Sunday, October 7, 2012

Bakare predicts Mimiko’s victory



Pastor Tunde Bakare

Pastor Tunde Bakare
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Convener, Save Nigeria Group, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has predicted that Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko will be re-elected during the October 20 governorship election in the state.

Bakare, who is the Serving Overseer of The Latter Rain Assembly, said this in the church auditorium on Sunday.

The cleric said, “Mimiko will win hands down.  Thereafter, he will muster strength and there will be an alternative party as people would begin to see leadership by living right and not by material acquisition of flying jets over the people which you want to vote for you, without letting them know how you came about the jets when you have little or no money in your pocket.’’

According to him, the Peoples Democratic Party, with the exception of Lagos, won South-West states in 2007 because the people believed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo was just trying to limit himself to the presidential election.

He stated, “But to their chagrin, their states were swept off and we had the PDP in Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states. They later reclaimed some through court proceedings, verdict and judgments. But God preserved Lagos State in the midst of that hurricane. Through Lagos that was preserved, Bola Tinubu who became the leader of Action Congress of Nigeria, alongside the leadership of the party, began to muster strength and they were able to secure the region from the PDP. It was a breath of fresh air.’’

On economic integration being promoted by the ACN in the region, the clergyman noted that it should be preceded by enabling legislation in each of the state Houses of Assembly to empower individual governor to carry it out.

He also urged the people of Ondo State to be vigilant, vote for candidates of their choice and defend their votes.

Bakare stated, “I want  those who said they will win at all cost to remember what Samuel Akintola said in the election that led to ‘Operation we ti e’, that if people refused to vote for them angel would vote for them. We know the consequences of that. If anybody thinks they can perpetuate any violence in Ondo State, violence will consume the perpetrators of violence.”

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Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed
Kano State Governor, Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso

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Lead City University student, others arrested for internet scam, robbery



Lead City University student, others arrested for internet scam, robbery
SUSPECTED bank robbers and a fraudster, Nurudeen Oyeniyi, were on Thursday paraded by the Oyo State Police command.
Twenty-three year Oyeniyi, a 300-level Mass Communication student of Lead City University, Ibadan, was arrested for allegedly defrauding some foreigners of millions of dollars.
The suspect, who confirmed his involvement in Internet fraud, told the police that he got into the business two years ago.
He also accepted to have swindled two women of huge sums of money.
He said, “I am involved in yahoo business (Internet fraud). I had duped some women living in the United States of various sums of money.
“I was arrested by the police as a suspected armed robber but I told them that my mother owned the car (Range Rover Sport) that they saw me with.
“My mum is a doctor and my dad a retiree.
“I got into the internet fraud business one year ago. The first deal fetched me $17m while the second fetched me $25,000.”
The police also paraded one Kingsley Aniankan, a house keeper, who allegedly robbed the wife of his former employer.
Aniankan, who was sacked by his employer for questionable character, later attacked their residence and stole jewelry and laptop.
The police said Aniankan sold the stolen items to one Alhaji Umaru Haruna in Ibadan.
Also, corpse of one of the suspected robbers, who reportedly attacked a first generation bank in Iseyin on Wednesday, was displayed by the police.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Joseph Mbu, said the stolen gold was valued at N25m.
The suspect, who the police chief claimed sold the gold for N13m, said he used the remaining sum to build a house at Aba Pan, Oluyole Extension and to buy a Bora Volkswagen car.
He said, “The receiver confirmed that he knows Kingsley and that he used to buy gold from him. Investigation shows that he had bought about N9m worth of gold from the suspect.”

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Fashola, a better administrator than Tinubu – Mimiko



Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko

Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko
| credits: File copy

ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko says his Lagos State counterpart, Babatunde Fashola, is a better administrator than  the Action Congress of Nigeria Leader, Chief Bola Tinubu.

Mimiko said this on Saturday at a rally in Okitipupa ahead of the October 20 governorship poll in the state.

He faulted the  comments allegedly made about him by Tinubu, urging  the former Lagos State  governor to be civil in his utterances.

He said, “Those whose pedigree or track records are in the public domain must tread cautiously.

“The cries of him (Tinubu) coming to capture Ondo State,  which is being better managed than any of the ACN controlled states, is a dream that would fall flat on his face.

“In Ondo State, the ACN is not on the ground and they will meet their political waterloo here.  What are they doing in Osun that we have not done better?”

The governor added, “Ondo State is better managed than any of their states. I salute Babatunde Fashola. Whatever anybody may say, he has shown a flash of brilliance in governance. But the eight years before Fashola, what did they do in Lagos?

“They used eight years to build just one Millennium School;in just three and a half years, we have built world-class mega schools all over Ondo  State.

“They talked about integration, if they want to integrate the South-West, is it going to be in one person’s pockets? If that is integration, then Ondo State will never be a part of such a phoney and deceitful integration.

“If it is the integration for the development of our people; to give world-class education to our people; to give world-class hospitals; integration to develop our public transport; to bring development like we are doing in Ondo State for the generality of the people; oh yes, we are for it.

“But if it is integration of the pockets of one person, we will not be part of it and we are aware that the Yoruba across Ondo State and in the South West know the type of integration that they want.

“It is definitely not the type of integration being preached by the leadership of the ACN.”

Mimiko said he was seeking re-election due to his achievements.

He said, “Our people will vote for me based on my performance and based on the fact that they want a real governor, not a District Officer who will repatriate our funds to his taskmasters.”

The governor insisted that  his  adminstration had   placed  the state “on the path of sustainable development”.

Mimiko  accused Agagu   of “surreptitiously trying to draw back the hands of progress in the state by attempting to foist his stooge on the people”.

He described Agagu as “a non-performer” and challenged him to point to any major project that he executed and completed in the Southern senatorial district of the state.

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Slaughter of Uniport Students: Monarch, 13 others Arrested, More Details




Information available obtained through sources within the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State indicate that the four [4] students slaughtered by the mob may have been the result of actions sanctioned by the community monarch of the Aluu in Rivers State.
The brutal beating, burning to death and video taping of the four University of Port Harcourt students whose names were reported as Ugonna, Lloyd, Tekana and Chidiaka was the result of official vigilante work setup by the community and authorized by the Rivers State government.

Senator’s driver arraigned for killing nurse



Senator Ajayi Borroffice

Senator Ajayi Borroffice
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A middle-aged man, Mr. Micheal Agunloye, identified as the personal driver of Senator Ajayi Borroffice, was on Friday arraigned before an Akure Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly killing a nurse, Mrs. Florence Olusori.

Agunloye said to be driving a vehicle in the convoy of Boroffice when the incident happened.

The police accused him of driving dangerously on the Akure-Owo Expressway and in the process killed the 52-year-old nurse.

The charge preferred against the driver reads, “That you Michael Agunloye ‘m’ on August 29, 2012, at about 1630hrs along Akure/Owo Expressway, Akure, in Ogbese Magistrate district, being a driver in charge of an unregistered Nissan Titan V8 Pick-up van with inscription the ‘Pilot vehicle’ driven same on the public highway in a manner in which was dangerous to the public.

 “With regard to the circumstance of the case, including nature, condition and use of highway and the amount of traffic which actually is at the time of which might reasonably be expected to be on highway and caused the death of one Mrs. Florence Olusori and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 and punishable under Section 18(1)RTL Cap 111 Vol.6 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria.”

Agunloye however pleaded not guilty to the charge.

His lawyer, Mr Michael Adeyemi, applied for his bail on liberal terms, saying the offence was a bail able one.

Adeyemi told Chief Magistrate Adeusi Fatusin that since the accused had been on police bail without running away, he would always produce him whenever the case comes up.

The police prosecutor, Mr John Zakari, urged the court to use its discretion in granting the bail.

In his ruling, Fatusin granted Agunloye N500,000 bail and one surety in like sum. He said the surety must have three years tax clearance and Certificate of Occupancy.

He adjourned the hearing of the case until October 15.

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Nigeria Police Force logo
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40 billion-barrel oil reserves possible by 2020 – NNPC



GMD, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu

GMD, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu
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The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has reiterated its determination to work with other stakeholders to grow the nation’s proven crude oil reserves from its current level of 37 billion barrels to 40 billion barrels by the year 2020.

Speaking in Kaduna at a reception organised by the state government in honour of some illustrious sons and daughter of Kaduna State, the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, who was one of those honoured, said apart from ensuring an increase in the level of proven reserves, the corporation was working towards increasing production from the current figure of 2.4 million barrels per day to four million bpd by 2020.

The country’s crude oil production currently averages 2.4 million barrels daily after recording an all-time high of 2.7million bpd late July.

“As we endeavour to achieve effective transformation of the oil and gas industry in line with the Transformation Agenda of the President, our target is to ensure that we grow our proven crude reserves to 40 billion by 2020 and also increase our production to four million barrels per day by 2020,’’ Yakubu said.

The GMD also gave an assurance that the corporation, alongside its Joint Venture partners, was strategically focused on electricity generation through effective alignment with the power supply aspiration of the Federal Government.

He said NNPC was also working on the strategic upgrade of gas infrastructure in Kaduna and other northern states to help resuscitate the ailing textile industries in that part of the country.

Yakubu also reassured residents of Kaduna and adjoining states of adequate supply of petroleum products, noting that the Kaduna refinery was currently producing about four million litres of  petrol per day.

“The Kaduna refinery is one of the best run in the country today. It currently produces four million litres of petrol every couple of days and this has helped us to stabilise supply in Kaduna and its environs, especially at this trying period,’’ he said.

The GMD pledged that the plan to ensure complete turn around and rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries was still intact, as the major equipment for the maintenance of the Port Harcourt Refinery had arrived.

“Once we are done with the Port Harcourt refinery, Kaduna is next in line, and from there, we will move to the Warri refinery,’’ he  said.

Yakubu thanked the government and people of Kaduna State for the special recognition, noting that it was reassuring to know that “you are loved back home when embarking on a journey like this’’.

The event, which had Vice- President  Namadi Sambo as special guest of honour, and former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammadu Uwais, as chairman, also witnessed the conferment  of awards on  theMinister of the Environment, Hajiya Hadiza Mailafia; Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Kumai Akaahs; and National Organising Secretary, Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha.

In his remarks, Sambo commended Yakubu for piloting the corporation in the right direction, especially the recent effort to resuscitate the search for oil in the inland sedimentary basins, particularly the Chad Basin, which had recorded significant breakthroughs.

A similar position was echoed by the Kaduna State Governor, Mr. Patrick Yakowa, who praised Yakubu for his focus and sterling leadership qualities.

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Patrick Ikhariale
Minister of Agriculture and Ruraal Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina
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Flying Eagles beat S/Africa, qualify for 2013 AYC



South Africa’s Asive Langwe (left) evades Tolulope Aluko of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles during an invitational tournament at the Cape Town Stadium ... on Tuesday

South Africa’s Asive Langwe (left) evades Tolulope Aluko of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles during an invitational tournament at the Cape Town Stadium ... on Tuesday
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Nigeria have qualified for the 19th African Youth Championship to be hosted in Algeria next year following the Flying Eagles 3-1 victory over Amajita of South Africa in Ilorin, Kwara State on Sunday.

Nigeria, the defending champions and six-time winners of the tournament, picked the ticket to Algeria 4-2 on aggregate.

The Flying Eagles took the game from the first blast of the whistle but it was not until the 38th minute when Abduljaleel Ajagun, who was voted Most Valuable Player, turned smartly inside the six-yard box before firing past goalkeeper Lebo Ngubeni.

But almost immediately the Amajita drew level on the back of a quick counter attack as the Nigerians seem to still be celebrating their opening goal.

And again it was danger man Thabani Mthembu who scored for South Africa, just as he had done two weeks ago in Nelspruit.

Flying Eagles coach John Obuh commended the resilience of the South Africans.

“It was a mistake on our part as we over-celebrated our goal and we got punished for it,” lamented Obuh after the encounter.

“They are a very good team and they kept us on our toes from start to finish.

“Kudos to the entire team for putting in their best to ensure we will be in Algeria to now defend our crown.”

The game was then delicately balanced at 1-1 before Ajagun delivered the best goal of the day on 45 minutes when he blasted home into the roof of the net to the relief of the large crowd at the Kwara State Stadium.

Enugu Rangers striker Alhaji Gero further settled the nerves of the home crowd when he slipped home a stylish through ball by the outstanding Ajagun.

However, to the credit of the visiting South Africa they did not give up the fight as they opened up and took the game to their hosts.

Goalkeeper and skipper Samuel Okani was at his best as he kept out a goal-bound shot in the 74th minute and in stoppage time, Okani tipped another effort for a corner as Amajita continued to press for another goal.

Okorie was forced to clear into the side netting for a corner as South Africa kept on the pressure.

And when the Ghanaian referee blew the final whistle, players, officials and fans erupted into a wild celebration.

South Africa coach, Solly Luvhengo, commended the sporting skills of both his team and that of the Nigerian team.  He, however, said the weather was not favourable to his team. He added that his players were doing well but caved in when the goals started coming in from Flying Eagles.

“I think for the first 20 minutes, the boys played very well. But when they started scoring goals,  we became jittery.

“The impact of the weather was another factor. It was crazy.  You cannot play football well with this weather,” Luvhengo said.

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Sunshine defiant despite Al Ahly advantage



Despite letting in three goals at home, Sunshine Star said they could still go past Al Ahly and qualify for the CAF Champions League final.

Sunshine Stars midfielder Tamen Mendrano told MTNFootball.com they are in a tight corner after a 3-3 at home against Egyptian champions Ahly, but they will hope to wriggle out of it to reach the final against either Esperance or TP Mazembe. 

“It is not over for us, we wanted to win but ended up with draw,” insisted Mendrano, who capped a fine display in Ijebu-Ode with a great goal.  

“We still have second leg to play. It has happened before and we survived it. We will again take the battle to Al Ahly in the second leg.” 

Sunshine Star coach Gbenga Ogunbote was equally defiant after the six-goal thriller.

“It is not over. We will go to Cairo for our result to take us to final,” maintained Ogunbote.

“If we get the kind of officiating that we had here in Cairo, we will get to final.”

Ahly coach Hossam Al-Badri said his players’ fitness ensured they got a good result on the road.

“We know what Sunshine Stars can do, so we went into long-term camping to make sure the players maintained their fitness level and plan for the game. We also played friendly matches to put the boys in match situation,” said Al-Badri.

“It really worked for us. We came here to tame Sunshine and go for goals which we were able to achieve, scoring three goals away is good for us.

“Sunshine are a good side with great character. I must give them credit for their display and we won’t relent in our preparation ahead of the second leg.”

 

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Stephen Keshi

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Furore over Jonathan’s false claim on corruption



President Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan
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OLALEKAN ADETAYO, in this piece, X-rays the controversy that surrounds the claim by President Goodluck Jonathan in his Independence anniversary speech that his government was highly rated by the Transparency International for its fight against corruption

Since the Union Jack was lowered on October 1, 1960 and Nigeria’s Green-White-Green flag was hoisted to signal the nation’s independence, successive governments have been marking the day as the country’s Independence Day.

However, celebrations have never been limited to the day. Activities are always lined up to precede the D-Day. Such activities include interdenominational services in churches and mosques, Independence lecture and dinner among others, depending on the mood of the nation at the time of the celebration.

Whether low-keyed or elaborate festivity, one activity that has remained unvarying among the programmes is the Independence Day address to the nation by whoever is the head of government at the time of the commemoration. The address, which is aired on radio and television stations in the morning of the Independence Day, is meant to keep citizens abreast of positive developments as well as challenges facing the country since the last celebration. The President may also tell the citizens other issues he wants them to know.

The yearly ritual was expected on October I, 2012. And it happened. Therefore, as early as 7am that morning, when the nation marked its 52nd Independence anniversary, many Nigerians were glued to their television and radio sets with mixed feelings, expecting to hear what their President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan would tell them. Some were looking forward to policy statements that they thought would turn the fortunes of the country around. Others were not expecting anything new from their President who they see as a man who always repeats issues he had raised several times. Some even believed that the President was fond of making bogus claims, which they said were not in tandem with the reality on the ground.

As it turned out, the 17-minute address by Jonathan on that fateful morning has again turned his albatross. Jonathan had in the address given his administration pass marks in some sectors including agriculture, economy and power among others. He, however, courted controversy while attempting to give himself a pat on the back in its administration’s efforts at ending corruption. He boasted that he had so far given the leadership of the nation’s anti-graft agencies freehand to do their job. He added that the decision not to interfere had paid off. He proudly told Nigerians that the global corruption watch body, Transparency International, had rated Nigeria second after United States in the fight against graft.

“In its latest report, Transparency International noted that Nigeria is the second most improved country in the effort to curb corruption. We will sustain the effort in this direction with an even stronger determination to strengthen the institutions that are statutorily entrusted with the task of ending this scourge,” the President had told the nation in  a confident voice. He had made a similar claim at an interdenominational church service held the previous day as part of the activities marking the Independence anniversary.

TI was hitherto known to be critical of Nigeria as far as corruption was concerned. The global body has consistently been placing the nation on the list as one of the most corrupt countries. It is therefore understandable that a piece of news that the same body has recognised Nigeria’s efforts at combating graft will elicit interest from all stakeholders.

The claim by Jonathan has since been found to be untrue with many accusing their President of telling a lie. In fact, TI has reportedly denied issuing such a report. An online publication, Premium Times, reports that TI refuted the claim when it was contacted. “Transparency International does not have a recent rating or report that places Nigeria as the second most improved country in the fight against corruption,” Premium Times  quoted the organisation to have said in a mail.

As expected, the development attracted a lot of flak to the President. First to fire the opening salvo was the opposition political party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, which urged Jonathan to apologise to Nigerians for misleading them. The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said it was taken aback that the President of Africa’s most populous nation and the continent’s second largest economy could make such a frivolous claim on an issue of global concern.

The ACN added that in addition to apologising to all Nigerians for the false  claim, the President must immediately kick-start an investigation into the source of a claim that has exposed his administration and the entire country to global ridicule. It said the wrong claim by the President raised doubts about the authenticity of other claims by the President in the anniversary speech. The party said if the President failed to act quickly to unearth the source of such a spurious claim and ensure it does not recur, he risks a bigger embarrassment from officials who may want to tweak facts and figures to justify their positions.

Although the President has not apologised, he indeed conducted a probe which resulted in a statement that revealed that the claim was actually sourced from a news item in a September 12, 2012 edition of a business newspaper. The explanation was published on the website of the Ministry of Information.

The explanation had ended with, “For a section of the opposition to now cast aspersions on the integrity of the President when he relied on notorious facts (anything published in the press and which remains unchallenged is a notorious fact) is proof positive of the now obvious fact that they lack ideas on how to move Nigeria forward and would rather snipe at efforts of the President to move the nation forward for which any patriot would do.”

Again, ACN won’t take such a statement lying low. The party described the decision of the government to blame the inaccurate claim on the media as a product of bad thinking, saying that the action is worse than the original gaffe. “It is lazy and irresponsible for handsomely-remunerated presidential aides to lift the claim of Nigeria’s supposed progress in the anti-corruption effort from a newspaper and insert such in a presidential speech without confirmation. But then anything is possible in a rookie Presidency populated by apprentice aides,” the party said.

ACN is not alone in the President’s condemnation. It has an ally in the All Nigeria Peoples Party which said it was unreasonable for the President to misrepresent statistics, saying such is a strong message of support to corrupt people and those planning to confuse the citizens for their own personal gain. “Words and body language are potent enough to aggravate corruption just as corrupt practices would. When a leader embellishes a story, he is inadvertently telling his subjects to turn the truth on its head whenever they find the opportunity,” the ANPP said in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Emma Eneukwu.

But to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the backlash that has trailed his boss’ address particularly the anti-corruption claim was unnecessary. Abati is of the opinion that whether the claim was wrong or right, Nigerians should have focused  more on the President’s message which is that his administration is committed to fighting the scourge.

He said, “The President’s message is that this administration is tackling corruption. The revelations from the pension scam and the fuel subsidy scam as well as the sanitation of activities at the ports all came to be because the President sanctioned them. People should focus on the message, namely that a lot of progress has been made and is still being made to tackle corruption in the system. There are lot of people outside there who mislead Nigerians that nothing is being done. These people tackle individuals. What the President did was that he fired hope and promised renewed dedication to the service of the nation. There are those who are looking for a way to water down the message.”

As the controversy lingers, many observers are still waiting to see the fate that will befall those who misled the President into making the spurious claim that has succeeded in bringing him to ridicule in the eyes of many Nigerians. This is so as the President does not write his own speeches. Many are also wondering whether the President should not have insisted on seeing proof of such a claim before reeling it out to unsuspecting Nigerians.

What is however clear in the latest episode is that the self-acclaimed most criticised President in the world has succeeded in attracting fresh criticism to himself. He should be prepared to receive more pebbles, unless he and his aides learn to do their homework well before coming to the public with claims, especially those that are verifiable.

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Can you supplement your income?



Nimi Akinkugbe

Nimi Akinkugbe
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Are you struggling to make ends meet? If so, you are not alone. The high cost of living in the country has prompted many Nigerians to seek out other avenues to earn extra income and still hold on to a full-time job. For all of us, a diversification of earnings is advisable; not only does it boost your earnings, it also provides a safety net should you experience salary delays which have become commonplace, a salary reduction, unexpected job loss or some other financial setback such as major unplanned expenses or significant loss in investments.

Research shows that most successful people earn multiple streams of income primarily from rental income from real estate investments, interest and dividend income from investments in the financial markets and investing in businesses. In addition to this, other avenues exist to supplement your income.

There are different types of people; some capable people are prepared to face the indignity and the consequences of a low income or no income at all, whereas there are others who are determined and are proactive about making efforts to improve their lot and lead a better life by thinking outside the box and seeking to earn extra income by utilising their talents and skills.

Most people have some inherent talents or skills that if properly nurtured could create a huge window of opportunity that will not only help them earn but will also give them a sense of fulfilment and happiness. Have you identified your gift or talent? Don’t just rest on your oars; be creative – think outside the box. Identify your strengths, talents and skills and do something with them. Which one of them can you take immediate action on?

A potential freelance job or business should incorporate the skills and talents you already possess. Ideally, it should require a relatively little amount of your time and require low oversight, be fairly low-risk, and not require huge capital outlay. Above all, it must be customer–centric and deliver a high level of service, and must be unique.

So, what can you do? Are you a good communicator or confident public speaker? Are you an organiser? Are you a budding entrepreneur? Below are just a few self-help examples of what some enterprising Nigerians have embarked upon as they faced the predicament of unemployment or low income. They have effectively utilised their hobbies and talents often resulting in the establishment of viable businesses that subsequently became their primary source of income.

Sadly, several schools have proved inadequate in equipping children for significant examinations without additional support from private tutors. Further, parents often do not have the time or inclination to tutor their children particularly during the long holidays, which makes for huge demand for such services to keep children engaged.

Can you teach someone how to speak properly? Do you have an exceptional skill in a particular academic subject or language? Are you a gifted musician or very skilful in a particular sport? If you possess the deep knowledge and skills and an ability to start teaching a particular subject, or skill, there may be an opportunity to earn extra income. It is worth investing in obtaining some certification to give you an advantage.

Computers and the internet have become an integral part of our lives. Yet many of us are not very proficient with IT and telephony matters and need help with our smart phones, iPads and laptops. Clearly, those with strong skills can seek to offer services in web designing, programming, and trouble-shooting. Individuals and businesses are often in need of high quality presentations for their marketing purposes, and skills in the design of power point presentations are highly sought after.

Do family and friends often compliment you on your outstanding culinary skills? If you are a good cook and enjoy cooking, you can consider giving cookery classes or offer catering services at small events and parties. If you are good at baking, you can start to take orders for birthday cakes and other special occasions. There is some demand for cakes and freshly made sandwiches and light lunches delivered to local businesses during lunch hour. A huge opportunity presents at Christmas when cakes are widely sought after.

If you have creative talent, ideas, and the ability to work with your hands and are passionate about what you do, you can turn your passion into a profitable, part time, money-making business. Sewing, jewelry making, artwork, novel crafts such as candle or soap making are much sought after particularly during the holiday season when people are looking for appropriate gifts.

We all need the help of someone to do home repairs from time to time. Some people are very good at do-it-yourself solutions but unfortunately most do not have the confidence, the tools or the time to do it successfully. We are all too aware that reliable and efficient workmen and technicians to do even the most basic repairs or to sort out plumbing or electrical problems are increasingly hard to find. If you have such skills and is service -oriented and most importantly, have credible referees, you can offer your services to households in a niche area.

*Don’t jeopardise your day job. Be careful not to jeopardise your current employment income by being distracted and losing focus on what you have been contracted to do; you owe your employer your full attention so don’t let any other interests eat into your work time. The key is to keep them separate, yet be well organised so that your side job doesn’t interfere with your regular role and vice versa. It is important to ensure that there is no conflict of interest. It often helps if you are in partnership so that you and your partner/s can cover for each other as the business evolves.

Whilst these efforts on a small scale will not make you rich overnight, you can certainly create some useful extra income this way. Even in difficult times, you can acquire certain skills or build on your existing skills. The independence that you derive from less dependency on an employer opens up a wide vista of options enabling you to experiment with new opportunities and have a better chance at long-term financial stability and success. 

 

More Stories in AM Business

Ugodre Obi-Chukwu
Biztoon

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Nigerian Senate To Stop Kids Of Public Officials From Schooling Abroad



Nigerian Senate To Stop Kids Of Public Officials From Schooling Abroad
If a bill proposed by Senator Basheer Garba Mohammed succeeds, children of public office holders would be restricted from schooling abroad, except for specialized programmes or courses not offered in the nation’s educational institutions.
The bill among other objectives is aimed at restoring the nation’s public educational system by discouraging public officials from sending their children and wards to foreign schools.
Besides, senators have accused some committee heads of using their positions to influence the implementation of only constituency projects in their senatorial districts.
Mohammed noted that aside from neglect suffered by public schools, the desire of many public officials to educate their children overseas had been a major source of capital flight and brain drain. He stressed that in this regard, there was the need for the Senate to adopt drastic measures to rescue the ailing educational system.

“Today, in this digital age, the pupils sit on bare floor. You then ask, what manner of leaders of tomorrow are we producing? You may also ask, where are the children of senators, honourable members, ministers and governors? If our children attend such schools, can we afford to leave them in such a sorry state?”
The senator representing Kano Central stated that the country’s educational system had continued to suffer serious setbacks because political office holders and policy makers had given an impression that they had no confidence in the quality of education.
He described the bill as a patriotic call for sacrifice to restore confidence to the country’s educational sector.
“We should be proud of what we have and Nigeria cannot develop without a sound educational system. You cannot be a minister or commissioner of education or of health and refuse to patronize your own system and expect the system to improve”, Mohammed said.

The bill, however, proposed an option of a special tax for defaulters, which would be channelled toward revamping the ailing educational system in the public sector from primary through secondary to tertiary levels. According to the sponsor of the bill, the tax would be determined in due course.
Some senators yesterday accused the Works Committee headed by Senator Ayogu Eze (Enugu North) of giving priority  to  the projects earmarked for the South East geopolitical zone of the country.
Senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom North East) raised the matter when the Senate went into the Committee of the Whole to consider the report of the Committee on Works on the screening of Nnoli Nnaji for appointment as a member of the Governing Board of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA).
Shortly before Enang raised the matter, Senator Ahmed Lawan (Yobe North) had remarked that the committees on works in both the Senate and the House of Representatives are headed by lawmakers from Enugu State-Senator Ayogu Eze and Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi respectively. He prayed that despite the constitution of the committees in such a  manner, other lawmakers should be carried along in the implementation of projects.

Senator Ita Enang, argued that the roads earmarked for repairs in the South East should not be done because there was no appropriation for them in the 2012 budget. He stressed that FERMA was not representative of the entire country because the membership was skewed in favour of a particular part of the country.

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45-year-old Nigerian blessed with five babies in three days



An Islamic scholar, Mallam Ahmad Mahuta, 45, has been blessed with five babies in three days when two of his wives gave birth to triplets and twins.

Mahuta, a subsistence farmer and an Imam in one of the mosques in his village, Kawaye in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara, told the News Agency of Nigeria that “only Allah can decide such blessings.”

He explained, “Neither me, nor my wives had any inclination that we were going to have these babies with only two days between the deliveries.

“I really am happy to see the mothers and babies all doing well.”

Mother of the triplets, Amina, 34 who gave birth to a boy and two girls, said all the babies were delivered safely at home as there was no prolonged labour.

She said, “We were all surprised to see three healthy babies because I did not carry a big stomach while pregnant.’’

For the other mother, Sa’ida, 31, however, “I have been expecting twins because it runs in my family and my mother had them over 20 years ago.

“I did not know that this was the time because I did not feel any differently than I had during the earlier three pregnancies, this being my fourth,’’ she said.

Father of the five babies appealed for assistance from well meaning members of the public to enable him cater for his family.

“The truth is I can’t afford to provide for all the needs of this enlarged family as my family size has now increased from 11 to 16.

“I therefore want to appeal to the state and local government as well as the well-to-do to come to our aid,” Mahuta said.

NAN gathered that the mothers, who looked healthy at the time of filing this report,  did not attend any ante-natal classes and gave birth to all five babies at home as there was no hospital nearby.

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Adeboye commends Lagos CJ for freeing 233 prisoners



General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, on Sunday  commended the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, for freeing 233 prisoners.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Phillips had on September 18, freed 233 inmates from Kirikiri Medium and Maximum Security Prisons in Lagos, during her visit to the facilities.

Adeboye gave the commendation during a special prayer session for judges and lawyers in the state at the church headquarters in Ebute Metta, Lagos.

“When I heard the news that the Chief Judge of Lagos State released some prisoners, my heart leapt for joy.

“The last time I was in Kirikiri Prisons, I found out that if some inmates had been convicted for offences they committed, the maximum sentence would have been three years, but they have been in prison for more than 12 years awaiting trial.

“If it were to be in some developed countries, the prisoners would have sued government for robbing them of nine years of their lives,” he said.

Adeboye observed that convicts often left prisons worse off.

“Maybe we have not discovered a better way of dealing with some criminals, the only person I know that can change a prisoner on a permanent basis is Jesus.

“There are some people that are in prison because they do not have anyone who would speak for them or defend them,” the clergyman observed.

Justice Bola Okikioloyinile of Lagos State Judiciary later told journalists that the prayer session was aimed at having fruitful legal activities in the state.

Also speaking, a lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Wale Ogunade, advised lawyers to always be on the side of justice.

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Flying Eagles trash South Africa 3-1



Nigeria’s Flying Eagles on Sunday qualified for the 2013 African Youth Championship in Algeria by beating South Africa’s Amajita 3-1 to emerge on 4-2 aggregate, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

The squad coached by John Obuh comprised Europe-based professionals, Kenneth Omeruo and Aliyu Mohammed Goyi.

Both experienced defenders did not feature in the first leg in Nelspruit, which ended in a 1-1 draw a fortnight ago,mtnfootball reports.

The other change from the first game in South Africa was Wikki Tourists forward Umar Aminu, who was a second half substitute in Nelspruit.

South Africa were without influential midfielder Keagan Dolly after his club Ajax Cape Town refused to release him.

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20-year-old girl raped, lip slashed off by attackers



20-year-old girl raped, lip slashed off by attackers

It was double tragedy for Ruth Simon, a 20-year-old girl who was raped and had part of her lower lip chopped off by her attackers. Ruth, who said the incident happened close to her house in Jenta Adamu area of Jos, explained that on September 23, at 11.30 pm while she was returning home, she was accosted by two men suspected to be residing in the area.

She said when they stopped her and started making overtures to her, she pleaded that they should let her go. But before she could get away, they grabbed and pinned her to the ground and one of them covered her mouth with his palm to prevent her from shouting while they began undressing her.

Ruth, who said she was a housemaid at the West of Mines area of Jos said she was still struggling and shouting for help as they were undressing when one of them brought out a knife and chopped off part of her lower lip.

She was wailing in pains when two of them, one after the other had sex with her and abandoned her at the spot afterwards. She later reported the incident at the ‘A’ Division Police Station and through the description she gave, one of her attackers, John Akwara, a welder was arrested, while the other man whose name was given as Ezra Dachalon was still at large. However, this had not solved her problem because Ruth had been unable to get adequate medical attention after the incident.

Her only sibling, Adigizi Simon, an OND holder of Plateau Polytechnic told Daily Sun that since the incident occurred, he had been solely responsible for his sister’s treatment. He said he was yet to get a job and had been depending on handouts from wellwishers to get treatment for his sister. Adigizi said they were natives of Nasarawa Eggon in Nasarawa State.Their father is dead while their mother works as a cleaner at the Police Children’s School in Jos. “It was because she could not afford to send both of us to school that Ruth is working as a housemaid,” Adigizi said. “Since the incident occurred, I have been unable to do anything for myself. I took her to a clinic where the lip was stitched but after some days, the stitches were removed because it developed some infections and pus was coming out of it.

Based on what people prescribed, I have been buying medicine for her to take to kill the pains. “The other boy they say is still at large lives in our area but his father is hiding him in the house. We have no means to bring in the police to arrest him when we spot him in the neighbourhood. We want the police to arrest his father because we believe if they do that, the boy will turn himself to the police.”

He said Ruth was examined after she was raped and was told she was not infected with HIV but they could not ascertain what could happen to her later. Adigizi maintained that he could not take his younger sister to a bigger hospital for treatment due to lack of fund. Meanwhile, Ruth who can no longer go to her place of work is often seen covering her mouth with a piece of rag, hoping that help would come her way, even as she urgently needs plastic surgery to put her lip back in shape.


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PDP wins Plateau bye-elections



Peoples Democratic Party candidate in the October 6 bye-election into the Plateau North senatorial zone, Mr. Gyang Pwajok, has been declared the winner of the bye-election into the vacant seat of Plateau North senatorial zone.

Pwajok defeated five other candidates to emerge as the senator-elect, which became vacant following the death of Senator Gyang Dantong in an ethnic clashes on July 8,

Also the wife of Gyang Fulani, who also met his death in the same circumstance as Dantong was elected to replace he husband as member representing Barakin Ladi state constituency.

Pwajok polled195,349 votes, followed by the Col John Dungs of Democratic People Party who came a distant second with 38,847. Danladi Atu of ANPP came third with 30,237, whileACN’s Yusufu Pam scored 27,609 and Lumumba Dah-Adeh of LP coming last with 25,527 votes.

Announcing the result in the early hours of Sunday, the Returning Officer, Prof Fatima Sawa, said that Pwajok met the requirement of the E
Electoral

Those who contested the election, are the former, Military Administrator of Delta state, Col Dungs (DPP), Ambassador Christopher Giwa (APGA) Dr. Danladi Atu, (ANPP), Lumumba Dah Adeh, LP and Mr.Yusufu Pam, ACN.

Speaking on the conduct of the election, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Habu Zarma said he was overwhelmed by the peaceful conduct of the electorates and the stake holders, stressing that the success of the election was a credit to all.

He appealed to the electorate to sustain the spirit in future elections. Zarma also appealed to the losers to be magnanimous in defeat and to embrace their opponents and work as one family.

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National President, Association of Table Water Producers of Nigeria, Mr. Ina Ubi

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Many feared dead as gunmen attack Yobe village



Many feared dead as gunmen attack Yobe village

Unknown gunmen have attacked Dogon Kuka village in Yobe State, killing and injuring an unspecified number of people.

The gunmen invaded the village on Saturday, and started firing indiscriminately.

Two people died immediately, the Commissioner of Police, Yobe State Command, Patrick Egbuniwe, confirmed to Agence France Presse.

“A group of unknown gunmen stormed Dogon Kuka village and opened fire on residents. From all indications, they were on a shooting spree. From reports reaching us, some people might have been killed,” Egbuniwe told AFP.

The state police commissioner said he could not put a figure on the number of deaths.

“I don’t have details yet but we have deployed security personnel to the village to ascertain the nature and extent of the attack,” he said.

He declined to say if the attackers were members of the extremist Boko Haram, which has been blamed for a string of deadly attacks in several parts of Yobe State and neighbouring Borno State.

The village is about 70 kilometres (45 miles) from Damaturu, the state capital.

More details later.

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NDLEA sniffer dogs detect N351m heroin in footballs, rugs

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Festus Ojagbemi, Nigerian Doctor In UK Committs Suicide After Plan To Marry Two Women Exposed



Lover: Dr Festus Ojagbemi, 49, known as 'Wally', who had a surgery in Strood, Kent, lived with long term partner Jackie Hammond in the week and Bamidele Ayeni (pictured) on the weekends - for seven years Lover: Dr Festus Ojagbemi, 49, known as 'Wally', who had a surgery in Strood, Kent, lived with long term partner Jackie Hammond in the week and Bamidele Ayeni (pictured) on the weekends - for seven years

A cheating Nigerian-born GP who led a double life with two women for seven years and promised to marry both of them one month apart hanged himself when his secret was exposed, an inquest heard.

Dr Festus Ojagbemi, 49, known as ‘Wally’, who had a surgery in Strood, Kent, lived with long-term partner Jackie Hammond in the week and lover Bamidele Ayeni on weekends - for seven years.

He fathered a child with Miss Ayeni - a Nigerian juju singer known as Dele Achiever - and said he would wed them both, while racking up thousands of pounds worth of debt taking them on holidays
But when the secret was discovered by Miss Hammond he stabbed himself twice in the chest at his surgery, St Mary’s Medical Centre, the inquest was told. But he survived that attempt on his life.
While recovering in hospital he told police and both women he was attacked by a stranger. But he eventually confessed the truth to officers - only to take his own life four days later on February 12.
Miss Hammond later found him at the detached house they shared in Hempstead, Kent. A note signed with his nickname was on the TV cabinet near where he was found in the conservatory.

The cost of leading the double life emerged after his death, the inquest in Maidstone, Kent, heard. Miss Hammond said a credit card firm phoned after he died, claiming he owed them £10,000.

She said: ‘I started phoning and everyone told me how much he owed them. By the time we got to the 10th or 11th, the bill was huge. We just couldn’t get our heads around it.

‘I work, I get paid, so we don’t talk about finances. If we go on holiday he would be the one that pays.’

The couple had planned their wedding for this May after almost 20 years together.

Miss Hammond said he killed himself because he felt guilty after the double life was uncovered, adding: ‘He just wanted me to notice he was hurting because of what he had done to me.’

Miss Ayeni did not appear at the inquest but the hearing was told of evidence she gave to police. She claimed Dr Ojagbemi proposed last October and that they were planning a wedding in April.

They had a child, he rented a flat for them, visited on weekends and they would talk six or seven times a day, she said.

Miss Ayeni, who sings Juju and pop music, said she knew about the other partner, but he told her he ‘did not love her any more’. She told officers: ‘I would call him “baby” because he was my baby. I would also call him my "husband".
‘He’s intelligent, loving, caring, he buys me lots of things. Why would he do this to himself? Wally told me not to give anyone the news that we were getting married in April because everyone would go on about it.’

'He’s intelligent, loving, caring, he buys me lots of things. Why would he do this to himself?'
The court heard how the doctor, who also had two other children to two other women, had been off sick from work since December 2011, suffering from high blood pressure and vertigo.

The inquest was also told he had called Miss Ayeni on the day he died to tell her he loved her - and even discussed a wedding photographer with Miss Hammond on the morning he killed himself.

Recording a verdict of suicide, assistant deputy coroner Gail Elliman, said: ‘I am satisfied Dr Ojagbemi took his own life. I won’t go into any speculation about the reasons for doing so.’


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Many feared dead as gunmen attack Yobe village



Many feared dead as gunmen attack Yobe village

Unknown gunmen have attacked Dogon Kuka village in Yobe State, killing and injuring an unspecified number of people.

The gunmen invaded the village on Saturday, and started firing indiscriminately.

Two people died immediately, the Commissioner of Police, Yobe State Command, Patrick Egbuniwe, confirmed to Agence France Presse.

“A group of unknown gunmen stormed Dogon Kuka village and opened fire on residents. From all indications, they were on a shooting spree. From reports reaching us, some people might have been killed,” Egbuniwe told AFP.

The state police commissioner said he could not put a figure on the number of deaths.

“I don’t have details yet but we have deployed security personnel to the village to ascertain the nature and extent of the attack,” he said.

He declined to say if the attackers were members of the extremist Boko Haram, which has been blamed for a string of deadly attacks in several parts of Yobe State and neighbouring Borno State.

The village is about 70 kilometres (45 miles) from Damaturu, the state capital.

More details later.

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