Nokia Names Emmanuel Odiase Among YouthActionNet(R) Global Fellows

Emmanuel Odiase

Nokia has honoured Emmanuel Odiase, 27, of Nigeria and 19 other youth leaders as the YouthActionNet(R) Global Fellows. Odiase was recognised for his laudable SmokeFreeNigeria Initiative, an NGO educating young people about the dangers of smoking tobacco and has been conducting advocacy campaigns to establish 'smoke free' zones in Nigeria.

The following is the full report of the press release.

10 Aug 2009 15:30 Africa/Lagos

International Youth Foundation & Nokia Honor 20 Youth Leaders as YouthActionNet(R) Global Fellows

BALTIMORE, Aug. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The International Youth Foundation (IYF) and Nokia today announced the 2009 YouthActionNet(R) Global Fellows. The winners are distinguished by their innovative local solutions to urgent global challenges. Among the 20 Fellows are a 23-year-old in the United States who helps young female victims of sexual violence in Sri Lanka to heal from their past; and a 27-year-old in Palestine, who uses mobile phone technology to link unemployed youth to jobs.


Launched in 2001 by IYF and Nokia, YouthActionNet(R) seeks to develop a new generation of socially-conscious global citizens who create positive change in their communities, their countries, and the world. Each year, YouthActionNet(R) selects 20 outstanding young leaders for its Global Fellowship program. Through the 12-month program, Fellows refine their leadership skills, participate in a weeklong retreat held in Washington, DC, and are recognized for their efforts at the YouthActionNet(R) Global Awards Ceremony.


"Each of the 2009 YouthActionNet(R) Fellows are passionate, committed young leaders who chose not to look the other way when they saw a problem, but to take a stand," said IYF President and CEO William S. Reese. "Through their efforts, companies in Colombia are learning how to operate sustainably, low-income farmers in Zimbabwe are able to send their children to school, and youth in violence-prone neighborhoods in the U.S. are learning to be peace-builders."


Kirsi Sormunen, Vice-President, Sustainability at Nokia, said, "Congratulations to each of this year's Fellows for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions to improving the lives of others. Through their example, each teaches us the importance of creativity, perseverance, teamwork, and taking action to tackle society's most critical challenges."


A sample of the 2009 YouthActionNet(R) Fellows includes:


Cecilia Mendes Barros, 24, Brazil. Through Oficina-Escola de Artes e Oficios, Cecilia provides disadvantaged youth in S o Paolo with the skills needed to rehabilitate historic buildings, while preserving their city's cultural heritage. In 2008, she was honored as a local YouthActionNet(R) National Fellow in Brazil by the Anhembi Morumbi Youth Initiative (Iam), created with support from the Sylvan/Laureate Foundation.


Eugeniu Graur, 27, Moldova: The founder of NGO CERTITUDE, Eugeniu equips Moldovan youth, many living in isolated rural areas, with the skills and knowledge to get jobs or create successful enterprises.


Emmanuel Odiase, 27, Nigeria. Through the SmokeFreeNigeria Initiative, Emmanuel educates young people about the dangers of smoking tobacco, conducts advocacy campaigns, establishes 'smoke free' zones, and harnesses the power of electronic and print media to educate audiences.


Deepika Singh, 29, India. Believing that education is a powerful tool to bring about social change, Deepika co-founded Udaan, which develops curricula, trains teachers, and uses video technology to improve the quality and accessibility of primary school education in rural and slum communities.


Since the Global Fellowship program was launched in January 2002, 160 young social entrepreneurs have been selected, with applications received from more than 4,500 young people in over 60 countries. Fellows are chosen annually following a peer review process in which previous Fellows select the next round of winners.


To learn more about YouthActionNet(R) and this year's Fellows, visit: http://www.youthactionnet.org/.


About YouthActionNet(R)


Launched in 2001, YouthActionNet(R) seeks to develop a new generation of socially-conscious global citizens who create positive change in their communities, their countries, and the world. Through its fellowship programs, national institutes, dynamic website, grants, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities, YouthActionNet(R) offers young change makers ideas, resources, and connections to like minds around the world. To date, YouthActionNet(R) has launched national institutes in Australia, Brazil, Haiti, Israel, Mexico, and Spain. For further information, visit: www.youthactionnet.org.


About the International Youth Foundation (IYF)?


The International Youth Foundation (IYF) invests in the extraordinary potential of young people. Founded in 1990, IYF builds and maintains a worldwide community of businesses, governments, and civil-society organizations committed to empowering youth to be healthy, productive, and engaged citizens. IYF programs are catalysts of change that help young people obtain a quality education, gain employability skills, make healthy choices, and improve their communities. To learn more, visit: www.iyfnet.org.


About Nokia


Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. We make a wide range of mobile devices with services and software that enable people to experience music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games, business mobility and more. Developing and growing our offering of consumer Internet services, as well as our enterprise solutions and software, is a key area of focus. We also provide equipment, solutions, and services for communications networks through Nokia Siemens Networks. More information about Nokia is available at: www.nokia.com.


About Nokia - Community involvement


Nokia is committed to having a positive impact on society that extends beyond the advanced technology, products, and services it creates. It has invested in community projects supporting young people and education in over 30 countries, benefiting more than one million young people. The company has an active employee volunteering program which last year saw its employees give almost 32,100 hours to local community projects. Nokia is also supporting innovative technology projects designed to bridge the digital divide and bring the benefits of mobile technology to communities around the world.


Source: International Youth Foundation

CONTACT: James Peirce of the International Youth Foundation,
+1-410-951-1606, Jim@iyfnet.org


Web Site: YouthActionNet
International Youth Foundation
Nokia

What Has Barack Obama Got To Do With Felix the Cat?

What has President Barack Obama got to do with Felix the Cat?
Ask Niall Ferguson of the Financial Times, who says that President Obama like Felix the cartoon cat was black and lucky.

"President Barack Obama reminds me of Felix the Cat. One of the best-loved cartoon characters of the 1920s, Felix was not only black. He was also very, very lucky. And that pretty much sums up the 44th president of the US as he takes a well-earned summer break after just over six months in the world's biggest and toughest job."

Read the full report on the Huffington Post


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Did you know that there have been over 618,144 advert impressions on Nigerians Report since November 2008 to date?

Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' to Be Presented in Theaters Around the World by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment

Michael Jackson

10 Aug 2009 19:55 Africa/Lagos

Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' to Be Presented in Theaters Around the World by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment

-Film Drawn From Legendary Entertainer's Last Rehearsals and Behind-The-Scenes Footage Will Be Released October 30th in High Definition with Digital Sound-

CULVER CITY, Calif., Aug. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning October 30th, the world will have a front-row seat for Michael Jackson's final concert, as Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment release Michael Jackson's "This Is It."


"This Is It" is being produced with the full support of The Estate of Michael Jackson and will be drawn from hundreds of hours of rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage, captured in high definition with state-of-the-art digital sound as the late singer was preparing for his concert series in London. The film, which will also offer select sequences in 3-D, will provide a unique career retrospective and feature interviews with some of Jackson's closest friends and creative collaborators.


The announcement was made by Michael Lynton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment, Amy Pascal, Co-Chairman of the studio, Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, Chief Executive Officer of Sony Music Entertainment, and Rob Stringer, Chairman of Columbia/Epic Label Group, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. The companies serve as the principal entertainment divisions of Sony Corporation.


Joining Sony in the announcement was The Estate of Michael Jackson, administered by his longtime attorney John Branca and veteran music executive John McClain, a Jackson family friend for more than 40 years. Proceeds the Estate earns from the film's release will benefit the Michael Jackson Family Trust, the entity that Mr. Jackson specified in his will is to receive all of his assets.


The rights to the exclusive footage were acquired from AEG Live and The Estate of Michael Jackson. Sony Pictures and Sony Music will co-produce with AEG Live and the Estate, and Sony Pictures will distribute the film worldwide. Randy Phillips and Paul Gongaware of AEG Live will serve as producers of the film.


The majority of the film's footage was shot in June, 2009 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California and The Forum in Inglewood, California, as Jackson prepared for "This Is It," the series of fifty concerts Jackson planned to present at the O2 Arena in London.


"This Is It" will offer Jackson fans and music lovers worldwide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer, his career, and the stage spectacular that would have been. The film will provide moviegoers with an unforgettable front row experience compiled from extensive footage that shows Jackson's meticulous preparation for his 2009 London shows.


Said Branca, "Our goal is to work with partners who treat Michael's legacy with dignity and respect, while allowing us to substantially build the value of his estate for the benefit of Mrs. Katherine Jackson, Michael's three children and the charitable causes that meant so much to him during his life. We are confident we found the right partners for this project in Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment. Sony and Michael enjoyed a long and mutually beneficial history together, and it's only fitting that the relationship continues."


Said McClain, "This film is not only a tribute to an artist who created excitement every moment he was on stage, but also is a fitting gift to the millions of fans worldwide who loved him and who he devoted his professional life to entertaining. John and I are thrilled to be working with Sony to build on Michael's musical legacy in a way that will generate significant proceeds for his family and for children in need."


"People who have seen this footage are astounded by the amazing quality of Michael Jackson's performance," said Lynton. "This historic recording of the last time he sang and danced on stage shows the legendary artist in an incredibly powerful way, with crystal clear images and sound. We understand the importance of producing a film that pays tribute to Michael as an artist, and are honored to work with The Estate of Michael Jackson to give audiences the gift of his final performances. I know this film will serve as further proof that Michael Jackson is one of the greatest entertainers who ever graced a stage."


"Michael lives on through his songs, his creative genius, his body of work and his passion for his art," said Rob Stringer. "He was a perfectionist on stage and through this unique film, audiences will be able to see, many for the first time, how much Michael poured into making his performances as special as they were perfect."


Said Kenny Ortega, director of and Jackson's creative partner on the This Is It concert, "The world will see what our team was so fortunate to experience, which was the full commitment, passion and creativity that Michael put into this project. He was the architect of This Is It, and we were his builders. The footage that was captured from the early stages of the production to our technical rehearsals at the STAPLES Center in L.A. will show Michael as he truly was, creatively involved with every aspect of the production, from the staging and choreography, to the music, lighting, production design and conception of the original short films and video backdrops. It will also show Michael as one of the greatest entertainers in the world and one of the industry's most creative minds. This Is It was Michael's last theatrical work and although it was still a work in progress, I think the footage will show that the process was something that Michael deeply enjoyed and that it was clear that he was on his way to another theatrical triumph."


In the coming weeks, additional information about the film will be available at www.michaeljackson.com .


Peter Schlessel, President of Worldwide Affairs, negotiated for the footage on behalf of Sony Pictures. Branca represented The Estate of Michael Jackson.


Michael Jackson, one of the most widely beloved entertainers and profoundly influential artists of all-time, leaves an indelible imprint on popular music and culture.


Five of Jackson's solo albums - "Off the Wall," "Thriller," "Bad," "Dangerous" and "HIStory," all with Epic Records, a Sony Music label - are among the top-sellers of all time and "Thriller" holds the distinction as the largest selling album worldwide in the history of the recording industry with more than 70 million units sold. Additionally, singles released from the Thriller album sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, another all time record.


During his extraordinary career, he sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide, released 13 No.1 singles and became one of a handful of artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Jackson as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time and "Thriller" as the Biggest Selling Album of All Time. Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards and received the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award.


Michael Jackson started in the music business at the age of 11 with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5. In the early 1980s, he defined the art form of music video with such ground-breaking videos as "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and the epic "Thriller." Jackson's sound, style and dance moves inspired subsequent generations of pop, soul, R&B and hip-hop artists.


About Sony Pictures Entertainment


Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in more than 130 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at www.sonypictures.com


About Sony Music Entertainment


Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a roster of current artists that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from every genre, including American Recordings, Arista Nashville, Arista Records, Aware, Battery Records, Beach Street Records, Black Seal, BNA Records, Cinematic, Columbia Nashville, Columbia Records, Epic Records, Essential Records, Flicker Records, Fo-Yo Soul, GospoCentric, Hitz Committee Entertainment, J Records, Jive Records, LaFace Records, Legacy Recordings, Masterworks, Polo Grounds, RCA Records, RCA Nashville, RCA Red Seal, RCA Victor, Reunion Records, Slightly Dangerous, Sony Classical, Sony Music Latin, Star Time International, Verity Records, and Volcano Entertainment. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. For more information, visit www.sonymusic.com


For More Information:

Steve Elzer
Senior Vice President, Media Relations
Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group
(310) 244-7142
steve_elzer@spe.sony.com

Jim Bates
Terry Fahn
Estate of Michael Jackson
Sitrick & Company
(310) 788-2850
james_bates@sitrick.com
terry_fahn@sitrick.com

Brian Garrity
Sony Music Entertainment
(212)-833-5891
brian.garrity@sonymusic.com

Tom Cording
Sony Music Entertainment/Legacy Recordings
(212)-833-4448
tom.cording@sonymusic.com

Lois Najarian
Sony Music Entertainment/Epic Records
(718)-383-1708
lois@thedooronline.com


Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment

CONTACT: Steve Elzer, Senior Vice President, Media Relations of Columbia
TriStar Motion Picture Group, +1-310-244-7142, steve_elzer@spe.sony.com; or
Jim Bates, james_bates@sitrick.com, or Terry Fahn, terry_fahn@sitrick.com,
+1-310-788-2850, both of Sitrick & Company/Estate of Michael Jackson; or Brian
Garrity of Sony Music Entertainment, +1-212-833-5891,
brian.garrity@sonymusic.com; or Tom Cording of Sony Music Entertainment/Legacy
Recordings, +1-212-833-4448, tom.cording@sonymusic.com; or Lois Najarian of
Sony Music Entertainment/Epic Records, +1-718-383-1708,
lois@thedooronline.com


Web Site: http://www.sonypictures.com/
http://www.sonymusic.com/
Michael Jackson

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Former Congressman William J. Jefferson Convicted of Bribery, Racketeering, Money Laundering and Other Related Charges

Mr. William J. Jefferson

6 Aug 2009 00:43 Africa/Lagos

Former Congressman William J. Jefferson Convicted of Bribery, Racketeering, Money Laundering and Other Related Charges

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A federal jury today convicted former United States Congressman William J. Jefferson, 62, of New Orleans, La., of using his office to corruptly solicit bribes, the Justice Department announced.


After hearing evidence for more than one month in a federal court in Alexandria, Va., a jury found Jefferson guilty on 11 charged counts, including solicitation of bribes, honest services wire fraud, money laundering, racketeering and conspiracy. Jefferson was acquitted on three counts of honest services wire fraud, an obstruction of justice charge and of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III accepted the verdict and scheduled sentencing for Oct. 30, 2009. Jefferson faces a maximum penalty of 150 years in prison and the jury will reconvene tomorrow to address whether he will additionally face forfeiture of up to $456,000 plus stock certificates.


"We have been reminded today that we are a nation of laws, and not men," said Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. "It should be a clear signal that no public official -- and certainly not a U.S. Congressman -- can put their office up for sale and betray that office. It cannot be tolerated. It cannot just be another cost of doing business. And today, a jury of his peers held Congressman Jefferson accountable for his actions."


"Trust and integrity in public officials is at the heart of our democracy," said Joseph Persichini Jr., Assistant Director of the Washington Field Office of the FBI. "What a better way to ensure those virtues, than to expose those who breach that trust. I am proud of the fantastic team of career prosecutors, agents and analysts who worked long hours to provide the facts and evidence which resulted in this just conclusion today."


According to evidence at trial, from August 2000 to August 2005 Jefferson used his position as an elected member of the U.S. House of Representatives to corruptly seek, solicit and direct that things of value be paid to himself and his family members in exchange for his performance of official acts to advance the interests of people and businesses who offered him the bribes. The things of value, according to evidence at trial, included hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of bribes in the form of payments from monthly fees or retainers, consulting fees, percentage shares of revenues and profits, flat fees for items sold and stock ownership in the companies seeking his official assistance.


Evidence at trial showed that Jefferson performed a wide range of official acts in return for things of value, including leading official business delegations to Africa, corresponding with U.S. and foreign government officials, and utilizing congressional staff members to promote businesses and businesspersons. The business ventures that Jefferson sought to promote included telecommunications deals in Nigeria, Ghana and elsewhere; oil concessions in Equatorial Guinea; satellite transmission contracts in Botswana, Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo; and development of different plants and facilities in Nigeria.


Others involved in this scheme included Vernon L. Jackson, a Louisville, Ky., businessman who was sentenced to 87 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and the payment of bribes to a public official; and Brett M. Pfeffer, a former Jefferson congressional staff member who was sentenced to 96 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and aiding and abetting the solicitation of bribers by a member of Congress.


This case is being prosecuted by Mark D. Lytle and Rebeca H. Bellows, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Charles E. Duross of the Criminal Division's Fraud Section. The case is being investigated by the FBI's Washington Field Office, with assistance of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.


Source: U.S. Department of Justice

CONTACT: U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs,
+1-202-514-2007, TDD +1-202-514-1888


Web Site: http://www.usdoj.gov/

Chevron Wins Prince Michael International Road Safety Award

6 Aug 2009 14:01 Africa/Lagos

Chevron Wins Prince Michael International Road Safety Award

Chevron Becomes First Energy Company Recognized for its Road Safety Programs

SAN RAMON, Calif., Aug. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) has been awarded the Prince Michael International Road Safety Award in recognition of its work engaging governments and nonprofits worldwide to help save lives through improved road safety in countries where the company operates.


The Prince Michael International Road Safety Award is given to companies or organizations for outstanding achievement and innovation in road safety worldwide. The award is sponsored by the U.K.-based FIA Foundation for the Automobile in Society and managed by RoadSafe, a member of the Global Transport Knowledge Partnership. The award is named after His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Michael of Kent, Patron of the FIA Foundation's Commission for Global Road Safety.


"Chevron rates road safety highly and is an example to all in the corporate sector of the importance of sharing knowledge - a vital ingredient for building sustainable road safety programs in any country," said HRH Prince Michael of Kent.


"Every 30 seconds, a person is killed in a road crash," said RoadSafe director Adrian Walsh. "Around the world, road traffic crashes cause 1.2 million deaths and 50 million injuries per year. Of those casualties, more than half are in the 15 to 44 age group - the key wage-earning and child-raising group. The Prince Michael International Road Safety Award recognizes those companies and organizations making a difference toward alleviating this global problem. Chevron stood out to our award committee as a company committed to a holistic approach to road safety - addressing issues from multiple angles, pedestrians and drivers alike."


Among the programs honored:

-- Arrive Alive - Through this initiative, Chevron has engaged Guatemala,
Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and El Salvador to work collaboratively
toward road safety improvements such as the installation of rumble
strips, lane markings and signage, seat belt and pedestrian safety
campaigns, and distribution of motorcycle helmets.
-- Road Transport Safety Management Plan (Worldwide) - The comprehensive
fuel delivery plan sets a world class example for the management of
fleet operations and driver safety. A key component of the plan is the
Master Driver Program, which recognizes fuel tank drivers who have
driven 20-plus years without an incident.
-- Children's Road Safety Campaign (U.K. and Ireland) - Program features
a series of books, Web sites and videos about Hector, a child on his
way to school and all the safety related behaviors he uses along the
way.

-- "Stop for Life, Drive Your Behaviors" (Venezuela) - A public awareness
campaign aimed to educate drivers about the importance of using seat
belts as well as dangers of speeding and drunk driving.



"Safety has long been a part of our company's heritage and values," said Chuck Taylor, Chevron's vice president for health, environmental and safety. "It's an honor to be recognized for our road safety efforts."


Chevron Corporation is one of the world's leading integrated energy companies, with subsidiaries that conduct business worldwide. The company's success is driven by the ingenuity and commitment of approximately 62,000 employees who operate across the energy spectrum. Chevron explores for, produces and transports crude oil and natural gas; refines, markets and distributes transportation fuels and other energy products; manufactures and sells petrochemical products; generates power and produces geothermal energy; provides energy efficiency solutions; and develops the energy resources of the future, including biofuels and other renewables. Chevron is based in San Ramon, Calif. More information about Chevron is available at www.chevron.com.


Source: Chevron Corporation

CONTACT: Gus Santoyo, +1-925-790-6627, sgus@chevron.com; or Lori
Carlisle, +1-714-262-8578, lori@lmcgroupinc.com, both for Chevron Corporation


Web Site: http://www.chevron.com/

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Please, there is No Time to hate…Because I Love You

Please, there is No Time to hate…Because I Love You

Life is the romance of human existence on planet earth and the kind of romance you have can affect your existence positively or negatively.
I have noticed that most of the ills plaguing humans are caused by hatred and the causes of the hatred are the erroneous and ambiguous notions we have about life and the wrong notions have made majority of us to have bad ways of life or evil lifestyles.

I have heard and read of horrible and terrible things humans do to attack and harm themselves in their desperate competition for the lusts of the flesh.
A guy pours acid on the elder brother of a girl who refused to marry him. Why?
He alleged that the elder brother advised his sister to reject him.
A jealous girlfriend shot and killed her boyfriend whilst he was still sleeping and then shot and killed herself lying beside him in bed. Why? She suspected him of dating another woman.

I have seen men engaged in do or die competition over a woman in Lagos.
They did evil things to acquire and possess the cash, posh cars and palatial mansions to impress her.

A stinking rich Internet scammer told a poor young man to give up his fine girlfriend and even offered him lump sums of cash for her. The angry young man rejected the indecent proposal and swore to kill the big man if he snatched his girlfriend.

A guy actually stabbed one of my cousins with scissors and killed her for refusing to go out with him.

The list is endless and most of these horrible and terrible acts of hatred leave me depressed.

If someone does not want to go out with you, please move on and let the person be.
Love is not by force.
Hatred has bred monsters of destruction in Nigeria. Hatred caused by envy and jealousy as greedy Nigerians compete for the status symbols of the Joneses in the Nigerian society.
Hatred is the cause of the things presently wrong with life in Nigeria as poverty has left the majority in adversity and this is a great pity. The state of romance is not what you would have loved it to be as depression is common and many people are actually shadowed by the spirit of melancholy. But the love that would have rescued and saved many people is not being truly practiced as majority of Nigerians are caught in the matrix of the rat race. Avarice, caprice, malice, prejudice and injustice plague millions of Nigerians and have made the country worse as observed in the foreign media and it is as if Nigerians have lost all sense of human dignity and integrity.

If only we could obey the simple commandment of Love Your Neighbor as Yourself, but most of us are desperately competing with ourselves and ironically the most guilty are the so called Christians who should be the best example of what God commanded and Jesus Christ emphasized as the pillar of true Christianity which is Charity.
The last time I checked, what God said has not changed from Love Your Neighbor as Yourself and not compete with your neighbor as yourself.
What is killing most people in Nigeria are competitive opportunism, selfish individualism, antagonism and egoistic impressionism of the rat race, because Nigerians cheat, lie, steal and kill in their desperation for the selfish acquisition and avaricious possession of the so called status symbols of the society for their bragging rights.

Matriculation is a competition.
Admission is a competition.
Graduation is a competition.
Getting a plum job is a competition.
Getting a fancy girlfriend or trophy wife is a competition.
Building a mansion is a competition.
Becoming rich-quick is a completion.

I wonder why getting an education should be a competition?
Hello! Getting an education is not a competition.
If you need any sort of education for a profession, please have it and use it for your own benefit and the benefit of others and it is not an ego-trip or selfish yardstick to prove a point to your peers or anyone at all. Hello! Grow up!
Who do you think is your competition?
Stop boasting and fooling yourself.

A guy recently bought a new house and some of peers are hissing about how he made his millions of naira to buy the mansion.
Getting a lovely girlfriend also causes envy too.

You wonder why most Nigerians want dream jobs?
To love their neighbors as themselves?
No! To compete with the Joneses..

Wo! If I do this, dem go see me and bow!
Yo! If I get that babe, dem go dey trip.
These childish and foolish bragging are common among most people in Nigeria in different forms and dialects.

The manners and ways Nigerians go about competing among themselves are the causes of the horrible and terrible evils plaguing Nigeria and have left millions of Nigerians suffering and dying in misery. Many Nigerians have become devils in their desperation for the perishable fancies and trophies of the rat race.
Devils do evils and evils cause the ills of the society, because evil makes you ill.

Love. Love. Love.Stop hating and hurting today and start loving every day by day.

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8. Four Bedroom Duplex with Three Bedroom Flats in Fola Agoro in Yaba, Lagos.- N50 million.
9. Five Bedroom Duplex at Bourdillion, Ikoyi, Lagos.- N150 million
10. Seven Bedroom Detached House at Norman Williams in Ikoyi, Lagos. – N280 million
11. 5 Bedroom Detached House at Norman Williams in IKoyi, Lagos. N460 million.
12. Block 102, Plots 50 and 51 (fenced) at Lekki Phase 1, Lagos. N90 million each (2,100 sqm)

CONTACT:
BlueSail Services and Real Estate Consultants.
Tel: 08038570081

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Nigeria To Host the First Startup Weekend in West Africa!

If you are smart and with great ideas for innovations, you can be among the 250 people to be selected for the first ever Startup Weekend in West Africa this October in Lagos, Nigeria and it is free!54 hours of brain storming session with meals from Friday evening of October 2 to Sunday evening of October 4 and if your innovations make the top best startups, you can make it to the finals next Spring in the United States.You can register online on http://nigeria.startupweekend.org/

ASUU is Unreasonable!

A Nigerian University

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will never stop asking for increments, but increase in salaries is not what is urgent in Nigerian universities, but re-engineering the entire academic system from the classroom to the laboratory.

Ineffectual lecturers in ASUU are also clamouring for increments, but they do not have the brains to overhaul and improve the outdated curriculums of their respective faculties. The increments they have been receiving over the years have not freed them from the retrogressive academic stasis that has made majority of their students clones of intellectual underdevelopment or what I call the GIGO Generation who are presently posing and posturing as the Nigerian Facebook Generation.
These lecturers should examine themselves, because many of the members of ASUU are not even qualified to teach and have been found guilty by complicity in various cases of admission racket in Nigerian universities.

The raison d'être of ASUU’s strike is not enough to waste the precious quality time of Nigerian students who need to be on campus studying and not at home!
By going on strike ASUU is making innocent students the scapegoats of their disagreement with the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN).

What is the business of the FGN with the members of ASUU employed by the state owned universities? I mean members of ASUU teaching at the state universities should not have gone on strike with ASUU. This is simple ratiocination.
Many of these lecturers are even moonlighting and have never paid a kobo of tax every time they moonlighted. So who is fooling whom?

Chidi Amuta wrote a very comprehensive analysis of the genesis of the academic crisis that has left the Nigerian academia in intellectual stasis in his “ASSU’s Untidy Robes” published in his column Engagements in This Day newspaper of Nigeria.
ASUU should grow up and stop behaving like confused junior high school pupils.

The Untold Truth About the Niger Delta Crisis

The Untold Truth About the Niger Delta Crisis

• MEND is not responsible for the Niger Delta Crisis
• The Nigerian Government and Multinational Oil Companies are responsible for the Niger Delta Crisis
• The Solution to the Niger Delta Crisis is the Administration of True Federal Democracy as Practiced by the United States of America.

In 2004 as I was aggrieved by the rampant cases of cultism and gangesterism in Rivers state and the destruction of innocent lives and properties, I felt the urgency to address the critical issues and meet with the leading principal actors I could reach and persuade them to end the violence. I informed the international headquarters of Shell of my pacific mission before I left Lagos for Port Harcourt on a night coach.

I arrived Diobu at midnight and was told that the town was a danger zone after the mayhem caused by warring cultists. But I went on to the residence of my elder sister Mrs. P William-West on Nnewi Street in Rumumasi. I discussed my mission with her two sons and daughters and one of my nephews told me that he had to leave a cult when he saw one of his closest friends shot and killed in a violent clash with a rival cult in the oil city of Port Harcourt in 2003. I told him I was glad he had become born-again as he confessed. He gave me the details of the genesis of the cultism ravaging Rivers state since they were affected by the violence from their home town in Buguma to the state capital of Port Harcourt. I stayed for a couple of days and crossed over to Bonny Island to continue my investigation and pre-production of my documentary on the causes and consequences of the Niger Delta crisis aggravated by the recruitment of many members of the cults as political thugs of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

From my safe haven on Bonny Island, I contacted an insider named Felix and told him of my critical mission and we agreed to meet at a popular hotel off Olu Obasanjo Road in Port Harcourt. He told me that Shell and the other multinational oil companies operating in the littoral states of the Niger Delta were not interested in peace, but to fish in the troubled waters, because they had little or nothing to lose. They were breaching the contract of the MOU they signed with the Federal Republic of Nigeria and they did not care about the devastation of the eco-system or the deprivations of the host communities.
Their cosmetic social community welfare projects and scholarships were only meant to white-wash their horrible and terrible acts since they began oil exploration in the Niger Delta region. I found out that the hotel was owned by a retired Major in the Nigerian Army and he has been actively engaged in illegal oil bunkering with other retired and active senior military officers, especial those in the Nigerian Navy and their criminal activities were not secret. Those engaged in illegal oil bunkering and those who acquired oil blocks were partners in crime and were well known title-holders in their respective communities. In fact my in-law Asari Dokubo, the leader of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF) had a suite in the hotel.

I returned to Bonny Island and called Asari and we discussed on how to put an end to the violence and he told me that he was already now engaged in providing security service for the oil service companies in the region and was no longer engaged in any violent dispute with any rival cult or gang. I was glad to hear that and told Felix that Asari would fare better as a leader by contesting in a democratic election and could in fact be elected as the governor of Rivers state.
“He only needs to improve his manner of dressing and public relations,” I said.
I was glad that Asari would be willing to participate in my documentary film and commended the website Akumafiete of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force

I was meeting with a top official of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Lagos, because Shell wanted to sponsor my documentary film and in fact the top official asked me if the documentary could be produced in a week, which was not realistic, even though I was working with one of the best filmmakers in Nigeria who has won awards for his documentaries.

I was still making progress when the Nigerian government ordered for the arrest of Asari Dokubo and detained him for outrageous statements of treasonable felony. I warned the government to release him or the situation in the volatile Niger Delta region would become worse. But the government ignored my warning and the SPDC now felt that the government had succeeded in caging the lion of the Niger Delta militants and thought the unconstitutional detention of Asari Dokubo would tame the thousands of members of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force and allied groups. But I warned the government there was a greater militant group in the offing and they thought I was joking until the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) shot up from the creeks!

The solution to the protracted Niger Delta crisis is the administration of true Federal Democracy as practiced by the United States of America and this is what both MEND and NDPVF have been demanding for and also the prosecution of all the retired and serving senior military officers found guilty of illegal oil bunkering.
The Nigerian Navy can actually stop illegal oil bunkering by asking for the assistance of the US Navy to patrol the territorial waters of Nigeria and to attack all tankers, boats and barges engaged in illegal oil bunkering since they can be easily identified from the authorized tankers and vessels on Nigerian waters.
Then the multinational oil companies must be prosecuted for the violations of the MOU they signed with the Federal Republic of Nigeria since 1956 to date.

The Joint Task Force of the Nigerian Armed Forces in the Niger Delta should be withdraw, because it an unconstitutional mission.
All licenses of illegal oil blocks must be withdrawn.
The local and foreign bank accounts of Nigerians suspected of ill-gotten wealth from misappropriations of revenue allocations for the oil producing states and over-invoicing of government contracts should investigated and those found guilty should be prosecuted in a public trial and not behind closed doors.

The former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the former governor of Bayelsa State and Obasanjo's successor, President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua have the full list of the criminals who are still engaged in illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.