The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Talents

  • Minister, foreign partners, others hunt talents at Obasa cup

    Minister, foreign partners, others hunt talents at Obasa cup

    The minister of state for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has promised a partnership between the federal government and the sporting community in Agege to make the Obasa Cup football tournament a state-wide event.

    Olawande made the promise at the weekend at the Anwaru-Islam School venue of the final sporting event which began a month ago in honour of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

    This was even as top European football agents, Sosnovchi Veniami and Sharif Tariq as well as Busola Akinyemi, acclaimed FIFA player agent and Alhaji Datti Umar Yusuf of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), identified talents who they plan to nurture for national and international placements.

    This was contained in a statement issued by Eromosele Ebhomele, the

    Chief Press Secretary to Obasa on Sunday, December 10.

    Speaking at the event, Olawande stressed the need for constant youth engagements by well-meaning Nigerians adding that the government was open to ideas that would give citizens of young ages a sense of belonging.

    The minister, while commending Abdul-Ganiyu Vinod Obasa, founder of Vinod Football Academy and organiser of the tournament, for the positive impact in the youth of Agege, said he would be a part of further discussions to expand the scope of the tournament.

    In his remarks, Tayo Ayinde, Chief of Staff to the Governor of Lagos state,  Babajide Sanwo-Olu, promised to sponsor some of the local footballers to Spain to play professionally.

    “A football club is coming from Spain by February 2024 to harness talents in Lagos and they will start from Agege,” he said while urging Abdul-Ganiyu not to relent in making Agege the hub of football talents in the state.”

    Also speaking at the event, speaker Obasa noted that beyond sports, the event inadvertently celebrated Agege and its richness.

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    The speaker, who noted the importance of sports in any society that aims at development, said it was in the interest of the public that the Lagos Sports Commission Law was amended to broaden the vision of the state in that area.

    He said: “Looking at the developed nations, you would see that the sports industry has become so great to the extent that we now have no choice than to attend to the interests of our youth here in Nigeria. We just have to do something.

    “If we put down N20 million annually to grow the Lagos League for example, imagine how many teams would be struggling to win that amount. Let’s put N10 million on boxing or table tennis too and you will see what would happen. This is one of the best ways to take the youth out of the streets.

    “Sports is a way to get out of unemployment and insecurity and I have told the Commissioner for Sports that we have to do this together for the interest of the public.

    “Imagine the number of people that would gather should an Agege team be playing a team from Lagos Island. Also imagine how this would boost micro and small businesses and the economy at such times.”

    Thanking the organiser of the tournament and his team, the Speaker promised to be involved in subsequent editions so that the event would spread across the entire state.

    Abdul-Ganiyu said he decided to establish a football academy and the sporting event to bridge a gap and reduce the lapses in grassroots sports development that need to be corrected.

    “Apart from that, there are too many talents at the grassroots, but very limited opportunities to bring them to the forefront. I felt there was a need to change the narrative.”

  • Uche Jombo urges young talents to embrace collaboration

    Uche Jombo urges young talents to embrace collaboration

    Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Uche Jombo, has urged young talents to embrace collaboration as she shared her insights and encouragement during a recent industry event.

    Speaking passionately about the importance of collaboration, Jombo emphasised the importance of unity and teamwork within the industry.

    She further emphasised that young talents should look beyond individualism and embrace partnerships to achieve growth.

    Jombo, whose new movie, ‘Onyegwu’ premiered at the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) believes that collaborating with fellow creatives can lead to the creation of unique and innovative works.

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    In her words, “Most of them have not gotten to a place where they are funding their own project, when you get to a place where you’re funding your own project you will know that we all kind of need each other, you will know that you have to support each other generally there’s a reason why a film is a collective effort, it’s not music.

    “There’s a director, sometimes there’s an assistant director, it takes a village to make a film. It is a collective effort and it is a collective industry so even if you don’t know when starting, in the course of your career you will learn.”

  • Talents compete for N2m as Enugu hosts Hi-Life Fest

    The coal city of Enugu is set to host the grand finale of Hi-Life Fest on Saturday, June 2, 2018 where contestants will be vying for a N2m prize.

    The talent hunt which is aimed at celebrating the heritage of Igbo people through music, has featured acts from seven state auditions. Over the past weekend, the indigenous highlife music competition took the talent hunt to Onitsha, Anambra State, where the remaining contestants – five groups in the traditional dance category and 10 singers in the highlife music category – slugged it out for a place in the finals.

    And competing for the grand prize in the Hi-life music category are Dons Ifeanyi Frank (Anambra), Kalapi Ojuka (Port-Harcout), Emmanuel Agbom (Delta), Uwazie Chuks Arthur (Imo), Chinedu Obiajulu Ada-Chi (Enugu) while the traditional dance category will feature Kanaowo Dance group (Port-Harcourt), Noel Cultural Entertainment (Ebonyi), Asinodricks Africa (Imo) and Umuchiziri Egwu Cultural Dance (Enugu).

    One of the finalist Ada-Chi said – “I am so glad to be the only woman to make it to the grand finale in the singing category considering the fact that it is a male dominated activity, I am still here and I hope to clinch the grand prize.”

    Last year, Chibest David from Imo (Owerri) won the maiden edition of the the Fest. The Enugu finals of the Hi Life fest, an initiative of Life Continental Lager Beer which is brewed by Nigerian Breweries Plc, will feature performances from Onyeka Owenu, Phyno, Bright Chimezie, Obiligbo Brothers, Tipsy Kelvano and Chibest David.

    Speaking ahead of the event, Bright Chimezie said: “All the cities we have been to for the festival has featured very talented artistes. It will be interesting to see who eventually emerges the winner at the grand finale. However, I want to emphasize even more on the unity that this competition represents for the Igbo people and the country at large. Beyond whoever wins, the ultimate goal is celebrate Igbo culture through highlife music.”

    The Portfolio Manager – Mainstream Lager and Stout Brands, Nigerian Breweries, Mr. Emmanuel Agu said, “Hilife fest is a show of the commitment of Life Continental Lager beer, the Igbo man’s partner in progress, to continue promoting and propagating the beautiful heritage of the Igbo people through highlife music.

    “We understand how much these classic tunes mean to the consumers and are delighted to bring this music fest to them. Seeing all the honed talents, and the beautiful performances at the quarter and semi finale concerts, have been a joy to behold and we look forward to working with the winners in managing their talent and preserving the beautiful highlife culture.”

    Enugu, which hosts two important annual Igbo traditional festivals – the Mmanwu festival and New Yam festival – has taken further steps to create more festivals which are managed by Enugu council of Arts and Culture.

  • Why Nigerian talents perform better outside

    The takeoff point for my reflection in this article is my experience with recruitment both as a public officer and even after my retirement from public service. There is no human resource manager in Nigeria in the public and the private sector that will not be familiar with this tragic experience. There are some positions to be filled; an advert is placed in the newspapers and what happens? Thousands respond to just two or three or 10 spots. And these are not just mere Nigerians; they are super qualified and have been roaming the Nigerian streets for years, writing applications and making ends meet. Some three years ago, there was a sensational outcry when PhDs allegedly responded to an advert for drivers in Dangote Cement. If we check some other lowly sites in the job market, I am sure we will find more sensational news that strike at the heart of Nigeria’s youth unemployment tragedy.

    I used to be a permanent secretary at Federal Ministry for Labour and Productivity, and I am aware of some of the policy disequilibrium and administrative bottlenecks that stifle labour matters and prevent efficient productivity. But nothing trumps youth unemployment as the number one condition that undermines the link between the availability of vast human capital creativity and a national economic framework waiting to be creatively transformed by the boundless energies of the Nigerian youth. We really do not need a prophet to intimate us of the possibility of not dealing with the restiveness that comes from allowing the unemployment statistics to keep growing out of proportion. Increasing criminality will actually be the first stage in an imminent social conflagration whose consequences we may not be able to contain. On the other hand, we also do not need a seer to project the immense and entirely positive effects of channeling the raw entrepreneurial thinking of Nigerian youth into all sectors of the Nigerian society and economy.

    There is therefore a fundamental question we cannot run away from: Why do Nigerians perform better in other climes than their own fatherland? Recently, I got a post on Whatsapp detailing, in statistics, the global, and even ancient and continental, achievements of Nigerians. Consider these: Nigerians are the most educated diaspora community in the United States; the designer of Chevrolet Volt, Jelani Aliyu is a Nigerian; the Imafidon family has been voted as the smartest family in the UK; Toyin Falola is about the most decorated African scholar in the world today; seven Nigerian youngsters recently elected into UK parliament, and the story goes on, from academics to engineering, from investment to politics, and from entertainment to emerging technologies, and from sports to fashion.. We have heard the story of Anthony Joshua, the boxer, and countless other sports persons whom Nigerian authorities rejected but who later went on to make a name for themselves and their adopted countries. We have heard of individual Nigerians who were driven from their fatherland only to rebound in friendlier atmospheres.

    So, what do we make of celebrating the global achievements of Nigerians in this context? Of course, it tells us what we all already know—that Nigerians are smart people with latent possibilities. But it seems we all know this except the government of Nigeria. Or, put in a better sense, Nigeria’s institutional dynamics is rigged in a manner that it rejects its own talents and continues to wallow in underdevelopment. This is the real tragedy of nation building in Nigeria. F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American writer captures the pessimistic depth of our condition: “Show me a hero and I will write you a tragedy.” No one can doubt Nigeria’s heroic foreign policy and peacekeeping efforts across Africa, for instance. Yet, we that can put others’ houses in shape have refused to confront our own dilemma: we have a huge army of unemployed youth and yet we are at a policy loss how to convert their entrepreneurial energies into productivity wealth. This is the open secret of most developing economies all across the world.

    The story is different in Nigeria because we seem to have perfected the act of politicizing or toying cogent development variables in ways that undermine our development drives and aspirations. The 2014 Nigerian Immigration Services recruitment tragic exercise is a case in point where a lot of Nigerians lost their lives trying to vie for just 5000 employment slots. After that incident, politics took over, and the lesson of the tragedy became lost. But that lesson still stares us in the face: Unemployment is not only killing the Nigerian youth, it is equally undermining Nigeria’s progress. There is no thinking nation that will deny the relationship between human capital development and national development and progress. It is in this sense that the youth are the future of any country. It is also in this sense that the leadership is often concerned about policies that have the youth as its focus. This is why unemployment is not only a socio-economic but also a moral problem. Thus, if Nigerians have succeeded immensely in other places, why are they not succeeding here? This is where we confront an institutional dysfunction that lacks the critical capacity to inculcate and harness the potentiality that the Nigerian youth represents.

    The institutional problem is located at two levels. The first level concerns those institutions charged with producing human capitals. And I have the tertiary institutions in mind here, and a higher education reform blueprint. It is not just sufficient to churn out graduates but only those that are functional enough to engage Nigeria’s predicament at the entrepreneurial level. This therefore requires a crucial institutional cum curricular reform that can adequately transform what is taught and who teaches in our schools. We have a sufficiently large number of tertiary institutions to create a functional pool of human capital that can redress Nigeria’s development impasse. But success must really be defined in terms of youth who will graduate without pining after white collar employment. If the tertiary institutions fail to tap into the entrepreneurial spirit of the Nigerian youth, then higher education has failed Nigeria. On the other hand, we have a host of other administrative institutions, especially the executive arm of government, which is tasked with the responsibility of harnessing the knowledge, technical insights and vocational techniques that the youth have been armed with. However, the starting point for a transformatory reform in this context is simple: education and employment are correlatives that cannot be politicised.

    Politics is often the enemy of reform since the two hardly have the same objectives. Politicians sometimes want to grandstand over what is superficial; reforms take time and reformers must patiently calibrate the reform elements while watching out for critical landmines. And a clash often becomes inevitable. However, the moment the Nigerian government understands that reform must sometimes defeat facile political gaming, then that would be the moment to bend political will to the urgent tasks of national development.

    The Nigerian youth are not to blame for whatever is happening in terms of development in Nigeria. All they ever want is some form of policy action that would not only involve them as active participants, but would also actively formulate and implement wide ranging institutional reforms, starting with the Nigerian Constitution, which will give the youth a critical participatory voice in their own country, and enable them to flourish in their fatherland. Anthony Joshua, the Nigerian-born boxing rave, was eager to fight for Nigeria about nine years ago. He was blatantly rejected, and Great Britain claimed him. Now, it is time for Nigeria to pick her bruised and battered youth from the shameful heap of unemployment and mould them into what we can be proud ten years from now.

     

    • Dr. Olaopa is executive vice-chairman, Ibadan School of Government & Public Policy.
  • GCGT 7: Talents hit Port Harcourt with a bang

    GCGT 7: Talents hit Port Harcourt with a bang

    The train of judges of Great Talent God’s Children season 7 (GCGT7), officially stopped in Port Harcourt, on April 21, 2017, to meet contestants who reportedly hit the Hotel Presidential, Aba Road, as early as 7am.

    The audition had youngsters between ages 5 – 20 years showcasing their talents in music, comedy, dance and spoken word during the preliminary selection.

    Port Harcourt’s finest entertainment and media personalities – Duncan Mighty, gospel artiste Preye Odede, radio presenter, Eldee Xtra Large, gospel singers, Preye Omayuku, Afy Douglas, singer and choreographer, Bobby Blankson, Season 2 winner of Nigerian Idol, Mercy Chinwe and popular comedian, K.O Baba were on ground to spot out another set of great talents amidst contestants who showed up for the auditions.

    11-year-old Nengi Jaja wowed the Port Harcourt judges with his amazing voice and his performance, which made Duncan Mighty and other scouts to request for a photo session. The incident earned him the nickname ‘moniker’, by Duncan Mighty.

    Participants who missed audition opportunity in Port Harcourt, as stated by the organisers can still register for the Lagos auditions by walking into the venue on April 28 and 29, 2017 at Ultima Studios, Lekki, Lagos.

    God’s Children Great talent (GCGT), Africa’s biggest youth talent competition, is an initiative by City of David Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God that identifies and celebrates talents in children and young adults from age five to 20 years.

  • More talents to unearth as BBN returns

    More talents to unearth as BBN returns

    From Timi Dakolo of West African Idol to Chidinma Ekile of MTN Project Fame; Uti Nwachukwu of Big Brother Africa (BBA); O.C. Ukeje of Amstel Malta Box Office (AMBO) and Katung Aduwak of Big Brother Nigeria (BBN) among several other celebrities who came to prominence through Reality TV platforms, there are strong indications of process of talent unearthing, skill development and social reinforcement that have confirmed the ‘obscurity to prominence’ phenomenon.

    With the return of BBN this month after a decade of hiatus, there is no gain saying that the Nigerian entertainment space has opened its door to more talent discoveries and a potential millionaire – underscoring the viability of entertainment business in the face of the general outcry of recession.

    An offshoot of BBA which has been criticized in some quarters on moral grounds, it is obvious that the solely Nigerian version of this show tends to avoid such distractions by removing the controversial ‘Shower Hour’ from its outline.

    From a more objective point of view, many see in the sociological-inclined reality show, the inherent lesson in human endurance. On the side of morality and discipline, the house-confining show speaks volume about the level of self-denial by participants, given such ‘private enclosure’.

    Viewers have witnessed contestants who had displayed the most decent character in the House – there are evidences of Housemates who neither display nudity nor drink nor smoke (if those define decency).

    The strength of the show is about that split-of-a-second when a contestant is carried away and gives up his or her pretentious disposition. Experts say it is not possible for you to be in that House and not forget for a moment that you are on television. Thus, many see the tolerance of other people’s attitude in the House as a great virtue, because voters see through the character of the housemates, which invariably influences their votes.

    The daily tasks open contestants’ brain, just as the in-house politics and intrigues pose makes a viewer’s delight as housemates try to outshine one another for the ultimate prize.

    The return of BBN, sponsored by PayPorte, Nigeria’s online store could be another easy entry point for the housemates to make easy inroads into Nollywood.

    Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe, said the show has been repackaged to meet the current socio-economic realities, following the success of the past seasons of BBA. “BBA was popular for its entertainment value and ability to showcase ordinary Africans from different walks of life in extra-ordinary ways. We decided to re-invent the reality show by bringing back the Nigerian version, which we are confident, will draw a pan African audience.”

    Reality TV shows continue to be a conduit for creating stars for Nollywood, world’s second largest movie industry by volume, according to a report published in The Voices Magazine of The British Council, in addition to other entertainment genres. The shows did not only identify talent, but also position the youth for greater opportunities.

    The BBN auditions took place simultaneously in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja with thousands of youth besieging the audition venues to have a chance of being selected to compete for the star prize worth N25 million and a KIA Sorento car.

    Organisers say 12 housemates will slug it out by showcasing their best selves, while also avoiding possible eviction by voters. The show will be broadcast live on dedicated event channels on all DStv packages and on GOtv Plus from January 22, 2017.

  • Etisalat discovers new talents behind the lens

    Etisalat discovers new talents behind the lens

    It was a celebration of top photography talents. Launched in 2010, the Lagos Photo Festival has become a yearly international photography event that seeks to establish a community for contemporary photography, while uniting local and international artists through images that capture individual experiences and identities across the continent.

    For Azu Nwagbogu, the Director, Lagos Photo Foundation, organisers of the festival, the photo feast is more than just a fiesta. “It captures the African story from Africans’ perspective. It enables us to understand why we have to take ownership of our own image and our own story or narratives. In the past, the narratives that were made about Africa or our country were given to us by outsiders. At Lagos Photo, we strive to take ownership of, and  communicate this internationally because the world is shrinking around us. So, it is very important for us to join the digital revolution and begin to communicate the more impactful vision for the country, the continent and for humanity as a whole.”

    With the theme: “Designing Futures”, this year’s edition fielded images by 35 renowned artists from Egypt, France, South Africa, Italy, Ivory Coast, United Kingdom (UK), India, The Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Morocco, DRC, Ghana, Germany, New Zealand, United States (US), Switzerland, Guinea and Nigeria. The month-long event also featured exhibitions, workshops, artist presentations, discussions, screening, and large scale outdoor installations in congested public spaces in Lagos. This year’s theme and conversation of interest explored dialogues surrounding contemporary design in Africa.

    Although the festival has since ended, many will not forget its servings in a hurry.  One of the highlights of this year’s photo fiesta was the Etisalat Photo Competition, an initiative sponsored by Etisalat, Nigeria, which was aimed at empowering budding photographers by giving them a platform for positive engagement through social media and technology. The submission of entries started from July 6 to September 28, through the official LagosPhoto App after which the three winners emerged from votes through the same app.

    According to the Curator, African Artists Foundation (AAF), Cristina De Middel the competition offers a platform for Nigerians to “tell compelling narratives about Africa and Africans through images that are inspired by their creativity”.

    And Kelvin Abidemi Oladiran, a budding photography talent, is one of many talents discovered during the fiesta telling Nigeria’s fashion narrative through his lens.

    Oladiran’s winning entry emerged winner of the 2015 Etisalat Photo Competition in the “Fashion” category.

    With the theme: I love 9ja, the competition was divided into four categories: fashion, places, people and food. There was no winning photograph in the food category.

    Besides choosing the winning entry in each category, the organisers also adjudged the best in the three with Oladiran emerging the overall winner, a prize that comes with a Canon Camera EOS 550D. Adeboye Thomas, whose entry won in the “People” category, was the first runner-up and an iPad Mini Three, while Ima Mfon’s, who won the “Places” category, earned him the prize of the second runner-up and a Nokia Lumia 930 for his effort.

    Having bagged the first place prize, Oladiran said, he is still basking in its euphoria of the month-long feast. Besides, shooting him to limelight, he said, wining has also boosted his passion for photography. “This is very inspiring and encouraging to get rewarded doing what you love to do. I really appreciate Etisalat for this platform they have created for Nigerian youth,” he said.

    At the presentation of prizes, Head, Events and Sponsorship, Etisalat Nigeria, Modupe Thani, said the competition was in line with the company’s vision of encouraging creativity and innovation through the creation of, and support for credible platforms for youths.

    “Etisalat is passionate about innovation and creativity. We have also been in the forefront of promoting excellence, nurturing talent and providing platforms for people to express themselves and communicate their ideas. It is in this light that we have organised the Etisalat Photo Competition and also sponsored the festival right from inception about five years ago.”

    The festival, which opened to the public on October 24 at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, also featured other satellite exhibition venues of Lagos arts and cultural spaces from Omenka Gallery to Africans Artists’ Foundation. It also featured at the Stranger Lagos; Goethe-Institute; Nimbus Gallery; Alara Concept Store; A White Space Gallery Yaba Tech, and Quintessence. Outdoor exhibitions in public spaces included Muri Okunola Park, Falomo Roundabout (Ikoyi), Awojobi Park (Onike), and Freedom Park.

    The participating photographers included: Owise Abuzaid (Egypt); François Beaurain (France); Andile Buka (South Africa); Marco Casino (Italy); Joana Choumali (Ivory Coast); Omar Victor Diop & Antoine Tempé (Senegal & France/USA); Daniel Donnelly (UK); Kadara Enyeasi (Nigeria); Ima Mfon (Nigeria); Delphine Gatinois (France); Robin Hammond (New Zealand) and Navin Kala (India), among others.

    Also speaking on its continued sponsorship of the festival, the Chief Marketing Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Francesco Angelone, said Etisalat is passionate about innovation and creativity. “We have also been in the forefront of promoting excellence, nurturing talent and providing platforms for people to express themselves and communicate their ideas. This is why we created the Etisalat Prize for Literature, the first ever pan-African prize aimed at recognising and celebrating writers and other members of the literary community across Africa. We also inspire creativity and innovation with the Etisalat Prize for Innovat.” …

     

  • Yemi Alade shops for talents

    Yemi Alade shops for talents

    Sultry Nigerian singer who is known to have a knack for celebrating her fans, Yemi Alade, is presently on a talent hunt.

    The singer, tomorrow, October 3, will be giving talented youths to a chance take part in an audition to dance in her music videos. The winner, according to the artiste, will feature in three of Alade’s music videos, in addition to being hired as a contract dancer.

    The audition is set to take place at 10, Yemi Ogunniyi Street, Ajao Estate, Lagos, Nigeria.

    The singer, who was among the guest artistes who groomed the contestants of the just concluded MTN Project Fame West African, took to her Instagram to share her pride; as Jeffray Akoh, one of the contestants she groomed, emerged winner of the competition.

    She posted: “When the contestant you groomed for a few days and a few hours emerges winner of the West African project fame finale 2015…it’s like your own child brought back a first class!!! Reminds me of my days as a contestant in the peak talent show finals…it takes a winner to make a winner!!Congratulations again @jeffray_akoh.”

    Yemi Eberechi Alade, known as Yemi Alade, is a Nigerian Afro pop singer. She came into the limelight after winning the Peak Talent Show in 2009. She is best known for her hit single Johnny.

  • We match education with talents’

    Proprietor of Prestige International School, Calabar, Cross River State capital, Mrs Mayen Inyanya Mbuk, has said children’s education should be tailored along their talents than what their parents and society expect.

    At the school’s end-of-year programme, Mrs Inyanya Mbuk said every child is unique, hence, the need to acknowledge their uniqueness from a very early age.

    She said: “Today, we celebrate our children. They are stars and special and that is how we see them. It is not about being first or second in class. All that is good; but it is more about expressing their talents and being the best. It is that talent that makes you unique and that is what we do here. We try and discover and bring out the uniqueness of these children and we build on it.”

    She continued: “It is not every child that must be a physicist, or doctor. We realise that from the beginning and that is our niche. Our focus here is on the early years.

    “We want to ensure that the foundation is proper. Once that is done, then it would be easy for the child to grow.

    “If you go to other climes, they are not very particular about whether you are going to be a doctor. They are particular about discovering that talent in you and developing them. These talents would make them stars.

    “We also ensure that we go back to what makes the complete child. What is being taught and who teaches it, how it is taught and who teaches it. Here also, we are particular about who does the delivery. So we try to get the best of teachers that we can find and that is very important. Our tradition badge and identities are excellence. We are trying to recruit the best hands for them. It is key if we must deliver on education. It is not only the certificates, but also who is the teacher that matters.

    Both Mbuk and Director, the state Inspectorate Division of the Ministry of Education, Mr Inah James, emphasised the need to revive the reading culture among pupils and students.

    “This problem is because we have been so focused on certificates.  If you get a child to get to read, chances are that the child is 80 per cent of being successful. So, we focus so much on reading. We are trying to get back to that culture. The reading culture is one we cannot afford to do without.

    “Ministries of Education should interface more with the schools to know what they are doing. Most of these schools are not giving the children what they should be giving them.”

    “The problem is that the children have lost the art of reading and writing. Most of the children don’t even know where the library is located. Even in our various houses, they now play with phones from morning till night,”added Mr James.

     

     

     

    What makes this worse is lack of supervision. Parents don’t have time for the children. They allow them do anything they like in their houses. Teachers are also guil;ty though they spend minimal time with the children. Again, these days parents and teachers aid the children to cheat during exams, so how can the children be serious?

     

  • Harvest of talents at Urhobo, Isoko Comedy All Stars show

    Harvest of talents at Urhobo, Isoko Comedy All Stars show

    ENTERTAINERS from the Niger Delta have found a unifying ground in Lagos, where their arts will be celebrated jointly, showcasing their strength of dominance in the music and comedy landscape.

    The entertainers, from the Urhobo and Isoko stock are partnering Africa Travel Times on the epoch making event, billed to feature comedy, music, cultural displays and art exhibition.

    Tagged Urhobo/Isoko Comedy All Stars show, it is a forum for unifying the people of the region, according to Ace Comedian and co-programme organiser, Atunyota Akporobomerere (Ali Baba).

    Scheduled to take place at the popular Eko Hotel Convention Center, Victoria Island, Lagos on October 25, the show will feature the likes of Ali Baba, Gordons I-Go-Die and Bovi in comedy, while artistes such as Daddy Showkey and Dr. Sid will entertain guests with their musical talent.

    Organisers say the show is an avenue for showcasing the rich culture of the Delta people and celebrate their achievements nationally and internationally.

    According to the initiator of the project, Lucky Onoriode George of Africa Travel Times, the show is anchored on comedy because the country’s foremost comedians are from the Niger Delta region.

    “If you take a look at the entertainment landscape, you will see that the big names are either Urhobos or Isokos. Is it Ali Baba or Gordons, I-Go-Die or Sammy Okposu? Name them, they are all from that region,” he said.

    George said that the event will also have artistes and comedians like AY, Akpororo and Don Jazzy, while featuring cultural displays, oral tradition and music by traditional and contemporary artistes such as Johnson Adjan (Ogbu ‘ri ne), Okpan Arhibo, and Arube, as well as paintings exhibition from the region.

    “From almost nothing, the Urhobos and Isokos have made the people proud by making comedy a lucrative occupation for hundreds of men and women across the country that otherwise would have been jobless,” George said.