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Minister of State Müntefering on her first trip to Africa
Minister of State Müntefering on her first trip to Africa
At the invitation of Deputy Head of Mission Regine Hess, Minister of State Müntefering met Nigerian women from the fields of politics, business, society and religion. Christian and Muslim women can argue splendidly about some things, for instance polygamy. But everyone agreed that giving girls and women access to education is the key for the country’s future.
During the visit to the gallery and cultural centre: a lively discussion about traditional and contemporary art in Nigeria with Jeff Ajueshi (gallery director and poet), Ehgosa Henry (painter) and Doofan Kwaghol (painter)
Poster at the entrance to the Thought Pyramid Art Centre, Abuja
A lively, frank exchange on human rights issues and the upcoming elections in February 2019 with, among others, Samson Itodo, the pioneer of the “Not too young to run” movement, and the prominent human rights activist Clement Nwankwo, founder of Nigeria’s first human rights organisation
Minister of State Müntefering was the first member of the German Government to be welcomed by Jean Claude Brou, following his election as President of the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) Commission at the start of 2018. They spoke for around an hour about the security issues currently facing the region. Contrary to what its title might suggest, ECOWAS is actively engaged in political, security and defence tasks in west Africa – migration, demographics, peacekeeping, election observation, security forces training, to name but a few. Germany is assisting ECOWAS to build up a stand by force by providing expert advisers and instructors at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC). The meeting was also attended by ECOWAS Commission Vice President Koroma, who praised Germany’s support for ECOWAS.
Minister of State Müntefering met her counterpart Khadija Bukar Abba IIbrahim for the first time. With various Nigerian media representatives in attendance, the two politicians had a frank discussion about the German-Nigerian agenda, as well as the situation in Nigeria in the run up to the elections in February 2019. Afterwards, Minister of State Khadija Bukar Abba invited her German colleague into her office. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Nigerian Ambassador in Berlin, outlined plans for a twinning arrangement between Lagos and Frankfurt. A high level Nigerian delegation is to travel to Germany in a few weeks’ time in this connection.
Breakfast in Cafe Neo, Lagos, on Whit Monday with culture professionals and networkers Ugoma Adegoke (curator and art dealer), Ade Bantu (jazz musician and activist) and Jahman Oladejo Anikulapo (well known arts and culture journalist)
Nollywood (Nigeria) is the world’s second-largest film industry after Bollywood (India), and bigger than Hollywood (US). Up to 2000 films are produced and are popular with audiences across Africa. The box office hit “The Wedding Party”, which has generated approx. one hundred million euros, was not shown in German cinemas, but can be streamed. Leading actors Richard Mofe Damijo and Enyinna Nwigwe, actors, scriptwriters and producers Omoni Oboli and Michale Matthew, and Kene Mkpatru, member of the Nigerian OSCAR Selection Committee, greeted Minister of State Müntefering in the Filmhouse Cinema, Lagos. The talks focused among other things on possibilities for German-Nigerian co productions, for instance within the framework of the Berlinale World Cinema Fund.
