaring that estimated 12.9 per cent of the Nigeria’s 190m population has been projected to be among some 5 million undernourished people in the world today.

Nweke revealed that MeCAM is resolute to use this symposium to not just draw public attention to the threat that malnutrition poses to the future of the country, but to also correct the impression that this menace is restricted to the poor.

He emphasized that UNICEF had estimated, at least 2.5m Nigerian children suffer from acute malnutrition (SAM), thus posing the danger of many of them being at risk of death unless properly treated and of course with right information.

This situation, he said, represents clear and is dangerous to the socioeconomic wellbeing of the entire country.

MeCAM, he said, is peopled exclusively by journalists, and mediapreneurs to push the narratives to save the Nigerian child from the danger of malnutrition through scaling up reporting and advocacy, among others.

Ayo Midele/GEE 

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Onigbinde, Onanuga, others for GOCOP confab'17

ITRealms:

The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has said, its first annual conference would hold on Thursday, August 10, 2017 at Renaissance Hotel, Isaac John Street, Ikeja, Lagos State, reports ITRealms.

The GOCOP Publicity Secretary, Olumide Iyanda, affirmed to ITRealms that the theme of the conference is “Sustaining Growth through Diversification of the Economy.”

According to him, the theme of the conference would be tackled by speakers from the angle of their professional calling, with the media as a core focus.

Iyanda said, there would be two key note speakers to give an overview of the topic before key players in all sectors, both the public and private, would share their experiences with the audience that are of varied backgrounds.

One of the keynote speakers, he said, is a university teacher, Prof. Akin Onigbinde, who brings experiences into play, including that of overseeing some companies.

The second keynote speaker, he said, is the Editor-in-Chief of the News Agency of Nigeria, Bayo Onanuga, who also once presided over The News magazine.

A former Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of the Sun newspapers and now the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina; and the MD/EIC of New Telegraph newspaper and also the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Funke Egbemode, will participate in the discussion.

So also will several State Governors, Banks CEOs, Ministers and other big time players in both the public and private sectors speak to the topic of the day.

Eminent speakers and guests from the public and private sectors will also speak at the conference, which will also witness the inauguration of a new Executive that will oversee the affairs of the Guild in the next two years. 

Iyanda said the list of confirmed guests will be made available soon.

GOCOP is a non-governmental, non-partisan, non-profit making organisation for the highest strata of Nigerian media professionals in online publishing.

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21st Century Tech rejigs, gears up to tackle major challenges

ITRealms:

Nigeria's information technology powerhouse, 21st Century Technologies Limited, has rejigged her operations towards resolving some of Nigeria’s toughest challenges, reports ITRealms.

The chief executive officer, 21^st Century Technologies Limited, Mr. Wale Ajisebutu, made this disclosure at the weekend, noting that Nigeria’s socioeconomic challenges includes power and energy infrastructure, food security and agriculture, wealth creation and employment, mass transportation, land reforms, security, and education.

These problems, he said, have significant negative impacts on nation’s economy.

According to him, 21st Century Technologies Limited has developed sets of solutions to address and shape the present and future of Nigeria and Nigerians.

“Central to all these are tailor-made solutions to address these challenges; they are indigenous solutions with global standards. We believe that Nigerians deserve the very best. That is why the solutions are local to address local challenges” Ajisebutu said.

ICT solutions remain the vital instrument that can be used by Nigerians to enhance service delivery strategy and bring about innovations for the development of the economy.

“That is why the solutions have been developed by some of the world’s best brains taking into consideration the Nigerian environments, because we cannot copy what work in other climates and expect them to work perfectly here” he said.

21st Century Technologies, he said, is building infrastructure, platform which include applications that will revolutionise ICT in Nigeria, stressing that the company is the vanguard of IT development with the introduction of various portals and applications.

As said by him, with two decades of experience, Ajisebutu pointed out that his company is fully mobilized and perfectly positioned to build converged, multi-service and efficiently managed communications networks in Africa.

He emphasised that 21^st Century Technologies owns and operates the most extensive optical fibre cable metropolitan networks in Nigeria with speeds up to 10Gbps, high-speed Corporate Dedicated Internet Access and IRUs for a total of 10Gbps, fully redundant International subsea fibre capacity with two separate vendors.

Currently, Ajisebutu said, the company is the leading commercial Data Centre Service Provider in Nigeria, specializing in the commercial protection of off-site data, server hosting, indexing, records archiving, etc. in our state-of-the art facilities that meet strict measures of security, stability and fire prevention.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Freetel, Japanese smartphone debuts in Nigeria, partners TD Mobile

ITRealms:

Freetel, the Japan’s largest selling smart phone brand in open market has debuted in Nigeria with a partnership with TD Mobile, reports ITRealms.

Freetel, ITRealms gathered, was founded in Tokyo in 2012 by few enthusiastic telecom experts with a vision to re-create the Japanese quality smart phones at affordable prices. Freetel has started expansion overseas since November 2015 in Asia, North America, Latin America, Middle East and Africa.

Freetel devices are available in 20 countries including two African markets; Egypt and Ghana.

The Vice President, International Sales, Freetel, Eugene Yoshioka, said Nigeria is the focus market for Freetel, stressing that they are looking forward to reaching out to Nigerian consumers with its latest smartphones.

“We plan to invest in the country with a full-fledged subsidiary to support sales, marketing and after sales support. We are glad that we are partnering with the most powerful and trusted partner of the region: TD Africa,” he said.

Also, he disclosed that Freetel is planning to bring four Android Smartphones in the beginning priced from N13,000 to N38,000, pointing out that all Freetel Smartphones are designed in the state of art design center in Tokyo, manufacturing is overseen by Japanese engineers with over 40 years of experience and Google’s   Mobile Services (GMS) certified.

“All Freetel smart phones are Google’s GMS Certified and quality checked by Japanese engineering experts. The GMS Certification is the confirmation that a specific device meets Google's performance requirements and properly runs the Google Apps.

A subsidiary of ICT distribution power-house Technology Distributions Ltd. (TD Africa), TD Mobile will add the Freetel brand to a growing list of international brands represented in line with its status as the biggest mobile devices distributor in the West African sub-region. 

Considering TD Mobile’s wide reach, distribution network and unmatched presence in major Nigerian cities and other West African capitals; the partnership will see the company deploy its latent capacity in taking the line-up of products from the Freetel stable to every action station in the metropolis as well as every nook and cranny in the hinterlands.

In the words of Mrs. Ijogun, Managing Director, TD Mobile: “As a key driver of technology revolution in Africa, TD Mobile has always strived to bring the latest and best of technology products to Nigeria and the West African region by extension.

According to her, Freetel and TD Mobile have entered into an exclusive partnership to bring Japanese Smartphones to Nigeria.

“We believe we can capture a major market share with the help of our extensive distribution reach and strategic partnerships with operators, dealers and retailers.”

Chuks Egbune/GEE 

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Constitution amendment: A fatal blow to nation-building

Commentary@ITRealms:

Nigeria has a frightening history of precariously balancing herself on the cliff’s edge from time to time. And each moment usually comes with a fair amount of anxiety and numbing terror, such that it is only through the intervention of some supernatural force that the country has not gone the way of some chinaware smashed on a concrete floor.

By October 1, 2017, the country will roll out the drums to celebrate 57 years of independence from its British colonizers. It survived a civil war, six military coups and eight military heads of states who ruled for a total of 29 years until the will of the people forced the soldiers to return to the barracks in 1999, with a cautionary note never to return to the political arena. Since the last seventeen years, the country has witnessed a succession of civilian governments produced from four general elections, the last being an unprecedented transfer of power from an incumbent government to an opposition party.

But despite these seeming achievements, the national question has remained unanswered. Post-independence Nigeria is contending with a fierce centrifugal pull by popular and fringe tendencies tearing away at the soul of the world’s most populous black country. It seems that the restive elements would hardly be blamed for their actions. Successive governments have not been able to muster the leadership vision and statemanly discipline required to forge a nation from the diverse ethnic nationalities occupying the geographical space called Nigeria.

Rather than strive to construct a proper federal state based on social justice, equity and merit, as envisioned by the colonizers and their local inheritors, otherwise known as founding fathers, the new crop of leaders have stubbornly stuck to a retrograde unitary arrangement imposed by the military since 1966. Thus Nigeria has remained in the backwoods of underdevelopment, pitifully existing not even anywhere near the shadows of countries like South Korea and Brazil with which she rubbed shoulders in the early days of independence.

In this suffocating atmosphere of pathetic leadership, ethno-religious and regional anger is flaring, fuelling a renewed and more intense cry for a restructuring of the so-called federal republic, as well as strident agitations for a dismemberment of the country amid mutual sabre-rattling and hate speeches. Indeed, this moment is reminiscent of the eerie call in the mid 60s for a return to the homestead. For sure, for a particular ethnic group down south, this is the kind of tense situation that warrants an exigent call on those who aren’t moving to get off the way (B’o lo oya).

This country has been in that frame of emergency for a long time. It has perpetually groped in the darkness it brought upon itself. Now, those who argue that we don’t have a country yet really have to be excused. At no time other than this moment does Nigeria need to heal herself of the pathologies that have held it down for decades.

That can only begin by reinventing the country through a total redesigning of its architecture. And the place to start is the constitution. What Nigeria needs today is a brand new, people-driven constitution, not an amendment of an anti-federal, military-imposed 1999 constitution which is currently being operated. In the first place, the idea of amendment is odious as it has been repeated again and again to the point of becoming a cliché that the extant constitution is Decree 24 handed down by the military. And it’s not only that its originators are not known believers of federalism, they are also the least qualified to give the country a constitution that will guide it through its democratic journey.

A democratic Nigeria cannot continue to rely on a military document, for the military cannot give what they do not have. That is why a constitution that originates from their regimented, command-and-obey mindset can only be nothing but a document full of useless unitary principles even for a multi-ethnic society.

Therefore, by embarking on an amendment of a constitution of such massively flawed origin, a dubious document which politicians swore to defend but which the military never allowed them to see before assuming office in 1999, the National Assembly is only carrying out a futile exercise. It is no surprise that the purported amendment turned out a jamboree of self-service. The legislators have proved once again that their interest is more important than that of other citizens and the country. That is why they can afford to fiddle when the country is forever tottering on the brink.

But what is more of a surprise is that even very senior lawyers who ought to know better have weighed in on the side of a hopeless amendment when they should be beating the drums for a fresh people’s constitution. These lawyers, and indeed all those who genuinely love this country, should let the legislators know that the way to go is not amendment, but by putting in place a law for a Constituent Assembly whose duty it is to draw up a constitution that will be approved by a referendum of the people.

Anything short of that, such as the misguided exercise the National Assembly has taken upon itself, will escalate agitations and intensify the drums of war.

Godwin Onyeacholem is a journalist. He can be reached ongonyeacholem@gmail.com  

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Scaling up Nutrition: MeCAM partners GAIN, SBN on 2017 symposium

ITRealms:

MeCAM partners GAIN, SBN on Nutrition Symposium 20...: NaijaAgroNet : A media-based non-governmental advocacy group, the Media Centre Against child Malnutrition (MeCAM) has disclosed its par...

... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

Corpsocracy of Buhari, sons of Shimmei and deteriorating minds by FFK

Weekend Salvo@ITRealms:

I am convinced that President Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, has now finally lost his mind. In his latest essay, titled “The Sons of Shimmei”, he compared Buhari to the biblical King David, the greatest King that ever ruled Israel.

One is constrained to ask the following question: what on earth is Davidic about Buhari?

King David was a Spirit-filled believer and a heroic and courageous child of God whilst Buhari is a son of perdition and a tyrannical servant of satan.

In what can only be described as a chilling and irresponsible manner Femi also said that Buhari could have “cut off the heads” of his opponents, meaning he could have had them assassinated. Gosh. Jumping Jehoshaphat! What has happened to my old friend? Poor old Femi.

He has just made a cardinal spiritual blunder the consequences of which I have no doubt that he will deeply regret.

In this game you must never threaten your opponent with death because once invoked the Angel of Death usually returns back to sender. I shall pray for Femi because I want him to live long and prosper.

I knew that he was frustrated but I never knew he was a man of blood.

I never knew that he and his leader believed in murder as a tool of governance.

Yet the truth is that the Lord will see to it that they pay a terrible price for even thinking of taking the life of their detractors and political enemies both in this life and in the next.

The truth is that God alone gives and takes life and whether they like it or not He guards His own jealously. The Bible says “touch not my annointed and do my prophets no harm” . Consequently no-one is intimidated by Femi’s implicit death threat.

One thing is clear though: he ought to be mindful of the fact that whilst he and his associates are planning to take someone else’s precious life they may end up losing your own. Examples of such a course and turn of events are replete in the Holy Bible.

Femi mentioned the great Abishai who was a biblical hero in his own right and one of David’s strong men and allies.

Abishai and David’s other strong men were courageous and righteous men who undertook a noble cause, who shed the blood of evil men and who fought against tyranny.

To compare members of Buhari’s cabal to David’s strong men is like comparing Queen Helen of Troy to a Bombay whore.

One is regal and queen-like in all her ways whilst the other is nothing but a cheap back-street, “short-time”, aides-infested woman of questionable character and easy virtue.

Femi has done a great disservice to Abisha by mentioning his name in the same sentence as the cabal.

I say this because he was a soldier of truth and a gallant man of honor.

This is not the case with anyone in Buhari’s cabal. They are the opposite to the Abishai’s of this world. They are the darkness that seeks the darkness. They are desperate predators who drink the blood of their innocent victims and who feed on their flesh.

They prey on the weak, they destroy the young and they torment and slay the old, the vulnerable, the defenseless and the weary.

Buhari did not emanate from a righteous lineage or noble stock. He is not a child of light, a Prince of Zion or a son of the Living God. He does not have a noble heritage and neither is he a servant of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

He is not a David but a Pharaoh, a Sennacherub, a Herod and a Jezebel all rolled into one. He is a wicked, unforgiving, sadistic, bloodthirsty and vengeful Amalekite.

He has no Abishai’s around him. He has no Joab’s, no Samuel’s and no Nathan’s either. He only has the Absalom’s, Haman’s, Judas’, Jezebel’s, Dalila’s and Ahitophel’s of this world in his inner circle and evil cabal.

His spiritual foundation is nothing but garbage and that is the tragedy and weakness of his Presidency.

That plus the fact that he does not know or fear the Living God and he does not respect the rights of the Nigerian people.

If he did he would have resigned long ago and handed over full power to his number two, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

Finally Femi wrote “when Buhari returns home some people will bury their heads in shame”. He is wrong.

The truth is that when and if Buhari returns home some people will prop him up and pretend that he is well enough to be President until he falls sick and goes back abroad again.

It is called “corspsocracy” and it is defined as “the rulership of the living by the dead”.

That is Nigeria’s biggest burden and challenge today. An ailing President who already has one foot in the land of the dead, who can never be the same again, who will NEVER return to be a full and active President yet who stubbornly refuses to step down and resign.

Instead of telling us that his principal can “kill us all” and “chop off our heads” Femi should consider the monsters failings and chronic ill-health and advise him to resign honorably.

That is what a real believer and a true man of honor would counsel his sick boss to do and not try to intimidate those of us that are in the opposition with blatant, vulgar and bullish threats of death and assassination.

The path of blood is a dark and unpredictable one. I advise Femi not to take it.

Courtesy: Chief Femi Fani-Kayode

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