FL Gators:

This is depressing.

Who knows if the dude has been killed. . . . and his forged signature being used to spread naija's money amongst those lying thieves.

Hmmmm!! FL Gators, that is a worrying thought.
Nigeriians please let's speak out and ask for our president! if he doesn't show up in office by monday, he needs to renounce his presidency title, NOW! [sub][/sub]

also in the UK Guardian website, people are beginning to think he is dead or just hanging on

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/08/crisis-nigeria-president-missing


Crisis in Nigeria as president drops out of viewNothing has been heard of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua of Nigeria for 45 days after he left the country for medical treatment

David Smith, Africa correspondent guardian.co.uk, Friday 8 January 2010 12.20 GMT Article history



The president is missing. The executive chair is empty, the in-tray overflowing, and 150 million people are crying out for leadership.

This is the crisis enveloping Nigeria, political rivals and activists say, as rumours swirl around the health of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, not seen in public for 45 days.

Africa's most populous country has allegedly become a rudderless ship despite a series of urgent issues, including the arrest of the Nigerian al-Qaida suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, charged with attempting to blow up a plane over Detroit on Christmas Day.

It has been more than six weeks since Yar'Adua left the country to be treated for a heart condition, reportedly in Saudi Arabia. The 58-year-old devout Muslim took off without informing the legislature and did not transfer power to his deputy.

His absence appears to have created a headless state and a sea of awkward constitutional questions. Opposition politicians have accused Yar'Adua's allies of covering for his absence by forging his signature on the country's supplementary budget.

They have demanded proof that the president is still alive, suggesting that he record a dated video statement or take part in a live TV or radio phone-in. One human rights group has suggested he be declared a missing person and a search party sent out to find him.

Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), said: "We have not heard from the president for 45 days – not one word. I don't know where he is; your guess is as good as mine. Everything is shrouded in secrecy and we are worried as a country."

The NBA, a human rights lawyer and two former MPs have filed legal actions against the government, accusing Yar'Adua of breaching the constitution by staying in power. Akeredolu said the alleged involvement of a Nigerian citizen in the recent US bomb plot showed the present void was untenable. "It's a big problem because we don't have leadership. How do we give assurances to America? How do we communicate with the president of the United States and his secretary of state?"

Nigeria's ambassador to Saudi Arabia today insisted that Yar'Adua is "sound and fit" in a hospital in the country, but said it was still unclear when he would return home.

"He is recuperating in a royal suite attached to the hospital for VIPs. He is sound and fit, he sits, eats and walks very well. He is recuperating to have enough rest before he goes back to the office," Abdullah Aminchi told Reuters. Asked when the president would return to Nigeria, Aminchi said: "It is the doctors who will say when."

In the meantime, Goodluck Jonathan, the vice-president, has been heading cabinet meetings, insisting: "The ship of state continues to sail." But executive powers have not officially been transferred to him, raising questions over the legality of decisions made by the government.

Nigeria, a country of more than 200 ethnic groups that emerged from military rule only a decade ago, can ill afford a power vacuum. Two outbreaks of violence involving Islamic radicals in the past six months have been ruthlessly crushed by security forces, leaving hundreds dead.

An uneasy truce is holding in the oil-producing Niger Delta but last month armed men who attacked a pipeline blamed the president's absence for delaying the peace process. Nigeria is locked in a diplomatic row with the US following new security restrictions on the country's air passengers as a result of the terror plot.

Antony Goldman, head of PM Consulting, a London-based risk analysis firm specialising in west Africa, said: "The efforts made by the president's people to say everything is fine are counterproductive. They haven't even been able to produce a picture of him. A picture would speak a million words."

Officials have been scrambling to provide reassurances that Yar'Adua is alive and still fit to govern.

But critics say such assurances are no longer enough. The opposition Action Congress party has demanded visual proof of Yar'Adua's condition, saying: "The president must speak directly to the remaining 149,999,997 Nigerians, using the dated video recording format that we suggested in our earlier statement on Monday."

The government also faces scrutiny over its claim that Yar'Adua signed the supplementary budget from his sickbed in Saudi Arabia. The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), an opposition group, has written to the police asking them to investigate claims of forgery.

Yar'Adua had a serious kidney complaint in 2000, and tried to dismiss rumours of continued ill health in 2007 by challenging his critics to a game of squash. He interrupted his campaign months later to seek medical care in Germany. He was recently diagnosed with acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the heart membrane that can be life-threatening.

Shehu Sani, president of the Civil Rights Congress in Nigeria, said: ""The absence of Mr President is spreading both anxiety and apprehension and creating an atmosphere for underground power struggle and machination that could at any moment be aggravated. The vice-president is a lame duck: weak, indecisive and now surrounded by vultures from the ruling party urging him to assert himself, but their loyalty can change back to Yar'Adua if he recovers and returns to the saddle."

He added: "There exists a strong suspicion among many Nigerians that a cabal of ministers and top government officials are benefiting from the absence of Yar'Adua as his policy of due process, prudence and fiscal responsibility is without a pilot."

Omolulu:

true talk, let's see how long this would last, it's like they give gold medals for the shortest relationships in US

I agree with you Omolulu, it looks like there is a prize for people with the shortest relationship going! let's watch this new one grow

hilarious

eba and okra soup! now i'm pregnant, i eat this everyday! something to look forward to when I come back from work

i hate to say this, but i seriously think that Yaradua guy needs to go (out of office and out of this world too)

why sign a budget while in hospital. What is the V.President there for? Decoration, or figure head it seems to me!

if Nigerian airports are going to have the full body scanner machine, then i can assure you that some passengers will not be using it. Infact, with Nigerian security at the airports, you can bypass all this with a simple N2000 handshake every time you see a security "so-called" personnel. . .

So I will recommend that to improve the security measures in our country, first we have to get rid of all those red-eyed, hungry-looking thieves in the airports and replace them with people more sincere (i don't mean the police, they will only demand for more money at check-points - probably with a shakabula to your head)

the annoying fact is that it is not just Nigerians (ladies and men) in Nigeria that seem to have mastered the fine act of strange accent. We see them abroad too . It is very strange to listen to, besides that person comes across as fake as well. There is nothing wrong with our accent as it is.

i wonder if people have been paid to advertise for Emirates here!

I knew a day will come when Jose Mourinho will come back to lead the Blues to Victory one more time!!!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/dec/18/champions-league-draw-chelsea-inter-mourinho

i'm not at all surprised that some people just come to this forum to run down Peckham. The truth is you have only been shown the high-street in Peckham. There are other areas in Peckham that are "posh", permit me to use the word. In all, the area is actually quite expensive to live in.

Personally I live in Dulwich which is not too far from Peckham (10 mins drive) and i find Peckham quite handy. . . There are hair-stylist there and I get rare Nigerian food from there as well.

Most people that come on here to say this or that about Peckham are the ones that live there, eat there and socialise there.

^{So what if there are a lot of Nigerians there} I don't see anything wrong to be honest. . . sorry

Yahweh!

my El-Shadai! - The Mighty Almighty!

look at the picture above, and that is a mother tending to her child in a pram!! for God's sake. . . i'm pleading to women who think this is good to consider other types of fashion. thank you.

i find the whole low-rise fashion thing ridiculous. . . please ladies, it makes us look stupid and guys you are not helping by staring and whistling! although i don't blame the guys one bit

Please Seun, don't delete this photo it is for the purpose of enlightenment;
please how can someone find this sexy or attractive?

i believe we are all waiting for stagger to provide the procedure for truck registration with major marketers as he promised he would.

thanks stagger!

i am still waiting for the procedure for truck registration with major marketers you promised you were going to send to me.

Father I thank you,
for it's a new day and a new dawn and you have kept me alive, hale and healthy to see it. It's not by my power or by my might but by you spirit. Thank you Jesus!

Depilot:

I'm not sure if this business is the right one to operate in Nigeria, because:
1. The roads are very bad. therefore, you might end up spending the little that you make on constant mecho visit
2. It is hard to come across a dedicated and honest driver in Nigeria. 90% of available drivers in Nigeria today will only give you heart attack because they can not be trusted.
3. Unreliable mecho. When your truck breaks down, it means no money, Nigerian mecho understand the importance of your truck to your business, therefore they will not hesitate to take advantage and capitalize on making a living out of you and your truck.

Driver is not the only key to the business. Mecho and access to the parts (to repair your truck) and a very strong stamina (to be able to deal with the ups and downs) represent another important keys to a successful haulage business in Nigeria.

As a starter or new business owner, I still do not think this is the right business for you.

Hi Depilot,

I am very happy that you have taken your time to highlight the risk factor of starting a transport and haulage business in Nigeria. It is something that I am currently looking into. I think what is wise here is to look at the merits and weigh it against the demerits. If the disadvantages involved are too much and therefore not worth it, then I won't spend my hard-earned money trying to set the business up.

Remember, we also have to take into consideration that whatever business that we decide we are going to venture into, be it in Nigeria or in any other part of the world for that matter, there will always be a risk or many risks involved.

So are you currently runnning your own business? If you reckon haulage is not the best of businesses, could you please suggest another. I want you to know also that I value your contribution to this issue because people often talk about the profits of the business but leave out the obvious disadvantages that will most certainly be involved anyway.

Many thanks

@stagger, i'm patiently awaiting this information. Thank you

thanks tobi,

i will be in contact with you soon, hopefully you will be able to share some of the experiences that you have had. Everyone says it is a good business, i am hoping there is a truth in it and that my experience in the business will not be different when i finally venture into it. Thanks again!

@ stagger, i am still waiting for you to get in touch.

I also read from one of your previous posts that you are considering cattle farming. How is that coming up?

I am still open to advise in regards to the topic of this thread.

thank you adema, i will be in touch before or during the weekend! thanks again!

please give details of your business cifasuyi@googlemail.com

many thanks

thanks Ifyalways!
do you know of any company that manages trucks though?

Hello Nairalanders!!!!

I know someone has posted information regarding this topic but I wanted to get a clear message by starting a topic dedicated to Transport and Haulage Business in Nigeria and West Africa.

So the information I get is that one can make as much as N300 000 a month if you buy a truck or trailer for some kind of transport business or put down N3million.

My questions are as follows;

1. Does anyone have any experience about this business? If so, please share with us.

2. Is this just another 419 scam? Then, I am prepared to run oooo!

3. What exactly is being transported with the trucks bought?

If you answer this question and you are into this kind of business, please tell us if you are a sole-trader or working for a company. (it is a good way to introduce your business to us)

Finally, I am really interested in this business because it sounds like you could make a profit out of it if successful.

So, please share your views. Many thanks!

romade is a she,

romade is a girl, i saw her yesterday!!

Working hard to meet a dead-line at the office

NO!!

have you ever fallen on the ground botton first?

abi! o jo kan pelu? se wa ok sha?


@ topic - i miss my hubby, went home without me as i am working late again!

I am missing goodass