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Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

Ondo State governor, Mimiko, decamps from Labour Party to PDP

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 01:14 PM PDT

Ondo state governor, Olusegun Mimiko is the latest politician to decamp from his party to the ruling party. The PDP is Ondo state today August 22nd confirmed that the governor has now joined their party, decamping from the Labour Party. The governor made his defection known to his cabinet members and close political associates at a meeting held at the government house in Akure the state capital. Mimiko came into power on the platform of the Labour Party.

NSCDC boss escapes assasination by police inspector

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 01:14 PM PDT

Read the police press statement below
The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a press release issued, Friday, 22nd August, 2014 by the spokesperson of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), CSC Emmanuel Okeh, in which he alleged that an unnamed Police Inspector single-handedly "attempted to open fire" on the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Ade Abolurin and over 200 of his committee members, including representatives of the "Nigerian Army, EFCC, ICPC and office of the Attorney-General of the Federation among others." Continue...
The allegation is being investigated by the Force and the outcome will be made public soonest.
DCP EMMANUEL OJUKWU, psc
 FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA.

Meet the 3 week old Nigerian baby who can already feed herself

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 12:00 PM PDT

At just 3 weeks old, baby Amara Chiedozie can hold her feeding bottle...and her mum, 20 year old student Onyi Chiedozie, claims she's been doing this since was just three days old. How is this even possible? Her mum explains;
'When we were feeding, she started shaking, then she just grabbed the bottle. She was holding it by herself. We couldn't believe it because babies don't normally do it that young. I'm so shocked that I have been documenting it every day. It's unbelievable.
"When she doesn't want it she will push it away. She isn't strong enough to throw it away, but she does push it, like she does with her dummy. If she is really hungry, she starts shaking. Then she will just grab the bottle as you give it to her.' Continue...
Onyi, who is a single mother and lives in Essex, UK, says she makes sure she is always watching her daughter when she is feeding herself.
'Sometimes I hold her or sometimes you can prop her up with a pillow and give her the bottle. I'm always watching her – I don't let her out of my sight.' she said
According to UK Daily Mail, Amara weighed 6lbs 3oz when she was born on August 3 at Queen's Hospital in Romford. Onyi said her baby's progress astounded medical professionals. 
'Even nurses are really surprised. When my health support nurse came, she was shocked as well. She couldn't believe that this could happen. Whenever we go to appointments, we take pictures of her doing it. The midwife and even the doctor we had an appointment with on Saturday were actually amazed. They couldn't believe it.
Onyi, who also breastfeeds Amara regularly, said: 
'The breastfeeding is better now – it's comfortable. It used to be painful and sore before but it's good now. When she breastfeeds she is touching and holding on to me. It's a really nice experience and way to bond.' Babies are usually able to hold a bottle unaided from around six months.
Meanwhile there's a warning against letting babies feed themselves. Parents' charity NCT warns;
'If you give your baby a bottle, always hold the bottle and your baby whilst feeding. It's not safe to leave babies to feed themselves or to prop up a bottle; if they choke they won't be able to push the bottle away.'
The charity also warns that babies can choke on something as small as a grape and should not be left alone while feeding or eating.

Navy discharges black sailor for refusing to cut off her natural hair

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 12:28 PM PDT

This week, the U.S Navy announced that it was discharging Jessica Sims, an Africa American woman who has been a sailor for 12-years, for "failing to obey an order to cut off her natural hairstyle."
The military has been under scrutiny for guidelines issued in March that critics believe were discriminatory toward African-American women. Those regulations "specifically forbid several hairstyles popular for black women who keep their hair natural, including twists, headbands, dreadlocks, or multiple braids that are larger than a quarter-inch." A former U.S. Army Major, sharply criticized the regulations, noting they targeted "natural styles African American service women have been wearing for years." Continue..
Sims had been wearing her hair in the same way since 2005, without any apparent issues.

In response to the criticism, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel ordered the regulations to be relaxed earlier this month to "allow female service members to have a wider range of hairstyles." But the Navy found that Sims hair still violated their guidelines.

Sims rejected repeated calls from the Navy to change her hair style, saying "I don't think I should be told that I have to straighten my hair in order to be within what they think the regulations are, and I don't think I should have to cover it up with a wig."

The Navy said her hairstyle made it difficult for her to wear a gas mask. Sims said that her hair conformed to regulations requiring it protrude less than two inches from her head and that she "never had a problem wearing safety helmets or gas masks."

After her discharge, Sims had no regrets: "I still stand by it. I would do it again if I had to."

Source: Think Progess

Pics: Film Made In Nigeria takes a giant leap as 75 graduate from Del-York Creative Academy

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 12:21 PM PDT

It's nothing short of amazing what can be achieved when talents and passion come in contact with the right kind of training from great minds around the world. This is what happened recently in the Nigerian creative industry as it took a giant leap forward in just four weeks when 75 participants were put through a hands-on intensive workshop in different aspects of film making. Continue...


Under the tutelage of experienced professionals from Hollywood and using only the best equipment in film making, these students were taught courses in editing, graphics design, directing, cinematography, special effects, production and set design, makeup and screen writing. The result of the intensive training was exhibited in the level of creativity and professionalism seen in a number of short films the students produced at the end of the workshop tagged 'Film Made In Nigeria'.

The training course came to a climax on Friday 15th August 2014 with a well-organised Award Ceremony. The event which took place at the Muson Center, Onikan, Lagos was one of class, colour and style as it attracted the crème de la crème from various industries who all shared a common passion for growth of Nigeria's creative sector.

In attendance were several dignitaries including The Consular-General of France to Nigeria, Mr Francois Sastourne, Nollywood stars Monalisa Chinda, Segun Arinze, Ufoma Ejenobor-McDermott and Mary Lazarus. Seasoned lawyer and Partner at Abraham & Co Solicitors Mena Ajakpovi also graced the occasion.


The night saw the 75 participants graduate with certificates in their various areas of competences with awards presented to some outstanding students. Eight of the students' short films were premiered at the Awards Night to a delighted audience who attested to their exceptional quality and impact on the future of Nigeria's creative industry.

Another high point of the night was a plenary session tagged "Conversations with Nollywood" moderated by Segun Arinze with two separate panels made up of the Hollywood faculty of the Del-York Creative Academy and stakeholders in the Nigerian creative industry such as actress Ufoma Ejenobor-McDermott, Lawyer Mena Ajakpovi, President of the Creative Designers Guild of Nigeria Iyen Obaseki and Nollywood Actor and Filmmaker Francis Onwochei. They discussed the challenges facing the industry and proffered practicable solutions such as an improved distribution system for movies where all participants in the industry get their own fair share of profits.  

Del-York Creative Academy is an initiative of Del-York International, a media, marketing/broadcast communications and technology Services Company founded by Mr. Linus Idahosa. According to Mr Idahosa, the Academy would continue to help nurture the participants' dreams until they get a strong footing in their chosen fields.

This year's program was mainly supported by President Goodluck Jonathan's Intervention Fund under the aegis of Project ACT. This fund is being managed by the Ministry of Finance headed by the co-ordinating minister of the Economy Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and His Excellency, Chief Edem Duke, Minister of Tourism. Other sponsors include Ibis Lagos Airport Hotel, the Digital Bridge Institute, Jameson and Heritage Bank.
Collectively, their four-week investment in creative Nigerians has been immensely beneficial to the individual destinies of the participants and indeed, the country's future.





To find out more about Del-York International, please visit

Website: www.delyorkinternational.com
Twitter: @Delyorkintl
Facebook: Del-York International
Instagram: @DelyorkCreativeAcademy
Youtube: DelYorkIntl

Photos: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs & Reno Omokri checking out LIB! Yay!!

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 10:36 AM PDT

You go, LIB! Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed and Special Assistant to President Jonathan on New Media, Reno Omokri, pictured checking out LIB today. So cool. See more photos after the cut..

Actor Idris Elba reportedly secretly married his baby mama

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:13 AM PDT

Looks like Idris Elba is off the market. According to new reports, Idris secretly married his baby mama, Naiyana Garth last month in the UK. Idris and make-up artist Naiyana, who is part Chinese/ part Caucasian, welcomed a son Winston in April this year. Idris also has an 11year old daughter, Isan from his ex-wife Dormowa Sherman.

Photo: Wizkid shows off his diamond jewelry collection

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:19 AM PDT

How big boys roll...:-)

Infinix Zero: The firstOcta core Smartphone released from Infinix

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:11 AM PDT

There is so much excitement about the newInfinix Zero! This is the device that is set to dwarf all others in terms of performance and technology. Imagine the superior picture quality of a 13MP camera with Sony Exmor RS sensor, the speed derived from the powerful Octa-Core processor, the latest Android 4.4 kat technology and the classy glass on metal finish this device has to offer.

The Infinix Zero is an embodiment of aesthetics. One of the first things that would strike you 
about the phone is its sleekness. Continue...
 
It has a smooth feeling and it's very palm friendly. It is also very light,weighing just about 150 mg. 
The hardened glass frame, called the Gorrilla glass 3, is an extraordinary feature, allowing you to hit it against a hard surface without getting broken. To have a virtual feel of this amazing device, click here --->Feel the Infinix Zero Share and reduce the cost! http://www.infinixmobility.com/ng/infinixzero/
 
The Infinix Zerowould be sold exclusively onKonga.com，the best marketplace platform in Nigeria 
as shown by several metrics.  
Infinix Zero would be sold online because the costs of e-commerce is cheaper than that of a brick and 
mortar market, thereby making products more affordable for customers.Click here to sign up for 
pre-order info.you can decide the price!
http://www.infinixmobility.com/ng/infinixzero/

Amidst all the excitement, Infinix is giving fans the opportunity to win lots of cool gifts and a VIP ticket to the official launching of the
phone! Click here to enter ---->www.facebook.com/Infinixmobile

This Fench designed smartphone is much more affordable than you can imagine!
 Can you guess how much Konga.com is selling it for?  
Sign up here to get exclusive information ----->Infinix Zero
http://www.konga.com/infinix-zero

OAP Toolz talks about the time a guy she liked broke her heart

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:11 AM PDT

In a recent interview with Entertainment Express, radio personality Toolz talked about the time a guy she liked told her he wasn't interested in pursuing a relationship with her. What she said below...
"There was this guy I met during my final year at the University. He had just moved from Houston and didn't know a lot of people in London and after a few random conversation about course work, he asked me out. Our first date was amazing and after about a month of seeing each other a few times a week, I was almost certain he was "the one". After dancing around the issue for a week or two, I was finally brave enough to bring up the "where are we" issue. His exact words were "I really like you Tolu, but I'm not looking for a relationship right now". I had to take a moment to mentally pick up the fragments of my broken heart, then I smiled at him and said "No worries, it's okay"
What is the biggest lesson you have learnt from heartbreaks?
"I did learn a valuable lesson from this. One of the worst things you can do in life is to lie to yourself and potentially rob yourself of what you truly deserve. Whether it be a relationship, a job, whatever situation it is, do your best to be honest with yourself. If a situation isn't giving you what you need, don't fool yourself. Have enough self respect to say " I am not getting what I want from this situation and I honestly won't be able to settle" she said

Bello El-Rufai's moving tribute to his late younger brother Hamza

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:12 AM PDT

Bello El-Rufai (pictured right), son of Mallam Nasir El Rufai, took to his Facebook wall to pay tribute to his younger brother, Hamza El-Rufai (pictured left), who died in a fatal car crash on July 29th. Find his moving tribute below..
"Hamza El-Rufai was born on February 14th 1991 in Kaduna state and attended Essence International School before transferring to Sacred Heart, a Catholic Primary School in Kaduna. He took the Common Entrance Examination from Class 4 and began... his Secondary School Education in Nigerian Turkish International School. His journey to secondary school 2 years before his time was more pleasing due to the several awards he received. He is my younger brother and was one of my best friends." Continue...
 
 
 
 


He excelled in high school, and obtained his IGCSE Certificate with distinction. Hamza He completed his IB Diploma in 2009 at the United World Collage of the Atlantic, before moving to the University of Virginia to study Chemical Engineering. Unfortunately, he had to transfer due to visa issues during his sophomore year in college. Hamza's next and final academic destination was at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Dubai. He had settled on studying Mechanical Engineering, after managing to transfer his credits to his new school. 


He came back for the holidays after taking summer classes to compensate the delay he went through as a result of the aforementioned visa complications. In all his academic days, he was engaged in various extracurricular activities. He enjoyed football; basketball, skiing, traveling, and video games among many other hobbies. He was an avid Manchester United supporter, a staunch Chicago Bulls fan and Pittsburg Steelers fan. Hamza was a huge fan of the critically acclaimed actor James Dean and the American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.


He enjoyed going on ski trips and traveling around the world, the most adventurous was a Spring Break trip to Columbia. The playful picture of him jumping over a Columbian flag was taken while he was there, Hamza enjoyed learning more about the diversity in Latin America. He had always been interested in the political ideologies of numerous revolutionary fighters, particularly, Che Guevara and Fidel Castro. He got to witness the legend of Pablo Oscar, the drug lord of Medellin whom the poor protected during the height of his power. All in all, he described the trip as a life changing experience. His friend, the son of a former Vice President of Columbia, invited him.

Hamza was simple, unpretentious and too nonchalant at times in my view. He loved t-shirts, bathroom slippers, akara, and was never distracted by the finer things in life. He was extraordinarily blunt, a trait I believe he got from both of our parents. He was a loyal friend that went the extra mile for others and they reciprocated the affection in return. He enjoyed diverse genres of music, from Classical, Hip Hop, House, Rhythm & Blues and Rock. He was huge fan of Bob Marley, Bon Iver, Il Divo and the Kings of Leon. He was also addicted to Football Manager and loved FIFA. Our FIFA career mode is still in our PS4.

Hamza was open and comfortable with strangers regardless of their position or status. From the newspaper vendors by Federal Secretariat, the credit sellers by Transcorp Hilton, the street hawkers selling orbit chewing gum on Adetokumbo Ademola Crescent to the security workers in Amigo, Hamza managed to touch their lives in some way or the other. A few days ago, a security guard at Dalema Bakery in Kaduna approached my humble self, Adam and Bashir to condole us and compliment Hamza. He was patient enough to know their names and kind enough to assist them in anyway he could. And, they will never forget him for that. They regularly confused me for him when he was back in school.

I have been called the politician of our family. Having a degree in Political Science and International Relations, coupled with a Masters in Public Relations & Corporate Communications might be the reason why. But while I had to study and learn the art of politics, it came naturally to Hamza. It was this inherent character that enabled him to relate with a cross section of individuals in a more authentic manner than I ever could. The reputed intelligence of our father was also a gift he inherited, leading to the great pressure he had to endure. As children, when I came back home with a B+, it was accepted, but, when Hamza came back with an A-, he was criticized for not putting his best effort.

He had his shortcomings as a young adult, but I am yet to meet a human being that does not. I always had a problem with his somewhat carelessness and overly free spirit. I was more calculative and reclusive than he was. But I also knew he would have outgrown his spontaneity with maturity and time. Yet, despite his occasional absentmindedness, I valued Hamza's judgment and counsel in everything I did. He was instrumental in my decision to propose to my fiancée. He was my debating and arguing partner on a number issues, ranging from politics, social life and ethical conduct. Even before his double promotion from Class 4, I knew he was more intelligent and straightforward than I was. Most of us believe he grew up too fast was very wise for his age and that made him a friend, as well as a brother to me.

As Muslims, we are cautioned to not speak ill about the dead and that prayer is better than any form of compliments. Therefore, may the gentle soul of my darling boy rest in peace along with all the other Nigerians we have lost to natural causes or the insecurity situation in Nigeria. He will be remembered for being a caring young man with a huge heart. He had friends from all over the world from different cultures and religions and interacted with them as fellow brothers and sisters before anything else. He lived a fulfilled life of smiles and laughter, and will be remembered for being there for his relatives, friends and most importantly, his parents. His affection for our mother was true love at its purest form.

To my parents, who have now lost two children in less than 3 years, I beseech you to pray and accept the will of God. I recall a kind reminder from an uncle, Jimi Lawal; on the day we lost Hamza. He mentioned that even the Prophet Muhammadu SAW (PBUH) lost 5 out of his 6 children during his lifetime. Therefore, my parents must do well to remember that as special as they are, they are not as unique as the Messenger of God. And he still had his 3 more children taken away from him.

To my siblings, I urge them to come together to sustain the dreams and memories of both Yasmin and Hamza. I also assure them of my full support and affection. For in this capricious world, it is important to consistently express your love for your relatives. One of the things that I am glad Hamza and I practiced was that we never hesitated to tell one another that we loved each other. We expressed this feeling in public and in private countlessly. To our friends that were physically here and those that could not make but had to send their wishes, I would like to thank you on behalf of my family. It is no exaggeration that we could not have endured Yasmin or Hamza's death without your support and prayers.

To Hamza's girlfriend, Iman Abubakar, I hope she remembers the good times she had with Hamza, and their joint sense of humor. He was fond of showing off her pictures and reminding us that he had the prettiest girlfriend within our group of friends. It is the combination of her beauty, discipline and kindness that endeared her to Hamza. She should continue to be what she is, a strong and independent minded woman. And as our father said, she will meet a better person than Hamza by the grace of God. It might seem a herculean task, but nothing is impossible with prayer and patience and life must go on. Iman, my sister, you will always be a part of our family!

To other well wishers that reached out via phone calls, message or social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, thank you and may God continue to protect your loved ones. To our not so well-wishers that bombarded our father's social media platforms and other news outlets to air out their hatred, we thank them as well. But they must do well to remember that it is fruitless to take joy in someone's Ioss. We will all leave this world when God wishes it. I re-call Hamza's reaction when we witnessed something similar after Yasmin passed away. He believed it is the price we pay for the choice our father took to participate in public service and politics. But our stalkers must remember that for every one of them, there are ten others that will continue to support and believe in us. This group of people will continue to pray for Hamza's eternal soul to rest in peace. And your obsession and hatred continues to be the fuel that drives us.

To the countless dignitaries that visited and prayed for Hamza, I would like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to mourn with us. May God protect you and your loved ones! I would also like to thank President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for his statement condoling our family. Though politics may divide us, death should serve as unifying incident for reflection and repentance. In Suratul Imran, the Qur'an states that kullu nafsin zaikatul mau, which translates to "verily, every soul shall taste death." On this absolute truth by Almighty God, I have accepted the loss of my Hamza, or shall I say our Hamza for he belonged to us all. And as a friend pointed, Hamza's loss is a loss to all of us and not just his family.

A few days after he died, I noticed some posts that totally captured what Hamza embodied. The general theme was that Hamza El-Rufai belonged to everyone. "Hamza El Rufai was a true gentleman and a great loss to all who knew him." Another stated that, "today we mourn Hamza and celebrate his life, pray for him, give charity in his name, say good things about him for he deserves it all." Such words brought me to tears but made me realize that Hamza truly belonged to many others, and not just us. But more than others, or us, Hamza belonged to God, and to God he returned.

I will end this with two quotes that have kept me stable since his death. The first is an extract of a speech that Robert Kennedy gave at the funeral of his brother, President John F. Kennedy. It originated from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and aptly describes how valuable our Hamza was to me. "When he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars. And he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night. And pay no worship to the garish sun." If there was one person that could dim or outshine the sun, it was Hamza. And finally, as Helen Adams Keller once said, "the best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be with the heart." We can no longer see or touch Hamza, but as the best, Hamza has been embedded into our hearts. May God forgive his sins and reward him for the many good things he did. For at the end of the day, his good far outweighed his negativity.

Photos: Rihanna & Chris Brown cross paths at charity game in NYC

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:13 AM PDT

Must have been so awkward. Rihanna sat court-side as she watched her ex boyfriend Chris Brown at a Roc Nation celeb charity basketball game at the Barclays Center in New York yesterday Thursday August 21st. Drake wasn't there and neither was Karrueche Tran. See more photos after the cut...

New Video: CyndyO - Love Me Plenty

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:21 AM PDT

A couple of weeks after she debuted her new single 'Love Me Plenty' sensational singer, CyndyO has followed up swiftly with a hot. The video is directed by Adasa Cookey (Squareball Media). Enjoy and don't forget to follow @iamcyndyo on twitter

Dear LIB readers: Please can you interpret this dream for me?

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:22 AM PDT

From a male LIB reader
Dear Linda Ikeji blog readers. I'm a 29 old self employed man, I am not married and don't have children.  
Every night for the past 10 years  and I mean every night, I have had the same dream. This dream takes me back to either my primary school, secondary school or the University,  where I'm usually in a class with my mates both the ones I heard died years back and the ones I haven't seen since we all left the institutions. 
In this dream, we're usually in a classroom writing either a test or an exam. The questions are always  simple so I answer them but never get  them submitted. I watch everybody in the class submit except me. When ever I get up to submit, it's either the paper disappears or I see a blank sheet, sometimes I get too weak to get up from my seat or as I approach the teacher I wake up from the dream. Bottom line is I've never submitted any exam sheet before for the past 10 years.

That's not the one that bothers me. Recently the dream changed to never getting to my proposed destination. Every time I try to go out, I never do. I dress up get into my car and it never starts. My car in real life is very sound, it has never disappointed me before so why is it that it doesn't move in my dreams. Even when I struggle to go out, I end up at the same spot.

So last night/this morning I had the same dream, this time it was me and my older sister. We were going to get some money from her debtors, we both got into her car and drove off, some minutes after we left her house the car stopped and the next thing we found ourselves in a grave yard dancing for a group of people.  

I'm tired of keeping this dreams to myself, I've not been able to tell a soul because I dont want any disturbance around me. 

But I am here as an anonymous person to seek help. Does this dream make me stagnant? 
Because I really can't make any meaning of life. I still depend on my sisters to live. Never had a job, never had a serious relationship. I'm pretty much the same guy from 10 years ago.

Can someone tell me what this dreams mean?
Should I be worried?

Spouses of two dead Nigerian Ebola victims test positive - Health Minister

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:22 AM PDT

Minister of Health Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu announced today August 22nd that Nigeria has recorded two new cases of the Ebola disease.

The Minister said the two new cases are spouses of dead Ebola victims who had primary contact with late Patrick Sawyer, the man who brought Ebola to Nigeria. Prof. Chukwu said the two new cases are the first secondary contacts in isolation to test positive to the deadly virus.

This brings the total number of cases in Nigeria to 14, with 5 deaths and 5 survivors. Details soon..

Miss FCT Nigeria, Bertha Eke, stunning in new photos

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:24 AM PDT

Miss F.C.T Nigeria 2014 Queen Bertha Eke has released new photos of herself. Bertha won the pageant in May in Abuja. See more photos after the cut...

Glo Xchange, beginning of deeper collaboration between banks, telcos – CBN

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:23 AM PDT

The Governor of Nigeria's apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has described Nigeria's first Mobile Money Super Agent Network, Glo Xchange, launched in Lagos on Thursday, August 21, as the beginning of a deeper collaboration between the financial sector and the telecommunications industry. Continue...


 (L to R) Managing Director, First Monie, Mr. Mike Ogbalu,  Globacom's Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Ajay Mathur, Globacom's Executive Director, Legal Services, Mrs. Gladys Talabi, Executive Director, Stanbic IBTC, Mr. Obinnia Abajue, Globacom's Ag. Coordinator, Business Solution, Mr. Ike Oraekwuotu and Executive Director, Ecobank, Mr. Kingsley Aigbokhaevbo at the launch of the Glo Xchange, Nigeria's 1st Mobile Money  Agent Network  at Eko Hotel, Lagos  on Thursday.
In a statement he personally signed on the launch of the platform, Emefiele congratulated Globacom for launching Glo Xchange, saying it was a win-win situation for all stakeholders. 

The Glo Xchange platform was launched by Globacom in partnership with three licensed mobile money operators, FirstMonie, Ecobank and Stanbic IBTC in Lagos on Thursday.

Globacom's Head of Corporate Sales, Mr. Kamal Shonibare, said Glo Xchange would avail the mobile money sector of the much needed agent network across the entire country as well as the technology platform required for seamless mobile money transactions.

He said the initiative would provide the partner banks on the project with the telecom company's extensive network of 150 Glo World & Glo Zone shops, over 35,000 Glo Dealer and sub dealer outlets and over 400 Con Oil filling stations across the country. The initiative is also leveraging on the Association of Community pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) with their over 7,000 outlets.He added that this has positioned the Glo Xchange platform for phenomenal success from its first day of operation.

Shonibare said the partnering banks and Globacom would collaborate to ensure that mobile money reached the critical mass of the people across the country, leveraging on the parties' extensive retail market experience and customer-base to build an unprecedented mobile money distribution chain across Nigeria.

"The obvious push to reduce the physical movement of cash during business transactions in the economy has stimulated the "marriage" between telecoms operators and the banks, which invariably led to the birth of Glo Xchange", he remarked.

He said Glo Xchange offered a robust platform to provide mobile money service to both banked and unbanked Nigerians, enabling existing and potential customers of partner banks to carry out transactions under the three key areas of banking transactions – deposits, withdrawals and transfers.

Based on the agreement with the partner banks, Globacom will recruit mobile money agents, train them and also provide management services for the partner banks, making available its network infrastructure to support mobile financial transactions. Glo will also provide a dedicated helpline for customers to make inquiries about mobile money services.
The banks, on their part, will provide their mobile money platforms to Globacom's mobile subscribers in compliance with the Central Bank of Nigeria's policy on mobile money. They will also provide specialized trading platform and merchandising materials to the recruited agents while managing customer accounts and support services.

Speaking at the launch event, the Managing Director of Firstmonie, Mike Ogbalu said that Glo Xchange would make financial services available to more Nigerians especially at the grassroots, corroborating the Ecobank's Executive Director,  Kingsley Aigbokhaevo's assertion that the Network, through Glo Xchange, would drive financial inclusion in the country.

Aigbokhaevo cited the example of the Conditional Cash Transfer program of the Federal Government as one of the ways in which mobile money is already impacting positively on the lives of the common people through Globacom.

He disclosed that under Glo Xchange platform, Ecobank mobile money wallet, hosted on Glo Mobile lines, was already being used to disburse monthly subvention to beneficiaries.

He also disclosed that youth farmers in Ekiti State are also receiving subsidies through the same means.

Speaking on behalf of Stanbic IBTC, Executive Director, Mr. Obinna Abajue said his bank was proud to be associated with Globacom because  "Glo, in its characteristic manner, has provided the bridge that will deliver true financial inclusion in Nigeria".

FG finally pays allowances of scholarship students in Russia

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:25 AM PDT

The Federal Government yesterday August 21st started paying the allowance of scholarship students in Russia three days after it was reported that the 322 Nigerian students currently on Bilateral Educational Agreement scholarship in Russia hadn't been paid for about 8 months. 
 
One of the students, Moyosore Ojuri, a Metallurgical Engineering student who spoke with Punch said herself and her colleagues have started receiving credit alerts of $4,450 in their respective bank accounts. She said $4000 is for her January to August allowance; $200 for annual medicals & health insurance, and $250 covers her annual protective clothing. Continue...
"Before now, the Federal Government owed us from January to August. But now they have paid us everything. I can pay my accumulated debts and I am sure that I won't be sent packing from the hostel over unpaid accommodation fees," she said.
President of the Senate Committee, Association of Nigerian Scholarship Students in Russia and a post-graduate student of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Volgograd State Technical University, Russia, Akinola Akindamola, thanked the federal government for the prompt response and hopes that by today Friday August 22nd, all of them would have received their allowances
"The payment of the money is in process and I am confident that by the end of today, we would all have been paid. The least problem we want now is to be financially handicapped. We appreciate the Federal Government for their prompt response." he said
The students had resorted to begging and engaging in menial jobs in Russia after FG failed to send them their allowance, putting them at risk of being deported.

Photos: Ex-beauty queens, Sylvia Nduka & Ene Lawani holiday in Greece

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:24 AM PDT

Former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Sylvia Nduka (2011) and former Miss Nigeria (2004) Ene Lawani took a holiday together to the beautiful Island of Santorini in Greece. The BFFs arrived Greece yesterday and are pictured above relaxing by their hotel pool. See more pics after the cut...

Kim Kardashian shows off hourglass figure in tight corset (photo)

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:59 AM PDT

The magic of the corsets. She shared the pic on her instagram page...

Events-ng.com, a Free Online Event Management Website with

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:28 AM PDT

Events-ng.com, a fast growing online event management site, today announced it's official opening to the Nigerian public. Getting your event listed on the site takes less than 5minutes and it's totally free.

A product of Little Villaije Limited, the Events-NG.com portal is a self-service event planning website that empowers event holders with all the tools they need to publish and promote their events. Events-NG users enjoy higher attendance rates for their events and increased revenue. Events-NG is a Nigerian portal with dedicated support to event organizers in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt & Calabar.


Thousands of event holders of all sizes and types can use the Events-NG Platform to publish and promote their events for free to the Nigerian public.

Event organizers have a choice of opting for a co-marketing service from events-ng, which will offer them a free radio jingle production of their event and advert placement on choice radio station that best reach their audience on a 50/50 shared cost basis starting at just N10,000.
The Mobile App for events-ng is available on google play store, Windows Store and iTune store.
Getting your event on events-ng.com is as easy as creating an account and adding your event and its totally FREE.
 
Follow us on;
Facebook: facebook.com/eventsNG.nigeria
Twitter: @eventsNG
Instagram: @eventsNG
BBM: 7A1D8F32
WhatsApp: +234 816 649 6754


For more Information Contact: 
Samuel Kalu (Head of Operations, Events-NG)
Tel: +234 808 017 0044, +234 816 649 6754
Skype: Events-NG
Email: support[at]events-ng.com
www.events-ng.com

"I'm sorry for the Adadevoh's pain" - Patrick Sawyer's widow says

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:29 AM PDT

Decontee Sawyer, the widow of late late Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, the man who brought the deadly Ebola disease to Nigeria, says she regrets the death of Doctor Ameyo Adadevor of First Consultant Hospital, who died of the Ebola virus on Tuesday August 19th after being infected by Sawyer.

In an email to Leadership.ng, Mrs Sawyer, who lives in Minnesota, USA, said she's pained that her late husband caused so many others so much pain both in Liberia and Nigeria.
"I share the pains that the family members of the Nigerian doctor are going through. It is just a pity that Patrick had to cause this damage both in Liberia and Nigeria." Continue..
"I want to reach out to them and express how deeply saddened and sorry I am for their loss and their pain. I do apologise if my words have cost anyone who is grieving more pain. I fall on my knees and ask God for his healing power for all of those who are still infected with Ebola. I pray for all of the families whose loved ones were taken away by this merciless killer Ebola, especially those affected by Patrick's actions.
"Ebola didn't start with Patrick in Liberia, as we both know. Ebola was in Liberia from a traveller from Guinea since February of this year. The government knew about it and did nothing. Many Liberians, including me, called out to the government then to close the borders. They didn't do so until one of their own, Patrick (Sawyer), died in July.
"Many people died before Patrick and their lives were just as important. That is my frustration. Ebola didn't have to go to Nigeria, Africa's most populated country, had the Liberian government taken drastic actions sooner. I, too, have family members and friends in Nigeria, and now they are at risk because of Patrick's actions.
"In spite of my anger and disappointment with him, I don't believe that he did this with evil intent (I could be wrong). I believe his actions were that of a desperate man. And sad for everyone involved, Nigeria was closer than the U.S. This is just my take on what he could have been thinking (of course, I could be wrong).
"My regret is that I was so caught up in my own pain and frustration, that I neglected to see the pain of the innocent people both in Liberia and Nigeria who are affected by Patrick's actions. For that, I am deeply sorry. The last thing I wanted to do was to cause them pain. It is a pain I know. It is a pain I don't want them to have."

Photo: Mother of three caught with Cannbis at Lagos Airport

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:31 AM PDT

A 37-year-old mother of three, Ezeh Ifeoma Maureen (pictured above), has been arrested with substances suspected to be cannabis by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). 

According to The Nation, Maureen was caught at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in  Ikeja, Lagos, during outward screening of China-bound Ethiopian Airlines' passengers for allegedly attempting to smuggle 6.200 kilogrammes of dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis.

The agency's Airport Commander, Mr. Hamza Umar, said the suspect told the officers that her bags contained vegetables and foodstuff. Continue...


"She declared the content of her bags as vegetables and foodstuff, but during a search, the vegetables turned out to be cannabis weighing 6.200 kilogrammes. The drug was packed in two parcels."
The suspect, who hails from Anambra State, said: 
"I am a business woman; I sell women's clothes at the Onitsha main market. I usually export foodstuff to China and import female dresses to Nigeria. One of my customers in China called to tell me that his brother would give me two parcels of vegetables to bring to him. I collected the parcels at the airport from the boy. Unfortunately, when they tested them, I was told that they contained cannabis."
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, advised the public to learn from the cases of those arrested for drug trafficking.
"This mother of three children would have been killed in China for drug trafficking if she was not apprehended here. It is important for the public to learn from her experience and shun drug trafficking," he said.
Giade warned passengers not to collect items from people, who will not be there during a search.
The suspect, Giade said, would be charged to court for unlawful possession of, and attempt to export cannabis.

Source: The Nation

Photo: Guess all is well between these two...:-)

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 01:41 AM PDT

Remember what happened here? Looks like we jumped to the wrong conclusions. All is still well in the land of Abigail/Obafemi. Abigail shared this pic this morning. Meanwhile check out an adorable pic of Obafemi with their son after the cut...



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Cuppy On A Mission: Lagos Diaries Part 1

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 01:14 AM PDT

Disc Jockey and Queen of the decks, Dj Cuppy, shares her recent journey in Lagos and build up to the successful Lagos launch of her recently released compilation mix, House Of Cuppy. 

Cuppy On A Mission: Lagos Diaries comes in 3 parts and in each part Cuppy gives details of what her general day in Lagos is like. From the House of Cuppy promo to Djing at events and private parties. Continue...

Each part gives Cuppy fans an insight to the talent and brand known as Cuppy.

In part 1, Cuppy shares her first day in Lagos as she heads straight to Club Quilox to Dj at the club reopening, meeting a top Nigerian artiste and much more.

Press play, enjoy and look forward to the next 2 parts.

Watch Cuppy On A Mission: Lagos Diaries part 1 below...

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