₦airaland Forum

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has for the third time extended the period for candidates to correct/ change their UTME subject combination.

The new deadline is now 10pm, Friday, 12th May, 2017.

According to update on JAMB website, "The window for correction UTME subjects combination is now available and closes by 10pm on Friday May 12, 2017.

"Please note that if your Examination date is Saturday May 13, 2017 and you correct your UTME subjects, you won't be able to write your exam on that date again. A new Examination date and time shall be communicated to you at a later time. The change in date of Examination does not affect other Examination dates. Visit the nearest CBT Centre for this correction. The Change of UTME Subjects Combination is FREE!!!", the post concludes.

The first deadline was 9pm Friday, 5th May. The second deadline was 10am, Friday, 12th May.

With these sudden changes and inconsistencies, many are still in doubt on the level of preparedness by JAMB even as the UTME is billed to commence 7am tomorrow

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, yesterday, said the state was able to maintain its record as a state with the highest Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, applications due to his free education programme.

Okorocha stated this while reacting to a statement credited to the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, that Imo State has again topped the JAMB applications this year with 101,868 applications of the total of 1.7 million applications.

According to a release issued to newsmen in Owerri by Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Sam Onwuemeodo, “the Rescue Mission Government in the state with Governor Rochas Okorocha on the driver’s seat, has acknowledged the report credited to the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede that Imo State has again topped the JAMB applications this year (2017) with 101,868 applications out of the total of 1.7million applications.

“Prof. Oloyede had said at a press briefing in Abuja, Tuesday that Osun State came second with 88,653 applications, while Oyo State came third with 87,811 applications.

“This beautiful development would make it the sixth time since 2012 that Imo would come first in JAMB applications.

“The enviable records did not come by happenstance. They are all products of the free education programme in the state which occasioned the astronomical increase of the school enrolment in the state from 280,000 in 2011 to more than 800,000 at the moment.”

President Muhammadu Buhari awhile ago handed power over to Prof Yemi Osinbanjo as he again leaves for London to continue his treatment

Buhari further went on Facebook to post this emotional parting statement

"This evening at home I received Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajor, Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Speaker House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, ahead of my Trip to London tonight. I have absolute confidence that Government will continue to function smoothly and normally while I'm away. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Tonight I leave for London, to see my doctors. When I came back in March, I hinted that there might be a need to return soon, for a follow-up medical consultation.

I have sent the required letters regarding my trip to the Senate and the House of Representatives, in line with Section 145(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo will take charge in my absence. Government will continue to function smoothly and efficiently.

I'd like to assure all Nigerians that there is no cause for worry. I appreciate your prayers and kind wishes. May God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria"

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has announced that candidates who made mistakes while filling their forms in the ongoing Registration can now make corrections.

The Board made the announcements through its Twitter handle - @JAMBHQ.

According to JAMB, the correction can be made in the following categories: Correction of Name, Passport Photograph, UTME Subject Combination, Choices of Institution/Courses and Date Of Birth.

The Board however stated that N2,500 would have to be paid to effect any of these corrections.

Candidates and the public were reminded that 2017 UTME Registration ends Midnight tomorrow 5th May, 2017. There will be no extension!

Only Approved CBT Centres are allowed to make these changes. Payment can be done via Remita before proceeding to the Centres.

Exam dates remain unchanged: 13th May- 20th May 2017.

For the reprinting of the e-slips for the exam, the Board informed that candidates will be notified when the exam dates and centres are available.

To effect changes in any of the above categories, JAMB directed candidates to login into their profile, on the dashboard, click on UTME Registration Data Correction to make payment

Staff associations in three state-owned institutions in Akwa Ibom State have begun a three days warning strike, shutting down academic activities at Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, Collage of Education, Afaha Nsit and Akwa Ibom State College of Art and Science in Ikono Local Government Area. The strike followed alleged non-payment of salaries by the state government.
The workers, who are members of SSANIP, NASU and SSUCOEN after a meeting at the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, began the protest over what they described as “The non-implementation of 65 years retirement age for non-teaching staff, non-payment of 2014 promotions and payment of arrears by the Akwa Ibom State Government.
The protesters were armed with placards.
Addressing newsmen after the protest march, the Chairman, SSANIP, Mr Emmanuel Ekpo, said that the protest was called after many years of pleading with the state government and others in the education sector with nothing to show for it.
He said that apart from the non-implementation of 65 years retirement age for non-teaching staff, non-payment of 2014 promotions and payment of arrears by the state government, there were other conditions the state government must fulfil before they call off the strike action.

A Facebook user uploaded this cool picture. Many can't believe that it's a Photoshop. Or is it real? Check for yourself...

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB has said that the Computer-Based Test adopted in the forthcoming Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) would save the examination body about N5 billion.

Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede stated this Tuesday at a press briefing on the training of its examination officials in Abuja.

Oloyede noted that under his watch, JAMB would deploy cost-effective measures to deliver on its statutory mandate.

“We have tried our best as much as we can, taking efficiency as the watchword as far as the conduct of examination is concerned because we believe this country deserve the best.

All we have been trying to do is to do things that will not make Nigeria inferior in the comity of examination bodies. All we’ve been trying to do is to find the most efficient way to conduct our examinations,” Oloyede said.

“Instead of spending billions on our examinations, we can spend millions and achieve better results. That is all I have been struggling to do, to make sure that instead of collecting N7 billion and spending N6.8 billion in the conduct of examination, we should be able to save at least N5 billion,” he stressed.

While noting that there are skepticism on the part of some Nigerians about the workings of new innovations, the Registrar said he is optimistic of taking JAMB to the next level, regardless of challenges.

“Yes, some people argue that in Nigeria, there are many variables that you cannot determine. I have strong faith in this country and I believe that whatever works in normal places will work in Nigeria,” he added.

On the 2017 UTME slated to begin on May 13, Oloyede said his team is prepared to conduct a hitch-free examination across all centres of the country. “I and my colleagues in JAMB management have tried our best and have prepared as much as we can. We also believe in our partners, MTN and Airtel which are our two service providers in the conduct of this examination and I want to appeal to them to see this as a national assignment.”

On the antics of fifth columnists bent on pulling him down, Oloyede said he’s fully aware of their mission, noting that only recently; they accused the Board of ‘poor planning and incompetence.’ But for us, what we are out to do is to give the best of our services to this great nation of ours. I need not be the Registrar of JAMB if there would be no change positively.”

He added that the CBT which was adopted a few years ago was actually his initiative while holding sway as Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin. “CBT started at the University of Ilorin in 2007 and by the grace of God, I was the Vice Chancellor who started it. When JAMB was to start the CBT, it was my Deputy Vice Chancellor who was invited to deliver a lecture on ‘The Roadmap to CBT: The University of Ilorin Example.’”

Meanwhile, the mock test earlier shelved by JAMB is set to hold this Saturday 29th April, 2017 and Oloyede said he’s optimistic the challenges which scuttled the initial exercise would be taken care of this time.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/04/utme-jamb-to-save-n5-billion-from-cbt/

A photographer captured and shared this photo from the Sunday Service @ Full Life Christian Centre, Eket - Pst. Samuel Effiong preaching the Word with action n power

Tragedy struck a few minutes ago as a high tension cable dropped and electrocuted no fewer than 10 football fans who were watching Man United Vs Anderlecht Europa league match in a viewing centre along Akpandem Street, Atimbo, Calabar, Cross River State.

No fewer than 30 others sustained various injuries from the tragedy. The corpses have been taken to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Mary Slessor Road, where some of the injured are also receiving treatment

The incident occurred as a result of high voltage electric power that was restored in the area. This led to a spark and eventual cut in the cable which dropped on the football viewing house.

Saving youths from the problematic JAMB
By Owei Lakemfa
NEVER in the history of the country has a major examination body set a date for national examinations and have been incapable of even producing the examination questions, not to talk of the examinations holding.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, headed by a professor not only failed to hold the Mock Examinations on April 8 in any part of the country, but also failed in all the courses leading to carrying out its sole assignment of conducting admissions into our tertiary institutions.
When I was in my final year in primary school preparing for the First School leaving certificate and admission into post-primary school, the teachers drummed it into our ears the trite that, “Pupils do not plan to fail, but fail to plan” In other words, that adequate preparation is vital for success. This primary lesson, JAMB, under the new management of Professor Is-haq Olarewaju Oloyede, is unable to imbibe.
As it set out to carry out its basic duties to our youths and the country, it failed to think through basic issues and steps. Mixing these with marked arrogance and inability to learn from experience, has been quite costly for the country. The Oloyede team came in eight months ago and went about trying to change things without any deep thought nor care about the consequences.
Our people say when a hen is placed in new environment, it first puts down a foot, surveys his new place, before letting the second down; not for the Oloyede team that rushed into places where angels refuse to tread. Oloyede, before the mess he has created became so manifest, had boasted at a public function in the University of Lagos: “We are in a period of change, and what that means is that everything we have been doing must be reviewed. Whatever we have been doing right will have to be reinforced while what we were doing wrong will be changed.”
First, he changed the service providers of JAMB who had been largely effective over the years, replacing them with new ones who could not even transmit questions to examination centres. When Oloyede said “The postponement of the UTME mock examination was due to failure from our technical partner”, he did not tell the country that this was largely due to the irrational decisions of his administration.
Secondly, while in the past, prospective students could walk into a bank and purchase a JAMB form, a new procedure was introduced in which the candidate first creates a profile in the JAMB Site, then goes to the bank to pay after which he obtains an e-pin. As it turned out, obtaining an e-pin was very difficult for many candidates.
In a country with poor and low connectivity, it was not unlikely that there could be a congestion in the system. When this happened, and prospective candidates – some who had spent four days trying to register – cried out and begged for an extension of the March 20 –April 19 registration period, Oloyede arrogantly turned down the plea.
This brings me to my third point; that while JAMB in the past, had a three-month registration belt, Oloyode reduced the registration to one month! Common sense should have dictated that with the more cumbersome registration process and an increase in projected number of candidates from 1.4 million two years ago, to two million this year, the registration belt should not have been so tightened.
There are also other registration requirements which should have been reviewed. For instance, prospective candidates are required to have personal phones and personal electronic mail address. If as parents, we discourage our children in boarding houses or in post-primary schools from using or owning phones, why should JAMB make them compulsory? The same for e-mail since this can open them to sites which may not be good for the underage.
Given the cumbersome and stressful registration process, the House of Representatives also made a case for an extension which JAMB ignored until it was faced with the backlash of its failure to hold the Mock Examinations. In all these, I wonder whether JAMB took into consideration the rural areas which lack connectivity and where electricity supply maybe a rarity. Are prospective JAMB candidates from such rural areas not already subjected to an obstacle course far more challenging than their counterparts in the urban centres?
An incident made me reflect on the ability of Oloyede to read a situation. In the midst of the confusion, stress, frustration and anger of the prospective candidates – with many pushing themselves in barely organised queues – he choose to carry out an ‘inspection’ of the mess his administration had created. I wonder what would have happened if the frustrated youths had decided to confront him.
I had the same feeling when as Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, rather than solve the academics-administration crises created by his predecessor, he dived headlong into it. Consequently, he spent his tenure fighting battles he had not initiated.
I had cause two years ago to criticise JAMB under Professor Jibu Ojerinde, but it was not for marked incompetence. Rather, it was due to moves to railroad candidates into private universities. I had also argued that the country has no need for a central admission body. I still hold the view that tertiary institutions whether owned by the Federal or State governments or privately- owned, should conduct their own admission.
There is a sense Oloyede should not be blamed; his predecessor, Ojerinde is a professor of Tests and Measurement and Education Management coupled with many years experience; so in JAMB, he seemed a round peg in a round role. I have gone through the profile of Oloyede; he attended an Arabic Training Centre before proceeding to the University of Ibadan where he did a certificate course in Arabic and Islamic Studies.
He then went to the University of Ilorin in 1978 where he has virtually spent all his life. There he got his first degree in Arabic Studies and doctorate in Islamic Studies rising to be the institution’s Vice Chancellor. To make Oloyede a round peg in JAMB, his square sides would need to be trimmed or chiseled; he also has to help himself by being reflective and more engaging than being haughty.
Those responsible for appointing Oloyede the JAMB Registrar, including Education Minister, Malam Adamu Adamu, also have a duty to ensure he performs, because his failure may have disastrous consequences for our youths and country.

It's very true. As a Dj, I was almost tore into shreds by JW members at a wedding reception when I decided to open the event with a Gospel track

THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has announced an extension of the ongoing registration exercise for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations by two weeks.

This was even as it postponed the 2017 UTME earlier scheduled to start on Saturday, May 6, 2017.

Under the new arrangements, the examination is to start on Saturday, May 13 to 20.

In similar a circumstance, the board suspended its mock examination earlier slated for today, Saturday 8.

Professor Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB’s registrar, who announced the developments at a news briefing in Abuja, a while ago, hinged the reason for extension of the registration period on logistic problems.

Oloyede, who could not dwell well on the logistics issues, explained that failure on the part of technical partners resulted to the developments.

He said instead of the earlier announced April 19, the deadline for the sale of forms and registration is now extended to Friday, May 5, 2017.

The board, according to the registrar, apologised to candidates and other stakeholders on the sudden changes effected.

Below is the text of the registrar’s address at the briefing:

“The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board wishes to apologise to candidates and other stakeholders. We could not go on with the Mock Examination and hereby announce extension of registration exercise of the 2017 UTME. Instead of the earlier announced April 19, the deadline for the sale of forms and registration will now extend to Friday, May 5, 2017. Consequently, the 2017 UTME has also been postponed to start on Saturday, May 13 – 20, 2017.

“Meanwhile, the Mock Examination earlier slated for Saturday, April 8, 2017 has been put on hold. This is because the appropriate rehearsal and test-running of the new system has been substantially achieved.

The plan was to trial-test the readiness of our facilities and addresses the challenges that may likely confront the main examination. The Mock Examination remains free for willing candidates, even the fee due to the CBT centre Owners are being paid by JAMB. No cost to the candidates

“At this moment, we have realized that the plan to hold this Mock Examination was good for us. We are now in a better position to achieve better than we would have done without this trial testing. This is why the exercise is at no cost to the candidates.

“It is our strong conviction that this exercise is an experience for us. Our systems analysis has revealed interesting findings that will engender a seamless and successful 2017 UTME exercise.

“On behalf of JAMB, we use this opportunity to appreciate our stakeholders, including the candidates, for being part of this experiment. Every disappointment is a blessing, an old adage says. The blessing that will trail the suspension of this Mock Examination and extension of registration deadline will manifest in our main UTME by next month.

“Once again, we appreciate and apologise to the candidates who chose to participate in this free and voluntary Mock Examination. They are part of our experience towards ensuring a fruitful and successful UTME this year and in future.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/04/breaking-jamb-extends-2017-utme-registration-2-weeks/

A girl posted this on her Facebook page, and has received several knocking comments

Entry

Another

See more photos

The Statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary continued her nationwide tour today with arrival at St Mark Catholic Church, Oron

Yes

QUARTER FINALS
Athletico Madrid VS Leicester City

Borussia Dortmund VS AS Monaco


SEMI FINAL

Bayern Munich VS Real Madrid

Juventus VS Barcelona

UEFA why these inappropriate draws?

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board JAMB has announced the registration procedure and the timetable for the 2017 UTME.

The Board made the following announcement on their Twitter handle this morning:

JAMB to begin sale of 2017 application on Monday 20th March, 2017 to Wednesday 19th April, 2017.

Sales of Form ends on Wednesday 19th April 2017 while the Registration portal closes on Saturday 22nd April 2017.

The #UTME2017 Fee is 5,500 Naira. This includes Registration fees, Reading text and all other Document (Syllabus and Brochure)

For Direct Entry Candidates, the application will be on sale from Sunday 23rd April, 2017

UTME2017 Exam Starts 6th May to 20th May, 2017 (excluding May 12, 2017 because of Candidates sitting for WAEC's Further Maths Exam)

Homily recipe for the 2nd Sunday of Lent, Yr A 2017 : LISTEN TO HIM : OUR CHANGE MANTRA!
* Gen 12 : 1 - 4, 2 Tim 1 : 8 - 10, Matt 17 : 1 - 9.
A. CALL FOR CHANGE
1. The call for change is the backbone of every religion especially the Judeo - Christian faith. The story began with the call of Abraham to leave the 'old man of sin' - Abram (as Fr Stephen Njoku used to call it) and take up the 'new man of righteousness' - Abraham. My 1st question is : 'What did he and we have to leave?'
(a) His Country - His old culture of sin, especially idolatry.
(b) His Family - Hereditary traits, eg anger, lust, pride and vanity. He had this little tendency towards lying, Gen 20 which played out also in his forebears, Isaac, Esau and Jacob, Gen 27.
(c) His father's house - His possessions. He had to concede the choicest of the lands to Lot his kinsman.
He left all these for the unknown place : 'The land that I will show you', relying on God's promise : 'I will bless you... and by you all families of the earth shall bless themselves'.
Abraham set us the 1st example of leaving behind the present gains ( 'ebeano') to look for the future ( 'ebeaneje'). That is the summary of our faith. He taught us how to leave the present condition of our sinful environment to move towards holiness according to God's leading. He gained both the prosperity of heaven and earth and has remained our paradigm and great ancestor of faith.

2. The 2nd question is : Why and how do we have to leave the present for the unseen future?
(a) The 2nd reading of today says we have to make this move relying on the power of God who has saved us. The scriptures have always put one aspect of our salvation in the past perfect tense - redemption, 2 Tim 1 : 8 - 10, Col 2 : 13. Other aspects ; repentance and regeneration are still in the present and future tense.
(c) The gospel presents us a glimpse of heaven as our principal motif for this change. Here, the theophanic experience of Old Testament law (represented by the picture of Moses and Mount Sinai ) and the Prophets (represented by the picture of Elijah and Mount Horeb) had to give way for that of Tabor represented by Jesus at the Mountain of transfiguration and transmogrification.

B. HOW TO CHANGE
3. Change is the elixir of life. That's why Nigerians and Americans have fallen for it on a platter of gold willy-nilly, the choice of President Buhari or Donald Trump brings the desired change, only God knows. According to John Cardinal Newman, 'Change is the logic of life. To live is to change and to be holy is to have changed often'. We can't make any progress in the spiritual life without the effort to change.
4. Satan's greatest tools against man's journey to holiness is to plant vices that make us remain animalistic and devilish ; hatred, anger, jealousy, lying, pride, lust, discouragement, etc. Thus making our struggle for holiness fruitless. His highest tag is on discouragement. That is why the 2nd reading wants us not to lose hope on being holy but to continue to rely on the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
5. In today's gospel, Jesus demonstrates his change mantra in a most practical and dramatic event. He led them up 'a high mountain apart' (separation from the busy world) and was transfigured ('mgbanwe' - face and garments became white as light (a picture of the heavenly bliss where we shall shine in holiness and righteousness).
6. The picture of Moses, Elijah and Jesus are symbolic - 3 men who fasted 40 days and nights ; 3 men who fought the highest occultic powers of their time and defeated them ; 3 men who defiled death by their mysterious ending (Moses' grave was no where to be found, Deut 34 : 7, Elijah ascended into heaven, 2 kg 2 : 1-13, Jesus rose from the dead and also ascended into heaven), Lk 24 : 1 - 53.
7. But the climatic point of the revelation is the announcement of the voice from the cloud : 'This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased ; listen to him'. That was the big difference! The rest were prophets who tried to please God in their imperfections but here comes the Son of God - the wounded Messiah who satisfied God by complete obedience. He alone can now teach us perfectly how to be holy! Yes the ringing tones of the Old Testament prophets were now united in one harmonious new tone at Mount Tabor singing a new 'change mantra ' - 'Listen to Jesus Christ!'.

C. OBSTACLES TO CHANGE
8. Our human nature is our greatest obstacle to change. The fixations of our old temperaments make us, (i) Choleric - full of pride and ambition, (ii) Sanguine - full of noisyness and impulsiveness, (iii) Phlegmatic - full of dullness and inactivity, (iv) Melancholic - full of worry, excessive or possessive love.
OR going by the configurations of Enneagram ;
1. ONES are inclined to fall prey to anger and perfectionism,
2. TWOS are inclined to have a need for praise and appreciation from people for services rendered,
3. THREES are inclined towards vanity and fear of failure,
4. FOURS are prone to the avoidance of ordinariness and often get melancholic,
5. FIVES are inclined towards intellectual stinginess or avoidance of emptiness,
6. SIXES are prone to extreme legalism and fear of innovations,
7. SEVENS are inclined towards pain avoidance, procrastination, escapism and inconsistency,
8. EIGHTS are often involved in power struggle, intimidation and impatience with the weak,
9. NINES are often victims of laziness, conflict avoidance or psychophancy.
Our challenge of holiness is the challenge of leaving these old traits like Abraham left his old country, old culture and old patrimony.

D. CONCLUSION
9. Christian life does not stop at Tabor (the mountain of prayer) but proceeds to Calvary where according to the late Bishop M U Eneje, 'We begin to learn to like our dislikes'. The two tools recommended for character building are the same two tools used in horticulture ; marcuttung for eliminating bad habits, Matt 5 : 28 f and grafting for acquiring new / positive ones, 2 Pet 1 : 5 - 8. Only fanatics would want to remain on the mountain of Tabor and build 3 tents. Real believers would match towards Calvary and deal with their weaknesses.
10. We must submit our old character during this Lenten season to the Word of God through Jesus Christ. If we take ourselves to prayers as often as we can, we too like Christ will have our experience of transfiguration. Just pray for a little glimpse of the glory of Jesus, 1 Cor 2 : 9 and your life will never be the same again.
* History has it that when St Thomas Aquinas had his little heavenly vision while celebrating the Holy Mass, the great scholar and writer swore never to write anymore because all he had written seemed to him like straw. He died two months later - a man whose thoughts have influenced the Catholic theology on the Eucharist, Angelology, etc. more than any other. Happy Sunday ☺

The police in Akwa Ibom subjected three young photographers going to cover a traditional marriage ceremony in Akwa Ibom to the status of criminals when they used scissors to forcefully cut their hairs

Your Excellency

You know how long the friendship between you and me has been, and you’ve always taken my candid advice in confidence and vehemence.

Most Nigerians including yours truly love you with utmost sincerity. There are very many others who love you inadvertently. Some others have even confessed that they actually voted for #Change, not your person. Now they are regretting their decision like Americans who voted for my big business partner and friend Donald Trump. I’m sure he told you little about me when he called you last month.

Your Excellency, lest you get tired again and doze off, I just want to intimate to you that from what I’ve seen and heard from you today, your health is not in optimum state to even manage Aso Rock, let alone 180 million Nigerians.

Don’t mind the sycophants around you. They want to make jest at you after all. Your health is in a very dire state; they all know this, but they don’t know how and when best to tell you.

[Lower my voice]: Your Excellency, please resign. Resign so that you could have some more rest. Your life and health is more important than the Office. [Lower my voice the more]: Please do the needful: just step aside… honourably. You will still attract national and international commendation if you take this heroic step.

Remember what happened on 11 February 2013, when the then Head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation in a speech in Latin before the cardinals, citing a "lack of strength of mind and body" due to his advanced age. it should interest you to know that as pope emeritus, Benedict retains the style of His Holiness, and the title of Pope, and continues to dress in the papal colour of white. Please toe his path. Toe this part of honour.

Nigerian is not like Zimbabwe and Cameroun; Nigeria is a big country with very big problems.

Lest I forget, while you were away, the value of Nigeria appreciated against the dollar; and I hope you’ve recovered from the most ignoble shock from Arsenal's home and away dismal performance against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. It pains me till now (I wish he would chuckle here).

Your Excellency, that’s all for now. Please permit me to excuse myself so that you take another round of rest. Before Monday, please kindly make up your mind: [Lower my voice] resign so that you can rest more and live longer.

I love you my President. Get well soonest.

President Muhammadu Buhari has finally arrived at the Aso Rock Villa. He was welcomed by his wife Aisha, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, his grandchild and others following his return from the United Kingdom after a 46-day medical leave

The 2017 JAMB-UTME seems to be the most protracted and controversial. Consequently, the candidates are already running out of patience.
Many of them have been taking to the Twitter handle me the exam body to express their displeasure over the continued delay in the release of the registration form

Hilarious Photos: When the Groom sights the Generous Special Guest of Honour in The Hall

The Association of Educational Services and Cyber Café Operators (AESCCO) has written to the Senate protesting the policy by JAMB that Cyber cafe operators will not be allowed to register candidates for the 2017 UTME.
According to the letter which was Dated 6 March and signed Mr. Femi Aborisade, lawyer to AESCCO, the policy, announced by JAMB on its website, is discrimination against cyber cafés run by small and medium scale owners in favour of JAMB-accredited CBT centres owned by big-time businessmen.
“UTME applicants should be allowed to register for the examination from their individual computer units and/or those owned by their parents and guardians rather than be compelled to patronize CBT centres. Where some individual applicants do not have their own computer units, such applicants should be allowed to exercise the freedom to patronize either a CBT centre or the cyber cafés.” The letter stated.
While admitting that small scale cyber café owners may be involved in examination-related fraud, AESCCO argued that owners of big CBT centres are not exactly free of such dubious tendencies.
“If institutions of learning can conduct online registration for admission by applicants anywhere in the world, without limiting applicants to CBT centres, what is the peculiar difficulty of JAMB? If WAEC and NECO can successfully conduct registration for their examinations online without experiencing duplication and/or swapping of applicants’ data, why should the approach of JAMB be different,” asked AESCCO.
The body maintained that if this development is allowed, it will increase the current unemployment rate in Nigeria and asked the Nigerian Senate to take measures, including adopting a resolution to compel JAMB to execute its functions in line with constitutionally guaranteed rights.

Blessing Akan a Facebook user made this hilarious request to US president Donald Trump. She wrote on her wall:

Dear Donald Trump,
Since you've won the election, please come and collect these white people who stand in front of boutiques wearing expensive clothes and glasses doing nothing... We are also tired of them... We don't tolerate laziness in Africa...
Mbok Ete!

The family of disqualified Big Brother Naija housemate, Kemen, have registered their utmost displeasure and discontentment on his disqualification from the ongoing reality TV show.
Kemen, who was disqualified and asked to leave the Big Brother house immediately as a result of breaking the statutory rules of the game by making sexual advances at fellow housemate, Tboss, while she was asleep without her consent, has left the Big Brother house like other evicted housemates.
According to a source close to the family, they are displeased with the level of punishment Big Brother meted out on Kemen, arguing that it has tarnished the image and dignity of Kemen, making Nigerians begin to see him as a perverted rapist.
Most importantly, they are angry that Tboss did nothing to save Kemen from being disqualified even though she had the power to do so.
The source further claimed that Kemen’s family is majorly angry because Nigerians are venting their anger on Kemen through the social media.
He claimed that if Tboss didn’t approve of what happened that night, why didn’t she say so or react immediately it happened? He went further to reveal that immediately Kemen reunites with his family, they may be suing Big Brother for defamation of character and unlawful justice.
He went on to suggest that from all indications, it seems Big Brother has a soft spot for Tboss because she has some influential people who have indicated interest in her winning the ultimate prize at the end of the show.

President Buhari wrote:
Happy 80th birthday to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. My boss; and a true citizen of the world. Those of us who served under him in the military recall a man with boundless energy, a razor-sharp mind; and one who does not suffer fools gladly. Working with General Obasanjo was a school in itself, and the lessons I learnt are worth their weight in gold. Happy Birthday Sir!

Homily recipe for the 1st Sunday of Lent, Yr A 2017 : IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD... (The dynamics of Temptation, Fall and the Rise of man).
* Gen 2 : 7 - 3 : 7, Rom 5 : 12 - 19, Matt 4 : 1 - 11.
PREAMBLE
1. The devil is not happy that you are a child of God. If you know what you are and the privileges you have been given, 1 Jn 3 : 1 - 3, then you will understand why the devil cannot be happy.
2. The only option left to him is to come through temptations to pull you down from this position of blessedness through temptations.

B. TEMPTATION I : AT EDEN
3. At Eden the devil messed up our 1st parents (Adam and Eve) and brought them down from their position of blessedness.
We just want to concentrate on 3 points ; the motif, the target and the effect of every temptation ;
(i) Motif : Faced by the reality of human freedom and the fact that he only remains spiritual when he chooses to obey the Word of God, the motif of every temptation of the devil is to challenge the Word of God. At Eden he told Eve : 'Did God say you shall not eat of any fruit of the garden?'. As soon as Eve yielded to this temptation and deceit, the rest was story. St Paul says : 'It is ideas that we battle with.. Presumptuous notions set up against the Word of God', 2 Cor 10 : 4.
(ii) Target ; The devil knows the sensuous nature of man and also knows his spiritual nature. He knows that man was created in the image and likeness of God, Gen 1 : 26. He therefore went to the woman who was closer to sensuality and began a most dangerous dialogue. The conclusion was that : 'The woman saw that the tree was good to eat and pleasing to the eye'. She was not only deceived at the sensual level but at the intellectual and spiritual level : 'The tree was to be desired to make one wise.. to be like God knowing good and evil'. With the introduction of spiritual pride the target was complete. Sensitization and serpentization happened and Eve was the chief actor : She was not only deceived but undertook to play the role of serpent to her husband. Gerard Von Rad, the great biblical scholar, calls it the role of 'serpentization of others'.
(iii) Effect ; The result was corruption, shame and guilt (emptiness). Then their eyes were opened as the propensity for sin opened. They realized that they were naked and they got themselves indecently dressed and so, hid at the voice of God. Yes, without the grace of God we are naked, guilty and vulnerable.

C. TEMPTATION II : AT THE WILDERNESS.
4. In today's gospel Jesus comes as the perfect Son of God to correct the mistakes of our first parents at Eden.
(i) Motif ; The motif of the devil remains the same : to challenge the Word of God. He said : 'If you are the Son of God....'
(ii) Target ; The target of the devil remains the same : to attack the sensuous nature of man with the temptation towards materialism, the arrogant nature of man with the temptation of spiritual pride and the cultic nature of man with the temptation of idolatry and cultism. But Jesus did not fall for it because he prepared himself well for the spiritual journey in the desert.

D. TEMPTATION III : OUR PRESENT WORLD.
5. The world is our present venue of temptation as children of God. The devil has 3 effective methods ;
(i) He distracts you from doing the right thing according to the Word of God.
(ii) He attracts you to his own ways through worldly temptations and allurements .
(iii) He contracts you to do his bidding (through serpentization of others) by becoming his agent in seducing others to sin, eg through immoral dressing, joining the occult or becoming an occult grandmaster (dibia afa, aja or nsi). John warns us : 'Do not love the world or what is in the world...Disordered bodily desires, disordered desires of the eyes, pride in possession ', 1Jn 2 : 15.

E. CONCLUSION
6. The defeat of Satan came with the statement : 'Away from me! For it is written...' So do the children of God defeat Satan still today when they have the will power to resist him immediately and the knowledge of the Word of God to back up their decisions. Spirituality is tested and proven by temptations, Sir 2 :1, Matt 6 : 3, Lk 22 : 40, 1 Cor 10 : 13. According to St Augustine : 'Our pilgrim life here on earth cannot be without temptation for it is through temptation that we make progress, through it we affirm and come to know ourselves better (as children of God). We cannot win our crown unless we have overcome, unless we enter the contest. And there is no contest unless we have an enemy and the temptations he brings'.
The tempter always challenges our rights of Sonship and the remedy is through radical prayer, penance and study of the Word of God.
7. We commit only the oldest of sin (disobedience of the Word of God) in the newest kind of ways. These days it can be through the Internet or the latest of technological advancements ; video chats and exchange of pornography.
8. We must learn from Jesus how to stop the devil at the suggestion level. Remember, there are 3 stages of temptation ; (i) Suggestion (mkpanye), (ii) Delight (ntule) and (iii) Consent (nkwenye). According to Vima Dasan, 'You cannot play with the animal in you without becoming animal yourself'.
9. We must go to the desert now, discipline the flesh and constantly feed our souls with the Word of God. The 2nd reading made it clear that as sin came to the world through one man and death through sin as effect of breaking the law... God's grace came through one man Jesus Christ to overflow and surpass the law. We now have justification by faith and authentic faith is accomplished by obedience to the Word of God. This is our desert challenge throughout this lenten season. Happy Lent