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
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