Lagos, Hub of Creative Sector In Nigeria – Lai Mohammed

Segun Adeyemi, Lagos: The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has described Lagos State as the hub of the Creative Sector in
Nigeria, hence it has a key role to play in the Federal Government’s economic diversification policy.
Speaking to journalists at the Eko Art Expo in honour of the late Rasheed Gbadamosi in Lagos on Friday evening, the Minister said the Creative Industry, which comprises film, music, all forms of production, fashion, design, etc., is one of the sectors to be leveraged upon in the government’s diversification efforts.
“We need to create jobs, both skilled and semi skilled, formalise all aspects of these industries, make them export products and help promote and participate in infrastructure development that will enhance the sector and people’s lives. We cannot achieve this without Lagos State. With its over 20 million people, Lagos is the home of the Creative Sector,” he said.
Alhaji Mohammed said a recent study of the Creative Sector in Lagos showed the creative businesses surveyed contributed
N2,547,300,490.26 during the reference period, with 61 per cent of the total Gross Value Added (GVA) derived from the Film industry alone, while fashion and music contributed 26 and 13 per cent respectively.
He expressed the confidence that under the leadership of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, “we will see an acceleration of these figures,” especially because the Governor is providing the enabling environment needed for the Creative Sector to flourish more.
“Enhanced security across the state, the lighting up of Lagos, the modern rail system and the 12-lane Lagos-Badagry Highway are the much-needed ingredients for Lagos to finally seal its place as the hub of Nigeria’s Creative Sector.”
“When we consider the work being done to bolster the industries, from re-building the National Museum in Lagos in order to celebrate the culture of preservation and commercialization of Art, the Lagos Fiesta which is seriously promoting the performance of Music, the investment into building Theatres across the State and again helping even the Federal Government to resuscitate our National Theatre which will bolster that whole economy, and also the building of a home for Nollywood and the TV production industries in Epe, the Creative Industry will be given the much-needed wings to finally fly and take their rightful place globally,” the Minister said.

Nigeria Customs Intercept 661 Pump Action Riffles Concealed In A Container

Nigeria Customs yesterday at its Lagos command intercepted 661 guns (Pump Action Rifles) concealed as steal doors. The Controller General of Customes was at the serene after the concealed consignment was open.
“It is my pleasure to brief you on the recent gains of Nigeria Customs Service anti-smuggling operations. On Sunday 22nd January 2017, the Roving Team of the NCS Federal Operations Unit while on information patrol intercepted a Mack truck with registration number BDG 265 XG conveying a 1x40ft Container with Number: PONU/825914/3along Mile 2 Apapa road,” Hammed Ali said.
The truck was immediately taken to the premises of FOU Zone A,Ikeja where Physical examination revealed 49 boxes containing a total number of 661 pieces of pump action rifles concealed with steal doors and other merchandize goods
The Rifles are under absolute prohibition; therefore its importation is illegal. The CG Customs said, “such deadly contravention of the law is even more unacceptable considering the fragile security situation in some parts of the country.”
Already three suspects have been arrested in connection with this illegal importation. They are:
Mr. Oscan Okafor (Importer) age 51
Mr. Mahmud Hassan (Clearing Agent) age 56
Mr. Sadique Mustapha (accompanying the consignment to its destination) age 28.

Hameed Ali added “investigation has already commenced and I have directed that the drag net should be wide enough to fish out all persons involved in the importation and clearing of the consignment. Already, the Officers involved in the clearance of this container are with the Comptroller FOU Zone ‘A’ Ikeja.”
This seizure underscores the determination of the Serviceto enforce all laws relating to importation and exportation of goods into and out of Nigeria thereby contributing to the economy, security and wellbeing of the Country.
This feat is no doubt commendable and represents the new normal in the service where most Officers and Men are on a daily basis ensuring that illegalities are not allowed unchecked. I commend the Comptroller, all Officers and Men involved in this great seizure.
Controller General of Customs reiterate by saying “let me seize this opportunity to call on all well meaning Nigerians to support the service with information that could assist the Service perform their statutory responsibilities in the interest of our father land.”

Pres Trump Finally Reacts To Killing Of Biafrans During Pro-Trump Rally In Nigeria? [See Tweet]

A pro-Biafra group, the Indigenous People of Biafra on Friday 20th, the inauguration day of current US President Donald Trump, staged a solidarity rally in Port Harcourt, the capital city of Rivers state but were allegedly attacked by Nigerian security operatives where at least 11 lost their lives and more than 100 missing. 
However, on Sunday 22nd, President Trump tweeted "Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our demcracy. Even if I don't always agree, I recognise the rights of people to express their views." 

Surprise as OBASANJO warns the North, says 'It is time for IGBO MAN to be PRESIDENT of NIGERIA'

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday made a subtle case for other geo- political zones to produce Nigeria’s President in the interest of justice and fairness.

Since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, the South East region is yet to produce the country’s President, while the Southwest, North and minority South – South have had shots at the Presidency at different times.

But Obasanjo said it was his personal view that the South East people deserve to produce the country’s President just as the Ogun West Senatorial District in his home state should be given the opportunity to produce the state Governor. 

The ex- President spoke when the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ogun State chapter, led by Bishop Tunde – Akin Akinsanya visited him at his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta for a special New Year service. 

He noted that injustice and marginalisation are the instigators of conflicts along ethnic and regional lines in the country.

Obasanjo said it was his desire for a just and fair country that informed why he worked for the emergence of a South-South President in 2011.

“Irrespective of the thinking of the people ahead of 2019, I personally think that South-East should have a go at the Presidency too.

“The same is happening here. If Ijebu and Egba have produced the Governor, it is only fair and just to allow the Yewa or Ogun West to also produce governor. Or else, one day, they will also stand up and take up arms against this injustice against them. That is my personally position on this,” the ex- President said.

We Will Do All We Can To Support Local Producers&Manufacturers ~ AG. President Osinbajo

Laolu Akande, Abuja; Determined to ensure that Federal Government’s business oriented regulatory agencies become facilitators for Micro, Small, & Medium Scale Enterprises, MSMES, the Buhari presidency would do all within its ability to support them and ensure they become thriving businesses.

This assurance was given earlier today by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, during a visit to Aba, Abia State, where he participated in the First MSMES Clinics after the media launch in Abuja on Tuesday.

Using as an analogy, the story President Muhammadu Buhari once told him about the importance of taking care of people “who do the things that make us comfortable, the Vice President observed “it is important to pay attention to MSMES.

“We will spend time to ensure that we give those who produce locally all the support that we can give, and that is why we are doing this clinics.”

The Office of the Special Adviser on Economic Matters in the Presidency devised the idea of a Clinic to bridge the gap between medium and small scale businesses and government agencies such as Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC; Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON; National Agency for Food & Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC; Bank of Industry, BOI; Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS; Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC; and others.

The Clinic is meant to bring together all those agencies in one spot and at appointed times across the country to attend to the needs, questions and requests of people doing business. It was launched on Tuesday by Prof. Osinbajo and the first Clinic outside Abuja was today in Aba.

Subsequently, such clinics would be held in two different cities every month and those government agencies would be on hand to solve problems of business enterprises, take enquiries, explain government initiatives and educate the public about regulatory issues regarding MSMES in Nigeria.

Having launched in Abuja, the Vice President decided to personally attend the Clinic in Aba, today noting that “you can’t do much for manufacturing without coming to Aba,” and adding that Aba traders, artisans, tailors, shoemakers and others “are the bedrock of our economy.”

He urged those relevant FG agencies to see themselves as facilitators of the businesses and remove bottlenecks that are often reported when enterprises have something to do with the agencies.

The Vice President went round the stands of all the agencies at the Aba MSMES Clinic and also those of several businesses and local manufacturers, all of whom were obviously elated at the Federal Government’s gesture to re-orient the relationship between them and the agencies.

Commenting at the Clinic, the Abia State Governor, Dr. Okpezie Ikpeazu, who accompanied the Vice President said “with the visit of the Acting President to Abia today, the story of Aba traders will change. The visit of the Acting President is a testimony that something new is happening here.”

Prof. Osinbajo who has since returned to Abuja, was also accompanied by the Industry, Trade and Investment Minister, Dr. Okey Enelamah, among several other senior government officials.

President Buhari Is Not In Any London Hospital ~ Femi Adesina

President Muhammadu Buhari is not ill and not on admission in any hospital in London, Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity has said.

Also Read; FG: President Buhari is Hale and Hearty

Mr Adesina gave the clarification on Thursday in a live interview programme on CNBC Africa, which was monitored in Abuja.

He said: ‘‘The President is in London on vacation.  He is not in any hospital and he is not ill.

“When he was travelling last week the statement we put out was that he was going on vacation and during the vacation he would do routine medical check-up and nothing has changed from what we pushed out last week.

“If anybody has fed something else into the rumour mill that is just what it is- rumour.

Adesina said the President would decide if he wishes to talk to Nigerians from the UK or not.

Also Read; President Buhari Pays N72b To China For Lagos-Ibadan Railway

“The fact that he is a president, he still has his rights. Compelling him to come out and talk will be infringing on his rights.

“The President will talk if he wishes to if he doesn’t wish to, nobody will compel him to talk.

“The truth is that the President is on vacation and he has given a date on which he will return to work,’’ the President’s spokesman said.  

Trump Revokes Pro-Abortion Law, Despite Women’s Rallies

Trump ignores women’s protest and dumps abortion law.

U.S. President Donald Trump has revoked the Presidential Memorandum on Mexico City Policy and Assistance for Voluntary Population Planning, which allowed voluntary abortion in the U.S.

Trump, who has made anti-abortion policy one of his campaign promises, announced the revocation on Monday, according to the President’s statement issued by the White House and obtained by the Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York.

“I hereby revoke the Presidential Memorandum of January 23, 2009, for the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (Mexico City Policy and Assistance for Voluntary Population Planning), and reinstate the Presidential Memorandum of January 22, 2001, for the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (Restoration of the Mexico City Policy).

“I direct the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to the extent allowable by law, to implement a plan to extend the requirements of the reinstated Memorandum to global health assistance furnished by all departments or agencies.

“I further direct the Secretary of State to take all necessary actions, to the extent permitted by law, to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not fund organisations or programmes that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilisation.”

Trump said “the memorandum was not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person”.

“The Secretary of State is authorised and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register,” Trump’s statement read.

With the revocation, Trump has barred U.S  federal funding for foreign NGOs that support abortion, relaunching a battle that has long divided Americans.

The abrogation came just two days after women led a massive protest march in Washington to defend their rights, including to abortion.

The decision to ban foreign aid to groups that lobby in support of abortion rights is certain to deepen concern among already apprehensive U.S. family planning and women’s rights organisations, according to observers.

Stenny Hoyer, a Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, sharply criticised Trump for using his first week in office “to attack women’s health”.

“It should be no surprise to the millions of women and men who gathered in protest this weekend across the country and around the world that Republicans are focused more on making it harder for women to access health care than on the serious economic and security challenges we face.”

The restrictions imposed on Monday prohibit foreign nongovernmental organisations that receive U.S. family planning assistance from using non-U.S. funding to provide abortion services, information, counseling or referrals and from engaging in advocacy to promote abortion.

They were first put in place in 1984 by Republican president Ronald Reagan.

Soludo, Andy Ubah, Ifeanyi Ubah, vie for APC Gov ticket

Andy Ubah, Ifeanyi Ubah, Chukwuma Soludo: In the race for Anambra APC ticket

(NAN)

A former CBN Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo and twelve other aspirants have indicated interest to contest for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket in the forthcoming Anambra governorship election later this year.

Other contestants are Sen. Andy Ubah, Dr Ifeanyi Ubah, Chief George Muoghalu, Chief Barth Nwibe, Mr Obinna Okonkwo and Chief Paul Chukwuma.

The rest are Dr Chike Obidigbo, Chief Raph Okeke, Chief Tony Nwoye, Sen. Uche Ekwunife, Chief Obinna Uzor and Prince Donatus Okonkwo.

Mr Emeka Ibe, Chairman of the party in the state, made this known to newsmen on Tuesday in Awka.

Soludo, Ifeanyi Ubah, Andy Ubah have all contested for the governorship seat in the past, either on the PDP or Labour Party platforms,  but failed.

Ibe stressed that there would be no automatic ticket for any aspirant, adding that they would all participate in the state`s primaries to emerge as candidate for the election.

“We will give all aspirants equal playing ground. There is no special interest in any aspirant.

“We will hold transparent primaries for them because they are all qualified to unseat Gov. Willie Obiano.

“Any of them who emerges as our candidate in the state is capable of removing Obiano from office,’’ Ibe said.

He added that the party would embark on continuous membership registration exercise before the end of the month to accommodate those who want to join in the state.

Ibe, however, said that anybody with criminal records would not be allowed to join the party in the state.

He maintained that there was no zoning arrangement in the party, adding that new members would have equal rights as old ones.

Trump Orders Removal Of Islamic Symbols, Practices In The White House, Says America Built On Christian Morals

Obama was seen storming away from the West Wing after staffers from Donald Trump’s transition team began preparing the executive offices for the new administration. On Trump’s orders, one of Obama’s most secretive rituals is being reversed and all signs of it removed from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

For the past 8 years, to appease Muslims working at or visiting the White House, silence has been ordered during the 5 times of Islamic prayer each day. In addition, prayer rugs and crescent moon symbols are available in several areas of the executive mansion to make Muslims more comfortable.

The administration has defended the practice by asserting that it also observes several other religious moments of silence and prayer out of respect, including a full 15 seconds for Christianity on Sunday morning while a chaplain blesses a staff breakfast. 

None of the prayers is mandatory or led by a government official, which has allowed the administration to subvert 1st Amendment issues, but the obvious favouritism towards Islam, which is observed for 25 minutes per day 7 days a week, tells a story this president has denied for 8 years. President Trump, who acknowledges that this country was founded by Christians and was built on Christian morals, is having all pagan symbols removed from the property unless they offer some historical significance. Only the cross in the White House chapel will remain for worship. Jim Mergernerlerny, head of the team that will transform the White House from the Obama’s home to the Trumps’ second home, told MSNBC:

“Mr Trump doesn’t see the need to provide prayer rugs and false idols in a house built by Christians. Washington, DC offers a diverse cultural centre for the worship of any kind. You won’t find any special considerations for Judaism or crucifixes to appease Catholics, either. There is a simple chapel with a single cross on one wall that is suitable for prayer by anyone. Our government doesn’t need to be forcing prayer rituals down people’s throats just so we don’t “offend” apologising people looking to blow us up.

Patriots around the U.S. can rest assured that apologising for our faith has come to an end.

Buhari Not Dead But His Health Is Deteriorating Badly, Please Pray For Him – Gov. Tambuwal Urges Nigerians

Nigerians have been urged to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari rather than heap blames on the country’s number one citizen.

This call was made by Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state on Saturday, January 21, during an event organised to honour Aliyu Wamakko, the immediate past governor of the state, Daily Post reports.
According to the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, President Buhari has done a lot to reduce the prowess of Boko Haram terrorists in the country, and this is just one of the many things he is doing to make Nigeria a better place for all.

He said: “The president has succeeded in tackling the problem of insurgency in the North East while other security challenges are receiving the necessary attention. 

Trump signs executive order withdrawing US from TPP trade deal.

Making good on a campaign promise, President Trump on Monday signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

Mark Zuckerberg latest data center announced

Mark Zuckerberg

Thursday at 6:38pm

We just announced we're building our eighth data center -- and our third in Europe -- in Odense, Denmark. Like the data center I visited in Fort Worth, Texas on Tuesday, this one will be powered by 100% renewable energy and support thousands of jobs in the community over the next few years.

Data centers are the physical infrastructure to support our community. They're basically giant machines that control power, temperature, connectivity and maintenance for tens of thousands of little machines. With more people going live and sharing video, this data center will help make sure Facebook keeps running smoothly for all of you. Thanks for having us, Odense!

Hurricane Trump deletes Homosexual, Lesbians Right from USA Main website

13 Ways of Staying Fit When There's No Time to Exercise

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: Barbara K. Hecht, PhD

While looking at an article by a leading fitness guru, I was struck by her emphasis on making exercise a priority and finding a way to fit in your gym time at any cost. Although she's right in principle, those of us who are balancing multiple roles -- as parent, worker, spouse, volunteer, household manager, etc. -- often find that 24 hours per day simply aren't enough. Fitness gets put on the back burner.

Even if you're lucky enough to be able to set aside time to work out, things like school holidays, childhood illnesses, and workday crises have a way of eating up these extra hours along with our best intentions.

You may not have time to go to the gym, but you can still be physically active and boost your metabolism by using a bit of creativity in planning your day. During a recent week when my kids were sidelined by a nastycold, I started thinking about ways to be physically active when going to the gym was out of the question. I also asked some personal trainers for their advice. We came up with the following ways to fit exercise into a packed-full day:

1. If you've got a young sports enthusiast in the family, play along. Shooting baskets and kicking a soccer ball around the yard are great ways to get your heart pumping. Thirty minutes of cardio training are recommended, but even five to 10 minutes will elevate your energy and speed your metabolism.
2. Take the kids for a walk or just go by yourself. If their pace is too slow, add some lunges, jumping jacks, or running in place every few minutes to make yourself work harder.
3. Pull young children in a wagon through the neighborhood. Or give them a ride in a jogging stroller.
4. Let little children ride bicycles or tricycles while you jog behind.
5. Get into some vigorous sweeping, mopping, or vacuuming. These types of housekeeping chores canburn a significant number of calories.
6. We've all heard the benefits of taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Everything you've heard is true.
7. Likewise, getting off the bus or subway a stop or two before your destination on a regular basis adds up to a lot of heart-healthy walking.
8. Do yoga or Pilates while you, or the kids, unwind in front of a movie. While watching TV, do push-ups or sit-ups during commercials. Even one per commercial during a two-hour movie can give you some good exercise.
9. In a sedentary job, take your breaks outdoors and have a brisk, short walk. You'll also improve yourconcentration and mood.
10. Dance or do aerobics at home. No one is watching, anyway. If you like, include the little ones and turn it into a game.
11. Practice stretching or light yoga moves while talking on the phone, listening to the news, or while dinner is cooking.
12. Find the high-energy items on your to-do list and tackle these when you need physical activity. Think about washing the car, digging the garden, mowing the lawn, or reorganizing a closet.
13. Get up 15 to 30 minutes earlier than the rest of the family and use this time for a run, a walk, or some stretching and yoga.