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East African filmmakers scoop multiple awards at Durban FilmMart in South Africa

A Tanzania-Kenya co-production The Ones with the Tempered Flowers, and Heirs of No Regret from Kenya are among the films that scooped accolades at the Durban FilmMart (DFM) Awards ceremony in South Africa.

The 17th edition of DFM took place from October 9 to 12, in Durban, under the theme Shifting Worlds: Turning Towards Ourselves successfully bringing together 1131 film professionals and filmmakers from 56 countries across the world. The awards presentation at the premier film industry event in Africa was held on October 12.

The Ones with the Tempered Flowers is about a filmmaker who stages her fears in raw, theatrical reenactments with her family, confronting the expectations placed on her as a woman. It is directed by Neema Ngelime and produced by Ivy Kiru.

It is Ngelime’s feature documentary debut, currently in late development as a Tanzania-Kenya co-production. The participatory, performative documentary explores themes of womanhood and motherhood through Ngelime’s personal journey after being told that having children might be difficult. The film will combine constructed archives, observational family material, cinema verité performances, stop-motion, and visual effects to interrogate women’s bodies and the expectations placed upon them in contemporary Tanzania.

Heirs of No Regret is about the Wajukuu Arts Collective, led by Shabu Mwangi, who is emerging from the slums of Nairobi, and how he harnesses the power of art as a form of activism to confront and challenge Kenya’s societal issues, including injustice, corruption, and neo-colonialism. It is produced by Mumo Liku, and directed by Saitabao Kaiyare.

‘We are delighted to have hosted such a dynamic array of filmmakers and industry leaders in Durban. Delegates entrusted us with their projects and ideas, and had honest, uncompromising conversations about alternative funding pathways, equitable co-production and authentic partnerships,’ says Magdalene Reddy, director of the Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI).

‘The talent showcased in this year’s programme and film projects exemplifies the strength of African cinema; networks expanded, and partnerships forged will extend DFM’s legacy and impact. We extend our gratitude to our partners for their support in celebrating and elevating African storytellers, producers and content creators.’

‘The quality of the projects presented in this year was exceptional, with filmmakers bringing bold, original and well-developed work to the table,’ adds Reddy. ‘That calibre was matched by the generosity of the organisations, funders and festivals who came to Durban to recognise it. Every prize, whether it is a cash grant, a place in a lab or market, or a mentorship, opens a door for these filmmakers, and we are deeply grateful to our partners for their continued belief in African storytelling.’

The event ended on a high with the presentation of 39 awards from 30 partners, valuing more than R2 million (over $120 938,00).

The full list of awards

The JustFilms Documentary Award (Ford Foundation) – Award of $10,000

THE THREAD AND THE WALL – LE FIL ET LE MUR (Algeria)

Producer/Director: Mouni Bouallam

Al Jazeera Co-production Award of $10,000

ON THE SEA ROAD (Palestine)

Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid

Climate Story Labs Award of $10,000

The award is on behalf of Climate Story Labs Africa and Doc Society, in collaboration with UMI Fund.

THE BIRTH OF DERNA (Libya)

Director: Hussein Eddeb

National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF)

Best Fiction – Grant of R100,000

THE BOY WHO SPOKE STATIC (Nigeria)

Agbajowo Collective: Temitope Ogungbamila, Samuel Okechukwu, Mat Cerf (Lead Producer) and Bisola Akinmuyiwa

Best Non-fiction – Grant of R100,000

THE ONES WITH THE TEMPERED FLOWERS (Kenya)

Producer: Ivy Kiru

Director: Neema Ngelime

Best Animation – Grant of R100,000

SUNDAY MORNING (Ethiopia)

Producer: Nahom Abiy

Director: Minasie Terefe

Inkaba Award (Stained Glass TV) – Award of R30,000

DADDIES (South Africa)

Producer: Catharina Weinek

Director: Sean Mongie

NEWF Natural World Storytelling Grant of $5,000

A TOUCH OF PARADISE (Tunisia)

Producer: Sarra Ben Hassen

Director: Houcem Slouli

Red Sea Film Fund Award – Fiction of $5,000

HEIRS OF NO REGRET (Kenya)

Producer: Mumo Liku

Director: Saitabao Kaiyare

THE BOY WHO SPOKE STATIC (Nigeria)

Agbajowo Collective: Temitope Ogungbamila, Samuel Okechukwu, Mat Cerf (Lead Producer) and Bisola Akinmuyiwa

Docubox Award of $5,000

WHERE DO I BELONG? (Sudan)

Producer: Talal AfifI

Director: Ibrahim ‘Snoopy’ Ahmad

TRT Award of $5,000

ON THE SEA ROAD (Palestine)

Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid

RRImpact Pitch Prize (DocA) of $5,000

MY DJOMÉLÉ NIGHT (Burkina Faso)

Producer: Cinema Salama

Director: Barkima Nafissatou Laguempedo

Sundance Institute Documentary Fund New Voices Award of $5,000 grant

WHERE DO I BELONG? (Sudan)

Producer: Talal Afifi

Director: Ibrahim ‘Snoopy’ Ahmad

The Whickers Bursary Award of 3,000 GB POUNDS

GREEN ISLAND GIRLS (Egypt)

Producer: Amrosh Badr

Director: Rogena Tarek

Sunshine Cinema UCT Impact Development Award

The award comprises a bursary to the University of Cape Town Sunshine Cinema Film Impact Online Course of 2027 to the value of R18000 and a R7500 grant towards a first impact screening of the film.

Includes optional inclusion in the Sunshine Cinema distribution catalogue.

PÜLÖ: BLOODSTREAM OF THE KIRIKE (Nigeria)

Producer/Director: Christina Ifubaraboye

ON THE SEA ROAD (Palestine)

Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid

Category – Market/Event Participation Awards

DFMI Talents Durban Award

Flights, accommodation and accreditation to participate in the DFM Pitch and Finance Forum 2027

THE BASEMENT (DR Congo)

Director: Mélanie K. Zawadi

The Wrapped App Award: Wrapped premium subscription of 3 months worth R31500

SECOND BLOOM (Zimbabwe)

Director: Tendaiishe Chitima

Sørfond Award

Flights, accommodation and accreditation to participate in the Sørfond Pitching Forum and a pitch course

THE BOY WHO SPOKE STATIC (Nigeria)

Agbajowo Collective: Temitope Ogungbamila, Samuel Okechukwu, Mat Cerf (Lead Producer) and Bisola Akinmuyiwa

WHERE DO I BELONG? (Sudan)

Producer: Talal Afifi

Director: Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad

Rotterdam Lab Award

5 nights’ accommodation and accreditation to participate in the Rotterdam Lab

FOUR MONTHS AND TEN DAYS (Sudan)

Producer: Samo Hussein

Co-producer: Anna Stylinska

Director: Alyaa Musa

The DOK Leipzig Award

3 nights’ accommodation and 2 accreditations to participate in DOK Leipzig 2027 as the selected project in the DOK Co-Pro Market

THE ONES WITH THE TEMPERED FLOWERS (Kenya)

Producer: Ivy Kiru

Director: Neema Ngelime

The FIDADOC Award

Flights, accommodation and accreditation to participate in the FIDADOC Pan African Writing Residency 2027

THE BIRTH OF DERNA (Libya)

Director: Hussein Eddeb

FITAMPOHA, THE RETURN OF THE KING OF MENABE (Madagascar)

Director: Ramaroson Anatole

Movies that Matter Award

Accommodation and accreditation to attend Movies That Matter 2027

THE ONES WITH THE TEMPERED FLOWERS (Kenya)

Producer: Ivy Kiru

Director: Neema Ngelime

Animation Production Days (APD) Award

3 nights’ Accommodation and Industry badge (producer accreditation) to participate in Animation Production Days 2027

SUNDAY MORNING (Ethiopia)

Producer: Nahom Abiy

Director: Minasie Terefe

DOK.fest Mnchen Award

4 nights’ accommodation and 2 accreditations for the project team and to attend DOK.fest Mnchen 2027 and participate in the DOK.forum marketplace

WHERE DO I BELONG? (Sudan)

Producer: Talal AfifI

Director: Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad

Sheffield Doc Fest Award

4 nights’ accommodation to attend the Sheffield DocFest 2027 with an Industry pass and a full waiver to submit to the MeetMarket

THE ONES WITH THE TEMPERED FLOWERS (Kenya)

Producer: Ivy Kiru

Director: Neema Ngelime

NEWF Post-Production Residency Award

A post-production residency at eKhaya, NEWF’s Storytelling, Research and Dive Centre (maximum 3 team members)

THE BIRTH OF DERNA (Libya)

Director: Hussein Eddeb

NEWF Summit Attendance Award

NEWF Summit attendance, including flights and accommodation (maximum 2 team members)

SECOND BLOOM (Zimbabwe)

Director: Tendaiishe Chitima

El Gouna Emerge Award

7 nights’ shared accommodation, ground transport and accreditation for El Gouna Film Festival 2026

THE BIRTH OF DERNA (Libya)

Director: Hussein Eddeb

CAUSE, EFFECT and MAYBE CONSEQUENCES (Nigeria)

Director: Cheyi Okoaye

Talents Press Award presented by CIFF and FIPRESCI

Flights, 5 nights’ accommodation and accreditation for Cairo International Film Festival 2026 for the selected Talents Press participant

NEYA Harouna (Burkina Faso)

TFL x IEFTF Next Award (TorinoFilmLab)

A place in the TorinoFilmLab programme, with the stage of development to be determined with the Lab

FOUR MONTHS AND TEN DAYS (Sudan)

Producer: Samo Hussein

Director: Alyaa Musa

Visions du Reel Award

Accommodation and accreditation and to participate in the Visions du Reel Market 2027 THE ONES WITH THE TEMPERED FLOWERS (Kenya)

Producer: Ivy Kiru

Director: Neema Ngelime

Category – Mentorship, Distribution and Membership

Women Make Movies Award

Best Pitch by a Woman Filmmaker. Acceptance into the Production Assistance Program, which includes fiscal sponsorship allowing filmmakers to raise grants in the U.S.; individualised fundraising, distribution and ongoing project consultations, including feedback on rough cuts; a project page on WMM’s website to facilitate online donations; access to WMM’s catalogue of more than 700 films; social media support for crowdfunding campaigns, screenings and events; promotion of the completed film; one year of free WMM webinars on the business side of the business and case studies; and scheduled use of WMM’s NYC office, including the conference room for meetings or rough-cut screenings.

ON THE SEA ROAD (Palestine)

Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid

Impronta Films Consultancy Award

Distribution consultancy

WAITING FOR EVOLUTION (South Africa)

Producer/Director: Karin Slater

DESIGNING DIVIDE (South Africa)

Producer/ Director: Jessie Ayles

Archers, Eagles enter next 100 games of their rivalry in tiebreak clash

La Salle and Ateneo are looking to extend their winning ways in the second round of the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament as they enter the next 100 games of their seething age-old rivalry in a match carrying big Final Four implications.

Both the Green Archers and the Blue Eagles are actually working on two-game winning runs, and are at 5-4 and 50-50 in 100 all-time meetings. So their 6 p.m. clash will be quite a tiebreaker as the winner takes momentary hold of third spot and the loser dropping out-although temporarily-of the top four.

As things stand, idle Far Eastern is also at 5-4, and all three of them are tied for third spot with University of the Philippines leading the way with a 7-2 record and National U right behind at 6-3.

La Salle is hoping to have one player, crack guard and team leader Jacob Cortez, returning for their 6 p.m. clash at Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.

‘There’s still a little swelling,’ assistant coach Oliver Bunyi said, referring to Cortez’s hyper-extended knee that has caused him to miss practically the first two games of the second round. ‘There was no damage, but there’s still a little swelling. He’s on a day-to-day status.’

‘Hopefully, he’ll be ready come our game against Ateneo,’ Bunyi said.

All eight teams have five games remaining in their schedules heading into this weekend, making the results on Saturday and Sunday very important.

Meanwhile, Santo Tomas and the Bulldogs-who lost to the Archers and the Eagles the last time, respectively-clash in the other men’s game at 2:30 p.m. with the contest carrying a lot of importance for the Growling Tigers, who, at 4-5, can’t afford to drop more games and think of the semifinals.

Despite playing without Cortez, La Salle ground out a 92-80 victory over the Tigers last Sunday, with JC Macalalag and Doy Dungo leading the way. The duo posted career-high scoring outputs and combined for 10 of the Green Archers’ season-best 14 three-pointers.

‘It’s just a matter of time when I can come up with this kind of game,’ Macalalag said with a mix of Filipino.

Social-capitalism: A short-term pain for long-term gain

Uganda’s finances are already under heavy strain. Interest payments now eat up nearly a third of all government revenue, leaving less for health and education. Public debt has passed the government’s own ceiling, reaching 52.3 percent of GDP, and unemployment stands at 12.2 percent, with nine in 10 workers in informal jobs that offer no security. Pearl Sweet Oil, long promised, still has not started flowing, and farmers still sell their coffee and maize cheaply at harvest just to get cash.

A growing line of thinking proposes a different path that could liberate us from our financial shenanigans, a concept I call social-capitalism: Keep the markets open for private business, but make every Ugandan a partial owner in the establishments they work for. This way, ordinary Ugandans get a real share of the country’s wealth.

How it would work

The country would set up one protected national fund. Money from oil, gold, minerals and hydropower would go in, and politicians could not dip into it. Part would back the Shilling, part would be saved for hard times, and part would be invested in roads, renewable energy and local business. Citizens would get a small yearly payout or have it added to their pensions.

Three more tools would help. Farmers could store their farm produce in certified food banks/warehouses and borrow against it, so they need not sell cheaply. Ugandans abroad could buy bonds that pay for roads and housing. Workers could receive company shares on top of their wages, so they become part-owners.

It would not be easy, because oil money would be locked away, so the government would have less to spend at first. Printing money to pay bills would be banned, because that is how prices spiralled out of control in the Weimar Republic of Germany in the 1920s. Payouts would be small in the early years, and shares can lose value if a company fails.

This would result in a stronger Shilling, cheaper loans, and farmers and workers who own assets that grow. About $1.4 billion more in safe savings would be needed to back the Shilling properly. Arguably a big sum, but not out of reach.

The catch

To implement a social-capitalist framework, everything depends on honest management anchored on the will of the people. If the fund falls into the wrong hands, it becomes another source of corruption.

The opportunity cost of social-capitalism is a few tight years now, or the same boom-and-bust cycle again.

Ultimately, the argument for social-capitalism is that buying insurance for Uganda’s economy is cheaper in the long run than repeatedly paying to rebuild after an economic disaster.

One breast bigger then the other

It is extremely common for one breast to be noticeably larger or shaped differently than the other. This difference in size, shape, or position is medically termed breast asymmetry, or anisomastia when the volume difference is severe. Perfect symmetry in the human body is the exception rather than the rule. Having unequal breasts is considered a normal biological variation and is not typically a sign of an underlying health problem.

Very few people possess perfectly symmetrical breasts, making some degree of size difference the expected norm. Research suggests that over half, and potentially as many as 88%, of women have breasts that vary in size, shape, or position. This natural variation is often subtle, sometimes amounting to less than a quarter cup size difference.The body is not built like a mirror image, and this principle extends beyond the chest.

Asymmetry is observable in other paired features, such as feet, eyes, and hands. Differences up to 15 to 20 percent of total breast volume are considered within the range of normal variation. This widespread occurrence establishes that slight unevenness is a fundamental characteristic of human development.

PLU halts paper endorsements for Muhoozi, vows mass countrywide expansion amid NRM succession buzz

The Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) has overhauled its nationwide mobilization machinery, ordering an immediate halt to paper-based signature drives and shifting all endorsement campaigns for its Chairman, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, strictly to online platforms.

The sudden strategic pivot comes against the backdrop of intense political debate surrounding President Museveni’s recent submission of a strategic paper on leadership qualities to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee (CEC), which touched directly on his son, Gen Muhoozi’s suitability.

In a formal directive issued on Saturday, October 31, 2026, PLU General Secretary Twalla Fadil revealed that the decision to digitize the registration process originates directly from Gen Muhoozi who currently serves as Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) to streamline supporter tracking and professionalize cadre identification across the country.

“All endorsements in support of General Muhoozi Kainerugaba Museveni as the next President of Uganda shall henceforth be conducted strictly online through the PLU’s official website,” Fadil declared, confirming that physical collection of signatures has been suspended with immediate effect.

To accommodate supporters without smartphones or reliable internet connectivity, Fadil explained that the movement will establish dedicated regional and district operational hubs to assist local communities with digital onboarding and official identification.

“We are going to open offices at Regional and District level to facilitate the online registration, endorsements, and issuing Patriotic Cadre (PC) numbers,” Fadil added.

Field coordinators currently holding physical endorsement books have been given until November 30, 2026, to recall all materials from sub-counties and return them to the PLU Secretariat in Kampala for final audit and compilation.

Complementing the administrative overhaul, Gen Muhoozi took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify the movement’s identity and future stance within the ruling political structure, likening PLU to a distinct faction within the broader movement.

“PLU will start opening branch offices countrywide beginning on 1st December. PLU will approve all new RDCs in the country. We need serious cadres who are incorruptible,” Gen Muhoozi posted. “PLU is a sect, faction or pressure group within the NRM religion. We are a denomination that has zero tolerance for corruption. We are similar to the MAGA movement within the Republican Party of the USA.”

The aggressive restructuring of the PLU’s endorsement machinery directly mirrors heightened activity inside State House Entebbe, where President Museveni recently presented a paper to NRM’s top decision-making organ, the CEC, outlining essential attributes for future national leadership, including pan-Africanism, military discipline, and ideological clarity.

During the closed-door CEC meeting, President Museveni reportedly brought his son’s record directly into focus, acknowledging the growing conversation around leadership succession.

‘. . . As the father of Muhoozi, a resistance fighter and the one who encouraged him to join the army, I know him to excel on most of these considerations. Even his tweets, when I get time to read them, are always about Africa, Uganda, and their future,’ President Museveni told CEC members, according to sources. ‘You should, therefore, frankly discuss, in the right forum, Muhoozi’s suitability vis-à-vis these considerations. If you are satisfied with Muhoozi’s record on the ‘what’ and ‘why’, then you look at the ‘how’.’

While senior party figures, including Kasambya County MP Daudi Kabanda, publicly interpreted the President’s remarks as a direct endorsement of Gen Muhoozi for the presidency, other top officials, such as NRM Electoral Commission Chairman Dr. Tanga Odoi, pushed back, clarifying that the meeting merely sought conceptual guidance on PLU’s standing as a civic pressure group rather than a formal political party.

Addressing the flurry of political commentary triggered by the high-profile CEC deliberations, Gen Muhoozi explicitly ordered his supporters to cease public debates on his father’s presentation and remain locked on grassroots signature collection.

“I hereby order all PLU members to stop discussing Mzee’s paper delivered to the NRM CEC recently. Leave these matters to me and Mzee. Focus on the endorsements from the people,” Gen Muhoozi directed via X.

Civic society leaders and opposition figures have watched the escalating momentum of the PLU with concern over constitutional compliance. Section 16 of the Political Parties and Organisations Act, alongside Articles 208 and 209 of the 1995 Constitution, strictly forbids serving military officers-such as Gen Muhoozi, who serves as Chief of Defence Forces (CDF)-from participating in active partisan politics.

“It is dangerous to keep the country guessing; and it would instead help Ugandans if he spoke out his mind in one way or another,” noted Alice Alaso, National Coordinator for the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), calling for clarity on whether the country is undergoing a veiled political transition. Similarly, civil society activist Sarah Bireete insisted that President Museveni must formally retire Gen Muhoozi from the UPDF if he intends to pursue active presidential ambitions.

Despite the constitutional scrutiny, PLU leadership maintains that its countrywide rollout will proceed alongside public interest programs, insisting that the movement’s primary focus remains community engagement.

“PLU will continue conducting its community Barazas with a renewed focus on the anti-corruption campaign, medical camps, and the provision of legal guidance to members of the public,” Fadil emphasized, calling on all field officers to align immediately with the updated operational guidelines ahead of the December branch office rollout.

Diaspora giants driving Nigerian music’s global rise

The story of Nigerian music’s global rise is not written only on stage and in streaming charts. It is also written in boardrooms, festival offices and label headquarters across the diaspora, where Nigerian executives are building the pipelines that carry Afrobeats and its stars to the world. From Atlanta to Toronto, London to Portugal, these are the figures turning cultural momentum into industry infrastructure.

In Atlanta, Tunde Balogun stands at the centre of one of the most influential independent music companies in the world. As CEO and co-founder of LVRN, Love Renaissance, he has helped build a label that has amassed more than 30 billion streams. Its roster stretches across Afrobeats and global RandB, a reflection of the borderless sound Balogun and his team have helped normalize. For him, the diaspora is not a distant market; it is a creative and commercial engine.

In Toronto, Ikenna Nwagboso has taken a similar bridge-building approach. The Nigerian-Canadian executive previously co-founded emPawa Africa, a platform that helped democratize opportunity for African artists, and in 2025 he co-founded Hi-Way 89 Entertainment. The label is designed as a corridor connecting African artists to North America’s music industry, a deliberate piece of infrastructure for a generation of acts who no longer see continents as barriers but as connected markets.

Temi Adeniji’s work has reshaped the corporate side of African music. The Nigerian-American executive serves as Managing Director of Warner Music Africa, and under her leadership the company achieved a 60 per cent increase in topline revenue and over 20 per cent market share expansion between 2021 and 2023. Her role shows how global majors are increasingly entrusting African markets to executives who understand both the culture and the business, and who can translate local dominance into international strategy.

In the United Kingdom, Tonye Ibiama has been doing the groundwork for decades. The UK-based Nigerian music executive founded Grafton Entertainment in 2004, with dual headquarters in the UK and Nigeria, helping to launch the careers of artists from Port Harcourt into the global spotlight. Long before Afrobeats became a fixture on international charts, Ibiama was building the kind of dual-base structure that allowed Nigerian talent to move between local roots and global reach.

Across Europe, Okolie Tochukwu Desmond, known as Chapguy, has turned live promotion into a powerful export channel. Born on July 27, 1989, the Europe-based Nigerian show promoter, event manager and artist manager founded Culture Records in October 2023, with offices in Portugal and Nigeria. He has promoted Afrobeats tours and festivals across Europe, America and Australia, including Rolling Loud Germany, Portugal and Australia, as well as Afro Nation Portugal and USA. His work has connected A-list artists such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, Rema, Fireboy DML and Tiwa Savage with diaspora audiences and new fans alike.

Together, their stories form a larger narrative about how Nigerian music went global. The artists may be the faces of the movement, but behind them is a diaspora network of executives, promoters and label builders constructing the roads, rooms and deals that keep the music moving. Their rise is inseparable from the rise of the sound itself.

Cyber-libel rice

“Sa langit, madaming bigas.’

I still remember reading this line in my older brother Leonie’s high school valedictory speech after nosing around our father’s filing cabinet when I was around 10 years old. It was the answer of a farmer’s young child to my brother on what the boy imagined heaven to be. It was an innocent and bittersweet indictment of the state of Philippine agriculture then. I guess the boy’s answer stuck to Leonie, who subsequently devoted his entire life to try to help make the boy’s dream a reality in the country.

After graduating summa cum laude from the Ateneo, he went straight to join our father in the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), one of the oldest and the most reputable farmer organizations in the Philippines. He has been with the FFF for over 50 years, served several terms in Congress representing the farmers and even became the secretary of agriculture in the early 2000s.

Leonie is now 77 years old and still trying. The other day, the police went to his house to serve a warrant of arrest. As the song goes, ‘…planting rice is never fun.’ It could even land you in jail.

My brother and others in the farmer sector have been questioning why the Philippine Planter’s Products Inc. (PPI), which they claim appears to be like a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC), has been heavily importing rice to the country. Under current laws, particularly RA 11203 and RA 12078, government entities cannot freely import rice except under extraordinary emergency conditions authorized through specific executive orders or presidential action. Historically a fertilizer and agrochemical company, PPI hardly imported any rice prior to 2025. However, it heavily started doing so in 2026. This year, PPI has reportedly imported close to two million sacks of rice worth billions of pesos and has become the second largest rice importer in the Philippines. In response to my brother’s questions, PPI filed a cyber-libel case against him, claiming that it is not a GOCC.

What is interesting is that approximately 80 percent of the shares of PPI is held by Planter’s Foundation Inc. (PFI) which was created by the government. In 1974, the government placed most of PPI’s shares under the custody of PFI ‘…to be held in trust for millions of Filipino farmers.’ PFI is chaired by the incumbent secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) who exercises voting rights and nominates candidates to the board of PPI. In a July 2019 post in its own website, the DA described it as ‘…a private agricultural company sequestered by the government a few years back and is now under the administrative control of the DA.’ It has been reported that in several government directories, such as those of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG), the PPI is listed as a GOCC. Do all these constitute or imply effective government ownership and/or control? I don’t know, you tell me!

I understand that a primary legal basis of PPI’s claim seems to be a 2008 Supreme Court (SC) ruling involving PPI vs Fertiphil Corporation. According to some summaries I read, the SC noted that both PPI and Fertiphil Corporation were private corporations under Philippine laws as part of that decision. I find it ironic that the central decision of that SC ruling was to order PPI to return millions of pesos in ‘capital recovery’ levy it had collected from Fertiphil Corporation during the martial law years. It declared a 1985 Marcos Letter of Instruction (LOI) 1465, which authorized ‘…the collection of fertilizer levy to bail out and benefit PPI,’ as unconstitutional and that to allow PPI to keep it would be ‘unjust enrichment.’

At the very, very least, PPI’s ownership structure; its apparent treatment as a GOCC by several government agencies and subsequent relevant laws such as the GOCC Governance Act of 2011 (RA 10149) all provide sufficient and good faith bases to question the real status of PPI and destroy any claim of an outright and malicious falsehood.

Moreover, the question is not frivolous and involves a clear and important public interest. Why is it considered malicious for a farmer leader representing rice farmers to question such an entity’s huge imports that they believe threatens the welfare of the country’s rice farmers?

If we ask the young children of farmers today on what they think heaven is like, as my brother did over half a century ago, I wonder what they will answer now.

Sa Pilipinas, madaming imported na bigas?

NAFDAC DG canvasses coordinated regulation of medicine in Africa

The Director-general of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, has said that Nigeria’s participation in the evolution of the African Medicines Agency AMA would strengthen the collective resolve of African countries to establish a more coordinated, effective and harmonised regulatory environment for medicines and other medical products.

Prof Adeyeye made the assertion at the on-going Inaugural African Medicines Agency (AMA) Week taking place in Kigali, Rwanda from Sunday 25th to Friday 30th of October 2026 by Her Excellency Commissioner of Health and Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development of the African Union, Amb A. Twum-Amoah where Nigeria finally deposited its instrument of ratification of the AMA Treaty as the 34th Member state of the African Union.

‘This represents a historic milestone in the advancement of medicines regulation and public health across the African continent,’ she said, adding that this important development reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to safeguarding public health, combating substandard and falsified medical products, promoting pharmaceutical innovation, and advancing local manufacturing as a cornerstone of health security and economic development.

Prof Adeyeye stated that it also provides an opportunity to deepen collaboration between Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the African Medicines Agency, and other national and regional regulatory institutions in pursuit of shared continental health objectives.

She maintained that Nigeria’s participation should now be translated into practical action through sustained institutional collaboration, regulatory capacity development, information sharing, scientific cooperation and the effective implementation of the AMA Treaty.

Ultimately, she noted that the success of the African Medicines Agency will be measured by its contribution to ensuring that every African has access to safe, effective, quality-assured and affordable medicines. This will be driven through the maturity of the different National Regulatory Agencies. The DG added that Nigeria’s ratification is therefore not merely a diplomatic or legal achievement; ‘it is a significant investment in Africa’s health security, pharmaceutical sovereignty and sustainable development.’

‘As Africa’s most populous nation and one of its largest pharmaceutical markets, the NAFDAC boss explained that Nigeria’s participation strengthens the collective resolve of African countries to establish a more coordinated, effective and harmonised regulatory environment for medicines and other medical products,’ she said.

The AMA week conference is anchored by the Director General, Dr. Delese Mimi Darko, the Governing Board, representative of the Conference of State Parties and AU Special Envoy. It is being attended by medicine regulatory agencies across the continent, Regional Economic Communities representatives, important dignitaries within the global health ecosystem including WHO and the European Union development and international partners.

LEXLUC NTDA partner to boost tourism in Nigeria

A private tourism development firm LEXLUC Global Services and Tours has partnered with the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority NTDA in a bid to further develop domestic tourism across Nigeria.

The strategic partnership aimed to strengthen the ‘Meet My Town Know My State’ tourism initiative by encouraging Nigerians to explore destinations across the states experience historical sites and cultural heritage and boost community participation in tourism.

A statement issued by the partners stated that ”Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) LEXLUC will coordinate and implement approved activities develop tourism packages mobilise sponsorship and partnerships and report on progress. NTDA will provide relevant tourism information institutional coordination policy guidance and support for stakeholder engagement subject to its mandate and applicable approval processes.”

The signing of the strategic agreement was recently coordinated by Head of Legal Services at NTDA Olufunke Soleye and Head of Legal at LEXLUC Mary Oluwatoyin Noibi-Edoze.

Director of the Marketing and Promotions Department at NTDA Mr. Olufemi Akinyele was also present alongside staff members of the department.

At the signing of the strategic agreement between the two partners the Chief Executive Officer of LEXLUC Global Services and Tours Ltd. Mr. Oluwole Ajayi said the initiative ”was developed to help Nigeria harness its tourism potential attract investment and create more opportunities within the sector.”

‘Tourism is the number one employer worldwide. Whether we like it or not we have to key into it and make sure it becomes the number one employer in Nigeria too’ Ajayi said.

Ajayi also revealed plans for a proposed West African Jollof Rice Championship and Tourism Festival which he stressed could complement the initiative’s broader objectives.

He noted that the proposed event was expected to form part of future tourism activities subject to the necessary planning and approvals.

He expressed confidence that the collaboration with NTDA would help advance the initiative and attract investors to Nigeria’s tourism industry.

In his remarks NTDA’s Director-General Mr. Ola Awakan said the partnership aligned with the core mandate of the tourism development agency to promote and develop tourism adding that the collaboration with the private sector was important to the sector’s growth.

‘It’s a laudable project. We are going to give you national and institutional backing. You are also helping us achieve our mandate and we are helping you to bring your idea to fruition. So it is a win-win situation. All of this is in the interest of Nigeria’ Awakan said.

He lauded Ajayi for sustaining the initiative and reiterated NTDA’s commitment to supporting it.

Osun: Three dead, five rescued as two-storey shopping complex collapses

Three persons have reportedly died following the collapse of a two-storey shopping complex at Owode Ede, Osun State, while five others were rescued alive by emergency responders.

The building, located in Zone 8, Oke Alaafia Community, collapsed late on Friday, October 30, trapping several persons beneath the rubble.

The Federal Fire Service, Osun State Command, confirmed the incident through its Public Relations Officer, DSF Ojo Omoyemi Olamide, ANIPR, who said its rescue team was alerted at about 11:30 p.m. through its emergency line and arrived at the scene three minutes later.

According to the command, the structure was a commercial complex with six shops on each of the two upper floors and two stores on the ground floor.

The rescue team, working alongside the Osun State Fire Service, police and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, immediately commenced efforts to locate and evacuate those trapped in the debris.

Five victims were eventually rescued alive and taken to Idera Specialist Hospital, Ede, for medical attention.

Three other victims were recovered during the operation with no signs of life and handed over to the police at A Division, Ede.

The Federal Fire Service said preliminary findings pointed to possible structural defects and the use of substandard construction materials as factors that might have contributed to the disaster.

Police personnel led by SP Bamidele and NSCDC operatives under the leadership of CSC Oyekunle participated in the rescue operation.

The search-and-rescue exercise lasted several hours and was called off at about 9:26 a.m. on Saturday, October 31, after the operation had been completed.

The command put the estimated value of the property destroyed at N100 million, adding that property worth about N150 million was saved.

In its reaction, the Federal Fire Service expressed sympathy with the families of those affected and urged builders, developers and property owners to comply with approved building regulations.

It also advised residents to report emergencies immediately to the appropriate authorities to facilitate timely intervention.