Jonathan, Boko Haram and The Media.

ThisDay Nov 25, 2011


President Goodluck Jonathan has assured the international community that the menace of Boko Haram will soon be a thing of the past as security measures initiated by his administration are steadily cleaning up the entire country of all forms of terrorism.

But the group, on the same day, issued fresh assassination threat against the president, Senate President David Mark, former Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sherrif, and former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana. It also confirmed links with Al-Qaeda, describing them as “brothers” who offer them support in their bid to Islamise Nigeria.

But senior security officials were sceptical about the latest threats Thursday, telling THISDAY that some politicians “were at work” again. A security official said “it is wrong and unpatriotic” for the media to grant access to Boko Haram, allowing them to spread terror messages without questioning the rationale behind their action.

I concur, there is no justification for the media to grant an avowed terrorist group uncensored press release of any kind.  It is never done anywhere, ever! This is very unethical and should be condemned and controlled with immediate effect by the NCC or whoever is a position to do so.

 Maybe they should borrow wisdom from the International Summit on Democracy, Terrorism and Security...In the panel The Media and Terrorism: Friends or Foes, 

the panelists debated how terrorism should be reported, and whether journalists should feel bound by political or professional imperatives. While some argued that the journalists only obligation was towards the reader, others stressed that it was important to deny the terrorists the oxygen of publicity.

Nigeria's Zip Code/Postal Code..Ghrrrr!

I am really angry right now, in fact RAGE is the word.
Year in year out we complain of things that have refused to work in Nigeria. We appoint/elected/squeeze in / bribe in Public workers who end up going the way of the rest. Like the sheep, they just can't think or do things differently-they must follow the wrong things.

To think that little things which are taken for granted in other countries developed or otherwise, are still missing in Nigeria only makes me want to lie someone flat on the table and give him/her the legendary 24 lashes.

What in the world are we thinking. Why is it so hard for us to do the normal everyday right things? What are all those nincompoops in Urban/Regional Planning  and Nipost doing? That people will spend hours searching for Zip/ Postal codes to Nigerian Cities? I mean, am not even talking about  streets/houses codes!

In the developed world one of the things you must get in to your head, whether you like numbers or not is your postal code, the one attached to your block.
You don't have to be told, you just have to know it because every form/ data you will ever fill requiring your personal information will require it.

I actually thought I was the only one in that predicament this morning, trying to fill an online form and realizing gosh  this again? I went searching, on line of course, you know what I found?

Here are a few examples

1. HJZ from Yahoo answers looking for postal code to Lagos
gee ,i've looked everywhere .....no answers anywhere .........
i would just mail the letter such as ;
name
street
lagos
nigeria
and do not forget # air mail # that way it will go out of the country mail at the post-office .
sorry

2. Ogechi77 from Nairaland    What's Postal code of Lagos, Nigeria, pls i need it ASAP

Kaysmith11           234 dats d postal code

Dadaja2004            Lagos code is 01 while Nigeria code is 234

I feel like laughing but then I know I should be weeping! What? Anyway I do not blame the people that tried to help. They obviously don't know the answer.

Yet we have been told of millions spent in urban planning, as a matter of fact some of us have woken up to see a new numbering address attached to our houses, besides the old one without any explanations or effect whatsoever! Just so that some thieving Local Government Chairman somewhere can point to that and say it cost his government so ans so millions!

In my search I was actually directed to the Nipost website where you can search City Zip codes, guess what? That application is as non-interactive as can be! I couldn't get any information out of it ( meaning I tried).

My question is, what will it cost the Nigerian Postal Agency to publish this kind of record? These are public information for crying out loud and is only useful to the general public. What is it doing in the confines of their office ( assuming they have it)?

Little wonder packages and mails get missing anyhow in and around the same country.

Can't our people learn the simple rules of effective service?

If we have a clearly delineated postal/zip code, people get to use them when addressing letters and packages, which in turn gets sorted out pretty quickly and delivered to the appropriate addressees.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH NIGERIA SEF..SMH!!!

Now She Is Gone!

This Youth Corper/actress Eucharia Remmy,  was murdered in cold blood last weekend during the Boko Haram's attack in Yobe State..

What was her crime? She was serving her country and was obedient to have  gone to where she was posted to, she is not alone thousand have been killed this way and its a pity that all we get are press releases that tell us how many a**es on ON TOP OF THE SITUATION. SMH!

By the way, I read she is in Christ Embassy and was distributing ROR before she was lynched. I cried so much this morning as soon as my husband showed me her pictures and I recognized her..this is so sad.!
May her soul and that of all the faithfuls departed, rest in eternal peace, Amen.

Abuja: Muslim Youths Batter Pastor Almost To Death Over Comment

From 9ja Book:

Sectarian violence almost erupted at Gwarimpa Estate, Abuja on Sunday (6th November) when one Pastor Ernest Onyems of the Shore House Church narrowly escaped being lynched by Muslim youths who were offended by his comments over the use of a road as praying ground for the Sallah celebrations.

I invoke the Chapter  Four of the CFRN 

Before policemen deployed in the area to provide security intervened, the cleric was thoroughly beaten before he managed to jump a fence into a house in the area.

Our correspondent, who was at the scene, observed the youths, who were chanting Allahu Akbar (God is great), forced their way into the compound where Onyems took refuge and attempted to drag him out.

The policemen prevented the mob from dragging him out and vandalising his car.

Continue to read what his comment was...my Nigeria (weeping!!!)

A QUICK INVESTMENT GUIDE TO DOING BUSINESS IN NIGERIA.

A foreign investor  seeking to do business in Nigeria will be required to interphase with the under listed substantive laws and its attendant corporate bodies.

 THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT (CAMA) and THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC).

Section 18 of CAMA, allows “any two or more persons may form and incorporate a company in Nigeria in accordance with the Act:

However such persons as listed under Section 20 (1) are prohibited from joining in the formation of a company, if:

·         He is less than eighteen years of age ( except 2 or more persons not disqualified by the Act, join in the formation of such a company); or

·         He is of unsound mind and has been so found by a court in Nigeria or elsewhere; or

·         He is an undischarged bankrupt; or

·         He is disqualified under section 254 of this Act from being a director of a company or

·         It is a body corporate in liquidation.”

An Alien (foreign investor) or Alien Company is empowered by Section 20(4) to join in the formation of a company or any business venture in Nigeria. This is however, subject to any other law(s) in force, regulating Alien participation in trade or business in Nigeria.

TYPES OF COMPANIES IN NIGERIA-UNDER PART A OF CAMA

 Section 21 of CAMA provides for three types;

a)      Company Limited by shares

b)      Company Limited by Guarantee and;

c)      Unlimited Company.

Any of the above companies can be either a private company or a public company.

Section 22, states what constitutes a private company including: its membership (excluding bona fide employees) which shall not exceed fifty; the company’s Memorandum must state that it is a private company and the company is restricted by the Act from inviting members of the public to buy its shares or to deposit money for fixed periods or payable on call whether bearing interest or not.

According to Section 24, any company other than a private company as stated above is a public company and shall have it stated in the company’s memorandum of association.

Other types of business include:

Business names registered under part B of the CAMA and

Incorporated Trustees registered under part C of the CAMA.

QUICK STEPS TO REGISTERING A COMPANY WITH FOREIGN PARTICIPATION, IN NIGERIA.

1.      Retain a lawyer or law firm in Nigeria

2.      Foreign Shareholder may grant a Power of Attorney to its Solicitor in Nigeria, empowering them to act as its agent in executing incorporation and other legal documents.

3.      Determine the name, initially authorized capital and objects of the proposed company

4.      Establish partners/shareholders and their respective shareholding percentage in the company.

5.      Conduct search and availability of name and reserve proposed name with CAC

6.      Prepare a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) where proposed company has part foreign shareholders and part local shareholders, incorporating the intensions of both parties.

7.      Prepare Memorandum and Articles of Association incorporating the spirit of the JVA

8.      Pay stamp duty ( this is done at the Federal Inland Revenue Service-FIRS)

9.      Notarize form CAC 4, verify documents’ compliance, pay CAC filing fees at the designated bank desks within the CAC premises and file all duly verified incorporation documents.

10.  Incorporation certificate will be issued usually within ten working days, except the one (1) day incorporation option is exercised. This option costs an additional Fifty thousand naira (N50, 000) apart from the regular fees of incorporation.

THE NIGERIAN INVESTMENT PROMOTIOM COMMISSON ACT and THE NIGERIAN INVESTMENT PROMOTION COMMISSION (NIPC).

Notable among the NIPC Act provisions include:

1.      Section 17- A non-Nigerian may invest and participate in any enterprise in Nigeria-this is Foreign Direct  Investment (FDI),

2.      Section 20- An enterprise in which foreign participation is permitted, shall after its incorporation or registration with the CAC, be registered with the NIPC

3.      Section 21 - A foreign enterprise may buy the shares of any Nigerian enterprise in any convertible currency-this is Foreign Portfolio Investment ( FPI)

4.      Section 22- Incentives for special investments

5.      Section 23- Priority areas of investment

6.      Section 24 – Investment guarantees, transfer of capital, profits and dividends in freely convertible currency through an authorized dealer.

7.      Section 25 – Guarantee against expropriation ( Investment Protection Assurance)

According to Section 4 of the NIPC Act, the Commission has the following duties and functions;

The Commission shall encourage, promote and co-ordinate investment in the Nigerian economy and accordingly shall

a)      Be the agency of the Federal Government to co-ordinate and monitor all investment promotion activities to which this Act applies;

b)      Initiate and support measures which shall enhance the investment climate in Nigeria for both Nigerian and non-Nigerian investors;

c)      Promote investments in and outside Nigeria through effective promotional means;

d)     Collect, collate, analyse and disseminate information about investment opportunities and sources of investment capital, and advise on request, the availability, choice or suitability of partners in joint-venture projects;

e)      Register and keep records of all enterprises to which this Act applies;

f)       Identify specific projects and invite interested investors for participation in those projects;

g)      Initiate, organize and participate in promotional activities, such as, exhibitions, conferences and seminars for the stimulation of investments;

h)      Maintain liaison between investors and Ministries, Government departments and agencies, institutional lenders and other authorities concerned with investments;

i)        Provide and disseminate up-to-date information on incentives available to investors;

j)        Assist incoming and existing investors by providing support services;

k)      Evaluate the impact of the Commission in investments in Nigeria and make appropriate recommendations;

l)        Advise the Federal Government on policy matters, including fiscal measures designed to promote the industrialisation of Nigeria or the general development of the economy;

m)    Perform such other functions as are supplementary or incidental to the attainment of the objectives of this Act.

QUICK STEPS TO OBTANING NIPC REGISTRATION FOR EXPATRIATE QUOTA AND OTHER INCENTIVES

1. Prepare and submit simultaneous applications to the NIPC (on the prescribed NIPC Application Form) for the following:    

- Registration and Expatriate Quota;

- Pioneer Status and other incentives (where applicable)  

2. The application to the NIPC should be accompanied with the following documents: -  

a)       Original and duplicate Copy of the duly completed NIPC Form 1;

b)       Original Copy of the treasury receipt for the purchase of NIPC Form;

c)       A Copy of the Certificate of Incorporation of the applicant company;

d)       A Copy of the Tax Clearance Certificate of the applicant company;

e)       A Copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association;

f)        A Copy of treasury receipt as evidence of payment of stamp duties on the authorised share capital of the company as at date of application;

g)       A Copy of the Joint-Venture Agreement -UNLESS 100% foreign ownership is envisaged;

h)       A Copy of Feasibility Report and Project Implementation Programme of a company for its proposed business. It is advisable that quotations, letters of intent and other such documentation relating to industrial plant and machinery to be acquired by the company, be forwarded either as annexes or separately. In order to discourage the dissipation of administrative energy on speculative applications, the NIPC favours the applicant who has demonstrated positive intention to commence business as and when approvals are granted. Hence, the requests for evidence of acquisition of business premises and evidence of acquisition of the plant and machinery to be utilised in the company's business;

i)         A Copy of Deed(s) of Sub-Lease/Agreement evidencing firm commitment to acquire requisite business premises for the company's operation. By implication, the ultimate NIPC approvals do incorporate approvals of the industrial site locations indicated in the application;

j)        A Copy of training programme or personnel policy of the company, incorporating management succession schedule for qualified Nigerians;

k)       Particulars of names, addresses, nationalities and occupations of the proposed directors of the company;

l)         Job title designations of expatriate quota positions required, and the academic and working experience required for the occupants of such positions. It is pertinent to note that expatriate quota on a “Permanent Until Reviewed” (PUR) status is only accorded to a Managing Director, where the non-resident shareholders own a majority of the company's shares, and the authorised capital of the company is N5 million and above;

m)     Copies of information brochure on foreign shareholder (if available) as testimony of international expertise and credibility of the foreign partner in the proposed line of business.

ADDITIONAL CRITERIA GUIDING THE GRANT OF BUSINESS PERMIT AND EXPATRIATE QUOTA

I.  BUSINESS PERMIT:

a)      NIPC Form 1 with Original receipt for the purchase of the Form;

b)      Certificate of Incorporation;

c)      A minimum share capital of N5 million;

d)     Details of shareholding in the Joint Venture;

e)      Joint Venture/Partnership Agreement where applicable

f)       Memorandum and Articles of Association;

g)      CAC’s Forms CO7 duly certified;

h)      Evidence of capital importation for wholly foreign companies.

II. EXPATRIATE QUOTA:

In addition to the requirements listed under Business Permit, the following additional requirements have to be met for Expatriate Quota Positions:-

a)      A company applying for Expatriate Quota should show evidence of acquisition of operational premises and operational machinery/equipment in the case of an industrial establishment;

b)      Evidence of foreign capital importation;

c)      A company applying for Expatriate Quota Positions in the case of provision of services should produce Management and Technical Services Agreement;

d)     Companies seeking Expatriate Quota are expected to have a minimum authorized share capital of N5 million;

e)      Companies applying for Expatriate Quota should produce Tax Clearance

f)       Companies applying for permanent Until Reviewed (PUR) quota slots must show evidence of payment of tax for minimum of One million Naira (N1,000,000);

g)      To enjoy two automatic Expatriate Quota Positions, the share capital of the company should not be below N15,000,000;

h)      A company  will be entitled to four automatic Expatriate Quota Positions, if its share capital is N30,000,000 and above;

i)        A company would be considered for Expatriate Quota only where the type of personnel required is not likely to be available in Nigeria or where available not in sufficient number.

j)        The Company must in all cases supply the names, addresses, qualifications and positions to be occupied by the expatriate (i.e. Details of quota positions desired).

k)      The Company must also produce its project implementation programme;

l)        The company must produce a Training Programme for Nigerians in addition to Management Succession Schedule;

m)    The Company will furnish its Feasibility Report where applicable especially for new and pioneer industries.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provision) No. 17, 1995, THE CBN DECREE 24 of 1991 and BANKING AND OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS DECREE 25, 1995 and THE NIGERIAN BANK

Having obtained the requisite NIPC approvals and Business Permit Certificate, the non-resident shareholder must act with despatch to import its foreign equity holding in the company. 

To ensure prompt importation of the foreign equity components, the NIPC may grant Business Permit but defer approvals for Expatriate Quota and Pioneer Status and other applicable investment incentives, until evidence of capital importation is produced.

Investors who wish to be able to remit dividends to non-resident shareholders or repatriate capital on disinvestments must ensure that they obtain a Certificate of Capital Importation from the Nigerian bank through which the payment is transferred into Nigeria.

PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING CERTIFICATE OF CAPITAL IMPORTATION (CCI)

a)      Application will be made to COMPANY’s bankers 

b)      The foreign shareholders will instruct their bank (“the remitting bank”) by telex to transfer the necessary funds either directly to COMPANY’s bankers or to their foreign affiliate;                                                                            

c)      The transfer must be accompanied by a telex stating that the money being remitted to the bank is for the account of COMPANY and that the money represents the foreign investors’ capital contribution to the equity of COMPANY;

d)     Upon confirmation that the funds have been remitted to Nigeria,

The Company is required to send a formal letter of application to the receiving bank to issue a CCI in respect of the equity contribution.

THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED TOGETHER WITH THE LETTER OF APPLICATION:

a)       A Board resolution of COMPANY authorizing the foreign investment;

b)       A letter from COMPANY stating the purpose for which the money has been remitted;

c)       A copy of the certificate of incorporation of COMPANY;

d)       A copy of the swift message from the remitting bank.

 If satisfied with the documentation the receiving bank will issue a CCI in respect of the funds.  The receiving bank is required to notify the CBN whenever it issues a CCI.

 After obtaining Certificate of Capital Important from the bank, the NIPC is to be notified of this fact with the supporting documentation, in order for it to resume processing of pending approvals that might have been deferred on such grounds.

As soon as expatriate Quota position are granted and the respective individuals to fill the quota positions are recruited, the company must embark on steps to obtain work permit and residency status for the expatriate employees and their accompanying spouses and children (if any).

OTHER RELEVANT LAWS AND CORPORATE BODIES

1.      Securities and Exchange Commission Decree, 1988 and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

2.      Immigration Act Cap 171 LFN 1990.

3.      Investment and securities Act No. 45 of 1999

4.      National Office of Technology Acquisition and Promotion Act

Cap 268 LFN 1990.

Bibliography

1.      Companies and Allied Matters Act Chapter 59 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1990.

2.      Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission Act Chapter N117 (Decree No 16 of 1995) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

3.      The convention http://www.theconvention.org/pdf/regulations_CAMA.pdf assessed 06/09/2010

4.      DoingbusinessinNigeria http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/nigeria/starting-a-business assessed 10/09/2010

5.      Foreign Investment in Nigeria at http://www.nigeriagalleria.com/Nigeria/Investment_Nigeria/Foreign_Investment_Requirements_Protections2.html assessd 10/09/2010

6.      On line Nigeria at http://www.onlinenigeria.com/nigbiz/adv.asp?blurb=586 assessed 11/10/2010

7.      Checklist of incorporating a company with foreign participation at http://www.aeandelegal.com/dynamicdata/flash/checklist%20for%20establishing%20company%20with%20foreign%20shareholding%20in%20Nigeria.pdf assessed 07/09/2011

8.      Doing Business in Nigeria at http://www.macrosecnominees.com/DoingBusinessinNigeria.pdf assessed 07/09/2011

Nigeria Family Meeting- Attending

I'm calling a family meeting today
To discuss and weigh important issues
This calls for no more than necessary words
Nigeria our mother is sick to the death.

She was sick at the head
after she broke free from her abductors
then it grew worse and extended to her limbs
so no matter what prosthetic limbs we approved every 4years,
they can only be ill, corrupt and malfunction.

Now her whole system is infected-
her organs are shutting down
She can still feel her legs but her system won't support their movement
and so she lays immobile, vulnerable to every ailment known to man.

We invited healers from distant lands, they looted her jewelry
we called on our own, spiritualist, diviners, herbalists, physicians-
they altogether covet her possessions, seeking her death
We are left to save our mother, the choice of a miracle is in our hands!

She is dying but her heart still beats and she smiles sometimes in the midst of her agony
Our choices are limited, our pockets are feeling the hospital bills.
Keep her on life support and approve temporal cosmetic surgeries?
Transplant her heart to a new but functional body and forgo the remembrance of her face?

The doctors gave her a 50/50 chance to live,
but it all depends on what we do today;
And so the meeting comes to a close,
The surgeons await our response-change Nigeria or watch her die!

It Gets Worse...Nigeria's Dept now N6.02 Trillion.

From ThisdayLive today...

"Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, Senator Ehigie Uzamere (ACN, Edo), said yesterday that the country’s total debt now stands at US$39.72 billion (N6.02 trillion), of which external and domestic debts are US$5.398 billion and N5.210 trillion, respectively.

He said during the inauguration of the committee that “this amount is unsettling and called for concern.”

This is even as the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, berated past administrations in the country for taking foreign loans for specific projects, which were later abandoned.

In his opening remarks at the committee’s inauguration, Uzamere urged governments at various levels to “focus more on borrowing for projects with self-repaying capacity and job generation rather than borrowing to finance gaps in budgets that are largely recurrent”

He noted that while the total debt of N6.02 trillion was more than the Federal Government’s annual budget, its external component translated to 2.76 per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and its domestic component translated to 17.53 per cent of GDP"

I will join Uzamere to ask this question, "Do we have the capacity to repay this money considering our yearly revenue profile? What is the future value of the total debt in 10 years’ time, considering the way we are going? ( emphatic addition mine).
`
Go here to read it in full and hope you don't end up crying for Nigeria Like I have found myself doing in recent times.

Letter to GEJ

Dear President Jonathan,

Greetings from disappointed Nigerians.

Yes we are disappointed, not with Mr Ebele Jonathan "the teacher" but with Jonathan the "President". We are disappointed because for months on end prior to the elections in April, we did all we could to sensitize youths our age to come out and vote. I for one, did not fail in telling every one around me how we can make a change if we vote this time and not just vote anybody but vote you, GEJ. Our opinion was that judging by where you are coming from, you would have seen the demons sucking Nigeria's blood from the everyday Nigerian man's perspective. How wrong we were!

I do not doubt that you are a good man and my opinion has not changed with respect to that but I now doubt if you were really qualified for this job in the first place. Don't get me wrong, politically speaking you are qualified, you have the minimum education standard, you belong to a political party, you have god -fathers and now we know you have become god -father to so many whom you must feed their insatiable appetite first, before you look around, but are you the Leader that will spear head the change that we need?.

The type of leaders nobody in Nigeria wanted after April 2011 are: the type that will stick to Status quo and drive Nigeria from stagnation to death and decomposition; the type that will retain some officials and appoint others, as soon as they take over office solely for the purpose of being thought how best to steal the money without being caught; the type that Nigerians spit at the mention of their names. Is this your career goal?

Why have you refused to do things differently since you assumed office?  There is a concept about justice, that it does not only have to be done but also seen to have been done, so please do not start with all the projects you have initiated or contracts that have been awarded and  signed that only exist on paper and in the media world ( not like the media is even reporting them with elation,they are merely doing their job).

When you were in the classrooms and your salary was delayed or left unpaid, I bet you thought to yourself " If I become governor of Bayelsa, I will do it differently" But now , you have long surpassed that stage, we have given you the highest platform to make the biggest changes, what are you waiting for?

Why can't you see that the only leaders who succeed are the ones who have an independent people oriented dream/love for their country, do you even have a personal affection for Nigeria and all it stands for?

Why can't you see that the biggest challenge to governance in Nigeria is corruption and  the multiplicity and duplicity of organs, bodies and offices in the system. How come we have ministers ,directors and chairmen of one body who themselves have Special advisers, personal assistants, chief security officers and protocol officers. The Assistants themselves, employ assistants whose job is to help them hold oga's handkerchief while they hold his 5 handsets...it is madness.These people have assess to our money one way or the other and so the number of thieves are even more staggering, than the normal Nigerian knows.

How about my friend here? Did it have to get to this before he can get a job?

Camera pix on a friend's FB page

No matter how absurd it sounds, this is the plight of most Nigerian youths. And yet, job creation was the foremost on your list of promises.

Occupy Nigeria?

I have asked  countless times on this blog , Are we are really sure we want to see changes in Nigeria?
I am asking because, it appears Nigerians are among the only people in the world who transfer their grievances of a very badly run State either to God or to other innocent Nigerians by taking to crime or butchering people under some religious guise.
From the wake of the Arab Spring, to the most recent "Occupy" movements which has now spread to over 82 countries world wide, including South Africa which we all adjudge politically better  than Nigeria, Nigerians are the only ones who complain about everything in the polity, but never lift a finger of change.

It does not have to be an "Occupy" protest, but me thinks Nigeria needs a revolution of some sort.
What the participants of this Occupy movement are protesting against are, Social and Economic Inequality, Corporate greed, Influence of Corporate Money and Lobbyists on the government. Go to Wiki to read the genesis of it. Hmm, Nigerians have known  worse than these.

Lobbyists! From those who will see that our railways never work because they have transportation companies that carry heavy duties via road and as such lobby to protect their selfish interests, to those who will sit on Power negotiations because they are the highest importers of generator sets in the country. What is even not wrong with the system we call Nigeria, what is there not be disenchanted about?

An Asian friend once said, "if Nigerians will dedicate 1/4 of the time they spend at tarry nights and in praying for their problems, to finding solutions to those problems, they would have long solved their problems"
Don't get me wrong, I love to pray but I also know that no matter how long we pray, we will have to clean up our own mess by ourselves. God is not the Culprit, people are.  In fact we all are! If the good ones will not do anything to cure the anomaly in Nigeria, then we all are contributors to it.

Amanda Knox- Freed at last!

Just yesterday the Italian Appeal Court acquitted Amanda Knox and her boyfriend Rafaelle Sollecito of the Murder charge that has kept them in prison for almost four years. Here is how it was reported by BBC news.

 Source- BBC YouTube Videos

Nigeria @ 51, Sights and Sounds of Hope!

Nigeria a Country of Over 160 million people first flew its flag of Independence on the 1st of October 1960.
51 years on, today we are marking that Independence.
What we are celebrating is not 'our arrival' at our set-out goals but our resilience and persistence in attaining 'that goal'
The goal being Peace,Progress and Prosperity- a nation where corruption is shunned and human life valued above ethnicity, culture and religion.  Here are a few of the numerous colourful pictures and sounds that heralded the celebration- our prayer is that what happened this day last year never repeats itself, Amen.

The celebration kicked off with the customary Presidential address, you can watch it here and a lot of pump and pageantry in National Colours both at home and abroad.

More pictures and video when you continue.

Nigeria is not a Cave, Even though we want it better and which country doesn't?

This is Lagos Nigeria that you don't see on TV..Source YouTube Videos.

This is Abuja Nigeria, Live Unedited News Video...Source YouTube Videos.

I decided to show a little of what Nigeria is.
This is one state (Lagos) and the Federal Capital Territory ( Abuja) out of the 36 States in the country.
I am blogging about this in response to some questions albeit very uninformed in this 21st century.
Questions like " Do you have roads in Nigeria?" ( Maybe we still use bush paths..lol)
Or " wow you have SEC ( Securities and Exchange Commission) and banks?" ( okay now, we bank with clay pots..am stunned!)
Anyway much of it comes from what the media portrays, I may even be guilty as charged but forgive me misters, Our Nigeria, no matter what you might have heard before now, is not made up of Cave cities.

Homeless

I once used to wake up and 'kasuwa',

My hair undone and my face barely washed,

No caution whatsoever for I must feed my children,

Ina kwana! Ekaaro! quickly I must greet my neighbors;

Abuchi is the meat seller, a bargain unlike any other.

I once used to wake up and be happy it is Sallah,

For Abuchi's I must pay even though little,

For Sallah's my only price is my pot I must make ready;

For I am two things, joyous receiver at this time

And joyous giver at Christmas.

I once used to wake up to a knock on my door,

My sister-in-law walking, labouring for two,

Yesterday my merchandise returned from the South-

Today I can easily lend in "kwudi",

To fuel her easier journey to the West maternity.

I once used to wake up to "the eight" jingle, 

Mama Adamu lovingly cajoling, education is life;

For the mornings, my consolation is the afternoons,

For we must meet, adorned and competitive

Proud to take our wards home.

Today I fear to wake up!

School is forbidden and so "the eight" is slaughtered,

Abuchi is wasted, my costs are uncountable,

I must eat my merchandise and lose a sister in labour.

The cock crows bombs, guns, machetes 

And the cries of widows and orphans.

My home is infested by zombie charlatans, 

Morning, noon and night- 

have all together become alike,

A nightmare I must wake up from. 

'Spartacus' star Andy Whitfield dies of lymphoma at 39

Andy Whitefield as Spartacus
 in Spartacus Blood and Sand.

Andy Whitfield, who played the title role in the hit cable series Spartacus: Blood and Sand, has died at age 39, according to representatives and family.

Whitfield died Sunday in Sydney, Australia, 18 months after he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, manager Sam Maydew told the Associated Press.

The prevailing argument over the Nigerian Police!

There is no gain saying, that the average Nigerian, on hearing the word "Police!", hisses, makes a face, utters a curse or even does all at the same time!

The question is, why is the very name which ordinarily should put a beam of hope and relief on the face of the average Nigerian in distress, now associated with woes,corruption and trouble itself , when mentioned.

The average Nigerian will rather mourn a theft loss than report to the Police, all because he does not want to compound his woes with their sluggishness and inefficiency. Victims have become comfortable with terms like; 'Thank God nobody was injured','Leave them, you will get another one' or 'God knows why it happened', when there has been a crime, instead of, 'have you called the police'?

There have been many debates on this subject over the years and two schools of thought standout:

1. The group that thinks that the remuneration/working conditions of the police somewhat justifies the rate of corruption and indiscipline recorded among them and
2. The other group that thinks that no excuse whatsoever, justifies corruption especially among the police whose job it is to enforce criminal laws.

Prior to now, I have vacillated between these two opinions, sometimes being swayed by the fact that perhaps if they were paid better, they would behave better. However, I have come to take a firm stand on and I now lean towards the second school of thought.

Jos crisis: Family of 8 killed •As Christians desert places of worship - O God not again!

TRAGEDY struck in the early hours of Sunday (yesterday) in Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, when a group of bandits suspected to be Fulani, snuffed life out of a family of eight in a midnight raid at Tatu village of Heipang district of the council.

In the raid, the bread winner of the family, Mr Chollom Gyang, his wife and six children in the family were brutally killed while the only surviving person was the fourth child of the family, who was away when the assailants called.

What would you do, if you find $150,000 in your backyard garden?

Wayne Sabaj was headed to pick some broccoli to go with his roast. The carpenter spotted duffel bags that looked like trash by the peppers -- but they turned out to be a cash crop: stacks of $20 bills that added up to about $150,000. The 49-year-old, who is living with his dad, did not exactly jump for joy.

The out-of-work carpenter told ABC7, "I could really use this money." But with this money comes trouble. He explained, "With my luck, it would be bank robbery and I'd get caught and say I'd robbed a bank."

Source...Yahoonews.

As I read this piece of news, I went wow! But then am glad there are still individuals who still have morals, and not just glory in stolen wealth. Nothing prevented this gentle man from  keeping the money and maybe leaving the US  the same day!

But I guess he remembered, a good name is better than a thousand rubies. Big ups bro!

If na my Naija bro, E don hammer be dat, Phew!