Artistes in collaboration against cyber crimes

R-L: Microsoft’s Serge Ntamack, ‘Gbenga Sesan, MI, Dr. Jummai Umar-Ajilola, Citizenship Lead, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa and Project Initiator, Ohimai Godwin Amaize shortly after MI’s recording at Cobhams Asuquo’s studio

The Most Incredible MI couching his lyrics moments before his recording at Cobhams Asuquo’s studio

R-L: Miss Queen (NEXT), Ohimai, Cobhams and Femi Ogunyomi

R-L: Templer Olaiya (The Guardian), Femi Ogunyomi, Omawumi, Modele, Sokleva, and Cobhams

MISSPIN Music Project Initiator Ohimai Godwin Amaize welcoming Banky W to the first artistes roundtable which held on 25^th August, 2009 at the Microsoft office in Victoria Island, Lagos

A typical B.L.I.N.G. teaser

Banky W, Omawumi, Modele, Rooftop MCs, MI, Wordsmith and Bez are teaming up in the studio of Cobhams Asuquo for the recording of an anti-cybercrime musical collaboration. The artistes, who started voice recording during the week are working hard to release before Christmas what may be termed Nigeria's first unofficial anthem against cybercrime.

A recent report by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (ICCC) ranks Nigeria third (after the USA and UK) in the global list of countries with the highest rate of cybercrimes. But in a bid to provide a credible response to the challenge of cybercrimes, popularly referred to as yahoo-yahoo, Microsoft and Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) is partnering to launch the anti-cybercrimes musical collaboration.

Initiated by Ohimai Godwin Amaize, one of the Microsoft Internet Safety, Security and Privacy Initiative for Nigeria (MISSPIN) ambassadors under the supervision of Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN), the MISSPIN song project is quintessential of Microsoft Nigeria's long-standing commitment towards improving Nigeria standing on the list of the countries with the highest rate of cybercrimes.

The song will be projected across relevant media platforms via B.L.I.N.G. - an acronym for Brilliant. Legitimate. Inspired. Nigerian. Great. B.L.I.N.G. is a pop culture strategy designed by Ohimai Godwin Amaize specifically for the MISSPIN campaign.

According to Microsoft's Citizenship Lead for Anglophone West Africa, Dr. Jummai Umar-Ajijola, this project means a lot to Microsoft because it will help ensure that everyone has access to the tools and contents they need online to achieve their greatest dreams.

"It further demonstrates our commitment to making the Internet a safe place to work, learn and play. This strategic project also demonstrates our commitment to Nigeria as an important country as it seeks to support the government in its rebranding Nigeria campaign. We are grateful to the highly talented artistes, the renowned producer and Paradigm Initiative Nigeria who have volunteered to work with us on this non-profit campaign. We look forward to more of such collaboration in the future to the benefit of the Nigerian people," Umar-Ajijola added.

The MISSPIN campaign is premised on Microsoft's resolve to redirect the energies of young Nigerians from cybercrimes towards productive alternatives on the Internet while ensuring a safer and more secure cyberspace in a world of increasing cyber insecurity. The precursor of the B.L.I.N.G. strategy was the launch of the MISSPIN campaign, on Saturday, October 25, 2008, at a red carpet event hosted in Lagos. At the event, Microsoft Nigeria and PIN inducted 24 young Nigerians as ambassadors of the MISSPIN campaign. Ohimai Godwin Amaize was one of these young men who made a commitment to take the anti-cybercrime message to his peers.

To Ohimai, "This musical collaboration is a big dream come true. Indeed, this is unprecedented not just in the music industry, but in the entire history of Nigerian pop culture. With this new song, I see young Nigerians reawakening to the realities of harnessing their God-given potentials for positive exploits. Gone are the days when we listened and danced to songs, which glorified criminality. This is a new beginning for Nigeria and we would be glad to receive more collaborative support from other music artistes in the near future."

The Executive Director of PIN, 'Gbenga Sesan, believes that the collaboration demonstrates the willingness of various stakeholders to support the need to redirect the energy of young Nigerians towards positive ideals। "We are extremely glad to be working with some of the music industry's best hands on this campaign, and are delighted that they have added their brand value to the campaign against cybercrime. Microsoft and PIN look forward to working with other partners in delivering the objectives of the campaign," he added.

Culled from The Guardian Newspapers