I do not often contribute on Nland these days , however I would like to recommend that those of us who are literate (all of us here I guess) should try some research . Belief in withcraft was pervasive in primitive (socially ) human communities . As humans develop socially they tend to rely less on superstition but more on their brain and reasoning abilities to solve life problems .
I have both Cross River and Akwa Ibom ancestry . This are was ravaged by the slave trade and this contributed a great deal to the development of accusations of witchcraft to deal with enemies and rivals .
A British man studied this many years ago . Read the the following link if you care to reasearch this .
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=3234300.
Mary Slessor was partly revered because she di not believ in this rubbish so even when 'warriors ' were afraid to go somewhere she was not scared to.

What I admire this man for is that he has the sort of focus one finds in all the great enterpreuners. They are mostly never driven by the desire to build big houses ,cars , private jets or women (very common drivers for wealth aquisition in our society).
By the time you hit 100million dollars , the above are entirely within your reach .
Those that go beyond this are people driven to create something big and he did

Just going by the symptoms people complain about here, it is obvious the problem is that the drink probably has a low PH .Most fizzy drinks do because of CO2, butr this may have more citric acid , preservatives etc .
It is not neccessarily bad but if you are prone to heartburn or indigestion it will upset your tummy.
Also acidic drinks (including fruit juice) are not very kind to teeth enamel

The risk of Bovine TB being transmitted to humans is very low . In the UK the govt still sells meat from Cattle slaughtered to prevent for being infected with TB

http://www.channel4.com/news/tb-cows-sold-food-defra-contaminated-meat-scandal

This 40million naira in the Govt lodge is small money unfortunately. In the unaccountable system we run Govenors carry around huge sums of money (from what vote I wonder) to dash to the teeming bunch of psychophants and to buy favour.
When Akpabio was a commisioner he used to drive around with a boot full of money ( I knew a close person to him). He was able to buy support in the grassroots by dashing out cash , this was why he could stand against the will of Governor Attah and win the PDP primaries .
Having tried this method and seen how successful it is in our poverty ridden society , do you think as governor of the richest state in terms of federal allocations he will not be carrying billions around to share?

I have not commented on this forum for a long time but I am upset by the ignorant statements of some supposedly educated people here .
Any drug or appliance that has been in use for more than 10 years has been evaluated countless times . In the UK these days you cannot become a sconsultant without doing research . For that reason only , the thousands of trainee doctors will seek out medications , procedures etc to research and come up with previously unknown evidence to prove thier academic value .
The person who stated that MMR and Autism nonsense in the UK has been struck off and cannot practise medicine anymore .
It is 2013 Nigerians need to try and pull themselves out of this primitive superstition and conspiratorial thoeries without evidence .
Yesterday I saw a documentary which showed that in the 1500s in the UK in the period known as the 'dark ages' , belief in witchcraft , black magic and so on were so wide spread in England that there were laws concerning such activites and clergymen (one Bishop confirmed it in writing then) used to consult witches for tratment and fortune telling .
They have since ditched all that rubbish because they have reasoned that it leads nowhere.
Intelligent thinking , reasoning and hardwork are what led to development in Europe and these only happened only after they shook off superstition

I Just watched Comic Relief and saw £57 million has been raised for charity. Tears almost came to my eyes when I saw the suffering lack of Vaccination was causing in Africa and this is one major focus of the Charity.They are also helping people with HIV, water supply etc . Today at my office in the UK, colleagues all hustled to raise funds from our clients to donate money for this charity.
I felt so sad when I think of the things I saw when I lived in Nigeria. I knew a few people who were very open minded about helping people they did not know but most people do not help anyone they do not know. I also seems to me the tendency to care for our extended family is gradually fading .
Our so called politicians are busy stealing for their personal comfort , civil servants stealing, we are so concerned about our expensive clothes , cars phones etc but we all completely ignore the poverty and suffering that surrounds us in our towns and villages .
It amazes me the incredible capacity we Nigerians as a people have for ignoring the suffering of others but go to church and try to bribe God who knows and sees all with 'TITHES'. A friend once explained this using the concept of the slave trade where people connived to sell their relatives and fellow tribesmen for a bottle of Gin , he said this mentality still continues .
You may wonder why I sound this way but the combination of seeing this level of Charity and what friend who just returned from Nigeria told me has set me off. His young wife has just died leaving kid under 5 years old and the family could only ask for 2 million Naira .
PS Here is another story of uncommon selfless charity
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-20815408

Those saying Calabar teaching hospital should have been doing dialysis before now do not have a clue about the cost of corruption as it affects healthcare in Nigeria. I used to work there and the callous way money was stolen by the management and officials of the federal ministry/ministers of health was unbelievable. I know the current CMD from when I worked there and he was a down to earth and sincere man , that is why this (meager to your eyes ) achievement has occurred.
If you know the amount of ghost workers/doctors salaries , inflation of contracts etc which goes to fund a lavish lifestyle for hospital /ministry of health official you would weep for the people who die in these places.
This disgusting situation was what caused m after witnessing too many avoidable deaths to live and now practice medicine in a country where peoples lives are valued no matter their status , colour or class

I never ceases to amaze me how uneducated the average 'literate ' person is in Nigeria. When I was in university I got tired of arguing with people (undergraduates) who kept saying Nigeria was a rich country because the government could afford to share 1 million naira to everybody in Nigeria and make us all rich. This is a country at that time of about 120million estimated population and a budget less than the budget for the Metropolitan police force in the UK
I am still seeing the same silly arguments here about Dangote and monopoly. Make una continue!

Longest drive was Essex to Paris, 300 miles , 6 hours , next longest - Enugu to Calabar. Found driving in Europe to be quite strange having been driving on the 'wrong side ' of the road for a few years. Also drivers in Europe are a lot less patient than British drivers

I have always admired Dangote because his business ethic is similar to successful businesmen in the civilised world, i.e. growing your business by re-investing to achieve greater goals rather than squandering the proceeds trying to become a local champion and have poeple hail you ('chairman,chief , oga and all the other titles they come up with). You may not agree with his methods but Ross Perot once said , 'no one becomes a billionaire by being an angel'. Google the rise of Abromovich in the Russian 'Aluminium wars' and you will be surprised over a hundred Aluminium workers and workers of the other Oligarchs were murdered . At least no one can accuse Aliko of ordering people killed unlike most of our politicians

How can we expect someone to run a business that requires constant internet connection in a country with epileptic power supply. Any correct businessman(419er) will think of moving to Ghana which has a better operating environmenet for the (yahoo yahoo) business

^^ LOL until u come across some one fully convinced they are Jesus or Napoleon and think you are mad for not recognising the fact,it is hard to understand how bad a delusion can be

I once saw an old woman in her underwear naked early in the morning on my street when I was in class 1 or 2. She could not find her way home and everyone said she was a witch who had been caught  out by daylight. Her poor son was called to take her home before she was lynched.
Having worked with a lot of elderly people in the past few years and seen how confused they can be while seeming to be talking sense , I have now realised a lot of the so called witches in Nigeria are people with Dementia.
You need to seat down with someone with dementia to understand how complicated the mind can be.

I hope this person trying to sell David Mark is not one of those who have benefited from his 250 million quaterly alawee . I hear say d guy d drop well!!!.
Joke aside , how old are you . Were you in NIgeria in the eighties. Our poor memory as a nation is one of the reasons Nigeria is not going anywhere. This man was part of the IBB cabal and at the time of IBB's stepping aside was one of the richest officers in in that govt.
Even before he became senate president he had looted Nigeria enough.
If you want to argue try and find out how his ex wife tried to get £6 million siezed from him by the UK govt when they were getting divorced.
Read and enjoy http://ofilis1234./2007/11/04/e-x-p-o-s-e-d-david-mark%E2%80%99s-untold-story-of-sleaze/

For those condemning this man please read his response on the link below. Innocent until proven guilty I believe they say. There may be more to this story!!

http://vibeweekly.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1003:nigerian-high-commissioners-official-response-to-allegations&catid=42:hot-gossip&Itemid=491

I am surprised to read this and no one seems to know that Tinie Tempah, the biggest new musician in the UK and winner of Two Brit awards(UK Grammys) is of Nigerian parentage. His Real name is Patrick Chuckwuemeka Okogwu

@ Busta ,
what is wrong with having friends.
Like I said before not every one can handle it,some people are scared of the opposite sex or are so narrow minded that they start thinking of relationships,sex etc.
But believe me there are lots of mature open minded guys and chicks who can be friends go out and party together with each others partners,and not think any thing of it

As a professional of more than 10 years experience working in Europe now,I will say that Ivvie is writing like some one who has read a lot but does not have a lot of practical experieince.
Midas is however breaking down his argument in a way that any well educated person can understand and that usually comes from practical experience.

I only feel sorry for people in Naija because this argument would be understood by most half educated people in the western world but to a lot of Naija graduates even the, science ones it may be hard to follow .

If you work in a place where almost every one has internet access at home and the clients come in to see you at work after going online and doing their own research ,it is hard to bamboozle any one here. You have to know your stuff.
BUt I must thank you both for debate, higher standard than I have seen on Nairaland of late

@ Opokonwa,
there is nothing strange about this story. There are people who are extroverts sociable and get along with people including the opposite sex easily. There are people I know who as far as they are single,their home is like a meeting point for friends.This is usually because the are fun to be with,i.e. good conversationists or they simply have an entertaining and comfortable apartment.
I have seen this sort of thing several times and the problem usually starts when the girls express an admiration of the guy for being a[b] "nice guy", [/b] in the Nigerian sense maybe him dey buy plenty suya, shack etc when they visit.

Soon as one of them shows a special interest, war is declared.Women can be very jealous when it comes to friends and they even have this sort of problems over female friends.In this sort of situation some will not mind using sex as a weapon to win the guy from the other friends.

@Ashala,
due to the rot in our universities,employers will value an MBA or MSc from a GOOD(note) university abroad. First, there are a lot of quack but registered colleges even in the UK.I have seen one in Lewisham that is worse than some primary schools in the town ,but it offers degrees and masters.
Also life is qute expensive here so even 1million naira(£4000) will run out fast.So you will have to work .

My fellow Nairalanders,
                               this is my first topic on topic on this forum.I decided to tell you about this because a lot of you are Nigerians like me and have seen similar situations.
     3 years ago I came to the UK and after a lot of sufferring I have now got the job of my dreams.It has really been tough but I thank God it is over now

@Easybabe and co .
   There is a typical problem in Naija caused by poverty.In places like the UK where men and women have almost equal opportunities only a handful of lazy women care about what a guy has.As far as the guy is not a lazy lout and earns enough to care for himself they don't care what you have.
  But in Naija most girls date guys for money,so if you want to sleep with a girl let her know how much you are worth ,but know that if the relationship continues she will "tax" you endlessly.
In other words be wise and don't do it

i

I think its rather ignorant to keep calling a whale a fish,it is a mammal
@Almondjoy try and watch wild life programmes ,then you won't need convincing that this picture is that of a whale

[/quote]Re: Tinubu Charged For Operating 16 Foreign Accounts.
« #39 on: April 25, 2007, 05:37 PM »   

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have been saying ,what ever process brings in Yar'adua in as president fair or not.I do not believe the man will change overnight at his age just as Obj was unable to change his stubborn ,undemocratic character.
What I see coming in the next few years for highly corrupt politicians is a very tough time indeed.Look at Abubakar Audu who thought he was free,or is it almighty Tafa Balogun.
Ibori, Odili, Attah and co have it coming,let the election wahala settle first. This is is just as they say Rome was not built in a day.
The fight to rid Nigeria of blatant corruption must start somewhere, SELECTIVE or not[quote]

I just brought up a comment I made on this forum in the past.
I do not know if many people appreciate the silent revolution going on in Nigeria.Some one said the president has done nothing in 5 months.
My dear Nigerians ,the fruit of these changes will be that people will think twice before transferring our money into their private accounts and we will gradually see the fruits in terms of good  power supply, roads etc.

We as a people must resolve not to worship money especially those who steal from our common purse and stop being fooled.
Look at the thief Ibori running around now trying to keep his stolen money.
If things continue the way they are ,even Baba and Evil genius will plea bargain (return the money or go to jail) in a few years.
We must make inintegritynd dignity part of our culture

@poster
I feel you , but being married to a pilot or dating one is not the only one that presents challenges of loneliness or an absent partner.
The key is to know who you are getting involved with and knowing what their job entails.Think of Doctors, Sailors,ocean going fishermen and probably worst ,politicians .
You will realize that something has to give .
You are already in it so you've got to find a way to cope with it or he leaves the job!
P.S no do bad thingoo!

The girl dey find paper chikena.I don hear dis kind story for this London tire.
Both girls and guys are victims of this scam especially oyibo girls