A DAY LIKE CHRISMAS

Another period of celebration is here again. its Chris mass!

Merry Chris mass to all our Christian faithful all over the world.

i believe in the spirit of the celebration..... Nigerian need to be more accommodating to one another. In other clime, it is that period of the year business offer almost 50% discount on goods and services in order to make people happy. But alas in Nigeria, reverse is the case. Price of various items of celebration has since sky rocketed. To almost double of the price.

we once again wish our readers Happy Celebration. we also call on the parent to caution there wards at this period on the use of knock- out Popularly called "Banga" to avoid any form of Problem.

Recession Hungry Youths Steal Food Flasks From Students In Minna, Niger state

This period  indeed is a difficult time for many people as the recession is biting harder.

An ugly situation has reared its head in Minna, the capital of Niger state, as hungry youths now forcefully get away with lunch packs of nursery and primary school students.

According to Guardian, the famished youths snatch the food from the students on their way to school, leaving them to cry.

Fati Sanusi, a nursery two pupil of Mega Stars Academy, located in Kpakungu, Minna, was said to have cried to school, alleging that her food pack, prepared by her mother was snatched from her by a grown up boy, who ran away even as she cried.

Headmistress of the school, Mrs. Cecilia Bunmi Koseemani, who confirmed the incident exclusively to The Guardian, said she and other teachers had difficult time pleading with the little girl to stop crying.

“We had to send for her mother who prevailed on the four-year-old girl before she stopped crying. The mother later rushed back home to prepare Indomie for her instead of the rice meal that was initially snatched from her.”

Instances of hunger-induced crimes have been reported in the state.

Inflation or Hyper Inflation?

The personal experience sometimes is very instructive. on the 17th of May 2016 i got a Samsung J200 galaxy phone. for Thirty-six thousand Naira (=N=36,000.00) a Collegeau of mine  wanted the same kind of the device because of its sleekness and affordability.

Due to personal reasons, i prefer to purchase my gadget from an authorized dealer shop to be able to get full benefits and warranty if there is any. Exactly four Months from the date i bought my phone. We got to authorized Samsung dealer's shop the same Phone is offered for a whopping fifty thousand Naira! (=N=50,000.00) Economically, that is around 72% increase in Price.

The current hike in prices of goods and services is a result of Lack of forex. Only Yesterday it was reported in the news that almost all the airline company have stopped Online booking and reservations.

Commercial Banks in the  Country are seriously considering shutting down some unprofitable Branches. This to me is a serious indication of economic recession. We are not out of the wood yet as profess by the Central Bank Governor Mr. Godwin Emefiele .

Edo State Election Postponement

The postponement of  Edo state Gubernatorial election by the electoral empire fortnight ago  shows how unorganized the agency is. For lack of preparation. How on earth will any serious minded  corporate body Not know the WAEC (West African Examination council) calender's? Another of the excuse was Security report that seems not to be specific.

The same political game-plan which led to the lost of 2015 general Election by People Democratic Party PDP is unfortunately being repeated by the ruling All Progressive Congress APC.

Nigerian are wiser Now. even if the election was shifted 100 times, the will of the people of Edo state must be respected.

After-all ''Democracy is the Government of the People by the People and for the People''
I advise all the political gladiator to go back to drawing board for better outing.

Harsh Economic Recession (Common Man Experience)

Hi Everyone,

The latest slogan you hear out there this days in the street of Lagos is  "In this change Period'

I got to office early last week  Friday (16th Sep 2016) . In my Usual Manner  I  normally eat before  starting the day work so  to 're-fill my tank', i headed straight to Togolese food seller.Very close to my Office Building. That was when I was stopped by a Middle aged woman. in a very low tone but with a very sad face asked for financial assistant. I respectfully replied that i did not have much on me. Since i was only with Money food my Breakfast.

Fast forward,  i finished eating just trekking a little way distance back to the office ... this was when i was shocked. Another lady was talking to our Security at the entrance of the gate. The Hausa Man had no understanding of what she was saying quickly but gladly pointed to my direction. at first i taught the lady in question was looking for direction of some sort... Only to exchange Pleasantry in 'Yoruba' and AGAIN asked for financial help! two middle aged woman withing twenty five minutes. at this point, i was sad and disappointed in my inability to render help on both occasion.

could this be the adverse effect of economic recessions been currently experienced in Nigerian Society?

Something Urgently need to be done to cushion the effect of hash economic condition of ordinary people else the general populace will soon turn into a beggar society.

God bless Nigeria.

Before AMCON TAKES OVER NIGERIA

Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria
 is a body established by the Act of the National Assembly of Nigeria of July 2010 with an intended 10 years life Span. The concept is in consonant with the operation of the National Asset Management Agency of the Republic of Ireland and Malaysia Pengurusan Danaharta bid. The body acted as the buyer of banks for the Nigerian Government by acquiring the Non-performing loans. The original book value of the acquired NPLs was ₦4.02trillion at a price of ₦1.76trillion with a commensurate issue of Zero Bond for the NPL acquired.

The other day, it was all over news media the take over or purported takeover of Bar. Jimoh Ibrahim assets. Due to a bad debt of about =N=120B debts. If not for his audacious move by the gentle man, alas it will have been too late to remedy the situation. Whoever sign off the loan should face the music squarely!

In the recent past AMCON  whose responsibility and primary aim is to buy back debt ridden private company alike is sudden waken up to its primary responsibility. But there is a need thread softly in doing so.

Many of such companies will be taken over by AMCON in the nearest future, going by the long list of debtor

http://www.amcon.com.ng/documents/List-of-AMCON-Debtors-100.aspx

The move by AMCON to recover these money from debtors should not be Politicized

 Ifeanyi Uba led  Capital oil and gas industries limited had been shot down  by AMCON because of =N=104.80B debt. This  is still a shock to many people. Considering the important role of the Company in Down stream sector one would have wish for amicable solution to the problem. The fate of thousands of workers whose living wages has been threatened.


Only yesterday 22nd June 2016 the news of  AMCON taking over Silverbird group properties over debt of =N=11B which led to many young people calling themselves out on  social media . In-fact it was trending topic for most part of the day

While no one is encouraging debtor to renege on their pledge to payback bank loans. But one is curious to ask some the factor leading to inability of business to honor their financial obligations

Bellow are some the reason for bad debts, in Nigeria for instance, there is little or no difference between interest rate for long term loan and short term loan thereby leading to many company going Under.

• High rate of interest
• Government policy
• High rate of inflation
• Corruption and Nepotism 
• Global economic recession 

It is therefore our view that AMCON should define a means of taking over these debt ridding companies in other to avoid National employment crises. Government need to create more jobs.
a stitch in time saves nine    

11, Secretes of Success...be a better you

    How to create an effective action plan

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reating a powerful action plan always begins with having a clear purpose, vision or goal in mind. It is designed to take you from wherever you are right now directly to the accomplishment of your stated goal. With a well-designed plan, you can achieve virtually any goal you set out to accomplish.

1. Keep a record of everything. As you work through your action plan, keep notes of everything. You may find it helpful to have a binder with different tabs in it to section off different aspects of your planning process.

2. Know what you want to do. The less clear you are about what you want to do, the less effective your plan will be. Try to specifically define what you want to achieve as early as possible – preferably before starting your project.

3. Be specific and realistic in your planning.

Having a specific goal is just the beginning: you need to be specific and realistic in every aspect of your project – for example, by stating specific and achievable schedules, milestones, and final outcomes. Being specific and realistic while planning a long project is all about pro-actively reducing stress that can accompany poorly planned projects such as missed deadlines and exhausted long hours.

4.   Set measurable milestones. Milestones mark significant stages along the road to achieving your end goal. Create milestones easily by starting at the end (the accomplishment of the goal) and working your way backwards to your present day and circumstances. Having milestones can help you – and if applicable, your team – stay motivated by breaking the work into smaller chunks and tangible goals so that you don’t need to wait until the project is completely finished to feel as though you’ve accomplished something. Don’t leave too much time or two little time between milestones – spacing them two weeks apart has been found to be effective.

5.    Break large tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks. Some tasks or milestones may seem more daunting to achieve than others. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by a large task, you can help ease your anxiety and make it feel more doable by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable chunks.

6. Make schedule list. Make a list of task that you need to complete in order to hit your milestones. A list on its own will not be effective-you must write this into a timeline associated with specific, realistic actions.

7.  Put timelines on everything. Without specific time frames and deadlines, work will definitely expand to fill the time allotted, and some task may never get completed.                                         

No matter what action items you choose for which phase of your action plan, it is essential that a time frame be attached to absolutely everything.

8. Create a visual representation. Once you’ve listed your action items and set a specific timeline, the next step of visual representation of your plan. You might use a flow chart, a Gantt chart, a spreadsheet, or some other type of business tool to accomplish this. Keep this visual representation in an easy accessible place – even on a wall in your office or study room, if possible.

9.  Mark things off as you go. Marking things off as you go will not only feel satisfying, it will help you keep on track lest you forget what you’ve already done. 

This is particularly important it you’re working with other people, you might consider using a shared online document so that everyone can check in no matter where they are.

10.  Don’t stop until you’ve reached your final goal. Once your plan is established and shared with the team (if applicable), and your milestones are scheduled, the next step is simple: take daily actions to achieve your goal.

11.  Change the date if you must, but never give up on your goal. Occasionally, circumstances or unforeseen events can arise that throw a wrench in your ability to meet deadlines, complete tasks and achieve your goal. If this happens, do not get

discouraged-revise your plan and continue working to meet targets and move forward. 

see you soon.... 

FULANI HERDSMEN ECONOMIC REVOLUTION: BEFORE THEY KILL US ALL....

The advent of democratic rule has brought about different agitations Fulani herdsmen not left out.

Historically, culturally and occupationally, many of these herdsmen are of Fulani stock. They are also not educated in the dominant Western mode that largely determines the growth curve in Nigeria today and as such find it equally difficult to move on to other economic paths. This state of events has equally been exacerbated by the National Question, where disparate communities within the Nigerian federation continue to see themselves as ‘we versus them,’ thus making it difficult to find common ground within which to resolve conflicts as they emerge.

  

Across Nigeria...the story is same or similar year in year out 

Women from four local government areas in Enugu State, appealed  to the state government to save them from Fulani herdsmen who regularly molest, maim, rape and destroy their farmland and livestock. Fulani herdsmen made headlines in the newspapers almost on weekly basis. At Ofagbe community, Isoko North Local Government Area, Delta State, herdsmen reportedly killed a man and wounded another who identified himself as Thompson Ogege.

 In Benue State they lost 82 herdsmen and 6700 cattle,the most recent is Agatu Vs Fulani still ragging on in Plateau State, they lost 43 herdsmen and 4682 cattle; and in Taraba, they lost nine men and 533 cattle. so it is not only Host community that suffers, the herdsmen also lost their lives and stock to the crisis. Another Problem facing the Fulani herdsmen apart from gracing land  is the issues of Cattle Thieves known as Cattle rustlers 

On the Fulani Herdmen recklessness, suspected Fulani attacked Amoji in Delta State and abducted no fewer than four persons according to a community leader, Emmanuel Odili.

On the same day, a gang of youths attacked and razed down Suwa and Burukutu in Lamurde local government area of Adamawa State. The assailants were said to be well-armed Fulani herdsmen.

In November 2015  an armed group alleged to be Fulani herdsmen reportedly attacked nine different communities in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi and killed twenty-two people.

A month before, women from four local government areas in Enugu State, called on the state government to save them from Fulani herdsmen who regularly molest, maim, rape and destroy their farmland and livestock.

The abduction of elder statesman and former Presidential candidate, Chief Olu Falae on his farm at Ilado, Akure Ondo state by Fulani herdsman in September 2015 may have scaled up the national attention to the menace of attack by herdsmen. The herdsmen abducted and released the 77–year old man later after paying an undisclosed amount as ransom.

Many questions have been asked about the Fulani in general and Fulani pastoralists in particular. The media perception of Fulani herdsmen is often one of murderous marauding bandits who kill at will.  Very often, journalists and reporters attribute violent attacks on villages and farming communities in especially (North) Central Nigeria to ‘Fulani herdsmen’. The Fulani story is hardly ever in mainstream Nigerian media. So the opportunity to tell their story is often difficult, as their voices are not heard.

Many observers have called on the Fulani to settle, to have ranches instead of this nomadic way of life...

I refer to the period between 1960 and 1966 as the golden era of Nigeria. That time it was as if our leaders had a vision that we are going to be what we are today, that one day farmers and herdsmen will go for each other’s throats in a very violent manner. That was why the defunct Northern Nigeria Government created 417 grazing areas dotted across the entire 19 states of the then Northern Nigeria. Of recent, Ogun and Oyo have also created grazing areas. Now by the time you furnish these grazing areas with the basic requirements, why will a pastoralist move? Why is he moving? He is moving in search of pasture. He is moving in search of water. He is moving to escape Livestock and Human diseases. He is moving to escape from conflict. By the time you provide an area that is secure and you provide amenities there, why won’t he settle? And these areas are there. One of these model grazing areas is the Kachia grazing area. The Kaduna State government created the Kachia Grazing Area and people have settled there. Apart from that the Kaduna State government created what you call the Farmers-Herdsmen Dispute Resolution Committees and these committees were given powers of magisterial powers. Ordinarily, if they were the Committees were created, empowered and functioning, most of the conflicts that you see would not have occurred. So if the grazing areas are resuscitated given functional facilities and secured facilities, pastoralists will definitely settle. The movements by Pastoralist have their own hazards especially the violent conflicts, Livestock losses, Livestock and Human Diseases

WAY FORWARD................

The state governments under the Nigerian constitution own the land. It is not the federal government that owns land. The Land Use Act vests land in the state governors. And even before the Land Use Act, the lands that were reserved for grazing were there. Why can’t the state governors develop one or two or three of these areas? There are model grazing areas that had worked. If you go to some of these model grazing areas you will find vet clinics, you will find hospitals, you will find schools, you will find normal human life and they are contented. Why can they model it after these areas? We would want to know what is their budget for agriculture and what percentage of it is allocated Livestock and Livestock Producers because we depend on livestock is vital part of our economy. It is not by coming to Abuja to say we are the Chief Security Officers of our states and we want guns. What we are saying is there are development challenges in your states that you can use your resources to address. You cannot transform livestock breeding to importing bulls and heifers from Brazil or Denmark or Netherlands that are not suitable for our environment or that can only be kept very rich or exotic breeders, if properly harnessed our Local breeds can give us all we need in terms of meat and dairy products. 

God bless Nigeria.

Sources: Elnathan's Dark Corner blog, Business Hallmark, The Guardian newspaper,

OONI ORANMIYAN THE FOUNDER OF ILE -IFE THE SOURCE OF BENIN EMPIRE

OONI ORANMIYAN THE FOUNDER OF  ILE -IFE THE SOURCE OF BENIN EMPIRE

Let us start our excursion to history with some indisputable records regarding the supremacy of Yoruba and by extension, Ile-Ife, over Benin Kingdom. I quote thus:

"In 1916, when Aguobasimi was installed as Oba of Benin in place of his father who died in Calabar while on exile, and the royal messengers of the then Ooni of Ife - Oba Ademiluyi(aka Lawarikan), went to him after a series of earnest requests, they delivered Ooni's message thus:

"YOUR FATHER GREETS YOU." (See Nigerian National Archives: Oyo Prof. 1, File 133, 24th May, 1916). And listen to this: "The place called "Orun-Oba-Ado Bini" is the site from where great Oranmiyan set out to found the Yoruba Dynasty in Benin, and it is to here that the heads of the Kings of Benin were brought for burial. The head and nail pairings of King Adolo, the 34th Oba of Benin, who reigned between 1848AD to 1888AD was brought from Benin to Ife in 1888 AD, during the reign of Ooni Derin Ologbenla (1880–1894) - the last occasion on which the tradition was kept." - (See "Ife: The Genesis of Yoruba" p240-1), by Late Dr.(Chief) M. A. Fabunmi." Note: Fabunmi was the Personal Secretary, for over 20 years or there about, to the Late Oba Adesoji Aderemi, the Ooni of Ife, who reigned for 50 years from 1930 - 1980. The late Ooni was born in 1891 and he died in 1980.

And again, in 1982, when the present Oba of Benin paid an official visit to Ile-Ife. A speech of welcome presented by Ooni to the Oba was at that time prepared for the Ooni by Prof. (Sabiru) Biobaku, and I think that the man or people who knew this are still alive. He was a former Vice-Chancellor of University of Lagos and a Professor of History (like Ade-Ajayi). Part of the speech read: “We welcome Your Royal Highness most heartily back to Ile-Ife, the cradle of our common culture, the origin of your dynasty and ours. Today is really a very good day for us in us and its environs because since you left in 891 AD, we have come to know that your dynasty has performed wonderfully well." Biobaku is not just an ordinary historian but one of the best Yoruba and African historians.

Oranmiyan - the famous and an unequaled Yoruba prince and warrior was the only Yoruba royal enigma to have ruled over Benin Kingdom, founded and became the very first Alaafin of Oyo and later came back to become the Ooni of Ife! He, it was who restructured Benin Kingdom, married in Benin, had two sons who later became Oba of Benin monarch. It is on record that Ogiso troubled dynasty was discarded and subsequent kings in Benin became known and addressed as "Oba" till date, based on the order established in Benin Kingdom by Oranmiyan. Even up to 1939, Yoruba language was the official palace language in Benin. No wonder then that many Benin families bear Yoruba names! And what about designs of the Benin palace after the renowned and historical Oduduwa palace in Ile-Ife? It is true then what Simeon Strunsky (1879 - 1949)

wrote in his book entitled: "No Mean City" that: "The years by themselves do not make a place historic. It is men who give the colour of history to a place by their deeds there or by merely having lived there."

And from Wikipedia comes this introduction: "The Ọọ̀ni of Ilé-Ifẹ̀ is the traditional ruler of Ile-Ife, whose dynasty goes back hundreds of years. Ife-Ifè is an ancient Yoruba people city in south-western Nigeria. Ọọ̀ni Lajamisan, who was the 8Th Ọọ̀ni of Ile Ife, was a Son of Ọọ̀ni Oranmiyan, (Ọọ̀ni Oranmiyan was also The first Oba of Benin, First Aláàfin of Oyo and the Father of Oṣile of Oke-Ona Egba). Ọọ̀ni Lajamisan the son of Ọọ̀ni Oranmiyan, was also the Father of Ọọ̀ni Lajodoogun, the 9th Ọọ̀ni of Ile Ife, through whom the genealogy of all succeeding Ọọ̀nis of Ile Ife until the reigning Ọọ̀ni Okunade Adele Sijuwade, Olubuse 11, Arole Oduduwa and the Head of the Yoruba Nation, is traced down to Ọọ̀ni Odùduwà, The Ancestral Father of the Yorubas Globally."

From Oba (Dr) Adedapo Tejuoso’s 212 page book, titled: "Oranmiyan: What’s in a name?" ,

 I quote: "In Yoruba parlance, a name is given to signify situation of birth in a home, posterity, sense of character and projection into the future. Oranmiyan was one of the seven sons of Okanbi, the only child of Oduduwa, and he reigned as the sixth Ooni of Ife. He was famed as a strong enigmatic leader, who led his people into a path of greatness that lasted several centuries, leaving a heritage that last till today. His Cenotaph, popularly known as Opa Oranmiyan, is in Ile Ife, and is a tourist destination. After several wars and conquests, and establishing the Benin and Oyo kingdoms, he was to later become the Ooni of Ife. The throne he held till he joined his ancestors."

It is my salient advice that, we must not allow ourselves to be hypnotized by the hollow rhetoric and any distortions of facts of history. We must not let any overpowering effluvium envelop our sense of history. With your permission, I want to quote Williams Moore , in his book titled: "Warri Kingdom" published in 1936, where he submitted that: "In this so-called civilized age, one is shocked to imagine what atrocities lie buried in the womb of nature and which may again hatch in the unknown future. All the same, the invincible truth is ever intact to conquer error, however formidable this may seem at first sight." Truth and facts stir the conscience, enriches the consciousness of man and ennobles the human soul to free itself from shackles of ignorance and selfishness. And now to ice my historical cake, let's borrow from the writing of Christopher Marlowe(1564 - 1593), who wrote thus: "I'm armed with more than complete steel, ...The justice of my quarrel."

Before I draw curtain on this important historical argument, I want to borrow some facts from the submission of my compatriot - Kunle I Sowunmi, a Yoruba man of Abeokuta origin, who had earlier run wrote from Dallas Texas, in the United States of America, in his writing titled: "Ile Ife - The Final Resting Place of History." And I quote, in extenso, "Ooni who is not a direct son or descendants of Oduduwa may not necessarily be considered viable in this discussion. Alafin of Oyo who is a descendant of the acceptable link between Yoruba and Edo must examine his place in history and that of his senior brother Orangun of Ila the first son who had disappeared into history because he never challenged Oranmiyan. The abdication of the throne is a loss of right for Oranmiyan to his son in Benin but if the son (Eweka) and his descendants according to history continue to respect tradition and be buried at Ife or received blessing before being crowned then we can conclude that Ife is superior to Benin and Edo’s must have in fact originated from Ife?

The question is this: Can a son be greater than his father? No. Or can a river be greater than its source? No. Otherwise it will dry. The source of Yoruba from Benin although appeared to be authentic as presented by Oba Eredua than Saudi Arabia or Lamurudu, which cannot be traced, traced in Saudi Arabian history. But the fact of history of allegiance of Oba of Benin to Ile Ife the cradle of Yoruba race before being crowned and after death is an indication that Ife is the source of both the Yoruba’s and Edo but the Yoruba’s and historians must come up with a very scientific and foolproof history to support this argument. This is an area the Ooni and other Yoruba writers have not defended enough. The argument of Professor Ajayi was not detailed or courageous enough. The professor wrote as if he was afraid to offend both the Yoruba and the Edos as against the fact, which would have helped the issue unless the Professor has no answer to the problem.

Alternatively, can we write off Alafin of Oyo from this discussion because his descendant failed to head the throne at Ile Ife when Oranmiyan was called? No. Some will say since he was buried at Ife to symbolize his rights to the throne or why did all his brothers fail to challenge his right to the Ife throne if he indeed was the last born maybe, that part of history was right that Oranmiyan was the first born not the last as mentioned by Oba of Benin. They’re so many unanswered questions of history. The answer is not if we will offend ourselves or change the place of Edo’s or Yoruba in history but who we are and where we were coming from. It is often said that it is a taboo to bury a king in exile. Ile Ife from all indications and by having the nails and heads of all the late kings of Benin and that of Oranmiyan himself buried at Ile Ife to this writer is the source of Edos and Yoruba and this fact must not be distorted with sentiments."

Finally, I want to advise the historical novices to stop distorting or doctoring history. With due respect for elders and most especially, "the-heads-that-wear-beaded-crowns"( "awon ori dadedade" ), it is not the present person(s) who reign(s) now that will tell us the history that were on the ground before he was born. We know the truth and nobody should come and be playing with our collective psyche by making politically motivated statements. I found very distorting, disgusting and an historical fallacy, when some people say that, "Oduduwa was expelled or ran away from Benin to establish Ile-Ife!" Who told you that? It makes one incensed! What an historical heresy! It's one's native and natural privilege and right to keep records for posterity sake. It is good to call a spade a spade, no matter whose ox is gored. History remains the natural arbiter and God our historical umpire. Now I remember this: to celebrate the centenary of the Guardian newspapers of London and his 50th anniversary as editor, C.P. Scott wrote, 'A Hundred Years' in 1921. The essay's famous sentence: 'Comment is free, but facts are sacred.'

Only time will tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But we must always establish the basic facts of history without any further distortion...

source: Mike Famiyesin's Blog

SIMPLICITY OF A LEADER : JOE BIDEN

In view of the recent #Dasukigate saga in Nigeria for some time now,Can our Public servant ever be  this corruption free? to the extent of wanting to sell their Houses Just to raise Hospital bill? when our Public servant, elected or appointed,  Civil servant, craft to belong to a billionaire club. this confession / interview granted by America Vice President  Joe Biden really show why America will always be greatest country on earth! do my reader really know what makes a country great? Her people!!!  i do hope that Nigeria Public servant, both elected and appointed will borrow a leave from this. Nigeria  civil servants are not exempted.