₦airaland Forum

Traffic situate is often hectic in festive period like this, I had to travel from Abeokuta to Lagos for sallah break as tomorrow marks muslim Eid-il-Kabir celebration.

Currently in Abule-Egba and the traffic here is really worrisome.

What's the like in your area?

Davidson Iriekpen

The Asset Management Corporation of
Nigeria (AMCON) has asked a Federal
High Court in Lagos to restrain
Chairman of Bi-Courtney Group, Dr.
Wale Babalakin, from dissipating assets
of Bi-Courtney Group pending its appeal
against the decision of the court.
Justice Ibrahim Buba had on Monday
vacated an order made by his brother
judge, Justice Okon Abang empowering
AMCON to take over the assets of Bi-
Courtney Group over an alleged N50
billion debt.

But AMCON in its notice for injunction
pending appeal filed by its lawyer,
Babatunde Ogungbamila, from law firm
of Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) said the
application became necessary in order
to preserve the assets in dispute.
Sued along with Babalakin are his
companies namely; Bi-Courtney Limited,
Chartered Investment Limited, Resort
International Limited and Roygate
Property Limited

The three-page application brought
pursuant to Part XIV of the AMCON
practice directions 2013, stated that
unless the respondents are strained, it
could render the possible outcome of its
appeal nugatory.

AMCON argued that the court had a
duty to stay further proceedings in the
matter pending the determination of the
appeal and to avoid foisting a fait
accompli on the appellate court.
Addressing journalists on the issue, a
Managing Partner, in the law firm of
Olisa Agbakoba, Mrs. Priscilla
Ogwemoh, stated that there was a
subsisting Debt Settlement Agreement
between AMCON and Babalakin which
was duly signed by all parties in the suit.

“We have applied for an injunction
pending appeal and the effect of that is
that the court should restrain all parties
from taking any further step pending
the appeal.”

“We strongly believe that Babalakin is
owing AMCON the sum of N50 billion
which he admitted. We have had series
of discussions with him and we all agree
on a term of settlement and he agreed
to all the terms. It was at the point of
executing that the agreement that he
reneged. He started complaining after
agreeing to all the terms
unconditionally.

“We went to Justice Abang’s court
because we believed that the Debt
Settlement Agreement signed by parties
constitutes a new course of action and
he agreed to compromise all pending
cases.’’

On the argument of Babalakin that
federal government was owing him
N132 billion, she said: “I don’t know
where that came from. AMCON is not a
federal government agency. Assuming
we even agreed that AMCON is a
federal government agency, he cannot
do a debt swap with AMCON.
She maintained that AMCON was not a
party in the suit instituted by Babalakin
against the federal government.

AMCON had in its notice of appeal
argued that Justice Buba erred in law by
setting aside Justice Abang’s orders
when in fact; the oral application made
by Bi-Courtney Group was for
suspension of the execution of Justice
Abang’s orders.

According to the agency, the orders of
Justice Buba setting aside Justice
Abang’s orders were made without
jurisdiction, as it was trite that a court
cannot grant prayers not sought by any
of the parties before it.

Justice Ibrahim Buba had upturned an
order empowering AMCON to take over
assets of companies belonging to the
Chairman of Bi-Courtney Group,
Babalakin, including Murtala
Muhammed International Airport,
Terminal 2.


www.thisdaylive.com/articles/n50bn-debt-amcon-asks-court-to-restrain-babalakin-from-dissipating-assets/190443/

www.thisdaylive.com/articles/former-speaker-bankole-loses-daughter/190446/

Hon. Dimeji Bankole
Former Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole,
wednesday lost his daughter, Yewande.

A statement made available to
journalists by the family read: “With
gratitude to Almighty Allah and with
heavy hearts we announce the demise of
our daughter Yewande Semiat Bankole,
aged six years at St Mary’s Children’s
hospital London on October 1.”

The statement stated that Yewande was
born with Sickle cell disease and that
she was a radiant girl who struggled
with the disease whose condition was
originally managed at a Lagos hospital
but later transferred to a London
hospital where she eventually died.

While stating that her remains would be
buried according to Islamic rites, the
Bankole family requested the prayers of
all at this time of immense grief and
profound shock.

I will be right back!

Modified:





Ajisebi'oyo lanri, Oyo onsele baba enikankan.

Whoever can interpret that to english should please do.
@OP, I'd glad if you can attach some pictire later on.

*Loudest purr

When Smokey is happy, everyone around him knows it. This gray tabby cat
gained a place in the Guinness Book of Records with a purr that measured
67.7 decibels, but Smokey has been recorded on previous occasions with a
92.7-decibel purr, which is equivalent to the noise of a lawnmower or a hairdryer.

*Fastest skateboard ride

Tillman, an English bulldog, traveled a 100-meter stretch of parking lot in just
19.68 seconds during the 2009 X Games in Los Angeles, winning him a world record and making him the Tony Hawk of the canine world.

*Most dogs skipping rope

Uchida Geinousha's dogs are the star attraction of the Super Wan Wan Circus
in Japan. The 13 jumping dogs hold the world record for most dogs skipping
rope.



***Which pet has the most amazing record in your view?

*Highest jump

The world record for the highest jump cleared by a dog is 68 inches and was
achieved by a greyhound named Cinderella May at the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge National Finals in October 2006. Cinderella May — or Cindy, as her owners, Kate Long and Kathleen Conroy, call her — is more than just a world- famous high jumper; she’s
also a R.E.A.D.-certified therapy dog.

*Oldest dog

Bluey, an Australian cattle dog, holds the world record for oldest dog at 29 years
and 5 months of age. Les Hall of Victoria, Australia, got Bluey as a puppy in 1910, and the dog worked with cattle and sheep for nearly 20 years before being put to sleep on Nov. 14, 1939.

*Tallest cat

Trouble (shown here with owner Debby Maraspini) holds the world record for
tallest domestic cat, measuring 19 inches long from shoulder to toe. A
Savannah cat is a hybrid domestic cat breed that’s a cross between a domestic
cat and a serval, a wild cat native to Africa. Trouble replaced the previous
record-holder in November 2011.

*Balancing glass of water

Sweet Pea, an Australian shepherd/border collie, holds a couple of the strangest records on our list: most steps walked down by a dog facing forward while balancing a 5-ounce glass of water (10 steps) and fastest 100 meters walked by a dog with a can balanced on its
head (2 minutes and 55 seconds).

*Tallest dog

Giant George, a 43-inch-tall Great Dane from Tucson, Ariz., holds two world
records: tallest living dog and tallest dog ever. This gentle giant has a developed quite the fan base so his owner, David
Nasser, keeps fans up to date with the dog’s activities via his website and YouTube channel. Giant George also has a book, " Giant George: Life With The World's Biggest Dog," which was published by Simon & Schuster.


*Smallest dog

In terms of height, the smallest living dog is Boo Boo, a long-haired female
Chihuahua who proves that good things come in small packages. Boo Boo is just 4 inches tall and weighs in at a mere 2 pounds. She lives in Raceland, Ky., with her owner, Lana Elswick.
You'll get a sense of the dog's true size through this adorable video of Boo Boo.
www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/animal-planet-presents/videos/most-outrageous-boo-boo.htm

*First bionic leg implants

Oscar the cat is the first animal to have received two bionic leg implants. Oscar’s
hind legs were accidentally chopped off in a combine harvester, and his prosthetic legs were drilled into what remained of his original legs. The bionic
legs aren’t suited for an outside environment, so Oscar is now an indoor cat, and he’s surely grateful for his remaining eight lives.

*Balloon popping

Popping 100 balloons in 44.49 seconds was just the beginning of Anastasia’s
fame. The Jack Russell terrier has also been featured on "Live with Regis Kelly," and she’s starred in a variety of commercials, Web advertisements and print campaigns. Anastasia lives in Los Angeles with her owner and trainer, Doree Sitterly.

*Longest tongue

Puggy, a male Pekingese with a tongue that measures 4.5 inches long, lives in Texas with his owner, Becky Stanford.
Abandoned by a breeder because of his looks, Puggy was taken in by Stanford
and her husband as a puppy, and nine years later he was holding the world
record for current longest dog tongue. As you can see, Puggy's tongue is a bit of a mouthful, so Stanford has to chop the dog's food into small pieces because he
chews with his tongue.
The longest dog tongue on record belonged to a boxer named Brandy whose tongue was 17 inches long.

*Most tennis balls in mouth

Dogs love to chase tennis balls, but perhaps no pup loves the chase more than Augie, an 8-year-old golden
retriever who holds the world record for most tennis balls in the mouth at one time. Augie has successfully gathered and held five tennis balls in her mouth at the same time.

*Longest cat

A 6-year-old fluffy feline from Reno, Nev., is the certified longest cat in the
world. Stewie, a Maine Coon, measures 48.5 inches long from the tip of his nose
to the end of his tail bone. (That's a little longer than 4 feet.)

*Most flying discs caught

Many dogs can catch a Frisbee, but Rose, a 6-year- old Labrador retriever/
border collie mix, can catch and hold onto up to seven flying discs — thrown
separately — without dropping any of them.
Owner Edward Watson says he noticed that once Rose got hold of a disc, she didn’t want to let go to catch the next one, and he eventually discovered her record- winning talent.

dailyindependentnig.com/2014/10/frsc-deploys-18000-personnel-918-vehicles-eid-el-kabir/

By Chibuzor Emejor
/ Correspondent, Abuja

Federal Road Safety Commission
(FRSC) has deployed 18,000
personnel, including Regular and
Special Marshals, 800 patrol vehicles,
60 motor bikes, 52 ambulances and
six heavy duty tow trucks along
critical corridors of the highways as
part of plans for a nationwide special
patrol slated for September 30-
October 12, 2014 with the theme,
‘Operation Eid-El-Kabir’.

A statement on Thursday by the
Corps Public Education Officer, Stella
Uchegbu, said this exercise which is
in line with the Corps’ continued
drive to achieve its 2014 strategic
goals of reducing road traffic crashes
by 15 per cent and fatalities by 25 per
cent especially during the festive
season, has also been designed in
view of expected high vehicular
movement.

The campaign was also designed to
address the possible tendencies for
road traffic regulations violations by
motorists during this period.

According to the FRSC, the special
patrol which is aimed at addressing
the spate of avoidable road crashes
usually associated with the festive
season is an all inclusive exercise
which will witness intensive patrols,
prompt rescue services, strict
enforcement of traffic rules and
robust public enlightenment
campaigns across the country.
Objectives of this special exercise
include the removal of obstructions
from the highways, traffic control/
decongestion, public enlightenment
campaigns through the distribution of
safety handbills, radio and television
talk shows and other forms of
awareness campaign, in addition to
strict enforcement of road traffic
regulation.

Infractions such as the use of cell
phone while driving, overloading,
wrongful overtaking, lane violation,
dangerous driving, drink driving,
obstruction and other road vices will
form part of the patrol thrust while
the Corps’ operatives will equally
check speed limit violation through
the use of radar guns.

Aside from massive deployment of
personnel and logistics along
designated corridors and black spots,
the FRSC will also utilize its nine
Help Areas along Hawa Kibo,
Akwanga, Gwagwalada, Lokoja, Ore,
Egbeda, Mowe, Ogere and Kakau
highways, in addition to the
establishment of mobile courts at
specific locations across the country
for quick dispensation with road
traffic offences.

Speaking on the Sallah special patrol,
the FRSC Corps Marshal and Chief
Executive, Boboye Oyeyemi said that
the nationwide exercise ‘forms part of
the Corps’ sustained efforts to build
on its Ember months campaigns
which will be sustained throughout
the end of the year to mitigate
against road crashes during the
yuletide season”.

He added that “the FRSC has a
consistent tradition of enforcing
traffic rules and regulations
throughout the year to avoid a one-off
approach to road safety management
in Nigeria’.

Oyeyemi also spoke specifically on
speed limit violation saying “our
findings indicate that speed limit
violations remain a prevalent factor
on road traffic crashes, accounting
for 39% of road crashes recorded
nationwide between January and
August 2014.

Out of all causative factors, he said
speed violation, dangerous driving
and loss of control which are speed-
related; contribute to most crashes on
our roads.

He said, “This scenario informed a
recent resolution after a
stakeholders’ forum in Abuja to
commence a nationwide enforcement
of the compulsory use of speed
limiters in all vehicles from June 1,
2015, with commercial vehicles
forming part of the phase one of this
proposed enforcement”.

Jfrezzy: Lol the tablet is a waste of money,I got one and I never used it 4 two hours in nigeria,data plan is xpensive here,but android tablet is a waste of money,my advice if u need one get apple and nothing else.
But still on still all this device are not useful in this part of the world,we got shale lock network providers.

Will u like to place ur tablet on sale?

oathman: see your life ..... Nairaland Oshi

Could you go back and see my comment, I don't understand why people book space. I did that because I was driving then.


Off Topic:
Do anybody know why a topic disappear on a board? I posted a topic titled '15 Pets With Guinness World Record' on Pets board this morning around 7am but it disappear few minutes later, I made effort to mail the moderator but I didn't get any response. What could have happen?.

Nigeria isn't fighting Shekau or what do u call his name, he's just a PAWN on the chess board. Let's come together and fight BH just like we did with Ebola Virus.


Off Topic:
Do anybody know why a topic disappear on a board? I posted a topic titled '15 Pets With Guinness World Record' on Pets board this morning around 7am but it disappear few minutes later, I made effort to mail the moderator but I didn't get any response. What could have happen?.

K

Modified:

@OP, have u seen heard this before "Too many people buy things they don’t need with money they don’t have to impress people they don’t know." Perhaps, that's sums up your condition.

Off Topic:
Do anybody know why a topic disappear on a board? I posted a topic titled '15 Pets With Guinness World Record' on Pets board this morning around 7am but it disappear few minutes later, I made effort to mail the moderator but I didn't get any response. What could have happen?.

To be honest, some politicians are honest. I can't say about that of a prostitute because I don't know any of them.

Someone use this picture as DP on bbm just now and I can't just stop laughing. It may not be new to most of us here but I just want to share it.

Who is the worst liar, the politician or the prostitute?.

Lolz.

Pathetic!

Oh, some statements are just inspiring and appealing.
My favorite is number 10;
' The most painful thing is losing
yourself in the process of loving
someone too much, and forgetting that
you are special too.'. It so appealing to me because that's what I'm going through now, I may chose another this time next week.

Chubhie: Mikel and keshi are like bread and butter while, emenike and Mikel are both nursing secret matured grudges against each other if Keshi is a politician, he ought to know how to play the politics and get the best from his players. Keshi on a first glance doesn't look the coach that can inspire me to bleed playing for him. I remember when I played for coach Chike and he made it known to me in clear terms that I'm his assassin and my play is only fit for Europe hence one of the finesse of italian defenders of old. That sets my mindset rolling and I see each game as war. Mourinho is the only coach that have resonated with me hence, I follow him to which ever club he goes. We need a Bonfre jo in super eagles.

Good comment and incredible signature, if I have to chose between both, I will opt for your signature.

I don't mind what people will say here, Emenike is one of the most important player in that team and I honestly don't understand why he get such criticism.

If Stephen 'Koshi' could be celebrating Mikel ''Slowbie' ahead of other players in that team raises alarm.

This is happening at a moment all hand suppose to be on deck, all this will do nothing good to the team aside havoc and it will reck the team spirit and group cohesiveness.

I will urge Emenike to forget anything said against in the interest of the team and the over 170million Nigerians.

barcanista: What a long article...

But Oritsejafor must be prosecuted

Long indeed, but the article is really captivating so I took my time to read and open a thread with it.

Well, Nigeria is one of the best place for China product.

SB

May Allah reward you abundantly. I wish I was the moderator, this thread will be on Front Page by now.

The world shuddered with great
disbelief when Nigerian government
tried frantically, albeit unsuccessfully, to
defend the allegations of money
laundering, terror financing and armed
smuggling arising from the impounded
9.3 million dollars cash smuggled to
South Africa via a private jet belonging
to the President Goodluck Jonathan’s
personal friend and unapologetic ally,
Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the President of
the Christian Association of Nigeria,
CAN.

South Africa said the amount is above
the limit of cash allowed into the
country. The scandal was so big and
very indefensible that the South African
authorities found the Nigerian
government’s explanation untenable and
unacceptable.

On the basis of this, lawyers Femi
Falana and Festus Kiyamo, Professor
Ishaq Akintola of Muslim Rights
Concern, Dr Olapade Agoro (Founder
Aladura Christians Communion) and
millions of Nigerians who have suffered
trauma, loss of business, family
members, the Chibok girls
proclaimed: #Oritsejaforhasacasetoansw

While Pastor Olapade Agoro queried the
rationale for Oritsejafor’s action,
Otunba Dino Melaye posited that
Oritsejafor should be arrested and
investigated.

It would be recalled that the Catholic
Church pulled out of the Oritsejafor-led
Christian Association of Nigeria because
of the way he runs the Association,
citing politicization and his attitudes,
unbefitting of a clergy of his status. It
accused Oritsejafor of fast turning an
erstwhile, most revered association of
Christians in Nigeria to a moribund one,
converting a supposedly non-partisan
religious body to a political platform.
Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, one of the
founders of CAN who ruled the
organisation for eight years, declared:
Oritsejafor is finished, can is damaged!
He said ‘’Oritsejafor is making a
mockery of the association by his
closeness to President Goodluck
Jonathan and the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party, describing him as
“fallen from grace to grass”,
Cardinal Okogie said Mr Oritsejafor’s
has also lost grip of the leadership of
CAN, adding that his Oritsejafor
“unrighteous” quest to remain in power
and his “romance” with politicians have
finished him and derailed the once
respected Christian body from the lofty
dreams of its founding fathers.

Many NGOs, including the Centre for
Global Peace Initiative (CGPI) called for
plausible explanation just as many
rights organisations and Muslim groups,
particularly Muslim Rights Concern,
MURIC and MPAC Nigeria demanded
for an independent investigation.
This was followed by a Press Conference
held on Tuesday 23 September, 2014 by
the Conference of Islamic Organisations
(CIO) in Lagos.

In attendance were Sheikh
Abdurrahman Ahmad, National
Missioner/Chief Imam of Ansar Ud Deen
Society of Nigeria, Prof. Is-haq Akintola,
Director MURIC, Sheikh Abdurrahman
Adangba, Chief Missioner of Fathiu
Quareeb Society of Nigeria, Sheikh
Ishaq Adebayo Tejdini, Chief Imam/
Missioner of Rahmat Islamiyyah Society
of Nigeria, Mallam Qasim Badrudeen,
Immediate past Amir, MSSN Lagos
Area Unit, Sheikh Muhammad Olatunji,
Amir of Zumratu Rashideen,
Abdulwahab Adetunji of The Muslim
Congress and Imam Abdullahi Shuaib,
the Coordinator of CIO among others.

The gravity of the issue could not but
polarise the Nigerian MPs as the
opposition members of the House of
Representatives staged a walk-out when
the House presided over by its Deputy
Speaker, Ike Ekperemadu attempted to
sweep the matter under the carpet by
referring it to a committee rather than
allow it to be discussed at the plenary.
The members, mostly of the All
Progressive Congress resorted to calling
on Nigerians to take their faith into
their hands after they were arm-twisted
by the majority in the House.

Among those who found the act
despicable is a human rights activist and
Lagos-based lawyer, Festus Keyamo.
Keyamo picked holes in the position of
the Federal Government regarding the
matter. The government’s spokesman,
Rueben Abati said the seized money
belonged to the Nigerian Government,
and a huge sum is meant to buy
weapons for the soldiers fighting
insurgency. But Keyamo described the
defence as not only ludicrous, but also
laughable, asking why the Nigerian
government would seek to smuggle cash
into the country without disclosure if it
were indeed, for a legitimate
transaction?

Keyamo wondered why a government
which claimed to be at the forefront of
cashless policy campaign would launder
such large sum of money by cash out of
the country. He also found the
government’s explanation to have
resorted to purchasing weapon from
South Africa because of procedural
bottlenecks in the purchase of such
items from Western countries,
concluding the story is only fit to be told
to the marines.

The Lagos based lawyer queried; if
indeed the transaction was a legitimate
one, why was the money moved by a
private jet and by private individuals
and why were they not accompanied by
the officials of the Department of State
Services or the office of the National
Security Adviser in official capacities?

He also asked to know whether it is
really faster and safer to do an
international transaction of such
magnitude by ferrying cash across the
continent or by a simple wire transfer
that can go through in a matter of few
minutes or few hours

In Keyamo’s words, If contrary to the
above posers, the transaction was
contracted out to a private company in
Nigeria, does it not amount to the
offence of Money Laundering under our
laws for the Government that is at the
fore front of cashless policy campaign to
have allowed such company to attempt
to pay for the equipment by cash to the
tune of that amount without passing
through a financial institution?

From the way the entire scenario is
wrapped in secrecy, globally,
transactions that are done in a huge
volume can only be illegal dealing for an
illegal purpose that is meant to be
untraceable.

He surmised that to an average Nigeria,
the operation is a covert and illegal one
that went horribly wrong and that the
Government’s position and explanation
is a cock-and-bull story meant to be
shoved down the throat of undiscerning
Nigerians.

Keyamo further concluded that what the
explanation succeeded in doing is to
rather buttress the fact that billions of
Nigerian monies that could be used to
develop the nation are being smuggled
out of the country on a regular basis
with the connivance of the security
agencies and under the auspices of the
presidency.

To me, this can only justify the
allegation of the former Governor of the
Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido
Sanusi of huge corruption in high
offices. It would be remembered that
the issue that saw the pre-mature exit of
the Governor was the same that brought
in pro-ATM Godwin Emefiele and still
sustaining the Minister of Petroleum,
Allison Madueke in office. If not, which
financial institution would have
arranged 9.3 million dollars cash of new
notes?

One plausible thing a responsible
government would do in this
circumstance is to own up, set up an
independent investigative panel of men
of repute, name the two faceless
Nigerians involved in the transaction,
and apologise to the nation rather than
vain-gloriously papering over
irreparable cracks. If the president does
not disown Oritsejafor, the fear is that
mere setting up of an inquiry will not
suffice, it may only go the way of Stella
Odua’s case, petroleum subsidy fraud
and pension scam amongst many others.

An attempt to save a drowning clergy at
the expense of national pride and
reputation is rather too costly.
Anything to the contrary will simply lend
credence to the Australian negotiator’s
indictment of, and the Northern Elders’
allegation of genocide against the
former Chief of Army Staff, Lt General
Azubuike Ihejirika, the involvement of
former Governor of Borno State,
Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as well as the
culpability of Ayo Oritsejafor and the
complicity of the Nigerian Government
in the money laundering, terror
financing and armed smuggling
allegations.

In this vein, a little comparison of
governance in Nigeria with South Africa
is apposite for a feel of how low we
have gone as a nation. According to a
report:
‘’The South Africa Revenue Service
(SARS) seized the money initially
because it was not disclosed at customs,
said Nathi Mncube, the National
Prosecuting Authority (NPA)
spokesperson. Two black plastic
suitcases, filled with 90 blocks each
containing US$100,000 in notes, with
combination locks, were seized, as well
as two pieces of hand luggage also
containing US currency.
‘’Eyal Mesika, of the Isreali security
company had the combination to open
the locks. Investigations by South
African authorities uncovered an invoice
from Tier One Services, a subsidiary of
the Tier One Services Group Limited, to
Cyprus-based company ESD
International Group Ltd.
‘’A statement on the company’s website
states that Tier One Services Group
“provides aviation, logistics, security,
risk management support and
specialised training services to
organisations and individuals operating
in austere and challenging
environments.” Its offices are spread
across the Middle East and Africa.
‘’The invoice from Tier One to ESD was
for armaments and helicopters,
according to Mr. Mncube. “In court
papers, the NPA submitted evidence
that Tier One is not registered with the
National Conventional Arms Control
Committee and is thus not authorised to
enter into any agreements regarding the
sale and/or rental of military
equipment.”
‘’The agreement between Tier One and
ESD was concluded on September 8,
according to a South African press,
three days AFTER the money was seized
at Lanseria. Last Friday, a North
Gauteng High Court granted the NPA’s
asset forfeiture unit an order for the
freezing of the cash.
“The NPA submitted to the court that,
although various explanations about the
money were given to the investigating
officer, these explanations were flawed
and riddled with discrepancies,” Mr.
Mncube said.

My sincere advice for our president is
that no matter how long he stays in
office, he would one day leave the stage
and join the likes of Shehu Shagari,
Ibrahim Babangida and Olusegun
Obasanjo. He should know that no
matter how secretive the affairs of
governance are pursued, some would be
privileged to know about them, and they
will definitely be part of writing the
history of this administration.

Our President should know that
Nigerians today have become more
sensitive. The old story that Boko Haram
exists because Northerners do not want
Jonathan is no longer credible. Or how
could they be killing themselves,
slaughtering their sons and raping their
own daughters without throwing a
single bomb outside their enclave just
because they don’t want Jonathan to
rule?

We now know that there are more than
one Shekaus. The old teevee picture of
Shekau is different from the new one
and it is now clear that most of the
Shekaus threats shown on teevee were
stage-managed. We still remember
vividly that the head of security
operatives have consistently said they
know where the Chibok girls are and
they would soon be released.

In fact, MPAC Nigeria posited that the
whole exercise is a conspiracy against
the Muslims judging from Jonathan’s
undisguised hatred for Islam and the
North (remember the Confab
composition) and Oritsejafor’s
belligerent disposition towards his
Muslim neighbors.

Some are already insinuating that
President Jonathan and the CAN
President are both planning for
ethnoreligious war and financing Boko
Haram against the Nigerian army. Some
submitted that the weapons were
actually meant for Boko Haram,
revealing the answer to who the
sponsors of Boko Haram are. Others
simply deduced that the weapons are
meant for the kinsmen of both Jonathan
and Oritsejafor- the Niger Delta
militants to prosecute the likely
conflagration that could ensue, in case
the North gangs up to deny Jonathan
Presidency come 2015 and /or if the
South-South region eventually decides
to secede.

Nigerians have not forgotten how the
Chibok Girls abduction was tactically
and strategically managed or is it
mismanaged to prevent early rescue of
the girls and how our military was made
to look helpless in the face of Boko
Haram’s onslaught. Nigerians still
remember the allegation of Amnesty
International which reported that the
Nigerian military unbelievably refused
to act to prevent the Chibok abduction
despite the fact that they received
intelligence report of the abduction four
hours before the militants arrived.

Information emerging after the
President seemed to have secured the
ticket to run again as President in 2015,
are indicating that the North East will
more likely now have relief from Boko
Haram attacks.

The recent news has it that the Chibok
girls would soon be released; Shekau
likely to be dead again and some
insurgents are surrendering and turning
in their weapons with promise of
rehabilitation and reintegration into the
society.

It is also being insinuated that if none of
the Northern Governors decamps to the
opposition and no PDP politician of
Northern extraction comes out to reject
the adoption of Jonathan as the sole
presidential candidate, the North will be
spared of the antics of Jonathan and his
kinsmen, including CAN president
Oritsejafor.

Nigerians of all religions should
therefore continue to pray fervently for
one indivisible nation and beg the
Almighty that all the enemies of this
great country from within and without
be destroyed before 2015 just as
Pharaoh was destroyed in Egypt.

The South African government and its
enforcement authorities should
therefore continue to stand with
humanity, honesty and for peace until
investigations are concluded to establish
the innocence or otherwise of
Oritsejafor since it appears justice can
only be expected from South Africa.
With a national disgrace brought by this
seizure on South African soil on the
illegally chartered private jet belonging
to the foremost leader of CAN whose
speeches on the insurgency have
favoured escalation of the crisis, this
whole scenario is more than meet the
eye.

Nigerians are watching; Time will tell!
Yinka Salaam


saharareporters.com/2014/09/29/tale-two-presidents-and-flurry-reactions-yinka-salaam

E-commerce site eBay is planning to
split off its payments system PayPal
into a separate company.
News of the move, which is expected to
be completed in the second half of 2015,
sent eBay's shares 7.5% higher.
It is a reversal of strategy for the
company, which has previously resisted
pressure to split. However, the boss
John Donahoe said the logic for
running the companies jointly had
changed.
PayPal's revenues are growing at 19% a
year, twice as quickly as eBay's.
Its payment system is available in 203
markets worldwide and is expected to
process one billion mobile payments this
year.
PayPal's annual revenue is $7.2bn
(£4.5bn), while eBay's is $9.9bn and is
growing at 10% a year.
"A thorough strategic review... shows
that keeping eBay and PayPal together
beyond 2015 clearly becomes less
advantageous to each business
strategically and competitively," EBay's
chief executive John Donahoe said.

*Resistance

Earlier this year the activist investor
Carl Icahn began pressing for eBay to
sell PayPal, a plan that was resisted by
the eBay board. He stopped pushing
after failing to gain enough support.
"We are happy that eBay's board and
management have acted responsibly
concerning the separation - perhaps a
little later than they should have, but
earlier than we expected," said Mr
Icahn in a statement on Tuesday.
He added the separation will
"meaningfully enhance value for all
shareholders".
Analysts cheered the move, because it is
seen as strengthening PayPal's position
as more e-payment systems, such as
Apple Pay and Alibaba's Alipay, enter
the marketplace.
"Breaking off from eBay will provide
PayPal with more autonomy to compete
in the payments space, particularly with
respect to Apple Pay and other
emerging mobile wallet providers,"
wrote online advertising analytics firm
eMarketer in a note.
EMarketer estimates that in the US,
mobile payments using smartphones will
reach $3.5bn in 2014 and then balloon
to $118bn by 2018.

*Leadership change

EBay bought PayPal in 2002 for $1.5bn,
and the payments company is now
eBay's fastest-growing business, with
143 million active users at the end of
2013, up 16% from a year earlier.
PayPal's new president and chief
executive will be the current American
Express co-executive Dan Schulman.
Meanwhile, Devin Wenig, currently
president of eBay Marketplaces, will
become the new chief executive of eBay.


m.bbc.com/news/business-29423251