"MONEY, THE USELESS ASSET"

Posted by SaintOkocha on May 31, 2010 at 6:00pm

Money on it's own is a useless asset, useless object and therefore a useless possession. But that it is a medium of exchange or a purchasing power, it has assumed such importance that people value it higher than the human life and are therefore worshipping it.

This perception of money informed pastor and George Buthrick opinion that "of all the masters the soul can choose, there are at least only two- God and money." Pastor Buthrick's opinion is a truism, and of practical relevant to our present day world; such that many have doggedly enslaved themselves to their master-money. This master-slave relationship is not without problems. But come to think about it, who is the real master?; money is an object created by man-while man is in turn created by God. Who then is the better master?.

The mastership of God is without problems, but the mastership of money is full with problems of varying dimensions.Therefore, the distinctive difference between God's mastership full of blessings as against the mastership of money full of problems that the Bible warns against serving God and mammon (money) (Mat. 6:24) Furthermore, the danger of serving money is emphasized in the Bible (l Tim. 6:10) where many have departed from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Money is a difficult master to serve, because too much of money or too little of it has created many problems for man. Therefore, when money is poorly handled in matrimonial homes, it has precipitated serveral problems especially in marriages, See below...:

1. My husband spends lavishly, he spends too much.

2. My husband is selfish and spends on himself only.

3. My wife spends food money on her personal needs and blames it on inflation-that things

are expensive in the market.

4. My wife spends carelessly and finishes a month feeding money in two weeks.

5. My husband does not give me food money in bulk for the month but in bits on daily basis, he is a

miser.

6. My husband does not give me pocket money, he is very stingy.

7. How can I tell my wife how much I earn, only fools do that, she will finish my money.

8. My husband spends his money on his relatives, but none for my people.

9. My wife insists on separate accounts, I do not know how much she earns.

10. Since I became unemployed, and my wife is the only one working, I am starving.

11. I do not know how much my husband earns, therefore I do not know how much I should ask him

for somethings, for the children and myself.

12. My wife insists that as the man, I should finance the home alone.

13. Inspite the fact that she works, my wife demands for money for everything in the house.

14. It was a big mistake to have a joint account with my husband, he cheats me so much.

15. My wife does not respect me because of lack of money.

16. My husband does not take care of me, the last clothes he bought for me were during our

traditional wedding.

17. My husband does not care how we feed though he works, the responsibility of maitaining the

family falls on me.

18. I am fed up, her demand for money to buy the latest fashion has no end.

19. Since my husband bought a car or built a house etc, we are suffering.

20. Because my wife bought most of the properties of the family, I have become an errand boy in the

house.

21. Since my husband got a new job which he earns higher, he started drinking and goes after other

women, am fed up with him.

These are some of the problems that have torn so many families and marriages into shreds or broken so many homes. It is in this wise that there is a big need to manage 'MONEY" very wisely, either plenty or small of it in a home, to avoid the above pitfalls.

Do not allow neighbours, friends and relatives to manage your home for you.

Do it yourself, and do it very wisely.

"GOD BLESS YOUR MARRIGE AND HOME"...!!!

My Own Self

Posted by 9jabook.com on May 30, 2010 at 10:46pm

IN a tiny house in the North Countrie, far away from any town or village, there lived not long ago a poor widow all alone with her little son, a six-year-old boy.

The house-door opened straight on to the hillside and all round about were moorlands and huge stones, and swampy hollows; never a house nor a sign of life wherever you might look, for their nearest neighbours were the 'ferlies' in the glen below, and the 'will-o'-the-wisps' in the long grass along the pathside.

And many a tale she could tell of the 'good folk' calling to each other in the oak-trees, and the twinkling lights hopping on to the very window-sill, on dark nights; but in spite of the loneliness, she lived on from year to year in the little house, perhaps because she was never asked to pay any rent for it.

But she did not care to sit up late, when the fire burnt low, and no one knew what might be about; so, when they had their supper she would make up a good fire and go off to bed, so that if anything terrible did happen, she could always hide her head under the bed-clothes.

This, however, was far too early to please her little son; so when she called him to bed, he would go on playing beside the fire, as if he did not hear her.

He had always been bad to do with since the day he was born, and his mother did not often care to cross him; indeed, the more she tried to make him obey her, the less heed he paid to anything she said, so it usually ended by his taking his own way..

But one night, just at the fore-end of winter, the widow could not make up her mind to go off to bed, and leave him playing by the fireside; for the wind was tugging at the door, and rattling the window-panes, and well she knew that on such a night, fairies and suchlike were bound to be out and about, and bent on mischief. So she tried to coax the boy into going at once to bed:

'The safest bed to bide in, such a night as this!' she said: but no, he wouldn't.

Then she threatened to 'give him the stick', but it was no use.

The more she begged and scolded, the more he shook his head; and when at last she lost patience and cried that the fairies would surely come and fetch him away, he only laughed and said he wished they would, for he would like one to play with.

At that his mother burst into tears, and went off to bed in despair, certain that after such words something dreadful would happen; while her naughty little son sat on his stool by the fire, not at all put out by her crying.

But he had not long been sitting there alone, when he heard a fluttering sound near him in the chimney, and presently down by his side dropped the tiniest wee girl you could think of; she was not a span high, and had hair like spun silver, eyes as green as grass, and cheeks red as June roses..

The little boy looked at her with surprise. 'Oh!' said he; 'what do they call ye?'

'My own self,' she said in a shrill but sweet little voice, and she looked at him, too. 'And what do they call ye?'

'Just my own self, too!' he answered cautiously; and with that they began to play together.

She certainly showed him some fine games. She made animals out of the ashes that looked and moved like life; and trees with green leaves waving over tiny houses, with men and women an inch high in them, who, when she breathed on them, fell to walking and talking quite properly.

But the fire was getting low, and the light dim, and presently the little boy stirred the coals with a stick, to make them blaze; when out jumped a red-hot cinder, and where should it fall, but on the fairy-child' s tiny foot.

Thereupon she set up such a squeal that the boy dropped the stick, and clapped his hands to his ears; but it grew to so shrill a screech that it was like all the wind in the world whistling through one tiny keyhole.

There was a sound in the chimney again, but this time the little boy did not wait to see what it was, but bolted off to bed, where he hid under the blankets and listened in fear and trembling to what went on.

A voice came from the chimney speaking sharply:

'Who's there, and what's wrong?' it said.

'It's my own self,' sobbed the fairy-child; 'and my foot's burnt sore. O-o-h!'

'Who did it?' said the voice angrily; this time it sounded nearer, and the boy, peeping from under the clothes, could see a white face looking out from the chimney-opening.

'Just my own self, too!' said the fairychild again.

"Then if ye did it your own self,' cried the elf-mother shrilly, 'what's the use making all this fash about it?' -- and with that she stretched out a long thin arm, and caught the creature by its ear, and, shaking it roughly, pulled it after her, out of sight up the chimney.

The little boy lay awake a long time, listening, in case the fairy-mother should come back after all; and next evening after supper, his mother was surprised to find that he was willing to go to bed whenever she liked.

'He's taking a turn for the better at last!' she said to herself; but he was thinking just then that, when next a fairy came to play with him, he might not get off quite so easily as he had done this time.

Girls smoke more than boys in Naija

Posted by 9jabook.com webmadam on May 30, 2010 at 10:01pm

The 2010 World Tobacco Day (which is today) focuses on the need to ban all forms of

promotion of tobacco even with a new direction to fight the recruitment of the womenfolk into smoking, In clubs,bars,malls & even some schools Ladies are not just boozing like the guys they are also puffing and beating the guys at it says the World Health organisation .

It may sound odd, but the World Health Organisation says more girls than boys smoke tobacco; giving new reasons why the anti-tobacco crusade must now address the womenfolk.

When on Friday, WHO called for a special protection of women and girls against tobacco, it was not as if the organisation had assumed the other members of the society needed not to be shielded from the harmful effects of what is perceived globally to be an addictive consumption.

It was because global researches have indicated a growing, worrisome trend in the habit of women and girls who take tobacco as a thing of glamour and status. WHO’s new direction of campaign is to press home the focus of this year’s World Tobacco Day..

WHO’s Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, said, “The trends in some countries are extremely worrisome,” adding, “Tobacco use is neither liberating nor glamorous. It is addictive and deadly.”

This 2010 campaign theme, “Gender and tobacco with an emphasis on marketing to women, focuses on the harmful effects of tobacco marketing towards women and girls. It also highlights the need for governments to ban all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship and to eliminate tobacco smoke in all public and work places as provided in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control,” according to the global health body.

Nigeria, where the campaign against smoking has been gaining ground through the efforts of the Environmental Rights Action, is ranked among countries which WHO Director-General said the trend is pretty worrisome.

Smoking may be one habit that is generally perceived to be rife among males, but a recent survey, according to WHO, shows that there is a growing rate of tobacco use amongst girls and women. Women and girls are said to represent 20 per cent global smoking population.

“In half of the 151 countries recently surveyed for trends in tobacco use among young people, approximately as many girls uses tobacco as boys. More girls use tobacco than boys in some of the countries, including Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Cook Islands, Croatia, Czech Republic, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria and Uruguay.

“Women are a major target for the tobacco industry in its effort to recruit new users to replace those who will quit or die prematurely from tobacco-related diseases. The leading preventable cause of death, tobacco use kills more than five million people every year, about 1.5 million of whom are women,” says WHO on Friday.

And what is the nexus between tobacco and women? Or better still; what is the attraction? After strategic manners in which the anti-smoking campaigners across the world had tackled the recruitment of youths into smoking by tobacco manufacturers and marketers, there is said to be a new path manufacturers and marketers are following to force smoke down the throats of women. By linking smoking with beauty, young girls are easily fascinated and are consequently recruited into the habit.

Analysts are of the view that the same method employed in using the media to present slim girls as paragon of African beauty is being promoted to make young girls believe that their beauty is incomplete without tobacco addiction.

But it is not only those who engage in the practical habit of direct smoking that are considered to be smokers. Passive smokers abount through their inhaling of smokes in public places.

The inclusion of Nigeria amongst countries considered to be having a disturbing rate of smoking girls further reinforces the points being raised by Nigerian crusaders that the government needs to act fast before tobacco-related diseases add to its alleged unenviable record in health management.

Programme Manager of the Environmental Rights in Nigeria, an affiliate of the Friends of the Earth, Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the focus on the need to save women and girls from smoking, which is the theme of this year’s tobacco day, should compel some persons in high places to act fast.

“It will interest you that the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, is a woman. And we believe that where the interests of women are concerned, a woman in the status of the senator should use her position to ensure the welfare of her fellow womenfolk,” say Oluwafemi.

His call is on the strength of a bill which was said to have been presented to the Senate by a member, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora which, according to him, is yet to be passed into law.

Among other things, the bill seeks to ban smoking in public and end all forms of promotion of the product in the country.

Mamora, who spoke with our correspondent on Sunday, said there had been deliberate moves to scuttle the bill at the National Assembly, adding that some of his colleagues who swore to defend the wellbeing of Nigerians were engaging in acts that are inconsistent with their oath of office.

Mamora said, “No amount of propaganda; no amount of purported job creation by the British American Tobacco can justify the number of lives being destroyed through the use of tobacco. This is because certain incontrovertible evidence have been established linking tobacco use to various diseases.”

In a separate statement on the 2010 World Tobacco Day, Oluwafemi called for the passing into law of the bill as a sign of government’s readiness to recognise the global concern for the health of its citizenry.

He stated, “It is a fact that dangers are associated with smoking. The World Health Organisation estimated that 5.4 million people die every year due to tobacco-related diseases, with majority of these deaths happening in developing countries.

“Tobacco is the only consumer product that is guaranteed to kill half its consumers if used according to manufacturers’ intention. It contains more than 4,000 dangerous chemicals harmful to the body.

“It is also a fact that stringent measures aimed at reducing smoking in Europe and America have driven the tobacco industry to developing countries like Nigeria, where the industry continues to flout regulations, marketing to young and impressionable youths, and hooking them on smoking.”

Indeed, another recent survey, according to Oluwafemi, also shows that two persons die each day in Lagos hospitals as a result of tobacco-related ailments.

With the theme of this year’s event, many expect that the focus will now shift to demystifying those messages being sold to girls which make them embrace smoking as a way of upping their beauty profiles.

Perhaps, that will compel manufacturers and marketers to also review strategies. But then, the health of the citizenry is at the centre of it all.

Drugs: NDLEA arrests 10 youths at Lagos Airport

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on May 30, 2010 at 9:52pm

A total of 10 youths have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while allegedly attempting to smuggle 12.33kg of narcotics out of the country..

A statement by the spokesman of the agency, Mr. Ofoyeju Mitchell, on Sunday also revealed that drug barons were now targeting Nigerians living in Europe, because they possessed travel documents.

The NDLEA stated that apart from two of the suspects residing in Lagos, the others were residents of European nations. It said that 12.33kg consisted of 1.115kg heroin and 11.215kg of cocaine.

The Airport Commander of the NDLEA, Alhaji Hamza Umar, gave the names of the suspects as Osaze Monday, 37, who allegedly ingested 60 pieces of cocaine weighing 1.010kg; Izevbokun Kelvin, 22, who ingested 111 pieces of cocaine weighing 1.610kg; Joe Favour, 26, who ingested 82 pieces of cocaine weighing 1.300kg; Nwodo Oscar,34, who swallowed 95 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.515kg; and Chinedu Okeke,40, who swallowed 69 wraps of heroin weighing 1.115kg.

Others are Obarisiagbon Marvis, 32 who ingested 77 pieces of cocaine weighing 1.445kg; Liasu Ajadi, 41,who ingested 80 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.190kg; Ejiro Henry,19, who ingested 73 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.285kg; Lever Ehigie,21, who ingested 66 pieces of cocaine weighing 900 grammes; and Omorose Kingsley,28 that swallowed 960 grammes of cocaine.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer, NDLEA, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, in a goodwill message on Democracy Day charged youths to shun for illicit wealth.

He charged youths to take advantage of the numerous windows of opportunities in the economy to reposition themselves for leadership responsibilities.

Giade, who identified indiscipline and greed as the factors responsible for the involvement of youths in narcotics trafficking, urged them to “positively rebrand” themselves.

“Drug traffickers usually act on impulse as a result of greed and indiscipline. Unfortunately, many only have a re-think after they had been caught,” the NDLEA boss stated.

Man CUTS out still-beating heart of Friend

Posted by 9jabook.com on May 30, 2010 at 9:47pm

American cage fighter 'rips out still-beating heart of training partner after fearing he was possessed by the devil'

A truly heartbreaking & Frightning Story .

A U.S. cage fighter ripped out the heart of his training partner while he was still alive after becoming convinced he was possessed by the devil, it was alleged today.

Jarrod Wyatt also cut out Taylor Powell's tongue and ripped off most of his face in a brutal assault that police said looked like a scene from a horror film, officers said.

They claim they found the 26-year-old standing naked over his friend's body with parts, including an eyeball, strewn around the blood splattered room in Klamath, California.

Wyatt allegedly told police he had drunk a cup of tea spiked with hallucinogenic mushrooms and became convinced Powell was possessed.

According to an autopsy Powell, 21, bled to death after his heart was ripped out..

The coroner said Powell had been alive when the organ was ripped out after his chest had been sliced open with a knife.

Wyatt told the police he thrown the heart into a fire along with other organs that he had removed from the body, it was claimed.

He allegedly told investigators he cooked the body parts because he was fearful Powell was still alive and he ‘needed to stop the Devil’.

Police had been called to the grisly scene after a third friend had witnessed a sudden mood change in Wyatt after they had all ingested wild mushroom tea.

Photo: Arrested: Jarrod Wyatt was allegedly found standing naked over his dead friend's body in a room bathed in blood

Justin Davis told police he returned to the flat to find Wyatt naked and covered from head to toe in blood.

He noticed an eyeball lying in the middle of the floor and saw Powell's mutilated body.

A lawyer representing Wyatt has claimed the wild mushrooms caused him to act in such a violent way and had not control over his actions.

‘My client was trying to silence the devil,’ said James Fallman.

‘I think he was having a psychotic fit based on the mushrooms he had.’

Wyatt has been charged with first degree murder and torture.

Prosecutors added the torture charge as Powell was still alive when his heart was removed.

Naija draws Colombia in World Cup Friendly

Posted by Choochoo Sports Book on May 30, 2010 at 9:27pm

Lukman Haruna scored a second-half goal as World Cup-bound Nigeria salvaged a 1-1 draw with Colombia on Sunday.Photo:Obafemi Martins of Nigeria (L) chases Mario Yepes of Colombia (R) during a friendly international football match at Stadium:MK in Milton Keynes on 30 May, 2010. The match was played without spectators with many fans unhappy of the lack of access to the game.

Carlos Valdes gave Colombia a lead in the 12th minute of Nigeria's next-to-last warmup game ahead of the World Cup.

Haruna tied it in the 69th minute..

Nigeria also faces North in a friendly in Johannesburg June 5 before meeting two-time champion Argentina in its tournament opener on June 12.

Meanwhile the colombians were recently robbed in their South African Hotel by hotel employees see article here

Kidnappers Camp :Unbelievable :The True Story of (my) abduction. Dr Ohaka, Medical Doctor.

Posted by 9jabook.com webmadam on May 30, 2010 at 7:34am

The True Story of (my) abduction. Dr Ohaka, MD.

I was traveling from Aba in Abia state back to PortHarcourt where I reside after a marriage introduction ceremony of my youngest sister Nene in my family house in Aba. I left the house at about 4pm that day 15/5/2010 with my small uncle Anayo and a cousin Maureen. Maureen dropped somewhere in Aba while I proceeded to Portharcourt with Anayo. We had barely traveled 11km when we met what appeared to be a routine Police check point at Ihie. Normally we were flagged down for routine check at about 5pm or even later.

.

I was asked for my driving license which I produced, I was asked to come down and open my boot and it was at this point that I was told to enter a waiting Kia saloon car facing right and at right angle to the main express road. Other vehicles were stopped simultaneously for stop and search. An SUV that refused to stop was sprayed with bullets with apparent missing of targets and within about 5minutes the operation was over. About 2 vehicles carried the victims, a Kia saloon and a Pathfinder SUV. Some of us were loaded in the booths. After 5minutes drive into the village we were all blind folded and now driven through untarred bush roads to an isolated location which was a transit point.

It took about extra 5minutes to get there. You know things were happening fast and it was so easy to lose tract of time. At this temporary site, we were thoroughly beaten with the butts and barrels of the gun. I never knew pains could be felt in quick succession after trauma to a particular point. When I was hit at the back with the AK47 assault riffle, I felt the first superficial pain and this was followed immediately by another crushing pain much deeper. We were about 15 people, men, women and children. After about 4hours, the women and children were driven back to the road to find their ways home. We the men, about 9 in number now waited for the next 1.5hours to be taken to their so-called police cell were they kept captives. In the transit camp where we were kept, there is one small house inhabited by a woman and some 2 or 3 children.

The woman had normal conversations with our captors and her small baby was always crying. We left the temporary area in the same 2 vehicles and by 10minutes we were in the cell. The place was surrounded by bushes and harbored a roofed but un-completed block house with doors. A standby generator was on and I had lifted the scarf over my eyes a little long before we left the transit location. We were bundled into a dark room wit one window and with 8 captives inside already. The mode of capture of these previous 8 was targeted and not as random as ours.

Example the councilor was visited by them as a Police team in a Police vehicle and informed that he was wanted in the police station in connection with certain matters. He followed them willingly. We could only sit or lie down with our eyes covered. We were 17 in number in my cell. These include 3 Royal highnesses (The Eze of Isuochi, The Eze of Omuma, and another very important Eze that I couldn’t quite identify well because he was taken away shortly for ‘special treatment’ and remained there after I left), the councilor representing a constituency in Omuma (hypertensive and diabetic), a retired NNPC manger (diabetic), a retired CBN supervisor, a PTI lecturer/pastor, 2 yahoo fraudsters, drivers, a tailor, and some others. Our cell phones, money and every other belonging were taken from us apart from our clothing.

Food is never given to the captives and water is dispensed at extreme discretion of the captors and by my calculation this amounted to 500mls alternate daily. At a point the councilor drank my water as I moved a little out of my position to urinate. As it was close to midnight, the captors encouraged us to pray and came in periodically to check on us. I must tell you that we all prayed as never before till morning.

We also continued to pray like that every day. For me it was as true as daylight. The next day was a Sunday and at about 9am, the captor in-charge of making contacts for the captives came into our cell enquiring for people needing to contact their people for early release. It followed the sequence from interrogation about yourself and work to brutality and torture, bargain for release and possible mortal injury following failure to reach an amicable settlement. One of the captive’s phone lines was always used for these contacts. The man in charge of the contact making is called a name. I figure he is the 3rd in command in the camp. He comes with aides who brutalize the captives mercilessly on failure to agree to a stated bill which runs into millions of naira. My initial bill was N10million even though it came down to N2m later. I was now asked to talk to my people. I talked to my people and returned the phone to the captors for negotiation with my people. The first bidding amount from my people was N100,000 which earned me the beating of my life in the hands his aides. I was hit with the gun repeatedly and while pointed close to my neck with the gun corked and uncorked severally and with several simultaneous kicks on the head and body, I was asked to talk to my people.

The beating was temporarily halted when impressed it on my people of the need again to be ‘reasonable’ amidst my cry of pains. I was one of the youngest captive. One can now imagine the impact of the brutality on an elderly man and the sick people. On that Sunday the councilor was beaten blue and black on failure to accept the N10million request fast. This was a frail looking man with 10 children, a wife and with the whole extended family as dependants. He collapsed with repeated hits on the head, ribs, hands and every other parts of the body with the butt, barrel of the gun and woods measuring 2inch x 2inch in thickness. He was literally left helpless on the floor. He constantly bemoaned his fate and wished to die in his house where his corpse will at-least be seen and given a burial unlike the camp here where our captors will bury him.

He recovered a little by Monday but that never gave him any reprieve as he continued to receive thorough beating like the rest of us. Many of us all cried like babies. The councilor got his people to sell his new car, his lands, and several other belongings and all amounted to the sum of N450,000. He also sought to collect the month’s contribution among 10 of his colleagues amounting to N500,000 which never materialized by the time I left them. My brother it was pathetic for the diabetic and the hypertensive. It is noteworthy that age was no barrier to the brutality because we had 2 people who were above 70years of age, the Eze of Omuma and the Eze of Isuochi.

The first received thorough but a moderated level brutality which increased sequentially with each daily failure to meet the captors’ demand while the second, though brutalized, had some significant consideration because he is 74years. His wife had to walk virtually the whole streets begging for money and he also had to sell lands. The rest received the same level of brutality and torture which increased with every passing day. I tried to get close to the retired NNPC man who is also a pastor because I felt he never understood the psychology of this group that prefer to call themselves Abia State Militants. He never agreed to any fixed amount and I felt he mistook the initial moderation of the brutality on him as a spiritual effect. He is a retired man and probably over 60yrs of age. However, he was soon to understand that his judgment was wrong. The mercilessness of the boys was un-paralleled because by the time I was leaving the camp on Tuesday night there was a special torture session carried out simultaneously by over 20 of the militants which I myself may have found difficult to recover from despite my good physical fitness.

The captors had claimed that a cell phone had been stolen in the camp and all the captives that refused to bargain ‘properly’ were responsible. The captors appear not to have much interest on what they regard as poor fools like drivers, gaunt looking people, mechanics, tailors etc. Even though the ‘poor fools’ sometimes pay all their savings to the captors, they tend to receive good considerations in terms of length of stay only. I left the camp after the direct negotiation between my people and my captors went through. We left the camp at about 10pm on Tuesday. Those released that night were the Professor (Eze of Isuochi), one pastor, one driver and my humble self. Three of us were bundled into the booth of a Nissan Pathfinder SUV while Prof was given the privilege of sitting down comfortably inside the car. As we left the camp, one or two small boys were moving about close by and our captors questioned the supposed strangers in a loud voice asking “who be that” and the small boys (I say small boys from their voice on reply) answered “I beg na indigenes”.

The Eze of Omuma was released a day earlier after paying the sum of one million two hundred thousand naira. After about 5minutes into our journey to freedom, the SUV stopped suddenly and refused to start again. After a few futile attempts to start the car, the four armed captors disembarked and called the camp for another vehicle. They identified their position as opposite the Nigerian Police Station. In less than 4minutes a new Toyota corolla arrived for us to continue our journey. I was asked to enter the booth with the pastor/PTI lecturer. They discharged us at Ihie junction and gave us transport money. We all walked bare footed because even our shoes were collected. I received N500.00.

They also informed me that my vehicle was at the Police station. The Prof and the released driver proceeded to Portharcourt while I proceeded to Aba with the pastor. I arrived my family house at Aba at about 12:09am on Wednesday to the jubilation of my parents and every other person in the house and on the street.

I am grateful to my relatives who contributed immensely for my release. They include my parents, my wife, my brother, my sisters, my cousin, my uncles abroad, my in-laws, my mother’s uncle, my aunt, the pastors who prayed continually, my local church, my genuine friends who acted promptly and several well wishers.
I did not involve the police and it was the best decision. The location of the camp is not hidden. The subdued villagers know them and also know all their locations. Again the terrain of the area consisting of thick bushes, well spaced houses and the bad nature of the road all combine to favor the use of those locations by the militants. The militants tend to wear military uniforms in the camp and police uniforms with police bullet proof vest outside the camp for their normal operations. They carry AK47 assault riffles and perform drills each morning in the bush around the cell building- the so-called camp.

All the boys spoke the local dialect- asa/ngwa version of igbo language. The chairman/leader of the group who authorized each release has facial tribal marks, speaks same dialect. It may not surprise me if he is a northerner and security personnel. It is impossible that the security agents do not know their position. The joy of release subdued all the pains. I also forgot I had not eaten for 4days. I proceeded to Ihie Police station to collect my car as I was informed by my captors as my car was too old for an operational vehicle. I saw the vehicle at local police station at Ihie. I fulfilled their formalities, made statements and informed them of the release of Prof. In doing these I guarded my utterances because you never know who the insiders were.

I also spoke with the DPO of the station. I also met some special police units who came on routine patrol to the police station and narrated my ordeal to them. On this visit to retrieve my car I also observed that the security agents concentrated their presence on the express road leaving the entire village empty. My brother even the people you are supposed to report to are scared and appear helpless. You also cannot rule out their support from politicians because of several boasts of installing candidates come 2011. Information flow freely in the camp there; it is unimaginable how the information comes without government/security insiders. It also appeared they were planning relocation soon based on the insiders’ requests; possibly because of impending raid by government forces. They claim to pay some insiders-the normal Nigerian settlement.
It is pathetic the level Abia state has degenerated to. It is a level just slightly above those of animals and the bottom line is greed, corruption, power drunkenness. I understand Imo-state is following closely.
I became ill on Thursday- the cumulative effects of the ordeal. My heart goes out to the innocent men still in captivity. I wonder if they will make it alive. They include the retired NNPC manger/pastor in Winners chapel (Yoruba), retired CBN supervisor (igbo), the councilor (Omuma), The Eze who I could not identify well.
What if these kidnappers were ritualists; what would have been our fate; it is all greed, corruption, power drunkenness. Until there is good and committed leadership everything will continue to go downhill..

Dr Ohaka, MD.

Google TV: Web meets TV. TV meets web.

Posted by technology on May 30, 2010 at 7:15am

Google TV is a new experience made for television that combines the TV you know and love with the freedom and power of the Internet. Watch an overview video below, sign up for updates.

Apple TV competition ?

When Google announced Google TV last week, the company made it clear that it would attempt to combinethe appeal of the Web with the abilities of set-top boxes such as TiVoor Apple TV. And although it didn't give all the details that consumerswill want to know before they pick up a Google TV device in the fall,the company made it clear that it views the entertainment text-decoration: none ! important; border-bottom: 0.2em dotted rgb(43,101, 176) ! important; padding-bottom: 0px ! important; color: rgb(43,101, 176) ! important; background-color: transparent ! important;background-image: none; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt;padding-left: 0pt;" classname="iAs" class="iAs">as center to its consumer operations going forward. And it plans to doas much as it can to take over that space.

However, as Steve Jobs has said numerous times since its launch, hiscompany views the Apple TV as a hobby product. And that likely won'tchange anytime soon. Google TV isn't a hobby product. And the companyseems committed to being the dominant player in the home-entertainmentspace. Although other solutions could come out between now and the fallto hurt its chances of achieving that, the company ensured last weekthat at least one font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: none ! important;border-bottom: 0.2em dotted rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important;padding-bottom: 0px ! important; color: rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important;background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none;padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;" classname="iAs" class="iAs">- Apple TV - won't have a chance to compete.

Sites Will Be Optimized for It.
There is one potential problem with the Google TV that the search giant needs to address: sites won'tbe optimized for the set-top box. Luckily, Google has already thoughtabout that. According to the company, it will offer an SDK to siteoperators, so they can optimize their pages for the Google TV. Oncesites start supporting the Google TV, pages will be displayed just asthey are on typical monitor sizes. Unfortunately, Google said that theSDK will likely appear sometime after launch. That means folks who pickup a Google TV box in the fall will be out of luck for some months. Butthat shouldn't keep it from becoming a superior alternative to the AppleTV.

Osama bin Laden says he is Envious of the BP Oil Spillage Terror "Shelling" Tactics

Posted by 9jabook.com on May 30, 2010 at 6:30am

Bin Laden Says He’s ‘Professionally Envious’ of BP

‘I’ve Got to Step Up My Game,’ Says Madman

In a new video that is light on his usual threats but heavy on admiration, Osama bin Laden admits that he is
“professionally envious” of oil giant BP’s massive oil spill, saying
that it puts his efforts to create destruction and chaos to shame.

“There are times in an evildoer’s life when one has to stand back and
admire a job well done,” Mr. bin Laden says in the video. “BP, you blow
me away.”

The Al-Qaeda mastermind adds that his first thought upon seeing BP’s
spill was, “Man, I’ve got to step up my game.”

Mr. bin Laden claims in the video that he rarely feels envious towards
other evildoers, but says he likes “to use that energy to push myself to
be the best terrorist I can be.”

As for the envy he felt after seeing BP’s handiwork, the madman says, “I
haven’t felt this way since the whole Toyota thing.” More Borowitz
here..

Jonathan Leaves for France for 25th Africa-France Summit

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on May 30, 2010 at 6:20am

President Goodluck Jonathan is to join other world leaders to participate in the 25th Africa-France Summit, which holds from Sunday to Tuesday in the Southern French city of Nice.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Jonathan is expected to depart Abuja for Nice today.
Jonathan is attending the Summit on the invitation of President Nicolas Sarkozy and in his capacity as Chairman of ECOWAS.

NAN correspondent, covering the event in Nice reports that Governors Gabriel Suswam (Benue) and Sullivan Chime (Enugu), were among dignitaries who arrived Nice yesterday.
The President is expected to meet with the Nigerian community in France on Sunday to discuss issues relating to the progress of the nation and Nigerians in the Diaspora.
The Summit, according to the convener, Sarkozy, is intended to reshape relations between Africa and France and the growing awareness of the changes in Africa..

Heads of States and Governments are expected to converge on Nice Acropolis Convention Centre on Monday for the opening session.
The world leaders are also billed to hold meetings to discuss Africa’s role in global governance as well as issues of peace and security on the continent and the world at large.
The Summit is also to discuss climate change and the need for a development leap in Africa as well as the continent's economic challenges.

Jonathan’s wife wins okada in bank promo

Posted by 9jabook.com on May 30, 2010 at 1:48am

The wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, was on Thursday in Lagos announced as one of the winners of the Union Bank Plc savings bonanza.

She was declared as winner of a motorcycle (okada) in the grand finale of the bank’s savings bonanza, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Jonathan’s wife, with ticket number 387492, operates a savings account with the Yenagoa branch of the bank.

The Managing Director of SO and U Advertising, Mr. Udeme Ufot, after confirming the account, announced the President’s wife as the winner of the bonanza.

The Managing Director of Union Bank, Mrs. Funke Osibodu, said on the occasion that the bank would not relent in its effort to support investment in the real sector.

She said the development would facilitate the nation’s rapid economic growth.

“With the conclusion of the draw today, we would have given out the prizes earmarked at the beginning of the savings promo, thereby fulfilling our promise to the public,” Osibodu said..

She said it was important for the bank, because “it is a mark that will remain reliable as a financial institution.”

The bank chief said the promo was aimed at strengthening retail and consumer behaviour to mobilise deposit from the savers, especially the small scale ones.

NAN reports that the bank gave out 18 cars, 60 motorcycles, N8.6m cash and three Toyota Land Cruiser jeeps to winners.

NAIJA CNN:NN24 commences operations in Lagos, Nigeria, (Network News 24)

Posted by 9jabook.com on May 29, 2010 at 11:11pm

NN24, a 24 hour, Seven days a week TV news channel has commenced operations in Nigeria. The arrival of this channel in the broadcast media scene heralds a new era in television journalism in Nigeria and the continent at large.

Available on channel 414 on DStv, NN24 is accessible to television audience in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.

Speaking on the launch of the channel, Founder/Chief Executive, Anthony Dara says the company, which has an affiliation with CNN and MultiChoice, is set to become the leader in the Nigerian media industry for concise and reliable television news. “We at NN24 believe Africa is ripe for this news revolution hence we are here with a different orientation, style and professionalism that is desirable not just in Nigeria but in Africa”.

He says that the company boasts of a formidable balance of technology and manpower: “With our core values being innovation and objectivity, we are here to contribute to television. We have balanced cutting edge technology with skilled professionals to create a new breed of journalists with a brief to give the public qualitative, informative and exciting television experience.’ he enthuses..

Managing Director of MultiChoice Nigeria, Joseph Hundah, says the partnership with NN24 fulfills a long-standing tradition of strategic collaborations aimed at giving value-added service to DStv viewers. “We at MultiChoice are delighted with the launch of NN24 on our platforms which is in keeping with our tradition of providing refreshing and compelling entertainment on our platforms.”

Hundah says that NN24 will be available to all DStv subscribers across the four different platforms in order to avail a large section of Nigerians the opportunity of hooking up to a truly pan-African channel with indigenous content.

Colombian football team robbed in South Africa two weeks ahead of the World Cup

Posted by Choochoo Sports Book on May 29, 2010 at 10:03pm

Colombian football team robbed in South Africa two weeks ahead of the World Cup..

The Colombian football team has been robbed in South Africa two weeks before the start of the World Cup.

The team lost £1,800 pounds worth of U.S. dollars and euros on Tuesday after players were targeted at their hotel in Johannesburg.

Two female workers at the five star Hyde Park Southern Sun were arrested for allegedly taking the cash from the players' suitcases after they arrived to play an international friendly against South Africa.

Police spokesman Eugene Opperman said the pair had been charged with theft and appeared in court.

He said: 'They are accused of taking the money after going through suitcases and bags in several rooms on May 25.

'We were informed about the theft the following day and officers investigated. The suspects were cleaners at the hotel. They were arrested at the hotel and are being held in custody.

'It appears it was an inside job.'

The theft allegation is likely to be seen as a major embarrassment to South Africa so close to the start of the tournament.

South Africa's Times newspaper named the pair as Lucky Mahlatsi, 25, and Jeanet Mashimbyi, 29, from neighbouring Lesotho.

They will reappear in court next week.

Charges against a third woman were dropped because of lack of evidence.

The Colombian national team, who did not qualify to play in the World Cup, arrived in South Africa on Monday.

Last night they lost 2 - 1 in a friendly against the tournament hosts at the flagship Soccer City stadium.

The Hyde Park Southern Sun will host England's group stage rivals Slovenia during the tournament.

The eastern European squad is expected to arrive in South Africa on June 7.

Some of the 31 visiting nations have already arrived in Johannesburg and other teams are expected over the weekend..

Organisers have repeatedly stated their confidence in the ability of the police to protect players' and fans during the tournament.

But last year officers were called to investigate theft charges against the Egyptian national team during their stay in South Africa.

The players lost around £1,600 in U.S. dollars after being targeted at their Johannesburg hotel during the Confederations Cup.

Today a Fifa spokesman declined to comment on the robbery but said the security arrangements in place for the Colombian team's visit were not the same as those that had been arranged for World Cup teams.

Gary Coleman is Dead ! Whatchu talking about Willis Child Star suffers Brain Haemorhage

Posted by NollywoodMohits on May 28, 2010 at 10:30pm

Gary Coleman: The Child Star Who Never Had It All

Gary Coleman was taller than you might've thought. He was world-weary for longer than you might've feared. And he was not the former child star you might've imagined.

The quintessential former child star is a person whose early success is a curse, who gets it all—fame, wealth, influence—only to lose it all, mugshot by mugshot by Cash Call commercial.

Coleman looked as if he fit the bill better than anyone. But not if you know the whole story.

Now, even though I wrote a book on former child stars, I don't pretend to know the whole story. I don't know what happened to Coleman's millions. I don't know why a joint autobiography written with his parents discussed the night his mother gave birth to him, even though she evidently didn't—he was adopted.

But I know this: Coleman, who died today at age 42, couldn't lose it all if he never had it all.

When he was just 22 months old, it was learned a knotted-up ureter tube had blocked off, and essentially killed his kidneys. Until the age of 4, he relieved himself through two holes that doctors cut into his stomach. For a time, he was equipped with a pouch that the preschool-aged Coleman could manipulate to make it look as though he was peeing just like all the other boys. When he was 5, he underwent kidney-transplant surgery.

So, no, Coleman never had it all.

Even when you thought he had it all—when he was the biggest child-star of the late 1970s-early 1980s, when he was the kid who saved the then-struggling NBC, when he was earning as much as $3 million a year from Diff'rent Strokes and his far-flung enterprises—he didn't.

In fact, he only appeared to have it all precisely because he never had it all.

Following the kidney transplant, Coleman was put on a steroid regimen to guard against organ rejection. The treatment had two side effects: One, it stunted his growth; two, it made him the Hollywood ideal—the performer who can play younger, much younger. That Coleman could sell a punchline made him a talent. The fact that, as a 10-year-old, he could sell a punchline looking like a cherubic 8-year-old made him a phenomenon.

Hollywood has probably never taken more advantage of a disadvantage.

Diff'rent Strokes curse? Child-star curse? Coleman wasn't one for self-pity or excuses, and he didn't do curses. "I just happen to be one who has survived, who has survived being chewed upon," he told me in 2001.

Coleman's determination was double-edged: Because he perservered, he spent more years as a former child star—as the ultimate former child star—than he did as a child star. He spent more years living down Arnold Jackson than he spent living it up as him.

One thing Coleman never seemed to spend time on, however, was trying to get back what he once had. Sure, he'd appear on your TV show or do your movie if the money was there, but he never seemed desperate, as former child stars can be, for a return to the spotlight. For a return to the good old days.

Maybe he knew he they were never that good to begin with.

Read more: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b183481_gary_coleman_child_star_who_never_had.html#ixzz0pJHOJMuv

Donald Duke Arrested by Police

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on May 28, 2010 at 10:22pm

The political crisis in Cross Rivers State reached new highs Friday, when police, acting on the instructions from "above" disrupted the ceremony for the inauguration of the Women and Children Hospital built in Calabar by wife of former governor of the state, Donald Duke, Onari, taking him away for interrogation midway into the ceremony.

.
Mr Duke was driven away in his car, sandwiched between some senior police officers, to the state police headquarters at Diamond Hill where he was interrogated and afterwards released. He returned to the venue of the ceremony just when it was over to the palpable relief of his wife and admirers. He did not witness the cutting of the tape at the reception of the hospital.

A detachment of anti-riot policemen, led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police [operations], arrived at the venue and went straight to the master of ceremony and demanded to know who were the organizers and upon being referred to Mrs. Duke, engaged her in a discussion which attracted the husband's attention.

The former governor was told in clear terms that they have orders from above to stop the ceremony and would want him to follow them to the state headquarters of the force to answer some questions. The drama between him and the police took place beside the Murtala Mohammed Highway, where the hospital is located.

There were two version of Duke's arrest. One version has it that the police were acting on a court order stopping the ceremony from taking place while the other said the law enforcement agents swooped on the venue because it was an unauthorized political meeting summoned by Mr Duke.

The hospital complex is the state secretariat of the defunct National Republican Convention [NRC] of the botched Third Republic . It is a government facility which the Dukes used official fiat, while in power, to convert to a private use.

Rehabilitation work on it commenced during the second term of Mr Duke. At that time, Mrs. Duke told the press that the hospital was being constructed under public-private-partnership [PPP]. But today, the ownership of this specialist hospital for women and children resides with Mrs Duke.

This is the second time in a week that the now estranged political allies are having a brush. Penultimate Saturday, state governor, Liyel Imoke stopped the Cross River University of Technology [CRUTECH] from conferring an honorary doctorate degree on his predecessor who founded the university on the excuse that since the institution has not commenced post graduate studies, it cannot award such certificate.

Ever since Mr Duke dumped the PDP for another party to enable him realize his presidential ambition, relations between him and Mr Imoke have been in the freezer.

Recently, the state leadership of the PDP went on air to deride Mr Duke's resignation from the party and warned party members to stay clear of the former governor. Despite this, Mr Duke, who brooked no opposition during his eight years reign, has been holding nocturnal meetings with some of his former aides with a view to making them his foot soldiers in the state ahead of next year's general elections.

Mr Imoke and members of his cabinet shunned the hospital inauguration ceremony. Mrs. Obioma Imoke too was away at Biase Local Government Area for the launch of her pneumonia programme.

Chief consultant of the Women and Children Hospital and former commissioner of Health under Duke, Joseph Ana described as political the attempt to disrupt the ceremony. He said that as a private hospital, the institution does not require the presence of government officials to have it inaugurated.

The former commissioner described the hospital as a referral center that would help to attend to paediatric cases in the country ant the entire West Africa sub region given its state of the art facilities in modern health technology.

Obesere,others to sing for IBB as Evil Genius romances top artistes

Posted by NollywoodMohits on May 28, 2010 at 1:09am

Reminiscent of the one-million-man march staged by the Youth EarnestlyAsk (YEAA) for Abacha in 1994, some Nigerian musicians may, once again,converge to sing for former President Ibrahim Babangida who may becontesting for president in 2011..

And as part of efforts torealize his presidential ambition, Babangida, popularly known as IBB,is said to be recruiting some popular Nigerian musicians to help himreach out to the youths as well as members of the grassroots.

Nigeriafilms.comgathered that the artistes would hold grand concerts in some parts ofthe country including Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna and Port-Harcout afterhis campaign will have officially commenced.

The source alsotold Weekend Showbiz that some of these artistes would record campaignsongs that would be aired on radio and television stations across thefederation.

According to the source, some of the artistes thathave been contacted by the Niger State- born retired soldier includeHip-hop music star, D’Banj whose song was used by the ruling PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) in the 2007 general elections; Peter and PaulOkoye, otherwise known as PSquare; the Yahoozee crooner, Olu maintain;Banky W; Gongo Aso crooner, 9ice; Abass Akande Obesere; Sule AdioAtawewe and many others.

Obesere, who enjoyed great patronage from the former president duringhis last presidential campaign in 2007, said, “I remain the onlyartiste on the bill of the Babangida campaign. I am still in goodcontact with members of the campaign group and I know that no othermusician has been approached for this purpose. In fact, I have beengiven the mandate to negotiate with any artiste that I know will dothem good. I am the official musician for the Ibrahim Babangidacampaign in 2011.”

Also, in a separate interview with OluMaintain, he denied being approached by Babangida or any of hisloyalists. “I also heard that they are talking to some musicians forhis campaign, but I have not been approached yet. If they come, I willaccept. Why won’t I? I’m a musician and I will sing for anybody who isready to pay my bill.”

Nollywood hotties Pose ? Genevieve,Ini Edo,Rita Dominic

Posted by NollywoodMohits on May 28, 2010 at 1:05am

..

What does Basket Mouth & Richard Branson have in common ?

Posted by NollywoodMohits on May 28, 2010 at 12:30am

They both Got JOKES !

You wouldn’t believe what happened yesterday, at a brief event to celebrate Virgin Atalntic’s inaugural flight into Ghana.

At the well-attended event by the pool side of the Golden Tulip hotel, billionaire businessman Richard Branson, who’s the boss of VA,
attempted to push comedian Basketmouth into the pool. We’re told
Branson is used to pulling surprising stunts on guests at his events;
and that he has pushed many of his friends into swimming pools at
different parties.

But, yesterday in Accra, Nigerian comedianBasketmouth saw Branson coming. And he pulled a fast one – landing
Branson in the pool.

Guests were shocked. And for a second, somethought the billionaire or his aides would take offence. But Mr Branson
only reached out to Basket, inviting him to join him in the pool. ‘Wait
a minute’, Basket seemed to say, as he took off his wrist watch, and
dropped his mobile phone. Then he jumped into the pool where he posed
for pictures with Branson.

‘It was so unbelievable; but ended upbeing very interesting, and one of the high points of the night’, an
amused guest told NET.

‘He cracked Richard Branson up after that, and he got the man laughing non-stop. I was proud to be a Nigerian’, said our source.

Gary Coleman in critical condition, Utah hospital says

Posted by NollywoodMohits on May 28, 2010 at 12:19am

Actor Gary Coleman is in critical condition in a Provo, Utah, hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said Thursday.

Janet Frank, the spokeswoman for Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, confirmed thatColeman, 42, was being treated there after being admitted on Wednesday.

Frank would not release any other information.

Calls to Coleman's publicist were not immediately returned.

Coleman is best known as the wisecracking youngster Arnold Drummond on TV's"Diff'rent Strokes" from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s.

The former child actor was hospitalized briefly three months ago after suffering a seizure while being interviewed on a TVshow in Los Angeles, California.

FINBANK HOUSE OF FRAUD: CUSTOMER'S N10M MISSING

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on May 27, 2010 at 10:08pm

If information at our disposal is anything to go by, the regional head office of the Abuja based financial home, Finbank has a lot to do to redeem the image one of their staff, Oloyede Oluwaseyi Renike has dented. .

As we were informed, a couple of week ago, N10m belonging to a company in Abuja known as Baye-Ebi Nigeria Enterprise suddenly developed wings and flew from the account to another new account. According to information, the company, Baye-Ebi is one of the best customers of the Abuja branch of the bank. The bank staff, Oloyede Oluwaseyi allegedly said to have transferred the said money into another account in the branch, Easy Trade Concepts. Shortly after the transfer, we reliably gathered that, the money was immediately transferred again from the new account to unknown destination.

As you're reading this, the management of Finbank are said to be running here and there to save the good name of their bank now that the team of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have waded into the matter with a letter from the chairman to fish out the culprits or face the wrath of the law, we gathered Miss Oloyede, a resourceful hand in the Credit and Marketing Department of the bank was managing the account of the Baye-Ebi before the cookies crumbled.

"Miss Oloyede is no longer with us. She tendered her resignation May 27, 2010 letter a few days after the discovery of the fraud and nobody seems to know her whereabouts. However, what we junior staff noticed is that, there is no smoke without fire, we are very sure some top shots in this bank played a pivotal role in executing that game of fraud for the money to have disappeared just like that without any traces. It's really a sad story indeed." One of the people we talk with said anonymously.

Responding to the said allegation, the Corporate Communication Head, Mr. Rafiu Mohammed forwarded a mail to counter the story and he explained in detail what transpired between their bank, Baye-Ebi and the Easy trade Concept. Below.

Dear Sir,

RE: ALLEGED FRAUD ON BAYE-EBI NIGERIA ENTERPRISES ACCOUNT WITH FINBANK PLC

We refer to the above matter and information reaching us of the intention to publish a news item in your newspaper in relation to the above matter.

We have outlined below the facts of this matter in order to set the records straight.

Background.

i. Baye-Ebi Nigeria Enterprises (Customer) commenced banking relationship with FinBank Plc (the Bank) on November 2, 2009 through the Bank’s Wuse Zone 4 Branch in Abuja. The Relationship Officer for the account was Miss Renike Oluwaseyi Oloyede.
ii. On February 10, 2010, the Bank received a letter from the Customer informing the Bank of its observation that expected interest for two (2) consecutive maturity dates on a fixed deposit of N10m with the Bank did not reflect on their account.
iii. In line with the Bank’s internal procedures, the issue was referred for investigation and a thorough investigation was carried out on the activities on the account.

Investigation on the account disclosed the following:

1. Review of the Customer’s records with the Bank.

a. The Customer had addressed a letter dated November 20, 2009 to the Branch Manager of the Wuse Zone 4 Branch of the Bank to place the sum of N10m in fixed deposit for ninety (90) days at prevailing market rate. The letter was for the attention of the account Relationship Officer (Renike Olwaseyi Oloyede) who also received it.
b. In furtherance of the said letter, the Customer issued its FinBank Plc crossed cheque dated November 19, 2009 in favour of the Bank with face value of N10m. The Customer signed twice on the reverse side of the cheque with the following instruction “pls raise a draft IFO Easy Trade Concepts Ltd”.
c. This letter was not handed over to the Branch Manager for necessary directives, in line with the practice in the Bank as the Bank only became aware of the existence of the letter from the photocopies attached to the Customer’s letter of complaint.
d. Entries on the Customer’s statement for November 24, 2009 rather confirmed that a draft was raised for the sum of N10m in favour of one Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd and no deposit for the similar amount was placed with the Bank.

2. Statement by Renike Oluwaseyi Oloyede: though Renike is no longer with the Bank, she was contacted and a written statement volunteered by her. The highlight of her statement is as follows:

a) The Customer was aware that the N10m was fixed with Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd. A photocopy of the FinBank Draft in favour of Eazy Trade is attached.
b) That the transaction had nothing to do with FinBank Plc but that the Bank’s documents were used by her to give the transaction credibility.
c) That she signed and procured the signatures on the letter dated November 23, 2009 addressed to the Customer on the Bank’s letter head acknowledging the Customer’s purported investment in the Bank as a means of providing comfort to the Customer. She also confirmed that the second named signatory on the letter was not aware of the said investment. A photocopy of the purported investment letter is attached.
d) That the investment in Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd was based on discussions between her and the Customer’s Managing Director, Rodney Ambaiowei and in furtherance of which she wrote the instruction “pls raise a draft IFO Easy Trade Concepts Ltd” on the reverse side of the Customer’s cheque. A photocopy of the Customer’s cheque is attached.
e) To support the position in (d) above she provided official receipt from Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd acknowledging the receipt of the draft of N10m. The receipt was issued in the name of the Customer’s Managing Director, Rodney Ambaiowei. A photocopy of the said receipt is attached.
f) Prior to the Customer’s complaint to the Bank, both of them (Renike and Customer’s Managing Director, Rodney Ambaiowei) paid several visits to the Offices of Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd to follow up on the repayment of the investment.
g) She also stated that they were assured that the principal amount and interest at 15% would be paid by February 25, 2010 but the amount is yet to be received.

Prevailing Issues.

1) The Bank is concerned about the real motive of Renike Oluwaseyi Oloyede and the Customer, which is targeted at passing-off an investment in the Bank in order to hedge against any repayment risk in their investment in a “Wonder Bank”.
2) Contrary to standard banking practice, the Customer did not endorse the instruction on the reverse side of the cheque purportedly signed in furtherance of the request to the Bank to place the N10m in a fixed deposit in the Bank.
3) There is no fixed deposit in the Bank’s record in favour of the Customer for N10m or any similar amount at all.
4) It is curious why it took the Customer seventy-eight (78) days from the inception of the purported investment to start making enquiries.
5) It is obvious that the Customer realised that its investment with Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd was in jeopardy that was why it resorted to the Bank with the view to place liability on the Bank.
6) The Customer failed to act prudently when he did not raise objection to the debit of N10m in his statement of account on November 24, 2009 with the description “draft IFO Eazy Trade Concepts Limited” as the transaction details did not represent the instruction it gave the Bank. The Customer received its Statement of Accounts on a regular basis.
7) The Customer issued a cheque with instructions to raise a Draft in favour of Eazy Trade Concept Limited as a result of which a payment receipt was issued in favour of the Customer’s Managing Director for same amount.
8) It is obvious that the lure of higher and lucrative interest rate led to the private arrangement between Renike Oulwaseyi Oloyede and the Customer to invest the N10m in Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd.

Current Developments.

From available information, Eazy Trade Concepts Limited, the beneficiary of the N10m draft issued from the Customer’s account is a company based in Abuja engaged in mobilising deposits from members of the public and offering high and attractive deposit rates of between 10% to 20% monthly. It appears the company is going through some liquidity challenges and have not been meeting up with obligations to their depositors.

Following the findings from the Bank’s investigation, the Bank reported the developments to the Nigeria Police Force and investigation is currently being handled by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (Force CID) of the Nigeria Police Force Head Quarters, Abuja.

The Police have received representations from the Bank, Renike Oluwaseyi Oloyede and representatives of Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd. However, the Customer is yet to honour invitations made to them by the Police.

Conclusion.

The above facts constitute the true events of the activities on the Customer’s account leading to the on-going investigation by the Police. As a law abiding financial institution committed to transparency and fairness, we took reasonable steps within the ambit of the law to unravel the events leading to the Customer’s complaint.

It is our expectation that the above facts will receive unbiased consideration and that any reporting contemplated on the matter will be devoid of any innuendo capable of conveying defamatory imputation.

Yours faithfully,
For: FINBANK PLC

American cage fighter 'rips out still-beating heart of training partner after fearing he was possessed by the devil'

A truly heartbreaking & Frightning Story .

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.