New Movie Anti-Virus

There's a new movie on the way titled Anti-virus the true Nigerians, the trailer would soon be available online & once it is i would post it. The story revolves around the Nigerian Government & the Nigerian People. Would keep you posted. #Anti-Virus

What Encomium Magazine wrote about Stephanie Adie Henshaw and her secret love life

This is what Encomium magazine reported; unknown to many, expect close friends, Stephanie Adie Henshaw has never been married before Reverend Christopher Okotie in the true sense of the word. The mother of three children from two men has rather been a victim of abuse and ill-luck with a chequered history of marital woes that ended up breaking into pieces her fragile heart.

Stephanie’s first love before Okotie came into the picture was a young man she met through a friend in Lagos. With no intention of marriage, being quite young then, the innocent Calabar girl, unfortunately got pregnant for the man.

She was still carrying his baby when he was shot to death in Surulere, Lagos. The tragic death of Stephanie’s hat would happen to her years after.

    “The pain they inflicted on Stephanie after the death of the father of her fisrt child was unbearable. One day, she was invited by the man’s people to know how the child was faring. And before she knew what was happening, they took custody of the child. She never set eyes on the boy until two, three years ago,” a highly reliable source told ENCOMIUM Weekly.

We further learnt that Stepahnie’s son was taken to England where he schooled before returning to the country. He has since reunited with his mom.

Stephanie Henshaw’s affair with one businessman, Mazi Okechukwu (Okey) was totally built on deceit which was not initially to the knowledge of the ravishingly beautiful lady.

    ”Stephanie didn’t know that Okey was a fraud. Okey told her he was not married. He was building a house back then in Omole Estate. Okey had rented a house for Stephanie in Ikeja, Lagos. And each time he sneaked out to see his first wife and children, he would say he had gone to see his mother. The day she found out the truth, she literally fainted,"our source revealed.

It was in-between this affair that produced two sons that Rev.Okotie, who had been admiring Stephanie from a distance started walking into her life.

ENCOMIUM Weekly learnt she was naturally pissed off with the Igbo businessman and literally needed a man she could call hers. From what we were told, Okotie staked his reputation, and risked his life to have Stephanie.

    “He really loved Stephanie. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. Okotie had cause to jump a fence for the sake of this love. Of course, you already know, he was attacked physically on several occasions all for Stephanie.

    "It was this same Okey that smashed Okotie’s windscreen and all that. He, however, had to give up when it was obvious that Stephanie was no longer interested in the relationship. After all, there was no marriage to be dissolved since there was none in the first place".

A born again Christian for almost 20 years, we were informed that Stephanie has always known God despite her marital woes.

Our source who had known Stephanie for many years warned those castigating her to maintain their cool. She even threatened to open up on many more issues relating to her four year marriage to Rev. Okotie if pushed to the wall.

Before now, the impression engraved in people’s consciousness was that Stephanie was a widow and divorcee. an allegation her close friends and family members are now making serious effort to debunk.

Relatedly, more facts are beginning to emerge, throwing more light on the remote and immediate circumstances that contributed to the crash of her marriage to Household of God’s Chris Okotie on Sunday, June 24,2012.

Information at our disposal has it that Stephanie was not going to church as often as she was supposed to as pastor ‘s wife. She had also been accused of being stubborn, while another wicked allegation they fired at her had to do with bi-sexualism.

Rev. Chris Okotie’s image maker, Mr. Ladi Ayodeji, in his response to ENCOMIUM Weekly’s inquiries on the issue that same day said they have no comment on any issue related to Okotie/Stephanie marriage break-up.

    “We have nothing to say on this issue. Please go ahead and write whatever that pleases you.”
Meanwhile, Rev. Okotie is yet to say anything about why his marriage to Stephanie surprisingly crashed. He said nothing on the issue at the Wednesday (July 11, 2012), Household of God’s midweek service.
That was also the situation on Sunday, July 15, 202. The charismatic preacher, who adorned a black trouser, white shirt and checked coat concentrated on the message of the day which centered on God’s power of delivery.

And as has been the situation since he separated from his wife, the church was also filled to capacity. Before the church dismissed around 1.30, members born in July were not able to present a drama, No Gossip in the House, which they had earlier announced that Sunday service.

July 22, 2012 marks the fifth Sunday Okotie’s marriage of four years to Efik, Cross River born Stephanie Adie Henshaw crashed. Nothing officially has come from the couple as regards their marital crisis.
Reverend Okotie has maintained calculated silence on the matter since his announcement on June 24. while Stephanie only made references to her marital travails in a recent Facebook update.

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Bank driver arrested with 19 ATM cards, N652,000

Oladujoye and items recovered from him.

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested Dare Oladujoye, a driver with Zenith Bank, for allegedly being in possession of 19 Guaranty Trust Bank ATM cards and the sum of N652, 000.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspect was using the cards to withdraw money from an ATM at Ogba branch of GTB when a security guard raised the alarm.

The Commissioner of Police for the state police command, Mr. Umar Manko, said as of the time of his arrest, the suspect had withdrawn N652, 000 from the ATM.

Manko said, “On July 26, 2012, around 8:30pm, there was a distress call that there was commotion at GTB, Ogba branch. On getting there, the suspect was seen with 19 ATM cards.

“He is an employee of Zenith Bank and we wondered what he was doing with the 19 cards. He was arrested and as of the time of his arrest, he had cashed N652, 000. The matter is under investigation.”

The suspect however denied stealing the ATM cards. He said whenever he lent people money, he would collect their ATM cards as collateral and return them after payment.

He said, “I usually loan people money and I’ve been doing it for over a year. Whenever I loan people money, I will collect their ATM cards and their Personal Identification Numbers. When they repay me, I return their cards to them.

“However, if they don’t pay me back in cash, I go to withdraw money from their accounts through the ATM.”

When quizzed on where he got the money which he lent people, he said he was into various kinds of businesses.

He also said he had friends in the banking sector who helped him with funds.

He said, “I am a very hard working person. I joined Zenith Bank as a driver over three years ago and in less than a year, I bought a tricycle which I leased to another driver that gives me returns on a regular basis.

“The following year, I bought two tricycles bringing the total number to three. I make N150,000 monthly from the tricycles and N60,000 from my salary. I also get credit facilities through my connections in the banking sector.

“On the day I was arrested, I went to withdraw money on Thursday night with some of the cards when a security guard raised the alarm. I did not steal those cards. I know the owners of the cards and I have their numbers on my phone.”

Meanwhile, the command has warned members of the public to be very careful when buying vehicles so as not to buy stolen ones.

The warning became imperative following the arrest of two mechanics who allegedly received six stolen vehicles and even sold some to members of the public.

Manko said buyers could sense stolen vehicles by their cheap prices.

It was learnt that on July 7, 2012, Sunday Okoduwa came with a report that his car was stolen on Victoria Island.

Policemen later traced the car to a workshop in Agidingbi and arrested a man identified simply as Abdusalam, who in turn claimed that he bought it from one Idowu Adegboyega.

PUNCH Metro learnt that when Adegboyega was arrested and could not give a satisfactory explanation, his house was searched and some documents were found which led to the recovery of six other vehicles.

A police source said, “When we searched the suspect’s house, some documents were recovered which led to the recovery of six other vehicles.

“All the vehicles were registered in the name of one Oti Olusekola Jacob, who is believed to belong to the gang of armed robbers in Lagos.”

In a related development, the police have arrested 12 armed robbery suspects.

 Police authorities said the suspects belonged to a syndicate that specialised in snatching vehicles from the owners at gunpoint.

The police alleged that the suspects operated in Ikorodu where they robbed and also sold vehicles.

According to the police, Ahmed Abdullahi, Azeez Abiodun, Olusoga Taiwo, Wasiu Azeez and Dele Balogun are among the suspects arrested.

It was learnt that three of the suspects, Adebiyi Mafimisesin, Lekan Aibinuomo and Okalawon Akinpelu; were receivers of stolen vehicles, which were either Toyota or Honda products.

A police source said, “The case emanated from Ikorodu Police Station and was reported on June 20, 2012 by a complainant who was attacked and robbed of his Toyota Sienna Space bus.

“We swung into action and we discovered where they keep stolen vehicles and sell to buyers. We recovered six vehicles; Toyota Sienna, Toyota Corolla, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and two others.

“We also recovered single-barrelled locally-made shotguns and 24 live cartridges and one expended cartridge.”

 Source The Punch

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CBN to implement cash-less policy in stages

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido  Sanusi
 

With the pilot scheme ending in Lagos by December 2012, CBN is set to implement the cash-less policy in stages, by extending it to five states and the Federal Capital Territory on January 1, 2013.

Contrary to initial plan to introduce the cash-less policy to all states of the federation by January 1, 2013, the Central Bank of Nigeria has said it will restrict the roll-out to five additional states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The Head, Shared Services, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Chidi Umeano, who disclosed this to our correspondent on Friday, said the CBN would introduce the cash-less system to other parts of the country in stages.

The proposed states, according to him, are Kano, Ogun, Anambra, Rivers, one other state in the North East and the FCT.

He said, “The whole idea is that by January 2013, the cash-less initiative should go live all over the country, but for implementation purposes, we are phasing it. We are starting that with about five states and they are Kano, Ogun, Anambra, Rivers, a state in the North East and the Federal Capital Territory.”

The pilot scheme of the cash-less policy commenced in Lagos State on April 1, 2012 and the initiative had been scheduled to go nationwide by January 1, 2013.

The Deputy Governor, Operations, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Tunde Lemo, during a workshop on the cash-less policy in Lagos, had hinted that the CBN would consider all options before introducing the policy to other states.

The PUNCH, on Friday, had quoted him as saying, “We are looking at all options, I can assure you. What we want to do is to ensure we perfect everything that we do in Lagos before rolling out nationwide. I won’t make any policy statement on whether we will postpone the nationwide roll-out because a decision has not been taken; but if need be, why not. Lagos is miniature Nigeria, where we have cluster of high value transactions.

“We want to clear all the challenges in Lagos, so that when we roll out, we would have perfected the policy and then it will be very easy for the roll-out.”

Speaking further, Umeano said that security remained a major concern in the cash-less milieu but stressed that the CBN was doing everything possible to address the issue.

He said, “The CBN is doing a lot. We have migrated from magstripe to chip and PIN. That singular action has reduced fraud by at least 90 per cent and we have also set a lot of things in motion, which we expect banks to meet, such as the PCIDSS compliance.”

He said, “In line with the Bankers Committee’s desire to increase the PoS density, the Shared Services Office embarked on a number of initiatives to achieve the set objective. Notable among them are the issuance of POS guidelines, negotiation of discounts with POS manufacturers, licensing of PTSPs and PTSA and encouragement of banks to order and deploy POS.”

As a result of this, he said POS deployment had been on the increase since December 2011, adding that the cumulative number of POS deployed/connected to the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc had reached 88,622 as of July 1, 2012.

“This represents an increase of over 100 per cent above the 5,992 POS recorded at end of January 2012. The target of purchasing at least 10,000 POS terminals per vendor has been met for three vendors,” he said.

However, he decried that poor POS connectivity and downtime were creating disaffection among consumers in the state.

He said, “We have identified a lot of things and we are working on them. One of them is infrastructure. Connectivity is a major problem because we rely on cheapest way of communication, which is the GPRS technology. We are engaging the telcos on how to get that done effectively.”

To further reduce POS downtime, Umeano said the POS being deployed now had 24 hours battery life, in case of power outage; two SIM slots for better connectivity; and car charger  for alternative charging.

He added that the POS were multi-functional for various transactions such as payment, airtime top-up, and cash-back option.

Umeano listed some of the challenges facing the cash-less scheme in Lagos as lack of understanding of the policy among the banked and unbanked, resistance due to prevailing cash culture, technophobia (literacy vs numeracy), and infrastructure deficit.

Others, according to him, are distrust of the banking system, lack of clarity in communicating content of policy, lack of POS at priority locations, Customs challenges for clearing, and exorbitant bank charges on e-payment products.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, NIBSS, Mr. Adebisi Shonubi, said the Nigerian populace possessed the numeracy acumen required for the success of the cash-less project.

He said, “The adoption and continued encouragement of the use of POS terminals is a major step for the success of the cash-less project. We strongly believe that the enhancement of POS adoption relies on high POS availability and connectivity consequently the expansion of Telco facilities beyond the conventional GPRS to CDMAs.”

The CBN had said cash-less policy was introduced for a number of reasons, such as to drive development and modernisation of a payment system in line with Nigeria’s vision 2020 goal of being amongst the top 20 economies by the year 2020.

It is also to reduce the cost of banking services (including cost of credit) and drive financial inclusion by providing more efficient transaction options and greater reach.

It is meant to improve the effectiveness of monetary policy in managing inflation and driving economic growth.

Under the new policy, only CIT licensed companies would be allowed to provide cash pick-up services.

The apex bank had said when starting the pilot scheme in Lagos, “Banks will cease cash in transit lodgment services rendered to merchant-customers in Lagos State from December 31st 2011. Any bank that continues to offer cash in transit lodgment services to merchants shall be sanctioned.

“Third party cheques above N150, 000 shall not be eligible for encashment over the counter. Value for such cheques shall be received through the clearing house.”

FG to send soldiers to fight Islamists in Mali

 

Nigerian Soldiers

INDICATIONS emerged on Sunday that Nigeria will soon deploy soldiers in Mali to confront the Islamists troubling the West African country, the Presidency and foreign affairs ministry said on Sunday.

Spokespersons for President Goodluck Jonatha, Reuben Abati; and Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ogbole Ahmedu-Ode, say Nigeria holds a responsibility to return peace to Mali.

“Nigeria is committed to resolving the crisis in Mali especially as President Jonathan is a co-mediator in the crisis,” Abati told The PUNCH on Sunday, while Ogbole-Ode said it was mandatory for the country to salvage the situation in Mali where Islamic fundamentalists are unleashing attacks on the country’s monuments and people.

The Presidency’s confirmation came on the heels of Ivorien President Alassane Ouattara’s announcement that member state of Economic Community of West Africa would soon send deploy troops in Mali if the situation in the country did not improve rapidly.

Ouattara said this in interview with French weekly, Le Journal du Dimanche. The interview conducted in French and published on Sunday was translated by The PUNCH via Google translator.

The Ivorien President, who is also the incumbent chairman of ECOWAS, said,  “If the (Malian) situation does not evolve positively and quickly, yes, there will be a military intervention in Mali. It seems to me inevitable. “The chiefs of staff of West Africa met in Abidjan this week. All member states of ECOWAS were represented. It shows that the Joint Chiefs of Staff Officers propose the establishment of a contingent of nearly 3,300 men. Initially, it will deploy gendarmes and police. Then, the military.

“My chief of staff said this week rightly that the situation in Mali is deteriorating a little more each day and not only in the north but also south. We plan to establish an African peacekeeping force made up half of Malian soldiers, half of soldiers from Niger, Nigeria, perhaps in Chad and other countries.”

On the urgency of the deployment, Ouattara said, “I think we can talk in weeks, not months. There is urgency. Northern Mali is a land of moderate Islam. Not Malians who violate human rights, force women to wear the burqah and abuse them, who destroy historical monuments, preventing young people from listening to music . I am told that these men come from Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan … They are extremists, terrorists who must return to where they came from.”

Abati said, “The ECOWAS leaders have the responsibility to ensure peace in Mali and the sub-region. Nigeria is committed to resolving the crisis in Mali especially as President Jonathan is a co-mediator in the crisis.

“This country has a brilliant record of participation in peace missions: Sierra Leone, Liberia and so on. Nigeria is fully committed to regional peace.”

Speaking in the same vein, Ogbole-Ode said Nigeria, as “a responsible member of the international community, was bound by agreements it entered into.”

But the opposition argued on Sunday that it was not ideal for the Federal Government to send soldiers to Mali to fight for peace at a time that Nigeria was in the thick of an insurgency.

Attacks by the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, since last year have claimed at least 3,000 lives.

The All Nigeria Peoples Party said that although there was nothing wrong if Nigeria sent soldiers to Mali, the present security situation at home did not warrant it.

Speaking in a telephone interview with our correspondent, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Emma Eneukwu, said there was no need for Nigeria to abandon its problems while trying to solve that of other countries.

He said, “The present problem facing the country requires the attention of members of our armed forces. Our security is zero.

“Let us sit down and face our own problems first before handling that of others for them. We are at danger here already. Let us prevail on the government not to send our soldiers to a foreign land when they have work to do here.”

Also, the National Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Chief Bisi Akande, cautioned the Federal Government over the plan to deploy troops in Mali.

Akande, who spoke through his media aide, Mr Lani Baderinwa, on Sunday, charged the Federal Government to ensure the safety of lives and property in the country before venturing out to Mali.

“Charity begins at home. We must not be like the proverbial ostrich that buries her head in the sand while her rump is out in the open,” the ACN chairman said.

He wondered why the government contemplated deploying troops in Mali when Africa was not the centre-point of the nation’s foreign policy.

“It is ironic that the government would contemplate sending troops abroad when our security agencies are finding it extremely difficult to combat the security challenges in the country,” he stressed.

Source The Punch

Celebrating Team Nigeria! At 37, Star Table Tennis Player Segun Toriola is the first Nigerian to make Six Consecutive Olympics Appearances

As our Nigerian Athletes compete at the London 2012 Olympic Games, I would be celebrating some of our stars who have worked hard, trained hard and are striving to achieve their very best. At the World Games, they have come to test themselves in healthy competition with athletes from across the world and strive for their personal best daily.

I identify with their courage and wish them the very best as they bring glory to Nigeria. Go for Victory, Team Nigeria!

Nigeria’s table tennis star, Segun Toriola is Africa’s most-decorated table tennis player.

Representing Nigeria in London 2012, this is his consecutive sixth appearance at the Olympics since Barcelona 1992.

In Beijing four years ago, he became the first African so far to make it to the quarter-finals.

Born in Kwara State, Nigeria, Segun Toriola is the last of nine brothers. He plays professionally in France.

Since 1995 he has been ranked as the best Nigerian player. He has been amongst the top table tennis players in Africa since the mid 1990s, ranked number 1 in Africa from 1998 to June 2008.
His fifth Olympic appearance in 2008 made him the first Nigerian man to appear at five Olympics.

During his career, he has won multiple medals in international singles tournaments.  He has a stunning 20 medals of which 14 are gold and he has won the Men’s Singles title on four occasions. At the 1995 All Africa Games in Harare, Zimbabwe, he won the title and four years later, he retained it in Johannesburg. In 2003, he succeeded in Abuja and in 2007, Algeria.

He won his first game on Saturday when he defeated defeated Canada’s Andre Ho 4-1 in the Olympic men’s Table tennis. But sadly, he lost 4-1 to Swedish Persson Jorgen in his second outing of the London 2012 Table Tennis event.

I celebrate the courage and tenacity of Segun who despite several obstacles, is forging ahead to bring glory to Nigeria. In 2010, he had an injury which hindered him from playing for one year.
However, he is back on his feet now and we wish him the very best!

 

Sources: Wikipedia | Goal | Olympique Remois

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Indian company shuts firm, lays off 100 staff

The Gum Arabic factory in Maiduguri, where two Indian workers were gunned down by suspected Boko Haram members, has shut down its operations indefinitely. As a result, over 100 Nigerians working in the firm were told to go home.

The Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Mahesh Sachdev, confirmed this on Saturday during a dinner hosted by the chairperson of Primus Super Speciality Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Achia Dewan.

The envoy urged the Federal Government to tackle insecurity in Nigeria particularly in the North-East.

He said, “The factory where our Indians were killed in Maiduguri has been shut down and it has a staff strength of over 100. The current incident that I mentioned to you in detail is a rude setback for people-to-people ties.

“But I do believe and hope that this will not be an insurmountable problem. Soon, the happy intermingling of Indian and Nigerian people in all parts of India and all parts of Nigeria would resume the way it has always been.

“The menace of insecurity is a Nigerian problem and it is for our Nigerian brothers to resolve these problems themselves. I have full faith in the capacity of our Nigerian brothers to resolve this problem and I will like to wish them well.”

Source-The Punch

Petrol scarcity looms as more marketers join strike

Thirty members of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association on Tuesday threatened to join in the strike called by the Jetty and Petroleum Tank Farm Owners of Nigeria, if Federal Government failed to settle arrears on subsidy payments, among other issues by Thursday.

In a communiqué at the end of its emergency meeting, DAPPMA gave the Federal Government a 48-hour ultimatum to pay all verified and outstanding subsidy claims, accrued interests and the foreign exchange differentials arising from late payments.

Members of JEPTFON had on Monday embarked on an indefinite strike over unpaid subsidy claims. The union had shut down jetties and depots belonging to its members.

DAPPMA said its members would suspend the supply of petroleum products nationwide, if government did not address the issues. It added that the bank loans used to finance importation of petroleum products had continued to accrue interest over and above the 45 days allowed for reimbursement.

President of the association, Chief Dapo Abiodun, and Secretary, Mr. Ikem Ohia, stated, “Our members have been unfavourably exposed to the harsh effects of the devaluation of the naira that will make it impossible to fully repay the outstanding dollar denominated loans when eventually payments are made by the Federal Government.”

Abiodun said the unilateral decision by the Federal Government to indefinitely suspend the subsidy payments for seven months had seriously threatened the business of DAPPMA members.

He said, “We demand that government pay all verified and outstanding subsidy claims and all the accrued interests over and above the contractual period, as well as all the foreign exchange differentials arising from late payment of subsidy within 48 hours.

“We implore government to meet the above demands within 48 hours, failing which we will be constrained to suspend the supply and distribution of petroleum products nationwide.”

Sourece The Punch

Etisalat Offers 6 Month Free Internet Subscription

Etisalat has announced the launch of the new easyblaze promo which rewards new customers who purchase a USB and Mi-fi with free bonus data at the end of every 30 days for a consecutive period of six months. The Promo which kicked off last week allows customers to enjoy a Modem, data SIM card and 200MB free Monthly data the cost of N5,500 or a Mi-fi, data SIM and 1GB monthly data at the Cost of N20,000.

Announcing the Promo in Lagos, Director, Products and Services, Etisalat Nigeria, Lucas Dada, said the offer was to reward its customers who subscribe to data packages on the Etisalat Network and also to encourage new subscribers to its network.

Highlighting the mechanics of the new easyblaze package, he said that to enjoy the Promo, subscribers are required to purchase a data plan of 200MB (worth N1,000) every month after the first month of activating the easyblaze data plan. This gives them 30% Instant Bonus when they subscribe to any of our data plan from 200MB.

"To participate in the Promo, You have to buy either a USB (for N5,500) or a Mifi (for N20,000) from any of the Etisalat Experience Centres. The USB comes with pre-loaded 200MB free data while the Mi-fi comes with

Pre-loaded 1GB free data, but to enjoy the free data for the remaining five months, you're required to purchase a minimum of 200MB (i.e N1,000) on your line within each month , "Dada concluded". 

0809ja 4 Life

Will Goodluck Jonathan be the First President to be Impeached in Nigeria?

Nigeria has never impeached a serving President. It’s not that it hasn’t tried, it has, but like most supposedly ‘important’ activities in the country’s legislative seat of power, it has a period of glory and then it dies down after some time when another topic takes up prominence.

On August 13, 2002, the House of Representatives passed a resolution asking President Olusegun Obasanjo to resign within 14 days, or be impeached. The motion catalogued presidential offences which, to the House, amounted to “grave misconduct”.

In the typical Nigerian fashion, solidarity marches to the Presidential villa were arranged across the country; traditional rulers were summoned and mobilised to condemn what they said they saw as an attempt to “heat up the system”, prominent citizens and former Heads of State were approached to plead with the House leaders.
 However, the allegations were quickly and quietly dropped after some time and Olusegun Obasanjo went on to rule Nigeria for five more years.

In one of his responses to the impeachment threat, Obasanjo quoted it as a “joke carried too far”, thereby infuriating many members of the National Assembly and drawing the Senate into a crisis.

It seems Nigeria is on the verge of another political hysteria as the trending word on news headlines across the country is again ‘impeachment’.

The House of Representatives yesterday reaffirmed its decision to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan by September, if the 2012 budget is not fully implemented.

Their grouse is that the President must either achieve 100 percent budget performance by September or face impeachment procedures.

According to the House spokesman Zakari Mohammed, the House moved against Jonathan because in spite of the impressive revenue posted by revenue-generating agencies, there was no commensurate performance of the budget in terms of the execution of capital projects.

Meanwhile, the Senate has distanced itself from the impeachment threat against the President saying it was not in support and should be counted out. Senate spokesman, Senator Eyinnanya Abaribe, told Punch on Monday that the Senate never took any decision to join the House in the call on the  President to implement the budget.

In Jonathan’s case, he might not resort to such statements as Obasanjo but he was said to have met the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, at the weekend where the President sued for a rancour-free relationship with the lower chamber.

However, it seems he still has more to do to appease the House of Representatives as they have said there is no going back on their stance to impeach him.

No one is talking about prosecuting people and companies indicted in the fuel subsidy scam anymore. Other bribery scandals and corruption allegations at the House of Representatives have been pushed to the back end.

My question now is this – Is this not just another political hysteria? Wouldn’t this be forgotten as soon as another ‘event’ takes prominence at the House of Representatives? Or would Goodluck Jonathan be the first serving Nigerian president to be impeached?

Please share your thoughts.

News Source: Punch

FG Introduces N5,000 Antenatal Allowance for Pregnant Women in Nigeria – Will This Help Reduce High Maternal Mortality Rates?

   The monetary reward recently introduced by the Federal Government of Nigeria for women who attend antenatal clinics has been received with mixed reactions across the country with people having divergent views on the reward.

The Federal Government has concluded plans to pay women who attend antenatal clinics the sum of N5,000 as part of efforts to battle the menace of high maternal mortality rates.

The plan would be executed as part of the Midwifery Service Scheme (MSS) introduced in 2010 and it is hoped that it would also impact positively on child health.

According to the Director, Primary Health Care System Development with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Abdullahi Mohammed, the government has budgeted N15 billion for Maternal and Child Health Care from the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

“The woman must attend antenatal clinic at least four times. For each of those antenatal visits, there is money attached to it which is N1000. The woman must deliver at the facility; if she does, she is entitled to something; the woman must also ensure that the child is fully immunised. The total package is about N5,000. It is not big, but the feeling is that considering the level of poverty, it’s enough for women to attend antenatal clinics.”

Mohammed said that while antenatal clinic attendance was free, it had some incidental expenses that discouraged pregnant women from registering for antenatal care.

Knowing the problems associated with disbursement of public funds in the country, some people are of the view that it would cause a lot of corruption in the system with ‘Ghost Pregnant Women’ springing up from different corners.

Others say it would be better to reduce the cost of consultation and delivery at government hospitals rather than giving the pregnant women money for attending antenatal clinics because in the end, they may use the money for other purposes and not deliver their children at the facility.

Meanwhile, some say the program is non-sustainable and would fizzle out within a couple of months.

On the other hand, some people have lauded the initiative saying it would encourage women who wouldn’t otherwise attend antenatal clinics to do so. Whereas, others are of the opinion that it would not encourage family planning anymore because women would get pregnant too often if they know they would get an allowance during their pregnancy.

The news report didn’t state whether the money would be paid monthly but since it was called an ‘allowance’, the assumption is that it would be paid monthly.

What are your thoughts? Do you think it is wise to pay pregnant women money to encourage them to attend antenatal clinics? Is this programme sustainable? Would this affect family planning measures being encouraged in Nigeria already? Can the allowance really serve the cause of reducing high maternal mortality rates?

Please share your thoughts.

News Source: Daily Times

Higuita’s ‘scorpion kick’ immortalised in Subbuteo

 

Higuita's Subbuteo figure

His moment of glory might have come 17 years ago, but the name ‘Rene Higuita’ is still enough to bring a huge smile to the face of most football fans.
The flamboyant Colombian keeper was famous for his antics on and off the pitch, so much so that he was affectionately nicknamed 'El Loco' - or 'The Madman' - by fans.
But never was he crazier, nor more impressive, than when he pulled off his infamous 'scorpion kick' against England in a friendly at Wembley in 1995.
With the ball curled in towards goal, Higuita decided against catching it and instead leapt into the air, flicking his heels up to clear the ball off the line.
He might have scored eight goals in 68 caps for his country (he was an accomplished free-kick and penalty taker), but the scorpion kick remains what he is most famous for.
And now his amazing move has been immortalised in an appropriate way: Subbuteo. A special piece has been created with Higuita in mid-scorpion kick, so that fans can relive that moment any time they like.

 

News : Photos: Jim Iyke Is A Criminal – Habiba Abubakar Alleges (PHOTOS & Evidence)

The picture above displaying Nollywood actor Jim Iyke inPolice net has surfaced following sarcastic shout outs he gave to a woman named Habiba Abubakar whom he had an unsuccessful 15 Million Naira business deals with.

 

Below is an email Habiba sent few hours ago:

Jim Iyke stop shouting out on twitter and start shouting in my N16.5M and then leave me alone ooo

I run a charity organization called Elderly and the poor, a self-sponsored charity organization. Jim Iyke needed help for his aged mother who is crippled by leg problems and high blood pressure and now bed-ridden.

We took her to both England and India — photos and tickets are attached as exhibit (1). During the UK visit, his mum stayed with me in my UK residence where I took her for a complete health checkup.

We were told what was wrong with her and how much her hospital stay for knee replacement will cost my charity in UK and we have a policy for money, so we decided to take her to India in first class because it’ll be cheaper there, attached are tickets, photos as exhibit no (2).

During her stay she narrated her life story to me. She told me, “Hajia I have suffered. My children have suffered. I have been frying doughnut (beans cake) by the roadside for many years to raise my kids. Please help me and my only son Ikechukwu (Jim Iyke).”

I wept and wept with her. She held my hands on top of her Bible and said to me, “Hajia, promise me that you will help me and my children and promise me now that you will be my daughter forever.”

I was touched. I was obliged by her honesty, frankness, and trust she has in me, so I promised her that I will be there for her and her children, which includes Jim Iyke.

So when her son Jim Iyke finally ran to me for assistance, wanting me to help his new clothing line grow by investing in it, I had no option than to invest, even though I was told by many people that he is bad, but I didn’t want to judge him by what others said.

Jim told me he has been on the street since age 11 and that he had no childhood. I cried, because I had a son of that age at that minute. It was really heart breaking. But I realize now that you can take a person off the street but you can’t take street off the person, no matter what you do.

Video of our conversations with his mum is available at www.elderlyandthepoor.org, register and listen.

Normal human being would remain very grateful to me for helping his whole family and investing in his business. If not for what I did for him but for the fact that her sick mother and a blind father were flown abroad at some my expense, including three of his sisters and him.

During these trips he happily tweeted, “Jim Iyke on holidays with my family”…can you see the joy in his tweets? At least his tweets proved that I made him and his family very happy.

So I’m not bothered by anything he says or does now. My investment in his clothing line has now turn into loan, no interest, no profit and I’m stuck with him for 4 years — since the agreement states that he must paid all the money back with the next four years.

In the north, if a person just passes by your dad or mom and just greats them that person deserves your respect, but after what I did for Jim and his family, it’s sad that he decided it this way.

Another thing I want to add for clearance sake is that Jim has been living off women all his life. Most of these women don’t tell their husbands all they do, so when he dupes them they can’t run to the police or their husband, but my case was different.

I arranged for a meeting between him, his friend Solo and my husband (for video of the meeting, go www.elderlyandthepoor.org.

Where are the camouflage women he hangs out with just to disguise his real wants and needs. He runs to tweet rubbish. I give facts and support with documents. He wants to shut me up with his so-called “shout out” that made no sense to even his twitter followers who fired him back that same night. He wants me quiet so he can continue business as usual.

Everybody doing business with Jim Iyke be careful, his first trick goes, bring the money cash, I will send my sister or PA to pick it, don’t. Because it was only the tellers that I used to pay in the money into his account that helped me, because he first denied collecting the money and even knowing me.

The Police ordered that he be handcuffed and be taken to his bank to collect his bank statement for us, it was only then that he said, “Oh it could be one woman who is interested in me and I don’t like her, may be her, in fact, I can’t even remember her name.” (a woman that gave you N16.5mil you can’t remember her name?) Later he changed his story again that the woman gave him only N5m.

More when you scroll down

See how police arrested him and wrote to his bank, exhibit no (3).

All he is playing is to keep business as usual including his manager, because it’s only in Nigeria that celebrities can commit crimes and go scot free. Abroad nobody will work with you, once your attitude is below expectation. Jim is supposed to be a role model by every standard. At 40 years old, he’s no longer a baby, but he is not showing any maturity in his dealings.

Was there any place Jim ever denied apologizing? No, he was just covering it up by saying I apologized as a gentleman because of the bad words I said. What bad words and to whom?

In fact, he wrote a public apology twice because the first one he said To Whom It May Concern which was rejected after publication, see attached exhibit no (4).

It was rejected, because we expect he knows whom he was apologizing to, and not to whom it may concern. So he ran with the last one apology to me. Do you think Jim who is running mouth now will apologize if he didn’t know he was on his way to jail?

See attached hospital reports after his assault on me, exhibit no (5).

Fraud was very clear and substantiated, because he went and rented a three bedroom bungalow with one living room and he calls that mall. To show he planned to defraud me, he rented the place in someone else’s name. The person signed as his guarantor at the police station after he was arrested and spent two days in SAS.

I was shocked when I learnt that Jim told Mr Ken that he will not pay me the money, and that that was why he won’t put anything in his name. So that when I come, I won’t be able to get anything.

The guarantor got scared and ran back to the police by withdrew from standing in for Jim, which necessitated his second arrest a day to the opening of the shop. See evidence attached as exhibit no (6)

Be careful in doing business with Jim Iyke and demand a teller or a written contract, because he only signed that contract between us when he saw tea no bi food. He was discharge and not acquitted.

Exclusive: Massive Collaboration Alert! Naeto C & M.I Collaborate and Headline the 6th Edition of Hennessy Artistry

If, you have been waiting to see two of Nigeria’s favourite rappers – M.I. and Naeto C on a track together, then I bet you agree with me when I say “It’s about time!”.

This week, Hennessy Cognac – organizers of foremost Nigerian innovative musical platform – Hennessy Artistry, exclusively announced to us that Nigerian Hip-Hop heavy weights M.I. and Naeto C will be headlining the sixth edition of their annual music project.

Similar to last year’s edition, Hennessy Artistry 2012 will kick off with the release of the headliners’ collaboration track, after which a 22-stop Club Tour with rising artistes will follow. Hennessy Cognac is asking fans to nominate the artistes they would like to see perform at this year’s Club Tour  now, by going to www.facebook.com/HennessyNigeria. The 2012 Hennessy Artistry project will culminate in VIP events headlined by M.I and Naeto C.

  

 

In addition to what promises to be a superb Artistry year, lucky fans and consumers will be treated to a VIP session with the stars courtesy of Hennessy. Details of this competition will follow shortly.

Since Hennessy Artistry was first unveiled in Nigeria in 2007, Hennessy Cognac has maintained its position as Nigeria’s and the world’s leading cognac brand. Hennessy Artistry in the meantime has evolved from a cocktail-mixing contest between renowned bartenders to a DJ battle, and now is an important platform for experimental collaborations among multi-talented artistes. Ice Prince, Nneka, Sir Shina Peters, Banky W, Eldee, Tiwa Savage and Mo’Cheddah have worked with Hennessy Artistry over the years. Other artistes include Bez, Kas and Jesse Jagz.

Yipee! I am super excited about this, hope you are too. Keep refreshing Infobizz9ja for more details and to listen to the track with Naeto C & M.I.

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Unilag releases their 2012/2013 Post UTME Result

 

The University of Lagos has released the results of the candidates who sat for the 2012/2013 UNILAG post-utme screening exercise, which commenced from the 9th of July. The results is currently online and could be accessed by following the steps below:

1. Click Here To Access The Result Checking Page

2. Enter Your JAMB UTME Registration number

3. Enter your Phone Number

4. Click on submit. Your results should be made available to you.

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Tension as N’Delta ex-militant leaders threaten Shell

There was tension in the Niger Delta region on Tuesday after ex-militant leaders threatened to unleash violence on the Shell Petroleum Development Company if it failed to recall Mr. David Alabrah, whose employment was terminated by the company in March.

Prior to his sacking, Alabrah, an indigene of Agbere Town in Sagbama Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, worked in the company as an Information Technology and Business Support Analyst.

The associations of ex-militant leaders, under the aegis of Ex-Niger Delta Militant Agitators Leadership Forum and the Coalition of Niger Deltans for Justice and Development, described the sacking as illegal.

The ex-militant ‘Generals’ in a statement  by their National President, Pastor Reuben, claimed that Alabrah was a victim of personal vendetta asking the company to immediately reverse its decision in the interest of peace in the region.

 The  former agitators, in the statement in Yenagoa, alleged that the people behind the sacking of Alabrah  also blocked his ‘computer e-mail access’ and identity card, his only means of gaining access into the company premises, before sacking him.

The statement said, “We wish to inform SPDC that enough is enough on the use of our people as guinea pig and fodder to some unscrupulous elements, ethnic bigots and persons in Shell employment who serve the needs, whims and caprices of SPDC in their capacity as PENGASSAN union leaders.

“We hope and believe Shell management, by this information, will use its good offices to bring about quick justice and restore Mr. Alabrah to his job, without which we will make Shell to face dare consequences in the days ahead.

 “We believe SPDC will not fail to heed this warning and accede to our wish in resolving this matter amicably in favour of the victim before we resort to very radical and aggressive means necessary and available at our disposal to pursue and persuade SPDC to recall Alabrah.”

The ex-militant leaders in the statement also decried the protracted internal rivalries within their ranks, adding that the development was against the general interests of their struggle for resource control and self determination.

Our correspondent learnt that the prolonged dispute between two of the ex-militant leaders, Mr. Government Ekpemukpolo popularly known as Tompolo and Mr. Ebikabowei Victor aka Boyloaf was threatening to tear the ex-agitators apart.

It was gathered that Tompolo and Boyloaf had been on a battle of supremacy.

But the ex-militant leaders asked the duo to stop washing their dirty linens in public insisting that the acrimony was capable of portraying the ex-militant leaders as “selfish individuals and leaders pursuing individual gains”.

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Google’s hardware makeover to get uneasy welcome

SAN FRANCISCO: Google on Thursday will report quarterly results for the first time since closing its $12.5bn acquisition of smartphone maker Motorola in May.

Google’s purchase of Motorola, as well as ongoing uncertainty about the global economy, mean that Google suddenly looks a lot less familiar, and less predictable, to many investors — a fact that will be underscored in the company’s second-quarter report.

“This is the first quarter that Motorola is going to be consolidated into results, and it’s going to be messy,” Reuters quoted BGC Partners analyst, Colin Gillis, as saying.

The absence of Chief Executive Larry Page from the public eye, due to an unspecified ailment that has caused him to have “lost his voice,” hasn’t helped buoy investor confidence as the company faces a critical juncture.

Shares in Google are down roughly 14 per cent from their 52-week high of $670.25.

Google is an “an execution story, which is why it’s so unnerving that Larry now has an illness that’s not defined,” said BGC’s Gillis.

“He set the company down this path and now there’s no undoing it. If he becomes sick in the middle of it and can’t put as much energy into it as he’d like to, that’s a risk.”

Page, a co-founder of Google, returned to the Chief Executive Officer role in April 2011 and quickly reset many of the company’s priorities, shutting down underperforming products, launching the Google+ social network to challenge Facebook Inc and buying Motorola, the largest acquisition in Google’s history.

Investors have a wide range of questions about Google’s expansion into the hardware business, where margins are low and competition with the likes of Apple Inc and Samsung is fierce. In addition to acquiring Motorola, Google recently launched the Nexus 7 tablet in partnership with Taiwan’s Asustek and released the first Google-designed and manufactured consumer electronics device, dubbed the Nexus Q.

“We need to hear from management about not only the strategy for the hardware business but also how much they’re planning to invest in the business,” said Colin Sebastian, an analyst with Robert W. Baird & Co, referring to the Motorola business.

Google’s hardware push comes at a time when its core Web search advertising business is under pressure from consumers’ increasing use of smartphones to surf mobile versions of the Web – where ad rates are lower – and as Europe’s struggling economies raise fears of a broader advertising-spending slowdown.

When Google first announced plans to acquire Motorola in August 2011, Google’s chief financial officer, Patrick Pichette, told investors the deal would be “mildly accretive.”

But Baird & Co’s Sebastian says that a lot has changed in the smartphone market since then and he estimates that the deal may actually be dilutive to earnings at this point.

Google has said very little about its plans for Motorola since the deal closed.

Many investors recognize the benefit of Motorola’s vast portfolio of patents amid the technology sector’s increasing legal battles.

But Motorola’s hardware business, which includes factories in China, Taiwan and Brazil for building phones and television set-top boxes, is a less obvious fit with Google’s high-profit-margin Internet business. In the first quarter of the year, Motorola reported a net loss of $86m.

Paralympian dies at National Stadium Lagos

A para-table tennis player, Muritala Ibrahim, 42, has died at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, where he made home for many years.

Ibrahim, had represented Nigeria in several para-table tennis championships, including the Barcelona 1992 Paralympics, Atlanta 1996 Paralympics and Sydney 2000 Paralympics, winning silver medals in the three Games.

Security men at the stadium told News Agency of Nigeria on Monday that Ibrahim, was among people who had made the stadium their place of residence.

Ibrahim took ill on Sunday night and died shortly after.

The Lagos Liaison Officer of the National Sports Commission, Mrs. Tayo Oreweme, expressed shock over Ibrahim’s death and condoled with his relations.

Oreweme, however, told NAN that Ibrahim’s death could have been avoided if he had heeded to her advice that people should not sleep at the stadium premises.

The liaison officer said that physically-challenged athletes had been cautioned not to sleep in the stadium and appealed to them to desist.

“I have warned these people that it is wrong to come and sleep in the stadium because they are exposing themselves to a lot of dangers.

“They are putting their health to serious threat and the result is what has happened today. I am not happy at all,’’ Oreweme said.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ms Ngozi Braide, has confirmed that Ibrahim died during his sleep.

Braide said that the police were investigating the cause of Ibrahim’s death.

Reacting to the death of the athlete, the coach of the Ogun State Para-Table Tennis Association, Yekini 

Salau, told NAN that Ibrahim was a great man who lived an exemplary life.

He said that the death of the player shocked him as Ibrahim was a motivator to physically-challenged people in the country.

“It is a great loss. He was the one who motivated and developed a good number of us.

“When he started, he never knew that he could do sports because he was training for the fun of it.

“And it was his ability to play the game very well that raised the morale of every other person,” Salau said.

The national table tennis coach, Rauf Bello, told NAN from Germany, where he is on a training tour preparatory to the London Olympic Games, that Ibrahim’s death was a “great shock’’ to him.

Ojerinde affirms e-test for prospective undergraduates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, will from next year commence e-testing of prospective university admission seekers in the conduct of it examinations.

JAMB Registrar, Prof ‘Dibu Ojerinde made this disclosure Tuesday in Makurdi while on courtesy call on Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State.
He said the board decided to introduce the electronic testing for prospective undergraduates in order to check the rising cases of examination practices being perpetrated by candidates.
According to him, “The e-testing if finally introduced will check the cases of malpractices by JAMB candidates which has become a source of worry for all stakeholders”.
“When introduced, the e-testing technology would also ensure that our candidates instantly receive the result of their examination at their centres at he end of the examination”, Prof. Ojerinde said.
He said since the e-testing would be computer based, it would encourage computer literacy adding that students could also use cell phones for the examination stressing that the new method which would be put to practice by next year will not be made compulsory for all the candidates.
According to him, ‘what we are going to do is to put the new method to practice as from next year while there is option for candidates to go manual, using pencils and examination sheets, but by the next three years it will be made mandatory for all candidates sitting for JAMB examination to use the new technology’.
“We did a survey and about 76 percent  respondents approved e-testing so starting from next year we will commence putting it to practice but not until three years time that we will fully implement it, so whoever prefer manual next year and in two years time will be allowed”, he said.
He further stated that as soon as the board perfects the new technology, other examination bodies; WAEC, NECO and NTI will follow suit.
Governor Gabriel Suswam who commended the board for the new innovation expressed optimism that it would go a long way to curb examination malpractices in the country and also called on the board to find means of halting the miracle centers across the country.

United Nations help Evacuate 326 ‘Stranded’ Nigerians from Libya

The International Office for Migration (IOM), a United Nations body has helped in repatriating 326 “stranded” Nigerians, including about a dozen children from Libya.

They were brought back home from Libya this weekend, an official statement said on Sunday.
They arrived in Lagos international airport in two batches. Airport officials said that some of them had been tortured or imprisoned by the new government in Tripoli before they were evacuated.

“At the weekend, 326 stranded Nigerians were evacuated to the country from Libya through the effort of International Office for Migration (IOM), a United Nations body,” the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said.

It is unclear if they were deported.
Libyan authorities have in the past years expelled thousands of Nigerian illegal immigrants and those with criminal records.

These Nigerians must have gone through quite an ordeal during the crisis period and power tussle in Libya. During that period, there were calls for help from Nigerians stranded in Libya
‘Airport officials said that some of them had been tortured or imprisoned by the new government in Tripoli before they were evacuated’

It reminds me of this video I watched some time ago of a terrified group of Nigerian men pleading their innocence in front of anti-Gadhafi forces. The sad thing about their story is that they were trapped in Libya in an attempt to get to Italy for a better life. The evident fear written on their faces, seeing grown men cry for their lives was really chilling. As dangerous as the tales are of what Nigerians go through while passing through Libya in search of these ‘greener pastures’, more and more people still take such dangerous routes.

 

I guess its welcome back home for them and thanks to the International Office for Migration who helped in evacuating them from Libya.

What do you think about think about the risk Nigerians face while trying to get to European countries by road through Libya? Is it really worth it?

News Source: Vanguard