Damilola Ogunrinde: Avoiding Pregnancy 101

 When I wrote an article on STIs a few weeks ago, some of my friends were upset. They did not want to be reminded of the dire consequences that arise from unprotected sex, yet they were surprised to learn of the increasing rate of STI’s and sexually transmitted cancers

However, I am aware that many Nigerians  say they only have sex for procreation. I know that we are all Bible believing Christians, Qur’an reading Muslims and Chaste Agnostics. I know we all value abstinence and chastity. I have written this article so that we can share it to those in need of family planning advice.  Because let us face it, contraception is not just for those married couples who don’t want any more babies. It is also for the young who are not ready for children.

'Goodluck Jonathan's phone call to concede defeat left me in shock' - President Buhari

    President Buhari yesterday revealed that the call from former President Jonathan conceding defeat before INEC announced the results of the 2015 Presidential election, left him in shock. Buhari disclosed this while speaking at the luncheon he organized for state house correspondents at the presidential villa yesterday May 30th.


"This is where I pay my respect to former President Goodluck Jonathan. This is actually a privileged information for you (journalists). He called me at a quarter past five in the evening. He said ‘Good evening your excellency’, and I said “Good evening your excellency’. He said I have called to congratulate you that I have conceded defeat. Of course there was dead silence on my end because I did not expect it. I was shocked. I did not expect it because after 16 years in government, the man was a deputy governor, a governor, a Vice-President and was President for six years. For him to have conceded defeat even before the result was announced by INEC, I think that was quite generous and gracious of him.”he said

…And the Winner is Lola Adeoye! Meet the 2016 Miss Nigeria USA

    The 2016 Miss Nigeria USA competition held over the weekend and a new beauty queen was crowned.

Winning the coveted title was Lola Adeoye, who was representing Ekiti State. More pics below

4 Tips to Developing & Maintaining Excellence at Work

     “We are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing fully well that we will not catch it because nothing is perfect, we are still going to relentlessly chase it, because in the process of chasing it, we will catch excellence.”

Last week, I emphasized on the need to become excellent at the workplace as a way of thriving in these times. No recession can stop excellence. Excellence attracts, excellence promotes and it pays to be excellent.

Below are just a few difficult but rewarding tips on how to develop and maintain a lifestyle of excellence, and ultimately become a five star worker.

Army Parades 10 Suspected Members of Niger Delta Avengers

     The Nigerian Army has arrested 10 suspected members of the militant group, Niger Delta Avengers. It said that the suspects were arrested at about 1:40 AM on Saturday in Oporaza community, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.

The Commander of the 4 Brigade, Brigadier-General Farouk Yahaya paraded the suspects on Sunday in Benin, the Edo State capital.

According to PUNCH, items recovered from the suspects include 28 detonator cords (also known Detonator 33), one pistol, two pistols, 196 rounds of 7.62 special ammunition, one round of nine-millimetre ammunition, a live cartridge, five daggers, 15 handheld radio sets, 18 phones, 203 SIM cards belonging to three major network providers, five swimsuits, two headlamps, a laptop, two ipads and a camera.

We’ll Make Nigerians buy Made-in-Nigeria Products – Minister of Science & Technology

    Minister of Science and Technology: Ogbonnaya Onu

The Federal Government says it intends to make Nigerians look inwards by buying products, especially vehicles made in the country.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, said this when he featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

Leicester City's Jamie Vardy pictured kissing his new wife just days after wedding

    The Leicester City record breaking striker got married to his lover Rebekah Nicholson last week Wednesday and was spotted in a local park kissing his new bride with their young daughter Sofia look on. Cute family! 

The Joys of Motherhood. Oye Diran Captures Expectant Parents, Dayo & Clarence

  We love the simplicity of this shoot with expectant couple Dayo & Clarence. Photographer, Oye Diran of Arista Imagery captured the joys of having your first child with special moments in this couple’s pregnancy photoshoot. The colour co-ordinated their outfits with white and later on tried something a little fun/daring. 

Photo Credits: Oye Diran of Arista Imagery | @oye_diran

Buhari begins second year with economic recession

   There are indications that further negative trend awaits the economy in the horizon as President Mohammadu Buhari enters his second year in office as a democratically elected president this week. Already economic reports have pointed to stagflation and recession as present realities. Stagflation is in place when inflation comes with stagnation, and Nigeria’s inflation trend has been in the up-tick for several months now hitting 13.7 per cent last month, while economic activities have stagnated across virtually all sectors over the period.

Presidency says list of stolen and recovered loots will be released this week

   Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Shehu Garba, announced this on his Facebook page.

Dubai-bound Plane forced to make emergency landing in Lagos due to poor health status of a passenger who ingested cocaine

     An Emirates flight EK 262 from Sao Paulo, Brazil to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, made an emergency landing in Lagos due to the deteriorating health condition of a suspected cocaine trafficker who was onboard the plane yesterday May 28th. Screening by the NDLEA officials found four passengers positive for drug ingestion who are currently under interrogation.

One of the suspects in critical condition was immediately hospitalized as doctors battled to save his life.

Miss Nollywood Beauty pageant dethrones one of its queens

   Organizers of the Miss Nollywood Beauty Pageant have announced the dethronement of one of their queens, Grace Okoro Adaeze who was Miss Nollywood Culture and Tourism 2016. Her dethronement is contained in a statement released this morning. Read the statement after the cut...

GTBank’s “She Leads Africa Accelerator Programme” Countdown | Registration Ends May 31st

  With just a few days to the close of the application timeline for the She Leads Africa (SLA) Accelerator programme, the countdown has begun for the emergence of the next generation of Nigeria’s brightest female entrepreneurs.

Selected young female entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses across Africa will compete in the Accelerator programme for a N2 million cash prize, media features in international news outlets, exclusive meetings with top investors and dedicated mentoring from leaders of industry.

Forbes Africa Reveals Africa’s “30 under 30” For 2016

   FORBES AFRICA “30 under 30” list hits the shelves this weekend, revealing the 30 most promising entrepreneurs from around the continent, across various sectors. These are the billionaires of tomorrow.

“This is the most important list of the year for FORBES AFRICA. If one young African reads it and is inspired enough to start a business it has done its job,” says Chris Bishop, Managing Editor of FORBES AFRICA.

Happy Children’s Day

   To underscore the importance the United Nations attaches to children, one of the steps taken was to set aside November 20 of every year as the Universal Children’s Day. It was first marked worldwide in 1954 under the auspices of the UN.

The day was set aside to encourage  nations of the world to devote a special day for the promotion of the welfare of children as well as provide platforms for interaction and understanding among children.

Here in Nigeria, May 27 of every year (today) is dedicated  to celebrate children. It is usually a school-free day, with primary and secondary school children traditionally decked out in their school uniforms for competitive march-pasts in open fields, with top government officials on hand to acknowledge their salute.

Intra-Africa Trade to Play Larger Role in GDP Contributions

   As growth in developed markets such as Europe, China and North Africa continue to stagnate, greater regional integration in Africa, amongst all role players, is needed to capitalise on the continent’s growth potential.

This, according to the CEO of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, Hennie Heymans, who said comparing intra-regional trade statistics, Africa’s rates amongst the lowest in the world, with less than 20 per cent of what is produced in the region, remaining on the continent.

Again, Militants Bomb Chevron Crude Pipeline in Warri

   Militants
· Company silent on attack
· Ijaw youths give condition for peace
· Crude oil price hits $50 per barrel
· Kachikwu says FG has no plan to privatise refineries

Alike Ejiofor in Lagos, Chineme Okafor in Abuja and Sylvester Idowu in Warri with agency report

Lagos State Govt appoints retired Hon. Justice Adesola Oguntade as the Fourth Chancellor of LASU

   The Lagos State Government has appointed retired Honourable Adesola Oguntade as the Fourth Chancellor of the Lagos State University, along with other respected men and women who have excelled in their various fields, as members of the 10th Governing Council of the University.

Speaking on new developments for the School, Governor Ambode confirms that he assented to the bill amending the Lagos State University Law. With these amendments, Academic Staff of Professional Cadre can now retire at the age of Seventy (70) years while Academic Staff of other Cadres and Non-Academic Staff will now retire at Sixty-Five (65) years.

Also, Students can now reside on Campus and the Vice Chancellor shall henceforth hold office for a single term of five (5) years.

Jose Mourinho & Manchester United agree manager deal

 Former Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho is now Manchester United's new manager. It was announced yesterday May 26th that Mourinho will take over from sacked Louis van Gaal, after three days of talks.

Although no contract has been signed, Man. U is expected to officially announce it today Friday May 27th. The 53-year-old Portuguese is reportedly likely to sign a three-year contract with Man. U

From Lagos to London! Minnow Films documents the Lifestyle of “New Successful Nigerian Elites” like Toke Makinwa, DJ Cuppy, Ozee & Ocee Mbadiwe and More

   A couple of months ago we brought you the scoop that media personality Toke Makinwa was in London to shoot a documentary for UK’s Channel 4.

The documentary is set to air in June and SLB have more details.

According to Production Company Minnow Films, the documentary “Lagos to London: Britain’s New Super-Rich” is an observational film about the successful Nigerian elite that lives between Lagos and London in the vanguard of what had been dubbed ‘The African Century’.

Cheapest online supermarket Value4naira.com offers FREE delivery for all Orders

    To meet the daily demand of busy individuals and homemakers in Lagos, Value4naira gives free delivery services to customers in Lagos from May 25th –June 15th, 2016.

Value4naira.com is a leading online supermarket in Nigeria which aims to give its customers 100% satisfaction in service delivery on a daily basis, assuring value for every item purchased on the Value4naira.com platform.

Speaking on the free delivery service, Chief Operating Officer of Value4naira.com, Ernest Umeike, said,

Throwback photo of late Pastor Bimbo Odukoya's children

   Pictured are Tolu, Tobi, and new dad, Jimmy, children of late Nigerian pastor, Bimbo Odukoya and founder the Fountain of Life Church, Taiwo Odukoya.

UK and Australia deport 40 Nigerians accused of committing immigration offences

  The United Kingdom and Australia jointly deported 40 Nigerians (33 males and 7 females) accused of committing immigration and other unspecified offences. The deportees arrived at the hajj camp area of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) at 7:25a.m yesterday, with chartered aircraft and an Air Seychelles flight. The Nigerian Immigration Service confirmed the deportation.
Along with other various agencies such as the Police, National Agency for Protection and Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and other relevant stakeholders, the NIS checked their identities to ascertain their nationalities.

It is reported that some of the deportees were reluctant to undergo the collection of their fingerprints for data purpose. They refused to answer questions or talk to anybody and were ready to abscond unnoticed. Nevertheless, the NIS officers continued with the documentation of those ready and they were later allowed to leave the airport.

HTC and SLOT set to reward customers with free tickets to Europe Cup 2016

   HTC in partnership with SLOT is set to reward customers with free tickets to Europe Cup 2016 Live in France. Buy any HTC smartphone from any SLOT store natiowide and stand a chance to win a life time opportunity to watch Europe Cup 2016 Quater Final Live in France.

Customers would also get to enjoy better prices and N1,500 airtime on every purchase till end of June 2016. T/C's Apply. However, to ensure you do not miss these deals, Hurry to any SLOT store nationwide or visit www.slot.ng For more info, please call: 01-4663633, 07005000050

Certain Cancers and Illnesses are likely Caused by Gene Mutations Resulting from Cannabis Use – Research

   Associate Professor Stuart Reece and Professor Gary Hulse from University of Western Autralia’s School of Psychiatry and Clinical Sciences have identified how using cannabis can alter a person’s DNA structure, causing mutations which can expose them to serious illnesses, and be passed on to their children and several future generations.

They completed an extensive analysis of literary and research material to understand how cannabis use can cause severe illnesses such as cancer and the implications for future generations.

Report to Camp Today or Forget about the Rio Olympics! Siasia warns Foreign-based Players

   As preparations for the football event of Rio Olympics hot up, Coach Samson Siasia has handed down a warning to all the invited foreign –based players for the Suwon Invitational Tournament to report to camp on Wednesday or forget about making the team to the Games.

Siasia handed down the deadline after Monday evening’s training session at the FIFA Goal Project pitch, Abuja.

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Microsoft has faced criticism for changing the pop-up box encouraging Windows users to upgrade to Windows 10.

   Clicking the red cross on the right hand corner of the pop-up box now activates the upgrade instead of closing the box.
And this has caused confusion as typically clicking a red cross closes a pop-up notification
The upgrade could still be cancelled, when the scheduled time for it to begin appeared, Microsoft said

Twitter will stretch its 140-character limit

   Twitter says it's stretching the iconic 140-character limit on tweets, taking @names and images out of the count.
In the coming months, the company said it will will only count text in its character count. Twitter handles in replies (marked with an "@" symbol), as well as photos, GIFs, videos and polls will no longer be counted against the character limits in a tweet.

DJ Jimmy Jatt opens up about Celebrity Beef of 2016, how the Fuel Hike is Affecting him & More on “Urban Superstar Top 10”

    Urban96FM hosts an ‘Urban Superstar Top 10‘ program on their station where your favourite celebrities to share their top 10 favourite songs while answering those questions nobody else can get them to answer.

Hosted by Abby, the show holds every Wednesday and on the last edition they had DJ Jimmy Jatt in the studio.

The veteran DJ talked about everything from the meaning of his stage name, being in the industry for the past 2 decades, all the crazy beef in 2016 and more.

Kogi Government Begins Payment of 5 Months Salary Arrears

   Kogi Government on Tuesday announced that it would within the week commence the payment of 5 months salary arrears to its workers.

Governor Yahaya Bello told newsmen in Lokoja said that the salary arrears would be paid from the N20 billion bailout funds received by the state government from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

El-Rufai Declares State of Emergency on Tomato Production

    Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state on Monday declared a state of emergency on tomato production in the state following attacks on the leaves of tomatoes by a species of moth that cause a disease condition called “Tuta Absoluta”.

The governor who spoke through his Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Manzo Maigari, said that about 80 percent of tomatoes produced in the state have been ravaged by pests and diseases, causing over 200 famers to lose N1 billion in the last one month.

You Don’t Really Need a University Degree

     Wait…Please don’t shoot me yet. I’ll explain.
Not too long ago I attended a seminar presentation organised for final year students in one of Nigeria’s premier universities. I was invited by an old classmate who works there as a lecturer. The venue was packed full with academicians, friends and supporters of the final year students. The students were literally going to ‘teach’ their lecturers. It was one of the final hurdle the students had to cross before graduating. They were all looking to score additional grade points that would be crucial in deciding their honours.

“I am Not in Exile… I am Resting” – Jonathan tells THISDAY

   Former President Goodluck Jonathan who THISDAY said has gone into exile in Cote d’Ivoire “following reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may arrest him on his arrival in Nigeria from his overseas tour on allegations of corruption and misappropriation of billions of dollars in the five years during which he was Head of State,” has called to rebut the claim.

Jonathan spoke to THISDAY‘s correspondent on phone, confirming that he was actually in Cote d’Ivoire, but not in exile.

Afenifere backs Fayose's ban on Herdsmen activities in Ekiti state

   Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere, has thrown its weight behind Governor Ayo Fayose's decision to ban herdsmen activities in Ekiti state. Afenifere's support is contained in a statement signed by its Publicity secretary, Yinka Odumakin. Read the statement below...
Our attention has been drawn to the courageous move by Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose to ban cattle grazing in Ekiti State.
The action of the governor is a timely move to strengthen the civilisation that places higher premium on human lives above cows.We have sacrificed enough blood in the unending cycle of blood -letting by Fulani herdsmen the latest being those killed in Ekiti two days ago.

The responsible action of the governor should jolt the Federal Government that has appeared largely indifferent to the murderous activities of the Fulani herdsmen to act responsibly on this matter.

We fully endorse this implementation of the recommendation of the 2014 National on RANCHING as against the grazing reserves being canvased in certain quarters. Yinka Odumakin National publicity Secretary

Revert to old pump price or we will begin a total strike on Wednesday May 18th'- NLC threatens FG

The Nigeria Labor Congress, NLC, and its affiliates which includes the Trade Union Congress, TUC, have given the Federal government a 96-hours ultimatum to revert to the old pump price of N86.50 or face a total strike that will begin on Wednesday May 18th.

At a meeting held in Abuja, NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said if the government failed to revert to the old price and stop the deregulation of the oil sector by midnight of Tuesday May 17th, the workers would have no option than to embark on a total strike by Wednesday May 18th.

“Since there has not been any increase in salaries, wages or pensions of workers in the past five years, and in the face of devaluations, spiraling inflation and other vagaries of the economy, the increase in fuel price is unrealistic, unaffordable, unacceptable, and is thus rejected. It is evident that the neo-liberal forces in the government have taken over, and we should expect more inhumane policies which will further degrade the living standard of the average Nigerian. The punitive electricity tariff and PMS product prices may just be teasers. The price hike from N86:50 to N145, representing 67.63% increase, is the height of insensitivity and impunity as there was no previous consultation with stake holders, especially the organized labour, or any justification for this reckless decision other than the fact that government believes it is accountable to no one"he said

Confusion in Ebonyi as women protest

There was confusion in Nkwegu community near Abakaliki on Monday when over 200 women from the Afikpo-South Local Government Area stripped naked to protest the alleged continued detention of the President General of the community, Ndubuisi Ekumankama, by the police.

Ekumankama was alleged to have demolished a widow’s house in Amangwu Edda community of Ebonyi State.

It was gathered that the naked women were on their way to the Ebonyi State Government House in Abakaliki but were intercepted by policemen at Nkwegu, near a military cantonment.

Our correspondent gathered that the policemen who intercepted the naked women were confused as to how to handle the strange protest.

The protesting women were naked in the upper regions of their body.

It was learnt that some policemen fled the scene of the protest because of the belief that policemen who attempt to stop naked protesters would die.

The Ebonyi State Police Commissioner, Ibekwe Abdallah, had to send a team of policewomen to the scene of the protest.

It was the team of policewomen that brought the protest under control.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ebonyi State Command, George Okafor, described the action of the naked women as shameful and a desecration of the Igbo culture.

Okafor said the women had planned the protest last week but were advised to seek legal redress as the president general, who arrested by the police, had been charged to court.

The PPRO said, “Last week, a group of women numbering about 20 stormed the police headquarters to protest the arrest and detention of a suspect who was being held for demolishing a widow’s house in Amangwu-Edda.

“After we spoke to them, they even saw the suspect and he spoke to them. This showed them that he is alive. They went back.

“Today, we got information that the same women had gone and mobilised over 200 other women to storm the Government House in protest. We also got information that they were coming into the town naked so, we tried to halt them from gaining entry into the city.

“Our men who earlier got to the scene were repelled because of the sight of the nakedness of these women and we had to mobilise our policewomen, led by a female Assistant Commissioner of Police. Their action was unfortunate and shameful.”

The PPRO added that the policewomen were able to put the situation under control without any casualty, adding that two suspects arrested for demolishing the widow’s house have been charged to court.

PUNCH.

Govern with fear of God, Adeboye tells leaders

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, his Living Faith Foundation counterpart, Reverend Joseph Olaiya, on Monday enjoined Nigerian leaders to govern the country with the fear of God.

Adeboye, while praying for the nation as part of the activities to mark the birthday of the Founder of the Living Faith Foundation,  Olaiya, held at the Alheri Camp, Kilometre 31 Kaduna-Abuja  Expressway, Kaduna, noted that leaders that were ready to follow in the footpath of God would continue to succeed no matter the challenges.

According to the cleric, any leader willing to follow in the footpath of God would not only lead successfully, but would imbue in his followers, especially the younger generation, the courage to continue the good job.

Adeboye prayed to God to instil wisdom and understanding in Nigerian leaders.

Olaiya, in an interview shortly after the prayer, recalled that all the kings that ruled successfully in the bible were those that ruled with the fear of God.

He urged people in leadership positions to learn from history.

Olaiya said, “The piece of advice I will give our leaders is for them to work with the fear of God. Everyone knows what it is to fear God.

“No matter how strong you think you are as a leader, God is stronger and more powerful than you are and that is why if you want to succeed as a leader, fear God in all you do.”

The cleric also warned those in leadership positions against oppression, warning leaders against taking other people’s property.

He said, “As a leader, don’t oppress the downtrodden and the weak because you will be judged. The kings that ruled successfully were the kings that ruled with the fear of God.

“Those of us who follow leaders should not follow them blindly. Let us obey constituted authorities. Let us honour them except when they want to lead us to the wrong path. For example, when the US wanted us to sign a law approving homosexuality which is against the will of God, we were able to stand our ground.

“So, if a leader is walking in the right path, follow him. Sometimes as followers, we push our leaders to do something they don’t want to do.PUNCH.

Drake scores his first hot 100 No. 1 as lead artist with 'One Dance' on Billboard

Congratulations to Drake!

2Face and Annie Idiibia's courtesy visit to d Esama of Benin Sir Dr. G.O Igbinedion

2Face and his wife Annie Idibia paid a courtesy visit to the Esama of Benin and founder of the University, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion yesterday May 9th.

2 Reasons Why Young Graduates Should Embrace Marketing Jobs

At the mention of a marketing job, an average Nigerian job seeker shuts down. In fact, for most young career persons, a marketing job offer is no offer at all.

Anyway, before I start rolling, it is important I carry all our readers along. In most quarters in Nigeria, we refer to sales representatives or sales agents as marketers. Although, technically, marketing and selling are two different phenomenon, but for the purposes of this piece, permit me to use them interchangeably. Just have it at the back of your mind that when I say marketing jobs, I am referring to sales jobs.

I have come across lots of young professionals who wouldn’t dare touch a marketing job offer even with the longest pole. Don’t even mention it to them, or else they will blacklist your company as one of the most insensitive and inhumane recruitment firm. Understandably though, there are various reasons while most young professionals hate marketing jobs. Top on the list of their reasons includes unrealistic sales targets, commission- based remuneration (everyone prefers a salary at the end of the month whether they sell or not), field-induced stress.

However, I still believe that marketing jobs are the bomb because of its gains and prospects and no matter how much we try to avoid it, we are all selling something. Personally, I am building a career as a workforce trainer and career coach, but I still do lots of selling and I am still open to new challenges provided it is a product or service I would really love to sell.

Yes, I love marketing (selling) jobs, but even at that, I can’t sell everything. I choose my products. I sell the things I love and that is why I succeed in it. Most people fail as sales agents because they want to sell everything.
You want to sell pension. You want to sell banking services. You want to sell insurance. You want to sell real estate. You want to sell pharmaceutical products. You want to sell FMCGs. You want to sell telecommunication. You want to sell cars. You want to sell food supplements. You have tried to sell everything. No, it doesn’t work like that for everybody. Marketing is a rewarding thing to do if only you choose a product you love, a product you know and a product you have the market for and sell it. You will love it.

Marketing jobs are the bomb. It all depends on what you are selling and how you are selling it. Most people make marketing look tedious the way they do it. It is not all about getting yourself engrossed in activity and being busy. There is more to marketing (selling) than just hitting the road or an area without any plan and start harassing people from one office to another. No. Marketing is not all about dissipating energy unnecessarily and getting stressed out. If you learn the ropes of effective selling, you will agree with me that marketing jobs are the bomb.

Here are a few reasons why I strongly recommend a marketing job any day.

1. Marketing jobs are readily available in the labour market.
I am yet to find a company that will say no to you if you walk up to them with an offer of helping them improve sales irrespective of your qualification. Bottom line is the major reason why companies are in business in the first place and anybody who can help in improving that is given an opportunity to do so. A company can never have excess of sales persons (marketers). In case you are yet to secure a job, the quickest way to end your job search is to step out tomorrow as a sales dude.

2. It’s only a marketing job that gives you a stake in the company you are working for.
There is no limit to how much you can earn. All the biggest boys you know in the banking and telecommunication industry are bad sales dudes. Same applies to every other sector. Smart dudes still find a way to get involve in selling their company’s products or services even when their portfolio does not include selling. Selling doesn’t just get you more money, it also helps you climb the corporate ladder faster.

Young Nigerian Entrepreneur meets with President of Mauritius, Chairman of British Council at British Council’s 2016 ‘Going Global’ Conference

Remember Ese Odiete? The young Nigerian lady who won the Google Africa Challenge with her creative handbag designs?

Well, she’s been taking the world by storm ever since she achieved
Since winning the Google Africa Challenge, she has been invited to speak at various conferences and seminars and also won other reputable awards including the British Council Enterprise Challenge where she won a scholarship to study at The Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship. She designed a pair of ankara sneakers for Sir Richard Branson for the Virgin Atlantic 30th anniversary.

Just recently she was invited to speak by the British Council at the 2016 Going Global Conference in Cape Town, South Africa where she met with world leaders such as President of Mauritius, Ameenah Gurib, Chairman of British Council, Christopher Rodrigues CBE and Senator Binta Garba from Adamawa North Senatorial District of Adamawa State.

Ese has become an advocate for the inclusion of entrepreneurship education in the Nigerian Universities curriculum and is calling on policy makers in the educational sector to promote this cause.

She founded and runs Hesey Designs (www.heseydesigns.com), a fashion accessories label selling African-inspired accessories, through which she empowers and mentors young African women. She was also a brand influencer for HP and Coca-Cola.

Cristiano Ronaldo wins Real Madrid's Healthiest Player of the Year award after social media votes

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo received an award on Sunday May 8th as the healthiest player in Real Madrid and was presented with the award before kick-off of the La Liga match against Valencia at the Santiago Bernabeu. Ronaldo was voted by the fans on social networks like Twitter and Facebook. Sanitas' CEO Inaki Peralta presented him with the award.

Real Madrid won the game 3-2 with Ronaldo scoring twice to keep them in the hunt for the Spanish league title
Photocredit: Real Madrid Official

Mark Zuckerberg celebrates wife on her first Mother's Day with an adorable photo

Priscilla Chan is celebrating her first Mother's Day today, May 8. For the occasion, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg shared an adorable photo of his wife and daughter Max wishing her a happy first Mother's Day. "Happy first Mother's Day! You hold us up so we can experience the greatest adventures in life" he captioned the adorable photo.

Lavish homes owned by Nigerians in the UK

UK press can't seem to get their heads around their Prime Minister David Cameron's anti-corruption summit. They say the same people he is seeking to engage are the ones who own lavish homes in their country. The government knows its country is a dumping ground for corrupt money yet is reluctant to react.

Egypt friendly against DRC could shatter Pharaohs WC hopes

According to KingFut.com, Egypt's decision to play a friendly against the Democratic Republic of Congo could have dire consequences on its already flimsy grasp of a top seed for the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying draw.

The Pharaohs already face the prospect of having to win their final 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Tanzania to keep their position in Pot A, where they would avoid the rest of Africa’s top-five ranked sides in World Cup qualifying.

EGYPT TO PLAY DRC IN A FRIENDLY

However, Egypt has now created two must-win scenarios for itself where they must defeat the Leopards of DRC in their friendly and win on the road in Tanzania, instead of just the latter.

The Egyptian website reports that it has been confirmed to them that there is nothing to gain regarding FIFA rankings from the friendly against Florent Ibenge's men.

On the other hand, if Hector Cuper's side defeat DRC, they will still remain where they stand and must defeat the Taifa Stars on June 4 to stand a chance of securing Pot A status although that won't be guaranteed.

The friendly is scheduled to be staged on May 30. It was initially announced that the date was assigned by FIFA and African Football.com will watch the developments closely.

Leicester have done well, Barca still tops

Former Bafana Bafana defender Nasief Morris, who played in Spain's LaLiga, has hailed Leicester City's display but still enjoys the type of football played by Barcelona more than anything else

After starring in South Africa's Premier Soccer League, Morris spent time playing in Greece with Panathinaikos before moving to play in LaLiga where he came up against some of the best in the world.

“Going to play in Spain where you come up against such talented strikers was a really big experience for me. I mean, just having to defend against Messi, Ronaldo and those guys was tough. But, for me it was just about adapting quickly to the style of football in Spain. Once I adapted I enjoyed what was a great experience to play there," Morris recalls.

“The level of football was great to experience because I believe Spain is the best league in Europe. The game is very competitive in Spain and I believe their tactics are the best in Europe. Even the smaller clubs in Spain are capable teams, able to beat anyone. The level of competitiveness was is huge."

Turning his attention to the remarkable exploits of Leicester City, the new Premier League champions, Morris said: “If you look at England, Leicester City play a counter attack style of football mostly, and allow opponents to have the ball but then wait for opportunities to catch them on the break.

“But in Spain, Barcelona are capable of disorganizing any team no matter how they play. They will find a gap in an opponent’s tactics and they will get in there and make something happen," he said.

“Barcelona can attack and defend as a unit and with great tactical and technical awareness, and I really like this kind of football."

Asked to describe his greatest memories of his time playing for Recreativo de Huelva and Racing Santander in Spain, Morris said: “My memories from Spain will always stick with me.

"Coming up against all those big teams and facing all those top players like Ronaldo, Messi, Ronaldinho and these experiences will never fade.

"It’s very hard to explain what it feels like, but when you are in the moment you adapt and enjoy the challenge."

Morris is currenlty on the books of National First Division side Milano who play out of Cape Town, Morris' home city.

For Lasting Career Success, You Have to Be Exceptional | 3 Ways to Achieve this Goal

If you spend a few hours observing the antics of certain celebrities on social media, you might come away with the wrong impression about what it takes to be successful. A lot of people think that wealth and success are blessings that God will soon bestow on them if they pray more or proactively demonstrate that they know what to do with a pair of Louboutins. While prayer has it place, lasting success requires hard work. Bill Gates, Oprah and Tony Elumelu did not achieve success [only] because they are blessed. They got there by becoming exceptional at what they do. Based on my own experience and observations, there are three things anyone can do right now to become exceptional and ultimately achieve a successful career.

First, you need to be excellent. There is no way around it. In order to be successful, being good at your job is essential. This means paying attention to the areas that are most important in your profession and push yourself to consistently deliver top-quality. This will get you noticed by your managers, and may earn you a raise (though not guaranteed), but more importantly it helps you develop a credible expertise and reputation that you can later leverage to pursue better jobs. Regardless of your motivation for working hard, becoming exceptional requires that you deliver quality work on a fairly consistent basis. Even if other people’s work is shoddy, be good at your job.

Second, be strategic. Nigerians are naturally strategic when it comes to picking a career. Unless you had unusually lenient parents, few of us were told: “you can do anything you want,” without the disclaimer, “out of these five professions”. Yet choosing a career at age 18 is only one of numerous opportunities you will face to use strategic, long-term thinking. In my view, successful people learn to apply strategic thinking in all aspects of their work life. For example, you join a field or company that is very competitive and everybody is already excellent. You wonder how you can stand out when other people went to better schools and are just as hardworking as you. This is where strategy comes in. Let’s say the top performers in your office are praised for their negotiation skills, but they are terrible at organization. That is an opportunity for you to fashion yourself as the planner and executor in your department. Do this well, and the superstars will want to work with you because they know you can handle the stuff they hate, while your managers sigh with relief because they no longer have to worry about the details falling apart.

Another way you can apply strategy is by observing the larger job market for your field and being willing to switch careers if it becomes clear that what you want is no longer possible, either because there are too many people seeking the few jobs available, or your career is no longer respected. Don’t hold yourself to the decisions you made when you were 18 or 25. Sometimes the smart thing to do is to quit and start something new.

Finally, learn to work with difficult people. This is the area in which I struggle the most, to be honest. When it comes to my enemies? I wish God would smite them. Unfortunately no one becomes successful the honest way without surviving difficult situations. These include: the backstabber, the jealous subordinate, the micromanaging boss, the sexual harasser, the time waster, and so on. The key to handling these situations is to determine what is fundamentally unacceptable for a workplace. Things like sexual harassment, or a manager who calls you names are experiences you should not tolerate. Yet the less serious situations present an opportunity to develop your professional grit. Because the more successful you are, the more crazy people you will encounter. And we need to stop thinking that working for ourselves is the solution. When you run your own business, you still have to deal with bad suppliers, bad business partners, and bad employees.

Angelique Kidjo Wins Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award

Singer/songwriter Angélique Kidjo attends the opening of REFUGEE Exhibit at Annenberg Space For Photography on April 21, 2016 in Century City, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation)

The prestigious Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award was awarded to world-renowned musician Angélique Kidjo and three inspirational African youth activist groups, Y’en a marre from Senegal, Le Balai Citoyen from Burkina Faso and LUCHA from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Every year, the Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award celebrates individuals and groups who speak out for justice. The recipients are people who have used their talents to inspire others to fight for human rights. The award also aims to create debate, encourage public action and raise awareness of human rights issues.

This would add to Angélique’s long list of awards but is one of the most significant as it celebrates her efforts to defend and celebrate human rights for all.

Previous winners of the Ambassador of Conscience Award include the late South African leader Nelson Mandela, Myanmar politician Aung San Suu Kyi, the rock band U2, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and American singer-songwriter Joan Baez.

Angélique fled her homeland in the 1980s after being pressured to perform for the country’s repressive regime and in her 30-year career spawning 12 albums, she has been a prominent campaigner for freedom of expression and against female genital mutilation.

Y’en a marre (Fed Up) is a group of Senegalese rappers and journalists who joined forces in 2011 to encourage young people to register to vote in the country’s election and exercise their right to freedom of expression. They remained active since the election, hosting meetings and urging the new government to implement promised changes such as land reform, a key issue affecting Senegal’s rural poor.

Le Balai Citoyen (The Citizen’s Broom) is a political grassroots movement committed to peaceful protest. It was founded in 2013 by two musicians, reggae artist Sams’K Le Jah and rapper Smockey (Serge Bambara). The group has voiced concerns about a range of issues from corruption and land grabs to power cuts, and it has mobilized people to claim their rights and fight impunity.

LUCHA is another community-based youth movement committed to peaceful protest. It was created in Goma, eastern DRC, in 2012. Its activism focuses on social issues, human rights and the protection of civilians from armed groups. LUCHA advocates for social justice and democratic governance through non-partisan and non-violent actions.

Photo Credit: Getty

Wizkid is the12th Best Performing Artist on iTunes/Spotify Global Artist ranking

Wizkid‘s ‘One dance’ with Drake and Kyla  is currently number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and it can only get better after that! On the iTunes and Spotify Global Artist ranking, Wizkid is the 11th best Performing artist!

The singer comes in after an American DJ duo,  The Chainsmokers who occupy the number 10 spot. Drake, Beyonce and Rihanna take up the number one, two and three top spots respectively. Other artists that make up the top 10 global iTunes/Spotify ranking include Adele, Justin Bieber, Sia, Coldplay, Mike Posner, Calvin Harris and the late Prince.

More foreign collaborations are in the works for the 25-year old music star as Super Producer Sarz confirmed that Wizkid would be working with R&B artist Chris Brown and Nigerian-American rapper Jidenna.

Photo Credit: Kworb.net