Friday 29 June 2012

The Future Awards is searching…

THE FUTURE AWARDS IS LOOKING FOR SCIENCE INNOVATORS & INSPIRING YOUNG
PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT … NOMINATIONS END IN 2 DAYS (JUNE 30)
For the third year in a row, The Future Awards, referred to by the World
Bank as ‘The Nobel Prize for Young Africans’, is searching for the most
brilliant young minds in Science, in addition to its yearly search for
the brightest minds in Technology.
“For many years, what we have done is try to mirror the breakthroughs
that young people have made in different fields and to sustain them,”
said Chude Jideonwo, who is Executive Director of The Future Project.
“In keeping with our _’Tear down these walls!’_ campaign this year, we
are looking for the brightest young minds driving innovation and impact
in science and/or technology with innovation or invention – through the
category Innovator of the Year – Science and Technology.
The awards website explains the broad criteria for this category: We are
searching for young people across science and technology (especially
Information Technology) who have furthered the boundaries in these
fields in terms of research or activity. There are a critical number of
young Nigerians who are advancing impressive, practical innovations that
can compare with the best around theworld. It will help if there is some
kind of recognition or institutional buy-in for that work, and the work
should be available for inspection.
“We are also beaming the search light on service,” Jideonwo said in
explaining the Excellence in Service categories. “We are looking for
young people in governance and the corporate sector whose work shines
bright in driving effective, professionalism and impact, with integrity
and productivity.”
IT WILL BE RECALLED THAT, IN 2010, IFY ANIEBO won the Best Use of
Science (also the biggest prize, Young Person of the Year) award for her
ground-breaking work in malaria research, and in 2011, Debo Olaosebikan
won the award for his _work__ __on developing the world’s first
electrically operated Silicon Laser, a project supported by a $6 million
grant from the United States Department of Defense__._ In the same year,
Tolulope Iroye won theBest Use of Technology award for the ‘Magic box’;
a device built to allow you control your electronic gadgets, for
example, your TV from anywhere with your mobile phone as well as control
electricity or mobilise/immobilise cars from anywhere in the world.
Nominations for the 2012 awards kicked off on the 29th of May and will
continue until this Saturday, June 30. Town Hall Meetings have been
holding across the country, including in Lagos, Rivers, Anambra, Adamawa
and Abuja. Nominees must be Nigerian citizens and must be aged 18 – 31.
To nominate for this category, please go to www.thefuturenigeria.com
[1].
Other categories for the Awards this year include Best Use of Advocacy,
Actor of the Year, Best Use of New Media, Entrepreneur of the Year in
Media/Communication, Entertainment, Technology and Fashion; Designer of
the Year, Innovator of the Year – Education, Creative Artist of the
Year, Journalist of the Year, Magazine of the Year, Musician of the
Year, Music Producer of the Year, On-Air Personality of the Year
(Radio), On-Air Personality of the Year (TV), Excellence in Service -
Journalism, Corporate and Government, Screen Producer of the Year, and
the biggest for Young Person of the Year.
NOMINATIONS END AT MIDNIGHT ON JUNE 30 (TWO DAYS AWAY!).
ABOUT THE FUTURE AWARDS
Referred to by the World Bank as ‘Nobel Prize for young Africans” and
“the biggest youth Awards in Africa” by the London Metropolitan
University, The Future Awards continues to be the most influential and
popular youth platform that identifies young people who have excelled at
their work and by so doing inspire others, celebrates their
achievements, and showcases them as role models to inspire a generation
of Africans to believe in themselves and the future of their countries.
With outreaches to Ghana, Ethiopia and South Africa, The Future Awards
has been described by respected leaders as “Africa’s biggest youth
event” and in six years, has produced 126 winners and over 1,000
nominees. Our mission at The FutureAwards is to inspire leadership and
build enterprise.
The Future Awards presents winners and nominees from diverse
backgrounds: from female farmer Mosunmola Umoru to internationally
acclaimed author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, NASA scholar Tosin Otitoju to
1-second power change over inventor based in Ajegunle Otejiri Oghogori;
Ndidi Nwuneli of LEAP Africa (MFR) to Dustbin Estate Advocate; Tolu
Sangosanya. The last winner for Young Person of the Year, was Rolex
Award winner and farm technology entrepreneur Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu – this
is a critical mass that are positioned as leaders and whose collective
influence can change the leadership equation for an evolving nation

Nigeria is not broke, but it will soon be

Presidents don’t talk down their country; they try to exude confidence, especially in the era of hyper-globalization where even the most innocuous statements could cause panic in the financial markets. This may explain President Goodluck Jonathan’s assurance at his media chat last week that Nigeria was not broke. ‘If the country is broke, you won’t see most of the investors running over themselves to invest in the country,’ he contended. Nigeria technically broke? No, but the signs of an impending financial and economic storm are unmistakable. The two most poignant danger signals are the fuel subsidy budget and the likely continued decline in the price of crude oil, both of which will continue to deplete the nation’s foreign reserves and depreciate the value of the naira. They will ultimately escalate inflation, stifle economic growth, and eventually kill Jonathan’s ‘Transformation Agenda’.
Nigeria budgeted N888 billion ($5.55 billion) for its fuel subsidies in 2012, but the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Finance Ministry claim that N451 billion of it has already been spent on back payments for 2011. Finance minister and coordinating minister of the economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, says additional $4 billion or N620 billion was needed to ensure subsidy is paid. To do this, government must raid the $3.5-$4 billion excess crude account (ECA), resulting in a whopping N1.51 trillion going into paying for subsidy. The oil marketers – the main beneficiaries of the subsidy largesse – reportedly owe international banks another $3.4 billion (about N530 billion). If paid, this could push the subsidy payment this year to about N2.04 trillion.
The NNPC is also covering additional cost of imports with opaque crude oil swaps. If the swaps are monetised, Nigeria could actually be spending more than 50 percent of its budget on subsidy. If about 70 percent of the 2012 budget is allocated to recurrent expenditures, then very little is left for capital expenditure, let alone funding critical planks of Jonathan’s ‘Transformation Agenda’ like public infrastructure projects, education, and healthcare. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and many economists have warned about the unsustainability of the subsidy, but government isn’t listening. The nationwide shutdown by labour and civil society groups when subsidy removal was announced in January is still haunting it.
Unfortunately, Nigeria doesn’t have much of a buffer against its oil-dependency in case of a severe global oil price shock – the ECA was $20 billion in 2007, and continues to be a cash cow for odious discretionary spending. Early this week, the North Sea Brent crude oil climbed back to $93.02, from its 21-month low of $88 on June 21. This uptake reflects renewed, but misplaced, optimism of an upcoming eurozone summit breakthrough. The rally may also be a function of the renewed tensions between Syria and Turkey; tightening supplies due to news of a widening impact of a strike by Norwegian oil workers (particularly as refinery runs increase following the spring maintenance period); the impending European Union embargo on Iranian crude-oil imports; and news of South Korea’s halting of its import of Iranian crude oil indefinitely as of July 1. The long-term trajectory, however, shows relatively weak demand fundamentals, continued flow of heavy oil output from Saudi Arabia, and the continued threat of worsening relations with Iran. Last week, more than a dozen Nigerian oil cargoes were still unsold for July, just a week ahead of the expected announcement of new loading programmes for August.
Nigeria’s bleak future is being exacerbated by the escalating monthly loss of $1.2 billion or more to oil theft by criminal networks whose activities have expanded rapidly under the Jonathan administration. These fiscal revenue losses could renew pressure on the exchange rate, further accelerating the depletion of the nation’s foreign reserve. CBN ‘stable currency’ dream would be an exercise in futility. Last week, Bismarck Rewane of Financial Derivatives Company Limited warned that the substantial loss in oil revenue could whittle Nigeria’s external reserves to as low as $22 billion (covering just 3 months of imports) from its current value of $37 billion, forcing the CBN to sharply depreciate the naira to N165. Finbank Capital, another financial analysis firm, projects an interbank rate of N163 and N170/$ by end-2012 and end-2013, respectively.
While it’s true that many foreign investors want a share of energy and infrastructure projects in Nigeria, foreign portfolio inflows into naira-denominated treasury bills and government bonds, which had accelerated earlier in the year, have fallen off lately, on the back of weakened global economic outlook, as investors take a flight to safety, exiting their holdings of about $5 billion in naira debt, for the traditional safe havens of choice like the dollar, US treasuries, German Bunds, and gold. The Debt Management Office’s planned sale of N83.9 billion ($515 million) in debt (including up to N30 billion of 15.1 percent bonds due 2017) in the coming week may flop, despite yields on the existing 2017 notes rising seven basis points to a record high of 15.71 percent on June 25.
These ominous signs may not be so apparent in Aso Villa, but the truth is that debt overhang could debase Nigeria’s credit rating, if the debts are not paid on schedule. Inflation, which slowed to 12.7 percent in May from 12.9 percent in April, is projected to peak at 14.5 percent in the third quarter, according to CBN. The lending rate has been inching up of late, to 28 percent officially, as against 26 (unofficial rate is between 29 and 30 percent). The CBN will resist easing up on the lending rate because higher inflation would finish the job started by depleting forex and depreciating naira exchange rate. Economic growth will be stifled, further draining the meagre government revenue from non-oil sector. If these signs of impending perfect economic storm aren’t sufficient reasons for ending fuel subsidy in Nigeria, I don’t what is.

Prices of umbrella, rain coats, rubber shoes rise

Traders of seasonal rain protective coverlets in Mushin market are smiling to the banks, as Lagos recorded another heavy rain yesterday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in spite of low customers’ patronage across markets, demands for rain coats, shower caps, and umbrellas outstripped supply as residents of Lagos scamper for cover from the rain.
At the Mushin market, some traders, who braved the rain were seen making brisk business hawking various coverlets.
A trader, Mr Godwin Eze, said the prices of rain coats, shower caps, and umbrellas rose sharply, as sellers take advantage of the rain to make huge profit.
Eze said the high demand for umbrellas during the Thursday heavy rainfall in Lagos made the price to appreciate by 25 per cent.
According to him, a big size umbrella now sells for N3,500 as against N2,800 it sold on Wednesday afternoon.
Another trader, Mrs Adekoya Adetutu, said the durable and trendy rubber shoes now go for between N2,000 and N2,500 compared to the N700 it sold on Monday.
Adetutu attributed the rush for the trendy shoes, among ladies to its durability.

Pastor runs mad while praying for mad man

The pastor, whose name is Timothy, according to an eyewitness, got to Ososami junctions of Oke-Ado around 5.20 p.m and went to meet the mentally-deranged man, popularly known as Tunde, who was sitting in front of a building in the area.
According to Semiu, a shop owner around the spot of the incident, the pastor began to read the Bible on sighting the mad man, while he moved closer to him and laid the hand on his head.
“At a point, there was a hot argument between the duo, which made the pastor to raise his voice as he was offering a deliverance prayer for Tunde, the mad man. The hot prayer lasted for over 15 minutes before another strange drama began,” Semiu told the Nigerian Tribune.
Speaking further, another witness, an okada rider, said at a point, the mad man removed the pastor’s hand from his head, adding that “suddenly, a strange spirit got hold of the pastor and he began to remove his cloth. He was naked and laid flat on the ground, speaking a strange language, with foam oozing out of his mouth.”
The mad man, it was gathered, initially left him in this position and sat at some distance away from the pastor, before the duo later sat closer to each other, while onlookers watched the strange drama.
The pastor remained in state of insanity until the Nigerian Tribune left the scene of the incident.
Agency Report: Tribune Nigeria

N96m bribe: Reps make a U-turn, grill Lawan in secret

The House Committee on Ethics and Privileges on Thursday grilled the removed chairman of the House of Representatives’ committee probe panel on fuel subsidy regime, Farouk Lawan, for several hours on the $620,000 bribe the lawmaker confessed to have received from businessman, Femi Otedola.
The questioning of the diminutive legislator from Kano State however was held behind closed doors, contrary to an earlier promise by the House to make the ethics committee sittings public.
Lawan walked into the venue at 1.07pm in company with the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Victor Ogene, who is also a member of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
Wearing a white flowing gown and a white cap to match, Lawan expressed surprise at sighting journalists when he walked into the venue.
He exclaimed, “Everyone is here; this is a full house, chairman (referring to the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Gambo Musa).”
Musa went into the preliminaries of the $620,000 bribery scandal, and recalled that the House mandated the committee to investigate the issue and produce a report on it.
He explained that after a series for meetings by the committee, it fixed Thursday (yesterday) as the commencement date of the investigation.
Musa added that Lawan and Otedola had been invited to appear before the panel for the course of the investigation.
Otedola had alleged that he gave the bribe to Lawan under pressure, but the lawmaker said the businessman offered him the bribe in a bid to secure an acquittal for his firm, Zenon Oil and Gas Limited, which had been indicted by the subsidy probe panel.
In his opening remarks, Musa gave an assurance that his committee would be fair to all the parties in the bribery saga.
“We shall strive to be fair and just to all the parties involved and make our report public”, he said.
After his remarks, he ordered journalists out of the venue, saying that the session would be held behind closed doors.
When he was asked on why the House reneged on its promise to conduct the investigation in the open, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, replied that it was to allow the committee to “do a detailed and thorough work.”
He explained that the committee did not want a situation where the testimony of one witness would jeopardise another witness’ testimony.
Mohammed added, “You know that it is an investigative hearing as well and we want to avoid a situation where his (Lawan)presentation would bungle certain people’s submissions.
“Of course the Police are doing their own investigations and they are doing that in camera.
“So, we believe that this also should be done in camera to at least give everybody some protection and the freedom to say all that they know.”
Meanwhile, there were indications on Thursday that the Police had yet to invite the Chairman, House Committee on Drugs/Narcotics and Financial Crimes, Mr. Adams Jagaba, for interrogation.
Jagaba was the man Lawan, during the earlier part of his confession to police, named as being in possession of the bribe money.
The finding by our correspondent contradicted speculations that Jagaba had been given an ultimatum by the police to submit himself for interrogation.
“There is no such ultimatum; ultimatum how? There is no invitation to Jagaba from the police; there has been no direct contact between them and there can be no ultimatum”, a source monitoring the investigation disclosed to our correspondent in Abuja.
Lawan had told the police that he wrote Jagaba and attached the bribe money as evidence.
However, on June 19, Jagaba wrote the Speaker of the House, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, denying ever seeing or receiving any bribe money from Lawan.
This was sequel to a directive by Tambuwal, asking Jagaba to clear the air on the $620,000.
Tambuwal’s action was a response to a letter from the Police Special Task Force investigating the bribery, urging him to retrieve the bribe money from Jagaba.
Investigations by our correspondent showed that after Jagaba’s letter to Tambuwal, the speaker in turn wrote to the police, saying that the bribe money was not in the custody of the lawmaker or any committee of the House.
“That was the closest contact between the police and Jagaba, which was indirect because the police letter was even addressed to the Speaker, not Jagaba,” the source said on condition of anonymity.
Jagaba on Thursday said that he was amazed at the speculation that the police had invited or given him an ultimatum.
He said, “If there is a claim that the police ever invited me, I want the proof of the invitation; where is the proof?
“I am here in my office; there is no police invitation, I have not seen any invitation.
“There is no invitation in my constituency office or my residence either; so all this rumour about ultimatum amazes me, really.”
The lawmaker added that the letter Lawan “purportedly” wrote to him, attaching the bribe money, was also not true.
He said, “I never received any letter from him (Lawan). Again, where is the proof of the acknowledgement of the letter? If you wrote a letter to me and I received it, there would be a copy of the acknowledgement, where is it?
“These are the issues and not mere speculation.”

Wednesday 27 June 2012

Asset declaration: Jonathan violates PDP manifesto – Investigation


The refusal of President Goodluck Jonathan to openly declare his assets was against the Programme and Policy Trust of the Peoples Democratic Party, investigation by The PUNCH has shown.
Jonathan during his Sunday’s media chat broadcast on television said he did not declare his assets publicly and that he only did so as Vice President because his late boss, Umaru Yar’Adua, compelled him.
“The issue of asset declaration is a matter of principle. I don’t give a damn about it, if you want to criticise me from heaven. The issue of public declaration I think is playing to the gallery. You don’t need to publicly declare any assets. If I am somebody who wants to hide it is what I tell you that you will even believe,” the President had said.
The PDP states in its Manifesto, Programme and Policy Trust for 2011-2015, committed that it will work to ensure that its elected officials openly declare their assets.
Under its Anti-Corruption Policy Thrust, the party promises that the primary objective of a “PDP-led government is to substantially reduce corruption in Nigeria and to develop and promote the mechanisms and institutions for preventing, detecting, and bringing offenders to justice.”
It says that one of the road maps aimed at achieving this will be to “persuade officials to make public their assets declaration records and support a legal backing for compulsory open declaration of assets.”
It was, however, not clear if the party persuaded the President to openly declare his assets and he refused.
However, a former Minister of Defence, Dr. Haliru Bello, who was a former Acting National Chairman of the party when the document was produced, also failed to openly declare his assets.
Bello even wrote the foreword to the booklet.
“This manifesto and Policy Thrust will continue to guide the party and PDP government at all levels to build on the successes of the party and procure a safe, stable and prosperous future for Nigeria,” Bello writes in the foreword.
A member of the National Working Committee of the party, who spoke on the issue on condition of anonymity, however frowned on the refusal of both Jonathan and Bello to openly declare their assets “as a good example for others.”
The anonymous PDP chieftain wondered how the leaders who failed to obey party guidelines would be able to impress it on others to also toe the path of openness by openly declare their assets.
But the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, on Monday said the said Programme and Policy Trust of the Peoples Democratic Party did not pass through the party’s National Working Committee. He also defended Jonathan’s refusal to openly declare his assets when he became President on May 29, 2011.
Metuh said, “That document did not pass through the NWC. But let me say that the President has not done anything wrong constitutionally by not publicly declaring his assets.
“The President did so as vice-president and has also acted as the law requires now. He has not done anything wrong constitutionally.
“Like he said, open declaration of assets has nothing to do with fighting Boko Haram.”
Meanwhile, the Congress for Progressive Change has faulted the President over his statement on the declaration of assets.
It expressed concern about Jonathan’s assertion that he was forced as the Vice- President to declare his assets against his desire.
“Should this mean that this President is not principled, otherwise he ought to have resigned his appointment if he was forced to act against his desire,” the CPC argued in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin.
Fashakin said that the President’s demeanour on the issue of asset declaration left many questions unanswered.
He said that the president had not even told the nation that he declared his assets after his inauguration on May 29.
Also, the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, and Education Rights Concern on Monday in Abuja condemned the refusal of Jonathan to declare his assets openly.
This CACOL said the President’s refusal to declare his assets publicly was a deliberate act of justifying corruption.

Five rules to have her best in your relationship/marriage.


ACCOMPLISHMENT: Before you say money cannot do all things, please have enough of it first. An average woman wants a successful man. It is her nature. She was made that way. After all, it was Adam that was made from the dust and not Eve. Even though she could go too extreme in her demand at times if she is not cautioned, but you must be a man she can be proud of at all times. I am not saying you must own a private jet or a castle on the moon, but you must reasonably make it financially.  No one takes glory in poverty. An average man remains a lazy man until he makes it. She loves to take the car you bought with your hard earned money to visit her friends at any time, even when there is fuel scarcity. She doesn’t see anything wrong with it. That is her make up. She will ask you what it is if you challenge her. This does not make her greedy in quote even though some of them can openly abuse it.

GIVE HER ATTENTION: This is not negotiable. Deny her of it, and you will witness the Armageddon.Give her full attention, and then she will treat you as a diamond. She is so emotional. That is why she can cry over a tooth paste. She doesn’t want to share your presence with anybody. She hates rivalry and never tolerates competition. An average woman can not really survive on her own. Her glory is somehow hidden in her man. So she senses an intruder very fast.Even the so called wild ladies know this but may pretend to be otherwise. She loves to be listening to all the time and will never agree she talks too much at times. Try and manage it by nodding your head when she talks especially when excesses are obvious. Do not shout her down. If you do, she will be demoralized and the resultant effect may be too much for you to bear.

CELEBRATE HER. She loves to be commended on any project, especially when she returns from her hair saloon. Tell her, her hair do is out of this world if truly it is. She just loves to hear that even if it is obvious that the hairdo has a touch of an apprentice. But if it is truly bad, manage it with her in wisdom by saying, sweetheart, wow, this is beautiful but you should make some adjustment here, here, here, here and here including here. By so doing, you would have passed your full message. She loves it that way than you saying, dear, this is terrible.  

PROTECT HER. Every lion wants to be the director of its domain because uneasy lies on the head that wears the crown. The crown on the head of a king is not for fashion parade, but for bravity, courage and determination in a time of challenges. It is the duty of a man to protect his family. She must feel secured. She wants to be protected by all means, physically, emotionally, spiritually etc. You are like a king Kong to her. This is why she wants a tall man (apology to some of us that seem to be too tall). Even though, the height of a man does not guarantee her security, she still wants to go for it except if she is about three decades in age. At that age, even a dwarf can win her mind. It is quite psychological. And it must be thoroughly managed.

MIND YOUR WORDS: Words are powerful, as the Holy Bible preaches. Appropriation in the use of words matters to an average woman than to a man. Tell a woman that she is ugly, then, it can take you eternity to get in your apology. Because she believes beauty is her possession even among them that seemed to be FEARFULLY MADE. She believes it is her right to be encouraged, nurtured, pampered, and respected (which is true). Therefore, you must be mindful of your choice of words. Do you not know that there is a way an average woman feels when you tell her she is the cockroach in your cupboard and butter on your bread, even when it is clear to her that you are just deceiving her? Unfortunately, majority of them cannot manage the pressure, because they were made that way. It is a thing of the mind. Good luck.Thanks. Share with friends.

Tunde Adenuga

Tuesday 26 June 2012

TO LOVE A WOMAN

Well, I am probably not in the best position to share love stories because I deliberately lack playboy exploits. But recently, in what harboured great potential for endless affection, I have skilfully played the role of a jackanapes. I have been guilty. Actually, guilt wrote me a letter and penitence signed it. They said in the letter, “Mr Boy scout, It is a sin to insult fondness; it is iniquity to slight her. Repent!” So, after reading those words, I knelt down and asked for forgiveness and I said to myself, “Insults are verbal assaults that are not directly punishable offences under the law. However, they carry more weight than many legally penalized offences. Insulting a man is stripping him of some measure of dignity. Slighting a woman is removing the confidence she has in you. I have insulted a woman. Whether fairly or unfairly, I have done wrong and it is wrong for me to do wrong. So, henceforth, I must let go of the will to react and instead, become a shock absorber. I may even have to make do with the role of a scapegoat. A scapegoat of fondness. So help me God.”
That was a prayer said heartily and honestly. They were the right words because it was not the time to tell Aladdin stories. Times of repentance call for sincere and deep sobriety. Quietness and humility are what you need when you are in a sorry state. You should even feel like you deserve to listen to songs about going to heaven and flying with angels in the skies. Not stories of how you killed a black-horned vampire who had a diastema-posited set of dentate teeth. So today, I make a detour. I am discussing the lesson learnt from a personal experience. At least, after consuming a book like, “How not to treat an American lady for dummies by Obama Hussein Osama in my dreams, I should qualify to give a life review about a yet-to-be-read text on Love or Non-enmity.”
In the Bible, Brother Paul said, “The things which I do not want to do, the same I do.” Sometimes, when we want to capture a terrorist like Osama, we are prone to “Obamaing” i.e. sniping at them. And, many times, when we want to cook food after work hours in a tired state, we sleep off and make a burnt offering for the whole neighbourhood. In other words, what we want to do, we, many times, do not do.
To love a woman is one of such tasks, at least before marriage. While the things I am about to say are not fixed rules, they seem to be axioms that have deep-rooted bases in the experiences of the diverse guys I have questioned. In the 21st century, loving a woman has deviated from what Pa Adam did; maybe plucking apples and tilling the ground. It is very far from what Bro Peter did; maybe leading her about, praying with her and buying her leavened bread. It is quite different from what my Dad did; buying her flowers, eating what she cooked and having a promising career. Some extremists say that to love a woman today, you must live for her alone. I disagree because I have two grown-up sisters. And while their “friends” don’t live for them, I know they are “their boys”. But I bring you a report of what is common in the talks of many guys. How do you love a woman? How? Read these lines below, noting again that they are not hard and fast rules.
To love a woman is to want the best for her. To not only see the best in her but to be patient with her until she sees it herself. To not take advantage of her ignorance or enforce your will on her. To incubate her dreams even when she does not care and help deliver them when she suddenly cares. To find what is good in her and make great comments about them. To share in her dreams by membering on her dream accomplishment team. To remind her of good memories and encourage her when she wants to stop half way. To be a shield for her, on your knees, in the place of prayer. To run her belittling errands like they are just normal. To be a teddy bear in secret while in public, they call you a man. To swallow the insults you would otherwise instantly rain verbally and instead, seek how best to put your words into her ears without letting go of correction. To buy her a blackberry when a mulberry is all you use. To love pink because she does and keep a low cut because she thinks it’s cool. To carefully peer at both sides of the highway before crossing it, because you don’t want to die and leave her all alone. To sit, eat and listen when she says so and run a gift purchase account because of her. To make her proud of you by getting a good job and living a decent life. To say, “you are perfect” when she tells you, “my friends are saying I am getting fat”. To always support her views in public except if they are VERY wrong and signal her to mute when she is. To never rebuke her in public. And, to do all these because you really love her and not because you just want her to say yes. That’s all. Nothing more.
It is a hard job. I know. It’s probably the hardest job there is. But some folks have a PhD in it. That’s why I keep asking myself, “Man, are you as ready as people always say you are?” I have a special response which is confidential. But I hope your own responses are good. If you have not been loving your woman, repent. And if it’s the other way round, well, think twice. To love a decent man is not as expensive anyway. But to love a woman, you should first sit down and count the cost.

James Lisandro
lives in Lagos Nigeria


22-year old Nigerian breaks academic record at John Hopkins University

A 22-year-old Nigerian has emerged the best graduating student of John Hopkins University in the United States. He obtained a Grade Point Average of 3.98 out of a possible 4.0 to earn a degree in Neurosciences, SEGUN  OLUGBILE writes. A 22-year-old Nigerian, Emmanuel Ohuabunwa, has made history at John Hopkins University, United States of America.  Ohuabunwa from Arochukwu, Abia State, has done the nation proud by becoming the first black man to make a Grade Point Average of 3.98 out of 4.0 to bag a degree in Neurosciences in the university. He was also adjudged as having the highest honours during the graduation that was held on May 24 this year.
For his efforts, he has won a scholarship to Yale University to pursue a degree in medicine. Besides, he has been inducted into Phi Beta Kappa Society, a prestigious honour group that features membership of 17 US Presidents, 37 US Supreme Court Justices, and 136 Nobel Prize winners.
According to Wikipedia, The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honour society. Its mission is to “celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences” and induct “the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities.”
It was founded at The College of William and Mary on December 5, 1776, and thus it is the oldest honour society for the liberal arts and sciences and among the oldest undergraduate societies in the US.
In an online interview with our correspondent, Ohuabunwa, who was born in Okota, Lagos and attended Lilly Fields Primary School, Lagos, said he left Nigeria after his junior secondary school education at Air Force Comprehensive School, Ibadan, Oyo State.
“My parents moved the whole family when I was 13 years old. I was about to begin SS1 at Air Force, Ibadan. When I got to the US, I was enrolled with my age mates, which meant at 13, I was in middle school. I went to Fondren Middle School, which was in the middle of the ghetto. That was one of the darkest years for me because I encountered a lot of peer pressure. Some of the students, ignorant about Africa, bullied me and called me names such as ‘African booty scratcher’ because to them, Africans were dirty and scratched their butts all the time.
“Some asked me if I lived in mud huts and ate faeces for breakfast. I remember one day, when I was walking to the school bus, a boy came from behind and punched me in the face, called me an African and walked away. It took everything in me not to retaliate. I knew that God had put me in the U.S for a purpose and it did not involve fighting or selling drugs or doing the wrong things.
“My experience during that year gave me a thick skin. I learned to stand for what I thought was right even when the opposition seemed insurmountable. I also learned to look at the positive in all situations. Even though these kids were bullying me, I was still gaining an opportunity to school in America and nothing would stop me from making the best of this opportunity.
“The shocker was that the kid that punched me in the face was black. I would have expected the blacks to be nicer to me. Nevertheless, I don’t blame those kids because they were ignorant about Africa. All they knew about us was the stuff they had watched on TV or documentaries, showing primitive African tribes, living in the jungle and making noises like monkeys.
“In regards to the whites, there might have been some minor episodes but again I don’t blame them for it because it is a problem with stereotypes,” he said.
But in spite of this humiliation and racial prejudice against him, the first in a family of three was not discouraged. He faced his studies and was always coming top in his class. After he completed his middle school education, he passed the entrance examination to DeBakey High School for Health Professions. It was at this school that his interest in neurosciences and medicine started.
“By the second year of high school, we were able to interact with doctors, nurses and other administrators in the hospital. The more I learned about medicine, the more it felt like the thing God was calling me to pursue and by being in the US I got a lot of people to support me to do this. Even though in high school, I got to see first-hand what it meant to be a doctor. We studied advanced anatomy and physiology, learned medical terminology, and learned important skills, such as checking blood pressure, pulse rate, and many more.
“I knew I wanted to go to the best school in the US. I had heard that Johns Hopkins Hospital had been ranked the number one hospital in the US for the past 21 years and I wanted to be in that environment.’’
Worried that his parents might not be able to sponsor him to the university, Ohuabunwa purposed to work very hard. He did and when the result of the PSAT came, he performed so well that he won the National Achievement Scholar.
By virtue of this award, he received certificates of recognition from various organisations including senators from the Congress of both Texas and the US. He also received scholarship from the University of Houston; Rice University, Texas A&M Honors College and many more.
He had also won the Principal’s Award during the annual awards ceremony at DeBakey High School.
“During our graduation ceremony at DeBakey, I also won the Award for the Most Outstanding Senior Young Man and the student volunteer award for my volunteer activities in the State of Texas,” he said.
But his breakthrough came when he won the Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation full scholarship to any university of his choice. He worked hard and gained admission to Johns Hopkins University to study Neurosciences.
But why Neurosciences, Ohuabunwa said, “I studied Neuroscience, because I was fascinated with the brain, its control of our behaviours and how various diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, lead to a decline in its activity. I also minored in Psychology because I wanted to understand disorders in the psyche. What causes bipolar disorders or schizophrenia. I did not just want to label them as crazy but to understand what causes these conditions and how we can treat them,’’ he explained.
But what does he consider to be the missing links in the education sector of Nigeria when compared with that on offer in US, Ohuabunwa said unpredictable academic calendar, corruption, examination malpractice and inadequate funding were some of the problems confronting his home country’s university sector. These, he said, were absent in the US.
“There were a few problems with Nigerian higher education that contributed to our emigration in 2003.  The first was the number of strikes that occurred in schools. It took my uncle seven years to graduate with a degree that should have taken him only four years. A second problem was the corruption. We had heard of people going into universities, because they paid someone to look the other way. I also heard of a few cheating scandals, where people would pay someone to take their exams for them or get a copy of the exam a few days before,” he said.
But is he saying that US university system has no such problems at all? Ohuabunwa said, “Although this sometimes occurs in the U.S, it is less common because of the strict security. I remember when taking the Medical College Admissions Test,  test required before one can matriculate into medical school, each student had to get his fingerprints taken every time we entered and left the hall. The whole place was packed with cameras and security staff that monitored everything we were doing. The exam was computerised to make sure that no one saw the test before the actual date.”
Another difference, he said, is that America rewards hard-work while the system also emphasises on a balance between academic life and extracurricular activities.
On how he won the scholarship to Yale, Ohuabunwa said his 3.98 GPA in Neurosciences, and many awards he had won and God’s grace, contributed to his winning the scholarship.
“As at the time of my application for medical school, I had a 3.98 GPA of a 4.0. This made me  the only black student inducted into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa. I was also awarded the Becker Family Scholarship for being the most outstanding student in the Neuroscience major at Johns Hopkins University. Furthermore, by God’s grace, I took the MCAT and scored in the top five percentile.
“That, combined with my hours of volunteer service in different hospitals across the US allowed me to gain acceptance into every medical school I applied to, including Harvard, Yale, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, and Cornell. As the time came to make a decision, I had narrowed it down to Harvard and Yale. Both schools, I enjoyed visiting. Nevertheless, while my parents prayed, they asked God to give us a sign of what school to attend. A few days later, I received a letter from Yale Medical School, offering me a full ride scholarship for all four years. That was the sign from God,” he said.
But would he come back to Nigeria after the completion of his programme, he said yes.
“I am absolutely interested in the health care policy decisions in Nigeria. Because there are many changes that need to occur, I will not rule out the possibility of coming back after my studies, in order to join hands with the leaders to make these changes possible.’’
He added that his ambition is to become a medical doctor specialising in brain surgery.
“Two weeks ago, my grandmother passed away after a long battle with strokes. Even during emergencies, it was difficult for her to get to the hospital, let alone get treatment. This is a common theme not only in the health care system of Nigeria, but in different countries in the world, where the poor get neglected.
“Second, Nigerian hospitals lack the infrastructure required to compete with major hospitals around the world. It would be an honour to one day contribute to this transformation that is necessary for improvements in Nigeria’s health care sector,” he said.
He, however, advised Nigerian youths who have the wherewithal, to go abroad to study. Ohuabunwa also called on  wealthy Nigerians to invest more in the education of the poor rather than in acquisition of material things.
Ohuabunwa, however, said that his parents, who he described as his greatest role models,  contributed a lot  to his academic feat through Godly training, counsel and guidance. He also did not forget the impact  that his short stay at Air Force school had on him.
“I was definitely not the brightest at Air Force. At that time, I felt like I spent more time running away from seniors than focusing on my studies. Nevertheless, I learned three things at Air Force that have served me well in the US. I learned discipline, adaptability and resilience. These attributes helped me a lot in US,” he said.
Punch

Court stops Jonathan from renaming UNILAG

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday granted an interim order restraining the Federal Government from renaming the University of Lagos.
The order was granted by Justice Stephen Adah, who was ruling in the suits brought against the May 29, 2012 renaming of the institution by the students and alumni of the University of Lagos.
The court, however, advised the litigants to harmonise the suits into one and adjourned further hearing till July 4.
The defendants in the suits are UNILAG, the UNILAG Governing Council, the UNILAG Senate, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the National Assembly.
President Goodluck Jonathan had last month renamed the University of Lagos after the late businessman and acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, MKO Abiola.
The renaming of the institution as Moshood Abiola University was greeted by protest from the students and staff of the school. Others criticized the president for not following due process in renaming UNILAG. They insisted that the president should have consulted with the National Assembly before making the pronunciation on democracy.
President Jonathan on Sunday during a presidential media chat with selected journalist said that he did not breach the constitution of Nigeria in renaming the University of Lagos. He said the renaming the institution is similar to the process the president can declare state of emergency before subjecting the matter before the National Assembly.
He supported his argument by saying that he just signed the act establishing the University of Uyo, a university that according to him have being producing PhD graduates.

Joke of the day

About 100 hundred professors of a particular university were embarking on an international trip for a conference. After boarding an aircraft, it was announced to them that the pilot of that aircraft was one of their old students. Quickly, all of them ran out except prof Hakafi. All other passengers on board were wondering and asking question: "What is happening? Are we safe?" Asking one another. The other profs were shouting, Prof Hakafi, won't you come out? Do you want to die? Prof Hakafi replied, "don't bother yourself. If it is that boy, the aircraft would not even start". Thanks.Pls share. 

Saturday 23 June 2012

EXPOSED! Pastors Fight Dirty Over Money In Christ Embassy (A MUST READ)

Why should a Pastor do all the work and payment becomes a mystery? The bible instructs pastors should be paid in “1 Corinthians 9:14” & “1 Timothy 5:17-18”. And we all gladly pay the electrician or accountant that provides service in our homes or church. Why should a man be requested to leave his successful business to move to another province, start churches, make a success of the churches and hope to be complimented or thanked, but instead was aggressively removed because he suggested to be paid after many years of service at his own expense.
One of those things you hear happen in Africa but never thought it could creep into Canada. How the senior hierarchy of Christ Embassy aka Believers Loveworld of Pastor Chris decided to get rid of a fellow Pastor with every possible means. While many were busy genuinely doing God’s work; a team led by Pastor Kay Adesina and Pastor Kehinde Ogbebor connived with some fellow members to make the life of Pastor Paul a nightmare.
As a result the fight, Pastor Paul who had served the Christ Embassy Canada church with distinction for over 10 years was hospitalized in Calgary Alberta on more than one occasion because of this unending conflict. The Pastor Kehinde Ogbebor was also in disagreement with Pastor Paul over how he requested a refund of the money loaned to him.
Our source said none of these Pastors have ever being to the city of Calgary or Edmonton before but it was Pastor Paul who travelled 4 days from Toronto and created a Christ embassy church in Calgary and a year later he pioneered another Christ Embassy Church in Edmonton Alberta, which is 3 hours from Calgary.
They couldn’t find rest with their opinion that Calgary and Edmonton both oil cities was not befitting to Pastor Paul who in their opinion didn’t have a God father and couldn’t give large sums of money to them anymore. But Pastor Paul explained that it was because he left his business in Toronto to spread the ministry that made him less financially strong enough to do what he was able to do in the past. And the finances of these new churches have advanced the ministry projects and programs.
According to Pastor Paul, the arrangement has left him worse off, turned him from a landlord and home owner into a tenant; and every effort to talk to the leadership of the ministry has not yielded any result. Especially when Pastor Paul suggested they should pay him a salary. Instead they decided to redefine who a Pastor is and tried to change him in a mafia gangster style. It’s like what you will see in a movie (threats, ambush, conspiracy and much more). When a businessman competing for a deal, conspires with a few people to discredit or kill an innocent man. No wonder many honest people are leaving the church to rather stay at home.
What could have made all these pastors to travel with “bodyguards” from Toronto on February 19, 2012 and April 22, 2012 to fight in Calgary, Alberta? Thank God the Nigerians in Calgary Alberta are not only known for truth but some also displayed their disappointment during this conflict.
Pastor Paul, was a Christ Embassy church Pastor in Toronto before moving to Calgary. We also learnt he was well known as a Realtor in the Toronto area before he moved to Calgary. It still baffles many to know that none of these pastors were paid, but instead the subject is not welcomed and most of the pastors struggle with the issue in fear.
The question now is if he is qualified to relocate to Calgary why should he struggle to discuss the basic necessities of life with those benefiting from the results. “You are the best man for the job” “See yourself having a big church” these and much more they said before the salary topic was introduced by Pastor Paul. A topic they have never discussed or mentioned to any of the other pastors with the exception of the top 1% of the pastors in the ministry.
Just a few days after the church hijack, Pastor Chris announced via online TV to all the churches that he is shuffling most of the pastors in Canada. But this only shows that he most likely ordered the church hijack in the first place because of the timing of this announcement and other things that shouldn’t have happened. Thank God Pastor Paul has made a police report and his calling on fellow believers to join him in prayers.

TB Joshua In Trouble Over Ex-Malawian President’s Death

Former ruling party in Malawi are currently pushing for the Probe of TB Joshua over the death of his friend and the late President of Malawi, Bingu wa Mutharika.
Late Mutharika Is A Frequent TB Joshua’s Visitor
In a report from Nyasa Times, President Joyce Banda announced an inquiry to probe the circumstances around the controversial leader’s death on April 5, including the medical attention he received. TB Joshua prophesised Mutharika’s death. The new Malawian leader frequents Nigeria to visit the prophet.
DPP spokesman Nicholas Dausi, has insisted that TB Joshua should be quizzed. Mutharika died in a sudden cardiac failure on April 5 exactly two months before this date in which TB Joshua said an old African president would die in two months’ time.
“We must find out how he can foretell those things,” Dausi, Mwanza Central MP told Parliament. According to Saint Francis of Assisi, thus not Godly. It is not an exhaustible instrument of life,” said Dausi, known for his penchant of quoting medieval or great authors and academicians.
Dausi made the call during his contribution to the budget statement, saying Malawians should also take interest on how some TV stations like Emmanuel TV and TB Joshua knew of Mutharika’s demise.
DPP leader in Parliament Dr George Chaponda is on record telling the House that the probe should “include interviewing those who were celebrating after the death of the late President and slaughtering cows.”
Chaponda said the inquiry committee should be independent and come out with objective findings and will not be used as an instrument for impunity or retribution.” But the Mutharika family led by Bingu’s brother, Thyolo East DPP MP Peter Mutharika, has rejected an inquiry, saying facts around his death after a heart attack were already known.
New Malawian President Banda Supports TB Joshua Probe
Peter Mutharika said the probe is “nonsensical” and that it was an “unjustified satanic mechanisation to advance personal and political agendas”. But President Banda has justified the probe said the late president was no longer a family member but a Head of State.
“All we are trying is to find out what happened, not who killed him. Is there anything we could have done to avoid his death, did he receive enough attention, why were there three different signs of date of death?” said Banda.
Sources say Mutharika family want to sweep under the carpet some “embarrassing” private issues surrounding the late president’s death and the failed plot to install Peter as Head of State.(credit: Nyasa Times)
It looks like Mr TB is using all his prophecies to get relevance or something.
There should be limit to everything in life.
There are some prophecies you don’t tell if God is not releasing you to.

Jonathan Cannot Save The North – Bafarawa

As insecurity reigns supreme in most parts of Northern Nigeria, a former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, has urged the northern political elite to look beyond President Goodluck Jonathan for solution to the insecurity problem.
The erstwhile two-time governor told LEADERSHIP WEEKEND that the solution lies with the elite, the political class and members of the National Assembly from the region.
Bafarawa said that the Boko Haram insurgency has political undertone and expressed the view that the political class from the region would be able to address the issue.
He said: “I blame the politicians because we know what is right and what is wrong. This issue of Boko Haram is political. If we the politicians, whom I believe are the ones controlling the north, and we are waiting to see what President Goodluck Jonathan can do, we are just wasting our time. President Jonathan alone cannot save the north. I believe this is the time for both northern Christians and Moslems to come together.
“The fault is ours – the political class, especially the members of the National Assembly. The NASS is controlled by the north and, if this is democracy, they should take resolutions and government must implement.”
Buttressing his claim for a concerted action to solving of insecurity in the country, especially in northern Nigeria, the former governor remarked, ‘‘President Jonathan has not done enough, so we have to push him to come and join us to solve this problem.’’
He said that all the political interests in the region should come together, in conjunction with the members of the National Assembly from the zone, and come out with a resolution on the matter.
‘There is political Boko Haram, social Boko Haram, economic Boko Haram and corruption Boko Haram. It is not just Boko Haram. It is our duty to come together and tell ourselves the truth, both Christians and Moslems. We don’t have any other place to go except the north,’’ the former governor advocated.
Bafarawa also frowned at the northern leaders plotting for the 2015 general election instead of joining hands to find lasting peace in the region.

YOU NEED MORE THAN LOVE

It is not enough that a man be born, he must learn to live. It’s not enough that a man should live; he must learn to love and master to bear the pain, thrill and excitement that comes with love. What can be more exhilarating than to be in love? Though one must also note that to give one’s heart, is not only to give that person the right to love you back but also the power to hurt as well. No matter how close or how emotionally connected we are with another person, to a large extent we still can never fully know and understand another person’s design, which predominantly structures why they behave the way they do, their motivations, belief system, philosophies, passions, dreams and goals. At best we can only derive an approximation based on assumption of their full thinking process.
Come to think of it, an assumption they say is the least form of knowledge. The manufacturer of the mind, God, describes his own product saying. “The heart is a twisted thing, not to be searched out by another mortal: who is able to have knowledge of it?”
Questions relating to when you should make known or public your love affair and whether true love is blind or crippled has always and will ever remain subjective topical love issues. Love is a great motivator and inspiration in every relationship but the fact that we fall into it probably explains why a one time lover gets demoted to suddenly become “a good friend” like we say it when the whole thing is dwindling away into history or a foe when things become terribly sour. Maybe when we begin to walk, against falling in love, love might restore its blind sight.
“When you love, you love. I mean, do you stop loving somebody because you have different images? You know, Bobby and I basically come from the same place, you see somebody, and you deal with their image, that’s their image. It’s part of them; it’s not the whole picture. ” pop idol and six-time Grammy award winner, Whitney Houston, told Rolling Stone in 1993. Yeah love is all that matters and it does conquers all things, but when maturity meets with love, it births a superior orientation that makes one see common sense beyond a common tool in any relationship because it hurts to be left alone by someone you love. It hurts to love someone who can’t love you back. But what hurts the most is to end a relationship that was never even destined to start. For instance If a bird falls in love with a fish, where would they live? Who gets the fins and who loses the wings? It’s an irony. That’s how cruel but poetic love can be.
Many are of the opinion that if Whitney Houston never met Bobby Brown, probably her life would have been less tragic and far from a striking cautionary tale.
Even when we eventually settle with that bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, the question of whether love is enough still arises. I’ve repeatedly heard those married for donkey years say things like “understanding, patience and endurance is all that matters” some out of their own personal ‘not so exciting’ experiences go as far as categorically predicting that you should at some point expect that your spouse will come up with characters and traits absolutely synonymous of a stranger, and you just beginning to wonder where on earth you got this person from. This is far from the image of love the media paints. They only showcase the feel good hormonal responses that bind two people initially, and then they edit reality away. “There isn’t a perfect relationship, the major point is to move forward” a married adult friend once stressed to me.

Let me share the misery of a man I read some years back in one of those Funmi Akingbade’s sex and sexuality columns on Saturday Punch Newspaper. This particular man was demanding for help to manage his psychological trauma. After forgiving his wife, he still had issues struggling with the mental play back of another man’s sex organ inside her. This happened after both partners in a playful atmosphere asked questions related to how they coped when both were temporarily separated by distance. The woman at one point confessed that she had a onetime secret affair. She must have summoned enough calories of courage most likely because she couldn’t hold the guilt anymore. In response to the man’s challenge, the columnist scolded him for indulging in such a risky fact finding in the first place and like you would expect, he was advised to move on.
And at the minute you critically consider the effort and investment that relationships consumes, and the contagious effect of divorce on the children and others. ‘To move on’ becomes quite a handy response.
That you love one another doesn’t really guarantee all the happiness, the feel good feeling will die and probably resurrect again. The long married says it takes a whole lot of conscious effort from both parties to keep it alive. In fact, that hard work and conscious effort is what they refer to as love. There is so much to great relationship than love. pls you can join by  clicking on "join this site" on your system and follo other instructions.Thanks.


‘LANRE OLAGUNJU

The man Dasuki

The new National Security Adviser, retired Col. Sambo Mohammed Dasuki, comes from the royal family of Sokoto: He is the son of the former Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmed Dasuki, who was deposed by the military regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha.
Believed to be close to former dictator Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Abacha dismissed Dasuki and some military officers in 1993. Dasuki’s closeness to Babangida was said to have come about from the fact that he was once the dictator’s ADC, and he was actively involved in the 1985 coup that brought Babangida to power.
Dasuki later fled to the United States in 1995 after he was accused by the Abacha regime of being a party to a coup plot allegedly led by retired Col. Lawan Gwadabe.
On his return, former President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him as the managing director of the National Security and Printing Company at the behest of Babangida.
A director of Regency Alliance, an insurance company, Dasuki attended the Washington DC and George Washington University, where he obtained a BA in International Relations and MA in Security Policy Studies respectively.
He had his military training in several institutions in Nigeria and abroad including the Nigerian Army School of Artillery, Oklahoma, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth Kensas.
His major task is to arrest the Boko Haram insurgency, which is threatening to spread into other parts of the country, apart from the North.
He will also be expected to tackle militancy in the South-South, where Nigeria derives its main source of revenue.

Punch

Xmas Day bomber, Bama, dies of gunshot injuries

The suspected mastermind of the Christmas Day bombing at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State, Habibu Bama, has died of gunshot injuries in Damaturu, Yobe State. Security sources said Bama, who was nabbed on Thursday, died in his cell on Friday.
Operatives of the Joint Task Force on security had captured the Boko Haram  suspect in an ambush and taken him to a military facility for interrogation. He was said to have been wounded during the encounter and later died.
Bama was the suspected mastermind of the bomb attack on the Force Headquarters of the Nigeria Police on June 16, 2011, as well as the United Nations bomb blast, which took place on Aug. 26, 2011.
The State Security Service had on Feb. 14, 2012 declared him wanted for his role in the Madalla bombing that claimed many lives. He was said to have been identified as an accomplice in the attack.
The SSS claimed that Bama, a Kanuri from Bama in Borno State  operated under different names, such as Habib Bama, Shuaibu Bama and Habib Mamman.
The SSS deputy director, Media and Publicity, Marilyn Ogar, could not be reached for comments as calls to her phone were blocked.

Punch

Monday 18 June 2012

To all the ladies waiting for Mr Right, this is a message for you


Why Nigerian leaders will never stop stealing?

Former President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, Otunba Lateef Owoyemi, says Nigerian leaders will continue to steal as long as the cost of participating in elections remains extremely expensive.
Owoyemi spoke at the annual public lecture of ICAN organised by the Lagos State Public Service held at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, yesterday on the theme: Accounting and Accountability in the Oil and Financial Sectors.
The 75-year old ex-ICAN president stated that when politicians seeking elective positions to be president, governors and others spend billions of naira campaigning, they would certainly steal when they get into such offices in order to recoup what they had spent and to settle cronies who bankrolled their campaigns.
“Things have gone upside down in Nigeria. We are wasting our time, we are not dealing with the core issue of this problem. Three things make people to be corrupt, which are pressure, opportunity and justification.
“If we don’t reform the election process in Nigeria, corruption will continue to be part of our life. If we don’t devise another means of campaigning for election, corruption will never end. If we don’t tackle the issue of election cost, corruption will never cease. If people will spend billions of naira to get elected, they must get the money back. If you are in a position of power, there is no way you can be poor. Let us have a Nigeria that is sensible and working,” he said.
Owoyemi said no fraud would go on without accountants not being aware of it. He, therefore, urged ICAN members to ensure transparency in carrying out their duties.
He said ICAN had never shy away from investigating and sanctioning members found wanting in their practice, stressing, however, the need to draw a distinction between chartered accountants and “accountants.”
ICAN President, Mr. Adedoyin Owolabi, lamented that the oil revenue had made the nation to abandon agriculture, which used to be her mainstay, saying that the oil money had come with lots of sorrow and corruption. He said the fuel subsidy issue was a blessing in disguise as it had helped to unravel how some cartel stole the nation’s money, while he called on chartered accountants to embrace the best accounting practice.
Similarly, Peter Esele, President-General, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, blamed the sad development in the country on indiscipline, poor adherence to standards, corruption, paucity of operational tools, inadequate laws and legislations, primordial sentiments and judiciary impediments as those caught were sometimes discharged and acquitted by the courts on frivolous grounds which tended to encourage more of unprofessional and unethical practices.
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Culled from PmnewsNigeria

I lied to defend myself ---Farouk Lawan


Chairman of the House of Representatives Probe Panel on Fuel Subsidy Mismanagement, Farouk Lawan, has admitted that he collected $600,000 (about N96 million) from billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola.Farouk LawanLawan owned up to it barely 24 hours after he denied collecting the bribe, saying he collected it as an evidence that he was bribed by Otedola.
Lawan had initially said in a statement he issued immediately the scandal was blown open: “ I wish to categorically deny that I or any member of the committee demanded and received any bribe from anybody in connection with the fuel subsidy probe and I believe this is evident from the thorough and indepth manner the investigation was carried out and the all encompassing recommendations produced therefrom and approved by the whole House.”
He went further to claim that his image in the bribe taking video recording was doctored.
In what could be a volte face, Lawan told reporters yesterday in Abuja that he actually collected $500,000 from Otedola, adding that it was the Zenon Oil & Gas boss that initiated the bribe.
Lawan, however, said he kept the police informed about it and forwarded series of letters about it to the Inspector General of Police.
He said he also informed the relevant House Committee about the development.
All this may not hold any water any longer, considering reports that it took Lawan six weeks before he informed some principal officers of the House that an oil marketer attempted to bribe him.
And as the scandal gets messier by the day, more knocks have come the way of Lawan. Speaking with P.M.NEWS this morning, constitutional lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay said the whole idea was to cast doubt on the fuel subsidy report as the key actor in the probe has had his hand soiled.
“This is a major tragedy. Farouk Lawan represents one of the most positive faces in the Nigeria legislature. It is a tragedy for us as a country because anybody fighting corruption will be scared.
“Everybody should ensure the report  (subsidy probe) is upheld. The EFCC should prosecute all involved. We can lose Lawan but not the report. The report must be implemented,” Sagay said.
Former Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, should move in immediately and arrest Lawan and others indicted in the bribe scandal and prosecute them..
“I don’t know what the EFCC is waiting for. Now, they have no reason to wait anymore. They should act on Lawan and the subsidy report immediately,” he stated.
National Publicity Secretary, Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Alhaji Lai Muhammed told P.M .EWS that it had been established beyond doubt that Lawan acted on his own in collecting the bribe and that this should not in any way affect the outcome of the fuel subsidy report.
Muhammed stated that the presidency might have set up the whole move in a bid to cast aspersion on the credibility of the fuel subsidy report, adding that it had been ascertained that Lawan took the money after the report had been concluded.
“Lawan should be docked. Investigations should be carried out to know the motive behind all these and the integrity of the report should not be affected at all,” he said.
Activist and lawyer, Bamidele Aturu wants a thorough investigation on Lawan and Otedola, saying that the fuel subsidy report must stay and be implemented.
He added that the ongoing scenario was a ploy by some people to ensure that the report of the fuel subsidy was not implemented.
Former Convener, United Action for Democracy, UAD, Comrade Abiodun Aremu said anybody found wanting should be punished severely, adding that Lawan’s bribe allegation had nothing to do with the integrity of the fuel subsidy report.
A lawyer, Chris Akiri faulted claims by Lawan that he took bribe to expose Otedola, saying that “you don’t take bribe to expose anybody. He has committed a criminal offence. The only way you can take something to expose an individual is through what we call agent provocateur, that is, you have to do it with the knowledge of the security agents.
“He collected N96 million for himself. He stole the money and must be prosecuted. The fuel subsidy report is now questionable. If he did that to remove some name, the report cannot stay. There is a heavy question hanging over the report and it cannot stay.”
Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo said Lawan has disgraced himself and his family, saying that “he said his picture was doctored but now admitting to the evidence. This is exposing himself to ridicule.
“The fuel subsidy report must be subjected to forensic analysis, that is, it must be investigated. Lawan must be prosecuted.”
Founder, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, Debo Adeniran said the corruption scandal should not in any way affect the fuel subsidy report, saying “it is a product of fact finding effort.
“More investigation should be carried and Lawan should face the anti-graft agency. Both Lawan and Otedola are guilty. If Otedola had reported to the security agencies that he wanted to give bribe to catch somebody, then, he should be exonerated. The same goes  for Farouk. Another panel should be set up to carry out more investigation on this,” he said.
Spokesperson, Save Nigeria Group, Yinka Odumakin said the fuel subsidy report had nothing to do with the money allegedly collected by Lawan.
He stated that both Lawan and Otedola should be docked, adding that “there is no excuse for both parties. This has nothing to do with the fuel subsidy report. The two issues should be separated and both men should be prosecuted.”
—Kazeem Ugbodaga
Culled from PmnewsNigeria

You are a sinking man -- Reps tell Otedola


The battle of words between Farouk Lawan, Femi Otedola and the House of Reps is beginning to heat up. And in a report posted on ChannelKoos, the Zenon boss is described as "a sinking man" by the House of Reps.
Full Report:
The House of Representatives is not yet done with the oil baron, Mr. Femi Otedola, the central figure in the $620,000 alleged bribe which has led to the suspension of Mallam Farouk Lawan as Chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Ad hoc Committee on fuel Subsidy Management.
The House described Otedola as "a sinking man" after the oil baron dismissed the decision of the Reps to restore Zenon Oil and Gas Limited and Synopsis Enterprises Limited, believed to be owned by him, in the list of oil importers indicted by the ad hoc committee as corruptly receiving oil subsidy. He had called the decision as laughable and a celebration of corruption.
He also said he suspected that Lawan could not have acted alone in allegedly extorting bribe from him.
Chairman of the House Committee on Media, Zakari Mohammed, responding to Otedola's allegation, challenged him to name Lawan's conspirators.
The House, he declared, acted within the rule of law by its decision and did not celebrate corruption as being alleged by Otedola.
He said: "As an institution, we won't join words with Mr. Femi Otedola. His case is that of a sinking man. As far as we are concerned in this country, for every personality that claims to be straightforward, we know his or her background, antecedents, way of life and means of doing business.
"On his allegation that Mr. Farouk Lawan could not have acted alone, the House of Representatives is asking Otedola to name others. He who alleges must prove beyond reasonable doubt. We have made ourselves available as open as possible with what we did on Friday."
He continued: "To say that we are celebrating corruption is mischievous and unfair. I think any patriotic and conscientious Nigerian should appreciate that what we did was a show of transparency and allowing the rule of law.
"We support anti-corruption campaign; we will not waiver in our commitment to this. We cannot be the investigator, the prosecutor and the judge at the same time. We decided to allow the law to take its course."
He denied suggestion that the Reps were witch-hunting Otedola.
"Since the removal of Zenon Oil and Gas from the list of those having issues to answer became questionable, we felt there is need for a thorough investigation into the matter.
"The Ad Hoc Committee is re-examining allegations against those 17 companies who allegedly obtained foreign exchange without importing products. Otedola should go back to the committee instead of rushing to the press.
"Certainly, there is no question of witch-hunt at all. As an institution, we are above partisanship."
On the mix-up of figures by the House on the actual amount credited to Zenon, Mohammed added
"Whatever complaint he has about figures, he should channel it to that committee rather than hastily running to the press."
The House spokesman assured Nigerians that it would be more courageous in conducting its affairs to earn more dividends of democracy for the populace.
He said: "We will continue to be focused, we will avoid distraction. We have resolved to be more courageous on the Nigerian Project targeted at delivering more dividends to Nigerians who are our employers."
Otedola had, in his reaction to the position of the House on him, said: "I have stated the facts in my interview with ThisDay newspaper and nothing but the facts. That Farouk Lawan demanded $3 million from me and because I refused to oblige him he included the name of Zenon amongst those who bought forex without importing petroleum products.
He did this without even asking Zenon to produce a single document of the forex transaction. He clearly wanted to extort money for an offence I did not commit. That is why I went to report to the security agencies. If I had anything to hide I wouldn't have gone to the agencies. There is an old adage that says "people who live in glass houses should not throw stones".
"Moreover it is not possible to purchase $232, 975,385.13 from CBN without importing the product. The total figure is not even $232, 975,385.13 million as alleged but $372, 207, 990. They should go and amend the report to read $372, 207, 990 which is the correct figure.
It is not possible to purchase this volume of forex from the CBN with first class banks such as Access bank, FCMB, GTB, UBA and an international bank BNP Paribas which is one of the biggest and most respected banks in the world.
"If people at my level who have worked hard to build their businesses can be blackmailed this way all in a bid to extort money from them, I pity people that are just starting out in business in this country. In all my business dealings I have always been above board and the records are there to prove.
As far as I know Lawan could not have been working alone in this extortionist plot. A tree does not make a forest. Let me also state for the records that we are not in any way affiliated to the other company Synopsis enterprises Ltd also included in the report. Actions of today by the House is laughable, a mere celebration of corruption and a further indictment on their honourable member."
Source: ChannelKoos

Saturday 16 June 2012

Top 10 Shortest Celebrity Marriages Of All Time

 Top 10 Shortest Celebrity Marriages Of All Time   Ronke Oshodi Oke On The ListRonke Ojo & Hubby
Nov 1st, 2011 -  Top 10 Shortest Celebrity Marriages Of All Time – Ronke Oshodi Oke On The List
Nollywood Actress Ronke Ojo aka Ronke Oshodi Oke‘s marriage of few months to an Americana Second hand car dealer ended when he impregnates another woman.

Top 10 Shortest Celebrity Marriages Of All Time

Hollywood Celebrities are famous for getting married and getting divorced at a moment’s notice. Surprisingly, Kim Kardashian’s marriage isn’t  the shortest marriage of all time. Guess the shortest celebrity marriage of all time: 20 days ? 12 days? 24 hours?
Read on to see for yourself
wpid ab Top 10 Shortest Celebrity Marriages Of All Time   Ronke Oshodi Oke On The ListMichael Jackson & Lisa Marie Presley: 18 Months
Just after divorcing her first husband, Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson got married. This has got to be of the strangest relationships on the list. The two bonded during the molestation allegations against Jackson. She proved to be a positive influence in his life. She pushed him to settle out of court and to go to rehab for drug addiction. The marriage eventually ended because of Jackson’s drug addiction.
wpid ab1 Top 10 Shortest Celebrity Marriages Of All Time   Ronke Oshodi Oke On The ListJennifer Lopez & Chris Judd: 6 Months
This is J.Lo’s 2nd marriage right? Her first one to Ojani Noa didn’t even make it a year while this one only lasted 6 months. I guess this is what happens when you marry your back up dancer in a whirlwind romance. This is by far Jenny’s most forgettable marriage compared to Ben Affleck, Marc Anthony and her 2+ year relation with Puffy. The question is…what the hell is Chris Judd doing now? He married a woman named Kelly Wolfe in 2009…thanks Wikipedia.
wpid ab2 Top 10 Shortest Celebrity Marriages Of All Time   Ronke Oshodi Oke On The ListJanet Jackson & James DeBarge: 4 Months
The pair got married secretly in 1984 when Janet was just 18 years old. The marriage only lasted four months and was an admitted mistake. I’m just going to chalk this up to young love and growing up the spotlight. The juicy twist to this is the rumored love child that these two had. You have no idea what I’m talking about? Just Google it.
wpid ab3 Top 10 Shortest Celebrity Marriages Of All Time   Ronke Oshodi Oke On The ListKim Kardashian & Kris Humphries: 72 DaysKim Kardashian filed for divorce on Oct 31, 2011 which is only 72 days after her fairytale wedding to basketball player Kris Humphries.
wpid ab4 Top 10 Shortest Celebrity Marriages Of All Time   Ronke Oshodi Oke On The ListEddie Murphy & Tracey Edmonds: 2 WeeksEddie married Babyface’s ex in a ceremony off of Bora Bora on January 1st, 2008. The marriage only lasted two weeks though. When the couple split, conveniently they didn’t have to file for divorce because the marriage wasn’t legal in the first place.
wpid ab5 Top 10 Shortest Celebrity Marriages Of All Time   Ronke Oshodi Oke On The ListMario Lopez & Ali Landry: 2 WeeksMario Lopez and Ali Landry got married on the 24th of April, 2004. The couple filed for divorce only 14 days later because of Mario’s infidelities. Mario claims that he cheated on her days before the wedding. Props to Ali for getting out ASAP.
wpid ab6 Top 10 Shortest Celebrity Marriages Of All Time   Ronke Oshodi Oke On The ListCarmen Electra & Dennis Rodman: 9 DaysWe had a sneaking suspicion that this wouldn’t last considering they were MWD (married-while-drunk). The model/actress married the flamboyant basketball player one drunken night in Las Vegas in 1998. Luckily for them, the marriage was invalidated because of their inebriated state. This wouldn’t Carmen’s first marriage that didn’t last. In 2003 the model/actress married musician Dave Navarro and the couple split in 2007. Perhaps the 3rd time will be the charm for Carmen?
wpid ab7 Top 10 Shortest Celebrity Marriages Of All Time   Ronke Oshodi Oke On The ListBritney Spears & Jason Alexander: 55 HoursThis looks like the shortest marriage ever. These two childhood friends tied the knot in Las Vegas in January 2004. Brit quickly called it off siting that it was a “mistake.” He said it was fueled by drugs. She said it was a joke gone too far. Either way, this was definitely a sign of the troubles to come for the young pop star. After her later marriage to Kevin Federline came the shaved head and then a full on breakdown. Luckily, Brit seems to be doing ok these days.

Shortest Celebrity Marriage Of All Time

wpid ab8 Top 10 Shortest Celebrity Marriages Of All Time   Ronke Oshodi Oke On The ListRobin Givens & Svetozar Marinkovic: 24 Hours
Finally we are here , I know you’re thinking Sveto-who? Model/actress Robin Givens did marry again after her tumultuous marriage to boxer Mike Tyson. In 1997 Robin married a tennis instructor named Svetozar Marinkovic. The pair separated the same day they got married and officially filed for divorce months later.
In conclusion, Celebs marry for fame and not for love.
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