By Tosin Kolade

Precious Okoye, the current Miss Africa Queen, on Monday pledged to use her platform to advocate for the development of agricultural industrialisation and economic development in the African region.

Okoye said this at a world press briefing and her unveiling as the sixth Miss Africa Queen, organised by the Miss Africa Organisation in Abuja.

She said the need for awareness and implementation of agro-industrialisation across Africa cannot be over-emphasised at a time when the economy had been fluctuating.

According to her, establishing public-private joint initiatives for growth and sustainability of economies, would not only increase the countries’ Gross Domestic Product, but tackle the ongoing problem of unemployment.

Okoye said: “Africa has a large capacity for producing varieties of agricultural products that are highly sought after across the world and with the right natural climate to grow crops effectively.

“Each country has the capacity to be self-sufficient yielding maximum harvest that can feed the African continent and position themselves as a hub for exporting organic produce worldwide.

“With the awareness of climate change globally, the need to re-invent and re-structure the agricultural sector for Africa should be the primary agenda for each country on the continent.

“By identifying sustainable crops for consistent export, each country can establish capacity building training for industrialisation of agric products from farming to exportation which will serve both the in-country and international consumers.”

She noted that the 6th edition of the Miss Africa Pageant was created to change the narrative to agro-industrialisation for Africa and for Africans.

Okoye promised to partner with other African queens to identify and showcase agricultural products that were unique to their countries.

She added that such partnerships would reflect effective growth for wealth creation through the industrialisation of agricultural products in alignment with the sustainable development goals of alleviating poverty and hunger.

Mr Femi Oyelade, Brand Manager, Miss Africa Organisation, said that the pageant had a Pan-African outlook, focusing on building bridges and sharing cultural heritages among countries.

He said awareness was crucial, if Nigeria and other African countries would meet the sustainable development goals and industrialisation vision through agricultural development.

Oyelade said all contestants were trained to become change makers, championing cultural exchanges and uniting families for the overall good of the region.

Mr Thomas Ikpeme, Special Adviser, Events Production and Tourism, Cross River Government, said the sixth edition of the pageant was distinct from other brands through its message and thematic areas.

He said the agro-industrialisation theme for 2023 was paramount as it was in line with efforts of the state government in diversifying the economy and job creation.

Ikpeme said: “Through our industrialisation, we have been able to come up with the rice seed and seedlings, through the CBN’s Anchor Borrowers Scheme and Cross River as of today is supplying seedlings to the CBN for rice farmers.

“We have been able to generate huge Internally Generated Revenue from there, based on the budget, so we are not looking at Federal Government budget.

”We have also gone ahead to have a noodles processing factory where we use local ingredients to produce our noodles.

“We have the chicken processing plant, we have the cocoa facility known across river state is indeed the largest grower of cocoa.

”So, we have been able to set the localisation of industries where it matters so that we cut off cost of transportation and all that’’.

Ikpeme, however, commended the state Governor for looking within towards ending economic crisis in the state and nationally. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Aderonke Ojediran

Temi Otedola, actress and media personality made her stage debut in ‘Motherland the Musical’.

The play was directed and produced by ace producer, Bolanle Austen-Peters.

The play was a perfect blend of costuming and storytelling with actors like Francis Onwochei, Bamike Olawunmi-Adenibuyan and Uzo Osimkpa.

In the stage play, Otedola acts and sings as ‘Young Hassana’, a Fulani girl who must navigate forbidden love amidst political and social turmoil of 1957 Nigeria.

Set in modern day Nigeria but making many references to the past, Motherland is a fast-paced, educational and emotional look into Nigeria’s history and the country’s current state.

She outdid herself, showing her dexterity and versatility with her singing and acting, despite the fact that it was her first stage performance.

Otedola has established herself as Nigeria’s newest acting ingenus, in the last few years, she has made waves with her acting projects including the Netflix original movie ‘CITATION’

Other productions like the Amazon Prime Original ‘THE MAN FOR THE JOB’ which had positioned her as a formidable talent to watch out for.(NAN) (www.nannews.portal.com)

Edited by Josephine Obute/Maureen Atuonwu

Ikuru Lizzy

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers said it has won the trust of Rivers people through good governance, infrastructure delivery, and tourism development.

Desmond Akawo, State Chairman of the Party stated this on Friday at a beach party in Ikuru during the Andoni Unity Festival in Rivers.

Akawo noted that PDP has become a household brand across the 23 local Councils for delivering massive infrastructure, assuring on the party’s  readiness to further grow the state’s economy through tourism.

According to him, local government chairmen should look inward and identify relevant economc potentials just as the Andoni LGA Chairman Mr Erastus Awortu has identified a potential economc window in tourism.

“As a party with direct interest of the people, we will indeed identify with this huge investment hub in Andoni.

“The beach when harnessed will not only create employment opportunities and revenue for the state but also has the capacity of attracting International recognition whenever tourism is mentioned,” he said.

Akawo also applauded the people of the area for cooperation with the council Chairman on various peace initiatives which has positively transformed the area council.

“We drove to Ikuru Town Beach by road courtesy PDP, indeed, there’s no room for other political parties in the 6,866 polling units of the state.

“I’m sure we don’t need to persuade Andoni to vote for our party and Candidate Mr Siminialayi Fubara in the forthcoming gubernatorial election because the soil texture in Andoni is PDP, the DNA of the people of Andoni is PDP,” he added.

Earlier, Awortu has called for partnership towards harnessing huge revenue in the tourism sector which he discribed as a ‘money spinner’.

“Tourism is a capital intensive venture that requires more than what the local government council can afford. That is the reason we are calling on investors, operating oil companies and government,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail AbdulAziz

By Folasade Adeniran

Impressed with the success of the Burna Boy ‘Lagos Loves Damini’ Jan. 1 show, the UK government has begun talks with its organisers toward exploring a partnership that would shore up the entertainment sector in Nigeria.

Steps toward the partnership kicked off in a meeting held at the British Deputy High Commission in Lagos on Friday.

At the meeting were Mr Kaycee Kennedy of Creative Economy Catalyst Ltd, the main promoter of the show, and Chim Chalemera, Country Director, UK Department for International Trade.

In a remark, Kennedy listed the positives to include the fact that the show was the first African Show listed on Burna Boy official website + ticketing.

He also pointed out that the show was the biggest outdoor music concert with over 30,000 audience.

It also had the biggest car parking in an event – over 11,000 cars – and was also the pioneer single source online ticketing via wallet, he added.

Other major positives included the fact that there were no reported casualties, theft, sexual assault or sexual harassment.

Kennedy, however, observed that in spite of the positives, there were some challenges and learning points.

He said that the desire to address the main challenges and negatives encountered at the Lagos show necessitated the visit to the British Deputy High Commission to meet with the UK Department for International Trade and discuss possible collaboration for future events.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the issue of inadequate power supply and the power surge that led to an outage that took off a good number of equipment was discussed extensively.

Also discussed was the need for logistics support in areas such as infrastructure which includes equipment hire and the standardisation of such equipment in a bid to meet minimum international standards.

The meeting also looked at vendor sourcing and management.

Also discussed was possible support for waste management after the concerts and other such large events.

It was agreed that an adequate waste recycling structure was a very critical post-concert facility so as to preserve the environment and keep to acclaimed international biodisposal and environmental standards.

Chalemera, in her contribution, said she was happy to provide the necessary support including match-making and introduction to relevant UK companies to partner with the concert promoters.

According to her, the partnership would ensure future concerts are delivered to international standards.

NAN reports that in November 2022, the UK Department for International Trade, facilitated a trade mission for 18 UK companies participating in £20m Round 10 Energy Catalyst for sustainable energy.

They visited Eko Energy City, the venue of “Lagos Loves Damini” show, and were hosted by Creative Economy Catalyst Ltd.

Accordingly, the Friday follow-up visit signified a major step geared towards developing a partnership between Creative Economy Catalyst and the Department for International Trade just before the next round of international shows and concerts slated for 2023 at Eko Energy City, Lagos.

An excited Chalemera expressed happiness about the potential benefits of the partnership.

“The UK is very happy to support the Creative Economy Catalyst team as part of our extensive engagement with the Nigerian Creative Industry.

“The UK has much to offer in terms of expertise when it comes to the delivery of large-scale entertainment events such as concerts and festivals.

“We look forward to seeing how this expertise can be applied for future events,” she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Folasade Adeniran

By Mateen Badru/Humi-l-Islam Abubakar

Mixed reactions have continued to trail how nudity is becoming a fashion trend as Nigerians differ on their perspective of what fashion truly portends.

A cross-section of Nigerians who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos, expressed their views on the consequences and the misconceptions of nudity.

Mrs Florence Okenwa, a florist, condemned the idea of bringing nudity into fashion saying that unnecessary exposure of the body could be interpreted as a person being irresponsible.

“I don’t support nudity or the exposure of our precious bodies in the name of fashion. There is an adage that says that one should dress in the way he or she wants to be addressed. Ladies exposing their bodies is an invitation or temptation to the opposite sex.

“I believe strongly that indecent dressing can devalue a woman because it exposes her treasure. To the males, it gives them this image of irresponsibility. I see it as indecent, when people in the name of fashion open sensitive parts of their bodies,” she said.

Mr Fayemi, a designer, however, said that nudity is mixed with fashion all over the world and that it usually depends on what the designer is promoting or showcasing.

“All over the world, nudity is mixed with fashion. However, it depends on what the designer is trying to promote.

“If you’re promoting lingerie for example, then you have models who wear them and the rest of the public would see it as nudity.

“The designer is trying to promote the lingerie not the models. So you have to be able to figure out what is being promoted because nudity and models is part of fashion,”  he said.

A lawyer, Mr Solomon Adekunle, said that indecent dressing was once uncommon in Africa but now becoming a trend leading to increase in the rate of immorality in the society.

Adekunle said mass media as an agent of socialisation should also promote good moral values, adding that display of indecently dressed people on television through advertisement, films and music videos should be discouraged.

“This act is common among students in the higher institutions. They dress in all kinds of manner, all with the aim of looking sexy and attractive instead of dressing in a responsible way.

“In order to eliminate indecent dressing, strict enforcement of dress codes should be introduced in higher institutions across the country.

“Also, to complement such efforts, parents must teach their children how to dress decently.

“Religious leaders should also preach against such act. Students should be educated on the consequences of dressing indecently,” he said.

Mr Jude Oni-Okpaku, the Managing Director of Quintessence, however said that nudity and fashion should not be mixed up as fashion is strictly about expressing oneself.

“As you rightly said, these are two different things that should not be confused or mixed up. Fashion is about expressing oneself  through clothing and appearance, nudity is a naked state that has nothing to do with fashion,” he said.

According to Miss Funmilayo Simeon, an entrepreneur, she sometimes wonder why people expose their body all in the name of fashion but later discovered  that it can be as a result of what they see in the media or poor parenting.

“It could also be as a result of poor moral upbringing or peer pressure. They can be lured into prostitution with this and also be influenced to join a cult group.

“Also, a lady who dresses indecently may be seen as a prostitute in this part of Africa, I  keep wondering how they feel comfortable in those clothes all in the name of fashion,” she said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Gregg Mmaduakolam/Folasade Adeniran

By Folasade Adeniran

With the social media still awash with complaints over the delay in the take-off of the “Lagos loves Damini” Sunday show, Mr Joseph Edgar has explained what happened.

Edgar, Chairman, Duke of Shomolu Productions, a theatrical plays producing outfit, who is a close associate of Wonder X, organisers of the show, blamed the delay on unforseen factors.

“A lot is being said about the just-concluded mega concert featuring global star Burna Boy.

“A lot of stories have come out from different sources, especially eye witness accounts, detailing delay in the show and the very unprofessional attitude of the star who came out cursing and spending quite an unacceptable time on stage despite the long wait for him.

“My unimpeachable sources have informed me that just as the show was about to start, a huge surge hit and blew off 15 microphones out of the 45 that were on stage.

“This meant that the show couldn’t go on and this explains the long unexplainable wait that the audience had to endure as organisers scrambled to find replacement in Lagos during a season where other such huge shows were taking place.

“Furthermore, I have also learnt that due to the popularity of the concert which attracted about 30,000 people, the roads were blocked.

“The adjoining streets – Adetokunbo Ademola, Akin Adesola and Ahmadu Bello – witnessed a complete lock-down.

“I have been told that the music star was stuck in traffic and getting him and his crew to the venue was more like a military action involving taking back roads within the expansive Eko Atlantic through to the Energy City site of the concert.

“The Star, Burna, did not help matters as he seemed to have a beef against the Lagos audience.

“He came out cursing and abusing them.”

Edgar, however, expressed happiness that the show could be termed a phenomenal success as Burna was able to rise above the initial delay to deliver some of his hit tunes.

“That excellent delivery made the crowd to forget their initial misgivings and they danced the night away.

“This was a learning experience for all stakeholders involved, especially the organisers, who would have to beef up their technical capacity and also seek an efficient working relationship with authorities, especially in traffic managemnt and security.

“I have heard reports of the Lagos State Government removing number plates from parked vehicles of attendees. Organisers must tackle such issues well in advance.

“In all, it was a wonderful experience as Nigerians were given another wonderful opportunity to watch their beloved Olu Burna who, despite it all, gave a wonderful, albeit brief, show to the satisfaction of the crowd.” (NAN)

By Mateen Badru

Victor Okhai has emerged the new President of the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN).

Okhai, a producer, script writer and cinematographer, emerged winner after gaining 110 of the 159 votes from members of the guild across the country and in diaspora.

Okhai, while addressing  members of the guild after being declared winner on Sunday night at the DGN Secretariat, Surulere, promised to restructure the movie industry and also restore the dignity of the guild.

“Today is a historic day. I believe it’s the dawn of a new era. About 23 years ago, along with five others, I was a co-founder of this guild.

“We started out with a vision for the kind of industry and guild we had in mind. So much has happened over the years, we have had some great leaders and they have done their best.

“The truth is the director, who is in the hierarchy of the production chain, is first among equals. The state of the director in Nigeria today needs so much to be desired.

“We are not only going to bring back and refocus the vision that we had initially, but we will restore the dignity of the director not just in Nigeria but in the continent,” he said.

Okhai said that the new executive was a great team and would together succeed in steering the DGN right.

According to him, the challenge ahead is great, the expectation is high.

“Unless we hit the ground running, the euphoria or the honeymoon will be over even before it starts.

“I want to assure not only the directors, but also colleagues in the film industry that it is a new dawn. Together, we are  going to take the  industry to a new level.

“There are no two standards, the honeymoon is over for Nollywood, the days when people came from abroad to look at us like monkeys in the zoo is all over.

“Right now, nobody will take your film unless you can meet international standard. No one will lower these standards.

“We are going to make sure that the art and craft of film making in Nigeria is elevated and taking to its rightful place.

“We recognise that for you to compete globally, we must be of the best practices and that’s what we intend to do,” he said.

Okhai commended Fred Amata, the outgoing President, for making way for a peaceful election and keeping the guild together all the while.

“I am not unaware of the challenges he went through. In spite of all, he has been able to pull through and bring us here today.” he said.

Okhai also commended his fellow contestants and the electoral committee for conducting a free and fair election.

In his remarks,  the outgoing President of the DGN, Fred Amata,  said that the DGN election was a peaceful transition which exhibited the professionalism of the guild.

He urged members of the guild and stakeholders in the entertainment industry to support the new president in taking the industry to a new level.

“It is a great time to say to the world that no matter how deeply tested, DGN transition will always be peaceful.

“In the past four years, it has been a turbulence reign, trying to steer the ship of this most prestigious guild with members of intellectual standards.

“Every director is a captain of his ship, therefore, it becomes more complicated to be a captain of captains.

“Today we have come to a resounding conclusion from six zones spread all over the country including members in diaspora.

“We have been able to elect a new president for the DGN, Mr Victor Okhai, and all he needs now is our support. He is a man capable of steering this DGN ship of restless, creatives and insurmountable professionals,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the DGN election took place in six zones including  Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Asaba, Benin and Port Harcourt.

Members of the guild who contested for the post of DGN president  were Kehinde Soaga, MacCollins Chidebe and Yinka Akanbi.

Contestants for other executive posts of the guild were, however, elected unopposed after gaining more than two third of the overall votes.

Tony Akposheri was elected the Vice President, Uchenna Agbo is the National Secretary, Osita Okoli as Director of Finance and Perekeme Odon as the Public Relations Officer.

Others include Prince Isaac Kolawole as the Welfare/Social Officer and Dan Chukwueze as the Provost.

DGN has so far enthroned six presidents namely Matthias Obahiagbon, Fidelis Duker, Bond Emeruwa, Andy Amenechi and the outgoing  Fred Amata. (NAN)