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Forum » Recent Posts http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ Nigerianfolks social network welcome anyone with the leisure time to enjoy reading, writting or learning from the vast remarkable people and posts in our forum and equally share them. en-US Sat, 19 May 2012 23:29:22 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.3 <![CDATA[Search]]> q http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/search.php Martins on "Nigeria: Jos Police Helicopter Crash-4 Senior Police Officers Confirmed Dead" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/nigeria-jos-police-helicopter-crash-4-senior-police-officers-confirmed-dead#post-269 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:43:47 +0000 Martins 269@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <h6>Wednesday, 14 March 2012 17:41</h6> A Surveillance helicopter has crashed in Kabong on a security facility. DIG Operations, John Haruna and three other Senior Police Officers have been confirmed dead in the Jos Police helicopter crash. The crash was at Kabong, Plateau State and occurred as the helicopter was conveying the officers from Jos to Abuja Mr. John Haruna is one of the five Commissioners of Police elevated to the rank of DIG’s by the The Police Service Commission last month. He was the Commissioner of Police in charge of Benue State Command and hails from Taraba State. Haruna John was at several times, Commissioner of Police in charge FCT and Niger State. He was also CP in charge Federal Operations at Force headquarters. He has served as Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge Lagos State and Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge Anambra State. He is scheduled to retire in 2016. More update coming soon... [Above photo: The Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Abubakar, in the new police camouflage to test-run the uniform as one of the force’s operational attires] UPDATE 1: Latest reports indicate 7 uniformed men aboard a police helicopter and 5 children from four houses that it crashed into this afternoon along Rukuba road, Jos, are feared dead. Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Samuel Dabai said, "I am aware that a helicopter crashed this afternoon. I am trying to get the details now." However, police sources are yet to issue an official confirmation of the ranks and persons involved in the craft. A woman who was removed from the wreckage was also rushed to the hospital. The incident happened at about 12:15pm today. Eye witnesses said the aircraft crashed into a house along the road, behind a satellite market. <a title="Source:" href="www.elombah.com">Source:</a> Martins on "I Go Dye living like a royal Prince" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/i-go-dye-living-like-a-royal-prince-1#post-268 Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:27:12 +0000 Martins 268@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <div align="left"><img src="http://www.thenigeriandaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/688fI-go-die.jpg" />By Ayo ONIKOYIWhen Ali Baba said that comedy is a serious business, it sounded like one of his many jokes but the crop of stand-up comedians running the show now has  taken the act to the next level. They are not only rubbing shoulders with the music and movie stars in popularity, they are also giving them a run for their money . They now look everything but funny. They drive the latest fast cars; wear the most expensive designer labels; and live in palatial edifices in the reserved highbrow locations that only the plum income earners can afford. The top of the draw characters have simply arrived. We gave you a tip of the iceberg when we ran ” Comedians living larger than life lifestyles” some  months ago. Then, we got to see those who are living their dreams and getting a couple of them talk did actually pay off but we never got close to a one-on-one until now. Comedy is an endeavor reserved for the hilarious select and gifted few armed with magical words and body language to keep audience spell bound at any point the need arises. Ask those who made the top 10 list of Comedy Central’s greatest comedians, from Richard Pryor to Chris Rock and Eddie Murphy, they will concur that the major ingredients of being world famous are raw talent, consistency, persistence, endurance, loyalty and humility. From other brands like Open Mic Nites and Russell Simon’s Def Comedy Jams, these established names seem to have been around since forever. They have transformed their acts through television and film as well as stage and making huge unimaginable amounts for major picture owners. Though such success attained in the United States and other parts of Europe have not been transformed in Nigeria, this is not to say that comedians have not come strong through the years. Since Opa Williams’ ‘Nite of a Thousand Laughs’ stands tall as a benchmark for almost all Nigerian comedians, the industry became more challenging during what is known as the “Attitude Era” with the emergence of talented I Go Dye, Basketmouth, Julius Agwu, among others. Since gracing the stage of ”Nite of a Thousand Laughs” in 2000, Francis Agoda aka I Go Dye has through his performance made the Opa Williams brand more sell-able and interesting across major cities in Nigeria, across West Africa and Europe. From a humble profession, comedy has become a major business endeavour and those who know their onions have become incredibly rich through their huge paychecks as performance fees and one of the very few who command mega bucks is I Go Dye, the comedian who hails from Abraka in Delta State, and has been a fan favorite for more than a decade. Being turned down four times from the stage of ”night of a thousand laugh” is not enough for I Go Dye to resign from his chosen career as his quest to succeed became a major driving force. It will be recalled that just two years ago, I Go Dye collected a whooping sum of $195,000:00 US Dollars from an American Company, Point Gate for a tour  of the USA and Europe in ironical contrast to the N100  he received for his first performance  back in 1992. Over the years, his passion and technical  know-how in the art has made him the toast of  presidents, governors, top citizens in politics and business as well as multinational companies. Even former President Olusegun Obasanjo has also attested to the fact that I Go Dye is a step ahead of his contemporaries as regards his quick spontaneity and stage craft. It is almost unbelievable to hear that I Go Dye collects between three to five million Naira per event but when you bother to find out how and where he lives, then it will sink in real deep. A visit to his palatial residence A visit to his palatable mansion spoke volume of opulence and wealth. The mansion tucked inside a choice area has an expansive well-trimmed field big enough to serve as a  football pitch; a walk into the apartment presents an air of pure royalty. The main sitting room is tastefully furnished with Italian eighteen-carat gold plated Versace settee which must have cost  some whooping  thousands of  dollars from the high well-designed pop roof down which hangs the magnificent , 60 Lights Maria Theresa chandelier with 24-Karat gold plated frame and dressed with 30% full lead crystals, and some other  accessories staggeringly disarming in grandeur and opulence The sitting room which has a state-of-the-art electronic gadget system from the wall screened 46 inches 3D TV and  classical paintings of I Go Dye dressed like Prince Albert. The interior décor looked totally flawless. Tours of the other sitting room looked a far cry from the previous one and suffice to say that the multiple award-winning humor merchant sure knows how to live life to the fullest, an apartment reminiscent of a Roman Palace. The visible designs of Versace in almost all the dinning settees and kitchen utensils  shows that the widely travelled rib-cracker has a serious affinity with the designer. The seven bedroom mansion  has spacious  two sitting rooms, a  well structured private nite  club,  with exotic wine bar, a mini cinema, including high -tech game room that can host 10 players at a time. The description can not be complete without mentioning the snooker board, a personal library and multi-media editing suit. His break in the industry On his first major break, I Go Dye said though he started comedy at the tender age of thirteen on Delta Television, his first national break could be traced back to 2000 on the stage of ”nite of a thousand laughs”. “That evening became a turning point of my career as I Go Dye became a household name  around the nation I would say that things have been looking up since my eventful emergence into the very competitive industry that has seen many come and go over the past ten or more years, though the challenges involved are highly enormous and you have to come up with new materials and wit to keep you relevant over time” he said. His daily routine “On a regular day, the first thing I do is to pray and then, I go through my mail box to respond to numerous mails from my fans. I seldom exercise and I guess you know why (laughs). The only pain that has come with the fame is the fact that I can no longer live for myself. I live for people. There is no privacy anymore. I can’t eat where or what I want. I guess that is the price for fame but it has its good part like not being on the queue most times at the airport or gas stations. You get preferential treatment but apart from that, nothing. His dress sense As regards dressing, when I am not going on stage, I wear what suits me but I have a liking for eye glasses because I’m usually a shy person , hence the need to hide behind my shades. I like perfumes too because in this business, you have to smell fresh at all times of the day because one cannot tell what will happen at any point in time”. But peeking into the comedian’s wardrobe, we found out that he was just being modest as all sorts of designer clothing from Gucci to Armani are arrayed in a neat pile. Anyone could have mistaken it for a boutique in Paris: hundreds of pairs of shoes, suits, shirts, jeans, several bottles of perfumes, assorted belts lined up in elegant display His daily spending estimate On how much the comedian spends on a daily basis, I Go Dye revealed that though he doesn’t take into serious records how much he spends in a day but said when one puts into consideration that he generates his own electricity, his own water board amongst others, it is quite a sum. His priced possessions “I wouldn’t want to be subjected to choose or pin-point what my most valuable possession is, but I have a fetish for my talent because even the Bible says a man’s talent maketh a way for him. Outside that,  I Go Dye is nothing. But that is not to say my son, Roy, is not valuable or his very beautiful mum”. His hopes in the next ten years The next ten years is far away but with life, we shall still be relevant. We shall take the world by storm, we shall make sure we make ways for the younger generation because no one reigns forever but one can be relevant forever. <a href="http://www.thenigeriandaily.com">Source:</a> </div> Martins on "Times change" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/times-change#post-264 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:57:43 +0000 Martins 264@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ Dear azbaby8062, Please bear with me as I am still learning to master the backend of this new forum software but I can assure you that it will be at it's uptimum pretty soon. azbaby8062 on "Times change" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/times-change#post-263 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:35:10 +0000 azbaby8062 263@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ Thank you Mr Nigerianfolks <img src="http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/my-plugins/bb-smilies/default/icon_smile.gif" title=":)" class="bb_smilies" /> . I tried posting pictures but still no luck Martins on "Times change" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/times-change#post-261 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:15:31 +0000 Martins 261@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ Nigerianfolks is really happy for you and wish you both a happy lasting marriage. Martins on "Nigerian naira eases at interbank, forex auction" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/nigerian-naira-eases-at-interbank-forex-auction#post-260 Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:57:15 +0000 Martins 260@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <img src="http://af.reuters.com/resources/images/logo_reuters_media_africa.gif"/> LAGOS (Reuters) - The Nigerian naira weakened against the U.S dollar at the official window and on the interbank market on Monday as increased demand squeezed greenback supply. The local currency closed at 160.20 to the dollar on the interbank market, weaker than 159.20 at Friday's close. At the official window, the central bank sold $350 million at 150.01 to the dollar, short of the $421.25 million demanded. The regulator sold $250 million at 149.95 to the dollar at its last auction on Wednesday. "Demand for the dollars seems to be rising again despite various measures by the central bank to curb demand at its auction," one dealer said. Nigeria's central bank on Friday said it will sell dollars both directly into the market and at auctions, and raised the forex net open position limit of lenders to 3.0 percent from 1.0 percent of shareholders' funds. Net open position is the amount of dollars banks can hold relative to shareholders' funds. The central bank lowered it to 1 percent from 5 percent on October 10 to free up dollar supply to the interbank market but traders complained the market was almost brought to a halt by the decision. "With the increase in net open position, which became effective today, a number of banks were buying up dollars to cover their position, putting pressure on the market," another dealer said. Traders said the naira could depreciate further in the week unless the central bank injects more dollars into the market or dollar inflows from month-end sales by energy companies come in. <div class="pageNavigation" style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> </div> © Thomson Reuters 2011 All rights reserved azbaby8062 on "Times change" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/times-change#post-259 Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:42:06 +0000 azbaby8062 259@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ Six years ago, I knew nothing of Nigeria, nothing of the culture or the people. Then an incident happened during a very difficult time of my life. I could have turned the incident into a negative clouding my views of the world or I could have turned it into a positive. Thank God, that I chose the latter. Through it, I made some friends that have truly impacted my life and are still a part of my life. Through it, I also was shown that there truly are still beautiful people in this world. It allowed me to find my soulmate, the person in which, without I would not be half the person I am today. On October 9th, I married a person who if I had never gone through that difficult time six years ago, I would have most likely have never met.     Martins on "" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/#post-244 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 18:41:43 +0000 Martins 244@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <h3 class="title" id="page-title">Permanent Secretary Reveals How N450 Million Was Paid For A N16 million ContractPosted: July 13, 2011 - 18:50 <img src="http://saharareporters.com/sites/default/files/page_images/news/2011/Nyame_0.jpg?1310579347" />Photo: Former Gov of Taraba State, Rev. Jolly Nyame <div class="field field-type-text field-field-writer"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> By SaharaReporters, New York </div> </div> </div> A Permanent Secretary in the Taraba State Ministry of Finance, Asabe Maiangwa, today told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Abuja, how N450 million was paid out by the state government to several persons; out of which only N16 million was used for the supply of stationeries and office equipment at the instance of the then Commissioner of Finance, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Tutari. Maiangwa is the 7th prosecution witness in the prosecution of the former governor of Taraba state, Rev Jolly Nyame who is standing trial over a 41 count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust and gratification to the tune of N1.3billion while he held sway as governor of Taraba State. At the resumed hearing of the case today, July 13th 2011, the witness who was being led in cross examination by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, recounted how a whooping sum of N450 million was paid out from the state treasury for a phony contract. Maiangwa who corroborated the previous testimony of the Accountant in the ministry, Alhaji Naigari Umar, said she was in Kaduna for a seminar in 2005 when her Secretary called her on phone to inform her that a cheque for the sum of N250 million was released from the office of the Accountant General to be paid through her ministry to Salman Global Ventures Ltd. She said she directed the secretary to ensure the necessary documentation which includes preparing the payment voucher and ensuring that the receipt is signed before releasing the cheque. “The secretary carried out my instruction and showed me the documents in the file. I endorsed the back of the receipt and passed the document back to the secretary and the file was returned to the dip, where we store files”, she told the court. Asked if the payment of the N250 million followed due process and if she knew what purpose the money was meant for, she said, “I was not around so I don’t know. But I did not see anything in the file to suggest that the job was done”.  Also asked to tell the court what she knew about the payment of N200 million by the state government in 2005, she said “In 2005, the Honourable commissioner of finance (Alhaji Abubakar Umar Tutari), met me and gave me a list with two names-Salman Global Ventures and the Deputy Speaker. He told me that the Accountant was going to bring a cheque from the Accountant General’s office and we should disburse it”. She said she handed the note to the Accountant. “In the note, the Commissioner directed that the sum of N165 million should be paid to Salman Global Ventures, N15 million to the deputy speaker, Taraba State House of Assembly, N4 million to the P. A. to commissioner of finance and N16 million was for the purchase of the stationeries”. She further said that she handed over the N16 million to the Accountant for the purchase of the stationeries through a local contractor, Baba Gambo. The permanent secretary was further asked what she did when she discovered that the contract items were not supplied, she said she went to the Commissioner for Finance to ask him the purpose for the issuance of cheque to Salman Global ventures limited when the jobs were not done. She said the commissioner told her that he was given an instruction to that effect. She was again asked if she knew who gave the commissioner the instruction, she answered in the affirmative. Before she could go further with her testimony, defence counsel, Barrister Charles Edosonwan, objected and said it was improper for the witness to give testimony based on “hear say. The only person who can do that is the Commissioner of Finance and no other person”. This led to a protracted argument before the trial judge, Justice Adebunkola Banjoko who thereafter adjourned the case till October 5, 2011, for ruling and continuation of hearing. But before the adjournment, the permanent secretary had also told the court that the Commissioner of Finance after the payment of the various sums, gave her N8 million as a gift to be shared for the entire staff of the ministry. It would be recalled that the court was told on July 12, 2011, how Rev Nyame verbally queried the Accountant, Alhaji Naigari Umar, for refusing  to pay  Salman Global the sum of N200 million.  Alhaji Umar, during a cross examination by defence counsel, Barrister Olalekan Ojo, said he was summoned by a former  Commissioner of Finance in Taraba State to a hotel in Jalingo to explain why he  refused to pay the contractor for non execution of  a contract  for the supply of stationery and office equipment. “When I got to the hotel, I saw the governor, the Commissioner of Finance and a representative of the contractor. The ex-governor was about to leave when he spoke to me in Hausa, pointing to the representative of the contractor that why did I not pay this person?”  Count one of the 41 charges reads, “That you, JOLLY TEVORU NYAME between January and February, 2005 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, while being the Governor of Taraba State of Nigeria and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain property to wit: the sum of N250, 000, 000, .00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Million Naira) meant for the purchase of stationeries by the Taraba State Government committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said sum and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 1990”.   Count 2 “That you Jolly Tevoru Nyame between January and February, 2005 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, while being the Governor of Taraba State of Nigeria and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: funds meant for the purchase of stationeries by the Taraba State Government committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said funds by collecting the sum of N180, 000, 000.00 (One Hundred and Eighty Million Naira) from the entire sum for your personal use and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 1990”. Martins on "" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/#post-243 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 18:14:41 +0000 Martins 243@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <h1 class="title" id="page-title">Ex-Governor Nyame's N1.3 Billion Fraud Trial: Permanent Secretary Reveals How N450 Million Was Paid For A N16 million ContractPosted: July 13, 2011 - 18:50 <img /> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-writer"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> By SaharaReporters, New York </div> </div> </div> A Permanent Secretary in the Taraba State Ministry of Finance, Asabe Maiangwa, today told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Abuja, how N450 million was paid out by the state government to several persons; out of which only N16 million was used for the supply of stationeries and office equipment at the instance of the then Commissioner of Finance, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Tutari. Maiangwa is the 7th prosecution witness in the prosecution of the former governor of Taraba state, Rev Jolly Nyame who is standing trial over a 41 count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust and gratification to the tune of N1.3billion while he held sway as governor of Taraba State. At the resumed hearing of the case today, July 13th 2011, the witness who was being led in cross examination by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, recounted how a whooping sum of N450 million was paid out from the state treasury for a phony contract. Maiangwa who corroborated the previous testimony of the Accountant in the ministry, Alhaji Naigari Umar, said she was in Kaduna for a seminar in 2005 when her Secretary called her on phone to inform her that a cheque for the sum of N250 million was released from the office of the Accountant General to be paid through her ministry to Salman Global Ventures Ltd. She said she directed the secretary to ensure the necessary documentation which includes preparing the payment voucher and ensuring that the receipt is signed before releasing the cheque. “The secretary carried out my instruction and showed me the documents in the file. I endorsed the back of the receipt and passed the document back to the secretary and the file was returned to the dip, where we store files”, she told the court. Asked if the payment of the N250 million followed due process and if she knew what purpose the money was meant for, she said, “I was not around so I don’t know. But I did not see anything in the file to suggest that the job was done”.  Also asked to tell the court what she knew about the payment of N200 million by the state government in 2005, she said “In 2005, the Honourable commissioner of finance (Alhaji Abubakar Umar Tutari), met me and gave me a list with two names-Salman Global Ventures and the Deputy Speaker. He told me that the Accountant was going to bring a cheque from the Accountant General’s office and we should disburse it”. She said she handed the note to the Accountant. “In the note, the Commissioner directed that the sum of N165 million should be paid to Salman Global Ventures, N15 million to the deputy speaker, Taraba State House of Assembly, N4 million to the P. A. to commissioner of finance and N16 million was for the purchase of the stationeries”. She further said that she handed over the N16 million to the Accountant for the purchase of the stationeries through a local contractor, Baba Gambo. The permanent secretary was further asked what she did when she discovered that the contract items were not supplied, she said she went to the Commissioner for Finance to ask him the purpose for the issuance of cheque to Salman Global ventures limited when the jobs were not done. She said the commissioner told her that he was given an instruction to that effect. She was again asked if she knew who gave the commissioner the instruction, she answered in the affirmative. Before she could go further with her testimony, defence counsel, Barrister Charles Edosonwan, objected and said it was improper for the witness to give testimony based on “hear say. The only person who can do that is the Commissioner of Finance and no other person”. This led to a protracted argument before the trial judge, Justice Adebunkola Banjoko who thereafter adjourned the case till October 5, 2011, for ruling and continuation of hearing. But before the adjournment, the permanent secretary had also told the court that the Commissioner of Finance after the payment of the various sums, gave her N8 million as a gift to be shared for the entire staff of the ministry. It would be recalled that the court was told on July 12, 2011, how Rev Nyame verbally queried the Accountant, Alhaji Naigari Umar, for refusing  to pay  Salman Global the sum of N200 million.  Alhaji Umar, during a cross examination by defence counsel, Barrister Olalekan Ojo, said he was summoned by a former  Commissioner of Finance in Taraba State to a hotel in Jalingo to explain why he  refused to pay the contractor for non execution of  a contract  for the supply of stationery and office equipment. “When I got to the hotel, I saw the governor, the Commissioner of Finance and a representative of the contractor. The ex-governor was about to leave when he spoke to me in Hausa, pointing to the representative of the contractor that why did I not pay this person?”  Count one of the 41 charges reads, “That you, JOLLY TEVORU NYAME between January and February, 2005 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, while being the Governor of Taraba State of Nigeria and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain property to wit: the sum of N250, 000, 000, .00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Million Naira) meant for the purchase of stationeries by the Taraba State Government committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said sum and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 1990”.   Count 2 “That you Jolly Tevoru Nyame between January and February, 2005 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, while being the Governor of Taraba State of Nigeria and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: funds meant for the purchase of stationeries by the Taraba State Government committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said funds by collecting the sum of N180, 000, 000.00 (One Hundred and Eighty Million Naira) from the entire sum for your personal use and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 1990”. Martins on "Nigeria detains ex-minister over newspaper column" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/nigeria-detains-ex-minister-over-newspaper-column#post-239 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 20:11:54 +0000 Martins 239@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <img src="http://af.reuters.com/resources/images/logo_reuters_media_africa.gif" /> ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's secret service detained a former cabinet minister and leading opposition figure on Saturday over a newspaper column in which he criticised the high cost of government in Africa's most populous nation. The State Security Service (SSS) said it detained Nasir El-Rufai, a senior figure in the opposition Congress for Progressive Change party, early on Saturday at Abuja airport. "This became necessary following El-Rufai's recent articles in the cyber and print media which have been considered by well-meaning Nigerians to be inciting, inflammatory and grossly misleading," the SSS said in a statement. It cited a July 1 column in the This Day newspaper in which El-Rufai bemoaned the low standard of public services and high cost of government. The SSS said he had failed to check facts. "The politician who rigs himself into office then proceeds to loot the treasury, these are all the people whose standard of living we are spending nearly 75 percent of the 2011 budget to pay for," El-Rufai wrote in the This Day column. The former government minister is a respected opposition figure in Nigeria and was a vocal critic of the ruling People's Democratic Party in the run-up to general elections in April. He is not the only critic of the cost of government. Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi and former Finance Minister Olusegun Aganga were hauled before parliament last year to explain comments attributed to them that the National Assembly was eating up too much of federal budget overheads. Many economists have also regularly voiced concern that Nigeria spends more running government than it does on badly needed capital projects, although President Goodluck Jonathan has pledged to tighten spending. Nigeria has a vibrant print media but its journalists are generally poorly paid and easily intimidated, with sponsored articles common. It ranked 146 out of 178 in the 2010 Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders. Jonathan, who began his first full term in office just over a month ago, signed a Freedom of Information Bill in May, touted by officials as sign government was becoming more transparent. But the SSS used the bill as part of its justification for El-Rufai's detention. "It is pertinent to note that the Freedom of Information Bill has been passed into law, yet he refused to cross check his facts before publishing," its statement said. Martins on "Bomb kills 10 in northern Nigeria: military source, witness" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/bomb-kills-10-in-northern-nigeria-military-source-witness#post-238 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 20:06:05 +0000 Martins 238@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <img src="http://www.google.com/hostednews/img/afp_logo.gif" /> KANO, Nigeria — A bomb blast at a police beer garden killed at least 10 people Sunday in the troubled northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, a military source and a witness said. "The bomb was planted at the middle of the 'mammy market' and at least 10 people have been killed and several others seriously injured from the explosion," said an army officer who preferred not to be named. <img src="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/media/ALeqM5jxMQyvz_nPWj56eVSVuHGqcv_LwQ?docId=photo_1309722108786-1-0&size=s2" />The so-called mammy market beer gardens are open air pubs and eateries found around police or military barracks and are open to both security personnel and civilians Commander of a special military crack unit deployed a week ago to curb the unrest in the area, Brigadier-General Jack Okechukwu Nwaogbo confirmed the attack, but was unable to immediately give details of casualties. "There has been a bomb explosion at a market belonging to the police in Wulari area of the city. I'm right now at the scene," Nwaogbo told AFP on the phone from Maiduguri. It was just the latest in a series of attacks in the troubled region. An attack on a civilian beer garden in the same city last Sunday, left at least 25 dead. Martins on "Should Abati Accept To Work For President Jonathan?" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/should-abati-accept-to-work-for-president-jonathan#post-237 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 19:36:31 +0000 Martins 237@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <img src="http://www.thetimesofnigeria.com/TON/resources/images/Reuben%20Abati.jpg" />Sun Jul, 03 2011 By Tony Eluemunor Should Dr. Reuben Abati, the Editorial Board Chairman of the Guardian newspapers be doing anything sinister if he accepts the offer of being President Goodluck Jonathan’s spokesman? The question came up in a Nigerian internet discussion forum and someone posed this question while asking Abati to turn down the yet appointment: “How much respect can any of Dr. Doyin Okupe, late Mr. Tunji Oseni, Mrs. Remi Oyo, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi and Niboro command in a public discourse?” My comment: Dr. Doyin Okupe is a Medical Doctor and no journalist. He simply got some Yoruba traditional leaders to work on Obasanjo and he got the job that should have gone to Mr. Onyema Ugochukwu had Obasanjo not vacillated in appointing Onyema to the position because of the huge amount of money he thought he paid to Onyema’s P.R agency to be his mouthpiece during the presidency campaign. And though Okupe now claims he does not know why Obasanjo dropped him from the office and replaced him with Mr. Tunji Oseni, I revealed the reasons in May 2004 on the pages of Daily Independent newspapers – office politics and a certain advert invoice for payment to a London newspaper were among the final straws. Okupe had sent one to Obasanjo, while another came from the newspaper’s representative – and both failed to agree. Unfortunately, Mr Tunji Oseni is dead. Had he remained alive, he would still have commanded a huge respect. Calling me into his office on the second day he resumed work, and after joking about Okupe’s size (that I hardly occupied a third of the space he took up on the same seat), he said he wanted to talk to me just on my “personal cognizance”; that he planned to show Obasanjo’s “mirror image” because he believed the man was great and was working in the nation’s interest.  I told him that Obasanjo’s mirror image was a bad one and he needed to be polished up because the nation and the world would hate Obasanjo if they knew how evil the man was. Poor man, he believed in Obasanjo! Oseni  was simple, unassuming, and did not have the time either Okupe or sadistic Remi Oyo allocated to office politics or backbiting. What I am writing here is not new; I have published the unflattering details in 2004 in a 14 newspaper-page series on the first term of the Obasanjo administration. I can upload them on the internet if challenged. Oseni wanted to do the job the normal way; but normal ways meant nothing to Obasanjo; once on a trip to Japan, he brought Obasanjo to meet the press – just Chesa Ransom Chesa and I – and he said, “Mr. President, please meet Mr. Tony Eluemunor or the Guardian newsp….” Obasanjo interrupted him with a “we shall see”, and extended his hand and pulled up a lady of about 20 that sat between Chesa and I. Obasanjo took her into his private quarters  of the presidential jet. He did not not even wait to chake hands with the journalists who were aboard the aircraft. And he never met them again! But at least, he tried to get Obasanjo meet with the journalists; Oyo would have not have arranged any msuch meeting in the first place. Mrs. Remi Oyo’s story has not been told. Was she still a staff of a non-Nigerian news agency when she became the President of Nigerian Guild of Editors? Or was the news agency defunct by then, and she had no platform from which to contest the election? Put simply, was she not qualified for the election? Such answers are still not in yet but such questions have been asked. But such question would never be asked about Adeniyi. Remi Oyo used her position in the Guild to come close to Obasanjo again; both had been close, very close, in Dodan Barracks when she was a Correspondent there during Obasanjo’s Head of State days from 1976 to 1979. Oyo promised to line up the Editors behind Obasanjo. In Abuja, Remi teamed up with the SSS in several diabolical plots. She was there when Col. Kayode Are (rtd) invited newspaper executives to prepare them to support the state of emergence that would later be imposed on Plateau state – just so that Joshua Dariye would be removed from governor’s office. I was the only one who spoke against that plot that day. That must have been in 2004. The N150 gift given to the other attendees was not extended to me to check whether I would have accepted it or not. Remi Oyo was neck deep in the pro-Third Term movement. And remember that slush funds were dedicated to that project. She was in the forefront of the fight against the late Dr. Stanley Macebuh. In her days at Aso Rock, journalists who did not report according to her dictates were hounded out. To Oyo, the best way to do the job was to raise up a team of Editors and Correspondents and Columnists and I-N-F-L-U-E-N-C-E them to praise her principal to high heavens and to get the government to antagonize those who refused to play the game her own way. How did Segun Adeniyi do his job? Was he at the head of bribe for support team? Did he hamper journalists who wanted to get to the root of an issue? Did he open or block the way of journalists who wanted to get something as simple as the organogram of the State House?  Did she block the way of journalists who wanted to interview key State House officials? And for those who will accuse Adeniyi of undue defense of his boss or lying for him, I’ll say that in my opinion, Adeniyi did not even do enough for Yar’Adua. And I tick this against him, not in the column of inefficiency or betrayal, but under tight-rope walking. Here was a man who had Mr. Cornelius Adebayo for a guardian, the same Adebayo, from Kwara state who served as a Minister of Communications when Gen. Mohammed Abdullahi (rtd) was Obasanjo’s Chief of Staff. Of Abdullahi, I once wrote in a two-page series that Obasanjo had no Chief of Staff. He granted no interviews, made no statements, etc, but remained the military intelligence officer he had always been, plotting, plotting, and plotting some more – against persons. He was the nemesis against Dr. Macabuh in Aso Rock; after he got him removed as Deputy Chief of Staff, and later sacked, Obasanjo once held Macabuh on the right hand and Addullahi on the left and pleaded with Adbullahi to leave Macebuh alone as the man had no interest in government contracts. Then alone with Macabuh, after having asked Abdullahi to move aside, he told Macebuh that he would give him another appointment but outside the Villa this time – “or they will kill you”. So he asked Macabuh join El-Rufai in the Federal Capital administration and put a human face to El-Rufai’s efforts there.  El-Rufai at first accepted Macabuh, but when Abdullahi moved once again against Macebuh, he asked El-Rufai not to allow Macebuh to work with him, and despite Macebuh’s letter of appointment, he did not work there. He was frustrated out. In the end, he was not allowed to buy the house he lived in, a house whose existence he brought to the attention of the FCT, as it was not captured on any of their records. One day, he was thrown out of the house, his property scattered outside. I spent most of that night with Macebuh watching his goods, but his books, packed in a container, had been removed by the invaders and Macabuh the scholar never recovered from that assault until his death a few years later. After that incident, Macebuh began to rue his return from the US in 1977, recalling that by then he had just two years to leave City College of New York where he was an Associate Prof. for a Professorial seat at Harvard University. I wonder if Adeniyi ever suspected that such malfeasance existed in the Villa. So, Adeniyi, further encumbered by his friendship with the likes of Nuhu Ribadu and Nasir’el-Rufai, could not defend Yar’Adua when those friends of his were heaping lies against him. To have raised a voice against say, Ribadu, would have been to take a stand against Ribadu’s champion; the same Abdullahi.  Also, it would have marked Adeniyi out as having abandoned the progressive side to join the reactionaries in the struggle. Poor, Adeniyi, he was simply handicapped, especially as the Katsina clique did not accept him as an insider. Yet, I will ever praise Adeniyi for stressing the open secret; – but which many Nigerians refused to accept – the terrible media manipulation against the Yar’Adua administration and certain individuals close to it. How will the Nigerian internet community now feel after Adeniyi has quoted Nasir El-Rufai as saying that there was no C-A-B-A-L in the Yar’Adua administration, and that it was a creation of his (and Ribadu’s) to demonize Turai and members of her train? What about the journalists who could not lift even one finger to investigate the existence of the so-called cabal? Should we be looking forward to the day when someone would explain the grand design behind the plotting of Prof. Dora Akunyili’s outburst on national television about the lies and the schemes that had stopped the then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan from taking absolute control from an ailing Yar’Adua? Well, Adeniyi has just shown that facts could indeed be stranger than fiction. Some of us have said long ago that some NGOs and pressure groups such as FIX NIGERIA were created by Ribadu just to defend his interests no matter how narrow or ignoble. Now, through Adeniyi, Nasir El-Rufai did announce to the entire world that Save Nigeria Group (SNG) was his own creation and to champion his, NOT NIGERIA’S interests. So, is any conventional wisdom which Nigerians accepted without question, whether about Turia (former President Yar’Adua’s widow) El-Rufai, Ribadu or Ibori in need of being questioned? Perhaps, yes. And straight to the question that elicited this essay, “How much respect can any of Dr. Doyin Okupe, late Mr. Tunji Oseni, Mrs. Remi Oyo, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi and Niboro command in a public discourse” my answer is that individual occupants of that office have the opportunity to defining their work ethics. Olusegun Adeniyi worked differently from the way a Remi Oyo did. The times in which they served were different; so two their principals two. Yar’Adua was a gentleman while a top member of the Obasanjo administration once told me that “Obasanjo has no redeeming feature”, an obvious over statement, but which could never have been said of Yar’Adua. On the very day the internet publication timesofnigeria.com reported that a presidential candidate Yar’Adua was dead (when he left unannounced for a German hospital), Mr. Sunny Ofili, the publisher, received a call from Yar’Adua himself. Yar’Adua was not abusive, he did not command him to divulge who confirmed the story, for it was indeed confirmed by a serving minister in Obasanjo’s administration; he told Ofili that he was alive and he promised to invite him to his inauguration if he won the election. Yes, Ofili received the invitation! Adeniyi served under trying times, under an ailing or absentee President. He did not set out to betray himself or office. Some knew there was something as sinister as the Third Term tenure elongation bid under Obasanjo, including the $5 billion bribery fund that sustained it, some persons too helped to distribute the bribe, yet, they claimed nothing was amiss and have never condemned it. Could El’Rufai, or Ribadu or Remi Oyo be numbered among ANY set of such persons? So far, Adeniyi has returned to writing for the public, and I think by the way his column has been received, Nigerians have answered the question. They respect Adeniyi. And if Dr. Reuben Abati, has been offered the job, and if he accepts it, the amount of respect he will command on leaving the job does not rest on his acceptance of the appointment alone. Everything would depend on how he does the job. For Ima Nibori, only a fool would demonize him just for accepting to serve as a spokesman to a public official – as important as the President of Nigeria! Other things must be considered. And that goes for Abati too. Mr. Eluemunor, a 1991 Fellow of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, is an authority on the Nigerian Presidency. He covered Dodan Barracks for Newswatch magazine and Aso Rock for the Guardian and Daily Independent newspapers. <a href="http://www.thetimesofnigeria.com/">Source:</a> Martins on "Nollywood: Majid in poisoning scare" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/nollywood-majid-in-poisoning-scare#post-233 Sun, 26 Jun 2011 11:59:35 +0000 Martins 233@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <div align="left"><img src="http://news1.ghananation.com/thumbnail.php?file=images/majid1_263731350.jpg&size=article_medium" /></div><div align="left"><img />It has been revealed that that players within Ghana’s movie industry are covering up an incident in which actor Majid Michel reportedly had a poisonous substance put in his food. News-One sources say during the shooting of the movie ‘Somewhere in Africa’, medical reports suggested that someone had put poison in a tin of milk Majid was supposed to have used in his food. “It was very serious but we have been asked to keep quiet about it. When he took the tin of milk, he realized that the contents had changed into a very black substance so he got scared and raised an alarm. He was taken to the hospital and the doctors confirmed that it was food poisoning. “It is not clear who exactly did it but the milk was opened the previous night and was to have been used but something else came up so he put the milk back in the fridge and went with his friends to eat in town. “The next morning he took it again to use and saw the black substance,” the source revealed. </div>Two other sources who were part of the cast and crew of Somewhere In Africa also confirmed the report to NEWS-ONE but begged to remain anonymous. What they added was that Majid left his hotel room door open when he went out with friends that previous night, noting that was the time his milk might have been poisoned. The incident reportedly happened in a hotel near Shai Hills in Accra. The award-winning actor recently topped headlines when he was sacked from the red carpet being used by celebrities and VIPs at the 64th annual Cannes Film Festival in France last month because he was not wearing the right type of shoes, NEWS-ONE has gathered. An eyewitness told NEWS-ONE that: “It was a very long red carpet and when Majid hit the run way he was very happy, walking with a spring in his steps when suddenly the guys from security and protocol signaled him to come over. “He initially thought it was for an autograph or something but his face changed when they informed him that he had been given five minutes to either leave the red carpet or go change his shoes. “He was dressed in a pair of jeans, and a jacket on top but was wearing a pair of sneakers on his feet…it was both funny and a bit embarrassing but eventually he had to get off the carpet and quickly buy a pair of new shoes from a Lebanese guy who was selling some cheap executive shoes not far away,” the source who attended the Cannes Film Festival narrated. Martins on "New Intro Video For Nigerianfolks" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/new-intro-video-for-nigerianfolks#post-232 Wed, 11 May 2011 04:47:37 +0000 Martins 232@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <div style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/C0in3rTMubE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> Martins on "making money with your liberty reserve account." http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/making-money-with-your-liberty-reserve-account#post-231 Thu, 05 May 2011 21:28:19 +0000 Martins 231@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ Hmm, sounds too good to be true, i hope this is not a way to get some cool bucks off gullible peoples pockets, though it is a nice strategic way to get traffic to the website in question and gain potential clients both intended and unintended. <blockquote>2. Transfer $2 to each of the 2 liberty-reserve account numbers below:U0555084 <- account number 1U0856797 <- account number 23. After you must have transferred money ($2 each) to these accounts, delete the first account number, push the second one up and then insert your liberty reserve account number in the second position. Thus, the list will go higher (number 2 will become number 1, etc. ). It will look like this when you are through;U0856797 <- account number 1 Uxxxxxxx <- account number 2 ( your account number) </blockquote> I find the above quoted a lil SHADY because, people will be voluntarily creditting 2 strange individual accounts and deleting the only proof to retrace it. hahaha mighty2007 on "making money with your liberty reserve account." http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/making-money-with-your-liberty-reserve-account#post-230 Thu, 05 May 2011 20:03:13 +0000 mighty2007 230@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ MAKE MONEY WITH YOUR LIBERTY RESERVE ACCOUNTPLEASE, READ THE ENTIRE TEXT!!!INTRODUCTIONReading this, you can change your lifestyle! It turned mine around and I am hereto share the success story with you. In fact, the same system that made $24during the first, $562 in the second week, and $1,320 in 30 days is available toyou for FREE!Are you dissatisfied with your financial state? Are you in any form offinancial difficulty? Are you a paid employee, a worker, unemployed or a student?Do you have any kind of dept to settle? Then, dear friend! This is for you!I came across this system in one forum, and decided to give it a try. Surfing theinternet one day, I found an article, which says, one could make thousands of dollarsin a fortnight investing as little as $4. Well, I thought, that must be one moreattraction for dimwits, but still I read it up to the end, to know, what sort of „HolyGrail“, I was supposed to spend my money on. Guess what? After 2 weeks, my cheeks started beeping with smiles andsatisfaction as dollars started pouring into my liberty-reserve account. THE THINGS YOU WILL NEED*Liberty-Reserve Account: open one if you don’t have. It is free to open. Justfollow this link to open a new account: www. Libertyreserve. com. *Fund your liberty reserve account with just $4 only.*Honesty (very important) and Ability to follow these instructions exactly. HOW IT WORKSYou are to pay $2, to each of the liberty-reserve accounts listed below. After that,remove the first account number from the list, push the second account number up to number 1 thus clearing the second line. Then put the number of your own liberty-reserve account into this vacant 2nd line.send/post this text to 10 different forums or news groups. I hesitated a bit and realised that I am risking a measly $4, and decided to give it a try. Just guess what happened in the next 7 days after I tried it? Money started to arrive… honestly, I was shocked! And thought, maybe, this opportunity would stop soon. But it didn’t! I made $24 during my first week of trying it, $562 by theend of the second week, over $1, 320 in 30 days!! I didn’t believe it works, until Istarted receiving money order, from all over the world. I promise that if you follow all the instructions, you will start earning much more money, more than you could ever expect without much effort. Please, read this twice! Follow the instructions, it’s very simple! It is legal. And you will have to invest a measly/mere $4…ATTENTIONFollow these instructions EXACTLY the way, it is written, and you will be smiling in the next 20 to 30 days. These are the 4 simple steps to Your success:1. If you haven’t got the $4 in your liberty-reserve account yet, you have tocreate or open your free liberty account at liberty-reserve. Open an accountthrough this link: www. libertyreserve. com. Get acquainted with this system, seehow it works and choose the variant that suits you, and then, fund your liberty-reserve account with a minimum of $5. 2. Transfer $2 to each of the 2 liberty-reserve account numbers below:U0555084 <- account number 1U0856797 <- account number 23. After you must have transferred money ($2 each) to these accounts, delete the first account number, push the second one up and then insert your liberty reserve account number in the second position. Thus, the list will go higher (number 2 will become number 1, etc. ). It will look like this when you are through;U0856797 <- account number 1 Uxxxxxxx <- account number 2 ( your account number)4. Make all the necessary changes and then Post this article to at least 10 forumsand News Groups. There thousands of forums and news groups you can post the article to. Getting them is very easy. Just use google search engine to search for as many as possible. Open google search in your browser and enter “forums”. There you have it, you will have as many as possible.This business goes on and thrives. Thanks to the honesty of the participants. So,by the time you reach the first position in the list, you will have thousands ofdollars in your liberty-reserve account! WORD! Remember, this only cost you amere $4, and simple work!!! Do it now! Don’t put it off till tomorrow!! Becauseyou might not come back to it again. Time is money!!!SOME USEFUL TIPS1. The first thing to do, is to highlight and SAVE this entire article in your MS Worddocument or Notepad on your computer, or just print it out, so you can comeback to it later. 2. Read through the program very well, so that you can understand the way, the system works. This is a liberty-reserve system that yields the members money, through compounding process. 3. If you already have a liberty-reserve account, proceed to the next step. If youdon’t, then, go to liberty-reserve and register for free. To fund your liberty-reserveaccount or change your liberty-reserve money to physical cash, you have to go toan exchanger. Liberty-Reserve exchangers are available in most countries of theworld. You can find exchangers in your country through “GOOGLE SEARCH”. Whensearching with Google, type “Liberty reserve exchangers in + your country name”e. g. , Liberty reserve exchangers in U. S etc. I believe, I have done something to HELP YOU make money online using your Liberty Reserve account. Note that the idea behind this is to be truthful!I tell you today, as you read this article, don’t play with it, get straight with every word, and soon, you will know experience the effect of this little secret, that has been locked and the keys thrown away, but now in your HANDS! Try it, it will not fail you!REMEMBER, MAKING MONEY USING LIBERTY RESERVE IS 100% LEGAL AND ISPROVEN BY OPRAH SHOW!THE WHOLE THING HAS BEEN TESTED BY ME AND WORKS OVER AND OVERAGAIN!!! GOODLUCK Martins on "Edo State Local Governments And Headquarters" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/edo-state-local-governments-and-headquarters#post-229 Wed, 04 May 2011 16:46:42 +0000 Martins 229@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ ((1 ) Abudu: Abudu, the headquarters of Orhionmwon Local Government Area is about 51 kilometres form Benin City. River Orhionmwon runs through the town. The people are of Benin Clan ((2 ) Afuze: Afuze, the headquarters of Owan Local Government Area, is 130 kilometres from Benin City. It has become an important training ground for sports men and women and has been earmarked for development into an Olympic standard training ground. The Institute of Physical Education is situated there. The people are of Owans-Oras Clan {Children of Oba Ozolua}.They are renowned for the production of cocoa,tobacco and cashew ((3 ) Agenebode: Agenebode is the headquarters of Etsako East Local Government of Edo State Sand Beaches of Agenebode {Weppa Wanno} is located there . The people are of Afemais Clan also known as Ivbiosakon ((4 ) Auchi: Auchi is the headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area. It has a polytechnic and is scattered over hills and valleys. The hilly nature of the terrain makes the weather of Auchi cool most of the year. Auchi is 133 kilometres from Benin City. Cloth weaving is an important occupation of the people who are of Afemais Clan also known as Ivbiosakon ((5 ) Benin City: Benin City is the capital of Edo state. It was also the capital and seat of government of imperial ancient Benin kingdom which spread from Benin City to Lagos and to the present Republic of Benin. It is noted for its bronze works and crafts. Of major significant in the city are the palace of the Oba of Benin, the great moat, the National Museum, Ramat park, Ogba zoo, Sakponba / Asoro monument, Emotan statue, Igun Bronze Casters. Also located in the City are many commercial banks, Central Bank of Nigeria, many hotels and secondary school Benin City is also the headquarters of Oredo Local Government Area. This is the spiritual home and origin of all Edo speaking People ((6 ) Ehor: Ehor is the local Government Headquarters of Uhunmwode of Edo state. The first Enogie of Ehor was the son of Oba Olua {About 1473AD-1480AD}.Historical record showed that the early people of Ihevbe{Isevbe} migrated from Ehor.The people are of Benins Clan. ((7 ) Ekpoma: Ekpoma , the headquarters of Esan West Local Government Area, is about 45 minutes drive from Benin City .The people are of Esan/Ishan Clan .The Ambrose Alli University is located in the town. Rice cultivation is a major occupation of the people ((8 ) Fugal: Fugal is the headquarters of Etsako central Local Government Area. The people are of Afemais Clan also known as Ivbiosakon. ((9 ) Irrua: Irrua is the headquarters of Esan Central Local Government Area .The people are of Esan/Ishan Clan. ((10 ) Idogbo: Idogbo is the headquarters of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area Benson Idahosa University is located there. The people are of Benins Clan. ((11 )Iguobazuwa: Iguobazuwa is the headquarters of Ovia SouthWest Local Government Area The people are of Benins Clan .It is about 30 minutes drive from Benin City. ((12 ) Igarra: Igarra is the headquarters of Akoko Edo Local Government Area. The hilly nature of the place makes it picturesque. It is about 167 kilometeres from Benin City . known nationally for its fine pottery. They are of Akoko-Edos Clan. ((13 ) Igueben: Igueben is the headquarters of Igueben Local Government of Edo state. Udo Tourist Centre and Amahor Waterside are located there . The people are of Esan/Ishan Clan. ((14 ) Okada: Okada is the Local Government Headquarters of Ovia Northeast. Okada is the success story of the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbenedion who transformed it to the envy of its neighbours. Okada Wonderland and Igbinedion University is located there. The people are of Benins Clan. ((15 ) Sabongida: Sabongida is the headquarters of Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State. The people are of Owans/Oras clan (Children of Oba Ozolua). ((16 ) Ubiaja: Ubiaja is the headquarters of Esan Southeast Local Government Area .It is 114 kilometres from Benin City. The people are of Esan/Ishan Clan. Rice cultivation and cloth-weaving are major occupation of the people ((17 ) Uromi: Uromi is the headquarters of Esan Northeast Local Government of Edo state people are of Esan/Ishan Clan. ((18 ) Uselu: Uselu is the headquarters of Egor Local Government Area. In Uselu is the official residence of Edaiken who is the eldest son of the reigning Oba and the heir apparent to throne of the Benin kingdom, Egua-Iyoba (Iyoba's Palace), the reigning Oba’s mother official residence and University of Benin (Ugbowo campus) are located there. The people are of Benins Clan. Source : <a href="http://www.edoworld.net" rel="nofollow">http://www.edoworld.net</a> Martins on "Nigeria 2011 Elections - Vote Wisely For A Better Nigeria" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/nigeria-2011-elections-vote-wisely-for-a-better-nigeria#post-228 Sat, 02 Apr 2011 06:12:01 +0000 Martins 228@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ As the general elections draw closer, politicians are getting desperate to get more people to cast their votes in their favour. Last week, an amazing drama unfolded as a politician tried frantically to convince my neighbour to cast his vote for a party. When the politician realized that his effort was getting him nowhere, he decided to use the power in his pocket. He brought out a bundle of N200 notes and dangled it in my neighbour’s face, basically the way you would dangle some bait to an animal you are trying to catch. “How much is your vote?” he asked, with a deceptive smile on his face. My neighbour hesitated for a moment, and then he grabbed a piece of paper and began to scribble down something. When he finished writing, he handed the piece of paper to the politician saying, “This is the value of my vote.” The politician went through the paper briefly and then squeezed and threw it away, in my direction. He hurried away, saying that my neighbour wasn’t being rational. My neighbour, realizing I was watching, picked up the paper and said, waving the paper at me, “Am I being irrational?” I collected the paper and took a quickly look at it. He had written on the paper the breakdown of his family’s expenses, which the government (according to him) had so far failed to provide or make available for its citizens. He then multiplied everything by four (4) years. Something like this: Security - N20,000 per month x 12 months x 4 years = N960,000 Generator - N40,000 per 2 years x 2 = N80,000 Fuel for generator - N1,000 per day x 365 days x 4 years = N1,460,000 Potable water - N500 per day x 365 days x 4 years = N730,000 Healthcare Insurance - N10,000 per month x 12 months x 4 years = N480,000 Education - N5,000 per month x 12 months x 4 years = N240,000 Housing - N500,000 per year x 4 years = N2,000,000 Total - N5,950,000 (five million nine hundred and fifty thousand naira) “Well,” he explained as I continued to stare at his breakdown, “if asking for the basic necessities of life is not being rational, I wonder what is rational?” “I wasn’t trying to be difficult,” he continued. “I believe this is a modest breakdown of expenses considering I have a wife and a kid. If you have a larger family, the value of your vote may be much higher than this,” he concluded. So, my dear friend, if you want to sell your vote, I won’t say “don’t.” But, be like my neighbour. Make sure it is “worth its weight in gold.” (Inspired by a true story) "It will take total blindness to vote for ANYONE WHO CAN NOT OFFER NIGERIANS THESE BASIC NECESSITIES!!!!!: Note’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’ (1) One can be intellectually blind. (2 One can be blinded by sentiments (3)One can be blinded by corruption and therefore afraid of the unknown, should power change hands; and finally (4) One can be suffering from a combination of the above 4 terminal sicknesses" The best way for a foolish man to be classified as wise man is to remain silent. Before promotion there must be assessment. Wish Nigeria the Best of Leaders Through a Free and Fair Election. Somi Obozuwa If you are not a part of the solution, then you are a part of the problem. Martins on "Readers share their memories of Elizabeth Taylor" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/readers-share-their-memories-of-elizabeth-taylor#post-227 Thu, 24 Mar 2011 04:03:25 +0000 Martins 227@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ Readers recalled their favorite Elizabeth Taylor films and memories as they mourned the screen legend's death. <img src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTCqqcH_5lCzaMBiEa3pR_g18fKLpnxB4XRfhj8Z6gwLyTK9tSw_w" align="left">  •Gerard Dacut, 57, Orange County, Calif.: "I was a kid growing up in the 60s and the first picture I saw of Liz Taylor was probably in one of those 'tabloid' magazines my mom was so fond of. Her beauty was stunning in comparison to the blonde bombshells of that era; Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, Bridgette Bardot. Beauty will only get you so far in Hollywood and Elizabeth Taylor's acting abilities were light-years ahead of her contemporaries. She was a rare mix of beauty and talent and she will be forever missed by those of us who grew up in her celebrity." •Carol A. Piaseczny, 58, Denver: "She was fearless and passionate, two qualities I wish more of us possessed and displayed. She was blatant in her love of Burton and ardent in her support of AIDS. We need more women like her in this country." •Charles Londo, 64, Monroe, Mich.: "What captivated me was after I read (a book about Cleopatra in the 1960s) she seemed to fit the visual image that the book portrayed. (Taylor was) obviously very young, attractive and had a desire to be successful, in much the same way that she was in real life." Comments from USATODAY.com: •oldgirl: "We've lost an icon. She and Richard (Burton) are probably holding hands as I type." •luckyduck2K: "She was a movie star and the epitome of glamour. Today we have Angelina Jolie, who while beautiful, is no glamour queen." •grej28: "In this era of 3D and franchise movies of parts one and 2 and blockbusters, she was the last of that classic golden Hollywood era of movies in the more simpler form. I liked how she was supportive of people suffering from AIDS with her own AIDS foundation. Elizabeth, we will miss you, but your movies will live forever..." •notenoughmoney: "Cleopatra was an epic performance from an epic actress. She lived as others always wish they could, to the fullest, regardless of public opinion which means nothing, a full and wonderful life. It was my pleasure to be around to see her movies, and I am glad that I 'grew up' with her movies." •jamesreyes65: "She'll forever be remembered as one of the screen's most talented and loveliest icons that ever lived ... I remember first seeing her in Father of the Bride on cable TV in the early '80s and she was so angelic ever since. The film world will miss her dearly and we'll always love her work on film and her AIDS activism." •Shaggy: "Truly an icon. Stunningly beautiful and an amazing actress. As a child, I remember watching National Velvet and being in awe at how pretty she was even at 12. RIP, lovely lady." •twix: "A lady, an actress, a humanitarian, a wife, a grandmother, etc. She had a full life with all the ups and downs we all have. I truly think Dame Taylor was the epitome of what a true actress is. Brilliant beyond words. A beautiful human being. " •66rock: "Taylor is the last of the great stars. A breathtakingly beautiful face and a great actress. She was gutsy in her private life and her work for AIDS is just as bright in her list of achievements as any of her films. A true legend has passed." •Openyoureyes7: "(She's) from a time when being controversial and sexy didn't mean imprisoned or vulgar. The young actresses could take a lesson from her in how to command attention with real talent." Martins on "Sir Victor Uwaifo: 70 cheers for the ‘Guitar Man’" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/sir-victor-uwaifo-70-cheers-for-the-%e2%80%98guitar-man%e2%80%99#post-226 Sat, 12 Mar 2011 05:53:08 +0000 Martins 226@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ Thursday, 10 March 2011 00:00 By Benson Idonije <img /> All things being equal Victor Uwaifo"s 70th birthday should attract a grand celebration with dimensions that involve the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, Philips West Africa Records (Now Premier) Edo State Ministry of Culture, The University of Benin among many others because of his specific relevance to these institutions. But PMAN which should in fact initiate the move to set the celebration in motion is completely docile, lethargic in activity and unable to live up to expectations. Instead of facing the reality of today’s situation, the association is chasing shadows, divided against itself.I know that Victor Uwaifo, one of Nigeria’s foremost musicians, has always given support to PMAN. The guitar legend and ‘akwete’ King has always honoured their appointments and identified with all their programmes.A living legend, Victor Uwaifo deserves to be celebrated by the country for elevating the musical culture of the country. It is not enough to be bestowed with a national honour, which today has become an all-comers investiture that has no meaning, the most important thing is to recognise him as an icon, one of Nigeria’s cultural heroes who has placed the country on the map.The electronic media for its own part, should be playing a crucial role in the celebration of an innovator who single-handedly created a highlife variant called Akwete, but unfortunately the system has allowed the creation of a generational gap to distort and relegate our cultural values.Almost all the broadcasters on radio and television today were not around in the ’60s when Victor Uwaifo was making waves with his Melody Maestro. And this is not a tenable excuse. His legacy is there to speak for him. Besides, there should be a mechanism in place, a cultural policy which makes it possible for our heroes in all areas of the arts to be known and remembered for all time, from generation to generation. I watched the 2011 Black Entertainment Television (BET) awards where 71 year-old Herbie Hancook was honoured recently for his role in promoting black music. The greatest number of his admirers were the youth, the hip hop and rap artists, the budding rhythm and blues stars who are drawing inspiration from the legend. There is a cultural policy and awareness which enables the electronic media to simultaneously promote the old and the new because their system appreciates the fact that without the past there can be no present.Victor Uwaifo should be enjoying tremendous airplay on all the radio stations now. Televisions should be falling over themselves with cameras to conduct interviews and create mini-documentries on the legendary ‘guitar boy.’As a matter of fact, all his songs which number over 100 have been reissued by Premier Music for deejays who care to know. A prolific composer, singer, guitarist and band leader, he changed the face of the guitar in Nigeria.Up until he came into the limelight, highlife music was known for the imitation of Ghanaian palm wine styles which guitarists from such aggregations as E.T. Mensah’s Tempos Band, The Rhythm Aces, the Stargazers, The Black Beats and the guitar bands of E.K. Yame and K. Gyasi created. Uwaifo broke this monotony by deriving his phrases from the cultural flavouring of Edo Music – to sound relevant and authentic.An innovator of no mean feat, he appeared on the scene in 1965, the same year that Fela Ransome-Kuti did with his Koola Lobitos – to give highlife music a new lease of life. As an innovator, he accomplished two goals: Apart from giving the guitar status as a Nigerian voice, by the configuration of his Melody Maestros which featured horns of trumpets and saxophones, he elevated the music of Edo people hitherto executed in guitar-dominated combo fashion to an orchestral level. Secondly, at the time that he appeared on the scene in 1965, highlife was almost becoming a drab. The music had remained in the same monotonous format from 1952 when Nigerians began to respond to the vibes generated by E.T. Mensah’s Tempos Band. He broke this monotony with Akwete, a variant steeped in Edo musical culture. He redefined highlife by removing it completely from the common meter, church hymnal progression which tended to make it foreign, and situated it in the typical call-and-response pattern of African music. Joromi was his first big hit.A highly fulfilled artiste, he has served as commissioner for culture in Edo State and as an academician, a graduate and teacher of Visual Arts from the University of Benin. Ageless and physically fit, Uwaifo loves live performance. Only the other day in Lagos at the Golden Crown Hotel, he attracted much attention as he enacted the stage feat which found him jumping and dancing as he played the guitar.His interest in music began from his days at St. Gregory’s College, Lagos when he often took time out to play the guitar with Victor Olaiya’s All Stars.According to the testimony of the legendary Victor Olaiya who paid glowing tributes to Victor Uwaifo and the late great Rex Jim Lawson who were members of his band at different times, “Victor Uwaifo was a talented young guitarist. Lawson played the trumpet with a good sense of rhythm.”Uwaifo later teamed up with E.C. Arinze and His Music, and this was where he perfected his apprenticeship. At Kakadu Hotel, Yaba, Lagos as venue, Arinze entertained a mixed audience because he mixed dance music of the ball room type with highlife. Uwaifo who specialised in highlife benefitted immensely from the liberal disposition of his band leader. He was often allowed to play his own highlife compositions, endearing himself to enthusiastic crowds of dancers who saw him as the star of the band.When he struck out on his own in 1965 to form his own outfit, he had already imbibed the spirit of band leadership. And because he was a talented guitarist and prolific composer, he immediately reeled out hit after hit, among them Joromi, Guitar Boy, Duduke, Aribade, Dolelezi, Akhuan Khuan, Do Amen Do, Siwo Siwo among many others. The impact he made as a highlife star of the moment and the artiste with the direct identification with Nigerian musical culture was noticeable. This achievement obviously recommended him as Nigeria’s representative at a cultural Festival in Algiers. Uwaifo has cause to celebrate his 70th birthday.His highlife effort has inspired a whole generation of young musicians in Edo State. His musicianship as composer, singer and guitarist has also become a source of inspiration to budding artistes in the state, having influenced a whole new range of musicians including Osayomore Joseph, Idemudia Cole, Patrick Idahosa and others from Benin. There is also a vibrant highlife scene in Etsako area of the state headlined by Alhaji Waziri Oshioma – which owes its inspiration to Uwaifo.The younger generation is looking up to Uwaifo for influence. A couple of years ago, I was amazed by the performances of one of Actor Alile’s daughters on guitar and vocals as well as Osayomore Joseph’s son when the Committee for Relevant Art organised a Highlife Party in Benin City. They both exhibited the influence of Uwaifo.And on the national level, several musicians, including Ebenezer Obey, Orlando Owoh and others have picked up guitar licks and rhythms from the Akwete highlife tradition of Victor Uwaifo who has become a major influence. •CULLED FROM THE NIGERIAN GUARDIAN BY NICHOLAS IDEMUDIA Martins on "Nigeria My Country – Much Ado About A Failed Nation" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/nigeria-my-country-%e2%80%93-much-ado-about-a-failed-nation#post-225 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:23:22 +0000 Martins 225@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <h1>Nigeria My Country - Much Ado About A Failed Nation</h1> Author: <a title="OBODO PASCHAL EKENZE" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/obodo-paschal-ekenze/238693">OBODO PASCHAL EKENZE</a> NGERIA MY COUNTRY: MUCH ADO ABOUT A FAILED NATION I am an optimist. I see more than a million stars in every single cloud. I see Nigeria surmounting all her problems and moving to the next level, joining the league of developed countries like USA, UK, and China etc. Definitely, I see hope, I see Nigeria, my beloved country in a total rebirth. I see things return to normalcy; no more ASUU, NASU, SSANU strike. I see the football sector doing well. I see a corrupt free nation in the nearest future. I see a militant free nation, a nation whose watch word is on the common good of her people. I also see a nation that anchors her success on education and researches, and therefore, treats lecturers as sacred beings, always seeking innovations and ways to improve on the sector. I see a crime free nation, a nation that breathes quiet and peace, a nation that will do anything to stop kidnapping and thus, guarantee the freedom of her people. Indeed I see hope not as our former president chief Obasanjo saw it during his eight years spell in Aso-Rock, but in the real sense of it. To say that at 49, Nigeria is a failed nation is to say the least. Indeed, Nigeria is in an abysmal failure. This woeful failure on its own is a menace, always threatening to suffocate the nation, and except we decide to help ourselves, we may not be able to rise again, and the hopes I see may just fizzle out. Forty-nine years ago, Nigerians had celebrated a total freedom. This total freedom turns out to be a partial freedom in cognizance to the fact we are still tied under the apron strings of the west, always working in such a way as to truncate our hard earned democracy. The people's hope, dreams and aspirations of been ushered into the land that flows with milk and honey was high. Nigerians at the eve of the independence had dreamt big, seeing a great and prosperous black giant. But today, these gigantic dreams still seem to be far from reach. I have in so many occasions heard Nigerians; especially the masses decry independence, and in so many occasions' stage prayers purposely to ask God to take them back to the colonial era. This should not come as a surprise to you after all the Israelites did it too on their way to the promise land. The only difference between Nigerians and the Israelites is that the latter had purposeful and willful leaders that were determined to take them to the promise land unlike our leaders that have decided to take only themselves and their respective families to ASO ROCK. At 49, Nigeria, the giant on its back, is yet to be on the sure path to greatness. It is a pity to say that this nation blessed with enormous potentials is yet to discover them, let alone harness them towards greatness. The dream we dreamt 49-years ago seems a mere mirage – an illusion. There is a total lack of confidence as we are rattled by mind-bogging retrogression. Yet what is our story. Our politics, Methuselah education, security situation, health, electricity, sports, economy, infrastructures, are on a negative gradient to say but the least. For sure, we live in a wonderful country, Nigeria, is a country like no other. Indeed we live in a country where our elected lawmakers go to the national assembly to trade by barter. It is only in this country that illegalities thrive; else we would have had a fully sworn-in president with full presidential powers and not an ailing president. Anyway, this piece is not intended to discuss our ailing president in the name of Y'ardua. I had expected the acting president, Dr. Jonathan to be his own man and act decisively, but he has chosen not to discuss his boss. Anyway, I would like to seize this opportunity to tell the Mr. Goodluck that excessive ass-kissing could be the kiss of death. He is comfortable with current status and I hope he does not regret when his Excellency Umaru Musa Y'ardua recuperates. If you care to listen, your Excellency the acting president, I advice you get yourself a copy of the book titled "The 48 Laws Of Power." You have said earlier that you are an optimist, why then did you to say your country has failed? you may ask. The answer is that when compared with other countries, one could not help but say the truth. The attributes of every successful nations anchor on good governance, utilization of the natural resources to provide decent and peaceable life for the people, a state that inspires oneness, pride and confidence of citizens in their polity. It is a pity and sad to say that Nigeria is grossly lacking in all these. You now see why I say Nigeria has failed woefully. This is the only rich country that parades the highest number of poor people. It is appalling indeed to reiterate the fact that after 49-years of independence, Nigeria, one of the major oil producing nations in the world, hosts the highest number of unemployed and hungry masses. Poverty in the country keeps rearing its ugly head, uglier and bigger………………………………..to be continuedArticle Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/news-and-society-articles/nigeria-my-country-much-ado-about-a-failed-nation-1939598.html" title="Nigeria My Country - Much Ado About A Failed Nation">http://www.articlesbase.com/news-and-society-articles/nigeria-my-country-much-ado-about-a-failed-nation-1939598.html</a> Martins on "Chidi Nwosu - Laid To Rest" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/chidi-nwosu-laid-to-rest#post-224 Sun, 27 Feb 2011 07:10:15 +0000 Martins 224@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ Chidi Nwosu was buried yesterday, 26 February 2011 <img src="http://www.republicreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Chidi.jpg" alt="" /> Chidi Nwosu a bonafide indigene of God's own state, Abia State began his human rights work in the late 90's under the mentorship of late Honorable Ransome-Bello Kuti, founder of the 'Campaign for Democracy' (CD). Before his recent joining of the Abia State Government, Southeast, Nigeria as general manager of the Abia State Rubber Company Limited was involved in a number of human rights and pro-democracy activities, especially in Abia State and Southeast Nigeria. He was the Southeast Nigerias chairman of the Campaign for Democracy, nationally headed by Dr. Josephine Odumakin. He was also a founding member of the Southeast Nigerias coalition of civil rights and pro-democracy activists as well as founder of the Human Rights & Justice Foundation. volved in a number of human rights and pro-democracy activities, especially in Abia State and Southeast Nigeria. He was the Southeast Nigerias chairman of the Campaign for Democracy, nationally headed by Dr. Josephine Odumakin. He was also a founding member of the Southeast Nigerias coalition of civil rights and pro-democracy activists as well as founder of the Human Rights & Justice Foundation. Mr. Nwosu was a leading dissent voice, challenging the excesses of the present Government of Abia State, on issues of insecurity, including serial abductions and other violent and property crimes that enveloped the State in recent months. At a point, he, alongside his family members, fled the State and temporarily settled in Abuja, the Nigerias capital for fear of being harmed by the killer-State agents. He was at a point, wrongly arraigned in court alongside others over stage-managed criminal charges and had severally cried out over fears of being harmed by the Abia State Government. He reportedly spearheaded a campaign, including a legal battle against the illegitimate sale of the State Government-owned Abia State Rubber Company Limited, allegedly to the mother of the former governor of the State. He successfully won the campaign, which partly earned him the general managership of the Rubber Company, at the instance of the Government of Abia State, said to be meant to woe him to the government side. It was barely few months after his acceptance of the post in the Company, said to be located in his locality that his murderers came calling. He barely came back from a night outing than the assassins swooped on him at his residential premises, bundled him into his apartment, rounded up his wife and other family members, locked them up inside their toilet, before mass-beaten him. He was reportedly shot at close range and dragged from one room to the other, after which he was further shot twice, before he was abandoned in the pool of his own blood. The murderers reportedly escaped unmolested and abandoned one of their guns, which is now reportedly in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force. <a href="http://www.chidinwosufoundation.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.chidinwosufoundation.org/</a> Martins on "Abati: Nigerian Politics 102" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/abati-nigerian-politics-102#post-223 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 06:08:23 +0000 Martins 223@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <IMG SRC="data:image/jpg;base64,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"ALIGN="left"> ONE fellow had sought my advice on how he could become a candidate in the 2011 elections. He was hoping one of the major political parties will notice him, be impressed by his credentials and then invite him to lead the process of change in his constituency. He has a Masters degree, many years of experience in the private sector; he spent 15 years in the United States, he has seen the world literally. He is comfortable, and he thinks he is the kind of knowledgeable and articulate person that can make a difference either as a Governor or a member of the National Assembly. I had to tell the fellow to stop dreaming! There may be some countries in the world where some individuals are specially invited to come and serve in a public capacity because of their sterling credentials, but certainly not in Nigeria. I asked him: does he belong to any political party? No. Does he know the grassroots politicians in his ward, including the ward chairman, deputy  chairman, councilors (old and new), the local cults, the witches and the wizards, the pastors and the imams, the Chairman of the Landlords Association, and particularly the area boys? Has he ever been to their houses, bought marijuana and local gin for the area boys, tubers of yam and bags of rice for the big men? No. No. No. He thinks the local people are too mercantile, and he would rather not descend so low. “I see, I see,” I muttered, shaking my head. Does he have a Godfather, and if not, has he identified one? “No,” he said.  He wanted to start a long story about how he had lived in the United States, how he was a volunteer for the Bill Clinton Presidential campaign; something about his passion to transform Nigeria, and how he wants to make his own modest contribution because he believes Africa is the last frontier… I promptly told him to keep his imported ideas of politics to himself. The culture here is different. I recommended to him a crash course in Nigerian Politics 101 and 102 combined. Nobody goes to anyone’s home to invite them to join politics and represent the community. With Nigerian lawmakers in Abuja earning as much as N40 million per month, and elected officials at other levels: Governors, House of Assembly lawmakers, councilors - all making a fortune out of politics, anyone who is hoping that his talents will be discovered by existing politicians is merely hallucinating. Why should anyone invite you, when they also want to make money for themselves and their families? These days, even carpenters are ready to put up a billboard and seek party tickets to go to the National Assembly, if they can. To become a professional politician, you simply have to join a party, collect a membership card, and get well known in your ward, the state and the party.  You have to start much earlier though; you shouldn’t wait till all the possible positions have been shared.  Oh yes, the positions are allocated long before the election by party chieftains. And for you to be considered for such allocations, you need certain guarantees. The best guarantee is to be the son, daughter, nephew, niece, cousin, in-law, wife or mistress… of an influential politician. With that, you don’t need to do or say anything. The influential power broker, after many years of wheeling and dealing already knows the territory of Nigerian politics. He will smuggle you in there, and if you lose, he can still arrange an appointment for you. If you fall into this category, you only need to make appearances during election campaigns, print posters and pretend to be smart enough on your own merit. Lucky fellow, you can become Governor, Minister, Commissioner, Senator, House of Reps member, Board Chairman… Your Godfather has bought that space for you, by being a member of the in-crowd of the Nigerian political establishment. Your strongest credential is that you are related to him by blood or marriage. Why should he use his goodwill for the benefit of other people’s children when his own children also have Masters and Ph.D? You will be expected in the future to do the same for your own children and other relations. It is better to keep the business within the family. Get that straight:  politics is a business enterprise, a capital investment in Nigeria. You don’t have a Godfather? Please, you must cultivate one or get out of politics.  Just identify a power broker with a record of achievement in politics and throw yourself under his wings. But don’t just join any political party. You must choose wisely. It is better to go with a political party that is popular in your area, and likely to win elections. All those foreign ideas about ideology and principles don’t work here. You can always change your party, as soon as it can no longer win elections in your constituency or it does not offer you want you want. You can always change your Godfather too. And if you are lucky, you could become very influential within the state or community, and gain an opportunity to dethrone the Godfather, and become the boss in due course.  But you must bid your time. Politics in Nigeria is a very complex game: it doesn’t require any sacred beliefs or ideology. Don’t forget: this is about power, not your abilities or your commitment to the common good. While serving out your apprenticeship, you are expected to kow-tow to the Godfather. You must show that you can be relied upon to do the Godfathers’ bidding. If you have any original ideas, keep them to yourself. What do you know? The Godfather and his inner circle know it all.  If you show any sign of independence, your political career will end even before it starts.  If you are rich, you must be seen to be generous to the Godfather and the party, but don’t upstage the Boss.  If you are not rich, you can be useful in other ways. Be ready to run errands. Hang around. Some really ambitious young men report to the Godfather’s house every morning; they close for the day only when he goes to bed. You can be summoned at any hour; learn to smile a lot and say “Yes sir.”  Get your wife to become a friend of the Godfather’s wife. Through her, you can exert quiet behind-the-scenes influence. Godfathers don’t like liabilities.  Demonstrate some potential. Try and get popular in your local area. Show the Godfather that you are also learning the ropes. Visit your ward regularly. Give the ward people money. Buy gifts for their wives. Attend naming ceremonies, weddings and funerals. Go to local drinking joints and declare free booze. Get close to the area boys, and make sure they know you are now a politician and who your Godfather is. Soon, you will acquire some name recognition. That helps. Of what use is a politician who has no following among local thugs? With time, you too should be able to boast about “the boys” under your control. The Godfather will be impressed. He knows you are his boy and that your boys know that you are his boy: he is the Boss of all bosses.  He expects you to tell your boys that he is the real masquerade. The day you begin to get high on your own supply, the same Godfather will find a rival for you in your own constituency. Or you may be ordered to step down. Politics is a game, not charity. The Godfather is investing; he expects returns. Play along. Or maybe this time around, you didn’t get any party ticket. You are expected to remain loyal nevertheless. If the party wins, you could be rewarded with a public appointment: Commissioner, Board Chairman, Minister, Director General of an agency, or a Special Assistant/Adviser. It is a great opportunity and you are expected to make the best use of it. Some smart guys in the past have used such positions to make themselves very relevant. A certain level of notoriety may also help. Use the position to promote yourself with the public, while pretending to be better than everyone else. Who knows? In the next election, you could suddenly show up as a Presidential candidate or a Senatorial aspirant. Nobody is going to ask questions. They know you already. It is your luck. You have done well, brother, you have now been given the opportunity to be a candidate in the 2011 elections. You have been given the party’s flag. How did you get here? Never forget that. Your Godfather asked some better qualified persons to step down for you. They are angry, they have gone to other political parties and they are prepared to sabotage you. They believe they are better qualified. They think it is the turn of their political zone, ethnic group, or family to produce the next candidate for that position and that they have been cheated. You and your “political family” – your relationship with the godfather is non-linear, it involves other stakeholders - have managed to stay ahead by buying up voters cards during the voters’ registration exercise. In 2011, INEC introduced the idea of thumb-printing and computer registration. They think they are smart. But your cabal has bought up the cards, and taken down the names and addresses of the voters on your pay roll. You have to remain in touch with them till election day. On D-Day, your party will organise transportation to the polling booth, feeding and financial assistance for the voters. You have bribed the Resident Electoral Commissioner. You have taken care of the election officials with a promise of more to come. Your party thugs are on standby. They have been equipped for the war ahead.  It is the UN that calls it an election, in Africa it is war. That is why in Cote d’Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo, a Professor of History and his supporters are insisting that the only alternative to their being dislodged from power is a full blown civil war. You still have to go out there and campaign, though. The Godfather(s) will lead the campaign. But if you are a Presidential or Gubernatorial candidate, you’d get a chance to do and say a lot more than others. Print and distribute posters. Erect billboards. Make sure you look handsome in the photograph. And if you have a big tummy, hide it. People are turned off by ugly faces. They may think the first thing you’d do when you get to office is to steal public funds to go and do a plastic surgery.  Engage the services of a good photographer and try out many attires. There is something called photo-shop. The photographer knows what to do. In this age of technology, you can be made to look handsome. Have a fashion code.  Introduce a unique element to your wardrobe. But don’t dress like “a rascal” or “a drunken sailor fisherman”.  Tell the electorate that you are not really interested in a position, you are happy running your successful business and that by accepting to run for public office, in response to pressures from every quarter, you are in fact taking a pay cut and your businesses are likely to suffer. In fact, you won’t spend more than a term of four years in office. Don’t bother, in four years time, nobody will remember and if they do, abuse journalists for quoting you out of context. Religion helps. The people are impressed by it. Start going to church regularly, attend night vigils, ask the Pastors to pray for you, if possible, let them lay their hands on you and proclaim your anointment!  Remember to do something for the church and the Pastor. They expect you to pay for all the prayers. If you are a Muslim, go and learn some Quranic verses by rote and mouth them at every convenient opportunity. If you are too dumb to learn anything, then just learn to preface every speech with Bismillahi Rahamani Raheem and end it with Allahu Akbar.  Know your constituency. Recruit media consultants.  Let them put your pictures in the papers and make you look good. It does not matter that your involvement with the private sector in the United States was as a shop floor attendant at Macy’s for 15 years. You are now an international businessman! Cultivate traditional rulers. They can be very good party agents - for a fee of course. Pay their children’s school fees. Send their wives abroad on holiday. They will soon give you chieftaincy titles. Collect as many as you can.  Add as many prefixes as possible to your name: High Chief, Double Chief, even the commonest one will do: Otunba.  Even Igbo politicians these days bear Otunba. Nobody is going to query you.  Learn how to abuse your opponents. You don’t have to discuss programmes, just mount the soap box and threaten to wrestle your opponents to the ground, and crush them. Talk nicely about your Godfather, and remind them that their own Godfather is an ex-convict. But before then, send your wife and children and your aged parents abroad until after the election. They could be kidnapped or assassinated by your enemies, to spite you.  Opponents are enemies in Nigeria. Recruit bodyguards. You will also need an anti-bomb squad as part of your advance party.  Don’t even get into a car until the anti-bomb squad has checked it. Never eat in public. Don’t even take a sip of water. You could be poisoned. Hold your campaigns inside enclosed spaces. Once you gather enough crowd, make sure all entrances and exits are locked.  You can’t risk some of the audience walking out on you while you are making a speech, they may be double agents who have been paid by your enemies to ridicule you. Imprison them until they have served your purpose…By the way, join a secret society… For now, this is all you need. There are other pathways for another day… Martins on "Kefee" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/kefee#post-222 Mon, 21 Feb 2011 17:11:32 +0000 Martins 222@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <IMG SRC="http://www.nigerianfolks.com/gallery/var/thumbs/Nigerian_Artists/keffe.jpg"ALIGN="left"> Bio: Born to Deacon and Mrs. Andrew Obareki in Sapele, Delta State, She has three brothers and two sisters. Her music carrier started at the age of eight in the children’s choir. She moved on to the adult choir when she was fifteen and when she was eighteen she was made the choir Director because, she could teach the three parts namely Soprano, Alto & Tenor. The choir released a couple of albums where she took lead vocals and backup vocals as well. Unknown to her parents at that time that it would later lead to stardom. She attended Ayomanor Primary School Sapele where she single headedly wrote and performed a cultural display that got her the first prize in the competition. She then attended Ufuoma mixed Secondary School Sapele,and fell in love with sports, she became the best in long jump and won series of prices for her school she then moved on to the University of Benin where she studied Public Administration. By this time she had already written well over 20 songs and had a greater passion for music. In 2000, she playfully composed and released an album titled “TRIP” with a friend; the album was a success and got them shows alongside artiste likes Tony Tetuila, Plantation boys and a long list of others. The album gained some recognition as the videos where the talk of the town in Benin, being the first female group to break off from the usual approach, the two friends parted after school but Kefee did not give up. In December 2003 she signed on with Alec Music and relesed her first solo album as a female artiste. Kefee’s “BRANAMA” sold nine thousand audio cassettes in just three weeks of the albums release and over two million copies of CDs/VCDs in a month. Kefee was asked to perform in Aso Rock for the presidency, governors and also at many social events. She became the hottest Nigerian female artiste and won a number of awards including kORA'S BEST AFRICAN TRADITIONAL AWARD in South Africa, 2 TODAYS MUSIC AWARDS [TOMA], NIGERIAN ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS, YOUTH EXCELLENCE AWARDS and the NIGER DELTA ADVANCEMENT AWARDS [NDAA] Kefee's fan base increased all over Africa and also on the international scene, she was invited to perform in London for charity and also in other parts of Europe and America. Kefee's first album was a huge success which had her fans eagerly anticipating for her second album titled "BRANAMA 2".Her sophomore album was just as terrific as her first and also got her the respect of other well known Nigerian Artiste who worked with her for the album. In 2007 KEFEES PEACE FOUNDATION had a FREE peace concert in NIGER DELTA where different artiste came to show love to the people in this region. The event was a huge success and has motivated Kefee to not just limit her love foundation to the Niger Delta but to spread the message of peace, love and unity through out Africa starting with her people. The decision to sponsor this event was an important one to Kefee even though it had major financial implications she was passionate about giving back to her people. Because her question is what are you doing for others? Kefee likes watching movies and reading when she is not in the studio or out of town. Singing is one of her favorite hobbies and she says she will continue giving it her best and making her country proud... Martins on "Comrade Chidi Nwosu Memorial Petition And Donation Request!" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/comrade-chidi-nwosu-memorial-petition-and-donation-request#post-221 Mon, 07 Feb 2011 06:04:13 +0000 Martins 221@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <IMG SRC="http://www.republicreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Chidi2-300x225.jpg"ALIGN="left"> Comrade Chidi Nwosu Memorial Petition Drive: We Need Your Help–RepublicReport New York [RR] USA/ABAM–Will the Nigerian Police Force ever resolve a murder -ANY murder? Solving homicide is NOT rocket science, and Nigeria can not continue to be the only country where murder is routine, and any and every assassination, of both the high and low, is simply swept under the carpet! The Nigerian press needs to start asking questions, if only for the protection of its own workers. We may not be able to stop murder, but for the sake of those who labor for the public good, we must never fail to register our protest. Who killed Chidi Nwosu? Please add your voice to the demand for justice. Spend 30 seconds to add your name to the demand for justice, by simply clicking the link below: You can sign the petition here; <a href="http">Sign Petitions Here</a> Andif you would like to make donations, you can make them through this link at <a href="http">Chidi Nwosu Memorial Fund Raising!</a>: Remember that what affect one of us, affects us all. Martins on "New Vaccine Boosts HIV/AIDS Treatment" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/new-vaccine-boosts-hivaids-treatment#post-220 Sat, 05 Feb 2011 07:35:54 +0000 Martins 220@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ SPANISH scientists have discovered a vaccine that seems capable of preventing the transmission of the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) and treating the condition with one shot. <IMG SRC="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSXdpBGHjMBGiMPbbfrIUVXAU5ZjAjNWovUBAWdRbFObCxbVkLf"ALIGN="left">Before now, the only effective treatment option available for persons living with Human Immuno-deficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a cocktail of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. The new AIDS vaccine designed by the Catalan Programme for the development of therapeutic vaccines and prevention against the virus (HIVACAT) reduces the viral load in the majority of AIDS patients. According to the results published yesterday in the Journal of Infectious Diseases by Spanish researchers at Barcelona’s Hospital Clinic, this type of therapeutic vaccine helps the patients who are carriers of the virus, combat infection and control the appearance of AIDS in the same way as with the current ARV treatments. The researchers say the final aim of the therapeutic vaccines will be to avoid a life-long treatment with ARV drugs.   According to the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), at least 350,000 persons living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria are receiving free ARV treatment.   The research team on “Infectious Diseases and AIDS” led by Dr. Josep Maria Gastell from IDIBAPS – Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain, has developed the vaccine, using the brand HIVACAT, a model of the therapeutic vaccine based on the patient’s own dendritic cells (are immune cells forming part of the mammalian immune system). This reduction in the viral load is, though, still considered to be insufficient, is the first therapeutic vaccine, which has achieved a positive response in the majority of patients. Reacting to the new finding, the Director General of NACA, Prof. John Idoko, said: “This was an extremely small scale study, so it is important to recognise that there is a long way to go before drawing any conclusion from this research. “However, as HIV treatment has evolved hugely over the past 10 years, we always welcome new research, which sheds new light on effective treatment options for people living with HIV. “Therapeutic vaccines are an exciting area of research. Current drug treatment is good at keeping HIV in check, but as people with HIV now routinely live well into old age, the lifetime cost of treatment can be high. An effective therapeutic vaccine could not only be less expensive, but people living with HIV might find it easier to manage. “This trial is a step in the right direction, but until we find a vaccine that controls the virus as well as ARV treatment does, we are not there yet. This research gives us a good idea of where to concentrate efforts in the future.” According to the study, a total of 24 patients participated in this double blind clinical trial, half of them formed the control group of those who did not receive the vaccine. None of these patients received antiretroviral treatment, and to enter into the study they had to maintain a good Tlymphatic blood load (>450 per mm3). The vaccine was made from each person’s own dendritic cells, a special type of cell that is a key regulator of the immune system. The cells were extracted and “re-educated” to attack the virus, using samples of HIV also taken from individual patients. The adjusted cells were then injected back into them in three stages, two weeks apart. The vaccine was administered in three doses with an interval of two weeks between each one. The researchers concluded: “At the end of 24 weeks, it showed that the majority of the patients had experienced a significant decrease in the viral load. This decrease was very significant in some of them, but in no case did the virus become undetectable. “However, this is a very important improvement with respect to previous initiatives where, with a similar vaccine, there was a modest response in 30 per cent of the treated patients. No therapeutic vaccine has achieved, up to now, the same level of response as in this study. A new clinical trial is underway testing the administration of the vaccine in conjunction with antiretroviral drugs to allow an improvement in the results.” The researchers said the principal objective of therapeutic vaccines is to minimise the need for antiretroviral drug treatment. They added: “These treatments have improved enormously over the past few years and have become easy drugs to administer with few side effects. Although the daily administration is not ideal, there is no experience over the long term and it is not known if the treatment could bring about resistance. “It aims to deal with the treatment of chronic patients for their whole life, which currently is an important economic burden for the health system. The annual budget for ARVs in Hospital Clinic is around €30 million.   Furthermore, the therapeutic vaccine is easy to produce and small administrations could be implemented in developing countries, too. To undertake this ambitious objective, there has to be a continuing scientific and economic efforts in initiatives such as HIVACAT.” Martins on "African Emigration, Forced Or Self-Imposed Exile?" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/african-emigration-forced-or-self-imposed-exile#post-219 Sat, 05 Feb 2011 06:58:36 +0000 Martins 219@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ The vast majority of Sub-Saharan Africans who live outside of the continent are in exile. For these Africans, their condition may either be self-imposed or forced by the prevailing conditions in the continent. And the general conditions in the continent are not healthy or enriching, or conducive to personal growth and happiness. Although conditions differ from one country to another but, by and large, what we have is a continent where a sizeable number of the people --especially those between the ages of 18 and 45 -- cannot wait to going to exile. They cannot wait to get out of their respective countries. Nigeria is an archetypal example of a country where, if embassies assured travel visas, 70% or more of college students will leave on their own volition. The majority of those in exile either have nothing substantial to return home to, or their own governments do not want them back. We also see that in some cases, the political, economic, social and cultural space is not large or absorbent enough to accommodate exiles; in other cases, some exiles got blinded by the security, comfort and predictability of their host countries so much so that going back home becomes less attractive. Nigerians, for example, habitually points to the lack of basic infrastructure, poor personal and human security and a sickening and corrupt political system. To be sure, there are other discouraging and encouraging factors, but mostly, the aforesaid accounts for why most exiles remain in North America and European countries. Whether one knows it or not, acknowledges it or not, living in exile is horrible. It is one of the most painful of all human experiences. The pain and the anguish is less for most who vacated in their pre-teenage years. For them, acculturation and assimilation is much easier. With time, their memory of the old country fades; cultural chips become less powerful or insignificant; and ties to friends and family may become loose or non-existent. Essentially, therefore, they lose one country and gain another; lose one set of identity and gain another. They transfer their love and loyalty to their new country. For most of these early exiles, they will know one country and one country only. This is generally the case and the pattern unless of course a mother or a father or an influential relative kept the flame and the desire for the old country alive. The United States, of which I am most familiar, is home to millions of African immigrants. Data may show that the US now houses more Africans than Western and Eastern Europe combined. For a while, Europe --especially Britain, France, Portugal, Belgium and Germany -- was the preferred destination for Africans particularly because of their colonial relationship. In other words, until recent years, colonial-Europe was the port of call for Africans. Today, the whole world is present in the US: every language and culture and nationality is present here. They are present here for different reasons. But above all else, people come here for the freedom, the opportunity and the option to live in manners that are guaranteed by US law and customs. However, sooner or later, immigrants -- African immigrants of whom this essay is about --will come to realize that the longer one stays in this country, the deeper the pain and the agony. They may have big cars and big homes; they may have beautiful wives and successful children; and they may also have investment portfolios that are the envy of most. Yet, most will and do feel empty. Every so often, they travel to the motherland to see friends and family. Still they feel empty. Most act and feel like tourists in their own father’s land (as most can only spend 2-4 weeks at a stretch before running to the grind and their predictable lifestyle). There are those whose eyes swell(with tears) at the thought of returning to Oyinbo land. It can be lonely here. And they know it. If you were a “nobody” before coming to the US, and if you are still a “nobody” after all these years, the ache and the grief may not be much. What may matter to you is that you are now a success compared to your previous life. But if you were “somebody” before your departure, and you are still a big deal here, you are more likely to feel the pain. Even if you were a “nobody” in your previous life, but once you become “somebody” here, you begin to, after a while, feel a gradual pain -- the type of pain that get more discomforting and unbearable as time passes. First the pain and then the anguish, followed by a sense of uselessness and sadness. If left unchecked, acute sense of loss and actual depression may set in. An accomplished Nigerian author and teacher once told me: “most of the professors and successful African immigrants you see in this country are sad and depressed…especially the professors…most are angry, and are not respected by their non-Black peers…” From his vantage point, “most of these Africans are better read and smarter than most of their counterparts, but they generally are saddled with supporting or subservient roles; they have to defer to their non-Black colleagues.”To make matters worse, “even their students complain about their accent and mannerism, and assume they must be less qualified than other professors, especially the Whites.” Faced with such a situation, “they are angry at their home government, angry at their colleagues, angry at their students and subordinates, and are also angry at themselves.” But within their enclaves and between their own people, “the African professors are the most pompous, most condescending and most irritating. Most cannot explain simple concepts or simple phenomenon without resorting to antiquated language…they have the need to impress.” Indeed, the western world -- and increasingly, South Africa universities -- is filled with Nigerian and Ghanaian professors. I can’t think of a colleges or university, anywhere in the United States, without at least two Nigerian and or Ghanaian teachers or administrators. I also doubt if there is a medical establishment, anywhere in the UK, Canada and the United States, without Nigerian and Ghanaian doctors and nurses. In all these places and beyond, I doubt if the majority of these Africans truly enjoy being there. The financial compensation is good, but my thinking is that they would rather be home: helping their own people and helping to advance their own countries. But here they are-- needed primarily for their skills and services; needed just to help develop and advance a country that is truly not theirs. How terrible it must feel to be just a hired hand. If you are a South African, your lot in life may be a lot better. The same goes for those from Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, and a few other countries. In the West African sub-region, Ghana is the newest darling, home to quarter-of-a- million or so Nigerians. If you are a Nigerian, then, you know you are violated. Twice over! First, you are violated by a government that is utterly incompetent, utterly corrupt, and utterly wayward. You have a government, a succession of government, which takes pleasure in exploiting and brutalizing its citizens. And then you have a citizenry that is too scared and falsely religious to fight back. And so they lay there and take it. Secondly, it is not a good time to be a Nigerian anywhere in the world. It has not been a good time to be a Nigerian anytime in the last two decades or so. The world knows you have a well endowed country that is badly run; the world knows about your soiled-reputation (even though it is highly exaggerated and undeserved); and the world also knows you are scared to return home. For more than 30years, to be a Nigerian was to be respected; in the last 20, it has become a hindrance. So, as an immigrant or as an exile, you feel it and you know it. How painful to know that people deal and interact with you from the other end of a long rope. To be an African immigrant in the West or anywhere else is not easy. Within the international political and economic system, Africa is an afterthought; socially and culturally, Africa is also an afterthought. Even at the individual level, most non-Blacks do not think much of the African. Sometimes one gets the feeling that non-Blacks think of Africans as incapable of complex task; a people incapable of governing themselves without generous assistance from the Western world. Such attitude and conviction, whether state or unstated, is condemnable. Even so, there are times when one surveys the continent and the various governments therein and wonder if, if, if -- oh well, just take a look at Nigeria and its leaders (and leadership) for the last 30 or so years. If you are educated, enlightened, polished, decent, and with renaissance thinking and living in the West, is that the kind of country and condition you want to return to? In the end though, if you have been living in the West for much of your productive life, and you are now clocking 55, 60 or 65 and with the urge to return home, you are likely to have headache or develop insomnia for a few days or weeks. One might even have panic attacks. Long before this period, one may have planned it all out. One may have methodically planned it all out, in which case the transition --assuming home is where one wants to spend the fourth quarter of one’s life -- is as smooth as possible. However, whether planned or not, several years of the exiled has a way of making one a stranger in ones village or community. How well and for how long you’ve planned the transition may determine your place and comfort in your new environment. Planned or not, smooth or not, you will, every now and then, get your bearings wrong, your traction will be shaky, your worldview out of sync, some of your mannerisms alien, and your thought pattern criss-crossed. This is the price you must pay for being in exile. <a href="mailto:Sabidde@gmail.com">Sabidde@gmail.com</a> Martins on "MasterCard-InterSwitch To Offer Co-branded Debit Card In NIG" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/mastercard-interswitch-to-offer-co-branded-debit-card-in-nig#post-214 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 07:04:09 +0000 Martins 214@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ Jan 27, 2011 MasterCard Worldwide, a global payment solutions company, and Interswitch, responsible for the Verve payment card brand in Nigeria, have announced that they have entered into a strategic co-brand debit card agreement. <IMG SRC="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRRH8tQmANMBvwMhZL_bowBu7zp53WYNdYAqFX0jHzuDSGl29EgTQ"ALIGN="left">This agreement fits with one of the objectives of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Financial System Strategy 2020 (FSS 2020), which is to advance the efficiency of the country’s e-payment systems, by reducing the reliance on cash and promoting interoperability among financial institutions. The co-brand debit agreement between MasterCard and Interswitch will contribute positively towards this vision. According Daniel Monehin, Area Head, East & West Africa and Indian Ocean Islands of MasterCard,  the agreement will enable the launch of the MasterCard Verve debit card, a chip and PIN debit card, which allows cardholders to enjoy the benefits of the widest acceptance throughout Nigeria as well as internationally with extensive cardholder protection. It is expected that the first MasterCard Verve debit cards will become available through the banks in early February 2011. The new debit card will afford cardholders peace of mind in going about their daily shopping habits, as it will provide them with a secure and efficient way of accessing their cash at over 12,000 point of sale locations, 400 online merchants and at 10,000 ATMs throughout Nigeria. Monehin said MasterCard Worldwide the co-branded debit card agreement with Interswitch will ignite a new era in convenient and secure payments for Nigerians and through this collaboration, cardholders will need only one card for domestic and international transacting. He added that MasterCard Verve debit cardholders would have the ability to use their debit cards in even more places, unlocking the true potential of chip and PIN cards as a safe and convenient method of payment. <IMG SRC="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRsHwKthQrK_4wMdFglGZJ2QZmlp5YHKQ1yN8_WNkB3AH-I2lZQYw"ALIGN="left">The MasterCard Verve co-brandeddebit card is fully Nigerian and fully international. “MasterCard is delighted to introduce this highly functional debit card to the public and looks forward to empower Nigerians with meaningful, convenient and secure payments solutions,” he said. The cards will give Nigerians unprecedented levels of debit card acceptance – wherever they are in the world – and greatly reduces their need to rely on cash for everyday purchases as MasterCard branded cards are currently accepted at 30.9 million acceptance locations across 210 markets worldwide, which include merchant locations, ATMs and other locations where cash can be obtained. Cardholder protection is of paramount importance to MasterCard, and MasterCard Verve debit card holders can rest easy knowing that if their card was ever compromised or stolen while travelling they would be able to receive either a replacement card from their bank or a cash advance through MasterCard’s Global Service. According to the Director Payment Solutions, Interswitch, Charles Ifedi, the MasterCard Interswitch collaboration is a milestone in the history of the company because it enables Interswitch to provide cardholders with what they deserve, which is more convenience at home and abroad. MasterCard Verve debit cardholders would be the first cardholders in Nigeria to have local and international acceptance and be able to access a range of value added services. Ifedi said with Quickteller cardholders would get instant 24-hour reconnection to a variety of local and regional services such as DSTV, Airtel, HiTV and PHCN, at the same time MasterCard Verve debit card “offers fantastic price points and significant benefits to cardholders locally, regionally and internationally”. micheal45631 on "Nigeria Stock Exchange" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/nigeria-stock-exchange#post-213 Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:15:29 +0000 micheal45631 213@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ What a amazing post Martins on "Monday Midnite--Pissy Pissy On Nigeria Nation (Video)" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/monday-midnite-pissy-pissy-on-nigeria-nation-video#post-212 Sat, 22 Jan 2011 04:22:17 +0000 Martins 212@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <div style="text-align: center;">[video width=640 height=385]http://www.youtube.com/v/ekMuIq8cPKM?version=3[/video]</div> They piss on us everyday. They shit on us everyday. But what is even more mind-boggling is the fact that most of us willingly prostrate before their feet and grant them unrestricted permission to keep on pissing and shitting on us. And by so doing, we have become complicit in their unabated atrocities against our country. My 9JA sisters and brothers, now more than ever before, we must discipline ourselves totally and never again give in to their trickery. Not for a million dollars. Not for a billion dollars. Not for all the money in the world. Our country's survival depends on us. So let us not compromise any longer. Let us rather rise up TOGETHER and rescue our beloved country from the contaminated hands of our irresponsible and do-nothing looters parading as leaders in a "9JA PEOPLE'S REVOLUTION OF TRANSFORMATION" ----- Monday Midnite Martins on "Monday Midnite-Bring Back The Money (Dramatized Video)" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/monday-midnite-bring-back-the-money-dramatized-video#post-211 Sat, 22 Jan 2011 04:07:19 +0000 Martins 211@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <div style="text-align: center;">[video width=640 height=385]http://www.youtube.com/v/kgph0vNtGfc?version=3[/video]</div> THIS IS A MUSICAL STAND AGAINST CORRUPT NIGERIA POLITICIANS LOOTING THE COUNTRY BLIND. IT'S ALSO A CALL FOR ACTION. ALL CONCERNED NIGERIANS MUST UNITE AND TAKE NECESSARY STEPS WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LAWS TO ERADICATE THIS PANDEMIC. HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO FOLD OUR ARMS AND HOPE THAT THINGS WILL CHANGE FOR THE BETTER? TRANSFORMATION WILL NEVER OCCUR IN NIGERIA UNTIL WE THE PEOPLE RISE UP AND PUT A STOP TO CORRUPTION IN HIGH AND LOW PLACES. SITTING DOWN AND DOING NOTHING IS NOT AN OPTION ANYMORE. LET'S FORM A NON-PARTISAN GRASSROOT MOVEMENT MODELED ON THE NON-VIOLENT PRINCIPLES OF GHANDI AND KING AND WITH IT, REDIRECT OUR NATION'S COURSE TO ENSURE A MUCH BETTER, A MUCH MORE SECURED AND POSPEROUS FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN. OUR FOREFATHERS FOUGHT THE BRITISH TOOTH AND NAIL TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE ARE TODAY NOT SHACKLED WITH THE CHAINS OF COLONIALISM. THAT WAS THE EVIL OF THEIR DAY AND THEY DID NOT FOLD THEIR ARMS AND HOPE FOR CHANGE TO OCCUR OUT OF THIN AIR. POLITICAL CORRUPTION OF ASTRONOMICAL PROPORTION IS THE EVIL OF OUR DAY AND LIKE OUR FOUNDING FATHERS, WE SHOULD NOT FOLD OUR ARMS EITHER. THE GRASSROOT MOVEMENT STARTS RIGHT HERE AND NOW AS YOU WATCH THE VIDEO AND READ THIS. TO BE A PART OF IT, PLEASE DROP ME A LINE: <a href="mailto:mondaymidnite@gmail.com">mondaymidnite@gmail.com</a> or contact me on facebook. AS OUR BELOVED NATION HITS 50, THERE IS NO BETTER MILESTONE FOR HER CHILDREN TO UTILIZE AS A FOCAL POINT TO TURN THE PAGE AND FINALLY DO RIGHT BY HER. SO I'M EAGERLY LOOKING FORWARD TO MERGING MY VOICE WITH YOURS AS ONE AND TOGETHER, WE WILL SOON BE ABLE TO MAKE THE POWERS THAT BE HEAR AND ADHERE TO THE BURNING PAIN OF WE THE PEOPLE. GOD BLESS....Monday Midnite Martins on "Conflict And War Instigating Verses In The Quran" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/conflict-and-war-instigating-verses-in-the-quran#post-210 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 06:53:55 +0000 Martins 210@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <IMG SRC="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRb5X7Y1aafheISmUcIrD30e6j57lD7cIkoBp0GE2rwKABoqG8P"ALIGN="left">“O believers make war on the infidels (non-Muslims) who dwell around you, let them find harshness in you” - Quran 9:123 “When the sacred months are over, kill the unbelievers wherever you find them” – Quran 9:5 “Fight them until unbelief is no more and Allah’s religion reigns supreme” - Q 2:193 “Fight against those of the book (Christians and Jews) as believe neither in Allah nor in the last day…and do not embrace the true faith” - Q 9:29 “Fighting is obligatory for you (Muslims), even if you dislike it” - Q 2:216 “Do you think you would enter Paradise before Allah knows the men who fought hard and steadfast?” – Q 3:142 “Believers take neither Jews nor Christians for friends or helpers” - Q 5:51 “Let not the believers take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers.” - Q 3:28. “Our Prophet (Mohammed), ordered us to fight you (non-Muslims) till you worship Allah alone or pay us Jizyah (extortion) in submission…Whoever amongst us is killed as a martyr shall go to Paradise…and whoever survives shall become your master” – Sahih Bukhari 4:53:386 <IMG SRC="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR4QzM6oOR1SroTDo4tJgNfc_2J05Q4naXZbdY3BZLVQMUx-cDUlQ"ALIGN="left">““Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah. Fight against those who disbelieve in Allah. Make a holy war…” - Sahih Muslim 19:4294 These violent injunctions in Islamic scriptures (Quran and Hadith) clearly promote hostility and aggression towards non-Muslims, and largely explain Muslim proclivity to religious violence as evident from the incessant terrorist attacks – over 13,000 since 9/11 and counting. The violent injunctions can be traced to Islam’s violent origins. Unlike the founders of other major religions who mostly relied on non-violent persuasion to win converts, Islam’s founder “prophet” Mohammed used violence to forcefully impose his intolerant creed in Arabia: “I (Mohammed) have been commanded (by Allah) to fight against people till they testify that there is no god but Allah, and believe that I am the Messenger and in all (Islam) that I have brought. Whoever says this will save his property and life from me.” – Sahih Bukhari 9:84:5, Sahih Muslim1:31 This Hadith in which Mohammed clearly admits his motivation for violence was to forcefully enthrone Islam, is contrary to the Taqiyya (deception) propaganda Muslims would have we infidels believe – that Mohammed and early Muslims only fought in self defense. Another Hadith drives home the same point of unprovoked Muslim aggression: <IMG SRC="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTvnoKeCj5B-trwamjO25pnaSm906DNbEo9SIvv8h-w9akd1YE5zw"ALIGN="left">““Our Prophet (Mohammed), ordered us (Muslims) to fight you (non-Muslims) till you worship Allah alone or pay us Jizyah (extortion) in submission…Whoever amongst us is killed as a martyr shall go to Paradise…and whoever survives shall become your master” – Bukhari 4:53:386 The Quran particularly Surah Tawba provides further evidence that Muslims were the clear aggressors: “When the sacred months are over, kill the unbelievers wherever you find them” – Quran 9:5 “O believers make war on the infidels (non-Muslims) who dwell around you, let them find harshness in you” - Quran 9:123 “Fight against those of the book (Christians and Jews) that do not believe in Allah or in the last day…and do not embrace the true faith” - Quran 9:29 “Prophet (Mohammed), make war on unbelievers and hypocrites, and deal ruthlessly with them” - Quran 66:9 No amount of Taqiyya spin can misconstrue as self defense the above Quranic verses which clearly enjoin unprovoked warfare against non-Muslims. The violent injunctions in Surah Al-Tawba (Quran Chapter 9) are particularly important because this was the last portion of the Quran dictated by Mohammed. Under the Islamic concept of abrogation (Nasikh), these violent “sword verses” (Ayat al-Sayf) in Surah 9 supersede any earlier seemingly peaceful verse. To facilitate unrestrained violence against non-Muslims, Mohammed begins the Surah by unilaterally annulling all treaties: “Freedom from obligation (is proclaimed) from Allah and His messenger toward the infidels with whom you have made treaties” – Quran 9:1 Mo’s violent doctrine was at variance with the prevailing culture of religious tolerance among pre-Islamic Arabs, hence early Muslims were initially reluctant to fight until Mo’ coerced and threatened them: “Believers, what is the matter with you, that when you are asked to fight in Allah’s cause you linger and cling to this life?...If you do not fight, Allah will punish you sternly...” - Quran 9:38 <IMG SRC="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSaN7KldO2Irj_AEtO9MxFjQal179aiDe8ra_EPO2atjFKIxumA"ALIGN="left">““Fighting is obligatory for you (Muslims), even if you dislike it” - Quran 2:216 Mo’ further threatened that only Muslims who fought will make it to the Islamic heaven: “Do you think you (Muslims) would enter Paradise before Allah knows the men who fought hard and steadfast?” – Quran 3:142 Allah's Apostle (Mohammed) said, "Know that Paradise is under the shades of swords” – Sahih Bukhari 4:52:73 The initial reluctance of early Muslims to fight is further evidence they weren’t under physical attack. If they were, Mo’ wouldn’t have needed to coerce and threaten them to defend themselves. Or entice them to violence with promises of heavenly rewards (Quran 4.99, 3:157, 9:111). Prior to Mohammed’s Islam; pagans, Christians, Jews, Magians, Sabeans and other religious groups lived harmoniously in Arabia, and there were no religious wars. The Sirat Rasul Allah (Islam’s official biography of Mohammed) informs us there were even Christian images of Jesus and Mary in the pagan Kaaba, which Mo’ later expropriated for his new religion. The pre-Islamic Arabs offered Mohammed the same tolerant religious accommodation if he would reciprocate and respect their ancestral religious traditions. Initially Mo’ agreed, culminating in the “revelation” of the infamous satanic verses in which the Quran endorsed pagan Arab deities – Al-Lat, Uzza, and Manat. He later reneged on the agreement as the megalomanic prophet wannabe could not share the religious limelight with over 300 Arab deities and other pre-existing religious groups. Subsequently Mo’ introduced religious violence to Arabia when in Medina he embarked on forced Islamization after 12 frustrating years of almost fruitless preaching in Mecca, during which he only gathered a handful of mostly disaffected lowlifes as followers. In Mecca, Mo’ constituted himself into a societal nuisance by repeatedly insulting and denigrating pre-Islamic Arab traditions. The Meccan Arabs tolerated these insults while Mo’s rich influential sugar mummy wife and uncle were alive, but later responded with an economic boycott of Mo’ and his cult members. This pauperized them compelling Mo’ and his followers to migrate to Medina. Herein lies the so-called “expulsion” of early Muslims by supposedly intolerant pagan Arabs, which Muslim propagandists deliberately misrepresent as pagan Arabs forcibly evicting Muslims from Mecca. There was no forced ejection; on the contrary some of the pagan Meccans opposed the migration of their relatives who were Muslims. In spite of the alleged “oppression”, many of Mo’s converts were reluctant to leave Mecca, and the “prophet” had to threaten Muslims who didn’t want to migrate with hellfire: <IMG SRC="http://www.nigerianfolks.com/gallery/var/thumbs/gruesome-pictures-from-jos-nigeria/people_burnt_to_death_in_jos_nigeria.jpg"ALIGN="left">“…Hell shall be their home, an evil fate; except the helpless men women and children who have no strength or means to migrate” – Quran 4:97-98 The cock & bull yarn about a spider spinning web across the entrance of cave in which Mo’ hid from pursuing Meccans, is obvious falsehood intended to glorify the “prophet” with an escape miracle, and demonize the Meccan pagans as violently intolerant thereby justifying Mohammed’s subsequent violent aggression. Even today Muslims deploy similar bogus propaganda when they falsely claim Jews drove out Palestinians to establish Israel. Palestinians left voluntarily at the instigation of neighbouring Arabs so that the invading Arab armies would have a clear killing field for exterminating Jews without hurting their fellow Arabs in Palestine. See: http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=1102 After leaving Mecca in frustration, Mo’ and his followers relocated to Medina where he had no means of livelihood but attack and rob trade caravans. It was this banditry that provoked the first battle of Islam (Badr) when the pagan Meccans dispatched a military contingent to protect one of their trade caravans. Islamic scriptures and historical traditions document over 70 battles during Mohammed prophetic career. Most of these were Ghazawa (raids) on non-Muslim communities. Only about 2 or 3 of these, notably the battles of Uhud and Khandaq could be described as defensive. Even these limited attacks by pagan Arabs were in response to incessant Muslim raids, just as the much vilified Crusades were a response to Muslim aggression in the Christian holy land. Raids are of course offensive, not defensive military actions: The Messenger of Allah (Mohammed) raided the Banu Mustaliq (pagan Arab tribe) while they were unaware and their cattle were having a drink at the water. He killed those who fought and imprisoned others... - Sahih Muslim 019:4292; Bukhari 3:46:717. The apostle of Allah sent a military expedition to Awtas on the raid of Hunain…They defeated them and took them captives - Sunan Abu Dawud 2:2150; Sahih Muslim 8:3432. <IMG SRC="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSP4Mozd6TvPO-ezTirNrCuO-N-aw6EVF4GhsO-p9e6rWX35Oij"ALIGN="left">The Messenger of Allah besieged the people of Taif, but did not achieve victory – Sahih Muslim 19:4393 Allah’s apostle (Mohammed) reached Khaibar at night. It was his habit, that whenever he reached an enemy at night, he would not attack them till it was morning. When morning came, the Jews came out with their spades and basket (farm implements). When they saw the prophet, they were surprised and said, “O God! It’s Mohammed and his army”. The prophet shouted, “Allahu Akbar! Khaibar is destroyed…” – Sahih Bukhari 5:59:510 Note the expression - It was his habit - in the last quoted Hadith (Bukhari 5:59:510) describing Mo’s sneak cowardly attack on defenceless Khaibar Jews who were proceeding to farm in the morning. Mohammed and his murderous gang were in the habit of mounting surprise attacks on defenceless non-Muslims. The surprise attack on the Banu Mustaliq pagan Arabs was similarly unprovoked and cowardly (Sahih Muslim 19:4292; Bukhari 3:717). During such raids the defeated non-Muslim men were killed, with the women and children taken captive: “The people of Khaibar came out fleeing on the roads. The Prophet had their men killed, their children and woman taken as captives” - Sahih Bukhari 5:59:512 . Captured women were then raped: “Those (Muslims) who restrain their sexual desire except with their wives and female captives/ slaves are free from blame” – Quran 70:29-30 <IMG SRC="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRvO5S9dsFn-DsXURC6MI_YGveDvDAnPzeKOlxxZQyy3K0M-G9_vg"ALIGN="left">“Successful are believers…who restrain their sexual desire except with their wives and female captives / slaves, for these are lawful to them” – Quran 23:1-6. “Forbidden, to you (Muslim men) are married women, except your female captives / slaves” – Quran 4:24 Several of Mohammed’s wives and concubines (notably Rayhanna, Safiya & Juwairiya) were captive women whose husbands / male relatives were killed by Mo’ and his marauding gang. The Quran endorsed this rape of female captives and slaves by Islam’s philandering “prophet”: Prophet (Mohammed), we (Allah) have made lawful to you your wives, female captives / slaves, daughters of your paternal and maternal uncles, daughters of your paternal and maternal aunts, any believing woman who “offers” herself to you…Q 33:50 Other captives were sold into slavery: "Allah’s apostle (Mohammed) sent Sad Zayd Al-Ansari with some captive women to Najd. He sold them for horses and weapons" - Sahih Muslim 19:4345 The wealth of the defeated non-Muslims was looted: “Enjoy the good and lawful booty you (Muslims) have taken in battle. Fear Allah, he is forgiving and merciful.” - Quran 8:69 If the loot was “lawful”, why do Muslims need forgiveness? “Allah made booty lawful for believers.” - Tabari VII:81Like thieves elsewhere, the Muslim brigands sometimes quarreled over sharing of booty, prompting Mo’s alter ego, Allah to proclaim: “Say, the loot belongs to Allah and his apostle (Mohammed). Therefore fear of Allah and end your disputes” – Quran 8:1 If the Muslim wars in the early formative stages of Islam were in self defense, why did the aggression continue after defeating the pagan Meccans and Mo’ passed on? <IMG SRC="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQpkF0qNGH3WK_BxuALO5Wf7pfgoHvYjovVG3OE0CHS_OUGUHzfHQ"ALIGN="left">Under the leadership of the four “rightly guided Caliphs” who were Mo’s close associates and clearly understood his hegemonic agenda, aggressive jihadist expansion continued. Muslim Arabs later invaded and occupied North Africa, Southern Europe, Indian subcontinent and other parts of the Middle East including Palestine, thereby sowing the seed of the current intractable Arab-Israeli conflict which is their favorite excuse for terrorism. Not surprisingly, most of what we now know as the Muslim world was Islamized by violence, including here in Northern Nigeria. Today Islam is the only religion that enforces or attempts to enforce its laws by violence – public floggings, limb amputations, stoning to death etc. It prescribes death penalty for Muslims who leave Islam and for Muslims who don’t join congregational prayer: The Prophet (Mohammed) said, ‘If a Muslim changes his religion, kill him’ – Sahih Bukhari 4:52:260 The Prophet (Mohammed) said, "burn all those who do not leave their houses for prayer, burn them alive inside their homes." – Sahih Bukhari 1:11:626 Islam’s numerous violent injunctions brutalize Muslim mentality such that Muslims are quite comfortable with forms of violence that we infidels find revolting. Hence terrorism, honor killing, stoning to death, forced conversion, killing or threatening of ex-Muslims who leave Islam…all thrive in Dar ul Islam (Islamic world). Not to forget the incessant religious violence here in Nigeria’s Islamic north. From the foregoing historical and scriptural evaluation of Islamic violence, it is obvious that Bin Laden, Al-Qaeda and other Islamic terrorists are indeed true Muslims. The so-called moderate Muslims are those who are either not aware of the vicious dark side of their bloodthirsty hate cult; or whose innate good conscience and humanity has not been overwhelmed by the Islamic imperative to murderous violence. Other “moderate” Muslims are silent Islamist sympathizers who lack the courage or means to indulge in jihadist terror. Many of our compatriots up here in Nigeria’s Islamic North fall into this category as evident from the popularity of Bin Laden car stickers, posters and almanacs, as well as the recent Pew study revealing most Nigerian Muslims (54%) support Osama bin Laden. The figure would be much higher among northern Muslims. It will be recalled that some northern Muslims even jubilated publicly after 9/11. So we can expect more Umar Farouk AbdulMuattallabs!! See: <a href="http://pewglobal.org/database/?indicator=20&mode=chart" rel="nofollow">http://pewglobal.org/database/?indicator=20&mode=chart</a> By: Nafata Bamaguje Martins on "Dr Conrad Murruy Faces Possible Manslaugher Over MJ's Death" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/dr-conrad-murruy-faces-possible-manslaugher-over-mjs-death#post-209 Sat, 08 Jan 2011 09:12:46 +0000 Martins 209@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://ll-media.tmz.com/2011/01/03/murray-prelim-swipe-final2.png" alt="" /></div> Martins Igbinovia - 07- 01- 2011 Conrad Murray's Lawyer Paints Picture - Michael Jackson Killed Himself! <IMG SRC="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/24/michael.jackson.propofol/art.conrad.murray.jpg"ALIGN="left">Dr. Conrad Murray's lawyers laid the groundwork for the defence - Michael Jackson delivered the fatal  shot of propofol to himself. Murray's lawyer, J Michael Flamagan asked the Coroner investigator Elissa Fleak two questions. 1) Was the IV bag fingerprinted? 2) Was it possible for MJ to reach the syringes from the bed? The defense will try to establish that Jackson eventually became frustrated when he couldn't sleep that day and administered to himself the fatal the fatal shot of propofol when Murray was shortly out of the room but in that case they will have to they will have to present a reason why he was there at that point and time. Coroner Found  A Dozen Bottles of Propofol <IMG SRC="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/24/michael.jackson.propofol/art.diprivan.fda.jpg"ALIGN="left">An investigator for the L.A. County Coroners Office testified her office found  12 bottles of Propofol in Michael Jacksons residence. Elissa Fleak says, two were in the bedroom where Michael Jackson died and other 10 were in a nearby closet. In addition to the propofol, investigator found a pharmacy full of drugs, including Lorazepam, Diaze, Temazepam, Trazodone, Flomax, Clonazepam, Tizanidine, Hydrocodone, Lidocaine and Benoquin. Also found .. used syringes and needle, as well as a box of not yet used hypodermic needles, IV catheters and vials. <IMG SRC="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTfYWVf15DqXC100nrTrQx_CTnRyr-9dSNBVwat3KwT3ydBN6LH"ALIGN="left">Murray's Other Girl Friend Describes Deliveries, No Mention Of Propofol Dr. Conrad Murray's baby mama, Nicole Alvarez, testified today about multiple mystery packages Murray had sent to her Lod Angeles apartment between April and June 2009. Although the contents of the packages were not mentioned in court but sources confirms that those packages were shipped from Murray's pharmacy in Las Vegas and that they contained Propofol. Alvarez was also one of the people that received a phone call from Dr on the day MJ died - but the prosecution did not question her about the call. Murray's teamdecline to cross examine. Other related post: <a href="http">Michael Jackson Equally Guilty as His Private Doctor!</a> Martins on "In 2011 Nigerians May Pay More Naira For The Dollar" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/in-2011-nigerians-may-pay-more-naira-for-the-dollar#post-208 Mon, 03 Jan 2011 07:10:43 +0000 Martins 208@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ <IMG SRC="http://www.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/dollars.jpg"ALIGN="left"> Jan 3, 2011 By Babajide Komolafe Foreign exchange end-users may pay more naira per dollar in 2011. It all depends mostly on two factors namely the stock of foreign exchange available to the country i.e the level of foreign reserves and how much the three tiers of government spends or decides to spend this year. In 2010, despite falling foreign reserves, the naira enjoyed relative stability. And foreign exchange end-users did not have to pay much more to obtain one dollar than they did in 2009. The external reserves fell by 23 per cent to $32.4 billion from $42.4 in 2009. The naira however remained stable within the -/+3 per cent band. With the exception of September, the official exchange rate did not go above the N150 per dollar mark, while the interbank market rate, except for September and end of December did not go beyond N155 per dollar mark. This stability is however courtesy of the policy of stable exchange rate of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Analysts argued that the exchange rate of the naira should have reflected the decline in reserves. They criticized the apex bank for not allowing the naira to depreciate to reflect the level of external reserves. They averred that the apex bank was defending the naira at the expense of the external reserves. This view was supported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission to Nigeria in November. In a statement issued at the end of the mission, Head of the IMF mission, Mr. Scott Rogers said, “International reserves continue to fall as the authorities support the exchange rate.” Indeed the stability of the naira was largely due to the support of the apex bank. The CBN Governor, defended this position in July during an interview with Reuters at the 10th International Economic Forum on Africa in held in Paris. He said, “Maintaining exchange rate stability in a time of growing global uncertainty was imperative,” Then the reserves had fallen by 13 per cent. This position was however strongly criticized by analysts at Financial Derivatives Limited. In the July monthly economic report of the company they warned that, “ CBN’s commitment of supporting the naira at any cost is having undesired effect of depleting external reserves.” “Maintaining currency stability at all cost implies more frequent intervention in the foreign exchange market by the CBN in a bid to defend the naira at the expense of building the foreign reserves,” they averred. The company further warned that the action of the CBN would occasion speculative attack on the naira i.e that people will purchase dollar for the purpose of hoarding in anticipation of sharp depreciation of the naira. “”In recent weeks, demand pressure in the forex market has amplified. A look at activities at the WDAS auction in May show that forex demand grew by 66 per cent to $3.2bn, compared to the preceding month. Most of the growth in demand for forex was speculative as the Naira continues to come under huge pressure in the parallel market. “The spread between parallel and official rates is widening to levels last seen in December 2009 and early January 2010.” “If this pressure persists, and we expect it to, then the nation’s forex reserves could deplete faster than the CBN anticipates. “The market will see this as a sign of weakness and an un-sustainable defense of the Naira. This will lead to a further increase in currency speculation,” they predicted. And their prediction came to pass with chilling precision. The following month in August, foreign exchange demand rose by 55 per cent, and in September it rose again by 75 per cent. In order to save the naira, the apex bank equally increased forex supply by 19 per cent and 115 per cent respectively. This caused the external reserves to drop by 1.4 per cent in August and 5.89 per cent in September. While foreign exchange operators attributed this sudden jump in demand to speculation prompted by apprehension over the value of the naira, the apex bank had a contrary opinion. In the communiqué issued at the end of its Monetary Policy Committee meeting on September 30th, the apex bank said, “The MPC observed that the large demand for foreign exchange noticed during the review period resulted from among others, remittance of dividends by some companies and enhanced importation of refined petroleum products due to the Federal Government sovereign debt instruments. Thus there was no evidence of speculative demand or capital flight observed in the foreign exchange market. But in October, the CBN governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi indicated that the depletion in external reserves is becoming a source of worry to the apex bank and that the policy of defending the naira might be suspended. In an interview with Reuters Insider on the sidelines of the Annual meetings of IMF/World Bank board of Governors in Washington, he said, “The current exchange rate is not a level that needs to be maintained at all costs. My own view is that exchange rates have multiple equilibria, and equilibrium exchange rates will depend on what we see as the long-term sustainability of the reserve positions.” He said, “We do believe we can maintain this range (of exchange rate),” but added that replenishing the reserve level will depend to a significant degree on the level of spending by the government. The implication of Sanusi’s statement is that should the reserves continue to fall due to spending by government, the apex bank will have no option that to allow the naira depreciate. However, Opeyemi Agbaje, Managing Director/Chief Executive Resources and Trust Company Limited, avvered that allowing the naira to depreciate is the key to compelling government to curtail spending. “. At the very least, I think the exchange rate should have been mirroring the rate of depletion of foreign reserves. That would have been sound policy as it would have signaled to policy makers the need to curtail spending”, he said, adding that, “Depreciating the currency would have passed the cost to those (governments) spending rather than the treasury. He maintained that by defending the naira while the reserves was falling, the apex bank only subsidized consumption and fiscal indiscipline. Mrs. Razia Khan of Standard Chartered Bank however did not share the view that the current exchange rate of the naira does not reflect the level of external reserves or that the CBN is running down the reserves to defend the naira. In her view, excessive government spending culminating to monetization of the excess crude account component of the reserves is responsible for the decline in external reserves. In an email response to Vanguard, she said, “The current exchange rate – whether we are looking at the CBN rate or the interbank rate -more or less reflects market forces, so yes – it does reflect the ‘reality’ of external reserves. There is no huge parallel market for wholesale buyers of foreign exchange, so one cannot argue that the current exchange rate is in any way inconsistent with economic reality. The CBN has not been running down the reserves to defend the naira. This seems to be a highly-flawed interpretation of recent events. Foreign reserves are not higher because Nigeria has not been accumulating foreign reserves as rapidly in the past. There isn’t sufficient evidence of a consistent, sustained spike in demand for foreign exchange rate that would suggest that reserves have fallen only because the CBN has been supporting a steady naira policy. With oil production at its most favourable level since 2006, and with oil prices back above $90 per barrel, the issue is why reserves have not risen further, not why they have ‘fallen’. Every time a disbursement was made from the excess crude account to the three tiers of government, the foreign reserves component would have been whittled down. This suggests that Nigeria ’s problems have more to do with excessive spending, than any attempt to maintain foreign exchange rate stability.” Let us not forget that with the US and other major economies printing money (implementing quantitative easing) to stimulate their economies, the USD and other major currencies have depreciated against many emerging market economies with strong growth prospects, where comfortable current account surpluses are in place. So the question really needs to be, why is Nigeria the exception to this general rule? The reasons have little to do with CBN FX policy – the root causes run deeper than that.” The import of these is that government spending will largely determine the level of reserves and by extension the fate of the naira in 2011. With government spending expected to rise especially in the first half of the year, owing to spending occasioned by the general election, only a sharp rise in crude oil prices, maybe above $110 per barrel, will save the external reserves and also the naira from going down. Martins on "Hello All" http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/topic/hello-all#post-207 Wed, 29 Dec 2010 18:20:57 +0000 Martins 207@http://www.nigeriafolks.com/forum/ Jeej, ik heb mijn spellen terug, dank je wel Paps.