Project WS78 unveils 2012 team, expands exchange programme

SPURRED by the success of last year's outing and the desire to host a truly world-class event, the organisers of the yearly Project WS78 (Wole Soyinka at 78), an international cultural exchange programme, recently unveiled 2012 team, which has been mandated to take the initiative to another level.The project initiator, Alhaji Teju Kareem, who is also CEO of Zmirage Multimedia Limited remains the Executive Producer, while Prof. Segun Ojewuyi of GlobalNewHaven has been co-opted as Co-Executive producer.The programme made its debut in June 2010, when the first cultural exchange participants left the United States of America on an adventure which took them from Barbados to London and Nigeria, respectively.Interestingly, CETTIE (Cultural Exchange through Theatre in Education), a charity-based in the UK, is evaluating the London segment of the essay competition.Also, providing marketing and publicity support to the project in London, for the third consecutive year is The Klubb International, a UK-based Event Management Company.Under the guidance of Lekan Olujinmi, the company has successfully marketed and promoted various entertainment events since 1981.Governors Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State have been the silent powers behind the success of the project. The two state governments have pledged their continued support for the programme.Joining the team this year are two tested and trusted hands, Messrs. Shabaka Thompson and Azuh Amatus.Mr. Amatus is a multiple award-winning journalist with over a decade experience. At 25, he emerged as one of Nigeria's youngest editors when he edited Hearts Magazine, between 2004 and 2005.With a strong grasp of Nollywood and entertainment matters, Amatus has worked with various media houses spanning both print and electronic. He is currently the editor of Entertainment Express/Sunday Express newspapers. He is Chief Publicist of Project WS78 team.Shabaka Thompson, who joined Zmirage as Director of Zmirage UK and ZMC, will avail the team his rich experience of cultural leadership and an in-depth knowledge of Carnival Arts.His long association with Nottinghill Carnival spans 25 years of direct involvement and delivery of strategic planning, costume production, theatre, masquerade, capital development, personnel management, innovation and capacity building as well as international relations.Mr. Thompsons' credentials include cultural exchange programmes and links with carnival producers in the Caribbean, Miami, Montreal, Europe and Africa.As a Trinbagonian he has harnessed his cultural awareness within a blend of administrative and management leadership that puts him at the forefront of carnival arts development in the UK.He will serve as coordinator of London end of the project.The event is scheduled to start at MUSON Centre, Onikan Lagos on July 28, and later moves to The Africa Centre, London on July 29.
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