₦airaland Forum

The truth is that the Federal Government has messed up big time by backing NCC on this one. NCC has no right to fine anyone billions of dollars for not registering SIMs, when NCC itself had in fact asked Federal Government for N6.1 billion to register ALL SIMs, and they got the money. So what is all this about.

The NCC should account for why it did not register ALL Nigerian SIMs with the N6.1 billion taxpayers money it collected from the Senate, and if it can't then it should be fined N200,000 x 150,000,000 =N30,000,000,000,000 (Thirty Trillion Naira).

kcplay:
How will some group of people squander $2.1 billion meant to fight Boko Haram. Do you know a sane country like US that understands the security of personal data of its citizens will never give the responsibility to a bank or a telecoms company. So when you talk about security of life and properties, we have failed. If we talk of data security of our personal data we have failed completely by outsourcing this responsibility to companies.

Let me ask. How many times did INEC register people before election? Did they not extend it for INEC? Was INEC fined for not meeting the deadline? How many times did the CBN extend BVN registration? Did they fine the banks? Are we saying that after MTN complete their registration there won't be any incident of bombings here and there?

So my conclusion is that though MTN failed to meet the deadline, let us not throw all the problems of not solving BOKO HARAM on MTN. If you will fine them. Let the fine be in moderation.

Thank you very much. There's no doubt, something fishy about the way NCC is pursuing this N1 trillion fine. What of the N6.1 billion that NCC itself collected from the FG to register SIMs? What happened to it? Why are they not being fined N3 trillion when they were paid to register ALL mobile numbers in Nigeria, and failed to register a single one!

nworanco:
American govt do slams on any defaults company more than this, okay.
With these other companies irrespective of their fields will render good and quality services to people of Nigeria.

THERE IS NO COUNTRY IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY THAT HAS EVER PAID A FINE UP TO $5.2 BILLION!!!! NEVER! NEVER EVER!!!


You can't just fetch fantastic figures out of thin air and slam them on private organizations all in the name of regulations. Fines are meant to be corrective, not destructive. MTN doesn't make up to $5.2 billion (N1 trillion) in a year!

odeotito:
$7.7 billion! That was money that could have stayed in our financial system were mtel hands not tied behind its back by corrupt and unpatriotic Nigerians while mtn raked in the money. What is status quo ante bellum here? Does it envisage MTN staying transactions in re its bank account in the interim. Mareva is an equitable relief meant to ensure the applying party is not irredeemably left with a bloodied nose. A course of conduct has been established! There goes our courts again!

For God sake! If you go to South Africa to run your business, will your primary aim be to keep money in their financial system?! MTN came here to make money, and our Government gave them permission from day 1, to take their profits home. Now you're screaming that $7.7 billion has been sent by MTN back to South Africa. I don't see anyone crying about the $15 billion MTN has reinvested in Nigeria!


The plain truth about this MTN situation is that our Government has a N1 trillion deficit in its budget, which is currently missing by the way, and is willing to milk it out of anyone.

Mboi:
You just spoke like just a Nigerian which you are. MTN is one of the highest employers of labour I. Nigeria. If MTN leaves or stop operation, as an economist or ur banker the impact on Nigerian economy? You people just talk without thinking. You said you need more service providers so Airrel, Etisalst, Glo are not service providers? You people keep shouting MTN milking you dry and all that, oga break your MTN sim and change to other network. Did they force you to stay and use MTN?

You see, it is very difficult to find people like yourself and I, who are willing to tell the truth, no matter what side we are on.

I'm a businessman, and I know how frustrating and to a large extent, destructive these regulatory agencies can be.


MTN is not the first GSM company in Nigeria, yet are now the largest. It takes sheer resilience, and dedication to be that successful in this environment. If it was easy, why didn't Airtel which was the first network, become the largest network? Why doesn't Etisalat which has that Arab Money become the largest network in Nigeria? What of Globacom? MTel which was the Government's own attempt collapsed shortly after it was launched. Now, those who have been a shining light in the Nigerian telecommunications sector, you want to punish them!


Nigerians are not even considering the job losses, the economic slump, the investor skepticism that will follow. We will be the ones who will suffer it!

UrbanMystique:
it's you that have comprehension problem..

The agf wants to freeze mtn's account because he believed mtn is trying to use the court case to buy time to move all the money it has in 21 Nigerian banks to other banks outside Nigeria.. Which the agf and is trying to prevent ...cos it has happened before where mtn moved over 7.7 billion dollars out of nigeria within a year.
Freezing the account in the case means MTn won't be able to move the money out of Nigeria until the case is concluded.

Read and understand before you run comment so as not to look foolish.

MTN has always repatriated its profits abroad. That was the leverage that Government gave it when they were coming to set up the largest telecommunications network that your Government failed to set up.

Now they have been fined, and they have challenged the fine in court. Till the court forces them to pay that fine, they must continue their business as usual. Nigeria which from the very beginning, gave MTN the right to repatriate all it's earnings, cannot now come on the suspicion of inability to pay fines, and use that to flout its own agreement.


It's a shame that the AGF has to be schooled by a court judge on this.

CharlyNick:
MTN is just taking Nigeria for granted.

It's proper for them to challenge the order in Court probably for reduction in the figure, but I thought they shouldnt have allowed it get to this stage.


This is negligence on their part.

They have already challenged it in court. It is the Federal Government that is now attempting to freeze their account.


MTN has always repartiated its profits abroad. This was what Government agreed to allow them do. Now the same Government wants to go around flouting the same agreement.

Chxta:
Guardian and Channels both say that this story is not true.

What is happening here?

It seems the same Government which has said the Press should investigate properly in order to tell the people the truth, also has agencies which are using the same Press to tell lies!


All in a bid to balance it's budget with this MTN fine, our government has entered "roforofo" fight.

THIS IS THE CORRECT STORY! THE SAHARA REPORTERS SORY IS A FRAUD!!! THE NATION'S STORY IS A LIE!!! OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE HANDS PULLING THE STRINGS FROM ABOVE.

Seun, Obinoscopy, Lalasticlala

nex:
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday turned down an application of mareva injunction seeking to bar MTN Nigeria Communications Limited from emptying its accounts in 21 commercial banks in Nigeria.


The application had been filed to prevent MTN from boycotting the payment of the N1.04tn fine imposed on it by the Nigerian Communications Commission for its failure to deactivate its unregistered subscribers.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), who filed the application on Tuesday, had expressed the fear that MTN could move all its funds out of the country before the N1.04tn fine could be enforced.

https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/MTN.jpg


He had sought an order directing all the 21 banks to open a special interest-yielding account in the name of the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court and move N1.04tn out of whatever funds that was standing to MTN’s credit in their possession.


The counsel for the AGF, Mr. Dipo Okpeseyi (SAN), in a 14-paragraph affidavit deposed to by his junior, Steve Nwabueze, had argued that MTN was in the habit of regularly repatriating its funds out of Nigeria.


He noted that between October 2007 and May 2009, a period of 19 months, MTN moved over $7.7bn of the money made in Nigeria to a foreign account.


He further pointed the court’s attention to an instance when in one day, specifically on February 8, 2008, MTN transferred over $936m out of Nigeria to accounts in Mauritius, Cayman Island and British Virgin Island.


“Unless this honourable court urgently entertains this application, the plaintiff/respondent would move its funds out of Nigeria, being the jurisdiction of this honourable court, and thereby frustrate the enforcement of the fine in the likely event that this honourable court sanctions the imposition of the fine,” the AGF’s counsel added.


Okpeseyi maintained that MTN was under an obligation to pay the N1.04tn fine, because it was NCC’s administrative decision, which remained final unless it was reviewed by the commission or nullified by the court.


He said though NCC had earlier given MTN a concession on the fine and reduced it to N780bn, but since MTN had neglected or failed to pay on or before December 31, 2015, the fine remained N1.04tn.


He alleged that instead of taking advantage of the concession MTN resorted to filing a suit in order to buy time, with the hope that it could move all its funds out of Nigeria before the case would be decided.


Okpseyi urged the court to grant the application in the interest of justice to prevent the court’s decision from being rendered nugatory if it went in the favour of NCC and AGF.

But Justice Idris Mohammed turned down the application as he said the AGF had not shown enough facts to prove that MTN was about to empty its bank accounts and move its funds out of the country.
Idris, who noted that the case was sensitive and of public interest, said he would rather urgently hear the case filed by MTN to challenge the fine and give a judgment within a short time.


He, however, made an order for the parties to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the suit and adjourned till January 22, 2016 for hearing.
MTN had assembled seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, to challenge the N1.04tn fine imposed on it by NCC.


The company contended that NCC could not act pursuant to Section 70 of its establishment Act to impose the fine on it.

But Malami, who took sides with the NCC and justified the imposed fine, said it was his duty, as the chief law enforcement officer in the country, to ensure that all the laws made by the National Assembly are obeyed.



SOURCE: http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2016/01/12/court-bars-fg-from-freezing-mtn-bank-accounts

247notire:
Mr Seun and Lalasticlala this is a very misleading thread. The court did not in any way bar mtn from moving funds but only said both parties shud maintain status quote until the case which mtn sued FG is heard. Stop misleading people on this site. try to vet news before putting it on fp.

Very misleading thread. I actually posted the accurate information on Nairaland. FG applied to to freeze MTN accounts, but the courts said no! How does this article now convey this?!

MTN has always repatriated it's funds, therefore when the court rejects the FG's application to freeze MTN's accounts and maintain status quo, it means MTN should continue to run it's accounts and repatriate its funds.

bamite:
Hope u're satisfied when thousands of your fellow nigerians lose their jobs when they decide to close shop. Unreasonable ego is what is disturbing you

People need to understand that this fine is DESTRUCTIVE to Nigerians and beneficial only to certain Government officials?!


All the fines NCC has been fining GSM companies in Nigeria, what have they done with it that benefitted you and I?!

If MTN is forced to pay this outrageous fine, it will be the HIGHEST FINE EVER PAID BY ANY CORPORATE BODY!

Up to half of their staff could be sacked, almost all their contractors will be disengaged, their network which direly needs to improve will actually remain the same, or even get worse. Businesses which rely on mobile connectivity and data will suffer. POS and ATM transactions will worsen.


ARE YOU PEOPLE NOT LOOKING AT THE BIGGER PICTURE?!

bamite:
But this is sending a very wrong signal to foreign investors. How much did mtn gain from the unregistered sims compared to the outrageous fine being slammed on them?

Aside from sending the wrong signal, this is pure madness! Why must MTN be the one to finance the deficit in our Missing Budget Of Yams?!

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday turned down an application of mareva injunction seeking to bar MTN Nigeria Communications Limited from emptying its accounts in 21 commercial banks in Nigeria.


The application had been filed to prevent MTN from boycotting the payment of the N1.04tn fine imposed on it by the Nigerian Communications Commission for its failure to deactivate its unregistered subscribers.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), who filed the application on Tuesday, had expressed the fear that MTN could move all its funds out of the country before the N1.04tn fine could be enforced.



He had sought an order directing all the 21 banks to open a special interest-yielding account in the name of the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court and move N1.04tn out of whatever funds that was standing to MTN’s credit in their possession.


The counsel for the AGF, Mr. Dipo Okpeseyi (SAN), in a 14-paragraph affidavit deposed to by his junior, Steve Nwabueze, had argued that MTN was in the habit of regularly repatriating its funds out of Nigeria.


He noted that between October 2007 and May 2009, a period of 19 months, MTN moved over $7.7bn of the money made in Nigeria to a foreign account.


He further pointed the court’s attention to an instance when in one day, specifically on February 8, 2008, MTN transferred over $936m out of Nigeria to accounts in Mauritius, Cayman Island and British Virgin Island.


“Unless this honourable court urgently entertains this application, the plaintiff/respondent would move its funds out of Nigeria, being the jurisdiction of this honourable court, and thereby frustrate the enforcement of the fine in the likely event that this honourable court sanctions the imposition of the fine,” the AGF’s counsel added.


Okpeseyi maintained that MTN was under an obligation to pay the N1.04tn fine, because it was NCC’s administrative decision, which remained final unless it was reviewed by the commission or nullified by the court.


He said though NCC had earlier given MTN a concession on the fine and reduced it to N780bn, but since MTN had neglected or failed to pay on or before December 31, 2015, the fine remained N1.04tn.


He alleged that instead of taking advantage of the concession MTN resorted to filing a suit in order to buy time, with the hope that it could move all its funds out of Nigeria before the case would be decided.


Okpseyi urged the court to grant the application in the interest of justice to prevent the court’s decision from being rendered nugatory if it went in the favour of NCC and AGF.

But Justice Idris Mohammed turned down the application as he said the AGF had not shown enough facts to prove that MTN was about to empty its bank accounts and move its funds out of the country.
Idris, who noted that the case was sensitive and of public interest, said he would rather urgently hear the case filed by MTN to challenge the fine and give a judgment within a short time.


He, however, made an order for the parties to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the suit and adjourned till January 22, 2016 for hearing.
MTN had assembled seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, to challenge the N1.04tn fine imposed on it by NCC.


The company contended that NCC could not act pursuant to Section 70 of its establishment Act to impose the fine on it.

But Malami, who took sides with the NCC and justified the imposed fine, said it was his duty, as the chief law enforcement officer in the country, to ensure that all the laws made by the National Assembly are obeyed.



SOURCE: http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2016/01/12/court-bars-fg-from-freezing-mtn-bank-accounts

Kikero112:
The Nigerian telecoms regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) last month, shocked telecoms operators and their subscribers when it slammed a whopping N1.04 trillion fine on MTN for failure to deactivate 5.2 million unregistered and improperly registered SIM cards from its network. The offence attracts N200,000 per SIM card, amounting to N1.04 trillion for a total of 5.2 million defaulting SIM cards.[/i]

So you see....fine was in naira. And the OP misled us....again.

Okay... $5.2 billion as fine for 5.2 million unregistered lines, yet you say the fine was charged in Naira? You don't see the correlation that it was $1,000 per line. Oh well, it's the OP that is misleading us, not you.





What exactly would be the rationale of fining a company N1 trillion for not disconnecting 5.2 million unregistered lines, when their annual revenue is not up to that amount. Is the fine aimed at reprimanding the firm, or shutting it down and creating more unemployed people and redundant infrastructure? is the fine meant to foot the deficit in the Nigerian budget, as we have seen our debtor Governors joining their voices in asking the Federal Government to milk MTN of those precious billions of dollars. Is the fine even in anyway commensurate with the offense committed by the firm?


"NCC got angry" is not enough reason to impose an impossible fine on the 1 shining example of Foreign Investment we've had since 1999 that our Government started screaming FDI. Regulators do not fine companies based on how angry they got, but based on the offense committed. It's like telling me a judge "got angry" and sentenced a pickpocket to death simply because he refused to show up in court. It does work that way!


Then reduction of the fine again showed that they had no clear cut basis for charging it in the first place. However, they are now reducing it without proper consultations again. Do you know that if MTN had paid the $5.2 billion fine, or even the reduced $3.9 billion fine, that would have been the largest corporate fine ever paid in the history of the world?! Haba! Na dem kill Dle Giwa?!

TW Magazine’s annual fitness challenge was created to help participants lose weight and jump start their journey to a healthy and fit lifestyle. The 12-week program features professional nutritionists and fitness trainers. This year’s edition is in partnership with Curves gym and Tigerlily Gym Gear (Africa’s first gym-wear design label).



https://www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/image1-768x729.jpg


It is kicking off TODAY, January 9th, 2016, just in time for your New Year’s resolutions! At the end of the challenge the top 3 winners (fastest weight losers) will be awarded exciting prizes and featured in the magazine.



https://www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/image1-1-768x768.jpg


If you are interested send an email to pulse@twmagazine.net and make the subject line: #TWFastestLoser2016

Weighing In Kicks off TODAY, Saturday January 9th, 2016 so you have to send in those entries this very moment today in order to make it count. Don’t just make those New Year Resolutions, it’s time to start making them happen!


SOURCE: http://www.barbaric.com.ng/start-achieving-your-2016-fitness-goals-with-tw-magazine-in-twfastestloser2016

Basically, NCC just picks figure from thin air. They have no clue how many jobs will be lost, and how much worse the economy will get if they continue to enforce this fine that is based on no sense at all. I don't blame them though they know nothing about economics. $5.2 billion! LOL!

CBN and the Nigerian Government though they can do better. You can't be telling people to spend less dollars while you want to spend more.

Nigerians, both home and abroad, have been feeling the bite of the foreign exchange restrictions imposed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on since 2015. Bureaus De Change (BDCs) have been made to pass through several new regulations in order to remain in operation, and citizens, both home and abroad, wake up everyday to find out they can’t pay for what they used to anymore. Importers are stuck in limbo, travelers don’t know what to expect on trips, and students in foreign universities have been turned to debtors.


https://i1.wp.com/www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/images-16.jpg?w=475


Despite all the pains and confusion caused by these policies, it would interest Nigerians to know that Government and Government officials remain keen on transacting in American Dollars. It may surprise most of you to know that Nigeria’s Budget 2016 is still based on the prices of crude oil in dollars amid all the talks of diversification of the economy, and restriction on FOREX.



The N3.6 billion dollars budgeted for BMW cars will not be paid in Nigeria to Bavaria Motor Works, but in dollars. This is at a time when Innoson Motors and Stallion Motors which are both producing cars in Nigeria will shout “Hallelluyah” at the Naira equivalent, which will create more jobs, and deepen automotive technology advancement in Nigeria.


https://i2.wp.com/www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/images-17.jpg?w=468


It will appear that the Nigerian Government prefer spending dollars to Naira, but it also prefers to receive payments in dollars over its own legal tender. Recently, Africa’s largest telecommunications company, MTN was slapped with a $5.2 billion fine for not disconnection about 5.2 million phone lines. The first day Nigerians first heard this fine, we believed it to be a N5 billion but according to the regulatory body, Nigerian Communications Commission, the penalty was calculated at $1,000 per defaulting MTN line! How so?! Why dollars? As much as some of us have tried to create some logic by explaining the possibility of a typographical error which may have exchanged “N” for “$”, the regulatory body insists and maintains that its fine is in USD.



So what exactly inspires this preference of foreign currency over the Nigerian legal tender? In the case of the MTN fine, it is so ridiculous that the NCC has reduced the fine to $3.9 billion, but let’s face things square, no company is will be the scapegoat to foot 15% of your national budget. It has never happened in the history of humanity, and it will never happen! Even though the NCC has slightly reduced that fine in a “show of mercy”, but we should admit our mistakes when them.



https://i1.wp.com/www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/unnamed-5.jpg?w=470


We must have a clear economic direction in this country. We’re either restricting FOREX from the entire system or we are not. We’re either growing our economy or we’re not. We’re either encouraging foreign direct investment, or we’re killing off the existing foreign investors who have dared to succeed within all the peculiarities of Nigeria.


SOURCE: http://www.barbaric.com.ng/cbns-forex-restrictions-and-governments-obsession-with-dollars

Davido is not letting his drama with Sophia Momodu stop him from doing what’s important and that’s spend quality time with their daughter Imade Adeleke.

https://www.that1960chick.com/wp-content/uploads/final-30.jpg

The 23 year old pop star shared videos on his Snapchat of his mini me cruising in her nursery (at his sister Coco Adeleke’s home) while riding around in her mini Ferrari.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAllYOFUSo8

SOURCE: http://www.that1960chick.com/2016/01/06/davido-buys-his-daughter-mini-ferrari-spends-quality-time-with-her-amid-baby-mama-drama

But the original article reads "Henry Dare". Whybis the Nairaland topic saying "Sunday Dare"?

Please, moderators, kindly remove this article, or rectify if there's an error. I have already received a phone call from a Sunday Dare's media team, demanding a removal , a clarification, and an apology from Nairaland.

Seun, Obinoscopy,

In order to draw it back.

As seen on social media! And we think Nigerian politicians are bad…

This campaign poster was seen floating around on Instagram today.

Ugandan Political aspirant Mr. Eric Mununuzi, declared on his campaign poster, “IT’S TIME FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO EAT THE MONEY”

https://www.that1960chick.com/wp-content/uploads/Mununuzi1.jpg


Mununuzi who was an aspirant for Kisementi Municipality of Uganda when reached for a comment said,

It is fair that everyone is given a chance to eat and I believe that my turn to eat has come. It is hypocritical to lie to the people that you are going to serve them yet your appetite is directed at the jumbo moneys that belong to Mwananchi.Most of these leaders are elected to positions pencil thin yet, after three months in office; their waists grow from 18 inches to 80 inches. Is this not hypocrisy? Instead of concentrating on national infrastructure, they concentrate on stomach infrastructure

At least the man is being honest…it is not known yet if he won.

Bishop Eva Brunne of Sweden, has proposed that a church in her diocese, The Seamen’s mission church in Stockholm remove all signs of the cross & put down markings showing the direction to Mecca so Muslims can also worship in the church.

Eva Brunne made history in 2009, as the world’s first openly lesbian bishop, she has a wife – lesbian priest Gunilla Linden and together they have a young son.

https://www.that1960chick.com/wp-content/uploads/Eva-Brunne-Lesbian-Bishop-640x480.jpg


According to reports,



The Bishop held a meeting there this year and challenged the priest to explain what he’d do if a ship’s crew came into port who weren’t Christian but wanted to pray. The Bishop later took to her official blog to explain that removing Christian symbols from the church and preparing the building for Muslim prayer doesn’t make a priest any less a defender of the faith. Rather, to do any less would make one “stingy towards people of other faiths”.

The bishop insisted this wasn’t an issue, after all airports and hospitals already had multi-faith prayer rooms, and converting the dockyard church would only bring it up to speed. Regardless, the announcement has aroused protest.

According to Breitbart.com,

National churches across Europe, seem to be fully invested in the diversity mission. Back in February, a parish church in multicultural paradise Malmö declared it would be holding a service in solidarity with the local Muslim community as a protest against a march by anti-Islamisation movement PEGIDA in the city.


DO YOU THINK CHURCHES & MOSQUES SHOULD BECOME INTEGRATED WORSHIP CENTERS?


SOURCE: http://www.that1960chick.com/2015/11/09/the-worlds-1st-lesbian-bishop-pushes-for-churches-to-remove-all-crosses-allow-space-for-muslims-to-pray/

Sandtex Paints Nigeria introduces the “Livingroom Makeover Deal” tagged #SandtexMakeOver on Social Media. The campaign currently running on their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts affords customers in Lagos the chance to have their livingrooms painted, or repainted at a total cost of N35,000 only, which includes the cost of purchasing the paint.

https://i0.wp.com/www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/11.jpg?zoom=2&fit=1024%2C1024


The promo which began on the 14th of October, 2015 will be ending on the 15th of November 2015. Aside from the cost of purchasing the paint, and the cost of painting the livingroom which are including in the N35,000 fee, customers also get specialist advise from the Sandtex Paints specialists in planning and picking their colours.

https://i1.wp.com/www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/44.jpg?zoom=2&resize=300%2C300

https://i2.wp.com/www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/b.jpg?zoom=2&resize=300%2C330

https://i0.wp.com/www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/55.jpg?zoom=2&resize=300%2C300

The Sandtex Paints Livingroom Makeover Deal is limited to regular-sized private livingrooms within 30sqm and not those of huge mansions and commercial buildings. Spaces larger than 30sqm attract additional charge.


SOURCE: http://www.barbaric.com.ng/sandtex-paints-offfers-to-paint-your-livingroom-for-n35000-only

LL BLiss released “Chukwu Agozigo Gi” featuring Phyno on July 19th this year, and it’s one Hiphop tune that has stayed bumping at clubs, parties, and radios.


https://i0.wp.com/www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Illblissssssssss.jpg?zoom=2&resize=569%2C569


The track rapped in Oga Boss’ dialect, is produced by TUNEX, who also produced “Bank Alerts”, is the fourth single off Ill Bliss’ recently released third studio album titled “POWERFUL”, which has taken no recess in climbing music charts across Nigeria.


https://i1.wp.com/www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/iLLBLiSS-Powerful-Album-Art.jpg?zoom=2&resize=569%2C569


Weeks ago, photos of the rapper, alongside Phyno on a production set surfaced online, fuelling anticipation for a Clarence Peters directed video for “Chukwu Agozigo Gi”. This video, shot on location in Lagos, features cameo appearances by Falz The Bad Guy, Koker, CDQ, Dice Ailes and Vector.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVXIeJAqLBQ


According to Tobechukwu Ejiofor, Chukwu Agozigo Gi means GOD HAS BLESSED YOU TREMENDOUSLY, and from the days of “Dat Ibo Boy” to these times of “Oga Boss”, there’s no doubt that God has blessed Ill Bliss tremendously.


SOURCE: http://www.barbaric.com.ng/chukwu-agozigo-gi-the-video-the-music-ill-bliss

On Saturday November 14, 2015 the debut edition of The Greatest of All Times Concert will hold at the Shell Hall of the Muson Centre, Onikan. Since announcing the concert in October, the event has scored high ratings amongst music enthusiasts and critics alike.


The long list of performers for Greatest of All Times Concert includes DJ Jimmy Jatt, Olamide, Styl Plus, Olu Maintain, Paul Play and Tony Tetuila. Others include vocal talents Aramide and Shaydee.

https://i2.wp.com/www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/goat-final1.jpg?resize=640%2C640

While many are excited about the artiste line up, others have ideas of whom they want to see on the show. Many want to see 2face on the line up as they thought that in the history of music the music pioneer has made a huge impact not to be involved in a Greatest of All Times Concert.


“We are not in a rush for a 2face or Raskimono’s Greatest of All Times Concert, The concert is here to stay, it isn’t a one off show. This is a yearly concert, so we understand that people have their demands, but we intend to hit another milestone with next year’s show” Omoyeni Disu, the Executive Producer of the show says
Gradually being established as a hugely innovative project that promotes excellence between different genres and different generations of artistes, Omoyeni assures us that the concert will live up to the expectations “We are working on a number of creative ways to thrill the audience come November 14.

https://i1.wp.com/www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Yeni-Disu.jpg?resize=640%2C890


The concert is proudly sponsored by the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), NIYYAH Farms, Quantum Markets and supported by The Lagos State Signage & Advertisement Agency (LASAA). The Greatest of All Times concert will celebrate musicians who have made great impact in Nigeria’s urbane music culture from the 90s to the present.

http://www.barbaric.com.ng/greatest-of-all-times-concert-artiste-line-up/

The Screening of Ministerial Nominees sent by President Muhammadu Buhari to the upper chamber of the National Assembly has come and gone but therein lies important lessons we must carry away from the entire process. The
names of the 36 individuals came in two batches through the Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari, to the Chairman of the National Assembly, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

Several Pundits have spoken about the rather professional way the Senate President led the screening processes. Frankly, Senate President Bukola Saraki took the bulls by the horn, personally and intelligently asked the nominees salient questions, made sure both the Senators and the nominees were adequately protected against any bullying and ensured proper decorum throughout the course of the screening. This simple gesture has made his name written in gold with commendations pouring in from different quarters on the mature and proficient way he handled the screening. Many Nigerians are indeed pleasantly surprised at his dexterity as Chairman of the Senate Committee of the Whole being without any blemish.

Furthermore, the Senate tried as much as possible to reduce the usual practice of bow and go. Personally, I stand against the crass practice thathas pervaded our legislative space for a number of tenures as bow and go remains largely unproductive as prospective ministers who were supposed to be grilled in order to understand their strengths and weaknesses are summarily passed even without saying a word. The 8thSenate though not entirely, did take its time to engage the nominees but not without a lot of room for improvement. Nigerians do not care if a Senator was the father of the day at your son’s traditional marriage, nor care about the number of grandchildren a ministerial nominee has when our security, economy and educational sectors are in need of a dire revamp. It would also not be out of place to ensure the Federal Capital Territory has a Nominee in the Federal Executive Council just as other States do.

https://i1.wp.com/www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Sen-Bukola-Saraki.jpg?resize=300%2C300

The extent to which the screening was open also remains a major plus. The Office of the Senate President allowed several bloggers, online magazines and media personalities as well as the terrestrial TV and Radio stations unfettered access to the entire screening. The Senates Official Twitter handle @NGRSenate gave real time information as the screening went underway just as viewers worldwide watched LIVE online just as several distinguished senators sourced questions from their constituents online. These developments speaks volumes of the extent of transparency we should look forward to henceforth from the Senate as the expectations of the citizenry
regarding the functionalities of the National Assembly further increase.

The Screening also made Nigerians see their representatives in the Red Chamber sitting for between 6 to 8 hours daily in the spirit of national urgency to conclude the screening and subsequent confirmation in due time.
It was also noticeable that the Senate did not allow this to affect its entire normal legislative functions as the presentation of not less than 30 Bills were presented for first reading within this period and debates still held on the Motion on the Apapa Gridlock by Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central) which was overwhelmingly supported by almost all Senators across party divides as well as the Motion on theN64Billion Over-bloated Contract of the Second Runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja brought by Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West). Oversight responsibilities continued as the Ad-Hoc Committees on Power, Aviation and Import Waivers were having meetings just as official condolence visits paid to the Awolowo, Onosode and Alamieyeseigha Families.

One must not but also commend the intermediary in between the executive and legislative arms, the SSA to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang as he was visible throughout the screening mediating
between the senators and the nominees. He served his role quietly but with great vigor and determination even with the opposition senators on the management of petitions against the ministerial nominees. Information within the National Assembly say that there were more petitions filed against nominees than were actually presented on the Senate Floor but since the Senators concerned from the State of Origin of the Nominee did not lay it before the Senate and its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions chaired by Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East), they were as good as no petition.

For one, the screening showed the depth of our legislators on issues of national concerns from tax to tourism, education to the petroleum industry, environment, science, technology, the girl-child development to finance, health, investment, foreign policy and religious matters. The screening was also an avenue for the Nigerian electorate to decipher the chaff and the wheat in the Senate. For example, while Senators Jibrin Barau (Kano North) and Mao Ohuabunwa (Abia North) spoke severally and intelligently, Senators Theodore Orji (Abia Central) and Duro Faseyi (Ekiti North) had little or nothing to contribute. The Female Senators also had a good showing and were apt in their questions and contributions.

The Screening also saw its climax and the anti–climax with several quotable quotes that will stay for a very long in the Nigerian public’s consciousness. Former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, came with the much-revered line: “*May our Loyalty never be tested.”* In a similar light, APC Spokesperson, Lai Mohammed coined the phrase: *“It is service to serve in opposition, but higher service to serve in the Government.”*

*The crescendo of the entire proceedings was the screening and confirmation of the *former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. The Minority in the Senate, led by the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, which had taken a hard-line stance by not asking Amaechi any questions while he was being interviewed and screened, decided to stage a walkout during Amaechi’s confirmation in disagreement to the decision of the Senate Leadership. The very fact that the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who is equally of PDP extraction did not walkout with his colleagues however tells a different story.

Nonetheless, moving forwards it is with the greatest of hopes that many Nigerians believe that the Senate will continue to have it’s A-game in play in the course of legislation on other matters of national importance. Motions and bills need to be speedily but thoroughly debated even as the National Assembly expects the 2016 Draft Budget from the Executive Arm of the Government. The Legislature under the current political dispensation and leadership has indeed become better, deserves commendation but it can still up its ante towards the best.

http://www.barbaric.com.ng/ministerial-screening-what-saraki-taught-the-nation/

While it’s not news that Mtn has agreed to pay they N1.04trn fine meted out to them by the Nigerian government for failing to meet up to the deadline of the SIM registration exercise, which was considered not just another default but, rather a threat to the National security of the country.

https://i2.wp.com/www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/MTN_Building10.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024

Subscribers in Nigeria can at least afford to smile again, with the knowledge that even the “rich also cry”, having been victims to actions that has lead to massive exploitation by mobile operators on their unsuspecting subscribers over the years.

The repercussions of a fine so huge, some might even say small depending on what side of the fence you are standing on, has shaken the foundation of the “LARGEST MOBILE NETWORK OPERATOR” in the country so much, that trading in Johannesberg Stock Exchange in MTN shares has stopped presently. It could also be as result of reports of insider trading or a combination of both, whatever the case, dark clouds are hovering over the once peaceful and flourishing “Yhello! Kingdom”.

Closer to home, more lobbying to steer the tide or cushion the impact of the fine has yielded little success. Definitely heads will roll in the upper and mid level echelons of management, how this will trickle down to those who have felt the pinch over the years, time will tell. For now, we wait and watch with bated breath as these juggernauts square off against each other, while their fellow mobile operators must be looking over their shoulders wondering just “when” and not if, their time to pay the piper will come.

http://www.barbaric.com.ng/ripples-in-the-corridor-as-mtn-agrees-to-pay-n1-04trn-fine/

In what many have described as a travesty of justice, the Justice Nasir Gunmi led Delta State Election Tribunal sitting in Asaba, last week dismissed the petition of the APC candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, which sought to challenge the declaration of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa of the PDP as the winner of the election held on April 11, 2015.

https://i0.wp.com/www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Olorogun-Otega-Emerhor-21.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024

During the course of the tribunal proceedings, the petitioner (APC/Okowa) had tendered evidence which proved that over-voting had occurred in 61% of polling units across the state, and a subpoenaed witness, Mrs. Abimbola Oladunjoye – who serves as a deputy director at the INEC IT department, also testified that the total accreditation figure for the Delta state gubernatorial election was 715,392, a curious revelation as Okowa had been declared winner with 724,680 votes.

Although many had expected the panel to give a verdict ordering a full or partial rerun as in Rivers and Akwa-Ibom states respectively, the Tribunal ruled, instead, to affirm Okowa’s victory. This, they based on several technicalities, including “front-loading” regarding the testimony by the star witness, Mr. Ore Ohimoi – a detailed analysis which proved the aforementioned over-voting. This led to the said testimony being expunged.

In his statement to the press, the chairman of APC in Delta state, Prophet Jones Ode Erue, described the ruling as an “evil judgment” and asked how the panel could have arrived at the conclusion that manual accreditation took place when even the PDP’s star witness had stated in court that it did not. This, he called the “N3billion question” as
he stated that the tribunal’s insistence on manual accreditation was a convenient excuse which amounted to “helping” the PDP and Okowa. He further said that it was shocking how the panel had both accepted that INEC had the authority to make the use of card readers mandatory and that non-compliance was enough grounds for cancellation of an election, yet went ahead to throw out the petitioner’s plea.

The Chairman, who also described the judgment as “cunning, patronizing and insulting to discerning legal minds”, went on to say that: “Emerhor will laugh last”. Fingers remain crossed as Emerhor and APC proceed to take their case to the Appeal Court.

http://www.barbaric.com.ng/delta-tribunal-delta-state-apc-rejects-evil-judgment-says-emerhor-will-laugh-last/