Money: OAU makes N200 Million from post UTME

 

  Following the introduction of the post-UTME into tertiary institutions in Nigeria, most schools have been making good money off admission seekers. A statement issued the public relations officer of Obafemi Awolowo University,Ile Ife (OAU) shows that no fewer than 27,000

The Press Release Is Dead. Let It Rest In Peace!” ID Africa COO Femi Falodun Speaks On The New Age Of Social PR

The Abuja Hall, NECA House, Lagos on Wednesday July, 2015 witnessed a fiery exposition of modern Public Relations practice as Marketing expert Femi Falodun delivered a presentation entitled "Who Is Afraid Of Social PR?"

 

Speaking to an audience of Public Relations practitioners at the NIPR Social Digital Workshop, the ID Africa COO pointedly asserted that the days of conventional media relations in PR are over and have been replaced with communication methods which are increasingly more customized and relatable to each recipient.

 

In his words, "The era of blind mass emailing and generic press releases is dead and buried – please stop sending out those horrible email blasts! No one reads them anymore! In order to be effective, PR messages now must be targeted, customized & localized based on factors like content type, medium of communication, behavior, education and interests of target audiences and connections between users."

Speaking further, he mentioned that social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and blogs all compete in the same communications space as PR professionals, making full use of their large semi-captive audiences and integrated targeting options incorporated into the platforms.

"It's all about social content now. The style, format and nature of your messages can now make or destroy your engagement. We have to speak the language of those we are interacting with. We have to speak to them on the platforms where they are, and if we are not sure how to use those platforms, we must learn. The old press release is dead and it is never coming bacIn closing, he took the audience through a series of infographics demonstrating just how much power social media already has and will yet have as the world becomes more globalized and the so-called 'Millennials' become the larger part of the spending population.

The Digital Workshop, which was one of the activities marking the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations AGM Week featured presentations from Communications and marketing experts such as Falodun and Orimolade Alexander of Microsoft Nigeria.

Sex Workers Protest Killings of Collegues in Abeokuta

Sex workers in Abeokuta organized a protest to raise awareness over the disappearance and killings of their members.

Vanguard reported that there was mild drama in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Monday night, as scores of commercial sex workers staged a candlelight procession in honour of their colleagues, who were allegedly killed by suspected ritualists, weekend.

Dressed in black apparels, the sex workers, who stormed the state secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, wailed as they mourned their colleagues.

One of the dead, who was simply identified as Sitira, was found dead at a refuse dump site at Olomoore junction in Abeokuta on Sunday morning.

Suspected ritualists were said to have abandoned the corpse of the 23-year-old prostitute after severing some flesh from her body.

The late Sitira was said to have been thrown off a moving Sport Utility Vehicle, SUV, along Abeokuta-Lagos Expressway.

Speaking with reporters, the protesters claimed that beside Sitira, another colleague was killed by suspected ritualists.

They said the mutilated remains of the second sex worker was discovered in a ditch at Olomoore, Abeokuta.

During the procession, about 50 commercial sex workers, plying their trade in Abeokuta, converged on the NUJ secretariat and also at the nearby residence of former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan.

They identified Sitira with different names: Titi and Folake.

Bearing candle sticks, they chanted solidarity slogans and rained curses on the killers of their colleagues.

The sex workers momentarily barricaded the NUJ secretariat and later departed for the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, where they continued their mourning.

They chanted: Oro nla leda, oro nla leda, eyin tepa Titi, t'eje odagba, oro nla leda. Omo yin maku, eeeheee omo yin maku, eyin tepa Titi t'eje odagba, omo yin maku.

It means: You have done something grievous, you have done something grievous. The killers of Titi (Sitira) have done something grievous. Their children will die, their children will die, those that killed Titi will lose their children.

AFRIMA RECEIVES 2,558 ENTRIES FOR 2015 EDITION

The International Committee of All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, in partnership with African Union Commission, AUC, has announced a staggering submission of entries with a total of 2,558 for AFRIMA2015 edition at the close of submission of entries on Friday, July 31st, 2015 at 2400hrs CAT.

The entries were received on the AFRIMA website and social media platforms from African artistes, record companies, and music/entertainment journalists from across the continent and the Diaspora whose works were produced between May 31, 2014 and July 31, 2015 in accordance with the stipulated guidelines by the academy of the jury of AFRIMA.

But more exciting are the entries from artistes of African origin living abroad and non-African countries which shows the global recognition of AFRIMA, which is in partnership with the African Union Commission, ONE Campaign and Africa 2.0.

The entries received for the 2015 edition is progressively higher than the 2014 edition of 2,025 entries with 79.2%. Out of the entries received this year, 73 were from music and entertainment journalists across Africa against the total of 38 entries (52.1%) from the same category in 2014. Others entries were from artistes, songwriters, video directors, music producers and record companies.

According to the Chairman, International media committee of AFRIMA, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, "The International Committee is excited about the quality of entries received this year as many were from accomplished artistes in African music. The impressive 2015 edition entries received is a reflection of growth and acceptability of the vision and ideals of AFRIMA's commitment to communicate Africa to the rest of the world via art, music, tourism and entertainment."

As part of the adjudication process which will last for 7days, the submitted works will be further screened by a 13-person jury panel which represents the 5 regions of Africa and the diaspora from the following countries: Kenya, Senegal, Republic du Benin, Uganda, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, UK and USA as well as a representative from the African Union.

Following the adjudication process, a nomination list will be released to the public on a later date in August 2015 to vote for a nominee in each of the 33 categories of the award.

Speaking on the 2015 entries received, Co-Producer and Regional Director, East Africa, AFRIMA, Mike Strano restated "In line with our integrity, transparency and AFRIMA core values of FACE IT (Fairness, Authenticity, Creativity, Excellence, Integrity and Transparency), we will always ensure that the adjudication process, pre-selection process, the auditing phase, the nomination process, the voting process and the eventual winning stage are all transparent."

We are firm, transparent, and thorough about the whole process. This is All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA and it is our pledge. We will always guide it jealously" He affirmed.

 

The award ceremony, which promises to be a premium and star-studded event, will take place on November 15, 2015 in Nigeria. It will be broadcast in 84 countries and on 109 television stations across the world.

The AFRIMA Music Village, a 2-day event of music festivities featuring national pavilions, cultural/entertainment exhibitions and music concerts between November 13 and 14, will precede the award ceremony.

There will also be an Africa Music Summit on November 13, themed "Reviving the Business of Music in Africa". The one-day conference will be a platform for the music industry stakeholders to engage and deliberate on how the industry can be nurtured and be a major contributor to national and continental economies.

 

Shoppers note:Inside Shoprite Ibadan By Niyi Tabiti

By Niyi Tabiti

It was fun visiting the two Shoprite outlets in Ibadan. One is located at Dugbe, while the other one known as The Palms is situated along Ring Road, Ibadan. The old Kokodome is now a spectacular place for shoppers, and onlookers too!

Light traffic: Just like most places in Ibadan, the traffic was light.

FCMB Posts Reduced Profit

FCMB Group Plc on Wednesday declared a profit after tax of N8.3bn for the half-year ended June 30, 2015, 13 per cent lower than the N9.576bn it made in the same period last year.

Although the group grew its gross earnings by 11 per cent from N69.620bn to N77.353bn in the review period, higher expenses led its profit before tax to dip by 14 per cent from N11.140bn to N9.565bn.

FCMB’s financial statements, which it filed with the Nigerian Stock

The man who will be next Ooni of Ife By Niyi Tabiti

 

 When it comes to fame, fortune and class, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade had it all. He was a man with impeccable taste for everything that glitz and glamour. The Ife monarch was known as one of the wealthiest kings in Nigeria history.