The Lagos State has flag-off the graduate internship programme for unemployed youths in the state in a bid to give them opportunity to develop employability skills which are often vital in securing employment.
Speaking at the flag-off of the three-month programme at the Onikan Youth Centre, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria on Thursday, Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Babatunde Durosimi-Etti said the programme would catered for 2,000 in the four phases.
Under the first phase, he said the first 250 graduates would embark on paid internship to companies in partnership with the state government so that they could acquire the needed skills to make them employable or be self-employed at the end of the programme.
L-R: Dr. Yakub Bashorun, Permanent Secretary, Wealth Creation and Emplyment; Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Babatunde Durosimi-Etti and the Managing Director, Mac Tay Consulting, Elizabeth Rotimi during the flag-off of the internship programme on Thursday
Durosimi-Etti stated that the three-month paid internship scheme was designed to give candidates an opportunity to develop employability skills which were often vital in securing employment.
“At the end of the 3- month’s programme the interns would have gained valuable applied work experience, build up their professional network and would have been exposed to possible niche entrepreneurial opportunities and strengthened their professional’s skills and interpersonal relationships in structured setting,” he said.
He decried the rising wave of unemployment in the country as well as non-possession of employability skills by graduates, thus making them unfit for the labour market.
The commissioner added that 30 percent of knowledge acquired to be employable was through formal training while 70 percent was acquired through other forms of certifications,
“This is why the Lagos State Government deemed it fit to have programme like this for the youths to enable them acquire employable skills. The value chain process is that if you go out there and perform, the employer may retain you or you may want to be self-employed and the Employment Trust Fund is there to help you. Take advantage of this opportunity,” he said.
Permanent Secretary, Wealth Creation and Employment, Dr. Yakub Bashorun said the programme was a deliberate policy of the current administration to sharpen the skills of graduates through paid internship programme, saying that the selection process was seamless.
“We wrote over 300 firms in Lagos and some of them have given us number of spaces, the ball is in your court, don’t disappoint us,” he said.
Bashorun said the programme had four objectives, which included exposing the youths to a particular job or profession in the industry; improve on their network of contact; give them opportunity for possible placement in the company they undergo their internship and to strengthen their inter-personal skills and relationship.
The permanent secretary said at the end of the programme, the youths were expected to have garnered experience and build on their network, adding that for the three months duration of the programme, each youth would be paid by the government a stipend of N25,000 per month.
He said the employer might also want to offer them another stipends to complement what government would be paying them, saying that government would put machinery in motion to monitor the interns for the three months period.
Managing Director, Mac Tay Consulting, Elizabeth Rotimi, the company in partnership with the government in facilitating the training said the selection process was transparent.
She said the programme would enable the youths acquire employability skills that would help them in the future.
Veteran Nollywood actor Adebayo Salami, also known as Oga Bello, has been in the movie business for 50 years! To celebrate this achievement, the 72-year-old actor posted a black-and-white picture on Instagram with some of his fellow actors. He thanked God for his successful career and wonderful family. Oga Bello also said that even though actors might get tired sometimes, they never truly retire from their passion for acting.
He wrote, “With over 5 decades of committed practice in Nollywood, I am indeed most grateful to Almighty God for His unending blessings over my career and family. Actor only gets tired, actor does not retire. Get ready for what is coming soon.”
Adebayo Salami’s acting career started way back in 1964. He joined a group called Young Concert Party, led by Ojo Ladipo (Baba Mero). This group’s name changed a few times, from Ojo Ladipo Theatre Group to finally Awada Kerikeri Theatre Group. When Baba Mero passed away in 1978, Salami became the leader of the group. This put him in the spotlight and helped him get noticed.
Salami also made movie history. He appeared in the very first Yoruba film ever made, called “Ajani Ogun.” The lead role in that movie was played by Adeyemi Afolayan, the father of well-known actors Kunle Afolayan and Gabriel Afolayan.
In 1985, Salami didn’t just act, he also produced his first movie, “Ogun Ajaye,” with his Awada Kerikeri group. Since then, he’s become a well-rounded movie talent. He acts, directs, and produces movies all the time, making him a big player in the Yoruba film industry.
It seems acting talent runs in the family! Salami has two sons, Femi and Tope Adebayo, who have become successful actors and movie producers themselves.
Afrobeats singer Mayorkun has responded to claims made by social media influencer Nicki Dabarbie. She accused him and his colleague, Skiibii (Abbey Elias), of attempting to use her for a ritual.
On April 19, 2024, Nicki Dabarbie accused Mayorkun and Skiibii of plotting to use her for a ‘money ritual’. She supported her claims with pictures and videos describing the incident.
Mayorkun took to his X page to deny all the allegations. He stated that he had never met Nicki Dabarbie and was unaware of her existence before the allegations.
Mayorkun mentioned that he initially wanted to let the court handle the situation, but the spread of false information prompted him to speak out. He stressed that he did not know Dabarbie and warned fans about the dangers of cancellation culture and its potential harm to his life and career.
He wrote:
“You know, I was going to let this remain as a court case but when I checked the comments under some of the blogs where these ridiculous allegations were posted, I was quickly reminded of how gullible most people are on the internet and how they are ready to run along, spreading any negative news without any form of clarity.
“Just for the record, I never met that person on the said day, still never seen that person till this day, never knew about that person’s existence not until those allegations came up.. yet she claimed I put ‘something’ in her drink. A lot of people believed that story, and you think I’ll let this libelous claim fly? No!”
You know, I was going to let this remain as a court case but when I checked the comments under some of the blogs where these ridiculous allegations were posted, I was quickly reminded of how gullible most people are on the internet and how they are ready to run along, spreading…
“I wanna re-instate, I have never seen this person before, even as I am typing this! I still haven’t set my eyes on this person.. Like, what else can I say? How else can I prove this? There’s no need for me to ask for an apology where I won’t get any. I just needed to say this publicly and get it off my chest.. cos if it was a case of ‘cancellation’ as many people are quick to do, I for don go back to dey find work for bank.”
He stated that he would pursue additional charges against her, even though she is currently in prison on unrelated charges.
Earlier, Mayorkun had threatened to file a N1 billion lawsuit against Nicki Dabarbie.
Nigerian actor Yul Edochie is calling out Nollywood movies for a tired trope. He’s criticising films where Nigerian characters travel abroad and then act immature or foolish.
Edochie believes these portrayals are a bad look for Nigerians. He argues that Western movies typically show their characters going abroad and becoming more resourceful or successful. He wants Nollywood to showcase a more positive and realistic image of Nigerians on the global stage.
“We sell ourselves short with such storylines. Oyibo people will never make a movie where a white man is foolish on African soil. Instead, they’ll make the white man smarter than all the Africans in the movie,” the actor posted on Instagram on Thursday, May 16, 2024.
He added, “It’s intentional; they use movies to sell themselves as superheroes, while we use ours to run ourselves down.”
Edochie isn’t mincing words. Films like “Osuofia in London,” “Mr Ibu in London,” and “30 Days in Atlanta” are examples of what he’s criticising. These movies all follow the same pattern: Nigerians travelling abroad and then acting out of character.
Edochie is urging Nollywood filmmakers to move away from these stereotypes.
He wants them to portray Nigerian characters abroad in a more well-rounded way. He believes Nigerians can be shown as intelligent, resourceful, and successful on the international stage, not just goofy or immature.
“Let’s make movies where a Nigerian goes abroad and becomes the focal point for Oyibo people.
“He or she always walks with shoulders high, with so much pride and dignity, always on Nigerian wears, and teaches Oyibo people beautiful things they never knew about us.
“Offers traditional solutions to problems and becomes a leader over there.
“Let’s sell ourselves as superheroes as well,” he said.
Yul Edochie isn’t new to the Nollywood scene. He started his acting career in 2005, appearing alongside veterans like Justus Esiri and Enebeli Elebuwa in the movie “The Exquires.” His big break came in 2007 with a starring role alongside A-listers Genevieve Nnaji and Desmond Elliot in “Wind of Glory.”
Interestingly, acting runs in the family; Yul Edochie is the son of Nollywood legend Pete Edochie. He’s also passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience. In 2015, he even founded the Yul Edochie Film Academy in Lagos.