FG, UN Roll Out 2025 SDGs Short Film Challenge to Empower Young Filmmakers
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The Federal Government of Nigeria and the United Nations have rolled out the third edition of the SDGs Short Film Challenge and Awards with the aim of empowering young Nigerian filmmakers to leverage the instrument of storytelling as a veritable platform for advocacy and sustainable development. It was launched on Wednesday at the UN House in Abuja, where the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, observed the strength of film as a vehicle of social transformation. She added that the 2025 edition will have more training programs, collaborations with the industry, and a three-day SDGs Film Festival to screen excellent entries. Highlighting Nollywood as a major economic engine, Orelope-Adefulire called on young Nigerians to tap into the job creation and social impact potential of the film industry. She also commended Nollywood icons for their support since the commencement of the challenge, noting that some have been appointed SDG Ambassadors for such efforts. Showing alarm at increasing representation of ritual murders, violence and adverse content in recent movies, she called on filmmakers to create stories about learning, work and goodness that can change the world. “Let us change our world through film,” she said. “Let’s mold out-of-school youth and make them realize that education and hard work are the sole instruments to eliminate poverty.” The UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, termed the challenge as greater than an event and referred to it as “a celebration of creativity and a rallying cry for sustainable development.” He also appreciated Nollywood as the largest storytelling industry in the world and appealed to young filmmakers to develop such essential issues as climate change, gender equality, and poverty through their movies. With the number of entries increasing from 73 in 2023 to 2,250 from 119 nations in 2024, the competition has attracted international attention. The competition in 2025 will give rising creatives mentorship, training, and exposure, placing film in an unheralded position as a driver for national development. UNFPA Deputy Representative, Francis Kuawu Koessan, challenged the contestants to seize the opportunity, exhorting them: “Nigeria needs your support. Don’t hold back. Just do it!” Applications are now online, and applicants must provide a 15-minute video presenting their most innovative ideas in solving the SDGs. August 21 to 23, 2025, will be the grand finale and award ceremony. Related Posts Tinubu Unveils Ambitious Economic Plan to Halve Inflation by 2025 President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has outlined an ambitious economic agenda aimed at reducing Nigeria’s inflation rate from the current 34.6% Read more Nigeria’s Path to Prosperity: Transforming Challenges Into Sustainable Success Over the past 14 years as the Founder of TEXEM, UK, and previously as a Director of Strategy in Cambridge, Read more Nigerian Equities Market Defies Economic Challenges, Posts Record N21.8 Trillion Gain in 2024 The Nigerian equities market demonstrated exceptional resilience in 2024, achieving a remarkable gain of N21.845 trillion despite economic headwinds such Read more 2024 Elections: A Mixed Bag of Milestones, Setbacks, and Electoral Integrity Challenges The year 2024 marked a significant milestone for Nigeria as it celebrated 25 years of uninterrupted democratic rule. The electoral Read more Olawale Moses OyewoleOlawale Moses Oyewole is an adept writer who stays on top of current events and curate informative and engaging articles for his readers. He is a digital strategist who help brands gain online visibility.
Verydarkman Slams Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for Taking Senate Suspension to UN
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Popular social media commentator Martins Otse, also known as Verydarkman (VDM), has reacted to the outrage over suspended Nigerian Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan‘s recent speech at the United Nations. Natasha has been at the center of online discussions after presenting her case to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) during a Women in Parliament session at the UN in New York. She reported her suspension from the Nigerian Senate and accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of injustice, including an alleged sexual assault—claims which Akpabio has denied. Responding to the viral clip of Natasha’s address, VDM commended her for speaking up but criticized her for taking the issue to the UN, an institution that does not have direct jurisdiction over the Nigerian Senate. “You are running after shadows. The UN you went to report to can do nothing,” he said in a video. VDM argued that Natasha is receiving poor advice and suggested that she should instead build a strong support system within Nigeria to fight against the injustices she claims to face. While some Nigerians praised Natasha for taking her fight to an international stage, others agreed with VDM, stating that she should have explored more effective legal and political avenues within Nigeria. He advised her in his video caption to “play the game” carefully, suggesting that she would be better served by politic maneuvers than by appealing for outside help. Related Posts Tinubu Unveils Ambitious Economic Plan to Halve Inflation by 2025 President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has outlined an ambitious economic agenda aimed at reducing Nigeria’s inflation rate from the current 34.6% Read more Nigeria’s Path to Prosperity: Transforming Challenges Into Sustainable Success Over the past 14 years as the Founder of TEXEM, UK, and previously as a Director of Strategy in Cambridge, Read more Nigeria and the British Monarchy: A Legacy of Visits and Diplomatic Ties Throughout history, Nigeria has enjoyed a unique relationship with the British Monarchy, marked by mutual visits that reflect shared historical, Read more Nigerian Equities Market Defies Economic Challenges, Posts Record N21.8 Trillion Gain in 2024 The Nigerian equities market demonstrated exceptional resilience in 2024, achieving a remarkable gain of N21.845 trillion despite economic headwinds such Read more Olawale Moses OyewoleOlawale Moses Oyewole is an adept writer who stays on top of current events and curate informative and engaging articles for his readers. He is a digital strategist who help brands gain online visibility.
UN Accuses Ousted Bangladesh Government of Systematic Killings and Human Rights Abuses
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The United Nations (UN) has accused Bangladesh’s former government, led by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, of orchestrating systematic attacks and killings of protesters in a bid to retain power last year. According to a UN report released on Wednesday, Hasina’s administration, along with violent elements of the Awami League party and the country’s security and intelligence forces, carried out a “widespread and systematic attack against protesters and other civilians.” The report alleges crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, unlawful imprisonment, and other inhumane acts. Hasina, 77, was toppled in a student-led revolution last August following a brutal crackdown on protests. She has since fled into exile in India and has refused to comply with an arrest warrant to face trial in Bangladesh for crimes against humanity. The UN rights office launched a fact-finding mission at the request of Bangladesh’s interim leader, Mohammed Yunus. The mission, comprising human rights investigators, a forensic physician, and a weapons expert, conducted more than 230 interviews with victims, witnesses, protest leaders, and rights defenders.They also reviewed medical reports, photos, videos, and other documents. The findings indicate that security forces backed Hasina’s government throughout the unrest, which initially began as protests against civil service job quotas but later escalated into mass calls for her resignation.In response, authorities resorted to increasingly violent means to suppress dissent. The report estimates that as many as 1,400 people were killed over 45 days, with thousands more injured. The vast majority of victims were shot by security forces, with children accounting for 12 to 13 percent of those killed.This toll significantly surpasses the interim government’s earlier estimate of 834 deaths. UN human rights chief Volker Türk condemned the “calculated and well-coordinated strategy” of the former government to retain power, stating that evidence points to hundreds of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, detentions, and torture, carried out with the knowledge and direction of senior political and security officials. The report also documented gender-based violence, including threats of rape aimed at deterring women from participating in protests. Additionally, it noted cases of lynchings and retaliatory violence against police and Awami League supporters. “The brutal response by the former government paints a disturbing picture of rampant state violence and targeted killings,” Türk said, calling for a comprehensive process of truth-telling, justice, and accountability to ensure such atrocities are never repeated. Related Posts Market offers rent-now, pay-later answer to tenants. Prospective renters in Nigeria can now breathe a sigh of relief as a rental solution that simplifies renting and facilitates Read more Rwanda retreat: Nigerian governments discuss complex issues. The Nigerian governors will attend and participate in a three-day leadership retreat in Kigali, Rwanda, designed to provide a platform Read more 8 Ways to Encourage Daily Walking Moving your body is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health, but you Read more Shaibu: I support Obaseki and seek governorship. Philip Shaibu, the deputy governor of Edo State, has pledged to remain loyal to Edo State’s governor, Godwin Obaseki, despite Read more Olawale Moses OyewoleOlawale Moses Oyewole is an adept writer who stays on top of current events and curate informative and engaging articles for his readers. He is a digital strategist who help brands gain online visibility.