May Almighty Alllah have is mercy upon us.I was in the BRT bus yesterday night go to Obanikoro from Ojota. On getting to maryland bus stop befor the bridge, we saw a gathering people looking down from top of the bridge. When we get to underbridge, a trailer had crossed from one side to the other side wrecking one SUV and the owner being trapped down. what surprised me the most is that a guy boarded the bus from that spot and told us that the tanker driver had run away in the mist of people there.
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They met on the internet. They fell in love. A spare parts seller, Kunle Bamidele was completely honest in his dealings with his Kentucky, US-based beau, Robin Martins, and their wedding recently in Ibadan was as topical as it was controversial. Nevertheless, the young man will soon jet out of the country to join his wife. Seye Adeniyi reports.
The couple kissing during their wedding.advertisement
He was castigating one of his apprentices for wrong-doing when this reporter got to his shop at Ile-Epo area of Odo-Ona, Abeokuta road, Ibadan, Oyo State.
He was so annoyed with the young male apprentice that he brought out the Sunday Tribune edition of 12th of July, 2009 to butress his admonitions to the boy, on the need for him to be truthful, dedicated to duty, and, above all, say the truth at all times.
“Look at this young man now (pointing at Kunle Bamidele’s picture featured in the Sunday Tribune newspaper of 12th July, 2009), he reaped the reward of being faithful, truthful and sincere, and that was why a white woman, an American for that matter, left her country for Nigeria to marry him, ‘’ he told the apprentice.
Many people thought it was not possible, some tagged it an “arrangeé wedding”, while some are still casting doubts on the unique matrimonial union that took place recently in the city of Ibadan between the duo. Alhaji Laide Eniola, a 70 year-old popular fashion designer at Odo-Ona, along Apata road, Ibadan, was privy to all that transpired during the wedding.
Robin Martin, a 41-yr-old Kentuckian, had travelled to Nigeria, some weeks ago, to wed Kunle Bamidele, a 32-year-old spare parts trader at the popular Gate Market, Ibadan.
According to the tailor, the wedding ceremony actually took place in his house at the Scout-Camp, along Challenge-Molete road, in Ibadan on July 11, 2009, after the registry wedding at the Mapo Registry hall.
On why the wedding festivities were not held at the Bamideles’ house, as was customary, he said Kunle’s father chose the Scout Camp venue to give the American some solace as it was modern and more comfortable than his own, adding that since he and the man were childhood friends, he had to oblige him.
The 41-year-old American woman from Kentucky, USA, arrived in Nigeria on Tuesday, July 8, 2009, and the wedding between her and Kunle took place on Saturday, July 11, 2009. She was accommodated, throughout her stay, at the tailor’s house.
But why the quick arrangement that eventually led to a wedding between the duo, considering the short-days intervals?
Alhaji Eniola has this to say: “Kunle and the American woman had been chatting with each other on the internet for a long time, before the woman agreed to visit him in Nigeria. What really impressed the Kentuckian was Kunle’s sincerity and truthfulness. The woman had used many things to test Kunle’s truthfulness, sincerity, love and faithfulness and, I tell you, the young man is not like other Nigerian youths who are fond of duping Europeans on the internet.’’
He noted that the flight ticket with which the woman travelled to Nigeria was sent to her by Kunle. The bride-to-be had, through the internet, sent the money (foreign currency) to Kunle, instructing him to help her purchase the flight ticket in Nigeria and send it to her, an assignment which Kunle carried out to the letter.
“How many Nigerian youths, especially the so called yahoo boys, can do such a thing? I know what many of these yahoo boys can do, and how they are creating a negative image for the country through their dubious activities on the internet. But Kunle Bamidele, now the legal husband of the Kentuckian, did not do that,” he emphasised.
The tailor also revealed to Nigerian Tribune that the white woman, who is a divorcee and a mother of two children in Kentucky, was also impressed with her Nigerian husband’s truthfulness and sincerity when Kunle showed her all the receipts/invoices he had used in purchasing every material she instructed asked him to get, preparatory to their wedding, including the receipt for the new generating set that was purchased before her arrival in Nigeria. Robin Martins also surprised many people, especially the people living around the Scout-Camp area of Ibadan, when she took delight in eating traditional foods like amala, fufu, eba, even ewedu, gbegiri and okro soups, without developing bowel discomfort during her stay in Ibadan.
He noted that many people had tried to discourage the woman from coming, and yet many others had told the family that the woman would not tolerate the facilities on ground, but she coped admirably well.
Concerning the traditional wedding gown (aso-oke), which the couple used for their wedding, the septuagarian also disclosed to the Nigerian Tribune that Kunle was given money to buy the material by his bride, adding that it was he who designed the attire for the couple.
‘’The newly-wedded coupled enjoyed their honeymoon in my house and, I tell you, she was impressed with Kunle’s “performance,” being a black man. She also confessed to me that what she saw and experienced in Nigeria was the entire opposite of all the negative reports she had heard about the country before coming to Nigeria,” the tailor told the Nigerian Tribune.
He added that the white woman told him that she was very comfortable in her country, as she presently had two or three companies of her own. But she had to divorce her former American husband because the man used to beat, maltreat, and often subjected her to inhuman treatments despite the fact that she had two children by him.
There was a mild drama inside the Mapo Registry hall during the wedding ceremony. The local government officials that conducted the wedding programme were amazed and highly impressed by the woman’s dancing steps. They were pleasantly surprised, especially when the Kentuckian began to lavish dollars on them, when the couple were called to come forward for thanksgiving.
Throughout her stay in Nigeria, Robin Martins Bamidele was able to acclamatize to Nigeria’s weather; she did not complain of any ailment or infections. But she kept abusing the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), for throwing the country into darkness.
Another drama that also ensued during the woman’s short stay in Nigeria, according to Alhaji Eniola, who hails from Ede, Osun State, was between the woman and the Embassy officials when she took her Nigerian husband there to get all the neccessary papers that would facilitate his smooth journey to Kentucky, USA.
The Embassy officials did not want to give Kunle clearance documents for the journey, hinging their excuses on their previous experiences with Nigerians. However, when the new bride shouted at them, Kunle was given all the necessary papers, and will soon be going to America to join his new heart-trob.
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Shameless ,heartless Kidnappers should be Hung by their privatesKidnapped 76-year- old Woman Feared DeadFrom Ahamefula Ogbu in Port Harcourt, 08.12.2009The family of 76-year-old Mrs. Ibiwari Brown kidnapped two months ago from Abalama town in Asari Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State has said that the group which abducted her and demanded N30 million ransom had called to say she had died.A statement sent online by Alabo Aroloye Brown said the family had been frequenting police stations and handed petitions to the Commissioner of Police, Bala Hassan, on the issue, lamenting that no positive thing had been heard from the police.Contacted, spokesperson of the Police in Rivers State, Mrs. Rita Abbey, confirmed that she was aware of the said kidnap but was yet to hear that she was dead. She said the family members of the kidnapped victim had been coming to their office on the issue.“Twenty four days after her kidnap, the kidnappers called, that was the third time, and demanded for N30million ransom and gave us a phone number to call only when we are ready with the money.“They warned that mama will be killed if we try to make an offer,” Brown said in the statement.But we bluffed them and begged them but they refused and instead cut off communication with us.“This and other security information were promptly given to the security. We were instead advised unofficially to know what to do and not to depend on the police because they were handicapped.“On the 19th of July, 2009 they called and after a long discussion, they promised to release her in the early hours of 20th. This discussion was made between 10.47 and 10.54pm of the 19th instead. That was 30days after her kidnap. On the 3rd of August, 2009 they called and told me that mama is dead. Maybe it is correct or they are bluffing , only God knows”, Alabo Brown said.
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A Nigerian made armoured car was on Thursday launched by President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua at the eagle square in Abuja.It is the first home made armoured car, with most of the materials used in its production sourced locally, while others were imported.It was built by two Nigerian brothers who recently relocated from the United States of America. The brothers; Victor and Johnson Obasa, came back home to use their talent to boost security and also create employment in the country.
The brothers are based in Ekiti State and the duo own a company named Mobile Truck Technology where they nurtured and built the first Nigerian armoured car.According to Johnson Obasa, the local production of the armoured car would help in upgrading the nation's security status. "It will promote up to 50 percent security in the country, it is something to protect the armoured personnel in their line of duty and it can work anywhere. It is designed to help the nation's security; we also did it to create employment," he said.Also, Victor Obasa in a conversation with the press stated that they were in a better position to create this kind of cars since they are in Nigeria and understand the Nigerian terrain.He added that they were willing to do it for the government at almost half the price of importing it. "We would do it for Nigerians for almost half the price they get it outside," he said.The truck which was tested with different kinds of ammunitions, from a far range had little or no mark left on it, but from a close range left peripheral marks.On how they created such a truck with products from Nigeria, Johnson said: "It's been a little bit of up and down's. When we encountered some challenges, the Senate president encouraged us and at the end of the day we were able to put this together."The other brother Victor pledged that they would produce a vehicle carrier that would meet international standard at a reasonable price.The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Adamu Aliero who represented the president at the launch said it was commendable that Nigerians with talents will come home and contribute to the nation's development.He disclosed that the President had directed the Inspector General of Police to meet the fabricators on what they required to produce the vehicle to specification.He also called on Nigerians within and outside the country with such talents to come out and contribute to the development of their country."This is also to call on other Nigerians with similar talents to also come back home and join us to contribute their own quota to the country and for other Nigerians with this kind of talent to put it to use," Mr. Aliero said.Present at the event to inspect the vehicle were top police officers and the Minister for science amd Technology, Al-Hassan Zaku who said the ministry would send a team of engineers to the base where the truck was fabricated to further examine the product."We will examine it thoroughly and work with the police to ensure that it is properly produced to the standard they want," he said.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on August 13, 2009 at 8:24pm
How Aliko Dangote blackmailed, bribed his way to NSE Presidency !
Aliko Dangote aka Chemical Ali
Now, the die is cast. Nigerian investors' fears over the emergence of Aliko Dangote a Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE)
Council President seems to have triggered a race to the bottom as more savvy institutional investors are re-
channeling their funds to the ’safety’ of government securities, treasury bonds and real estate.
It was intrigues and maneuver galore marked by intimidation, blackmail and shady financial dealings that eventually
saw billionaire business magnate, Alhaji Aliko Dangote emerge as the 17th president of the Council of Nigerian
Stock Exchange (NSE) through what was said to have been a unanimous voice vote.
But when a man with a big question mark hanging over his morally-deficient, corruption-bedecked neck is chaperoned
to the topflight throne, it will take the greatest miracle after the resurrection of Jesus Christ to get the NSE
back on track. The fact that Dangote; a prime suspect in the share manipulation scam involving African Petroleum
(AP) Plc stock prices of Femi Otedola is now the man who will be calling the shots at the NSE, proves, in the words
of an NSE source that: “Nigeria’s capacity to shock and scandalize is infinite.”
Huhuonline.com has learnt that Dangote arm-twisted and bribed his way to the NSE presidency, dishing out as much as N3 million to each NSE Council members who subsequently “elected” him by acclamation. Also nominated was Erastus Akingbola, the Group Chief Executive of Intercontinental Bank, as the NSE 1st Vice President.
Akingbola’s nomination, Huhuonline.com has learnt was the climax of horse-trading and sheer clunker philandering.
Dangote has been at odds with Akingbola after Intercontinental Bank Plc, petitioned President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua asking for his intervention to help compel a "debt cabal" led by Dangote to re-pay the loans it took from
Intercontinental Bank.
In a petition sent on its behalf by A.O.S Practice, a firm of legal practitioners, and dated August 5, 2009,
Intercontinental Bank described Dangote as a loan defaulter and “rabid debtor” who is being daily serenaded in the
media as an affluent Nigerian. A look at the three Dangote companies indebted to Intercontinental Bank as contained
in the said petition shows that their cumulative debt profile stands at about N35.8 billion.
Intercontinental Bank also said: "To proceed to sue these institutions as ordinary legal dictates would suggest, is
to get bogged down with the legal technicalities and slow pace of the adversarial practice of our judicial system,
which these cabal would engage to wear us down.”
Recall that Aliko Dangote had been under intense pressure to resign from the council before the Annual General
Meeting (AGM) of the NSE. The erstwhile NSE president, Oba Osundeko had asked Dangote to resign prior to the
election, due to the market’s perception of Dangote’s alleged role in a price manipulation of African Petroleum
Plc’s shares. During a routine meeting of the NSE council in Lagos A committee of the council reportedly met and
appealed to Dangote to resign.
But Dangote reportedly played hardball, employing underhand tactics and blackmail to force Osundeko to back-off and
play ball. One of the issues involved Pivot Engineering Company owned by Osundeko which failed to execute
government contracts awarded to it but collected payments. Besides, Osundeko was also a member of the “debt cabal”
and was neck deep in debt to First Bank.
In its petition, the bank made "a clarion call" on the President "to dismantle this cabal that is hiding under the
auspices of the Federal government's fiscal and economic policies whilst gang raping our client, as with such other
well meaning banks, that oil the economy of this great country. This gang-rape is obviously because we lack a
credit registry or bureau in Nigeria where information and data on the credit history of persons and companies can
be accessed to determine their standing in relation with other banks."
Although Dangote has denied that he owes the banks, Huhuonline.com investigations showed that Dangote group of
companies have a debt overhang of about $400 million (N58 billion) owed various Nigerian banks and hopes of the
affected banks to recover the loans are fading. Debtors like Dangote have seemingly kept the banks in suspense,
forcing them to categorize the liabilities as bad debts that are being written off to cleanse the financial
institutions' books.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is flooded with petitions from some of the distressed banks, over difficulties in
debt recovery, especially from the major five debtors including Dangote. Already, three banks have written off over
N76 billion in loans, thereby assailing profitability and dividend payouts.
The choice of Dangote does not inspire investor confidence as he owns six companies (Dan sugar, Dan salt, Dan
Flour, Benue Cement, Chevron Texaco, which are listed on the stock exchange. What will eventually happen when
Dangote becomes privy to insider information about the stock prices of his companies can be anyone’s guess. But
this apparent conflict of interest has created a propitious scenario for insider trading and share price
manipulation which Dangote is an expert.
The fact that Dangote suffers from incurable money-mindedness and will stop at nothing in his quest for personal
gain is an ominous sign of the times that bodes ill for the future of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
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They are brutes, dangerous and daring. The mere sight of them immediately sends commercial bus drivers and their conductors cringing with fear. They are the lords of the road in the cities and in the hinterlands. They are the agberos, dangerous-looking touts who stand at bus stops and motor parks forcefully milking money from motorists.
Agbero, a sobriquet for street urchins, is synonymous with trouble and carnage. With terror, they unleash a regime of dread on Lagos roads as well as in other states.
On Friday last week, WE watched as Manager, as he popularly known at Cele Bus Stop, along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, pranced after a fast moving vehicle in Oshodi.
With one hand, he held firmly to the door, while he menacingly demanded ‘owo ero’ (passengers’ money) from the conductor.
“How many times I go pay for that one? I don pay you when I pass before”, the conductor replied.
The answer infuriated the dirty looking tout.
“You dey craze? You want make I wound you?”
The timely intervention of the driver and passengers, who prevailed on the conductor to comply with the demand, saved the day.
As the fuming street toughie jumped down from the vehicle, angry passengers hurled a load of invectives on him.
He isn’t alone in this brutish behaviour, as his likes litter the metropolis. Be it in the market where they collect illegal levies from traders to the motor parks where they are lords of the manor, they are a law to themselves.
The illegal act of forcefully extorting money from hapless commercial motorists by touts has been in practice for long, but it has, in the past couple of years, assumed a more dangerous dimension.
According to a 70-year-old man who spoke under the condition of anonymity, the ‘business’ of touting started in Lagos around the mid 70’s.
The old man who disclosed that he has lived in Lagos for more than 30 years informed that young boys, who fled to Lagos because of their parents’ inability to cater for their needs, metamorphosed into motor park touts to survive.
“The boys who didn’t have anywhere to go after coming to Lagos were forced to sleep in motor parks, uncompleted buildings and under the bridges. The good ones survived by working as house helps, truck pushers and hawkers, while the criminal minded ones took to armed robbery and extortion from commercial drivers. Initially, agberos did not start collecting money by force. Then, what they did was to assist drivers to fill their vehicles with passengers after which they would take any amount the driver gave them,” he explained.
We discovered that the leaders, who head units in bus stops across the metropolis where the touts work as foot soldiers, also have leaders in the motor parks who they are answerable to.
According to Morufu, a retired banker who now drives a Lagos State-operated taxi cab, members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos are very organized and their activities are coordinated by national, state and local bodies.
“They hold zonal meetings every Wednesday across the state. I believe an arrangement should be made for these set of people to work with the local government since the government can’t remove them completely from the road.”
We were also reliably informed that in Oshodi area, there are 16 units that remit N700, 000 daily to the coffers of the leader in charge of the area. Also, in Iyana Ipaja, there are seven units and they collectively deliver close to N200, 000 daily. Some areas such as Shomolu and Alimosho regarded as money spinners remit close to a million naira daily.
How do they generate such large sums within 24 hours?
A motor park tout who said in each bus stop, 10 of them are sent to the road daily and are expected to return with N30, 000. The money, he explained, can be remitted by installments.
“We fit bring small for morning, afternoon and for night. Na him make us dey collect money three times from conductors and drivers”, he explained in spattering English.
But the money, in the words of a commercial bus operator, makes the touts live extravagant lifestyles and throw parties at will. According to Isola Amuda, a bus operator, an average agbero lives like a king.
“They have wives, girlfriends and drive big cars. They eat and drink as if they would die tomorrow with the money we labour for everyday. They are illiterates and drop-outs who live better than many university graduates. It is such an unfortunate situation”, he lamented.
On how a tout emerges a kingpin after running after vehicles and forcing motorists to part with money, Baba Ayo, a former commercial bus driver at Shomolu revealed that there are two major ways of becoming a baba alaye in any area. He informed that it is not a position for all-comers or rookies.
“First, you must be their member for long time. Anybody wey want be oga must dey give boys money and get juju, so dat dem go fear am. If you want start your own group, you go bring your own boys wey to dey deliver. The only thing wey you go dey do everyday na to carry women, smoke and eat. When boys bring money, as baba, you go dash dem some.”
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The Inspector General of Police, Ogbonna Onovo has demanded for extra powers for the force to contain violence at the venues of future elections in the country.
Speaking at the public hearing on "A bill for an Act to further amend the Police Act 1967," Mr. Onovo specifically asked that the police should be empowered to shoot any persons who perpetrate violence through the use of gun at polling stations.
The hearing was organised by a subcommittee of the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution. The subcommittee is headed by the Chief Whip, Emeka Ihedioha.
Mr. Onovo also asked for the amendment of the Section 4 (a) of the Police Act by inserting the word "lawfully" in it.
The section states that "Police shall while on duty safeguard the security of the lives and property of citizens during the campaign and voting so that citizens will not feel unsafe on account of holding, associating with or expressing a political opinion." Others demand Mr. Onovo made are that
1. the police should be empowered to arrest, search and detain any person upon reasonable suspicion of concealment of offensive weapons or electoral materials at the venue of any election or any other place, whatsoever;
2. the police should be empowered to use reasonable force to carry out such duties under the Act;
3. the Police should be empowered to arrest and prosecute any offender before, during and after elections;
4. a reasonable time limit should be spelt out to enable the police to return to their routine duties after the election;
5. the Police should be present at the counting centres and given certified copies of all the elections for record purposes; and
6.the police should be empowered to arrest any other person(s) who commit any other electoral offence under this Act.
Mr. Onovo explained that the force is demanding powers to shoot at the venues of election because some members of the public could confront police officers or electoral officers with guns.
He added that the original act does not give members of the force the powers to do anything unless directed by electoral officers being harassed.
He said that, if amended, the nature of confrontation against the police or electoral officers would determine the kind of weapons the police would use. Among the weapons are teargas, water cannon and lethal weapons.
"We all know that when they are coming they don't come in a friendly manner but they come heavily armed. They even fire to scare people away. So, we will need reasonable force to be able to prevent them from stealing, hijacking or altering results. In this case, we have to stop them when they come with, for example, AK 47. So, we want to use firearms when the lives of others are in danger," Mr. Onovo said.
When probed further by the lawmakers on what "reasonable force" means, the Inspector General said it could also include persuasion and dialogue.
Also speaking at the hearing, the former Inspector General, Sunday Ehindero, argued that it is not the Police Act that needed amendment but the Electoral Act 2006.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, told the lawmakers that the bill did not remove any power which the police have but assured that he would reconcile the differences between the bill and the proposals made by Mr. Onovo.
However, member of the subcommittee were suspicious that if given the powers, the police could abuse some of them. They also complained that the powers could be used against members of the opposition parties.
A member, Abdul Ningi, who is also the chairperson of the Police Affairs Committee of the House, said if given the power to arrest, search and detain anybody on reasonable suspicion, the police officers could do so for flimsy reasons.
Another member of the House, George Daika, also complained that if the police were allowed a time limit to stay at election venues, trouble could ensue when they have left.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on August 11, 2009 at 8:30pm
Sultan ofSokoto & US Secretary of State
ABUJA—Barring a last minute change of mind, several interest groups scheduled to hold talks with visiting United States Secretary of State, Mrs. Hillary Clinton would not honour the American Embassy invitation based on what is seen in diplomatic circles as a breach of protocol.
It was learnt, yesterday that the American Embassy in Abuja, had largely kept the Federal Government in the dark on preparations for the Secretary of State’s visit.
Mrs. Clinton was scheduled to hold talks with top government officials, led by President Umaru Yar’Adua at the Aso Villa, today, after which she would meet with several stakeholders in 9geria, including senators, members of the House of Representatives, traditional rulers, members of the National Inter-religious Council.
However, a top government functionary expressed dismay at the strategy employed by the American Embassy, which was said to have taken it upon itself to make arrangements without adequate consultations with the 9gerian government.
For instance, it was learnt that the Embassy had sent letters to the Senate President, Sen. David Mark, his counterpart at the House of Representatives, Hon Dimeji Bankole, requesting a list of their colleagues to hold talks with Mrs. Clinton.
A similar letter was said to have been sent to the Sultan of Sokoto, requesting a list of traditional rulers to be invited to meet the visiting Secretary of State. The source said each of them turned down the request.
Top officials of government, it was learnt, were alarmed that with a nation battling religious extremists, the Embassy could ask for nominations of people to meet with the US Secretary of State without considering the security implications.
“We don’t pray that anything bad happens but can you imagine the implications of negatively minded persons being invited to such a meeting if they choose to take advantage of such a meeting. It would be a monumental tragedy for 9geria as a nation,” the source said.
The source said that even the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs had no clear picture of the itinerary of Mrs. Clinton until yesterday, wondering “if the ministry which primary responsibility was to make the woman’s visit memorable was kept in the dark until the last minute before arrival, how could it brief the presidency?
“We are uncomfortable with the way officials of the embassy have been secretive about this visit. It does not show adequate regard for our government and we are certainly not pleased with such an arrangement. This is a sovereign nation and should be taken as such,” the official insisted.
The official noted that the way the embassy had gone with the preparations for the visit showed a strong disrespect for the Federal Government, which normal protocol demands should fully host Mrs. Clinton and take charge of her entire security.
It was learnt that there were no security meetings between operatives in the embassy and the 9gerian Police High Command in collaboration with other security outfits on the visit. The Americans were said to have been making independent arrangements, a development considered as a respect for the Federal Government.
Mrs. Clinton had, at the weekend, criticised 9gerian leaders for the continuous importation of refined petroleum products while occupying the position of world’s number six crude oil producer. She said it was a sign of bad leadership in the country.
“9geria is the 6th largest producer of crude oil but the country still imports fuel,” Clinton said at the weekend during her seven-nation tour of Africa, adding that this was a sign that the nation has poor leadership,” she was quoted as saying.
On the other hand, she praised the Southern African nation of Botswana which she described as a good example for Africa because her leaders judiciously utilized that country’s resources.
The US Secretary of State had warned, “Investors will not be attracted to states with failed or weak leadership, crime and civil unrest or corruption that taint every transaction and decision.”
Clinton shuns red carpet, state banquet
Facts emerged also yesterday night that Hillary Clinton who arrived the city of Abuja at 8:30 pm yesterday did not step a foot on the red carpet prepared for her by the 9gerian Government, let alone honouring an invitation to a banquet at the State House.
Her security detail, Vanguard gathered, would also ensure that vehicular and human traffic is temporarily cut off around the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre, where she is expected to parley with President Yar’Adua and the Civil Society.
The Centre, it was also gathered would be stripped of any ceremony that may “endanger the security” of Clinton and her team.
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Since he release d his latest album, UNSTOPPABLE, popular singer, 2face idibia has found himself faced with one controversy or the other. The latest centers around the duet he claimed to have done with American RnB star, R. Kelly. The song in question is titled 'FLEX'. According to him, in a recent interview, the deal was brokered by Toyin Subair, boss of HiTV cable network and he (2face), actually met R. Kelly in the US before recording the song. One of the reasons people seemed to be debating the authenticity of his claim of a collabo with R.Kelly is because the beat of the said song has been used by R.Kelly before in one of his songs.While the entire nation seemed to have forgotten the issue, the whole collabo brouhaha came up again when R.Kelly visited Nigeria a few weeks ago. Expectedly, many people were expecting to see Tuface perform with R. Kelly but that didn't happen. Rumours started flying that Tuface may have lied to Nigerians about having done a duet with R.Kelly.Surprisingly, 2face, who'd featured in past music festival organized by ThisDay didn't make the list of the performing artists billed for R.Kelly's show. An insider disclosed that when R.Kelly was asked if he knows Tuface, he denied him, saying he had never heard the name before. He was said to have listened to the song they were meant to have done together and he laughed over it, insisting that he made the beat a long time ago, and that it must have been tapped on the internet.This City People learnt got the organizers upset and it is for this reason, sources revealed that 2face may have been dropped from the show.Last week Thursday, City People put a call across to 2face to comment on the allegation but his line was not available, so they called up his manager, Efe Omoreige who spoke exclusively on the issue “Well, I have not heard anything from the organizers of the show that R.Kelly disclaimed Tuface, so I might not be able to respond to it. About the allegations that Tuface didn't record with R.Kelly, I will explain to you. Yes the duet was real. Tuface recorded with R.Kelly but not in the same studio. The met but couldn't achieve being in the studio at the same time because of their tight schedule. R.Kelly did his own part and sent it to Tuface and that is all about it. Tuface didn't perform at the show because he was already engaged elsewhere. We were contacted for the show, but we were already booked to be in Benin . You don't expect Tuface to neglect a show he has been paid for to convince people that he knows R.Kelly”
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If you did not know already there is a really great fraudster community in London (Thamesmead) affectionately among friends known as 'Little Lagos'. It's really rich with people who do not care about how Nigerria or Nigerians are perceived abroad. You can read up all about it at BBC News Online: I am really happy to tell you more information about it if you call my mobile number +44 419 and I'll give you all you need to get started for a small advance fee.
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Courtship is the traditional dating period before engagement and marriage. During a courtship couples date to get to know each other and decide if there will be an engagement and marriage. Usually courtship is a public affair, done in public and with family approval.
Stephanie Oforka:advertisementadvertisement
It includes activities such as dating where couple go out together for dinner, movie, dance parties, picnic, shopping or general “hanging out”, along other activities.
With all these activities in place, the question today is whether lengthy period of courtship guarantees a successful marriage? As usual Bridget Amaraegbu has all the answers. Read on:
Successful marriage has no formula — Stephanie Oforka, MBGN Universe 08
Whether the period of courtship is long or short doesn’t really matter. What matters is that both parties are able to know themselves very well within the period of courtship.
I think it is wrong for people to court for a short period as it may imply that the people involved are in a rush. This may lead to certain arguments in the future because they didn’t take time to study themselves.
But courting for a long period does not also mean that the marriage will eventually be successful because we have actually seen people who courted for several years get divorced. Long period of courtship also has its advantages and disadvantages. One of those disadvantages include not having much respect for each other (in pidgin English, you can say it is see finish) because it gives the people involved the opportunity of knowing each other in and out. That is when you’ll find out that there is nothing any of them can tell each other anymore that will sound new.
Sometimes too, long period of courtship has been responsible for a lot of break ups in relationships. What can you say about a situation where people court for seven years only for one party to discover that they’re no longer compatible and that becomes the end of the relationship. You know, I call that madness. Why did it have to take them so long to realise they’re not compatible. For Christ sake, it doesn’t have to take a decade before you can know that he or she is not good enough for you. Even three months is enough for you to start seeing symptoms of a bad relationship if you’re very observant. At that point you should have defined what you really want and if it’s not there, back out at that point instead of wasting several years in a relationship that won’t work out in the name of courtship.
Some people have made several mistakes of marrying the wrong persons because even while they were courting, they saw some of those symptoms that indicates the marriage won’t work but they just thought it will get better. But I tell you that there are certain characters people have that can’t change. That is why you still see people who court for so long break up after sometime.
Both those who courted for short and long period experience break ups so the solution is not with how long. Instead invite God to open your eyes to the right person he created for you because if you refuse to invite him, you’ll have problems.
The only advantage with long courtship is that it helps you know your partner better than you would in a shorter period.
Also remember that people pretend so you may only find out those qualities the person wants you to know in some cases no matter how long. I know that some people will want to refer us back to our forefathers who didn’t know what it meant to court a woman and yet they didn’t experience divorce. My sister such actions lead to a lot of polygamy, disunity and things like that and I don’t blame them at all. What else do you expect of a marriage where the parties involved never got to be friends not to talk of courting each other. Days have gone when such actions were applicable. Today it’s most appropriate for a man and woman who intends leaving together till death do them part to really get to know themselves well.
That is not to say that there’s any particular formula to a successful marriage. What worked smoothly in the house of Mr A may not work for Mr B so don’t compare any two relationships together.
Can guarantee success — Sapphire Obi, Actress
I think I still prefer the long period of courtship despite the fact that it’s very possible for people to hide their bad character for a long time. I know very well that if you have to court someone for a short period, there are certain things you may not find out about that person. But with time, you’ll get to discover those things that he or she has been hiding. It’s even possible for the person to portray such character unconsciously not even taking cognisance of your presence when both of you are very close. By this time you should be able to capture certain about that person that you’re likely to cope with and those you can’t so I think that long courtship will go along way to guarantee success in marriage.
Only God can guarantee success — Moses Efret, Actor
I don’t think it’s wise for any courtship to last for too long or too short. The most important thing here is that you take time to know whom you want to spend the rest of your life with. If you think it must have a specific period, then two years may not even be enough. The major thing most people fail to realise is that it’s only God that can direct you to the right man or woman. Therefore it’s important that you invite him into that courtship because he has the final say.
If you ask me how long people can court, I’ll say six months to one year is alright after which the relationship becomes suspicious so I don’t think the length of courtship can determine a successful marriage.
Lengthy period not the solution — Sound Sultan, Musician
The length of courtship is not where the issue lies because many times we have seen people who courted for several years still divorce after all. And amazingly some others who courted for short term live successfully. I think the most important thing is just for you to let God direct you and nothing more because if you to rely on your personal analysis , you may get it all wrong and at the end you still have to suffer break up.
No guarantee to successful marriage — Djinee, Musician
My dear, whether the period of courtship is long or short doesn’t matter. The fact remains that there is no guarantee to a successful marriage, unless God gives it to you. It’s possible for you to have known someone for several years without really knowing that person, people live in so much pretense. Over the years, research has shown that people can hide some ugly characters in them which they don’t want you to know about. So no matter how long you court such person, you’ll only get to see those ugly things after both of you are married. The fact that you’ve courted for a long time doesn’t mean you’ve known him or her in and out.
If am allowed to choose from long and short term courtship, I’ll still prefer it a bit long because it gives you the opportunity to know your partner very well. Atleast it’ll give both of us the benefit of doubt that you’ve known each others families. Within this period, if any of us finds anything about ourselves that we may not be able to cope with, it’ll be better for us to forgo the relationship than get married and begin to have problems because of an issue that could have been avoided long time ago. Marriage is not a sympathetic institution so make sure you go into one that you must enjoy.
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No fewer than 24 corpses were recovered on the hitherto abandoned Sango/Ota Flyover when the construction company, Julius Berger Plc, returned to site for completion of the project in June.
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Deputy Director Highways South-West in the Federal Ministry of Works, Robert Agwusiobu, disclosed this to newsmen on Saturday at Sango/Ota.
Agwusiobu was on inspection team of the House of Representatives Committee on Works led by the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, when he made the disclosure.
His words: "Where we are standing was use as graveyard. Over 24 corpses were removed from this place. In fact, on daily basis, should somebody drop dead in the market, they come and dump it here, so we are not talking of only refuse.
"Today is Saturday, any other day, any other weekend, you cannot pass here.
"That was why I was even talking about working at night or whatever, regardless the cost implication. So we are just soliciting the Honourable Speaker, to see whether fund would be voted so that we tackle this thing," Agwusiobu said.
He assured that with the pace of work, if government releases funds promptly and tackle the issue of cost variations, the bridge would be completed by January.
"We will get through before the rains. Work will speed up now after the rain stops, certainly by January (2010), we will be through with it," he said.
On the dumping of refuse and corpses on the ramp, Agwusiobu said that since the contractor has fully moved to site and cleared the hips of refuse, people have stopped dumping refuse there.
"Now they don't dump (corpses) any more, we've started working; activities are going on here, so they cannot do that.
"But let's assume now we leave for a period, then it would revert into a burial ground again," the deputy director added.
Inspecting the progress of work on the bridge, Bankole expressed satisfaction at the quality of work carried out within two months, when the construction giant remobilised back to site.
"It is okay so far, but we hope to see better improvement. I'm happy, they are happy, the people of this area should be happy that they can do their business now.
Also speaking, the Division Manager of Julius Berger Lubash Det, said that the company had improved upon the hitherto poor condition of the bridge.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on August 10, 2009 at 1:59am
•Uduaghan steps in over repairs of Escravos-Lagos gas pipeline there is a lot of talk but the bottom line is that nothing works at all .
Nigerians will pay more for electricity with effect from this month following a 10 per cent increase in tariffs, according to Federal Government’s plan to encourage private sector participation in the power sector.
But according to the Administrator of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Alhaji Imumudeen Talba, consumers will not pay the new tariff which he said would be borne by the Federal Government through subsidy.
However, this claim is not consistent with findings by THISDAY which revealed that consumers will indeed pay 10 per cent of the new tariff while the Federal Government will pay 90 per cent of it.
Meanwhile, hopes of improved power supply have been rekindled by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State who has succeeded in resolving the impasse over the repair of the major pipeline that supplies gas to the nation’s power plants.
The contractor handling the damaged Escravos-Lagos pipeline is expected to return to site today, fuelling optimism that the Egbin power plant in Lagos, which has the capacity to generate close to 2000 megawatts but has been generating a little above 200 megawatts because of gas shortage, would soon bounce back.
Under the new pricing structure, the tariff for the least paying urban-dwelling consumer is now N4.40, up from the previous N4.00 per kilowatt per hour.
The next category who usually paid N6.00 per kilowatt per hour are expected to go up to N6.60 while the tariff for the highest paying category went up from N8.50 to N9.35 per kilowatt per hour.
Talba told journalists that it was part of the agreed periodic adjustments embedded in the Multi-year Tariff Order (MYTO), which government has already subsided and the support would subsist till 2011.
By then, consumers will bear all the tariffs as Federal Government is expected to gradually disengage from paying subsidy, by which time power supply is expected to have become steady.
Talba explained that the rise was as a result of the inflation and changes in the exchange rate of the national currency against the dollar.
“What we are saying is that there is MYTO. We reviewed that in view of the inflation. You see, there is inflation…Then in view of the inflation, in view of the exchange rate - you know, last year when we did it, the exchange rate of the naira to a dollar was N170 and this year it is N147, and then there is inflation,” Talba said.
According to him, “It is just a minor review, which is part of the multi-year order. It has already been provided, but it does not affect what customers are paying. It does not affect them.”
Rather, he said it was an issue that would be settled among the generation companies, the gas companies and the distribution companies.
“It is not something that will affect the consumers, especially the poor Nigerians, because government has already provided subsidy for that,” Talba stated. “So whatever review we do, it’s been taken care of by the subsidy given by the government. So it will not affect the consumers.”
The NERC boss spoke after a dinner his organisation hosted in honour of the visiting delegation from the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), Michigan Public Service Commission and United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The third in the series, it was part of the two-year old Energy Regulatory Partnership programme with NERC for which an MoU was signed in 2007.
Talba disclosed that the release of the subsidy to the power distribution companies was for the months of January, February and March.
“What we know is that for the months of January, February, March, we made a recommendation to the government and the Minister has given approval for the release of the subsidy to the beneficiaries. What I mean by the beneficiaries are the distribution companies. I know that has been done and release has been made to the market operator,” he said.
The market operator is Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) which operates through its 11 distribution companies, six generation companies and one transmission company.
“And we’re now looking at the April subsidy because we ought to be satisfied that the money given to them has been utilised for the purpose for which they were given before we recommend again,” the Head of the Nigerian regulatory agency said. “So we are waiting to hear from the market operator and be sure that the money released earlier has been properly utilised.”
On why NERC had not made its findings known months after it said it would announce them after it had completed a visit to all the IPPs (independent power producers) granted licences to see if they had lived up to expectation in terms of meeting the milestones, Talba said: “I promised you and we are still on it.”
According to him, “What happened was this. At out last meeting with the IPPs, they made us understand that we have not released the market rules and we promised them that we would release the market rules by the end of May. We have done that.
“The president has approved the market rules and it has been released to them; we have done the standard PPA. It has been sent to the ministry; we have given them. All these are now on our website.
“They wanted to have these first before they proceed with other things, but we should give them the room and watch them. So having given them these, let’s wait and see what they can do. If they cannot perform, if they cannot do anything we take the further step.”
Talba said during the week-long meeting with the visitors from the U.S., they exchanged ideas about regulatory issues, frameworks, legal issues and pricing, as well as how to run and monitor issues about electricity companies.
Michigan, agencies which he said had been regulating for more than 100 years, are consumer complaints, case procedures and enforcement of guidelines.
“We learnt a lot of things we’d not been doing before,” he said. “We’re going to improve on what we are doing, particularly on consumer issues, and enforcement of guidelines, monitoring the activities of the electricity companies, especially the distribution companies. Safety issues are of much concern to us, taking into cognisance the recent frequent electrocution cases… So we’ve learnt from them.”
The partnership programme was financed by USAID and NARUC.
Uduaghan, at the weekend, successfully resolved the impasse over the repair of the major pipeline that supplies gas to the nation’s power plant.
Uduaghan said the repairs of the pipeline, which conveys gas to Lagos, would help in meeting the target of 6000 megawatts by December 2009.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting in Warri, Delta State, with Gbaramatu elders, chiefs, officers of the Joint Task Force (JTF), the chairman of Warri South West LGA, Mr. George Ekpemuokpolo and staff of oil companies, the governor harped on the need for a conducive environment to enable repairs to be effected by the contractor, De Wayle’s International limited.
Uduaghan, who stated that oil giants, Shell and Chevron, had already embarked on the repair of their damaged pipelines, assured the contractor that adequate security would be provided by the JTF.
He said that government was aware that power was a critical issue and the worsening situation was leading to a shortfall in gas production, occasioned by vandalism of pipelines in the aftermath of the May 13, 2009 military bombardment of Gbaramatu.
The representative of the NNPC, Mr. Voke Mukoro, disclosed that the nation was losing 180 million cubic feet of gas daily as a result of the damage to the Escravos-Lagos pipeline.
Efforts aimed at generating 6000 megawatts of electricity that will translate into nationwide steady power supply has received a boost with a gas processing plant soon to be established at Utorogun, Delta State.
Already, the Delta State government has given land to the contractors, South Field Gas and Power Limited, which is expected to complete the project in 15 months.
The Managing Director of South Filed Gas and Power Limited, Dr. Patrick Ndiomu, who briefed Uduaghan when the chairman, Senator Musa Adede, led a team of the company’s management to the Governor’s Office Annex, Warri, said the completion of the gas processing plant would provide gas to power stations across the country.
Ndiomu further said with the abundant gas reserve in Nigeria, the Utorogu Gas Processing Plant alongside the Oben Gas Processing Plant that was ongoing in Edo State, would account for 80 per cent of gas supply to power stations in the country.
He also stated that the gas processing plant was part of the national gas master plan and was intended to improve electricity generation.
In his remarks, Uduaghan thanked President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua for approving the establishment of the gas processing plant in Delta.
“The Utorogu Community is excited and waiting for the commencement of the project,” he said.
The governor noted that the gas processing plant would eliminate condensate which some “unpatriotic persons used in adulterating kerosene as well as reduce the incidence of pipeline vandalisation”.
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A fresh legal battle might be brewing in the Jackson family as British child star Mark Lester says he's the father of Michael Jackson’s daughter, Paris.Lester who acted the role of Oliver Twist in his childhood days said he donated his sperm to the late music legend."I gave Michael my sperm so that he could have kids - and I believe Paris is my daughter," said Lester, who played in the 1967 flick "Oliver."The 51-year-old told Britain News of the World he gave Jackson his semen 13 years ago. He claims he is the godfather to all three of Jackson's children.Lester also said Paris is his daughter because of an "uncanny likeness" between the girl and his own daughter, Harriet, 15. He wants to take a paternity test.Lester said he donated his sperm at a London clinic while Jackson was married to Debbie Rowe."She's the birth mother of the children so I naturally assumed the sperm donation would obviously have gone into Debbie and Debbie would have borne the children," he said in a video posted on the paper's Web site.He said he's coming forward now because he has "concerns about the welfare and upbringing of the children.""I dearly want to remain in contact with those kids and I feel now this is the only way I can ensure that," he said.Jackson and Lester were friends for more than 25 years and he reportedly spent the day with the Jackson kids after their father's memorial service last month."The kids seemed to be coping quite well and they are surrounded by their family right now," he said at the time. "They are very polite and quite quiet kids, and despite all the publicity surrounding them and their family, they are trying to keep things as normal as possible at home."
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The Bible says,
“Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are” (James 5:17).
Yet he was mightily used of God. This reference is talking about the time Elijah became so despondent that he asked God to kill him (1 Kin. 19:4).
Elijah wasn’t perfect; yet he called fire down from heaven three times; he was the first person to raise someone from the dead; he caused the greatest revival in history up to that point; his word started and ended a three-year drought; he multiplied food miraculously; and he is one of only two men who never died—he was caught up alive into heaven. There is a lot we can learn from a man like this, both positive and negative.
The Bible gives little background on Elijah. It wasn’t his pedigree or education that brought him into a position of influence and power. Elijah was nobody until he received a word from God. It was the revelation God gave him that put him into a position of leadership.
Likewise, anyone who is born again, or baptized in the Holy Spirit, or has a good relationship with the Lord, has a revelation from God too. Just as Elijah’s revelation from God put him into a position of influence, anyone who has a revelation of God has the potential to influence others also. The only difference is that Elijah knew what he had and was bold enough to speak.
Many of us have been intimidated by the ungodly. We aren’t boldly speaking the truth we have from the Lord. What if Elijah hadn’t spoken that prophecy to King Ahab? The drought may have occurred anyway, but Elijah wouldn’t have been able to use it to affect the nation. The people would have dismissed the drought as a natural occurrence.
Elijah was bold enough to speak before there was any proof that what he was saying would come to pass. That took faith and great courage.
When the drought came as promised, Elijah became the most sought after man in the nation:
“As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not” (1 Kin. 18:10).
If we would speak forth the truths God has shown us, just like Elijah, the truths we speak would ultimately prevail.
Elijah didn’t have all the answers or know what would happen next when he spoke the prophecy to King Ahab (1 Kin. 17:1). Ahab had forbidden worship of the true God, instituting Baal worship. He killed the prophets of the Lord, and Elijah was putting himself in harm’s way by obeying the Lord.
It wasn’t until after Elijah delivered the word of the Lord, that God spoke to him about how He would protect and sustain him.
First Kings 17:2-4 says,
“And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.”
One of the great lessons we can learn here is that God doesn’t reveal His complete plan immediately. He reveals His will to us one step at a time. After we obey the first step, He shows us the next. Why should the Lord show us step two or ten if we haven’t obeyed step one? That would just make us more accountable. So, don’t try to figure out the next step until you have acted on what you know to do now. That’s a powerful truth.
The Lord told Elijah to go to the Brook Cherith. He had already commanded the ravens to bring Elijah bread and meat “THERE” every morning and evening. This was miraculous! What a provision during a terrible time!
But notice this: The Lord didn’t send Elijah’s provision to where he was. A quarterback doesn’t throw the football to where the receiver is, but where the receiver is going. Elijah’s miracle wasn’t where he was but where the Lord was sending him. That’s awesome!
Each of us has a place called “THERE,” where the blessings of the Lord are waiting. The Lord never fails to provide, but people often fail to receive because they aren’t all “THERE.” If Elijah had not gone to his place called “THERE,” his disobedience would not have stopped God’s faithfulness; however, he would not have received the provision; it was over “THERE,” by the Brook Cherith.
This is exactly what is happening to many of us. The Lord has placed something on our hearts to say or do. But, if we haven’t obeyed, we aren’t in our place of “THERE.” We aren’t seeing God’s provision, because we aren’t in that place of obedience.
I’ve heard many people say the Lord told them to attend Charis Bible College. But they just can’t see how it could happen. They want to see the Lord’s provision before they go “THERE.” That’s not how it works.
Some of you are not seeing God’s provision because you aren’t doing what He has told you to do. This doesn’t mean the Lord is punishing you. If Elijah hadn’t gone “THERE,” he would have lost his provision. The Lord has provision for you too, but it’s “THERE.”
This place called “THERE” changes. God changed the place and method of Elijah’s provision:
“And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee” (1 Kin. 17:8-9).
You can’t just seek the Lord once, hear His voice, step out in faith, and then stop listening. The Lord brings us into His perfect will step by step. Elijah moved when the Lord told him to move.
This led Elijah to the city of Zarephath where he asked a widow to give him the last of her food. It looked like he was taking from this woman, but he was actually giving to her. Instead of this being her last meal before dying, the Lord multiplied this woman’s supplies, which kept her, her son, and Elijah alive for about three years (1 Kin. 17:15-16). What a great miracle!
That wasn’t all the widow received. Her faithfulness in giving caused her son to be raised from the dead (1 Kin. 17:17-23). She had been operating in faith every day. She would use the last bit of oil and meal for Elijah and then find that there was always enough to make a cake for herself and her son. This was a great faith builder, which I’m sure figured into the miracle of her son.
Elijah went on to call fire down from heaven and consume a sacrifice in the sight of all of the people of Israel (1 Kin. 18:36-38). The people who saw it cried out, “The Lord, He is the God. The Lord, He is the God.” They killed all the prophets of Baal, and the whole nation turned to the Lord.
That same day, Elijah prayed and ended the drought by a great rain storm (1 Kin. 18:41-45). He was so pumped, he outran Ahab’s chariot in a twenty-mile race after Ahab had a head start. Elijah was excited!
Here is a very important lesson: After great victories come great temptations. This is primarily because we lose our sense of humility and dependence upon God (1 Kin. 19:4). Elijah had successfully defied the king, his armies, his prophets, and all the people in the nation. But the next day, a note from a woman caused him to run in terror (1 Kin. 19:2-3).
The Lord appeared to Elijah and asked, “What are you doing HERE, Elijah?” (1 Kin. 19:9). Elijah wasn’t “THERE” anymore. His place called “THERE” was back in Samaria. People were now worshiping the true God, but Elijah had run away in fear, leaving the people without a leader.
This resulted in the Lord replacing Elijah with Elisha. Elijah’s ministry fell short of what it could have been. The Lord actually spoke to Elijah in an audible voice. He told him to do three things, one of which was to anoint Elisha to replace him (1 Kin. 19:15-16). Elijah anointed Elisha (1 Kin. 19:19), but didn’t do the other two things. That means Elijah failed in two-thirds of the things the Lord told him to do. That’s amazing.
You might think this meant Elijah was washed up and was never used of God again. That’s not the case. Elijah went on to prophesy (1 Kin. 21:17-24), and he called the fire of God down two more times (2 Kin. 1:9-12). And most impressive of all, Elijah never died; he was caught up into heaven by a whirlwind (2 Kin. 2:11).
This man, who failed miserably, still walked so closely with God that he never died. This speaks volumes to us. The Lord has never had anyone working for Him yet who was qualified. He uses us in spite of what we do, and not because of what we do. If we will hold on to our faith, we can still experience wonderful things from the Lord even after failing BIG TIME. What powerful truths.Read more…
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The rising complaints of abuse and sexual harassment in the banking industry, traceable to the emergence of Nigeria's new generation banks, has continued to cause concern about questionable labour practices allowed to thrive in the sector due to the glut in the labour market.
The burden of banks' seemingly insatiable desire for deposits experts said is carried largely by female bank officials -who are subjected to various forms of threats, intimidations, queries and demotions, if they are unable to meet the monthly targets.
Meeting the target
According to a female bank staff, "some banks, attach the payment of the salaries of marketers to performance on their given targets. If the target is not met, a percentage of their salary may be deducted and their promotion and other bonuses delayed. I have a friend who has just lost his job because he didn't meet his target. The management called him and advised him to resign or get sacked."
According to her, some female bankers are recruited with clear instructions to generate between N150 million and N300 million within 3-6 months, while those in the operations department have specified targets, like N1 million per month, two savings accounts in one week or three in a month, depending on the branch head and stability of the branch.
No bank has publicly acknowledged the truth of these allegations though.
According to the CBN governor, Lamido Sanusi, in his maiden meeting with the House of Representatives committee on banking and currency in Abuja, last month, "Yes this thing is here, although in my over 20 years in the banking industry, I have not experienced where a lady was asked to go and sleep with a man to get deposit. I am sure no bank will say that."
Mind games
According to a female marketer at a top bank, the ultimate decision lies with the marketers as individuals. "It has not been easy, but I am getting used to it. Sometimes, in the process of persuading customers to open accounts, I realise that I am already crying, and then, they are moved and just open the account with much more money than I was even asking for. Sometimes, with just two or three people opening accounts, you can cover your targets for that period.
"Of course, you may not always be lucky, because things don't always turn out that way, but once in a while, we meet decent men, who understand our plight and help us," she explained.
Taking action
The acting secretary general of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance, and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI), O.P. Orere, explained that the association has never been in support of unrealistic targeting. According to him, "This institution has never supported this. We have frowned at, condemned and castigated it through our various publications and press releases.
"There is nothing we can do. At a time, some of our members complained that condoms were being distributed to them at their offices. It is a fight that has been in existence for a long time. In my 25 years of working in the bank, we didn't have targets."
He puts the blame on the new generation banks. "These banks have 25 billion with the CBN which they do not have free access to, but they need money to carry out their day to day transactions. We have advised them that they can get this by introducing good products to the public and not exposing these ladies to various vices. It is against the International Labour Organisation's decent work agenda, which Nigeria is a member of."
Investigations however reveal that an arm of the ASSBIFI is sponsoring a bill at the National Assembly to check these ‘outrageous' practices.
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U dont need to drop a dime over the internet cos its delivered to ur 'roost' (destination). Just call 08038353771 or mail oluride@yahoo.com with ur specifications annd preference....let ur taste stand out.
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Aug 6, 2009By Samuel OyadonghaYenagoa — Fresh crisis looms in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, as the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Central Zone has given the Hausa community in the state 72 hours to produce the man that killed a mother and daughter last month in the capital city.Chairman and Secretary of the zone, Jonathan Lokpobiri and Douye Amusu, respectively, yesterday in Yenagoa issued the ultimatum after consulting with stakeholders.The IYC described as most disheartening the gruesome murder of an innocent woman and her mother last month in Yenagoa.In a four-point resolution made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, the Ijaw Youth Council stated that, “the Hausa community is hereby given 72 hours ultimatum to immediately produce the perpetrator of this dastardly act in the interest of peace.”The youth body also demanded a written undertaking from the Hausa community to assure the Ijaws of their resolve to “curtail the repetition of this unwarranted killing without further delay.”It further warned that “the repetition of this kind of inhuman act will no longer be tolerated by the Ijaw Youth Council.”The youth body threatened that at the expiration of the ultimatum, failure to produce the suspect(s) will certainly warrant their resolve to demand the immediate evacuation of all the Hausa community in Bayelsa.“We shall remain steadfast to our avowed commitment as a people,” the IYC warned.Contacted, the Bayelsa Police Commissioner, Elder Onuoha Udeka, said he was not aware of the ultimatum and advised all those concerned to join the police in the search for the culprit.“They should follow the laws of the land because it will not be proper to create anything that would cause reprisal effect,” he said.It would be recalled that Mrs. Korikegha Agene, a nursing mother of four and her aged mother, Pamela Naingba, were murdered by a-yet-to-be identified man said to be of northern stock on July 21,2009, at their Etegwe suburb home in Yenagoa.The deceased, 33-year-old Korikegha is married to a serving Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) in Kwara State.As at press time, the remains of the deceased are still at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri.
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Fleeing members of Boko Haram, yesterday challenged some top aides of the state Governor, Ali Sheriff, to swear publicly that they have no link with them.The fundamentalists also said they are ready to come out with the true picture of everything, insisting that the movement is still very much around and that the deaths of some of their leaders and members cannot stop them.An anonymous text message written in Hausa, sent to our correspondent, read : “Al Gaskiya zata tabbata ko bayan mutuwar malan da sahabansa. Ina sohuwar minister takasar middle belt? Ina senata mai cit a sakiyar ta jihar ku? Ina sohar kwamashona ayanzu chiama a kudancin jihar ku? Ina yankasuwa magoyin bayan harancecen gwannan? Meya raba su da ustaz Buji fai? Ai dukkansu sunayin taimako. Sufito fili su rantse idan basu da hannu. Munnnan daku. Idan ana nemar gaskiya zamuzo meduguri mufadeta koda mu ba yankasan ba.”This literally means, "The truth shall prevail after the death of Mallam and his followers. What is the fate of the former minister from the middle belt? What is the fate of the current senator from your state (Borno), where are the former commissioners now? Let them come out and swear that they don’t have a hand. We are still together. If people are seeking the truth, we shall come to Maiduguri to tell them, even if we are not indigenes of Borno State."Meanwhile, Sheriff has told leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria that it was unfair to associate him with the sectarian crisis in the state, adding, “I will not condone the killings of people. The electorate voted me to lead them.”At a meeting with CAN, he said, “I do not associate based on religion. As a governor, you will not join hands with such a sect. No responsible leader or man would ignite any religious crisis; some of the pastors are my friends.”He sympathised with CAN on the burning of 20 churches and killing of three pastors, noting that since 2003, his administration had been battling with Boko Haram, which had been in Maiduguri for 14 years.
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From Iyabo Lawal (Ibadan) and Bodunrin Beckley, (Keffi)Like a blockbuster action movie from hollywood ! Assault on Banks 13 !
IT was a black day in Ogbomoso yesterday as gunmen invaded three commercial banks in the city and unleashed mayhem on officials, customers and passers-by.
At the end of the operation, which took place simultaneously in the affected financial institutions, seven persons, including three of the robbers were killed, while others sustained various degrees of injuries.
Also, five persons were yesterday feared killed in a ghastly accident at Gidan Waje village on Keffi-Akwanga road in Nasarawa State.
The robbers, according to sources had arrived at the Apake area of Ogbomoso where the banks are located in five vehicles, including three 18-seater passenger buses, a Toyota Camry and another KIA car, armed with sophisticated weapons. They were said to number about 60.
On their arrival, the gun-wielding robbers took position in the three banks after overpowering the security men stationed within the banks' premises.
While the shoot-out lasted, a cleaner and a top official of one of the banks were shot dead. Three of the robbers also died in the process.
Two persons were hit by stray bullets, while the robbers were trying to escape as they shot sporadically into the air, causing pandemonium in the city.
A police patrol van, which was cited by the robbers while trying to find an escape route was also not spared as it was riddled with bullets, though it could not be ascertained whether anyone was injured in the process.
The development forced other banks in the city to hurriedly close for business while traders and markets also hurriedly locked their stalls.
Commissioner of Police, Baba Bolanta, led a special rescue team to Ogbomoso while mobile policemen and an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) were immediately deployed to the town.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bisi Okuwobi, who expressed sadness over the incident, appealed to well meaning Nigerians to support the police in the area of equipment, saying if an APC was stationed in Ogbomoso, the robbers would not have had a field day.
Those feared killed in the auto crash involving three vehicles, include the chairman of the Senior Staff Association (SSANU) at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Bala Angbashim, his wife and son.
Another occupant of the third vehicle was badly wounded and had to be rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi by men of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Commander of the Road Safety Unit in Keffi, Solomon Agure, told The Guardian that the mishap occurred when one of the vehicles tried to overtake and in the process hit an incoming vehicle.
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