₦airaland Forum

Wrong caption My friend,while Langard or whatever her name is might have been a Long time associate of NOI having been together at the IMF together for a very long time,Kemi Adeosun relationship to her is totally goverment business.get that

I loved the Ginger Ale......

Dem Kwom look for market fa.....Kai,Karuwa Banza

By JAMES GIBNEY

Bloomberg News
Sunday, January 3, 2016
(Published in print: Sunday, January 3, 2016)


In one of Africa’s most celebrated surprises of 2015, Nigerian voters unseated President Goodluck Jonathan. The election of Muhammadu Buhari defied expectations of electoral fraud and violence, and his anticorruption platform sparked hopes for reform and economic growth.

Yet progress on both fronts has been slow and uneven. To understand why, pick up Tom Burgis’s The Looting Machine, a bracing look at why a continent blessed with one-third of the world’s hydrocarbon and mineral wealth remains mired in poverty and dysfunction.

A former Africa correspondent for the Financial Times, Burgis goes beyond the tales of spectacular venality among Africa’s “Big Men” – the world’s four longest-serving rulers are in African countries bursting with oil or minerals – to explain how the continent’s “resource curse” is sapping its development.

Nigeria is a case in point. Africa’s biggest oil producer gets more than 90 percent of its foreign earnings and two-thirds of its tax revenue from oil exports. Yet there are many reasons why that hydrocarbon bounty is a mixed blessing.

For starters, it can drive up the value of a nation’s currency, making other exports less competitive and imports more attractive. As Burgis points out, textiles used to be Nigeria’s most important manufacturing industry. But cheaper Chinese imports smuggled in by Nigerian gangs (an illicit trade worth more than $2 billion a year) have devastated the industry – one example of why Africa produces just 1.5 percent of global manufacturing output, despite its abundance of cheap labor.

Billions of dollars in oil revenues are also a tempting pot of money for bent politicians. One 2012 report said corruption had swallowed up $37 billion worth of Nigeria’s oil money over the last decade. That surpasses the annual economic output of more than half of the nations in Africa as well as Nigeria’s annual federal budget.

Such corruption has other toxic effects. Dirty money from bribes and kickbacks has to be laundered, and because those doing the cleaning don’t care so much about profit or productive investment, their infusions of cash distort the value of assets.

Nigeria’s reliance on oil for tax revenues also creates a perverse political dynamic: As Burgis puts it, “the ability of rulers of Africa’s resource state to govern without recourse to popular consent.” Instead of having to do right by taxpayers to win their votes, politicians focus on controlling and dispensing mineral wealth to bolster their patronage networks.

“Politics becomes a game of mobilizing one’s ethnic brethren,” Burgis notes – a contest with dangerous destabilizing effects in Nigeria’s fractious polity. In fact, as one Nigerian governor explains, if he failed to share the wealth, ill-gotten or otherwise, “I’ve got a big political enemy.”

Nigeria is far from the exception. At least 20 African countries are what the International Monetary Fund calls “resource-rich”: that is, their natural resources account for more than one-quarter of exports. Risking limb if not life, Burgis gamely takes readers around some of them, from the coltan mines of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guinea’s rich bauxite and iron ore deposits to the diamond fields of Zimbabwe.

Even as the names and histories of the different predatory leaders blur, one thing is clear: Their looting depends on an all-too-willing cast of outside partners, whether Western mining and oil companies that plunked down bribes and abetted massacres, shady Israeli middlemen or shell companies in the British Virgin Islands.

Particularly disquieting is Burgis’s description of the unsavory role played by the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation, which backed visibly corrupt, environmentally destructive, or just plain inequitable oil and mining ventures in Chad, Guinea and Ghana – all countries it was supposed to be helping.

If Burgis’s book were to be made into a movie, though, the star villain would have to be Samuel Pa, the bespectacled, bearded Zelig behind some of the continent’s most dubious recent resource deals. Over the course of several decades, Pa parlayed the connections he made as a Chinese intelligence operative and arms merchant into a sprawling, secretive consortium based in Hong Kong known as the 88 Queensway Group, not to mention a spot on the U.S. Treasury’s sanctions list.

Western criticism of China’s growing presence in Africa, Burgis writes, nonetheless carries a “distinct whiff of hypocrisy” that might make even King Leopold blush. Moreover, ordinary Africans stand to gain much from the $1 trillion or so that Chinese entities will reportedly plow into their continent by 2025.

That said, the tale of Pa and Queensway, which has its tentacles wrapped around oil holdings in Angola and Nigeria, diamond mines in Zimbabwe, and agriculture in Mozambique (to name just a few of its ventures), reeks of sulfur and brimstone. As several seasoned African mining executives told Burgis, the Queensway Group reminded them of Cecil John Rhodes, the forerunner of those who “use the conquest of natural resources to advance political power and vice versa.”

One of the best hopes for curbing this rapacity and corruption may be to impose greater transparency on Africa’s outside business partners. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, for instance, recently proposed a rule requiring U.S.-listed oil, gas and mining companies to publish details of their payments to governments.

Even China may see the writing on the wall. A few months after Burgis’s book came out this year, he reported that Pa had been detained in one of China’s deepening anti-corruption probes. Guess that scotches the prospect of any Pa Scholarships in the future.

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Garnet Jules
The looting machine is largely European. The Africans have already smelled the coffee where these entities are concerned, hence the African Union. It may NOT be possible at this time to dethrone these Western backed looters, so for now the Africans must work around them. These are vestiges of the colonial era. The Europeans used civil and proxy wars, assassinations of Heads of States and some might even dare say diseases such as AIDS and Ebola to keep Africa in disarray and dependent on the West. Africa will rise as they shake off these Colonial shackles. They need to develop their infrastructure, agriculture and a strong military to be able to kick these looters out. In the mean time the priority must be to lift the hundreds of millions of Africans out of poverty.
Like · Reply · 1 · 5 hrs


Taju Yusuf · General Manager at T & A NIG LTD. OFFSHORE SUPPORT COMPANY
It's not only the Europeans even the Indians, Chinese. philipenos etc, they exploit our people too much because of poverty and ignorance, with 100 dollars they treat our women and men as slaves.
Like · Reply · 1 · 5 hrs


Bosco Habyari · United Nations Mandated University for Peace
Another attempt to understand and/or address serious issues through its consequences/effects instead of looking at the root causes. Not an accident though. Next step, I challenge you to touch the system that creates and maintains those looters; you'll be surprised to realize that the looting machine acts in Africa to sustain its creator and maintainer in 'the West'. That said, I agree with you, this looting machine is among reasons why Africa isn't rising. But obviously as much as it happens there or here depending on where one is, it is meanigful here or there (see how connected the world has become, unfortunately/fortunately).
Like · Reply · 1 · 4 hrs


Collins Okeke
It is the natural instinct to look for the enemy outside. For many decades, Africa's problems have been blamed on colonisation and the machine established by the west. While there is some truth in it, i believe in the principle of self-determination. If African leaders truly cared about African people and the continent; if African leaders genuinely cared about the way Africans and African continent are looked upon in the world, they would be able to find the will and the intelligence they need to dismantle the vestiges of western control on the continent. Western partners in looting Africa are...See More
Like · Reply · 3 · 4 hrs


Okoro Onyeije C · ST Aquinas Secondary School Elele
Collins, you're very correct! Africa's delimma is purely African's making. Though there is place, purpose, and reason for 'colonialism,' Africa was not the only continent to be colonised. Africa's delimma is acestral! And the world's peoples know this except Africans themselves. They know we are the lowest of slaves, as the book of Genesis says, while we don't: and that is why we produced slaves and sold to them in the past. Which other people produced slaves and sold to other peoples? And they know we lack leadership and cannot run civilized governments. Neither can we manage our affairs. For the how abouts of the state of Africa see the book: NIGERIA: Her Woes and Their True Remedies.
Like · Reply · 3 hrs


Friday Rewane · Helsinki
Okoro Onyeije C I totally agreed with you.The blackman is conscience less! A race that could sell their brothers and sisters as slaves.
Like · Reply · 2 hrs
Wilson Chuks · Supervisor at Port harcourt flour mills ltd
Okoro Onyeije C If the Europeans want to help they will, not to come and say how Africans are looting, how many of the European countries are benefiting from those loots
Like · Reply · 26 mins
Show 1 more reply in this thread


Seenaa Bilisummaa
@Garnet Jules
I know you are pointed the legitmate stake holders in this issue.
But in my view I don't want to make other factors as number one cause. I am Ethiopian and look what is happening in Ethiopia right now. The government was claiming a double digit growth for the last 12 years but unable to feed its people and pledging 1.4 billion dollar for food. If you look deep to the Ethiopian economy and government almost all companies are owned by TPLF (Tigray people Liberation front) more than 90% of generals in the military are from TPLF. Look what happened now more than 100 protestors were killed and Oromia region in Ethiopia is under heavy military control. What I mean here is looting of a country even goes to the extent of killing when protesters are raising questions. The only option for Ethiopia in particular or world in general only democracy and good governanace uproot this looting and backwardness.
Like · Reply · 3 hrs


Chika Onyeani · Fordham University
I don't understand why this article is appearing again, except to purvey Mr. Burgis's book. When the article appeared six days ago, I wrote to Mr. Gibney as follows: "It is always very easy to write about the looting going on in Africa by African leaders - it absolves western journalists of irresponsibility. As you were writing about the billions in dollars being siphoned from the African continent, specifically from Nigeria, I didn't see you blame the western nations that continue to launder the funds stolen from Africa and using those funds for their economic development.


Mr. Purgis blis...See More
Like · Reply · 1 · 3 hrs
Wilson Chuks · Supervisor at Port harcourt flour mills ltd
Why coming up with this your report, the Europeans were part of the looters and even the machine itself, the alliance between Africa and China is why you came up with the result of investigation, this monies were looted into Europe and they lived fat with it, they ( Africa ) need help from China, and so be it, because the Europeans are not to be trusted.

It is a CBN directive and not a LAW,The worst that can happen is that the account is deactivated pending account holder meeting the banks requirements.

However,there are BVN registration points made avilable at most embassies abroad,your sister should avail the opportunity of registring herself by visiting the nearest nigerian embassy.

nnamso:
classic_splash@yahoo.com send me an email i will put you through the process.

Hi will be glad to receive help from you my email add owiatf@gmail.com

philipobiz:
Real Estate business is one of the most lucrative businesses today. The earnings from it is far far higher than shares and interest earned from bank deposit. Within a short time you can make over 300% returns when several properties bought are flipped (bought at a good price renovated and resold).

Unfortunately, this kind of business is the exclusive preserve of the rich. Warren Buffet one of the richest men said "Along with equities, single family homes are very atractive investment right now". He also said on CNBC he would "buy up a couple hundred thousand single family homes" if it were practical for him. His wish came through when he got into a franchise. Right now you dont need millions like Warren buffet to be involved.

The good news now is, you can start with a small amount through companies that employs the concept of crowd funding. These companies are few. Through due delegence I was able to get one.

If you are interested let me know

owiatf@gmail.com

umehmj:
please fellow nairalanders. i have a passion for radio presenting, problem is my talent needs to be honed. so im asking: is there anywhere in the southeast Nigeria where one can take up a training program?

Make inquiries from the Federal radio corporation in your state,Not sure if their training school still exist

StevensJojo:
This list is to help those searching for an online marketing agency in Nigeria to work with. Perhaps you are just seeking to know what digital marketing agencies are the top rated in Nigeria.
It really is a daunting task if you don’t know who is who- you get to find a lot of fakers who seem to know it all.Truth is, when it comes to digital agencies in Nigeria, you shouldn’t get carried away by the number of awards they have. Trust me, it proves very little.
I’ll also try to point out where their strengths lie. Most agencies always claim to be good at everything. This,usually, isn’t true.

From my experience in the Nigerian marketing world, I have drawn up this list. There are other really good agencies but I’ll just stick to the top five.
This list is in no particular order.

1. Wild Fusion:
Of course you can’t talk about digital marketing in Nigeria without mentioning Wild Fusion. They were amongst the first to start out, they are grounded in the art and science of it and know their onions. We are not sure where their strengths are but they seem to be able to do everything. Perhaps, that’s their weakness.
Visit their website http://www.wildfusions.com/

2. Anakle:
Anakle has found a place in the Nigerian digital marketing industry and are obviously here to stay.
They were the brains behind the viral sensation- BridePrice App.Their core area of expertise is in product development and this they have proven by shelling out numerous products. They are the guys to call if you are interested a creating an app or the likes
Visit their website http://www.anakle.com/w1/

3. Giga Lagos:
Giga Lagos is the Nigerian arm of the international digital marketing agency Giga. Their core strength tilts towards content marketing and social media marketing. They have produced quite a few e-books that have made an impact in the marketing circle. One of them is The Dawn of a New Age of Marketing where they talked about the direction of Content Marketing in Nigeria. The predictions are coming to pass by the day. They are good at what they do
Visit their website herehttp://gigalagos.com/

4.WebCoupers:
These guys know their digital media buying especially AdWords. A common misconception amongst people is that since Google AdWords is free, anyone can do it. Not true. The way it’s structured, the better you are at it, the more money you save. Trust me, you don’t want to give your money to someone who will throw your money at Google AdWords and got to sleep.
Visit their website http://www.webcoupers.com/

5.BytSizeng:
BiteSizeNg is another digital marketing agency that knows its onions. They have been around for a while and have proven their mettle with their achievements in the accounts they. As for their strengths, I’m not really sure but they seem to be able to do almost everything.
Visit their website.http://www.bytesizeng.com/

Dont leave without adding streettoolz they are strategically located off Allen and are partners to the biggest digital marketing institute in the world DMI

urnaijadotcom:
http://www.urnaija.com/defeat-boko-haram-message-nigerian-security-services

You have made a very Valid point here,simply put that we need intelligence to end The Boko Haram Terror and Not Excessive Military Might,I allso want to add that there is the need to put into use modern electronics crime fighting device to use.

Criminal organisations like this use cell groups to advance their course,The Millitary needs plenty to get to their central command to completely halt this madness.it has gone on for too long.Our girls must come back home soon

guccidriver93k:
My boyfriend said I should buy him Gucci Driver shoes worth N93k when I am coming home for Christmas break, said he will give me the money when I come back. This is going to be the first time we will meet since we started our fragile relationship 9 months ago, we knew a bit in University few years ago.

Severally, I have told my boyfriend prior to now that I cannot afford it. Last before now, he said "but you can start saving now and you will get the money before your arrival". So this time, to be the virtuous girlfriend, I had to go all out and check up the prices for this shoe.
I think he assumes that because I am a self-sponsored student abroad, I am Dantata's love child.
Anytime i debunk this claim, he goes like "haba!" and

Sister,Sister,Sister how many times i call you.....Run..The Guy na fake ready to bleep and abandon you

oloyetomoye:
Many are hooked into a business that was once booming but now no longer making profit.
I read a book that personally changed my perceptive on business. It gives you deep insight into what is ahead in your sector and ability to make a smooth change before austerity catches up with your line of business. This book will enrich you and you will thank God for me. If you want it drop me a mail on: talk2wiseman01@yahoo.com

pls include me on your subscription list owiatf@gmail.com

i will be glad to hear from you concerning this project,kindly keep me informed at owiatf@gmail.com

There has been an ongoing security concern all over the world that Islamic Extremist are etching a sinister plan to perpetuate a devastating attack on Foreigners and thier business concerns which include Shopping complexes,embassies and areas that has large concentration of foreigners.

Reports have it that they are trying to use it to celebrate the 911 attack on US.

What bothers me so much is that the same extraction of extremist are all over Europe seeking for Asylum having destroyed their homeland with madness that has not been unmatched since world war II

BRAVAGAD0O:
Hello friends, 1st of all, I don't want you to see me as a man that involves third party in his marrital life/affair, am not that kind of man, in fact a lot of things go on that I rather let it stay in my home for us to sort or face together than involving family or friends but this challenge is really heavy for me to bear.

I don't really know what else to preach to her that I don't like her behavior anytime am broke ,for me it's a total turn off because it always makes me feel like am not being appreciated even with all my efforts to make us happy.

My wife nag anytime am broke or notice my pay ain't coming soon, all she does is play blame game like telling me all sort of story, like she never eat since last year, like she's not happy, that the marriage is hell because of just few days broke, and the few days broke doesn't mean no food for us, the few days broke doesn't mean I won't raise money to fuel generator talk less of some more important bills. I am just 10 months old in this marriage, please, real men in the house kindly advice me on what to do, if am the one being wrong here because I don't understand why she's always like that.






Lalasticlala I wouldn't mind front page at all because I really want to learn from all other husbands out there... Thanks

You are just 10 months old in your marriage and you are bound to start experiencing things like this,it is called revelation time,before now the two of you had not been truthful to each other, however,there are ways you can talk to your wife with and in love to correct this nagging attitude.but note that there are also certain things you need to correct.

From your explanation above it seems your wife is a sit at home wife and while you too are the salary type.Think about it if peradventure you are not paid for 4 months how would you feed your wife and family if the baby(ies) starts coming.

The Love you proclaimed to your wife is in your pocket and not in your heart.I trust that you understand my little proverbial advice

3rd class 52ed55ad Business Developmet or Administrative Personel

Bros.if you remove that white thing on that doll it becomes a whistle.automatic.refree at our football match

Thandolwethu:
I start by imploring you to read this letter with an open and unbiased mind as this will enable you grab the full gist of my message.
I am a full blooded South African, born and bread in Soweto. I have never been to Nigeria and my impression of your Country is formed by the behaviour and actions of the many Nigerians who live in SA and what we hear and read from the media about the goings on in your country.
I deliberately joined Nairaland today as I noted that alot of you are on this Forum hence its a good platform to pass my message. Suffice it to say that i will delete this account after this message. I will read your responses with keen interest.

1. There is no question that there was xenophobic attack on Foreigners in SA in the past 3weeks. What is in doubt is the scale of the attack. I have noted that Nigerians have overtly blown the crises out of proportion by spreading lies and wrong informatiom concerning the crisis. The idea that South Africans are going round SA cities killing, maiming and burning Foreigners is a lie. Only 7 people have been killed so far and of these 7, 3 are south Africans, 2 Ethiopians and 2 Mozambican. The world media is in agreement with these figures. While its 7 lives too many that doesnt give credence to the news going round in Nigeria that we are killing and burning Foreigners. If thats true then there would be more people dead.
STOP BELIEVING WHATYOU READ AND WATCH ON social media as most are lies and fabricated figments of the imaginations of mischievous Nigerians in other to stoke the flame of discord between Nigeria and SA.

2. Why are Nigerians up in arms against SA with xenophobia when the war in Nigeria is far worse than here in SA. Boko haram is killing thousands your people everyday and theres no end in sight meanwhile no Nigerian has been killed in this Xenophobic attack. That is why Nigerians throng our embassies in Lagos and Abuja seeking Visas to come to SA and escape the despicable living conditions in the slums of Nigeria.

3. This recent Xenophobic attack was predicated on the fact that Foreigners commit so much heinous crimes in SA without impunity and we are tired of all these. We have our own criminals here so we cant add more problems from foreigners.
A. NIigerians are the kingpins of drugs killing our children and society. Your brothers drug our girls into prostitution. They con our people with fraud and 419. They hack into our bank accounts stealing millions.

B. Zimbabweans are involved in robberies and car hijackings

C. Mozambicans kill our farmers and take our jobs for peanuts leaving many South Africans jobless

D. Ethiopians and Somalians open shops to do illegal activities and pollute our communities. Theres a Somalian shop in every 2 houses on every street in SA. No Country can allow that.

SA has its own issues but we would like to solve them without the added problems of Foreign crimials.

If you like burn down shoprite and close MTN its your people that will suffer because these companies employ millions of Nigerians. They will simply go jobless.

Thank you

Where image of fake story about foreign child attacked by xenophobic mob comes from
http://www.politicsweb.co.za/iservice/rubber-bullet-did-this--daily-sun

Fake photos misrepresent xenophobic violence
http://ewn.co.za/2015/04/17/Fake-photos-misrepresenting-xenophobic-violence

Internet boasts false images of xenophobic violence in South Africa
http://observers.france24.com/content/20150417-south-africa-durban-immigrant-xenophobic-false-photos




I took time to read your mail and comments from other readers and while i would not take to use of harsh words to that,however one thing is certain that you and other south Africans who think this way really lack knowledge.

permit me to educate you if you would be patient to learn.

1.let us be guided with this fact that SA is not superior to any of its other African brothers
2.xenophobic attack on other African's didn't just start yesterday it triggers anytime South Africans feel Aggrieved about their problems,rather than take the case to their government they take the law into their hands as if their action would solve the problem and from your statement it seems the death of seven African brothers is just a number.
3.If the law in your country is effective the alleged criminals in your country would have been effectively curbed by way of persecuting them in competent court.
4.Let me tell you that your country can not thrive if it does not do business with other countries,there is what is call trade balancing,please Google to learn more.
5.The same Nigerian whom you now despise accommodated your people during the apartheid regime
6.i need not remind you perhaps you were not born then how the government of Nigeria and its people with other African countries invested millions of dollars to fight the apartheid course.
7,This same country which you now boldly call MY COUNTRY came to being by the contribution and struggle of many African countries and even our Musicians all condemned in the strongest terms.
8.many african countries boycotted Internationale competition and world engagements in protest to fight for your countries.

Mr Thandolwethu:pls sleep over this and ponder if the action of Your actions are justified,

she even has inverted nipples.....i can cee it....lol

@GENOMI,it depends on which side you are viewing the picture from.A laudable program and i commend you on that. 20k can do a lot for small micro businesses and a lot of people who are looking foward to start a business.

Lets look at this examples.
1,Vulganizer needs only a pressure pump i dont know how much this cost but that who is assisted to own this will definitely pray for you.
2.Fruit selling
3.Recharge card vending
e.t.c

put your plans on paper and know who your target beneficiaries would be,It is well with you.if you need more info u re free to ask