In Abuja: Job vacancy at the Embassy of Sweden

Culled from Abuja Expats:

The Embassy of Sweden in Abuja is seeking a temporary locally employed migration assistant. The position is a full time position and becomes available from the 1st of September 2013 or as soon as possible.

The visa assistant job would primarily involve handling visa applications, applications for residence permit, conducting interviews, registration of files, answer inquires on e-mail and telephone and handle other migration related inquires. Applicants need to be outgoing, quick and handle stress well. A very good sense of integrity is a must. The applicants need to be able to express themselves well both orally and in writing. English is the working language and very good skills are therefore required. Good computer skills are a requirement. Good knowledge of French is a requirement. Previous jobs as migration/visa assistant at other Embassies is an advantage. The Embassy will also look at the person’s personal suitability for the position before hiring. 

Please send you application, together with your CV and a minimum of three references, by e-mail to ambassaden.abuja@gov.se before the 19th of July 2013. You can also send the application directly to the Embassy: No. 41. T.Y. Danjuma Street, Asokoro District, Abuja, Nigeria (applications and CV:s sent by post will not be returned). Information about the Embassy and its activities is available on the web page: www.swedenaborad.com/nigeria. For more information please contact the Embassy through e-mail, ambassaden.abuja@gov.se.

IN ABUJA: Two events today, July 4

Cine Thursday at the French Institute

Join movie lovers for the screening of "Tanguy" a comedy by Etienne Chatiliez starring André Dussolier, Sabine Azema and Eric Berger, at the French Institute. Free and open to all!

Also today...

The Abuja chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors will host Remi Raji on July 4 at the Savannah Suites

Top Nigerian writer, Remi Raji, to read in Abuja

(Photos borrowed from Facebook)

The Abuja chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) is hosting one of Nigeria's top writers, REMI RAJI, on Thursday, 4th of July 2013, at the Savannah Suites, Abuja, at 4.30 to 7.30pm. Remi Raji is the current national president of ANA. He teaches literature and creative writing in the Department of English, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Remi Raji is the pen name of Aderemi Raji-Oyelade, author of six volumes of poetry including A Harvest of Laughters (1997), Lovesong for My Wasteland (2005), Gather My Blood Rivers of Song (2009) and Sea of My Mind (2013).

Raji has been visiting professor and poet to Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, Universities of California at Riverside and Irvine, University of Cape Town, South Africa, Stockholms University, Sweden, Cambridge University, UK, and Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany. His poetry has been translated into French, German, Catalan, Swedish, Ukrainian, Latvian, Croatian and Hungarian.

Remi Raji has featured in a number of major literary festivals including Poetry Afrika (South Africa), Barcelona Forum, Mahalta Poetry Festival and the Mediterranean Poetry Festival (Spain), Berlin Poetry Festival (Germany), and the Lviv Book Forum (Ukraine) among others.
He was African editor of Drumvoices Revue – Journal of Contemporary Arts and Literature (1999-2010). His latest academic publication is entitled Playful Blasphemies: Postproverbials as Archetypes of Modernity in Yoruba Culture (2012).

IN ABUJA: Jazz Festival featuring Stephane Wrembel and his group on June 29; sponsored by the U.S. Embassy and FCT

Photos culled from www.stephanewrembel.com

Culled from Abuja Expats:

The U.S. Embassy is partnering with the FCT Administration, the Ministry of Culture, and the Open Mic program to bring a renowned jazz group to Abuja this week. Stephane Wrembel and his group will be performing around town at schools and other venues, but the biggest show will be Saturday, June 29th at the Art Exhibition Pavilion next to the International Conference Center and across from the Radio House. The afternoon starts with workshops and jam sessions between local musicians and the group, with a stage performance starting at 3pm in the hall. All are welcome to this free event!

A pre-festival performance by the group and local talent will take place this Friday evening, starting at 8pm at Spice Restaurant near Sahad and across from Bolton White Hotel. All are welcome! Contact Sadiqi for directions or more information at 08034500653. 

Jumia celebrates one year anniversary in Nigeria, now boasts more than half a million customers

JUMIA, Nigeria’s #1 online retailer celebrates one year anniversary. In June 2012, JUMIA started the largest ecommerce website in the country. Twelve months later, the company has served over half a million customers - changing the way people shop in Nigeria. This has made in less than 1 year, JUMIA the 4th most visited Nigerian website: www.jumia.com.ng.

Recently, JUMIA secured with its affiliated companies a further $35M in funding from MILLICOM. This funding comes in addition to recent investments from J.P. Morgan and Summit Partners. The funding, which represents the largest investment in a Nigerian eCommerce startup, allows Jumia to continue its rapid growth and serve even more customers across Nigeria. Concurrently, JUMIA announced it’s move to move to a new 90,000 sqft warehouse in Lagos which will house 500 employees and create the largest ecommerce campus in West Africa.

Co-founder Raphael Afaedor: “In the beginning we were three employees dreaming of being the largest ecommerce retailer in Nigeria. Now, we have more than 500 employees and offer Nigerian youth a unique opportunity to work in a fast-paced, world class start up. We focus every day on delivering a fantastic shopping experience for our customers, through the widest range of products in Nigeria and fast, secure and stress-free delivery. Our new warehouse allows us to even grow further..”

JUMIA’s anniversary will be celebrated with a first anniversary e-commerce conference, various fashion events, special discounts, new partnerships, new changes to its website and the education campaign “delivering smiles”.

Co-founder Tunde Kehinde: “After this tremendous one year run we want to say thank you to our employees, customers, partners and all Nigerians. Since our creation we have supported education programs to empower children and we want to use this anniversary to give back to society.”

For their 1st anniversary JUMIA carries out two activities themed “delivering smiles”.

1. In June, JUMIA will donate one book to a child in partner schools, for every book bought on JUMIA. In addition, JUMIA will visit schools with the ‘1 Child 1 Book’ foundation and the CSR co-sponsor DHL to give out books to less privileged pupils.

2. JUMIA will team up with ACE Africa Charity, www.aceafricacharity.org and sell its ACE wrist bands. All returns will go to the charity. JUMIA will also promote ACE to their half a million social media followers.

Additionally, JUMIA announced today its partnership with Mastercard to use MasterCard's Internet Gateway Service to make credit card payments safer and easier. The Company announced further exclusive partnerships with Dell, Intel and Nokia, among others offering special prices and exclusive products.

About JUMIA
JUMIA provides its customers with a one stop shopping experience that is convenient, safe and stress-free. JUMIA has become Nigeria #1 ecommerce platform, with every day, over 100,000 unique visitors and a daily subscriber base of over 400,000 people.

JUMIA secured with its partners Kaymu, Vamido and Hellofood $35M in funding from MILLICOM. Before this JP Morgan made a significant investment in the business, followed by Summit Partners with $26M.

More information: http://www.jumia.com.ng/jumia-in-press/

Press contacts
Afam Anyika
08172238631, 07031150441
afam.anyika@jumia.com.ng

IN LAGOS: Book presentation and party at Freedom Park on June 29

This Saturday, 29th June 2013, there will be a formal book presentation, reading and party for Symphony of Becoming, a collection of poems by Iquo Eke, at Kongi's Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Broad Street, Lagos. Time is 3:00 pm.

Abuja Literary Society to hold Poetry Slam on July 5 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel

Photos taken during the  ALS POETRY SLAM on 6th July 2012.
at the Trasnscorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria
This year's competition will take place on July 5.

Ken Ike, Slam Master and one of the founders of the Abuja Literary Society, announces that the next ALS POETRY SLAM will take place at 6pm at the Transcorp Hilton on 5th of July 2013.  "If you're a performance poet or spoken word artist," Ken Ike says  "and you are not afraid of a microphone, an audience and some competition, then start getting ready."  Past winners of cash up to N100,000  include Lady Inspirologo and Dike Chukwumerije.

Winner of the ALS POETRY SLAM on 6th July 2012,
Dike Chukwumereji, 3rd from left, with his
prize of N100,000. 
CLICK TO ENLARGE PHOTO

To register to contest: send an email with the subject: Abuja Poetry Slam Registration to: abujaliterarysociety@gmail.com. Include your telephone number. Registration Fee is N1000.

RULES FOR SLAM POETS
1. Poems can be on any subject and in any style.
2. Each poem must be an original piece written and performed by the author.
3. No props.
4. No costumes.
5. Performances are timed and should not exceed 3 minutes; the last round may be 2 minutes.
6. No musical instruments (leave the drum set home) or pre-recorded music.
7. Each poem may only be used once during the competition.
8. Poets prepare 3 poems in case they move to the 2nd and final rounds.

2nd  Prize Winner of the ALS POETRY SLAM on
 6th July 2012, Lady Inspirologo, 2nd from left,
with her prize of N60,000.
CLICK TO ENLARGE

RULES FOR SLAM JUDGES

1. Judges are selected at random from the audience (no experience needed); they’re given score cards.
2. Five judges are used and each is asked to leave their personal bias at home.
3. Judges are asked to rate 50% on performance (presentation) AND 50% on content of the poem (was it well-written, did it make sense - doesn't matter if you agreed with the content).
4. Scores are from 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest), using decimals to reduce the chance of ties - (“0 infinity” is not a number, honest)
5. At the same time, judges hold up one score (i.e: 5.6, 8.7, 9.8, 10.0) when asked by the Slam Master.
6. The Slam Master. then announces the poet's scores from each judge out loud. An average is arrived at by totaling the poet’s score and dividing by 5.
7. Where there’s a dispute at any time during the Slam, the Slam Master’s ruling is final. No appeals, except to the Slam Master, are allowed.

RULES FOR M.C. & TIME KEEPERS

1. M.C. ballots to decide order of presentation.
2. Time Keeper(s) deduct 0.1 point for every sec of exceeded time.
3. Time Keeper(s) announce, through the M.C., any exceeded time and the deduction after the judges have raised and announced their scores. The penalty is then deducted from the total score.
4. The bottom 1-3 are eliminated in each round.
5. The winner of the final round is announced last – first announce the 2nd Runner up, 1st Runner Up, then the Slam Champion.

3rd Prize Winner of the ALS POETRY SLAM on
6th July 2012 Uche Uwadinachi, 3rd from left, with his
prize of N40,000.
CLICK TO ENLARGE PIC

RULES FOR AUDIENCE

1. Slam is fun, bear that in mind.
2. Applaud or boo any judge whose score you do not agree with.
3. Show your appreciation of the performance poetry – you are permitted to roll on the ground, jump to high heavens, scream your head off or cry bitterly (perhaps after hearing a brilliant poem you have been trying to write yourself for 10 years!). As you rejoice or weep, remember ALS will NOT be responsible for any destruction of venue property.
4. Volunteer to judge.
5. Where there’s a dispute at any time during the Slam, the Slam Master’s ruling is final. No appeals, except to the Slam Master, are allowed. That’s why he is the Master of the Slam!

Ken Ike
Slam Master

IN ABUJA: Free writing workshop to be conducted by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim and Elnathan John, on June 27

Top Nigerian writers Abubakar Adam Ibrahim and Elnathan John
Photos borrowed from Facebook

With support from the French Institute in Nigeria, two Caine Prize for African Writing short-listed writers will be facilitating a one-day free workshop for fiction and narrative/creative non-fiction on Thursday, June 27, 2013.

Abubakar Adam Ibrahim and Elnathan John will be discussing elements of prose, in both fiction and nonfiction. The workshop will include interactive sessions, and lessons drawn from the best writing available today. Interested participants are expected to send in a brief bio of not more than 100 words and a writing sample of not more than 300 words of prose, fiction or nonfiction, published or unpublished, not later than Monday, 24th June 2013, to proseworkshop@mtnnigeria.blackberry.com with the subject: WORKSHOP APPLICATION. The workshop is open to anyone above 18 who is resident in Abuja.

Twenty participants will be chosen to attend the workshop on Thursday, 27th June 2013. Only selected participants will be notified. Participants will receive an email of invitation with materials for the workshop which they will be expected to read BEFORE coming. 

Please do not apply if you will not be able to stay for the whole period of the workshop. The workshop will last from 9am until 3pm. The two facilitators will also read excerpts from their work.

Elnathan John, a satirist and lawyer, is a full-time writer who writes for Metropole Magazine and Sunday Trust newspaper. His fiction has been published in Per Contra, ZAM Magazine, Sentinel Nigeria and Otis Nebula. His non-fiction has been published in Evergreen review and several Nigerian publications online and in print. Two of his stories appear in the 2013 Caine Prize for African writing anthology. He was shortlisted for the 2013 Caine Prize. Currently he has completed a collection of short stories and will have a book of non-fiction satire out, early 2014. He has taught writing as a guest lecturer at the American University, Yola and the Kaduna State University, Kaduna. 

Abubakar Adam Ibrahim is an award-winning writer and journalist. The author of the collection of short stories The Whispering Trees published by Parressia publishers in 2012, Ibrahim is a Gabriel Garcia Marquez Fellow and won the BBC African Performance Prize in 2007. He is the arts editor of Sunday Trust newspaper. Two of his stories appear in the 2013 Caine Prize for African Writing anthology, one of which got him shortlisted for the Caine Prize this year. He has finished work on a new novel which will be out, early 2014.