Pause to Ponder

Mexican Telenovela Second Chance and AIT Television

2008-07-24T11:44:00.004+01:00

Apart from incessant break in transmission of this programme during UEFA Champions League matches, AIT for no given reasons had decided to start repeating past episodes of the telenovela. The worst thing about the whole thing is that, they hardly make any excuses, let alone offer any apology to the viewers.
This attitude of AIT is now unbecoming of an electronic media one was beginning to think will lead the revolution of representing the true image of Nigeria in International media community. This singular act by AIT, if they dont realise it, usually spoils a day for some family who from experience must make the 9.00pm time to catch the Soap. You can imagine the disappointment one usually gets on such occasions, especially when you had to sacrifice so many things to meet the time of the Soap transmission.
Now that AIT is now on Nigerian Stock Exchange as a public quoted company, they should at least be more public oriented in their TV programmes, such an unwarranted repetitions of episodes of Soap without due apology or due notice does not befit such a progressive media house like AIT. Chief Aleogho Dokpesi should do something. Haba!

When you have to beg for Money

2008-07-22T15:47:00.002+01:00

Have you ever been in a tight corner and you have to resort to begging for money? I dont mean, asking for money from those you know like friends and all, I mean real begging from someone you have not met before.
It happened to me last night, and I cant but ponder over it, whether I was the first to do such things, most especially when the amount involved was a paltry sum, and I mean a paltry sum.
Before you blow the trumpet and take the news to a Radio or a TV stations, let me quickly add that, I did it for my soon to be 3 years old son.
The scenario perhaps was the second, and the amount involved is always a paltry sum of 50. The first was 50k and I mean fifty kobo, while that of yesterday was just 50 Naira. The first was way back in the early 90s when I was stranded along the road, even though I have money in the office, but I do not have on me, so I ask a passer-by to assist me with the sum for transportation.
That of yesterday happened when I need to buy a toy gun for my son in a supermarket. Did I hear you say, I should have abandoned the purchase of the ordinary toy gun? Well, I cant because of the event of the previous day. We (myself, my wife and our son) go for shopping, he insisted he wanted a toy gun, but I have other idea of not wanting him to be playing with gun at his age. I thought he bought my objection, but by the time we enter the car back home, he registered his protest so much that, he kept on crying and angry at my seeming indifference to his plight. It took a lots of cajoling after about over an hour to calm him down. His eyes is red shot with his registered protest of cries. So I made a promise to buy him one the second day.
I don t have enough money on my wallet to buy the exact type he wanted, I am short of 50 naira only. So I ask a fine gentleman for a raise, telling him I just have to get home with the toy in my hand. He understands instantly, I guess he has them at home too.
So, Ever ponder for once when you have to resort to begging?

Dubai

2008-07-07T09:40:00.003+01:00

This is for my course mates during my recent visits to Dubai. Here posted on this blog is picture taken by this blogger. Please enjoy.

Kanu - The 13th Greatest Arsenal Players of all time

2008-07-02T16:05:00.001+01:00

The Arsenal Football Club has been celebrating its greatest 50 players of all time. Our own Nwankwo Kanu was on the 13th on the list. This list of 50 Gunners Greatest Players was determined by tens of thousands of Arsenal fans from across the world. The vote took place on the Club’s official website from May 5 to 19. To help prevent multiple voting by a single person, only registered members of Arsenal.com took part.
Kanu who is the most decorated African Footballer play for Arsenal between 1999 and 2004 where he won 2 FA cups and 2 Barclays Premier league the last he won was in 2004 when Arsenal goes the whole season unbeaten. Of Particular note of his magic moments in arsenal was when he scored a 17 minute hat-trick, which enable Arsenal win a derby with Chelsea in 1999. I is a magic moments of Kanu career that lovers of Kanu alike will tell its story to unborn Nigerian generations. I still jealously keep the video in my archive.
Please read more on Arsenal's web site http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=492950

Still on my Dubai Trip

2008-06-27T01:19:00.000+01:00

What I forgot to mentioned in my last post was my experience with Dubai Immigrations. I traveled to UAE in company of three other staff, One of us had scaled through the Immigrations, but when it came to my turn, I was asked to go for an eye scan. Being a novice who had not travel before, I did not know what it means. By the time I finished with the eye scanning, my other colleagues not knowing where I was left the airport without me. As if that was not enough, I was later asked to go to another room where I was scanned from head to toes. I have heard of that before, but could not protest, except laugh at the Officer conducting the scanning. I was so sure I had not swallowed anything, so why should I feel jittery over his act of shame. When he had done with the scanning, he search me physically again, and I had to let him know that "All Nigerians are not the same" He apologised nervously and even assist me in retrieving my luggage.
Ever ponder why what type of troubles that green booklet could land you? I mean the Nigerian passport!!!

My First Time

2008-06-26T12:47:00.002+01:00

When my employer finally approved my journey for an overseas training, I knew quite well it is going to be an emergence of so many FIRST in my life. I had pondered several times as to when exactly I will travel outside Nigeria for the first time in my life. So when I finally embark on an official trip to Dubai in United Arab Emirates for a week training, it was indeed the first time ever in my life to travel outside Nigeria, first time ever to board an aircraft, and of course first time ever I was paid and spent dollars.
The journey itself is strenuous, may be because it is my first time, but, all in all it was worth an experience. At least, i broaden my horizon. I also have the first hand experience of the behaviour of Nigerians outside Nigerian shore. There was an urgent need for me to trace an earlier hotel I had checked in before because I was paired with a Nigerian I had never met before all my life. So when I secured another hotel, I need to park my belongings to the new hotel, and all efforts to trace the hotel prove abortive. Whilst asking around, directions given to me is not sufficient enough to lead me to the hotel. I then met a Nigerian lady who seems not to bother about my plight because she is in a hurry. I guess it was her first time in Dubai too, because she seems to have bought something and forgot it there, not knowing that in Dubai, unlike Nigeria, you can even met your goods you forgot at any shop 3 months after. Anyway, she can be of help, and I continue the agony of locating my new hotel. Meanwhile, as I continue to meandered through the seeming identical roads and building, am using various signs to notice my way around in case i need to get back to my new hotel.
At long last, I met another Nigerians, one male and female, speaking Yoruba while on the mobile phone, I knew I have found my saviour since they can speak my language. I quickly spoke to them in Yoruba, and before you say Jack Robinson, they ignore me. Sensing that they might thought I was trying to ask for financial assistance, I quickly hold the business card of the hotel in front of them that, I am trying to trace this hotel, with the same unconcerned approach, one of them just point a direction to me without proper explanation.
With some little efforts and after wasting a lot of my time, I finally got the hotel, pack my belongings and left for the new hotel. As I was about to step into the new hotel, guess whom I saw? The two Yoruba Nigerians who couldn't offer assistance. I just accuse them in Yoruba and left them there. But can you blame them? Myself too cannot stay in the same hotel room with another Nigerians I had never met in my life.
As for those who had been in this for long, is this the mentality of Nigerians whilst abroad? I continue to ponder!!!

Who Owns a woman's Breast? Child or Hubby?

2008-06-09T09:00:00.005+01:00

I know this has always comes up among the women folks and men alike as to who actually owns (mark my words) 'owns' not "entitled" a woman breast between the hubby and a child. Nigerian Daily Sun Newspaper spoke across the women folks and you wont believe the responses. Check the responses here.
Hmmmm, A friend of mine have this to say on the subject, hear him - "I guess men actually own the breast of their woman. How many child would own a woman breast if we go by the argument of a child being the owner, does it mean if a woman breast fed 4 child, all the child owns the boobs? Besides, how many breast does a child wants to own, when he/she grows up, he own the boobs of his wife, or if a woman, own her own boob? I beg, my wife breasts is mine anyday".
Ever ponder what length women and men can go on this subject?

Senate confirms Waziri as EFCC chairman

2008-06-05T18:00:00.000+01:00

The Senate on Thursday at its plenary session confirmed the appointment of Mrs. Farida Waziri as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The Senate President, David Mark made the formal announcement of the decision. The appointments of other members of the EFCC board were also ratified before it adjourned sitting. The pre-hearing acrimony that took place before her eventual appearance before the Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics, Anti-corruption and Financial Crimes, which is responsible for clearing her nomination proved to be a storm in teacup after all, as her screening was successful. Reports say Waziri answered all questions put to her and impressed the panel, leaving the Senate with no choice than to ratify her appointment. She was said to have impressed members of the panel with her knowledge of the justice system and her straightforward answers to questions put to her.

Nigerian Newspapers Headlines Versus Obasanjo

2008-05-13T11:48:00.002+01:00

I bet for a long time, OBJ will still be hated by majority Nigerians as regard his past rule of this great nation. I happen to notice nowadays the sensational caption of our Nigerian Newspapers on any news about Obasanjo. Some of them did it to sell their papers while some do it professionally to tell it how it should be while some do it to spite Obasanjo himself.

Today, I took great pain to extract the headlines of some of the newspapers as it reflects the story of Obsasanjo not being able to appear before the probe panel on Power. While it is true that he did not appear, his deputy also, Alh. Atiku Abubakar did not also attend. From my own point of view, only Thisday, Guardian, Vanguard and Daily Independent are very objective with their caption compare to that of Daily Sun above, who like others, are simply biased. So now, you know which of the Newspapers are very objective in their reporting.
Hereunder is the captioned of some of the newspapers.

Still on El-Rufai Probe

2008-05-02T11:16:00.002+01:00

I was reading the Punch Newspaper version of former Minister of FCT Mallam El-Rufai appearance on the Senate Committee probe of FCT Demolitions, federal government houses etc. The comments on the write-up by numerous Nigerians aptly describe my views on the shameful drama in the name of probe, and I cannot but publish some of the comments in my blog.

gbosa!4 u (EL-RUFIA).If we have 4 of u ruling the FCT we will have a great capital in the world.U took a decision and stood by it.If u think u were affected and is ur turn to prob him prosterity shall never forgive u.We dont want to have a capital that will full of hoodlums and miscreants.
Posted by: Mbaiorga Daniel , on Friday, May 02, 2008
There should be compensations to the cases El Rufia accepted were a mistake. The uncompleted buildings he pulled down should be covered. No aplologises here. This guy ran his office unchecked.He was a monster even as he was cleaning up Abuja. The ones he compensated after telling us were on sewage lines ought not to have been. The same folks rebuilt their houses on the same plots ( e.g Ali the PDP ex chairman). This guy is a coward! Vultures will eat him.

Posted by: ferdinand C.gbenimako , on Friday, May 02, 2008
Am very pleased at the way Mallam El-rufai handled this matter so far. As a profession and a fighter of good course, he has stood by his decisions and believe me or not, Abuja is better for it. Nigeria needs more of his like, i will be plesed to work with him. Abuja is the capital City of nigeria and should not be turned to a slum. He demostarted courage by pulling down "big Houses" this is the highpoint of his acheivement....Ride on EL-Rufai!

Posted by: Adesuyi Adeleke , on Friday, May 02, 2008
Sometimes I wonder why Nigerians are cynical. The likes of Smart Adeyemi, Sodangi and others even with those asking for the head of El Rufai need to examine themselves. Rufai may not be perfect just like any of us, but he is a workerholic and a very brave. The Abuja we all pride in today came to this level through his dogged effort. Yesterday we all were hailing him, today some of us are asking for his head, why? What convinces us that all we are hearing are not common blackmails?

Posted by: Kurgo Sherengbe Ayuba , on Friday, May 02, 2008
if they are in doubt, FCT office is still open, they should contest it. Just bcos they are used to doing things any how, they thought and believed everyone else does same thing. this has differentiated those that are trained and schoolled from those that are "cut and join". just imagine! Am sure the youths are learning.

Posted by: tari paul , on Thursday, May 01, 2008
Am very suprise at dave, amandi and sadick comments. el-rufai did what our senators, reps had not been able to do. the guy had facts and figures not cooked up. it was obvious he did is work diligently. off course he made some mistake but that is an ignorable percentage. Abj is a pride today, thanks to him. Obj govt. was not the best but it had some good. lets pride ourselves in the good and stop hunting everyone that was in the administration just bcos we have assessed it to be bad.

Posted by: tari paul , on Thursday, May 01, 2008
thumbs up for el Rufai - you are the man of the moment - all those Shodangi, smart - and co should go and hide their faces - trying to make emotional something that is a national issue. They should all be shot at - how did they win the elections in the first instance - riggers - El Rufai - God Bless you for giving us Abuja of our dreams.

Posted by: Olu Adegoke , on Thursday, May 01, 2008

I learnt the guy El Rufai made First Class in the University. He has really proved it with the way he answered those fools questions. What did they make in their own universitise.Stupid people, election riggers.They are all bad examples to the youth.

Posted by: joseph , on Thursday, May 01, 2008
elrufai the small but mighty man.sincerely speaking i wud give the former minister kudos for is brilliance.trough out that brobe he never accepted that he was wrong,instead the senators were now agreeing with him.imagine the court judgements matter,elrufai was insisting that it was never in his name.but he has 2 realize that he was incharge of the fct when the judgements were given,so he his responsible for all d floating of the court orders.i think d senators should prepare well for elrufai.

Posted by: mathias aliu , on Thursday, May 01, 2008
After all de noise making and roof raising, Senator Sodangi and im like, no fit nail de small baba El Rufai. Na de guy even come box dem up, so tay dem dey look for more time to recover to meet am again!. Meanwhile, thumbs down to Punch wey no gree gives enough info of dis 4 hours meeting while Thisday get de thumbs up today for dat.

Posted by: Okerhe O. , on Thursday, May 01, 2008
I think el-Rufai has done well,given the situation he found himself.one should not 4get our peculiar mode of doing things in Nigeria.he appeared b4 the committee n gave answers to allegations levelled against him,and frankly am impressed.All those against him,am sure given the same situation cannot do half of what he has done.i think he deserves commendation.well done nasiru

Posted by: basheer , on Thursday, May 01, 2008
I feel you, Chris. PUNCH is doing a hatchet job - leaving out the details of el rufai's defence and quoting him out of context. El rufai showed satellite images to prove that houses of anyim etc destroyed were on sewer lines. all the committee wanted him to do was to trick him into 'apologising' so that they can it can be splashed on the front pages of today's paper. Kudos to him, he was just too smart for them. For a full report, visit THISDAY: http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=110238

Posted by: saxotech , on Thursday, May 01, 2008
This man is a first class scholar and I don't expect any lesser performance from him.So much emotion ran within the committe members even before the man showed up.With his wisdom and broad knowledge,he will steal and you people will still be thanking him for a good and transparent performance.You just can't nail such a man and I'm not being suggestive either.

Posted by: Olumide Adegbesan,UK , on Thursday, May 01, 2008
I was opportuned to watch the live television broadcast in the UK of Mallam El-Rufai's response to the questions asked by the Senate FCT Probe Committee Members and was indeed very impressed with the way he honestly & eloquently answered them one after the other. As Nigeria is now a laughing stock in the international community because of bad leadership, unimaginable & pervasive corruption, greed & ineptitude, we need the likes of Dora Akinyuli, Ribadu, El-Rufai,to be in charge of our country.

Posted by: Dr.Francis Omohwo , on Thursday, May 01, 2008
The hearing has demonstrated legislators lack of knowledge of their functions, that is fact finding in order to amend existing rules or legislation.Their well paid assistants have not done deligent reseach to aid the senators in their questioning.They are too emotional and not logical in trying to find out the facts, maybe because they lack experience and also may have already compromised themslves.el Rufai is brillient and well prepared than most civil servants in Nigeria.Recogninse that.

Posted by: fon , on Thursday, May 01, 2008
petrol is stored recklessly whilst children are playing with fire in full glare of adults.lt ignites and all perish followed by wailing thats nigeria.when it comes to land issues i have one question,why can't all land be registered with the land registry and all disputes settled pior to registration.also the registry must to transparent would full access to the public for searches at mininum cost.that is not too much to ask neither is it brain surgery.this will cut down aiot of problems

Posted by: francisco okwesa , on Thursday, May 01, 2008
PUNCH is gradualy losing my respect based on their biased mode of writing.I am amazed that this is all they could make out of El-Rufai's testimony.When it was time to report the falsehood that was spread by the committe members & their accomplices,they reported them elaborately,but El-Rufai gave very well detailed responses yesterday to most of the allegations & they are just reporting what I don't know.It is not fair.Read the detailed report on THISDAY & and it would make sense.

Posted by: Chris Oke , on Thursday, May 01, 2008
NOW YOU HAVE HEARD HIM. WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO DO TO HIM? KILL HIM? FOR HIS COURAGE TO TRAVEL DOWN TO NIGERIA TO FACE MALICIOUS SODANGI AND HIS COHORTS, HE DESERVES A KUDO.HE IS A LEADER AND NOT POLITICAL A FRAUDSTER. AT LEAST, HE DID NOT RIG TO BECOME A MINISTER. SODANGIS, ARE YOU LISTENING?

Posted by: LATEEF KOLA ADEPOJU (UK) , on Thursday, May 01, 2008

I had always hold that believe that those going after him today are doing so, because the man has killed the existing “system” which favoured them than us. Has anyone ever ponder how come those they demolished their houses because they are illegal and obstruct the abuja master plan got the plot to build the houses in the first place?

Still on Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello

2008-04-29T10:53:00.003+01:00

I had wanted to blog on this matter long time ago, but choose to watch events as it unfolds. One would have thought that a Chairman of a House Committee who was SENT the sum of 10 million naira which she use officially to travel for a retreat in Ghana should be some case the EFCC will treat with kid gloves because the amount involved is a paltry sum compare to billions of dollars case file the EFCC has on its desk. However, small amount as it was, the truth is, the case deserve the seriousness of EFCC but not with huge publicity and tenacity it is presently giving it. But perhaps because the principal officer involved is the daughter of the former president. While watching the whole drama, and the rate at which the masses will ignite their anger on Iyabo, because she is the daughter of the former president who had seemingly inflicted a lots of hardship on the masses as most Nigerians would now think of Obsanjo, the candid opinion of this blogger is that, there are more pressing matter for EFCC to deal with than the Iyabo case because the money in questions was sent to her committee and it was collected by a member of the house and transfer to another member of the house, it was not directly paid into her account and the house confirm that the cash was use for a retreat in Ghana which is officially approved. Even if two members did not attend the retreat out of over ten then that does not make the trip illegal, those members may be indisposed during the trip period. It is also customary for all the Senate committees to source fund for travel overseas, and mostly provided by the ministries or parastatals under them, but Iyabo choose to use the money for a retreat not directly into her own pocket. There are cases of majority of the former governors who stole billions, none has been arrested or the cash collected back from them during this new regime. I am tempted to believe that Iyabo may be right that some people are using the EFCC to get back to her and that her life is in Danger, all these may be to get back to her father or to remove her as chairman of the health committee, which is a lucrative committee as most committee in the house. Some of the men in the house may even be jealous of her, as I know that most Nigerian men dont like to serve under a woman. This is more like another Ette saga, and to me, Iyabo seems to know how to deal with it, not only as a daughter of a former president, (a president who had stepped on powerful toes and those whose toes he had stepped on are ready to get back at him by any means), but also as a politician who knew her right and how to fight back no wonder she has gone to court. Let the court decides then.
Everyone blames Obasanjo for everything, even while he is no more in the office, all blames is still on his head, Nigerians are known to blame somebody for all their problems. Truth is Obasanjo has done his own, he had rule us the way he thinks he can rule us, let us put that behind us and move forward. Let posterity judge him, let us learn from his rule and move forward. People shouted more than this during the demise of IBB regime, nothing comes out of all the noise, we should learn to move forward.
Has anyone ponder how long this Vendetta in the name of probe will continue? Let Mr President suspend all these probes and campaign of calumny as a matter of urgency and begin a way forward. Experience in the past had shown that nothing tangible comes out of probes except the noise during the period of the probe, and to me, that is not what we want!

Testing the new Schedule Post Publishing by Blogger

2008-04-26T00:00:00.001+01:00

If you are reading this, this post was done by me on Thursday 11.10am Nigerian time, and I schedule it to publish 2 days later which is Saturday, when I wont be on the net to post.

This is testing the new service, I guess it works just fine then. If you are interested, read the original announcement or log in to dashboard to give it a trial. Happy post blogging!!!

My Third Eye

2008-04-24T09:01:00.002+01:00

I had that believe that I have sharp eyes, and this perhaps was because when I was young, I am amazed with the sharpness of my pair of eyes. But recently, things are not so well with my eyes that I had to visit the Doctor.
I couldnt believe myself, when I was given a pair of reading glasses. Now, I can read clearly especially small printed matter.

The Food Crisis
I felt jitters this morning when it occurred to me that food crisis may engulf this country if adequate care is not taken. Prices of food especially grains have gone high astronomically by 100%. Even, Thailand, where importation of rice is coming from mostly, have stop export in a bid to take care of impending world food crisis and planned ahead.
Nigeria leaders and politicians are busy on witch hunting of each other, scoring political cheap points in the name of probe that will never see the light of the day. Now is the time for them to work for huge amount of money they earn, by trying every possible ways to ameliorate this food crisis. Nigerians can afford to tolerate their excesses in the midst of lack of power, water, good roads, equipped hospital, but I doubt it, if they can adjust to food crisis. I hope they are thinking the way am thinking.

That El-Rufai Probe

2008-04-09T08:54:00.003+01:00

Hardliners sure dont have a place in politics in Nigeria. This notion come to light as a result of recent call for probe of El-Rufai tenure as Minister of FCT. I had not seen a public probe of a former Minister in the past, perhaps El-Rufais would be the first.
Mark it, I am not saying anyone is a saint and that El-Rufai is free from any mismanagement, but truth be told, I cotninue to ponder that the real reason behind the seeming probe is to get back at him especially on some powerful toes he had stepped on during his tenure.
I continue to ponder how some of this politicians want to ruin this country at all cost. My grouse is that, those house demolished by El-Rufai during his tenure were mostly acquire by "know me I know you syndrome", were it be some of us do know people in the government too, does that mean we would also be arranged to own plots of land and houses at the detriment of land own by the masses? Whilst I dont have sympathy for some big shots that their house were demolished because it does not comply with FCT master plan, because in the first instance, those land were gotten illegally, I however felt symphathy for some less big shots, and I am sure there are compensation for some of them.
Having said this, probe or no probe, this has reminded me that hardliners does not have a place in nigerian politics. For any hardliners who refused to dance to their tunes or compromise their stands, the results is what is happening now to El-Rufai. Probe is now the weapon used by politicians to come back at their opponents, and the House of Reps and Senate are sure using the weapon to their advantage. Ever ponder what the outcome of such probe would be other than to make noise as the case had always been in the past? Still Pondering.................

How Wonderfuel Weekend now?

2008-04-07T12:18:00.004+01:00

Yeah, How ya wonderfuel weekend be now? Not with the fuel scarcity biting hard now in the midst of plenty. Now our politicians are trying to stir the masses revolt again. Whilst the masses pretend as if nothing happen to all the problems this country has because of them, they still deem it fit to add to our problems.
Their shows of shame of probing immediate past government is not enough, as the masses watch with hatred, as if something drastic will happen to all the loud probe going on, they pursue personal vendetta in the name of probe to gain the masses sympathy, as if that is what will solve our problems in this country. Instead of them to continue working, and see what legacy they will also leave when it lasted, even though we all know they are also into amassing of wealth into their selfish pocket.
Now the fuel scarcity is back, and heaven knows when it will go off the streets in this country. The danger in the scarcity if it continue for a long time is that, some people in certain quarters are raking in millions daily, and if it continue like this, they wont want their sources of making millions to dry up, so sabotaging the government efforts is the next line of action, while the masses wanton in penury of fuel scarcity and unavailability of power. This country tired me jare.
So how weekend be? Ever ponder whether this kind of weekend will continue? I mean in the midst of fuel scarcity, God forbids, not again!!!

And she was conned (2)

2008-03-25T08:37:00.002+01:00

When I publish this in my blog, I experienced the handiwork of the con men first hand, until I read this in the papers this morning. Ever ponder why some people chose making money through sorrow, tears and blood? This thing tired me o.

If you are lazy in going to the second link, see full story in the comment

The State of our Football

2008-03-24T18:30:00.003+01:00

This video aptly capture the state of our football pitch. I was watching the Glo Premier League on Cable yesterday, and I cant but share this video which capture the state of our football to every concern lover of Nigeria football. As if the pitch scenarios was not enough, pay particular attention to the behaviour of the Centre Referee hesitating while punishing a player. Also pay attention to the commentator who also got it wrong that the player was eventually booked whereas he wasnt. This one minute thirty second movie say a lots about the state of our football. I just cant help pondering over this, perhaps you can ponder along with me.

Oshiomhole declared winner of Edo guber polls

2008-03-20T17:19:00.000+01:00

The Edo State Election Petitions Tribunal has declared the Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate, Adams Oshiomole, winner of the April 14, 2007 election in the state. Head of the tribunal, Justice Peter Umeadi who read the judgment ruled that Oshiomhole, who contested under the banner of the Action Congress won majority of the votes.Umeadi said that the Oshiomhole scored a total of 166, 577 votes to Osunbor's 129, 117. Osunbor's lead attorney, Dr. Alex Iziyon said his client will appeal the verdict. Oshiomhole had challenged the victory of Professor Oserheimen Osunbor at the Tribunal. Oshiomole is contesting the declaration of results in the two disputed councils of Akoko-Edo and Etsako Central after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer for the state had said on air that there was no election there. The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Olabanji Orilonishe, retired from the Bench 24 days ago, after attaining the mandatory age of 65.A new chairman, Justice Peter Umeadi, who until then was a member, was appointed to head the election petitions tribunal.

Who Broke The Internet?

2008-03-12T13:39:00.003+01:00

You really want to know, then click this link

Canada smashes Nigerian scam ring

2008-03-11T17:55:00.000+01:00

According to Nigerian Guardian Newspaper, monitor this evening, The police in Toronto, Canada, announced on Monday that it had smashed a multi-million dollar international fraud ring linked to some Nigerians. In a statement obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the police said it recovered $5.5 million worth of counterfeit certified cheques and two million dollars worth of additional fraud documents to "numerous companies across Canada.'' The police revealed that the scam involved purchases of electronic devices that were placed in rental cars shipped to Nigeria and reported stolen in Canada by the man who rented them. The statement also said that after a three-month investigation, officers recovered 30 fake credit cards, 20 fraudulent driver's licences, a number of identity cards, passports, health cards and cherub books from across Canada. "The operation is global and police estimate that millions of dollars worth of equipment and vehicles have been shipped overseas already.''

Some figures that matters

2008-03-03T14:16:00.003+01:00

Do you know your Car Registration number off head? Why do I ask? Well, no reason in particular, but as the title goes, there are some little things that do matters. A friend recently ask me whether I know my car registration number off head, it was there and then that I now realise I do not know it off head, at least not all of it.
Truth is, if you are using a car for the first time, I mean if your car is the first one, chances are that you may know your Car Registration off head, because you will be fond of it, being the first time you are owning a car. But as time progresses, when you continue to change car, you lost interest in those numbers. Which is why some people mistook another person's car for theirs. How do you then identify your own car in pool of cars of the same type in the car park. The colour? or better still, the inner of the cars. Chances are that, they may be the same, this is where the registration come into play. A mere glance at the registration number can quickly assist you which is your car, but you may not notice that you did not actually know the number off head. Stress of work, little time to take notice could be reasons for such forgetfulness. If you dont know your own, how then can you know that of your wife?
This is just car registration number, what about your bank account numbers? That may be too far, how about your cell phone number? or that of your spouse? Some people had save their spouse phone number and does not need to punch the numbers several times, thereby not even knowing it off head.
Ever pause to ponder for once, and ask yourself some of these questions?

Financial Standard Website hacked.

2008-02-18T10:54:00.004+01:00

When I click on my news folder bookmarks this morning, where all major newspapers pages are bookmarked, I was surprised to see that Financial Standard Websites had been hacked. See the screenshot of the pages. This also is the first time of my seeing a hacked website. You always hear about these stuff, a website has been hacked and its landing page has been changed by the hacker. The screenshot clearly shows how it looks like when a website is hacked. What exactly is the benefit this hackers derived from hacking a website? Does that mean they have taken over the administrator of the website? I cant stop pondering over this

Revisiting the Past - Those Love Letters

2008-02-14T15:49:00.000+01:00

My dearest, sweetest, fondest, fantastic, extra-ordinary, paragon of
beauty,

I hope this letter meets you in a fabulous state of metabolism, if so doxology. My principal aim of writing this letter to you is to gravitate your mind towards a matter of global and universal importance, which has been troubling my soul. The matter is so important. Even as I am writing, my adrenaline is 100 per cent on the Richter scale, my temperature is rising, the wind vane of my mind is pointing North, South and East at the same time; the mirror in my eyes has only your divine image. Indeed when I sleep, you are the one in my medulla oblongata, and I dream about you. I went out to sea in my dream, and I saw you: surrounded by H2o and you in your majesty rose from the abdomen of the sea like Yemoja, the avatar of beauty. Oh, Lord be with us! We are thy servants.

As you can see, I am in a serious dilemma. And I want you to take my matter seriously. At this junction, what our Lord said on this matter is germane. He says we should ask, and we shall be given, we should seek and we will find, and that we should knock, and it will be opened unto us. I am this 30th day of the eighth month in the year of our Lord, Two thousand and Four, asking, seeking and knocking at your door. My prayer is that thou should open so that thy servant can enter. I want to wake up in the morning and see only your face.
I want you to be the only sugar in my tea, the only fly in my ointment, the butter on my bread, the grey matter of my system, the oxygen in my head, the planet of my universe, the wall clock of my room. The conveyor belt of my soul. I pray that you realise the gargantuan nature of my predicament. If you refuse, my life will be like tea without sugar, like a snail without shell, a Xmas goat without a horn; in fact I'd become an orphan. In fact I’d kill myself. What is life if I can't wake up in the morning and behold your face? You model of pulchritude, patiently created by God on a Friday morning before he went on a deserved holiday. Please, let me be your Romeo. Make me the Adam to your Eve. Shakespeare said it all: if music be the food of love, then let it play on. I want to emphasise, universally and responsibly, that you are love itself. You are the metaphor, oxymoron, thesis, antithesis, irony, gerund, conjunction and the adverb of love. At this juncture, let me also say that geography of your body is a permanent allelluyah. Not from your body, ammonia, urea and iodine- you are too beautiful for that, what I see in your body is milk and honey. At this juncture, brevity is the soul of wit. A stitch in time saves nine. Procrastination is the thief of time. An opportunity once lost can never be regained. Make hay while the sun shines. All that glitters is not gold. The journey of a thousand years begins with a step. What God has put together let no man put asunder. To be a man is not an easy task even if God's time is the best. But time waits for no one. A man without love is like a fish out of water. I know you are a sagacious girl. If you like the veracity of what I am saying, please reply and let me have it pronto. The mark at the bottom of this page is a kiss from me to you. I remain Your beloved, faithful, loyal, One and only admirer.

The Scandal of CAF Footballer of the year Award

2008-02-07T11:28:00.000+01:00

With recent allegations from Didier Drogba and recently confirmed by Fredric Kanoute, that a CAF officials did call them and warn them that if they did not appear at the ceremony, the award will not be given to them. The obvious is now known that, the award is not sometimes based on the performance of the players being given the award. The case of J J Okocha comes in minds in 2003 and 2004 respectively when the award goes to Samuel Eto'o. The truth is, the BBC footballer of the year award is more fair than the CAF award itself. Where BBC footballer of the year award were being chosen by the BBC listeners, the CAF award were being chosen by the Coach of the 53 affiliates FAs of the CAF. It goes on to show that, the CAF footballer of the year award is being imposed on us by just only 53 'supposed' football experts in Africa.
That reminds me, one would have thought that when Glo take over the sponsorship of the award, it will be more transpatent, but reverse is the case. By the way, what happens to the results of the CAF player of the year which the Glo network ask us to vote for? Does it mean, the 53 Coaches' chosen CAF player award supercedes that of the ones the Sponsorship company ask us to vote for?
Ever pause to ponder that, in future, the voting patterns should be modified as the award continues to generates controversy every year? Ever also pause to ponder what will happen to the credibility of the award if Kanoute decides to return the award because it is evident as if he did not merits the award since if he himself did not attend, it means the award will not be given to him?

NB: FEEDBACK
The CAF has come out later after the above was posted to confirmed on Thursday Didier Drogba's claim that he was stripped of the African Footballer of the Year award because he didn't show up to collect his title.

CAF had initially denied Drogba's revelation that a member of their organisation had phoned him to say if he didn't travel to Togo capital Lome his trophy would go to Fredi Kanoute.

So I pause to ponder again, what will happen if the three nominees refuse to attend the ceremony? Truth is, this arrangement will always belittle the award, and make the awardee feel as if he doesnt deserve the award. Think again CAF. So with the above CAF confirmation, who indeed is the CAF Footballer of the year awardee for 2007? Drogba or Kanoute? A quick answer, Drogba is the selected and merited Footballer of the year Award, while Kanoute is the decorated Footballer of the year award.

Bloggers on the Super Eagles performance at Ghana 2008

2008-02-04T15:47:00.000+01:00

Nigerian bloggers comments on the not so super eagles of Nigeria performance at Ghana 2008 is definitely not a no-comment approach. A note of disappointment is clearly seen from the write-ups. As far as I am concerned, the Super Eagles did not deserve to win Nigeria v. Ghana match, it will strongly be a total disappointment for our team to win against the host nation with our performance, as it will take a shine off the competition if the host were to be eliminated in the quarter finals especially with the eagles shoddy performance. Bloggers and Nigerians have come out to call for the sack of the coach berti vogts who cannot take the advantage of a sending off of a black stars player. The match ended Nigeria 1 Ghana 2
The "Super Fowls" as some Nigerians now call our Eagles or 'super chickens" as the Ghanaians fans now call them, while some one call in to condemn the 'slow motion' football our eagles play during the soccer fiesta.
The truth is, the blame on our shoddy performance is not on the coach alone, but should be on the administrators of our football, the players and of course the fans. I think a state of emergency should be declare on our football, disband the current team and let the current Golden eaglets metamorphose into the national team.
As the soccer fiesta continues, my solace lies on the performance of the Ivory Coast team who are delight to watch, my 100% is with them, especially when they did not allow us to be disgrace out of the group stage by beating the Mali team for us. Go for the gold, the Great Elephants!!! and Come back home disgraced super chicken.