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Tag: golden

  • Boyhood takes Golden Globe honours

    Boyhood takes Golden Globe honours

    •David Oyelowo loses

    It was a joyous moment for Richard Linklater, whose Boyhood; a film that took 12 years to prepare, won top honours at the Golden Globe Awards which held at the Beverly Hilton, and was broadcast by NBC, Sunday night.

    The movie won Best Film Drama, with Linklater named Best Director and Patricia Arquette as Best Supporting Actress.

    Nigerian-British actor, David Oyelowo, could not deliver his nomination for the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama category, for Selma. He and three other contestants in that category were defeated by Eddie Redmayne, who was nominated for The Theory of Everything.

    Interestingly, Boyhood, which took over a decade to produce, is the unassuming story of a boy’s passage through 12 years of life. Linklater, who was said to have gambled with the unusual movie, filming three to four days a year for more than 10 years, appeared to have been rewarded for that long effort.

    “The bottom line,” he said, as he accepted that prize, “is that we are all flawed in this world. No one’s perfect. And I just want to dedicate this to my parents, who gave so much love and support, and to my parents who are evolving everywhere and families who are just passing through this world and doing their best.”

    When he returned to the stage to accept the Best Picture honors, he turned the microphone over IFC Films president, Jonathan Sehring, who also served as one of the movie producers, who said that when Linklater first proposed the project more than a dozen years ago, “We said yes because the man has such humanity. He’s so humble. He put so much of his life in this movie.”

    Although it didn’t prevail in any of the other three categories in which it was nominated, The Grand Budapest Hotel, a quirky tale about the concierge of a European hotel on the eve of World War II, won when it mattered, collecting the prize for Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical. And true to his sometimes eccentric ways, director Wes Anderson turned his acceptance speech into a bit of a comedy routine by thanking many members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which doles out the awards, by their first names.

    The trophy for Best Dramatic Actress was presented to Julianne Moore for playing a woman confronting early-onset Alzheimer’s in Still Alice, while Eddie Redmayne was named Best Dramatic Actor for portraying physicist Stephen Hawking as he succumbs to ALS disease in The Theory of Everything.

    For his part, Redmayne spoke of the “huge privilege” of appearing onscreen as Hawking, whom he came to know in the course of making Theory of Everything. He heaped praise on the movie’s cast, especially his co-lead Felicity Jones. And he acknowledged his new wife, Hannah Bagshawe. “We had to cut our honeymoon short to come to Los Angeles,” he confessed, thanking everyone for “giving us a night at the end of our honeymoon that we will always remember.”

    Amy Adams, who was named Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical last year for American Hustle, was called up to the stage again this year, winning the same award for her performance in Big Eyes. “I didn’t even reapply my lip gloss,” the actress exclaimed, insisting she hadn’t prepared remarks, although she then found time to pay tribute to Margaret Keane, the painter she plays in the film, and also to express her gratitude to “all the women in this room who have such a lovely and beautiful voice.” Adams became the first actress to pull off back-to-back wins in the category since Kathleen Turner, who took home the honors in 1984 and 1985 for Romancing the Stone and Prizzi’s Honor.

    Birdman’s Michael Keaton was singled out as Best actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical, for his turn as a movie actor trying to win respect by turning to Broadway. After praising his director, Alejandro G. Inarritu, he paid loving tribute to his own family — father, mother, six siblings and, as he started to choke up, his best friend, his son Sean, saying, “I love you with all my heart, buddy.”

    While receiving the Best Supporting Actress trophy, Arquette, who plays a single mom in Boyhood, took a moment to recognise her fellow nominees, including Meryl Streep, adding, “Meryl, thank you for giving me a hug — I hope your DNA transferred to me”; she hailed “our visionary director Richard Linklater” and said the movie also allowed her “to honor my own mother.”

    On the other hand, J.K. Simmons earned the Best Supporting Actor in a motion picture for Whiplash, in which he plays a tyrannical music teacher. He thanked the movie’s young director, Damien Chazelle, “for the opportunity to be this guy” and the movie’s star Miles Teller, who “inspired me every day to want to scream at him and hit him in the face.”

    The award for best score went to composer Johann Johannsson for The Theory of Everything. And John Legend and Common took the prize for best original song for “Glory,” the title tune they wrote for Ava DuVernay’s Selma. Common, who also acts in the film, spoke about the movie’s importance, saying, “Selma has awakened my humanity,” and concluding, “We look to the future, and we want to create a better world. We want to create a better world, and Selma is now.” Legend seconded those thoughts, adding, “We still are in solidarity with those fighting for justice right now.”

    The Russian feature Leviathan, which is also on the shortlist for Academy Award consideration, was the victor in the foreign-language film category. Director Andrey Zvyagintsev proclaimed, “We are absolutely happy,” while producer Alexander Rodnyansky observed that the movie about one man who faces off against an indifferent system “is absolutely universal.”

  • Terra Kulture, Golden Effects collaborate

    Terra Kulture, Golden Effects collaborate

    Nigeria’s foremost arts and cultural centre, Terra Kulture, is partnering with the Golden Effects Pictures for the marketing and promotion of  Kunle Afolayan’s feature film, October 1.

    It premieres tomorrow at the Eko Hotel, and is due for its cinema debut on October 1. The film boasts of an array of stars, including Kunle Afolayan, Sadiq Daba, Deola Sagoe, Kenneth Okonkwo, Fabian Adeoye Lojede, Demola Adedoyin, David Baile, Kayode Olaiya and Kehinde Bankole.

    The partnership, according to observers, is to reaffirm commitment to the growth of Nigerian cinema. It has, according to them started  indicating a positive yield through Terra Kulture’s vital role in facilitating series of private screenings for corporate organisations such as Oando, Standard Chartered Bank, Leadway Assurance and Leadway Pensureand the industry heavyweights. This, they said, would raise sponsorship for the cinematic release and worldwide premiere of the film later in the year.

    Terra Kulture’s key involvement in the successful screening of October 1 signifies a renaissance in culture of Nigerian movie promotion, and marketing of arts and culture at large, arts critics have said.

    Speaking on her establishment’s role in the promotion of the movie during a private screenings at the Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos, the Managing Director and founder of Terra Kulture, Mrs Bolanle Austen-Peters, said: “It is exciting to know that the entire film and production was done in Nigeria with a world-class content as seen in the epic movie October 1. We are proud to partner with Golden Effects Pictures to market and promote this movie.”

    The Intercontinental Hotel’s exclusive screening  was sponsored by Hayden Petroleum Limited and Partnership Investment Company Plc.

  • What I want from President Jonathan – Golden girl Maryam Usman

    What I want from President Jonathan – Golden girl Maryam Usman

    Golden girl Maryam Usman is still savouring her weightlifting performance which not only won her gold but sent tongues wagging in the ongoing Commonwealth Games here in Glasgow.

    Maryam dumped her Samoan opponent Ele Opeloge after lifting 155 kg to become the Queen of the Weightlifting  of the Commonwealth Games.

    Yesterday, Maryam, who is still being mobbed by athletes at the Games Village, made a passionate appeal to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to host them just as he has done to footballers.

    ‘’There is only one thing I want. I want President Jonathan to host us just like he has done to footballers’’,  the  75 + kg lifter from Kaduna requested.

    Reflecting on the rivalry between her and Opeloge, Maryam confessed that she was rattled when the Samoan opted for 161kg to upset her from winning the gold medal.

    ‘’I was shocked but prayed against it. She knew that the only way to win the gold was to lift more than me. But there was no way she could have lifted 161kg. She is not a world champion. Such lifts are meant for champions. And when she tried and could not lift it, I fell on my knees and the rest is history’’, she said as more athletes queued to take autographs and others to take pictures.

    Maryam, who is making her second appearance at the Commonwealth Games, was a silver medalist at the XIX Games in New Delhi.

    ‘’I was tired of winning silver medals. I did not want another silver at the Commonwealth Games after winning one in India. I was focused and did not allow for distractions. There was more pressure on me from officials and athletes. But, I was calm and I thank God for answering my prayers.’’

    Maryam also won three gold medals at the African championships in South Africa. She also scooped a bronze medal at the Paris Championship in 2011 as well as yet another bronze at Russia 2012.

    ‘’I cherish this medal more than other medals’’, she said with her trademark smile that reveals her immaculate white teeth.

    ‘’That is why I want our President to extend his gesture of hosting footballers to us. That will spur us to do even more in the Olympics. It gives us a sense of belonging other than thinking that our country is only appreciative to footballers’’ she said.

  • Ambassador Ehiobuche fetes Golden Eaglets

    Ambassador Ehiobuche fetes Golden Eaglets

    His Excellency, Dr. Grant Ehiobuche, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Congo Democratic Republic, hosted the Golden Eaglets to a dinner reception on Saturday after the national Under-17 team beat Les Leopards 1-0 in Kinshasa.

    The dinner had in attendance the Association of Nigerians in the Diaspora in Congo Democratic Republic as well as officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) including leader of delegation, Rafiu Yusuf, Emmanuel Adesanya and Kut Kut Fon.

    Ehiobuche, a career diplomat spanning over two decades, said he was happy that the Coach Emmanuel Amuneke-led side was able to wipe away the shame of Nigerians leaving in the central African country following the 3-1 thrashing of Kano Pillars and their subsequent elimination from the CAF Champions League in February.

    He praised the resilience of the team yet counselling the players to be prayerful in order to become the next generation of African superstars.

    “Personally, I’m happy for so many reasons apart from the fact that you beat Congo DR today,” stated the debonair diplomat who had previously served in Mexico, Japan, Sierra Leone amongst others.

    “I actually prayed and fasted that this match should not be played in Lubumbashi because it is a more difficult terrain and I wouldn’t be able to host you well.

    “My other prayer point was for you to come and beat Congo DR and God answered all my prayers regarding this match; and I’m so happy for the team and Nigerians as a whole.”

    He warned the players to refrain from anything that could impede them from becoming great players, adding that it is about time that a Nigerian is crowned the African Footballer of the Year to follow on the legend of the late Rashid Yekini (1993); Amuneke (1994); Nwankwo Kanu (1996 & 1999) and Victor Ikpeba (1997).

    “I want you to become truly great and I would be ready to even allow any one of you who becomes a real superstar to marry any of my daughters because I still have two that would in the future be within your marriage age,” he said amidst roaring laughter.

    “What I’m saying in effect is that with prayers and hard work, you can become somebody very great in the future.”

    Meanwhile, the victorious Golden Eaglets are due back in Nigeria today aboard Kenya Airways to continue their preparation for the second leg match against Congo Democratic Republic at most in a forthnight.

  • Golden Boot: Messi hopes to close on Rodriguez

    Lionel Messi helped Argentina reach their first World Cup semi-final in 24 years as they defeated Belgium 1-0.

    However, it was Gonzalo Higuain who netted the all important goal for Argentina meaning Messi failed to close the gap on Colombia’s James Rodriguez.

    Messi remains on four goals, alongside Germany’s Thomas Muller and Neymar of Brazil who will play no further part in the tournament due to injury.

    It was also a fruitless day for the Dutch duo of Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie, who failed to convert as the Netherlands eventually required penalties to beat Costa Rica.

    Indeed van Persie was guilty of squandering a glorious opportunity with just two minutes of normal time remaining when he completely miskicked trying to connect with a Wesley Sneijder centre.

    But while Rodriguez will play no further part in Brazil, having had his tournament ended on Friday when Colombia went down 2-1 to the hosts, Messi, Muller, Robben and van Persie all remain in contention with the possibility of playing in two more matches.

  • The right to remain silent is still golden

    The right to remain silent is still golden

    – Despite bashing by conservatives, the 50-year-old Miranda warning for crime suspects serves us well.

    “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you? With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak with me?”

    Those words are uttered thousands of times a day in this country, and one hardly needs to have been arrested to recognize them. They are a staple of police dramas from “Dragnet” to “CSI.” They are a ubiquitous part of American culture, as familiar as the Pledge of Allegiance. They are, of course, the Miranda warning, which suspects have been read ever since the United States Supreme Court in 1966 mandated it.

    Written by Chief Justice Earl Warren, who began his public career as a prosecutor in Northern California, Miranda recognized the coercive nature of police interrogations and sought to ensure that the constitutional rights of suspects in custody were protected. Moreover, it was an expression of the court’s egalitarianism: Sophisticated suspects already knew to ask for a lawyer or to remain silent, so those who tended to incriminate themselves under police questioning were more likely to be poor and uneducated.

    Since its inception, Miranda has stood as a hallmark of judicial overreach in the minds of conservatives. They like to note that the warning does not appear in the Constitution. And even though the rights it enumerates are explicitly mentioned — the right to remain silent is guaranteed by the 5th Amendment, the right to counsel is protected by the 6th — critics complained at the time of Miranda that informing suspects of those rights would cause them to clam up and thwart law enforcement. It would, the claim went, empty the prisons.

    Well, it didn’t. Miranda is now nearly 50 years old, and the prisons are full of criminals who were convicted despite it. Some were read the warning and talked anyway; others got the warning, demanded lawyers and were convicted on the evidence. Indeed, one of the striking things about Miranda today is that the law enforcement establishment no longer objects to it. The warning is simple and easy for officers to deliver. It gives them clarity, and it rarely interferes with an investigation. When Miranda faced a direct challenge in 2000, Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, who criticized the original ruling, voted to uphold it, in part because of that clarity and in part because it had become such an established piece of police practice.

    Yet Miranda continues to agitate. Just last week, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction of a Texas man who was being questioned by police before his arrest but who then refused to answer when police asked whether shells from his gun would match those found at the scene of a homicide. Rather than respond, he looked at the floor, clenched his hands and bit his lip. Prosecutors told the jury those details, and Genevevo Salinas was convicted of murder. A divided court concluded that because it was his actions, not words, that were presented to the jury — and because the exchange occurred before his arrest — his Miranda rights were not violated even though he had not been issued the warning.

    And it was just two months ago that the surviving brother of the two Boston bombing suspects was taken into custody, and conservatives loudly argued that he should somehow be treated differently from any other criminal suspect and denied a reading of his Miranda rights. The shoddy reasoning in that instance is that somehow terrorism is different — as if planting a bomb is a crime outside constitutional law while shooting a gun would not be. He was eventually read his rights and stopped talking, but no one seems to have much doubt about the strength of the evidence against him.

    The strange state of Miranda as it approaches 50, then, is that it no longer poses the threat that police and others once feared it would, but it remains a source of political irritation to conservatives. That’s hardly the only example of people putting ideology over common sense in today’s America, but it’s a particularly noxious one. Today’s conservatives would be wise to follow Rehnquist’s lead and acknowledge Miranda for what it is: an intelligent, workable doctrine that helps police and protects the rights of those in custody.

    Los Angeles Times

  • Golden Tulip opens in Ibadan

    Golden Tulip opens in Ibadan

    Golden Tulip Hotel, located in the Monatan area of Ibadan, Oyo State has been opened for operation. The hotel was declared open by Nigeria’s former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who was represented by former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

    Declaring the hotel open, Chief Obasanjo praised the proprietor of the hotel, Chief Fatai Akinbade, for investing in the hospitality industry. Chief Obasanjo, who said he had earlier visited the hotel, commended the quality facilities put in place by the hotel.

    Speaking on the new hotel, Alhaji Akinbade said the opening of the hotel was a dream come true. He described the project as very challenging and gave glory to God for the success.

    He said: “This has been a journey of 14 years and honestly, it has been very rough. I never had any savings before I started this.

    “All I used was to divert whatever I had to it. Thank God we are ready to commission it today. Thank God I started and today it has been completed for commission. Why I decided to go into the hospitality industry? My background as a civil engineer and builder informed the basic interest because it was not even the hotel itself that really attracted me, but the kind of designs and finishing that hotels used to carry. I travelled a lot. Each time I travelled, I used to look at the finishing, design and construction.

    “So, that started giving me the interest that spurred me into it. Each time I discovered that being in this industry will make you to create employment. Some people prefer saving their money, others prefer investing in some faceless things that don’t really give then any stress. But this industry involves so many things and it also involves human beings, so it creates a lot jobs for people. For instance, the hotel started with over 150 people. That means 150 Nigerians have been taken off the unemployment market. These are the things that really led me into it.”

    Akinbade said the need to maintain high standard made him to opt for an international hospitality management group. He said: “We were with Protea before. I discovered that in Nigeria today, especially in this part of the country, we didn’t have an international hotel and Nigerians could not give that standard, hence we had to look for an international management. When we discovered that Protea could not make it, we looked for an even better international hospitality management group which is Golden Tulip. It is worldwide. We believe that being with them will give us those things we expect from the industry.”

    On the issue of long gestation to recoup one’s investment in the hospitality industry, Akinbade said was prepared to wait. He said: “ If I had been able to wait 14 years before we could get to this level, I think I should be able to wait. In any business, you can’t recoup your investment in one day. This type of project will last a generation. Premier Hotel was commissioned in 1964, and up till today, it is still there. That is one of the problems that Nigeria has: people want immediate return on investment. That is why you see many petrol stations today because they know the moment you have petrol stations, you start selling and that is why we don’t have any solid investment. People want quick returns on investments. You see them jumping form one business to the other.”

  • Hajiya Bamanga-Tukur hits golden age

    For Hajiya Fatima Bamanga-Tukur, this is a period of celebration and gratitude to God for attaining the landmark age of 50. The youngest wife of PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, attains the golden age this weekend.

    Àlthough she has kept her cards close to her chest as to whether she will be throwing open her doors for people to celebrate with her, family members and friends are waiting earnestly for the day. The fair-complexioned lady, who does not look a day older than 40, has every reason to be thankful to her Maker for her ravishingly youthful looks, if nothing else.

    Ask her the secrets of her good looks, and the modest lady would not hesitate to attribute it to the grace of God and her peaceful lifestyle.

    The envy of a lot of women, Fatima won the heart of the PDP chairman about five years ago. And while her husband might have other wives, Fatima, the youngest of them, seems to hold the centre of the man’s heart. She is hardly seen at social events, but her profile has been on the rise, particularly since her husband became the national chairman of the PDP.

     

  • Golden Eaglets get N500,000 each

    •Chief Coach gets N1m 

    President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday rewarded the Golden Eaglets for winning the Silver medal at the 2013 CAF U-17 Championship in Morocco. The largesse is to boost them for the World Cup billed for United Arab Emirate (UAE) in October.

    He also rewarded the U-18 Nigerian athletes that topped the Medals table at the U-18 African Athletics championship held in Warri, Delta State. No fewere than 33 countries participated in the championship.

    The President, at a reception in honour of the players and athletes at the Presidential Villa, announced N500, 000 for each of the Golden Eaglets players.

    Chief Coach of the team Manu Garba got N1 million, his three assistants got N750,000 each and other officials also got N500,000 each while the Curator got N300,000.

    For the Athletes, the President announced N500,000 each for Gold medalists, N400,000 each for Silver medalists and N300,000 each for Bronze medalists. The technical officials got N500,000 each.

     

     

     

  • When silence is golden

    One of the prominent features of modern urban living is the firm grip that Nigerian religious pundits have over our early morning sleep. I tell you, the prison warden’s grip over his prisoners cannot come anywhere near it. Each dawn, I am rudely pulled out of my dreams by the vehemently inconsiderate shrills of religious men and women from mosque-church loudspeakers calling me to pray or shout ‘Amen’ willy-nilly when all I want to do is get a little more sleep. Sometimes, I wonder what the gates of heaven and hell must really look like – perhaps they are lined with marketers touting the advantages of the two places. It is quite enough to make me appreciate the age-old adage which I whisper repeatedly to myself: Silence is golden! Silence is golden! I think somewhere in my sub-conscious, I believe that if I repeat the sentence long enough, the noise will stop. It does, but well into the sunrise, when it is time to get up anyway. Grrrr! They always win but someday, I intend to win too.

    So, from sunrise to sunrise, the average Nigerian seems to be surrounded by nothing but noise; which he seems to take in his stride. If the irreverent loudspeakers of religious or music shopkeepers are not assaulting our ears, then party persons are doing their stuff right into them. And now, we have to contend with the noises of and from mobile phones. Recently, I saw a cartoon showing a man and a woman at a dinner date in a restaurant. Instead of doing the reasonable things such as looking deeply into each others’ eyes, holding hands or, at the least, eating, they preferred to talk into their individual phones. I just thought, the blessed things that had been invented to keep the world out were being used to bring the world in.

    Even more recently, I read of our dear federal government, which never tires of putting its foot in, obliging our Nigerian farmers to purchase mobile phones willy-nilly. Come now, I am thinking, is it for lack of mobile phones that we have no food to eat? Ever heard the children’s refrain, and I think I have used it here before, for want of a shoe the horse was lost and all that? Well, we have a new take on that. For want of a phone the farm was lost; for want of the farm the farmer was lost; for want of the farmer the citizens were lost; for want of the citizens, the country was lost.

    Honestly, I had no idea we still had farmers, let alone farmers whose farm lives would depend on the mobile phone. I have since regarded Nigerian farmers, and I mean no disrespect here, as charming antiques who made themselves but have been relegated to the shelves for posterity as showcases for aliens who once lived here. I thought no one, least of all the government, cared about their existence. No one, least of all, even knew their uses. The Nigerian farmer is the least considered of the low. Seriously again, I mean no disrespect either to them or the government, but all at once, too much is happening and too late. Suddenly, the government seems to have turned around, seen the farmers and exclaimed, oh look, the farmers!; let’s see what the mobile phone will look like in their grubby hands. And so, it is even now shoving the strange things into the farmers’ calloused hands and asking them to grin into the camera. I tell you, I tell you.

    Growing up at my grandmother’s, a worthy farmer in her own recognition, I believe I have had a few farm experiences; not what you would call the heavy duty kind, but somewhat enough to help me know which end of the yam to dip into my plate of palm oil at lunch. Now, you believe me, don’t you? Of course, in the course of gaining my farm education, I also came across a few farmers. Yet, in all those days, I never did come across one farmer who sat down moaning that his greatest problem in life was not being able to talk to his neighbours. No sir; to talk to their neighbours, most farmers simply hollered. Believe me, I have heard whole conversations enough to fill your ears conducted over the air waves and over long distances. The golden silence was sufficient to ensure perception. WHY DID YOU NOT COME TO THE FARM YESTERDAY? YOU WERE SICK? YOU THIS LAZY THING, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR WIFE’S PEPPER-SOUP IS FOR, SLEEPING? NO, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH FOR MY WIFE’S PEPPER; YOU WILL COLLAPSE. FOR THAT, WHEN YOU FINISH ON YOUR FARM, COME TO MY FARM AND SERVE YOUR PUNISHMENT. And the laughter rang through the air, pure and delightful, energising the work.

    True, farmers are no longer what they used to be; but honestly, in Nigeria, who is? It is quite clear that the problem of the federal government at any season seems to be that it never realises that the people are often smarter, more advanced, knowledgeable and forward thinking than it is. For some queer reason, however, it seems to think that it is always smarter, more advanced, knowledgeable and forward thinking than the people, so it thinks that it can think for the people. Big mistake. The farmers have told the government that they do not want mobile phones. Each farmer can procure his/her own phone or their children will. Yet, the government insists on going ahead. Why?

    Come, government, let us reason together. Pre-paid mobile phones have habits of consuming money either to purchase them or to run them. On whose account can that be charged to: the farmer’s anticipated profit, or will there be a regular subvention from the government for that? More importantly, what is the phone for – to talk with the government or their neighbours or their families? Most farmers are tired of talking to the government: it has not listened to or heard them so far, and is even now not hearing them say they do not need or want the mobile phone. To talk to their neighbours, they visit; and to talk to their families, they send SOS. Even most importantly, a large number of our farmers do not have the required literacy to manage those demanding things, and who is to teach them? But what do you know? The government insists it knows what the farmers want: mobile phones. I suspect those phones are coming from a source which has tied the supply of fertilizer to the purchase of the phone to farmers. In other words, the government has done what it thinks to be some neat packaging of ideas and products without considering all the issues.

    I honestly do not know how this phone thing can work. Do you know sir how many phones will be spoilt, lost or stolen within a week of taking delivery? Besides, how on earth can a phone enhance the growth of a farmer’s farm or his farming methods? Listen, dear government, what farmers need is a facilitated access to soft loans from banks so that they can have some long-term plans for their farms and be able to purchase items they want such as fertilizer or tractors on the open market like anyone else. Fertilizer can be subsidized; even end products can be subsidized but not at the expense of the free will to grow. Then, each can move from subsistence farming to large-scale farming at their own pace. Otherwise sir, you just may hear your phone lines crossing one day and someone saying, ‘Eh hen, Baba Sikira, now I have a phone; are you going to let me take Sikira as my third wife now?’ Then you will appreciate, as I have done, that silence is golden.