earTHMama,

The cars are not bought at the open market. They are bought at Salvage dealers' auction - not open to the public. Those cars cost next to nothing there. The prices are just unbelievable! That's why they are so cheap in Nigeria and remember, they don't flush or repair those cars before bringing them over.

I know a lot of people that bid at the auction online. I even wanted to get the license last year. Trust me, the prices are not that cheap. You can get an accidented toyota corolla 2003 for about $4k and after paying the taxes, it may tally with $45oo, then you begin to buy the parts, fix it and pay for labor. My brother, that business is not as profitable as you think. One ibo dude told me he ships his cars to gabon and sells them for a better profit there. Some Naija crooks surely use that car deal thingy to siphon illegal cash into the country.


What of those cars that check out fine here on nairaland, no salvage record yet the prices are ridiculously low?

@earTHMama,

Wonders will never cease! Welcome to Nigeria!

The reasons for this are not far fetched. These dubious dealers buy what is called "Salvaged Titled" cars in America - this means cars that are damaged and authorities will not allow you to use them in America without substantial repairs e.g. cars that have been flooded, accidented or with serious defects. As no one wants them in the US, they are sold at ridiculously low prices hence the low price in Nigeria. In order to blow their secret open, ask them (the dealers in Nigeria) for the VIN number of the vehicle and come to nairaland and request for someone to get you a report of the vehicle. That report can be obtained with the VIN number and there are nairalanders that offer this service for FREE!

So, in a nutshell, that's the secret my sister. This is why VIN number is mandatory in nairaland and that is also why unscrupulous and dubious dealers on nairaland are fighting tooth and nail to prevent that from happening. God will not allow them to succeed.

Some people still drive salvaged cars in the US. It depends on what happened to it. Flooded cars and some accidented cars are still drivable here and they are not that cheap. Remember they are supposed to sell with a very wide profit margin. You cannot get a 2004 flooded Honda here that has been cleaned and flushed ready to drive for about $5k, salvaged or not. Cars take time to sell and i wonder how someone can invest about $10k in a business deal that takes about 6 months to mature only to make a profit in the neighborhood of $1k. Something is seriously wrong.

To be honest Funmi, you wont be able to get your head round it!

Why?

For Eg: A 2004 Honda accord sells for about 1.7M(about $11K) in Naija and this is with profit oo. Shipping and clearing alone will gulp about $4k leaving you with only $7K. $7k can scarcely get you a good 2004 Honda accord. I am sure they use those cars to transfer money into Nigeria because there is no profit in those deals.

I've noticed that some cars have ridiculous low prices in Naija compared to the ones in America. Some like the Toyotas and Hondas have prices so low in Naija that you wonder how they bought it in America, shipped and cleared it and yet sell it that low. Why? Do they steal the cars because something must be wrong somewhere.

lol, shouldn't that be Ahmed. Why are you spelling it as if you are pronouncing it like an Arab? Anyway its a cool name.

Lol, I thought Ahmed is different from Achmed.

Akin
Maleeq

jumoke.

mallam na malalm

Whether you spell it from the front or back. Ha ha ha.

Achmed.

must have been yoruba Grin - which is why hotfunmi's famed six lane expressway has refused all attempts at restoration to more realistic dimensions. (she started too soon )

One wonders why a faggotty Northern tribalist jihadist should refer to yoruba men as pedophiles. If there are those that sleep with 10 year olds, it must be the Hak[b]EE[/b]ms among us and they are usually from Kwara. I hope you get banned for your usual tribal insults lately. Whomever raped you anally as a young boy, did a lot of damage in you.

hot funmi, not everyone is a freaky ho like you who hurriedly gave up  her virginity at the age of 10 to grinogori the houseboy  Embarrassed Embarrassed

Not everyman is a Arrow like you who still chase housegirls at age 45 because his meagre salary as a draft technician AKA engineer wannabe can only afford housemaids.  Dupe don born your illegitimate kids?

so you dont need to assume that the only virgins out there are below the ages of 20

Stop molesting under aged girls and boys, you closet bisexual pedophile. Anal penetration guru like you.

Muslim names. Hisssssssssssssssss.

2. An Ilesha woman who was dumbed by her Igbo boyfriend may begin to detest anything nigerian unity. Likewise a yoruba man who his son was serving nigeria as corper only for his kid to be slaughtered like a goat in a the nigerian street of jos where he was serving his country might find it difficult to put nigeria first again.

Roflamo. Aloy emekraze, na you again?

Oyinkansola/Kanyinsola

Mouthful.


Jumoke

Kese
Ehi
Ify
Zikora(I love this popular Nigerian designer's name). My sons will now be Zikora and Akmed.
">http://www.zikoradenim.com/index.php?department=profile
Olu
Obaseki
Zainab

Nigeria's Nollywood spotlighted at DOXA film series
By Craig Takeuchi
Hooray for Nollywood! No, it’s not a spelling mistake. It’s not meant to be Bollywood or Hollywood. It is in fact Nollywood, the rapidly expanding Nigerian film industry.

It’s one of the largest film industries in the world, yet, in a country contending with mass poverty, it remains a direct-to-DVD business and production budgets only reach up to $20,000 or less.

Common themes and elements are religion and witchcraft in these modern-day adaptations of African storytelling for home audiences.

Canadian filmmakers Ben Addelman and Samir Mallal (who previously directed Discordia, about the riot during the 2002 visit of former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Montreal’s Concordia University, and Bombay Calling, a documentary about outsourcing to India) made a documentary about this industry, Nollywood Babylon, which focuses on the influential young director Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen (also known as “Da Governor”) who has made over 150 films (only a portion are listed on his IMDb profile). He’s perceived as the Nollywood equivalent of Steven Spielberg.

The film will be showing as part of the monthly DOXA Documentary Film Series starting on February 12 (7 p.m.) at Vancity Theatre (1181 Seymour Street).

Tickets go on sale today at the DOXA Web site, Videomatica (1855 West 4th Avenue), and the DOXA Office (5–1726 Commercial Drive). For more information, visit the Web site or call 604-646-3200.

Future screenings in the series will take place on March 8 and April 16. These screenings will precede the annual DOXA film festival, which runs from May 22 to 31.

http://www.straight.com/article-198403/nigerias-nollywood-spotlighted-doxa-film-series

'Idle people stir most religious crises in the North'

Alhaji Aminu Garba Sidi is chairman of Bauchi-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), Christian-Muslim Peace Movement (CMPM). The objective of the movement, among others, is to ensure religious and cultural harmony among the diverse ethnic and religious groups in the state, where many people have been killed and maimed in fratricidal conflicts that also resulted in enormous destruction of property. In this interview with Reporter, Godwin Egbara, in Bauchi, Sidi identifies idleness as what breeds rumour-mongering, hate, and fanaticism, saying these are the major cause of religious and ethnic conflicts in the society.





You are the chairman of Christian-Muslim Peace Movement (CMPM). What are the objectives of your organisation?

The objectives of the peace movement are to promote peaceful coexistence among adherents of various religious groups and different tribes in the state and the country at large. To encourage the use of dialogue as means of settling dispute; we also aim at encouraging free exchange of information and ideas that would enhance harmony.

Do you also do tension analysis to detect conflicts early enough and try to nip them in the bud?

We also focus on conflict detection and early prevention, inter state ethical propagation, peaceful settlement, and provision of training to promote peaceful coexistence in the state. We aim at the empowerment of women and youth to reduce redundancy and foster self-reliance. We have discovered that redundancy is one of the factors that contribute to crisis in the state because, as the saying goes, an idle mind is the devil's workshop.

What are your strategies for attainment of these objectives?

Based on these objectives, we have been organising lectures, seminars, holding radio and television discussions on how to promote peace in the state capital and in rural areas. Our membership cuts across all sectors of the community without discrimination. In order to achieve our objectives, we usually invite learned scholars from both universities and polytechnics to lecture us on the importance of peace in the society. In the course of our assignment, we also invite security agencies to advise us on what is not sensitive and what might not cause crisis in the society.

How far have you been able to realise your objectives?

We thank God for the assistance of the present administration. Government realised that without peace, there is no development; they have really assisted us in the provision of funds to rent our present office. We contributed greatly to the sensitisation of secondary school students in the state. In the course of research, we discovered that most of the problems emanated from day secondary schools. They are being used to foment trouble. In the past two years most of the crises that occurred in the state emanated from secondary schools, particularly day schools.

How do you go about the mission of sensitising schools?

We decided to visit schools to sensitise them on the need for peace to reign in the state. We also advised them not to allow themselves to be used by politicians to cause trouble because their mission in the school is to get knowledge and use it for the development of the society. In all the schools we visited, we usually establish a peace club to continue with the sensitisation work. This club serves as a watchdog in the school. They report to us if there is any problem in the school so we can take appropriate action to resolve it in time.

In the course of your research, what are those factors you have discovered as the cause of religious crisis in the state?

There are many factors that lead to religious crisis. Among them are rumour-mongering, idleness, cultism, and traditional rulers. Similarly, we have discovered that unemployment also contributes to crisis in the state. If the youth were fully engaged, nobody would be involved in crisis. It is because they do not have anything to do that they see religious crisis as an opportunity to be relevant.

How do you see the role of foreign influence in the religious crises?

Another factor is foreign intervention. You will recall that during the cartoon riots, the offending posters did not emanate from us, but from abroad. A student went to the Internet and downloaded offending materials and distributed them to people. Once they saw it, they were provoked and it took time for them to be pacified. We have sensitised them on this factor; that what is happening abroad should not be used to bring disaffection within our community.

Fanaticism is seen in some quarters as the greatest factor responsible for religious crisis?

We discovered sentiment, religious preferences, as some of the factors responsible for crisis in the state. We sensitised the people that no religion is superior to the other; if we respect one another's religion, it will bring peace and harmony. If you think that your religion is superior, invariably you are relegating mine and there is no peace. People, irrespective of religious differences, should be treated equally. We are created equal

and should respect one another's religion.

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/feb/4/713.html

UK to repatriate 400 Nigerian prisoners
02.04.2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

The United Kingdom (UK) Minister of State for Immigration and Boarders, Mr Phil Woolas, has said there were about 400 Nigerians in UK prisons waiting to be repatriated.

Woolas said this during his visit to the Federal Ministry of Interior, where he sought cooperation to facilitate and fast-track immigration policies between both countries.

He also denied allegation of human rights violations against immigrants, especially prison inmates from Nigeria. “It is illegal in the UK to discriminate against people on the ground of race or religion or gender, so any such discrimination is treated seriously.

"Secondly, we have independent monitors of national and international monitory of prisons and detention centres. It is also a difficult area of public policy; that people are extremely in danger that we have to protect our prisoners and inmates. I know that there are allegations and we have investigated the allegations and satisfied that people are treated fairly and properly in what is nevertheless a very difficult circumstance," he said.

Responding, Minister of Interior, General Godwin Abbe (rtd), said efforts were being made by the two countries to ensure that the prisoners were successfully returned to the country. Abbe, however, said there were legislative constraints to the repatriation, which were being addressed.

“It is also clear that in the matter of prisoner transfer, we are waiting on the actions of the legislative arms of government of our country, so that the matter of consent is revisited, and the moment this is done, we are certain that prisoners involved in this movement will have their movement effected”, he said.
http://odili.net/news/source/2009/feb/4/212.html

Thats one brother that has joined the league of Obamas. Naija will get there.

History, as Nigerian finds cure for diabetes
From Dayo Thomas in Abuja, 02.04.2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

It’s official – a Nigerian scientist, Dr. Louis Obyo Obyo Nelson, has finally found a cure for the dreaded diabetes disease which afflicts over 123 million sufferers all over the world.



The Minister of State for Health, Dr Aliyu Idi Hong, yesterday described as “epoch and historical” the production of Antidiabetic Phytophar-maceutical by Nelson in collaboration with the Nigerian Pharmaceutical Research and Development.

Diabetes is a potentially life- threatening condition in mammals brought about by an inability of the mammals to produce insulin. Insulin, a polypeptide hormone produced in the pancreas of the mammal, controls the amounts of glucose present in the blood by stimulating the uptake of glucose by the muscle and adipose tissue.

THISDAY had exclusively reported on May 23, 2003 that Nelson had been granted a United States patent entitled “Medicament for the Treatment of Diabetes”, a feat that raised hopes for millions of sufferers of the disease worldwide. It also exclusively reported on June 5, 2003 a confirmation from the US Patent Office that indeed a patent had been made out to the Nigerian scientist.

Hong said yesterday at the signing of an agreement between Nelson and GDPAU, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA, for the commercialisation of an Antidiabetic Phaytopharmaceutical in Abuja that the drug would contribute to the quality of health care all over the world and boost the economy of the country.

The drug, which was said to have been administered on many diabetic victims, has been found to be very safe and highly effective. It was also said to have corrected erective dysfunctions noticed in those victims.

The minister said the drug would expand the landscape of medicare in the world and encourage more researches into herbal drugs in the country.

“I believe that there are so many of such leaves in the bushes in Nigeria that can cure many of these diseases that are proving difficult in the world. This is an epoch and historical day in the history of this country,” he said.

The minister noted that diabetes has posed a serious health challenge worldwide, and is the sixth largest killer in Nigeria.

“There is hardly a house you go to in Nigeria that one person will not be affected by this killer disease,” he said.

He pledged the support of the Federal Government to the efforts of research institutes, especially those who are into herbal medicine research.

Director-General of Nigeria Institute for Pharmaceutical Research, Dr. Ufot Inyang, described as unfortunate the inability of the Federal Gove-rnment to explore the enormous benefits in the herbal market.

He regretted that although the market had the capacity of generating over $100 billion annually, the country was not taking advantage of it.

He said the ongoing global economic crisis would adversely affect the fortunes of Nigerian pharmaceutical companies and stressed the need to focus on the herbal drugs.

“It is an opportunity we have been missing and I don’t want us to miss it again,” he said.

Representative of GDPAU, Prof. Ramesh Pandey, who described the drug as one of the greatest things that will come out of the continent, said it could go a long way in helping to launder the image of the country. He commended the efforts of Nigerian researchers, describing them as one of the best in the world.

The drug will be funded and marketed by a Nigerian company, TREC International Limited. It is estimated that it will cost the company an initial $10 million to deliver the drug to the market.

Nelson recorded a breakthrough in his research for a drug that could cure diabetes when the US government issued him with a patent (No. 6,531,461) for his medication, which can effectively treat Type I and Type II diabetes.

A documented proof of the discovery showed that Nelson, who then resided at Plot 574 Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro, Abuja, filed his application for a US patent June 4, 2001.

The 'Medicament for the treatment of Diabetes' patent with application No. 09/873,560 was approved March 11 2003.

An official of the United States Patent had confirmed to THISDAY on telephone June 4, 2003 that Nelson was actually granted a patent for his invention of a possible cure for diabetes.

The official, who simply identified herself as Mrs. Robinson, acknowledged that a United States patent with number US 6,531,461 B1 bearing application number 09/873,560 and dated March 11, 2003 was indeed approved for Nelson.

The enquiries at the US patent office followed the interest the story of May 23, 2003 had generated. E-mail dated May 25, 2003 to the United States Patent and Trademark Office seeking to establish the authenticity of Nelson's claim was replied, but with a directive to call the General Information Services Division (GISD) on telephone.

Unlike insulin which has been used for many decades to manage diabetes, Nelson's "wonder" drug can be administered orally, making it possible for patients to administer it as capsule, tablet or syrup. Insulin can only be injected into the body.

The award to Nelson, a graduate of Chemistry from the University of Ibadan, was made on the strength of his research, which determined the exact chemical structure of the active ingredient. The research was also able to determine the quantity of the drug, which could be tolerated in the human body, and yet be able to stem the patient's condition.

Nelson’s drug had been subjected to two clinical trials the last being at the University of Jos Teaching Hospital (UJTH).

At the first clinical trial, the initial extract derived from Vernonia amygdalina was orally administered to 26 patients all of whom had been previously diagnosed as suffering from insulin deficiency. For control, a group of five were used, who maintained diet discipline throughout the trial. The initial extract was dosed to the patients three times daily in 100mg aliquots for six months.

The blood glucose levels of all 31 subjects were closely monitored. It was revealed that the 26 patients receiving the initial extract no longer required maintaining diet discipline after the first month and examination showed remission of the disease after three months.

Fifteen patients were said to have continued receiving medication for the remaining three months of the trial.

The document that accompanied Nelson’s patent application showed that all those who volunteered for the experiment appeared to have recovered from the disease and have returned to their normal life prior to the diagnosis of the disease.

Nelson, 61, who holds a doctorate degree in Molecular and Computational Chemistry from the University of Ibadan, hails from Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

He served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2001, worked with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council.
http://odili.net/news/source/2009/feb/4/203.html

So he is suing Okocha because he is rich abi?. If Okocha is poor, will he sue him for something that happened in his home in his own absence? That can only happen in Europe and America and not in Naija.

Before una judge Okocha, read his own version of the story. It sounds like Etim Esin is a gold digger.


HITV suspends Etim Esin
Written by Onochie Anibeze
Monday, February 2, 2009

Toyin Subair wants him to apologise to Okocha

•I’ll never do that, Etim vows

More dimensions are emerging in the Jay Jay Okocha-Etim Esin case.etim is suing Okocha for N100m for the embarrassment he faced at a Christmas party in Okocha’s house last December.



Etim was said to have been accused of stealing a phone set in the party and was subsequently searched. The phone was not found on him. He later engaged activist lawyer Festus Keyamo to stand for him in litigation against the former Super Eagles captain.

He said that he was doing so to clear his name especially now that he does soccer analysis for HiTv, the cable station that brings Premiership, Serie A, and the Spanish League among other things to homes of Nigerians.

“The image will not be good for me and the cable station if I don’t clear my name,” Etim insisted.

But a twist emerged at the weekend when Etim was stopped from his schedule to be on air for the Manchester United-Everton match which the Red Devils won 1-0.

The cable station Etim said was part of the reason he was resorting to litigation is rather distancing themselves from him after they said that they picked holes in his claims. The CEO of the company, Toyin Subair, on Saturday ordered that Etim should not appear on air until he apologises to Okocha.

Etim first spoke on this. He fumed as he spoke. “They have just stopped me from doing the Manchester United and Everton match. Mr. Subair wants me to apologise to Okocha. I don’t know why he took that position. I’m scadalised. It is unfortunate they are siding Okocha. I’ll not apologise. Why should I? They humiliated me in Okocha’s house, searched my wife’s bag, searched me in presence of my daughter and she wondered why they were doing that to me.

I told her we were playing a game. Okocha did not apologise to me and I decided to make it a legal matter and they are asking me to apologise for the wrong they did to me. It is unfortunate. I’ll rather stop working for them than apologise. AIT is coming out soon and I also have an offer from DSTV.”

We contacted Toying Subair and he reacted this way: “Yes, I asked that Etim apologises to Okocha or he will stop appearing on air for us. I did so after finding out the truth. Honestly, my body was shaking when I found out the truth. I took that position because if Etim was allowed to go on like that, he could do it to anybody including those of us in HITV.

He could come up with something any day. He knew that Okocha was not the one that ordered him searched, he knew that Okocha was not there when they started searching him, he knew that when Okocha came and saw what was happening, he ordered them to stop and strongly apologised to him and the wife. Etim knew that he was not the only one searched. Other people had actually opened their bags for searching and they were on it when Okocha came, expressed surprise and ordered that stopped. Okocha’s wife knelt down to apologise to Etim’s wife, gave her a kiss and the party continued. When Etim was leaving, Okocha gave him N100,000 as Christmas gift.

He was happy. Again, Etim’s daughter was not there when they were searching Etim. She was upstairs playing with other kids. Even Etim’s wife admitted that Okocha apologised to them. Our generation should not accommodate such things because it will spread and some day it could be anybody’s turn to suffer this type of thing. What I really don’t know is why Etim should do this to somebody who has been supportive to him.

I don’t get it at all. I don’t get it. Honestly, I was shocked when I found out the truth. I invited Etim to join us. He did not apply for the job. I brought him because I felt our television could help him find another career. I didn’t like the way he was being treated, so I offered him the chance. If he could do this to Okocha, he could do it to anybody, so I’m scared. That’s why I asked him to apologise, so that he retraces his step and know how to live in peace. I was scared of him”

Etim offered these words: “It’s a set up. My integrity is at stake. We (ex players) should form a union to help each other, not to hurt each other. Let them allow sleeping dog to lie otherwise I will bark and it will be loud. If they like let them sack me and use Okocha to replace me on tv. I must fight for my name.”


http://odili.net/news/source/2009/feb/2/301.html

wetin dey vex una?

they have given hope to wahala 2000 and co

plenty nairalanders go fall into the next event

u sabi say nairaland dudes are maniacs for cherry popping

You know that how?. You like underaged girls abi? I knew it.

This is the most stupid thing I ever heard.
Award for virginity?
In 2009?
In Lagos of all places
I am highly dissappointed.I would have expected such nonsense in Kotangora or tudun wada or some interior northern Village
Not Lagos,the supposed most industrialized city in Nigeria.
What a shame
Where do they think they are?
It's even more annoying that a stupid male obgyn certified the girls as virgins
by what means?
how many of these girls did he finger before coming out with 41 winners? Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked
How do I know he didn't disvirgin them and falsify his results
pervert.
what stupid parents would allow their girls be fingered for this stupid reason.
Our people are so stupid and sometimes I'm ashamed of my country.
Very ashamed.

Why are non virgins mad at this award? . No be the man talk say make una begin chop curved plantain so early without a marriage license.

You are recto-cranial inverted. . . . . .It's about time u dig your head out of your ass SODOMIZED by Atiku and cohorts.
I heard u have been walking like Becky(Jenifa movie) in the last 3 months.

Roflmao; If you need money, we can help contribute for your surgery but just stop gassing all and sundry here abeg. Wetin be your ugly name sef? Sunday or Monday or is  it thursday?

what are those? curses?

Yeah, because he threatened you with a noose.

Chei which name wey u no like Toyosi?

U no mind Adisa, Ajasa, Aremu, Giwa, Obesere, Pasuma et all

Olanrewaju, Tafa, Moji, Anenih, Oladimeji,Adedibu.