Clear and rational. You've got a good head for international relations and foreign policy. Your dad must be very proud. Well done.

Missy89:
Obama wants Iran and Cuba to be his legacy and he will do everything to cut a deal with both of them. I think it is a good thing and finally, US hatred in those countries can reduce and bring stability and much needed economic development there.

The Iran sanctions and nuclear deal is actually bigger than what most people know. some american agricultural businesses want to prevent a deal as well. For example, American pistachio companies will not want to see sanctions lifted because Iran will be able to start selling their superior product world wide and kill some American businesses (Even Israel still imports Iran's pistachios thru Turkey. It is that good ) Netanyahu's rhetoric is not only supported by the right wing in his country, It is also sponsored by some American Agricultural lobby groups

Israel will never bomb Iran no matter what they say however. Iran's response will be devastating (Unlike the Arabs, The Persians know how to fight and are well armed) Iran is not Egypt or Lebanon.

Israel military is nothing without American diplomatic and military support. Most Israelis know this and have been warning their PM to thread carefully. Polls even show that most Americans dont want him to undermine their president.

Missy89:


Exactly. Sanctions cannot work in an authoritative country. Cuba was another example. I am glad he is working to normalize relationship there too. The Sanctions have been a blessing for Iran. Their military is self sufficient to a certain extent now.

Nuclear proliferation is inevitable. No matter how much the nuclear powers try to prevent it. It is just a matter of time

After more emails, they came back with a break down of 'normal' monthly charges on accounts as follows:
1. Monthly Account Maintenance Fee (N200)
2. Electronic Channel Fee (N100)
3. SMS Alert Charge
4. Value Added Tax

The list does not explain all the charges on my account and I didnt signup to any of the listed services. And I did not authorise any of the deductions. They did not tell me they will be stealing all this money from my account every month. The account was meant to be dormant as I did not operate it since they took over Intercontinental. They don't even have my mobile, so sms does not arise. I wonder who regulates these people!

I suddenly received transaction alert email from Access Bank today (I assumed previous ones have gone to spam email) and found out that since January, Access Bank has been taking 400 naira (200 naira twice a month) from my account as a service charge and also taking 10 naira every month as VAT.

I didn't understand these debit charges because the account is not a current account and there has been no transaction on the account (no debit card, no passbook issue, no withdrawal, no payment, etc) since Access Bank took over the account from Intercontinental. I can't recall being advised that my account has turned to a monthly fee paying account and I don't know why I need to pay VAT every month when I have not bought anything.

I sent an email to access bank and they replied tersely that it is their new annual charge of 200 naira. However, this is not an annual charge on my account as my account is hit 3 times a month with a total of 410 naira in charges. Moreover, I have not previously been advised about the introduction of an annual charge.

Is any other person being hit with these charges? Is this the new banking system in Nigeria? Is this specific to accounts taken over from Intercontinental bank and access bank way of recouping their purchase cost? I don't think I will like to help they pay their purchase cost and I plan to close my account when I come to Nigeria. This sound like daylight robbery.

.

Nigeria has (arguably) one of the largest and best military forces in Africa. In terms of the amount o population that can be mobilised into a fighting force, Nigeria comes top in Africa. However, the efficacy of this force is largely undermined by political leadership, tribalism and corruption. This has direct effect on discipline, patriotism and technology, all of which are required for a sustainable military campaign.

The following article from http://www.strategypage.com/fyeo/howtomakewar/databases/armies/a.asp on military (minus Navy) power ranking makes for interesting read (if you manage to stay awake till the end of the article)

Armed Forces of the World
African Nations
[table][tr][td]Country [/td][td]Rnk[/td][td]Land
Power[/td][td]Tot
Qual[/td][td]Tot
Pop[/td][td]Act
Men[/td][td]Mil
Bud[/td][td]Bud
Man[/td][td]Bud
Man[/td] [td]AFV[/td][td]Air
Cmbt[/td][td]Ldrs[/td][td]Ldrs[/td][td]Eqp[/td][td]Exp[/td][td]Spt[/td][td]Mob[/td][td]Trad[/td][/tr][/table]
Ethiopia 1 141 16 77 $18 140 $350 $2 700 70 6 3 7 4 2 6
Eritrea 2 124 7 5 $1.5 200 $200 $1 400 18 6 2 6 1 1 4
South Africa 3 96 27 44 $290 62 $3900 $63 2300 65 6 4 6 5 5 7
Angola 4 73 10 13 $55 108 $2400 $22 1300 110 6 3 6 2 1 2
Nigeria 5 56 15 135 $160 80 $1000 $12 1200 80 5 3 5 4 3 5

You might be wondering where Egypt is on the ranking. It is right here (Middle East):

Middle East Nations
[table][tr][td]Country [/td][td]Rnk[/td][td]Land
Power[/td][td]Tot
Qual[/td][td]Tot
Pop[/td][td]Act
Men[/td][td]Mil
Bud[/td][td]Bud
Man[/td][td]Bud
Man[/td] [td]AFV[/td][td]Air
Cmbt[/td][td]Ldrs[/td][td]Ldrs[/td][td]Eqp[/td][td]Exp[/td][td]Spt[/td][td]Mob[/td][td]Trad[/td][/tr][/table]
Israel 1 2098 61 6.4 $170 550 $9500 $17 10500 500 9 8 9 3 3 8
Egypt 2 532 26 80 $130 468 $3400 $7 7000 630 6 5 5 3 3 5
Iran 3 453 25 65 $290 545 $7200 $13 2900 350 5 4 7 4 4 6











COLUMN KEY
COUNTRY lists every nation with a combat value of one or more. Nations with a combat value of less than 1 have little more than national police capability. Many smaller countries, especially those that lack a threatening neighbor, use their forces primarily for internal security. These lesser military powers often repel an invasion most effectively simply by arming the population. Nations are grouped into six regions:. European Nations, Middle East Nations, American Nations, East Asian Nations, African Nations, South Asian Nations.

RNK is the ranking of each nation within its region

COMBAT POWER LAND is the total combat capability of the nation's armed forces except for their navies. Certain nations like Israel and Switzerland have a rapid mobilization capability which achieves the combat value shown within three days of mobilization. Their normal, unmobilized, combat value is less than one third of the value shown. As explained elsewhere, combat value is modified by geographical, climate and political factors. The value given here is a combination of the quantity and quality of manpower, equipment and weapons. This raw combat value is then multiplied by the force multiplier (see below) to combat value shown in this column.

NAVAL capability is separate from land value and is found on the Naval Forces chart.

TOT QUAL (total force quality) is a fraction by which raw (theoretical) combat power should be multiplied to account for imperfect leadership, component of force quality, support, training and other "soft" factors. Think of it as an efficiency rating, with "100" being perfect and "55" being a more common 55 percent efficiency.

TOT POP (population in millions) indicates the nation's relative military manpower resources. Population is also a more meaningful indicator of a nation's size than territory.

GDP (Gross Domestic Product, in billions of dollars) is a rough gage of the nation's economic power. This does not translate immediately into military power because of the time needed to convert industry from civilian to military production.

ACT MEN (active military manpower in thousands) is the total uniformed, paid manpower organized into combat and support units.

MIL BUD (Military Budget in millions of dollars) is the current annual armed forces spending of that nation.

BUD MAN is the annual cost per man for armed forces in thousands of dollars. This is an excellent indicator of the quantity and, to a lesser extent, the quality of weapons and equipment.

AFV (Armored Fighting Vehicles) These include tanks, armored personnel carriers and most other armored combat and support vehicles.

AIRCRAFT CMBT are the number of combat aircraft available, including helicopter gunships and armed maritime patrol aircraft.
The Total Quality is calculated by assigning 0 (lowest) to 9 (highest) values for the following components of combat capability.

Ldrs is leadership. The quality of officers and NCOs.

Eqp is equipment. The quantity and quality of military equipment.

Exp is experience. Not just combat experience, but the quality of training.

Spt is support. This is logistics, the ability to get military supplies to the troops.

Mob is mobilization. The ability to mobilize the national resources for combat.

Trad is tradition. Military tradition, good military habits, based on practical experience.

Notes on National Military Power
(for those who are not keen on numerical analysis)
What follows is a brief comment on each nation covered in the chart. In alphabetical order.

Angola- The long war between the (formerly) communist government and the USbacked UNITA ended shortly after the Cold War did. Peace brought with it oil wealth and government corruption. Another civil war is brewing over that, and rebels still fight on in oil rich Cabinda province.

Egypt- Long standing disputes with Sudan and Libya, minor internal disorder. Military professional and good at getting the most out of a low budget.

Eritrea- Well trained and battle experienced armed forces, but poorly equipped. Disputes with neighbors. Potential internal problems because population is half Christian and half Muslim. The country is run by a paranoid dictator.

Ethiopia- Border dispute with Eritrea festers, and invasion of Somalia bogs down in local clan feuds. Internally, rebellious Muslim groups are a constant threat, especially with more active support from Eritrea. Ogaden province, right on the Somali border, and full of ethnic Somalis, has rebelled again. Not a big deal, but one more hot spot that burns up troops and scarce cash. These two border wars have been around for centuries, and not likely to go away now.

Nigeria- Military superpower in the region. Lots of quantity, some quality. Too many tribes, not enough oil money and too much corruption creates growing violence. The tribes and gangs (both criminal and political) in the oil producing region (the Niger Delta) are getting organized, and a lot more violent. The northern Muslims want more control over the federal government (and the oil money). Local rebels threaten loss of most oil revenue, which is getting the governments attention.

South Africa- Regional superpower. Modern and efficient army, navy, air force and paramilitary. Only nation to voluntarily give up nukes. Much internal strife but no neighbors that are a threat. Radical elements of the Xhosa, Zulu and Boers ethnic groups threaten armed violence.

Little Wars, Big Headlines and Tiny Conflicts
As the charts demonstrate, some nations have small armed forces and even smaller combat power. Thus a civil war in many African nations amounts to little more than a few thousand lightly armed troops firing a few shots and one faction deciding to flee across the border or into the bush. The winners move into the capital and take over. In many nations, be they in Africa or elsewhere, an ongoing "rebellion" would, in the days before CNN and satellite news, be considered little more than "a bandit problem." Put an eloquent bandit in front of a camera and you have a revolutionary. Yet if war is a matter of degree, than there are few nations on our planet capable of getting a proper war going. For the remainder, any action is basically large scale police work.

<sub>Nigeria military numbers:


DEFENSE
Active duty personnel in the three Nigerian armed services total approximately 76,000. The Nigerian Army, the largest of the services, has about 60,000 personnel deployed in two mechanized infantry divisions, one composite division (airborne and amphibious), the Lagos Garrison Command (a division size unit), and the Abuja-based Brigade of Guards. It has demonstrated its capability to mobilize, deploy, and sustain battalions in support of peacekeeping operations in the former Yugoslavia, Angola, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Sudan/Darfur. Nigeria currently has about 6,000 peacekeepers deployed in 12 UN missions worldwide. The Nigerian Navy (7,000) is equipped with frigates, fast attack, and coastal patrol boats. The Nigerian Air Force (9,000) flies transport, trainer, helicopter, and fighter aircraft, but most are currently not operational. Nigeria also has pursued a policy of developing domestic military production capabilities. Before the lifting of sanctions by many Western nations, Nigeria had turned to China, Russia, North Korea, and India for the purchase of military equipment and training.
source: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2836.htm#defense


Defense Budget: In 2004 Nigeria’s military budget was about US$737.6 million, representing 0.8 percent of gross domestic product.

Major Military Units: Nigeria’s armed forces consist of 78,500 active-duty personnel assigned as follows to the various services: army, 62,000; navy, 7,000; and air force 9,500. The army is organized into one armored division, one composite division (motorized, amphibious, and airborne), two mechanized divisions, and one Presidential Guard brigade. The navy’s headquarters is at Lagos, the western command is at Apapa (near Lagos), and the eastern command is at Calabar (inland along the Cross River, near the Bakasi Peninsula). In 2000 the air force moved its headquarters from Lagos to Abuja.

Major Military Equipment: The army has 150 main battle tanks (although 100 Soviet-era T–55 tanks may not be serviceable), 100 light tanks, 250–322 reconnaissance vehicles, up to 417 armored personnel carriers, 431 towed artillery, 27 self-propelled artillery, 25 multiple rocket launchers, more than 330 mortars, and unspecified numbers of antitank guided weapons, recoilless launchers, air defense guns, surface-to-air missiles, and surveillance vehicles. The navy has one principal surface combatant, eight patrol and coastal combatants, two mine warfare vessels, one amphibious vessel, and five support and miscellaneous vessels, but not all of these ships may be ready for action. Navy aviation has four helicopters of doubtful serviceability. The air force has 84 combat aircraft and 10 armed helicopters of doubtful serviceability.

Military Service: The age requirement for voluntary military service is 18 years.

Paramilitary Forces: Nigeria’s paramilitary forces, including the port security police and the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ security and civil defense corps, are estimated at 82,000.

Foreign Military Forces: On December 8, 2005, the United States and Nigeria reached an agreement to patrol the Niger Delta jointly to prevent insurgent attacks on energy installations. However, implementation of the agreement has been delayed, and the Nigerians have turned to China, which, like the United States, is heavily invested in Nigeria’s energy industry, for security assistance.

Military Forces Abroad: Nigeria has participated in United Nations (UN) operations and missions in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia and Eritrea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Western Sahara. In September 2005, Nigeria withdrew 120 Nigerian police officers serving in the UN Congo mission because of accusations that they had engaged in sexual abuses.

Source: http://www.mongabay.com/reference/new_profiles/344.html</sub>

Onlytruth:

It is like the French and the Pols (Poland) boasting and mocking the Germans more than the Americans [/b]and [b]Soviets who actually fought and won the war.

Simple fact.

Poor comparison! Both France and Poland were occupied by Germany during the second world war. The biafran army failed at the attempt to occupy the south-west.

Onlytruth:

The Yoruba and other southern braggers here were irrelevant to the outcome of the civil war. They are still irrelevant today.

I can only debate aboki.

Checks out of thread!

I hope you'll leave Yorubas and Awolowo alone now. And I hope your comments such as the ones in the following thread will now cease;

Yes we do that because Joseph Goebbels was also similarly notorious among the Jews. I'm sure conversation among Jews will always put him on top of things.

Awo was the Goebbels of the Nigerian civil war.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-546678.64.html

This is better than any rebranding project. I think Nigeria needs more men like this with passion for the common good.

What started off with a capital of N20, 000 has today grown into an empire worth
several billions in Naira.
This is the story of Benedict Murray-Bruce, the starry eyed youth with the lofty dream of becoming the number entertainment company in the world.
Thirty years after he ventured into entertainment business, the Silverbird group has grown  to become a conglomerate.
As the group celebrates thirty years of business we asked the Akassa, Bayelsa born business administration graduate of  University of Southern California if he has realised his dream to be number one in the world.
This is his story
How has the journey been in 30 years?
It’s been fun and its being great. I’ve had a great time and I’m grateful to Nigerians for the support even all across Africa over the last 30 years.
Have you been able to actualise the dream?
No, not yet.
What is the dream?
For me, my greatest dream would be wealth creation in the entertainment industry. It would be for me to see artistes, producers, directors dominate the economy of Nigeria; that is my dream. If I did that in my life time, then my work will not be in vain.
And have been some of the challenges?
The challenge is being in an economy that at a time did not appreciate the art.

Ben Bruce
The money we make today versus what we made yesterday and you can see a movement all without government effort. All hardworking Nigerians whose fathers and mothers were selling plantain on the side streets, some had no parents but they made it.
Now you can see the transformation in movies, for instance is Ije which has grossed over a quarter of a million dollars in Silverbird here. There is the one that grossed twelve million Naira six months earlier, by Stephanice Okereke.
The change is significant because if we grow at this spate and the government gives its support to the art, we’ll wake up one day and the average artiste will be a multi-millionaire in dollars.
Anybody who takes a position that does not change overtime is a fool. People must change; they must evolve, people must develop. I cannot be the same person I was in 1980. I cannot be static.
What informs your direction of change?
An artiste, a creative mind is a lot of different from a lawyer, accountant or banker.
So if you ask me what direction I’m going, I don’t know. How do I know where I’m going?
I have no idea but I’m going some place and I’ll get there. I am a dreamer. I have blind faith in myself and my ability. I’ll grow, develop and I’ll take my people with me. That’s the point, I really don’t know what direction I am going.
Is there a link between dream and gambling?
I’m a dreamer and I’m a gambler. I gamble with everything because I have faith in my ability to deliver. When you have faith, you tell yourself, I’m going to build a radio station.
And when I build the radio station I don’t want to copy anybody, the competition is fingle but I don’t want to copy or imitate anybody. I don’t care if there hasn’t been one in thirty years. I’m not interested in softing targets that could be done by people before me.
What would be the purpose? If I become an ordinary guy, what will I tell God when I get to heaven. That I came into this world, I was an ordinary guy I did not leave my footprints behind and I died.
What is the stimulus that keeps you going?
I’m not worried about being discouraged; It is irrelevant to me. I am never scarred of falling down. If I fall down, I get right up and I walk again. I have never been bothered by criticisms or what people say.
I have an understanding of my value and who I am. I know I am very focussed, so if you criticize me, I will look into your eyes and I can tell if you are lying, if you are telling the truth, if you are flattering me or if you are a psycophant.
And if you are a psycophant you can never be my friend. No, psycophant can work with me. I tell my staff when you come into your meeting, you tell me the truth, if you lie to me, that is the day you stop working for me.
My wife and kids don’t flatter me, I encourage them to tell me the truth and when you tell the truth, I can look myself in the mirror and say what I did yesterday was selfish. I need to improve. I take disaster and catastrophe as a stimulus to complain.
Do you consolidate on your achievements?
Yes I do. We won Miss World, we want to win it again. We haven’t ever won Miss Universe, we want to win that for the first time. You can never get tired of winning; you can never get tired of being number one. We have been No.1 every single year since we started.
We love being No.1. We’re No.3 in Africa in Entertainment. My goal is to be No.1 in the next two years in the whole of Africa. So really what you may misperceive as losing interest is because we’ve so diversified you have not seen me on pageants, so you think I have lost interest.
I haven’t lost interest, but I have fifty other things I am thinking about. Maybe two years ago I had two things I was thinking about; now I have fifty. The company is larger and I have people doing
In the face of a dwindling economy, where do you get all this energy and positivism (optimism) from?
If you complain and tell the government how useless they are, you accomplish nothing.  If I criticize the government, for what they have done wrong and I will give them alternative solutions or what I think should be done. If they don’t take my advise, that is up to them.
For instance, I will never support tricycles on the streets of Lagos or any part of the country. Any commissioner who decides to bring tricycles as a policy of transportation for Nigeria, should ride the tricycle himself.
Why. You have something against it?
Yes I do. How do you bring to the 21st century something that was developed in India, 150 years ago in Nigeria. Why didn’t you bring in electric cars, bydrogen cars, prams.
Why is he not going into the future? We are going into the past to solve transportation problems? You have to be incompetent to do so. If I was minister of transport or commissioner, and I propose tricycles for my people, I will be the first person to ride it.
And if I cannot ride them I will never propose that a fellow Nigerian use a tricycle; its an insult.
So what do you make of motorcycles?
I think motorcycles should be banned. That motorcycles are on the street is because transportation policy of that state has failed. They are filling a void. I’m not blaming the Okada rider; Will you have an Okada in London?
If the transport system was working, those people riding Okadas will be conductors, drivers and mechanics and they will be working in the economy. I have no quarrel with the Okada riders. I have a problem with the government that allowed the system to collapse so Okadas can survive. You understand the logic?
Advising the government?
I had never been in government in my life. If I was to advise the government, I would say all top government officials should do NYSC in private sectors. Permanent secretaries, directors the president should make a law that for two years they should go and work in the private sector and all CEOs of the private institutions in Nigeria should take a leave of absence for two years.
Government would then become more sensitive to the needs of the people. NYSC should not just be for graduates; Let them go and work in the private sector for two years during their life time and see the change in Nigeria. They don’t know the pains of the private sector. When you go to the banks to lend money, or the ministries for your passport or any other thing… They aren’t equipped to run the economy.
Do you really think that the NYSC thing will work?
I don’t think they’re equipped to run the economy (those in government). If you look at the American economy. Look at Regan as an example. He ran the American economy
like corporate America. |He played Golf, hardly went to work, sleeping and having a wonderful time. But he got CEOs of corporate America in his cabinet. He ran America as a private sector company. The president could say Uncle Sam should become Minister of communication, someone else CBN governor…
You cannot change Nigeria by criticizing and abusing people. That is the old way. The new way to change Nigeria is to create the environment to get there. Banks don’t give money to those who need them.
The interest rates are crippling. America is the greatest debtor nation in the world. Americans build on debt with 5% down payment, you buy a house with zero down payment, you buy a car but here there’s no credit.
The banks will tell you there is no credit and if I give you money, you’re a poor man, you won’t pay back. You’re saying “I will not pay back’ but all the trillions you gave yourself as MD, did you pay back?
What right do you have to steal the money in the bank and be somebody, and the guy who needs the money to pay his rent for his family and school fees for this children can not have same money? That is the Nigeria that I want.
But what about the roads?
You don’t need good roads for mass transit. You need trains. When I’m in London, most times I go by train or get on the bus. The Mayor of London goes to work by bus and train, the major of New York goes to work by train. And he’s happy.
He greets everyone, gets his coffee, reads New York Times or Wall Street Journal and goes to work. So why can’t the Commissioner for Transport in Lagos go to work by bus?
You mentioned film production…
Yes I’ll be doing some movies. I am going to produce it. I own a distribution company, so we’ll take care of it.
How has opening up cinemas influenced the movie revolution going on?
First of all, when we opened the cinema, people came to us and said, its not fair to Nigerian producers they don’t do 35mm film bla bla. I told them, I said, ‘you know, you have two options.
You can either aspire to be like me or you can ask me to reduce my standard to be like you. Choose” They thought about it and said, “I want to be like you”. I said, good. Now improve the quality of your movies and then be like me. They started doing that. At first, nobody watched the movies. Then Stephanie came and made 10, 12 million naira.
At present Ije’s made over a quarter of a million naira in Silverbird cinemas alone. In the next two years, a Nigerian movie showing in Silverbird alone will make a hundred million naira. Two, years after that, it will make two million dollars. As we open all over Africa, a Nigerian movie will make ten to twenty million dollars.
Nigerians are beginning to produce the right product for the market. There is a revolution going on.
The point is that with what I’ve started, I’m going to make a Nigerian producer a multi-millionaire. That is my goal in life so that someone can stand up one day and say, “Mr. Bruce, thank you for making me a millionaire.”.
You seem to have a lot of passion for Nigeria, is going into politics an option you’re willing to explore?
It’s only a passion I have and because I’m on the outside, I can tell you the truth. That is what is important. Those in governance need to know that they cannot run government at any level: state or federal, thinking like villagers. This is the problem. A 21st century economy needs a 21st century leader.
And you wouldn’t like to go inside and correct the wrath from inside, ?
I’m playing my part from the outside. If you publish this interview now and people read about it, if I’m wrong, they criticize me and if I’m right, tell me I’m right.
What if you’re made a minister of something?
If they make me Minister of Power, I’ll give you light. If they make me Minister of Sports I’ll win the World Cup for sure. I’ll build a soccer pitch in every village in Nigeria.
I’ll move my office inside a village and be playing football with them. You think I’ll fly all the way to have meetings with FIFA and travel to South Africa to have jamborees with tax payers’ money?.
Football is to be played from the grassroots. We don’t need comedians who masquerade themselves as sports administrators.
So when are we taking cinemas to the grassroots?
Cinema is a very very expensive business. We talking billions of naira unless you have access to capital. I have a roll-out plan for the whole of Africa. When I was 23, I was a concert promoter.
Your newspaper voted me Number 1 in Nigeria. To be Number 1 in Nigeria for thirty-something years is good but what is important to me as a Nigerian is to be No1 in Africa, then No1 in the world.
How much did you start off with when you went into business?
We started Silverbird with N20,000. Silverbird actually started thirty-two (32) years ago with my wife. Silverbird was a magazine. I was engaged at 19. The magazine didn’t work.
Two years after, 1980, we started doing concerts. So the first thing I did with N20,000 was have a concert. I brought Miss Black America, a band and we did a couple of shows.
The anniversary. What do we expect?
It’s a celebration. We are having all Nigerian artistes performing. We are very lucky.
Any time we have an event, all the Nigerian artistes in Nigeria honour us. The movie stars, actresses, all beauty queens in the history of Nigeria will be there too. Mr, President, Lagos State Governor.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/10/the-ben-bruce-story

LouisThoru:

Nigerians who live abroad doesnt want any good thing to happen in Nigeria, they criticise and argue blindly on every issue that bothers on development. Why? If IMF says Nigeria's economy is the fastest growing in Africa, they are the first to say it is a lie, but when any bad thing happen abroad, they are the first to wish it happen in Nigeria. Why cant they just leave Nigeria and Nigerians alone to bear the sufferings by themselves?

Morons [/i]should not have a right to talk on NairaLand.

Sagamite:

Thank you.

Absolutely ffing brilliant post. This is my vision as well.

But some [i]moronic Nigerians are jealous and would be hoping SA backslides with their village amala thinking, so as to continue claiming Giant of Africa from a moronic development level.

There is enough space for 2 to even 4 African superpowers. I want to be able to shuttle across Africa and see black nations doing well for themselves, not lacking behind because of moronic leaders and inferiority complex that only whites can do it.

I don't think you guys need to call people names just because they don't agree with your point of view. That is akin to playing God and Mr know-all. The great western economies that we always compare to Nigeria are built on robust debates and tolerance for contrary opinions. Those nations do not peddle superiority complex. While not discounting the crucial role of leadership, the change we seek ought to start with ourselves by tolerating contrary opinion, convincing others to adopt our point of view and not bullying them.

That said, It is my opinion that Nigeria will not necessarily become Africa’s New Economic ‘gold Rush’ without a deliberate change in social, political and business culture. I think we will remain exactly as we are, a country with potential, for another 50 years if we don’t make the required changes.

A people make a nation. Leadership is a reflection of the people. Individually I think we need to stop celebrating those who acquire wealth in a questionable manner even if they are our relatives. In business, we need to put more thought about keeping our words and refrain from promising what we cannot deliver. We need to stop putting square pegs in round holes just because we come from the same village. We need to speak out against mediocrity and celebrate genuine achievements  irrespective of the tribe of the office holder. And finally we need to stop giving Nigeria bad publicity through ungracious and unbalanced web comments because it is the people and not the leadership that suffers the consequence. We should think about it, China, India and Brazil are very similar to Nigeria in Social demographics. How come we don’t hear the citizens castigating their countries despite the obvious short comings? Not saying we should not castigate Nigeria. Nigeria obviously needs a lot of castigation. We should give more thought to it and do it in a constructive manner.

What title documents are available for these lands?

In a direct reaction to that ugly development, heads of Guilds of the Nigerian motion picture industry under the aegis of Coalition of Nollywood Guilds and Association(CONGA) last Tuesday rolled out stringent measures for foreign actors working in Nigeria.
The coalition said, the new guidelines are put in place to protect the Nigerian movie industry as well as regulate the activities of foreign practitioners in the country.

------------
-----------------------------

Meanwhile, reacting to this development, Director-General of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Mr Afolabi Adesanya, when contacted distanced his establishment from the new policy, saying “they are on their own.”
However, while the new guidelines are a welcome development to the industry, observed have expressed reservation over a possible clash of interest coupled with disagreement with the regulatory bodies.

   
Coalition of Nollywood Guilds and Association (CONGA) is really on its own. I don’t think it is their place to make trade laws. I they need to make such laws, they need to lobby the national assembly.

The fact that they called a press conference and made proclamations does not mean that their proclamations become law. Their proclamation is simply unenforceable.

The worst they can do (if they have such clout – there are so many actor and marketer’s association) is to persuade their members from employing foreign actors and actresses and to stop distributing foreign films. They can’t stop a producer from employing anybody he wants to employ.

If laws are that easy, I will call a group of my pals and we’ll hold a press conference and proclaim that anybody that wants to build in Lagos must pay us $10,000 or else the building will not be allowed. We’ll tell the press that we have informed the Lagos state Government as a matter of courtesy.

Where is this?

What title document is available for this property?

The National Chairman of the Peoples Dem-ocratic Party (PDP), Dr. Okwesilize Nwodo, left Nigeria yesterday to attend a two-day conference on Nigeria’s Golden Jubilee holding in London on Monday and Tuesday.


According to a statement signed by the Special Assistant, Media, to the PDP Chairman, Mr. Ike Abonyi, President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to deliver a keynote speech at the summit. But THISDAY learnt last night that the President may not be attending the summit because he was scheduled to use the opportunity to see the Bristish Prime Minister whom he had already seen during the G8 summit in Canada.


The summit will also be attended by about 18 state governors and over a dozen ministers as well as strategic chief executives of agencies and commissions in the country.
The statement said issues expected to be discussed at the conference included power, infrastructure, corruption, health, education and agriculture.


Jonathan has come under attack for allegedly jacking up the N600million proposed for the golden jubilee celebration by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua regime to N10 billion.


But denying the accusation, Information and Communications Minister, Prof. Dora Akunyuli, had said the committee for the celebration put together by the late President Yar’Adua had proposed the sum of N10 billion. She, however, did not say how much President Jonathan had approved for the celebration.


According to the statement, Nwodo is scheduled to have interaction with a cross-section of members of PDP in London where he is expected to intimate them with his reform agenda for the party particularly the new registration policy being put together to sanitize the party.
The PDP chairman is expected back in the country by weekend.


http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=176892

Like it has been said here, it better to have a failed relationship than to have a failed marriage. One of my friends had found himself in a similar situation before. He was not as lucky as the guy here. He genuinely loved the babe and initially wanted to marry her. He started having doubts after formal introduction of families when he started noticing things he didn’t previously notice.  

He said he felt like he was being used, that he thinks the babe just wanted to get married for whatever reason and the wedding was being planned with him because he was the first marriageable character to appear on the scene!   He doesn’t think that the babe really loves him even though the babe thought she did. He believed that she only love the idea of becoming married. Ofcourse we, the friends, thought he was overreacting and talked him out of calling of the marriage.

They got married but it wasn’t a happy marriage. They got separated after just over a year of acrimonious marriage! We the friends felt bad for the role we played in the pair getting married and how we felt helpless to help them stay married.


Back to topic

The guy here probably had other reasons for calling off the marriage. He probably couldn’t (or is not willing to) state his real reason and had to opt for the standard text book excuse: ‘I’m not ready!’ . The other text book excuses, though not as effective are: ‘I don’t think I’m good enough for you, I don’t think I’m the right guy for you, …….’





It is possible that the guy genuinely loves this babe and initially wanted to marry her. From the babe’s blog it appears she’s just loves the idea of getting married and having a fairy tale wedding. It is plausible that she’s more interested in this wedding idea than really getting to know who she wanted to get married to. Any sane man will run scared in this scenario! Anyway, commiserations to the babe, better a broken heart than a broken marriage. This broken heart will be mended and fully forgotten when falls in love again at the right time and with the right person. A broken marriage isn’t that easily mended!

kech:

I told myself I wasn't going to respond to this post cos it hits close to home but after reading the second part of her story, I wanted to puke.  They had s.ex together at his aunty's place twice. First because it just happened and then because she wanted to prove a point. "  I felt the need to make him suffer like I was suffering so this time I started kissing him. I slept with him, made it as mechanical as possible, I proved my point he is no good. He would have being a cheating husband. He did not even resist me the second time, kept saying are you sure this is what you want? Anyways I left as soon as I climaxed, it took forever but it was worth it. No point wasting it, we have started lets finish, this will be the last, I kept saying, "

She probably thinks she can win him back by sleeping with him!   It happens a lot of times especially if the other party has not gotten over the other. The guy probably knows this too. The guy doesn't have character by contuing to lead her on when he knows that she has no future with him.

Wilife:

Ok,

This thread is indeed truly funny not with the hilarious posts by Nairalanders,

Anyway, let me share with you my personal experience.

Left for the States and came back about 4 years later.

Spent 3 months so far and I must say it's been a world of intrigues!

Headhunted and relocated to Naija by 1 of the oil and gas multi-nationals,

My thoughts,

1) If you have money, u will really enjoy this country,

2) Lower your expectations to the barest minimum and make up your mind to succeed. Look at it this way…if you didn't travel out in the first place, u would have remained in this country and succeeded no doubt!

3) Drop every toga of 'I just came back from abroad' and behave like a Nigerian that you are,
No disrespect, if foreigners can live and do business here, nothing stops u from living and thriving in your fatherland.

4) Respect everyone u meet and greet them dutifully. That gateman may become your saviour tomorrow,
5) Make sure have a solid offer before heading this way…A lot of nairalanders can actually set u up well with the right contacts in the education field.

Above all, ask God for guidance and be sure u are moving back for the right motive

This is spot on! A big gbosa for you!!

I don’t think any of the parties involved can step on any pedestal and point accusing fingers. Each one of them is guilty of something or the other.

The Seeker: He lied about UCLA. Fairplay, it is online. We can claim to be whatever catches our fancy while online. However, we’re still online so I don’t know what to believe. Based on what has been written here, I don’t think he set out to scam Platinum. However, he wanted to enter America and he doesn’t seem to bother if Platinum overreach herself (love?) to assist with that dream. I don’t believe he posted fake documents here. In-fact I think the documents corrobates each other as pointed out below:

busybody20:

The tracking numbers Plat and TS posted were for two different packages dated 11/11/2009 and 23/11/2009. Both went to the Ibadan and were signed for by the same person A Haruna. This seems to suggest that the screenshot posted by both TS and Plat were genuine. There seem to be another party involved. Who is Alani Haruna?  

 
I'll also like to know who Alani Haruna is, since it appears both parties know this person.


Platinum: I believe she’s also as guilty as hell, perhaps blinded by infatuation or love. She seemed to have gone into the relationship knowing that the Seeker lied about UCLA. That was an unnecessary lie and should have been the first red flag! She participated in the cover up. In fact, I don’t know what to believe in everything she posted. She and the seeker seemed to be well matched. A match made in …,

190: Seem to be a central figure in this shebang! People talking about fantastic deals make me very nervous and wary. I will even be more wary and nervous if the person shuttles between two parties telling different version of the same story based on vested interest.

I suspect that Ayettymama, Pweety4me and Travelista  are close to Platinum hence have a horse in the race. A cockroach can never be innocent in the gathering of chickens. I don’t think anything TS says or post here will be consequential. The verdict has already been passed.

In summary, who do I think is wronged here?  I’ll say who cares? All the parties are well matched! This is just a case of vendetta because of love gone sour!

Afam:

This is what happens when you argue blindly.

Who told you that I live outside Nigeria?

I live and work in Lagos so don't come here telling me things I know about the role of tribes or ethnic groups in the scheme of things.

Get your facts before making categorical statements please!

If you live and work in Lagos, then your case is even more hopeless and pathetic than I initially thought! Continue in your Biafran delirium!! I rest my case.

Afam:

This is how people fail exams. Did I ask for the ethnic groups of the people? What is wrong even if I had asked for that? Are we so united and integrated in Nigeria that ethnic nationalities do not matter again?

So, as an Igbo man it does not matter if I want to become the governor of Lagos state tomorrow?

Do you see how confused and silly you are?

Who will stop you if you try to become governor of Lagos state provided you get enough votes? Are you this silly? When was the last time you went to Nigeria? Get real! Visit Nigeria. Don't rely on what Eziachi posts on Nairaland. Eziachi has never been to Nigeria since 1970!

Katsumoto:

Someone is going to be following your every move on these forums now. Everytime you make a comment, someone will be quick to call you a bigot. Name-calling and insults are the trade-mark debating styles of some 'intelligent' posters on these forums.  

They can follow me all they like. It won't bother me.

Eziachi:

There are thousands like them inside Nigeria but will not see the day light towards leadership because Nigeria is not a nation but a limited liability company of few men and women deceiving and lying to themselves about one Nigeria.

I thought they only became MPs (out of 650) and not the Prime Minister? How many ethnic minorities do we have at Westminster? Have Igbos been senators in Nigeria? Have they hold top Government positions? Have they been presidents/Head of state? What is your point?

Was Biafra = Igbo
Or

Biafra = Old Nigerian eastern region

Will Bayelsa state had been part of the old Eastern region?

Please can you enlighten me.

Afam:

Shameless bigot.

You guys are just bunch of hypocrites and tribal bigots who see everything from tribal prisms.

This is very fitting description for you! Three Nigerians won in British parliamentary elections; to the ethnic bigots, they have to put an ethnic coloration!! Deluded bigots!!!

Afam:

@topic,

Good news. I learned that 2 Nigerians lost the elections, what are their names?

Why go round in circle? Why not get straight to your point?

joeycrack:

Exit Polls.

Con 307. Lab 255. LD 59.

Unbelievable, lib dem lose 3 seats. What happened to Clegg-mania

Cameron with the support of the Ulster Unionist can actually form a workable minority government. I think the polls underestimate lib dem seats, can't believe they would drop from 2005 figures.

I won't trust an exit poll. I'll rather wait for the actual results!

redsun:

You are right but deep down,the scotish blood is a fundamental barrier as well as the open door immigration policy to every dic-k and harry in eastern europe who in most cases are more undeserving of a first world community than an average african or asian

If it is as simple, as the scot-english dichotomy, he'll have been ousted as the labour leader a long time ago. The other two major parties are not going to shut the door against eastern europeans either. They didn't say they were going to get out of EU. I still believe, this election was purely about charisma!

redsun:

Labour will lose because Gordon is a full blooded scot,the difference is still very clear between the english and the scots

While I have to agree that there is difference between the English and the Scot, I don't think that is the reason for Gordon's unpopularity. I think it is because he is not as charismatic as Tony Blair or David cameron. I do believe he is very competent though, perhaps the most competent of all the candidates. However, in attaining leadership, charisma will probably trump competence anyday!

I voted labour!

I held professional visa (H1B) of the USA until lately when I was granted a national interest waiver green card.

mekusxxx:

Lelele
I know you cannot understand anything so, I will help break it down

1985-1991 primary education scholarship (private school, Nigeria)
1991-1992- Break for personal reasons
1992-1998 secondary education scholarship (Nigeria)
1998-2003 BS scholarship (Nigeria)
2003-2005 (MS UK  scholarship)
2005-2008 (PhD Dutch scholarship)
2008-2010 (MBA US scholarship)

Katsumoto:

So a US employer got a H1B visa for you to go to the US to do an MBA.

@ Mekus,

I'm sure you won't be able to find a credible answer to Katsumo's question!  The way the cookie crumbles! Looks like lieing is tough!

pikadily:

well i googled it and guess what its true! Obama and his Lewinsky Hurray

What do you mean by 'i googled it and guess what its true'? What did your google search reveal? Can you post the internet links that substantiated your claims here? Google search will only reveal unsubstantiated gossip that had been on since 2008 presidential race. You think their is something ingenious about resurrecting a gossip that was started maliciously in 2008? I wonder the motive of the original poster. His title for the post suggests that the allegation is a substantiated fact and the article that he posted clearly states that it is an unsubstantiated rumour! Some people just read standing on their head and some will never be able to admit that a 'non-white' man can be a US president!

wedapeople:

Bad Record is good. No wonder nothing works. Left to people like you who prefer mediocraty as a good performance Africa would never see the light of day.[i][/i] I believe most of the status quo think like you and I am sure if I voted you in tomorrow, you would be just like them. Be careful of your opinions, they are simply a mirror image of you. You cannot see the world better than you see yourself. All liars think everyone around them lies. You see, your opinion is never shaped by any other but you. When you express it, we simply see who you are. Does that make any sense to you or is this the first time you are learning about that? Talking is cheap but you are what you say. Surprise Surprise

You sidestepped my question in your above post. I'll still restate my point; I'll rather vote a man who has failed (if there is no alternative of a man who has been successful at doing something) at doing something than a man who has never done anything in his life suddenly waking up one day and wants to become the president. Having a good vision simply does not cut it. You can't compare your man to Obama because Obama had records; community organiser, University Professor (policy presentations), State Senator (voting records) and Federal Senator (voting records). I reiterate my question; Who is Ishola Balogun?