Samsung S20 FE.

Next will be Google Pixel series.

Thank you.

Cheerfulmum:
Yes you will have to create a new account when it expires and can't be linked to the old one.

Hello house,

Do i create a new account if my profile expires or is there a way to link the old account to a new one?

We are still working on your application email is an auto generated mail.

Oga Gazzuzz,

I have never enjoyed my AC (Toyota corolla 2004) since I bought the car 2yrs ago.

I filled the gas like every month, bought a new evaporator, spend quite a lot every now and then.

Pls I need help!

Hello house, how do i top up my Stanbic MMF from the App?

I think it's about time we have a section under Romance for Pre Wedding pictures.

A month before elections. ���

1.850 cash tomorrow?

Bae

Good day
Kindly help check this VIN - VF32AK6D247493397.

Pls help send to solaaregbe@gmail.com

Thank you and God bless u.

‎The most difficult age for any man is probably between 24 and 29 years, the pressure to be something, to be someone is so immense.
‎When you look around you, everyone seems to be doing something for themselves, people seem to be living a life you only dream of.
‎You have applied for jobs and the results have been more disappointing than Besigye's shot at Presidency.
‎Sadly this is the age when most guys lose it, the age when if not careful, one is consumed by alcohol or drugs...because the disappointments become too much and you find alternative ways to face reality.
‎Worse is when a few people you studied with have been lucky enough to land jobs, soon your circle of friends grows thinner.
‎Mostly they don’t even cut you out but you be real with yourself and cut yourself out.
‎I mean what you will do when you are in a WhatsApp group of friends discussing last week’s trip to Zanzibar.....and planning another road trip to Kigali while you're not sure of what your next meal would be?
‎Most times you'd follow the conversation silently, all alone like a cross on a grave.
‎Soon you realize this is no longer your kind of crowd because the more you stick around the more the pressure to be something takes a toll.
‎You know when stories about house parties come up and you act deaf because you don’t know where an extra 5 guys would fit in your flat.
‎Have you ever sat in a group of people discussing the new iPhone on the market or how British Airways offers shit services...and you can feel your heart whisper to you "bro this is chest pain hour, can we just go and find a group that talks about boda boda".
‎But you sit there as these people get lost in their lifestyle conversations, you're like a secretary taking minutes in a meeting.
‎You're totally forgotten like one of a woman’s breasts during pre-intimacy.
‎Once in a while, one of the friends will turn and ask if you need another drink and you wonder if you should just say No and head home......but head home to what? So you grudgingly drop in the "I will have just one last one" lie.
‎After a few years of job hunting, you are now ready to take anything even if is to smell a rich man’s farts as long as it pays.....so you end up as an office messenger in one blue chip company in town.
‎To imagine that 3 years of studying and getting a degree is now reduced to picking and dropping off letters...and if you are not doing that, you are being sent for cheap lunch by the employees when they are broke and they can’t order with hello food.

‎This is when conversations about where people studied surface, you go silent, it’s no longer of any use to say you also reached University.
Once in while you will bump into your now well off classmates they would offer you lunch...‎..but not even eating the meals at caffesserie will make you feel better about yourself.
‎In your mind you wish instead they would give you the 30k and you sort your meals for the next couple of days.
‎As usual, you'll have photos taken and uploaded on Instagram, but always it’s your face that would look odd one out.
‎Not even the best filters can hide a face which has borne the city dust and survives on boiled beans.
‎The worst mistake you can do during this period is to try dating.
‎ There's nothing that a person going through such times can offer in terms of today's idea of love.
‎How are you going to do evening romantic walks when you're tired from walking, delivering letters in offices around town?
‎What will you tell your lady when she says she wants to go for Nile Gold Jazz Safari? That your financial religion doesn’t allow it?
‎This is the age when you sit back and watch the ladies you would want to date, dating or getting married to guys 10 years older than you.
‎And you can’t blame them – it’s only that your life seems to be progressing slower than their goals in life.
‎Some of the ladies you meet during this period, if you are lucky will be patient with you till you hit 28.....and if by then your life is still in disarray like Liverpool’s performance in the EPL then my friend, be prepared for a walk out.
‎This is the age when you learn a lot about life, if you can hack through this stage, your only hardship would losing your parents.
That’s if you are still lucky enough to have them.
‎This stage teaches you a lot about perseverance, about appreciating the small wins you have each day.
‎It teaches you something about friendship, love, career growth and personal responsibility.
‎This is always your rise or fall moment depending on the choices you make.
‎How you live your life in the 30’s is determined by how you would have handled your life in this phase.
‎ I haven't been long in my 20's but I won't wait until this phase reaches me before I start doing something about it.

‎That's why I always ask, "Are you working on your dreams today?

Source: twitter

Jobberman in collaboration with Ventures Africa, Africa’s foremost online platform for news, analysis and discussion about African business, policy, innovation, and lifestyle, has just released the List of  the Top 100 Companies for Millennials to Work in Nigeria, based on employee satisfaction.

Every generation creates a new flock of young adults that brings nuanced energy, expertise and awareness to the workplace. Born between 1982 and 2003, millennials account for about 60 percent of Nigeria’s population and a substantial segment of the workforce. Tech savvy and innovative, this new class of employee thrives on peer motivation and challenge.

Accounting for 80 percent of new intake in companies like Nigerian Breweries, millennials possess consumer-oriented perspectives that causes them to evaluate companies based on alignment to their own personal values and ambition. According to our survey of millennials in the workforce, company prestige ranked as the most significant factor in job consideration. This was followed by passion, with financial remuneration ranked third. Although the survey revealed that millennials are attracted to high financial remuneration, they are less likely to stay for long periods at a job if they do not achieve work-life balance or feel fulfilled.

Amid global trends of millennial influence in changing corporate culture, young Nigerians demonstrate that they, too, are looking for jobs that are purposeful, exciting and inspiring, as well as the companies that can provide them.

Methodology

In collaboration with Jobberman, Nigeria’s largest jobs search engine, we conducted a two-stage survey to find the best places to work for Nigeria’s millenials. The first stage comprised 335 companies with over 6,000 respondents from entry level to executive level between the ages of 20 to 35, 65 percent of whom were gainfully employed at the time of the survey in 2014.

The index was calculated by the weighted average of each respondent’s top five companies. This was selected using parameters such as company culture, dream company, staff welfare, gender equality, government institution, company’s prestige, salary, and non-salary benefits.

The second stage of the survey accounted for the level of satisfaction and happiness of employees. This index was cal-
culated by the weighted average of each response, which was selected using parameters such as level of satisfaction, salary consideration, level of contentment, career growth, concerns outside work, and work-life balance.

For the first stage of the survey, the oil and gas companies were once again highly ranked in a majority of the categories. Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) was first in allbut one category – “Government Institution to Work For” – where the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) came out on top. However, telecommunications and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies also fared well. MTN and Nigerian Breweries emerged at the forefront among organisations in these categories. The list which follows reflects the public’s perception of firms from different sectors. It also illuminates the perception of millennials who work in these organisations and partook in the survey. This year, FMCG dominated, while firms from banking, telecommunication, oil and gas, and technology were represented significantly. Konga Online Shopping Ltd was voted the number one company to work for in Nigeria, based on employee response.

1. Konga Online Shopping



Konga is Nigeria’s leading online retailer and marketplace. Founded in 2012 as an e-commerce start-up, it has grown into a $100 million company with almost 1,000 employees. Konga maintains an open-door policy that allows the staff to feel comfortable giving opinions and sharing ideas. Chief Executive Sim Shagaya also revealed that employees own 10 percent of the company’s equity. Nneka Obiano, a marketing associate notes, “I feel very happy working here and would advise jobseekers to apply when there are openings. Konga does not only bring out the creative part in you but ensures that you enjoy work-life balance.”

2. Drugfield Pharmaceuticals Ltd



Drugfield Pharmaceuticals Ltd is a wholly owned Nigerian pharmaceutical company. It started by producing dosage forms of dermatological antibiotic and antifungal preparations in 1993, but now sells a wide range of products. Drugfield is the first Nigerian and African company to manufacture newborn cord-care antiseptic gel, Chlorhexidine Digluconate 7.1, which prevents umbilical cord infections in newborn babies.

3. Insight Communications Ltd



Insight Communications Ltd is one of Nigeria and West Africa’s largest advertising agencies, and the most lauded advertising agency in Nigeria. Their services include advertising, public relations advisory, media planning and buying sales promotion, direct marketing and brand development. The company, with a staff strength of 106, currently services some of Nigeria’s most esteemed brands such as Nigerian Breweries Plc. and Jumia.

4. NEMA: The National Emergency Management Agency



(NEMA) is responsible for managing disasters in Nigeria. With offices in each of Nigeria’s 36 states, the agency is the government’s principal instrument, in all situations relating to the environment and disaster relief. Our survey revealed that in addition to handling some of Nigeria’s more complex emergency situations, NEMA also provides a favourable working environment for its younger staff.

5. Authentic Value Nigeria Ltd



Established in 2010, Authentic Value Nigeria Ltd is an Information and Communication Technology company engaged in the distribution, implementation and deployment of hardware, software and enterprise solutions. The company, with staff strength of over 55, has worked with esteemed brands such as MTN, Airtel, Glo and Etisalat. It trains its staff to provide technical support which is usually conducted in collaboration with manufactures such as Hewlett Packard, IBM, Dell, Veritas and Microsoft, APC, Tally, and Epson. Dorcas Oyedeji, human resource person, notes, “Aside from remuneration, we are also rewarded for our performance and also paid when we have to work overtime.”

6. Channels



Channels Television is the leading independent TV station in Nigeria. Boasting an audience of over 20 million viewers and some 340 employees, Channels TV has bagged the “Best Television station of the Year” award in Nigeria for the last nine years consecutively. Though licensed in 1993, Channels TV made its first transmission on July 1st 1995. Despite a temporary shut down by the Nigerian government in 2008, the station has been growing in strength ever since.

 

7. Nigerian Breweries Plc



Nigerian Breweries Plc. is the first and largest brewing company in Nigeria. With over 3,000 employees, the company has a reputation for paying its staff very well. It also provides spousal and children’s benefits such as free healthcare, as well as scholarships for university. Its employees are encouraged to have life outside of the office.

8. Google Nigeria

Google has come a long way from its dorm room start in 1998 to its present day fancy headquarters in Mountain View, California – better known as the Googleplex. Today, Google has more than 70 offices in over 40 countries around the globe, including Nigeria. Google Nigeria is a multinational corporation specialising in internet related services and products. Google Nigeria carries the global brand’s way of doing work. Google’s website says: “Our offices and cafes are designed to encourage interactions between Googlers within and across teams and to spark conversation about work as well as play.”

9. Sahara Group



Sahara Group is a leading, privately owned energy and infrastructure multinational with operations in the upstream, midstream and downstream infrastructure and power sectors. It has offices in Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, UAE, Switzerland, Singapore, and United Kingdom, and boasts over 600 employees. As of 2012, the company’s annual turnover stood at $11.4 million. Sahara ‘s senior management notes: “At Sahara, we operate in an environment where individuals are not only encouraged to strive for excellence in their work, but to also enjoy the experience.”

10. The Nation Newspaper



One of Nigeria’s national newspapers, The Nation covers politics and business while also delving into lifestyle, arts, and sports. The company has about 200 staff and prints its newspapers simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt. The company claims its 2014 turnover was $15 million (3 billion Naira). Almost all the top executives working with the Nation newspaper have, at one point, worked with other media companies. For instance, the current managing director of the company was also the managing director of Thisday newspaper. “I have attended training sponsored by The Nation; I am not just a reporter but also a multimedia person. At the Nation, you are not being restricted to doing what you can do. We are allowed to push our ideas,” said David Lawal, a staff member and online reporter for The Nation.

11. Pwc

12. Fidelity Bank Plc

13. Chicken republic

14. Standard chartered bank

15. Deloitte

16. Honeywell Flourmills Plc

17. Mantrac

18. Nigerian bottling company Ltd

19. General electric (GE)

20. Mainstreet bank limited

21. Sabmiller Nig Plc

22. Guinness Nigeria Plc

23. ARM Plc

24. Chevron Nigeria limited

25. Lafarge cement Nig Plc

26. Schlumberger Nigeria Limited & Smile Communication Nigeria

27. Crusader & Sterling pension

28.Promasidor

29. Leadway assurance co. ltd.

30. Unilever Nigeria Plc

31. Fidson healthcare plc

32. Agip oil company

33. Union Bank Nigeria Plc

34. Helios towers Nigeria

35. Maersk line Nigeria

36. Nigerdock Nigeria Plc
37. NLNG
38. GLAXOSMITHLINE (GSK)
39. Procter & Gamble
40. Airtel Nigeria
41. CFAO
42. Ernst and Young
43. Jumia Nigeria
44.Covenant University
45. FCMB
46. fhi360
47. Heirs Holdings
48. Samsung Electronics West Africa
49. Interswitch Limited
49. MTN
50. Mansard Insurance
50. Wakanow
51. Stanbic IBTC Bank
52. INEC
53. Nigcomsat
54. Sterling Bank Plc
55. APM TERMINALS
56. Guaranty Trust Bank
57. GZ INDUSTRIES
58. MRS OIL AND GAS LTD
59. Accenture
59. PZ Cussons
60. KPMG
61. COSCHARIS MOTORS LIMITED
62. Total E&P
63. UAC
64. Etisalat Nigeria
65. BAT
66. Multichoice
67. Oando Plc
68. Diamond Bank Plc
69. Benin Electricity DIstribution Company
70. KEYSTONE BANK
71. SPDC
72. Ecobank Nigeria Limited
73. Ericsson
74. Chams
75. Skye Bank plc
76. Wema Bank Plc
77. Consolidated breweries
78. Grand Oak Limited
79. Saro Agrosciences
80. Access Bank
81. Dangote Group
82. Saipem
83. Mutual Benefits Life Assurance
84. Coca Cola
85. Virgin Atlantic
86. Globacom Limited
87. BRISTOW HELICOPTER
88. FBN
89. Zenith Bank Plc 
90. CHI LIMITED
91. Toyota
92. UBA Plc
93. CNSSL
94. 7up Bottling Co Plc
95. FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria PLC
96. Nestlé
97. ExxonMobil contract
97. Nigerian Customs
98. Julius Berger Nigeria PLC
99. SANOFI
100. NHIS



http://www./blog/jobberman-ventures-africa-100-best-companies-for-millennials-to-work-in-nigeria/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=100Companies

As spokesman to President Goodluck Jonathan, my phones rang endlessly and became more than personal navigators within the social space. They defined my entire life; dusk to dawn, all year-round. The phones buzzed non-stop, my email was permanently active; my twitter account received tons of messages per second.  The worst moments were those days when there was a Boko Haram attack virtually every Sunday.

The intrusion into my private life was total as my wife complained about her sleep being disrupted by phones that never seemed to stop ringing. Besides, whenever I was not checking or responding to the phones, I was busy online trying to find out if the APC had said something contrarian or some other fellow was up to any mischief. A media manager in the 21st century is a slave of the Breaking News, a slave particularly of the 24-hour news cycle, and a potential nervous breakdown case. Debo Adesina, my colleague at The Guardian once said I was running a “one week, one trouble schedule”. There were actually moments when trouble knocked on the door every hour, and duty required my team and I to respond to as many issues that came up.

Top of the task list was the management of phone calls related to the principal. In my first week on the job, for example, one of my phones ran out of battery and I had taken the liberty to charge it. While it was still in the off mode, the “Control Room”: the all-powerful communications centre at the State House tried to reach me. They had only just that phone number, so I couldn’t be reached. When eventually they did, the fellow at the other end was livid.

“SA Media, where are you? We have been trying to reach you. Mr President wants to speak with you”

“Sorry, I was charging my phone.  The phone was off.”

“Sir, you can’t switch off your phone now.  Mr President must be able to reach you at any time. You must always be available.”  I was like: “really? Which kin job be dis?”

The Control Room eventually collected all my phone numbers. If I did not pick up a call on time, they called my wife. Sometimes the calls came directly from the Residence, as we referred to the President’s official quarters.

“Abati, Oga dey call you!”

If I still could not be reached, every phone that was ever connected to me would ring non-stop. Busy bodies who had just picked up the information that Abati was needed also often took it upon themselves to track me down. My wife soon got used to her being asked to produce me, or a car showing up to take me straight to the Residence. I eventually got used to it, and learnt to remain on duty round-the-clock.  In due course, President Jonathan himself would call directly. My wife used to joke that each time there was a call from him, even if I was sleeping, I would spring to my feet and without listening to what he had to say, I would start with a barrage of “Yes sirs”! Other calls that could not be joked with were calls from my own office. Something could come up that would require coverage, or there could be a breaking story, or it could be something as harmless as office gossip, except that in the corridors of power, nothing is ever harmless. Looking back now, I still can’t figure out how I survived that onslaught of the terror of the telephone.

Of equal significance were the calls from journalists who wanted clarifications on issues of the moment, or the President’s opinion on every issue. I don’t need to remind anyone who lived in Nigeria during the period, that we had a particularly interesting time. The Jonathan government had to deal from the very first day with a desperate and hyper-negative opposition, which gained help from a crowd of naysayers who bought into their narrative. I was required to respond to issues. Bad news sells newspapers and attracts listeners/viewers. Everything had to be managed.  You knew something had happened as the phones rang, and the text messages, emails, twitter comments poured in. The media could not be ignored. Interfacing with every kind of journalist was my main task.  I learnt many lessons,  a subject for another day.  And the busy bodies didn’t make things easy.

If in 1980, the media manager had to deal with print and broadcast journalists, today, the big task is the dilemma of the over-democratization of media practice in the age of information. The question used to be asked in Nigerian media circles: who is a journalist? Attempts were subsequently made to produce a register of professionals but that is now clearly an illusion. The media of the 21st Century is the strongest evidence we have for the triumph of democracy. Everybody is a journalist now, once you can purchase a phone or a laptop, or an ipad and you can take pictures, set up a blog, or go on instagram, linked-in, viber etc.

All kinds of persons have earned great reputation as editors and opinion influencers on social media where you don’t have to make sense to attract followers. The new stars and celebrities are not necessarily the most educated or knowledgeable, but those who with 140 words or less, or with a picture or a borrowed quote,  can produce fast-food type public intellectualism, or can excite with a little display of the exotic -Kadarshian, Nicki Minaj style.  But I was obligated to attend to all calls. The ones who didn’t receive an answer complained about Abati not picking their calls.

My defence was that most editors in Nigeria have correspondents in the State House. Every correspondent had access to me. There was no way I could be accused of not picking calls, and in any case, there were other channels: instagram, twitter direct message, email, and media assistants who could interface with me. But this was the main challenge: while in public office, people treat you as if you are at their mercy, they threaten to sabotage you and get you sacked, every phone call was a request with a price attached, you get clobbered; you are treated like you had committed a crime to serve your nation. Relatives and privileged kinsmen struggled with you to do the job – media management is that one assignment in which everyone is an expert even if their only claim to relevance is that they once had an uncle who was a newspaper vendor!

The thinking that anyone who opts to serve is there to make money in that famous arena for primitive accumulation partly accounts for this. And that takes me to those phone calls from persons who solicited for financial help as if there was a tree at the Villa that produced money. Such people would never believe that government officials don’t necessarily have access to money. They wanted to be assisted: to pay school fees, to settle medical bills, to build a house, purchase a car, complete an uncompleted building, or link them up with the President. Everybody wanted a part of the national cake and they thought a phone call was all they needed.  If you offered any explanation, they reminded you that you’d be better off on the lecture circuit. Businessmen also hovered around the system like bees around nectar.   

But what to do? “Volenti non fit injuria,” the principle says.  There were also calls from the unkind lot. “I have called you repeatedly, you did not pick my calls. I hope you know that you will leave government one day!”.  Or those who told you point blank that they were calling because you were in the position as their representative and that you owed them a living.  Or that other crowd who said, “it is our brother that has given you that opportunity, you must give us our share.”

The Presidential election went as it did, and everything changed. Days after,  State House became Ghost House. The Residence, which used to receive visitors as early as 6 am, (regular early morning devotion attendees) became quiet. The throng of visitors stopped. The number of phone calls began to drop. By May 29, my phones had stopped ringing as they used to. They more or less became museum pieces; their silence reminding me of the four years of my life that proved so momentous. On one occasion, after a whole day of silence, I had to check if the phones were damaged! As it were, a cynical public relates to you not as a person, but as the office you occupy; the moment you leave office, the people move on; erasing every memory, they throw you into yesterday’s dustbin.  Opportunism is the driver of the public’s relationship with public officials.

 Today, the phones remain loudly silent, with the exception of calls from those friends who are not gloating, who have been offering words of commendation and support. They include childhood friends, former colleagues, elderly associates, fans, and family members. And those who want interviews with President Jonathan, both local and international – they want his reaction on every development, so many of them from every part of the planet. But he is resting and he has asked me to say he is not ready yet to say anything.

It is truly, a different moment, and indeed, “no condition is permanent.”

The ones who won’t give up with the stream of phone calls and text messages are those who keep pestering me with requests for financial assistance. I am made to understand that there is something called “special handshake” and that everyone who goes into government is supposed to exit with carton loads of cash. I am in no position to assist such people, because no explanation will make sense to them. Here I am, at the crossroads; I am glad to be here. 

http://blogs.premiumtimesng.com/?p=168251

Leg room at the corner seat behind. Reserved seat toh sure.

We have a new president who, for the first time in a long while, inspires confidence in a lot of Nigerians as well as the international community. For the first time in a long time too, many persons are beginning to take our economy seriously and have begun to ask that knotty question: who is a member of the Nigerian middle class? There are several definitions of “middle class”, many of them not valid for our peculiar context. Also, I don’t like all that jargon that economists use. I have therefore decided to explain what this thing called middle class is in Nigeria and which people fall into this category. Forget what foreign economists say. This is the real deal.

1.
In Nigeria, a person who is able to purchase a generator for personal use and run said generator every time power goes off is a member of the middle class. Note that this is different from the group of lower class people who are able to save to buy generators for their small-scale business like hair or barbing salons. Middle class people own a generator at home.

In this category, lower middle class will be people whose generator cannot power all the appliances in the house and have to make crucial decisions like whether they will run the refrigerator or the air conditioner. The upper middle class are those whose generators can carry all the appliances they own and who don’t have to worry about the refrigerator being off when the generator is being turned on. So, in a lower middle class house, you will likely hear someone screaming as they try to turn on the noisy generator: "una don off evrytin?"

2.
Mobile telephony is big in Nigeria. Often however, many in the lower classes have need to say that their “credit” ran out. Some times they send those “Please Call Me” messages. Members of Nigeria’s middle class however are those who never have to tell you “I could have called you but I don’t have credit.” They can afford to top up as soon as their credit runs out. In this category, lower middle class are those who can afford to top up almost immediately but sometimes have to tell the people they are calling: “Please let me go across the road to buy recharge card, I will call you back.” I know many lower class people use this line too. But the difference between a lower class person and a (lower) middle class person is that the middle class person often does go and buy the credit. The middle class person calls you back. The upper middle class person in this category is one who never runs out of credit, because they top up regularly without waiting for it to finish. That is the main difference: lower middle class waits until their credit finishes before running out to buy credit and upper middle class doesn’t need a reason to top up.

3.
I know that we don’t have a big cinema culture, but at least in our major cities, this is one way to know persons who are in the middle class. Middle class Nigerians can afford movie tickets, often for themselves and their families or lovers as frequently as once every week. What differentiates the middle class from others is that they can also afford the overpriced popcorn that is traditionally part of the cinema experience. While lower class people can save and go to the cinema on special occasions like Eid, Easter or Christmas, the middle class person doesn’t need a special occasion to go to the cinema. In this category, the upper middle class people actually avoid the cinema on public holidays so as to avoid mixing with the lower class people who have saved to enjoy this experience.

5.
A middle class Nigerian often has a car. If they do not have a car it is usually because they are saving to buy a really cool car and would rather take taxis than go through the stress of driving a problematic second-hand Japanese car. However, some lower class people happen upon some cash and buy cars like those who are able to save and buy taxis. There are cars and there are cars.

While a lower class person will often abandon their car as soon as fuel scarcity bites hard, the middle class person is often able, albeit through much complaining, to buy very expensive fuel from the black market to keep their car running. During periods of fuel scarcity, the difference between the upper and lower middle class becomes clear. The upper middle class person will experience no change in driving habits while the lower middle class person will do things like stop using the car air conditioner or turn off the engine in traffic or when they stop at traffic lights. On social networking sites like Twitter for example, you will find lower middle class people tweeting about their fuel woes and how much they bought a 10 litre gallon for. Or they will shamelessly put out an SOS asking who knows where they can get fuel. Upper middle class people never tweet photos of their fuel tank during fuel scarcity or celebrate when they find fuel. This is because (a) they are usually connected to someone who can provide them fuel and often never have to queue themselves and (b) they are afraid that if they confess they do have fuel, their lower middle class friends will beg them for some. And there are many in this lower middle class. You help one, they go and brag to all their friends and you find a dozen strangers begging you for fuel. Because yes, no one brags like lower middle class people. To avoid this kind of situation, it is not uncommon for upper middle class people to become hypocrites: join the rest of Nigeria in complaining about the fuel situation without providing any specifics. 

5.
Cable television is an important aspect of middle class life in Nigeria. DSTV is one defining characteristic of Nigeria’s middle class. Again, sometimes, a person from the lower class may happen upon some money and buy a DSTV satellite dish and decoder. But often the lower class person will go some months without a valid subscription. A middle class person always has a valid subscription and even when DSTV increases their charges, they will complain and create hashtags to protest the increase, but go ahead and pay. Because they cannot live without DSTV. The difference here between the upper and lower middle class is that the upper middle class person will never complain about subscriptions and will always have the premium bouquet. The lower middle class person changes bouquets depending on their finances. And they always complain.


6.
Many Nigerians try to better their lives, but often, in the absence of real power, they leave matters to God. The middle class, while still cherishing the immense power of God, know the truth in the saying: God helps those who help themselves. A middle class Nigerian is one who knows a person in government or authority who can change the course of events in their favor. It can be admission into university for their children, contracts or the fast tracking of an application or other process or even buying bread which is in high demand from a crowded supermarket. A middle class person prays and then looks for someone who can write them a note that can work wonders. What differentiates the upper middle class Nigerian from the lower middle class are the degrees of separation between them and the person(s) with real power. So, for example, while a lower middle class person may have to go to their uncle who knows an ex local government chairman who knows one of the members of the governing council of a university who can speak to the vice chancellor for their child’s admission, an upper middle class person may have been classmates with the Governor’s wife and can beg her directly to include their child’s name on the list the Governor sends to the vice chancellor for admission.

7.
Nigerians of all social classes love to travel. Yes, they may all be travelling for different reasons, but they all at least try to travel. While many in the lower class may not be able to afford to travel or meet visa requirements, a few do, either smuggling their way to Europe and finding a way to stay illegally or taking the dangerous trip by sea or desert. Middle class Nigerians, however take pride in their travels. They invest in their travels. They talk about where they have been and show off items they bought from abroad. 

In this category, one difference between the lower and upper middle class Nigerian is that the lower middle class Nigerian is more noisy about their travels, from the visa application process to talking about the bags and shoes they bought in Dubai. For every visa a lower middle class person has, they have applied for four. They are relentless and throw dignity to the wind until they get the visa they need to travel. If they couldn't get the US or UK visa they will try Malaysia. If they don't get that they will try Dubai or South Africa. And they will keep coming back until the US or UK sees the dozen Asian visas on their passport and gives them that visa. Often, a conversation between two lower middle class persons will consist of sharing tales about visa application or asking each other what visas they have and how long it took them to finally get it.  A visa is life for the lower middle class Nigerian. An upper middle class Nigerian however, might have already schooled abroad. Yes, maybe in Cyprus or Ukraine, but to most Nigerians schooling abroad is schooling abroad. So they have gotten the visa panic out of their system. They travel noiselessly and probably post pictures of their vacations just so their friends can keep up with them. The lower middle class Nigerian will turn on their internet location as soon as they leave the plane so that no one on Twitter will doubt their travels or their middle class status. No one fears losing their status like the lower middle class Nigerian. No one brags like the lower middle class Nigerian.

Lower middle class Nigerian conversations typically begin with phrases like: 
When I was in London (or Hoostun Tezas [Houston, Texas] or Atlanta or Dubai or Chicago [pronounced Tchicago] or Europe...)
That's not how they do it in London (or Hoostun Tezas [Houston, Texas] or Atlanta or Dubai or Chicago [pronounced Tchicago] or Europe...)


I could go on and on. If you belong to one of these categories and have not previously considered yourself a middle class Nigerian because of some silly criteria from some foreign economist, I urge you to claim it. Claim it and celebrate it. And if you are in the lower middle class, I pray that God blesses you and lifts you into the upper middle class. Because, trust me, there is nothing that the Nigerian God cannot do. He can make one of your friends get into power and help you get contracts that will instantly take you from a used Honda to a brand new Kia or Hyundai. And from that point to real riches, it is only a matter of time, greed and loyalty. God bless your hustle. 

Ps. I know this is difficult, but if God does bless your hustle and you move from lower to upper middle class, try; try to respect yourself and leave lower middle class behaviour behind. Like bragging. Or talking about your visas. Or how many times you went for "summer". Or how they do it in London (or Hoostun Tezas or Atlanta or Dubai or Tchicago or Europe...). 

Pps. I know it seems like I have bad mouthed lower middle class people. But here is one great side of the lower middle class Nigerian: they are the most generous. Perhaps because of fear of becoming poor or desperation to reach upper middle class, the lower middle class person regularly gives money to beggars, especially those who beg in God's name. They tithe regularly. They will not risk losing any chance to have their hustle blessed by God. Every donation is an investment in securing their position in the middle class and possibly bettering it. God bless lower middle class people. 


http://elnathanjohn..com/2015/06/how-to-identify-middle-class-nigerian.html?m=1

OFFICIAL: Femi Adesina is Special Adviser Media and Publicity.

Garba Shehu Senior Special Assistant Media and Publicity.

Source: @ayourb

eyond the endless increase in tariffs, I think that Multichoice, operators of the Digital Satellite TV in Nigeria take their numerous customers for granted in a few other ways.

Hear the following true narrative. The monthly subscription of a customer was due to run out on Friday, April 10, 2015. Sometime before noon on that day, the customer recalled that the customer service unit of Multichoice would not open on Saturday because of the elections. Not wanting anything to stop him from being able to follow events as they break on Election Day, he paid through an online portal and promptly got an alert for a successful transaction.

Due to the urgency of his situation, and the fact that he did not want the service to be deactivated, he chose to try the short code service of the DSTV although it had never really worked for him. So, he sent his smartcard number to 30333 by text as the company counsels. Again, within seconds, he got a reply that his request was being processed. However, a few minutes later, his service was interrupted with an E-16-4 message appearing on the screen.

Then, he knew he had to call customer service. After trying to connect to the 01-270-3232 customer service number for about 30 minutes without success, he left it for a while. Shortly after 2pm, he got through and the automatic prompt directed him, first to press 1 and then press 0 if he wished to speak with a customer service officer. That done, the customer hung on to the phone as he was repeatedly assured that he would soon be attended to.

Like a character in Samuel Becket’s existentialist play, “Waiting for Godot”, he waited over 12 minutes listening to melodious nothings from DSTV’s customer service without no personnel picking the phone.

When it became obvious that he could wait forever without receiving help, he hung up, tried again and was on the phone for six minutes. He assumed that there might have been some temporary problem with the customer service unit and decided to come back to it later.

This customer would try this procedure intermittently for the next three hours during which he sought the intervention of a DSTV dealer with whom he was familiar. In those three hours, neither his repeated calls nor those of the dealer who assured him that he had sent a message to a customer service personnel whom he knew yielded results.

Then, he called again a few minutes past 5pm and was shocked to get the following response: “Welcome to Multichoice contact centre; thank you for calling our centre. Unfortunately, we are closed for the day. Please, continue to hold to make use of our self-service options. Our contact centres are open from 8am-9pm on weekdays, 9am-6pm on Saturdays and 10am-6pm on Sundays except on environmental Saturdays when we are open from 12noon to 6pm…”

Of course, the customer hung up in frustrating anger realising that he would not be able to use the DSTV service (which he renewed before the official expiration of his subscription) throughout the weekend, the reason for which he hurriedly paid in the first instance.

Now, there are four things fundamentally wrong with the situation that I just presented above. The first is that the service code for the DSTV hardly works, the second is that the customer service centre was out for several hours, days in fact; the third is that instead of its advertised close hour of 9pm on weekdays, the DSTV decided to close shop much earlier that Friday and lastly, although this customer renewed his subscription on Friday, April 10, but could not use the same until late on Monday, April 13, his 30-day subscription would expire on May 10!

Now, the first three infractions that I enumerated above are excusable given the infallibility of human beings and machines. But any civil organisation with any iota of respect for its teeming customers would communicate the problems either in the pendency or after such challenges would have been overcome. Such explanations would also be accompanied by an unreserved apology for the inconveniences that must have been visited on customers by the failure of the organisations.

Taking particular notice that the early close of work by the customer service personnel on that Friday was a result of the general frenzy for the safety of people on the eve of the governorship election, Multichoice has no excuse for the failure to alert its customers to the fact that it would close earlier than usual like it notified customers that it would not open on Election Day.

Associated to the above is the fact that service providers in most other countries have one or two toll free lines but not here in Nigeria. In spite of this, Multichoice customer service personnel would hold a customer on the telephone asking endless repeated questions , introducing new products and offers every time a customer calls in about his subscription. All on the customer’s bill!

More painful in the circumstance that I have described above is the double jeopardy that the customer suffers this month. The first being his inability to make use of his device as he would love during election weekend and the second being the expiration of his subscription three days before he would have actually have had. And this happens without even as much as an apology from the service providers.

People have argued on behalf of Multichoice about the impossibility of having pay-as-you-go options in Nigeria but is it fair for customers to lose at both ends? In any case, we heard these same arguments about how certain things were not possible in the telecoms sector until Globacom, a GSM operator, came with customer friendly options in the country years ago. I cannot fathom any reason for which Multichoice, which has been in Nigeria since 1994 with the effect that it has a near monopoly, cannot give the best to its customers after 20 years.

I consider it the height of corporate deceit to charge tariff per month in an economy where the average middle class person does not have the luxury of time to watch television until late in the night or at weekends when a lot of our people do not even have power until they possibly turn on their generators at night. Multichoice like all, corporate organisations, is here to make money, but why on earth would the company not structure its tariff in such a way that a customer would pay for only what he watches?

Good enough the issue of the recently hiked tariffs is before the courts but without prejudice to how that goes, I find it exploitative that subscribers whose services have temporarily expired are unable to watch any of the local channels like NTA, STV, MITV and Channels as you have in the United Kingdom for example. This is totally inconceivable.

However, it would be unfair to put all the blame on the company since it is established with the intention to make profit. This is why we have a regulatory body set up to protect the interest of the people and ensure fair competition.

In a free market economy like ours, companies like Multichoice would exploit every opportunity to maximise their gains but the National Broadcasting Commission and the Consumer Protection Council owe Nigerians the duty of getting them not just the best bargains but also the best possible treatment from companies which provide services for them.

Regulatory authorities in Nigeria need to rise up to the challenge that more than merely issuing, withdrawing and renewing licences; they should work for Nigerians to stop the arrogance of companies that take our people for granted.



http://www.punchng.com/opinion/multichoice-and-tyranny-of-limited-options/

Everyday Manners

1. Say “please” and “thank you.” It’s amazing how these simple words can make a difference in how you come across to others.

2. Greet people politely when you enter their home, and be sure to say “goodbye” and “thank you” before you leave.

3. Wait your turn before you speak — don’t interrupt or talk over someone.

4. When you’re introduced to someone new, shake their hand and say, “It’s nice to meet you.” When you leave, say, “It was a pleasure meeting you.”

5. Apologize if you accidentally bump into someone.

6. When you receive a gift from someone, write a thank you note or give them a call to thank them.

7. If you need someone’s attention or need them to move out of your way, say “Excuse me,” rather than pushing past them.

8. Clean up after yourself, especially if you are in another person’s home.

9. When you are indoors, use an indoor voice. Be aware of how loud you are speaking.

10. Cover your mouth and turn away when you’re about to cough or sneeze, and then say “Excuse me.”

11. Avoid making rude noises (burping for example), but if it happens, say “Excuse me.”

12. If you are eating something in front of another person, offer to share it.

13. Hold the door for other people.

14. Always flush the toilet after you use it, and put the seat down.

15. Avoid bad language in front of other people you don’t know or those you think it might offend.

16. Return things you’ve borrowed.

17. Be on time.

18. Pay attention to your hygiene. Bad hygiene is offensive.

19. Refrain from talking in presentations, movies, and other places where people are trying to listen and pay attention.

20. Offer your seat to someone who is elderly, disabled, or otherwise physically compromised if there isn’t another seat available.

21. Don’t chew gum while talking to others or in more formal settings like work, school, or religious services.

22. Knock on closed doors before entering a room.

23. Even if an event is boring, sit through it quietly and show interest. The performers and presenters are doing their best.

24. When you see someone struggling with something, give them a hand.

25. When someone asks for your help, do it graciously without complaint or grumbling.



Table Manners

26. Always chew with your mouth closed.

27. Don’t talk with food in your mouth.

28. Put your napkin in your lap as soon as you are seated.

29. Wait until everyone has been served before you begin eating.

30. If you are eating a family style meal, pass bowls of food to the right.

31. Don’t make complaints or comments about food you don’t like. Try to eat some of it.

32. Try to avoid making noises (slurping, burping) while you eat.

33. Don’t reach across someone to get more food. Ask them to pass it to you.

34. If you need to leave the table, say “Please excuse me for a moment.”

35. Participate in table conversation. Be sociable and don’t rush to eat and leave the table.

36. Keep your elbows off the table and sit up straight.

37. Don’t pick your teeth at the table.

38. When you are finished eating, compliment the host or the person who prepared the food and thank them.


Conversation Manners

39. Make eye contact with the person or people you are talking to.

40. If you are meeting someone for the first time, shake their hand and introduce yourself, looking them in the eye when you do.

41. Don’t monopolize a conversation. Allow others to respond or participate in the subject and listen with an air of interest and attention.

42. Don’t change the subject unless it’s clear the conversation has ended.

43. Participate actively in conversation — don’t give monosyllabic responses to questions.

44. Offer a differing opinion kindly rather than arguing or putting someone down.

45. Don’t interrupt someone who is talking.

46. Pay attention to the body language and non-verbal signals of those you are talking with.

47. Avoid looking at your phone or other distractions when involved in a conversation.

48. Don’t gossip or say unkind things about others.

49. Always introduce others who join the conversation.

50. Yield gracefully and avoid further conversation when disagreements occur.

51. Avoid long diatribes or tedious stories.

52. Don’t swear or make off-color jokes unless you know the other person is OK with that.

53. Be generally modest when you talk.

54. Be prepared with interesting conversation topics.

55. In general, avoid political or religious discussions unless you know the person well and know it won’t be divisive.

56. Never raise your voice or speak in a dictatorial manner.

57. Don’t talk about yourself too much. Show interest in the other person or people.

58. Think before you speak.



Cell Phone and Texting Manners

59. When talking on your phone in public, speak softly and be mindful of those around you.

60. Turn your phone off in public settings like the theater or movies. Turn it off or silence it when you are engaged in conversation with someone.

61. Don’t make calls from a table in a restaurant.

62. When talking on your phone, don’t make noise in the background or multitask (like typing on your computer).

63. Answer your phone politely and with energy. You never know who might be on the other end, even when you recognize the number.

64. Don’t put the call on speaker without asking the other person first.

65. If you must take a call in a restaurant or other social setting, excuse yourself and go to a different room to take it.

66. Avoid talking to fast (or too slow).

67. Always be courteous and polite on the phone, even to a salesperson.

68. Don’t use texts as a substitute for real conversation. Never share important or sensitive information by text when you could call or speak in person.

69. Try to keep your texts short and to the point.

70. Never text while you are talking with others or at the dinner table.

71. Never text anything you don’t want the world to see.

72. Don’t use text shorthand and lingo unless you know the other person understands and never in a business or professional situation.

73. When you text someone who doesn’t know you and have your name stored in their phone, be sure to let them know who’s texting.

74. Texts can be easily misunderstood or misinterpreted. Be straightforward in your texts.

75. Don’t text after bedtime, as you never know if it might wake the person you’re texting.

76. Be careful when hitting the send button. Make sure your message is going to the correct recipient.

77. Text messaging is the most informal kind of communication. Choose who you text carefully, and always call or email when in doubt.

78. Never, ever text or read texts while you are driving. You are endangering yourself and others.



Business Manners

79. Show appropriate respect and deference to clients and those in your workplace who rank above you.

80. Always be a few minutes early for meetings or business lunches or dinners.

81. Be fully prepared for meetings and presentations.

82. Dress appropriately for your business. Women should not wear revealing clothing.

83. Be careful with your emails. Make sure you use appropriate language and grammar, and always check your spelling. Don’t email controversial or sensitive information.

84. Don’t use technology as a substitute for real interaction when it’s possible to have a face-to-face meeting.

85. Behave appropriately at after-hours business functions. Don’t drink too much or lose your professional demeanor.

86. If you work with international clients or business partners, be sure you know the expected manners and etiquette for their particular country.

87. Always avoid losing your temper, cursing, and other bad behavior in the office.

88. If you are sick, stay home and avoid infecting others in your office.

89. Keep meetings to the allotted time. Be respectful of other people’s time by sticking to the schedule.

90. Don’t overdo perfume or cologne in the workplace.

91. Never gossip or speak badly to those in your work environment about other people in the office or any of your clients or customers.

92. Don’t discuss your personal problems in the workplace, unless you need to share information with your boss that might affect your work.

93. Speak professionally and kindly to all people in your office, even those in a lower position.

94. Pay attention during meetings. Don’t look at your phone, computer, or other distractions.

95. Avoid eating smelly food at your desk that can offend those around you.

96. Never blame someone else for your mistake or take credit for something that you didn’t do.

97. When in doubt, always show courtesy, integrity, and kindness.


http://liveboldandbloom.com/03/self-improvement/ultimate-list-of-manners?inf_contact_key=a7b6b7a0e9cb23e532c07b031e3e5b5023b5d2951557b18777f4db5070d26be0

When the report came in that Akinwunmi Ambode, former Accountant General of Lagos State, was the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progress Congress (APC) for Lagos, I was not only calm but was also happy that someone coming from a background that can take the state to the next level, was on board. One thing that impressed me was the candidate’s speech after winning the primary I refer to as the freest and fairest in the history of political primaries in Lagos State. He solely emphasized that Lagos is for all and we must endeavor not to let it down.

I’m not a fan of career politicians running Lagos. I’m a firm believer that technocrats should be directing the affairs of the state. Not because we don’t have capable politicians, but the fact is that the incumbent governor, Babatunde Fashola, has taken governance to an unprecedented level, such that no nonentity can even present himself for that office.

When serial contestant, Jimi Agbaje, also picked the ticket of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I was jubilant. It stopped being funny when the story of how Mr. Jimi rigged the primary came up and his godfather, Ex-Convict Olabode George, was fingered as the person who rigged the election for him. Reports even revealed that the votes counted outnumbered the number of accredited delegates. Shame.

Crises erupted as former Nigerian Minister of State for Defense, Musiliu Obanikoro, rushed to court and revealed in his affidavit how the election was rigged. Not only that, he went round social media telling the world that Jimi Agbaje is bankrupt and doesn’t have the goodwill to rule Lagos State.

Also, Obanikoro made the world to believe that Jimi Agbaje is a stooge of Bode George and their aim is to run down the purse of Lagos State. Jimi Agbaje has since denied Obanikoro’s claims as he tagged him a bad loser.

THOSE AVAILABLE TO SUCCEED FASHOLA

As a Nigerian who has spent the larger part of his life in Lagos, I will love to have a governor who is going to carry on the yearnings and aspirations of the outgoing governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola; a megacity with opportunities for all.

Who are these candidates? According to their websites;

Akinwunmi Ambode (born June 14, 1963) is an accountant, an administrator and a public finance management expert. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Brandsmiths Consulting Limited – a firm that specializes in public sector finance management. Ambode was formerly the Accountant-General of Lagos State, Nigeria, and held many sensitive financial positions in the Lagos State government in a 27-year career in the Lagos State Civil Service. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management. He is the founder of La Roche Leadership Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on developing the next generation of leaders. He is married to Bolanle Patience Ambode (nee Odukomaiya) and they are blessed with children.

Joseph Olujimi Kolawole Agbaje is a pharmacist by training from the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife. A Scion of the Onilegbale Chieftancy family of Lagos and Lasuwon family in Ikorodu, He was raised from a humble background; Father a Banker and Mother a School Teacher.

He possesses veteran experience with over 3 decades as a practicing pharmacist. He served in many health management capacities in his early years as a pharmacist in Lagos State, and is currently the Managing Director of Jaykay Pharmaceutical & Chemical Company Ltd. which is responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of pharmaceuticals across the country. He is a Fellow, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (FPSN); Fellow, West African Post Graduate College of Pharmacists (FPCPharm); Merit Award Winner (MAW), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (Lagos State).

Also, he was Action Congress governorship(AC) aspirant in 2007. After losing the primary to incumbent Governor Fashola, Jimi dumped the party for Democratic People’s Alliance(DPA) because then incumbent governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu handpicked Fashola as his successor. Also Mr. Jimi lost to the incumbent Govenor in 2007 as he came third and former Minister of defence Senator Musiliu Obanikoro came 2nd.

With the considerable performance of Fashola in office, during the 2011 election Jimi chose not contest. He even attended the Action Congress of Nigeria’s National Convention at Onikan Stadium in 2010. That was when people started speculating that Jimi will be the next ACN guber candidate in 2015.

But when the ACN merged with other opposition parties to form the  APC, Jimi was nowhere in the founding forces. He instead announced he was joining the PDP. At this juncture, speculation started coming in that he ran away from APC because he doesn’t want to partake in primaries and because he’s a politician and not a technocrat, APC are likely not to use him as their belief goes that, if a politician rules Lagos, they won’t have the political will to effect the mega city dream.

MY CHOICE FOR GOVERNOR

I don’t choose would-be leaders with either religion or tribal sentiments in mind but I choose leaders to vote for with enough conviction at the back of my mind. I want a Governor who is not only going to continue the good works of the present administration and who is going to bring new ideas and not just real ideas but also realistic ideas.

Also, the political party the governor will be operating under matters too. A party with integrity and visible track record is of particular reference here–a party whose program and manifesto can meet the yearnings of Nigerians.

My choice for Governor between Akinwunmi Ambode of APC and Jimi Kolawole Agbaje of PDP is Akinwunmi Ambode of the APC.

Ambode’s experience is very important to the next level Lagos is supposed to move to. After the arduous works done by Fashola, all Ambode has to do is just to follow the same path freely and use his experience in governance to move Lagos to greatness. Also, Ambode has a training in PUBLIC LEADERSHIP in Massachusetts, USA. What else do we need?

Agbaje will take Lagos backwards as he has no knowledge of Public Service and at this stage, a trial and error leadership will destroy must of the institutional foundation laid by Fashola and Bola Tinubu.

With the bad and non-progressive activities of the PDP in Nigeria, I can’t support the party, not to talk of someone in a party of Goodluck Jonathan; a name and party that’s synonymous with failure and corruption. Also, recent happenings in Ekiti shows how evil a PDP candidate can be. Lagos is a peaceful state, I leave my door open to sleep just like Ekiti people did during Kayode Fayemi’s tenure. But the story is now a different one since Ayodele Fayose of the PDP took over.

Jimi Agbaje of PDP has a pharmacy with one branch since 1982 and his JAYKAY Pharmaceutical and Chemical Company Limited has no branch anywhere in Lagos State. Even as the National Chairman, Nigerian Association of General Practice Pharmacists, he couldn’t realise that as a business, he is supposed to have companies across the state. This shows he has no business orientation. Meanwhile Akinwunmi Ambode on his part as a civil servant moved from one LGA to another managing the accounts and finances of LGAs and rose to become the Accountant General of Lagos State. What else do I need in a Governor?

My last observation is that a Leader makes leaders. According to the information on the websites of both Jimi Agbaje and Akinwunmi Ambode, I could deduce that Ambode is already training young leaders to attain positive and inspiring positions in their endevours. This is very important for someone who wants to lead a state like Lagos.

Personally, I took interest in governance just because I saw one man doing what others couldn’t do and that man is Tunde Fashola. I love the man so passionately that I have never hid it from people both in my personal life, social media and academics sphere. I argue politics in class with professors once Tunde Fashola is mentioned. I take the Fashola cause so passionately that I told a friend of mine who works in Alausa to always get me a copy of Lagos Indicator(a monthly magazine showing different works of my amiable Governor). This is just because I want to always follow his ways and footsteps and I can tell he has developed my psyche to the extent that no idiot should occupy public office.

Also, Tunde Fashola has opened my mind to the fact that leaders should not be chosen with sentiments but with pure knowledge of what to do to make a system work. On this basis and with antecedents of this candidate, I can without fear or favour say it that the best man for Itesiwaju Eko as far as Agbaje and Ambode are concerned is Akinwunmi Ambode of the APC because his anabatic career will take Lagos to the next level.


Lanre Oguntoyinbo twets via @lanreneville

http://www.ekekeee.com/lagos-guber-choice-pdps-just-kidding-apcs-anabatic-ambo-lanre-oguntoyinbo/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

JAGABAN of Africa!!!!

‎5 ways to attract financial prosperity in 2015 

Looking for ways to attract more money in 2015? It’s easier than you think. You just have to work hard and be more productive in your actions. Money loves to be counted. This is the life motto of many financially successful people. It’s crucially important to develop effective money management skills. You should be wise and patient enough to save your money, because it sometimes requires you to limit yourself in something. If you want money to be always in your pocket, you should have the right attitude towards money. Those who cannot stick to the monthly budget and squander their money right and left are doomed to constant financial problems. Many people, especially women, have a bad habit of losing control over their behavior when they see wondrous clothes or jewelry. They’re often ready to forget about budget limits and other needs for the sake of a new purchase. Nowadays people are dizzied by the multitude of things they want to buy. Every time you face such temptations, you should try to keep yourself in hand and buy the things you really need. Here are a few tips on how to attract financial prosperity. 

1. DON’T WASTE MONEY AS SOON AS YOU GET A PAYCHECK 
I must confess that one of the most pleasant feelings is to get a good paycheck every month. No matter how you slice it, money is one of the best confidence boosters. It often happens that as soon as you get a paycheck, you become less careful with money. When I get paid I cannot resist the temptation to buy at least one expensive thing. However, it’s important to avoid compulsive shopping. Let your paycheck spend the night in your purse. It will fill your mind with positive energy and attract success in your life. According to Feng Shui, the purse should never be empty. At least one dollar should always remain in your purse. It won’t let the energy of prosperity fade away. 

2. DON’T FORGET ABOUT PASSIVE INCOMES 
It’s hard to live on one income. If you want to be confident in the future, then try to build up at least 5-6 sources of passive income. Nowadays passive income has become an essential part of every person’s life. It helps them earn more money without being actively involved in their jobs. Many of my friends work as freelancers. They’re absolutely satisfied with their job, because passive incomes make their life easier. Passive incomes make people more independent and confident. If they lose their job for one or another reason, they’ll have an opportunity to focus on their second job and have some extra money. 

3. PLAN YOUR BUDGET 
Planning a budget is a habit of highly successful and wise people. The main thing is to find time to create either a year or a monthly budget. You’ll be able to monitor and control the sums of money you spend during the month. People who stick to their budget plan usually avoid running into debts. Step by step, you analyze your monthly expenses and try to build new incomes or make more money to satisfy your needs. Remember, money likes to be counted.

 4. INVEST MONEY IN YOURSELF
 Probably the most profitable way to spend money is to invest it in yourself, because your life is the top priority for you. If you want to be successful, you should never stop develop yourself. Invest money in your financial education as well. Attend qualification courses and remember that the more you know, the more chances you have to find and get a well-paid job. You can also find a good financial mentor or advisor. They’ll help you get the hang of things in a quite short period of time. If you follow their pieces of advice and complete all tasks, you’ll be able to break through in your financial development and become richer without a problem. Another effective way to invest money in yourself is to travel as much as possible. People who travel a lot have to communicate with people actively. If your communication skills are good, then you can easily build healthy relationships with people. I believe that self-improvement is based on constant communication and cooperation with people. You have to be good and smart enough to make big money. 

5. VALUE YOURSELF 
You should always follow basic financial rules, but never go against your nature. If you hate your job, then do your best to change it. Listen to your heart and try to define your calling. Tell yourself that you’re a wonderful worker and you deserve the best. The job that doesn’t financially satisfy your needs and desires will never make you happy. You should never accept bad jobs, because they can quickly degrade you. If you’re sure that the job has no prospects, you should start searching for another one. The secret of financial prosperity is very simple. You should respect and develop yourself in order to reach new levels of development and increase your incomes. It also requires you to be highly disciplined and reserved in your actions. When you learn to control your emotions and desires, you’ll save and attract more money.

Diana White/Womanitely

Read full gist here: http://www.radar.ng/art-life/5-ways-to-attract-financial-prosperity-in-2015/

5 ways to attract financial prosperity in 2015

Looking for ways to attract more money in 2015? It’s easier than you think. You just have to work hard and be more productive in your actions. Money loves to be counted. This is the life motto of many financially successful people. It’s crucially important to develop effective money management skills. You should be wise and patient enough to save your money, because it sometimes requires you to limit yourself in something. If you want money to be always in your pocket, you should have the right attitude towards money. Those who cannot stick to the monthly budget and squander their money right and left are doomed to constant financial problems. Many people, especially women, have a bad habit of losing control over their behavior when they see wondrous clothes or jewelry. They’re often ready to forget about budget limits and other needs for the sake of a new purchase. Nowadays people are dizzied by the multitude of things they want to buy. Every time you face such temptations, you should try to keep yourself in hand and buy the things you really need. Here are a few tips on how to attract financial prosperity.

1. DON’T WASTE MONEY AS SOON AS YOU GET A PAYCHECK
I must confess that one of the most pleasant feelings is to get a good paycheck every month. No matter how you slice it, money is one of the best confidence boosters. It often happens that as soon as you get a paycheck, you become less careful with money. When I get paid I cannot resist the temptation to buy at least one expensive thing. However, it’s important to avoid compulsive shopping. Let your paycheck spend the night in your purse. It will fill your mind with positive energy and attract success in your life. According to Feng Shui, the purse should never be empty. At least one dollar should always remain in your purse. It won’t let the energy of prosperity fade away.

2. DON’T FORGET ABOUT PASSIVE INCOMES It’s hard to live on one income. If you want to be confident in the future, then try to build up at least 5-6 sources of passive income. Nowadays passive income has become an essential part of every person’s life. It helps them earn more money without being actively involved in their jobs. Many of my friends work as freelancers. They’re absolutely satisfied with their job, because passive incomes make their life easier. Passive incomes make people more independent and confident. If they lose their job for one or another reason, they’ll have an opportunity to focus on their second job and have some extra money.

3. PLAN YOUR BUDGET
Planning a budget is a habit of highly successful and wise people. The main thing is to find time to create either a year or a monthly budget. You’ll be able to monitor and control the sums of money you spend during the month. People who stick to their budget plan usually avoid running into debts. Step by step, you analyze your monthly expenses and try to build new incomes or make more money to satisfy your needs. Remember, money likes to be counted.

4. INVEST MONEY IN YOURSELF Probably the most profitable way to spend money is to invest it in yourself, because your life is the top priority for you. If you want to be successful, you should never stop develop yourself. Invest money in your financial education as well. Attend qualification courses and remember that the more you know, the more chances you have to find and get a well-paid job. You can also find a good financial mentor or advisor. They’ll help you get the hang of things in a quite short period of time. If you follow their pieces of advice and complete all tasks, you’ll be able to break through in your financial development and become richer without a problem. Another effective way to invest money in yourself is to travel as much as possible. People who travel a lot have to communicate with people actively. If your communication skills are good, then you can easily build healthy relationships with people. I believe that self-improvement is based on constant communication and cooperation with people. You have to be good and smart enough to make big money.

5. VALUE YOURSELF You should always follow basic financial rules, but never go against your nature. If you hate your job, then do your best to change it. Listen to your heart and try to define your calling. Tell yourself that you’re a wonderful worker and you deserve the best. The job that doesn’t financially satisfy your needs and desires will never make you happy. You should never accept bad jobs, because they can quickly degrade you. If you’re sure that the job has no prospects, you should start searching for another one. The secret of financial prosperity is very simple. You should respect and develop yourself in order to reach new levels of development and increase your incomes. It also requires you to be highly disciplined and reserved in your actions. When you learn to control your emotions and desires, you’ll save and attract more money.

Diana White/Womanitely

Read full gist here: http://www.radar.ng/art-life/5-ways-to-attract-financial-prosperity-in-2015/[/color]

President Barack Obama left the White House on Friday morning, bound for Las Vegas, and nearly left behind the thing he cares about most — Kevin!

No, the president nearly forgot his BlackBerry.

The president boarded Marine One on the South Lawn around 10:30 a.m. when he suddenly realized he'd forgotten his super-secure, NSA-developed smartphone.

"I forgot something," Obama told White House reporters who had gathered to see him off. He bounded back inside the White House as a handful of Secret Service agents scrambled behind him.


U.S. President Barack Obama runs from Marine One back into the White House after forgetting his Blackberry phone while departing for a domestic trip November 21, 2014 in Washington, DC.

Moments later, the president reappeared carrying his one true link to the outside world.

"Didn't you guys ever forget something?" he asked the group. "I forgot my BlackBerry," he said, smiling and holding his phone.


President Barack Obama holds up his BlackBerry after he forgot it and returned back to the White House to retrieve it.

He then boarded the chopper and took off for Joint Base Andrews, where he eventually caught Air Force One for his trip to Sin City.


Obama will speak on Friday at Del Sol High Scool in Las Vegas to outline the series of executive actions he announced Thursday night to overhaul the country's immigration system.

As for the president's beloved BlackBerry, the White House is reportedly testing a replacement, including Android-powered handsets from LG and Samsung, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

BlackBerry, meanwhile, is still struggling to make a comeback.

http://mashable.com/2014/11/21/obama-blackberry/?utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link

1. Wizkid Syndrome:

A chronic tendency to create catchy and repetitive hits to a loyal fan base with a boyish charm that induces envy from peers and late-bloomers, which also hides the fact, that one is approaching quarter-life.

2. Davidotis:

A psychiatric condition whereby a sufferer survives speculations of whether genuine talent or one’s father’s wealth is the source of one’s success, alongside a pervading comparison with an equally talented whiz-kid.

3. Tuface Syndrome:

A rare syndrome that occurs when prodigious talent meets prodigious baby-making ability but with a legendary status, strong social equity and a staying power that keep a whole industry in awe.

4. D’banj Obsessive Disorder:

A disease characterized by the feeling that one’s best days are firmly behind and, as a result, one looks for outlets to compensate for fading stardom and income, including taking relief in farming-

5. Dangotiosis:

A condition marked by an obsession with Dangote‘s wealth, only curable by a decision to mind one’s own business.

6. Lindapilepsy:

A strong and strange resentment that occurs when news of Linda Ikeji’s wealth arises, which is commonly observed among struggling publicists, jealous digital marketers, hungry journalists, and retired or rival bloggers.

7. Iyanyamariasis:

The abnormal ability of a cell to spot errors in its former ways before proceeding to create a trademark style that takes waist gyrations to nerve-racking heights with performances worthy of Mr. Universe Pageantry.

8. Tontolitis:

The debilitating ability to sustain fame in an erratic way as it was acquired while still smiling to the bank.

9. PSquarisasis:

When two malignant cells take the understanding of a market to unprecedented heights resulting in a dominance previously thought impossible and doing it with a discernible Igbo accent.

10. Don Jazzy Disorder:

A disorder that makes an organ produce back-to-back hits and maintain a social equity that can embarrass pastors and politicians, including a social media addiction and an idiosyncratic singing style that impresses.

11. Kceeosis:

A cell’s ability to confuse celebrity with a right to make embarrassing wardrobe choices and a knack for coming out even more horrendous than a previous time despite public outcry and bile from popular bloggers.

12. Jenniferiasis:

The ability of an organ to exhibit behavior that would ordinarily be considered razz to a point where the lines between acting and reality are blurred but compensated with popular adulation and brand endorsements.

13. MIplasia:

A type of dwarfism that compensates the lack of bone growth with incredible rhyming prowess and a persona capable of inducing endless admiration and beef from hustling rappers.

14. Ice Prince Cerebral Cramps:

A disorder that causes exaggerated hip-hop postures, a rigid conformity to infantile end-rhymes that turn rap songs into mainstream classics and also results in multiple awards than most “serious” rappers.

15. Mode Complex:

An affliction that causes an artist to be the default reference for prodigious & clever wordplay that, sadly, does not correlate with the amount of albums sold or account balance, a living proof of the saying: ‘grammar no be money’.

16. Dakolomentality:

A rare psychotic disorder that inflicts a sufferer with unlimited guttural talent but indistinctive brand positioning & packaging.

17. Olamide Palsy:

A malignant tumor that involves a blatant display of one’s ethnicity and background combined with traits mostly reserved for touts but interestingly made into a premium musical package that surprises earlier sufferers of the same tumor who faded into obscurity.

18. Phynognomy:

A severe condition similar to Olamide Palsy but with an Igbo flair and an ability to turn what would have been a bad hair day for most into a phenomenal signature look.

19. Bella Naija Syndrome:

An affliction whereby the Nigerian national man-hour is spent keeping track of who wore what to where until one wakes up to the reality of a wasted lifetime.

20. Kedike Syndrome:

A syndrome that causes a sufferer to endure a clean image despite the presence of a latent sexuality which experts guess might lead to a Rihanna Crisis or, in the extreme, a psychiatric condition of Miley Cyrus proportions.

http://thenet.ng/2014/10/nigerian-superstars-as-diseases-by-chris-ogunlowo/

*Chris Ogunlowo is a Writer, Creative Director and Principal Partner at Kwirkly, a growing advertising agency. Twitter: @chrisogunlowo

The Bill for an Act to Abolish and Prohibit Dichotomy and Discrimination between First Degrees and Higher National Diploma in the same Profession/Field and related matters on Wednesday scaled second reading in the Senate.

The bill, which scaled second reading after heated debate at plenary on its relevance, seeks to resolve controversy over wage disparity and gross discrimination against HND holder in public and private sectors of the economy.
The Senate President, David Mark, in his remarks, said it would be difficult to legislate on the bill, given that polytechnics were not originally established to be degree awarding institutions.
He said rather than canvass for abolition of the dichotomy, polytechnics should be changed to degree awarding institutions.
“The problem here is whether we can legislate on this. I think obviously that is not going to work for several reasons that we have all advanced here.
“We can’t legislate here and say you must employ an HND instead of employing somebody with B.SC.
“I think it is more of attitude than what we can legislate on but we can get an arrangement where the polytechnics begin to award degrees, in which case the polytechnics will no more be polytechnics; they will be universities,’’ he said.
Mark, who did not outrightly condemn the bill, said it should be sent for public hearing, to get the views of relevant stakeholders on the way forward on the issue of dichotomy.
He, however, said that “our attempt really to equate HND to a degree is not likely to work. Nobody who has done a degree has gone back to the polytechnic to do HND and you can’t blame that logic.
“The whole essence of allowing the bill to go through second reading and public reading is for us to get more ideas about how to get the way forward.
“That will be the only benefit that will come out it’’, he said.
The lead debate, presented by Patrick Akinyelure (PDP-Ondo), highlighted the need to abolish the discrimination between HND and First Degree.

Mr. Akinyelure said the continuing discrimination against HND holders was threatening to ruin the nation’s core policy thrust of evolving a technological and scientifically based society.
He said that findings had proved that some polytechnic graduates were in some cases better on the field than their university counterparts.
“To all intents and purposes, a government employment policy that places degree holders ahead of HND holders without recourse to skill and ability of the HND holder thereof does more harm than good to the nation’s development plans.
“Therefore, the aim of the bill is to promote the technological advancement of our great nation by encouraging many qualified candidates to pursue polytechnic and technological advancement,’’ he said.
Some lawmakers, however, argued that rather than seeking to abolish the dichotomy, efforts should be made to transform all polytechnics to degree awarding institutions.
The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said even if the bill did not succeed, it would help to raise awareness on the dysfunctional nature of the country’s educational system.
He decried the growing trend where polytechnics offered courses outside their field, adding that in order to correct the abnormally, all polytechnics should be converted to degree awarding institutions.

“All we need now is to expand the knowledge base of our polytechnics, increase entry qualification and employ qualified teachers for the polytechnics.
“We should then make conscious effort to set up technical schools that would award only diploma to support our industries and help the system industrially.
“To say we will abolish the dichotomy is difficult. The committee to handle the bill should invite experts to look into harmonising the institutions,’’ he said.

On his part, Ita Enang (PDP-Akwa Ibom) decried the poor standard of some polytechnics in the country.
He called on the regulatory body in charge of polytechnics to adequately regulate the establishment of the institution in the country.
“I have seen polytechnics operate in two bedroom flats and this is the situation that brings suspicion about the quality of our polytechnics.

“I have also seen standard polytechnics and the quality of their product compete favourably with universities.”
He called on relevant agencies to improve on the carrying capacity of universities to accommodate all those seeking admissions.
He also called for harmonisation of universities and polytechnics to help manage a situation where people went to polytechnics because they could not secure admission into universities.

“This bill should pass a second reading to find solution to the problem. I support this bill,’’ he said.
Chris Ngige (APC-Anambra) said in as much as he sympathised with HND holders, the bill should be dropped.
He said that relevant agencies should rather harmonise the institutions and make polytechnics degree awarding institutions.
“The bill evokes emotion but laws should not be made based on that to avoid mistakes. This has to do with fundamental structure of the education sector.

“Let us conserve the resources of the senate; it will not go through second reading,’’ he said.
Abubakar Bagudu (PDP-Kebbi), a member of Senate Committee Education, said if the dichotomy should be abolished, there would be standardisation of policy.
He argued that standardisation of policy was vital because universities and polytechnics had different structures.
“The university is theory and research oriented as compared to polytechnic which is supposed to turn out industrial ready graduates,’’ he said.

Similarly, Olusola Adeyeye (APC-Osun), the Vice Chairman of Senate Committee on Education, canvassed for the harmonisation of the institutions to enable polytechnics to award degrees.
“I believe that for as long as there is difference in admission standard and training for both institutions of learning, there will be difference in employment.
“Let us go the U.S. way and equalise both polytechnics and universities and have specialised institutions to handle the technical aspect.’’
The lawmaker explained that Nigeria inherited the polytechnic system from the colonial masters, who thought of having a middle level manpower where people could be trained without the lengthy period in university.
He further explained that UK subsequently abolished the system after meeting the purpose for which it was established to meet its industrial need.
“We need to make the admission standard the same for polytechnics and universities; forget the dichotomy issue. It is a lie to say you need HND to run an industrial state,” he said.


https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/169916-hnd-discrimination-bill-narrowly-scales-second-reading-in-senate.html

Top 10 Things Every Woman Does, But Will Totally Deny!

1. Meet a nice, cute guy and immediately start checking if her name rhymes with his surname (last name).

2. Own plenty bras but wear the one that makes her breasts the most attractive most times.

3. Buy clothes, accessories and more to feel better, but eventually realise she doesn't need them.

4. Have over 24 hours to get ready, but do everything the last minute and end up late.

5. Secretly cry when watching amazing proposal videos online and wish it was her.

6. Oh! She's wearing trousers? It's likely she forgot to shave her legs.

7. Pretends she's the hot, amazing host of a great show and even pretend to have won awards.

8. Say the opposite of what she is actually thinking.

9. She says she needs advice for a friend in a situation, when she is actually the one.

10. Deny all the list above, but know within her that they are all true.

1. Deleted Their Search History.

2. When writing a comment on a female's facebook page, re-read it over and over so it's not dumb!

3. Fantasized about their female friends, some even take it as far as their woman's friends!

4. Googled the length of their manhood to be sure it's good enough.

5. Blow nose into their hands in the shower.

6. While pee-ing tried to cover the entire water in the wc with their pee bubbles.

7. Take off their underwear and kick it up their hands like they Chuck Norris

8. Watch romantic comedies alone, so no one can notice they emotional too.

9. Look at their poo when they finish.

10. Aim their pee above toilet water so people'll not hear the sound that they pee-ing!

I will be at The Platform Nigeria #iBuildNigeria. Then will go for Midweek service later in the evening. Then top it up with Champions League.

According to several reports, Ekiti State Governor elect, Ayodele Fayose, ordered an army of thugs loyal to him to beat up Justice John Adeyeye in the early hours of Thursday.

Justice Adeyeye was adjudged to have been rude to Fayose and was left to taste his own bile as a consequence thereafter.

Fayose and his thugs had besieged the High court in Ado-Ekiti as early as 6am, where a Governorship Election petition Tribunal hearing was billed to take place.

Justice Adeyeye had appealed to Fayose to prevail on the thugs to keep a respectable distance from the court premises given their outrageous numbers and boisterous conduct. Reports say Fayose shouted down at the trial Judge for “insulting” him and with a snap of the finger, his thugs had descended on the Judge; beating him to a pulp.

Justice Adeyeye’s clothes were ripped apart as other judicial workers scampered to safety and mayhem ensued.

Justice Adeyeye is nursing his wounds and bruises at a private hospital in Ado-Ekiti.

Here are three things we picked up from Fayose’s show of shame in the heart of Ekiti:

1) Old Habits Die Hard
On the road to being elected Governor of Ekiti State, Fayose had promised to turn a new leaf after several reports of his acts of brigandage during his stint as Governor of Ekiti State in the past, resurfaced. “I am a changed man now”, he told party loyalists at one point. Those words are already beginning to sound hollow.

2) Thuggery And Fayose Are A Match Made In Hell
As Governor of Ekiti State between 2003 and 2006, Fayose reportedly moved around with a gun and an army of loyal thugs baying for blood. He shot in the air to infuse fear, physically assaulted anyone who crossed his path, hobnobbed with cultists and wayfarers, scaled a fence to catch his flight and gave “thuggery” in Ekiti State a whole new meaning. On Thursday in Ado-Ekiti, we learned that the thugs may be making a return to the streets of Ekiti after Fayemi’s reign of near civility.

3) He’ll Go After His Predecessor
And with some vengeance as well. In several social media posts, Fayose has left no one in doubt that Governor Kayode Fayemi, the amiable and avuncular gentleman he roundly defeated at the polls, will be in for a rough time when he assumes the reins eventually. In dealing a raw deal to a purveyor of the law in Ekiti State on Thursday, Fayose was sending a message that he’ll go as far as manipulating the courts to hand Fayemi a harrowing experience.

Ekiti may well have handed over the seat of government in the 21st century to a man who fancies more brawn than brain and more graft than statecraft.


http://www.ekekeee.com/3-things-learned-fayoses-show-thuggery-ekiti-court-premise/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter