Connect with us

News and Report

AU, AFRIMA HONOURS LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR, AKINWUNMI AMBODE

Published

on

The African Union Commission, AUC, and the International Committee of the
All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, has bestowed the special award of
Supporter of the Arts on His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr.
Akinwunmi Ambode at the recently concluded 5th AFRIMA, the annual music
awards held in Accra, Ghana, on Saturday, November 24, 2018.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was honoured for his contributions and support
towards the growth of arts and culture in Africa. Mrs. Amira Elfadil,
Commissioner for Social Affairs, AUC, in her letter to the Executive
Governor of Lagos State, she noted “this recognition is in accordance to
the pivotal role the Government of Lagos State played as the Official Host
City of AFRIMA awards in 2016 and 2017 which impacted on the overall
AFRIMA objectives of using the awards platform to unify the African
continent, while celebrating its music and cultural uniqueness”.

The Lagos State government, under the leadership of Governor Ambode has
demonstrated an undeniable commitment to the music and entertainment
sector of Nigeria, paving way for the growth and recognition of indigenous
talents, promoting the heritage and culture of the people of Lagos state,
while expanding the business of arts and tourism in the state.

Representative of the Governor, Honourable Commissioner for Tourism, Arts,
and Culture, Lagos State; Steve Ayorinde, who received the award on the
governor’s behalf congratulated AFRIMA, AUC, and the government of the
Republic of Ghana, “I am pleased to be receiving this special recognition
on behalf of the Art loving governor of Lagos State who sent his apologies
for not being able to make it tonight, but also sent his warm courtesies,
because to him Ghana is also home. We have a saying in Lagos, we say ‘One
Lagos’, and he knows that in Ghana too, it is One Ghana”. The Commissioner
also noted that nothing has brought Africans closer, bigger than what
AFRIMA is doing, and pleased that AFRIMA has moved to a sister city after
four great editions in Lagos, and he looks forward to the next editions
which he believes will be hosted in Ghana.

The special recognition is a unanimous agreement by the AUC, International
Committee of AFRIMA and the esteemed 13-man AFRIMA Jury- made up of
African music, media and culture experts from the five regions of Africa
(2 representatives each); one from Europe and North America respectively
(representing the diaspora) and a representative from AUC to recognize
individuals who have contributed to the creative economy of Africa.

The awards night also saw honours going out to other recipients of the
AFRIMA special recognition awards. Other honorary awardees include
internationally recognised South African singer, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, who
received the 5th AFRIMA Legend Award, and Ghana’s music veteran, Teddy
Osei, founder of the famous Osibisa group, an Afropop band created in
1969. Similarly, winners also emerged from the popularised 36 awards
categories (regional and continental), where music artiste had to battle
it out in each genre to emerge winner of the 23.9k gold-plated AFRIMA
trophy. Full list on www.afrima.org

AFRIMA, in partnership with African Union, is a music property that
recognises and rewards the work and talent of myriad of African artists
from the old to the new generation of musicians. AFRIMA also stimulates
conversations among Africans and between Africa and the rest of the world
about the potential of the creative arts for real humanising enterprise on
the continent contributing significantly to social cohesion, national,
regional and continental integration as well as sustainable development in
Africa.

News and Report

IBEDC records 1,459 energy theft cases in January, February

Published

on

By

The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company said it has recorded 1,459 cases of energy theft by its subscribers between January and February 2024.

This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the firm’s Chief Key Accounts Officer, Mr. Johnson Tinuoye, on Tuesday.

IBEDC added that it is actively pursuing investigations and legal actions against individuals and businesses involved in the theft in collaboration with the Federal Government Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences.

Identifying the cases, IBEDC said they included various offences such as meter bypass and illegal meter tampering, which resulted in significant financial losses amounting to hundreds of millions of naira for the company.

The statement read, “We want to send a clear message to our customers that energy theft will not be tolerated. Our collaboration with the Federal Government Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences underscores our commitment to ensuring a fair and just electricity distribution system.

“Energy theft not only undermines the integrity of our operations but also deprives IBEDC of the revenue necessary to provide quality services to our customers.”

Tinuoye emphasised that under the Electricity Act, energy theft is now recognised as a criminal offense, carrying severe penalties including imprisonment stressing, “In the Osun region, two individuals were apprehended for stealing energy through meter bypass and illegal connections. Their cases have been formally charged in court for prosecution.”

IBEDC further urged customers to refrain from engaging in any form of energy theft, emphasising that the consequences can be severe, as there is no room for negotiation with the SIPTEO Task Force team, which is actively patrolling and investigating instances of energy theft for prosecution.

Continue Reading

News and Report

Copyright Breach: NCC Drags MTN, Others To Court Over Musician’s Works

Published

on

By

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has filed criminal charges against MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd. and four others over alleged copyright infringement.

The charge with number FHC/ABJ/CR/111/2024 filed in the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court was obtained by journalists on Monday.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the four other defendants in the case include the chief executive officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola; Nkeakam Abhulimen, Fun Mobile Ltd.; and Yahaya Maibe.

In the three-count charge, NCC alleged that the defendants, between 2010 and 2017, “offered for sale, sold and traded for business’’, infringed the musical works of an artiste, Maleke Idowu Moye, without his consent and authorisation.

The commission alleged that the defendants used musical works and sound recordings of Mr Maleke with subsisting copyright as caller ringback tunes without the authorisation of the artiste.

The musician’s musical works and sound recordings allegedly infringed upon included 911, Minimini-wanawana, Stop Racism, Ewole, 911 instrumental, Radio, Low Waist, and No Bother.

The defendants were also alleged to have distributed the musical works to their subscribers without authorisation, thereby infringing on the rights of the artiste.

In the third count, the defendants were alleged to have in their possession, other than for their private or domestic use, the artiste’s musical works and sound recordings.

According to NCC, the alleged offences are contrary to and punishable under section 20 (2) (a) (b) and (c) of the Copyright Act, Cap. C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The case has yet to be assigned to any judge, and no date has been fixed for the mention.

Meanwhile, no official statement has been released by any of the defendants as at the time of filing this report, while all efforts to get reactions from MTN by New Telegraph proved abortive.

Continue Reading

News and Report

LASG, LCC ANNOUNCE REOPENING OF LEKKI CONSERVATION CENTRE AFTER REPAIRS

Published

on

By

Following the completion of extensive routine maintenance works on the Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC), the Lagos State Government and the Management of the Centre have announced that the Walkway will be reopened for public use with effect from Friday, 29th March 2024.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe confirmed this on Friday during a visit to the Centre in Lekki alongside some officials of the Ministry.

Aregbe said that he was happy to see that all repairs and renovations on the facility, including the Walkway, have been completed and would be accessible for tourism during the Easter celebration.

The Special Adviser appreciated Lagosians and tourists across the world for their patience during the thorough maintenance works carried out at the Centre in Lekki.

The Director-General of the Centre, Prof Mathew Onoja also appreciated the State Government for its intervention following the viral video, which first circulated in December as well as the swift response and efforts towards making the repairs and renovations seamless.

He noted that the Centre being a major tourism asset in Lagos State has played host to tourists from all over the world as it offers a serene environment for nature tourism and also boasts of the longest canopy walkway in Africa.

Recall that the facility has been undergoing routine maintenance since January following apprehensions arising from the damaged section of the Canopy Walkway, which had been repaired before the viral video was posted on social media platforms.

Continue Reading

Trending