₦airaland Forum

NDLEA - Cut him open to be sure.

Sew him up if nothing is found - but still make him 'sh.it' 5 more times to be extra sure.

. . . . Saw something similar a few months back when it was announced 'Apple' had more money than the US govt.

How embarassing.

I wonder why GEJ is flying around with the guy helping enrich him - doesn't Dangote hold enough monopolies?

Is he really engaged in fair competition in commerce or is he using the govt?

His empire should be broken and wealth re-distributed amongst the masses - how much money does one man need?

One dau if its not already happening, Dangote will dictatte to the govt.

Fighting talk - At last.

NLC have my backing and I hope I can be involved in the fight against these oppressors.

It takes organisation . . . . something we Nigerians do not excel in.

Very stupid people. . . .

Your leaders have been screwing you for decades embezzling all the oil wealth and leading extravangant lifesyles at your expense.

But thats not enough - they now want the oil wealth plus the sweat from your endeavours (taxation) to continue screwing you.

Nigerians - bend over and keep getting screwed - You'll have backward commentators like this op who will shout about the tax revenues Tinubu is successfully extracting whilst screwing you from behind.

The people of lagos get screwed from behind and from the front - politicians stealing money and politicians taxing you. But you will shout about somebody elses gang r.ape.

Nigeria is already bankrupt - if its creditors were to call in their debts today Nigeria wouldn't be able to repay. But of course, the population are liable for these debts and not the politicians that have stolen billions over the nears and impoverished the nation and its citizens.

Our population is supposed to double every 10-15 years so I dont doubt the figure of 200 million.

The average man/woman is having like 5 kids - 5 kids from 2 people would obviously lead to exponential growth.

In 20 years, Nigeria will be a terrible place to be - with like 500million people out of which 450 million will be jobless, desperate crooks.

We need to expand our teritory - to guarantee our survival we need to aquire camerounn and ghana;s land and resources.

Vote Sun_of_god 2015 and I will guarantee our future - Hitler style -

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I have heard that she is undergoing intensive grammar lessons before she is unleashed on the world.

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Anti-Climax

Village Politicians . . .

Half Igbo?

Satans Disciple . . .

Tinubu's 'B.itches'

bloody pathetic,

muslim jihadists

Nigeria inflation rises despite cbank rate hikes 

* Consumer inflation 10.3 pct in Sept vs 9.3 pct in Aug

* Cbank raised interest rates six times this year

* Unemployment 21.1 pct in 2010 vs 19.7 pct in 2009

By Camillus Eboh

ABUJA, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Nigeria's headline inflation rose outside the central bank's notional single-digit target in September, data showed on Friday, despite six official interest rate rises this year.

Nigeria's consumer inflation rose to 10.3 percent year-on-year in September from 9.3 percent in August, snapping three straight months of declines, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said.

Food prices , the largest contributor to the consumer index, rose 9.5 percent year-on-year in September after 8.7 percent the previous month.

"The biggest contributors to the consumer inflation were the high prices of electricity and food items ,  The rise in food prices was mainly due to the increasing costs of yam, cooking oil and fish," an NBS document said.


The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been raising interest rates for more than a year to help curb high inflation and support the naira currency, which plunged to an all-time low this week.

CBN hiked its benchmark interest rate by a much bigger-than-expected 275 basis points to 12 percent and implemented several other tightening measures at an emergency meeting on Monday.

The naira recovered from the record low of 167.8 to the U.S. dollar on Monday, after the central bank sold around $1 billion into the market in the space of a week, traders said.

But trading on the local currency remains volatile and further weakness would add to inflation pressures. The naira was trading at 164.85 against the dollar mid-session on Friday.

"The acceleration of inflation in September validates the MPC's significant tightening measures earlier this week," said Yvonne Mhango, economist at Renaissance Capital.

"We expect the significant depreciation of the naira in October to compound the existing inflationary pressures, through higher imported inflation."

Although monetary tightening measures are will help temper inflation in coming months, upward price pressures are on the horizon, including higher public spending and fuel prices.

Nigeria's government unveiled a four-year fiscal plan this month, which showed spending in the 2012 budget will increase from this year, although the fiscal deficit should decline.

It also announced the forthcoming removal of fuel subsidies, which the government said cost the country 1.2 trillion naira ($7.5 billion) this year. The proposal is being debated by the national assembly.

The NBS said unemployment rose to 21.1 percent of the total labour force last year, up from 19.7 percent in 2009. This means there are almost 13 million Nigerians unemployed. ($1 = 160.250 Nigerian Naira) (Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Ruth Pitchford, Ron Askew)

http://af.reuters.com/article/nigeriaNews/idAFL5E7LE0YW20111014?sp=true

to be associated with this rudimentary, unsohisticated form of transport despite the clear evidence and advantage associated with this trade,

Look . . . . I'm a pragmatist.

I try and look towards the positives and speak from experience.

This rudimentary and unsphisticated form of transport has its benefits.

Speaking from experience - there are many a place/destination/location that you cant get to without Okada because of our bad roads and bad infrastructure.

Also there are certain cities (e.g Lagos) that are suceptible to traffic jams and gridlock - environments where 'Okada' operate more efficiently that conventional transport.

The day when we have good roads, and sound town planning is the day Okada can go - until then they are very much desired in Nigeria.

I own veihicles, can employ drivers but still utilise their services from time to time due to the reasons cited above.

Okada drivers simply fill a gap between demand and supply - Poverty doesn't come into the equation.

However, to qualify for the scheme now, the individual must be a resident of the state, show evidence of payment of utility and tax bills as well as his/her voters’ card.

I wish I could find out if:

Say you produced a voters card that showed you voted for the opposition + you dont pay utility bills because you live without electricity + dont pay tax because you are jobless - Do you stll get treatment?

Well, 'Al Qaeda' have just taken Libya. . . .


Therefore the bill should be sent to the NTC and deducted from the siezed 'Libyan Sovereign Funds'

When 'Boko' eventually take naija, the can be billed for the UN bombing.

'Capitalism' works hand in hand with 'Terrorism'. . . .

Politricks -
.

By Bisi Lawrence

The proposition of recreating the old Western Nigeria, now split up under several administrative structures, is intriguing. Those who advocate idea are, of course, of Yoruba descent.

As it is, only Edo State, cannot claim to be Yoruba, though a section of it is ascribed a Yoruba ancestry which, howbeit, has been strongly contested in recent times. Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo and Oshun states, which were the former components of the Old West, are distinctly Yoruba. And that has a meaning beyond mere social identity as it translates into ethnic traits.

From the dawn of the people’s history, the path of their progress has been described by the conduct of internecine wars. The old prejudices have mingled with personal ambitions and sectional preferences promoted by political interests, to create even deeper divisions than those of the past. Fortunately, we can no longer engage in open warfare, though some would appear to pine for it.

Yet, there is a crying need for a coming-together among these people who were once considered the leading group in several aspects of community life in the country. Some other sections that were not so assertive of their identity, or tended to be subservient to other groupings in their outlook, have now acquired a more respectable profile. But the Yorubas still face the conquest of small-mindedness amongst one another.

The sponsorship of the near cohesiveness that was ever achieved was a function of Obafemi Awolowo’s political career. He confidently presented himself for the leadership of his people with remarkable success. The feeling of a sameness of purpose was engendered; and the sense of a common desire for excellence was shared; but then it all fell apart as the centre could no longer hold things together – to paraphrase the title of a well-known book. The “centre” migrated to another sphere where it became no more than just an arc in the realm of a circle, leaving the magnificent structure it had supported to crumble. Since that crash, that formidable structure, The Action Group, which had once sustained and symbolized the strength and resilience of the Yoruba, has been re-presented to represent what it once stood for. It first metamorphosed into the Unity Party of Nigeria, and then reappeared in ever dwindling dimensions under various other names like the Alliance for Democracy, the Action Congress, and the Action Congress of Nigeria, until the latest stump suddenly bloomed to reveal a possibility of the full re-birth of the “real thing”.

This was the moment many people had been waiting for. To usher in the occasion, suggestions had even been made to retain Awolowo’s domicile, at Ikenne, as the meeting-ground for the scattered adherents of the old party. And coming on the heels of the prospects for a beginning of unity at last, was this conference of the component parts arranged to be held at Ikenne. Unfortunately, that meeting served more to show the extent of the disarray by sharply depicting the areas of disintegration.

The shards of the broken vessel of Yoruba unity, the Action Group, were initially ranged into two main groupings, following the differences between the leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and his deputy, Chief S.L. Akintola. Today, some four decades later, permutations occasioned by changes in political fortunes and misfortunes, have turned up several shades of associations and affiliations within the fold of Yoruba leadership. The shibboleths of old subsist as well, since history and tradition will not be denied. There are camps divided by divergent political suasions, whilst the ancient disagreements still rankle, and we are confronted by a cleavage in the relationship between the governorship elements at the top of the political hierarchy of the Yoruba States, and what might have been considered their putative source, Ikenne. If a strong and progressive leadership should emerge soon to hold the flag of a viable rallying point for the Yoruba States” political powers, the recent Ikenne meeting would be nothing less than the swan song for the so-called “Awoists”.

All that makes one to wonder why they called that meeting at a time like this, anyway. What did they want to demonstrate or achieve? Definitely not Yoruba unity through a showcase of their disunity?

*not de same category

Fela Anikulapo-Kuti has been the object of adulation among so many people, and for so long, that I believe his glittering image as an innovative artiste can endure a little bit of bashing. I myself didn’t care too much for his extensive abuse of marijuana, and I say that as someone who was really there before him. Nor was I overly impressed by his express reason for “getting high”. He said it made him do well with women. I mean, how “vacant” can you really get?

But all that has nothing to do with his music. He started with the keyboard from school, but he had a passionate desire for getting to the front in the manner of his boyhood heroes, like Victor Olaiya. So he studied trumpet and voice – yes, voice – when he was in England. And right there, he began to front a combo unit, and he and his fellow-travelers called themselves, “The Koola Lobitos” ,  I never knew what it meant. I asked people who were close to him, people like Wole Bucknor, of beautiful memory, and they weren’t too enthusiastic about the subject. I meant to ask Fela, but I myself soon lost any interest in the matter. That was after I had listened to them once or twice. I remember it was Art AIade, also of an unforgettable memory, who conveyed me to the venue of the happenings on those occasions, in his three-wheeled car – the first “Marwa” I ever rode in – and it was in London, circa “61”. Well, after that couple of sessions, I simply cooled off the Lobitos. The output wasn’t exactly my speed, if you know what I mean, lacking in identity and devoid of character.

I said that was it, for Fela. But he returned to Nigeria and joined the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, NBC, before it became FRCN – the Federal Radios Corporation of Nigeria. I had just finished a stint under Steve Rhodes in the Music Department of the Home Service, and he was in the Music Section of the External Service. But he also had his band, which gathered quite a following in those days with numbers like “Black Man’s Cry”, the real first turn into the ultimate path of his career. That was from where he began to discover himself after mingling with the creative flow in Ghana. In short, it was a blending of the basis, the essence, of his musicianship, which had its roots in jazz, and the core of his native artistry – the human voice. Of course, his memorable performances only projected his versatility and brilliance as an instrumentalist to the general public, relegating – in fact, almost totally discounting – his accomplishment as a vocalist. That can better be appreciated in numbers like “Wahala”.

There is more to Fela’s music than the term, “Afro-beat”, which Orlando Julius recently proclaimed he created ,  “Afro-Beat” is really a generic term for a style of music – like Jazz, or Highlife, or Tango, or Bossa Nova. Who created the Tango, for instance? Or the Rhumba?

It was really Orlando’s comment on how he invented the Afro-Beat that brought these thoughts about Fela up in my mind. Well, maybe he did, and maybe he didn’t. He probably created Batakoto too, for all I know. But it is indisputable that the origins of Afro-Beat are more associated with the “Abami Eda” than with anybody else, and what Julius plays even today, is yet no more than a fairly passable imitation of the true Afro-Beat sound. It is hardly more than one pace away from highlife, barely at par with the ‘’Koola Lobitos” sound.

Perhaps in the mindless effort to establish a place for himself in the development of popular music in Nigeria, the “middling-to-fair” saxophonist forgot himself enough to be downright uncharitable and untruthful. Orlando Julius probably does not know much about what a “deejay” does. He is a “disc-jockey”, engaged in spinning records for other people’s entertainment. Fela never did anything like that. He was a Music Producer who supervised, and controlled the output of musical programmes on radio.

It is also absolutely false to aver that Fela’s mother drove other musicians away from Lagos to give Fela a place. It was indeed alleged that Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti once had occasion to warn Bobby Benson away from trying to intimidate her son. Bobby had a penchant for such antics in those days, as the venerable Chris Ajilo, for example, would testify today. Look, we were there, right there. And that’s all that happened, while Orlando Julius was still in search of other people’s names to bear, and bleating on his sax behind Eddie Okonta. No other musician ever had any problem with Fela or his mother. Orlando’s creativity should stay with his artistry on the sax. Fiction is for those who use the pen.

In the historic words of the late Magnus Williams, we mislead other people to believe a lie, when we “allow spurious history to pass muster”. Hence one is compelled to call out Mr. Orlando Julius in this manner. Otherwise, who would even bother to react to such wild statements? Needless to say, he and Fela are simply “not in de same category”.

Echoes: (of “The Giant”)

“A simple but Giant Step;

This is how Transformation can take

A Practical Step

Ahead of a Revolution.

Good Thinking (0702.531.18220)

Well, I consider that a fare compliment, sir, for simple me.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/10/showcase-of-disunity/

However, to qualify for the scheme now, the individual must be a resident of the state, show evidence of payment of utility and tax bills as well as his/her voters’ card.

Despite the catches - I'm impressed.

Wow - Rivers Declares Free Medicare For Residents!

By GEORGE ONAH,  Port Harcourt|

The Rivers State Government has declared free medical care for its residents, irrespective of their age, sex or state of origin.

Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Ibim Semenitari told the newsmen in Port Harcourt, that it was regrettable that many people were not aware of the free medical care, adding that government had removed the ceiling in the ages and place of origin which had earlier disqualified some people from benefitting from the scheme.

However, to qualify for the scheme now, the individual must be a resident of the state, show evidence of payment of utility and tax bills as well as his/her voters’ card.

Residents must also register officially at the nearest medical facility as a pre-condition to be attended to.

“We have discovered that people are not taking advantage of the opportunity that the government is providing. So we are reminding the citizens that government is providing free medical care for them.

’’We want to remind our citizens that the state government provides a free medical care and we want everybody to use the facilities effectively,” he said.

In another development, the state Traffic Management Authority, TIMA-RIV, has been mandated by the state government to impound tricycles plying the two local governments areas of Port Harcourt and Obio-Akpor.

Transport Commissioner Mr. George Tolofari told reporters in Port Harcourt that commercial motorcycles had been banned in Eleme, Oyigbo, Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt Council areas. Further to this, the authority said it would now arrest offending members of the armed forces and police.

’’We shall also arrest corporate bodies, multinationals and political office holders who contravene traffic rules” Tolofari said.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/10/rivers-declares-free-medicare/

- The citizens hate the woman . . . .
- The ministers hate the woman. . . . .
- The VP hates the woman. . . . . . .


What more will it take before this woman does the honourable thing and resigns?

Very pathetic reasoning. . .

The more 'Okada's' a nation has equates to increased poverty.

If anything the relationship is the opposite.

Lets take Somalia or Ethiopia as an example - How many 'Okada's' do you see them driving - yet they are one of the poorest nations in Africa.

The govt doesn't provide public transport therefore individuals provide the services the govt fails to.

Okada has been a benefit to Nigerians - The costs to start business are low and your guaranteed to see some income everyday.

Okada has reduced poverty in Nigeria and has even empowered the 'small man' who with a little capital can provide for himself, family and society.

Strong indications emerged on Friday that the appointment of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as the head of the nation’s Economic Management Team, is causing disaffection in the Presidency.

Investigations showed that the decision of the President to place a special emphasis on the finance minister as the head of the EMT has resulted in subdued division and tension in the Presidency.

SATURDAY PUNCH gathered on good authority in Abuja that Vice-President Namadi Sambo is troubled by the decision to make Okonjo-Iweala the EMT head.

Okonjo-Iweala, a two-time finance minister, was given the additional responsibility of leading the country’s EMT by Goodluck Jonathan when the President handed out portfolios to the members of his cabinet last July.

The VP was set to have complained that with Okonjo-Iweala as the leader of the economic team, he had been stripped of what should have been his responsibilities, even though he still heads the National Council of Privatisation.

A top government official who confided in our correspondent on the condition of anonymity stated that Sambo was upset that he had been rendered virtually redundant with the existing arrangement, which seems like he is under the control of a minister.

The official told SATURDAY PUNCH that the strategic position assigned to Okonjo-Iweala had caused disharmony in the government as some of the ministers are said to be uncomfortable with the arrangement.

It was learnt that some of the ministers in strategic economic positions are displeased with the implied connotation that they are required to refer to one of their colleagues before taking crucial decisions.

SATURDAY PUNCH gathered that such ministers were not happy with the arrangement as they were also supposed to be controlling aspects of the economy as ministers.

The situation, it was learnt, was aggravated by the fact that some of the ministers find it difficult to have audience with the President when they want to discuss the affairs of the ministries they superintend with him (the President).

It was learnt that some of the ministers who attempted to have audience with the President were said to have queued at the waiting room of the Chief of Staff, Chief Mike Ogiadhome, without seeing him (Jonathan).

However, SATURDAY PUNCH investigations showed that the Presidency has taken steps to address the subdued tension being caused by the powers attributed to Okonjo-Iweala.

It was gathered that the Presidency was expected to address the issue at the current retreat for members of the Federal Executive Council holding at the Aso Rock Villa. It was learnt that arrangements had been concluded to pacify Sambo by making him to take control of the federal parastatals in the country.

This, it was learnt, was to ensure a harmonious relationship between the office of the President and that of the VP.

“The VP is upset. He used to be the head of the Economic Team. (But now) the VP is wondering why he has been sidelined and being made almost idle. The man is said to be complaining bitterly and the President, who does not want any rancour in the Presidency, has approved that all the parastatals be put under him,” the official said, not wanting to be mentioned because he was not officially authorised to speak on the issue.

“I can assure that one major decision that would come out of the retreat for cabinet members is to ensure that the VP issue is settled by putting him in charge of parastatals.”

But a source close to the Presidency dismissed the alleged rancour over the post given to Okonjo-Iweala by Jonathan as untrue.

The official argued that as the minister of finance, Okonjo-Iweala was the head of the Economic Team during the Obasanjo Administration, stressing that her position did not cause a division within the Presidency then.

The official said that if arrangements were made to put the parastatals under the control of the VP, it would not be as a result of a division in the Presidency and an attempt to pacify the VP as being claimed in some quarters.

The Presidency source debunked the claim that ministers were being prevented from having audience with the President.

He said the President believed that ministers should be allowed to preside effectively over the affairs of their ministries, rather being made to seek the approval of the President on every minor issue in the respective ministries they run.

The official stated that the FEC members were however happy with the President for giving them a free hand to award contracts within the limits provided for in the constitution.

“Who is saying so? But even you know that these are stories being peddled by people who have some ulterior motives. Was Okonjo-Iweala not heading the Economic Team under Obasanjo? It wasn’t the VP that was the head of the Economic Team, so why should he be upset that Okonjo-Iweala is coordinating the Economic Team?

“Look, I think for the first time, we have a President who is saying, ‘Let the ministers play their part in the governance of this country.’ By the way, what are they going to see the President for? If he is going to attend to all the ministers the way they want it, how is he going to govern the country?

“He has told them to award contracts which are within their reach and to bring those beyond them to the Executive Council of the Federation for deliberation. So, it is not true; things cannot continue like this,” the official said.

When contacted, the Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to the Vice-President, Mallam Umar Sani, denied that Sambo expressed dissatisfaction with the role of Okonjo-Iweala as a coordinating minister.

Sani said, “The Vice-President is a loyal vice-president and he has never complained to anybody.”

According to him, the President and the Vice-President are members of the Economic Team. He explained that the finance minister drove the economy, adding that Jonathan and Sambo were working for the progress of the country.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201110158594740

These are exactly the pattern GEJ has been trying to introduce in our political system, still we prefered the du.mb.as,s military gragra system that has created monster out of many nigerians and politicians.

Now that Cameron most of us hold in higher exteem have justified GEJ approach to issues, who is now the real retaaarrdeen, odechukwu, etc?

Some how I dont think your qualified to be insulting GEJ.

Anybody who has paid money to these 'rogues' has every right to sue the lagos state govt.

They must be compensated as even the govt has acknowledged their activities were illegal.

Anybody who has paid them and has proof of payment can bring a claim against Tinubu's Fashola's govt.

. . . . to many 'gays' in british politics.

Sack every politician in Nigeria - and then resign myself.

Nigeria will be better of without politicians. . . .

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