₦airaland Forum

... Channel Aid to Troubled States — Ajadi asserted

Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, a Nigerian advocate of good governance and social reform, has cautioned the United States President Donald Trump against heeding suggestions to establish a U.S. military base in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, describing such a proposal as a threat to the nation’s sovereignty and economic stability.

Ajadi’s warning followed a post by U.S. foreign policy expert Dr Walid Phares, who on Sunday advised Donald Trump to create an “emergency base” in Port Harcourt — which he described as “the main port city of the Biafra region” — to help deter Boko Haram and other jihadist groups in Nigeria, while providing rapid humanitarian assistance.

Phares, who serves as Co-Secretary General of the Transatlantic Parliamentary Group, wrote on his X handle that such a base would “enable the rapid deployment of international humanitarian aid, particularly assistance from American churches,” and could involve “targeted strikes against jihadist forces” if the Nigerian government fails to stop them.

Reacting to the proposal, Ambassador Ajadi said while foreign assistance in combating insecurity may be welcome, Nigeria must reject any move that undermines its sovereignty or exploits its natural resources.

“The U.S. government’s support in helping Nigeria fight insecurity is a welcome idea,” Ajadi said. “But I must strongly warn that Nigeria should not allow any foreign power to establish a military base within our oil-rich regions. They must not tamper with our natural resources or cross the boundaries of our sovereignty.”

The social advocate, who contested in the 2023 general elections under the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), expressed concern that Port Harcourt, located in the Niger Delta, remains one of Nigeria’s most vital economic hubs and should not host any foreign military installation.

“The Port Harcourt area is one of our key economic lifelines, rich in crude oil and gas,” Ajadi emphasised. “Allowing foreign troops there under the pretext of fighting terrorism could open the door to exploitation. If assistance is truly humanitarian, it should be directed to states like Borno, Plateau, Benue, Kwara, and others suffering from insurgency and violent attacks — not our oil-producing regions.”

Ajadi further appealed to Donald Trump to approach Nigeria’s security challenges through peaceful and diplomatic means, not through strategies that may resemble interventions seen in Libya, Iraq, or Syria — nations that remain unstable years after foreign involvement.

“President Trump should assist Nigeria in promoting peace and restoring stability,” Ajadi said. “But he must not repeat the kind of interventions that devastated countries like Libya and Iraq, where economic recovery remains elusive.”

He urged the Nigerian government to handle any prospective foreign security collaboration transparently and strategically, ensuring that national interest is not sacrificed for temporary relief.

“We must learn from history,” Ajadi cautioned. “Africa has suffered from interventions that promised peace but left nations divided. Nigeria must not repeat that mistake.”

As Nigeria continues to grapple with terrorism, kidnapping, and banditry across several regions, Ajadi reiterated the need to strengthen the country’s internal security capacity, advocating investment in local defence systems, community policing, and inter-state collaboration.

“Foreign support can only complement what we build from within,” he reiterated. “Nigeria’s security must be home-grown, people-driven, and guided by our national interest.”'

The Nigerian music industry continues to dominate Africa and the global stage, powered by some of the most influential record labels on the continent. For years, names like Mavin Records, YBNL Nation, Chocolate City, DMW (Davido Music Worldwide), and Spaceship Records have been at the forefront of shaping Afrobeats and nurturing international stars.

From 2023 to 2025, however, a new force has joined the league of top record labels in Nigeria—Bullion Records, under its visionary CEO, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo.

Founded to empower Nigerian youths through music and creativity, Bullion Records has quickly become a rising giant in the entertainment industry. The label has made headlines with groundbreaking signings, music tours across Africa and Europe, and chart-topping releases.

Speaking about the label’s ambition, Ambassador Ajadi noted that Bullion Records was built to “create a platform where young Nigerian talents can thrive, compete globally, and contribute meaningfully to the creative economy.”

Bullion Records’ Impact

In just a few years (2023–2025), the label has:

Signed promising Afrobeats artists who are gaining recognition both locally and internationally.

Supported music tours across the UK, Germany, South Africa, Kenya, and Mozambique, showcasing Nigerian sound to the world.

Invested heavily in music production, media promotion, and artist development, positioning itself as a serious competitor to established record labels.

Rising Among Nigeria’s Best

Industry observers have now started listing Bullion Records among the top record labels in Nigeria, alongside Mavin, and YBNL. This recognition reflects the label’s dedication to professionalism, talent management, and international collaborations.

About Bullion Records

Bullion Records is a UK-Nigerian-owned entertainment company founded by Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo. The label is committed to discovering, nurturing, and promoting young music talents, contributing to Nigeria’s global music dominance.

As the Nigerian music industry continues to grow, Bullion Records has positioned itself as one of the most promising and impactful record labels in Nigeria—ready to take African sound to the world stage.

Technology has been a challenge in Nigeria

There has been ups and downs and this has been fixed.

By Andrew Eigbedion

The Nigerian Presidency 3 weeks ago released the official list of 101 awardees for the 2025 Democracy Day National Honours, recognizing Nigerians, both living and dead, who have made significant contributions to the nation’s democratic journey and overall progress of the country. The Nigerian National Honours are a set of orders and decorations conferred upon Nigerians and friends of Nigeria every year. They were instituted by the National Honours Act No. 5 of 1964, during the First Nigerian Republic to honour Nigerians who have rendered service to the benefit of the nation. People receive these honours to convey to them the appreciation the country has for their accomplishments. The 2025 Nigeria National Honours was conferred on several living and deceased individuals for their contributions to human rights, literature, journalism, politics, civil society, humanity and public service.

The Nigerian National Honours, in descending order of importance, are:
Order of the Federal Republic

• Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR)

• Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR)

• Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR)

• Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR)

Order of the Niger

• Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON)

• Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON)
• Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON)

• Member of the Order of the Niger (MON)

Your Excellency Sir, one notable omission from your list of 2025 Nigeria National nominees was one Rt Rev Bishop Dr Matthew Akhaze Okpebholo (JP). Just 2 days after your list of awardees for National Honours was released Sir, I had the singular honour and privilege of delivering a Public Lecture titled “Ideas to Impact:Turning passions into profitable ventures” to a teeming audience of physical and virtual attendees on the occasion of the 75th birthday celebration of Rt Rev Bishop Matthew Akhaze Okpebholo (JP) and the 29th anniversary of the establishment of the Matthew Okpebholo Foundation at Uromi, Edo State.

The Lecture offered me the opportunity to x-ray this Nigerian, born mid-day, mid-week, mid-month, mid-year and mid-century on the 15th of June, 1950 to the Okpebholo family in the modest town of Uromi, Edo State. Rt Rev Dr Matthew Okpebholo began life with no visible privileges—no silver spoon, no inheritance to lean on, and no connections to manipulate. What he had, instead, was a burning desire to rise. And rise he did—by embracing hard work, discipline, and a fearless willingness to learn.
By the age of 20, he had established Royal Steel Works, a humble venture that would later grow into what we now know as Ray Royal Construction Company Limited—one of the most respected Engineering/Construction firms in Nigeria with offices across the country and employing over 1000 people, including expatriates, thereby supporting hundreds of households and contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic fabric. Bishop Okpebholo saw that his fellow Nigerians needed jobs, so he built businesses. He saw that young people needed education, so he built schools. He saw people dying from preventable and curable diseases, he built hospitals. He saw spiritual hunger, so he answered the call to Ministry.

Rt. Rev (Dr) Matthew A. Okpebholo gave his life to Christ in 1974 and became a Substantive Pastor in 1985. Subsequently, he was formally ordained into the five-fold ministry as a Reverend Minister under the Church of God Mission International on the 6th day of August 1989 by Archbishop Benson Idahosa of blessed memory. Rt Rev Bishop Dr Matthew Akaze Okpebholo has shown us that business and ministry can walk together. That faith and finance are not enemies. That one man—driven by a clear vision and guided by God—can shape industries, communities, and futures. His Micro Finance scheme made of cash and material donations also include settlement of hospital/medical, school and examination fees and other indebtedness for widows and single parents and to date, well over 7,000 families have benefited. There are also some widows on a monthly allowance.

For over twenty-nine years, he has consistently provided free Legal aid services to Prison/Correctional Centre inmates and where the Courts impose a minor fine, he pays it for those who are unable to afford it. One major hallmark of the Prison/Correctional Outreach is the provision of financial aid and rehabilitation materials to those who have been released to enable them go home and be reunited with their loved ones or to start life anew.

It would interest his Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Sir that the day you announced the 2025 Nigeria National Honours Award nominees on the 12th of June 2025, the Edo State Governor His Excellency Senator Monday Okpebholo ably respresented was in Irrua Edo State to commission a new Geriatric Centre at the Federal Government owned Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH). This Complex was solely built at a whooping sum of N100,000,000.00 (one hundred million naira only) and donated to the ISTH Management by Rt Rev Dr Bishop Matthew Akhaze Okpebholo for the care of geriatric patients. What a coincidence that this illustrious Uromi man of Esan North East Local Government Area shares the same surname with the Executive Governor of Edo State who hails from Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area in Edo State and they are not direct blood relatives. The Geriatric Centre is not an Old-Peoples Home as many would want to assume. Geriatrics is a Medical Specialty focused on addressing the unique health needs of older adults (senior citizens). It is instructive that the first Geriatric Centre in Nigeria and indeed the whole of Africa was first built and commissioned on the 17th of November 2012 by another illustrious Esan Son of blessed memory, Late Chief Anthony Anenih, Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR) at the University College Hospital, Ibadan Oyo State. The Matthew Okpebholo Geriatric Centre in ISTH therefore represents another masterstroke in Community empowerment, development, and impact making. This is also not to forget the Accident & Emergency Complex at the Uromi General Hospital he solely built, tastefully equipped with modern therapeutic and diagnostic facilities and which he donated to the Edo State Government 4 years ago with a promise to supply all the consumables for the care of patients for the next 100 years!!!!

Rt Rev Dr Bishop Matthew Akhaze Okpebholo has been involved in numerous community and philanthropic gestures not only in Edo State but also in the entire country. He has single-handedly constructed and donated several roads to ease transportation network within many Communities and Nigerian Higher Institutions notably in the University of Benin Benin-City, Federal Polytechnic Auchi, the entire road network in the College of Medicine of the Benson Idahosa University Benin-City, Igbinedion University Okada, Adegboyega University Ogwa, Edo State, Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma to mention but a few. These projects are verifiable for any doubting Thomases. Little wonder that the Management of the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma once described this illustrious Nigerian as a man of God with the heart of gold. Rt. Rev (Dr) Bishop Matthew A. Okpebholo has trained and equipped over 5,000 Pastors and church workers, and has created a new paradigm for the church in Nigeria on the true meaning of The Church by providing on a consistent basis since 1975, financial and material support to various churches including assisting them in the completion of their church buildings as well as financial empowerment of Pastors outside his own denomination of Church of God Mission International.

Your Excellency Sir, Rt Rev Dr Bishop Matthew Okpebholo’s just celebrated 75th birthday was the honoring of a legacy—a legacy built not only in brick and mortar, but in lives transformed, institutions built, and dreams made possible. The life of Bishop Okpebholo is a master-class in how passion, when properly channeled, can create enduring impact—and how ideas, when nurtured with discipline and faith, can be turned into thriving, profitable ventures. And yet, ask anyone who has met him, and they will tell you: he remains humble, approachable, unassuming and deeply committed to seeing others rise.

Dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Sir, what made the 75th birthday celebration of Rt Rev Dr Matthew Akhaze Okpebholo more special was not that we were just merry-making. It was that he had chosen to mark this milestone by investing again in indigent Nigerian University Undergraduate Final Year Students. A tradition he has sustained for 29 unbroken years by giving Annual bursary awards to randomly selected indigent Undergraduate Final Year Students across most of the Universities in Nigeria including Students from Federal Government owned Institutions. It is on record that over 15,000 (fifteen thousand) documented Undergraduate Students have benefitted from his generosity and capacity building efforts in Nigerian Youths since the inception of his Foundation. This is not to forget several thousands of Undergraduate/Postgraduate Students that have benefitted directly from this man without going through the official route of the Foundation. On his 75th birthday when most people would expect to receive, he choose to give. ₦50,000 (fifty thousand naira only) each to 1,000 indigent final-year University Students. That is ₦50,000,000.00 (fifty million naira only) in one swoop by investing in the future of the next generation of Nigerian builders, creators, thinkers, and leaders. Rt Rev Dr Bishop Matthew Okpebholo has promised to increase the current bursary from N50,000.00 to N100,000.00 for indigent Final Year Undergraduates in 2026. He has also promised to single-handedly construct and donate a new Lecture Hall valued at N120,000,000.00 (one hundred and twenty million naira) to the Federal Government owned National Institute of Construction Technology and Management in Uromi to celebrate his birthday next year. `

Your Excellency Sir, 29 years ago instructively and fittingly too, I was a beneficiary of the Dr Matthew Okpebholo Foundation as a Medical Student of the Edo State University now Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. Through the goodwill of the bursary award I received from this great Nigerian, I was able to navigate a very trying and difficult situation of paying a huge financial group contribution that facilitated the transfer of my 1992 admission set to the University of Benin as a result of accreditation problems then of the College of Medicine Edo State University with the Medical & Dental Council of Nigeria. On behalf of every Nigerian student beneficiary of the Dr Matthew Okpebholo Foundation, every dreamer with a burning idea, every young person who dares to hope—we say thank you. Thank you for leading by example. Thank you for proving that generosity from the abundance of God’s blessings to humanity pays.

Your Excellency Sir, Dr Matthew Okpebholo is now a Bishop Emeritus and Board Trustee of the Church of God Mission International. He has used these positions to strengthen both faith and infrastructure in the Church. He is the Vice Chairman of the Governing Council of Benson Idahosa University, Edo State helping to guide the direction of a University that educates thousands of students. With over 230 National and International awards to his name—from Papal blessings in Rome to at least 6 Nigerian University Doctorate Degrees (Honoris Causa), Dr Matthew Akhaze Okpebholo continues to shine as a bright star and a good example to Nigerian Youths and generations yet unborn. Even now at 75, Bishop Dr Matthew Okpebholo’s biggest joy is not in his awards or accolades—it is in knowing that someone, somewhere, will rise because he gave. He did not just celebrate 75 years. He celebrated 75 years of relevance, resilience, and remarkable impact.

Our dear President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR Sir, Rt Rev Dr Bishop Matthew Akhaze Okpebholo has shown that he is a worthy candidate for future nomination to be recognized and decorated by the authorities of his country of birth for his numerous philanthropic gestures and contribution to a better Nigerian society. Thank you and God bless you Sir.


Long Live Edo State

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
*Dr Andrew Oseghale Eigbedion wrote in via andyposki@gmail.com

The grand finale of the 7 for 7 National Values Charter Campus Debate (NVCCD) 2024, organised by the National Orientation Agency, was held on 17 December 2024 at the Marriott Hotel, Ikeja GRA.

Adekunle Ayomide and Oladeji Oluwashina of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, emerged champions with 43% of 3,921 votes, winning the trophy and N20 million. Their insightful arguments and patriotism earned widespread acclaim.

Zonal winners from six geopolitical zones, including Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt; Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu; Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga; University of Ilorin; and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, each received N5 million and prizes from NELFUND.
Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, Director General of the National Orientation Agency, urged youths to uphold Nigeria’s shared values, stating that under the National Identity Project( NIP) the agency will continue to to work with the youth, while Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, Managing Director of NELFUND, emphasised the organisation’s alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s vision.

The event celebrated unity, resilience, and a shared commitment to national development.

Apparently they are linked together.

Jesusbaby4lyf:
Thank you, I checked it out on X and realized the entire Africope job appears unreal

Dere was one micro business loan something too, dat scammed me of 1500 being payment for registration etc.

Kelklein:
If you go and check now, they would call themselves techpreneurs.. who charges job seekers 50k for 'transcript' submission. It's criminal to charge job seekers money for application. It amount to buying the job. The

They definitely want to cash out if they can get 1000 people to send that amount.. imagine that for a second. And funny enough they would get even more people than that.

They know this is a country where even your government would scam you. There was one FEAP.ng that was launched couple of months back, where they collected N500 from Nigerians through remita for so-called 'NIN verification'. Nobody called the government out on that.

Imagine for a second if 2million Nigerians applied for that which actually did, that's a coool N1 billion.

Nigerians have really suffered.

the school shd be able to contact someone transcript is being requested....also 19700 cant bring transcript out, too small. just sayin

mightyrock:
It is better to cancel arrangements of Transcript with your school. Your vital documents will be using online to do fraud. Go to AfriCOPE website, copy their address and search on google. You will clearly see they are professional scammers

SO what about Transcript Africa that receved money from me for transcript processing> They claim to work with Africope.

Enzo5:
Your websites are not opening and can you explain how it is a scam

Many are saying they are scammers. PLEASE DONT PROCEED to do anything with them.

Jesusbaby4lyf:
I recently learnt of Transcript Africa and I want to know more about them. Do they send you the softcopy of your transcript or they only forward it to whosoever needs it without sending you your copy?

Is it reliable?

They scammed me already. I paid N19,700

Tinamoore:
I came across this indept expository article about AFRICOPE on LinkedIn and thought to share the links here to save unsuspecting job seekers.
They have already given link for transcript vetting which comes at a few. Please don't fall for this scam.
Please read the part 1 and 2 thoroughly.

Africope - Another well-crafted scam?
https://www./africope-another-well-crafted-scam-isaiah-adeyanju--p4iff?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&utm_campaign=share_via

AfriCOPE - A WELL-CRAFTED SCAM? - 2
https://www./africope-well-crafted-scam-2-isaiah-adeyanju--iwemf?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&utm_campaign=share_via

Mods, please can this be moved to front page for wider view. During my days of job hunting, I always relied on Nairaland to check the authenticity of suspecting job adverts. I know a lot of job seekers still do same.

One fateful morning, Engineer Danky wakka enter construction site like every other day. E be senior man for the site, full of energy, and everybody sabi say him work no get rival. But for that same site, safety no be something to joke with. The HSE officer don talk tire, every day e dey hammer the matter say make everybody wear their safety gear, especially when dem dey work for height. Harness na life saver, e go talk, but Danky no dey too send.

---

Watch the video of wetin happen to Danky here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiXPoZAMw_g?t=15 . Make sure say you sabi all the safety tips wey go fit save your life.

Danky be like person wey sabi too much. E don dey work for construction site for years, so e believe say e no need all these safety wahala. "Harness na for small boys," e go talk as e dey laugh. But that fateful day, wetin Danky no expect happen.

As Danky climb the scaffold, the wind begin blow small small. The whole team dey work, but Danky no wear him harness well. The belt dey loose for him body, and e no even bother to check am. Just as e stretch to reach one beam, na so e lose balance. E try hold something, but the scaffold too high, and before anybody fit shout, Danky don fall.

The fall no be small thing. E hit ground with force wey everybody around hear. Danky body scatter like wetin no good. People rush go meet am, but blood don full everywhere. E lie down there dey fight for him life, and e no fit talk. The people wey dey work for site just dey shake their head, tears dey their eyes. "If only e listen," dem dey talk for under breath.

Thank God say the paramedics reach there quick. Dem rush Danky go hospital, and after plenty treatment, dem manage save him life. But Danky no go ever forget wetin happen that day. The pain, the scars, the close shave with death—everything dey fresh for him memory. All because e no wear him harness properly.

The whole thing shake everybody for that site. People begin dey talk say safety no be small thing, and how Danky for don die because of small carelessness. The HSE officer sef no fit hold back tears as e tell the workers again say, "I don talk am before, but see wetin happen. Make una no play with una life o, safety first."

Abeg, my people, make una learn from wetin happen to Engineer Danky. Life no get duplicate, and one small mistake fit change everything. No play with safety, especially when you dey work for height.

No let another story like Danky own happen before you take action. Life precious pass any work wey you dey do.

Any need to define safety like dis? No ba? For construction site, safety no be only supervisor work; e concern everybody. Whether you be laborer, engineer, quantity surveyor, or project manager, you get role to play to make sure say everybody dey safe, especially when e reach matter of working at heights.

See beta video wey explain di mata wella

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiXPoZAMw_g

Why Safety for Heights Matter
Work for heights no be small thing. E dey very risky, and one small mistake fit cause serious accident. When you dey work for height, you fit fall if you no take correct safety steps. That kind fall fit lead to injury wey fit make person no fit work again or even kpai. But if everybody follow the correct safety steps, we fit reduce this kain accidents.

Wetin You Go Do to Stay Safe for Heights
Wear Your Safety Gear and protective equipment Well-Well
Before you climb any ladder or scaffold, make sure say you wear your safety gear well. Helmet, harness, and safety boots na your best friend when you dey work for heights. No be fashion, na to save your life.

Check Your Tools and Equipment
Before you start work, make sure say the ladder, scaffold, or any equipment wey you wan use dey in correct shape. No manage damaged tools; if anything no correct, report am sharply make dem fix am.

No Carry Too Much Load
When you dey work for height, no carry load wey go make you lose balance. Carry wetin you fit handle well, and if the load too much, make you use rope or pulley to lift am up.

No Rush Work
Time na money, but life na everything. No rush work because you wan finish quick. Take your time, do am well, and make sure say you dey safe.

Chek weather wella
Rain and strong wind fit make working for height dangerous. If weather no dey good, no risk am. Better make you wait or find safer way to continue your work.

Try dey relate with ya colleague dem

No work alone when you dey for height. Make sure say you dey communicate with your team members, so that everybody dey aware of wetin dey happen.

finally,
Make una no forget, safety na everybody business. Make sure say you follow all these steps when you dey work for height. To learn more safety tips, abeg watch our YouTube video on safety and subscribe to our channel for more updates. Na so we go fit keep our construction sites safe for everybody.

if you dey find job for construction industri or you sabi persin wey dey find, visit our base for linkedin.
we full ground for Linkedin 👉 https:///SMSLINKEDIN

Izu Simeon Debuts New EP "1 Billion Streams"

Lagos, Nigeria - Izu Simeon, a rising artist in the Nigerian music industry, is thrilled to announce the release of his debut EP, "1 Billion Streams." The EP, which dropped today, is a special piece of art that showcases Izu Simeon's unique talent and sound.

"I am beyond excited to share this EP with the world," said Izu Simeon. "I put my heart and soul into every song, and I hope that listeners can connect with the music and feel the same emotions that I did when creating it."

"1 Billion Streams" features six tracks, each showcasing Izu Simeon's versatility and range as an artist. The EP is available for streaming on all major platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.

Fans of Izu Simeon's music can follow him on all social media platforms @izusimeon for updates on his music and upcoming shows.

"I want to thank my fans for their support and love thus far," added Izu Simeon. "We are winning together on this journey, and I can't wait for you to hear what I have in store next."

To stream "1 Billion Streams" and support Izu Simeon's music, click the link below:

⏩⏩ https://ffm.to/izusimeon1bs

Whatever you cannot control will eventually control you.

This is a wise saying and it is true of many things in the world of technology today. As with money, if you cannot control technology, technology will control you and eventually wreak havoc on your relationships; not only with friends but most importantly your significant other.

The issue of a partner’s social media behaviour is becoming increasingly worrisome for many couples. Such behaviour can create feelings of insecurity in a relationship that were not present before. As a matter of fact, when the issue is raised by either couple, the one who raises the issue is forced to shut up when the other partner’s reaction is not encouraging.

More here : https://techscoopsng.com/cheating-online-how-social-media-plays-a-major-role-in-breakups/

Tolulope Olulana

Ever visited a website only to be welcomed by an error notification indicating a server downtime? Today April 1, 2023, the website of one of the leading sports betting companies in Nigeria went offline and many punters nursed varied emotions from fear of loss of money to anger that they were unable to play games.

For a brand as reputable as SportyBet, many do not expect downtime. However, it is not uncommon to see even Google hit a snag at times. Are you a webmaster? Below are the 10 common causes of website crashes and how you can mitigate them.

More here >>>> https://techscoopsng.com/10-common-causes-of-website-crashes/

Become a certified massage therapist in just one month! Learn various massage techniques and therapy. Gain hands-on experience.
All for only 100k.

Start your journey towards a rewarding career

Send a chat via WhatsApp or call the number on flier to speak with a staff of Menorah Beauty Place, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja

We deal in:
School uniforms
Church garments
Engineer and Construction workers overall

Call now +234 802 686 8424 or reach us via Facebook https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100032106022110

If you want to buy, just send reply to this post. Fast payment, fast change of details and no scam zone!

This is 2023! There is room for improvement and a massive one at that. Do you want to harness your potentials and build capacity in order to increase your chances in your chosen career, here are important links to FREE UNICEF, World Bank, IMF and ILO online courses to take advantage of now. Time is of the essence and the best time to start building is now.

Procrastination is the thief of time.


Visit the link to any of the open learning resources that matches your desired short course of study:


https://techscoopsng.com/build-capacity-with-free-unicef-imf-ilo-online-courses-enroll-now/

Any leaking gas under pressure is a potential asphyxiation hazard and can be fatal to human beings like you. The air we breathe is made up of 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, and 1% mix of other gases. When another gas that is not oxygen is leaked into the atmosphere it will displace the oxygen, and reduce the overall oxygen content in the air.


https://techscoopsng.com/why-gas-cylinders-should-be-stored-outside-your-kitchen/

Happy New Year 2023 Wishes and Messages

Wishing you a Happy New Year, bursting with fulfilling and exciting opportunities. And remember, if opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door!
May the New Year bring you happiness, peace, and prosperity. Wishing you a joyous 2023!
It is time to forget the past and celebrate a new start. Happy New Year!

More here: https://techscoopsng.com/happy-new-year-2023-messages-to-send-to-loved-ones/

Loan sharks in Nigeria – time is up….

In the Nigeria of today, there’s a proliferation of mobile loan apps that are the toast of ‘borrowers’ who often times turn to debtors with no intention of paying back. While some do not pay back, some others who delay in the loan repayment within stipulated time are defamed and embarrassed.

https://techscoopsng.com/fintech-see-list-of-40-loan-apps-in-nigeria-to-be-probed-by-fg/

How to make money online without paying anything
1. Become a virtual assistant
If you have a knack for organizing and planning, becoming a virtual assistant is a great way to make extra cash online. A virtual assistant job involves doing various tasks like managing social media pages, replying to emails, and taking phone calls on behalf of a business.

With the number of solopreneurs increasing, virtual assistants are seeing a sharp increase in demand for their services. You can get started by applying to jobs on Upwork, Indeed, or Virtual Assistant Jobs. VAs make around $19.36 per hour on average, according to Indeed.com.

https://techscoopsng.com/how-to-make-money-online-without-paying-anything/

In an economy that is gasping for survival, it is only normal for cash-strapped individuals to seek financial relief from loan financing institutions in the country some of whom are actually the proverbial shylock who wants a pound of flesh and would not care whose ox is gored.

Who was Shylock in Merchant of Venice

Shylock was a relentless and revengeful moneylender in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice play.

Loan sharks in Nigeria act like Shylock the moneylender who seeks revenge by all means when he lends you money.

In the sprawling city of Lagos, lives a man Jakob ( not real name ). Jakob was in need of a short  term loan to fill an urgent need. To do this, he searched online for loan companies in Nigeria, not finding anything exactly.

He decided to search for loan apps in Nigeria and so his journey started with Lumos Loan Company - a digital product of Tinni Investments  Limited.

The Genesis

The loan application process was quite long and tiring unlike loans  from other facilities that require only minimal documentation. This loan company will ask for your Father or Mother's phone number, a sibling's phone number  and even access to your phone contacts, location, calendar, camera and storage device in order to have you under their eventual control.

Jakob filled the form and applied for 9,000+ loan and after some many minutes, close to an hour  of waiting, his account was funded for a 7 day loan to pay back 12500.

Jakob was happy that he could quickly foot his bills and get on with life - little did he know  that the money was sent with so much attached to it.

From the day that the loan was financed till the day it was due for repayment, Lumos kept spamming Jakob with text messages reminding him of the loan and the benefits of early payment.

They obviously do not care about repeat customers - a bemused Jakob thought but ignored their messages.

However, the communication style from Lumos loan company took a new turn on the day the loan was due. Jakob started getting calls from random numbers which Truecaller identified as Aliyu, Usman Trk....etc.

As the calls were coming in, so were SMS and Whatsapp messages requesting that the loan should be repaid before 2pm or before  3pm or before 4pm. Jakob obviously angered by these numerous messages from debt recovery officers, responded to them that: since the loan was due that day and the day was not over, they should exercise patience and that he had no means to pay until evening of the same day but the impatient and unprofessional Lumos loan officer responded  in a rather uncouth way.

The response he got to his message is the crudest and the most unprofessional response anyone could get from a company.

The loan officer said: try to pay before noon. You can borrow from elsewhere and when you have borrowed, you can repay your loan with it and then borrow another 50,000 naira to pay back the other person you took a loan from.

Jakob said he had no means to repay and told them to wait till evening. After the conversation, Jakob was blocked on the two Whatsapp lines being used by staff members of the Lumos Loan company.




After about two hours, Jakob got a call from another  random number which Truecaller identified as Smart Naira.

Hello, a male voice was heard. This is from Lumos Loan. We are calling concerning your loan. We have been waiting for you to pay since morning but you didnt pay. Please pay today if not from tomorrow, we will start flagging your BVN and sending messages your contacts.

Jakob responded by saying 'sebi it is today that the loan expired and I said I will pay before the end of the day. The loan officer then said, okay please ensure you pay and send receipt of payment to Whatsapp. The bank to send the money to has been sent to you on Whatsapp, check it and he dropped the call.

Now a nervous Jakob swiftly contacted Thomas his friend for a quick loan to pay back the loan.

Gracefully, he got the loan to repay Lumos loan and sent the receipt to the Whatsapp number of the loan company. However by the time he sent the receipt, his number had been blocked by the loan company and so there was no way to receive the message

The official email and hotline of the Loan financing company was not functional.

Jakob for fear of being targeted by the nefarious activity of the loan company in carrying out their threats of defaming his character, he sent a message to the number Truecaller identified as 'Smart Naira' . Although he got no response, he knew that was all he needed to do. Moreso that the app had shown that he has paid even though it was not explicitly stated, however another loan was waiting for him to apply and that could not have been possible if one loan was due and yet to be repaid.

READ ALSO: How online loan sharks push borrowers into sorrow

This is the story of Jakob a borrower from Lumos Loan company in Nigeria. There are many other sad stories that others have shared from their ugly experiences with loan sharks in Nigeria.

These companies call to threaten with flagging of BVN and informing your contacts of the loan you were given, disgracing you and all that. They ought to allow the CBN do the job of loan retrieval since a person's BVN is the umbrella of all his bank accounts with financial institutions in the country.

Sometime ago Sokoloan - a loan shark in Nigeria was fined N10M by NITDA for privacy breach and defamation of character of customers.  A day to the repayment of your loan and they would call you with different phones lines threatening to disgrace you if you fail to pay up the loan.

So it is not Lumos loan company alone that is a shark but there are a number of others.

When your loan is past the due date even if it is by 24hrs, they go a step further by contacting your family members and ruining your personality in process.

The Exodus

Our fictitious character Jakob has now paid and can have peace of mind but he did not leave the app and delete it without giving the loan officer in charge a piece of his mind.

Blackmailing, and threatening defaulters continue

Sharing a message sent to a victim this week by one of the loan apps, a customer said she was being threatened by XCash because she is owing the platform even though she planned to pay her debt, Nairametrics reports

The message from the loan app read: “This will shock you today! We will almost immediately commence with analyzed and detailed messaging of all phone contacts fully granted and accessed during your registration with the loan App and link up with your social media handles with attachments of your registered emergency contacts, pictures taken during registration and taken from your social media platforms, National I.D Card, BVN asterisked against public denial and some family members pictures taken from social media. You were expected to comply with the policy agreement and fulfil all in concord, but you have decided to breach the contract and activate the punishment part of the contract which is signed with Nigeria Interpol as a FRAUD CASE.
Today is your last day!!! From XCash Management.”
Another loan app called LCredit, in a message to one of its defaulting customers, wrote: “Since all methods to get your payment has been voided, we have no other choice than to create awareness on social media notifying people about you by 1 PM today.”
Another loan app, GoCash, in a message sent to one of its defaulting customers wrote: “Get ready to be disgraced… with your picture by 12 PM. Your case is here at the legal department I will make sure you cry if you don’t pay the N40,360 you are owing by 12 PM today, mark my word.”

In many instances, the apps send defamatory messages to all contacts of the defaulters as the borrowers are coerced to grant their apps access to contacts in the course of registration.

What is government doing about Loan sharks in Nigeria

However, unlicensed lenders are the only ones who engage in this unhealthy behavior. Legitimate lenders with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) licenses take the formal route by informing the Credit Bureau about defaulters, who then blacklist the individuals' Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) and prevent them from obtaining loans from any other financial institution in the nation.

The FCPC requested sometime in August 2022 that Google should take down loan apps Maxi Credit, Here4U, ChaCha, and SoftPay off the Playstore because they were engaging in unethical behavior and violating user privacy.

All of the apps have been taken down from the app store as of the time this report was filed.

However, there are hundreds of others who have carried on their operations without interruption such as Okash, Ucredit, Nownownow credit, Lumos now and a host of others.

According to a businessday Nigeria report, The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has barred all financial technology companies from providing payment or transaction services to online money lenders known as 'loan sharks'.

In closing, if the government bars, it should also enforce. When laws are not enforced, crimes continue unabated.

Bonus:

Best Loan Apps in Nigeria ( Fintech industry)
Kuda app: For a loan of N50,000, you paid only  4500+ in 2 -3 months and they dont threaten you or defame your character, you only only repay interest with your loan and an overdue draft penalty
Gt Bank 737 loan same as Kuda app - with very little interest rate.

Others that are okay but with too high interest are Migos Loan, Quickteller cash loan and Fairmoney loan in nigeria



These companies blackmail and defame the characters of victims when loans expire
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