Youth corpers asked to frog jump at Nasarawa state NYSC camp

You all know NYSC camp opened today, right? Well, some corpers came late to the Nasarawa NYSC camp and were asked to frog jump with their bags on their heads as punishment (photo above). Lol, one of the benefits of being late...

Youth corpers asked to frog jump at Nasarawa state NYSC camp

You all know NYSC camp opened today, right? Well, some corpers came late to the Nasarawa NYSC camp and were asked to frog jump with their bags on their heads as punishment (photo above). Lol, one of the benefits of being late...

Father ties, locks up six-year-old daughter for witchcraft

Culled from Punch

A 42-year-old father, Mr. Edet Etok-Akpan, is currently being quizzed at the headquarters of the Cross River State Police Command in Calabar for torturing his six-year-old daughter, Edidiong, as a result of a church prophetess’ pronouncement that the girl was a witch.

Edidiong was beaten by her father and locked up in a room with her hands, mouth and face bound for four days before she was rescued by neighbours.

It was learnt that Etok-Akpan started beating her on February 19 after an unidentified prophetess in their church told him that Edidiong was the witch responsible for the stagnancy in his life.

Narrating her ordeal to PUNCH Metro on Monday, Edidiong said after the beatings which lasted for some days, her father on February 21 tied her hands with a cord and bound her mouth with a piece of cloth.

She said, “He locked me in the inner room of our house and he never gave me food and never allowed me to go to school.”

The girl, who said she is in basic three at Femos Nursery and Primary School located at 24 Etyin Abasi Street, said she was becoming weak after days without food or water.

Luck, however, came her way on February 23, when another child, who lives with her parents in the same 42 Atakpa Street, came to their veranda to look for broom and discovered her.

Giving details of how she was rescued, a lawyer with the Basic Rights Counsel, Mr. James Ibor, said, “The girl went to Edidiong’s veranda to look for a broom and heard the sound of the girl like that of someone battling with her last breath.

“She looked through the louvers of the window and saw Edidiong bound on the floor and raised the alarm. Her parents and other neighbours rushed to the place and saw Edidiong bound inside her apartment.”

Ibor said one of the neighbours called him and he in turn informed the police.

He said, “When the policemen and I got there, we saw a crowd gathered outside. We were able to rescue the child by breaking the door.

“The girl was very weak because she had been without food for days and so we had to give her water first, then after about ten minutes we gave her milk before solid food an hour later.”

Ibor said the culprit and his wife had locked up the girl in the inner room of their two-room apartment and went to church, adding that the girl was presently living with her grandmother in another part of the town.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. John Umoh, said Etok-Akpan, who is from Akwa Ibom State, had been arrested and would soon appear in court to answer charges of felony.

He said, “To tie a small girl’s hand and mouth and lock her in a room for some days without food is a grievous offence, he shall soon appear in court.”

Umoh, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, warned parents to always treat their children with care, adding criminalities are increasing daily because parents had abandoned their responsibilities to their wards.

He also said the police would visit the church where the father got the prophecy.

#wonders shall never end

Shocking sad news! Singer Goldie Harvey dead 14/02/2013

Barely days after she came back from the Grammys in the United States of America, Nigeria's version of Lady Gaga, Susan Oluwabimpe Harvey, popularly known as Goldie, is dead.

Although details of her death was sketchy as at press time, THISDAY gathered that the musician popularly known for her collaboration with Eldee D Don died at Reddington Hospital at about 11 p.m. last night.

Her death was allegedly confirmed by her best friend and entertainer, Derenle Edun.
Also some posts by her management on some of her social media platforms; twitter and facebook, confirmed her death.
The posts read: "It is with heavy heart that I have to announce to you all that Goldie passed on this night (last night) shortly after arriving Lagos from Los Angeles. May her soul rest in the eternal peace of the Lord... Amin."

According to reports, the deceased was full of life days back but suddenly fell ill and was rushed to the hospital where she reportedly died.
Signed on the Kennis Music Label, she became more popular when she went to represent Nigeria in the Big Brother Africa (BBA) show tagged the Star Game as part of the seven celebrity housemates at the seventh season of the show.

The deceased attended  Green Springs Montessori Primary School and then St. John’s College, Palm Grove before moving on to attend  the University of Sunderland where she studied Business Management.
She joined Kennis Music label in 2010 and had her debut album titled Gold but her most popular songs include, “You Know It”, “JawoJawo” and DTMB (Don’t Touch My Body).

Goldie won the best female video at the 2010 SoundCity Music Video Awards  for the  video ‘You Know it’ and also picked the award for best use of costume at the Nigerian Music Video Awards; while her song DTMB picked up best Afro Pop video at the 2011 Nmva’s.
In 2012, she garnered about 10 awards including the Exquisite Lady of the Year (ELOY), Best Female Artiste award and City People Best Female Artiste of the year, amongst others.

The deceased who also dabbled into designing was  an ambassador of Project Alert and also an inductee into the Federal Celebrity Special Marshal Corps alongside other notable Nigerian celebrities.

May her soul rest in perfect peace

Source: THISDAY newspaper

N10.6 trillion wasted fund: FG takes on former minister, Ezekwesili

The Federal Government, yesterday, reacted to comments by the former Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, alleging that the governments of presidents Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, squandered $67 billion in foreign reserve, describing the allegation as “outlandish and clearly fictitious”.

Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku who addressed a press conference in response to some of the allegations raised by the former Vice President (African Region) of the World Bank said the damning verdict passed on the education sector by Mrs Ezekwesili was a self-indictment as she presided over the sector without making any positive impact on it.

 

The Information Minister who was flanked by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe; Economic Adviser, Prof. Nwanze Okedigbo and Special Adviser on Performance Monitoring, Prof. Sylvester Monye, said Ezekwesili’s allegations were curious in the light of the fact that she had been part of governance in the past as the Vice President of World Bank.

According to Mr Maku, Ezekwesili’s criticism of the education sector amounts to hypocrisy as she was part of the sector and contributed to its sorry state because despite receiving N458.1billion between 2006 and 2007 for the sector, there is nothing to see in terms of achievements.

The Minister said: “If she says education has not worked it means she is saying she did not work”.
He accused the former Education minister of  betraying a surprisingly limited understanding of government finances in her comments at Nsukka.

He noted: “These statements are even more curious in the light of the fact that she has held senior positions in government, and more recently, a position as a Vice President of the World Bank. However, rather than speculate about her motives, we would focus on the facts.

All I demand is accountability  -Ezekwesili
Responding to Maku’s attack Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili challenged officials of the Federal Government to a public debate.

On allegations that she mismanaged funds meant for the education sector during her 10 months as Education Minister, Mrs Ezekwesili said: “I Challenge them to a public debate of facts regarding 2007 Excess Crude Account (ECA) and foreign reserve and last five and half years oil revenue.”
Also writing on twitter yesterday in messages prefaced with the declaration, “Nothing but Accountability,” Ezekwesili said: “In 2007, the incoming Administration was handed $45Billion in Foreign Reserve plus $22Billion.
Nothing but accountability: Let Mr. Maku go further. As a citizen all I want to know is the Mathematics of the ECA and the Foreign Reserve. Nothing but accountability: I demanded accountability and that’s all a citizen asks of government. I will not stop asking for accountability.

 N458.1bn Education Ministry fund

“The statement by the former World Bank Vice President that the governments of Presidents Musa Yar’adua and Goodluck Jonathan have squandered $67 billion in reserves (including $45 billion in external reserves and $22 billion in the Excess Crude Account) left by the Obasanjo Administration at the end of May 2007 is factually incorrect. At the end of May 2007, Nigeria’s gross reserves stood at $43.13 billion – comprising the CBN’s external reserves of $31.5 billion, $9.43 billion in the Excess Crude Account, and $2.18 billion in the Federal Government’s savings. These figures can be independently verified from the CBN’s records. The figure of $67 billion alleged in her statement is therefore clearly fictitious.

“However, since President Obasanjo left office, the reserves have experienced fluctuations, rising from $43.13 billion in May 2007, peaking at $62 billion in September 2008 during the Yar’Adua/Jonathan Administration when oil prices peaked at $147 per barrel, and falling subsequently to a low of $31.7 in September 2011. This fall in reserves was a result of the vicissitudes of the global financial crisis which caused CBN interventions in the currency market to defend the value of the naira. The Excess Crude savings, a component of the reserves, was also used to stimulate the economy at the height of the global financial crisis to the tune of about $1 billion (or 0.5 per cent of our 2009 GDP). As a result, Nigeria is one of the few countries in the world that did not seek assistance from international financial institutions. It should be noted that the fiscal stimulus used to shore up the economy during that period was shared by all three-tiers of government, including commitments of about $5.5 billion made under the Obasanjo Administration for power projects.

“On the use of reserves, it is fallacious to say that the nation’s external reserves were dipped into or misapplied by the Federal Government. It is important to note that the Federal Government cannot dip its hands into external reserves. Like in other countries, the management of external reserves is one of the statutory mandates of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

External Reserve under CBN

“Section 2 sub-section (c) of the CBN Act (2007) states that the Bank shall ‘maintain external reserves to safeguard the international value of the legal tender currency’ – in other words, to defend the value of the naira. No President since the democratic dispensation has contravened this Act. Other uses of the reserves are to settle both public and private sector foreign currency (e.g. payment of goods and services, settlement of external debt, etc) it must provide the naira equivalent to the CBN before the Bank sells the required foreign currency. As a former World Bank Vice-President for Africa, surely, Mrs. Ezekwesili must have known this.
“We also found Mrs. Ezekwesili’s interrogation of the educational system somewhat disingenuous and borderline hypocritical. During her tenure as Minister of Education between 2006 and 2007, she collected total sum of N352.3 billion from direct budgetary releases. In addition, she received about N65.8 billion under the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Fund, and over N40 billion from the Education Trust Fund (ETF) during her time as Minister of Education.
“In view of these humongous allocations, few legitimate questions arise. What did she do with all these allocations? What impact did it have on the education sector? One wonders if our educational system would have been better today if these allocations were properly applied.

“No one disputes that Nigeria still faces challenges, most of which were built up over a long time. But we need to acknowledge the significant achievements of this administration in the aftermath of difficult but necessary macro-economic and structural reforms being implemented in the country.
“This administration has restored macro-economic stability against the backdrop of global economic uncertainty, slow growth in the United States and high unemployment and unsustainable debt in Europe. In the first three quarters of 2012, Nigeria’s economy grew by about 6.4 per cent and is set to continue at a similar pace in 2013 according to independent forecasts. We have reduced our fiscal deficit to only 2.17 per cent of GDP in the 2013 budget, while rebalancing our spending in favour of capital expenditure. These achievements have already received strong endorsement from international rating agencies. At a time when many advanced and emerging markets are being downgraded, Fitch and S&P have upgraded our sovereign credit ratings. The inclusion of Nigeria’s sovereign bonds in the emerging market bond indices of JP Morgan and Barclays also testifies to the growing confidence of the international investment community in our economy.

“We have also focused our attention on removing the bureaucratic and structural bottlenecks in the economy to enable the private sector create more jobs for our youths. In the power sector, most Nigerians will attest to improvements in power supply even as the 10 new power plants being built by this Administration are yet to fully come on stream. There have also been improvements in rail services; for example, the Lagos—Kano rail line is now fully operational and serving Nigerians for the first time in over 20 years. There have been significant improvements in road development; aviation – in particular refurbished terminals; and agriculture, where new jobs are being created every day. Serious work is ongoing to improve our ports and lower the cost of doing business and the cost of consumption in Nigeria. The government has further launched a number of initiatives targeted at creating jobs for our youth, including support for entrepreneurship through the YouWin Programme; work for the unskilled through the Community Services programme of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme; and support for unemployed graduates through the Graduate Internship Programme.

“This administration is squarely focused on promoting a stable, non-inflationary, and inclusive economic environment for Nigeria to ensure that Nigerians can live better and more fulfilled lives”, Maku said.

Responding to a question on why the Federal Government waited for the former minister’s outburst before charging  her for the alleged misappropriation of $458.1b, Maku said:  “The essence of the briefing is not to prosecute her but to debunk her claim that Federal Government had squandered N10. 6 trillion. It is wiser that people of Ezekwesili’s calibre become more conscious than to behave like strangers in what they ought to know better in the way they condemn things after they have left office.”

On the recent threat by MEND that they are going to bring the country down on the account of Henry Okah’s conviction in South Africa,  Maku said since the MEND leader  was not convicted in Nigeria, it will be very shocking if any Nigerian or group of Nigerians will take such actions against their own country.

“What we expect at this time is that all Nigerians should show higher level of commitment and patriotism to Nigeria. We can’t live in a nation where we abandon the law.
What I expect at this moment is that our citizens should understand that this nation offers the best of opportunity to live better lives and that anything you do against your country is not a plus.
We call on all those making the threat to commit themselves to the laws of the land and allow the peace that have rained in the nations over the couple of years since amnesty programme started not to be bridged.
He charged all Nigerians to condemn terrorism and vandalism, saying “that this is the time to unite Nigeria.”

Source: Vanguard

#seriously I know Nigeria is a good country possessing great natural resources...the only problem I think we have is selfish; self-centered leaders ruling us...I know revolution cannot be stopped...so you all should watch-out!

Nigerian police officers dancing Azonto at a party here in Lagos

...OMG, are they not supposed to be on duty...lol

Who's in support of Rauf Aregbesola introducing the study of Ifa in Osun curriculum?

Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, said last week that his administration plans to introduce the study of Ifa as one of the subjects in the state's secondary school. The schools' computer tablet already have application for Ifa studies.

If they do this, won't Ogun, Obatala, Sango worshippers etc also clamour for the introduction of their own studies? Should traditional studies be introduced in schools? Please share your thoughts.

#To me Ifa(incantation), would not add to the development of Nigeria...so am against this idea...what do you think

5 upcoming Android phones, smartphones that are worth waiting for!

Phone makers usually like to bring their best to bear in the holiday season, but that doesn’t mean you should throw your money at them just yet. There are some very interesting Android devices coming up in 2013, so maybe you want to break out the duct tape and keep your current phone in one piece just a little bit longer.

Let’s see what upcoming Android phones are going to be worth your upgrade…

Samsung Galaxy S4

The recently leaked picture of the supposed Samsung Galaxys S4 (seen above) is highly dubious, but what’s not dubious is the device’s existence. There is no doubt that the Galaxy S4 is being developed in a facility in South Korea. It’s probably going to be one of the top Android devices of 2013.

The Galaxy S III has been a huge hit thanks to Samsung’s momentum and smart design. Samsung stopped making carrier-specific versions of its flagship phone in 2012, so you can expect the same with the Galaxy S4. There will be one device that powers Samsung for the following 12 months.

Rumored specs are all over the map, but a 1080p AMOLED screen is probably a lock for this generation. Other OEMs are moving in that direction, and Samsung has always prided itself on display technology. If it chooses to again use PenTile sub-pixels in its 1080p panel, the blemishes some more observant users complain about might no longer be evident.

A faster Exynos ARM chip is likely in the cards as well. The Exynos 5250 (or Exynos 5 Dual) is a dual-core chip that powers the Nexus 10, and it could make an appearance in the Galaxy S4 too. It is the first ARM Cortex-A15 based processor, and it packs some serious power. Perhaps a quad-core variant will be announced for this phone, but two 1.7GHz A15 cores should be sufficient.

If you plan to wait for this one, expect a late Spring or early summer announcement. US carriers will probably start selling the device in late summer, but you can always grab the unlocked international SKU.

Samsung will probably call its own Unpacked press conference to announce the Galaxy S4 whenever it’s ready.

Motorola X phone

When the Google-Motorola acquisition was done, there were still pre-Google devices in the Motorola pipeline. We were warned at the time that the true Google collaboration did not include the new RAZR phones, but big things were coming. A recent report from the Wall Street Journal claims to have the inside line on what the next big thing is. It’s allegedly called the Motorola X Phone.

This is basically a nerd-lust device. Motorola has always built nice hardware with excellent radio performance, but the software has been holding it back. Getting closer to a stock Android experience with Google’s guidance could be great for users, and Motorola has the relationships to actually get the device on more carriers.

The official Android device, the Nexus 4, lacks 4G LTE, which puts it at a disadvantage when it comes to visibility. Whereas the Nexus devices are about making a statement, the X Phone could be about making the most appealing product. One with LTE, tons of storage, and carrier subsidies. Other features mentioned for the X Phone include a flexible display and ceramic casing.

There’s no way to know if this device is going to happen, but you can bet Google and Motorola have something cooking. If you want to wait on the X Phone, you’ll have to hold out until at least mid-year.

HTC M7

If there is a major OEM that needs to turn things around in 2013, it’s HTC. The Taiwan-based phone maker has been suffering a sales slump in recent years, and despite some solid 2012 offerings, it is still hurting. Rumors of a 2013 flagship device are looking very good, though. The device is currently only known as the HTC M7.

The M7 is rumored to be an updated Droid DNA in a One X form factor. There will reportedly be a 4.7-inch 1080p screen, 32GB of internal storage, and a quad-core Qualcomm APQ8064 ARM chip. A unibody aluminum casing had been put forward in some leaks, but other sources claim it is closer in construction to the DNA. On-screen buttons may also be on the table.

As for the software, the M7 will launch running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with a 4.2 update in the works. It will also run a new, cleaner version of HTC Sense that loses many of the confusing elements present in current devices. This might be the biggest benefit over 2012 HTC phones if it turns out to be true.

The wait on this one is much less daunting. The HTC M7 is expected to be announced in Q1 2013. It is reportedly already in testing on Sprint’s LTE network.

Sony Xperia Z “Yuga”

Sony has had trouble finding its footing in the US market, and hasn’t exactly been a top company elsewhere. Still, the OEM is capable of designing some stunning phones, and offers a ton of support to the open source community. Maybe 2013 will be the year Sony wins some hearts and minds with the Yuga.
The Yuga looks to be Sony’s take on the ongoing giant phone trend. Just like the HTC Droid DNA, the Yuga is expected to sport a 5-inch 1080p screen. In some leaked renders, the Yuga (and similar Odin) looks very slim with almost no bezel alongside the screen.
Other rumored specs include a quad-core Qualcomm APQ8064, 2GB of RAM, and a 13MP camera. The Yuga is also said to have a water and dust-resistant chassis.
If you want to see how this device pans out, you might not have long to wait at all. Sony could unveil the device in the coming days at CES. Be aware: you may have to get the device unlocked if no US carriers sell it.

The next Nexus

We no longer have to wonder if Google is going to create more Nexus phones. The company has proven its commitment to having a flagship of its own. This is always the clear choice for Android purists, but you’ve got to play the long game if a 2013 Nexus is what you seek. However, it might be worth the wait.
Google always ties a new version of Android to the Nexus. If you wait on next year’s Nexus, you’ll get the latest and greatest software with no carrier or OEM interference. This is the same experience you get with the current Nexus 4, but the hardware will be a year newer. Oh, and you’ll be able to buy one!
Google’s flagship phone is still sold out in the Play Store, and it’s been that way for over 2 months. It’s getting to the point that it will almost be Nexus season again by the time the supply chain is finally full of phones. If you want to wait on this one, “Nexus season” is late-mid fall of 2013.
If you can keep slogging along with your current handset into 2013, there are plenty of great devices. Don’t fall into the trap of always waiting on the next big thing, but be aware of what you might be missing.

by Ryan Whitwam

#am a phone freak...but to be sincere I dont know the one to pick amidst this 5beautiful phones...but I like the samgung phone for its fast accessibility to web...what do you think?

Lionel Messi won World Footballer of the Year 2012

He won it in 2009, 2010, 2011 and now in 2012. The only player in history to win it four times. Though a lot of people think Christiano Ronaldo should have won. What do you think? #I think Messi is a football genius

Chris Brown live in Lagos, Nigeria

proof...its time to rock it hard with Chris Brown...wishing you all a Merry Christmas

How to romove saved password from mozilla firefox

\
 The older versions of Firefox web browser (3.0 and below) were not friendly as versions 3.5 and above, especially in terms of password reset. If you use public computer, say the Cyber Cafe’, there is need for you to delete or remove your saved password before you sign out or before your client time gets finished. This will help you to keep your email account and other valuable accounts you have online safe and secured from hackers.

I have once worked in a Cyber Café where so many people come to browse. Being the Café Admin, it was my duty to check through the systems to make sure they are up and running both before and after close of work. While I was there, I noticed that a handful of people who use the public internet care more or less about their passwords, and such are careless and care free to even leave their accounts open without logging out.

This to me is a clear opportunity for hackers to do their thing. On noticing this, I started a campaign while working there by teaching our clients the importance of security measures on passwords, and one of them is what I am writing in a post today. By virtue of its popularity and ease to download, firfox browsers are the most widely used in public internet outlets, and so I will be using screen-shots from it to show you how to remove or delete your saved passwords any time you make use of public internet.

Step 1: Launch the Mozilla Firefox either from the desktop, start menu or taskbar

Step 2: Click on “Tools” in Tool menu as shown below

Step 3: Click on “Option” for firefox option window to display. It will look like the one below

Step 4: Click on “Security” tab as circled below

Step 5: Click on “Saved Passwords” button

If you are using a public network, a list of sites visited by clients who logged in before you with their passwords will be displayed once you clicked it.

All you need do now is select [click on the passwords(s) to highlight] the saved passwords in Firefox from the saved passwords list and click on Remove. If you wish to remove all saved passwords in the list just click on the Remove All button.

Click on Close button to close this window and you are done.

Acid bath victim, Chika Egbo dies

Chike Egbo, the 25-year-old student of  Enugu State College of Education, who was bathed with acid by her estranged fiancé, David Suleiman, in November, has been reported dead.

Chika gave up the ghost early Thursday morning, on her hospital bed, at the Burns Unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.



Her father, Matthew Egbo, who confirmed the incident told Vanguard that his daughter fell into comma around 11: pm Wednesday night and was placed on a life-support machine before she gave up the ghost around 1:00 am, Thursday morning.

Suleiman was alleged to have attacked Chika and an Okada rider, identified as Sunny Daniel with a can of acid at Bakare Street, Ikotun, Lagos, on November 5, 2012, following Chika’s refusal to allow him access to their only child.

Suleiman, who was subsequently arrested by the police in Ikotun Police Station and was transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, in Yaba, was later charged to an Ebute-Meta Magistrate court where he was  arraigned on a two counts charge of attempted murder and “causing grievous bodily harm.

Magistrate O. Olatunji who presided over the case granted him bail of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum. The Magistrate in his ruling stated that the sureties must be blood relations and must present evidence of tax clearance.

Source: Vanguard

Nigerian police refuses to protect its citizen but are protecting bags of rice with gun..lol

Looking at these photos, don't you want to weep for Nigeria? Police van with policemen with guns carrying and protecting a few bags of rice. The LIB reader who took the photos and sent it in said the police van was blaring their siren for other motorists to clear out of the way and grant them easy access. Except its not rice they are carrying. Na wa!