₦airaland Forum

Rainbow lines welcomed me to my iPad this morning. It is depressing. Who knows what to do?

Nice to know. Welcome. Have you tried plaiting your hair, sneha123

@PTBNaija: But no plaits? Never?

P Square? Is that a professor of mathematics?
Don't mind me, I know P Square, though I listen more to Classic FM.
But, thanks, Jenifa, for the idea:,getting celebrities to do the do. I wonder if they even sell the cotton thread any longer. But did you check the myweku.com to see the gorgeous styles there?
Perhaps, it is time to ask Softsheen Carson to do something. If their answer is positive, then I will invite you, Jenifa

@ Jenifa: Is that what it would amount to? I am old school, grew up in the 60s and it was definitely lovely seeing women with different kinds of styles of plaited hair. My company also did some work for Softsheen Carson and they always liked to promote rootsy things like that

I am actually trying to see whether it would be a futile attempt to promote a back-to-our-roots campaign. Would like you to check www.myweku.com and search for Ojeikere and see if you are not impressed by the hair styles there.

Why not?
There are fantastic styles you can rock.
You would spare your hair of chemicals.
if you have a celebrity like one of your favourite Movie stars with a funky hairstyle, would you be persuaded?

That's a good pointer. Very good pointer indeed.

if you can't join them, beat it

I grew up with ladies plaiting their hair with the "Ceiling Fan" brand of hair cotton thread. Now it's either the chemicalised hair-do's or weave-on. Am wondering: are there still ladies who plai their hair and even whether there are hair-plaiters in he market? Or is it that the thread is no longer available? Can hair-plaiting come back to vogue? Considering that their are no chemicals involved

Gov, take heart

Dear Amaka:
If you don't mind, please email me at taiwo.obe@taijowonukabe.com
I need to share some food-y thoughts with you.
Thanks.

A new special purpose publication is being prepared for release first week of December.
It is aimed at all those who will stay in Lagos during the Yuletide. To make them enjoy Lagos without hassles during the celebrations.
Where to go? To eat, relax and all that.
If you are able to ask relevant questions and put that together in simple, lucid English prose, then please you are able to do this work. We would prefer Youth Corps members serving in Surulere, Lagos.
Please call/text 07041315535 or 08023130829. And, you will be reached promptly.
We have little time on our hands.

GTay: Do you still have my email address?
Do you still have me on your Skype.
Can't trace your email address again, because my laptop crashed.
But I still have you on Skype. My Skype ID is araisokun.
Need to chat with you at your convenience.
Be good.

This show, that's what next.
Now, 7 November.
Tickets now as low as N10,000:00

What next?

He did Nigeria proud.
Very proud, indeed.

In other words, don't change the dial.
Just have to give kudos to them for being able to keep the interest going

Splendid

This is HIT

Two music icons, King Sunny Ade and Evang Dr Ebenezer Obey, who have been rivals, though healthily, are performing together for the first time in their very long musical career.
The grand event, organised by a new avant garde entertainment company, GrandFaaji Concepts Limited, is billed for 22 October 2010. It is a Premium/Exclusive event that will be memorable for long.
Grand oppoortunities available. As Hostessses.Ticket Sales Marketers. Sponsorships Marketers. Advertising Canvassers. Guests. Admittance is by tickets.
Call 08023130829 from 10am-7pm, and make your case.

Read in the newspaper today that Kevin proposed to Tanzanian Elizabeth Gupta and she said Yes.

If Meryl's daughter's pet name is Monkey, then it must be because as Meryl has said to one or two housemates, the girl is so.so.so-hairy. My one cent.

Breaking News:
Yacoub telling Big Brother, he would like to take a voluntary exit from BBA All Stars.
Says the moment he entered the barn, he had zero motivation to continue.
And, since then he had tried to build up the motivation but it has been “negative mentality.” He feels he is no longer representing the country. He is optimistic about the future. “I know my parents will understand because they are supportive of all the decisions I make. I know my brothers will be disappointed.
I just think it is about that time (that I leave).”
Will Big Brother grant his wish.
She has asked him to speak with the Barnmates?
She asked: Do you feel there is no other way?
The guy has made up his mind
Will he be missed?

Do you think that you can make someone part with his or her money - legitimately and for a good reason?
Then, you should be talking with TO at 2 Anifowose Close, off Adebola Street, off Adeniran Ogunsanya, Surulere, tomorrow.
There is a MAJOR music concert in the offing. It is MAJOR, MAJOR, MAJOR.
The marketing drive for attendance and sponsorship and partnership takes off in earnest tomorrow morning. You wont really need to do much of hard sell, but you have to be persuasive all the same.
It is about TWO Nigerian music icons playing together for the first time. On the same stage with the same band. You get the drift?
Make it a date tomorrow.
Or call 07041315535
It is going to be fun

Urgently needed: A Landrover tow truck. Please call ITORO on 07090903476

@ Rheinmetal: Could you Skype araisokun and let's make contact.

16th, and I will be 50. Yes.

[b]BACK PASS TO THE FANS[/b]By Nkanu Egbe
The Guardian on Sunday, 4 July 2010

FOOTBALL is to Nigeria what sin was to Sodom and Gomorrah: widespread. Football elicits fanaticism. Hence, the appropriate abbreviation of the word – fanatics – to the word – fans. Fans are usually extremely passionate. Imagine fans who would cheer ceaselessly when their favourite team is playing suddenly turning violent when this same team loses or fumbles. Some allow themselves to teeter on the brink of life and may even succumb to something as ominous as a heart attack if the outcome for their favourite team were not so favourable. Certainly not a funny state of affairs as revealed by Rivers State Governor and Chairman, Presidential Task Force on the Super Eagles’ participation at the 2010 World Cup, Rotimi Amaechi, when he led his team to Aso Rock recently to submit the group’s report on the Eagles’ lack-lustre campaign at the 2010 finals. “The nation has been punished enough,” said Amaechi. “People have had heart attacks, people have had all sorts of issues because of Nigerian football.”
Amaechi’s irritation obviously explains the action that would come next – from the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan – the banning of all international soccer activity by Nigeria until 2012. A lot of people have said: What is he thinking? Others have said: What would FIFA be thinking? It reminds one of Koman Coulibaly’s decision to disallow the US goal against Slovenia on the excuse of an infringement. Apparently, there was no infringement but Coulibaly ruled so. The US fans had ruled it a harsh decision. Many Nigerian fans would rule Jonathan’s decision in similar fashion – harsh. But it would be rubbish to contest such a madcap action because that would just amount to endorsing government impetuosity.
It is the fanaticism of football that makes more meaning. Fan uproar is normally preceded by goal scorer celebration. Check out Rashidi Yekini’s prayer of thanksgiving after Nigeria’s first world cup goal against Bulgaria in the United States in 1994. Or Celestine Babayaro’s back flips after scoring against Brazil at Atlanta, USA in 1996. Or even Nwankwo Kanu’s masquerade dance after scoring the golden goal in the same match. Those were some of Nigeria’s fine moments in scorer celebration. Those are the celebrations fans pay good money to see.
Fans? Yes, fans! They are what football is all about. Without fans there is no football. And without football, there are no fans. This is how it works. When a football, sports club or any club, for that matter, (even a political party) is formed members are registered and dues are collected from them. The dues are used to run the club. In the case of a football club, sports kits like jerseys, shorts, boots and other accessories like shin pads and studs are bought. As fortunes grow, the club is able to buy property for training and eventually for competition. Where the club is not able to afford these things, they look for patrons and sponsors to help them out.
In some cases, individuals or groups go ahead and form clubs themselves and leverage on goodwill created by successful competition to have fan clubs which ensure that they have support any time matches are played. These fan clubs are organised according to membership and dues are collected as a result. The dues are used to administer the fan clubs – clubhouses are built, fan gear are procured and distributed and regular meetings are held.
When fans are part of the composition of the club, directly or indirectly, their passion for the club is limitless. This passion is usually infectious as the bandwagon effect normally leads to increased support. When the club is involved in away matches, the fan club organises to travel with the club. It is the singing and encouragement from the stands that gingers the players to fight to win. The more the outpouring of support, the more the players are encouraged to do battle.
When fan support is organised well, local matches draw large numbers. It is for this reason that Stationery Stores (popularly known as Adebajo Babes) would attract crowds of no fewer than 40,000 whenever they played in Lagos. Enugu Rangers (which became known as Rangers International) would on a normal day fill the old Railway Football field at Ogui Road (now known as Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium). Shooting Stars FC (previously WNDC then IICC Shooting Stars) still commands great crowds whenever they play at Ibadan – either at the Lekan Salami (formerly Liberty) or Adamasingba. Sadly, over the years, football has been taken away from the fans, first, by the military, then by successive civilian governments which have always made the mistake that they have all solutions to people’s issues including our fanaticism. They took over every clubside that featured in their domain either by outright owner takeover or by task force. Then because they became out of touch with their local clubsides, fans removed themselves from Nigerian football – thanks to the Premiership and superlative football from Europe and South America. Over the years, the Nigerian stands have emptied out. Football in Nigeria is no longer attractive to the average fan. Most club owners now only keep clubs which they mine for talents to be sent to the more lucrative leagues abroad.
Nigeria’s football fans do not really owe any allegiance to any club today except the few times the national team gets to play for Nations’ Cup or World Cup glory. When this is not happening, they shift focus to the more entertaining and successful leagues abroad. The average fan is either for premiership sides - Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal. Other football fans talk about Liverpool. Outside the premiership, fans talk about Italian Serie A clubs – Inter Milan or AC Milan. From Spanish La Liga – Barcelona and Real Madrid. Few talk about the Bundesliga with teams like Bayern Munchen or French Le Ligue with teams like PSG. Nobody talks about Kwara United, Enugu Rangers or Sharks of Port Harcourt any longer. When our Nigerian teams play, very few fill the stands. At best our Nigerian clubs are feeder teams to the Premiership, La Liga, Bundesliga or Le Ligue. Both Nigerian fan and player want to go the European leagues. All because football here no longer belongs to people; it belongs to government and government does not fill the stands.
The problem with its management lies in the marketability of the game. Very few understand the details in the running of a club. There is the major team. Some clubs can also have female teams. Then these major teams are fed by feeder teams. Some clubs have full functioning academies to ensure the younger players do not miss out on their education. These players are also taught coaching skills for post retirement. The cost of running these various components of a club is aggregated and creative ways are sought to offset recurrent and capital costs. Because most clubs are registered as friendly societies (football is a friendly game), the clubs do not have to pay taxes. Rather, these clubs pay dues to their local football associations which remit part of these dues to the state and subsequently the national associations.
The associations are made up of club owners or club representatives. The make-up of football administration though clearly stems from the foundation – the fans. Football administration ensures that the game is marketable. Considerations are made at club and football association levels. Questions are raised, such as: How many fans would be required to fill a stadium? How much would be charged for gate takings? Who bears the cost of advertising? What other promotional efforts would be required? Would there be broadcast feeds? How much would licencing cost? Who provides the feeds? At what costs? There are, of course, a lot more considerations like player transfer administration and fees. Without working the numbers, football, when well organised, is a great money spinner for club, football association and country.
That is why all this hoopla about Nigeria banning itself from international football is a distraction. The right thing, Mr. President Sir, is to start a process that returns football power to the fans.
* Egbe is a company executive in Lagos.

Now that they have changed their mind, what are the next steps that can help football growth in Nigeria.
There is an ipinion piece in The Guardian on Sunday yesterday talking about returning power of administration of footballs to FANS. I think it makes sense.
I will get the link and post it.