Telecom
MTN’s New Year Campaign: Inspiring Change, One Move at a Time
In a vibrant start to the new year, MTN Nigeria has rolled out a campaign with a powerful message: ‘Go Make A Difference (Go M.A.D)’.
Launched at an intimate event on January 22, 2025, at MTN Plaza in Lagos, this bold initiative serves as a rallying cry for Nigerians to take strategic actions that inspire change and foster community development.
Tunde Onakoya, a Nigerian chess grandmaster and founder of Chess in Slums Africa is the face of the campaign. Tunde, renowned for his innovative use of chess to uplift children in underserved communities, has been unveiled as the campaign’s ambassador. His story—from humble beginnings to becoming a global changemaker—mirrors the essence of Go M.A.D: Dream big, push hard, and, above all, make a difference.
“Being a part of Go M.A.D. is deeply personal for me,” My story is a very interesting journey, i grew up in a small coomunity and at the age of 10, i couldn’t go to school anymore and was at home for a couple of years and it was at that time when i found chess. Tunde said during the launch event. “Chess taught me strategy, discipline and gave me my own identity, but more importantly, it showed me the impact of sharing knowledge and creating opportunities for others and a way to fight for my own place in this world. I’m excited to work with MTN to inspire Nigerians that it is not enough to gain mastery, but use that knowledge and take bold steps toward making a difference.”
One of the highlights of the event was a live chess game between Tunde and several MTNers. “At MTN, we believe in driving progress, giving our customers the power to rise above challenges and create something extraordinary. This is the very essence of the Go M.A.D campaign. It is premise on the idea that the MTN data gives you the power to take on the world, to do the extraordinary, and make a meaningful difference in your communities, families, and in your place of work. It is MTN’s way of saying; we see you, support you and are here to make your journey better.” said Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria. “Tunde’s story characterized by setbacks, determination and success exemplifies the very essence of the Go M.A.D campaign, and we are proud to have him as part of this campaign.”
The matches were friendly yet symbolic, showcasing the strategic thinking, intentionality, and collaboration needed to create lasting impact—qualities central to the Go M.A.D. campaign. The chessboard served as a metaphor for life, reinforcing that every move matters when pursuing meaningful change.
Beyond the initial fanfare, the telco aims to sustain the campaign’s momentum through community engagement. Tunde Onakoya’s journey, paired with MTN’s reach, creates a compelling call to action for Nigerians of all backgrounds.
For many, the campaign’s true power lies in its simplicity. Whether it’s mentoring a child, organizing a community cleanup, or advocating for a cause, Go M.A.D. reminds us that every effort counts. Just as in chess, small, deliberate moves can lead to extraordinary outcomes.
As the campaign unfolds, one thing is clear: The Go M.A.D. initiative is more than a campaign. It’s a movement, a challenge, and a promise—to inspire Nigerians to make a difference, one move at a time.
SHELT, a leading cybersecurity-as-a-service provider, has earned inclusion in the 2025 MSSP 250, the annual ranking of the world’s top 250 Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) by MSSP Alert, a CyberRisk Alliance publication.
SHELT
The list evaluates firms on business performance, service breadth, and industry impact, spotlighting those excelling in growth, operational excellence, and advanced managed security amid rising cyber threats. Selection criteria include annual recurring revenue, profitability, workforce expansion, business growth, and the depth of managed security offerings.
SHELT’s recognition underscores its investments in scalable security operations, threat intelligence, and tailored managed services across multiple regions, enabling clients to navigate complex risk landscapes effectively.
“Being recognised in the MSSP 250 is a meaningful milestone for our team,” stated Youssef Abillama, CEO of SHELT. “It validates our focus on building practical, resilient security services that help organisations manage risk and respond effectively to today’s evolving cyber threats.”
The company hailed the honour as testament to its teams’ dedication and expertise worldwide, reaffirming commitment to enhancing capabilities and delivering trusted cybersecurity solutions.
Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, has appointed Dina Powell McCormick, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, as its new president and vice chairman, bolstering its leadership amid aggressive AI and infrastructure expansion.
Dina Powell McCormick
The announcement, made on Monday, positions Powell McCormick – who recently stepped down from Meta’s board after eight months – to guide overall strategy, including multi-billion-dollar investments in data centres and global partnerships.
A Goldman Sachs veteran with 16 years in senior roles and prior stints as deputy national security adviser under Trump and in the Bush administration, she brings deep finance and international ties to the role.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hailed her as “uniquely qualified” for the company’s next growth phase, while President Trump praised the move on Truth Social as a “fantastic choice”.
The hire signals Meta’s efforts to strengthen White House relations, following recent dinners with Trump and U.S. investment pledges worth hundreds of billions
X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has suspended the @Twitter account, replacing its profile with a standard notice citing violation of platform rules.
Musk
The action, which occurred on Sunday, January 11, left users encountering the handle greeted by a bold “Account Suspended” message on a black screen, with no details provided on the specific rules broken or the duration of the suspension.
The development has sparked widespread confusion and nostalgia among users, given that Elon Musk rebranded Twitter to X in July 2023, approximately six months after acquiring the platform for $44 billion in late 2022.
The @Twitter handle had remained dormant since before Musk’s takeover, serving as a legacy remnant of the platform’s original branding, and its suspension appears to mark the final erasure of the Twitter name amid X’s ongoing efforts to combat spam, impersonation, and rule violations.
X’s official statement on the suspended page simply reads: “X suspends accounts that violate our rules,” without offering an appeal process or further explanation, unlike standard user suspensions.
Public reactions on social media ranged from humorous laments of “RIP Twitter” to speculation that the move resulted from automated moderation or a deliberate cleanup of legacy trademarks.
xAI’s Grok AI described it as a purposeful retirement of outdated elements rather than a genuine infraction, while neither Elon Musk nor X spokespeople issued any comment as of Monday morning.
This incident underscores the evolving identity of the platform under Musk’s ownership, which also saw a domain shift to x.com in 2024, further distancing it from its Twitter roots.
Industry observers note that while the suspension aligns with X’s stricter enforcement policies, the lack of transparency has fueled debates on consistency in applying rules to high-profile legacy accounts.
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