AFRICAN MUSIC STARS SET FOR THE AFROREPUBLIK FEST IN LONDON

The Afrorepublik Festival in London, which is being organized by Wizkid and his team, is just a few days away and the major acts are all trooping in already.

Tiwa Savage, Tekno, Mr Eazi, Maleek Berry, Adekunle Gold, L.A.X and even legendary Congolese musician Awilo Longomba are all in London.

They also all took time out to celebrate with Mr Eazi on the release party for his latest single, London Town which features UK rapper Giggs.

The indoor festival at the O2 in London is set to be one of a kind as tickets have been sold out already in anticipation.

ANTICIPATE GRIN-MIX MAGAZINE...WHY?

From the time of our prehistoric ancestors, our brains have been wired to steer us away from the new and novel and toward the customary and the status quo. In the early age of civilization when humans needed to be hyper-vigilant and risk averse, the brain developed Cognitive Biases,which honed our instincts for the known and away from the unknown. Playing it safe was our brain's necessary default mechanism when the cost of risks was truly a matter of life or death. But in today's world, playing it safe is more likely to threaten our survival in the market. How can we overcome the defaults wired in our brains that inhibit innovation?

We invite writers, artists and photographers to think beyond genre, and outside any one theme.

What kind of writing, artwork or image would you expect from us if we asked you to anticipate our work in the spirit of bypassing?

We insist on challenging conversations about lifestyle. We are even open to reflections on uncertainty; an ability to acknowledge that the differing opinion of others do not threaten yours.

CATEGORY: lifestyle

FOCUS: creativity and innovation

PAGES: 64

AUDIENCE: african youths

FREQUENCY: biannual

TOPICS: technology, design, business, travel, impact (social/cultural)

Contact us: submission2grinmixmag@gmail.com 

BRAIN BUILDERS CHAMPIONS NYP DIALOGUE IN KWARA STATE

Brain Builders Int'l Holds Youth Policy Dialogue in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Brain Builders International in conjunction with the YouthHub Africa organised a 'Youth Policy Dialogue' on Friday 2nd June 2017 at the Kwara State Ministry of Youth and Sport Development, Ilorin. The dialogue was aimed at bringing individuals, profit and not-for-profit making organizations, student leaders, youth advocates, and other concerned stakeholders to the round table to discuss youth policies, its direct and indirect effects on the Nigerian youth and the nation at large.

One of the objectives of the dialogue is to lobby policymakers in not only formulating youth-oriented policies but also providing the needed political will to implement and make them work. The dialogue had in attendance relevant stakeholders such as the Commissioner for Youth and Sport Development, Kwara state—Pham. Kale Ayo, CEO Heroes Nation—Mr. Mike Oladipo, renowned Constitutional Lawyer—Dr. Sambo, Senior Special Assistant to the Kwara state Governor on Youth Empowernmet—Mr. Saka Babatunde, CEO Positive Image Consult—Mr. Nadir Abdulqadir, CEO Prime Group—Mr. Tosin Olayanju.

Others include: Mr. Wale Bakare, Miss Bibire Saadat of Saab Foundation, First Female President of Junior Chambers Int'l Kwara State—Mrs. Ibrahim Aishat Akaje, Olaogun Michael Sukanmi of Kids and Teens Resource Center/Success Focus Africa Initiative, current Vice President (Permanent Site) Student Union of the University of Ilorin—Miss Tohira Iromini, Miss Adelodun A. Shukurat of Hope for Girls and Women Foundation, Dammy Sunday Olaniyi of Dac Palm, among others.

In his welcome address, the National Coordinator of Brain Builders Int'l, Mr. Olasupo Abideen Opeyemi, did not mince words in disclosing the agenda of the dialogue. In his words, "For those who wonder why we are gathered here, I shall answer simply by saying: it is because we do not only desire a nation that cares about its youth, we also want a population of youths who care about their nation."

He went further to charge participants (composed largely of youths) to contribute actively to the discussion in order to achieve what he tagged growth and development.

"The power of discourses like this cannot be overemphasized. It is my belief that the discussions today will be a precursor to interesting events and groundbreaking actions. So let us take on the transit bus of responsibility together by contributing maximally at every junction of this programme, so that at the end of the day, we may all arrive safely at the bus stop of growth and development," he said.

The moderator and CEO of Heroes Nation, Mike Oladipo, also reiterated the ideals of the dialogue during his remark. At exactly 11:08am, participants were split into five groups with each group required to brainstorm over specific questions of national significance as contained in the toolkit provided by the organisers.

The Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Sport Development, Pham. Kale Ayo, admonished participants to generate practical solutions to the challenges facing Nigerian youths. In the same vein, he sought to know if the participants were ready to key into the change mantra of the Federal Government. He rounded off his remark by suggesting that the organisers of the dialogue should embark on a national tour in order to get a holistic endorsement by the youth and that the result of such findings should be presented to the Presidency.

The brainstorming sessions were intellectually stimulating, and the resolutions reached by each focused group were deeply thought out and pragmatic in nature. The first to react to the presentations was the SSA to the Kwara state Governor on Youth Empowerment, Mr Saka Babatunde. He advised the youths to change their orientation with a focus on the second stanza of the national anthem. He was of the opinion that the youth remain the greatest asset of a nation. In his words, "Youth continues to be the greatest asset for a nation's development."

He, however, upheld the view that the youth cannot be entrusted with the leadership of the country due largely to their lack of experience.

Reacting to this, a renowned Constitutional Lawyer and Lecturer of Law at the University of Ilorin, Dr. Sambo, differed a bit from the submission made by the SSA to the Governor on Youth Empowerment to the effect that youths are inexperienced to be entrusted with leadership positions. Dr. Sambo was of the view that such comment may not be valid as it was yet to be supported by research. He went further to state that policies fail because they are not hinged on research. In his words, "the main reason
policies fail is they are not research-oriented."

The university don also pointed out the absence of provision for a youth objective under Chapter Two of the 1999 Constitution and suggested ways it could be incorporated and made justiciable if the government fails to deliver on its campaign promises for the youths.

In a related development, the CEO of Positive Image Consult, Mr. Nasir AbdulQadir, gave a reverberating speech that sent chills down the spine of the participants. He gave a general admonishment to the youths to be alive to the current realities in the political landscape and take positive steps in realising their dreams.

In his remark, the representative of the Honourable Commissioner for Youth Kwara State charged the youths to demand for quality education as against quantitative education. He also charged the youths to be alive to their responsibility by constantly putting the government on its feet to implement youth policies that would engender growth and development of the youths in the nation.

In his closing remark, the co-convener of the dialogue and CEO of Brain Builders Int'l, Mr. Olasupo Abideen Opeyemi, added his voice to the discourse of inexperience of the youth in leadership and governance.

"Experience cannot be bought at the market, it's gotten on field," he said.

He went further to state that if youths are entrusted with leadership position it will not only improve the economy and technology but also place them on equal pedestals among the comity of states who uphold democratic values. Issues such as funding and godfatherism were also in the front burner.

Mr. Olasupo thanked all and sundry for making the dialogue successful and result-oriented. He assured participants that such discussions will be held at regular intervals in order to intensify efforts in the campaign for youth inclusion in government.

At this juncture, Miss Nurah of Brain Builders Int'l delivered the vote of thanks. The event ended at exactly 12:45pm with a group photo of the guests and the participants.

Osuji Chima Francis

UNIQUE WAYS TO BE FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL IN 2017.

In life, one of the major goals for many people is to be financially successful so they can live life without worrying how they’re going to pay their next bill. Financial independence isn’t created overnight.
You’ll find, those who are financially successful, are those who have worked hard a majority of their lives to get to where they are now. If you’re tired of living pay cheque to pay cheque, this expert guide will give you the powerful methods to reach financial success in life without worrying about money.
Here are 4 ways to become financially successful in life:



1. Ignore The Status Of Others
You may have heard the saying ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. It’s important that when you want to reach financial success that you ignore the status of others. You don’t need to keep up with what others are doing.
Your friends may be spending large amounts of money on insignificant things, this doesn’t mean you have to do the same. Many people fall into the trap of keeping up with others who are living the high life. The problem with this is that it can drain your funds quickly. You need to remember that although their lifestyle and income may be a lot different than yours, when it all comes down to it, no one cares about what you drive, where you live, or how you dress.
They care more about how you treat them. When you stop comparing yourself to others and focus on your own financial well being instead, you’re on the right path to becoming more successfully free in life.
“The single most powerful asset we all have is our mind. If it is trained well, it can create enormous wealth in what seems to be an instant.”
― Robert T. Kiyosaki



2. Only Spend What You Need To
Another area where many people fall short is spending more money on things they want, rather than things they need. Many people use their money on items that aren’t really needed. If you focus on spending only what you need and use the rest of your money to pay down debt, or placing it in savings, you’ll find that over time you’ll be in a much better financial state.
A good way to work out how much you can afford to save is by:
Tracking your income and what you make every month.
Deducting your important expenses such as water, electricity, food and house rates etc.
Keep a small amount for spending on yourself otherwise you will become stale. Spending $20 a week or fortnight is much better than spending $70.
Place any additional funds, even if it’s $10, into a savings account.
Before making your next purchase, ask yourself, do you really need this or do you merely just want it?


3. Avoid Unnecessary Debt
Many people fall into the trap of taking out a loan in order to upgrade something that really doesn’t need to be upgraded at that time. Examples of this include upgrading a car, buying a new boat, or renovating the home. The key here is to decide whether or not you can wait and save the money first.
Think positively about money and debt . The process of becoming financially secure is all about thinking positively about money and how you will get out of debt. It’s a good idea to sit down and really analyze your income and debts to see where your money is coming from and where it is going.
Consider what we call good debt and bad debt. Good debt is where you may have a loan on an investment property and, depending on your circumstances, may be eligible to access some taxation concessions. Bad debt on the other hand, is a high interest debt that simply eats away at your income such as credit card debt or purchases made on a store card. Focus on paying down bad debt first.


4. Rewrite Your Life Goals and Create A Strategy
Last but not least, it’s important to set major financial life goals that you want to work towards. When you write down your goals you’ll begin to understand what’s required to make them become a reality.
Some things to ask yourself when you’re thinking about your goals:
Where do you want to be in 5 years/10 years/retirement?
Are there any foreseeable expenses that will emerge that may affect your ability to reach your goals? Such as children’s education or caring for elderly parents.
Do you have any debts that will need to be paid off before you reach your goals?
How much income will you need to achieve your goals?
Do you have any family or other dependents that rely on you?
What would happen to your family and dependents should you lose your source of income?
Are your goals realistic given your financial resources?
“Obstacles can’t stop you. Problems can’t stop you. Most of all, other people can’t stop you. Only you can stop you.” — Jeffrey Gitomer
Becoming financially successful is all about the road you take to get there. Even just making some small changes such as reining in credit card spending, paying off credit card debt and starting a savings plan can make a significant difference to your financial well being.
To achieve larger goals such as planning for a comfortable retirement, it’s worthwhile speaking to a qualified financial adviser. A financial adviser can help you to define your goals and work with you on a financial strategy that’s designed to make your goals become a reality.

WALE TURNER SETS TO PERFORM AT THE 2017 UNILORIN HYPE AWARDS

The internet sensation and self acclaimed “hottest” rapper with in-depth vocal dexterity and tremendous diversity, Wale Turner, sets to storm the stage of the 2017 Unilorin Hype Awards this month. The Faya Faya master will be performing alongside Que Peller, Jumabee, Soti, Classykinging, Eddyblint and many more.

Unilorin Hype Awards is the annual celebration of  Students who have contributed positively to music, art, entertainment, lifestyle, entreprenuership, sports among others in  the University of Ilorin. In a formal statement, Solomon Olumide Emmanuel, convener of the event gleefully announced, “This event tends to encourage and support Unilorites in their effort and to showcase their impact on their communities on the local, national and international levels. We proudly present UNILORIN HYPE AWARDS  2017,  this edition is scheduled for Friday 28^th of April, 2017 at the Mazabs Event Centre, Tanke, Ilorin, Kwara State, by 5pm and will be immediately followed by the Event After-Party at the Klub Spartacus, Ilorin”.

In his speech, he emphasise the importance of the event, “as we all look forward to this great event that will definitely remain in the memory of many Unilorites and no doubt will be one of the best in the history, let us join hands to support an initiative that aim at appreciating, celebrating and recognising Unilorites that have excelled in their chosen field".

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The 2017 Unilorin Hype Awards promised to be a night of glamour, suspense and fun at large after the wonderful and laudable voting process which lasted for 15days.

 The one-day event will be hosted by duo of Oyas Baba and Ify Weckx with DJ A-TECH on the wheel.

 

ENTRY INFO:

REGULAR: 1500

VIP: 3500

TABLE OF 6: 20000

ENQUIRES&RESERVATIONS:

08165927066, 08104004644

Twitter & IG:

@unilorinhype

MEDIA PARTNERS:

Awesome Media, Campus Talkativ, Campus Chronicles, Kampus TV, The Owl Campus, Unilorin Online TV, Kaybaba Media, SDX Media, Unilorin Talk, Campus Youth TV, Lade Signatory, Ofofonation, Platinum Dynasty Entertainment, Campus Vibes, Creative C Media, Prolific Music World, Unilorin Peeps, College Chills, Kampus Konnect, Herald Newspaper, Grin-Mix Magazine

ALL ABOUT THE WOMEN RISING CONFERENCE 2017

Woman Rising, the annual celebration of women through Music, Arts and Networking returns on April 8 and 9, 2017 in a two-day extravaganza in its usual extension of the annual celebration of International Women’s Day.

Now in its seventh year, WOMAN RISING has evolved from a small 50-person gathering which debuted in 2011 to a comprehensive, far-reaching and impactful annual 2-day meeting of women across the creative and business spectrums alike – attracting over 500 women cumulatively.

The 2017 ensemble will feature Adunni Nefertiti (all-female acapella folk group), Kaline, amazing newcomers Evelle, Debbie and Sheillah, as well as international guest percussionist Angela Paz Alhucema (Chile).

The two-day event will be hosted by award winning actress, Lala Akindoju across various venues allowing women and the men who love them to connect, empower and celebrate womanhood and the accomplishments of women in business, the humanities, philanthropy and the arts. The weekend will begin with Woman Rising’s landmark exclusive networking brunch and will be concluded with a grand and very critically acclaimed music concert featuring ALL WOMEN performers. The weekend will also feature a private fringe art salon – all focused on womanhood and creativity.

In a formal statement, Ugoma Adegoke & Zebra Living, conveners of the event, gleefully announced “we proudly present WOMAN RISING 2017, the 7th edition scheduled for Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th of April 2017. In a nutshell, WOMAN RISING our own way of celebrating International Women’s Day and WOMEN through the very powerful tools of Music & The Arts and Networking year after year. Our celebration format has infused various aspects of the arts (literature, visual art, dance, film) over the past 6 years and this year we are proud to continue in that tradition. We are planning an uplifting and connecting weekend featuring the most exciting female creatives, artists and artistes – for the enjoyment of the entire city (men and women alike). We continue to harness strategic partnerships and friendships with sponsors and artists to present a high quality and carefully curated and entertaining programme in 2017.”

WOMAN RISING 2017 is presented by Ugoma Adegoke & Zebra Living and supported by FBN Quest, Cointreau, The Wheatbaker, Strada Media, sabinews.com and The Guardian.

MASTERING A NEW LANGUAGE

Multilingualism is a great thing. Learning another language can make you more competitive in the job market and science has shown that bilingualism can improve your brain while holding back conditions like dementia.

As someone who learned Japanese a few years ago, I can say that while learning a language is a huge challenge, it is also immensely satisfying. Here are a few tips both from experts which can help you become fluent.
1. Know why you’re studying a language

Learning a language is not something you can just pick up and put away as you please. As Language Testing International points out, some languages can take up to 2760 hours to learn proficiently. Even easier languages like French or Spanish will still take 720 hours. No one can do that much work on their own time without serious motivation.

In my case, I am the son of a Japanese immigrant and thus gained an interest in learning the language of my heritage. That motivation kept me going during those many, many frustrating hours I spent trying to learn new kanji or going over Japanese particles.

What that motivation is, can vary from person to person, but make sure you have a real reason to learn a language beyond mere curiosity or impressing your peers. Write it down where you can see it to keep yourself motivated.
2. Learn core words first

No one can memorize every word in a language. Instead, there are a series of core words, which account for the vast majority of what we say in everyday life. In English for example, 90 percent of texts consist just 4000 words while 300,000 words make up the other 10 percent.

So learn the core words first in your language. By emphasizing on those, you can quickly get to a level where you can hold a conversation. Making visible progress like that, can keep yourself motivated for the next level.
3. Practice

As noted above, learning a language to a proficient level can take up to 2760 hours. If you are studying a language for two hours a day, five days a week, that is over five years of work.

That means it is critical to regularly practice. You can’t just do a lot of practice for one day and then take three days off. What knowledge you learn in that one day will decay in those few days. Set a regular schedule and stick to it. If you can make learning a language a routine, the battle is partly won.
4. Watch foreign-language media

Most people use language textbooks to learn basic to intermediate grammar and words, but there is a catch. Those textbooks only teach a very formal version of the language. The result is that when you speak like a textbook in front of a native speaker, you will sound very strange (and in Japanese, you will sound feminine).

So you should expose yourself to your studied language beyond mere study guides. Foreign media is a great way to immerse yourself. Even if you do not understand what they are saying, noticing the tone and pitch used will help.

And turn the subtitles off.
5. Don’t be scared of mistakes

Everyone believes that young children are much better at learning languages compared to adults, but one study from the journal Second Language Research has declared that “the age at which second language acquisitions begins is not a significant factor.”

So if children are not actually better at learning languages, why do we think that? One reason is that unlike adults, children do not get embarrassed when they make a speaking or grammar mistake. Adults do, and this can in the worst case scenario lead to perfection paralysis. People become so worried about making a mistake that they stop trying to move forward and improve.

Mistakes are a part of learning any language. Don’t worry about making them.
6. Speak with native speakers

When I started to learn Japanese, my mother’s side of the family and her contacts were a huge help. I regularly talked with them about everything, which bolstered my speaking skills and helped me understand various parts of Japanese which I would not have realized with just a textbook.

Talking with a native speaker is the single best way to improve your language skills, but how can you find one? Websites like italki or WeSpeke can help you connect with other across the globe. Also probe your friends and family to see if they know someone who speaks your target language.
7. Look into the foreign culture

A language represents people and their culture. If you don’t value the people or the culture, then you don’t value the language. Think about how the Eskimos have 50 words for “snow.”

So take efforts to learn about the native culture if you want to know the native language. Films and TV shows are a good place to start, but newspaper, news shows, and even Internet memes can teach you what the people you are studying are interested in. Doing so will teach you new words and phrases which you would not have learned otherwise and will help you understand that a new language can help you open up an entirely new world for you to explore.
Don’t Give Up!

According to Vamos Spanish Academy, Learning a language is a huge challenge. When you have spent hours not making any real progress and fumbling your speech, it is easy to wonder if this is really such a good idea.

But bilingualism is a valuable tool where the rewards will easily make up for the effort. Remember the reasons why you decided to practice that language and the fact that requires constant, long practice. Fluency is only a matter of time and effort. If you make a true effort to immerse yourself in the language, understand the culture, and practice as much as you can, you will find yourself knowing a language which can enrich your life and teach you new perspectives.