35 Nigerians selected for Chris Ihidero’s ‘Story Story’ Masterclass

35 Nigerians have made the final list of selected participants for the inaugural edition of Chris Ihidero’s ‘Story Story’ Masterclass after a four week screening period.

The completely free three-day workshop, which kicks off on October 27, 2015, is in partnership with The British Council, True Nollywood Stories and X3M Ideas.

In a statement, Founder and Lead Facilitator, Chris Ihidero said:

“We always knew that there was a need for capacity building in storytelling but it was nonetheless intriguing to see that the workshop was three times oversubscribed. I think we are on to something here and it will be a real pleasure to engage these participants over the course of the next three days”.

‘Story Story’ Masterclass has been described by pundits as another intervention project, capable of bridging the skills gap in an industry that could potentially be a driver for the Nigerian economy.

Nigeria’s creative industry is worth an estimated 5 trillion, but peopled by thousands of enthusiasts and practitioners with limited access to training and skills development.

The selected participants are drawn from varied industries, including photography, filmmaking, public relations, media, writing, poetry, blogging, and marketing.

It’s the first time the workshop is happening here, but there are plans, according to Ihidero, a widely acknowledged writer, filmmaker and trainer, to take it round the country following demands.

Chris Ihidero’s ‘Story Story’ Masterclass will also feature a faculty of creative professionals who will be narrating realities in storytelling. Established and respected in the industry, these experts include producer and director, Tope Oshin; publisher, journalist and PR Expert, Ayeni Adekunle Samuel.

Others are award-winning writer, journalist and PR Consultant, Toni Kan; advertising guru, Steve Babaeko; culture journalist, Jahman Anikulapo; writer and TV producer, Nkiru Njoku and producer, Emmanuel Uduma.

First Bank Of Nigeria Obtains ISO 10002 Certification [2015]

First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FBN) has again achieved ISO 10002 certification – an international certification on Complaints Management.

The certification was achieved on the bank’s drive to improve its management controls and processes that deal with handling customers’ complaints more effectively and efficiently.

Continue reading First Bank Of Nigeria Obtains ISO 10002 Certification [2015]

Linda Iheme

Dr. Linda Iheme, 25, is record holder of highest number of distinctions of the College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin (UNIBEN).

Dr. Linda Iheme, is a versatile and noble young lady who let her light shine from an early age and has since become a role model to many people around the world. She is a Multiple Award Winning Scholar, Laureate, Dentist, incredible Public Speaker, a passionate African Youth Activist, a very helpful Mentor and a visionary Social Entrepreneur. She is known by her top notch skills and she is totally committed to the development of African Youths. Her dexterity is second to none and she is highly motivated and demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities and humility as well as integrity, accountability, honesty and commitment to excellence.

She has a long track record of academic excellence and has won multiple awards and scholarships as a result. In 2006, she was awarded Best Graduating Student at Government Girls’ Science Senior Secondary School, FCT Abuja, Nigeria from where she proceeded to study Dental Surgery at the University of Benin, Benin-City, Edo State, Nigeria. At the University, she won the prestigious Federal Government of Nigeria Scholarship Award which covered her 6 years of study amongst other scholarship awards. owing to her strong passion for community development. To crown it all, Linda Iheme recently made an outstanding academic achievement on graduation from the University of Benin. She is now the first ever to graduate with a record of 6 distinctions in the history of the College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin,Nigeria, a feat that has never been achieved before.

Dr. Linda Iheme is the Founder and CEO of the International Initiative for Youths Inspiration, Growth & Development, a Non-profit organization dedicated to helping youths get international experience and Public Speaking skills while counselling and mentoring them on social entrepreneurship and was awarded Top 35 Under 35 CEOs by The Under 35 CEO Foundation, Young African Role Model by Ignite The Youth Africa and also honoured as Opportunity Desk’s Young Person of the Month (July 2014) owing her work through this platform and being meticulous in academic performance, a vocal community activist, health advocate and being a Young African Change maker with a relentless attitude. She is also the Founder of Catalyst Academy Nigeria, where excellence in academics, leadership and social entrepreneurship are promoted through a one-on-one mentorship method. In addition, Linda Iheme hosts the Lunch with Linda Iheme show which was inspired by her passion to inspire and motivate young people to pursue their dreams tirelessly. Through the show, she promotes the African Cultural Heritage, Moral Values among fellow youths, Entrepreneurship and Oral Hygiene.

Prior to now, Dr. Linda Iheme has worked as an International Promoter for The Rome Model United Nations and an Online Volunteer for the United Nations as well as a Volunteer Dentist for Pro-Health International and the TY Danjuma Foundation.

She is also a certified Business Coach, Mentor for the Federal Government of Nigeria YouWIN! Initiative, a consult to the Charles Loto Healthcare Development and Research Organisation U.S.A. and an Associate Fellow of The Royal Commonwealth Society, London, United Kingdom.

Dr. Linda Iheme is well travelled, well cultured, and unrelenting in her quest to achieve the unachievable, empower African Youths and beam hope to the hopeless. Her light continues to shine and she continues to be an inspiration to many around the world.

UNIZIK Students Build Autozik II Mini-Bus

A group of seven Engineering students of Nnamdi Azikiwe university (UNIZIK), Akwa has built Autozik II, a mini-bus tailor-made for Nigeria usage and they say, is the first of its kind in Nigeria.

The team under the supervision of the Head of Department Dr. C.H Achebe, comprises Ezeigwe Chitto Callistus, Obinani Victor Chimdike, Ezeanolue Ifeanyi Emmanuel, Okoro Chinaza, Ominigbo Fidelis Igho, Nwobodo Nnamdi Miracle and Ogbu Thaddeus Ikenna.

The mini-bus, nicknamed Autozik II comes after a formula 1 car called Autozik, designed by a group of five engineering students in the same institution. The innovators, whose nearly five months effort in building the bus boast the invention stands out from what is currently available in the country, having being made using the Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) software.

The sheer amount of brilliance put in by this team goes even beyond the entirety of designing a mini bus in itself, but in the creativity coverage of the mini bus’ ability to fit or work better in some some situation or some specific purpose. The design takes into consideration the topographic environment and the weather condition, a mini bus designed to understand various Nigerian road conditions, and easily adapt to all. While echoing the team’s sentiment, Ezeigwe Chitoo lauded the mini bus good seating arrangements, better fuel conservation, bright aesthetics and a well set passenger view are all part of the distinguishing feature of the Autozik II aimed at aimed at advancing the ergonomic standard of the existing shuttle buses.

Commendably worthy of note are the fact that every material used in the design were locally sourced from start to finish, a bold effort that warrants emulation from all other indigenous manufacturers.

Nkemdilim Rose Obi Wins 2015 Maltina Teacher of the Year Award

Mrs. Nkemdilim Rose Obi, has emerged winner of the 2015 Maltina Teacher of the Year Award.

Mrs. Nkemdilim Rose Obi is a Chemistry and Mathematics teacher from Federal Government Girls College (FGGC) Onitsha, Anambra.

The award is in recognition for her passionate desire to bring out the best in students and help create a workforce that would redeem the image of Nigeria.

The award instituted by the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund was aimed at restoring the pride of teachers and the dignity of the teaching profession.

The race for the 2015 Maltina Teacher of the Year Award, which generated unprecedented interest from teachers across the country, started on Wednesday, May 20, 2015.

For emerging the overall winner, Mrs. Nkemdilim Rose Obi won 1 million cash prize and another 1 million to be paid into her account yearly for five years on every World Teachers day. Her school (FGGC, Onitsha) would be a beneficiary of infrastructural development and projects worth 25 million.

The second and third place winner, an English Language teacher from Federal Government College, Borno, Mohammed Binta Lawan, and a Chemistry teacher from Northern Annang Commercial School, Akwa Ibom State, Daniel Sunday Udiong, went home with 750,000 each, respectively.

This is aside from 500,000 cash prize for each of the 19 state champions, from which the last 10 and then the winners were drawn.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, the chairman of the panel of judges and Founder/Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Values in Leadership, Prof. Pat Utomi, stressed the need for teachers to be regularly exposed to training.

He said but for the groups that were competent and grounded on the job, some of the findings on teachers’ competency during the screening were disappointing.

Prof. Pat Utomi stated:

“We looked at the passion they have for teaching, their general competence on their subject and a particular philosophy of teaching that they deployed to be effective with the students, their commitment to long-term goal.

If, indeed, Nigeria desires to solve the challenges of national progress, she must educate her citizens, and teachers are central in this. We need to continually train our teachers to be able to keep them up with the speed of the world. And teachers must be encouraged to learn how to learn.”

On receiving her award, 37-year old Obi, and a graduate of Chemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Anambra State, said her desire to expose students to rudiments of learning and guide them in career development is her staying power as several opportunities to leave the profession due to poor remuneration has presented itself.

Obi, a masters degree holder, whose mum was also a teacher said:

“I have succeeded in shifting from a traditional method of teaching to a discussion-based methodology. The strategy brings about a synergy between what happens in the classroom and what happens real life. It brings out analytical skills from students.

I am following my mum’s footsteps, my mum was a teacher, and I also have passion to bring out the best from students. Give them the best training and get them prepared to enter the workforce of the country. Secondary education is very important in career development, thus my resolve to give the best to students.”