₦airaland Forum

joseph1832:
Don't mind me, I was just goofing around.

joseph1832:
Is it just me or does Mark Zuckerberg always likes wearing just a particular shirt?

A LITTLE over three weeks ago, very few people knew Blessing Ebowe. Although a smart software developer, her fame was limited to friends, loved ones and her colleagues at Andela. Andela itself is another story altogether. Andela is a startup coding school, which recruits intelligent, local talent through a rigorous testing and interview process and then pays each student each month, with benefits. 

https://d19lga30codh7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Zuckerberg-1.jpg
•Zuckerberg with Ebowe (middle) and some other friends at Andela

Many of the recruits are young men and women in their mid-twenties about to enter the job market. With campuses in Nigeria and Kenya, Andela’s business model centres on training these students to be proficient in software and web development, before making their talent available to companies around the world in need of engineering talent.

Launched with six students September 2014, the venture founded by two Nigerians, two Americans, one Candian and one Camerounian has  quickly grown to become a tech entity in its own right; adding even more stripes as it received a $24 million Series B funding round from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative founded by Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan earlier this year. But it was Zuckerberg’s visit to Nigeria that made the company a household name and changed everything for Ebowe. 

The Facebook founder’s live chat with developers and entrepreneurs in Lagos has garnered over 3.5 million views from around the world, doing for the country’s image what years of international relations and billions of dollars could never do. His honest assessment of the Nigerian people could make anyone realise that the country isn’t just defined by fraudsters and terrorists. His words: The thing that is striking for me is the entrepreneurial energy. When you are trying to build something, what matters the most is just who wants it the most. You feel that here in Nigeria.

Entrepreneurial energy

As soon as you get off the plane and start talking to people, you feel the passion and the entrepreneurial energy. I can tell you two stories just from last night when I talked to probably not more than 100 people and I was really blown away.

Ebowe happened to be first Nigerian he mentioned meeting on his trip. He said: “I had the opportunity to meet Blessing Ebowe, she told me the story of how she applied to the Andela program and the first time she didn’t get in and that didn’t stop her, she showed up anyway and she showed up again. They figured that they had to give her a try.”

Now, Ebowe relives her meeting with the world’s seventh richest man in an encounter with Hi-Tech.

 Enjoy it:

 

Who is Blessing Ebowe?

BLESSING Ebowe is a software developer at Andela who is interested in utilising the creative power of programming to optimise human efforts in daily life.

At Andela, Blessing has worked with Ruby on Rails to build web applications, APIs, and command-line gems. One of the web applications she has worked on helps event organisers to manage promotions, ticket sales, email notifications and website sub-domains for their events, more easily.

Performance assessments

She has also worked with the PEAN stack  to implement new features on a web application used within Andela to record, track, and analyse performance assessments of developers conducted by the developers themselves, their peers, and their trainers.

She is currently leading a team at Andela that is contributing to Free Code Camp, an open source project that helps users learn how to code, connect with other developers in their local community, and build technology solutions for non-profits.

She is currently also part of The Releaf Group team working as  Quality Assurance engineers, ensuring software products are standard.

Blessing graduated from the University of Benin with a degree in electrical engineering.

What was it like meeting Mark Zuckerberg in person?

It was awesome, not just because I got to see Mark Zuckerberg in person, but because through our conversation, I got to understand, to some extent, who he is, what he believes in, his passion and what drives him.

What did you both talk about?

We talked about the challenges of being a software developer here in Nigeria, and how I got into Andela; how much my journey at Andela has improved me not just as a developer but also as an individual.

From your discussions, how would you describe Zuckerberg’s perspective of the IT ecosystem in Nigeria and Africa as a whole?

I can boldly say he believes in us not because he assumes that we will rule the technology world but because he has seen the proof, especially at Andela where the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative invested in Series B round .

If you were to mention one thing you learned from the visit, what would it be?

From this visit, it really sank that brilliance is evenly distributed and opportunity is not, as our co-founder, Jeremy Johnson says.

Dannyset:
This guy is older than Didier Drogba. He should be 50+

segebase:
u dont need a blind man to tell u tis

The media in Azerbaijan claims Nigerian striker Victor Emenayo who was recently signed by Azerbaijani top division side Shahdagh Qusar FK, is 17 times older than the age (23) that is on his international passport.

According to his international passport the forward who has already made his debut for his new side was born in 1993. But search on the internet about the striker who has played in Uganda for the best part of his career shows, he should be 28 years old judging by his official age before his move to Shahdagh Qusar.

Emenayo has already become the subject of ridicule by social media users in Azerbaijan with the media also joining in the discrepancies documents about the age of the Nigerian, stating that he indeed looks well above 40 years old.

They claim the fact that he shaved five years off the official age he has been using, means he has more than one international passport in his possession and his looks suggest he is well above 40.

https://d19lga30codh7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Victor-Emenayo.png
Victor Emenayo

The former SC Villa of Uganda striker is reportedly older in appearance than the coach of the team Adil Mahmudov according to the media in Azerbaijan. The Nigerian or his club are yet to respond to the allegations.

His case is similar to Lazio youth team prospect Joseph Minala who was recently cleared off any wrong doing regarding his age by the Italian FA, had same issue with the Nigerian but his was traced down to a disease.

20 year old Minala was at a point in time said to be 42 years old while he was 17 going by his looks but the Italian FA after investigations and medical checks found out that he is indeed 17 but suffering from the effect of Lorde Disease. Which made him to look older than his original age.

Flickzvill:
yes he is, apparently not in the country he's a pilot doesn't stay in one place always working. We only get to spend precious time with him festive periods. u get?

whillyamz98:
Konji sef dey catch mad people ... lol

Two armed robbery suspects arrested by the Department of State Service in Anambra State, Uche Ezeugo and Somadina, have attributed their actions to the current hard times in the country.

Ezeugo said he was forced into the act to enable him give his late father a befitting burial.

He said, “I’m not a natural thief. It’s this Buhari hard condition that led me into this temptation.”

They were arrested for allegedly stealing some laptops.

Somadina, on his part, blamed his action on hunger and starvation.

The two, in their twenties, from Aguluezechukwu in Aguata council area of the state, were apprehended by the DSS at Nanka in Orumba North Local Government Area of the state.

While confessing to the crime, the suspects said it was their first time of involving themselves in the act.
They pleaded for leniency, promising not to indulge in such acts again.

But the Anambra State Police Commissioner, Mr. Sam Okaula, who confirmed the arrest of the two suspects, lauded the efforts of the men of DSS.

He said the collaboration between the police and other security agencies had helped in reducing crime in the state.

Okaula said the laptops had been disposed by the suspects before they were arrested.

The CP said two pump action guns and one locally made rifle were recovered from the suspects, adding that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.

He advised youths to shun crime, noting that every crime must lead to trouble.

EternalTruths:
That is what your tribespeople told Buhari against the SE/SS people until their activities contributed to the Recession.

Hope you are enjoying the recession

Buhari should embrace dialogue like late Yar Adua.

MILFangela:
Dont fall for this cheap lie. The old man was not tortured, he died from natural cause(old age)

Four companies, Pluto Properties and Investment Company, Seagate Property Development Company, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd, and Avalon Global Property Ltd, all of which allegedly have links with former First Lady, Dame Patient Jonathan, yesterday, pleaded guilty to alleged $15 million fraud charge brought against them before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

https://d19lga30codh7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/patience-Jonathan-magu.jpg
EFCC boss Magu and Patience Jonathan


Meanwhile, Mrs. Jonathan yesterday faulted the authenticity of the representatives of the four companies who pleaded guilty to the charges.

Warpamo Dudafa, former Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to the ex-president Jonathan and two others, Amajuoyi Briggs, a lawyer and Adedamola Bolodeoku, a banker, were also arraigned alongside the companies.

They were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 15 count charge of conspiracy and fraud.

When the case was called, yesterday, the four companies announced their representation as follows: Friday David represents Pluto Properties and Investment Company, and Agbor Obaro represents Sea gate property Development Company.

Also, Fredrick Dioghowori announced his representation for Trans Ocean Property Ltd, while Taiwo Ebenezer represented Avalon Global Properties Ltd.

After the charge was read to them, Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku pleaded not guilty to all counts of the charge.

But the four individuals representing the companies listed in the charge, each pleaded guilty to the offences.

Following the guilty plea of the companies, the EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, prayed the court to allow a short time for review of the facts, adding that he would not waste the time of the court.

The trial judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi however, declined prosecution’s request, adding that he would adjourn to a later date.

The former First Lady, through her media aide, Chima Osuji, alleged that EFCC presented four unknown people as representatives of the companies, all of who did not show letters authorising them by their respective boards to represent them in the case.

Osuji stated: “This is a clear evidence of the desperation of the prosecution to pull down the former First Lady and confiscate her hard-earned money.

“It is an irony as it was the former first lady who went to court for the repatriation of her confiscated money, when she realised that the EFCC and its co-travellers were playing politics with this issue, after she had come out publicly to say that the said money belongs to her and that she has all evidence to prove the sources of her money.

”Up till this very moment, EFCC has refused to interrogate or invite her for questioning.”

Meanwhile, counsel representing the second and third accused, Messrs Tochukwu Onyiuke, and Joseph Okebiemen informed the court of a bail application filed on behalf of their clients, adding that same had not been opposed.

They urged the court to admit the accused to bail on liberal terms.

Counsel to the first accused, Mr Gboyega Oyewole, also informed the court that his client was already on bail on existing conditions granted by a another judge and urged the court to allow his client enjoy same bail standing.

Justice Kuewumi declined granting bail to the first accused and ordered him to file a formal application for bail before the court.

The court, however, granted bail to the second and third accused in the sum of N250 million with one surety in like sum.

drss2:
d fact dat it took d dullard 48hrs to respond to his alleged releasing of kabiru sokoto means there is element of truth in d allegation. dont forget lying is d modus operandi of dis govt. denying their actions is as easy as eating suya to dem.

jamesibor:
What if it was Buhari himself testing the ground to see what people's reaction will be should he release Kabiru?

By Inibehe Effiong

"President Muhammadu Buhari cannot just wake up and begin to order the release of prisoners."

There have been malicious, unsubstantiated and wicked insinuations and reports on social media and on various online media that President Muhammadu Buhari has "released" convicted Boko Haram kingpin, Kabiru Dikko, alias Kabiru Sokoto.

The insinuation became rife due to the reticence of the presidency over the matter. It was further fuelled by a press statement issued by a group called Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA). The group in a statement asked President Buhari to clarify whether he has released the convicted terrorist as speculated.

Kabiru Sokoto was convicted on a two-count terrorism charge by a Federal High Court in Abuja on December 20, 2014 and sentenced to life imprisonment. The court found him guilty of facilitating the commission of terrorism acts and concealing information from security agencies on the December 25, 2011 bombing of St. Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State.

I do not know why some mischievous people will sit in the comfort of their houses to create enmity in the polity by creating and publicizing such an offensive hoax. President Muhammadu Buhari cannot just wake up and begin to order the release of prisoners.

[b]Granted that the President is constitutionally empowered by Section 175 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) to exercise prerogative of mercy in favor of any person concerned with or convicted of an offense created by an Act of the National Assembly, there are conditions precedent to the exercise of this power.

Prerogative of mercy can only be exercised in favor of any person upon the recommendation of the a body known as the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy.

After the recommendation, the President must consult with the Council of State in line with Section 175 (2) of the Constitution before he can exercise his prerogative of mercy in favor of any person.

There is no evidence or report indicating that such recommendation has been made to President Buhari by the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy for Kabiru Sokoto to be granted pardon. Also, at the last Council of State meeting held on Thursday, September 8, 2016 there is no report that President Buhari consulted with the Council on the issue of prerogative of mercy in favor of any person.[/b]

From the standpoint of public policy, it is unthinkable for a convicted terrorist who facilitated the murder of innocent Nigerians to be granted state pardon. What will be the motivation for such an offensive pardon?

If members of the violent sect were to be swapped for the Chibok girls, I do not believe Kabiru Sokoto will be considered. That will amount to legitimizing the insane and beastly ideology of Boko Haram. How many members of the terrorist sect have been convicted since the insurgency began? Why should any reasonable person contemplate releasing Kabiru Sokoto whose conviction has bolstered the anti-terrorism war?

It is not necessary for the President to respond to the request of HURIWA. If the group has evidence to buttress their insinuation, they should present same to the public. Alternatively, they can make a freedom of information request to the Controller General of the Nigerian Prisons Service for information on the status of Kabiru Sokoto.

Thankfully, while I was writing this article, the spokesperson of the Nigerian Prisons Service, Biyi Jeje, put the rumors to rest by stating that Sokoto is still in their custody as reported by Premium Times.

Releasing such a deadly and high ranking terrorist whose atrocious acts were confirmed by a court of competent jurisdiction will amount to dancing on the graves of innocent Nigerians who have been murdered by the sect. I do not believe that President Buhari, whose administration has fought a near victorious war against the Boko Haram insurgents, will be so callous and insensitive to grant pardon to a dangerous person like Kabiru Sokoto, who had escaped in 2012 before he was recaptured.

As stated earlier, the President cannot arbitrarily release Mr. Sokoto or any other person from prison without consulting with the Council of State after the recommendation of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy.

It will be criminal for any person, no matter how highly placed, to release, aid or abet the release of any prisoner without following the due process of the law. President Buhari should not be associated with such profanity.

We can constructively criticize the President on issues and policies that affect our collective wellbeing as a people. However, the deprecatory attempt to scandalize President Buhari to score a cheap political goal is condemnable and unacceptable.

This is dirty politics and sheer hatred for President Buhari taken too far.

Thank you.

https://saharareporters.com/sites/default/files/styles/normal_medium/public/Party-Leaders-Buhari.JPG?itok=1YL6hXrn
Pres. Buhari during meeting with APC party leaders

Article credit: Inibehe Effiong

kaen1317:
same way betrayal and back-stabbing is in yours