Thursday, 3 October 2013

Questions That Will Help You Find Out Your True Self.

gHow much do you understand yourself and how others think of you?

This is a real personality test given by the Human Relations Department at many big companies these days. These 10 questions will only take you 2 minutes.

Grab a pen and begin the test:

1. When do you feel at your best?

a) in the morning
b) during the afternoon and early evening
c) late at night

2. You usually walk…

a) fairly fast, with long steps
b) fairly fast, with little steps
c) less fast head up, looking the world in the face
d) less fast, head down
e) very slowly

3. When talking to people, you…

a) stand with your arms folded
b) have your hands clasped
c) have one or both your hands on your hips or in pockets
d) touch or push the person to whom you are talking
e) play with your ear, touch your chin or smooth your hair

4. When relaxing, you sit with…

a) your knees bent with your legs neatly side by side
b) your legs crossed
c) your legs stretched out or straight
d) one leg curled under you

5. When something really amuses you, You react with…

a) a big appreciated laugh
b) a laugh, but not a loud one
c) a quiet chuckle
d) a sheepish smile

6. When you go to a party or social gathering, you…

a) make a loud entrance so everyone notices you
b) make a quiet entrance, looking around for someone you know
c) make the quietest entrance, trying to stay unnoticed

7. When you’re working or concentrating very hard, and you’re interrupted, you…

a) welcome the break
b) feel extremely irritated
c) vary between these two extremes

8. Which of the following colors do you like most?

a) Red or orange
b) black
c) yellow or light blue
d) green
e) dark blue or purple
f) white
g) brown or gray

9. When you are in bed at night, in those last few moments before going to sleep, you lie…

a) stretched out on your back
b) stretched out face down on your stomach
c) on your side, slightly curled
d) with your head on one arm
e) with your head under the covers

10. You often dream that you are…

a) falling
b) fighting or struggling
c) searching for something or somebody
d) flying or floating
e) you usually have dreamless sleep
f) your dreams are always pleasant

Points for each question

1. (a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 6

2. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 7 (d) 2 (e) 1

3. (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 5 (d) 7 (e) 6

4. (a) 4 (b) 6 (c) 2 (d) 1

5. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 2

6. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 2

7. (a) 6 (b) 2 (c) 4

8. (a) 6 (b) 7 (c) 5 (d)4 (e) 3 (f) 2 (g) 1

9. (a) 7 (b) 6 (c) 4 (d) 2 (e) 1

10. (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 6 (f) 1

Now add up all the points to see your result:

OVER 60 POINTS
Others see you as someone they should “handle with care.” You’re seen as vain, self-centered and one who is extremely domineering. Others may admire you, wishing they could be more like you, but don’t always trust you, hesitating to become too deeply involved with you.

51 TO 60 POINTS
Others see you as an exciting, highly volatile, rather impulsive personality; a natural leader, one who’s quick to make decisions, though not always the right ones. They see you as bold and adventuresome, someone who will try anything once; someone who takes chances and enjoys an adventure. They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement you radiate.

41 TO 50 POINTS
Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical and always interesting; someone who’s constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well-balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding; someone who’ll always cheer them up and help them out.

31 TO 40 POINTS
Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful and practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest. Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who’s extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over it if that trust is ever broken.

21 TO 30 POINTS
Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. They see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder. It would really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment, expecting you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then usually decide against it. They think this reaction is caused partly by your careful nature.

UNDER 21 POINTS
People think you are shy, nervous, and indecisive, someone who needs looking after, who always wants someone else to make the decisions and who doesn’t want to get involved with anyone or anything! They see you as a worrier who always sees problems that don’t exist. Some people think you’re boring. Only those who know you well know that you aren’t.

How many points you get?

Questions That Will Help You Find Out Your True Self.

Saturday, 14 September 2013

Agagu slumps, dies at 65

Agagu slumps, dies at 65

A former Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Agagu, is dead. He was aged 65.

Agagu, who returned from the US on Thursday, reportedly slumped in Ikoyi, where he was having a meeting with Ondo indigenes, on Friday evening.

Agagu’s former Chief Press Secretary, Yemi Olowolabi, said the former governor was not sick and had just returned from a 20-day trip abroad.

Olowolabi, who worked with him for more than four years, described his former boss as “a great man, a first-class intellectual and an astute administrator.”

Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, described the death of his predecessor as shocking, adding that Ondo has lost a colossus, whose vacuum would be difficult to fill.

Mimiko said, “He would be remembered as a consummate politician and lecturer, who imparted knowledge to many people across the world.”

Former Governor of Ogun State, Segun Osoba, told Saturday PUNCH on telephone that Agagu was very respectful.

He said, “I got to know him when he was deputy to former governor of old Ondo State, Bamidele Olomilua. He carried himself with dignity. He was loyal to Olomilua during the days of the Social Democratic Party. Agagu should rest in peace.”

In his reaction, former governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala, described Agagu’s death as shocking.

He said, “It is sad. He came back from abroad yesterday with his wife. They were having a meeting with Ondo State people. Alex Akinyele was there. He slumped. It is shocking, devastating. We will all miss him. I can’t believe he will just die.”

Agagu’s schoolmate at the University of Ibadan, Senator Olu Alabi, who is a former Governing Board Chairman, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, said, “We were together in UI. We co-funded United Nigerian Congress Party and the Peoples Democratic Party. I don’t know what to tell his wife, Funke.”

Member, PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, said: “This is tragic news. I’m shattered. He never held grudges.”

Director of Publicity, Ondo PDP, Mr Ayodele Fadaka, who broke down in tears over the phone, described the death of the late geologist as great loss to Ondo and Nigeria.

It was gathered that he ate lunch at home in Ikoyi before heading for a meeting on Lagos mainland, where he slumped.

Subsequently, he was rushed to a private hospital in Yaba but he was transferred to Military Hospital, Ikoyi, where he was pronounced dead.

His corpse was still at the military hospital as at the time of filing this report.

cure of aids

Follow @talkofnaija

A promising HIV vaccine developed by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University eradicated the virus that causes AIDS in monkeys, and scientists hope something similar can soon be tested on humans.
AIDS in non-human primates is caused by simian immunodeficiency virus, or SIV, which is similar to HIV but up to 100 times more deadly, BBC News reported. The research showed that half of the monkeys given the vaccine responded to it and were "completely clear" of SIV.
The researchers created the vaccine from a modified version of a common virus called cytomegalovirus (CMV). They said it prompted the monkeys' white blood cells to seek out and destroy the SIV-infected cells. "Through this method we were able to teach the monkey's body to better 'prepare its defenses' to combat the disease," Louis Picker, associate director of the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, said in a press release.

The team tried the vaccine on 16 rhesus macaque monkeys and then infected them with SIV about two months later. Seven of the monkeys didn't make it. In the other nine, the virus started to take hold before the vaccine kicked in. Eight of the monkeys showed no sign of infection after a year and remained SIV-free three years later. Low levels of the virus did reappear in one of the monkeys, researchers said.
The team then injected blood and lymph cells from the eight apparently cured rhesus macaques into other monkeys. They said none of those monkeys became infected. Researchers are now investigating why the vaccine only worked on a portion of the monkeys. They also want to see if it will be effective in humans.
"This latest research suggests that certain immune responses elicited by a new vaccine may also have the ability to completely remove HIV from the body," Picker said.
The results were published online by the journal Nature and will later appear in print.

SHOCKER!!! Eldee abuses fan tells him he is richer than his entire family put together!!!!

Too bad this is too much eldee!!!

Or what do you think??

"I regret marrying Frank Edoho" - WIFE

In a compelling exclusive interview with TheNetng, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ host Frank Edoho's wife, Katherine Obiang, who has three kids for the TV host talked about her 7-year old marriage to Frank. How it should never have been, how they should have rather stayed friends.

How are your kids?

They are great.

And how are they taking the whole divorce issue?

We are not really divorced. It’s still a work-in-progress kind of thing but we are taking it well. When its time for him to see the children, he does and when its time to return them, he does. On my part, I
have carried the children along and make them understand they are not stained because of it. I wouldn’t want them to develop a complex because of it. We didn’t design for these things to happen but they do. It's like people who have lost their parents, they didn’t plan for it but they have to move on. I watch them and I think they are doing pretty okay especially because we talk about it every time there is a reason to.

You mentioned that you aren’t really divorced. Does that suggest possibility of reconciliation?

No, it doesn’t. We just started the process but there isn’t any hope for reconciliation. We know we would always be in each other’s lives because of the children, so we have to be civil. When the children are getting married for example, we have to hide our differences and make it work.

What if he (Frank) came back, would you consider it?

No. Three years have gone by. It will be a whole entire process of knowing somebody all over again and I don’t have the energy to do that. We’ve let it burn and I don’t think he will do that.

Do you sometimes miss him?

He had such a great sense of humor. I don’t know if he still does. His sense of music too, being a radio presenter, and we used to exchange thoughts on things regarding that, but otherwise, I don’t miss him in that nostalgic way of…It’s a part of my life I have come to terms with. I am a solution oriented person. He was part of my life for more than 10 years (dated for four years and got married for 7 years).

Looking back at everything, do you wish you never got separated?

No, I think Frank and I should not have gotten married in the first place. We should just have been friends because he was an awesome friend. While I was dating someone else and he had to go back to his country, he (Frank) was there all through and I had known him all the while he was in the University of Calabar and we started our career together. I think we shouldn’t have pushed it to marriage and just stayed as friends.

Any regrets about that?

No. I have three lovely kids to show for it and of course, every thing happens for a reason and a purpose. They can only make us better or stronger people and it has done so for me. I have grown from what went wrong.

What is usually the cause of the fight?

I think it's impatience, anger and not knowing how to deal with issue in the now, so you react before you think. It goes like, ‘huh, how dare you say this to me…is that what you will say?’ I can’t remember any one in particular, it has been long now, I have moved on and it’s not a thing that can happen to me again but I always say no matter what, a man should not raise his hands on a woman. A woman should also not goad a man too much. It takes nothing from the man who walks away because once he hits a woman, he starts to think it is justifiable. Unfortunately, we are in a society where we have friends that will give you thumbs up for doing that. A man should be calmer and not react on the now.

Are you making efforts to ensure that your son isn’t wrongly influenced by this?

I have a son and I talk to him all the time. I let him know he must be there to protect his sister. They should look at him and feel safe with him and he knows that. The girls also push him and I caution them, so it’s a balance.

Were you hit by the rumors of his recent marriage?

I didn’t want to believe he was because we are still married (legally). We are not divorced, so I didn’t see how that was possible and didn’t loose sleep over it. I’m not asking him not to go on with his life but things should be done properly. We are separated for three years and now in the divorce process. If he found happiness and love, then I’m happy for him.

Will you be trying your hands on marriage again?

You just never know.

If you would, what kind of man would he be?

You come to a point in your life where you can’t afford to do things out of adrenaline but with great thought. It would be a more mature person, someone who is calm and has a fine sense of how life should be. Someone who is mature, wise and seen life and the ways of the world and knows what he is doing at every time.

When you think about all that has happened, does it bring tears to your eyes?

No, I feel a sense of disappointment instead especially now when the children come home with questions that I need a man to answer, if he (their father) were around. For example, someone to be there for my son at a time when he is writing his common entrance examination. It’s a feeling of disappointment, but you know, we have to rise above them and you go on.

What was your reaction the very first time it happened?

I’m like these things happen in marriages but we think of reconciliation and getting families involved. It is your first trial in marriage and nobody gives a guideline about how things are going to be.

Apart from being part of the Project Alert, what other steps have you taken to help women who are battling with domestic violence?

I talk to them but in the end, I let them know, the decision is theirs. A friend of mine was involved in this and after we talk, she will go back to him. No matter what platform there is, it rests on the individual. It is what I have arrived at. I still share my story when I have the chance to

Tuesday, 3 September 2013

(PICZ) See 27 Year Old Blond Bombshell Who Is World’s Bendiest Woman

The world’s bendiest woman and record holder can effortlessly contort herself into the most improbable shapes.
Russian-born Zlata – real name Julia Guenthel – can twist herself like a snake into the most extreme poses imaginable – and has broken numerous world records for her flexibility.
In these sassy new photos, the 27-year-old can be seen in a skin-tight red PVC catsuit contorted in one of her most difficult poses yet.
Zlata, who has been contorting herself since she was four years old, is also a former gymnast.
Zlata is so incredibly flexible she can cram herself into a 50cm squared box.

The 5’8 contortionist says she doesn’t watch what she eats to stay in such good shape but has to work out rigorously every day.

She said: “Doing these poses just feels very natural to me.

“Sometimes it can get a bit uncomfortable if I have to hold a pose for a long time in photo shoots.

“But I think that’s like anyone who sits down for a long time – their muscles get stiff.”.. see more picz below;

Chelsea Football Star Micheal Essien Loses Dad

He lost is dad last weekend and went on twitter to announce his death. He is currently in Ghana, his country to bury his dad. May his soul rest in peace.

Microsoft-Nokia Deal Proves Apple Was Right All Along

Tech

By Pete Pachal8 hours ago

Microsoft has gone ahead and made it official by slipping a $7.2 billion ring on Nokia's finger to acquire the Finnish company's phone business. The deal, which had been rumored for some time, puts that last big piece into place for Microsoft to have end-to-end control over the Windows Phone ecosystem. In essence, Microsoft has become Apple.
Except it isn't Apple. Certainly, the Nokia deal is basically an admission that Apple's approach in mobile — that is owning and operating the hardware, software and services around its devices — is best one. But Microsoft and Windows Phone are different animals from Apple and iOS. Besides ecosystem and market share, the companies have wildly different cultures.

True, Microsoft is undergoing a top-to-bottom organizational shift to adapt its culture, and having 32,000 Nokia employees (including 18,300 who are "directly involved" in manufacturing) will inject a little Finnish sauce into Redmond. But you don't just become Apple by adopting its strategy. And if Microsoft needs reminding of that, it should look no further than its own Surface tablets, which have failed to become the viable iPad competitor they were meant to be.

Apple, Google and Microsoft

In other ways, the deal makes Microsoft more like Google, since both companies acquired a hardware partner (in Google's case, Motorola) to give them some device clout and beef up their patent and IP portfolios (Microsoft's was actually already pretty big). At the same time, they have to keep existing partners happy. HTC, Samsung and Huawei can't be as excited about Windows Phone today as they were yesterday.
But when Google acquired Motorola, it was a struggling player in the crowded field of Android handset manufacturers. By contrast, Nokia is by far the biggest maker of Window Phones — again making Microsoft more like Apple in bringing that manufacturing in-house.
There is another pesky problem that some others have already pointed out: We already have an Apple. Smartphone users who are willing to pay a premium to buy a device with a tight ecosystem (not a healthy app catalog) have, for the most part, already done so. How can Microsoft hope to make future gains with less of the market to work with?

Rising From Asha

The answer lies in a key part of the deal, which is Nokia's feature phone business. As part of the acquisition, Microsoft gets Nokia's Asha-based handsets and the right to market them under the Nokia brand. Microsoft says it wants to use Asha phones as an "on ramp" to Windows Phones.
The Asha phones could play an important role in overseas markets, particularly places like India, Brazil, China and Russia, which a Nielsen study recently found were areas ripe for smartphone growth. While it's hard for any smartphone maker to stand out over others in these areas, there are two brands that have some pre-existing clout in those markets: BlackBerry and Nokia.
BlackBerry obviously has its own problems, and the generational shift from the old BlackBerry OS to BlackBerry 10 hasn't been much of an on ramp for those phones, at least not yet. Looking at some recent numbers, however, Windows Phone is having better luck, and if Microsoft could come up with some key services that cut across the Asha/Windows Phone divide, it could push the platform even further.
That's a big if, though, and looking at Microsoft's previous attempt at creating robust feature phones, the ill-fated Kin line, doesn't give much hope. But that product failed because it targeted the wrong market (kids) at the wrong time (the iPhone was ascendant). Played right, Asha could help solidify Microsoft's mobile game.

The Last Mobile War

Buying Nokia's device business isn't a genius move. In fact, it's incredibly obvious — but at least it puts Microsoft on par with the other major mobile platforms. That's a good thing for Windows Phone, but the question is: Is it forward-looking enough?
By emulating Apple's ecosystem strategy, I can't help but think Microsoft just put into place a great strategy for winning the last war. The smartphone market certainly still has lots of opportunity, but it's much closer to a finished work than a blank canvas. Microsoft's now ready to put its mark on mobile with Nokia's phone business, but what about wearables, data-based services and in-car integration? The biggest innovations yet to come in mobile have nothing to do with phones.
It's an interesting coincidence that Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia phones comes about a day before Samsung will debut one of the most anticipated gadgets of the year: the Galaxy Gear smartwatch, which connects with your phone to open up entirely new experiences with apps. Which story do you think will better define the mobile in the years to come?

Tuesday, 6 August 2013

6 Apps That Make Mornings More Manageable

I'm not a morning person. I'm a perpetual snoozer, and I'm usually running late. But with the help of the technology in the palm of my hand, I tend to be a tad more organized and on the ball.
In our Living Mobile series, we're serving up apps to help you get through your day, from your commute to productivity to finding weekend activities. We'll kick it off with apps to get you through the morning, so here are seven apps that'll keep you ahead of the curve in the a.m. hours. Come back on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to learn the rest of the apps you need to truly live mobile.

Come and Defend your Certificates

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Nigerian Observer
E-Digital Edition

Friday July 19, 2013

Open publication - Free publishing

Matters In Focus

Edo PDP And Unending Wild Accusations

By DAN OWEGIE

AS has always been its pastime, the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is out again with another tell tale.

Full Story

Archival Matters

The Biblical Cain In Us

By MICHAEL ODIGBE

WHEN the Holy Book told us that Cain slew Abel out of jealousy and that God intervened. He asked Cain to account for Abel’s where about. In response, continued the bible, Cain arrogantly replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Full Story

Viewpoint

Death Sentence: Not An Effective Deterrent?

By EKAIWE OMO OMOREGIE

WHAT is crime, to start with? It is a grave offence against a community, society, nation or any approved authority. Offences that constitute crime are many.

Full Story

Editorial

Attack On Five Governors

LAST week, thousands of youths believed to be acting on the behest of the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, reportedly threw stones and other dangerous objects at the convoy of the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi at the Port-Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.

Full Story

Discourse
Biometric Number Plates, Driver’s Licence Matters Arising By FOLASADE FOLARIN Complaints, ranging from the non-availability of vehicle particulars long time after applications have been made to the mode of issuance, have, in recent times, inundated the offices of the relevant issuing authorities.
Full Story
FEMINIQUE
Mid Day Encounter: Peeping Into A Demented Woman’s Bag With IJEOMA UMEH
"Can I have it and see?" The laughter stopped suddenly and it was replaced by a genuine smile, even happiness and joy. It was as if no one had ever bothered to see what she had collected in that plastic container, a disposable plastic plate.
Full Story

Come and Defend your Certificates, Oshiomhole tells Primary School Teachers

From left: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Comrade Emmanuel Ademokun, Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress Edo State and Comrade Patrick Ikosimi, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers Edo State at the Governor's meeting with NLC and NUT executives in his office, yesterday. photo by charity ozigbo-esere

Edo State Government has invited 1,300 Primary School teachers who have irregularities in their education certificates and age records to appear before a verification committee to defend themselves.
This was made known at a meeting the state Govenor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole held with the leadership of the state Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led by Comrade Emmanue Ademokun and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) led by Comrade Patrick Ikosimi.

The Governor who said that the exercise is not to witch-hunt anybody however insisted that it would not be business as usual and that those who have become too old to teach will have to give way.

Oshiomhole said “it is not my wish to preside over dismissals, first it is not cheap. Secondly, I have a responsibility to keep Edo going and ensure that our children are in good hands of teachers who are senile and also still strong to stand and competent to teach.

“If the facts reveal that there are teachers in the classroom who do not have the requisite qualification, you cannot insist that they remain in the system. The good news is that those who are not too old, who are capable of training, if we find that they are deficient and it is possible for them to benefit from training, we will give them training, what is not acceptable is to say it is business as usual”, he noted.

The Governor argued “we can mismanage everything in our country, if you mismanage education, you are killing our tomorrow, our collective future. The roads we are building, we won’t have brains to look over them. In the absence of brains, we won’t have growth and development.

“I have asked the Ministry of Education to invite those category of teachers whose number is about one thousand three hundred who from the records appear to have started their Primary School before they were born to come and speak to the fact because we are not assuming that those documents are iron-cast.”

The Governor said the Primary School teachers will be paid their months salary which was withheld while they embarked on strike. He said this is informed by the fact that the teachers are now back to the classrooms and have agreed to cover the lost ground.

It will be recalled that the Governor had at a Town Hall meeting on Education in the state on July 31 said an audit carried out by the State’s Information and Communications Technology unit showed that 789 teachers out of 1,379 obtained their Primary School Leaving Certificates before the age of 8 or 9.

He said at the meeting that “some of the records show there were a few who were particularly gifted and they finished Primary School before they were born.

“We found that of all our Primary School Teachers, only 1,287 representing 9% out of 14,484 teachers have proper and accurate records in our system. 91% have various forms of discrepancies in their records.

Oshiomhole said “about 1,379 teachers representing 11.5% claim that they obtained their Primary School Certificates after they had been employed as teachers. In fact, some obtained their Primary School Certificates not more than two years ago, from the school in which they were employed as teachers.”

10 year-old Nigerian Girl, Zuriel Oduwole

10 year-old Nigerian Girl, Zuriel Oduwole, Enters Record Books – Makes Forbes History

Zuriel Elise Oduwole is a 10 year old girl, but not just your regular 10-year-old.
The extraordinary Nigerian-American child has put her name down in the history and record books as the youngest person ever to be interviewed in Forbes.
The interview with the award winning documentary film maker, conference speaker and writer is featured in the August 2013 edition of Forbes Africa.
At the tender age 0f 10, Zuriel possesses an amazing talent that has elevated her to great heights. The 10 year old has sat face to face with renowned world leaders in interviews and one on one chat sessions.

She has sat with the current Presidents of Tanzania, Mauritius, and Malawi–one of Africa’s only two female national leaders. Others include ex-presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Kufuor of Ghana. Zuriel has also had a one-on-one interview with Africa’s most successful businessman, Mr. Aliko Dangote. She even got a standing ovation for her sets of provoking and creatively intelligent questions to tennis superstars, Venus & Serena Williams, during their world press conference in Nigeria.
Zuriel says she has not been granted an interview by the President of Nigeria because of his busy schedules but hopes to achieve that soon.
Zuriel (which is Hebrew for God is my Rock) believes if she can walk a mile, then there are girls who on seeing her work and progress made, would walk a mile and half.

APC National Chairman Says Two-Party System Will Deepen Nigeria’s Democracy Go to article

The interim national chairman of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande said running a two party system will deepen the Nigeria’s democracy.
The elder statesman said while addressing a news conference in Abuja, after the newly registered mega party chieftains converged at the party’s secretariat for its inaugural meeting.
Chief Akande reaffirmed the ideological position of the party saying the party exists for the sake of the people, while explaining the role of the party.
He also announced the establishment of a committee to mobilize Nigerians to embrace the new party ahead of its national convention.

Peter Okoye Of P-Square Proposes To Longtime Girlfriend & Baby Mama, Lola Omotayo Go to article

Big Big Congratulations to the soon to be Man & Wife as Peter Okoye of P-Square proposed…

Ali Nuhu’s Confession >>> I Would Have Proposed To Omotola

Ali Nuhu is one of the most popular actors in the Hausa movie industry. A producer and brand ambassador, he talks about his job, his 10-year-old marriage and other sundry issues…

How challenging is the job of producing Hausa movies?

Most times, challenges come up when you don’t do your homework the way it should be done. I don’t produce more than one or two movies a year and I do a lot of pre-production planning before going on set. That removes all the challenges.
It seems just a handful of producers are from the North
Yes. There are just a couple of us. The reason could be cultural barriers; people seem to be just contented with what they do and they don’t want to branch out into wider areas.
How did you break into the English movie sector?
When I first started appearing in the English movies, the challenge I had was the perception of my people. Most people misunderstood what I was trying to do. But with time, when the movies started coming out, they became acquainted with what I was trying to do.
At 39 you have already been married for 10 years, why did you have to marry so early?
I was fortunate to meet a wonderful lady when I was 29. I did not want to let the opportunity slip by; it would not have been easy to find another like her at any other time.
Which means as a Moslem, you are not contemplating polygamy?
I am not contemplating polygamy. I know that my religion permits it but then, you don’t just jump into it because you see others doing it, it has set conditions and none of the conditions affect me, so there is no reason for me to practise it.
Is your wife comfortable with some of the roles you play?
A couple of times she told me she was not very comfortable with some actresses that I was paired with and I had to turn down the job. The peace and comfort of my home is more important than any movie role.
In the soap ‘Wetin Dey’ you played Ibrahim, an AIDS carrier who deliberately infected his cousin with the virus, how were you able to relate with the character?

I had to go through counselling before I could take on that role but after the programme, I stopped being afraid of AIDS victims. I now sympathise with them and I understand their situation.

You spent almost two years on that project, was the price worth it?
It was worth it.
How much were you paid?
In movies we don’t discuss our fees.
You were quoted as saying Omotola is your most favourite colleague, if circumstances were different, would you have married her?
I was pretty young when I first saw Omotola in ‘Thorns of Roses’ and liked her performance. After that, when I saw her in ‘Mortal Inheritance,’ I fell in love with her as a person because she gave a perfect interpretation to the character. Of course, if we were both single, I would have proposed to her.
What determines the way you dress?
I don’t have a particular mood or pattern of dressing but I have designers that make clothes for me. One is based in Lagos and he provides clothes for me when I am in the South. The one based in the North also styles me when I am in the North.

What was your childhood like?
I grew up in Kano—in no man’s land. It is a society that consists of people from the South and North. We have a lot of Yoruba, Igbos, the Igalas, Idomas etc. I am sure this is responsible for my perception and the fact that I feel very free in whatever part of Nigeria I find myself. When I go to Asaba, I eat pounded yam and when I come to Lagos, I eat amala and ewedu.

By next year you would be 40, what are going to do before then?
There is the saying that you may make plans but at the end of the day, it is God who determines the outcome and the course that your life is supposed to follow. I am leaving everything in His hands for the moment.

Angry Mob Beats Up Suspected Kidnapper and Roasts Him Alive In Ilorin

Commotion ensued in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital on Sunday as a middle-aged man was beaten to a pulp and roasted alive by a mob.
The man, Raimi Wasiu is said to have confessed to being a kidnapper after he was caught attempting to kidnap a nine year old child.
The victim is said to have hailed from Osogbo, Osun State capital.
“People of the area have been watching the man who lived in an abandoned building by the roadside. And true to their suspicion, he was caught attempting to abduct a little child”, said a source.
The victim was chased from the abandoned building towards Eiyenkorin and dispossessed of charms before he was taken back to building at Odota, along Airport Road where he was roasted alive.
The police arrived after the incident and took away his remains.
Area residents complained of increased criminal activities within the last two years.
Olufemi Fabode, an Assistant Superintendent of Police and the State Police Public Relations Officer confirmed the incident, saying investigations are underway.

Is African Charismatic Christianity a Counterfeit?

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Christ for all Nations Great Gospel Crusade in Nairobi, Kenya, saw hundreds of thousands of people pack Uhuru Park. (CfaN)

For the last several weeks, I have been asked for my response to an article posted on the Grace to You website by Conrad Mbewe, pastor of the Kabwata Baptist Church in Zambia and one of the speakers at Pastor John MacArthur’s upcoming Strange Fire conference. According to the article, which is entitled “Why Is the Charismatic Movement Thriving in Africa?” this movement is not a powerful visitation of the Holy Spirit. Rather, “We need to sound the warning that this is not Christianity.”
Not Christianity? Really?
Now, had Pastor Mbewe said, “I praise God for the wonderful things that He is doing throughout Africa by His Spirit, but there are serious errors that need to be addressed,” I would have said, "Amen," to many of his concerns. In fact, charismatic leaders in Africa are addressing these problems as well.
Unfortunately, Pastor Mbewe, just like many other anti-charismatic leaders, fails to see the extraordinary forest because of some very bad trees.
He distinguishes the modern charismatic movement in Africa from “the old conservative form of Pentecostalism once represented by the Assemblies of God churches,” claiming that the new movement is spreading like wildfire because it “has not challenged the African religious worldview but has instead adopted it.”
But this is a gross overstatement. Rather, as noted by J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, Ph.D., professor of contemporary African Christianity and Pentecostal/charismatic theology in Africa at the Trinity Theological Seminary, Accra, Ghana, “Pentecostalism is a response to ... cerebral Christianity and wherever it has appeared the movement has defined itself in terms of the recovery of the experiential aspects of the faith by demonstrating the power of the Spirit to infuse life, and the ability of the living presence of Jesus Christ to save from sin and evil.
“The ministries of healing and deliverance have thus become some of the most important expressions of Christianity in African Pentecostalism. Much of the worldviews underlying the practice of healing and deliverance, especially the belief in mystical causality, resonates with African philosophical thoughts.”
As expressed to me by evangelist Daniel Kolenda, Reinhard Bonnke’s successor, “The Western brand of stale, cold, theoretic and purely cerebral Christianity that Africans have been offered by many of the [Western] evangelical denominations is laughable to them. For Africans, their faith must have real-world consequences or it is worthless.”
Put another way, since Africans see the spiritual realm and natural realm as one, and since they don’t need to be convinced about the reality of demonic spirits, if Jesus is really the Savior, then He also saves from sickness and demonic powers.
At the same time, Pastor Mbewe is absolutely right that many traditional, worldly practices and mindsets have been incorporated into African charismatic Christianity. What he fails to mention, however, is that some of these same errors are found in African evangelical churches as well—although, to be sure, the vast majority of evangelical churches in Africa practice the spiritual gifts as well—and, as noted by Kolenda, “Many of those who are speaking the loudest against these heresies are the Pentecostals and charismatics!”
What, then, are some of the most serious abuses? Pastor Mbewe claims that in “the African Charismatic circles, the ‘man of God’ has replaced the witchdoctor,” endued with special powers and breaking through the barriers of the demonic world and ancestral spirits, which “is also why the heresy of generation curses has become so popular.”
Although somewhat overstated, this is a real problem, and so when the people are not experiencing divine blessing, they run to the “man of God” to pray for them, giving these leaders a stranglehold over the people. It is the man of God who can bring the “breakthrough,” because of which, Pastor Mbewe points out elsewhere, this form of Christianity threatens the important New Testament teaching of the priesthood of every believer.
Another charismatic minister involved in Bible school training in several African nations pointed out to me that “the preachers started to live like kings while the people that attend the churches live in abject poverty. Being a preacher became an occupation, not a divine calling. And now some even have private jets whilst their people are burying their dead because they couldn’t afford a doctor.”
But to repeat yet again, these abuses are being addressed by many charismatic leaders as well, and they are the loud, ugly, glaring exceptions rather than the general rule.
They should absolutely be addressed and exposed and corrected, but they should not be taken as an indictment of African charismatic Christianity as a whole, God forbid, nor should they distract from what God is doing in Africa. (Remember that Paul didn’t reject what the Spirit was doing among the Corinthians. Rather, he praised them for excelling in the gifts and then corrected the errors in their midst.)
As for the so-called “heresy of generation curses,” this teaching can obviously be exaggerated and exploited, but the Scriptures do teach that generational curses exist (see, for example, 1 Samuel 2:27-33), and in a continent like Africa, which is full of ancestor worship, it is not farfetched to think that certain demonic, generational curses need to be broken off of people’s lives. Is it right to brand this a heresy?
There’s something else we need to consider, and that is the extent to which we have baptized Christianity into our own American culture, equating size and prestige with spiritual success and running the church like a business. (Another distinctly American Christian error is mistaking patriotism for the kingdom of God.)
And just as some African charismatics have morphed the witchdoctor into the “man of God,” we have morphed the megachurch pastor into the CEO and superstar, the almost infallible guide whose every word is to be followed and who does most of our scriptural thinking for us. So much for the priesthood of every believer! (It has been pointed out that preachers in the Reformation, wearing robes and ascending their lofty pulpits, did not sufficiently break with the Roman Catholic model of ministry.)
Turning back to Africa, Pastor Mbewe writes that “prayer in the modern Charismatic movement in Africa is literally a fight. In fact, the people praying are called ‘prayer warriors’.” And that’s why so much time is spent in the prayer meetings rebuking Satan and demons in Jesus’ name, with people shouting and praying fervently. Yes, he writes, “This is nothing more than the African traditional religious worldview sprinkled with a thin layer of Christianity.”
Again, it is certainly a serious error to focus on Satan as much as (or more than!) God or to be more demon conscious than Jesus conscious (even remotely so), but it is also true that there is a time for intimate fellowship with God as well as a time for fervent, even warring prayer, in keeping with verses that speak of spiritual warfare and of striving in prayer (see, for example, Ephesians 6:10-19; Romans 15:30; Luke 22:44; and 2 Corinthians 10:3-4). And what’s wrong with the concept of “prayer warriors”?
Pastor Mbewe also claims that the main leaders in the movement “survive on a few, well-worn, tortured verses. ... There is absolutely no effort to properly exegete Scripture. Rather, by chanting phrases and making people drop under some trance, in witchdoctor fashion, they are holding sway over the popular mind.” He wonders why others are not seeing this or sounding the alarm, stating, “For the love of crowds, we have allowed African traditional religion to enter the church through the back door.”
And so he states emphatically, “This is not Christianity. It does not lead to heaven. It is a thin coating over the religion that has been on African soil for time immemorial, which Christianity was meant to replace. We have lost the Christian faith while we are holding the Bible in our hands and using some of its words. This is really sad.”
As for the “men of God” who lay hands on the congregants every week, he says they “are imposters and must be rejected with the contempt they deserve.”
Really, it is blanket statements like this that are so dangerous and inaccurate, leading readers to make their own, equally erroneous statements, such as: “How tragic that the church people of Africa have been duped into apostasy.” Or this: “I think the charismatic movement should not waste their time debating cessationists, but rather take the time to fix the devastating effects they have had on Africa as a whole.” (These comments were posted on the Charisma News and Grace to You websites.)
In reality, as noted in a Pew Research report, “The share of the population that is Christian in sub-Saharan Africa climbed from 9 percent in 1910 to 63 percent in 2010.”
This is absolutely extraordinary and represents one of the greatest advances of the gospel in history, and almost all of this growth is charismatic in nature. Yet because of some abuses, many of which reflect the immaturity of the movement, this glorious work of God that has resulted in tens of millions of Africans coming to faith in Jesus is being rejected and scorned.
As for the very real weaknesses that do exist, as one of my colleagues heavily involved in African ministry expressed, how much better it would have been had Pastor Mbewe recognized, “If we have the gift of teaching, we should lovingly serve those who need it, instead of alienating them when they are giving God the best they know, and they have some real strengths too.”
And perhaps we in the West could learn from some of their strengths.
As Kolenda notes, “Some of the finest, strongest and most sincere Christians I have ever met anywhere in the world are in Africa. I personally know families who have lost family members who gave their lives as martyrs because of their confession of Christ. Many of the Africans Christians that I know have a faith in Christ so strong that it would put most Western Christians to shame. Their faith, humility and love for the Lord is an indictment of the indifference and unbelief so prevalent in the Western church.”
One of my American friends hosted a pastor from Ghana who was visiting for a few weeks, and after attending several church services—after which the people inevitably went out for a meal together—the pastor said, “Now I see why nothing is happening in your churches! You spend all your time feasting; we spend ours praying and fasting.”
Some of the finest students we have ever trained in our ministry schools have been African charismatic believers, marked by their devotion to Jesus, their passion for the lost, their willingness to sacrifice for the gospel, their solid lives of prayer and their hearts for holiness.
As noted by Professor Asamoah-Gyadu, “The foremost theological emphasis of Pentecostal/charismatic Christianity is ... the transformative encounter with God who is holy and who is spirit. In the African context, participants in Pentecostalism keenly testify not only about their new life, but also the transition often made from resorts to traditional religious resources in order to be sincere Christians believing in God alone.”
Jesus is doing the transforming work!
Again, there is no denying that this rapid spread of the gospel throughout much of the continent of Africa bears all the marks of a new, often immature movement, but rather than rejecting it as un-Christian, God is pleased when we recognize His work and help bring it to maturity.
In the words of Kolenda, “If we are going to point out the negatives of the charismatic church in Africa, let’s be fair and also point out the many, many positives. Without the ‘charismatic’ church in Africa, Islam would have taken the continent over and there would be very little gospel influence at present. Waves of salvation have swept across entire nations,” and millions have responded to a clear gospel message of salvation through repentance and faith in Jesus alone.
And so, while it is likely that those attending the Strange Fire conference who hear Pastor Mbewe speak will come away with an entirely negative view of African charismatic Christianity, the perspective of Professor Asamoah-Gyadu is far more accurate: “African Pentecostal/charismatic Christianity is complex. It is alive. It is thriving. And it must be a major focus for Christians around the world who are involved in evangelism, missions and the state of the global Church.”
In sum, quoting Kolenda once more, “Many of these African Christians are the first generation of their tribe in history to become Christians. They will have to work through many traditional, tribal and cultural issues (just as our ancestors did in the West when the gospel first came to them), but we should not underestimate the power of the gospel and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit. We should thank God for the unprecedented harvest that is taking place and continue to contend for the integrity of the gospel.”
Can I hear an amen?

Thursday, 3 October 2013

Saturday, 14 September 2013

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Tuesday, 3 September 2013

Tech

Apple, Google and Microsoft

Rising From Asha

The Last Mobile War

Tuesday, 6 August 2013

Edo PDP And Unending Wild Accusations

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Attack On Five Governors

Biometric Number Plates, Driver’s Licence Matters Arising

Mid Day Encounter: Peeping Into A Demented Woman’s Bag

10 year-old Nigerian Girl, Zuriel Oduwole, Enters Record Books – Makes Forbes History

Ali Nuhu is one of the most popular actors in the Hausa movie industry. A producer and brand ambassador, he talks about his job, his 10-year-old marriage and other sundry issues…