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TikTok continues to be a vibrant hub of sporting content bringing all the football spirit through a full-screen, sound-on virtual experience for UEFA EURO 2020 fans.

A variety of activities can be enjoyed in-app during the tournament including a live performance by Ed Sheeran, behind-the-scenes footage with TikTok LIVE and new effects to capture unforgettable match-moments.

TikTok brings a full-screen, sound-on virtual experience for UEFA EURO 2020 fans in Nigeria. This experience aims to bring joy and foster togetherness for the love of the game among millions of people who will be following Europe’s largest football tournament in the country and around the globe.

The social media platform continues to be a vibrant hub of sports and, as the first digital entertainment platform to be the official partner of UEFA EURO 2020, it’s bringing all the football spirit through multisensory, energetic and engaging features. For the duration of the tournament, the in-app virtual experience aims to mirror the real action and excitement of the stadium, giving users on the platform the feeling that they are playing and watching the football tournament live.

Boniswa Sidwaba, TikTok Content Operations Manager, Africa, explains that TikTok is a home for sport unlike any other; unleashing creativity and facilitating diversity amongst athletes and fans.

“TikTok lets sports stars, clubs and fans share their passions, and connect with one another, in new and exciting ways. During the tournament, the TikTok community will be able to enjoy a variety of in-app activities including a live performance by Ed Sheeran on 25 June, behind-the-scenes footage with TikTok LIVE, capture unforgettable match-moments with new effects and join in on fun hashtag challenges.

“Football lovers can find everything about the tournament in one place at TikTok’s new EURO 2020 hub which can be found on the discovery page or by searching ‘EURO 2020’.”

Sidwaba adds that football content has had a meteoric rise on TikTok, with over 129 billion views on the #football hashtag, allowing footballers and fans to show their love of the game.

To keep the football conversation going, TikTok is providing a platform for its community to follow and engage with the world’s popular footballers including Jeremy Lynch who has more than 10 million followers and FC Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies.

To be part of this historical football action, locals can show their love for the game and keep the UEFA EURO 2020 spirits up by sharing videos using #EURO2020, #EverybodyLovesFootball and #football hashtags. With popular local football stars on the platform as well, users can also get updates from them.

Our Reporter

Every company clearly necessitates a wide range of functions and disciplines and such organizations require a team spirit that includes individuals of diverse specialities. However, our correspondent transited the routes heading to the hub of Nigerian notable fashionpreneur, Obiamaka Oragwu.

Obiamaka Oragwu aka Obis Ora is a fashion influencer and a personal stylist who has wholesome experience in the petroleum and the fashion industry. Her interest in fashion made it a multiple ventures affixed to her portfolio. Hence she heads a supply chain business, and a declutter brand; Wardrobe Merchant.

Taking a walk down memory lane, the fashion stylist disclosed the stories associated with her brand, Wardrobe Merchant. In her words; “Wardrobe Merchant was founded on the 1st of January 2014. It emerged from a passion of wanting women to look good at an outstanding deal”.

In recent times, it has become evident how people purchase a stylish outfit for an exorbitant price, and sometimes, others find it pretty uneasy to purchase an outfit they admire. This and many more occur in such a way that they get discouraged by the lingering factors.

Wardrobe Merchant officially flagged off its workforce in 2017. That way, all had been set, and her team kicked the ball rolling. And ever since the brand’s inception, all hands have been on deck, as Obiamaka takes to her Instagram handle which has about a community of one hundred and thirty thousand followers.

There, she freely publicizes and talks about her brand and its specialities. This includes the brand’s services, terms and conditions involved in becoming an affiliate, or a supply company.

Recently, the brand owner; Obiamaka Oragwu launched the website for Wardrobe Merchant. Therefore revealed fashion items ready for sale. She announced and showcased outfits and accessories by notable designers which were up on the website.

Conclusively, through her brand, she has inspired over a hundred and thirty thousand single and married women of various races across the globe.

Obiamaka further advises women to live their best life regardless of their difficulties. And as such, she has been able to engage and promote the culture of looking good, through her wise words.

Group Executive Director of CPL Group, the proprietor of Ore Irele Oil palm co. Ltd, Mr. Dapo Awofisayo, has hailed Ondo state Governor Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolufor his giant strides to put Ondo state on the world map as a destination for direct private investment with the launch of the privately-owned Gas Inland LPGTerminal and Oil Palm Mills in Ore Industrial Park situated in Odigbo local government Area of the state on the 10th of June 2021.

TheLPG Inland Terminal and Red Gold Project is a Public-Private Partnership between the Ondo State Government and Private Investments. The Alles CharisLPG, aimed to deploy quantity 8 inland storage within the next 5 years, is the first Privately Owned and biggest LPG Inland Terminal in Nigeria while the RedGold Project is a partnership between the Ondo State Government and the National Oil Palm Producing Association of Nigeria (NPPAN) with the objective of focusing on a large-scale Palm Oil Cultivation and Production.

At the epoch-making event, Akeredolu harped on the need for a synergy between the private sector and Government urged investors both local and foreign that Ondo state has made its environment business-friendly. He said; for both local and foreign investors, Ondo state is ready to provide the much-needed incentives for every business to thrive. Lagos which serves as the commercial headquarters of Nigeria is already congested for business. Investors should consider Ondo as a new home for business excellence.”

Speaking to the media, Dapo Awofisayo who is also a major key player in the oil palm business also commended Rotimi Akeredolu’s administration for taking Agribusiness seriously and creating a business-friendly environment for investors. “Ondo currently has the largest smallholder farmers of oil palm in the country and this Red Gold Project has brought in big investors. So far, we gathered that over 60,000hectares is to be unlocked for the project and this will create half a million jobs for Ondo residents. JB farms is now functional in Ondo, Sudit as well, these are also big investors like us. It’s a testament to how serious this administration is about the Oil palm sector and how easy it is to do business in the state. Governor Akeredolu has also made the state attractive. The RedGold Project will further boost the oil palm sector as a whole and also increase the entire level of oil palm acreage and palm oil production in the country. It will ultimately reduce the supply gap in the industry and steer Nigeria in the right direction to redeeming its lost glory as the number one producer of palm oil in the world taking over from Malaysia.”

Present at the event were the Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladuni Odu, Special Adviser on Union Matters and Special Duties, Mr. Dare Aragbaiye, Commissioner for Information, Mr. Donald Ojogo, Managing Director of Ondo State Development and InvestmentPromotion Agency (ONDIPA), Mr. Boye Oyewumi and the Senior Special Assistant(SSA) on Agribusiness, Pastor Akin Olotu, MD JB farm LTD; Ajibola Adebutu, High Chief, Engineer Abiodun Adejo, Chairman Abbis Farms, Mr Ade Ayoola, Chairman Bambi Farms Ltd among others.

Our Reporter

Leading public relations consultant, award-winning journalist and founder of Visibility Solutions Media, Kehinde Ajose has averred that success in the entertainment industry is more about having a strong public relations and marketing strategy than just being talented.

Ajose who has consulted for several showbiz personalities noted that talent is good, but not only the requisite trait needed to succeed in the entertainment industry.

“To lose relevance is one of the scariest things an entertainer must not be caught in. I have consulted for and interviewed several talented showbiz personalities who were not able to profit from their talent because they only focused on the talent and ignored the part of the business. What Don Jazzy, M.I, Banky W sells is more than music. These showbiz personalities have grown to become strong bankable brands.

Their relevance is not tied to releasing music every now and then. People may love your music, but it won’t get you all the attention you need. A Naira Marley is less talented than a Wizkid or a Burna Boy. How then was he able to brand himself to national acclaim? It is a result of a well-thought-out content creation strategy. Attention is the currency of show-business. When you stop getting the attention of your audience, you lose relevance”.

Asked about the key factors needed to succeed in the showbiz industry, he said: ”You need to realize that as an entertainer, you are rendering a service which solves a problem for a particular audience. Nigerian rapper, Blaqbonez is an example of an artiste who has mastered the art of putting himself in the spotlight.
Don’t just focus on public relations only when you want to release a movie or an album. Your visibility is more important than your ability”.

By Adeniyi Adewoyin

Record label owner and businessman, Dr. Olabisi Akanbi has been conferred as an ambassador of Chartered Institute of Public Resources Management and Politics Ghana.

The ceremony was held on Monday 30th May 2021 at Egbeda, Lagos where few CIPRMPG members stormed Nigeria from Ghana to induct the CEO Labo Business Group, as an ambassador and member of the institute.

Leading the presentation, the executive director of the Chartered Institute of Public Resources Management and Politics Ghana Dr. Richards Kpoku-Aquarte revealed that it was a pleasure to induct Dr. Olabisi as an ambassador and celebrate him as the institute best entrepreneurial statesman of the year 2021 hall of fame.

“Dr. Olabisi Akanbi has done well for the Nigerian youths. Looking at his track records, this has spoken well of him. It has revealed his achievements so far as a philanthropist. He was in Ghana recently; findings also stressed his goodwill. This is one of the reasons we are here. Ghana is also your home. We want you to continue your excellent work in your entrepreneurial and philanthropic gesture. Africa needs a personality like you to develop the continent”, Dr. Richard said during the conferment ceremony.

Receiving the award, Dr. Olabisi thanked the institute adding that he never knew people were watching from even outside the shores of Nigeria.

“I give God the glory. Many were called but few were chosen. I thank God I am part of the people chosen to be the ambassador of CIPRMPG. I appreciate your honour. I shall always be at your service anytime I am called upon. This is a welcome development”, says C E O, said Labo Business Group.

Also at the conferment ceremony was legendary musician, Azadus who witnessed the event and said that the conferment was a well-deserved one for the record label owner.

“Your work and level of support will always speak for you. Labo is a philanthropist who has been able to touch lives. I am certain that he didn’t reach out to these people but they came to him based on their own findings and I think it is a well-deserved honour”, said Azadus.

It would be recalled the Olabisi Akanbi bagged doctorate degree from European American University, Panama. Dr. Olabisi Akanbi is the C E O, Labo Business Group, a conglomerate of Labo Autos, Lafaith Property, Labo Entertainment and Labo Foundation.

Our Reporter

Contrary to predictions by several bodies that the COVID-19 pandemic will hit African countries the hardest, Nigeria proved to be one of the least affected nations globally, in terms of mortality rate. This was not a coincidence as it took collaboration between the federal and state governments, the international community, the private sector, and several other key stakeholders.

On the 27th of February 2020, Nigeria detected its first case of COVID-19 and with over 150,000 cases reported since then, Nigeria’s response has been driven by coordination, collaboration, and solidarity. Some of the agents of these collaborations include the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), PharmAccess Foundation, Aliko Dangote Foundation, as well as several federal and state government health agencies.

Speaking on Friday, June 11, 2021, at a town hall event organized to capture views from the health, economic, education and human perspective on how the country has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu explained and urged members of the public to continue to stay safe to maintain the present victory over the virus.

He said: “We definitely didn’t have the public health infrastructure to manage a pandemic of this size or to even mitigate its impact as much as can be. However, we did the best with what we had. We had people in our workforce who had responded to Lassa fever outbreaks, to meningitis outbreaks, etc. and we deployed them for this. They started what has been one and a half years of consistent response to the biggest threat to health in our lifetime.

“We hope there won’t be another wave of this pandemic and we are doing everything possible to avoid it. However, we are continuously speaking to Nigerians. A third wave is not inevitable, it is up to us to mitigate the impact of this and ensure that there is not the third wave. Therefore, the Presidential steering committee made a very difficult decision a few weeks ago, to limit travels from a few countries that were having spikes in infections so as not to bring a new variant of the virus into the country. We are also trying to encourage everyone to take the vaccines.

READ ALSO: PharmAccess, WHO, others advocate increased funding for Nigeria’s health sector

Also, part of the panel, the Resident Representative of the UNDP, Mr. Mohammed Yahya reflected on how the organization helped the country in the heat of the COVID crisis. He explained how the UNDP provided technical assistance for the government’s response team.

“In Nigeria, some of the problems we saw was the fact that the health system is very limited in terms of overall investment, also the social structures were heavily reliant on informality i.e. the fact that people live in very close proximity. Also, the country’s economy which is heavily reliant on oil which meant a heavy reliance on the global economic system (which the lockdown and other restrictions had shut down), all that was posed a perfect storm for a potential disaster in the country.

“However, in response to these, the first thing that we did was to look at how we can support the NCDC and provide the technical needs that were available to us through our specialized agency. We also went to panels like the European Union to know how we can support the country. One commendation we have for the Federal Government was on the formation of the Presidential task force because it brought together all approaches to dealing with the pandemic in Nigeria.”

Speaking at the event, the Country Director of PharmAccess Foundation, Mrs. Njide Ndili, said the organization led in the integration of the private sector in the response to the pandemic. She said: “PharmAccess Foundation which is predominantly supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, provided technical assistance to the Federal and State governments of Nigeria, to build capacity for a strong healthcare system.

“We were involved in several activities as we were already in Lagos state, which was the epicenter. The first thing that was done is that we became part of the Lagos State Government’s COVID strategy think-tank to help develop the strategy to combat COVID. With that, we realized that there was a need for the involvement of the private sector. We did the landscaping to identify private labs that could quickly scale up to increase the testing.

“Lagos state very quickly contracted about seven private labs, and we extended that support through the UK government, to the NCDC. Also, developed an innovative application called LUSCII which helps one monitor COVID symptoms and connects you to a contracted facility, which would provide free testing and free treatment.

“We collaborated with Novartis to supply personal protective equipment (PPEs) to over 23 public healthcare facilities across all the six geopolitical zones of the country. And we were able to use that opportunity to promote and upscale the uptake of health insurance in the country. We supported both Lagos and Kwara state to launch their mandatory health insurance scheme.”

The town hall event for reflecting on Nigeria’s COVID-19 response and how to build back better was organized by the UNDP and attended by the Fmr. National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force, Dr Sani Aliyu, the Ogun state Commissioner of Health, Dr Tomi Coker, amongst other health stakeholders.