The Nation Newspaper

Tag: London

  • An Evening with Pacino

    An Evening with Pacino

    Leading financial alchemist, DVK, a global boutique private equity and commodity trading company, has  announced its strategic partnership with the European Premiere of An Evening with Pacino at the London Palladium on June 2  , this year.

    The announcement follows the launch of DVK’s film and entertainment fund which will be governed by a leading international law firm Mishcon De Reya and structured by the world’s largest professional services firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

    Tickets for the eagerly anticipated event with Al Pacino went on sale on Friday 5th of April, and sold-out in less than 24 hours, as demand soared to see the legendary actor of the silver screen.

    ‘An Evening with Pacino’ will explore the myriad highlights of one of the most celebrated careers in acting history, from his time off-Broadway in the 60s to the present day, with the actor himself, in intimate theatre surrounds.

    It will include an on-stage interview projected on a state-of-the-art large screen, bringing the action closer to the audience. This very special event will also give audience members a rare chance to speak directly to Al Pacino in an audience question and answer session.

    At the event DVK will be hosting an exclusive and select number of high profile, influential individuals, who will be flown to London from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Qatar, Bahrain, Russia, Israel and USA, for private meet and greet opportunities with the iconic legend and to attend a VVIP intimate dinner with Al Pacino himself.

    Excited to be performing in a city so rich in art and culture, Al Pacino said: “I am really looking forward to coming to London. I have always felt at home there. I consider it an honour to be appearing at the Palladium and I will be glad to be back on the boards in your great city.”

    One of the very few actors to have won the Triple Crown in acting (Oscar, Emmy and Tony awards), winning his first Tony in 1969 for Does A Tiger Wear A Necktie, Al Pacino won world-wide acclaim for his role as Michael Corleone in the Godfather, which also gave him his first of eight Academy Award nominations.

    An enduring and highly regarded acting career has followed with standout performances in Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico, Scarface, Sea of Love, Glengarry Glen Ross, Heat, Donnie Brasco, and Scent of a Woman for which he won the Best Actor award at the 1992 Oscars.

    He has also directed and produced several films including Looking For Richard and the soon to be released Wilde-Salomé and Salomé starring Jessica Chastain as Oscar Wilde’s Salomé. With an enduring devotion to acting Al Pacino has become one of film and theatre’s most respected players and one of the most famous and loved actors in the world.

    Deepak Kuntawala says: “”DVK is delighted to be partnering with An Evening with Pacino in London. Al Pacino is a global icon and one of the greatest actors in the world. DVK has recently launched an entertainment investment fund platform, which will focus on financing the world’s best entertainment and film projects one of which being the forthcoming event with Al Pacino.

    He has been one of my favourite actors since I was young and we are absolutely thrilled that our first project is with him. This is going to be very much ‘one moment in time and a once in a life-time opportunity that one must seize.”

  • NDLEA probes arrest of two Arik Air crew in London

    •’We are cooperating with the authorities over the arrest’

    The Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr. Ahmadu Giade, has ordered the investigation of two crew members of the Arik Air arrested at the Heathrow Airport, London in connection with alleged drug trafficking.

    It was learnt that a member of the crew, Temitayo Olubunmi Daramola, was allegedly found in possession of 6kg of cocaine and another member, Delita Abibimgbi, was allegedly found with 60 packets of cigarettes.

    The Arik Air flight reportedly took off from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos on May 20.

    Eight of the 10 crew members, who travelled with the flight, have been cleared. The remaining two are being held in London.

    Arik Air said yesterday that it is cooperating with the United Kingdom authorities over the arrests.

    The airline, according to its media officer, Mr. Adebanji Ola, remains committed to the fight against illicit substance trafficking and will not tolerate the use of its aircraft or crew for the courier of banned items and substances.

     

     

     

     

     

  • London, queen and a journalist

    London, queen and a journalist

    When the transworld Airbus began its final descent, trepidation trailed human expectancy.

    Then the Luxury Qartar Plane en-route Doha, Landed safely at Heathrow Airport, ending the second trunk of a 14-hour flight that started in Lagos on a warm bright Saturday, 7:45pm.

    Tired but excited, I seized the moment in my first step on British soil.

    The mind wandered in random thoughts. London and the Queen. Ancient history and ethereal Royalty. Two phenomena Interlaced in mythic destiny.

    I remembered colonialism, that eerie word that sounds like a poem. I first heard of it from my village headmaster. As little pupils fascinated by moonlight tales and nursery rhymes, our teacher’s story of British colonialism was always awe inspiring.

    He thought us to sing at special occasions like independence anniversary or visit of a VIP from the city:

    “1960 Nigeria Nwelu Independence (x2). Ada Oyibo ana, Ochi chi oyibo ana.

    Anyi Ekene Azikiwe” This translates in English:

    “1960 Nigeria gained independence (x2) The Queen has gone. Colonialism has gone. We salute Azikiwe”

    Some times when our bespectacled head teacher disappeared from school, he would return days later to announce to a captive audience. “I travelled to London to see the Queen.”

    Fourty years after I left Ikeke Primary School in my Idumuje-Unor homeland, here I am in London! Will I see the Queen? I mused, recalling in evergreen memory, the earthy fun of Oyibundu, my good old elementary teacher (God bless his soul).

    Samuel, a calm Indian mini bus driver was our guide on my first day in London.

    As he ferried me along with some of my colleagues from Delta State, he appeared too busy on the wheels of his gleaming Roomy Volkswagen.

    All through our over half an hour drive from the Airport, he was generally taciturn to my restive enquiries.

    We stayed at Britannia International Hotel, an iconic resort that stood shoulders high beside JP Morgan Towers, controversial financial firm touted to be the managers of Nigeria’s foreign reserves.

    Ten minutes walk from Britannia sat O2 Arena, a magnificent theatre, where legendary Michael Jackson was billed to have his last dance. But death cancelled all that. A shouting distance from the Hotel lies Canary Wharf Train station, London’s busiest underground terminal, conveying over one million commuters to various destinations daily. Directly opposite Canary Wharf Train Station stand in majestic splendour, the object of my London trip. Welcome to Reuters!

    The Reuters building is shaped like SilverBird Galleria, in Victoria Island, Lagos but far bigger in size and grandeur.

    Reuters is a tall beautiful dome of polished steel and the finest of glass architecture, almost kissing the skyline.

    With its stunning outlook, Reuters London headquarters sat delicately by the scenic courtyard of Docklands Canary Wharf Station, like the Egyptian goddess Cleopatra on the doting embrace of Roman Emperor, Julius Ceaser. When I eventually set my foot one cold Monday morning on the largest news room in the world, with 12 other Nigerian journalists, a life long feeling of fulfillment welled up my entire being. With all modesty, I have travelled the world as a Journalist and pageant connoisseur; Norway, Cayman Island, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Kenya, Ghana, Gambia…

    Save for South Africa, where I had nurtured enduring acquaintances and deep personal attachment to inimitable Madiba (Nelson Mandela), no journey would fascinate me like the Reuters experience. Established by a British entrepreneur, Paul Julius Reuter, it has a 160 year history trailed by land- marks.

    With age old reputation for excellent journalism, most of the defining moments in global news break came through Reuters. The Titanic shipwreck of 1912, assassination of America’s Abraham Lincoln and America in Orbit, 1968 were delivered first to the world by Reuters.

    Also it broke the news of 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall, capture of Saddan Hussein in 2003 and killing of Libya’s Muamah Gadaffi in 2011, among other more recent events.

    Every news story that shook the world since the past 100 years had the signature of Reuters.

    In a briefing by Belinda Goldsmith, Reuters editorial Training Director, we were told that the organisation is the biggest news media in the world employing “over 60,000 with 2, 900 Journalists reporting from over 200 countries”.

    Two veteran journalists who had worked for Reuters, Mathieu Robbins and Andrew Dobbie led us as programme instructors into the “trust principles” of the world famous news agency.

    The one week engagement was open, frank and interactive as the duo joined us to share revealing individual experiences in the world of journalism. While we proudly informed our London hosts about the vibrant character of the Nigerian press, even in the face of socio-economic and political odds, their lessons on ethical journalism was a bitter pill to swallow.

    A Reuters Reporter is not permitted to take favours in whatever guise not even a bag of Christmas rice. Brown Envelope is a non issue.

    Pecuniary benefits no matter the intention of the giver could spell compromise with the consequence of dismissal for a Reuters journalist. A story laced with falsehood or mischief can send you to jail. News must be presented with balance and dispassionate objectivity. Ethics is everything. A Reuters Reporter has no reason to cut corners. The salary is comparable to the pay of a Bank executive or a legislator in Nigeria. But every one works hard to earn a living in the organization typical of London. The work culture has zero tolerance for indiscipline of any sort. Fortune brought us to London.I met Belen Baccera, (Reuters Staff who facilitated the training) via cyber space. After about 70 email exchanges, spanning almost a year, the caring and attentive lady pulled the course through.

    We learnt useful but different lessons in England.

    London is too cosmopolitan and less communal. The residents generally do not have time for greetings or pleasantries. Everyone is in a cocoon. The bohemian spirit and humanity back home are rare here.

    You are on your own. No brother’s keeper. Your closest neighbor is a distant stranger. He does not exist. But there is an exception to every human circumstance. Everyone at Britannia Hotels: manger, porter and waiter proved quite hospitable. Like every capitalist setting, they were strictly business minded without being impolite.

    They complimented the warm courtesies of Reuters staff who were always willing to guide us in and out of the office. If you love tea or coffee, you will indulge yourself with abandon at Reuters. We drank buckets. Maybe because of the cold weather or sheer appetite for the beverage, which was tempting. At break intervals between hours, no one guzzled less than 3 cups, an average of 15 cups a day.

    Perhaps too tired from the rigours of class work and random shopping in London, not many of my fellow journalists were ready to visit key places of interest. I had to persuade Michael Ikeogwu and his co Pointer reporter Dennis Otu, Chido Okafor (The Guardian) Shola O Neil (The Nation) and the only female journalist on the trip, Mercy Muemufo of DBS Asaba to come with me to popular sites in London, especially Buckingham Palace. I saw Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus Olympic City in Stratford, River Thames and the famed London Tower Bridge among others.

    But did I see the queen? We arrived there to meet thousands of tourists from across the world.

    We came right on time to watch the royal sentries change guard in a solemn but lavish parade. The atmosphere was glorious in the sprawling Buckingham Palace arena. The amazingly colourful spectacle I saw on TV years back during the elaborate wedding of Lady Diana to Prince Charles was unfolding before my very eyes. A dense sea of human heads swarmed the surroundings. I had to stretch my neck to catch a glimpse of the proceedings with animated concentration. Every now and then, my camera was clicking away. Oh no!. I was disappointed to learn shortly that Queen Elizabeth II had retired into her royal chambers and would not be coming out any longer for that day.

    Then it suddenly dawned on me that I had to move on briskly, to prepare for a long flight home ward bound.

     

    Chiazor is the chairman

    Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ

    Delta State Council.

     

  • LearnAfrica exhibits Nigerian books in London

    LEARNAFRICA Nigeria Plc, formerly Longman Nigeria Plc, has restated the commitment to continue to celebrate indigenous authors at home and abroad.

    At the just concluded 2013 edition of the London Book Fair, LearnAfrica was the only Nigerian publishing company that hoisted the country’s flag.

    The books exhibited at the fair, include Dayo Oladele-Ilori’s Cruel Passion, Wale Okediran’s After the Flood, Vincent Chukwuemeka Ike’s Conspiracy of Silence, Femi Osofisan’s Twingle Twangle, Dibia Humphrey’s A Drop of Mercy, Uche Bialonwu’s The Long Claws of Fate, Iheanyichukwu Duruoha’s Eaters of Dust, Ifeoma Okoye’s Chimere, Grace Akpan’s Spider Web, Bayo Williams’ The Year of the Locusts and Emeka Nwabueze’s Guardian of the Cosmos, among others.

    According to Mr Allwell Nwankwo, the Head of Marketing of the company, the fair is a global marketplace for rights negotiation, sale and distribution of content across print, audio, TV, film and digital channels.

    While saying that the fair attracted more than 1,500 exhibitors from 113 countries and over 25,000 participants, Nwankwo said: “We are here to show the world, once again, the quality of content from Nigeria, especially in creative writing.”

    He added: “That’s indeed the least we can do for a country that has produced iconic writers that are respected across the world. We have a rich history of producing world class works and we should continue to make them available at global publishing forums like the London Book Fair, in addition to other channels we currently use. We appreciate the great enthusiasm visitors to our stand have shown.”

    The company, he noted exhibited its popular Tenderfoot series for children comprising, Nigerian language texts in Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba and other creative writing series such as Gong, Leopard and Palm Library, all of which captivated the attention of visitors.

     

  • World Book Capital team in Bangkok, excites London fans

    World Book Capital team in Bangkok, excites London fans

    The Port Harcourt World Book Capital 2014 team was honoured by the Deputy Mayor of Bangkok, Mr Amorn Kitchawangkul, at the launch of the Thai City’s tenure as UNESCO World Book Capital City (WBCC) for this year.

    The team was presented with some gifts by Kitchawangkul at the opening of special events to mark Thai City as World Book Capital this year.

    Bangkok will accept the WBCC baton on April 23 – World Book and Copyright Day – from the Armenian city of Yerevan, which had a successful run last year.

    UNESCO confers the WBCC on a city in recognition of its dedication to promoting books and reading. Port Harcourt has been nominated as Bangkok’s successor, thanks to a bid put forward by the Rainbow Book Club, which is working in conjunction with the Rivers State government.

    The Port Harcourt team has been focusing on promoting the plans for next year, and networking to form strategic partnerships. Fresh from a successful run at the London Book Fair, it is set to participate in the Bangkok opening events alongside delegates from some countries, including Armenia, Russia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Singapore and China.

    Delegates will be treated to cultural displays and literary exhibitions, and they will witness the launch of a number of initiatives for the year. Rainbow Book Club founder Mrs Koko Kanlango attended an international conference with theme Reading for the Future, the Future of Reading last Sunday, as part of the inaugural events. The Port Harcourt team will learn from Bangkok as the countdown to 2014 begins.

    Also at the London Book Fair earlier in the week, the team drew media attention to its exciting events for 2014.

    The London Book Fair ran from April 15 to 17, and it attracted the press, publishers, writers and literary enthusiasts from across the world. Most of the participants at the fair flocked the Port Harcourt stand.

    Excited attendees expressed their admiration for the work of the Rainbow Book Club. The positive reception came from industry insiders and the reading public. A British fan of Nigerian literature was startled and pleasantly surprised to learn that Port Harcourt had been given the prestigious title of World Book Capital City. She said she hoped that promoting literacy in Rivers State would have a ripple effect on other parts of the country. This is the aim of the 2014 initiative – to impact not just Port Harcourt but Nigeria and the wider African Continent.

    Another visitor, Mr. Isaac Jaiyeoba, an IT consultant, said: “This is exciting because it is exactly what Nigeria needs, a positive story.”

    Our positive story has also been picked up by the media. Mrs Kalango spoke to the BBC World Service’s Focus on Africa programme. Last Wednesday, in a special arts and culture segment on London’s popular Colourful Radio, another team member talked on the impact the UNESCO award hope to have on reading and development in the Garden City in 2014 on London’s popular Colourful Radio this Wednesday afternoon.

    The Port Harcourt World Book Capital City team is dedicated to raising the country’s profile on the international scene and the wealth of literary talent coming out of Nigeria has been a key focus of their discussions with visitors to their stand. The stand showcases some of this talent in the form of books produced by local authors and publishers such as the beautiful new illustrated coffee table version of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart published by Bookcraft and Farafina Publishers’ book Introducing Nigeria. Also on display are samples of Rainbow’s soon to be released anthology of 50 great Nigerian writers entitled: Nigerian Literature: A Coat of Many Colours.

  • MEDICINE SEMINAR Eagles’ doctor, physio in London

    MEDICINE SEMINAR Eagles’ doctor, physio in London

    SUPER EAGLES’ medical doctor, Dr. Ibrahim Gyaran and physiotherapist, Mr. Wale Oladejo are in the United Kingdom for a three-day seminar on football medicine.

    As the Nigeria Football Federation countenances a very busy summer with the Senior National Team due to engage in a high-profile international friendly match in the United States of America, two crucial 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches and the prestigious FIFA Confederations Cup, the two key officials are in the London to further improve their knowledge of treatment of Super Eagles’ players.

    The theme of the seminar, taking place at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre and Wembley Stadium, London between 20th – 22nd April, is “Football Medicine Strategy on Muscle and Tendon Injuries in Football Players”.

    Oladejo said: “We are very grateful for this opportunity to brush up our knowledge and capacity for taking good medical care of our National Team players. It is a marvellous opportunity.”

    The seminar is being sponsored by The Football Association and F-MARC, world football governing body, FIFA’s medical group.

  • Port Harcourt team for London fair

    After emerging as the UNESCO World Book Capital City 2014, the Nigerian metropolis of Port Harcourt will host series of events lined up under the theme; Books: Windows to Our World of Possibilities. But in London, the team behind Port Harcourt’s historic bid for the World Book Capital City title will be at this year’s London Book Fair from Monday April 15 till Wednesday 17, to share their vision of literary programmes and interactive activities designed to celebrate Nigeria’s literary culture, promote reading and broaden the horizons of the nation’s young people.

    Port Harcourt was best known as the hub of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry but in recent years, it has emerged as a significant literary destination in sub-Saharan Africa, partly due to the success of the annual Garden City Literary Festival, which draws writers, publishers, academics and the reading public from around Africa to a week-long celebration of literature and the arts.

    Port Harcourt is the first sub-Saharan African city to hold the title and the first African city to win by public bid.

    It will be the 14thWorld Book Capital City when it takes over from Bangkok in April 2014. As 2014 is the 100th anniversary of the creation of Nigeria, the city will be celebrating with a range of events including initiatives to inspire young writers, engaging the community in literary and arts exhibitions, promoting the publishing industry, building capacity for the running of libraries and book clubs and the creation of collaborative publications such as The Walking Book and an anthology of 100 Nigerian writers entitled Nigerian Literature: A Coat of Many Colours. The emphasis is on empowering Nigeria’s greatest resource – its youthful human capital.

     

  • Tribune Publisher Wole Awolowo dies at 70

    Tribune Publisher Wole Awolowo dies at 70

    Chief  Oluwole Awolowo, Publisher of Tribune Newspapers  is dead.

    A statement by the Managing Director/ Editor -in- Chief of African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Mr Edward Dickson confirmed that Chief Awolowo, 70,  died at  5.40pm on Wednesday at Wellington hospital, St Johnswood, London following complications arising from a car crash that occurred on September 30, 2006.

    “He had been in and out of hospital, home and abroad, since he was involved in the ghastly accident seven years ago on the Lagos- Ibadan expressway.

    “Despite his health challenges following the accident, Chief Awolowo devoted his life to the service of God and was deeply involved in evangelical activities. In the past four years, he authored a Christian column, OBA’S LECTERN, in the Sunday Tribune. “He fought a good fight and has gone to rest with his Maker. We ask for prayers at this most trying time for the Awolowo family and for the ANN Plc,” Dickson stated.

    Born in December 3, 1942, the son of the late elderstatesman  attended Ibadan Grammar School and later proceeded to Leighton Park School, Reading, Berdshire, England for further studies.

    He graduated in Business Studies in the early sixties from Leeds College of Commerce.

  • African art fair holds in London

    Afair for African art, which is being organised by 1:54 Contemporary African Art fair is scheduled to debut in London, U.K. It is in partnership with a media house, IC publications. Founded by Touria El Glaoui, daughter of celebrated Moroccan artist Hassan El Glaoui, 1:54 contemporary African Art Fair will be the first international art fair dedicated exclusively to contemporary African Art, and will run concurrently with the world renowned London Frieze Art Fair from October 14 to 20.

    The Fair will be held in the historic setting of Somerset House in Central London and will be designed by award winning Ghanian/British architect, David Adjaye- the man responsible for the Nobel peace centre in Oslo and the forthcoming $500million National Museum Of African- American History and Culture in Washington D.C

    Founder of 1:54, Touria El Glaoui, said: “We are very excited to have IC publications as our media partner for 1:54, the first Fair dedicated to contemporary African Art.

    The fair aims to promote on an international level established and emerging talents from Africa and the African Diaspora.”

    Managing Director of IC publications, Omar Ben Yedder said: “African art is finally getting the attention its artists and art deserves and 1:54 will be a show case for a lot of what is good in African art today.”

    We are truly excited about 1:54. I’m delighted as this is something that is very close to me personally.“

  • Court orders Access Bank to withdraw suit against Ubah

    Court orders Access Bank to withdraw suit against Ubah

    … And Capital Oil

    A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday ordered Access Bank Plc to withdraw a suit it filed against Capital Oil and Gas Limited and its promoter, Ifeanyi Ubah in England.

    The court ordered the bank to discontinue the suit within 48 hours and exhibit a notice of discontinuance at the next hearing date.

    Justice Okon Abang, in a ruling, faulted the bank’s decision to secure an order from a London Court despite a subsisting order of his court barring Access bank and others from interfering with the properties and business interests of Capital Oil and Gas Limited pending the determination of a suit by Ubah and his company.

    The judge upheld argument by lawyer to Ubah, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) that, by heading for London over a dispute in relation to a transaction that took place in Nigeria, the bank has “ridiculed the Nigerian judiciary.”

    He restrained the bank from enforcing the order made by the London Court against the assets and business interests of Capital Oil.

    The judge held that Ubah was at liberty to apply to his court for leave to commence contempt proceedings against bank and its principal officers.

    He further held the Ubah and his company could sue for damages if they so wish.

    The ruling was on an application by Ubah and his company, challenging the propriety of a worldwide assets freezing order obtained by Access bank from the London court on November 9 last year, in relation to issues that formed the subject of the pending suit before the Nigerian court.

    Olanipekun had argued on Friday that the respondents in the suit before the Nigerian court -Access and Coscharis Motors Limited violated the earlier order of the court.