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Stop engaging non-licensed voice-over artistes - AVOA warns public

AVOA President, Mr. Ehi Omokhuale (Second right); Provost AVOA and co-presenter of Goge Africa, Isaac Moses; Former Finance Director, AVOA, Obiageli Molobe (First right) and Deaconess Yemi Oluwadaisi (First left)

As part of their new reforms, the Association of Voice Over Artistes (AVOA) Nigeria, has called on the general public to stop engaging non-licensed voice-over artistes in the performance of advertising related functions.

During a press conference cum picnic organized by the members of AVOA, the association’s President, Ehi Omokhuale, said, the association, by virtue of its affiliation with the Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria (APCON), is the only statutorily recognized umbrella body for voice-over practice in Nigeria.

He emphasized that AVOA is a body of professionals registered under incorporated Trustees of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He revealed some of their duties by saying that: “Our members provide voice work on broadcast advert materials, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Ring Back Tones (RBT), computer software, documentaries, cartoons, radio drama and other voice related works in the advertising and allied industries.

“Embarking on a systematic reform of the Advertising practice, APCON inaugurated a committee on the reforms on Wednesday, December 22, 2010. The council had invited all sectoral heads, including AVOA, to various fora on the issue at different times. This culminated in the submission of memoranda by the sectoral heads in January 2011.

“Recognising voice-over as a necessary specialized arm of the advertising profession, and categorizing it as advertising service providers, APCON formally mandated AVOA in writing on November 28, 2014, to streamline, sanitize and effectively coordinate the activities of the professionals engaged in voice-over practice. In the same vein, voice-over artistes who desire to be licensed to engage in professional advertising practice in the category of ‘Advertising Service Providers’ will henceforth apply through AVOA for APCON registration according to the laid down Window-A procedure,” Omokhuale explained.

He added that AVOA’s legal solicitors, Napoleon, Sandra & Co has asked their clients, in writing, to partner with them by discouraging the use of quacks and non-licensed voice-over artistes in the performance of advertising related functions.

“The implication of this is that only AVOA members and APCON-licensed persons can carry out voice-overs and advertising related services for clients. This is aimed at regulating the list of her bonafide members to APCON on a quarterly basis,” he added.

Commenting on some of the advantages of being a member of AVOA, he said: “AVOA provides an enabling job environment for its members to thrive and provides the right cover for them whenever they are in distress. AVOA organizes yearly voice-over training and re-training workshops for her members, with the aim of enhancing the members’ skills and serving our clients better.

“It is pertinent to stress here that with the ongoing reforms, it would now be an offence punishable under the relevant Laws to engage the services of a non-licensed person to carry out voice-overs and ancillary functions. And as a statutorily recognized body, AVOA would do all that is within the legal parameters to ensure that such offenders are brought to books. A special monitoring mechanism has been set up for picketing purposes,” he emphasized.

Also speaking, the Provost, AVOA and co-presenter of popular TV culture show Goge Africa, Mr. Isaac Moses, said that when he was growing up, whatever one hears on radio was standard but it’s not same today. That is why we want to sanitize the industry.”

In the same vein, Former Finance Director, AVOA, Obiageli Molobe, stated that that when people want to belong to a particular association, what comes into their minds is the money they will make. “But what we were getting when we started this job was nothing to write home about. When you have passion for something, anything you do gives you joy without having regrets or sentiment. But you have to prove yourself. It is your perfection in delivery that will create the opportunity for you to be called again. You have to deliver it on time and must be humble to learn.”

AVOA members meet on quarterly basis, though there are some emergency meetings. Those interested to become AVOA members are asked to visit the association’s office at No.1 Okanlawon Street by Masha, Surulere, Lagos or contact the President on 08023149482.
The event with a light picnic took place in a bonding and friendly atmosphere at La Campagne Tropicana, Ikeja, Lagos, during which AVOA members, advertising industry executives, Independent producers, advert producers, friends of AVOA and the Press made merry, freely interacted and exchanged views on issues that bind them.

Abuja Film Village International Ltd organises writers’ workshop

The Abuja Film Village International Ltd, presently invites interested members of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) to a proposed Writers’ Workshop that will focus on writing and adapting literary texts into screenplays. This workshop is designed as a possible interventionist venture into improving filmmaking in Nigeria by encouraging creative writers to write for the screen.

A statement by Vice President (ANA), Denja Abddullahi, described the workshop as a fallout from the recently concluded second Playwrights Confab convened by Prof. Femi Osofisan, held in Ilorin and hosted by Kwara State University, Malete, 

 Participation

He added that interested members of the Association with published works of any genre are free to indicate their willingness to participate.

In terms of venue and duration, “The workshop which is free will run for a week and will take place after the 2015 General Elections at a time to be announced later in the following places: SE-SS Zone in Asaba, SW Zones in Lagos, Central Zone in Abuja and NE-NW Zone in Kano. The workshop will be residential and non-residential. Details of these will be provided in due course.”
 Coursework: “The workshop will be conducted by local and foreign participants. The kernel of the workshop will be highly technical. Participants will receive copies of already produced screenplay[s] of the Facilitator[s], and most likely copies of the film[s] produced from their screenplays. Certainly they will get to watch their film[s].Participants will be taken through the rubrics of writing for the screen and adapting literary works into screenplays for eventual filming. It is going to be structured to enable participants who are already creative writers to acquire new skills and add more value to their creativity.

 Interested members of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) who want to participate in the workshop should send their names, postal addresses, emails, phone numbers, list of their published works and the Zone in which they will like to participate in the workshop to: Denja Abddullahi, denja.abdullahi@yahoo.com (08057868575).

Nelson Mandela memoir to be published next year

A sequel to Nelson Mandela's 1995 autobiography ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ will be published next year.
The book will be based on a hand-written draft and completed by Mr. Mandela's former advisers.
His widow, Graca Machel, said he began work on the manuscript in 1998, towards the end of his five-year presidential term.
Publishers Pan Macmillan said the book would be "candid and clear-eyed about the difficulties he faced in office".
Ms. Machel said Mr. Mandela saw it as "a natural progression" from Long Walk to Freedom which covered his early years, his political struggle against South Africa's apartheid regime, and the 27 years he spent in prison.
'Historical document'
It went on to become one of the best-selling political memoirs of all time
Editorial director Georgina Morley said the new book, based on material from the Nelson Mandela Foundation's archives, would "remind readers everywhere what he stood for."
An exact publication date was not announced.
He was released from prison in 1990 and went on to win the presidency in South Africa's first all-race election in 1994.
He won the Nobel Peace Prize, along with former South African President Frederick W de Klerk, in 1993 for negotiating the end of white-minority rule.
Mr. Mandela stepped down in 1999 to concentrate on charity work.
Literary agent Jonny Geller said the book would be an important historical document.
"A lot of it is a political memoir about being president, his relationships with the army, with the unions and with the tribes. What's really interesting is that he can't help but talk about leadership and talk about the most important thing which is the transition from freedom to power.
"This will be a very inspiring book because it's actually about what you do when you actually have power."