CNN's most inspiring women of 2014: 2 Nigerians make the cut.

Two Nigerians have made Cable News Network (CNN)’s list of most inspiring women of 2014. The Leading Women features extraordinary women who have excelled and made a mark in their chosen professions.
The two Nigerians on the list are accomplished writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and the late Doctor Stella Ameyo Adadevoh who died after contracting Ebola at First Consultants Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie — The Nigerian writer has authored three novels and is heralded for drawing attention to African literature throughout her award-winning career. This year, she was nominated for Forbes’ Africa ‘Person of the Year’ Award as well as ‘Personality of the Year’ in the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards.

Dr Stella Ameyo Adadevoh — The Nigerian doctor died this year after overseeing the treatment of Ebola patient Patrick Sawyer. Her efforts prevented the wider spread of Ebola in Nigeria.”
Other people on the list are; Kenyan actress, Lupita Nyongo, Ellen Page, Kerry Washington, Angelina Jolie, Malala Yousafzai, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Joyce Banda, Angela Merkel, Elizabeth Warren to mention a few.

CNN’s ‘Inside Africa’ features prize-winning Nigerian photographers and artists from Lagos Photo Festival

This week on CNN International’s ‘Inside Africa’ programme, host Soni Methu offers viewers the chance to meet some prize-winning Nigerian photographers and artists at the Lagos Photo Festival.
In Makoko, the water-borne slum in Lagos dubbed “the Venice of Africa”, Methu discovers that although life in the community may be quite basic, it nevertheless inspires some great art from outsiders and its own.
One such artist is Sulayman Afose, who was born and bred in this floating town. His work is beginning to attract international attention with the capture of everyday images that inspire his art. Afose tells ‘Inside Africa’ he plans to inspire a younger generation to take up a lens by passing on the skills he has learnt in workshops, organised by the African Artists Foundation.
Also on the programme, Methu talks to another talented Nigerian photographer, Jenevieve Aken. The work of this model-turned-photographer has been on display in exhibitions across Nigeria, South Africa and Europe.
Her latest series is called ‘The Masked Woman’, and it portrays images of independent, professional women in Nigeria. She also features as the subject in some of the portraits. Aken gives ‘Inside Africa’ host Methu a crash course in photography, advising her: “It’s all about feel and emotion when it comes to portraits. So, I try to put feeling and I try to put emotions in every photograph I take.”

CNN’s ‘Inside Africa’ takes a look at the changing architectural landscape of Nigeria

Nigeria is building for the future. From vast developments in Lagos, to cutting edge design in Calabar, the country is building to keep up with its growing business, sport and tourism demands.
This week on CNN’s ‘Inside Africa’, host Soni Methu visits the big developments defining the changing architectural look of Nigeria, from an entirely new district in Lagos, to the new football stadium in Uyo, by way of the tallest building on Victoria Island, and David Adjaye’s new concept store in Lagos.

In Lagos, the programme visits the Eko Atlantic Project – an entirely new district of the city, with apartments for a quarter of a million people, and work space for 400,000.
David Frame, Managing Director of South Energyz Nigeria, the man running the project, tells ‘Inside Africa’: “The project began partly as a way of protecting Lagos from flooding. We’re building a very robust sea wall along the southern edge (of the coastline), in order to protect Eko Atlantic, but in turn, to meet the request of the Lagos State Governor, to protect Victoria Island. Back in 2005, it was under very real threat of being devastated by coastal surge”.
Eko Atlantic hopes to attract financial institutions with luxury developments, with the goal being to establish Lagos as a financial hub, and commercial hub, of the continent of Africa. In twenty years from now, Frame tells ‘Inside Africa’ there will be a substantial population living in Eko Atlantic.
The programme also visits South East to Uyo, the capital of the Akwa Ibom State, where one of the most modern sporting stadia in the whole of Africa has just been completed. It seats 30, 000 people and can host both international football and top-class athletics.
Methu chats to Governor Godswill while watching Nigeria take on South Africa in an important football clash: “I’d like you and CNN to judge for yourselves. You’ve gone round the world, you’ve gone inside Africa, you’ve gone to the entire global community, and you’ve seen facilities. Here is one that is completely state of the art.”

CNN ‘Inside Africa,’ on 12 December at 1830

The show will also air on the following times:
 
Saturday: 1230 and 1930
Sunday: 0530
Monday: 0230
Tuesday: 1030

Thursday: 0530

CNN rejects political adverts from Nigeria

American cable and satellite television channel, CNN recently rejected 2015 elections-related adverts sent in by Nigerian presidential aspirants.

A consultant to a presidential aspirant told TheCable.ngWe approached CNN agents in Nigeria to place some adverts for our principal. We sent the creatives to them as requested and they returned them, saying they do not run commercials that are intended to campaign for votes. We could not believe it.”

Ashley Hogan-Gancarz, the account manager of CNN International who spoke to TheCable.ng reporter maintained that the rejection was not an act of discrimination against Nigeria but political/religious adverts placement is against Ofcom regulations (regulator of the broadcast industry in the UK, from where CNN International oversees its African operations.)

If you want to promote investment opportunities, etc. that would be fine but nothing to do with politics or the 2015 election.” He added.

CableTv also learnt that CNN charges up to N5m for a 30-second spot at prime time.






Credit: www.thecable.ng

‎African Voices’ on CNN to feature University of Nigeria’s first female Dean of Faculty of Physical Sciences, Prof. Francisca Nneka Okeke

One of Nigeria’s notable Scientist and Professor of Physics, Francisca Okeke will feature on ‘African Voices’, CNN’s International weekly half-hour programme highlighting Africa’s most engaging personalities.

‘African Voices’ focuses on Francisca’s journey to becoming the University of Nigeria’s first female Dean of Faculty of Physical Sciences, and how her father’s effort greatly influenced her choice of career ‎.
In the programme, Okeke recounts her childhood ordeals in the south eastern part of Nigeria, where education for the girl child was not that important, and how the aftermath of the Biafra war and violence almost to put an end to her education.
She tells ‘African Voices’: “When I was a child, I would wonder about the changing colour of the sky and the ability of airplanes to fly in the atmosphere without falling back to earth”.

Discovering that physics could answer these questions, Okeke was motivated to become a scientist and was one of only two women in her physics undergraduate class of 30 students in 1980. She went on to become the first female Head of Physics Department at the University of Nigeria, and later, the first female Dean of the Faculty of Physical Sciences.
Some of her accomplishments include being a fellow of the Japanese Society for Promotion of Science, the Nigerian institute of Physics, Nigeria Academy of Science, Africa Academy of Science. She is a recipient of the prestigious Laurel United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Award for Women in Science Laureates, for her discovery of certain particles in the atmosphere.
‘African Voices’ hears how Okeke has contributed greatly to the development of physics at both secondary and tertiary levels in Nigeria, and aims at increasing the number of women in physics in Nigeria and across Africa.
Physics means everything to me. There was a lecture I gave in my inaugural lecture, I concluded by telling the world that physics is life, and life is all about physics. And that is the summary of it all. If you look around us, that I am talking now, and you are hearing me, it’s just physics, application of physics,” concludes Okeke.‎
To watch Francisca Okeke’s story, tune in to CNN International’s ‘African Voices’ on Friday, 7th November at 1030 with repeat broadcast on the following days:
Saturday: 1630
Sunday: 0430, 1230, 1930
Monday: 1130, 1830
Tuesday: 0530
Wednesday: 10:30
For more information, viewers can visit www.cnn.com/africanvoices‎

CNN’s ‘African Start-Up’ features founders of Lagos-based online company, Supermartng.com

This week on CNN’s ‘African Start-Up’, the co-founders of Supermartng.com, Raphael Afaedor and Gbolahan Fagbure, describe how their Lagos-based online grocery store is helping consumers save time and avoid traffic while purchasing household items which are conveniently delivered direct to their homes.
Supermartng.com makes use of a network of supermarkets located throughout Lagos, delivering groceries in less than three hours through a cursory study of traffic patterns, offering the best delivery services to customers.
Raphael tells ‘African Start-Up’: “We’ve partnered with local supermarkets and retail outlets across Lagos, so we deliver everything from fresh meat, fruits, vegetables, dry groceries, medicines and office supplies”.
Raphael tells the segment that the major challenge in the busy city of Lagos is ease of movement within the terrible traffic, “So we decided to use this to our advantage by carefully mapping out the traffic patterns of certain areas and placing people in these areas to make delivery faster”.
This new ecommerce platform has been in existence for little under six months and aims to become Nigeria’s foremost supermarket, focusing on relieving Nigerians of the day-to-day hassles of a supermarket visit, including frustrations of traffic and long queues.
“Our business also benefits the local store we partner with, by serving as an additional channel that can help them increase their sales without necessarily physically expanding their shop floor or opening more outlets” concludes Gbolahan.
For more information, visit www.cnn.com/africanstartup

President Goodluck Jonathan to unveil the new N100 bank note tomorrow.

I’m sure nobody thought of seeing a new bank note this year. Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan will tomorrow, Wednesday November 5, 2014 unveil the new commemorative N100 banknote by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

In a statement made available on Monday, the Apex bank said the commemorative note was part of its contribution to the country’s centenary celebration. The new note retains the portrait of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, comes in different colours and contains other new features.

 

“The choice of the N100 denomination is to mark the centenary celebration of Nigeria and is consistent with best global practices for central banks around the world during the celebration of national events. Part of the features of the commemorative banknote is the inscription of the theme of the centenary celebration: ‘One Nigeria, Great Promise’ as a micro-text.

 “While retaining the portrait of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo on the front, the new note features Nigerian traditional dancers at the back. The commemorative note comes in different dominant colours.” The CBN wrote.

CNN International launches Smart Business

CNN International today announced the launch of Smart Business – a new weekly feature segment that will profile the trailblazers using innovative new approaches and the latest technology to create new business opportunities. From September 3, Smart Business will air on the network during the recently-launched The Business View with Nina Dos Santos and World Business Today so that it reaches Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia prime-time audiences. Each week the segment will feature a different company or industry personality who has broken the mould in the world of business to thrive in a digitised and connected world.
By watching Smart Business, viewers will learn first-hand about a wide range of workplace innovations on topics as diverse as digital advertising, supply chains, business intelligence and technical literacy to name a few. The first Smart Business segments will include: Seattle-based pioneer Blab, which is using technology to predict what conversations will happen on social media; co-working space The Factory, Berlin’s first major start-up hub; and UK company Decoded, whose coding courses help employees unlock the digital world. Each report will explain how the company or individual harnessed opportunities through digital innovation, illustrate the change to the wider marketplace, and in the process solve age-old problems of doing business.
Online, a dedicated microsite will supplement Smart Business video content with in-depth stories, Q&As and opinion pieces as well as infographics and data visualisation.
“Smart Business will give viewers the inside track on what happens when industry leaders use technology and a fresh approach to develop brand new business opportunities,” said Mike McCarthy, Senior Vice President, Programming, at CNN International. “Covering innovative thinking from all around the world, Smart Business is the perfect complement to CNN’s business programming. From utilising technology and taking a different look at workplace challenges, Smart Business gives executives and decision makers another reason to tune in to CNN.”

CNN’s African Start-Up features founder of first online Nigerian Grocery store, Olumide Olusanya

Retired doctor and founder of the first online Nigerian grocery store, Gloo.ng, Olumide Olusanya, was featured on CNN’s ‘African Start-Up’ series, which highlights Africa’s SME entrepreneurs.
The programme profiles entrepreneurs in Africa on their effort in making their dreams a reality. In the interview on CNN’s African Start-up programme, Olumide Olusanya said the idea of starting an online grocery store came to him when he saw his wife juggling the tasks of raising three small kids while managing a full time job. He was motivated to make grocery shopping easier for all especially working mothers.
Olusanya says, “I saw the stress she was going through, to have a happy home and family, the pressure of a busy job and having to care for the home, so this for me was a way to relieve her of that stress and make shopping generally easier for busy Nigerians”.
This start-up whose operation is just a little over a year is aimed at becoming Nigeria’s largest supermarket with a focus of relieving people of the stress of everyday visits to the supermarket and the bottleneck of long queues and hassles encountered during such visits.
“Gloo.ng will change the standard of shopping in Nigeria, whereby customer can visit our site from the comfort of their offices and homes and place their orders by just clicking on products they need and have it delivered to them”.
The site was formally known has BuyCommonThings.com, but later had its name change to Gloo.ng with the objective of offering the best delivery services to customers at every point in time.
For more information, viewers visit http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/AFRICA/african-start-up

ANOTHER CNN FEATURE FOR OMOTOLA JALADE-EKEINDE

UN ambassador and leading actress, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, will be interviewed again by CNN correspondent, Vladimir Duthiers on his CNN’s African Voices; a weekly half-hour indepth-interview/programme featuring important personalities from across the continent of Africa. You will recall that she was featured on the same programme last December and this time around, we hope it’s going to be power-packed.
Omosexy has fondly called will be talking extensively on her successful acting career, activism and other projects in the pipeline. Other Nigerians who have featured in the programme in the past include renowned actress, Genevieve Nnaji, CEO OANDO Plc, Wale Tinubu; award-winning writer, Chimamanda Adichie; the richest woman in Africa, Mrs Folorunsho Alakija to mention a few.
Omotola’s interview will be aired tomorrow Friday January 10 at 09:30 with a repeat broadcast on Saturday January 11 at 16:30, Sunday January 12 at 10:00 & 19:30, Monday January 13 at 11:30 & 18:30 and Tuesday January 14 at 06:30.
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