NEW MUSIC

Alternative Pop/Rock artist BARUQ returns with his brand new single titled “Material Gurl”. Following from the success of his last single “Misconception” which received massive airplay and support from Beat FM, Cool FM (Abuja), Kiss FM, Rhythm FM (Jos) and Wazobia FM among others, BaruQ comes alive yet again on this new offering - the Dr. Tim-produced “Material Gurl” - which is off of his forthcoming debut album which is to be released in 2013.

Backed by gritty Rock-infused electric and bass guitar arrangements as well as stirring drum patterns, BaruQ tells a cautionary tale of a girl who loses her way to a material world by creatively painting a vivid and harrowing image of trafficking and illegal sex trade in Nigeria with his carefully crafted lyrics, ingenious wordplay and a compelling vocal performance to match. Listen to “Material Gurl” below:

LISTEN TO “MATERIAL GURL” (HULKSHARE) >> http://hu.lk/6tf4krp9dx8g

DOWNLOAD “MATERIAL GURL” DIRECTLY TO YOUR MOBILE >> http://bit.ly/baruqmaterialgurl

MEDIA & BOOKINGS:

Please direct all media and booking inquiries to Randy Odeh >> randyodeh@yahoo.com

MORE BARUQ

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baruqpam

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/baruq_pam

DOWNLOAD

Source: We Plug Good Music 

NLNG POST-GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME

NLNG ANNOUNCES POST-GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME

Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) is pleased to announce the commencement of its postgraduate scholarship scheme. The post graduate scholarship program of NLNG is an overseas programme aimed at supporting the emergence of indigenous experts especially, but not exclusively, within the oil and gas industry. The scheme which will commence in September 2013 will support 10 students with scholarships to pursue various studies in Engineering, Geosciences, Environmental Studies, Management Sciences, Information Technology, Law and Medicine at Masters Level with leading universities in the United Kingdom.

The British Council - an internationally recognised service provider in the area of scholarship management and partnership brokerage in higher education around the world is the administrative partner of the NLNG post graduate scholarship scheme.

Speaking at a media launch that held in Portharcourt on Wednesday the 31^st of October, the General Manager,  External Relations of the Nigeria LNGN Limited, Siene Allwell Brown said the company decided to leverage on the experience of British Council in managing the scholarship to ensure  that it is administered professionally and with transparency.

‘We hope the scheme will contributes in no small way to the emergence of a crop of thoroughbred professionals who shall help midwife the birth of a better and stronger Nigeria.’

Also at the event, British Council country director David Higgs said that the purpose of the British Council is to develop trust and understanding between the UK and the countries it works in. He said that although British council also works in Arts, English and exams, it is best known for its work in education.

‘Up to 16000 Nigerian students are studying in the UK currently and they enjoy high reputation because of their study ethics and success.’

While dispelling the ‘brain drain’ myth, Mr Higgs said that Nigerian students were not likely to remain in the UK for lack of jobs and are returning home. He added that students going on scholarships would definitely return home to add to the growth of the Nigerian economy.

Up to 10 students are to benefit from this scholarship.

British Council’s Project manager, Ijeoma Arguba said that the applications portal was opened from midnight, the 1^st of November to the 16^th of November.

Five of the 10 awards will be earmarked for students from NLNG’s host communities; two will go to students from other communities within Rivers State and three to students from other parts of Nigeria. The number of awards and allocation may change in subsequent years.

The scholarship will cover full tuition fees, a monthly stipend towards living expenses and, one return ticket from Nigeria to the United Kingdom. Potential beneficiaries of the programme must be Nigerians resident in Nigeria and that possess a 2^nd Class Upper degree in a relevant field of study. They must have completed the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) programme and be no more than 30 years of age. 

Application into the scheme opens on Thursday 1^st of November 2012. Interested and eligible applicants are advised to visit the British Council website for information on the application process and the application forms. Application closes on 16^th November, 2012.

British Council is the main point of contact for the Nigeria LNG post graduate scholarship scheme. The choice of a third party to administer the scholarship is to ensure independence and fairness. The British Council has over 40 years experience in scholarship management within the sub Saharan Africa region and globally, having administered schemes such as the Ford Foundation, the Commonwealth Plan and the prestigious Chevening Programme.

The NLNG Post-Graduate Scholarship Scheme is part of its Community Development programme which aims to contribute to long-term socio-economic development in its host communities and Nigeria at large.

Nigeria LNG Limited is jointly owned by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) (49%), Shell (25.6%), Total LNG (15%) and Eni (10.4%)

 

 

NLNG

NLNG was incorporated as a limited liability company on May 17, 1989, to harness Nigeria's vast natural gas resources and produce Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs) for export.
The company has a wholly-owned subsidiary, Bonny Gas Transport (BGT) Limited, which provides shipping services for NLNG and Nigeria LNG Ship Manning Limited which provides personnel for all of NLNG’s Vessels.

British Council

The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We operate in 220 towns and cities in 110 countries and territories worldwide. In Nigeria, we opened our first office in 1943. Today, we have offices in 4 cities across Nigeria - Abuja, Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt.

We work in the areas of Arts, English, Education and Society. We build trust and understanding between people worldwide by enabling them to share ideas and knowledge.

Details of this scholarship can be found on www.britishcouncil.org/nigeria

The Sins of our Fathers

Hello Everyone,

 

Great nations of the past and present are built on legacies of their forefathers and the pride of the entire nation. I was spurred to write this piece based on history; and the experience of being born and raised in a beautiful country called Nigeria.  Nigeria  has always been, to me, a country full of promises. But as I grew older my joy and anticipation grew bleak and I wondered if that great future that I was looking forward to ever existed in the first place.

As a grown man I came to the understanding that we make life what we want it by our daily choices. These will become our legacies. Like George Washington, JF Kennedy and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa who have lived and died leaving legacies behind and leaders like Nelson Mandela and Margaret Thatcher who are still an epitome of right choices and good leadership.

In the present day Nigeria the story seems to be different. We draw comparison between our collective experience and the  stories of how our fathers had free education, meal tickets at universities, jobs and car loans readily available at the point of graduation. In these contemporary times those same men who had those privileges while growing up are now taking away those same privileges that they owe, if not their birth children, the children of the nation, due to their desire for money, power and respect. The leaders of tomorrow are left to scramble for the crumbs that fall off from their fathers' table -  unemployment, low standard of living, bad leadership and lack of infrastructural maintenance, lack of access to quality education and health care.

This scenario has left the future of the next generation bleak with no legacy to leave behind.

The sins of our fathers leave us with grave consequences; collapsed institutions our forefathers had created.

How, then, can we be surprised that we've created  a breed of youths thrown into violence, armed robbery, prostitution, fraud; a generation brought up under the notion that corruption is the only way to make it out of poverty.

Motivation and creativity have been replaced with "the easy way out".

The story of King David's sin against God with Bathsheba (2Sam. 12: 1-14) ought to teach our leaders some lessons. 'For every action there is a reaction' and for Nigeria to survive we need to start making the right choices and decisions in order to leave a lasting legacy for the next generation.

The youth don't want to worry about the consequences of their fathers' sins.

 

Enjoy!!!

 

Edited by Michaela Moye (Moyemedia)

BE THE BEST NOT THE FIRST

Hello Everyone
'Spear the rod spoil the child ' was the way i was raised and i believe for most Africans. also the good book says train a child in a way to go and when he grows he shall not depart from it.these where the fundamentals we were taught and has sustain our society over the years but i personally frown at this principle when its wrongly applied in the life of child in the area of life path and career; where your folks would tell you to take this line or that line of career for the know what's best for you, whilst a child might otherwise find interest in some other field of endeavor and would be forced not to fulfill potential because they have been taught that this is the right path to good living. but some folks fail/refuse to notice potential in some other career paths because the are viewed not to be 'professional' enough, or because of the experience of economic challenges and the perceived notion that such career path can not put food on the table.
Oh well! gone are those days such trends where prominent in African homes at least that is what i thought until i heard a story recently of a young chaps dilemma beyond the impressive successes recorded by the youths in various endeavors outside the conventional Law, Medicine, Engineering just to mention a few. Please don't get me wrong theses are noble career, but all i am saying is that; alternative career paths were not given equal attention in the past.
This write up was sparked up by a story i heard of a anonymous young chap like i mentioned earlier, born in the United Kingdom and raised in Nigeria when he was old enough to enroll into the University his father wanted  him to go study Medicine in the UK,while the chap wanted to read Business Management on his arrival he decided to tow the path of his heart desire and when his father was aware of this development he decided not to pay or support this young chaps tuition fee and up keep leaving the young chap dependent on government benefits which is an entitlement for every UK citizen. Anyways,only time will tell what this young chap would eventually become in the future. it is vital folks guide kids on the right path of career but to be careful not to impose their own desires on kids rather they should be more sensitive to the interest their kids develop at a tender age  and encourage them on those activities,who knows they might just become the next ; Pablo Picasso, Quincy Jones, or Bob Marley.
The moral of the story is that personally i was never raised by my folks to try to be the first in some other field that seem more 'professional or lucrative' to them, rather i was taught and encouraged to be the best at what ever i can do as long as it was noble. look around you today several young men and women are doing great things and making honest and comfortable living in the entertainment industry and can afford to provide that 'security' every folks would desire for their kids. Let the children BE!
Yours truly, Cheers!!!

VIDEO Premiere: A-team - 'Omo to pe (that thang)'

Following the A-Team's  Fresh hit they are back with another great tune Omo To Pe (that thang).  It is different to the trio's last track but never the less its a hit.  Showing a softer side to the guys.

please check it out and don't hesitate to leave a comment :)

DOWNLOAD Video:  A-team - Omo to pe (that thag)  

HILZ featuring MEISSA - “I BELIEVE” (MUSIC VIDEO)

Emerging UK-based Nigerian rapper/vocalist and Warri-native HILZ makes her debut on the Nigerian music scene with a strong message of hope on her brand new single titled “I Believe”. Produced by Charlz and featuring Meissa on vocals, “I Believe” carries a delicate but yet very apt message about optimism and faith in the face of despair.

Over the drums-led musical backdrop, Hilz superbly speaks for the everyday Nigerian and our quest to make our lives better through her though-provoking and hard hitting lyrics with Meissa beautifully singing for a better tomorrow and what both artists believe in - equality, hope and unity.

Thanks to Bonza who is at the directorial helm, the “I Believe” music video is a cleverly-crafted visual representation of the single as it excellently portrays the delicate message that Hilz and Meissa are aiming to convey on the lyrics and music of “I Believe” without ever coming across as tacky or “preachy” video. Watch it below:

WATCH “BELIEVE” ON YOUTUBE: http://youtu.be/T3DVWj9cMyE

LISTEN + DOWNLOAD “BELIEVE” ON SOUNDCLOUD: http://snd.sc/Q4lrcP

ABOUT HILZ

Introducing fresh-faced 18-year old female rapper and vocalist HILZ - real name Erhuvwuoghene Sylvia Hilary Jamaho - with her deft and thoughtful lyrics, clear vocal cadence and . Hilz - which is short for Hilary - was born and raised in Warri, Delta State and is now currently in the United Kingdom studying Computer Systems Engineering (CSE) at the University of Wolverhampton.

Growing up in Warri, Hilz was always surrounded by music by the likes of Dolly Parton, Jennifer Lopez, Craig David and Michael Jackson to mention a few and as a result, she discovered a strong passion for music and singing in particular. Inspired soon after by legendary femcees such as Foxy Brown and Eve, Hilz developed a keen interest in rapping and ultimately desired to give music a shot. A few studio sessions and collaborations in, she was eventually spotted by UK-based Nigerian label Flake City and soon became part of the Flake City family where she has continued to develop her craft and hone her rapping skills.

“I Believe” is the impressive debut single from Hilz, it is produced and co-written by Flake City’s in-house beatsmith Charlz and features emerging singing sensation Meissa who is also signed to Flake City showing off her silky smooth vocals on the excellent hook. “I Believe” carries a strong message of hope in the midst of a world filled with negativity and sorrow, as Hilz explains it, “to those who believe and stay strong, holding on, as long as there is a tomorrow, there is HOPE”.

MEDIA & BOOKINGS:

Please direct all media and booking inquiries to Randy Odeh >> randyodeh@yahoo.com

MORE HILZ

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SylviaJamaho

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/HiLZCeLeB

Source: We Plug GOOD Music

A TRIP TO RIYOM

Hello Everyone,

In recent years Nigeria has been hit with natural disasters and Plateau State in north-central Nigeria has not been left out of these challenges.some communities within the state have been displaced as a result of flooding in recent weeks and this lead to a camp setup in Riyom LGA to cater to the needs of the displaced families.
Looking at the living conditions of the displaced families at the refugee camp in Riyom, spurred the heart of well meaning youths within the state as they initiated a campaign for people to show love and donation towards the well-being of the these communities. this awareness was lead by the founder of (Jtownperspectives) -Teyei Pam and winner of (BBA and founder of Naija pikin) - Kelvin Pam and GIFCT Abuja.
This lead to a trip to Riyom tagged 'Riyom Kids Project' on the 25th of August 2012 by the Nigerian youth as they spent time with the children and the folks respectively, food and clothing items were distributed with support from; Mrs Elizabeth Pam, BaRuQ, Mado, Zanak and a host of others. below are photograghs of the camp and the visit to the camp. Thanks

The camp on a regular day

Photo source: Teyei,BaRuQ

NEW MUSIC

The trio A-Team releases a follow up single to 'Fresh' and it is called Omo to pe (that thang) strictly for the ladies *wink wink* listen, download and feel free to drop your comments. Cheers!


DOWNLOAD

SAVE MEKA TODAY

Hello everyone,

Nigerians have been called upon to save a life by raising N7 million for Meka Akerejola, an on-air-personality (OAP) with Abuja's Rhythm 94.7 FM, who urgently needs a kidney transplant. 

The 31 year old, Meka Akerejola is a popular Abuja based OAP who hosts an early morning show with Rhythm 94.7 Fm. A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Meka was diagnosed with high blood pressure in 2010 and after further tests was discovered to have a failed kidney. 

Meka who is an orphan, requires a kidney transplant as soon as possible to survive. 

PLEASE kindly donate the little you can afford as no amount is too small. 

All financial donations can be made at: 

Zenith Bank 
Account number 2080664569 
Account Name Akerejola Meka 

--------------- OR ---------------- 

Call Ojo Olawale on 07025096839. 

Source: DMP                                                                                                                  

Video Preview

The trio A-Team who released their debut single 'Fresh' some weeks back are set to release their second single titled  'Omo to pe' (that thang) and it promises to be something good for the ladies ;)
Meanwhile, let's enjoy a preview to the video to the coming single.
Enjoy!!!

NEW MUSIC

Hey guys,
as promised the 'Fresh' single is finally here. listen and share your thoughts :)

''The group was formed in January 2012 by three Nigerians based in the UK named Kevwe Issac Nikoro (Kin), Ariko Fasa (fasa), and Hussani D. Ishaq (Q) and are all signed under ‘Flake City’ based in the United Kingdom.

All three members of the group meet in the same University and discovered they could all sing and there was an instant connection. However, one of the member (Kin) was already signed to ‘Flake City’ at the time and they started making good music which includes ‘Fresh’ and it was only natural the other two members (Fasa & Q) got signed to the same label. Ever since the group got signed they have had performances that have covered the West Midlands where they reside as students. With musical influences from the likes of; Boyz 2men, R.kelly, 2Face Idibia, Jay-Z, Drake, Usher, Kanye West, Michael Jackson, Nas, 2Pac, Wu Tang clan, Femi Kuti, and Lagbaja. They consider their style of music as Rap/R&B/Afro-Pop.


A-team is currently recording more singles and we should expect more from them in 2012.''

DOWNLOAD

NEW MUSIC

Crosis Empire presents 'All night' by Omisco and Dupsi set to be released tomorrow but you can have it here right now ;) Listen download and don't be afraid to leave a comment : )

DOWNLOAD

COMING SOON!!!

From the cradle of 'Flake City' we present to you three young lads called the A-Team based in the UK who are doing great stuff. watch out for their brand new single 'Fresh' set hit Nigeria and the world pretty soon :D

CALL FOR ENTRIES

The MTN British Council Young Creative Entrepreneur of the Year award programme

The MTN British Council Young Creative Entrepreneur of the Year award programme is here again with calls for submissions from practitioners in the fashion industry.

A little back-story on the Young Creative Entrepreneur (YCE) awards programme: It recognises the talent and initiative of young creative entrepreneurs from across various creative sectors. It also rewards the central role these creatives play in the development of a competitive and sustainable creative economy.

There are different design categories in within this umbrella – publishing, design, music, screen, fashion, and interactive performing arts.
This year’s focus will be on only the fashion industry, however.

Why the fashion industry?

The Nigerian Fashion industry is still in its early stages but has witnessed the emergence of several talents in the sector. Like, most sectors of the Nigerian creative industry, the fashion industry still needs to be restructured with its players, mentored in such a way that it can compete alongside fashion industries in other  countries of the world.

This is part of the reason why British Council in partnership with MTN and StyleHouse files has identified the need to spot such talents and, ‘provide them with the right networking abilities to further expose their business to the much needed prominence and simultaneously grow the Nigerian fashion industry’.

The Sector definition for Fashion in this context includes:

Fashion, textile, accessories or perfume design and production

Fashion promotion: shows, exhibitions, festivals, events

Fashion presentation: styling, photography

Fashion retail: buying, merchandising

Fashion product research, sourcing, supply chain management

Prizes

The winner of the Fashion award will be invited to take part in a tour of the industry in the UK but that’s not all! To find more about the prizes and how to take part in the competition, log on  to http://www.britishcouncil.org/africa-ng-contact-us.htm.

About the British council

The British Council is the UK's leading international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations.

We work in more than 100 countries with over 10,000 leaders and decision-makers each year. British Council has had a presence in Nigeria since 1943 and currently has offices in Abuja, Kano , Lagos and PortHarcourt.

Starting out offering mainly library services, we have developed into a hub that creates opportunities for young Nigerians.

The areas we focus on are creativity, education and civil society. We develop and implement programmes and services that create and enhance learning opportunities and build access and understanding between Africa, the UK, and the global community. The broad sectors in which we operate are Arts, Development Services, Governance, Education, Science and Sport. We are a non-political organisation which operates at arm’s length from government.

PRESS RELEASE

                                               

Young Nigerian Leader from London 2012's International Inspiration programme runs in Olympic Torch Relay

                                                          Figure 2 Emmanuel holds up the torch

Emmanuel Luka from Kwali in Nigeria on the 28^th of June fulfilled the opportunity of a lifetime to run with the Olympic Torch as a result of his involvement in London 2012’s international sports legacy programme, International Inspiration.
He was amongst a group of 20 young people involved in International Inspiration who took part in the Olympic Torch Relay through Nottinghamshire in the UK on 28 June.
One Torchbearer was selected from each of the 20 countries which are part of International Inspiration, from Azerbaijan to Zambia, to take part in the Relay. Each International Inspiration Torchbearer was nominated and selected either for their dedication and commitment to inspiring children and young people in their communities through the power of sport or for the personal challenges they have overcome in their lives.  
Emmanuel Luka was nominated by his teacher, Mohammed Aguye because he demonstrated leadership in sports and academics, he is a young school leader who is transforming his fellow students by leading and directing sports festivals at his school, Government Secondary School in Kwali.

International Inspiration is bringing to life the promise made by the London 2012 bid team where they pledged to reach young people all around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games so they are inspired to choose sport. The programme is delivered around the world by a unique partnership of organisations including the British Council, UNICEF UK and UK Sport.

International Inspiration is enriching the lives of more than 12 million children in 20 countries around the world through high-quality and inclusive physical education, sport and play. The programme is currently helping change the lives of over 12 million young people.

Emmanuel said:    “I had a great experience, it was a life changing experience and I feel so privileged, I got to meet people from all over the world and I learned more about the international inspiration program. I hope to take all I have learned and improve on the work I am already doing in Kwali” .

Seb Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) said: “I’m thrilled that Emmaneul Luka from our International Inspiration programme in Nigeria has had the opportunity to run with the Olympic Flame. Emmanuel has been a real inspiration in his community and truly demonstrates how sport can change someone’s life.  Emmanuel's story is truly inspirational.”

For further information please contact Sephora Imomoh: Sephora.Imomoh@ng.britishcouncil.org

About International Inspiration
The International Inspiration programme is governed by an independent charitable foundation. International Inspiration is supported and funded by a mixture of organisations and Foundations, including Department for International  Development (DFID), the British Council, the Premier League, UNICEF, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Comic Relief, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, the GE Foundation and individual donors. The programme is also supported by the Youth Sport Trust, the British Olympic Association and the British Paralympic Association and individual donors.

To enable longer-term impact, the programme is developed jointly with the governments, National Olympic Committees and National Paralympic Committees, where appropriate, of participating countries. The programme is supported and welcomed by the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee.

The vision of International Inspiration is to use the power of sport to enrich the lives of millions of children and young people of all abilities in schools and communities across the world, particularly developing countries, by offering them the opportunity to access and participate in high-quality and inclusive sport, physical education and play. The programme is already changing the lives of young people in twenty countries - Azerbaijan, Brazil, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Jordan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palau, South Africa, Tanzania, Turkey, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and Zambia - and has already enriched the lives of over 12 million children and young people.

International Inspiration was developed as a result of the commitment made by the London Bid team in Singapore in 2005 to ‘reach young people all around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games so they are inspired to choose sport’.

The school partnerships are managed by the British Council, which has long experience of linking schools internationally, working in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, which utilises its expertise in developing teachers and young leaders through sport.