World's most powerful women, Ngozi is 87th

The list goes in this order:
Name Position
1. Angela Merkel -German Chancellor
2. Hillary Clinton -US Secretary of State
3. Dilma Rousseff -President of Brazil
4. Indra Nooyi -Chief Executive, Pepsi Co
5. Sheryl Sandberg -COO, Facebook
6. Melinda Gates -Cofounder, Bill n Melinda Gates Foundation


87. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala- Nigeria's Finance Minister

99. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw -Chair, Founder, Biocon
100. Berth Brooke -Global Vice Chair, Ernst Young

Full list is available here

Beware phone users!

Do not press #90 or #09 on cell/mobile phone, IF SOME ONE CALLS AND ASKS YOU TO DIAL #09 or #90. Again, please Do Not Do It.
If you receive a call on your cell/mobile phone from any person saying that they are checking your cell/mobile line and you have to press #90 or #09 or any other number, end that call immediately without pressing any numbers and/or letters. There is a fraudulent company using a device that once you press #90 or #09, they can access your SIM card and make calls at your expense. To make matters worse, they could use it for fraudulent activities and State Agents will instead come for you, arrest you and you may be detained for what you knew nothing about!
Please, forward this message to EVERYBODY you know, so we can jointly sensitize as many people as possible, to stop these heinous acts. This information has been confirmed by both Motorola and Nokia. Already, there are over 3 million affected cell/mobile phones. You can, also, confirm this from CNN's web site.

Soyinka reacts to Salami's removal

Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, has described the suspension and removal of the President, Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, as illegal, unconstitutional, misguided and improper.

Soyinka said this in Port Harcourt on Monday few minutes after the members of the Nigerian Bar Association booed the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, for his unsatisfactory explanation on the removal of Salami by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Soyinka and Adoke spoke on Monday at the National Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association holding in Port Harcourt.

How to be happy by Roger Darlington

•  
• First of all, be realistic. Nobody is happy all of the time and it is perfectly normal to have variations in moods and feelings from day to day, month to month, and even year to year. According to a study based on data from the British Household Panel Survey, overall levels of happiness decline from one's teens until one's 40s and then pick up until they peak in one's early 70s . So the chances are that your happiest days are yet to come. Doesn't that make you happier? At any time and at any age, though, it is possible to feel happier than you have been and here are some ideas for you to consider.
• Most fundamentally, recognize that happiness is a state of mind and not something which can be defined objectively. You can change your state of mind in many ways including these suggestions.
• Perhaps above all, be as healthy as you can. Nothing is more valuable than your health and little is more likely to make you unhappy than ill-health. For many tips on how to be healthy.

Quote of the day

I saw this on a friend's Facebook wall:

"Don't let someone become a priority in your life when you're just an option in their life"

Absolutely profound if you ask me.

Make your dreams come true

"If you can believe, all things are possible to those who believe."
- Mark 9:23


Achievers are great dreamers (but not "airy-fairey stuff").
What dreams in life would you have, if you knew you could
not possibly fail?

What particular dream would make you happiest in fulfilling?

Firstly, Have total faith: in yourself and especially in God - a
Higher Power, Supreme Being, Who cares deeply about you
and really BELIEVE God, Life, Your Creator will ultimately
ensure the outcome that's best for you (even when things
look bleak and you are stuck deep in the smelly brown stuff.

I've lived these principles (even when my dream appeared
shattered and my hope was at a very low ebb, learnt them
from experience over many years and have applied them in
every area of my personal life. I can vouch for the fact
that they DO work!

Rochas Okorocha's free kerosene: What's your take?

In an event held at the Grasshopper Stadium, Owerri, Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha flagged off his kerosene distribution programme by delivering 110,000 litres of the commodity to many households in the state.

Speaking on the programme, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Mr. Chiadi Sunny disclosed that the five tanker loads of kerosene distributed was the first free batch. He pointed out that the next batches will be distributed amongst the 27 local government areas of the state.

In the same vein, Chairman of Capital Oil and Gas, Sir. Ifeanyi Uba, who is a partner in the project, explained that the programme was sustainable because of strong arrangements with several oil companies in the country, that are producers of kerosene.

Now, what do you think of this?

Few tips to making your relationship work.

Sometimes some issues arise in our relationships that make us wanna cringe. I hope these few tips will be helpful. Enjoy:

1. Understand that every relationship is different. Don't compare your relationship to anyone else. Not your parent's, not your friend's, not your co worker's, not any other family member's, not that couple's relationship that seems perfect all the time, not anyone's, not previous relationships, because that won't help and can destroy your relationship completely!

2. Work on your relationship every single day. Do your part to contribute towards the relationship and keep it going and moving along. Maintain the relationship in every way possible. Work on strengthening your relationship, enriching it, in every way possible, on all levels possible, and in all areas possible (emotional, verbal, psychological, physical, etc.).

NDIC Revokes licences of Afribank, Bank PHB and Spring Bank!



NDIC MD, Alh Umaru Ibrahim



The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) on Friday (today) announced revocation of the operating licenses of Afribank Nigeria Plc, Spring Bank Plc and BankPHB on the excuse that they have not shown capacity and ability to recapitalise before the September 30 deadline.

Managing Director of NDIC, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim told journalists in Lagos on Friday that the assets and liabilities of the three affected banks had been transferred to Bridge Banks effective August 5, 2011.

The Bridge Banks include MainStreet Bank Limited, Keystone Bank Limited and Enterprise Bank Limited. All these Fire Bbrigade approach, I thought Sanusi told us September 30? Now this....

MKO Abiola: Nigerians react to Al-Mustapha's claim



Major al-Mustapha departing the court



Since his recent outburst about bribery of somne notable Yoruba leaders in the murder of Chief MKO Abiola, Major Hamza al-Mustapha has received knocks from different quarters. While some dismmissed him as a coward for waiting thisn long to make his revelation public, other analysts believed there must be some element of truth in those allegations.

Human rights activist, Femi Falana described as a man that is hallucinating. Hear him:

“His allegations are diversionary and designed to whip up unnecessary sentiment and make the public lose sight of the gruesome murder of Mrs. Kudirat Abiola, which is the subject of this trial.“I represented the Abiola family at the Oputa Commission of Enquiry. On the many occasions he gave evidence on the illegal killing of General Sani Abacha and Chief M.K.O. Abiola, he never linked the late Chief Bola Ige and Pa. Abraham Adesanya to the killing and neither did he accuse them of connivance.”

You can read further report on this vexed issue when you continue.....

Karen wins BB Amplified!!!

Karen Igho of Nigeria and Wendall Parson of Zimbabwe were on Sunday night declared winners of the sixth edition of the reality show, Big Brother Africa.

The duo were declared winners of the $200,000 each prize at a tension soaked evening in South Africa where the last seven housemates standing were eliminated one after the other. Karen’s win makes it the third time in a row a Nigeria would win the prize. More after the cut!!

Waziri and Adoke reconcile

After almost two weeks of crossfire, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri, at the weekend met and decided to sheathe their swords.
It was learnt that the reconciliation was at the instance of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The two had disagreed sharply over a gazette regulating the operations of the EFCC, especially on deference to AGF on cases before the anti-graft agency.

Its my baby's birthday!

Ebunoluwa

Mine was July 28, hers is today (July 31!) Join me to thank God for sparing our lives till this day. It's really a good day to be alive. Make sure you leave your comment.

Boko Haram to celebrate 1 year anniversary of slain leader

On July 31, 2010, Boko Haram leader, Yusuf Mohammed was executed bu security agents in Maiduguri. Since then, members of the sect have continued to announce that they meant business by detonating bombs in several parts of Northern Nigeria, especially Maiduguri. The group also claimed responsibility for bombed Louis Edet House, Police Headquarters, Abuja.

To this end, they have vowed to detonate bombs in 7 states across the north including, Borno, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina among others.

For the record, here is an excerpt of the interview he granted a security agent before he was executed:

Officer: We went to your house yesterday and we saw a lot of animals, syringes and materials used for making bombs, what were you keeping all that for?

Yusuf: Like I told you, to protect myself ...

Officer: (Cuts in) ... to protect yourself how? Isn't there the authorities, the law enforcement agencies?

Yusuf: The authorities, the law enforcement agents are the same people fighting me ...

Officer: What did you do?

Yusuf: I don't know what I did ... I am only propagating my religion Islam.

Officer: But I am also a Muslim ...

Yusuf: I don't know why you refuse to accept my own (Islam)

Officer: Why should you say Boko [western education] is Haram (sinful)?

Yusuf: Of course it is Haram

Officer: Why did you say that?

Yusuf: The reasons are so many ...

Officer: The trouser you are wearing ...

Yusuf: (cuts in)...it is pure cotton and cotton belongs to Allah

Officer: But Allah said in the Qur'an iqra (read), that people should seek knowledge...

Yusuf: That's correct, but not the knowledge that contravenes the teachings of Islam. All knowledge that contradicts Islam is prohibited by the Almighty ... sihiri (sorcery or magic) is knowledge, but Allah hath forbidden it; shirk (Polytheism or sharing or associating partners to Allah) is knowledge, but Allah has forbidden it; astronomy is knowledge, but Allah has forbidden it ...

Officer: At your place we found computers, syringes ... are all that no products of knowledge?

Yusuf: They are purely technological things, not Boko ... and westernisation is different.

Officer: How comes you are eating good food – look at you, looking healthy – you are driving good cars, and wearing good clothes while you are forcing your followers to sell their belongings and live mostly on dabino (dates) and water?

Yusuf: That is not true. Everybody is living according to his means. Even you are different. Whoever you see driving good cars is because he can afford them, and whoever you see living in want also means he doesn't have the wherewithal

Photos Speak

Man must survive

Monkey sef na passenger

Mobile Church

Dey wan kill ketekete

It's my birthday, July 28!

For everyone who has remembered my day and taken their time to wish me well, God shall not leave your situation unattended to. Thank you all for being there- always!

Oyo YES-O Programme to close by August 12

The massive employment programme of Oyo State government called Youth Empowerment Scheme- Oyo State, YES-O will close by August 12. The programme plans to employ 20,000 youths in the first 100 days of Gov. Ajimobi's administration. So, if you are interested, go here to apply and see the category that best applies to you. All the best.

Bakare Expresses Support for Islamic Banking

Pastor Tunde Bakare of Latter Rain Assembly has expressed his support for the Islamic Banking being proposed by the Central Bank of Nigeria. While speaking in his church on Sunday on the topic "Signposts to the Emergence of a Dictator, Bakare, CPC's Vice Presidential candidate in the last general elections, accused Christian leaders of insincerity towards the proposed banking system. According to him, "Nobody can Islamise or Christianise Nigeria. Don’t be fooled by church leaders who are speaking from both sides of the mouth. My name is Mr. Bakare and I can change my name to Mallam, an equivalent of Mr., if it will help me get the loan. Islamisation my foot!'

'This country will remain a country of truths. People will face options and they will choose to serve God the way they choose. Islamic banking is another distraction just like the Arabic on the naira.'

'Dubai is a Muslim country and it is progressive. Many Muslim countries are doing well. If Nigeria is practicing Islam and is retrogressing, then there is something wrong'." 

Personally, (me speaking now) I have no problem with the proposed banking system, but why give it religious colouration? Can't we just call it Non-Interest banking? Either way, I think it will enjoy the patronage of  Nigerians because  the loans advanced do not attract interest, but don't make us feel it's for a particular religious sect. This is a religiously sensitive nation.Just my thought sha. End of discussion!

Imo governor appoints 32 SAs and 15 SSAs

Okorocha

Governor Rochas Anayo Okorocha, has appointed several aides to assist him in running the business of government in Imo State. The long list which comprised of several needless portfolios is available here

Imagine having advisers for Igbo Affairs, Lagos Affairs, Lagos Liason, Abuja Liason, Chief Comedian of the State!( to do what?), and the list continues.... And all of them will be on government's payroll. What an expensive government!

Cheryl Shuns Ashley Cole's re-union moves, buys new home in LA.

Once a happy couple

When the going was good

Cheryl's new home in Los Angeles

Cheryl has rejected Ashley Cole's recent moves for a re-marriage advising him to 'delete my number'. This was after she found out that he had another affair with a self-confessed air hostess. The stewardess, 29, said she had bedded Ashley back in 2004, before recapturing the magic last month in on holiday in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile Cheryl who seemed to have moved on after the latest revelation has bought herself a posh home in LA. The home is valued at about 5million USD. 

More gist and pictures of the home when you continue