7 pages later..
and the only conclusion to be drawn is that...Naijas love arguing about other countries. Who really cares if the UK is better than the US or vice versa? You don't see the real Brits and Americans engaging in this ridiculous 'c0ck' waving contest..
I can only dream of the day when a couple of white guys on oyibosonline will argue endlessly on whether Naija is more developed and stable than SA.

[s]Help! Yoruba Crime Wave Sweeps Through Britain[/s]

Troll, Let me correct that for you.

Nigerian crime wave sweeps through Britain (from MONDAY 02 FEBRUARY 1998)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/nigerian-crime-wave-sweeps-through-britain-1142464.html

GenBuhari:

tpia@,
I am puzzled as all references to 3rd mainland bridge on the internet seem to agree with your view that it was opened in 1990 by IBB. This is very puzzling.

I am inclined to suspect that this is  typo by ITN News, (I suppose such errors may occur when copy typist make a mistake when typing text to upload to the archive website)  I am adding a disclaimer to that post about 3rd mainland bridge until it is confirmed one way or another.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention anyway.

Re Third mainland Bridge
The Third mainland bridge project was started by the Gowon Administration in 1975 as part of the Lagos inner ring road project, it was divided into 2 phases. Phase 1 - Ebute Metta to Lagos Island (Adeniji Adele interchange). Phase 2 - Oworonsoki to Ebute Metta interchange.

The first phase was completed in 1980 and commissioned by President Shehu Shagari. The second phase (Oworonsoki to Ebute Metta interchange) was suspended as a result of the austerity measures introduced by the Shagari regime.
The Babangida regime re awarded the contract for the second phase (Oworonsoki to Ebute Metta interchange) and this was completed in 1990.

nferyn:

Been busy (haven't we all ;-))
Thanks for the re-welcome. Everything's fine in our family. We didn't have twins before, but now we do. Our house is becoming too small with all the children

Wow no wonder you've been AWOL  (irony) , I'm in your neck of the woods, drop me a line sometime.

15M will definitely not build a block of 8 flats. It cost me roughly that amount to build 4 flats. If I were to give you a ball park figure of how much a block of 8 flats will cost to build, I'll say budget for between 25M and 30M.
I suggest you build in stages if you only have 15M to start with.

ayinba1:

^^ And why would the whiteman's account be any more reliable in this case? Pray tell. I see it as another angle to the story, not necessarily the true one.

Well if his race is an issue that's your problem, all i'm interested in, is the account of all the people who were involved in the events that has shaped Nigeria.

I had to come out of lurking mode and contribute to this topic,   

I have no problem with the OP's intention of starting a debate on Akintola's place in Yoruba political history, however the OP has shown that his real intention is to try and re write our history and turn villains into heroes.

I suggest those interested in knowing more about the behind the scenes shenanigans during those dark days before and after independence read Harold Smith's -A Squalid End to Empire: British Retreat from Africa - http://www.libertas.demon.co.uk/autobio.htm

Here are a few quotes:

Awolowo was not stupid. He had seen the behaviour of the British administration during elections in the North, and he knew who was behind the pact between the North and the East. Nevertheless in 1961 he made contact with elements of the NCNC in the East to try and break the stranglehold which the North had over the Federal Government. This move came to nothing but may have alarmed the ruling clique who already feared him. It has been suggested that Awolowo's success as an Opposition leader in the first year of Independence and his popularity throughout Nigeria gave the Northern/Eastern coalition no alternative but to counter attack and adopt some highly questionable tactics. Akintola, Awolowo's lieutenant, was persuaded that he could lead the West and join the coalition. Rich rewards were on offer. Following stage managed disturbances in the Western Parliament, the Federal Government intervened and, following a judicial enquiry, Awolowo was sentenced to ten years in jail for treason.

It may seem odd that the Yoruba were not chosen by the British to rule alongside the favoured Northerners in the Independence Government which the British were busy planning in 1956 long before the actual Independence date. The reason was that the Yoruba leaders were independent minded and could not be relied upon. Awolowo particularly was regarded as 'unsound'. He was personally honest and if there had been a whisper of corruption the British would have known about it, for he was under extremely close surveillance. That is to say, his every movement was reported on and his mail and telephone were checked routinely.

REMOVED: Someone hacked into my account to place this AD

Removed

Here's the site i got the door handles, cabinet handles etc, from - http://www.handles4doors.co.uk Their prices/delivery costs are quite reasonable compared to the likes of Wickes, B&Q et al.

@daviddylan
I never really left i just stopped posting, hopefully the 'powers that be' have now developed a more mature attitude 

Was in a similar situation, Better to buy the Door handles, Cabinet handles and all the Taps here in the UK, basically anything that will be subject to a lot of wear and tear, get them here. Buy just the larger items like the kitchen sink in Nigeria.

As reported by Reuters
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080716/wl_nm/nigeria_deaths_fumes_dc_1

Generator fumes kill 17 at Nigeria prayer meeting
UMUAHIA, Nigeria (Reuters) - At least 17 people died at a prayer meeting in rural Nigeria after apparently breathing noxious fumes from their power generator while asleep, police and witnesses said on Wednesday.

regarding evil spirits and all that malarkey, will suggest people read this
Carbon monoxide poisoning and "haunted houses" (so called "evil spirits"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide_poisoning#Carbon_monoxide_poisoning_and_.22haunted_houses.22

Orikinla:

I stand by my word that Nigeria is safer than Britain.

No thanks to Blair, everyone is now living in fear of another terrorist attack

Damest09:

So far Kofi Annan is the best Secretary-General of the UN.

I don't think so. I wouldn't say he was the worst but he's definitely not the best. Its a shame that he could not use his position to do a lot more for Africa (especially in Sudan (Darfur), Somalia and Congo).
By the time his term ends next year i doubt if there'll be anything worthwhile to remember about his time at the UN apart from the Oil for food scandal

shango:

Israel wants the Arab world to recognize their right to exist, it would help if they worked something out with the Palestinians so that they had a clearly defined land mass they could call their country first, then perhaps the Arab world would not fund groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.

Are you kidding me? The sole aim of Hamas and Hizbollah is to destroy Israel. The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said "Israel should "pack up" and move elsewhere"

shango:

You think these groups shell Israel because they are lunatics, or perhaps its in their blood? Israel is the "state" it is today due to systematic terrorist tactics that drove palestinians from their land, bulldozed their homes and imprisons and continues to imprison so called terrorists (insurgents) and militia groups through extraordinary rendition.

Both sides have committed horrible atrocities, so it's pointless blaming one side alone

shango:

Most Israeli right wingers could give less than 2 shits about a Palestinian state. Without world intervention or condemnation the right wing extremists that comprise alot of the officials presently in the Jewish Admin. would wipe out the remaining settlements through genocide. Most Israeli citizens actually want a 2 state solution, but ofcourse they are never heard. Ofcourse the same can be said about extremists on the palestinian side. But seriously can you blame them?

Can you blame the Israelis too, when Hizbollah's paymasters keep calling for Israel to be wiped off the face of the earth

shango:

You think Hezbollah does what it does because they are scum that like to shell cities for the fun of it? You think they captured Israeli soldiers for the hell of it?

The whole point of Hizbollah was to liberate southern Lebanon, Israel withdrew from this area in 2000 (apart from Shebaa farms which belongs to Syria not Lebanon) So why was Hizbollah still firing rockets into northern Israel, Why was Hizbollah moving long range missiles into the area. Why was the Lebanese Army not deployed into south Lebanon ? Why was Hizbollah the only militia group left while the others were dissolved?

Letter dated 2 April 2002 from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General complaining about Hizbullahs attacks on Israel
http://domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/22f431edb91c6f548525678a0051be1d/bb095796d02d589785256b910058cc00!OpenDocument

Its unfortunate that innocent Lebanese civilians are suffering because of the actions of a crazy fanatic group that has no regard for its fellow citizens. What did Hizbollah expect when it attacked and captured Israel's soldiers?

omoniger:

The polish president has appointed his identical twin brother as the prime minister increasing his grip on power in this eastern european country.

Nepotism afterall is not a nigerian.

Or what do you think?

They actually belong to the same political party. I wouldn't really describe it as Nepotism, see the news story from last year before the elections.

Poland could find itself in the rather unusual position later this year of having identical twins as the country's new president and prime minister.

The Kaczynski brothers, Lech and Jaroslaw, are topping the opinion polls ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections later this year.

Lech is mayor of Warsaw and Jaroslaw heads the leading centre-right party.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4099646.stm


Polish head swears in twin as PM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5179886.stm

nferyn:

<Hijack thread>
Hi Ijebuman,

Sorry for not getting back to you, I went through a messed up personal experience and have been neglecting to keep in touch with a lot of people. I'll email you an update today
</Hijack thread>

no probs

nferyn:

The IDF usually don't deliberately attack civilians

Israel may not attack civilians directly but it adopts a collective punishment approach which affects innocent civilians, this policy rather than discouraging future attacks ensures more support for extremist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.

Israel is using Sheba farms and the Golan Heights as a sort of negotiating tool for any eventual peace settlement with Syria and Lebanon. Apart from Egypt and Jordan, technically Israel is still in a state of war with these countries as they have not signed or negotiated a peace agreement.
The current response by Israel is not just about its kidnapped soldiers, it has far reaching goals, which the Americans are obviously aware of.

Its unlikely Syria will get involved unless there's a pre-emptive attack from Israel, at the end of the day its a proxy war where the real combatants will not face each other but use other groups to pursue their aims.

By the end of the week once Israel has sufficiently weakened Hezbollah’s capacity to fire rockets (and in the process destroyed much of Lebanon) into northern Israel, the Americans will suddenly come up with a peace plan.

this thread is so funny i've been rolling with laughter.
But on a serious note and slightly offtopic

I really don't understand the need to brag on a public forum about not paying the TV licence or doing anything that is not legal

I live in London and i do pay the TV licence. Many Nigerians i know pay it as well. (you can probably get away with not paying it if you live in a block of flats but if you live in a semi or detached house, its only a matter of time. TVL now have access to credit records and the Polling register)

Generalisations about Nigerians living in the UK (eg "Nigerian youths in the UK within the age group of 18-30 are idle" or "Only fools pay TV License in London"
you can only make such statements if you know all Nigerians living in the UK.

The site makes for an interesting read and pretty much confirms a lot of what people already suspected. There was no way Britain was ever going to handover power to Africans 'who were too clever by half'.

superb:

hi,
i'm trying to find the artist who sang a particular song.i think they were both released in the eighties or early nineties.i know they were well played on radio lagos in nigeria then.the first one has a chorus that goes

"come join us people
let us have some fun
(because the party's just begun)
if you know how to party
come and have some fun
common everyone"

The song you're refering to is called 'Universal party' by Delroy
(and the line 'if you know how to party' is 'universal party')

superb:

second one had some calypso like instrumental to it .part of the chorus was

"to put the lime in the coconut makes no sense to me
----------------------------------------
--------------------
find another woman while the choice is up to you"

The song is 'Rhyme And Reason' by Gregory Abbott (he had a big hit in the 80s with 'shake you down')

I can send you the MP3 of universal party and you can hear a sample of 'rhyme and reason' on the Amazon site

desiree:

@ijebuman

Thanks a million for your help, hah!!! great, everyone speaks English, it only means that I don't have to learn any new words.
I doubt if my friends would be interested in the old churches in birkirkara, we are strickly going there for the Sun and Fun!!!

you'll definitely get a lot of sun

Was there in Dec 03
Everyone speaks English (it used to be a british colony). The economy is tourist based so they are very friendly to tourists

Valletta is a great historic city with beautiful cobbled streets. Birkirkara is ok i didn't really spend much time there as i got tired of seeing old churches (they are so many of them ).

But make sure you visit goma island to see the Azure window, Its breath taking

If you have some time on your hands you can also squeeze in a trip to Sicily (italy) to see Mount etna. Sicily is about 2 hours away by ferry and many companies offer day trips from Malta

Pics from malta
http://www.femi.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/pics/malta.html

donnie:

To deny people the freedom to openly testify of the work of God in their lives is a crime not just against christains or humanity, but against God.

The same argument could be made for the discriminatory sex law which obviously infringes on the rights of a minority of Nigerians. But I'm sure you support that

jeffolala:

I WILL LIKE US ALL TO LEARN TO APPRECIATE GOOD WORKS, BECAUSE THOSE THAT DO NOT APPRECIATE GOOD WORKS WILL NEVER SEE GOOD ALL THEIR LIFE, its a simply thing.

I will urge all you that have spoken roughly about the Man God to repent and go to God for Forgiveness, the Bible State and i quaote "TOUCH NOT MY ANOINTED.

here we go again the same old "Fear" tactics, Anytime anyone criticises the actions of a so called "man of God" someone has to respond with "touch not my anointed".

An airline, a TV station and a Fast Food Outlet, may provide employment opportunities but in the long term how does it benefit the average Nigerian ?
The Average Nigerian can not afford to fly, has no electricity to watch TV and can not afford to eat at a fast food restaurant.


"Religion supports nobody. It has to be supported. It produces no wheat, no corn; it ploughs no land; it fells no forests. It is a perpetual mendicant. It lives on the labors of others, and then has the arrogance to pretend that it supports the giver" - Robert G. Ingersoll

There was an article on this issue on Nigeriaworld not too long ago

A few months ago, experts reported that the multi-billion naira Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, had developed structural problems, which could make it go the way of Ijora by-pass bridge. Specifically, the bridge pavement surface had become uneven and the pillars or piers on which the bridge rests, had shifted from their original spots. In the world of Civil engineering, uneven pavement and displacement of the piers, are indications of more serious structural problems.

The importance of this bridge cannot be overemphasized considering that it is the third bridge that links Lagos Island and the Mainland. What boggles the mind however, is why a bridge that was commissioned in the early nineties, would already be in structural jeopardy? The managing director of Guffanti Construction Nigeria, Mr. Abiola Salau, was quoted as warning that "the bridge is a structure waiting to collapse" [Guardian, July 17, 2002]

Third Mainland Bridge In Lagos May Collapse?
http://nigeriaworld.com/columnist/uzokwe/110502.html

Another theory on the origins of the HIV virus

The origin of HIV has been found in wild chimpanzees living in southern Cameroon, researchers report.
A virus called SIVcpz (Simian Immunodeficiency Virus from chimps) was thought to be the source, but had only been found in a few captive animals.

rest of story
HIV origin 'found in wild chimps'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5012268.stm