Day: May 14, 2024

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has urged music professionals and educators to promote professionalism and national development through music.

Abubakar made the call at the 19th Annual National Conference of the Society of Music Educators of Nigeria (SOMEN), hosted by the Directorate of Music, Nigeria Air Force, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The CAS was represented by the Chief of Administration (NAF), AVM Idi Sani, at the event.

The conference is with the theme, ‘Vision 2030 and The Musical Arts Education in Nigeria’.

He said the event aligned with one of the key enablers of his command philosophy which is, ‘Deliberate Training and Mission Oriented Force Development.

According to him, it is envisaged that this initiative will no doubt impact positively to further enrich the capacity of participants from various institutions and the military for efficient and effective service delivery.

Abubakar commended the society for noble ideas and key roles in setting standards in promoting mu
sic teachings and learning in schools with due considerations also for military and paramilitary training institutions.

He said the theme was apt in view of the usefulness of music as a valuable tool to achieving development.

‘It is my conviction that the import of this conference will engender positive ideas that will make significant impact on the society at large.

‘Let me therefore, enjoin all participants to deliberate on this forum to acquire more knowledge that will spout better approaches to effectively contribute the development of your various institutions and our dear nation.

‘Let me reassure you of our continued support toward ensuring that the capacity building initiatives for improved professionalism would be attained and effect on the development of education in Nigeria achieved with desired results,” he said.

The Minster of Education, Tahir Mamman, represented by Mrs Esther Obi, commended SOMEN for their effort in meeting the Vision 2030 concerning music education in Nigeria.

Mamman said
that the vision 2030 encompassed prioritising the development of music education programmes, nurturing talents, and promoting cultural heritage through music.

This, he said, could involve initiatives such as curriculum enhancements, funding for musical schools, and creating opportunities for young musicians to showcase their talent internationally by nurturing musical art education.

According to him, within Vision 2030, the power of music to enrich society, preserve cultural identity, and contribute to economic growth is highlighted.

‘We all know that music has the extraordinary power to transcend boundaries, unite communities, and inspire change.

‘Through your dedication and passion for music education, you are not only shaping the next generation of musicians, but also nurturing a culture of creativity and expression.

‘Let us also reaffirm our collective commitment to excellence, inclusivity, innovation, and continue to explore new horizons, break down barriers, and empower individuals of backgrounds t
o discover the transformative power of music,” he added.

The President of SOMEN, Dr Ikenna Onwuegbuna, said the conference stood as a beacon of knowledge, innovation, and collaboration, saying the global economies had shifted from commodity based to knowledge based.

Onwuegbuna said the workshops and panel discussions were designed to challenge their thoughts, extend knowledge, and inspire their spirits.

He encouraged all participants to engage fully, ask questions, challenge the ideas presented, and seek to forge new relationships and collaborations.

According to him, it is through interactions that innovation is born and academic communities thrive.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that SOMEN is an academic and professional body established in 1999 for the development of Music Education in Nigeria, at all levels.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has assured the 2024 intending pilgrims to Saudi Area from the territory of improved welfare, throughout the Hajj exercise.

The FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, gave the assurance, while bidding farewell to the intending pilgrims at the FCT Hajj Camp in Bassa Jiwa, Abuja on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria is expected to begin airlifting the intending pilgrims from FCT on Wednesday, May 15, to Saudi Arabia.

Mahmoud said that FCTA and the FCT Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board have taken proactive measures to ensure adequate welfare for the intending pilgrims throughout the exercise.

She expressed confidence that the 2024 FCT Hajj operation would be better than the previous ones.

‘To ensure success in the operation, the FCT Administration was proactive in ensuring that all the intending pilgrims complied with relevant policies to participate in the spiritual journey.

‘The Administration
has successfully concluded all necessary arrangements for the welfare of our contingent to the Holy Land.

‘In fact, the early preparations for this year’s Hajj demonstrate our commitment towards recording a hitch-free exercise,’ she said.

She urged the intending pilgrims to pray for the unity and progress of the country, with particular attention to the nation’s leaders for Allah’s guidance.

‘I urge you all to remember that our country is passing through some economic and security challenges, which require your prayers for our country to remain united in spite of our differences.

‘Pray for the peaceful coexistence of our dear nation in support of President Bola Tinubu-led administration in line with his ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda,’ Mahmoud pleaded.

The minister further urged the intending pilgrims to be good ambassadors of the FCT and Nigeria by abiding with all the newly introduced policies by the Saudi authorities for the 2024 exercise.

She identified some of the new policies as movement in groups, transpo
rtation policy, luggage policy, feeding arrangements, timetable for religious activities, and other policies issued by all relevant authorities.

‘Remember that these policies were introduced in your own interest to enable you to perform your religious obligations at ease,’ she said.

Earlier, the Director, FCT Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board, Malam Abubakar Evuti, said that the Board had a total of 2,977 intending pilgrims for the 2024 Hajj exercise.

Evuti said that experienced and committed officials were mobilised for the operation to ensure optimum service delivery for the pilgrims during the exercise.

He, however, warned against any act of indiscipline, adding the official found wanting would be penalised.

He also advised the intending pilgrims to be law abiding, patient, avoid reckless spending and avoid rumour mongering.

One of the intending pilgrims, Mohammed Habib, who is going to Hajj for the first time, expressed confidence for a hitch-free exercise.

The visibly excited Habib said he was satisf
ied with all the preparation processes, which he described as impressive.

‘I am overwhelmed and very excited because the preparations exceeded my expectations. So, I am looking forward to a fulfilling and hitch-free Hajj exercise,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says strategic alignment and collaboration with the private tourism sector are crucial in creating a robust regional tourism confederation across West Africa.

ECOWAS Commissioner, Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Massaudje Toure-Liste, stated this at an ECOWAS strategic meeting with officials and stakeholders in Abuja on Tuesday.

The event was aimed at aligning stakeholder strategies to foster their collaboration.

Toure-Liste, who was represented by the acting Director, Private Sector, Anthony Elumelu, said the meeting’s focus was to advance sustainable regional tourism, economic growth and preservation of natural and cultural heritage.

‘This meeting draws inspiration from the ECOTOUR 19-29 Action Plan, adopted by the Authority of Heads of State and Government, envisioned to serve as our road map for promoting responsible tourism.

‘To ensure effective implementation, we have established a regional monitoring and control mechanism that involves the E
COWAS and UEMOA Commissions, public institutions, private stakeholders and local communities.

‘To this end, our technical meeting today centers around drafting the operational modalities for two critical tools.

‘They are the ECOTOUR 19-29 monitoring and evaluation mechanism and the ETAR. These mechanisms will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of regional tourism,’ she said.

The commissioner explained that the ECOTOUR 19-29 Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism would involve developing operational guidelines and appointing dedicated members or focal points to oversee its implementation.

‘Toure-Liste said, ‘Let us embrace this opportunity to shape the future of tourism in our region. Together, we can create a sustainable, vibrant, and culturally rich environment that benefits all.’

Also speaking, Folorunsho Coker, the Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), said domesticating the policy was crucial to its success, adding that the common goal was to grow tourism across ECOWA
S.

The NTDC boss also said that collaboration among all the stakeholders was critical at the moment, stressing that it was the season to collaborate, and not to compete.

‘So, the domestication of this policy is very important to its success. We have a common goal. Our goal is to grow tourism across ECOWAS. Once that is identified as our goal, the commonality of our goal makes us pliable, to collaborate.

‘It is the season to do joint marketing campaigns, not individual campaigns, from our hotels to our airlines, to our tourism assets across the ecosystem.

‘It is in the spirit of collaboration that we will grow our Pan African tourism,’ he said.

Coker also emphasized the importance of human capital requirements in modern day tourism, and called for training and the deployment of technology in order to achieve the desired success.

He urged African journalists to refrain from sensational reportage and instead embrace developmental journalism, adding that sensationalism was harmful to tourism.

‘Development
journalism allows the positive to be echoed. If we put a negative in, they (foreigners) will amplify it for us.

‘So, let us restrain from what is sensational and simply focus on what builds our tourism here,’ Coker added.

ECOWAS Programme Officer, Tourism, Madame Stella Drabo, said the major challenge facing the policy was the need for a single regional body for the private sector, which would work ‘hand-in-hand and one-on-one with the ECOWAS Commission.’

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

SheCan Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation, says it is dedicated to empowering and uplifting women to realise their full potential.

Mrs Ezinne Ezeani, founder, SheCan, said this at a news conference on its upcoming SheCan 2024 Conference, with the theme: ‘Positioning For More’, held in Lagos.

According to her, the conference aims to empower over 4,000 women through collaboration, empowerment and providing opportunities for success.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the event is scheduled for May 24 in Lagos.

SheCan Nigeria is a movement for contemporary women to realise their potential and develop their capabilities to achieve success.

This is through collaboration and empowerment to become active players and contributors in the world.

Ezeani said the NGO has partnered with various sponsors and partners who will be giving out sponsorship and business grants in tonnes of millions to lucky beneficiaries at the conference.

She named some of such partners as; Optiva Capital, NNPC, Wema Bank
, Shell, Nigerian Bottling Company, Lush Hair, CWAY, among others, whose vision aligns with that of SheCan.

According to her, industry leaders, namely: Mrs Tara Fela-Durotoye, Nigerian beauty entrepreneur and lawyer, Dr Jane Kimemia, Chief Executive Officer(CEO), Optiva Capital, among other top female professionals would speak at the conference.

Ezeani noted that the conference since its inception has been empowering women to do more irrespective of their gender, career, business, education and other works of life.

‘Our goal is to inspire and transform the lives of women with a mantra that they can do more through free empowerment programmes from industry leaders.

‘Beyond just coming to sit and listen to various speakers, participants have a lot of take homes to benefit from the conference and also network.

‘Over 3,000 participants in our community have registered ahead for the free conference,’ she said.

According to her, it is important for intending participants to register ahead, as the registration
portal would close once it reaches its peak for the required number of participants.

Also, Mrs Olajumoke Ajayi, Board Member, SheCan Nigeria, said this year’s edition of the conference would surpass previous editions, just as the conference always gets better yearly.

Ajayi stated that the conference has been touching lives and many previous participants have been giving testimonies of the impact of the conference on their subsequent achievements in life.

She described SheCan as ‘God’s project’, while the board members have always planned together in unity of purpose to achieve the best.

‘Participants would gain from the life experiences of our renowned speakers and be empowered to position themselves in their businesses, careers and other endeavours of life,’ Ajayi said.

In her remark, Kimemia, CEO, Optiva Capital said the firm partnered with SheCan having discovered that both organisations share the same value of empowering the next generation and repositioning women.

She stated that women are exceptio
nal and can do more in all that they focus to do if given the opportunity and platform to thrive.

According to her, Optiva as an Asset management investment and real estate firm would present opportunities that would connect more women to global investment and help them build generational wealth at the conference.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Abuja, May 14, 2024 (NAN) The Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) initiative has stressed the need to adopt organic agricultural practices to enhance food security in the country.

The Chairperson, EOA initiative National Steering Committee, Mrs Janet Igoh, said this at a 2-day sensitisation workshop on National Diploma Organic Agricultural Technology in Abuja on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised by the Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria and Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Initiative in Nigeria in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

Igoh urged stakeholders to portray agriculture in the right perspective so that it would be appealing to the youths.

She said the lack of interest in agriculture by the youths was because farmers are always looking tattered in pictures.

‘That is not the prospect of agriculture, organic agriculture prep course that we are launching today will create employment.

‘The
re is always a saying that says, grow what you eat, use your crops or produce as medicine, not medicine as food.

‘Our young men and women can become farm managers, we can advocate for most of them to form cooperative and also help them seek funds’, she said.

Dr Jude Obi, National president, Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria (NOAN), said efforts by the association to bring organic agriculture into mainstream agriculture in Nigeria had been difficult.

‘We have developed a curriculum for teaching organic agriculture and getting a National Diploma degree through the support of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

‘Organic agriculture can feed us if everybody tries to produce minimally what he or she consumes, this is why the association is in the forefront of this.

‘We hope that the Colleges of Agriculture and Polytechnics will process these curricula and follow it up,’ he said.

Obi said the association was also raising awareness on participatory guarantee scheme for
organic agriculture.

‘We plead with those that want to implement this to register as members of the association so that we can work together to achieve this’, he said.

Also speaking, NBTE Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris Bugaje, represented by Dr. Rufai Ibrahim, said the board had come up with a curriculum.

Bugaje said that the institutions have been granted approvals to commence the implementation.

He assured that the board hopes to see to it that the Higher Diploma level commences in a few years, since the curriculum had been tailored toward encouraging the adoption of organic farming.

Dr Umar Abdullahi, Technical Advisor to the Executive Secretary, Agriculture Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), said organic agriculture was a production that sustained the health of the soil, ecosystem and people.

‘Organic agriculture relies on the political processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions rather than use of inputs.

‘The inputs we are talking about are fertilizers, chemicals; organic ag
riculture combines tradition, innovation, and science.

‘It is a system that relies on ecosystem management rather than external agricultural inputs,’ he said.

Abdullahi said there was the need to take care of the environment by adopting appropriate products in protecting the environment.

‘Organic agriculture method will cleanse the soil of forbidding use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides.

‘Ecological nature of organic culture is capturing carbon dioxide from the soil thereby improving the environment, conserves energy and save money’, he said.

Mr Gbadamosi Oyewole, Coordinator, EOA initiative, West Africa said organic agriculture was a system which has all the components of ecosystem working together.

This, he said would sustained the health of individuals, communities, soil, plants and animals.

‘There are a lot of misconceptions about organic agriculture; some equate it to the use of organic fertilizers.

‘When we try to develop organic farming in the country, we have to bring experts from outsid
e the country to manage the farm.

‘To work with a farm manager, you have to use expert training to do that. That is our goal,’ he said.

Oyewole said that farmers and processors needed training and development to adopt organic practices and improve their productivity.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State, Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume, says he is not decamping to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) because of wanting to run for the state governorship race in 2027.

A statement by Dickson Omaiye, his Special Assistant (Legal), said Araraume remained a critical stakeholder of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APCl) in both the state and at national level.

He urged those peddling such mischief to retract it or would be made to face the legal consequences, adding that it was a reckless, misleading and malicious information.

‘Senator Araraume has not on any occasion, had any discussions or negotiations with anyone about abandoning the APC or contesting the governorship seat in Imo State.

‘He remains a dedicated, committed, and loyal leader within the APC, and has no intention of joining the PDP or any other political party, having played a major role in the last presidential elections as National Director, Trade and Economy for South West, South East a
nd South South.

‘(He) is currently creating jobs through the establishment of industries, assisting government to get citizens gainfully employed

‘We assure the public that Senator Araraume is committed to continuing to serve the people of Imo State and Nigeria at large with unwavering dedication and commitment through his leadership role in the APC.’

He called on persons circulating such misleading information to be more patriotic and to rather engage in constructive and issue-based political discourse for the benefit of Imo state and its citizens.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria