₦airaland Forum

Let the truth be told.The significant difference made in the second term of Obasanjo's administration came through the efforts of such people like Ngozi Okonjo Eweala,Charles Soludo,Oby Ezekwilisi.It was not the work of the politicains who made his first term a major mess.

Do you guys think politiacins will keep a 35 billion dollar resereve? Therefore, we need more people who have proven themselves in the private sector to really make things change and Pat Utomi is one of uch people.

I am praying that Ngozi Okonjo Iwaela is made a VP though. We need thinkers.Politicians are very daft people.Most of them spent all their lives in the Army or civil service where they never had to think about how to turn a million to twenty million.All they have received is big budget money to spend and contract.(Think Olabode George, Mantu etc)

Don't let us forget that Church really does not mean the building we gather to hold our services every sunday.The church is a people called out and sanctified. The saints who are members of the Church,the body of Christ are known by the fruits of the spirit.

That is what you should watch out for; whether you meet her/him in the bus or at a party should then not matter.wtach out for their character. It takes finding and if you are sincerely looking for that wife from God -not someone that looks like a wife- you will find.

I agree totally with Kimba. I can not imagine any of my friends treating a lady the way most of the men implied by the post do.There are loads and loads of decent Nigerian men that I know of who will not do that.

Some men have issues, I agree but do not generalize this as a male attribute.I have nevr grabbed my crotch at lady not matter how beautiful she is.I will never stalk a woman.NEVER!! And I speak for so many decent guys out there who chersih the woman God gives them!

It appears as if there are people who try to convince you to feel bad about being in Nigeria.I see them everyday when I go to the vendors;they are the master analyst taking a lens to all our problems.If you have enough guts to stick to your dreams and not queue up at the embassy,something must be wrong with you.That is not a good attitude. There is nowhere on the surface of this earth that does not have their challenges.The measure of progress that people make is determined by the quality of minds that have decided to do something about it.

Is it not amazing that Nairaland is hosted from Ogun State using the same intelligence and skill that anyone could have deplored? The most remarkable people in the world today do not trade blames;they trade ideas!Ideas are responses to the challenges we see around us.

THe fact that things dont work very well in Naija means that we need people who can make things work well.It is the enteerprenur's paradise.We need people to come up with thoughts that will improve things and you can be paid for it.If however your dream is a good salary in pounds or dollars, you might just head for that embassy.

Whatevr choice you make, know that it is yours and it is only fiar if you respect the opinions of others.

I pray that God will keep us all and see in the coming years ,as our economy evolves, the people who will control the wealth of this great |Nation!

I rest my case!

I had practically resigned from this thread and only joined after the last couple of threads.I encounter a lot of young Nigerians condenming this country and all.you hear words like 'hopeless' 'bleeped up' and all that . Most time, I assume that some of these people have been watching too much video.One day, I intend to travel to America on a visit but not to stay. But i do not worship any country and spend the better part of my life fantasizing about going there or belittling those who are not there.

Some of my uncles left progressive jobs back in the 90s to join the rush abroad.I see them when they come home now and something within me yells at younger generation of Nigerians who are bent on travelling at all cost. There is nothing wrong if you have an articulated plan and good professional skill to market but if you do not or you are foregoing a great job here and traveling abroad to hustle, I am sorry for you.

I have friends who are in london who will not come back home because thay are ashamed that the only thing they have going for them in comparison with their mates is the queen's english they pretend to speak. some of them are not doing badly but so many of them are in states that makes even their close friends ashamed. With the new trend of Nigerian workers traveling to london for vacation, there is no myth anymore.you can see them as they truly are.All those famed odd jobs are not really as avaialble as they used.the east europreans are in now and it is the survival of the fittest!

Is Nigeria the greatest place to live in? No! but people are giving their best and making some progress in spite of it all. everytime someone makes a certain degree of progress aginst the odds, dont blame it on luck or long leg,it is proof that we cant all live abroad.

To the question 'is life really better abarod?

I say life is better if you decide to make it so!

@ babybee.
It definitely won't be the end.I think it is the new trend now.There is a smaller mall opposite the MUSON too. Not as big as this but I also read that the guys behind this are thinking of building more.

A lot of things are changing about Nigeria cos business people are now being allowed to take charge of things. A few years ago,this kind of project will be driven by the government.Today, young and not so young Nigerians are reshaping the economy in a vital way.

@Syrup,

I have really enjoyed your contributions and Thanks for coming along to share some of your thoughts.

In my early days at the university, I used to believe in evolution-not that I was so convinced that it was the solution to my questions about existence but is was an answer anyway.All of science and the progress we have made in life hold on to the submissions of Darwin.I had lecturers who who were evolutionist and they still believed in their traditional African gods.

I askled questions.Is there a spiritual realm? I knew from experience that there is and science cannot explain that and so many questions in my mind.A scottish friend( evolutionist to the core) working with an NGO in NIgeria then who I asked gave exactly the same response I have seen on this page: in the absence of anything else to believe, let us hold on to the theory of evolution and defend it!I found that answer in the Bible.

Why cant you repeat the processes of evolution then? Another school has emerged that conceeds thatn God should be given some credit-thetrefore,He caused evolution.Confusion!

Recent researches  have proven that there must be an intelligent designer behind the intricate designs that comprises the universe.This things are not just happenng of their own.

All this 'evolution is it' is only a fear that there might just be God and if there is a God and we -the evolutionists-are wrong, the consequences are greatb indeed.It is thatr fear that informs the not so verifiable plunge into evolutionism.A person who is not living the life that God expects is in fear of thejustice of that God-the being who design even the smallest organism so intricately and with  theoir define purposes.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of this kind of Wisdom!

@kajad, I agree with you absolutely.
Also need to add that [art of loving your wife is to really making some compromises for her.If she wants to show you off as hers, you better get the specifications right.Perhaps, you guys can shop together and reach a compromise!

good luck!

Justin,

I think you can actually achieve a balance with your wife by combining the two.There are now corporate wear that are casual (forget tie here!) but you will need a good jacket though.you can combine great 'formal' colourful shirts with your jeans and chinos. There are hybrid shoes now;they are for work and play.In lagos, you will hear a lot about divers and stuffs like that.Give your 'wifey' this options.

Own your own business? I can feel you my bro. I run a growing business with my freinds too and there are days I am tempted to dress to work in a Danshiki!All my freinds have been saying that my wife will have work to do when I do get married.

@idekeson

Not a bad idea. call him and tell him bfeore he becomes a pesioner!

@mamaput

I have great respect for your opinion but I still think that it is appopriate that as parents we are not only examples for our childern , we should slo have an idae how best we can raise them to be te kinds of people they should be.That is the resaon why someone is called a parent-it is a responsibility over the child without depriving her of the ability to learn on her own.

Even the good book says that it is the child that the Lord loves that He disciplines.I see al ot of the people I grow up with in the same neighbourhood who were just allowed to do their thing back then by their parents when we were growing up .They are the touts and what we call "agberos' in my former neighbourhood now.When my mother ( who raised me along with my four sisiters draw the line, they laughed at me and said I was not free. Most of them can't read this thread or come near a computer now.

The subject of raising kids is one that can generate an unending debate but I respcet the steps that Eniola has taken.But you must communicate your love to those kids in some other ways beyond the rebuke they get.Let them talk with respect to adults as you want them to.Ands even though I am not familiar with european laws governing children upbringing, I do know that parents have that responsibility to do much more than just watch.

Live will never give you what you deserve-it gives you what you demand.Eniola, its your call!

May God be with you!!

@idekeson

That is his style. There is nothing bad if one can add a little slapstick humour into fighting.You must admit that so much thinking and planning go into that. After Bruce Lee, this guys brought some oriential magic to Hollywood.

I strongly believe that your daughter is beautiful and, like said, most of the guys she has gone out with( in your story at least) may be intimidated by her beauty and the fact that she attracts men.

For most boys in her age range, it may be hard to find one who will not be that possessive.The isses is how they manage it.Let her continue to be herself.
One of mmy closest friend jisy broke up with a guy she thot was the man.He was so possesive and jealous anytime she sees her with any man.These are almost-thirty couple-not 17 o!.She thought his being quiet was just being reserved not jealousy.The guy has been begging her to come back but she stoood her ground.

Your kid will come through.Note that she must not adjust her character top accomodate any of these boys.I will advise her to stay off relationships for now and jst keep friends.If it happens again, she may begin to think that the fault is with hers and that is a damage to her psyche;from then she lets down her guard and accommodate these deficient individuals.

I have absolute respect for jackie Chan. In this days of 'processed rope' fights that has made everyone in Hollywood a martial arts,he pays homage to his heritage as a fighter and an actor.And for records, RUsh Hour opened te foodgate of Black/Chinese Collaboration in hollywood. Jet Li is great too but poerson to person combat typr movies should be given to Jackie Chan.No one else comes near in Hollywood or any other wood for that matter.

His Autobiography is out.Saw it on Lagos Island.

To really appreciate the isses srrounding Nollywood, you really have to examine the kinds of mids behind it.The good thing though is that it creates jobs for people.

The name Nollywood is part of the copy-copy thing you get when originality is hade to implement.I have said this o another thread.The south Africans are doing a great deal of branding their offerings in way that will arose curiousity. I spke of 'Sithengi' and 'design indaba'.Nobody will take you serios if You call yourslef Nollywood.Indioans did not gather to call themselves Bollywood.It was just confered on the(BOmbay + Hollywood)

THe biggest stars acknowledged otside Nigeria are those who project their 'Nigerianess'.Our Home Video indstry needs a lot of creativity but first it is suffering from an identity problem.

I was having a discussion with someone on my way from a weddiung on saturday and I realise that one's taste for tyhe music changes as the one changes too. In the unversity we tarted out with those Maranatha music (if You are near or over 30 this will easy) then came integrity with their artistes froim Don Moen to Ron Kenoly;then Kirk brought his revolution and now it is so contemporary now.

But truthfully, if you really wnat to bring tears to your eyes in adoration to God, you may need to get one of those Maranatha series.And that is where I am goiung now.

@kimba

Funny enough, we were on the same side. I only want to get my point acros without condemning.The reference to smoking is the same as to drinking.The Bible does not expressly say anything like that but we can be guarded by God's etrenal Laws which Paul used in the beginning of the book of Romans to wran people who question a lot of things that Goid has done and he said these things( the way of God) can be seen in the creations of God. Is it right to put somke into your lungs because you can do it? Is it right(rationale) to submit your soberness to a bottle of drink.

Look God did not say we should have our eyees opened whem we cross the four lane highway.We know by nature the way God orders things that this is the way to do things.Do female dogs run after dogs of the same Kind(strecthing Pauls' reasoning in reltion to Human perversion)

I am sorry my early post was ambigous! This is my stand.

Is smoking a sin?Afterall it is not expressly written in the Bible that thou shall not smoke.Abi?

In justifying any form of religion act or abstinence, it is oftem necessary to look as the whole picture and do an evaluation. What does drinking do to you? We can not fully understand the kind of wine that Jesus Christ changed water too because the Greek Language from which the new testament is translated from is not exactly English.

Christ did not come to debate or condemn anyone.He even spent time in the midst of people who were considered by the religious leaders at that time leaders.

My Answer: When Christ is known to you,the answer will not be gotten on this thread or any one else-it will be within you because that is what He will do, build you from inside out and make you new.

Eniola,

Please know that long after these thread is gone and after some of the people who think you are not doing the right thing log off, you still have to decide how you want to raise your kids.I admire you for being a strong woman.Was it Hilary Clinton that said that it takes a village to raise a child.

I 'hated' my mother for all the works that she made me and my other sisters do in the surulere part of Nigeria to do but years later, I always tell her that she taught me well.
It is that same discipline and respect that i thought my nieces and nephew that grew up with me and they are all doing well. You have chosen the right part as far as I am concerned;God wil give you the grace to ensure your kids do not become another statistics.

Someone told a funny story of a man who sent his three kids on summer holiday in England.When they came back to Nigeria, they happen to be playing a game and one of them exclaimed in a four letter swear word.The father knowing that it was the few weeks in London that had fone a number on the kids brought out his cain and proceeded to give them a few strokes.

They went 'ouch' at the first stroke until the sixth and the father did not relent.At the seventh stroke they shouted 'Yeeehh' and then He knew that this were the kids that he raised not the one that just traveled to London.

Bottomline: raise your kids with the highest moral standard that they can get accustomed to and doing loving them.Do not leave them to a popula opinion or cabnle television( for they will raise your kids for you and they will speak languages you never sat down toi teach them)

Raise up your kids the way they should grow and when they grow up, they will not depart from it.

Great response from those who have spelt things out (kimba that was wonderful)and may I add that christianity may only be a definition or a decsription of the way of life of the people who followed the Christ.The first time people were called Christians in the boopk of acts, it was through the observation of their way of life.They did not have aT shirt saying 'We are the Christians in Jerusalem'. It was there -lets use the word-their way of life.

[b][/b]

The most senior Nigerian staff of MTN, Ms Funke Opeke who was
appointed after a long search for a Nigerian replacement for sacked
Demola Eleso has resigned. Opeke was only five months old on the
post.

Informed company sources told THISDAY that Opeke resigned after the
company reneged on some of the agreements reached during negotiations
leading to her employment.

An informed source said THISDAY that Opeke was trying to get what
the source termed a "corrective pay and benefits package" for the
Nigerian engineers working with her. And although the chief executive
officer of the Company, Mr. Sifiso Dabengwa agreed to all these
demands one on one
with Opeke, his approval was tactically withdrawn when he directed
her to the Chief Financial Officer.

According to the source, the CFO, for some strange reasons, blocked
the implementation of the agreement, insisting that the Company's
budget could not afford such despite the huge profits the company
makes in Nigeria yearly.

Sensing that the Company was about to make a fool of her after all
the promises she had made to the team who in turn had given her all
the cooperation and goodwill she needed to do well, Opeke decided to
withdraw her services from the company.

Some of the staff close to Opeke disclosed that the MTN board has
been trying to persuade her to reconsider her stand. She has however
refused to yield to the pressures, because of what she said was the
inability of those who run the company to keep to simple agreements.

Another source who spoke with THISDAY said it was doubtful if Opeke
stayed in MTN's official quarters. This may be because she was not
given the right kind of apartment she requested for. The source also
insisted that Opeke also was not given the kind of vehicle she
requested for as official car.

On why the resignation had not been made public, another MTN source
said the Chairman of the board, Dr. Pascal Dodzie and other members
of the board had been approached to prevail upon Opeke to rescind her
decision.

With her resignation, Opeke would be the fourth officer to leave the
post within one year. After Eleso was sacked April last year,
another Nigerian, Damoye Oyesiku was named as his replacement.
Oyesiku resigned after only three days. After the departure of
Oyesiku, a South African expatriate, Mr. Dion Krige who was seconded
from South Africa was appointed acting CTO. He was replaced in
October by Opeke.

THISDAY's attempt to get MTN to respond to the story yesterday proved
unsuccessful as both the Corporate Services Executive, Mrs. Amina
Oyagbola and the Head, Corporate Communications, Mrs. Funmi
Omogbenigun refused to either answer their calls or reply the text
messages sent to them. When THISDAY eventually got Omogbenigun on
phone yesterday she said she has been on holiday outside the country
and only returned on Friday night. According to her she is neither
aware nor has been briefed.

Opeke was described at the time of her engagement in MTN as a veteran
of highly competitive environments who was coming to MTN with over 20
years experience as telecommunications executive. She was said to be
a highly accomplished and results-oriented engineer who has worked in
several major telecommunications companies in the United States with
her most recent appointment prior to her return to Nigeria being as
the Executive Director, Performance Assurance, Verizon
Communications, one of the largest telecommunications companies in
the world. Opeke joined Verizon Communications as Executive Director
in 2001. Between 2001 and 2005, she managed different portfolios
including the Business Architecture and implementation of Verizon's
global backbone network; Global Managed Network Services, and
Performance Assurance for the Wholesale Services Line of Business.

She had held senior positions at several other companies in the
United States including Telcordia Technologies (Bellcore),
Piscataway; AlliedSignal
Corporation, Morristown; PA Consulting Group, Highstown; and RCA
American Communications, all in New Jersey.

With the Bachelor of Science degree in Electronic and Electrical
Engineering from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in 1981,
Opeke proceeded to Columbia University, New York, United States of
America, where she obtained a Master of Science Degree in Electrical
Engineering in 1984. During her brief stay as MTN CTO, her
responsibilities included the planning and management of the entire
MTN Nigeria network.

At the time of her engagement, MTN Corporate Services Executive,
Oyagbola, was quoted as saying that Opeke's appointment is evidence
of MTN's commitment to recruit the best Nigerian brains and to
contribute to the development of Nigerian human capital.

Cece winans.
Fred hammond.
Yolanda Adams.
Paul Wilbur (I love hebrew tunes)
Gbenga Adenuga

Part of the solution should be that they should not set this high standards for themsleves yet. Let us begin with the basics. Someone mentioned 'scent of a woman' and such films have nore strength in their scripts and plot. We cannot meet the fx standards of Hollywood. We can begin with films that are deeper politically or socially and with very strong acting and direction by someone like Tunde kelani and Lola fani kayode(these guys are trained) we can still have decet film that we can watch.

The economic implications of the our home video indystry is that the little sales is closing their eyes to the possibilities that will emerge if there are films that people outside their sale group can watch.It is an industry that can really blossom.I have seen and heard some of the leaders of this industry and to be very frank, it does not look good at all escept really creative people begin to get involve at all levels.

HUman nature abhor changes.If these guys are making so much money,they are les likely to change.The problem is an indication that something new is required.Anyone out there with something new?

I think that I will go with one of the suggestions by someone along the posts.I will pick her up from the office and take her home through the the mainland bridge without any hint that I had something planned except that our company is doing a promo on the third mainblanf bridge and I wnat her to help me look out for this human billboards who paint themselves( I would have made that arrangemnt with some of this guys to paint themsleves in her faovourite colours; just five of them with each bearing a word on a placard " I Love You, ______ from ____" (phase one)

As we approach the many roads that connect to the bridge at oworoshoki, I will tell her we also haver some banner project by the bridge leading up to Anthony, a giant size banner in her colurs again saying ' I love you ______'

Forgot to add this at the beginning once i picked her up from the office, I would have made an advance effort to get all her close friends to record their voices about how much I love her and why she has to love me alone( fun messages not appeal) and have the messages burnt on a CD along side our favourite musics.

Then the canble-lit dinner for two with a real waiter(one of my friends will do) attending to her.AS we finsish the dessert, a mail comes in from one of lagos's leadind Spa homes for a special saturday spa treatment.

Than I will check my account balance with bank!

@ IBB

India have their own Bollywood! true but must every film indutsry be described by something that looks like Hollywood? These are creative people and creativity is al about distinction.That is an identity problem.we have a rich culture that can fuel a truly Nigeriacentric name.

Look at SA, one of their annual conferenfce is called 'Sithengi' and the also have a world recognised 'design Indaba'.
Imagine everyone in the movie world coining a name from Hollywood. Rwanda-Rwanwood, Somalia-Somawood.

I think came from a reference made by a CNN reporter about Nigeria's home video industry and she said Nollywood as an extension of the fame Bollywood.Kia, the name stuck and an industry in search of an identity was christened.

Yes, why do other Africans love Nollywood so much.learnt that Geneveive is asupre celebrity in Ghana.

Me thinks that the resaon why all these goes on is because very creative and capable people have not started going into the industry.They are the one who will raise the bar.Just like the banking industry in the days on 'tally number' and the changes that the new generation bank brought. In our music industry, the standards are being raised gradually with quality artistes coming up now and then like 2 face,Asa, Lagabja etc.Even our musical videos are really improving.

It is my conviction that Nollywood (why they settled for that name is bizzare-permananetly under Hollywood's shadows) will be changed by a new generation of practioners.you never can tell, they may come from this forum!!

May your dreams and expectations come to pass!Welcome and be strong and of good courage!

I will have 'thirded' the other opinion seconded earlier.For whatever it is worth, issues of faith are very personal and often coded in such a way that only people who share the understanding flow together.

The first experience I had of it was in bus on the way to Lagos Island.THis very good looking girl in jeans had entered and as she turned around to see on the only seat available in the bus and in front of me, she gave everyone a view of the string that held her panties.It was so embarassing for everyone behind her pretending to look away and hissing.

Since then, I have noticed that it is a normal thing now and I have sort of developed a thik sking against it.But generally,the things that girls wear nowadays scares me o!!

It is all that MTV and american movies jare!!

shabas,


Just to let you know that I am proud of you and many other Naija folks with your kind of Spirit.