As the Garden City Literary Festival comes to an end, Wole Oguntokun, has advised young and aspiring theatre art practitioners to stick to their calling, against all odds, if they desire success in the field. As one of its main aims, the literary fest draws young and aspiring men and women in the arts to equip them with the needed knowledge for better practice. - This year, Mr. Oguntokun is one of the facilitators who took on the workshop group for directing. “Yes, I spotted talent,” he said. But, “apart from talent, you also need consistency in what you do to find success in it. So, yes, I did see promising people, but they have to have staying power.” Mr. Ogunt…

Residents of Rivers State but in Nigeria who have a different state of origin now have cause to smile as the Executive Director, Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), Noble Pepple, has revealed that the agency is working out modalities to extend its scholarship scheme to residents from other parts. - One of the criteria for eligibility as stated on the agency’s site is: “Applicants must be of Rivers State origin.” But Mr. Pepple says, the agency is working on a plan where 10% of the scholarship will be reserved for residents of the state, who meet every other criterion. “Plans are still in the early stages,” he said. “But our vision is t…

"Don't you have any book for N100?" the little girl in her blue-coloured checkered school uniform asked. But the bookseller could hardly answer her; not when she has found herself surrounded by these school children, with a hunger to gulp all the knowledge in the books at her stand. Poor lady, these were not the clients she expected but she could not turn them away. - They had just been fired up by the Reverend Jesse Jackson, who read to them at the ‘Role Model read to Children’ session of the Garden City Literary Festival. So, on they went to the book stand to buy books as Rev. Jackson had told them that one sure way for Africa to break free from the shackles of p…

The Revered Jesse Jackson has restated that for Nigeria and Africa to break free from the shackles of underdevelopment, a lot more must be invested in the development of mind. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Garden City Literary Festival, Rev. Jackson noted that the African-American community has attained its place in world history only through the acquisition of literacy - which came at a high cost. - “Strong minds break strong chains,” he said. “Literacy is the key to liberation.” Drawing from his history of civil rights movement in America, Rev. Jackson noted that in the past, the only time a white man was punished was when he was caught teaching a black …

When Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan granted an exclusive interview with international journalist, Christiane Amanpour, formerly of CNN, local journalists were angered. This was his first exclusive and he chose a foreign platform. How a - then acting - president would prefer to talk to his people through foreign media left them befuddled. Omena Abenabe - But what seemed more infuriating was, when as president he eventually granted an exclusive interview on TV with a Nigerian it was with a musician, D’Banj. So, what will take the politicians from the media guns to the pop icons? Youth appeal. This “youth appeal” drove President Jonathan from the newspapers to his F…

The Action Congress of Nigeria and the Congress for Progressive Change have both rejected the new date, April 4th, set for the parliamentary election, asking that the elections be conducted on April 9th, same day with the presidential election. - In a statement signed by the its party secretary, Sen. Shuaibu Lawal, the ACN stated: “Given the sheer lack of capacity exhibited by the Operations Directorate, we are convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that INEC cannot between now and Monday, 4th April, 2011, account for all ballot papers already utilised, retrieve all sensitive materials in circulation and in the hands of various electoral officials nationwide. Added to this, is the fact …

Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission has said that over 60% of registered voters are below the age of 35 and at the latest presidential debate, What About Us, three presidential candidates showed up, once again used the opportunity to tell the young voters what makes them the preferred candidates. - The debate, held on March 26, was scheduled to start at 6p.m. but began at 8p.m. However, once it kicked off, business began in earnest. Award-winning writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche and Big Brother Housemate, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu were comperes for the evening. From the issues of corruption to electricity to economy/job creation, the candidates had the chance to sell their manife…

Little Ibezime was a sharp little infant. Before turning one, he had already started weaving words together. His parents were hopeful that by two, he would be in play class but just then, all the activities stopped. The once bubble boy became a recluse. He lost his speech, and became rather erratic. - His parents soon consulted a speech therapist that referred them to a pediatrician, who referred them to another pediatrician. “It was scary, as we could not yet ascertain what was wrong with him. It was the second pediatrician who hinted that it might be autism. Then we went to the UK and there we got proper diagnosis.” Chinyere Ibezime is a mother of one of the over one mil…

The presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Nuhu Ribadu has challenged Nigeria's current president who is campaigning to return to office to a presidential debate. According to Ribadu, since 1999, PDP presidential candidates have been shying away from debates because they have nothing to offer and that the present state of the nation was a clear testimony to the fact that PDP had no meaningful agenda for the nation. - The three-series debate which is expected to hold from March 8 is organized by NN24, a TV station, in association with 30 other international media houses for the top four contenders for the presidential race – and their running mates. The ca…

Mohamed Bouazizi, known by his friends and family as Basboosa, was not looking forward to celebrate his 27th birthday on 29 March. Jollity was the least of the expectations of this Tunisian lad: without a father who died when he was three and a mother who married his uncle thereafter, Bouazizi began doing odd jobs when he was 10 and in his late teens dropped out of high school. - He was on his daily street vending of fruits on 17 December 2010 when a municipal officer seized his cart, ostensibly for lack of a trade permit. Something had to give: Bouazizi chose to end it all - he doused himself with gasoline and put paid to a life of misery. Burnt with him was a dream of acquiring a truck …

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has kicked off its campaign in Dutse, Jigawa State, in the Northwestern part of Nigeria. The event which attracted a crowd of over 10,000 persons had in attendance, ACN chieftains, state governors and governorship candidates. - The National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, called on the youth to cast their vote for the party which brings them hope and promises economic empowerment. ‎"I bring to you, the people of Nigeria, a new kind of idea, through a new kind of leadership because of the problem created for Nigeria, by the PDP in the last 12 years,” Chief Akande said. “We thought about it, that how can we clear this pro…

The Rivers State government has received the graduands of the pioneer batch of the Governor's Overseas Scholarship programme. In a state reception which held at the government house, Port Harcourt, the Executive Director/CEO of the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), Mr. Noble Pepple while presenting the graduands said, "today we are seeing the first fruit of the governor's determination to achieve a whole new crop of well-trained and solid manpower for the state. - These young Rivers men and women have been adjudged fit and proper in content and character. They are not just ICT graduates; they possess ICT professional certification also." Receiving th…

- The Independent National Electoral Commission has said that over 60% of registered voters are below the age of 35 and at the latest presidential debate, What About Us, three presidential candidates showed up, once again used the opportunity to tell the young voters what makes them the preferred. The debate which held yesterday, March 26, was scheduled to start at 6p.m. but began at 8p.m. However, once it kicked off, business began in earnest. Award-winning writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche and Big Brother Housemate, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu were comperes for the evening. From the issues of corruption to electricity to economy/job creation, the candidates had the chance to sell their manifesto…

The presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has condemned the arrest of the secretary of the Northern Leaders Forum, Mallam Bello Abdulkadir, by the State Security Service, saying, it shows that the PDP has zero tolerance for the opposition. This, he notes, is "at variance with the gospel of fair play and restoration of values which the party claims to preach." - Speaking for the campaign organization, the Director of Media and Communications Ibrahim Modibbo, said the consistent arrest of any person or group of persons who oppose the presidency or ruling party at every slight opportunity is dangerous for the country’s democracy. “Th…