Microsoft, PIN, others launch Maga No Need Pay tunes

Software giant, Microsoft Corporation and Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN), last weekend in Lagos, jointly launched the Maga No Need Pay tunes and video, as part of the campaign against raising cyber crimes in the country mostly among the youths.

Also on the line of partnership is the Osun State University and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

Speaking at the occasion held at the University of Lagos, Akoka main auditorium, the Executive Director, PIN, Mr. Gbenga Sesan commended the aforementioned partners, especially Microsoft, and promised that they would strive to keep the project alive.

In his goodwill message, the Vice Chancellor, Osun State University, Prof. Sola Akinrande, was optimistic that by giving students the knowledge on technologies would afford them to use their brilliance positively.

“Hence, we are keen on the partnership with Microsoft and PIN on this project to extend this message to other institutions by joint effort to ensure its success,” he said.

In her remarks, the Citizenship Lead, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa, Dr. Jummai Umar-Ajijola, noted that the next phase after this formal launch of Maga No Need Pay, which was part of the first phase, but the second phase, would include involvement of mass media extensively.

She also revealed that plans are up for the hosting of the first West African Cybersecurity summit in September this year.

This, she said, has become necessary due to the growing rate of cyber crime among the citizens of the sub-region.

She noted that hitherto, it was only Nigeria and Ghana, but nowadays, it crime has extended into Cameroon.

“So, we have to join forces on this,” she declared.

Ajijola also disclosed that the call for next set of Microsoft Internet Safety, Security and Privacy Initiative for Nigeria (MISSPIN) ambassadors have opened and is expected to close by August 30, this year.

She further lamented lack of legislation to fight the increasing menace of cyber crime in the country, noting Nigerian youths are very talented, adding that all they need is the right mentoring to excel honestly.

“The momentous thing about this is that Nigerian youths realize and appreciate the kind of situation we are in as it concerns how the world views us as cyber criminals. It is a perception, so these youths are acting as role models to refocus the energy of these Nigerians on the alternative to cyber crime that they do not have to commit the ‘yahoo, yahoo’ to make a living but there are alternatives by being honest while working in the cyber world,” she said.

On the philosophy of Mega No Need Pay, she said the Maga in the yahoo, yahoo world is the victim and this means that crime does not pay, and the victim does not have to pay.

“These artistes are good role models, because there were no Magas in their life, they are successful and achieved whatever they are now through hardwork and honesty. This is an awareness creation platform to take it to a larger number of the population since music is the biggest attention grabber today,” she said.

Underscoring the fact that the nations ruling the world today, economically, are those that have harnessed ICT to make progress and one hallmark of ICT is the internet and that if the nation’s internet space is considered not safe then Nigeria has been left behind.

She revealed that the project enjoys a lot of partnership from a lot of organizations but that they still need more organisations to come onboard.

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