Broadcasting
Terra Academy for the Arts Celebrates Graduation of Its 1st Cohort
Terra Academy for The Arts (TAFTA), a provider of world-class creative education, career support, and entrepreneurial opportunities, has marked the graduation ceremony of its 1st cohort with a glamourous event at Terra Kulture Arena.
The ceremony which was held on Friday, 10th February 2023, conferred degrees to almost two thousand students who successfully completed its rigorous program on relevant skills in theatre arts and entrepreneurship.
Established by Nigeria’s leading culture and art center, Terra Kulture, the creative academy’s goal is to build and empower a community of young Nigerians who will impact the economy and society by transforming the creative industry.
The program offered an innovative curriculum with specialized courses in sound design, stage lighting, animation, and scriptwriting, all of which were incorporated with entrepreneurship modules.
Speaking at the event, Bolanle Austen-Peters described her motivation for the creative academy’s establishment and congratulated the graduates on a well-deserved accomplishment.
She said, “The dream of TAFTA is a story of possibilities. It was during the pandemic when industries were shutting down and few were harder hit than the creative industry, that we realized how important it is for us to use our creativity to create wealth.
“As Terra Kulture, we trained hundreds of talents each year who have become superstars in their respective fields, an opportunity we wanted to extend to the greater public.”
“TAFTA was established as a gateway to impacting the lives of young Nigerians. The training we provide allows our graduates to build their entrepreneurial skillsets, ensuring that they are capable of providing for themselves and their families.
“I am very delighted that what was thought impossible has been made possible. My sincere congratulations to our graduates today who have taken the next steps to transform their lives.” She concluded.
The exclusive gathering was well attended by eminent personalities, industry veterans, as well as up-and-coming stars who also had benefitted from mentorship under the Terra Kulture umbrella.
These high-profile Nigerians included Alhaji Lai Mohammed CON, Minister of Information and Culture, Federal Republic of Nigeria; Prof. Duro Oni, President, Nigerian Academy of Letters; Rev Olasupo Ayokunle, President, Christian Association of Nigeria; Femi Odugbemi, award-winning Filmmaker; Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Actress; Deyemi Okanlawon, Actor; and Mike Afolarin, Actor; amongst other key players in the industry. The ceremony was also hosted by Akah Nnani, a famed Nollywood actor.
Delivering the keynote speech, the Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture spoke on the long-term impact of TAFTA’s program on national development.
He stated, “Nigeria’s creative industry is the new crude oil. Today, Nigeria has taken the world by storm and found itself in the global space, be it through music, movies, fashion, literature, or theatre.
“As Nigeria’s population comprises a 70% youth demographic, many of whom are unemployed or underemployed, TAFTA could not come at a more auspicious time. I can say with conviction that TAFTA is contributing its quota to the efforts to solve the unemployment crisis in Nigeria.
“I also want to congratulate the graduates and admonish them to make the best use of this rare opportunity afforded to them. TAFTA continues to be a partner of progress and its efforts are impressive and highly commendable. The Ministry looks forward to exploring greater means of partnerships with TAFTA to extend their invaluable training across the length and breadth of Nigeria”.
Terra Academy for the Arts was launched in 2021 with the mission to upskill 65,000 underserved Nigerian youths through innovative creative education and practical training strategically designed by handpicked experts in the creative industry.
The initial program runs for six weeks, with an additional two-week practical workshop designed to ensure the hands-on application of the course materials.
Notable alumni from the academy include Moshood Fattah, best known for his role as ‘Michael’ in Netflix’s hit series “Far From Home”; Queen Celestine, Theatre performer and Miss Nigeria Universe 2014, and Bunmi Olunloyo, Actor, dancer, and fitness instructor.
In 2022, TAFTA expanded its offerings with the announcement of the opening of six physical learning centers for the benefit of students who lacked access to the internet, electricity, or compatible devices.
The academy also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Screenwriters Guild of Nigeria (SWGN) to strengthen the support offered to students by easing the admission process into the professional guild.
TAFTA’s training program is set to receive its 2nd cohort of students with the recent announcement of its reopened admissions portal. The academy has urged interested parties located in Lagos, Ogun, and Kano states to submit their application for the free program on their website www.terraacademyforarts.com.
Requiring only a senior secondary school qualification, the primarily e-learning-based courses will impart relevant skills needed to succeed as professionals in the creative industry.
Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) has established six committees to help strengthen and modernize the country’s broadcasting industry.
The committees will focus on content creation, skills development, digital transformation, sustainability, policy and commercial opportunities
The initiative aims to support industry growth and improve collaboration between broadcasters, regulators and media experts
The official launch recently, was led by Tony Akiotu, president, BON and attended by media professionals, program directors, former journalists and heads of specialized media organizations.
The event brought together several prominent figures in Nigeria’s media industry, including veteran broadcaster and trainer Bimbo Oloyede, Tony Uyah of M4S TV, Kingsley Uranta of Channels Television, Ismael Sani of Platinum TV and Ibrahim Shehu of Trust TV.
Together, they are expected to help drive innovation and support the growth of Nigeria’s broadcasting sector.
According to Akiotu, the committees are intended both to help shape industry policy and to provide a forum for dialogue between BON and broadcasting experts.
Akiotu said the ad hoc committees were intended to strengthen BON’s work and ensure that the umbrella body for Nigeria’s broadcasters played a more direct and meaningful role in developing the country’s broadcasting sector.
The six committees reflect the sector’s main priorities. The first focuses on collaboration and innovation to promote content creation.
The second is dedicated to training and talent development, while the third focuses on industry sustainability by improving the sector’s long-term financial viability.
A fourth committee will focus on digital transformation and work with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on regulatory issues.
The remaining two committees will oversee public policy advocacy and the development of sports and commercial rights to help broadcasters increase revenue and attract more investment. Together, the committees are expected to guide BON’s efforts to modernize and strengthen Nigeria’s broadcasting industry.
The committees, chaired by members of BON’s General Assembly and supported by the organization’s Secretariat, have an initial 12-month mandate that may be renewed if necessary.
They are required to submit a progress report within three months and implement approved recommendations within the following six months.
The arrangement is intended to ensure close oversight and the timely implementation of their work.
Akiotu also reminded committee members that Nigeria pioneered television broadcasting in Africa and urged them to carry out their work with greater effectiveness and efficiency.
Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) says it is investigating about 34 tertiary institutions over allegations that they failed to refund students whose tuition fees were paid twice under the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.
The Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, disclosed this during an interview on Arise Television.
Sawyerr said the agency had deployed a five-member investigative team, including operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and internal auditors, to examine the allegations.
According to him, the investigation was prompted by numerous complaints received from affected students.
“As of right now, there are 34 institutions that we are looking at closely with respect to this issue,” he said.
Sawyerr explained that the double payment issue arose because President Bola Tinubu directed that the student loan scheme commence in the middle of an academic session instead of at the beginning.
He said the decision compelled many students to pay their tuition fees to meet registration deadlines while awaiting approval of their loan applications.
“What happened is that a lot of schools got double payment; some from the students and some from us,” he said.
“The refund process is entirely out of our hands. It is the recipient of the double payments that is obliged to make refunds to the students.”
The NELFUND boss noted that many students had borrowed money from family members, friends and other sources to pay their tuition with the expectation of receiving refunds once the loans were disbursed.
He said while some institutions had promptly refunded affected students, others had failed to do so.
“Some have been very good at this. Others haven’t been so good at it,” Sawyerr said.
“I reserve judgement on the intentionality around it because, for some of them, they just didn’t have the process to make refunds.”
Sawyerr disclosed that NELFUND was exploring a tokenised payment system that would enable students to authorise tuition payments directly to their institutions, thereby reducing the likelihood of duplicate payments.
He said the agency deliberately chose not to disburse tuition loans directly to students to minimise the risk of fund diversion.
“Paying the funds to the students could really lead to the temptation for them to divert and do other things,” he said.
The managing director, however, acknowledged that NELFUND lacked the statutory powers to compel institutions to refund students or prosecute officials found culpable.
He added that many frustrated students had submitted complaints not only to NELFUND but also to anti-corruption agencies, including the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Sawyerr also expressed concern over increases in tuition fees by some institutions following the introduction of the student loan scheme.
He said NELFUND had declined to pay institutions that increased their tuition fees beyond acceptable levels.
“Some schools, because they get paid easily, started to put up their fees. We refused, point blank, to pay institutions who had hiked their fees beyond a certain level,” he said.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to investigating every reported irregularity and strengthening the implementation of the student loan programme through continuous monitoring and internal reviews.
Broadcasting
Obi, NDC Presidential Candidate Faces N50Bn Defamation Claim over Alleged Podcast Remark
Abayomi Arabambi, national vice chairman (South-West) of the Labour Party, has demanded a public apology, a retraction, and N50 billion in damages from Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), over an alleged defamatory statement made during a podcast interview.
The demand was contained in a letter issued by the law firm Neplus Ultra Attorneys and signed by Anderson U. Asemota, Peter O. Asimegbe, and Stanley C. Eziefulle on behalf of Arabambi.
According to the letter, the legal dispute arose from comments allegedly made by Obi during the interview, where he reportedly stated that Arabambi “does not have an address.”
Arabambi’s legal team described the statement as false, malicious, and defamatory, arguing that it portrayed their client as a faceless individual without legitimacy, credibility, or standing in public life.
The lawyers further claimed that the interview was widely circulated on television stations and digital platforms, exposing Arabambi to public ridicule and damaging his reputation.
“Our client has had a known residential and business address, maintains professional and political affiliations within Nigeria, and has never been a person whose whereabouts or identity were unknown,” the letter stated.
The legal team maintained that the alleged publication caused embarrassment and harmed Arabambi’s public image and political standing.
As part of their demands, the lawyers called for an unreserved public apology to be aired on national television, published on Obi’s verified social media platforms, and carried as full-page apologies in national newspapers.
They also demanded the payment of N50 billion as compensation for the alleged injury to Arabambi’s reputation, dignity, political standing, and public image.
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