₦airaland Forum

Choosing or changing schools is a big decision. Which one will be the best fit for your child? Here are five pitfalls to avoid as you consider your options and plan your school visits.

Mistake #1: Visiting Only Once


First impressions are important. But if you only visit a school one time, you run the risk of basing your decision on too little information. For example, if a teacher seemed unenthusiastic, it will be hard for you to tell whether she was just having an off day or if her attitude is a sign of bigger problems at the school. Visit more than once. Ask to spend time in a classroom so you can observe the teacher interacting with students. Ask several parents whose kids attend the school what they think of it.



Mistake #2: Judging by Appearances


Sure, you want to pick a school that is clean and attractive, with all the newest technology. But remember that looks aren’t everything. Some schools might not have the latest and greatest equipment. But they have engaged and well-trained teachers who can bring out the best in their students—including those with learning and attention issues. The teachers are the most important element. Watch them interact with kids, and ask parents of current students for more insights.

Mistake #3: Not Asking Enough Questions


It’s helpful to know if a school has a good reputation or gets high marks from other parents. But their children may have different needs than yours does. Use school ratings tools, online communities and other means to try to find parents whose kids have similar issues. Take your child to visit the school and make sure it’s a welcoming place. A school’s culture can make a big difference in how accepted your child will feel. Ask the school lots of questions, including how it will support your child academically, emotionally and socially.

Mistake #4: Forgetting to Factor In Location


A great school is worth a long commute. But the same may not be true for a school that seems only slightly better than the one in your neighborhood. Lengthy rides to and from school might limit the amount of time your child has for homework, afterschool activities and sports. Living far from school can also make it more challenging to arrange playdates and other social events. That’s why it’s important to factor in time and distance when choosing a school.

Mistake #5: Focusing Too Much on Academics


Yes, academics are very important. But your child’s social and emotional development is very important too. A preschool that puts a lot of emphasis on reading skills may sound great. But make sure there’s a big focus on social skills as well. Likewise, high school is a time for identifying students’ strengths and passions—not just where they will go to college. Pick a school based on the richness of the experience it provides.
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/5-mistakes-parents-make-when-picking-a-school

Soon, Instagram and WhatsApp will sport 'from Facebook' labels on app stores as well as on users' phone screens. People are calling this "a bad move".

Soon, Instagram will be 'Instagram from Facebook' and WhatsApp will be 'WhatsApp from Facebook'. In a major rebranding exercise, Facebook wants to display its ownership of the two most influential social media apps.
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/facebook-wants-to-rename-instagram-whatsapp-to-assert-more-control

Pastor Kumuyi of Deeper life Bible Church explains why he was excommunicated by the church he was attending as a young minister in the 70's.
He also explains why the church was right to have taken that decision.

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A 23-year old Nigerian-born student living in the UK, Jonathan Adebanjo has reportedly drowned in the Thames River.

Adebanjo, an art student was studying at Camberwell College of Arts, London.

He was reported missing while swimming with friends at Shadwell Basin on Tuesday.

Adebanjo is among three persons reported missing after drowning in similar manner.
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/nigerian-student-drowns-in-uks-thames-river

British-Nigerian born boxer Anthony Joshua has revealed that his uncle predicted that he would lose to Andy Ruiz Jr who he described as an “upset king” five years ago.

Andy Ruiz Jr. dethroned Joshua with a stunning seventh-round stoppage at New York’s Madison Square Garden in June.

Anthony Joshua in a documentary on his YouTube channel said: “I remember years ago my uncle wrote out a list of all the heavyweights and next to Andy Ruiz Jr he wrote ‘upset king’ believe it or not.




http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/anthony-joshua-says-his-uncle-predicted-his-defeat-to-ruiz

Popular Mexican drug kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán has been sentenced to life in prison by a US judge.

El Chapo also gets additional 30 years to this life imprisonment for unlawful use of firearms.

A New York federal court found the 62, guilty of 10 charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering.

El Chapo was notorious for breaking jail. He escaped from a Mexican jail through a tunnel in 2016.
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/el-chapo-popular-mexican-drug-lord-gets-life-in-prison

The Confederation of African Football has announced changes to the format for World Cup qualifiers on the continent.

CAF officials say for the 2022 World Cup, the qualification campaign system will have African teams contesting a final playoff round.

The qualifiers will be divided into three stages. There would be two rounds of knockout ties on either side of league competition.



First the 28 lowest ranked teams on the continent will contest a knockout round over two legs.
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/africa-changes-format-for-world-cup-qualifiers

Former military head of state, General Yakubu Gowon on Saturday went down the memory lane, revealing how he and other prominent Nigerians saved Chief Olusegun Obasanjo from impeachment by the National Assembly during his second term as president.

He named General Abdulsalami Abubakar and Chief Ernest Sonekan, both of them ex-heads of state, as some of the other eminent Nigerians involved in saving Obasanjo from getting the sack.

Gowon, speaking during a lecture ‘Nation Building or Nation Fragmentation: Reflections on 20 Years of Post-Military Rule in Nigeria’ in Abuja said it took them some effort to convince the then Senate president Pius Anyim and House of Representatives Speaker Ghali Na’Abba to drop the impeachment plot in the national interest.

Na’Abbah was at the lecture which was organized by the Major General Emmanuel Olumuyiwa Abisoye Foundation.

Gowon thanked the former House of Reps speaker for not only giving him and other prominent Nigerians the honour to intervene abut also granting their request to shelve the impeachment threat.
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/gowon-how-we-saved-obasanjo-from-impeachment

Multiple sources reported that the woman was taken away by unidentified armed men, on Monday morning.

Beauty Ogere Siasia, the 76 year-old mother of former Super Eagles striker and Coach, Samson Siasia has been kidnapped again, the second time in four years.

Multiple sources including The Nation reported that the woman was taken away by unidentified armed men, on Monday morning.
One report said she was taken away from her home in Sagbama Local Government of Bayelsa state.

When she was kidnapped in November 2015, she was released 12 days after.
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/breaking-unknown-gunmen-kidnap-samson-siasia39s-mum

While there is little difference between Christian and non-Christian marital woes, a Christ-follower has the power to recognize issues in the light of God’s Word and experience the transforming power of His Spirit.

Marital bliss is fictional, but marital happiness can be achieved if partners agreed worked to make ther marriages to work.
Marriages fail for many reasons and often from a combination of reasons.

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1. Unforgiving Spirit

Our inability to truly forgive our partners in marriage is one of the major reasons that they fail.

Learn to extend forgiveness because it’s critical to harmony. Instead of obsessing about how you’ve been wronged, treat your spouse how God treats you. “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13)


2. Financial Pressure

Don’t spend your life trying to earn more and spend more, or you will enslave yourself to a life of dissatisfaction, materialism, and endless stress. “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10)


3 Religious Differences


When couples are dating, religion isn’t always brought up or talked about.
However, once things become more serious, religion and tradition tend to become more important and, if both couples aren’t on the same page, trouble can arise. “I’ve seen a lot of younger couples where religion has become a significant issue in their marital relationship,” says Olson.



4. Secret Sins

If you hide a sinful fantasy or habit, it will grow stronger; pretending something doesn’t exist or isn’t wrong gives it greater power over your life. “You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.” (Psalm 90:


5. Troubles with In-Laws
Overbearing in-laws are something of a marital cliché, but if a partner isn’t prepared for the type of relationship their spouse wants to have with his or her parents, or the kind of relationship his or her parents want to have with them, they could be in for a rude awakening once the vows have been said.


6 Infidelity

Lust always leads to infidelity of the heart, mind, and body. No sexual experience outside of marriage is okay. God will never lead you to fall in love with someone other than your spouse. “You shall not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14)


7. Selfishness

Marriage is tough. You have to be constantly ready to give something up, even after it seems like you've already given up everything. Without accepting this definition of compromise, people move towards a break-up." —Ashwini Nadkarni, M.D., director of Digital Integrated Care in the department of psychiatry at Brigham and Women's Hospital and an instructor at Harvard Medical School

We all look out for ourselves, especially when someone challenges our desires. Begin considering your spouse’s perspective first; winning an argument only weakens your marriage. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves.” (Philippians 2:23)








8. Incompatible sex life
One overlooked reason is simply not having great sex. At the outset of a relationship, sex is always great. But as people move into longer-term relationship, they have to deal with how to keep sex exciting and how to stay on same page in terms of their sexual proclivities. Both partners must find a way to communicate their needs and wants about sex." —Holly Richmond, Ph.D., certified sex therapist and marriage and family counselor



9. Spiritual and Emotional Immaturity

Maturity takes a lifetime, so give your spouse room to grow without ridiculing or reprimanding for him/her for immaturity. Surround your marriage with godly, mature role models. “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.”(Philippians 3:14-15)

10. Greed


You were created to be satisfied only in God’s presence. Don’t feed grief because the things you want will not satisfy you. “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to one and despise the other.” (Luke 16:13)
Loving money may not be good for your love life, according to new research that finds that materialists have unhappier marriages than couples who don't care much about possessions.

http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/10-reasons-marriages-fail-including-christian-marriages

This kid is extremely skilled

Some kids show their talents and way they will likely go in future from their childhood, this kid is one of them.

Have you ever taken your time to discover the talent in your kids and map out plan on how to help them develop it?
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Nigerian-born Lesley Nneka Arimah has won the 20th edition of the Caine Prize for African Writing for her short story ‘Skinned’. She emerged from a shortlist of five writers, that also included another Nigerian, Tochukwu Emmanuel Okafor, who wrote ”All Our Lives”.

Others on the shortlist were Meron Hadero (Ethiopia) for ‘The Wall’, Cherrie Kandie (Kenya) for ‘Sew My Mouth’, Ngwah-Mbo Nana Nkweti (Cameroon) for ‘It Takes A Village Some Say’.

The Caine Prize for African Writing is a literature prize awarded to an African writer of a short story published in English. The prize was launched in 2000 to encourage and highlight the richness and diversity of African writing by bringing it to a wider audience internationally. The focus on the short story reflects the contemporary development of the African story-telling tradition.
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/nigerian-arimah-wins-10000-caine-prize-for-african-writing

Individuals that are excellent at their crafts are usually unstoppable, one of such gems is Toyin Ojih Odutola who is now the third highest-paid Nigerian artist of all time after her drawing ‘Compound Leaf’ which was sold at the Sotheby’s for £471,000 (roughly N215 million).

Toyin’s record-breaking sale has lined her up behind a fellow female artist, Njideka Akunyili-Crosby, and the legendary Ben Enwonwu, News Agency of Nigeria reports.

After moving from Nigeria to America at the age of five, Ojih Odutola became aware of her ‘blackness’ and questioned her identity.

Due to the shock of this transition, she used art as a coping mechanism, and over time, it transformed into an “investigative, learning activity” for her.
Speaking with Vogue about how art helped her escape, Ojih Odutola said, “I was obsessed. Capturing everything I saw and being fascinated with the incredibly simple task of looking at something and transmitting it onto paper. It’s immediate magic.”

Ojih Odutola creates multimedia drawings on various surfaces investigating formulaic representations and how such images can be unreliable, systemic, and socially-coded.

She has participated in exhibitions at various institutions, including The Drawing Center, New York (2018—19); Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (2017—18); Brooklyn Museum, New York (2016).
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/nigerias-toyin-odutola-sells-artwork-for-n215m

A picture they say is more than a thousand words and this image appears to have buttressed that statement well.

Despite losing both hands under undisclosed unfortunate circumstances, this didn't deter the young lady to seek formal education to a considerable level.



She recently completed her National Youth Service Corp programme and she showcased her certificate to the world.
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/female-corper-without-hands-shows-off-her-nysc-discharge-certificate-photo

Abasi Ene-Obong, the founder of 54gene,named for the 54 countries that make up the African continent, Ene-Obong has set himself no less ambitious a goal than building the first and largest biobank of African DNA for the entire continent.

Born in Calabar, Nigeria (the first capital of Nigeria and a port for the nation’s slave trade in its colonial past) to parents who were both researchers and academics, Ene-Obong is uniquely qualified for the job. He has a doctorate in cancer biology from the University of London, a master’s degree in business administration from Claremont College in California and a master’s degree in human molecular genetics from the Imperial College of London.
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/meet-ene-obong-young-nigerian-building-the-first-and-largest-biobank-of-african-dna-for-the-entire-c

Video of Ivanka Trump having an awkward chat with world leaders

The French government posted a video of White House advisor Ivanka Trump having a stilted conversation with world leaders at the 2019 G20 meeting in Osaka, Japan. Now, the video has gone viral, with some saying it exemplifies why the president's daughter shouldn't be used as a diplomat at one of the most important meetings in international politics.
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That video was posted to Twitter by BBC journalist Parham Ghobadi.

Seventy-two hours after emerging as champion at the All African games trial, Fatimo Bello showed her quality to dominate the maiden Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) National Women Singles Open Championship concluded at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

She fought her way into the final brushing aside the likes of national player, Cecilia Otu-Akpan as well as returnee Ganiat Aruna to set up a final clash against former junior champion – Tosim Oribamise.

Despite not having the chance to compete in international tournaments like her opponent in the final – Oribamise, Bello made nonsense of the experience of her opponent.



Oribamise who is considered to be Nigeria’s most travelled and experienced player in recent times, was no match to Bello who thrashed the Ekiti State-born Oribamise 4-0 (11 -7, 11-6, 11-8, 11-4) to cart home the N200,000 star prize money.



An excited Bello said she is determined to make the Nigeria team to the 2019 All Africa Games in Morocco.
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/bello-rules-nttf-national-women-singles-open-championship

Will you meet me in the morning just at the eastern gate over there?
Just stay at the eastern gate of heaven and look for your pastor, you will see me there and I will shake your hand.
I will be waiting for you there.
I will meet him in the morning at the eastern gate over there.
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Beginning in January 2020, countries within the West African sub-region will be able to use a single currency called ECO.

The currency was adopted by the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government on Saturday in Nigeria’s capital Abuja.

The West African leaders endorsed the currency at their 55th Ordinary Session and approved a road map towards the currency’s issuance in January 2020.

There was a roadmap to ensure that all member countries meet three primary criteria for the adoption of the currency.



Criteria for adoption
That includes member countries having a budget deficit of not more than 3 percent; average annual inflation of less than 10 percent with a long-term goal of not more than 5 percent by 2019.
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/ecowas-finally-adopts-eco-as-single-currency

President Donald Trump filed for reelection the day he was inaugurated and has held countless campaign rallies in the two and a half year since. On Tuesday night, he “officially” kicked off his 2020 campaign.

Vice President Mike Pence took the stage prior to the president and said, "We're here for one reason and one reason only: America needs four more years of President Donald Trump."

The crowd began chanting, "Four more years!"

"It's on everybody," Pence said. "Time for round two."
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/trump-formally-kicks-off-his-2020-re-election-campaign

A professional Kenyan footballer has had heads turning as it was revealed that he was a 27-year-old, training with the National team for the 2019 African Cup of Nations, AFCON despite his grey hair.

The footballer identified as Joash Onyango despite claiming to be 27 years old seems to look older than his teammates who are near that age.

Joash who plays as a defender for Gor Mahia and
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/see-27-year-old-kenyan-footballer-with-grey-hair-training-for-afcon-2019photos

This is a video of a lady washing plates by the roadside with "gutter water". Yes you heard right, gutter water!

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The Lagos State Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Bala Elkana, has warned Nigerians to desist from buying stolen phones.

According to him, “Under our laws, it is quite a serious offence for one to buy stolen phones. The law even regards the buyer to be more culpable than even the thief. The punishment is more for the buyer than the thief. The wisdom behind that is to discourage people from stealing because if there is no market where they would sell those stolen things, they would not steal them but because they have a ready market, they easily steal.

http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/buy-stolen-phone-spend-seven-years-in-prison---lagos-police-pro

Aliko Dangote said that on Judgement day;
God will ask for Entreprenuers from Nigeria and when we raise our hands, He will ask us to go to heaven straight because you cannot go through Hell twice.
Doing business in Nigeria is not as easy as we think

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He has been abroad sending money to his family to help him build house,but he came back after 13 years to find out his family did not even buy a piece of land nor built a house ��‍♂️��‍♂️

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Director-General, National Youth Service Corps, Shuaibu Ibrahim, has said the scheme will communicate to corps members when the payment of N30,000 new allowance would take off, TheNation has reported.



The DG stated this on Friday at a workshop/ training on Freedom of Information Act for Desk Officers of the NYSC in Abuja.
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/nysc-to-commence-payment-of-n30000-allowance-to-corps-members

Pastor Ifeanyi Adefarasin blasts women who dress scantily.

She said going up and down to flaunt yourself can not give you husband

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A teenage Christian convert has gone into hiding following death threats from her vexed Muslim father, Abubakar Seidu, who has denied threatening her life.

Eighteen-year-old Mariam Seidu says she has been in hiding since March 2019 after her father hired some youth to attack her newfound place of worship –a church.

The teenager told JoyNews, she has enjoyed a wild, care-free and immoral lifestyle.



“At first, I was a stubborn girl. I used to go out with my friends, I used to club, I used to take shisha, I used to take alcohol…but I had a friend.”

“That friend,” she said, “regularly comes around with a Christian evangelism team to preach the gospel. She would reject all their invitations.”
“Whenever I see them I used to run because I don’t want to listen to them.”

But Mariam says, she fell sick and that was when she accepted an invitation from her friend to come to church. She says it was a life-turning decision.





“When we went he prayed for me and when I came home I was feeling well.”

Regular church, regular threats



The 18-year old said her father’s threats became regular as she also became regular at church.

“My father said because of the church he will disown me. He told me if I still go to the church, he will bring cutlass to the church and come and butcher me.”



That threat was on a Wednesday. “I was scared”, Mariam said but still defied him on Friday and went to church. Her father followed up his threat that day.

He caused a scene at church, attacking the congregation, she indicated. That Friday, she did not return home and has been hiding. Mariam says she endures sleepless nights.
http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/i39m-ready-to-go-to-jail-over-my-daughter39s-conversion-to-christianity

Nigerian Innovator, Kofo Akinkugbe who is the first smartcard/SIM producer in West Africa become one of Africa’s thought leaders in the subjects of entrepreneurship and innovation in the technology sector.


Kofo Akinkugbe is recognised globally for her entrepreneurial success story and strong business track record. She is founder & CEO of SecureID Nigeria Ltd a market leader in smart card technology and digital security. SecureID is a world-class manufacturing facility with the only smart card production plant in West Africa and one of only six on the continent. This company serves 16 countries across Africa and is fully certified by VISA, Verve, and MasterCard. In 2012, Kofo won the Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship Mature Business Award.

http://tellmystory.com.ng/story/nigerias-kofo-akinkugbe-is-the-first-smartcardsim-producer-in-west-africa

The earth has a hole in Aljof area in north of Saudi Arabia, which has not been known how deep it is and it cannot be filled up.

And further more, if anything is thrown inside it gets thrown out immediately with a very high pressure like nothing else.

It's quite Unbelievable but true..

Wonder of nature!!!!

Watch the short video

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The highly revered man of God, Pastor W. F. Kumuyi, the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry was on popular program "The Fathers " of Dove TV where he was interviewed on lots of issues ranging from his life, ministry, church growth and changes in the church mandate from 1973 till date...

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