The Plateau State Government has officially unveiled “Sing for Plateau,” a massive creative initiative designed to unearth local talent and rebrand the state’s image as it celebrates its Golden Jubilee.
Launched under the “Time is Now” administration by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Creativity and Entertainment, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Hospitality, the project aims to let Plateau creatives tell their own stories.
Speaking at the launch, Barr. Ezra Jinang, the SSA on Creativity and Entertainment, explained that the maiden edition coincides with Plateau State at 50. The goal is to counter negative narratives by projecting the state’s true identity—a hub of peace, tourism, and immense creativity.
“We want to tell our stories ourselves, using our arts and creativity… showcasing talents that have made Plateau a hub for creativity in Nigeria,” Jinang stated
Commissioner for Tourism, Culture, and Hospitality, Cornelius Doeyok
Commissioner for Tourism, Culture, and Hospitality, Cornelius Doeyok, added that the initiative is a strategic move to position the creative industry as a major economic driver. “The more positive content we create about Plateau, the better the perception outside the state,” he noted.
Categories and Prizes
The competition is open to residents of Plateau State and features four main categories. The winner of each category will go home with a cash prize of One Million Naira (N1,000,000), with consolation prizes for other outstanding participants.
The categories are:
Songs
Poetry
Dance
Content Creation
How to Participate
Eligibility: Open to all creatives residing in Plateau State.
Submission Window: Entries opened on February 3, 2026, and will run for 21st Feb.
Method: Participants should record their talent in any of the listed categories and submit their entries with a brief description via WhatsApp: 09025647816.
Grand Finale
The initiative will culminate in a grand “Sing for Plateau Concert” in March, where the Executive Governor of Plateau State will present prizes to the winners.
The project has received full backing from key stakeholders, including the General Manager of the Plateau Tourism Corporation, Mr. Chuwang Pwajok, and the Special Assistant on Tourism and Culture, Ephraim Dankyes, as well as industry bodies like PMAN Plateau, FOGMMON, and AGOMMI.
Dua Lipa has reportedly filed a lawsuit against Samsung, seeking £11 million in damages over claims that the tech giant used her image without permission to promote its products.
According to court documents filed in the Central District of California, the Grammy-winning singer alleges that her photograph was used on the packaging of Samsung’s Crystal 43-inch ultra-high-definition televisions, which were marketed alongside the XITE Hits music channel.
The image in question was reportedly taken backstage at a 2024 music festival and later appeared on a large number of television boxes sold across the United States.
Dua Lipa’s legal team claims the use of her image created a false impression that she had endorsed or partnered with Samsung, potentially influencing consumers to purchase the televisions based on that perceived association.
Her lawyer, Christine Lepera, was cited as stating that Samsung used a copyrighted image of the singer “without authority or licence” and prominently featured it on retail packaging.
The lawsuit further alleges that Samsung ignored multiple legal warnings issued by the singer’s representatives before the case was formally filed.
The filing also included references to social media reactions, with some users reportedly saying they were drawn to or influenced to purchase the televisions because of Dua Lipa’s image on the packaging.
Dua Lipa, who has previously worked with global brands such as Nespresso, Puma, Porsche, and Yves Saint Laurent Beauty, is described in the filing as being highly selective about endorsement deals and would not have automatically agreed to such a partnership.
She is seeking at least $15 million in damages, though the final amount could reportedly increase if the case proceeds to trial.
At the time of the report, Samsung had not issued a public response to the lawsuit.
The organization behind the Academy Awards released new Oscar rules on Friday, including several that address the use of generative artificial intelligence.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said that only performances “credited in the film’s legal billing and demonstrably performed by humans with their consent” will be eligible for Academy Awards. Similarly, the academy said that screenplays must be “human-authored” to be eligible.
The academy also said it has the right to request more information about a film’s AI usage and “human authorship.”
Outside Hollywood, at least one novel has been pulled by its publisher due to the apparent use of AI, and other writers’ groups are declaring that AI usage makes work ineligible for awards.