Nigerian police have raided a baby factory in the oil city of Port Harcourt and arrested a woman accused of harbouring six pregnant girls, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.
“We rescued six girls last week at different stages of pregnancy from an illegal maternity home in Port Harcourt,” Joy Elomoko of the Imo State police told AFP.
She said the youngest of the girls was 14, without disclosing the ages of the others.
“We have also arrested the proprietress of the clinic and she is assisting us in our investigation,” she said.
Elomoko said the raid on the Port Harcourt home followed the arrest of a girl with a baby in nearby Owerri on October 15.
“A lady was found in suspicious circumstances with a day old baby and after interrogation she confessed that she gave birth to a baby in Port Harcourt,” the police spokeswoman said.
Elomoko said police detectives followed the girl to Port Harcourt where six expectant mothers were found in a clinic run by a woman.
“The woman could not produce any document authorising her to operate the clinic and she was subsequently arrested,” she said.
She said the girls also told police that they were being kept in the home to make babies which would be sold to willing buyers.
Elomoko said the suspect would be taken to court after police investigation.
Nigerian police have uncovered a series of alleged baby factories in recent years, notably in the southeastern part of the country. Baby boys can sell for a price of around $250 (180 euros), baby girls for slightly less.
Human trafficking, including the selling of children, is the third most common crime in Nigeria behind fraud and drug trafficking, according to the United Nations
Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil producer, but poverty is widespread across the country and most of the estimated 160 million people still live on less than two dollars a day.
Raw Story
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Nigerian government has Infrastructure master plan in place
A 30-year National Infrastructural Master Plan (NIMP) is currently being put together by the federal government as a coordinated approach for the development of infrastructure, President Goodluck Jonathan said Tuesday.
Jonathan, who spoke through the Vice-President, Namadi Sambo, in Lagos at the 70th anniversary lecture of the Island Club, also gave his administration a pass mark on the implementation of his administration’s Transformation Agenda, declaring that his government was on course.
According to the president, the absence of the NIMP had been the bane of development in Nigeria.
He explained that the Master Plan when ready would be implemented through three 10-year strategic plans, and six five-year operational plans and expected to guide the annual budgetary process commencing with effect from 2014. “NIMP provides the capital allocation framework, which identifies the required investments for infrastructural development, in line with the country’s growth aspirations. It also identifies and elaborates on enablers for implementation that would need to be put in place for successful execution. More importantly, the NIMP is in synergy with all other aspects of the Transformation Agenda and Vision 20:2020”
According to the president, in accordance with international best practices, a review of the Transformation Agenda was undertaken in May 2013, to take stock and re-strategising on the work-in-progress.
“’The review which covers the period May 29, 2011-May 29, 2013 was comprehensive and spanned all sectors of the economy. It also takes into account emerging developments in the global and domestic economy as well as the in-depth analysis of all aspects of our basic development objectives and priorities, while exploring the outlook and prospects for the second half of this administration. We presented the detailed report for information and assessment by all Nigerians in keeping with our mandate and campaign promises.”
Jonathan also declared that the mid-term review of the Transformation Agenda indicated that the country’s economy ws on the right track.
“The government has made considerable progress in the last two years at the macroeconomic and sectoral levels. Several reform initiatives have been implemented and significant aspects of the targets of the Transformation Agenda were achieved.
“In particular, the nominal GDP grew from $226.13 billion in 2010 to $257 billion in 2012, which translated to an improved global GDP ranking of the country from 44th position in 2010, to 36th position in 2012.”
He hinted that his government would ensure that the proportion of re-current expenditure in the total budget is significantly reduced in order to adequately invest in the future.
According to him, government had also introduced the performance management system, as a measure to benchmarking and holding public officers more accountable and ensure better effective delivery of services.
According to him, the aim of the transformation agenda is to achieve an all inclusive, non-inflationary growth, improve rural infrastructure, encourage large scale industries and Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Others are to ensure fiscal consolidation, revitalise ailing industries, particularly in the manufacturing sub-sector, promote agriculture as a business and encourage local content strategies in key sectors such as petroleum, natural gas, power and other renewable energy programmes.
This Day
Jonathan, who spoke through the Vice-President, Namadi Sambo, in Lagos at the 70th anniversary lecture of the Island Club, also gave his administration a pass mark on the implementation of his administration’s Transformation Agenda, declaring that his government was on course.
According to the president, the absence of the NIMP had been the bane of development in Nigeria.
He explained that the Master Plan when ready would be implemented through three 10-year strategic plans, and six five-year operational plans and expected to guide the annual budgetary process commencing with effect from 2014. “NIMP provides the capital allocation framework, which identifies the required investments for infrastructural development, in line with the country’s growth aspirations. It also identifies and elaborates on enablers for implementation that would need to be put in place for successful execution. More importantly, the NIMP is in synergy with all other aspects of the Transformation Agenda and Vision 20:2020”
According to the president, in accordance with international best practices, a review of the Transformation Agenda was undertaken in May 2013, to take stock and re-strategising on the work-in-progress.
“’The review which covers the period May 29, 2011-May 29, 2013 was comprehensive and spanned all sectors of the economy. It also takes into account emerging developments in the global and domestic economy as well as the in-depth analysis of all aspects of our basic development objectives and priorities, while exploring the outlook and prospects for the second half of this administration. We presented the detailed report for information and assessment by all Nigerians in keeping with our mandate and campaign promises.”
Jonathan also declared that the mid-term review of the Transformation Agenda indicated that the country’s economy ws on the right track.
“The government has made considerable progress in the last two years at the macroeconomic and sectoral levels. Several reform initiatives have been implemented and significant aspects of the targets of the Transformation Agenda were achieved.
“In particular, the nominal GDP grew from $226.13 billion in 2010 to $257 billion in 2012, which translated to an improved global GDP ranking of the country from 44th position in 2010, to 36th position in 2012.”
He hinted that his government would ensure that the proportion of re-current expenditure in the total budget is significantly reduced in order to adequately invest in the future.
According to him, government had also introduced the performance management system, as a measure to benchmarking and holding public officers more accountable and ensure better effective delivery of services.
According to him, the aim of the transformation agenda is to achieve an all inclusive, non-inflationary growth, improve rural infrastructure, encourage large scale industries and Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Others are to ensure fiscal consolidation, revitalise ailing industries, particularly in the manufacturing sub-sector, promote agriculture as a business and encourage local content strategies in key sectors such as petroleum, natural gas, power and other renewable energy programmes.
This Day
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Violence and corruption ruining Nigerian football league
The final 2013 Nigerian league table, showing home wins and away
wins highlighted in grey. Photograph: Fifa
Notice anything curious about the league table above? It shows the final standings of the Nigeria Premier League, which finished last week. Kano Pillars became the first club in a decade to win back-to-back titles but look beyond that and ask yourself this: have you ever seen a starker difference between home and away results?
Ten of the league's 20 teams went through the whole season unbeaten at home, while no team won more than three away matches in the entire campaign. The runners-up, Enyimba, did not even concede a goal at home, winning 17 and drawing two of their 19 home games while winning just once away. The disparity between Gombe United's home and away form is even more striking: they managed to win 18 and draw one of their 19 home games, scoring an average of more than two goals per game, but away they lost every match, managing a grand total of four goals in 19 games. What is going on?
Enyimba's sweep of home clean sheets is unprecedented but the overall trend of home invincibility and away vulnerability is not new in the NPL, where travelling teams face perilous challenges relating to violent crowds, questionable refereeing and, indeed, travel itself. Arriving just before kick-off after long road trips, often on hazardous surfaces, is far from ideal preparation for players. And they do not always arrive. Last season two matches were postponed when first Sunshine Stars and then Wikki Tourists were robbed on their way to games. Mostly, of course, teams do make it to grounds – and that is when they must contend with fans and referees.
Referees must contend with fans too – for the men in the middle being beaten up is not so much a risk of the job as an inevitability. Wikki Tourists and Kwara United both had results overturned this season after particularly vicious attacks on officials at the grounds, while Enugu Rangers were ordered to play six matches behind closed doors for similar reasons. Those punishments were imposed after referees threatened a boycott and demanded bodyguards, though the officials relented after discussions with the League Management Company (LMC), which was set up last year to bring order to a league where violence, corruption and legal disputes between clubs are obscuring the performances of highly-talented, low-paid players (eight of the 23 Super Eagles that Stephen Keshi took to the summer's Confederations Cup play in the NPL).
Lack of funding constrains the LMC's ability to help referees in one crucial way: officials do not receive salaries from the league, rather they get "indemnities" that are paid before each match by the home team. At least, that is how the arrangement is supposed to work but referees complain that some clubs try to make payment performance-related. It is now common for away teams to seek to ensure balance before a game by offering to cover referees' indemnities too. "Sometimes the quality of refereeing can come down to which team offered the most generous expenses," a club official who did not wish to be named told the Guardian.
Even when referees are determined not to be influenced by payments, they must show even greater fortitude to ignore the demands of certain crowds. And even if they do, that is still no guarantee that the home mob will not get their way. "There was an infamous case several years ago when a referee, Dogo Yabilsu, awarded a penalty to Sharks at Kwara United and fans invaded the pitch," recalls the Nigerian editor of kickoffnigeria.com Colin Udoh. "Yabilsu was a colonel in the army and he took out his service pistol and chased the fans off. But Sharks were still afraid of what would happen if they scored so their player deliberately missed the spotkick."
Dolphins' players were equally intimidated at Kano Pillars a couple of seasons ago – so when the home side were awarded a late penalty several of them pleaded with their goalkeeper, Sunday Rotimi, a former international renowned for his penalty-saving prowess, to dive the wrong way, which he duly did.
Football does not, of course, exist in isolation. The sport is affected by problems that bedevil the country in general. That is true for corruption and funding difficulties, and also when it comes to political strife. Accordingly, north-east Nigeria, where the Boko Haram Islamist jihadist group operates, is an especially daunting away assignment – and not just because of the fear of being caught up in incidents such as the bomb attack that forced the postponement of last season's clash between Kano Pillars and Enyimba.
Supersport, the television company with the NPL screening rights, considers the region too volatile to send cameras to the home matches of sides such as Kano Pillars, El-Kanemi Warriors and Gombe United; and rival clubs claim that one of the reasons that none of those sides lost at home this season is because the absence of footage allows them and referees to get away with particularly outrageous abuses.
Northern clubs retort that their rivals are merely inventing excuses. It is never easy to know who to believe, a fact that the LMC discovered last month when the potential title-decider between Kano Pillars and Enyimba was abandoned following a pitch invasion. Enyimba refused to play on, claiming their players feared for their lives, but Pillars officials protested that their fans had simply been "jubilating" after their team scored a goal and pointed out that the pitch was cleared in under 90 seconds, the threshold at which a points deduction becomes mandatory.
The referees' report suggested officials felt the atmosphere was not safe for play to continue, but Pillars, who had been filming the match themselves, produced footage that appeared to show the referee trying to convince Enyimba players to come back on to the pitch.
Not knowing what to conclude, the LMC ordered the match to be replayed at a neutral venue. Pillars took a giant step to the title by winning 1-0, a "home" victory for which the club rewarded their players with the bonus they normally get for away wins – 40,000 Naira (about £155) – one of just three times all season that the champions earned that bounty.
The Guardian
Monday, October 28, 2013
US Senator apologizes for calling Nigerians scammers
He also called for a peace meeting with Nigerian-Americans who have demanded that he retracts the derogatory remarks.
According to local American media, Cruz, while taking a political swipe at the computer problems of the Affordable Care Act in the U.S, made the comments.
“You may have noticed that all the Nigerian email scammers have become a lot less active lately.
“They all have been hired to run the Obamacare website,” Cruz was quoted as saying on Monday in Houston.
Nigerians home and abroad have strongly condemned the statement, while the Federal Government through the Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S., Prof Ade Adefuye, demanded an apology from Mr. Cruz.
But a letter on Sunday from the senator to leaders of the Nigerian community in Houston, Texas, where the comments were made, said Cruz “regrets any misunderstanding.”
The letter was signed by one of the aides of the Senator, Mr. David Sawyer, the South-East Texas Regional Director in his office.
The letter of apology reads in parts: “Earlier this week, Sen. Ted Cruz made a joke in which he used the term ‘Nigerian email scam.
”
“Senator Cruz regrets that it is unfortunate that we’re living in a time where just about every joke can be misconstrued to cause offense to someone.”
“Cruz has never, nor would ever use a blanket term in a derogatory fashion against such a vibrant and integral part of our community. This usage was never directed to the Nigerian community as a whole.
“To the good people of Nigeria – a beautiful nation where my wife lived briefly as the child of missionaries – no offense was intended.
“I am fully appreciative of the range of mutual economic and security interests that make Nigeria an important friend to the United States,” Cruz said apologetically.
Daily Post
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Video - Drug resistant strain of tuberculosis on the rise in Nigeria
In its latest reports, the World Heath Organization is calling for drug resistant tuberculosis to be declared a 'global public health crisis', as number of patients across Africa continues to grow.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Video - About 700 children die in Nigeria due to lead poisoning
More than seven hundred people - most of them children - have been poisoned to death in Nigeria.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Nigeria going through biggest privatization phase in it's history
With over $3 billion proceeds from the privatisation of the 18 successor companies of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Nigeria may have recorded the biggest ever privatisation transaction in global history.
The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Benjamin Dikki, gave the score sheet, in a keynote presentation to “The Nigeria Investors’ Summit” held in New York, United States of America, last week.
He noted that the Nigerian Government has been consistent in its policy to open up its economy and create the enabling environment for the private sector to thrive.
Dikki added that the present administration, in particular, has gone the extra mile in its efforts to create an environment conducive to attract private sector investments in infrastructure
He noted that the reform initiatives that were so far implemented by the Federal Government had worked; urging prospective investors to take an informed decision, as the upcoming reform initiatives would work.
He enthused that the world was waking up to the most attractive investment haven in the world – Nigeria— urging the investors that had missed the last tranche of investment opportunities, not to miss the next ones.
The Director-General said the first in the long list of upcoming opportunities are in the telecommunications and the transport sectors, stating that the NITEL and its frequencies are still available for sale in a guided liquidation process that will commence soon.
In the transport sector, he said that the railway, National Inland Waterways, Ports and Harbour, and National Transport Commission bills were ready and soon to be sent to the federal legislature for passage.
He revealed that the reforms in the housing sector had equally reached advanced stages; adding that with over 18 million housing deficit in the country, the Federal Government had made the reforms in that sector a priority.
The privatisation helmsman said the Bureau, in collaboration with key stakeholders, is currently reviewing the policies, legal and regulatory framework to attract private sector investments in the sector.
Said he: “We will harness the warehouses and silos all over the country and link them up to the trading platform for Warehouse Receipt Trading system. Once we make prices and buyers predictable, we have a mega boom in the making.”
Dikki said the planned reform in the Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) will commence with the privatization of Bank of Industry (BOI) and Bank of Agriculture (BOA).
He noted that on the reforms in the tourism sector, the BPE has begun the review of the policy, legal and regulatory frameworks for the sector to attract private capital into this tourism gold mine
He alerted the investors interested in the Oil and Gas sector that when the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) is passed, the Refineries will be available for privatization; adding that the network of oil and gas pipelines will also be available for concession.
GUARDIAN
The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Benjamin Dikki, gave the score sheet, in a keynote presentation to “The Nigeria Investors’ Summit” held in New York, United States of America, last week.
He noted that the Nigerian Government has been consistent in its policy to open up its economy and create the enabling environment for the private sector to thrive.
Dikki added that the present administration, in particular, has gone the extra mile in its efforts to create an environment conducive to attract private sector investments in infrastructure
He noted that the reform initiatives that were so far implemented by the Federal Government had worked; urging prospective investors to take an informed decision, as the upcoming reform initiatives would work.
He enthused that the world was waking up to the most attractive investment haven in the world – Nigeria— urging the investors that had missed the last tranche of investment opportunities, not to miss the next ones.
The Director-General said the first in the long list of upcoming opportunities are in the telecommunications and the transport sectors, stating that the NITEL and its frequencies are still available for sale in a guided liquidation process that will commence soon.
In the transport sector, he said that the railway, National Inland Waterways, Ports and Harbour, and National Transport Commission bills were ready and soon to be sent to the federal legislature for passage.
He revealed that the reforms in the housing sector had equally reached advanced stages; adding that with over 18 million housing deficit in the country, the Federal Government had made the reforms in that sector a priority.
The privatisation helmsman said the Bureau, in collaboration with key stakeholders, is currently reviewing the policies, legal and regulatory framework to attract private sector investments in the sector.
Said he: “We will harness the warehouses and silos all over the country and link them up to the trading platform for Warehouse Receipt Trading system. Once we make prices and buyers predictable, we have a mega boom in the making.”
Dikki said the planned reform in the Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) will commence with the privatization of Bank of Industry (BOI) and Bank of Agriculture (BOA).
He noted that on the reforms in the tourism sector, the BPE has begun the review of the policy, legal and regulatory frameworks for the sector to attract private capital into this tourism gold mine
He alerted the investors interested in the Oil and Gas sector that when the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) is passed, the Refineries will be available for privatization; adding that the network of oil and gas pipelines will also be available for concession.
Written by Roseline Okere
Nigeria team bus attacked post World Cup qualifying match in Ethopia - Player injured
Nigeria's Nosa Igiebor was injured on Sunday when the team's bus was attacked in Addis Ababa after their World Cup play-off first-leg against Ethiopia.
The Real Betis midfielder needed emergency treatment on his palm after the bus windows were shattered as the team left the Addis Ababa ground.
Nigeria, who won the match 2-1, have reported the incident to Fifa.
"We hope Fifa will take an action," Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) vice-president Mike Umeh told BBC Sport.
"It's a shame that such an embarrassing behaviour could happen after a football match."
Ben Alaiya, the Super Eagles media officer, joined Umeh in condemning the actions.
Alaiya said in a press statement that fans attacked the team bus with stones after the match and one of the heavy stones shattered the rear windscreen of the bus, sending all inside the bus scampering for safety.
"Igiebor was the unlucky one as the stone slashed his right palm leading to profuse bleeding that was immediately attended to by team doctor, Ibrahim Gyaran," he wrote.
Nigeria are favourites to progress to their second straight World Cup when the two sides meet again in Calabar on 16 November.
The Real Betis midfielder needed emergency treatment on his palm after the bus windows were shattered as the team left the Addis Ababa ground.
Nigeria, who won the match 2-1, have reported the incident to Fifa.
"We hope Fifa will take an action," Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) vice-president Mike Umeh told BBC Sport.
"It's a shame that such an embarrassing behaviour could happen after a football match."
Ben Alaiya, the Super Eagles media officer, joined Umeh in condemning the actions.
Alaiya said in a press statement that fans attacked the team bus with stones after the match and one of the heavy stones shattered the rear windscreen of the bus, sending all inside the bus scampering for safety.
"Igiebor was the unlucky one as the stone slashed his right palm leading to profuse bleeding that was immediately attended to by team doctor, Ibrahim Gyaran," he wrote.
Nigeria are favourites to progress to their second straight World Cup when the two sides meet again in Calabar on 16 November.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Charges against Russians attempting to traffic guns in Nigeria dropped
The seven were among 15 Russian sailors charged with illegally bringing weapons into Nigeria last year, after Nigerian authorities intercepted a ship on October 23 and found on board several guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
Confirming the verdict, defense lawyer Ogidigba Mobosa also told Reuters TV that two Nigerians who had been aboard the ship had been charged with wrongfully telling the Russians they had permission to enter Nigerian territory with the weapons.
The boat was operated by Nigerian shipping company Blue Sea Maritime.
Arms smuggling to and through Nigeria is rife, with demand fuelled by an Islamist rebellion in the north and by armed robbery, kidnapping, oil theft and piracy in the south.
Nigeria is also sometimes used as a conduit for shipping arms to other conflict-ridden parts of West Africa.
Shippers complain that a lack of permission for armed private security leaves them vulnerable to pirates. West Africa has overtaken Somalia's coast as the region of the continent worst affected by piracy, experts say.
During the court hearings, the Russian sailors did not explain why the arms were on board their ship.
REUTERS
Related stories: Video - Russia wants Nigeria to release arrested sailors
Confirming the verdict, defense lawyer Ogidigba Mobosa also told Reuters TV that two Nigerians who had been aboard the ship had been charged with wrongfully telling the Russians they had permission to enter Nigerian territory with the weapons.
The boat was operated by Nigerian shipping company Blue Sea Maritime.
Arms smuggling to and through Nigeria is rife, with demand fuelled by an Islamist rebellion in the north and by armed robbery, kidnapping, oil theft and piracy in the south.
Nigeria is also sometimes used as a conduit for shipping arms to other conflict-ridden parts of West Africa.
Shippers complain that a lack of permission for armed private security leaves them vulnerable to pirates. West Africa has overtaken Somalia's coast as the region of the continent worst affected by piracy, experts say.
During the court hearings, the Russian sailors did not explain why the arms were on board their ship.
REUTERS
Related stories: Video - Russia wants Nigeria to release arrested sailors
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Plane crash in lagos leaves dozens dead
A plane carrying 20 people has crashed shortly after take-off from Lagos airport in Nigeria, officials say.
A rescue operation is ongoing. At least 13 people are known to have died and several more of those on board were injured.
The Associated Airlines plane was bound for Akure, which lies about 140 miles (225km) north-east of Lagos.
The plane's engine appeared to fail and the aircraft plunged to the ground and burst into flames, officials said.
The charter flight took off at about 09:30 local time (08:30 GMT) from the domestic terminal at Lagos's Murtala Mohammed International Airport.
Officials said the plane crashed on to open land within the airport complex, close to a fuel storage depot.
It is not yet clear whether the fuel caught fire.
Eyewitness Ahmad Safian told the BBC: "I heard a loud bang and then there was lots of black smoke. The security forces rushed straight to the scene. I saw three bodies removed from the wreckage."
Mr Safian said the road to the airport was blocked for a short time but operations were continuing as normal at the airport.
Yakubu Dati from the Nigerian airports authority said that 20 people had been on board the plane.
Akure is the capital of Ondo state. Local media reported that the plane was carrying the body of the former state governor, Olusegun Agagu, who was to have been buried this weekend.
Although Nigeria's air safety record has improved in recent years, the country has a history of major passenger plane crashes.
In June 2012, more than 150 people were killed after a dual engine failure caused a plane to crash in Lagos.
Lagos airport is a major hub for West Africa and saw 2.3 million passengers pass through it in 2009, according to the most recent statistics provided by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
BBC
A rescue operation is ongoing. At least 13 people are known to have died and several more of those on board were injured.
The Associated Airlines plane was bound for Akure, which lies about 140 miles (225km) north-east of Lagos.
The plane's engine appeared to fail and the aircraft plunged to the ground and burst into flames, officials said.
The charter flight took off at about 09:30 local time (08:30 GMT) from the domestic terminal at Lagos's Murtala Mohammed International Airport.
Officials said the plane crashed on to open land within the airport complex, close to a fuel storage depot.
It is not yet clear whether the fuel caught fire.
Eyewitness Ahmad Safian told the BBC: "I heard a loud bang and then there was lots of black smoke. The security forces rushed straight to the scene. I saw three bodies removed from the wreckage."
Mr Safian said the road to the airport was blocked for a short time but operations were continuing as normal at the airport.
Yakubu Dati from the Nigerian airports authority said that 20 people had been on board the plane.
Akure is the capital of Ondo state. Local media reported that the plane was carrying the body of the former state governor, Olusegun Agagu, who was to have been buried this weekend.
Although Nigeria's air safety record has improved in recent years, the country has a history of major passenger plane crashes.
In June 2012, more than 150 people were killed after a dual engine failure caused a plane to crash in Lagos.
Lagos airport is a major hub for West Africa and saw 2.3 million passengers pass through it in 2009, according to the most recent statistics provided by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
BBC
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Video - Security stepped up after Boko Haram attack on College in Northern Nigeria
Nigeria is stepping up security at schools in Yobe state. Dozens of students are in the hospital following an attack on their college that left at least 50 dead. The army says the students were shot as they slept by Boko Haram fighters.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Boko Haram attack college - Dozens dead
Suspected Islamist gunmen have attacked a college in north-eastern Nigeria, killing up to 50 students.
The students were shot dead as they slept in their dormitory at the College of Agriculture in Yobe state.
North-eastern Nigeria is under a state of emergency amid an Islamist insurgency by the Boko Haram group.
Boko Haram is fighting to overthrow Nigeria's government to create an Islamic state, and has launched a number of attacks on schools.
Classrooms burned
Casualty figures from the latest attack vary, but a local politician told the BBC that around 50 students had been killed.
The politician said two vanloads of bodies had been taken to a hospital in Yobe's state capital, Damaturu.
A witness quoted by Reuters news agency counted 40 bodies at the hospital, mostly those of young men believed to be students.
College provost Molima Idi Mato, speaking to Associated Press, also said the number of dead could be as high as 50, adding that security forces were still recovering the bodies and that about 1,000 students had fled the campus.
A Nigerian military source told AP that soldiers had collected 42 bodies.
The gunmen also set fire to classrooms, a military spokesman in Yobe state, Lazarus Eli, told Agence France-Presse.
The college is in the rural Gujba district.
In May, President Goodluck Jonathan ordered an operation against Boko Haram, and a state of emergency was declared for the north-east on 14 May.
Many of the Islamist militants left their bases in the north-east and violence initially fell, but revenge attacks quickly followed.
In June, Boko Haram carried out two attacks on schools in the region.
At least nine children were killed in a school on the outskirts of Maiduguri, while 13 students and teachers were killed in a school in Damaturu.
In July in the village of Mamudo in Yobe state, Islamist militants attacked a school's dormitories with guns and explosives, killing at least 42 people, mostly students.
Boko Haram regards schools as a symbol of Western culture. The group's name translates as "Western education is forbidden".
Boko Haram is led by Abubakar Shekau. The Nigerian military said in August that it might have killed him in a shoot-out.
However, a video released last week purportedly showed him alive.
Other previous reports of his death later proved to be unfounded.
BBC
The students were shot dead as they slept in their dormitory at the College of Agriculture in Yobe state.
North-eastern Nigeria is under a state of emergency amid an Islamist insurgency by the Boko Haram group.
Boko Haram is fighting to overthrow Nigeria's government to create an Islamic state, and has launched a number of attacks on schools.
Classrooms burned
Casualty figures from the latest attack vary, but a local politician told the BBC that around 50 students had been killed.
The politician said two vanloads of bodies had been taken to a hospital in Yobe's state capital, Damaturu.
A witness quoted by Reuters news agency counted 40 bodies at the hospital, mostly those of young men believed to be students.
College provost Molima Idi Mato, speaking to Associated Press, also said the number of dead could be as high as 50, adding that security forces were still recovering the bodies and that about 1,000 students had fled the campus.
A Nigerian military source told AP that soldiers had collected 42 bodies.
The gunmen also set fire to classrooms, a military spokesman in Yobe state, Lazarus Eli, told Agence France-Presse.
The college is in the rural Gujba district.
In May, President Goodluck Jonathan ordered an operation against Boko Haram, and a state of emergency was declared for the north-east on 14 May.
Many of the Islamist militants left their bases in the north-east and violence initially fell, but revenge attacks quickly followed.
In June, Boko Haram carried out two attacks on schools in the region.
At least nine children were killed in a school on the outskirts of Maiduguri, while 13 students and teachers were killed in a school in Damaturu.
In July in the village of Mamudo in Yobe state, Islamist militants attacked a school's dormitories with guns and explosives, killing at least 42 people, mostly students.
Boko Haram regards schools as a symbol of Western culture. The group's name translates as "Western education is forbidden".
Boko Haram is led by Abubakar Shekau. The Nigerian military said in August that it might have killed him in a shoot-out.
However, a video released last week purportedly showed him alive.
Other previous reports of his death later proved to be unfounded.
BBC
Friday, September 27, 2013
Nigeria's answer to amazon.com
There’s an old saying in Nigeria that one can outfit an entire home in a single drive across Lagos, buying everything from cutlery and furniture to food and decor from the thousands of hawkers that aggressively sell their wares along -- and in the middle of -- the congested city’s potholed streets.
Now Nigerians have another option for comprehensive shopping. It’s a website called Jumia, and because it’s based online, shoppers don’t have to brave mind-numbing traffic to get their goods as the budding retail portal handles nearly all the schlepping with its nationwide network of 120 delivery trucks.
Now Nigerians have another option for comprehensive shopping. It’s a website called Jumia, and because it’s based online, shoppers don’t have to brave mind-numbing traffic to get their goods as the budding retail portal handles nearly all the schlepping with its nationwide network of 120 delivery trucks.
Jumia co-founder Tunde Kehinde sat down with International Business Times at the company’s massive Lagos campus earlier this month to discuss the company’s humble beginnings, its massive growth and the goals and challenges that lie ahead for the site, which is the country’s most popular online retailer.
Jumia is not a name known to many Westerners, but it can best be described as Africa’s answer to Jeff Bezos’ multibillion-dollar Amazon empire, though its tale of ascendancy tracks to a much shorter timeline.
Officially launched under the name Kasuwa in June 2012, the company that was later rebranded as Jumia has definitely captured the attention of investors, as top firms including J.P. Morgan Asset Management and Summit Partners have already backed the start-up to the tune of tens of millions of dollars, though Kehinde declined to discuss its balance sheet.
“We launched in a small conference room in Lagos with initial funding from Rocket Internet, a German tech incubator, and we simply went about getting as many local suppliers as we could and building a quality team to create an amazing shopping experience,” said Kehinde, a tall, mild-mannered man who wore dark-blue traditional batik clothing for our interview.
From that low-key start, the company has quickly grown to become a major player in the continent’s retail industry, currently offering more than 100,000 different products from computers and books to makeup and clothing to consumers in six countries across Africa.
The company -- which grows and changes at lightning speed, meaning this information will likely soon be outdated -- currently promises to deliver any item in its 90,000 central warehouse in the Ikeja district of Lagos to any location in the city within a single day, and anywhere in the entire country within five days.
It’s a lofty guarantee, and one that seems to be working fairly well for the company.Though circumstances and travel difficulties occasionally make it impossible for Jumia to fulfill their promise, the company's commitment to fast service despite the challenges mirrors co-founders Kehinde and Raphael Afaedor’s visionary approach to the African market.
Big plans
If Kehinde's dreams come to fruition, Jumia will soon serve the shopping needs of every West African nation and beyond. And if any company can pull off such a feat, it appears Jumia is the best placed to do so, as it has exploded from five employees to more than 500 in the short period since its launch, and its Lagos nerve center is now the largest e-commerce campus in Nigeria.
Kehinde’s parents are both entrepreneurs, and he says that he “was almost destined at some point to start [his] own business.” He and Afaedor are both native Nigerians who travelled to the United States to get top-flight educations -- they both graduated from Harvard Business School -- then returned to their home country to take advantage of the nation’s burgeoning business and tech climate.
“The vision of the company is to be the biggest and best retailer -- online or offline -- in West Africa within the foreseeable future,” Afaedor said while sitting in the orange-dominated, fluorescent-lit offices of Jumia’s Lagos headquarters. “To get there, we’re going to have to open up more categories of goods and have more physical locations so when people think of shopping in their country, they think of Jumia.”
Afaedor sees Jumia at the vanguard of a growing tech commerce industry in West Africa and Nigeria in particular, where many startups have launched in recent years that offer services similar to popular Western websites such as eBay, Seamless, Fresh Direct and Hotels.com.
“The good thing is you’re seeing more innovation, more entrepreneurs and more job creation with all these ventures coming,” he said.
Challenges remain
Despite the bullishness of Kehinde and the international investors who have backed Jumia, the company faces a range of obstacles on the road to becoming the singular, indispensable African online retailer its founders want it to be.
One is the question of its ability to make good on its guarantee to deliver high-quality, well-priced products within set timeframes to any place within its metastasizing distribution areas.
Ife, a Lagos businesswoman who asked to be referred to only by her first name, said that her limited experiences with Jumia have not quite lived up to its promises.
When asked in an unrelated interview if she had dealt with the company, she said her boss once ordered a smartphone and several tubes of toothpaste from the website, and when it arrived at their office a day later the package instead included more toothpaste than he had requested and no smartphone. Never mind the fact that she says the price was “was like 10 times higher than it would have been around the corner” at a locally-owned store.
But Ife says the company’s impressive costumer service team -- Kehinde says Jumia employs 85 customer service agents -- resolved her issue “quickly and efficiently” and that she will definitely use the site again, as she chalked the snafus up to “growing pains” and said she was satisfied overall. She also said most of her friends have nothing but good things to say about Jumia.
Kehinde acknowledges that other hindrances lie ahead, not least of which are the complications inherent in trying to fulfill Jumia’s promise of delivering any item to any place in Nigeria within five days, and other similar pledges in other nations served by the online marketplace.
“Fortunately, most of the orders we get right now are centered in urban areas that are easy to get to, but for the harder-to-reach areas we partner with DHL and other third-party providers,” he explained.
“For the most part you can get there if you have a bike of some sort or a car that can maneuver; it’s just about knowing the local terrain. If we’re not able to get you your item within our delivery promise, we’re learning to deal with customer expectations and let them know in a text or email if there may be a more convenient delivery time available.”
Despite these relatively minor frustrations, it appears that Jumia is on track to continue to grow into one of the most important and dominant retail operations in Africa. What once required a trek to the market now only requires the click of a mouse or the submission of a form on a smartphone app.
“To be honest, we’ve grown so fast I don’t know if we ever took the time to reflect on it,” Kehinde said. “But we just go day by day to continue building an amazing shopping experience.”
Jumia is not a name known to many Westerners, but it can best be described as Africa’s answer to Jeff Bezos’ multibillion-dollar Amazon empire, though its tale of ascendancy tracks to a much shorter timeline.
Officially launched under the name Kasuwa in June 2012, the company that was later rebranded as Jumia has definitely captured the attention of investors, as top firms including J.P. Morgan Asset Management and Summit Partners have already backed the start-up to the tune of tens of millions of dollars, though Kehinde declined to discuss its balance sheet.
“We launched in a small conference room in Lagos with initial funding from Rocket Internet, a German tech incubator, and we simply went about getting as many local suppliers as we could and building a quality team to create an amazing shopping experience,” said Kehinde, a tall, mild-mannered man who wore dark-blue traditional batik clothing for our interview.
From that low-key start, the company has quickly grown to become a major player in the continent’s retail industry, currently offering more than 100,000 different products from computers and books to makeup and clothing to consumers in six countries across Africa.
The company -- which grows and changes at lightning speed, meaning this information will likely soon be outdated -- currently promises to deliver any item in its 90,000 central warehouse in the Ikeja district of Lagos to any location in the city within a single day, and anywhere in the entire country within five days.
It’s a lofty guarantee, and one that seems to be working fairly well for the company.Though circumstances and travel difficulties occasionally make it impossible for Jumia to fulfill their promise, the company's commitment to fast service despite the challenges mirrors co-founders Kehinde and Raphael Afaedor’s visionary approach to the African market.
Big plans
If Kehinde's dreams come to fruition, Jumia will soon serve the shopping needs of every West African nation and beyond. And if any company can pull off such a feat, it appears Jumia is the best placed to do so, as it has exploded from five employees to more than 500 in the short period since its launch, and its Lagos nerve center is now the largest e-commerce campus in Nigeria.
Kehinde’s parents are both entrepreneurs, and he says that he “was almost destined at some point to start [his] own business.” He and Afaedor are both native Nigerians who travelled to the United States to get top-flight educations -- they both graduated from Harvard Business School -- then returned to their home country to take advantage of the nation’s burgeoning business and tech climate.
“The vision of the company is to be the biggest and best retailer -- online or offline -- in West Africa within the foreseeable future,” Afaedor said while sitting in the orange-dominated, fluorescent-lit offices of Jumia’s Lagos headquarters. “To get there, we’re going to have to open up more categories of goods and have more physical locations so when people think of shopping in their country, they think of Jumia.”
Afaedor sees Jumia at the vanguard of a growing tech commerce industry in West Africa and Nigeria in particular, where many startups have launched in recent years that offer services similar to popular Western websites such as eBay, Seamless, Fresh Direct and Hotels.com.
“The good thing is you’re seeing more innovation, more entrepreneurs and more job creation with all these ventures coming,” he said.
Challenges remain
Despite the bullishness of Kehinde and the international investors who have backed Jumia, the company faces a range of obstacles on the road to becoming the singular, indispensable African online retailer its founders want it to be.
One is the question of its ability to make good on its guarantee to deliver high-quality, well-priced products within set timeframes to any place within its metastasizing distribution areas.
Ife, a Lagos businesswoman who asked to be referred to only by her first name, said that her limited experiences with Jumia have not quite lived up to its promises.
When asked in an unrelated interview if she had dealt with the company, she said her boss once ordered a smartphone and several tubes of toothpaste from the website, and when it arrived at their office a day later the package instead included more toothpaste than he had requested and no smartphone. Never mind the fact that she says the price was “was like 10 times higher than it would have been around the corner” at a locally-owned store.
But Ife says the company’s impressive costumer service team -- Kehinde says Jumia employs 85 customer service agents -- resolved her issue “quickly and efficiently” and that she will definitely use the site again, as she chalked the snafus up to “growing pains” and said she was satisfied overall. She also said most of her friends have nothing but good things to say about Jumia.
Kehinde acknowledges that other hindrances lie ahead, not least of which are the complications inherent in trying to fulfill Jumia’s promise of delivering any item to any place in Nigeria within five days, and other similar pledges in other nations served by the online marketplace.
“Fortunately, most of the orders we get right now are centered in urban areas that are easy to get to, but for the harder-to-reach areas we partner with DHL and other third-party providers,” he explained.
“For the most part you can get there if you have a bike of some sort or a car that can maneuver; it’s just about knowing the local terrain. If we’re not able to get you your item within our delivery promise, we’re learning to deal with customer expectations and let them know in a text or email if there may be a more convenient delivery time available.”
Despite these relatively minor frustrations, it appears that Jumia is on track to continue to grow into one of the most important and dominant retail operations in Africa. What once required a trek to the market now only requires the click of a mouse or the submission of a form on a smartphone app.
“To be honest, we’ve grown so fast I don’t know if we ever took the time to reflect on it,” Kehinde said. “But we just go day by day to continue building an amazing shopping experience.”
Written by Connor Adams Sheets
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Being gay in Nigeria
LAGOS, Nigeria -- Life in Nigeria, one of the world’s most anti-gay nations, is a daily struggle for Adeola (not his real name), a closeted, working-class homosexual man living on the outskirts of Abuja, the nation’s small, central capital.
Adeola has been called names, insulted and ostracized over assumptions about his sexuality, so he shields his true self in fear that coming out would only attract more intense abuse.
Meanwhile, some young, wealthy gay Nigerians who spend most of their time in the louche, Westernized Victoria Island section of Lagos -- the massive, quickly modernizing megalopolis on Nigeria’s southwestern coast -- are able to live a quasi-open life despite the virulent homophobia that rules in much of the rest of the country.
For Adeola, a portly man in his thirties who earns a modest living as a cook at a catering company in Abuja, that life of openness is difficult to imagine.
Adeola said he worries about discrimination every time he walks out the door, especially in light of a law passed this year that, should it be signed by President Goodluck Jonathan, would make the sheer act of being gay punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
“It’s extremely difficult because everyone sees you as abnormal,” Adeola said while running errands at a busy Abuja shopping center. “Everything has to be in secret.”
Adeola’s fears are supported by statistical evidence: A study of 39 nations published by the Pew Research Center in June deemed Nigeria the least-accepting nation of the lot for gays, with 98 percent of survey respondents saying society should not accept homosexuality, inching out ultraconservative Jordan by a single percentage point.
An Accepting Bubble
Six upper-class gay professionals who met with the International Business Times at a Victoria Island restaurant last week say that because they mostly stay within that neighborhood’s fairly tolerant bubble, they are largely able to avoid Adeola’s constant state of fear. Still, they, like everyone else interviewed for this story, asked to be assigned pseudonyms because of the harsh penalties that can result from being identified as gay in the press.
“I’ve been very fortunate in Lagos because I’ve been around people who understand these things, who are accommodating, who understand, are very enlightened and don’t judge,” said Olawale, the owner of a high-end baking company, between sips of his Long Island iced tea.
Fatima, a Lagos content manager, has had a somewhat different experience. Although she grew up in the sprawling city, she attended private school on Victoria Island and was isolated from the poverty and chaos of the mainland during her youth. But after attending a London university, she returned to her home country and said she was shocked when she visited a friend’s home on Lagos mainland for the first time. It was her first exposure to what locals call “the real Nigeria.”
Fatima is not gay per se -- she describes her sexuality as “fluid” and said she is open to relationships with men or women -- but she mostly dates women. She said her first real lesbian experience was when she was 18 and in London, where she fell in love with a Trinidadian girl: “great skin, great hair, very pretty, great cook.”
The relationship didn’t work out, but it was obvious to her then that her sexuality didn’t fit neatly in the “straight” box. Over the years, she has repeatedly attempted to talk to her parents and siblings about her relationships, but found them unwilling to have an open conversation about her orientation or her love life.
“I think it’s easy hanging out with your friends, but it’s more difficult with your family. I’m not really close to my family because of it,” she said. “Not because they’ve done anything mean to me, but because I fear that they would. I’ve had friends whose parents kicked them out or disowned them because they told them they were gay.”
Criminalizing Homosexuality
Being gay in Nigeria has long meant hiding in the shadows of society, but fear and anxiety among most members of the nation’s gay community have grown markedly since May 30, when the Nigerian Senate passed a bill making the simple act of being homosexual a crime punishable by as long as 14 years in prison.
Jonathan has not yet signed or vetoed the bill -- which was previously passed by the Nigerian House of Representatives -- nor has he sent a clear signal of which side he will eventually take on the controversial measure.
The bill, coupled with legal restrictions on gay marriage, is actually lenient compared with the situation faced by gays in the Muslim-dominated north of the nation, where Shariah Islamic law makes homosexuality a capital offense punishable in some areas by stoning to death.
Even though the measure is not yet officially on the books, it has already had a chilling effect on gay life in Nigeria, according to Aisha, a lesbian friend of Fatima’s.
“Prior to the law, there was a sort of ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ thing going on,” Aisha said. “It was frowned upon -- just don’t do anything in anyone’s face.” But now, she said, there is a widely held, albeit premature, belief that “it’s illegal and it carries a sentence” of more than a dozen years behind bars, which further intimidates Nigeria’s gay population.
Although Fatima considers Abuja to be “like gay central of Nigeria,” the place she said she would go to “hook up with a girl, several girls, in one weekend,” that side of gay life isn’t accessible to many homosexual residents of the capital who aren’t as well-heeled as her.
Adeola said that due to the discrimination he faces in Abuja, he uses underground channels and word-of-mouth to find other gay people to interact with or date. “It’s just about networking. Someone you’re sure is gay introduces you to someone else who is, who introduces you to someone else who is, and so on,” he said.
Still, Adeola has been threatened and insulted on numerous occasions. “I have lots of name-calling, but no violence. They call me feminine names. For instance, if your name is Oliver, they’ll call you Olivia,” he explained.
Kingsley, a straight friend of Adeola’s who has witnessed anti-gay discrimination of others firsthand in Abuja and surrounding areas, said that such sentiments are sadly quite common in Nigeria. Although he is not gay, he did not want his real name to be used because he associates with gay people.
“There are people like me who accept them, but then there are lots of people who once they find out someone is gay, they refuse to have any kind of contact with them,” Kingsley explained as we sat in his sedan, waiting out one of Abuja’s notorious “go-slow” traffic jams. “Name-calling happens a lot. They will make fun of the person, say things like ‘This guy’s homo,’ stuff like that, ‘Faggot.’”
And Kingsley said the fear of being tormented for their sexuality infiltrates the social lives of his gay friends. “They don’t stay in groups, they’d rather remain not mixing with other gay people, because they don’t want other people to be able to say, ‘Those guys are gay,’” he said.
Fear Of The Unknown
Kingsley is rare among straight Nigerians in that he has a well-developed sense of the nuances of human sexuality, and he has chosen to understand and accept the gay community rather than deride it for its otherness.
A large proportion of Nigerians draw their intolerance of homosexuality from religious and cultural traditions ranging from fundamental Christian and Islamic teachings to centuries-old tribal norms. But even some highly educated, fairly secular and otherwise progressive Nigerians simply consider homosexuality to be transgressive or against nature, and therefore refuse to accept it.
Typical is Azu, a well-traveled, affluent Lagos businesswoman who simply doesn’t believe that a person can be born gay. “Every woman or man is born to be attracted to the opposite sex, but I don’t know, if maybe there’s a change in [gay people’s] brains somehow, there has to be a reason,” she posited over drinks. “Being gay is something that develops in a later stage of your life, but whether we believe it or not, all girls are attracted to men growing up.”
Azu said she has had several gay friends over the course of her life and that she does to this day, but she still describes gay individuals in condescending terms that illustrate her views on their sexual orientation.
“I haven’t met that many gay people, but I find the guys a bit stranger than the girls because it’s hard to comprehend a guy acting like a woman. ... For gay guys, it’s a bit more crazy when they go ‘Eh’ or how they eat,” she said. “I had a gay friend who used five times as much makeup as I did, but I liked him because he was like a puppy dog.”
Aisha said people often question her “decision” to be gay, and that she believes their attitudes represent a critical misunderstanding of the nature of homosexuality. She said she was deeply disturbed when a colleague at the governmental office where she works who is not aware of her sexuality said in a discussion once, “Gays should all be killed,” but that such violent remarks are rare in her world, where casual ignorance is much more common.
“One guy said, ‘I don’t mind when two ugly girls get together, but I mind when two beautiful girls do,’” Aisha said. “A lot of people feel like it’s a personal offense if you don’t accept a man’s advance, no matter if you’re gay or straight, because the penis is God’s gift to humankind.”
Hope Amid The Despair
Persecution of gay Nigerians still leads to violence fairly often, particularly in the country’s more rural states. In January, four men were arrested, stripped naked and paraded along a public street in Imo State on suspicion that they were homosexual, as noted by OnlineNigeria News. And in August, an Ogun State man was brutally beaten for allegedly being gay, as reported by the same site.
And the laws aimed at criminalizing gayness and same-sex marriage threaten to codify a new paradigm of heightened intimidation and marginalization for the nation’s gay residents.
But for urban Nigerians with enough money, there are some hopeful signs in the face of so much discrimination and misunderstanding.
Kingsley said that in Abuja “things are getting better” as people in the urban center appear to be less concerned with persecuting gays. “You’re OK until the authorities catch you in the act of sleeping with or making out with the same sex,” he said. “Only then will they go after you. It’s only certain individuals who actually bother you or discriminate against you.”
Aisha pointed to another promising trend, in which Abuja and certain parts of Lagos can be much safer for moneyed gays than elsewhere in the country, although limitations exist and endure.
“Abuja is the gay capital of Nigeria for the rich kids, but you can’t just go into the market totally out. You’ll get discriminated against and they’ll act out,” she said, adding that in more distant, isolated areas of the country, “there’s widespread ignorance. If you go to the poor areas, someone will do something about their hate.”
And a small but growing number of openly gay activists speak out regularly in support of gay rights in Nigeria without being slammed with lengthy prison terms, although they are still often harassed and attacked by individuals for their outspokenness.
Fatima said that despite all the challenges, life as a homosexual Nigerian can approach normalcy for members of her economic class.
“If you’re economically independent, you can be fine being gay in Nigeria,” she said. “If I walk into a restaurant and say, ‘Shut it down, I’m having dinner with my girlfriend,’ they’re not going to say, ‘Oh, 14 years.’ Money talks.”
Adeola has been called names, insulted and ostracized over assumptions about his sexuality, so he shields his true self in fear that coming out would only attract more intense abuse.
Meanwhile, some young, wealthy gay Nigerians who spend most of their time in the louche, Westernized Victoria Island section of Lagos -- the massive, quickly modernizing megalopolis on Nigeria’s southwestern coast -- are able to live a quasi-open life despite the virulent homophobia that rules in much of the rest of the country.
For Adeola, a portly man in his thirties who earns a modest living as a cook at a catering company in Abuja, that life of openness is difficult to imagine.
Adeola said he worries about discrimination every time he walks out the door, especially in light of a law passed this year that, should it be signed by President Goodluck Jonathan, would make the sheer act of being gay punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
“It’s extremely difficult because everyone sees you as abnormal,” Adeola said while running errands at a busy Abuja shopping center. “Everything has to be in secret.”
Adeola’s fears are supported by statistical evidence: A study of 39 nations published by the Pew Research Center in June deemed Nigeria the least-accepting nation of the lot for gays, with 98 percent of survey respondents saying society should not accept homosexuality, inching out ultraconservative Jordan by a single percentage point.
An Accepting Bubble
Six upper-class gay professionals who met with the International Business Times at a Victoria Island restaurant last week say that because they mostly stay within that neighborhood’s fairly tolerant bubble, they are largely able to avoid Adeola’s constant state of fear. Still, they, like everyone else interviewed for this story, asked to be assigned pseudonyms because of the harsh penalties that can result from being identified as gay in the press.
“I’ve been very fortunate in Lagos because I’ve been around people who understand these things, who are accommodating, who understand, are very enlightened and don’t judge,” said Olawale, the owner of a high-end baking company, between sips of his Long Island iced tea.
Fatima, a Lagos content manager, has had a somewhat different experience. Although she grew up in the sprawling city, she attended private school on Victoria Island and was isolated from the poverty and chaos of the mainland during her youth. But after attending a London university, she returned to her home country and said she was shocked when she visited a friend’s home on Lagos mainland for the first time. It was her first exposure to what locals call “the real Nigeria.”
Fatima is not gay per se -- she describes her sexuality as “fluid” and said she is open to relationships with men or women -- but she mostly dates women. She said her first real lesbian experience was when she was 18 and in London, where she fell in love with a Trinidadian girl: “great skin, great hair, very pretty, great cook.”
The relationship didn’t work out, but it was obvious to her then that her sexuality didn’t fit neatly in the “straight” box. Over the years, she has repeatedly attempted to talk to her parents and siblings about her relationships, but found them unwilling to have an open conversation about her orientation or her love life.
“I think it’s easy hanging out with your friends, but it’s more difficult with your family. I’m not really close to my family because of it,” she said. “Not because they’ve done anything mean to me, but because I fear that they would. I’ve had friends whose parents kicked them out or disowned them because they told them they were gay.”
Criminalizing Homosexuality
Being gay in Nigeria has long meant hiding in the shadows of society, but fear and anxiety among most members of the nation’s gay community have grown markedly since May 30, when the Nigerian Senate passed a bill making the simple act of being homosexual a crime punishable by as long as 14 years in prison.
Jonathan has not yet signed or vetoed the bill -- which was previously passed by the Nigerian House of Representatives -- nor has he sent a clear signal of which side he will eventually take on the controversial measure.
The bill, coupled with legal restrictions on gay marriage, is actually lenient compared with the situation faced by gays in the Muslim-dominated north of the nation, where Shariah Islamic law makes homosexuality a capital offense punishable in some areas by stoning to death.
Even though the measure is not yet officially on the books, it has already had a chilling effect on gay life in Nigeria, according to Aisha, a lesbian friend of Fatima’s.
“Prior to the law, there was a sort of ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ thing going on,” Aisha said. “It was frowned upon -- just don’t do anything in anyone’s face.” But now, she said, there is a widely held, albeit premature, belief that “it’s illegal and it carries a sentence” of more than a dozen years behind bars, which further intimidates Nigeria’s gay population.
Although Fatima considers Abuja to be “like gay central of Nigeria,” the place she said she would go to “hook up with a girl, several girls, in one weekend,” that side of gay life isn’t accessible to many homosexual residents of the capital who aren’t as well-heeled as her.
Adeola said that due to the discrimination he faces in Abuja, he uses underground channels and word-of-mouth to find other gay people to interact with or date. “It’s just about networking. Someone you’re sure is gay introduces you to someone else who is, who introduces you to someone else who is, and so on,” he said.
Still, Adeola has been threatened and insulted on numerous occasions. “I have lots of name-calling, but no violence. They call me feminine names. For instance, if your name is Oliver, they’ll call you Olivia,” he explained.
Kingsley, a straight friend of Adeola’s who has witnessed anti-gay discrimination of others firsthand in Abuja and surrounding areas, said that such sentiments are sadly quite common in Nigeria. Although he is not gay, he did not want his real name to be used because he associates with gay people.
“There are people like me who accept them, but then there are lots of people who once they find out someone is gay, they refuse to have any kind of contact with them,” Kingsley explained as we sat in his sedan, waiting out one of Abuja’s notorious “go-slow” traffic jams. “Name-calling happens a lot. They will make fun of the person, say things like ‘This guy’s homo,’ stuff like that, ‘Faggot.’”
And Kingsley said the fear of being tormented for their sexuality infiltrates the social lives of his gay friends. “They don’t stay in groups, they’d rather remain not mixing with other gay people, because they don’t want other people to be able to say, ‘Those guys are gay,’” he said.
Fear Of The Unknown
Kingsley is rare among straight Nigerians in that he has a well-developed sense of the nuances of human sexuality, and he has chosen to understand and accept the gay community rather than deride it for its otherness.
A large proportion of Nigerians draw their intolerance of homosexuality from religious and cultural traditions ranging from fundamental Christian and Islamic teachings to centuries-old tribal norms. But even some highly educated, fairly secular and otherwise progressive Nigerians simply consider homosexuality to be transgressive or against nature, and therefore refuse to accept it.
Typical is Azu, a well-traveled, affluent Lagos businesswoman who simply doesn’t believe that a person can be born gay. “Every woman or man is born to be attracted to the opposite sex, but I don’t know, if maybe there’s a change in [gay people’s] brains somehow, there has to be a reason,” she posited over drinks. “Being gay is something that develops in a later stage of your life, but whether we believe it or not, all girls are attracted to men growing up.”
Azu said she has had several gay friends over the course of her life and that she does to this day, but she still describes gay individuals in condescending terms that illustrate her views on their sexual orientation.
“I haven’t met that many gay people, but I find the guys a bit stranger than the girls because it’s hard to comprehend a guy acting like a woman. ... For gay guys, it’s a bit more crazy when they go ‘Eh’ or how they eat,” she said. “I had a gay friend who used five times as much makeup as I did, but I liked him because he was like a puppy dog.”
Aisha said people often question her “decision” to be gay, and that she believes their attitudes represent a critical misunderstanding of the nature of homosexuality. She said she was deeply disturbed when a colleague at the governmental office where she works who is not aware of her sexuality said in a discussion once, “Gays should all be killed,” but that such violent remarks are rare in her world, where casual ignorance is much more common.
“One guy said, ‘I don’t mind when two ugly girls get together, but I mind when two beautiful girls do,’” Aisha said. “A lot of people feel like it’s a personal offense if you don’t accept a man’s advance, no matter if you’re gay or straight, because the penis is God’s gift to humankind.”
Hope Amid The Despair
Persecution of gay Nigerians still leads to violence fairly often, particularly in the country’s more rural states. In January, four men were arrested, stripped naked and paraded along a public street in Imo State on suspicion that they were homosexual, as noted by OnlineNigeria News. And in August, an Ogun State man was brutally beaten for allegedly being gay, as reported by the same site.
And the laws aimed at criminalizing gayness and same-sex marriage threaten to codify a new paradigm of heightened intimidation and marginalization for the nation’s gay residents.
But for urban Nigerians with enough money, there are some hopeful signs in the face of so much discrimination and misunderstanding.
Kingsley said that in Abuja “things are getting better” as people in the urban center appear to be less concerned with persecuting gays. “You’re OK until the authorities catch you in the act of sleeping with or making out with the same sex,” he said. “Only then will they go after you. It’s only certain individuals who actually bother you or discriminate against you.”
Aisha pointed to another promising trend, in which Abuja and certain parts of Lagos can be much safer for moneyed gays than elsewhere in the country, although limitations exist and endure.
“Abuja is the gay capital of Nigeria for the rich kids, but you can’t just go into the market totally out. You’ll get discriminated against and they’ll act out,” she said, adding that in more distant, isolated areas of the country, “there’s widespread ignorance. If you go to the poor areas, someone will do something about their hate.”
And a small but growing number of openly gay activists speak out regularly in support of gay rights in Nigeria without being slammed with lengthy prison terms, although they are still often harassed and attacked by individuals for their outspokenness.
Fatima said that despite all the challenges, life as a homosexual Nigerian can approach normalcy for members of her economic class.
“If you’re economically independent, you can be fine being gay in Nigeria,” she said. “If I walk into a restaurant and say, ‘Shut it down, I’m having dinner with my girlfriend,’ they’re not going to say, ‘Oh, 14 years.’ Money talks.”
Written by Connor Adams Sheets
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Nigerian wins World Muslimah beauty pageant in Indonesia
Twenty finalists showed off Islamic fashions and worked to demonstrate religious values during the contest.
The pageant was held before the upcoming Miss World competition, which has drawn protests from hardline Indonesian Muslim groups.
Finalists in World Muslimah were chosen from more than 500 who took part in an online selection process.
One of the rounds involved contenders comparing stories of how they came to wear the hijab (Muslim headscarf) - a requirement for all those taking part.
The finalists hailed from countries including Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria and Brunei.
In the run-up to the final, contestants underwent three days of "spiritual training", waking before dawn to pray together and to study the Koran.
Ms Ajibola, 21, cried and recited a verse from the Koran when her name was called as the winner. She was awarded 25m rupiah ($2,200, £1,360) and trips to Mecca and India.
She had said in an interview before she won that she was just trying "to show the world that Islam is beautiful".
Eka Shanti, who lost her job as a TV news presenter for refusing to remove her headscarf, started the pageant three years ago.
She told Agence France-Presse news agency they held the pageant days before the Miss World final "to show that there are alternative role models for Muslim women".
"But it's about more than Miss World. Muslim women are increasingly working in the entertainment industry in a sexually explicit way, and they become role models, which is a concern," she said.
Indonesia is the world's most populous Islamic country.
The Miss World grand final had been scheduled for 28 September at a venue near Jakarta, but is now being held in Hindu-majority Bali after strong protests by Islamic groups.
Miss World organisers have criticised the Indonesian government for not supporting the event.
BBC
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Nigeria wants to ban fish imports
The Minister of Agriculture in Nigeria has proposed a ban on the import of fish and sea food. The government wants to boost local industry, but a ban will not be easy to enforce.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Nigeria barred from US visa lottery
Nigeria and some other countries will no longer be eligible to participate in the America Diversity Visa lottery programme.
Information from the United States Department of State sighted on Sunday said Nigerians and citizens from few other countries were not eligible for DV-2015
The department said Nigeria was excluded since over 50,000 Nigerians had immigrated into the United States in the last five years.
The department listed other countries not eligible as Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador and Haiti.
Others are India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam
However, many African countries would continue to enjoy the programme.
Some of them are Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia and Ghana.
Others are Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles and Sierra Leone.
Diversity visas are said to be distributed among six geographic regions, while no single country could receive more than seven per cent of the available space in any year.
Already, advertsiements for the 2015 US DV lottery have started with several businesses inviting Nigerians to apply for the program.
Applications for the 2015 US DV lottery is expected to take off from October 1, 2013.
In 2012, 14,769, 658 persons were said to have qualified worldwide for the US DV lottery among the 19, 672, 269 which applied.
PUNCH
Information from the United States Department of State sighted on Sunday said Nigerians and citizens from few other countries were not eligible for DV-2015
The department said Nigeria was excluded since over 50,000 Nigerians had immigrated into the United States in the last five years.
The department listed other countries not eligible as Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador and Haiti.
Others are India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam
However, many African countries would continue to enjoy the programme.
Some of them are Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia and Ghana.
Others are Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles and Sierra Leone.
Diversity visas are said to be distributed among six geographic regions, while no single country could receive more than seven per cent of the available space in any year.
Already, advertsiements for the 2015 US DV lottery have started with several businesses inviting Nigerians to apply for the program.
Applications for the 2015 US DV lottery is expected to take off from October 1, 2013.
In 2012, 14,769, 658 persons were said to have qualified worldwide for the US DV lottery among the 19, 672, 269 which applied.
PUNCH
Friday, September 13, 2013
Video - Shell negotiating compensation for oil spills in Nigeria
Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell may have to pay millions of dollars in compensation for some of the worst oil spills in Nigeria's history. A pipeline owned by the company burst twice in 2008, causing massive damage.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Video - Reforms boost Nigeria's cement industry
Economic reforms helped large scale industries get off the ground in Nigeria, like cement, creating much needed employment. Government used to spend more than a billion dollars a year importing it, but that has changed in the space of few years.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Video - Nigeria's growing aviation industry
More than 10 million people travel through Nigeria's 22 airports every year, and that number is set to increase rapidly in the coming years.The country is working on a major overhaul of its airports in order to deal with the increased traffic, and is getting some help from foreign investors to be able to follow through.China has given Nigeria a huge loan to build new international terminals, and there is training and investment going on in virtually every area of the aviation sector.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Video - Thousands flee Nigeria to Niger due to Boko Haram violence
Thousands of people have fled violence in northern Nigeria and crossed into neighbouring Niger following fighting between the security forces and armed groups in north-eastern Nigeria, close to the border with Niger. Images and soundbites of relief operations in various areas in Niger.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Nigerian teenager survives flight in wheel well of airline
Passengers and crew had alerted the pilots that a boy was seen running to the plane as it was taxiing to take off Saturday from southern Benin City, Arik Airline spokesman Ola Adebanji said. The pilots alerted the country's aviation agency, he said.
The incident highlighted the growing concerns about airport security in Nigeria, which is fighting an Islamic uprising mainly contained in the northeast of the country, where there is a state of emergency.
"We are worried by the incessant security lapses at our airports," Arik Airline managing director Chris Ndulue said.
The West African country also has a history of major aviation disasters and security challenges.
Despite the possible presence of the boy, the pilots opted to continue with their takeoff, Federal Aviation Agency of Nigeria spokesman Yakubu Dati said.
"Immediately upon the departure of the aircraft, FAAN's security did another sweep of the area and found nothing unusual," Dati said.
When the plane arrived in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital, a boy aged 13 or 14 jumped to the ground from the wheel and was detained by Arik personnel, Adebanji said. He said the teenager probably survived because the flight was short and the plane probably didn't rise above 25,000 feet (7,620 meters).
Most stowaways don't survive. The body of a suspected stowaway fell from an Air France plane over Niger, also in West Africa, in July and was discovered lifeless in a western suburb of the capital, Niamey, officials said. The plane was coming from Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou, and was scheduled to continue to Paris.
In September 2012, a man's body landed in a street in southwest London. He was eventually identified as Jose Matada, 26, of Mozambique, who an employer said had expressed an interest in moving to Europe for a better life. Police thought at first he was a murder victim, but soon determined his lifeless body had fallen from a plane preparing to land at nearby Heathrow Airport.
Last year, Nigeria gained a coveted U.S. safety status that allows its domestic carriers to fly directly to the U.S.
AP
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Health workers strike across Nigeria
Health services are to be paralysed indefinitely in public institutions throughout the country as the workers have been ordered to down tools from today.
The Joint Health Sectors Unions (JOHASU) gave the directive Tuesday following the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum given to the government on August 1 and the failure of the Minister of Labour or his representative to turn up for a meeting scheduled for Monday to amicably resolve the issues in dispute.
This information was contained in a statement made available to journalists Tuesday in Abuja and signed by the National President and Secretary-General, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Ayuba Wabba and Marcus Omokhuale respectively, their counterparts in the National Association of Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), A.A. Adeniji and W.G. Yusuf-Badmus; Nigerian Union of Pharmacists, Medical Technologists and Professions Allied to Medicine (NUPMTPAM), Faniran Olukayode and M.O. Akinade.
The other signatories are Mrs Ladi Iliya and Peters Adeyemi of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and acting President and General Secretary of Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals. Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), B. Akinola and M.O. Akinade respectively.
The associations said the industrial action, which is to affect federal tertiary health institutions from today, will be joined by workers in states and local government health institutions from midnight on 28 August.
“While we sincerely apologise for the inconveniences this action may cause Nigerian citizens, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, should be held responsible,” they said.
The issues for which the workers are agitating are non-skipping of salary grade level CONHESS 10; the National Health Bill; consultancyand specialist allowances as well as Call/shift duty and other professional allowances.
However, after 13 months of adjudication, the National Industrial Court ruled on July 22, that the skipping of CONHESS 10 was legal and that the purported circular by the Ministry of Health and Head of Service of the Federation stopping it was illegal, null and void and of no effect.
JOHESU argued that the import of the ruling was that members would continue to skip CONHESS 10; that those earlier appointed as consultants would continue to enjoy the status along with other benefits and that the withdrawal of their letters of appointment was irregular.
Further, the group contended that shift duty, administrative non-clinical and call duty allowances should remain as they are but that negotiation should commence towards a review of the allowances.
“Also, it was held by the court that issues already agreed upon are accrued rights and should be implemented without delay in line with collective bargaining agreement,” they said.
The Joint Health Sectors Unions (JOHASU) gave the directive Tuesday following the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum given to the government on August 1 and the failure of the Minister of Labour or his representative to turn up for a meeting scheduled for Monday to amicably resolve the issues in dispute.
This information was contained in a statement made available to journalists Tuesday in Abuja and signed by the National President and Secretary-General, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Ayuba Wabba and Marcus Omokhuale respectively, their counterparts in the National Association of Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), A.A. Adeniji and W.G. Yusuf-Badmus; Nigerian Union of Pharmacists, Medical Technologists and Professions Allied to Medicine (NUPMTPAM), Faniran Olukayode and M.O. Akinade.
The other signatories are Mrs Ladi Iliya and Peters Adeyemi of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and acting President and General Secretary of Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals. Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), B. Akinola and M.O. Akinade respectively.
The associations said the industrial action, which is to affect federal tertiary health institutions from today, will be joined by workers in states and local government health institutions from midnight on 28 August.
“While we sincerely apologise for the inconveniences this action may cause Nigerian citizens, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, should be held responsible,” they said.
The issues for which the workers are agitating are non-skipping of salary grade level CONHESS 10; the National Health Bill; consultancyand specialist allowances as well as Call/shift duty and other professional allowances.
However, after 13 months of adjudication, the National Industrial Court ruled on July 22, that the skipping of CONHESS 10 was legal and that the purported circular by the Ministry of Health and Head of Service of the Federation stopping it was illegal, null and void and of no effect.
JOHESU argued that the import of the ruling was that members would continue to skip CONHESS 10; that those earlier appointed as consultants would continue to enjoy the status along with other benefits and that the withdrawal of their letters of appointment was irregular.
Further, the group contended that shift duty, administrative non-clinical and call duty allowances should remain as they are but that negotiation should commence towards a review of the allowances.
“Also, it was held by the court that issues already agreed upon are accrued rights and should be implemented without delay in line with collective bargaining agreement,” they said.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Video - Boko Haram leader possibly dead
The leader of the armed group Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, may have died of gunshot wounds some weeks after a clash with soldiers, the Nigerian military has said.
Wild Fusion harnessing the power of the internet to revolutionize business in Nigeria
In 2008, Abasiama Idaresit returned to Nigeria, after studying for a degree in Information Systems & Management at the London School of Economics. He had one thing in mind: to see how the Internet could help transform the business landscape in Nigeria. That, in fact, was the focus of his dissertation -- the impact of technology on small businesses.
"I've always loved the Internet; wanted to see it change a lot of things in Africa -- marketing, operations..." he tells me, at his office in Lagos.
He started peddling his dreams. Without success. "For the first eight months I didn't make a dime," he recalls. "People literally chased me out of their offices."
By Internet-age standards in Nigeria those were early days. Facebook was just picking up, and no one had heard of Twitter; Internet advertising was almost unheard of at that time.
But Abas kept at his proselytising.
Baby M was a small business that catered to the needs of new mothers and their babies. It operated out of one store in Ikoyi, Lagos, near where Abas lived, and also had a network of sales agents who combed the streets of Lagos in search of customers. Monthly revenues were in the region of one thousand dollars.
Abas tried to convince Baby M's proprietor to give him a chance to show how the Internet could help her advertise cheaply and find new customers. At first she wasn't very keen. Until Abas offered a money-back guarantee in the event that he failed to fulfil his promise.
With nothing to lose, she gave him N40,000 (approx $250) -- his debut earning as an internet marketing consultant.
The results were phenomenal. Within three months, says Abas, Baby M's revenues grew from $1,000 a month to $100,000 a month, immediately overwhelming her capacity to fulfil orders.
That feat attracted the attention of Google, which has since developed it into an Internet marketing case study.
Shortly after, Abas incorporated Wild Fusion, to do for other businesses what he'd done with Baby M.
Wild Fusion has since grown remarkably, from its founder's first $250, to over a million dollars in revenue in 2012. It is now on course to double that, in 2013.
It was the first Nigerian company to become a Google Adwords partner, and today provides digital marketing and online media-buying services to a client list that includes names like Unilever, Pepsi and Diamond Bank in Nigeria, and Vodafone in Ghana.
While global corporate spending on traditional mediums (TV, radio, print) has either declined or stagnated in the last few years, Internet advertising budgets have steadily grown, and will continue to, into the near future.
The shift is beginning to be noticeable in Nigeria, and everyone -- from banks to beer companies -- is now seeking to actively engage consumers on the Internet.
According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Africa's 27 per cent average annual growth (2009 - 2013) in household Internet penetration is almost double that of the next fastest contender, Asia and the Pacific. Africa is also the world's fastest growing market for mobile broadband.
Wild Fusion has just opened a country office, in Nairobi, Kenya; its third, after Nigeria and Ghana.
It is also currently building its first proprietary technology, which it plans to license to small businesses and which will provide them with an easy-to-use interface for deploying online advertising.
In five years Abas envisions offices across Africa, and annual revenues of $100 million.
"I've always loved the Internet; wanted to see it change a lot of things in Africa -- marketing, operations..." he tells me, at his office in Lagos.
He started peddling his dreams. Without success. "For the first eight months I didn't make a dime," he recalls. "People literally chased me out of their offices."
By Internet-age standards in Nigeria those were early days. Facebook was just picking up, and no one had heard of Twitter; Internet advertising was almost unheard of at that time.
But Abas kept at his proselytising.
Baby M was a small business that catered to the needs of new mothers and their babies. It operated out of one store in Ikoyi, Lagos, near where Abas lived, and also had a network of sales agents who combed the streets of Lagos in search of customers. Monthly revenues were in the region of one thousand dollars.
Abas tried to convince Baby M's proprietor to give him a chance to show how the Internet could help her advertise cheaply and find new customers. At first she wasn't very keen. Until Abas offered a money-back guarantee in the event that he failed to fulfil his promise.
With nothing to lose, she gave him N40,000 (approx $250) -- his debut earning as an internet marketing consultant.
The results were phenomenal. Within three months, says Abas, Baby M's revenues grew from $1,000 a month to $100,000 a month, immediately overwhelming her capacity to fulfil orders.
That feat attracted the attention of Google, which has since developed it into an Internet marketing case study.
Shortly after, Abas incorporated Wild Fusion, to do for other businesses what he'd done with Baby M.
Wild Fusion has since grown remarkably, from its founder's first $250, to over a million dollars in revenue in 2012. It is now on course to double that, in 2013.
It was the first Nigerian company to become a Google Adwords partner, and today provides digital marketing and online media-buying services to a client list that includes names like Unilever, Pepsi and Diamond Bank in Nigeria, and Vodafone in Ghana.
While global corporate spending on traditional mediums (TV, radio, print) has either declined or stagnated in the last few years, Internet advertising budgets have steadily grown, and will continue to, into the near future.
The shift is beginning to be noticeable in Nigeria, and everyone -- from banks to beer companies -- is now seeking to actively engage consumers on the Internet.
According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Africa's 27 per cent average annual growth (2009 - 2013) in household Internet penetration is almost double that of the next fastest contender, Asia and the Pacific. Africa is also the world's fastest growing market for mobile broadband.
Wild Fusion has just opened a country office, in Nairobi, Kenya; its third, after Nigeria and Ghana.
It is also currently building its first proprietary technology, which it plans to license to small businesses and which will provide them with an easy-to-use interface for deploying online advertising.
In five years Abas envisions offices across Africa, and annual revenues of $100 million.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Video - Shanty home dwellers in Lagos threatened with eviction
Tens of thousands of people have been threatened with being made homeless in Nigeria, as the government plans to replace shanty homes in the capital Lagos with new and improved houses.They fear they will be evicted and cannot afford to live in the new buildings. Human rights group have criticised the government's plans, saying authorities have the obligation to prevent forced evictions.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Video - Nigeria beat South Africa 2-0 in football friendly
Uche Nwafor scored two second- half goals to earn Nigeria a comfortable 2-0 win over hosts South Africa in a friendly international at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Wednesday.
Nigeria were back in the country where they won the African Nations Cup this year and Dutch-based striker Nwafor, playing only his second international, scored with an audacious back heel to give the visitors the lead in the 49th minute.
Nwofor reacted quickest with his back to goal and improvised with some power to beat South Africa goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune.
He got his second goal in the 68th minute at the end of an swift passing movement involving Victor Moses and Ahmed Musa, whose quick movement cut through the home defence to set up an easy tap-in for the VVV Venlo forward.
Moses and Russian-based Musa were brought on at the start of the second half to inject more pace into the Nigeria attack.
"I knew the South Africans were planning on them starting so I kept them for an impact in the second half," coach Stephen Keshi told reporters.
South Africa created several chances but were let down by poor shooting, particularly after making space for themselves on the edge of the Nigeria box.
It was a sixth loss in eight outings for Bafana Bafana against the African champions, whose next assignment is a key World Cup qualifier against Malawi next month.
Nigeria need only draw on Sept. 7 at home in Calabar to win their group and qualify for the final round of African qualifiers.
"We need to get more rhythm and work more on our possession and tactical play. If we get that right and the attitude is there, we can progress," Keshi told a news conference.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Nigeria is the first African country to ratify Arms Trade Treaty
Nigeria has become the first Africa country to sign and ratify the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru, has disclosed.
"Nigeria becomes the first African country to sign and ratify the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).
"This landmark event represents our deep commitment to a treaty which establishes common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms.
"We remain resolute and unyielding in our efforts to uphold the principle of ATT and, in particular, ensure that small arms and light weapons are appropriately transferred and access denied to terrorist groups, pirates, bandits and the like," Mr. Ashiru said while signing the treaty.
He noted that Nigeria co-sponsored the treaty and coordinated the African group throughout the process of negotiation of the treaty.
According to the minister, the adoption of the treaty was a realisation of efforts that started in 2006, following the adoption of the United Nations resolution 61/89.
Mr. Ashiru explained that the resolution recommended the establishment of common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms.
The spokesperson for Control Arms, Anna Macdonald, in her remarks at the event, noted that throughout the negotiations on the ATT, Nigeria was a leader for the African continent.
"We are proud of Nigeria's leadership again today as Foreign Minister Olugbenga Ashiru simultaneously signs and ratifies this first ever global agreement regulating the transfer of arms and ammunition.
"Africa has long suffered the impact of an arms trade that is out of control. From Somalia to Mali to the DRC, weapons have been entering conflict zones and increasing the level of violence for decades.
"Other African countries must now step forward and follow Nigeria's lead. The continent needs an ATT that is in effect and implemented as soon as possible.
"With over 80 countries' signatures and several ratifications since the treaty opened for signature, there is momentum to urgently ensure the ATT becomes international law and starts saving lives.
"Fifty ratifications are needed for the treaty to enter into force, and we call on all states to get to work on their national legislation as soon as possible," she said.
"Nigeria becomes the first African country to sign and ratify the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).
"This landmark event represents our deep commitment to a treaty which establishes common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms.
"We remain resolute and unyielding in our efforts to uphold the principle of ATT and, in particular, ensure that small arms and light weapons are appropriately transferred and access denied to terrorist groups, pirates, bandits and the like," Mr. Ashiru said while signing the treaty.
He noted that Nigeria co-sponsored the treaty and coordinated the African group throughout the process of negotiation of the treaty.
According to the minister, the adoption of the treaty was a realisation of efforts that started in 2006, following the adoption of the United Nations resolution 61/89.
Mr. Ashiru explained that the resolution recommended the establishment of common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms.
The spokesperson for Control Arms, Anna Macdonald, in her remarks at the event, noted that throughout the negotiations on the ATT, Nigeria was a leader for the African continent.
"We are proud of Nigeria's leadership again today as Foreign Minister Olugbenga Ashiru simultaneously signs and ratifies this first ever global agreement regulating the transfer of arms and ammunition.
"Africa has long suffered the impact of an arms trade that is out of control. From Somalia to Mali to the DRC, weapons have been entering conflict zones and increasing the level of violence for decades.
"Other African countries must now step forward and follow Nigeria's lead. The continent needs an ATT that is in effect and implemented as soon as possible.
"With over 80 countries' signatures and several ratifications since the treaty opened for signature, there is momentum to urgently ensure the ATT becomes international law and starts saving lives.
"Fifty ratifications are needed for the treaty to enter into force, and we call on all states to get to work on their national legislation as soon as possible," she said.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
60 dead in attacks in Borno, Nigeria
Despite the assurance by the federal government that it is winning the war against terrorism and has successfully dislodged members of the outlawed terrorist sect Boko Haram, 60 persons were killed by assailants suspected to be members of the Islamist group at the weekend in villages in Borno State.
The attacks, which also led to scores of others being injured, occurred between Saturday and Sunday in Ngom, Maisarmari and Mailari in Konduga and Mafa Local Government Areas of the state.
The rising spate of attacks, especially in Borno and Yobe States, may have formed the main item on the agenda during a meeting yesterday between President Goodluck Jonathan and some service chiefs and members of the cabinet behind closed doors.
In attendance at the meeting were the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd); Minister of State for Defence, Mrs Olusola Obada; Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd); Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Azubike Ihejirika; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba; Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar; and the Director-General of State Security Service (SSS) Ita Ekpeyong. At the end of the meeting, none of the attendees disclosed what was discussed.
On the attacks on the Borno communities at the weekend, it was gathered that the sect members were enraged that some residents had been giving out information to the military that had led to the casualties within the Islamist group.
A source told journalists in Maiduguri yesterday that not less that 52 villagers were killed between Saturday and Sunday in Mafa and Konduga Local Government Areas.
At Ngom village, a border town between Mafa and Konduga, insurgents invaded the village and shot 12 persons dead on Saturday night.
A politician from the area, who confirmed the death of 12 villagers to journalists, said he learnt of another attack in Konduga where 40 persons were shot dead.
He said there were numerous persons injured in the attacks on the villages, with those who suffered severe injuries taken to hospitals in Maiduguri for treatment.
An official at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, who spoke off the record to journalists, confirmed that 26 persons who were brought to the hospital on Sunday were still at the hospital yesterday receiving treatment from gunshot wounds.
Boko Haram members had in the past launched attacks and killed villagers whom they accused of being informants to security agencies and youth vigilante groups who have hunted them down.
Last month alone, 45 villagers were said to have been killed in two separate villages in Borno State.
Another source told journalists that during the weekend attacks on the villages, there was no gunfire, insisting that members of the outlawed sect members attacked the three villages, killing 31 people, by slitting their throats in their houses and mosques.
He noted that the strategy must have been used in order not to attract the attention of security agents during the attacks.
A source with the Joint Task Force (JTF) also revealed yesterday that 12 persons were killed at Ngom while 19 other villagers’ throats were slit in surrounding villages on Sunday.
He said the killings compelled the task force to cordon off the road leading to Dikwa for several hours.
On the Ngom casualties, the JTF source revealed: “I cannot tell you details of the attacks, but it was certain that gunmen in military and police uniforms attacked Ngom village, 20 kilometres east of Maiduguri, the state capital. The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, before we were alerted on the village attacks and killings.
“On reaching the village, the gunmen had fled in their vehicles and motorcycles. But the village head told us that 12 of his people were killed. The victims’ hands were tied to their backs, before they were killed by slitting their throats.”
A resident of Mailari, Aisami Bukar, told journalists in Maiduguri: “We saw gunmen in military and police uniforms at dawn with some vehicles and motorcycles who proceeded towards our village on the Maiduguri-Bama Road, chanting God is great in Arabic when the gunmen started to kill some of us here in this village one by one, until 11 villagers were slain by slitting their throats.”
He added: “The following day at Maisarmari village, a different set of gunmen also invaded and attacked the village in the early hours of Sunday and killed eight more people while they were praying in two mosques at dawn, before soldiers rushed to the village at about 8 am.”
At the time of filing this report, no official statement had been obtained from JTF, as attempts to get its spokesman, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, proved abortive.
In the meantime, the self-acclaimed leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau, yesterday claimed responsibility for the recent attacks on some towns in both Borno and Yobe States.
Shekau, in a Sallah message to his followers while accepting responsibility for the attacks on Bama, Mallam Fatori, Gomboru-Ngala (in Borno) and Damaturu (in Yobe), said the military was being deceptive over its campaign winning against the terrorist group.
The leader of the sect, who also said his group was responsible for the killing of people in Biu, promised to continue on the killing spree until Borno, Yobe and the rest of Northern Nigeria is Islamised, even as he insisted that he was engaged in a war that victory was already assured as the war is holy and supported by God.
He boasted that the sect was too much for the Nigeria government to handle and even with the assistance of America and France, it was not a “winnable war” since it is a battle with God.
Shekau accused the JTF of merely gathering weapons and showcasing them to having been recovered from the sect, stressing that the military has not recovered anything from them and the sect was waxing stronger.
The sect leader stated that the military was deceiving people by saying they had finished with them, adding that members of the sect are still alive.
He called on people to join the sect and shun democracy and western education for Islam and the course of the Jihad.
He said: “The military is lying to the world about the battle we had with them; they lied that they had killed our members, but we are the ones that have killed the soldiers.
“We call on you all to repent and come to the ways of Allah. Forget about constitution and accept Shariah. We don’t have socialism, we don't know communism, we don’t want federalism, but we are Muslims.
“You soldiers have claimed that you are powerful, that we have been defeated, that we are mad people; but how can a mad man successfully coordinate recent attacks in Gamboru, in Malumfatori, slaughter people in Biu, kill in Gwoza and in Bama where soldiers fled under our heavy fire power.
“We have killed countless soldiers and we are going to kill more. Our strength and firepower has surpassed that of Nigeria. Nigeria is no longer a big deal as far as we are concerned. We can now comfortably confront the United States of America.
“Let the world know that we have been enjoined by Allah to kill the unbelievers just like how we were enjoined to slaughter rams during Eid-el Kabir.
“And we shall continue to kill those who strive to stand against the will of Allah by opposing Sharia. We don't mind if we die doing this because it is even a blessing for us to die in this cause and gain paradise. So we are winning on either side.
“It is never too late for you to repent and join us on the path of righteousness.”
In a related development, it has emerged that 20 soldiers went missing following the August 4 attacks on two military camps in Mallam Fatori.
The online news medium, Premium Times, quoted military sources as stating that the attackers, suspected to be members of Boko Haram, arrived the Section Four camp manned by the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) at about 5.30 am that day and took the soldiers by surprise.
“The insurgents came around 5.30 am, surrounded the camp and launched a surprise attack on the camp which gave them an edge over us. Our men were caught off-guard,” one of the sources said.
He added that as a result of the surprise attack, the Boko Haram insurgents overwhelmed the units they met on the ground and some of the soldiers were chased as far as Niger Republic.
Sources also said the soldiers were also surprised by the firepower of the attackers who reportedly also took away with them some weapons from the camp.
They however said members of the MNJTF later re-grouped and took back one of the camps, adding however that “the insurgents are still in control of one of the camps”.
THISDAY sources said because of the fear of ambush, soldiers on the ground were yet to launch a rescue mission for the over 20 missing soldiers who are still missing with their weapons.
The authorities have simply declared them “missing in action,” another source said. “But there is apprehension that the men have been killed,” he added.
Shortly after the attack, the JTF in Maiduguri issued a statement claiming that only two soldiers and a policeman were killed in the attack.
However, the JTF commander in the state, Major General Jah Ewansiah, reportedly informed the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, when he visited the JTF headquarters on a condolence visit that 12 soldiers were killed in the attack.
The attacks, which also led to scores of others being injured, occurred between Saturday and Sunday in Ngom, Maisarmari and Mailari in Konduga and Mafa Local Government Areas of the state.
The rising spate of attacks, especially in Borno and Yobe States, may have formed the main item on the agenda during a meeting yesterday between President Goodluck Jonathan and some service chiefs and members of the cabinet behind closed doors.
In attendance at the meeting were the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd); Minister of State for Defence, Mrs Olusola Obada; Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd); Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Azubike Ihejirika; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba; Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar; and the Director-General of State Security Service (SSS) Ita Ekpeyong. At the end of the meeting, none of the attendees disclosed what was discussed.
On the attacks on the Borno communities at the weekend, it was gathered that the sect members were enraged that some residents had been giving out information to the military that had led to the casualties within the Islamist group.
A source told journalists in Maiduguri yesterday that not less that 52 villagers were killed between Saturday and Sunday in Mafa and Konduga Local Government Areas.
At Ngom village, a border town between Mafa and Konduga, insurgents invaded the village and shot 12 persons dead on Saturday night.
A politician from the area, who confirmed the death of 12 villagers to journalists, said he learnt of another attack in Konduga where 40 persons were shot dead.
He said there were numerous persons injured in the attacks on the villages, with those who suffered severe injuries taken to hospitals in Maiduguri for treatment.
An official at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, who spoke off the record to journalists, confirmed that 26 persons who were brought to the hospital on Sunday were still at the hospital yesterday receiving treatment from gunshot wounds.
Boko Haram members had in the past launched attacks and killed villagers whom they accused of being informants to security agencies and youth vigilante groups who have hunted them down.
Last month alone, 45 villagers were said to have been killed in two separate villages in Borno State.
Another source told journalists that during the weekend attacks on the villages, there was no gunfire, insisting that members of the outlawed sect members attacked the three villages, killing 31 people, by slitting their throats in their houses and mosques.
He noted that the strategy must have been used in order not to attract the attention of security agents during the attacks.
A source with the Joint Task Force (JTF) also revealed yesterday that 12 persons were killed at Ngom while 19 other villagers’ throats were slit in surrounding villages on Sunday.
He said the killings compelled the task force to cordon off the road leading to Dikwa for several hours.
On the Ngom casualties, the JTF source revealed: “I cannot tell you details of the attacks, but it was certain that gunmen in military and police uniforms attacked Ngom village, 20 kilometres east of Maiduguri, the state capital. The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, before we were alerted on the village attacks and killings.
“On reaching the village, the gunmen had fled in their vehicles and motorcycles. But the village head told us that 12 of his people were killed. The victims’ hands were tied to their backs, before they were killed by slitting their throats.”
A resident of Mailari, Aisami Bukar, told journalists in Maiduguri: “We saw gunmen in military and police uniforms at dawn with some vehicles and motorcycles who proceeded towards our village on the Maiduguri-Bama Road, chanting God is great in Arabic when the gunmen started to kill some of us here in this village one by one, until 11 villagers were slain by slitting their throats.”
He added: “The following day at Maisarmari village, a different set of gunmen also invaded and attacked the village in the early hours of Sunday and killed eight more people while they were praying in two mosques at dawn, before soldiers rushed to the village at about 8 am.”
At the time of filing this report, no official statement had been obtained from JTF, as attempts to get its spokesman, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, proved abortive.
In the meantime, the self-acclaimed leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau, yesterday claimed responsibility for the recent attacks on some towns in both Borno and Yobe States.
Shekau, in a Sallah message to his followers while accepting responsibility for the attacks on Bama, Mallam Fatori, Gomboru-Ngala (in Borno) and Damaturu (in Yobe), said the military was being deceptive over its campaign winning against the terrorist group.
The leader of the sect, who also said his group was responsible for the killing of people in Biu, promised to continue on the killing spree until Borno, Yobe and the rest of Northern Nigeria is Islamised, even as he insisted that he was engaged in a war that victory was already assured as the war is holy and supported by God.
He boasted that the sect was too much for the Nigeria government to handle and even with the assistance of America and France, it was not a “winnable war” since it is a battle with God.
Shekau accused the JTF of merely gathering weapons and showcasing them to having been recovered from the sect, stressing that the military has not recovered anything from them and the sect was waxing stronger.
The sect leader stated that the military was deceiving people by saying they had finished with them, adding that members of the sect are still alive.
He called on people to join the sect and shun democracy and western education for Islam and the course of the Jihad.
He said: “The military is lying to the world about the battle we had with them; they lied that they had killed our members, but we are the ones that have killed the soldiers.
“We call on you all to repent and come to the ways of Allah. Forget about constitution and accept Shariah. We don’t have socialism, we don't know communism, we don’t want federalism, but we are Muslims.
“You soldiers have claimed that you are powerful, that we have been defeated, that we are mad people; but how can a mad man successfully coordinate recent attacks in Gamboru, in Malumfatori, slaughter people in Biu, kill in Gwoza and in Bama where soldiers fled under our heavy fire power.
“We have killed countless soldiers and we are going to kill more. Our strength and firepower has surpassed that of Nigeria. Nigeria is no longer a big deal as far as we are concerned. We can now comfortably confront the United States of America.
“Let the world know that we have been enjoined by Allah to kill the unbelievers just like how we were enjoined to slaughter rams during Eid-el Kabir.
“And we shall continue to kill those who strive to stand against the will of Allah by opposing Sharia. We don't mind if we die doing this because it is even a blessing for us to die in this cause and gain paradise. So we are winning on either side.
“It is never too late for you to repent and join us on the path of righteousness.”
In a related development, it has emerged that 20 soldiers went missing following the August 4 attacks on two military camps in Mallam Fatori.
The online news medium, Premium Times, quoted military sources as stating that the attackers, suspected to be members of Boko Haram, arrived the Section Four camp manned by the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) at about 5.30 am that day and took the soldiers by surprise.
“The insurgents came around 5.30 am, surrounded the camp and launched a surprise attack on the camp which gave them an edge over us. Our men were caught off-guard,” one of the sources said.
He added that as a result of the surprise attack, the Boko Haram insurgents overwhelmed the units they met on the ground and some of the soldiers were chased as far as Niger Republic.
Sources also said the soldiers were also surprised by the firepower of the attackers who reportedly also took away with them some weapons from the camp.
They however said members of the MNJTF later re-grouped and took back one of the camps, adding however that “the insurgents are still in control of one of the camps”.
THISDAY sources said because of the fear of ambush, soldiers on the ground were yet to launch a rescue mission for the over 20 missing soldiers who are still missing with their weapons.
The authorities have simply declared them “missing in action,” another source said. “But there is apprehension that the men have been killed,” he added.
Shortly after the attack, the JTF in Maiduguri issued a statement claiming that only two soldiers and a policeman were killed in the attack.
However, the JTF commander in the state, Major General Jah Ewansiah, reportedly informed the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, when he visited the JTF headquarters on a condolence visit that 12 soldiers were killed in the attack.
Video - Child marriage law challenged in Nigerian senate
Human rights campaigners are calling for the Nigerian government to create a minimum age for marriage for women. In local law, once a girl is married, she is legally considered an adult, regardless of her age.
Firms contracted to build power plants across Nigeria
The federal government announced yesterday that it had shortlisted 386 firms for power plants across the country.
This is just as Vice President Namadi Sambo assured that by 2016, power generation would hit 20,000mw, even as he urged all Nigerians to support the government's transformation agenda.
Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after the second joint meeting of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) and the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) at the Presidential Villa.
He said a total of 110 submissions were received from those interested in 10 power plants from which the joint evaluation committee endorsed 82 submissions, bringing the number to 386 expressions of interest in the various plants.
"We have about 46 consortia and were shortlisted for Bariam Power Plant, 44 for Benin Power Plant, 42 for Omotosho, 41 for Egbema, 41 for Omoku, 39 for Geregu, 37 for Calabar and 36 for Ogwurode, 30 for Olaojeand 30 for Oloronshogo, amounting to 386," the governor stated.
Suswam explained that there was need for the Ministry of Power to create the awareness that Nigerians were the ones to tackle pipeline vandalisation because "electricity is not Jonathan's electricity; it is meant for Nigerians. So, if you are sabotaging it, you are not sabotaging the federal government - you are sabotaging the entire Nigerians."
According to Suswam, "The reason for people to carry out this act of vandalism is within them, because it is something that is beyond explanation. Some people try to vandalize for all kinds of reasons; why they engage in this act of sabotage. I agree with you that many serious arrests have been made, just like the issue of crude oil theft that is going on in this country. I think the seriousness given to this by the federal government to make sure that they arrest whoever that is involved in this act of sabotage is something that should give comfort to Nigerians.
"Otherwise, the efforts and the huge amount of money being expended by government to ensure Nigerians enjoy constant supply of electricity is being sabotaged by some unknown individuals whose motivation is actually not known to anybody, except to say that this is an act of madness, otherwise any reasonable person should rejoice at the fact that the things that are given to Nigerians should be protected by all Nigerians . That is a challenge to the minister, to ensure Nigerians are sensitized and be more conscious of the fact that this electricity is not Jonathan's electricity; it is electricity meant for Nigerians. So if you are sabotaging it, you are not sabotaging the federal government; you are sabotaging the entire Nigerians".
For his part, the Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, noted that the vandalisation of gas pipelines was politically motivated and disclosed that 460 megawatts of electricity was lost to the low water level of Kainji, Shiroro and Jeba dams.
The minister said, "I think it is instructive for the entire populace to know what has been happening recently. It is no news now that a couple of months ago, the western axis of the gas pipeline leading to the power plants in the west were cannibalized, resulting in very severe damage that caused a sharp drop in power supply. That is since being addressed and the damages are being repaired."
"Unfortunately a couple of weeks ago the Akoloma plant in the Easton axis was also vandalized, the damages as quiet extensive, but a crack team of experts went to work and restored it bringing out gas supply. And ensured that the shut down axis was open and then the Afam both four and six were onboard again.
"But unfortunately when people were rejoicing in parts of the country where power supply was stabilizing another sabtage was discovered a few day ago and Akoloma was also vandalized bt right now it also been addressed and it is hoped that as they finish the evacuation of the condensed stage that they will start pumping gas and we are hoping that the plant in Afam will be back running in a few days time. These are the reasons in aaddition to the fact that water level in Kainji, Shiroro and Jebba are quiet low right now and the water level needs to be properly managed so that the plants will operate optimally."
Leadership
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Video - Half of the Yellow Sun film adaptation to premiere at TIFF
The film adaptation of the critically acclaimed novel Half of the Yellow Sun, written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, will be premiering at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Former music producer Aswad Ayinde given 90 years jail sentence for fathering children with daughters
An Award winning Nigerian music director found guilty of fathering children with his daughters will spend the rest of his life in jail.
Aswad Ayinde, 55, of Paterson, NJ, was sentenced to 50 years in prison Friday after being found guilty in the second of five expected trials in which he is accused of repeatedly raping his six daughters, resulting in six children being fathered. Mr. Ayinde was found guilty in his latest trial of having intercourse with one of his daughters when she was as young as eight-years-old. The second sentence adds to the 40 year sentence Mr Ayinde received in a 2011 trial for sexually assaulting a separate daughter.
Mr. Ayinde is known for directing the music video for the Fugees 1996 smash hit 'Killing Me Softly.'
In a disturbing disclosure during his first trial, Mr. Ayinde's former wife said he was trying to create a 'pure family bloodline' by impregnating his daughters. He even claimed during a pre-trial hearing before the first trial that 'the world was going to end, and it was just going to be him and his offspring and that he was chosen.'
In this latest trial, it was revealed that Mr. Ayinde began having intercourse with his second daughter from the time she eight-years-old, impregnating her four times.
As repoted by Mail Online the sexual assaults happened for almost 30 years until Mr. Ayinde and his wife separated, officials said. They occurred in numerous homes across northern New Jersey, even while the family was under watch of state child welfare officials, according to NBC New York. Some of the rapes even took place in an abandoned funeral home.
The family moving as far away as Florida to avoid investigation after case workers removed multiple children from the Ayinde household in 2000, resulting in Mr. Ayinde being arrested for kidnapping for trying to take them from state custody in a medical center, NBC New York reported.
He pleaded guilty to lesser charges and received a year's probation - as he continued raping one daughter for at least another two years, according to officials.
The depraved father also beat and starved the girls using wooden boards and steel-toed boots for even 'minor transgressions,' Ayinde's wife testified at the first trial.
Some of the children Ayinde fathered with his daughters were born in the home, with at least two babies who died in the home having been buried without notifying authorities or obtaining birth certificates, NBC New York reported.
Mr. Ayinde also fathered 12 additional children with an additional three women, according to court records
Ayinde's tortured daughters were home schooled and isolated from other children, so as to keep the family secrets hidden, the station added.
With his wife too afraid to confront him, Mr. Ayinde carried out his evil plan without hindrance even while directing the music video for the Fugees 1996 breakout hit 'Killing Me Softly, for which he won 'Best R&B Video' at the 1996 MTV Music Video Awards. The Fugees are also originally from Northern New Jersey.
Mr. Ayinde faces three more trials over the alleged assaults.
Multiple explosions in Christian district of Kano, Nigeria
A series of explosions have torn through a predominantly Christian district in Nigeria's largest northern city, Kano. It was not immediately what had caused the blasts.
At least ten people were killed and at least as many were injured late Monday when a series of bombs were detonated in Kano's Christian district, Sabon Gari, according to eye witnesses and Nigeria authorities.
The city of Kaduna has been closely linked with lethal religious violence. Yet on Sunday a Christian cleric was given a Muslim award. He had bailed Muslims out of jail so they could spend Ramadan at home. (22.07.2013)
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
Kano lies in the country's Muslim north, where the Islamist al Qaeda-linked sect Boko Haram is staging an insurgency in an effort to impose Shariah, or Islamic law. About 40 percent of the Nigeria's 170 million citizens are Christian.
At least ten people were killed and at least as many were injured late Monday when a series of bombs were detonated in Kano's Christian district, Sabon Gari, according to eye witnesses and Nigeria authorities.
The city of Kaduna has been closely linked with lethal religious violence. Yet on Sunday a Christian cleric was given a Muslim award. He had bailed Muslims out of jail so they could spend Ramadan at home. (22.07.2013)
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
Kano lies in the country's Muslim north, where the Islamist al Qaeda-linked sect Boko Haram is staging an insurgency in an effort to impose Shariah, or Islamic law. About 40 percent of the Nigeria's 170 million citizens are Christian.
Monday, July 29, 2013
Blessing Okagbare Sets New 100m African Record
Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare Saturday wiped out her London 2012 Olympic tears when she returned to the same venue at Olympics Stadium in Strafford and sensationally beat the world to win the 100m, setting a new African record in the process.
It was at the venue where she raised hopes of Nigerians but crashed them at the Olympics, getting to the final but placing last.
Before more than 80,000 spectators, the new Africa's Queen of the tracks first broke Gloria Alozie's 14 -year old record of 10.90 record when she returned in 10.86 seconds in the heats. She further lowered that in the final to produce what is now the talk in town, a sensational feat of 10.79 seconds.
"I see a world champion in her and I pray she makes it in Moscow during the World Championships. Setting a record is always a great thing. I congratulate her,"quickly reacted Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan who has been supporting Nigeria's elite athletes especially Okagbare.
It was a strange afternoon in what was the deepest sprint field of the second day of the London Anniversary Games.
Reigning world champion Carmelita Jeter withdrew from the final with a quad injury, according to Flotrack, after running a season's best 10.93 in her heat.
Jeter missed the U.S. championships in June due to a quad injury. With worlds just two weeks away, this is a situation to monitor.
Two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce put up a very smooth world-leading 10.77 in her heat. But Fraser-Pryce was never a factor in the final, running a 10.94 for fourth place. The winner was Blessing Okagbare in 10.79 seconds.
Okagbare is also ranked fourth in the world this year in both the 200 and the long jump.
The fastest American on Saturday was a woman who didn't make the world championships team - Barbara Pierre. Pierre matched her personal-best 10.85 in the final, the same time English Gardner clocked to win nationals in June.
"Blessing is Nigeria's greatest sensation now and needs the support of the whole country,"celebrated Solomon Ogba, the President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria who was at the stadium yesterday.
"I congratulate Blessing and I thank Governor Uduaghan for all his tremendous support,"Amaju Pinnick, Delta's Sports boss said last night.
"Blessing is the pride of Africa at the moment and Nigeria is lucky to have such an athlete," Godwin Abigor, chairman of Warri Wolves and an ardent sports enthusiast said.
"She is absolutely sensational. She is unbelievable. Breaking African record two times in one event is sensational," Dare Esan, Editor of Complete Sports said.
Usain Bolt wrapped up the London Anniversary Games with a no-doubt-about-it anchor leg on the 4×100-meter relay at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday.
Bolt and his Racers Track Club won the event in 37.75 seconds, easily beating France (38.45). The 4×100 world record set by Bolt and Jamaica at the 2012 Olympics is 36.84. This was Bolt's first appearance at the Olympic Stadium since his triple gold performance at the 2012 Games.
It was at the venue where she raised hopes of Nigerians but crashed them at the Olympics, getting to the final but placing last.
Before more than 80,000 spectators, the new Africa's Queen of the tracks first broke Gloria Alozie's 14 -year old record of 10.90 record when she returned in 10.86 seconds in the heats. She further lowered that in the final to produce what is now the talk in town, a sensational feat of 10.79 seconds.
"I see a world champion in her and I pray she makes it in Moscow during the World Championships. Setting a record is always a great thing. I congratulate her,"quickly reacted Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan who has been supporting Nigeria's elite athletes especially Okagbare.
It was a strange afternoon in what was the deepest sprint field of the second day of the London Anniversary Games.
Reigning world champion Carmelita Jeter withdrew from the final with a quad injury, according to Flotrack, after running a season's best 10.93 in her heat.
Jeter missed the U.S. championships in June due to a quad injury. With worlds just two weeks away, this is a situation to monitor.
Two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce put up a very smooth world-leading 10.77 in her heat. But Fraser-Pryce was never a factor in the final, running a 10.94 for fourth place. The winner was Blessing Okagbare in 10.79 seconds.
Okagbare is also ranked fourth in the world this year in both the 200 and the long jump.
The fastest American on Saturday was a woman who didn't make the world championships team - Barbara Pierre. Pierre matched her personal-best 10.85 in the final, the same time English Gardner clocked to win nationals in June.
"Blessing is Nigeria's greatest sensation now and needs the support of the whole country,"celebrated Solomon Ogba, the President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria who was at the stadium yesterday.
"I congratulate Blessing and I thank Governor Uduaghan for all his tremendous support,"Amaju Pinnick, Delta's Sports boss said last night.
"Blessing is the pride of Africa at the moment and Nigeria is lucky to have such an athlete," Godwin Abigor, chairman of Warri Wolves and an ardent sports enthusiast said.
"She is absolutely sensational. She is unbelievable. Breaking African record two times in one event is sensational," Dare Esan, Editor of Complete Sports said.
Usain Bolt wrapped up the London Anniversary Games with a no-doubt-about-it anchor leg on the 4×100-meter relay at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday.
Bolt and his Racers Track Club won the event in 37.75 seconds, easily beating France (38.45). The 4×100 world record set by Bolt and Jamaica at the 2012 Olympics is 36.84. This was Bolt's first appearance at the Olympic Stadium since his triple gold performance at the 2012 Games.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Nigeria to withdraw troops from Mali
Plans are underway by the Nigerian Army to withdraw some of its 1,200 soldiers from the UN peacekeeping force currently operating in the troubled west African country, Mali. This was revealed by the Ivorian President, Alassane Ouattara.
Mr Ouattara who is the Head of Regional Group Ecowas, disclosed that the troops would be leaving for Nigeria to tackle the ongoing Boko Haram campaign in the country.
Mr Quattara however, did not confirm the number of troops that Nigeria will leave behind in Mali. Mali would be holding its general elections on 28 July.
The Nigerian troops form part of a force of 12,600 African troops that took charge from a French-led mission early July.
A combined troops of French and West African succeeded in driving militants out of northern Mali in February.
The UN force, with its French acronym Minusma has aligned with the Malian army to secure the forthcoming election. The troop is expected to grow up to 11,200, plus 1,400 police towards the end of the year.
Speaking at a summit of West African nations in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, President Ouattara said, the withdrawal was “because of the domestic situation in Nigeria”.
“They are not withdrawing everyone. A good part of the troops are going to be there,” he said.
Mr Ouattara who is the Head of Regional Group Ecowas, disclosed that the troops would be leaving for Nigeria to tackle the ongoing Boko Haram campaign in the country.
Mr Quattara however, did not confirm the number of troops that Nigeria will leave behind in Mali. Mali would be holding its general elections on 28 July.
The Nigerian troops form part of a force of 12,600 African troops that took charge from a French-led mission early July.
A combined troops of French and West African succeeded in driving militants out of northern Mali in February.
The UN force, with its French acronym Minusma has aligned with the Malian army to secure the forthcoming election. The troop is expected to grow up to 11,200, plus 1,400 police towards the end of the year.
Speaking at a summit of West African nations in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, President Ouattara said, the withdrawal was “because of the domestic situation in Nigeria”.
“They are not withdrawing everyone. A good part of the troops are going to be there,” he said.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Video - Nigeria's booming fashion industry
In Nigeria, the economy is booming thanks to the country s rich oil supplies, and now the country s fashion designers are wanting to ride the wave of economic prosperity with the hope of making Lagos an international fashion hotspot.
Bloomberg ranks Nigeria as most stressful country in the world
Overview
Bloomberg ranked countries based on the stressfulness of their living environments.
Methodology
Seven equally weighted variables were considered: homicide rates, GDP per capita on a purchasing-power-parity basis, income inequality, corruption perception, unemployment, urban air pollution and life expectancy. Income inequality was measured by the Gini Index, where a score of 0 represents perfect equality and 100 perfect inequality. Corruption perception refers to Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, which scores countries on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being the most corrupt. Urban outdoor air pollution is the annual mean concentration of fine particles smaller than 10 microns, measured in micrograms per cubic meter. Countries were allotted points for each variable based on their relative position in that category's ranking. The country with the least-stressful measure for each variable received 0 points, while the country with the highest stress level received 100 points. All other countries were scored on a percentile basis depending on their position between the two extremes. Points for the seven variables were averaged for a final score from 0 to 100, a higher score indicating a more stressful living environment. All data were the latest available. Only countries with data available for all seven variables were included.
Source(s)
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, International Monetary Fund, Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook, Transparency International, World Health Organization
Last Updated
May 10, 2013
Bloomberg
Related stories: Video - homeless battle in Makoko
Africa's richest man speaks about the future of Nigeria
Seven equally weighted variables were considered: homicide rates, GDP per capita on a purchasing-power-parity basis, income inequality, corruption perception, unemployment, urban air pollution and life expectancy. Income inequality was measured by the Gini Index, where a score of 0 represents perfect equality and 100 perfect inequality. Corruption perception refers to Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, which scores countries on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being the most corrupt. Urban outdoor air pollution is the annual mean concentration of fine particles smaller than 10 microns, measured in micrograms per cubic meter. Countries were allotted points for each variable based on their relative position in that category's ranking. The country with the least-stressful measure for each variable received 0 points, while the country with the highest stress level received 100 points. All other countries were scored on a percentile basis depending on their position between the two extremes. Points for the seven variables were averaged for a final score from 0 to 100, a higher score indicating a more stressful living environment. All data were the latest available. Only countries with data available for all seven variables were included.
Source(s)
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, International Monetary Fund, Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook, Transparency International, World Health Organization
Last Updated
May 10, 2013
Bloomberg
Related stories: Video - homeless battle in Makoko
Africa's richest man speaks about the future of Nigeria
Monday, July 15, 2013
India has now become Nigeria's biggest crude oil buyer
India has overtaken the U.S. as the top buyer of Nigerian crude oil, a top Indian diplomat in Abuja has said.
Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria Mahesh Sachdev said recent statistics showed that India had been buying more of Nigeria’s crude than the U.S. over the last three months.
“India will continue to cooperate with Nigeria to improve its economy and it will also assist the country in capacity building of workers in both the public and private sectors,” Mr. Sachdev said, during a courtesy visit to the Governor of Niger state in northern Nigeria last Wednesday.
On the bilateral trade, he said the present figure stands at $10 billion, even as the total investment of India in Nigerian economy could be valued at $16.6 billion.
Mr. Sachdev disclosed that India would partner with the government of Kano state to establish a film city and also collaborate with the Niger state government to establish health care facilities as well as improve agriculture.
He also promised assistance in the state on the training of young people who wish to embark on vocational education.
Governor of the state Babangida Aliyu commended India for being one of the few countries that had kept faith with strengthening the work force.
According to him, this has helped Nigeria to develop in every ramification.
India has recently reduced its dependence on Iranian oil in the wake of the U.S. and European sanctions on the import of oil from the Islamic Republic.
Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria Mahesh Sachdev said recent statistics showed that India had been buying more of Nigeria’s crude than the U.S. over the last three months.
“India will continue to cooperate with Nigeria to improve its economy and it will also assist the country in capacity building of workers in both the public and private sectors,” Mr. Sachdev said, during a courtesy visit to the Governor of Niger state in northern Nigeria last Wednesday.
On the bilateral trade, he said the present figure stands at $10 billion, even as the total investment of India in Nigerian economy could be valued at $16.6 billion.
Mr. Sachdev disclosed that India would partner with the government of Kano state to establish a film city and also collaborate with the Niger state government to establish health care facilities as well as improve agriculture.
He also promised assistance in the state on the training of young people who wish to embark on vocational education.
Governor of the state Babangida Aliyu commended India for being one of the few countries that had kept faith with strengthening the work force.
According to him, this has helped Nigeria to develop in every ramification.
India has recently reduced its dependence on Iranian oil in the wake of the U.S. and European sanctions on the import of oil from the Islamic Republic.
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