EmperorOlu:

Both of them are ghettos when compared to other countries. We should stop this nonsensical attitude of praising our failure as a nation to develop our environment. There is nothing to rejoice about in Abuja , Lagos ,Port Harcourt or Calabar. Only people who have not travelled out of Nigeria will be impressed by those poorly planned cities.

Mmmmm this is a hard one.

Received my Promotion letter Wednesday, lastweek.

Calabar is serene, clean and lush

Is United Nations now United States of America? I don't get it.

Good topic.

I think it's wrong, including all those "Awilo dance" I see
in churches these days.

@Gregg2
Yeah, these two Nigerian cities are cool.

Calabar and Abuja

ASUU Suspends Strike for Two Weeks
•Egwu applauds decision

The Academic Staff Union of Universities yesterday suspended the strike action it embarked upon since June 22, for two weeks, “to enable a cordial atmosphere for the peaceful conclusion of negotiations” between it and the federal government.
In a swift reaction, the Minister of Education, Sam Egwu expressed optimism that the decision would eventually pave the way for lasting peace in the sector.
Announcing the suspension at the Imo State University, Owerri, ASUU president, Professor Ukach-ukwu Awuzie on behalf of its National Executive Council said the strike action would not have taken place if the federal government had done what was expected of it initially.
He recalled that the strike was inevitable following the refusal by the government to sign the agreement it “willingly, through the process of collective bargaining, entered into with the union after two and half years of negotiations.”
The ASUU president said: “If there was mutual confidence and understanding between ASUU and government, there would have been no strike.
“ASUU realizes the impact of the strike on students, and is yielding to the clarion calls by concerned Nigerians, while being optimistic that the federal government would not relent in her agreement with ASUU.”
The ASUU president stressed the need for the state governors to be involved in what goes on within the systems as they were misinformed on the whole situation, “hence they misunderstood the terms of the agreement reached.”
He added that state universities must attain minimum standards of whatever the federal government agrees with ASUU.
On the issue of public umbrage towards the ASUU action, Awuzie observed that such would not have been the case since the union did not act alone and “both parties were involved in the action, even though ASUU was on the right track.”
Awuzie called on the federal government to as a matter of urgency to conclude agreements with other unions in the university system so that the universities can return to proper operations “and to avoid any actions that are capable of destroying the existing harmony among the unions on the campuses.”
He commended the intervention of President Umaru Yar’Adua through the Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
The union also acknowledged the efforts of the president, Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar; the Speaker, House of Represe-ntatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole; Nigerian students “and other labour movements, including the Trade Union Congress, civil society organisations, the Education Rights Campaign and various students’ organisations.”
“We also thank the legislature, media organisations and Nigerians generally for their solidarity and support,” Awuzie said.
Egwu in his reaction stated: “I am delighted and hopeful that we have, alongside Oshiomhole achieved what we have now, which is the agreement with ASUU to call off the strike for two-weeks and for renegotiations to begin.”
Egwu noted that the prolonged strike and its attendant consequence of keeping university students at home and the long term effect on the university system, compelled the two sides to re-appraise their positions.
The minister explained that “while the federal government retains the university autonomy granted recently, the grey issue of salary increase remains at 40 per cent pending renegotiations through collective bargaining with the union.”
On the insistence by ASUU that the federal government signed an agreement with it, Egwu said: “if that is the case, such an agreement would imperil the state universities.
“What we have agreed to do is for the Pro-chancellors rather than university councils of all federal universities should sign the agreements on behalf of government.”
While regretting what he described as the avoidably prolonged strike action, Egwu promised: “We are putting this behind us and ensuring that this doesn’t happen again because of the destructive effects of these recurring prolonged strike actions.
“We are hopeful that this latest respite would eventually lead to a final resolution as we are determined to evolve long term solutions that would return our higher institutions to global standards.”
ASUU last June embarked on an indefinite strike to protest the failure by the federal government to sign the report of the Gamaliel Onosode-led committee set up in 2006 to re-negotiate the 2001 agreement between the union and government.
The strike continued as negotiation between the government and ASUU broke down following the government's insistence that it could not sign any agreement that would be binding on state governors.
As a result, negotiations were discontinued until recently when President Yar'Adua invited Oshiomhole to intervene, with a view to resolving the dispute amicably.
Oshiomhole, thereafter met with the representatives of the union and government on October 3 at National Unive-rsities Commission (NUC) secretariat in Abuja.
Meanwhile, a Vice Chance-llor of one the federal universities, who spoke on condition of anonymity said the two-week suspension was too short to invite the students back to school.
“We are hopeful that the matter will be resolved quickly, but this is uncertain. The time is too short for us to invite the students back to school,” he said.
Meanwhile, the federal Government has reached a working understanding with the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), which were also on strike.
Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Egwu, who addressed newsmen at the end of a meeting between the unions and government officials, said government had no intention of treating the issues concerning university unions separately, adding that he received the permission of the president to discuss with all the unions – ASUU, SSANU, NASU and NAAT.

Source: Thisday Newspaper

This Saharareporters again.

Hear him.


I am both surprised and deeply humbled by the decision of the Nobel Committee. Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations.

To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

But I also know that this prize reflects the kind of world that those men and women, and all Americans, want to build -- a world that gives life to the promise of our founding documents. And I know that throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes. And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action -- a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.

President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize in a stunning decision designed to encourage his initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and stress diplomacy and cooperation rather than unilateralism.

The Nobel Committee lauded the change in global mood wrought by Obama's calls for peace and cooperation but recognized initiatives that have yet to bear fruit: reducing the world stock of nuclear arms, easing American conflicts with Muslim nations and strengthening the U.S. role in combating climate change.

"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," Jagland said.

Obama's election and foreign policy moves caused a dramatic improvement in the image of the U.S. around the world.

"So soon? Too early. He has no contribution so far. He is still at an early stage. He is only beginning to act," said former Polish President Lech Walesa, a 1983 Nobel Peace laureate. "This is probably an encouragement for him to act. Let's see if he perseveres. Let's give him time to act," Walesa said.

The award appeared to be a slap at Bush from a committee that harshly criticized Obama's predecessor for his largely unilateral military action in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. The Nobel committee praised Obama's creation of "a new climate in international politics" and said he had returned multilateral diplomacy and institutions like the U.N. to the center of the world stage.
"You have to remember that the world has been in a pretty dangerous phase," Jagland said. "And anybody who can contribute to getting the world out of this situation deserves a Nobel Peace Prize."

Jagland said the decision to honor Obama was unanimous.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, who won the prize in 1984, said Obama's award shows great things are expected from him in coming years. "It's an award coming near the beginning of the first term of office of a relatively young president that anticipates an even greater contribution towards making our world a safer place for all," Tutu said. "It is an award that speaks to the promise of President Obama's message of hope."

Until seconds before the award, speculation had focused on a wide variety of candidates besides Obama: Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, a Colombian senator, a Chinese dissident and an Afghan woman's rights activist, among others. The Nobel committee received a record 205 nominations for this year's prize, though it was not immediately apparent who nominated Obama.

"The exciting and important thing about this prize is that it's given to someone ,  who has the power to contribute to peace," Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said.
Obama is the third sitting U.S. president to win the award: President Theodore Roosevelt won in 1906 and President Woodrow Wilson was awarded the prize in 1919.

Former Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, said Obama has already provided outstanding leadership in the effort to prevent nuclear proliferation.
"In less than a year in office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves and the world we live in and rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself," ElBaradei said. "He has shown an unshakeable commitment to diplomacy, mutual respect and dialogue as the best means of resolving conflicts."

The Nelson Mandela Foundation welcomed the award on behalf of its founder Nelson Mandela, who shared the 1993 Peace Prize with then-South African President F.W. DeKlerk for their efforts at ending years of apartheid and laying the groundwork for a democratic country.
"We trust that this award will strengthen his commitment, as the leader of the most powerful nation in the world, to continue promoting peace and the eradication of poverty," the foundation said.

In his 1895 will, Alfred Nobel stipulated that the peace prize should go "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses."
The committee has taken a wide interpretation of Nobel's guidelines, expanding the prize beyond peace mediation to include efforts to combat poverty, disease and climate change.

Yea, he deserves it. Bush left U.S with more enemies than friends.

kech:

LMAOPIMP!!!! You people are not serious!. How can you forget the position you applied for?

It's possible.

People need to understand that the simplest of things can cost you a job. It's not all about jacking a whole book.

, but, thanks for this piece of advice

Calabar is the ideal place for this project.

german007:

Sir can you pls tender your evidence?

Saw it on "Washington Times" today

By Michelle J. Nealy THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Six Flags Inc., one of the world's largest theme park operators with 21 properties in North America, is planning to open a theme park in a place where no theme park has gone before: Nigeria.
Six Flags officials hope to open a 250-acre park by 2013 in Calabar, a historic city in Cross River state on Nigeria's southeastern border.
Six Flags already owns two international theme parks, one in Montreal and the other in Mexico City. But Nigeria, which has no large-scale theme parks, is a new frontier.
"We saw Nigeria, a country with a population of more than 140 million people, a rapidly growing middle class and relatively few theme-park options, as a good emerging market to expand Six Flags' global brand," said Andrew Schleimer, executive vice president of strategic development and in-park services for Six Flags.
Six Flags filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June. Its chairman, Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, hired Mark Shapiro as chief executive officer in 2005 to help return the New York company to profitability.
"Shapiro is one of the brightest guys in the industry," said Dennis Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services, a consulting firm in Cincinnati. "Under his leadership, the company has been on the correct reconfiguration path."
However, Mr. Speigel has some doubts about the company's Nigerian venture. "I'm not sure if this announcement brings credibility to Six Flags' table," he said.
Some analysts say Six Flags' plan to build a park in Nigeria may be motivated by market saturation in the places where it operates, suggesting that the company wants to test an untapped market.
"There are already a number of theme parks in parts of Asia, Europe, Australia and parts of the Middle East," Mr. Speigel said.
"It's a worthy cause for Six Flags to spread this type of entertainment, but [Nigeria] is a tough place to do business given the role corruption and government interference play there," he said. "Some parts of the country are having trouble clothing its people. I have to question whether Nigeria is ready for an attraction of this nature."
Nigeria derives about 95 percent of its foreign exchange earnings and 80 percent of its budget revenues from oil production, according to data collected by the CIA. That crucial revenue stream has been threatened by a spate of kidnappings of foreign oil workers by militant groups.
More than 500 people have been kidnapped in Nigeria so far this year, up nearly 70 percent from 2008. Several foreign companies, including Willbros Group Inc., a U.S. oil services contractor, have withdrawn from Nigeria.
Six Flags and Cross River state reached the agreement as another promising business partnership goes awry.
Virgin Nigeria, launched in 2005, recently announced that it was changing its name to Nigerian Eagle Airlines, deepening its fractured relationship with British founder Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. Hopes were high for Virgin Nigeria to establish itself as a safe and credible flagship carrier, but Virgin Atlantic officials have told Reuters that they were looking to sell the company's 49 percent stake in the Nigerian airline, for which it paid about $25 million.
Although development of a Nigerian theme park is still in the early stages, Six Flags officials expressed confidence about the project. "We have certainly done our due diligence," Mr. Schleimer said.
"The first phase of this project is designed to get to know the partners, the lay of the land and to conceptualize the look and feel of the project. The first phase is a fact-finding mission for both parties.
"We are aware of pockets of civil unrest in the country, mainly in the north. So far, we are comfortable with the stability of the region that we are working in," he said.
Once the initial planning phase is complete, Six Flags and the Cross River government will collaborate on the design, construction and management of the park. Construction labor is expected to come from the local population, which will spur economic growth, said Mr. Schleimer, adding that financing probably will be the result of a public-private partnership in which the government pays a portion of the cost. Six Flags would not divulge details of its financing plan.
Despite the global economic downturn, attendance held steady last year at North America's top 20 theme parks, according to a 2008 report by the Themed Entertainment Association.
Abroad, attendance for the top 20 European parks rose 1 percent from 2007 to 2008. Six Flags' Mexico City park was No. 1 in the Latin America market even though it recorded a half-percentage-point drop in attendance.

@Kasmano
But the pregnancy isn't mine. Besides, I'm reluctant
to support her abortion plans.

@babapupa
I joined Sky Blue to believe you do not know Calabar.
Many of these basic infrastructure you talk about
are in place in Calabar - at least by Nigeria standard.
Good intra-city road network, clean and lush. Calabar has
got no pipe-borne water problems. The taps are running with clean water.

The CBN Governor announced early this week that all loans towards
the building of Tinapa have been paid up by the Cross River State.
I was in Tinapa last week and activities are picking up.

I'm proud of Nairaland this moment.
I thank u all for your concern/advice/suggestions/questions and comments.

I have a good job and have been planning marriage with this girl.
I live in Port Harcourt while she lives in Owerri.
From time to time she visits me, spend about a week with me and so on.

Her last visit was three months ago. Right now she is with me.
She arrived yesterday and has been behaving strange since then.
I was compelled to sneak out with her phone where I saw what is giving me
heart ache right now.

My fiancee was engaged in a text message conversation with a lover
at Owerri on how to do away with the one month old pregnancy. I gathered
also that they had been in a regular sex romp for at least four months.
I descended on her few minutes later and she admitted it.

My heart bleeds. She is right here in my house but carrying another man's
child in her womb. What do I do? Today morning she left the house to see
a certain doctor her friend introduced to her in order to terminate the pregnancy.

I need serious replies/advice from mature nairalanders only, please. No harsh
comments.