The Future Nigeria

You must have heard the rumors, which were all over town; that the Egberipapa 1 of Bayelsa, Timaya was again detained by the police while his lyrical albatross, Nico Gravity was rumored dead. Both artistes, sighted differently at events confirmed the rumors as false.

Responding to reporters, Timaya said, “it’s a big fat lie and I don’t even know where the rumor came from. I was not detained by anybody” and for Gravity, he also heard the death rumor but felt it could only emanate from Warri where he was billed to perform at a concert.

“I am not dead, I am very much alive”, Gravity bellowed.

You would recall that Nico Gravity recently released a song in which he totally dissed Timaya’s kind of music and his lifestyle in general. The song has generated a lot of attention and much media hype for both musicians, though Timaya hasn’t made an official statement or reply to the song

Dear all,
A sincere thank you to everyone who donated supplies for the victims in Jos.
There was an overwhelming response from people in Abuja and Lagos, and supplies have flooded in. I also received calls and emails from all over the world, from people asking how they could donate. First City Monument Bank in Niger State held a collection of funds for Jos among their staff.
In response to this concern and desire to help, the Nigerian Red Cross/Crescent have set up a Jos relief fund, to which you can donate directly:
ACCOUNT NAME: NIG. REDCROSS SOCIETY – JOS CRISIS RELIEF FUND
ACCOUNT NAME: 0430010005230
SORT CODE: 044080439
BRANCH: ADETOKUMBO ADEMOLA BRANCH, ABUJA
Here in Abuja we have sent seven 4×4 trucks and one bus full to brimming with supplies.
People donated huge quantities of food and water, clothes and shoes, many of them newly bought for donation, medical supplies (to treat gunshot and knife wounds, broken bones and pain), water sanitation packs, towels, bedding, camp beds and toiletries.
The Regent and St Saviour’s Schools joined the effort, and children donated very generously. Staff at Management Sciences for Health contributed clothes and sacks of beans. Eko Hotel in Lagos donated bedding and towels.
All of the Abuja donations have been delivered to Jos and have been distributed fairly to those in the refugee camps. The Red Cross/Crescent have been careful to ensure wide distribution, including rural areas, as well as to those who fled to neighbouring states.
I have attached some photos of some of the supplies arriving in Jos. I also attach a letter to all donors from the Red Cross/Crescent.
People in Jos have been very aware of, and moved by, your solidarity and support. The supplies that you donated have been invaluable in this time of crisis.
With enormous thanks,
Katrin
(taken from naijablog)

–
Damilola Amolegbe
Editrix | Hi Magazine

As a growing girl, I was lucky not to struggle with too many self-esteem issues but I did think my legs were a tad too spindly. Everytime I wore a skirt – few and far between! – I would stare at the mirror and wish I could spin some magic that would pile on some flesh on my bowling pins, especially at the ankle. Of course my wish never came true, and even though I grew up hearing that I did have a fine pair of legs, I was not so sure, and so I had many nights of cursing my DNA…

Then one fine day, I and some friends went to submit JAMB forms (yes, I’m from the pre-internet-JAMB-registration era) on Broad Street , very popular for its mad human traffic and general business. Whilst trying not to be killed by sweaty shoulders and smelly breaths, I narrowly missed walking over this guy who was crawling on his belly. He jostled me from underfoot and I quickly side-stepped into a tray of sweets; the commerce of a little trader boy. It was one confusing minute, trying to gather up the sweets and apologising to the crawling man and at the same time hollering at my friends who were unaware that I was far behind them in the throng…

A few I’m sorry-s after, I was up and on my way again, in search of my friends. When I caught up with them, I told them about the crawling man I’d just met. They in turn wondered why I had such a bewildered look. Was it the first time I was meeting a disabled person? Of course it wasn’t and I proceeded to explain. Of course the first few sentences alerted them to the philosophizing I was about to do and they were having none of it. ‘Abeg, don’t start!’, they hissed and dragged me along on our journey.

I had met many physically challenged people in my fifteen years so it wasn’t a novel situation, but for me, that was the day that a life-lesson pushed its way through the ordinariness of the world around me and etched itself upon my heart. All the time I’d been agonizing and paying too much attention to my legs, there were actually some people who didn’t have legs. You know the popular saying, ‘I complained that I didn’t have shoes until I met a man who had no legs…’? That was exactly how I felt.

I have come a long way since then and I’ve been known to be very grateful for everything and every step whether giant or pea-sized. I am one of those people who would readily console you after a loss and remind you to still be thankful for what you have left. Because that’s just how I see life. Borrowed. Unpredictable. Unexplainable…

And as far as explanations go, I have mentally dressed fate in a cloak and nudged him into the seat beside my bed. I have asked him what happened to Haiti . Yes, Haiti .

Like everyone else I have agonised about the earthquake and the destruction that was its Siamese twin. I have wept in my heart for a country fraught with so many disastrous natural phenomena yet one which has never been prepared for any of the episodes. I have had conflicted recognition for the help that has been coming the way of the Haitians. I am glad that people and countries are reaching out but it is not fun watching how the whole situation tends to portray Africans as helpless, hapless beings who are unable to have meaningful control of their own lives and are therefore doomed to constantly receiving handouts from the West. I have also managed to snap out of my angst as I continue to pray that more help finds its way through to the rubble that was once Port-au-Prince . Whether the aid comes from people who feel that they can never be complete without being caught on tape feeding some poor African chap, is neither here nor there. Whether egos are fanned or not, at the end of the day, our Haitian brothers and sisters will be the better for it and that is all that counts.

Personally though, I’m no longer looking at footage of the destruction. There’s just so much despair that I can deal with. One more shot of a bone-skinny baby being pulled out of the rubble or old people enduring the indignity of passing bodily waste on their make-shift beds and I’ll probably need some kind of therapy. Really, it is quite distressing to watch as children are brought into hospital in droves with varying levels of gangrenous wounds and fractured limbs which more often than not, beg for amputation; a process that has now attained the mundane nature of say, an eye-test.

Imagine growing up in a world where almost everyone you know, has only one leg or hand. Picture an existence where you and your best friend, boy friend, school mates, colleagues, boss have amputations in common. Many years from now, a limping community will be an ordinary thing, to thousands of Haitians. No one will stand and gawk at them as they go about their lives. Prosthetics will probably be as common-place as bandages. The neighbourhood beauty won’t shy away from being courted by the lackey next door just because he is missing a leg. What’s a leg anyway? After all she probably has none!

Unlike me, some girls won’t experience certain aspects of that journey from insecurity to self assurance. Really, what would they be worried about…? ‘Mum, I think I have an ugly leg?’ I’m not sure that’ll be the priority of many a Haitian young woman in years to come. Life and living will most likely take up centre-stage because unlike many, this generation of amputees will probably be more grateful for what they do have than sorry for what they do not. They will remember that life is what it is; borrowed, unpredictable and unexplainable. Therefore, they will treat life as only those who have nearly lost it know. They will live.

Nk’iru. Njoku.

Alternative Means, DoJoes and LopeSidedWorks in collaboration with AIPA (Against Illiteracy Poverty & AIDS) Nigeria present Seven (point) Zero (SpZ).

SpZ is a musical/art/concert event to hold on Saturday 30th January 2010 to raise funds for victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Our aim is to raise and send monetary donations through Hope for Haiti’s Children; a reputable international charity organisation bringing relief and aid to the people of Haiti. We believe that this endeavour will contribute significantly to restoring Haiti and bringing relief in this time of dire need.

For the event, slated to hold at TriBeCa Victoria Island, we have secured major Nigerian artists like Tuface, M.I and Chocolate City, Lami, Show Dem Camp, Sound Sultan and a host of others to perform a benefit mini-concert.

Proceeds and donations from the event will go to the chosen charity www.hopeforhaitischildren.org through our partner charity, AIPA Nigeria.

For more information: visit www.seven-point-zero.com or contact Wale on 0803-369-6460 or email wale.davies@altern8tivemeans.com.

Fantastic prizes up for grabs just because you visited this website!  

WIN ‘i represent naija’ branded t-shirts and stickers. Also win tickets to exclusive events EVERY WEEK!

And then, win IVs to The Future Awards event!!!

Just answer the question of the week. There MUST be a winner every week (every week!) and it might be you.

Question of the Week

Name 10 of the judges for this year’s edition.

If you have the answer, then send it to us and then you will win a ticket for to the spectacular Theatre @ Terra, which holds every Sunday in Lagos!

 

 

 

 

1. Your Name(required)
2. Phone Number(required)
3. Email(valid email required)
4. Home address(required)
5. Answer to the Question(required)

 

Following the repeated enquiries from members of the public, the organisers of The Future Awards have announced that 50 of its invitations will go on sale from Monday, 25 January 2009.

“Of course, our event is strictly by invitation and the guests are not required to pay for the invitations. However, based on phone calls and emails received, we recognise that there might be certain people who really, really want to attend, and who might not have been on our guest list. This gives them an opportunity to be part of this.”

Only 50 of the invitations will be on sale and they go for N10, 000. To get one of them, call Eyitayo on 080-2222-6712.

This opportunity closes on Wednesday, 3 February. Call now!

We have winners for the last website competition – asking you for some of the judges of the awards.

Below are those who got it right – and far down we have the winner! The winner should call Eyitayo on 08022226712 to collect his prize!

our Name:                      Babatunde O. Sayo

Phone Number:                   +2348032979694

Email:                          Viewsayo@yahoo.co.uk

Home address:                   01/06/2010

Answer to the Question:         Answere to the question: Dimeji

Alara,Ayotunde Aladese,Blessing Ogunli,Adebayo Omisore,Ayeni Adekunle,Nelo Obi,Omena Daniels,Yemisi Abah,Samuel Olatunji,Temitope Ojo.

Your Name:                      Oni Oyesola

Phone Number:                   08023411074

Email:                          solasenbore@yahoo.com

Home address:                   01/07/2010

Answer to the Question:         Dimeji Alara, Temitope Ojo, Nelo Obi,

Yemisi Abah, Latasha Ngwube, Ayeni Adekunle, Chris Ihidero, Micheala Moye, Ijeoma Ogwuegbu, Samuel Olatunji

Your Name:                      Oluseun Arosanyin

Phone Number:                   07028416225

Email:                          seun_j2c@yahoo.com

Home address:                   01/07/2010

Answer to the Question:         Chuks Nwanne, Ayotunde Aladese, Yemisi

Abah,Omena Daniels,Dimeji Alara,Samuel Olatunji,Ayeni Adekunle,Nelo Obi,Chris Ihidero, and Shina Okeleji.

Your Name:                      afolabi legunsen

Phone Number:                   07039133733

Email:                          aphoextra@yahoo.co.uk

Home address:                   01/08/2010

Answer to the Question:         Adebayo Omisore, Ayeni Adekunle, Blessing

Ogunli, Chris Ihidero, Damilola Amolegbe, Ijeoma Ogwuegbu, Micheala Moye, Samuel Olatunji, Shine Oyetayo, Syreeta Akinyede

Your Name:                      Job David Ayuba

Phone Number:                   07029455254

Email:                          jobdavidayuba@aol.com

Home address:                   01/12/2010

Answer to the Question:         Micheala Moye,Abdulkareem Baba Aminu,Shina

Okeleji,Damilola Amolegbe,Syreeta Akinyede,Latasha Ngwube,Nonye Ben Nwankwo,Blessing Ogunli,Ayotunde Aladese,Chris Ihidero

Your Name:                      Adebakin Tolulope

Phone Number:                   08073392412

Email:                          talk2teea08@yahoo.com

Home address:                   01/25/2010

Answer to the Question:         Chris Ihidero Ijeoma Ogwuegbu Micheala

Moye Samel Olatunji Abdulkareem Baba Aminu Shine Oyetayo Shina Okeleji Nelo Obi Damilola Amolegbe Omena Daniels

Your Name:                      Sanipe Damiete

Phone Number:                   08068861984

Email:                          dtonte@hotmail.com

Home address:                   07/08/1979

Answer to the Question:         Chris Ihidero, Nelo Obi, Yemisi Abah,

Ayeni Adekunle, Adebayo Omisore, Blessing Ogunli, Chilee Agunanna, Shine Oyetayo, Shina Okeleji, Omena daniels

Your Name:                      Joy Ikeobi

Phone Number:                   08062688299 or 018229307

Email:                          ifejes4luv@yahoo.com

Home address:                   01/14/2010

Answer to the Question:         Samel Olatunji, Damilola Amolegbe,

Blessing Ogunli, Chris Ihidero, Temitope Ojo, Nelo Obi, Shina Okeleji, Omena Daniels, Adebayo Omisore, Latasha Ngwube

Your Name:                      Ibrahim Abdulmalik Oshaf

Phone Number:                   08053462405

Email:                          malikoshaf@yahoo.com

Home address:                   01/14/2010

Answer to the Question:         1.Chris Ihidero,   2. Ijeoma Ogwuegbu,  3.

Micheala Moye,  4. Abdulkareem Baba Aminu,  5. Nelo Obi,  6. Yemisi Abah, 7. Ayeni Adekunle,  8. Ayotunde Aladese,  9. Omena Daniels,  10. Dimeji Alara

Your Name:                      Paul Oghoghorie

Phone Number:                   07084464458

Email:                          nigeriasuccesstroupe@yahoo.com

Home address:                   01/23/2010

Answer to the Question:         Chris Ihidero, Shine Oyetayo, Nelo Obi,

Syreeta Akinyede, Nonye Ben Nwankwo, Blessing Ogunli, Ayotunde Aladese, Shina Okeleji, Dimeji Alara, Temitope Ojo

Your Name:                      sam ify

Phone Number:                   08034945678

Email:                          samigbokwue2@yahoo.com

Home address:                   01/20/2010

Answer to the Question:         Chris Ihidero           Top FM  Ijeoma

Ogwuegbu

FI Productions  Micheala Moye           X2  Samel Olatunji           The

Sun Newspapers

Abdulkareem Baba Aminu           Daily Trust Newspapers  Shine Oyetayo

TELL

Magazine  Shina Okeleji           BBC  Nelo Obi           Business Eye

Magazine

Damilola Amolegbe           Hi Magazine  Omena Daniels           Bloke

Magazine

And the winner for this week is!!!!!!!!!

Your Name:                      Paul Oghoghorie

Phone Number:                   07084464458

Email:                          nigeriasuccesstroupe@yahoo.com

Home address:                   01/23/2010

Answer to the Question:         Chris Ihidero, Shine Oyetayo, Nelo Obi,

Syreeta Akinyede, Nonye Ben Nwankwo, Blessing Ogunli, Ayotunde Aladese, Shina Okeleji, Dimeji Alara, Temitope Ojo

Celebrities Walk Against Rape Campaign is a special demonstration that will bring Nigerian Actors, Actresses, Sport Men, Media Practitioners, Musicians, DJs and Comedians to come together and lend a voice to sexually abused women in the society, taking them from a stage of self denial to self determination, self defeatism and under-achievement to self esteem and self achievement and showing their support to the course of bringing an abrupt end to RAPE in Nigeria where the number of rape cases is on the increase.

WHY CELEBRITIES
Entertainment Stars wield so much social power, they are prime influencers of lifestyle and they need to be sustained as behavioral and attitudinal change agents in the society, teachers of the right principles (such as W.A.R) for self accomplishment and advocates of good behavior.

VISION
To reduce the soaring rate of sexual abuse and rape in our society, using entertainment stars as mentors and muse

MISSION
To use “Walk Against Rape” as a tool to inform the society about the soaring scourge of sexual abuse especially as it relates to young girls and women in general.

OBJECTIVES
To help in encouraging victims to speak out and reduce the stigmatization attached to the victims of sexual abuse and Rape.

OUR S.M.A.R.T GOALS (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time bound)

1. To help victims understand and know that rape is not the fault of the victim and they did nothing shameful

2. Learning to live with a sense of control over life, limb and body and re-learning to trust loved ones.

3. Resolving the symptoms of Post traumatic stress in order that there are no longer symptoms of: depression and self denial.

4. To take them from a level of self defeatism to self determination

PUBLICITY STRATEGIES
To create vivid awareness for this dreadful menace that is eating up our society, we have planned to approach the issue using various publicity strategies, which are the following:
1. Celebrity Walk: This is a peace-walk or demonstration using entertainment and showbiz stars, sports men, media practitioners among other social icons as mentors and muse to create awareness for the sexually abused in the society

2. Television Promo/Commercial: We will be recording and airing series of Television Adverts to create awareness and to make people speak out if they are been sexually abused.

3. Posters/Handbills: We will be printing various posters and handbills to be distributed all over the country to sanitize people about the scourge of this societal problem.

4. Information Handbook: We plan to print information booklets that will contain vital information about sexual abuse and rape and which will be distributed all over Nigerian secondary schools, tertiary institutions and various youth centers absolutely FREE.

5. Movie: We will also be producing a movie (To be shot by MAINFRAM E PICTURES) and create a storyline that will centre around sexual abuse and rape. The movie will be taking to secondary schools and higher institutions across the country and will be showed FREE.

EVENT SPECIFICS
The walk will start by 7am at the point of departure / convergence (Police College, Ikeja) and end at the Ministry Of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Secretariat, Alausa – Ikeja where a speech will be delivered by the Coordinator – Esther Ijewere ( RAPE: its effects, consequences and the role of Government) by 11am, participants and celebrities will be given light menu at the point of convergence, take away packs, souveneirs, handbooks and other publicity materials at the point of destination

EXPECTED PARTICIPANTS
Non Government Organizations

Representatives from different Local Governments In Lagos State

Media Practitioners

Entertainment Stars (Musicians, Producers, Actors, Actresses, TV / Radio Presenters

Students Delegates From: (OOU, OAU, LASU, LASPOTECH AND UNILAG)

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Functionaries

The General Public.

Esther Ijewere – Project Coordinator
www.rubiesink.com
esther@rubiesink.com
ijewereesther@gmail.com
08068653263
08057861285

OR
Tosin ajibade – Programme Officer
tosin.war@gmail.com
tosin.war@rubiesink.com
07060907388

Young Nigerians, listen up!

Young Nigerians, listen up!

We are announcing the annual The Future Awards Pre-Awards Conference.

We will be giving you a rare opportunity to meet with some of the highest achieving Nigerian role models.

There will not be lecturing you; instead, you will be asking them ANY question on your mind!

The speakers are:

Mutiu Sunmonu, MD, Shell Nigeria

Dele Olojede, Publisher, NEXT Newspapers

Pat Utomi, Vice Chairman, Bank PHB

Atedo Peterside , MD , IBTC Chartered

Ben Bruce, Chairman, Silverbird Group

Gbenga Oyebode, Chairman, Access Bank

Abike Dabiri, Member, House of Representatives

Ituah Ighodalo, Principal Partner, SIAO

Reuben Abati, Chairman, The Guardian Editorial Board

Mo Abudu, Presenter, Moments with Mo

Nicholas Okoye, MD, Anabel Mobile

Tonye Cole, MD, Sahara Energy

Detoun Ogwo, ED, After Graduate Development Centre

Poju Oyemade, Covenant Christian Centre

Fela Durotoye, CEO, Visible Impact

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Actor/Producer

MI Abaga, Singer/Performer

Omawumi Megbele, Singer/Actress

Mosunmola Umoru, Farmer

Tolu Ogunlesi, CNN Africa Journalist of the Year

Cobhams Asuquo, Singer/Music Producer

Hassan Rilwan, Publisher, Sardauna Magazine

Dapo Oyewole, Executive Director, Centre for African Policy & Peace Strategy

Gbenga Sesan, ED, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria

The Future Awards Pre-Awards Conference

Stop watching. Stop waiting. Stop wanting. Do something!
Saturday, the 6^th of February.

Welcome Centre, by 7&8 Busstop, International Airport Road Ikeja.

Time is 10am.

Registration fee is 500 naira only!  You can register at the venue of the event at 9am.

However, to get confirmed seats, you can register on the website HERE and then pay at the venue.

1. Your Name(required)
2. Email(valid email required)
3. Phone Number(required)
4. Address