By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

A Nigerian musician, Victor Ukoh, also known as Veecil, has dropped a single titled, ‘Black Energy’.

This is contained in statement issued by the artist’s publicist, Kemi Israel, on Saturday in Abuja.

Israel said that Veecil, in the song, featured talented rising Nigerian artists such as Syemca, Layzee Ella, and The Majeek.

“Black Energy” showcases Veecii’s versatility and creativity as a music producer.

“He creates a sweet fusion of Afrobeats and Soul, as he enlists these gifted artists who delivered catchy melodies and relatable lyrics on the track.

“This song serves as the lead to his first ever body or work. His passion for music emerged at an early age.

“He started with his proficiency as a drummer before transitioning to the piano, where he honed his craft and gained a deep understanding of music production.

“Veecii is no stranger to the music scene, having received numerous accolades and recognitions, including an award for his outstanding contribution to “Make Music Lagos 2021,” Israel said.

According to him, Veecil’s talent as one of the contestants in the inaugural season of “Stardom Nigeria”, was adjourned one of the best in the highly acclaimed reality TV show.

“With his exceptional talent and passion for music, Veecii is undoubtedly one to watch”. (NAN)

Edited by Maureen Atuonwu

By Dorcas Jonah

The new copyright law in Nigeria is filling important gaps in today’s digital content age and will be useful to combat online piracy and loss of revenue especially in Nollywood, an intellectual property law expert, Prof. Samuel Andrews, says.

Nollywood employs more than a million people directly or indirectly, making the sector Nigeria’s second largest employer after agriculture. In 2022, Nollywood’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP stood at 0.1%.

It is Africa’s most successful film industry and the third largest globally after Hollywood and Bollywood in terms of the number of movies produced annually.

In a new paper for The Conversation, Andrews, a U.S Ambassador’s Distinguished Scholar and Professor of Intellectual Property Law, lauded the new copyright law and praised its coverage of contemporary piracy issues faced by creators in the Nigerian entertainment space.

According to him, the new law has the potential to create stability and predictability in industries like Nollywood. This is a positive step towards a more diversified national economy – and economic growth.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on March 17, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Copyright Bill, 2022. This Act, known as the Copyright Act of 2023, repeals the Copyright Act of 2004.

Among other key issues, the new law recognises and protects creative works that are based on current digital productive technologies.

It covers films, music, performances, literary works and performances enabled by the internet and wireless devices through streaming techniques, uploads, hyperlinks and air-drops.

The new copyright law includes a “safe harbour” provision which protects Nollywood entrepreneurs from unnecessary legal suits.

As Andrews explained in the paper, “for example, online service provider business is an emerging technology that requires huge investment and is vulnerable to illegal actions.

“People upload unauthorised content on an online platform and this can result in lawsuits which affect investors in this sector.

”The safe harbour comes with responsibility on the part of the online service provider: it must quickly remove unauthorised content and must not benefit financially from it,” Andrews stated.

He said the new law also gives copyright owners ways to resolve disputes over ownership of online content without necessarily going to court.

Speaking further about execution, Andrews noted that it will be important to allow the courts to do their job.

He explained that trying to settle disputes through the Nigerian Copyright Commission – which is a new option – could complicate and prolong the litigation.

Andrews said this might discourage investment in the creative industry. (NAN) (www.nannew.ng)

Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi

By Mateen Badru

A content creator, Chuke Chinemelum, popularly known as Danceglitch, has called for more focus on the dance sector of the entertainment industry.

Danceglitch, a dance artiste, actor, aspiring filmmaker and a creative director, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

The skitmaker with over 10 million followers across his social media platforms (Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, Youtube, Twitter), said the dance sector receives less attention despite the fact that dance is an integral part of human culture.

“I do Dancemedy, which is a combination of drama, dance and comedy. I decided to creatively carve out a unique niche for myself and that was the birth of Dancemedy.

“Dancemedy cuts across comedy, dance and drama. It involves telling short funny stories through dancing. So, when I perform or create, I am motivated by the desire to create a meaningful experience for my audience.

“The dance sector of the entertainment industry, however, often receives less attention than other art forms such as music, film, and theater.

“Despite the fact that dance has been an integral part of human culture for centuries, it is often overlooked and underfunded,” he said.

Danceglitch said that budding dance artistes could be encouraged by creating a platform where they can easily showcase their talents.

“One way to encourage young and budding dance artistes and content creators is to provide them with more opportunities to showcase their talents. This can be done through workshops and special trainings regardless of socio-economic status.

“Additionally, it is important to provide financial support and resources to dance organisations. This can help to ensure that they are compensated fairly for their work and have access to the training and resources they need to thrive.

“Another way to tap into the dance sector is to utilise technology to make dance more accessible to wider audiences.

“For example, virtual reality technology can be used to create immersive dance experiences, and live streaming can allow people to watch performances from anywhere in the world,” he said.

The content creator urged government to beam its focus light on the dance sector while he commended the resources on ground presently aiding the sector.

“While I have not personally received any direct support from the government or organisations, I am grateful for the resources and opportunities that are available to dance artistes and content creators,” he said.

He further encouraged young content creators to be consistent and not get discouraged by challenges as there would always be one.

“To all the young people who are passionate about their unique art, I want to say that you are amazing. Pursuing your pasion as a career can be challenging, but don’t let that discourage you.

“If you are creative and willing to put in the time and effort, you can achieve your dreams and become successful.

“Being a dance artiste and a content creator is not just about technique and skill, but also about expressing yourself creatively and telling a story. So, keep exploring new movements, styles, and genres and never stop learning and growing as an artiste.

“The most important thing is to embrace your unique style and let your creativity shine through. With hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude, you can achieve anything you set your mind to,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Folasade Adeniran

By Ikenna Uwadileke

Some leisure spot owners in Abuja on Monday decried low patronage during the Easter festivities.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) they blamed the low patronage on economic hardship triggered by inflation, insecurity and cash crunch.

According to Istifanus Nanu, the Manager, Taminus Garden, Asokoro, sales have significantly decreased compared to 2022.

“During the Easter period in 2022, we had more sales.

“This may be because there was cash available but this time around we are recording low patronage.

“I think the people are economising the cash they have,’’ Nanu said

Julius Eke, the Chief Executive Officer of Islands Bar and Lounge at Guzape, said that he observed a decrease in the number of customers.

“Customers are no longer coming as before and this did not just start with the Easter, we started observing the decline since the currency redesign was introduced,’’ Eke said.

On his part, Mr Fidelis Ehizoje, owner of a beer parlour in Karu, said that weekends when he usually made around 80 per cent in sales had seen a dramatic decrease to 60 per cent.

“The increase in the price of drinks and other things we sell here is not just the problem; the major problem we are facing is the price of diesel, fuel, and electricity bills ,” Ehizoje said.

“The increase in price in beers, wine, catfish and other things can be adjusted to the customer but the prices of diesel and fuel are taken from the company’s account which can ruin the business.

“More so, we are experiencing challenges with electronic transactions whereby some people come and buy things but cannot make electronic payment successfully.

“I want to urge the authorities to ensure that adequate infrastructure is in place to enable seamless electronic money transfer.

“This is important because it will help our business. Many customers lament lack of cash and this is affecting our sales drastically,’’ Ehizoje said.

Some customers blamed their irregular visit to leisure spots on inflation.

Mr Emeka Anosike, who said that he used to be a regular customer to leisure spots, expressed concern over the increasing cost of things.

He said “I like to visit the gardens to watch football particularly on weekends but the high cost of things is scaring me away nowadays.

“Previously, my brand of beer was N500 but now it is N700.

“I used to buy an average sized roasted fish for N2, 000, but the price has jacked up to N2, 500 and in some cases N2, 800.

“If the trend continues, the chances of visiting leisure spots would reduce,’’ Anosike said.

Another customer, Mr Sampson Salewa, said that in spite of the challenges, insecurity was a major factor that discouraged him from going to leisure spots.

“But with the improved security situation, I am comfortable going to leisure spots to unwind particularly during festive periods.

“You may have heard people saying a lot about the importance of tourism in many regards.

“When one elaborates on its economic effects, I am more interested in its impact on my life,’’ Salewa said.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the country’s headline inflation rate rose to 21.91 per cent in February 2023 compared to 21.82 in January, indicating an increase of 0.09 per cent.

The price of diesel also increased from about N600 per litre in 2022 to over N800 in some parts of Nigeria, putting unprecedented stress on the economy and threatening businesses in the country.

The report comes as Nigerians begin to witness relief after two months of naira scarcity occasioned by the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ese Ekama

By Taiye Olayemi

The Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN)  says it generated N441 million from tickets sold across the country in March 2023.

The National Chairman of CEAN, Mr Opeyemi Ajayi, disclosed this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.

Ajayi said  the total admission of viewers into cinemas across the federation for the period under review was 174,071.

“For March, we had total sales of N441,752,914 across all cinema with 174,071 viewers admission into cinemas.

“Sales in March was encouraging compared with February when we recorded total sales of N278 million due to activities of the Presidential and National Assembly elections, as well as the national problem of cash crunch.

“For April, we will be  showing Super Mario Bros, Domitila, Bloomboys, Honey Money, Renfield and The Pope’s exorcist,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Yakubu Uba/Chioma Ugboma

By Patience Aliyu

Ms Julie Mckay, U.S. Cultural Affairs Officer in Nigeria, has assured the creative industry of her country’s partnership for the growth of the sector.

She gave the assurance while inspecting facilities at the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) during a tour of cultural sites, Museums and the National Film Institute (NFI) on Friday in Jos.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the envoy had visited the Film Corporation on Thursday and had meetings with its management board.

Mckay, who had earlier met with the NFC both in Abuja and Jos, reiterated her country’s determination to partner with the Film Corporation to boost youth development.

“Since we spoke last week, we have already brought U.S. filmmakers to Nigeria, they are in Lagos now and will be in Abuja next week.

“I think we do agree that more interaction between the film industries in the United States and Nigeria is mutually beneficial, so we are certainly looking to do that.

“Building creative industries, helping Nigeria build their creative industries is one of our priorities, and so we really look forward to working with you on that.

“One of our main priorities is opportunities for youth, and so we have many opportunities for young people, a lot for entrepreneurship.

“We will be opening an opportunity for the academy for women entrepreneurs, and they could be filmmakers, there are a lot of opportunities and the U.S. wants to be strong partners with Nigeria in this area,” she said.

Responding, Dr Chidia Maduekwe, Managing Director/Chief Executive of NFC, expressed joy at the development, saying that when the opportunity came, he would ensure making the most use of it.

He noted that this would mean an opportunity to reduce unemployment while engaging the youth in the country.

“I am really excited, I am also hopeful because I know that whenever America enters into the fora, they come as heavyweights, so our relationship cannot be the same after this visit.

“We expect that the handshake between Nollywood and Hollywood will now have some more interaction.

“I am going to deploy the opportunity to expand the institute to exponential capacities that are waiting for such an opportunity to expand.

“We are going to multiply that capacity so that Nigerian youths can have more equipment in a way to pursue their God given talent or unlock the potential to become creators of wealth.

“I believe the creative industry is a low hanging fruit, our relationship with the United States will enable us to squeeze our juice from unemployment to employment,” he said.(NAN)(nannews.ng)

Edited by Nkiru Ifeajuna/Idris Abdulrahman