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http://ift.tt/2riJCfD Roli Seaboard Block<br />Source: Roli A U.K. startup is trying to tap your inner composer with a strange little black 12-key silicon keyboard that allows users to mimic the sound and playing style of almost any other instrument. The Seaboard Block, which launched Thursday, is the latest digital musical instrument from ROLI, a London-based company whose keyboards have become a must-have accessory for many professional musicians and producers, including rapper Rza, electronic musician Grimes and film composer A.R. Rahman. ROLI, whose previous products have been stocked in Apple Inc. stores, has raised $43.5 million in venture capital from a number of firms, including London’s Balderton Capital and BGF Ventures, Hong Kong’s Horizons Ventures, and Foundry Group, based in Boulder, Colorado. As with other Seaboard-branded instruments ROLI makes, the silicon keys on the Seaboard Block allow the player to bend pitch, modulate tone and produce effects lik...

http://ift.tt/2su7Q8t Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka Students lament closure, say it is undemocratic The University of Ibadan (UI) Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka, has given reasons for the closure of the institution. The VC, who stated that the management decided to shut down the school to protect the lives of the students, alleged that some forces on campus were using the students to disrupt the academic calendar. The VC, who spoke with The Guardian at the weekend, accused the student leaders of being rude and “having over-bloated image of themselves.”He said: “How do you describe a situation in which a 200-level student is asking the VC to come and apologise to him? Is it morally right for a student to be describing the VC as a disgrace? I was a student in this same university about 40 years ago. I still have some of my lecturers on the payroll of the university. I dare not disrespect them. In those days, you could not even look at an assistant lecturer eye-ball to eye-b...

http://ift.tt/2sG2u9r Femi Okunnu Although Nigeria has recorded some milestones in her democratic experience since 1999, providing affordable housing for the teeming population has continued to be a major challenge. In this interview with BERTRAM NWANNEKANMA, the former Federal Commissioner for Works and Housing, Femi Okunnu, gives an insight into on how the country can mitigate her housing challenge. He also dismisses the choice of May 29 as Democracy Day, insisting that October 1, 1960 remains “an important date in the nation’s history.” Excerpts: Nigerians recently marked the Democracy Day on May 29 amid several challenges, how do you rate our experience so far? The so-called democracy day is nothing to me. The important date in our history is the day Nigeria gained her independence from the British and that was October 1, 1960. That is what we should be celebrating every year. Should we be celebrating democracy day because former president Obasanjo became president on May 29,...

http://ift.tt/2oqmWfb Guaranty Trust Bank Plc Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTBank) has reiterated its commitment to the development of digital banking in Nigeria, as it unveiled the new phase of its global financial services. Besides, with the increasing number of phone users across the country and its cross border footprints, innovations that would accommodate both smartphones and non-smartphones transactions is necessary for its mobile banking products. The Managing Director of the bank, Segun Agbaje, gave the indications as he unveiled the latest mobile banking app that is designed to cater for all that is important to customers, with assurance of easy and seamless operations. The innovation, which has been described as a step ahead in digital banking is tagged, GTWorld, and is now available for download from the Google Playstore for Android phones and the Apple App Store for iPhone. According to him, the App is built on the back of the bank’s customer-centric digital strat...

http://ift.tt/2pN3Emx Prince Tony Momoh Defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) members from the southern part of the country yesterday tipped either Chief Tony Momoh or Buba Galadima, an engineer, as the next Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). The group also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to outrightly sack the suspended SGF, David Babachir Lawal, for having what it termed the “penchant for corruption” which is not in tandem with the agenda of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration. The group, in a statement signed by its national coordinator, Comrade Ikonomwan Francis, said that it behooves on President Buhari to right the wrong “created in the appointment he has been making so far by replacing the SGF with either Prince Tony Momoh or political workaholic Buba Galadima.” The statement read in part: “We core members of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the 17 southern states in Nigeria under the auspices of S...

http://ift.tt/2oO0Gwz The estate with about 54 serviced plots is zoned into five areas; detached zone, semi – detached zone, terraced zone, recreational and commercial zones with the mindset of achieving a certain level of uniformity and ambiance . Lagos-based private developer, Messrs Obika Realtors Limited has launched a site and services scheme in the Lekki-Epe corridor for the middle class and upwardly mobile professionals who desire to live in a serene environment. The 10 acre gated community, skillfully planned and laid out with dedicated areas for residential and recreational purposes, located at Eluju town ,Ibeju –Lekki  Local government area, has been christened Royal Residence. The estate with about 54 serviced plots is zoned into five areas; detached zone, semi – detached zone, terraced zone, recreational and commercial zones with the mindset of achieving a certain level of uniformity and ambiance . The Managing Director, Obika Realtors, Mrs. Ekamma Ufot said...

http://ift.tt/2oM5JgY Former Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has continued its chase for electoral presence in Southeast states, especially in Abia and Enugu. Although a wider electoral action is two years away, by November 18, this year, Anambra people would be going to the polls to elect a governor. Anambra has therefore become a litmus test for the success or otherwise of that endeavour.   Former Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, recently alluded to this when he explained the rationale for his defection. He said the technical death of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) makes APC the only viable option. “I didn’t leave the PDP because of any other reason, but because the party died.”    The immediate past Enugu chief executive noted that with two groups each “laying claims to the leadership so wrongly, so unconstitutional,” the party became non functional and therefore, technically dead. “The one by Ali Modu Sherif...

http://ift.tt/2p1qsNT Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode Lagos State! The Great Lagos of great mystery, myth and mirth! Lagos with the infinite capacity to suck, make and mar. So Lagos State is 50 this year. We salute Lagos State; we salute Lagosians too, particularly the aborigines. We salute them for their accommodating and warm spirit of welcome. Which other city is like Lagos in Nigeria? None; as far as I know. As we know, Lagos pre-dates Lagos State both in reputation and origins. Yet today, Lagos State is the womb and mother of the ancient Lagos. The young, now a surrogate mother to the ancient city of Eko! A poet-friend once used the metaphor of a fading beautiful whore to capture the life and times of our dear Lagos. I disagreed with him; and I still do. Lagos may house a legion of commercial sex workers (characteristic of mega-cities) yet it cannot be properly described as a rotten city. Besides, Lagos is not a city of past glory; it is a city of great potentials. If ...

http://ift.tt/2rg4VyM Odua Owner State Governors Meeting …dismisses allegations of malpractices The board and management of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, has dismissed allegations of violation of corporate governance levelled against it, noting that the group remains committed to the survival of the entity and enhancing investors’ return on investments.     According to the Chairman of the company’s board, Segun Ojo, the firm has been on the path of repositioning the conglomerate despite lingering economic challenges and has never violated corporate governance ethics as being alleged by a former director of the group.    Reacting to a publication in the media where the immediate past chairman of the company, Dr Isaac Akintade, whose nomination as a director was withdrawn by the Ondo State Government, Ojo said the allegations made in the publication are false and seek to discredit the company.    He said: “It is highly unfortunate th...

http://ift.tt/2pqeLBL Co-creator, Executive Producer & Actor Aziz Ansari speaks onstage during the Netflix Master Of None S2, Premiere NY Screening 2017 on May 11, 2017 in New York City. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Netflix/AFP Michael loccisano / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP Netflix boss Reed Hastings has hit out at the French cinema “establishment”, which he claims wants to block the streaming giant’s movies from the Cannes film festival. Hastings took to his personal Facebook account late Wednesday to claim that “the establishment is closing ranks against us”, after Cannes effectively slapped a ban on future Netflix-backed movies at the world’s leading film festival. The organisers said they were forced to change their rules after the streaming giant refused to screen its two films in the running for this year’s Palme d’Or top prize in French cinemas. “From now on every film wishing to be in competition at Cannes must be shown in French cinemas afterwards,”...

http://ift.tt/2qarsOa Shakira Shakira announced Thursday that she will release a new album later this month after the superstar sported a reggaeton sound on her first single. Shakira, one of the top-selling Latin artists of all time, told her nearly 45 million Twitter followers that her 11th studio album, “El Dorado,” will come out on May 26. The album’s title refers to the mythical city of riches which Spanish explorers sought in her native Colombia. The cover art of “El Dorado,” however, is somber with Shakira’s face peeking out of an off-white background. To preview the album, Shakira last year released the single “Chantaje,” which means “Blackmail,” a playful duet about temptation and desire with Colombian reggaeton singer Maluma. The video, in which the pink-haired Shakira and Maluma dance flirtatiously through a secret club hidden in an Indian grocery store, was the fastest Spanish-language piece to generate 100 million views on hosting site Vevo. Shakira last month...

http://ift.tt/2q58DNY The Managing Director, BKG Exhibitions Limited, Ifeanichukwu Agwu, stated that with conscious and developmental ‎efforts by managers of the Nigerian economy, geared towards oil palm production, huge amount of foreign exchange could be generated within the next three years. In line with government’s agricultural transformation drive and need to boost revenue, stakeholders in the oil palm production sector have stated that the country has over $45 billion yearly potential earnings untapped from the sector. ‎ To this end, fairs and exhibitions organising company , BKG Exhibitions Limited, has unveiled plans to explore opportunities in the sector by showcasing the sector’s investment potential to stakeholders. The Managing Director, BKG Exhibitions Limited, Ifeanichukwu Agwu, stated that with conscious and developmental ‎efforts by managers of the Nigerian economy, geared towards oil palm production, huge amount of foreign exchange could be generated within the...

http://ift.tt/2pqw7P7 I attended a panel discussion at the Lagos X Art fair, recently, and one of the artists expressed that being labelled female artist at various art exhibitions and showcases usually made people focus more on her gender and instead of focusing on the art itself. They would try and analyse her art through the lens of her gender and because of this the audience and potential critics failed to fully assess the art; thus, leaving her without the needed feedback to grow her craft as an artist. I found this other side of the coin pivotal – when a woman is acknowledged only for her gender presence and not her ability, it causes the same effect as if she were invisible all together, the merit is not acknowledged and the work does not stand a chance of advancing. When it comes to Nollywood, from the cast to the writers and directors, everything we are seeing as viewers is helping to shape our perception. In fact, everything on your screen, from the television program to t...