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AU, IDEA and INEC sign a MOU for the deployment of the Electoral Risk Management Tool in Nigeria
ABUJA – The African Union (AU), the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria, have on 3rd April 2014 formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the deployment and integration of the Electoral Risk Management (ERM) tool in the electoral process of Nigeria.
The ERM tool is designed to empower those who have immediate responsibility, or specific interest, to prevent and mitigate election-related violence, such as electoral management bodies, security sector agencies, civil society and other state and non-state actors.
Through this ERM tool project partnership, the three organizations have agreed to work together to improve the organizational capacity of INEC to address challenges relating to violence in the upcoming 2015 elections in Nigeria. The project will help INEC to identify the possible triggers for election-related violence before it occurs at different stages of the electoral cycle, assist in informed decision-making, and inform possible courses of action that may be appropriate in responding to identified threats.
Representing the African Union Commission in this important event were Dr. Khabele Matlosa, Director of Political Affairs, and Mr. Idrissa Kamara, Political Officer in the Department of Political Affairs. In his brief statement of mission, Dr. Matlosa noted the devastating effects of election-related violence on the continent and highlighted some of the efforts of the African Union Commission to address the phenomenon of election-related violence, including preventive diplomacy work of the Panel of the Wise and the long-term election observation methodology recently introduced in African Union election observation missions by the Democracy and Electoral Assistance Unit (DEAU) of the Department of Political Affairs.
He said understanding the risks of election-related violence, conflict and security challenges are an important part of supporting democracy and protecting the credibility of electoral process. He therefore called upon Nigeria, as a key member state of the African Union as well as Africa’s largest democracy, to effectively utilize to Tool to ensure peaceful and credible electoral outcome in 2015.
Also present at the signing ceremony was the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Nigeria, H.E. John C.M. Groffen, who pledged financial support to the joint AU-IDEA-INEC Electoral Risk Management Tool project implementation. The National Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, other Commissioners and officials represented INEC. Mr. Sead Alihodzic, Senior Programme Officer based in Stockholm, Sweden represented International IDEA.
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Music Icon Quincy Jones Passes Away At 91
Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer, composer, and cultural icon whose career spanned over seven decades, has passed away at the age of 91.
Jones died peacefully on Sunday night at his Bel Air home, surrounded by family, according to his publicist, Arnold Robinson.
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” his family said in a statement. “And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”
Renowned for his unmatched versatility, Jones collaborated with some of the greatest musical talents of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and Will Smith. He played an integral role in producing Jackson’s groundbreaking albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad, which catapulted the pop star to global superstardom and earned Jones worldwide acclaim.
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Born in Chicago in 1933, Jones’ journey into music began early. His childhood introduction came from a neighbor’s piano playing and his mother’s singing. After moving to Washington state following his parents’ divorce, he honed his skills in his high school band and began playing with a young Ray Charles in Seattle’s vibrant club scene.
Jones’ career took off in New York, where he played trumpet in Elvis Presley’s early TV performances and worked with bebop legends like Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. By 1958, he was working with Frank Sinatra, arranging for the singer’s band at the request of Princess Grace Kelly. Their partnership flourished, spanning several projects including Sinatra’s final album LA Is My Lady in 1984.
Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Jones’ talents extended into film and television scores, composing music for films such as The Italian Job, In the Heat of the Night, and the acclaimed The Color Purple, for which he earned three Oscar nominations. He also scored hit TV shows including The Bill Cosby Show and Roots.
In 1985, Jones produced and co-conducted the charity anthem “We Are the World” alongside Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, raising millions for Ethiopian famine relief. Despite personal and professional challenges—including surviving a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 1974—Jones’s career continued to thrive.
Jones’ influence wasn’t limited to music. In 1990, he founded Quincy Jones Entertainment, the company behind the popular sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which launched the career of Will Smith. His media ventures also included the creation of Qwest TV, an on-demand music streaming service, and the magazine Vibe, which celebrated Black music and culture.
Over his career, Jones earned 80 Grammy nominations, winning 28—making him one of the most decorated artists in the award’s history. Tributes poured in following news of his death. Actor Michael Caine, who shared Jones’ birthdate, called him “a wonderful and unique human being.” Music artists such as LL Cool J expressed gratitude, saying, “You were a father and example at a time when I truly needed one. Music would not be music without you.”
Jones is survived by his seven children, leaving behind an indelible legacy that will resonate through generations to come. His life’s work transformed music, television, and culture, proving that there truly was no limit to what Quincy Jones could accomplish.
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Prayers Won’t Build Roads, Fund Children’s Education – Jesse Jagz To Nigerians
Singer and rapper Jesse Jagz has called on Nigerians to rethink their approach to religion.
Jagz suggested that African traditional religious gods have become ineffective, attributing this to the excessive alcohol given to them during rituals, which, according to him, has made them obese, diabetic, and unable to aid their worshipers.
Speaking on the ‘Big Talk’ podcast, the rapper also criticized followers of foreign religions for relying solely on prayer and expecting miracles without putting in the necessary effort. He stressed that prayers alone cannot provide essential social services or infrastructure.
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“When you go to a shrine and you see the priest pouring gin on the gods, Google how much a bottle of gin was in slavery. 40 slaves.
“Our gods are drunk on alcohol and meat. They are obese and diabetic.
“They can’t help us do anything. Prayers do not build roads or buy books for children. We have forgotten humanity,” he said.
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Presidents Invite Me To Dinner Wherever I Go – Davido Boasts
Renowned Nigerian singer, David Adeleke, known by his stage name Davido, has stated that he receives special treatment globally due to his celebrity status.
The Afrobeats sensation mentioned that he is frequently invited to presidential dinners in nearly every country he visits, with the exception of the United States and the United Kingdom.
In a recent interview with Kiss Fresh London, Davido confidently shared that his fanbase includes influential figures such as the World Bank president, presidents of powerful nations, and other notable personalities.
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“Every country we go to, the President invites us for dinner except London [United Kingdom] and the United States of America.
“It’s beautiful to see. I mean, leaving my country, Nigeria, and people welcoming me like the president in other countries, shows how well Nigeria is doing around the world in terms of music and cultural impacts,” he said.
Davido has expressed that he feels most respected in Africa, which is why he cherishes his African tours more than those in Europe and America, even though the latter bring him greater financial rewards.
He shared that his Jamaican collaborator, YG Marley, was astonished by the immense admiration from fans when he visited Nigeria for the video shoot of their joint hit, ‘Awuke.’