Blog

NAN-ELS-15

Music

By Victor Adeoti

Ile-Ife (Osun), Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) Prof. Tunji Vidal, a Professor of Music and Musicology at the Mountain Top University, Lagos says that the Nigerian contemporary music industry is falling below standard.

Vidal said this while delivering a public lecture as part of activities lined up to mark King Sunny Ade’s 70th birthday at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

The theme of the lecture was “Nigeria music industry; the falling standard’’.

He said that the present crop of musicians lacked the vital preparation to take up a career in music.

Vidal, who noted that the old generation of musicians attended mission schools for training before they ventured into music as a profession, said such training was lacking in today’s music.

He said that lack of adequate experience, training and skills on the part of many of the contemporary musicians had created a vacuum in the Nigerian music industry.

According to him, many of the musicians do not spend time in carrying out research on their music composition and lyrics before producing it.

The professor of music noted that olden days songs were more meaningful and able to withstand the test of time than what“ we have today’’.

“Musicians of today’s generation lack the vital preparation for a musical career.

“Unknown to many people, every profession requires talent, training, skill and mentorship.

“How many of the young people taking up music as a profession has talent for music, how many have developed skills for music making?

“Who trained them, who mentor them, who coached them, who were their song writers?

“For Nigeria music to move forward and maintain aesthetic standards competitive in today’s global market, these questions must receive adequate attention by all those involved in the Nigerian music industry.’’

Vidal commended King Sunny Ade for making Juju music  “what it is today’’.

“King Sunny Ade is an aged tested musician and he must be commended for moving the Nigeria music industry forward,’’ Vidal said. (NAN)

VE/EEE

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Edited by Ese E. Ekama

AMAC officials make startling discoveries at Nyanya market

NAN-H-73
Discoveries
By Funmilayo Adeyemi and Bukola Adewumi
Abuja, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) Officials of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) made startling discoveries on Wednesday when it embarked on the evacuation of street traders at Nyanya market.

Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who accompanied the enforcement team, report that a school operating illegally and a shop housing commercial sex workers and smokers were uncovered.

The team met the “school’’ in session with about 80 pupils between ages two and seven years, learning  in shop measuring  4 by 4 feet without ventilation.

Mrs Alice Hogan, owner of the school christened Wisdom Nursery School, located in the heart of Nyanya Market, told journalists that the school had been in operation for the past 10 years.

Hogan, who claimed to hold a National Certificate in Education, admitted that she had no licence to operate the school.

She said she was inspired to set up the school to meet the needs traders who brought their children to the market, adding that it was her own little way of contributing to the education of the children.

She further said that the high unemployment rate in the country frustrated her resolve to own a school.

“ I was looking for a place to start a school after I had looked for a paid job and could not get one.

“ I resolved to use this shop because it belongs to my husband and what we do is just to pay revenue to the government.

“ When I started the school, I made a “batcher” at the back of the shop and put the children inside for teaching.

“ Though I have no licence to operate, I run the school so as to help the market people groom their children for primary school,’’ she said.

NAN reports that the pupils are in a stressed-laden and noisy environment not conducive for learning.

A teacher, who, with Hogan manages the school, took to her heels on sighting security personnel.

While reacting to the development, Mrs Herientta Nwosu, a mother and civil servant, appealed to the FCT Education authorities, to a matter of urgency, regulate and monitor schools in the territory.

Nwosu said that such schools should be under lock and their owners arrested, to serve as a deterrent to others.

“ What I just saw here is a criminal act. The appropriate authority, after closing the school, should get the owner arrested.

“ We cannot all keep our eyes closed. Parents should stand up to their responsibilities of protecting the right of their wards.

“These children can get suffocated in this one room shop accommodating about 80 children all in the name of learning.

“The government should please come quickly and rescue these children,’’ she said.

NAN also reports that officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who accompanied the enforcement team, promptly arrested three girls and two men engaged in sexual activities in the shop turned into a brothel. (NAN)
BOL/FAK/NKO

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(Edited by Nkechi Okoronkwo)

NAN-H-72
Bail
By Suleiman Shehu
Ibadan, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan on Wednesday granted bail to one Odekunmaya Seun and Kazeem Babarinde for  allegedly stealing  two cell phones valued at N27,000.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendants had been in prison custody since Nov. 24, 2012 .

NAN also reports that the hearing of the case had since began but the bail application of the defendants had not been heard by the judge.

Justice Adegbola Gbolagunte granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N500,000 and two sureties in like sum, with one of them a blood relation of the defendants.

Gbolagunte, who said that the second surety must be a civil servant on not less than grade level 12, adjourned the case till Oct. 31 for further hearing.

Earlier, the counsel to the defendants, Mr Gbenga Falade, had informed the court at Wednesday’s hearing of the case that the prosecutor, Mr Adeyemi Opakunle, had been using delay tactics by not providing the remaining witnesses.

Falade urged the court to consider the bail application of the defendants, saying he had served his bail application on the prosecutor and had not been responded to.

He informed the court that the bail application had been filed on behalf of the defendants since June 22, 2015 and April 28, 2016.

Falade said that the defendants had been in prison custody since Nov. 24, 2012 and had not been granted bail.

It would be recalled that Opakunle, a Principal State Counsel, had informed the court that the defendants were facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.

Opakunle alleged that the defendants robbed one Yetunde Odunuga and Tope Esther of their cell phones valued at N12,000 and N15,000 respectively.

The prosecutor said that a cash sum of N4,000 was also collected from the victims by the suspects said to be armed with dangerous weapons such as gun and cutlass.

He said that the incident happened on Feb.25, 2011 at about 11.30 p.m. at Ososami area of Ibadan.

Opakunle said that the offences contravened Section 6(b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special provision Act) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The defendants had pleaded not guilty.(NAN)

SYS/OJO
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(Edited and controlled by Mufutau Ojo)

Keshi’s audio on Nigeria’s GDPAudio Attached

NAN-ELS-14

GDP

By Ijeoma Ndubisi

Abuja, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) National art and craft festivals can help boost Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Mrs Dayo Keshi, the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), has said.

Keshi said this when she featured at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja on Wednesday.

According to her, national festivals can be used as an instrument of diversifying the economy rather than an avenue for uniting the people of the country.

Cue in audio

“The National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST) is called the Unity Festival because that is what it is borne out of.

“But over the years, we’ve also looked at other areas that are salient to Nigeria’s growth using festivals.

“It’s not about the unity of Nigeria; we’ve gone long past that.

“Now it is about looking for where else we can improve on Nigeria’s GDP using National festivals such as NAFEST.

“With NAFEST we tend to work more with the grassroots; the empowerment actually is at the grassroots, because the average custodians of our creative cultural industries exist at the grassroots.

“So during a NAFEST we reach out to everybody and any host state will find that the economy at that level is galvanised because the sachet water seller sells more water, the groundnut seller does the same, the taxi drivers, the hotels – for everybody, it’s brisk business.

“They don’t make billions. No, what the festival does is to strengthen the economy and create a sense of belonging at the grassroots.’’

Cue out audio

NAN reports that the 2016 NAFEST scheduled to hold in Uyo from Oct. 2 to Oct. 9 has `Exploring the Goldmine Inherent in Nigeria’s Creative Industry’. (NAN)

NIU/OSA/YEE

Edited by Shittu Obassa/Controlled by Emmanuel Yashim

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NAN-H-54
Maritime
By Bolaji Buhari and Uche Eletuo
Lagos, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) Some maritime experts on Wednesday called on the Federal Government to urgently take strategic steps toward reviving the country`s shipping industry.

The experts gave the advice in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.

Other experts called for an improved budget and the establishment of a security trust fund to carter for the myriad of problems troubling the maritime sector.

They spoke ahead of the International Maritime Day observed globally on September 29 of every year.

NAN reports that the theme of the 2016 edition of the occasion is “Shipping: Indispensable to the World“.

Mr Olu Akinsoji,a former Sole Administrator, Nigerian Maritime Academy,Oron, Akwa-Ibom, said that there could be no maritime sector without a viable shipping industry.

Akinsoji said the country had not been able to benefit from the opportunities in the sector because there was virtually no shipping in the country.

“September 29th is the International Maritime Day but Nigeria cannot be said to be participating because we do not have shipping.

“You see, shipping is an integral element of the maritime sector and countries that have good shipping industry are reaping bountifully from that multi-billion dollar sector.

“We need to reposition the sector to promote trade and improve our economy.

“The government needs to create the right maritime environment and take certain strategic steps to revive the shipping industry, “he told NAN.

Akinsoji, also a former Government Inspector of Ships (GIS), said the refloating of a national shipping line was strategic to the revival of the shipping industry.

He said that with the government`s plan at having ships carrying national flags, the industry would come back to life as there would be enough ships to drive the local maritime sector.

The expert said he was part of the committee set up by the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, to work out the modalities for the new fleet, saying the eventual take-off would add fillip to the industry.

Akinsoji said that there must be a conscious effort by the government and other stakeholders to address the problem of human capacity to revive the shipping industry.

He said that lack of skilled manpower in the industry had affected shipping actitivities in the country.

The expert said regulatory agencies like the Nigerian Maritime Administration And Safety Agency (NIMASA) should be strengthened to perform their statutory responsibilities effectively.

He also said increased private –sector participation in shipping would promote competition and help return the industry to life.

Also, Mr John Egesi, a former Director-General of the defunct National Maritime Authority(NMA), said the maritime sector had suffered because of low shipping activities.
He however said lack of cargoes due to low capacity of local manufacturing sector was partly responsible for the near death of the shipping industry.

“We are having issues with the shipping industry because we are not an export based economy. We need to develop our manufacturing capacity in order to drive a viable maritime sector.

“To me, a national fleet might not solve the problem. Because if we have all the ships and do not have the cargoes, what will the ships carry.

“We should grow our economy first and if we have enough to export, shipping will thrive naturally, “ he said.

Egesi called for partnership with the major private shipping lines to attract the right investments in shipping and grow the maritime sector.

Mr Benson Adegbeyeni, President, Senior Staff Association of the Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA), lamented the exit of foreign shipping lines due to low import activities.

He urged the government to implement the right policies and create the right environment to revive the industry.

Mr Ignatius Mba of Genesis Maritime and Mr Steve Abe of Sapid Ltd. suggested that budgets for the maritime sector would mean more revenue to the country.

Mba said that nothing stopped the nation from floating a national carrier to help absorb trained seafarers.

A Maritime Security Consultant, Mr Ikechukwu Uche, said that  Nigeria still maintained its good name in global maritime circle.

“We are still there as a nation in world maritime but a lot still needs to be put in place to catch-up with other advanced maritime world.

“As a nation, there is need for the establishment of a National Maritime Security Trust Fund to cater for the increasing sea crime,’’  Uche said.

The Managing Director, Kizto Maritime Agency Ltd., Mr Tony Uzum, said that the Nigerian maritime sector was bedevilled with infrastructure decay.

“Most of the equipment used by the operators and agencies are obsolete and the incapacity is robbing on service delivery.

“The maritime world of today is on fast-track with stiff competition from other societies for improved service delivery.

“An improved budgetary allocation to the sector will afford the managers the opportunity to improve on their equipment,’’ Uzum said. (NAN)

EUC/BHB/AJA
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(Controlled by Adeleye Ajayi)

NAN-HG-12
Nurses
By Omowunmi Alake
Lagos, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) Federal Government should create an enabling environment for health professionals to address the challenge of brain drain, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) said on Wednesday.

Mr Abdulrafiu Adeniji, the National President of the association, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Adeniji spoke on the sidelines of a scientific conference organised by the West African College of Nursing with the theme: “Advancing Nursing and Healthcare: The Emerging Possibilities and Challenges.’’

According to him, NANNM and the Nursing Council of Nigeria are conducting researches on the issue of brain drain.

“We want to find out what is causing labour mobility, and we have found out that people are not being motivated; they are deprived and not being treated well.

“It is not money alone that makes people to travel out of the country to practice; sometimes, they do not have the freedom to practice effectively.

“We need to negotiate for better conditions of service with the government,’’ Adeniji said.

He said that without specialisation, patients would not get the quality services they required for improved healthcare delivery.

“We need more specialised professionals in the health sector as this will not only improve quality healthcare services, but also improve lives of our patients.

“There is also a major challenge where there are specialised people, but are not employed.

“The association is also collaborating with nurses in Diaspora for them to come back and impact what they had gained abroad on those practicing in the country.

“The time has come for us to start thinking of innovative ways to advance nursing and healthcare in the country,’’ Adeniji said. (NAN)
AOI/VIV
(Edited by Vivian Ihechu/controlled by Olagoke Olatoye)

NAN-H-65
Gurara
By Amen Gajira
‎Gurara (Niger), Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) The Niger government is working out a deal with a Canadian based tourism investor to develop Gurara waterfalls, Mr Jonathan Vatsa, the Commissioner of Information, Culture and Tourism, has said.

Vatsa made the statement on Wednesday at an event held at Gurara ‎waterfalls in Gurara local government area to mark World Tourism Day.

“We are partnering with foreign agencies to promote and boost tourism; we have not fully harnessed our tourism potentials in the state. 

“The tourism potential of Gurara falls alone will create over 2, 000 jobs to our teeming youths and boost internally generated revenue.

“The plan is for the Canadian investor to develop and operate the Waterfalls, make their money and return the site to government after a given period,” he said.
‎
‎Vatsa said that Mohammed Sani-Abu, the developer and promoter of Festival of Africa and Caribbean Culture (FESTACC), had opened talks with the government to invest in the tourism sector of the state.

‎He said that another tourism industry from South African had also indicated interest to partner with the government to develop the falls and other tourism sites in the state.

The commissioner added that the developers had agreed to use local content and employ youths from the local communities around the sites.

Speaking in an interview with newsmen, Sani-Abu described Gurara Waterfalls as “a national asset capable generating huge revenue for the state if properly harnessed.’’

He said that when the site is fully developed, thousands of jobs would be created in such areas as security, game reserves, casinos, agriculture and hotels.‎

‎He said: “my vision is to transfer what I have seen in North America in terms of tourism sites to Niger state.

“There are many sites that look exactly like Gurara falls in North America that have been fully developed to become world tourist destinations.

“For now, the Gurara falls is money wasting away.

“The state government needs to know that it can actually make lots of money, generate employment and promote the arts and culture of the people by utilizing its potentials,” he said.

Sani-Abu pledged to utilise his 35 years experience in tourism promotion and development to make the project a success. (NAN)

AMEN‎/IS/AEA
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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz and Controlled by Archibong Asuquo

NAN-ELS-12

Potential

Lagos, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) Mr George Ufot, the Director, International Cultural Relations, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, says that the culture and creative industry has the potential to create jobs in the country.

Ufot said this at a sensitisation workshop on “Mainstreaming Culture and Creative Industries’ Interests into the Trade Policy of Nigeria’’ in Lagos on Wednesday.

The event was organised by the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP).

Ufot added that the creative industry had everything it takes to be transformed into a creative economy, thereby creating jobs and generating income for a sustainable economy.

“It is necessary for the government as well as private organisations to partner in equipping the creative industry as an alternative means to generate income and create a sustainable economy.

“The development and improvement of our culture and creative industry is one of the surest way by which our economy can be sustained,’’ he said.

The director said that the development of the industry should not be left to the government alone, and enjoined everyone to work together for its improvement.

“The creative industry is one sector which if properly harnessed, can lift the country out of the current recession.’’

Ufot commended NANTAP in its advocacy programme to ensure meaningful development of the sector.

Earlier, Mr Babatunde Obalana, the President of NANTAP, said that the aim of the workshop was to deliberate on ways to improve the fortunes of practitioners even in the low season.

“We intend to establish activation hubs where practitioners can hone their talents and package their works for export,” he said.

Obalana said that the association had appealed to various financial institutions to invest in a 250 multipurpose-hall project to be built across Nigeria.

“This hall is guaranteed to employ over 6,000 practitioners of varying degrees and skills.

“The structure will be fitted with functional facilities to do basic editing, production, staging, and costuming among others.

“If this can be realised, it will represent a turning point because it will create creative hubs across the country,’’ he said.

The president appealed to the ministry to work closely with NANTAP to ensure the realisation of these laudable dreams and goals, which would no doubt benefit thousands of practitioners.

In her remarks, Mrs Vesta Adu-Gyamfi, the Director, Centre for Cultural and African Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, said West African practitioners had limited access in selling cultural products abroad.

“The cultural practitioner’s within ECOWAS countries have limited access to Europe in terms of obtaining visas and meeting some requirements that will grant them access.

“This serves as a potential challenge militating against promoting, developing and exporting our culture to other parts of the world,’’ she said.

Adu-Gyamfi said that the promotion of a viable cultural sector in West Africa would help reduce poverty in the country and create unlimited jobs in the country.

Also speaking, Ben Tomoloju, renowned Thespian appealed to relevant authorities at the federal, state and local government levels, to create more festivals that could boost trade.

“Festivals will attract market women, rural dwellers and everyone who has something to sell in contact with consumers’ thereby encouraging trade in that particular area.

“It also helps to showcase our different cultures such as hairstyles, cuisines, headgears, and caps among other things to the world as a whole,’’ he said.

Tomoloju, however, advised promoters of festivals to remain focused and avoid religious fanatics who may want to disrupt festivals, describing it as paganism. (NAN)

OUU /ERO/EEE

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Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Ese E. Ekama

Court decides on dismissed Army Corporal fate Nov.3
NAN-H-64
By Doris Esa
Judgement
Abuja, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) The National Industrial Court will deliver judgment in dismissed Lance Corporal Mohammed Mohammed case against Nigerian Army on Nov. 3.

Justice Maureen Esowe fixed the date after counsel to parties adopted their final written addresses.

Adopting his address, Mr.Joseph Ashefel, Counsel to Mohammed, said that his client was unjustly dismissed and allegedly detained for months in the respondent’s guard room.

Ashefel urged the court to reinstate Mohammed into the Nigeria Army and grant the reliefs sought.

The  Counsel to the Nigeria Army, Mr. J.J Momoh, urged the court to dismiss the suit in its entirety, and grant  “our application as argued”.

Mohammed, who joined the Chief of Army Staff, the General Officer Commanding  82 Division Enugu Garrison, and the Garrison Commanding Officer 82 Division, as co-respondents, is challenging his alleged dismissal from the Nigeria Army. (NAN)
ORD/OFN

NAN-H-52
Schools
By Olayinka Olawale
Lagos, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) Some residents in Agbado-Oke Odo and Meiran communities in Lagos State have expressed concern over the state of insecurity in some public schools in the area.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews that the state government should urgently construct fences in the affected schools for safety of pupils.

The residents, who spoke to NAN on Wednesday, said that the pupils were exposed to danger because of the location of the schools.
They listed the affected schools as African Church Primary Schools I and II, Ile-Iwe, Meiran, and Community Primary School, Agbado-Okeodo.

NAN observed that the three schools, located in the same premises, are along Ajasa Command road and Meiran road which intersect each other.

Mrs Alimat Kareem, a parent of a pupil in one of the schools, told NAN that stakeholders had written several letters to the state government on the situation.

According to her, lack of perimeter fencing, poor and inadequate facilities are posing danger to the pupils.

Kareem said the pupils were also exposed to health hazards from pollutions, kidnapping and negative influences from street urchins.

“When you visit the schools in the evening, area boys and hoodlums have taken ownership of the place, playing football and smoking Indian hemp.

“Throughout the long holidays, government did not rehabilitate the schools.’’

Another parent, Mrs Kemi Oluwalogbon, also expressed concern on the increasing moral decadence among pupils, which she attributed to the current economic recession in the country.

Oluwalogbon said the economic challenges forced parents to put their wards in such public school.

She said that the increase in school enrolment had made it difficult for the security men to manage the pupils’ population in the schools.

“The situation in the school is bad.

“Children are kept in a school without perimeter fence and security gate in Lagos in this period of kidnapping and abduction.

“Government should do something to safeguard the safety of the pupils,’’ she added.

Mr Adetokunbo Ifederu, another parent, said that apart from insecurity, the school environment was not conducive for learning.

“Good environment helps students to assimilate whatever they are being taught in class.

“There is no way an average child can learn under such condition and you expect him or her to come out in flying colours.

“Although there are some of them who are brilliant and can cope under such circumstances.’’

When contacted, Mr Seyi Adelusi, the Public Relations Officer of Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), told NAN that the state government was aware of the situation.

He assured that the board would rehabilitate the affected schools soon.

Adelusi said that many primary schools had been earmarked for rehabilitation and that the schools in question would also benefit.

“The schools will be rehabilitated soon; it is one of the cardinal programmes of this administration to rehabilitate schools and we have identified them.

“The perimeter fencing in the schools will also be reconstructed as soon as possible,’’ he said. (NAN)
OOG/AIB/TA
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Edited by Abdulfattah Babatunde/controlled by Tajudeen Atitebi