Thursday, December 8, 2011

Senate blames Federal Governmnent on ASUU strike

Previously. we talked about ASUU industrial action, but today, we are bringing to you, the accused...


The Senate, while accusing the Federal Government of being responsible for the strike by the university teachers, stressed that government’s continued delay in the full implementation of the agreement reached with ASUU in 2009 was responsible for the strike.

Speaking when the Education Minister, Professor Rukuayyatu Ahmed Rufai, appeared before the Senate Committee on Education, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Uche Chukwumerije (PDP, Abia South) warned that the National Assembly and Nigerians were not prepared for excuses from the government. Also yesterday, the Senate rejected excuses by the minister in implementing the 2009 agreement reached with ASUU, when she tried to explain, adding that the explanations were not tenable.

Chukwumerije, who warned the government against foot-dragging on the implementation of the agreement reached with ASUU in 2009, said: “I wonder why it is taking the Federal Government almost three years to implement the agreement reached with the academic staff and even settles all the contentious issues.
”This is December and in few weeks time, we will be in 2012. It took a judgment by the Supreme Court before the matter on the illegal sack of University of Ilorin teachers could be implemented; do you also want us to wait for another four years on this?”
Rufai, who had explained that most of the nine-point demands had been implemented while the eighth had got to the stages of implementation, stressed that the real bone of contention was the content of the retirement age bill that merged universities with all other tertiary institutions.
Adding that the processes that all the issues have to pass through caused the delay, but which ASUU is kicking against.
The furious Chukwumerije who was not happy with the minister’s excuses that the remaining eight were being delayed because of the processes, said, “You keep saying processes and processes. These processes are they made in the moon or Jupiter or where else. Are you not the people that created these processes? Or is it that you are waiting for another court action before you implement an agreement both parties willingly singed almost three years ago? Why can’t these processes be speed up to safe us another agony of going on strike?”.
Replying, the Minister who noted that it was not that government deliberately refused to attend to other demands, said that the circumstances surrounding them does not help the matter especially the difference in the 65 years retirement age for Non-academic staff and 70 years for the academic staff.
“On the passage of the bill on retirement age of 65 years for non-teaching and 70 years for teaching professional cadre, the ministry has since directed that affected staff who may retire before the passage of the bill should be offered contract appointments and regularized when the bill takes effect”, she said.
Speaking further, the Committee, Senate Committee on Education who noted that the bill on retirement age of lecturers was being treated expressly, disclosed that it has already reached second reading in the House of Representatives and on its way to second reading in the senate.
Chukwumerije who warned the Federal Government against further delay said, “You said the delay is caused by the process, Mrs. Minister, were these process made in moon or Jupiter, why can’t these process be sped up for God’s sake, please, call anyone involved to order or else, the senate may be forced to take some unexpected steps”.
Defending the Federal government, the Education Minister noted that remaining two agreements which were yet to be implemented required legal provisions, while the federal government was awaiting the recommendation of the Implementation Monitoring Committee, IMC on the transfer of the landed property.
On the implementation of the new salary package, (CONUASS 11), Professor Professor Rukuayyatu Ahmed Rufai said that the sum of N14billion was released to pay the outstanding arrears from July 2009 and the Earned Academic Allowances EAA, adding, “the allowances are to be paid by the institutions from their Internally Generated Revenue, IGR which some of the ivory towers have partially implemented.
“All have complained that they cannot generate the IGR needed for its full implementation. However, as at 2010, the total IGR declared by the 26 universities and 3 inter-Universities centers was over N25billion. On 28th September, 2011, the universities presented a bill of over N106billion as the additional funding required to fully implement the EAA.
The minister further declared that there has been a progressive increase in funding to federal universities since the 2009 agreement was signed, stressing that the increment ranged between over N84 billion in 2007 to over N184 billion in 2010, adding that the funding however does not include intervention fund from TET fund, PTDF, IGR among others, while the proposal by federal universities for the revitalization of the federal universities between 2009 and 2011 is N1.518 trillion.
She also told the Education committee that the sponsorship of the lecturers for post graduate studies have been fully implemented through the TET fund intervention.
The Minister and other stakeholders later left the Senate for a meeting with ASUU and the Federal government with the federal government team being headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.

ASUU embarks on Industrial Action today over non-implementation of Agreement

UNIVERSITY lecrurers announced yesterday a “total, comprehensive and indefinite strike”. Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are angry over what they called the government’s refusal to implement the 2009 Federal Government  (FGN)/ASUU agreement. Besides, said ASUU, the government disregarded the two months grace the union gave for the government to show faith in the agreement.
ASUU National President Ukachukwu Awuzie told reporters in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, that the decision to embark on the strike was painful.
Awuzie, a professor, read a 12-page statement, saying that the proposed removal of fuel subsidy would be resisted by the union.
He noted that the long-drawn interaction ASUU had with the Federal Government bordered on saving the university system from collapse and institutionalising global standard practices of knowledge culturing, spanning 2001 till date.

Prof. Awuzie said: “The government has abandoned the main tenet of industrial democracy- that all agreements freely entered into must be honoured. “NEC (of ASUU), having noted that the Federal Government neglected, ignored, failed and refused to implement the core components of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, after more than two years of its signing, having squandered two months it requested without achieving any progress in the implementation of the agreement, having sacked the Implementation Monitoring Committee that served as the forum for dialogue with ASUU on this dispute, is convinced that the government is terribly insincere and is manifestly unwilling to genuinely implement the agreement it freely entered into with ASUU.
“ASUU resolved, painfully, to direct all members  in all branches nationwide to proceed on a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike, beginning from the midnight of Sunday, 4th December, 2011.
“For the avoidance of doubt, a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike means: no teaching, no examinations, no grading of scripts, no project supervision, no inaugural lectures, no appointment and promotion meetings, no statutory meetings (Council, Senate, Board etc.) or other meetings directed by government or their agents.”
Awuzie said accelerating the development of the university system to become internationally competitive could no longer be delayed, in view of the Vision 20: 2020 goals.
He described the ongoing institutional accreditation embarked upon by the Federal Government as an absurdity, noting that the exercise is deceptive. It is to encourage university administrators to pretend that all is well with the system, he said.
Awuzie noted that the Federal Government’s allocation to education is an average of eight per cent of the country’s annual budget, contrary to the 30 per cent of total annual budget of countries like South Africa and Ghana.
He lamented that the best university in Nigeria is not among the first 6,000 in the world.
Awuzie expressed displeasure over what he described as the taking over of Nigeria’s economy and other sectors by foreign interests.
He alleged that the economic team is a representative of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
To the ASUU president, the ruling class has failed, for being unable to provide jobs, education, healthcare, affordable transportation and roads, among others, and being incapable of uniting the people.
Awuzie noted that the Jonathan administration is unable to protect Nigerians from hunger, robbery, murder of innocent citizens and insecurity. 
The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) has asked the Federal Government to urgently honour its agreement with ASUU.
ANPP National Chairman Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu said the situation should not be allowed to continue as it will pose serious challenges to the nation’s educational system if not resolved.                   
Speaking at the inauguration of a 10-man committee, led by Senator Kabiru Gaya, for the building of the party’s national secretariat, Onu criticised what he called the Federal Government’s lack of commitment to education.
Onu said: “We urge the Federal Government to return to the negotiation table with ASUU and ensure that their demands are met so that the quality of education in the universities would be enhanced. Education remains a vital instrument for sustainable development.”
Labour Minister Emeka Wogu said government is unaware of the strike proposal.
According to him, the last meeting the government held with Labour agreed on an adjournment for Wednesday.
“We are not aware of the strike plan,” he said.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Why a Lawyer sues Jonathan and Others

We know that you will be wondering why someone could sue a President. The truth about leadership is that a good Leader will always give room for criticism. That freedom of speech is very very essential, if the leadership most die-hard. 

The National controversy over the proposed removal of fuel subsidy has assumed a legal dimension, as an Ibadan-based legal practitioner, Mr Kole Ajayi, has instituted a legal action against President Goodluck Jonathan, the Attorney-General of the Federation  and the National Assembly at a Federal High Court, Ibadan, praying the court to stop President Jonathan from implementing the proposal.

In the early part of the action issued by the legal practitioner against the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the National Assembly and the Attorney-General of the Federation, the plaintiff is praying the court to grant the following reliefs: a declaration that the proposed removal of fuel subsidy by the first defendant is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void as it is against good governance and public policy and against the economic interest and well-being of the good people of Nigeria and an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, their servants, agents and/or privies from implementing or ratifying the removal of fuel subsidy.

Ajayi implored the court to determine, among other things, whether the proposed removal of fuel subsidy by President Jonathan was not a contravention of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and whether the proposal, if implemented, would not cause untold hardship on the people of Nigeria.

The early activity was supported by a 12-paragraph affidavit  deposed to by the plaintiff.
The deponent, among other issues, deposed that President Jonathan, in a document submitted to the National Assembly, made projections for revenue generation for the next three years for the country, including an estimated income from fuel subsidy removal.

But today. Nigerians are asking whether this removal is the answer to  our Country's problem or not?

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Waziri's sack won’t fix EFCC

It wasn't too long ago when the Human Rights Watch (HRW), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), says the removal of Farida Waziri from the headship of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would not solve the commission’s problems, which is perhaps, the problem of Nigerians.

This came as a product of Mr. President relieving her of the duty on Wednesday and appointed Mohammed Lamorde as the acting chairman of the commission.

In a statement on Thursday in Lagos, the HRW said that only institutional reforms would improve the operations of the anti-graft agency. The statement was signed by Daniel Bekele, Africa Director of HRW.

The organisation claimed that the EFCC had been unable to secure convictions against government officials charged with corruption due to institutional failures such as executive interference and judiciary inefficiency. “One of the EFCC’s greatest weaknesses has been its lack of independence and susceptibility to political pressure. “President Jonathan’s sudden firing of Farida Waziri will only make that problem worse, unless the government pushes through reforms to bolster both the EFCC and the other institutions it depends on,” it said.

According to the organisation, the EFCC has so far arraigned 35 prominent politicians, including 19 former state governors over corruption, since its establishment.
“But many of those cases have made little progress in the courts, and not a single politician is currently serving a prison term for any of these alleged crimes.
“The commission has secured four convictions of senior political officials since 2003, but they have faced little or no prison terms,” it noted.
It urged amendments to the EFCC enabling law that would not allow the President of the country to dismiss the commission’s chairman at will.
This, it said, would give relative independence to the commission and improve its operations.
“The government should begin repairing the battered federal court system, reforming federal criminal justice administration procedure, and examining ways to establish special courts to hear only corruption cases,” it added.

Will the value of our currency, Naira hold?

Nigerians were asking whether the devaluation of our currency by CBN will support production or not. But, we are back with a new information in that respect. 

Previously, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) held its Monetary Policy meeting (MPC), the first after the emergency meeting it had last month. Just like last month when the CBN surprised everyone by increasing its monetary policy rate by a staggering 2.5 percent to 12 percent, the apex bank set a new band of N155 +/- 3 to a US dollar, effectively announcing a depreciation of about 3 percent.

This appears a culmination of the fight by the CBN to keep the rate at about N150 to the dollar, despite increases in the demand for the dollar in the last few months and decreases in Nigeria’s reserves. It has become very obvious that the Bank is working from three dimensions. First, the CBN has increased interest rate and the expectation is that this presents Nigeria as a competitive portfolio investment attraction. As this pulls in the foreign currencies, it should help hold the Naira.
So far, there is no evidence that the recent increase in interest rate has significantly increased portfolio flows in Nigeria. Some analysts believe this is because there is still focus on the crisis in Europe, and once there is a measure of certainty, Nigeria, with such a huge interest rate, will attract investors.
Second, the CBN believes it can continue to improve on the Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS) and minimise speculation demand. In this respect, it has sought to separate genuine demand for foreign exchange and those that engage in speculation and currency trading.
Third, which has also become very critical, is that the CBN hopes it will receive cooperation from the fiscal side to minimise the fiscal deficits and improve on the efficiency of government spending. It is these three factors that it hopes will hold and thus help maintain the Naira value at its current band rate. 

However, the most fortunate is that, despite the fall in oil prices, we have not seen the levels and rates of fall that we saw in 2008.

The critical possibility that the CBN can continue to lead and determine the Naira rate changes, rather than react to changes determined at the parallel exchange rate depends on the rate of fall in oil prices. In this context, we believe the most critical of data to examine on a continuous basis is how the global demand for oil is shaping up, especially if the crisis of confidence continues in Europe. Indeed, the CBN recognises its helplessness when it comes to changes in oil prices.

On the basis of the current and changing economic environment, we believe three things should happen or should be made to happen as quickly as there is a signal of worsening economic conditions, especially downward risks to oil prices being realised. 

First, the government’s current US 70 oil price benchmark should be made flexible, and ensure that a new one  is triggered if oil price falls consistently, for, say a month. 

Second, the CBN should also put in place greater flexibility around the band of exchange rate. This will effectively expand the possibility of the depreciation of the Naira without having to set a new band.

Finally, as important as the measures that both the CBN and the government have taken on the economy in the last few months are, it is their work on the supply side of the economy that will help strengthen both the growth process and the Naira exchange rate in the medium and long term, and that should be the focus, while ensuring that short term dynamics do not affect such planned trajectory. Difficult task, we know.

Former Captain, J. J. Okocha turns down Beach Eagles' Offer

To be a worthy Citizen, ask yourself whether you are productive or not. The future belongs to productivity. I want you to be a producer, not a consumer!

FORMER Super Eagles captain, Mr. Okocha, has turned down an invitation to play for the Beach Eagles saying that he has no plan to return to active football four years after he ceremoniously called it quits.

Coach of the Beach Eagles, Adamu Audu, siad that he extended invitations to Okocha alongside Mutiu Adepoju, Garba Lawal, Friday Ekpo and Victor Ikpeba to join the team in preparing for the Four-Nation tournament, Copa Lagos billed to hold in December in Lagos.

Okocha, while speaking in Lagos however, said that donning the colours of Nigeria as a player again is out of place. “I made my retirement official and it’s almost four years now and I’m not planning to come out of retirement. I believe I ‘m still contributing to football and this is voluntary because I’m not being paid but I believe I’m giving back to the society what I have gained from it.
“So, coming back as a player is a taboo for me.  I mean, my career as a player is over. If I have the opportunity to have fun on the beach, it’s a different thing but it won’t be an obligation or career. If I’m going to play beach football, it’s left to me decide but as a player, I’m history,” said the man who captained the Super Eagles to the 2002 World Cup.

I love people who have the king-making plans. Okocha is actively contributing to the Nation's sport, he should be given go ahead! He is a true hero.

What would you do to make this Country proud? Go and start something!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

CBN devalues naira, From 150 to160 per $

Before we proceed, what do you think that devaluing our currency, naira will mean to you? How will it affect your productivity and growth?  Do you think it will affect Nigerian producers?

It was yesterday when the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, devalued the nation’s currency from N150 to N160 to the U.S. dollar. In devaluing the currency, the CBN moved the band it wants the naira to trade in to between N150 and N160 to the U.S. dollar, compared with N145-N155 to the dollar it sold previously, due to the prolonged weakness of the naira and high demand of the dollar. At the official market, the naira has always sold above the CBN’s upper band.

At the foreign exchange inter -bank market, yesterday, the naira was trading at around N158.90 to the dollar, having hit an all-time low of N167.40 in October, prior to sharp monetary tightening measures adopted by the apex bank. The CBN Monetary Policy Committee also left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 12 per cent and its 200 basis point corridor around the benchmark rate. Its recommended deposit rate is 10 per cent while its lending rate is 14 per cent. Interest rates were hiked by a surprise 275 basis points at an emergency meeting in October.

The CBN Governor, Lamido Sanusi, said the headline inflation figure should not be “exaggerated” because it was mostly driven by food inflation and other prices actually declined. Sanusi said the CBN would be ready to react if fuel subsidy removal pushed up inflation but he didn’t expect the policy to have the strong impact on prices some expect.
Cash reserve requirement
The cash reserve requirement of banks was left at eight per-cent, having been hiked from four percent at an emergency meeting in October to help support the naira.
Sanusi who briefed the press at the end of the Monetary Policy Committee, MPC, meeting in Abuja, also announced that the official market would maintain a band of +/- 3.0 per cent, saying that the Naira would, therefore, float between N150 = $1 and N160 = $1.
In Malam Sanusi’s words, the committee decided to “adjust the mid-point of target official exchange rate from N150/$1 to N155/$1 and maintain the band of +/- 3.0 per cent.  This means that the Naira should float roughly within a range of N150/$1.00 –N160.00/$1.00, unless extraordinary shocks necessitate a change in stance.”
Sanusi noted that the exchange rate opened at N158.48/$1 on October 11, 2011 and closed at N156.05/$1 on November 18, 2011, representing an appreciation of N2.43k or 1.53 per cent within the period.
However, at the inter-bank market, the selling rate opened at N158.90/$1 and closed at N158.62/$1, while at the Bureau de change segment the rate opened at N165/$1 and closed at N160.00/$1.00 for the period. The CBN boss said the organization would continue to seek the convergence between the official weekly Dutch Auction System, WDAS, of the apex bank and the inter-bank rates “to reduce arbitrage opportunities, avoid speculative attacks, and the emergence of a multiple-exchange rate environment.” The Monetary Policy Rate, MPR and the Cash Reserve Ration were maintained at 12.0 per cent and 8.0 per cent, respectively.

Sanusi said the nation’s External Reserves stood at $34.38 billion as at November 17 but noted that the slow accruals has continued to characterize the reserves, at the face of sustained pressure at the foreign exchange market. This, he said made diversification of the nation’s foreign exchange reserve base more imperative than ever, as according to him, there were no indications that the financial crisis in the Eurozone and Americas could be resolved in the immediate future and could impact negatively on oil prices. He said: “In the case of some countries of the Euro area, the markets are still not certain that risk of sovereign default will be addressed expeditiously and in an efficient manner.


Financial stability
These concerns have opened up issues relating to financial stability, given the considerable exposures of banks and other financial institutions to government securities across countries. Consequently, financial markets have become nervous with the uncertainties reflected in the volatility of stock, bond and foreign exchange markets. Current account imbalances are also projected to be high in 2011 in both the US and the Euro area.
“Growth performance of industrial and emerging economies in 2012 is vital to Nigeria’s economic performance. Oil demand, in the committee’s view, would soften as a consequence of slow global growth and would necessitate comprehensive and sound policy actions to help diversify the domestic economy away from oil.”
In spite of several challenges, Sanusi said the nation’s economy had a positive outlook as he put real output growth as at third quarter at 7.40 per cent, with non-oil Gross Domestic Product, GDP, put at 8.81 per cent in the same period. Nigeria’s real GDP for 2011 has been projected at 7.69 per cent.

Imo State, Set to strengthen security

This was said by the governor during a meeting with traditional rulers, Presidents- General of town unions and Transition Committee chairmen in Orlu.           
He urged them to work in collaboration with security agents to curb crime in the zone. 
Gov. Okorocha addressed them at Rochas Foundation College, Ogboko, describing the increasing kidnapping cases in the state, especially in Orlu zone.       
                                                           
 He regretted that barely two weeks after his Operation Rescue Mission / Community Policing was launched, about six people were again kidnapped and warned that government would deal decisively with criminals. 
Okorocha was accompanied to the meeting by his deputy Jude Agbaso;  Brigade commander, 34FAB Obinze, Maj Gen A.I. Danpome, Commissioner of Police Mohammed Abubakar, among others.                           
The police commissioner said an information box had been opened at the Police Headquarters in Owerri and urged the public to volunteer information. 

The state deputy Governor, Sir Agbaso urged traditional rulers to expose criminals in their communities.                                                          
 House of Assembly Speaker, Benjamin Uwajimogu said a law has been enacted against kidnapping. 
According to him, the penalty for kidnapping is death.
Highlight of the occasion was the launching of Operation Rescue/Community Policing.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Why Achebe rejected national award

Before now, we have been receiving commendations on our production materials. Today, we want to bring to your notice, and others who have been asking why Prof. Chinua Achebe rejected the National award by the Nigerian President on Monday, 15th of November, 2011.

One of the academic assistants working with Prof. Achebe, the internationally acclaimed author and novelist, told Journalists that by the time the offer reached Achebe’s address, he was not around and could not be reached by telephone.

The source added that at that time, Prof. Achebe could not “be reached till late next week,” and he had no phone access where he was at the time.

It was said that there was no way Achebe would have “jumped” on the plane at that time even if he wanted to accept the honour. Observers wondered why it took the panel charged with the selection of the awardees such a long time before contacting those proposed to be honoured.

Besides, it was also revealed that one of the senior aides of Prof. Achebe had earlier made overtures to the presidency, seeking to invite the president to the yearly Achebe colloquium on Africa at Brown University, an event which had grown in stature in the United States academic and policy communities, as it has also drawn top Nigerian political elite and public officials as participants and speakers.

A source said there were suggestions from the Achebe team to ask Jonathan to grace this year’s edition of the event, which comes up every December, and possibly deliver one of the keynote addresses. It is believed that the invitation is a proof that Achebe may not be irredeemably opposed to the Jonathan administration or to the person of the president, despite his conviction not to receive an award from the government.

       However by last Saturday afternoon when the presidency intervened and managed to formally contact Achebe in the U.S. with the help of the Nigerian Ambassador, Prof. Ade Adefuye, Achebe’s aides and associates had decided with his approval to reject the award, not just because it was a late offer but due to the view of the literacy icon that nothing had changed in Nigeria between now and seven years ago when he spurned the same award during the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo presidency.
In the statement through, which Achebe rejected the award, he said: “The reasons for rejecting the offer when it was first made have not been addressed, let alone solved. It is inappropriate to offer it again to me. I must therefore regretfully decline the offer again.”

In his own reaction, after speaking with Achebe, Adefuye said: “Prof. Achebe and I discussed the issue of the award. The literary giant is a highly respected member of our community. He is entitled to his opinion and the Jonathan administration recognises that.”
Adefuye who said he spoke to Achebe at the weekend added that “the Jonathan administration is however poised to continue removing whatever defects that do exist in Nigerian politics, economy and society.”

The ambassador concluded by saying “the process of building a Nigeria of which Prof. Achebe will be proud has begun and that process is irreversible.”

Fuel Susidy - Removed or Sustained?

It took over a two-hour audience as Senators and members of the House of Representatives continued to keep President Goodluck Jonathan in suspense over plans to remove fuel subsidy.

But the President warned that the economy may collapse, if the subsidy remains, said by sources.

But the Senators and Representatives endorsed Jonathan’s plans to tackle the Boko Haram menace and rid Nigeria of terrorism.

The President met with members of the National Assembly at the Presidential Villa between 3pm and 5pm.
The moderator of the session was the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, a former Senate President.

It was learnt that after the opening prayer, which was said by the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, the session went into the two issues on the agenda - removal of fuel subsidy and Boko Haram’s insurgency.

The President (with whom were some ministers and the National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoye Azazi) explained why fuel subsidy must be removed.

It was gathered that when Sen. David Mark gauged the mood of members on the removal of fuel subsidy, he intervened by changing the focus to Boko Haram menace and insecurity.

After the President’s speech, two Senators reportedly spoke Deputy Senate leader Abdul Ningi asked the President to deal with the cartel reportedly gaining from the fuel subsidy. He reportedly said: “You are the most powerful black President; you have the power to deal with the cartel. We should confront the cartel.”

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Sen. Ita Enang(Senotor, representing Uyo senatorial district), reportedly said: “What makes political sense might not make economic and security sense.”
Members of the House of Representatives declined to speak.
The deafening “NO!” re-echoed the position of the House that if the cartel is checked, the nation can afford about N500billion fuel subsidy per annum.

Sensing likely rowdiness, the Senate President prevailed on the President to address insecurity, especially the Boko Haram menace.
The source quoted Mark as saying: “I think the President cannot get the commitment of any member here, but we will go back and discuss the issue of removal of fuel subsidy and get back to him.
“But members will want to know what your administration is doing to address insecurity in the country.”
Following Mark’s intervention, the President briefed the session.
Another source said: “The President told us that his administration was tackling the terror attacks from Boko Haram. He said unlike Niger Delta militants who can be identified, Boko Haram members have mingled with the society under one guise or the other and cannot be easily located.”
The source quoted the President as saying: “We are trying to address the insecurity; we are making efforts to tackle the Boko Haram menace via intelligence gathering. We are collaborating with some countries to get to the roots of these terror attacks and put the menace behind us.
‘We are on top of the situation; we will soon get over it. Terrorism is alien to our culture; we will address it once and for all.”
Tambuwal gave the vote of thanks, it was learnt, urging the President to take whatever steps necessary to address insecurity “and members of the National Assembly will back him”.
Tambuwal is quoted as saying: “We have heard you, Mr. President. We thank you for addressing insecurity. Security is for all of us. We will back you.”
On the removal of fuel subsidy, the source said, “the Speaker simply maintained that ‘we will meet and discuss it in our fora.”
He added: “The Speaker’s non-committal on fuel subsidy removal drew instantaneous applause from members of the House at the session.
“At the end of the day, senators and members of the House decided to keep the President in suspense. But that may be the end of the matter if care is not taken. The House is certainly opposed to the removal of fuel subsidy.
“But Jonathan also got the backing of the National Assembly members to fight terrorism and address insecurity in the land,” he added.
Yesterday’s meeting which lasted about two hours was held at the Banquet Hall of the State House.
Senator Ayogu Eze, chairman of Works Committee said though the meeting was inconclusive, “it is assumed that it is going to continue and I can see two or three more meetings before we can come to a comfortable platform.
“I want to let you know that this is a very useful exchange, very useful interaction and we hope at the end of the day, it will produce desirable results for our people.
“A whole lot of governance issues were discussed. We discussed security, subsidy and the issue of balancing the budget and just making sure that government works for the benefit of the people. It will be premature to say that we have failed to understand ourselves. This is the first interaction, we have listened to him (President) and we are going to take it further”, Senator Eze said.
He dismissed speculation of the attempted vote of no confidence on the President by the Senate, saying they were scandalised by the report. He said they only discussed security challenges since members were worried about the state of insecurity in the country.
“That (vote of no confidence) never came up in the Chamber of the Senate.
The Special Adviser to the president on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emordi also dismissed the report that the legislators were planning to pass a no confidence vote on the president.
Besides the President, some members of the Federal Executive Council at the session were the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke; the Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman; and the Minister of Youths Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi, among others.

Now is the time to change things around us. We can now produce anything and help ourselves and others in this Country...

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

A view on Politics In Bayelsa state

Though our main area is on production, we know that political instabilities also affect Production, which is why we thought we should bring in a bit of what is happening in the Country.

We published earlier that people are looking for thermometers to measure the political temperature
 in Bayelsa when somebody suggested that this one will be polimeter. But now, we to ask whether there is any instrument as such.....



Governor Timipre Sylva, disqualified by the PDP from bidding for the ticket, yesterday asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to pull the brakes on the primary election.

Sylva says his name should be sent as the PDP candidate on the basis of the January primary election, which he won. He said a fresh primary election will amount to substituting his name, which is against the provision of the Electoral Act. Sylva is claiming the ticket through a letter to INEC chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega, by his lawyer, Mr Femi Falana. The letter is dated November 15.

The PDP conducted the primary election in January ahead of the April governorship elections.
But a Federal High Court, judgment, upheld by the Court of Appeal stopped INEC from conducting governorship elections in five states, including Bayelsa, where rerun elections were held.
The other states where elections were postponed are: Cross River, Kogi, Adamawa and Sokoto.
In his letter to INEC, entitled: “Re: Decision of the Peoples Democratic Party to conduct fresh governorship primaries in Bayelsa State”, Falana said:
“Our client is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State and currently the Governor of Bayelsa State an the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“Following the publication of the Time Table of Activities for 2011 General Elections by your Commission, the Peoples Democratic Party duly set in motion the machinery for the conduct of governorship primaries in Bayelsa State to nominate its candidate for the Governorship election in Bayelsa State that were scheduled to be held in April, 2011.
“The governorship primaries were duly held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on 9th January, 2011 and at the end of the exercise (which was observed by officials of your Commission), our client emerged the winner, having scored majority of the valid votes cast. We attach herewith Result of the Gubernatorial Primary Election and the Report of the Electoral Panel for Gubernatorial Primary in Bayelsa State dated the 10th January, 2011 as ANNEXURE “AA” and “BB” respectively for reference purposes.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) consequently submitted the name of our client to your Commission vide a letter dated January 24, 2011 but received on January 27, 2011 as its governorship candidate in Bayelsa State as required by Section 31(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended). Attached herewith as ANNEXURE “CC” is a copy of the said letter.
“The Governorship election was scheduled to hold on 15th April, 2011 by your Commission. However, your Commission later postponed the conduct of the election to a later date following the judgment of Federal High Court, Abuja Division delivered on 23rd February, 2011 in the case of CHIEF TIMIPRE SYLVA & 6 OTHERS v. INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION & 2 OTHERS which decision was later upheld by the Court of Appeal.
“Recently, your Commission announced that it would conduct the governorship election in Bayelsa State in February, 2012. Our client has since started campaigning for votes throughout the nooks and crannies of Bayelsa State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the governorship election. Your Commission did not call for fresh nomination of candidates by the political parties.
“However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has published a paid advert in the national dailies of its intention to conduct a fresh governorship primaries in Bayelsa State and has even gone ahead to schedule 19th November, 2011 for the fresh primaries despite the protest from our client whose nomination has been forwarded to your Commission as the party’s candidate for the governorship election.
“We wish to state, without any fear of contradiction, that our client has not withdrawn his candidature to contest the governorship election in Bayelsa State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
As you are no doubt aware, the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) are  now very clear that once a political party has submitted the name of a candidate to your Commission for a particular elective office, the political party shall not be allowed to change or substitute the name of that candidate. Section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) provides as follows:
“A political party shall not be allowed to change or substitute its candidate whose name has been submitted pursuant to Section 32 of this Act, except in the case of death or withdrawal by the candidate.”
“By scheduling to conduct a fresh governorship primary in Bayelsa State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is about to change or substitute the name of our client as its candidate for the governorship election.
“It is against the backdrop of the above that we urge you to use your good offices as recognised by Section 86 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) to direct the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to conduct a fresh governorship primary in Bayelsa State as same will amount to a contravention of the provisions of the Electoral Act.”

Kerosene and Petrol Scarcity

When people from a Country like Nigeria which we belong to experiences a thing like fuel scarcity, it bothers other people a lot. As people from Cross River and Akwa Ibom  are crying for high petroleum and kerosene prices, we continue to ask "who will be blamed?"

Abuja – The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), yesterday, Tuesday said that inflation rate stood at 10.5 per cent in October.

Dr Yemi Kale, the Statistician-General of the Federation announced this at a news conference in Abuja, saying that the figure was higher than the 10.3 per cent recorded in September.

Dr. Yemi said that all Items year-on-year average consumer price level for urban and rural dwellers rose by 7.8 per cent and 12.8 per cent, respectively.

He said that the urban All Items monthly index was -0.1 per cent in October against 1.4 per cent in September, while the rural index was 0.9 per cent in October compared with 1.4 per cent in September.

“The All Items Less Farm Produce’ index which excluded the prices of agricultural products increased by 1.1 per cent in October against 1.9 per cent in September,’’ the statistician-general said.
Kale said that the increase was mainly caused by rising prices of some household items, building materials, diesel and kerosene.

According to him, prices and weighting are the two basic parameters used to arrive at the CPI.
“The price data are collected for a sample of goods and services from a sample of sales outlets in a sample of locations for a sample of times.
“The weighting data are estimates of shares of the different types of expenditure in the total expenditure covered by the index’
“These weights are usually based upon expenditure data obtained from expenditure surveys for a sample of household or upon estimates of the composition of consumption expenditure in the National Income and Product Account, ’’ he said.
Kale said that 10,534 officers were used to collate data for the CPI monthly, and that 740 product specifications were priced across the rural and urban areas of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.

He said the average price of each item was computed for each sector for each state and the FCT and used for index computation. (NAN)

Today's Politics in Bayelsa State

Some people in the state are still thinking of using thermometers to measure the state of affairs in the state, especially, politics.

In the state, the aspirants denied that the PDP's congress was peaceful.

Dickson had, Monday, while speaking with newsmen, said though he did not see the members of the panel sent from the national secretariat for the conduct of the ward congress, the exercise was peaceful. He said he had set up a contact committee to reach out to stakeholders of the party in the state with a view to getting their support.

Dickson also denied claims by some politicians that he was “forerunner” to another powerful candidate yet to be “anointed” by the Presidency.
He said: “These are claims made by political desperadoes and schemers. I am prepared for governance. I took off from day one without needing tutelage.”

“The congresses were meant to elect ward delegates and party men participated. It is mischievous for anybody to claim that there was no congress.
“The five aspirants who claimed there were no congresses are Governor Sylva’s agents and they are being used by the governor to discredit PDP and the congresses.”
However, aggrieved aspirants, Messrs Christopher Enai, Boloubo Orufa and Austin Febo, yesterday in Yenagoa, called for outright cancellation of the Monday’s ward congress, saying, “the ad hoc delegate congress scheduled for November 14 in Bayelsa State, did not take place in any of the 105 wards in the state.”

While condemning the actions of the party representatives from Abuja and the claim by Dickson that the exercise took place, Enai, who spoke on behalf of the aggrieved aspirants, said: “We deny and refute the claims by Dickson and his agents, purporting that the ward congress held.
“We also confirm to be true, the position of the state PDP that no ward congress took place in 105 wards in the state. Certain persons, claiming to have been sent by the party from the national secretariat arrived at the party secretariat at about 2pm and left five minutes later, stating that they were going to report their presence to the Commissioner of Police and the Director of the State Security Services in Bayelsa State to enable them sign certain documents.
“They never returned.”

Insisting that the party representatives from Abuja did not come with any materials or documents to the party secretariat at Onopa, Yenagoa, the aggrieved aspirants said results purportedly emanating from the ward congresses were fabricated, false and misleading.

While expressing confidence in the ability of National Chairman and the National Working Committee of the party to put a stop to what they call a charade capable of dampening the moral of party supporters and dragging the reputation of the PDP into the mud, they called on the leadership of PDP to send new set of unbiased officials to conduct the ward congress.

Today's

Yenagoa-Some aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirants in Bayelsa State, Tuesday, called for a fresh ward congress in the state, insisting that Monday’s exercise was a sham.
They also called for the suspension and disqualifi-cation of Mr. Seriake Dickson, one of the leading contenders for the party’s ticket, from contesting this weekend’s primaries over alleged false claim and misrepresentation of truth.
The aspirants denied that the congress was peaceful.
Dickson had, Monday, while speaking with newsmen, said though he did not see the members of the panel sent from the national secretariat for the conduct of the ward congress, the exercise was peaceful. He said he had set up a contact committee to reach out to stakeholders of the party in the state with a view to getting their support.
Dickson also denied claims by some politicians that he was “forerunner” to another powerful candidate yet to be “anointed” by the Presidency.
He said: “These are claims made by political desperadoes and schemers. I am prepared for governance. I took off from day one without needing tutelage.”
He told Vanguard, yesterday, that: “Six PDP council chairmen, out of eight, addressed newsmen and affirmed that congresses held in all the wards. The acting chairman of Bayelsa affirmed it to be free and fair.
“The congresses were meant to elect ward delegates and party men participated. It is mischievous for anybody to claim that there was no congress.
“The five aspirants who claimed there were no congresses are Governor Sylva’s agents and they are being used by the governor to discredit PDP and the congresses.”
However, aggrieved aspirants, Messrs Christopher Enai, Boloubo Orufa and Austin Febo, yesterday in Yenagoa, called for outright cancellation of the Monday’s ward congress, saying, “the ad hoc delegate congress scheduled for November 14 in Bayelsa State, did not take place in any of the 105 wards in the state.”
While condemning the actions of the party representatives from Abuja and the claim by Dickson that the exercise took place, Enai, who spoke on behalf of the aggrieved aspirants, said: “We deny and refute the claims by Dickson and his agents, purporting that the ward congress held.
“We also confirm to be true, the position of the state PDP that no ward congress took place in 105 wards in the state. Certain persons, claiming to have been sent by the party from the national secretariat arrived at the party secretariat at about 2pm and left five minutes later, stating that they were going to report their presence to the Commissioner of Police and the Director of the State Security Services in Bayelsa State to enable them sign certain documents.
“They never returned.”
Insisting that the party representatives from Abuja did not come with any materials or documents to the party secretariat at Onopa, Yenagoa, the aggrieved aspirants said results purportedly emanating from the ward congresses were fabricated, false and misleading.
While expressing confidence in the ability of National Chairman and the National Working Committee of the party to put a stop to what they call a charade capable of dampening the moral of party supporters and dragging the reputation of the PDP into the mud, they called on the leadership of PDP to send new set of unbiased officials to conduct the ward congress.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Gov. Akpabio's Presidential Award

It was early hours of Monday, 14th of November, 2011 that people turned out in mass number to be flying out of the state and i stood close and asked, "where are they so hurry about?" And suddenly, i heard a voice asking me "have you not been listening to news or are you not from this state?"

We want to say that you will here details of the award ceremony at Abuja right here on this blog. We will update you on all the things that happened there.

For now, we want to say that Akwa Ibom people are very happy with the award conferred on His Excellency, by the Number 1 Citizen of this great Country. 

Thank you for the trust! 

Soap Production Guide (p2)

A very important questions have been asked on the subject, "soap production".
Infact, i have received hundreds of messages on that same subject, soap production.

I never knew that my work will be that accepted and cherished that people now call me "The Young Investor".
I have decided to launch a website that supply all answers with respect to production.

So, i want to say that, if you want to produce anything, keep an eye on this blog, as a website that will come as a promise will soon be launched for your use.

The website on its own, is a symbol of hope and acceptance. So, be ready for a big time opportunity to learn, from production of soap to production of other things!

Ubong Edem

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Police aborted protest against removal of fuel subsidy – NYCN

  It was the youth leader of National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN who said that armed policemen, Friday, aborted his group’s planned protest in Abuja over the government proposal to remove fuel subsidies, which would result in higher pump prices.

The NYC had planned a National Rally and 24-hour hunger strike against the federal government’s planned removal of fuel subsidy, in Abuja.

“We got to the venue of the protest and we found it already cordoned off by armed policemen… They later brought in their dogs and chased us out of the place,” the head of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Wale Ajani, said.

“They said they got an information that there was a bomb threat and our presence at the venue constituted a security risk,” he told AFP.

But, the police spokesman in Abuja, Moshood Jimoh, denied his men deliberately took action to stop the group’s one-day sit-in protest.

“We did not stop the protest. We are just on operation stop-and-search to prevent crimes in Abuja. We started that last week. We never targeted any group specifically today,” Jimoh told AFP.

An AFP reporter said that he saw at least two police armoured personnel carriers and an unusual massive deployment of policemen around the venue of the planned protest.
Ajani said that the secret police, known as the Department of State Services, Wednesday detained him for several hours during which he was urged to cancel the protest against scrapping the subsidy.
Many Nigerians, most of whom earn less than $2 per day, view it as the only benefit they receive from their country’s oil wealth, much of which has been squandered through corruption and mismanagement.

Government officials and many economists argue that the billions of dollars being spent on the subsidy each year go to a corrupt few, and that money saved could be used for infrastructure development or other important programmes.

But, we must ask ourselves whether this good. Why would some people always plan wicked moves?

You have the right to produce now and be your own boss!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Ndigbos In Nigeria Urge Unity As They Celebrate Ojukwu’s Birthday Igbo people saw the need for peace among themselves and others which appeared to be one of their paramount discussion as they met at the residence of Ikemba Nnewi, Odumegwu Ojukwu to celebrate his 78th birthday. Among the dignitaries present at the event were; the leader of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign States of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike , Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, former Governor of Imo State Ikedi Ohakim, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof Charles Soludo, Publisher of Champion Newspapers, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, among others. In an address, Owelle Okorocha declared that the day the Igbos decided to come together, other groups in Nigeria would bow for them, pointing out that disunity had torn the zone apart. Additionally, the problem of Ndigbo was themselves because they have not come together and work as one and queried what the Igbo were looking for that is hindering them from coming together. Okorocha continued that day of the Igbo looking for pity and crying of marginalisation was over because no one can marginalise the Igbo, rather they are the ones marginalising themselves. Okorocha advised the Igbo to shun violence or adopting methods by other Nigerians to achieve their aims because violence would not take the Igbo anywhere. He described the celebration of Ojukwu’s birthday as a celebration of excellence and to give honour to whom honour is due. Gov. Obi noted that whatever progress that Nigeria had made today was as a result of the sweat of the Igbo as it were the Igbo that spearheaded the struggle for Nigeria’s independence. In remark, Ojukwu’s wife, Bianca, said she was overwhelmed by the show of love for her husband and the mammoth crowd that turn out for the event that was supposed to be a private one. In the famous words of Mr. King, why can't we and others just get along? Let us live peacefully for a better Nigeria!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

How Shell funded militants

    As a prospective Chemical engineer who has the passion of protecting our environment and lives from being lost, i was undergoing a research on the effect of gas flaring on the environment which you'll soon hear of, until i found out that almost everybody where discussing about the above subject and i decided to verify. It is said that he that looks through the mouth is the one that hears what is being said. Reading this report will tell you whether it is true or false. As such, i'd like you to go through this write-up and verify by yourself.



     Shell petroleum, being the first to explore oil from Oloibiri in 1954 and being the number 1 oil flaring company in Nigeria has been accused of fuelling human rights abuses in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria by paying money and awarding contracts to armed militants men, according to a new report published on Monday in London by a coalition of local and international non-governmental organisations, led by a London based NGO, the Platform. Entitled “Counting the Cost,” the report implicated Shell in cases of serious violence in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region from 2000 to 2010, detailing how Shell’s routine payments to armed militants conflicts and led to the destruction of Rumuekpe town.
Shell was also accused of collaborating with the state in the execution in 1995 of writer, Ken Saro-Wiwa and other leaders of the Ogoni tribe.
Shell was said to have paid $15.5 million to the eight families in settlement, and key documents implicating it never saw the light of day during the trial.
Shell has, however, disputed the report, defending its human rights record and questioning the accuracy of the evidence, even while it has pledged to study the recommendations, according to its London office.

       The coalition backing the report includes Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), Friends of the Earth Netherlands/Milieudefensie, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Social Action, Spinwatch and Stakeholder Democracy Network.
According to Platform’s report, Shell continues to rely on Nigerian government forces, which have perpetrated systematic human rights abuses against local residents, including unlawful killings, torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

       Key findings of the report include testimonies of contracts that implicated Shell in regularly assisting armed militants with lucrative payments, such as an alleged transfer of over $159,000 to a group credibly linked to militant violence in late 2010.


        Shell was also alleged to have, from 2006 onwards, paid thousands of dollars every month to armed militants in the town of Rumuekpe, in the full knowledge that the money was used to sustain three years of conflict.

       A gang member, Chukwu Azikwe, told Platform that “we were given money and that is the money we were using to buy ammunition, to buy this bullet, and every other thing to eat and to sustain the war,” adding that his gang and its leader, S. K. Agala, had vandalised Shell pipelines.
“They will pay ransom. Some of them in the management will bring out money, dole out money into this place, in cash,” he said.
Platform alleged that in Rumuekpe, ”the main artery of Shell’s eastern operations in Rivers State,” Shell distributed “community development” funds and contracts via Friday Edu, a youth leader and Shell community liaison officer.
By 2005, Mr Edu’s monopoly over the resources of the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) was reported to have sparked a leadership tussle with Agala’s group, with the latter reportedly forced out of the community and a number of people killed.
The allegations, according to Platform, were largely substantiated by a Shell official, adding that a manager with Shell confirmed that in 2006, one of the most violent years, Shell awarded six types of contract in Rumuekpe.
Rumuekpe is just one of several case studies examined by the report, which alleged that in 2009 and 2010, security personnel guarding Shell facilities were responsible for extra-judicial killings and torture in Ogoniland.
Meanwhile, a Nigerian environmental activist, Sunny Ofehe, standing trial in The Netherlands for alleged plot to bomb pipelines in the Niger Delta, has cried out, saying “I am not a terrorist or suicide bomber.”
In an e-mail made available to the Nigerian Tribune, Ofehe, who is also the founder of Hope for Niger Delta Campaign, said his travail was traceable to the parliamentary testimonies he gave at the Dutch parliament about degradation of Niger Delta environment by Shell Oil and other oil majors.
“I have been campaigning against environmental devastation of our people’s environment for many years and testified at the Dutch Parliament against Shell in a parliamentary hearing, where Shell was summoned to defend its practice in the region,” he said.
He said less than a month after the hearing, “a team of about 30 policemen came to my house and arrested me on trumped-up charges and I was detained for 14 days before being released, but remained a suspect, adding that “when they could not establish a case against me, they came up with a new charge of conspiracy to commit terror act by blowing oil pipelines belonging to Shell in the Niger Delta.
“I became the first person to be charged under this law since it came into effect in 2004. I appeared in court for the first time on September 5 and we now have a new hearing date of December 5, 2011.”

After going through that, is it true to say that they are guilty?

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Do not despair (Independent Day's Message)


‘’It is my pleasure to start by saying that situations don’t make a man, but they reveal him to his capabilities.’’
‘’Just like the wind shaves mountains, so situations come to bring out the best of you!’’
It was yesterday that we unleashed a very big secret that has been leveling people as mediocre, how to know your talents. Today, a good Governor is here to tell us more…

             Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has appealed to Nigerians not to despair but to see the current challenges facing the nation as necessary steps which great nations today have gone through in the past.

             Gov. Okorocha, who made the appeal in his independence day broadcast, yesterday, also urged the citizens to use the day as a day of prayer for the unity, success and progress of Nigeria.
As we struggle to build a nation of our collective hopes and aspirations, we must see our challenges as necessary stages, which great nations today have gone through in the past”, the governor said.  He recalled that when the nation’s founding fathers succeeded in their struggle to give the people a sense of belonging by breaking the chains of over 120 years of colonial domination, they did in the believe that Nigeria will one day be great Nation.

“Despite the challenges of our diverse culture and tradition, our founding fathers saw great strength in our diversity. As their words aptly expressed in our first national anthem, though tribe and tongue may differ in brotherhood we stand”, Okorocha said.
Noting that Imo has a great role to play in building the nation, the governor added that Nigerian awaits the utilization of the abundant intellectual properties in the state.

As we celebrate the birthday of our dear Nation, we should know that we are united by our struggles not by our muscles. Boko Haram should recognize the efforts made by our founding father to keep, nurture and protect it, not to destroy.

It is a very big secret that you’ll always become that which you think about most of the time. If you think about success, you’ll become that. If you think of problems, you’ll have them. But, my prayer is that Nigerians should think of success so that we can together achieve success. Let us start by knowing our talents today!
                                                                                                                           Money Is Grace
                                                                                                                            Ubong Edem
                                                                                                                      The Young Investor

Saturday, October 1, 2011

How To Know Your Talents


‘’MONEY IS GRACE’’ -  Ubong Edem

We’ve already known that when a seed of hope is planted in the womb of purpose, a destiny child is born.

             The question of how to know one’s talent has been in existence and has raised so many interests as many people under-utilized their talents simply because they were not in the field where they are naturally talented. The were always under force in doing things, they never got to do what they enjoyed doing, as such, they couldn’t perform more.
When you are in the field that you have natural strength, you’ll find the grace to get in front. As a front-runner, you’ll get noticed by all, your voice becomes heard and you become an authority to others.

If nobody has ever asked you this question, let me ask you today...   ‘’what is your talent or what are you talented at?’’
           The question above is what all the top people have answered over-and-over again, you must answer that to yourself, if you want to be highly respected, trusted by others and above all, become an authority. Let me tell you today, your talent should have to do with what you love doing, when doing such a thing, your earlier thoughts are forgotten. You simply forget about yourself.  This is where you fine the passion of doing. It is not like anything else, it is what you do to correct all wrongs to right.
         Actually, some people claim not to know these things in their lives. If you are such a person, let me take to a mirror, where you see who you really are.

        Firstly, if you can’t figure out your talent, permit me to drive your mind back to the past lane (your childhood).
 Answer the following questions;
                             What did you dream of doing?
Who or what type of person did you dream of being or being like?
The good news is that those dreams did not die, but, may have been buried under the ground, thereby making no sense, creating no result, generating nothing, benefiting nobody. Today, I want you to go back to where you buried your dream and fetch it out. Do you remember the parable of the talents giver in the ‘’HOLY BIBLE’’? If you do, remember that the person that one(1) talent was given was even collected and given to the one that had five(5) before, who traded to gain another 5, thereby, having eleven(11) simply because he buried it in the ground, later telling the master that the master wants to reap from where he didn’t sow. Count yourself lucky today as a person who has the privilege of reading this message. Perhaps, many talents have been taken away because the bearers decided not to make use of the talent. Today, I want you to go back to where you buried your talent and resurrect it. This is the reason why people keep calling me the ‘’Young Investor’’, because I’m one of the people who study things down to the root so as to know more how to utilize my talents to the fullest.

          Secondly, if you can’t still figure out where your natural strengths (talents) are, then the next thing that I should tell you to do is to ask your true friends and family members. These people have been around you enough to be able to capture what you are really capable of doing. They should know what you are good at. One of the problems a lot of people have in identifying their talents is that they come naturally to them, and as such, they don’t see them as talents. They don’t know that those things that they find easy doing are giving other people sleepless nights, you may not have noticed, but your true friend and family members will be there to tell you those things. It is just like every time I walk with my Mom, people always stand back and be starring at her as if as someone who is alienated to earth or a celebrity, but, I noticed that all those things happened as a result of her beauty. But, to my surprise, even when some of those people tell her face-to-face, these words, ‘’you are beautiful’’, she will always turn around and ask me, ‘’am I beautiful?’’, then I always laugh. This is the same thing that happens to me, every time I log into my facebook account, I receive messages from people all over the world, calling me ‘’Young Investor, handsome guy, fine boy, etc’’, but I don’t just believe that. But, I’ll believe that if after you might have read this message, I get a respond from you. The thing is as I always say ‘’Money is Grace’’- Ubong Edem (Young Investor). You may not have cherished what you have until your friends commend you for them. Until your friends openly tell you that they’ve been trying to do that same thing that you find very easy and natural in doing without them being able to do. But, I want you to know the kind of friends that you have because some friends do not motivate, they demotivate. They only see the negative side of you, not your capabilities. Wrong friends only see impossibilities in you. This write-up is not intended to showing you how to know your friends, but, how important your friends and family members are, in making you get to your right talent grounds. If you have ever been misguided by wrong friends, I want you to get back to where he/she made you to bury you talent today and resurrect it.

          Sincerely, I want you to go back today and model your life after your great dreams, start building both horizontal and vertical relationship with great people, start to ask your good friends some important questions like, what do you think I can do successfully, let your parents tell say great things about you. Perhaps, mothers should know what their children will become in life, right from time because they are the first to hear you scream and they watched you playing with metal, showing that you’ll be an Engineer, they saw some people flying papers, meaning that the child may be a pilot, some children use to sing, indicating that the child will be good music area (musician), etc. You must start looking for these things if you want the sky, not only to be your limits, but your starting point. 

          I want to believe that the topic has been of help. I will see you at the top as it is the only place that is best for you!



Money is Grace!
Ubong Edem
The Young Investor