General News
MTN Foundation Brings Soyinka’s Brain Child to Life in Death and the King’s Horseman
The famous Terra Kulture stage was lit bright yellow with MTN digital posters and banners as Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman was performed in eight performances over the course of four days in an elaborate celebration of Nigerian culture.
The Director of the play, Bolanle Austen-Peters put a spin on the story which included witty one-liners and pop culture references. The production featured several traditional dance numbers and musical performances woven brilliantly into the story.
The MTN Foundation’s support of the production is consistent with its goal to retell positive Nigerian and African stories, empower young skilled professionals and promote value creation through arts and culture.
Expressing strong belief in the success of the production in advancing these goals, the Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya, stated, “This production has no doubt advanced the discovery of our heritage.
“Many beautiful elements of our culture and art were put on full display for all to see and appreciate. I am also delighted to see many young people in the cast and crew of this production flexing their creative muscles.
“These are some of our objectives at the MTN Foundation. Seeing them take form in this absolutely stunning production is very rewarding.”
Iterating the importance of telling Nigerian stories while expressing her gratitude to the MTN Foundation for its unwavering support for the production, Bolanle Austen-Peters stated, “It’s a privilege for us to be able to tell our own stories.
“It’s also extremely expensive and if not for our sponsors, we wouldn’t be able to do it. I want to thank MTN for making this possible. Ugonwa Nwoye, Chief Customer Relations Officer and Odunayo Sanya, the Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation are here. Thank you so much.”
Acknowledging MTN’s invaluable contribution to the theatre industry, Moshood Fattah, who plays Olunde stated, “MTN has been a great supporter of the performing arts, perhaps more than any other company I know.
“Nigerian theatre suffered huge setbacks with COVID-19 and I’m really glad that MTN is helping the industry get back on its feet.”
The actor also weighed in on the value of the story in demystifying white supremacy and inspiring pride in the African culture. He stated, “Nigerians and by extension Africans have subconsciously come to see themselves as inferior to white people.
“Growing up, it used to make my stomach churn hearing black people speak so derogatively about themselves while exalting white culture as a standard. I still get ticked off by that behaviour and while Prof. Wole Soyinka pleaded for the play to not be seen as a clash of cultures, I’m inclined to disagree.
“My character Olunde literally demystified white supremacy in his scene! I just hope that the audience leave the performance feeling a lot less insecure and more confident in who they are.”
The entire performance was well received by the audience who cheered and applauded the performance. Speaking on the audience reaction, Sanya commented, “We are very happy to see the audience reactions.
“The joys, sadness, laughter, applause and overall connection to the story. The connections built in theatre is quite unlike other art forms. It’s immediate and palpable and we are very proud to be a part of preserving this amazing art form and creating platforms for the professionals in it. I congratulate the cast and crew on an absolutely sublime production.”
Also lauding the crew for its performance, Austen-Peters stated, “To this, we had to understand each line of poetry because every single line in the play was written in poetry. The cast did a phenomenal job in learning all the lines and delivering them with skill and grace. they articulated the story without losing the poetic and delicate artistic essence.”
General News
PalmPay Supports Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre 2025 Cybersecurity Awareness Walk
PalmPay, a Nigerian leading digital banking platform, supported the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) during its Cybersecurity Awareness Walk held in Abuja as part of activities marking the 2025 Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
Themed “Secure Our World,” the event brought together key stakeholders from law enforcement, regulatory bodies, and the private sector to promote public awareness on cybersecurity, financial fraud prevention, and safe online practices.
PalmPay joined other participants in advocating for stronger public vigilance and safer digital engagement, reaffirming its commitment to supporting national efforts that enhance cybersecurity and consumer protection.
Speaking during the event, PalmPay’s Managing Director, Mr Chika Reginald Nwosu, commended the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) for its efforts in combating cybercrime and protecting consumers. He emphasised the need for continued collaboration across sectors to build a safe and secure payment ecosystem for all Nigerians.
“We commend the NPF-NCCC for its proactive leadership in driving cybersecurity awareness,” said Nwosu. “At PalmPay, we are committed to supporting initiatives that promote digital safety and foster trust in Nigeria’s growing digital economy.”
At the event, PalmPay was commended for its outstanding efforts in strengthening regulatory engagement and advancing consumer protection initiatives across the fintech industry.
The partnership underscores PalmPay’s ongoing commitment to promoting cybersecurity awareness, consumer protection, and fraud prevention as part of its mission to create a safer digital financial ecosystem in Nigeria.
PalmPay is a leading digital banking platform driving financial inclusion and economic empowerment in underserved emerging markets. Through its secure, user-friendly, and inclusive suite of financial services, PalmPay empowers individuals and businesses with tools to manage and grow their money.
PalmPay offers a comprehensive range of products, including mobile payments, savings, and micro-insurance via its app and mobile money agent network.
Fidelity Bank Plc has congratulated Air Peace on the successful launch of its maiden direct flight from Lagos to London Heathrow, describing the milestone as a significant achievement for Nigeria’s aviation sector and a testament to the power of indigenous partnerships.
The commendation was delivered by Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, managing director of Fidelity Bank, during a special event held in Lagos to celebrate the airline’s expansion into the European market.
“This is not just a win for Air Peace, but a win for Nigeria,” Onyeali-Ikpe said. “It reflects the strength of home-grown businesses and the impact of strategic financial support in enabling national champions to thrive on the global stage.”
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports that Fidelity Bank has played a pivotal role in Air Peace’s growth, providing early financial backing and advisory services that helped the airline become the largest carrier in West Africa. The bank continues to support Air Peace through payment processing and other financial services
The launch of the London route marks a new chapter for Air Peace, which now joins a select group of African airlines operating direct flights to Heathrow.
The development is expected to boost tourism, trade, and connectivity between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
Speaking at the event, Allen Onyema, Chairman of Air Peace, expressed gratitude to Fidelity Bank for its unwavering support and reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to excellence and service.
“This partnership has been instrumental in our journey,” Onyema said. “We are proud to fly the Nigerian flag across international skies.”
Industry stakeholders present at the event praised the collaboration between the two companies as a model for sustainable business growth and national development.
Canal+, French media giant, is reportedly eyeing the full takeover of Showmax, the African streaming platform jointly owned with MultiChoice Group.
This followed its recent push to expand across the continent’s digital entertainment market.
The move comes after Canal+ completed its acquisition of MultiChoice to strengthening its hold on Africa’s pay-TV and streaming ecosystem.
With Showmax being a key growth asset under the partnership, industry analysts say a full takeover could give Canal+ end-to-end control of content production, distribution, and subscription revenue in multiple markets.
The acquisition would also align with Canal+’s broader strategy to rival global streaming giants such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video by leveraging African content demand and localized storytelling.
According to RipplesNigeria, Ayo Balogun, Media and Telecoms Analyst, CardinalStone Partners, while reacting to the move, said: “Canal+’s full acquisition of Showmax would mark a decisive step in consolidating Africa’s digital media value chain.
“With MultiChoice now under its control, Canal+ can fully integrate content, distribution, and streaming into a single monetizable ecosystem—something we’ve not seen before on this scale in Africa.”
Thandiwe Mokoena, Senior Media Strategist, Johannesburg, added: “This move gives Canal+ strategic dominance in both the pay-TV and OTT spaces. It positions them not only as a regional player but also as a continental gatekeeper for premium African content. The competitive pressure on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in Africa will rise sharply if this takeover goes through.”
Financial markets are closely watching how the potential consolidation could reshape Africa’s media landscape, particularly in terms of valuation, competition law, and licensing rights.
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