Make Money from Nigeria’s Road Transportation Industry by TUNJI AFUWAPE ~ Part 2

Are you interested in doing business in the transport sector? Do you want to tap into the numerous opportunities in the road transportation industry? Then this article is for you.

2. Motorized three wheelers (tricycles)

Keke NAPEP is an experimental model of poverty eradication that seeks to empower the poor unemployed or underemployed Nigerian to a position where he / she can create a measurable and verifiable value in society in order to earn daily bread. KEKE NAPEP vehicles project, is a pet of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in which the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) operates the scheme.

NAPEP purchase the vehicles from Manufacturers (Autobahn) and sell at subsidized rates, on part payments basis to Nigerians to alleviate poverty, by providing them small business opportunities and transportation for most part of the country. However different brand of tricycle are now available in Nigeria .Tricycle make an average of N5,000 a day and a brand new tricycle is sold for about N400,000 to N500,000. They currently have an association called the Three Wheeler Beneficiaries/Operators Association of Nigeria.

Make Money from Nigeria’s Road Transportation Industry by TUNJI AFUWAPE ~ Part 1

Are you interested in doing business in the transport sector? Do you want to tap into the numerous opportunities in the road transportation industry? Then this article is for you.

The transport industry in Nigeria is booming currently and Nigerians can now create unlimited wealth from this sector. In fact, this is one of the fastest growing business opportunities in Nigeria.

If you have been looking forward to creating additional streams of income to make your dream come true, then you can stop the search right now. Why? Because you have just come to the place where you will discover the fastest and easiest way to start earning money on your own that will help you turn your dreams into reality.

Nigeria has the largest road network in West Africa and the second largest south of the Sahara, with roughly 108,000 km of surfaced roads. The population is there and the environment is good. The road transportation is a good business, and more people should come into it. It is a business anybody can do.

How to Make Money Running a Road Transport Business

FINANCING A BUSINESS

Like it or not, alternative business income generation is the order of the day today. Forget the security your salary job provides today, instability in world economy is sending governments and private organizations into panic mode.

To stay afloat however, it is essential to start building your own business now. Either you are managing it your self or you want to employ a hand, read through our Start up tips before you decide.

Let your money work for you by Kenneth Doghudje

Everybody wants to work with the best. The best represents a standard that over time we have come to believe represents quality, results and success. In my experience, I have discovered that many people are not working with the best tool to make them financially successful. They are not employing money! They neglect to make money work hard for them thereby producing more. Instead, they spend most, if not all of what they make, believing another one will come.

Money is meant to be your employee, toiling to make you richer. The rich understand that the purpose of money is for multiplication, while the poor think money is meant to be spent. The former put their money to work and end up getting more while the latter spend and end up working for money. You can never get rich working for money. You can only get rich when money works for you. Here are some reasons that make money an excellent employee:
Firstly money is neutral. It has no favourites and does not play “office politics.” It does not give excuses for poor performance nor neglect to follow instructions. Once you deploy it to work for you it keeps on doing so, and it will provide results if deployed correctly and wisely.

ICT usage low among SMEs, says Dr Wee

Some 73% of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) do not use information communication technology (ICT) in conducting their businesses. 

Malaysia Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the usage of ICT by SMEs still remained low even though the adoption of such technology was a sure way to boost innovation.

"Malaysia is ranked among the top countries in the usage of smartphones.

"However, it is rare for companies to tap into ICT to solve problems," he said after launching the ParkAide application at a hotel here on Tuesday.

Dr Wee, who is also MCA deputy president, said a vast majority of companies have yet to use e-banking in paying the salaries of their employees.

"In some companies, if there are 30 employees, then 30 cheques will be issued," he noted.

On another matter, Dr Wee commended the 25 prominent Malay leaders and civil servants for their stand on wanting a moderate Malaysia.

"It is high time we look into issues and address them in a moderate way, without confrontation," he added.

CBN Commends Osun’s Policies On Small Businesses

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, has commended the Osun State government for formulating people-friendly policies that are particularly geared towards the empowerment of women in the state.
The apex bank’s governor made this remarks in the state capital, Osogbo at the official ceremony for the disbursement of N2 billion CBN Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development Fund and the distribution of second batch of 22 mini-buses some transport operators in the state.

Nigeria climbing another debt cliff By OMOH GABRIEL

Nigeria climbing another debt cliff

on August 25, 2014   /   in Broken Links 12:43 am   /   Comments

By OMOH GABRIEL
Nigeria is again on the path towards a debt trap set as usual by its quest and taste for nice things. The country is accumulating debt without any visible alternative of paying back the loans apart from oil.
In other parts of the world, countries borrow to improve their capital infrastructure that aid further production. This helps in no small way to pay off such debt. In those other countries, citizens and corporate bodies pay their taxes regularly to aid development. Nigeria’s tax to GDP ratio is one of the lowest in the world.
With oil prices swinging and with more oil being found around the world, Nigeria has been growing its debt profile.
Nigeria’s total debt stock has risen to a very high level of N10.4 trillion as at June 2014. The rising debt profile of the country is made up of external debt stock of N1.46 trillion ($9.377billion) and Federal Government domestic debt of N7.421 trillion ($47.653billion). States in the federation have a domestic debt stock of N1.551trillion or $9.963 billion.
The Federal Government share of the rising external debt stock stands at $6.363billion. As at December 2013, however, the total stock of external debt was $8.821 billion, indicating a rise of $556 million in the first half of 2014. But as at 31st December 2012, Federal Government’s external debt was $4.14 billion as against a total debt stock of both federal and state governments of $6.5 billion.
A break down of the rising debt profile showed that Federal Government’s external and domestic debts amounted to N8.8 trillion or $57.030 billion as at the end of June 2014. Federal Government borrowing from multilateral institutions amounted to $3.826 billion while loans from bilateral sources mainly China Exim Bank and Eurobond amounted to $2.537 billion.
In the case of states, a total of $2.904 billion was sourced from multilateral institutions, $108.9 million was obtained as loans from bilateral sources, thus making states’ total outstanding external debt as at June 2013, $3.013 billion.
The growing debt should be of concern to all Nigerians considering the nation’s recent experience with the Paris Club of creditors.
Nigerians will remember that in 1985, Nigeria owed $8 billion to the Paris Club of creditors out of $19 billion of its foreign debt. By the end of 2004, about 11 years after, Nigeria owed the Paris Club $31 billion out of $36 billion of its foreign debt. The rise in the debt stock was as a result of interest rates, interest arrears and interest charged on the arrears.
These are huge arrears, penalties and interests accumulated over the years. In December 2000, rescheduling agreements made by the Federal Government showed the principal balance of the nation’s debt was $1.48 billion. But the principal arrears were $10.31 billion; interest arrears $4.45 billion and late interest $5.18 billion.
As a result, over $6 billion increase was recorded on Nigeria’s debt profile between 2002-2004. This added up to $31.42 billion that Nigeria was said to be owing the Paris Club as at 2002. To exit the Paris Club, Nigeria made the total payment of $12.4 billion to Paris Club and Britain, the largest creditor received $3 billion.
Years after, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who assisted Nigeria to exit the club of creditors is again presiding over the accumulation of another round of debt that could snowball into a debt trap. In an attempt to comfort Nigerians that all is well, the Director-General, Debt Management Office, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo assured that the debt remained sustainable at a ratio of 12.51 to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP. But he contradicted himself immediately by saying that the managers of the nation’s debt would apply more caution in further borrowing in order not to run into the crisis of debt overhang, which the nation once suffered.
Nwankwo is just being a clever civil servant. All is not well. The debt is mounting and the nation’s revenue profile is dwindling. Oil production is dropping, traditional buyers of Nigeria’s oil are finding alternatives. If the prices of crude crash as it did in the 80s that led to the nation’s inability to pay its debt as at when due, the country will once again be in a strait. For several years, Nigeria has been preaching economic diversification without any appreciable progress. The nation has continued to import goods it has no business importing.
Nothing has changed, just the faces of the economic managers whose major concern is gathering in Abuja at the end of every month to share oil money.
DMO-DG said: “The sovereign debt is doing well. Currently, our total sovereign domestic debt for federal, states and the FCT is about N8.9 trillion and external debt is about $9.38 billion. The question to ask Dr. Nwankwo is: how well is the debt doing? A debt is a debt. These men should stop deceiving Nigerians. You are accumulating debt for the next generation of Nigerians. The last debt overhang is what has caused the level of unemployment in the country today.
The present insecurity ravaging the unity of the country was as a result of the indiscretion of those who led the nation to wanton borrowing in the 70s. Today, while those men and their children are living in luxury, the younger generation is wallowing in abject poverty.
The government would want Nigerians to swallow the bait that the nation’s current debt/G.P. ratio is about 12.51 per cent which is much lower than the 56 per cent total public to G.P for countries in Nigeria’s group saying that this is not an indication that Nigeria can afford to borrow without caution.
In spite of the rebasing which means we have more capacity to borrow, we are not going to borrow without caution. In fact, we are going to be more cautious, especially because our tax-G.P ratio is low. Many economic agents do not pay their taxes.” This is where this government has failed. If many economic agents are not paying their taxes and oil revenue is dwindling, what has it done to fill the gap? This is dangerous for the future.
The frightening thing is that the Federal Government raised additional $1 billion from the international capital market in 2013 following which several Nigerian firms, especially banks have also gone to the international capital market to raise funds for their operations. Six companies issued nine bonds within the last one year, from which about $3.4 billion was raised. This development does not look promising considering Nigeria’s previous experience with borrowing from the international capital market.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/nigeria-climbing-another-debt-cliff/#sthash.8hMBSB8U.dpuf

Nigeria is again on the path towards a debt trap set as usual by its quest and taste for nice things. The country is accumulating debt without any visible alternative of paying back the loans apart from oil.

In other parts of the world, countries borrow to improve their capital infrastructure that aid further production. This helps in no small way to pay off such debt. In those other countries, citizens and corporate bodies pay their taxes regularly to aid development. Nigeria’s tax to GDP ratio is one of the lowest in the world.

MICROFINANCE: POVERTY ABOLITION or FABRICATOR by Don Abiodun Odedeyi

BACKGROUND

The Nigeria microfinance should be a source of financial services for entrepreneurs and small businesses lacking access to banking and related services, changing their stories from insufficient finance to abundant financial capacity.

But like the 1980s and early 1990s, a new canker-worm is creeping into the financial sector in Nigeria. Unlike then when it tried to swallow the whole banking industry, now, it is the microfinance sector.

In the last 9 months, microfinance banks are witnessing rising non-performing credit portfolios which are gradually spreading distress into the sector. From investigation, these grief are due, mainly, to predatory debtors in the banking system whose motives involved the abandonment of their debt obligations in some banks only to contract new debts in other banks. Their tactics varies but include using several individuals to contract (front) new loans from several banks only for these ‘fronters’ to disappear after handing over the loans.

Life in Dubai...

Hundreds of thousands of young Africans are throwing everything into the unknown, traveling to foreign countries in the hope of a better life. This story is important for those aspiring to venture on such journey... It is the reality faced by those who chose to go to Dubai in search of greener pasture...


Every evening, the hundreds of thousands of young men who build Dubai are bussed from their sites to a vast concrete wasteland an hour out of town, where they are quarantined away. Until a few years ago they were shuttled back and forth on cattle trucks, but the expats complained this was unsightly, so now they are shunted on small metal buses that function like greenhouses in the desert heat. They sweat like sponges being slowly wrung out.


There are three different Dubais, all swirling around each other.
* There are the expats, about 9% of the population, who are primarily attracted by the employment and investment opportunities of the United Arab Emirates,  * there are the Emiratis, or are citizens, headed by Sheikh Mohammed; and then * there is the foreign underclass who built the city, and are trapped here. 
They are hidden in plain view. You see them everywhere, in dirt-caked blue uniforms, being shouted at by their superiors, like a chain gang – but you are trained not to look

Sonapur is a rubble-strewn patchwork of miles and miles of identical concrete buildings. Some 300,000 men live piled up here, in a place whose name in Hindi means "City of Gold". 
In the first camp I stop at – riven with the smell of sewage and sweat – the men huddle around, eager to tell someone, anyone, what is happening to them.

PART 3. WHEN MICROFINANCE BANK IS A BAD CHOICE BY DON ABIODUN ODEDEYI

Yesterday (November 5, 2014), while putting an article together, I got a report that a microfinance bank customer was stopped from taking her own life. She is a customer to three different microfinance banks and, in total, owned them about 1 million naira, her business has taking a nosedive and banks are pressing for their money.

She had gone to a river near her house around Orimerunmu (between Ibafo and Mowe, Ogun state, Nigeria). Fortunately, she was spotted by fishermen before she could accomplish her task.

Who is at fault?

How did she get to this state?

Would she have been better off if she is never involved with microfinance and had opted for commercial banks?

Part 2: MYTH OR REALITY: MICROFINANCE BANKS RUN AWAY WITH CLIENTS’ MONEY by Don Abiodun Odedeyi

This is the second part of my Microfinance Bankable or Not series. I hope you read the first part else, click here. Today, the theme is CONFIDENCE in the sector. Is it real or myth? What you need to know and how you can best be on the advantage side.

Misinformation is the second biggest problem facing the microfinance sector. 

Many cry 'foul' when a mfb is suggested for business...

May I ask you this? "What are you going to the mfb for?"

Many, today, know mfbs for credit lending MEANING you go there to get loan then repay over a period of time (usually 6 months to 12 months). To this end, who should be wary of the other?

ARE MICROFINANCE BANKS RELIABLE? CAN YOU BANK WITH MICROFINANCE BANKS? Part 1 By Don Abiodun

I never planned this to have parts, my intention was to put together a problem solving article for my audience but along the line, it was too glaring that if I am to help those who will find this article helpful, I need to take time in explaining my points hence, I will make this a daily affair until this issue is trashed.

December 2013, Mrs Daniella Arul*** paid the last installment for her 500,000naira loan to a microfinance bank. It was her third cycle. To access another, she needed to shore-up her cash collateral by 20% of the loan she will like to access.

Every week, she contributed 15,000, proceeds from her cloth sales. She eye early March for her date of accessing another 800,000naira loan.

February 21, 2014, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revoked license of 83 Microfinance banks. Mrs Daniella's Microfinance bank was one of them.

******************

Robust economic growth, the goal of any country cannot be achieved without putting in place well focused programmes that increase access of poor and low income earners to factors of production. This was the main challenge defeated with the introduction of Microfinance Banks. Evidently, Micro-financing is here to stay yet the trend of closure of these institutions raised great concern and erode public's confidence?

Thus, I have come across many people who wish to do business with the sector but the same question seems to come from them all...  

ARE MICROFINANCE BANKS SAFE AND RELIABLE?

Yes, The Trains Are Back By Bayo Adeyinka

I also took some time to talk to the elderly woman right behind me on the queue. She told me she was on her way to Ilorin and she rides the train regularly. 'It's so convenient for me', she said in Yoruba. Without any further prodding, she told me about how she was able to carry more load with less hassles as a trader unlike if she went by road. I wondered how many of such women not captured by the statistics of our formal sector who are actually the true beneficiaries of a re-engineered railway.

I bought my ticket and we moved towards the platforms. It was at that point that I asked if what I paid for was the express train. Initially, I was disappointed when I was told that the express train would leave by 12 noon and it was the regular train that departs by 9am. The fare was still the same. 

Ebola, ECOWAS, and flight bans by Olusegun Ogundeji

Still on the Ebola Virus Disease, a friend in Freetown got his ‪visa‬ mid August to undertake short media training in the ‪US‬. He was shocked when the airline asked him to pay how much? $4,400 for a return trip ticket between Freetown and Miami. That was in addition to the information that there was no seat throughout ‪September‬.

He hoped for a better option with time because only two airlines were operational in Sierra Leone since late July when regional flight operators from Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Senegal bowed out for Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea to settle their differences with Ebola – alone.

Unfortunately, it’s been three months now. Nothing has changed except more deaths, and spiraling figures from WHO. I want to maintain that most ‪West African‬ states reacted to the ‪Ebola‬ Crisis, especially the treatment meted at countries worst hit, in an appalling manner.

Lagos from a visitor's view by Don Abiodun Odedeyi

A close friend #Divine Patr***, from #Kaduna, came to Lagos recently. Her 5-day visit gave me a different view of #Lagos... While I won't define Lagos from another man's view, it is good to see, once in a while, from others'.

Sadly, I got carried away with laughter so much I forgot to turn on my audio recorder but never mind, I have a perfect photographic recall of the whole affair.

On her way home, #Divine Patr*** was opportune to see a train plying Ikeja-Yaba axis. It was around 6pm, rush hour; when many workers are struggling to get home. The sight of human bodies on every available space around/on the train stunned her.

Her exact words were, "How can men pack themselves on train like Sardine"?

For many of us, we've seen this sight many times and it doesn't count for anything again . Now, we are somewhat blind to this gory sight...

Yesterday, I read Lee Abbamonte's piece about Lagos in his 'Worst Places to Live', though grossly exaggerated, scene like this will give foreigners nothing but nightmares about Nigeria.

X~Ray on Nigeria Media by Don Abiodun Odedeyi

The Nigeria media is daily becoming a laughing stock and I wonder what kind of professionals are coming into the industry.

On Wednesday October 22, 2014, I appeared on Radio 1's Business Today alongside Vice Chairman of the Lagos State Institute of Architect, Mrs. Titi Adeleye.

Before the start of the programme, I had a rap with the presenter (***), about her take on the topic we are about to discuss, HOUSING FOR ALL IN NIGERIA. What her own take about President Jonathan's low income housing estate is etc.

"AH", she replied, "I don't know o. Actually, I never prepared for this 'edition' really”. She ended her sentence with a mordant laugh and I just felt like wiping her grin face clean with a slap.

... Is this not a wasted effort, I mean my coming down from the Mainland part of Lagos to the Island for the programme?

From job to job to job, a life lived _ and lost By ADAM GELLER

In this Sept. 5, 2014 photo, Glen Carter, a 33-year-old Army veteran, morns as the casket of Maria Fernandes

ELIZABETH, N.J. (AP) — The fumes, reeking of gasoline, poured from the white Kia SUV as soon as an emergency medical technician broke one of the rear windows. Inside, the body of a dark-haired young woman with a beauty mark on her left cheek reclined in the driver's seat, keys dangling from the ignition.
But who was she? How was it that her life had ended here, in the corner of a convenience store parking lot, less than a mile south of Newark Liberty International Airport's runways?
Waiting for the vapors to clear so they could search her belongings, police noted the most obvious clue: She was wearing a familiar white-and-brown uniform. By that night, co-workers and friends had identified her as Maria Leonor Fernandes, 32 years old and single, who worked minimum wage jobs at three nearby Dunkin' Donuts shops — often grabbing an hour or two of sleep in her car between shifts.
Within days, Fernandes was being mourned as a tragic heroine, a victim of our times.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ALL. When? by Don Abiodun Odedeyi

 According to the 2006 Census, Nigeria's population is about 140million.

With this figure, providing adequate and affordable housing in Nigeria is definitely a matter of importance.

This vacuum is surely something private sector cannot face alone taking into cognizance huge investment the sector has witnessed over the years

The Lagos zone alone has seen the opening of Ibafo-Mowe-Ofada-Redeem axis, the Ikorodu-Ijede axis, the Sango-Ifo-Ota axis, Ibeju-Lekki-Ajah axis, Badagry-Ojo axis mainly by the private sector. It is no gainsaying that the efforts of the private sector have, largely, been out of the ordinary Nigerian’s reach.

The major headache of many financial houses to finance mortgage loan is the unpredictable economy. This has cut courage that won’t allow many financial outfits to elongate mortgage tenure more than 3-5years. 

To minimize risk, virtually all finance houses in Nigeria demand an equity contribution between 20-50% with remaining payment (80%) spread between 12 months and 60 months.

But what has been government's effort to this sector?

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Webb retires from refereeing to become PGMOL technical director

Howard Webb has retired from refereeing to become technical director at Professional Game Match Officials Limited.

Webb, 43, started his refereeing career in 1989 and oversaw his first Premier League match in October 2003, before being added to Fifa's international referees' list two years later.

In 2010 he took charge of the Champions League final between Inter and Bayern Munich, and then the World Cup final in South Africa as Spain beat the Netherlands.

Webb's new role will include "overseeing the technical direction and standards that govern the on-field performance of PGMOL's match officials", according to an official statement.

He will also be responsible for the training and coaching of referees, as well as "informing and educating" the public on refereeing issues.

Mike Riley, former Premier League referee and general manager at PGMOL, added: "Howard has been the foremost referee of his generation and an inspiration for match officials in this country and around the world."

Good luck Webb
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone, powered by Easyblaze

Nigerians, ye make an Owl of yourselves ~ Don Abiodun Odedeyi

Let me start by saying, "Nigeria, you are in deep shit".
Nine policemen abducted by pipeline vandals in Arepo. What in the world is happening to Nigeria my beloved country?
Fifty-four military personnel killed in Gombe!!!!
And if I remember correctly, about 120 DSS, policemen SSS etc were disemboweled by a sect in Nasarawa.
Sect! Sect, vandals, robbers, #BokoHaram everybody kicking the asses of our beloved security forces.
Like an owl who decides not to see in broad daylight, you (Nigerians) just decided to look elsewhere on these evils maybe because it is not happening in your backyards.
Remember the Kaduna Bomb video that went viral in 2012? Let me remind you...

Shoremekun Saheed Ololade: Why is the Arab world very very quiet in the #‎Bring Back Our Girls campaign?

They are practically saying nothing.
If something like this were to happen over there in the middle east, you'll get some bigoted, naive and foolish fellows going on the streets (in places like Kano or Kaduna for example) to protest on behalf of "their muslim brothers in the Arab World". Some of these Nigerians will even kill and maim innocent people all in the name of "defending their religion" and "brothers".
God help you if you criticize the Arabs on anything, these foolish 'defenders' will come at you with guns blazing.
Not trying to sound sarcastic, why .didn't the Arab world effectively come to the aid of "their muslim brothers in Nigeria" earlier before now?
Abi dem no care ni?

‘To our Girls in Nigeria’ – Graça Machel Mandela

If someone somehow can get this message to our girls, even if is just the wind whispering to them, we want them to know that we love them and we care for them. Their plight has touched millions of hearts in Africa and beyond. We send them waves of love and comfort, to warm their hearts and dry their tears. We pray for them and look forward to the day when they will embrace their parents and families at home.

We send them waves of energy to keep their inner selves strong and resilient. When the dark night in the forest is overwhelming, they must lift their eyes to the sky. The stars are watching over them. They must not lose hope and they must not succumb to fear and despair, even in the most adverse of circumstances they find themselves in.
We love them always.
Read more

BRITISH, US EXPERTS JOIN NIGERIA SEARCH FOR GIRLS By MICHELLE FAUL and HARUNA UMAR

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — The international effort to rescue the 276 schoolgirls being held captive by Islamic extremists in northeastern Nigeria was boosted Friday when British security experts joined the Nigerian and American forces trying to rescue the missing students.
As the worldwide effort got underway the weakness of the Nigerian military was exposed in a report issued by Amnesty International.
Britain said its aim was not only to help with the current crisis but to defeat Boko Haram.
"The team will be considering not just the recent incidents but also longer-term counter-terrorism solutions to prevent such attacks in the future and defeat Boko Haram," the Foreign & Commonwealth Office said in a statement Friday.

Are we sure we still have one Nigeria? by Don Abiodun Odedeyi

I believe there is ‪#‎BokoHaram‬ side and the ‪#‎Nigeria‬ side...

These guys can't be moving Armour Personnel Carriers around in a state currently under State of Emergency OR is it that they have a new military weapon called INVINCIBLE use by Boko Haram that we don't know about?
Again, this is Wikipedia's account of our Military forces...
"The Nigerian Armed Forces are the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The military has active duty personnel in three armed services, totaling approximately 200,000 troops and 300,000 paramilitary personnel."
...I understand that we are big brother to the likes of Sudan, South Sudan, Liberia, Sierra Leone etc BUT we need more than the 14, 000 Defense Hqtrs said was deployed to ‪#‎Borno‬.
Eni ti o ba dake, ti e a ba dake (He who keep mute [about his challenges], is mute away [from possible solution].
That Borno is divided, to me, is an open secret. If this government of Nigeria believes media blackout on the true state of things is to ensure the unity of this country (not to encourage others from other part of the country to do same) then there is need for a change of government. we cannot continue to bask under incompetence and lies.
The same lies is what has brought us to this present situation.

Why good memories are less likely to fade By Paula McGrath

Why do we remember some things well, while other memories fade? Researchers suggest it could be that good memories persist longer than bad - helping to keep the human race happy and resilient.

Psychologists say that holding onto our good memories - and leaving the bad ones behind - helps us to deal with unpleasant situations and retain a positive outlook on life.

It was 80 years ago that the idea of negative memories fading faster was first proposed.

Back in the 1930s psychologists collected recollections about life events like people's holidays - marking them as pleasant or unpleasant.

Weeks later an unannounced request came from the researchers to recall their memories.

Of the unpleasant experiences nearly 60% were forgotten - but only 42% of the pleasant memories had faded.

This is something which many of us recognise - after a holiday we might reminisce about the pleasant days out and people we met - but forget about how terrible the flight delays were.

Culled from bbc.co.uk

Soyinka vs Abacha and the Nigerians' Amnesia by Semiu Ayobami Akanmu

The recent scuffle that the Abacha versus Wole Soyinka generated in our cyber space is another evidence pointing to the artificiality of the country called Nigeria. It further cements the counter-fitness of the one-Nigeria slogan. We have known some regionalists from time immemorial to have never for once publicly condemn any kleptocrat from their region. History is there to judge where Olusegun Obasanjo had his most tense attack during his third term political invention.

We are what we are, and we shall remain so. In as much as I remain an ardent believer in a class structure based on our relationship with the machinery of wealth production, any re-configuration of our country that does not include regional autonomy will fall as the wall of Jericho. In this stance, we have to dilute Marxists' democratic centralism to appeal to the social reality of the Nigeria demography.

Increased Tempo of Boko Haram/Terrorist Activity in the wake of Sanusi Saga by Wendell Simlin

|Note| The text you are about to read was the press release sent to journalist by one Wendell Simlin. Not a single word was re-written|
____________________
In the wake of the saga involving the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, there has been an increase in the tempo of terrorist activities carried out by the Islamic Terrorist sect, Boko Haram.
Taken together with some historical facts, there is a strong case that this increase in tempo and other activities are not coincidental.
The following Timelines may throw some light on the likely linkages;

Nigerians ask #whereisourmoney

Allegations that billions of dollars in oil revenues are missing has Nigerians online demanding accountability from their government.
Central Bank governor Lamido Sanusi has repeatedly called for an investigation into the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Sanusi initially charged that nearly $50 billion went missing in 18 months, but an audit ordered by the Senate finance committee estimates the amount to be closer to $20 billion.
President Goodluck Jonathan suspended Sanusi on Thursday, describing his leadership of the central bank in a statement as "characterized by various acts of financial recklessness and misconduct".
Sanusi plans to appeal the suspension in court.
Many used #WhereIsOurMoney to debate the suspension and criticize the government for failing to account for the alleged missing revenue.

#WhereIsOurMoney NNPC

Misbahu Chedi
@Emtee_chedi "please some journalist should ask him tonite. 200Billion USD no b small money."
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Lobbying, lobbying and the Nigeria economy. Read Erastus Akingbola's letter to President Jonathan?

Just read this letter purportedly written by Erastus Akingbola to GEJ on how Saraki had a meeting with him back in 2009, asking for a merger between Intercontinental Bank and Societe General Bank. He, Akingbola, said he declined because a background report shows that Saraki's SG is no match in Market value to IB.
To cut things short, Sanusi came in and in 3weeks, a review of banks was conducted. Prior to this, a similar review, 4 months earlier gave IB a 'clean bill' but on that occasion, the report was 'negative'. A quick rap with one of the examiner, by Akingbola, revealed that "Sanusi was bent on removing me".

Akingbola, in the letter, said he met Saraki to help mediate with Sanusi and he, Saraki, came back to tell him that Sanusi accused Akingbola and one other person of trying to block his CBN with a N6billon bribe.

After Akingbola's removal, former SG Bank's Manager, Saraki's employee, was purportedly chosen to head IB and in it first few weeks, the new management "wrote off about N40billion Saraki loans, returned collaterals to Saraki" among other stuffs.

This is really, really disturbing and warrant a strong response from EFCC, ICPC with close monitoring and pressure from the Fraud Division of the Nigeria Police Force.

The Nigeria economy is getting knocked from all sides by selected few (I am not speaking on the context of this letter but from events that have played out between 2006 to 2010, especially during the shares buying era where companies of 6 months old are given concession to be listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange.)

Prosecuting is one thing, making culprits pay is another.

All these allegations and cross allegations, bad deals, siphoning, selfishness coming to the surface while about 160 million people groan under bad economy load? It is a matter of when? When will the people say "it is enough."

What will you do for £300,000 a week? Ask Rooney

Talking football, especially on this platform, is not something that occur often but for £300,000 a week? Ah! Today, we are talking football.

Desperate Manchester United is not new to grazing headlines; from record losing streaks to other clubs breaking their winnings records after two, three decades and now, the premier league struggling club have paid over the odds to keep Rooney.

The amount? £300,000 a week for the next 5 years.

Wayne Rooney whose existing £250,000-a-week deal ran into its final 18 months, had twice walked away from negotiating tables due to disagreement over how much should be his new earnings.

The fallout of 'no agreement', United feared, is losing Rooney for nothing at the end of next season.

IS ROONEY WORTH £300,000 A WEEK?

Chimamanda Adichie: Why can’t he just be like everyone else?

I will call him Sochukwuma. A thin, smiling boy who liked to play with us girls at the university primary school in Nsukka. We were young. We knew he was different, we said, 'he's not like the other boys.' But his was a benign and unquestioned difference; it was simply what it was. We did not have a name for him. We did not know the word 'gay.' He was Sochukwuma and he was friendly and he played oga so well that his side always won.

"If we are part of a majority group, we tend to think others in minority groups are abnormal, not because they have done anything wrong, but because we have defined normal to be what we are and since they are not like us, then they are abnormal." ~ Chimamanda Adichie

In secondary school, some boys in his class tried to throw Sochukwuma off a second floor balcony. They were strapping teenagers who had learned to notice, and fear, difference. They had a name for him. Homo. They mocked him because his hips swayed when he walked and his hands fluttered when he spoke. He brushed away their taunts, silently, sometimes grinning an uncomfortable grin. He must have wished that he could be what they wanted him to be. I imagine now how helplessly lonely he must have felt. The boys often asked, "Why can't he just be like everyone else?"

Dons flay WAEC over 39 new subjects BY ARUKAINO UMUKORO

Academic dons have questioned the introduction of 39 new subjects by the West African Examinations Council in its curriculum.
In an interview with our correspondent on Friday, the Vice-Chancellor, Caleb University, Imota, Lagos State, Prof. Ayodeji Olukoju, queried why so many subjects were introduced at once by the examination body.
He said, "I believe the introduction of vocational studies, business studies, and technical studies into the curriculum is a good idea; but it is not just the introduction of those courses that is the issue; it is whether we have competent teachers to teach these subjects, the requisite equipments. Do we also have the appropriate learning environment for the students?

Click http://t.co/j0T6hOsQtr to read what our columnist, Sunday Odedeyi, said about the new 39 subjects.

The Story of St Valentine

The story of St. Valentine has two different versions - the Protestant and the Catholic one. 

The Protestant

During the lifetime of Valentine, the golden era of Roman Empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Education declined, taxation increased and trade witnessed a very bad time. 

The Roman Empire faced crisis from all sides, from the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asia. The empire had grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces.

More and more capable men were required to be recruited as soldiers and officers to protect the nation from takeover. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and so, would not make good soldiers. He believed that marriage made the men weak. So he issued an edict forbidding marriage to assure quality soldiers.

Happy Valentine's Day

OPEN LETTER TO RAUF AREGBESOLA, governor of The state of Osun

While the ongoing issue should not be mistaken as religion bigotry, for education to function properly, every apparatus needed, cap, beret, socks etc, to create an enabling environment has been part of the system before now.

Unless we want to include religion portion to the laid down apparatus which we can come out, declare and pursue with vigor.

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, you made it clear, in your explanations on Hijab, that you did not approve the use of Hijab, and while there is a restraining order, your visit to Baptist High School, Iwo was flaunted with students adorning Hijab around you, the ‘man of the people’.

Several male students, like the one circled in yellow, were putting on a white cap WHILE, YOU, THE GOVERNOR PUT ON THE APPROVED SCHOOL CAP to set an 'example' as to HOW TO DRESS TO SCHOOL.

I wonder why you set one example and our pupils are doing something else.

MEN, PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH by Odedeyi Sunday

MY attention was drawn to a video which was circulated recently on the social media about a man who caught his wife cheating on him , I did not watch the video though but I read through the comment of so many men in which gender biased is being displayed.
The question is, could this video brings so much attention if it is a woman who circulated the video of her husband cheating on her?
Although am not in support of any sexual immorality and infidelity, when a man caught his wife cheating on him, the whole world would be brought down but when a man cheats on his wife, the issue will be trivialized, Is this not gender inequality?

"Hey! Here is Five naira for you" by DON ABIODUN ODEDEYI

I called my neighbour's attention to an object that has been on the floor of our backyard for two days - Five Naira.

"Pally, here is N5 for you", I teased him.
"No, you can take it."

During the exchange, I gathered that the N5 bill has been on the open floor for five days!

As we laughed it off and head to our quarters, something jolted me to reality.

FIVE NAIRA on the floor for five days?

OSUN STATE EDUCATION PALAVA... the 'before' story BY DON ABIODUN ODEDEYI

For four days running, tension continues to mount in Iwo, Osun state as situation at Baptist High School, Iwo remain explosive as they remain divided on religious lines.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

It should be noted that under the present tussle lies a history of struggle for dominance by two predominant religions in the town – Islam and Christianity.

Iwo is well known for Arabic/Islamic education with several Arabic schools (Modrassah) established to foster the Muslim faith. Notable among them are Islahudeen Arabic School, Obatedo, founded by late Sheikh Abdulbaaqi Muhammad in the early 60s. Amin Trining Center established by late Sheikh Badrudeen Al-Amin in the 50s. Shariah College of Nigeria, which used to be in Ibadan before it was relocated to its permanent site at Oke-Afo, Iwo. Ansar-U-deen Primary School, Ansar-U-Deen Modern School which is now Ansa-U-deen Grammar School, and Anwar-ul-Islam Grammar School.

Make Yourself Sponsor-Worthy by SYLVIA ANN HEWLETT

"I've always given 110%," says Maggie. "Whoever I worked for, I gave them my all, every day, 10 hours a day, weekends and holidays, whatever it took. That endeared me to a lot of powerful men."
That dedication and loyalty should have made Maggie a star. Yet, although she rose in the organization, because she wasn't strategic about whom she gave her 110% to, she squandered her gifts on leaders who didn't invest in her. Without a sponsor to spotlight her attributes, offer her opportunities, and kick her career into high gear for years, she found herself stuck in what she calls "permanent lieutenant syndrome."
Maggie eventually was fortunate enough to find a sponsor and today is an executive at a global financial advisory firm with 22,000 people reporting to her. But there are thousands of Maggies out there - hard-working, devoted, consistent performers toiling in relative obscurity.

How can you break out of the pack and attract a sponsor?

RHETORICAL QUESTIONS OF CHANGE IN SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM BY WAEC AND MINISTRY OF EDUCATION by ODEDEYI Sunday

It is not news again that there is a change in secondary school curriculum by the ministry of education as this has been going on for about two years now but the latest development is the adoption of the new curriculum by the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC).

Here are some questions running through my mind as someone who has been in the educational sector for some years now.
(1) What development has the change in 6-3-3-4 system to 9-3-4 system done to our educational system rather than the fall in our education repeating itself like a re-occurring decimal?
(2) Has our higher institution of learning syllabus updated to fit in, into this newly introduced curriculum?                  more and possible solutions after this cut...

POLICEMAN ON VIDEO ALLEGEDLY DEMANDING DOLLAR BRIBE ARRESTED, NOW IN POLICE CUSTODY

A hitherto unidentified policeman caught in a hidden camera allegedly demanding "dollar bribe" from a citizen has been identified and arrested.

He is F/No. 374171 Cpl Aniyem Chiyem attached to Isheri Division, Lagos State Police Command. His arrest was sequel to a matching order issued by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP MD Abubarkar, CFR, NPM, mni, psc to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Umar Abubarkar Manko to ensure prompt arrest and investigation of the matter.

Following his arrest, the suspect who is now in police custody, is undergoing Orderly Room trials and if found guilty will face appropriate disciplinary actions.

TRANSACTION FREEZE: Matter arising in Zimbabwe by Don Abiodun Odedeyi

My prayer, this morning goes to the people of Zimbabwe as they usher in four, additional, foreign currencies as legal tender.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) announced recently that the Chinese yuan, Japanese yen, Indian rupee and Australian dollar will be accepted, with Zimbabweans and exporters able to open accounts in the various currencies.

In 2009, the US dollar, South African rand, Botswana pula and British pound were approved as legal tender to override worthless local Zimbabwean dollar. 

Top 10 fastest and slowest Internet speed in the world

The internet phenomenon, the ups and downs.
The internet was made available to the world in the late 80s through dial up connections which was able to reach maximum speed of 56 kilobytes. A broadband connection now is easily able to reach a minimum speed of about 700 kilobytes per second quite easily.
There are different ways to connect to the internet, fiber optic cables are a popular choice and are now the fastest way access the internet. The electrical signals are converted to light and are transported through optical cables. Ordinary cables are still used in the back of the modern day modems; these use coaxial lines to connect to the internet. Wireless connections are used in short distances, typically a router helps send wireless signals that are caught and made use of by those nearby. In remote areas satellites are made use of to access the internet.

Still on Basketmouth's RAPE joke (Opinion) by Don Abiodun Odedeyi

We all went 'gaga' over a 'simple' rape joke when millions of young adult sits and enjoy musical videos only to be 'entertained' by 'naked' women. We see these day-in day-out on both public, private and pay television stations.

To make matter sour, music lyrics recently took a different dimension with 'Caro' and 'Ukwu' being the centre of some of these songs.
For clarity, 'Caro' is an abbreviation for Caroline, a  feminine name and 'Ukwu', I understand, is Igbo word for 'buttock' but when visuals for 'ukwu' are shown, they are always mammoth female buttocks. For 'Caro', ladies are displayed in various degrees of nakedness.


And we want rape to be a thing of the past?