MTN’s Final Payment: A Demonstration of Commitment to Sustainable Investment in Nigeria

"Commitment is an act, not a word." - Jean-Paul Sartre

Fifteen years ago, in January of 2001, the house of “Y’ello!” paid $285 million for one of four GSM licenses to operate in Nigeria. This was an investment decision predicated on the growth potential of the Nigerian economy. An investment of that magnitude, amounting to over N103 billion in today’s Naira, was a seismic statement of faith in doing business in Nigeria by MTN.

Over the years since that bold decision by Africa’s largest mobile operator to break new ground in Africa’s largest economy, the relationship has broadened in the form of more positive acts of intent to expand growth that the Nigerian populace has benefitted from. Take for instance, the MTN Foundation. Established in 2004 as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility plan, the company set up three portfolios of focus in the areas of Health, Education, and Economic empowerment. This was part of a wider strategy to reduce poverty and contribute towards sustainable development in the Nation

"Without commitment, you cannot have depth in anything, whether it's a relationship, a business or a hobby." - Neil Strauss

The roots of the depth of MTN’s quest for sustainable investment extends beyond the Nigerian public sector into the private sector. In March of this year, Africa Internet Group, a Nigerian e-commerce company, announced it has received funding to the tune of $245 million (N89 billion) from investors that included MTN and U.S Investment Bank Goldman Sachs. MTN recognizes the need to invest in the expansion of e-commerce in Nigeria because of the impact on jobs and the economy at large. 

But even the most noble amongst us has the occasional lapse. Even the most  well intentioned can make a misstep. Eight months ago, in October of 2015, the Nigerian Communications Commission levied a $5.2 billion (N1.04 trillion) fine against MTN for failing to disconnect subscribers with incomplete SIM cards. In an effort to curb Terrorism and Kidnappings, among other crimes, the Federal Govt required all registered lines to have updated SIMS. This exercise was in line with Section 20(1) of Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations (TSR) 2011 which stated: 

"Any licensee who activates or fails to deactivate a subscription medium in violation of any provision of these Regulations is liable to a penalty of N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) for each unregistered but activated subscription medium."

As a follow up to this regulation, a compliance audit of all Mobile operators in the country was carried out in August of 2015 by the NCC. The audit discovered that 5.2 million subscribers were not properly registered by MTN. Multiplying by the fine per subscriber gives us the gargantuan N1.04 trillion ($5.2 billion) figure. In line with its high standards of Corporate Governance, MTN owned up to its culpability and commenced negotiations with the NCC to reduce the fine. A N50 billion payment was made by the company in February 2016 in good faith towards a settlement.

Taking a macro view of MTN’s growth impact on the Telecoms sector, jobs, and Nigeria’s GDP, the Federal Govt decided to reduce the fine from N1.04 trillion to N330 billion, payable over the next three years. As a possible condition of the settlement, MTN might even list on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, thereby allowing shareholders to partake in profit sharing in the form of dividends. A win-win scenario for the country and the company. Speaking to reporters in Abuja, the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, explained that the reduction of the fine was in the best interest of the economy:

"We need private sector to thrive just as they need us to thrive. We, in government, do not want to kill any business. All the decisions that have been taken on the MTN issue are on the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians."

So a prudent decision by the Government ensured that all’s well that ends well. MTN learned from its mistake, made yet another financial contribution to Nigeria (which will go a long way during this tough economic cycle where the nation’s revenues have been greatly reduced by the fall in oil prices), and was met halfway by a government that recognizes its stellar contributions to a better Nigeria over the past 15 years. We as Nigerians are better off for it.

"We have to recognize that there cannot be relationships unless there is commitment, unless there is loyalty, unless there is love, patience, persistence." - Cornel West

Movie Review: "Creed"

In my last blog post which reviewed the year 2015 in film, I listed 13 movies which I didn’t get to see but hoped to get to later. So far in 2016, I’ve seen four of them, the latest of which is “Creed” which I just saw last night, Saturday the 22^nd of January, 2016. I was so moved by the film that I couldn’t wait to write this review. To be honest, when I first heard about the movie in 2014, I rolled my eyes thinking Sylvester Stallone was yet again trying to squeeze more dollars out of the franchise. The last  film in the series I saw was “Rocky V” in 1990 and I didn’t enjoy it much. I completely skipped the sixth film “Rocky Balboa” which was released sixteen years later in 2006. So I wasn’t expecting much from “Creed.”

Word-of-mouth marketing is a powerful tool in the world of cinema. I later got word that “Creed” was very good and after seeing the strong reviews from critics (it scored 94% on Rotten Tomatoes), I added it to my must-see list. I had seen another Boxing film in 2015 called “Southpaw” which starred one of my favorite actors Jake Gyllenhaal, so I wondered if “Creed” would be better.  

It’s not even close. “Creed” is a superior film to “Southpaw” but maybe it’s not even a fair comparison since the former is inspired by a nostalgic legacy. Legacy is very much what “Creed” is about and much like the protagonist, it seeks to walk down its own path and carve a new arc from the storied history of “Rocky.” The plot is simple. Adonis Creed is the lovechild produced from an affair Apollo Creed had while married. Apollo died in the ring at the hands of Ivan “I must break you” Drago in “Rocky IV” before Adonis was born. So Adonis grows up without a father figure and jumps from one Juvenile home to the next.

Ivan Drago vs Apollo Creed from "Rocky IV"

Apollo Creed’s widow (played by Phylicia Rashad aka Mrs Huxtable), in a touching gesture of empathy, decides to take the child of the woman her husband had an affair with under her wing and raise him as her own. He gets a nice job at a Financial Services firm in Los Angeles where they live, but can’t shake his allure for Boxing (dude travels to Mexico to fight on weekends). But Adonis is a self-taught boxer. He's never been trained. So his talent is raw and needs to be honed. He goes to the elite Delphi Boxing Academy in L.A. to speak to a trainer but is rebuffed. So he decides to move to Philadelphia, against the wishes of his step-mom, (who by the way gives a great speech about the perils of Boxing which she lived through while caring for her late Husband after his grueling matches) to seek out another trainer.

Adonis is in Philly to seek out his father’s rival-turned-friend Rocky Balboa, played by Sylvester Stallone. Rocky is now a senior citizen that runs a restaurant named after his deceased wife Adrian (who can forget his iconic screaming of “ADRIAAAAAN!!!” in earlier “Rocky” films?). Adonis tries to convince Rocky to train him but he refuses. The film is fleshed out from there. While in Philly, Adonis meets Bianca, an up-and-coming singer/songwriter who lives in his apartment complex and prevents him from getting a proper night’s rest with her loud music.

Where do I begin with how much I enjoyed this film? Perhaps by focusing on the people that made it so great.

Director Ryan Coogler

This young man is just 29 (will be 30 in May) and his work so far gives one optimism for the future of Black cinema (along with Ava DuVernay and other promising talents). He has worked with Michael B Jordan before, on his first feature film "Fruitvale Station," a 2013 cinematic take on the police shooting of 22-year-old Oscar Grant. The film was a big success. On a reported budget of $900,000, it grossed $17,000,000 worldwide (with over 90% of that total coming from the domestic market) and made a name for Coogler.  

He also co-wrote "Creed" and I love how much time he spent at the beginning of the film fleshing out the character of Adonis, the protagonist. In case you're wondering, "Creed" has been a critical and commercial success. On a budget of $35 million, the movie has so far grossed $119 million worldwide. With the awards buzz it has received, it could top out at $130 million or surpass that. So that's two strong films under the belt of up-and-coming director Ryan Coogler. What's his next project? It's BIG. Marvel announced this month that he will direct the feature film for "Black Panther" which is due in 2018. Interestingly enough, Ava DuVernay was in talks with Marvel to direct the film but the talks broke down. This makes up for the disappointment many felt at the time. Very much looking forward to the film and the trajectory of the career of Mr Coogler

Michael B Jordan

Variety in acting roles relies a lot on authenticity. Heck, acting in of itself is all about authenticity of the performance. The actor has to be able to convince the audience of his embodiment of the role he is playing. The Spike Lee film "Chi-raq" comes to mind. I'm yet to see it but curious because I like the work of Spike Lee. I do however call into question the casting of Nick Cannon as a Gangster rapper in the film. I saw the trailer and cringed at the clips of him in character. I just didn't buy it. Perhaps because of his previous happy-go-lucky roles in film and MTV skits. He also smiles too damn much. But then, "Chi-raq" is supposedly satire so perhaps Cannon's entire performance was an exaggerated wink? I'll find out when I see it.

I use that as an example to emphasize how gloriously authentic MBJ was in his role in "Creed." The first film I ever saw him feature in was 2012's "Chronicle," a movie written by Max Landis (son of John Landis, who famously directed Michael Jackson's "Thriller" short film and music video) about three teenagers who gain superhuman abilities. It's an atypical film about having super powers and I encourage seeing it. I even own it on DVD . The Michael B Jordan in that film reminded me a lot of Nick Cannon. Smiling all the time, the life of the party, cracking jokes, etc. His performance in "Creed" as the protagonist is all business. Gritty business. You feel the pain he carries with him throughout the film and it helps to understand the anger with which he lashes out due to his circumstance. After suffering the blip that was "Fantastic 4," it's great to see him bounce back here.

Tessa Thompson

As you move from one talent to the next in this film, you start to understand the frustration of the movement behind the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag that originated last year and is back again this year. Tessa Thompson is another positive highlight in this movie. The first movie I saw her in was 2014's "Dear White People," directed by another promising young black director, Justin Simien (his first feature film). The movie is a fantastic take on race relations on a predominantly white college campus and Thompson played an unapologetically outspoken radio broadcaster who wore her politically incorrect views on her sleeves. It was pretty much an indie film which grossed $4.4 million in the U.S alone (it wasn't released internationally, to my knowledge). Considering it was set entirely on a College campus, I can't imagine the film cost up to $500,000. Simien crowd-funded the flick and I read he raised $40,000 for production costs from there. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get the full cost of the film. Such is the case with certain independent projects. "Dear White People" was a success that I would encourage all to see.

In "Creed," Thompson plays the love interest of Adonis but she has plenty of depth with her own dreams, aspirations, and challenges. The chemistry between the two is fluid. There is one particularly cute scene in the film where she teaches Adonis Philly slang while on a date, which they both agreed wasn't a date but actually was. Part of the warm banter between the two. The word she taught him is used so often by someone from Boston I follow on twitter that I initially thought it was a Boston word. Little tidbits like that I enjoyed.

Sylvester Stallone

Let's revisit the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag again, shall we? The only Oscar nomination "Creed" received was for "Best Supporting Actor" for the Italian Stallion. He also just won his first Golden Globe for the same role. Some of the frustration at not seeing Ryan Coogler nominated for "Best Director" or Michael B Jordan nominated for "Best Actor" spilled over into some criticizing Stallone's wins. I myself wondered about Stallone's performance and how it managed to garner such recognition. This was before I saw the movie. After watching it, I completely understand. While I get the frustration over the black talent behind this movie not getting any recognition, I believe Stallone fully deserved his. 

In "Creed" we see Sylvester Stallone in a completely different role. He is a mentor, father figure, and passer of the torch to the next generation and Zeus help me he executed it soooo well. He also deals with a lot of tragedy and challenges which I won't spoil here but add so much emotional depth to his character and the movie. We get to see Rocky Balboa, the hero of the previous six films in the franchise, adjust to life as an old man moving on with his life. I'll be rooting for him at the Oscars.

Some extra tidbits. Sylvester Stallone is a lifetime Everton Football Club fan and the stadium makes an appearance in the film. Under what circumstances? Watch it to find out. FYI: the picture above with him holding up the Everton scarf is not included in the movie. Here is some trivia you can play with at your next party: Sylvester Stallone played a goal keeper in "Escape to Victory" in 1981 along with Pele and other famous footballers.

Also, there was a powerful moment in the beginning of the movie when Adonis is sparring at the Delphi Academy in Los Angeles. The camera quickly picks up two little boys staring at him in awe and it said so much about being a being a role model in society. The scene also said that role models are human beings with their own hurdles they attempt to scale in their lives. It's a quick scene in the film and it's subtle but keep your eyes peeled for it.

"Creed" is an emotional triumph. It is so much more than boxing. It's about life. It's about the heartbreak of the loss of loved ones. It's about the downside of the celebrated sport of Boxing. This shares a narrative with the new Will Smith film "Concussion" which looks at the dangers of life in the NFL. "Creed" is about the need for father figures. In the beginning of the film when we first see Adonis in the foster home, the camera pans over other faces of young black boys locked away. Each of the faces shares the same helpless look, a sad but required statement about the challenges of young black lives (WHICH MATTER) in so many societies.

There is enough potential here for "Creed" to spin off its own series of films much like "The Hobbit" successfully did thanks to "The Lord of the Rings." Word is that Coogler won't return to direct the planned sequel due to commitments like "Black Panther" and other films. Hopefully another director is found to handle the sequels properly.

Ok, as a gym rat, I had to mention this. The above picture is part of a popular hashtag on instagram (in physical fitness circles)  called #TransformationTuesday. It is posted every tuesday and features a "before" and "after" comparison of physiques changed by rigorous training. This picture in particular was posted by Michael B Jordan's trainer @MrCalliet. They worked together previously on "Fantastic 4," where MBJ played superhero Johnny Storm. The less said about "Fantastic 4," the better, but they decided to work together again and the results speak for themselves. MBJ looked RIPPED in the movie and it was such an inspiring sight. I can't express how motivating it is to read about actors transforming their bodies for film roles. Will Smith for "Ali," Chris Hemsworth for "Thor," Henry Cavil for "Man of Steel," and others. 

The amount of running in this movie (as in the first "Rocky" film) speaks volumes about the amount of cardio required by Boxers to build the stamina they need to last 12 rounds in the ring taking physical punishment. This was yet another part of the movie that I enjoyed. I left the theater last night promising to increase my running for the rest of the year. I might even pay frequent visits to the stadium in Surulere (in Lagos, Nigeria, for my international readers) to box more.

In summary, "Creed" is a wonderful movie. I regard it as a feather in the cap of black cinema but give all the props in the world to the superb performance of Sylvester Stallone who served as an iconic anchor for the flick. The boxing scenes by the way are up close and riveting. It is playing now in Nigerian cinemas everywhere so go see it.