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ECOWAS Launches AfricDeezayn App to Boost Creativity and Talent in West Africa

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ECOWAS Launches AfricDeezayn App to Boost Creativity and Talent in West Africa

By: Michael Mike

AfricDeezayn application has been officially launched in West Africa to provide a virtual online space for designers in the subregion to showcase their creativity and talent and interact as a community.

The project, which is a creation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is supported by Japan and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

Speaking at the launch in Abuja on Tuesday, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs. Massandje Toure-Litse said AfricDeezayn (a digital tool) will enabled talented designers in West Africa to contribute to the region’s industrial development by stimulating innovation.

Toure-Litse, who was represented by Dr. Anthony Elumelu, said “a design is the intentional creation of solutions with a focus on aesthetics, functionality and user experience. It goes beyond visual appearance to include usability, ergonomics, accessibility and other aspects that influence the way we, as users, interact with a product or service.”

She explained that it can be applied to a range of fields, including graphic design, industrial design, user experience design, user interface design and service design, all with a view to seducing consumers and maintaining their trust.

She noted that AfricDeezayn application developed in collaboration with WIPO and funded by Japan is closely aligned with the vision of ECOWAS to promote technological innovation, job creation and creation of an appropriate environment which will lead to wealth and economic and social progress.

She said the project was in line with ECOWAS Commission’s aims of promoting sustainable and inclusive agricultural, industrial and intellectual productivity, adding that: “This is an opportunity for us to call on the private sector players in our region, particularly those in the Design Community, to take ownership of this tool and use it as a potential vector for innovation and improved productivity.”

On his part, the Senior Director, Department for Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (DTIDGI), Brands and Designs Sector (BDS), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), Mr. Marcus Hopperger, said “AfricDeezayn is a bridge between us and the people that are at the core of our institutional efforts. We represent organisations committed to promoting IP as a tool for development and growth. AfricDeezayn opens to us the virtual world of communication, helping our outreach to key stakeholders of the Design ecosystem – designers, small and large businesses, IP practitioners and agents, the academe, women and youth groups – to more effectively address their information needs so that IP rights over designs are protected and the resulting benefits are fully enjoyed by their creators.”

He added that: “They will find in AfricDeezayn an educational hub for learning about design laws, with guides in navigating the process of applying for and registering designs to obtain their protection.

“AfricDeezayn does more than inform. It also shares the stories of many designers, whether young and mature entrepreneurs – their struggles and rewards, their aspirations and journey – these are well-springs of inspiration and motivation for fellow West African artists and design enthusiasts.”

He noted that: “AfricDeezayn is the first platform in West Africa (and most likely the African continent) that is not only dedicated to Designs-related information, it also offers the Design communities in the ECOWAS countries a forum to connect with each other. AfricDeezayn honours the creative spirit of West Africa and its rich cultural heritage – and the men and women forming part of these communities. They deserve a platform through which they can easily get in touch with each other on any design-related issues while being supported in their communication needs.

“Better still, AfricDeezayn allocates space for designers to showcase their creations for optimal online visibility, empowering them to thrive in the competitive world of business and potentially generating commercial possibilities.”

He added that: “As the design communities in West Africa flourish, AfricDeezayn is their get-go tool throughout their creative journey. AfricDeezayn’s strength lies in its ability to enable designers across West Africa and beyond, transcending geographical boundaries. The prevalence of mobile phones in the region and the African continent makes AfricDeezayn a vital resource accessible to all. Recent statistics highlight the remarkable growth of IP activity in West Africa. According to World Intellectual Property Indicators [published by WIPO], the annual growth rates for the number of designs in 2022 were particularly high at the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) with a growth rate of 49.4% and at the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) with a growth rate of 8.8%. We are confident that progress will continue and that the advent of AfricDeezayn will contribute to the efforts in the region, especially through ECOWAS and its Member States.”

“I encourage everyone to download AfricDeezayn on Google Play and to spread the news. Let us usher in a movement where creativity is celebrated, protected, and empowered, while leveraging available technologies in the process. Today, we are not just launching an app, we are embracing the vast possibilities of virtual communication in mobile form to best serve our design stakeholders,” he said.

Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Matsunaga Kazuyoshi said AfricDeezayn will create great opportunity for development in West Africa, noting that with resources like AfricDeezayn, designers in the ECOWAS region
can achieve great wealth.

He said: “This app isn’t just about information, it’s a catalyst for connection within the global design community.
This innovative platform, the first of its kind, connects designers with
opportunities, funding and businesses, fostering collaboration and a
robust design ecosystem in the ECOWAS region and beyond.”

He added that: “This initiative, born out of the joint efforts of the ECOWAS region
and WIPO, is revolutionising the way intellectual property is understood and used around the world. Its impact extends beyond the region and promises to raise
awareness and practice of design throughout Africa.”

ECOWAS Launches AfricDeezayn App to Boost Creativity and Talent in West Africa

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VP Shettima Delivers Keynote Speech At Dr. Kayode Fayemi Commemorative Symposium In Abuja

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VP Shettima Delivers Keynote Speech At Dr. Kayode Fayemi Commemorative Symposium In Abuja

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has delivered the keynote address at the Dr. Kayode Fayemi Commemorative Symposium and Launch of the Amandla Policy and Leadership Institute in Abuja. The event is on the theme: “Renewing the Pan-African Ideal for the Changing Times: The Policy and Leadership Challenges and Opportunities.”

The symposium also marked the official launch of the Amandla Policy and Leadership Institute, an initiative aimed at fostering leadership excellence and policy innovation in Africa.

Dignitaries at the event included Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina J. Mohammed; former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; Governors, members of the National Assembly, policymakers, and other stakeholders.

VP Shettima Delivers Keynote Speech At Dr. Kayode Fayemi Commemorative Symposium In Abuja

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FGM: NHRC Calls for Strengthening of Collaborations

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FGM: NHRC Calls for Strengthening of Collaborations

By: Michael Mike

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for strengthening of collaborations to end female genital mutilation (FGM) in the country.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu made the call in his message on the Day of Zero Tolerance for the Practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

Ojukwu reminded the citizens, healthcare workers and other duty bearers of the need to strengthen their collaborations to end FGM in Nigeria.

The theme of this year’s commemoration is “Stepping Up the Pace: Strengthening Alliances and Building Movements to End FGM” and it is observed on the 6th of February every year.

He noted that the Commission has always been at the forefront of eradicating the painful, unhealthy, harmful and degrading practice of FGM right from time.

Ojukwu observed that NHRC in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) had in 2017 produced a training Manual on human rights and other related issues of FGM in Nigeria to stem the tide of this human rights violation in various communities across the federation.

“The Manual provides a general background analysis of women’s human rights and Female Genital Mutilation, which is a type of violence against women and girls. The Manual also provides a guide for reporting FGM in line with the prescribed standard”, the Chief Human Rights Officer of Nigeria added.

In the same vein, the NHRC Boss disclosed that with the support of UNFPA/UNICEF, the Commission undertook a joint programme on elimination of FGM, conducted training for stakeholders on the use of the developed Manual in five programme focal states namely- Imo, Ebonyi, Osun, Oyo and Ekiti and available statistics have indicated positive changes geared towards eliminating, FGM in the country. The use of the manual and training will be replicated in other endemic states in the Country depending on the availability of resources.

“The participants at the training in the aforesaid states were drawn from relevant MDAs, CBOs, FBOs, Media, Security Agents, Traditional Rulers and CSOs/NGOs and at the end of the exercise, thereafter participants prepared independent and shadow reports”, the Executive Secretary stated.

According to the Executive Secretary, apart from the aforementioned effort to eliminate FGM in the country, the Commission with the support of EU-UN Spotlight Initiative in 2019 established the defunct Special Independent Investigation Panel on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.

The panel which was headed by the Executive Secretary sat in the six geopolitical zones of the country, successfully heard and determined complaints of SGBV, and provided empowerment for victims including supporting women to acquire skills and engage in various forms of business activities to earn a living and assist their families instead of depending solely on their husbands who may lack the capacity or willingness to cater for their families.

He used the occasion to urge Nigerians to report all cases of FGM and other human rights violations to the Commission who will in turn take appropriate actions to ensure the protection of the rights of the victims in accordance with municipal, regional and international laws.

He urged citizens to leverage the NHRC toll-free line 6472 to report any case FGM and other cases of human rights violations to the Commission.

FGM: NHRC Calls for Strengthening of Collaborations

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NSCDC Arrests Four for Illegal Possession of Firearm, Gunrunning, Banditry, Job Racketeering

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NSCDC Arrests Four for Illegal Possession of Firearm, Gunrunning, Banditry, Job Racketeering

By: Michael Mike

Four suspects who were allegedly involved in illegal possession of firearm, gunrunning, kidnapping, banditry and Job racketeering have been arrested by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

A statement on Thursday by the spokesman of the NSCDC, Babawale Afolabi said the arrest by the NSCDC Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad in its ongoing effort in combating economic sabotage and fighting Insecurity across the country.
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He said the CG’s SIS also recovered two automatic riffles with three magazines; an AK47 with 15 live ammunition, one FN riffle with two live ammunition, one live cartridge with nine locally fabricated pistols, one bionet, two pair of Nigerian Forest Security Services uniform among others items.

Babawale said three among the suspects all male gave their names as Umar Ibrahim, 35 years, Nura Abubakar, 20 years and Mohammed Sule 20 years. They were all arrested at Ukoso Komva Ward, Wamba Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

He added that upon Interrogations three of the suspects claimed that they were deceived into the crime by one Ali who is currently at large as he earlier invited them to assist him with the sales of fire arms in his possession.

He said: “They were however apprehended on their way to deliver it to the buyer”.

The spokesman said, in their separate but similar confessional statements, they called on those with intention to indulge in the dastardly act to desist as they pleaded for mercy.

He added that a volunteer with the Nigerian Forest Security Services, Lar Changkur was arrested in Bauchi State over allegedly involvement in gunrunning.

He noted that the suspect equally called on those with such thoughts to desist forthwith while pleading for leniency.

Babawale said the CG’s SIS has also arrested a 62-year-old called Felix Clerkson for his involvement in job racketeering.

He noted that during preliminary Investigation, over 120 fake letters of appointment into the NSCDC. were recovered.

Clerkson, who was picked up at Nasarawa Eggon in Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa State following a tip off, admitted to have defrauded desperate and unsuspecting victims to the whopping sum of over N26 million.

Babawale said: “Our ongoing investigation however revealed that the suspect has swindled his victims to the tune of fifty-five million Naira (N55,000,000:00) part of which he shared with his accomplices currently at large but are being trailed by our men.

“All the suspects are to be charged to court on completion of investigation.

He noted that the CG SIS was established by the CG Audi-led administration and headed by Commandant Dandaura Appollos, the CG’s Special Intelligence Squad has so far made significant successes in the fight against oil theft by confronting illegal bunkering, power and telecommunication vandals, Railway vandals, kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements involved in nefarious acts across the federation.

NSCDC Arrests Four for Illegal Possession of Firearm, Gunrunning, Banditry, Job Racketeering

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