June 28, 2022

Audiomack Signs Licensing Agreement with Universal Music Group to Expand Global Footprint in Africa

Audiomack Signs Licensing Agreement with Universal Music Group to Expand Global Footprint in Africa

Audiomack, the artist-first music streaming and discovery platform, and Universal Music Group (UMG), the world-leader in music-based entertainment,  announced a new licensing agreement to make UMG content available to Audiomack subscribers across Africa, the United Kingdom and Canada. This expands on a previously signed licensing agreement between Audiomack and UMG for the U.S.



With this new expansive agreement, a curated selection of UMG content is now available for Audiomack users in 16 African countries (Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe), as well as the U.K. and Canada. UMG will also provide Audiomack a full catalog offering for its premium subscribers in Africa.


The Co-Founder, Audiomack, Dave Macli, said: “Millions of listeners across Africa, the UK, and Canada use Audiomack every day. Our expanded partnership with UMG helps artists in these regions better connect with their local fans and helps artists around the globe tap into a new audience of discovery-focused music fans.”


The CEO, Universal Music South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, Sipho Dlamini, noted, “We are excited for more fans across Africa and beyond to have greater access to some of Africa’s most exciting musical talent, as well as UMG’s unrivalled catalog of international superstars and releases. We welcome Audiomack as a partner and look forward to working with them to help strengthen the entire streaming ecosystem in Africa.”


The Managing Director, Universal Music Africa, Frank Kacou, stated, “Working with Audiomack will enable our artists from across the continent to reach wider across both French-speaking Africa and beyond, as well as to build their audiences across Canada, the UK and US. We are excited for the future development of streaming across the continent and to finding great new ways to collaborate together with the team at Audiomack.”

[GIST] UPDATE: Nigerian Soldiers Begin Search For Divisional Police Officer Abducted By Terrorists In Kaduna

[GIST] UPDATE: Nigerian Soldiers Begin Search For Divisional Police Officer Abducted By Terrorists In Kaduna

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Troops of the Nigerian Army have launched a search-and-rescue mission for a Divisional Police Officer, Gyadi Gyadi, in Pambegua, Kubau Local Government Area of Kaduna State, who was abducted by terrorists.

SaharaReporters had reported that the Chief Superintendent of Police was kidnapped on Monday morning along Kaduna-Birnin Gwari Road.

He was said to have run into the gunmen in a community “called Korna Ruwa and was whisked away to an unknown location.”

Military sources on Monday night told SaharaReporters that soldiers were combing the area and would leave no stone unturned to rescue the senior police officer.

“Our guys are in the bush now looking to see maybe he can be rescued. We got a distress call that a man going to Birnin Gwari was abducted by gunmen, it was when we arrived at where his car was parked that we realised he is a senior police officer,” a top army officer told SaharaReporters.

Gyadi’s abduction comes a few days after the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Nasarawa Eggon Local Government of Nasarawa State, CSP Haruna Abdulmalik, was abducted by terrorists.

In recent months, Kaduna has witnessed a spate of violent attacks which has led to killings and abduction of residents.

On March 28, a Kaduna-bound train was attacked by gunmen, which led to the death of eight people and the abduction of several others.

Some of the abducted people are currently in the custody of the gunmen.

Days after the train attack, 11 soldiers were killed in an attack by gunmen on a military base in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State.

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[GIST] Sterling Bank Worker Allegedly Flees In Delta After Using Several Customers’ Savings For 'Business'

[GIST] Sterling Bank Worker Allegedly Flees In Delta After Using Several Customers’ Savings For 'Business'

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The police in Delta State are investigating a staff of Sterling bank Effurun branch, identified as Mrs. Favour Fame-Eruagbere, who allegedly defrauded customers of the bank of the sum of N300million.

The female bank worker was said to have approached some account owners to grant her permission to be using their money for business, while she would be giving the customer a certain percentage every month.

It was discovered last week by one of the customers, that the woman stopped coming to work and an attempt to reach her on phone was not successful as her lines were switched off.

On getting to her house around Living Faith Church at water resources, Effurun, where she lived, it was alleged that she had also absconded.

One of the bank workers and Favour’s colleagues, who spoke with SaharaReporters, said the female banker did business with customers' money with their consent.

"The whole thing backfired when many people she gave money to, refused to pay back. I think the lady didn't run away with the money, but she is only being owed by those she gave the money to.

"She is nowhere to be find, nobody knows her whereabouts, whether she has travelled out, dead or still alive.

"In fact, the office is in crisis, as many people might be sanctioned because of the issue especially the operators who carried out the transactions for her," the source said.

SaharaReporters learnt that the police operatives at the 'A' division in Warri were the ones investigating the matter, and the husband of the banker had been invited for questioning.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in the State, DSP Bright Edafe confirmed the incident.

The Police spokesman said the suspect had not been declared wanted, because there was a process for declaring someone wanted.

"Investigation is ongoing," he said.

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[GIST] Fulani Herdsmen Kill Three Residents, Kidnap Two Others In Enugu Community After Police Commissioner, Army Chief Visited, Made ‘Empty Promises’

[GIST] Fulani Herdsmen Kill Three Residents, Kidnap Two Others In Enugu Community After Police Commissioner, Army Chief Visited, Made ‘Empty Promises’

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Displaced residents of Ogbete-Mgbuji Community in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State have raised the alarm that Fulani militia continued to unleash terror on the community despite promises from the heads of security agencies in the state.
The residents told SaharaReporters that barely 11 days after the Commissioner of Police, alongside other heads of security agencies visited the community, three more people were killed while two others were kidnapped for ransom.

Lamenting that the Fulani militias had made life miserable for them, the residents, noted that they had been denied access to their farms, even to harvest their cassava and other crops.

SaharaReporters had reported that Fulani herdsmen had been invading the community since late last year, killing people and kidnapping for ransom.
Early this month, the bandits killed no fewer than eight residents in their houses, burnt hundreds of houses and sacked 14 farm settlements with over 3000 inhabitants who are now displaced.
Following SaharaReporters’ stories, the heads of security agencies in the state had on Friday, June 17, 2022 visited the troubled community where they promised to provide adequate security for them having had firsthand information about the situation.
However, 11 days after security was promised to the troubled community, herdsmen were still having a field day with their terror attacks.
The spokesman of the community, Elder Kingly Ogenyi, told SaharaReporters on Monday that since the visit of the security Chiefs, three more people had been killed while two were kidnapped which the community paid millions to secure their release.
Ogenyi said, "On Friday, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Abubakar Lawal, alongside the State Director, Department of State Services (DSS), H. M. Daluwa; the Commander, 82 Division Garrison Command of the Nigerian Army Enugu, Brig. Gen. M. K. Ibrahim; Commander, 553 Services Base Group of the Nigerian Air Force Enugu, Air Commodore I. A. Taiwo, and other Senior Police Officers visited our community.
"While addressing our community the Police Commissioner, told our people that they (security agencies) now understood the situation and they were going to take action immediately. That the governor had given them a matching order to bring everything they have to make sure the killings stopped.
"He promised that they are going to bring their men and equipment the following day being Saturday, 18th of June, 2022. That they are going to mount checkpoints in the settlements. That they are going to bring machines to monitor all the settlements to ensure that nothing happened again, that the end had come.
"Regrettably, as I am talking to you nothing has happened. No single security personnel in our community. As I am talking to no single person living in the settlements, they have abandoned everything including food, no chance to harvest cassava; let alone cultivating new crops."
"The security chiefs just came for show. About two days after their visit, they (Fulani militias) kidnapped people which we paid ransom before they were released. The worst is that nobody goes to the settlement again to farm or even harvest cassava. The displaced people are selling their clothes to eat. There was no form of assistance from anywhere. The situation of our people is terrible."

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[GIST] Nigerian Cadets Sent To Philippines For Training Write NIMASA, Lament Poor Accommodation, Financial Challenges Due To Rising Inflation In Asian Country

[GIST] Nigerian Cadets Sent To Philippines For Training Write NIMASA, Lament Poor Accommodation, Financial Challenges Due To Rising Inflation In Asian Country

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Some cadets of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) have written to the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to solicit financial assistance amid the economic challenges in the Philippines, where they have been mobilised for training.

In the letter obtained by SaharaReporters, the cadets under the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the LERUS Maritime Academy Ukraine said they arrived in the Philippines in batches on April 11, 2022 and May 15, 2022, respectively for training and courses towards achieving the career's licensed certificate of competence (COC).

They lamented the lack of proper accommodation noting that the rooms are congested with no study facility which makes it difficult to partake in online classes.

They further lamented challenges with regards to finance, procuring their visas and registration of more courses to be able to compete globally.

The letter addressed to the Director-General of NIMASA reads, “Greetings from the NIMASA-NSDP Cadets under the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the LERUS Maritime Academy Ukraine, we arrived in two batches to the Philippines on 11th April 2022 and May 15th 2022 for our training and courses towards achieving the career's licensed certificate of competence (COC) which will help us to properly navigate into the chosen professions as qualified international seafarers.

“We humbly wish to inform you that we arrived safely and have started our training and also bring to your notice, some pressing issues which ordinarily we as cadets, cannot afford in a highly inflated economy currently in the Philippines.

“Therefore, we urgently appeal to you to come to our aid as our sponsors and principal. Below are the respective issues we are currently facing:

“1. Accommodation: It is very important to be in a conducive environment where one can be able to concentrate and focus in whatsoever he wants to achieve especially when it's academics, but our current condition and situation right now is a mere bed space.

“We neither study well nor focus where we are currently staying simply because it's not suitable for studies especially, our keen interests to fly a green color in the coming examination.

“The rooms are overcrowded, packed tight and congested; our luggage cannot be arranged as there are no spaces, no wardrobe, no study facility like, chairs, table etc making online classes difficult, we cannot properly arrange things leading to unnecessary fatigue and mental stress which may further affect our upcoming COC license exams.

“Sir, with due regards, we don't want to cause any misunderstanding between the LERUS or the dormitory managements or the NIMASA, but we plead that this place can serve as transition accommodation for one month as it is not convenient to stay here for the whole of six months as there are more affordable and more convenient dorms we can get if the same accommodation fund is given to us as in the first group of cadets lest we become affected mentally. Hence we are appealing to you as our sponsor to intervene.

“2. Finance: The Lerus management disbursed eight hundred and sixty four ($864) dollar to the first four cadets, and one thousand one hundred and four ($1,104) dollars to seventeen cadets each of this batch which he termed as feeding allowance to last us for 72 days for the first four cadets, and 90 days for the seventeen cadets respectively.

“Sir, we wish to inform you that we catered for all visa and travelling logistics such as visa fee, health insurance, PCR test, police character certificate, transportation and accommodation while processing our visa, transport from the airport to accommodation, quarantined expenses of the first four cadets upon our arrival to the Philippines, when we arrived in the Philippines, we had to hire buses that conveyed us to the dormitory.

“This took a lot from us that we had to even use part of the said feeding stipend, we tried to cut cost by cooking but have to eat outside the dormitory because we were asked to pay one thousand pesos each for a cooking ration before we could use the cooking facilities in the designated place of the dormitory, we transport to and from our training centers during some class days and practical, we have to subscribe at least five/six dollars($5/6) daily to the internet to enhance and access our online classes as the dormitory WiFi is unreliable, all these modalities are from the above feeding stipends from the Lerus management.

“3. Maritime Courses: the Lerus management only registered four courses which are; Basic safety training (mandatory courses), Advanced fire fighting ( AFF), Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boat (PSCRB) and Medical First Aid(MEFA) which may qualify us to participate in the forthcoming license examination.

“But we have learned that we still have mandatory courses and training which are the requirements  to qualify us to be issued the Certificate of Competency (COC) such as the Global Maritime Distress and Safety Signals, (GMDSS/GOC) Engine-room Resource Management (ERM), Bridge Resource Management (BRM), Electronic Chart Display System(ECDIS), Dynamic position (DP) High voltage and Hydrogen sulfide (H2S).

“We also wish to arrange for ourselves other courses which will also help to propel us farther and be marketable in the competitive global profession,

“Visa: Another major factor is that of our visas, the duration of our courses and training towards achieving the COC is approximately five/six months, but currently, our visa reads fifty nine days.

“The visa of the first four cadets who arrived earlier will be expiring by June 9th 2022, and that of the second batch will be on or before the end of  July 2022.

“We have to ensure we apply for visa extension before the period elapses and things become worse, which will cost us financial penalty if we fail to renew on time meanwhile, the Lerus management has refused to take up the responsibility for the renewal of the visas, which means we will have to do it by ourselves.

“With these, we hereby request that: 1) We will stay here for one month and then money for accommodation for other months be given to us to get convenient and affordable place.

“2) We suggest that, the Lerus Batch four cadets or subsequent batches should use this same dormitory as transition and familiarization center for one month until any upfront payment finishes if already paid for.

”3) We will unforgettably appreciate if NIMASA as our sponsor really considers these and helps with something tangible in addition to the already promised allowance for us.

"Upon estimation, we realised that it will cost between the sum of $6,000 to $6,500 to be able to actualise all these especially knowing that the maritime courses are cheaper in the Philippines than any other place in the world.

"We would humbly be grateful if our request can be kindly considered as we look forward to hearing a favorable response from you."

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[GIST] PDP Party Abandoned Me In Hospital After Assassins Shot, Made Me Bedridden – Enugu House Of Assembly Aspirant Laments

[GIST] PDP Party Abandoned Me In Hospital After Assassins Shot, Made Me Bedridden – Enugu House Of Assembly Aspirant Laments

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A former aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in the May 24, 2022 House of Assembly primaries in Enugu State, Mr Akaolisa Ogbe, has narrated how he survived an assassination attempt on his life by suspected political rivals.

Ogbe, who battled for his life for 38 days in the hospital, had bought forms to contest the ticket of the party for the Enugu South Rural State Constituency but he didn’t participate in the exercise because of his situation.

He regretted that not even the party he sought its platform to represent his people cared or asked about him.

He told Signature TV that only the grace of God saved him from the assassin’s bullets and the experience would be permanently engraved in his life.

The aspirant from Amechi Awkunawnaw in Enugu South Local Government Area of the state, said that the incident occurred on April 16, 2022, during one of his routine ward visitations.

According to him, he had completed the visitation of nine wards in his constituency and proceeded to purchase fuel in one of the petrol stations in the area.

“I was attacked while buying fuel in Amechi. It was a calculated assassination attempt but to the glory of God, I escaped with gun wounds and gunshots pelted all over my car.

“I was bleeding profusely but managed to drive to a military checkpoint. By the time I got there, I was already weak and had to stop.

“The military men took me to Niger Foundation Hospital, Enugu, where I had the first surgery to stop the bleeding,” he said.

While in the hospital, Ogbe said he underwent several surgeries due to the seriousness of the injuries he sustained from the gunshots.

He, however, said that it was sad that in spite of the deadly attack on him, the leadership of the PDP in the state had not shown any form of concern over the incident.

“My annoyance is that I spent more than 38 days in the hospital and the party did not care about me, their aspirant.

“If the party could treat me like this, what more the common man? I could not participate in the primaries because I was on hospital admission,” he said.

Ogbe said that in spite of the disappointing treatment he got from the party, “I still remain a member of the PDP and will work for the success of the party in the 2023 general elections.”

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[GIST] How High Costs Of Nomination Forms Exclude Women, People With Disabilities From Contesting Elections In Nigeria

[GIST] How High Costs Of Nomination Forms Exclude Women, People With Disabilities From Contesting Elections In Nigeria

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Accountability Lab, a global trans-local network championing good governance in countries, has said the high costs of nomination forms by political parties have continued to discourage women and people with disabilities from participating in the electoral process in Nigeria.
In a statement sent to SaharaReporters on Monday by Kibo Ngowi, its global marketing and communications officer, the group listed measures it is putting in place to protect the civic rights of people across several African countries including Nigeria.

According to the statement, "much remains to be done at the level of protecting civic space in Liberia, Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Niger and West Africa as a whole."

The group said in Nigeria, it is fighting for greater electoral inclusion to encourage women and people with disabilities to participate more in governance.
The group said Nigeria ranks among the worst countries on the 2021 World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report.
The statement reads, "In January 2021, just 10.3% of ministerial positions were held by women in (three out of 29) and just 5.8% of parliamentary seats were held by women- thus ranking Nigeria 149th (out of 155 countries) on political empowerment on the 2021 World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report.
"A lack of equal representation in decision-making structures is a common problem throughout West Africa and the global south for various reasons, but AL Nigeria has identified one crucial reason this status quo remains entrenched in Africa’s most populous country.
"The high cost of obtaining party nomination forms keeps underrepresented groups such as women, youth and people with disabilities from contesting elections. The AL Nigeria team’s Gov-Her-Nance program is aimed at promoting women’s civic participation and inclusive gender-sensitive policy-making at both local and national levels.
"As part of this programme, the team hosted a series of radio programmes where members of the public shared their perspectives on what can be done to achieve greater levels of inclusion.
"One of the most interesting pieces of feedback from these engagements was the insight that many of the policies hindering the representation and participation of marginalised groups in the Nigerian governance structures have been instituted by political parties.
"Recently, some political parties have set the price of their nomination forms for the upcoming 2023 elections at millions of naira, politically excluding thousands of Nigerian citizens.
"In a similar vein, the Nigerian Senate approved an increase in election campaign spending across the board - up to 400% in some cases - allowing spending of up to 5 billion naira for presidential candidates and 1 billion naira for Governorship aspirants.
"This systemically casts women, youths and PWDs, who are already at a financially disadvantaged position, further from representation and participation in decision-making processes. One of the solutions suggested was the formation of political pressure groups by marginalized citizens to make their voices heard."
Explaining how the group is trying to bridge the gap, Prince Chiramoke, AL Nigeria communications Officer, said, “From the communications end, we are developing content around the forthcoming elections for our social media platforms to inspire citizens to get their Permanent Voters Card, vote for a credible candidate, “vote not fight” and “don't sell your vote” among other election themes.
“Beyond this, we are working with Well-Versed to begin a monthly music challenge to get young music artists to develop music around election themes and support the winners to come into the studio to produce the selected song for the month. The produced songs will be shared online on music streaming platforms and with some of our radio partners.”
Shiiwua Mnenga, AL Nigeria Project Officer, added, “We are currently running a project which focuses on inclusion and gender and we have been having sessions on access to public buildings by PWDs in line with the provisions of the Prohibition Against Persons with Disabilities Act in Nigeria. We have also been supporting the passage of the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill before the National Assembly.”
AL said other of its activities outside Nigeria include galvanising youth to advocate for peace in Liberia, advocating for the inclusion of women in decision-making processes in Guinea-Bissau, strengthening trust between citizens and local authorities in Mali, and using the courts to hold power holders to account in Niger Republic.
 

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