NIGERIANS FLAY MTN FOR EXTENDING XENOPHOBIC WAR TO NIGERIAN BUSINESS

Have you by any chance tried to call the MTN network from a Glo line of late? While some are lucky to get through at the first attempt, others try up to five or six times or more before getting through! And for us, that's a big shame! We had thought that maybe it might just be us alone experiencing such an issue and so we asked few friends, in fact we had put the issue to the general public on Facebook, which is one of the best ways to quickly feel the pulse of the general populace over an issue.

And then the answers we got showed that it was in fact a  highly irritating and annoying issue, that had affected many who use Glo lines and who had tried time and time again to place calls to those using MTN lines. The annoying rhetoric sometimes was "unfortunately the call cannot be connected at this time. We regret the inconvenience. Please contact your provider"

And so we began to wonder at what was going on? Could this in fact be a case of deliberate sabotage' on the part of MTN? And if that be the case to what purpose is this sabotage? What could they hope or are they hoping to gain from such a despicable practice?

Who could be so desperate to want to sabotage the effort of the only Nigerian, wholly owned Telco brand Glo? Thank God for Glo in Nigeria, we knew how totally expensive it was to make calls and do data before, but the minute the Nigerian brand came on board and allowed the best international practice to prevail in the sector, making the customer king, by offering "per second billing" as a norm, which the other Telco brands had tried to pass off as something impossible. That really opened up the market and showed to the world, those who truly cared about the hearts of the Nigerian people. It wasn't just going to be business and profit making alone. It now became the battle to serve Nigerians with the best of services they needed and wanted.

With the kind of infrastructure that Glo has invested in the country so as  to make sure that Nigerians can get the best of the type of services they get anywhere else in the world, it would be a shame if another brand in that same sector would try to sabotage their efforts or would be allowed to do so at all. 

What's the issue at hand, if we may even ask? Or has this become the extension of the persistent 'XENOPHOBIC attacks' against Nigerians in South Africa to the business sector?

Why are they doing it to the same Glo that helped to bring the price of voice calls  down and helped to drastically reduce the cost of data, thereby giving Nigerians the opportunity  to enjoy low tariffs on voice calls and data? Can outsiders love us Nigerians as much as we love ourselves? That's the question we need to ask ourselves and quickly too at that. MTN must be called to order immediately to stop this unnecessary attack, as Nigerians would not take it lightly again with them.

You cannot be shortchanging a country that has been so nice to you. If not for this same Nigerian market that you are treating anyhow, it could have been impossible to declare the kind of humongous and extraordinary profit of the last several years that you have declared consistently. So what we are only asking you for, is to allow a level playing ground and also give us fantastic services commensurate to the love we have shown to you. And also please, and we say it again, please leave our national brand-Glo alone for us !

BULL'S EYE-BY JOSEPH EDGAR- SAKA, MTNETISALAT & PORTABILITY WAHALA!!!

It's another bomb from our regular columnist-Joseph Edgar. It's his own view on things generally and he is most definitely entitled to it. Please read and enjoy!

 I heard all the stories about the 'great' MTN coup, how they snatched Saka from Etisalat and how beautiful the advert was. Well me I do not watch NTA again so I did not come about the advert early enough. When I eventually came about the advert, my disappointment was palpable.

What hit me was an ugly looking Saka jumping up and about on a well lit stage, mouthing lyrics that were barely up to the standard of a nursery school child about his porting or what are they calling it. The lyrics were at best pedestrian, the costuming was banal, the dancing comic and in all, the advert was passable.

I did not and still do not understand the hullabaloo following the advert release. If I were the managers of Etisalat, I would say good riddance. This is not to say that Saka is not good at what he does, he is extremely brilliant at making a fool of himself in the name of comedy. This time he has carried his craft to a wider audience, which in itself is good for him but for the brand, he represents I would not know.

The porting thing sef, I hear is too much hassle. I would loose all my contacts, not have access to my phone for 48 hours and would not be able to change networks for another 90 days. So the question is, why would I want to go through all that stress for the same rubbish quality of service. They are all the same in poor quality service delivery. The only thing they are good at is in collecting the money and churning out stupid adverts like this latest one.

Me, I am not porting anything. Saka can jump and scream with his cheap Adire and poor dentition as much as he likes I would not change my stance. They are all the same. Watch out, in another 3 months, he will jump back in another cheap Adire and would be screaming, 'i don deport o'. He had better invest well otherwise, I see him in the gutter of history.

OUT AND ABOUT AT THE MTN LFW 2012. PART 2

We were not at the whole showcase at the MTN Lagos Fashion Week 2012, which was about a few weeks ago at the expansive hall of the Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. We only attended just 2 days of the show, the first day of the runway show, which we think was the 2nd day of the exhibition and then we were at the finale on the last day. 

Like usual at such many days event like this one, the last day was packed out, all of those that didn't come prior to that day were in attendance, many dressed to the teeth. We always love events like this as it usually brings out the best and the worst in Nigerians, many making the conscious effort to ''out-dress or outdo'' the others. Former Miss Nigeria, Ene Maya Lawani, was looking as stunning as ever, we saw Confidence Haugen, remember the Ghanaian female housemate at the last Big Brother Africa, mad hot actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde was in the house look glorious, Nkiru Anumudu was also in the house, looking cool as ever, so also was Dr. Vivian Oputa as were many others.

Check out the out & about pictures of the last day. Enjoy!

EX-MISS NIGERIA ENE MAYA-LAWANI

ANU AMUSAN

LINDA SODEINDE

ICONIC INVANITY BOSS & OMOTOLA

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UTI, ICE PRINCE, MO'CHEDDAH OTHERS STORM MTV MEETS WITH MTN SEASON 2 LAUNCH

MTV launched a new season of the hit show MTV Meets with MTN at a special media event on Sunday June 17, 2012.
With guests including Ice Prince, Mocheddah, Kola Oyeyemi, Uti, Jerrilyn, Bobo Omotayo, Lala Akindoju and Alex Okosi, the event featured highlights from the last season as well as some footage from the forthcoming season.
The audience - made up of reporters, media executives, opinion influencers, celebrities, business leaders and government officials, had a fun evening, with drinks, and canapés, spiced with the kind of conversations that MTV Meets is all about...

COLETTE OTUSHELO

CYNTHIA

ONYEKA KELIKUME

BOLANLE

ALEX OKOSI & COLETTE

ADEBOLA WILLIAMS

ALEX EKUBO & UTI NWACHUKWU

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AKON, RUSSELL SIMMONS, ALEK WEK, CHIEF OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR FOR MTV MEETS WITH MTN SEASON 2

Tweet About it:  «Check out Season 2 of inspirational youth empowerment campaign #MTVMeets with @MTN, @Akon, @UncleRUSH, @AlekWek and more! www.mtvmeets.com»

Lagos, 17 June 2012:MTV Base Meets...with MTN returns to television screens across Africa on 1 August 2012 on the back of a highly successful first season that saw African youth make positive life-changing decisions after meeting their heroes on the show. 

First initiated in 2011, MTV Base Meets…with MTN is a motivational youth empowerment and mentor ship initiative and multimedia campaign that connects African youth with the thought leaders, opinion formers, decision makers and role models who shape their world.

Sponsored by Africa’s leading mobile operator, MTN, Season 2 of MTV Base Meets…With MTN features an exciting and varied line-up of interviewees, including leading figures from the realms of entertainment, politics, fashion and sport,hand-picked to inspire African youth to fulfil their full potential.   Among the opinion formers and thought leaders taking part in the series is Senegalese-American R&B and Hip-Hop artist Akon,alongside other world-famous personalities including Hip-Hop pioneer and entrepreneur, Russell Simmons, South Sudanese supermodel AlekWek, His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President & Head of State, Nigeria, and Togolese international soccer star and Manchester City striker, Emmanuel Adebayor.

In each episode of MTV Base Meets…with MTN, ambitious young Africans from all walks-of-life pose hard questions to high-profile “thought leaders” about issues close to their hearts – in an intimate and informal environment, with no questions off-limits.  Topics on the agenda include entrepreneurship, education, youth culture, politics, sport, racism, gender issues and the African Renaissance.

Youth panellists who asked the questions in Season 1 of MTV Base Meets...with MTN included students, journalists, bloggers, models, comedians, actors, musicians, humanitarian campaigners and poets.  The series inspired young entrepreneurs from around the African continent to change their lives after meeting with their heroes. 

Liberian-born singer Jerrilyn Mulbah was inspired by Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote to echo his 18-hour a day work ethic. Subsequently, Jerrilyn saw her career take off, with three successful singles getting great traction on radio in Nigeria and Liberia, and a new music video due for release at the end of June. Jerrilyn’s first album release follows soon, and her first national tour of Nigeria is due to be announced in the coming months.

South African event organizer Sizie Modise was one of a group of young people who met with Ben Murray-Bruce of the Silverbird Group. She made such an impression on Murray-Bruce during the interview that the media mogul offered her a job.

Ghanaian Arnold Sarfo-Kantanka met with British entrepreneur and humanitarianSir Richard Branson as part of the series and afterwards decided to concentrate full-time on helping young Ghanaians achieve their full potential through his role as the Operations Director of youth outreach project, WAM Campaign, and fashion line, Ma FIRI Ghana.

Season 2 of MTV Base Meets…with MTN, hosted by MTV VJs Sizwe Dhlomo and Vanessa Mdee, will air across Africa from 1 August on MTV Base (DSTV Channel 322) and on terrestrial stations across the continent, including STV and NTA (Nigeria), Spectrum TV (Cameroon), Viasat (Ghana), Rwanda TV (Rwanda), Swazi TV (Swaziland), Muvi TV (Zambia) and NTV and WBS(Uganda).

The first of nine episodes of MTV Base Meets…with MTN will be a 22-minute ‘Best Of’ episode, featuring highlights from Season 1, that will broadcast on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) on Wednesday 1 August at 20:30 CAT.  Season 2 will then get into full swing with the premiere of MTV Base Meets Russell Simmons with MTN at 19:30 WAT/20:30 CAT on Wednesday 8 August.

Starting 18 June 2012, MTV Base and MTN will run a pan-African competition offering young African viewers the chance to appear in the final episode of MTV Base Meets…with MTN.  Eight young people will win an all-expenses paid trip to meet withAkonin the USA in September 2012.

The first season of MTV Base Meets…with MTN saw Nobel Prize laureate and President of Liberia, Madame Ellen Johnson Sirleaf,go head-to-head with the continent’s youth in Monrovia, while Rwanda’sPresident Paul Kagame faced a youth panel in Kigali.  The other six opinion formers who laid themselves open for the probing questions of their young questioners include Grammy-winning R&B artist Alicia Keys, controversial South African politician Julius Malema and legendary musician and activist Hugh Masekela. 

Speaking on behalf of MTV Base, Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Viacom International Media Networks Africa, commented, “In today’s competitive business and economic environment, it is vitally important to provide strong role models, heroes and mentors to help young people achieve their goals. MTV Base Meets…with MTN aims to inspire and motivate young Africans to understand that they are key drivers in ensuring a brighter future for our continent.”

Commented Jennifer Roberti, Executive for Group Marketing, MTN, "MTN got involved with this initiative last year at a time when there was a real need to bring youth and leaders together in open dialogue and debate. We still believe in the transformative power of giving young people on the continent this kind of forum. As the leaders of tomorrow,it's not always about finding agreement. Sometimes questioning and challenging can be just as educational and inspiring. As MTN, we believe that when we connect people and ideas, we are creating platforms for better understanding and a common ground."

According to Kola Oyeyemi, GM, Consumer Marketing, MTN Nigeria, the initiative will serve as a bridge for a growing segment of Africa’s population to connect with decision-makers through dialogue: “MTN is investing in this initiative with the hope of empowering African youth by bringing them together with notable leaders both within and outside the continent. This is another way that MTN is enriching lives, this time around by linking the youth with key influencers who will inspire them to reach for greater heights. It is also important for big brands to co-operate in forging leadership,” he said.

Commenting on her participation in the Meets campaign, Alek Wek said, “It was such a great day, meeting a group of young people who are both inspirational and working hard to make positive changes.”

To learn more about MTV Base Meets…with MTN, or to view clips from Season 1, please go to www.mtvmeets.com or www.mtvmeets.mobi. Connect with the campaign on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MTV MEETS or join the conversation on Twitter at #MTVMEETS

For further information, please contact

VIMN Africa Alison Reid Tel: +33 385300636 Alison.reid@vimn.com	Nike Fagbule BHMG Nigeria Tel: + 234 80 306 45 200 nike@bhmng.com
MTN Group Silvanus Mabaso +27 83 222 7613 silvan_s@mtn.co.za	MTN Group Zinhle Dlamini +27 83 212 9436 o dlamin_z@mtn.co.za
MTN Nigeria Funso Aina PR Manager +234 80 320 04 168 funsoA@mtnnigeria.net AKON RUSSELL SIMMONS MORE PICTURES AFTER THE BREAK, CLICK ON READ ME