The Nation Newspaper

Category: Life – The Midweek Magazine

  • Mbanefo gets humanitarian service award

    Former Director-General Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) and Anambra State Commissioner for   Diaspora Affairs, Indigenous Artwork, Culture and Tourism, Mrs Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo will on Saturday, be honoured with Outstanding Personality in Humanitarian Services 2018 award.

    The event will hold at Best Western Meloch Hotel, Awka, the Anambra State capital.

    The award, organised by a Canadian leading Christian magazine, Miles Magazine and Media Inc., published by Bishop Don Ifepe, is in appreciation of Mrs Uwechue-Mbanefo’s selfless service to the poor.

    Last September, she received the African Women of Excellence Award at the African Union Diaspora Africa Forum (AUDAF), in Johannesburg in South Africa.

    Mrs Uwechue-Mbanefo is passionate about Charity and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and has received several awards for charity work done over the years, including Touching Lives Award from Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Award of Excellence by World Union of Catholic Women Organisation for women empowerment and preservation of the dignity of womanhood, Senior Advocate of Youth Award from the Holy Cross Cathedral Youths, Lagos, to name a few, as well as many awards for tourism leadership. She received commendation letters from NTDC Staff Union in 2015 and 2016 for her commitment to staff welfare. She is a prolific artist who loves horses, reading, travelling, working with the youth and is a Prayer Coach.

    Mrs Uwechue-Mbanefo  is a 1986 Law graduate from the University of Lagos with over 30 years corporate professional experience, having spent 21 years in Banking, three years in Oil & Gas sectors, two years in manufacturing, all at Executive Director levels and five years in Public Service.

    She was appointed NTDC chief executive in 2013. At the expiration of her tenure, she left for the Information Communications Technology (ICT) sector until she was invited last year by  Anambra State Governor Chief Willie Obiano to serve as Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Indigenous Artwork, Culture and Tourism.

    She began her career in 1987, as a pioneer staff member in the Treasury department of Abacus Merchant Bank Limited (one of the first indigenous banks in Nigeria). In 1989, she joined International Merchant Bank Limited (former First National Bank of Chicago, where she spent 17 years in the Treasury Department, International Trade Department, Operations Department, Loan Recovery Department, Capital Markets Department, managed Shareholder/Investor Relations, handled human capital management, and General Administration.

    She was the Chief Foreign Exchange Dealer of the bank before her appointment as the Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, the youngest at the time for a publicly-quoted company.

    Mrs Uwechue-Mbanefo managed two public offers for the bank that later became IMB Plc and now FCMB Plc. She led three restructurings for the bank and propelled its conversion from merchant banking to commercial banking, while managing its relationships with the CBN, NSE, SEC and other regulatory authorities.

    Having built strong contacts in government agencies, and regulatory authorities, she rose through the ranks to become Director (ED), Business Development in 2002 in IMB Plc. and a non-ED of IMB Morgan Plc, as well as the Company Secretary/Legal Adviser. She was instrumental to resolving a major shareholder crisis in IMB in 2003.

    In 2004, Mrs Uwechue-Mbanefo was headhunted by Lafarge Africa Plc as the Company Secretary/Legal and Head of Support  Services, the most senior female executive in Africa then. She led a change management exercise called ‘New Dawn’ and supervisined the Communications, Government Affairs, Community Affairs, Legal, Board Secretariat and Administration departments.

    She managed Shareholder/Investor Relations, successfully resolved shareholders’ versus Management discontent and calmed community agitations for Lafarge Africa Plc whilst stabilizing the operations at the Cement manufacturing plants.

    Mbanefo  subsequently managed a Public Offer for Lafarge Africa Plc before being invited to Coca-Cola Africa as the Public Affairs and Communication Director for ten countries in Africa.

    At Coca Cola Africa, she led the team for the FIFA World Cup trophy tour to Nigeria and worked closely with the Government to secure top level approvals for the Company’s Tariffs and Excise Duties for Raw Material Imports and Product Launch Initiatives of the Company. Sally was also a Director of the American Business Council, a private sector consortium of American-owned companies that proffered solutions to public sector challenges faced by private sector operators.

    She also managed Coca Cola Africa’s relationships with NAFDAC, SON (Standard Organization of Nigeria) and the Presidency.

    In 2006, Sally was invited to Allied Energy Limited, an upstream oil & gas company, as Group Executive Director, Finance and Administration, a company in a Joint Venture with Nigeria Agip Exploration and Oando Plc. Her scope of work covered the restructuring of the Group of Companies, in which she streamlined operations, initiated business process re-engineering, and handled strategic planning for the Group. She was a Director in Arc Oil & Gas Ltd, Alliance Oil Producing Ltd, and Oceanic Consultants Ltd.

    Mbanefo also managed the Allied Energy Group’s relationships with the DPR (Department of Petroleum Resources), NNPC, PPMC, Oando and Petroleum Ministers of Oil Producing West African countries. She was also the Chairman of the Agip/NAOC/Allied Financial Committee (FINCOM).

    Sally arranged an IPO (Initial Public Offering) for Allied Energy in 2008.

    In 2009 Sally began to run her own group of companies (TSM Microfinance Bank Limited & TSM Professional Services- a tax audit firm) whilst veering into Social Entrepreneurship through ‘‘The Sally Mbanefo’’ (TSM) Foundation which she set up in 2007 on HIV/AIDS Awareness, Youth Education and Empowerment, supporting over 20 schools to date.

    In 2011, she was appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria to Keystone Bank Ltd as Executive Director, Commercial Banking South South, South East, and Mid-West to be part of a team to restructure the bank and bring it back to profitability. She later became Executive Director Commercial Banking, covering the North and South Bank, and acting MD at intervals until her appointment as the Director General of The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) in 2013. At the expiration of her tenure, Sally began to run an Information Technology Company until her appointment in 2018 as a cabinet member of Anambra State Government to manage the ministry of Diaspora Affairs, Indigenous Artworks, Culture and Tourism.

    She is a member of The Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria, a member of The Institute of Directors (IoD), an Honorary Senior Member of The Chartered Institute of Bankers, Past Director, American Business Council, a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, member and fellow of the Academy for Entrepreneurial Studies- AES Excellence club.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • World Leprosy Day: Artist seeks end to stigmatisation

     

    As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to commemorate this year’s edition of the World Leprosy Day (WLD) last Sunday, a documentary artist and photographer, Washington Uba, added his voice to the global campaign against stigmatisation of people infected with leprosy through an exhibition. EVELYN OSAGIE reports.

    SHE sat in front of her house, holding hands with shrivelled fingers in front of her like one in a silent prayer to her Maker. Her eyes closed, head bowed with a cane on the ground by her side. At  79, Mama, as she is fondly called, painted the picture of hoping against hope. Behold one of the oldest choristers of the famed Harcourt Whyte Choir. Welcome to Leprosy Colony, Uzuakoli, Abia State.

    This talented old lady was one of the tenants of the colony. Although she is dead, she would forever be remembered for her voice and contributions to choir all thanks to   documentary photographer-cum- advocate, Washington Uba, who had her in still picture.

    Mama is one of the exhibits that adorned the walls of the Parliament Bar, Jakande Estate, Isolo, Lagos. Like other exhibits, the picture of Mama, christened 77 Timeline, Uzuakoli, aroused sober reflection even as they welcomed guests.

     

     The call

    One could see firsthand, the plights of people with leprosy, as the artist takes his viewers on a journey of the leper colonies in Nigeria. “Poverty has a posture; happiness has an attitude. These people are the posture of pain and abandonment, yet they worship in a church called the Chapel of Hope,” began Uba about people with leprosy in the colonies.

    The exhibition, tagged: Images of God, which showcased his works, spanning over eight years on the plight of people inflicted with leprosy, was in commemoration of the World Leprosy Day last Sunday.

    Focusing on the theme, Zero discrimination to stigmatisation, Uba’s exhibition also featured an interactive session. The event, chaired by Mr Olalekan Otun of The Guardian, was put together with support from Global Systems Resources, 360 Studios and Charity Care Network. It brought people from all walks of life. Guests were asked to form pressure groups on social media to help draw global attention to lepers’ plights.

    “The aim of the event is to raise awareness about the disease which many people believed had been eradicated, and a call to end stigmatisation of the people with leprosy. It is also to interrogate why we are still having fresh cases. We are going to use social media to push our cause and form pressure/advocacy group.

    “I want the world to know these people need proper care. A lot needs to be done to alleviate their plight. Besides the government, they need the support of everyone, including corporate bodies, NGOs and the public. A lot also needs to be done in educating the public on the ailment,” he said.

    Uba said people inflicted by leprosy should not be defined by the disease and shouldn’t be socially alienated, saying: “More too often than not, people inflicted with leprosy are forced out of school, marriage or work because of stigma.’’ He stressed that negative social attitudes could prevent people with leprosy from seeking medical help and, therefore, delay early diagnosis and treatments.

    “That is why we are calling for an end to the stigma, prejudice and discrimination of people affected by leprosy and their families. We are strong voice. We have a tool to fight this battle. We deploy the use of documentary photography through exhibitions to create awareness on the challenges facing people affected with leprosy. The time is now to lend your voice, too,” Uba said.

    Otun, a past president of  the Rotary Club of Ewutuntun District 9110 and the Lagos Metropolitan Junior Chamber (LMJC), called on corporate bodies and non-profit groups to fund the colonies and causes like Uba’s that draw  attention to the plights of people with leprosy.

    Moved by what he saw and the discussion, ace thespian, Solifa Dokubo, said: “This exhibition has urged me to be a partaker in the campaign to create awareness on the ailment and plight of people living with it. I urge you my friends to join in the campaign too.”

    For Josefyn Uba of The Sun, the NGOs have not done enough to advocate for the plights of these people. While urging non-profits to be consistent in advocating the cause of people with leprosy , she called on the government to take proactive steps to eradicate the ailment.

     

     On the artist

    Uba is an artist whose artistic endeavour was engineered by his passion for charity work in 2005 having worked for charity for over a decade. It started with a street documentation of the destitute (beggars) within Lagos State, Nigeria and later on discovered the Family Support Destitute Home, Oko Baba at Ebutte-Metta, Lagos State where similar documentation was carried out simultaneously with other charity activities.

    Within this period of documentation and exhibition of his works, he decided to engage in a larger scale of documentation nationwide where captured most of his subject with a view to giving his social struggle a holistic approach. iI is in this premise that the Leprosy Colony documentation project began, with the title: “The Images of God”. He also carried out a motion documentation of a special category of the hearing and speech impaired entrepreneurs titled: HANDICABILITY.

     

    On the WLD

    The World Leprosy Day (WLD) is held last Sunday of January. It was chosen by a French humanitarian and one of the ILEP’s founding fathers, Raul Foilereau, in 1953, because it was the third Sunday from Epiphany in the Catholic calendar.

    The Catholic Church says the day was when Jesus Christ met and healed a person with leprosy in India.

    The day coincided with Mahatma Ghandi’s death in 1948. He helped those afflicted with the disease

  • MUSON, others honour don

    The Music Society of Nigeria (MUSON), Friends of Akin Euba and the University of Lagos (UNILAG) have held a concert for Akin Euba, a Professor of music, at the Agip Recital Hall in MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, OLATUNDE ODEBIYI reports.

    Lovers of music from the United States, United Kingdom, Ghana, South Africa and Nigeria, among other countries, filled the Agip Recital Hall of the Music Society of Nigeria (MUSON) in Onikan, Lagos State, for a tribute concert in honour of  Akin Euba, a Professor of music.

    The event was organised by MUSON, in collaboration with Friends of Akin Euba and the University of Lagos (UNILAG). It was a special concert conceived to celebrate the Professor’s works and to highlight his contributions to African music scholarship and the growth of African art music.

    It had diverse musicians who performed, displaying unique professional voices and sounds of musical instruments. Among them were MUSON Diploma Choir and UNILAG Choir.

    Euba, who lives in the United States, introduced the concept of ‘African Pianism’ to theorise the ways in which composers could use the western piano forte to reinterpret the structural and performance features of African music.  He  coined and popularised the term ‘creative ethnomusicology’, to conceptualise the relationship between ethnographic research and musical composition.

    For years, Euba edited a newsletter, directed a research Centre, and organised an inter-continental symposium series to explore the significance of inter-culturalism in musical composition and performance. His works include  academic publications and musical compositions, a book, ‘Yoruba Drumming’ and ‘Chaka’, an opera in two chants,  recorded by the City of Birmingham Touring Opera in United Kingdom (UK) and conducted by Simon Halsey in 1999.

    According to MUSON Chief Executive Officer, Ayo Jafojo, the concert is an opportunity to let people know what music is like in Nigeria.

    She said: “Nigerian music is technical, intellectual and this concert is to let people have a taste of this and to let them appreciate us more.”

    She noted that Euba has left a legacy for others, especially students of music. She urged them to have the spirit of excellence and know that anything is possible.

    Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Steve Ayorinde, commended the musical performances at the concert, describing them as professional.

    He said Euba has left a legacy, adding that his legacies should be celebrated.

    A representative of Chairman Planning Committee of the event, Bode Omojola, described the performances as fantastic.

    “The performances had piano and oral music, it also had professional musicians performing alongside young university students. It was a good mix and quality; it was effective and it did what we wanted to do,” he said.

    He noted that the day was aimed at performing songs that were written by composers who are older than Euba when he was writing music around the beginning of the 20th century. “We featured Professor Euba’s works and we highlighted works and his impact on the works of the younger Nigerians composers.”

    According to him, the music of Euba is challenging. He said: “Prof Euba is a fantastic scholar, hardworking, humble and friendly. His music challenges us; it is not the type that is easy to understand, it challenges one to think about the structure of the music; it is different from the popular music and it is unique.”

    A lecturer in the Theatre Unit, Department of Creative Arts of UNILAG, Olatunji Sotimirin, described Euba’s music

  • What’s in a goal?

    I once listened to Jim Rohn say that one of the most important lessons in his life was the lesson on goalsetting. He observed that it wasn’t taught in school or at work. It appears to be a subject everyone is assumed to be an expert in so very few people are asking questions about it. Whereas, it is impossible to become an achiever without being a goal setter. That is because you can only achieve what you aim for. According to Orison Swett Marden, “All who have accomplished great things have had a great aim, have fixed their gaze on a goal which was high, one which sometimes seemed impossible”.

    One of the things that aid effective goal setting is the understanding of what goals are. If we can comprehend the very nature of goals, it wouldn’t be too difficult to realise that they are essential to a successful life. Here are a few descriptions of a goal:

    • A measurement for success: without goals, it would be impossible to understand the word “success” since the definition of success, according to the Collins English Dictionary, is “the achievement of something that you have been trying to do”. This means that no one can claim success who has not aimed for a mark. Setting a goal creates a sense of expectation of a desired end. No one sets a standard for failure. There is no need to aim to fail; simple do nothing and failure will be the natural outcome. Someone may argue that you cannot fail at what you don’t aim at. Well, you can also not get anything when you don’t expect and work towards something. Whatever comes to you by chance will vanish in an instant. Where the tragedy of a goalless life becomes manifest is when people desire the success that others deserve.
    • A determinant of motivation: a goal determines how motivated you are. If you believe in your goal, you will wakeup every morning excited and you will live every moment with commitment. You will be eager for night to become daytime so that you can pursue your goals. The road to achieving your goal may be tough because of all the sacrifices you have to make but with your eyes focused, you will weather every storm.
    • A measurement of efforts: if there are no goals, you will not know how much effort you need to put into your activities. Pacing is essential. Athletes know that when running a marathon race, they must pace themselves. If they run too fast at the beginning of the race, they may become exhausted by the last few minutes of it. On the other hand, if they start the race too slowly, they will not stand the chance of catching up with the others due to much gap. When your destination is known, your resources, which include your time and energy, will be wisely distributed. If your destination is unknown, your efforts, no matter how intense, will not be rewarded with favourable results.
    • A determinant of focus: it is difficult to hit a moving target. If you don’t have goals, you will constantly change your desires and passions. Goals help you to keep your attention concentrated on what you wish to achieve. A wise man once said, “if you don’t know where you are going, everywhere will look like it”. Goals help you to effectively manage your priorities. Several times we encounter things that are important or even urgent, but they contribute little or nothing to our overall objectives. Goals help us to keep in line with our objectives. When you have your goals right, you will be able to tell if you are straying.
    • A measurement of movement: imagine you need to travel to a city you’ve never visited and you don’t know the direction. If you decide to use Google Maps, you must input your current location and your destination, and then follow the direction as displayed on your device. No matter where you turn, you remain connected to your desired location and you move towards it. Goals keep you moving in the right direction. You can determine how much further you need to go by checkout your goals. The beautiful part of a goal is that even when you think you didn’t achieve it, you have move from where you used to be. According to Les Brown, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars”.

    Thanks for reading my article today. I would really love to hear from you. So, do share your views with me by sending SMS to 07034737394, visiting www.olanreamodu.com and following me on twitter @lanreamodu. Remember, you are currently nothing compared to what you can become. This can be your year if you want it to be!

  • Tale of 1000 miniaturess excites Lagos art buffs

    In a rare format and within an unconventional space for art, the maiden art fair titled: Tale of 1000 miniatures held in Victoria Island, Lagos stirred widespread interest among Lagos art buffs.

    The one-day art fair, organised by two galleries – Ogirikan Art Gallery and Iwalewa Gallery of Art – featured life-drawing sessions, free craft lesson for children, installation and 1000 miniature paintings from 100 artists, which were affordable.

    It was held to promote and encourage young and established indigenous artists with bias for unrecognised artists with exceptional talents.

    Declared open by renowned artist David Dale, the fair, which attracted budding and established artists as well as collectors, opened a fresh window of art appreciation and collection. With diverse collection that included paintings by  various generations of artists as well as installation by Junkman from Africa, Dil Hunphrey-Umezulike as guest artist, the fair is gradually moving towards becoming an auction in the future.

    According to Dud Emmanuel Arugha, ‘’scaling down large size artistic idea to miniature compositions can be hypothetically easy, but in practice it’s a painstaking and complex endeavor, even for seasoned artists, however if successfully rendered, then the saying ‘big things come in small packages become valid.’

    Iwalewa Gallery founder Femi Williams said the fair was borne out of the desire to work with Ogirikan Art Gallery to present a mega platform for the promotion of miniatures by young artists. “We called artists together under the art-plug platform to roll out an exhibition last August. The success of that gave birth to this mega art fair,’’ he said.

    Head, Department of Fine and Applied Art, University of Benin, Prof John Ogene, in the foreword in the fair brochure, said the two galleries were determined to introduce something fresh into art business in a rather challenging task with its attendant financial implications. “Besides coordinating such an ambitious event, the fair is planned to blossom into an auction with time. It must be acknowledged that having a space for the Fair is not an easy task besides the administrative technicalities that will guarantee the safety of artists’ works. Understanding the magnitude of the vision and challenges of these art galleries, it is hereby recommended that all stakeholders (including private and governmental agencies) should key into this opportunity of upholding the Nigerian brand for the future of our great country,” he said.

     

  • WTA honours Island Records founder Blackwell

    Music and hospitality pioneer Chris Blackwell has been honoured at a star-studded gala ceremony in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

    The founder of Island Records and Island Outpost was acknowledged with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the World Travel Awards Caribbean & North America Gala Ceremony 2019, according to a statement.

    The red-carpet evening, which was hosted at Sandals Montego Bay, marked the opening leg of the World Travel Awards Grand Tour 2019 – an annual search for the finest travel and tourism organisations in the world.

    Winners at the ceremony included the paradise island of St. Lucia, which collected Caribbean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination, while Las Vegas fended off stiff competition to emerge as North America’s Leading Destination. Jamaica was named Caribbean’s Leading Beach Destination while the Jamaica Tourist Board took the title of Caribbean’s leading tourist board.

    Guests at the gala event enjoyed entertainment from the acclaimed queen of British soul, Beverley Knight, and the Grammy-nominated reggae vocalist, Etana. The evening took place on the eve of the 37th edition of Caribbean Travel Marketplace.

    Founder World Travel Awards Graham Cooke said: “What an incredible evening it has been here at the magnificent Sandals Montego Bay, the home of the Sandals brand, to mark the opening of our 26th annual Grand Tour.

    “We have had the privilege of recognising the region’s leading destinations, hotels, resorts, airlines and travel providers and my congratulations to each of them.”

    In the hospitality sector, winners included Tobago’s Coco Reef Resort & Spa (Caribbean’s Leading Hotel), Marriott Hotels (North America’s Leading Hotel Brand) and Conrad New York (North America’s Leading Hotel).

    The beachside refinement of Rosewood Baha Mar, Bahamas was acknowledged with award for Caribbean’s Leading New Resort.

    A relentless drive to innovate helped Sandals to lift the title of Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand.

    In the aviation sector, Caribbean Airlines was named Caribbean’s Leading Airline, while Sangster International Airport, Jamaica, walked off with the trophy for Caribbean’s Leading Airport and Air Canada was voted North America’s Leading Airline.

    Events on the World Travel Awards Grand Tour 2019 include Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Madeira (Portugal), Mauritius, La Paz (Bolivia) and PhuQuoc (Vietnam).

    The regional winners will progress to the Grand Final 2019, which is being hosted in Muscat (Oman) on November28th.

     

  • It’s okay not to set goals!!!

    It is typical for most conversations and presentations at the beginning of every year to revolve around goalsetting. It is common for people and organisations to set yearly goals. Goalsetting is considered the most ideal thing for everyone who wants to maximise his or her potentials in the new year. Unfortunately, it is also common for some people to deliberately avoid the process. Some people tend to dread goalsetting for the following reasons:

    • It raises their hope: of course, no one sets a goal to be worse off. Since the desire of everyone is to make progress, some tend to think that setting goals is like building a castle in the cloud or raising their expectations unnecessarily. However, hope is good! The only reason we make efforts in life is the hope for better results; though some people set unrealistic goals. An unrealistic goal is dangerous because it is dead on arrival. You must be absolutely conscious of the fact that goals are not wishes but action points. Setting them is not what guarantees success but pursuing and achieving them.
    • It tends to lead to depression: perhaps some people have set some goals in the past that they could not achieve. That may have informed their phobia for goalsetting. Some feel that having goals rub it in when they fail to achieve it. Consequently, they consider it better “not to plan for it but achieve it, instead of planning for it and not achieve it”. Well, it is hardly possible to achieve it without planning for it or it would be entirely by chance. How would you even know that you have achieved anything you did not plan to achieve? The good news is that setting goals doesn’t need to be depressing. Goals are just indicators of what you hope to achieve. If you beat the goals, that would be great, and if you don’t achieve them all, at least you have improved yourself.
    • It imposes responsibility: there is something that always comes with goalsetting- pressure. The moment you set goals for yourself, you become constraint from doing just anything because you would have to schedule your time, resources and other related factors to achieve it. Understandably, you may have little or no time for the pleasurable activities you used to enjoy. This is where some people have a big problem. They want to enjoy all the things they used to enjoy; they don’t want to sacrifice any thing yet they want to achieve great things. Things don’t work that way. If you want to become more than you are, you must be willing to do more than you have done. Responsibility is holding yourself accountable for the results you want. A life without responsibility is a life without productivity. Increase your sense of responsibility and surprise yourself.
    • It mutes creativity: it is possible that some people find a freestyle life appealing. They may think that by setting goals, they are boxed-in, whereas they would want to do things as they are inspired or live life as it comes. Understandable; but there are major problems with it. What if they don’t get “inspired” throughout the year? What if their passion continues to change with their emotions? How would they ever be sure to complete any project they begin? Creativity is great and I agree that it requires some degree of flexibility. Nevertheless, you still need some order in your life. If creativity is entirely undefined and uncontrollable, why are principles and methods taught for course like creative arts, film production, theatre arts, etc? Life is a combination of the structured and unstructured. Goals won’t stifle your creativity; rather, they will help nurture your aspirations to success.

    Who says you must set goals? But who also says your life has to improve? Life is full of choices. The difference between “goalfull” and “goalless” lives is crystal. Do you want your life at the end of the year to be better than now? You know what to do!

    Thanks for reading my article today. I would really love to hear from you. So, do share your views with me by sending SMS to 07034737394, visiting www.olanreamodu.com and following me on twitter @lanreamodu. Remember, you are currently nothing compared to what you can become. This can be your year if you want it to be!

  • 12 artists in quest to ‘re-image’ Nigeria

    With a mind of understanding contemporary Nigeria, Innocent Ekejiuba and Yinka Elujoba, under the auspices of Invisible Borders Trans-African Photographers Organisation, have put together a 12-man exhibition.

    Tagged: Re-imaging futures: A trans Nigerian conversation, it showcases the work of 12 Nigerian writers, photographers, and filmmakers who travelled by road across the country for 81 days in 2016 and 2017.

    They include James Bekenawei, Kemi Falodun, Yinka Elujoba, Emmanuel Iduma, Emeka Okereke, Amara Okolo, Uche Okonkwo, Eloghosa Osunde, Nengi Nelson, Kechi Nomu, Kenechukwu Nwatu and Zainab Odunsi.

    Through photography, video, texts, and site-specific interventions by artists who were part of the road trips, the exhibition presents the project as a complimentary association between process and outcome.

    Ekejiuba said: “Re-Imaging Futures: A Trans-Nigerian Conversation was selected from more than 500 proposals by more than 350 jurors from around the world through apexart’s ‘Open Call’”. The first group traveled counter-clockwise around the country to retrace history and how it has molded the country’s present.

    “The second group traveled clockwise, in an effort to understand contemporary Nigeria, and what it means to be Nigerian today and in the future. Is it possible to escape what one has been named? By name, Nigeria is one country, but it is also a place that contains myriad identities and more than 250 distinct ethnic groups. In a country presently grappling with violence, political instability, ethnic crises, and a lingering shadow of a colonial past, showing the work resulting from this project now is timely”.

    The exhibition will open on Saturday, February 9, by 4pm at Nigerian Railway Corporation Yard, Yaba. It will run till March 9, 10am to 6pm (daily).

    Visitors will be guided through and immersed in the motions of the road trip through a collage of images, audio-visual documentation, cartographic depictions, and public, site-specific interventions on topics pertinent to Nigerianness, such as masculinity, family, history, movement, and the Civil War.

    Ekejiuba, who is the Project Manager for Invisible Borders Trans-African Organisation, is a project manager and art administrator with varying interests that include art, technology, social media, traditional journalism, educational reforms, and history. He is also a tech enthusiast, media analyst, literary critic, and a media advisor to Sankofa Initiative for Culture and Development, and Fourth Canvas Design Agency.

    Elujoba is the Director of Publications at Invisible Borders Trans-African Organisation. He is a Nigerian writer and art critic completing an MFA in Art Writing at the School of Visual Arts, New York. His texts have been published in different journals, magazines, exhibition catalogues and have also been part of exhibitions at Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, and Krakow, Poland.

    Apexart’s programmes are supported in part by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Buhl Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Greenwich Collection Ltd., William Talbott Hillman Foundation, Affirmation Arts Fund, the Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, the Fifth Floor Foundation, and with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

  • Group seeks synergy among entertainers

    A group, Africa Entertainment Network (AEN), has called for unity, synergy and networking among entertainers and business professionals. The group,  a growing platform for entertainers, made the call during the unveiling of its social networking website, www. africaentertainmentnetwork.com at the Centre for International and Professional Studies, CIAPS, Ikeja, Lagos.

    According to its President, Mr Emdee David Makezela, the website will enable every artiste to have a unique profile page where they can promote their work for other entertainers and business people or investors to see. “The pages will also be promoted by AEN for global reach” he said.

    The event was an opportunity for AEN to explain to the world what the group has done and what it plans to do. Present at the event were Nollywood actors, producers and directors. They included Tony Akposheri (Zacky of the rested TV drama, The New Masquerade); Jude Chukwuka; Stella Idika; reggae icon, Righteousman; producers and hosts of GOGE AFICA, Isaac and Nneka Moses; and the Center Director of CIAPS Lagos, Prof. Anthony Kila, among others.

    “It is of utmost importance for African artistes to be united and network together, using the digital platform which ensures a profitable synergy. There is nothing like collective efforts: synergy would help artistes to accomplish great things together,” Makezela said.

    With a mind of building a network of all the elements of entertainment in Africa and other nations of the world, he said AEN was established to meet the need of  unorganised practitioners, which has deprived many talented artists of achieving their professional goals and the privileges they could get collectively from government and corporate organisations.

    Makezela said: “We want entertainers to be entrepreneurs through our AEN ventures. AEN now has business ventures, which include AEN Music, AEN Fashion line, and movie production outfit. It’s the entertainment platform, which comprises practitioners in all genre, e.g., actors, musicians, models, writers, OAPs, directors, producers, marketers, media practitioners, etc.

    “We will hope to discover, groom, promote and market creative talents and ideas, giving everyone an opportunity to be economically empowered and professionally progressive AEN has grown in the past eight years of its existence to have branches in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Edo/Delta and also in Ghana, Finland, South Africa, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States(US). We synergise among ourselves, promote ourselves and our businesses, careers, events, etc. It is a forum to also educate ourselves on different subjects, culture, health, entertainment, events, history, and entrepreneurship. “

    He said AEN also seeks to collaborate with health, financial, and international institutions to provide health and life insurance for projects, travel and tour privileges for practitioners, who choose to be part of the network. “Our mission is to build the biggest, vibrant, and profitable network of African entertainers and business professionals where all genres of arts and entertainment in Africa are brought under one umbrella and provided with care, privileges and opportunities to become professionals and successful in their chosen careers to connect talents with resources.”

    Prof  Kila, a professor of strategy and development and CIAPS Centre Director, who gave the opening remark at event, described AEN’s vision as “noble”. While warning that although such vision may witness lots of challenges, including funding and people’s attitudes, he advised the group to have proper planning and management of talents to surmount such huddles.

    The legendary reggae musician, Righteousman, said he would be part of the initiative to groom and promote young artistes.

    Isaac and Nneka Moses also agreed that such platform was long overdue as individual efforts have not led them far. They both agreed to provide opportunities for young and new talented presenters to co-present their Goge Africa show from any part of the world they are based.

    Akposhere, who has been a member of AEN for over five years, said he believed the platform will grow to become the largest single body for entertainers in the world where artistes will be treated with such care and respect and assisted to realise their dreams. He said up and coming musicians, actors, models and producers need to tap into the vision of this networking platform.

    The group’s president said AEN was also preaching peace and unity among African nations, adding that it was the reason it embarked on the Africa Unity Tour to Ghana in November last year. “We are planning another Unity Tour to South Africa this year. This is an effort to make artists talk against xenophobic tendencies witnessed in some African countries.  AEN is seeking for support from ECOWAS, African Union and other diplomatic bodies to enable it reach as many nations as possible so that Africa can truly be united. Entertainment is a good platform to realise this. Entertainers are influencers, once they get the message and spread it, it goes wider and faster,” Makezela said.

  • ‘We want to curb medical tourism abroad’

    A multi-specialisT hospital, Euracare Nigeria, has decried the number of Nigerian medical tourists seeking care abroad. According to the Managing Director of Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital Nigeria, Glenn de Villiers, the provision of ultra-modern infrastructure would reduce the trend.

    de Villiers made the observation while hosting stakeholders from the medical industry, corporates, partners and potential clients, at the hospital’s second anniversary in Lagos.

    The event was to review the hospital’s achievements in redefining the standards of healthcare practice in the country through the introduction of several uncharted diagnostics services for patients.

    In its effort to reduce the cost and stress patients, who usually travel abroad for medical assistance go through, the hospital according to de Villiers, has provided world-class advanced medical services to Nigerians.

    He said: “We are determined to cut down on medical tourism by bringing in medical consultants and necessary equipment from an intensive care unit to a full span of diagnostic equipment. I believe all of this goes to show that we are here for the long haul, providing quality healthcare in Nigeria.

    “We have established the need to cut down on medical tourism, bringing in medical consultants and necessary equipment from an intensive care unit to a full span of diagnostic equipment, including a 64 Slice CT Scanner, a 1.5 Tesla MRI, an Ultrasound and Echocardiogram – I believe all of this goes to show that we are here for the long haul, providing quality healthcare to Nigerians,” de Villiers said.