Built2last: The FIRST American woman to medal in Olympic hammer throw! 🥈
Annette Nneka Echikunwoke has made history.
She came to represent Nigeria in Tokyo 2020, but her dream was ruined by the body in charge of athletes. She and 12 other athletes were affected. Nigeria was not able to pay for their drug tests so they were not allowed to participate.
She switched allegiance to the USA, and today she is an Olympic silver medalist.
She was originally born 28 years ago in America, so, as an American citizen born in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 29, 1996 she is FIRST eligible to REPRESENT the United States NOT Nigeria.
So, Nigeria DIDN'T fail her. If she had NOT worked hard to get that silver medal, then she would ONLY have had herself to BLAME. All Nigerian-Americans youths should first work hard to get into the U.S. sports teams and compete for positions by PROVING themselves. Most of those young Nigerian-Americans who tried to DIDN'T work hard enough to get into the U.S. sports teams, so, they came to see how they could represent Nigeria instead. Working harder is the way to go. Period!
The Texas-based Tobi Amusan who is the current Nigerian World Record holder in the 100 metres hurdles is at least guaranteed to get Nigeria an Olympic gold medal. If not a gold medal, then in a worse case scenario, a silver or bronze medal in her sports category. So, we'll see how things pan out.
I read carefully through Tonye's article which I just saw on the NL frontpage. I have a HUGE problem with him using the phrase "stop blackmailing the North" in the article headline and the body of the article and also with him calling out the "alleged hirelings" of the government WITHOUT mentioning their NAMES. In my opinion, I haven't seen any notable person from the government blackmailing especially the far North of Nigeria. The ONLY criticisms I have seen from well-informed Northerners and Southerners online and offline have to do with the instant condemnation of the EXTREME destruction, arsons and lootings of public and private businesses RIGHT from August 1, 2024 (which is the FIRST day of the protests) by criminals who had infiltrated genuine protesters! To make matters succinctly clear, a group of people with links to the Shiite religious group have been arrested for sewing illegal Russian flags which the Russians have condemned through the Russian Embassy in Nigeria. About 90 percent of Tonye's article however contained REAL FACTS of history with CLEARLY attached screenshots for extra evidence.
Second, a lot of the younger posters here who are making HIGHLY inciting comments do not realize that Tonye has a background in journalism and wrote the article which was NOT targeted at the Yorubas but some insidious ethnic bigots and trolls immediately hijacked Tonye's post RIGHT from page 1 of this thread to attack the Yorubas. Nearly everything Tonye wrote in this article is a FACT, but just as I said, it lacked info on the so-called hirelings that he alluded to.
Some far Northerners indeed had protests during the Buhari Presidency and that is just the FACT that Tonye was trying to pass across but it WASN'T intended to insult any ethnic group. A simple online search would pull out some of these scattered incidents of protests by Northerners especially with regards to the cases of insecurity and banditry by herdsmen from the Sahelian Region of West Africa.
[b]In one of the article paragraphs, Tonye also CLEARLY stated that during the Goodluck Jonathan Presidency, people such as Chimamanda Adichie and the late Chinua Achebe were in support of the 2012 anti-subsidy removal protests which would have brought instant hardships on Nigerians. While the largely Ibo South East of Nigeria essentially did NOT join in the 2012 subsidy removal protests and went about their trading activities, which other parts of Nigeria criticized them for. The REASON that the 2012 subsidy protests took place was because the timing of the removal was WRONG due to the fact that there was NO functional new refinery in Nigeria. The protests led the Federal Government under the Goodluck Jonathan Presidency to agree to build more Greenfield refineries which as of the time GEJ left in 2015 had NOT been built! Diezani Agama (formerly Diezani Alison-Madueke) who was the Minister of Petroleum at that time was part of the team that promised that Greenfield refineries would be built.[/b]
EXCERPTS From Tonye's Post BELOW:
"Contrary to misrepresented narrative, the protests were held across the country, including Lagos, Oyo (Ibadan), Edo (Benin), Kwara (Ilorin) and Kano states among others. The 2012 Subsidy removal protests had the SUPPORT of legendary literary icons, Ms Chimamanda Adichie and Late Chinua Achebe. During these protests, twelve persons were killed, including seven in Kano, three in Benin, and two in Lagos, and many were injured by the Police."
emkz: Earlier, Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 and 2023 elections issued a diatribe against the military which he shared on his verified Twitter handle and Facebook and published here:
basilico: Minnesota National Guard Leaders Expose Tim Walz for Stolen Valor: Lied About Rank, and Quit Upon Learning of Iraq Deployment
Is that a FACT-CHECKED, verified information? Why didn't they bring up those allegations up all this while when he occupied other senior political positions?
@1stGenAmerican, it's poppin'. Enjoy Steve Kornacki's break down in the video right ABOVE... and right in the video BELOW is Governor Tim Walz in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Walz accepts offer to be running mate for Harris in 2024 election
OLAADEGBU: Jeff Bezos loses $15BN in a single day leading massive $134billion stock slump for world's 500 richest people including Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Jeff Bezos lost $15billion from his wealth in a single day after a massive stock slump saw the world's 500 richest people including Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk lost $134billion overall.
Shares of Amazon.com Inc went down by 8.8 per cent on Friday as part of a wider sell-off in the market, according to Bloomberg. This dropped Bezos' net worth to $191.5billion, because his wealth being wrapped up in his company.
Bezos has been repeatedly offloading Amazon shares this year, selling $8.5billion in stocks in February and announcing plans to sell another $5billion worth of shares, which would still leave him with 912 million shares, or 8.8 per cent of the stock.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index fell by 2.4 per cent, which also impacted billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk included in the list of the world's 500 richest people.
Zuckerberg's Meta Platforms Inc shares fell by 1.9 per cent, causing him to lose more than $3billion in value, while Musk's net worth of $252billion also dropped by $6.6billion as his Tesla shares plunged by 4.2 per cent.
Friday's $15.2billion loss is the third-worst wipeout Bezos has experienced after his wealth shrank by $36billion after his divorce in April 2019 and when Amazon's shares fell by 14 per cent in April 2022.
The recent plunge of the Amazon shares comes after the company said that it would continue to invest heavily into AI, despite fears by investors all over the industry that the gains fueled by AI this year are overdone.
Other billionaire who lost money due to the Nasdaq falling are Oracle Corp's Larry Ellison, whose wealth dropped by $4.4billion, as well as tech billionaires Sergey Brin and Larry Page who each lost more than $3billion.
The aftermath of the Nasdaq index falling on Friday was still felt on Monday as stock markets around the globe continued plunging amid fears the US economy may be on track for a recession as Japan suffered its worst sell-off since 'Black Monday' in 1987.
Experts at investment bank Goldman Sachs said they now believed there was a staggering 25 per cent chance of a recession in the US - up ten percent from their previous estimate of 15 per cent, while JP Morgan put the chances of a recession at 50 per cent.
US stock index futures tumbled on Monday, with those tied to the Nasdaq falling nearly 4 per cent, but traders are now ramping up bets that the Federal Reserve will announce an emergency interest rate cut in response to the global stock market crash and to avoid a huge recession.
The sell-off followed the release of a dismal unemployment report last week.
Top 10 billionaires - and how much money they lost
1. Elon Musk - Tesla: $235bn, -$6.57bn
2. Jeff Bezos - Amazon: $191bn, -$15.2bn
3. Bernard Arnault - LVMH: $182bn, -$1.21bn
4. Mark Zuckerberg - Meta: $174bn, -$3.39bn
5. Bill Gates - Microsoft: $155bn, -$1.95bn
6. Larry Page - Alphabet (Google): $150bn, -$3.45bn
It's happening in real time. Today is another surreal, giant leap in political history... A Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz tag team is a tectonic shift!
Timothy James Walz, 60, is an American politician, former U.S. Army non-commissioned officer, and retired educator who has served as the 41st Governor of Minnesota. Vice President Kamala Harris has announced her running mate Tuesday before appearing with her VP choice next Tuesday at a rally in Philadelphia.
"Walz has served as Minnesota’s Governor since 2019 after 12 years in the House of Representatives and now chairs the Democratic Governors Association. He has built a reputation as a folksy politician who can get things done, as Minnesota has adopted a number of progressive laws during his tenure. According to a poll conducted earlier this year, Walz enjoys an approval rating of 55% among Minnesotans.
Since Minnesota Democrats achieved a legislative trifecta in the 2022 elections, Walz and his allies have used their power to push a slate of progressive policies. The governor has signed bills protecting abortion access, expanding background checks for prospective gun owners and legalizing recreational marijuana."
IMHO, the next POTUS and her Vice-President will have to engage in the de-escalation of global tensions that have fueled the Russian-Ukraine War and the Middle East conflicts. This would require a give-and-take approach, so, as to reduce global hyperinflation and the contraction of the global economy.
ogododo: Global Market Decline Hits Nigerian Stocks With ₦93 Billion Loss by ogododo: 10:18am The Nigerian Equity Market experienced a downturn on the first trading day of the week on Monday mirroring the broader global market decline.
This decline resulted in a N93bn loss in market capitalisation which now stands at N55.40tn.
The All-Share Index fell to 97,582.41 points, down 0.17 per cent from the previous close of 97,741.86 points.
The day trading saw 9,738 transactions totalling N6.217bn, with 324.02m units of shares exchanged. The market breadth was negative, as 23 equities gained while 25 equities saw their prices drop.
Among the top gainers were International Breweries, Presco Plc, and Sovereign Trust Insurance, each posting a 10 per cent increase to close at N4.62, N485.10, and N0.55, respectively.
Conversely, Chams Plc led the losers with a 10 per cent decline to close at N1.98, followed by University Press Plc, which shed 9.92 per cent to close at N2.18, and The Initiate Plc, down 8.26 per cent to end at N2.
The trading volume saw a 54 per cent increase to 324.02m shares, and the number of deals rose by 47 per cent to 9,738. Zenith Bank recorded the highest volume of 37m traded shares, with United Bank for Africa, Veritas Kapital Assurance, and Oando following with 35m, 25.5m, and 20.3m shares, respectively.
This downturn in the Nigerian market is part of a larger global trend. International share markets also tumbled on Monday as investors reacted to fears of a potential recession in the United States.
According to Newsweek, this market shift was prompted by a weak US July payroll report, which revealed an increase in the unemployment rate to 4.3 per cent, the fourth consecutive monthly rise. The report also indicated a significant shortfall in nonfarm payrolls, which rose by only 120,000 against expectations of 200,000.
Also, according to Reuters, the chief investment officer at BlueBay Asset Management, Mark Dowding, said “In our assessment, a lot of this (market sell-off) has been down to position capitulation as a number of macro funds have been caught the wrong way around on a trade, and stops have been triggered, initially starting with FX and the Japanese yen”.
PUNCH reported that in a turbulent week for the Nigerian stock market, the All-Share Index and market capitalization experienced a downturn, depreciating by 0.46 per cent and 0.19 per cent, respectively. This decline resulted in the market closing at 97,745.73 points and N55.50tn, respectively, marking a loss of N438bn.
BeardedMeat: The bolded part in the post you quoted was not in the original post, you inserted it. Is this difficult for you to comprehend or that I said you were same person? Why edit his post to insert a bolded sentence when you could have simply made the assertion in your own post?
You seem to imply Thinubu should call out Russia even when Russian authorities have officially denied and involvement.
Look here young man, do NOT make any further misleading accusations here... NONE of what you wrote up there is correct. I only responded to you because I wanted to give you a fair hearing as it would be unkind of me not to respond in the first instance. If you don't have BETTER things to say, get off my mention. It's WRONG for you to carelessly insinuate that I'm the same person that made a previous post with another moniker or whatever. I've been a veteran member of NL since 2005 or 19 years ago when I was way in my 30s. As a mature older man here, I don't have the time for the kind of manipulative games and false accusations you the youngers ones push around on this Website. I will have to end the chat with you here and now.
BeardedMeat: The bolded wasn't in the original post, you added it because you are same person's.
Russia came out to deny any involvement in the hunger protest, now Thinubu wants to fight Russia. You people will push the old man to his grave quiker than he wants.
What are you typing here? There is a strong discordance in the first paragraph of your post and it doesn't have any correlation with my post that you quoted. Don't twist my post.
Of course, I know FULL well that the Russians through their Russian Embassy in Nigeria have strongly condemned the waving of the illegally created replica flags of Russia about 2 days ago and I was in support of that.
Your last paragraph about Tinubu wanting to fight Russia and all the other things you wrote do NOT apply to me here.
TimeManager: The way those flags were mass produced and given out to those kids in two days was very suspicious. Shiites are allies to Russia.
-Kiss the truth!
You made a great point there. Russia are indirect allies to the Yemeni Houthis, Hezbollah and Hamas who are direct allies of the Iranian Shiite leadership.
Wisdomkosi: Security sources have disclosed that recent incidents of protesters wielding Russian flags in parts of Northern Nigeria were orchestrated by the Shi’ite Islamic group.
The flags, which have been prominently displayed during various protests in some northern states, have been condemned by President Bola Tinubu and Nigeria’s security chiefs.
Already, the State Security Service (SSS) has arrested several tailors in Kano involved in the mass production of these Russian flags.
The tailors, along with their sponsors, are currently undergoing interrogation as part of an ongoing investigation.
Politics Nigeria gathered that security agencies are actively working to address the political and social angles of the protests.
”Those flags being displayed at the protest grounds were coordinated by senior members of the Shi’ite group. We have it on good authority that they distributed the flags to the gullible youths.
The so-called Jackson Ude is well-known even to Journalists as a relentless liar and FAKE news fabricator whose sources, projections and write ups are always WRONG or off the mark. He has also blackmailed or attempted to blackmail many people in the past.
Even the Jewish-American (Dr. Jeffrey Guterman who was an Obi supporter) called Ude out on X in 2023 for being a pathological liar. The attached screenshot of his post alleging that the two politicians he listed are responsible for the violence and distribution of the illegally made Russian flags CANNOT be taken with a pinch of salt. Investigations also reveal that his former place of residence (before he relocated to the United States) was used as a haven for hard drugs usage.
IbrahimSalihu: In the realm of Nigerian media, a storm of allegations surrounding blackmail and propaganda has emerged, with Mr. Jackson Ude taking center stage. Presently residing in the United States, Ude stands accused of exploiting his media platform to engage in a pattern of destructive behavior, tarnishing the reputations of those unfortunate enough to cross his path. Among his recent victims is the highly esteemed Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi.
Jackson Ude's Troubled History Unearthed
Before his relocation to the United States, Jackson Ude left behind a trail of controversy in Nigeria, specifically in his Abuja neighborhood at Suncity residence. Reports indicate that law enforcement was regularly summoned by neighbors due to the alleged ramnt use of drugs within his premises. Ude's residence came to an abrupt and contentious end, culminating in a forceful eviction from a serviced bungalow. Interestingly, he departed with all electronics originally provided by the landlord, leaving the property owner in an ongoing search.
The Latest Target: Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi
Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi, a prominent figure in Nigeria's intelligence community, now finds himself entangled in the intricate web of Jackson Ude's allegations. The Director General of the DSS, boasting extensive training in intelligence processing, agent handling, and strategic planning, is confronted with the daunting task of countering accusations that pose a significant threat to his illustrious career.[/b]
Bichi's Storied Career and Contributions to National Security
Bichi's career is marked by unwavering dedication to national security and intelligence. Trained in the UK and at the prestigious National Defence College, he has held pivotal roles across various states, including Jigawa, Niger, Sokoto, and Abia. Bichi's expertise spans crucial positions such as the State Director of Security and key roles at the National Headquarters, including Director of National Assembly Liaison, Director of Security Enforcement, Director of Operations, Directorate of Intelligence, Directorate of Inspection, and Directorate of Administration and Finance. He has also contributed significantly by serving as a Director at the State Service Academy.
The Imperative of Scrutiny and Lessons Learned
As the allegations against Jackson Ude unfold, there is an urgent need to scrutinize the source and motivations behind these damaging claims. Ude's checkered history raises serious questions about the credibility of his accusations and the potential consequences of unchecked misinformation. The case serves as a stark reminder of the darker side of media and the harm that can arise from unchecked allegations. Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi faces the uphill battle of defending his reputation, emphasizing the importance of discernment in navigating the intricate landscape of accusations with far-reaching consequences on individuals' lives and careers.
Written Boma Blankson, Convener of Coalition for Social Justice
“On the same day, protesters vandalised several government properties, including the office of the Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Agency on Sokoto Road in the heart of the state. Part of the office was burnt, and furniture and other items were stolen.”
Our correspondent reports that this unexpected escalation has raised concerns about the protests’ direction and the potential involvement of external influences.
trutharena: Adamu Garba is just spitting facts! The same cabal that thought they could outsmart Jonathan is now shaking in their boots with Tinubu at the helm. The man is a force to be reckoned with, and they better recognize his power!
There are different power centers in this crude and asinine struggle based on regional origins. The so-called cabals are NOT the only negative tendencies involved in this quest to destabilize Nigeria.
Good01: A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adamu Garba has claimed that the same camp used to oust former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 has been activated against President Bola Tinubu in the North.
Garba said they might have succeeded against Jonathan but will fail in winning against Tinubu.
In a post on his X handle on Monday, the APC chieftain said no one will have the capacity to distribute Russian flags all over the North other than persons who already have an established political structure.
He suggested that some unnamed politicians are doing everything possible to undo the current government.
Garba said: “There is no one that will have the capacity to distribute Russian Flags all over the North other than persons who already have an established political structure.
“I cannot imagine a correlation between Russia Flags and the Hunger the protesters are using as a yardstick.
“It seems to be that some politicians are doing everything possible to undo this government.
“We know it wasn’t you who removed to kerosine subsidy, diesel subsidy, it wasn’t even you who removed the current petroleum subsidy, it was the last administration. Yet they blame you for daring to do the right thing. Shame on them
“We know Mr. President, you are a very strong patriotic Nigerian President and you are doing everything possible to see to the success of this country, for this effect, we stand with you wholeheartedly till the very end.
"It may appear that same camp that was used to oust Jonathan, using Sowore and his Sahara reporters as a frontier as same people that activated the anti Tinubu sentiment in the North. They shall fail.
“The only difference is that they may succeed against Jonathan, but they will never succeed in winning against President Tinubu. God is always with those who genuinely care for Nigeria.”
Timmi: What the OP wrote showed that he is fronting for some cabals that keep recycling old infomercial about Dangote and monopoly. You have at least three credible companies in Cement manufacturing, many in the food industry. So tell me how can Dangote monopolize in such a free economy.
On the issue of refinery, for a change, a business man was strong enough to fund and build a refinery in Nigeria to service Nigerians and remove the shame of a country that produces raw materials for many years and yet couldn’t manage a functioning refinery. DR crashed the price of diesel and is set to do same, until the Petroleum cabals now gang up against DR using the agencies of the State to frustrate his action. DR has been in planning and construction for over 10-years, enough time to make adjustment in crude oil sales to accommodate the refinery, not in a preferential treatment but sell to the refinery same as it’s been sold to overseas buyers without the shipping/transport cost and in effect, DR will crash the petrol selling price nationwide, all to the advantage of the common citizens. The beneficiaries of the fraudulent subsidies, those in authority that stole our commonwealth and establish refineries outside Nigeria now all ganged up, again using the instrument of the State to frustrate him. It is the Nigerian citizens that are loosing in this and not Dangote.
The man Dangote cannot and will not be frustrated. He is a unique person that believes in Nigeria and has and will continue to invest in the Nigerian economy. Tell your friends and people that stole money such as Atiku, OBI, and their likes to do same, they should bring the stolen money from Dubai, Pandora, etc and put it to work in Nigeria.
As to your claim that “Dangote should do the needful by selling shares to Nigerians as it is obvious given the intricate nature of business in the oil and gas sector particularly the huge capital outlay required to keep a business going, he cannot pull it off alone.“. Dangote has stated many times without number that DR will be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange for anyone, including you to buy into the company. That even shows how patriotic he is, for he could have listed in the NYSE or the LSE.
TimeManager: I don't know the type of weed these bitter people from across the niger are really smoking. Your campaign of calumy got to achieve nothing than spread mischieve among headless mob. OANDO is an oil player in the oil and gas industry spanning over three decades, the owner is a private citizen entitled by law to conduct a legitimate business. Mr. Wale is not an NNPC executive being accused of conflict of interest. OANDO legitimately bought AGIP's onshore assets. Tinubu has recently approved the 100% acquisition of EXXONMOBIL's onshore assets to SEPLAT and ordered all litigations with NNPC be settled out of court. SEPLAT becomes the owner of the largest oil block in nigeria. Why don't you attack SEPLAT for acqiuring EXXONMOBIL ASSETS?. SEPLAT is your kinsman, you won't attack him, right?. Athur Eze could get oil block lincenses in several countries but it is a crime for Mr.Wale to acquire business abroad.
TimeManager: What's the big deal here?. This is not a revelation, this is clownery. Who doesn't know OANDO is an oil player spanning over three decades?. I thought i was going to see an NNPC executive being linked to a blending plant in Malta. Wale is a private citizen just like Authur Eze who owns multiple oil block lincenses in several countries. Just as Dangote himself has a cement plant in Ghana legitimately and no one questioned him for that.
Oando PLC has denied allegations on social and digital media that it owns a blending plant in Malta.
The energy company also denied importing dirty fuel into Nigeria through a Maltese company, Raz Hansir Oil Terminal Limited.
A statement by the company secretary, Ayotola Jagun, said the allegations levelled against Oando of being a shareholder and its principals of being board members of Raz Hansir Oil Terminal Limited, a company that operates an oil storage and blending facility responsible for importing adulterated petroleum products into Nigeria, were unfounded.
“We wish to refute such claims and attest that neither Oando PLC nor its Executives have ever held shares, investments, or interests in the fictitious Maltese company.
“As part of a comprehensive investigation into the basis of the false claims, we conducted a search of the Malta Business Registry, the official repository for all registered entities past and current within the country. Our search yielded no results for a company bearing that name. Subsequent due diligence efforts similarly failed to uncover any record of the company’s existence.
“We therefore believe that the false claims are of the malicious intent of misleading the public and our stakeholders,” Jagun stated.
The company reiterated that as a publicly listed company, any corporate actions, such as acquisitions, are declared publicly in accordance with applicable corporate governance laws and rules.
[quote author=DesChyko post=131150509]Recall that Aliko Dangote, CEO of Dangote Refineries, Nigeria mentioned that a blending plant was setup in Malta and is now actively used to frustrate the efforts to get the local refinery up and running for the Nigerian market.
A revelation by an X user, revealed one of the alleged plants in Malta and the directors. We will watch to see how this unfolds.
Politics › Re: Falana Warns Protesters Against Russian Flag, Clamour For Coup by Konquest: 10:59am On Aug 07, 2024
