₦airaland Forum

Well you have heard the story "I had no shoes". Apparently Atiku has heard it too and has decided to do something about it. He is set to launch his 2015 campaign by providing shoes for shoeless people so they don't fall for the 'I had no shoes' story again. But how far can he go?

BALI, Indonesia (AP) — All 108 passengers and crew survived after a new Lion Air jet crashed into the ocean and snapped into two while attempting to land Saturday on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, injuring up to 45 people.

The injured were taken to several different hospitals for treatment, but there appeared to be no serious injuries, said airport spokesman Alfasyah, who like many Indonesians uses only one name. There were three foreigners on board — two Singaporeans and a French national — all of whom suffered slight injuries.

TV footage showed police and rescuers using rubber boats to evacuate the 101 passengers and seven crew members. The Boeing 737 could be seen sitting in the shallow water with a large crack in its fuselage.

Officials initially said the plane overshot the runway before hitting the water, but a spokesman for Lion Air, a low-cost carrier, said at a news conference that the plane crashed about 50 meters (164 feet) ahead of the runway. The weather was cloudy with rain at the time of the incident.

"It apparently failed to reach the runway and fell into the sea," said the spokesman, Edward Sirait.

He said the Boeing 737-800 Next Generation plane was received by the airline last month and was declared airworthy. The plane originated in Bandung, the capital of West Java province, and had landed in two other cities on Saturday prior to the crash.

"We are not in a capacity to announce the cause of the crash," Sirait said, adding that the National Safety Transportation Committee was investigating.

Those on board recalled being terrified as the plane slammed into the water Saturday afternoon.

"The aircraft was in landing position when suddenly I saw it getting closer to the sea, and finally it hit the water," Dewi, a passenger who sustained head wounds in the crash and uses one name, told The Associated Press.

"All of the passengers were screaming in panic in fear they would drown. I left behind my belongings and went to an emergency door," she said. "I got out of the plane and swam before rescuers jumped in to help me."

Rapidly expanding Lion Air is Indonesia's top discount carrier, holding about a 50 percent market share in the country, a sprawling archipelago of 240 million people that's seeing a boom in both economic growth and air travel. The airline has been involved in six accidents since 2002, four of them involving Boeing 737s and one resulting in 25 deaths, according to the Aviation Safety Network's website.

Lion Air is currently banned from flying to Europe due to broader safety lapses in the Indonesian airline industry that have long plagued the country. Last year, a Sukhoi Superjet-100 slammed into a volcano during a demonstration flight, killing all 45 people on board.

Indonesia is one of Asia's most rapidly expanding airline markets, but is struggling to provide qualified pilots, mechanics, air traffic controllers and updated airport technology to ensure safety.

Lion Air, which started flying in 2000, signed a $24 billion deal last month to buy 234 Airbus planes, the biggest order ever for the French aircraft maker. It also gave Boeing its largest-ever order when it finalized a deal for 230 planes last year. The planes will be delivered from 2014 to 2026.

She was recently honoured in America with the Woman of Courage award. In this no-holds- barred interaction, she tells her story. Excerpts:

[b]To people, you are just an activist, but who exactly is Joe Odumakin? [/b]Joe Okei-Odumakin was born on 4 July, 1966 in Zaria, Kaduna State. I have three elder brothers and lost a younger one while growing up. I grew up as a tom boy because I was born in the midst of boys, I play football a lot. I love defending people’s rights and it started during my kindergarten level.

I attended a missionary school because my parents were staunch Catholics; I had wanted to be a nun. That was what I wanted all my life. I attended St Barnabas Primary School. After that, I attended Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, Ilorin because my parents were based in Ilorin.

I did my A Levels in Kwara State Polytechnic where I was at the School of Basic Studies in 1984. Like I said, I wanted to be a nun at the age of 14 but my father threatened to disown me. I was too young to be disowned. Not only did my father threaten to disown me, he also was to print my obituary because he said I did not want to procreate.
After that I cried all through the day and night, I then told my mum to tell my father that I was willing to continue my education. When my father returned from his trip to the United Kingdom, he then took me to one Dr Acho, who was the Director of Basic Studies, and told him that that I would be living in his house. I lived there for a week and promised my father I would stay on campus. My father then opened a hard cover note book for me to clock in and out.
After a year, I saw a poster which read, ‘Rethink Nigeria’, which was a left wing movement, and seeing it, I felt I should go for the meeting. On getting there, I went through the agenda, but there was no opening or closing prayer and I made an observation but people shouted at the same time ‘who brought this thing here? Throw her out, they are talking about serious national issues and this thing is talking about prayers’. So, I had to leave. But three weeks after, I was called upon again. I was addressed as ‘reverend sister, and told, ‘we won’t include opening or closing prayers, but you can come for our meeting’.

I went there and still observed the same thing. They were so violent with me, held me by neck and led me out and, since then, I vowed never to be part of the meeting. That was how after my A Levels, I got admission into ABU Zaria but the institution was too far for me and my second choice was the University of Ilorin where I read English Education and graduated in 1987.


I did my Youth Service at the 35th Amphibious Battalion with soldiers. I interacted with the soldiers intensely. I came back to the University of Ilorin in 1990 to do my master’s in guidance and counseling.
While I was at the University of Ilorin in 1985, I had a lecturer who saw that I was brilliant and asked what I wanted to become in life and I told her that wanted to become a nun.

She was the one who motivated me to read about Martin Luther King and other people like Karl Max, Malcom X. That was how the thing started in January 10, 1985 and, by March 1985, the position of secretary for Women in Nigeria, Kwara State branch was vacant. When it was time for us to reel out our manifesto, first person to speak; I started quoting from Martin Luther King’s book, people started hailing me and the third person did not bother to come up.
That was how I became the secretary of Women in Nigeria, Kwara State branch in 1985. That was how I became born again into the struggle.

But what motivated you to become an activist?

One quotation stuck me when I read Martin Luther King where he said ‘our lives begin to end when we keep silent about things that matter’. I felt my life was ending because I was silent about things that matter. I called my lawyer-friend and told him to prepare my will and, then, I had mattress and books. I told him that ‘if anything happens, give my mattress to motherless babies, give my books to the University of Ilorin library’.

What motivated me really were those books that I read and I wondered how people were giving their lives to the struggle. I wondered how Rosa Parks refused to get up in the bus and so I found out that a lot of people had given their lives to struggles. I situated that within the Nigerian context and I pondered on military dictatorship in Nigeria.
I also had to fathom the fact that we got independence in 1960 and, by 1985, if a child was born at that time, that child would have become a man or woman; and if that man is still on diapers, there is cause for one to worry. That was how I started and then, Karl Max had said that every onlooker is either a coward or a traitor. All those things and several other things and then situating it to our own environment, it was then I saw a leaflet with the name of Dr Beko Ransome Kuti, President, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, and I called him on phone.
Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin We spoke and I introduced myself, that I was the secretary for Women in Nigeria. He said he was in Lagos and asked me if I wanted to come over and I said yes. The next day, I took off for Lagos; when I saw him, he was packing his books and he said he had an appointment with the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi and that he needed to confirm from Gani if he could come with me.

He put a call through to Gani and he said I could come. That was how we went to Gani’s chambers. It was the same day that I saw him (Beko), Gani and also Fela. By the time we were through with Gani, Beko was going to see Fela and he asked if I wanted to see Fela and I said I would like to see Fela. Fela, apart from Bob Marley, was another musician I loved listening to.

When I saw Fela, he asked in pidgin, ‘wetin be your name? (What is your name?) I said Joe, he said ‘that one no be name; wetin be your native name?’I told him Obiagali. He said what was the meaning and I said my, ‘Mind is not at rest’. Then said a few things about Nigeria.
There were a lot of things I picked from Fela’s life and that was how I started. We had Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in 1989, Campaign for Democracy in 1991, Institute for Human Rights and Democratic Studies but my own base was Ilorin.

Anything that I am doing, I put 100 percent commitment to it, and so, in terms of the struggle, I was dedicated. We took the Jehovah Witness approach and then, in Kwara State, I started as secretary, then treasurer, deputy and then chairperson.

Batted with urine I was in and out of detention for about 17 times. At that time, I always liked to go to the hottest zone each time there was heavy protest. During the IBB time, when they were to paste posters, I came to Lagos for a meeting and I said, ‘ if I am in Lagos, I will follow them to paste posters at Dodan Barracks’, but Beko advised that I go back to my base in Ilorin. I went back to Ilorin but I made sure I pasted my posters at the police headquarters. We went for the pasting at 1 a.m and somebody with a bike would take us, drop us very close and then will go and take cover.
So, I pasted mine at the police headquarters but some of the security bulbs there were not functional; it was under that cover that I put starch and pasted. But, unfortunately for me that day, a police officer was talking with his colleague. The person came near where I was pasting and I had to lie still and he urinated all over my head but I was still lying down. At the end, being a tipsy person, he stepped on something and called for a torch to be brought.
The moment I heard that, I didn’t know whether to run or lie down. When the person brought the torch, he thought it was a big snake as he saw somebody lying on the ground. He flashed the torch and saw posters with Babangida’s face being crossed. He said ‘you have the effrontery to come to the police headquarters?’

Immediately after that, he picked me up and started beating me. The other one said, ‘Why are you wasting time, kill her’, but the bike man that brought us said ‘don’t kill her oh, we have seen you’. They poured the starch on me and the next thing I knew was that I found myself in the cell, I was already tired. When I woke up, I was covered with starch and I was like that for two days. I also recollect what my mother was telling my father that he should have allowed me to be a nun.

My father was a top civil servant, he was serving under a military government and I was the one leading the protest. They went and ransacked his house, he was also arrested, and it was like that for sometime.
I also remember the time I swore in my life never to put on skirt. It was during one of the rallies that we had which was against Abacha in 1994. I was in Ilorin. I was in shirt and blouse and I was the one leading the protest while I was addressing the rally, soldiers came around and I was serious beaten. My shirt was torn and I was thrown inside the gutter.

But fortunately, I saw a scarf which I tied around my waist because my skirt had been torn and I had virtually nothing on. I was seriously beaten and, in the course of that, I sustained serious injuries, I was kicked underneath several times. That was how they took me to the cell and I was like that for three days. That was the last time I vowed never to put on skirt.

With this robust story, how have you been able to marry activism with the home front?
If one fails in one, one has failed in all. I learnt from my mother when I was growing up. If I am going for the protest or anything, I make sure that I prepare about six different kinds of soup and keep them in the freezer just like I learnt from my mother who always went once a while to the market.

I used to go to the market, but I put a stop to it because when anytime I get there by 10 am, people who have problems will come and those who appreciate me.
I will be in the market from ten in the morning to two in the afternoon and will end up buying nothing. Now, I send people to the market to help me buy things and, when I am around, I like cooking. The house must be thoroughly cleaned; the bed sheet must be thoroughly cleaned and, then, when I was growing up, I know that my dad still had time to look at my homework. I still find time to look at my children’s homework.
Honestly, balancing the home front has not been easy because, in those days during the military dictatorship, I had vowed that I was not going to marry except there was democracy until I met Comrade Yinka Odumakin in prison; one thing led to the other and we got married. Shortly after our marriage, there was no honeymoon. We were in a hotel in Ilorin and the manager called us that we should leave.
Why?
They said some troublesome people were in the hotel and that he did not want to leave his job as manager. After the reception in Ilorin, we got to the hotel around 2:30 pm and, ten minutes after we got there, we decided to leave for Lagos. When we arrived Lagos, we had to leave for Pa Ajasin’s burial the next day.

One thing was that in 1998, 13 months after my marriage, I was to address a press conference in Pa Abraham Adesanya’s office. That morning, I was feeling funny. We were to go to Apapa, but, had to go to the doctor’s place. The doctor said it was labour sign and I said, ‘ doctor, you have to stop this labour because I have a press conference to address’. The doctor said the labour sign was advanced labour, this was around 7:30 am.
My mother was with me in the hospital, and then, by 9:10 am, the baby came; the baby sneezed and cried. As they were cleaning the baby, I left for Apapa to address the press conference. Nobody knew that I had just delivered a baby not to talk of being pregnant except my husband who was also at the press conference. Immediately after the press briefing, I returned to the hospital.

When I arrived at the hospital, my mother asked where I was and I told her that I went to address a press conference; my mother then said ‘you are an extremely strong girl’. I told the doctor to discharge me because there was nothing wrong with me. That was how we left.
Aside activism, what are your other hobbies?
I read a lot and I love watching History Channel.

There is this argument in some quarters that the death of Gani Fawehinmi, Beko Ransome Kuti, Pa Abraham Adesanya and others has really affected activism in Nigeria and has made activism to be on the decline. What is your position because many people believe that most of the ills in the country are going unchallenged and what you people usually do now is to make noise?

Beko Ransome-Kuti was the live wire of the human rights movement, while Gani was the heart beat of the struggle. At the inception of this same struggle, there was a rallying point because we had military dictatorship. The likes of Beko and Gani went to the battle with their eyes closed and their death has left a gap in the human rights and pro-democracy movement.
We still have some of our warriors around like Professor Wole Soyinka but, really, one of the things that have kept us down in this country remains the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference. I know that until Beko breathed his last, he worked tirelessly for the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference. Not only him, Pa Enahoro and Gani all worked for us to have SNC. The practical example Beko took then at the National Arts Theatre at Iganmu in 1990 which Babangida smashed, he said there were no-go areas on the issue of nationhood.

The issue is not whether Nigeria needs a Sovereign National Conference but the thing is that can we still get delegates in the midst of Boko Haram in the North, in the midst of kidnapping in the East?

The reason some of us did not participate in politics then was that we had the feeling that the Constitution that we have is not perfect. There is nobody that will go in there that will not come out unscratched. Some activists joined politics because they felt we should not sweep the house from outside but from inside and, unfortunately, they were swept off because they campaigned for Obasanjo’s third term.
Few of the activist felt they could not remain on the streets, like what happened in 1999 and, then, powerful people who had business in governance could just hijack it. If we were part of the making of governance, it is not going to be possible, but one thing you should know is that all of us cannot go into politics. The reason some of us have not dared it is because the Constitution is totally flawed, it is not workable. Secondly, we must create an enabling environment where people can come and there will be a level playing ground, the electoral system should be properly strengthened; our institutions should also be properly strengthened.

Like what you just said that a lot of people just come around to make noise, one thing you should know is that activism is a very laborious task. Going out to sensitize and mobilize people is laborious. You should also realize that we do not have that central issue that brings all of us together.

There is the need for total stock-taking and change of tactics. We have always agitated for non-violent protests, I remember a time during the struggle that over 200 people were killed, I was shot on my right leg. There is no other language than a non-violent language.

Even if Tunisians, Egyptians, Libyans did not complain in the comfort of their homes, no matter what happens, we should not get desperate to the extent of taking up arms and ammunition.
But, by and large, we need to do a lot more, it is just like dropping a cube of sugar in the ocean; but, historically, those who contributing positively, I am sure that history is taking note of them. We still have a few of us who are really active in the struggle. I tell people that activism is no job.
But there are some people who believe that activists take activism as full time jobs… Activism is no job. Anyone who engages in full-time activism means that the person has another way of survival. Being on activist I, realized the importance of education; right from the time I was in Ilorin, I was employed by the Teaching Service Commission, I was doing part-time lecturing at the polytechnic, I was a WAEC marker, I take part-time lesson for big shots in the society who want you come and teach their children and you are well paid at the end of the day. So, by the time I put all of these together, it is worth it. I prefer teaching in private universities though the public universities are good, but I need what would give me time and I have my reasons anyway.

As I speak with you now, I am on contract with two private universities and I do a lot of local and international rapporteur and I am paid. I have lots of work I am editing, I write biographies and I make presentations so that, at the end of the month, I know the amount that will come to me. When that amount comes, I give 60 per cent to the struggle, while I keep the rest 40 per cent. When international organizations come to Nigeria and I am called upon, I present my CV, I do their job and I go.

Can you recount how many times you have been detained and your worst experience during the struggle?
We had lots of detentions that were not recorded, but the one I can remember is that I have been detained about 17 times and the worst of the detention was at Alagbon. I was detained in Ilorin and I developed typhoid fever. I was detained for about three weeks, I was on treatment and my father came to sign an undertaking that I will be of good behaviour but I refused. The chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress then, Comrade Bisi Bakare, came with my father and appealed to me and said ‘he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day’. When my father wanted to sign, I refused and so they left. After they left, the drip I was given was violently removed; infact, my vein tucked up. Shortly, I saw my parents and the NLC president.

Which year was this?
It was in 1994. They took me inside a vehicle with another one behind us, we were on our way to Lagos. But on our way, after Ogbomosho, my stomach turned because the drip that was used to sustain me had been removed and I had not started eating. I told them I wanted to ease myself, but they refused thinking I wanted to run away. They told me to ease myself in the vehicle but the driver appealed to them that they should allow me go into the bush and ease myself.
As the vehicle stopped, I ran and they started firing but I did not care if anything hit me. I got there and relieved myself. That was how we stopped over four times before we got to Lagos. On getting to Lagos, I was pulled with the handcuffs on my hands and legs. When Chief Gani Fawehinmi saw me, he was angry and told them to remove the handcuffs on my legs and hands. That was how they took me to the cell and, in the small cell, there were over 14 of us.

http://news.naij.com/30957.html

The website Global Firepower ranks 68 countries by their military strength in 2013. Seven African countries made the list. Global Firepower did not include Uganda on the list, but that nation’s army has played a key role in African peacekeeping forces, and is said to have one of the well-trained armies on the continent. We take a closer look at the seven countries and why they are considered the largest military powers in Africa.

Egypt
Egypt is the first African country to make the list in 14th place. The Egyptian military has four main service branches: the army, navy, air force and air defense command. According to Global Firepower Egypt has more than 800 military aircraft and 200 helicopters. The Egyptian navy also reportedly has two Corvettes and four submarines in addition to various other vessels. One of the reasons Egypt ranks so highly is due to the support from international allies - in many instances this support takes the form of equipment. The US provides Egypt with military assistance annually in order to promote stability on the continent; they reportedly provided $1.39 billion in 2013. Egypt has in turn provided support to their allies on the continent, helping to train their armed forces; however Egypt’s main military focus has been on the Middle East, rather than Africa. According to reports the Egyptian military also controls large portions of the economy, the number has been put as high as 40%.

Ethiopia
Ethiopia's military is made up of an army and an air force, the nation has the second strongest military on the African continent as a result of both their large population and their long independence from colonisation. Earlier this year it was reported that the Ethiopian military had developed their first drone (unmanned aerial vehicle); a military technology most often associated with the United States. The country's active involvement in international peacekeeping efforts in various conflicts all over the continent has also honed their defense force. As of 2012 Ethiopia reportedly had around 150 000 personnel in their ground forces and a further 3000 air force personnel. Global Firepower reports that they have just over 300 tanks, 147 aircraft and 68 helicopters.

South Africa
The South African National Defence Force is comprised of the South African army, navy and air force, as well as a military health service. According to Global Firepower the country's arsenal includes 250 tanks, 240 rocket projectors, 235 aircraft and three submarines. While South Africa has one of the smaller armies on this list in terms of personnel, they are considered the most advanced military in terms of technology. Before the end of Apartheid South Africa had developed nuclear weapons, and despite destroying them, there is still a weapons development industry in SA. The country is now starting to take a more active role in international peacekeeping efforts on the continent, but the recent tragedy in Central African Republic has shone a spotlight on the weaknesses of the the SA armed forces.

Nigeria
The Nigerian Armed Forces are made up of close to 500 000 personnel, split between the army, navy and air force. They are very active in combined peacekeeping efforts on the continent. According to Global Firepower Nigeria has 363 tanks, 294 aircraft and 84 helicopters. The Nigerian army in particular has been active internally, primarily in the north of the country. The army has been criticised for their heavy-handed manner in dealing with civilians in their conflict with Boko Haram. The Nigerian navy also has four corvettes. The strength of the armed forces has been a result of the contentious nature of Nigerian politics since independence. There were 10 military coups in Nigeria between 1966 and 1999 and there was also a civil war between 1967 and 1970. The budget is $3.7 billion.

Algeria
The Algerian military is known as the People's National Army. The force is both large, with more than 120 000 active personnel, and well equipped. They are supplied mainly by Russia and China. The military is comprised of an army, navy and air force. Algeria's military has an impressive tally of 1050 tanks according to Global Firepower. They also reportedly have 148 rocket projectors, 409 aircraft, 136 helicopters, three Corvettes and three submarines. The Algerian army is believed to be very involved in domestic politics; this may be as a result of there being nothing much for them to do as they have not been involved in any international conflicts since 1976. Earlier this year in January, Algerian troops were involved in a botched operation to free hostages held at the Sahara gas plant. While 32 of the hostage takers were reportedly killed the death toll of hostages was higher, with some reports stating 48 were killed.

Kenya
Kenya Defence Forces, as the East African nation's military is known, is comprised of an army, navy and air force. With only 24 120 active personnel it is one of the smaller forces on the continent; however the nation's strategic location means the Kenyan military has been highly active since its inception. It is supplied by the US, and has a budget of around $800 million. According to Global Firepower, Kenya has 186 tanks, 12 rocket projectors, 148 aircraft and 78 helicopters. Kenya's military has been involved in several UN peacekeeping missions in Africa and Europe. They have also worked closely with Somalia's military in order to take on Al-Shabaab and have joined The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to further aide their cause.

Libya
Historically Libya had one of the largest military forces on the continent, but following the Libyan revolution in 2011 the previous army was disbanded and the Libyan National Army was created. The Libyan military currently has between 35 000 and 40 000 personnel. Their equipment arsenal remains impressive as they inherited the equipment from the former army the Armed Forces of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. The current force is made up of ground forces, an air force and a navy. According to Global Firepower they have 500 tanks, 800 rocket projectors, 621 aircraft, a frigate and a Corvette.

okwutency: Nairalanders pls I need help. I have a business I established. Initially, it looks like the stress was too much and now the biz seem to be growing small small.

And I have this very close friend that has been help from secondary school, in fact almost all the cloths I’ve is from him. He never showed interest in this biz until recently that it looked like I’m going to make huge profit, then he came with the idea of being my partner in the biz. He said he’l bring half of the money in the biz now and then after every month, we share the profit 60% and 40%.

I didn’t agree in this idea and asked him to start his own biz, he said it’s not advisable for 2 friends to be producing the same thing in the same area and he can’t do it. And I also told him that even if I’m going to do the partnership thing, it’l not be now, that my biz has not grown to that level that he should wait till I made great achievement in it. If I do it now, I’l loose interest in the biz and the whole thing will collapse. This issue is trying to brake our relationship. Pls advise me.
Going by your story, Partnership step, will be the deadliest move in this scenario. From my assessment, one of your driving force in this business is the passion you have for it which is the building block of your perseverance even when your biz wasn't going well, and immediately you consider partnership, the passion will be the first quality that will drop.


Pls I want to ask, when is it advisable to make partnership in biz? Is it when the biz is started, growing or grown. Pls I need answers with reason.

Going by your story, Passion I sense is your major driving force which is also the building block of perseverance even during the times the company wasn't flourishing as expected. If you consider Partnership now at this infant stage of your company it might be deadly, cox there is high tendency that immediately you step into it your level of passion will drop.

This has really been facts revealing

Everybody has to start somewhere. Bill Gates currently has a net worth of $67 billion, but less than 40 years ago he was making just $15,000. The Living Computer Museum showed off their collection of Microsoft paraphernalia at an event on Tuesday, including co-founders Bill Gates and Paul Allens' resumes from 1974.

Full story here
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/04/bill-gates-resume_n_3014451.html

Henry Ford failed and went broke five times before he finally succeeded.

Beethoven handled the violin awkwardly and preferred playing his own compositions instead of improving his technique. His teacher called him hopeless as a composer.

Colonel Sanders had the construction of a new road put him out of business in 1967. He went to over 1,000 places trying to sell his chicken recipe before he found a buyer interested in his 11 herbs and spices. Seven years later, at the age of 75, Colonel Sanders sold his fried chicken company for a finger-lickin' $15 million!

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for lack of ideas. Disney also went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland.

Charles Darwin, father of the theory of evolution, gave up a medical career and was told by his father, "You care for nothing but shooting, dogs, and rat catching." In his autobiography, Darwin wrote, "I was considered by my father, a very ordinary boy, rather below the common standard in intellect.

Albert Einstein did not speak until he was four years old and didn't read until he was seven. His teacher described him as "mentally slow, unsociable and adrift forever in his foolish dreams." He was expelled and refused admittance to Zurich Polytechnic School. The University of Bern turned down his Ph.D. dissertation as being irrelevant and fanciful.

The movie Star Wars was rejected by every movie studio in Hollywood before 20th-Century Fox finally produced it. It went on to be one of the largest grossing movies in film history.

Louis Pasteur was only a mediocre pupil in undergraduate studies and ranked 15 out of 22 in chemistry.

When NFL running back Herschel Walker was in junior high school, he wanted to play football, but the coach told him he was too small. He advised young Herschel to go out for track instead. Never one to give up, he ignored the coach's advice and began an intensive training program to build himself up. Only a few years later, Herschel Walker won the Heisman trophy.

When General Douglas MacArthur applied for admission to West Point, he was turned down, not once but twice. But he tried a third time, was accepted and marched into the history books.

After Fred Astaire's first screen test, the memo from the testing director of MGM, dated 1933, said, "Can't act! Slightly bald! Can dance a little!" Astaire kept that memo over the fireplace in his Beverly Hills home.

The father of the sculptor Rodin [The Thinker Statue] said, "I have an idiot for a son." Described as the worst pupil in the school, Rodin failed three times to secure admittance to the school of art. His uncle called him uneducable.

Babe Ruth, considered by sports historians to be the greatest athlete of all time and famous for setting the home run record, also holds the record for strikeouts.

Eighteen publishers turned down Richard Bach's Jonathan Livingston Seagull, before Macmillan finally published it in 1970. By 1975 it had sold more than seven million copies in the U.S. alone.

Margaret Mitchell's classic Gone with the Wind was turned down by more than twenty-five publishers.

Richard Hooker worked for seven years on his humorous war novel, M*A*S*H, only to have it rejected by 21 publishers before Morrow decided to publish it. It became a runaway bestseller, spawning a blockbusting movie and highly successful television series.

When the first Chicken Soup for the Soul book was completed, it was turned down by thirty-three publishers in New York and another ninety at the American Booksellers Association convention in Anaheim, California, before Health Communications, Inc., finally agreed to publish it. The major New York publishers said, "It is too nicey-nice" and "Nobody wants to read a book of short little stories." Since that time more than 8 million copies of the original Chicken Soup for the Soul book have been sold. The series, which has grown to thirty-two titles, in thirty-one languages, has sold more than 53 million copies.

In 1954, Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, fired Elvis Presley after one performance. He told Presley, "You ain't goin' nowhere… son. You ought to go back to drivin' a truck." Elvis Presley went on to become the most popular singer in America.

Dr. Seuss' first children's book, And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street, was rejected by twenty-seven publishers. The twenty-eighth publisher, Vanguard press, sold six million copies of the book.

Never give up believing in yourself!!!

bebe2: hi NL, i have a bakery in benin city nigeria. it was opened in january and its been run by my sister.
the problem is were are not making a profit.
i spent about 4million setting it up but it has refused to get off the ground.

cost of baking one bag of flour (including other ingredients)according to my calculations is about N11,800.
they are making profit of about N1200 fom each bag after expenses.
this doesnt make sense, i expect to make at least 40% of the cost of making a bag of flour.

we cant even holdon to a baker they come spend 1 month and they are gone.

pls anyone wit experience, can u help wit tips?

Involving family members in business most times does not work well even if you are around, how much more when you are not around my simple advice is, you need to take the bull by the horn, relieve your sister of the job and get a good Manager am afraid you might need to come down to Nigeria and operate it for like a month from there you will be able to study the terrain of things and recruit someone that has a better experience, with this one month you could have developed an 'operating manual' for the business, that any reasonable Manager can follow with you being there or not.

11th commandment of Entrepreneurship is 'Never let any idea die'. You will always know when it is the best time, most especially when you have a burning desire or idea and won't just let you sleep, a dream is not what you see in sleep, it is what won't let you sleep.
To buttress that, There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a BURNING DESIRE to possess it-
Napoleon Hill.

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