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Pan-Atlantic University Alumni Association Inaugurates New Executives to Drive Growth
Lagos, February 2, 2024 – The Pan-Atlantic University Alumni Association (PAUAA) has inaugurated a new set of Executive members to drive the next phase of growth of the group, recognised as one of Nigeria’s most prestigious university post-graduation association. The new executives include renowned broadcaster Gbemileke Oscar Oyinsan as President. Oscar, who comes with a lot of experience, is an all-round media personality, with established renown in Radio, TV, Advertising and Production. He is household name, as he has been in front and behind the cameras for over 20 years. To assist him as Vice President is the delectable Onyebuchi Odianjo, a Corporate Relations professional in the Energy sector. While Fumnanya Ochei, a prolific Film producer in Nollywood will serve as Secretary. Other members of the executives are Austen Osokpor, a versatile and strong media advocate heading the Communications & PR Committee, saddled with the responsibility of maintaining transparent and effective communication for the group across all channels. Austen is currently Head of Corporate Communications at Ecobank Nigeria; Efeturi Doghudje, a Communications Specialist with over sixteen years of experience in marketing, public relations, digital marketing strategy and branding will also serve as Head, Membership Committee. This committee seeks to increase and maintain active participation within PAUAA; and Yusuf Oladejo, an experienced Multi-Cloud Support Engineer is the Head, Alumni Chapters Committee, poised to establish and support regional and all affinity-based alumni chapters. He will guide the creation and activities of chapters, ensuring alignment with PAUAA’s mission.
(L-R) Isiomah Elumah (Head, Young Alumni Committee); Yusuf Oladejo (Head, Alumni Chapters); Opeyemi Oluleye (Head of Committees); Onyebuchi Odianjo (Vice President); Gbemileke Oscar Oyinsan (President); Dr. Peter Bamkole (Chief Operations Officer, PAU); Austen Osokpor (Head, Communications & PR Committee); and Fumnanya Ochei (Secretary).
Also in the team are Ginika Frank-Durugbor, Head of Corporate Communications at Lafarge Africa Plc serving as Partnerships and Events Committee Head. She will be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of partnerships with external organizations, plan events and create opportunities for alumni connections; Stella Uwaechue, investor and media relations at GTCO is the association’s Head of Finance and Fund Raising News Committee, charged with overseeing the financial health and sustainability of PAUAA; Also, Isioma Elumah, an executive at Guaranty Trust Bank coming in as Head, Young Alumni Committee, will connect with new graduates and facilitate their transition. The committee organizes events, mentorship programs, and networking opportunities. Barinedum “Barry” Agara, a media and communications professional working with the International Organization for Migration is Head Innovation Committee and will be responsible for fostering creativity and forward-thinking initiatives for the association. The committee also explores and implement innovative ideas; and Opeyemi Olaleye, a Partner at OP Africa, a strategic communications firm, will oversee the affairs of all Committee Heads and ensure optimization of efforts by its members for PAUAA. Playing host to the new Executive at the University’s main campus, Dr Peter Bamkole, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Pan Atlantic University said the PAU prides itself as an institution helping to form competent and committed professionals as its contribution towards a better society in Nigeria and Africa at large. “We seek, by deliberate design of our programmes, to inculcate and groom the entrepreneurial spirit in our students. The university aims at nurturing individuals who are professionally competent, creative, and enterprising for the common good, and are able to make free and morally upright decisions, and thus act as positive agents of change in service to society”.
Also speaking, the President of the Association, Gbemileke Oscar Oyinsan stated the commitment of the new executives is to promote the aims and objectives of the University and forge stronger links among the alumni and administrators of the foremost citadel of knowledge. According to him, ” the focus of these new executives under my leadership is to ensure that the alumni stay connected and engaged through strategic execution of events and programmes that bring value”. He reiterated that the PAU over the years has earned a well-deserved reputation, locally and internationally, as an institution that provides world class education, and this is the propelling force for the association.
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MultiChoice Talent Factory West Africa Celebrates the Next Generation of Storytellers at the 2024 Graduation Ceremony.
MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) West Africa, the pioneering initiative established to nurture emerging African filmmakers and storytellers celebrated the achievements of its 2024 cohort at its graduation ceremony on December 6 in Lagos. This is the fifth graduation ceremony by the MTF. The occasion signposts another successful year of empowering young filmmakers in Africa. Each year, the MTF programme trains 60 young filmmakers across its various academies through a comprehensive, fully funded cinematography course. The programme equips participants with the technical and creative skills necessary to craft compelling stories that highlight Africa’s cultural wealth to worldwide audiences.During her congratulatory message, Executive Head of Content and Channels, West Africa, MultiChoice, Dr Busola Tejumola stated that the graduation ceremony is a time of celebrate creativity, dedication and the exceptional achievements of the grandaunts.“This ceremony is more than just an acknowledgment of academic journey; it is a physical mark of the graduation into an elite class of the MTF Alumni Network, a family whose contributions continue to shape the narrative of African storytelling globally.”Dr Tejumola also stated that in just one year, the students have made great strides including the selection of Non Cras by Elma Baisie at the Life-Off Global Network and Get Out of Your head by Oluwayanmife Arogundade and Winner Achimugu at the Afropolis Lagos 2024.Atinuke Babatunde, Academy Director of MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) West Africa, noted that the sub-region is crucial to the continent’s film and television industry.”West Africa is a hub of cultural richness and vibrant storytelling, which has been the foundation of its thriving film and TV industry. Through the MultiChoice Talent Factory, we have consistently supported the development of exceptional talents, who are capable of elevating this heritage to global standards. The 2024 cohort has been phenomenal, and we are excited to celebrate their achievements as they graduate,” Babatunde said.During the event, the three best graduating students won one-year scholarships to international film schools. Winner Achimugu and Anjoluwa Aluko won scholarships to the New York Film Academy and Zee World, India respectively while Adejo Edebo Emmanuel won a scholarship to learn at MNET Production in South AfricaThis year, MTF West Africa collaborated with the Earthshot Prize initiative, producing projects focused on environmental sustainability. Among these are “Revive the Ocean,” which explores innovative solutions for ocean preservation; “Racing Against Time,” a mini documentary addressing the dangers of plastic waste; and “2070,” a thought-provoking short film envisioning future environmental challenges. Students of the Academy fully conceptualised, shot, and produced these projects, demonstrating their ability to create compelling stories. Additionally, Rekiya, a short film by the class of 2023 has been selected at AFRIFF 2024 and Poached, directed Adeola Andrea Peregrino, earned accolades including 1st Prize in the LEAP Africa USAID Film Contest, 2nd Prize at the IOM Film Contest and was an official selection at AFRIFF 2024 and at Edo State Festival. Love from Bayelsa, written by alumnus Gabrie Odigiri won Best Short Film of the Year at the Imo International Film Festival. The graduation of the 2024 cohort represents yet another milestone in MTF’s ongoing commitment to upskilling exceptional storytellers, who continue to redefine the African narrative on a global stage.
NEWS
Tourism Drive: Governor AbdulRazaq intensifies efforts to rebuild Patigi Regatta Motel
•eyes global recognition for Patigi Regatta Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is intensifying efforts to rebuild the long-abandoned Patigi Regatta Motel located in Patigi local government area of the state.The reconstruction of the Patigi Regatta Motel was started few months ago and will be delivered with classic rooms, VIP suites, a conference hall, a restaurant, courtyards, shopping areas, expansive parking space and more.Located along Kpada Road (Federal Road) and 1500m from Kusogi Park in Patigi town, the completion of the iconic Motel will help solve the problem of accommodation during the historical Patigi Regatta Festival in the town.Founded in 1949, the Patigi Regatta Festival is a boating event featuring boating races, fishing and swimming. The festival is attended by tourism enthusiasts within and outside the State and country. However, the issue of accommodation during the festivity calls for concern. With the ongoing efforts to rebuild the Motel, Governor Abdulrazaq aims to provide quality accommodation for visitors, enhance the overall tourist experience, create jobs and boost the State’s internally generated revenue.Additionally, the Governor aims to restore a sense of pride and heritage in the State and put the Patigi Regatta Festival on the global map just like other cultural and traditional festivals in the state.
NEWS
Development Bank of Nigeria Plc Wins Financial Inclusion Leadership Award
The Development Bank of Nigeria Plc (DBN) has emerged winner of the Financial Inclusion Leadership Award. This is in recognition of the Bank’s unwavering commitment to fostering access to financing for the Nigerian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The award was bestowed on DBN at the “Champions of Inclusion Nigeria Financial Inclusion Awards” during the recently-concluded International Financial Inclusion Conference (IFIC) 2024, organised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in collaboration with the World Bank and other stakeholders. Commenting on the prestigious award, DBN’s Managing Director/CEO, Dr Tony Okpanachi, said winning the Financial Inclusion Leadership Award was a testament to the Bank’s unrelenting efforts in expanding access to financial services for MSMEs in Nigeria. “We are honoured to receive the Financial Inclusion Leadership Award, which is a testament to our bank’s commitment to expanding access to financial services for all Nigerians. This award recognises our efforts to bridge the financial inclusion gap, particularly for a priority sector like the MSMEs,” he stated. Dr Okpanachi added: “Additionally, this award is a validation of our strategic focus on driving financial inclusion for small businesses, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this initiative that drives that. We will continue to innovate and expand our financial inclusion programmes, ensuring that more Nigerian small and startup businesses have access to services.”The Chief Operating Officer of the Bank, Mr Bonaventure Okhaimo, while receiving the award on behalf of DBN, expressed gratitude to the organisers for the recognition, describing it as a significant milestone. “The Financial Inclusion Leadership Award is a significant milestone for our Bank, demonstrating our dedication to driving financial inclusion and economic growth in Nigeria. This award acknowledges our Bank’s innovative approach to widening opportunities for MSMEs in Nigeria to grow and scale their businesses,” he said. The COO stated further, “This award will motivate us to continue pushing the boundaries of financial inclusion, exploring more innovative solutions and partnerships to expand our reach and impact. We are committed to ensuring that more small businesses and startup enterprises in Nigeria have access to financial services, this award will further inspire us to accelerate our efforts in this regard.” He emphasized. The Financial Inclusion Leadership Award is a key highlight of the International Financial Inclusion Conference (IFIC) and celebrates exceptional contributions to actions aimed at achieving the goals outlined in Nigeria’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy 3.0.The awards recognize organizations and individuals across various sectors who are driving meaningful dialogue, and broadening access to financial services for low-income excluded priority segments, including the MSMES sector, with inadequate funding being one of the challenges that inhibit the growth of small businesses in the country.
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