₦airaland Forum

What is it about Festac 77 that remains in the Nigerian memory? Or, what is the legacy of Festac that the Nigerian nation has internalized and made its own? Limited as this view of Festac is, it is still a subject of great significance for the nation, and indeed, of universal interest. Because of its complexity, we plan to trim the subject down even further,

Prior to the staging of Festac, there was a lively press discourse on the huge sums of money estimated to be spent on structures and facilities. It was the view of many, that Festac would exhibit, in the main, half nude dancers, a show devoid of meaning in an age of science and technology. Once the performances took off, there was, definitely, no such complaint of the selection of events presented at the fringe Festac at Unilag.

We should remember also, that some effort was made to take Festac out of Lagos to the rest of Nigeria. The Durbar event at Kano in Northern Nigeria was, of course, one of the central attractions of Festac. But even the small minority cultural communities were encouraged to organize fringe Festac activities through the state councils of arts and culture.



Please share your memomies of Festac, send in pictures if available.

Redirect your post to the Romance forum.

Humez,

I can understand the disappointment of your brother who believed i could secure him a canadian visa courtesy of an international conference called ficcdat, check site www.ficcdat.ca.

2 persons registered for the conference from nairaland.
In total 7 persons including myself applied for the event, we were all refused on various grounds. I pleaded with your brother to show understanding that the refusal was from the embassy and not my fault
I also told him that i will write a letter of protest because the reasons given were unfounded, he said no and he asked for 20k refund, i did return 20k to him.

The canadian embassy replied my letter by apologising and asked us to come back in future.
I paid 300 dollars for each participant for the event , and 150 dollars for hotel. He has copies of the iv and hotel showing full payment.

The organisers didn't refund the monies paid, they promised to contact me in future for other event.
By November there was a similar event in vancouver, they asked i forward the names of the 7 persons that applied.Only 2 persons were available, exluding me because my passport was at the Russian embassy. So i mssed out myself. 1 person was eventually given.

Between me and you, i didn't dupe your brother, God be the Judge.
I challenge you to make a thread and ask members of the forum who have met me, emailed or called me ABOUT WHAT I always tell them, i procure documents and do not procure visas.

I can only ask for forgiveness from your brother.

With all modesty i needed that canadian visa then, but to God be the glory i don't have visa problem for the rest of my life.

Humez, pls pls forgive me 2.

Igbinedion will definitely be found guilty by the court.

His sentence should not be mild.

Igbinedion will definitely be found guilty by the court.

His sentence i beg should not be mild.

Chief Emmanuel Nwude who has just served out a concurrent 25 years imprisonment for defrauding a Brazilian bank leading to a forfeiture of most of his assets is alleging his properties were sold at give away prices even when the $110 has been achieved.

His N200 Million union bank shares were bought by OBJ.
Baba should take it easy.

Incredible

With the sins commited against Nigeria and Nigerians, Obj is alleged to have slept with his daugther in law.Its hard to believe.But one thing must be said the heart of man is desperately wicked.

I doubt if obasanjo could stoop so low to sleep with his inlaw. i doubt, its not possible.

Treat Yenagoa as the first prototype of Ijaw modern cities. In this regard, make sure that the expansion of Yenagoa follows a plan which includes four-lane avenues or boulevards, thoroughly zone the city so that there is commercial, recreational, residential, and industrial districts. Make sure that houses are not built too close to the roads. This is to avoid cars crashing into houses as well as to allow for road repairs and expansions. The roads should include walkways or walk paths to allow pedestrians and bicycle riders to go by without competing with cars. The development of Yenagoa must include a plan for unimpeded water delivery and sewage management systems

Xgbovo

You can contact the links directly.
If you have any issues as regards travelling documents

reach me on vikiviko2002@yahoo.com

contact info@ideabuilders.org
check www.ideabuilders.org

The current forms of goalkeepers are sometimes not too yardstick to judge how good they are.

So experience and confidence are basically key factors in who mans a goal.
Undoubtedly since the xit of Ike Shorunmu, Vincent Enyeama is being the best in the land.
Even in his days in Enyimba.
His only sin was being in goal the day Nigeria Eagles decided to conceed Four goals against Ghana's Black Stars.

I believe Enyeama.

Mikel is unintelligent and uncreative in his tackles.

Someday he will cost us a big match.

Tottenham manager Juande Ramos is set to axe eight players - keeper Paul Robinson, Jermain Defoe, Pascal Chimbonda, Lee Young-Pyo, Anthony Gardner, Paul Stalteri, Wayne Routledge and Hossam Ghaly

Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce is tracking unsettled Arsenal midfielder Lassana Diarra

That could allow Emre to leave St James' Park for Bayern Munich, Monaco or Galatasaray.

But Newcastle face competition for Diarra's signature from Tottenham, Everton and Blackburn. (Various)

However, Arsenal have slapped a hefty £6m price tag on the head of the 22-year-old Frenchman to ward off interested parties. (The Sun)

Rangers full-back Alan Hutton has turned down a second, improved, offer to join Tottenham. (The Times)

Liverpool midfielder Momo Sissoko is on the verge of completing a move to Juventus, initially on a loan before a £10m deal in the summer. (The Sun)

Bolton boss Gary Megson is not resigned to losing striker Nicolas Anelka to Chelsea, and is hopeful a transfer fee will not be agreed. (various)

Aston Villa and Manchester City have made official inquiries about Newcastle forward Obafemi Martins. (The Sun)

Manchester United's Ryan Shawcross is set to join Stoke for £1m. (various)

Birmingham hope to complete the signing of Manchester City striker Georgios Samaras before the weekend. (The Sun)

Reading are hoping to fend off Sunderland's interest in Stephen Hunt by making the midfielder their highest earner at the club. (various)

Bolton and Derby are fighting it out to sign Sheffield Wednesday's highly-rated midfielder Glenn Whelan. (The Sun)

Hibernian have launched a bid to bring Kilmarnock striker Colin Nish to Easter Road. (Daily Record)

Manchester City and Middlesbrough are set to move for Heerenveen's £15m-rated Brazilian striker Afonso Alves. (various)

City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson is also hoping to tie up a deal for Iraq playmaker Nashat Akram. (The Sun)

West Ham boss Alan Curbishley is keen on Lyon's 24-year-old Brazilian striker Fred, who is also wanted by Portsmouth and Paris St Germain. (The Sun)

Coventry and Sheffield United are in a race to sign Southampton's £1m-rated midfielder Jhon Viafara. (various)

Charlton manager Alan Pardew is preparing to make a £1m offer for Sunderland's out-of-favour right-back Greg Halford. (The Sun)

Nottingham Forest are ready to make an improved bid of £600,000 for Coventry striker Leon Best.

Sheffield Wednesday are lining up a cheeky £100,000 move for Hull striker Stuart Elliott.

Southampton manager George Burley is set to pay £1m for Middlesbrough defender Andrew Davies.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp wants to tie up a loan deal for unsettled Middlesbrough midfielder George Boateng before the weekend.

Norwich are set to bid £800,000 for Sheffield United's combative midfielder Chris Armstrong.

Charlton have been told by Burnley their 13-goal forward Andy Gray is not for sale.

Hibernian caretaker boss Tommy Craig has turned down a £1m bid by Birmingham for left-back David Murphy.

Middlesbrough are considering offering winger Stewart Downing and Adam Johnson in a swap deal for Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe.

Boro are also considering a move for Newcastle's Shola Ameobi.

Sheffield United boss Bryan Robson will hand a trial to Iran international Ali Reza Nikbakht.

West Ham are lining up bids for reading defender Nicky Shorey, Portsmouth striker David Nugent and Bolton forward El Hadji Diouf.

QPR will make River Plate midfielder Rusculleda their ninth signing of the transfer window.

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is ready to raid former club Rangers to sign striker Kris Boyd.

Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce has offered Portuguese club Guimaraes £2.5m for their Brazilian defender Pedro Geromel.

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes is monitoring Galatasaray and Turkey forward Hasan Sas.

Wigan boss Steve Bruce is close to signing Rennes' former Tottenham defender Erik Edman.

Bruce is also after Ecuador striker Carlos Tenorio.

Manchester City are in talks with Marseille over striker Mamadou Niang and midfielder Samir Nasri.

Meanwhile, Marseille are interested in signing City's out-of-favour midfielder Ousmane Dabo

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is ready to offer £3m for Everton striker James McFadden after having a £2.5m bid turned down.

Derby boss Paul Jewell is considering a move for Kansas City Wizards striker Eddie Johnson.

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson has ended his interest in signing Liverpool winger Harry Kewell because his wages are too high.

And Hodgson's hopes of signing West Ham striker Bobby Zamora may be foiled for the same reason.

Sunderland manager Roy Keane wants to sign unsettled Birmingham midfielder Olivier Kapo.

QPR boss Luigi De Canio is preparing to make a £1.5m offer for Plymouth striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.

Plymouth are lining up a move for Celtic's Derek Riordan, but face competition from Burnley for the striker.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez wants to sign Villarreal's creative midfielder Matias Fernandez.

West Ham are interested in signing young Argentine striker Nicholas Mazzola.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate is keen on signing Sheffield United forward Rob Hulse.

Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce may move for Bolton's £5m-rated skipper Kevin Nolan. (


Tell us your transfer rumours

Is 5000 pounds not too much?

Even Miss Nigeria beuaty quuens doesn't pay that much.

She should come date me 2.

The political economy of oil business in Nigeria has proved that the oil-producing states can never have adequate volume of financial surplus to support their development. Even if a benevolent member of the Nigerian ruling class becomes president, the oil states cannot expect to have more than a marginal increase in the derivation percentage. That means that the bulk of the income from the oil will continue to be diverted to develop areas outside of the oil region. This is due to the iron logic of internal colonialism.


Bayelsa State is lavishly endowed to embark on a green gold programme. Many people think that Bayelsa is good for only crude oil and gas. The State hosts the largest portion of the 9,000 square kilometres of mangrove forest in Nigeria, the largest in the world. The mangrove tree is suitable for 70 industrial products, including adhesive, industrial gum, grease, and shoes and footwear. Bayelsa also has some of the biggest groves of bitter cola in Africa, and the fruit is a raw material for social and medicinal products, especially anti-inflammation drugs and respiratory/heart problems. In 1961, the Niger Delta Development Board started an all-purpose rice farm in Peremabiri which was later abandoned when the Board collapsed. Without crude oil, Bayelsa can run a robust economy on rice production

Governor Timipre Sylva-Sam has a golden opportunity to do what the previous governors did not do. He should regard himself as the builder of the Ijaw nation just as Roman Emperors regarded themselves as the builders of Rome by developing a strategic plan that could be used to develop Bayelsa State and other parts of the Ijawnation.

Support the cause to build the Ijaw nation.

Its long overdue.

Thank God the currupt governors are facing the music.

All his assets when convicted should be freezed.

Well done EFCC

Unnamed and confirmed

John Ikamiem a broadcaster with STV was recently sacked by the management for gross insubordination, arrogance and a bad influence to Wale Scot

He looks cool on TV not knowing he's a bad influence to other staffs.

Contact the School authorities and ask for for deferment.
End of STORY

Is it bad for me to tell someone who needs assistance to contact me for something i can do.

What connection is it with CANADA

The African Youth Foundation (AYF) together with the Ministry of Generation, Women, Family and Integration (MGFFI), as well as the JANERO Consultancy in Germany, will be holding an ECOWAS-German business roadshow on “Trade and Investments” from 3 - 7 June 2008, in Germany.

The Business-2-Business roadshow event will start from Berlin and end in Bonn.

The aim of the African Business and Entrepreneurship Network is to serve to connect the African Diaspora business community with other Professionals, investors, businesses, Entrepreneurs and students, to secure exposure and gain insight in business and investment opportunities in Europe and Africa.

The focus will be on:
 Renewable Energies,
 Water and Agriculture,
 Banking, Investments,
 Health and Education,
 Information Technologie,
 Entrepreneurship (Youth und Women) and Mineral Resources form Africa.

Companies, Organisations, Institutions and individuals interested in showcasing their products or successful business stories could contact the secretariat for further information at: coordination@ayf.de

Registration forms are available at: http://www.aben.ayf.de/index-Dateien/Events.htm

Further information check websites at:

www.aben.ayf.de
www.ayf.de
www.janero.eu

I recently watched the current edtion of Super story titled"Blast From the Past"

The lead actress Blessing said " I'll rather you brought it"

Here she was talking with her Fiance, Mofe.

I want to know if the expression in the sentence is right.

The january window is open for transfer of Players .

Lets have daily rumours and speculations of the various transfer bids.

Fridays Rumours


Manchester United have slapped a £75m valuation on Cristiano Ronaldo in a bid to ward off the unwanted attentions of Spanish giants Real Madrid.

United, meanwhile, could hijack Tottenham's £8m move for Rangers full-back Alan Hutton. Newcastle, along with leading clubs on the continent, are also showing interest

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has had an audacious bid for Blackburn's Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz rejected. He will now turn his attention to Vagner Love and Peter Crouch.

Hot property Dimitar Berbatov will cost at least a British transfer record £35m if any of his suitors - Manchester United or Chelsea - are to prise the forward away from Spurs.

Bolton manager Gary Megson is closing in on Portsmouth utility player Matt Taylor.

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is primed to splash £5m on Watford striker Marlon King - and is also chasing Liverpool centre back Sami Hyypia. Fulham also want Czech giant Jan Koller from Monaco.

Birmingham are keen to secure the services of occasional Man United midfielder Darren Fletcher and Spurs defender Anthony Gardner. The pair could cost £5m.)

Seemingly disgruntled by his lack of opportunities at Upton Park, Dean Ashton could leave West Ham with Manchester City, Tottenham, Newcastle, Portsmouth and even Chelsea possibly interested.

Blackburn's Robbie Savage tops Derby manager Paul Jewell's transfer window wishlist. Other targets include Savage's team-mate Jason Roberts, along with Crystal Palace midfielder Ben Watson, Tottenham's Hossam Ghaly and former Newcastle star Lauren Robert. (

Jens Lehman's proposed move from Arsenal to Borussia Dortmund has broken down because of his wage demands

Sir Alex Ferguson is reportedly monitoring the situation of Javier Mascherano at Liverpool.

Italian giants Juventus are also tracking the Argentine international, who Liverpool have still not secured on a permanent deal

Bolton are chasing Celtic's giant centre back Bobo Balde. Boss Gary Megson also wants to raid his old club West Bromwich Albion for Zoltan Gera and Paul Robinson

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan is reviving his interest in Paris Saint-Germain defender Bernard Mendy

Former Celtic player and ex-Norwich City boss Peter Grant is a shock candidate for the manager's job at Hearts

Is there free transportation and accomodation?

Please let me know.

Although, bedeviled by perennial misrule, utter economic mismanagement, and corruption, due to lack of dedicated leadership, Nigeria continues to be technically the jewel in the crown of British geopolitical influence, the bridge to Sub-Saharan Africa, and the hope of African development, modernization, and security. As a result, it is strategically significant for Nigeria to remain as one nation so that various aspirations can be achieved.

Everybody is involved to make Nigeria progress again.

However, the hope of Nigerians, Africans in general, and the West could be shattered or dashed if the Niger Delta situation vis-à-vis revenue allocation and development are not resolved in a manner that is beneficial to all stake holders. The Western nations, particularly Britain, and the United States, have a moral responsibility to persuade Nigerian power-wielders to amicably resolve the Niger Delta issues so that the country does not fall apart or become an economic basket case due to continuing mismanagement, excessive corruption, and the unjustifiable distribution of the oil revenue. The region presently holds the economic key to the survival of Nigeria as a viable state. Oil, which is mostly found in the Niger Delta, accounts for "50 percent of Nigeria's gross domestic product (GDP) and 95 percent of the country's foreign exchange earnings

Nigeria is sustained by the Ijaw wealth of Oil and gas, which accounts for about ninety (90%) of Nigeria’s revenue. Paradoxically, the Nigerian government refuses to provide roads, electricity, drinkable water, healthcare or quality education for the Ijaws while it provides such necessities for other Nigerians with proceeds from the Ijaw Oil Wealth. Furthermore, the Ijaws have been effectively robbed of their petroleum resources as the Nigerian State has given the ownership and control of the Ijaw resources to other Nigerians on a platter of gold to the total exclusion of the Ijaws by its brazenly unfair Oil Industry Privatization Scheme. While other Nigerians have become millionaires and billionaires by looting the proceeds from our Oil Wealth, we live in abject poverty

Save our Soul

Since it is not too late, Governor Timipre Sylva-Sam has a golden opportunity to do what the previous governors did not do. He should regard himself as the builder of the Ijaw nation just as Roman Emperors regarded themselves as the builders of Rome by developing a strategic plan that could be used to develop Bayelsa State and other parts of the Ijawnation. The following would be highly recommended to the governor and town/urban planners:

a. Treat Yenagoa as the first prototype of Ijaw modern cities. In this regard, make sure that the expansion of Yenagoa follows a plan which includes four-lane avenues or boulevards, thoroughly zone the city so that there is commercial, recreational, residential, and industrial districts. Make sure that houses are not built too close to the roads. This is to avoid cars crashing into houses as well as to allow for road repairs and expansions. The roads should include walkways or walk paths to allow pedestrians and bicycle riders to go by without competing with cars. The development of Yenagoa must include a plan for unimpeded water delivery and sewage management systems.

b. It is not necessary to rely exclusively on the Federal Government to build an airport. As part of the effort to create an urban area around Yenagoa, build an airport with a view of turning it into an international flight zone. The airport should be located in an area that is accessible from all corners of the ethnic nation. Ijawland is a major center of international oil exploration. This means that the area needs a reliable airport so that oil company workers can fly directly into Ijawland. Similarly, Ijaw citizens too should be able to fly out of their area without always having to travel far before boarding a plane. Build the airport and later charge the Federal Government for payment. If the Federal Government refuses to pay, let the Ijawnation own it and use it to generate income for the people.

c. Stadium: Ijawnation also needs an ultramodern stadium, not those makeshift arenas called stadiums in Nigeria. If an ultramodern stadium were to be built in Ijawland, it would become a major center of sport activities in Nigeria and throughout the West African region. A stadium in Ijawland would help to generate economic activities in the land as people provide goods and services to those who will come to watch soccer, wrestling mathces etc. Such a stadium must include facilities for swimming, lawn tennis, soccer, basket ball etc.

When a major airport is combined with a major stadium, a locality is immediately turned into an urban area. In addition, related economic activities would crop up to provide goods and services that people need.

d. Development of Local Government Headquarters: All local government headquarters in Ijawland should be developed as if they are small cities. This means turning them into development zones with streets, business, residential, recreational, and government districts. It is unfortunate that for the past seven years, local government chairpersons did not do anything to develop their local government headquarters. Most of them simply embezzled the funds allocated to their districts, thereby, failing to contribute to the modernization of Ijawland.

It should be noted that during the colonial era, the British made efforts to modernize their local government headquarters. As a result, places like Degema, Brass, Patani etc. were quite lovely and habitable. Under the PDP system, massive corruption has made it impossible to develop local government headquarters. In any case, from now on, one of the criteria for determining the effectiveness of any local government chairperson should include the level of development of the LGA headquarters. Thus, LGA chairpersons must make it a duty to build government centers, medical clinics, district planning units, training centers, libraries etc.
Apart from building the infrastructure, LGAs should hire workers who will cut the grasses, plant and take care of the flowers, fix the roads and structures, paint the structures, and maintain the infrastructures so that they do not decay.

e. Towns and Villages: Just as the state government is trying to develop the state and the LGAs try to build infrastructures, towns and villages too should develop town plans. To do so, the kings, queens, chiefs, and town leaders should set up Town Development Committees that would study and set aside areas for modern development. The areas set aside for modern development should include well mapped out streets, commercial, residential, school, and recreational zones.

In the set aside areas, only modern houses should be allowed to be built. The houses should be built based on street plans. The areas should also include modern town halls/convention centers, manicured gardens, recreational parks where soccer fields, tennis courts, wrestling grounds are instituted. Eventually, the set aside areas would become the centers of the towns as people move from the old part of the town to the developed part of the town.

3. Ecotourism: Apart from urban development planning, it is also necessary to plan
for the development of the forest areas and turn the Niger Delta basin into a major ecotourism center of the world. A well planned ecotourism would enable nature watchers and tourists to take boat trips traveling from Andoni through Opobo to Bonny and connecting to Okrika and passing through Kalabariland into Abua and Nembe and cutting through Ogbia to Akassa, passing through Ekowe and heading through the River Nun into the Niger River and passing through Patani to Bumodi and by way of Escravos to Arogboland. Trips could be taken from Yenagoa to Zion passing through Ukubie, Lobia, Furupagha and Southern Gbaran. Another excursion could be taken starting from Kalabariland cutting through Kula to Odiama and passing through Nembe to Okpoama, Twon etc. Ecotourism would help to boost local economies as villagers and town dwellers provide excursion leaders and traders.

Ecotourism should include a plan to rehabilitate animals that are disappearing from Ijawland. One wonders whether hippopotamus and manatee (emein) still exist in Ijawland. It appears that even the monkeys, while pigs, ducks etc are rarely seen these days. It is responsibility of the Ijawnation to try to rehabilitate these creatures and make Ijawk and rich in flora and fauna.

4. Resorts: The third leg of development should involve the development of resorts in strategically located waterfronts near the ocean, around lakes and other bodies of water. For instance, Bayelsa State government can negotiate to build resorts around Bonny, Brass, Akassa, Koluama, and Gbaramatu/Escravos. To do so easily, it is necessary to create a state development bank that can sponsor the development of real estate in strategic locations around Ijawnation. So far, Cross River State is leading the nation in resort development. Ijawland has more space for ocean front development than any other part of Nigeria. Ijawland also has more land for building special island resorts than any other part of the country. The only problem is that Ijaw political leaders do not seem to know what to do with their blessed land. They are content to just sit and wait for the Federal Government to tell them what to do.

5. Building and Rehabilitating Schools: The fourth leg of development involves modernizing and rehabilitating crumbling school buildings. It is sad to say that Ijaw elders and parents seem satisfied with the ugly sites called school compounds in Ijawland. Most of the facilities look like hurriedly set up refugee centers. Even Bishop Dimeari Grammar School (BDGS) and the St. Jude Secondary School, Amarata (Amarata Girls) located in Yenagoa are so ramshackled. It is indeed difficult to tell that some of the most prominent Ijaw elites attended schools such as St. Brendans College, Bumodi, The Ijaw Teacher Training College, Bumodi, Teacher training College Joinkrama, BDGS, Yenagoa, Nembe National Grammar School, Nembe, Southern Ijaw Secondary School, Oporoma, Kalabari National College, Buguma, Okrika Grammar School, Okrika, St Scholastica Secondary School, Bakana etc. and are not doing anything to improve the facilities. There is no doubt that almost all the schools in Ijawland are in a very poor state infrastructurally.

One wonders whether Ijaw leaders do not know that there is a relationship between the quality of school and the development of self confidence among youths. For young people to go to schools in facilities that look like refugee centers on daily basis is sufficient enough to destroy their self esteem. When self esteem is destroyed, lack of self confidence immediately takes over. In a country where interethnic competition for supremacy is fierce, it does not make any sense for Ijaw leaders to allow Ijaw youths to go to schools that have no facilities, laboratories, and libraries. No wonder, the youths are extremely agitated by what is going on in their midst.

In this regard, it is necessary for the Bayelsa State government to set up a special fund or program for building and rehabilitating schools. Similarly, Ijaw groups in Akwa Ibom, Delta, Edo, Ondo and Rivers States must join forces with other ethnic groups to demand infrastructural rehabilitation of all primary and secondary schools. In particular, all secondary schools in Ijawland should have dormitories so that self-discipline and academic excellence can be achieved.

The purpose of this SUMMIT is to create a far reaching awareness of the potentials of young people as key players in the growth and development of Delta  State and to advocate for youth inclusion in governance. By so doing, the state is indirectly creating a new generation of leaders who will strategically position the state in the scheme of things.


The upcoming event will also create a platform for young Deltans at home and in Diaspora to network, share ideas, opportunities and best practices that will move that state forward. Here we can synergize and collaborate to run change projects for the sustainable development of the state.

Event date january 18th-19th January 2008


Thank you for supporting Delta Youth Summit



Email APPLY@DELTAYOUTHSUMM
www.deltayouthsummit.org

Wonderful pics.

How the Oil Money is Spent