Bego calls for rejuvenated action in the information ministry

By: Yahaya Wakili

Yobe State Commissioner of Home Affairs, Information, and Culture, Hon. Abdullahi Bego, has said that the present administration of Governor Mai Mala Buni CON remained committed to rejuvenating the information sector, hence the need for the staff of the ministry to rededicate themselves to service for effective information dissemination as well as keeping people abreast of the government policies and programs.

Bego disclosed this when he visited the zonal office of the ministry in Potiskum, the headquarters of the Potiskum local government area.

While addressing the staff of the zonal office, the commissioner said he decided to visit the office with a view to interacting with them and assessing their condition of service as well as mode of operations for improvement.

He commended the staff of the zonal office for their resilience and perseverance despite challenges, assuring that the ministry will work towards addressing some of their challenges, adding that the visit has given him the opportunity to not only interact with the staff but to also understand their challenges for a way forward.

“His Excellency the Executive Governor of Yobe State, Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON Chiroman Gujba, is always ready to support us with a view to making the people of the state abreast of government policies and programs at all levels,” Bego said.

The commissioner assured that the ministry will continue to prioritize the training and retraining of the staff for efficient service delivery.

Earlier briefing the Commissioner, the zonal information officer, Malam Ishaku Mamman Gurara, described the visit as a clear indication of his passion and concern toward making information management effective across the state.

“The zonal information office Potiskum produced many information commissioners, most of whom are bona fide indigines of the town, but officially only two visited this office in 1994 and 1997, respectively, and that was Alhaji Dauda Fika and Alhaji Goni Fika, all of blessed memories.” Gurara added.

According to him, “since then, never at all has any commissioner visited us until your visit now, sir. Your visit, sir, has proven to us that we now have a strong and vibrant leader ready to regain and reinvigorate the lost glory of the office.

“Once more, honorable sir, we are sincerely speechless by seeing you, the permanent secretary as well as the Director of Information Service, in our midst just to interact with us and hear our problems with a view to solving them, he said.

The Commissioner was accompanied by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Mohammed Bala, and the Director of Information Services, Alhaji Ali Musa Yawale, and after interactions with the staff, the Commissioner took time to inspect the office structure, among others.

Bego calls for rejuvenated action in the information ministry

Korean Film Festival Returns to Nigeria After COVID-19 Break

By: Michael Mike

The Korean Embassy in Nigeria has commenced the Korean Film Festival in Nigeria after it went on break during the CIVID-19 pandemic.

The latest edition is the 12th Edition of the festival and was hosted at the Silverbird Cinema, in Abuja between 19th September to 21st September 2024 with several movies screened.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Korean ambassador to Nigeria, Kim Pankyu, expressed delight with the return of the festival after it was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

He said: “I have come to deeply feel that South Korea and Nigeria share a strong cultural affinity, especially in their love for music and dance.

“Due to this cultural affinity, various elements, such as fashion and cuisine, along with music, are resonating in Nigeria.

“Particularly, there has been a significant surge in the spread of dramas and films.”

He added that: “Along with the global hit ‘Squid Game’ in 2021, the most-watched drama series on Netflix Nigeria in 2022 was ‘Alchemy of souls’.

“Thus, I have come to realise the importance of introducing Korean films to Nigeria, one of the world’s top 3 film-producing countries.”

Also speaking at the event, the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Mr Obi Asika, said millions of Nigerians had fallen in love with K-pop [Korean music] and K-drama [Korean drama].

He said Nigeria would continue to learn from the Koreans to improve its entertainment industry.

Korean Film Festival Returns to Nigeria After COVID-19 Break

Nigeria-Malaysia bilateral trade hits $956m in 2023

By: Michael Mike

High Commissioner of Malaysia to Nigeria, Ambassador Aiyub Omar has said Nigeria-Malaysia bilateral trade is in the region of $956 million,

,Omar also said no fewer than 3,386 Nigerian students are currently pursuing higher education in Malaysian public and private institutions.

Omar said this at the weekend on the occasion of his country’s 67th Independence Day of Malaysia in Abuja.

He said Malaysia-Nigeria Diplomatic relations which will hit milestone of 60 years by 2025 is based on a mutual interest in the realms of politics, economics and social.

The envoy said: “Globally, Nigeria is Malaysia 37th trading partner. Total bilateral trade between Malaysia and Nigeria in 2023 was USD956 million (RM4.36 billion).

“For this year alone, our total bilateral trade until the month of July has been recorded at USD747 million. Nigeria is currently Malaysia’s 4th largest partner in Africa (after South Africa, Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire).”

He also disclosed that his country has been contributing to the Nigeria’s development under the framework of South-South Cooperation commitment by providing our technical assistance and expertise.

He added that: “Nigeria has been a recipient country of our Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) since 1981. Until today, 560 government officials from Nigeria have benefited in various technical courses that we offer namely trade, economy, construction skills, cyber security, environmental management, diplomacy, health, public administration, and education.

“I believe with plenty of opportunities, our bilateral relations will flourish.”

Omar said in the area of education: “There are currently about 3,386 Nigerian students pursuing higher education in Malaysia either in public and private institutions.”

He noted that Malaysia has continued to be one of the preferred destinations for Nigerian students to pursue their tertiary education.

Speaking on his country’s post independence journey, the Ambassador said it was ” a long and challenging one involving years of struggle and negotiations of political parties, which pushed for our self-governance. From humble beginnings, Malaysia has diversified its economy, harnessed its natural resources and achieved remarkable milestones.

“Since gaining independence in 1957, Malaysia has effectively shifted its economy away from its initial reliance on agriculture and commodities to evolve into a nation with robust manufacturing and service sectors, turning Malaysia into a major global player in the export of electrical appliances, parts and components.

“Based on a World Bank report, Malaysia stood out as a highly open economy, consistently maintaining a trade-to-GDP ratio exceeding 130% since 2010. Our economy too, has continuously experienced a positive trajectory, posting an average growth rate of 5.4% since 2010 and poised to complete its transformation from an upper middle-income economy to a high-income economy by this year withcurrent GDP per capita now stands at USD13,310 (current price).

” This economic performance is indeed characterised by our political stability and huge Foreign Direct Investment. In 2024, Malaysia has been ranked 19th wealthiest country in Asia alongside China and Singapore. The Global Peace Index (GPI) in 2024 has ranked Malaysia as 10th safest country in the world, a milestone achievement which is something we are really proud of as Malaysians, thanks to the able leadership of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.”

Nigeria-Malaysia bilateral trade hits $956m in 2023