So who still wants to be a nigerian?

Who still wants to be a nigerian?

Let me begin the above thought provoking topic, asking us if we still want to be Nigerians, amidst the reality of the challenging situations, scenario and dramas that we encounter daily in this country. I am still sure a whole lot of people would still have their reserved or hidden answers to that daring question. Am I right or wrong? Also judging from the first part of this piece, its quiet evident that most people would relate that there is always a certain attached pain and regrets being a Nigerian presently, except that one is such a deep hypocritical, corrupt, two-faced and self centred individual to deny that. The truth is always and will always be bitter.

The truth is always bitter and its nothing but the truth I am determined to voice out here for us, our people and the world to know. That there is so much wrongs we have to start making rights, so many sacrifices that needs to made,so much truths to tell and see, and so much patriotism we need again in other for us to be proud again when calling ourselves as Nigerians.But it takes the collective efforts of us all to redeem our name as a great nation again,saying NO to the incessant scourges of persistent corruption,greed,selfishness and the lackadaisical way of living,valuing and contributing to the success of other countries more than our mother land. How long will we as a nation keep existing with this shame, surviving amidst abundance that God has blessed us with year in and out?

One certain issue that has continued to rubbish the name Nigeria, its glory and pride of its citizenry is our Leadership inadequacy and shortcomings. We have this enduring troubles of leadership, Governance,credibility and performance that has gotten so many of us wish we were not Nigerians. And would we ever keep pretending that all is well in the land when we keep showing no concerns,seeking nationalism of other countries while we abandon what it takes to contribute, empower and make Nigeria a truly giant of Africa? Its high time we as a people stay united and resolute to decide,oppose and also reject every imposition,policies and selfish acts of Governance that makes us feel ashamed,cheated, misruled and uncomfortable as Nigerians. We all own the land, its our right to demand for justice, equity, fairness, accountability and proper rule.

Please we all need to redefine our loyalty, love, patriotism, value system and pledges to our dear nation, so we can all be proud again to be identified as Nigerians. We are a unique, strong and great people, and we still need to stay true to that. There is no longer what we call nationhood or patriotism again. Awards are given to corrupt officials while the ones who truly deserve recognition are relegated to the backstage and low corners. And where are these problems keep coming from? Where have we as a nation gone wrong? Is there still any hope left for you and I to still be proudly called a Nigerian? So do you still want to be called a Nigerian,are you a part of the problem or are you willing to be a source of solution? No amount of denying or closing our eyes to the facts will save us from what we have become as Nigeria, until we work together earnestly to change our labels now, for tomorrow and the next generations unborn.

There is nothing wrong being a Nigerian, the land, climate, our water or its airspace but its because of our collective failures as a people, who have totally lost out of our founding fathers values, our heroes past legacies and admonitions in the project called Nigeria. We are totally blindfolded in the pursuance of excess wealth, fame, greed and success at the expense of our fellow Nigerians. We can see that Americans or other successful nations of the world values human life,honours handwork, integrity, teamwork, efficiency, maintenance of structures, law & order and i can mention a whole lot more. Why wont we all keep dreaming and running away from our own land when we have misplaced our priorities as a nation? Why wont some people be so ashamed when it comes to identifying themselves as a Nigerian? Have we ever thought of having a Nigerian Visa lottery someday too? Isn't it time for us to awake and take our place as the giant of Africa again?

So who still wants to be called a Nigerian? Who else is willing and ready to stand and say enough of mistreatment, insensitivity, corruption and greed from our leaders and governing bodies? Are we as a people ready to unite and fight off these social malaise and plaque that tends to spoil the name Nigerian ? Its left for you and I to decide and now is the right time. The only time we fail is when we STOP trying and give in to the temptation of helplessness and indifference. Let us stand and retain our identity as Nigerians, strong, united and still very much more the good people, great nation we are blessed and called to be. May God help us to answer to the call and to obey, so we (and the generations next ) wont be ashamed tomorrow when looked or called upon as a Nigerian.

Atiku knees down to greet Obasanjo at customs conference!

The crowd at the venue of the 2012 Comptroller-General of Customs' conference in Katsina, burst into cheers and applause when former Vice President Atiku Abubakar knelt down to greet his former boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Atiku and Obasanjo, who served as vice president and president of Nigeria respectively between 1999-2007, had an estranged relationship during the last lap of their second term in office.

Both men were among a retinue of VIPs invited to the opening of the week long Comptroller-Generals' conference held at the newly inaugurated auditorium of Katsina State University.

Obasanjo, who arrived ahead of Atiku, was seated next to second republic President Shehu Shagari and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade.

Atiku, who arrived nearly 40-minutes after his former boss, first greeted the Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammad Iliyasu, Emir of Katsina, Dr Abdulmimini Usman, the Ooni and Shagari who were seated at the podium.

When he got to Obasanjo, the former Vice President knelt down and bowed his head to greet his former boss.

The delighted crowd followed the mild drama with a loud applause and cheers.

A man who sat opposite the VIP podium raised his two hands up and shouted ``Alleluia''.

Earlier, Vice President Namadi Sambo who represented President Goodluck Jonathan had inaugurated the 1,500 capacity auditorium of the Katsina State University, venue of the conference.

Profiles: Meet Nigeria's Richest Woman and Africa's no #2 Folorusho Alakija, from a typist to a billionaire!

Folorunsho Alakija
Net Worth $600 M As of November 2012
#24 on Africa's richest 40
2nd Richest Woman in Africa
Age: 61
Source of Wealth: oil, self-made
Residence: Lagos, Nigeria
Country of Citizenship: Nigeria
Marital Status: Married
Children: 4

Summary:

Nigeria's richest woman draws the bulk of her fortune from oil. Folorunsho Alakija started her career in the mid 1970s as a secretary at the now-defunct International Merchant Bank of Nigeria, one of the West African nation's earliest investment banks. In the 1980s, after studying fashion design in England, she founded Supreme Stitches, a Nigerian fashion label that catered to upscale clientele. Her biggest break came in oil. In 1993 her company, Famfa Oil, was awarded an oil prospecting license which went on to become OML 127, one of Nigeria's most prolific oil blocks. Famfa Oil owned a 60% stake in the block until 2000 when the Nigerian government, led by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, unconstitutionally acquired a 50% interest in the block without duly compensating Alakija or her company. Famfa Oil went to court to challenge the acquisition, and in May this year, the Nigerian Supreme Court reinstated the 50% stake to Famfa Oil. Chevron owns the remaining 40%. Through her charity, the Rose of Sharon Foundation, Alakija supports widows throughout Nigeria.

For the full list of Africa's richest 40 click http://www.forbes.com/africa-billionaires/list/

Interview with Folorunsho Alakija

From that humble career which was imposed on her by her father and then to fashion designing which she later had to venture into, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija has proven herself a genius! Her foray into the oil business, which saw her becoming the Executive Vice-Chairman of Famfa Oil & Gas Limited, is also not an exception. This 61-year-old former President of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria – FADAN – is also a philanthropist of note.
Today, she opens up on her journey to fame and success. Enjoy!

Treading a career path chosen against one's will could be frustrating. How did you cope?

I didn't like it at all when I first started my secretarial Studies. I felt as if my ability had been undermined. I felt frustrated! I however took it as a career and worked hard at it. I had always loved the idea of being a Lawyer because I had an inquisitive mind. That hope was however dashed by my father who insisted I should study secretarial studies.

However, I made it work for me because whatever I take up, I always want to do it well. So, that saw me through the years of being a confidential secretarial, a personal assistant, and secretary to several Managing Directors at the now defunct IMB where I worked, until I decided to move out when I observed that new intakes were being ranked and promoted above me.

But didn't you feel inferior when these new intakes at the bank were being promoted above you?

I didn't feel inferior because I knew that I wasn't inferior! But I felt frustration because I knew that if I was given the opportunity, I would prove myself. But when it got to the point that others were being placed above me, I knew I had reached a crossroad where I needed to make a decision. I do not blame the bank because they were actually capitalising on degrees.

I'm however glad I took the right decision at that point. I believe very strongly that God ordered my footsteps because He had planned out my destiny. So, I traveled abroad to study fashion designing. As a matter of fact, my youngest son was two years old then. The condition I had with my husband under which I would go to study abroad was to take the youngest two of my four children along with me, which I did.

Let's look at the immediate success you recorded as soon as you joined the array of fashion designers in the country

That was the Lord's doing. Precisely three weeks after I formally launched my label, Supreme Stitches, I won a national award as the Fashion Designer of the Year 1986. To the glory of God, people liked my designs because I was creating them from within. I would say my creativity had always been inborn.

Would you compare the success you recorded in fashion with that of the banking industry?

Of course the success I achieved in fashion was a lot more! In the banking industry, I was not only part of a crowd but also wasn't making national news. I was doing my work diligently and was appreciated by everyone, most especially when I headed the corporate affairs department.

I was able to start many things that the bank never did. In fact, the creative aspect of me was harnessed, as I even created a corporate image for the bank when its name was changed. However, whatever I did was for and within the bank alone. It was just within a little island, compared to dealing with the general public like in fashion where people were inspired by my designs in so many ways.

So, what has life taught you about passion?

To me, passion is whatever you derive pleasure in doing, something that comes to you naturally. When passion is involved in whatever activity, struggle becomes less. Though I may not be making clothes anymore, fashion will always continue to be part and parcel of me because it's something that I love. I still note down designs as they come into my head. I also delight in encouraging younger designers.

Do you see any link between passion and success?

The mere fact that you're passionate about anything doesn't mean you'll automatically be successful in it. You may not make money out of it, but you'll enjoy it. It does not guarantee your getting to the top of the ladder! It will put food on your table if you decide to make it a source of livelihood, and it will set you apart from others because it gives you place, but that still does not determine the degree of success. The sure fact however is that it will get you off the ground. Then if you add hardwork to it, it will get you on top of the ladder.

So, how did you venture into the oil and gas industry?

In the 1990s, in the course of my discussion with a friend whom I was designing clothes for, my family and I got involved in a deal to purchase an oil field. After three years, we were allocated an oil bloc which nobody wanted at that time because it was deep offshore, over 1,500 meters deep and very expensive to explore at that time. We were approached by Texaco late in 1996, and, after three months daily negotiation, we signed on the dotted lines.

Chevron took over Texaco after a few years, but, to the glory of God, we actually stocked oil in commercial quantity, and we were told that the oil had been collecting in there for 17million years, and then we just considered ourselves very lucky. That was how FAMFA Oil was born. I and my husband and our four sons are all heavily involved in the business.

You seem very busy and quite successful, but do you ever find time to go into the kitchen?

Absolutely! Just yesterday, I still cooked beans for my church fellowship members. I always cook when my husband is in the country. I've had cooks for years, but there's always a difference when you add your own personal touch. At weekends, I cook. I also cook each time he's arriving from his trips because he always prefers to eat from my own cooking at such times. Also, we eat together. I do believe that no matter her level of success, a woman must always remember that she must not depart from her kitchen.

Many marriages are on the rocks because many women find it difficult to combine marriage with affluence. Why has yours remained the envy of many since 1976?

Money has nothing to do with love. Love comes from within. Money is something you acquire along the line. Only love keeps people together. From the time that we started courting, it has been like that, and we thank God that to His glory, we've known one another for 40 years. I pray also that God continues to unite us. I believe that if love is the foundation of a union, God will prove Himself faithful.

Every married person has a duty to ensure that they make their marriage work because nobody dragged them into it. Even looking after the children in that marriage calls for both parents to impact into them the skills, love, knowledge and talent required to enable them live fulfilled lives. When we shirk our responsibilities, we're being careless.

I understand that you now cater for widows and orphans in four states?

Taking care of widows and orphans is a calling, and it is in the fear of God that I am doing so. I'm not doing so because I have the resources, but because God has called me to it. He has also been faithful in providing the resources. I however had to register a platform, Rose of Sharon Foundation, a few years ago, to reach out to more widows and orphans. Rose of Sharon is also a means of giving back by my entire family on behalf of Famfa Oil.

You seem a very religious person, but do you know many are quick to forget God as soon as they acquire material comfort?

I don't see any reason why anyone shouldn't successfully combine his or her faith with affluence. As far as I'm concerned, wherever we get to in life is not because of what we have done, but because of what God has done through us. If God does not approve our success, we can never get there but can only try!

So, if you're blessed with fame and fortune, remain thankful and do not become boastful because pride goes before a fall. I'm grateful to God for making me who I am, and the way I am. I always look back and remember that nothing is as a result of what I have done but for what He's done through me.

When death becomes penalty for traffic offenders

The Lagos traffic law has somewhat become a horror for being pushed beyond its limits, this leaves me asking a very pertinent question: When did treating people in the most horrendous way become the only means of ensuring that rules are obeyed?

Policemen have suddenly become the accuser, judge and jury in this case and you will wonder when traffic laws became attached to their primary responsibility of ensuring lives and properties are secured.

There was a reported case where an 'okada' rider was shot dead at Ilupeju bypass, Lagos by a policeman during the course of this week. As if that wasn't enough, another policeman shot a bus conductor at Ketu tipper garage just a day after..... All in the name of enforcing the new Lagos State traffic laws. I mean, how exactly do we want be perceived in the world's eye, that we live like animals? Are we trying to convey a message to them that we only transformed from the military uniform to the civilian regalia on paper because our action denotes that of military?

When did death penalty become the punishment for disobeying traffic laws? I thought education and exposure was to help us think and actively put up effective policies whilst ensuring offenders are properly dealt with without infringing on their fundamental human rights in anyway. Why do the law enforcers derive joy in taking advantage of the power bestowed on them? Why is it that those ruling us think it normal for people's dignity to be eroded before laws can be effectively obeyed?

The government has not played its role adequately I must say. What measures were put in place to educate these 'okada' riders who have now been left with no other means of survival? What alternative is the Government leaving them with? You can't just ban them and expect that they will become idle knowing fully well that an idle mind is always the devil's workshop. Some of these men have got mouths to feed as they are the bread winners.

It will do us good if Governor Fashola will thread on the path of caution knowing fully well that over 40,000{as estimated} able bodied young men having their source of livelihood cut off abruptly could spell danger for the state as a number of them have a high tendency of taking to crime when pushed beyond the limit. Truth is you and I will be the ones at the receiving end when crime becomes rampart in the State. Not to also forget that the year is running to an end which increases the drive of people towards making money at all cost.

That I am pained at how we keep treating ourselves will be an understatement. News such as these leaves a bitter pill in ones mouth. I mean people break laws everyday worldwide and I have learnt over the years that crime is somewhat the nature of man, so why kill people who haven't threatened the tranquillity of the state in anyway. Even those accused of treasonable felony in other countries remain innocent until proven guilty but in this part of the world, you are guilty unto proven innocent...VERY SAD!!!

Cities will have 24-hour electricity supply by 2013 —Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday promised that quite a number of cities in the country would begin to enjoy uninterrupted power supply by June 2013.

He said the feat would be achieved by the time all ongoing power projects initiated by his government were completed.

Jonathan spoke in Islamabad, Pakistan, while answering questions during an interactive session he had with members of the Nigerian community living in the country.

He said, "We have (power) projects that are going on; so, before the end of the second quarter, that is almost middle of next year, most of these projects would have been inaugurated and we will be evacuating and that time; quite a number of cities will begin to have 24-hour of light.

"When we get to that point, you will see that small scale enterprises will begin to make returns, and that is the way we can create jobs."

The President said generation was no longer responsible for the problems being faced by the country in the area of electricity supply.

He said the major challenge was the transmission of the generated power.

Jonathan said the nation's power plants currently had about 1,000 megawatts of electricity that could not be evacuated because of problems related to transmission.

He said, "We have intervened robustly in the power sector, and if you call back home, they will tell you that power is improving, and we have promised that we will stabilise power supply.

"Currently, we are generating more than what our transmission capability can evacuate. We have over 1,000MW of power that we cannot evacuate because of the transmission infrastructure that has been weak over the years, and very recently, the government started the intervention."

The talk was held shortly after Jonathan arrived Pakistan for the summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of Eight Developing Nations (D-8).


Jonathan said notwithstanding the temporary setback, significant changes had been recorded and a lot more ground would have been covered by December 2013.

Boko Haram: Those Senators Know Something

There are many issues of national concern as usual in the country but the ones that have caught my fancy are the ones making headlines in the last few days both in the print media, television and various online forums. The news that the popular Islamist sect, Boko Haram had finally made up their 'church mind' sorry, their 'mosque mind' to end the spate of killing and destruction of lives and properties, is a welcome development.

The second issue is the statement credited to Amnesty International that Nigerian security operatives were being too hard on Boko Haram. I don't know what to tell Amnesty International, any way!

This piece will be concentrated more on the former because of its role as far as peace of Nigeria as a whole is concerned as well as the actors and bosses involved in the epic film.

The former National Security Adviser, General Andrew Azazi, saw from then, that all these were going to happen and voiced out but instead of searching for the black goat while it was day, the power that be, truth haters that employed him chose to relieve him of his job as the security boss and showed him the exit door, under the disguise that he was incompetent.

One of the truths he told us was that the country called Nigeria was not prepared to fight corruption and terrorism.

Instead, the government decided to keep on chasing shadows rather than tackling the menace that has bedeviled the country from the root and from within. The more the carnage continued, the more Nigerians continued to lose their dear ones and properties.

The government in its usual choice of words kept telling us that it was on top of the situation, but the experienced Security Adviser did not see government as a magician that would find the answer to Boko Haram with the urgency it demands.

According to him, the government lacked the political will to take the bull by the horn by bringing this insurgency to an end and that the ruling Class especially the PDP, was the cause of Boko Haram and finally stated that Boko Haram was political.

Having struck the right cord, he was hammered left, right, front and back for telling the simple truth. Many called him names like anti-government, anti-Nigeria, separatist and the likes. Those who were no longer at ease with Azazi's statements, the ruling Class demanded apology from Azazi but he stuck to his gun, he never denied his earlier statements and he eventually got boot in the ass. Poor Azazi!

Then they told us that Azazi was sacked for lack of competence to tackle the security challenges of the nation but we know the truth. Months after his sack, more Nigerians kept losing their lives to Boko Haram attack, the number of orphans increased drastically even both widows and widowers increased in numbers owing to this old Boko Haram thing.

Then came the man, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) who is directly the opposite of Azazi. While Azazi was bold, visible and outspoken, Dasuki is silent and self-effacing. The government told us that Dasuki's nature better fitted into the role of an NSA but no action at all is coming from the man called Dasuki. He neither talks the talk nor acts.

The scourge he came to fight has always been on the rise even during the holy season of pilgrimage.

Instead of taking the right steps to deal with the evil that has ravaged the land, government decided to play politics with issue of such national significance. The government has even started seeing Boko Haram as a normal stage Nigeria must pass through in her quest for greatness. That is why the only panacea left for the president is to issue press statements condemning the acts and describing it as wickedness from the pit of hell as soon as bomb explosion is reported in any part of the country.

What can you deduce from the arrest of a Boko Haram commander, Shuaibu Bama, by the Joint Task Force, JTF? While the JTF said that the Boko Haram commander was arrested in the house of Senator Ahmad Zanna, a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the senator denied it but said that the commander was actually arrested in the residence of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, a former governor of Borno State.

To me, the best and the most reasonable thing (at least in the interest of Nigerians) that the government should have done is to crack down on those personalities so that the truth about Boko Haram will be made public because either of them or both of them know something about this evil called Boko Haram. God help us!

Nigeria, a nation where PhD holders desire to be truck drivers

The topic above denotes that of a failed Nation! Indeed, these are rife signs that we are heading for the rocks if things do not take a drastic turn in the nearest future or how can you possibly explain that we are busy engaging our own PhD holders as drivers when in other serious countries, their own Doctorate degree holders are busy in the research world and making amazing discoveries?

Really, we are sitting on a keg of gunpowder in this Nation and it is only a matter of time before it explodes! I will also corroborate former President Olusegun Obasanjo's words and I quote "Unless the government of Nigeria takes urgent steps to arrest the menace of youth unemployment and poverty, it is a certainty that Nigeria will see a revolution soon.

Waking up to the newspaper headline of "6 PhD holders, 704 Masters Degree holders apply for DRIVER'S job in Dangote Group"..... I was left with a big hanging question mark: "Where have things gone wrong?"

·         Should we re-evaluate the idea of "Education for All"?

·         Maybe it is time to change the Education paradigm according to Sir K. Robinson.

·         Does the conventional education really lift from poverty? Or collect the little you could have used to better your life and be happy, and leaves you praying to get on someone's payroll for your daily meal?

One of the reasons the world has left us behind is because we celebrate certificates whilst they celebrate discoveries.

Where is the place for vocational training for students who are out of secondary school and waiting to gain admission? Some of them spend a year or more waiting to pass UME and post UME that is even for those who have passed their SSCE exams.

I bet that if vocational education was made available for young school leavers to ensure they are enhanced with at least a skill, they will be able to use that in supporting/sustaining themselves whenever they gain admission and will definitely have something to fall back on when they graduate and are yet to get a job. You will be surprised that a whole lot will not even look for jobs but will rather establish themselves in the entrepreneurial world and the small/medium scale industries will begin to thrive. That way, more jobs will be provided and they will also take in more hands to be trained in that line of business.

With adequate support from the government, the small and medium scale industries will start expanding and in no time, we can start exporting our goods and services to other countries. This on its own will drive our economy positively, improve our foreign earnings, further stabilize our industries and strengthen our badly battered currency.

I sincerely hope someone is watching, someone is listening and most importantly, someone borrows these pieces of advice. That way, we can start expecting to see a drastic and positive turn of events in the course of time.

Two party system is the best for Nigeria

The adoption of a two-party in the country will stabilize the polity to a reasonable extent because a majority of registered 62 political parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, only exists in the register. Yes they exist only in name.

From investigation, though not official, out of the existing 62 political parties in the country today, about 30 of them are owned by members of the ruling PDP. It is very clear that most of them do not have functional offices in the nation's capital. About nine of them actually have functional offices in Abuja whereas the rest of them have offices in their briefcases. Where do the remaining have their offices located at?

I have no doubt in my mind that the best party system for this corruption-ridden country is a two-party system because such arrangement will definitely make it difficult for rigging because it is just two parties and the cases of ballot box snatching will drastically reduce.

Election touts as we have in the present multi-party system, will also have jobs and the electoral tribunal will be almost useless because a clear winner will emerge from a keenly contested election unlike what we have today where many political parties that take part in an election are just pretenders and not real contenders. They ask for compensation after election in the form of portfolios or in monetary form. Avery good case study should be the 1993 general election between the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC).

If two-party system is effectively practiced, the issue of merger or alliance won't arise because it is just two political parties and they have different ideologies, they will field their most credible candidates.

Across check of the nation's judiciary has shown that the most thriving section of it is the electoral tribunal as billions of tax payers' money is wasted on electoral cases. I believe that two-party system will further strengthen our democracy for good.

The immediate past Osun State Governorship debate was an eye opener. What good programmes does a political party whose candidate could not express himself in simple English have for the people of the state? A governorship candidate that could not express himself in English, the official language in the Nigeria was not ready for the real contest but will end up asking for compensation at the end of the election.

In the last general elections, only about three of the political parties really contested for the presidency while the rest of them just added to the number. Those that had no presidential candidate at all merged with the ruling party.

If only the corrupt politicians in this country will buy into this option of two-party system, corruption, the second of our politics will not only be reduced but the whole democratic system will be further cleansed.

This two party system will also enhance the unity among Nigerians but my fear is that those who benefit from this unhealthy system will ensure that it is never achievable.

Every opposition party will be strong enough to wrestle power from the ruling party and for anybody to emerge a party's flag bearer; he or she must have to be the very best among the aspirants. It will no doubt reduce election costs. It will also stem out the issue of religious, ethnic and regional sentiment and unite us better.

Guys jostle to win heart of N64m winner

Winner of an airplane at the MTN Ultimate Wonder promo, Ebube Essien-Garricks, speaks on how she became the lucky millionaire and her plans

Stories of a rise from grass to grace, to many people, may be a case of a happy ending in movies and works of fiction. But for Ebube Essien-Garricks, that popular saying is now just as real as the air she breathes.

The 27-year-old student of the Rivers State College of Health Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, is N64m richer. She emerged the winner of a Cessna 182T aircraft in the MTN Ultimate Wonder promo after a draw held in Lagos on November 13.

The unassuming young lady, who hails from Akinima in Ahoada West, Rivers State, is a 300-level student of radiography. She discloses that she had never dreamt of owning so much money in her lifetime, coming from a modest family background of eight children, where she is the seventh.

Prior to her winning the lottery, she says, she planned to work as a radiographer after school but with the change of status comes her change of plans. "Now I will buy machines and work for myself. I will be an employer of labour," she states.

She also plans to give her aging parents and siblings a 'new life'. "My family needs a new level. This money is for them, not me only. God just wants to use me to bless the family so everybody has a share in it," she enthuses.

When the news of her winning the lottery broke online, some comments about 'the lucky guy' in her life came up — with some people advising whoever she is in a relationship with not to let go. But Essien-Garricks says she is single and when she is ready for marriage, she would not go for anyone who is interested in her money.

"I know what love is," she notes. "People are calling to ask my parents if I am married, some others are giving them promises. Even on the Internet, I don't have a Facebook account but someone has opened one in my name. If anyone is coming because of my money, I promise the person that he will not get a dime because I will make sure he doesn't."

On the current Nigerian Communications Commission's ban of promos and lotteries from network providers, Essien-Garricks appeals that government should lift the ban and checkmate them.

"The fact is that lives are being changed through this. The most important thing is, if they promise, they should fulfil it," she says.

President Jonathan's younger brother dies on his birthday

The younger half brother of president Goodluck Jonathan has died. Meni Jonathan  (pictured above) died today November 20th (the president's birthday) at the State House clinic in Abuja.

Meni, who was said to be in his late 40s, was flown in from Bayelsa last week to receive treatment at the Aso Rock Clinic for an undisclosed ailment he had been battling with for a few months now.

Mena, until his death was the chairman traditional council of chiefs  in Otuoke community of Bayelsa State. The president is yet to officially react to his brother's death. May his soul rest in peace...amen.

What is Nigeria worth beyond oil and gas?

Have you ever thought about how nigeria would be if we had no oil? Well, there are two approaches to this question. Those who focus on Nigeria's potential and, therefore, see Nigeria's glass as only half full, will tell you that the country remains a "great" one despite the continuous downward trend of development. But those who focus on the perpetual wastage of Nigeria's potential, and, therefore, see the country's glass as half-empty, will tell you that Nigeria is a "failing" (if not "failed") state. The ruling class belongs to the first group, while the vast majority of the population belongs to the latter.

First, given enormous natural and human resources, Nigeria's progress has been painfully too slow since independence and it has all but stagnated since 2006, a significant year for three reasons. One, that was the year former President Olusegun Obasanjo's third term plans fell apart and the politics of succession began, leading to the imposition of the late President Umaru Yar'Adua on the country. Two, Yar'Adua turned out to be a lame President on account of an undisclosed terminal illness. The looting of the treasury during his administration put the country in financial abyss, which was worsened by the global financial crisis of 2008. Endemic corruption has prevented Nigeria's full recovery, despite rising oil revenues. Today, virtually every branch of government has showcased more cases of corruption and grandstanding than substantive achievements. Three, as I will discuss later, 2006 was also the year Nigeria fell into the "Alert" category on the Failed States Index.

Second, rather than make progress, the country has fallen even further below standards, especially in corruption, infrastructure, and security. True, corruption affects our lives but it does not directly take our lives. But poor or inadequate infrastructure and insecurity often do. Thousands die on the country's decrepit highways just as thousands lose their lives and property to terrorists, armed robbers, kidnappers, and pirates. For the first time in the country's history, an internal terrorist organisation, typified by suicide bombings and shifting targets, has been in competition for state power for about two years, forcing the government to enter into third party negotiations, none of which has been successful so far.

Third, fractures have intensified along regional, religious, and ethic divisions. To complicate matters, the elite is also fractured, often along these divisions, on how to solve the problems facing the country. There are indications already that these fractures will intensify even more when the next presidential election comes around in 2015. But these fractures are not new. They were responsible for the fall of previous Repubics and the rise of military coups. They even once led to a full blown civil war. What is new is the form these fractures have taken in the last two years; the intensity of competing claims along fracture lines; and the government's fumbling approach to the ensuing problems.

The cumulative effects of these shortcomings are illustrated daily in poor infrastructure; inadequate health facilities; declining educational outcomes and standards; rising unemployment; growing food insecurity; erosion of values; and lopsided distribution of political goods in favour of the ruling class and its allies.

If Nigerian leaders fail to acknowledge the sufferings and complaints of fellow citizens, they should at least ponder the reaction of the international community, especially as revealed in three major international indices, all pointing toward a failed state.

First, for six years in a row, the 2012 Failed States Index, which ranks countries on 12 social, political, and economic indicators, puts Nigeria in the bottom "Alert" category as the 14th country in the world that is most likely to fail. Once again, Nigeria falls into this ignoble category some war-torn countries, such as Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq belong.

Similarly, Nigeria ranked very poorly on the latest Corruption Perception and Human Development Indices. After countries worldwide were ranked on bribery, kickbacks, embezzlement, and the strength and effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts, Nigeria emerged near the bottom at 143 on the 2011 CPI. Given all the corruption scandals within the past year, the 2012 CPI (due out on Dec 5) is likely to be worse.

On the leading indicators that affect citizens' well-being, the Human Development Index also has bad news for Nigeria. In a comparative measure of life expectancy, literacy, education, standards of living, and quality of life for countries worldwide, Nigeria ranked at 156 in the bottom category of  "Low Human Development".

Of course, Nigeria can boast of its high ranking as the tenth largest oil producer, owner of the tenth largest oil and gas reserves, and the sixth largest oil exporter in the world. She can also tout her ranking as the seventh largest country on earth. However, Nigerian leaders' failure to capitalise on these positive rankings in transforming Nigeria into a "strong and virile nation", as envisaged by the founding fathers, continues to make the Nigerian glass half empty.

If the oil and gas industry were to suddenly collapse, what would Nigerian leaders do to sustain the country's teeming population? This is a thought they should begin to entertain as many countries worldwide are working harder and harder on developing alternative sources of energy. Economic profligacy should end and the diversification of the economy should begin in earnest. Otherwise, the Nigerian glass will continue to fall below the half mark until it is completely empty.

FG sacks Bi-Courtney, hires Julius Berger, RCC

The Federal Government on Monday terminated its concessional agreement with Bi-Courtney Consortium for the reconstruction of the 125-kilometre  Lagos – Ibadan Expressway. The government, while announcing the revocation of the contract with Bi-Courtney, said both Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and RCC Nigeria Limited had been hired to do the job. The government accused Bi-Courtney, owned by billionaire businessman, Wale Babalakin, of serially breaching the terms of the concession agreement signed by both parties on May 26, 2009 under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua administration. But Bi-Courtney spokesman, Dipo Kehinde, said the government had been unfair to the company, insisting that it had kept its side of the agreement while the other party did not. “They were just looking for excuses for us to fail,” Kehinde told The PUNCH.  Under the Design, Build, Operate and Transfer agreement, Bi-Courtney was expected to refurbish the road with N89.53bn and collect toll on it for 25 years in order to recoup its investment. The scope of work involved the provision of two additional lanes in each direction between Lagos and Sagamu Interchange, making it four lanes; the provision of associated facilities for the security and welfare of road users, as well as ensuring a free flow of traffic. The Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, said in terminating the contract with Bi-Courtney, the Federal Government took into consideration the rules of disengagement as stated in the agreement. He recalled that the government had repeatedly written to Bi-Courtney to remedy the situation without any positive result from the firm. The minister said, “Due to the senseless carnage on this important expressway, which is part of Arterial Route A1, the Federal Government has also decided to embark on the Emergency Reconstruction of the expressway. “Consequently, the Federal Ministry of Works has engaged the services of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and RCC Nigeria Limited to commence work immediately on the reconstruction of the expressway. “While Julius Berger would handle Section 1: from Lagos to Shagamu interchange, RCC Nigeria Limited will be responsible for Section II: from Shagamu to Ibadan. “The Federal Government wishes to assure (Nigerians) that while it will continue to uphold the sanctity of contracts entered into by the Federal Government, it will not shy away from implementing provisions of the contract agreement dealing with non-performance on the part of the contracting party. “The legal implications of this termination have been carefully considered by both the Federal Ministry of Works and indeed the Federal Government. If you recall we have been on this issue for quite some time now and we have meticulously followed the concession agreement, the provision of relevant clauses of the agreement. “We have complied fully with the provisions of this agreement. We have had cause even in the past to write the concessionaire to detail the breaches which it had committed in this agreement in this particular transaction and we have also followed the minimum and maximum number of days the contractor was expected to remedy the situation but failing which the Federal Government had no alternative but to take this course of action,” he added. The minister said since it was a concessional project, which was different from the normal EPC contracts, the Federal Government did not make any direct payment to Bi-Courteny. He said the firm was expected to raise the fund from the private sector and apply it to the construction of the expressway and collect toll on it for 25 years, to recoup its investment. This, he explained, had not happened. “For your information, under this concession the construction period is supposed to last for four years and the four years will come to a close in about six months’ time and right now there is nothing on ground to suggest that the company is capable,” he added. Onolememen said it was not out of place to give indigenous companies opportunities to handle projects of that nature. But Kehinde said that government frustrated Bi-Courtney  from executing the project, adding that it took the government two years to approve the design of the project. He also said that Bi-Courtney fought for a Right of  Way alone, just as government did not intervene in the battle it had with some South-West state governors in the struggle for the road. “The Federal Government also made us to get the commitment of foreign firms for the project only for the Government to ask us to return to the old agreement and we had to bring in government contractors.”