Nigeria Labour Congress Protests Union Bank of Nigeria's Anti-Labour Practices,While Shareholders File Suit Against the Executive Management

Many Employees of the  Union Bank of Nigeria are fed up with what they say are oppressive, anti-labour practices that treats them like slaves. The National Labour Congress (NLC) acted on this disenchantment by picketing and literally shutting down several branches of Union Bank of Nigeria.

Simultaneously,  Union Bank's shareholders are taking action  by filing a lawsuit against the Managing Director of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc,  Mrs Funke Osibodu. The shareholders allege that Mrs. Osibodu and her colleagues are engaged in corruption, using the bank's funding for their personal benefit to the shareholders and bank's detriment.

Unfortunately, the customers who have money in the Union Bank of Nigeria are unable to access their much needed money and caught in the middle of what could be an important turning point in workers' rights in Nigeria.

MANY customers of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, who thronged the branches of the bank on Wednesday to  transact business, were helpless as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) continued its picketing of the branches of the bank across the country.

The NLC took over all the branches and offices of Union Bank in Abuja on Wednesday, sealed them off, switched off their sources of power and chased out the few staff who were on duty.

As early as 8.00 a.m., officials of the NLC led their members in what the congress described as a final showdown and complete closure of the bank and instantly commenced the picketing from the bank’s headquarters in Area 3, Abuja.

African Film Festival in Boston

From February 1-29th the Museum of Fine Arts Boston will be hosting its 8th annual Boston African Film Festival. The festival will showcase 13 new releases from African Cinema and highlights from the the New York African Film Festival. Many genres of film will be displayed, including documentaries, dramas and short films. The thirteen films premiering in Boston are from several African nations like Zimbabwe and Cameroon.

Kicking off the film festival tomorrow is the screening of Franco Sacchi's "This is Nollywood." The film lets viewers in on Nigeria's booming film industry and how it'll effect the African culture and economy. Sacchi's film is gaining international momentum and has already picked up a few accolades. Most Nollywood films are done on a shoestring budget of $10,000 and shot in under 10 days. Here's the trailer from "This is Nollywood."

NIPRO's Global Top 40 Under 40 Nigerian Female Professionals

Ndidi O. Nwuneli, Founder/CEO, LEAP Africa


Lola Ogunnaike, Entertainment Reporter, CNN America


Funmi Iyanda, CEO (New Dawn) Queen Production


Nigerian Professionals Organization “NiPRO”, organized the "Global Top 40 Under 40 Nigerian Female Professionals" event scheduled for next month in Lagos. The finalists are an A-list of high profile Nigerian women.

Sponsored by Esso/Exxonmobil Nigeria, the Global Top 40 Event themed “Inspiring a New Generation of Female Leadership.” Seeking to empower a new generation of Nigerian women the event is also designed to recognize the achievements of Nigerian women, local and abroad who are excelling in their field and are contributing to the advancement of Nigeria.

Here are some of the finalists:

Ada Osakwe - Investment Officer, African Development Bank
Adefunke Adeyemi - Head, Legal & Company Secretary, Virgin Nigeria Airways
Amina Baloni - UNICEF Project Officer, United Nations
Asim-Ita Emilia - PR Director, RedSTRAT
Bola Atta - Editor, True Love (West Africa) Magazine
Bolanle Austen-Peters - Managing Director , Terra Kulture
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Award-winning Author, Half of a Yellow Sun
Dr. Kemi DaSilva-Ibru - Obstetrics/Gynecology, Lagos State Teaching Hospital
Eunice Omole - Managing Partner, New Frontiers Investment Management
Folake Ayoola Esq., Attorney, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Folake Folarin-Coker - Fashion Designer, Tiffany Amber Label
Funmi Iyanda - CEO (New Dawn) Queen Production
Hafsat Abiola Costello - Activist & Founder, Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND)
Joke Giwa - Regional Head Africa, MoneyGram
Kudi Igbene - Marketing Director, Virgin Atlantic
Lola Akinleye - Head, Corporate Finance, Zenith Capital
Lola Ogunnaike - Entertainment Reporter, CNN America
Ndidi O. Nwuneli - Founder/CEO, LEAP Africa
Stella Damasus - Actress, Nollywood
Titilayo Akinsanmi - Program Manager, Mindset - The Global Teenagers Project.

Ireland Elects 1st Black Mayor

Image: Niall Carson/AP

Congratulations Rotimi Adebari!!
Nigerian born Rotimi Adebari became the first black mayor of Ireland this summer. He will serve his year long term as mayor of Portlaoise, Ireland. Mr Adebari told the Irish Times he wanted to use his year as mayor to say to immigrants that Ireland is a "land of opportunities, and it is a country that is described as a place of a thousand welcomes".

Mr. Adebari, his wife and children fled to Ireland seven years ago to escape religious persecution in Nigeria. He has set up Optimum Point, a consultancy that trains companies and educational institutions in cross-cultural awareness and he has a Masters in Intercultural Studies from Dublin City University.

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