HOLLYWOOD CALLINGS of ADE OYEFESO

 A  20-year-old NIGERAN London actor  has been named by BAFTA as one of the best young talents in film and television after a starring role in E4's Youngers.

Ade Oyefeso, who is self-trained, will make his Hollywood debut alongside Sean Penn and Idris Elba in The Gunman, due out in 2014.

He was inspired to pursue his dreams by actor Dev Patel after seeing him in Slumdog Millionaire.

He said: "I remember in school the one subject I was passionate about was drama.

"Then when I saw Dev Patel it clicked with me that you didn't have to be a producer's cousin to get in the industry. I really didn't want to do anything else."

After his TV break came success on the big screen, and a new type of role model.

He said: "The first time I met Sean Penn I tried to avoid contact, and act cool.

"But it was amazing to share scenes with him, and in a way I felt I had to step up because of who he was.

"Then when he came to London, he called me to meet up, and I was able to ask him for advice. Because of who he is, it was real advice."

He cites Elba as an inspiration, and points to him as proof other young British actors can make it.

A self-trained actor from north London will appear alongside Sean Penn and Idris Elba as he is tipped as a future star by Bafta.9:53pm UK, Wednesday 30 October 2013



Sky's Kay Burley interviews Bafta chairman John Willis as the organisation names 17 "Breakthrough Brits" tipped to excel in their fields

A 20-year-old London actor has been named by Bafta as one of the best young talents in film and television after a starring role in E4's Youngers.Ade Oyefeso, who is self-trained, will make his Hollywood debut alongside Sean Penn and Idris Elba in The Gunman, due out in 2014.

He was inspired to pursue his dreams by actor Dev Patel after seeing him in Slumdog Millionaire.

He said: "I remember in school the one subject I was passionate about was drama.

"Then when I saw Dev Patel it clicked with me that you didn't have to be a producer's cousin to get in the industry. I really didn't want to do anything else."

After his TV break came success on the big screen, and a new type of role model.

He said: "The first time I met Sean Penn I tried to avoid contact, and act cool.

"But it was amazing to share scenes with him, and in a way I felt I had to step up because of who he was.

"Then when he came to London, he called me to meet up, and I was able to ask him for advice. Because of who he is, it was real advice."

He cites Elba as an inspiration, and points to him as proof other young British actors can make it.

Bafta chairman John Willis said: "I think Ade is a really talented young actor, but I think he's a person who has not been to drama school and needs nourishment and support.

"It's our job now to find that support to help him reach his goal."

Oyefeso is one of 17 newcomers from the film, TV and gaming worlds chosen by a panel of industry experts as a "Breakthrough Brit".

The awards are designed to "turbocharge" the careers of those chosen, who get mentoring and guidance sessions from industry experts.
Ade Oyefeso, a self-trained actor from north London, was one of the winners.

The 20-year-old first played Yemi in E4 series Youngers, and will next be seen on the big screen alongside Sean Penn and Idris Elba in The Gunman, which is due out next year.

Mitu Khandaker, 29, was also named as one to watch in the video games industry.

She founded games studio The Tiniest Shark Ltd while doing a PhD in creative technologies, where she looked at novel video game controllers.

Khandaker said she was "absolutely honoured" to have been chosen for the Breakthrough Brits award.

"My future plans already included continuing to work and expand my current one-woman games company, but being selected as a Breakthrough Brit has given me further confidence to pursue this," she explained.

Other winners at the London event included 27-year-old actor Paul Brannigan, from Glasgow.

Brannigan already appears on the path to big things and will act opposite Scarlett Johansson in the film Under The Skin.

In 2012, he also helped create and film the documentary Born To Lose?, looking at the links between addiction and genetics.

The programme helped raise more than £2m for charity as part of the STV Charity Appeal.

Former Royal Marine Arthur Williams is also tipped for great things as a television presenter.

The 27-year-old from Cheltenham was paralysed in a car crash in 2007 and last summer received rave reviews as part of Channel 4's Paralympics coverage.

He also reported on the channel's D-Day As It Happened programme and followed it up with another documentary, The Plane That Saved Britain, about the World War II plane the Mosquito.

"I still really can't quite comprehend I have been successfully nominated," said Williams.

"This is huge to me ... With a Breakthrough Brit nomination under my belt it gives me a lot more appeal for future employment, and gives me more confidence for a future on this career path."

John Willis, Bafta's chairman, said the idea is to help the brightest and best fulfil their potential.

"The initiative is amazing," said panel member Shane Meadows. "What’s really nice about it is that it’s not just actors or it’s not just directors - there are game designers and producers and writers."


Bafta chairman John Willis said: "I think Ade is a really talented young actor, but I think he's a person who has not been to drama school and needs nourishment and support.

"It's our job now to find that support to help him reach his goal."

Oyefeso is one of 17 newcomers from the film, TV and gaming worlds chosen by a panel of industry experts as a "Breakthrough Brit".

The awards are designed to "turbocharge" the careers of those chosen, who get mentoring and guidance sessions from industry experts.

Culled from SKY NEWS   by  Lashley Oladigbolu

Aviation Minister Writes To President in Response to Query Over N255m Cars Scandal

In her response to query over the purchase of N255 million armoured cars the embattled Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, has written a lengthy letter to  President Goodluck Jonathan to explain her side of the story. Mrs Oduah is facing separate probe panels set up by President Goodluck Jonathan as well as the National Assembly

The President on Tuesday issued query to her to explain her role in the purchase of the armoured cars.
In her response, the minister claimed that procurement of the cars followed due process and was provided for in the NCAA 2013 budget.

In her defence titled: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ON THE PROCUREMENT OF NCAA OPERATIONAL VEHICLES, she wrote as follows:

“The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, is the statutory regulator of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Industry.

Consequently, the NCAA is charged with oversight responsibilities over all civil aviation operations in the country, including safety, security and strict compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices, SARPs, and Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, NCARs.

2. Towards the effective implementation of its statutory regulatory responsibilities, therefore, it is imperative that the NCAA is fully equipped with highly specialised tools and facilities, including adequate operational vehicles to cover all 22 national airports and over 400 airstrips. In keeping with standard practice, provision is therefore made annually for the replacement of obsolete, inadequate and unreliable monitoring equipment.

3.In the 2013 budgetary appropriation, provision was made for the procurement of specialised equipment (including operational vehicles) to complement and in some cases replace obsolete ones.
Furthermore, the fact that NCAA, as the regulator of the industry, often plays host to dignitaries from ICAO, IATA, US FAA, AFRAA, AFCAC BAGASO, CANSO, ACI and a host of others makes it necessary to have specialised operational vehicles.

4.With regard to the procurement of additional operational vehicles (including BMW Security Vehicles), the following due process was observed:

(I) By letter dated April 15, 2013, NCAA officially requested authorisation from the Federal Ministry of Aviation to procure 56 operational vehicles through lease financing. This option was proposed to the ministry to enable the NCAA make 36 monthly payments based on receipts from Internally Generated Revenue, IGR.

Approval

The Ministry therefore granted due approval.

(ii)Based on the ministry’s approval, the NCAA invited Expressions of Interest from all Banks in Nigeria for the financing of the said vehicles. EOI was adopted because the procurement is two sided. First, the financier would have to be selected before the supplier is determined. This is in line with procurement best practices.

(iii) On May 24, 2013, the response received from the various banks to the Expression of Interest, EOI, request was opened publicly and minutes of the opening exercise was duly documented. During the EOI opening exercise, NCAA got commendation from one of the Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, approved by BPP who were invited for the opening exercise.

(iv) The evaluation of the expression of interests was held on May 31, 2013 during which First Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc and Stanbic IBTC emerged most responsive. On the June 10, 2013 the above three banks were invited to submit Financial Proposals. Thereafter, First Bank emerged the highest rated responsive bidder.

(v)Between June 20 and 25, 2013, invoices were received from various accredited motor vehicle dealers during which only Coscharis Motors Limited quoted for BMW Security Vehicles.
Tenders Board

(vi) On June 28, 2013, NCAA Parastatal Tenders Board approved the selection of First Bank Ltd for the Lease Financing as well as Metropolitan Motor Vehicles and Coscharis for the supply of the vehicles. All necessary approvals were duly sought and obtained accordingly.

(vii) Between July 8, 2013 to August, 12, 2013 various meetings were held with First Bank Ltd, contract agreement was signed and necessary documentation executed.

Your Excellency is respectfully invited to note:

(i) The crucial statutory role of the NCAA in regulating civil aviation operations in the country, including safety, security and strict compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs).

(ii) The need for NCAA to be fully equipped with highly specialized tools and facilities (including operational vehicles) to enable the effective implementation of its statutory functions.

(iii) The procurement of specialized operational vehicles is duly provided for in the NCAA 2p 13 (IGR) Budget and the need for adopting instalmental lease payments over 36 months.

(iii) That Due Process was followed in the procurement of the said operational vehicles.

Please your Excellency my continued loyalty and esteemed regards.

Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, OON,
 Honourable Minister.

by Lashley Oladigbolu

A CALL FOR GENUINE SOVEREIGN NATIONAL CONFERENCE, AN ALTERNATIVE TO CHAOS, CATASTROPHE AND DISINTEGRATION by Chief Gani Fawehinmi

''The primary duty of the Sovereign National Conference is to address and find solutions to the key problems afflicting Nigeria since 1914 to date. The concern is to remove all obstacles which have prevented the country from establishing political justice, economic justice, social justice, cultural justice, religious justice and to construct a new constitutional frame-work in terms of the system of government-structurally, politically economically, socially, culturally and religiously.''

     - Chief Gani Fawehinmi (2000)

         

The root cause of our national tragedies is the fundamental defects that have always afflicted the process of determining every constitutional frame-work of the polity. Our constitutional arrangements since 1914 to date (2000) have never truly reflected the political, economic, social, cultural and religious realities of the country.
Above all, the people of the country have never had the opportunity to make inputs into, accept or reject any constitutional frame-work through a referendum. Consequently, the masses of our people have always been treated as aliens in all constitutional processes from 1914 to 1999 as all constitutional flame-works have always been imposed on them whether or not they like them. Principled policies of governments, loss of moral sensitivity.

SNC As Solution to Grievances
There are so many grievances and accusations against Nigeria and by Nigerians which the Sovereign National Conference must consider and resolve with the sole objective of designing a new Constitution (the Peoples’ Constitution) for the country which will cast into extinction all the evil tendencies which have conspired to make Nigeria’ a virtual ‘ghost’ country, deeply and invidiously polarised in all directions since 1914 to date and more seriously since January 15, 1966. We must pull Nigeria back from the brink and from the precipice with a Constitution made democratically by Nigerians through the SNC and affirmed in a referendum by Nigerians. The alternative to this path of sanity is to continue disastrously to pretend that pious political preaching, posturing and exhortations and the use of governmental power of brute force will contain the mounting crises. They will not. It is time to call a spade a spade and face the reality of our fate squarely, sincerely and courageously, so as to prevent a disintegration of the country.
The Sovereign National Conference being advocated is to rebuild this single sovereign nation from its collapsing foundation, not to tear the country into several sovereign nations. If we don’t, I shudder to think of the catastrophic consequences to the very existence of the country and its horrible effects on the black race, Black Africa and the world at large.
Let us move away from the brink. The answer is the Sovereign National Conference. We must prevent the experiences of Rwanda, Burundi, Srilanka, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Kosovo, Croatia and Bosnia from happening in Nigeria.
The only opportunity we have to do this is the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference. We need to talk, talk and talk ourselves to true peace, genuine justice and appropriate peoples’ Constitution in which all Nigerians will find a fulfilment of their hopes and aspirations and unshaken guarantee of peace, stability and prosperity.

How To Convoke A Sovereign National Conference
The Sovereign National Conference, which is the only option left to save this country from sliding into disintegration, must be convoked as quickly as possible.
The Sovereign National Conference is not to govern the country but to find solutions to all the problems that afflict the polity. All the governments under the present constitutional dispensation should be preliminarily involved in the process of convoking a Sovereign National Conference. Consequently, the President of Nigeria, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of House of Representatives, all the thirty-six (36) Governors of the states of the Federation and the thirty-six (36) Speakers of the thirty-six (36) state Assemblies must quickly meet jointly to set up the Sovereign National Conference Planning Committee . The National and State Assemblies should promulgate laws in support of the SNC so that fresh elections are held at the expiration of the tenure of the existing Government in year 2003 on the basis of the Constitution that will be drawn up by the SNC and subjected to a referendum of the people.

Composition of Sovereign National Conference Planning Committee
We recommend that the Planning Committee should comprise 50 members-25 officially selected and 25 non-officials who will be selected across the country based on their track records of patriotism, honesty, integrity, hard work, and ability. The Chief Justice of Nigeria will swear this committee into office as members of the Sovereign National Conference Planning Committee.

Duties of the Sovereign National Conference Planning Committee:
The SNC Planning Committee should be mandated to: (a) Conduct elections in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), into the Sovereign National Conference. (b) Determine the venue of the Conference. (c) Ensure the full inauguration Conference.

Composition of Sovereign National Conference
(a) We must use what we have to achieve what we want.  By virtue of section 3(6) of the 1999 Constitution, there are seven hundred and seventy four (774) local governments in Nigeria. Each local government area will elect a member into the Sovereign National Conference. But such election must not be on party basis.
(b) There are important interest groups which cannot be involved in the election at local government level but whose views could be of paramount importance in the resolution of grievances that could come before the Conference. These groups include: The Judiciary, the Army, the Navy, the Airforce, the Police, the Customs, the Prisons, the Immigration, interest groups, professional and trade associations such as those of Teachers at all levels of educational system; Lawyers; Medical Doctors; Pharmacists; Nurses; Engineers; Sociologists; Political Scientists; Administrators; Secretaries; Accountants; Bankers;  Architects; Quantity Surveyors; Journalists; Students; Farmers; Market women and petty traders; Artisans; Organized Labour; Employers;  Chambers of Commerce and Industry; Women; Religious bodies including Christians, Moslems and Traditional worshippers; Civil Servants at local, state and Federal levels; Human Rights Community and pro-democracy organizations; Ethnic organizations fighting for self-determination; and Traditional Rulers, etc. Each of these groups will in its respective organization elect representatives to the Sovereign National Conference based on its numerical strength. The modalities for doing this can be easily worked out by the Sovereign National Conference Planning Committee.

SNC Not just An Assembly of Nationalities
The import of the recommended composition of the SNC above is that the SNC should not be conceived solely as an assembly of nationalities. Multiple nationality is just one of the realities of Nigeria as a plural society. Other realities of Nigeria such as religious differences, social stratification, gender subjugation, professional and economic interests must also be considered.

Observer Status At the Sovereign National Conference
Observer status should also be given to international bodies such as the UNO, OAU, ECOWAS, EU, Commonwealth, National and International Human Rights and Media Bodies, etc.

Function Of The Sovereign National Conference Primary Function:
The primary duty of the Sovereign National Conference is to address and find solutions to the key problems afflicting Nigeria since 1914 to date. The concern is to remove all obstacles which have prevented the country from establishing political justice, economic justice, social justice, cultural justice, religious justice and to construct a new constitutional frame-work in terms of the system of government-structurally, politically economically, socially, culturally and religiously. Furthermore, the conference is to receive and deliberate upon all grievances and whether contained in memoranda or letter from individuals or groups within and outside Nigeria. The Sovereign National Conference will be enjoined to discuss and deliberate on everything under the sun with regards to Nigeria and how to preserve the country in which Nigerians will have fulfilment of their hopes and aspirations. In other words, a Nigeria where every ethnic group will find succour; and where the masses, the neglected, the persecuted, the deprived and the cheated will find solace. In short, the Sovereign National Conference is to rebuild the country called Nigeria from scratch and to establish a new constitutional structure for a new Nigeria.

Referendum
The Constitution made by the people’ Sovereign National Conference will be subjected to the people’s referendum for the first time in the history of Nigeria.

Economic Restructuring
It is perhaps imperative to stress that contrary to the conception of some new organizations and individuals who have just woken up to appreciate the necessity of the SNC, the work of the SNC should not be limited to political restructuring based on ethnic factors. A key concern of the SNC is economic restructuring.
The SNC should discuss and resolve the character and nature of the economic system that can ensure sustained improvement in the material lives of the ordinary people. The SNC should be concerned with establishing an economic system that will guarantee economic rights of Nigerians, whether rich or poor.
The ordinary people must enjoy the right to work or unemployment allowance in the absence of jobs, cost-free housing, education, health, water, electricity, etc. In a restructured polity, access to social services by the masses should he regarded as fundamental rights. An obligation ought to be imposed on all levels of government to provide social services such that citizens constitutionally, legally and politically can challenge the government in the event of non-provision. If the provision of social services is made to the the constitutional responsibility of all tiers of government, then national resources will be utilized meaningfully in the interest of the larger society. Accountability of government to the people will equally be promoted because governance will acquire a focused and definitive character. When a government has so many constitutional responsibilities and the people are aware of their constitutional rights and are prepared to fight for them legally and politically, looting, stealing, misappropriation of public resources will be minimized if not eliminated.

Relationship of Sovereign National Conference To The Present Constitutional Dispensation
The Sovereign National Conference is not to govern the country. It is to find solutions to the problems of the country. It will therefore not interfere with the governance of the country at the Federal level, in the States and at the Local Governments. Those to govern the country have been elected in 1998/1999 to do so for 4 years and their tenure will end in the year 2003.
Those elected on December 5, 1998 to the Local Governments, on January 9, 1999, to the States and on February 13 and 27 to the centre are now functioning within the confines of a fundamentally defective constitutional arrangement, which was made on the 5th of May 1999 after their elections. Since the military- imposed 1999 Constitution is fundamentally defective and is incapable of satisfying the aspirations of the people, there is a need for a democratically drawn up Constitution through the SNC. The existing Constitution has proved incapable of containing national chaos and steady decline into catastrophic and bloody disintegration in which the teeming poor masses will bear the brunt while the rich many of whom have looted public treasury will find succour and solace in foreign countries. It would be foolhardy to want to protect such a Constitution. It is in the interest of democracy, in order to avert the impending disaster that a new Constitution be drawn up through a mass participatory process.

Conclusion
Our humble contribution contained in the text of this Press Conference should not he miss-understood. Our major concern is to draw public attention to the urgent need for a SNC. Our viewpoints here are mere suggestions rather than a rigid and unchangeable blueprint.  Though some other forces equally make demands for SNC, none has given thought to the practical way of setting it in motion and explaining the relationship to the existing power structure.
We hope that the ideas in this publication will spur the relevant organs of Government to take necessary action if they are genuinely interested in taking Nigeria forward positively in the interest of the masses. Public officials who are committed to the principles of democracy, justice and freedoms for our people should not feel threatened by the convocation of the SNC. It is either we allow the SNC to peacefully save Nigeria or Nigeria may be no more on the long run. Though the initiative to convoke the SNC has been placed on the shoulders of the existing government, organisations of the civil society have a responsibility. The ruling classes hardly take an action in the interest of the larger society without the pressure of the masses from below. We therefore hope that this publication will motivate other organisations in the civil society to intensify the pressure for the convocation of the SNC”.
The information about SNC is now in your hands. What you do with it is your human right, as long as it doesn’t infringe other citizens’ human right. ''




Addendum by Paul Deji Lawal:

Openmind Foundation is about Education, Empowerment and Change.  Out of frustration over the state of Nigeria in terms of poverty, slow/lack of solid human development, terror, corruption and disunity, etc., some Nigerians have attributed these conditions to a faulty country foundation. “The foundation of this country was built upon dishonesty, corruption, selfishness, tribalism and all evil. We need to visit our foundation again, destroy every evil brick, rebuild with love and respect for one another, integrity of the heart, sacrificial living, love for our father land,”  COMETI, a blogger, argues. She is not alone in that view. The intensified activities of Boko Haram since the election of President Jonathan Goodluck, is reminding many, once again, of Nigeria’s ugly past, and culminating in growing/renewed calls for Sovereign National Conference (SNC).  The purpose of this article is to provide readers with information on the history and purpose of Sovereign National Conference. It is only through reliable information that quality decisions about Nigeria’s future can be made. We will crown the discussion with a reproduction of the text of a speech delivered in March 2000 by late Chief Gani Fawehinmi at a Press Conference in Lagos. The speech is entitled, “A call for genuine Sovereign National Conference, an alternative to chaos, catastrophe and disintegration”.
The Governor General of Nigeria between 1920 – 31 , Sir Hugh Clifford, described Nigeria as  “a collection of independent Native States, separated from one another  by great distances, by differences of history and traditions and by ethnological, racial, tribal, political, social and religious barriers.”  (Nigeria Council Debate.  Lagos, 1920).  This description captures the problems of today’s Nigeria vividly. The ill-faithed Ad Hoc Constitutional Conference, which got dismissed by Lt. Col. Gowon on November 30, 1966, can arguably be considered the start of demands for a Sovereign National Conference. Describing the purpose of SNC, Theophilus Emiowele Osezua wrote:
The Sovereign National Conference will give ethnic nationalities an opportunity to examine the questions that have made Nigeria such a disaster and come up with some answers such as the right of every nationality to have greater control over their resources.
The above explanation might sound somewhat selfish, discriminatory and divisive. Therefore, it is not surprising that Dr Ramsom-Kuti, the former Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance, argued that “to push home the meaning of SNC, an understanding of the history of Nigeria is crucial”. In support of the statement, he wrote:

Long before 1914 when Nigeria was amalgamated, the present space was not a void. People, empires and modes of production existed. The far North was ruled by Hausa Habes which was the home of many tribes, Hausa Magajiya, Abyssinian or of coptic stock. From 900 to 1500 AD. The Hausaland was besieged by political forces from Bornu, the Berbes, Tuyaregs and Arabs. The most formidable was the 1804 Jihad which swept the Habeland, imposed an oligarchy, seized the people and the land until the advent of British rule. The Yorubaland had the Oyo empire which triumphed until about 200 years ago, we also have the Bachama, Birom, Angas, Tiv, Kaje, Nupe, Ijaw, Igbo and numerous others. The merging of the Southern and Northern protectorates in 1914 was accidental so also was the name, Nigeria given to its people. It is important to say that British rule was not forged on negotiations with Nigerians, but negotiations with ethnic nationalities. So also there was no “Nigerian position,” but ethnic nationality positions. The 1960 independence, to our knowledge, was preceded by a curious finding conducted by Henry Willink supported by Gordon Hardow, Philip Mason, and JB Shearer which compiled a report on July 30 1958 now known as the Willink Commission of Enquiry. I advise the senators to read carefully the various positions of nationalities visited by the British agents in compiling their reports. It is of note that every nationality in the space called Nigeria had a position and there was not and will never be a ‘Nigerian position’ except that imposed by the few people in power (www.nigerdeltacongress.com).

This position is shared in a published academic work by Major Abubakar A. Atofarati, student, US Marine Command and Staff College (1991/92). He wrote:

The Federation of Nigeria, as it is known today, has never really been one homogeneous country, for its widely differing peoples and tribes.  This obvious fact notwithstanding, the former colonial master decided to keep the country one in order to effectively control her vital resources for their economic interests.  Thus, for administrative convenience the Northern and Southern Nigeria were amalgamated in 1914.   Thereafter the only thing this people had in common was the name of their country since each side had different administrative set – up. This alone was an insufficient basis for true unity.  Under normal circumstances the amalgamation ought to have brought the various peoples together and provided a firm basis for the arduous task of establishing closer cultural, social, religious, and linguistic ties vital for true unity among the people.  There was division, hatred, unhealthy rivalry, and pronounced disparity in development” (http://www.africamasterweb.com/BiafranWarCauses.html).

Perhaps you are beginning to appreciate the position of those who claim that the foundation of Nigeria was built upon dishonesty, corruption and selfishness, and consequently demands comprehensive and all inclusive re-engineering.
The late human rights activist and lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi,  stressed the importance and urgency of SNC in a Press Conference on March 22, 2000. He lost his battle with cancer on September 5, 2009 and is greatly remembered for his human rights activities. In reproducing his 2000 speech, we are honouring him and his work. The full text of the speech as published above.

Deji Paul Lawal
 is a volunteer who shares the vision of OMF

Culled from:  http://www.openmindfoundation.com by  Lashley Oladigbolu