₦airaland Forum

Call her and ask her about the text, of course! It could be a scammer.

Am I the only one who doesn't think Ka's answer above is not much of an answer? I mean, essentially all Ka is saying is "I don't want to talk about it because you don't have a beard". Surely an intelligent kid would not be satisfied with that.

An intelligent kid will reason, "ok, if daddy doesn't want to tell me where to get the seed I will ask my friends in school ..." and the entire purpose of the exercise is defeated.

Please take a moment to read the following news report by George Oshodi:

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[center]NIGERIA: Abusers not protectors -- how Nigerians view their police force
https://www.irinnews.org/images/200451323.JPG[/center]

LAGOS, 24 May 2005 (IRIN) - The popularity of Nigeria's corrupt, poorly-paid and often brutal police force may never have been lower.

Four riots have erupted so far this month, as residents have risen up in anger at what they say are police murders of unarmed civilians. Some were said to have been killed just because they refused to pay a bribe.

Last week, near the southern oil hub of Port Harcourt, Police shot dead a youth who was one of several hundred people demonstrating about unemployment. The dead man's fellow protesters carried his body to the local police station before setting the building alight, smashing and burning patrol cars, and attacking officers with machetes.

Twenty-four hours later in the south-eastern state of Enugu, hundreds of truck drivers blocked a major highway to protest against the killing of one of their colleagues who had refused to hand over a 20 naira (15 US cents) bribe at a police roadblock.

"We see instances of police abuse and brutality in Nigeria every day," Carina Tertsakian, a Nigeria specialist for Human Rights Watch, told IRIN on Tuesday. "It's a pattern of behaviour that's left over from the military era. But we've had six years of civilian rule now."

"There has been a certain amount of cosmetic change. For example, the government has at least been making the right noises about cleaning up corruption, but we've seen no changes as far as other human rights abuses are concerned," the London-based researcher said.

"Nigeria still has a type of policing based on confrontation with the population rather than protection," she added.

Until the beginning of 2005, the official motto emblazoned on police patrol cars across Africa's most populous nation was "Operation Fire for Fire".

In January, as a new chief of police took over, it was changed to "Serving with integrity and honour." However, experts believe that a parallel shift in police mentality is still some way off.

As a recent editorial in the Nigerian daily Vanguard put it: "A poorly-paid, lowly-motivated force can turn its gun on anyone."

Reaching for the gun

The Centre for Law Enforcement Education in Nigeria (CLEEN), a local NGO, estimates that policemen at checkpoints resort to shooting in one out of 20 instances where motorists refuse to pay the bribes demanded. This in turn provokes more widespread clashes.

“When fatalities occur people often respond with anger, burning down police cars and police stations," CLEEN's executive director, Innocent Chukwuma, told IRIN. “There is brazen extortion by the police going on in different parts of the country, but especially in the provinces."

The teeming commercial capital, Lagos, is not immune to the problem. Earlier this month, a motorist was killed by a policeman during a traffic argument in the city's Maryland district. A mob quickly formed and burnt a police car in response.

It is not only bribes demanded at roadblocks that trigger protests. Sometimes perceived police incompetence is the cause of the unrest.

At the beginning of May in Yauri in the northern state of Kebbi, residents went on the rampage after police freed four men suspected of being behind a robbery. During police attempts to restore order to the remote town, officers shot and killed four people, witnesses said.

Chukwuma of CLEEN says this month's unrest forms part of a worrying pattern of clashes between Nigeria's 200,000 policemen and the citizens they are supposed to protect.

However, Tertsakian at Human Rights Watch believes that although there has been some popular resistance to brutal police practices, the protests will remain small-scale and patchy.

"There are phases where you see pockets of anger when people's backs are pushed to the wall, but overall it's very difficult for ordinary Nigerians to do anything about the police," she said. "To put it bluntly, they risk being shot dead and they know that."

Emmanuel Ighodalo, the spokesman for Nigeria's police force, acknowledged that decades of serving under repressive military regimes have not given policemen the sense of being a friend of the people.

But he said that officers implicated in wrongdoing in clashes with civilians were usually sacked, arrested and tried for appropriate offences, including murder. Police chiefs were taking the matter seriously, he said.

Servants of the people?

“We want a police that respects the fundamental rights of the people and knows that we are the servants of the people, using guns bought with the tax payer's money,” Ighodalo told IRIN.

However, the tax payers are generally far from impressed with their police force.

"Those in police uniform see the job as a money-making tool for themselves and not as a means of securing society," moaned Thomas Akinwale, a doctor in Lagos.

Corruption in the Nigerian police force seems to extend to the very top.

In January the Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun, quit under a cloud of corruption allegations. Three months later, he was brought to an Abuja court in handcuffs to face more than 90 counts of stealing public funds worth more than 13 billion naira (US $98 million).

At the other end of the spectrum, demanding bribes at roadblocks is one way for the lowest-ranking policeman in Nigeria to supplement his meagre salary of just 9,000 naira (US $68) a month, which often isn't even paid on time.

Police spokesman Ighodalo says that under the command of the new Inspector General, Sunday Ehindero, the authorities are putting considerable effort and resources into instilling the principles of “democratic policing”.

He said the new boss had adopted a strict zero-tolerance policy on corruption, but admitted that it would take time to bite.

“When we say zero-tolerance of corruption that does not mean police are no longer collecting money on the streets. We still have pockets of deviants,” he said, urging Nigerians to report those stepping out of line so they could be weeded out.

But experts and ordinary Nigerians remain sceptical about how much the police force will change, given that corruption flourishes across the West African country, despite attempts by President Olusegun Obasanjo to crack down on it.

“The police are only reflecting the abuse of office by those in the corridors of power,” said Mayowa Oluwole, a Lagos resident who describes himself as a frequent victim at police checkpoints. “They will only change when Nigeria as a whole also begins to change.”

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How do you view the Nigerian Police Force?[list][li]Do you view them as abusers?[/li][li]Do you view them as protectors?[/li][li]Do you think they are somewhere in between?[/li][li]Are they improving over time, or getting worse?[/li][/list]

Please feel free to [color=#440000]share your opinion[/color] below (the Nigerian Police official website is at www.nigeriapolice.org). Thanks.

Sunday, the May 29, 2005, is the 6th anniversary of our Democracy Day - the day President Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn in. This Democracy Day is a national public holiday.

Governor Agugu of Ondo State plans to commission "30 projects worth billions of naira" during the week as "part of activities marking Democracy Day and his second term in office" (link).

President Obasanjo plans to launch the 'Heart of Africa' Logo and present a special pictorial titled 'Nigeria, Nature’s Gift.' on the 28th of May.

Professor Charles Soludo, the Central Bank (CBN) Governor, will deliver a public lecture titled, “The Political Economy of Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria” on the 29th of May.

The Democracy Day activities organized by the Government will be rounded up a gala night on 29th of May at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

See: http://www.nigeriafirst.org/article_4050.shtml

[color=#000077]How do you plan to celebrate the Democracy Day?[/color] (too bad it falls on a Sunday).

You do not need a special keyboard to use the Naira (₦) symbol, but you need special fonts to display it on your PC. The Arial Unicode MS, Tahoma and Lucida Sans Unicode fonts, which come with Windows XP, display the naira sign properly.

You may simply cut and paste the naira symbol below into applications like MS Office or Firefox which have good unicode support:
[size=72pt][color=#007700]₦[/color][/size]

Pretty, isn't it? (This post will be updated later in the day)

New discoveries:
[list][li]The Tahoma font also displays the naira sign properly (₦) in Internet Explorer[/li]
[li]The Lucida Sans Unicode font also displays the naira sign (₦) properly in Internet Explorer.[/li][li]The Arial font does [I]not[/I] display the naira sign properly in Internet Explorer(₦)[/li][li]The TImes New Roman font also does [I]not[/I] display the naira sign properly in Internet Explorer(₦)[/li][/list]

The welcome message on Governor Orji Kalu's website reads:
[list][li]"I am running for President to give Nigerian voters a progressive choice. We can build a just, safe and stable world for our children and grandchildren, based on our Party principles. I want to invite you to support my candidacy, Orji Kalu, as your president for 2007. I pledge to you that a vote for me is a vote that will help restore Nigeria to its lost glory.[/li][li]https://www.nairaland.com/img/kalu.jpg[/li][/list]
http://www.orjikalu.com/test/index.php (the site is apparently under construction)

... as it turns out, I was merely hallucinating!

How much of that money went into the pockets of private individuals who have no interest in contributing to the economy? (I'm talking about bribery and corruption here ...)

Press Release From the Presidential Research and Communications Unit:

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Gains of telecom investment
May 24, 2005, 17:00

The Federal Government on 23 May in Abuja declared that investments in the Nigerian telecommunications industry have witnessed phenomenal growth with a 50 percent increase from four billion dollars in 2003 to eight billion dollars at the end of 2004.

Minister for Communications, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, who stated this at his ministerial media briefing, also disclosed that his Ministry generated N294.5 million within the last two years, which has been remitted into the Federal Government treasury.

He attributed such growth to the current policy of deregulation and liberalisation, which continues to attract foreign investment and accelerate private sector development.

This has subsequently led to a remarkable increase in mobile telephone and NITEL lines, which currently stand at approximately 1.1 million and 11 million respectively.

Adebayo praised all the parastatals under his Ministry for their efficiency, especially the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) which he said will continue to compel all operators to improve on the quality of their services.

He restated his desire to roll out additional 10 million telephone lines before the end of the year.

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Source: http://www.nigeriafirst.org/article_4046.shtml

Demmy, thanks for raising the topic.

I would really like to have an MP3 Player, but it's not in my budget yet. I see 240 Euros as a lot of money - how can I spend 40,000 naira for what is essentially a walkman? Perhaps it would be worth it if one can get a smartphone that can also play MP3 files.

The problem with selling our companies to extremely rich and smart businessmen like Richard Branson is that, by the time he is through with the GSM market, all the competing companies which are partly owned by Nigerians (MTEL, Globacom Limited, and even MTN) would be[b] dead and buried[/b].

Are you or someone you know trying to quit smoking? If so, the following information may help you. These 10 questions and answers are excerpted from the Tobacco Cessation Guideline pages of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

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Question: Why should I quit?

Answer: You will live longer and feel better. Quitting will lower your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or cancer. The people you live with, especially children, will be healthier. If you are pregnant, you will improve your chances of having a healthy baby. And you will have extra money to spend on things other than cigarettes.

Question: What is the first thing I need to do once I’ve decided to quit?

Answer: You should set a quit date-the day when you will break free of your tobacco addiction. Then, consider visiting your doctor or other health care provider before the quit date. She or he can help by providing practical advice and information on the medication that is best for you.

Question: What medication would work best for me?

Answer: Different people do better with different methods:

[list] [li]A non-nicotine pill.[/li]
[li]Nicotine gum.[/li]
[li]A nicotine inhaler.[/li]
[li]A nicotine nasal spray.[/li]
[li]Nicotine patch.[/li][/list]

The gum and patches are available at your local pharmacy, or you can ask your health care provider to write you a prescription for one of the other medications. The good news is that all five medications have been shown to be effective in helping smokers who are motivated to quit.

Question: How will I feel when I quit smoking? Will I gain weight?

Answer: Many smokers gain weight when they quit, but it is usually less than 10 pounds. Eat a healthy diet, stay active, and try not to let weight gain distract you from your main goal—quitting smoking. Some of the medications to help you quit may help delay weight gain.

Question: Some of my friends and family are smokers. What should I do when I’m with them?

Answer: Tell them that you are quitting, and ask them to assist you in this effort. Specifically, ask them not to smoke or leave cigarettes around you.

Question: What kinds of activities can I do when I feel the urge to smoke?

Answer: Talk with someone, go for a walk, drink water, or get busy with a task. Reduce your stress by taking a hot bath, exercising, or reading a book.

Question: How can I change my daily routine, which includes smoking a cigarette with my breakfast?

Answer: When you first try to quit, change your routine. Eat breakfast in a different place, and drink tea instead of coffee. Take a different route to work.

Question: I like to smoke when I have a drink. Do I have to give up both?

Answer: It’s best to avoid drinking alcohol for the first 3 months after quitting because drinking lowers your chances of success at quitting. It helps to drink a lot of water and other nonalcoholic drinks when you are trying to quit.

Question: I’ve tried to quit before and it didn’t work. What can I do?

Answer: Remember that most people have to try to quit at least 2 or 3 times before they are successful. Review your past attempts to quit. Think about what worked—and what didn’t—and try to use your most successful strategies again.

Question: What should I do if I need more help?

Answer: Get individual, group, or telephone counseling. The more counseling you get, the better your chances are of quitting for good. Programs are given at local hospitals and health centers. Call your local health department for information about programs in your area. Also, talk with your doctor or other health care provider.

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Source: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco/default.htm

My advice for any Nigerian who wants to quit smoking is this:
"Make sure you see your doctor. He/she will be aware of medical aids available in Nigeria that can make it easier for you to free yourself from the (expensive) smoking habit.

Mamba, I can see from your diagram that a 20Hz tone scare away dragonflies and a 50-90KHz sound scares away bats. What frequency range scares away mosquitos?

I find this idea very interesting. Does it mean that if I play the same frequency on my PC speaker my computer room will be mosquito-free? Wow!

I think Chief Gani Fawehinmi his wasting his time. But since I live in the president's town, I might be biased: I wish the library was at Obasanjo farm and not in Abeokuta ...

I was not aware that there's a lot of nudity in the Jerry Springer show. Is it not rated 16?

What if he asks you where daddy got the seed, and if he can get one too?

Well said, everybody. Hope we can practice what we're preaching when the time comes!

I agree with Allenpowered. If she cannot be open to you before marriage, she will not be open with you afterwards. The fact that you love her doesn't mean that she loves you the same; there might me someone else she loves much more.

What I'd suggest is this. Push her to give you the information. Push her really hard, and give her an ultimatum of a month or so to come clean. Remind her every day about the ultimatum and at the end of the month if she still does not tell you then go ahead with your new relationship and never listen to her again. At least your conscience would be clear that you tried your best ...

She doesn't have the right to hold you and your new girlfriend [url=http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=in%20limbo]in limbo[/url]. Just my personal opinion, though.

But the voice I heard on the other end was the voice of a man ...

Yes, but the library is a good thing and President Obasanjo is not going to be the only person reading the books. I have not been able to satisfy my appetite for books for many years, so I say "thank you" to anyone who decides to bring books into the country!

Take it from me we know men of God....

The Pharisees thought so too!

These days, you have churches setting up business centres, private universities, shops, et cetera. This is called a business conglomerate, and an example of this is the Dangote Group. Should business conglomerates not be taxed?

Diakim: You are right that tithes is a majorly in the old testament, but it also exists in parts of the new testament.

This is wrong. Neither Jesus nor the Apostles or other writers in the New Testament ever admonished people to pay tithes. But I think the modern church just wants to be in control of 10% of the country's economy! I mean, even the federal Government cannot boast of 10% of every Nigerian's income ...

I support the idea of a library. In Nigeria today it's very hard to get the latest books on Technology or Business if you don't have a hefty budget. Wite the millions that the President has been able to raise for this library, they will be able to get so many books.

And you know what? I live in the President's town, so the library is very welcome!

I believe that a sensible person will look beyond the looks when selecting a partner. As much as I like beautiful girls I will go for a level-headed person with something upstairs over a beautiful girl with character flaws. (What most men will do, I think, is that they'll go out with the beautiful girl, make sure sleep with her, but then look for a level-headed person to marry.)

Ok, what I'm saying is that inasmuch as a girl would love to go out with an attractive (tall, handsome, well-built, ...) guy, a sensible woman who understands life would 'settle for less' in the physical department when other more important qualities are there. Women, I believe, become 'sensible' when they are between 26 and 28 and their friends are getting married ...

{Ladies and gentlemen, I am tired of this mystery woman. If we are not careful our storyteller will wake up at the mental hospital one day ... }

I keep telling you ladies that a guy will do anything for a girl he hopes to sleep with in future ...

Before puberty, teach your child the basics whenever the issue comes up. You don't have to go into the 'gory' details since your child is not yet capable of performing, but if she asks you any question, make every effort to supply accurate answers.

At puberty, sit your child down and tell her everything. She's going to find out anyway, so why not be the one to tell her the truth? Her friends might tell her funny things like "if you don't lose your virginity early you won't be able to satisfy your spouse in the future ..."

Hi there,

Please vote in the above poll. You must be logged in to do so. So who is your favorite preacher?

Seun.