₦airaland Forum

Well, for me, l use a "Garmin Mobile XT" navigation system on my phones. I particularly embraced the Nokai N97 last August because of its wide screen which is bigger than the N96 l had prior but that is just by the way.

The main issue is that l find it safer to stick the phone on my dashboard and use as a Navigator and it does "every other thing" those built-in Navigators can do - call reception, play movies, wireless, voice direction and the pointer is like a real car, not some lifeless arrow, e.t.c.- It shows the direction to street level, that l am sure of.
Its also very cheap and when l come to Europe l still use it as l have Niaja and European maps loaded, infact, l can buy and load any map l want onto it.

Most of the Maps required are freely available on the internet and it beats me why anyone would charge as much as 75grand for such a thing!

If l come around, l dont mind giving it out to those who want it though those who profit from it will not be happy at that.
I think if the price placed on certain things are too prohibitive, it drives people who really need it but cant afford it, to "copy it"

Ten thousand naira would have been a sensible price on such so that profit would be made from "volume sales" as against trying to make the profit from high cost price and selling just a few units.
Just my ten cents.

Again, l repeat, l am not an expert o!
Now, to your question.
I will go through the motions and hope l can give u an idea.

*Artisans (Senior Bricklayer and like 4 recruits) digs the trench representing where the walls would "grow" from.
*The firs layer will be a mixture of sand and cement of about 5-inch thickness, called "blinding". But if u want to be a bit "safer" and u have a few coins in d purse, you can mix some "gravel" (not granite) with it to make that "base stronger (l will advice this)
*Nxxt comes the 9" blocks which will now be placed on the "blinding" above, to go round the trench.
*About 3-coaches of 9" blocks is done (2-coaches below ground and one above)
*The inside of the 3-coaches is filled-up with red laterite/clay soil.
*Those who dont have 'much' will "floor with a mixture of sand & cement", the 3-coaches after filling-up the inside. Those who can afford more will add gravel stones (those brownish looking stones that are cheaper than granite) to the sand & cement mixture, to do the flooring and the wall will sit on this base, lik u have done a mini-raft foundation!

If ur soil is the dry, red clay type, and u are building a bungalow, the above style will save u money and it will stand kampe.
I have seen i done and the houses are still commanding good rents close to 30yrs after

Cheers & good luck

Naijaking,
I would put it simply like 1, 2, 3.

There is Destructive Criticism
There is Constructive Criticism

Both are criticisms but produce different results.

I am NOT against those who criticize our country constructively
I am AGAINST those who CRITICIZE our country DESTRUCTIVELY

Okay, if you still dont get me, l will use another analogy:

As a parent, your child does wrong and you need to admonish him.
You can do it "positively/ constructively" (even with canning!), where the punishment does not overshadow and diminish the lesson
OR
You can do it negatively/destructively where all the child sees is "punishment" (and it's plain child-abuse), no lesson learned

Both are admonishment but one is certainly better, rewarding and more desirable than the other!

What that block-head American did was a derisive, destructive criticism! End of story.

BTW:

@naijaking:This is where I thought your argument becomes counter-intuitive: "You're offended by people who criticize Nigeria, and yet you want to get the people in power out of office? How"

This your logic is puerile!
It is not the people who "criticize negatively" that are in power!
I want those who are in power (the looting and visionless politicians) out, to make room for intelligent and forward-thinking leaders
and l am not offended by those who criticize with a mission to effect change, as against criticism for the pure sake of ridicule!

Anyway, l know u got the point and we dont need to over-flog the issue.
Cheers and have a nice 2010

I concur.
I am just of the opinion that no country, not even America is a Paradise, you need to go to the hinterland to see a different picture.
I also believe that we need to double up our efforts to make Naija better, we have the potential to aoutclass any European nation because we have what they will never have: A wonderful weather.

I also feel that "P.R" can make the difference between a "made in China" and a "made in U.K".
Finally "image management" just like advertising, can make or mar a product (country).
Lagos or Nigeria is not the worst place on earth but comments like some Nigerians make about our country, digs us further down the hole.


Lets channel our efforts (and bile + energy, experience, exposure, e.t.c) into how we can get the impostors out of authority or policy making/implementation.
That woudl make the difference.

cheers.

"I work there"

Hmmmmmm, Hmmmmmm
Good advise!

Sunboy,
I am not an architect but what you experienced was the "local way" of doing it
Depending on the "texture" of the soil in that place, the bungalow might just survive Iav seen it done over and over again and the houses are still standing straight, more than 25years later BUT it has to be one of those "red, hilly clay soil" areas!

Try that in a swampy environment and that house will sink to lintel level in less than 5years.

Do something that will stand the weather and give you rest of mind, an additional 75K for granite and cement could make the difference.
cheers

Thanks for information and candid opinion.
I wish to withdraw my initial offer and l will be "getting in touch" with you through FAX
Best regards!

When "Abacha died" and Nigerians went on the street in jubilation, l was very sad!
Sad in that it is not in our culture to "humiliate the dead"!
But it made me wonder that they must hate the guts of the "goggled one" so much that they would sacrifice "tradition and culture" but then, when l reflect over it, l can somehow "free them".

Now, that was a "dead man" and l could still live with it!

Now, I am wondering about what will be going-on in "Bob Dee's mind"?
Here is someone who thinks he is loved and may even be elected to be Guv'nor one day!
To make matters worse, he wasn't a government political appointee or 'selected Politician'
Here was someone who decided to "resign", by himself; something very uncommon in our part of the world!

Meen, Dele may qualify for a Guinness World Records Award as the MOST REVILED JUNK JOURNALIST ON EARTH!

Now, dont accuse me of being partial, l am not yet giving the award to Dele, not just yet unless no one on this thread has something good to say about him!

WETIN HAPPIN naaa
Na so life beee?

Journalist are a specially breed and privileged people (like Doctors that save lives and Judges that pronounce death sentence).
We follow them like 'the prophets' but starting from the likes of "Chukwumerije, to Jerry Gana, to that one with office at Anthony-Maryland side (cant remember his name now), to the likes of Segun Adeniyi, Dele Momodu, and some say My admirable Reuben Abati, is titling towards that line too, when they start playing a "smart one" on the public by doing a "moral somersault" in the middle of the day!

Well, who said the "mischief that men do" lives after them?
I guess it lives with them nowadays!!
ADIEU DELE, I feel you at this moment, really, l feel you!

and dont come out of retirement please, go ask Mike Tyson, it could be worse!!

BTW: is there a correlation between these Non-Yorubas that claim Yoruba origins, and charlatan behavior?
Take Oba-chonjo for example, he brought so much disgrace to the Yorubas and l hear he is from "Igbira tribe", somewhere in the middle belt?
Now, compare dat with Dele Momodu, someone said he is an "Edo man" (no disrespect to Edo people) trying to bring disgrace to "Ile-ife"
Wetin sef, na by force to be Yoruba

A few pages behind, "naijaking" said its only in Niaja that people burn their trash!
Na wa o!
I live in Europe and a few times when l go on long trips by Bus, l've seen "white man" burning his trash (not everyday or everywhere).
I have seen heap of trash, washed down by the cold rain. It happens a lot in the country side.

Having said that, it does not take away from the fact that we need to better manage our environment.

Like someone has observed, once some Nigerians travel abroad and come back, everything in Nigeria suddenly become trash, such is their mentality!!

But can we blame them, like the saying goes "if a big calamity brings you down, smaller insignificant threats will also show face and claim a patch", literally.

The Yorubas will say " we should drive away the fox and then come back and admonish the wayward chicken" but not so for some of us who take pleasure in been derided by every "white skin" that is looking for an opportunity to call us 'monkey'!
The "Plane bomb plot" is another excuse but most pitiable are the same Nigerians (omo'ale to fi owo osi juwe ile babare: "naughty child" that points out his father's house with a left hand) that join in the chorus.

I have heard it said that "if an English man says British weather sucks (and it really does!), woe unto the foreigner that joins him to say so"!

There is a way a "white foreigner" can point out an "obvious anomaly" within your house but there is a way he can do it that you will also take offense,
If the intention is to ridicule you.
"I bet they cut the grass by hand" was meant to insult us, every Tom and Harry has a lawnmower at home, talk less of FAAN!

I do not intend to win any arguments here since some have "lost it" and have become more American/European that their benefactor.
What do you call a son that "slaps his father in the face, because the father was drunk"?
Are there better ways to bring the father's attention to his wrong-doing than whacking him full face

Its about having an innate sense of pride, come what may afterall, if it was in Nigeria that the "MP allowance scandal" happened, British people will talk about it for the next five years, write books on it and some "left-handed child immigrant" will join them to rubbish their people and nation, for the next two decades!

@Recentpost.
You're not even a Nigerian so, STOP THE CAMOUFLAGE!

And to all who think this situation is the "end of the world", forget it. It will pass sooner than u imagine.
They just found an excuse to lambast us because they ENVY us, as a people.

Every where  Nigerians are, they get noticed! WHY

We got class
We got taste
We got Charisma and carriage
We have attitude
We are loud and boiste-wetin!
We party like mad!
We are smart and we can outsmart anyone who pretends to be smart
We are resilient, never-say die
Our women are beautiful, the envy of other women all over the world
Our men are studs, intelligent studs for that matter!
We value ourselves and we never let other puts us down

We may have a bad and corrupt government but we all know that is just a situation that can change overnight
but everyone is scared of us, they worry what would happen "when we get our acts together"?

They encourage our corrupt leaders to loot our treasury and deposit same in their banks while playing lip-service to anti-corruption, as a way of keeping us down and under-developed

Let us seize this opportunity to chase the "bald heads" in "our town" out of town.
Youths of Nigeria, we are the future and hope of this country, lets rid ourselves of those thieves in flowing Babanriga and Agbada

Anyone that has been in government  for over 5yrs has no business in govt anymore in 2010.
The West wont help us in this because it means they would need Visa to enter Naija in 5yrs time and the naira would equal 1.5 GBPounds and "cheap labor" would dry-up Europe and Green card would loose appeal,
Just imagine, Yes, imagine and know that it is possible and it will come to pass.

Now you know why Gen. Muritala Mohammed and Gen. Tunde Idiagbon, died very quickly, like a Candle in the wind!


BTW: I will bare my yansh publicly at any airport official that wants to search me, I will ask him to even lift my "blockus" up.
Eventually, they would find out that it is them that would be feeling the shame.; and they would know they're dealing with Nigerians 
And a few of them sexual perverts, craddle-robbers and fagots, will wet their pants along the line sha

I am interested in buying properties but what do you think we happen to me and my family, as a Southern Christian, if l buy this property, the next time those religious fanatics go haywire?

One thing l've noticed about all these PERFORMING ESTATES is that you have a very huge GATEHOUSE and maybe a fence!
The real issue is WHAT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT DO WE HAVE BEHIND THAT FENCE?

That you have a gate with a fence does not mean a buyer can come, buy, build and live behind that fence or am l the only one looking at those pictures posted by the "Agents"?

While l am hesitant to agree with "Lawyer" but the "Agents" too need to show us "whats'gwan" behind those gate-house!
Do we have laid out streets?
Do we have buildings springing up
Can we see workers on site
Laid-out drainage and roads
Electric Poles
Never mind the Generator house, Swimming Pool and Tennis Court that were included in the flyers

For now, Lawyer is winning, the "Agents" have to b on-top of their game

The worst thing that can happen to anyone "coming home" to settle or holiday, is to live in an unsecured, isolated environment!
You dont want to imagine what will happen to your wife and children, in your presence!
Dont even think about it, some Armed Robbers can be heartless u know!

Dont be offended but let me just ask a question, l repeat, its not intended to smear ur person:

Can l ask what the weight of the bag of cement is?
(l am asking these because someone bought a "direct from factory cements for me" late last year only for me to discover that they were "rebagged and under standard weight!)
And did you say "BULMAH BRAND" or "BURHAM BRAND" which we all know?

Thanks

Between "babadudd" and "asoog", l like the mending of fences!
I knew all along that it was a "typo error" on asoog's part to put 20mm in relation to concrete when he meant to use it for steel.
I actually took my ruler to check when l read the thread and then l realized the typo-error

, and to you, "2klong", l hope by now you would have realized that its not a good idea to jump into a fight between "husband and wife" and take sides.
Apologize quickly to "babapupa" and next time, look before you leap (there is a tub of hot oil just behind that wall )

MOORE SHELTER DESIGNS!
Na wa for you o
But you forgot to include your Picture and your bank details in this "YOUR C.V."
All the same, keep up and keep doing a good job, your reputation will be ur C.Vin the nearest future.

This thread has been very stimulating all this while, ljust dey read, -dey go!

First, where is that man now? (axeman85)?? I guess his broadband subscription has not been renewed in U.K
That "axeman85" was really a "confusionist". He is also not straight with his submissions.

if you go back to pages 2-3 of this thread, you will observe his contradictions, like when he claimed to be "An Account manager" for like six different Banks and Finance houses in U.K, then later, he claimed being "a Student" all this while, waiting to get some "Work Experience" so he can come back to Naija and "contribute". Also, remember he said he has not visited Naija in the last five years till this year. In all, he claimed to have pent like 5yrs in U.K and he rants about Council tax increases, e.t.c like someone who knows the in-and-out of U.K (like a real Shon-of-d shoil! )

Let me point out that all those his "effuzy" are fabrications.
Within your 5years sojourn so far in the U.K, you cant have worked for about 6 banks, as an Account manager (by the way, remove the manager from that title, may be you're just a bank clerical staff that handles customer 's accounts )
Combine your "Account managership" with your education, and you will see that your fabrications dont jell at all

In your argument, you should have gone the whole hog to inform people that in the U.K, they pay Tax and it is progressive such that depending on your level of income, it might be that at the end of the day, its the Govt that pays you Tax; in form of "Tax credits" or "Claw-back"! (They send you a separate cheque for the amount due back to you, at the end of the tax year)

If Govt wants to increase Tax, e.g VAT, there is always a robust debate over it at the "House" and we all know that a particular BBC channel is dedicated to broadcasting every minute of House-sittings so, the people are involved and pass their position on Tax matters to their properly elected Rep, who tables this and takes a position along that line in the House!

Like some have also said, Government in the U.K has various "soft-landing measures" in place to take care of the low income earners so as not to squeeze them out of existence with a harsh tax regime. Unemployment benefits, Maternity Benefits, Child-rearing benefits, Social Housing, Back-2-work allowance, Educational Grants, Back-2-School allowance, e.t.c., that serve to reduce and mitigate against the effect of crushing cost of living.
Lagos does not have all these so when you compare, please factor these "allowances" in.

From what l understand about this discussion, its about Taxing people at a rate that is sensible, affordable and in-tune with economic realities.
For the avoidance of doubt, it is a civic responsibility to pay ur tax, it is next to Godliness (Even Jesus paid his tax to Julius Ceaser, in biblical days!).

But like the son of king David, you can make tax a burden to the people!
That is what people are apprehensive about.
Fashola is trying but he needs to know that there is a limit to which you can "squeeze water out" of a cloth, after a threshold, that cloth will start tearing to pieces: We dont want that to happen in Lagos! Eko o'nibaaje O!!

As it is, any attendant cost increase in the production of any service/commodity, is and will be passed-on to the final consumers, the "tenant-citizens of lagos".
As long as Govt continue to raise its tax and charges on landed property, the Landlord/developer will continue to raise their price on rentable property: The govt will make money, the Landlord will probably make more money BUT the Ordinary Tenants (poor struggling people who we should all assist) will suffer and bear the brunt.
That my friends, is why it seems House rent and property prices in a cosmopolitan city like Lagos, seem to defy any known law of recession! No Turanshi, Walahi.

Since everybody can not build their own house, we all must come together to reduce "our charges" to make life bearable for ourselves.
From Govt charges on land acquisition, processing and documentation, to building and development levies, to cost of cement and other building materials, to labor charges by masons and other artisans, to erasing any "one year or multiple years" down payment on renting an accommodation.

Rent edict or any Govt Policy will be a failure when and if Govt itself is the "architect of this artificial inflation" in property matters.
I rest my case.

@Ayomiful

I hope we wont be subjected to having to bring out our me*****tng pads during airport searches now

Emmmm,  there is this "scanning machine that goes into operation immediately at Schipol Airport in Amsterdan, from today!

It's like an X-ray machine or one of those things in James Bond movie, its strips you unclothed.
I will suggest you dont wear a menstr*al Pad if and when you pass through that airport (and all U.S airport soonest!), if you look at the Faroouk boy thing, it actually look like he was wearing a menstr*al Pad!
You dont want to be mistaken for "another one", when the scanner machine screams "catch-am, catch-am"
it is designed to "display and scream" when it sees anything that is different from human flesh

I am thinking of getting a job in one of those airports, operating dem machines! imagine the amount of "high" one can get in a day! F.O.C!!
I am also thinking that l dont need to wear any underwear/pant when traveling, it will make my check-in faster, l suppose?

What am l thinking sef? I must be way out of my mind, pls forgive me

BTW: News flashed it that the boy was "driven out" of his Dubai school, where he was doing a Masters Degree for, (wait for it)!
NON-PAYMENT OF TUITION FEES!

Now, for a father who maintains a million Pound apartment in Central London, chairman (till 2weeks ago) of the "Big Elephant Bank" and now Chairman of the New Islamia bank (l hope that bank wont be and is not funded by proceeds of terrorism), it is highly "surprising".

Something is fishy in their relationship and l am wondering whether "neglect and lack of fatherly love" is a contributing factor to his radicalization?
Just my thought

The answer to your question lies in all those "MANAGING DIRECTORS" looting the vault of their banks in the name of "unsecured loans" to their "fronts" (like Nana Shetu) and friends!

Its very criminal to betray depositors trust by siphoning depositors money for your personal use.
Most of them deserve long prison sentences, like are given to Armed Robbers, (Armed Robbers in 3-Piece Suits!

Eziachi,
I am not spoiling for a fight as your alter-ego has pointed out.
I agree with you that you are now a comic!

Since the issue is a serious one, l beg to excuse myself from your "comical somersaults"!

Even when caught red handed , some security men caught sleeping on duty said they were "praying"!

Ain't that very COMICAL?

Really, based on "new information" just emerging, that the Father made a report to the CIA, a report which got to a desk in CIA H/Q in Langley-Virginia, shows us a few things:

1.) The father is not an extremist
2.) The father does not support his son's deviant and criminal associations
3.) The CIA, as stated by Pres. Obama "fu-ked-up", big time

I wonder how many of "our fathers" have gone to the Police to report their son/daughter, when they notice something unusual?

When l say "fathers", l am referring to all sort of fathers, (Biological, Traditional, Spiritual, Moral, e.t.c).
If your son suddenly emerge with a "classy car" or 'loads of cash' when you are aware that he has no feasible job that can produce such thing, what do you do?

Some fathers (the Spiritual ones like Pastor, Imam, Alfa, Reverend) will simply elevate such a 'son' to a higher post within the religious heirachy, as long as they share in the booty!
In the church, they will convene a "special anointing prayer" that the money should keep flowing, without asking where it came from, even if it is blood money! The new money-bag will quicly become a "Deacon", on his way to becoming a Minister!

In the Mosque, they would simply "Turban him" as the "Seriki or Baba Adinni", as long as he donates part of the loot regularly!

Traditional fathers are a worse sort! These ones will simply elevate and bestow some strange titles that only the Devil himself could have invented! You will here something like "Atunluse" (Town repairer!) or Eze-Egoo (King of Money) or some "Tundun Wada bla-bla-bla"!

I am waiting for the day when my church Pastor will publicly refuse a gigantic offering or 10% until the provider can explain to the church, where he got the money! Instead, the shameless son-of-the-devil will simply use him as an example of "who the lord has blessed" MIRACULOUSLY and the Choir will be entranced to provide a beautiful song, further "prophetic announcement" of him becoming a billionaire by this time next year will follow!!

But here was a father who "tipped-off" the victims!
Even the "Oyinbos" will hardly do that! For that, l salute the father.

Having said that, l am looking at the part he played in making the boy, "what he became".
Did he provide fatherly love and attention?
Did he 'listen' to the inner pain of a young boy about to go stray?
Was he the product of a broken home? ( l hear say the Papa get 16 "pikins", l will not call them "issues" becos issues dont behave like this )
Did he just provide him with all the "money and other luxuries of life" while neglecting his emotional security?
Could the father have done more than "just report" to Security outfits?
Are we now in an age when Parents cant even control the children? I remember the day my feeble Grandpa queeked in his old voice that he would beat-up my 'very muscular' father, if he goes against his instruction; and my Pop backed down!
Later, l came to realized that it was not "power/muscles" that came to play, it was "moral respect" for ones parents, something you imbibe from childhood.

A big lesson for us to learn from.
Money or Gifts can not replace Parental attention.
Parents, please pay attention and create time for your children (l know its difficult to attend to 16 children ), otherwise, they will give you heartache in your old age.
Go ask "Chairman", who has suddenly become "I am a celebrity, get me out of here!

During religious riots, our fellow citizens use machetes and Dagger-knife to kill other fellow citizens
During election violence, they use guns and explosives

I have no doubt in my mind that if these idiots can lay their hands on a nuclear device, they would think about annihilating the "other region" completely and what better way to achieve that than by building a "Chernobyl Nuclear plant? in the region?

Bottom line is that we are still evolving.
Air safety is zero.
Road safety is zero
Work safety is zero
Health safety is zero

What makes you think Nuclear safety will be different, is beyond me

Abeg, this is suicidal.

I have an interview for a "long term" Visa for America on Thursday 31st December! It costs a lot of money and l am wondering whether what this guy did will affect the perception and judgment of my American interviewer or any other Visa- section interviewer for that matter!

I put myself in the position of that American Embassy staff:

Visa staff: You say you're from which country?
Me: I am from Nigeria and proudly so too.

Visa Staff: Uuhh-huh, Nigeria, you said, right? (He makes a cold stare into my eyes and tries to UnCloth me with his eyes, but l smile back)
Me: You dont have anything against Nigerians, do you? ( l can feel the pain of his stare and l can even read his mind: Another Fuc-k-ing terrorist.)
Visa staff: Not all, lovely and lively people (he mumbles to himself: except that they've added terrorism to their list of atrocities!)

Me: So, was my interview successful?
Visa staff: You will hear from us in due course but if you dont, l regret to say that it wsn't (he even spares me a smile)

Me: Na God go punish you dis "Mutallab" terrorist pickin o! see wetin you come cause now?

I sympathize with all those who have just lost their jobs, its a very traumatic experience, believe me.

One thing l've always said to my friends over time, concerning "paid employment" is that "at the end of the day, its either you resign or get sacked" but it is better if you resign since you can do it on your own terms! An "employee" is a termed contractor, contract will end one day!!

Having said those words, l am baffled over a few things:

1.) Why are these banks doing this "mass sacking"?
Are they trying to impress the government (Sanusi's CBN) that they are doing something right?
Are those being sacked the "problem" of the banks or are they responsible for the problems of the bank?
IF CBN has pumped tax-payers money into these bank, why are they then engaging in this mass retrenchment, since one of the objectives of  the bail-out is to keep the economy (including employment) going?

2.) Why has it become the "custom" to sack Nigerian workers, just before Christmas?
Infact, why has it become the custom by Nigerian leaders/Employers, to[b] impose woe[/b] on their fellow Nigerians, just before Xmas - Fuel Shortage (with escalating Transport & food cost), Sacks, contaminated food, e.t.c

3.) Now that the Bank Executives are competing with themselves on who can sack the most, l am thinking in my head: Its not these low-level staff that ruined the banks, its exactly those "signing the sack letters" that ruined the banks (The Directors, The M.D's, Group Managers and all those that sit at weekly Management Meetings, planning policy and implementing direction.
These are the people that need to  be sacked since they led the bank to its present predicament, and it makes economic sense because the salary and benefits of each one of them will comfortably pay that of 30 to 50 of those being sacked now, not minding that they do virtually nothing other than 'bark' orders and roll around in cushy, swivel chairs!

Finally, l am of the opinion that if an employee has discharged his/her duty diligently, to the best of his abilities, with clean records, you cant just dis-engage such staff (just to save money).
You have to pay "severance benefit" to such staff. No Story.

I know our "leaders" like to take ordinary Nigerians for granted but l want to say that it is unethical, illegal and a breach of any known employment law, to just wake-up and dish out 'termination letters" to staff, without reason: "Your services are no longer required"!

The sacked staff need to register their presence online, form an organisation, elect representatives and first write to the Labour Union (which l think have sold out and may be ignored). After these, they should write to the National Assembly, demanding payment of a negotiable severance benefit, according to employment laws and if the bank's Management are still intransigent, institute a CLASS ACTION against them in court.

It will take time but they have to be steadfast and committed ( a very difficult thing to do for the selfish, average Nigerian) to getting justice done.

Having worked in the banking industry myself, l resigned in 2005, just before the bubble bust (Soludo's consolidation!  ), having seen the hand writing on the wall and having been making adequate "escape alternatives" for myself, beginning in 2002/3)

The truth is that as a banker, you are expected to live to a certain standard (Decked Suit, Nice Car, Nice apartment, latest Phone like N97, nice Italian leather shoes, e.t.c (we get Dress allowance, you know ) but then, as an "employee", one should know that it would not last forever!

Unfortunately, some get carried away and doze-off on the steering!
I feel sad for them, for their children, wives/husband, extended family members, their Pepper Soup joints (recession would set-in at those joints!), their Girl-friends, their landlords (who will be thinking of another windfall in January 2010!) but most of all, l feel sorry for this country called Nigeria:
So blessed by God but held hostage by some incompetent nincompoops masquerading as intelligent bureaucrats; and docile citizens who think God will come down from heaven and wrest their lives away from the blood sucking vampires we have as leaders

I find it very curious:
-On one hand, First Bank Staff are one of the poorest-paid bankers in Nigeria and the "father" was the Chairman till 2weeks ago
- The boy lives in central London, in an apartment owned by his father, paying 2Million pounds annually!
- He gets a Visa for an "Islamic Conference" in the U.S! (not Saudi Arabia o!!)

So, whats a 23yr old doing in a billion naira apartment?
Where did the "father" get the money to maintain such apartment (and its not his only house!)

In a country where Children die of preventable diseases, where some cant even afford one meal/day, where some people die in hospital lobby because they cant pay "#5,000 deposit"; in a country where women die in labour because "NEPA" has struck, in a country where banks are sacking thousands, a few days before year end and they would not pay "correct dividend" because the bank is not making profit!

WHERE DID THIS FAT CAT GET ALL THE MONEY HE IS WASTING ON THAT APARTMENT (AND THAT NEMESIS OF A BOY)?

These wicked Nigerians need to understand that what they do to "ordinary Nigerians" will come back and haunt them, one way or the other.

The ill-gotten wealth (even Bill Gates does not burn his money like this!) they rustled from others in other to spend on themselves and their own, will bring them sorrow in their old age.

I hope Babangida is reflecting right now, , with all the 2.8Billion dollars Gulf war, oil wind-fall (and Bongos Ikwe's son), with all the posh-apartments in Cayman Islands, "All is Vanity", when the Giver of Life calls!

Blood Money!

And there you go again, Eziachi!

You seem to have a way with "misleading information"?
You can make your point/opinion or position known very candidly, without making false allusions.

The Caption of the picture you posted as "Another Governor with his 4th wife", says nothing about the "woman" being a 4th wife and in fact, it wasn't the Governor at all!

The Caption of the picture (right below the Picture) says: Director General for Media & Strategy TO Niger state Governor, Malam Danladi Ndayebo and His Bride!

Where on earth was it written that she was the 4th bride?
Where on earth did a D.G suddenly metamorphose into a Guv'nor?

Its crucial we present facts as they are, in pursuing our individual agenda.

Please "edit" your post as necessary.
Dont forget that as a "learned medical professional" (as you said in your post), no one would expect the use of "misrepresentation of facts" to buttress a position, on your part.

Thank you,
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NB: its also caught my attention that the lady in marriage does not look unhappy at all!
Now l am wondering, if a "single" lady feels happy and so desire to marry a "married man", whose right is it to deprive her of such choice or do we all foolishly believe that its all about money and even if it is, is that the only thing/decision "we all make" that is based on financial reward?

Dont monogamist divorce for financial reward, especially in U.K where it is usually done just before Xmas, when the hubby's financial value is at the highest? Give them a break please.

I guess a lot of us are mixing too many issues together and jumping to a premature conclusion, based on our understanding of what we think is right and pure "gran-standing" at times!

For example, What is promiscuity?
Is it the same as Polygamy? (as in is it a requirement or an exclusive preserve of Polygamy?) If Yes,
Can we then say that a "serial monogamist" is not promiscuous? (using the definition above)
Is it guaranteed that all monogamist take care of their children and wife? (check what goes on at divorce proceedings )
Can we generalize that all monogamist are bad people (or monogamy is bad) just because a few dont take care of their family?
Is it true that all Polygamist dont love their children or provide for them financially?
Is it true that a man would marry a second wife only if he hates the first?
Is it true that polygamist dont have love for their first wife (lets examine Moshood Abiola lifestyle while alive, as a case study)

It is by have a passionate but impartial examination of such questions that we can draw reasonable observations and conclusions from there-in.

Monogamy, Polygamy and its sister, serial monogamy, is not for everyone; Each man/woman according to his choice, be accountable to God and their conscience.

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Well, without running the risk if going back and forth, my intention is to give a "balanced view" of the cause of this breakdown in the homes in U.K. and the West in general, since the "only reason" you gave earlier was that it was because the men were denied their polygamous cravings! l felt it goes deeper than that.

Thanks for your rejoinder and have a merry Xmas.

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BTW: I wish the U.K church leaders would take more interest in this alarming trend but it seems they are surreptitiously in support of of it, for two reasons:

1.) I am yet to hear them make it a topical issue and strongly "preach against it", from the pulpit.
2.) The church Pastors seem to be a secondary beneficiary of such family breakdown as the "allegiance of the wife" then switches to the Pastor and that is one more "hooked-worker" for the vine (grave)yard . That is where that "My-Pastor, My-Pastor" syndrome, came from!

Eziachi

In fact, , Nigerians are probably most likely to be the most divorcing ethnic group today in the U.K and it seems the same in the U.S.
"Because the law would not allow the men to have the option of polygamy and then the woman will be in a loveless marriage all her life"

I have followed the discuss between "Eziachi and Winiret" and didn't want to interject my views but with such quote coming from the learned "Dr", l can not just hold it.
That manner of reason goes beyond absurdity, it is pedestrian and totally myopic!

I bet the Doctor is unaware that "Money is actually the root of all evil" and when women (not all please) who grew up in a society where the culture makes them subservient to their husband ( and actually, their is hierachy/order in heaven also!) suddenly find themselves in an environment (Western world) where they actually get paid more money ( Single Parent Allowance) to kick their husband out of the family home, using state instruments like the Police, at the slightest provocation, even a toddler should expect the kind of statistics we are getting today!

"Absolute power they say,  corrupts absolutely" and most Nigerian women "imported" into the European/American environment can not handle the sudden bestowal of "power and authority" they find on their laps, in these climes.
The result of course is broken marriages and children brought up by such "government sponsored single Mum"!
It started about two decades ago and the result can be seen in the Statistics of British jails where close to 70% of the inmates are youths of "black single Mums"!. Same goes for the U.S.
If husband and wife quarrel in Nigeria, the man (with all their shakara and puffing!) will probably threaten a divorce or to marry another wife  but eventually, tempers will cool down, family and friends would intervene and the next thing you would hear is that she has become his first lady in one office or the other (they still stay together sha).

In the U.K, that "Nigerian wife" will probably throw him out of the matrimonial home, into the cold, (home he pays mortgage on!) with the help of the Met Police, with only a pair of Jeans and T-shirt. Next, she will get a "barring order" that he should not be seen within 10Km radius of the home (some would compound it by bringing-in their "gigolo" boy-friend immediately, to adopt your children!), she would then file for divorce (and that one is free this Christmas ) and then applies for more money as a "single parent", from the government, so it is lucrative to break the marriage, in such environment
There are probably other reasons like "Nigerian men who can not quickly adapt to the western environment where the woman is not only equal in authority in the home, but actually [b]much more powerful[/b] and gets the sympathy of the authority, in any family quarrel (contrast this to the Nigerian situation). Some men just refuse to change and like the Bible itself says "How can two walk together, except they are in agreement"?

The divorce statistics among Nigerian families for countries like Spain, Italy and worst of them, Ireland, will be horrendous, in about five years time,

N.B: I do not wish to offend the good women on this site, my intention was just to highlight the narrowness of the Doctor's postulation.

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Hi Wirinet,
Your response a few posts up there was superb.
It was balanced so to say.
Truly, no one likes to share, whatever they can keep for themselves and that includes wife, children, riches and even parents! Man is "self-centered" by nature, even on things that are worth sharing -love, material possessions, e.t.c.

But certain "circumstance" as you rightly pointed out, requires that such "private possession" needs to be shared.
The motive (reason dedendi) behind an action is quite crucial and even more important than the act itself!
Why does a woman/man marry a few spouse in a lifetime and not stick to the first one (or why does a married 'person' engage in extra-marital affairs?) and more predominantly in the Nigerian context, why does a man marry more than one wife and not stick to the first one?
Answer to these posers will help us see the issue in a broader light.

The funny thing is that those who preach the most against polygamy, especially in the western world, are the same ones who embrace Sodomy, bestiality, Child Pedophilia (even among church bishops and friars!), homo-sexuality and "serial monogamy", without blinking an eye!
Who are the real hypocrites in this cases or did they not read about that in the same Bible they often quote?

Maybe it stillboils down to anything African is bad, but if it is practiced by Westerners, it becomes good!

Have a Merry Xmas and l wish every one in the Nairaland-house, a wonderful 2010.
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NB: It is good when people can discuss issues like this without taking it personal.

Anyone:
Do you have a NEW Nokia N97 (touch-screen) for sale or can someone give me the price and where l can buy it, in Naira.
Thank you.

This will be an epistle o!
I have read all these posts and l was also "laughing in my native language"! From the mischievous, to the bizarre, to the religious come moralistic and so on!!
But then, l made a few observations that l want to share:
First What is Polygamy? Is there a difference between Polygamy and Bigamy?
Polygamy is when one person (male/female) is married to more than one spouse, at a time.
Bigamy is when a spouse (male/female) who is married already, mis-represents his/her marital status and deceives a "third-party" (male/female), into another marriage (The key word here is "lying" that you're unmarried, when you actually are).
So, there is a big difference between the two and it spoofs me as l have seen many inter-changing one for the other.

In most countries of the world (including Nigeria!), BIGAMY is a criminal offense.
In Nigeria, it is 5yrs imprisonment when found guilty, no story.

Having explained the above, the question of the day was whether Polygamy should be proscribed or not.
Everyone has their own opinion (on why they take a position) and it should be a "healthy debate" without the kind of insults l have seen passed from one to another.
To put it mildly, it is sheer ignorance if you can not disagree with somebody's opinion/position on a subject of debate, without being insultive!

As they say, another man's meat is another man's Poison
Again, you can argue "a position" without subscribing to that position in your own personal life.
A lawyer who defends an alleged  thief or murderer in court, is not him/herself a thief or a murderer, he/she is just "adopting a position" on the issue at stake.
I am stating the above because l noticed that a lot of people dont want to get involved in certain discussions for fear of being stereotyped and maligned! This does not augur well for a healthy debate and you can only have intelligent resolutions, from a healthy debate.

Hot topics like these include, but not limited to:
-Should Govt ban abortion?
-Should the death Penalty be abolished? (Even for Armed Robbers and Looting Politicians )
-Should married women retain their father's name and the men bear such names?  (dont leave that mouth open, why not?  )
-Should Homosexuality be legalized?
-Is bestiality wrong? e.t.c

God made one man, married him one woman.
So we can reason that God intended it to be so? But then, there are numerous "men of God" (l mean real ones of the olden days) who had more than one wife and it did not stop God himself from 'associating and fellowshiping' with them!
Example are David (who the Bible calls 'Apple of God's eye'), Abraham (God's friend), Solomon (most blessed and wisest) Isaac, e.t.c.

Thus, we can safely reason that having more than one 'wife' does not make you "out-of-sync" with God (lets leave the hypocrites for now  )
From the above, we can also conclude that having one or more 'wife' has nothing to do with your relationship with God and if that is correct, IT IS NOT A SIN. That is a religious point of view.

From a Moral perspective:
No one likes to share "his/her property".
Husband and wife are like "property" to each other. You "own me", l "own you". 
Polygamy involves (with or without consent) sharing a " spouse's personal property" with a third party! On that grounds, it is unacceptable.

Dont be deceived that only men practice polygamy.
Anyone that is married and goes to have "sexual knowledge" of another (regularly, secretly, openly, occasionally, in exchange for money) are all in the same boat of polygamy. Its just a question of "style"!

Morally, (without offering any excuse) sex is one of the "prime indicators" when a spouse goes outside the marriage.
Lets give an example: A young woman's man is impotent (due to injury, excessive alcohol and many other legitimate reasons) and cant perform his sexual (major) marital  expectation. Since everyone does not have the same level of libido and frigidness, she needs to be fulfilled, one way or another (Vibrator is not a real alternative, just a bridge-gap for some).
She can divorce and re-marry or she can "cheat" with a side-attraction but it's still viewed as adultery!

Or a young man's wife develops some illness and she is bed-ridden (Stroke, accidents, e.t.c are examples) for a long time. He develops the urge, as a virile person. What does he do?
He can divorce her (and some will call him wicked!) and re-marry, rather than commit adultery.
self-service is not even an exact remedy but some say it is also a sin!

Another situation (and Nigerians place a lot of premium on bearing children) is when his wife (or her husband) is not gifted with the fruit of the womb (bareness/impotence). She/he is desperate for kids (Test-Tube baby is an alternative if he can afford it and the technology is readily available in Nigeria where electricity is still a luxury!). Should She/he divorce the spouse and marry another one so as to procreate, having been proved that its the spouse that has a medical problem? But the Nigerian culture frowns at divorce and its actually a stigma, to be a divorcee!

Now, in most of the West, Polygamy is "frowned at" and not tolerated at all (Mind you, it is bigamy that is still a criminal offense in codified law, not polygamy!).
By culture, marriage and divorce is 2cents per day in the West.

They dont sanction Polygamy as such, what they sanction is what l dub "Serial Monogamy"
If Monogamy means "on-man, one-wife", then 'serial monogamy' means one man (or woman), with one wife (or husband) at any one point in-time for a few short period. (You can marry, then divorce over and over again! )

For example, if l marry Tunde today and we have one child, after one year, l can divorce (dump) him and re-marry Ikechukwu, one child and two years after, l divorce him and marry Umaru and l can keep going-on and on, so much so that a man/woman can accumulate fifteen husbands/wife in a life time! Thats cool, very cool. 
They are not Polygamous heathens like these Africans but "smart monogamist" or Serial Monogamist!

In Africa, its the opposite: Mostly the men, marry one wife and keep adding one more till they have like five! Bloody Polygamist!

The women folk dont have it so good (at least not so openly) so l can understand when they are the most critical of Polygamy but then, some women simply serve the husband a divorce paper and keep hopping from one "man" to another, not in marriage but as "single parent"!
Now thats smart. You cant accuse them of polygamy, neither can you accuse them of "serial monogamy", they are just "single mothers" having a good time! The "sharp" ones simple date other men behind the husband's back.

So which is good and which is bad?
Now we can see that everyone that has ever slept with any other person apart from their married spouse, is a "Polygamist" of some sort!
We can pretend all we want, even the western world that detests polygamy are no better than their African polygamist.
Some even argue that Polygamy is better than the serial monogamy they practice in the west (at least in most polygamy, the children learn to live with "Daddy/Mummy" under one roof!) where husbands/wife hop from one spouse to another, leaving the other spouse to take care of the children or to be raised by a 'foster parent'.

To say Polygamy is responsible for HIV is to be stupendous beyond belief!
What about "BESTIALITY"? When men sleep with animals (horse, chickens, goats and what ever has a hole underside it) and when women get f*cked by their dogs, horse, how come you wont expect that some "genetic mutation" would result, from the mixture of human and animal chromosomes? And it started with our "moral champions", the white man!
What about homo-sexuality? It is very astounding that men/women condemn polygamy but condone Gay/lesbianism!
of course, we are enlightened now, abi?
Again, if polygamy is responsible for HIV (men/women hopping between sex partners) are we saying that a man/woman that marries and divorce fifteen times in a life time (serial monogamy) is also not in the same league or even worse, than a man married to two or three wives?

I consider a man with two wives within his home, a "safer alternative" to one that keeps marrying a new wife, every two years!

Everyone can make their own deductions but if "reducing HIV or Keeping to one love mate, in a life time" is the aim, neither monogamy (serial monogamy) nor polygamy, is the answer.
If it is about keeping your partner to yourself only (no sharing), then "pure monogamy" is the answer but you cant even get anyone to practice "pure monogamy", anywhere in the western world, where Solicitors give "Vouchers" for free divorce and there are Do-It-Yourself (D.I.Y) divorce software programs 

In conclusion, and l say this as a personal opinion, 'circumstance' at times, determine what we do, whether we remain pure monogamist, serial monogamist or polygamist. We should let our conscience guide what we do and we should refrain from judging others since he who wears the shoe, knows where it hurts.
Some have enjoyed pure monogamy while its brought hurt to others
Some have enjoyed 'serial monogamy' and would swear that the last spouse was their 'missing rib'!
Some have more than one spouse and would readily point to a hundred monogamist that have ruined families.

Lets not make the world more complicated than it is, every man to his own tent!
And God would be the judge.

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For those of you "yabbing" about the potency of "JUJU". l dare any of you . since the damn thing is still there, to go and remove it!

Just carry your boldness (of foolishness, as the case may be) and REMOVE THE CONTRAPTION!
Then and only then can you keep saying all the things you're saying.

The Yoruba will say "Omode o moo'gun, o'npe l'efoo"! (literarily translated as "A small child who cant recognize/comprehend "juju" is calling it VEGETABLE STEW! )

Nna, God dey, and the Bible says Satan and its Angels are also real, except of course you think you're wiser than the good book!