The Nation Newspaper

Tag: campaign

  • ‘I ‘ll fulfill my campaign promises to Ondo South’

    ‘I ‘ll fulfill my campaign promises to Ondo South’

    All Progressives Congress (apc) chieftain Morayo Lebi has emerged winner of the Ondo South Senatorial primaries held at Adolak Hotel, Ore. He polled 1,261 votes to defeat his rival, Femi Akingbola, who had 156 votes.

    The Returning Officer, Duro Adonis said that 1,467 delegates participated in the poll, adding that total valid votes cast was 1,417. The invalid votes was 50.

    Adonis said that the election was peaceful and well organised, adding party agents and aspirants accepted the results.

    Lebi told reporters that the result undercored his popularity, assuring that he will fulfill his campaign promises, if elected as a senator. He dedicated the victory to his supporters.

    The flag bearer said that the emancipation of his people was utmost in his mind, adding that his senatorial district would experience unprecedented development during his tenure.

    Lebi, a lawyer, expressed optimism that he would defeat his opponents at the poll. He said: “Our people are tasty for change because they are tired of endless promises of the opposition party and I tell you that the wind of change is already blowing all over the country.

    “My people have repose their trust and confidence in me and I will never let them down because my senatorial district will witness unprecedented change and development,’’ Lebi said.

    The Chairman of the APC in Ondo South, Mr Paul Oyeto, also expressed satisfaction at the conduct of the election saying that it was peaceful and well organised.

    “I thanked the supporters for their decorum and peaceful organisation. The APC is known for organisation and unity. All these will be put in place to dislodge the opposition in 2015 general elections.”

  • Buhari promises issue-based campaign

    Buhari promises issue-based campaign

    The Buhari Campaign Organisation has pledged to conduct a campaign focused on the issues which will uplift average Nigerian from poverty to prosperity.

    General Muhammadu Buhari is the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    In a statement yesterday by its Communication Director, Mr. Dele Alake, the organisation noted that “the issues of electricity generation and distribution, poverty elimination, eradication of corruption, mass unemployment and security of lives and property are going to form the focal points of our campaign.”

    It added: “These issues have no ethnic colour. Poverty afflicts the old and the young. Unemployment has no political affiliation. Insecurity damages the economy precariously. Insecurity may be more prominent in the Northeast in the wake of the Boko Haram insurgency, but the reality is that Nigerians generally have never been as endangered as they now are.

    “Our responsibility to the Nigerian people in this campaign is to articulate how to rescue Nigerians from the present danger based on the manifesto of the APC. Our responsibility is to demonstrate that Buhari has the personal virtues of discipline, honesty and transparency to inspire the change that is imminent.

    “Our responsibility is to communicate how the military skills acquired by Buhari, the generals’ general, in a publicly acknowledged distinguished career, has made him the most appropriate contestant in the 2015 election with the technical and technocratic skills to crush the rampaging  insurgency and bring peace to a nation losing  a protracted guerrilla war”.

    On the Buhari-Osinbajo ticket, the campaign organisation said it brought together two institutions, which defend the national patrimony and maintain internal harmony.

    It explained that while the military defends the state from aggression, the judicial system defends the law, which establishes and maintains the state.

    “Indeed, the intellectual, political and spiritual antecedents of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo provide the complimentary combination and collaboration that the next Nigerian administration needs – a government that respects the rights of its citizens and enforces their duty to the state.

     

  • ‘INEC should monitor campaign spending’

    ‘INEC should monitor campaign spending’

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been advised to devise a mechanism for monitoring and sanctioning those who violate campaign spending ceiling and rules as stipulated by the Electoral Act.

    This advice was contained in a communiqué at the end of a two-day capacity building workshop organised by the Media Scholars Network (MSN) in collaboration with the INEC.

    The theme of the workshop held at the University of Ibadan was: “Reporting Election: A Non Partisan Approach”.

    According to the communiqué by Convener, MSN Prof. Ayo Olukotun and Secretary, Dr Tunde Oseni, the theme of the workshop was designed to enhance the capacity of journalists to report the 2015 elections.

    The workshop also recommended that INEC should  respond promptly to enquiries by journalists and member of the public at election times.

    It urged media proprietors to pay more attention to the welfare of the journalists by ensuring that they earn decent wages and are paid as at when due.

    The communiqué noted that while objectivity was difficult to achieve, attention should be given to all sides of the story by journalists.

  • Politician cautions against campaign of calumny

    Politician cautions against campaign of calumny

    Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Dr. Solomon Akin-Aina has advised aspirants to avoid campaign of calumny and character assassination, ahead of primaries and general elections.

    He lamented that political rivals have been portraying him in bad light before the party leadership out of envy by linking him with an alleged media publication, with a view to gain favour from the party leader.

    Reiterating his loyalty to the party and its National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the former Chairman of Ojo Local Government Area the peculiar character assassination i typical of political foes and desperate politician bent on denting his image.

    He dissociated himself from any embarrassing media publication, which he said is being exploited to drag his name in the mud before esteemed party leaders. He said: “Asiwaju Tinubu, our leader, and I have a common purpose as far as Ojo politics is concerned. I believe in his leadership and I have confidence on his ability to restore political logjams.”

    Akin-Aina, who said he was eminently qualified to vie for the House of Representatives in Ojo Constituency, said the contest is not a do-or-die affair.  He said: “As a Ph.D holder, I am more qualified. I have the ability, the experience, the skill, training and knowledge. I left public office in 2007. Instead of being idle, I went to the university to equip myself. I have two masters degrees and a doctorate degree in education.

    “Five of us are contesting for the House of Representatives. Those who are threatened by my intimidating profile and credential are the people behind the false publication about me. But, the leaders they seek to impress are wiser than them. Some of these aspirants have committed offences and they want to use me for settlement. I will advise them to leave me out of the predicament. One of them even said that he gave me N2 million and paid my allowances from 2007 to date. I challenge him to present the evidence before our party leaders.”

  • Group seeks improved literacy campaign

    The 14th biennial conference of the Reading Association of Nigeria (RAN) has been held at the Oodua Auditorium of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti.

    Prof Dele Orisawayi of the Achievers University in Owo, Ondo State, while speaking on Literacy for good governance, said literacy challenge was a universal concern facing many countries. He said illiteracy was still prevalent in Nigeria, noting that socio-cultural and political factors as responsible.

    He said reading and writing provided the basis for good governance, saying: “What is written derives its inspiration partly from reading and partly from direct exposure and experience. Both provide the baseline of communication and interaction with the human brain.”

    He urged students and scholars to imbibe the reading culture, stressing that it was the fundamental root for achievements and development.

    The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Oladipo Aina, lauded the efforts of RAN, saying the association remained the effective society promoting reading culture and enlightening the minds of the young generation.

    The VC, who described reading as the best road to knowledge, urged supports for the association remove the traits impeding development of minds.

    The National president of the association, Prof Olu Oyinloye, said: “When we beamed our searchlight into the political situation in the country because of the problems of unemployment and insecurity, we discovered that lack of education was the cause. This is why we came out with theme of the event to promote literacy and good governance.”

    Speaking with CAMPUSLIFE, two of the participants, who are students of EKSU, Ayodeji Ariori, 400-Level Chemical Engineering and Bukola Owatoye, 400-Level Political Science, promised to share what they learnt at the conference with their colleagues.

  • How Heineken drives ‘responsible drinking’ campaign

    How Heineken drives ‘responsible drinking’ campaign

    The Heineken brand, to remain a socially responsible company, marked the year with campaigns aimed at sustaining responsible drinking. Using entertainment as the vehicle to drive its global moderation movement, “Dance More, Drink Slow”, the brand ended the campaign with a Green Light Party. ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI reviews how the brand is riding on such a platform to enhance new drinking culture among consumers.

    The outgoing year remains a challenging one for many brands in the brewery industry. The competition and the regulation follow a narrative of a man that is asked to walk on crates of eggs with an order not to break any. This, to industry players, means that in an attempt to enhance higher sales volume, brand owners must also self-regulate by entrenching the “Drink Responsibly” campaigns in their marketing communication.

    But a savvy team of brand managers has survived the hurdles and recorded successful campaign in the year under review. However, for the handler of the Heineken brand, 2014 remains important. As a global brand, the need to ensure that its “Dance More, Drink Slow” reaches every market where the brand is being sold remains sacrosanct in its self-regulation drive, beyond deepening market share.

    Little wonder, the brand thrilled the consumers in the outgoing year with a global “Dance More, Drink Slowly” campaign that is tailored in Nigeria with an activation tagged ‘Heineken Green Light Party’- a strong engagement tool to make consumers comply with the core message – Drink Responsibly at night parties using world acclaimed DJs.

    It is part of the Heineken global moderation movement, in partnership with the world-renowned Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren. The Heineken Green Light series, which has already won critical acclaim, is another step at using music, through the best DJs from around the world, to create a movement that will resonate among young Nigerians.

    The ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ campaign during the year shows how nights are enjoyed more when consumers are in control. “This initiative is part of our long-term commitment to tackle the misuse of alcohol, including our pledge to use our flagship Heineken brand to help make moderate consumption aspirational,” the brand handlers explained.

    Meanwhile, this is the first global responsible drinking campaign to target consumers on and around the dance floor. Using Armin van Buuren as the face and sound of the campaign with his sound track, ‘Save My Night’ it was developed exclusively for Heineken with a clear invitation to consume alcohol moderately and enjoy the evening. “The moderation message is simple: stay in control and you can enjoy your night more,” the brand handlers said.

    The campaign is also being brought to life through ‘The Experiment’, a film featuring Armin van Buuren. The social experiment focuses on two separate nights out in the same club in Miami with the only difference being the DJ. The film demonstrates the influence a DJ has on consumers to change their behaviour to dance more and consequently drink slow. ‘The Experiment’ demonstrates the exciting possibilities that naturally occur on a night out when drinking responsibly.

    Beyond the night life, the partnership with Armin van Buuren also ensured that those who do not have a night live get the message via social media (#DMDS on Twitter and Facebook), the campaign video (‘The Experiment) and the song itself to reach a global audience throughout the year. “The reason I have partnered with Heineken® on ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ is because we have a fantastic opportunity, and responsibility, to connect with our audience and affect behaviour change, We believe that showing positive drinking behaviour and providing consumers with aspirational examples over time will help us to encourage a change in attitude towards moderate drinking. Through ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ we want to change perceptions so that drinking in moderation becomes the cool option,” says Armin van Buuren.

     

    The experiment at local markets

    “Heineken employees are ambassadors for our responsible consumption agenda and, around the world, many markets have developed tailored activations to spread the message locally,” a statement on Heineken website stated. Hence, since the Armin van Buuren was signed on as the face and sound of the campaign, he visited over 40 countries but the climax of the campaign in Nigeria was last week when the famous UK Hip-Hop DJ, Tim Westwood and notable Nigerian celebrities came out to identify with Nigerian consumers at the Heineken Green Light party, which is the experiential package to deepen the ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ campaign. The brand thus hosted numerous A-list celebrities such as Alex Okosi, Sound Sultan and D’Prince to a night of local and international music courtesy DJ Tim Westwood and Nigeria’s DJ Xclusive. At the party, consumers relished the memorable gigs and performances, but the climax of them all was a surprise performance by the Kroyman robot. The 8ft 11 inches robot stormed the dance hall for a short while with electrifying dance moves to the awe and amazement of clubbers.

    The last Green Light party for this year served as a perfect climax, for the series of club nights, which had earlier seen DJ Benny D and DJ Babey Drew perform at Club Escape and Spice Route. Earlier, precisely on October 24, Nigerian A-list celebrities had come out to party through the same platform at Spice Route, a club on Victoria Island, Lagos, where the likes of Chris Brown’s official DJ, Babey Drew entrench the ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ campaign. Consumers also enjoyed the message from top artists like 2Face Idibia and his wife, Annie, Sound Sultan, DJ Xclusive, DJ Spinall, DJ Humility and Kaylah of Cool FM. Others are; Wale Ojo, Sasha P, DJ Caise, Kessiana Edewor and Shade Ladipo.

     

    And the curtain is drawn on Dance More, Drink Slow

    ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ is rolled out in more than 20 countries and is  supported with series of integrated experiential activities targeting young adults during their nights out. Last Friday, the train of the global campaign passed through the Nigeria market. The Heineken Green Light Party, which kicked off on an exciting note at Club Escape, Victoria Island and other locations, reached its climax at Club Quilox last Friday as Tim Westwood joined homeboy; DJ Xclusive to deliver ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ spectacular campaign show. The Corporate Affairs Adviser Nigerian Breweries Plc, Kufre Ekanem, said the show was designed to redefine beer culture among Nigeria consumers. “Heineken is passionate about responsible drinking, the brand is at the forefront of the campaign to encourage club goers to adopt positive drinking behavior. The Green Light series, which has won global commendation is another step at using music through the bet DJs from around the world, to create a movement that will resonate with young Nigerians. Already, the brand has proven its worth by bringing into the country two DJs from the US -Benny D and Babey Drew and finally the third DJ, Tim Westwood,” he said.

     

    As it was in the beginning

    ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ is part of the brands trademarked ‘Enjoy Heineken Responsibly (EHR),’ which is the  global umbrella for Heineken brand responsibility activities, launched in 2004. The EHR logo has been used in commercial messages, including through the Heineken brand’s sport sponsorships, and on packaging around the world. In 2012, nearly eight billion Heineken branded bottles and cans carried the message.

    In 2011, it launched the global campaign ‘Sunrise’, spreading the powerful idea to consumers that there are no limits when you know your limits. ‘Sunrise’ has reached more than three million viewers.

    “We have made responsible consumption one of our key focus areas within “Brewing a Better Future”, our sustainability strategy. This focus includes a public pledge to use the Heineken® brand to help make moderation aspirational, along with a promise to spend at least 10 per cent of the brand’s marketing budget on responsible consumption messages in 2014. We make a start on delivering this pledge with the launch of this new campaign, and further activations will take place throughout the year in markets all over the world,” a message on Heineken website stated.

    Through ‘Dance More, Drink Slow,’ brand analyst believes that the campaign will engender change perceptions towards abuse of beer. “Drinking in moderation will become the cool option, building a positive image for beer. We are excited to launch this conversation and hope it inspires behaviour change – starting with dance floors around the world, but beyond that in people’s everyday choices,” the brand handlers believe.

     

  • Group holds campaign on human rights

    As part of its efforts towards ensuring a society where fundamental rights of every citizen is guaranteed, the Isheri-Oshun Unit of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), has held its annual public enlightenment campaign/rally to educate people on their rights. It was held on Saturday.

    The theme of this year’s programme was “Knowing Your Fundamental Rights in a Democratic Society.

    Giving a brief history of the committee, the Co-ordinator of the unit, Comrade Queen Chinazo Ifechigha who doubles as the Financial Secretary of the group at the state level said: “CDHR is a non-governmental organisation that champions the cause of humanity, especially the oppressed and the downtrodden. It acts as the voice of the voiceless and defends them when their rights are trampled upon.

    “It was established in 1989 to fight against the obnoxious State Security (Detention of Persons) Decree No. 2 of 1984 with which the then military government used to harass, intimidate and hound Nigerians into unlawful detention across the country.”

    She noted that since then, the body has transformed into a fully-fledged human rights organisation and currently has an observer status with the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR), even as she said its membership is open to all; regardless of political, ethnic, racial or religious affiliations.

    Comrade Ifechigha reeled off the committee’s activities to include political sensitisation for youths; education of people on their fundamental rights and responsibilities to humanity, their community and country; women empowerment; community policing as well as fighting for the rights of the oppressed and the exploited in the society.

    Some of the issues the group educated the public on were what their fundamental rights are and how to detect when their rights are infringed upon, what steps to take to  ensure their fundamental human rights are guaranteed, equality before the law, steps to be taken to prevent an oppressor from trampling upon their rights, availing themselves of the existence of the law courts to guarantee their fundamental human rights, police/public relationship, landlord/tenant relationship, what to do when arrested by any law enforcement agents, how to fight against crime and corruption, husband and wife relationship, parents/children relationship and employer/employee relationship, among others.

    Secretary of the group, Comrade Joseph Nkemjeme revealed that part of the reasons for people not being mindful of their rights and enforcement of same is docility which he attributed to their fear as they have been browbeaten by the powers that be. He added that “no one wants to challenge oppression because people are unsure of what the consequence would be. “People are not encouraged to stand on their rights no matter how highly placed the oppressor may be.”

    He advised that people should be law-abiding but not to the extent of being tamed.

    In a chat with our correspondent, a member of the group and Senior lecturer in the Department of Curriculum Theory, University of Lagos, Dr Chinedu Ifechigha blamed the high rate of human rights abuses in the society on ignorance.

    He said: “There are still high levels of illiteracy in Nigeria so much so that many citizens are ignorant of their rights and do not even know how to protect those  rights that are fundamental to them. However, with organisation such as CDHR, we hope awareness is being created and the situation will improve gradually.”

    Noting that the origin of Nigeria’s human rights organisations was in the late 1980s, Dr Ifechigha said the real struggle for democracy and good governance is linked to the students’ struggle of 1989.

    Comrade Ifechigha disclosed that the first human rights organisation in Nigeria was the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) which was formed in 1987, with its mandate on the defence and expansion of human rights and civil liberties. He further revealed that the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights was formed in April, 1989 in response to the detention of Femi Aborishade, who was held under the obnoxious Decree 2 (State Security Detention of Persons) of 1984 enacted by the then Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

    He listed some of the activities of CDHR to include rendering legal aid and assistance to indigent victims of human rights abuses, human rights campaigns and education which encompasses workshops, seminars and publications.

    Dr Ifechigha said the main challenges to democracy, human rights and the rule of law are deepening poverty, threats to human security, infringements of individual rights and impediments to the enjoyment of fundamental freedom, erosion of rule of law in contexts such as counter-terrorism, illegal occupation involving the use of force, the escalation of armed conflicts and unequal access to justice by disadvantaged groups.

  • Sone Aluko leads FIFA anti match-fixing campaign

    Sone Aluko leads FIFA anti match-fixing campaign

    Nigerian international, Sone Aluko is among those fronting a new campaign to tackle match-fixing in football.

    The Super Eagles winger is one of a number of high-profile stars taking part in the new initiative between Interpol and Fifa – the sport’s governing body – which seeks to educate players about the dangers of getting involved with organised crime gangs.

    The campaign will distribute a 15-minute DVD to participants featuring two players who have been approached by match-fixers as well Aluko, Frank Lampard and Kolo Toure, FIFA said in a statement on its website.

    In April, a Malaysian man who organized an international match-fixing syndicate involving Australian games in 2013 was jailed for at least a year.

    Also earlier this year, a friendly between Scotland and Nigeria was at the centre of a match-fixing probe after the National Crime Agency contacted the Scottish Football Association in the run-up to the match.

    “By the time any investigation into alleged match-fixing begins, the damage has already been done,’’ Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble said in the statement.

    “This is why it is essential that the first line of defence — the players and others who control what happens on the pitch — is strengthened.”

    According to a study of Eastern European soccer by FIFPro in 2012, 12 percent of the 3,357 players interviewed had been approached to fix games, and out of those 55 percent didn’t have their salaries paid on time.

  • Heineken engages consumers with new campaign

    Heineken, an  international premium lager beer, has unveiled @wherenext, a revolutionary new digital experience which is part of the fully-integrated global campaign, ‘Cities of the World’. This is in line with its determination to give the Nigerian consumer an experience that will last for a long time.

    The Twitter-based @wherenext service aims to help consumers explore new experiences of their cities, using a brand new and innovative social tool. The digital experience of the ‘Cities of the World’ campaign marks a milestone in the evolution of Heineken’s digital marketing strategy.

    Acting as a social compass, @wherenext reads the pulse of a city by using real-time location-based social activity to show where is hot and guide urbanites to new adventures off their beaten track.

    The new digital platform – developed in collaboration with R/GA London – is a solution to findings from recent Heineken research which revealed that consumers experience a ‘fear of missing out’  on the exciting experiences in their city.

    The research also showed how consumers from different cities seek a different ‘social currency’ in each urban environment. People who live in them want to break from routine, experience new places and embark on urban adventures that will add to their social currency.

    For example, Lagosians believe in “jaye”, a local parlance for “enjoying life” as a lifestyle. New Yorkers see ‘making it’ as the ultimate social currency whereas people from Rio de Janeiro see happiness as the absolute mark of achievement. For Londoners, it’s all about personal development and defining success for themselves.

    “Our world-class marketing campaigns are global, integrated and digitally-driven as everything we do is inspired by and oriented towards our fans. The success of the Heineken brand is rooted in a commitment to continual innovation,” said Mrs. Ngozi Nkwoji, Senior Brand Manager Heineken.

    “We boldly break away from traditional beer marketing approaches to create stories that inspire people to be courageous and aspirational. @wherenext and Cities of the World is the latest iteration of Heineken strategy, using rich consumer insights to respond to their desires to explore the great adventures in their cities.”

    On how it works, Mrs. Nkwoji pointed out that the social-media-based service uses a unique algorithm that listens to social media activity, such as tweets, check-ins and photos across popular platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Foursquare and analyses which locations are trending. The platform will help people navigate nightlife, overcome their fear of missing out and live their city to the fullest.

    Throwing more light on the digital experience, JP Maheu, Managing Director, Global Brand & Agency Strategy at Twitter, said: “Heineken is a consistently innovative brand on Twitter, and we’re excited to see them continue this into the lifestyle and entertainment space with the @wherenext campaign for Cities of the world. The initiative is really creative use of Twitter. It’s well-suited to the real-time and mobile nature of the platform and will give fans a window into the most vibrant experiences in cities around the world, right in the palm of their hand.”

     

  • Hand-wash campaign moves to barracks

    Regular hand washing will contribute to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on health and nutrition, a group, the Healthy Living and Women Empowerment Initiative (HELWEI), has said.

    At an enlightenment campaign named “Kick dirt, hug life” to mark the Global Hand-washing Day at the Okota police barracks, it said most diseases could be prevented through simple hygiene.

    Addressing police officers and members of the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA), the group’s Executive Director, Ebere Okey-Onyema, said hand washing is “a veritable behavioural tool essential for prevention of communicable diseases.”

    According to her, more awareness on sanitation and hygiene for improved health is needed in communities.

    “The common ailments we suffer such as malaria, diarrhoea and very recently Ebola are connected to ‘dirt’. To bridge the gap on knowledge, we sensitise communities, women and children through our campaign.

    She said:  “It is imperative, therefore, for us all to understand that we are products of our environment as well as our attitude, thoughts and actions. If we could imbibe the culture of keeping our environment tidy and regular hand washing becomes our lifestyle; it would lead to improved health status of the community members.”

    The HELWEI’s team engaged in cleaning of the barracks and donated shovels, brooms, rakes and waste baskets among others, to it.

    Okey-Onyema said they would return in six weeks to check how far the barracks’ condition has improved.

    “We want to work beyond Ebola. Today it’s Ebola, tomorrow it could be lassa fever. When you imbibe this culture of environmental cleanliness and hand-washing, it becomes a part of you,” she added.

    The group has also paid advocacy visits to the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Meat Sellers Association.

    Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr David Akinola urged the barracks’ management to set up a first aid centre.