Onazi to wed long-time sweetheart in June

Ogenyi Onazi, Super Eagles and Lazio midfielder, is set to complete the final rights of his marriage to his long-time fiance Sandra Osagioduwa Ogunsuyi on June 18, 2016.

On December 29, 2015, the couple formalised their over-four-year courtship at the Ikoyi Lagos registry in front of friends and family.

The couple were engaged officially for over one year before taking the big leap, and are now set to complete all the marriage rights.

The traditional engagement will take place on Thursday June 16, 2016 at No 5, First Agbo street off Nomayo road, upper Sakponda Benin City by 1pm while the traditional engagement takes place on June 18, 2016 at the Ruby gardens by Fourth roundabout KLM 11 Lekki Epe Expressway Lagos by 10am.

The reception then holds immediately after the Church service at the same venue.

Onazi, one of the stars of the Super Eagles, made his debut in 2012 and has since won 36 international caps.

He played a key role as Nigeria won the 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), and was also a member of the squad to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in 2014.

His wife Sandra is a graduate of public administration.

EU to deport Nigerians in 'exchange for aid'

The EU and Nigeria will discuss a deal to send migrants back to Africa’s most populous country in order to curb migration flows into the union.

The readmission agreement was recently employed between the EU and Turkey, which has dramatically curbed migration flows from the Middle East.

According to Financial Times, the “readmission agreement would probably involve migrants from Nigeria being deported in exchange for EU economic aid for Abuja”.

In the past 16 months, over 25,000 Nigerians have migrated into Italy, one of the 28 countries in the EU, with some more in other European countries.

Figures from the Italian interior ministry show the number of Nigerians arriving has increased 37 per cent this year compared with the same period in 2015.

It would be the bloc’s first major return deal with a sub-Saharan African nation — its only existing one is with tiny island nation Cape Verde.

The EU and Nigeria agreed to “take the necessary steps to launch negotiations” for a deal after meetings in Brussels in March.

The deal with Turkey, as signed earlier in the year, is one in which Ankara agreed to accept the return of migrants landing in Greece — including Syrian refugees — in exchange for benefits, including aid and visa-free travel for Turkish citizens.

The deal with Turkey, saw the European Union give about $7 billion to the Turkish government, in a bid to return its people to their home country.

Striking a deal with Nigeria has become a focus for EU diplomats after a jump in arrivals of people from the country to Europe since 2014.

While the number of Nigerians entering into Europe are just a handful, in comparison to arrivals from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, the EU considers the flow of Africans as a long-term structural problem.

Given the population growth trend not just in Nigeria but across west Africa, “these pressures for migration are going to be huge”, the EU diplomat said.

Nigerians are said to arrive Italy via the central Mediterranean from Libya, seeking greener pasture through dangerous means, with many more expected in the days ahead as Nigeria’s population of more than 180m is expected to jump to 300m by 2030.

Nigeria’s foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment over a potential deal with the EU, but Nigeria may look to the terms secured by Turkey, FT said.

"My ex has been spreading horrible rumours about my current girlfriend"

My name is Kola, I met a girl that I loved in June 2015 but realized later that she was cheating on me so I ended the relationship.

I met someone else later in the year and we started dating, I had no idea my ex and current girlfriends are friends.

A month after we began dating, my ex discovered I was in a relationship with her friend, she came to me one night to confirm what she heard and I did explaining to her that I had no Idea she is close to my current girlfriend.

My ex told me she had nothing against my current girlfriend and besides we aren't dating anymore. Fast forward to some weeks later, I began hearing bad things about my new girlfriend; people have been rumors that she snatched me from her close friend.

I found out that it was gossip spread by my ex to tarnish my girlfriend's image. Please what is my ex trying to do? I need your advice quickly.

---------------

Hi Kola,

Rumors are hard to reverse especially when it looks from outside like the subject of the rumor is guilty. Sometimes you have to set the record straight when you realize some rumors aren’t harmless. Your silence can’t solve everything especially when it comes to setting making things right.

How did you end the relationship with your ex? Did you tell her the reason you left or you just stopped communicating altogether? She may have been hurt by your actions and may be looking for the best way to get back at you.

Since you said your ex and her current girlfriend are close friends, how come she didn’t know you are her friend’s ex-boyfriend?

I’ll advise you call your ex to make peace with her. Even if you aren’t guilty of the accusations she’s throwing at you, just tell her you are sorry. It doesn’t only give you peace of mind but makes you a better man.

Try your best for the sake of peace to reconcile your ex and current girlfriend together, it’s obvious there’s bad blood between both of them. If your ex refuses to listen and accept reconciliation and apology then you have to do what it takes to protect your relationship from her.

MBGN2015 Unoaku Anyadike is Now a "Corper"!

The Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 2015 Unoaku Anyadike is serving Nigeria with the NYSC Batch A 2016 in Lagos State.

She shared a photo of herself in camp at the official swearing in program which held on Friday.

Congratulations corper!

Federal Government Begins Preparation of 2017Budget

The Ministry of Budget and National Planning says it has started preparation of the 2017 budget to enhance economic development.

This is contained in a statement by Charles Dafe, Director of Information in the ministry, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

The statement said that the Minister of State Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed, disclosed this when the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) paid her a courtesy visit.

She added that the Federal Government had also started the preparation of the Medium Term 2016-2020 Development Programme to achieve sustainable development.

The ministry, however, solicited the support of ANAN to build the capacity of the staff on Zero Based Budgeting (ZBB) application.

The minister also appealed to the association to assist the present administration to fight corruption. “As accountants, we can resist corruption, block illegal releases; we need to start from ourselves; we must uphold the tenets of our profession and make ourselves clean and accountable always. Our administration came on a change mantra; we shall be transparent and accountable to all Nigerians,”  she said.

Earlier, Anthony Nzom, ANAN’s President, promised to provide technical knowledge to the staff of the ministry on ZBB concept adopted in the 2016 budget.

Nzom commended the “visionary appointment” made by President Muhammadu Buhari on two fellow members of ANAN, Hajia Zainab Ahmed as minister and Alhaji Tijjani Abdullahi as Director-General of Budget Office.

He said that the nation would benefit a lot from their professional competence and services.

Five Things Tinder Taught Me About Dating

To be honest I am not sure why I joined Tinder. Maybe it had something to do with hearing my EX took his latest squeeze to Venice on holiday; or that all my friends and family seem to be talking about new men in their lives and the only stories I can share are about my ex from 2012 and a date with a guy who was 7 years younger than me (I found out his age after the date, and no my name is not Stella) Maybe it was a combination of all these things and more.

For those who may not know, Tinder is a dating app which matches you with singles in your area based on your interests and friends – if you sign up through Facebook.

To some, joining Tinder may not seem like that much of a big deal. We are in the internet age after all, we pay our bills, watch TV, transfer money and stay in touch with a good portion of our networks via the internet, so why should dating be any different. Well, for me, it was a bit of a humble pie experience. Just a few months ago, my colleague joined Tinder and I had made such a fuss about her meeting only hook-ups and guys who were uninterested in anything serious. Fast forward 4 months later and let’s just say she is doing MUCH better than me on the dating scene. So two days ago, I put my pride in my mouth, downloaded the Tinder app and furnished it with 5 of my most recent and prettiest selfies.

In less than an hour, I was on a roll – swiping left and right and getting notifications of matches and chats. But I couldn’t help but think about just how similar it was to real life, and how I still had so much to learn about dating and even men. I know it’s been less than 72 hours since I joined, so there is probably much more learning to come; but, here are some of the things I have learnt already

Everyone is looking for love
I am not sure if this applies only in Nigeria and/or Lagos, but there seems to be some sort of stigma if you are a single woman who openly admits that she wants a partner but hasn’t found one yet. It’s almost like we are forced to pretend so we don’t seem desperate. The truth is EVERYONE is looking for love at some level or the other.

On Tinder there are people of every strata of society, people like you and I who are looking for meaningful relationships and friendships. Yes, some might have ulterior or not-so-kosher motives, but isn’t that the same with the average Joe you meet at a party or a club? Believe it or not, a few of the guys I am currently chatting with on Tinder are guys I already knew through friends, but we’ve actually never said anything more than a hello in person.

It’s ok to be a little picky
With Tinder it’s all about the swipe. Swipe left if you aren’t interested, and right if you are. Well, after the first few minutes of joining I realised I had gone through about 50 profiles and hadn’t swipped right even once. Ha! I had to calm down. Joining Tinder would be pointless if I wasn’t going to actually take a step and at least try to see behind the picture. But at the same time I didn’t want to just ‘like’ someone for the sake of it.

So I came up with some guiding principles. I only swipe right for profiles who share at least two mutual Facebook friends with me (except on the off chance the guy looks really hawt). I always swipe left for guys who take pictures in front of expensive cars, have topless pictures and put their fingers up in the air or have on dark shades in an enclosed room-I mean really? Also with descriptions, if it’s too long winded or has too many pointless abbreviations i.e. odawise, cuz, ryte or anything similar its a definite LEFT. My friends say I have carried my rubbish picky behaviour to Tinder, but I actually think it’s okay to have preferences. There are guys who will see my picture and make a definite left swipe and that’s okay too.

My somewhat rigid swiping criteria notwithstanding, I have had 13 matches with 5 active chats and conversations. They all seem pretty decent. Time will tell if they turn out to be scrubs.

Buhari Urges Corps Members to be Agents of Change|Promises to create Jobs

President Muhammadu Buhari said on Friday that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme would be used to drive his administration’s change mantra.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the president stated this at the swearing-in of 2016 Batch ‘A’ of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Keffi, Nasarawa state, Ise-Ekiti, Ekiti and Gusau in Zamfara.

The President said that the Federal Government placed a high premium on the NYSC scheme.

The President’s address was read in Ekiti by Odunayo Adesoye, the Director of Youths, Ministry of Information, Youths and Sports Development, who represented Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti.

Also in Keffi, the president’s speech was read by Alhaji Ishaq Galadima, Nasarawa state Commissioner for Youths and Sports on behalf of Governor Tanko Al-Makura,

The president said the scheme is useful because it had proved itself over the years to be a reliable vehicle in inculcating sacrifice and patriotism in Nigerian youths.

“My dear corps members, the National Youth Service Corps which was established four decades ago has demonstrated its ability to remain relevant in the life cycle of the nation,” he said.

The president said the Federal Government would continue to invest hugely in the youth.

While the president decried the dwindling economy of the country, he assured that his administration would strive hard to ensure that challenges facing the nation’s economy would be a thing of the past.

He, however, warned the new youth corps members to shun social vices such as cultism, kidnapping, armed robbery, drug peddling thuggery, prostitution, terrorism, militancy, cybercrimes, bunkering and the get-rich quick syndrome.

“I charge you to use the various NYSC Community Development Services platforms at the grassroots to carry out public enlightenment and mobilisation for change in behaviour, thinking, cultural orientation and outlook,” he said.

According to the president, one of the disturbing problems inherited by this administration is increasing unemployment among the young people, and that will soon be a thing of the past.

“Thousands of graduates from the higher institutions of learning get frustrated daily as they search for non-existing jobs. This is why this administration is anxious to recover illicit wealth to channel them to productive economic venture to absorb thousands into employment,” Buhari said.

The President also charged corps members to work with enthusiasm to better the lives of their host communities.

In his address of welcome, EKiti NYSC Coordinator, Tobechi Ibeh, urged the corps members to be hard working in order to build an egalitarian society for the nation.

Ibeh restated the commitment of the NYSC scheme to attitudinal change that would make the youths to be self-reliant.

NAN reports that no fewer than 1,581 corps members comprising 902 male and 679 female in the 2016 Batch ‘A’ were administered oath of allegiance by the Ekiti Chief Judge, Justice Ayo Daramola.

Also, NYSC State Coordinator in Nasarawa state, Habiba Bappah, said that out of the prospective corps members who reported to camp, a total of 1,935 corps members were duly registered.

She urged the new corps members to participate actively and take various the training sessions seriously; as the sessions were mapped out to give them a better future.

In Gusau, Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara urged the 1, 600 corps members posted to the state to use the period of their service to acquire various entrepreneurship skills.

According to Yari, who was represented by the state Commissioner of Youth, Skill Acquisition and Sports, Alhaji Abdullahi Gurbin-bore, these skills will assist them to be self reliant after the service year.

“I call on you to use your service year to contribute to the development of our dear country by using the service year wisely

NYSC To Deploy Doctors Pharmacists Others To IDPs Camps

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is to deploy medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other medical professionals to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps nationwide.

The Director General of NYSC, Brig-Gen. Sule Kazaure, made this known Thursday while flagging-off the NYSC intervention programme at Damare IDPs camp in Yola.

Kazaure said that the deployment of NYSC to the camps was part of the scheme’s contribution to government’s efforts in assisting the IDPs.

“This programme, which is designed to bring succour to the inmates in this centre, is also intended to compliment government’s efforts towards provision of the welfare needs of members of IDPs nationwide.

“The scheme, therefore, will deploy the services of corps professionals such as medical doctors, nurses, pharmacist, etc to the centre to assist Federal Government in the provision of medical and other sundry needs of the IDPs.

“Specifically corps members will be participating in medical outreaches, environmental sanitation, educational intervention and general awareness creation on healthy living,” he said.

Kazaure also said that the scheme would use the opportunity provided by the programme to distribute food items and other materials to the IDPs.

He said that the flag-off of the intervention programme was his major official assignment outside Abuja and this was an indication of the importance the NYSC attached to the plight of the IDPs.

Kazaure urged other wealthy Nigerians and corporate organisations to assist government in rehabilitating IDPs in the country.

He commended the military, NEMA, Red Cross, NGOs and various faith based organisations for their contributions to welfare of IDPs.

“I want to thank you all, especially, the corps members who despite all odds are currently serving in the state,” Kazaure said.

The leader of IDPs in Damare camp, Mallam Modu Gana, lauded the intervention programme of the NYSC which he said was timely.

Gov. Muhammadu Jibrilla of Adamawa and the State Coordinator of NEMA, Sa’ad Bello, also lauded NYSC for the gesture, which they said, reflected one of the objectives of the scheme.

Pick n Pay Plans Nigeria Entry; to Partner Leventis

Pick n Pay Stores Limited has announced plans to enter Nigeria through a partnership with a local company as the South African retailer extends its reach on the continent following a 26 percent rise in full-year earnings.

The supermarket and clothing chain has agreed to partner Lagos-based AG Leventis & Company to enter Africa’s largest economy, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

Reason behind late singer's lack of Will revealed

The reports state that the late music icon's finances and business affairs had been in chaos as he had distrusted most of the people he had worked with mostly because of their lack of experience.



Prince  (dailymail)
Following the revelation that late singer, Prince had left no will prior to his death, a fact made known by his sister, Tyka Nelson, TMZ has now revealed the reason behind the lack thereof.

Ladies' Here's Why You Should Be Lifting

Lust because you’re not vying for 20-inch biceps or thunderously strong thighs like the muscle heads in the gym, doesn’t mean you should shun the weight room. Lifting weights gives you an edge over belly fat, stress, heart disease, and cancer, and it’s also the single most effective way to look hot in a bikini. Yet somehow women are still hesitant: Only about a fifth of women strength train two or more times a week. Here are some reasons you shouldn’t live another day without hitting the weights.

You’ll Lose 40 Percent More Fat
If you think cardio is the key to blasting belly fat, keep reading: When Penn State researchers put dieters into three groups, no exercise, aerobic exercise only, or aerobic exercise and weight training, they all lost around 21 pounds, but the lifters shed six more pounds of fat than those who didn’t pump iron. Why? The lifters’ loss was almost pure fat; the others lost fat and muscle.
Other research on dieters who don’t lift shows that, on average, 75 percent of their weight loss is from fat, while 25 percent is from muscle. Muscle loss may drop your scale weight, but it doesn’t improve your reflection in the mirror and it makes you more likely to gain back the flab you lost. However, if you weight train as you diet, you’ll protect your hard-earned muscle and burn more fat.

UI Shut Indefinitely After Violent Protest By Students

Following two days of violent protest by the students of the University of Ibadan, the institution was on Tuesday closed indefinitely.

The protesting students, had last monday and through the early hours of yesterday protested against the suspension of a union leader by the Student Disciplinary Committee. Other things protested against were lack of power and water among other municipal needs on campus.

The students protest led to chasing of other students out off lecture rooms with canes while entrance gates and roads within the university were put under lock and key and barricaded.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University,  Professor Abel Olayinka, who announced the closure of the institution, said the decision was necessitated by the need to check the uprising on campus, adding that the protests had led to a situation where life-threatening acts and text messages had been sent and received around the campus with some students allegedly covering their faces during the protest.

Twitter shares plunge on weak earnings

Twitter's latest earnings results have disappointed investors, coming in below expectations as the firm struggles with weak growth in users and advertising.
Shares in Twitter plunged 13.6% after the results were out.
Twitter had 310 million monthly users in the first quarter while revenue was $594.5m (£407.89m), which missed analyst expectations.
The company has for years struggled to generate profits from its large base of users.

Not Funny By Seun Onele

Recently appeared on CNBC Africa Live with Folake Alabi (Senior Associate at Olaniwun Ajayi LP) where we examined the propriety of the recent circulars issued by the Central of Bank of Nigeria seeking to restrict access to the foreign exchange market and brought life to the topic:

Is the Central Bank of Bank of Nigeria going too far?

Super Story By Samuel Osho

Have you felt terribly down and depressed but a conversation with a friend lifted your soul? Have you ever experienced a decline in the booming ecstasy in your heart as a result of communicating with a friend?

Words have the innate ability to replicate what they carry in the lives of those who read or hear them. If they are words of healing, they will heal a wounded soul. If they are words of envy and hate, they can initiate thoughts of hatred in the hearts of those that behold them.

Only few words are empty, they really do carry substances which could either be poisonous or therapeutic, all depends on where they are manufactured and packaged - the heart.

Nigeria is Losing $1.5bn to Piracy at Sea, Smuggling & Fuel Supply fraud every month!

Nigeria is losing about 1.5 billion dollars a month to piracy, armed robbery at sea, smuggling, and fuel supply fraud, a U.S. official said.

Ambassador Michele Sison, U.S. Deputy Representative to the UN, made this known on Monday in New York.

She made the revelation at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Peace Consolidation in West Africa with the theme “Piracy and Armed Robbery at Sea in the Gulf of Guinea.“

Sison said illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing also generate a sizeable income loss in the hundreds of millions of dollars a year, for many countries and communities that depend on this sector to survive.

She said that earlier this month on April 11 at 7.56 p.m., pirates attacked a cargo vessel off the coast of Nigeria.

She added that the pirates waited for darkness before ambushing the vessel and boarded with force.

The captain and crew sounded the alarm and hid in a protected space on the ship only to discover when they emerged the following day that two of their crew were missing.

A second officer from the Philippines and an electrician from Egypt; both are still missing.

This was neither the first pirate attack of the year, nor even the first attack that day.

Earlier on April 11, the very same day, pirates had attacked a Turkish cargo ship off the coast of Nigeria, kidnapping six of the crew, including the vessel’s captain.

Those men are also still missing.

Piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea are increasing at an alarming rate, with some industry experts recording at least 32 attacks off the coast of Nigeria alone in 2016, affecting many Member States, including the U.S.

The economic consequences for the people of the region are devastating.

According to a Chatham House report, as much as 400,000 barrels of crude oil are stolen each day in the Gulf of Guinea. she said.

What’s causing this?
She said:” we have spoken many times in this chamber about the root causes of piracy, ineffective governance structures, weak rule of law, precarious legal frameworks and inadequate naval, coast guard, and maritime law enforcement.

“The absence of an effective maritime governance system in particular hampers freedom of movement in the region, disrupts trade and economic growth, and facilitates environmental crimes.

“We have also acknowledged in our resolutions and in the presidential statement adopted this morning that the solution to these root causes lies in greater African stewardship of maritime safety and security at the continental, regional, and Member State level.

“Strong political will from African governments and leaders is needed to pursue and prosecute crimes at all levels within criminal enterprises”.

She said that maritime crime flourishes under ineffective or complicit governance structures, but was diminished when rule of law was effective.

She said that with the absence of African ownership and action from national and local governments to tackle maritime security challenges, there was little reason to believe that attacks in the Gulf of Guinea would decline.

In this regard, she welcomed the Yaoundé Summit documents, which articulated a comprehensive view of maritime safety and security, including combating illegal fishing; trafficking of arms, people, drugs, and maritime pollution.

Sison underscored the importance of a comprehensive regional approach to addressing maritime insecurity.

A comprehensive approach, she said, would help to reduce the loss of national revenue, support socioeconomic development and expand environmental protection in the region.

FG needs 2 TRILLION Naira to Complete Current Road Projects – Fashola

The Federal Government will require about N2 trillion to complete no new fewer than 226 ongoing road projects across the country.

The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola made the disclosure in Lagos while speaking at a Town Hall meeting organized to brief the public on the activities of the government in the last 11months.

He, however, said the total amount allocated to all the sectors under his ministry in the 2016 budget was less than N500billion,stressing that the government did not have enough resources to complete all the projects at present.
Fashola added that the focus of the government for now would be to complete some of the projects and not to undertake new ones.

The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing proposed N423billion at the Federal Executive Council and the information reaching us is that we are not going to get all that .
Ongoing road projects alone awarded by the government before we came– about 266 roads awarded in the various states– the liability to complete them is about N2trillion.
So, when you look at N400billion,you know that that that is not enough, but when you compare what this administration is going to do with the N400billion, with what the last administration did,you will know it is much progress.
What the last administration did was to budget N18billion for all the roads in the country, knowing the liability was in excess of N2trilion.
For the three sectors,that is Works,Housing and Power, the total budget by the last administration was N24.5billion.So ,this administration decided to move away from that and that is why we have a figure that may not be enough, but substantial for the sectors“he said.

In the power sector,the minister said though there were many challenges facing the sector, the government will do everything possible to fulfill its promise to revamp it. According to Fashola, the 5,000 megawatts the country was generating was inadequate and explained that the government was completing some ongoing power projects and and taking other steps to boost generation.

On electricity metering, Fashola said his ministry was engaging the distribution companies to ensure that they distribute metres to households.

He said it was through metering that consumers could be appropriately charged and that power companies themselves could block revenue leakages

The minister revealed the government is designing a housing model for the country that would not only take care the problem of affordability but also take into consideration cultural suitability in every part of the nation.

Photo Credit: Lukesh Photo

Tiwa Savage Surprised a Fan with a Free Performance at her Wedding

Folakemi got a huge surprise at her wedding. She is a big-time Tiwa Savage fan and even had a Nautical-themed bridal shower, just like Tiwa’s baby shower.

The singer suprised Folakemi at her wedding and shared some pictures on Instagram with some loving words for her fans:

Somethings in life are priceless. I love my supporters and always try to do everything in my power to show how much I appreciate them. I have some very loyal ones, my#SavageSoldiers and today one of them got married. When I found out I actually re-arranged my schedule to accommodate the wedding. She had no idea I was coming and the expression on her face was worth any money lost because sometimes you have to appreciate those that support day and night with all their heart, they become family because you can’t explain why they love you so much. Congratulations@pweetyblack May your marriage be fruitful and even more beautiful than your wedding day. To the rest of my sisters “the savage soldiers” I was so shy seeing you all today but believe me inside I was over excited. I love each and everyone of you all. God bless you

Photo Credit: Instagram/Tiwa Savage

Peter & Paul Okoye of PSquare are Shooting a New Video in South Africa

They are back to making new music for their fans and we can’t wait to see what the PSquare brothers have in store for us.

Right now they are shooting a music video in South Africa and one thing we know the video will have are hot chicks.

Many Lagos Private Schools “not complying with standards” – collect huge school fees & pay teachers “peanuts” | Gov’t to Begin Visitations

The Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Education is to begin unannounced visitations to private schools in the state to monitor their standards.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that many of the private schools were not complying with standards and that they were always paying peanuts to teachers after collecting huge school fees from parents.

The Chairman of the committee, Lanre Ogunyemi, (APC-Ojo II), told NAN in an interview in Lagos on Sunday that the visitation was to compel the private school operators to comply with standards.

“Part of our oversight functions is to ensure that the ministry of education is doing what it ought to do in monitoring and inspection of these private schools.

“The ministry ought to work to the extent that it can assure the public that the quality of education these private schools are delivering is good enough.

“The private schools will soon be feeling the presence of the house committee on education.

“The committee is planning to ensure that private schools maintained high standards and qualitative staffing for the parents and children who patronised them.

“A situation where private schools engage school certificate holders to be teachers, paying paltry sum of maybe 8,000 or 20,000 will no longer be tolerated.

“The private schools too will also be feeling our presence in their domain any time from now,” he said.

The lawmaker said the committee had gone round the model colleges and public schools unannounced to ascertain the true situation of things.

Ogunyemi said the State Government was fixing its own schools to have courage to look into what obtained in private schools.

He said, however, that private schools were partners in progress with the State Government in the delivery of the quality education the state was aspiring to have.

On the qualification of teacher, the lawmaker said that the minimum teaching certificate in public and private schools in Lagos State should be the Nigerian Certificate in Education.

“School certificate for God’s sake is not a teaching qualification, at best they can be clerks, helping staff in those private schools.”

Ogunyemi said that if the state would not compromise standards in its public schools, private school operators should maintain high standards in staffing.

“You won’t see anybody below Nigerian Certificate in Education teaching in our public schools because the regulatory body that employs teachers won’t employ anybody with a certificate less than NCE.

“In private schools anything goes they want to have cheap staff and make more money.

“So, such private schools are bound to feel our reactions to all of these and we are looking at it seriously.”

Kano-Lagos Passenger train crushes 2 to death in Ilorin

A Kano to Lagos passenger train on Sunday crushed a commercial motorcyclist and his passenger to death in llorin.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who witnessed the incident reported that the tragedy occurred along Kangu-lle-Araromi road in the llorin West Local Government Area.

The train crushed the motorcyclist and his passenger, a middle-aged woman, when the motorcyclist tried to cross the rail line around 11 a.m.

The train later stopped some metres from the spot of the accident but there was nothing anybody could do as the victims had died instantly. Hundreds of people, including motorists and commercial motorcyclists, trooped to the scene of the accident to catch a glimpse of the victims.

Some residents, including children, burst into tears when they sighted the lifeless bodies of the victims.
Some members of the commercial motorcyclist association at the gate of the Michael lmoudu lnstitute of Labour, identified the motorcyclist as one of their members.

Policemen from the Ganmo Police Station later evacuated the two bodies. Officials of the Ilorin office of the Nigeria Railway Corporation were not in their offices when NAN correspondent visited the office for comments.

However, the Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Police Command, Samuel Okasanmi, said the command would investigate the cause of the incident.

Fire razes over 150 shops, shanties in Lagos

About 150 buildings were razed by fire in the Ebute Metta, Oyingbo area of Lagos state, SUNDAY PUNCH reports.

The report also states that the fire was as a result of electrical surge after power was restored.

One of the victims, Saidi Ibrahim said hoodlums working for land grabbers had threatened residents to leave the place a few weeks before. “This fire is not ordinary. Just two weeks before, hoodlums working for land grabbers have threatened us with eviction, saying the place had been bought,” he said.

Another victim, Olalomi Kazeem said, “I don’t stay here. I own a shop and sell soft drinks and food stuffs. I was called about 3am that fire was destroying apartments in the area. By the time I arrived, everything was gone. It will take a long time for us to recover from this disaster. We want the government to assist us.”

Director of Lagos state Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe confirming then incident said “We received the alert around 10.30pm on Friday and we deployed three water trucks from the Ojo, Isolo and Sari Iganmu fire stations there. It’s a shanty area and over 150 structures were destroyed. We could not ascertain the cause of the fire. We put it out about 5.30am on Saturday. There was no casualty.”

Isn’t Mark Zuckerberg the sweetest? Read his Loving Words to his wife, Priscilla Chan

SLBbrought you news that Facebook Founder, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, are two of TIME Magazine’s most influential people.

Though this isn’t Mark’s first time of being profiled, this would be Priscilla’s first cover.

To celebrate, Mark hit up Facebook to say,

“Most days Priscilla works outside the spotlight in the hospital or the classroom. This is the first time she’s on the cover of a magazine. I’m looking forward to the world getting to know the strong, kind, compassionate person I love so much”

UNILAG set to resume Academic Activities on May 2nd

Weeks after the University of Lagos (UNILAG) closed down due to a strike by the students over their living conditions, the University Senate at its emergency meeting held onFriday, April 22, directed that the institution should resume full academic activities on Monday, May 2, 2016, with examinations commencing the week after. Students however have to adhere to the few conditions stated on their website.

'Visit the University website www.unilag.edu.ng and download the Undertaking and Indemnity Form.
· Students are to complete the Undertaking Form and get it notarized.
· Parents and Guardians are to complete the Parents Indemnity Form.
· Completed Undertaking Form which must be notarized and Parent’s Indemnity Form should be submitted at the various Departments and a clearance obtained. The clearance would be required to gain access into examination halls.
· Students accommodated in halls of residence are to obtain a clearance from the Departmental Officer which must be presented at the halls of residence to gain access into their rooms from Monday, May 2, 2016.
· Students are expected to visit the University website from Friday, April 22, 2016 and complete the clearance process on or before Monday, May 2, 2016.
· Examinations would commence from Monday, May 9, 2016. Consequently, students are expected to generate their examination dockets and ensure it is duly endorsed by their Course Advisers between Monday, April 25 and Monday, May 2, 2016.
· No student would be readmitted without completing the above process.
- The University would endeavour to provide electricity in the various halls of residence between the hours of 7.00 pm and 7.00 am daily. The boreholes in the hostels would continue to provide water supply to the hostels until normal supply from the Lagos State Water Corporation resumes.
- Examination commences on Monday, May 9, 2016. Students are to confirm their examination time-table from the various Faculties/Departments."

2016Batch A orientation commences April 27 - NYSC DG

The  2016 Batch ‘A’ Orientation exercise of the  National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC) will commence on April 27, 2016, the Director General, Brigadier General Sule Zakari Kazaure, said yesterday.
He said in a statement signed by the Director of Public Relations Department, Abosede Aderigbibe, that the scheme solicited the usual support of the police force in the protection of orientation camps.   He called for deeper relationship between the scheme and the police,  saying: “Two heads are better than one so, there is strength in collaboration."

Queen Earth has Checked Us! What’s Our Move?

I have a friend that loves chess. I do not play it, but we usually talk about the rules of the game. True love is like playing chess. A boy strategically plots and is always afraid of losing his Queen, and the girl risks everything just to protect her king. Mother Earth is the queen, and each human is a king. We are one with the Earth. This is a love story. Though, it is a selfish love. The Earth is always giving, and we are always taking. Similar to chess, the Queen always protects the King even at her detriment. You see, Queen Earth is so loving, incredibly beautiful and overly bounteous. She gives us air to breathe, food to eat, clean water to drink and healing herbs to restore us when we are sick. With the help of the sunlight, we experience the miracle of photosynthesis, the process in which plants manufacture their food, leaving us oxygen to inhale. With every breath, we experience tranquility and relish the wonders of life.

Queen Earth does all these selfless and remarkable things for us. What do we do in return? We abuse it, that’s kind of messed up! We throw waste everywhere, urinate in public places, and buy things we do not need.

We are corrupt. When we think of corruption, we think of rape, murder, political instability, fraud, and embezzlement. Corruption in an environmental sense is when we needlessly drop waste on the floor without any sense of guilt, expecting someone else to sort it out. Imagine the frustration when you unknowingly step on a used chewing gum. It sticks firmly and does not come off easily (sometimes this might just be karma).

Corruption is eating in excess and wasting water when there are people in our backyard that do not have access to potable water and food (there is a health consequence for over-eating anyway). Corruption is when we place our generators in close proximity to where others can inhale toxic substances. Corruption is urinating and defecating in public places. Corruption is choosing not to carpool with siblings, co-worker or spouse to the same event or location because we want to show off our cars. The more cars that are on the road, the more greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere (you can actually save money by carpooling). Sure, these practices are hardly equivalent to murder or rape but in the long run, their cumulative effects are detrimental to human lives and ultimately destroy this earth.

All our negative contributions affect the earth, and it is a betrayal of love. How can we redeem this love? First, we can do that by living simply. We do not need to consume a lot to be happy. We need to change our way of seeing things. We are so used to the earth, we take it for granted. As is the case of a selfish relationship, we do not know what we have till it is gone. We need to realise that the earth is not just a habitat and that it doesn’t exist outside of us. When we realize that the Earth provides us with all the vital elements needed for survival including the air we breathe, then we will know that in fact we are the Earth. Our consciousness is also the Earth’s consciousness. We are in communion with the earth. If it is toxic, we are toxic. Therefore, we need to care for the Earth as we care for ourselves.

At the end of a chess game, the king and the pawn go into the same box. Whether you are rich, poor, Christian, Buddhist, Jews, Muslims, male, female, politician, doctor, king, slave white, black, it does not really matter. We are all in this together. The Earth and its entire species are in real danger. However, just like a devoted lover, Queen Earth is willing to forgive us so far we are willing to admit our mistakes and develop a cordial relationship with her. Go outside, take a deep breath, appreciate the Queen, romance with it and protect it. We are Homo sapiens, but we can be Homo conscious. Let us be conscious of our excesses. We should simply keep it simple.

Here is what you can do:
1. Dispose of your waste properly
2. Eat organic food: Real food is fuel for the body — and the planet.
3. Use organic products: the average woman absorbs more than 4 pounds of cosmetics during her lifetime. Guys, you’re not off the hook.
4. Switch off your appliances when not in use (it will save you electricity bill and reduce emissions)
5. Investing in clean, renewable power (CFCs Bulbs, solar panels, etc.)
6. Green your transport: Walk, bike, take public transportation or carpool. You will not only reduce (or eliminate) the carbon dioxide and particulate emissions but also stay fit in the process.
7. Recycle: Nature recycles everything. So should you.
8. Conserve water: Water is not a renewable resource
9. Educate others

In Chess, the end game can be a difficult challenge. It can be hard to cut down excesses, but it is definitely doable. Romancing with Queen Earth is no longer an obligation, our survival and happiness depend on it. If Queen Earth is angry, we will only have ourselves to blame when she checkmates us into submission. And yes, this is personal.

Photo Credit: Dreamstime

#FamilyFirst! DJ Cuppy, Temi, Femi & Nana Otedola celebrate Olawumi’s Birthday in London

Olawumi Otedola, Femi Otedola’s oldest daughter, celebrated her birthday yesterday and her two sisters – fashionista Temi and DJ Cuppy – traveled to London to spend the day with their sister.

They shared photos from the intimate birthday as well as loving worlds as they celebrated their sister.

Temi wrote “Happy Birthday to my older sister, therapist, goddess and guardian angel Love you @olawoomi #JTOFashion #birthday #celebration” while DJ Cuppy explained that even though she had almost missed it, she made it into London just in time. She wrote “Happy Birthday To My Sister@Olawoomi We LOVE You! #FamilyFirst #Sisters #TaurasSeason”

30-year old Wumi is in the music industry along with DJ Cuppy. Wumi debuted her newest single in 2014

Arik Air resumes flight operations | Claims it paid N18.9 billion and not N11.5 billion to FAAN

Arik Air on Thursday claimed that it had paid a total sum of N18.9 billion to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) from January 2007 till date.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Managing Director of Arik Air, Chris Ndulue, made the claim while briefing aviation correspondents in Lagos.

NAN reports that the airline’s operations at the Murtala Muhammed Airport were disrupted on Wednesday by aviation unions and some FAAN workers, over its alleged N12.5 billion indebtedness to the agency.

However, Ndulue, while apologising to the airline’s passengers for the inconveniences caused by the development, confirmed that Arik Air had resumed both domestic and international operations.

He noted that it was very strange that while the airline’s records showed the payment of N18.9 billion, FAAN claimed that it received only N11.4 billion.

According to him, every efforts have been made over the years to reconcile the disputed figures, including the setting up of a ministerial committee by the former Permanent Secretary of the aviation ministry, Binta Bello.

Ndulue said while the committee was still trying to resolve the issue, FAAN instituted a suit against the airline in October 2015 at the Federal High Court, Lagos.

He said FAAN again informed the court on Feb.3, 2016 that parties should be allowed to explore an amicable resolution to the dispute by appointing an independent auditor, to reconcile the figures.

“So the issue of whether Arik Air is indebted or not to FAAN has been put before a competent court in a suit initiated by the agency. For FAAN to resort to self-help or by its staff is an affront on the Federal High Court and the Nigerian State. A situation whereby staff of FAAN and union members turn themselves into debt collection agents, on behalf of the Federal Government is absurd,” Ndulue said.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Arik Air, Arumemi Ikhide, confirmed that the airline’s management had met with the Minister of State for Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, over the unions’ action.

“We are prepared and want to pay for services rendered, but we will not be bullied. What happened yesterday (Wednesday) is not good for the image of the country,” he added.

About NAN
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria in May 1976 to gather and distribute news on Nigeria and cover events of interest to Nigeria at the international level for the benefit of the Nigerian Media and the Public.

High-Tech Ways to Manage Diabetes

Over the last few decades, technology has given rise to many devices designed to help people manage their diabetes—electronic blood glucose monitors, insulin pumps, insulin pens and so on. Medications are constantly evolving, too. For example, in the summer of 2014, the Food and Drug Administration approved inhaled insulin for people with Type 1 diabetes who need to take insulin at mealtime.

And the developments keep coming. If you have diabetes, look what technology might be able to do for you:

Continuous glucose monitors                        

Instead of pricking your finger to measure your blood sugar levels every few hours, you could get blood glucose readings every five minutes from a small sensor inserted just beneath the top layer of your skin. With a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), the results are transmitted to a small monitor you can put in your pocket or attach to your belt. Some models will even alert you if your levels get too high. Some people with Type 1 diabetes use CGMs in tandem with smart insulin pumps to stay on top of their levels. You won’t be entirely free of finger-sticks, however. Experts generally suggest that you still test your blood the old-fashioned way several times a day.

Blood glucose meters

Blood glucose meters, which measure blood sugar levels by analyzing a small drop of blood, have come a long way. They’re smaller, more portable and more accurate than ever before. Now you can even use a wireless blood glucometer that records and synchs information to your smartphone, so you can easily track the data yourself or even email the information to your healthcare provider.

Mobile medical apps for continuous glucose monitoring

There’s an app for just about everything now. Now you can use an app to securely transmit data from your continuous glucose monitor through your smartphone to your designated followers—think Instagram but with blood glucose readings instead of photos of outfits or fancy foods. Your followers can see your data in real time and download it.

Breathalyzer

No more needles and painful finger-sticks for you with this handheld gadget, which is not yet available for sale. The breathalyzer was designed to determine blood glucose levels by detecting the presence of a ketone known as acetone that builds up in your body when you don’t have enough available insulin.

Socks

People with diabetes have long worn special support socks to improve circulation in their feet and lower legs and ward off blisters and ulcers. Usually, they’re seamless, padded and made of a warm, breathable material that won’t irritate your feet. Now researchers are hoping to up the ante—and the protection factor—by developing “smart socks” that will detect changes in temperature and pressure, which could lead to better ulcer prevention. Or if you prefer a slightly lower tech but still very helpful sock, you might be interested in a line of socks made with copper-infused fibers that work to prevent ulcers by killing off viruses, fungi, and bacteria.

Contact lenses

Your eyes naturally generate tears to keep your eye moist. Imagine a contact lens with an embedded sensor that could detect your glucose levels from those tears and send a signal to a smartphone to give you a reading. Or maybe you’d prefer a contact lens with a tiny LED light that would change color if its sensor detected higher-than-normal glucose levels. Someday soon, you might not have to imagine them—they might be available in the same aisle with your saline solution.

Wearable artificial pancreas

Researchers have been working to develop a portable artificial pancreas for patients with Type 1 diabetes who have insulin pumps.

Arik Air Suspends Flights & leaves Passengers Stranded as Employees protest alleged Indebtedness

The Nigerian Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) on Wednesday disrupted Arik Air’s flight operations at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The Union was protesting an alleged indebtedness of N12.4 billion by the airline to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). They were seen with placards which read, “Arik!!! Pay your debts. N12.4 billion is too much.”, “FAAN can no longer pay salaries, pensions, staff claims due to debts.”

The protest led to the grounding of all Arik Air’s flight on Wednesday.

Protesting Union Workers. Photo Credit: Daily Trust

Arik Air has apologized to its customers in a statement signed by the airline’s spokesperson Adebanji Ola saying it is still in talks with the management of FAAN. It read:

Workers of the airline were prevented from gaining access to their duty posts, thereby disrupting the day’s operations. The action by the workers’ union is connected with the long-standing and unsubstantiated claim by FAAN alleging spurious indebtedness of the airline to the agency, which is now a matter before a Federal High Court in Lagos at the instance of FAAN.

For several months, the managements of Arik Air and FAAN have been meeting to reconcile the accounts between the two institutions. The reconciliation process is still ongoing until the latest actions by the union.

The current situation is deeply out of control of Arik Air and the management of the airline has been compelled to suspend all domestic operations for today. This will remain in force until such a time that the unfortunate situation is resolved.

Arik Air sincerely apologises for the inconveniences the FAAN workers’ union’s action may have caused its esteemed passengers. We live to serve the needs of the people of the great nation, Nigeria.

We look forward to working collaboratively with FAAN and other aviation agencies to resolve the impasse and return to our core purpose of providing essential world class services to the people of Nigeria.

Rob Kardashian gifts Blac Chyna a Huracan Lamborghini & Calls her “My Beautiful Wife”

Love is such a beautiful thing and we like how reality TV star Rob Kardashian and his fiancée Blac Chyna are not letting negativity affect them.

Showing his undying love, Rob Kardashian gave Blac Chyna a gorgeous purple Huracan Lamborghini which she announced via Snapchat and a couple of hours later Rob posted a photo of Blac Chyna on his page with the caption “My beautiful wife”.

They are so cute.

According to reports the purple Lambo set Rob back $200K.

British Council Open House Lagos, the biggest Architectural showcase in Nigeria is here | 29th April – 1st May, 2016

The British Council Open House Lagos is here.

Open House Lagos is a 2 day event that aims at showcasing the outstanding architecture of Lagos for all to experience, completely for free.

Open House Lagos is part of the Open House Worldwide family. It has been established in 30 unique cities to include London, New York, Tel Aviv,  Madrid, Barcelona,  Dublin, Jerusalem, Vienna, Athens among others.

The event invites everyone to understand the value of a well-designed built environment by exploring Lagos, celebrating its architectural growth and the way residents interact with their environment. The concept explores Lagos architectural history and encourages people to think about their environment by seeing the old, the new and what the city can be.

Open House Lagos is set to take place from Friday, 29th April – Sunday 1st May 2016. Each day will offer residents, local and international visitors an enriched cultural experience, also by providing opportunities to access buildings not usually open to the public and encourage informed discussions.

The event will feature  in-location fringe activities to enhance audience experiences and bring an entertaining dimension to our understanding of Lagos architecture through musical performance, spoken word and dance.

http://www.openhouseworldwide.org/

Do You Want A Job or a Career?

I was recently giving an obviously dubious career pep talk to my colleagues when one ambitious fellow pulled me aside to ask for the difference between a job and a career.
In my usual sarcastic way (I swear, I’m gonna get beaten up one of these days), I wanted to remind him that Google isn’t connected to PHCN (if you ain’t a Nigerian, that’s probably lost on you).
But then I thought deeply about it and found that I didn’t have a ready answer. So that evening, while nursing a tumbler of Vedka, ice and Coke, I sat to dimension it from my own perspective.

The internet is chuck full of different meanings but since jobs and especially careers are deeply personal things, maybe it would be better to look at it in that perspective. My definitions are definitely mine and I ain’t making any attempt to be politically correct.

A job is something you do to stay alive while a career is something you stay alive to do.
I’m already having a headache digesting that myself.

The Job
A job is what you do to earn money for its own sake. You don’t, necessarily, have to like it or even want to stay longer than required. As far as you are concern, a job puts bread on the table and shirt on your back. You may or may not like your boss. You could even be like some people I know, when bored, you fantasize about beating your supervisor up. Trust me, while it’s a bad thought, it can be satisfying.

You get into a job out of necessity unless you are greedy lass where the perks and the money is what drives you. Jobs can be stressful as you do it for survival, you practically have to drag yourself out of bed each morning just to be there.

If you find someone who is cranky, hardly smiling, drives like a maniac and it’s evening – he’s coming back from a job.

Most jobs are dead-end; but if, and I mean a big if, you can find a light at the end of that job’s tunnel which isn’t a train, it could become a career.

A Career
If you’ve dated a cute chic before, you would understand what a career is. You just want to do it. It may or may not pay as much as much but it makes you satisfied and happy. It’s usually a lifelong obsession.

You make a lot of stupid and irrational decisions about a career – get certifications or additional degrees with the hope that it gets better. You spend long hours toiling away and most often than not a career turns into something successful because when you put in that much passion and energy, you are almost guaranteed to succeed.
I know people who have taken pay cuts to drive a career. Careerists and entrepreneurs are cousins – they devote their lives, savings, relationships and everything to something they truly believe in.

How did I find myself in a job?
It’s never been a fair world and the fight between job and career hasn’t been fair either. We all usually start with a job.

You get out of school with a good degree, exaggerated view of yourself and a taller-than-life rosy picture of a career in investment banking or petroleum. In this pictured life, you have a Ferrari at 27 and a private island by 35.

The first thing life does to you is make sure you comb the whole street of Lagos until you are better than the latest version of Google Maps and can do better traffic update than Tsaboin Traffic talk. A thousand iterations of your résumé (CV) later you land your first job, usually a lowly contact center agent at a second tier bank or a telco.
That’s a job.

I know a lot of people who marry people they don’t like but because of the goodness of their hearts, end up loving them. It happens with a job too.

You could start with a job but you make something good out of it. You become an expert in it and as you progress, people realize you are an expert and treat you as one.
A career is born.

What to do in a job/Upgrading to a career
Having a job isn’t bad. I mean, what’s the alternative? Even pimping is a job; it’s also a career for some…but that’s by the way.

Credit: Adedeji Olowe BN

6 Ways To Boost Your Self Confidence

Confidence is affected by many factors — including our own feelings of self-worth or perceived degree of success. If you’re lacking in these areas then you should check out the following top ways to boost your confidence which will have you feeling able to tackle any given situation.

Mix with positive people

Being around positive people will rub off on you and will get you in a positive frame of mind — as well as brimming with confidence! If you’re surrounded by happy, smiling faces and laughter, then isn’t that going to be infectious?

Being positive is all in the mind — so you have to make yourself think positively. But if there are positive people around giving you advice, building you up, and pushing you in the right direction, then thinking positively will come more easily and your confidence will naturally increase as a result. So, if you are aware that the people you mix with tend to bring you down a lot, then do something about it by getting some new friends.

Get a new image

It doesn’t matter whether you are male or female — what you look like will always affect your confidence. Your everyday appearance — including what clothes you’re wearing, how your hair looks and what make-up you’re wearing — will make a massive difference to how you feel. All of us know how much our confidence can be knocked when having a bad hair day, or by having unsightly spots appear overnight smack bang in the middle of our faces!

It’s well worth investing in your appearance with new clothes or a new hairstyle, as this will really boost your confidence. Wear some colours that cheer you up and make you feel good about yourself, or go for a smarter option if you think this will make you feel more confident.

Get a new job

It might be your job that is causing you to lack confidence. If you’re in a place where you’re constantly undermined or lacking a challenge, then your confidence is hardly going to be sky high. If that’s the case, then it’s probably time to move on and find a more challenging role.

Look for that job out there that you really want, and then apply for it — rather than constantly thinking about going for it and then doing nothing. If you get the job then you’ll feel extremely uplifted and much more confident. Admittedly, there is always a risk that your level of confidence will go down if you don’t get the job, but don’t let that bother you; instead, be proud of the fact that you tried — and then try again.

List your good points

Write out a list of all the things that you are good at, to act as reminder to yourself that you are least good at some things! Then, when you’re feeling that your confidence is on the wane, take the list out, read it, and add something new to it. If you’re struggling to think of things to add to your list, then it’s possible you’re missing the obvious or being too harsh on yourself.

It’s also worth remembering some of the things you have achieved so far in your life. They don’t have to be earth-shattering achievements, but could still be something to be proud of — such as passing your driving test, raising a family, getting fit, or successfully saving up for a trip away.

Work on your small talk

Some people really struggle in social situations such as parties because they feel they lack the confidence to engage in small talk with people they do not know. They constantly avoid these situations and therefore their confidence does not improve — and nor does their circle of friends.

Our advice is: if you get invited somewhere, make sure you go! The more social situations you get in, the more comfortable you’ll feel making small talk to people you’ve only just met. Remember: most people probably feel the same way, and will probably be so relieved when you break the ice that they’ll open up and talk to you in kind.

Get fit and eat healthily

Your body shape and weight can have a major impact on your confidence levels — although we’re not saying that everyone who is overweight, underweight or needs

Man arraigned in court in Ado-Ekiti for slapping his girlfriend

23-year-old Olaiya Oluwaseyi, was today Tuesday April 19th arraigned in an Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court for allegedly slapping his girlfriend, a lady named Kehinde Igiebor, according to a Vanguard report. The court heard that the incident happened on April 15th at Omisanjana Street, Ado-Ekiti.

The prosecutor said Olaiya slapped the lady because she refused to pick his calls and thereafter proceeded to beat her mercilessly after finding out she was seeing someone else.

The prosecutor said that the offence was contrary to the Criminal Code, Cap C 16, Laws of Ekiti State 2012.

Olaiya pleaded not guilty to the charge and his lawyer asked the court to grant him bail. He was granted bail in the sum of N50,000 and two sureties in like sum. The judge adjourned the case to April 28th for further hearing.

PDP shuts down official Twitter account, says all tweets henceforth does not represent the views of the party

Peoples Democratic Party has announced the closure of its official Twitter account. Head of PDP Publicity Division, Chinwe Nnorom disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, April 19 via its official Facebook account.
"The general public may wish to recall that the official twitter handle of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) @PDPNigeria was compromised sometime last year and a statement was issued to that regard to alert unsuspecting members of the public.
However, in view of the recent activities on the handle, I have been directed again to emphasize the shutdown of this twitter account.
All tweets and any communication from the handle @PDPNigeria does not represent the views of the Party forthwith.
We will inform the general public of a new twitter account soon.
Thanks for your understanding.
Adm. Chinwe I. Nnorom
PDP Head of Publicity Division"

Return the Cars or face the Anger of Nigerians – NLC President to Senate

Last week, it was reported on Daily Trust that the Senate purchased 108 Toyota Land Cruiser jeeps of which 36 were delivered on Tuesday. The report also said that the cars were bought at a whopping sum of N35.1 million each which, according to the report is two times the original price put at N17 million.

Reacting to the report, President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC Ayuba Wabba called on the Senate to return the supplied cars to the dealer(s) or face the anger of Nigerians.

We consider it appalling, insensitive and greedy the decision of the Senate to acquire 108  Toyota Land Cruiser jeeps ( one for each member less the Senate President) after collecting car “loans” in August last year for the same purpose.

It is equally morally despicable and shameful that they are doing this after publicly   admitting that the standing committees of the Senate are unable to perform their statutory functions due to paucity of funds.

We at the Nigeria Labour Congress equally consider it a willful and grievous criminal act, the inflation of the unit cost of each of the cars by over a 100 percent, as each car supposedly cost N35.1m instead of N17m.

Their multiple acts of criminality, ranging from acquiring these cars after previously taking loans for the same purpose; spending money without appropriation and over inflating costs constitute not just corruption but a crime against the Nigerian people whom they claim to represent.

Accordingly, we demand they return those cars to whoever supplied them or the appropriate agencies prosecute them for corruption. In the event none of this happens, they should be prepared to keep a date with Nigerian workers and their civil society allies including market women and students.

The labour leader described the comment by Senate spokesman Aliyu Abdulahi, that Senators could use  jeeps since the Special Advisers were using them as childish and laughable.

Credit: Punch

Are You Ready for Asa’s “Live In Lagos” Concert? | Sunday, May 1st

Music star Asa is set to hold her first ever concert in Lagos this May and we are pretty excited about it.

The concert will hold on May 1, 2016 at the Eko Convention Center of Eko Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Asa, who has three (3) internationally released studio albums – Live in Paris and Live in Tokyo DVDs and chart-topping singles to her credit, will perform her most popular hits as well as tracks from her three albums including latest album “Bed of Stone”.

Are you ready for the amazing night?

Date: Sunday, May 1, 2016
Time: 6 PM
Venue: Eko Convention Center, Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos
Ticket: Regular – N10,000 | Premium – N15,000 | VIP – N30,000 | VVIP – N2,000,000

For more information contact 08127687266 | 09058344488

Boko Haram crippled, can no longer take territory – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari says the Boko Haram terrorists have been degraded to the extent that the group can no longer seize and hold on to any territory in the country.

In a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja, the president made the remark at the 13th summit of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) in Istanbul, Turkey.

Represented by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, Buhari said government forces had taken over all the territories seized by the insurgents and destroyed their camps.

The president also said that most of the leaders of the terrorist group had been arrested, while many others had surrendered.

He commended Nigeria’s neighbouring countries, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin and the international community for their support in the fight against insurgency in the country.

Buhari also commended the OIC for its efforts in ensuring peace world wide.

On the theme of the summit: “Unity and Solidarity for Justice and Peace,” Buhari noted that the current precarious situation in the Muslim world was a source of great concern.

“A multiplicity of crises and conflicts litter the entire landscape of the Muslim World – from West and North Africa through Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent; from Jammu and Kashmir to Jakarta. And from the Arabian Peninsula and the Near East to the Balkans; many member-states are embroiled in conflicts threatening their very existence and taking an unacceptable toll in human lives and destruction of critical infrastructure. Muslim minorities in non-member-states like Myammar, Philippines, Thailand and China; and Muslim migrants in the West are still facing serious political, cultural and economic challenges or outright persecution,” he said.

The president, therefore, called on member-states of the organization to rededicate themselves to the struggle for peace and justice for Palestinians.

He said that Nigeria stood in full solidarity with the Palestinians in their legitimate quest for an independent state.

“The situation in Palestine remains bleak; the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism remains unabated. The drums of Islamaphobia, especially in the countries with minority or migrant Muslims, are being beaten to achieve mischievous political objectives. Nigeria identifies with and fully supports the just struggle of the people of Palestine against the unjust occupation of their land and the oppression of their people by Israel,” he said.

Buhari urged the Muslim world to take the path of knowledge, stating that the future lay with the cultivation of knowledge as the mainstay of the economy.

“Nigeria fully supports all OIC efforts towards cooperation in education, science and technology; it also supports measures put in place to develop intra-OIC trade, socio-economic infrastructures, micro-finance sector, agriculture and health. Nigeria is already in the process of signing the statute of the newly created Specialized Institution for Food and Security based in Astana, Kazakhstan.

It is to share our experiences in the areas of food security and the introduction of an e-platform for agricultural services in rural areas,” he added.