#Pendulum: Believe Me, This Buhari’s Cabinet Isn’t Flying

<p dir="ltr">By Dele Momodu <br> Fellow Nigerians, let me start by thanking all the blogs, WhatsApp groups, Facebook and Twitter wizards who make the incredible efforts and sacrifice to mass-circulate my Pendulum column every week. I’m sincerely grateful for your abiding faith in the written word. Let me assure you that you push me to write this piece regularly no matter how tough. I must also salute all those who reach out to me via emails, SMS and telephone calls offering their appreciation of my humble contribution to nation-building. I’ve just received one such call from a businessman who believes so much in Buhari but feels the man has been encircled by desperate political jobbers who are not bothered whether he fails or succeeds. They are only interested in the allure and lucre of power, he says and he may not be far from the truth.<br> I truly appreciate the men and women of power who see my weekly sermon from the perspective that I mean no harm but that I am determined to prop up a government I helped bring to fruition in my own little way. It is impossible to forget and ignore my own critics who can never agree with my position on any national or international issue. Unknown to them, they keep me on my toes and force me to hone the elementary logic I learned as an undergraduate student at the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.<br> I wish to say categorically and with all emphasis at my command that the Buhari government is flailing. And only the ubiquitous hypocrites and cheer leaders would fail to say it as it is, that the grunts of the people are fast turning into deafening lamentations. No amount of approbation by a President Obama can detract from the plaintive suffering and cries of the Nigerian people. Indeed, much as I love Obama, we must remember that his primary interest is America and the fight against corruption which is a sub-plot in America’s fight against terrorism.<br> In case our dear President is unaware, and he feels only the wailing wailers are grumbling, I wish to assure him that this is not the case. Some of the President’s friends and supporters are deeply worried at the sad turn of events. They are wondering what went wrong and what can be done to turn the dangerous slide around. In fact, everything looks to them like a bad dream, a nightmare in reality. But on a personal note, I don’t think the situation is as irredeemable as it seems. The solution lies squarely on the President’s table. Only he can salvage his government from this stupendous slump from grace to grass.<br> President Muhammadu Buhari’s biggest equity is in his legendary incorruptibility. He must have assumed that this equity is rock solid and unassailable. But while the people truly want a reduction in the level of corruption and general indiscipline, you must replace something with something. Buhari’s team believes the problem they have is as a result of waging a relentless war on corrupt people and the freebies that have suddenly frozen up for their friends and acolytes. Not so simple folks. Where are the jobs to occupy and engage the innocent beneficiaries of corruption? A lot of those who had jobs have lost their means of livelihood. Companies are sacking their workers, as if with a vengeance. Foreign investors are running helter-skelter and many have closed shop already running back to wherever they came from. Everyone wants stability and not sermons. And there is no stability, either in the polity, in the economy, in our currency or indeed in our social life.<br> Unfortunately, this government has been very high on proselytising and low on performance. Their swansong has become abysmally boring. The people are now less interested in the results of President Jonathan’s recklessness in office but more in President Buhari’s remedial panacea. It is shocking that 16 months after our friends took over power they are not yet tired of moaning and groaning about Jonathan. But we sacked Jonathan because we knew and felt his case was very bad. We supported Buhari because of the mystic that he had the magic wand. We didn’t want to be accused in the future of wasting yet another best President Nigeria should have had, after Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. That is why we worked assiduously for a man we had rejected serially in the past. We must beg this government to wake up from its deep slumber. It would be a huge embarrassment and an unmitigated disaster if it fails. So many Nigerians risked everything to midwife this change. I’m willing to support this government to the very end but they should please listen to our pleas and humble suggestions.<br> The President needs to re-energise his team. Nigeria is too big and too bold to be controlled by a timid cabinet. We need eagles who can fly high. We should be able to find them in a country of nearly 200 million people. There is no doubt that President Buhari has some good hands in his team but most of them have refused to fly, because they are scared. Many have melted into oblivion and irrelevance. We do not need to mention names. Some jobs are so visible that we do not require masquerades to handle. Some jobs require common-sense and not loquacious rabblerousing. Some members of the team have attracted public odium to this government. They make Buhari look so pitiably bad and that should not be so.<br> The human rights records should also have been better handled and managed during this second coming after the massive damage he suffered in the past. Fighting wars on all fronts from day one distracted and occupied the government. That game-plan was clearly faulty. They should have known that the temperament and tone of a democratic government is ostensibly different from that of a military junta. I once read that too much anger sometimes beclouds reasoning. The government failed to take certain steps to mitigate against the expected backlash of its many wars. It did not reason that hungry people are not always reasonably tolerant of the cause of their social conditions.<br> No one is sure if President Buhari was ever inclined or advised by his team to plan its offensive well or if he thought he had the same omnipotent power he had from 1983-85. He would have waited a bit and stabilised his government before unleashing mayhem against the enemies of state. I’m told surprise is one of the deadliest strategies in warfare. Most of the looted resources would have remained in our banks if government had not shown its fangs too early. As a lay man in Economics, I will never understand and appreciate the decision to ban people from paying dollars into their own accounts. What did it matter if dollar was paid in cash or by transfer? That was the beginning of the free-fall of our currency down the economic ladder. A large chunk of the money looted has invariably vamoosed into foreign vaults or under some beds or dug-up holes. Shame!<br> I strongly recommend that the President rejigs his cabinet, especially his economic team and even replace some of the members. This is what a bank would do if some of its managers were not meeting their targets. No manager is too big to be fired by football clubs. There is nothing new under the sun about this approach to governance. There are so many global examples. In 2014, when Saudi Arabia experienced a surge after the outbreak of the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS) disease, Saudi King Abdullah fired his Health Minister Abdullah al Rabeeah. In July this year, President Raul Castro of Cuba removed his Minister of Economy Marino Murillo from his portfolio amid the economic hardship that was plaguing the country. Just two weeks ago, Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos fired the country’s Finance Minister Armando Manuel. Manuel had presided over an economic recession caused by a sharp dip in oil prices that weakened dollar inflows, hammered the Angolan Kwanza, leading to heavy government borrowing.<br> The President should borrow from such examples and do the needful without further delay. I’m happy that even the National Assembly is thinking along the same lines. The government does not have time on its hands and at its disposal. Two years would soon evaporate and the third year will come knocking. It has to start working for those Nigerians who put their fate and faith in the hands of Buhari. We have had enough of the blatant excuses that sound more like expressions of hopelessness and helplessness, thus leading to deja vu.<br> A few priorities must be tackled speedily. None is greater than the issue of power generation which is already witnessing appreciable progress. I believe the Minister of Power, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, should be allowed to concentrate strictly on power and give his other portfolios to equally competent people. I would love to see a former Governor Donald Duke take over works. I do not care WHICH PARTY HE BELONGS. I have deliberately mentioned this great Nigerian who could easily have been our own Obama if we were a country where merit and achievement catapulted people into the highest office. This government would do well to consider a government of National Unity. Since the suffering we are enduring does not discriminate along Party lines, the solution should not ostracise any capable Nigerian.<br> On the economy, President Buhari should invite and involve the best brains at home and abroad including non-Nigerians. The Bank of England brought in an expert from Canada as its Governor. Dubai invited a Briton to run one of the most ambitious airports on planet Earth. The London Gatwick Airport was sold to a consortium led by a Nigerian. Ghana has just built a world-class Cargo section by Swissport. Before our very eyes, Ghana is attracting the biggest aviation businesses in West Africa. The world has moved beyond our jejune and archaic style of doing things. Our parastatals have become too unwieldy and totally wasteful. We have so many agencies all over the places managing nothing but eating everything. That does not mean a wholesale sale of our national assets but recourse to effective and efficient lean management wherever that may come from. I say emphatically, nothing would change unless we change our retrogressive ways.<br> Instructively, the National Assembly and the Executive arms of government must cut down on government expenditure drastically. The National Assembly is making sense with some of its recommendations but it is has to go beyond that by actually implementing those recommendations and putting pressure on the Executive to do the same. All the legislative aides, executive aides, delegations to foreign assignments and government’s fleet of aircrafts and motorcades are atrociously over-bloated and unnecessary. I stumbled on a video footage of President Vladimir Putin of Russia’s motorcade. It had nothing more than four (4) vehicles accompanied with escort motorbikes. In 2012, President Putin even went as far as announcing that he and his prime minister will work more from home to cut the disruption caused by their motorcades in the city of Moscow. That is Russia, a global super-power making an effort to run a leaner and more effective governance structure.<br> In Ghana where I have lived for over a decade, I have seen the simplicity of the Presidential system of governance from Rawlings to Kufuor to the late Atta Mills and now John Dramani Mahama. Her Majesty, the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II in all the glory of her monarchy goes around in a simple motorcade of usually two or three vehicles. The accompanying vehicles are oftentimes unmarked. But the case of Nigeria is a stark contrast. It sometimes looks as if we are war with some imaginary alien foe. Every security outfit competes to feature in the entourage of our respective leaders. Then there are the support vehicles, including ambulances, bomb disposal vehicles and anti-tank machines!<br> Everything is collapsing except the business of politics. Every government that comes to power seems to be in competition with previous governments in the craze to practice capitalism without capital. Clearly, this is not sustainable and we cannot continue like this. Something has to give. President Buhari must restore confidence again by allowing the change millions of Nigerians voted him for in March 2015 to begin from his desk. It is commonly said that, “desperate times call for desperate measures.” Our time is now.</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKQrHoK8v1lU5cz5fYAneAUrRAlsX5dqd8_sZjW9RWkSo21IrVAz7DdCvInqhyphenhyphenpzV-EmfdVAuAXimW1N8Y7RANgBXTburiLcAHrurQAk64O_pW9P9gV5WdQPxPuUey2eNYE9vNWLPSQem/s1600/IMG_20160515_215011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKQrHoK8v1lU5cz5fYAneAUrRAlsX5dqd8_sZjW9RWkSo21IrVAz7DdCvInqhyphenhyphenpzV-EmfdVAuAXimW1N8Y7RANgBXTburiLcAHrurQAk64O_pW9P9gV5WdQPxPuUey2eNYE9vNWLPSQem/s400/IMG_20160515_215011.jpg"> </a> </div>

#Pendulum: Believe Me, This Buhari’s Cabinet Isn’t Flying

BASAM 0 04:35:00

By Dele Momodu Fellow Nigerians, let me start by thanking all the blogs, WhatsApp groups, Facebook and Twitter wizards who make the incredible efforts and sacrifice to mass-circulate my Pendulum column every week. I’m sincerely grateful for your abi… link to this post

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Dangote, 14 Others Gain N127bn On Stock

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="nigerian-stock-exchange" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="285" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Nigerian-Stock-Exchange.jpg" width="640" /> </div> <br /> <br /> Equity transactions on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), yesterday, favoured the Dangote Cement Plc and 14 other companies listed on the nation’s bourse with N127bn gain.<br /> The recorded profit pushed up benchmark index by 1.33 per cent as the NSE All-Share Index (ASI) appreciated 370 basis points to close at 28,209.93 absolute points, and market capitalisation, also closing higher at N9.690 trn.<br /> While the trading session favoured the 15 gaining stocks against 14 declining ones, 10 other stocks traded and closed the session on flat prices.<br /> The Dangote Cement Plc gained N6.79 kobo to close at N183 per share, Total Plc followed by appreciating N6.50 kobo and closing at N269 per share and Conoil Plc occupied the third position on the chart by gaining N3.59 kobo to close at N38.69 kobo per share.<br /> Other advancing stocks included Stanbic IBTC, Oando Plc,<br /> On the losers’ list were UAC of Nigeria Plc, which shed 78 kobo to close at N21 per share, Unilever Plc, losing 51 kobo to close at N45 per share and WAPCO Plc that lost 11 kobo in share price to close at N56.15 kobo per share.<br /> Collectively, investors traded 231.5m shares valued at N2.488bn in 3,452 deals compared with a total of 328.2m shares worth N2.895bn that exchange hands in the previous session.

Dangote, 14 Others Gain N127bn On Stock

BASAM 0 07:28:00

Equity transactions on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), yesterday, favoured the Dangote Cement Plc and 14 other companies listed on the nation’s bourse with N127bn gain… link to this post

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Buhari: Economic Recovery Key To Checking Human Trafficking

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="Buhari" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="360" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Buhari.jpg" width="640" /> </div> <br /> <br /> President Muhammadu Buhari has said the anti-corruption campaign of his administration and the economic programme of diversification will significantly address the lack of job opportunities and deprivation that make Nigerian youths vulnerable to recruitment by human traffickers.<br /> The President said this in New York at the meeting on Modern Slavery hosted by the Prime Minister of United Kingdom, Theresa May, on the margins of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA71), at the residence of the United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the UN.<br /> <b>“We are also investing more on infrastructure development, education and health for our people. When the results of our efforts become manifest, the attraction of seeking greener pastures abroad will lesson,”</b> he declared.<br /> A statement made available to Vanguard, by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, yesterday, said that Buhari commended the British Prime Minister for drawing the attention of the international community to such a serious matter, to coincide with a time the global focus was on migration and refugee crisis.<br /> He, therefore ,called for practical and innovative measures <b>“to address all modern day human tragedies.”</b><br /> <b> The President noted that “more worrisome is the fact that human trafficking and modern day slavery have created a dangerous political economy of their own. In consequence, this international criminality is defined by the activities of human traffickers that lure unsuspecting victims into forced labour, inhuman treatment, money laundering and prostitution.”<br /> He said Nigeria “is ready and willing to partner with other countries and international organizations to confront this phenomenon. We have a strong commitment to combating the menace of modern slavery, and will redouble our efforts to prohibit human trafficking, while providing succour to its hapless victims.”<br /> President Buhari assured his audience “to count on the support of Nigeria in dealing with this evil, which constitutes an unacceptable stain on human dignity and conscience in the 21st century.”<br /> On measures taken by the country against the evil practice, he said the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, and the Nigeria Immigration Service had taken steps to establish a joint operational Working Group to combat human trafficking and smuggling of migrants from the country.<br /> </b><b>“We are aware of the challenge for Nigeria, but our resolve to combat it is strong and unshakable,” the President declared.</b>

Buhari: Economic Recovery Key To Checking Human Trafficking

BASAM 0 07:27:00

President Muhammadu Buhari has said the anti-corruption campaign of his administration and the economic programme of diversification will significantly address the lack of job opportu… link to this post

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Bayelsa Teachers Issue 21-Day Ultimatum To State Government

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="Seriake-Dickson" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="400" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Seriake-Dickson.jpg" width="640" /> </div> <br /> <br /> The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Bayelsa state government to fully pay the four months’ half salary of all teachers or the teachers in the state would stop working.<br /> This, they said, would affect their expected participation in the conduct of the National Common Entrance and other examinations.<br /> The state wing executive council of the NUT Bayelsa state chapter issued a 9-point communique titled “Not Until We Perish” highlighting their resolution after an emergency meeting to discuss the lingering non-payment of six months’ salaries to primary and secondary school teachers.<br /> The state chairman of the NUT, Kalama Tonpre, while reading the communique, said that the union was committed to enhancing public school system but demands improved working conditions.<br /> He highlighted “the apparent hardship suffered by teachers on account of the prolonged non-payment of over six months’ salaries owed primary and secondary school teachers in order to be at par with other civil servants in the state”.<br /> Other problems discussed were the planned dismissal of teachers employed in 2008/2009, the non-payment of duty post allowances, shifting the responsibility of funding primary school teachers’ salaries to local government councils and non-implementation of promotions.<br /> Others are the 18,000 naira minimum wage arrears and non-inclusion of stakeholders in state education law committee.<br /> According to them, if these issues are not resolved, they would stop working.<br /> The chairman continued by saying “an ultimatum of 21 days from today is given to the Bayelsa state government to fully pay the four months’ salaries of all teachers and address other problems”.<br /> “For some teachers, these months without salary has been hellish as daily survival has been a major challenge,” he said.<br /> The government on their part say they would do their best to pay the salaries for as many months as they can afford.

Bayelsa Teachers Issue 21-Day Ultimatum To State Government

BASAM 0 07:25:00

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Bayelsa state government to fully pay the four months’ half salary of all teachers or the teachers in the stat… link to this post

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CBN Rejects Finance Minister’s Call For Interest Rate Cut

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="Emefiele" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="347" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Emefiele.jpg" width="600" /> </div> <br /> <br /> The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria on Tuesday retained the Monetary Policy Rate, which is the benchmark lending rate, at the current 14 per cent.<br /> The decision to leave the rate unchanged was contrary to expectations of economic analysts, manufacturers and some government officials.<br /> Indeed, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, had on Monday said there was a need for the apex bank to lower interest rates so that the government could borrow domestically to boost the economy without increasing debt servicing costs.<br /> But addressing journalists at the end of the two-day MPC meeting, which was held at the central bank headquarters in Abuja, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, said the apex bank decided to hold the lending rate in order to maintain its primary objective of price stability.<br /> He also said the decision was unanimously agreed on by all the 10 members of the committee who attended the meeting.<br /> Apart from the MPR, he said members of the committee also left the Cash Reserve Ratio and the Liquidity Ratio unchanged at 22.5 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively.<br /> The MPC also called on the Federal Government to introduce tax incentives to stimulate activities and return the economy to the path of growth.<br /> Emefiele said the Federal Government should toe the line of other developed countries such as the United States that adjusted its tax policy during the period of economic recession to stimulate consumer demand.<br /> For instance, he said the government should consider reducing the tax burden on the low and middle-income earners, while increasing the rates payable by the rich.<br /> He said, “In the United States and other economies, when you have situations like this, there are those who are naturally vulnerable – the weak, the low and middle-income people. What the government can do is to reduce their tax rates; and for the rich, increase their tax rates so that they can pay more, and this balances out.<br /> “In fact, you can increase more for the high-income earners so that the disposable income for the poor and vulnerable, and middle-income earners can increase so that they can pump liquidity and use it to boost consumption spending.”<br /> Emefiele said the MPC considered the numerous calls for rate reduction but came to the conclusion that the greatest challenge to the economy at the moment remained incomplete fiscal reforms, which raise costs, risks and uncertainty.<br /> The CBN governor said the committee was of the view that in the past when the rates were reduced to achieve these objectives, it was later discovered that rather than deploy the available liquidity to provide credit to agriculture and manufacturing sectors, it provided opportunities for lending to traders who deployed the same liquidity in putting pressure on the foreign exchange market.<br /> This, he lamented, resulted into limited supply of foreign exchange, thus pushing up the exchange rate.<br /> He, however, lamented that the purpose for which the funds were deployed by the banks was not in line with the objective of the CBN.<br /> He said, “Both the monetary and fiscal authorities all have the intention to achieve growth, but the direction through which we want to achieve it may differ for as long as you still achieve the growth.<br /> “The issues here are that when you say reduce interest rates, there are two possibilities here. Firstly, you are saying that because you want it to spur credit to the private sector at lower rate. Secondly, which I have heard the fiscal authority talk about, is that they need to be able to borrow at lower rates to spend.<br /> “Our own view at the MPC, which was exhaustively discussed, is that in the past, there was a time when the MPC took the decision to reduce the policy rate and the cash reserves. These were intended to lower rate and encourage spending to the private sector. After we did that, the following meeting we said because we did not see the impact of credit to the private sector that we needed to further reduce the CRR.”<br /> Responding to a question that the decision to hold the benchmark interest rate was against the call by Adeosun to reduce it, the governor said that borrowing at lower rates to spend on consumption in an economy not backed by industrial capacity would further fuel inflation.<br /> He said while the committee agreed that it was expected to stimulate growth through aggressive spending, doing so without corresponding efforts to boost industrial output by taking actions to deepen foreign exchange supply for raw materials would not help reduce unemployment.<br /> Emefiele said, “The second part of it is that when you lower the interest rate, it will make it possible for the fiscal authorities to borrow at lower rates.<br /> “But we are saying fine. If you borrow at lower rates to stimulate spending, what that does is that it simulate demand for goods, but when you stimulate demand for goods by providing cash or money to be spent without taking action to boost industrial capacity, manufacturing capacity and output, what happens is that you will see a situation where too much money will be chasing too few goods, which will worsen the inflationary conditions that we have now.<br /> “And that is why we are saying that the option that we would like to adopt is while the fiscal authority is going ahead to spend, what we want to do is to retain the rates where they are so that that will again encourage the inflow of capital, because between July and now, we have seen the inflow of above $1bn.”<br /> The governor also said that the CBN would continue to monitor the sale of forex to the BDCs, adding that any bank undermining the integrity of the foreign exchange market would be sanctioned in line with current guidelines.<br /> LCCI DG reacts<br /> While reacting to the outcome of the MPC meeting, the Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Muda Yusuf, said it underlined the imperative of proper coordination between the monetary and fiscal authorities in the economy.<br /> He said, “What is desirable at this time is to stimulate growth and create jobs. My view is that lower interest rates will benefit the economy more than it will hurt it. The truth is that the economy is afflicted by challenges of a multidimensional nature, rooted in structural weaknesses, tight monetary conditions, forex policy shortcomings, weak institutions and floundering investors’ confidence.<br /> “Fixing the problems requires proper strategic responses from the fiscal, monetary and political governance fronts. And these response actions are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Indeed, they should be taken together. The economy surely has profound issues with infrastructure; but high cost of funds is also one of the major problems, which investors are worried about.<br /> “There is a need at this point to agree on what the national economic objective should be. This is why I will agree with the proposition to have a retreat among the key actors in the fiscal, monetary and political governance space to agree on a common direction and strategy to rescue the economy.”

CBN Rejects Finance Minister’s Call For Interest Rate Cut

BASAM 0 07:24:00

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria on Tuesday retained the Monetary Policy Rate, which is the benchmark lending rate, at the current 14 per cent. The decisio… link to this post

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“President Buhari’s Economic Reforms Are Bold” – President Obama

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="buhari-obama" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="426" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Buhari-Obama.jpg" width="640" /> </div> <br /> <br /> President Barack Obama of the United States of America on Tuesday commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s economic reforms, describing them as “bold”.<br /> Obama made the commendation when he met with Buhari on the sidelines of the ongoing 71st UN General Assembly in New York.<br /> <b>He said America would continue to offer support to Nigeria in the areas of agricultural development, recovery of stolen funds and the fight against Boko Haram.</b><br /> He said America would put things on ground to sustain partnership and cooperation between the two countries.<br /> He said: “We discussed broader issues on development and the President is taking some very bold economic reforms in allowing for a flexible exchange rate.<br /> “We are focusing on agriculture and we pledged to offer all the assistance that we can in that area and as the president is trying to stamp out corruption and to recover external funds that may have been illegally obtained and are sitting in bank accounts around the world.<br /> “As he continues to work to see that the security forces inside Nigeria are abiding professional and human right standards, what we have pledged is that we will partner in any way that we can be helpful.”<br /> Obama, who spoke at a briefing after the bilateral talks, said his administration was carefully coordinating additional ways to make further progress in not only destroying Boko Haram but to ensure that the region fully recovered.<br /> He said America was also willing to assist Nigeria to facilitate a reduction of the conflict in<br /> the Niger Delta region.<br /> He said: “America is willing to help in any way it can to facilitate a reduction of conflict in the Niger Delta region, a major oil-producing region, but one that has been mired by a number of militant organisations that have appropriated or siphoned off the oil revenues.<br /> “The President, I think, is wisely heading a delegation to bring varying stakeholders together and try to make progress on that front. We want to be helpful in any way that we can.”<br /> In his remarks, Buhari thanked Obama for the assistance rendered so far in the fight against terrorism, especially in the training of Nigerian military in both hard and software.<br /> He said steady progress was being made towards resolving the problem in the Niger Delta region, which led to economic sabotage on a grand scale.

“President Buhari’s Economic Reforms Are Bold” – President Obama

BASAM 0 07:23:00

President Barack Obama of the United States of America on Tuesday commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s economic reforms, describing them as “bold”. Obama made the commendation when … link to this post

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FG Begins Shortlisting Candidates For 500,000 Jobs– Lai Mohammed

<div class="image-container" itemprop="image"> <img alt="Lai Mohammed" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="330" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Lai-Mohammed.png" width="616" /> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image">  </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Federal Government has commenced shortlisting candidates for the 500,000 jobs it promised.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed this on Tuesday, in Abuja when a delegation of the National Council for Women’s Societies (NCWS) paid him a courtesy visit in his office.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Mohammed said that applications were being received and government had started processing them for the recruitment.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “The process for the recruitment has started. About 1.2 million people applied and they classified them into categories including agriculture support officers, teachers, technical officers and so on,’’ he said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The minister also said that the payment of N5,000 conditional cash transfer promised by the government would begin before the end of the month.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said the Minister of Finance, Dr Kemi Adeosun had earlier announced this. Mohammed reiterated the commitment of the government to improving the well-being and standard of living of the citizens.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “We are very concerned about the welfare of Nigerians and we are not sleeping; we are working day and night to ensure that the country retraces its step.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Many of our critics have been unfair to us because many of them know that we did not invent the problems we are facing today. “ This is time to join hands together to support the government to move the nation forward,’’ he said.</div> Read More: Vanguard

FG Begins Shortlisting Candidates For 500,000 Jobs– Lai Mohammed

BASAM 0 07:22:00

    The Federal Government has commenced shortlisting candidates for the 500,000 jobs it promised. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed this on Tuesday, in Abuja when a delegation of the National Council … link to this post

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Buhari Congratulates King Sunny Ade At 70

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="King-Sunny-Ade" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="224" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/King-Sunny-Ade.jpg" width="400" /> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">  </div> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify;"> President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated music legend, King Sunny Ade, as he turns 70 on <span data-term="goog_501114455">September 22nd, 2016</span>.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President joined all friends, family and fans of the multi-talented instrumentalist, songwriter and dancer in celebrating his remarkable life, which he said has been graced with numerous awards for outstanding performances, including nominations for the Grammy.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> As a Nigerian musician, the President believed that the Septuagenarian has over the years brought pride to his country by mastering his art against all odds, taking the African musical genre to the global stage, and serving as an inspiration and a mentor to upcoming artistes.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Apart from bringing joy to many hearts and homes through his music, President Buhari also commended King Sunny Ade’s love for humanity, especially the less privileged, by setting up a foundation that caters for the needs of others.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He prayed that the Almighty God will grant the versatile entertainer longer life, good health and more strength.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Credit: thenation</div>

Buhari Congratulates King Sunny Ade At 70

BASAM 0 07:20:00

    President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated music legend, King Sunny Ade, as he turns 70 on September 22nd, 2016. In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President jo… link to this post

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Niger Delta Crisis Will Be Over Soon, Buhari Tells Obama

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="1" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="360" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/1-165.jpg" width="640" /> </div> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify;"> President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday assured Barack Obama, the American President, that Nigeria was making steady progress towards resolving the Niger Delta region problem, which had led to economic sabotage on a grand scale.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Adesina said the president gave the assurance at a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ongoing 71st edition of the UN General Assembly, holding in New York.“We are making definite progress on how many factions of the militant groups exist, their leadership and operational basis, and we have equally sought the cooperation of the oil majors.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “In a short while, I believe the issues would be resolved,’’ Buhari said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He thanked America for assisting Nigeria in provision of armaments, training for Nigerian troops, and sharing of intelligence, which had led to the degradation of Boko Haram in the North East.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Buhari said the country was open to support in combating the humanitarian crisis currently ravaging the region.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said the farming season was good in 2016, with the prospect of good harvest, and “Nigeria is on the road to food self-sufficiency soon.</div>

Niger Delta Crisis Will Be Over Soon, Buhari Tells Obama

BASAM 0 07:18:00

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday assured Barack Obama, the American President, that Nigeria was making steady progress towards resolving the Niger Delta region problem, which had l… link to this post

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Sex slave being auctioned by ISIS to Saudi Arabian buyers

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieidAEGwhNfwQKy-fYIsB-0umKCh8mzV_r5KUUV32gSDYlVz8d8tmLsyNjgJuCJnFWDOH5ix9iCFx7vVasSQzFuNd1BOvsjNikHA_CvQ-PmJ6dU3ehB9VKAQKc-xmlm7Ap2prnOtIr-2Mq/s1600/00.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieidAEGwhNfwQKy-fYIsB-0umKCh8mzV_r5KUUV32gSDYlVz8d8tmLsyNjgJuCJnFWDOH5ix9iCFx7vVasSQzFuNd1BOvsjNikHA_CvQ-PmJ6dU3ehB9VKAQKc-xmlm7Ap2prnOtIr-2Mq/s1600/00.png" /></a></div> <b>A picture has been released by the Sun UK showing an ISIS sex slave allegedly being auctioned by the terror group to bidders in Saudi Arabia.</b><br /> <br /> <div> </div> <div> <div> The horrifying discovery was revealed when a jihadi was killed while fighting at the town of Al-Shirqat, an ISIS stronghold taken over by the group two years ago.<br /> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a></div> </div> <div> <div> Members of the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Units, a state-sponsored militia that helps fight ISIS recovered the Jihadist's mobile phone and found a picture of a sex slave market taken in Saudi Arabia. It comes as a surprise to the Western world, given that Saudi Arabia  is part of the international coalition fighting ISIS alongside the UK and US even though it's believed in some quarters that wealthy Saudis have sponsored the terror group for years.<br /> </div> </div> <div> </div> <div> A spokesman for the PMU told Sun Online: </div> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> <i>“Our investigation officer was appalled at the set of images involving what we believe to be an Iraqi Yazidi (an ethnic minority in the region) woman taken as sex slave. Images were of the auction in Saudi Arabia of the woman and sexually explicit materials of the fighter and the woman in a hotel. Location data was observed on the image file as enabled by default on many smart phones. </i></blockquote> <i> </i><blockquote class="tr_bq"> <i> "Further images involved ISIS members in Iraqi areas occupied by ISIS including Mosul and Baiji which indicates this fighter has been with ISIS for a long period of time as Baiji was liberated by us months ago." </i></blockquote> <i> </i><blockquote class="tr_bq"> <i> We are engaging with our Yazidi members to find the family of the woman, location and health status," the spokesman added. We hope to liberate her and all Iraqi women taken as sexual slaves by ISIS within Iraq or outside of Iraq as their basic human rights are being denied. We cannot allow this, as the force dedicated to the defence of Iraqi citizens."</i></blockquote> <div> Source: Sun UK</div>

Sex slave being auctioned by ISIS to Saudi Arabian buyers

BASAM 0 07:16:00

A picture has been released by the Sun UK showing an ISIS sex slave allegedly being auctioned by the terror group to bidders in Saudi Arabia. The horrifying discovery was revealed when a jihadi was killed while fighting at the town of Al-Shirqat,… link to this post

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'If he wants a war he can have one' - Yaya Toure's agent hits back at Pep Guardiola

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZg01Iq-oxgM-_Z_VBfR1fVqp27D8xUygmywm16Oq6dpiSIQeN43z1K6606g5bqhxE65ALbuA05DwE4AhqVZ8OFmMUvr6wQqLhimXRlzEII5edfG3BVEz1Cgrwt7Xndify3pSRCDpMFzp/s1600/000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZg01Iq-oxgM-_Z_VBfR1fVqp27D8xUygmywm16Oq6dpiSIQeN43z1K6606g5bqhxE65ALbuA05DwE4AhqVZ8OFmMUvr6wQqLhimXRlzEII5edfG3BVEz1Cgrwt7Xndify3pSRCDpMFzp/s400/000.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <b>Pep Guardiola on Tuesday in a press conference insisted that for Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure to come back to the team, his agent will have to apologize for the things he's said against the team . If you missed the story, read</b> <a href="http://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2016/09/yaya-toure-will-not-play-for-manchester.html?m=1">here</a><br /> <br /> Now Yaya's outspoken agent Dimitri Seluk has fired back at the Man City coach saying he'll say what he likes and that Pep feels like a king because he's been winning games.<br /> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisT_xZ7ldKTuh99cLJVUGBNO1g8-JSRjL9OcdwWVBcdzmL2tanchuQR5yy25D1HYo8fU3kyo2lF7IUmV8m3n7_7X8uAiwt_SnB6xfo1d6JKXAT2RrSG4wDHt094mLY3BrWVLi7tWSHKonD/s1600/l.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisT_xZ7ldKTuh99cLJVUGBNO1g8-JSRjL9OcdwWVBcdzmL2tanchuQR5yy25D1HYo8fU3kyo2lF7IUmV8m3n7_7X8uAiwt_SnB6xfo1d6JKXAT2RrSG4wDHt094mLY3BrWVLi7tWSHKonD/s320/l.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br /> Seluk also called on the Spaniard to apologise to goalkeeper Joe Hart and former City boss Manuel Pellegrini for his role in their Etihad exits.<br /> <br /> He said: <br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> <i>‘If Guardiola wants a war, then he can have one. I felt that Pep was being vindictive to Yaya. He has reacted to what I have said by punishing Yaya again. Pep doesn’t want players with personality. He only wants players who are scared of him and will do what he says. </i></blockquote> <i> </i><blockquote class="tr_bq"> <i> ‘The first thing he did when he arrived at City was to pick a fight with Yaya and Joe Hart, two of the club’s biggest players. They have both been big personalities in the dressing room at City and Guardiola doesn’t like that.  </i></blockquote> <i> </i><blockquote class="tr_bq"> <i> ‘What do I need to apologise for? I will apologise to Guardiola if he will apologise to Pellegrini for what he did to him. Colleagues should have respect for each other, especially in England where it is important to act like a gentleman. </i></blockquote> <i> </i><blockquote class="tr_bq"> <i> ‘He also needs to apologise to Joe Hart. It’s not right to come to England and then get rid of a few English players. Guardiola wins a few games and thinks he is king.’</i></blockquote>

'If he wants a war he can have one' - Yaya Toure's agent hits back at Pep Guardiola

BASAM 0 07:14:00

Pep Guardiola on Tuesday in a press conference insisted that for Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure to come back to the team, his agent will have to apologize for the things he's said against the team . If you missed the story, read here Now Yaya's… link to this post

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Emir of Kano meets Pope Francis in Italy (Photos)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-ljQFF1h1p-SYrdXkPJen5QbhCHoL-cqcXI-8EljRRGTXjRcBi5eaARIFhXLC26XUP3XDEyyyEtOS6AYUg7LnA-uNYdeIYxG-K50js2gEqTMOFiIICLIcaI0lRKjG_FIJwT22uDMfys3/s320/3.png" width="270" /><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9oJtT-sVxcBFVJuCSw6KMlafg3GQ1_tHUwiZsVh_uyUfjlhrNMMqNalH0S4vn5szOfNID6eqOUuGBxBQVwBic2GSI0_Q7bIXuVTU58m3DfQeJ1iUZl_ncHpuvrEVWFC03bY_1icHXd2T/s320/1.jpg" width="240" /></div> Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II met with Pope Francis yesterday in Assisi, Italy, during the final meeting of the World Day of Prayer for Peace where over 400 religious leaders from around the world gathered to pray for world peace.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMbdQNtGkLvjNxTCzb8nbnUbhXBruGpS9UBJzWTkUC8vtkm4dVhmz_XiMLGUcIZW5q5-OR6LI9jYHZ8kaES8AKYVOGsVeKEBrBuRwk2LKEYd7_y3Vw7lvyebPWtE-Iam20FkYsxGJ0yfF/s1600/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMbdQNtGkLvjNxTCzb8nbnUbhXBruGpS9UBJzWTkUC8vtkm4dVhmz_XiMLGUcIZW5q5-OR6LI9jYHZ8kaES8AKYVOGsVeKEBrBuRwk2LKEYd7_y3Vw7lvyebPWtE-Iam20FkYsxGJ0yfF/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5TwQ_cDchkyf0VLKg9Mp6mJmHPQ876pGnt0raItNsP_K9j8_EX70jOOK2BVxxl2zHQ0C6voQkGlQLC3Ub7L8cRCWb1k3FNa-sjqHCAEaQq2sXGa6bS5NT2iQtJQyfJuv0HTpdGXMTAPc/s1600/3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5TwQ_cDchkyf0VLKg9Mp6mJmHPQ876pGnt0raItNsP_K9j8_EX70jOOK2BVxxl2zHQ0C6voQkGlQLC3Ub7L8cRCWb1k3FNa-sjqHCAEaQq2sXGa6bS5NT2iQtJQyfJuv0HTpdGXMTAPc/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2ZyouvWTZ_TctMrOEHu1uKewsVuqN_oeisCOmFZjuwK9w6LWS9BWDn3_JJ4DfV9SqD_genW7F45BmB-BEmbIMf48HfrP1jYYLYSjmpD5M_Pvgizq-PeE_TOZX9dLi45EFOGGJaNXO8mv/s1600/1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2ZyouvWTZ_TctMrOEHu1uKewsVuqN_oeisCOmFZjuwK9w6LWS9BWDn3_JJ4DfV9SqD_genW7F45BmB-BEmbIMf48HfrP1jYYLYSjmpD5M_Pvgizq-PeE_TOZX9dLi45EFOGGJaNXO8mv/s1600/1.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxB-cXVK1WcS6q9oVATcm8EZFde_Ran-W60PVDAMQGMGRDX1HrWIzUpJEoANpOgwwqrBhC2uN4mYzf_CwK-b1VzzF8cQjXKHCmRcGYtyYfflSkN-ex9z8LQmWhoYLSHT7aOn2dLvEJjhG/s1600/2%2523.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxB-cXVK1WcS6q9oVATcm8EZFde_Ran-W60PVDAMQGMGRDX1HrWIzUpJEoANpOgwwqrBhC2uN4mYzf_CwK-b1VzzF8cQjXKHCmRcGYtyYfflSkN-ex9z8LQmWhoYLSHT7aOn2dLvEJjhG/s1600/2%2523.png" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgON-CWlanWkSi6hEjGKIYlf5772Lm4Z3o-xTcjYuZ_n6q7hdd6bFx3Qo6Oj0okrvYSIS2y3ZT0H5hjgPkfMSVLsQz0NPp4f_4rlE2z7nuZ2KSieiLpvkenxgW_i3leGxC3tcA7Z1ncxAOn/s1600/4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgON-CWlanWkSi6hEjGKIYlf5772Lm4Z3o-xTcjYuZ_n6q7hdd6bFx3Qo6Oj0okrvYSIS2y3ZT0H5hjgPkfMSVLsQz0NPp4f_4rlE2z7nuZ2KSieiLpvkenxgW_i3leGxC3tcA7Z1ncxAOn/s400/4.png" width="400" /></a></div>

Emir of Kano meets Pope Francis in Italy (Photos)

BASAM 0 07:09:00

Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II met with Pope Francis yesterday in Assisi, Italy, during the final meeting of the World Day of Prayer for Peace where over 400 religious leaders from around the world gathered to pray for world peace. … link to this post

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Submissions for the AMVCA 2017 are now open! (Read For More Details)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpNu3oZvjNyxeXTYt1NMC5JG8lTPE2AubMnubOFKxtcxaS11wWPUgkvBN-rKz37EV8zfZjwtwfLQD5zj-uVCrF-cGB3M3grmh4KOeuFnL1NA9_3LJwYnt5k1ab3AMW3r150J1dW_m-rebk/s1600/000000.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpNu3oZvjNyxeXTYt1NMC5JG8lTPE2AubMnubOFKxtcxaS11wWPUgkvBN-rKz37EV8zfZjwtwfLQD5zj-uVCrF-cGB3M3grmh4KOeuFnL1NA9_3LJwYnt5k1ab3AMW3r150J1dW_m-rebk/s1600/000000.png" /></a></div> The AMVCA’s are back!  AfricaMagic, in association with Multichoice and proud sponsors Amstel Malta, invites you to submit your film and/or television work(s) produced and broadcast or publicly exhibited during the period of October 1st, 2015 to September 30th, 2016, for a chance to be acknowledged as one of the best on the continent.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br /> You could be the next big winner at the upcoming AMVCAs. If you think you, your production, cast or crew members deserve to walk away with the prestigious award then simply click on the image below or head to <a href="http://www.africamagic.tv/">www.africamagic.tv</a>, click on the AMVCA2017 banner to submit your entry.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6G5n8yzxKb-KfKOd0rKPUSUvx-piBBPiO-P6DvQOBYlXhhq3IUSX2Viv6TweTBRAklMdcXeyuL7zfcMFLP8-GXAN-aIddHUOHs46sj9w5QHkHg-y9nOqWpLjEHI_-tDxo6fh5tH53fWNM/s1600/0000.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6G5n8yzxKb-KfKOd0rKPUSUvx-piBBPiO-P6DvQOBYlXhhq3IUSX2Viv6TweTBRAklMdcXeyuL7zfcMFLP8-GXAN-aIddHUOHs46sj9w5QHkHg-y9nOqWpLjEHI_-tDxo6fh5tH53fWNM/s400/0000.png" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) is a prestigious initiative that honours film and television talent across the continent. The next edition is billed to hold on the 4th of March, 2017, and also marks the fifth consecutive year of the awards.<br /> <br /> The AMVCAs were created to celebrate the contribution of African filmmakers, actors and technicians in the success of the continent’s film and television industry and with the success of the previous four editions, preparations are in top gear for the 2017 edition. <br /> <br /> Submissions close on the 28th of October 2016.<br /> <br /> For queries or further information, please email <a href="mailto:submissions@amvca2017.com">submissions@amvca2017.com</a><br /> <br /> Like our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AfricaMagicGO/?brand_redir=188193507920443">Facebook</a> page and follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/africamagictv">Twitter</a>, on <a href="http://instagram.com/africamagic/">Instagram</a> and on WeChat: AfricaMagicTV.<br />

Submissions for the AMVCA 2017 are now open! (Read For More Details)

BASAM 0 07:06:00

The AMVCA’s are back!  AfricaMagic, in association with Multichoice and proud sponsors Amstel Malta, invites you to submit your film and/or television work(s) produced and broadcast or publicly exhibited during the period of October 1st, 2015 to … link to this post

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Yaya Toure not included in the newly released Man City Team photograph, Kelechi Iheanacho included

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyS7fbo2JNS9vm9MgIVHVoxJEqb-VsC4xbsGgljG3Ev2-gb5N8C8ldSltwgGouZT_hXNVu0UMqQ6xWw8Ns5UNCbWbqazlCHnQ5SEem6i0Ezi0lJ-8XTLwG4X5G7D_zBqv6uWKLkE56k3C/s1600/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyS7fbo2JNS9vm9MgIVHVoxJEqb-VsC4xbsGgljG3Ev2-gb5N8C8ldSltwgGouZT_hXNVu0UMqQ6xWw8Ns5UNCbWbqazlCHnQ5SEem6i0Ezi0lJ-8XTLwG4X5G7D_zBqv6uWKLkE56k3C/s1600/unnamed.jpg" /></a></div> Yaya Toure who earns about £226,000 per week, four time African player of the year has been omitted from the Manchester City team photograph of players for the season. The photo released on Tuesday, includes Nigerian starlet Kelechi Iheanacho- the only African and comes after Pep Guardiola issued an ultimatum to Yaya's agent to either apologize to him and the club or be frozen out of the team.

Yaya Toure not included in the newly released Man City Team photograph, Kelechi Iheanacho included

BASAM 0 07:03:00

Yaya Toure who earns about £226,000 per week, four time African player of the year has been omitted from the Manchester City team photograph of players for the season. The photo released on Tuesday, includes Nigerian starlet Kelechi Iheanacho- th… link to this post

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"I don't like President Muhammadu Buhari. I don't believe him" - Reno Omokri

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCeyU4M95iUYWYlooJ7p8L5lSsB8YqQEEley5hg4g7IpbZrDbBSC84F6e42LBwdCVyt3mCqZQZFlXzQIB4179MCfAJrE_8sReXBMVZjK9MQPLGE2ucn22I4-opSqZtMdE70pd7CHeUcE5/s1600/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCeyU4M95iUYWYlooJ7p8L5lSsB8YqQEEley5hg4g7IpbZrDbBSC84F6e42LBwdCVyt3mCqZQZFlXzQIB4179MCfAJrE_8sReXBMVZjK9MQPLGE2ucn22I4-opSqZtMdE70pd7CHeUcE5/s400/unnamed.jpg" width="292" /></a></div> <b>Reno Omokri says allegations that Aisha Buhari's picture with Michelle Obama was photoshopped is false. He stated that he doesn't like President Buhari nor believes in him but that doesn't stop him from praying for him. He wrote;</b><br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> <i>"The allegation that Aisha Buhari photoshopped her picture with Michelle Obama is false. Even if you don't like President Buhari, don't take it out on his wife or family. I've been at these functions. People line up to take pictures with the alpha who maintains the same pose. I don't like President Muhammadu Buhari. I don't believe him. <br /> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a>I will never ever vote for him. Yet, I mention him by name everyday in prayer. Not some days. EVERYDAY. I do this because I fear God. I will criticize him. But if I do criticize him, it will be because of something he is guilty of not due to something he and his wife are innocent of. Whether you like it or not, Buhari is the Lord's anointed, for now. If you are going to move against the Lord's anointed, better have truth on your side or you end up like Rechab and Baanah!</i></blockquote>

"I don't like President Muhammadu Buhari. I don't believe him" - Reno Omokri

BASAM 0 06:57:00

Reno Omokri says allegations that Aisha Buhari's picture with Michelle Obama was photoshopped is false. He stated that he doesn't like President Buhari nor believes in him but that doesn't stop him from praying for him. He wrote; "The allegation … link to this post

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“Nnamdi Kanu Seriously Ill In Prison, Loses Blood” – IPOB

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu is seen with his counsel at the Federal high court Abuja, Nigeria January 20, 2016. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde - RTX237UG" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="426" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Nnamdi-Kanu.jpg" width="640" /> <div class="caption"> Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu is seen with his counsel at the Federal high court Abuja, Nigeria January 20, 2016. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde - RTX237UG</div> </div> <br /> <br /> The Indigenous People of Biafra has said its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is critically ill in Kuje prison. “Nnamdi Kanu Seriously Ill In Prison, Loses Blood” – IPOBThe group said it got the information from Kanu’s lawyers who visited him recently.<br /> In a statement issued by the Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful, on Saturday, the group said Kanu was suffering from chest and abdominal pains as well as a violent cough.<br /> The group alleged that Kanu’s poor health might not be unconnected with the bad treatment he had been allegedly subjected to by prisons officials.<br /> It called on the international community to prevail on President Muhammadu Buhari to allow its leader to have access to medical treatment.<br /> The statement read, “We have notified the international community about his present condition which include debilitating abdominal pains and occasional tightening of the chest resulting in cough, which has persisted.<br /> “The Department of State Services has this information in its record and we suggest it makes it public for the world to know. Kanu’s loss of blood through bleeding from the nose prompted the agency to send in an external doctor to examine him while in their custody.”<br /> The group also declared its support for the United States Republican Party’s presidential candidate, Donald Trump.<br /> The group ranked Trump among other world leaders such as Vladimir Putin of Russia, Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, and Angela Merkel of Germany.<br /> It said Americans and the world should be desirous to see Trump as the next US President.<br /> It also expressed hope that if Trump became the President of the US, he would address “the plight of Biafrans.”<br /> The statement added, “We are calling on the international community, world leaders like Vladimir Putin of Russia, Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Angela Merkel of Germany and Donald Trump, whom the good people of America, to come and make the US greater. These leaders and others who recognise the ideals of freedom for all should come to our rescue.”<br /> The group decried the DSS’ declaration of the wife of its leader, Uchechi and one Powerful as wanted persons.<br /> “The DSS should have known that IPOB is a non-violent organisation committed to the liberation of the people of Biafra and has not been involved in any violent act or crime during its protests in Nigeria and across the globe,” the group added.

“Nnamdi Kanu Seriously Ill In Prison, Loses Blood” – IPOB

BASAM 0 01:47:00

Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu is seen with his counsel at the Federal high court Abuja, Nigeria January 20, 2016. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde - RTX237UG The Indigenous Peo… link to this post

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Banks To Close Branches As Recession Bites Hard.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="Banks-Financial Banner" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="213" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Banks-Financial-Banner.jpg" width="640" /> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">  </div> <br /> <br /> A number of Deposit Money Banks in the country will close many of what they described as unprofitable branches as the economic recession continues to bite harder, investigation by our correspondent has shown.<br /> It was similarly gathered that most of the banks would lay off hundreds of workers between now and December.<br /> The revelation came barely 24 hours after Unity Bank Plc laid off about 300 workers, more than the 220 that was mentioned last week.<br /> Diamond Bank Plc, Ecobank and Skye Bank Plc had earlier in the year sacked over 3,000 members of their workforce.<br /> It was learnt that following the economic downturn in the country, a number of bank branches could no longer justify their existence as cost analysis had shown that the financial institutions were spending more on salaries and overheads than the income from the branches.<br /> Some top bank executives, who confirmed the development to our correspondent under the condition of anonymity on Monday, said some lenders might be forced to relieve more workers of their duties before the end of this year.<br /> An executive director in one of the banks that recently asked some of its workers to go said, “We have laid off some of our staff members but that it still not enough. Many branches are just existing for the sake of being there. They are not generating enough income. What they are bringing in is far less than what the bank is incurring as costs on them.<br /> “We may have to close such branches before the year ends. I know a number of other banks that are planning something similar.”<br /> Commenting on the development, an ex-banker and Chief Executive Officer, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr. Johnson Chukwu, described branch closure as an ongoing action in the banking sector, especially in times of economic downturn.<br /> He, however, noted that banks were required to notify the Central Bank of Nigeria before closing any branch.<br /> “It is an ongoing administrative thing in the banking industry. Banks will want to rationalise branches, especially in a difficult economy. Banks are planning to cut costs. Branch rationalisation is normal but the CBN has to be notified,” Chukwu explained.<br /> The banking sector has been facing a number of challenges following the downturn in economic activities.<br /> The slowdown in the economy, which has led to a high rate of non-performing loans in the banking system, made four lenders to lose at least N17bn in profits in the first quarter of this year.<br /> Specifically, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Unity Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Plc recorded a combined decline of N17bn in their profits before tax for the three months ended March 31, 2016, when compared with the corresponding period of 2015, according to the results of the financial institutions posted on the website of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.<br /> When compared with the PBT of N30.52bn, N32.65bn, N4.26bn and N7.94bn recorded by the banks in the first quarter of 2015, the combined PBT of the four banks dropped by N17bn from N75.4bn in the first quarter of last year to N58.4bn in the same period of this year.<br /> While Ecobank’s PBT fell from N30.52bn in the first quarter of 2015 to N20.63bn in a similar period of this year, GTBank’s dropped from N32.65bn to N30.68bn. That of Unity Bank dropped from N4.26bn to N1.05bn, while Diamond Bank’s came down from N7.94bn to N6.04bn.<br /> In terms of their profit after tax, the four banks recorded a decline of N14bn.<br /> Banks in the country had been posting sharp increases in profits before tax and profits after tax since 2011 after the establishment of the Asset Management of Corporation of Nigeria in 2010 following the banking sector crisis in 2009.<br /> However, consistent drop in the global prices of crude oil, Nigeria’s main foreign exchange earner, since June 2014, caused banks’ profits to start declining at the end of 2015.<br /> Majority of the 15 banks listed on the NSE recorded declines in their full-year profits in the 2015 financial year. However, a few ones such as Access Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc and GTBank outperformed the market despite sizeable volume of bad loans.<br /> In the first quarter of 2016, 13 out of the 15 banks posted a combined PBT of N135.36bn, compared to N148bn in the corresponding period of last year.<br /> Similarly, the 13 banks posted profits after tax of N116.6bn in the first quarter of 2016, compared to N126.4bn in the first quarter of 2015.<br /> The 13 banks are Access Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, GTBank, FCMB Limited, Sterling Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, UBA Plc, Unity Bank, Wema Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc and Zenith Bank Plc.<br /> Skye Bank Plc and Stanbic IBTC Bank have yet to release their full-year 2015 and first-quarter 2016 financial results.<br /> An economic analyst and Head, Investment Advisory, Afrinvest West Africa Limited, Mr. Ayodeji Ebo, said the declining profit in the financial services sector was a reflection of the challenges facing the Nigerian economy.

Banks To Close Branches As Recession Bites Hard.

BASAM 0 01:46:00

    A number of Deposit Money Banks in the country will close many of what they described as unprofitable branches as the economic recession continues to bite harder, investigation by our correspondent has show… link to this post

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Kim K gets a new huge diamond engagement ring from Kanye

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBxXsu_cBHYv2mkrC_v-vlDomKZ27hJZJvIh41W13m2wWV2USEb4Ta6r5N1b8QI_uI8JaeQBAcCIQgsGO-7mhJVL-YYLWcbuAzxZNqrByepJ9j2KskRpbJQGH06HrHn619xkeSzaBfjWO/s1600/1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBxXsu_cBHYv2mkrC_v-vlDomKZ27hJZJvIh41W13m2wWV2USEb4Ta6r5N1b8QI_uI8JaeQBAcCIQgsGO-7mhJVL-YYLWcbuAzxZNqrByepJ9j2KskRpbJQGH06HrHn619xkeSzaBfjWO/s1600/1.png" /></a></div> Kanye West made less than $12million in the last one year, according to Forbes, but he loves his wife so much he bought her a new $5million ring. TMZ reports below...<br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> Kim Kardashian is walking around with over $5 million on her fingers now that Kanye West hit her with another massive diamond ... just because he loves her.<br /> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a> </blockquote> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> TMZ has learned Kim's new Lorraine Schwartz rock is 20 carats -- 6 carats bigger and cost 3 times more than her $1.3 million engagement ring. </blockquote> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> Sources close to the jeweler tell us the emerald cut rock is a type IIa diamond, which means it's pretty rare and close to flawless. </blockquote> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> Seems it's pretty rare for Kim to double up, but she was seen wearing both rocks at a Harper's Bazaar party on Sept. 9. </blockquote> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPGXQ57yol9hYydzeEOAryssRBp_0XS5BWVcZRJuzvO0vuTEVHrATCKapQXn0bo3BcMh6rW6xlFbZwbnLgbUjI3xLjBTHZoTmrPp0Y48aiwI6xpbfDQcCvjUY_jU6AqVaPDIo77-_nxDJh/s1600/0920-kim-kardashian-ring-inf-getty-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPGXQ57yol9hYydzeEOAryssRBp_0XS5BWVcZRJuzvO0vuTEVHrATCKapQXn0bo3BcMh6rW6xlFbZwbnLgbUjI3xLjBTHZoTmrPp0Y48aiwI6xpbfDQcCvjUY_jU6AqVaPDIo77-_nxDJh/s1600/0920-kim-kardashian-ring-inf-getty-3.jpg" /></a></div>

Kim K gets a new huge diamond engagement ring from Kanye

BASAM 0 01:44:00

Kanye West made less than $12million in the last one year, according to Forbes, but he loves his wife so much he bought her a new $5million ring. TMZ reports below... Kim Kardashian is walking around with over $5 million on her fingers now that K… link to this post

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Police Arraign Herdsman For Alleged Possession Of Firearms

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="1" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="360" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/1-162.jpg" width="640" /> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">  </div> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The police in Enugu State have arraigned a herdsman, Ibrahim Adamu, before an Enugu East Magistrates’ Court for allegedly being in possession of an AK-47 rifle.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The spokesperson of the police in the state, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, said that Adamu was arraigned on Sept. 16 and had been remanded in prison custody by Chief Magistrate Denis Ekoh.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Adamu was arrested on Aug. 29 at Affa in Udi Local Government Area.He was arraigned on a three-count charge of illegally possessing and having under his control AK 47 rifle with 24 rounds of live ammunition in contravention of the Firearms Act.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The statement said that the offence was punishable under the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap. R11 vol. 14, laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Credit:</div> <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="vDWxw9dZUE"> <a href="http://guardian.ng/news/police-arraign-herdsman-for-alleged-possesion-of-firearms/">Police arraign herdsman for alleged possesion of firearms</a></blockquote>

Police Arraign Herdsman For Alleged Possession Of Firearms

BASAM 0 01:41:00

    The police in Enugu State have arraigned a herdsman, Ibrahim Adamu, before an Enugu East Magistrates’ Court for allegedly being in possession of an AK-47 rifle. The spokesperson of the police in the state… link to this post

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Minister of the FCT bans beggars, herdsmen, street hawkers, others in Abuja

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFauVBJzyU-Y_nHg1zQNS8GCFdPpBW0MErHQNyVSplcSHPzZDTsj-71dzQ5WSVi7Fd8o7OzeVKO1Q33xCCV-9zHEVRYBFk_XhEpr3CX9apyh78gyxpdRCdmVa-HmcQUXEUh77enSud7l0/s1600/musa-bello.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFauVBJzyU-Y_nHg1zQNS8GCFdPpBW0MErHQNyVSplcSHPzZDTsj-71dzQ5WSVi7Fd8o7OzeVKO1Q33xCCV-9zHEVRYBFk_XhEpr3CX9apyh78gyxpdRCdmVa-HmcQUXEUh77enSud7l0/s400/musa-bello.png" width="400" /></a></div> The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Muhammad Bello has banned begging, street hawking, cattle grazing and commercial motorcycles (Okada) from operating within the state.<br /> <br /> This was decided after a meeting on Monday. During the meeting, Bello condemned the illegal use of uncompleted buildings by criminals, homeless people, and miscreants and warned that owners of such property will be held responsible if these individuals commit any crime while staying in their property.

Minister of the FCT bans beggars, herdsmen, street hawkers, others in Abuja

BASAM 0 01:39:00

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Muhammad Bello has banned begging, street hawking, cattle grazing and commercial motorcycles (Okada) from operating within the state. This was decided after a meeting on Monday. During the me… link to this post

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6 Habits That May Scare Away Your Partner, No.s 2 & 6 Are Very Important

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="1" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="426" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/1-160.jpg" width="640" /> </div> <br /> <br /> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"> 1. Lack of personal hygiene</h2> <div style="text-align: justify;"> This should go without saying, yet, it seems like some people are totally clueless to their own body odor. Sure, if you’re out in the woods on a backpacking trip or running rivers all summer, a certain expectation of general smelliness goes along with that. However, if you’re a man about town who attends social functions on the reg, do us all a favor and make sure you keep yourself clean, smelling fresh and well-groomed, like the handsome gent we know you are.</div> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"> 2. Chewing food like a cow</h2> <div style="text-align: justify;"> What’s worse than talking with your mouth full? Smacking your lips like a barn animal every time you put food into your pie hole. There’s absolutely no reason why you should be shoveling food into your mouth like it’s going out of style. Quit the incessant lip-smacking and remind us you’re a gentleman with a general grasp on table manners.</div> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"> 3. Leaving dirty dishes in the sink</h2> <div style="text-align: justify;"> It’s one thing to leave a couple dishes in the sink until the morning, but it’s quite another to have a stack piled high for days on end. Not only is it disgusting, it will start to smell, and maybe even attract gnats and fruit flies. Don’t let grossness fester in your own home. Clean the dishes, change out your sponges regularly, and spray a little Clorox on your counter.</div> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"> 4. Letting your beard get out of control</h2> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Coming from a gal who calls a mountain town home, I’m no stranger to, or hater of, some good manly facial hair. There’s just something about a guy who can grow hair on his face that ensures you he also, more likely than not, drinks whiskey, wears flannel, and chops his own wood. But what’s definitely not cool or appreciated, is when a beard becomes so out of control that it makes you cringe. How gross is it when food particles get caught or it scratches a girl just a little too much when going in for a smooch. So please guys, keep it clean and keep it manageable, because a beard should be a nice compliment to a face, not something that needs its own zip code.</div> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"> 5. Leaving facial hair on the sink</h2> <div style="text-align: justify;"> This is an important one to touch on (see previous “out of control beard” reference). You know what I’m talking about – those gross little shavings that inevitably fall in and around the sink, turning the area into a fur-covered vanity. In reality, it’s really not that tough. So please, just do everyone a favor and clean up your own hair.</div> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"> 6. Oral hygiene</h2> <div style="text-align: justify;"> We all know no one wants to kiss an ashtray, and it’s hard to believe there are still folks out there who smoke cigarettes anyways. But what about those who just, simply put, are unaware of how bad their breath is, or how they should <em>really </em>take a visit to the dentist for a cleaning? Bi-annual visits to the dentist aren’t only for those who chew tobacco (yet, if you do, please heed cation and make sure your flossing game is on point). Please, don’t be a stranger to all the minty fresh products available to us.</div>

6 Habits That May Scare Away Your Partner, No.s 2 & 6 Are Very Important

BASAM 0 01:38:00

1. Lack of personal hygiene This should go without saying, yet, it seems like some people are totally clueless to their own body odor. Sure, if you’re out in the woods on a backpackin… link to this post

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Buhari May Cut Fashola’s Ministry To Give Way For Kachikwu

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="fashola" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="374" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/fashola.jpg" width="640" /> </div> <br /> <br /> As President Muhammadu Buhari land in the United States of America for the United Nations Assembly summit, a new report has revealed details of a possible ministerial re-shuffling by the presidency.<br /> As Nigerians await the alleged ministerial reshuffling from the presidency, SaharaReporters in a new post on their official Twitter page, has revealed that Babatunde Fashola’s ministry of Works, Power and Housing’s three portfolios might be reduced to give way to Ibe Kachikwu, the minister of state for Petroleum who will now have a full portfolio to himself.

Buhari May Cut Fashola’s Ministry To Give Way For Kachikwu

BASAM 0 01:36:00

As President Muhammadu Buhari land in the United States of America for the United Nations Assembly summit, a new report has revealed details of a possible ministerial re-shuffling by … link to this post

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If Someone REALLY Loves You, They’ll Do These 6 Things

<div class="image-container" itemprop="image"> <img alt="1" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="426" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/1-159.jpg" width="640" /> </div> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"> 1. Drop by for a surprise face-to-face visit</h2> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In a study conducted by Ford and YourTango, 55% of participants polled said that <a href="http://www.yourtango.com/2016292698/new-study-reveals-people-love-really-want-from-you" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Thread-00001028-Id-00000104;"> when a friend surprises them with a face to face visit, it made them feel totally loved.</span></a>.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Can you remember the last time you dropped by a friend’s house just to see their face, and say hello? Yes, we text about our day and communicate constantly, but nothing beats actually being in each other’s presence.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3537144/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Thread-00001028-Id-00000104;"> Studies have shown</span></a> that being in the presence of the people we love is vital to keeping us happy and healthy. And it makes sense! Think back to the last time you hung out with a friend and laughed so hard you couldn’t breathe. There’s literally nothing that beats it.</div> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"> 2. Call to share good news instead of just texting</h2> <div style="text-align: justify;"> We can communicate with emojis, sure. I think many of us pride ourselves on our ability to weave an entire epic tale with strategic eggplant and frowny-face emoji.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> That’s all well and good, but it turns out that even in this text-lovin’ age, <a href="http://www.yourtango.com/2016292698/new-study-reveals-people-love-really-want-from-you" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Thread-00001028-Id-00000104;"> 51% of all participants polled in the survey</span></a> said that they would much rather hear their phone jingle and hear the roar of your congratulations on the other end.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Yes, a party hat and streamer emoji is cute, but you know what is so much cuter? Singing your own absolutely terrible personalized “Congratulations on Your Promotion at Guitar Center” song to your former roommate Stoner Dave.</div> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"> 3. Go for a weekend road trip</h2> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2014/12/29/2015-ford-trend-report-explores-generation-z.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Thread-00001028-Id-00000104;"> Studies show that 52% of adults</span></a> on planet Earth (you know, this planet) seek out experiences that just CAN’T be replicated. Anyone can stay at home and order a pizza (and far be it for me to be critical of my favorite food), but when was the last time someone filled the gas tank, made a killer playlist, and just drove aimlessly with you for a couple of days?</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> You can’t remember, can you? That’s a damn shame! It’s a fact, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/loneliness-grows-from-individual-ache-to-public-health-hazard/2016/01/31/cf246c56-ba20-11e5-99f3-184bc379b12d_story.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Thread-00001028-Id-00000104;"> lonely people don’t live as long</span></a> as people who feel connected to their friends. SO STAY ALIVE, go on a remarkable adventure, you don’t need to be a millionaire to do it.</div> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"> 4. Tone down the multi-tasking</h2> <div style="text-align: justify;"> When people are multi-tasking, they might feel like they’re getting more done, but in fact <a href="https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2014/12/29/2015-ford-trend-report-explores-generation-z.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Thread-00001028-Id-00000104;"> they’re also getting more stressed</span></a>. So let’s close our laptops, people. Ignore Pokemon Go. Mute that podcast. When someone is chatting with you (online or in person), they should be giving YOU all of their attention. They need to show that they value your relationship. And you need to do the same.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> I mean, don’t be a creepy weirdo staring at them without blinking and gently stroking their face like some kind of monster, but we can all make more of an effort. We’ve all tried to talk to a friend or partner over the sound of their fingers clicking away on the keyboard. Be the change you want to see in the universe, y’all.</div> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"> 5. Remember to tell the people we love that we love them</h2> <div style="text-align: justify;"> My roommate now at the age of 33 is the roommate I was assigned as an 18 year old starting college. She’s my best friend. We’ve been there for each other for thick and thin. But ask me how often I actually <a href="http://www.yourtango.com/2013182354/love-quotes-inspirational-famous" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Thread-00001028-Id-00000104;"> tell her that I love her</span></a>. The answer? Basically never.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> If someone loves you, they should be telling you. (And vice versa.) Of course we should all be treating our special people with regular love and respect, but there’s something really special about making that eye contact and really TELLING the people you love that you’re thinking of them, and that they matter to you.</div> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"> 6. If you’re going through a tough time, they need to show up</h2> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The world is big and sometimes it’s scary. Bad things happen to everyone. When you or someone you love is struggling, the best thing we can do is activate our networks of support and really be there in that time of need.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Facebook wall posts can be meaningful, but people also need to pick up the phone. <a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:C5WivsUvRUoJ:www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/10/facts-about-being-nice_n_5791778.html+&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Thread-00001028-Id-00000104;"> Show up, it’s good for you! </span></a> Bring that devilishly delicious Frito pie perfect for soothing a sore heart and soul. Taking an active role in our social circles outside of the internet can make all the difference in the world in someone’s time of need.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Credit: <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.popsugar.com/love/How-Show-Your-Friends-You-Love-Them-42375741?ref=40332598" style="color: red;">popsugar</a></span></div>

If Someone REALLY Loves You, They’ll Do These 6 Things

BASAM 0 01:34:00

1. Drop by for a surprise face-to-face visit In a study conducted by Ford and YourTango, 55% of participants polled said that when a friend surprises them with a face to face visit, it made them feel totally loved… link to this post

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Lagos Government Begins Work On $275million Cable Car Project

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="cable-car" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="220" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Cable-Car.png" width="533" /> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">  </div> <br /> <br /> The Lagos cable car project is on course. It is privately driven and the private sector need to get all the permits.<br /> After three years of postponement, work has begun on the $275million cable car project.<br /> <br /> In an interview with The Guardian, Lagos state Commissioner for Transportation, Dayo Mobereola, revealed intricate details of the car project.<br /> <br /> “The Lagos cable car project is on course. It is privately driven and the private sector need to get all the permits, on the side of Lagos, we have given them all the necessary permit, they are talking to the federal government to get some level of guarantees and we have assisted them to write to the federal government. They have taken the advantage by starting to build from the Iddo side of Lagos.”<br /> Upon completion, the project will have eight stations in three routes, in order to handle the estimated 240,000 trips daily.<br /> The car project will begin at Ijora, then move to Apapa and Victoria Island, with a central hub around Adeniji Adele.

Lagos Government Begins Work On $275million Cable Car Project

BASAM 0 01:30:00

    The Lagos cable car project is on course. It is privately driven and the private sector need to get all the permits. After three years of postponement, work has begun on the $275million cable car project. In a… link to this post

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Son Of Chinese Billionaire Buys Eight iPhone 7s For His Dog

<div class="image-container" itemprop="image"> <img alt="1" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="359" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/1-161.jpg" width="640" /> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Wang Sicong, son of Chinese billionaire Wang Jianlin (estimated worth $30 billion),  bought Coco, his pet dog eight iPhone 7 handsets on the day of their release, according to photos posted on the dog’s verified Weibo social media account — China’s equivalent of Twitter.</div> <div class="media__caption el__gallery_image-title" style="text-align: justify;"> <div class="element-raw appearance-fullwidth"> Coco poses with her black and rose gold iPhone 7 handsets.</div> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph" style="text-align: justify;"> “I don’t understand all the show-off posts on (social media),” read the post alongside the photos.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph" style="text-align: justify;"> “What’s the point? Don’t make me do it?”</div> <div class="zn-body__read-more" style="text-align: justify;"> <div class="read-more-gradient"> <div class="el__embedded el__embedded--fullwidth"> <div class="el__image--fullwidth js__image--fullwidth"> <div> <img alt="Coco poses with her black and rose gold iPhone 7 handsets." class="media__image media__image--responsive" data-demand-load="loaded" data-eq-pts="mini: 0, xsmall: 221, small: 308, medium: 461, large: 781" data-eq-state="mini xsmall small medium" data-src-full16x9="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160920134818-wang-sicong-coco-iphones-2-full-169.jpg" data-src-large="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160920134818-wang-sicong-coco-iphones-2-super-169.jpg" data-src-medium="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160920134818-wang-sicong-coco-iphones-2-exlarge-169.jpg" data-src-mini="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160920134818-wang-sicong-coco-iphones-2-small-169.jpg" data-src-mini1x1="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160920134818-wang-sicong-coco-iphones-2-small-11.jpg" data-src-small="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160920134818-wang-sicong-coco-iphones-2-large-169.jpg" data-src-xsmall="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160920134818-wang-sicong-coco-iphones-2-medium-plus-169.jpg" height="358" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160920134818-wang-sicong-coco-iphones-2-exlarge-169.jpg" width="640" /></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="zn-body__read-all" style="text-align: justify;"> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> In China, an iPhone 6 costs 6,988 yuan ($1,047), while the larger iPhone 7 Plus goes for 7,988 yuan ($1,197).</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> This isn’t the first time Wang has doted on Coco in this fashion.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> In 2015, he attracted widespread outrage in China after posting photos of the dog wearing two Apple Watches with luxury bands worth upwards of $37,000.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> He’s part of China’s<em> fu’erdai or </em>second-generation rich — the sons and daughters of tycoons that are best known for flaunting their decadent lifestyles.</div> </div> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph" style="text-align: justify;"> Read More: <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2016/09/20/asia/china-richest-man-dog-iphones/" style="color: red;">CNN</a></span></div>

Son Of Chinese Billionaire Buys Eight iPhone 7s For His Dog

BASAM 0 01:29:00

Wang Sicong, son of Chinese billionaire Wang Jianlin (estimated worth $30 billion),  bought Coco, his pet dog eight iPhone 7 handsets on the day of their release, according to photos posted on the dog’s verified… link to this post

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Finally, Sheriff and Makarfi Meet, Vow To End PDP Crises

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="pdp-logo" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="356" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/pdp-logo.gif" width="330" /> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">  </div> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Factional leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senators Ali Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi, met in Abuja on Tuesday and declared their intention to end the perennial crises in the party.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The meeting, which was held at an undisclosed venue in Abuja, was said to have been attended by some members from the two factions.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> At the end of the meeting, representatives of each faction jointly addressed a press conference where they said their leaders were working together to reposition the party.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> While the Secretary of the National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ben Obi represented Makarfi, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, represented Sheriff at the briefing.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The short briefing was held at a neutral venue away from each faction’s offices.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In the joint statement, which was read by Ojougboh and corroborated by Obi, the two leaders said that their meeting was without prejudice to all outstanding matters in court.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The statement said, “This is without prejudice to all outstanding matters in court. At a meeting held this morning between the two of us, a holistic review of the state of affairs of our great party, PDP, was deliberated upon.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “In reviewing the crisis that has engulfed our party since the loss of the 2015 general elections after 15 years of uninterrupted leadership at the centre, it became obvious to both of us as principal actors that it is time to heal the wounds and bring about a united, focused and constructive opposition party that can bring sanity to our democratic process.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Read More:</div> <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="aYZLz5lo67"> <a href="http://punchng.com/pdp-sheriff-makarfi-met-vow-end-crises/">PDP:  Sheriff, Makarfi met, vow to end crises</a></blockquote>

Finally, Sheriff and Makarfi Meet, Vow To End PDP Crises

BASAM 0 01:27:00

    Factional leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senators Ali Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi, met in Abuja on Tuesday and declared their intention to end the perennial crises in the party. The meeting, w… link to this post

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Budget padding: Jibrin alleges Dogara desperately begged northern lawmakers for forgiveness

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUosIhTEsE1ICuykYs6HeKlt4EU-3kzD25SCzgLxoAZv6c1hzwcbsRXgFqT8Ebl2ldlYUxPBaJeazB4PCcv0WNqZOXBZuLaonJ8fDR_r8QntyouU1xv_N7WAbnK1HT90lsAAlYCV94kOba/s1600/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUosIhTEsE1ICuykYs6HeKlt4EU-3kzD25SCzgLxoAZv6c1hzwcbsRXgFqT8Ebl2ldlYUxPBaJeazB4PCcv0WNqZOXBZuLaonJ8fDR_r8QntyouU1xv_N7WAbnK1HT90lsAAlYCV94kOba/s400/unnamed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> Sacked chairman of the House of Reps Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, yesterday alleged that embattled speaker of the House of Reps, Yakubu Dogara, desperately begged members of the northern caucus in the house for forgiveness over his alleged involvement in budget padding.<br /> <br /> <b>Abdulmumin who spoke with National Assembly reporters maintained that Dogara must step down from his seat so investigations into his alleged involvement in the budget padding scandal can take place</b><br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> “The speaker should step down for proper investigation. Nobody is hunting him but he should step down for a committee to do its work and investigate the issue. The speaker begged us that we should forgive him. He also begged for the principal officers. He said that the House should forget what happened in the 2016 budget. But Hon. Sani Zoro told the speaker that the house will forgive him, but we have to accompany him to beg Nigerians. When he was begging, you could see the desperation on his face that he does not want to leave the seat. He loves the position of speaker so much. My question to him is, did he connive with the principal officers to steal the N40 billion? There are so many frauds in the budget that I did not even know until now. The speaker took four projects to his farm, including a fielder road”‎he said</blockquote>

Budget padding: Jibrin alleges Dogara desperately begged northern lawmakers for forgiveness

BASAM 0 01:24:00

Sacked chairman of the House of Reps Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, yesterday alleged that embattled speaker of the House of Reps, Yakubu Dogara, desperately begged members of the northern caucus in the house for forgiveness over … link to this post

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How Buhari’s COS, Abba Kyari Took N500m Bribe To Help MTN Reduce Fine

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="abba-kyari" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="385" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Abba-Kyari.jpg" width="500" /> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">  </div> <br /> <br /> <div class="first"> President Muhammad Buhari has received concrete evidence that his Chief of Staff (CoS), Abba Kyari, took N500m from operators of MTN to help the telecommunications giant mitigate the fine imposed on it by the federal government, SaharaReporters has learned.</div> <br /> Sources say the evidence was presented to President Buhari several times including during the Sallah holiday.<br /> <br /> The mind-boggling revelation is the latest in the mounting allegations of corruption involving members of the top echelon of President Buhari’s administration.<br /> <br /> Confronted with the evidence, the CoS reportedly claimed he was helping the All Progressives Congress party raise funds for the gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State, to which the president is said to have asked him if he was the party chairman, but did not relieve him of his post.<br /> <br /> SaharaReporters has previously revealed several corrupt actions of the Chief of Staff.  They include taking money from Jide Omokore, a shady businessman who was massively involved in corruption in the oil sector in the preceding administration.<br /> <br /> Following acceptance of the money, Mr. Kyari reportedly took Mr. Omokore twice to meet President Buhari to enable the businessman to make a promise to refund some of the funds.  A source told Saharareporters Omokore promised to refund N500 million<br /> <br /> When Omokore was eventually arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the CoS reportedly told President Buhari that it was the EFCC chair, Ibrahim Magu, who had bungled progress concerning Omokore.  SaharaReporters has also previously reported that Mr. Kyari wants to remove Magu from the anti-graft body in favor of a candidate who is more amenable to his wishes.<br /> <br /> On his part, Omokore is also known to have bribed the judge handling the case with $2million.  He was released on bail without leaving the court premises.<br /> <br /> Other members of President Buhari’s inner circle have been exposed as engaging in serious cases of corruption but the President has not acted on their cases, either.  In some instances, they reportedly got members of President Buhari’s office to absolve them of any “wrongdoing”.<br /> <br /> Among others:<br /> <br /> The Chief of Army Staff, Yusuf Buratai, was found to have used Nigerian Army funds to purchase homes in Dubai;<br /> The Minister of Internal Affairs, Abdulrahman Dambazau, bought homes for millions of dollars in Boston in the United States;<br /> Several other aides and officials within the government have been exposed for involvement in illegal employments and forgery of age and certificates.<br /> <br /> As in the case of Mr. Kyari, they have so far all been shielded by President Buhari.  Speaking earlier this to journalists in Daura, his hometown, the president said his “anti-corruption war” was being implemented on the basis of justice and fairness.<br /> <br /> <em><strong>Source: Sahara Reporters</strong></em>

How Buhari’s COS, Abba Kyari Took N500m Bribe To Help MTN Reduce Fine

BASAM 0 01:21:00

    President Muhammad Buhari has received concrete evidence that his Chief of Staff (CoS), Abba Kyari, took N500m from operators of MTN to help the telecommunications giant mitigate the fine imposed on it by … link to this post

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Faleke Reacts To Supreme Court Ruling Upholding Gov. Bello’s Election

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="faleke-belo" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="245" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/faleke-belo.jpg" width="373" /> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">  </div> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The deputy governorship candidate in the November 21, 2015 election in Kogi State, James Faleke, has reacted to the judgement of the Supreme Court upholding the election of Yahaya Bello as governor of the state.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Mr. Faleke said he had no regrets challenging Mr. Bello’s election, saying he took the step in “good faith to protect the interest of the over 240,000 electorates that voted for the Audu/Faleke ticket”.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Mr. Faleke was the All Progressives Congress, APC’s running mate in the November election before the ticket holder, Abubakar Audu, died as he led in declared results.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Mr. Faleke challenged the APC’s decision to nominate Mr. Bello as its new candidate for a supplementary election that held in December 2015.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> After a prolonged legal tussle at the high court and the appeal court, the Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld Mr. Bello’s election.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> A seven-man panel headed by Justice Sylvester Ngwata affirmed the election after listening to the closing statements of all the counsel.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The court said it would provide reasons for its decision on September 30.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In his reaction, conveyed in a statement by Duro Meseko, Mr. Faleke said it would have amounted to a “betrayal of the sacred trust of the people who reposed implicit confidence in the Audu/Faleke ticket not to have defended the sanctity of their vote up till the Apex court level”.</div>

Faleke Reacts To Supreme Court Ruling Upholding Gov. Bello’s Election

BASAM 0 01:19:00

    The deputy governorship candidate in the November 21, 2015 election in Kogi State, James Faleke, has reacted to the judgement of the Supreme Court upholding the election of Yahaya Bello as governor of the … link to this post

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The Bloody Legacy of Usman Dan Fodio (Part 2) by Femi Fani-Kayode

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZ9NLfNJly96GUJv4Khyphenhyphen3if2jXkmg997Xqh2L5sdq4eamf7BOJLVQFGJKYW6CBO6Q2IhsYQQAvlcyQ7wo76_aIeONwuS9xL2AAJTf6_CrX2ipYGjrG-N9uYZh48by-xY7Jc4JZaRkPeS9/s1600/Femi-Fani-Kayode1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZ9NLfNJly96GUJv4Khyphenhyphen3if2jXkmg997Xqh2L5sdq4eamf7BOJLVQFGJKYW6CBO6Q2IhsYQQAvlcyQ7wo76_aIeONwuS9xL2AAJTf6_CrX2ipYGjrG-N9uYZh48by-xY7Jc4JZaRkPeS9/s400/Femi-Fani-Kayode1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div> </div> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> <div> <br /> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a></div> </blockquote> Permit me to indulge in a quick aside and take you into a brief journey of discovery into the deep and devious mind of Lugard. On September 8th 2015, in an essay titled 'Lord Lugard's Magic and Flora Shaw's Spell', I wrote the following:<div>  </div> <div> "In 1916, Lord Frederick John Dealtry Lugard, the 1st Baron Lugard, the fourteenth Governor of Hong Kong and the first Governor-General of Nigeria, said the following:</div> <div> </div> <div>  “Lagos has for 20 years opposed every Governor and has fomented strife and bloodshed in the hinterland. I have spent the best part of my life in Africa; my aim has been the betterment of the natives for whom I have been ready to give my life. </div> <div> </div> <div> But after some 29 years, and after nearly 12 years as Governor here, I am free to say that the people of Lagos and indeed the westerners are the lowest, the most seditious and disloyal, the most purely prompted by self-seeking money motives of any people I have met.”</div> <div> </div> <div> As if that were not bad enough, <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_542019746" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">two years later</span></span>, on September 25th, 1918, in a letter to his colleague Walter H. Lang, Lugard wrote the following: </div> <div> </div> <div> “The Hausa-Fulani has no ideals, no ambitions save such as sensual in character. He is a fatalist, spendthrift and a gambler. He is gravely immoral and is seriously diseased that he is a menace to any community to which he seeks to attach himself.”</div> <div> </div> <div> Lugard didn’t stop there. In his book titled 'The Dual Mandate' (pg. 70) of 1926, he wrote the following:</div> <div> </div> <div> “In character and temperament, the typical African of this race-type is a happy, thriftless, excitable person. LACKING IN SELF-CONTROL, DISCIPLINE, AND FORESIGHT. </div> <div> </div> <div> Naturally courageous, and naturally courteous and polite, full of personal vanity, with little sense of veracity, fond of music and loving weapons as an oriental loves jewelry. </div> <div> </div> <div> HIS THOUGHTS ARE CONCENTRATED ON THE EVENTS AND FEELINGS OF THE MOMENT, and he suffers little from the apprehension for the future, or grief for the past. His mind is far nearer to the animal world than that of the European or Asiatic, and exhibits something of the animals’ placidity and want of desire to rise beyond the State he has reached. </div> <div> </div> <div> Through the ages THE AFRICAN APPEARS TO HAVE EVOLVED NO ORGANISED RELIGIOUS CREED, and though some tribes appear to believe in a deity, the religious sense seldom rises above pantheistic animalism and seems more often to take the form of a vague dread of the supernatural. </div> <div> </div> <div> HE LACKS THE POWER OF ORGANISATION, and is conspicuously deficient in the management and control alike of men or business. HE LOVES THE DISPLAY OF POWER, but fails to realise its responsibility… he will work hard with a less incentive than most races. </div> <div> </div> <div> He has the courage of the fighting animal, an instinct rather than a moral virtue… In brief, the virtues and defects of this race-type are those of attractive children, whose confidence when it is won is given ungrudgingly as to an older and wiser superior and without envy. </div> <div> </div> <div> Perhaps the two traits which have impressed me as those most characteristic of the African native are HIS LACK OF APPREHENSION AND HIS LACK OF ABILITY TO VISUALISE THE FUTURE.”</div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> These were the views of the principal architect and great grandfather of our modern nation-state whose wife, Flora Shaw, gave us the name 'Nigeria'. When translated from latin that name means "the area of darkness". </div> <div> </div> <div> To the both spouses we were nothing but that darkness and a convenient commercial venture which was to be milked dry for its mineral resources. </div> <div> </div> <div> That was the mindset of the man who famously proclaimed that northern Nigeria was the "poor husband" whilst the south was the "rich wife" and that "their marriage must last forever". </div> <div> </div> <div> The fact that that "rich southern wife" has been held back, brutalised, traumatised, cheated, robbed, raped and sodomised over the last two hundred years by that "poor northern husband" is of no issue to evil-minded, greedy and calculating men like Lugard.  </div> <div> </div> <div> Theirs is to keep our people in perpetual bondage and to ensure that our internal colonial masters continue to destroy our destinies, smite our fortunes and blight our future. </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> And nothing seems to have changed. Two hundred and twelve years after Dan Fodio's onslaught in what was to later become northern Nigeria and fifty six years after his great grandson, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the erstwhile Saurdana of Sokoto and the man that I have described as the 'second Mahdi of Nigeria', proclaimed that it was his intention to "dip the Koran in the Atlantic ocean" and thereby Islamise and conquer the people of the south, their descendants are attempting to do precisely the same thing under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari. </div> <div> </div> <div> Chief Solomon Asemota SAN captured the moment in a graphic and accurate manner in an excellent essay part of which reads as follows:</div> <div> </div> <div> "Islamist Jihadists of the Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri Ethnic Nationalities, who are Negroid immigrants to Nigeria, are pushing the nation to an implosion. It is therefore imperative that the remaining 386 Ethnic Nationalities of Nigeria should, as a matter of priority, convene a Conference to demonstrate to the few Islamist Jihadists of the three Ethnic Nationalities the grave danger of Islamism as a system of governance.  </div> <div> </div> <div> Nigerians are reminded that the present distress in the nation is not an act of God but man-made. The brazen and audacious imposition of Islamist Jihadists into key positions in the country is not an expression of religious piety but a deliberate manipulation of religion for cultural and political domination by three Ethnic Groups. </div> <div> </div> <div> This Agenda commenced in 1975 after the overthrow of General Gowon. The Islamist Jihadists are a violent and domineering strain of Islam rejected by mainstream Muslims"- ('DISCRIMINATORY APPOINTMENTS AGAINST NON-MUSLIMS IN NIGERIA', Naij. Com, Trent On Line, 10th August 2016).</div> <div> </div> <div> Asemota has put it very well. This is the challenge that we face in Nigeria today. Buhari, who I have described as the 'third Mahdi of Nigeria' has perfected the script and he is executing the master plan and the not-so-hidden agenda with ruthless precision. </div> <div> </div> <div> It is left for us to either continue to act as if all is well and continue to wallow in our ignorance, self-pity and shameful cowardice or to stand up, step up to the plate, confront the challenge, say it as it is, do what is necessary and resist it with every fibre of our being. </div> <div> </div> <div> Those that believe in the agenda of the three Mahdi's and that subscribe to their views are nothing short of modern-day terrorists and their intent is to kill, destroy, enslave and subjugate.</div> <div> </div> <div> We must never succumb to them. We must resist their tyranny and oppression. We must shed the toga of political correctness and uproot them from our land. </div> <div> </div> <div> We must remember who we are, where we came from, what we stand for and refuse to shy away from fighting for our rights.</div> <div> </div> <div> The 'gospel' of Usman Dan Fodio and his legacy of blood, compulsion, death and destruction cannot be a lasting foundation for any civilised modern-nation state and we must rid ourselves of it. Such a foundation is not of God and therefore it cannot endure.</div> <div> </div> <div> We must repent and make reparations for the oceans of innocent blood that was spilt in our nation by Usman Dan Fodio and his descendants over the last two hundred years and we must appease the affected souls.</div> <div> </div> <div> We must pray to the Lord God of Hosts and to the God of Heaven for forgiveness for our cowardice and complicity and we must rededicate our nation to the Ancient of Days if we want to break the spell, break the curse, rid ourselves of the jinx and be free from His judgement.</div> <div> </div> <div> Permit me to end this contribution with a word for those that have chosen to support and assist our collective oppressors and who consistently defend and rationalise their wickedness, tyranny and murderous ways. </div> <div> </div> <div> I proclaim that the blood of all those that have been slaughtered over the last two hundred years in the name of ethnic domination, conquest and jihad shall haunt you and yours from generation to generation. The Prophet Obadiah said, </div> <div> </div> <div> “all your allies will turn against you. They will help to chase you from your land. They will promise you peace while plotting to deceive and destroy you. Your trusted friends will set traps for you, and you won’t even know about it"-(Obadiah 1:7). </div> <div> </div> This shall be the portion of our collective enemies and those that stand with them to impose their faith, to terrorise our people, to kill our loved ones, to enslave our children, to take our land, to rubbish our heritage, to destroy our future and to bury the gospel of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ

The Bloody Legacy of Usman Dan Fodio (Part 2) by Femi Fani-Kayode

BASAM 0 01:18:00

Permit me to indulge in a quick aside and take you into a brief journey of discovery into the deep and devious mind of Lugard. On September 8th 2015, in an essay titled 'Lord Lugard's Magic and Flora Shaw's Spell', I wrote the following:   "In 1… link to this post

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