According to the punch, Mr Odesanya was said to have died on Tuesday, January 31 morning at an unnamed hospital outside Nigeria after a brief illness.
Tuesday, 31 January 2017
Onitsha pastor prays for buhari's death
A pastor based in onithsa called pastor Mmadukolu Christain Ejike wished buhari would die like other north eastern presidents like Yar'adua and Gen. Sani Abacha. He posted it on his Facebook page. See photos below.
Tribal fight as Hausa man kills Yoruba man over 30naira
This happened in igando area of Lagos state after they fought over 30 naira which led to the death of the yoruba driver. Residents of the streets and families of the deceased took to the streets of igando and chased every Hausa trader they could find out of the area.
Monday, 30 January 2017
Big Brother Naija adds two new housemates
Nigerian idol runner-up Debbie Rise and actor bassey are the new housemates in big brother naija
Saturday, 28 January 2017
First Catholic tv network in Africa debuts on DSTV
Lagos – Lumen Christi Catholic Television has started offering its services on the Direct to Home Television (DSTV) platform, in a renewed initiative to reach viewers worldwide.
Lumen Christi is the first Catholic television network in Africa. The network transmitting from Lekki, Lagos, hit the airwaves in 2014.
The founder & Chief Executive Officer of the network, Prince Soji Olagunju, told newsmen in Lagos on Friday that the station had been allocated Channel 350 on DSTV to broadcast round the clock.
Olagunju said the DSTV service was coming at a time Catholics in Nigeria and Africa needed to be educated and informed about religious developments in the continent.
“Lumen Christi Television is a satellite station I conceived as a direct answer to that soul-inspiring Catholic hymn that says – “How can I repay the Lord for His goodness to me?
“I am humbled beyond doubt that one cannot really repay God in totality for His numerous blessings over the years, simply because these blessings and favours are immeasurable and of course unquantifiable.”
Olagunju said he was concerned that the church in Africa with millions of lay faithful did not have direct means such as television stations for the work of evangelism.
“Lumen Christi TV was established by an African for African Catholics, to broadcast the practice of Catholicism by Africans from the perspective of their age-long, rich socio-cultural heritage.”
He said that he felt inspired to present to the Catholic Church in Africa, a channel that would complement the work of the church and restore hope to those who had lost their Catholic faith.
According to him, the station will be offering purely Catholic contents round the hour, featuring Mass, Angelus, Benediction and Holy Rosary Recitations.
Also on offer are Homilies, Reflections and teachings, to deepen knowledge of the Catholic faith, which has a huge following in Nigeria.
Daily news segments, bible studies, Christian movies, holy Eucharist, confessions and other church sacraments as well as documentaries on church history will also be on offer.
Olagunju quoted the Managing Director of Multi-Choice Nigeria Ltd., Mr John Ugbe, as saying that the introduction of Lumen Christi TV on DStv was in line with the strategy of Multi-Choice to offer diversified content that would appeal to different subscribers.
“Now, we have a viable voice and tool, let us jointly make effective use of what we have, particularly in this sinful age and time,’’ said Olagunju.
Biafran market in Onitsha on fire
The Biafran Market in Onitsha is said to be on fire. The fire started about 40 minutes ago (about 10.15 pm).
News about the inferno is scanty but sources said that the market is located inside or beside the G. Agofere Park along Sokoto Road, Onitsha.
The cause of the fire is not yet known but the market is popular for Chinese jeans and other casual wears.
However there were conflicting reports about the fire incident as some residents mistook the closeness of the market to Onitsha Main Market as some say the it was the main market that was on fire.
At the time of this report, men of the Onitsha Fire Service were battling to control the spread of the fire.
More details soon
Donald trump bans all refugees from entering the US
The brutal reality of Donald Trump's hardline stance on immigration came into force last night when he ordered a four-month ban on all refugees entering the US.
The President also singled out refugees from Syria as barred from entering the country indefinitely, or until he himself decides they are allowed in.
No visas will be issued to immigrants from seven mainly-Muslim nations including Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen for 90 days.
"I'm establishing new vetting measures to keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States of America. Don't want them here," Trump said earlier on Friday at the Pentagon.
"We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country and love deeply our people," he said.
US President Donald Trump signs the executive order banning all refugees.Trump claimed the move would keep America safer, despite evidence which shows none of the countries on the list have been the source of terror attacks on US soil since 9/11.
Having given no notice of the ban, it caused chaos for thousands of Arab-American families who already had family members en route to visit.
There were reports of Syrian families who have spent up to two years being vetted for a visa left stranded at the airport having sold all their possessions.
That Trump chose Holocaust Memorial Day to make the announcement was all the more upsetting for many Americans.
"Tears are running down the cheeks of the Statue of Liberty tonight as a grand tradition of America, welcoming immigrants, that has existed since America was founded has been stomped upon," Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer.
Some 54,000 people have fled war-torn Syria in the past six years
Republican senator Seth Moulton, an Iraq War veteran, said: "President Trump is leading our country out of fear instead of facts.
"His executive orders banning refugees and immigrants from some Muslim majority countries to the United States plays right into the hands of our enemies.
"ISIS has already used his statements to help recruit new suicide bombers, and you can bet Trump’s policies will help inspire attacks against Americans both at home and abroad.
"His policies literally put our troops’ live at risk - I’ve heard this loud and clear when I have visited them overseas."
Trump was speaking after meeting Prime Minister Theresa May earlier in the day."They also prove he has zero understanding of our country’s values and no intention of defending out constitution.
"We are a nation of immigrants, and America is stronger when we welcome the refugees of our enemies.
"These policies do no not put America first.
"I am ashamed he is our president."
Malala Yousafzai, the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, said in a statement: "I am heartbroken that today President Trump is closing the door on children, mothers and father fleeing violence and war."
Civil rights groups will challenge Trump's move and called it discriminatory."I am heartbroken that America is turning its back on a proud history of welcoming refugees and immigrants - the people who helped build your country, ready to work in exchange for a fair chance at a new life.
"I am heartbroken that Syrian refugee children, who have suffered through six years of war by no fault of their own, are singled out for discrimination."
Civil rights groups have condemned the order as harmful and discriminatory.
"Extreme vetting is just a euphemism for discriminating against Muslims," American Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Anthony Romero said in a statement.
Christians fleeing the carnage in Syria will be given immigration priority, Trump said.
BREAKING: Date of President Buhari's return revealed
- The date of President Muhammadu Buhari's return has been made known
- This was revealed by the special adviser on media and publicity to the president, Femi Adesina
- Adeshina made the comment during an interview with Televison Continental (TVC)
The date of President Muhammadu Buhari's return has been made known by his special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina.
President Buhari will be back on February 6 - Femi Adeshina
Adeshina made the revelation on Friday, January 27 during a chat with Televison Continental (TVC).
Adeshina described the growing tension over the health of the president as “purely unnecessary” He reiterated that the president is hale and hearty.
He also disclosed that President Buhari is expected back into the country on Monday, February 6.
His words: “The growing tension about President Buhari’s health is purely unnecessary. The president is just simply fine. I speak with people around him at regular interval.
“For his age, President Buhari is fit and capable of paddling the affairs of the country.
“He turned 74 last December and if you look at his engagement in the last two months, you will agree with me that it’s been very engaging. Remember his role in the Gambia issue.
”My candid advise for those peddling the rumour is to change their mind and remain positive about this administration.
Earlier this week, Adeshina had in a statement said it will amount to infringement on the right of Buhari if the president is compelled to speak from the UK to dispel the rumours making the round on his state of health.
BREAKING NEWS: New photos proves President Buhari is still alive
A fresh photo of President Muhammdu Buhari enjoying his vacation in the United Kindgom has just been released.
A healthy-looking President Buhari chatting with Aisha Alubankudi and Governor Ibikunle Amosun.
The photo was posted on Friday, January 27 evening by a Facebook user Aishat Alubankudi on her page after a meeting with Nigeria's number one citizen.
She wrote a short statement to accompany the picture which also showed Ogun state governor Ibikunle Amosun, a close ally of the president's, sitting relaxed in a chair across from the commander-in-chief.
Alubankudi is a Nigerian socialite and blogger based in the UK and a close ally of President Muhammadu Buhari.
She also posted a short comment to accompany the photo she released in which she asked for God's forgiveness for all those saying the president had died.
She wrote: "Photo of PMB today. May Allah forgive those who claimed that he was on life support machine at Kings College Hospital. Baba dariji won nitori won o mo oun ti won nse (someone translate)."
This is the second picture evidence that the president is indeed alive and well in the last three days after presidency released a picture of the President watching Channels TV's Sunday Politics night show on Monday, January 23..
Recall that rumours of President Buhari's alleged dead began at the weekend but the presidency was quick to quash it with a statement from the president's spokesman Garba Shehu.
The disturbing report has first been broken by an alleged fake Metro (UK) site that "quoted" the Nigerian mission in the country as confirming the president’s death.
The report claimed that Buhari visited the UK for medical check over an unknown disease.
NASA blasted for hiding 'Doomsday asteroid' which will hit earth on February 16
- Dyomin Damir Zakharovich, claims that the object detected by the NASA will hit the Earth
- According to Mysterious Universe, the deathly hit is going to take place on February 16
- He also said that NASA probably knows the impact zone.
The self-styled astronomer Dyomin Damir Zakharovich, claims that the object at the edge of our solar system detected by the NASA will hit the Earth, and it’s part of the mysterious death planet Nibiru.
According to Mysterious Universe the deathly hit is going to take place on February 16, when a massive space rock will hit Earth – followed by the death of the planet itself.
Zakharovich says: “NASA is lying through its teeth. It is not conceivable that they do not know the truth. We have seen the data! the object they call WF9 left the Nibiru system in October when Nibiru began spinning counter clockwise around the sun. Since then, NASA has known it will hit Earth. But they are only telling people now.”
Even there’s no scientific evidence Nibiru even exists Zakharovich said that the alleged event will be just a a precursor to the damage Nibiru will cause when it gets to the Earth.
He also said that NASA probably knows the impact zone.
‘The object is larger than NASA says. Our preliminary data suggested a 2.2km asteroid that will have no problem penetrating the atmosphere without burning up,” explain Zakharovich.
He claims it will destroy a city or cause huge tsunamis – and then Nibiru itself will arrive, and God knows what will happen.
The object called 2016 WF9 was detected by the NEOWISE project on Nov. 27, 2016.
It might once have been a comet, or it could have strayed from a population of dark objects in the main asteroid belt – but it’s not thought to pose a threat to Earth.
2016 WF9 will approach Earth’s orbit on Feb. 25, 2017.
Nigerian army reveals how female Boko Haram bombers use babies for mission
- The Nigerian army defence headquarters say Boko Haram female bombers now use babies
- The bombers reportedly strap babies to their backs to evade detection
- The acting director of defence information called on the public to be patient during checks
According to the Nigerian army Defence Headquarters (DHQ), female bombers belonging to Boko Haram in the north-east have found a way to escape detection from security operatives.
Rabe Abubakar, the acting director of defence information says they now carry babies on their backs, to deceive security operatives into thinking they are innocent nursing mothers.
While speaking in Abuja on Friday, January 27, Mr Abubakar said that the attention of the DHQ had been drawn to the new tactic employed by Boko Haram.
The acting director, who is a brigadier general, said the two recent bomb attacks in Madagali, Adamawa state taught the army a lesson in this area.
He said: “The DHQ wishes to seize this opportunity to appeal to members of the public to be patient and cooperate with the military and other security agencies while carrying out thorough security search and checks as the essence is to nip in the bud the murderous intention of the Boko Haram bombers.
“The DHQ wishes to state further that the usual traffic “go-slow” at military and security check points as a result of rigorous security checks are not meant to cause public discomfort or a deliberate action to induce traffic disruptions on our roads, but an effort put in place towards protecting the lives and properties of our innocent citizens.
“Members of the public are, therefore, urged to always volunteer useful information to the military and other security agencies that would assist in exposing Boko Haram and their evil machinations in our society and to make our communities safe and secure for all to live.”
Meanwhile, the Boko Haram terror group invaded a military camp in Kamuya village of Buratai ward of Biu local government area of Borno state and sacked the soldiers at their duty post, before carting away arms and ammunition.
Thursday, 26 January 2017
2019 elections: 'Igbos must wait till 2023, forget what Obasanjo said (ITC)
- Chief Olusegun Obasanjo's speach regarding Igbo Presidency in 2019 should be discarded, says The Igbo Conscience Group (ITC)
- ITC says the Igbos must prepare ahead of 2023 which is the right time
- The group says encouraging Igbos to begin to fight for the presidency of this country in 2019 is clearly trying to encourage conflicts
A civil society organisation named the Igbo Conscience Group (ITC), has urged Igbos to ignore the call by former President Olusegun Obasanjo for Igbo presidency in 2019.
The ITC made the call on Thursday, January 26, charging people from the South-East region of the country to look unto 2023.
Mr Onyekachi Ubani, Chairman of the group said in Lagos that such call was capable of causing political miscalculation on the part of the region that may lead to misunderstanding with other parts of country.
From left: Chief Larry Iloh, Chairman BOT, of IADI; Maxi Okwu, former National Chairman of APGA, and Chinedu Ofomata, author and public speaker, during the Igbo World Summit.
According to Vanguard, Ubani said that unless there is a concensus from the people from the Northern and Western part of the country for Igbo presidency in 2019, then the Igbo’s should wait for 2023 before presenting candidates for the office.
He said the Igbo’s should avoid political miscalculation that happened in the past which brought former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“By now it would have come down to south and a southerner would have taken over and maybe we can maintain some level of fragile peace.
“But we saw what happen for the six years that Jonathan was there. Now that crisis created is what President Muhammadu Buhari is also reaping from the south-south because the south-south people are blowing up the oil pipelines and all that.
“So anyone now encouraging Igbos to begin to fight for the presidency of this country in 2019 is clearly trying to encourage Igbos to enter into unnecessary conflicts and create more crises for the nation.
“Igbos should not in any way take that particular thing he has thrown at us because it may create crisis and create animosity for Igbos and even make Igbos not to have the opportunity of producing the presidency at the right time – in 2023.
Obasanjo while hosting the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ogun Chapter on Tuesday said that the region has yet to produced a democratically elected president of the country.
According to Obasanjo, the problem of marginalisation and justice has been a major source of conflict between ethnic and regional division.
Reactions had trailed Obasanjo’s call for an Igbo presidency in 2019 from different Igbo group commending and rejecting the call.
Woman commits suicide over MMM in Benue state
Popular ponzi scheme, MMM, has been fingered for the death of a 34-year-old mother of two, Mrs Gloria Samson in Makurdi, the Benue state capital.
Metronaija reports that woman had taken loans from 4 different places in December and just few days after investing the money with hopes of getting massive returns, the controversial scheme announced the freeze in December.
The woman was said to have left her home on December 28, 2016 to drown herself in River Benue and sadly, her body was discovered on January 2, 2017 by police. When she was leaving the house on the said day before her alleged death, she was said to have asked for forgiveness from her two children. She also sent the children to plead with their dad on her behalf to forgive her.
According to the deceased’s neighbors at Vandeikiya street, High level in Makurdi, she had borrowed about N400,000.00 from different micro finance banks and invested it in MMM only for the scheme to announce a freeze on cashing out a few days after her investment.
“What we gathered is that she had borrowed money from four different places and invested in MMM but shortly after MMM suspended payment to subscribers, she withdrew to her shell,” one of the neighbors said.
Samson David, the deceased’s widower confirmed that he was aware that his wife took loans, but he could not confirm if she actually invested it in MMM.
“Towards November and December, 2016, I discovered she took loan from four places over N400,000.00, but I don’t know what she actually did with the money because this time there was nothing in the shop to suggest that she invested the money into her business but truly she took loans”.
The state police spokesman, ASP Moses Yamu confirmed that the police actually recovered the body of a woman from River Benue. She was laid to mother earth on Friday, January 20, at the Ankpa ward public cemetery.
Sad!
Youths in the North attack Obasanjo over Igbo presidency
The Northern Progressives Youth Initiative has reacted angrily to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s pronouncement that the South-East region should produce the country’s president in 2019.
The group in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Mallam Gazali Abdullahi said that the comment was unbecoming of Obasanjo and condemnable.
The statement noted that “while President Muhammadu Buhari is on vacation and with so much fuss over the President’s decision to undergo medical examinations during his vacation, it is confounding to find an elder in the status of a former president needlessly criss-crossing the length and breadth of the country and discussing a successor to a sitting president.
“In his days as a sitting president, everyone knows that such a crass remark would have passed as a felony by Obasanjo’s own standards. And, for someone who had publicly claimed to have retired from politics, one wonders on what auspices Obasanjo thinks he can unilaterally determine which region produces the president for a country of almost 180 million people, or if integrity has any interpretation in Obasanjo’s dictionary.”
The statement pointed out that judging by his conduct after his exit from the presidency, Obasanjo had clearly shown that he is not to be a friend of the North.
“In the trying times of late former President Umaru Yar’Adua, it was the same Obasanjo who said all manner of unprintable things against the late president even when he was battling for his life on his hospital bed.
“This time again, Obasanjo has shown his hands that he is neither a friend of President Buhari nor is he a friend of the North. But as far as 2019 is concerned, we want to make it equivocally clear that only God, through the ballot of majority of Nigerians, and not one man can decide who the president of Nigeria will be in 2019,” the statement said.
GHEN GHEN! The Trump effect: US deports 90 Somalians and 2 kenyans
No fewer than 90 Somali nationals and two Kenyans on Wednesday arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi after being deported from the US.
The deportees, believed to have been affected by US President Donald Trump’s implementation of his pledge to crack down on illegal immigrants, arrived at the airport at midday aboard Omni, an American Charter Airline.
According to Africa Review, the Somalis then boarded a flight that left for Mogadishu at 3pm (+3GMT).
Security sources at the airport said the travellers were accompanied by security officers, who also accompanied them to Mogadishu.
Airport police boss Zipporah Waweru confirmed that there had been a plane carrying Somalis in transit to Mogadishu, but she could not confirm whether they were deportees.
“They have left and to me, they looked happy so I cannot for sure tell you that they were deported or not,” Ms Waweru said.
President Trump had vowed during the campaign for the White House to kick out illegal immigrants and immigrants with criminal records, saying they would be deported at their own cost.
Buchi Emecheta, author of 'Joys Of Motherhood dies at 72
Buchi Emecheta, one of Africa’s most celebrated literary icons and author of the popular novel, The Joys of Motherhood, is dead. She died on Wednesday in her sleep at the age of 72 while in London.
Trump to Mexico's president: "if you don't pay for wall, don't visit mexico
US President Donald Trump on Thursday issued a stern ultimatum to Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto, saying it was “better to cancel” his upcoming visit to Washington if he was unwilling to foot the bill for a border wall.
“The US has a 60 billion dollar trade deficit with Mexico. It has been a one-sided deal from the beginning of NAFTA with massive numbers of jobs and companies lost,” Trump said on Twitter.
“If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting.”
Davido, Burna boy vows to join 2baba in nationwide protest against the Government
Respected musician 2baba Idibia announced that he was going to lead a protest against the Federal Government in February.
The protest he said is aimed at demanding answers from the government over different issues in the country which includes economic recession. In support of his grand plan popular musicians Burna Boy and Davido have publicly promised to join the protest.
Both musicians wrote via Twitter, Burna Boy even said he could die for the cause.
Organizers of Big Brother Nigeria reveals why the show is held in South Africa
Days after the Nigerian government ordered a probe into why popular reality show Big Brother Nigeria is holding in South Africa, Multichoice, the show’s organizers have finally revealed their reason for doing so.
Days after the Nigerian government ordered a probe into why popular reality show Big Brother Nigeria is holding in South Africa, Multichoice, the show’s organizers have finally revealed their reason for doing so.
Big Brother Nigeria participants
This is coming after a lot of Nigerians have shown their displeasure at having a show titled Big Brother Nigeria being shot in another country.
According to a statement released by the organization and published on Vanguard, the main reason for their decision is simply because they have a fully equipped house in South Africa. Read the full statement below:
“We have a fully equipped house in South Africa, which is used for the Big Brother shows. This means that we are able to achieve high production values whilst meeting tight timelines and ensuring the show comes to our viewers on time as planned, and with the same globally renowned quality. The house has played host to other Big Brother countries including; the general Big Brother Africa, Mozambique, Angola and now Nigeria,’’ the statement quoted Multichoice Public Relations Officer Caroline Oghuma as saying.
Scientists have discovered the secret to happiness - and it's stripping off and getting naked
Scientists revealed the naked truth after investigating the psychological effects of nudism
Casting off clothes as well as cares may be the key to happiness and well-being, research suggests.
Scientists revealed the naked truth after investigating the psychological effects of nudism.
Casting off clothes as well as cares may be the key to happiness and well-being, research suggests.
Scientists revealed the naked truth after investigating the psychological effects of nudism.
Casting off clothes as well as cares may be the key to happiness and well-being, research suggests.
Scientists revealed the naked truth after investigating the psychological effects of nudism.
They found that people taking part in naturist activities felt better about themselves, their bodies and their lives overall.
The more time they spent naked, or partially disrobed, the happier they were.
Lead researcher Dr Keon West, from Goldsmiths, University of London , said: “The naturists have been saying this for some time.
“However, despite a lot of positive claims, little to no empirical research has investigated whether naturist activity (rather than attitude or beliefs) actually makes us happier or, just as importantly, why it makes us happier.”
In the first of a series of studies, an online survey of 850 British citizens found higher levels of contentment and positive body image among those who spent significant amounts of time wholly or partially naked in public.
Two further studies took place at a “Bare all for Polar Bears” event at Yorkshire Wildlife Park and British Naturism’s Waterworld event in Stoke-on-Trent.
At both events, participants were psychologically assessed just before shedding their clothes and before getting dressed again.
In each case people experienced “immediate and significant improvements in body-image, self-esteem and life satisfaction” when free of their clothes.
Analysis of the data suggested that seeing other people naked was more important than being naked yourself.
The findings appear in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
Dr West pointed out that for a long time many people, including health experts, assumed that public nudity was a sign of psychological dysfunction.
He thought more research was needed involving a wider range of participants.
Most of of those taking part in the survey were white, heterosexual and middle-aged.
Naturism may offer a low-cost and simple solution to body dissatisfaction, Dr West added.
“At the very least, this is worth investigating,” he said.
Sharo festival: One of Nigeria's strangest traditions
Sharo Festival. It's one of the strangest festivals. It is public ritual, which demonstrates to the rest of society that young man has come of age, and is ready to have a wife. A man is whipped by a challenger for several times. During the process, he must not show any signs of pain. It is a Fulani tradition, which attracts people of all ages and professions.
7 things tourists find strange about Nigeians
By Nkem Ndem
Visiting Nigeria can be a mind-blowing experience as there are so many places to see, cities to visit, and cultures to explore. Certainly, along with the excitement of traveling to or living in a foreign land comes the possibility of the visitor experiencing some form of culture shock.
A number of tourists who have visited or lived in Nigeria have testified to being shocked and overwhelmed by the lifestyle, customs and practices of its people. Here are the top seven things tourists often find strange about Nigerians.
The loudness
Nigerians find it hard to believe, but they are exceptionally loud, especially those from the western region. Some have stated that the loudness is a consequence of their local dialect and their cultural practices, while other believe that the average Nigerian lous because is is their heritage to be boisterous. A typical Nigerian will not hesitate to belt out a song in crowded street in the bid to sell potions or win souls, and most locals will not even try to reduce the pitch of their voice, as long as they feel the need to air an opinion. While locals see these as normal, most visitors find it utterly alarming.
Church buildings every couple of miles
Nigerians are very religious people and a larger part of the country actually practice Christianity and they are very zealous in their faith. It is hard to find a street in most parts of the country (excluding the northern regions which are saturated with muslims)without at least one church or meeting place. Visitors find it remarkable and some have wondered how these churches maintain their members.
Nigerians tend to carry large amounts of cash
For most people who live outside the country, ATMs and credit cards are the way to go when it comes to buying or purchasing. Most wander about with wallets utterly devoid of cash, they do not see the need to carry cash around as it even creates opportunities of getting robbed or maimed. They find it amazing that Nigerians on the other hand seem to love the scent of raw cash and carry money around with them at all times, despite the fact that there ATM machines around and most stores and spots have POS for credit cards. Nigeria is slowly becoming a cashless society, however they are finding it hard to give up the feel of paper money in their hands.
Bold requests for tips
Nigerians are not shy, not when it comes to money. Most visitors not only find it weird that they may have to paying extra for someone to do their job , they are baffled that waiters/waitresses do not hesitate to hint at or outrightly ask for a tip when it is time to collect the bill . Unlike it is in the UK, there’s no set arrangement for tipping at restaurant and bars and so there is set amount or percentage one should tip neither is it clear, who should get tipped. The locals however do not see anything wrong with the whole situation as basically, it is the norm. When in Rome, act like the Romans.
Liquor for everyone
Most countries around the world have a legal drinking age of 18 and so does Nigeria, so, many tourists find it astonishing when they see teenagers who are obviously below the age limit buying alcoholic drinks or spirits. The most commonly purchased are the NGN50 satchet liquor sold by women who carry them around in trays and basins.Nigeria has a much more liberal stance on public drinking, and while most visitors find this delightful, there are who consider it unacceptable.
Locals eating full meals in public buses
The public buses, from BRT to Moluwe and Danfo are a major means of transportation for most locals in Nigeria, and while it would generally be considered unhygienic or just improper to eat while in motion or in public spaces that are not meant for eating, a lot of Nigerians flaunt the etiquette anyway and you cannot blame them really as desperate times call for desperate measures. It is no secret that certain large cities in the country are plagued with the incessant traffic jams, and the locals basically cannot stifle the need to stay on the hustle, so, they save time by eating on the bus. Do not be surprised to see someone eating not just gala and coke, but full blown meal like jollof rice, fried yam and sauce or even Amala and Ewedu.
Their strong belief in superstition
Nigerians generally believe in superstition. It is an aspect of almost all the culture in the country and so it is generally accepted. There are so many signs and events that they believe are consequent to how things would turn out and they tend to read meaning to certain things visitors may consider as normal. For instance, Nigerians tend to think that the right eye twitching is a sign that the person would see something good, while the average tourist see it as a sign of stress. Nigerians take their superstition so seriously that they could change their plan for the future or just for the day for something as simple as a black crow perching on one’s roof
Robot deliveries set to hit the streets of US
The newest deliveryman in Redwood City, California, and Washington, D.C., isn't a person, but a six-wheeled robot.
In early February, delivery startup Postmates will begin testing ground robots in D.C., and DoorDash will follow suit in Redwood City.
Customers placing orders during daylight may receive an order from the robots, which autonomously navigate sidewalks. The robots hold deliveries in their hulls, which flip open with the push of a button. For now, Starship Technologies, which makes the robots, will have an employee walking behind the robot to keep it out of trouble and answer any questions from curious pedestrians.
Starship Technologies, which is led by Skype's cofounders, has covered 16,000 miles in the last year, including tests in Britain, Germany, Switzerland and Estonia. The DoorDash and Postmates programs are its first partnerships in the United States.
"It's been almost like a dream from the robot's perspective," said Starship Technologies COO Allan Martinson, of operating on wide, uncrowded American sidewalks. It's much harder for the robot to handle, for example, London's sidewalks.
Five robots will operate in D.C., and will be limited to parts of Northwest Washington. In Redwood City, there will be 10 robots.
Cofounder Stanley Tang said DoorDash will use the robots for deliveries under a mile. He said his human deliverymen are better suited for long-range deliveries and large orders. The Starship robot travels about the speed of a pedestrian, making them ill-suited for extended trips.
"If you happen to live within 500 feet of a restaurant and you order a $5 beverage, I think the likelihood of you getting assigned a robot will go up," he told CNN. There's no way to guarantee one will receive a robot delivery.
Tang said he wasn't sure if the robot deliveries will end up being cheaper or more expensive than traditional methods. Neither company will charge extra for a robot delivery.
Postmates, which makes 1.5 million deliveries a month, said it will expand the use of robots if the results are good.
Wednesday, 25 January 2017
Uganda shuts down zukerberg, Bill Gates funded schools
A legal tug-of-war between Ugandan authorities and a for-profit international chain of schools has led to the education provider being ordered to shut down in a matter of weeks, leaving the lives of thousands of pupils in limbo.
Uganda's High Court has described the Bridge International Academies (BIA) -- which is funded by the likes of Microsoft's Bill Gates and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg -- as unsanitary and unqualified, and has ordered it to close its doors in December because it ignored Uganda's national standards and put the "life and safety" of its 12,000 young students on the line.
The Director of Education Standards for the Ministry, Huzaifa Mutazindwa, told CNN that the nursery and primary schools were not licensed, the teachers weren't qualified and that there was no record of its curriculum being approved.
"The Ministry does not know what is being taught in these schools which is a point of concern to (the) government," Mutazindwa said.
The low-cost education provider, which has 63 campuses across Uganda, is allowed to remain open until December 8 to allow students to sit for exams and finish third term. This was after BIA secured an interim court order that restrained the government from closing its schools until its main case for stay could be heard in court.
For its part, BIA — which runs more than 400 nursery and primary schools across Africa — has continuously denied the allegations that have been made by the government.
"There's a lot of miscommunication and a lot of very serious, unfounded allegations. We would like to be given the opportunity to explain ourselves ... The Ministry has been unwilling to give us an audience to set the record straight," Uganda's BIA director, Andrew White, told CNN.
In a statement, BIA addressed eight allegations that have been made about its operations. It said it teaches the Ugandan curriculum, all schools have good sanitation facilities and that the majority of their teachers are certified and registered. Those who aren't certified and registered, it said, are attending in-service training.
South Sudan: Fashion show held in a war torn country
Nothing can stop Akuja de Garang, not even war.
The 41-year-old is the brain behind the Festival of Fashion and Arts for Peace in South Sudan, an annual festival that promotes and celebrates South Sudanese culture.
De Garang, a fashion designer and development expert, fled Juba with her family as a young child, eventually settling in the UK.
As a student De Garang learned about how her home country was losing its cultural heritage because of ongoing conflict in the country, and her urge to save it brought her back to Juba.
Civil war has raged in South Sudan since 2013, when President Salva Kiir accused his ousted Vice President Riek Machar of organizing a coup. Clashes broke out between the government and soldiers loyal to the former vice president.
Thousands have been killed in the ensuing violence and the UN estimates more than 2 million have been displaced. Despite a series of failed talks and ceasefires the fighting continues.
Thousands have been killed in the ensuing violence and the UN estimates more than 2 million have been displaced. Despite a series of failed talks and ceasefires the fighting continues.
We're ignoring a possible genocide in South Sudan
"I think I can add more to society in South Sudan," De Garang told CNN. "Here I'm not just spending all my money on an expensive lifestyle as I would in the UK. I love Africa's openness."
On the 9th July 2012, the first anniversary of South Sudan's independence, De Garang held the first edition of the festival.
"It was challenging and exciting," she said. "The whole team of volunteers was passionate as this was a unique, unprecedented event."
The artists exploring Africa's style battles
"It's not cheap to hire in Juba. We had to build our own runway from scratch, we bought our own tent. The economic situation has become really difficult. Inflation is high."
The first edition was a success with 300 people from different communities in attendance.
These days the festival is still a community affair, with different people pitching in to help. The event includes an arts and crafts market, a range of performances and poetry readings, traditional dances and a fashion show that features local and regional designers and world renowned models like Manuela Modong and Atong DeMach.
How Lagos designers invaded our closets
A curfew followed by a restriction on movement meant the festival didn't take place last year but De Garang hopes the 2017 edition will be better than ever, but things don't come easy in a conflict zone.
A few of the artisan groups involved in the festival were displaced and can't be traced, inflation now stands at 450 per cent , and the threat of violence looms.
"In July [2016] people were evacuated, everybody was on the edge, no one knew what would happen," she said. "So it wasn't a good idea to bring a group of people in one place. It was a huge responsibility to fly people into Juba with things being so tense. People were leaving Juba and going to the villages. "
"It is tough. People have to make choices. A lot of people are sending their children to refugee camps in Uganda because they just don't have enough to support them."
Beyond preserving culture, De Garang is committed to using the festival as a tool to help her countrymen and women connect.
"The South Sudanese don't know each other very well," she continued.
"We've been separated by war for many years and so even telephone, Internet, and the opportunity to travel from one side of the country to the other have been very rare. We operate with what we hear about the other [63] tribes and usually that's negative stereotypes."
Morocco to get Africa's first high speed train
The $2 billion project will see 200 mph trains run from Tangier to Casablanca
Moroccan government believes the route will stimulate growth
Critics say the money should be spent on failing public services
(CNN)The first high-speed trains in Africa are flashing along the Atlantic coast of Morocco.
The French-made double-decker TGVs are being tested ahead of the launch of a flagship new line connecting Tangier with Morocco's economic capital Casablanca in 2018.
The new trains can reach speeds of 200 miles per hour. They will cut the journey time between the two cities by more than half -- to just over two hours. This is double the speed of South Africa's Gautrain, launched in 2012, which falls short of the criteria for high-speed rail.
The $2 billion project has been in development for a decade, funded by the governments of Morocco, France, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE.
King Mohammed VI and the Moroccan government expect the trains to deliver wealth and prestige for the country. But opponents claim they are an expensive folly.
Explosion hits hotel in Somali, claims ten lives.
Extremist group Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for two explosions Wednesday that rocked the Somali capital of Mogadishu, killing at least 10 people and injuring another 30.
Attackers detonated a truck bomb outside the gates of the Dayah Hotel -- which is near the country's Parliament building and popular with lawmakers and government officials -- before storming inside, Somali police Maj. Ahmed Ibrahim told CNN.
A second truck exploded nearby 15 minutes later, Ibrahim said. Somali security forces kill five attackers.
The explosion of a truck bomb leaves destruction Wednesday in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.
Ali Hajji, the head nurse at the nearby Hayad hospital, said the death toll is likely to rise.
Al-Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked terror group that seeks to turn the country into a fundamentalist Islamic state, has carried out repeated attacks against the government and military targets.
One of the world's poorest countries, Somalia descended into civil war after dictator Siad Barre's ouster in 1991.
Rival clan leaders and extremist groups such as Al-Shabaab took advantage of the power vacuum, growing in size and strength.
Why Al-Shabaab is a growing threat
The group has seen its power wane in recent years, thanks in part to an African Union coalition dedicated to peacekeeping in the country.
But Mogadishu is subject to attacks on a frequent basis. Most recently, a car bomb killed 20 people in December.
Deportations next on Trump's list
Donald Trump on Wednesday will start to reshape US immigration enforcement policies via executive order, taking his first steps toward fulfilling some of the most contentious pledges that defined his campaign.
Trump will hurl federal officials into the task of building a wall on the US-Mexico border, call for boosting border patrol forces and look to increase deportations of undocumented immigrants by signing two executive orders during a visit to the Department of Homeland Security, the agency that would implement those actions, a source familiar with the plan told CNN.
The executive orders will also seek to end sanctuary cities and the practice of releasing undocumented immigrants detained by federal officials before trial.
The actions will send alarm bells ringing in immigration activist circles, where questions still are swirling about whether Trump would truly implement many of the hardline immigration policies he articulated during his campaign. Trump's planned actions leave little doubt about whether his immigration policies as president would differ from his campaign rhetoric.
There remained little question, for example, about whether Trump would push to increase deportations of undocumented immigrants. One of Trump's executive order will call for tripling "enforcement and removal operations/agents" of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which is charged with arresting and deporting undocumented immigrants living in the US. And his executive order also called for a 5,000-person increase in Customs and Border Protection personnel.
Trump's executive actions are not expected to address those of his predecessor President Barack Obama that signed safeguarding undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children or who are parents of lawful US residents from deportation, which Trump during his campaign signaled he would repeal.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has said Trump wants to prioritize the removal of undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes in the US, but has refused to say whether deportation priorities would change. Trump during his campaign called for the deportation of all undocumented immigrants living in the US, though he signaled the "good ones" could return to the US under an expedited process.
Trump's hardline immigration rhetoric and policy proposals during the campaign often put him at odds not only with Democrats but with many in his own party who called his proposal to build a wall on the US-Mexico border unnecessary and his calls for mass deportation cruel.
Trump persevered in his hardline rhetoric throughout the campaign, resisting efforts to pivot to a more moderate stance on the issue in the general election despite calls to soften his rhetoric.
Now, his actions will take a big first step toward satisfying his political base of support that hitched to his campaign amid Trump's bold promises of building a wall, deporting undocumented immigrants and in the process creating a safer country, despite a total lack of evidence tying undocumented immigrants to higher crime rates.
Trump catapulted his campaign into controversy and relevance with his announcement speech in June 2015, in which he pledged some of the hardline immigration policies he was set to enact and decried undocumented immigrants as criminals and "rapists." Trump never apologized for those comments.
Trump's pledge to force Mexico to pay for the wall -- which Trump has reiterated in recent weeks -- was not among those he is expected to outline in his executive orders Wednesday. Trump has said recently that he would push for immediate construction of the wall with US funds, and then compel Mexico to reimburse the costs. It's unclear how he will accomplish that.
Tuesday, 24 January 2017
Hundreds flee as huge fire breaks out in shopping center
A massive fire has erupted in the Rio shopping mall in Moscow with around 500 people having to be evacuated.
According to initial local reports no one has died in the blaze which has destroyed a large part of the plastic casing around the building.
One Instagram user wrote: “An evacuation was announced, first I didn’t understand what was going on, many people were in panic. I smelled that something was burning only on the ground floor, saw the fire at the exit.”
No cause for the fire has been given, so far.
As well as the shopping centre, which is located in the south-west of Russia’s capital, two cars parked near the building are said to have caught fire.
Meet the world's shortest woman who is under 25 inches
When Ranjana Amge was in the final months of her
fifth pregnancy, she feared that she’d never hold
that baby in her arms. The doctor’s exams didn’t
go well. Experts didn’t know what to make of her
sonograms. Something was wrong. Now, 20 years
later, Amge has reason to be proud. Her youngest
daughter is happy, healthy and world famous.“All
the bad feelings are erased, replaced by good
ones,” Amge tells The Huffington Post. “We are
lucky.” At just under 25 inches tall, Jyoti Amge of
Nagpur, India, is the world’s shortest woman.
She’s a college-bound student, with dreams of
making it as an actress. Still, she weighs just 12
pounds — only nine pounds more than she did at
birth..see more photos below
Even among dwarfs, Amge is tiny. “Game Of
Thrones” star Peter Dinklage is more than twice
her height. But Amge remains an optimist.
“It’s hard for me to reach things,” Amge says. “It’s
good I have brothers and sisters to help.”On her
first trip to New York, Amge visited the Statue of
Liberty, before a media tour to launch the Guinness
World Records 2014 edition, which would include a
profile in the Daily News, a visit to the ladies of
“The View” and a press conference at the top of the
Empire State Building.
WTH! South African Pastor orders church members to masturbate to make the church sacred
According to Mwebantu News, Prophet Mnguni, the General Overseer of End Times Disciples Ministries instructed his members to masturbate and pour the semen on the floor because they will produce a sacrosanct fluid to make the church floor as sacred as heaven.
Prophet Mnguni who has in the past, ordered his members to eat grass, mango leaves, pieces of clothes and swallow live snakes, reportedly said by so doing, the members would have a direct link to God and all their problems would be solved.
DSTV blasted for shooting Big Brother Naija in South Africa
Today, Tuesday, January 24, 2017, I had the pleasure of reading a Facebook post written by veteran broadcaster Femi Sowoolu on why Big Brother Naija is taking place in South Africa.
Mr Sowoolu in his Facebook post titled 'The New Reality: Fake It!' blasted DSTV for shooting Big Brother Naija in South Africa.
"Smacks of ridicule, discrimination, utter disrespect, and blatant disregard for Nigeria and all Nigerians. It is a nasty slap on the industry and potential of the Nigerian professional who still excels among peers, despite all, and any manner of niggling societal or operational odds" wrote the veteran.
Mobile app in Kenya allows you to digitally report a crime
Kenya has gone a step ahead in crime reporting after it launched on Tuesday a free crime monitoring app that allows anyone with a smartphone to digitally report a crime.
Kenya’s National Crime Research Centre (NCRC) launched the NCRC Kenya app that is available to Android, Windows and IOS users.
“It collects, collates, reports and uses data to make individuals and communities inclusive, safer and free by giving them opportunity to report crime incidences in specific localities in real time,” NCRC announced.
“The App will significantly reduce unreported crime, because it has security features that will guarantee the information received will be held in confidence and the privacy of those who report crimes will be respected,” the head of the state agency, Gerald Wandera told local media.
The app also allows users to upload photographs, PDF and audio files related to the crime they are reporting.
As at mid-2016, the crime rate in Kenya had declined from 48 per cent in November 2015, to 35 per cent in June 2016, according to research by Ipsos.
According to the findings, less than half of crime victims reported the matter to the police, with 54 per cent saying they did not want to take the matter further, and another 40 per cent feeling the police are inefficient and corrupt.
Three per cent of respondents said the police station was too far and another three per cent said they fear the police.
Monday, 23 January 2017
"I saw heaven, I met dead friends. Man who was clinically dead for an hour reveals.
A MAN who was clinically dead for more than one hour has movingly described how he went to Heaven and was reunited with his dead friends before returning to Earth.
Dr Gary Wood was 18-years-old when he and his sister were involved in a serious car crash.
Dr Wood and his then 16-year-old sister Sue were travelling home when he crashed the car into an illegally parked vehicle.
While the Sue left the crash relatively unscathed, Gary suffered potentially life-ending injuries, including a crushed larynx and vocal chords, as well has having his nose ripped off and several broken bones.
The injuries were so severe that when paramedics arrived, Dr Wood was pronounced dead at the scene.
However, the “rebellious teen” as he describes himself on his website, still remembers everything so vividly some 50 years later.
Speaking to presenter Sid Roth on his show ‘It’s Supernatural!’, Dr Wood said that after the crash he experienced a lot of pain, “then I was just relieved of all pain” as he died.
Dr Wood then claims that he ascended to Heaven.
He said: “Dying is just like taking your clothes off and just laying them aside.
“I stepped out of this body, this Earth suit, and then was lifted up through the top of my car and my whole life just passed before my eyes in just an instant.
“Then I was caught in a swirling massive funnel shape cloud that grew brighter.”
He described dying and ascending to Heaven as “ecstasy, peaceful, calm, tranquility.
“Then this cloud opened up and I saw this giant golden satellite, suspended in space that the Bible calls Heaven.”
Dr Wood, who has authored several books on his supposed experience, said that he was met by an angel that was at least “70 feet tall” and stood in front of gates that were “500 miles wide”.
He said of the angel: “He had a sword, he had beautiful gold, spun hair. And there was an angel inside of the city that was holding some books.
“There was some exchange between the two angels and then I was allowed into the city.”
He then claims to have been given a tour of Heaven by his friend.
Dr Wood said he was met by “my best friend in high school who had been killed in a lawnmower accident.
“Then my friend began to take me on a tour of a place called ‘Heaven’.
“About 500 yards from the throne room of God, my friend took me and I was captivated by the sign on the outside that said ‘Unclaimed Blessings’.
“When I opened the door, to my astonishment I saw legs hanging there from the wall, real legs.
“Every part of one’s anatomy was there in that room and people asked my ‘why do you need a place like that?’ Because God has a spare part when God has a miracle.”
Dr Wood, who has now become a minster, also told Mr Roth how he had met Jesus: “I was sent back to tell people that Heaven is real, there is a song to sing, there is a mission or journey to take, there is a book to write. You’re unique in purpose on this Earth.
“Jesus told me to give a specific message – there will be a spirit of restoration that would prevail throughout the land, there would be a teaching and emphasis on prayer.”
Back on earth, his younger sister was screaming out his name, hoping that Gary could be revived – a scream which he says he and his friend heard in Heaven.
He said: “When my friend was taking me on this tour, as Sue began to cry out, my friend said to me ‘you’ve got to go back, she’s using that name’.
“And so I just shot right back down into my body. They noticed life signs, they rushed me to the hospital to stabilise me.”
LOL: See what they did to the presidential portraits of Donald Trump
Lol. The internet has no chill. People face-swapped Trump with Russian President Vladimir Putin, subtly substituted his American flag pin and even predicted the outcome of his first term in office. 
Governors from the north meet to find solution to crisis in the region
Governors
of the 19 Northern states and some notable Northern traditional rulers,
today converged at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House in Kaduna state to find
a lasting solution to different security crisis plaguing the region,
particularly the lingering Southern Kaduna crisis which has claimed over
1000 lives. See more photos after the cut...
Heartbroken parents unable to cuddle their three-week-old son because his skin will fall off
Chase Out All Old Cargoes From Politics – Dino Melaye talks tough again
While speaking to the youths over the past weekend in Abuja at a dinner and lecture organised by the Nigerian Youths Parliament, Dino Melaye disclosed that it was high time those he termed 'old cargoes' were chased out of the political scene.
Photos: OMG! Accident at lekki phase 1 leaves one dead and several injured.
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