Accra, May 20, GNA – Former President Jerry John Rawlings has observed that directions taken by countries such as Ghana have served as a source of inspiration to many countries in Africa and beyond.“As leaders of our countries, we have a responsibility to gauge the mood of the people and always move the political train in a direction that ensures that the electorate feel their interests have been served,” he said in a lecture he delivered on “Democracy and Security in Africa” under the auspices of the Oxford Research Network on Governance in Africa in London on Tuesday.The former president said in his lecture, a copy of which was e-mailed to GNA, that democracy made true meaning when it was the kind of governance that advertised true people power.He said security and political stability were key for real socio-economic development and that security relied on a genuine democratic culture.Former President Rawlings said the multiparty system of governance “prescribed and inflicted on us by some Western powers did not factor the social cultural fabric of our traditional political system that existed before Western multiparty democracy.”“It is not the absence of military interventions, which we seem to have achieved, that will restore democracy, freedom, justice and development. What is required is the integrity of leadership and ability to empower the people. Leadership should have confidence in our people and not feel intimidated by empowering them,” he said.The former president said corruption had persisted because leaders had used state machinery to terrorise the people and silence the opposition.He also noted that “vested interests from outside” had also contributed to perpetuating this by whitewashing such corrupt and autocratic governments.Former President Rawlings said while national security involved protecting the state, its institutions andsovereignty, human or political security entailed issues of poverty, basic amenities, employment, and abuse of human rights.The former president said it was most unethical and politically unwise to attempt to govern a people by resorting to a high ratio of physical security as opposed to political/human security.“Are we not violating people's human rights, sensibilities and sensitivities with the use of the coercive machinery of the state by terrorising people into a State of subjugation?” he asked.Former Rawlings said on the other hand, a high ratio of political/human to physical security was a mark of good leadership and a demonstration of confidence in the sense of responsibility of people as this empowered the people.“If we have the courage to empower our people, it then demands of us a leadership that will necessarily be accountable to the people, be transparent and maintain a high degree of integrity.”Former President Rawlings also said the use of the judiciary to jail innocent people contributed to instilling fear and emasculating the populace.“In effect, it creates a false and intoxicating sense of security for the leadership at the expense of the security and the empowerment of the citizenry. We then get away with being corrupt dictators. Integrity, transparency and accountability become meaningless in our leadership. Fear, intimidation and terror tactics are the tools of corrupt dictatorships.”Former President Rawlings said security could not exist in a vacuum but always overlapped with the political environment.He said in Africa, democracy and security had always been bedfellows, saying the democratic system of governance related to the free and equal representation of the people in the management of a country.Former President Rawlings said democracy worked only when it had evolved within a specific socio-cultural environment and fused into the traditional political systems such that it was seen as an indigenous product, but unfortunately Africa had not been given the opportunity to develop this.Turning to Ghana, the former president traced his rise to power and said the country underwent political and economic metamorphoses that every true proponent of democracy had to concede, laid the fertile framework for what was regarded today as a stable democracy
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Armed robbers appear to have developed a novel idea of attacking unsuspecting victims at bus stops, using exotic cars.Their latest victims were two young men and a woman who were waiting for a bus at Mangoro Bus Stop on the Lagos/Abeokuta expressway.Our correspondent learnt that at about 10.15pm on Sunday, a fairly new lemon colour Peugeot 406 car pulled up about 20 metres away from some commuters at the bus stop.Immediately, three men alighted from the car, giving the impression that the driver was just dropping them off.However, the men, it was gathered, turned out to be armed robbers.One of the victims, Emmanuel (surname withheld), who spoke with our correspondent on Wednesday about his ordeal, said he lost everything on him on that night to the "corporate" bandits.He said, "I closed for work at about 9.50pm and when I discovered that my colleague who usually drops me on his way home was still busy in the office, I decided to find my way home."I was the first person to get to the bus stop. Afterwards, a woman joined me and some minutes later, another man met us their."As we were waiting for a bus, this car stopped a few metres away from us and three men came out of it."Ordinarily, I thought they were just alighting from the car to go to their different homes, but suddenly, I discovered that the three of them had surrounded us."They pulled pistols and asked us to sit on the ground."The victim said his Sony Ericsson W800i phone, two United Bank for Africa ATM cards, N5, 000, and an ID card were lost to the bandits, who later zoomed off towards Iyana Ipaja.When contacted, police spokesman in Lagos, Mr. Frank Mba, said he was not aware of the incident.
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THE continued fall of naira against international currencies, particularly the dollar and pound sterling is having a serious consequence on Nigerians living in Dubai, United Arab Emirate.A survey carried out by TTH in Dubai and other Emirates of the UAE, recently, showed that Nigerians are migrating out of Dubai to other Asian countries in their thousands "because the fall of naira has been making mince meat of our efforts here".Investigation revealed that Nigerians were having a rosy time in Dubai, until June 2008, when the value of a dollar was being exchanged for N118, “since then, we have never have peace for the naira continued to slide while the dollar continued to wax strong and stronger.”Speaking with TTH, Abiodun Taiwo, a Nigerian and an HND, Marketing graduate of The Polytechnic, Ibadan “I came to Dubai in 1999 and because the naira was strong then, I had good reason to thank God. And so with many of us. But since June last year our stories have changed from better to worse."Most of us have started migrating back home. Some of us have left for China, Bangkok, Malaysia, USA.“In fact, the fall of naira is not having its consequences on Nigerians in Dubai alone, but on Dubai government too because as a Cargo Manager, the volume of trade between Nigeria and Dubai has dropped drastically. Just because the profit margin of goods and services is no longer encouraging.”Another Nigerian, Christopher Okey, who operates an African Kitchen at the back of a mosque at Deira District in Dubai, was full of lamentation about the fortunes of the naira. "My brother, (covering his head with his palm) we are suffering here. Our suffering is not in the hand of the Dubai Authority or their policy or police, no. We are crying under the yoke of the free fall of naira at the foreign market."Most of us are closing our shops and heading somewhere else. I am looking for a buyer for this place. Immediately I get a buyer, I am off, either to Nigeria or Japan."Last year when you were here, you saw how busy I was. This place, (pointing to the upper floor of his restaurant) was always full. I always have hectic time attending to thousands of customers, but you can see for yourself now. How many customers have been here since?"Our fortune is dwindling because less people are coming from Nigeria to trade here".He appealed to the Federal Government to do “some arithmetics and tinker with the value of the naira and prevent its further slide at the international market.”
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Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, on Tuesday, told the Financial Services Committee of the United States' House of Representatives, how he was offered $15m by a governor in the Niger Delta to drop corruption charges against him.former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Nuhu RibaduRibadu, whose dismissal from the Nigerian Police Force was still being challenged in the court, is a visiting fellow of the St. Anthony's College, University of Oxford. He was at the US House on invitation by the committee.The former EFCC boss who insisted that the Niger Delta problem was being compounded by corruption, stated that the commission, under his leadership also made efforts to help tackle the problem.He revealed that an unnamed former state governor from the oil-rich region had offered him $15m in cash to stop an investigation against him, adding that the commission still went ahead to charge the governor for the plundering of his state resources as well as the bribe offer.He however lamented that the said governor was today a free man in Nigeria, where he wields power in the Peoples Democratic Party-led government and in the country as a whole.He said that such instances of treating some corrupt state officials with kids gloves, by the current administration, was responsible for the dwindling success of the anti-graft crusade.Ribadu said, "Indeed, one of the governors of the Delta that we investigated offered me $15m in cash to stop the investigation against him."We charged him both for the theft of state revenues and for the bribery attempt. Sadly today, he is still one of the most powerful political figures in both the ruling party and the country."This clearly highlights the problem of the Delta - money meant to have gone for development has gone to very few hands and is used for negative ends."In 2003/4, almost 100,000 barrels of oil was stolen daily; by 2005/6, we had managed to reduce this to 10,000 barrels per day. We also secured convictions for kidnappers in the Delta, who were driving the cycle of violence and bribery with the private oil companies.Ribadu, who lauded the political will of the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to pursue anti-corruption war, said that the current administration only paid lip service to the crusade.He said, "But the policy today in Nigeria is to use all the right rhetoric - speaking of the need for rule of law and the fight against corruption - to cover-up their real campaign to completely undo the reform efforts of the previous government and so thoroughly confuse corruption and anti-corruption that no one can sort out which is which any longer."This is why today, many of the law enforcement agencies that used to work hand-in-hand with the EFCC are no longer willing to partner with the EFCC or the Nigerian Justice Department. The issue of integrity is paramount in such relationships."Corruption makes democracy impossible because it subverts the will of the people. A select few, with so much money and authority, continue to steal elections and make a mockery of the notion of government by the people or for the people."The unholy alliance between local political elites and western financial institutions has been the foundation of this narrative of shame. The best illustration yet is the now famous Halliburton/KBR scandal where, as a Nigerian newspaper recently reported, our leaders received "stacks of US dollar bills in briefcases and sometimes in bullion vans" until some $185m had been exchanged for a contract to build a liquefied natural gas plant."The other famous case is the Siemens scandal. According to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Siemens made approximately $12.7m in "suspicious payments" for Nigerian projects, including to government customers for four telecommunications projects. The total value of the four contracts was approximately $130m. There are many other instances.
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A rather curious development project is currently under way in Badagry, Nigeria. Not only is it to become a multi-billion theme park commemorating former slaves, but also, will be dedicated to the Jackson Five.
Nigeria theme park
Marlon Jackson, a former member of the world famous Jackson Five band and a brother to the legendary Michael Jackson has become associated with a rather curious development project. To commemorate all the slaves taken from its shores, a magnificent theme park is to be built in the port of Badagry, Nigeria. It is not to be an ordinary theme park though. The developer has revealed an intention to invest an incredible $ 3.4 billion into this project.
The location is not just a randomly picked place. In fact, Badagry has been known as the major slave-trade port. Between 16th and 19th century, more than 10 million Africans were forced to leave their homes to be shipped away and enslaved for years. A replica of an old slave ship is to become part of the museum, which will be dedicated to a faithful portrayal of the slaves.
African beats and sense for rhythm have had a massive influence on music, especially in the 20th century. This aspect is also celebrated in the museum, and part of the exhibition are holograms of the Jackson Five.
Strangely enough, even though the project partially commemorates slavery in a humble and educational way - featuring exhibitions, a memorial, the slave ship, it is partially a luxurious resort. A golf course and multiple casinos as well as a five-star hotel will also become the major attractions here.
The developer presents the Badagry Theme Park project as an attempt to raise awareness as well as attract those African Americans who wish to trace their roots and return to visit their homeland. As a secondary goal, the tourist flow is meant to increase massively in Nigeria, to some 1.4 million visitors in the first year only. The project critics point out that even though the cause seems noble, the theme park is about to become yet another money making business with no other objectives. Hopefully, the future months will reveal the real benefits of the theme park.
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PRESS RELEASE20 May 20092001 – 2009AFRUCA Celebrates Eight Years of Promoting the Welfare of African ChildrenOn its 8th anniversary, AFRUCA outlines its achievements promoting the rights and welfare of African children in the UK and in AfricaAFRUCA – Africans Unite Against Child Abuse was established in May 2001 to campaign against the abuse and exploitation of African children. Since then we have gained recognition as the premier charity working to promote the rights and welfare of African children in the UK.“Many African children in the UK experience a multitude of challenges that affect their ability to flourish and grow. Our main focus has been to ensure we can work successfully with others to address those challenges for the benefit of our children” said Debbie Ariyo, AFRUCA Founder and Executive Director.AFRUCA has played a leadership role in addressing the trafficking of African children to the UK and is known to be very active in this regard. Over the years, our work on child trafficking has imbibed a holistic approach, working with others to highlight the issue, influencing government policy through knowledge gained from working in the community as well as through the provision of direct support to victims. At least over 40 young people have directly benefitted from our work in this area. With new funding from Comic Relief, we are now able to expand the menu of support and assistance to reach more victims of trafficking in the London area.AFRUCA is deeply concerned about the disproportionate number of African children who are experiencing abuse and harm and who are ending up in Local Authority care across the UK. Most children who are removed from their parents are due to allegations of culture-related child abuse and other practices harmful to children. In tackling this growing problem, AFRUCA has launched an England-wide prevention and early intervention project aiming to help improve the knowledge and understanding of African parents in Child Protection as well as the rules and regulations governing how children are brought up in the UK. With funding from the Big Lottery and the Government Department for Children and Families, this project operates in London, Manchester, Newcastle and Liverpool. So far, since June 2007, over 500 parents from a wide range of African backgrounds have benefited from our training programme across London alone.In addition to working with parents to improve their parenting skills, AFRUCA also provides intensive support to families in crisis who are experiencing a breakdown in relationships. This area of work has enabled us to intervene successfully in over 30 families across London and the South East since June 2007. This element of our work has been boosted by our recent success in winning a tender from Thurrock Council in Essex to establish a Service Office offering a menu of support services for Black African families at risk in that area.Aside working with families and within the community, AFRUCA is actively engaging with practitioners to helpimprove their knowledge and skills so they can intervene successfully when working with African families. In April 2007, we launched a National Training Programme for Practitioners working with African children across the UK by offering a menu of training courses to help broaden their knowledge and skills in intervening in and assessing families. So far over 400 practitioners have taken part in our training programme. Our knowledge and expertise in child protection work with African children is highly valued and respected by agencies and their workers across the country. This is evidenced by the level of demand for AFRUCA’s intervention and expert advice in case assessment. In 2008, AFRUCA was commissioned by Southwark Council to help review its child protection work with Black African families. Our work has helped to highlight key gaps in service provision which we expect to be addressed by the Council.In recent years, there has been a lot of attention paid to the plight of children and young people accused as witches or as possessed by evil spirits. Many children across the UK suffer untold physical and emotional harm as a result of accusations of witchcraft. In 2007, AFRUCA launched a community consultation to gather views on whether branding children as witches should be a criminal offence. Majority of respondents supported our proposal for the criminalisation of child branding. Through our Safeguarding African Children Network, we continue to work with the relevant community and faith groups and other agencies to address this very important issue.AFRUCA is very proud of our achievements in supporting African children and their families across the country, in helping to keep families together and in helping to support victims of trafficking. As we continue to expand our work across the UK, with a Regional Office in Manchester and a Service Office in Thurrock, Essex, it is our hope that we can continue to make a difference in the lives of African children in the UK and help to address the root causes of the problems they experience.However, it is important to note that our intervention in the past eight years has not been limited to the UK. In partnership with Youth Alive, a children’s charity based in the North of Ghana, AFRUCA is also working to help meet the needs of over 300 street children each year in that country through the provision of access to education, training and health care. In Nigeria, we are working with partners in the East of the country to address the horrific problem of “baby factories”, a fertile ground for child trafficking and exploitation. On the issue of child trafficking itself, we are actively engaging with local groups to conduct advocacy campaigns. In 2004, AFRUCA held a series of awareness raising campaigns as well as an international conference in Lagos, Nigeria to highlight the growing number of Nigerian children trafficked to the UK and the need for urgent intervention. Based on our growing activities across the continent, AFRUCA is now seeking to develop a physical presence in Africa.In celebrating our 8th year of supporting African children and promoting their safety and well-being, we wish to acknowledge the overwhelming goodwill and support we have received over the years from our various partners, including other African community organisations, government local authorities and other agencies, Safeguarding Boards, our funders and sponsors, other charities across the UK and in Africa and most importantly the children, young people and the families that make our work worthwhile.From 22 to 26 June 2009, AFRUCA will hold a series of events in London and Manchester to celebrate its 8th anniversary. Please visit our website at www.afruca.org for further information.For further enquiries please contact:Debbie AriyoAFRUCA DirectorTel: 0844 660 8607Email: info@afruca.org
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we asked. Our gentle readers answered. In A List Apart #263 we inquired how you walk the blurry line when you work from home. Here are your secrets—how to balance work and family, maintain energy and focus, get things done, and above all, how to remember the love.
Balancing work and family
Keep the peanut butter out of your keyboard and nosy relatives out of your office.
Hire your mom
I’ve “hired” my retired mom to watch my two‐year‐old for me in the morning two days a week. Normally, I would feel strangely about paying my mom to watch her grandchild. But this is not for a casual grandma-and-grandson day. I’ve asked her to come specifically at 8:30 a.m. on certain days. That way, I always have at least two full work days a week I know I can rely on. Putting “restrictions” on her time makes me feel more like I’ve hired a sitter. The small fee removes any kind of “I’m taking advantage of my mom” feelings that I may have. It puts a little extra mad money in her pocket each week, and my son gets guaranteed grandma time. Everybody wins. –Lynda Stewart
Go with the flow
I balance my web design and consultancy business with being mum to a wacky toddler in an incredibly cramped two-bedroom flat, which we can’t afford to move out of. Our living room is also my office, my toddler’s playroom, and the dining room—so I do more of a balancing act than most.
I tend to do planning and meetings during the day. My daughter goes down for a long nap after lunch so I’m usually able to plan the day out in advance between time with her and time for clients. I use the Printable CEO and BT Workspace to keep me structured.
If my toddler is having a bad day—or if I am having a bad day—I know now to write the workday off and not feel guilty about it. We also work by the weather (which is a must in Scotland). If it is sunny and hot on a Thursday with a forecast for a monsoon on Saturday, I will take Thursday as my “day off” and work through Saturday. –Heather Burns
Do not disturb—this means you
I work out of my basement. My kids all understand that “Daddy is busy working” and they only interrupt me for emergencies. Other adults and visiting family members are a different story. They come into my office and start talking to me when I’m clearly wearing my headset—no matter how many fingers I hold up (or which ones). It’s funny that my kids know what’s going on while adults don’t get it, but that’s the trick: get everyone you live with on board with your work-from-home plan. Otherwise, you’re doomed. –Brian Alvey
Angela’s rules for success
1. Work out at the gym at least three days a week.
2. Eat healthy.
3. Remember to recharge the spirit—have a moment of silence and prayer to empower the day.
4. Hug hubby, kids, and cats whenever the opportunity presents itself even if it means breaking the train of thought.
5. Breathe—especially when situations present opportunities to get stressed.
6. If you don’t know, ask someone. “Ask and you shall receive.”
7. Give yourself a break. If you get frustrated, change your environment. Go for a two minute walk to clear your mind.
8. Plan when you can. Do what you can before you have to even if it is a small action list for a project.
9. Praise yourself for not procrastinating until the very last minute.
10. Make time to spend with those who care about you (once a week at the very least).
11. Be flexible. Some days may be conducive to rules and other days may not. –Angela Vangalis
Make pancakes
We make breakfast time a special time to connect. Sometimes we’ll make pancakes together. (They’re faster than you think.) We always talk about what we’re going to be doing that day. After breakfast, we have some special together time. We’ll read together or play a game. After, I work on things that take less focus while the kids are playing (email, paperwork, filing, etc.). I work on things that take more focus while the kids are asleep (phone calls, creative work, concept building, etc.). I have a “turn off computer” time every day. It may not be the same time every day, but after I say I’m done for the day, I am DONE. I don’t do anything on the computer, even fun stuff. –Sarah Bray
Set boundaries
I telecommute several times per month, depending on the season and needs at the office. My parents live with me and require some support—a situation offering its own challenges to staying focused when working from home. I use telecommuting with flextime to schedule appointments that need to be addressed at home. I keep a daily journal and spreadsheet of time accrued. My goal is to maintain a 40-hour week. If I’ve had an interruption or other task that has taken a part of my work day, I know how much remaining time to schedule for that evening or the next day.
As a team, my coworkers and I are accountable to each other for daily progress. We hold a short team meeting each morning. When telecommuting, I email a daily summary to the group. I’ve found when you have peers to report to, you’ll stay focused on your assignments—wherever you’re working. –Stephanie Marcum
Keep communication lines open and your guard up
Show your clients that you’re there by staying available on IM, updating Twitter, and promptly answering emails. You don’t want your clients to stereotype you for working at home. It may cost you your next gig. Make sure your clients know your business hours too. Don’t take phone calls from clients after hours—it’s offensive to your family and it sends a bad message to your client—that you’re a pushover. –Justin Carroll
Dress for success
The successful web worker knows what not to wear: pajama pants and fuzzy slippers are out.
Dress for the office, even at home
Several years ago, my buddy got laid off from his highly corporate marketing job, and launched his own PR firm from home. Every morning he’d wake up, shower, shave, put on a suit and tie, and march down the steps into the basement. My friend said getting dressed for work not only put him in the right frame of mind, (he’d always worn a suit to the office) it signaled to his wife and kids that he was at work and not available to run a quick errand or mow the lawn. –Stephen Petit
Wear shoes
When I start to work, I put on the specific pair of shoes I would wear if I was walking to the office and working there all day. This simple trick just triggers my mind into “office mode.” –Ian McFarlan
Apply technology
The tools, applications, and services you love, and new ways to use them.
Create a new IM account
Keep work and friends in different pockets. AIM will ruin your life if you let it. I really like to chat and have constant casual company while I work. If you want to be productive, create a new IM account and only add people who are doing the same thing as you are while working. –Brad Johnson
On The Job highly recommended
A great piece of software that I use for time tracking is called On The Job. It’s Mac-only. It is beautifully conceived and easy to use. All I have to do is add a new task under a project, start the timer, and when I’m done it will calculate charge backs based on my personal rate. It also exports invoices. Great tool—highly recommend it! –Ben Reed
Grand Central da bomb
Use Grand Central. Grand Central is an application that masks several phone numbers as one. You input all your phone numbers and label them “home,” “mobile,” “work,” etc. The application gives you one phone number, local to your area code, that you can hand out. It’s fantastic for having one phone number and being on the road, at home, at my external office, at the coffee shop, etc. –Eric Muntz
Use multiple computers
Use multiple computers to separate different job functions. I use a MacBook Air only for websurfy, newsready, and emaily-type things, first thing in the morning and at intervals throughout the day, so that I’m not obsessively checking for new mail. I have an iMac for design and web work, and an old G4 tower dedicated solely to driving a large inkjet printer. –Lee Shiney
Lovin’ RememberTheMilk.com
I use RememberTheMilk.com and its Gmail plug-in for time-sensitive scheduling. This includes meetings, deadlines, and future plans. I can see deadlines and work on the closest ones first. The Remember The Milk plug-in for Gmail allows me to see things such as my grocery list, and my appointments for tomorrow and the next day. I can also create them from Gmail. The interface is very easy to use and there’s a very satisfying “Finish” button for when things are done. –Jessica Sprague
Get your GTD freak on with GTDInbox
I’ve found a free Getting Things Done plugin for Firefox/Gmail which is totally worth a look for those into David Allen’s Getting Things Done philosophy. I love filing emails into their respective projects and I’ve adopted an “empty inbox” policy, which is SO nice. –Jessica Sprague
Takin’ care of business
Get paid. Run your business like a law firm. I use FreshBooks and Backpack. I run a journal on my daily activities. I schedule what I am working on and when I am working on it. I bill for everything (phone calls, meetings, sketching ideas). I also know how many hours I need to meet my financial goals each month, each week, each day. –Jesse Korzan
OmniFocus your to-do list
Keep a daily to-do list. I love OmniFocus. Each night before I go to bed, I write out a to-do list for the next day. Once that list is done, I walk away. The benefit is two-fold. Firstly, having a list of things to keep myself busy each day helps to minimize distractions and keeps me on track. Secondly, it helps me to have the list so I can feel good about walking away eventually. If I did not schedule an “ending” to the day, since I work at home, I might just never stop working. It keeps things in check, and priorities straight. –Nick Francis
Skype
Skype is the best thing that ever happened to our collective of contractors. Skype video conferencing makes working with designers in Berlin and developers in Montreal seamless—all from Washington DC. Skype-to-go and the Philips Skype Phone allow me to make close-to-free calls without a flipping computer. –David F. Choy
Earth Class Mail
Get an address. You certainly don’t want customers showing up at your home to bother you, so getting an address is critical. A P.O. box may work, but there are some new options. Earth Class Mail is a great one. It gives you a physical address and puts all your mail online. You don’t even have to make a trip to the post office! –Jonathan Stanley
Maintaining focus
Inspire yourself.
Use visual stimuli
Organize the files on your desktop and put a beautiful picture there that focuses you—something that has meaning and motivates you. I used to use an old picture of Steve Jobs sitting on his empty apartment floor, when he had nearly nothing, to remind me that even the captain of the ship used to kick it in a paddle boat. –Brad Johnson
Getting Things Done
Organize your time and space to silence seductive sirens. Prove your worth with progress.
Chunk work time
Work in chunks of time—about one-and-a-half hours works best for me. Then I do something else for 15-30 minutes. This helps concentration and posture, which I find is always much worse at home than at work. My house is always cleaner when I work from home, as the 15-30 minute gaps are good for putting in washing, hanging it out, cleaning the cooker, hoovering, etc. –Helen Sargan
Don’t throw out your alarm
Get up at the same time everyday, like the rest of the world. It creates discipline. But bend this rule to feel more alive. Had enough routine lately? Wake up late and work late. Just don’t make a habit out of it—it ruins the fun of doing it. There’s nothing like getting lost in Photoshop at 12 a.m. to some tripped-out beats. –Justin Carroll
Demonstrate progress
My employer and I have a deal worked out. When I work from home, I have a set agenda each day. I send visible progress reports each hour—or at whatever time increments we decide on. I send links to pages I am updating, image files I am working on—anything that shows what I have been doing. Each of us in my office communicates via instant messaging so even though I am not in sight—I remain a click away. Knowing that I am still being somewhat supervised keeps me on my toes—but still gives me the freedom and flexibility to do what I want. –Brittany Moon-Miller
Tackle tough jobs in the morning
Do the hardest work in the morning, and the easy jobs in the afternoon. –Carsten Engel
Avoid the seductive siren
It took a while, but I eventually convinced my old-school boss to let me work from home for a couple days every week. Virtual Private Network (VPN) and call forwarding are the only tools I need. With VPN, I have access to all the applications and services available on my work computer. But to really get my work done, I find that it’s important to move my desk away from the window and face a wall—a corner if possible. If there is one thing I’ve learned it’s that windows are the seductive sirens of daydreaming. Look away! –John Kulunk
Use tunnel vision to your advantage
I tend to save my most focused work for nighttime or very early in the morning when it is dark out or still mostly dark. It gives me sort of a tunnel vision where all I can literally see is my computer or paperwork. –Kelley Mitchell
Use the view to your advantage
Speaking of basements, make sure your workspace has a window and that you have few meters of space in front of your desk. This way, you can view objects further away while doing the critical thinking part of the job. –Pirkka Hartikainen
Consider alternate locations
I’m a full-time senior software engineer in the U.K. I work from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (That’s 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. if you include commuting!) I also freelance as a website designer and developer for small companies. I end up doing most of my freelance work on the train to and from work with my trusty tablet PC. I invested in a pair of Bose QC3 headphones, which actively cancel out exterior noise. This means I can not only happily listen to music, but block out the sound of the train (and other passengers). –Andrew Brigham
Get creative (with) space
When our first son was born, it became clear that it would be difficult to continue working from home in our small, three-bedroom house. After debating the merits of moving or remodeling, we decided to build a separate office in the dead space behind our garage. I had a pre-fabricated, 8×15 ft. shed delivered and installed a few weeks later. After finishing the inside, I had the ultimate home office. –Brian DeHamer
Chocolate carrots are good
If I’m working on something I don’t love, I really have to MAKE myself work on that first. I get the big, bad thing out of the way first—even to the point of bribing myself with chocolate or an iTunes download. I can be bought. –Jessica Sprague
Don’t be ruled by the clock
Make your clients work within business hours—but make sure you do not! Don’t stop programming because you heard the lunch bell. Be task orientated. Break up your programming…“once I finish building this object then I get lunch.” Be pragmatic. Some things come with inspiration; others come with a train of thought. Don’t stop the train or cut off inspiration because it is the right time for lunch. –Aaron Martin
Get a cleaning lady
The most important thing about working from home: saying “yes” to one thing, means saying “no” to another. Both my wife and I freelance outside of our university jobs. At some point we lost Sunday afternoons in the park and doing laundry and scrubbing the toilets. So the deal was this: if we said “yes” to both of us freelancing, we had to say “no” to either toilets or the park. The choice was obvious, and Craigslist provided a great person. –Charlie Triplett
Maintaining energy
Keep your professional network and your body healthy. Remember the love to keep your creative chi flowing.
Abandon the rules
We’ve done this for years—five now to be exact. How does it all work? We ask ourselves this all the time. After a lot of thought, here’s what we figure: it works for us precisely because we have no boundaries. We think our work is, for the most part, fun. We like what we do. Because of that, we don’t tend to think of it as “work.” If we tried to structure ourselves, even a little bit, it would rapidly devolve into “work” and it wouldn’t be fun so we’d do less of it, and make less money. What this means, is that often, in the middle of the “workday,” we feed the chickens, see a movie, or go sit in the tree house. Clearly, this is why we’re not rich. But, when the DEADLINE looms, we work all night (well, not really, but close) because we can and because we seem to thrive on the adrenaline. –Claudia Dunitz
Get out of the (home) office
I leave my home office for most coffee and lunch breaks—even if it’s just to go upstairs to have lunch. Getting out of the office keeps me fresh, and reinforces the boundary between work and home. Meet clients outside the office. I find it more rejuvenating to meet them at their workplace, where there are other people hard at work. It keeps me in the work mindset, and allows me to be visible to my clients as a professional, and not just “some guy who works from home.” –Alan Bucknam
Do lunch
Even though I work from home more than 70% of the time, it’s not a prison sentence. Take anyone, who may (someday) lead you to additional work or opportunities, out to lunch. I keep a list of all of my contacts. I work that list top to bottom, meeting with at least two people every week. When I reach the end, I start over again at the top of the list. –Scott Kersey
Make connections
Start or join an “office of freelancers”—you can rent desk space/internet monthly and sit in a cool apartment building/loft space with other freelancers. Go to as many social networking events as you can, or start you own. I began an event called “SNIBL” in Boston—“Social Networking is Better Live,” to bring together former colleagues/designers and discuss what’s happening in the field. –Brian O’Neill
Get some exercise
Find some evening activities—gym, classes, whatever. It’s too easy to turn into a mushroom when working from home. I’m lucky because we have a post box that I can check every day. Even if I’m not expecting mail, the five km bike ride there and back makes for a good (and reasonable) mid-day break. –Sean Kimball
Manage your energy cycle
I take advantage of my natural energy cycles. In a creative job, it’s more important to manage your energy than your time. Everyone has different fluctuations and certain times when they’re most energetic, creative, and productive. If you combine working at peak energy times with all the other tips you mentioned to get a distraction-free environment, you really can get more done while working fewer hours. –Stephen Fung
Multitask
I like to have a one simple household chore going while I am home. It helps to stand up and move around. The best one for me is doing laundry. This way I am forced to stand up and get the blood circulating about every 30 to 40 minutes. –Erskine Harris
Remember the love
To keep the energy high and the work flowing for me, I try to remember that I have a great passion for the work I do. It’s the love that motivates, man. The love. So sometimes I need to go look at the work of the people I teach, or review past successes, or to read some inspiring and motivational words to get the juices flowing again. –Jessica Sprague
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(CNN) -- An international manhunt was under way Thursday for a New Zealand couple who fled after a bank mistakenly paid them NZ$10 million (US$6 million) when they applied for a loan of just NZ$10,000.
Westpac bank paid the couple 1,000 times the amount they asked for.
New Zealand authorities said they had sought the help of Interpol in locating the couple who disappeared May 7, two days after an employee error at Westpac bank paid them 1,000 times the amount they asked for.
The accidental millionaires, who have not been identified by authorities but are believed to come from the resort of Rotorua, were thought to have left the country, police said.
"At this time I am not prepared to disclose the amount of money involved, name the individuals or business involved, or discuss which country the individuals may be in right now," said Detective Senior Sergeant David Harvey of the New Zealand police. Watch as 'millionaires' go on the run »
The bank, too, would only say it was "pursuing vigorous criminal and civil action to recover a sum of money stolen."
However, local media and many Rotorua residents were abuzz about the amount.
TVNZ, a CNN television affiliate, said the couple applied for a NZ$ 10,000 (US$ 6,000) loan for a service station they owned.
On or about May 5, the bank erroneously put NZ$ 10 million (US$ 6 million) into their bank account. What would you do in this situation?
The next day, the service station closed its doors. And the day after, the couple went missing, TVNZ said.
"Saturday, Sunday, we realized something else was up," Rotorua resident Tania Davies told the station. "They'd done a runner."
Another resident, Chevi Lambert, said a private investigator came by asking about the couple over the weekend.
"It's such a big world, he could just disappear," Lambert said.
Police said the bank had recovered part of the money, indicating the couple may not have been able to access the entire amount.
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Before Marriage:please baby Oh I love you . After Marriage: You ? Love ?i, oh baby please !
He: Yes. At last, it was so hard to wait.
She: Do you want me to leave?
He: NO! Don't even think about it.
She: Do you love me?
He: Of course! Over and over!
She: Have you ever cheated on me?
He: NO! Why are you even asking?
She: Will you kiss me?
He: Every chance I get!
She: Will you hit me?
He: Are you crazy! I'm not that kind of person!
She: Can I trust you?
He: Yes.
She: Darling!
After marriage
Read from bottom to top
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You Go GIRL ! Dem say we too like money ! I hope say ya husband understand o !
The deal was highly sumptuous and tempting. A whopping $500,000 for a lead role in a high budget movie that will cost the producer $40 million in America's Hollywood. But she rejected the offer. Sultry Nollywood actress, Omoni Oboli, stunned many when the news broke recently in Los Angeles, USA, that she has rejected a plum offer to play a lead role in a movie that would have launched her into international stardom.
http://www.9jamovies.com your one stop for nigerian movies gathered that beautiful Omoni was approached by an American producer doing a movie about the saga of women in Africa. She was said to have been offered the lead role with a fee of $500,000. In her script were three completely nude scenes where Omoni would be expected to play a character having sex with three different men.
According to the reports, Omoni, who is married and has three kids, turned down the script and spurned the princely $500,000 (N90 million) offer. She said she would only take the role if the three nude scenes are removed or modified by the American producer. But the producer, who is not ready to alter his script, refused and Omoni reportedly turned her back on the steamy role, and walked away. The deal would have shot her straight to a multi-millionaire status and made her the highest paid actress in the history of Nollywood.
When contacted on phone, the actress said it was embarrassing that the outside world still thinks that with enough pay, you could just bend down and do any trash. “I made it known to him (the producer) that in my culture, you are only subject to your husband. I truly love my husband and he does too,” Omoni said. Sounding a note of warning, she said; “I don't believe actresses in our country have gone so low to get this kind of pay, but there are some who believe that acting nude can help them get a house in VGC or Lekki; they should, however, think twice.”
http://www.9jamovies.com gathered from sources that reactions have trailed her rejection of the role. Many considered the rejection strange given the global economic situation and considering that some Nollywood actresses will stop at nothing to make that kind of money or star in a Hollywood movie. Omoni is one of Nollywood's newest acting divas. The graduate of Foreign Languages from the University of Benin has featured in many top Nollywood flicks. She also featured in Kunle Afolayan's latest movie, The Figurine.
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We expected Danny The Boss Springsteen Gokey or Adam rock King Lambert. But charlie na kris allen ! !
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Whoa. So it's really true: Kris Allen is the new American Idol.
Really. Seriously? This is the biggest upset—well, ever, in the show's eight seasons. Even more than when Chris Daughtry was voted out or when Ruben Studdard beat Clay Aiken. It wasn't just that Adam was pimped out by the judges more than any Idol contestant this season—Paula practically crowned him the winner when he sang "Black or White" 11 weeks ago—it's that he really was the best vocalist we've ever seen on Idol. Simon Cowell has even said that he thinks Adam's going to be an international star.
So what went wrong? Here are the top seven reasons why Adam Lambert lost American Idol.
1. Blame the judges. Just like it's now bad karma to be the front runner in the Oscar race (as Frost/Nixon can tell you) or the presidential election (as Hillary Clinton can tell you), it also doesn't help if you're the foregone winner of Idol long before the season is over. And here is where the judges didn't help Adam's case. Week after week, they didn't just praise him; they declared him The. Greatest. Singer. Ever. In. All. Of. History. Yes, he's a rock god, but when there's a preconceived notion that you've got the Idol crown in the bag, it makes your fans lazy and you lose votes. Kris Allen, on the other hand, consistently delivered solid performances and received mildly positive reviews from the judges. His fans felt like they had to fight harder to keep him in the contest.
2. But you should especially blame Kara DioGuardi. The new judge hasn't been getting much love from the blogosphere—especially after her gaffes involving "Studio 57" (she meant "Studio 54") and "Saturday Night Live" (she meant "Saturday Night Fever")—but she really proved to be the Joe Biden of Idol after she co-wrote the worst coronation song ever, "No Boundaries." The last song is usually how Simon manipulates America into voting for his favorite contestant, by unleashing a parade of superlatives. Not this year. "No Boundaries" was such a train wreck that neither of the contestants could pull it off. It literally left all the judges speechless, including Kara, who said she wasn't going to judge Kris based on her own song. Huh? In the end, the confusion was good for Kris. The judges weren't able to make one big last push for Adam.
3. Did we mention that Adam is a rock god? Idol has always favored syrupy balladeers or pop singers. It doesn't matter how well you can rock out—ask Chris Daughtry or Bo Bice or Carly Smithson or even Allison Iraheta. Rockers don't win American Idol.
4. The Christian factor. Last week, I wrote about how Adam (who hasn't spoken about his religious beliefs on the show) might be hurt by the fact that he was going up against two devout Christian finalists, Kris and Danny Gokey. Most of Gokey's fans probably ended up voting for Kris over Adam, giving him the boost he needed to win. You could say—as many of you have in the comments—that religion is an irrelevant criterion for judging a singing competition. But the fact remains that Idol is one of TV's most family-friendly shows, and it draws a large number of Christian viewers. Five out of seven of the past Idol winners have been very vocal about their Christian faith. Kris Allen had the edge here.
5. The gay factor. Adam Lambert hasn't talked about his sexuality publicly, but TV Guide reported that he was "openly gay," Perez Hilton reported on his (alleged) boyfriend and there are photos circulating online of someone who looks like him kissing another guy. This shouldn't be an issue in 2009. But if you've read any of online chatter about Idol this year, you know that sadly, there's still plenty of hate out there. Adam has millions of fans, and it looked like he could strike an emphatic blow against homophobia, much the same way that Obama broke through the race barrier when he became the country's first black president. But his ambiguous sexuality still cost Adam votes.
6. The youth vote. Remember last week, when they played footage of Kris and Adam visiting their hometowns? Both were met with adoring crowds, but only one was greeted by wailing tween girls who looked like they were in the presence of a long-lost Jonas brother. Kris was the heartthrob who covered Kayne West and dressed like Chace Crawford. Lambert was the Broadway kid who sang Aerosmith and wore eyeliner. The girl vote went to Kris, an important victory—tween girls are the diehards who stay up for hours after the show texting and calling in their votes.
7. In the end, Adam was the better singer, but Kris might have been the more unique artist, despite what the judges said. Don't believe me? Prior to the finale, here are the Adam performances I most remember: "Black and White," "Tracks of My Tears," "Mad World," "If I Can't Have You." Here's Kris's list: "Ain't No Sunshine," "Falling Slowly," "She Works Hard for Her Money," "Heartless." Which songs are you more likely to have on your iPod? Kris beats Adam on mine. They're both terrific guys who have great careers ahead of them. But maybe Kris is the more deserving American Idol after all.
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Below are the winners for each category:REGGAE/DANCEHALL ALBUMGIFT AND GRACE by TimayaBEST R ‘N’ B/ POP ALBUMGONGO ASO by 9iceBEST RAP ALBUMTALK ABOUT IT by M. I.BEST COLLABO“GOOD OR BAD” - J Martins featuring Timaya & P-SquareALBUM OF THE YEARGONGO ASO by 9iceARTISTE OF THE YEAR9iceSONG OF THE YEAR“GONGO ASO” - 9iceRECORDING OF THE YEAR“MITCHELL” – EtceteraPRODUCER OF THE YEARID CABASA for “GONGO ASO” by 9iceBEST MUSIC VIDEOJUDE OKOYE for Roll It by P-SquareBEST RAP SINGLE“KINI BIG DEAL” - Naeto CBEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE)“DON’T BREAK MY HEART”- BANKY WBEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)OMAWUNMI for “IN THE MUSIC”NEXT RATEDOMAWUNMI (“IN THE MUSIC”)HIP HOP WORLD REVELATION - Best new artisteMILYRICIST ON THE ROLLMODE 9 for “NINE”BEST STREET HOP (single)“O FO KA SI BE” - DJ Zeez (Now to be known as ZEEZ)HIPHOP WORLD HALL OF FAME INDUCTEESGRAND MASTER LEEPHILLIP TRIMNELLWELL DONE TO ALL THE WINNERS
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Nigeria: call for end of LGBT (lesbians gays bisexuals and transexuals) discrimination on the International Day against Homophobia and TransphobiaWed, May 20, 2009NIGERIA 18 May 2009: Two non-governmental organisations in Lagos urged the three tiers of government to stop discriminating against homosexuals, lesbians and gay people. Officials of The Independent Project for Equal Rights (TIPER) and The International Centre for Sexual Reproductive Rights (INCRESE) made the appeal at a news briefing. They explained that the briefing was part of their preparation for Sunday’s celebration of the annual International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO). They regretted that discrimination on the basis of age, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity had become a major concern for human rights organisations in Nigeria. Mrs Dorothy Aken Ova, Executive Director of INCRESE urged the protection of the fundamental rights of homosexuals and lesbians. She also urged the enlightenment of Nigerians to enable them to realise that gays had a right to life. “Research findings have shown that four per cent of the world population is gay and should be recognised by government through adequate representation, good education and acceess to the basic necessities of life. These people, though in the minority, did not create themselves. They should, therefore, enjoy the right to live their lives. The public must learn to respect them for who they are because if we begin to feel bad for one another, we will be calling for the destruction of some people, thus inviting genocide” she said.Ova noted that homosexuals, lesbians and the gay formed part of the electorate that voted for the various governments, charging them to take care of them. She urged the Federal Government to domesticate the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Mr Joseph Akoro, an Executive Director of TIPER, also urged the Federal Government to consider its commitment to the protection of all Nigerians from all forms of discrimination. He said the NGOs were collaborating to create awareness about the existence of gays in the country. Mr Victor Ogbodo, a member of the NGO, said the society would benefit more from accepting them. “If they are accepted by the public for what they are, there will be less marital problems because members of the opposite sex will have known before getting married to them. But if the society fails to accept them now and the issue begins to rear its head after marriage, we may only just be postponing the evil day,” he said.Ogbodo charged the government to protect the rights of all its citizens since the fundamental human rights of all Nigerians were enshrined in Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution. He said that the groups were not considering sponsoring any bill at the National Assembly on the issue for now, “but we will begin to kick against any further restriction on our rights. “In future, should the need arise for us to sponsor a bill on their behalf, we will surely do so” he added.
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Best Poem Ever They said that it could not be done,He said "Just let me try."They said, "Other men have tried and failed,"He answered, "But not I."They said, "It is impossible,"He said, "There's no such word."He closed his mind, he closed his heart...To everything he heard.He said, "Within the heart of man,There is a tiny seed.It grows until it blossoms,It's called the will to succeed.Its roots are strength, its stem is hope,Its petals inspiration,Its thorns protect its strong green leaves,With grim determination."Its stamens are its skillsWhich help to shape each plan,For there's nothing in the universeBeyond the scope of man."They thought that it could not be done,Some even said they knew it,But he faced up to what could not be done...And he couldn't bloody do it!Benny Hill
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Sources close to CITI BUSINESS say Nigerian telecommunications giants Glo Mobile intends to commence operations in Ghana in August this year, under the name Glo Mobile Ghana.According to information gathered by Citi Business, officials of GLO and Marketing Communications Agencies have met in Naija, LAGOS to fashion out strategies for the launch of the network in Ghana.Prominent among the agencies were global giants, TBWA and JWT both with their African headquarters in South Africa.The entry of the Nigerian telecommunication giant will bring to number, six mobile companies in the country, a situation which will further stretch competition in the country.Already customers in the country have a choice to switch mobile networks with ease and the addition of Glo should bring a further dimension of choice into the market.It is recalled the Globacom was awarded a license from the country’s National Communications Authority (NCA) last June in a deal worth 50.1 million dollars.The NCA said at that time that it was looking forward the Nigerian entity’s enormous contribution to telecom development in Ghana.
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Prospective Ghanaian travelers who are eager to ply their skills in Europe now have a better option to avoid the tribulations which illegal migrants are subjected to travelling across the Sahara Desert.Through a scheme which is to become operational next March, 1,000 skilled Ghanaian workers are to be engaged in Italy annually for a two-year contract, making it unnecessary for them to risk the Sahara route.The job-matching scheme which is being jointly organized b Ghana’s Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, the Labour Department, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Ministry of the Interior of Italy.The Director of the National Migration Bureau, Mrs. Adelaide Anno-Kunu, told the Daily Graphic that the programme was to encourage legal travel among Ghanaians and curb the incidence of illegal migration to Italy and other European countries.According to a World Bank report, an estimated 70,000 of Africa’s most qualified people leave each year and he continent spends $4 billion to replace them with expatriate workers. A BBC report indicates that many of the immigrants pay human smugglers to get them across the Sahara or the Mediterranean Sea but die on the way.Many Ghanaians have migrated to other countries, especially in Europe and the Americas, through illegal channels. Some of them, including highly qualified professionals, often find themselves engaged in menial jobs in those countries.Some of the illegal migrants are languishing in jails in Europe, Latin America and Asia. In Trinidad and Tobago, 22 Ghanaians who are alleged to have illegally migrated there recently, are reported to be languishing in prison.Mrs. Anno-Kunu said by March next year the government would advertise the job opportunities in Italy and spell out details of the requirements for prospective applicants, adding that it would offer the jobs to persons whose expertise were needed in Italy.She said the stakeholders would come up with a policy and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on how to streamline the travel formalities.For instance, she said they would consider whether prospective employees needed to pay for their travelling expenses or the employers would do that.Besides, Mrs. Anno-Kunu said the MoU would require the employers to ensure that the employees returned to Ghana after the two-year contract.She stressed the need for the beneficiaries to return home after the end of their contracts to make way for others to also benefit.She said 12 officials from the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, the Labour Department and the IOM would undertake the project of identifying matching jobs in Italy, register applicants and begin a training programme by the middle of June this year.She said the 12 officials, comprising verification, data entry and cultural orientation officers, would have their final training in Rome, Italy, between September and October this year.Mrs. Anno-Kunu explained that the training was to build the capacities of the officers to identify quality job opportunities in Italy vis-à-vis what pertained in Ghana.They would also learn how to enter the information of applicants in a database and teach them about the cultural perceptions and the climate of Ital, she said.The main causes of migration in Africa are conflicts, poverty, political reasons an environmental degradation, according to the United Nations Secretariat Department of Economic and Social Affairs Statistics Division.Source: Daily Graphic
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UNEMPLOYED GRADUATE:
An unemployed graduate woke up one morning and checked his pocket. All he had left was N10. He decided to use it to buy food and then wait for death as he was too proud to go begging. He was frustrated as he could find no job, and nobody was ready to help him.
He bought food and as he sat down to eat, an old man and two little children came along and asked him to help them with food as they had not eaten for almost a week. He
looked at them. They were so lean that he could see their bones coming out. Their eyes had gone into the socket. With the last bit of compassion he had, he gave them the food. The old man and children prayed that God would bless and prosper him and then gave him a very old coin. The young graduate said to them 'you need the prayer more than I do'.
With no money, no job, no food, the young graduate went under the bridge to rest and wait for death. As he was about to sleep, he saw an old newspaper on the ground. He picked it up, and suddenly he saw an advertisement for people with old coins to come to a certain address.
He decided to go there with the old coin the old man gave him. On getting to the place, he gave the proprietor the coin. The proprietor screamed, brought out a big book and showed the young graduate a photograph. This same old coin was worth 3 million Naira. The young graduate was overjoyed as the proprietor gave him a bank draft for 3 million Naira within an hour. He collected the Bank Draft and went in search of the old man and little children.
By the time he got to where he left them eating, they had gone. He asked the owner of the canteen if he knew them. He said no but they left a note for you. He quickly opened the note thinking it would lead him to find them.
This is what the note said: 'You gave us your all and we have rewarded you back with the coin,' signed God the Father,
Have you given all to God? If you haven't, do so today and he will surprise you.
PRAYER:
Here is your financial blessing! It's a simple prayer, you've got 30 seconds. If you need a financial blessing, continue reading this e-mail.
Heavenly Father, most Gracious and Loving God,
I pray to you that you abundantly Bless my family and me. I know that you recognize, that a family is more than just a mother, father, sister, brother husband and wife, but all Who believe and trust in you.
Father, I send up a prayer request for financial blessing for not only the person who sent this to me, but for Me and all that I have forwarded this message on to. And that the power of joined prayer by those who believe and trust in you is more powerful than anything.
I thank you in advance for your blessings.
Father God, deliver the person reading this right now and those who will read it in the near future from debt and debt burdens. Release your Godly wisdom that I may be a good steward over all that You have given me Father, for I know how wonderful and mighty You are and how if we just obey You and walk in Your word and have the faith of a Mustard seed that You will pour out blessings.
I thank You now Lord for the recent blessings I have received and for the blessings yet to come Because I know You are not done with me yet.
I pray,
Amen
SEND THIS TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND YOU WILL BE BLESSED...
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The police in Lagos have arrested a houseboy, Israel Adewale, for allegedly providing information and facilitating the entrance of criminals who robbed his master and battered his daughter.
Adewale, who was rescued from remand home by his boss, Emuze Phillip, with the belief that he could be rehabilitated, was arrested with two other suspects, John Patrick and Dapo Sodiq.
It was gathered that three robbery suspects raided Emmanuel Osakwe Street, Egbeda residence of Phillip at 12 midnight on Thursday without breaking any door.
The suspects beat the man and his daughter who had just completed her youth service thoroughly and raided every room in the house before making away with valuables that they could find in their victim's Honda Accord marked HU 859 AB.
Meanwhile, four young men are currently helping the Ogun State Police Command in uncovering the mystery surrounding two human skulls found in their possession in Ijebu Igbo by the police.
The four men, including two herbalists, Tunde Ajenifuja, and Abiodun Adetayo, the police alleged, sponsored Shina Suleiman and Yomi Aregbe to source for the human heads for undisclosed reasons.
In a statement in Abeokuta on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, the police claimed that the suspects were nabbed after an informant hinted the police that he had seen some men with human skulls in Oke-Agbo area of the town.
He said, "Immediately, the police swung into action and arrested two suspects (Shina Suleiman and Yomi Aregbe). It was revealed that the suspects were sponsored by two herbalists - Tunde Ajenifuja and Abiodun Adetayo - who were subsequently arrested by the police with the human skulls."
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WARRI — TWENTY-FIVE persons — six children whose ages range between two and seven; 11 septuagenarians, six women and two other villagers were said to have been killed yesterday when Kurutie community came under fresh aerial attacks by the Joint Task Force (JTF) on the Niger-Delta.
Over 65 persons had earlier been killed and more than 100 injured since the JTF began its offensive against militants last weekend.
However, the Defence Headquarters, while explaining circumstances that led to the all-out battle to oust the militants warned that the Nigerian military will no longer tolerate or watch criminal gangs slaughter its personnel without response.
It also said no community, particularly in the Ijaw areas, was destroyed or razed down as claimed by many people in the battle area. Director of Defence Information (DDI), Col. Chris Jemitola pointed out that the JTF in carrying out its offensive, has ensured that collateral damage was kept to the barest minimum.
A youth leader from the area, Mr. A.B. Okore was said to have led others to assess the damage done to the community and pick up the corpses yesterday.
According to our source, the youth leader said: “This is genocide, the JTF should please stop the killing of innocent people, if they are looking for militants, they should go to their camps and leave our communities alone”.
A JTF source told Vanguard however that what the JTF did on Sunday was a mop-up operation to strengthen its hold on the areas it was occupying, saying there was no attack on communities, except for a house in Kurutie where some youths fired at the soldiers who were passing with an helicopter and they returned to bomb the house.
“It was because they fired at us that we defended ourselves and anywhere we see them with guns, we will attack them. You see, these militants live in these communities and their people are hiding them, so they should stop lying that the JTF is attacking innocent people. It is those who attacked our men, hijacked vessels and kidnapped hostages that we are looking for,” he added.
Why we struck— Defence HQ
Waving claims of genocide and carnage as mere propaganda aimed at protecting the militants, Jemitola said allegations of genocide are not true noting that before now, “we had appealed to the general public and the elders of these areas to appeal to these youths to stop these unprovoked attacks on military personnel carrying out their constitutional duties of protecting lives and property”.
His words: “On the 13th of May, 2009, members of the JTF, Operation Restore Hope, on routine escort duties around Chanomi Creek were ambushed by a militant group leading to the unfortunate and painful loss of some military personnel.
How militants tortured soldiers to death
“Prior to this, an NNPC chartered tanker CM Spirit had been hijacked with its foreign crew and some Nigerians on board. This vessel was run aground by the militants, who also stole some of its cargo while the crew members were tortured leading to the death of some of the crew members and the rest held hostage.
“JTF Search and Rescue team sent to free the hostages was attacked again by the militants. The search led to the discovery of a large cache of illegal arms and ammunition used for acts of criminality. It must be noted that at no time were members of the JTF aggressors, in fact, the JTF is only allowed the use of force in self defence or where arrest of a criminal is being resisted. Moreover, extra care is taken to reduce collateral damage to the barest”.
Continuing Jemitola said, “instead, what we have observed is the deliberate and repeated unprovoked attacks on JTF troops, the sabotage of oil and gas facilities, the kidnapping for ransom of people and the killing of innocent citizens of the society including children, people of the clergy and very old citizens.
“It is important to note that the Nigerian military has the constitutional responsibility of protecting our vital national interests wherever they may be. In the course of carrying out this responsibility, the military will no longer tolerate or watch criminal gangs slaughter its personnel without response”.
Uduaghan meets Yar’Adua today
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State is expected to meet with President Umaru Yar’Adua today (Tuesday) in Aso Villa, Abuja, to brief him on the situation in his state and urge him, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to direct the Joint Task Force (JTF) on the Niger-Delta to unlock the barricaded waterways of the state so that normal social and economic activities could resume after six days of fighting in the creeks.
A competent source who confirmed the planned meeting to Vanguard said the governor left Warri for Abuja after the State Security Council, weekend, reviewed the security situation in the state and adopted some measures to contain the clashes, one of which was a mandate to some elders and youth leaders to reach out to the youths to cease all forms of confrontation with the JTF and destruction of oil installations.
Gov meets stakeholders
Yesterday morning, Governor Uduaghan held a meeting with the Delta Waterways Security Committee (DWSC), religious leaders and members of the Delta State House of Assembly.
The three different groups commended the initiatives of the Governor in resolving the face-off between the militants and the Joint Task Force.
National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, (PFN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor led the delegation of the religious leaders, which included the state Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) Archbishop God-do-Well Avwomakpa, Secretary of the Baptist Convention in the State, Reverend G. Oyibo among other leaders.
Our source confirmed that the Governor briefed them on measures taken to bring the situation under control as well as the need for the ministers to pray for restoration of peace in the state and particularly in the troubled area.
Soldiers invade refugee camp, warn doctors
Hundreds of displaced persons from Oporoza, Kurutie, Kunukunuma and other Gbaramatu–Ijaw communities in Delta State fled their refugee camp in Ogbe-Ijoh on Sunday following the invasion of the camp by the Joint Task Force in search of injured militants.
Vanguard gathered that the soldiers interrogated the doctors on duty for allegedly treating injured militants, an allegation they denied.
Some of the displaced persons who spoke to Vanguard expressed anger that soldiers came to harass them, instead of sympathising with them over their plight.
One of them, Mrs. Josephine Amazor who said she was yet to see her two children, four days after the attack on her community by soldiers said, “can you see, instead of sympathising with us, the soldiers are here to stop us from taking treatment, saying that they suspect that the hospital is treating wounded militants”.
Spokesman of the JTF, Colonel Rabe Abubakar told Vanguard when contacted, yesterday, said that he was not aware that soldiers went to the Ogbe-Ijoh General Hospital to harass any refugee, saying that he would find out the true situation of things.
JTF rescues four more hostages
He however said the JTF has rescued four Ukrainian citizens who were taken hostage. He said the four expatriates were rescued around 4pm on Sunday.
His words: “The latest group of those rescued are four Ukrainian citizens who supply fish to Nigerians on regular bases.
They include, Mr Ponomarev Elman, Mr Mik Hailer, Mr Stroer Roman and Mr Vinogiador Mikael. These men have been doing business in Nigeria since 1993. According to one of them, they were abducted at about 0200am, 15 May 2009 along Chanomi Creek, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.”
Spokesman of the rescued group, Mr. Ponomarev Elman, who was also the Captain of the ship, MV Pusan Reefer, said they were 22 in the ship when militants abducted them.
Speaking during the presentation of the four Ukrainians to the media at the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force, Major General Sarkin Bello apologised to the rescued men for the inconveniences caused them.
The four rescued men were later handed over to Mr Tom Enegbuma, the agent and representative of the company, Super-Maritime Nigeria Limited.
More troops deployed for ‘mop-up’ operation
As the JTF continued its onslaught against militants in Warri South West council area of Delta state, more troops were deployed in the creeks yesterday in what was described as a mop-up operation.
In reaction, the Izon-Ebe Oil Producing Communities Forum appealed to President Yar’Adua to intervene in the face-off between the militants and the JTF in the creeks.
The forum stated that their appeal has become imperative as the violence has started affecting the relative peace in the entire area and would soon extend to the entire state if not properly handled.
In a statement signed by the forum’s president, Chief Favour Izuokumor and General Secretary, Mr. Moses O. Edougha they condemned the hostilities as unwarranted and very disturbing, noting that innocent citizens are mostly affected.
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