NEWS
AFRICA’S FILMMAKERS ACCELERATE ACTION FOR GENDER EMPOWERMENT
“Lights, Camera, Empowerment: Celebrating Women in Film for International Women’s Month”
As the world celebrates International Women’s Day this month, the film and television industry is revealing itself as a powerful arena of gender transformation, and a highly affected vehicle for empowering women.
This is especially the case in Africa, where women occupy several leadership roles in the industry.
These roles are pivotal, as they set the tone for the sector at large, influencing the content being created, as well as the attitudes of the young audiences exposed to the material being created by the continent’s next generation of young filmmakers.
This industry’s transformed leadership is well-positioned to accelerate action even further and to continue building a creative industry where women feel free to express themselves and their views of the continent and its culture.
In the vanguard of this trend is the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) a pan-African network of training institutions training the next generation of African filmmakers. With training academies in Lusaka, Zambia, as well as Lagos, Nigeria and Nairobi, Kenya, the MTF provides fully paid, year-long courses in the fundamentals of film and TV production, with women well represented in every cohort.
Not only do women make up a high proportion of each year’s class, but they also win accolades in prominent film festivals as well as seeing their works premiering on major content platforms. Most recently, Everything Light Touches – co-directed by woman MTF West Africa Academy graduate Elma Baisie – premiered on the Africa Magic Showcase channel. In East Africa, woman director Lynn Gitau – an MTV East Africa Academy graduate – partnered to create Somewhere in Kole, which premiered on the Maisha Magic Plus channel.In every one of the MTF Africa territories, academy directors actively work to empower young woman filmmakers.“We promote women filmmakers in numbers and in terms of creative support,” says MTF Southern Africa Academy director Chris Puta. “Women students consistently make up around 50% of our cohort intake. But I believe what is most important is that they are given license to express themselves as writers, directors and producers. This is how women’s voices enter the mainstream.”“We believe in empowering women in the film industry through training, mentorship, and opportunities,” says MTF West Africa Academy Director Atinuke Babatunde. “We give them all the skills they require to make a statement in the industry. And that is exactly what they are doing.”Proof of this is the recognition MTF women alumni are earning on the film festival circuit. MTF West Africa graduate and producer-director Adeola Andrea Peregrino won first prize at the LEAP Africa USAID Film contest, and second prize at the IOM Film Contest for her film Poached, as well as being selected for the Africa International Film Festival, and as a finalist at the Edo State Festival.“MTF is committed to seeing women pursue careers in film and TV,” says MTF Academy East Director Victoria Goro. “Besides upskilling young women filmmakers, we believe a highly effective way to encourage girls and young women to get into film is to inspire them by seeing great work by young women.”Shining examples of this inspirational work are the achievements of East Africa MTF graduate Doreen Kilimbe’s film Midnight Bride, which won Best East African Film at the Uganda Film Festival, the Audience Award at Zambia’s Sotambe Film Festival, Best International Award at the Kalasha Film and TV Awards, and Best Actress at the Zanzibar International Film Festival.Also making an impact was MTF Southern Africa Academy alumnus Tekla Nakale, won the best scriptwriting award for the film Ataman at the Multichoice Namibia Film Festival.African women filmmakers are also taking charge of their own destiny in the industry by becoming involved in industry forums and even rising to leadership roles. In Namibia, MTF graduate Esther Beukes was recently appointed as Chairperson of the Board for the Namibia Film Commission.In Botswana, former MTF student Serena Mmifinyane took time off from her work as a creative director at TV and film company N&M Productions to establish the Women in Film Guild Botswana, which is affiliated with Women in Film & TV International (WIFTI). In 2022, she was voted onto the WIFTI Board of Directors, and in 2023 became secretary of the global organisation.“I am proud of what I have been able to achieve in the film sector,” said Mmfinyane. “But the hundreds of other young women who have come through MTF Academies have all made great strides in our industry. Their achievements exemplify the talent and drive of Africa’s women filmmakers, and how training can be a catalyst to accelerate gender empowerment across our continent.”
The family of Chief Samuel Ayodele Adebanjo, revered nationalist, elder statesman, and leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has formally announced the funeral arrangements following his passing on February 14, 2025, at the age of 96.A series of events have been planned to honour the life, legacy, and values of the late Pa Ayo Adebanjo — a man widely respected for his lifelong dedication to democracy, Yoruba unity, and national development.In a statement by the chairman of the burial planning committee, Dr. Biodun Shobanjo, on behalf of the family, they expressed their deep gratitude for the outpouring of support and prayers received since his passing and welcomed well-wishers to participate in celebrating the life of their beloved patriarch.The funeral arrangements are as follows:Day of Tributes/Service of Songs Wednesday, April 30th, 2025 || 2 p.m. Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, LagosColour: Shades of GreenWake Friday, May 2nd, 2025 || 4 p.m. Pa Ayo Adebanjo’s Country Home,, Isanya Ogbo, near Ijebu Ode, Ogun StateColour: Alari of GoldChurch Service/Funeral Saturday, May 3rd, 2025 || 10.a.m. St. Phillips Anglican Church, Isanya Ogbo, near Ijebu Ode, Ogun StateColour: Powder Blue Gele/Cap on Ankara or Royal Blue LaceThanksgiving Sunday, May 4th, 2025 || 10.a.m. St. Phillips Anglican Church, Isanya Ogbo, near Ijebu Ode, Ogun StateThe family invites friends, colleagues, political associates, and the general public to join them in paying final respects to a man whose courage, integrity, and unwavering belief in justice left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s political history.Chief Samuel Ayodele Adebanjo, widely known as Chief Ayo Adebanjo or Pa Ayo Adebanjo, was born on the 10th of April, 1928, in Ogun State, in the south-western region of Nigeria. He was born into the family of Joel Adebanjo Adedairo and Salamotu Odubanke. Chief Adebanjo began his public journey as a journalist before proceeding to the United Kingdom to study law. He was called to the English Bar in 1961.His political journey began in 1943 as a member of the Zikist Movement, before joining the youth wing of the Action Group in 1951, where he became a political disciple of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Throughout his life, Chief Adebanjo remained a fearless advocate for democratic governance, true federalism, and Yoruba interests within the Nigerian federation.He will be remembered as a titan of Nigeria’s nationalist struggle and a principled voice in the country’s post-independence political evolution.SIGNED:Mrs. Ayotunde Atteh (nee Ayo-Adebanjo)Mrs. Adeola Azeez (nee Ayo-Adebanjo)Mr. Obafemi Ayo-AdebanjoFor The FamilyApril 24, 2025
Governor Umar Bago of Niger State has declared zero tolerance for rascality even as he has directed security agencies to arrest individuals wearing dreadlocks in Minna, the state capital.
The directive was issued during Tuesday’s high-level stakeholders’ security meeting at the Government House.
Governor Bago instructed security agencies to not only arrest those with dreadlocks but also forcibly shave their hair and impose fines on them.
“We will have zero tolerance for rascality. Anybody that you find with dreadlocks, arrest, barb the hair, and fine him,” Bago declared.
“Nobody should carry any kind of haircut inside Minna. I have given marching orders to security agencies.”
The meeting, attended by security operatives and traditional rulers, focused on clamping down on what the governor described as rising criminality and disorder in the state.
“Parents should warn their children. From this moment, it’s 100% fire-for-fire,” he said. “Also, any house found harbouring criminals should be demolished. Niger State is not for useless people.”
Among other measures announced were restrictions on commercial motorcycles and tricycles, which are now banned from operating between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., except for emergency medical purposes.
The governor also directed traditional and community leaders, including district, village and ward heads, to ensure accurate documentation of all residents in their areas.
Union Bank of Nigeria Plc led by Yetunde Oni, is currently grappling with a massive N9.3 billion fraud following a significant operational system breach, THE WITNESS reports.
The development comes exactly one year and three months after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sacked the bank’s board and entire management, citing governance failures. A new management team was subsequently appointed to lead the financial institution.
Union Bank is battling to recover the sum of N9,329,322,870.00 (nine billion, three hundred and twenty-nine million, three hundred and twenty-two thousand, eight hundred and seventy naira), withdrawn from customers’ accounts without authorization.
In a suit marked FHC/L/CS/629/2025, filed before the Federal High Court in Lagos, seen by THE WITNESS, Union Bank sought a preservative order compelling the financial institutions involved to place Post No Debit restrictions on the accounts of all beneficiaries and to return the stolen funds traced to their institutions.
According to the bank, the fraud followed an operational failure and fraud in its core banking system on March 23, 2025, which led to unauthorized transfers from customers’ accounts.
An affidavit deposed to by Oluwasegun Falola, head of the E-Fraud Investigations Department at Union Bank, stated that the funds were fraudulently and erroneously transferred from the bank to various accounts across 53 financial institutions.
Falola explained that on March 23, 2025, the bank observed that N9.3 billion had been debited from customer accounts and dispersed into various accounts maintained by the respondent banks. He added that Union Bank immediately contacted the banks involved in a bid to halt further dissipation of the funds.
“The Fraud Desk Department of the bank, in the course of its investigations, discovered that the monies were transferred in trickles into several accounts domiciled with the 1st to 54th Respondents,” the affidavit stated.
Union Bank attributed the unauthorized debits to a system glitch and exploitation, which it says enabled the illicit transfers.
“The funds were erroneously and fraudulently transferred from customers’ accounts.
“Upon further investigation, it was found that the funds were subsequently moved from these primary beneficiary accounts to other accounts also held by the respondents.”
The bank disclosed that it had submitted the list of recipient accounts to the respective financial institutions as a preliminary measure to recover any remaining funds
To support its recovery efforts, the bank said its internal audit and legal departments compiled detailed reports tracing the flow of funds and identifying all beneficiary accounts.
When the case was mentioned on April 2, 2025, Union Bank’s counsel, A. Adedoyin-Adeniyi, informed the court that the stolen funds were still being moved.
“₦9.3 billion has been moved from the account, and they are still moving funds. We now have more people involved in moving the funds,” the lawyer told the court.
To support its recovery efforts, the bank said its internal audit and legal departments compiled detailed reports tracing the flow of funds and identifying all beneficiary accounts.
When the case was mentioned on April 2, 2025, Union Bank’s counsel, A. Adedoyin-Adeniyi, informed the court that the stolen funds were still being moved.
“₦9.3 billion has been moved from the account, and they are still moving funds. We now have more people involved in moving the funds,” the lawyer told the court.
In his ruling, Justice Deinde Dipeolu agreed with the submissions and thereafter granted a motion ex parte filed by the bank concerning the unauthorized fund transfers.
“Having reviewed the motion ex parte, the application is hereby granted,” the judge ruled.
The incident has raised broader concerns about the security of Nigeria’s banking infrastructure, especially as interbank transactions continue to increase. Financial analysts suggest that outdated systems and inadequate oversight may be exacerbating vulnerabilities, heightening the risk of fraud and transactional errors.
Union Bank did not respond to THE WITNESS’ inquiries as at press time.
(S) Witnessngr
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