₦airaland Forum

ISLAMABAD (AFP) – Nigeria will host trade talks amongthe Developing Eight in February as part of efforts to increase business within member states and Africa, Nigeria’strade and investment minister said.

“I will be hosting the tradeand industry ministers from the D8 countries sometime around Februarynext year to come up witha strategy plan on how wecan increase trade within the D8,” Olusegun Aganga told reporters.

Aganga, who held talks with his Egyptian counterpart on the margins of the D8 summit in Islamabad, said there were also plans to boost trade within Africa. Nigeria and Egypt are the only two African members of the D8.

“The outcome of our meeting is that we felt it was important that the ministers of trade and industry come together tolook at how we can work together to promote trade but first within the D8 countries,” Aganga said.
Aganga said African intra trade is very small at 12 percent, compared to Europe at more than 60 percent and about that ormore in Asia.

“We thought there was a need for some of these countries in Africa to cometogether and come with a strategic plan to first of all create the right environment for trade to thrive within Africa,” Aganga said.
He said Nigeria has also agreed to host a meeting with Egypt, Kenya and South Africa next year to look at how to remove bottlenecks and increase trade.

“This is an opportunity forAfrica to come together and increase the intra trade in Africa. It must alsobe a target to significantlyincrease the intra trade within D8.”
Aganga said he met his Pakistani counterpart on Thursday and that the two countries agreed to collaborate in sugar manufacturing and textiles.
The D8 groups Bangladesh,Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey, with an estimated total population of one billion.

Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/nigeria-to-host-d8-trade-talks-february/

November 23, 2012 | 7:00 pm
Education
By Emmanuel Edukugho
Founded in 1962, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) recently floated acolourful World Carnival aspart of activities to mark the 50th anniversary of its establishment.
It was a spectacular, extraordinary occasion with students drawn from Creative Arts Department along with their counterparts from other faculties as well as students of Theatre Arts and Music from the Lagos State University (LASU) in collaboration.
Adding international flavours to the carnival, the students representingBrazil, China, Cuba, Trinidadand Tobago, India, Ghana, Jamaica, Egypt, Nigeria andSouth Africa, resplendentlyclad in colourful, beautiful costumes and national attires of these countries had assembled in separatecontingents at the SenateHouse Parking Lot. Others wore sexy bikinis, some onhorses, dancing and singingin jubilation.
As the build-up reached itscrescendo, with everyone in excitement, awaiting thearrival of the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof Rahamon Bello, he came into the venue accompanied by Prof Babajide Alo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Research), Barrister Oluwarotimi Shodimu (Registrar) Mr. L.A. Odekunle (Bursar), Dr. Okanlawon Adediji (Acting Librarian) and some Deans of Faculties. Others present were academic and non-academic staff, students, Alumni members and stakeholders.
UNILAG students during the carnival
Addressing the carnival audience and participants after the national anthem was played, Bello paid tribute to the memory of the departed vice-chancellor Prof Babatunde Sofoluwe who died in office after kick starting the programme for the 50th anniversary celebration. A minute silence was observed. He then expressed his tremendous pleasure in welcoming everyone to thecarnival.
“There is no doubt that for staff, students, alumni members and other stakeholders, this is a day of great delight. As we all look back over the last 50years, we should all be very proud of the giant strides recorded by our university, “Bello said.
The Acting Vice-Chancellor went on: “Today, the University of Lagos can boast of a stable academiccalendar which is largely attributable to the peace and tranquility in our task-environment.
We are poised to sustain the peaceful and conducivetask-environment throughteam-work, open administration and democratic governance. This explains why management holds regular meetings with staff unions,students’ representatives,alumni and other stakeholders.”
He added: “We are proud of our products, many of whom are in the commanding heights of industry, government and organisations. We are therefore thankful to the almighty for our success story today which explainsthe rationale for rolling out the red carpet to celebrate our golden jubilee.”
Bello noted that in the true carnival fashion, students have all turned out massively in colourful constumes to publicly markthis great milestone with parades, music and traditional dances.
The celebration featured displays highlighting the culture and carnival of about 10 countries across the globe being represented by the students themselves.
After his speech, the Acting Vice-Chancellor accompanied by some of the principal officers went round each of the countries and were received by tumultuous applause before coming down to take their seats on the high table under a special canopy draped in post card pictures of all the vice-chancellors of theUniversity since inception 50 years ago. There was live coverage of the celebration by UNILAG Radio.
Each of the 10 countries represented by students moved one after the other to the front of the distinguished principal officers which included the Acting Vice-Chancellor.
The respective national anthems were rendered inthe languages of the countries perfectly well bythe students who dressed in unique costumes and waving national flags, attracting huge applause from all watching.
First nation to emerge wasChina whose national anthem was beautifully rendered in Chinese language, followed by Brazil, Cuba, led by mounted horses with girls riding them, Egypt, Ghana, India and Jamaica. Nigeria whose representatives were clad in green and white costume worn by the lead singer, a male in “Buba”, while others wore attires depicting the diversity of the country – Edo, Hausa, Itsekiri, Igbo, Yoruba, etc. The singing ofNigeria’s national anthem in English was followed by reciting of the plege.
South Africa with the female participants dressed in black outfit while the males were bare chested in Zulu tradition, all waving the South African flags.
At the rear was Trinidad and Tobago led by someone on motor bike as others held colourful umbrellas to match.
After this aspect of the celebration, the carnival train regrouped moving from senate building parking lot in a long stretch to the Main Gate, Education, Ransome Kuti, Distance Learning Institute(DLI), Health Centre, Staff School, Science, Moremi Car park back to the Senate parking lot for thegrand finale of fire works display.
An excited female announcer dressed in carnival costume expressed appreciation to the vice-chancellor, registrar, teaching and non-teaching staff, mummies, daddies, deans, professors and others present, praying that, “weshall be here to celebrate 60th, 70th, etc. My kids will attend Unilag by the grace of God, Amen.”
In a brief interview with Vanguard, Prof. Bello, who took over in acting capacity after the death of Prof. Sofoluwe, said that the celebration is to showcase what University of Lagos had been known for: the University of first choice, the pride of the nation and one of the best.
He affirmed that the celebration was put together mainly by the Department of Creative Arts.
“Hence if all the departments and faculties work together, they will provide the best. The ambience was nice.”
His advice to the Federal Government was – “Maintain the Universities, provide adequate funding and universities will excel.”
It will be recalled that the University of Lagos was established by an Act of the Federal Parliament in April, 1962. Its development was planned to be implemented in threephases. The first phase began in October 1962 with establishment of Faculty of Business and Social Studies, Faculty of Law and a medical college conceived as an autonomous unit of the University with a Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
Originally, the idea of University of Lagos was contained in the Report ofthe Ashby Commission on post-school certificate andHigher Education in Nigeria and the subsequent report of the Advisory Commission of the UnivetedNations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for the establishment of the University presented to the Federal Government inSeptember 1960, barely one month before Nigeria got independence from British colonial rule on October 1st, 1960.
The Golden Jubilee celebration was marked with great passion and reverence by students and staff after the University survived an obnoxious and controversial attempt to re-name it on May 29, 2012 after Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential vote.
Since 1652, the university had ten substantive vice-chancellors as follows: Late Prof Eni Njoku (1962-1965), late Prof Saburi Biobaku, (1965-1971), Prof Festus Ade Ajayi (172-1978), LateProf Babatunde Kwaku Adadevoh (1978-1980), late Prof Akin Adesola (1981-1988), Prof. Nurudeen Oladapo Alao (1988-1995), late Prof JeliliAdebisi Omotola (1995-2000), Prof. OyewusiIbidapo-Obe (2000-2002 Acting, and 2002-2007), Prof Tolulope Olukayode Odugbemi (2007-2010), late Prof Babatunde Sofoluwe (2010-2012), whodied in office.Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/when-unilag-floated-world-carnival-to-mark-golden-jubilee/

Written by Yinka Odumakin
Friday, 23 November 2012
MY friend,brother and colleague, Lasisi Olagunju, a first class graduate of our department, brought nostalgic feelings to me with his recent piece on the golden birthday of our Great Ife. We were the last but one generation who schooled at the proper Ife tradition and had realuniversity education in Nigeria. It was also in our generation that the ruling elites commenced massive attacks on educational rights. We came to Ife in the departing years of the cold war and Ife was a serious ideological battleground in those days with sharp lines drawn between radicals and conservatives amongthe students and in the academia.We read widely outside the classroom and our level of articulation and activism compelled Professor Jubril Aminu, the then education minister, to declare war against the “Ife fortress” and lecturers “teachingwhat they are not paid to teach”.
Yet some of us were better citizens than we would have beentoday because we took time to learn what the school fees our parents paid did not cover. When it came to national affairs, you could hardly distinguish between our level of articulation as students and that of our teachers. One incident readily comes to my mind. A panel of the Nigerian Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies led by Major General Charles Ndiomu had come to Ife in 1987 to look into the causes of students unrest. Perhaps they were not satisfied with the study by a Second Republic politician did on the subject a few years earlier when he wondered on NTA Ibadan why people couldn’t understand the cause of students unrest:”How can students rest when they have to go to classes,read and do examinations? They cannot rest ke!”.
Back to the Ndiomu panel. It was meant to go round about 12 universities in the country, but chose to come to Ife first, may bein “recognition” of Ife as the national headquarters of “students’ unrest”. I representedthe students while Prof Omotoye Olorode and Dr Segun Osoba represented ASUU.It was my lot to address the panel first.
I took roughly 15 minutes to let them know they were on a wrong mission as the real cause of unrests on our campuses was the irresponsibility of the ruling class they represented. By the time I was done, my ogas just adopted my submission. Ife was the first and the last campus thepanel visited.
On another occasion, the Babangida regime had ordered the university to confer a honorary doctorate degree on pro-apartheid King Moshoshe of Lesotho who was visiting Nigeria. Somehow, a copy of the letter from the government landed on our hand. Don’t ask me how!
A post-graduate student of Ife then and a staff writer with now rested African Concord Magazine,Mr Dele Momodu walked into the Union building shortly after we got the letter.I handed him a copy of the letter with the following words on behalf of the students “ we shall not allow Ife to be turned into a certificate printing company where every Tom,Dick and Harry can get one at the command of a dictator”. It was UNIBEN that eventually gave Moshohe a degree. The students union elections of 1987 coming after the lifting of the ban on students union following the ABU crisis of the previous year is still very fresh in my memory.
I emerged from that election as the PRO with Fred Adegoke, my colleague in SCAP as General Secretary.Toyin Fasoyin,female,from the born again christian community was elected Vice-president.
It was the year the pundits had put the battle for the presidencyas a straight fight between Segun Adeyemo, a.k.a US(now deceased) of SCAP and Olu Ojedokun backed by the born again Christians.But the third force MSJ to which Lasisi Olagunjubelonged carried the day with Yemi Adegbite.
There is one coup that was hatched on our speech night thatI await “further confession” from my brother Olagunju who has admitted he was in the “situationroom of MSJ. As the SCAP candidate, Adeyemo took the microphone to make his speech, alarge group started chanting “US o gboyinbo(US can’t speak English). Our candidate could not utter any coherent sentence again after that embarrassment! But in spite of our being a salad bowl,we were all committed to the best Ife tradition. There was not one dissent when we chose to honour the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi with Life Membership ofour union at the peak of his battle with the IBB regime over the murder of Dele Giwa.
We conferred on him the Senior Advocate of the Masses because he was being denied SAN and we fixed the event for August 27,theanniversary of Babangida’s coup. For effect,we made Bamidele Aturu who had just rejected the NYSC award then in protest against the tyranny of IBB, the special guest of honour.
We had our ideological differencesas activists but not along rival cult groups as we have today in universities. It is noteworthy thata lot of us who were in different camps then are today best of friends. We had a constitution that we used for decades without having to go through oneamendment. We impeached student leaders who spent moneyoutside appropriation.
Nigeria has useful lessons to learnfrom our Ife.
Our heroes then were men and women of values and not questionable characters that many of the unions on our campuses organise awards for these days. When politicians came to our campus,they knew they were coming on the hot seat as we took them to task on many issues.There was no such person that could enter our campus and throw money at us and get out in peace. Our Union had a Kombi bus then with an ordinary registration number.We never thought of SUG1(Students Union Government) talk less of blowing siren about town! We were not allabout fighting against government though.We had fun to the full.
I can’t ever forget when we had a football match during a NUGA competition against UNILORIN at the University of Lagos. From Ife to the field of play at Akoka we composed different songs againstUnilorin to flaunt our superiority as a first generation varsity. At the end of 90 minutes, Ilorin found the back of the net twice. We did only once. We were mute from Lagos to Ife.But as we entered the camus,it was Balinga(Deji Balogun now of LTV) our choirmaster who raised a song that made us laugh at ourselves”a ti leri pa ma na won o,ko to yiwo o(we had boasted we would beat them before the table turned)”.
We had the naughty ones among us who were full of mischief and always cracked us up. Prominent among was Bayo Ozolua who was in Dramatic Arts. There was this semester we were all busy preparing for the first day of exams and Ozula caused an uproar around 1 am at Fajuyi Hallas he started “ma se doju adura timi(2ce), two lo ni n ma ma kawe,iwo lo ni nma se assignment,ma se doju adura ti mio(God don’t shame me for being prayerful,you are the one who said I should not read and do my assignments)
I feel so ashamed talking of good old days at this age..a challenge to all of us who experienced the great days to remember the duty we owe.
Happy anniversary all the same, Great Ife.Source:http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/opinion/51314-great-ife-and-lessons-for-nigeria

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By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
CALABAR – FOLLOWING protests embarked upon by the displaced people of Bakassi on Wednesday and Thursday, the Joint Technical Team, comprising the United Nations, Nigerian and Cameroonian officials, have announced the suspension of thedemarcation of the maritime boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon.
Meanwhile, the presence of three ships with Cameroonian gendarmes at the Ikang beach, which falls into Nigerian territory, caused a stir as some of the Bakassi youths were said to have come out to confront them before their leaders told them to watch out events first.
The UN team had, on Wednesday,paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of Bakassi Local Government Area, Dr. Ekpo Bassey, at the council’s temporary headquarters, Ikang, to intimate him of their mission before they could move to the Peninsula to carry out their assignment.
But youths, numbering over 300,had stopped them at Ikang, protesting that they had suffered human rights violation which the UN should first look into and that as they were talking, they were still homeless as a result of the International Court of Justice’s ruling that ceded their territory to Cameroon.
This development made the UN team to stop the exercise and go back to Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
However, representatives of Bakassi, also numbering about 50, yesterday morning, carried placards to the Pyramids Hotel where the delegation lodged, to register their grievances and demands.
Some of the placards had different inscriptions such as, “We say it clearly, we are Nigerians, here we belong,” “UN demarcation team, leave Bakassialone”; “We ask again, why do you not condemn human rights abuse against the people?”; “The judgment of the ICJ is unacceptable to our people,” and “You must hear us and we have the right to choose where to belong,” among others.
After an indoor meeting between the leaders of the displaced Bakassi people, Chief Maurice Ekong and Chief Ani Esin and the UN team, it was resolved that the demarcation exercise would be suspended while the people were told to put down their grievances in paper to be given to the team for onward transition to the UN.Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/bakassi-un-suspends-nigeria-cameroon-maritime-boundary-demarcation/

Personally,i will like Nigeria to embedd capital justice/punishment in her constitution.Verdict:china with an enormous population and massive corruption practised it and it worked.Secondly,mega party system which will not be more than three should be encouraged..I have bin folowing proceedings in my constituency and would gist with u later dev.The team of intelligentsia on NL should com out o

Torress ought to av bin fired instead of rdm,dnt knw why some haters here are beafing moses,he wasnt gven d chance to play upfront and as such cant be blamed than torey who has bin more shy in front of goal

Mynd_44: Bad move. Why cant they get a younger one? Why go for old and tired legs?

their recent downturns wil ansa dat guestn beta,Mr

Didier Drogba has asked FIFA for special permission to move on loan from his Chinese club despite being outside the official transfer window and Chelsea are keen to re-sign the striker.

FIFA said Wednesday it is considering the former Chelsea forward's request for an exemption from international rules and Sportsmail understands that the Stamford Bridge club are keen for the striker to return to west London, even if it is just for a month.

'The FIFA administration services are looking into it,' FIFA said in a statement.

Drogba's season with Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua finished this month.

If FIFA grants Drogba's request, the 34-year-old Ivory Coast captain could play for a new team to prepare for the African Cup of Nations, which kicks off on January 19 in South Africa.

Existing rules prevent Drogba from representing another club until January 1.

FIFA has upheld the rules in previous cases when David Beckham, Thierry Henry and Landon Donovan had to wait until January to make loan moves to Europe after the Major League Soccer season ended.

Drogba signed a contract through 2014 with Shanghai weeks after helping Chelsea win the Champions League title in May. He scored an 88th-minute equalizer against Bayern Munich, then struck the winning penalty in the shootout.

Drogba is an iconic figure in Chelsea history and was back at Stamford Bridge on November 11 to see his old team draw 1-1 with Liverpool.

Chelsea appeared to be missing his powerful presence Tuesday in a 3-0 loss to Juventus in the Champions League, which led to manager Roberto Di Matteo being sacked early Wednesday.

Even if FIFA relented and Chelsea was allowed to sign Drogba on a short-term contract, he could not play in its must-win final group match against Nordsjaelland on December 5.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2236225/Didier-Drogba-rejoin-Chelsea-emergency-loan.html

Oluseun Anikulapo-Kuti is the youngest son of the legendary Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuit. Seun leads his father’s band,the ‘Egypt 80’ to date. In this interview with Bayo Adeoye, he speaks on his music and lifestyle, amongst other issues
You were 14 when Fela died,what do you miss most about him?
Well, Fela was my father. You know, it’s a long time now since he died. The most important thingto me now is his presence. I miss him being around. I think of what would happen if I were able to have a discussion with him today. Knowing everything I know now, those are the kind of things you miss. I just miss him being around.
Can you describe what God means to you?
I do not believe in God. I am not abeliever of anything supernatural.I don’t believe in God, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Ifa, Ogun, or whatever anybody uses as a reason to explain simple actions of nature. God, to me, is in existence.
What has been your most embarrassing moment?
Ha (smiles)! My most embarrassingmoment happened when I was nine. And nothing up till now has topped that. You know, I used to open the show for my father andI used to sing before he comes onstage. We were in Cincinnati and Fela was about to come on stage,and I had gone up somewhere because we played in this huge dome where there was an archaicsession.
I was playing archaic, and I forgotabout the show. I got carried away. And when it was five minutes to go… rushing back to the stage, I dressed up quickly. So, my sister helped me with my pants, I was wearing all this traditional pants that you will have to tie. So, I was like, Mosun, you did not tie it. And as soon as I got on stage, my pants just gotdown…
What is the amusing fact about your life that people will be surprised to know?
Well, I think I tried to keep everything as open as possible. But maybe, people would not know that if I had the opportunity, if it wasn’t for music, I would have been playing football. Not the American football, I mean real soccer.
What major goal do you hope to achieve in the next20 years?
I do not plan that long. It is impossible for anybody to have that great plan. Looking at 20 years in a globalised world, anything can happen beyond yourcontrol. So, I think the way to deal with globalized world is to have concrete short- term plan.
Which is your favourite Fela’s song and why?
I like two: Look and Laugh and Original Suffer Head. You know, it’s just the dynamics of the music. I think in Look and Laugh, Fela actually put the definition of arrangement and melody together.
What is it like heading Fela’s‘Egypt 80’ band?
For me, it’s very easy. The band is a very experienced band. It’s not as if they are novice, and they helped me as well. The veterans in the band make it a tradition to train the young onesand let them to be acquainted tothe music. We are large in number, which makes it quite expensive to manage. But in terms of organisation and discipline, we are good.
Do you smoke?
Yes, I do. But I don’t smoke cigarette... I don’t believe any human being has the right to tell nature what to do. Nature believes in the usefulness of marijuana. And I think mankind is pompous. You don’t say earthquake or Tsunami is illegal. So, why should marijuana, an equally natural thing, be illegal, even when earthquakes and Tsunami are killing people.
When are you hoping on getting married?
I don’t believe in the title of ‘Mister’. The word itself is ‘Miss Your Star’. It doesn’t relate well with me. People forget to understand that the term ‘mister’ is an English term for an English gentleman, and I do not see myself as an English gentleman. When it happens, it happens.
You spent sometime in the Western world, what do youthink about the African culture and tradition?
African culture and tradition are quickly getting extinct. Our society does not encourage us toembrace our culture. All cultures are centered on religion. So, the propaganda that African religion is only used for evil purposes while the Western religion is used for good purposes has totally destroyed our society.Source:http://www.nigeriafilms.com/news/19561/5/i-dont-believe-in-god-seun-kuti.html

Regional
Bauchi State governor victimizes civil servant.
A civil servant in Bauchi State who made a facebook post questioning the financial integrity of the StateGovernor has been dismissed.
Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State ordered the dismissal of Abbas Faggo over a facebook comment in which he accused the governor of corruption.
A letter terminating Mr. Faggo’s appointment and signed by one Ibrahim Shehu for the Head of Service of the State, said his appointment was terminated “because his services are no longer needed”.
The termination of the appointment took effect from October 10 this year when he wasfirst suspended.
Mr. Faggo’s troubles started whenhe accused the governor of monumental fraud and corruption, questioning the source of funding of the governor’s son’s wedding which took place recently.
Mr. Faggo had been arraigned by the Police before the Chief Magistrate of the state for the same offence.
However, the Chief Magistrate, Adamu Madaki, on Friday November16, struck out the case against Mr. Faggo because “it was not properly filed.”
Below is the content of Mr. Faggo’s dismissal letter:
TERMINATION OF APPOINTMENT
I am directed to refer to the civil service commission’s letter No.
CSC/PRO/S/001/T.V dated 1st November 2012 to convey the commission’s
approval of your suspension and termination of appointment from Bauchi State
Service with effect from 10th October, 2012 as your service is no longer
required, please.
Signed
ibrahim shehu
For: Head of Service.
Below is the controversial Facebook post which angered the governor, and for which Mr. Faggowas arrested, detained and arraigned in court for allegedly defaming the Mr. Yuguda’s character.
“Those of us resident in Abuja, arewitnessing yet another Bauchi wedding, this time we understand is the Governor’s son that is hooking the one-time PDP’s Chairmanship aspirant’s daughter. Inside sources said, already:
“Top officials of the Min. for Local Govt, along with the ALGON Bauchi State chapter are asking the 20 LGA’s to sign out N2m each as donation for the wedding next Saturday of the Gov’s son. They awarded contract for calendars and note pads to an Abuja printingpress. Contract for coffee mugs, Wall clocks, bags, badges etc. was given to a Lagos based lady. They will all carry the pictures of the groom and the bride. An SUV Jeep was also suggested as a wedding present to Ango. Finally the 20 LGAchairmen will all send their wives to Abj where the jamboree is taking place because Yuguda is now Abuja based.
“The story is all over town too, that in April $80,000 was sent to the ango on his graduation by theSSG, on the orders of the Gov. This is as a result of request by the groom to buy a limited edition M/Benz Series.
“In Nov, 2009, when the Gov latestwife, also acquired thru Bauchi funds, was having her first child in Washington DC the sum of £150,000 was sent to the SSG by the then Accountant General for onward transmission to Yuguda. One wonders, why all this, as he has 21 kids from 3 wives earlier and all of them born in Nigeria. Thethinking is that he is using Bauchi state money for the purchase of citizenship thru birth, for his latest2 kids in the USA. Already a house has since been purchased for Yuguda in Maryland through a once upon a time VOA staff, aide of his.
“These things are happening in a state where staff salaries are becoming very difficult to pay and inevitable retrenchment is looming day in day out. God save Bauchi State.”source:http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/107951-bauchi-governor-yuguda-dismisses-civil-servant-over-facebook-post-on-corruption.html

By EMEKA AGINAM
First Bank of Nigeria Plc is offering customers with a new solution the freedom to capture their individuality on the debit Naira MasterCard Card.
This is yet another innovative offering from FirstBank, followingthe recent launch of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Transfer service that enables people without bank accounts or electronic cards receive funds from its ATMs across the nation.
With ‘expressions’, the Bank’s customers assume control of thelook and design of their Naira MasterCard by exercising the freedom to print images of theirloved ones and favourite moments of their lives on their cards.
Flashing the card whenever one is out shopping or having it tucked away safely in one’s wallet is sure to evoke in FirstBank’s card holders a feelingof being in charge.
“Talk about a card you can really call your own, that’s what‘expressions’ is all about. Rewarding our esteemed customers with the freedom to determine the design of their Naira MasterCard is the bank’s way of appreciating their patronage and restating our commitment to constantly seeking creative ways of delighting our customers,” Mr. Chuma Ezirim who heads the Bank’s E-Business Group said while during the unveiling of the product.
According to her, the process for requesting for the product/designing the card is initiated on the Bank’s website where the customer is at libertyto select a picture (from an existing bank-managed gallery or from a personal collection), which would serve as the artwork on the front of his/her card. Following submission of the selected design, he said that thepersonalized card would be delivered in 72 hours for Lagos locations and five business days for upcountry locations.
Ezirim explained that ‘expressions’ card product has security features powered by anembedded microchip and a four digit PIN, noting that the Naira denominated card can be used for domestic and international transactions wherever the MasterCard logo is displayed.
“In addition to designing their electronic cards, customers with ‘expressions’ still enjoy the safe,secure, and convenient service the Bank provides via its alternative channels including PoS machines, the Internet and ATMs globally,” he added.Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/first-banks-naira-mastercard-hits-market/

Glory be to God almighty for the success of this mediachat.#typical nollywood movie ending#

How many of us eva congratulated him on his wife's recovery?Too bad many were even predicting death 4 d poor woman on d acct.Dat previous first families have suffered colosal losses

Gej should be left alone to do his job,all dis problems were inherited from past govts.Nigeria is the most difficult country to rule in the universe,where the populace expects a sitting senator to build roads 4 them.We should start 4rm educating,enlightening the people.

Every country is corrupt but our weaknesses have made us look more corrupt than other nations.Look around ur sitting room and tell us which of ur property is nigerian made?Why not?What are our professors in tech.Doing?Is dat also Gej'sfault?

November,sunday 18 2012

SOME UNSCRUPULOUS people are said to be moving around the Ashanti Region buying voter ID cards of the people in the area, reports reaching DAILY GUIDE indicates.

This illegal act was said to be done clandestinely by these perpetrators whose identities were not yet known. It was geared towards disenfranchising those that would fall prey to it.

Ironically, the vote buying syndicate was reported to be going on in areas that the largest opposition political party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was enjoying massive support.

Reports have it that each ID card was sold at GH¢50 and that so far several people, notably those in financial difficulties, have sold theirs.

DAILY GUIDE gathered that the vote ID card buying was rampant in rural communities in the Kwabre East District, a seat which is being occupied by NPP Candidate, Kofi Frimpong.

Sharing his views on the dastardly act, Hon. Frimpong told Ali Baba of Kessben FM that he had had several reports of some unknown people moving around the area offering money for people’s voter ID Cards.

The law maker, without mincing words, accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of being behind the voter ID card buying syndicate.

Hon. Frimpong stated that the NDC after failing to fulfil its numerous promises to Ghanaians was so desperate to win the impending elections and continues to lead the country into abyss.

According to him, the NDC had intentionally implemented bad policies which have resulted in severe economic hardships for the people so that they could take advantage of them and offer them monies in exchange for their voter ID cards.

The NPP MP admonished the people not to kowtow to the NDCs bad politics of offering monies to illegally take away their voter ID cards and disenfranchise them in the process.

Hon. Frimpong reminded the electorate that the voter ID cards were their property granted to them by the constitution; therefore they should never exchange it for anything including money being offered by the NDC.

Reports making rounds indicated that the NDC had targeted the Kwabre East Constituency as one of the key constituencies in the Ashanti Region that they want to snatch in the polls this year.

But, Mr. Frimpong stated emphatically that the Kwabre East seat had over the years been won convincingly by the NPP and this coming national election would not be an exception.

He said the NPP still remained the most popular and attractive political party in the constituency, assuring that he would win the parliamentary polls easily to help the NPP flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo to become Ghana’s president.
Source:http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php%3FID%3D256741&ei=yNSoUNqvPIaa1gbhk4CABw&wsc=eb

Phone calls will definitely insult the process

Less than fours hours after PREMIUM TIMES released a set of questions the president needed toanswer at today’s edition of the presidential media chat, the presidency has issued a statementurging citizens to in questions during the programme via text messages and twitter.
Aso Rock spokesperson, Reuben Abati, said Nigerians could send in questions via twitter handle @mediachatng or via SMS to+2347026076865.
The statement reads in full, “President Goodluck Jonathan will in the course of the Presidential Media Chat today, Sunday, November 18, 2012 respond to questions from members of the public.
“Members of the public who have particular issues they would like President Jonathan to address areinvited to send their questions via twitter to @mediachatng or via SMS to +2347026076865.
“During the two-hour programme which will be broadcast live by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA),the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Voice of Nigeria (VON) from 7p.m. to 9p.m, a representative selection of the most significant questions receivedwill be presented to President Jonathan for his response.
Source:http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/107483-presidential-media-chat-jonathan-asks-nigerians-to-send-in-questions-via-twitter-sms.htmlEnter a topic, @name, or fullname@mediachatng
Tweets People Refresh
Reuben Abati @ abati1990 6h
Presidential Media Chat holds today at 1900 hrs. Be part of it, tweet your questions to @mediachatng . Thanks and have a great day.
Retweeted 100+ times
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Big mannie @ manipulator77 26m
Presidential Media Chat holds tday at1900 hrs on all stations. Gej will b answering ur questions!tweet questns @mediachatng @CoolFMNigeria
Mozez Praiz follows
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Big mannie @ manipulator77 28m
Presidential Media Chat holds today at 1900 hrs on all stations. Gej will be live answering ur questions! tweet ur questions to @mediachatng
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Diran Ebo @ IAmDiranEbo 39m
Please send in questions to @mediachatng for the president to answer.. though we know we wontget any answer!
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Peoplesplatform @ Peoplesplatform 39m
Send questions forPresident Jonathan to address tonight during the media chat via twitter to @mediachatng or via SMS to+2347026076865.
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erubami bamidele @ erubamidele 49m
If you tweet any question to @abbati1990 n @mediachatng am sorry you are jobless
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Mr. M. @ WordsworthGwary 52m
L-O-L! ---»" @ba55ey : Wait! Y'all actually sending questions to @mediachatng for GEJ to answer? Hahahahahahaha!!!!*falls off chair*"
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erubami bamidele @ erubamidele 53m
Oponu ni gbogbo won" @TaiwoOlayinka : @abati1990 will MrPresident use Ipador any reading device's wn seat or will the questio @mediachatng
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erubami bamidele @ erubamidele 54m
Lmao" @shakinson2000 : Ure a fool I restateu re a fool " @abati1990 : TODAY'S PRESIDENTIAL MEDIACHAT: Pls send questions to @mediachatng or
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bmc! @ ba55ey 55m
Wait! Y'all actually sending questions to @mediachatng for GEJ to answer? Hahahahahahaha!!!!*falls off chair*
Charles Anazodo follows
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Jon Gambrell @ jongambrellAP 57m
According to #Nigeria presidency, tonight's TV chat with leader Goodluck Jonathanwill receive questions from public via @mediachatng .
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Eyo Ubong @ Ubbricks 1h
What do d mumu pple knw! RT @mightyng : Why create a new Twitter handle fora presidential chatwhen a hashtag would do? @mediachatng
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Punch Newspapers @ MobilePunch 1h
Send questions forPresident GoodluckJonathan to answer during today's media chatvia twitter to @mediachatng or via SMS to+2347026076865
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Rick™ @ RickNwanso 1h
!!! @mightyng : Why create a new Twitter handle fora presidential chatwhen a hashtag would do? @mediachatng
Linda Ikeji follows
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Olumide Iyanda @ mightyng 2h
Be a part of presidential media chat. Send questions to GEJ via twitter to @mediachatng or via SMS to+2347026076865 -Abati
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Reuben Abati @ abati1990 2h
TODAY'S PRESIDENTIAL MEDIACHAT: Pls send questions to @mediachatng or+2347026076865.
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PHOENIX Bukola @ zebbook 4h
" @PremiumTimesng : Presidential Media Chat: 15 questions for President Jonathan /GE9m8 via @ShareThis " cc @mediachatng
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KENNY OGUNGBE @ kennyogungbe 4h
" @abati1990 : Presidential Media Chat holds 2day at 1900 hrs. Be part of it, tweet ur questns 2 @mediachatng ."Listen in on @RaypowerNetwork
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News Bytes @ NewsBytesNow 5h
#PlsNote Presidential Media Chat holds today at 7pm. You may tweet your questions to @mediachatng - Reuben Abati #NBNow @eggheader
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News Bytes @ NewsBytesNow 5h
Presidential Media Chat holds today at 7pm. You may tweet your questions to @mediachatng -Reuben Abati #NBNow @Gidi_

The bank’s license was earlier revoked by the Central Bank.

While the Saraki’s mourn the death of their patriarch, Olusola Saraki, authorities say a bank, believed to be largely owned by them, Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria, SGBN, whose operational license was revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria, will soon commence banking operations.
The bank, whose license was revoked more than six years ago by the Central Bank, then under the leadership of Chukwuma Soludo, will soon return to the foldof the country’s commercial banks.
The bank’s operational license wasrevoked by the Central Bank on January 2006 during the re-capitalisation policy in the banking sector.
However, following the order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, the apex bank was compelled to restore the operational permit after it declared that the bank met the minimum financial requirements to return to business.

To return as Heritage bank
Reports suggest that the bank has already been granted clearance by the Central Bank to return as a regional bank under a new name called Heritage Bank Limited.
The Director of Insurance and Surveillance Department, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, Zachaeus Anate, said on Thursday in Dutse, Jigawa State that the relevant monetary authorities are equally revisiting the issues that underlined the revocation of Savannah Bank’s license with a view to restoring it based on its owners’ desire to re-capitalise the bank.
The director said, at the 2012 Workshop for Business Editors and Financial Correspondents, that theCentral Bank would soon undergo a second round of depositors’ verification exercise with a view todetermining the final modalities that would guide the commencement of its business operations.
He assured of the regulatory agency’s commitment to ensure that all depositors have access totheir funds.
“The bank has been issued a regional banking license, but what is important is that CBN will soon conduct a second round of depositors’ verification exercise onthe bank to authenticate the list of its customers,” Mr. Anate said.
He said the new Managing Directorof the bank, who was in attendance during the last Bankers’ Committee meeting last Tuesday, had indicated that through the second depositors’ verification exercise, all depositors’funds would be properly accountedfor, while guaranteeing they wouldhave access to their deposits.
“So, there are a lot of things NDIC is doing, in terms of the supervision and resolution that wejust don’t come out to talk about in the public. But I want to assure you that no depositor in any of those banks would lose their money” he said.
Since the suspension of the bank’slicense, hundreds of depositors complained of not having access totheir money. Also, the banks officials led by Bukola Saraki, a serving senator, were alleged to have mismanaged the bank’s funds.
Mr. Saraki is still being investigatedby anti-corruption agencies for hisrole in the financial crisis that rocked the bank.
Like Societe, like Savannah
On Savannah Bank, the NDIC chief said preparations are going on to get the bank running again, considering the enormous effort by its owners to ensure that theyreturn to business.
The Corporation’s Director of Banking Examinations Department, Adebanjo Adeleke, said that for many of the distressed banks, thecorporation had paid many depositors on their insured deposits, while pending court caseshave made payments to others impossible.
“Now, the question we need to ask is: how did we get to where we are now? You will recall that the CBN took certain actions by withdrawing the licences of the banks because of certain issues.
“And as a law abiding institution that is why NDIC could not quickly verify insured deposits in those banks.
“Very soon, depositors with these banks will be able to access their money. I can assure you that no depositor with these banks will lose their funds,” Mr. Adeleke said.
He, however, disclosed that three other banks – Peak Merchant Bank, Fortune Bank and Triumph Bank- whose licences were also revoked by the apex bank, are still in court, though their depositors are being paid by NDIC, who has been granted the status of provisional liquidator.
Source:http://www.premiumtimesng.com/business/107284-saraki-bank-sgbn-to-return-as-heritage-bank.html

November 17, 2012 | 1:15 am
News
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has accused the PDP of suffering from deep paranoia over the ongoing merger talks involving key opposition parties, including the CPC, as well as other progressive forces in the country.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party saidthere is no better indication that the PDP is deeply worried by the talks than the resort to downright lies and abuse of the opposition parties by the PDP spokesman, Olisa Metuh, in order to discredit the talks.
It said that in Mr. Metuh’s latest mudslinging, blackmail and name-calling against the opposition, he described the ACN as a ‘’one-man party’’ and the CPC as ‘’believing in violence’’.
‘’The truth of the matter is that PDP is terrified of the outcome of the merger talks. From the commencement of these talks, PDP has been havingnightmares. However the truth of the matter is that these talks have the blessing of a significant chunk of the leadership of the PDP who, for the time being, cannot come out publicly.‘’Well, Mr. Metuh, here is a message you maywant to convey to your paymasters: No amount of name calling, blackmail or character assassination can stop an idea whose time has come.
‘’And if the PDP is so sure that the talks will fail, whyis it even bothering to make any comments at all?We are comforted by the wise saying that anywhereyou see the sign that reads “No Thoroughfare”, then it means there is a road there.
PDP’s days as a political party are numbered with the assured success of these talks,’’ ACN said.
The party said the taggingof the ACN as a one-man party by the PDP has become a meaningless cliche, adding: ‘’All we haveto say is
that those who have the good fortune of belonging to the ACN know that there is no political party with a more robust democratic practice
than the ACN.
‘’As a matter of fact, the usual remarks of former PDP members who joined our party is that they never believed any politicalparty can be
as democratic and inclusivein arriving at decisions affecting the party and itsmembers as they have found in ACN.
‘’Perhaps Metuh had not joined the PDP when Gov. Rotimi Amechi of Rivers State, who won the PDP primary elections for the Governorship
of Rivers State, had his ticket forcibly taken away from him and it took the Supreme Court of Nigeria –in a landmark decision – torestore his
ticket to him and pronounce him Governor, even though his name wasnot on the ballot.
‘’Or may we ask where was Metuh when the PDP, after the death of late President Umaru Yar’Adua,decided to jettison its zoning agreement
on the platform of shameless expediency to pave the way for President Goodluck Jonathan,’’ ACN queried.
The party said while the CPC is quite capable of defending itself against the irresponsible allegationthat it believes in violence,the trophy for
violence and gangsterism goes to the PDP.
‘’Again, we ask: Where wasMetuh when some gangsters with the full backing of the highest echelon of the PDP kidnapped a serving governor,
or when the leader of the same gangsters openly confessed to the then President that he singlehandedly rigged election in favour of the PDP
in the 2003 Anambra Governorship poll?
‘’Perhaps, Mr. Metuh should take time to study the antecedents of his party before washing its dirty linens in public in the name of criticizing other
political parties. Far from the picture painted of the PDP by Mr. Metuh in his interview, his party is nothing but a conglomeration of strange bedfellows
whose only bond is the sharing of the largesse they have made of the nation’s commonwealth in the past 13 years,’’ ACN said.
Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/opposition-merger-talks-pdp-is-paranoid-acn/

@afam4evaThen you need to visit an optician

November 17, 2012 | 12:55 am
News
By OLA AJAYI, Ibadan
Nigeria’s High Commissionerto Ghana, Ambassador Ademola Oluwaseyi, has expressed delight at the way Nigerian students are excelling in Ghana University of Technology.
According to the diplomat, Nigerian student emerged the best student for the 2010/2011 academic year.
This, he said, had proved the point that Nigerians have the capacity to excelanywhere they find themselves.
Based on the academic excellence of the university, the Nigerian High Commissioner said more efforts would be made at strengthening Nigeria-Ghana relationship.
He also advised all Nigerians seeking university education for their wards in Ghana to make this university their preferred choice.
He said these when a high powered delegation from the university, led by the President, Prof. Clement Dzidonu paid a courtesy call on him, in Accra recently.
The don commended the work rate of Nigerian students, their persevering spirit and dedication to their studies.
The Minister Counselor at the High Commission Hon. B.B Hamman, who is in charge of education affairslisted some challenges Nigerian students go through in the institution.
Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/nigerian-students-excel-in-ghana-university/

Wat abt dis

Restore street lights, residents appeal to FCTA
November 16, 2012 | 9:55 am
News
Abuja – A cross section of residents of Abuja, have appealed to the FCT authorities to restore non-functional street lights on some major roadsand streets in the nation’scapital. The residents told reporters in Abuja on Thursday that the absence of light on such roads created a fertile environment for criminals to operate.
Mr Stephen Jackson who resides on Accra Street in Wuse Zone Five, observed that the street lights in the area had not functioned for over two years. Jackson wondered why the street remained dark even when power supply had improved. He noted that criminals used the abandoned park in thearea as their hideout and took advantage of the absence of street lights toattack residents of the area at night.
“If the lights are restored,it would mitigate some criminal activities by hoodlums living in the abandoned garden and Wuse Zone Five motor park, who come out at night to attack residents.”Another respondent Tony Nwachuku, said that the non-functional street lights created a bad imagefor the capital city. “I urgethe government of the FCT to urgently do something about the situation especially as the Abuja Carnival is approaching. “As you know, carnival is a street party and it does attract so many people within and outside the country and itwill be an eyesore for our roads and streets to remain in darkness during such celebration.”
Also commenting, Mr Ndubisi Mpama of Conakry Street in Wuse Zone Three, appealed to the FCT administration to fix the lights as the residentscould no longer sleep comfortably in their homesdue to the security challenges currently facingthe nation. “Without being told, we should be securityconscious due to the current challenges in our nation.
“The darkness in parts of the city encourage criminalactivities as miscreants use such dark spots as their hideout.” He also observed that some trafficcontrol lights at some major road intersections were not functioning. The situation, he said, was responsible for some of the accidents in Abuja. Mpama, therefore, appealed to the government to resuscitatethese infrastructures in the nation’s capital for thegood of all. Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/

I jayjam,representimg nairaland's south federal constituency hereby advocate a 2-mega party system for Nigerian inorder to deepen our democracy as a relatively non performing govt.can be voted and booted out much easily,thereby increasing pressure on any govt.to deliver on their manifestos

Great

@oau originals here,when do we expect the full adm.list.i scored d nided mark 4 my cos,bt jamb cudnt upload my status cos futa had alrdy given me 1 whch was placed on d jambsite.@Olaisababs had prev.allayed my fear over any exclusion in d list citing d 'pas d cut off nd get admitd'clause,bt am stil jittery over d delay.I love OAU

Substitution:GEJ out LAMIDO in.Even OBJ is beginning to concede that GEJ is bereft of ideas.Nigerian politics should also be deregulated,i strongly advocate a 2-mega party system for this contraption of the derelict of planet 'pluto'where an evil party could be easily downed in polls.NIGERIANS SHOULD HENCEFORTH VOTE MANIFESTOS AND NOT POLITRICKIANS