The writer doesn't just want anyone to rewrite history.

dawnomike:
All these do not change the prestige of the certificates issued by both universities...

Nigeria Today [url]http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/unn-is-nigeria%E2%80%99s-first-indigenous-university-not-university-of-ibadan[/url]

Young generations of Nigerians would be thinking that because the University of Ibadan is 71 years this year in 2019 and the University of Nigeria, Nsụka is 59 years this year in 2019, therefore the first indigenous Nigerian University establishment is University of Ibadan. Hell no!

University of Nigeria, Nsụka, established in October 1960, is the FIRST INDIGENOUS UNIVERSITY in Nigeria. It never had any affiliations to any other university on earth for one day and the degrees it awarded its first graduates were the indigenous degrees of the University of Nigeria, Nsụka.

On the other hand, the University of Ibadan, up until the mid-1960s, was a UNIVERSITY COLLEGE from 1948 when it was established. It remained affiliated to the UNIVERSITY OF LONDON and awarded its graduates degrees certified from the University of London and NOT University of Ibadan until it attained the independent status of a University years after UNN had been one.

Anywhere you argue to say this and doubters argue with you, refer them to the medical facility attached to the University of Ibadan which still bears “UCH” — University College Hospital — up till this minute. The “UCH” remains a monument of the college status of the university before it attained a university status behind the first indigenous university — the UNN.

I came across some 2018 advert bills emphasising that the University of Ibadan is 70 years and I laughed, knowing the pattern of the doctors and manipulators of Nigerian histories. The writer/s did not lay any emphasis on the University formerly being a university college affiliated to London from 1948 to mid-1960s.

Perhaps, it is a subtle way to make the historically ignorant younger Nigerians assume it as the oldest Nigerian university such that in future, it may become a full claim and forced lie. Subtract the years of being a college from the entire 70 years and you'd see that the University of Ibadan is not indeed 70 years old as claimed. Same is applicable to what is today's UNEC (University of Nigeria, Enugwu Campus) that started out as a college of Arts and Science in the 1950s but is now under the UNN since the end of the war or so. UNEC can never claim and has never claimed it's over 60 years because of its former college status.

UNN is and remains the oldest indigenous university in Nigeria, followed by the University of Ife and the University of Lagos. “University College” is not the same as “University”. Take note.

Read more >>> [url]http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/unn-is-nigeria%E2%80%99s-first-indigenous-university-not-university-of-ibadan[/url]

Nigeria Today [url]http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/3-life-lessons-from-anthony-joshua%E2%80%99s-bounce-back-victory[/url]

The fight between two boxing heavy-weights Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz has come and gone. It is a match that would be talked about in the months, even years to come.

It was a match that held so much significance for Joshua who had never conceded a fight until he was beaten by Ruiz.

One can imagine that the thought of what would become of his career if he had lost again to Ruiz, was what propelled his victory last weekend.

Well, while the whole world continues to celebrate the Nigerian-British fighter, here are a few life lessons we thought his tenacity teaches all those aspiring for successes in life.

1. Planning is everything: if you had seen some of the commentaries after the match, you would have seen that the recurring observation was that Joshua planned till the very end. He did not only imagine the victory that awaits him at the end but planned every step of the way. Some say he even planned all the punches and the strategy to wear Ruiz out. Of course, it worked.

This teaches us that no matter how competent you might be in what you do, planning is key. In most cases, to come out with a decisive victory, you need to have a minute by a minute plan. Very few things come by chance or out of sheer luck. There is nothing like “I just did it” in achieving great successes.

2. Failure is a better source of inspiration: In life, some are motivated by rejection and failure, some others by successes. You should be motivated by both. But what we have learnt from Joshua is that failure or the risk of it provides even a stronger source of inspiration.

Just like Joshua, the fear of losing, failing at something and enduring the embarrassment should motivate one to act. Just imagine for a second what it would have meant for Joshua’s career, had he lost the fight.

In this life, we are all at a battle with life itself. Most winners are those who fear to lose or had lost before and are determined to not ever let it happen again.

3. You must drop some baggage: You see, Joshua was reported to have lost at least 10 pounds before the rematch with Ruiz. He wanted to stay lean so he could move faster.

Read more [url]http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/3-life-lessons-from-anthony-joshua%E2%80%99s-bounce-back-victory[/url]

Nigeria Today - http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/cooplag-flags-off-housing-estate-in-banana-island

Shell Staff Cooperative Investment and Thrift Society, COOPLAG has flagged off the construction of a signature housing estate in one of Nigeria's most expensive piece of real estate, Banana Island, Ikoyi Lagos.

Named “The Autograph”, the ambitious world-class housing project will cost the thrift investment society about 6 billion naira.

The General Manager of COOPLAG, Yinka Omidosu told Nigeria Today at the ground-breaking ceremony on Saturday that the project is sited on a 12,000SQM of land and will consist of 32 units of 5-bedroom semi-detached triplexes, 24 units of 4-bedroom flats, and a highrise of 7 floors consisting 6-floors of 4-bedrooms, about 24 units, and four penthouses of 3-bedrooms.

“It’s a project we are hoping to complete within 24 months. Everything external about the project will be done. Infrastructure in the estate will be done including a playground, swimming pool, power supply and other facilities that world-class estate deserves,” he said.

The ground-breaking ceremony was attended by several dignitaries including the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, SNPECO, Mr Bayo Ojulari, Federal Director of Cooperative, Abuja, Alhaji Idris Ali Sani, Managing Director of Cooperative Mortgage Bank, Kabir Tukur, Executive Director of Access Bank, Mr Victor Etuokwu and President of COOPLAG Mr Rotimi Akintomide.

The Managing Director of SNEPCO, Mr Bayo Ojulari, while congratulating all COOPLAG members on the project noted it was an important step in the quest to reduce Nigeria’s housing deficit, adding that Nigerians can draw inspiration from the project on how best to leverage of collective investment.

He said: “The more Nigerians who can own their own houses and get out of the whole renting thing, the less the pressure on the overall society. So, that’s the first thing for me about this project. The second thing is that projects like this also helps to build confidence in the minds of other people that it is possible.

“What is happening is that a lot of people in Nigeria try to do things on an individual basis. When you see two, three or four people come together, things are a lot easier. What the cooperative society demonstrates is that even something you cannot achieve individually, collectively, you can achieve it.

Read more on Nigeria Today - http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/cooplag-flags-off-housing-estate-in-banana-island

http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/orji-kalu-here-are-options-still-available-to-him-despite-conviction

There are two options available to Dr Orji Uzo Kalu following his conviction by Hon. Justice Mohamed Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

The options are:

1. To go to prison without putting up a further fight - this option is very highly improbable.

2. To put up more fight by taking his case to the Court of Appeal - this option is highly probable. By section 240 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the Court of Appeal is imbued with the jurisdiction to hear appeals from the decisions of the Federal High Courts, State High Courts, Court Martials, Customary Court of Appeals, Sharia Courts of Appeal, National Industrial Courts, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, etc.

Particularly, section 241 (1) of the same Constitution provides that appeals from the judgment of a High Court (whether Federal or State) shall go to the Court of Appeal as of right against the judgement of such a high Court in civil or criminal proceedings sitting at first instance.

From the foregoing, Orji Uzo Kalu has a right of appeal to the Court of Appeal and will most likely exercise that option as failure to do so would forthwith land him into the alternate option which is 12years imprisonment.

Supposing he elects to appeal, it is expected that for him to continue to enjoy his freedom pending the determination of the appeal, he would file a motion for a stay of the judgment of the Federal High Court pending appeal as appeal ipso facto does not serve as a stay.

Read more here: http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/orji-kalu-here-are-options-still-available-to-him-despite-conviction

Nigeria has done it again. It has emerged the undisputed champion of malaria – the global headquarters of the deadly disease.

According to the World Malaria Report 2019, Nigeria accounts for 25 per cent of malaria cases globally, making the West African nation the country with the highest rate of malaria cases in the world.

Six African countries; Nigeria (25 per cent), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12 per cent), Uganda (five per cent), and Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique, and Niger (four per cent each) accounted for more than half of all malaria cases worldwide.

The report also revealed that Nigeria accounted for almost 24 per cent of all global malaria deaths, followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (11 per cent), the United Republic of Tanzania (Five per cent), and Angola, Mozambique and Niger (four per cent each).

“In 2018, the prevalence of exposure to malaria infection in pregnancy was highest in the West African subregion and Central Africa (each with 35 per cent), followed by East and Southern Africa (20 per cent). About 39 per cent of these were in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria.

“There were about 155 million malaria cases in the 11-high burden to high impact (HBHI) countries in 2018, compared with 177 million in 2010. The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria accounted for 84 million (54 per cent) of total cases.

“Of the 10 highest-burden countries in Africa, Ghana and Nigeria reported the highest absolute increases in cases of malaria in 2018 compared with 2017.

“Malaria deaths reduced from about 400 000 in 2010 to about 260 000 in 2018, the largest reduction being in Nigeria, from almost 153 000 deaths in 2010 to about 95 000 deaths in 2018,” the report said.

Read more >>>> http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/nigeria-is-the-global-headquarters-of-malaria

Smugglers are devising ingenious ways to beat the men of the customs as the impact of the border closure tightens.

On Wednesday, the joint anti-bunkering team of the Nigeria Customs Service intercepted 23 gallons of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at Idiroko border, concealed in two coffins.

Abdullahi Maiwada, the Customs Spokesman in the area, said in a statement that the fuel-laden coffins were abandoned in a Mazda 626 with Lagos registration number LSD 617 CW.

“In continuation of the fight against smuggling, a customs joint special taskforce of Ogun I Command, Federal Operation Unit Zone “A” and CGC’s Strike Force intercepted 13 jerry cans of 25 litres and six jerry cans of 10 litres of PMS concealed clandestinely in two caskets.

“The said items were conveyed by a daredevil smuggler with the intention of smuggling the items across the border to a neighbouring country in a Mazda 626 with Lagos registration number LSD 617 CW.

“To this end, the command wishes to reiterate its stand that there is no retreat on the fight against smuggling in whatever disguise,” he said.

The customs spokesman appealed to the public to embrace legitimate means of livelihood and avoid smuggling in all its ramifications.

He pointed out that the customs was all out to halt new techniques initiated by economic saboteurs to perpetuate their illicit acts.

Read more >>>> http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/wawu-customs-intercepts-gallons-of-petrol-hidden-in-2-coffins

Many cars are reportedly damaged when a gas explosion occurred in Lagos on Wednesday afternoon.

The Nation reports that the gas explosion occurred at a popular luxury Four Point by Sheraton Hotel, Oniru Vi in Lagos.

The report quoted the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), as saying that three persons were injured in the incident, while many cars were damaged.

Read more here http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/3-injured-many-cars-destroyed-in-lagos-hotel-gas-explosion

Women groups under the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday took to the streets of Abuja to protest the killing of a PDP women leader in Kogi State recently.

Recall that the PDP women leader Salome Abuh was killed in Kogi in the wake of the November 16 governorship election in the state.

The protesting women say Nigerians cannot continue to live in fear anytime there is an election while calling on the Federal Government to ensure that the killers of Abuh are prosecuted and justice served.

Investigations into the killing of Abuh is ongoing as police have arrested six persons in connection to the killing of Abuh.

Read more here http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/pdp-women-protest-in-abuja

Bose, the wife of the late human rights activist, Beko Ransome-Kuti, has died. Bose Ransome-Kuti died on Tuesday night, aged 74.

Her death comes 13 years after her husband, Beko, the younger brother of Afrobeat icon, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti., passed on in February 2006, at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria at the age of 65 from complications of lung cancer.

Read more here http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/bose-ransome-kuti-is-dead

Thank you

samintegrity:
Very informative guidelines, thanks so much

Today, most cars run on an automatic transmission system. The automatic transmission is easy to use and makes driving more comfortable. But it requires constant care and some sort of pampering.

If you are reckless with your automatic transmission, it will just pack up and you have no car without the transmission. To add to that, most automatic transmission systems are really expensive.

So, here are 4 ways you can show some love to your automatic transmission so that it will serve you well.

1. Stick With the Manufacturer’s Recommended Oil Grade: There are many brands of automatic transmission in the market. But not all of them will serve you well.

If you go through the manual of your car, you will see that the recommended grade of transmission oil is always written down. Stick to it.

Choosing to use the other varieties will not immediately damage your car, but in the long run, it won’t be profitable.

2. Don’t Leave Your Car on “Drive” While Stationed In One Place: Once your car is on a drive, the transmission is alive to perform its duty which is to get the car moving.

So, it only makes sense to move from the drive position if the car stops on traffic. This helps to lift the weight off the transmission and prolongs its lifespan.

This applies to many people driving in a city like Lagos where vehicular traffic is crazy. When you stop in those long stretch of no-movement traffic, show your car’s transmission some love by pulling the gear to the neutral position, or simply turn off the engine instead of staying on the drive with your leg firmly on the brake pad.

3. Avoid Rocking Between Gears If Your Vehicle Becomes Stuck In Mud: This tip is like the one before it. In rainy seasons, with the terrible state of our street roads, it is not entirely out of place to get stuck in the mud.

But don’t be tempted to rock between gears if your vehicle becomes stuck in the mud.

“If you must rock, do so as gently as possible and make sure the wheels have stopped moving before each gear change. This will drastically reduce the strain placed on the transmission,” said auto news platform, mistertransmisison.com.

4. Get Professional Help When Changing Your Fluid: My mechanic once shared a story of a customer who destroyed his car’s transmission by pouring the engine oil into the transmission.

You see, there are several similar fluids that can confuse a novice. To be on the safe side, just get your mechanic to do it. He will probably charge a little sum.

Read more >>>> http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/4-ways-to-show-some-love-to-your-automatic-transmission

Mr Yemi Hassan is a technology entrepreneur. He has only 500,000 naira in his chest as the capital. His startup needs at least 5 staff to get off the ground.

His revenue projection for the first quarter is 1 million naira. But the operating cost would take 400,000 naira monthly.

To increase revenue, a number of employees would have to double and operating cost will rise by 50%. What does Hassan need to do to remain afloat until he breaks even and possibly attract seed investment?

As an entrepreneur, it is not strange to find yourself in Hassan’s shoes today.

But just like myriads of successful entrepreneurs before you, they successfully explored an essential tool to successfully start and operate their ventures.

This tool is called bootstrapping.

Bootstrapping is a situation where an entrepreneur starts a company with little capital.

According to Investopedia, an individual is said to be bootstrapping when he or she attempts to found and build a company from personal finances or from the operating revenues of the new company.

Is bootstrapping realistic?

Bootstrapping in Nigeria and Africa is not just realistic, it is essential. Because, the fact of the matter is that compared to other places, you almost always need to use your own money to get your business to a certain level.

You need to demonstrate traction before raising money. It is very rare for people to invest money when it is only an idea. That means that every entrepreneur must learn how to bootstrap. And almost every entrepreneur who has raised some investment started off bootstrapping and building their company with their personal money.

Is it a habit that you learn or a method you must study?

It is both a method and a habit. Because if for example, you are to start off by raising a lot of money, let’s say $1 million. The habit you learn will be a habit of how to spend a million dollars. You would not learn the habit of making money, save money or keep the money for payroll and stuff like that. So, in many ways, bootstrapping becomes a way of doing things and a habit.

Bootstrapping tips

If you want to build a technology company, just realise that at least in your first year, expect to bootstrap. Don’t even expect to raise funds. Do not work on raising funds. Do not bother with your business plan. Instead, you should bother about getting your product built.

In that period, you are not really going to be able to raise money. And it is not even healthy for you to raise money. It is better that you bootstrap the business.

So, to bootstrap a business, you are going to have to realise that you are going to build a product. Building the product means you are going to invest your time if you are the software developer yourself or you are going to have to invest money if you are working with somebody else.

Now, that other person you are working with, it is probably not the best idea to immediately make that person a partner. Because a person may be good to build your minimum viable product, MVP but the person may not be good to be in your business long term. So, it is better that you hire somebody, let them build the product for you.

And now, if you are hiring someone, you need to pay salaries. And to pay salaries, you need money. Now, if you are non-technical, and are a business co-founder of a product, then you must have a way of making money.

And there are several ways to earn the needed income

1. Maintain a job: Continue working at a job, earn the money from the job and in the evening, you spend a couple of hours every day working on building your business. This is safe because you have a salary. If things go wrong and the business does not take off as you thought, you can always fall back on your job.

2. Consulting: The alternative method that you could do is consulting. This means you are not working directly for somebody, but you are working flexibly, meaning you get a contract every now and then. So, you now space out your time, maybe working like 3 days a week on fulfilling your contract and then the other time, you are now using it to build your business. A good trick is to try and consult in an area that you are building your business in.

Let’s say, you are building an online accounting product, you could be consulting as an accountant for companies. So, all the lessons you learn there, you may bring them into your products and even all the clients you are meeting, you can then sell them your products later.

It is always good to have some form of a plan on how to get revenue while you are bootstrapping.

Read more here >>>> http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/how-to-start-and-run-a-company-before-raising-external-capital

The much-awaited Christmas months is here. It is a month of festivities. But much as it is a period of celebration, it is sadly always punctuated by tragic road accidents that claim countless lives.

The Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC estimates that about 13 people die daily by tragic road accidents on Nigerian roads. But some stakeholders dispute this, arguing that more than 36,000 lives are lost annually to road accidents. Whatever the figures are, zero-casualty is what the citizens desire and this should be the goal of the authorities.

There are several factors that result in carnage on our roads, but top on the list is the poor state of vehicles and the poor state of mind of Nigerian drivers.

As Christmas approaches, many Nigerians would be travelling long distances to their hometowns to celebrate with their loved ones. If you are planning to make the trip with your own car, do bear in mind that a long trip is a serious test for your car and even a slight problem such as a worn windscreen wiper or an out-of-balance tyre can cause a lot of trouble.

To make sure one has a smooth ride that one’s car can withstand the stress of a long trip, the surest way would be to conduct a full and thorough inspection on your vehicle before such trips are undertaken. This can be done through several industry experts.

Here are 3 key areas to focus on during your inspection as enumerated by David Fajobi who is an experienced auto inspector, and former Head of Inspection at Cars45.

1. Suspension: The suspension of a vehicle is the system of tyres, tyre air, springs, bushings, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels and allows relative motion between the two.

“It is important to get your mechanic to check your tyres properly, to ensure accurate tyre pressure, proper alignment and balanced wheel,” said Fajobi.

“This is because some cars have a substantial risk of flipping over at top speed and poor alignment, overinflated tyres and unbalanced wheels could make this inevitable especially during a long trip,” Fajobi added.

2. Ignition System: The ignition system generates a spark or heats an electrode to a high temperature that makes it possible for your vehicle engine to get started. Most of the time, the ignition of your car begins to show a problem when the ignition coil develops a fault.

“The ignition coil takes power from the generator and relays it to the spark plugs. This ignites the fuel and makes your vehicle run. If it is faulty, it could make your car backfire and could also cause overfloating which could end up damaging your car’s brainbox,” said Fajobi. So, it is very important to get your mechanic to certify your ignition before making that long trip.

3. General Lubrication Service: This is what you already do perhaps every two or three months, depending on the distance your car regularly travels or what the manufacturer recommends.

If you are preparing for a long trip, it is highly advisable to change your vehicle’s oil. There are several of them including transmission oil, brake oil, engine oil etc and it is important to have them changed before a long trip.

“This is because oil also breaks down, deteriorates and gums up and become less efficient at providing good lubrication and protection for your engine,” noted Fajobi.

How often you change the oil has been debated for ages but to be on the safe side, a change of oil before a long trip becomes imperative.

Read more >>>>> http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/how-to-prepare-your-car-for-a-christmas-trip

On Friday, November 29, 2019, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha Buhari was reported to have openly expressed support of the “Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation 2019 Bill”, also known as the social media or hate speech bill.

The First Lady was said to have done this while speaking at the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs General Assembly and National Executive Council Meeting held at the National Mosque in Abuja.

“On this issue of social media, you cannot just sit in the comfort of your house and tweet that the Vice President has resigned. It is a serious issue. If China can control over 1.3 billion people on social media, I see no reason why Nigeria cannot attempt controlling only 180 million people," the First Lady was quoted to have said.

If passed into law, the bill seeks to prevent falsehoods, manipulations, and counter the effects of such communications and transmission.

Despite the outrage that has greeted this bill, it has scaled the second reading. One more stage - the third reading and it will be well on its way to President Muhammadu Buhari’s table where it would be signed into law.

The social media bill has turned out to be one of the most divisive proposed laws in Nigeria’s recent history.

But the division is clearly between the governed powerless majority and the powerful ruling minority. And Aisha Buhari was gracious enough to remind Nigerians of this reality.

Who would have imagined that the First Lady, who many consider her head to be properly balanced on her shoulders, would openly defend a bill to prevent Nigerians from venting on social media about the many waves of abuse of the Nigerian people by corrupt politicians?

Unfortunately, with this public endorsement of the bill by the First Lady, many political jobbers sitting in the parliament as lawmakers who had been on the fence would find a way to start backing the obnoxious bill.

Speak openly, they might not, but confront them publicly, they would speak from both sides of their mouths. And that is why it is dangerous, what Mrs Buhari has done.

Nigerian people are getting the message very clearly. They like to complain and criticise the political authorities, who do not like being criticised. And now, even the first family, which the masses presumed to be on their side, has deserted them.

The onus, however, still lies on the Nigerian people, to try to hold to account, the very people entrusted with the responsibility of representing them at the parliament.

The law cannot be revoked after it is signed into law. And in this part of the world where law enforcers “know how to enforce the laws”, God forbids that the bill is passed into law and you could be scared to even read this article up until this stage.

May God help Nigeria

Read more >>>> http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/the-hate-speech-bill-a-done-deal

A few months ago, the news started making the rounds that President Muhammadu Buhari will seek re-election for a third term in 2023.

Although this is as outrageous as it is unconstitutional, it has come as a huge surprise that many Nigerians have refused to dismiss it as mere rumours from political busybodies.

Many political analysts view this as a kite flying from the proponents of the third term agenda to test public opinion.

When it started, the President’s spokesmen dispatched a press statement to tell Nigerians that the President has no intention to perpetuate himself in power by seeking a third term.

However, more than a month after this, some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in Ebonyi State led by one Charles Enya filed a suit to demand a change in the constitution to allow President Muhammadu Buhari to run for a third term.

The President was forced again to tell his party that he had no intention of forcing a constitutional change to seek re-election.

“I’m not going to make the mistake of attempting a third term. Besides age, the constitution makes provision for only two terms.”

Despite these reassurances from the President, and his party threatening to expel the members in Ebonyi State, fears remain that the President might want to continue in office after 2023.

First, the president’s promises and assurances do not carry much weight any longer. With a litany of broken promises, it is no wonder that many people take his assurances with a pinch of salt.

Many Nigerians have not forgotten President Buhari’s promise to serve only one term as President, sell off the presidential jets, end medical tourism, stop fuel subsidy, remove the office of the first lady, and so on.

Second, some analysts argue that the President has not, through his statements, fully committed to not seeking re-election.

They argue that the President’s statement hinted on a condition that allowed a two-term limit, implying that he could not totally rule out the possibility of seeking re-election should the constitution change.

And therein, lies one of the greatest concerns of the opponents of the third term agenda. Many are concerned that the current legislature lacks the level of independence necessary to stop a constitutional amendment that could allow for a third term.

They argue that unlike in 2006 when former President Olusegun Obasanjo failed to secure the constitutional amendment, many fear this current parliament cannot resist the president if he truly desires to continue in office.

It surprises many that Nigeria could be discussing a third term agenda in 2019, after more than two decades of democracy. This does not in any way show that the country has made the expected progress in its democratic process.

Many Nigerians hope this political kite flying ends at just that. The country is battling with myriads of economic and security challenges that should be top of its priority. It cannot afford another distraction in the form of a third term agenda for its 76-years-old President.

Read more >>>> http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/who-will-stop-president-buhari

Another Christmas holiday is here once again. This is the time of the year when most people get into debt just so they can celebrate like others.

Credit companies have already intensified their marketing efforts advertising their loan options and how seamless getting it is.

Well, should you take a loan just to make your Christmas celebration worthwhile? There is nothing wrong with getting a loan if it is towards investing in assets like education, house or even starting a business. So, if you decide to borrow within this period, make sure the proceeds are not used for the following items:

1. Christmas Vacation: The Christmas holiday affords ample time for a memorable vacation, but if you want to keep yours truly memorable, you should stick to a budget you can pull off without obtaining a loan. Consider a vacation option that wouldn’t lure you into debt.

For instance, instead of taking a plane and jetting off your city of residence to that exotic location, consider a nearby but interesting vacation spot that would not involve a lot of travel expenses.

You don’t want to end your vacation and begin to constantly worry about paying off a debt you could have easily avoided. Such a scenario could also easily lead to more debts.

2. Gifts For Your Cousins: There is this radio commercial by a credit company currently airing in Lagos where someone was complaining he didn’t have money to travel and buy gifts for his cousins.

And then the credit company promises to offer him a loan, so he could buy gifts for his 750 cousins.

If the only reason you want to borrow extra cash is, so you can buy gifts for your friends and relatives, don’t do it.

When you travel for the holiday, consider buying gifts that wouldn’t dig a hole in your pocket and let it stay within your budget. After all, in genuine friendships, the gesture of giving is far more valuable than the quality of a gift.

3. Fashion: The Christmas season is the time people go bullish on fashion. Fashion labels unveil new styles this period and most boutiques run out on stocks before Christmas day.

Changing your wardrobe is necessary from time to time but don’t borrow money to do it.

Clothing is hardly an asset, except if you are a super celebrity. And don’t forget, fashion goes out of fashion, so why invest heavily in a shoe, dress or accessories you could be ashamed of putting on tomorrow.

Be smart about your fashion shopping by doing it before the Christmas season. Do it well ahead of the season when prices are still reasonable.

If you must get a dress within the period, explore other affordable alternatives like buying your material and getting a tailor to make it at a negotiated price.

More so, avoid shopping at popular and expensive boutiques. Consider patronizing stores that offer affordable wears. Whatever options you choose, just make sure it doesn’t involve borrowing money for it.

4. Engagement Ring: This is also the season that men ‘shoot their shots’ most. While this is not a bad idea at all, it should not cost hand and arm. Some engagement rings cost a fortune and some people would go to any length to get such an expensive wedding ring to impress their prospective spouse.

If your girlfriend insists on that 700,000-naira engagement ring, maybe you should have a rethink about going into the relationship in the first place.

In fact, borrowing for the wedding itself is a bad idea and a far worse idea is borrowing for an engagement ring.

Read more >>>> http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/4-things-you-must-never-borrow-money-to-buy

The Dangote Oil Refinery Company on Sunday took delivery of what it described as the world’s largest crude distillation equipment.

Capt. Rajen Sachar, Head, Maritime and Ports Infrastructure of Dangote, told newsmen at the arrival of the equipment in Lagos that it was the biggest single-train facility used for refining crude oil.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the atmospheric equipment which was manufactured by Sinopec company in China is the primary unit processor of crude oil into fuels.

Sachar noted that crude oil consisted of various chemical components that had different molecular sizes, molecular weights and boiling temperatures.

According to him, the crude distillation column works on the principle of fractional distillation, leading to separation of various components in the mixture on the basis of their different boiling points.

He said: “Crude oil enters the top of the column, where the inlet temperature is 165 degrees centigrade gradually increasing to 357 at the bottom of the column.

“During this passage, the crude and its vapours pass through a complex web of internal trays to increase the contact time and surface area.

“Within the column, the hot vapours travel upward through bubble caps which allow the vapour to pass through the tray with the cooler liquid flowing down the column.

“When the vapour reaches the height within the column where its boiling point is equal to the temperature of the column at that height, it condenses to form a liquid.

“The liquid then collects on various trays in the column at differing heights from where it is extracted out of the column.

“It is, therefore, critical to controlling the heat load of the column to optimize the crude crack.

“These separated fractions are mainly middle distillates: namely, naphtha, jet fuel, kerosene, gasoline and gas oil,” Sachar added.

He said that the crude column would enhance the economy of Nigeria and all neighbouring countries in Africa by making available refined petroleum products meeting world standards emission norms of Euro 5 and Euro 6.

The captain said the strategic location of Nigeria in West Africa continent would help in reducing the transportation costs of the fuels to other countries in Africa thereby provide cost-effective high-grade petroleum products to them.

“This refinery with a capacity of 650 kbps is higher than the total demand of Nigeria; thus, catapulting Nigeria’s position from a net importer of petroleum products to a net exporter of petroleum products.”

He said that the development would redefine Nigeria’s position in the global petroleum products market.

He said that the equipment was capable of refining 650,000 barrel per day (BPD), adding that the refinery was designed to be Africa’s largest.

Sachar said that the technology was significant to Nigeria and Dangote Oil Refinery Company.

According to him, the technology will bring a multiplier effect positive to the company and Nigeria through supply to huge markets.

Read more here >>>>http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/dangote-refinery-takes-delivery-of-worlds-largest-crude-refining-equipment

So, the First Lady, Aisha Buhari has come under fire on social media for backing the controversial hate speech bill.

The first lady was quoted to have said Nigeria should control people on social media just as China has done.

“If China can control over 1.3 billion people on social media, I see no reason why Nigeria cannot attempt controlling only 180m people," the first lady was quoted to have said.

The comment has elicited a barrage of angry reactions on social media, especially on Twitter.

“Dear Aisha, China also kill their corrupt public officials with a bullet. Can you advocate for that to be in our laws?” said Tosin Olugbenga on Twitter.

“Since the cabals threatened Aisha Buhari with marrying a new wife for Baba Buhari, the following has happened.

“1. She begged Kogi people to re-elect failed Yahaya Bello. 2. She's supporting the Social Media & Hate speech Bill.

“The cabal is so powerful, they can shut down anyone,” Olugbenga added.

Another commentator Obi Nwosu reminded the First Lady that if Nigeria must emulate China in how it controlled people on social media, it must do the same in how China treated corrupt public officials.

“Dear Aisha Buhari, in china, if a government official is found guilty of corruption, he/she will be shot to death and the bullet is paid for by his/her family. How about we copy this from China, not just social media control,” Nwosu wrote.

Meanwhile, another commentator, Prof. Ozo-Nna-Nyere-Nwa expressed surprise that the First Lady would advocate the regulation of the social media which she had also leveraged to build her clout, even drawing social sympathy in difficult times.

He wrote: “When Kyari's daughter wanted to beat Aisha Buhari, social media saved her, when her husband wanted to secretly take a second wife in her absence, we let her know through social media and she rushed home. Today Aisha want social media regulated. It's ok.”

In the same vein, another Twitter user, Otunba said: “One minute, Aisha Buhari is acting like she's with the masses, the next minute she's supporting the social media bill and playing solicitor for Yahaya Bello. Who the h**l is this woman?

Read more >>> http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/aisha-buhari-under-fire-for-supporting-social-media-bill

Cynthia (not real name), in the spirit of Black Friday, saw some “fantastic” deals on electronics advertised by a Facebook account operated by one James Global Venture.

Cynthia had chanced upon great deals advertised by this account while scrolling through her Facebook. Among the deals that excited her the most was a 7-kilogramme front loading washing machine sold for N60,000 but goes for about N100,000 at the official market.

She would chat up the seller who promised to deliver the item the next day via God is Good Motors. Once payment has been made and confirmed, the shipping is done the same day, so she can receive the item the following day in Lagos.

Of course, she made the payment, including additional N3,000 delivery fee. Unfortunately, the next day passed without any item delivered to her. When she contacted the seller, he asked her to be patient, that the item would certainly be delivered the next day, as there must have been some delays by the transporters.

The following day, however, passed, but there was no item. By this time, she had become jittery, suspecting she may have been scammed. From that third day, James Global would stop answering her chats and all calls go unanswered and unreturned.

James Global Venture poses as a major importer and supplier of electronics based off 46 Ibusa Road, Asaba, Delta State.

See the account here [url] - https://web.facebook.com/jamesglobalelectronics/posts/2386944531634543?__tn__=-R[/url]

Read the full gist here >>>> http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/james-global-venture-by-steven-james-choko-is-defrauding-online-shoppers

For all of you who don't believe you can ever live in Eko Atlantic, but are telling yourself, let my #goals be Iyana Ipaja, let me give you some tips how you can achieve it.

Step 1: Set your goal right. I know a man who was very wealthy. He called his sons and told them: I want all you to have houses. Pick a house, I will buy for you. But you will repay me monthly for the house till you have paid it off. One Son picked a house in Yaba. One in Ikoyi.

The Yaba repayment was N100k a month. The Ikoyi repayment was N500k a month. They repaid for 6 months. After that, the Dad told them to stop repaying and they can keep their houses. One had a house worth N30m, one had a house worth N300m. Irrational confidence gave him that.

You must set the goal to where you want to end up. Without this, forget the rest. This is just your mindset, but mindset determines the rest.

Step 2: Who do you converse with the most? The people you have one on one conversations with, are they ahead of you or behind you. Because if they are behind you, they will pull you back. If they are ahead of you, they will move you forward.

Every day, do the work to connect with someone on a one-on-one basis who is ahead of you in any way possible (not necessarily your field). If they don't want to connect with you, bring gifts. Show you are serious. Don't ask without giving. Offer to help.

And as you advance, go for more challenging people to talk to. People you never imagined could be your friends. Show you are trustworthy. Opportunities come from people, not from hard work.

Step 3: Build a (or multiple) skill to be better than 95% of people. Being you is not a skill. Whatever you do, be so good at it that it will take years to train your replacement. You are only as valuable as what you can do, and how quickly someone else can do it.

Step 4: Keep trying. Leave discouragement from your vocabulary. If you want a job, you apply 10x a day. You don't keep stopping, you keep going. Be like the Terminator, once you start, you cannot be stopped. Take a small step first, someone achievable.

Step 5: Once you have achieved that goal, then start working hard to get to the next step. Found a job? Once you stop learning, start trying to find a better one. Challenge yourself to be better next month than this month. Be like Oliver Twist: want more.

Final Step: Speak up. Never hide, hoping that saying nothing will avoid trouble. Look for trouble and speak up. Where you work, among your peers, in rallies. Get noticed. Do not be a silent friend, stay top of mind for people who can help you.

Read more here http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/how-you-can-live-in-eko-atlantic-city-by-mark-essien

Today, Muslim faithful around the world celebrate Eid-el-Maulud; the birth of Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam. But here in Southern Nigeria, it is a thing of surprise that not many non-Muslims know much about this revered, spiritual leader of Islam.

This, however, is partly due to the deeply religious intolerance in Nigeria and partly due to the obvious inadequate religious education in Nigeria school system.

Let us, therefore, take a peep into the life of this religious colossus.

Who is Prophet Muhammad?

Prophet Muhammad was an Arab religious, social and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet, sent to present and confirm the monotheistic (single religion) teachings previously preached by Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets according to Wiki.

Having known who we are talking about, let us take a look at these five facts every non-Muslims should know about Prophet Muhammad.

1. When was Prophet Muhammed Born?

Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, was born into an ordinary but a well-respected family. Contrary to what you might think, Muhammad was orphaned pretty early. He was born after the death of his father. He was raised by his grandfather and then by his uncle Abu Talib.

However, unlike other religious leaders like Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, Muhammad's birth depicts a most humble beginning. No prophet announced his birth, no star shone for his birth, and no wise men anywhere even knew he existed until his time came to fulfil his destiny.

Meanwhile, the popular belief is that the cleric was born in Mecca around the year 570.

Muhammad began working as a merchant and became known for his trustworthiness. This is why Muslims are widely known for their honesty today.

2. Prophet Mohammad was not a Muslim

This one will really shock you, but according to research, Prophet Muhammad was originally a Hanifs – a native pre-Islamic Arabs who "professed a rigid monotheism". They are also sometimes listed alongside Jews and Christians in pre-Islamic Arabia.

According to Muslim tradition, Muhammad himself was not a Muslim from the beginning, he was a Hanif and one of the descendants of Ishmael, son of Abraham.

Now, I know this is hard to believe but come to think of it, Jesus Christ himself was also not a Christian. He was Jewish. This tells you that one's religion today does not define him, it only confines one's perception of things around him.

3. How did Prophet Muhammad Die?

According to scholars, Muhammad returned to Mecca in March, 632, one last time to perform a pilgrimage where tens of thousands of Muslims joined him. After the pilgrimage, he returned to Medina. Three months later, on June 8, 632 he died there, after a brief illness.

When one looks at the events surrounding the death of Muhammad in comparison to the leaders of other religions, there is no doubt that he lived a humble and peaceful life.

Take Jesus Christ, for instance, he was arrested for whatever crimes the Jews and Romans charged him with, tortured and crucified. He was buried secretly and he was believed to have risen from the dead.

But Prophet Muhammad died after a brief illness. There was no superhuman mystery surrounding his death and he was interned in a mosque he built himself.

4. Why is Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday a Public Holiday?

Prophet Muhammad's birthday is called Eid-el-Maulud.

Prophet Muhammad’s birthday is a public holiday because he was a holy man. And because of his good works to bring peace unto the world, the world Islamic community remembers his birth today. In many countries, it is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.

5. Did Muhammad Have a Family?

The children of Muhammad include three sons and four daughters (one daughter according to Shia sources). All were born to Muhammad's first wife Khadija bint Khuwaylid except one son, who was born to Maria al-Qibtiyya.

Contrary to the belief that Muslims must marry four wives and have an uncountable number of children, the prophet only had three sons and four daughters. Some sources even said he had one daughter.

The names of his sons were; Ibrahim ibn Muhammad, Abdullah ibn Muhammad, Qasim ibn Muhammad.

Read more >>>> http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/5-facts-no-one-has-ever-told-you-about-prophet-muhammad

…as Presidency confirms sacking of VP’s aides

The Yoruba Council of Elders has advised Vice President Yemi Osinbajo against resigning his position because of the alleged war against him by a cabal in the Presidency.

The Yoruba elders also advised President Muhammadu Buhari to remember Osinbajo’s loyalty to him and refuse to be used by some power against his Vice President.

The Secretary General of the YCE, Dr Kunle Olajide, said this in an interview with Saturday PUNCH in Lagos on Friday.

Olajide said it was obvious that some persons were “seriously” working against the Vice President, saying the 2023 presidential ambition of some of Osinbajo’s persecutors was the reason for doing this.

The YCE scribe said, “We know like other Nigerians that there are enough signs that some people are working against Osinbajo but who the people are, I don’t know.

“It is obvious that some people are working against him and unfortunately, it appears as if Mr President is dancing to their tune.

“I will urge Mr President to remember the Vice President’s loyalty to him in the past four years, especially when he was out of the country for three months and refused to allow unguarded ambition to push him.”

Olajide said the elders’ council did not support the advice given by some people to Osinbajo to resign his position.

“President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo hold the ticket together. Both of them were elected on a joint ticket, so Osinbajo should not resign,” he said.

He urged the Vice President to remain loyal to the President and serve the country “patriotically.”

He said, “Osinbajo should remain god-fearing and people-centred in his activities and in the end, he will be vindicated.

“No matter the motivation of some 2023 presidential aspirants against him, he should remain steadfast in what he is doing in the past four years that are acceptable to Nigerians and to God.”

Meanwhile, the Presidency on Friday admitted that President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the sacking of some aides to Osinbajo.

It came after days of silence from the President’s office and barely 24 hours after the VP’s aide denied that any Osinbajo aide was sacked.

The Presidency stated that the aides were sacked as part of the ongoing overhauling in the seat of government to cut costs.

A State House statement by Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, which officially confirmed the sacking, denied that the exercise was targeted at Osinbajo or that there existed any rift between Buhari and Osinbajo.

The statement read, “The Presidency wishes to confirm that there is an ongoing unprecedented overhaul of the nation’s seat of government, arising from which a number of political appointments have either been revoked or not renewed in the second term.

“The exercise, which has been ordered by the President, is to streamline decision-making, cut down multiple authorities and reduce the cost of administration.

“It is also an appropriate response to the general perception that the Presidency has an oversized and bloated workforce which acts as a drag on efficiency.”

It added, “As may have been noticed by discerning members of the public, a number of political appointees among the few that served in the office of the President were not returned for the second term.

“The office of the Vice President, His Excellency, Yemi Osinbajo, has, in compliance with the directive of the President, equally been shed of a number of such appointees.

“In carrying out these exercises, the overriding objective is to save taxpayers’ money and deliver the needed service to the public. As far as the President is concerned, there is no scope for an excuse for administration after getting a huge mandate to run the country for four more years.”

Denying that rift existed between Buhari and Osinbajo, the Presidency insisted that their relationship remained cordial.

He said, “In the light of this, the Presidency wishes to strongly deny rumours of a rift between President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo. The relationship between the two leaders remains excellent and trusting. Together, they will script a glorious future for the nation.

“The media reports of a sour relationship are originating from the minds and mouths of mischief-makers, who are desperate for entertaining stories from the Aso Rock Villa with which to titillate the public. This ulterior motive is the basis of the wrong interpretation given to the recent exercise in the Presidency.

Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/dont-resign-yoruba-elders-tell-osinbajo/amp/

Malam Mamman Daura, the man who has been described in some quarters as Nigeria's most powerful nephew, turns 80 years today.

Many people in this generation have heard little to nothing about him.

Here are 5 things you need to know about the influential great-grandfather.

1. He Is A Veteran Journalist: Mamman Daura is one of the oldest journalists in Nigeria who was appointed the editor of the New Nigerian Newspaper, few months after completing his graduate degree in Dublin, according to Wikipedia.

He would later become the managing director of the Paper Holding Company, and at some point, the chairman of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA.

2. He Is Older Than President Buhari: What is out in the public domain is that Mamman Daura is the nephew of President Muhammadu Buhari. But many do not know that he is older than President Buhari. So, he could be regarded as his young uncle as he is the son of Buhari's older brother.

3. He Has Endured In The Corridors of Power: Many may remember Mamman Daura because of his influence on today's presidency, but he is not new to the corridors of power. In fact, he started in the mid-70s when he worked in the office of Abba Kyari who was then the military governor of the north-central state.

Read more here: [url]http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/buhari%E2%80%99s-nephew-mamman-duara-clocks-80[/url]

For a moment it felt like the big one was about to happen to Nigeria’s multimillion-dollar film industry when news broke that blockbuster movie, Lionheart was making it to the Oscars in America.

Typical of Nigerians when global recognition happens, we stormed social media with words of pride and encouragement for the director and superstar actress, Genevieve Nnaji.

We are all disappointed now after “Lionheart” was disqualified because it violates an Academy rule that entries in the Best International Feature Film category must have “a predominantly non-English dialogue track.”

In simple English, a Nigerian movie has been rejected because we spoke too much English in it. Ridiculous as it seems, this verdict highlights the reality of our society that we have refused to embrace.

Indeed, as Ms Nnaji said in her reaction, "We did not choose who colonised us” as a people. We are a diverse nation united by the language handed to us by British colonial masters and with which we run all our business.

Make a local language movie and you will be placed in the box of regional Nollywood markets now identified by the coining of words like Yollywood and Kannywood that usually do not offer much market success.

Asides licensing to the likes of Africa Magic and some VOD platforms, selling a few DVDs in Oshodi, Upper Iweka or Kano, there is currently not much left to do with movies made in local languages. So, you cannot blame the producers of such movies for deliberately going for low budget productions that will not send them back to farming in their villages.

That is why only English movie producers can dare to pump in the required budget for a cinematic project. At least they have a better chance of recouping their investment.

But now, it appears we are simply being told that the global recognition that we crave so much will come faster with local language movies.

A Nigerian politician in his reaction to the Lionheart disqualification wrote: “The reasons that were given for the #Oscars disqualification of Lionheart only exposes the degree of their ignorance of the World outside of theirs and their discriminatory and contemptuous views about African history and our ways.”

Award-winning director, Ava DuVernay also felt our pain and wrote, “To @TheAcademy, you disqualified Nigeria’s first-ever submission for Best International Feature because it’s in English. But English is the official language of Nigeria. Are you barring this country from ever competing for an Oscar in its official language?”

But isn’t it time to ask ourselves if English is really Nigeria’s real official language?

In the early years of Nigerian pop music revolution, there were arguments against the efficacy of pidgin English and many argued that songs done in Pidgin English would struggle internationally, forgetting the successes late Fela Anikulapo Kuti achieved with the language.

It is 2019 and I believe that with the way Nigerian musicians now break records for fun internationally, we agree that Pidgin English might just be that language to drive our film industry to global recognition.

It is common knowledge that an average person from most parts of the country even with absolutely no formal education will communicate with you in Pidgin English comfortably.

When politicians want our votes; they go to villages to speak Pidgin English and it works!

I believe pidgin language can offer a win-win situation for our filmmakers. You maintain a good shot at achieving box office success and Oscars will not disqualify you for “speaking too much English”.

Read more movie reviews here >>> [url][/url]http://nigeriatodaynews.com/

Over the weekend, business tycoon, Akin Alabi talked about always wanting to own a football club.

While he had wanted to buy all or part of his local boyhood club, Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, he had instead opted for establishing a new club after he failed to make any headway.

The proposed name for Akin Alabi’s new club is Lekki Football Club (Lekki FC). It will be located in the heart of the Lagos town whose name it has adopted. It is however not clear where Lekki FC would be playing its home games.

While there are a number of stadia in Lagos, all of them are considerably far from Lekki. But then, we saw Ikorodu United come all the way to Onikan to play their home games so that distance shouldn’t be a barrier for Lekki FC.

Moreover, if backed with a heavy war chest as it may be, Akin Alabi could build a brand-new sports complex for Lekki FC. That would be a thrill.

Marketability has always been the biggest problem facing Nigerian league football and the clubs playing in it. So Lekki FC would need to be very different and very aggressive so that its marketing machinery would make an instant impact.

First off, for visibility, it's home stadium should have a giant LED billboard that could be seen miles away. Then it should Leverage on tech and entrench its name and logo into top apps in Nigeria, starting of course with NairaBet.

The club jerseys, tracksuits and other paraphernalia should be very public. Like they should flood the market with replicas that, for now, would be very affordable.

There could also be a kind of club Blogazine which, in my opinion, shouldn’t be limited to just club news as that would help it gain wider appeal while making sure it doesn’t run out of content.

Then for God’s sake, let’s be able to watch the club play on TV. If Lekki FC could get its marketability right, it would be a shining blueprint for other clubs to follow.

The road to the top tier of Nigerian football, the NPFL could be pretty long especially since Akin Alabi’s Lekki FC would likely be starting in the Nationwide League which is the lowest tier of the Nigerian league system.

But it isn’t anything the right sporting and business mentality along with strong financial backing couldn’t achieve in a few short years.

From requirements for licensing the club like incorporation, affidavit of allegiance to the LMC, NFF, CAF and FIFA, stadium certification and financial performance etc, to creating a solid fan base and powerful marketing machinery, Lekki FC could become the biggest thing to hit Nigerian football in a while.

Read more >>>>> http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/akin-alabis-lekki-fc

Startups can secure up to 10-million-naira loan through the Bank of Industry, without collateral, said Sunkanmi Oriyomi, Regional Manager, South-South, at the Bank of Industry Ltd.

Oriyomi stated this while speaking as a member of a panel discussing “Doing business in the South-South” at the just concluded StartupSouth Conference in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

“There are quite several interventions designed to provide funding to the real sector, but startups can get a loan of up to 10 million naira and below if they can produce two guarantors who would ensure that the money can be returned,” he said.

He said there should be lots of incentives to encourage startups in the region, but lamented that now, there are none.

“Sadly, those who were supposed to do this do not know better,” he said, noting that government has no business being in business, but should instead concentrate on making the business environment, friendly.

The good news, he said, is that the market is large enough and viable for any business to thrive. For instance, the West African market alone has so huge demand that it has become an incentive for smugglers.

According to him, the BoI is not giving out loans as much loan as it should because the bank is regulated and must account for every penny entrusted to it.

“There must be regulatory security to secure any loan,” he said.

Read more >>> http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/startups-can-get-n10-million-boi-loan

In 2015, electronics retailer, Coolex Electronics shut down its operations in Port Harcourt city after racking up bills running to N200,000 per month from government agencies and “community boys”.

The company established branches in other cities in the region and some others in Lagos.

In 2016, the company tried opening again in Port Harcourt, but this time, they faced even more challenges than the previous attempt long before the branch started operations.

According to the Managing Director of Coolex Electronics, Somiari Jaja, the branch would later open but had to be shut down after eight months.

Speaking on the theme: “Doing Business in South-South-East” at an opening panel session at the just concluded StartupSouth5 conference in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, Jaja said the pressure from government agencies as well as the community has become a menace that hinders the smooth operations of businesses in the region.

According to him, this, coupled with access to the cities in the South-South region, makes doing business in the region a herculean task, as he added that several businesses now find it easier to conduct their businesses from Lagos.

But it is not all doom and gloom, says Tony Uduk, who is the founder of RootHub in Uyo. First, the cost of doing business is generally low, as well as the cost of living.

The youthful population in the region is a major advantage. But challenges remain. For example, there is stable electricity, but there is no broadband penetration in the region, making access to the internet difficult.

These challenges have further compounded the woes of the abundant creative talents in the region who have little to no access to opportunities.

Read more http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/why-south-south-business-relocate-to-lagos

Nigeria can be described as a shylock society where the strong prey on the weak to keep the social strata in place.

The Joker is a political satire set in Gotham City, a failed state where the rich prey on the poor to keep alive the social strata which keep the poor perpetually marginalized and disenfranchised so that it makes it practically impossible for them to climb the social ladder.

Set in 1981, the Joker is a story of Arthur Fleck, a struggling stand-up comedian who got so sick of being neglected by the society as if he does not exist that he turned into a life of crime to assert his social relevance thereby turning the city of Gotham into chaos.

Many who have seen the movie, the Joker, would agree with me that the Gotham City is a fictional glorification of the Nigerian society and Joker is a total summation of the 99 per cent of the Nigerian population who are disenfranchised, neglected, treated with scorn and contempt and abandoned to eke out a living for themselves in a dilapidated economic system intentionally structured to favour only the rich.

Gotham City emits every aura of the Nigerian world of man-eat-man; where the rich gets richer by feeding on the blood of the poor.

Ask me why every Nigerian politician should see Joker, the movie, and here is my summation. The answer is so glaringly it can be seen by a child.

From every indication, the Nigerian system is tilting towards apparent collapse. It is degenerating into lawlessness, pulsating inequality, and open sore corruption creating all-round despair.

Yet, the Nigerian politician proudly sits on top of this chaos, feeding on this lack, taking advantage of the resulting poverty attendant to this power structure. He glorifies himself as the people’s messiah and lords himself over them while stealing them blind.

In the Joker, Thomas Wayne labels the poor as being envious of the rich because they are successful. He regards them as clowns using a mimic of the joker’s mask. In Nigeria, if you criticize a politician’s extravagant display of stolen wealth, you are tagged envious of other people’s success. You become an enemy and state apparatus is used to hunt you down.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian masses who work have nothing while those who do not work but are privileged to be kit and kin of the ruling masses have it all.

Gotham is rife with screaming unemployment rate which makes it impossible for anyone to get a paid employment. Arthur is only able to get a job as a hired clown. Despite the fact that he has to support an aged sick mother, he is fired when his gun falls off while performing in a children’s hospital.

I have said it many times, that Nigeria is the easiest place to get a job. The hard part is in knowing the person to give you the job. It is almost impossible to get a job in Nigeria without knowing the job giver or knowing someone who knows someone who knows the ‘job giver’.

For this reason, the largest percentage of the employable population is out of jobs, struggling like Arthur and taking unpaid and underserving jobs to make ends meet.

Yet, the politicians, like Thomas Wayne, are riding in plain glory on easy-made wealth and are only interested in winning elections. In Nigeria, it seems we are just busy conducting elections which have become a plain strategy for selecting friends of family and families of friends to occupy positions of power.

Like Thomas Wayne taking advantage of Arthur’s situation and the chaos in the city for his political campaign, the Nigerian politician takes advantage of our poverty, our illiteracy, our no hospital, our no road, our insecurity, our no school, etc to campaign and win elections.

Nobody cares about the masses. Because by doing so, the gap between the rich and the poor will keep widening and widening creating a chasm that will be impossible to fill. And the Authors of this world will forever remain the Arthurs of this world until they let their imaginations run wild and descend into the abyss of darkness and turn our world into an unbearable Gotham for even the Thomases.

Lastly, as I write this article, I can hear the ululation of children in my neighbourhood, screaming ‘up Nepa.’ We have not had light in two days now running into the third.

Social services in Nigeria is a foregone issue. Every aspect of social services from electricity to proper drinking water, from motorable roads to functioning hospitals, and from a working educational system to basic employment opportunities have been neglected to take care of itself. Therefore, if you want roads, you build your own, if you want power you buy a generator set, and if you want quality education, you send your kids abroad.

In joker, we see how Arthur lives. We see where he lives. In a dilapidated, abandoned building reminding you of the ghettos in our towns where the poor are forced to live because they can’t afford anything different. In contrast to the mansion where Thomas Wayne lives.

Arthur has a medical condition which makes him laugh uncontrollably in odd times. He depends on his medications to survive and keep the reactions at bay. But the social services is suddenly cut off and Arthur is now unable to afford his medications. Who cares?

How many Nigerians find themselves in this situation every day in this country? How many Nigerians die in the hospitals because there are no medicines, no necessary medical equipment, no money to pay hospital bills, and no electricity while an operation is going on in the theatre, no medical doctor to attend to a pregnant woman, how many Arthurs will be let loose if this trend continues…?

Yet, our politicians jet out of the country every day for any medical case to a better country with taxpayers money. Leaving our hospitals and other social institutions to deteriorate, decay and die.

It is just palpable!

So why should every Nigerian politician see the joker? It is a prophecy, it’s a statement for the future. We, collectively, the rich, and everyone who controls the wheel of this country, are building a Gotham city.

The Nigeria we have today will eventually become a Gotham, and every unemployed, disenfranchised Nigerian today will eventually become an Arthur and when those who can afford it have all jetted out of the country to Europe, to America and Canada, what will happen to the rest of us who can’t afford to.

Welcome to Gotham!

Check out [b]http://nigeriatodaynews.com/ for more movie reviews from our movie critics.[/b]

So, the Managing Partner of Advanced Concrete Technologies, ACT, Mr Collins Balogun turned 40 on October 15. But the party held last weekend.
Families, friends, well-wishers and the cream de la cream in the construction chemicals industry gathered to celebrate the young man who has accomplished so much in so short a time.
Among the dignitaries that graced the ceremony included mother of former Governor Ayo Fayose, Prophetess Victoria Fayose who was there to pray for him as he steps into the years ahead for even more exploits.
After a stint at UAC Nigeria, Mr Balogun joined his childhood friend and current partner, Anthony Ajulo to start Advanced Concrete Technologies in 2007.
Over the past twelve years, the company would grow into a multi-billion-naira business, placing it at the top of the ladder in the construction chemicals industry in West Africa, employing no fewer than 500 people across Nigeria alone.
One of his visions, he told the press at the party, is to contribute his part in banishing unemployment in Nigeria. But as a man passionate about Nigeria, his next endeavour would include joining other compatriots to take Nigeria to a greater height.
“One of the visions that I have is joining other compatriots to take Nigeria to greater heights. I so much believe in this country we call Nigeria. I so much believe in the dream of Nigeria that I plan my life and my future in this country. So, for me, Nigeria is going to work.
“So, the vision I have ahead of me is to contribute my own quota. Giving employment, increasing our businesses, to enrich the lives of our people,” he said.

Click the link below to watch the highlight video of the event.

Read more: http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/collins-balogun-40th-birthday

What does a job mean to you? For some people, it must involve rushing out of the house in the morning to go to it. For some others, work is simply anything that pays the bill.

Some jobs are undervalued but that does not remove its lucrative nature from it. Some include opportunities that hide in plain sight. Here at least four of them that we think you may have overlooked.

1. SCRAP BUSINESS:

Scraps are metal wastes that are reprocessed into other useful metals.

You probably have seen some of those young men, mostly from the northern part of Nigeria going about your neighbourhood collecting scraps.

Those boys are not wasting their time. They are probably earning more money than a regular job could be paying you.

Here is the thing, whether here in Nigeria or for export, scraps pay. In Nigeria here, recycling companies pay as much as N35-40,000 per ton on scraps. That is between 350 and 400,000 naira per 10 tons if you can afford to gather as much, every month.

And then if you decide to export them, that is, if you gather tons of it, that is huge earner of foreign exchange.

The global scrap recycling market is expected to hit 400 billion dollars by 2020. In the global market, a ton of scrap goes for about $200.

If you convert that to Nigeria’s parallel market exchange rate of N360/$1, that is about 72,000 naira. 10 tons will then give you about 720,000 naira. That is pretty much better than sitting at home and waiting for a dream job.

2. FLOWER FARMING:

Oyibo people call this one horticulture. Horticulture is described as the science and art of growing plants.

Flowers are a thing across cities in Nigeria and the business is estimated at around $105 billion globally.

From conservationists to landscaping, flower farming is big business. While the market is in the city, as a farmer, you can start small in a city suburb where you have access to land, and water comes at little to no cost.

Fresh flowers cost as much as 20 – 50,000 naira per bouquet in Nigeria and farmers can make as much as 400,000 naira per month.

3. PHOTOGRAPHY:

You may think that smartphones have destroyed photography. But the reverse is the case. The more photography seemed ubiquitous, the more there is a need for outstanding skills in photography.

In cities across Nigeria, photographers continue to be in high demand, especially for special events and ceremonies.

Some photographers have taken the profession to a whole new level but even as an amateur, you can earn as much as 50,000 naira per event. In Lagos for instance, average photographers earn as much as 100,000 naira per event.

With about 55,000 naira, you can get an optical zoom compact camera that will make you look like a pro. If you are just stepping into the city of Lagos for instance, fresh from school, this wouldn’t be a bad place to start.

4. FREELANCE WRITING:

In a digital economy defined by quantity and quality of content, freelance writing has become a sought-after lucrative job.

Freelance writers generally research stories, write them and contribute to newspapers, magazines and blogs. For so many people in the media, they could not think of a better way to kickstart their career. Some become so good at it that they earn so much money and never commit to taking a day job.

Some of the greatest works you read from major media organisations are produced by freelance writers.

As a freelancer, no one would accuse you of moonlighting, meaning you can write for several platforms at the same time.

As a freelancer, you can earn as much as 100,000 naira a month depending on how serious you are. Generally, committed freelancers earn as much as 2 million naira per annum.

You can start by being a guest contributor to popular platforms and then begin to pitch your stories to interested platforms.

Read more - http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/4-unlikely-jobs-that-can-fetch-you-millions

So, President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to depart Nigeria this Wednesday to South Africa where he will meet his counterpart, President Cyril Ramaphosa.

One clear issue that is likely to top the agenda of their meeting is xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other foreign nationals in South Africa.

Beyond that, here are 3 things we learned the president will be doing while in the Southern African country.

1. Hold a town hall meeting with Nigerians living in South Africa: According to a statement by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President would hold a town hall meeting with Nigerians living in the country during the visit.

According to him, the aim is to share in their experiences and reassure them of the Nigerian government’s commitment to working for the protection of their lives and property and promoting peaceful co-existence.

Read the rest here - http://nigeriatodaynews.com/news/3-things-buhari-is-expected-to-do-while-visiting-south-africa