₦airaland Forum

“Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.”
Those are famous words from the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, often called the father of Western medicine.
He actually used to prescribe garlic to treat a variety of medical conditions.
Well… modern science has recently confirmed many of these beneficial health effects.
Here are 11 health benefits of garlic that are supported by human research studies.
1. Garlic Contains a Compound Called Allicin, Which Has Potent Medicinal Properties

Garlic is a plant in the Allium (onion) family.
It is closely related to onions, shallots and leeks.
It grows in many parts of the world and is a popular ingredient in cooking due to its strong smell and delicious taste.
However, throughout ancient history, the main use of garlic was for its health and medicinal properties (1).
Its use was well documented by all the major civilizations… including the Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans and the Chinese (2).
This is what garlic looks like:
Garlic Bulbs and Cloves
The entire “head” is called a garlic bulb, while each segment is called a clove. There are about 10-20 cloves in a single bulb, give or take.
We now know that most of the health effects are caused by one of the sulfur compounds formed when a garlic clove is chopped, crushed or chewed.
This compound is known as allicin, and is also responsible for the distinct garlic smell.
Allicin enters the body from the digestive tract and travels all over the body, where it exerts its potent biological effects (which we’ll get to in a bit).
Bottom Line: Garlic is a plant in the onion family, grown for its cooking properties and health effects. It is high in a sulfur compound called Allicin, which is believed to bring most of the health benefits.
2. Garlic Is Highly Nutritious, But Has Very Few Calories

Blonde With Onions, Garlic and Pepperoni
Calorie for calorie, garlic is incredibly nutritious.
A 1 ounce (28 grams) serving of garlic contains (3):
Manganese: 23% of the RDA.
Vitamin B6: 17% of the RDA.
Vitamin C: 15% of the RDA.
Selenium: 6% of the RDA.
Fiber: 1 gram.
Decent amounts of calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B1.
Garlic also contains trace amounts of various other nutrients. In fact, it contains a little bit of almost everything we need.
This is coming with 42 calories, with 1.8 grams of protein and 9 grams of carbs.
Bottom Line: Garlic is low in calories and very rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Manganese. It also contains trace amounts of various other nutrients.
3. Garlic Can Combat Sickness, Including the Common Cold

Garlic
Garlic supplementation is known to boost the function of the immune system.
One large 12-week study found that a daily garlic supplement reduced the number of colds by 63% compared with placebo.
The average length of cold symptoms was also reduced by 70%, from 5 days in placebo to just 1.5 days in the garlic group.
Another study found that a high dose of garlic extract (2.56 grams per day) can reduce the number of days sick with cold or flu by 61%.
If you often get colds, then adding garlic to your diet could be incredibly helpful.
Bottom Line: Garlic supplementation helps to prevent and reduce the severity of common illnesses like the flu and common cold.
4. The Active Compounds in Garlic Can Reduce Blood Pressure

Elderly Woman Choosing Between Pills and Garlic
Cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes are the world’s biggest killers.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the most important drivers of these diseases.
Human studies have found garlic supplementation to have a significant impact on reducing blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.
In one study, aged garlic extract at doses of 600-1,500 mg was just as effective as the drug Atenolol at reducing blood pressure over a 24 week period.
Supplement doses must be fairly high to have these desired effects. The amount of allicin needed is equivalent to about four cloves of garlic per day.
Bottom Line: High doses of garlic appear to improve blood pressure of those with known high blood pressure (hypertension). In some instances, supplementation can be as effective as regular medications.
5. Garlic Improves Cholesterol Levels, Which May Lower The Risk of Heart Disease

Heart and Stethoscope
Garlic can lower Total and LDL cholesterol.
For those with high cholesterol, garlic supplementation appears to reduce total and/or LDL cholesterol by about 10-15%.
Looking at LDL (the “bad”) and HDL (the “good”) cholesterol specifically, garlic appears to lower LDL but has no reliable effect on HDL.
Garlic does not appear to lower triglyceride levels, another known risk factor for heart disease.
Bottom Line: Garlic supplementation seems to reduce total and LDL cholesterol, particularly in those who have high cholesterol. HDL cholesterol and triglycerides do not seem to be affected.
6. Garlic Contains Antioxidants That May Help Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

Garlic on Blue Wooden Board
Oxidative damage from free radicals contributes to the aging process.
Garlic contains antioxidants that support the body’s protective mechanisms against oxidative damage.
High doses of garlic supplements have been shown to increase antioxidant enzymes in humans , as well as significantly reduce oxidative stress in those with high blood pressure.
The combined effects on reducing cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as the antioxidant properties, may help prevent common brain diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia .
Bottom Line: Garlic contains antioxidants that protect against cell damage and ageing. It may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
7. Garlic May Help You Live Longer

Purple Garlic
Effects on longevity are basically impossible to prove in humans.
But given the beneficial effects on important risk factors like blood pressure, it makes sense that garlic could help you live longer.
The fact that it can fight infectious disease is also an important factor, because these are common causes of death, especially in the elderly or people with dysfunctional immune systems.
Bottom Line: Garlic has known beneficial effects on common causes of chronic disease, so it makes perfect sense that it could help you live longer.
8. Athletic Performance Can be Improved With Garlic Supplementation

Dumbbells
Garlic was one of the earliest “performance enhancing” substances.
It was traditionally used in ancient cultures to reduce fatigue and enhance the work capacity of labourers.
Most notably, it was administered to Olympic athletes in ancient Greece.
Rodent studies have shown that garlic helps with exercise performance, but very few human studies have been done.
Subjects with heart disease that took garlic oil for 6 weeks had a reduction in peak heart rate of 12% and improved their exercise capacity.
However, a study on nine competitive cyclists found no performance benefits.
Other studies suggest that exercise-induced fatigue may be reduced with garlic.
Bottom Line: Garlic can improve physical performance in lab animals and people with heart disease. Benefits in healthy people are not yet conclusive.
9. Eating Garlic Can Help Detoxify Heavy Metals in the Body

Hands Holding Garlic
At high doses, the sulfur compounds in garlic have been shown to protect against organ damage from heavy metal toxicity.
A four week study in employees of a car battery plant (excessive exposure to lead) found that garlic reduced lead levels in the blood by 19%. It also reduced many clinical signs of toxicity, including headaches and blood pressure.
Three doses of garlic each day even outperformed the drug D-penicillamine in symptom reduction.
Bottom Line: Garlic was shown to significantly reduce lead toxicity and related symptoms in one study.
10. Garlic May Improve Bone Health

Garlic Bulbs
No human trials have measured the effects of garlic on bone loss.
However, rodent studies have shown that it can minimise bone loss by increasing estrogen in females.
One study in menopausal women found that a daily dose of dry garlic extract (equal to 2 grams of raw garlic) significantly decreased a marker of estrogen deficiency.
This suggests that this garlic may have beneficial effects on bone health in women.
Foods like garlic and onions have also been shown to have beneficial effects on osteoarthritis.
Bottom Line: Garlic appears to have some benefits for bone health by increasing estrogen levels in females, but more human studies are needed.
11. Garlic Is Easy to Include In Your Diet and Tastes Absolutely Delicious

Housewife Cooking
The last one is not a health benefit, but still important.
It is the fact that it is very easy (and delicious) to include garlic in your current diet.
It complements most savory dishes, particularly soups and sauces. The strong taste of garlic can also add a punch to otherwise bland recipes.
Garlic comes in several forms, from whole cloves and smooth pastes to powders and supplements like garlic extract and garlic oil.
The minimum effective dose for therapeutic effects is one clove eaten with meals, two or three times a day.
However, keep in mind that there are some downsides to garlic, such as bad breath. There are also some people who are allergic to it.
If you have a bleeding disorder or are taking blood thinning medications, then talk to your doctor before increasing your garlic consumption.
The active compound allicin only forms when garlic is crushed or cleaved when it is raw. If you cook it before crushing it, then it won’t have the same health effects.
Therefore, the best way to consume garlic is raw, or to crush and cut it and leave it out for a while before you add it to your recipes.
My favorite way to use garlic is to press a few cloves of fresh garlic with a garlic press, then mix with extra virgin olive oil and a bit of salt. This a healthy and super satisfying dressing.
12. Anything Else?

For thousands of years, garlic was believed to have medicinal properties. We now have the science to confirm it.

Source: http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/11/11-health-benefits-of-garlic.html

Finishing Brutality... Is your generation wise
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Source:http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/11/covenant-university-and-unilorin.html

This is deep... How wise is your generation
http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/11/covenant-university-and-unilorin.html

Makeup Free Photos Of Mercy Johnson, Queen Nwokoye,
Bimbo Akintola And DijaNollywood stars including Mercy
Johnson,Queen Nwokoye, Bimbo Akintola, Kanayo O. Kanayo
and more are working on a new movie.Mavin singer, Di’Ja
also featured in the movie.See more photos below.

Source: http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/11/make-up-free-photo-of-mercy-johnson.html

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Late King of Pop Michael Jackson dabs in his video Smooth criminal...

Source: http://sauta97..com/2016/06/did-michael-jackson-ever-dab-find-out.html

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, has inaugurated the Architects Disciplinary Tribunal.

A statement by the CJN’s media aide, Ahuraka Isah, said that at the inauguration, the chairman, secretary, members and assessor of the tribunal took oaths of office administered by Justice Mohammed.

The current President of the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria, Umar Aliyu, was sworn in as the Chairman of the tribunal, while the Registrar of ARCON, Umar Saulawa Murnai, was inaugurated as the secretary.


Other members of the tribunal are Gabriel Ajayi, Emmanuel Omatsome, Waheed Brimmo, Njoku Adibe, Saleh Yunusa, and Aliyu Mode.

The assessor is Nwabuike Edechime.

The tribunal was set up by virtue of Architects (Registration, etc) Act, Cap A19, LFN 2004.

The law empowers it to conduct hearings into the disciplinary matters pertaining to conducts that contravene the Rules and Code of Conduct guiding the ethics of the profession.

The CJN urged tribunal members to abide by their oath of office and oath of allegiance and be fair and just to those whose matters would be brought before them.

“Yours is like the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee that handles disciplinary cases against Lawyers alleged of involvement of infamous conduct in the legal profession.

“The body awards sanctions of various degrees on erring lawyers including Senior Advocates of Nigeria; and also sets some free if the allegations against them are unsubstantiated.

“Your tribunal is therefore vested with quasi-judicial functions that require you to give a fair hearing to parties and be just to those appearing before you.”

The tribunal chairman, Aliyu, commended the CJN for making it possible for the tribunal to be duly inaugurated and vested with the legitimacy to act.

Aliyu noted that the inauguration of the tribunal had been delayed for the past six years, until the CJN’s intervention to constitute it.

He said, “We sincerely thank the CJN for painstakingly making this inauguration, which could not be done for the past six years, a reality.

“This nation that has been suffering from incessant incidents of collapsed buildings and unscrupulous elements for a long time, owe the CJN a debt of gratitude.

Source:http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/06/cjn-inaugurates-disciplinary-tribunal.html

The Nigerian Stock Exchange has announced the expected review of the NSE 30, and the six sectoral indices of the Exchange, which are NSE Consumer Goods, NSE Banking, NSE Insurance, NSE Industrial, NSE Oil & Gas and the NSE Lotus Islamic Indices.

The composition of these indices after the review will be effective on July 1, 2016, the NSE said in a statement on Wednesday. “With the review, we will witness the entry/re-entry as well as exit of some major companies,” it explained.

For NSE 30 Index, the likely new entrants are UACN Plc, Presco Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, FCMB Group Plc and Transcorp Hotels Plc; while Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Plc, Sterling Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc and Transcorp Plc might leave the category.


For NSE Consumer Goods Index, the likely income firms are Northern Nigeria Flour Mills Plc, DN Tyre & Rubber Plc, Union Dicon Plc and Premier Breweries Plc. But Vitafoam Nigeria Plc, Tiger Branded Consumer Goods Plc, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc and NASCON Allied Industries Plc are likely going to exit the group.

For the NSE Banking Index, Skye Bank Plc and Unity Bank Plc are expected to come on board, while Wema and Fidelity Bank were penciled to leave the category.

The NSE Insurance Index is expected to take in Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc, Law Union & Rock Insurance Plc, International Energy Insurance Plc, UNIC Insurance Plc and Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc. On the other hand, Linkage Assurance Plc, Cornerstone Insurance Plc, Standard Alliance insurance Plc, Universal insurance Company Plc and Equity Assurance Plc are expected to exit the group.

Greif Nigeria Plc and DN Meyer Plc are likely to be absorbed into the NSE Industrial Index, while Avon Crowncaps & Containers Plc, Paints & Coatings Manufacturers Plc would exit.

Japaul Oil & Maritime Services Plc and Eterna Plc are to be admitted into the NSE Oil & Gas Index, while MRS Oil Nigeria Plc and Conoil Plc would exit.

For NSE Lotus Islamic Index, Total Nigeria Plc and Forte Oil Plc are to be admitted, while Lafarge Africa Plc and Chemical & Allied Products Plc would leave the group.

The Nigerian bourse began publishing the NSE 30 Index in February 2009 with index values available from January 1, 2007. On July 1, 2008, the NSE developed four sectoral indices with a base value of 1,000 points, designed to provide investable benchmarks to capture the performance of specific sectors. The sectoral indices comprise the top fifteen most capitalised and liquid companies in the insurance and consumer goods sectors, top ten most capitalised and liquid companies in the banking and industrial goods sector and the top seven most capitalised and liquid companies in the oil and gas sector.

In July 2012, the Nigerian bourse launched the NSE Lotus Islamic index which consists of companies whose business practices are in conformity with Shari’ah investment principles, with the aim of increasing the breadth of the market and creating an important benchmark for investments as the alternative ethical and noninterest investment space widened.

The companies that appear on the Islamic Index have been thoroughly screened by Lotus Capital Halal Investment, in accordance with a methodology approved by an internationally recognised Shari’ah Advisory Board comprising of renowned Islamic scholars.

The Nigeria Football Supporters’ Club on Wednesday held an interfaith prayer session in honour of the late former Super Eagles coaches Stephen Keshi and Shaibu Amodu at its headquarters in Surulere, Lagos.

Pastor Badmus Olarenwaju of Faithfulls Church of God, Idi-Iroko, Lagos, said although the two coaches lived a very short life and left when their services is most needed, their achievements would be remembered for many years.

Quoting from the Book of Ezekiel, he stated that it is not how long one lived on earth that matters but how well he lived even as he reminded people to always remember that they came to the world empty and empty will they go.

Olarenwaju said the death of the two illustrious sons of the country should make people think about their lives.


Alhaji Ridwa Hammed of Olaribigbe Central Mosque, Mushin, Lagos, explained that their death is an indication that people should be prepared at all times because death is inevitable.

The two religious leaders later in their separate prayers asked God not to allow Nigeria suffer such a loss again and also committed all members of the club in the hands of God.

President-General of the club Rafiu Ladipo explained that the club embarked on the prayer session because of their respect for the two coaches.

He said, “We are still in shock by the death of the two coaches because they were too dear to our members when they were at the national team.”

Tech experts, enthusiasts, innovators, policymakers and a vast spectrum of tech-savvy brands and individuals will from 22nd – 23rd July, 2016 be hosted at the biggest tech gathering in Nigeria, #TechPlus2016, billed to hold at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos – Nigeria. With the theme ‘A Connected World’, #TechPlus2016 will converge over 10,000 participants, 60 panelists, 100 exhibitors, 3,000 gamers and hackers, and a wide array of tech-savvy, insight-driven audience across diverse sectors. Featuring five unique segments: Conference, Exhibition, Gaming, Hackathon and Pitch event, #TechPlus2016 provides an avenue to advance technological discourse, innovation, showcase and networks in Nigeria, Africa and beyond. In its second year, Techplus is a gathering of everything technology, providing a robust tripartite tech experience through its conference, exhibition and gaming structures whilst serving as a platform for knowledge sharing, networking and market place for the consumers and businesses. Techplus has positioned itself as the premier and most authoritative tech gathering in Nigeria. The maiden edition of the event saw the display of hi-tech innovations and gaming solutions. In a statement by the Managing Director of Connect Marketing; organizers of TechPlus 2016, published on the event website, www.techplus.ng, “Techplus Conference and Expo is a place where new technology comes to life, new products are launched and innovations converge, providing manufacturers, concept generators, software and hardware companies, content developers a platform to bring their products and services to life.” The website also revealed the blend of speakers outlined for the event, parading a list of globally recognised thought leaders, organizational heads, tech advocates, success serial entrepreneurs, innovators, policy makers and trend setters. Primed as the “main platform for new innovations and products to be introduced to consumers and businesses,” TechPlus is organised by Connect Marketing Services. Techplus 2016 is billed to hold from July 21st to 23rd at the Eko Hotels Conference Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. Interested participants can pre-register at www.techplus.ng. #TechPlus2016 is sponsored by MTN and supported by Samsung, Jumia, Stanbic, IBST, Megalectrics – operators of Beat, Classic and Naija FM, Teragon, LASAA, Lenovo and Coscharis. For registration, exhibition bookings and further info, contact info@techplus.com.ng, www.techplus.ng. You can also join the conversation online via @techplusng on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and the official hashtag #TechPlus2016.
Source:http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/06/lagos-hosts-nigerias-biggest-tech-event.html#more

Popular actress, Uche Ogbodo, has not been as vibrant on the television screen as she used to be some years ago. Prior to now, the screen diva was in virtually all movies released till she got married and subsequently got pregnant.
Unfortunately, her marriage did not last up to a month before it crumbled like a pack of cards. However, before her fallout with her husband, she got pregnant. In interviews she had granted, the damsel said the marriage crashed due to frequent lies her husband fed her.
In a chat with Saturday Beats, the actress who recently celebrated her 30th birthday spoke about her personal demon. She said that marriage is not a priority for her but she would love to be in a relationship because she gets lonely sometimes.

The mother of one said that ever since she got pregnant, she had not heard from the father of her child and because of this, they do not have any form of relationship even though it seems her child misses having a father figure around.She said, “Sometimes it gets lonely because there is nobody to talk to. Not that there are no men but because of all the hurts and disappointment I have been through, it is not easy trusting again. Like I say to some of my friends, it is no longer as easy as it used to be for me to trust a man again. Dating is easy but being in a proper relationship is very difficult. Once beaten, twice shy. It is so hard for me to trust someone, to know if he is coming for good and he is not going to betray my trust and hurt me. It is hard that I don’t have a friend even though there are so many men out there. But then, to get that right person that makes you feel he is your friend; someone that would never hurt me and would be there for better and for worse and I can open my fears to, is difficult and I miss that. I am also not in a hurry to have that because I am too scared to trust a man. It is a personal demon now. Marriage is not the first thing on my mind because I am not stable emotionally but I want to be in a relationship because I want to be loved. I want to have someone pray for me, talk to me and relate with me. I would love that so much but it is so difficult finding that person and if care is not taken, you can just keep going in and out of relationships without knowing the right person.”
“I don’t have any relationship with the father of my child; we don’t talk. One would think that because we have a child we would be cool with each other but in reality, the case is otherwise. I have not seen any effort from him to reach out to me or our child. Ironically, my baby’s first word was daddy. Maybe she misses having a father figure in her life but I know she will adapt, I am strong and my baby is a strong girl,” she said.
The screen diva told Saturday Beats that motherhood is very lovely but it has been quite challenging being a single mother, especially the expenses involved in raising a child alone
“There really isn’t any challenge in motherhood; the main challenge is in being a single mother. As a single mother, you are doing the job of two people on your own ranging from the financial aspect to raising a child. The challenges would be that sometimes I am not able to do some things that I would if I were not with a child as a single girl; now I have to consider my child first. Sometimes there are some extravagances that I am supposed to indulge in but I cannot. It is just like when I had my baby, because I had to pay for my trip to the US and also foot my medical bill, I could not get the latest car that I wanted to drive then. It is one of the challenges that I faced, if I had someone to support me, like a partner, the financial burden would have been less. There is no challenge in nurturing my baby because she gives me so much joy. She sees me through the day and when I think about all the things we do together, it keeps me going. It makes me want to struggle the more because I want to give her the best in life,” she said.
Source:http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/06/uche-ogbodo-speaks-about-her-personal.html#more

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, was on Friday hosted by the indigenes of Ile-Ife, Osun State, resident in the United States.
The monarch, with his entourage, was received at the J.F. Kennedy Airport, New York, by leaders of Ife indigenes and other Nigerians in the US on Thursday.

They said the action was to honour the monarch.A New York City Senator, Kevin Parker, and the Brooklyn Borough President, Eric Adams, said the city had secured a proclamation to declare Monday, June 13, 2016 as Yoruba Day.
According to a statement, the Ooni has also been billed to visit President Barack Obama at the White House, where he will receive an award.
The statement added that a number of programmes had been scheduled to honour the traditional ruler while in the country.
As part of activities in his visit to the US, the Ooni will on Sunday, June 12, 2016, be the Special Guest of Honour at the prestigious Odunde festival.
The festival, which promotes the culture of the Yoruba race, was created in 1975 by Lois Fernandez and Ruth Arthur, and attracts about 500,000 people annually.
The event will provide an opportunity for the monarch to interact with the over 3,000 Ife indigenes in the US on how to develop Ile-Ife.
The statement said, “On the same day, the Museum of the Contemporary African Diaspora Arts will receive the monarch in a private reception as well as a public forum session.
“Expected at the event will be Brooklyn Borough President and a New York City Public Advocate, Leticia James. The monarch will then move to the Mid-West and other parts of the country to attend economic and leadership summits before being received by President Barack Obama through The White House Office of Faith-based and Neighbourhood Partnerships.”
The Chairman of the Grand Reception Planning Committee and one of the leaders of Ife Ooye North America group, Chief Olubunmi Awopileda, said, “All Ife natives in the US are excited and energised for this epochal occasion. It will be an occasion to showcase our very rich culture with our king as the symbol.”

Source:http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/06/obama-to-honour-ooni-as-nyc-declares.html

The Garden city of Port Harcourt is bubbling with life at the moment. It’s AMAA night, and all roads will lead to the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt, venue of the prestigious awards night, which is designed to celebrate the best of the best in African film sector. With movie stars and film makers from over 40 countries of the continent and beyond already looking forward to the event, you don’t expect anything less than the best tonight. If you are residing in the oil-rich city and act early enough, it’s possible for you to be on the red carpet, watching the celebrity arrivals and catching a glimpse of the razzmatazz that is associated with the event; the head turns, the glamour, the whispers and the fashion show among side attractions. The red carpet event is expected to kick off around 7 pm, as the celebrities will take turns to display their latest wardrobe acquisition. Who wins what tonight? The highpoint of the event, however, will be the presentation of awards to the deserving winners. And rising actress, Adesua Etomi, is one of the nominees to watch out for tonight. After she won the 2016 AMVCA Best Actress for her role as Muna in the movie, “Falling”, she’s up for another grab. The beautiful actress was nominated for the Best Actress award again for her role in the same movie. She was pitched against Thishiwe Ziqubu also nominated for her role in “Tell me Sweet Something”, Maureen Okpoko (Missing God), Ijeoma Grace Agu (Jimi Bendel/ Taxi Driver), Bontte Modiselle (Hear Me Move), Fulu Mugovhani (Ayanda), Maimouna N’Daiye (Eye of the Storm),Iretiola Doyle, Dakore Egbuson, Nse Ikpe Etim, Omoni Oboli (Fifty) and Nomzamo Mbatha who was nominated for her role in “Tell me Sweet Something.” Adesua who’s only two years old in Nollywood, is already making waves in the industry. But can she take the shine away from the likes of Iretiola Doyle, Dakore Egbuson, Nse Ikpe Etim and Omoni Oboli tonight? But for whatever reason, the fair-complexioned actress has proven to everyone that she’s on top of her game, and the possibility of her clinching the coveted prize tonight is not in contention. She broke record early this year when she beat the likes of Genevieve Nnaji, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Belinda Effah, Fulu Mugovhani and Mary Lazarus to clinch the AMVCA Best Actress award. All eyes will definitely be on her tonight as she makes history again. Like Adesua, pretty Linda Ejiofor is another actress to watch out for tonight. Soft-spoken and daring, Linda has carved a niche for herself as a forward-looking actress. If she wins the award for Best Actress in a supporting role, having been nominated for her role in “Out of Luck” tonight, many will not be surprised because she has worked so hard to stay on top of her game. The same goes to Ijeoma Grace Agu, who has made a name for herself after she debuted her one-woman-show, where she played eight different female characters. She was nominated for her role in “Jimi Bendel/ Taxi Driver,” which many have adjudged as excellent. But their counterparts from South Africa and others countries stronger contenders for the award. On the Best Actor category, many are tipping OC Ukeje to clinch the prize for his role in South African film, ‘Ayanda.’ He played a leading role in the film, which was premiered last year, at the LA Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Prize in the World Fiction Competition. OC Ukeje and Daniel K Daniel will be slugging it out alongside their contemporaries from other parts of Africa. The Best Actor category is one of the major awards that everyone will be looking forward to seeing the winner. Which movie will be adjudged the best in Africa? Biyi Bandele-directed “FIFTY” emerged the film from Nigeria with six nominations including Achievement in Cinematography, Best Director, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Nigerian Film and Achievement in Sound. The film, which grossed N400 million in four month cinema run in Nigeria, and explores the lives of four successful African Women in 21st century Lagos is being tipped for the Best film award. But South Africa’s “Äyanda”, starring Nigeria’s OC Ukeje, and which was screened at the just concluded the Cannes Film Market, from all indications remains a major contender for the award. Also, not to be ruled here is the possibility of such films as “The Cursed One”from Ghana and Burkina Faso’s “Eye of the Storm” clinching the prize. Meanwhile, Stephanie Linus’ award winning advocacy film, “Dry” may not be a film to beat in this category, having once been adjudged the Best Overall Movie in Africa at this year’s Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards,AMVCA, which held in March. The film was tied with “A Soldier’s Story” with four nominations each. Dry was nominated in the categories for Best Young/Promising Actor, Best Nigerian Film, Best Film and Best Director and it’s expected that “Dry”will rewrite history tonight. Other Nigerian films expected to do the country proud include, “Out of Luck”, “Falling, Oshimiri”, “Stupid Movie”, “Beyond Blood” and “Missing God.” The hosts of the show All eyes will be on Nollywood golden boy, Mike Ezuruonye who hardly has functioned as a show host before now. But tonight, he will be joining forces with Ghanaian musician, John Germain and South Africa’s On-Air Personality, Kgopedi Lilokoe to deliver a memorable show. As a radio and television personality, John Germain will bring his wealth of experience to bear on the show, just as the South Africa’s charismatic entertainer, Kgopedi Lilokoe will not disappoint her fans. Who headlines the show! Feelers from the Garden city revealed that scores of music acts have expressed their willingness to thrill guests tonight. And look out for performances from the likes of P-Square, K-cee, Harry Song, Phyno and Tecno are already on the line up of artistes who would be taking the centre stage at this year’s awards night. Recall that at the city of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, where the awards ceremony held last year, “Limpopo” crooner and South African platinum-selling singer, Miss Lira, headlined the show, which also saw popular Asanda Asa Mqiki sharing the stage with them.

Source:http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/06/amaa-2016-what-to-expect-from-show.html

Heavyweight boxing legend Muhammad Ali, an icon of the 20th Century whose fame transcended the sport during a remarkable career that spanned three decades, died Friday, his family said.

The beloved 74-year-old sports hero, who had been battling Parkinson’s disease for decades, passed away in a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, where he had been admitted earlier this week suffering from respiratory problems.
“After a 32-year battle with Parkinson’s disease, Muhammad Ali has passed away at the age of 74,” spokesman Bob Gunnell said.

Funeral arrangements for Ali would be announced on Saturday, he added.“The three-time World Heavyweight Champion boxer died this evening.”
Concern for Ali had grown throughout Friday, and tributes immediately poured in for “The Greatest,” who was known globally not only for his storied ring career but also for his humanitarian activism.
Ali had been hospitalized multiple times in recent years.
He spent time in hospital in 2014 after suffering a mild case of pneumonia and again in 2015 for a urinary tract infection.
His Parkinson’s, thought to be linked to the thousands of punches he took during a brutal career studded by bruising battles inside the ropes, had limited his public speaking.
But he continued to make appearances and offer opinions through his family members and spokespeople.
In April, he attended a Celebrity Fight Night Dinner in Phoenix that raised funds for treatment of Parkinson’s.
In December, he issued a statement rebuking US presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States.
“Muhammad Ali transformed this country and impacted the world with his spirit,” said longtime boxing promoter Bob Arum. “His legacy will be part of our history for all time.”
– ‘The greatest’ -His 30-year career, which stretched from 1960 to 1981 and saw him retire with a record of 56-5, included such historic bouts as the Rumble in the Jungle — against George Foreman in 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaire.
Other defining moments of his career included two knockouts of Sonny Liston and his thrilling rivalry with Joe Frazier — which saw the two men slug it out in the ring and verbally spar out of it.
“Ali, Frazier & Foreman, we were 1 guy. A part of me slipped away — the greatest piece” Foreman wrote on Twitter shortly after Ali’s death was announced.
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson added: “God came for his champion. So long great one. @MuhammadAli #TheGreatest #RIP.”
Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr in Louisville, Kentucky, dazzled fans with slick moves in the ring, and with his wit and engaging persona outside it.
His refusal to serve in the Vietnam War saw him banned from the sport for years, but the US Supreme Court overturned his conviction for draft dodging in 1971.
He took the name of Muhammad Ali after converting to Islam in 1964, soon after he had stunned the sport by claiming the title with a monumental upset of Sonny Liston.
He was vilified in some quarters for that conversion and his outspoken stance on Vietnam and civil rights issues, but he held firm to his beliefs and eventually earned accolades as an activist.
He was chosen to light the Olympic torch in 1996 in Atlanta and was named a UN messenger of peace in 1998.
He received the highest US civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 2005.
AFP

Source:http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/06/breaking-boxing-legend-muhammad-ali.html

This seems not to be the best time for the organisers of Miss Nollywood and some of the queens the pageant has produced.

Shortly after the organisation dethroned a queen, Adaeze Grace, the successor, Blessing Ogar, also tendered her resignation.

Blessing, in a chat with Saturday Beats, said she resigned because her prize money of N1m wasn’t given to her.



“I resigned some days back from the Miss Nollywood Beauty Pageant because I was tired of the whole drama and I had a reputation to keep. It took me this long to resign because most times, you do not just take drastic decisions in a hurry; you have to think deeply about what you want to do and take your time. You should not just resign like that till you are sure of what you want at the particular time.

“The main reason I resigned was because I was not given my N1m prize money. The only thing that was given to me by the organisers of the pageant was my tiara. After the pageant in December, I have not really had the time to communicate with the organisers because I was busy with my final year exams. I haven’t had the time to see them. I took the decision to resign because I saw that there was no need asking for the money because I did not see it coming. I felt instead of just sitting down doing nothing, no pet project or anything, I should just resign. When we discussed about the pet project, the organisers said I should do what I could and that meant I had to use my own money. Before I took the decision, I discussed with my family and friends; so it is no news to them because they gave me their support,” the ex-beauty queen said.

The dethroned queen had claimed she and other contestants were sexually harassed by the organisers of the pageant.

But Blessing told Saturday Beats that the dethroned queen lied against the organisers as none of the contestants was sexually harassed.

“The accusation Grace Adaeze made about the organisers trying to sleep with contestants of the pageant was not true. It is not also true that the organisers extorted money from her. I did not face any form of sexual harassment as claimed by the dethroned queen,” she said.

Meanwhile, when Saturday Beats contacted Mr. Barakumo Odede, he gave reasons why Blessing had not received her prize money.

“We deal with a constitution as a law abiding organisation, so we don’t just do things anyhow. Our constitution says that every Nollywood queen is entitled to N1m as a budget to kick-start her pet project after signing the constitution of Miss Nollywood. The N1m shall be raised and provided through fundraisers, luncheons, and sponsors from government and private companies. We gave the queens the constitution to study for two days because we knew the problem they usually cause. Probably because of what they saw in the constitution, we have been begging them to return the constitution and sign it so that they can take charge of their various offices and begin their charity works, so we can work together. If you do not sign the constitution, you are only being crowned but you are not permitted to go to places. Up until this minute, we have been waiting for them to come and sign. I don’t know if Blessing has signed the constitution but I am waiting for them to bring it back so that they can operate. She has no right to use the crown for any purpose until the constitution has been signed by her. Everything we do, we follow procedure. Most of them have not returned the signed constitution and that was one of the reasons we dethroned Adaeze. Blessing has not also returned her signed constitution,” he said.

Source:http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/06/i-resigned-as-queen-because-i-was-not.html

read more @ http://sauta97..com

A businessman identified as Fortune, who was kidnapped alongside his childhood friend, Jane, on May 11, 2016, said they were tortured for giving their captors expired ATM card.

Fortune, who was rescued alongside with Jane by operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps in Rivers State, said they were kidnapped after his stolen car was recovered by the police.



He explained that he had called Jane to escort him to Kalla Police Station, adding that they were accosted by the hoodlums on their way to retrieve the car from Kalla Police Station.

Disclosing that their captors took them to a forest somewhere in Igwuruta in Obio/Akpor LGA, Fortune said they inflicted injuries on his head and body when they discovered that the machine at the bag could not release money for them.

He said, “At the long run, we discovered that we were somewhere around Igwuruta, very deep inside the forest. Our kidnapper stabbed us, beat us and even took my expired ATM card. I have wounds all over my head.

“We stayed eight days in the kidnappers den. They continued to give us the beating of our lives when they discovered that the ATM card they used did not dispense money for them at the bank. It was clear that the ATM had expired, but they did not understand that.”

Fortune said he suspected that their captors were planning to use them for money rituals, recalling that they (the kidnappers) took them to a place in the bush where a huge fire was prepared.

He said, “At a point, while we were taken round the bush blindfolded, they took us to a particular place where I sensed a huge fire and their communication indicated that we were at a place where human parts were used for money rituals.

“It was in the night and I felt that someone came close and they later moved us inside the forest. I believed what saved us from the ritual aspect was that Jane was in her monthly period. That was when we were made to trek about two hours before they allowed us to rest.”

On how they got to a point where operatives of the NSDCD rescued them on Saturday night, Fortune said the argument on the sharing formula for the N500, 000 ransom paid to the kidnappers by his younger brother gave them (the victims) a moment of respite as the hoodlums began to move them out from the thick forest.

“We got a moment of respite when sharing the ransom sent to them by brother became a problem as they quarreled over it to our hearing.

“The other members became angry and they came out with us to somewhere close to the road. At the end, we heard a voice in the bush and they (our kidnappers disappeared).

“I raised my hands up. As at the time the Civil Defence men came in, it was around 11pm and we were rescued and brought here (state Command of the NSCDC).

In her remark, Jane, who had wounds on her head, said they hit her with a hard object on her head twice, even as she expressed gratitude to God for saving her live.

“I thank God for saving my life. That is the most important thing,” a visibly tired Jane told Southern City News.

Speaking on the rescue of the victims, the Rivers State Commander of the NSCDC, Mrs. Helen Amakiri, said investigation had begun with a view to arresting those behind the victims’ kidnap.

“We have commenced investigation and we have directed that the Investigation Department of the NSCDC should take over the matter. From there, we will continue till we get the culprits,” she said.

Investors in the country’s capital market are likely going to exhibit negative sentiments following the drop in Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product in the first quarter of 2016 and fears over the possible outcome of the Monetary Policy Committee meeting, analysts have said.

The National Bureau of Statistics had, on Friday, released the 2016 first quarter real GDP report, which showed a 0.36 per cent year-on-year contraction in output.



The result came on the back of a 0.81 per cent slowdown in the non-oil sector (previous: +5.59 per cent) following declines in manufacturing, financial institutions and real estate activities.

The upcoming MPC meeting, scheduled to hold on Monday and Tuesday in Abuja, is coming ahead of the downbeat economic data and the recent news flows of the spiraling April inflation rate of 13.7 per cent (versus 9.6 per cent in January 2016), and the 67.63 per cent increase in fuel prices to N145.

In the GDP report, the oil and gas sector recorded a 1.89 per cent slowdown but showed an improvement when compared to the corresponding period in 2015 (-8.15 per cent).

To this end, analysts at Vetiva Capital Management Limited said, “The overall growth – the lowest in 12 years – comes as no surprise as we note the myriad of challenges facing the Nigerian economy since the start of the oil price decline. We expect the output decline to deepen in Q2 as these challenges have been amplified over the quarter. We forecast 2016 GDP to decline by 1.65 per cent.

“We expect the positive momentum recorded this week to ease significantly in the coming sessions as investors react to the recently published Q1 2016 GDP figure which showed a contraction in economic activities.

“Whilst we anticipate a cautious trading pattern in the fixed income market as participants await the MPC decision, we foresee a bearish bias as the negative GDP figure weighs on market sentiment.”

The Nigerian equity market continued to move higher last week, officially entering a bull market on Thursday (effectively returning to 20 per cent since its last trough on January 19) as investors maintained interest across key sectors. Overall, the NSE All-Share Index climbed 260 basis points week-on-week putting year-to-date return at -5.28 per cent.

At the fixed income segment, the Treasury bills market was largely bearish last week as investors continued to react to the higher-than-expected April inflation figure and also speculated a possible rate hike in the next MPC meeting, although modest demand resurfaced on towards week close.

Notwithstanding, yields rose by 71bps on average across all maturities. Similarly the bond market traded mostly in the negative territory with modest demand surfacing towards week close. Overall, yields advanced by 24bps week-on-week on the average across maturities.

Analysts at Meristem Securities Limited, in its weekly report, said the positive momentum observed last week might be related to renewed bargain hunting activities by investors following the signing of the 2016 appropriation bill, and the anticipation of a subsequent increase in government spending.

Consequently, the volume of transactions for the week increased by 33.95 per cent, while value traded declined slightly by 9.14 per cent from the previous week.

Market breadth for the week, however, indicated relatively stronger sell sentiments, as it showed 43 losers against 35 gainers.

“The MPC is convening at a time when macroeconomic pressures are mounting, amid persistent badgering from the international community regarding the country’s exchange rate policy.

“It is quite apparent that there are several risks on the horizon — pressured naira (nine per cent decline in one week after months of stability at N320/dollar) unanchored inflation expectations, slowing growth, rising unemployment, slow credit growth — which pose monetary policy dilemmas,” the Meristem analysts stressed.

They added, “In this light, we expect the MPC to make the following decisions: Increase the MPR given the replay of the factors that warranted the latest rate hike and statements by the CBN governor regarding the possibility of same. Although the MPC expressed concerns that the ‘policy rate had become negative in real terms’, we believe the focus was actually on the yield environment on domestic instruments.

Barring last minute change in plans, the Federal Government plans a 65 per cent reduction in the allowances for refreshment and meals of top officials of government, an investigation has shown.

The move is part of strategies aimed at reducing the recurrent expenditure as well as curb wastages in the management of government resources.

It was learnt on Friday that the proposal for the reduction in meal allowances had been prepared by the Efficiency Unit in the Ministry of Finance and forwarded to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for ratification.



The Efficiency Unit was set up by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, last year to reduce the recurrent expenditure, which has an outlay of N2.65tn in the 2016 budget.

The unit, headed by Mrs. Patience Oniha, was set up to engender transparency and reduce government’s large expenditure through efficiency in procurement in the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government.

According to sources familiar with the workings of the unit, a reduction of about N8,500 per meal is being considered by the unit from the current N13,000 to about N4,500.

It was gathered that apart from the reduction in meal allowances, other recurrent expenditure items such as honorarium and sitting allowance as well as advertising and publicity would be drastically reduced.

A source who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “You will recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had, as part of measures to cut cost of governance, approved that the Minister of Finance should set up an efficiency unit.

“That unit has in the last few months been working hard to cut the recurrent expenditure. One of the recent recommendations made by the unit is on the need to reduce allowances for meal and refreshment.

“Before now, about N13,000 per meal was being spent on each top official of government whenever they have official meetings and others engagements. But now, there are plans to reduce this to about N4,500 by the template being developed for that purpose.”

While the details of the percentage of reduction in honorarium and sitting allowances as well as advertising and publicity could not be ascertained, it was learnt that the template for the reduction in meal and refreshment allowances was already being worked on by the unit.

It was gathered that once the proposal by the unit was approved, a new directive as well as the template for its implementation would be issued to all the MDAs.

The directive is expected to be captured in a circular to be released by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The unit was concerned that meal and refreshment allowances had featured consistently in the budget of the MDAs.

For instance, it was learnt that in the 2016 budget, the Federal Government approved the sum of N104.74m for refreshments and meals for the Presidency.

Similarly, the sum of N14.45m was allocated for the same purpose in the Ministry of Agriculture, while the ministries of Petroleum, Defence, Transportation and Niger Delta, among others, have the sums of N18.3m, N14.92m, N15.41m and N11.03m allocated to them, respectively.

Attempts to get comments from the head of the unit proved abortive as series of calls made to her telephone number were not answered.

Commenting on the need to reduce recurrent expenditure, the Lead Director, Centre for Social Justice, Mr. Eze Onyekpere, said rather than reduce such expenses, it should be discouraged as it appeared wasteful.

He said, “We still have a lot of votes for welfare packages after the salary, remuneration and perks of office of workers had been voted. This is an expenditure head unknown to our law.

“Many agencies still got outrageous sums for refreshment and catering services as if they are running a restaurant chain. It made no sense as it is wasteful.”

The unit had in a statement issued last month barred all top officials of government from flying first class while embarking on officials trips.

It said all top officials of government such as ministers, permanent secretaries, chairmen of Federal Government committees, as well as chairmen and chief executive officers of parastatals and agencies should henceforth travel on business class.

In the past, some government officials who should have been on business class usually travelled on first class, while many others travelled business class instead of economy class.

Former militant leaders, under the aegis of Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative, have urged the Niger Delta Avengers to embrace peace and stop their unnecessary destruction of pipelines and national assets.

The LPCDI, the umbrella body of most of the first phase ‘Generals’ in the Presidential Amnesty Programme, made the call after rising from an emergency All Niger Delta Security Stakeholders Meeting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.

The ex-militants in a statement signed by the National President, LPCDI, Reuben Wilson, aka ‘General Pastor’, and made available to our correspondent on Saturday, told the Avengers that the use of violence to agitate for the betterment of the region was no more necessary and had been overtaken by events.

Wilson, therefore, asked the NDA to rather channel their grievances to President Muhammadu Buhari through the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (retd.) for more effective result.

He warned them that their current violent campaign was not in the best and collective interest of the Niger Delta but would rather impoverish the people of the region, attract unnecessary hardship and worsen their plight.

Wilson appealed to the Niger Delta people to give President Buhari the opportunity to fulfill his promise to the region by maintaining peace, saying there could not be any meaningful development in an environment ravaged by violence.

He added, “The Niger Delta struggle has advanced beyond the use of violence. We had in the past used violence to attract the entire world to the plight of the region.

“We, therefore, need to utilise other peaceful and civil means to build on the sympathy of the world towards the Niger Delta for more effective results rather than resorting to violence.

“That the current resurgence of militancy is an unnecessary distraction to the current administration.

Read More @ http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/05/stop-destroying-pipelines-ex-militants.html

Confam music chemistry... but dating chemistry hmmm...

As the Federal Government prepares to make N500bn available for poverty alleviation, Nigerians have been urged not to fall prey to groups which claim to be acting on behalf of the Government only to dupe vulnerable citizens in the process.

The warning came just as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission arrested one Umanah Umanah for allegedly duping several job seekers.



The ICPC said in a statement by the Commissioner, Public Enlightenment, Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, that the suspect and members of his syndicate floated a loan scheme tagged, “President Mohammadu Buhari Poverty Alleviation Programme.”

The commission said the fraudulent scheme offered an unspecified number of unemployed Nigerians loans to the tune of N1m on the condition that they pay between N5, 000 and N7, 000 for processing fees and a form.

The statement read in part, “We arrested the ringleader of a fraudulent group that has been swindling unsuspecting Nigerians of their money through a fraudulent loan scheme tagged ‘President Mohammadu Buhari Poverty Alleviation Programme’.

“The scheme under the auspices of Magic Project Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society offered to beneficiaries interest-free and collateral-free loans up to the tune of N1m repayable over a period of 10 years. The beneficiaries had the option of repaying weekly N2, 100 or monthly N8, 400.

“However, to secure this loan, the applicant had to pay for an application form and a processing fee of N7, 000 and N5, 000 respectively.

“Further investigations by ICPC revealed that in spite of the fairly large number of applications over the period of time the group had been operating, not one applicant had received the loan.”

Investigations by the anti-graft agency also indicated that the scheme under the parent name ‘No Burn Global Limited’ was neither registered with any financial institution, the Central Bank of Nigeria nor the Abuja Municipal Area Council and therefore did not have appropriate authorisation to carry out investment or financial services.

“It became obvious that Umanah and his group’s hoodwinking of unsuspecting clients into paying the said sums for the purpose of the supposed loan was the actual target of the whole fraud scheme,” the statement added.

The suspect whose action violates and is punishable under Section 25 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 will be charged to court accordingly.

The ICPC warned members of the public to be wary of dubious individuals and groups.

It urged people to always conduct checks with relevant authorities before committing their resources into business deals that promise fantastic returns.

Source: http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/05/man-impersonates-buhari-dupes-job.html

Mr. Vinay Mahtani is the Group Managing Director, Churchgate Group. In this interview with Eric Dumo, he identifies some of the factors affecting the property market in Nigeria and how government can attract investors

Your company is bringing the World Trade Centre to Nigeria, don’t you think this is a very huge project to embark upon considering the type of environment where basic infrastructure like electricity and roads are still big issues?

In 2010, when I attended a conference that was held at the facilities of the WTC in Amsterdam, I became fascinated by the idea of mixed-use real estate; everything was located on one site, including the event itself, my hotel, several restaurants and shops, and even some high-end corporate offices. I never had to leave the premises even once. In today’s world, business travellers demand convenience, wherever they go. Nothing like this existed in Nigeria, let alone West Africa. So it was time that Nigeria was given its first World Trade Centre.



We went through the usual design phases, appointed architects and other professionals, consulted with different World Trade Centres from around the world, and we combined all of this to create a project that we believe is workable for Abuja today and in the future.

The World Trade Centre Abuja, developed by Churchgate Group, was envisioned with the intention of establishing an elevated lifestyle for Nigerians; we are building a city within a city where people can live, work and play in a composite location.

Looking at the prevailing economic situation in the country, do you think this project is viable at this time?

Yes, the project is viable and we are on course to complete the Phase One (Commercial and Residential Towers) of the WTC Abuja this year. The prevailing economic situation in the country hasn’t deterred our commitment in ensuring we deliver this project successfully.

This is not to say that we haven’t been affected in one way or the other by the downturn in the Nigerian economy, especially with the depreciating currency caused by a fall in oil prices. The change in government and the current political and economic landscape has had its effect on everyone, including businesses across diverse sectors. The real estate sector is by no means an exception.

Having said that, we carry on with our vision to develop a world-class city centre and we continue to make progress every day, despite all hurdles.

How will the emergence of the WTC Abuja impact businesses and the Nigerian economy in general? What does the country stand to gain from this initiative?

Developing a project like this has several positive socio-economic implications. For instance, we have already created employment for thousands of people during the construction of Phase One and this will continue throughout all subsequent phases of the project.

Going forward, once the development is operational, thousands of additional jobs will be created. However, employment is not the only benefit; bringing the WTC to Abuja will also be an economy driver in itself, bringing together corporations and individuals and providing a platform on which they can conduct business globally.

As you are aware, World Trade Center is a body that promotes trade and investment both locally and abroad. One of the missions of WTC Abuja is to improve trade relations between Nigeria and the rest of the world.

Why have you chosen to site this project in Abuja and not Lagos which is the commercial capital of Nigeria?

Though Lagos is the commercial capital of the nation, Abuja remains the capital city of the biggest economy in Africa. Abuja is also said to be the fastest growing city in the entirety of Africa and is fast becoming a hub for international trade and a home for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Having the WTC in Abuja will help the nation’s capital attain the status of a modern capital city in the 21st century with well-developed infrastructure, housing and amenities that can be compared to other landmark cities of the world.

Most projects like this have been purely targeted at the rich and not the ordinary people who need accommodation and a place to do business, is the WTC Abuja going to address this?

The WTC Abuja is a premium project, and offers tremendous benefit in the form of quality, location, brand, and affiliation. Of course, this comes at a price, but our investors see the immense value that is derived from being a part of this project. There is space for everyone who sees value in what we are offering.

The property market in Nigeria is in itself quite huge, what major difference are you bringing to the real estate, hospitality and business market with the WTC Abuja?

At the moment, West Africa does not have a purpose-built World Trade Centre. Having spent time and interacted with other World Trade Centres around the world, I have personally seen the benefits that these developments bring to their respective cities.

A World Trade Centre in a particular city opens up trade in that city to the world. The World Trade Centre Association is made up of 330 WTCs around the globe and each of these has a member network of diverse businesses that are looking to do business abroad.

So by building a WTC in Abuja brings the world closer to us. Aside from this, the WTC Abuja will be its own ecosystem within which people can ‘live, work and play.’

In terms of standard, can the WTC Abuja compete favourably with others around the world?

The WTC Abuja has been developed with the same quality expected from the WTC brand. It is important to state here that the licence to build a WTC would not be granted to a developer or a country if certain requirements were not met. The WTC Abuja will compete favourably with other WTCs around the world.

Taking into cognisance the experience of September 11, 2001 in the United States, don’t you think the WTC Abuja could be a target for terrorists’ organisations like Boko Haram?

Terrorism is a global concern and the evil acts are carried out continuously all over the world. However, I would like to point out that the World Trade Centre is by no means a special target; there are 330 WTCs around the globe and not one has been targeted since 9/11.

Having said that, we are also taking precautionary measures by incorporating a robust security system in our development that includes features such as CCTV, vehicular surveillance, access control, and intruder detection systems.

What are some of the major challenges you have faced in trying to actualise this huge project?

As expected with every big project, we have had our own fair share of challenges during planning and construction of Phase One of the World Trade Centre Abuja.

For example, during the course of construction, certain areas of the project have had to be redesigned as we repositioned ourselves in order to meet the ever-changing consumer and market needs. We have also faced logistical issues such as congestion in the ports, which has meant our building materials arrived at site behind schedule.

However, I do not feel this is out of the ordinary. When you embark on a project such as our WTC Abuja, you have to be ready to face challenges such as these and overcome them. For us, we have built a strong team around ourselves that we are able to take on the challenges that present themselves; we remain certain that the product we will deliver will meet the expectations of our esteemed customers.

Operating in an environment where a lot of things change at little or no notice, what specific government policies would you say have affected your activities in Nigeria?
Read more @ http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/05/strong-policies-key-to-attracting.html

Falz

Comedian cum singer, Falz, got more fans than foes when he came into the entertainment industry with his unique funny accent. In a recent chat with Saturday Beats, he revealed what made him to have such funny accent.

“Ever since I was in secondary school, I have had this fake accent. I started with making fun of people and my siblings but as soon as I got into the university, I began to focus on my music and I decided to apply the brand in my music. After university, the brand began to grow bigger so I decided to branch out and I began to do short and funny videos. Now it puts food on my table,” he said.



A lawyer and son of activist, Femi Falana, Falz said that he had practised his law profession and even represented some clients in court before delving into music.

“I actively practised for about two years after I was called to the bar in 2012. I was always going to court. It was not easy keeping my alter ego in check but I had to. I had to restrain myself from not being funny. Those that surrounded me at the time knew as well that I was trying my best to be ‘sane’ because it would have been catastrophic if I had allowed my alter ego to take over. I had to control everything from within.

Falz doesn’t see himself taking over his father’s popular chambers.

“I cannot take over my father’s law chambers because it is a law firm and not a family business. There are so many lawyers there that are capable of continuing the legacy; so it is not something that I necessarily have to do,” he said.

Source:http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/05/how-i-got-my-funny-accent-falz.html

Imagine walking into your local supermarket to discover the aisles blocked with abandoned trolleys and the checkouts hidden behind piles of dumped shopping baskets. It never happens. Customers would find somewhere else to shop and the store manager would soon be out of job. The worst scenario is that the store could shut down.



But most people will be surprised to learn that in online stores, half of all shopping baskets are being abandoned before checkout. This is a staggering statistics and Nigerian ecommerce businesses are potentially leaving billions of pounds a year on the table by not improving the shopping experience for customers.

This can partly be explained by the fact that bricks-and-mortar shops have had hundreds of years worth of experience on which to base decisions about how they set up their stores, how to encourage people to move through the shop and how best to display products. E-commerce, however, is a relatively recent phenomenon; particularly in Nigeria. Online stores have often been seen as a separate arm of a high street chain’s business, rather than its single biggest store, and as such the website might have been somewhat neglected in terms of the constant analysis and improvement it craves.

Despite the tough climate on the high streets on the country today, it is the businesses that have adapted to this online revolution that are winning. Those that reacted fastest to rapidly changing consumer behaviour have invested in their websites. They test and tune their pages and make regular changes to their sites based on scientific data.

Any business can use online applications to understand which parts of its site work, and which need fixing. Imagine if a typical high street store could change its shop front to one of a number of designs for every person that walked past the shop, and measure which shop front design worked best. Or that the same store could understand how every single customer moved around the shop floor in real-time to discover exactly which parts of the shop people liked and those they didn’t. It’s hard to understand just how powerful this information and testing would be in the offline world – but it’s available online every day.

Leading UK footwear provider, Schuh, for example, managed to more than double its conversion rate – the amount of people that actually made a purchase – across its website by running multiple tests across different parts of the site. Tests included making small changes to the image sizes on their shoe category pages – showing larger images and less overall products per page increased conversion by six per cent.

But these tools to help businesses are by no means exclusive to the big players. Small and medium-sized businesses can also use free tools like Google Analytics to understand what customers are doing on their websites, and applications like Website Optimiser to fix pages or discover blockages in the buying process. Businesses can carry out A/B or multivariate tests on their web pages – i.e. showing different versions of a page to different customers to discover which versions of a page worked best for them.

As the economic activities continue to rise across the country, the most successful ecommerce sites will rise to the top by winning new customers online. The winners will not be those that have the prettiest design, or the flashiest images or videos, but those that understand what their customers really want by looking at cold, hard numbers. Nigeria is already one of Africa’s leaders in e-commerce, but the position could be consolidated if every business realised the true power of the data at their fingertips.

source: http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/05/in-e-commerce-it-is-all-about-data.html

Just as they predicted two weeks ago that the Federal Government would raise the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, which eventually happened, oil marketers have stated that the country may be heading for a total deregulation of its downstream oil sector.

About two weeks ago, Sunday PUNCH exclusively reported that the Federal Government might increase petrol price based on the statements and calculations of oil marketers at the time.

A few days after the report, the Federal Government announced an increase in the pump price of petrol from between N86 and N86.5 per litre to between N135 and N145 per litre, ushering in a price regime that was described by marketers as a partial deregulation of the downstream oil sector.

Explaining that the current petrol price regime was a sign that the sector might be fully deregulated in the near future, the Executive Secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Obafemi Olawore, said, “What we have now is a step towards deregulation. Deregulation is actually the end point; we are in the process and we will get there.”

Olawore, who spoke as a guest during a television programme monitored by our correspondent in Abuja, stated that the gains of a fully deregulated oil sector could not be over-emphasised.

On the difference between what currently obtains in the industry and what will happen when it becomes totally deregulated, he said, “When we get to deregulation, you will have the refining process included. As it is now, we are looking at only the petrol import side. Deregulation will have to start from the point of refining.”

The MOMAN secretary stated that Nigeria’s oil industry was deregulated in the past, noting that during the period, dealers were made to buy crude, take it to the refineries and pay refining fees.

He explained, “Once that happens, you take your refined products and then you look at your own cost, not the other person’s cost, and you fix a price. That was why you could get a price in Lagos that was different from the one in Ibadan, and that of Ibadan was different from Port Harcourt.”

http://sauta97..com.ng/2016/05/full-deregulationll-soon-happen-oil.html

In this article I’ll show you exactly how to get laid on the first date from how to greet her to how to take off her pants: every step is covered in meticulous detail. These tactics have been refined to a science over the last decade and a half and I promise you guys, this shit is for real.

This is an excerpt from my new book which I’ve expanded on here because I wanted this information out there for free. The first date is a crucial aspect of your sex life and I want you guys to have all the tools you need. Also, the tactics outlined here like staying in rapport and the question/vibe loop are applicable at all times.

As far as screening a girl for being DTF prior to the date I will do this online because I can easily a lot of prospects and can afford to burn leads. I use a shirtless profile and aggressive sexual screening and will invite girls directly to my apartment so I’ll only end up on a first date with girls who are already DTF but aren’t comfortable enough to meet at my place.

If I’ve met the girl from day game I won’t do heavy sexual screening before the date because of the time invested to meet them, meeting girls on foot is much less efficient than online. Also the girls I meet during the day are usually hotter than the ones online so they’re more valuable to me.

It’s up to you if you want to screen a girl before the date, your odds of getting a first date lay will go up but your odds of getting her to meet up will go down. I would say if you have high sexual market value and a ton of prospects it’s a good idea to sexually screen before the date, if you have fewer options you should probably ease up on the screening and aim to convert the girl on the date but it’s a judgement call on your part.

So, to get started you need to get your mind right and assume the close but at the same time don’t be too attached to it because that neediness will show through. Since you’re assuming you’re going to have sex that day, the first thing you need to do is your sex preparation.

Sex Prep

If there’s a good chance you’re going to be having sex with a new girl there are a couple of things you should do before you meet up with her. You want to make sure you’ve eaten a balanced meal at least three hours before the date, anything closer will Bleep up your stamina. You should also avoid caffeine because it stimulates your nervous system,

Read more @ http://sauta97..com

Not quite long after introducing an improved data bundle from 1GB to 1.5GB when you recharge and subscribe N1000, GLO Nigeria is on it again by introducing another new data offer coupled with an improved product packages for its valued customers.

Globacom has launched a new product called TALK SPECIAL. This new product is made basically for students, business men and women, it can also be used for educational purposes and for official and social interaction.

The repackaged products comprised the followings:

Campus Booster to Campus Booster Plus Voice

Twin Bash and GLO N2500 Data plan has been reloaded to give 5GB Data Bundle per month instead of the normal N4.5GB Data Bundle. This means extra data for browsing, chatting and live streaming.

Globacom also added more value in their Talk Special

From now onward, a N100 subscription will give you N400 talk-time to call all networks and 75MB Data which also includes 25MB free data that can be transferred to family, friends and loved ones.

To enjoy these offers view how to migrate on http://sauta97..com

The Beginning
March 12th, 1994 [Friday] The day I first saw her in front of Principal's Office and it feels like it was just yesterday. My friends and I been the Senior Prefect and the Assistant are keeping the late comers at bay to pick up the litters. I stand behind the block of J.S.S. 3A looking at the wonderful woman, she is cute, cool, charming, captivating and cinderelling classic in her late 20s. Who is she? I tapped the Senior Prefect in amazed mood. The new English Language teacher he replied. I smiled as if have just won a lottery.

The Romanticism
On that same day, I could not think or reason in any dimension other than the stunning angel have sighted. Sometimes I smiles for no reason, other times I put on imaginary actions and unexplainable circumstances. On the same day I got home, its a total different day my parent, brother and sister had noticed the sudden change of mood; all house chores were thoroughly done without being lazy like before. On Monday morning, she step into our class like a morning sunshine greeted us and ask each one of us to introduce ourselves by our name. At my turn, I smiled consecutively to pronounce my name, she was wondering why the smiled but later on pay no attention little did she know its more than just a smile.

Suspicion
The Suspicious activities started four months after, whenever she saw me or our eyes gazed I always put on the lovely smile. She make an enquiry from the Class-Captain about

Read more @ http://sauta97..com

True Life Story! My Romantic Story with my Teacher on: 22 Aug 15, 11:14 AM (8 months ago) by
50scent (23959 | Addicted Hero)
Online (m)


The Beginning
March 12th, 1994 [Friday] The day I first saw her in front of Principal's Office and it feels like it was just yesterday. My friends and I been the Senior Prefect and the Assistant are keeping the late comers at bay to pick up the litters. I stand behind the block of J.S.S. 3A looking at the wonderful woman, she is cute, cool, charming, captivating and cinderelling classic in her late 20s. Who is she? I tapped the Senior Prefect in amazed mood. The new English Language teacher he replied. I smiled as if have just won a lottery.

The Romanticism
On that same day, I could not think or reason in any dimension other than the stunning angel have sighted. Sometimes I smiles for no reason, other times I put on imaginary actions and unexplainable circumstances. On the same day I got home, its a total different day my parent, brother and sister had noticed the sudden change of mood; all house chores were thoroughly done without being lazy like before. On Monday morning, she step into our class like a morning sunshine greeted us and ask each one of us to introduce ourselves by our name. At my turn, I smiled consecutively to pronounce my name, she was wondering why the smiled but later on pay no attention little did she know its more than just a smile.

Suspicion
The Suspicious activities started four months after, whenever she saw me or our eyes gazed I always put on the lovely smile. She make an enquiry from the Class-Captain about

Read more @ http://sauta97..com