Congratulations to Victor. Cute kid

ammyluv2002: Nigeria Shouldn't be On that list

Why

Poaching is babaric

Commercial and social activities at the Ijora Olopa livestock market, Lagos, came to a halt on Tuesday after some gunmen opened fire on a team of five policemen in the area, killing three of the policemen and injuring two.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the policemen, who were attached to the Area C Command, Surulere, were driving by the area around 11am when the gunmen opened fire on them.

A trader at the market, who identified herself as Ifeyinwa, said the traders and customers in the market fled in different directions before hiding in their shops when they heard the gunshots.

She said, “Between 11am and 12pm, we heard sporadic gunshots and we all ran for cover. The shooting did not take place in the market but under the bridge. A few minutes later, we came out to see the corpses of the policemen.

“I don’t think anyone stayed to watch the shooting but we were told that the gunmen were robbers and they opened fire on the policemen in a bid to escape.”

PUNCH Metro learnt that another team of policemen, attached to Area C, visited the scene and evacuated the corpses while the injured policeman was rushed to an undisclosed hospital.

A reliable police source gave the names of the slain policemen as Sergeant Bolaji Adewusi, Corporal Isibor and Corporal Emmanuel.

Our correspondent learnt that a few hours later, a combined team of Area C policemen and operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad returned to the area to interrogate some eyewitnesses.

A reliable police source said there was no robbery, explaining that the policemen were killed probably because the assailants wanted to snatch their guns.

He said, “From what we gathered, three armed men on a motorcycle drove close to the police patrol van, brought out their guns, and opened fire on them before fleeing. We discovered that there was no robbery in the area.

“The surviving policemen are giving us information and efforts are on to apprehend the suspects. We believe the policemen were shot because the assailants wanted their guns.”

When contacted on the telephone, Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Damasus Ozoani, said, “A team of policemen were in a patrol vehicle at Ijora Olopa under bridge when some gunmen opened fire on them. The gunmen shot one of the tyres of the patrol vehicle and the police driver lost control.

“The policemen were able to return fire and one of the robbers was shot but his colleagues took him away. Two policemen lost their lives while two others were rushed to hospital. Investigation is ongoing.”

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) says it may commence a nationwide strike by Monday if its members are not paid their salaries.
Mr Promise Adewusi, the association’s General Secretary, said this at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

He said that the strike was being considered to protest against the stoppage of the salaries of university workers without any justifiable explanation.
He said that the strike was sequel to a letter written to the Vice-Chancellors of the affected federal universities and Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

Adewusi said that letters were similarly written to the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike and the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie.

He, however stressed that SSANU members would be directed to proceed on the strike if the government refused to pay the salaries.

Adewusi advised the vice-chancellors, the SGF and the ministers of labour and education to take immediate steps to remedy the situation.

“Our members in the effected universities have drawn our attention to the non-payment of their August salaries without any justifiable explanations, even as the month of September has almost drawn to an end.

“We, hereby, place on record that our members had long discharged their obligation as workers for the said month and they, therefore, deserve their pay.

“The non-payment of our members in the universities, when some other federal universities have since paid the August salaries, is viewed by our members as an act of punishment against them for working and this has made them restive.

“We, therefore, demand that the August salaries of our members in those universities be paid to them on or before Friday, 27 September, 2013.

“Failure to pay by the stipulated date will be regarded as a conclusive act of aggression against the economic rights and interests of our members,” he said.

Adewusi said that the union would be at liberty to direct members to stop work, as they would no longer be in a position to continue to pay for their transport to work.

Also, Alhaji Mohammed Aliyu, the SSANU Chairman in Federal University of Technology, Minna, called on the Federal Government to pay the workers so as to promote industrial harmony.

Aliyu said that it was unfair for the government not to pay their salaries, considering the fact that SSANU had employed dialogue rather than embark on a strike like the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU).

He, however, warned the government not to misjudge the union’s peaceful disposition as a sign of weakness.

“Government should not punish us because of ASUU is on strike. If that is what they intend to do, it means they are inviting more trouble in the system.

“We in SSANU believe that through continuous dialogue, contentious issues can be resolved; but for government to refuse to pay our members for two months is a call for confrontation,” he said.

10. Honduras
> Total population: 7.9 million
> Pct. population 60+: 6.4% (66th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $3,519 (58th lowest)
> Life expectancy at 60: 21 years (46th most)

In Latin America, the proportion of the older population is expected to double by 2050. Among countries in the region, most of which scored relatively well, Honduras scored worst. Older residents of Honduras had the worst income security out of every country in Latin America and the Caribbean — only 3.8% of people over 65 received a pension. Further, the relative poverty rate of the ageing population in Honduras was among the highest in the world, at more than 27%. Despite its poor ranking, the reported mental well-being of older Hondurans was above that of the United States.

9. Montenegro
> Total population: 600,000
> Pct. population 60+: 18.4% (45th highest)
> GDP per capita: $10,157 (71st highest)
> Life expectancy at 60: 20 years (63rd most)

Montenegro was the worst country in which to be older in Europe. Its good pension coverage rate, however, helped lower the poverty rate among older residents, which was at 10.1%. The country’s older population was also relatively healthy, with high life expectancy at 60 years of age. Only 22.7% of older people were employed in Montenegro, however, compared with more than 60% in the United States.

8. Occupied Palestinian Territory
> Total population: 4.2 million
> Pct. population 60+: 4.5% (23rd lowest)
> GDP per capita: $2,654 (48th lowest)
> Life expectancy at 60: 18 years (tied for 62nd least)

Just over half of people older than 50 from the West Bank and Gaza said they were happy with their access to public transport, and just 66% said they felt safe walking alone at night, compared with 73% of people over 50 in the United States. The Palestinian Territory had a comparatively young population, with just 4.5% of the population at least 60 years old. As of 2012, more than one-fifth of the labor force was unemployed. For older residents, just over a quarter were employed.

7. Nigeria
> Total population: 168.8 million
> Pct. population 60+: 5.3% (43rd lowest)
> GDP per capita: $2,137 (42nd lowest)
> Life expectancy at 60: 16 years (tied for 16th least)

Nearly 169 million people lived in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. Roughly 8.8 million residents, or only 5.3%, were 60 years old or older. Only 5% of the population over 65 years old received a pension, among the smallest proportions globally. The quality of self-assessed mental well-being among the ageing population in Nigeria was one of the best in the world. Despite the challenges facing older people in Nigeria, more residents over 50 years old thought their lives had meaning than those between 35 and 49.

6. Malawi
> Total population: 15.9 million
> Pct. population 60+: 4.9% (tied for 34th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $780 (7th lowest)
> Life expectancy at 60: 17 years (tied for 36th least)

While nearly all residents aged 55 to 64 were employed, it was out of necessity. Malawi residents had among the lowest educational attainment in the world, with less than 5% of the population over 60 having completed secondary or higher education. Only primary education was free in the country. Pension plans were virtually nonexistent. The country’s GDP per capita has been among the lowest in the world in recent years.

5. Rwanda
> Total population: 11.5 million
> Pct. population 60+: 4.4% (20th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $1,077 (18th lowest)
> Life expectancy at 60: 16 years (tied for 16th least)

Only 2.8% of the Rwandan population aged 60 and over had completed secondary or higher education, among the lowest levels worldwide. When people 50 years or older were asked whether they were satisfied or dissatisfied with their freedom to choose what to do with their lives, nearly nine out of 10 respondents said they were satisfied, higher than in the U.S. Recent budget increases and improvements to the country’s electoral code may help improve the conditions for future generations of older residents.

4. Jordan
> Total population: 7.0 million
> Pct. population 60+: 5.9% (54th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $5,250 (77th lowest)
> Life expectancy at 60: 19 years (83rd most)

Like many of the worst countries for old people, Jordan’s older population is small, at just under 6%. Less than half of the people over 50 were satisfied with the public transportation system, which means many older people were less able to connect with friends and families and access services. According to the AgeWatch Index, older people fare much worse finding employment than the younger population, and they are less educated. Just one-quarter of the population aged 55 to 64 were employed and had completed secondary or higher education in the country. Otherwise, older people in Jordan felt relatively safe and free to live their own lives.

3. Pakistan
> Total population: 179.2 million
> Pct. population 60+: 6.5% (70th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $2,397 (46th lowest)
> Life expectancy at 60: 18 years (tied for 62nd least)

Older Pakistani residents reported the least freedom to live independent and self-reliant lives out of the countries analyzed in the report. Less than one in three people in Pakistan over 50 were satisfied with the freedom of choice in their life. The country also has lower levels of pension coverage than much of the world. The report also notes, “Compared with their counterparts in neighbouring countries, rankings for social connections indicate that older people in Pakistan feel less safe, less connected to the rest of society, and less able to enjoy civic freedoms.”

2. United Republic of Tanzania
> Total population: 47.8 million
> Pct. population 60+: 4.9% (tied for 34th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $1,293 (23rd lowest)
> Life expectancy at 60: 17 years (tied for 36th least)

Tanzania had among the highest percentages of working older people — nearly 95% of the country’s population aged 55 to 64 was employed. But if the older population’s poverty rate there is any indication, these jobs likely offer very low wages and little opportunity to save. As many as 33% of older residents in Tanzania lived in relative poverty — the third highest after Thailand and the Republic of Korea. Education was also a problem; just over 3% of the population aged 60 and over had completed secondary or higher education of any kind. Only 3.2% of the country’s residents over 65 years old received a pension of any kind. In the U.S., it was 82.6%.


1. Afghanistan
> Total population: 29.8 million
> Pct. population 60+: 3.8% (8th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $977 (14th lowest)
> Life expectancy at 60: 16 years (tied for 16th least)

Afghanistan had among the smallest proportion of residents at least 60 years old, at less than 4% of the total population. This is due in part to the country’s low life expectancy — 59 years for men and 61 for women. Life expectancy is 16 years for residents that are 60 years old, but only about nine of those years will be in good health. According to the AgeWatch Index, more than half of Afghan people over 50 do not feel safe walking alone at night where they live. With the American military scheduled to withdraw in 2014, the Afghan government worries the country will not be safe from foreign and domestic attacks.

A six-year-old girl, Mariam Adeniji, is currently in shock after witnessing the killing of her father, Rafiu Adeniji, who was allegedly shot dead by policemen on Sunday.

The little girl, who spoke to PUNCH Metro while trying to fight back tears, said her father was killed after challenging policemen over an accident along the Mangoro end of Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
She said, “My daddy was driving home when someone hit his car. He went to see the policemen; they just brought out their guns and shot him. They then ran away.”
Another occupant of the vehicle, Lateef Okesola, who expressed shock at the incident, said it occurred in broad daylight.
He said, “Adeniji, Mariam and I, were all in his Honda car; Adeniji was driving. We were headed towards Agege when we saw a white police patrol vehicle with the inscription, OPS Attack, chasing a commercial bus. So, Rafiu swerved to the side and allowed the vehicle to pass.
“We continued on our journey but after a while, we found ourselves behind the same bus. Suddenly, the driver of the bus applied his brake.”
Unfortunately for Adeniji, he couldn’t stop his car fast enough as his vehicle was said to have hit the bus from behind, causing Okesola to sustain a bruise on his head. An argument was said to have ensued between the bus driver and Adeniji after the motorist demanded payment for the repair of the bus.
The deceased allegedly told the bus driver to blame the policemen for causing the accident.
“The policemen were parked on the side of the road and when Rafiu approached them to discuss what had happened, one of them alighted and shot him in the chest before fleeing.
“It was the sympathisers who gathered, that flagged down another commercial bus to take us all to the Isokoko Police Division,” Okesola added.
After obtaining a police report, Adeniji was taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, where he was confirmed dead.
Not long after his corpse was taken to his family home at Oshodi, Adeniji was said to have been rushed to a private hospital after a sympathiser claimed he saw the corpse move.
However, Adeniji was confirmed dead again at Jericho hospital.
When our correspondent visited Adeniji’s mother’s home located on Samura Street, sympathisers were seen coming in droves to condole with his aged mother said to be in her 70s.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Adeniji was an employee of NAHCO. His colleagues, who came to sympathise with the family, described him as a hardworking man.
Elder sister of the deceased, Titilayo Akintunde, described the incident as a nightmare, saying there was a need for the government to curb the excesses of policemen.
She said, “One wonders why it is those that are paid to protect lives and property that “continue to add sorrows to our lives in this country.
“My brother was not a thug. He was gainfully employed at NAHCO. He had a wife and two children. Unfortunately, his life was cut short in his prime.
“The case is even more pathetic because he was killed in the presence of his six-year-old daughter and she has refused to eat since the incident. It is a sight that she will never “forget. We want justice for him. Imagine what our mother is going through right now?”
When contacted on the telephone, the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Damasus Ozoani, said, “There was a shooting in Agege area which led to loss of life. The patrol team within that area has been arrested and their arms have been taken for ballistic examination.”

It was a sorry sight to behold as five white caskets containing the lifeless bodies of Madam Grcae and her daughters were brought into the sleepy rural community of Egbelu Nguru, Ngor Okpalaeke local council area of Imo State for burial.
The unfortunate victims mysteriously died May 31, this year, after consuming a local but very nutritious delicacy, Ugba (oil bean salad), prepared by the matriarch of the family, Grace Nwosu.
Those interred included Prophetess Grace Nwosu, Chinelo Nwosu (a 400 level studen of University of Nigeria, Nsukka), Chidera Nwosu, Njideka Nwosu, Chizitere Nwosu. The grand-children, Ijeoma and Amaka Frank were buried in their hometown, Mbieri, Mbaitoli local government area of the state.
Many people who were at the scene, were simply dumbfounded. Emotions ran very high. Tears flowed freely.
Others wailed uncontrollable, while a good number of sympathizers endlessly cursed those they claimed poisoned the oil bean salad, which killed Madam Grace Nwosu, her children.
The confused nature in the arena naturally forced members of Cherubim and Seraphim Church, who were conducting the requiem service to temporarily halt proceedings until some sanity was restored.
Senior Apostle John Afokalam, who delivered the homily cursed those who perpetrated the evil act. He further promised that they will never go unpunished, adding that their only saviour would be if they openly confessed their sin to God and before Egbelu Nguru people.
He admitted that the loss was colossal but enjoined the surviving members of the Nwosu family to face the distasteful event equanimity and faith in God.
“Death is not victory to the devil. Death is not victory to the perpetrators of evil. It is however advisable for evil doers to retrace their steps and turn to God or be prepared to face the full wrath of God”, Senior Apostle Afokalam said.
In a message, the Baba Aladura of the church, Dr. L. A. Onyeleonu, represented by the Secretary, Central Management Committee 8, Dr. Bassey Edem, said the church was shocked by the mystery surrounding the death of members of Nwosu family and others.
“The church is giving them a national burial to fully demonstrate that death can never be victory over the children of God”, Onyeleonu fumed.
Explaining the delay in burying the deceased members of the Nwosu family, Edem linked it to police investigation, adding that the church only got the go ahead signal from the Imo police boss, Mr. Mohammed Katsina at about 4pm the previous day and fixed the burial for Saturday, October 5, 2013.
The leadership and members of the National Association of Imo State Students, NAISS, University of Nigerian, Nsukka Chapter, were fully represented at the event. They expressed palpable anger over the loss of their colleague.
Speaking to journalists, the President of e body, Comrade Hilary Nwauzoije, vowed that they will not rest until the cause of the death of their colleague was unearthed and the perpetrators commensurately punished.
Similarly, youths of Egbelu Nguru community lampooned the state government for allegedly abandoning the surviving members of the family in their moment of grief.
They grieved that the state government did not make any financial contribution towards the burial and described it as “very injurious to the administration of Governor Rochas Okorocha”.
The Sole Administrator of Ngor Okpala local council area, Mr. Stanislaus Ugochukwu Okere, who stood in for the state government, debunked the allegation by the youths.
He reminded the youths that when news of the ugly incident spread, the Governor visited members of the family, as well as doled out te sum of N5 million for the burial arrangements of the deceased citizens.
The Sole Administrator appealed to people to allow the sleeping dog go lie, stressing that nobody should do anything that would further endanger the lives of the surviving members of Nwosu family.
As people made to leave the community, they prayed that such ugly incidents should not befall Imo people again. They recalled that no too long ago, a family was wiped out in Emekuku, Owerri North local government area of the state . They died from generator fume on the night they buried their mother.

I dont believe in rapture

1) Heroes - Wished it continued at least one more season
2) V - liked it

The family of late former Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, denied yesterday of having any prior knowledge or details on the ill-fated aircraft chartered from the Associated Airlines that crashed last Thursday in Lagos. It said it never made such choice, and had no knowledge about how the plane was hired.

The plane which was to convey the corpse and family members of the late Agagu to Ondo state crashed 3 minutes after take-off. 15 people out of the 20 onboard the plane have since been confirmed dead.


In a statement by Femi Agagu, aimed at debunking the ongoing media report that the family chose the plane, he said, “The contracts for the purchase of the casket, the hiring of the hearse, arrangement for the flying of the corpse from Lagos to Akure, the stage for the lying-in-state as well as the transportation to Iju Odo were between Ondo State Government and MIC as part of the plans to give the former governor a state burial.”

Femi, the late Agagu’s younger brother further said the report that the plane was the choice of the family was “false, wicked and deliberate distortion of obvious facts.”

Speaking further, he said, “We appreciate the immense support of the state government since the demise of Dr. Olusegun Agagu. But we would like to state here that we were only invited to point to the type of casket we wanted. Every other arrangement, including the flight, lying-in-state and even transportation to Iju Odo were made by the state government and MIC. For anybody to say we chose Associated Airlines is total falsehood and we believe such report couldn’t have come from the state government quarters,”

Looks good. Hope they can maintain the place

VACANCIES

Our client, a fast growing food processing company in Ipaja, Lagos state, is in the process of reorganizing and restructuring its operations and therefore looking for resourceful, vibrant purpose driven professionals with high integrity and relevant experience to fill the following positions.


S/No Position Ref. No. Minimum Requirement
I Personal assistant to the MD/CEO AF/1/2013/PA01 Qualifications: Must be a B.Sc./B.A/HND holder with a minimum of second-class lower or lower credit and good computer basic application knowledge.
The Person: Confidentially, competency, honesty and ability to work with little supervision. Good oral and written communication skills. Not more than 40 years old. Minimum of 10 years post NYSC qualification experience
II Production Manager AF/1/2013/PM01 Qualifications: Must be a B.Sc/HND holder in a relevant field with a minimum of second-class or lower credit.
The Person: Confidentiality, competency, honesty and ability to work with little supervision. Good oral and written communication skills. Most not be more than 40 years of age. Minimum of 10 years post NYSC qualification in a food processing industry.
III Accountant AF/1/2013/AC01 Qualifications: Minimum qualification of B.Sc or HND with relevant professional qualifications (ACA, ACCA etc).
The Person: Reliability, honesty, and must possess ability to identify risks and proffer mitigates and carry out proactive audit examinations. Must be an experienced auditor. Female preferably. Minimum of 5 years post NYSC qualification in accounting firm or relevant industry experience.
IV Food Technologist AF/1/09/FT01 Qualifications: Must be a B.Sc. /HND holder in food technology or relevant field with a minimum of second-class lower or lower credit.
The Person: Possess good knowledge of production in a manufacturing industry, ability to deliver on time, relate and work effectively with people. Must be of high integrity. Minimum of 5 years post NYSC working experience in food processing industry.
V Microbiologists AF/1/2013/MB01 Qualifications: Must be a B.Sc./HND in microbiology with a minimum of second-class lower or lower credit.
The Person: Possess good knowledge of production process, ability to deliver on time, relate and work effectively with people. Must be of high integrity. Minimum of 4 years post NYSC experience in food processing industry,
VI Lab Technician AF/1/2013/LT01 Qualifications: Must be at least OND holder with a minimum of lower credit. Minimum of 3 years experience
VII Machine operators AF/2013/MO01 Qualifications: Minimum qualification of OND or C&G technical. Minimum of 4 years experience in handling industrial machines/auto sealing packaging machines in a food processing industry.
VIII Executive Drivers AF/1/2013/ED01 Qualifications: Minimum qualification of School Certificate. Ability to read and write good English. Minimum of 5 years experience as executive driver in Lagos.

Methods of Application

Interested and suitable candidates for the positions should forward their resume within 2 weeks from the date of this publication to: The Advertiser, P.O. Box 5754, Somolu, Lagos. Or send e-mail to ksplusconsult@gmail.com.

All applicants must clearly indicate their residential address (NOT Post office box) on the resume and application letter or covering e-mail. Applicants must specify ref. no. of the position applied for as the subject matter. Multiple entries would be disqualified.

Only successful applicant will be contacted.

I havent met one. I guess there arent too many

Yoshi-Master:


Google, that's the typical form of school bathrooms I have seen in other developed countries.

I tot the pics were pictures were taken in Nigeria

Yoshi-Master:
Compared to this.

Where did you get the picture from

Barely three weeks after former Governor Olusegun Agagu of Ondo State reportedly slumped and died of an undisclosed illness in Lagos after returning from a trip to the United States, another tragedy struck in Lagos on Thursday as a chartered airplane conveying his body to Akure crashed within the local wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

The plane, which belonged to the Associated Airlines and had about 20 passengers on board, had suddenly nose-dived after taking off at the airport. The incident occurred just as late Agagu’s family, friends, associates and other relations waited anxiously at the Ondo State capital to receive his corpse and proceed with the burial arrangement.

About 13 passengers including the crew of the ill-fated were confirmed dead, while seven others, including the son of the late governor, Feyi Agagu, sustained injuries.

It is somewhat ironic that Agagu’s remains would be caught in a disaster of this nature on the same turf that he had controlled as the Minister of Aviation in 1999.

Equally it is sad that another plane crash has occurred less than two years after the last one involving a Dana Air plane on June 13, 2012.

Apart from stirring memories of that tragic incident, the latest plane crash compels another glance at the circumstances that usually surround such mishaps in Nigeria.

Some factors have been identified as the major causes of plane crashes in Nigeria include non-lighting of runways and airfields, poorly constructed drainage culverts, inaccurate information by the control tower, lack of proper certification of radio operators and poor supervision of aircraft imported into the country, inefficient regulation and a persistent urge on the part of the airlines to cut corners.

After the 2006 Civil Aviation Act was passed into law, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority was sufficiently empowered to effectively regulate the operations of airlines and ensure that they adhered strictly to the rules.

But some airline owners have been accused of disobeying the same rules and ignoring sensitive technical advice from their engineers. This problem reportedly was central to the Dana Air plane crash of 2012. It has been noted that contrary to the wishes of the airport manager of the airline in Abuja, the ill-fated aircraft was ordered to operate by the management.

Most airlines skip maintenance checks. Aided by some officials of the regulatory body, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, they postpone the checks or settle for below-the-level types.

Unfortunately, while the NCAA appears to be strict with some airlines, it has been accused of showing leniency to others. Perhaps, this is the reason why some airlines are allowed to operate even after they have been involved in plane crashes and found to lack the ability to continue operations.

Also, investigation has shown that part of the problem is the inability of the NCAA to enforce quality, safety, and security standards at Nigeria’s airports.

However, the Associated Airlines plane crash raises a question about the implementation of the recommendations of a report on the causes of plane crashes submitted to the Federal Government by the Accident Investigation Bureau.

Had the government and relevant aviation authorities promptly acted on the content of the report, it is possible that Thursday’s incident would have been averted.

Man United would qualify from the group. Dont think they would win the champions league

Sure why not

The place is terrible

The freakish giant rodent weighed ten times that of an average rat and had been devouring 3kg fish whole in Shaoyang, in China's Hunan Province. Chinese farmers have captured a one metre-long, 5kg rat which had been terrorising villagers, it was claimed today.
The freakish giant rodent, dubbed 'ratzilla', weighed ten times that of an average rat and had been devouring 3kg fish whole in Shaoyang, in China's Hunan Province. In a gruesome twist, farmers who caught the huge animal tried to cut it up to eat - but broke two knives hacking at its body.

The rat had been terrorising villagers in Shaoyang before local farmers banded together to finally catch it, according to shanghaiist.com.

Workers eventually cornered 'ratzilla' and killed it with makeshift weapons, but broke two knives trying to carve its thick bones and skin.
Rat is widely eaten in Guangdong, southern China, and is used in soups as well as being stewed or braised.

It some parts of China it is considered to be three times more nutritious than chicken.

Just terrible how some people think

A 30-seat plane belonging to Associated Airlines carrying the remains of Ondo state former governor Olusegun Agagu and 20 other passengers crashed this morning shortly after take off from the domestic wing of MMIA. An aviation official confirmed the plane suffered engine failure after takeoff. It's also been confirmed that at least five passengers of the ill-fated flight survived, (including Agagu's son and son in-law) and have been taken to hospitals, while 14 bodies have been recovered from the crash site. The black box of the plane has also been recovered.

The casket bearing Agagu's corpse (pictured above) was recovered almost intact at the scene of the crash. Rescuers said almost all parts of the aircraft was burnt except the back where the casket was kept. The full manifest of the occupants of the plane has been released by aviation authorities. Find it after the cut...RIP to the departed.

Passengers
Feyi Agagu
Femi Akinsanya
Akintunde Joseph
Akeem Akintunde
Tunji Okusanya
Chijioke Duru
Kingsley Amaechi
Deji Afolabi
Mrs. A.O. Alabi
Daji Bernard
Deji Falae
Samson Hassan
Olatunji Okusanya

Crew members
Capt. Yakubu
Flight officer Oyinlola
Engr. Soroh Ebiya
Flight dispatcher Ibrahim
Mr. Felix Latoya
Cabin attendant Owolabi
Cabin attendant Samson.

World football governing body FIFA on Thursday appointed Walter Gagg from Switzerland as observer for the Oct. 13 Brazil 2014 Playoff fixture between Ethiopia and Nigeria.

Ademola Olajire, Assistant Director (Media), Nigeria Football Association (NFA), disclosed this in a statement released in Abuja.

The match is the first leg game in the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers’ final elimination round.

The match has been scheduled for Addis Ababa, with the second leg game fixed for Nov. 16 in Calabar.

The statement said FIFA had also confirmed that the match would kick off at 4 p.m. Ethiopian time, and 2 p.m. Nigerian time.


It further said FIFA had appointed a Cameroonian referee, Neant Alioum, to take charge of the potentially-explosive game.

“The referee will be assisted by compatriots Evarist Menkouande, Yanoussa Moussa and Henry Kalla as Assistant Referee 1, Assistant Referee 2 and Fourth Official respectively,’’ the statement added.

“Also, Egyptian Essam Siam will be the Referees Assessor, while Wilfred Mukuna from Zimbabwe will be the Match Commissioner and Kenya’s Nicholas Musonye will act as Security Officer for the match.’’

http://allafrica.com/stories/201310040105.html

RIP to all those that lost their lives

As the world grapples with climate change, and struggles daily to adapt to the sad reality, while creating relevant technologies to mitigate the impact, the transport sector deserves more attention because of its inherent flexibility factor when used as a carbon offset strategy. For example, in the United States of America, where transport accounts for more than 30 per cent of carbon emissions (carbon emitted into the atmosphere is the major cause of climate change), the American Public Transportation Association said that public transport in the US saves approximately 1.4 billion gallons of petrol and about 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide annually. Over there, the train system is the most efficient in many ways, typically by emitting less carbon and using less fuel per passenger than buses. Then, the next system is the Bus Rapid Transit, which runs extra-long buses in dedicated lanes. A 2006 study by the Breakthrough Technologies Institute found that a BRT system in a medium-sized US city could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 650,000 tons during a 20-year period.

Over here in Nigeria, we do not have a functional train system as a means of public transport, but thankfully, we have a fledgling BRT system. Lagos has the only success story, so far. The first phase of the Lagos BRT, which is owned by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, was opened on March 24, 2008. It goes from Mile 12 through Ikorodu Road and Funsho Williams Avenue up to CMS; with a corridor of 22km in length. Two operators are offering their services to the Lagos BRT: the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers Cooperative and the Asset Management Company owned by the Lagos State Government, known as LAGBUS. In Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, there is an ongoing, but ridiculous, attempt to institute a BRT corridor along the Masaka-Maraba-Garki/Wuse road. The attempt has continued to fail because the route consists of a very narrow road.

In spite of all its criticisms, Lagos BRT remains a success because it is a platform not only for ensuring that the city does not experience urban traffic insanity, but also save the citizens money while fighting climate change. It is the job of the government to enlighten the masses on the importance of adopting environmental friendly transportation lifestyle. It will help on the fuel consumption of the country in general. According to treehugger.com, if just one in 10 Americans used public transport daily, the US reliance on foreign oil would decrease 40 per cent. Second, it is safer to ride in a bus than travel in a private car; riding a bus is 79 times safer than riding in an automobile. Studies have shown that people who use public transport regularly tend to be healthier than those who don’t, because of the exercise they get walking to and fro bus stops, subway stations and their homes and offices. Also, families that use public transport can reduce their household expenses.

But sadly, there are indications that the BRT project is deteriorating. There have been several complaints and negative reports on the Lagos BRT all pointing to the fact that there is a growing inefficiency occasioned by infrastructural breakdown. This is now eroding the success story of the scheme in Nigeria as the Lagos system was the first of its type in West Africa and was set to blaze a new sustainable paradigm in public transport in Nigeria. It is now obvious that as the challenges of Nigeria’s operational environment set in, it became difficult to keep the buses on the road as there are increasing cases of breakdowns and steady decline in the number of buses available on the routes. A visit to the BRT yards will make the problem more vivid. Parked bumper to bumper are hundreds of broken down buses which look more like corpses abandoned on top of grave yards without burial than casualty patients waiting in an outpatient ward for medical attention.

However, from recent developments, it seems that things are changing fast at the LAGBUS. It was reported that the management has engaged some key technology partners to commence some processes to check the high incidence of catastrophic breakdowns and embark on energy efficient practices which will help check the high overhead cost of running the BRT system. Key among these include contaminated and adulterated fuels, substandard servicing parts and lubricants and the absence of a technology-driven platform that compensates for Nigeria’s substandard roads and excessive temperature, humidity, dust and related ambient conditions. According to a recent report, “The overall aim is to develop a platform of global best practices models in mass transit maintenance administration designed to keep buses on the road long and at less operational cost compared to current baselines. This is so as to stabilise and regularise mass transit in the Lagos metropolis such that the market, more so than the law, compels the phasing out of inefficient and pollution-prone modalities of transport.”

In other words, just as energy efficient lamps are now utilised in the country to save energy, reduce cost and fight climate change, as they are used to replace the energy-guzzling incandescent bulbs, the LAGBUS is changing its key technological processes to stop the unnecessary waste of energy and Lagos State tax-payers money. At the moment, its fleet is rportedly using ADMAGS’ proprietary Displacement Evacuation Technology, or DET, to evacuate soot, sludge and calcificates from critical engine components without disassembly, in order to restore and maintain efficiencies, and drastically curb carbon emissions from these buses. DET has been shown to reduce fuel consumption by as much as 30 per cent and emissions by more than 60 per cent. It is the success of this service provided by an indigenous company, which inspired LAGBUS to go a step higher by engaging some foreign companies for other aspects of structural efficiency in order to revitalise its operations. These include the use of waterless engine coolants, state-of-the-art maintenance and upkeep solutions, and engine remanufacturing and reconditioning. The technology partners through their combined technologies and competencies, targets a reduction of LAGBUS’ operational costs by 20 per cent in 2014, 30 per cent in 2015 and 45 per cent by 2016. Carbon emissions reductions have been projected at 65 per cent in 2014, and 15 per cent each year across-the-board into 2016.

My point is that as these technology partners are engaged, the ultimate aim should not just be to reduce cost for LAGBUS, but to help the country achieve technology transfer. For instance, the partner who will be engaged for remanufacture and reconditioning of the LAGBUS carcasses must export the remanufacturing technology to Nigeria in order to create jobs and solve the environmental challenge of abandoned buses in Nigeria, where vehicles are left to rot along our highways and streets just because there are no plants to utilise the abandoned components of these vehicles in producing serviceable parts and brand new buses, which is exactly what remanufacturing is all about. Nigeria cannot afford to be just consumers of foreign products without technology transfer. Multinationals like LG, Kia, Panasonic, etc have thriving sales businesses in Nigeria without manufacturing plants in our shores. Infrastructure deficit – e.g. zero power supply – has always been used as an excuse to dodge setting up these plants in Nigeria, but we have come to that place where excuses will not just be okay anymore; these companies should, among their strategies for making an inroad into the Nigerian market, come up with ideas on how to finance infrastructure in the country. If not, we shall continue listening to excuses while we see foreign-owned sales and service outlets on our streets multiply without any factory to employ our youths and teach us new things.

See how our government abandoned the Eagles Square Abuja today. Lol. This is the third year in a row that this government has failed to hold Independence Day events at the Eagles Square. It used to be the traditional but that was before Boko Haram started bombing public places...

The 6th week of animated English Premier League action has come and gone. While some clubs had things going their way, others simply moved an inch further into full-blown crisis. Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea are yet to find the right formula that will produce all the goals they need, while David Moyes is yet to convince us that he’s the so-called Chosen One.

Well, let’s kick things off at Old Trafford where Manchester United succumbed to their 3 defeat of this season’s Barclays Premier League with just 6 matches played. It is the worst possible start to the season that any new manager at a top club could have wished for, especially in Manchester United where winning has become a habit for the past two decades. Filling the big shoes of Sir Alex Ferguson was always going to be a tough task, but even Moyes or Sir Alex himself would not have envisaged that it would be this difficult.
Saturday afternoon saw Manchester United capitulate once more to a shock defeat. This time around it happened right in front of their disbelieving home supporters. The 2-1 home loss to West Bromwich Albion was the first time United would be so embarrassed by the Baggies since 1978. This latest defeat leaves the Red Devils with just 7 points (two wins and a draw) out of a possible 18 so far this season. That is not the only scenario though, they have also found themselves in the bottom half of the Premier League table, somewhere between two Welsh clubs, Cardiff City and Swansea City. Not since the 1986 has United had a worse start to a league campaign.

The fans are grumbling and so are the players. The board too are not happy with the latest developments at the club. Losing 3 of your first 6 matches is not something to be proud of, but it becomes a thing of embarrassment when you are a club like Manchester United. One has to wonder where David Moyes got it all wrong. He made wholesale changes to the side that was humiliated by Manchester City the previous weekend, but that did not pay off as goals from West Brom’s Morgan Amalfitano and Saido Berahino either side of a Wayne Rooney free-kick condemned United to their first home defeat of the season.

David Moyes. The Observer Reports.com
David Moyes is the man at the center of it all
After the match, ecstatic West Brom fans chanted “We’ll sack who we want”. They were referring to the sacking of Paolo Di Canio by Sunderland last week after a 3-0 loss to West Brom. Moyes must now be wondering — should things continue this way though — if he will become the first manager that will be fired at Old Trafford in 27 years. But he would count himself lucky to be working under a board with long term plans for the club rather than instant, short-term success.

At White Hart Lane, two London giants were pitted against each other. Two rival set of players, two managers who are not on speaking terms and two boards of directors who have been bitter enemies in the transfer market were on parade at Tottenham’s 36,000 capacity stadium when they hosted Chelsea. The relationship between Jose Mourinho and his protegee , Andre Villas Boas, which has turned sour in recent years dominated the pre-match proceedings, but it was the result that became the post-match talking point. Skipper, John Terry, rescued a solitary point for the revitalized Blues in the second half with a header after Gylfi Sigurdsson had given Spurs the lead earlier on in the first half.
The result of the launch-time kickoff in the Premier League marked the fourth time the Stamford Bridge outfit has scored 1 goal or less since the start of the season. One has to wonder what kind of business Roman Abramovich and co. did in the transfer window that has made it very difficult for the team to score goals. Summer signing Samuel Eto’o is yet to open his account for his new club, while players like Eden Hazard and Frank Lampard have so far failed to reproduce the scoring form that helped the Blues seal a third place finish in the Premier League last season.

It is bewildering how Chelsea’s star-studded team with an expensive cast of attackers and a manger whose Real Madrid side last season constantly brushed aside opponents with goal margins of 6 or more has managed to score just 6 goals in the last 5 games. This is the same team that could easily put 6 0r 7 goals in the back of the opponent’s net a season ago. Whatever the Special One is doing seems not to be working. The only thing working in the team right now is the defense, but the attack is well below par.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have none of the problems of the two clubs mentioned above to worry about. They are scoring goals an they are winning matches. They comfortably occupy the top position of the EPL with fifteen points out of a possible 18, two points clear of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and eight clear of Manchester United. The unstoppable Gunners have lost just the opening match of the season and have since been on a 7-match winning streak with Aaron Ramsey continuing his wonderful form as he bagged the winner for Arsenal against Swansea City with his eight goal of the season.

Manuel Pellegrini. The Observer Reports.com
Troubled times
Elsewhere, Manuel Pellegrini, just like fellow new boys Jose Mourinho and David Moyes, is finding life difficult at his new club. His Manchester City side that is worth several hundred million pounds were overpowered 3-2 on away soil by an inspired Aston Villa side. This latest humiliation comes just 6 days after their emphatic triumph over Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium. Inconsistency has really defined City’s campaign so far this season, one week they will give superlative show that will tempt you to hand over the trophy to them, the next they are playing lack a confused bunch.
This was how Pellegrini summed up the game (and their season too) in a post-match interview:
“The way we lost this game was incredible. We led twice, and we had control of the game.”

Do you think the world could not get any worse? Think again! There are no words to even begin describing how sickening people could be.

A French mother who held down her four-year-old son while he was raped by his stepfather in a prison visiting room was sentenced Wednesday to a maximum 20 years in jail.

At the detention center, 25-years-old Sabrina Bonner had blindfolded her son and made him kneel on a chair in front of her 31-year-old partner Lionel Barthelemy, then held him by the arms as he was raped.

Both Sabrina and Barthelemy have admitted to multiple counts of rape and sexual assault of the boy, now eight. Some of the assaults, including the rape in the visiting room at the Toul detention center in eastern France, had been filmed on a mobile phone.

Sabrina gave herself up to police in May 2011, shortly before Barthelemy was due to be released from prison while claiming that she carried out the assaults under the orders and threat of violence from Barthelemy.

Lionel Barthelemy, who has been jailed since August 2009 for violence, also received the same sentence from the court in Strasbourg, eastern France.

The game is going to be hot. I want City to win tho.

Nigeria is ok. Tho Nigeria has a long way to go in terms of development. There should be good leaders in order for Nigeria to move forward. But as time goes by maybe Nigeria would be getting better. There lots of aspects in Nigeria that needs to be addressed in order for Nigeria to move forward. I think we all know the issues affecting Nigeria.

As the country marks its 53rd independence anniversary, professionals take a cursory look at activities in the built environment in the last one year and conclude that much still needs to be done, MAUREEN AZUH writes

Stakeholders in the built environment have said that the industry has not moved forward in the last one year, despite several efforts at improvement.

Some of those who spoke with our correspondent said there had been efforts at tackling some of the issues that confront the industry, including housing deficit, menace of building collapse and flooding, among others, but only marginal success had been recorded.

Available statistics indicate that the country currently has a housing deficit of about 17 million units, with the tendency of the figure rising further.

In the past one year, stakeholders have focused on ways of making houses available and affordable yet, housing has remained out of the reach of ordinary Nigerians.

While some blamed the problem on insensitivity on the part of the Federal Government, others have said that the amendment of the Land Use Act will be a way out.

A former President, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Alhaji Waheed Kadiri, said despite the fact that stakeholders had limited their discourse to housing at the detriment of other infrastructure; there had been no progress, especially in the area of housing for the masses.

He said, “Now, if you move to where we usually focus on – housing – you can see that nothing much has been done; the rich are building for themselves houses that are out of the reach of the common man.

“In Ogun State, for instance, there is an estate where blocks of duplexes have been built and are being sold for N27m, we all know that Abeokuta is a city of civil servants but they build houses for N27m.”

In his submission, the Chairman, Housing Faculty, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Chief Kola Akomolede, said in terms of housing, there had been a lull at the national level where it appeared nothing was happening either through legislation, or construction of houses by the Federal Government.

He said, “Some states are making some impacts, such as Lagos, where some new estates have been inaugurated; they have also been doing a lot in the environment, in terms of building drainages and road construction, and housing itself; but like I said, there is still much to be done.

“But in terms of legislation about land and the Land Use Act, which is something that plays a big role in housing, the Federal Government has been talking about it in the last 14 years but we haven’t seen anything done; even in housing finance, nothing has been done. It appears that housing is not taken as a serious matter at the national level.

“You will recall that in the seven-point agenda of the former President Umaru Yar’Adua, housing was not one of them and since President Goodluck Jonathan came in, he has not taken steps to do that.

“You can’t compare it with the time of Alhaji Shehu Shagari, whose concern was food and shelter; he initiated a programme for the construction of houses in almost all the local government areas of the nation; we know that for political and some other reasons, it wasn’t quite successful, but one could see a government that was passionate about housing.”

Akomolede added that there had not been conscious efforts by the Federal Government to make housing available to the masses.

“Look at the budget every year, they are not doing anything on housing, anything they allocate is for the payment of salaries of employees of the Ministry of Housing and not for construction of houses for the masses,” he said.

Apart from housing, in the last one year also, the country has been plagued with the effects of climate change, which has become a major problem all over the world.

The country experienced the worst form of flooding in 2012.

The floods, which began in early July and ended around the first week of November that year, was estimated to have claimed 363 lives, displaced over 2,100,000 people and cost the country over N2tn.

Several states, including Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Plateau, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Anambra, were affected.

In the last few days, some South Western states had also experienced severe flooding.

According to stakeholders in the built environment, the country has recorded more flooding disasters in the last one year than it has in several decades.

According to Kadiri, apart from some states, there have not been many efforts at controlling the floods.

“Like someone said, we have been running a government by condolence, but nobody does anything before it happens. In Ondo State, they are blaming the ecological fund for not providing enough funds to fight flooding because two people died in one of the towns,” he said.

The United Nations Habitat Programme Manager for Nigeria, Mr. Kabir Yari, said efforts at combating flooding could only be given a marginal pass mark as some of the initiatives that were introduced had not been implemented.

He said, “I found out that there were so many efforts being made, the flooding issue for instance, assessment was done by the Nigerian government, the World Bank and the United Nations. I think there are so many blueprints that have been planned for the environment too. And there have been efforts; for instance, tree-planting and the green world initiative; my fear, however, is whether all those things are being implemented.

“I think issues were identified such as the green world, but I don’t know how much of that green world has been implemented because the people have still not been able to overcome flooding.”

Yari, a former president of the NITP, said perhaps, a higher magnitude of last years’ flooding experience would spur stakeholders into implementing the various policies and initiatives.

Beyond housing and flooding, building collapse has become a source of worry to stakeholders in the built environment as the last one year has recorded the highest number of collapses in different parts of the country.

The menace has seen professionals setting up different committees and bodies in a bid to find a lasting solution to a phenomenon that has become a source of embarrassment to not only the industry, but the country at large.

Recently, the Lagos State Government set up a tribunal of inquiry into the causes of building collapse, with the aim of finding solutions.

However, the menace has continued unabated with the recent collapse of a three-storey building and a bungalow in Lagos Island.

According to Kadiri, in the last one year, the only success that has been achieved in the fight against building collapse has been in the area of creating awareness but other root causes, including cultural causes and the use of substandard building materials have not been tackled.

He said, “There are some remote causes; the cultural side, which nobody is paying attention to. We also talk of buildings that are being rushed; if I have to take time to build a house and pay the area boys each time I build, then why can’t I rush it in a few days or weeks and pay once. Nobody is looking into that area, the Omo Onile syndrome.

“The other cultural side is the inheritance culture where a man leaves a block of four flats to four different children. Who takes care of the roof, the stairway and the surroundings at the ground level? All these are hampering maintenance and lack of maintenance is one of the greatest causes of building collapse.”

For Akomolede, the issue of collapse would not end until the cost of building materials was reduced drastically because the high cost was the reason why people cut corners and do shoddy jobs.

He said, “If you happen to be involved in the demolition of a house, you will discover that with your hands, you can break the blocks and that’s because the people are cutting corners; where they are supposed to use 100 bags of cement, they will use 50 and the result is what we get, building collapse.

“Part of the problem of building collapse is the cost of building materials; if the government can reduce the import duty on GSM, why can’t they do so on building materials so that more people can build and stop cutting corners.”

He added that despite the inability of the government and stakeholders to do much to curbing building collapse or provide housing in the last one year, a lot could still be done.

“I think a lot can still be done like making land available to people through the Land Use Act, it doesn’t take one year to do that; they can do that between now and next year. Reduction of import duty on building materials can be done in the coming budget, and then we will be talking of a vibrant built environment,” Akomolede said.