Indian ace-producer and broadcaster, Deepak Jain, said while many film industries across the world largely depend on government support to survive, Indian film industry is driven by private sector initiatives. This means that the level of government involvement in the running of the industry is rather minimal. This model is recommendable for the Nigerian movie industry.

One of the events that helped to shape the Nigerian motion picture industry last year was the hosting of the ION International film festival, in the Garden City of Port-Harcourt last December. The travelling festival, sponsored by Zain Nigeria, stopped at nothing in putting the country on the world map of movies.

About 72 hours ago, radical Lagos lawyer, Mr Femi Falana introduced a new dimension into his legal quest to compel President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, hand over, willy-nilly, his presidential powers to his Vice, Jonathanm Goodluck, on account of his inability to discharge the functions of his office.

Nobody buys drinks for them. No man asks for a dance. Their clients are mainly young men of their age, or slightly older-20s-30s. They are casually dressed, in jeans, T-shirts and shirts flown out of their trousers. They sit, drinking their beers without female companies while the women stand away and look on.

The sounds of the Yuletide have now subsided, yielding place to the daily bustle in the pursuit of honest, and maybe not-so-honest, livelihood. So, Happy New Year, and welcome once again to the frenzy of making two ends meet. But, you will agree, it was good fun while it lasted.

VICE President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday convened a meeting over the state of the country’s economy which was attended by key players from both public and private sectors with the Organized Private Sector (OPS) well represented.
The meeting also deliberated on the massive lay-off of staff in the banking sector, and also discussed ways of addressing problems in the power sector.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, yesterday said Nigeria is not on the United States Terror Watch List but on the list of “countries of interest”.

The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, and the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka have condemned the United State’s action in blacklisting Nigeria as one of the terrorist countries, saying such action is irrational and lacks objectivity.

The Central Bank of Nigeria CBN yesterday said it has appointed 10 new executive directors for three of the eight banks it rescued last year.

Honourable Mrs Uche Ekwunife is a member of the Federal House of Repre sentatives representing Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia Federal Constituency of Anambra state. She is also the gubernatorial candidate of Progressive Grand Alliance , PPA, for the February 6, gubernatorial election in Anambra State.

Osun State Police Command has dismissed seven police officers of the command for allegedly committing professional misconduct.

The House also dismissed claims that the signature of President Umaru Yar’Adua assenting the 2009 Supplementary Bill into law last December was forged. The Green Chamber, said the signature has been confirmed as that of the President, with the original copy of the signed Act deposited with of the Supreme Court, Abuja.

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Salamatu Suleiman, has disclosed that the Federal Government, on behalf of women, will immortalize Mrs Maryam Babangida.

THE Action Congress (AC) in Edo state, yesterday, alleged plans by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to connive with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig the forthcoming Etsako Central House of Assembly re_run election scheduled for January 23, 2010.

The Federal Government will on Jan.11, pay N41 billion oil subsidy arrears owed major marketers for the second quarter of 2009.