Rumours, Akon is not dead.

Socrates, former Brazil World Cup captain, dies at 57

Former Brazil World Cup captain Socrates died in a Sao Paulo hospital of septic shock arising from food poisoning on Sunday. He played for Brazil at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups.
By News Wires (text)

REUTERS - Former Brazil World Cup captain Socrates died in hospital on Sunday at the age of 57, Brazilian media reported citing hospital sources.

Socrates had been in the Albert Einstein Israeli Hospital in Sao Paulo since Thursday when he was interned with food poisoning which developed into septic shock and had been on a life support machine, the daily O Estado said on its website (www.estadao.com.br).

It was the third time Socrates has been taken to hospital since August when he spent nine days there due to a digestive haemorrhage caused by excessive drinking.

Socrates, who played for Brazil at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups, spent another 17 days in the hospital in September with liver trouble and had been recommended a transplant.

A qualified doctor whose full name was Socrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira, he sprung to fame at Corinthians in the early 1980s.

The bearded, lanky Socrates, a leading player of his generation along with fellow Brazil midfielder Zico, he also played in Italy for Fiorentina.

Source: http://www.france24.com/en/20111204-world-cup-socrates-brazil-obituary?ns_campaign=editorial&ns_source=FB&ns_mchannel=reseaux_sociaux&ns_fee=0&ns_linkname=20111204_world_cup_socrates_brazil_obituary&utm_source=&utm_medium=facebook

LAGOS INSISTS ON SPECIAL STATUS, ALSO WANTS ALL STATES TO RETAIN AT LEAST 25% OF REVENUE EARNED FROM THE RESPECTIVE STATES - DUPLICATION - JUST SAW THE TOPIC ELSEWHERE

Lagos State government has renewed its call for a special status to be accorded the state, considering its large population, infrastructural needs and economic significance to the country.

The state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the state government was still pushing for the special status and was hoping to get it ratified as the National Assembly set to review the 1999 Constitution.

Ibirogba said Lagos deserved a special status because of its peculiarity, being the only state in the federation where natives of virtually all communities in the country reside and also because it is the power house of the county’s economy.

He said, "We are still pushing for the special status for Lagos. And it is because Lagos clearly deserves it. Lagos is not like any other state in the country. It is a cosmopolitan state; a mini Nigeria. Whether you like it or not, almost every community in this country is represented in Lagos and many of these people own property in Lagos. So granting Lagos a special status would mean protecting the interest and property of people from other parts of the country."

Ibirogba added that the state government hoped that "the President would realise that any good done to Lagos is good done to Nigeria and grant Lagos the well-deserved special status."

Lagos State’s position on the review of the 1999 Constitution, includes the establishment of political and fiscal federalism; the inclusion of local governments in the exclusive jurisdiction of states and establishment of state police which should have jurisdiction over all state offences.

The state is also proposing that the concept of derivation be extended to all revenues accruing to the federation account and that the state from which any revenue is derived should be entitled to a minimum of 25% of such revenue, adding that there should be a specific provision that no authority shall withhold allocations meant for any tier of government.

Source: http://www.punchng.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=6665:lagos-insists-on-special-status&Itemid=542

We should have a run-off.

I stumbled on Nairaland politics section but stayed because of BEAF. The guy's a one man RIOT!! BEAF, BEAF, BEAF!!!

Although I nominated Gbawe.

Nemo

Then he shouldn't come round crying every four years that he want's to be president.

Nigerian's have told him to "phock off" enough times, but still he does.  And this time innocent corpers were killed and others slaughtered. 

So Buhari, PHOCK OFF!,   NIGERIANS DONT WANT YOU!

Emu

^^^^^^

Buhari doesn't threaten me, but I am just tired of seeing posts from Gen Buhari making this guy out to be an angel!  In my opinion if Buhari was the head of state now the country would be much worse off, we would almost be a pariah nation with increased military presence every where. 

Buhari was a soldier and still is today.  I've met him before and he is quite self-centred in speech, manners and outlook.  He has directly partaken in two mutinies before (1966 and 1984) - both mutinies set Nigeria back by decades.  Yet some people come out today to support him.  - WHY.

We have one joker (Gen Buhari) posting propaganda crap all over NL like as if we all don't have any memories at all.  Buhari should go and retire gracefully.  To think that even at 23 years old he was already murdering people - Gen Garba's words not mine.

I would rather not elect a genocidal murderer who took part in a very bloody coup in 1966 and then led another coup in 1984 and is once again linked with violence.  Buhari has a history of violence and Nigeria has 160m people, most of which are not bloody mass murderers. You should be ashamed of yourself for promoting this killer.

It is a known fact that Buhari has admitted he took part in the 1966 coup - source: google is your friend.

Nigeria has more comptent people (North, East, West and South).  We do not need these same recycled people. IBB, Abacha, Danjuma, Buhari etc are all genocidal murderers.  This is a recorded fact.  They have all brushed this aside under the "umbrella of coup and patriotism". Well that is up to the lawyers.  Personally I would rather vote GEJ (and hold my nose and suffer) than vote in a genocidal murderer that did not see anything wrong with slaughtering innocent people. Buhari has the scent of death, enough!!

Forever 27!

Jemca Motors

Every four years Buhari comes round to try to rule Nigeria.  I have met him before and I must say he is very self-centred.

Does anybody know if Buhari has apologised for his part in the July, 1966 coup?

"According to late Major General Garba (rtd), others involved in planning in the South
include Captain JN Garba, Lt. William Walbe and Lt. Paul Tarfa (Federal Guards), Lts.
Muhammadu Buhari and John Longboem (2nd battalion), Lts. Pam Nwatkon (Abeokuta
garrison, Recce), Lts Jerry Useni,Ibrahim Bako and Garba Dada(4th battalion, Ibadan),
and Lt. Shehu Musa Yar'Adua (Adjutant, 1st battalion, Enugu)."

"By the time Muhammed got to Ikeja, Captain Martin Adamu, Lts. Nathan, Nassarawa,
Muhammadu Buhari, [/b]Alfred Gom, Longboem and a bunch of NCOs were already in
control of the battalion, [b]having executed several Igbo soldiers and officers (including
Major B Nnamani, one of the company commanders) and arrested many others by
cordoning off the quartermaster section of the barracks or grabbing soldiers as they came
out for morning PT.The battalion commander, Lt. Col. Henry Igboba, narrowly escaped a
dragnet deployed around his house by Lt. Longboem and got away. 
Muhammed reportedly gave orders to stop the killing, and focus instead on securing the
perimeter as well as approach roads and taking measures to ensure the eventual success
of their activities."

Source: http://www.omoigui.com/files/military_counterrebellion_july_1966.pdf (page 36 and 37)

Buhari was an NCO.

The 1966 coup had NCOs as the main blood thirsty participants murdering Igbos. Has Buhari apologised?

"According to late Major General Garba (rtd), others involved in planning in the South
include Captain JN Garba, Lt. William Walbe and Lt. Paul Tarfa (Federal Guards), Lts.
Muhammadu Buhari and John Longboem (2nd battalion), Lts. Pam Nwatkon (Abeokuta
garrison, Recce), Lts Jerry Useni,Ibrahim Bako and Garba Dada(4th battalion, Ibadan),
and Lt. Shehu Musa Yar'Adua (Adjutant, 1st battalion, Enugu).

"By the time Muhammed got to Ikeja, Captain Martin Adamu, Lts. Nathan, Nassarawa,
Muhammadu Buhari, Alfred Gom, Longboem and a bunch of NCOs were already in
control of the battalion, having executed several Igbo soldiers and officers (including
Major B Nnamani, one of the company commanders) and arrested many others by
cordoning off the quartermaster section of the barracks or grabbing soldiers as they came
out for morning PT.The battalion commander, Lt. Col. Henry Igboba, narrowly escaped a
dragnet deployed around his house by Lt. Longboem and got away.

Source: http://www.omoigui.com/files/military_counterrebellion_july_1966.pdf

Has Buhari apologised for his actions on and during the July 1966 crisis?

Gbawe

So the data consistently says that the North is marginalised.

Is there no correlation between control of power at the centre, backed up by a militarised elite and economic development of the zone? Or is the correlation inverse?

Economic development is a bottom to the top process and a military elite do not have the interest of the people at heart.

"Facts are stubborn, statistics are more pliable"

The fuller version of the report in this thread shows the SW region as being the best and most well-off (I am biased) but my "evidence" is provided below:

Zones with the proportion of the relative zonal population in higher wealth quintiles or strata :
SW: 44.6% (1st) 
SS: 26% (2nd)
SE: 25.8% (3rd)
NC: 13.8% (4th) (Marginalised?)
NW: 7.6% (5th) (Marginalised?)
NE: 3.2% (6th/last) (Marginalised?)

The answer: Maybe the North is marginalised by Nigeria's elite?

Note: Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt probably distort the data to some extent.

"Facts are stubborn, statistics are more pliable"  .  The truth is all the zones are dirt poor and we will be better off renegotiating our union into a confederation or we go our separate ways.

Source: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADQ923.pdf  The data in the table above can be found on page 26.

The topic is who is marginalised? I am giving my opinion, if you do not like it - hug a transformer!

On the basis that there we are using only one source document from 2008 which does not aggregate all the information then I call b.u.l.l.sh.it.

This is an excuse to try and get a rise and I am saying your single source document is not sufficient to say who is marginalised.

In addition, no one on this thread is an expert so we are all expressing our opinions.

Look outside, see a transformer and hug it! All the zones are messed up.

Look de man sef!

Afghan Woman Jailed For 'Adultery' Freed After Agreeing To Marry Her Rapist

An Afghan woman who was imprisoned for "adultery" after being raped has been freed, but only after she agreed to marry her rapist.

The 19-year old, known only as Gulnaz to protect her identity, faced 12 years in jail after being sexually assaulted in her home, after she was convicted for adultery.

The judge told her she could escape a lengthy prison sentence if she agreed to marry the man who attacked her.

Gulnaz initially refused. According to The Times she had said she would never forgive him and he should "rot in prison".

But after giving birth in prison, she has now reportedly agreed to wed her rapist so that her daughter will have a better life.

“There are hundreds of women in this situation and it is well overdue to look at the injustices done to them,” Heather Barr, Human Rights Watch’s Afghanistan researcher said.

Gulnaz's story had first been told in a film commissioned by the European Union, only for it to be banned by an EU diplomat.

The EU said it had blocked the release of the film in order to protect the identity of the women who took part. But has been accused of covering up the story so as not to offend the Afghanistan government.

According to the New York Times, the filmmakers received an email from an EU official saying they “also had to consider its relations with the justice institutions in connection with the other work that it is doing in the sector".

However Vygaudas Usackas, the European Union’s ambassador to Afghanistan said: “Not only does the EU care about women, but we have spent over 45 million euros in support of different programmes for women."

Improving women's rights has often been cited as a primary reason for Nato's ongoing mission in Afghanistan. Gulnaz's story will raise questions about how much progress has been made as Britain and the United States prepare to withdraw their troops.

In a final twist, the Times reports, Gulnaz has demanded that one of her rapists daughters marry her brother in order to prevent her from facing further abuse.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/12/02/afghan-woman-freed-from-jail-but-only-after-she-agrees-to-marry-her-rapist_n_1125032.html?ref=uk&ref=uk

Those stats are truly depressing.  But I haven't seen anywhere in that pdf where the zones are given an aggregated HDI so no evidence to back up a d.y.c.k. measuring contest.

My opinion is that the SW is the least bad (ie the best zone) out of all the regions as per the stats, but in general all the zones in Nigeria could do seriously better.

We are only as corrupt as Russia.  

http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2011/results/#CountryResults

Transformation at work:
134: Niger
134: Pakistan
134: Sierra Leone
143: Mauritania
143: Nigeria
143: Russia
143: Togo
143: Uganda

Lagos – Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has said that Nigeria produced 27 billion barrels of oil in 50 years of existence.

Alison-Madueke disclosed this at the ongoing 29th Annual Conference and Exhibition of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) in Lagos.

The minister, who was represented by Mr Morris Fiddi, the Group General Manager, Nigerian Petroleum Investment and Management Services (NAPIMS), said that the country produced over 18 billion barrels from her oil reserves in the last 25 years.

“In the first 25 years from 1958 to 1983, the country produced over nine billion of crude and condensate while another 18 billion barrels were produced in the following 25 years,” she said.

The minister said that the Federal Government was not unmindful of some of the challenges facing the industry, which she said, included security, funding, exploration and exploitation in frontier areas.

According to her, others are gas flaring, environmental and community issues among other.

“Let me assure you that government is working assiduously with relevant stakeholders to mitigate these challenges.

“The potential of growing oil and gas reserves is enormous and expertise of NAPE and other stakeholders is required,” the minister said.

Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State said that the state government had formulated policies aimed at promoting the oil and gas business in the state.

The governor, represented by Mr Taofiq Tijani, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, said that the policies would be geared towards creating enabling environment for the companies operating in the state.

“We will endeavour to create energy sufficiency and security so that the cost of doing business in our state will be relatively cheaper than any other states in the country,” he said.

Mr Guy Maurice, the Managing Director of Total Upstream Company in Nigeria, said that the annual investments in the industry was about two billion dollars.

He said that there was an urgent need for the country to encourage exploration and reserves replacement beyond 2020. (NAN)

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/11/nigeria-produced-27bln-oil-barrels-in-50-years-minister/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter


Note: Over the same period (roughly), the median for the domestic and the adjusted world price of crude oil was $20.53 in 2010 prices (http://www.wtrg.com/prices.htm).

Note 27bn x 20 = $540bn. Oil price (NYMEX WTI) today is $100.

On an annual basis, oil adds roughly $70bn to the economy (Nigeria produces 2m barrels per day or 730m per year x $100 = $73bn).

If the price and production remains at the same level over the next four years (possible given that it has sustained $100 for quite a while now) then Nigeria should have earned $280bn - HALF OUR EARNINGS OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS.

GEJ, son of the Delta and the oil producing region, shame all the other zones by being truly transformative. You have a chance.

^^^^^
I think we should set the ball rolling for Arewa Republic as described above. Fantastic, I will personally write to the UN to give Arewa a UN seat.

Ten odd science facts - not as much fun as the mathematical facts 

1. If you could drive your car straight up you would arrive in space in just over an hour.

2. Astronauts cannot belch – there is no gravity to separate liquid from gas in their stomachs.

3. When a flea jumps, the rate of acceleration is 20 times that of the space shuttle during launch.

4. Giraffes often sleep for only 20 minutes in any 24 hours. They may sleep up to 2 hours (in spurts – not all at once), but this is rare. They never lie down.

5. Around a million, billion neutrinos from the Sun will pass through your body while you read this sentence.

6. Fingernails grow four times faster than toenails

7. Right handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people

8. If you rub an onion on your foot – within 30 – 60 minutes you will be able to taste it – this is because it travels through the blood stream

9. You can’t kill yourself by holding your breath (if you hold it until you go unconscious, you begin to breath normally as soon as you do)

10. On one square inch of human skin there are 20 million microscopic creatures

@ Ezecanada

Do you have a better link? The website you put up is very "spammy" and my pc has given me virus warnings!

If you follow the wikipedia link you end up to the data.

The Nigerian data is from a research article and was compiled in Ibadan in the '90s. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/21/11/1836.full.pdf+html

The data covers 875 men and 1,056 women (very limited and since it was Ibadan, not really representative of Nigeria or even Ibadan).

Table 1—Characteristics of the study populations
Nigeria Men
n 875
Age (years) 41.5 ± 12.3
Height (cm) 163.8 ± 9.5
Weight (kg) 61.7 ± 10.8
[/b]Hip (cm) 88.7 ± 9.7
Waist (cm) 77.7 ± 9.2

Nigerian women
n 1,056
Age (years) 40.0 ± 11.3
[b]Height (cm) 157.8 ± 7.4
Weight (kg)  58.0 ± 12.4
Hip (cm) 92.6 ± 11.3
Waist (cm) 75.7 ± 10.2

nepa

@ Snakova

If you are going to reference the Nicae council get it right.

The Holy Bible was written by men - no dispute there. We don't claim it magically appeared to an illiterate like some other religions.

The Bible is an account of historical facts written by scholars who witnessed these facts. There are many accounts in both the old testament and the new testament, predating Nicae in which Jesus is referred to as Son of God.

The Nicae council was not about editing or changing the words in the books that make up the Bible but about making sure "corrupting heretical statements" like the ones being made here by yourself (Snakova) and Lagosshia which will lead to hell fire being exposed for what they are.

If you are going to reference Nicae, get it right.

Life in Nigeria is nasty, brutish and short. Good luck to these chaps, high chance that they are "public servants".

what, what?