****The 2022 Children Cultural festival, with the theme,
EDITED BY FRANK MEKE.
“Culture, Creativity and the Nigerian Child”, drew curtains last week Friday in lagos. Organised by the lagos center of National Institute For Cultural Orientation ( NICO) , the event was attended by select secondary schools in lagos with focal attention on competitive and non competitive events such as Ayo games, cooking competition, , Cultural dance performance, quiz in three major languages, oriki recitation and fashion parade. Ado Muhammed Yahuza, CEO Nico, stated that no nation could make meaningful progress without paying serious attention to its cultural values.
** still on Culture, Eko Nafest, slated for November 7th to 13th, took a peacock showoff in lagos, last week Friday, with a media tour of the festival village and accommodation facilities for the 36 states Cultural contingents expected during the iconic festival next month. Lagos governor, Babajide sanwo-0lu has spared nothing to put up a record renewal turn around of National stadium, based National Institute for Sports grounds which is the official hosting address for the festival. Otunba Segun Runsewe, DG National Council for Arts and Culture, Mrs uzmat Akinbile Yusuf, lagos state Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, and Mrs oyinade Nathan Mash, Permanent secretary, lagos ministry of Tourism, conducted the media around the festival city.
** it’s not yet Uhuru for Nigerian travelling public as foreign Airlines gave notice to pull out of Nigeria due to trapped funds. Reacting, Minister of Aviation, Hadi sirika and Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele, dared the angry international air services providers to activate the action. House of Representatives Speaker , mr femi gbajabiamila held two meetings in the past two weeks with the foreign Airlines, and stakeholders in Abuja, to find solutions to the trapped funds issues, with latest face-off, indicative that peace is far from the engagement process.
**** United Arab Emirates ( Dubai) has tightened its visa entry requirements on Nigerians, literally shutting down application windows and including rejection of applicants already at its visa tables. To further show its possible dismay and disgust to having Nigerians visit, trade and live in Dubai, about 539 Nigerians living in Dubai were sent back home over the weekend for not having Dubai work permits. The Nigerian government is yet to officially react to this Dubai response.
Still on Dubai, a young Nigerian lady, Dinchi Lar who courageously filmed the maltreatment of Nigerians by UAE immigration officials at Dubai Airport, has been jailed for a year for daring to film and escalate the process on her twitter handle and videos on the Internet. Angry and racist Dubai immigration officials embrassed by the revelation which drew global condemnation, allowed miss Dichi and other Nigerians, into Dubai, only for the immigration authorities, to singled her out while on her way out of Dubai to Nigeria, for a court case , bothering on cyber crime offence. Her family, plans a protest at UAE embassy in Abuja as Nigerian government, has kept mute on the jailing citizen Dichi. What a painful mess for a citizen who boldly whistled the terrible disgrace metted out to fellow Nigerians, at the Dubai airport.
***what has kalabasha, an iconic Nigerian culture pot, got to do with travel financial protocol? Well, WakaNow TRAVELS, a tech driven travel trade coy, says its kalabash offering, will help those planning to travel but with out strong funds back up, to save money in bits and pieces, until they can complete the fare payment structure.
** The United States embassy in Abuja, has warned of a possible terror attack, targeting public places and gatherings, particularly in Abuja. Nigerian Defence Headquarters, however reacted and says there is no course for panic.
*** Teachers Niaja, a TV Reality show, has upped the winner call out prize to 10 million naira as about 19 Teachers from various colleges in Nigeria have indicated interest to participate in the third edition of the popular and educative programme. Enuagwuna ubaka, the convener of the reality show, says *Smart Teacher” is the theme for this year outing . It’s segment on Tourism and Culture, sponsored by Topaz Travels, has always been a major must watch aspect of the Teachers Niaja challenge.
** lagos state, a huge littoral destination, says a careful action plan to protect, restore and manage degraded ecosystems in the state, is ready. Tunji Bello, Commissioner for Environment and Water resources , spoke at a global commemoration of “Walk for Nature”, themed ” Only One Earth” organised in collaboration with Nigerian Conservation Foundation ( NCF). Bello disclosed that lagos state is determined and committed to achieving sustainable Development goals 11 to 17 and has developed policies targeted at biodiversity conservation.
*** Nigeria’s current debit and credit cards, may give way to a National Domestic Card Scheme, come January, 2023.Osita Nwanisobi , CBN Director of Corporate Communications, says the domestic card scheme will enhance development of local relevant products and services, reduce demands on foreign exchange and also power data sovereignty. The process will be oxygenated through Nigeria’s interbank settlement systems Plc, Nigeria’s Central switch in collaboration with the Bankers Committee and other stakeholders.