1.FINE:this is d word women use 2 end an arguement wen dey r right n u nid 2 shut up2.FIVE MINUTES:if she is gettin dressed,ds mean a half an hour.five minutes s only five minutes if u ve jst been given five more minutes to watch d game b4 helpin around d house.3.NOTHING:this is d calm b4 d storm.ds means something,n u should b on ur toes.arguements dat begin wit nothing usually end in fine.4.GO AHEAD: ds is a dare,not permission.don't do it!5.LOUD SIGH:ds s actually a word bt s a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men.a loud sigh means she thinks u r an idiot n wonders y she s wasting her tym standin here n arguing wit u about nothing.6.THAT'S OKAY:ds s one of d most dangerous statements a woman cn mek 2 a man.dat's okay means she wants 2 think long n hard b4 deciding how n wen u'll pay 4 ur mistake.7.THANKS:a woman s thankin u,do not question or faint.jst say welcome.8.WHATEVER:is a woman's way of sayin [clear off] YOU!9.DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT,I GOT IT:anoda dangerous statement,meaning ds s something dat a woman has told a man to do several tyms bt s now doing it herself.ds wil l8r result in a man askin 'wat's wrong?'.for woman's response refer to #3
Read more…
The Central Bank of Nigeria, on Friday, fired the chief executive officers of three of the 14 remaining banks at the conclusion of stress audits of their operations.
Like the first five banks whose chief executives were fired in the first round of audit of 10 banks, the three were immediately replaced, with one of the replacements bringing to three the number of female chief executives of commercial banks.
The sacked
Those affected were Francis Atuche, Charles Ojo, and Ike Oraekwotu, who were relieved of their positions as managing directors/ chief executives of Bank PHB, Springbank and Equatorial Trust Bank.
They are to be replaced by Cyril Chukwumah for Bank PHB Plc; Sola Ayodele for Spring Bank Plc. and G.O. Folayan for Equitorial Trust Bank Plc.
Wema Bank was also found to be in a grave situation, however the CBN noted that the bank came under a new ownership and management in June 2009, which “took over a bank already in a grave situation and should not be held responsible for the present condition of the bank.”
The nine banks that survived the CBN litmus test, according to its corporate affairs head, Mohammed Abdullahi, include Access Bank Plc, Citibank Nigeria Limited, Ecobank Nigeria Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank Plc, Skye Bank Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Standard Chartered Bank Limited and Zenith Bank Plc. Unity Bank, which is the tenth was, according to the CBN, adjudged to have insufficient capital but not in grave situation because it has a healthy liquidity position.’’
Read more…
Lara George grew up and schooled in Yaba, Lagos. The singer has fond memories of childhood, and recalls “sharing a huge bowl of pounded yam on a Saturday afternoon with my siblings. It was a family tradition and was so much fun.I also remember Sunday morning breakfast on my father’s lap with my tiny fork and knife and my own little tea set. That memory brings goose bumps all the time.”She says of her mother: “She taught me to think of the long-term and never to be frivolous. This is a big part of the reason why I do inspirational music. To me, music must always have meaning and a positive direction in which it will move people’s lives."My aim is to give hope, life and encouragement through my music, and help people see life from a more positive point of view.”George grew up listening to “people like Victor Uwaifo—for some reason, I was really fascinated by his songs; CAC Good Women’s Choir, Abba and Ebenezer Obey—no thanks to my mom!.Later on, I came to love the sounds of Bebe and Cece Winans, Amy Grant and more recently, Yolanda Adams.” She started singing with her sisters at a very young age. “We had a medley we did often and it was about thirty minutes of pure, non-stop music. Every time we sang, it felt like we had angels in the room.”Choosing MusicLara George has always made her sonorous voice heard. In Queens College, she took some lead parts as a member of the school choir; at university, she joined Rocksolid, the musical wing of House on the Rock, a church.That was where she met other members of KUSH:Emem Ema, TY Bello and Dapo. Despite her love for music, she studied Architecture at the University of Lagos; “the closest compromise between the arts which I love, and the professional course which my parents wanted me to do."I had hoped that architecture would give me the much needed creative outlet I craved for, but was sadly disappointed by the six years I spent studying the course as little or no guidance was given to our talents, and I was uncertain by the end of my first year.”She was part of the very first West African Idols. She did not win, but that was not the end of the story.The Days of KUSHKUSH was not only the first musical group from Nigeria to get signed on an international record label, they had a string of hits, including ‘Let’s Live Together,’ which was almost like a national anthem.Lara George remembers their “very first recording at Abbey Road Studios London (same studio where The Beatles recorded), recording at Record Plant Studios Los Angeles (and Brandy was in the studio next door on that day!), limousine rides from hotel room to shopping mall at Minneapolis, the laughter, the tears, all the fun times on stage. Those memories are irreplaceable.”The members of KUSH moved on to other things eventually. “Our individual visions changed,” George says now, but stresses that they remain good friends.From KUSH she learnt “never to be afraid to dream... I got the opportunity to work with people who in my opinion are truly three of Nigeria’s greatest musical talents, not just in terms of the music, but also because they are such great team players.It was a fantastic eye-opener; we got the unique chance to work with some of the best people in the international music industry, so it was an introduction to true professionalism at its finest.”The end of KUSH led to the birth of George’s solo music career, in November, 2007. She was unsure at first, but with two successful albums under her belt, she admits to being “extremely excited; I’m feeling very ready to do even better than I’ve done before.”So excited in fact, that she’s gone back to school. “I started a course last year on music theory with the MUSON centre,” she says. “I’m also currently taking piano lessons.It’s been a very enlightening experience so far. I can’t believe how little I knew about the music I love so much and am definitely looking forward to excelling in every area of the course.”On the Music IndustryThe singer sees the Nigerian music industry as “fast-growing, exciting, unstructured and yet with huge potential for development in the right direction.” She is concerned about challenges faced by artists, including “the perception of women in music as being somewhat unserious.As an inspirational artist, it’s even more challenging because there’s a faulty mindset that people have that says that you should not, as a gospel musician, put a fee to your performance, especially in the church.Nigerians find it easy to invite foreign artistes and pay their fees, but get offended when a Nigerian gospel artist sends in fee requirements. There’s also perception by the larger society that freebie ‘charity’ concerts should be directed always towards the inspirational artiste.Have we forgotten that gospel artistes also pay exorbitant producer fees for music and director fees for videos?” She would like to see an attitude change towards wholesome inspirational music.Tackling piracyAnother challenge is “an utter lack of respect for intellectual property of the musician even in this day and age.” George has responded to this by starting her own music distribution network.SoForte Entertainment Distribution is an automated entertainment distribution company with the aim of reducing piracy to the barest minimum by creating distribution channels throughout Nigeria, Sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the world.She is the vice-president of Soforte, and says, “We have partnered with TNT logistics (the third largest courier company in the world), as well as Maevva Solutions in order to provide the best possible services.When a product is released on a certain date in Lagos, it is made available in all the major states before that day. Automation of our services allows our licensed artists to obtain real-time online accounts of their sales without hassle.”The FutureGeorge recently won the Best Female Vocalist of The Year award at the Nigeria Music Award (NMA), but she is not resting on her oars. She looks forward to the day her music will take her beyond the shores of this country to win a Grammy.According to her, true success is when an artist’s impact is felt positively. “It always makes me happy when anyone at all comes to me to say how much my music has inspired them,” she says.
Read more…
I wonder why an African and Naija Secret Cult would take on the guise of a group(Ku Klux Klan) that was created specifically to persecute and denigrate the Black Man.It baffles my understanding !
It had always been taken as allegation that the Akwa Ibom government may have been a main sponsor of the militant group called KKK or Viking.
Going by the report in the News Star newspaper of September 23, 2009, page 6 titled “Militants: Police investigate Akwa Ibom govt”, this cult group had been investigated six times by security agencies, with the outcome pointing to the involvement of top state official as their backer.
It also revealed that four serving commissioners in Akpabio’s cabinet were drilled by the police team that arrived Uyo on Wednesday 23rd September; one ex-commissioner who was a close ally to Akpabio (Dr. Christopher Ekong) having been quizzed in Abuja on Saturday September 19th. Few weeks back, the report alleges that N5million was given to boost the activities of the KKK group.
One frightening dimension is the mention of one Prince who is a personal assistant to the top government official who allegedly serves as link between KKK and the government and touted as arms procurer for the group. A Police wanted criminal, Joseph Udofia, who once confessed a kidnapper is said to a member of the KKK. He was once arrested and paraded as a breakthrough in crime fighting by the governor but reported later to have escaped from police custody.
The report confirmed that IGP Onovo did report the activities of this group to President Yar’Adua who expressed dismay that such a thing was happening at a time when the Federal Government is trying to stop militancy in the Niger Delta region through amnesty programme. It could then be that some State governments are paying lip service to this programme.
It should be recalled that various reports, in the past, mooted the existence of government-sponsored AKPF, ADV etc, and that in Akwa Ibom AKPF rather than PDP is in power.
American Klan Origins
Ku Klux Klan (KKK), informally known as The Klan, is the name of several past and present hate group organizations in the United States whose avowed purpose was to protect the rights of and further the interests of white Americans by violence and intimidation. The first such organizations originated in the Southern states and eventually grew to national scope. They developed iconic white costumes consisting of robes, masks, and conical hats. The KKK has a record of using terrorism,[2] violence, and lynching to murder and oppress African Americans, Jews and other minorities and to intimidate and oppose Roman Catholics and labor unions.
The first Klan was founded in 1865 by Tennessee veterans of the Confederate Army. Groups spread throughout the South. Its purpose was to restore white supremacy in the aftermath of the American Civil War. The Klan resisted Reconstruction by assaulting, murdering and intimidating freedmen and white Republicans. In 1870 and 1871 the federal government passed the Force Acts, which were used to prosecute Klan crimes. Prosecution and enforcement suppressed Klan activity. In 1874 and later, however, newly organized and openly active paramilitary organizations such as the White League and the Red Shirts started a fresh round of violence aimed at suppressing Republican voting and running Republicans out of office. These contributed to white Democrats regaining political power in the southern states.
In 1915, the second Klan was founded. It grew rapidly in a period of postwar social tensions, where industrialization in the North attracted numerous waves of immigrants from southern and eastern Europe and the Great Migration of Southern blacks and whites. In reaction, the second KKK preached racism, anti-Catholicism, anti-Communism, nativism, and anti-Semitism. Some local groups took part in lynchings, attacks on private houses, and carried out other violent activities. The Klan committed the most numerous murders and acts of violence in the South, which had a tradition of lawlessness.[3]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ku_Klux_Klan
Read more…
WHAT A LEGAL AND POLICE SYSTEM CAN THIS HAPPEN TO JAMES OHANEFE IBORI ?Film director Roman Polanski, whose turbulent life has come close to resembling the violent, perverse world of his movies, was arrested in Switzerland on a 1978 U.S. arrest warrant for unlawful sex with a 13-year-old.Polanski, 76, had been due to receive a prize for his life's work at the Zurich Film Festival on Sunday evening, opening a retrospective of his film career but was arrested on arrival at Zurich airport on Saturday night.Calling Polanski, who won Best Director Oscar for "The Pianist" in 2003, one of the greatest film directors of our time, the festival directors said they had "received this news with great consternation and shock."Polanski's Los Angeles agent and the U.S. embassy in Zurich were not immediately available for comment.Zurich Cantonal Police spokesman Stefan Oberlin said Polanski's arrest had been carried out on instructions from the Federal Justice Department in Berne.Polanski was arrested in the United States in the late 1970s and charged with giving drugs and alcohol to a 13-year-old girl and having unlawful sex with her at a photographic shoot at Jack Nicholson's Hollywood home.Maintaining the girl was sexually experienced and had consented, Polanski spent 42 days in prison undergoing psychiatric tests but fled the country before being sentenced.Considered by U.S. authorities as a fugitive from justice, Polanski, whose films include "Rosemary's Baby" and "Chinatown," has lived in France avoiding countries that have extradition treaties with the United States.Turbulent lifeFew lives have turned into the macabre public spectacle that Polanski's has, first after the gruesome murder of his pregnant wife Sharon Tate in 1969 by the Charles Manson murder gang, and again eight years later when he was arrested for the statutory rape of the 13-year-old girl.But few directors have laid bare their inner fantasies and fears like Polanski in films such as "Repulsion," "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Tenant" -- films of disturbing brutality shot through with voyeurism and dark humour.From early childhood when he escaped the Nazi holocaust in Poland, Polanski's life has appeared, like his movies, to hover precariously on the brink of tragedy.Born Raymond Polanski to Polish-Jewish parents on August 18, 1933, he spent the first three years of his life in Paris before the family returned to Poland.When the Germans sealed off the Jewish ghetto in Krakow in 1940, his father shouted to Roman to run and he escaped. His mother later died in an Auschwitz gas chamber.His first full-length feature film after graduation, "Knife in the Water," won awards and, most important for Polanski, was his ticket to the West.As his reputation grew -- first with "Repulsion," his study of a woman terrified by sex who becomes a psychotic murderer, and then with the absurdist masterpiece "Cul de Sac" -- Polanski developed a taste for the high life and beautiful women.In 1974 Polanski had another major Hollywood success with "Chinatown," a stylish thriller starring Nicholson, but his private life stayed unsettled as he drifted between Paris, Rome and Los Angeles and embarked on numerous short-lived affairs.In 2003, he won the Oscar for "The Pianist.""I am widely regarded, I know, as an evil, profligate dwarf," Polanski wrote in his autobiography. "My friends -- and the women in my life -- know better."
Read more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on September 27, 2009 at 1:21am
In a swift move to atone for its sins and come back into the Federal Government’s good books, SONY Corporation has officially tendered “sincere apologies,” to the government and people of Nigeria for portraying the country in bad light in an advert.
Representatives of SONY, led by Managing Director, SONY Gulf- Mideast and Africa, Mr. Muira Osamo, were at the Radio House office of the Ministry of Information and Communications, to assure the Federal Government that “there was no bad intention or reason for the advert. It is a genuine mistake by our organisation.”
In a letter signed by Shiro Kambe, SONY Corporation’s, Vice President, Senior General Manager Corporate Communications and CSR, made available to THISDAY, the company noted that “it has come to our attention that a TV advertisement made by SONY Computer Entertainment America Inc. (SCEA), one of our group companies in the U.S. responsible for Play Station business in the U.S. and Canada, may have offended some members of the Nigerian community. We sincerely apologise to anyone this may have offended.”
According to them, the company took steps to remove the advert from the air, “immediately after learning that it contained statements that might have offended some individuals. By September 7, all replacement work was completed, and the original advertisement has not been aired.”
Osamo said he came on behalf of SONY Corporation to make a sincere apology to Nigerians, “to show our commitment and respect to Nigerian people and community.” Responding, Akunyili expressed dissatisfaction at the wordings of the letter. She advised SONY to “re- write the letter to reflect the real feelings of SONY. You said that you offended some members of the Nigerian community.
That is not true. In fact, you offended all Nigerians. I have a reservation on the apology. We will not take the apology seriously until you modify it.“You have taken the first step by apologising. Then re- write the apology to make it more acceptable. We are expecting clearer apology from SONY.”
The SONY Play Station- 3 advert; which according to reports, was seen by more than a billion people; broke worldwide on the first of September and contained scandalous material, depicting all Nigerians as internet- scammers.
Read more…
Posted by Eddy Etuk on September 25, 2009 at 3:21am
In its campaign to rid the country of fake and sub-standard drugs, the Federal Government yesterday recommended death penalty for fake drugdealers.It said the draft bill for review of the laws guiding the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), would be presented to the National Assembly for consideration within two weeks.Speaking on the theme: “Combating Drug Hawking, Counterfeit Drugs and Unwholsome Regulated Products,” at a one-day workshop organised by theNational Agency for Food, Drug and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for 774 local government councils in the country, in Abuja, Minister of State for Health, Dr Idi Hong, said government was alarmed at the damage done to the population as aresult of activities of fake and sub-standard drug peddlers.He said government was partnering the National Assembly to ensure that maximum penalty was meted out to offenders.“We at the Ministry of Health are asking for maximum penalty for those involved in the sale, manufacture and importation of fake andsub-standard drugs.We are asking National Assembly to support us in this advocacy for maximum penalty for such offenders.“If you know that you will loose your life or spend the rest of it in jail and that you will not live to spend the money you made from such trade, you will not be involved in it,” he said.Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Michael Andoaaka, SAN, said perpetrators of such acts would not escape justice, as government was determined to end the debacle.In her speech, First Lady, Mrs Turai Yar’Adua, sought efforts to ensure that the drug war was won. She called on local government chairmen to set up NAFDAC desks in their councils, as a way of taking the campaign to the grassroots.Earlie, Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii, saidthe agency was fully committed to moving to the next level in its regulatory activities that would be comparable to other international regulatory authorities.
Read more…
Posted by Oge Joy Paul on September 24, 2009 at 5:00am
Please read the mail below and use it as learning point in your B/Os such that similar issue can be prevented. I am particularly interested in the second to the last paragraph which read:”Luckily for them, the Hotel has a CCTV surveillance camera. The footages were rolled back and it was discovered that for almost two months, a particular red Toyota corolla car brings a lady to the machine to make withdrawals”Therefore, if you have not gotten CCTV in your B/O, please ensure one is obtained immediately. Its importance outweighs the cost.EFCC Smashes ATM Card Cloning SyndicateATM cloning syndicatesEFCC Smashes ATM Card Cloning SyndicateThe aggressive campaign by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC against Automated Teller Machine (ATM) fraudsters recorded a major breakthrough last week with the arrest in Lagos, of three powerful members of a crack syndicate whose specialty is the cloning of ATM cards using Magnetic Card Reader/Encoder machine.ImageFrom Left,Chris Okeke,Nicholas Egbo and Kelechi Aro with their instruments of fraud.The trio, Chris Okeke, Nicholas Egboh and Kelechi Aro were smoked out of their hide out following series of investigations which started from Kano that fingered them as the arrow heads of the deadly gang that has been defrauding depositors of various banks through the ATM. They were arrested on the last floor of a two storey building in Alaba Suru, a suburb of Lagos . Six Laptop computers, the Card reader machine, Bank documents and several credit cards and ATM cards were recovered from the suspects. Also recovered is a Gulf 3 saloon car.According to investigation, all the fraudsters needed to have access to the account of any bank depositor are the victim’s ATM and PIN numbers. Once they have that information, they would use card reader machine to print the numbers on any ATM card. Once that is done, they can use the card to withdraw money from the victim’s account without even knowing the account holder’s name.It is believed that members of this syndicate belong to the group of fraudsters that have been sending scam mails and text messages in the name of Inters witch Nigeria, urging unwary debit card holders to upgrade their ATM cards by filing online forms which requires them to disclose their pin numbers. Those who fall prey to this scam lost millions of naira to the fraudsters.During interrogation, Chris Okeke the ring leader whose father’s house was being used for the fraudulent group’s activities disclosed that the house belongs to his ailing father who had relocated to his village in Anambra State due to ill health and that all the items found in the house belonged to his accomplices. He further revealed that one Darlington, who is at large, is the owner of the machine and the Gulf car recovered from him. He claims that he was always staying in his room while Darlington and other members of the syndicate perpetrated the fraud in the living room..But, 34 year old Nicholas Egboh debunked the claims of his co-traveler in crime. According to Nicholas, Chris knew much about the scam and benefited from the proceeds of the crime. Nicholas said he used to see different people coming to the house everyday and that he had warned Chris on several occasions that he would run into trouble. He disclosed that he was a trader in Onitsha , Anambra State and, that six months ago, his business collapsed and he relocated to Lagos in preparation for a trip to Egypt . He denied being a member of the syndicate, but one of the Laptop computers recovered in the house, belongs to him.The third suspect, Kelechi Aro who wears a dreadlock also exonerated himself from the crime saying that he was a musician and a labourer. He said he relocated to the house of fraud two years ago from Ajegunle, another Lagos Suburb. But it was obvious that he was being economical with the truth as operatives caught him sending scam messages with one of the Laptop computers when he was arrested.Interestingly, the report that triggered the arrest of members of this deadly syndicate originated from kaduna . A resident of that city had lodged a complaint with the Commission’s office in Kano to the effect that some fraudsters had pulled out some money from his account in one of the banks in the city.. Investigators were able to trace the fraudsters to Surulere, Lagos through the Driver’s License used by the fraudsters to withdraw money from the said account. Consequently, Remilekun Ojolowo and Sherifat Aderomu, who have been admitted to administrative bail, were arrested. Upon interrogation they claimed to belong to a network of syndicates that specialize in ATM fraud and led operatives to the den of the fraudsters where the startling recoveries were made.This latest discovery followed a similar one in port harcourt , Rivers state where EFCC operatives unveiled a set of bank officials who duplicate customers ATM cards to defraud them of millions of naira.In the case of the Port Harcourt syndicate, one Ms. Cassandra Olaleye, a banker and her accomplice, Regal Horsefall were arrested by EFCC operatives following the discovery of the ATM fraud. The two suspects who have been working as partners since June 2008 withdrawing funds totaling about N12 million from a customer’s account, an account managed by Cassandra. Their journey to the EFCC net started when the customer gave a cheque of N4 million to someone and was told his account was already in the red. He went to the bank to verify and from his account statement, it was discovered that a lot of ATM withdrawals had been done on the account. The customer who was surprised as he has never used his ATM card before protested and the matter was reported to the EFCC Port Harcourt Zonal office.After a careful study of the bank statement, operatives discovered that the money was drawn from an ATM machine located in the premises of a Hotel in Port Harcourt almost on a daily basis since July 2008. They visited the ATM Machine to see if it has a camera, but there was none. Luckily for them, the Hotel has a CCTV surveillance camera. The footages were rolled back and it was discovered that for almost two months, a particular red Toyota corolla car brings a lady to the machine to make withdrawals.The number plate of the car was copied and a search for the vehicle began. After about two weeks of searching, the vehicle was discovered in a compound in Elekahia Housing Estate, in Rumoumasi area of Port Harcourt . Operatives went in and a lady (Regal Horsefall) who they suspected was the culprit from the CCTV footages was sighted. She was approached for questioning, but she said she has never gone to the hotel for any withdrawal. They asked her about the car and she said it belongs to her brother.The operatives then arrested her. She was taken to the EFCC office where a call was put through to the supposed brother who came immediately and said she was not his sister but his girlfriend who goes to the ATM machine located in the hotel. He took the Operatives to her house where she agreed that she made the withdrawals. She was arrested and during interrogation, she said it was Cassandra Olaleye that gave her the ATM card to do the withdrawals for her. It was discovered later that the ATM point in the hotel premises was chosen because the culprits noticed it didn’t have a camera on it.Operatives contacted Cassandra Olaleye who they discovered had moved from Port Harcourt to Calabar where she currently works with a different bank. She was subsequently arrested and brought to the EFCC Port Harcourt office where she initially denied all the allegations.To solve the riddle, the two of them were brought together because Regal insisted that Cassandra gave her the card.With the face off, what will solve the riddle was a deeper investigation. When eventually Cassandra was confronted with the heap of evidence already gathered by operatives in the course of investigation , she admitted all the allegations.
Read more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on September 23, 2009 at 1:41am
I will wear a crown in my fathers House
A song of Praise .Nigeria is our home .Most of us were born here , Most of us will die here .In the Apokalypto movie by Mel
Gibson and the Pathfinder film the Guirella Tactics employed by the protagonists showed the weakness of Strength and the ability to turn water into Wine using the simplest methods.
Everyday Nigerians realise one thing missing .The Pride of a Nation, The semblance of an American Statement "In God we Trust".The Leaders we despise so much are evidently scioned from evil branches .Branches that always lead us to the Stains of the Whitemans Colonial mentality of divide and Rule .
We have intermarried ,We have cross migrated We have shared resources and Coups and Floods and Religious Extremism and ASUU trikes . A lot of us have migrated but still yearn for the Solace of Home .
Where have we gone wrong ?
In National Pride , In the Unity of our Nation we have not slacked as we still realise it will take all of us Hausa ,Igbo and
Yoruba to continue to churn out this Oil we so Cherish . If we can extend this Unity of purpose in the Black Gold that enriches us .Why dont we unify our selves in the Pride of A nation .
Are we Beasts ? If indeed we are then lets sing the song of freedom together
"Beasts of Lagos,Beasts of Kaduna, Gbogbo Beasts of Every tongue in Nigeria , Hearken to my ..."
We are not Beasts but a Unique breed that has become one DNA unit .Unbeatable in our heart.
We are ingenious in Energy and utilities (Generators & Inverters and Boreholes) : Outstanding in Art .(Nollywood and Tuface)
Marvelous in Criminal Tactics (fill this one out yourself) , Much Ado about our psche is related to the uncanny ability we
have to Take Rubbish and retain it .An Even greater ability to Transform it into Gold !
We are used to seeing Rubbish in the streets , On our Television Sets that if given rubbish to eat we will only ask if it is
designer Dirt .I once was privy to the existence of Designers Rice a concoction of Pepper Stew with wicked looking meat that Can Turn into white man's Kryptonite
This rubbish further evident in A new Generation of Nigerian Females and the Olivia Twist Syndrome " Please Sir I want it all " Whatever happened to Womens
Lib ? It never was Womens Liberation but of Women Oppresion.Our Young ladies have become Experts and sages in their daily
Encounters of the Bizarre Kind .Young Future Mothers Transformed into Sex Workers for one single Reason. No one to wear the
Crown .
Thier Time draws nearer every Day .They shall be revealed and re dressed not just for the loot but most Definitely for the
portrayal of themselves as Strong Leaders when in Reality they are the weakest Cowards Who Care for nothing else but their
own slanted takes on the Position of office and Authority.
of the hand of Former President's Wife under the knife of a
cosmetic surgeon . The Continous trips of Alarm by a leader to Saudi Arabia under various guises of Statemanship .
An uninformed populace is a population that will go nowhere Fast .Is the President Ill ? Or Shall we collectively shout?
" But the emperor is not wearing any clothes ! !
The Real perpetrators silently float in the background Pray you are not indirectly related to them ! Worse things have
happened ! There is a God that loves such little ones far more than We could ever Curse the ignorant fools that do these
unspeakable acts to us daily without remorse .Like Jesus said, Father forgive them for they .....
We will forgive them BUT WE WILL NOT FORGET THEM to continue to forgive them again .God Forgives, We wont Forget .
BIAFRA CanonFodder Again ? Never ! We the People WILL not Fall for that ONE .SSG Kidnapped ,Bayo Ohu Assasinated.Yar'Adua
"abdicates" to Saudi AGAIN ! .. more Tactical Violence ? State of Fear .We are NOT AFRAID and we REFUSE TO KILL OURSELVES FOR
YOU !So what do we do you say ?
The Internet,Facebook and the Advent of the Super Loose Keyboard.Do you find yourself saying THINGS online that you will NOT be Caught DEAD talking about in Reality, face to face ? Does Social Media Promote "Promiscuity,Boldness and the next Hemmingway " ? or is it Strictly WIRED in us to "TalkALOT" from the safety of our keyboard tongues.THEN LET US TALK THEN ! LET US TALK until Even Gandhi turns in his grave and applauds .
We will not Die for you Rich Man ! Gani’s Spirit will rise and maybe then We will give him the crown to place on somebody living Someone that We Can Say as in the movie The Return of the King A day may come when the courage of men fails,
when we forsake our friends
and break all bonds of fellowship,
but it is not this day.
THIS DAY and everyday WE FIGHT with our computer mouse , keyboards
The Mystery of Karma will reveal itself not as the Judgement day of the society But the jugement of Directional shepherherdian Abuse
resulting in un-parrarelled "Genocide" .Where the blood of the people cry to the living
WE The people will Wear Crowns in our Fathers House ?
Read more…
Nigerian President, Umaru Yar’Adua, is returning to Saudi Arabia, the second time in about two months, sources at the presidency said on Monday. Consequently, he might not be present at this year’s United Nations General Assembly, which is currently on in New York, where more than 150 world leaders will be in attendance.
Again, Nigeria might just miss out on another opportunity to lobby for a permanent seat at the UN. African leaders are also expected to meet with the president of the United States, Barack Obama, to discussissues of concern to Africa and the US.
No representation named (Speculations are Turai The First Lady might be chosen as She did a "great"Job Represneting Nigeria in Vienna for the Atomic Energy Conference
The president, who had earlier planned to attend the Assembly with some of the ministers, has scaled back on his plan even though he was offered a slot to address the international forum. As of Monday evening, no one knew if the Minister of External Affairs, Ojo Maduekwe, will still attend the event.
Mr. Yar’Adua was in the Arab country last month for a three-week break, during which he attended the lesser Hajj and also saw doctors in the country for medical examination. The trip was announced ahead, although presidency officials have refused to state what is wrong with the president and what kind of medical treatment he is receiving in Saudi Arabia.
The UN Assembly will, on Tuesday, start a session to salvage the climate, and on Wednesday, after the grand opening, the debates will begin, with the agenda of the international body ranging from Middle East Peace to Terrorism and Global Poverty. We gathered that instead of planning a trip to New York, aides of Mr. Yar’Adua were actually focused on a trip to Saudi Arabia, where one of them said he might have to attend to unfinished business.
Sources in the presidency said the president had planned to attend the grand opening of the Assembly on Wednesday; but as things stand, no further plans have been made for the trip to New York.
Read more…
SPECIAL 9jabook.com BLOGGERSFEATURED BLOGS..NOLLYWOOD BLOGS..NETCHURCH BLOGS..GHANA BLOGS..LAGOS BLOGSPOLITICSDuring last Friday’s airing of the ‘Oprah Winfrey Show’, Nigerian author, Uwem Akpan’s debut collection, ‘Say You’re One of Them’, became the first collection of short stories selected by the talk show hostess as the next choice for her widely-followed book club.It was not too much of a surprise as news from the grapevine had hinted at the selection some considered unlikely and unexpected.Describing the book on her show as “incredible,” Oprah said the stories in the collection had left her “gasping.” She said the book got the nod as her first short story pick because it was different from others she had read.In what has been known as the “Oprah Effect”, demand for previous selections have been sent skyrocketing, most times beyond even the authors’ expectations. Akpan’s case with ‘Say You’re One of Them’ has not been different with reports already shooting the book into Amazon’s Top 5 from an unattractive position at no. 165,769.For the Jesuit priest, who grew up in a storytelling environment here in Nigeria and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan, a trail of recognition for the book has preceded Oprah’s selection.A story from the collection, ‘My Parents’ Bedroom’, was a finalist in the 2007 Caine Prize for Africa, while the selection itself was a finalist at the Los Angeles Times Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction.The book won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book (Africa region) in 2009 and the PEN/Beyond Margins Award in the same year. Some of the stories in this collection have also featured in The New Yorker Magazine.Certain critics of Oprah’s selection of ‘Say You’re One of Them” say the book’s focus is stereotypical of Western beliefs about Africa as a bed of conflict and child soldiering amongst other evils: themes that seem to have been over-flogged by many African writers or writers about Africa.Uwem Akpan’s ‘Say You’re One of Them’ is a collection of five short stories based on the plight of African children with a focus on war, religious conflict, and human trafficking.The Oprah Book Club started in 1996, with 63 books selected so far, and a bundle of controversy in its wake. This selection is the first for a book by a Nigerian author.
Read more…
ASSU AND STUDENT LET’S FORCE OUR GOVERNMENT TO DO SOMETHINGIT’S TIME FOR US TO MOVE IF GOVERNMENT IS NOT READY FOR ASSUIt’s time to make the federal government understand our pain,Our government is not ready to call off the strike so if we fold our handsTo this situation Nigeria will not move forward, Come to think of it there ownChildren are studding abroad so they do not care If we go to school or not,And many of us are suppose to write one Exam or the other, many of us are waitingFor school to open for us to collect our certificate, for how long can we wait?Please I beg all students and ASSU to Come out and let’s force ourGovernment to do some thing about this issue,What can we do?Fine, all we need to do on Wednesday work resume let’s gather togetherVery early and block the main road like for us resident in Lagos oshodiAnd CMS so that those in power will not be able to go to their office or work place since we can’tGo to school, they too should go to work. Then they will no we are very serious.Please add your comment if you think this will help us go back to school toDaniel.john15@yahoo.com or callMe on 08030771868 DANIEL JOHN
Read more…
Posted by prosper on September 19, 2009 at 12:05am
Love is so Great.. and Feels good...But Love can make you sick, if you store so much Love in you, without letting it out...it Pains to Love, and not being Loved in return.. Trust me, i know how painful it is..so save your Loved ones the pain of not being Loved in return..Show them Love... Let them know that they have your Love....give them the assurance... Make them know what it feels like to be Loved...Love is a bird... and needs to fly.But remember.. that you can not give what you dont have...this means that you cant give Love if you dont have love inside you...all you need to do to have Love inside you.. is to Believe in Love...Cause Love comes to those who believe it...So all i say is SHOW SOME LOVEhave this to say to the Ladies.. : Don't Say "NO" to a guy, when you know your heart wants to say "YES"don't pretend not to Love Him. when you know your Hearth Longs for Him...dont make him go through hell before he gets you.. cause that is not a grantee that he will respect you...dont Struggle to Get respect, but Let Respect come to you... all you need is to show it.. and it will come to you..i'd always say : Dont try to get in the Game.. but let the Game come to youTKIARead more…
About 80 Nigerians on Wednesday left for several universities in the United Kingdom as part of Overseas Scholarship Scheme of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) aimed at improving local participation in the oil and gas sector.
advertisement
Another 320 are expected to depart the country in the coming days to bring the total of those being sent out on overseas scholarship this year to 500.
Assistant General Manager, Training and Education Division of the PTDF, Aminu Galadima, disclosed this to Daily Independent during an interview in Abuja.
He said the scholars are being sent to top 20 universities in the UK with excellent training facilities on oil and gas related fields.
Galadima explained that while 60 of the scholars would study for their PhD, the remaining 340 would be in the UK for their master's programme.
He added that the scholars who are expected to be in the UK for 12 to 36 months would upon completion of studies boost the country's quest for increased participation of its citizens in the oil and gas industry.
He stated that PTDF has a Memorandum of Understanding with several universities in the UK such as the University of Aberdeen, University College, London, University of Newcastle, University of Leeds and Crown Field University, among others that allow it to send up to 50 Nigerians to each intituction.
While saying that the universities were not arbitrarily selected, Galadima disclosed that their facilities and programmes were inspected by officials of PTDF led by its Executive Secretary, Muttagha Rabe Darma to ascertain their suitability to handle the students.
He said the beneficiaries were selected to meet specific gaps discovered by PTDF in the oil and gas industry where Nigeria does not have prerequisite training to man such positions.
To this end, he noted, the beneficiaries would specialise in process engineering, sub-sea engineering, reservoir engineering among others.
Read more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on September 12, 2009 at 7:53am
Shaun Ellis is an English animal researcher who is notable for living among wolves, and for adopting a pack of abandoned North American timber wolf cubs. He is the founder of Wolf Pack Management and is involved in a number of research projects in Poland and at Yellowstone National Park in the United States.[1]
He has worked with wolves since 1990, and before that he studied the red fox in the UK, and then coyote in Canada.
The Wolfman
Ellis was the subject of a documentary, The Wolfman which first aired on Five in the UK as The Wolfman on 18 May 2007, and has also been shown on the National Geographic Channel in the United States, where it was titled A Man Among Wolves. The documentary shows how, by carefully mimicking wolf behaviour, Ellis was able to raise the three wolf cubs to maturity. It also shows how his expertise brought him to the attention of a Polish farmer, whose livestock had suffered wolf attacks. Since wolves are a protected species in Poland the farmer hoped that Ellis might be able to find some non-violent way to deter the marauding pack. Ellis travelled to Poland to study the local pack, bringing with him audio recordings of wolf howls.
Ellis believed that if the local wolves heard howls coming from the farm they would believe another pack had already claimed it as their territory, and keep clear to avoid a conflict. In order for this to work Ellis had to determine the size of the pack and play back recordings of a similar-sized pack. Initial results were encouraging and in the first few weeks after the farmer began playing the recordings the farm suffered no further attacks.
The documentary then shows Ellis returning to Devon, where he attempted to reintegrate himself with the three wolves. In his absence the wolves had established a new hierarchy, and though they recognised Ellis and welcomed him back he was now the pack's omega, relegated to a peace-keeping role between the new alpha and beta males.
Read more…
A good friend showed me the way to a home boutique last week. These are prized haunts in uptown Johannesburg because they suggest by their very size and inherent uniqueness that the goods they harbour will be imported, from a limited inventory and therefore exclusive, truly one in town.
Shoe shopping is a pastime that makes most women’s eyes light up. So I drove behind her in happy anticipation of irresistible bargains and pleasant female bonding. It was not to be and I knew that deep down. Soon to be fifty-six is a far cry from twenty five when the threshold for pain and discomfort in pursuit of beauty is as sky high as the heels that are now the current fashion.
I did try a pair, the lowest of the highs available with the latest thick, curving, heel and a vamp that thrust the arch of the foot forward and encased it in wide leather bands that allowed a glimpse of the toes, a traditional seductive hide and seek effect. Yeah, right.
But there was no way to walk in those structures without cringing at each step and how unsexy is that? Those shoes may have been to die for, but I was not prepared to.
Somehow when you are young and female, you do not think like that, and you are not expected to either. Joseph Wayas,
Second Republic Senate President knew a thing or two where that was concerned.
In a story he recounted himself, he announced he had a peeve about women,
especially fine young women, in cheap scruffy shoes. He never let them walk into his presence. He once sent a young lady who had came to see him out of his office with money to get herself a pair of befitting shoes before she came in to see him again.
We all know how that goes, the scrutinizing stare that starts at your feet first and ends up at your face. It puts a whole new meaning to Shakespeare’s description of the eyes as the window to the soul.
Only your shoes.
Women especially have honed this skill of instantaneous assessment, grading and filing to a fine art. Men are not bad at it either but their parameters tend to be far more humane and generous, as exemplified by the former Senate President.
For a young working girl, next to rent, and possibly a car, shoes are a major budget priority. Cheap or expensive, they cost a lot to maintain. First of all Nigerian streets are not kind to shoes and delicate heels do not have a chance. The tips come off and once that happens the lining on the shank peels and tears. So no matter how well groomed you look on top, your shoes tell the story of the struggle that is your life.
In the old days, right beside the famous Balogun market in downtown Lagos, the shoe emporium of choice, were a slew of repair shops, Lady Cobbler was one of them if I remember correctly. Today shoe repair kiosks dot our city landscapes.
If you ever wondered why shoes in the markets look squeezed out of shape, just imagine the conditions under which they were “imported” and say to yourself ditto for the Nigerian garment retail trade.
Long after rush hour in Lagos one would drive by a trail of shoes and slippers on a highway, a testimony to the scramble to get transport and in one glance you would get a window into the soul of life in Lagos, for a majority of its population.
For the other minority in the old GRA (government reserved area) bastions stilettos, kitten heels, Manholo Blahniks and Christian Laboutins can work. Its out of the air conditioned house, into the air conditioned car and up the air conditioned elevator in clean, freshly pressed clothes all things, especially diesel and generator, being equal. It is still high maintenance albeit at a different level.
On the streets though, the corner shoe kiosks with heaps of sturdy, wide heeled sandals, made of strong, synthetic material, fashioned for balance comfort and unimpeded movement, tell the story of how the other majority navigate the streets of their lives. More women in trousers is part of the tale,
it’s easier to get on to a motorbike. Smaller shacks and a reduced ‘inventory” relates to how much a trader can carry on an Okada More people walking on bridges and highways, describes the expanding urban centres and a buying capacity that is still shrinking.
Those shoe littered streets are less evident now in Lagos with an augmented public transport system and attention now paid to cleaning the streets. But the pressure is unceasing.
Read more…
A suspected robber has been arrested after he returned to his victim's home to ask her out on a date.
Stephfon Bennett, 20, was one of three men who robbed a couple at gunpoint in Columbus, Ohio.
Daniel Martinez Batista and Diana Martinez were held up outside their apartment block on Saturday night, according to police.
The three robbers fled when a neighbour threatened them. Batista's wallet was stolen, and Martinez's handbag was taken.
Less than two hours after the incident, Bennett returned to the property and asked the woman out.
Columbus police Sergeant Sean Laird said: ‘We are not exactly sure what he was thinking at the time.
‘She recognised him right away when he returned and was able to have her cousin call 911.’
Bennett was arrested in front of the house and now faces aggravated robbery charges.
He is being held in the Franklin County jail on $100,000 bail.
The other two men suspected of breaking into the house remain at large.
Read more…
Everton Footballer Joseph Yobo beat every man out there to it. 2008 winner of Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria is no longer fancy free. She hooked and looks like marriage is calling., Yobo is a responsible man so you might want to take that seriously. She is so involved that her mom knows about it [...]
The beauty with Silverbird's Ben and Guy Murray Bruce
Everton Footballer Joseph Yobo beat every man out there to it. 2008 winner of Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria is no longer fancy free. She hooked and looks like marriage is calling., Yobo is a responsible man so you might want to take that seriously. She is so involved that her mom knows about it – The pictures shows they are so met to be together. You think otherwise?
Adaeze Igwe and Joseph Yobo.
The queen that would love to eat anything she sees but can’t,Plans to head to the New York Film Academy next month to study Communications and have we mentioned that her mum that is still a career lawyer is still a beauty to behold.? Adaeze carries her mom’s genes 100%.
Read more…
Couples are being encouraged to pray together before sex in a new book published by prominent church group Catholic Truth Society.
A special prayer to help couples "purify their intentions" is one of a number set out in the Prayer Book for Spouses.
The Prayer Before Making Love implores God "to place within us love that truly gives, tenderness that truly unites, self-offering that tells the truth and does not deceive, forgiveness that truly receives, loving physical union that welcomes".
It adds: "Open our hearts to you, to each other and to the goodness of your will".
The 64-page book, sold for £1.95, has been published by the London-based Catholic Truth Society, which has links to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.
The Rt Rev Paul Hendricks, who is the Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark, told the Daily Mail: “'It is important for the Church to affirm the value of marriage and family life and I suppose this is a particular way of doing that.
“Perhaps it is something that has not been tried, certainly for a while – I can't remember seeing something like that before.”
The book contains prayers for every stage of marriage and family life, including engagement, planning for parenthood, pregnancy and caring for children and elderly parents.
The book expresses criticism of “those who, in our times, consider it too difficult, or indeed impossible, to be bound to one person for the whole of life, and those caught up in a culture that rejects the indissolubility of marriage and openly mocks the commitment of spouses to fidelity”.
The prayer
Father, send your Holy Spirit into our hearts. Place within us love that truly gives, tenderness that
truly unites, self-offering that tells the truth and does not deceive, forgiveness that truly receives, loving
physical union that welcomes. Open our hearts to you, to each other and to the goodness of your will.
Cover our poverty in the richness of your mercy and forgiveness. Clothe us in our true dignity and take to
yourself our shared aspirations, for your glory, for ever and ever. Mary, our Mother, intercede for us. Amen.
Read more…
Frank Okamigbo, a.k.a. Frank Papas, is a model and showbiz impressario. But before he wore those caps he had always loved the good life. So when his dream of studying in the United States was aborted thrice between 1997and 1998 by the American Embassy’s refusal to grant his visa application, he turned his gaze elsewhere.A decade after, however, that rejection has turned a blessing in disguise. Okamigbo has had a successful modelling career, having been signed on by top corporate concerns in Nigeria such as Nigerian Breweries, MTN, Citizens Bank and Nestle plc. But it is in the Nigerian entertainment world that his genius has come into play. Currently, he oversees Club Papas at K’s Place, a popular nite club located on Victoria Island, Lagos.Two years after Okamigbo took over the management of Club Papas, he has taken night life in Lagos a notch higher. This is because, not only has Club Papas become a celebrity hang-out, it is a boost to night life in Lagos.The roll call of artistes who have either performed live or launched their albums at Club Papas include Tuface Idibia, Konga, Ruggedman, 9ice, Black Solo, Lord of Ajasa, OJB Jezreel, Sound Sultan, Tony Tetuila, MP Durella, Kaha, Banky W and the Jamaica-born American ragga artiste, Shaggy. Other celebrities who throng Club Papas include actors, actresses, soccer stars and business executives.Aside those regular celebrity visits, Club Papas also features special nights. This, according to Okamigbo, is to add colour and fun to night life. Tuesday, for instance, is ladies nite; Friday, the regular Hip-Hop bash; and Saturday, the celebration of artistes’ birthdays and their album launch. In December last year, Club Papas organised the Ankara festival in Lagos. The first of its kind to be held in Nigeria, the carnival attracted many distinguished personalities including a representative of Ben TV, UK in London, Mr. Femi Amusan. As a result of the agreement reached between Amusan and Okamigbo, Ben T.V. UK and Club Papas will jointly organise another Ankara festival in London this summer. “We have brought some creativity into night life, and not just nite clubbing,” Okamigbo averted.”The idea is to be on top of the game. What makes us unique is that we put in a lot of artistic work into ordinary night life. We spice our activities with variety. So what you get this week is different from what you get next week. We work hand in hand with the artistes whose music a lot of people hear but don’t know their faces. So we try as much as possible to put the artiste’s face into the music they play,” Okamigbo told TheNEWS.Asked how his involvement with the entertainment world started, Okamigbo said: “I have always been an entertainment person, even before I went to the university.” After his visa application was thrice rejected, Okamigbo decided to work with the popular Mega Plaza in Lagos as a supervisor in charge of movies and videos. There, he was able to meet minds with distinguished personalities from different streams of endeavour; even though, according to Okamigbo, the decision to work with Mega Plaza was a hard one he had to take. “As a young man, it was a difficult decision not to follow my mates who went back to school immediately. But I had always wanted to be independent. I come from a family of five. I am the only son. So I decided to be on my own and also, to support the family,” he recalled.Still, Okamigbo’s five years at Mega Plaza not only provided the finance with which he took care of his immediate family, but also enabled him to start his university education. And it was as a student of Philosophy at the University of Lagos that Okamigbo kick-started his entertainment career, combining academics with work. Towards the end of his years in the university, Okamigbo started modelling, and he perfected the art so well that he won regular campus awards such as The Most Handsome, The Most Fashionable, and The Most Stylish. “I didn’t know I would use what God has given me to achieve success. Modelling started my foray into entertainment. It gave me the break and everybody recognised me whenever I was out there. They saw me on billboards, posters and TV. In fact that was the beginning of the whole thing,” Okamigbo said.In his third year at the university, Okamigbo adopted the sobriquet, Papas. Papas, the acronym for Prestigious Acclaimed Personalities And Associates, is an association he formed to showcase the talents of youths and educate them on anti-social vices such as drug abuse and cultism. Papas, according to Okamigbo, was made up of students who were unique in different ways. Resourceful and creative, the students were not just independent they fended for themselves. And they were the richest on campus and rode the best cars . “Though there were a lot of social organisations on campus, we just felt we should be different from others and we took over the social scene on campus,” he recalled. To pass their message across to the youths, Papas organised workshops, seminars and parties periodically. It was in one of such parties that Okamigbo got to be involved with K’s Place. “The then manager of K’s Place, Mr. Val Nwokobia, who was about relocating to the United States contacted me and said he would want me to manage the place,” Okamigbo told TheNEWS.That chance encounter spelt the beginning of Okamigbo’s professional career as a showbiz impressario. And the series of events which followed led to his taking over K’s Place. Though the building housing K’s Place was originally owned by Mr. Kamal Bustani, a Lebanese, the nite club has passed through different managements. But before Okamigbo took over completely, it was known as Extreme Nite Club and managed by his former boss, Hakeem Sodeinde, a.k.a the General. It was when Sodeinde moved out of K’s Place to form The Reloaded Nite Club in Ikoyi, that it became Club Papas at K’s Place. “When Sodeinde left, I was the second in command. But I had a different idea. I decided to take over the management and that gave way to what we now have.
Read more…