58 years after gaining independence, a lot of things have obviously changed as Benin republic has had to undergo rapid phases of development largely due to the invasion by the French.
I paid a very close attention to the City of Cotonou during my weekend getaway and did a mental comparison between its fascinating peculiarities and that of Lagos- Nigeria’s most popular city.
Here are 10 Unbelievable ways Cotonou is different from Lagos.
Transport 1. Bikes (popularly called Taxi-Moto) is the most popular means of transportation in Cotonou. Though there are private cars, tricycles, buses and taxis, but the volume of Taxi-motos far outnumbers them. https://nomadicnegro.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20180930_110316-640x360.jpg A typical Taxi-moto parked beside a typical public bus in Benin republic.
2. The official uniform for bikers is either green or yellow. This contributed immensely to the appeal it brought to the highways in general. And more ladies ride bikes compared to Lagos. Though I didn’t encounter any commercial female biker, I saw tons of ladies ride bikes comfortably and as good as their male counterparts.
3. The use of helmets is common. In Lagos, riders use helmets to evade arrest and pull it off once they away from traffic authorities, but in Cotonou, bike riders seemed to know the importance of using helmets every time they are on the road.
4. The number plate of vehicles and motorcycles in Cotonou have just 6 characters, making it very appealing and easier to memorize. Compared to that of Lagos with as much as 8 characters.
Currency 5. The CFA is the standard monetary unit in Benin republic. This colourful bank notes and coins Popularly pronounced as ‘sefar’ are weaker to the Naira at the rate of 1.50 CFA to 1 Naira.
6. Coins are still very much in use and the highest denomination of coins is 500 CFA and the lowest coin being 50 CFA. 20,000 CFA is the highest bank-note in Benin Republic.
7. Unlike what is a major practice in tons of countries around the world, There are no images of any national hero on any of the currencies in Benin Republic. This I suspect is due to the fact that the CFA is jointly spent by 14 countries formerly ruled by the French.
Language 8. The official language is french Fon, Egun and Yoruba are popular indigenous languages used in Cotonou. It was a bitter-sweet experience for me to cope with buying things and asking for directions as a large fraction of the people speak French.
Housing 9. If you’ve been used to the 1 minimum year down-payment style of house letting in Lagos (a style I think adds to the accommodation problems in the city), it’s kind of different in Cotonou as landlords popularly let houses for as short as 1 month like what’s obtainable in Europe. Most of these houses too are already furnished, needing you to only bring in few personal belongings.
10. Almost all the buildings in Cotonou are roofless (let me put it at 9 out of every 10), unlike in Nigeria where roofing is popular. Most houses use these roofless tops creatively for stuffs like gym, mini swimming pools, laundry lines etc.
11. In Cotonou, you’d get taxed if you paint your building. Everyone is advised to use tiles instead. So stop wondering why the best tilers in west Africa are from Benin. This is kind of funny but it’s true.
Environment 12. Compared to Lagos, the streets are generally wider and mostly untarred. hardly will you also find streets with Gutters.
13. The electric socket in Benin Repubic according to world standards is of the type C / E which is of 220V, 50 Hz compared to that of Nigeria which is type C / E of 230V, 50 Hz. I had to spend 200 CFA in getting a multi socket plug to enable me use my laptop.
14. There’s as many churches as there are mosques and shrines. The funny thing is that there is s huge catholic church right in front of the popular Snake Temple in Ouidah.
15. Pubs and strip clubs are almost available in every corner. I was at one of the clubs on my first night and unlike the shanawole and casket lifestyle of the Lagos club houses, things are far more calm and serene in Cotounou. I wasn’t too surprised when more than half of the songs played are from Nigeria, same thing in Accra.
16. Ankara is the official wear. there’s no such thing as preserving it till Fridays and Owambes.
Economy 17. It’s obvious the country isn’t rich but have managed to remain modest.
18. The most popular bank is Bank of Africa while The most popular mobile telecommunication network is Moove, closely followed by MTN and far behind is Glo.
19. Suya sellers are neater, but might need to ask for tasting before you’re being spared a slice. and instead of newspapers, thick brown papers are used instead.
20. popular street foods include:
Acheke: A combo of cassava grains, Fish, vegetable and beans.
OP you try wela if you only stayed for a short while.. i concur with all you have said cause i know this place, i grew up there and still do business there. You forgot to mention the power/light situation... such a shame to compare with Nigeria
Robbin7: Please help me, I lost my original documents, my two waec certificates I combined to gain admission, my school leaving certificate, my birth certificate, please how can get these back and what is the best approach to take. Especially my original certificates. Please help me serious advice needed.
I hope and pray you have photocooies of all the documents. If you do then don't panic.
Processing new docs will take a long time and sometimes forever.... Go to the police station and get a police report on loss of documents. Also get a court affidavit in same regard.
This 2 documents along with photocopies you have will sail you through whatever..
jenniferlove: A prostitute caused chaos, in the early hours of today, at a hotel in Akure, Ondo State, after a client reneged on their agreement.
According to the lady, they had agreed on N10k for an all-night romp, however, when the man was done with her, he gave her only N3k and threw her out of the room. .
Noticing that the man was trying to prove smart, the lady started throwing expletives. He words: “Our agreement is N10k. I will collect my full money without sparing a dime.
My vagina is aching now. I can’t walk properly. Can you rough-handle me in bed like that, if I was your wife? Do you want to be unfortunate or suffer in life? Open this door. Don’t allow me to “spoil” your face. My vagina is “peppering” me.”
Explorers: A mass grave for more than a thousand earthquake and tsunami victims has been prepared in Indonesia as a desperate hunt for survivors continued today.
Sand is placed over dead bodies of the victims of the earthquake and tsunami during a mass burial at the Poboya Cemetery in Palu, Central Sulawesi.
Alphasoar: Chukwudi Akasike and Sampson Itode, Port Harcourt
TWO candidates, Mr Tonye Cole and Senator Magnus Abe, emerged winners of the parallel governorship primaries conducted by both factions of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State.
Cole came out victorious in the indirect governorship primary held in Port Harcourt on Sunday when he polled 3,329 votes while his closest rival, Dr Dawari George, got 491 votes.
Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs came a distant third with 38 votes while Abe got one vote.
Eighteen votes were declared void by the Jafar Isah-led Rivers Governorship Primary Committee.
It was, however, a different story at the primary held by the APC faction loyal to Abe as the senator was declared the winner of the Sunday’s direct governorship primaries conducted in the three senatorial districts of Rivers State by the APC.
The returning officer, Dr Chigbo Sam Eligwe, made the announcement in a press conference at its Secretariat in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
Abe who won with 144,929 votes followed by Dumo Lulu-Briggs who got 3,344, Dawari George getting 1,606 and Tonye Dele Cole 882 votes.
Meanwhile, there was tension in Rivers as the APC in the state held two parallel governorship primaries in different parts of the state.
While the Rotimi Amaechi-led APC conducted an indirect primary on the Igboukwu field in D-Line, Port Harcourt, the Magnus Abe faction adopted the direct governorship primary across different local government areas of the state.
Earlier before the exercise in Port Harcourt by the Amaechi-led APC, there were explosions near the secretariat of the party at about 12.30pm.
The last explosion scared supporters of the Amaechi-led APC as most of them rushed out to have a glimpse of what happened less than 50 metres away from the party secretariat.
However, the exercise went on peacefully as of the time of filing this report.
Before the primaries, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the APC in the state, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, accused the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, of trying to impose his preferred aspirant, Tonye Cole, on the party.
Lulu-Briggs also claimed that certain persons had been handpicked from various wards as delegates to the primary in breach of the party’s constitution and guidelines.
He explained that names were being added and deleted from the delegates’ list.
Lulu-Briggs, however, called for the postponement of the governorship primary in the state, saying this was necessary in order to enhance transparency.
“When the NWC reached the decision that indirect primaries be adopted for the governorship primary in Rivers, as a loyal party man, I accepted the decision in good faith despite the fact that there are pending litigations in various courts, which might vitiate and truncate the process.
“I thus ramped up my campaign, but soon discovered that our party structures from the state executive committee, local government and ward excos across the state have been directed by Rotimi Amaechi, leader of our party in the state, not to allow me access to our party faithful and delegates, but to only support the aspiration of his preferred aspirant, Tonye Cole.
“It is clear from the foregoing that the minimum standards to guarantee a free and fair primary today (Sunday) are nonexistent and any primary held today will be a mere sham and a perfidious travesty.
“To this end, I, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, most graciously appeal to the National Chairman of our great party and the NWC to, as a matter of utmost urgency, postpone the governorship primary for Rivers State so as to correct the anomalies herein complained of because the current arrangement falls short of the minimum standards stipulated by the Electoral Act and our party constitution.”
Reacting, the state APC Publicity Secretary, Mr Chris Finebone, dismissed Lulu-Briggs’ claim, saying, “It is not correct.”
However, a source close to Amaechi urged governorship aspirants to leave the minister alone and face the primaries.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, maintained that the leadership of the party would meet with all stakeholders after the governorship primary in the state.
In another development, a faction of the APC in Rivers State, led by a governorship aspirant and lawmaker representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe, conducted its governorship primaries across the three senatorial districts of the state.
The polling officer in Omuanwa, Ward 7, Ikwerre LGA, Eleonu Ndidi, said voting was peaceful.
He said “We started accreditation started by 7.30am, voting started 8.00am and the entire process ended by 12.30pm. The entire election was peaceful and the turnout was impressive. We are packaging all votes, which will be taken to the local government collation centre.”
Also, voting was peaceful in Ward 3, Elele, Ikwerre LGA, where Chidi Wihioka, a lawmaker representing Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency exercised his franchise.
Wihioka maintained that delegates were currently non-existent in Rivers State as the State High Court had annulled the earlier state congresses held by a faction of the party.
He insisted that National Executive Council of the party had approved direct primary for the APC in Rivers.
But vote counting was ongoing in Port Harcourt at about 7 pm, even as two of the governorship aspirants, Abe and Lulu-Briggs, were absent from the place, where an indirect pattern of voting was adopted.
The leader of the party in the state, Amaechi; Director-General of NIMASA, Dakuku Peterside; and a former acting MD of NDDC, Ibim Semenitari, were at the voting centre in Port Harcourt.
Famousbabe: 24-year-old postgraduate student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, has accused a man, Adesoji Orenowo, of raping her in his house at European Quarters, Meiran, Lagos. Punch reports.
The FUNAAB postgraduate student in her statement to the police, said she agreed to spend the night at Orenowo’s house because she trusted him.
She said, “The reason I visited him was to know him more after we met in December 2017. He told me that he was always busy at work and if I were free during the weekend, we could hook up. He sent me N3,000 for transport fare. That was the first time he would send money to me.
“When I got to his place, I slept there because I met his uncle and the uncle’s wife with some cousins, who welcomed me. Though I was still uncomfortable and was contemplating on going back home, his uncle’s wife said I was safe.
“Around 10pm, I went to sleep in the room provided for me, which was opposite his uncle’s room. Around 2.30am, I saw Orenowo beside me; he was touching and harassing me. I suddenly stood up and went to the passage. Fortunately, his uncle came out to urinate and saw me reading the Bible with the torchlight of my phone. I went to sit in the sitting room.
“Orenowo came and suddenly dragged me from the sitting room through the passage into the room. While hitting my head on the wall, he held my neck. I called for help, but his uncle did not come out.
“He (Orenowo) almost strangled me, saying if I said anything, he would kill me and nobody would trace me. I received a lot of punches and slaps. He stripped me naked and threatened to tie me to the bed if I did not cooperate with him. He penetrated me through the anus and private parts.”
The victim said she reported the incident to Orenowo’s uncle and left the house for a hospital.
Orenowo, however, denied the allegation, saying he did not sleep with his guest after she turned down his advances.
He said, “While I was touching her after we had retired to bed, she told me not to touch her that she was in a fasting and prayer programme. She took the Bible on my bed and left the room.
“When she later came back from the sitting room, we started romancing each other and she insisted that she did not want to have sex and I left her to sleep.”
Orenowo was arraigned before an Ogba Magistrates’ Court on one count of sexual assault.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The magistrate, Mr P.E. Nwaka, ordered that the suspect be remanded in prison.
You are on fasting and prayer and you left school after getting a paltry 3000 and went to see a man.. who else is tasting too much ingredients in this nonsense story?
Abia Civil Servants Demonstrate, Lay Curses On Ikpeazu Over Non-payment Of 9months Salary.
The staff of Abia State owned University teaching hospital,Aba are currently demonstrating over non-payment of their 9months salary.
The demonstration are been staged Inside the premises of the hospital, IGBERE TV reports.
One of the protesters who acted as a spokesman onbehalf of the demonstrators says the non-payment of their salaries has made life difficult and brought hardship on their families. He laid curses on the government if Governor Okezie Ikpeazu saying that anybody who is instrumental to their plight shall experience worst situation till the fourth generation.
Speaking further, he appealed to all relevant authorities in the state to urgently pay them without further delay.
IGBERE TV learnt that the state government had previously claimed to have paid Abia state civil servants their outstanding salary but the workers debunked these claims and accused the state government of constantly churning out lies to deceive the suffering masses.
"The government will come to radio and speak frivolously claiming to have paid it's worker, but that is a lie, we are suffering, our salary have not been paid" he said.
All efforts to get the reaction of the state government proved abortive as calls to the Abia state Commissioner for Information, John Okiyi Kalu were not picked and sms sent to his phone was not replied.
yns4real: The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that there will be consequences if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) succumbs to pressures from planted PDP presidential aspirants to move the party’s National Convention away from Port Harcourt.
He further declared that the state will not support any desperate PDP presidential aspirant who is sabotaging the economy of the state by fighting the hosting of the party’s presidential primary in Port Harcourt.
Mr Wike warned that Rivers People will teach the party a bitter lesson if it allows planted desperate presidential aspirants to scuttle the hosting of the presidential primary in Port Harcourt as agreed by all leaders of the party.
Speaking during a consultative visit by the Gombe State Governor and PDP presidential aspirant, Ibrahim Dankwambo, at the Government House Port Harcourt on Wednesday, Mr Wike said at the PDP’s national meeting, no presidential aspirant opposed Port Harcourt as a venue. He said any presidential aspirant fighting Rivers State should forget about the support of the state, during and after the National Convention.
He said: “Let me warn the party, if you dare, Rivers State will teach the party a lesson. Those days have passed when they took Rivers State for granted. Nobody can use and dump Rivers State.
“No presidential aspirant can use and dump Rivers State. We never lobbied for it, we never asked for it, but it will boost the economy of the state. People will make money.
“Those who are against Rivers people from making money to improve their businesses, will not get our support.” The governor said that whether the National Convention holds in Jigawa or Adamawa, the winner preferred by the delegates will emerge.
“I don’t know why anyone who wants to be president, will be afraid of a venue. Then you are not prepared for the election.
“Nobody should dare Rivers State any longer. Enough is enough. PDP should know that we are not a punching bag. We are not a people you can use and push. We are not harlots. Whenever you want, you come. When you finish, you push us aside.
“We will retaliate at the appropriate time. When you go, tell your colleagues, the presidential aspirants. We were not interested, but having given it to us, you cannot insult us,” Governor Wike said.
The governor pointed out that there are persons who are not presidential materials, but have bought forms simply because the presidency is zoned to the North.
He wondered why a presidential aspirant would declare that he is uncomfortable with Port Harcourt as a venue, but would love Rivers oil.
He said: “You come here to deceive us about restructuring. Just that Rivers State is a venue, you fight it. Then, when you are there, what will happen? You think we are fools where you preach restructuring, then when you get the position, you abandon restructuring.”
Governor Wike said that at the appropriate time, he will reveal the names of presidential aspirants working with the APC-led federal government to scuttle the presidential primary.
He added that no presidential aspirant will use a few members of the Board of Trustees of PDP to scuttle the decision of the party to host the presidential primary in Port Harcourt.
The governor described Governor Dankwambo as eminently qualified to contest the position of President. He said Mr Dankwambo will be considered when Rivers delegates meet to decide on who to support.
Earlier, Mr Dankwambo called on Rivers PDP delegates to support his aspiration as he has the capacity to set the country on the path of growth.
He said that the crisis of development being suffered by the country is a result of the leadership vacuum at the Federal Level .
While saying that he has the training, exposure and experience to lead the country in the right direction, Mr Dankwambo urged Nigerians not to make the error of 2015 when they chose promises ahead of performance.
The presidential aspirant said that he will support whoever emerges as presidential candidate, should it turn out that party delegates vote in a different direction.
1. How did he get all their numbers? Can the Atikus say they don't know this idiot? 2. The buffon of a boy Akpan is foolish for not knowing he can easily be traced with a mobile phone, especially as he has the liver to commit this
dainformant: A female soldier has earned the praises of Nigerians following viral picture of her praying at the battlefield. According to an online report, the gallant soldier who is currently fighting against the Boko Haram sect in the northern part of the country, was captured praying in a bush - with her rifle by her side.
This rare photo of a female soldier praying has got Nigerians talking and wishing protection of the troops at the front line.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, says in spite of pocket of attacks by remnant of Boko Haram terrorists in Borno North, the army is tightening the noose against them.
Buratai, therefore, urged Nigerians and people of the region in particularly not to panic as those attacks do not signal resurgence of insurgency as being insinuated in some quarters.
He spoke in an interaction session with journalists at Mongunu after he personally monitored and coordinated onslaught against the insurgents locked in between troops’ locations in the area.
Dele Momodu summarised his letter in this sentence.
"Hmmm, Asiwaju, at the end of the day, no matter what happens, you would be held responsible for the plight of your party, APC and Lagos State, for good or for bad."
AutoReportNG: Lagos with a population of about 18million people and counting on a daily basis definitely need to have a master plan to accommodate its large number who storms the state on a daily.
The Badagry Expressway was meant to link the road to areas like Mile 2, Iyana Iba, Orile Iganmu and other axes. The road is meant to go alongside the Lagos Rail which will make the road users have easy access to the public transport in a snap of the finger but this seems not to be the case.
A visit to Badagry Expressway is nothing but an eyesore. Embarking on a from Mile 2 Orile towards Iyana Iba down to Badagry, one can not but weep for this country. Things have gone from bad to worse in terms of roads in this area. While we are aware that there is an ongoing construction within this area been contracted to Julius Berger Nig PLC which plans to link this part of the road to Seme Border but it seems the contractors have gone on Sabbatical leave and no sign of works at all, even the ones which have been done are getting bad as nothing seems to be forthcoming.
An appeal is being made to the Lagos State Government for quick intervention for the people within this area.
These are pictures from the roads and to tell you the pains and agony of people in this area.
FlirtyKaren: Nigerian singer, Skales who did a short freestyle during his interview on MTV Base, has been accused of abusing illicit date rape drug, Rohypnol a.k.a Rochies before his performance.
Skales' blue tongue gave him out, and left viewers of the interview wondering if abusing Rohypnol a.k.a Rochies is now the new cool.
mhizace: my boyfriend of 3yrs is about to end our relationship cos he saw a chat i had with one certain guy,i've explain to him dat i'm nt cheatn bt he refused to blv me,i've been cryn since ytaday cos he said he wil gv a break, pls guys i nd ur advice.
Whats the chat with the other guy all about? Come clean
Mercedes-Benz has finally revealed it's first all-electric car. The All-electric car ,known fully as Mercedes-Benz EQC400 4MATIC (EQ stands for “Electric Intelligence”) is the first of up to 10 all-electric models due before 2025.
It is powered by two asynchronous motors, one for the front axle and one for the rear axle, which give the car a combined 402 horsepower and 564 lb-ft of torque.
It's top speed is also electronically limited to 112 mph and will move from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds.
The full-electric car will travel 200 miles on a full charge ,a distance which is shorter than Jaguar I-Pace's 240 miles and Tesla Model X 75D'd 237 miles range .
It's 80kWh battery pack will take 40 minutes to charge from 10 percent to 80 percent using DC fast chargers. A standard 7.4kW onboard charger allows AC charging through either regular mains or high-voltage public charging stations.
Inside the EQC is a voice and touch controlled MBUX infotainment and navigation system,Heated seats and a new multi-function steering wheel with a touch pads.
TonyeBarcanista: "Every South South person must condemn in no uncertain terms the invasion of the home of Chief Edwin Clark, the Leader of the South South by the security services. We must not do things to plunge this nation into crises. We must show respect to our Leaders".
Governor Udom Emmanuel while inaugurating the Divine Mandate, Only God Campaign Council in Uyo.
We dont have the calibre of elderly politicians in this country that deserve respect. Not supporting the police but no one is above he law. Elder my foot
BREAKING!!! #7000Youth4OUK: Over N4m raised in less than 48 hrs via Cash & Bank Donations
Do u Love Orji Kalu?
Join us to Buy his Senatorial nomination form. Pay 1K to OUK Volunteers 1007100076 Keystone Bank
#7000Youth4OUK
IGBERE TV had reported that over 7000 Nigeria youths auspices of OUKvolunteers are contributing N1000 each to buy APC Senatorial nomination form for Orji uzor Kalu
ultimate77: 1. Complexion; she must be fair skineed. 2. Height; she must be above average 3. Boobs: The boobs should be above everage. I want something that i can appreciate with my hands all over and also what looks cute in the front when she puts on any wears. 4. She must be articulate. 5.must be a graduate. 6. Must be outspoken. Must never be an inttovert. 7. Must have knowledge about global and finamcial market. 8. Must not be a social media.freek. 9. Must be a great cook and a good bed maker. 10. Must be ready to respect me and ready to be loved unconditionally. Let me park here.
Note: if you have this qualities and based in pH, I will appreciate a date.
If na exam alot of gehls go fail.. which girl wan package all these qualities together. E hard oh.
Travel › Re: 20 Unbelievable Ways Cotonou Is Different From Lagos (Pictures) by Countersam(m): 10:45am On Oct 08, 2018
