Co-ask.

Standard of 6th Aug with Family and no word yet.

tsowems:
Standard 6th - 11th Aug. Please any new update?. This wait is looking like forever

Aug 6th at Ikeja. No "not straight forward mail" and no Collection mail yet.

Marex123:
Pls any August6 in d house that has gotten collection mail after not straight forward mail

Wow... I just checked again. Zilch.

Update us when you collect. Congratz in advance.

Ifeoluuwa:
Collection letter has dropped self at 4.16pm.

Yes.

johnsonsegxy:
Hello house! Please is it possible for my siblings or parent to pay for my school fee in Nigeria using form A while i am in UK?

@justwise

Abi is my 6th of August another calendar? I've over checked today and no movement yet.

Are ALL 6th of August accounted for?

Ifeoluuwa:

August 6th here. Ikeja TLS. Standard, also transferred to Vac.

Bros,

Please what do you mean by paid mail, and how can one send that? I have applied standard since 6th of August and nothing yet. Thanks.

thaprofit88:



4th of August brethren updates on my 2 dependents standard application. I eventually sent paid mail on Wednesday. Today at about 12:28pm I received a response that the application has been decided and I should send a follow up mail on the 7th of September if I haven’t received my passport. Well I just tracked and both applications for dependents have moved to VAC as at now.

[b]You Might Just Have To Stop Wearing Pants
[/b]Following the recent trend of alleged hunt for pants and other female underwear in all the parts of the country by males, and more recently female (domestic helps), some ladies have shown their discomfort and lamented that it is giving them sleepless nights. Ladies have turn to social media to express their mind that they no longer wear pants anymore due to the alleged activities of suspected ritualists and internet fraudsters commonly known as “yahoo boys” or better known as “G-boy” (what does the G stands for?). So we can all say, the fear of Yahoo boys, is the beginning of burning pants and underwear.
More pathetic was the news that broke some time ago from the South-Western Nigeria, where supposed yahoo boys went in a desperate move, fully armed to an eatery for “pants harvest”—where they demanded ladies to remove and handover their pants, at gun point. More terribly, was the addition that those ladies who taught they were smarter (by not putting on pants) were handed over one each, to put on for few minutes before retrieving such…
It is worthy to note that most young men on the street are into one form of fraud or the other. More sadly, a larger number of these boys are either in secondary schools or undergraduate. What has our nation turned into? You might wonder! Not holding briefs for them though, the situations with educated and well learned graduate without job is sad. These boys have watched their older ones carry certificates up and down, searching for jobs. In other cases, they have witnessed their older ones with first class grade struggling with twelve thousand naira from a teaching job. While on the other hand, they see countless idle young men with laptops living extravagant lives. Yes we still have a few sane young ones who would not venture into this lifestyle no matter how they have been tempted. A few still believe in hard work and clean cash.
So, what should our ladies do? It is a dilemma and a pathetic situation. Some ladies’ underwears were stolen, some were forcefully asked to give it away, while some others (without pants) were made to wear them only to be forcefully retrieved after about five minutes. Where shall we turn to?
We could only hope that the security agencies would be able to curtail this menace and bring it to the most bearable minimum. May we all know that these ladies are our mothers, wives and daughters. And ultimately, may the good Lord God, keep us away from evil.

You Might Just Have To Stop Wearing Pants
Following the recent trend of alleged hunt for pants and other female underwear in all the parts of the country by males, and more recently female (domestic helps), some ladies have shown their discomfort and lamented that it is giving them sleepless nights. Ladies have turn to social media to express their mind that they no longer wear pants anymore due to the alleged activities of suspected ritualists and internet fraudsters commonly known as “yahoo boys” or better known as “G-boy” (what does the G stands for?). So we can all say, the fear of Yahoo boys, is the beginning of burning pants and underwear.
More pathetic was the news that broke some time ago from the South-Western Nigeria, where supposed yahoo boys went in a desperate move, fully armed to an eatery for “pants harvest”—where they demanded ladies to remove and handover their pants, at gun point. More terribly, was the addition that those ladies who taught they were smarter (by not putting on pants) were handed over one each, to put on for few minutes before retrieving such…
It is worthy to note that most young men on the street are into one form of fraud or the other. More sadly, a larger number of these boys are either in secondary schools or undergraduate. What has our nation turned into? You might wonder! Not holding briefs for them though, the situations with educated and well learned graduate without job is sad. These boys have watched their older ones carry certificates up and down, searching for jobs. In other cases, they have witnessed their older ones with first class grade struggling with twelve thousand naira from a teaching job. While on the other hand, they see countless idle young men with laptops living extravagant lives. Yes we still have a few sane young ones who would not venture into this lifestyle no matter how they have been tempted. A few still believe in hard work and clean cash.
So, what should our ladies do? It is a dilemma and a pathetic situation. Some ladies’ underwears were stolen, some were forcefully asked to give it away, while some others (without pants) were made to wear them only to be forcefully retrieved after about five minutes. Where shall we turn to?
We could only hope that the security agencies would be able to curtail this menace and bring it to the most bearable minimum. May we all know that these ladies are our mothers, wives and daughters. And ultimately, may the good Lord God, keep us away from evil.

https://article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=You+Might+Just+Have+To+Stop+Wearing+Pants&read=756

What will be Left of Barcelona when Messi Retires?!
Many people believe the Spanish outfit Barcelona will become average when Messi retires. But first who is Messi? Lionel Messi, that Argentinian professional footballer who plays as a forward and captains for both Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He is often considered the best in the world (subject to debate) and regarded by many as one of the greatest football players the world has ever seen. Messi has a record tying five Ballon d’Or awards out of which he won four consecutively. He also has a record of five European golden shoe awards. He has however spent all his entire professional career at Barcelona, where he won a club record thirty-two trophies including nine La liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles and six Copa Del Rey titles. He is both a prolific goal scorer and a creative playmaker.
With these personal and team achievements over the last decade, his importance in the team cannot be over-emphasized and if he should retire now, what will really become of this great team? Or could we rightly say that Messi made FC Barcelona great?
No doubt, they will definitely feel his absence but would they be just fine eventually? It could be hard to believe, but here is a brief history to back this theory up. Before Messi made his debut for the senior team, they were doing quite okay with the likes of Ronaldinho Gaucho, Xavi, Iniesta and the likes, in fact they were awesome! And in recent times, the board of directors at Barcelona have been trying their best in looking for a successor for Messi, by signing talented players such as Malcom, Coutinho, and Dembele among others.
Maybe someone will just fill in his shoes, who knows? Or this shoe is so large and wouldn’t be filled…
Only time would tell.

https://article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=What+will+be+Left+of+Barcelona+when+Messi+Retires%3F%21&read=753

[b]So Sad: The Music Industry Mourns a Legendary RnB Singer—James Ingram
[/b]The news of the death of the late Grammy award-winning music star, James Ingram, was announced on social media (twitter) by his longtime friend and creative partner, Debbie Allen.
She tweeted around 9pm on 29th of January, 2019. “I have lost my dearest friend and creative partner James Ingram to the Celestial Choir. He will always be cherished, loved and remembered for his genius, his love of family and his humanity. I am blessed to have been so close. We will forever speak his name.”

It is a sad news for the music industry and the world as many people love his music.
He died at the age of 66 after losing a battle with brain cancer. Cancer in recent years have claimed a lot of lives even though the World Health Organization and other Organizations of the world have been putting up a fight against it. Lord have mercy on us. Cancer, however, if not managed well can be terminal. James lost the fight after struggling with it for some years now.

During his lifetime, legendary singer, Ingram had collaborations with big music names such as Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Anita Baker, Linda Ronstadt, Barry White and Dolly Parton.

He is best known for wonderful hits like “Baby, Come to Me” which was released in 1983 and “I Don’t Have the Heart”. The Ohio native started his music career with the band “Revelation Funk”. During the course of his glittering career, he earned 14 Grammy awards nomination while his duet with Patti Austin, “How Do You Keep the Music Playing,” earned an Oscar nomination for best original song in 1983 among other nominations and awards.

May the soul of this legend, James Ingram rest in the celestials…

https://article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=So+Sad%3A+The+Music+Industry+Mourns+a+Legendary+RnB+Singer%E2%80%94James+Ingram+&read=747

Nicki Minaj's Manager Murder Case: A New Suspect Found

Exactly four years ago, De'Von Pickett; Nicki Minaj’s manager was murdered. It was a very sad and shocking news which really affected the emotional American singer and rapper; Nicki Minaj.

The 29 year old was stabbed multiple times outside a bar in East Germantown, Philadelphia for reasons that are still unknown to the public. Few weeks after the incident, a suspect; Pierce Boykin was arrested but with ongoing investigation, it has come to public notice that he is innocent and there is a new suspect.

Now, I see that as incompetence from the police. Why should you punish a suspect when you are not certain about the circumstances surrounding his involvement in the case? This is a common error we often see from the force and it really saddens me. The fact is, majority of those in prisons, be it federal or state, are innocent. Most of them are there as a result of what Yorubas call konge agbako (wrongly located) which means being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The new suspect; Kahliyfa Neely is now being charged with murder, conspiracy and other crimes he committed. His trial will be concluded next week. Finally the real culprit will be dealt with and the innocent man could reunite with his family and friends but the real question is, how about the damaged reputation? How about the psychological and physical torture the innocent man has gone through? How about the time of his life that has been wasted in detention? How will the police make up for all that?

If it is any consolation, he has his life back which he should be grateful to his Maker because one’s life is more important than anything else. A k’oni s’agbako o (may we never meet evil)...

https://article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=Nicki+Minaj%27s+Manager+Murder+Case%3A+A+New+Suspect+Found&read=744

Marry a Miser. Hell No!
We live in a world where the importance of having money cannot be overemphasized. Literally, without money, we can't live. Sometimes, I pick an offence with the creation of money in the fast place.
Food, clothing and shelter are the three basic needs of a man which cannot be acquired without money. Fine, we know the saying that 'money isn't everything', but my dear, money makes the world go round! The famous quote is quite ironic considering some factors. You need money to buy food, you need money to pay bills. You need money to buy basic things in order to live well. In summary, money is paramount to one's well-being because the more your financial resources, the better your life and comfort that follows.
Everyone craves for comfort. It's a normal feeling. However, the cravings for comfort is usually higher with the female gender. Do not ask me why! I would say that, they are just designed as such. I hope I do not sound mean. An average lady wants to have a wardrobe filled with good dresses, use good phones, drive fast cars, live in a big house and date, (sorry, my mistake) marry rich men. Don't call them names, if I was a lady, I would love to end up with a man that is okay. Who wouldn’t? Please tell me. Who really wants to end up with a guy that can not even take care of himself? No to talk of…
And please STOP! those, all that glitters isn't gold, lines. Or the popular chronology of the king, “vanity upon vanity, all is vanity”. Tell me, how did the king know that all is vanity? After he enjoyed it all. Picture in your mind, a man who had access to a thousand lovely women babes!, telling me now, that all is vanity? Anyways, that’s not for today’s consumption…
Back to where we turned off, as regards marriage, we say, love is the greatest. Please wake up sis, love fades, love goes sour! Love needs a lubricator, an ointment or grace, it is called CASH FLOW, that’s money bro. When a guy begins to sing love from morning to night, dusk to dawn. Soon, he sounds like a broken record. Hey, have you been told that love gives? Love gives what? Please humbly ask every married person the cause of troubles in the home. Two things would stand out of all: Money and Sex. I tell you, even sex as an issue finds its root in lack of money!
So permit me to say, Money is the root of every troubled home. No one wants that really. And yes, we may need to strike a balance on the source of money. This age is mean. So mean. These guys do anything for money! So, if you are caught in that web, I wish you luck…
Hello, don't get me twisted. I'm not saying money is the only thing you need in marriages, but it is key to a lasting home. Be that as it may, we all know that all fingers are not equal as there will always be the poor amongst us (I detest that saying), but would you want to be the poor or end up with the poor?
As a lady, it is important to know the difference between a poor man and a miser. A not so rich guy can be very generous while a super-rich guy could be a miser. A miser is someone who is always very reluctant to spend even if it to acquire basic things. The funny part is that, it is not that he cannot afford to buy them, but he would rather not spend at all or spend very little all in the name of keeping money. If you ask me, I would say it’s a curse! How would someone have so much but prefer to spend no kobo (sometimes for himself). Won ti s’epe fun ni (he has been cursed). I perceive these people as psychologically demented individuals. These set of men pose a great threat to matrimonial homes. If you spot anyone, my sister run! Run as fast and far your legs can take you and never look back. Also, do not have this illusion that he will change. Experience shows that no man (or lady) has the capacity to change another. Ask the change mantra, if I am wrong!
So, I would say, get together with someone who could take care of himself, and of course you. More importantly, someone who cares to give all. For really, what greater love hath a man, that he lays down his life for another…

https://article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=Marry+a+Miser.+Hell+No%21&read=743

[b]The Soul of Every Business: Employees
[/b]The key to owning a fast growing business organization is having highly dedicated hardworking employees and also, having impeccable management skills. This two phenomena work hand in hand. No matter how promising your employees are, if you don't manage them well, you will be surprised at the aftermath.
Permit me to quickly analogize using Nigeria as a case study. We all know how rich this country is when it comes to natural resources and raw materials. Several developed countries are not even as rich in raw materials as Nigeria but they are doing wonderfully well, thanks to the set of people managing their resources which is, of course, the government. In this country we have a very shady and unreliable government with poor managerial skills which is the major factor affecting us as a nation. This same thing applies to business organizations if they are not managed well.
However, it is paramount to note that the first step to managing a business properly is to learn how to handle your employees because literally, they are your business. They are the mind, heart and soul of your establishment no matter how small your hustle is. Learn to appreciate them in any little way you can because such kind gesture will go a long way to making them happy and contended. And as we often say, the reward for hard work is more hard work.
It is not uncommon that most employers treat their employees like they are a piece of trash. It’s quite unfortunate. It is your business you are damaging—your business get to suffer for it, not the worker because in the long run, he or she will find a better place to work and it is after you lose what you have that you will appreciate it's worth. Generally, hard workers are not easy to come by not to mention diligent, punctual, corrigible and trustworthy ones. Once you find them, don't use your arsenal of poor mannerism to chase them off. When you are not in the military, do not act as such. We all need to acknowledge that employees, in actual sense, everyone around us needs to be taken and treated as humans.
But really, why do we act as the almighty one when dealing with subjects and employees. Yes, to balance the narrative, some workers could be terrible, I mean, rather terrible. Some are so mean and all what they care for is the pay check. Some to not give a damn if the business grows or not. Still, others do not manner the customers they meet daily. Oh yes, customers are royalties. Customers are the purpose for business existence. Customers are the soul of the business but since you cannot do everything by yourself, you need to manage those who work with you. More importantly, those who interface with the customers. They could ruin your business!
We must focus squarely on wins for everyone. Employer wins, employee wins and the customer wins! Really, that is possible and attainable. It is psychologically proven that, appreciating one's employees either by showing praises, giving a raise, promoting, a thumbs up or just a pat in the back goes a long way in making employees work harder because they know they have a boss that is appreciative and encouraging. This in turn, will improve your business and the sky might just be your starting point…

https://article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=The+Soul+of+Every+Business%3A+Employees+&read=742

rusher14:
Once you start to equate Babachir with the justice supremo of the country, the man expected to be as pure as an angel, to a mere political jobber, I begin to question your motive.

I know a spin doctor when I see one.

Continue with your spin.

You've been noticed.

Your point exactly being?

In Mario Puzo’s classic, The Godfather, when it was decided by the Corleone’s war council that the Police Chief McCluskey had to be killed alongside Sollozzo; the Corleone family did not consult with the other families for consent neither did they second guess themselves. Michael Corleone made the hit, skipped town and left Santino, Tessio and Clemenza to take the heat.

How did they fare? Not too badly from the authorities. They used their men in the press to influence public opinion by writing editorials on how corrupt McCluskey was and how he got what was coming to him. Questions were posed on why a Police Captain would be meeting a known felon, Sollozzo, personally and soon the Police lost the will and vigour to close the case, especially as the suspect was at large.

Mario Puzo borrowed from his plot in subsequent works such as Omerta and The Family. They exemplified templates of distraction by which negative actions are excused or rationalized afterwards by the mass media to influence the thoughts, and actions, of the masses.

Good stories never go out of circulation and that is why 50 years after the first publication of The Godfather, we are living through one of its plots again as a people. A President and his council of war unilaterally decided that they needed to swear in their loyalists to the tribunal, Onnoghen would be in the way and the Senate, as the other Families, will definitely not give consent. So they do what has never been done before, they kill McCluskey- a Police Chief (I hope you can relate).

Onnoghen, like McCluskey, was not the main target. He was just in the way of the council reaching their main objective and had to be taken out. Nothing personal, just business (in Tom Hagen’s voice). Other Families, indeed other countries and the Senate, have been told to mind their business; we will go to the mattresses if need be- risking sanctions, business will just have to suffer.

Understanding that there will be serious backlash, they use their men in the press to begin to rationalize why Onnoghen had to go. The news making the round becomes that of over N1bn stolen by Onnoghen being in his undeclared, soon the public outcry begins to die down and once again tyranny trumps democracy.

However, we as a people have refused to ask ourselves some salient questions like when undeclared graduated from being suspicious to being stolen? Like why due process was not followed in the removal of Onnoghen? Why the urgency, would he have “stolen” more if he had been left there for 3more weeks, did Babachir steal more when left for months afterwards? Like why the best man to replace Onnoghen is suddenly a man whose wife is an aspirant under the ruling party, don’t we understand conflict of interest?

Sadly, we have become a people who do not know what questions to ask, hence an over reliance on the corporate media to direct our thinking by asking the questions they and their sponsors have guiding answers to. We all seem to be well informed but never about the things that matter, and eventually our misinformation shows through in the type of leaders we have- those to whom upholding the constitution is a secondary commitment.

I admire brilliance wherever I see it, and I must say this is a brilliant move by the man his adversaries underestimate as being lifeless. That was Sollozzo’s mortal mistake, he thought Michael Corleone was the family “sisi”. Michael later became THE GODFATHER.

https://www.article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=THE+POLITICAL+GODFATHER-+ONNOGHEN+STUCK+IN+THE+MIDDLE&read=740

Mikel & the Promises to Help the English Club Achieve Its Goals for this Season

Nigerian International and Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi did not need to wait too long before debuting for his new club, Middlesbrough. After joining the English outfit from the Chinese club Tianjin TEDA as a free agent during the 2019 winter transfer window, he was able to make an impression during the training which cannot be overlooked by the coach, Tony Pulis. He had no choice but to give him a chance to showcase the experience he (Mikel) has had playing for Chelsea Football Club over the years before moving to China.

He was in the starting lineup against Newport County for the Championship side in the Saturday's FA Cup Fourth Round. However, John Mikel Obi had a very decent outing playing for Boro for over an hour, even though all Mikel's effort to earn the team a victory and push his team through to the next round was denied as the opposition forced a replay with a last minute equalizer by Matthew Dolan of Newport County.

Mikel was so pleased and was speaking positively after the match even though his side were held from progressing to the next round, he believes there are a lot of special things that can be achieved at Boro. Of course, a player like Mikel Obi that has played for a top club and featured in top competitive games such as the Champions League can deliver a cup for his side and can also bring them back to the top tier league (Premiership) in few months to come. He also serves as a morale booster to his side and we all are expecting a formidable and absolute performance from Mikel again when his side faces West Bromwich Albion in their championship feature next Saturday, February 2.

All we can wish John Mikel Obi is to play safe and have the best of time at Middlesbrough. Let us all hope that this juice will not run out soon…

https://article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=Mikel+%26+the+Promises+to+Help+the+English+Club+Achieve+Its+Goals+for+this+Season&read=739

Gonzalo Higuain of Chelsea and a Nation’s Atikulated Next Level

Gonzalo, Gonzalo, a few of such players you find yourself calling his name twice (which flashes my mind back to our own Jay Jay Okocha. Word has it that, he was so good, you call him twice!). Gonzaol Higuain, shares such reputation. A striker well known for being so deadly in front of the goal posts.

Gonzalo is a clinical finisher that has played in prolific clubs all around Europe. His first notable club was Real Madrid where he scored 107 goals in 190 league appearances! He won three league titles in Spain and other honourary awards which helped build his profile before moving to Napoli and then, later joined Juventus for a transfer fee of €90 million in 2016! After some spell there, he was loaned to AC Millan which most pundits believe is as a result of the imminent arrival of almighty Cristiano Ronaldo.

The most recent spell is the loan move to Chelsea which is perceived to be a perfect business for both the club and player. Chelsea, as we all know is going through tough times due to poor performances from their strikers. Since Diego Costa went back to Atletico Madrid, the front-line of the blues has suddenly lost their feet and become less formidable—finding it difficult to score regularly. O ma seh o, (what a pity!), the likes of Michy Batshuayi, Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud couldn't fill the Spaniard’s shoes. I guess that shoe must be monstrously gigantic!

Just hopefully, with the introduction of Higuain, Chelsea’s woes should come to an end. This Argentine has a reputation of finishing comfortably in front of goal.

Just as a nation we must not name, (or it be taken for a taboo), alongside her state head that is incapacitated—terribly that he could not even hear questions directed at him in a pre-planned interview session, talk less make coordinated response, yet believe that 4 + 4 should make 8!, Chelsea has suffered such shameful struggles amongst their club peers. Let us hope that as such referred nation, where the weakest rule over the strongest!, Chelsea will learn and overcome this lack of credible legs—putting squared pegs in round holes which has endowed them with scourge of reproach, amongst its peers.

Let us hope that the head-count master, Sarri of that divided nation, Chelsea be tensed to allow for fair counting of supporters which is expected to bring in a fairly steady team, like Hazard and Pedro, who are expected to atikulate, (pardon me), articulate the strength of the nation and score precision-goals (bearing it in mind that they have dependable strikers that can convert chances to goals), rather than the debilitated 4 + 4 mantra of Morata and Giroud, that are so blind to see that the next level of a game like Resident Evil, is tougher and more difficult! To which, we all should brace ourselves.

Although Gonzalo Higuain was brought on loan, Chelsea has the option of buying him on a permanent deal provided he lives up to expectation. In the meantime, let us all sit back, cool off and enjoy as the dribbles & trickles, the kungfu kicks and many stylist display and razzmatazz shall unfold in few days leading towards two days and St Valentine.

Who knows if below the belt punches are allowed at this season? We all have rightly observed such antecedents. Most recently, on a warhead of an arm of force characterized by being blind, fair and called the last hope of the masses…

That Big Tummy and Body Size, What Makes It Up?

In this age of information, for most people who desperately want to get rid of their tummies, their first point of call is the internet. Everyone believes there is a remedy somewhere online that will be the almighty answer and make the tummy disappear.

And really, almost everyone with tummy just want to get rid of it. It is believed that big tummy is liable either on diet issues or hereditary. I tend to wonder why we have more black people with big tummies than whites. Hey, don’t call me a racist, I am black also! But seriously, could it be a racial thing or just that the whites are more conscious of their body sizes than blacks? Would that be, that whites have less genetical thing for big tummies or that blacks could eat just anything? I have a childhood friend, who if he diets on “garri” (that’s our local cassava flakes), he adds weight! And so we concluded that it comes natural for him. Over the years, I have watched him taken various medications, just to loose weight, to no avail.

Most of us would have read about the sugar factor which translates to increase in body size. I think science could be so confusing. We were taught back school days that sugar gives energy and protein builds body fats. So what does the sugar factor thing have to do with this? And what really do we believe? This genetical theory or the medical sugar factor jargons.

According to a website, heathline.com: “when you eat a lot of added sugar, the liver gets overloaded with fructose and is forced to turn it into fat”. Also that “numerous studies have shown that excess sugar, mostly due to the large amounts of fructose, can lead to increased accumulation of fat in the belly and liver”.

Okay o, sugar turns into fat! What would we not hear in this world?

Anyways, this I have to say: we all should watch our eating habits, make efforts on regular exercises, study our genetical chronology and have periodic medical checks. Hey, remember, we live just one life!

A good friend has this to say on sugar intake: You need to cut down on sugar consumptions. From foods and drinks. More importantly, you need to put your mind at it! Sugar intake mounts pressure on insulin build up and efficiency. This increases resistance against insulin. And when these deposits of sugar-fat grows, gradually you are signing up for “going…going…GONE!”

Yet another friend, a lady advocates for regular exercise. Ignorantly, some of us believe that when we measure the stress we go through daily, jumping from ‘molue to molue”, racing after “keke maruwa” all in a bit to make ends meet, these daily route out-ways prescribed regular exercise. Alas, that stress does your body no good! Your daily routing: cooking, home chores, catching buses and the rest, would not make the circulatory organs and system of the body work effectively. This does not make up for regular prescribed exercise.

Ultimately, we all can only make efforts sha. Someone who does regular exercise die of heart attack. Another, feeding on junks live to make 98 years, but of course with managed health complications.

My people say, “iku npa agilitin, ambosi, eni fi awo agilitin se ogun aiku”[dead kills agilitin (honesty, I do not know what that animal is, I think English calls it Iguana but it is said that this animal skin is used to prepare longevity charm!). So if Iguana gives long life, how did the animal die in the first place?]

Or better said, b'iku ba n p'agilinti al'awo, ireti wo lo wa f'eni to f'okan ba'le fi awo re ran onde aiku (if death kills Iguana, the owner of the skin, what hope remaineth for that person who decides to use such for death antidote?)

In this life, who truly knows? We all could only make efforts.

Let’s make the good, probable rewarding efforts.
https://article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=That+Big+Tummy+and+Body+Size%2C+What+Makes+It+Up%3F&read=736

Could We Look Closer At Monaco And Her Woes?
In the football world, the need for an immediate spark from a new manager or player cannot be overemphasized. Once a club signs a player, there is this overwhelming expectation from the board and the fans. Failure to live up to the expectations leads to unforeseen threats to such player’s profile which ultimately affects the player's career. Same theory works for a new head coach.
In this era, the football game has become so competitive which is why all football clubs try all they can to ensure they are in their best form. This is derived from the fact that with every transfer windows, clubs seek to improve their team by signing new set of players which they feel would make an immediate impact or sign a player for future. However, the former is usually the case. This transfer actions often end up in two scenarios. The buying club becomes stronger and formidable while the selling club becomes weaker and vulnerable. Although there are few exceptions to this, it is often true. The only escape route to this fate is to replace the key players that has been transferred out of the club which is exactly what AS Monaco failed to do.
Kylian Mbappe, Thomas Lemar, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Bernando Silva and Benjamim Mendy are all key players that Monaco sold at very high price to clubs all over Europe but failed to replace them which is the major reason behind their present calamity. To cap it all, the manager that brought them from relegation and won them the league one title; Leonardo Jardim was sacked! Tell me, who does that? All these events happening at the same time have corresponding negative effects. Thiery Henry was later appointed but things turned out very badly for the French man. He was recently sacked as the team is placed at the second-from-bottom in the French top division with only 15 points.
The most interesting part of this scenario is that the former boss; Leonardo Jardim has been re-hired. Could this be said as a positive development? Could we say that the new, or better still, renewed headman knows the club so well and he could really perform some magic?
Let us keep our fingers crossed, be hopeful that this once potent club, Monaco FC would find the required transfer fund, bring back & bring in high quality player and get their groove back.
Hope, and just hope is all we’ve got…

https://article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=Could+We+Look+Closer+At+Monaco+And+Her+Woes%3F&read=735

HOLOGRAM: A Step in the Advancement of Communication Technology

On daily basis, scientists come up with new plans to ensure that there is an upgrade in existing technology. After implementation, these upgrades are usually better in performance, speed, accessibility and durability. Although implementation often require a lot of money, manpower, time and perseverance, the end always justify the means. Imagine, if you could literally be present for a meeting, interview or make a full presentation via your phone, as if you are in the room. I do not refer to video calls or the likes. I mean, like in the movies, when your image is transported via your mobile phone application into miles in another location to display your 1.62m feet image, physically, actively and functional.

Back in the days, communication is quite harder. The use of fire, birds, miming among others are the means by which people communicated with one another. Now, there are sophisticated means, thanks to our scientists for their observations and new discoveries.

The basic way of communicating is through speech which could also be referred to as dialogue. Subject A speaks, subject B listens and responds. This could be done with or without facial contact. Since the advent of the telephones, cell phones, walkie-talkies, to mention a few, communication with an individual from a long distance can be done with no strain. However, the facial dialogue can't be done with mobile devices except one uses video calls with the help of certain social software such as Skype and Whatsapp. The only setback about this is that it does not usually support conversation between multiple individuals and the pictorial representation isn't as advanced as the hologram.

The hologram is a clear graphical representation of an object; say a person which carries out transmission such as the voice of the person, the facial expression, the stance, the gesticulation and so on. In addition it looks like you are talking to the receiver in reality! How cool is that?! One amazing fact about the hologram is that if one does not take a critical look, you might think the person you're talking to is actually there! Yes, holograms can be that deceptive! The hologram is basically, a photographic representation of a light field which looks exactly like an image and can be viewed without the use of special glasses. Holograms are said to be used by various companies in developed countries for communication especially during conference meetings. This implies that members of a company that are far away can communicate with the company and it will look like they never left!

The hologram technology is however very expensive to acquire as the availability is limited to only developed countries and it does not come cheap. Let us just hope, with the chance of optimism that in a near future, just as internet, mobile technology, smart TV and the likes suddenly crept-in on us, this technology—hologram technology could be within our reach. But until then, let us all enjoy the illusions of science and technology in movies and music.

https://article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=HOLOGRAM%3A+A+Step+in+the+Advancement+of+Communication+Technology+&read=734

Loyalty /lↄIəlti/ (n): the quality of being loyal, a strong feeling of support or allegiance.

Dear reader, I apologize for beginning this piece with a google meaning of a word whose meaning you already know. Nonetheless, this was done to remind you of the exact meaning of this word and how it has become a rarity in our use of English today- chiefly because we do not have cause to use it as there seem to be no worthy subject to go with the word. Rather, we are more accustomed to its long distance antonyms like betrayal and duplicity.

This phenomenon is more pronounced in our politics, a reflection of who we are, where news of political backstabbing and break ups no longer make front page as they have become the norm. A politics where the maxim of having no permanent friend and no permanent enemies has fast become a strict code of conduct and not a mere guide in matured decision making; a politics where the young always seek ingenuine ways to outsmart the old and continuity is fast becoming by bloodline and not by ideologies because no one can be trusted with carrying on the legacy of a Governor, for instance, except his son-in-law.

We have a Political system where elder statesmen (as they prefer to be called) who installed their Boys (as no one likes to be called) into lucrative political positions no longer have “control” of those boys. Where those who were invited to eat of the National cake decide to seize the cake to the detriment of their invitees. While I won’t want to bore you with pre-colonial and colonial history, this has been the bane of Nigeria Politics since the Awolowo/Ladoke Akintola saga to the Tinubu/Fashola and Uba/Ngige era and has continued to rear its ugly head in all our election cycles and republics causing a great number of deaths amongst followers who do not have the discretion to understand that they are just pawns in this game of allegiance.

However, in all of these imbroglio from geo political zone to geo political zone and state to state, one dynasty has continued to stay far above the fray- The Bukola Saraki Dynasty. They seem to be the only political dynasty in Nigeria that has never had a voice of dissent from within their camp in the past few years; they are a dynasty where the leader is well established in his role, his vassal states comfortable in theirs, and the proper obeisance paid regularly in the right direction.

As at the time Dr Bukola Saraki began his political career, some of the present heavyweights were already on the landscape and others well established in their ways. As those who are “self-made” usually condescend to children of privilege, many thought he would be a flash in the pan and hence did not think to align with this freshly trained physician who would be a leader of destinies. Like the Macedonian born conqueror, Alexander the Great, Dr Bukola Saraki made his most difficult battle his first by going against his father’s wishes of a governatorial (yea, it’s a word now) candidate and in the process earning himself lifetime loyalists while sending his father into political retirement.

Unknown to many, the London trained Surgeon had used his 8years at the helm of affairs of Kwara state to build a network of political arteries to survive a heart bypass, and had laid the foundation for a new order of things to come for his comrades by defining his expectation of loyalty by his own example. Bukola had shown his men (not boys, for he treated them like brothers) that he considered them higher than his biological family- that he considered them his true family. He had inevitably won them over by giving himself. Perhaps his Christian wife taught him this part of the Bible.

In his first 4years as a Senator from 2011-2015, Saraki was once again late to the party as most ex-governors were already in their Second term. He didn’t mind, he was ready to do the dirty work and earn the respect, admiration and ultimate loyalty of his new colleagues. It was Saraki who pushed the motion to end the fuel subsidy regime in Nigeria. Although not from anywhere close to the Niger Delta, Saraki’s work as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology which included his contribution in strengthening laws on the clean up on oil spillage and his National Oil Spill and Detection and Response Agency Amendment Bill seeking to ensure oil companies pay appropriate levels of compensation to communities affected by oil spills earned him the respect of his colleagues from the South-South geo political region. Saraki’s influence as a first term Senator also extended to the North. He was stacking up goodwill like chips at a casino blackjack table, and was yet to lay his cards.

That Saraki benefited from the troubles caused to the GEJ administration by a bill he proposed before cross carpeting is, to me, a master stroke of political dexterity. He was never vocal about the Occupy Nigeria campaign but he needn’t have been as his Luca Brasi was already on the scene with a scorecard t-shirt (that was before his multiplatinum selling single) steering votes to the opposition to which Saraki now belonged.

Fast forward to June 9 2015, and in his second stint as a Senator, Saraki became Senate President against the will of his party. He had cashed his blackjack casino chips from the PDP block of the South-South and South-East Senators who were now “friendly” opposition. The APC Senators, of course, paid lip service to pulling him down but how could they? Saraki had been Chairman to them under the aegis of the NGF during his second term and their first term as Governor, and they had greatly benefitted from his restructuring of the NGF so much so that it had been a tool in the pulling down of the GEJ administration (ask Amaechi). Who could blame them? Even the Party leaders knew he could not be touched at this point. The CCT was an exercise in futility, just to show that the Party dog could still bark though we knew it was a pet dog that never could bite.

Since being appointed DG of Atiku Campaign Organization, Saraki has been almost as popular, if not more popular, than the Vice President who is spear heading the ruling Party’s campaign- We hardly see their campaign DG. This is because, once again, Saraki has given of himself to his new Boss. I will not be surprised if he was instrumental in Atiku’s US visit. Not as an aide though.

Saraki is the sort of man who has succeeded in inspiring unprecedented levels of loyalty amongst his supporters, protégés and even superiors. A self-assured man who is not afraid to lose himself in his service to another man, Saraki’s attitude has caused men to seek new ways of proclaiming their loyalty to him. They just seek to please him.

Around other leaders, we find sycophants and opportunists whose primary aim of loyalty is to achieve their personal ambition and then become Godfathers in their own right especially when they feel they are not given free reins in their territory or they feel that the power of their Godfather is waning. Meanwhile, with Saraki gratitude is no longer a burden but a pleasure for which you feel at will to express as you desire.

Also, Saraki has not sought to enlarge his territory as we have seen attempted in the South-West geopolitical region, albeit not directly. Saraki’s model seeks to enlarge his sphere of influence, empower his protégés and send them forth to take territories on his behalf. Perhaps another classic example from the Bible that conserves his energy and keeps him focused on his basics.

As a keen observer of human flaws and frailties, I am always obliged to celebrate excellence whenever I am opportune to notice it. Although I may not agree with his policies and political antics (what do I know?) In Dr Bukola Saraki, since arriving on the political stage in the past 17-18 years I have seen that there can be new dynamics to an old mindset. He has shown that change does not necessarily have to be upheaval, that loyalty still has a known meaning in Nigeria’s Politics, and harmony can always be achieved by a leader who inspires rather than dictates.

P.S: I somehow got lost writing this, I almost felt like I was writing Saraki’s Biography. That would be a dream come true.

I am not schizophrenic, but I am one of those few people who lives in a parallel universe, limiting myself to information that really concerns me and tuning out noise. My social media presence is a facebook account I have been contemplating closing for the past 3years and a twitter account with 4 followers. This is just a background story for you to understand why I had to Google MC Oluomo when someone's status suggested I include him in my prayers.
I am writing this piece after 30-35minutes of looking at various unflattering headlines relating to MC Oluomo: legacy, politics, lifestyle, references in arts and social media, and attempted assassination on his life.
I used to think our situation in Nigeria was a mere disorder of priorities, and that things would be better when we sort that out, I was wrong. We have now gone beyond that mere disorder to a point where we no longer have any priorities to order. Our major problem now is that our young people now romanticize evils and have decided to make people of questionable characters their role models, sorry their gods. We now have people whom our grandparents used the tortoise folklore series to warn us about become influencers on social media and in real life.
How else can one explain how a NURTW chieftain (as the papers refer to him) has become a crowd puller of sorts in a major political party’s rally- where manifestoes are supposed to be discussed? How can it be said of a sane country that there are online videos of unmasked Agberos swearing allegiance and issuing threats of pending calamities if their fallen comrade does not rise, and rather than the Police to arrest those threatening further unrest, they are busy issuing statements of update on an Agberos health condition? How can a society think of moving forward when notorious people are the cohorts of the ruling class and are being protected by the same law that is supposed to be their waterloo?
Without mincing words, NIGERIA HAS LOST IT! Awolowo, Azikiwe, Enahoro, Ahmadu Bello and a host of previously fallen heroes will be rolling in their graves if they knew that the heroes our children will be referring to in the Nation Anthem would be the likes of MC Oluomo and his cronies.
And to those who are saying short prayers for him, have you prayed for Leah Sharibu whose whereabouts our Army, with all its supposed sophistication and funding, cannot tell; not to talk of her health condition? Have we prayed for countless pregnant women in our IDP camps who do not have access to basic healthcare, not to talk of Eko Hospital standard? Have we prayed for our troops who are fighting terrorists with few bullets without the possibility of being flown abroad for any treatment or rehabilitation? Have we said a prayer for ourselves?
Say what you will about the sanctity of life and religious charity, on this matter I will stick with karma and the great circle of life. I am not schizophrenic, I just see the truth all the time.

https://www.article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=MC+OLUOMO%3A+THE+HYPOCRISY+OF+IT+ALL.&read=724

Picture this: you are in a hurry rushing into an office complex, your destination is the 9th floor so you head to the lift in the lobby. There, you meet 3 people waiting and the light to call the lift is already on- they are also waiting to go up. What do you do? Research and experience shows that most of us will still push the same lit button to call for the lift. And even when in the lift, we push our floor button even when it is lit showing that someone else has pushed it.

Whether in traffic, in waiting for our spouse, in pulling printed documents out of the office printer, this scenario plays out in everyday life one way or the other begging the question of why we make futile efforts when we are still on track to achieve the same objective.

Eat that frog, just do it, keep walking and a host of many other phrases have preconditioned our minds to be busy. Hence, we see a lack of action on our parts as being detrimental to our overall objective. We fail to access the situation relative to our goal but are rather process oriented for the wrong reasons. We want to look busy and give off the air of not having enough time, of being pulled in various directions to make the observer feel we are of more importance than we really are.

These days, the busy in business is over emphasized and most businesses are done for the wrong reasons- to be busy. We find a business owner maintaining three to four personal mobile phones on the pretext of having a line for different customer segments so she is easily reachable, when a simple call waiting setting will save us the hassles. No wonder the overhead costs of most businesses seem to be rising year on year even as income remains constant, or is dwindling.

Motivational speakers have made us stick with a lopsided interpretation of the first law of motion. They emphasize the need for an external force to act, forgetting that the fictional object continues in a straight line towards the set objective in the absence of that external force.

Consequently, people no longer stick with investment plans for more than 1year, we all change plans; buy and sell stocks in the name of gaining a few extra percentage on our investments. When in reality these gains are nullified by the cost of moving these funds. We change jobs on a whim and tell ourselves that the movement underlines our relevance. We just keep moving, and moving doesn’t matter whether in circles, or backwards. We keep moving- exerting external forces on our best laid plans.

While there is something to be said for the school of thought that believes in action, we should also reason that waiting or inaction does not equate laziness. Waiting patiently, especially, with a plan is the ultimate sign of determination. In the words of the great Emperor Augustus “Festina Lante” which translates to “make haste slowly”. Take time out to just do Nothing and watch things work out according to plan.

https://www.article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=JUST+DO+NOTHING&read=535

A few days ago I watched a recorded version of CNN hero awards. I clapped and sobbed along (yea, I’m emotional like that) as I watched different Heroes talk about their charities- their inspirations, challenges and their success stories.
It would have been a perfect romantic afternoon had it not been that I had my younger cousin watch it with me. He kept interrupting my sweet reverie of how the world was becoming a better place with complaints on how most of the winning charities were not qualified to be charities. In his terms, they did not feed internally displaced people or clothe the naked.
He was particularly unimpressed with one of the winners, a bionic woman who helped others thrive after paralysis. That I explained to him that the woman’s charity had helped a man in the audience walk again after a spinal chord injury of over a year was inconsequential. He maintained that Charities were supposed to seek to feed the hungry and clothe the naked, and that everything extra to that was not to be considered as charity. Although he never told me the term for such show of extraordinary love from one human to another, I let him win the argument. It was a small price to pay for my sanity.
Charities, I believe, are a means by which good natured humans share advantages with other humans in order to empower, fulfil, strengthen them, and alleviate their disadvantages. Having said that, I understand that based on the major issue in these parts being hunger, sickness and disease most people fail to realize that even the so called middle class are at financial and economic disadvantage. That one is not internally displaced does not mean that the person should not benefit from Charities.
With the understanding that “half bread is better than puff-puff”, I fully subscribe to the school of thought which suggests that giving be channeled, with urgency, to the downtrodden, abused, hungry and sick. However, I do not think this kind of giving should also be done at the expense of the so called middle class. Each succeeding socio-economic class, I believe, should always find a way to take care of its preceding class (es) without the accompanying arrogance that sometimes accompanies giving. I also believe that any one can be the beneficiary of a Charity to forestall the regression into socio economic oblivion.
Enter Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP). Founded by its namesake business mogul and former Bank CEO, it is in its 5th cycle of $100M grants to funding entrepreneurs in 54 African Nations. Tony Elumelu Foundation has single handedly made more African millionaires than any other known initiative.
This is the kind of charity that warms my heart. While it may not directly buy bags of rice that will eventually be stolen at IDP camps, it empowers Entrepreneurs in its member countries to own businesses that will pay tax to build infrastructure; employ breadwinners that will send their siblings and children to school to stand a better chance of achieving something better with their lives.
The multiplier effect of these grants cannot be overstated. All of the direct and indirect beneficiaries of this Charity will eventually be able to set up and/or give to charities of their choice that will flood down to your basic feeding of the hungry and clothing the naked. Grants like this also help make sure that families do not slip back to desperate waters of hunger, unclothedness and sickness.
So, while you may not understand a Charity or its workings per se, know that the saving of one person by any means possible from a fate of uncertainty of any kind is an honourable thing in itself and should not be taken lightly.
You too can partake of this charity by visiting

http://tonyelumelufoundation.org/application-process

See you at the top.

https://www.article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=TEF%3A+A+CHARITY+WE+ALL+NEED&read=711

I hope I caught you before you made the same mistake you made last year- wrote a long list of dos and don’ts that you misplaced before March. Because it’s that time of the year again, when our seriousness and thankfulness is second to none. The time when expectations are high, plans seem articulate and we generally overrate our abilities.

If I did, good luck this piece is for you. If not, save this piece and read in March when you have misplaced your original list. Good luck all the same.

At this point, suffice to say that social media is inundated with threats of cutting out unproductive friends, doubling hustle, buying that Benz and being more self-oriented in the new year. So far, going by the number of New Year messages I have received, perhaps I was a productive friend in 2018, and so were many others- including you. Truth? We can’t all have been good friends. Hence, some people have not kept their resolutions from day one.

Brings me to my suggestion, keep it simple. You can’t change idiosyncrasies it took you decades to build overnight, especially over a night like a December 31st night when you did not get enough sleep to make your brain function properly. Believe me, adrenaline push doesn’t last a lifetime.

Long, multifaceted resolutions will only make you feel good for a while and are hardly ever achievable. Why not just focus on something simple, direct, and achievable. Would it be wrong to say that in the New year you want to sleep an extra one hour a week? That you would like to spend more time, say 20mins more a day, with your kids? Or just be more conscious of your spouse’s needs?

Why do we leave the simple stuff like this, which are really achievable, and focus on loosing 40kg, making more money, starting 5 more businesses, travelling the world, increasing your retirement savings, being active members in our local Church, volunteering at the local orphanage, cutting out unreal friends and getting married? How do we make all these contradictory resolutions in the same breath while keeping a straight face? We start our years in lies and end them in disappointments.

This year focus on a little thing you want done, achieve it and move on to another stuff- all within the year- and you will be better off for it.

Happy New Year.

My resolution? To seek more opportunities and act on them without over-analysing. I just did with this article.

Feel free to share yours.

https://article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=2019%3A+BEFORE+YOU+MAKE+YOUR+RESOLUTIONS.&read=553

Abeg what is wrong with GTB? How will a Bank just stay like that and be complacent? Is Access Bank not their mate, or younger brother sef, that is buying other banks? GT just feel that they have arrived abi?

Yesterday, I and a biz partner were contemplating where to open an account for a company we just registered. We already had a package from Zenith (those ones no dey waste time at all), and the decision was about what Bank would be privilege to run our account II.

I suggested Union Bank because of their Uncle Thomas advert while my partner wanted GTBank. He operates his personal account with them and claimed he was satisfied with their online services. I have never experienced banking with Union, and since our new venture would be receiving online payment, I could not counter his reasoning. Not one to lose easily, I fired a dying shot- we were to open the account at their recently opened branch in town.

See ehn, I have a GTBank account which has gone dormant because of the crowd at their Banking halls and the “failure” of their personnel to give preferential treatment every once in a while. Also, in my experience new branches are usually hungry and will be eager to open accounts (or so I thought). I reasoned that being one of the first customers in their books, we would be able to get preferential treatment sooner than later.

Alas, I should have known better. The branch was not crowded but the staff had the proverbial Oja Oyingbo attitude like dem no go know if you come tomorrow or not. Imagine one guy at Customer Service telling us that they did not have marketers at the Branch yet, and directing us to their main branch at the other side of town when we requested for a package to fill. His excuse was that they did not have packages there either. At a new branch o! That should be expecting new customers.

“This is not banking”. I was fuming to my partner as we walked the mile of shame from the Customer service desk to the mantrap door in their oversized banking hall. Truth be told, I half expected one of their Supervisors sitting behind the tellers to find a way to stop us and apologize for the mix up. Whosai?

We walka reach outside like good riddance and my partner even made us transverse to the other side of town to experience another round of hardship and hear half-truths before we picked up the package with which we will use to open an account that will contribute to their bottom-line.

As I narrate this ordeal, I still feel the bile rise inside of me like it did yesterday. For the life of me I do not understand how such attitude is possible in a Nigerian Bank, or in any service rendering institution for that matter.

Nigerians are just suffering on all fronts; you will beg government that you voted in to work, beg Bank that will profit from your money to Bank you, beg Police that your tax will pay their salary not to harass you, buy transformer for Nepa to give you light that you will pay bill for, drill your borehole and still pay water rate, pay security dues in your area for vigilante to still embarrass your guests, beg ASUU to resume after you have paid exorbitant fees

Me I haff tire.

https://article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=WHATS+WITH+GTBank+AND+THEIR+ATTITUDE%3F&read=497

Most of us half expected that our Diamond Bank alerts would have, by now, been coming with the Access Bank “>>>” prefix. Those who claim, erroneously or not, that Access Bank is the King of Bank charges have already started moving their funds elsewhere while the Access Bank faithful have begun claiming that they are Banking with the biggest Bank in Nigeria- at least by the size of their potential balance sheet.

Trust us Nigerians to always bring our cultural thinking into all things, like beginning to call a lady our wife the moment a man proposes. Well, that is where the proceeding is presently at, Access Bank has proposed and Diamond Bank has accepted the proposal.

The next step, culturally, is that we begin to see both Banks together making marriage arrangements or that they even move in together. We have already seen both Banks give a joint press conference. However, as for the moving in together, CBN being the Chaplain that would eventually join them has insisted that there would be no sex before marriage. They have insisted that both Banks get parental consents (from their shareholders), get a clean bill of health from the Securities and Exchange Commission, secure clearance from a federal high court and from Pencomm to proceed. These are all formalities that should be cleared in a few months.

With a Diamond Bank bride price set at approximately NGN72.5 billion, and Diamond Bank shareholders on course to receive NGN3.13 per share in cash and shares, we can safely assume whose name will be changed. Diamond Bank is already set to take further IFRS9 impairments in its 2018 year end results; sort of like paying old debts to your friends and giving out single stuff so the debtors don’t come and disturb you in your husband’s house. A clean slate kind of feeling. Right?

Access Bank, on the other hand, a polygamist having married six wives in 15years (recall their society wedding with Intercontinental Bank) are experienced in these matters and are already set for a Tier II capital issuance, which will raise US$250 million, available for drawdown in January 2019 and to undertake a Rights Issue to raise up to NGN 75 billion in H1 2019 with CBN approval already in place. Liken that to a prospective husband asking investors in his business to increase their stake to enable him have more funds for his marriage. Their previous rights issue was termed a success, so expect the Access warriors to come knocking your door soon with the arrogance befitting a successful beggar (I mean that in a good way).

So what is in the merger for us? Like any traditional marriage, the bride’s family (Diamond Bank shareholders) gets paid by the groom and the groom gets the wife’s properties added to his holdings. The groom’s family (Access Bank shareholders) lays claim to the wife as our wife- boasting about her beauty and her culinary skills, if any, as their gain in the whole affair. Even after spending their hard earned money to support their brother on his quest (via right issues) they may not enjoy anything tangible but that boast, as Access Bank’s new acquisition may not necessarily translate to higher dividends in the nearest future. They become a bigger bank quite alright. But not efficient.

The make-up artists, photographers et al will have a field day branding and rebranding- highlighting the wife’s beauty and the husband’s wealth. Isn’t that what they live for? The caterers, those of us who report the news, will serve a variety of dishes such as this to make you,the observing well wisher, enjoy the jamboree while it lasts. After-all, society weddings like this only happen once in a long while.

As for that >>> prefix that you are expecting in your Diamond Bank alert, you will have to wait till July 1st 2019. That’s the tentative date according to the proposed timeline for the deal completion.

https://article8.ng/single.php?post-slug=MERGER+101%3A+ACCESS-DIAMOND+BANK+MERGER&read=547

Road accidents statistics show that they occur more frequently in December than in any other month of the year. Perhaps than all the other months combined. This trend holds for a few other things- good and bad- including marriages and break ups, births and killings.
December has become so notorious in our calendar in these parts that you sometimes feel people are living and working for December. It feels like everything we do all year round is to bring us to December. Hence you see religious and financial bodies organizing grand events in December with congratulatory messages to make you feel that you have arrived your annual destination- December.
While I cannot tell you in all truthfulness that I do not see the benefit of the commercialization and spiritualization of December, I daresay that this has affected the basic mindset of the populace. Nothing proves this point more than the general lethargy we witness in this part every January. Because most of us have celebrated our December like it was our last, January becomes a burden.
So what do we expect from this December? Yes, like always, the usual. The Church conventions where they let you know how blessed you are to be counted amongst those at the December finish line; the End of the Year parties of big corporations who go all out to celebrate whatever it is they are celebrating with astronomical sums of money that makes one wonder what GLs they write-off. These parties are justified under the notion of “work hard and party harder”. It would be out of sorts not to expect our compatriots in diaspora to surface (I already did a piece on this); and not to expect our Politicians to send their usual impersonal message on how the season should encourage us to be our brothers’ keepers and reflect on the values that make us strong (and them stronger by our votes).
I don’t think the preceding paragraph covers all what December is about in these parts (that will take books to completely discuss), but I hope it gives my reader an insight deep enough to understand the remainder of this piece in the context in which it was meant to be understood.
So what is in all of these December arrangements for you? Well, unless you are a big corporation, church, politician, or one of their contractors, ZILCH! The commercialization of December leaves the average man worse off. He saves his hard-earned money, painstakingly accumulating one kobo on top of another just so he can spend it all at a go in the Spirit of the season.
The average man is inundated with various requests and suggestions on how to make the season count. Ranging from the demure suggestion of having a family getaway within his budget, to the brazen invitation to a VVIP event where the tickets sell at 300% the minimum wage. The average man is made to believe that the only way he can show appreciation to his Creator for his sustenance all year round is to live a little ostentatiously for the last month of the year to “shame his enemies”.
December becomes a contest. High school reunions are scheduled, age grade thanksgiving services are booked and extended families converge once again to have gossip fodder for the New Year. Hampers are passed from the poor to the rich to show appreciation of their support in letting the poor climb slowly the ladder of success; and charity is taken to the less privilege with a camera in hand.
After 31 days of keeping up appearances, with maddening intensity in the final 10 days, the buzz suddenly fades. The streets littered with garbage of the previous night’s celebrations heralds the New year. The more severe harmattan chill in January has more to do with the forlorn realization of a bad decision than of global warming. Everywhere, more like everybody, is calm and the buoyant zest for life has dissipated. January becomes a torture and we just go through the motions till we can kick start our year with the love of February.
This has become the vicious annual cycle of a people, and like victims of abuse we refuse to let go. Help yourself today and plan for January even as you refuse to lose control in December.
Merry Christmas.

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