Saturday, April 30, 2011
Rihanna's dress..Real African
Omotola rubs shoulder with international stars
The Nollywood ultimate diva and sex symbol, award winning actress Omotola jalade Ekeinde known as the first go to for deep hard to crack characters has once again brought to bear, her acting skills in the most awaited African movie "Ties that bind". A compelling drama directed by Bafta award winning director Leila djansi.
Big Brother Africa 2011 - Big Brother Africa 2011 Representatives
Bhoke
Age 26
Hometown Dar es Salaam
Occupation TV Broadcaster
Confidence
Age 37
Hometown Ghana
Occupation CEO of Multimedia Company/Owner of Afrodisiac Night Club
Hanni
Age 22
Hometown Addis Ababa
Occupation Singer and Student
Hermino
Age 32
Hometown Maputo
Occupation Rapper and Radio Host
Jossy
Age 28
Hometown Windhoek
Occupation Recording Artist / Marketing,Sales and Ad Manager
Lomwe
Age 27
Hometown Blantyre
Occupation Radio and Club DJ
Luclay
Age 28
Hometown Cape Town
Occupation Actor / Acting Coach
Millicent
Age 28
Hometown Nairobi
Occupation Actress
Mumba
Age 24
Hometown Lusaka
Occupation Radio DJ
Sharon
Age 25
Hometown Kampala
Occupation Artist / Musician
Vimbai
Age 24
Hometown Harare
Occupation Model
Vina
Age 26
Hometown Lagos
Occupation Radio Presenter
Weza
Age 26
Hometown Luanda
Occupation TV Presenter, Model
Zeus
Age 24
Hometown Gaborone
Occupation Entrepreneur, Artist, Marketer
Kate Middleton's second dress
You like?
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The Nigerian man who killed the white guy in a hotel at Festac
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Royal Wedding : Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge
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| And the kiss |
Slain Youth Corps Members: The Fallen Nine
They are: Teidi Tosin Olawale (from Osun State, BSc Computer Science); Nkwazema Anslem Chukwunonyerem (Imo State, HND Electrical Electronic Engineering), Okpokiri Obinna Michael (Abia State, BSc Environmental Management), Adowei Elliot (Bayelsa State, BSc Computer Science), Adewunmi Seun Paul (Ekiti State, BSc, Social Sciences), Adeniji Kehinde Jehleel (Osun State, BSc Banking & Finance), Gbenjo Ebenezer Ayotunde (Osun State, BSc, Education Economics), Ukeoma Ikechukwu Chibuzor (Imo State, BSc Medical Microbiology) and Akonyi Ibrahim Sule (Kogi State, HND Business Administration).
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) say the dead corps members will be given a national burial. And Next year or june more will be send to the same area and state.
Vietnamese Court sentences Nigerian to death
llNnaji David Ete was on Friday sentenced to death for his role in the illegal transportation of drugs within Vietnam, reports have said.
Ete, 33, and his wife in 2006 had set up a drug trafficking ring for transporting drugs illegally through Vietnam. The smuggling racket sold and bought drugs for Nigerians in Malaysia, China, India and Pakistan.
The Ho Chi Minh City Peoples’ Court heard that Ete and wife - Phan Thi Thanh Le - were caught during a transaction in 2009. The Vietnamese Police found about 11.5 kilograms of heroin in their possession.
The Peoples Court gave Ete’s wife life in imprisonment.
On the same day, the court gave Chukwuma Obi Remy, Okapor Chuma and Nnamdi Aghaji, all Nigerians, jail terms ranging from 15 to 20 years for drug related offences.
Ete, 33, and his wife in 2006 had set up a drug trafficking ring for transporting drugs illegally through Vietnam. The smuggling racket sold and bought drugs for Nigerians in Malaysia, China, India and Pakistan.
The Ho Chi Minh City Peoples’ Court heard that Ete and wife - Phan Thi Thanh Le - were caught during a transaction in 2009. The Vietnamese Police found about 11.5 kilograms of heroin in their possession.
The Peoples Court gave Ete’s wife life in imprisonment.
On the same day, the court gave Chukwuma Obi Remy, Okapor Chuma and Nnamdi Aghaji, all Nigerians, jail terms ranging from 15 to 20 years for drug related offences.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Underage voters on a line waiting To Vote In Katsina
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Ramsey, Basketmouth, Omawumi, Banky, Monalisa, Uti, Dami & Lola – Genevieve Magazine commemorates its 8th Anniversary with a Star-studded Issue!
The business terrain for magazines in Nigeria is immensely challenging and it takes a mix of hardwork, business savvy and grace to keep things going.
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Anslem Nwazema, another Youth Corps Member who was butchered
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| Anslem Nwazema working during the election. He was killed the next day |
My brother did his NYSC for 3yrs just because he refuse to serve in the North. First he was posted to Bauchi state, he rejected it, The following year he was sent to Niger State, He rejected it also, until he was posted to Ogun State , that's when he served. He is from Akwa Ibom State.
These corpers can't die in vain. I heard another one was killed in Akwa Ibom State . Youth groups, please do something. There should be some sort of peaceful demonstration to INEC and NYSC office and I want to be first in line... www.mannamart.com
lOlubayo pays last visit to the National stadium
It was tears and eulogies when the body of late Super Eagles player, Olubayo Adefemi lied in state at the Indoor Sports hall of the national stadium, Lagos Thursday.
The body arrived the national stadium, Lagos at 10.16 am in a black jeep, with registration number Ebony 8.
Dressed in black jeans trousers, black top and a black sunshade to cover her tearful eyes, Olubayo’s fiancee, Folashade Adesina had relatives around her throughout.
Oma Akatugba, a close friend of the late footballer remained transfixed on his seat when mourners were asked to go round the casket to pay their last respect to Olubayo. “I did not need to put myself in such agony. I couldn’t stand the agony of seeing my friend lying down there without saying a word to me,“ Akatugba who would have been Olubayo’s groom’s mate at his wedding.
May His gentle soul rest in peace - www.mannamart.com
I ‘ll probe Akala- Ajimobi
GOVERNOR-elect in Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi has said he would scrutinize all financial activities of the out-going Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala to ensure things are in right order in the state.
Ajimobi who extended an olive branch to Akala and the governorship candidate of Accord Party, Senator Rashidi Ladoja thanked the governor for giving him a good fight which actually strengthened his faith in God.
This came as Governor Akala and Ladoja congratulated Senator Ajimobi who won the governorship seat on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) for his hard-earned victory.
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Akunyili dismisses Anambra Central election re-run
She said: “The Independent National Electoral Commission set out to conduct credible elections, but desperate politicians, such as Dr. Chris Ngige of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, were determined not to see that happen. Ngige has once more done what he knows best, which is stealing the vote.”
Akunyili said: “In all my life, I have never witnessed the kind of thing I saw on Tuesday. The level of intimidation of our party agents and disenfranchisement of my supporters was unprecedented. In some places, this shameful conduct was perpetrated by the thugs of the ACN as security agents who were supposed to checkmate them looked the other way. In a place like Nkpor, my agents were chased away and people who came out to vote for me were turned back.”
Akunyili should just accept the results and move on -vwww.mannamart.com
INEC to decide on Imo governorship poll, today
It stated that the difficulties made the returning officer to declare the election inconclusive, adding that INEC had consulted with its lawyers for advice on the next line of action.
“The Commission is scheduled to meet on April 29 to take a final decision,” it stressed.
The statement urged everyone concerned to be patient and await further directives, which would be communicated as soon as a decision was taken.
It urged everyone to be peaceful and avoid taking laws into their hands.
The statement restated the commission’s resolve to ensure the highest level of integrity and credibility for the election and solicited the cooperation of all stakeholders.
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CBN sets June deadline for Uniform Bank Account Number Scheme
Nigeria Central Bank Governor - Lamido Sanusi
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has set June this year as deadline for banks to fully comply with the Nigeria Uniform Bank Account Number (NUBAN) scheme.This was communicated to banks via a release titled, “PROPOSALS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NUBAN SCHEME (Version 0.4)”.
Among other things, the release contained the NUBAN code for each bank and the implementation modality for the scheme.
It said, “The CBN released the Guidelines on Nigeria Uniform Bank Account Number (NUBAN) scheme in August, 2010, to achieve uniform customer bank account numbering structure among all Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria, within 9 months.
“NUBAN has great potentials to resolve the observed problems with electronic payments in Nigeria, as many of them are related to specification of wrong beneficiary account numbers.
“The mode of transition from the present situation to the NUBAN scheme has to be handled carefully to ensure the success of the scheme.
“The NUBAN codes should be communicated to existing customers as soon as the codes become available.
“Also, the owners of all new bank accounts opened from January 01, 2011, should be provided with NUBAN codes at the onset.
“The NUBAN scheme requires that the account number field in the cheque MICR code line should feature only NUBAN numbers.
“Accordingly, all new cheques issued to customers should carry NUBAN codes.
“With this transition method, the present account numbers and NUBAN codes would co-exist in the electronic payment and cheque clearing systems from January 2011 to June 2011.
“This implies that banks have to build in the required intelligence in their respective in-clearing systems to distinguish NUBAN codes from old account numbers while processing inward cheque items and electronic payment instruments, during this transition period.
“The deadline for full NUBAN compliance is June 2011.
“Therefore only instruments (paper and electronic) that carry NUBAN codes and pass the NUBAN validation test (that is, instruments with correct check digit) would be allowed in the automated clearing system as from this date.”
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Tension in Imo: Ohakim, Rochas in stalemate
The tension sparked off by the continued delay in the announcement of the final result was believed to have provoked the interest of the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which has now stepped into the matter.
That INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega is to make a declaration on the development in Imo State today.
As at Wednesday evening when results in all but four local government areas were declared, the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA candidate, Rochas Okorocha, was leading Governor Ikedi Ohakim, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate with about 20,000 votes. It was at that point that the State Returning Officer, Professor Enoch Akobundu, announced that the results from the remaining four local governments were inconclusive.
Returning officer’s claim
He claimed that the returning officer for Mbaitoli local government area, Mr. Franklin Matthew, had no result to present for the area. But Vanguard gathered that his assertion was contrary to claims by party agents who claimed to have results.
Yesterday, tension swelled around the capital city and especially around the office premises of INEC along the Port Harcourt – Owerri road as aggrieved youths took up positions and mounted barricades stopping free movement of vehicles into and out of the INEC premises.
The vigil by the youths forced travellers to and from Port Harcourt to take diversions within the town to avoid the restive youths.
At least two vehicles were reportedly damaged yesterday by the youths who succeeded in scaring away the policemen that were sent to reinforce security at the INEC office. One of the vehicles smashed was reportedly conveying the spouse of a former senator. Electoral materials including thump printed ballot papers in support of one of the major parties were found in the vehicle provoking the ire of the youths.
The second vehicle which allegedly conveyed one of the returning officers from the local government where voting was declared inconclusive was also smashed.
The youths who were still cordoning off the INEC premises were searching all vehicles entering and leaving the premises. The youths believed to be supporters of the APGA candidate protested loudly when the Police reinforcement came as they shouted, “Police go away, soldier stay.”
Inability to vote
In declaring the voting not to be conclusive last Wednesday, Professor Akobundu, the returning officer had said that some 12,000 voters were unable to vote in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area because voting did not take place in some wards in the council.
He said: “Because of the number that was not able to cast their votes in Ohaji/Egbema local government area, polling in the area is adjudged inconclusive. There was no polling in Ngor Okpala. There was no election in some wards in Oguta and Ohaji Egbema. The results so far received shows that two parties were running neck to neck. In view of the fact that the gap is too narrow, the governorship election in Imo State is, therefore, incomplete.”
The angry APGA youths who believed that their candidate was in the lead were, however, calling on the INEC to declare the result it already had. A number of them complained that the delay was to enable their rivals to bridge the gap through smuggling doctored electoral materials.
Meanwhile, the National Vice Chairman of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, yesterday, admitted a high level of conspiracy against the party in the state even as he affirmed the party’s readiness to accept the gubernatorial results from parts of Orlu senatorial zone, “despite the obvious lapses experienced in the area.”
Metuh who made the stand of the party known during a post_election press conference in Owerri, said: “PDP is willing to accept and has actually accepted the results from Orlu, despite some glaring irregularities in the conduct of the poll in the area.”
He called on INEC to immediately conduct the run_off to avoid running into any constitutional bottleneck, adding: “The remaining areas of Ngor Okpala, Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta, where INEC said were inconclusive, are PDP strongholds. INEC should please conduct the run_off elections in these areas immediately, so as not to run into any constitutional bottleneck.”
He warned that All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has mobilized its loyalists to cause mayhem in the state, stressing that they should remember there is a sitting government in the state.
Reminded that the INEC returning officer in Mbaitoli said he had no result to submit from the area, Metuh said PDP was not bothered by the development. He said: “It does not really matter if PDP lost the area. We have no problem with Mbaitoli. INEC should have accepted and released the results where polls held in Oguta, Ohaji/Egbema and Mbaitoli.”
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Royal wedding guest list causes controversy
The guest list for the royal wedding sparked controversy on Sunday after monarchs from countries with poor rights records were invited but two former prime ministers were not. Rights groups criticised Prince William and Kate Middleton for inviting foreign royals from Bahrain, Swaziland and other nations where authorities have violently suppressed pro-democracy protests in recent weeks.
Newspapers pointed out that Labour ex-premiers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were snubbed on the list, which was released on Saturday, while former Conservative leaders Margaret Thatcher and John Major were invited.
"Labour MPs will not be alone in thinking it odd the two former occupants of Number 10 (Downing Street) have not been invited to the wedding," the Sunday Telegraph commented.Royal officials said Blair and Brown were not invited because unlike Major and Thatcher they are not Knights of the Garter, Britain's highest honour.
St James's Palace, William's office, said the wedding was "not a state occasion so there is no reason why they (Blair and Brown) would be invited," the Sunday Telegraph reported.
Major -- who was prime minister from 1990-1997 and acted as a guardian to Princes William and Harry after Diana's -- will attend, but Thatcher who was in power from 1979 to 1990, has declined on health grounds.
Less controversial attendees at Friday's wedding in Westminster Abbey include footballer David Beckham and his fashion designer wife Victoria, musician Elton John and "Mr Bean" actor Rowan Atkinson.
But there was surprise when royal officials announced that Crown Prince Salman of Bahrain would also attend.
Earlier reports said the Gulf state's rulers would withdraw to avoid embarrassment after a bloody crackdown on protesters there left at least 24 people dead.
Anti-monarchy campaign group Republic hit out at inclusion of royals from not only Bahrain but also Saudi Arabia, Oman, Brunei, Qatar, Swaziland, Lesotho, Bhutan and Kuwait.
"This guest list reads like a 'Who's Who' of tyrants and their cronies," Republic chief Graham Smith said.
"Whatever happened to William's supposedly strong social conscience? He must take personal responsibility for this and rescind the invitations immediately."
Leading gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said the invitations of "royal tyrants" from Bahrain, Swaziland and Saudi Arabia were a "massive misjudgement".
St James's Palace said it had sought advice from Britain's foreign ministry on guests from abroad.
"Invitations are extended from the queen following the long-held tradition of inviting other crowned heads of state, we have taken advice from the Foreign Office about their continued inclusion on the list," a spokesman said.
Swazi demonstrators were planning to demonstrate on Tuesday outside the Dorchester hotel in London on Wednesday, where the country's King Mswati III will be staying, South Africa's Mail and Guardian newspaper reported.
But Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the head of the world's Anglicans and the man who will marry William and Kate, said in his Easter sermon on Sunday that the wedding was a cause of "shared celebration."
"It's nice and entirely appropriate that we are being encouraged to some public displays of shared celebration next Friday: let a thousand street parties blossom," he said.Five days before the wedding, Queen Elizabeth II and many other senior royals had something of a "warm-up" with an Easter service at Windsor Castle, near London -- although William and Kate did not attend. www.mannamart.com
Photo: Prince William and Kate get matchy-matchy
Sporting crisp white shirts, the future king and his soon-to-be missus appear relaxed and in love, if not matchy-matchy.
"We are both so delighted that you are able to join us in celebrating what we hope will be one of the happiest days of our lives," write "William" and "Catherine" in the program. "The affection shown to us by so many people during our engagement has been incredibly moving, and has touched us both deeply. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone most sincerely for their kindness."
Other revelations inside the 28-page document:
-- Middleton will walk down the aisle to the tune "I Was Glad" by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, written for the coronation of King Edward VII at Westminster Abbey in 1902.
-- The bride will not promise to "obey" her husband. Rather, she'll vow to "love, comfort, honor and keep" the prince.
-- William won't wear a wedding ring, which some people find bizarre, so only he will say "With this ring I thee wed" while slipping the band on the bride's finger.
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Real Madrid and Barcelona face Uefa charges
Mourinho was sent to the stands in the second half at the Bernabeu
Uefa has charged Real Madrid and Barcelona over incidents in their Champions League semi-final, including Jose Mourinho's post-match outburst.
The Real case also centres on the dismissals of midfielder Pepe and manager Mourinho and the behaviour of their fans during Wednesday's match.Uefa is also looking at the red card shown to Barca reserve keeper Jose Pinto at half-time in their 2-0 win.
Both cases will be heard by the Uefa Control and Disciplinary Body on 6 May.
Barcelona later announced that they would report Mourinho to Uefa over his comments, with the Catalan club saying: "We want to stand firm when the war of words passes certain limits and we believe Mr Mourinho crossed this line yesterday."
A bad-tempered match erupted at half-time when there was a fracas on the touchline as the players were leaving the field, which resulted in Pinto being shown a red card.
Real were reduced to 10 men soon after the interval when Pepe was sent off for a high tackle on Dani Alves.
Real coach Mourinho was subsequently dismissed himself after being seen to sarcastically mouth "well done" to the fourth official.
Two late goals from Barca star Lionel Messi gave the Catalans a massive advantage going into Tuesday's second leg at the Nou Camp, and prompted Mourinho to launch into a diatribe in which he implied Barca are favourably treated by referees.
"It's clear that against Barcelona you have no chance," the Portuguese said. "I don't know if it's the publicity of Unicef [the club's shirt sponsor], I don't know if it's because they are very nice, but they've got this power.
"I don't know if it's the friendship of [Spanish football federation president Angel Maria] Villar at Uefa, where he is vice-president."
Mourinho drew a parallel between Wednesday's events and a similar "scandal" at Stamford Bridge in 2009 when Barca reached the final at Chelsea's expense after referee Tom Ovrebo turned down four penalty appeals by the Blues.
"I hope that one day [Barca coach Pep Guardiola] will win a clean Champions League, with no incidents behind it," he added.
Real Madrid made a staunch defence of their players on the club's website, saying that the Pepe sending off "changed the course of what was an evenly-fought match (but) was not worthy of a red card", adding that video showed "the player only touched the ball".
Barcelona's Sergio Busquets is later described as having "dived" in what was "another unsportsmanlike gesture and more fuel to the fire for the referee to deal with", adding: "It lasted for 90 minutes as millions around the world watched on the small screen."
Earlier this season, Mourinho was given a one-match Champions League ban by Uefa after appearing to instruct his players Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos to be deliberately sent off against Ajax so they would serve a suspension before the knockout phase.
Real are also being charged over the "throwing of missiles and a pitch invasion" by their fans, Uefa said.
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Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s red carpet moment at 2011 Time 100 Gala in New York, with Bruno Mars, Nick Cannon, Demi Moore, Taylor Swift, Kerry Washington, Carmelo Anthony & Others
Mallam Sanusi was in full tuxedo mode, trading the boardroom for the red carpet at a Gala in New York on the 26th April, to honour this year’s most influential people. The CBN governor joined the likes of Taylor Swift, Kerry Washington, New York Knicks Carmelo Anthony, Bruno Mars, Nick Cannon, Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively and many more for champagne & hors d’oeuvres.
Swanky! 3 Gbosas for Mallam Sanusi, it’s an honour truly well deserved.
The other 2 Africans on the list Bineta Diop (Founder of Femmes Africa Solidarite) & Wael Ghonim also attended the event.
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2face Idibia - Welcome To America Interview On BET
Tuface follows in the steps of D’Banj with his own BET Welcome to America Special, less than a month after the D’Banj segment aired.
In the interview which aired at 8.30pm UK time on BET UK, The superstar musician sat down with Lola Ogunnaike, chatting about everything from his start in music, his mega-hit African Queen, fame, his multiple brushes with death, piracy in the Naija music industry, giving back & loads more.
Tubaba even serened Miss Ogunnaike during the interview which was filmed a couple of months back in sunny LA.
He kept it real during the interview, no airs or graces around him.
A Childhood Secret Led Norwood Young on a 15-Year Journey of Self Mutilation
Norwood Young didn’t want to be the reason for destroying his seemingly perfect family, so he wound up demolishing his own life by remaining silent about being the victim of years of sexual abuse, starting at the age of 7 by a male cousin. He found a way, or so he thought, to cope with his painful past by attempting to wipe it out. This meant undergoing 15 years of cosmetic surgery in an effort to erase the face of the “pretty boy” who endured the abuse.
Young, who doesn’t want another child to make the same mistakes, says, “Go run and tell!” He’s hoping that his recent appointment as spokesperson for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, which seeks to also end sexual abuse, will deliver that message. And Young and California 52nd District Assemblyman Isadore Hall III plan to go in front of the state assembly, early next month to pass a resolution to proclaim April as Child Abuse and Sexual Prevention Month.“We are so busy protecting our families and protecting the accusers that we have made the [discussing sexual abuse] taboo. It’s not taboo for people like myself,” explains Young, who chronicles his story in the memoir Getting Back To My Me. “Keeping the secret is what put me in jail. I had highs and lows like drugs and parties to cover up. This all stemmed from secrets. Imagine being 7 or 8 keeping something quiet that long. I kept drinking. I kept getting surgery.”
His secret was compounded by the fact that by the time he was 14, Young had already contracted four STDs! Subsequent abusers included older ladies.
“Being with women, people saw it as consensual. It was still abuse because I was a minor,” says Young. “It wasn’t until I was writing this book when I said, ‘Hey, if I was 14 and she was 36, she was molesting me too.’ All my life I knew that I had participated in something that was dark and something that was a secret. I just thought it was sexual behavior that shouldn’t be discussed. I did not attach it to rape. I did not attach it to abuse. I did not attach it to criminal [behavior]. I did not attach it to sickness.
That’s what it was. When I watched an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1986, that’s when I knew for the first time I was abused. I was a victim of a sick criminal who would hold me down, pin me down and make me bleed.”
Young, an already stunningly attractive man noted for his model good looks, had an affair with cosmetic surgery that included, among other things, a series of nose jobs, cheek and chin alteration.
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8 Money Secrets of the Wealthy
What separates the rich from the rest
Think you could never earn enough to be wealthy? Think again. Financial experts say income alone explains just 5 percent of the wealth disparities in the United States. That’s why some of the lowest-earning households in terms of wages have managed to accumulate significant wealth.
So what do the wealthy know that the rest of us don’t? Plenty. But the good thing is, their secrets are far from rocket science. Most are common-sense money managing practices that rely on everything from simple laws of human nature to simple math we all learned in grammar school.
Here are eight secrets of the wealthy:
They have spending plans, not budgets. Believe it or not, the wealthy also budget their money. But rather than an unrealistic detailed budget that lists every purchase, such as morning coffee, dry cleaners and gas, they employ a strategy of weekly or monthly spending plans or smart estimations. The wealthy know that budgets get blown, and spending plans don’t.
They understand the power of compounding. The wealthy almost always start saving and investing at a young age. By starting early in life, they usually are able to reach their savings goals without breaking a sweat. They let the magic of time and compounding interest do the heavy lifting for them.
They see beyond the obvious. Call them visionaries, but the wealthy see beyond what normal people see. And they usually have the ability to create something out of nothing. They are not like everybody else, and are not apt to copy what other people have done. Wealthy people are doers, not doubters. They know how to make things happen, and never think something is impossible.
They spend less money than they earn. The wealthy will underestimate their incomes and overestimate their expenses to create a favorable bottom line. They use their net worth as the ultimate scorecard to determine how well they are doing.
They borrow money as leverage. The wealthy are constantly looking to increase their assets and reduce their liabilities. They borrow money only as leverage to invest and help them make more money. In other words, they use debt and do not let debt use them.
The Man Governor Ikedi Ohakim Flogged
Little did they know that this wasn't actually a luxury ride but one that would take Mr Iwuoha to hell. On that day, the governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, took it upon himself to personally flog the 40-year-old father of two. Right inside the governor's office, the governor, armed with a horsewhip, stripped Mr Iwuoha completely naked and for almost two hours flogged him like an erring donkey.
The activist, who has filed several legal suits against the governor, said his experience is one he will not forget in a hurry. He said it is his efforts to point out the excesses of state officials that have turned him into the governor's number one enemy.
But an aide to the governor, Henry Ekpe, decribed Mr Iwuoha as little more than a criminal. He said the conviction of the man by a state magistrate should caution reporters against believing his story.
"This matter has been over-flogged by the press," Mr Ekpe, the spokesperson to the governor, said. "He was taken to court over the defamation of the character of the governor and he was convicted. I learnt he appealed, but the appeal was thrown out. He is even a jail bird as I'm talking to you now over this allegation. I don't know why he is revisiting that issue. What he said was discovered to be baseless and he was convicted over the allegation. Nothing of such ever happened. He raised this issue to smear the character of the governor. It was discovered to be a fabrication and he was jailed."
The abused man however said his conviction had nothing to do with the substance of his allegations. "The magistrate sentenced me to three months in jail for abusing the judicial process," he said. "On July 2, 2010, I went to court for the usual hearing of my suit against the governor and the chief magistrate, Victoria Isiguzo, said I granted an interview with a local paper. The magistrate sentenced me to three months in prison for granting an interview on a matter that was still pending in court."
Enemy No. 1
Mr Iwuoha, when asked how he was transformed from being a staunch supporter of the governor to being his number one enemy, said his refusal to keep quiet in the face of misgovernance was the source of his suffering.
"When Ikedi Ohakim was sworn in as the governor of Imo State, he was wholeheartedly received by the people," he said. "People believed that his coming into governance will bring the needed peace. But unfortunately, he shot himself in the foot when he embarked on the destruction of the economic activities of the poor masses without cogent reasons."
Mr Iwuoha confronted Mr Ohakim by putting his pen to work. He churned out a series of commentaries in the vibrant local media in Owerri as well as in national newspapers where he highlighted the alleged misrule and misappropriations of the Ohakim's administration.
His write-ups caught the governor's attention.
"The governor became jittery", he said. According to Mr Iwuoha, in a desperate means to shut him up, the governor ordered that his businesses be shut down.
Attack on his business
Mr Iwuoha is a petroleum product dealer. He sells kerosene and engine oil and he has several outlets in Owerri and its environs.
"As a way to melt down my opinion and force me to recoil in my cocoon, he instructed his special assistant on environment, Willie Amadi, to destroy my businesses," the man said.
The attack on his means of livelihood, rather than shut Mr Iwuoha up, instead fired him up. "But he was shocked. Rather than subdue me I came out boldly to challenge him".
Mr Iwuoha wrote several petitions to security and anti-graft agencies which did not elicit any meaningful response. Matters came to a head after Mr Iwuoha wrote a petition to the state house of assembly demanding that the legislators constitute a probe panel to look into the alleged widespread mismanagement and misappropriation of public fund of the Ohakim administration.
At this juncture, the governor allegedly decided he had had enough. Mr Iwuoha's "excesses" had become personal and needed to be dealt with personally.
The abduction and beating
"It was like a mafioso movie", said Mr Iwuoha while recounting the way the governor's security detail abducted him from his house and presented him to their ‘godfather'.
"The governor sent five armed men to my house at Plot 98, Ikenegbu Extension, Owerri. Four of them were wearing mufti; only one was wearing a bulletproof vest. They knocked at my gate and told me that the then-commissioner of police, Aloysius Okorie, was looking for me. I told them it wasn't true because two days earlier I had a conversation with the commissioner where I agree to see him in two days' time. They pulled their guns on me and ordered me to come out."
But before Mr Iwuoha followed the policemen, he put a call through to the commissioner who, after initially denying that he sent the men, reluctantly told Mr Iwuoha to follow them. But before he did, he told Mr Okorie that he had called his folks and told them that if anything happens to him, the police commissioner should be held responsible.
At this point, Mr Iwuoha had no inkling of what awaited him until he stepped out of his house and discovered that the SUV had a government house number plate. He protested, but he was ordered to get into the vehicle.
At the government house, after more than two hours of being held hostage in the SUV, he was driven to the governor's office.
"As I was led into the governor's office by the chief security officer, the governor shouted, ‘Lock the door, lock the door,' and the door was shut. The chief security officer pointed a gun to my head and the governor ordered me to pull off my clothes," he said.
Mr Iwuoha said he was too shocked to think. While he hesitated, he said governor walked to him and with the help of one of his goons, identified as Kenneth, personally tore off all items of clothing on him. He was completely naked.
"The governor head-butted me, punched me in the face and kicked me before returning to his table to grab a horsewhip," recalled Mr Iwuoha. "He ordered me to lie on the rug and he flogged me ruthless. It is natural, when the pains became unbearable, I cried for mercy.
"While he was at it, his younger brother, Emmanuel Ohakim, who doubles as his chief of staff rushed in and shouted, ‘His excellency, his excellency!' The governor looked up and said, ‘Emma, this is Ikenna Samuelson. I will kill him today.'"
Luckily for Mr Iwuoha, the governor's brother wasn't happy about what was going on. He sighed and walked out of the office. His brother's reaction calmed the governor little. Mr Iwuoha quickly saw an opening to save his head.
"Then I told him that what he was doing was abnormal, that he was desecrating the office of the governor; besides, I also reminded him that my wife is from his town and that according to Igbo culture, he was my children's Nna Ochie (godfather)," the beaten man said.
He said his plea apparently had some effect on Mr Ohakim and he stopped the beating completely.
"He pulled a seat and started shouting: ‘Samuelson, why are you disgracing me in this country? Why are you disgracing the governor of Imo State?'"
Mr Iwuoha said he believed the governor had planned to kill him on that day. He said his saving grace was probably the call he made to the state police commissioner when he was being taken from his home and the reaction of the governor's brother.
Mr Iwuoha has initiated several court cases against the governor which have ended up nowhere, due to the immunity from prosecution the governor enjoys.
www.mannamart.com
Ini Edo begins UN work in earnest
essence of the visit is not just birthday. ‘Ini was appointed alongside two others (one Nollywood actor and one Bollywood actor) as ambassadors of the United Nation.
Her responsibilities according to www.unhabitat.org are to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all in Nigeria and Africa as a
whole.
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