African Drums Festival unveils world’s tallest drum in Abeokuta (Photos)

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African Drums Festival unveils world’s tallest drum in Abeokuta (Photos)

• Ooni, Alake, Alafin, Soyinka Applaud Gesture, Commend Amosun
• USA, Haiti, Cuba, Ghana, Bukina Faso, Others Participate

The second edition of the African Drums Festival kicked off in Abeokuta, the Ogun State on Thursday evening with pomp and pageantry. The glamour that marked the event was exciting to watch. The first edition was held on Tuesday, April 19, 2016, and referred to as “Nigerian Drums Festival.”

During Thursday’s event, Governor Ibikunle Amosun unveiled an 18-feet high drum, an improvement over the 17-feet high drum unveiled last year. The 18-feet drum is acclaimed to be the world tallest drum.

The aim of the event, according to the state government, organisers of the programme, is to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Africans through drums. Among the dignitaries that graced the occassion, held at the premises of the June 12 Cultural Centre were,  the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo; Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Lai Mohammed and Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson.

 

Other dignitaries include, the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, Olu of Ilaro, paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle and the Olowu of Owu, Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu.

The representative of the Mayor of the city of Dallas, USA, Regina Hill, Lady Bernard Suarres from Cuba, Prof. Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi and representatives of Imo, Oyo and Kastina State governors, Kaddi Obinna, Toye Adesola Arologun and Mammud Borodo, respectively also graced the event.

The three-day event witnessed performances from over 50 cultural troupes. But as at Thursday, troupes from five African countries as well as Cuba, Haiti and the United States of America (USA) had arrived.

The Thursday’s event witnessed beautiful performances from Ara, the female drummer, the Atilogwu troupe from Anambra State, the Wagnilo group and Oliworo ko kou of Benin Republic, among other performances.

Joint performance from troupes from Benin, Togo, Congo Brazzaville and Haiti

The Ekemini Cultural Troupe made up of children from Akwa Ibom State warmed the hearts of the audience with their beautiful performance on the xylophone. Other local troupes from Nigeria were, Association of Kano State Troupes, Hubert Ogunde Cultural Troupe from Ogun State, Duro Ladipo Troupe, Shehu Troupe, Niger State, Oyo State Cultural Troupe and Ensemble Drums, Maliki Troupe of Borno State, Dawa Troupe from Plateau State, as well as troupes from Bayelsa, Osun, Katsina, Ondo, Edo, Lagos, Imo and Benue States.

The foreign troupes were, the Association of intersection Haiti, Association Toffondji of Togo, Leydis Bernal Suarez of Cuba, Faso Djarabi of Burkina Faso, La Campagnie N’tsamini, Afro Media, USA, Gwari troupe, Ghana, Nikki Spooner from the city of Dallas, USA.

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi in his goodwill message noted that the festival would rejuvenate and sustain the traditional culture of the participating countries, adding that the festival would continue to create opportunities for the youths to showcase their talents and dexterity on different drums.

The Monarch who spoke in Yoruba, said: “The African Drums Festival is a tourism haven and a boost to our unity as a people in Yorubaland and Nigeria in particular. Drums have continued to unite and add glamour to our lifestyle from time immemorial.

“I am glad at what I am seeing here today. Yoruba people are unique creatures because God created us first. God created us as humble beings and He gave us rich cultural heritage in which drum is derived from.

Dance Troupe From Ekiti State

“But what is giving us great challenge is how to turn our (Yoruba) rich cultural heritage into money and we can only achieve this when we continue to promote our culture and tradition. Whatever we do, we must always strive to promote our culture and prevent it from going into extinction.

“I was speaking with the Alaafin where we were seated and we both commended Governor Ibikunle Amosun for putting this together. He is taking a good step in preserving and promoting our culture,” he said.

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who also spoke in Yoruba, said: “What we are doing here today is very important in Yorubaland. Drum is a very important item in Yoruba culture. I read a lot of books and I have travelled far and wide and in all the places I have been to, I have never seen a talking drum except in Yorubaland.”

Highlighting some of the importance of African drums, the Monarch noted: “Drums are always present in all the palaces of Yoruba Monarchs. Every morning at 5am, drums wake up Yoruba Kings and always remind them of oaths they took to serve the people at all times unlike our politicians who don’t have anything to remind them of their pledges to the people who put them in power.

“African drums are used for making proverbs, to warn people of imminent dangers, to entertain, to mourn or announce the death of an important personality and they are also used during wars.”

Female drummer, Ara, performing

The Alaafin who came in company of some of his wives and his personal drummers revealed that research by Yoruba scholars has shown that every family in Yorubaland has pedigree, which drummers can always interprete through their drums. The Monarch then went ahead to sing with his drummers who quickly interpreted his songs with their drums.

“I have learnt a lot from this event and I will go back home and tell my Governor, Senator Abiola Ajumobi to also organise something like this, but I don’t know who we are going to invite since Governor Amosun has already invited the whole of Africa, maybe we will invite the entire world for our own event,” the Monarch joked.

The Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo in his remarks stressed the need for the Federal government to diversify the economy by promoting tourism, saying: “The era of cheap oil money is gone for good, we have to show the world that they have to come here with their big money to invest in our rich culture, tradition and tourism. We will get far more money from investing in our culture and tourism than what we will get from oil.

“In Yorubaland we cannot put away the important place of drum, we cannot dance without drum. Drum is important for communication because every drum is a talking drum. Drum is a major part of our culture. We are asking other states to please pick up other aspects of our culture and develop it like this,” he said.

Minister for Information, Culture and Tourism, Lai Mohammed, represented by the Artistic Director of the National Troupe, Comrade Tsar Ukoh, commended the state government for organising the event.

He emphasised that no festival is complete in Africa without drums. “This Festival is particularly important because of its focus on an aspect of our heritage that we have either taken for granted or one that is gradually fading away. In traditional African societies and, perhaps elsewhere in the world, the kind of drums they beat or the beats of such drums are unique to their cultures. In other words, drums and their beats have meaning.

“I implore Ogun State to sustain this festival and urge other states to borrow a leaf from the Gateway State, by also organising their own Drums Festivals, culminating in a National Drums Festival that will bring together all the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.”

Soyinka in his goodwill message said Ogun State is known for recording many firsts in all areas of human endeavour.“Many people tend to under-estimate the value of drum, the thing is just that of a habit. Whereas, it is a very sophisticated rhythm, it is a very sophisticated possession of human beings. We all live in the world of rhythm right from birth; in fact, from the heartbeat to the pulse.”

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, who was ushered onto the stage by the performance of his state Cultural Troupe to deliver his goodwill message, described drums as central to all African cultures and urged other governors to promote the best culture of their states.

He said: “Drums mean so much to our people. I want to appreciate the Ogun State Governor for using drums as a point of our unity, wherever we go as Africans drums unite us. This is what all of us must be doing to promote our culture and showcase it to the world.”

The representative of Mayor of the city of Dallas, USA, Regina Hill in her remark, said she was highly delighted at the festival, assuring that the partnership between Ogun State and the city of Dallas would further strengthen the bilateral relationship between her country and Nigeria.

Her words: “We believe partnering Nigeria will be beneficial to both Dallas and Nigeria in this decade and beyond. We trust, this is only the beginning of a mutually beneficial bilateral partnership that enriches us through cultural awareness and economic ties on both continents.”

She disclosed that Dallas would look forward to receiving 300 replicas of the drums in African. The host Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun in his address noted that the festival would further strengthen the bond among states in Nigeria, and Africa in general.

“This festival serves as a veritable platform for drummers, dancers and singers, not only from Nigeria, but from Africa to showcase their cultural heritage to the world. Drum is a strong weapon of communication. It has been described as the first telephone. Even before the advent of modern technology for communication, Africans have been using drums to communicate to one another,” he said.

Amosun disclosed that the state would write to the Federal Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism to declare April 20 to 22 of every year as the official dates of the festival.

The Ogun State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Chief Muyiwa Oladipo noted that African history is incomplete without drums because the social and entertainment life of Africans is centred on it.

 

 

 

 

(GuardianNg, Nairaland)

Airtel Rolls Out 4G Service In Nigeria

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Airtel Rolls Out 4G Service In Nigeria

Nigeria’s leading mobile Internet service provider, Airtel Networks Limited, has announced a strategic partnership with ZTE, Chinese multinational telecommunications equipment/systems Company and world leader in mobile Internet hardware and solutions, to launch 4G (fourth generation of wireless mobile telecommunications technology) in Nigeria.

In December, 2012, Airtel became the first telecoms operator in the country to complete a successful 4G trial in Lagos, the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, in line with its commitment to pioneer innovation and lead a mobile Internet revolution in Nigeria.

Commenting on the partnership with ZTE, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, said, “This is a new dawn for mobile Internet in Nigeria. Airtel and ZTE’s collaboration to roll out 4G service pan Nigeria will dramatically improve mobile Internet experience for telecoms consumers across the country.

“Indeed, Airtel is committed to strengthening its position as a true pioneer of innovation in the Nigerian telecommunications domain, as this is in line with our overall corporate vision of becoming the mobile Internet service provider of first choice for every Nigerian.”

Also speaking on the planned 4G deployment across Nigeria, Regional VP of ZTE Corporation, Mr. Zhang Ruigang commented: “As a reliable partner, ZTE will cooperate with Airtel Nigeria to build the first-class 4G LTE network, and provide the best long term service to Airtel Nigeria.”

4G LTE is a truly global mobile phone standard for advanced mobile broadband. Airtel’s 4G LTE will aim to offer users faster, more reliable mobile broadband internet for devices like smartphones, tablets and laptops.

 

 

 

 

Federal Government Is Making Cooking Gas More Expensive

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Federal Government Is Making Cooking Gas More Expensive

The poor state of Nigeria’s port facilities is responsible for the high cost of cooking gas. A representative of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) stated this at an event in Lagos. Lagos ports are the only one capable of discharging the gas from large ships, after which it is distributed to other parts of the country.

The inability of other ports to handle such large volumes is failure on the part of the government and port operators. Efforts by the NLNG to fix the Calabar port, while admirable are not part of the company’s duties. Ironically, obstacles like this work against policies of the government that seek to reduce dependence on fire wood by the lower class in society. Thus increasing desertification in the Northern part of the country.

Operators at the port which include Intels Logistics Limited and Ecomarine Terminals Limited have complained of poor patronage and the government not fulfilling its own side of the concession agreement signed in 2006. This is a recurring pattern with the government which is more interested in collecting revenue from privatization than investing in the sector. The 2001 auction of GSM licences generated millions of dollars revenue for the Federal Government. The telecommunication firms ended up providing infrastructure for themselves, leading to increased operating costs passed on to the consumer.

Using the Lagos ports as the major centre for LPG distribution means that cooking gas will be more expensive for consumers living at the outskirts of the state and beyond. Data from the March 2017 National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Cooking Gas Report showed that Yobe state had the highest average price for filling a 12.5kg gas cylinder at N5500. Ogun state had the lowest average price of filling a 12.5kg gas cylinder at N4636.36. Reliance on the Lagos port for major imports means it will face congestion, and be less efficient in clearing goods.

One hopes the government in its review of the concession agreements will take these factors into consideration. Sadly, government reviewing agreements is an indirect way of increasing fees collected by it. The intended rehabilitation of the Calabar port by NLNG, will not be immediate. Nigerians living outside Lagos may have to continue paying high prices for cooking gas in the foreseeable future.

 

 

 

 

(Nairametrics)

Phone maker taps Nigerian demand for low-cost smartphones

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Phone maker taps Nigerian demand for low-cost smartphones
A smartphone manufacturer has set up its first factory in Nigeria’s commercial hub of Lagos to provide Africa’s biggest mobile market with low-cost smartphones amid an economic recession.

AfriOne’s devices, using the Android operating system, will cost from 29,000 naira ($92) to 33,000 naira, targeting middle-income buyers in a country of about 180 million people, according to Lekan Akinjide, director of strategy and government coordination at the company. Its first factory has an installed capacity to produce 120,000 units per month, with one other factory planned, he said Friday at an event in Lagos.

Parent company Contec Global invested $10 million in the project.

Cheaper smartphones are pushing internet penetration in Nigeria, with most people getting online via mobile devices rather than computers. The country had 154 million active mobile-phone users as of February this year, according to data from the Nigeria Communications Commission’s website.Lagos-based AfriOne, which has developed a financial technology app, is also betting on the growth of e-commerce, which will account for 10 percent of all retail sales in the continent’s largest economies by 2025, or some $75 billion in annual revenue, according to consulting firm McKinsey.

‘Hi-Life Fest’ begins in the Eastern heartland

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‘Hi-Life Fest’ begins in the Eastern heartland

Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries, Kufre Ekanem (left); Portfolio Manager Mainstream and Stout, Emmnauel Agu; Senior Brand Manager, Regional Mainstream, Funsho Ayeni at Hi-Life Fest in Owerri

Committed to promoting music, particularly Nigerian music, Life Continental Beer, a brand from the stables of Nigerian Breweries Plc., has launched Hi-Life Music Fest, a musical competition aimed at celebrating and promoting highlife music in South East.

The music competition, which kicked off with the first set of auditions in Owerri on April 10 – 11, 2017, held its first regional finals on Friday, April 14 at Cubana Lounge. The auditions and regional finals will hold in Port Harcourt, Enugu and Aba with the grand finale bill to hold in Onitsha later in the year.

Speaking at the media launch, the Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc., Mr. Kufre Ekanem, the festival will further enrich the shared values of progress between Life Lager Beer and the people of South East Nigeria, as has been the case with Progress Booster Show and Umu Oganiru Festival, the brand’s existing consumer engagement platforms.

“The unveiling of another consumer engagement platform by Life Lager does not mean the already existing platforms – Life Progress Booster and Umu Oganiru Festival will be discontinued. Rather, this new platform will deepen the values of progress that Life and the people of South East Nigeria share,” he said.

For the Portfolio Manager, Mainstream and Stout, Nigerian Breweries Plc., Mr. Emmanuel Agu, the initiative is one of the various ways the brand seeks to ensure that its consumers live a progressive life filled with opportunities, and are conversant with the iconic sound of their environment.

“Life Continental Beer is all about the progress of the people of the South East, this is evident through our ongoing project – Life Progress Booster Show. Music is important to the Igbo people, especially highlife music, and with highlife legends like Osita Osadebe, Celestine Ukwu, Oliver De Coque and many others, Hi-Life Fest is our way of bringing this rich genre of music back to the mainstream,” Agu said.

Agu, further explained the regional winners would proceed to Onitsha for the grand finale, where the overall winner will be rewarded with the sum of one million naira, and one year recording deal with a music company.

Winners of the regional auditions will be determined by the audience and a team of judges consisting of seasoned music producers and on-air-personalities who have over the years trained and mentored young talents in the entertainment industry.

 

 

 

 

(GuardianNg)

BHM and Brentt Consulting Announce the Release of Nigeria PR Report 2016. Download Here

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BHM and Brentt Consulting Announce the Release of Nigeria PR Report 2016. Download Here

Today, we launch the second edition of Nigeria PR Report put together by our research and intelligence division, in collaboration with independent market research firm, Brentt Consulting.

This edition includes topics ranging from annual industry revenue to top skills needed for entry into the PR industry. The report was prepared for the use of agency CEOs, brand managers, students, teachers, institutions, journalists, consultants, regulatory bodies and researchers.

Following feedback from the inaugural report, research was carried out in two stages: quantitative research was pooled from an online survey which adhered specifically to the ESOMAR Guideline for Online Research, while qualitative research was derived from focus group sessions and individual interviews covering four PR stakeholder groups namely Staff, Agency CEOs, Media and Clients.

The online survey was sent out to approximately 200 respondents between October and December 2016 while 40 participants were invited for the focus group sessions. 192 people started the survey but 67 filled and completed the process. 24 people attended the focus group sessions. Majority of respondents were sourced from Lagos state, the focal PR industry location.

Here are some highlights from the report:

Nigeria PR Report 2016

1 – Most PR agencies are micro and small enterprises…

2 – More than 40% of PR agencies in Nigeria are less than 5 years old. This is because most firms die out in the early stage of business.

3 – The average PR spend on campaigns in 2016 was between N6 to $10 million – an indicator that most PR firms may be one-man agencies.

4 – Banking and finance was recorded as the predominant income source for the PR industry in 2016.

5 – The most popular service offered by PR executives in 2016 was digital/social media marketing – a skill that also includes advertising.

6 – For entry into the PR industry, respondents claim content creation and media relations are very important skills.

7 – The top 5 campaigns of 2016 mentioned during focus group discussions and interviews for Nigeria PR Report2016 include

  • Ebony Life – The Wedding Party (2016)
  • Pepsi – Long Throat (2015)
  • Star (Beer) – Star Football League (2016)
  • Airtel – Data Is Life (2016 / 2017)
  • Mirinda – Three Orange Men (1990s)

Other crucial subject matters explored include tools and methods for gauging success of PR campaigns, names of all PRCAN certified agencies in Nigeria as well as new and existing agencies in the process of being certified by PRCAN; challenges, threats and perceptions for improving the industry.

Speaking on the release of Nigeria PR Report 2016, Founder and CEO of BHM, Ayeni Adekunle noted, “Different industries are making great use of data, As PR practitioners, it is imperative that we are at the forefront of crafting our narrative and enhancing the processes of communication by making use of the goldmine of big data available to us. We are confident about the future of PR here and abroad, and doing the Nigeria PR Report annually is a demonstration of our organization’s belief in what is possible. “

We’re grateful for the support of CEO of Brentt Consulting, Lola Talabi-Oni, President of African Public Relations Association (APRA) and Group Chief Executive of CMC Connect, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, COO ID Africa, Femi Falodun, Marketing Manager of Interswitch Group, Olawale Akanbi and Dr. ‘Bisi Olawuyi of the Department of Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan and others who made the creation of Nigeria PR Report 2016 a success.

By 4pm today (Thursday, April 20, 2017), Founder and CEO of BHM, Ayeni Adekunle will be responding to questions concerning #NigeriaPRReport2016 via Facebook Live and Periscope (Twitter). We look forward to comments on the report and suggestions for improving future editions.

Ayeni Adekunle will be responding to questions concerning #NigeriaPRReport2016 via Facebook Live and Periscope (Twitter)

The goal of Nigeria PR Report is to purposefully place Nigeria on the global marketing communications map by producing annual analyses and giving significant insights that can help build a world class industry. Continuous research and open discussions will never cease to play a crucial role in developing the Public Relations industry.

Download Nigeria PR Report 2016 here.

 

 

 

(idafrica)

100th anniversary: Union Bank Centenary Innovation Challenge

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100th anniversary: Union Bank Centenary Innovation Challenge

Union Bank, one of Nigeria’s most respected financial institutions, has kicked off celebrations to mark its 100th anniversary in Nigeria having been established in 1917. The bank has embarked on a transformation programme to reposition Union Bank with the objective of becoming a leading provider of quality financial services in Nigeria.

In celebration of 100 years of heritage & service, Union Bank is running a Centenary Innovation Challenge to find and support great ideas that address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in entrepreneurial ways. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity

We are looking for your innovative ideas to address the biggest problems affecting how people live, work, socialise and do business in Nigeria. In particular, we are looking for great ideas that improve financial inclusion, agriculture and education of Nigerians.

We invite entries from ALL eligible Nigerians particularly university students, software developers, academics and entrepreneurs from across the six geopolitical zones.

For more information about Union Bank, kindly visit our website

 

The Cold War Between Facebook and Snapchat Heats Up

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The Cold War Between Facebook and Snapchat Heats Up

With the new Camera functionality unveiled at this week’s F8 conference, Facebook’s endgame is clear: out-Snapchat Snapchat.

“If you take one thing away with you from today,” Mark Zuckerberg said Tuesday morning during the Facebook F8 Developers Conference keynote, “[it’s that] we’re making the camera the first augmented-reality platform.” This was a notable bit of verbal gymnastics — the effort Zuckerberg and company put into avoiding the word “Snapchat” throughout the morning was impressive. During the keynote introduction, Zuckerberg showed off a flurry of augmented-reality features, all of which will be added to the Facebook Camera. The demo looked like a beefed-up iteration of Snapchat, complete with the center capture button and adorable face filters, just more of them — many, many more. We also saw the next iteration of what will be available in Facebook’s copycat efforts: 3-D rendering, image recognition and context, and more face filters than anyone could possibly know what to do with.

The simmering battle between the two social media giants goes way back. In 2013, Snap (then Snapchat) rejected a $3 billion acquisition offer from Facebook. In 2014, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel told Forbes that Facebook lightly threatened the company, saying it was coming out with its own version of Snapchat — which turned out to be Poke, a blatant copy of Snapchat … which failed. But if Spiegel thought Facebook would eventually give up trying to replicate its success, he officially learned today that no amount of app strikeouts can deter a company that wants to own and facilitate how the world communicates.

Tuesday, just before Facebook’s show kicked off, Snapchat offered a preemptive strike. The app added World Lenses, which layer 3-D objects over photos and videos you capture — not just your face. And then Facebook leveled them, essentially introducing the same features, but more of them — not to mention a road map for adding to the supply, a way to finesse them with custom features, and a platform that makes it easy for anyone to get involved. In a separate panel later in the day about developing for Camera, Facebook product manager Michael Slater mentioned that Camera allows users to share this content to the News Feed. Slater’s comment felt like a dig at Snapchat’s confusing user interface and directory. Or maybe not. Either way, he’s right: Snapchat is undeniably “cooler,” but everyone knows how to use Facebook. Despite the massive growth of Instagram Stories and Facebook’s efforts to develop Camera AR features, Snapchat remains popular with younger users. That might not matter in the long run, though: Facebook has nearly 2 billion users. Instagram continues to grow. The company owns WhatsApp. It houses the technology and tools responsible for the ways we talk to each other online. Eventually, even an app as wildly successful as Snapchat will lose this numbers game.

(Facebook)

That Facebook has managed to replicate Snapchat’s AR-layering functionality isn’t the sucker punch, though — it’s the platform. Snapchat allows anyone to create Geofilters, and it appears that it works with digital artists on Selfie Lenses (though, how exactly that all works — or doesn’t work — is hazy), but this is a fairly limited offering for developers. But Facebook just invited its worldwide network of developers to use a suite of tools (coding and noncoding) to create anything — not just location-specific filters, and not just masks, but filters that change depending on how many people view them, or interact with something that’s happening in real time, like the score of a game. These pieces are still in development (the AR studio is in a closed beta; the Frame studio — which allows you to create frames for videos and photos in Camera — is open now, and it’s incredibly easy to use), but they are vastly more functional than what we’ve seen Snapchat offer outside creators.

(Facebook)

Both of these companies are largely unsympathetic characters. But somehow on Tuesday, in its blatant disregard for the app that changed how we think about messaging and mobile community, Facebook managed to make Snapchat look like the indie darling that doesn’t stand a chance against its big-box-office competition. “I used to think glasses were going to be the first augmented-reality lifeforms,” said Zuckerberg, in what felt like adding insult to injury in the form of a swipe at Snapchat Spectacles. Little more than a month ago, Snap called itself “a camera company” in its IPO. Tuesday, Facebook co-opted that label and made it clear that it’s not content with just mimicking Snapchat’s functionality. It will do it one better. It will do it 10 times better. Facebook is going to out-Snapchat Snapchat, without even acknowledging that it exists.

(Theringer)

SUBSCRIBERS, VISITORS LAUD BUILDCON AT LAGOS EXHIBITION

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SUBSCRIBERS, VISITORS LAUD BUILDCON AT LAGOS EXHIBITION

Visitors, subscribers and real estate stakeholders have commended Buildcon Global Services Limited, a real estate company based in Lagos, for its commitment to quality and standard in the delivery of its products.

The stakeholders who were present at this year’s CEMCS exhibition in Lekki area of Lagos on Wednesday also lauded Buildcon’s architectural design and focus, particularly on quality and affordability.

Those that have seen the newly built Pracht Gardens Estate located in Ikota area of Lagos particularly praised the company for the state-of-art facilities used in its construction and the layout which they agreed, “shows what a dream home should be.”

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Buildcon Global Services Limited, Mrs. Bukunola Gadzama.

Mr. Kenneth Babalola, a Lagos based industrialist who indicated interest in the company’s projects, maintained that what he saw at Buildcon’s stand and at Pracht Gardens Estate, is “a testament to the fact that company has skilled architects and competent engineers that can meet subscribers’ expectations.”

Corroborating Babalola’s view, Mr. John Okafor, a Petroleum Engineer, affirmed that he was impressed with Buildcon Global Services Limited for the unrivalled quality being demonstrated in its architectural and interior designs. He also appreciated the company’s payment scheme as it makes it easy for a subscriber to own a luxury home without stress, an initiative that should be emulated.

Mrs. Ngozi Okafor, a Lagos based Chartered Accountant equally commended the company for combining luxury with quality and at an affordable rate. “l think l have made the right decision by having interest in the company’s projects,” she said.

In her remarks, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Bukunola Gadzama, expressed delight with the accolades from visitors and subscribers, adding that the vision of Buildcon Global Services Limited is to deliver unique services to subscribers and exceeds their expectations.

“In creating these luxury apartments, we took into consideration the need for affordable housing, security, space optimisation, comfort, child-friendly environment and quality,” she said

Gadzama also disclosed that other projects that would be embarked upon by the company include the Pracht Court in Ajah, Pracht Clusters at Chevron and another estate at Sangotedo in Lagos.

CBN Suspends New Cashless Policy

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CBN Suspends New Cashless Policy

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has suspended its earlier directive on the implementation of cashless policy.

In a circular released on Friday, the apex bank instructed banks to revert to old charges and refund customers who had been debited.

CBN had earlier announced new charges on deposit and withdrawals above a threshold of N500,000.

The apex bank had directed banks to charge 5% and 10% for deposits and withdrawals above N40m in the corporate category.

The bank had fixed 1.5% and 2% for deposits ranging from N500,000 and N1 million in the individual category.

But in the circular signed by Dipo Fatokun, director, banking and payments system department, CBN said the existing policy before the announcement of the new policy shall remain in place in Lagos, Ogun, Kano, Abia, Anambra, Rivers and Abuja.

“You will recall that a directive was issued on the nationwide implementation of the cashless policy vide our circulars with reference numbers BPS/DIR/GEN/CIR/04/001 dated February 21 and BPS/DIR/GEN/CIR/04/002 dated March 16,” the circular read.

“Please note that the new withdrawal and deposit processing fee charges above the threshold, as contained in the circulars referenced above, are hereby suspended until further notice. The position of the policy shall now revert to the status quo ante.”

The old charges to be reverted to 3% processing fee for withdrawals above N500,000 in the individual category and 5% for withdrawals above N3 million.

“The new policy already applied effective April 1, 2017 as contained in the circulars in reference above should be reversed and the old charges be applied. All necessary refunds should be made accordingly.”

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