₦airaland Forum

Northern traders under the aegis of the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN) have vowed to continue the food blockade to the Southern part of the country, in spite of being at risk of losing their perishable goods.


Awwalu Aliyu, an official of the union, who spoke to The Cable, stated that the aim of the food blockade is not to starve Southerners but to protest against the killing and destruction of properties belonging to Northerners.

Aliyu who restated the group’s claim of Northerners being killed and losing properties especially during the #EndSARS protest and the recent Shasha market crisis in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, added that it will be better for them to lose food items locked up inside trucks in Jebba, Niger state than losing their lives.

When asked if members of the union were not concerned about food items locked up inside trucks in Jebba, Niger state, going bad and leading to losses, Aliyu said;

“IT WOULD BE BETTER TO LOSE THE FOOD ITEMS THAN TO LOSE LIVES.

“YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT LOSING GOODS; WHICH ONE IS BETTER, TO LOSE A LIFE OR TO LOSE PROPERTY? LOSING PROPERTY IS BETTER THAN LOSING A LIFE.

“WE PREFER AND OUR PEOPLE WILL PREFER TO LOSE THOSE FARM ITEMS OR GOODS THAN TO CONTINUE LOSING THEIR LIVES. IF YOU ARE ALIVE, YOU CAN PLANT ANOTHER THING, YOU CAN REAR ANOTHER CATTLE. BUT IF YOU’RE DEAD, YOU CAN’T DO THAT AGAIN. ONLY THE LIVING CAN GO TO THE FARM.

“WE DO NOT WANT TO DESTROY ANYBODY. WE DO NOT WANT TO KILL ANYBODY. THE NUMBER OF YORUBAS AND IBOS THAT RESIDE IN KANO AND KADUNA ALONE IS FAR MORE THAN THE NUMBER OF NORTHERNERS IN THE ENTIRE SOUTH-WEST, SOUTH-SOUTH AND SOUTH-EAST.

“ALSO, THE INVESTMENTS OF YORUBAS AND IGBOS IN KANO AND KADUNA, RUNNING INTO BILLIONS OF NAIRA IS MORE THAN THE ENTIRE INVESTMENTS OF NORTHERNERS IN THE SOUTH-WEST, SOUTH-EAST AND SOUTH-SOUTH IF YOU REMOVE DANGOTE. OUR PEOPLE ARE ONLY PETTY TRADERS, SHOE SHINERS, FINGERNAIL CUTTERS, WHEELBARROW PUSHERS, OKADA RIDERS AND SO ON.

“OUR PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH DON’T HAVE WHAT SOUTHERNERS HAVE IN THE NORTH. THEY HAVE FARMLANDS, BUILDINGS AND A LOT OF PROPERTIES THAT RUN INTO BILLIONS. WE DO NOT INTEND TO TOUCH A NEEDLE OUT OF IT. WE DO NOT INTEND TO DESTROY ANYBODY’S PROPERTY. WHAT WE WANT IS TO HAVE OUR PEOPLE PROTECTED FROM BEING KILLED.”

source: gistables.com

It's no news that the recent history made by Coronavirus has changed our way of seeing, doing and even saying things.

Words that before now many do not even know have found their way into our vocabulary.

Academic exam questions will now take a new turn. It can't be overemphasized that everything has changed.

Every aspect of our life has been affected and the chief of all is our economy and the way business is being done. I don't want to mention but many businesses have died in the last 4 months and more will follow, it's not a curse, it is reality.

Enough of COVID gist, I guess we all know the whole story

This piece is not to lament the current predicament we, as human, are facing but to point out opportunities for small businesses who have little or no marketing budget.

Here are some strategies a small business owner can leverage for free or for a small fee;

Directory Listings
Adding your business to a business directory is a free and fast way to be ahead of the competition. It will help your business to get more exposure and drive top-quality traffic to your website. People who visit directories are more likely to be interested in what your product or service. All you need to do is get a few good free business directory websites and add your business.

Google My Business
If your business is not listed yet on Google My Business. You are missing out on a freebie marketing. Do you know that map with three local results that appear when you search google? Yes, that one! It is located strategically Below google ads and above organic Google search result. This makes it a goldmine for your business. It's free, it's easy and if well optimized, it can be a winner for your business. What are you waiting for, get on that ***t!

Social Media
Do I have to mention this? But if you don't have a social media business account for your business at this time and age, you probably have brain psychosis, LOL. The usual thing is to focus on the platform(s) your audience is and strategically use quality(not salesy) content to reach and convert them. While you do that, do not forget to use other platforms too, your audience is everywhere, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and even Snapchat. Since having an account on any of these platforms is free just do it and use a third-party app that can help curate your content across all these platforms all at once.

Don't forget WhatsApp too. It is a must-have marketing tool.

Classified Ads Website
Last November, I wanted to repair my washing machine. I don't have any idea of who can help. Light bulb, classified ads website; Jiji and I was linked up. Many others like me need your products/services and they find their way to classified ads websites. Even if you won't take my word for it, It's free to list on most classified ads websites, it will cost you nothing to try. You can list on Jiji, Olist, Delon and other niche-based classified ads websites. Just search google for them

One last thing

Focus on delivering the best product or service to your customers. Give them value, they will keep coming back or even refer to friends and family. You don't want to discount on word of mouth. Don't forget that repeat customers are a goldmine for any business.

Cheers to your business success.
Check me out here: www.aalabi.com

Hello Nairalanders,

Please, to the awesome people here who have taken the IELTS test.

Can you advise me on which of the examining body, MOD/IDP or BC, to take the test with? and why?

Also, how is their application process like and payment too, which is better or easier?

I need to take this test and ace it at a sitting.

Please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

two bodies administer the IELTS test in Nigeria, IDP and BC, IDP is 68k and BC is 75k

Opinionator:
As at when? I wrote in November 2018. Paid 75K to British Council directly. No third party involvement.

IELTS is 68,000 with MOD IELTS, check them out at www.ielts.ng.

Opinionator:
I'd recommend IELTS. They have rest dates in every month so you pick a date, prepare, write the exam and get your result 14 working days after. Registration can be done online via the British Council website. Both IELTS and TOEFL cost N75K though.

God will grant you heart desire, @Dutchkid. Please do you have a format of the motivation letter?

Dutchkid:
My Transcript
I stayed in a friends house very close to the embassy. I woke up around 3:00 am rehearsed for my interview and did a little reading till when i prepared for the interview. I got to the american embassy entrance i wonder if na redemption camp abi na adoration ground i de. Jejely walk through those hustler to the german embassy (Thanks to nairaland why because at the embassy someone told me he did 4 copies of cv 4k ). I didn't note my arrival time because the party have already started without me. Mr Paulinus was busy manning his post with so much fury and dexterity. The weather was not to helpful see as i was sweating . I was in the third group of four persons and out of no where MR P bounce one guy to the back . He bounced another guy in the second group to the end of the line. When it got to my group the guy in front of me wanted to make a complain oga P bounce the guy to the back . He asked me are you ready i answered yes sir and i step out to feel the guys spot. I brought out my document as he instructed and i was busy forming Mr organizer my own bouncing came "My friend go to the back of the queue" Chinaka without giving me a chance to proof my Organization skills. I was feeling like i can even arrange his guy destiny if him give me to arrange....Fast forward to interview proper because cant explain the security checks if you know you know.
ME: Good morning
VO no talk
ME: for my mind i don great you ooooo
VO: Give me you originals
ME: I handed them to her
VO: Why did you put them in an envelop?
ME: I no gree answer for my mind no be una oga pauli
VO: What did you want to study
ME: I tell am
VO: Which school
ME: I talk
VO: Why did you want to study this course
ME: I start with my BSC thesis how i work on so so and so. Then i try using naija sense connect am to my current course that i am going for in Germany.
VO: Why Germany
ME: Germany offers good quality education....
VO: What do you know about Germany facts?
ME: You need to find bed relax because i get am to give you even with dates. I fire on!!!
VO: It is OK
ME: I no just happy all this cramming go waste..Tor!
VO: What is you under graduate thesis
ME: Me i started explain but she told me she wouldn't type this part.
VO: Have you learnt German language before.
ME: Through application.
VO: Have you leaved in Germany before
ME: no
VO: Have you traveled out of Germany before
ME: no
VO: Have you applied for any visa before.
Me: no
VO: we will contact you by mail
I wanted to give God all the glory and use this medium to say thanks to all that sincerely answered my questions. May the good Lord continue to bless us all. For the admission, interview and AM hopefuls God will grant us our heart desires. Amen

Hello nairalander, this is not a job opening post, nor is it a get rich quick thing, rather, it is a lifetime opportunity for you to have a steady income after your NYSC. I will share with you how I made 110k in TWO WEEKS using my sitting room as my office. PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME TO READ AND THANK ME LATTER.

Come October, a new set of fresh job-seekers will be unveiled on the labour market and you are one of them. There is an irony however; there is no job to go round. I finished NYSC April 2016 and most of my friends we passed-out the same time call me every week begging me to help get them a job. My sad reply still rings in my brain “No job bro, but I will be on lookout for you” I always quickly add a good news which most of them let pass with a “hmmm, I see”
THE GOOD NEWS: There are enough jobs to go round, if only you are flexible enough to look elsewhere than what you study in school and forget your grade, be it first class, 2:1, and 2:2 or even pass. Bleep your grade; you are smart enough to make a good living believe me.

MY STORY
Good for me, I started earning a decent salary while I was still serving, I got a job. A rare occasion for a 2:2 graduate of OAU in my field of study. Even the best graduating student in my department rot in a village far from civilization in the name of serving once father land, he was envious, and everybody was. Initially I felt on top of the world, but my happiness only lasted a while, not good enough.
Trust me, if you are among the few lucky once who will end up with a job immediately after NYSC, your happiness will only last for a month, after which you get tired of taking orders.
Not to bore you I will bullet point my story in two parts, 1- my 8months of employment in a corporate organization, 2- my one month of self-employment.

PART 1: 8-months of employment in a corporate organization
• I got employed December 2015 (during NYSC, a rare time and a rare opportunity) and quit July 2016
• I earn #80,000 monthly aside other fringe benefits
• I saved nothing; I spent half on transport fare
• I started to become unhappy after the first month
• I resume work 8am and close 5pm, exhausted and tired
• I think every single minute of my terrible boss and senior colleagues; I even see them in my dreams. I was going naught. I had to share it with my friends in other companies; it happened that all of us are in the same shoe. We complain bitterly, four of the five that hang-out every other weekend quit between April and July. Two of us started a business. The three other are making move to be like the two (not bragging, that’s the truth)
LESSON LEARNT:
• Your boss doesn’t care about you no matter how much he claims. He cares only about his money, and using you to get more money.
• You will work your arse off with little or no income and little to your name; maybe a room apartment in one corner of the city where you will sob every night while you go to bed alone.
• There is no job security no matter how good or hardworking you are –don’t let no body tell you lies. You have to be involved in workplace shenanigans i.e. lies, deceit, pulling someone down, and even workplace prostitution or worse.
• You live in fear. Seeing first class candidates losing their 200k jobs to desperate 2:2 candidates who will collect 50k. The boss will tell you “any fool can do your job, why pay you this much” the worst is that 2:1 students are losing their jobs to IT student who will collect 10k/month or nothing. There is a technical recession; businesses are saving money on human resources. Companies are not hiring.
• Your boss will make you fill you know nothing and he is doing you a favour by employing you
• Your life and future lies in the mood of the boss
All these above are what I experienced in 8-months and many more I will like to keep discrete.
Before I proceed to part-2, let me reiterate this; Bleep YOUR GRADES, it has nothing to do with your success. BUT YOUR ABILITY TO GET SHIT DONE HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH YOUR SUCCESS. To get the best fruit of success, YOU HAVE TO GET SHIT DONE AS YOUR OWN BOSS. I have tasted the two parts; I assure you being your own boss is the best.

PART TWO: One month of self-employment
In early part of July 2016 before I quit my job, I attended a training workshop in digital marketing. Some few weeks later I quit my job to start my own Agency. LESS than A MONTH down the line, I’ve made almost 2x my monthly salary, using my sitting room as a makeshift office. 110k in two weeks is what a lot of bankers are yarning for. Read the following bullet point of my last one month.
• I attended a Digital Marketing Training and earned a diploma
• In addition to my basic knowledge I RESEARCH, PAID AND SOURCE for more information. All this put together and EUREKA! I struck gold
• By August 15; I got my first client –paying 60k every month for the next 3 month (the duration of our initial campaign). GOLD I say, for someone who work only 6hours each day and watch movies all weekend.
• Two days later, I got another 50k paying client, my third, fourth and fifth client came in not much longer (still on the phase of negotiating).
• So far, #110k made with a projection of 180k or more by the end of the month
• With little or no planning, little capital and no standard office yet, I already start my own business which is fast gaining momentum.
LESSON LEARNT
Information is power. Only the smart get it at all cost.
What you need is on the other side of what you want.
No matter how costly, information is cheap compare to ignorance.
You too can start earning cool income without working for any boss, without stretching yourself to the limit, without the hassle of waking up early to rush to work in fear, and coming back late in the night tired and exhausted.
All you need to do is simply is get information. I will teach you digital marketing and also give you a guide on how to start earning cool cash in a short time –that is if you know what you are doing.

In the end; I am a digital marketer making a cool income; I am a CEO of myself; I am writing my success story; I want to help you write yours
I want to teach you and others to be a digital marketer like me and earn a reasonable income.

To get a one-on-one training
To get a student study pack (a self-paced, self-study material which includes all you have to know to make a cool monthly income from digital marketing and a career guide)
To drive targeted and quality traffic to you website
To also advertise and market your business to the world of over 86million internet users in Nigeria
Looking to get a healthy Return-on-Investment

Contact SAINTS MEDIA:
Whatsapp: 08063423020
BBM pin:7F05443E
Like my fb page: www.facebook.com/SMdigitalAgency

Hello nairalander, this is not a job opening post, nor is it a get rich quick thing, rather, it is a lifetime opportunity for you to have a steady income after your NYSC. I will share with you how I made 110k in TWO WEEKS using my sitting room as my office. PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME TO READ AND THANK ME LATTER.

Come October, a new set of fresh job-seekers will be unveiled on the labour market and you are one of them. There is an irony however; there is no job to go round. I finished NYSC April 2016 and most of my friends we passed-out the same time call me every week begging me to help get them a job. My sad reply still rings in my brain “No job bro, but I will be on lookout for you” I always quickly add a good news which most of them let pass with a “hmmm, I see”
THE GOOD NEWS: There are enough jobs to go round, if only you are flexible enough to look elsewhere than what you study in school and forget your grade, be it first class, 2:1, and 2:2 or even pass. Bleep your grade; you are smart enough to make a good living believe me.

MY STORY
Good for me, I started earning a decent salary while I was still serving, I got a job. A rare occasion for a 2:2 graduate of OAU in my field of study. Even the best graduating student in my department rot in a village far from civilization in the name of serving once father land, he was envious, and everybody was. Initially I felt on top of the world, but my happiness only lasted a while, not good enough.
Trust me, if you are among the few lucky once who will end up with a job immediately after NYSC, your happiness will only last for a month, after which you get tired of taking orders.
Not to bore you I will bullet point my story in two parts, 1- my 8months of employment in a corporate organization, 2- my one month of self-employment.

PART 1: 8-months of employment in a corporate organization
• I got employed December 2015 (during NYSC, a rare time and a rare opportunity) and quit July 2016
• I earn #80,000 monthly aside other fringe benefits
• I saved nothing; I spent half on transport fare
• I started to become unhappy after the first month
• I resume work 8am and close 5pm, exhausted and tired
• I think every single minute of my terrible boss and senior colleagues; I even see them in my dreams. I was going naught. I had to share it with my friends in other companies; it happened that all of us are in the same shoe. We complain bitterly, four of the five that hang-out every other weekend quit between April and July. Two of us started a business. The three other are making move to be like the two (not bragging, that’s the truth)
LESSON LEARNT:
• Your boss doesn’t care about you no matter how much he claims. He cares only about his money, and using you to get more money.
• You will work your arse off with little or no income and little to your name; maybe a room apartment in one corner of the city where you will sob every night while you go to bed alone.
• There is no job security no matter how good or hardworking you are –don’t let no body tell you lies. You have to be involved in workplace shenanigans i.e. lies, deceit, pulling someone down, and even workplace prostitution or worse.
• You live in fear. Seeing first class candidates losing their 200k jobs to desperate 2:2 candidates who will collect 50k. The boss will tell you “any fool can do your job, why pay you this much” the worst is that 2:1 students are losing their jobs to IT student who will collect 10k/month or nothing. There is a technical recession; businesses are saving money on human resources. Companies are not hiring.
• Your boss will make you fill you know nothing and he is doing you a favour by employing you
• Your life and future lies in the mood of the boss
All these above are what I experienced in 8-months and many more I will like to keep discrete.
Before I proceed to part-2, let me reiterate this; Bleep YOUR GRADES, it has nothing to do with your success. BUT YOUR ABILITY TO GET SHIT DONE HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH YOUR SUCCESS. To get the best fruit of success, YOU HAVE TO GET SHIT DONE AS YOUR OWN BOSS. I have tasted the two parts; I assure you being your own boss is the best.

PART TWO: One month of self-employment
In early part of July 2016 before I quit my job, I attended a training workshop in digital marketing. Some few weeks later I quit my job to start my own Agency. LESS than A MONTH down the line, I’ve made almost 2x my monthly salary, using my sitting room as a makeshift office. 110k in two weeks is what a lot of bankers are yarning for. Read the following bullet point of my last one month.
• I attended a Digital Marketing Training and earned a diploma
• In addition to my basic knowledge I RESEARCH, PAID AND SOURCE for more information. All this put together and EUREKA! I struck gold
• By August 15; I got my first client –paying 60k every month for the next 3 month (the duration of our initial campaign). GOLD I say, for someone who work only 6hours each day and watch movies all weekend.
• Two days later, I got another 50k paying client, my third, fourth and fifth client came in not much longer (still on the phase of negotiating).
• So far, #110k made with a projection of 180k or more by the end of the month
• With little or no planning, little capital and no standard office yet, I already start my own business which is fast gaining momentum.
LESSON LEARNT
Information is power. Only the smart get it at all cost.
What you need is on the other side of what you want.
No matter how costly, information is cheap compare to ignorance.
You too can start earning cool income without working for any boss, without stretching yourself to the limit, without the hassle of waking up early to rush to work in fear, and coming back late in the night tired and exhausted.
All you need to do is simply is get information. I will teach you digital marketing and also give you a guide on how to start earning cool cash in a short time –that is if you know what you are doing.

In the end; I am a digital marketer making a cool income; I am a CEO of myself; I am writing my success story; I want to help you write yours
I want to teach you and others to be a digital marketer like me and earn a reasonable income.

To get a one-on-one training
To get a student study pack (a self-paced, self-study material which includes all you have to know to make a cool monthly income from digital marketing and a career guide)
To drive targeted and quality traffic to you website
To also advertise and market your business to the world of over 86million internet users in Nigeria
Looking to get a healthy Return-on-Investment

Contact SAINTS MEDIA:
Whatsapp: 08063423020
BBM pin:7F05443E
Like my fb page: www.facebook.com/SMdigitalAgency

The invention of modern technologies has put small and medium business on their toes; same could be said of larger corporations. Many businesses uses digital marketing strategies to either capture new market or beef up existing marketing effort.
The internet being an irrevocable and unstoppable trend, prevent you from losing valuable customers; your online presence even helps to increase your customer base and invariably grow your business.

The following 7 ways will show you how digital marketing is an effective channel that can help grow your business;

1. Provides a Level Playground: With digital marketing, small and medium scale businesses now have the resource to perform sales and marketing processes that were previously accessible only to multi-national and large corporations. Small businesses can effectively engage with multiple customers from any part of the world even if they don’t have physical stores or branches in those locations.
2. Cost Effectiveness: Digital marketing provides small business with a low budget and effective marketing channel that delivers result. A research carried out by hubspot confirms how digital marketing gets businesses better Cost-Per-Lead (CPL) compared to traditional marketing.(see chart below)

3. Helps Generate Better Revenue: According to a study carried out by Google and IPSOS Hong Kong. Companies using digital marketing strategies get 2.8times better revenue growth expectancy. Small and medium enterprises using digital marketing techniques will have 3.3times better chances of expanding their workforce and business with far reaching markets both locally and abroad.

4. Real time Interaction with Targeted Audience: Your customers expect to receive engagement when interacting with your brand or business. How your business handles such engagements and interactions will spell the difference between your business success and failure. Real time engagement and interaction comes handy with the use of Digital marketing strategies. It provides customers with a better experience and develops good relationships with them –gaining their loyalty and trust.

5. Building brand reputation: The type of audience for your business are most likely ready to know more about your brand, products and services and may be interested enough to purchase what you have to offer. Delivering as promised will help to develop a better relationship with your targeted audience and also help in their conversion into paying customer that will go back and interact with your site some more –this will prove beneficial for your brand reputation as satisfied customers will most likely tell others about their experience with your product, brand or services.

6. Better Return-on-Investment: Digital marketing provides a better ROI on marketing investments than traditional media and marketing channels. Leveraging the low cost of digital marketing and a wide reach gives an edge to small and medium business as against the exorbitant cost of traditional marketing whose results are somewhat vague and difficult to measure. Digital marketing also provides tools to easily track and monitor targeted traffic, leads, conversion rate and sales. Return on investment can easily be measured as soon as targeted audiences provide contact information, subscribe to a newsletter or make a purchase.

7. Entices People to Take Favorable Actions: Digital marketers make use of clever and innovative ways to entice conversions using Call-to-Action. Call-to-Action specifies what your potential customers should do next –to sign up, like, download, or buy. Actions favorable to your business.

To know more about digital marketing like my page on facebook https://www.facebook.com/SMdigitalAgency

funny thread ;Dfunny thread
visit www.mockingbird.com.ng ......it is fun

Blazinraj01:
Hello. I'm living in Ife

yaay!
7F05443E add pls

Anyone from Ile-Ife here?