₦airaland Forum

FINAL STANDING AFTER STAGE 1 - NOMINATION
1, Gbawe - 22
3, OnlyTruth- 22
2, Katsumoto - 9
4, GenBuhari - 8
5, Ekt bear - 3
6, Jakumo - 1
7, egift - 1
8, Okadaman - 1
9, Jmaine - 1
10, Goldieluks - 1
11, Nasoeb - 1
12, Lucenzo - 1
13, Musiwa - 1
14, Buzugee - 1
15, Papabrowne - 1
16, Dede1 - 1

We now proceed to stage 2 - Voting.

The finalists are:
1, Gbawe
2, Onlytruth
3, Katsumoto

The poll is up and voting will start immediately.

END OF ROUND 1 - NOMINATION

THREAD TEMPORARILY LOCKED TO COLLATE RESULTS AND PUT UP POLLS.

STAY TUNED

My co-Mod has issued official statement which I co-signed.

In my private capacity, I however congratulate the newly elected Eze Ndigbo Online Nigeria Gburugburu, Onlytruth, on his deserved emergence as the the leader of the most business-minded Nation and most most money-conscious people in the world.

Congrats man!

The e-Helpers Initiative or Network is cool, to me.

THE e-HELPERS NETWORK(TeHN) pronounced as 10.

Extremely risky. One-day driving lesson and traveling? Abeg no try am. A friend that learned driving for couple of weeks and attempted driving from Akure to Kwara ended up in the bush. Thank God he survived.

I personally have a phobia for travelling. I did not drive intercity until after 6 months of active Intracity driving. My first intercity was from Offa-Ilorin(both in Kwara state), a 45 minutes drive. My longest driving to date is 4 hours Lagos-Kwara.

Pls engage a driver to drive you for your travel; one day driving lesson is just not enough to travel, don't try it.

All detergents are OMO.
All seasonings are Maggi.

So we thought.

I'm fine with either.

^^^^
Your logic is wrong.
Total can not be less than 11m. In fact, I have a colleague's classmate that got job with Total as an Accountant early this year and he confirmed 11m to me, but being from a 3rd party, I just didn't want to quote it before.

My close friend got a job with Shell in 2008 the same period I got where I am now. Shell was 6.8m then. Only an ignorant person will think it will still be 6.8m today. Shell cannot be south of 8m today(I will call a friend there to confirm the actual within the next couple of hours).  He also confirmed to me that Total snatches their staff because of better pay. And here you are saying Total cannot be up to 11m.

During service year in Sokoto 2007/2008. There are a number of Mai Shayi joints around City Campus area I used to visit to take hot tea, plus suya and sometimes indomie in the evening, while sharing banters in my smattering Hausa.

I want to credit your family and debit mine and the value in exchange is going to be you.

Take it or leave it, Yak is our best striker since Yekini.

Holding Nigeria's all-time 3rd highest goal scorer with 22 goals is no mean feat.

He has paid his due for Nigeria, any striker can miss a seater.

There is no way we can leave Nairaland out of it, but if nairaland is not appearing in the name, it should appear in the short descriptive statement that will always follow the name.

Example:
Name.                          Descriptive statement
THE e-HELPERS - A coalition of online charity volunteers on Nairaland.com, Nigeria's largest web community.

I have serious fears over Barca's defence and even goalkeeper.

;DEyin omo Igbo yi sha

We are not totally thru yet the Obuhs. We are monitoring them. If need be -and most likely there will be, at least during childbirth - we will give them further financial assistance.

I'm personally not inclined to partnering with NGOs, but the house feels so, so be it.

I'm more for direct, easily verifiable and perhaps critical cases like the Obuhs.

I also don't see the need for us to rush. If we can't get any other case again this year, no problems.

Thanks man. At this level, why would one not.

Even Shell, I've had a shot and that one was very close. I scaled all stages to SRD. Shell had sent me hotel room I will stay in Warri with the invitation for SRD, but due to some inexplicable circumstances, I didn't show up. That was how I lost it. Two of of my other friends that got to that last stage too, one made it and still with them(now in Norway) and the other didn't, but I didn't go at all. That was mid-2008.

If there is one lesson I learn from SLS, it is, you can engage establishmt and still excel in your career. How UBA did not sack him for all the wahala he was having with governments and powerful politicians them surprise me.

THE KANO GOVERNMENT AND AJINO-MOTO ECONOMICS

BY

SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI
2001


On Wednesday, August 29, 2001 the Daily Trust newspaper published an interview with Hafiz Abubakar, Ph.D. (Food & Nutrition) and Commissioner for Finance, Kano State, which purportedly represents the position of the state government on its face-off with me as detailed in my "The Kwankwaso Phenomenon" (See The Guardian of Monday August 20, 2001. Also www.gamji.com  and www.nigerdeltacongress.com )

 

Abubakar’s interview was an embarrassment to all educated indigenes of Kano State. Similar to his BBC Hausa service interview (of Monday 20th August 2001), the views he expressed merely served as a validation of the general perception that in a number of cases we have continued to entrench a culture of mediocrity and to entrust our affairs to persons with little grasp of their own portfolio. In this write-up, I intend to dissect Dr. Hafiz’s expression of his understanding of Economics, as well as refute some of the more outrageous of his averments.

 

The first point in our discourse is the honourable commissioner’s insistence, in both the Daily Trust and the BBC interviews, that the N719 million "Governor’s lodge" being constructed in Abuja is an "investment" for the people of Kano State. Dr. Hafiz is surprised that being an economist, I am yet unable to see the value of this "investment". Consideration of this issue should reveal the extent of the honourable Finance commissioner's grasp of elementary Economics.

 

An investment, to be considered a wise one (as opposed to a foolish one), must meet three criteria in both "common sense" and Economics. First, it must be acquired in an efficient and cost-effective manner ( i.e there must be value for money); second it must be such as one can reasonably expect an appreciation in its value over time; finally the investment plus the gain thereon should be reasonably projected to be realizable.

 

Let me give an example of such a project. The Zamfara State Government is constructing on its own plot in Abuja a hotel at a cost of N500 million. Although I have reservations on the project on grounds of reflecting misplaced priorities, I nonetheless concede that it as a wise investment, which meets all the above criteria. As a banker, I know from information available to me on similar projects that N500 million is roughly the cost of building and furnishing a good 3-star hotel with 60-80 rooms, sporting and healthcare facilities and conference centre. If the hotel in question meets these criteria we may conclude that it is being established at a reasonable cost.

 

Secondly, the Zamfara State Government believes the hotel will contribute between N25 million and N30 million monthly to its internally generated revenue. I suspect the Governor here confuses the hotel’s sales revenue (part of which will be needed for running the hotel) with profit, which in theory can be repatriated monthly to the owners. Assuming a rate of profit of 30-40%, the state government can expect anything from N7.5m to N12m as average monthly contribution. Being in the "service" industry, we can also expect the pricing to move in tandem with inflation. This means that in about five years the state would recoup its N500 million investment and still own the hotel buildings. Meanwhile, the building has appreciated in value over time, in addition to a substantial figure on the Balance Sheet classified by accountants as an "Intangible Asset " in the form of "Goodwill" associated with quality service and an "Islamic" patent to the hotel. The state, if it so wished, could sell the hotel at a handsome profit despite having recouped its cash investment. This is what is called a wise investment.

 

In the case of our Ajino-moto (or Kafi Zabo) government we are investing N719m in one house built purely as a lodge for the Governor or key Government officials. There is no provision in the building for rental accommodation, therefore nothing will be contributed to Kano treasury from the project. The house will continue to consume resources for maintenance, the cost of which will increase with time. Besides, the house is being constructed by Julius Berger, a company whose construction of the Abuja stadium is reportedly said by no less an authority than the World Bank to cost Nigeria twice what it should . If we took the Abuja stadium as a guide we should assume that this Governor’s lodge, even as designed, could be built at about N360 million. Given the fact that the contract was not awarded through a process transparent to the general public, all probabilities point to this.

 

The suspicion here is compounded by a more disturbing recent development, which underscores the arrogance of the Kano State government and its complete insensitivity to the opinion of its electorate. The Guardian Newspaper of Monday 27 August 2001 carried a story titled "renovation of Kano govt. house to cost N1billion." The State's honourable Information Commissioner, who is known to be even more brilliant than his Finance counterpart, confirmed that Julius Berger is again the contractor handling this project. In a dazzling display of original thinking, our Einstein argues that this colossal amount is justified because "a lot of places in the building are leaking while in others there are breakages here and there". Not yet satisfied, the honourable gentleman delivers this most ingenious coupe de grace: "We have to wake up to standards so that anytime we have visitors there will not be any problems." Reading this interview led to the evaporation of any doubts I had that our Executive Council is filled with rocket scientists. But there is even more to come.

 

Every indigene of Kano State resident in or visiting Abuja is advised to go to Asokoro and drive down an untarred close near AP station. (Deeper Life church is located on the close). Under construction at the end of the Close is a beautiful palatial house with green roofs in which a mosque has been constructed of the type aptly labeled by the Hausas "Allah ga naka"- meaning "God, here is your share (of my loot)". That house belongs to a principal officer of the Kano State government. The same official is reputed to be the owner of a new multi-storey structure located at 211 Shehu Shagari Way, Abuja and housing at present the headquarters of Nigerian Export Promotion Council. It is true of course that there is no necessary connection between large contracts and large personal houses for those who award them. What is also true, most unfortunately, is that there is a constant conjunction between the two. All of these points strengthen our conviction that Kano state is not getting value for its money, so the issue of capital appreciation does not even arise.

Our "lodge" also fails the final test of a wise investment. A single house costing almost N1 billion and built as a residence is simply not marketable at that price. Anyone with N1 billion to invest in a house would rather build one to his taste and design. Had the money been applied to the construction of blocks of flats for office or residential use, or even of twenty smaller houses instead of a single mansion, the story may have been different. As it stands, the purported investment can not be realized.

 

It therefore is evident to me as an economist, that there is no way the government of Kano State can consider this waste of public funds on a white elephant project an "investment" for the people of Kano. Ashikiwe Adione-Egom used to write on something called "motor-park economics". Today, we are witnessing in Kano what I call "Ajinomoto" or "Kafi Zabo" economics.

 

Next I will briefly touch on other points made in the interview and in which the "honourable" Commissioner was being, as it were, most economical with the truth.

 

The first fallacy is the allegation that I participated at the Abuja seminar as a representative of UBA Plc. I am without doubt an AGM in that bank and I am so identified in all my publications and so introduced at all functions because that is my identity. In 1999, I was invited to a conference at Arewa House, Kaduna where I presented a paper on "Issues in Restructuring Corporate Nigeria". The conference was jointly organized by the Vision Trust Foundation and the Network for Justice. Dr. Hafiz Abubakar was then the president of Network for Justice, and he was a fellow participant in the conference. Throughout that conference I was referred to as an AGM in UBA Plc and Hafiz knows he did not invite me to that conference as a representative of my bank. More elementarily, even Dr. Hafiz should know that foot notes to any paper are to be read as part of the text. I reproduce below footnote number 1 of my Abuja paper:

 

" Paper presented by S.L.Sanusi, Assistant General Manager, United bank for Africa plc, Lagos at the second International seminar on Islamic Banking and Finance organized by Ahmed Zakari & Co with the theme: "Establishing a Truly Islamic Financial system in Nigeria-setting the Agenda" on 30th June and 1st July, 2001 at the Abuja Sheraton Hotel and Towers. The author is grateful to the organizers for honouring him with an invitation as one of the resource persons."

 

 

Everyone knows that a "resource person" is invited to a conference on personal merit. Everyone, that is, who is not an illiterate.

 

The second fallacy is the allegation that the government closed its accounts with UBA because of problems with PAYE tax remittance. In "the Kwankwaso Phenomenon" I published only those parts of Dr. Hafiz’s letter to my bank's MD that dealt with my person, omitting the first paragraph which dealt with this matter. Since Dr. Hafiz has discussed this matter publicly, I reproduce the letter's opening words below as sufficient refutation of his averment:

 

"It is with esteemed regard to the Board and Management of your Bank - a pride of the Nation's strength in commercial banking - that I convey my Government's appreciation of your timely response in resolving the subject of PAYE with our Board of Internal Revenue."

 

Finally, Dr. Hafiz accuses me of going into a "public foray" on "the person of His Excellency the Governor" and (of) Hafiz himself. The reference is obviously, in the case of Kwankwaso, to my calling him a "rural aristocrat" (which he is) and suggesting that he has dictatorial tendencies (which he does). As for Hafiz, I am willing to concede that I owe him an apology on two grounds. First I pronounced him to be the holder of a Ph.D in Nutrition. I have since been informed that he actually holds a Ph.D in Food and Nutrition and I should recognise his expertise in the field of Food. Secondly, I referred to his preoccupation with a crusade against the consumption of Ajinomoto but inadvertently missed the fact that he was also a crusader against the consumption of Carbon Sugar. Although I do not see how these corrections enhance the Curriculum Vitae of a candidate for Finance Commissioner, it is important in these post-Toronto days, to state our CVs correctly. After-all a certain governor we all know, who used to have the prefix "Dr" to his name has since quietly dropped it.

 

The lesson in all this is that it is time for the Kano State government to understand that dealing with educated critics is not the same as dealing with illiterates. Education makes a man free, and freedom demystifies the trappings of authority. Education gives one the capacity to reply every insult, revenge every injury and stand firm on principle. It was Aristotle, I believe who said that:

 

"only education makes a man see as a profit any loss resulting from his acting according to the dictates of his conscience, and to see as a loss any profit gained from betraying his conscience."

 

It is for this reason that I keep repeating, as I did in my Abuja paper, that the north will only find freedom if it finds education. What better way to conclude this piece than with the following words of the great British economist and philosopher, John Stuart Mill, in his book "Utilitarianism":

 

"No intelligent human being would consent to be a fool, no instructed person would be an ignoramus, no person of feeling and conscience would be selfish and base, even though they should be persuaded that the fool, the dunce, or the rascal is better satisfied with his lot than they are with theirs."

 

If politicians understood this, they would show a little more respect for the educated elements in the electorate, even as they live in the blissful opulence of their ill-gotten wealth.


THE WRITER IS AN ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER, UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC, 57, MARINA, LAGOS.

Done. Spammer gone wild

All comments about Shell here are correct.
My close friend and classmate in Uni joined Shell shortly after we came back from NYSC as an Economist. Hie told me his pay, which was 6.8m. That was 2008. He has now been sent to Norway on expatriate terms (imagine the bucks)

He also told me that they are one of the least paying of all IOCs, that Total in particular snatch their staff because of their better pay.

He read Economics from Ife, without any other certificate or experience and I remember him telling me in our regular gists that he was so intimimated with the certs of other entry level folks they were recruited together - Bsc, Msc, MBA from Manchester, Houston etc and they started with same pay, validating the comments earlier made here.

As for Total, I've heard about them as paying higher but I don't have the figures. I've also had an unsuccessful shot on it too.

Aare Musiwa, Alaafin of Canada, I hail o.

uplawal:
Lagosshia deserves it, but politics would not allow sunni brothers to give him,Allah is the only one that reward his people and not this our eye service,mago mago,pretentious game.As a matter of fact,i would suggest you people to stop this award thing,it does not worth it cos it brings much hatred to peoples heart than love/good.

I'm seriously afraid for you, Titi.

It's getting interesting and more fun.

Ok. I may have been wrong.

I think it's actually boiling down to popularity of sections. Politics and Autos being the highest-traffic sections are having their mods(and I'm also a beneficiary) getting more nominations, obviously by the many people that visit these sections. An exception however appears to be justwise who is having a decent run but mnoderates a low-traffic section-he must truly be doing great works.

However, I don't think popularity of your section alone earns you the nominations - you must have actually done some good as a minimum.

This is clearly an insire-m prize   but these are Nigerians, it may not be the no of people that attend your campaign that will determine your victory.  

Let the fun continue abeg  

There can only be one DK

Inasmuch as I condemn this in totality, I have an issue with the biased reporting of Fulani Vs minorities clashes in the North. When Fulani herdsmen are killed, you don't see it making headlines, just a rider tucked somehwere in the news, but when it's the other way round, you see shouting headlines. I remember during the Fulani Vs Berom fightings. When the Berom strike, it won't make major headline, when the Fulani retaliated, its top news.

This by no means justifies the carnages but I think our need to do more in objective reporting.

Andre Uweh

Only the threads of the hidden, low-traffic sections are making front page for now. Very soon, all threads will be consolidated in a single section and sent to home page.

We will appreciate if tribalism is kept out of this.

Thanks.

Keep nominating, only the Top 3 will slug it out at the poll.

Meanwhile, as was stated in the rules, only the first one was considered for those that nominated more than 1.

HALL OF SHAME - NOMINEES TO DATE
GEJ - 10
Abati - 6
Nigerian voters - 3
Buhari - 2
Obasanjo - 2
Aregbesola - 1
Jega - 1
Diezani - 1
Tinubu - 1
Uduaghan - 1
Patience Jonathan - 1
NFF - 1
Achebe - 1
Rochas - 1
Sen. Ndume - 1
Suswan - 1
Buhari - 1
PDP - 1
Yuguda - 1
Oritsejafor - 1
T.A Orji - 1
Lai Mohammed - 1
Nairalanders - 1
Sahara Reporters - 1
Labaram Maku - 1