Nigeria
How about Nigeria? Did anyone guess that Nokia was the key player? I doubt it unless you live there. Dearly loved Apple is in 6th place, behind LG and BlackBerry (BBRY) among others.
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Nokia Still Leads in Nigeria
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All Change for Listed Companies: Two Sets of Amended Rules Come Into Force
All change for listed companies: two sets of amended rules come into force
July 30 2013
After almost two years, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has finally published the long-awaited Consolidated Rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The previous consolidated version of the rules was published in 2000, just after the enactment of the Investment and Securities Act 1999. Since then, the Investment and Securities Act 2007 has replaced the 1999 act and numerous amendments have been made to the base document containing the rules. In September 2011, in order to codify the various rules that existed, the SEC released draft consolidated rules for the purpose of market-wide consultation, observation and comments before final adoption. These rules were expected to be formalised and published quickly. However, it became apparent that the draft consolidated rules not only codified the existing rules, but also introduced some new rules that had never formally been exposed to the market.
To avoid any confusion in the market, the SEC then went through a prolonged review process during which it requested formal comments and feedback from the market on the draft consolidated rules. In June 2013, following feedback from stakeholders, the SEC finally adopted the consolidated rules. These rules are substantially different from the previous rules in format and, in some cases, content. The SEC has consolidated all of the rules that were introduced piecemeal over the past 10 years or so, including new rules that were introduced earlier this year such as those governing sukuk. Not all the proposed changes in the draft consolidated rules were retained in the consolidated rules. One of the areas of the draft consolidated rules that caused much concern was a proposed requirement for SEC approval in relation to an acquisition of 30% or more of the shares or equity interests or assets of a company, rather than the existing requirement of 50%. However, it appears from the final version of the consolidated rules that the threshold at which the SEC must approve an acquisition remains at 50%.
The consolidated rules introduce some interesting changes. One such change is the exception to the requirement for SEC approval for all acquisitions: the consolidated rules now exempt from SEC approval acquisitions of the shares of private/unquoted public companies with assets or turnover below N500 million. Also, and perhaps in response to the recent bail-out for stockbrokers, the permitted indebtedness for brokers has been slashed from 200% of net capital to just 10% of net capital. There have also been some minor changes to the definition of a 'company insider' and, in addition to directors, employees and holders of 5% or more of the shares of the company, the rules now include members of the company's audit committee.
The consolidated rules are not the only change in the market, as the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) recently updated the Listing Rules and has proposed wholesale changes to the form of general undertaking that listed companies must provide. The general undertaking deals with the post-listing obligations of a listed entity, particularly in relation to the disclosure of information to the market. Ensuring equal access to information has been an important focus of the NSE and is one of the eight pillars that the NSE has identified as critical to moving the exchange forward. In furtherance of this objective, the NSE also recently introduced an issuers' portal known as X-Issuer, which allows the online submission of information by listed companies. The NSE believes that X-Issuer will reduce the leakage of price-sensitive information by speeding up the time between submission of financial and other information and the release of such information to the market.
In the draft form of the general undertaking, which was recently released to the market for comments, the NSE proposed for the first time a specific closed period during which insiders of the listed company cannot trade in the shares of the company. Although many listed entities had their own internal guidelines on this issue, this is the first time that a minimum standard has been set. The provisions of the draft general undertaking also place an obligation on listed companies to establish guidelines relating to trading in the shares of the company by employees and introduce specific provisions regarding the obligation of a company to respond to rumours in the market.
For further information on this topic please contact Ngozi Agboti at Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie by telephone (+234 1 263 4831), fax (+234 1 263 4541) or email (ngozi.agboti@uubo.org). The Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie website can be accessed at www.uubo.org.
The materials contained on this website are for general information purposes only and are subject to thedisclaimer.
ILO is a premium online legal update service for major companies and law firms worldwide. In-house corporate counsel and other users of legal services, as well as law firm partners, qualify for a free subscription. Register at www.iloinfo.com.
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Landmark Ruling On Application of Freedom of Information Act
Landmark ruling on application of Freedom of Information Act
Contributed by Adepetun Caxton-Martins Agbor & Segun
July 30 2013
Facts
Decision
Comment
In 2011 Nigeria passed the Freedom of Information Act, which seeks to guarantee citizens' access to public information. The law is revolutionary in the scope of information to which it grants access, and the safeguards contained therein are a welcome departure from the pervasive secrecy in Nigerian governance. The Lagos Federal High Court recently had the first opportunity to interpret and apply this law in Boniface Okezie v Central Bank of Nigeria.(1) The Central Bank is a government agency.
Decision
Comment
In 2011 Nigeria passed the Freedom of Information Act, which seeks to guarantee citizens' access to public information. The law is revolutionary in the scope of information to which it grants access, and the safeguards contained therein are a welcome departure from the pervasive secrecy in Nigerian governance. The Lagos Federal High Court recently had the first opportunity to interpret and apply this law in Boniface Okezie v Central Bank of Nigeria.(1) The Central Bank is a government agency.
On August 13 2009 the Central Bank, exercising its powers under the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, fired the executive directors of five Nigerian banks for borderline fraudulent acts and mismanagement of bank resources. The affected bankers were also prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission which, in collaboration with the Central Bank, sought to recover some of the assets that they had allegedly stolen. However, there were questions about the manner in which the recovery of the assets was being handled, particularly the apparent lack of consideration for the rights of the affected banks' shareholders.
In 2012 the Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, represented by its president, Boniface Okezie, wrote to the Central Bank requesting information relating to the recovery of Oceanic International Bank Plc's assets. The letter, written by Okezie's solicitor and dated January 26 2012, requested the following information:
- the cost so far to the Central Bank, the government and the Nigerian people of the banking reforms instituted by the Central Bank, and particularly the amount of legal fees and other fees paid and to be paid to professionals and professional bodies;
- how much of the amount mentioned above represented fees paid and to be paid to Olaniwun Ajayi LP and Kola Awodein & Co. These two law firms dominated representation of the Central Bank and its related bodies in the litigations triggered by the reforms. These same firms were engaged by the Central Bank in other capacities, including as advisers to the five banks in which the Central Bank had intervened and as consultants to the Central Bank and other related bodies, and also for the criminal prosecution of the former executives of the five affected banks;
- the total sum paid to Olaniwun Ajayi LP in respect of the prosecution of Cecilia Ibru, former managing director of Oceanic Bank Plc, and the proportion of this sum that was in the form of commissions on the properties recovered from her; and
- the total cash and value of properties recovered from Ibru, the whereabouts of the recovered assets and what proportion of these assets had been returned to Oceanic Bank and/or its shareholders.
The basis for the above requests was that taxpayers' money was being used for the prosecution of the banks' chiefs and the reform process. The association also believed the entire reform process to be a drain on the economy, benefiting only a few.
When the Central Bank refused to disclose the information requested by the association, a suit was instituted against it under the Freedom of Information Act. The association requested the court to compel the bank to publish its handling of approximately N191 billion's worth of assets forfeited by Ibru.
Decision
In a landmark ruling on the application of the Freedom of Information Act, the court held that the Central Bank, as a public institution, has a duty under the act to provide details of such information, and that the bank's refusal to disclose the information on request by the association was unlawful.
Justice Mohammed Idris ordered the bank to comply with the association's request by releasing the information sought. Stressing that it was unlawful for the bank to withhold the information, the court observed that:
"The Act is intended to promote transparency and prevent corruption, therefore all public institutions must ensure that they comply with the FOI Act in the interest of transparency, justice and development."
However, the court refused to compel the bank to disclose the information relating to the fees and commissions paid to the law firms representing it on the grounds that such information enjoyed client-attorney privilege and was protected under Section 16 of the act. The court mandated the bank to comply with its orders within 72 hours. However, the bank is yet to comply and has appealed the decision.
The court's ruling on the need for the Central Bank, as a public institution, to comply with a valid request for information and the need for public institutions in general to comply with the Freedom of Information Act is commendable and in the spirit of transparency and accountability.
However, the court would have been within the remits of both the law and the act to compel the disclosure of fees paid to the legal practitioners representing the bank. A clear reading of the relevant provisions of the Nigerian Evidence Act 2011 shows that it protects only communications which are deemed confidential.(2)
In this case, where shareholders have inferred that depositors' funds recovered by the Central Bank may have been squandered by it or even embezzled, to be explained away as consultants' fees, the question of how much was paid to whom is crucial. The public interest in knowing about such payments far outweighs the advantages of keeping the amounts secret. The Freedom of Information Act envisages as such when it provides that the court shall order a public institution to disclose information or part thereof to the applicant if it finds the public interest in having the record made available to be greater and more vital than the interest served if the application were to be refused, in any circumstance.
However, this case nonetheless represents a bold step in the entrenchment of good governance in Nigeria.
For further information on this topic please contact Funke Agbor or Jamiu Akolade at Adepetun Caxton-Martins Agbor & Segun by telephone (+234 1 462 2094), fax (+234 01 461 3140) or email (fagbor@acas-law.com or jakolade@acas-law.com).
Endnotes
"No one shall be compelled to disclose to the court any confidential communication which has taken place between him and a legal practitioner consulted by him, unless he offers himself as a witness in which case he may be compelled to disclose any communications which may appear to the court to be necessary to be known, in order to explain any evidence which he has given, but no others."
The materials contained on this website are for general information purposes only and are subject to thedisclaimer.
ILO is a premium online legal update service for major companies and law firms worldwide. In-house corporate counsel and other users of legal services, as well as law firm partners, qualify for a free subscription. Register at www.iloinfo.com.
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Hollywood Goes To Cape Town
Film making in Cape Town, South Africa costs 20% less than in Australia and 30-40% less than in Europe or United States of America.
Of course, many people in Nigeria and most people outside the United States don't know what it means for a movie to top the U.S. box office on Super Bowl weekend. It is not a small achievement and that is what Josh Trank's directorial debut Chronicle did in the first weekend of February 2012. The American science fiction thriller was set in Seattle, but was made in South Africa's Cape Town where low production costs are attracting filmmakers from Hollywood and other major film studios in the United States and Europe.
Chronicle cost only $12 million, but made over $126 million for 20th Century Fox, according to the CNN report by Robyn Curnow and Teo Kermeliotis on December 13, 2012. "Fox was totally stunned by it," says Nico Dekker, chief executive of Cape Town Film Studios, the South African facility where Chronicle was primarily shot. "The $12 million film is looking like a $30 million or a $40 million film on the screen," he added excitedly. Cape Town has boosted some of the biggest box office blockbusters like Safe House starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds, Dredd, Mary and Martha TV series, featuring Hilary Swank and the upcoming Australian post-apocalyptic action film Mad Max: Fury Road with home girl Charlize Theron, who is the first South African to win an Academy Award in a major acting category, Tom Hardy and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley by Australian director George Miller.
Then this May, Hollywood came again with Michael Bay hired to produce Robert Louis Stevenson’s "Treasure Island" prequel Black Sails, the Starz Entertainment LLC television series to be filmed at the same Cape Town Film Studios and the production will run for 3-5 years, making it the largest film production ever made in South Africa so far. Of course Michael Bay is famous for his blockbusters Armageddon (1998), Pearl Harbor (2001) and the Transformers series (2007-present) grossing over $3 billion world-wide.
"It's cheap for people to film here," said Toby Stephens, the British actor who plays the "Flint" in Black Sails.
Low production costs and favourable exchange rate are attracting major Hollywood studios with the South African government offering tax rebates of 25% to 35% of qualifying expenditure on films made within South Africa. But according to the Mail and Guardian newspaper, South Africa's film industry remains small globally, contributing less than 0.01% of the total GDP compared to India's Bollywood that made 112.4-billion rupees ($2.02-billion) in 2012, as documented in a March 7, 2013 report by KPMG and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. In spite of the apparent lack of a cinema-going culture among black South Africans who make up 79% of the population, South Africa is still the biggest film industry in Africa at the moment with the largest number of screens operated by Ster-Kinekor Theatres, Nu Metro Cinema and other smaller cinema operators. And local film makers have been competing well globally with Gavin Hood's Tsotsi winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 78th Academy Awards in 2006. And with the cooperation and support of the Cape Film Commission (CFC), Cape Town will to continue to attract Hollywood and other major international filmmakers and creating thousands of jobs to boost the South African film industry.
~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima.
Michael Chima is a prize winning Nigerian writer and Publisher/CEO of International Digital Post Network Limited, the largest Nigerian online news and information media network, Founder of the annual Eko International Film Festival, Founder/CEO of Screen Outdoor Open Air Cinema and Executive Director of his Screen Naija One Village, One Cinema Project, the largest community cinema project in Africa. He is also the Publisher/Editor of Nollywood Mirror, the first and most circulated publication on the Nigerian film industry distributed by Amazon, over 27 active blogs and other publications.
You can borrow his books for free on a Kindle device with Amazon Prime.
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Eze Festus Odimegwu Receives 2013 Zik Prize for Leadership Award
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National Population Commission Chairman, Eze Festus Odimegwu,CON was on Saturday July 27th honoured with a Professional Leadership Award at the 2013 Zik Prize for Leadership Award. He was ably represented by Mr. Wale Banjoko, the Group Finance &Admin Director, Royal Lifestyle Services Group of Companies Ltd , other strategic business units of the group like Quintessentially Nigeria, Recherché signature Events and Gifts and Palatially sole marketers of Angel champagne were all present at the five star event at the prestigious Civic Center on Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
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Other recipients include the Managing Director Fidelity Bank, Reginald Ihejiahi, Minister of Housing, Ama Pepple, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Tabiu Kwankwaso; Governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi.
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Yomi Popoola.
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Redi Tlhabi of Al Jazeera Talks To Directors of Banned Film Of Good Report
Director: Jahmil X.T. Qubeka
Language: Xhosa, Zulu and Sotho with English subtitles
Run Time: 104min South Africa. 2013.
For Immediate Release
This Friday on Al Jazeera’s global talk show South 2 North, Redi Tlhabi speaks to three film directors in the aftermath of South Africa’s Film and Publication Board banning Of Good Report, the opening night movie at Durban International Film Festival.
Of Good Report director Jahmil Qubeka joins Cameroon’s Jean-Pierre Bekolo (Le President) and Angola’s João Viana (The Battle of Tabata) in South 2 North’s Johannesburg studio.
Of Good Report was banned for allegedly showing ‘child pornography.’ Jahmil describes the psychological thriller as “your classical tale of lust, shameful lust…,” saying that it’s about a teacher who becomes obsessed with his student “to a point where he cannot see that he’s obsessed with a child.”
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Jean-Pierre-Bekolo
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Joao-Viana
While agreeing that child pornography should be banned, Jahmil saysOf Good Report is rather “making an indictment... For teenagers this a horror film. I want kids, particularly girls, to watch this and I want to scare them.”
Jahmil managed to get the banning over-turned and is also proceeding with a defamation case against the Film and Publication Board of South Africa.
Reflecting on the effects of the ban, he says, “I’m not sad for me. This has turned me into a superstar. My life has changed in a week. I’ve been in Variety magazine… three times. What I am sad for is my nation because my nation was refused the right to see the film.”
Calling his role as a filmmaker “a privilege” and describing film as “the definitive artform of the 21st century,” he says, “Self reflection is the only way you can develop. We are the mirrors of our society… If we are living in an age where our government is putting down draconian policies that don’t allow self-reflection, instead we showcase a world that is actually not real, so how will we get to a place of seeing where we are?”
Le President was sidelined in Cameroon earlier this year because Jean-Pierre’s film discussed the end of 80-year-old President Paul Biya’s reign – a topic that is taboo in the country.
“He was minister in 1962; Barack Obama was one year old,” Jean-Pierre says. “He’s been there forever… You don’t have to be a genius to think that an 80-year-old man can go one day.”
Pointing out that “everyone will give me money to make a film once the president is gone to say how bad he was,” he says he rather made the film now “to anticipate and start a conversation about what will happen when he leaves or if he leaves… When you see the Congo, the Cote D’Ivoire, these are presidents who stay in power (very long) and then you have 20 years of war afterwards. Films always come when everything is over. Why? Why can’t cinema be there even before the problems, to reflect what is happening, so we can fix it?”
He says cinema has always played a political and social function. “I really think right now we have forgotten the very nature of cinema in the first place. Cinema is not neutral.”
Later, he adds,“ A lot of African filmmakers I know have political films, but all of them have given up. Today Africa is not in peace. We’re not really developed. We even have foreign troops on our continent. But our films are now very, very nice. We’re not talking about anything anymore.”
The Battle Of Tabato is the story of a town in Guinea-Bissau filled with musicians. While Joao’s film hasn’t been banned, he says, “I think my cinema is banned too because I don’t have cinemas to show the film in Guinea-Bissau… It’s a kind of economic censorship.”
He stresses the need to retell Africa’s history without the influence of colonialism. “It’s very important because its always the perspective of colonialism… What I learned in school, and even later, is completely wrong. I learned in school that man came from Africa, this is obvious, but that modern culture was born in Europe. It’s wrong. Even the Egyptians, they tell us that the Egyptians are white people. Why?”
The three directors also discuss funding in Africa; whether or not governments should provide money for films; and when films should be banned, if ever.
For more information, visit http://www.aljazeera.com/
You can also tweet your questions, comments and opinions to @AJSouth2North or find South 2 North on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/pages/
Catch up on last week’s episode of South 2 North, where Redi discussed the peacekeepers going to war in the Congo, athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?
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More Than 126 Million Women Entrepreneurs in Active Businesses in 67 Economies in 2012
More than 126 million women entrepreneurs were starting or running new businesses in 67 economies in 2012, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2012 Women's Report.
An estimated 48 million female entrepreneurs and 64 million female established business owners currently employ one or more people in their businesses.
Seven million female entrepreneurs and five million established business owners are expected to grow their ventures by at least six employees in five years.
Still, the Report found that much needs to be done for women entrepreneurs to further boost and grow their businesses. Women entrepreneurs need more resources and better programs to:
- build new collaborations and leverage ideas,
- develop entrepreneurial abilities and attitudes, and
- access the means necessary to expand their businesses and generate jobs.
"In most economies around the world, there are fewer women than men starting and running new businesses, but there are even fewer running mature ones," said Babson College Professor Donna J. Kelley, the Report's lead author. "This raises a red flag about the ability of women to easily transition from starting to sustaining their businesses."
According to the Report, women entrepreneurs are drawn more to the consumer-industry sector while men continue to dominate the capital and knowledge-based manufacturing and service sectors. In Europe and the United States, women are as highly-educated, or more so, than men. Yet, they are less likely to believe they have the capabilities for starting businesses.
"Even though women may have more years of education, it may not relate to self-perceived confidence in their entrepreneurial capabilities," said Candida G. Brush, Report author and Distinguished Professor in Entrepreneurship, Babson College. "In developed economies, entrepreneurship is opportunity driven and women, who are well-schooled in other disciplines than entrepreneurship, may question their ability to identify, assess and act on an opportunity."
The 2012 GEM Women's Report, conducted in 67 economies, examines the rates and nature of female participation in entrepreneurship around the world and contrasts these findings with male rates. This unique research analyzes how many women are participating in entrepreneurship, the types of businesses they are starting or operating, their motives and aspirations for this endeavor, and their attitudes about entrepreneurship. The GEM Women's Report is authored by Professors Donna J. Kelley, Candida G. Brush, Patricia G. Greene of Babson College and Yana Litovsky, Data Team Supervisor, The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor.
"Entrepreneurship is increasingly recognized as the driver of economic growth and societal well-being," said Babson College President Kerry M. Healey, "The GEM research shows that women's participation in entrepreneurship differs around the world, as does their impact on job creation and innovation. The report's findings suggest new ways to enable aspiring women entrepreneurs to overcome the unique challenges they face and, in the process, contribute significantly to economic development."
Link to the full 2012 Global Women's Report
Among the report's key findings:
Activity and Profile of Women Entrepreneurs
- Women's participation in entrepreneurship varies markedly around the world. In Pakistan, women entrepreneurs represent only 1 percent of this gender's population, while 40 percent of women in Zambia are engaged in this activity.
- The highest regional female Total Entrepreneurial Activity (TEA) levels are found in Sub-Saharan Africa, where 27 percent of the female population on average is engaged in entrepreneurship. Latin American and Caribbean economies show comparatively high levels as well (15 percent).
- The MENA/Mid-Asia region (Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, Palestine, Tunisia) reports the lowest average TEA levels among women (4 percent). Developed Europe and Asia, and Israel also show low rates (5 percent).
- In just seven economies (Panama, Thailand, Ghana, Ecuador, Nigeria, Mexico, and Uganda), women had equal or slightly higher levels of entrepreneurship than men. For the rest, women represented a smaller share of the entrepreneur population.
- TEA rates tend to be higher than established business activity. In Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America and Caribbean, female TEA rates are high; however, there are less than half as many women established business owners on average in each region. For the MENA/Mid-Asia region, women's TEA rates are already low, but established business ownership is only one-fourth the level of female TEA.
- Sub-Saharan Africa has a high TEA rate for both women and men, but also registers many business stops among women, and at a higher level than for men. . In contrast, the MENA/Mid-Asia region also has a high number of stops, but there were fewer starts (TEA). In the United States and developing Asia, relatively few women are stopping, and this reality is accompanied by high TEA rates.
- Women in developed Europe are slightly more likely to have a higher proportion of exits due to lack of profitability than do men, with nearly half the women discontinuing for this reason. For women exiting businesses in the United States and Israel, nearly one-third and one-fourth, respectively, cite problems with finance, a much higher proportion than men.
- On average in every region, at least half the women entrepreneurs operate in the consumer sector—accounting for as much as four-fifths of the women entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa. Men often compete in the consumer sector as well, but display much more diversity in industry sector participation.
- The percentage of women entrepreneurs who are sole owners of their ventures ranges from just over half in developing Europe to nearly nine-tenths in Israel. There are still many single-founder businesses at the established phase; again, Developing Europe shows the lowest level (61%) while Israel shows the highest (86%). Men are generally more likely to work with one or more co-founders.
- In most regions of the world, entrepreneurship is as popular among young women (18-34 years) as it is for their older counterparts (35-64 years). Among women in both Developing Europe and Israel, youth rates are on average 63 percent higher than rates of older entrepreneurs.
- The lowest levels of education are found in Sub-Saharan Africa, where about 15 percent of female entrepreneurs have a post-secondary degree (college) or higher. The highest levels of post-secondary-graduate entrepreneurs can be seen in the United States, where 70 percent of women entrepreneurs achieve this level of education, which is higher than for non-entrepreneurs/non-business owners and relatively similar to men.
- The average household size for female entrepreneurs ranges from three people in Europe and the United States to five people in Sub-Saharan Africa and MENA/Mid-Asia.
- Women entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa, MENA/Mid-Asia, and Developed Asia are more evenly distributed across household income levels. In Latin America, Developing Asia, Europe (Developing and Developed) and the United States, 43 percent or more of women entrepreneurs come from households in the highest one-third income category. In Israel, however, women are over half as likely to be in the middle one-third income group.
- Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America show the highest perceptions of opportunities on average; 69% of adult women believe there exist many opportunities for entrepreneurship in their areas. The lowest average perceptions of opportunities are in Developed Asia (19 percent) and Developing Europe (26 percent). Compared to men, women have lower opportunity perceptions in all regions, with the greatest difference visible in the MENA/Mid-Asia region.
- In every economy, women have lower perceptions of their entrepreneurial capabilities than men. The region with the highest average level of perceived capabilities among women is Sub-Saharan Africa (73 percent), while Developed Asia (16 percent) shows the lowest regional average.
- In every region, women have, on average, a greater level of fear of failure than men. This indicator is lowest among women in Sub-Saharan Africa (25 percent), followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (31 percent). In contrast, regions with the highest perceived fear of failure include Developed Asia (47 percent), Israel (52 percent), and Developed Europe (45 percent).
- Opportunity motivation generally predominates in all regions, but it is most prevalent in developed economies, where it is the principal motivation for three-fourths or more of women entrepreneurs. Economies with the highest levels of opportunity motivation are found in Developed Europe, where 73 percent of women start businesses primarily to pursue an opportunity.
- Sub-Saharan Africa and MENA/Mid-Asia show high levels of necessity motives among women entrepreneurs; on average, 37 percent and 36 percent, respectively, start businesses out of necessity. Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America/Caribbean show a large gender gap, where necessity motives are higher for women entrepreneurs than for their male peers.
- Across regions, Sub-Saharan Africa exhibits the highest average intentions (52 percent of women intend to start a business in the next three years). Developed Europe shows the lowest average intentions (8 percent of women). In nearly every economy, men have higher rates of entrepreneurial intentions than women.
- In the United States, there is one person intending to start a business for every entrepreneur. In all other regions, there are more people with intentions than actually taking steps to start. The ratio of intentions to actual starts is similar for women and men in most regions. The greatest discrepancy is found in MENA/Mid-Asia, where for every female entrepreneur, six intend to start, but for every male entrepreneur, only two and a half express intent.
- The highest percentage of women who personally know an entrepreneur can be found in Sub-Saharan Africa (59 percent). Developed Asia has, on average, the lowest percentage of female respondents who know an entrepreneur (21 percent). In no economy are women more likely than men to know entrepreneurs.
Innovation
- Innovation levels are highest among women entrepreneurs in the United States; 36 percent report their products or services are new to some or all customers with few competitors. Innovation levels for U.S. women are slightly higher than those for men. Developed Europe also reports high innovation levels for women entrepreneurs (32 percent), equal to those of men. Developing Asia reports the lowest level of innovation among women entrepreneurs (17 percent), lower than the innovation level among men.
- In most regions, women are more likely to operate without employees than are men. The highest rates of single person businesses, especially among women, are seen in the Latin American and Caribbean region, where half or more of new and established business owners operate without employees. In Developing Europe, 80 percent or more of women business owners operate with employees.
- The largest gender differences for single-person operations in both new and established businesses exist in MENA/Mid-Asia and Israel. Female business owners are 60 percent more likely than their male peers to operate without employees in MENA/Mid-Asia. In Israel, women business owners are more than twice as likely to do so.
- Growth projections are consistently lower for female vs. male entrepreneurs. A little more than one-tenth of women entrepreneurs in Developing Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa expect to have more than five additional employees in five years. One-fourth of women entrepreneurs in Developed Asia and Developing Europe also project this level of growth. For both women and men in each region, fewer established business owners anticipate growth of more than five employees over the next five years; only 2 percent of women established business owners in Developed Europe project this level of growth.
- Female entrepreneurs in most developing regions report lower levels of internationalization than male entrepreneurs. Developing Europe (24 percent) and Israel (27 percent) show the highest level of internationalization among women entrepreneurs. The United States and Latin America and Caribbean, have the second lowest among the regions (7 percent).
- Developing regions show smaller average differences between female and male business owners in the percentage who sell at least 25 percent of their products or services outside their national borders. Developed economies show greater gaps, with more men engaged in international trade than women. Israel presents an exception, with men less likely to sell outside their national borders.
Link to the full 2012 Global Women's Report
The Authors
- Donna J. Kelley, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship. Frederic C. Hamilton Chair of Free Enterprise, Babson College
- Candida G. Brush, Chair, Entrepreneurship Division, Director, Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship and Franklin W. Olin Distinguished Professor in Entrepreneurship, Babson College
- Patricia G. Greene, Paul T. Babson Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies, Babson College
- Yana Litovsky, Data Team Supervisor, Global Entrepreneurship Monitor
About GEM
Twitter: @GEMNOW
The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) is a not-for-profit academic research consortium that has as its goal making high quality information on global entrepreneurship activity readily available to as wide an audience as possible. GEM is the largest single study of entrepreneurial activity in the world. Initiated in 1999 with 10 countries, GEM 2012 conducted research in 69 economies all over the world.
About Babson College
Twitter: @Babson
Babson GEM Web page.
Babson College is the educator, convener, and thought leader for Entrepreneurship of All Kinds™. The College is a dynamic living and learning laboratory, where students, faculty, and staff work together to address the real-world problems of business and society -- while at the same time evolving our methods and advancing our programs. We shape the leaders our world needs most: those with strong functional knowledge and the skills and vision to navigate change, accommodate ambiguity, surmount complexity, and motivate teams in a common purpose to create economic and social value. As we have for nearly a half-century, Babson continues to advance Entrepreneurial Thought and Action® as the most positive force on the planet for generating sustainable economic and social value.
About Universidad del Desarrollo
Twitter: @UDD_cl
Universidad del Desarrollo is known not only for its academic excellence, but also for its entrepreneurial hallmark. This feature has earned it a place of privilege in higher education in Chile and Latin America a mere 20 years since it was founded. Entrepreneurship is a characteristic that distinguishes its students and professors. It creates an interactive and dynamic environment on campus where innovation and new ideas are constant. Ethics and public responsibility, the hallmark values of UDD, are encouraged not only in the classroom, but are also put into practice in each of the activities conducted at UDD.
About Universiti Tun Abdul Razak
Twitter: @myunirazak
Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNIRAZAK) was established on 18 December 1997 as one of the first private universities in Malaysia. Since its inception, UNIRAZAK was among the first few private learning institutions in Malaysia to receive the SIRIM certification of ISO 9001:2000. Additionally, the University has been awarded the prestigious Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) status, which is a testament to the University's commitment to integrating technology and innovation in its teaching and learning techniques. UNIRAZAK has rapidly established itself as a premier centre for education in its efforts to produce competitive and capable graduates.
SOURCE Babson College
CONTACT: Michael Chmura, 781 239 4549, mchmura@babson.edu Web Site: http://www.babson.edu
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Annie Inyang Speaks On the Exclusivity of Angel Champagne
ANGEL CHAMPAGNE IS A CHAMPAGNE FOR THOSE OF WHOM EXCLUSIVITY IS NATURALLY EXPECTED—ANNIE INYANG
An Interview with Annie Inyang the Business Director of Palatially Interlink Nigeria Limited, marketers of Angel, the world’s most exclusive champagne, on the occasion of Royal Lifestyles Group’s sponsorship of Miss Nigeria beauty Contest
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Q: Good morning, please let’s know a bit about you.
Annie: Hello my name is Annie Inyang, I am the business director for Palatially Interlink Nigeria Limited. Palatially Interlink is into the collection of luxury wines and spirits around the world. For now our signature brand in the country is called Angel Champagne soon to be joined by other brands in our product portfolio.
Q: How long has Angel Champagne been in Nigeria?
Annie: Angel champagne has been in Nigeria for two years. Our marketing strategy is the subtle and personalized approach. We supply only on request to our esteemed clientele.
Q: Who are your target clientele?
Annie: Our target clientele include wine connoisseurs, high net worth individuals for which luxury brand collection is a form a lifestyle, individuals for whom exclusivity is not only desirable but also expected of them. The kind of individuals at whose auspices you do not expect to see anything that is run of the mill, you expect the most exotic and the most special. I am talking about the initiated of top-echelon world class luxury. And there are quite a lot of such individuals here in Nigeria today.
Q: How affordable is Angel Champagne?
Annie: Angel champagne is affordable to our target clientele. To these clientele, pricing and affordability are not problems.
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Annie: Apart from consumption, it is also a worthy gift item. It is also becoming popular among collectors as a store of value for speculative purposes.
Q: What are the prospects for Angel Champagne here in Nigeria?
Annie: Our progress has been tremendous but we still have a lot of heights to conquer and we are ready for the Nigerian market and believe it or not, the Nigerian market is also quite ready and ripe for palatially and Angel Champagne. We are on point.
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Q: What has the response of Nigerians been so far to Angel Champagne?
Annie: Like I said, ours is a very exclusive target clientele. This represents a percentage of the economy and we are not programmed to try and reach outside that close knit of connoisseurs because then it will amount to de-marketing of the product. So with this close knit demography, we have been getting very good response. Also we know that Nigeria is a land of opportunities and we are open to whatever other good openings the society has to offer.
Q: What marketing Strategies have you employed to get more of the small demography you talked about to patronize Angel?
Annie: We combine with the marketing selling points of our other corporate partners, quintessentially and Recherché Events to present a full bouquet of options to our clientele and that helps the whole system to cater better for our clients because the demands are always interwoven.
Q: What Corporate Social Responsibilities is Angel Involved in as a bridge between the economic divide between your clientele and the rest of society?
Annie: Palatially is involved in a lot of charities but we do not make noise about it. Most things we do about the Angels Champagne and our other brands are exclusive, our marketing approach is subtle and that is also the approach we employ in giving back to society.
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Q: What roles did Angel Champagne play tonight at Miss Nigeria?
Annie: Apart from sponsorship, Angel Champagne came in tonight to felicitate with the new Queen, who is an ambassador of our dear country and our corporate partner, quintessentially. We came in to present her with a vintage limited edition of the Champagne for her to celebrate with her friends and her family.
~ By Mr. Ingram Adichie Osigwe
MD/CEO Fullpage International Communications Limited
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2015: President Goodluck Jonathan's Real Friends, Foes and the Way Forward
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President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who met with the President last Friday on his peace and reconciliation mission.
2015: JONATHAN’S REAL FRIENDS, FOES AND THE WAY FORWARD
Having written several articles on the current macabre dance and political crisis rocking Rivers State and x-raying its effects on the future political developments of Nigeria if not checked, I do not see further need to come up with another piece on this subject despite new challenges that need to be addressed. Even the poser by Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka ‘that the man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny’ could not sway me otherwise. However, while I was in this state, I opened a daily guide from the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) titled ‘Open Heavens’ and was confronted with the bold title for the day titled, ‘Danger of Silence’.
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The Spirit of God jolted me in a manner that seems to mean that no tangible result has come out of my past write ups on this issue, as peace still eludes the State, and the need to soldier on; especially given the nature of the new piece you are about reading and the fear of being misunderstood.
Undaunted by fears knowing full that peace in Rivers State and Nigeria is very close. Again, I took solace in one of Prof Soyinka’s quotes, “I think that feeling that if one believed absolutely in any cause, then one must have the confidence, the self-certainty, to go through with that particular course of action”.
If the above quote could not do the magic to sway me off my fears then the question of Edward Abbey that, “How could anything non-controversial be of intellectual interest to grown-ups?” and the encouragement from Marvin Harris came handy when he stated thus; “I don't see how you can write anything of value if you don't offend someone”
PRESIDENT JONATHAN AND THE MACABRE DANCE OF RIVERS STATE POLITICS
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This road is one I don’t like driving on, considering the stand of the President and his aides that he does not want to be mentioned with the current impunity and untoward political developments going on in Rivers State. George Orwell, one of the finest authors of all time, in one of his works woke me up when he said, “Within any important issue, there are always aspects no one wishes to discuss.” As if I am not been cautious enough, Criss Jami reminded me in his two quotes that, “If you have to say or do something controversial, aim so that people will hate that they love it and not love that they hate it.” And “To be truly positive in the eyes of some, you have to risk appearing negative in the eyes of others.”
Though, I am not a victim of Ezea Pound stand that, “If a man isn't willing to take some risk for his opinions, either his opinions are no good or he's no good” but for some strategic reasons, let me stay action on this topic to later stage of this article and instead use this opportunity to, in a way, assess present President Jonathan.
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Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu and Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
Jonathan: the journey so far.
The faulty start of this administration based on the disrespect of the zoning policy of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and insecurity challenges occasioned by the wicked activities of the Islamic sect, Boko Harams sect coupled with the ‘unpreparedness of Dr Goodluck Jonathan for the office he currently occupies, due to the nature of his selection to run for the office of Vice President with late President Musa Yar’Adua and how he became the nation’s number one citizen as a result of President Yar’Adua death the Doctrine of Necessity that ushered him formally as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria were some of the initial challenges that slowed down the smooth take off the administration. His initial plan before General Olusgen Obasanjo selected him to run was to re-contest gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State, while late Yar’Adua desire was to retire to classroom as a lecturer.
This seemingly setbacks did not in any way constitute as an obstacle to President Jonathan unflinching desire to contribute his quota towards building a Nigeria of his dream. President Jonathan holds the transformational pledge of promising less, but delivering more. His vision is anchored on his transformation agenda anchored on driving the country on the premise of Continuity, Consistency and Commitment (3Cs). Accordingly, it was the disregard for the 3Cs that had resulted in rising unemployment, inequality and poverty. But the regime has come forth with a holistic agenda aimed at the transformation of the Nigerian state with a strategy that gives cognizance to these 3Cs in the life of the administration.
The transformation plan draws its inspiration from President Jonathan’s electoral promises, the Vision 20:2020 and the first National Implementation Plan (NIP). The agenda is based on a set of priority policies and programmes which, when implemented, would transform the Nigerian economy to greater heights.
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The five governors who met with President Goodluck Jonathan.
Job Creation, Macroeconomic Framework and Economic Direction, Infrastructure Development, Public Expenditure Management, Governance, Justice and Judiciary, Foreign Policy and Economic Diplomacy, Power Labour and Productivity, Health Sector, Education are some of the sectors the government has made some remarkable impact under this adminstration.
Though space would not allow one to highlight all the achievements of the incumbent, but suffice it to say that in more ways than one both impact and vision have been remarkable. Our transportation system, particularly his commitment for reviving the rail system in Nigeria leaves no one in doubt that things are changing for the better. The establishment of new Federal Universities within two years located at Dutse, Dutsin-Ma, Kashere, Lafia (Nassarawa) Ndufu-Alike-Ikwo , Otuoke (Bayelsa), Oye-Ekiti (Ekiti State), Wukari, Gashua, Yobe State; Birnin Kebbi (Kebbi State) and Gusau in Zamfara State is unprecedented in the annals of governance in the country. In the past two years, according to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minster of the economy, Prof Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the government have built 68,100 housing scheme across the six geopolitical zones of the country and now produces 28 million metric tons of cement, but needs only 20 million. So Nigeria is now a net exporter of cement. On power, 34 independent power producers have gotten licenses, three have actually commenced works and power supply has improved in many Nigerian cities. According to her (Prof. Mrs) Sure-P, Federal government earned N180 billion in improving child delivery, trained 9,000 midwives. The Port Harcourt to Maiduguri rail line will be completed in 2013, with more to follow by the end of the year. Her Inland cargo depots now handle over four million metric tons rising from 2.9 metric tons. Our banks and stock market are now stronger. Perhaps what needs to be done now is to see how the banks can lend to individual real estate developers at lower interest rates. Power, aviation and agriculture can now import at zero import duty, exchange rate is stable (N155-160), reserves are rising, inflation has reduced, our economy is growing- Nigeria’s economy growing at 6.5%, one of the fastest in Africa.
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Former heads of state General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar (rtd.) and the visiting governors.
Former heads of state General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar (rtd.) and the visiting governors.
According to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Ballot box snatching and thuggery have become almost extinct and that it is the President’s deliberate policy to listen and respects the views of Nigerians. The negative deployments of freedom of expression, which has left Nigerians bolder and more asserting, and the President the most criticized in the world, is the cost of the President’s deliberate policy of openness, “In the last two years, the civic space have been expanded, “achievements of the government promoting the rule of law, integrity of state institutions and rights of citizens are legendary and that within eight out of 14 strategic targets set by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 have been achieved.
A Conducive atmosphere for improving and encouraging private partnership with government have made more to industries springing up and producing made in Nigeria goods, including Proforce–armored vehicles, Obajana – Cement, and Innoson – motors, creating jobs and transforming Nigeria.
Reveling in some of these feats recorded by the present federal administration, Nigeria’s Vice President, Architect Namadi Sambo at a recent public function said, “Our public institution are being rebuilt, our National Assembly is vibrant, our judiciary is truly independent and our press is feared all over the world and that government has in the last two years placed a special premium on the rule of law and expanding the democratic space but most importantly that President Goodluck Jonathan has exhibited good leadership qualities.”
The Bond between President Jonathan and Governor Amaechi:
Reminiscing on the political crisis in Rivers State, I took time out to study the gladiators not minding their denials. The word bond means something that binds, fastens, confines, or holds together a cord, rope, band, or ligament, something, as an agreement or friendship that unites individuals or peoples into a group.
According to Cathrine Beecher, “The principle of subordination is the great bond of union and harmony through the universe and according to Rainer Maria Rike, “I hold this to be the highest task for a bond between two people: that each protects the solitude of the other.
A statement by America’s first lady, Mrs. Michella Obama readily comes to mind in capturing the bond between President Jonathan and Governor Amaechi. “Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values, like you work hard for what you want in life. That your word is your bond; that you do what you say you're going to do. That you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don't know them and even if you don't agree with them.”
According to the facts available to me, these two great exponents of democracy from Niger Delta shares similar family background – raised in humble families and experienced the pains of being educated by poor parents. President Jonathan won the hearts of Nigerians with his expose that he was that student who trekked to school without a shoe, while Governor Amaechi had a sandal and one pair of trouser which he washes by every weekend to be uses the following week for the major part of his undergraduate days, even as the two political leader are products of the unique University of Port Harcourt, UNIPORT and are among the big Port Harcourt boys.
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Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike.
Although President Jonathan is the older of the two, Amaechi have been in politics right from his days in the university, culminating to becoming the only Nigerian that was a Speaker of House of State House of Assemblies for eight years and have the singular credit of becoming the Chairman, Conference of Speakers in Nigeria while he was Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and later Chairman of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum, NGF as governor of Rivers State. President Jonathan on the other hand is the first PHD holder, (not honorary) to preside over the affairs of the country and the only Nigerian that left the academic environment where he was a Lecturer after having a stint with the defunct OMPEDEC and rose to become a Deputy Governor (Bayelsa State that was). Few years after he became the Governor of that state and few years after became Nigeria’s Vice President and President afterwards all of these without contesting a single election. While Chibuike means God is my Power and Amaechi Nobody knowstomorrow while on the other EbeleChukwu which is the name of the President means “God’s Mercy”.
While President Jonathan as the Vice President of Nigeria was suffering every humiliation in the hands of the cabals during the Umaru Yar’Adua led administration. Amaechi was the only Governor in Nigeria very visible in the office of the then Vice President and when President Yar’Adua passed on, Jonathan was been pushed around, Amaechi was among those at the forefront of ensuring that Vice President Jonathan assumed office as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria when the National Assembly out of their wisdom came up with the Doctrine of Necessity.
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Alhaji Sule Lamido, Amaechi and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)' National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
When the election of 2011 came up, Governor Amaechi not minding some other options available to him opted to rally round the supports of other Governors to ensure that President Jonathan won the PDP ticket and during the election proper, Amaechi delivered two million votes from the state to ensure that President Jonathan got elected as the 14thPresident of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Not done with all these affection to his own brother whom he shares some invisible bond not known to many Nigerians, he went ahead even while President Jonathan was the Vice President to ask him to nominate candidates to his Cabinet in Rivers State, this resulted to the nomination of Professor Israel Owate, who was the President’s classmate as the Commissioner for Education. Unfortunately, he could not drive the vision of the governor on education as fast as the governor wanted, so he was dropped. The governor requested from Mr. Vice President then a replacement. Again he nominated Mr. Moses Ahubele who manned the Ministry of Empowerment and Employment Generation till he died as a result of some health condition in the later part of 2010. After the 2011 general election, Amaechi requested from Mr. President and he graciously nominated Mr. Charles Okaye, who still serves as the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community-related Affairs.
Who could believe that a person of this status based on his impeccable relationship and respect and love he exhibited towards his own brother the President could be haunted, humiliated, scourged, frustrated and his State turned to war zone even while his brother is still the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that is the irony of life. Just for the records, these are some of the humiliations Amaechi was meant to go through – The plane of the Rivers State Government was grounded for no just cause, the PDP Structure in Rivers State was removed from him, his election as the Chairman of NGF duly certified and acknowledged worldwide is in the process of annulment, he was suspended from a party he so much love and spent so much to build, if not for the providence of God he would have been illegally impeached by five Legislators in a House of 32 members; a Police Commissioner by name Mr. Joseph Mbu was posted to haunt, hoard, insult and abuse him publicly calling him a despot, Governors that came to visit him were stoned. In the eyes of Nigerians, he stands as a great man while in the eyes of those haunting him he is a personal non grate.
What could have brought this in a relationship assumed to have been perfect! Barr Achinike Godwin William-Wobodo the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Rivers State on Inter Governmental Affairs who holds an LLM in Criminal Law and Practice and currently pursuing a PhD in Money Laundering and Anti-Corruption Law came in to assist, according to him, “the induced situation is caused by third party elements, who are either driven by the hunger for power or jealousy. The seeming situation is induced principally by two classes of persons, those driven by hunger for power which represents the group in Rivers State, and those driven by envy, which houses external factors. For instance, the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, my friend and brother, is at the centre of the group opposes to Amaechi’s style of governance and bent on wrestling power from the governor. My worry is not that they seek to wrestle power from him, because that basically is politics. My quarrel is the approach: the crude, undemocratic and uncivilized manner that they are going about it. In the process, they have undermined the rule of law, breached the peace of Rivers State and are threatening a breakdown of law and order.
The second category are persons who are driven by envy and the rising profile of the governor and the only way, to them, to break the rising profile of Governor Amaechi is to pit him against the president and hiding under the cover of the Presidency. For these persons, I think and honestly too that they have proven that they are not men enough to personally handle their affairs”.
PRESIDENT JONATHAN AND THE MACABRE DANCE OF RIVERS STATE
PRESIDENT JONATHAN AND THE MACABRE DANCE OF RIVERS STATE
Having listened to some of the funny and flimsy excuses posited by the Media Chiefs of President of his not involvement in the macabre dance of Rivers State and the counter claims by the Senate Committee that investigated the crisis and many great Nigerians indicting him over this I wonder what type of people actually make up a media Team of the President that ought to be proactive in its defense of Mr. President but have succeeded to generate poor publicity and name calling on Mr. President. With due respect to the much both Dr Reuben Abati the President’s spokesperson and The Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupr are doing the duo have not managed President’s media affairs well enough. Yes, Mr. President may not be involved in this sad developments in Rivers State and should not be mentioned for such ugly incidents seeing what his administration achieved in the rule of law by given the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC free hands in its affairs and how the elections in Edo, Adamawa, Sokoto, Ogun, Ekiti was done and how he duly acknowledged the winners of those elections coupled with other factors. All these great feats nosedived when he started playing games with the outcome of the last NGF Election duly won by Gov Amaechi and instead of improving on his democracy credentials he allowed himself to be used by some confused political gladiators and elements in his cabinet to play host to the Jang Faction of the Governors Forum that shamelessly lost the election. After the futile attempt by the funny five Law Makers from Rivers State to impeach the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Dan-Amachree. The purported new Speaker, Hon. Evans Bipi was seen attending a function in the State House in Abuja. Before this funny attempt Mr. President played host to most of the key actors pushing or rather instigating the RIVERS State crisis at the State House in Abuja. Weeks to the full war against the peace of Rivers State, the First Lady was in Port Harcourt interacting and dinning with most of these key actors in this dance and all and all Nigerians are told of the non involvement of the Presidency in all these. Let us assume that is the case, why is it that after the House of Representatives that investigated the grounding of the Rivers State plane and after four months the plane is still grounded? Why is it that after all the calls by both the National Assembly and other concerned Nigerians that the Police Commissioner of Rivers State, Mr. Jospeh Mbu is still in Port Harcourt executing his sad project in the State? Why is it that up till now only the Majority Leader of Rivers State House of Assembly, Chief Chidi Llyods is being investigated and kept under detention for the past ten days while those who instigated the crisis in the House are going about their businesses. Is this not the issue of the owl crying in the night and the child dying in the morning? Let us bring decorum and equity to prevail on this issue and stop playing politics with the lives and peace of Rivers State.
THE REAL ENEMIES OF PRESIDENT JONATHAN
Without fear of being misunderstood the true enemies of Mr. President in his political calculations in Nigeria are not Governor Amaechi and his followers, but those who by their actions have brought the name and image of Mr. President to shame and embarrassment going by their flagrant display of impunity in the political crisis in Rivers State.
Those who have by their utterances been overheating the polity ahead of the 2015 general elections attacking any Nigerian or section that have contrary views; those who are attempting to reduce Mr. President’s status from a National Leader to ethnic one (Ijaw nation), in a manner of speaking.
Those Ministers and agencies of government promoting corruption, highhandedness and antagonising Nigerians with perceived alternative views on governance are the enemies of Mr. President. Those promoting the infamy in Rivers State and looking at Nigeria and Nigerians as a conquered people and without knowing have indirectly by their misguided acts succeeded in ridiculing Mr. President and not those who are offering him constructive suggestions on how to be the best President ever from Nigeria. These are the true enemies of President Jonathan who wants to destroy him and make him a total failure before the eyes of Nigerians and the entire world. Those charlatans in the corridor of power that have reduced a great party like PDP to its present sorrow state of not being so sure of its future. According to Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State these charlatans in government should be flush out from the system if Mr. President intends to salvage anything out of his administration. These ingrates and confused minds should be invited in a room to be educated on how to govern a country like Nigeria than the mess they have made out of it a system that ought to have being a golden regime and sadly have through their inimical acts brought this administration to public odium.
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First Lady Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Amaechi.
Other agents hell-bent of destroying all the legacies of President Jonathan are those who mobilised youths that stoned the visiting Governors that came to pay solidarity visit to Governor Amaechi over his unwise, wicked and malicious humiliations without minding the results of their action both to the image of the President and peaceful co-existence of Nigeria as a corporate unity. In his reaction to the sad development, Hon. Dakuku Peterside a member of the Federal House of Representatives said, “I can describe it as barbaric, primitive and most unfortunate. It portends danger for our democracy and the continued unity of Nigeria. Some people hired thugs and ex-militants with the protection of the commissioner of police, to go and embarrass governors at the airport. That is most unfortunate and barbaric. You expect these people to visit Kano, Jigawa and other states where these governors who were embarrassed come from? Danger is staring us in the face. The other day, ex-militants took over the streets of Port Harcourt and the police did not do anything about it. They went and recruited them and took them to the Rivers State House of Assembly to use five lawmakers to sack 27. Yet, there was nothing wrong with it”
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Governor Amaechi, President Jonathan and First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.
Thank God as it seems that both the PDP National Chairman, Alh. Bamanga Tukur and our revered leader and One-time Minister for Information and respected Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark have come to the realization that they utterances recently have not be of any help to the future of President Jonathan political calculation by apologizing of their attacks on Gov Sule Lamido and the progressive Governors in PDP for visiting the embattled Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi. According to Chief Clark, “I apologize to all Nigerians if my utterance or my action threatened the peace and unity of this country that all politicians, leaders should emphasize only those things that keep this country together. We cannot split; Nigeria is a large country. Love is one of the greatest things that bind us together and Nigerians should learn to love one another and work assiduously for the unity of the country.”
2015: CHALLENGES BEFORE PRESIDENT JONATHAN
A major challenge facing the current federal administration and which clearly will define the rest of its tenure if not checked with the urgency it deserves is the issue of corruption.
Though one of the major sins of Amaechi is his stance on protection and accountability of the state’s resources (the sovereign wealth of our nation) and confirmation of the fears of the governor, NEITI in a report had indicted the federal government agencies for the disparities in payments in the oil sector. It says, inter alia, that N175b is still not found in the Federation acct.
Recently, TI released the 2013 Global Corruption Barometer, GCB and rated Nigeria as the eightieth most corrupt nation in the entire world under this administration and that our political parties and the Nigeria Police as the most corrupt institutions in Nigeria. TI’s 2013 GCB is a product of interviews with a total number of 114,000 respondents across 107 countries between September 2012 and March 2013. The Berlin-based organisation said the primary aim of the 2013 GCB report was to explore respondents’ personal experiences of paying bribes for government services on one hand and on the other, to gauge perception of the integrity of major public institutions. There is also TI’s desire towards a better understanding of the willingness and disposition of citizens in countries under review to fight corruption. The level of corruption under this administration is not to be condoned if we are to survive as a nation.
2. THE EAST-WEST FEDERAL ROAD AND THE SECOND NIGER BRIDGE
If these two major projects at the heart of the South-South and South East are not completed before 2015, its potential of posing a serious setback need not be over-emphasized.
3. THE APC AND NORTHERN ELEMENTS CHALLENGE
With the registration of APC by INEC, its threat come 2015 is not only real but has the capacity to stop PDP come 2015 coupled with the seriousness some Northern elements are attaching to the 2015 polls. Those that need to know about this have already confirmed it including both the BOT Chairman and National Chairman of PDP. What strategy to adopt to curtail this moving force should be of concern to any serious strategist in the camp of Jonathan instead of wasting energy to pull down a force that should be of help in whatever calculation they are advancing? Instead of the egg heads in Jonathan’s Camp strategizing and strengthening their base, they think by fighting some elements is the best strategy to sell Jonathan to other regions after all these obvious threat! Funny people!
SUGGESTED STRATEGIES ON THE WAY FORWARD
A lot of time has been wasted pursuing shadows instead of addressing governance and rendering dividends of democracy to the people of Nigeria which will determine the fate of the party come 2015. Not minding obvious shortcomings, President Jonathan must be commended for the efforts to reach the true characters that will help his issue come 2015 recently instead of the charlatans that have constituted themselves as nuisance in this regard. Learnt that he is also billed to summon a peace meeting to be attended by critical stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to forge a consensus on how to resolve the crises and with the meeting with President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor Amaechi, Dist senator Abubakar Saraki and the five progressive Governors of Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Alhaji Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (Niger) and Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) — who have been shuttling around Nigeria, consulting eminent personalities on how to resolve the multi-faceted crises in the country is a step in the right direction.
Commendation must go to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) who brokered the meeting between the president and Amaechi. It was learnt that Dasuki initiated the process of fence mending between the duo to douse the political crisis in Rivers State that has been threatening the security and stability of the country. Dasuki, in his capacity as the NSA, was said to have taken the initiative to invite Amaechi to a meeting with the president, certain that the Rivers State crisis amongst other security challenges, could do a lot of harm to the nation’s fragile democracy. Presidency sources said the NSA had been toying with the idea since eight opposition governors met with Amaechi in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, about two weeks ago to plead with him to meet with Jonathan and formally brief him on the situation in his state.
I will suggest in furtherance to this, that President Jonathan need to listen to his brother, Prince Tonye Princewill the Amanyanabo of Kalabari scion on the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar. I am aware of the efforts he has made to bring both President Jonathan and Atiku Abubakar to work together but the continued playing down on the issue of Atiku Abubakar by the charlatans in governance may be calamitous if not handled wisely. No matter what ever those surrounding the President that cannot even win their wards election are saying, Atiku Abubakar stands out as a man of vision who has a blue print to take this out country out of its present sorrow state. The President should for the greatness of this nation get to this man who is ready to give him clues on how to handle most of the challenges facing his administration but if he like he can continue with those who are after their belly and lacks ideas on how to handle critical issues facing the country.
As Mr. president start his consultations, he should endeavour to get in touch with the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar III, Shehu Shagari, General Gowon, Pastor Enoch Adeboye and the CAN President Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and plead with them to be sincere with him on his vision and plans for this country. The time of playing dummy is not longer an issue.
Lastly on this section, Mr. president need to organise a strategically seminar with his Media Chiefs and re-orientate their shallow ideas of what it takes to manage such a magnanimous office they are occupying but sadly seem lost on how to manage it. As they attempt to emulate Alh Lai Mohammed is a far cry. Mr. President should ask General Olusegun Obasanjo and he will tell him that the Media Team of Atiku Abubakar managed by Mal. Shehu Garba and Ifeanyi Izeze stands out as the most portent and viable Media outfit in Nigeria. I will suggest that the Presidential Team to take some lectures from Mal. Garba on how to manage the offices they are occupying as the idea of unwarranted attack on some of the key actors that will assist the President in his future political calculations is the worst idea of selling a President looking for a second tenure.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion and in line with the recent postulation of former Head of State, General Yakubu Gown Rtd, it is not late to redefine, reform Nigeria. According to this living sage, "What is happening in our country today calls for sober reflections, as we entreat God on behalf of our nation. I want to believe that in spite of the gloomy situation made manifest by the escalating security and political challenges in our nation, the church in Nigeria, given its spiritual and human resources, occupies a strategic position to trigger process aimed at remaking, enforcing and reinforcing the blessings of Nigerian jubilee. It is not late to redefine and reorder Nigeria."
Mr. President must build on the virtues that will assist our democracy by properly recognizing the office of the NGF Chairman in the person of Governor Amaechi and intervene and ensure that those behind the crisis in Rivers State are called to order and Gov Amaechi restored to his position as the Leader of PDP in Rivers State and Mr. Joseph Mbu redeployed as the Rivers State Commissioner of Police as a matter of urgency unless he has not done much harm to the image of Mr. President. With all that has happened, it is very clear to any responsible mind that Amaechi is not a push over when serious political issue is involved in Nigeria.
Finally, the RCCG Open Heaven daily Guide of 29th July came handy at this juncture. Titled, Leading with God’s Fear exampled in 2 Samuel 23:3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God” while to all Nigeria, the Action point throws more light on this by stating that, “A leader who fears God is both accountable to God and the people under him or her”. Let us ask that only such leaders will govern our lives and nation from now on.
God has blessed Jonathan and have offered him a unique opportunity to take Nigeria to greater heights and should seize this opportunity to right acts inimical to the greatness of this nation and write his name in gold by taking over governance from the charlatans controlling his government and deliver good governance based on the support given to him by Nigerians during the 2011 general elections. It is not too late to act.
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Eze chukwuemeka Eze is a Media Consultant based in Port Harcourt and could be reached through ezemediaconcept08@rocketmail.
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CNN's Viewership Plummet Down To 32%!
TV Newser reports that last week, CNN saw its viewership plummet -32%!
What happened to the world's news leader on cable TV?
And Fox beat CNN and MSNBC combined during primetime and ranked 4th in total primetime viewers, behind only the USA Network, TNT, and the History Channel.
In total day viewers, Fox News ranked 5th in all of cable. TV Newser reports that "CNN placed 36th in primetime and 31st in total day, while MSNBC placed 32nd in both categories."
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IBT Media to Acquire Newsweek
Newsweek to Add to IBT Media's Growing Portfolio of Global News Brands Serving 30 Million Unique Users per Month
NEW YORK, Aug. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- IBT Media (http://corp.ibt.com), an international digital-only news company, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Newsweek from IAC. Pursuant to the transaction, IBT Media will acquire the Newsweek brand and the operations of the online publication, not including The Daily Beast. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in the coming days, after which IAC will continue to operate the property for a transition period of up to 60 days.
Etienne Uzac, co-founder and chief executive officer of IBT Media said, "We are thrilled to welcome this iconic brand and global news property into our portfolio. We believe in the Newsweek brand and look forward to growing it, fully transformed to the digital age. We respect the brand's long history of delivering high-quality, impactful journalism and believe this aligns well with IBT Media's culture and mission. We look forward to working together to create a profitable and successful enterprise."
IBT Media plans to build on the Newsweek brand and editorial offering to grow the online franchise with readers around the world. Newsweek will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of IBT Media. Newsweek will continue to serve its subscribers and deliver compelling and thought-provoking news and analysis. Foreign license agreements to publish Newsweek in International markets will remain in place.
Johnathan Davis, co-founder and chief content officer of IBT Media said, "We are 100% digital with a track record of successfully growing online media properties. The Newsweek brand is strong around the world and we believe there is significant potential to leverage that as well as enhance the editorial offering and continue to modernize the operations and approach. We are excited to add Newsweek to our portfolio of growing news brands and to pursuing the great opportunities ahead together."
Newsweek, which will return to the URL http://www.newsweek.com in the coming weeks, will add to IBT Media's portfolio of 10 international online news properties. IBT's brands are published by over 200 employees located in 10 countries and include International Business Times, Medical Daily, Latin Times and iDigitalTimes. IBT's content gives readers in 7 languages in 235 countries a window on current events, inspired perspectives, and useful information. The company's sites receive over 30 million unique visitors per month, and growing. IBT Media was founded in 2006. For more information on the company, please visit http://corp.ibt.com.
SOURCE IBT Media
CONTACT: Samantha.Nelson@edelman.com, (917) 482-9989, or Lex.Suvanto@edelman.com, (646) 775-8337
Web Site: http://corp.ibt.comEtienne Uzac, co-founder and chief executive officer of IBT Media said, "We are thrilled to welcome this iconic brand and global news property into our portfolio. We believe in the Newsweek brand and look forward to growing it, fully transformed to the digital age. We respect the brand's long history of delivering high-quality, impactful journalism and believe this aligns well with IBT Media's culture and mission. We look forward to working together to create a profitable and successful enterprise."
IBT Media plans to build on the Newsweek brand and editorial offering to grow the online franchise with readers around the world. Newsweek will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of IBT Media. Newsweek will continue to serve its subscribers and deliver compelling and thought-provoking news and analysis. Foreign license agreements to publish Newsweek in International markets will remain in place.
Johnathan Davis, co-founder and chief content officer of IBT Media said, "We are 100% digital with a track record of successfully growing online media properties. The Newsweek brand is strong around the world and we believe there is significant potential to leverage that as well as enhance the editorial offering and continue to modernize the operations and approach. We are excited to add Newsweek to our portfolio of growing news brands and to pursuing the great opportunities ahead together."
Newsweek, which will return to the URL http://www.newsweek.com in the coming weeks, will add to IBT Media's portfolio of 10 international online news properties. IBT's brands are published by over 200 employees located in 10 countries and include International Business Times, Medical Daily, Latin Times and iDigitalTimes. IBT's content gives readers in 7 languages in 235 countries a window on current events, inspired perspectives, and useful information. The company's sites receive over 30 million unique visitors per month, and growing. IBT Media was founded in 2006. For more information on the company, please visit http://corp.ibt.com.
SOURCE IBT Media
CONTACT: Samantha.Nelson@edelman.com, (917) 482-9989, or Lex.Suvanto@edelman.com, (646) 775-8337
| 2 Aug 2013 | |
| 23:17 | Time Warner Cable Suspends SHOWTIME® Services Nationwide Despite Network's Offer To Continue Carriage |
| 22:09 | CBS Statement On Time Warner Cable Action |
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Adding It All Up!
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Pirates of the Caribbean 5 Will Be 61% Worse Than the Original
Pirates of the Caribbean 5 will be 61% worse than the original
~ By MIKE ANDERSON
Pirates of the Caribbean 4 was bad. It earned, on average, 33% from the critics – an “F”. How much worse could the fifth installment be? By our calculations, it’ll earn a 31% rating – 61% worse than the original.
We found this in our analysis of all major film series released since 1964. We broke down reviews from the critics and revenue at the box office to pin down the diminishing returns of sequels:
| The critics’ reviews | Box office revenue (U.S.) | |
| The First Movie | 70.8% | $208,822,542 |
| Second | 51.6% | $165,789,325 |
| Third | 48.8% | $143,836,303 |
| Fourth | 39.2% | $136,906,171 |
| Fifth | 36.8% | $96,703,350 |
How Pirates’ decline compares to the average series
In 2003 we all loved watching Elizabeth and Will sail off on the high seas. But with the fifth movie coming out in 2015, we don’t know how much longer we can take Captain Jack’s drunken puns and raccoon makeup.
It wasn’t always this bad. After the twist in the final minutes of the first film, we were all itching to see the second. And it shows: Pirates 2 earned $100 thousand dollars more than its predecessor. But were the third and fourth sequels truly necessary or are the producers just trying to milk the franchise cash cow?
The general trend points to the latter, as you can see in the table above. All in all, when the fifth movie rolls around, on average, it is 48% worse than the original.
Pirates’ fall is particularly spectacular, having already flopped harder than most series. By the time of the fourth movie, critics were already extremely displeased: On Stranger Tides earned a 33%. That’s a 58% drop from the first film, which earned a 79% from the critics (Note: we measure dip in quality by percentage change, not percentage difference – the difference between the first and fourth’s average reviews is 46%).
| The critics’ reviews | Box office revenue (U.S.) | |
| The Curse of the Black Pearl | 79.0% | $413,295,000 |
| Dead Man’s Chest | 54.0% | $527,367,500 |
| At World’s End | 44.0% | $366,987,000 |
| On Stranger Tides | 33.0% | $244,208,500 |
Next time you’re thinking about seeing that upcoming sequel, consider waiting for the DVD or until it’s out on Netflix. Because all movie producers out there should learn: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Methodology
NerdWallet averaged reviews and box-office data for 130 series, which included 475 total films. Critical reviews were collected from Rotten Tomatoes and box office revenue figures from Box Office Mojo. Box office revenue was adjusted for inflation.
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We analyzed the following series:
3 Ninjas, Alex Cross, Alien, Alvin and the Chipmunks, American Ninja, American Pie, Amityville, Arthur, Austin Powers, Avengers, Back to the Future, Barbershop, Batman, Before, Benji, Beverly Hills Cop, Big Momma, Blade, Bourne, Care Bears, Child’s Play, Conan, Crocodile Dundee, Despicable Me, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Die Hard, Dirty Harry, El Mariachi, Ernest, Evil Dead, Fockers, Free Willy, Friday, Friday the 13th, Fright Night, Godzilla, Halloween, Hannibal Lecter, Harold and Kumar, Harry Potter, Hellraiser, Herbie the Love Bug, Highlander, Home Alone, House Party, Ice Age, Indiana Jones, Iron Eagle, Iron Man, Jack Ryan, Jackass, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Kung Fu Panda, Lethal Weapon, Look Who’s Talking, Mad Max, Madagascar, Madea, Major League, Meatballs, Men in Black, Millennium, Missing in Action, Mission: Impossible, Night at the Museum, Nightmare on Elm Street, Ocean’s 11, Oh, God!; Ong Bak, Paranormal Activity, Pirates of the Caribbean, Planet of the Apes, Pokemon, Police Academy, Poltergeist, Porky’s, Predator, Rambo, Resident Evil, Return of the Living Dead, Riddick, Robocop, Rocky, Rugrats, Rush Hour, Scary Movie, Scream, Shiloh, Shrek, Smokey and the Bandit, Spider-Man, Spy Kids, Star Trek, Star Wars, Step Up, Superman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Terminator, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Bad News Bears, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Exorcist, The Expendables, The Fast and the Furious, The Godfather, The Hangover, The Hunger Games, The Karate Kid, The Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, The Mighty Ducks, The Mummy, The Muppets, The Naked Gun, The Neverending Story, The Omen, The Pink Panther, The Santa Clause, The Smurfs, The Work and the Glory, Toy Story, Transformers, Transporter, Twilight, Underworld, Universal Soldier, Vacation, Witch Mountain, X-Men
Extended film franchises like James Bond were excluded from this analysis.
"Pirates of the Caribbean 5" will be in theaters July 10, 2015Tweet
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UN Partners With 8 African Nations To Boost Girls' Access To Reproductive Health Services
6 Aug 2013 01:29 Africa/Lagos
UN PARTNERS WITH AFRICAN NATIONS TO BOOST GIRLS' ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES
NEW YORK, 5 August 2013 / PRNewswire Africa / -The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has announced it will support programmes in eight African countries over the next three years to boost access to reproductive health services for millions of adolescent girls.
“We are working specifically to ensure that the continent's adolescent girls, between the ages of 15 and 19 – some 45 million of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa – get a good education, are able to decide whether and when to marry and have children, are protected from HIV, remain safe from violence, and have their fair share of opportunities to work and contribute to the economic development of their countries,” said UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin.
The announcement came on Friday at the International Conference on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in Africa, held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
UNFPA will partner with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Tanzania over the next three years to deliver a comprehensive set of sexual and reproductive health services for young people to reach disadvantaged and marginalized girls and young women – the ones at highest risk of poor sexual and reproductive health, violence and exploitation.
“Over the next three years, in partnership with governments and young people themselves, we will commit to making a tangible difference in the lives of millions of young people right across the continent. It is their rights we must uphold and it is they who are our best hope for a prosperous and peaceful Africa,” said Dr. Osotimehin.
According to UNFPA, pregnancy and childbirth-related complications are a leading cause of death of girls, aged 15 to 19, in developing countries. An estimated 7.3 million girls under age 18 give birth each year, a great percentage of which occurs in Africa.
The agency, among other measures, will establish programmes to ensure that young people in and out of school have access to age-appropriate comprehensive sexual education to prepare them for adult life.
UNFPA is the lead UN agency working to promote the sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights of young people.
It is at work in over 150 countries, ensuring that young people have the information, services and supplies they need to make a safe, healthy and fulfilling transition from adolescence to adulthood.
SOURCE : UN News Centre
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A Czar Turns 60
Eze Festus Odimegwu, con, oon, fnim, fnimark, okaa
Chairman & CEO at National Population Commission Abuja, NIGERIA.
A CZAR TURNS 60
Eze Festus Odimegwu at the age of New Beginnings
Eze Festus Odimegwu at the age of New Beginnings
~By Ingram Osigwe~
Many people go through life without attaining the purpose of their existence. Yet within the bounds of time and chance, limiting the ability of man to determine his own destiny, some people by mere dint of hard work, diligence integrity and depth of vision, manage to elevate the gift of natural intellectual endowment given to all men in varying measures, to the echelon of genius thus attaining a level of actualization and achievement that is almost superhuman. Festus Odimegwu is one such rare genius. As he celebrates his 60th anniversary this year, one could not but marvel at the life of this super achiever.
Eze Festus Odimegwu was born on August 7, 1953, in Aba, currently in Abia State of Nigeria. He started his primary education in Christ the King School, CKS, in Aba, but it was interrupted by the Civil War, for three years. His parents had to relocate back to his village, Umuoka Ubirielem in Orsu Local Government Area in Imo State of Nigeria. After the war, his father was not sure that there would not be another civil insurgence, so they stayed back home and young Festus had to complete his primary education at St. Mary’s Primary School, Umuoka Ubirielem. He earned his First school Leaving certificate, making him the only Grade-I distinction at St.Mary’s then.
He enrolled into Community Secondary School Awo Idemmili in Imo State. His stellar performances in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics earned him the title of “Prof”. from admiring teachers and students. He proceeded to University of Nigeria Nsukka from whence he graduated with a first class Honours in Chemistry and joined Nigeria Breweries PLC.
Within a career that spanned 26 years and five months, he progressed from Trainee Brewer 1980-1982, Shift Assistant Brewer in Training April-July 1982, Shift Brewer I/c Bottling 1982-1984 Brewer I/c Brewing 1984-1985 Technological Controller 1985-1987 Production Manager 1987-1988. From 1988 till 1989, he proceeded to Heriot Watt University Edinburgh for his MSc and coming back home, he resumed as Brewery/Senior Technical Manager 1989-1992, Sales Director 1992-1993 Food Coordination AMEG Unilever London 1993-1995 Marketing Director Lever Brothers Ghana 1995-1997 MD/CEO Nigerian Breweries 1997-2006 .
He also attended Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Wharton Business School and Unilever Four Acres Training Centre. Apart from his basic background in Chemistry and the Natural sciences, he has amassed a panoply of knowledge and certifications in Business Strategy, Business Planning, Change Management ,Turn Around Management, Leadership, New Business Development Strategy, Strategic Planning, Team Building, Entrepreneurship Management, Negotiation and Marketing Strategy.
In 2006, he left the management of Nigerian Breweries PLC. He was billed to proceed to a new appointment with the Heineken Company in Germany, but he elected to stay back in Nigeria to pursue other personal business interests. He then set up the Royal Lifestyle Services Group of Companies Ltd and other strategic business units of the group like Quintessentially Nigeria, Recherché signature Events and Gifts and Palatially sole marketers of Angel champagne, for which he now acts as a non Executive Director.
On Tuesday 26th June 2012, Eze Festus Odimegwu was appointed Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), by President Goodluck Jonathan. In appointing Odimegwu to the head of the NPC, the president went for a twin goal of diligence and integrity, both choices that characterize Eze Festus Odimegwu. He was the spirit behind the partnership that resulted in one of the world’s biggest breweries, and which made Nigerian Breweries PLC, the most capitalized company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. His modernization programme at NB PLC, lengthened the gap between Nigerian Breweries and its competitors. An uncompromising stickler for excellence and a goal getter, Odimegwu distinguished himself as a primus inter pares within the role call of Nigerian corporate czars, serving on the boards of other companies such as Dangote Cement PLC, Union Bank of Nigeria as well as Transnational Corporation of Nigeria, as a Director.
President Jonathan in entrusting the sensitive position of Nigeria’s Chief Population enumerator unto Odimegwu was undoubtedly guided by the brewer’s solid foot prints in the sands of corporate management .
The National Population Commission, NPC, was created to give life to the nation’s population policy, thereby assisting in the achievement of sustainable development and a higher quality of life for the people and to promote policies to meet the needs of the current generation, while not compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Upon the appointment of Eze Odimegwu as the new NPC chairman, President Jonathan also charged the Commission to spearhead efforts towards the issuance of a national identity card to every Nigerian by 2015. Thus immediately rising to the task, the new NPC chairman, proposed a new biometric data capturing process for the country’s next census. According to him, the new biometric capture process will save the country billions of Naira by unifying similar projects, being conducted by various agencies of government. Already approved by President Goodluck Jonathan, it will also help in better economic planning for national development.
The new NPC Chairman needs no clairvoyant to tell him that the task of conducting a country-wide acceptable census in a diverse and politically charged country like Nigeria is no mean one. The President who appointed him also knew this. The importance of a credible census to an emerging economy like Nigeria can’t be over emphasized; A population and housing census is the total process of collecting, compiling, evaluating, analyzing and dissemination of data on demographic, economic and social conditions of the people as well as the conditions under which they live at a specific period of time. Censuses are primary sources of basic benchmark statistics on the population and housing characteristics of the nation. They provide information on population size, age and sex composition, geographic distribution and housing characteristics and facilities that have bearing on the social aspects of the housing.
The fundamental purpose of the census is to provide the facts essential to government for policy-making, planning and administration. The characteristics of the population drive the decision-making that facilitates the development of socio-economic policies that will enhance the welfare of the population. Additionally, the population census provides important data for the analysis and appraisal of the changing patterns of rural/urban movement and concentration, the development of urbanised areas, geographical distribution of the population according to such variables as occupation and education, as well as the socio-economic characteristics of the population and the labour force. These variables also provide the basis of questions of scientific interest that are of importance both to pure research and for solving practical problems of industrial and commercial growth and management.
The findings of the census are also critical in the decision-making processes of the private sector. Population size and characteristics influence the location of businesses and services that satisfy the needs of the target population. Population censuses also constitute the principal source of records for use as a sampling frame for the household surveys during the years between censuses. Population Census is an important exercise because it provides the most comprehensive picture of the social and living conditions of the people. The appointment of Eze Festus Odimegwu as the nation’s chief enumerator is a perfect fixation of round peg in a round hole as his versatility as a strategist and his excellent qualifications and experience will ensure a state of the art census and demographic information management for the country.
On Saturday 27th of July 2013, The Chairman National Population Commission, Eze Festus Odimegwu CON, was honoured with a Professional Leadership Award at the 2013, Leadership Awards, which took place at the Civic centre, in Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria Island Lagos. The Prestigious award, named the ‘Zik Prize in Leadership Awards’ after the legacies of one Africa’s greatest and foremost post-colonial leaders, journalists, publisher, and independence crusader, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Owelle of Onistha, second and last Governor-General of Nigeria, first President of Nigeria as well as a foremost Nigerian Nationalist, Pan-Africanist and publisher of the West African Pilot Newspaper, was an inimitable platform, for the acknowledgement of leadership merit to deserving Nigerians.
The Award to Eze Festus Odimegwu, was not only perfectly deserved, but also perfectly timed. It offers tremendous hope to millions of Nigerians whenever it is brought to light, the fact that the country still has a crop of superlative achievers, sitting quietly in strategic positions within the country’s socio-economic machinery, ensuring that all ramifying advancement is wrought in the country’s civilization system, despite every appearance to the negative.
Some notable past recipients of the awards include former Ghanaian President J.J. Rawlings (1995); President Nwalimu Julius Nyerere of Tanzania (1997); former Secretary General, Organisation of Africa Unity, Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim (1998); Zambia President Sam Nujoma (1999); former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa (2000); President Yoweri Museveni (2003); the late Ghanaian President John Kuffour (2008); President Seretse Lan Khama (2009); Senator David Mark, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed and Otunba Subomi Balogun (2010); President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia (2011).
History is made by the passage of time and events, but certain men hold the wheels and steer its course. They champion the events that mark the epochs, they define the defining moments. The list is endless: from Tutankhamen and Moses, to Achilles; from King David to Julius Caesar; from Oliver Cromwell to George Washington; from Winston Churchhill to Mahatma Gandhi; from chairman Mao Tse-Tung to Ben Gurion; from Martin Luther King to Nelson Mandela to Barack Obama. These are men who by their genius and destiny, were depended upon by the rest of humanity to foster form and direction in a formless directionless situation; Odimegwu is a man within this cadre of history makers.
The NPC boss will definitely live up to expectations by not letting President Jonathan down, just as he did not let down his former employer, the Nigerian Breweries. It is a fait accompli that Odimegwu will bequest a legacy of excellence on Nigeria’s population administration and the actual enumeration itself. He did the same at the NB Plc as its CEO.
As he marks his 60th birthday, the world waits with baited breath at what the genius has up his sleeves this time around. Never before has he been faced with such a challenge, never before had the life and future development of the nation, depended upon his ability to create a statistical database to aid all spheres of national economic planning and strategy. History is about to be made once again as it was made at Ama Brewery, all hail as Eze Festus Odimegwu is heralded with another new beginning.
*****************************
Ingram Osigwe Consults for Quintessentially Nigeria.
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The Power of Photography: National Geographic 125 Years.
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it and ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is..
~ Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, DL, FRS, Hon. RA (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965).
6 Aug 2013 18:57 Africa/Lagos
Annenberg Space for Photography Presents The Power of Photography: National Geographic 125 Years
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CONTACT: For the Annenberg Space for Photography and Skylight Studios: Camille Lowry, Annenberg Foundation, 310.209.4568, clowry@annenbergfoundation.org, Jane Hoffman, all things possible, 424.228.4979, jhoffman@planetatp.com, or For more information about National Geographic Magazine: Beth Foster, 202.857.7543, befoster@ngs.org
Web Site: http://www.annenbergspaceforphotography.org
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~ Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, DL, FRS, Hon. RA (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965).
6 Aug 2013 18:57 Africa/Lagos
Annenberg Space for Photography Presents The Power of Photography: National Geographic 125 Years
October 26, 2013 - April 27, 2014
Over 500 Images Published Throughout Magazine's History Displayed in Dynamic Digital Installation
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Annenberg Space for Photography today announced its next exhibition, The Power of Photography: National Geographic 125 Years. Organized in collaboration with National Geographic magazine, the exhibit celebrates the iconic publication's 125 year anniversary.
National Geographic magazine is the official journal of the National Geographic Society. Long renowned for its stunning images, the magazine will celebrate its 125th anniversary with a special commemorative October 2013 issue, highlighting its ongoing dedication towards using the power of photography to explore, educate, inspire, document and preserve the world around us.
In conjunction with the October issue, the Annenberg Space for Photography will present The Power of Photography, a special print and digital exhibition, as well as two documentaries. From iconic images to portraits; landscapes to natural history, the exhibit will offer a wide range of photographic genres and themes free to the public for six months, beginning October 26, 2013 through April 27, 2014.
"For 125 years now, National Geographic has been a place where art and insight and a deep cultural understanding come together - a place where we can be astonished and inspired by the world all around us. I can't think of a greater partner for the Annenberg Space for Photography - or a greater model of what photojournalism can achieve. Especially at a time when print journalism is under siege, I'm thrilled that we'll be able to showcase so many powerful, profound images from the pages of National Geographic. I'm delighted that the exhibit will be as cutting-edge and as multi-media-savvy as both of our institutions strive to be. Above all, I'm proud to join with National Geographic in celebrating this simple principle: that we are all stewards of this remarkable planet," says Wallis Annenberg, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of the Annenberg Foundation.
The curation and installation of The Power of Photography departs from previous Photography Space exhibit designs. Mosaics of more than 400 images documenting the history of National Geographic photography from 1888 to the present time will adorn the walls. In addition, an extensive digital installation will showcase 500-plus images. Thirty professional-grade large format LED monitors will be arranged to create video walls throughout the Photography Space galleries. These six video walls, ranging from 12 to 14 feet in width, will present both individual images and photographic essays. Given the volume of photographs on the screens, and a format in which the images loop at different times throughout the galleries, the viewing experience will be unique to each visitor and each visit.
"National Geographic's photographic archive spans 125 years and includes more than 11.5 million images," said Sarah Leen, Director of Photography for National Geographic magazine. "In order to truly capture the breadth and depth of the collection we decided to create a show with 501 images alternating on screens, along with a selection of prints and print mosaics. The result not only reflects the general move in photography and the magazine toward digital imagery, but allows for a dynamic, immersive and richer experience of our archive of photographs. The Annenberg Space for Photography has been a wonderfully collaborative and creative partner in breathing life into this idea, which has been a labor of love for all of us."
The exhibit will feature an original documentary commissioned by the Annenberg Space for Photography and produced by Arclight Productions that profiles six renowned photographers whose work appears in the October National Geographic issue: Lynsey Addario, Marcus Bleasdale, David Guttenfelder, Abelardo Morell, Joel Sartore and Martin Schoeller. Through interviews, images and behind-the-scenes footage along with commentary from National Geographic editors, the film will offer insights into the creation of inspiring images that reveal the unseen, unknown and unexpected layers of our world.
In addition, the Photography Space will also screen a short compilation video comprised of photographers talking about the power of photography and what inspires their work. This compilation will be complemented by a series of longer video interviews with 20 photographers represented in the exhibit and a loop of milestone content videos created over the past several years for the magazine's digital edition.
The Annenberg Space for Photography Skylight Studios will continue to host the popular Iris Nights lecture series with exhibit-related speakers. The lecturer schedule will be announced at a later date.
Images are available for press upon request.
About the Annenberg Space for Photography
The Annenberg Space for Photography is a cultural destination dedicated to exhibiting photography. The Photography Space conveys a range of human experiences and serves as an expression of the philanthropic work of the Annenberg Foundation and its Directors. The intimate environment features state-of-the-art, high-definition digital technology as well as traditional prints by some of the world's most renowned and emerging photographers. It is the first solely photographic cultural destination in the Los Angeles area.
Annenberg Space for Photography
2000 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067
Tel: 213.403.3000
www.annenbergspaceforphotography.org
Wednesday through Friday: 11 am– 6 pm
Saturday: 11 am– 7:30 pm
Sunday: 11 am– 6 pm
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Admission is free.
Parking with validation is $3.50 Wednesdays - Fridays and $1.00 on weekends.
About National Geographic
The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations with a mission to inspire people to care about the planet. Founded in 1888, the member-supported Society has funded more than 10,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geography literacy. Through its online community, members can get closer to explorers and photographers, connect with other members around the world and help make a difference. National Geographic magazine, the Society's official journal, has a long tradition of combining on-the-ground reporting with award-winning photography to inform people about life on our planet. Published in English and 38 local-language editions, it is read by more than 60 million people each month.
SOURCE The Annenberg Foundation
National Geographic magazine is the official journal of the National Geographic Society. Long renowned for its stunning images, the magazine will celebrate its 125th anniversary with a special commemorative October 2013 issue, highlighting its ongoing dedication towards using the power of photography to explore, educate, inspire, document and preserve the world around us.
In conjunction with the October issue, the Annenberg Space for Photography will present The Power of Photography, a special print and digital exhibition, as well as two documentaries. From iconic images to portraits; landscapes to natural history, the exhibit will offer a wide range of photographic genres and themes free to the public for six months, beginning October 26, 2013 through April 27, 2014.
"For 125 years now, National Geographic has been a place where art and insight and a deep cultural understanding come together - a place where we can be astonished and inspired by the world all around us. I can't think of a greater partner for the Annenberg Space for Photography - or a greater model of what photojournalism can achieve. Especially at a time when print journalism is under siege, I'm thrilled that we'll be able to showcase so many powerful, profound images from the pages of National Geographic. I'm delighted that the exhibit will be as cutting-edge and as multi-media-savvy as both of our institutions strive to be. Above all, I'm proud to join with National Geographic in celebrating this simple principle: that we are all stewards of this remarkable planet," says Wallis Annenberg, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of the Annenberg Foundation.
The curation and installation of The Power of Photography departs from previous Photography Space exhibit designs. Mosaics of more than 400 images documenting the history of National Geographic photography from 1888 to the present time will adorn the walls. In addition, an extensive digital installation will showcase 500-plus images. Thirty professional-grade large format LED monitors will be arranged to create video walls throughout the Photography Space galleries. These six video walls, ranging from 12 to 14 feet in width, will present both individual images and photographic essays. Given the volume of photographs on the screens, and a format in which the images loop at different times throughout the galleries, the viewing experience will be unique to each visitor and each visit.
"National Geographic's photographic archive spans 125 years and includes more than 11.5 million images," said Sarah Leen, Director of Photography for National Geographic magazine. "In order to truly capture the breadth and depth of the collection we decided to create a show with 501 images alternating on screens, along with a selection of prints and print mosaics. The result not only reflects the general move in photography and the magazine toward digital imagery, but allows for a dynamic, immersive and richer experience of our archive of photographs. The Annenberg Space for Photography has been a wonderfully collaborative and creative partner in breathing life into this idea, which has been a labor of love for all of us."
The exhibit will feature an original documentary commissioned by the Annenberg Space for Photography and produced by Arclight Productions that profiles six renowned photographers whose work appears in the October National Geographic issue: Lynsey Addario, Marcus Bleasdale, David Guttenfelder, Abelardo Morell, Joel Sartore and Martin Schoeller. Through interviews, images and behind-the-scenes footage along with commentary from National Geographic editors, the film will offer insights into the creation of inspiring images that reveal the unseen, unknown and unexpected layers of our world.
In addition, the Photography Space will also screen a short compilation video comprised of photographers talking about the power of photography and what inspires their work. This compilation will be complemented by a series of longer video interviews with 20 photographers represented in the exhibit and a loop of milestone content videos created over the past several years for the magazine's digital edition.
The Annenberg Space for Photography Skylight Studios will continue to host the popular Iris Nights lecture series with exhibit-related speakers. The lecturer schedule will be announced at a later date.
Images are available for press upon request.
About the Annenberg Space for Photography
The Annenberg Space for Photography is a cultural destination dedicated to exhibiting photography. The Photography Space conveys a range of human experiences and serves as an expression of the philanthropic work of the Annenberg Foundation and its Directors. The intimate environment features state-of-the-art, high-definition digital technology as well as traditional prints by some of the world's most renowned and emerging photographers. It is the first solely photographic cultural destination in the Los Angeles area.
Annenberg Space for Photography
2000 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067
Tel: 213.403.3000
www.annenbergspaceforphotography.org
Wednesday through Friday: 11 am– 6 pm
Saturday: 11 am– 7:30 pm
Sunday: 11 am– 6 pm
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Admission is free.
Parking with validation is $3.50 Wednesdays - Fridays and $1.00 on weekends.
About National Geographic
The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations with a mission to inspire people to care about the planet. Founded in 1888, the member-supported Society has funded more than 10,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geography literacy. Through its online community, members can get closer to explorers and photographers, connect with other members around the world and help make a difference. National Geographic magazine, the Society's official journal, has a long tradition of combining on-the-ground reporting with award-winning photography to inform people about life on our planet. Published in English and 38 local-language editions, it is read by more than 60 million people each month.
SOURCE The Annenberg Foundation
CONTACT: For the Annenberg Space for Photography and Skylight Studios: Camille Lowry, Annenberg Foundation, 310.209.4568, clowry@annenbergfoundation.org, Jane Hoffman, all things possible, 424.228.4979, jhoffman@planetatp.com, or For more information about National Geographic Magazine: Beth Foster, 202.857.7543, befoster@ngs.org Web Site: http://www.annenbergspaceforphotography.org
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Nigerian Pharmacist Discovers Cures for Dengue Fever, Hepatitis, Cancer, Tuberculosis and Diabetes
Dr. Benjamin Amodu is a trained pharmacist with a doctorate degree in the field, and he is a lawyer with strong knack for herbal medicines. The civil servant with the Ministry of Defence has been in the news in recent times because of his recent breakthrough discoveries on ‘cures’ for hepatitis B and C, cancer, tuberculosis and Type 2 diabetes. Amodu in this interview with The Guardian’s CHUKWUMA MUANYA narrated how he came about SAAAB and HAABS dietary supplement for hepatitis B and C, SAABFAT 7 for cancer, TABSAABS for tuberculosis, and DAABS-2 for type two diabetes, among other issues. Excerpts:
WHAT prompted your interest in herbal medicine?
THE need to solve societal problem and in particular as that time in the 80’s there was an outbreak of Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), when I studied as a pharmacist in Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna State we were told not to use anything that has more adverse effects than the useful effect.
So when I graduated and HIV/AIDS broke out, there was this AZT, which is the first chemical that was used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. It has more side effect than its useful effects, and I was not disposed to using it. That forced me to do research and I discovered county capsules from China, which have strong immune boosting properties. Thereafter I read a German scientific work, which says that out of salad that is cocktails of vegetables, one can naturally produce a drug that can cure HIV/AIDS. That enabled me start my research work and since then I have not looked back again.
You are now being celebrated for bitter leaf-based herbal supplement that ‘cures’ hepatitis, TB among other diseases, how did you come about the discovery? Tell us more about the products?
I have just told you now that what forced me into the research are those white people who are doing the research, I think is the same brain that we have, that they have. So when I entered the research, as I told you, concoctions infused from cocktails of fruits, vegetables, barks, roots, nuts etc. It is from there that I have my lead drug. And don’t forget that I’m a pharmacist and I majored in Industrial Pharmacy, and that means I can own a manufacturing outfit and I’m glad today that I own one. So I don’t think it is difficult to know. As for bitter leaf, from my research, there is a concept that bitters are better foods for life, is that singular phrase that bitters are good for life that made me centered my work on bitter leaf.
I am happy that we have been able to use it to achieve remarkable breakthrough in areas of care for hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis, diabetes and cancer.
In addition, bitter leaf contains most of the major component of bioactive medical plant, for example tannins, saponins, flavonoids etc. So it should not be surprising that today in Nigeria we have gotten something out of bitter leaf and we have been peer reviewed by different learned international journalist.
To treat dengue fever, which’s an extreme form of fever, and as we speak, President of Hundoros recently declared a state of emergency because of the effect of dengue fever central to it devastating effects. So the world should know that we have solution for most of these neglected tropical diseases and these should come to the control to seek for solution. Even Cuba, we have sent them an email since we have our recent breakthrough in the treatment of dengue fever. We will give them the sample, let them analyse it in their Lab, if they are okay by it, we can now go into mass production to save humanity.
I have saabfsat 5,6,7, they’re all from African product for the treatment/management of most debilitating illnesses from our animal experiment (Phase1) and clinical trial carried out at the Nigerian Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), it has been proved that with one product, cancer can be nipped in the bud, as those products are both prophylactic and curative.
You also claim you have cure for HIV/AIDS, how true is this?
As it is, it will not be proper to project the message that we have cure for HIV/AIDS. We don’t want to send any info to the outside world for anybody to think that we want to jump the gun. What we have can be subjected to further study, and we are uniting with the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to do that.
So at this point, I don’t want to lay claim that I have cure for that. But, what the whole world recognized today is functional cure, and we can beat our chest that we have that cure. Functional cure as described by New York Times. What is functional cure? It is a state whereby an HIV/AIDS client has an increase immune system, decrease or no opportunistic infections and has loss no man-hour (can do his work without help from another). This is exactly that our herbal supplements do; our supplements are at par with the conventional Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART).
To that extent, we can say we have a functional cure. So, by and large we are not saying we have a total cure until we have finished all the required processes stipulated by law.
Our drugs have a repairing effect on the liver and kidney because they are purely sourced from natural fruits and vegetables. As a matter of fact, there are some kidney dialysis patients that use our products that got their rate of dialysis reduced drastically in addition to normalising their haematological indices.
You are a member of a special committee set up by NAFDAC to probe herbal cure claim. What do you think about the committee and NAFDAC’ plans for natural medicine?
That is a welcome development and I doff my cap to the director general of NAFDAC because, as soon as he does that, he would be laying the basis of herbal medicine transformation for President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in the herbal sector through health because our drugs work in the non-communicable and communicable diseases which are the major diseases burden in the whole world. If we are able to deal with the number one killer disease in the whole world, which today is made up of cardiovascular diseases, exemplified by heart diseases, angina, myocardial infarction, hypertension, strokes, cancer, diabetes, and we have solutions to these ones in Nigeria.
By 2008, WHO reported that cardiovascular diseases as the number one killer disease in the world which accounts for about 69 per cent of the death worldwide. So if NAFDAC does and prove it to the world, it will be a remarkable achievement more so that the African Heads of State are on the way to setting up African Centre for Disease Control (CDC) for the management of the disease.
So if the NAFDAC boss does this, he will be adding another feather to his cap just as his name has been written in gold in the arena of stamping fake drugs from Nigeria, as evidence by his invitation by the United States Government.
Another big issue in traditional and herbal medicine is that of sustainability and availability of raw materials especially the plants. How are you ensuring this in your practice?
I own a farm entirely. So with that farm, is to increase capacity there, with effective partnership, we can increase our acreages. In one of my interviews, I said most of these raw material products in the market have the same yield with what we get from the farm, so we can try from the open market, the major thing is to test for pesticide, and heavy metals once this is done, we can effectively utilise those foods that are wasting.
These products are working and it should interest all that WHO has approved herbal medicine, even HIV, which we are donor limited, is now open to the herbal world. So why should there be any form of barrier anywhere again. We alone here cannot change the programme. The programme is that herbal medicine has become standard nobody can change that. We alone here cannot change the programme. The programme is that herbal medicine has come to stay and nobody can change that. So let us change our mindset about herbal drugs. Let us also join other nations of the world in making money from herbal drugs, in development and manufacture of herbal drugs and the trade in herbal drugs, which is about $175 million.
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Survey: Many Executives Uncomfortable Being Friended by Business Contacts on Facebook
MENLO PARK, Calif., Aug. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Here's some "friend"-ly advice for those interested in reaching out to work colleagues on Facebook: Proceed with caution. More than six in 10 senior managers surveyed by OfficeTeam said they are uncomfortable being friended by their bosses (68 percent) or the employees they supervise (62 percent), up from 47 percent and 48 percent of respondents, respectively, in a similar survey conducted in 2009. In addition, nearly half (49 percent) of those recently polled prefer not to connect with coworkers on Facebook, compared to 41 percent in 2009.
The survey was developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 1,000 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees.
Managers were asked,
"How comfortable would you feel about being friended by the following individuals on Facebook?" Click here for their responses.
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No Child Should Need a Bucket List
No Child Should Need a Bucket List
DDB New York and WATERisLIFE show how short life can be in the areas of sub-Saharan Africa where unsafe drinking water is a leading cause of death in children under five years old
NEW YORK, Aug. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- DDB New York and WATERisLIFE have launched an emotional campaign titled, "Kenya Bucket List," where a film crew travelled to Kenya to take a four-year-old Maasai boy named Nkaitole (pronounced Guytolie), who's never been out of his remote African village, on an adventure to do all the things he's always wanted to do before he dies. Why? Because in sub-Saharan Africa where he lives, unsafe drinking water is one of the main causes that prevents one in five children from reaching their fifth birthday.
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Web Site: http://www.ddb.com
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7 Aug 2013 15:27 Africa/Lagos
IFC to Launch $1 Billion Local-Currency Bond Program to Support Nigeria's Capital Markets
sector development in Nigeria.
Nigeria is a leader in the implementation of the IFC Pan African Domestic Medium Term Note Programme. The program enables IFC to raise long-term, local-currency funding for private sector development in the region.
“SEC has spearheaded a number of reforms to accelerate the development of Nigeria's domestic capital markets, and the IFC program is an important contribution to these efforts,” said Arunma Oteh, Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission. “It will enable regular domestic issuances by an international, triple-A rated issuer, expanding the opportunities for investors and increasing access to local-currency finance for Nigerian businesses.”
In February 2013, IFC issued the first local-currency bond by a non-resident issuer in Nigeria, raising 12 billion naira ($76.3 million).
IFC issues bonds as part of its regular program of raising funds for private sector development, and to support the development of domestic capital markets. In many cases IFC is the first, or among the first non-resident issuers.
IFC Vice President and Treasurer Jingdong Hua said: “A vibrant, local-currency capital market is essential for any country to achieve its full economic potential, and a cornerstone of our strategy to help countries achieve sustainable growth. Our desire to put in place a program for regular naira-denominated issuances reflects IFC's commitment to the domestic capital markets in Nigeria, and our growing investment to support private sector development in the country.”
IFC's strategy in Nigeria prioritizes infrastructure, especially power, which was identified as the key constraint to private sector development; agribusiness, the largest single contributor to GDP and the largest employer, especially within the rural poor; the development of small and medium enterprises, the country's largest formal and informal employer, including for youth; and housing. These strategic areas are also in line with the Government of Nigeria's key priorities.
IFC's committed portfolio in Nigeria stands at $1.5 billion, the largest country portfolio in Africa and the eighth-largest globally.
SOURCE : International Finance Corporation (IFC)
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DDB New York and WATERisLIFE show how short life can be in the areas of sub-Saharan Africa where unsafe drinking water is a leading cause of death in children under five years old
NEW YORK, Aug. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- DDB New York and WATERisLIFE have launched an emotional campaign titled, "Kenya Bucket List," where a film crew travelled to Kenya to take a four-year-old Maasai boy named Nkaitole (pronounced Guytolie), who's never been out of his remote African village, on an adventure to do all the things he's always wanted to do before he dies. Why? Because in sub-Saharan Africa where he lives, unsafe drinking water is one of the main causes that prevents one in five children from reaching their fifth birthday.
The Bucket List is a term popularized by the Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson film of the same name. By creating a campaign around this phrase, WATERisLIFE has again used pop culture as an integral part of their marketing communication. It follows on the heels of last year's successful "Hashtag Killer" campaign, in which they attempted to eliminate the popular #FirstWorldProblems hashtag by traveling to Haiti and filming locals as they read the insensitive tweets back to their original authors.
The campaign is centered around a deeply emotional and powerful two-minute film, which documents Nkaitole's bucket list from start to finish. In it, the viewer watches him (along with his Uncle Joel) traveling across Kenya, experiencing things like getting his first kiss, seeing the ocean for the first time, playing soccer in the national stadium (his personal favorite), flying in a hot air balloon, learning to ice skate, and trying ice cream. The film compiles all of these amazing experiences to help drive home the message that this little boy might not reach his fifth birthday unless we help him and the other children of sub-Saharan Africa.
"This campaign gives a face to the millions of young African children who will not live to see their fifth birthday," said Matt Eastwood, Chief Creative Officer of DDB New York. "We hope that by sharing this one child's experience, we can help raise enough money to provide Nkaitole and thousands of other children with clean water and the chance at a long and healthy life."
The campaign will be launched with the help of WATERisLIFE's social channels, with messaging that includes the #5YearsToLive hashtag on Twitter, a series of video clips where American children recite their bucket list on Facebook, and a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the campaign through photos and videos on Instagram. More traditional elements include a series of print ads, each of which will highlight individual bucket list experiences, as well as radio, which will roll out at a later date.
The focus of the campaign is to shed light on the hardships of children in underprivileged societies, as well as to provide them with direct help. "Like our previous campaigns, we'll direct donations from this video to help those who actually appear in it," says Kristine Bender, Executive Director of WATERisLIFE. "Nkaitole's village, as well as many other Maasai villages like his, will be able to receive clean water, proper sanitation and hygiene education as a result of this effort."
DDB New York and WATERisLIFE had separate fundraisers to raise money to produce The Bucket List campaign. This installment marks the second campaign for WATERisLIFE since they partnered with DDB New York in early 2012. Each campaign has been more successful than the last, with donations increasing by over 500% since this partnership began.
To donate or learn more about WATERisLIFE, visit www.waterislife.com.
Bucket List Definition
A list of things that one has not done before but wants to do before dying. It comes from the phrase kick the bucket and was popularized by the movie, The Bucket List, starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson.
About WATERisLIFE
WATERisLIFE was founded in March 2009, and is proud of the efforts over the past four years to dramatically expand program development and funding, volunteer staff and in-country partnerships. We have distributed over 60,000 WiL personal water filters in 36 countries and have distributed filters during emergency/disaster relief initiatives globally. WiL has repaired pumps, drilled wells, provided home filters, protected current water sources, installed water systems, as well as provided school and village WASH education programs. Our volunteer staff has researched and developed three targeted WiL program areas – 334 villages in Kenya, Ghana and Haiti– for clean water, sanitation, and hygiene transformation. And we are just getting started.
About DDB
DDB Worldwide (www.ddb.com) is one of the world's largest and most awarded advertising and marketing networks. In 2012 DDB was named Advertising Network of the Year by Campaign, as well as Agency of the Year and Digital Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine. At the prestigious 2013 Cannes International Festival of Creativity, DDB won 93 Lions, the most ever for the network. In addition, The Gunn Report has listed DDB as one of the Top 3 Global Networks for the last 12 years. The agency's clients include Volkswagen, McDonald's, Unilever, Mars, Johnson & Johnson, and Exxon Mobil, among others.
Founded in 1949, DDB is part of the Omnicom Group (NYSE) and consists of more than 200 offices in over 90 countries with its flagship office in New York, NY.
About Omnicom Group Inc.
Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE-OMC) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.
For further information on Omnicom and its brands, please visit www.omnicomgroup.com.
Contact
Christie Giera
Christie.giera@ddb.com
212-415-2186
Melody Wolff
Melody.wolff@ddb.cm
212-415-2310
Related Link
WATERisLife
Video with caption: "No Child Should Need a Bucket List. DDB New York and WATERisLIFE show how short life can be in the areas of sub-Saharan Africa where unsafe drinking water is a leading cause of death in children under five years old." Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYf82F3CHYo
SOURCE DDB New York
The campaign is centered around a deeply emotional and powerful two-minute film, which documents Nkaitole's bucket list from start to finish. In it, the viewer watches him (along with his Uncle Joel) traveling across Kenya, experiencing things like getting his first kiss, seeing the ocean for the first time, playing soccer in the national stadium (his personal favorite), flying in a hot air balloon, learning to ice skate, and trying ice cream. The film compiles all of these amazing experiences to help drive home the message that this little boy might not reach his fifth birthday unless we help him and the other children of sub-Saharan Africa.
"This campaign gives a face to the millions of young African children who will not live to see their fifth birthday," said Matt Eastwood, Chief Creative Officer of DDB New York. "We hope that by sharing this one child's experience, we can help raise enough money to provide Nkaitole and thousands of other children with clean water and the chance at a long and healthy life."
The campaign will be launched with the help of WATERisLIFE's social channels, with messaging that includes the #5YearsToLive hashtag on Twitter, a series of video clips where American children recite their bucket list on Facebook, and a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the campaign through photos and videos on Instagram. More traditional elements include a series of print ads, each of which will highlight individual bucket list experiences, as well as radio, which will roll out at a later date.
The focus of the campaign is to shed light on the hardships of children in underprivileged societies, as well as to provide them with direct help. "Like our previous campaigns, we'll direct donations from this video to help those who actually appear in it," says Kristine Bender, Executive Director of WATERisLIFE. "Nkaitole's village, as well as many other Maasai villages like his, will be able to receive clean water, proper sanitation and hygiene education as a result of this effort."
DDB New York and WATERisLIFE had separate fundraisers to raise money to produce The Bucket List campaign. This installment marks the second campaign for WATERisLIFE since they partnered with DDB New York in early 2012. Each campaign has been more successful than the last, with donations increasing by over 500% since this partnership began.
To donate or learn more about WATERisLIFE, visit www.waterislife.com.
Bucket List Definition
A list of things that one has not done before but wants to do before dying. It comes from the phrase kick the bucket and was popularized by the movie, The Bucket List, starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson.
About WATERisLIFE
WATERisLIFE was founded in March 2009, and is proud of the efforts over the past four years to dramatically expand program development and funding, volunteer staff and in-country partnerships. We have distributed over 60,000 WiL personal water filters in 36 countries and have distributed filters during emergency/disaster relief initiatives globally. WiL has repaired pumps, drilled wells, provided home filters, protected current water sources, installed water systems, as well as provided school and village WASH education programs. Our volunteer staff has researched and developed three targeted WiL program areas – 334 villages in Kenya, Ghana and Haiti– for clean water, sanitation, and hygiene transformation. And we are just getting started.
About DDB
DDB Worldwide (www.ddb.com) is one of the world's largest and most awarded advertising and marketing networks. In 2012 DDB was named Advertising Network of the Year by Campaign, as well as Agency of the Year and Digital Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine. At the prestigious 2013 Cannes International Festival of Creativity, DDB won 93 Lions, the most ever for the network. In addition, The Gunn Report has listed DDB as one of the Top 3 Global Networks for the last 12 years. The agency's clients include Volkswagen, McDonald's, Unilever, Mars, Johnson & Johnson, and Exxon Mobil, among others.
Founded in 1949, DDB is part of the Omnicom Group (NYSE) and consists of more than 200 offices in over 90 countries with its flagship office in New York, NY.
About Omnicom Group Inc.
Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE-OMC) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.
For further information on Omnicom and its brands, please visit www.omnicomgroup.com.
Contact
Christie Giera
Christie.giera@ddb.com
212-415-2186
Melody Wolff
Melody.wolff@ddb.cm
212-415-2310
Related Link
WATERisLife
Video with caption: "No Child Should Need a Bucket List. DDB New York and WATERisLIFE show how short life can be in the areas of sub-Saharan Africa where unsafe drinking water is a leading cause of death in children under five years old." Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYf82F3CHYo
SOURCE DDB New York
Web Site: http://www.ddb.com
7 Aug 2013 15:27 Africa/Lagos
IFC to Launch $1 Billion Local-Currency Bond Program to Support Nigeria's Capital Markets
WASHINGTON, 7 August 2013 / PRNewswire Africa / - IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is working with the Securities and Exchange Commission in Nigeria to launch the first long-term, local-currency bond program in the country. The program will allow IFC to issue a series of local-currency bonds totaling up to $1 billion, to deepen domestic capital markets and support private
sector development in Nigeria.
Nigeria is a leader in the implementation of the IFC Pan African Domestic Medium Term Note Programme. The program enables IFC to raise long-term, local-currency funding for private sector development in the region.
“SEC has spearheaded a number of reforms to accelerate the development of Nigeria's domestic capital markets, and the IFC program is an important contribution to these efforts,” said Arunma Oteh, Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission. “It will enable regular domestic issuances by an international, triple-A rated issuer, expanding the opportunities for investors and increasing access to local-currency finance for Nigerian businesses.”
In February 2013, IFC issued the first local-currency bond by a non-resident issuer in Nigeria, raising 12 billion naira ($76.3 million).
IFC issues bonds as part of its regular program of raising funds for private sector development, and to support the development of domestic capital markets. In many cases IFC is the first, or among the first non-resident issuers.
IFC Vice President and Treasurer Jingdong Hua said: “A vibrant, local-currency capital market is essential for any country to achieve its full economic potential, and a cornerstone of our strategy to help countries achieve sustainable growth. Our desire to put in place a program for regular naira-denominated issuances reflects IFC's commitment to the domestic capital markets in Nigeria, and our growing investment to support private sector development in the country.”
IFC's strategy in Nigeria prioritizes infrastructure, especially power, which was identified as the key constraint to private sector development; agribusiness, the largest single contributor to GDP and the largest employer, especially within the rural poor; the development of small and medium enterprises, the country's largest formal and informal employer, including for youth; and housing. These strategic areas are also in line with the Government of Nigeria's key priorities.
IFC's committed portfolio in Nigeria stands at $1.5 billion, the largest country portfolio in Africa and the eighth-largest globally.
SOURCE : International Finance Corporation (IFC)
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The Changing Role of Email Marketing
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