Have you ever received a call that changed your situation, or just made life easier? Not many people have received that life-changing call. However, 510 communities across Nigeria can stand up to and say that a call just like this was the start of a new life for them! These communities were recipients of MTN’s What Can We Do Together initiative (WCWDT).

You need to hear the stories from the nominators and feel the joy from helping out your community - it’s infectious. Ahmed Bala {real name withheld], a student of mass communication in UNILAG nominated his community in Nasarawa state for the What Can We Do programme, and shares his story from the very start, “I was in class when my best friend sent me a link to a story. The first thing I thought about was New Nyanya. I grew up there and I appreciated every moment. We don’t have much, but it’s filled with good people who put the community first. The town school that I attended for my primary education is in a really terrible condition and we have never had an ICT lab. I saw it in the story, and I wanted us to have that. I sent in my text and prayed.”

So, what happened when he finally received the call and found out that his community had been selected? “I was happy! The community had to go through the verification process for MTN to verify that the community was in fact interested and would cooperate with the renovation process. Then I received a call that I was one of the ones selected! I called my grandmother immediately; she didn’t even know what a lab meant but she was happy! [laughs]”, he answered with a glimmer in his eyes.

His excitement about how the initiative changed his life was palpable, “I won’t lie, it changed a lot of things! The children now have more to learn and it has shown in a year. We are thankful - I am not sure we would have this without MTN. We cannot thank them enough at all.

Thankfully, MTN Nigeria has begun the fourth edition of its massive nationwide What Can We Do Together campaign. It’s an initiative that invites Nigerians to nominate their communities to receive interventions such as boreholes, ICT labs for schools, etc. For What Can We Do Together, you nominate your community by sending a text or via an online application, then you select either the ICT lab or borehole you want for your community. These people are called nominators.

Since 2015, the foundation has received over 190,000 nominations from Nigerians! This means that 190,000 people decided to put their communities first. So, head over to https://www.mtnonline.com/whatcanwedotogether/ or send MTN to 321 to nominate your community. Who knows, it might just be your turn for that call?

Nigerian returnees share scary tales from SA as they thank Air Peace, MTN and others https://neusroom.com/xenophobia-nigerian-returnees-from-south-africa-recount-ordeal-laud-air-peace-mtn-others/

The last couple of days have been horrifying, and that's putting it nicely. The events that took place in arguably two of Africa's most promising nations are eyesores and several steps backwards in the journey to building the united Africa we've always dreamt of.

South Africans burning down and looting Nigerian business in the "Rainbow Country"; Nigerians returning the favour. How exactly did we get here as Africans?

Yes, killing a Nigerian or any human is inexcusable, destroying their sources of livelihood is not pleasant either. There have been burning and looting of MTN stores (Akwa Ibom and Bodija in Ibadan), looting of Malls and stores and with threats of further actions against South African businesses. But, critically thinking about these retaliations, who exactly are we hurting, South Africa or ourselves? Think about it. Before joining in the looting/burning/hating party have you thought about these five things?


Nigerians Losing Source of Livelihoods: We hate to admit it but the so-called South African businesses in Nigeria like MTN (especially), MultiChoice, Shoprite and Stanbic etc. are some of the biggest employers of labour. With the unemployment rate north of 23% (NBS). If we go about destroying the facilities of these organisations like some have done already (Lagos and Ibadan especially) and they end up 'closing shop', South Africans will not be the ones losing jobs, it is you and I, our friends and our families that will. Think about it.

When Have Two Wrongs Ever Made a 'Right'?: Like the famous saying, "An eye for an eye makes the world go blind," if we continue this series of looting and burning, at the end of the day, what we will have left in both countries is agony, loss of properties and laying waste to the great potentials that exist in these two countries. Who wins then? I guess it'll be a draw, then maybe we go to extra time, and subsequently, pay the penalty for our inhumane actions.

We Need More Infrastructure Not Destroying The Little We Have: Some youths on my street the other day were busy in a corner, planning on how to destroy the MTN mast on the street, as I walked past them, I couldn't help but think to myself, do we really need to do this? These infrastructures are serving us all, and South Africans will still have functional mobile networks after we finish destroying ours. I saw the visuals of the burning MTN office in Ibadan as well as the looting of the malls. Guys! We depend on these things daily; we should be protecting them; instead, they serve us.

Is Looting and Burning Good for Our National Image?: Don't think too hard; the answer is a blatant and capital NO. In the past few weeks, our reputation has taken a severe beating in the international community, from cybercrime to drug trafficking, we are perceived as "very bad' people. Do we want to add looters and destroyers to that list? Nah, our prestigious Green passport, has suffered enough.

How will these Violent Acts Help Cure Africa of Xenophobia?: We should be thinking of how we can rid this continent of this plague that has ravaged our continent for some time now. No, violence won't solve the problem; it will increase it exponentially. While what is going on in S.A is heartbreaking, proper conflict resolution should be adopted. Let us trust our leaders for once with this. Violence will only cause us more heartache.


While what has happened is hardly what we need as a nation and as a continent, violence is not the answer; we can peacefully coexist as humans but most importantly, as Africans.

#NoToXenophobia #NoToViolence #NoToLootingOfBusinesses

The last couple of days have been horrifying, and that's putting it nicely. The events that took place in arguably two of Africa's most promising nations are eyesores and several steps backwards in the journey to building the united Africa we've always dreamt of.

South Africans burning down and looting Nigerian business in the "Rainbow Country"; Nigerians returning the favour. How exactly did we get here as Africans?

Yes, killing a Nigerian or any human is inexcusable, destroying their sources of livelihood is not pleasant either. There have been burning and looting of MTN stores (Akwa Ibom and Bodija in Ibadan), looting of Malls and stores and with threats of further actions against South African businesses. But, critically thinking about these retaliations, who exactly are we hurting, South Africa or ourselves? Think about it. Before joining in the looting/burning/hating party have you thought about these five things?


Nigerians Losing Source of Livelihoods: We hate to admit it but the so-called South African businesses in Nigeria like MTN (especially), MultiChoice, Shoprite and Stanbic etc. are some of the biggest employers of labour. With the unemployment rate north of 23% (NBS). If we go about destroying the facilities of these organisations like some have done already (Lagos and Ibadan especially) and they end up 'closing shop', South Africans will not be the ones losing jobs, it is you and I, our friends and our families that will. Think about it.

When Have Two Wrongs Ever Made a 'Right'?: Like the famous saying, "An eye for an eye makes the world go blind," if we continue this series of looting and burning, at the end of the day, what we will have left in both countries is agony, loss of properties and laying waste to the great potentials that exist in these two countries. Who wins then? I guess it'll be a draw, then maybe we go to extra time, and subsequently, pay the penalty for our inhumane actions.

We Need More Infrastructure Not Destroying The Little We Have: Some youths on my street the other day were busy in a corner, planning on how to destroy the MTN mast on the street, as I walked past them, I couldn't help but think to myself, do we really need to do this? These infrastructures are serving us all, and South Africans will still have functional mobile networks after we finish destroying ours. I saw the visuals of the burning MTN office in Ibadan as well as the looting of the malls. Guys! We depend on these things daily; we should be protecting them; instead, they serve us.

Is Looting and Burning Good for Our National Image?: Don't think too hard; the answer is a blatant and capital NO. In the past few weeks, our reputation has taken a severe beating in the international community, from cybercrime to drug trafficking, we are perceived as "very bad' people. Do we want to add looters and destroyers to that list? Nah, our prestigious Green passport, has suffered enough.

How will these Violent Acts Help Cure Africa of Xenophobia?: We should be thinking of how we can rid this continent of this plague that has ravaged our continent for some time now. No, violence won't solve the problem; it will increase it exponentially. While what is going on in S.A is heartbreaking, proper conflict resolution should be adopted. Let us trust our leaders for once with this. Violence will only cause us more heartache.


While what has happened is hardly what we need as a nation and as a continent, violence is not the answer; we can peacefully coexist as humans but most importantly, as Africans.

#NoToXenophobia #NoToViolence #NoToLootingOfBusinesses

With the crazy ways things are spinning in Nigeria, everybody is on hyper-alert. Owing to the constant reports of SARS assault and killings, accidents, kidnappings and now substance abuse and addiction troubles, Nigerian parents have to be on a different level of vigilance.

Young Nigerians are quickly becoming victims of the problems of substance abuse. Codeine, tramadol, cocaine, heroin, crack cocaine, etc, have become the ‘snack’ of choice for youngsters aged 10-25. In other words, Nigerian youths have become endangered species and all must be done to preserve their population!
If your happy-go-lucky kids show any combination of these signs, it might be the best time to consult a professional. In these matters, it’s better to make a mountain out of a mole-hill than to realize you ignored the things that could have helped you save your child.

Here are some warning signs that parents dread but need to watch out for:

1. What’s Up With Your Body, Kid?
a. Red eyes and constricted pupils - may be as a result of marijuana use.
b. Lack of energy and motivation to engage in creative or meaningful activities.
c. Chronic nosebleeds. This may point towards some form of cocaine-abuse
d. Strange burn in mouth or fingers: This may indicate the child is smoking a substance (possibly heroin) through a metal or glass pipe.
e. Neglected appearance: Loss of Interest in grooming, clothing or general upkeep/appearance. Teenagers are usually very concerned about how they look, so, when things change rapidly, it may be time to probe.

2. Why Are There Missing Money Matters:
a. Missing money or money stolen from wallets/safe places at home.
b. Items missing from your home. Those items could be sold to buy drugs
c. Constant and sudden requests for money without any responsible justification/reason.

3. Why Is The School Calling Me:
a. Missing classes or skipping school: To know this, parents and guardian need to keep a tab on their children and wards
b. Disinterest in school or school activities and or a sharp drop in grades that has caused great concern with the school authorities


4. Why Are You Behaving ‘Any How’?
a. Most teenagers enjoy privacy but parents must become concerned when there are excessive attempts to be alone.
b. Concerted efforts aimed at not allowing family members into their rooms.
c. Changes in relationships with family and breaking curfew without a good excuse.
d. Avoiding letting you know where they go with friends, or whom they go with.
e. Showing a strong interest in hanging out with older kids in the neighbourhood and school.
f. Getting overly secretive about spending time with new friends and there are no longer in sync with neighbourhood and childhood friends.

5. Honey, What’s That Smell?
Kids who abuse substances tend to have a ‘smell’ sooner or later.
The stench of marijuana, cigarettes, or alcohol on teen’s breath, on clothing, in the bedroom, or in the car.


These are some of the signs no parent wants to see but looking out for them may save the family years of pain and tears. Dr. Maymunah Kadiri aka ‘the Celebrity Shrink’, Director at Pinnacle Medical Services and one of the partners of the MTN-led Anti-Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP) explained that intentional parenting is essential in this age. Deliberate and intentional parenting is what millennials need more than anything.

It has gotten to the point of no return for me. I love Wizkid as much as the next guy and I’m one of the proudest young Nigerians at the moment. He sang in the same song with Beyoncé! You don’t get it. She hollered at him and told him to get on her song and then we heard Blue Ivy’s voice on it! That is not a normal something, my people.

So, you see, I’m glad. But Nigerian babes are about to ruin that song for us forever! On Snapchat, insta story, Twitter, Facebook, even on WhatsApp stories - every girl is twisting and turning, twirling their hair and singing about how they are brown skin girls. Aunty, it is still us that will toast and marry you, not Wizkid.

I am happy that the song is giving women another level of confidence. But, plix don’t destroy it for us. Sing your own and go, don’t ruin one of the most beautiful songs for us. We take God beg you. Many of you are at the stage of “you are the best thing in the world.”, and we agree.

Just stop with what you have turned it into! Yesterday I was on a bus from Berger to CMS, minding my own business and this pretty girl sits beside me. I wasn’t going to ‘chike’ her or anything. I just appreciated her beauty and went back to my phone. My phone’s issues were distracting enough and I was out of data. Getting down to buy was not an option and my boss (who’s a horned tyrant) was on my neck for some documents.

I was typing *606# on my phone when ‘sista pretty’ began twisting and dancing beside me with the song playing from her phone. She was using a snapchat filter. The filter sef was not as fine as she was. I was too shocked to continue with my phone. Why was she doing that?! Why? She did that for the whole song. When she stopped, I was still staring.

That’s not the part that bothered me. I don’t know why but I couldn’t speak o. I couldn’t say a word after. I don’t know if it was the twisting or the song, but I wanted to ask for her number and nothing came out. We got off the bus and still nothing. So, I am not annoyed with her or myself. I’m blaming the song! it’s the thing that girls are using the song to do.

I faced my phone after she got down from the bus and finished borrowing my data. Thankfully, I didn’t lose out on the blog and loose out at work. I can imagine the anger I would have felt if I requested for credit and found out I was not eligible to borrow data? No babe and no data would have been painful!

So, for the sake of our sanity, don’t ruin the song and everything for us! Stop twisting!

- Concerned Guy

In Nigeria, we don’t often like to speak of death. We are either screeching ‘God forbid o!’ at the top of our lungs (translate into any of the hundreds of languages in Nigeria if you want) or looking at whoever the speaker is with such venom.

But really, if you had to play a sick-version of the Russian Roulette game that will allow you to pick how you could die, how would you want to go? Don’t look so appalled and before you start ‘forbidding’, pause, take a short breath and think. Thousands of young Nigerians play that dangerous “God-forbid” inducing game each day. If it’s not death by codeine, its death by crack cocaine. If it's not death by ‘trams,’ the funky name for Tramadol, it will be a single shot of heroin to the brain.

Young kids are inhaling Vitamin C powder! They are actually buying the harmless tablets, crushing it into powder or buying the powdered version in sachets! Why? It makes them feel ‘one kain’. That’s a 10-year-old speaking for his peers. Are we not haunting for death wishes ehn?! It’s like the village people of the country itself have started speed dialing youngsters.

An 11-year-old student in a public school in Surulere, Lagos, Mosope (real name withheld) said that the first time his 12-year-old best friend inhaled Vitamin C, the boy wouldn’t stop sneezing. By the 2nd time, it became more interesting for him, and he sniffs it every day.

Mosope’s best friend will almost certainly not stop there. Soon, the Vitamin C will not ‘get him there’ – to the point of ‘highness’. He will need something stronger which means that he will ‘graduate’ to more deadly substances – cocaine, heroin or maybe he will just burn faeces to inhale if he can’t afford it (the more expensive substance like cocaine or ‘loud’).

So, how are these people not carefully selecting how they would die? It’s a point-and-kill situation. Mosope was able to tell his story because the Anti-Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP), an initiative led by MTN Nigeria, visited her school during one of their sessions. ASAP is speaking to thousands more whether on social media, in their schools or online, and many are listening. The message is very clear - we need to stop this death-wish that has taken over a lot of our young people.

Now, is the best time to let young people know that being clean and living a life free from drugs is not just possible, it is the one way to survive.

Don’t look so shocked, we live in a strange world. And no, this was not in the UK, or in the US. This was right here in our beloved Nigeria.

Dr. Maymunah Kadiri of Pinnacle Medical Services shared her take on mental awareness and substance abuse in Nigeria at the Closing Ceremony of the MTN 21 Days of Y’ello Care campaign.

One of the things she stressed as essential to mental health and reduction of substance abuse was intentional parenting during childhood. She explained that a young boy behaved so irrationally and erratically at school, that the management had to call in his parents. The young boy was tested and it was discovered that he had Indian hemp in his system. His mother swore that he couldn't be taking any substance.

It was later found out that the boy actually grew his own marijuana in the family garden. His mother thought it was part of a school project and drank some of the ‘green tea’ occasionally.

“I am fed up of this life, I just want to go”, I said those words every day for 3 years. I am an English graduate but I am allowed to speak bad English over this matter. Five years out of Uni and no job. Not even, “Sister, come and do work for half salary. Let’s see what you can do.” There’s no job that I haven’t tried out for. And when I say nothing, I mean nothing. For 6 months I cleaned houses and I thought I had hit my lowest, what could possibly get any lower?

When I applied to clean the streets of Lagos, I knew what a black hole felt like. Don’t ask me about my family. Please don’t. They are gone and thankfully they didn't get to see me at that point. Nothing was working out well, everything I could manage to do with money turned to ashes. It was horrible. Yet, it was during this time that I met some amazing hard working women who taught me some hard life lessons. I was in pain, angry, emotional and yet, they taught me.

At this lowest point in my life, silly things happened and I reconnected with a friend on Facebook. I don’t know why, but she wanted to help me. We weren’t the best of friends in school. We were not enemies either. But still, I was surprised that she wanted to help me. Bit by bit, I started to pick up the pieces of my life. It wasn’t easy but I am somewhere now. I have a zobo making business. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to sell you a drink. This was to give somebody some hope.

But when that hope comes and things start changing - be smart. Don’t spend like you just ‘entered’ money, use your head. If you become an entrepreneur, use funds very wisely. Social media is a place where things change in a heartbeat. It’s an unbelievable tool, use it well and one post can make you ‘blow’. Whatever it is you do, especially if you are coming from nothing, use your head well. Because falling down the 2nd time is always harder. Save any money saveable.

If you become a homeowner, go online and find ways to save money by using less money https://invoice.ng/blog/ways-to-save-money-in-nigeria/ . If it’s ordinary data for your phone, be smart and save costs https://www.mtnonline.com/manage-data ; if you are going to be a housewife, be sensible with funds https://infoguidenigeria.com/business-ideas-housewives/. I have to admit; I would not have been in that position if I had not made some poor decisions. So, above all else, be smart. It won’t be easy but be smart!

Abidemi Sikeade

This year, social media has given us some pretty gory, exciting, funny and downright stupid videos, pictures and memes. We have laughed, cried and choked from surprise at so many images.

But a few days ago, a video shook us to the very core. It wasn’t a violent video, nobody died, there was no blood, yet it was as horrible as if blood dripped in every shot. Don’t flinch yet.

The video was pregnant with meaning because countless young Nigerians were in that same predicament, or are skirting it. Popular social media celeb, Tunde Ednut posted a video on his Instagram profile page, https://www.instagram.com/p/BwwpvQ2grdb/?igshid=10tznu4pkq96i of a young man that had been abandoned to die. He was writhing in what appeared to be serious pains. His clothes were muddied and matted to his skin. He wasn’t coherent and may not have even known where he was. He was one of four boys! Four strapping young men all strung out on substances!

He had taken one too many ‘hits’ and it was painful to watch his agony. Where were his friends? His family? The ones he got ‘high’ with? We are not aware of any further steps taken on the matter but what we know for sure is that this must stop!

Initiatives such as MTN’s Anti Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP), Pastor Tony Rapu’s Freedom Foundation; Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry (CADAM), etc are pushing tremendously to stop this and we have to help.

We can’t keep seeing these videos, shake our head in despair and hit ‘share’, then stop there. We all need to stand and help every young Nigerian understand that substance use is not an option.

We have too many beautiful things to do in this country and for our families. The future is too blinding to waste it on a harmful habit. So, volunteer https://asapmtnf.com/volunteer/ or even track the changes been made by other young Nigerians with the #MTNASAP on twitter. Whatever you do, do something fast.

This year, social media has given us some pretty gory, exciting, funny and downright stupid videos, pictures and memes. We have laughed, cried and choked from surprise at so many images.

But a few days ago, a video shook us to the very core. It wasn’t a violent video, nobody died, there was no blood, yet it was as horrible as if blood dripped in every shot. Don’t flinch yet.

The video was pregnant with meaning because countless young Nigerians were in that same predicament, or are skirting it. Popular social media celeb, Tunde Ednut posted a video on his Instagram profile page, https://www.instagram.com/p/BwwpvQ2grdb/?igshid=10tznu4pkq96i of a young man that had been abandoned to die. He was writhing in what appeared to be serious pains. His clothes were muddied and matted to his skin. He wasn’t coherent and may not have even known where he was. He was one of four boys! Four strapping young men all strung out on substances!

He had taken one too many ‘hits’ and it was painful to watch his agony. Where were his friends? His family? The ones he got ‘high’ with? We are not aware of any further steps taken on the matter but what we know for sure is that this must stop!

Initiatives such as MTN’s Anti Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP), Pastor Tony Rapu’s Freedom Foundation; Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry (CADAM), etc are pushing tremendously to stop this and we have to help.

We can’t keep seeing these videos, shake our head in despair and hit ‘share’, then stop there. We all need to stand and help every young Nigerian understand that substance use is not an option.

We have too many beautiful things to do in this country and for our families. The future is too blinding to waste it on a harmful habit. So, volunteer https://asapmtnf.com/volunteer/ or even track the changes been made by other young Nigerians with the #MTNASAP on twitter. Whatever you do, do something fast.

You can’t understand fear until somebody starts shouting ‘Ole’ at you in a market.

Trust me, what you think is fear will evaporate. The day a woman grabbed my shirt and started shouting ‘Ole’, was the day that my life changed.
I nearly passed out!

I was walking outside the Ogba Retail market and an angry woman of about 50 years, standing with two policemen, kept shouting at me from across the street. They were standing beside a police van. She looked slightly familiar, but I couldn’t place her face, so I ignored her because my phone was ringing very loudly.

I had just gotten an iPhone 8 Plus and I needed to be careful in getting it out of my pocket (I was scared of thieves o). Besides, I didn’t buy a phone cover or a protective screen guard, so I was extra careful. I didn’t have the money to repair a 2-day old phone.

I picked up the call and I heard a woman abusing me in fluent Ibo. I dropped the call and continued walking. I couldn’t annoy my boss again since I had been late every day of that week.

‘Gba!’, someone hit me from the back, and I turned to see the angry woman from across the road shouting at my face. Instantly, she pulled my shirt and began crying. The next thing I heard, chilled my blood, “Ole ooooo! Thief o, onye-oshi!”, she screamed at the top of her lungs.

I froze, I couldn’t even speak or defend myself. All the lynching stories I had ever heard flashed through my mind. What did I steal? I hadn’t even taken breakfast. My life had not begun. My girlfriend was quarrelling with me, my mother was still angry that I was dating a girl from another tribe. What was happening?!

My mind was playing tricks on me, yet the woman was shouting and bouncing violently beside me. A police man was trying to remove her hands from my neck but people began to gather and finally, my mouth opened. “I’m not a thief”, I croaked reaching for my ID card. “I’m not a thief, please. I’m a teacher at Orion Nursery and Primary school”, I said just before another person slapped my face. I was deathly scared when I saw somebody search for something on the side of the road. A large crowd had gathered and they were not letting the policemen to talk or move near me.

Two days after, I sat outside the Ogba Police station, my mother was shaking her head at me from the car. I had spent 2 nights in police custody. My iphone was in a nylon on the police station’s counter. The screen was broken, caked in mud and it was rubbish, and yet I could not be happier about the outcome of my predicament.

Turns out that the woman meant business, she had tracked the sim card after I made a few calls, she had gone to the police, the telco company, the court! She visited my house just before I left, I had absent mindedly passed her on my way out and my olofofo neighbor had pointed me out! Who does that? She had been on the way to my school and had spotted me!

I had almost lost my life because the guy who sold me the iPhone in computer village - I think his name was Kenneth - had ‘helped’ me with a SIM card. He said he would give me for free and I didn’t have to go through the wahala of registration and blah blah.

I had been happy that I didn’t have to spend an extra 100 Naira or go to any experience centres. See, I could have died because of N100 and because I didn’t want to register a SIM card! Kai! Imagine that! So, 6 months after the wahala, I now use a phone of N45,000 and I’m more than satisfied.

Two days after I bought my phone at a proper store (I paid the transport to Shoprite), I used my two legs to walk into the MTN store there, with my drivers’ licence to register and I was out in 10 minutes. I walked outside and nobody was shouting my name or trying to kill me. Abeg, be careful and don’t move near used sims or sims that have been registered already. Don’t summon your village people with your own hand.

Adeola, 23, shared how she lost her boyfriend, Nkem, of 1 and a half years to the cold hands of codeine abuse. A twitter user, @wakandascholar - her friend, took her story to social media. She explained that the pain that she felt had caused her to black out when she heard the doctor announce his death.

“Have you ever felt pain so searing that you had no choice but to black out? You had to go blank because the pain was cutting off your breathing. This was me 2 years ago, when I found out that my boyfriend had just died of codeine overdose.”

She remembers kissing him goodbye on the morning of that fateful day as she left for work, not knowing that she would never see him alive again.

“He had one of the popular cough syrups in front of him, there was an empty bottle of vodka under the table and a cup of coloured liquid in his hand. I teased him about his constant drinking of the ‘Purple drink’ and he smiled cheekily and shooed me off. I laughed out of the door. That was the worst decision of my life - to laugh and walk away!”

As she talked about her regret, Nana explained that her boyfriend was not an addict.

“He wasn’t addicted. He never misbehaved when he drank. We both knew it was just a fad that would pass. He was an ‘experimenter’ of some sorts”.

She had also tried the mixture but the taste had annoyed her.

“I should have taken that cup from him that morning. I would do anything to go back to that morning. Do you want to know what is worse than the searing pain that chokes me? Regret. Regret is horrible when you can do nothing about it.”

A tweet on the Anti Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP) by MTN had caused her to speak up and share her story.

“When I see people gather to do something about codeine or any other substance, I give them a silent nod, an acknowledgement that someone won’t go the way Nkem did.”

She has found a way to help and has decided to share her story to prevent anybody else she loves from falling a victim. This is Adeola’s message to you. Why not try and save a life today!

Someone shared this on twitter this afternoon, and it broke my heart:

You can’t understand how horrible drugs are until the love of your life chokes to death right in front of you and there is nothing you can do. I heard my friend tell the story of her boyfriend and I can’t sleep.

I have known my friend, Adeola for about 6 months, I knew something was wrong, she didn’t want to talk and I didn’t press either.

A few days ago, she said she wanted me to know a few things about her past. She couldn’t tell me she, so she sent me a whatsapp message.

I read it and I cried, I knew she had seen pain but I didn’t expect this. I asked her permission and she said I could share….

She explained that she had experienced pain so searing that she had no choice but to black out? It got to a point that she could no longer breathe.

2 years ago, she found out that her boyfriend of 1 and half years had died of a codeine overdose. She had kissed him goodbye on the morning of his death. He had even smiles at her. “His smile was everything! “, she said.

She shared that the morning before she left him, “he was with one of the popular cough syrups in front of him, there was an empty bottle of vodka under the table and a cup of coloured liquid in his hand.”

Adeola had teased him about his constant drinking of the ‘Purple drink’ and the guy had smiled and shooed her off. She said that after the teasing, “I laughed out of the door. That was the worst decision of my life - to laugh and walk away!”

Nkem, her boyfriend, was a crazy-talented artist. Adeola admitted that she drank codeine. “I had taken a few glasses of the Codeine mixture but I wasn’t a big fan. Nkem was a sweet tooth and the candy he added, annoyed me.”

“It was just a fad that would pass, we both knew. He was an ‘experimenter’ of some sorts.”, she wrote.

When she heard about Nkem’s death, she passed out and regained consciousness few minutes later to see his mother shaking her on the hospital floor. She struggled up turned around and ran out of the hospital. She never turned back. She hasn’t seen the guy’s mother since then or even gone back to take her bag and shoes that she left behind when she fled.

“I should have taken that cup from him that morning. I would do anything to go back”, she said.

So when she sees people gather to do something about codeine or any other substance, she says she has to give them a silent nod, an acknowledgement that someone won’t go the way Nkem left.

She stumbled on a tweet on the Anti Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP) by MTN and the memories came flooding. Hopefully it helps others to share and speak up before something happens to people they love.

“Ade, take one na, why you dey do like baby? U no jasi at all o. Common, take a drag, ‘Arizona’ is straight from Baba God o!”

The above are some of the introductory narratives young people hear for them to have their first taste of these harmful substances that usually alter the course of their lives.

According to the BBC documentary which aired May 2018, “Thousands of young Nigerians are addicted to codeine cough syrup - a medicine that's become a street drug. The government estimates that up to 3 million bottles of the addictive syrup are drunk every day in just two northern states. Taken in excess, codeine can cause psychosis (a severe mental disorder in which thought, and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality) and organ failure.”

The reality before us surely requires urgent collaborative intervention. For this reason, the MTN FOUNDATION launched the Anti-substance Abuse Program (#MTNASAP) with the aim to reach out to teenagers who may be tempted to want to attempt drugs.

On February 18th, 2019, the foundation began its 2-week activity extravaganza at the Ayobo Park, Old Ipaja Road, Agege. The message of a drug-free nation was conveyed using dance, music and other attractions as curious passersby swarmed in to discover the reason for all the color and music. For the next two weeks, there will be activities in secondary schools, markets, and town hall meetings among other events lined up to spread the message.

Nigeria’s youth hub, Lagos, is the first port of call for the ASAP train that is on tour across the nation. There will be activations in Bauchi, Imo, Abuja, Rivers, and Kano states where replication of all the exciting activities will take place. The 26th of June 2019, will be a grand multi-stakeholder conference on substance abuse at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Substance Abuse is a one-chance bus, stay away!

Commissioned by the World Health Organisation, the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) project, led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) estimate that globally over 160 million people had an alcohol or drug use disorder in 2016.



While data on the prevalence of substance abuse and the number of people with drug disorders in Nigeria is limited, available facts suggest that accessibility to and abuse of illicit drugs are on the rise. According to a 2016 report from the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC), Nigeria is a known trafficking hub for controlled substances, with many young Nigerians in metropolitan areas getting entangled in drug-related offences.



In a strategic effort to address a growing national problem, MTN Nigeria through the MTN Foundation, in collaboration with a consortium of stakeholders has launched an initiative called ‘ASAP’ (Anti Substance Abuse Programme). ASAP is a multi-stakeholder intervention aimed at increasing awareness of substance abuse and addiction among youths. The goal of the programme is to discourage first-time usage and casual substance abuse nationwide.



The initiative kicked off with a press conference in Lagos on Wednesday, December 19 attended by dignitaries from various government and non-government organisations, including health practitioners, MTN officials and brand ambassadors.



“ This situation is urgent and important. Substance abuse is a well known and growing menace in our country. Our youth, the future of this nation, are at risk” said Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, Chairman, MTN Foundation speaking at the launch.



“This why we must do as much as we can; as fast as we can, to chart the right course and help those coming behind us understand the dangers. We owe it to ourselves and our children,” he added.


The initiative, which will run for six months, targets young Nigerians from age 10 - 25. Part of the integrated communications campaign effort is a dedicated microsite with an online representative trained to answer enquiries from the public on substance abuse, addiction, rehabilitation, in addition to direct engagement activities targeted at schools, campuses, markets, motor parks and communities across Nigeria.



The MTN Foundation has over the years partnered with both public and private organisations to initiate sustainable development programmes in different focus areas with the aim of making life brighter for Nigerians.

Dear MTN,

I have been waiting expectantly for you to bring the Pulse Campus Invasion to DELSU. In fact I’m waiting for your entire team. Oh, I forgot to greet, that’s how angry I am o. Good day, and I’m not following any rules of letter-writing in this letter.

We hear that you have so much in stock for us. We have been waiting for you for a long time. Ok, truthfully, I have been waiting for you guys for a while. I was at OAU for a visit in July and you guys turned the entire campus upside down. I heard about UNICAL and the two schools in Abeokuta (MAPOLY and FUNAAB)! Two at once! Why, why, why, why has it taken you so long to come to Delta?! Why?


So I will be waiting for your team at the Campus three gate. If you guys pass me by and enter DELSU there will be trouble because I am setting up camp at your sales village - wherever that may be. For the trouble I have gone through to pen this letter, I expect a front row seat (and 3 extra seats for my friends) at the the Pulse Talk series. I have to meet Steve Harris and his friends but I will not ask for an autograph (don’t worry.).

For the Pulse District that will happen the day after, I will need for my friends and I to be the first ones to get into the noiseless party. It was madt when I went in OAU, but I had only 30 minutes. So this time, I will need an hour.

I know that DELSU’s edition will be madder so I am asking all of these very politely. Very politely o. So thank you in advance for a crazy-awesome time for my friends and I.


A Very Happily-Angry Student,

Regards,

The MTN Pulse Campus Invasion continues and we are excited. That may be an understatement, because some people have been bouncing off their chairs since. Why so much excitement? The Invasion brings fun, music, entertainment, empowering skills, and just the right dollop of fun to top it all of.

Just in case you don’t know what the Invasion is, its Nigeria’s biggest University event. MTN Pulse is a tariff plan for the bold and young at heart who are unapologetically themselves. The maiden edition of the Invasion held in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, in July and it so much fun squeezed into five (5) days that we have been waiting for Invasion to continue. The invasion began on Monday, 1st of October at the University Of Calabar, Cross River, and we are already in love!

1.Freebies!
What kind of event does not have freebies in 2018? Like the Invasion at OAU, the Calabar edition has been filled with gifts and even prizes will be won. We keep waiting for the raffle draws that happen each day. Brand new phones were won last time and this is no different!


2. Dance Steps You’ve Never Seen:
The Sales Village is obviously the cool centre of the University and where there is ‘cool’, there is ‘dance’. It’s that easy! The thing is that, somehow (maybe it’s because of the Invasion, or maybe its because there are so many cool people in one place), the dance is always out of the world. What are the chances that you will see reverse Shaku Shaku in upside down?

3. The Pulse Talk Series:
One of the highlights of the Invasion is the Pulse Talk Series. It embodies the focus of the Invasion in a single event. It has fun, entertainment, music, digital skills training, motivational talks, etc. What more could we ask for? Steve Harris had us spell bound in Osun State in July, and the news going around is that he will be live in Calabar.
So here are the things to note:

Take a pen and book along (but we are in a digital time, so your phone should be perfect.)

Grab a fun yet focused friend who won’t prevent you from succeeding!

Then write everything he says. EVERYTHING! The amount of things you would learn in the hours that the speakers will talk, is invaluable.Plus, we hear that Tara Fela-Durotoye will be speaking at UNICAL!


4. The Fun:
Just imagine all of the fun that we are having at UNICAL. Take a moment and imagine. If you are not in UNICAL, umm… there is nothing we can do to help you. All you can do is imagine.

The biggest campus event of the year, MTN’s Pulse Campus Invasion, has taken over the University Of Calabar and we are excited! July’s edition of the Invasion held at the Obafemi Awolowo University and the caliber of enjoyment we had was in the ‘off-the-roof’ category. So you understand why we have been dancing since the 2nd edition at the University of Calabar, Cross River, moved into full swing.


We knew that if we had to trek to Cross River state we would! The speed at which we packed our bags ehn! It was a case of UNICAl, we are HERE!!!!!!

From all the excitement we have had at UNICAL (meeeeeehn! That was an amazing experience!) we will help you out and let you know all that you need to make the very best of the rest of the Invasion. Here are the things you need

1. A great friend: The best things in life are never enjoyed in isolation and the invasion is no exception. It usually begins with the Sales Village at a very central location on Campus and the best time to get there is from the afternoon. By the evening if you haven’t picked a good spot we cannot


2. A great phone: You will take so many pictures and hilarious videos ehn! Plus, em, your selfie game mau just rise all of a sudden. Don’t ask us why. You will also need it for the Pulse Talk series, where motivational speakers will give you real--life stories that can change your life if you let them.
help your case. So grab a friend and head to the Sales Village.


3. Sunglasses, Wallet and an Umbrella:
Weird combination right? However, you can’t let Nigeria’s stunningly unpredictable weather put a damper on your fun. So, an umbrella incase it rains and a pair of sunglasses if it gets sunny, plus you get to look ‘peng’.

Your wallet may come in handy if you see something that catches your fancy. Duuuh, it’s a sales village! Then let’s give you a scoop: for any MTN transaction at the Sales village, you get to have your ticket in the raffle draw. Raffle draw winners in OAU went home with brand new phone. So be ready.


4. Be Ready For Fun:
The fun you have had is only the tip of the iceberg. What you will have over the next couple of days will be something else.

See, all fun and no play makes Jack a dull child. Let go and have fun. Meet people and chat. You have no idea who you can meet and life's too short not to play. Smile be happy, the Pulse Invasion only happens once.

Officials of the tax regulation agency declined to comment on the allegation that MTN owes $2bn tax.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have indicated that they would rather not get involved in the Federal Government’s current battle with MTN Nigeria.

The FG has accused the telecommunications company of owing $2 billion in tax over a 10-year period, but MTN insists it had settled all pending taxes.

Officials of the tax regulation agency were said to have declined to comment on the allegation. ThisDay reports that a top FIRS official said the matter should be handled by the Customs, as it had to do with import duties.

A Customs’ spokesperson, Deputy Comptroller Joseph Attah, however, also insisted that the NCS had no business with the matter.

“Pay your duty and get cleared,” the publication quotes Attah as saying.

The Central Bank of Nigeria claims MTN illegally repatriated over $8 billion, based on “illegally issued” CCIs by four banks. MTN, which has been directed to immediately refund the money, has, however, denied any wrongdoing.

Stanbic IBTC, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, Citibank and Diamond Bank were fined N1,885,852,847.45, N2,470,604,767.13, N1,265,541,562.31, and N250 million respectively.

The Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane said on Thursday that there is no clarity on where exactly CBN’s issues with MTN and the banks stem from.

CBN has gone ahead to debit the accounts of the respective banks.

With a population slightly over a hundred million, Philippines dethroned India as the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) capital of the world. The Philippine BPO sector single handedly generated 1.2 million direct jobs and $22 billion in revenues in 2015, making it the second largest source of income in the country.

However with all these great figures, a country like Nigeria that boasts of about 200 million in population provides a larger field for the success of the BPO. One of the reasons that has contributed to the Philippines’ rise in the BPO industry is attributed to several factors such as better English speaking skills, hundreds of University graduates each year which includes a young and dynamic workforce.

Nigeria has a plethora of these attributes and more. We are a particularly hospitable people which is also an added benefit that will foster easier phone relations with customers. This props up Nigeria as a veritable gold mine for the BPO industry.


With the people-infrastructure already in place, what is of utmost importance is a robust telecommunications infrastructure which Nigeria is currently lacking. A lack that MTN Nigeria intended to fill with the acquisition of Visafone and its spectrum. Tobechukwu Okigbo, Corporate Relations Executive, MTN Nigeria, explained in an interview recently, the many possibilities that will arise if the company is awarded the 800MHZ Spectrum by the NCC.

“India is considered the Business Processing Offices (BPO) destination of the world with call centres. Do you know that Nigeria has a huge advantage over India. Remember that the language of business is English. The people on the street of Nigeria, who speak better English than Indians comparatively, are there. So, if you have a BPO in Nigeria, the chances are that there would be more people coming from outside Nigeria that would need more BPO services from Nigeria than even India. Now, why are they not coming? They are not coming because the infrastructure is not there. What is the basic infrastructure needed for BPO, it is communications..”

He pointed out the hubs in Lagos, “Look at what our young people are doing at the technology hubs. What do they need to do more, they need broadband. Look at what the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) is doing to support them. That effort must be complemented with communications infrastructure and broadband is key. So, MTN is ready to provide more support.”

So Nigeria has the potential to boost the economy exponentially, which will trickle down to the populace. With a fee of $300 for entry level operators, this will provide an increased number of jobs with a more attractive remuneration, and a way to create a path to this will be by improving the telecommunications infrastructure in Nigeria.

Lagos | Nigeria: Wednesday, August 15, 2018. Leading Information and Communications Technology (ICT) company, MTN Nigeria (“MTN”), today announced the signing of a seven-year N200 billion Medium Term Facility with a consortium of twelve (12) local banks, with FBN Quest acting as Facility Agent.

The agreement was formally signed at a ceremony at the law offices of Aluko & Oyebode in Ikoyi, Lagos, in the presence of key partners, stakeholders and the media. The Medium Term Facility will enable MTN to fund its Capital Expenditure, Working Capital along with evolving business opportunities.

Speaking at the signing, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Ferdi Moolman, expressed enthusiasm at the completion of the agreement, saying it signposts MTN’s commitment to and confidence in Nigeria, and the strength of the strategic collaboration between MTN Nigeria and local financial institutions, that will help deepen and broaden the provision of ICT services in Nigeria:

“The signing of this loan facility is a major landmark in our expansion programme in which we are making significant investments. The facility will enable us evolve the network to deliver convergent and superior quality, drive voice capacity expansion and data service penetration, maintain optimal capital structure and funding level that support growth and expansion.

“Making it possible for people to connect to each other and the world, find and share information and ideas, create and access new digital services and reimagine old services. This partnership puts in place infrastructure that empowers commerce, industry and the provision of public services.” Moolman said.

Moolman lauded the participating financial institutions for staying committed to MTN, stressing that the loan syndication showcases the strength of the Nigerian financial institutions and their confidence in MTN’s vision, as well the joint ability of the parties to stimulate significant economic growth.

The facility is structured with a two-year moratorium and a repayment plan of five years and is denominated in Naira. It is provided by a syndicate of banks made up of:

1. Citibank Nigeria Limited
2. Diamond Bank Plc.
3. Ecobank Nigeria Plc.
4. Fidelity Bank Plc.
5. First Bank of Nigeria Plc.
6. First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited
7. FSDH Merchant Bank Limited
8. Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) Nigeria Limited
9. Standard Chartered Bank Plc.
10. Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc.
11. United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc.
12. Union Bank Of Nigeria Plc.

This bold step will assist MTN Nigeria to continue to provide optimum services and products for its over 55 million and ever-growing customer base.

Don’t you dare scroll up! Help yourself for once and read. You are wondering what the heck this is and that it is totally none of your business. In Nigerian parlance, may poverty and suffering not be your portion.


Many of us cannot watch an entire movie on the internet without that nasty buffering thing happening. And these days with the way data flies ‘FIAM’, it’s even more annoying.


So we actually listened to what has been going on in the tech world. And if all things happen well, you should be able to stream the next season of ‘Game of Thrones’ with way less wahala!


Before we get into the gist, what’s this deal first? MTN Nigeria bought Visafone and this included the Spectrum. Spectrum is the life-blood of a telecom operator – it is the frequency that is used to transmit sound and data across the country to our phones and devices. It’s basically jollof rice to an owambe party. On a serious note, spectrum is very essential, we wouldn’t be able to skype or call without it.


Here are the things we found out:

1. Data can be cheaper, like waaaaay cheaper:
I just found out that there was a time that a sim card sold for N30,000! Ehn!

In 2001, a sim card cost an arm and a leg to buy. Only the big boys and socialites could afford a sim card. Imagine what N30,000 could do 17 years ago. But because of competition from other telecom companies stepping up, sim prices began to fall and quickly too.

Now if things go as planned and MTN gets more spectrum, other telecom operators will have to step up and get theirs and do you know what that means for us? Better, faster internet.





2. Someone was robbed:
Okay let’s look at it this way. How would you feel if somehow money landed on your lap and you bought an iphone X worth N400,000 (is that the price?). Then it is delivered to you with no touch screen at all. Instead, your iphone X has buttons for pressing!

Or you buy jollof rice, settle down in one corner to eat, you open the bowl and found white rice with no stew or even meat! Do you know the amount of ‘scatter ground’ you will create. You would feel cheated. Extremely so. That is what happened with the deal - MTN bought Visafone then some people said, “Hey, you can’t have the spectrum you bought o! Take the Visafone you bought and leave the one thing you paid money for!”





3. A case of Willing Seller, Willing Buyer:
From what I heard, every operator had the opportunity to buy Visafone. But they wouldn't step up. MTN stepped up and now nobody wants them to get it. What does that look like to you? Visafone was a willing seller, and MTN was a willing buyer. Shikena!





4. The Economy Is Going To Get A Boost: We have been complaining about economic recession and how it really has not ended. Well, if the spectrum does head MTN’s way, other telecommunication companies will have to find alternatives and fast. Who knows what they will come up with. But this will all translate to more available jobs (We have too many qualified graduates sleeping at home) and better communication infrastructure which will lead to more investments. All this and more, means easier life!

Really, have you ever seen or been in a selfie-storm? Let's rephrase that, do you know what a selfie storm is? Okay, bring out your pens and paper, a lesson is about to begin. A selfie storm occurs when a sizable amount of people rush at a prominent or popular person with their phones demanding for selfies. It's thrilling to see!

There were multiple selfie storms at the Olola Ogunlana Hall, International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, when the Honourable Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu stepped into MTN Foundation's ICT and Business Training for youths of Oyo State.

The minister had come to show his support for the hundreds of youth from Oyo State (apparently, he's an indigene of the State) who had converged in U.I. to improve their entrepreneurial skills. A hush of silence followed his entry, but the energetic buzz in the hall resumed when he sat. The participants were in the middle of an invigorating brainstorming session after hours of being tutored by experts in the ICT and business fields.

After giving stellar presentations, the MC announced that for those who were itching to take a selfie with the minister, the time was ripe. Barely two seconds after the announcement, the selfie-storm began. Excited students moved forward for selfies with phones stretched out and grins on their faces.The Minister could only laugh warmly at their exuberance as he spoke and encouraged some who waited to speak to him.

Oh, and when the participants found out that MTN Foundation was giving them stipends for their journey home, uber-excitement filled the hall!

It’s a fact - The future is here, it is digital, it is young and it is vibrant! Hundreds of energized young participants in Oyo state flexed their new found ICT and business skills as they competed in groups at MTN Foundation’s ICT and Business Skills Training for youths of Oyo State on Thursday, June 28th, 2018.

The participants had just undergone over nine hours of training by energetic ICT and Business experts and they were brimming with confidence that was infectious. They were ready to face the digital future armed with all they learned at the training. “The youth are taking over.”, those were the words of Mr. Saheed Oladele, Director, Media and Strategy who was representing the Minister for Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, at MTN Foundation’s pilot phase of the ICT & Business Skills Training for Youth in Oyo State.

He was not joking, neither were the participants who had been tutored by the facilitators from KPMG; Digital Bridge Institute (DBI); Oracle and BMI; at the Olola Ogunlana Hall, International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State. The participants were better equipped for the future!

The energy and the ideas brimming out of that hall after the training proved that the initiative was well needed. The applicants came up with amazing ideas to solve situational problems that required ICT and business skills to solve. When the winning group was declared, that section of the hall turned into a mini-party. The excitement from putting to use all they had learnt was palpable. It was a great day for the people in the hall that evening.