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COVID19: NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME – Tunde Dawood-Akerele (a Lagos based novelist, poet and publisher)

Published

6 years ago

April 10, 2020

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Now, here in Nigeria, what we are witnessing can be best described as a celebration of a season of shame, as expected, no reasonable measures or steps are being taken by those in power to cushion the inherent hardship of social restriction order caused by Coronavirus pandemic ravaging the whole world. Due to shortage or absence of relief packages, thieves are back in every street operating freely, people are complaining of hunger while living is getting tougher for the less privileged at the time our leaders are becoming richer. Many Nigerians could not afford to eke out their means of livelihood despite the fact that they go out everyday let alone now that they are restricted for 14 days without any provision. What do we expect those men who don’t have saving, poor artisans,, petty traders poor labourers , indigent, beggars to feed on during this restriction period? Social Restriction Order is not odd but adversely hazardous in any place where adequate provisions are not made the government. Hunger is flogging Nigerians but those in position of authority are not aware of that as they lead direct opposite life to the poor – never lack any means of survival.

In other nations where citizen welfare is well valued, to their citizens feeding is even easier at this difficult time unlike here where government eloquently pronounce Social Restriction Order, extend restrictions without making any adequate provision for the masses.

This is the first time I write criticaly about President Buhari’s attitude and his administration. Even when millions of Nigerians were calling him names such as Baba Goes Low during his tenure I refused to join them. Now, I’m left with no other option than to share my candid opinion of him and his government.

In so many areas, PMB has not succeeded in doing things better than his predecessors. Even there are many areas of the economy where some past military and civilian heads of state had performed far better than him. Either correct or not, we had population census during the military rules that gave at least rough estimate of our population that still helps government in some ways. The Buhari’s administration never considers it good to have or improve on existing database. The federal office of statistics can never give a rough estimate of male, female, adults, working class, dependants, Muslims, Christians, etc.

Now that COVID 19 draws everyone’s attention to this silent and salient issue, the Buhari’s administration finds it so difficult to know how many billions of naira can provide relief stimulus for the poor Nigerians for 14 days restriction period while sharing modality is another source of headache peradventure they think of it.

Some states have received billions of naira as palliative from the federal government and philanthropists. Less than 1% Nigeria population had received cash reliefs while the rationale for sharing such is not yet clear to many of us. The 1% are from some states in North.

It’s disheartening to hear and read that many state governments had released billions of naira to provide food relief to the masses while those food items are yet to be found or shared. To many state governors, COVID 19 pandemic is a blessing not only in disguise but also in the open to corner a lot of money. Some governors here in the Southwest boastfully declared that they have made provisions for food reliefs that can take care of 50% population of their citizens while a week into restriction only one loaf of bread per house, one pack of noodles for a whole street while larger area have not sighted those items.

Those politicians who could afford to lavish oodles amount of money on radio jingles, TV adverts, billboards, branded vans, different sizes of posters, give out a quality T-shirt, cap, wrist band, yards of Ankara, flash drive, foodstuff and cash to each electorate during the electioneering campaign now find it difficult to share a bag of rice among ten households and dole out cash as they characteristically do both the primary and general elections.

Likewise, those politicians who electoral fortunes failed to smile at are not left out. Sharing and identifying with the masses should not be limited to campaign time. Just because they failed to emerge, they have suspended sharing time till campaign days. That’s odd.

Many ex political office holders are richer than the incumbent courtesy of billions of naira they successfully diverted while in power but they are of the opinion that they are less concerned about people problems so far they are no longer in power therefore every responsibility lies soley on the incumbent. That’s why almost all the past political office holders decline to make any reasonable contribution towards relieving masses of feeding challenge at this hard time.

Many contractors get more money than those in power but instead of aiding and relieving the masses in form of Community Social Responsibility at this critical time of restriction they rather pretend as if they run those juicy contracts at loss. It is so shameful that they can travel around the world in private jets but never deem it fit to assist their friends and relations at this trying time.

It sounds somehow ungodly to hear that many religious leaders have devised different means of taking or extorting their members during this difficult moment. A man of God who can afford to feed the church/mosque conveniently during this period is still warning his members of negative implications of not remitting offerings and tithe.

Now is the right time to learn some lessons. Now is the right time to do critical evaluation of PMB’s administration in terms of attending to real people’s oriented projects, people’s welfare, people’s health and security. Imagine the current state of many of our general hospitals and how many new ones this administration has successfully put in place. Government and governance is not limited to fighting corruption and railway construction.

Now is the right time for those political mercenaries, touts and women leaders to understand that they only waste their precious time and conceited efforts in winning elections for this set of politicians who have no single plan for them as an individual or a group.

Now is the right time for every Muslim and Christian to apply their commonsense instead of following or observing their leader’s detectives dogmatically particularly when it comes to issue of money.

Tunde Dawood-Akerele

(a Lagos based novelist, poet and publisher.)

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AMVCA 12 Nominee List is a Wake-Up Call for the Film Industry

Published

2 weeks ago

April 2, 2026

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The nominee announcement on Sunday has officially kicked off the countdown to the 12th AMVCAs, and as expected, the conversation is split between celebration and the inevitable debate over who didn’t make the cut. While previous years were often dominated by a few blockbusters with double-digit nominations, the 2026 field is defined by how spread out the talent is. With Gingerrr and The Herd leading with nine nominations each, and To Kill A Monkey following with eight, the race to May 9th is wide open. This year’s list shows a clear shift in how African cinema is being viewed. While the AMVCAs have always stood for excellence, this 12th edition has moved toward a much stricter evaluation of craft that looks past how popular a project is on social media.

Under the leadership of veteran actress Joke Silva as Head Judge, the message from the organisers is clear: the bar for entry has become more specialised. In an era where trending on social media is often mistaken for technical brilliance, the AMVCAs is looking deeper into the structural integrity of the work. This explains the takes currently fueling debates online. While a project might dominate the cultural conversation for months or break box office records, the jury’s mandate, backed by the auditing rigour of Deloitte, is to look past the viral numbers and focus on the technical blueprints. A film can be a massive audience success and still find its lighting, sound design, or screenplay structure measured against a new, more rigorous professional rubric.

Out of the 32 categories this year, 18 are now strictly decided by the jury, including the major Best Lead Actor and Best Lead Actress awards. This change moves the recognition of acting talent away from the emotional pull of public voting and puts it into the hands of industry experts. For the stars and directors who didn’t find their names on the list, it isn’t a comment on their talent, but a reflection of a very tight field where there is almost no room for error. The fact that acting awards now sit alongside technical categories like cinematography and editing proves that the Academy is rewarding the quality of the work just as much as the fame of the person.

As voting opens for the remaining 11 public-choice categories ahead of the May 9th ceremony, the tension surrounding the list is actually a sign of industry health. It proves that the volume of high-quality African storytelling has reached a point where being a fan favourite is no longer a guarantee of a trophy.

By prioritising technical precision over social media sentiment, the AMVCAs are forcing a necessary evolution. On May 9, the statues will be handed out, but the real takeaway from Sunday is that Nollywood has moved into an era where the craft must finally match the hype.

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Union Bank responds to Cardoso’s remarks at MPC meeting with calm assurance

Published

2 months ago

February 26, 2026

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Union Bank of Nigeria has issued a statement reaffirming its steadfast position in the course of ongoing regulatory engagements in response to recent media queries at the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) 304th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) press briefing.

The bank’s affirmation comes in the wake of Governor Olayemi Cardoso’s clarification on the regulatory framework governing institutions under intervention while speaking on the complexities and structural considerations influencing the recapitalisation timeline.

According to the CBN Governor, institutions currently under regulatory oversight are subject to unique circumstances that necessitate a differentiated approach, distinct from those institutions that have had an extended period to prepare for recapitalisation. This clarification was made in direct response to queries raised by journalists seeking insight into the operational status of banks under intervention.

Union Bank’s Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, Mrs Olufunmilola Aluko, explained that the CBN Governor’s remarks align with Union Bank’s consistent messaging to stakeholders. She reiterated that Union Bank remains a going concern with stable operations, resilient franchise and uninterrupted service delivery.

“The Governor’s remarks reinforce what has consistently been our position in all engagements with stakeholders. Union Bank remains under strong regulatory oversight and active supervisory engagement. The Bank is a going concern with a resilient franchise, stable operations and uninterrupted service delivery across all channels.

We have maintained, and continue to maintain, that all customer deposits are safe and secure. That position has not changed. The Bank continues to operate within the established regulatory framework, working transparently and constructively with the Central Bank of Nigeria towards full compliance in line with the applicable structure.”

The bank is working constructively with the Central Bank towards full compliance, as part of a system-wide recapitalisation programme aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s banking sector. Union Bank will provide updates as regulatory engagements progress while maintaining its commitment to customer protection, financial stability and service continuity.

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InterswitchSPAK 8.0 Registrations Commence for Year 11 (SS2) STEM Students Nationwide

Published

2 months ago

February 12, 2026

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• In addition to schools, parents and guardians can now also register their wards for the competition.

• Over N40m worth of scholarships up for grabs.

Interswitch, Africa’s leading technology company focused on creating solutions that enable individuals and communities prosper, has opened nationwide registration for the eighth edition of InterswitchSPAK, its flagship National Science Competition where senior secondary school students across Nigeria are invited to apply and demonstrate their academic excellence on a national stage.Designed to empower young minds in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas, InterswitchSPAK identifies, nurtures, and rewards students while equipping them with the skills and knowledge required to excel in STEM fields and drive innovation.Registration for InterswitchSPAK 8.0 is now open and will close on Friday, May 24, 2026. For the first time ever, in addition to group registrations through schools, parents can also register their individual children for the competition.This year’s edition features a scholarship pool exceeding ₦40 million, with Interswitch expanding the prize structure to ensure broader impact. The overall winner will receive a ₦15 million tertiary scholarship including monthly stipends. The first runner-up will be awarded a ₦10 million scholarship including monthly stipends; while the second runner-up will receive a ₦5 million scholarship, also including monthly stipends. All scholarships are payable over a 5-year period. In addition, the top 9 finalists will all receive brand new laptops and other exciting prizes.In addition to the top prizes, Season 8 introduces enhanced rewards for student finalists ranked 4th to 9th, as well as increased recognition for teachers supporting qualifying students from 1st to 9th place. This expanded structure reinforces Interswitch’s commitment to rewarding academic excellence and recognising the critical role educators play in shaping student success.Speaking on the launch, Cherry Eromosele, Executive Vice President, Group Marketing and Communications, Interswitch, reaffirmed the company’s long-standing investment in education and youth development.“At Interswitch, we strongly believe that Nigeria’s future will be shaped by how well we nurture today’s young minds. InterswitchSPAK goes beyond competition, it is a long-term commitment to empowering students and supporting teachers who are laying the foundation for innovation, problem-solving, and national development. As we launch Season 8, we remain focused on creating opportunity, rewarding merit, and inspiring excellence across Nigeria.”Over the past seven seasons, InterswitchSPAK has positively impacted thousands of students across the country, offering full university scholarships, mentorship opportunities, and national recognition for outstanding academic performance. Beyond these rewards, the programme has consistently reinforced the importance of STEM education as a critical driver of innovation, problem-solving, and sustainable national development.Through a transparent, technology-enabled selection process, InterswitchSPAK has also promoted educational equity by providing students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds with equal access to opportunity, ensuring that performance and merit remain central to success.As Season 8 begins, Interswitch calls on students, parents, teachers, school administrators, and education stakeholders to actively encourage participation, recognising their vital role in helping students seize opportunities that can shape their academic and professional futures.Eligible senior secondary school students are to register online at www.interswitchspak.com on or before May 24, 2026.Through InterswitchSPAK, Interswitch continues to invest in Nigeria’s education ecosystem, empowering the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators to compete, excel, and lead on both national and global levels.