Tag: Nigeria films

What Kiki Omeili Says About The “New Nollywood”

kiki omeili, new nollywoodAs the Nigerian film Industry continues to evolve, Kiki Omeili has joined a couple of other young vibrant filmmakers, to regalvanize Nollywood, which many now refer to as the “new Nollywood”.

From ‘Married But Living Single’ to ‘Lekki Wives’, the doctor turned actress, has continued to grace the movie screens with her talent and unique acting skills.

Sharing her experience in the film industry, she considers herself lucky to have “joined Nollywood at a time when the industry was changing and there were so many new filmmakers interested in raising the bar and doing projects that would be able to compete internationally.

“Those filmmakers are interested in casting competent people who are also interested in adequately interpreting the roles they are given”.

Originally named Nkiruka Omeili, she explained that transitioning from being a doctor to an actress came easy because she had the talent and would always get called back after attending auditions.

“It was quite easy to get spotted because I had what it took,” she told Channels Television.

Kiki, who started performing in stage plays during her primary and secondary school years, however feels that the idea of the ‘New Nollywood’, is not really about a difference in the kind of movies but rather the new faces that have graced the industry.

“I’m very sure that we would be there for a while, and after a while, new faces are going to come up again.” the actress said.

State Of World’s Mother 2013: Reducing Maternal Mortality In Nigeria

Maternal deaths in Nigeria have been described in many quarters as unacceptably high. As Nigerians join the rest of the world in marking the state of women in 2013, Channels Television’s weekend programme, Sunrise examines the relationship between access to reproductive health in Nigeria and healthy population.

According to the International Conference on Population and Development Programme, reproduction health implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when, and ho3w often to do so.

The above assumption is a condition that can only be achieved if the women are informed and have access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of family planning and other reproductive services of their choice to regulate fertility which are not against the law and the right to access appropriate health care services that will enable them go safely through pregnancy and child birth.

The Senior Maternal and New Born Health Manager with the Save the Children foundation, Abimbola Williams and the Lagos State Commission for Health, Jide Idris, in this interview examines the components of reproductive health and how women in Nigeria have felt in this year.

Understanding Nigeria Aviation Reforms

The Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, said on Wednesday that the aviation industry is anticipating a passenger volume of 15 to 20 million by the year 2020.

The Minister said Nigeria, after China and Japan, ranked in terms of passenger volume and is expected to keep growing at a rate of nine to 10 per cent annually.

Ms. Oduah said that aviation policies must be tailored to address the contemporary socio-economic development of the government; adding that the revised National Civil Aviation Policy, NCAP, would be responsive and adaptable to new safety, security and technology dynamics of the global aviation industry.

She said this included the strengthening of the existing regulatory framework and facilitating the growth of domestic airlines, the setting up of the National Carrier, and the development of aerotropoli.

In this interview on Channels Television’s weekend programme, Sunrise, the Director Airworthiness Standards in the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Benedict Adeyileka and a Development Consultant, Emeka Okengwu examine the impact of the aviation reforms on the Nigerian economy.

Experts Examine Solutions To Insurgents In Nigeria

Over the past 10 days, there has been series of violent attacks in different parts of Nigeria. Starting with the clash between security operatives and suspected members of the Boko Haram sect in Baga, Borno State where over 187 people were killed to the killing of over 20 police officers by cult members in Nasarawa state.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday had to cut short his trip abroad and rushed back to the country to hold emergency meetings with security chiefs in a bid to find solution to the growing insecurity in Nigeria.

Three analysts – Security Expert, Ona Ekhomu, Rights activist, Dare Dairo and the National Coordinator, WANEP, Ifeanyi Okechukwu, who were guests on Channels Television weekend programme, Sunrise, examine steps that should be taken to stem the growing tide of insecurity in Nigeria.

Private Jet Owners Can Airlift Friends, Associates – MD NAMA

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nnamdi Udoh on Tuesday refuted recent media reports that private jet owners cannot carry their friends and associates in their aircraft.

Mr Udoh, who was a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, said apart from their family members, private jet owners can carry their friends and associate as long as they meet some basic requirements.

He said, “That aircraft owner must have an operations department, who understand what the law of operations means. That aircraft owner must have an airworthiness certificate.”

The other requirements according to the NAMA boss are that the aircraft owner must have an insurance that protect him/her in case of an accident. The jet owner must also submit a manifest.

The long awaited National Civil Aviation Policy, 2013, which took the Federal Government over one year to prepare, was finally unveiled last Friday with severe rules for private jet owners in the country.

The policy barred individuals with private jets from carrying their friends and business associates on board the aircraft, stating that only members of their families are allowed aboard.

It states further that companies with private jets are permitted to carry only their employees or members of the Boards of Directors.

Moreover, the policy also directed that the identities of all passengers on-board any private jet must be made known through a manifest before air traffic control clearance will be sought.

It states, “Approval or clearance from the Director-General, NCAA, will not be required from Nigerians operating non-revenue flights with appropriate insurance policies in the following cases: “For private aircraft owned or leased by individuals, only the family members of the owner/lessee of the aircraft will be permitted on board as passengers; “For private aircraft owned or leased by companies or corporate entities, only the employees and members of the Board of Directors of the company will be permitted on board as passengers.

“For aircraft belonging to non-scheduled or scheduled operators, only the employees and members of the Board of Directors of the company or the corporation may be permitted on board as passengers; all operators will declare the identities of all passengers on non-revenue charter flights in the appropriate general declaration forms prior to obtaining ATC clearance.

“Nigerian carriers operating revenue passenger charter flights will be required to have a current non-scheduled or scheduled operator permit with operations manual that contains flight duty time limitations, which will be strictly monitored on regular basis.”

Former Rivers Commissioner Calls Amaechi A Dictator

A lawyer and former Rivers State Commissioner of Information, Emmanuel Okah has described the leadership style of Governor Chibuike Amaechi as suppressive and dictatorial.

Mr Okah, who was a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, said Mr Amaechi runs the affairs of Rivers state as though it was a one man business.

He said the governor determines “who becomes Chairman; he determines who becomes the Secretary; he determines who becomes a Councillor; he determines who goes to the House; he determines who goes to the Senate.”

The former Commissioner accused Governor Amaechi of using his office to persecute anyone who challenges the decisions of his administration.

He said for merely going to court to challenge the election of Godspowe Akeh, who is loyal to Governor Amaechi , as the chairman of the Rivers state executive organ of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the governor revoked the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of the petitioner, Felix Obuah’s hotel in Omoku.

Governor Amaechi suffered a great political setback last month as the Rivers state chapter of the PDP executive led by Mr Akeh was sacked by an Abuja High court presided over by Justice Ishaq Bello.

Justice Bello approved the election of the faction loyal to the Minister of State for Education, Nyson Wike led by Mr Obuah and the entire members of the factional executive.

Nigeria Police College: On The Brink Of Collapse

The capacity of the Nigerian Police Force is currently being overstretched by the insurgency in the North, abuses against ordinary citizens and undermines of the rule of law. According to a report of the Human Rights Watch, Nigerians don’t trust the police; citizens generally have a bad impression of police officers because of their perceived brutality and corruption.

Despite the huge budgetary allocation to the force – N311 billion ($1.99 billion) in 2013 – the Nigerian police are haplessly often overpowered by criminals whose activity affects those in high and low places.

At the heart of the problem of the police force is training, there are seven police colleges in Nigeria and new recruits are expected to undergo about 13 months training in these institutes.

However, this video report focuses on the deplorable state of the police college in Ikeja, Lagos.

Disregard Sultan’s Comments At Your Own Peril, Analyst Warns Politicians

A political scientist and a lecturer at the University of Abuja, Kabiru Mato has called on Nigerian leaders not to disregard the comments of the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar on the security in the North.

Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, Mr Mato said though modern politics in Nigeria has withered the powers of traditional leaders, but “the statement by the sultan should not be put aside by any serious minded political leadership because it is a statement that is coming out from one of the highest level of the Nigerian society.”

The University don said the situation where Nigerian leaders accept responsibilities for the ills in the country is an indication of progress.
Mr Mato cautioned that “If the political leadership will choose to disregard this very honest and bold pronouncement by the sultan, it will do so at its own peril.”

The Sultan had on Monday blamed the North for the present insecurity in the region.

He had said, “Let us sit and talk freely and articulate positions that will bring us out of the quagmire we put ourselves. It is important that religious and traditional rulers from our various states sit together, so that each and every one of us will talk freely for us to articulate a position as the way out of this problem we find ourselves.

“We northerners have put ourselves in a quagmire, because whatever that is happening in the North is our own doing. This was because we did not do what we are supposed to do. And since we know that, we have to solve our problems ourselves. So, I think, it is not a bad idea that the committee was set up.”

Professor Calls Nigeria A Racket

A Professor of criminology and social sciences at the University of Abuja, Femi Odekunle has described Nigeria as a place where politicians engage in political and economic racketeering for their selfish purposes.

Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, Mr Odekunle said Nigerians should disregard the comments of ministers and other government, officials, who often say that Nigeria’s macroeconomic indices are growing.

“Of course, nobody would deny that we are growing but the growth is not translating to development. Development has to do with impacting on the socioeconomic and political lives of the average citizen. It has to do with distribution of the dividend of development,” he said.

The professor said the reason why the dividend of development is not getting to the ordinary Nigerian was because of corruption.

“The consequences of the resulting underdevelopment cannot be divorced from our level of insecurity which has been worsening, if you allow me to say, from the 60s to today,” Mr Odekunle said.

Expert Advocates Withdrawal of Power To Appoint IGP From President

A security expert and National Coordinator of the Network on Police Reform, Emeka Nwanevu has said that the opaque processes by which Inspectors-General of Police are appointed, the absence of secured tenure for those that occupy that office and high turnover in the leadership of the police make planning for improvements in the performance of the force rather difficult in Nigeria.

President Goodluck Jonathan and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar

Mr Nwanevu, who was a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, said the lack of security of tenure for the Police Inspector General as well as interference of politicians into the operations of the police make the position of IGP one of the most unstable leadership positions in the country.

He said since the President was the one who can hire and fire the IGP; he has enormous power to control the activities of the police boss.
“An Inspector General cannot flaunt the orders of the person who appoints him,” Mr Nwanevu said.

The security expert is calling for the amendment of Section 215(1) of the Nigerian Constitution which provides that the IGP “shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Police Council from amongst serving members of the Nigeria Police Force.”

Lawyer Describes Fight Against Corruption As Cosmetic

A lawyer and member of the Crusade for Justice, Richard Nwankwo has described the efforts by the leadership of Nigeria in fighting corruption as superficial and designed to achieve nothing.

Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, Mr Nwankwo said the present leaders in the country lack the political will and determination to conduct a genuine crusade against corruption in Nigeria.

“When you are fighting corruption from the general point of view, the leadership must show some measure of political will and determination and some measure of drive to demonstrate to everybody that actually there is a massive campaign against corruption and that is clearly not been done here,” he said.

Vandals Bust Another Pipeline In Lagos

Suspected pipeline vandals have breached a petroleum product pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Epe.
This was disclosed to Channels Television in a telephone interview with the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Shem Obasheye.

Vandalized pipeline

“My boys told me that they were going to Epe, and actually when they got to Epe, the pipeline at Epe has been busted. The vandals ran away,” he said.

Officials of the Civil Defence Corps according to Mr Obasheye recovered eleven 50 litres containing of PMS at the scene of the busted pipeline. He however said none of the vandals were apprehended.

No fewer than three suspected oil thieves were last Saturday killed after an NNPC pipeline was gutted by fire at Arepo, Ogun state south west Nigeria. The fire is suspected to have been caused by activities from vandals in the area.


The fire occured at the same spot where vandals operated last August and three NNPC engineers were killed by suspected vandals in the process of fixing the pipeline and putting out the fire.