₦airaland Forum

Sissie: Ohk, am in for Abuja. Hmm I don't really know much about the nairaland people, and do females really attend? I don't want to be the only female oh.

All the past 4 editions had females in attendance. As many as 5 in last edition.

maclatunji: Is there any problem with raising more than the targeted amount? I know you will say no. #Rhetorical

Definitely no.

So where is George Bello @ 17 now?

2-0 is all CIV need in return leg and Naija is out. Away goal is critical.

Mba playing like chinco version of Mikel. He try sha

Sudden death is on rapid increase in this country in recent time.

Managing Editor of Daily Trust died in bank car park in Abuja recently. He was the one that drove to bank.

Joey Eghile, ChannelsTV sports producer and fringe presenter died while producing live programme couple of weeks back

A friend's brother slept and never woke up 2 weeks ago

Another friend's in-law also died in his sleep recently

Too many cases of young folks dying suddenly.

I fear o

Ishilove: Omo y'ibo ni mi se, sugbon won bi mi l'eko

Orie wanbe. Chop knuckle. Eko baje ti.

A young boy died in our hood recently from snake bite.

Coming from a family that has a filling station (sold fuel at our FS during holidays once in a while after secondary school and during school strikes) and working for 4 years as asset accountant (and stations are one of the most key assets) in Nigeria's biggest oil retailing major, I think I also know quite much about this.

I agree with all what you said except where you said FS don't sell air. Well, when people say FS sells air, it is a term generally meant to mean they have been shortchanged. The commonest way of shortchanging is adjusting meter such that, outwardly it will read 5 ltrs dispensed, but in actual fact only 4 litres got to the tank.

The illiterate transporters and drivers wondering how this 'magic' was done resorted to saying they have been sold air.

Also, until recently, majority of filling station attendants are barely literate o level holders or dropouts.

I agree with you on others, especially the part that 'FS owners are rich'. Its not so lucrative a business, especially for independents. You may not make up to 200,000 on a 33,000 ltrs sale. Yet you will incur station costs(pay your attendants, maintain station etc). Plenty wahala, little returns. That's why many of them adjust metres to make sustainable though fishy profits.

Mobsync: 1. The filling station with most

commercial transporters as customers is the best.

Ntoi ! You've been deceiving yourself. The filling station with alot commercial drivers and motorcyclists as customers is not usually the best. Their customer base depends on location and sometimes, how attractive the filling station looks- nothing else. Besides, transporters tend to use a particular station because they'll be offered some free fuel if they purchase a particular amount.


2. If the meter isn't rubbed, it would continue from the figure shown on the screen.

This’s untrue for digital meters used in filling stations. Once the machine's off, the meter starts from zero irrespective of what was on it when you arrived. It's only when the machine isn't off that it continues from the figure on the meter. But to be on the safer side, I suggest you always make sure the attendant rubs the meter.


3. The faster the pump dispensing speed, the smaller the fuel sold.

Today, we have super fast jets, boats, cars, missiles and yes, fuel dispensing pumps. Filling stations are supposed to be places you go, purchase fuel and leave as fast as possible thus, pumps are made to be fast with new variants made to be faster. So stop saying; "this your pump is too fast" after purchasing fuel or do you want to spend the whole day there?


4. Fuel remains in the hose after sales.

Some meters start reading the moment fuel leaves the pump to the hose while some, when the fuel leaves the underground tank, it depends on where the engine (turbine) is. So after being attended to, fuel remains on the hose, right? Not really.
Let me explain it like this; when you sip a drink with a straw and stop afterwards, you notice that droplets might remain in the straw and these droplets, as you've probably noticed are usually negligible. That's the same way a filling station pump operates. Due to the very high pressure used when dispensing the fuel, nothing remains in the hose and if something remains, it's usually negligible.


5. Filling stations always have change.

As you probably know, smaller denomination currencies are becoming an endangered species in Nigeria, with special thanks to Mr Sanusi Lamido of CBN who wants them scrapped and Nigerian banks who deploy only 1000 naira notes and in rare cases, 500 naira notes to their ATM's. Besides most customers who go to filling stations don't bring change and when they do, it's usually bad or faded money. People are also known to rob filling station attendants in the guise of seeking for change or like in my case, attempt to change "fake" money.


6. Filling stations run on generators 24/7.

Filling stations are like other regular businesses vying for survival. They also use PHCN but have usually have 2 or more generators on stand-by. So should there be power outage when you're being attended to, don't panic. Where your sales stopped would be displayed the moment power is restored. But note that after power's been restored, some pumps can't continue selling from there but start all over from zero so ensure you know how much fuel has been sold to you and how much more remains. Clear?


7. The attendant is a poor, hungry wrecked illiterate.

Just like me, some of these attendants are students of higher institutions on holiday or strike, , B.Sc, OND.HND, college of education graduates or even youth corpers awaiting posting. They're just doing the job to keep body and soul together. That's why if you frequent a filling station regularly, you'll notice that the attendants tend to be replaced frequently.


8. All filling station owners are rich.

Wrong! As explained earlier, filling stations are just like other businesses trying to survive. The owners are not usually "swimming" in money as most people believe. Infact, due to the unpredictable nature of the Nigerian oil sector, alot of these filling stations depend on bank loans to survive. Doubt me? Ask your banker friend.


9. The attendant must hold the nozzle during sales.

Back there at the filling station where I worked, I met customers who wanted me to hold the nozzle all through the sales. Fact is, nozzles have a knob which can be used to hold down the part the attendant presses down so when the attendant hangs the nozzle, stop shouting and making unnecessary noise, if no fuel is being sold, the meter won't read- chikena!


10. Filling stations sell air.

If you needed air, you should have visited a vulcanizer or simply left your tank open.
Liquid (not air) has to pass through the pump itself if the meter's to read. If the meter's reading, then it means fuel's being sold. Forget about putting your ear or hand near your fuel tank to know whether it's warm. AIR CAN'T BE SOLD, so stop deceiving yourself.

.

SOURCE: ME. I once worked at a filling station during my 100-200 level holidays and I got to know all these. I also wrote two articles about filling stations for aabnigeria.com but won’t be able to post them here due to their policies against copying full articles.

To read 6 shocking facts about Nigerian filling stations, CLICK HERE

To read 4 filling station tips to avoid getting ripped off CLICK HERE

Ishilove: My goodness! What is that on Basketmouth's head?? Looks like 'furo adiye'...

The dude gets uglier by the day. But he is still one of the best sha

Ishi, omo Igbo ko nie ni? Bawo l'ose gbo Yoruba to beyen

One of my columnists did a good job of that recently:

Sola Fagorusi

http://jarushub.com/2013/05/01/letter-to-my-future-wife/

As it is now, I can submit that I have been graced beyond measures by a great family – one in which the principal thing (love) flows uninhibited. I was nursed in an atmosphere where the collective good remained the most important. My parents watched my back. They still do. My siblings, all boys do same and vice versa. What was bothersome to one was bothersome to all. The joy of one was the joy of all. Today 30th April, 2013, it dawned on me that the founders of that home, my parents, have spent 30 years together building an institution. It has been 3 decades of building a home in the house. There is a difference between the two!

I am happy at what this represents for them; I congratulate them and thought to spare a thought for you – my future wife. I am not exactly sure of where you are seated right now. I can’t tell what colour of attire you are adorning. I am in the dark as to what exactly would constitute real happiness for you. I am uncertain about the names you would want your children, our children, to bear. All I am definite of is your existence and your desire to also have a home to call yours some day.

Like every other straight thinking man, I hope to make a good husband, have children, be a good father and friend to them. I have aspirations and hope to be part of the national reconstruction of this edifice called Nigeria. My forte is not romance. I am as naive as they come. For those who know, I consistently retook that elective – Moz 101 throughout my five sessions in the university without success. I may have failed at that but I am certain not to fail in the discharge of my duties as a boyfriend, fiancé, husband and father when the time comes. Add grandfather to the list as well.

I still don’t appreciate music the way I think I should. Beyond using the sound to drown the silence of my environment, only few rhythms would cause me to shake my head. Maybe with you something will change. I am not likely to ask that we go see a musical show together. Nay! Maybe, you will and trust that like a lamb being led to the slaughter, I will follow you. But guess what, I am crazy about the stage. I love to see actors and actresses on the stage give live performances. I love the theatre. I derive visual excitement from this. Unlike a sizeable number of my friends, I am yet to come to terms with watching 22 adults run after a ball for 90 minutes. Athletics however give me the same measure of excitement. I caught myself during the last Olympics jumping, punching the air and cheering my favourite track athletes to victory several miles away from them.

My heart is racy with expectations. Dear future wife, I need ’us’ to promise ‘us’ that, God willing, 30 years from now, we would in each other’s arms armed with the appropriate dose of laughter read this. I may not fall within the imagery of your dream man. I don’t have bulging muscle neither do I the now legendary 6 packs. I have had the honour of several lovely female friends. I am still friends with them and their hubbies, for the married ones. I also have a large pool of male friends I can always rely on and a number of adults I run to for advice and counsel. I think you also deserve to know that I have a mentor who looks out for me as well. You should meet him soon. I promise to part ways often with Zara. Having to be with her is why I stay up most nights. Zara ensures letters like this come out. She is a dependable ally. My hands and eyes find comfort with her. I only wish she didn’t need electricity for daily survival. Dear future wife, I will love you beyond what you may have seen in Nollywood, Hollywood, Ghollywood, ‘Sollywood’ or Kannywood. As to Bollywood, I cannot promise since I have awful dance steps and can’t sing more than a few songs from beginning to the end.

Dear future wife, this is the second love note I would be writing in my years of existence. Remind me to tell you how the first one turned out. I promise it will crack you and we would together laugh for days about it. One more thing dear, I grew up knowing I didn’t like onions. I still can’t explain why. Everyone in my home loves it. I am the odd one out. I carefully pick them out of my meal or simply swallow then when I can’t do so. Maybe you have a solution for it or we will find one together.

I am not hoping to marry a cook, a laundry girl, a house cleaner and a domestic aid. No, that’s not the deal. I am not discounting that these will have to be done but your responsibility is more than that. I grew up watching my parents share roles at home and I hope to do same. There was a no-go area for my father and I can guess confidently that it must have been one of the reasons why they are still together. Dear future wife, I know you will have dreams and I promise to help you keep them alive. I am not going to be satisfied having people see me as the only successful of the two. I hope to also be introduced as the husband of a successful woman. Let me also chip in that if you desire to keep your maiden name, I will have no objection to that. It’s up to you. Now, this is the liberal me talking thanks to my socialisation process. Guess what, I once fiddled with the thought of me being the one to change my name to yours! Just some weird thought of mine. I thought it would be fun but then, this is still a deeply cultural society. Nevertheless, where your tribe, state of origin or dialect would not be a yardstick as long as you can speak English! And I also hope that like my parents, if need be, we would sacrifice part of our dreams so that those of our children can find wings.

One more important thing honey, I am a Christian and I believe the shortest distance between a problem and finding solution is the same as the distance between the knees and the ground. We would pray together to make sure things happen the way God desires it for us. I see my parents do this a lot and I hear them express the desires of their heart to a God who understand all things.

Congratulations Signor and Signora Fagorusi for three long decades of a happy and successful home. I will never forget that you introduced me to the magic of literature with those novels tucked in our bookshelves. Dear future wife, I hope you meet this wonderful duo soon, same way I long to be part of your own family.

Till me meet on the aisle and are declared husband and wife, it’s your future husband writing.

I remember when this guy first hit attention, hyped as 'bundle of skills' by Nigerian media.

50k received from Largerwhenindoubt

1, Nairamar - 5,000
2, Toluth - 2,000
3, Tbaba - 5,000
4, PENMIGHT- 10,000
5, UZZIE - 20,000
6, Anonymous - 3,000
7, Deols - 15,000
8, Largerwhenindoubt - 50,000

Balance - 110,000


Brothers, sisters and friends, we are almost getting there. We are going to 165k.

Naima00: MaashaaAllah this sounds amazing! I'm really impressed may Allah aid you in this and multiply all that you achieve from this. If I may add a little advice to those in charge and have announced those that have contributed just a little reminder that Abu Huraira (may Allah almighty be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
‘There are seven people who Allah (Almighty) will offer his shade to on the day when there will be no shade except His (one of which is) a man who offers Sadaqah (charity) so discreetly that the right hand does not know what the left has spent, ’
(Sahih Muslim)So it may not be best to announce names.Again maashaaAllah people, it's honourable what your doing,well done!

Good, but it's actually in the interest of transparency to name names. If 2 independent people give 5k each and I just put anonymous 5k, each of the donors will be thinking I was referring to him, when I have actually pocketed one 5k and reported 1. That's why it's better to openly match names to donations.

dahmie2013: @Jarus, pls pardon my too many questions, I just dont like making stupid mistakes especially when they can be avoided. Here's my issue, please analyse this scenario for me.

A vendor brings his invoice, the cost of the goods supplied is 60000, he charges me VAT of 5% which now makes d total amount 63000. Now this vendor is also to be charged a withholding tax of 5%, which is also 3000, how much will I pay the vendor?

Please I need answers asap!

If you work in an oil company or government agency: 57,000 (you withhold both WHT avd VAT)
If you work in sectors other than the above: 60,000 (you withhold only WHT, pay him his VAT)

Dis Guy: how about making the paypal or alternate account number readily available

less cumbersome IMO

tbaba1234: ^ Contact jarushub@gmail.com

on how to contribute via paypal

I don't maintain a paypal account.

Can we get a trusted brother/sister volunteer with one?

eko for show

Pls resend: jarushub@gmail.com

Felibaby: Your command of the English language is impecable.

Impeccable.

Olucheye: Thank you so much for coming up with this. You took it right out of my head. A whole lot of our Mega nigerian millionaires only tell us how big they are but little about how they started things out, how their background was like, hurdles they had to cross before they could call themselves comfy.
If Jarus could do us all a favor and include such questions while profiling them, it'll be of great benefit to an average man who aspires to be like them

Fola Adeola, Tayo Aderinokun, Atedo Peterside, Jim Ovia, were not born with silver spoon, just from average family like me and you.

Fola got HND in Yabatech, Tayo Unilag, traveled abroad for few courses (it was easier to travel abroad in the 70's to early 80's), once you are a graduate, even with 2:2, many funding opportunities available, relatively few Nigerian gradautes then, little competition (so don't ask me how they got money to travel abroad). Came back, easily got jobs in First Bank, Savannah NAL mercahnt banks etc. easier to float a bank in 1989 (not sure you needed up to 100m). So it was easy to collaborate and raise the funds. Got the licences, came up with innovation the First and Union Banks of then could not do. They were able to attract young talents. Pronto, the mega banks were born!

Atedo was from a poor, or average at best, family in Rivers State. Attended Kings College. Brilliant, so able to gain LSE admission, traveled to UK for his first and secodn degrees, worked briefly and floated IBTC with a small office in Marina. It grew to become teh IBTC of today. Stepped aside when ovation was loudest in 2007 or so.

Chinom: .....besides if you bring in N25billion now, you will have to explain to Sanusi where the money came from. Back in the days when these banks were set up, you don't have to explain nothing to nobody.

With 100m, you can start a bank in 1989. But 100m of then is billions today.

cecegorz: Hehehe. I was actually been conservative with 30. The one I know was GM at 28! Infact, you even know the person who made it happen. You can PM me if you need details. But then, such feats are even still rare these days.
The next industry you guys should watch out for to produce very young CEOs is Mobile money. Sharp and coded henchmen had already cornered the operating licenses. It's still incubating, but check it out in the next decade.
Meanwhile, if Seun turns the corner by taking NL from being a hobby to serious business before he hits 35,
he could get it listed and become the young CEO of a multi-million bucks company.

Interesting. PM me on jarushub@gmail.com and let me update my knowledge on the 'news behind the news' of Naija's banking industry.

Chinom: You would be naive if you actually believed that these banks became huge from deposits made by market women, Vulcanizers and civil servants. These banks were set up in the most corrupt era our nation has ever known.
Don't even bring in Mark Zuckerberg here. Besides, we have our own mark in Seun.

So what you are saying is, banks can never become huge from deposits from "market women, Vulcanizers and civil servants", but through corrupt people?

In any case, no bank in the world becomes huge becomes huge through only deposits from these folks. State governments and big corporations cannot keep their monies in their wardrobes, they have to take it to banks. Wooing government to make them deposit in your bank is part of the banking business all over the world. It is not a crime to woo government to save money in your bank.

WinkWrld: Nigerian career includes music. What is success? Success is impacting the future generation with your actions and fame of today. And when such action and fame translates to good wealth for you and your family making you live amongst the rich and wealthy in society. Examples of successful kids whizkid, olamide, dbanj, Davido , 2face, don jazzy. Etc I am sure these kids are successful and did not school in havard
.when the ED's MD's etc need entertainment they pay heavily and when these rich kids Ned to invest their monies they pay heavily to these MD's too.
So the whole idea of success should be redefined not to focus on 9-5 jobs only

I agree. But OP obviously meant 9-5 job, that's why responses were tailored to that regard.

Glo: April 2004 to sometime around 2009 (bought it because Glo was the only network in my village then)
MTN: December 2006 till date (bought it because of a girl I was pursuing that time who used MTN, became my permanent number)
MTN: (my official line, got for me by my employers, will drop it if I leave this job)

Afrilogistics: If we should trace the venture capitalists that put money in banks like Access, STB, GTB and the likes,it would lead you straight to CORRUPT politicians and retired military men. Go back to how things were in Nigeria when these banks were floated.
I would like to see a young man perform such feat now (2013) in Nigeria. How on earth could Elumelu's STB buy UBA ?.

I hate mindsets like these.

So it is not possible to be successful in Nigeria except you're fronting for one corrupt politician?

If Mark Zuckerberg were a Nigerian, maybe people would have said he was fronting for someone.

cecegorz: Someone described success as when preparation meets with opportunity.
These guys and their generation of young Bank Entrepreneurs with courage and strong vision; Jim, fola, Tony, Peterside etc where fortunate to be around during the IBB era liberalization of banking license, with the requisite skills and mindset, coupled with the trust of some well heeled men of those days, they blazed the trail in their early 30s.
Just like industrialization, everything has it's era. The much you can do in banking these days as a high flyer is to hit GM @30 if you are well networked. You can't even think of a bank as a start-up today. Where do you enter from? N25b?

I'm not aware of any GM at 30. Except Ladi Balogun, Bella Adenuga whose fathers owned the banks and handed ED almsot straight from school.

Rising through the ranks, it's almost impossible to become a GM at 30 today. I heard one young lady is a GM at Zenith, but I'm sure she is 30+.

dayokanu: Ade Bendel, Fred Ajudua and Morris Ibekwe The Godfathers of 419 in Nigeria, Akindele Ile eru, Lanre Shittu Sanjay Oloruntoyin, Dele Ilori, Danku Baba Imole, Bolaji Basia etc

I first heard about Morris Ibekwe in 1991 from KWAM1 Fuji Collection

"Oya ka re ile Morris Ibekwe"

From 5mins


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WqWVnDPgYo&list=PL5E4ABABA00CBF620

Those guys reigned in 1990's and those musicians/praise-singers made a lot of money from them. Anytime maga don pay, they organized another bash and Wasiu and co collected all their bucks via praise-singing.

Bolaji Basia, Demola Oyefeso etc

[quote author=adisa_segun]I just don't know how you people are just senseless, what has Ibadan got to do with what we are discussing? Is Arisekola not successful? Is Bode Akinjide not successful? There are so many successful people in Ibadan than that the village where you came from, Bastards[/quote]Mr Adisa (typical Ibadan name ), he was only pulling someone's legs

Don't so him pepper

icon8: No sire! The parents of most of the guys on that list are ordinary civil servants, a la Tayo, Aig et al...

Thanks jare.

Some people just open their mouths and condemn everything blanket.

Ditto Fola Adeola. Atedo Peterside was also from a poor family.

icon8: I tell you!

At 34, my friend had to doctor his age to 26 to get entry level job

Maybe he will become ED by 60