El-Rufai to Atiku: You are haunted by corruption demons, says 'I dare you to visit U.S.'

This statement is issued in response to the latest falsehoods to emerge from Alhaji Atiku Abubukar. He has a record of spewing outright lies and innuendo against my person. As we struggle to build a law-abiding society and secure progressive outcomes for our people, we cannot allow the triumph on these shores of those who will have us move to a post-factual world. Not even from a man as practiced as Alhaji Atiku is in the dark arts of damaging other people through a campaign of lies from him and his media machine.
Therefore, I am constrained to provide a response to the fake news and irresponsible revision of recent history by Alhaji Atiku.
I never had anything to do with the incorporation of Transcorp. Those that established that company and fronted it like Festus Odimegwu, Tony Elumelu, Otunba Lawal Solarin and Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke are still around and alive. As such I could not have and did not offer Alhaji Atiku any shares in Transcorp. I declined the shares that were offered to me. Having done that, how could I have offered anyone shares?
In fact, I advised President Olusegun Obasanjo, Alhaji Atiku and then finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala not to accept the shares that were then being offered by the promoters of Transcorp. My counsel to them was based on the grounds that they would face conflicts of interest when Transcorp bids for privatization assets. At the time Alhaji Atiku and Ngozi were chair and vice-chair of the National council on Privatization, and were particularly directly involved in approving the sales of state-owned enterprises and assets.
It is too late in the day to try to pretend that the fiasco concerning the attempt by then Senators Ibrahim Mantu and Jonathan Zwingina to extort money from me for Senate clearance never happened. All Alhaji Atiku has just done is confirm that he paid the Senators, as I revealed in Page 139 of my book.
When I published The Accidental Public Servant in 2013, Alhaji Atiku unleashed his media team in a campaign of vilification. Despite the viciousness of the attacks, they did not contest or explain away his shenanigans that were detailed in the book, from the Ericsson manoeuvre, to the Abuja water treatment plant contract and his obsession with marabouts and their assurances of the political big prize. He might also consider a full reckoning for what he and his acolytes did with public funds in the PTDF imbroglio, rather than indulging the usual bold face of the Nigerian big-man.
As a federal public servant, my oath of allegiance appropriately stood with the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not the big men whose conduct I was privileged to witness at close quarters. People like Alhaji Atiku think that loyalty to them should be the goal of a public officer, and that it should trump the oath of allegiance to the country.
Our Alhaji Atiku is already running for 2019, and he thinks that he can make people like us collateral damage in his attempt to rejuvenate his image. This obsession for power inclined him to support the rebellion against the party that manifested in the National Assembly, and is continuing with obvious disrespect for the incumbent president. Everyone knows that I support and will continue to work for the success of President Muhammadu Buhari as he leads our country through tough times.
Everyone is entitled to rehabilitation. But that often requires coming clean with the people. Can Alhaji Atiku explain the findings in the report of the United States Senate Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigations which detailed a pattern of wire transfers of more than USD 40m from offshore companies like Siemens into bank accounts controlled by him and one of his wives. The report detailing the US Senate findings is online, as one of four case histories of foreign corruption in the USA. Alhaji Atiku should tell a better tale of why he is avoiding America.
Someone as obsessed by Nigeria’s presidency as he is, should clear up such matters conclusively. We wait to see how well he does with that.
Signed
Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai
15th November 2016

Dasuki reportedly turned down Federal Government offer to attend father's burial
Detained former national security adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki reportedly rejected the offer made by the federal government to attend his father's burial.
Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazaum disclosed this to newsmen in Sokoto today after Dasuki's father's burial, the 18th sultan, who died on Monday night. He said the federal government first offered to allow him to visit his sick father at the hospital some days ago but he declined, saying he preferred to remain in detention and pray for him.

"A second offer was also made to him Monday night to be taken to Sokoto to lead the mourning for his deceased, and he again turned down the offer," Dambazau said.
Speaking after the burial at the Sultan Bello Mosque, Dambazau said he conferred with the DSS DG, Lawal Daura, on the need to allow Dasuki to visit his grieving family.
"Let me correct the impression that Col Sambo Dasuki was prevented from attending the burial rites of his father. We had discussed with the DG SSS and he was offered the opportunity to visit his late father on his hospital bed in Abuja. He declined, saying he preferred to remain where he was and pray for his sick father. He was also offered to be in Sokoto throughout the mourning period and also declined, preferring to pray for him. That was the true situation."
The former NSA has been in detention for over a year for alleged misappropriation of funds meant for the purchase of arms under the Goodluck Jonathan's administration.

Okorocha others Drums Support For Akeredolu
Rochas Okorocha and other APC heqvy weights werev in Akure recently to campaign for the APC Candidate in Ondo State, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN.
Gov Okorocha made several visits to the Igbo and Hausa communities, Deji of Akure and other community and market leaders on the need to vote the erudite lawyer in as governor and as well as to link up the state to the national political grid. The governor as took the campaign to the ordinary people on the streets of Akure in a grand style of meet the electorates.

He was accompanied by his Adviser on Youths, Hon Kenneth Emelu, SA Lagos Liaison, Barr Chief Steve Asimobi, Rev Johnson Ayozie etc

Shocking Graphic Photos! CARNIBALISM AT IT'S WORST.
Police ARRESTED Two Men in Kiboga For Carnibalism
We always hear these stories but some of us end up convincing our selves that they are not true but perhaps this shocking story might change our thinking . Yesterdy afternoon, Saturday 29th October, Police has captured two men red handed while feeding on human flesh while still even possessing some of the yet to be cooked bodies.
According to residents of Kiboga, a village located along Hoima road, these two men have been killing and feeding on fellow village mates as people have always been disappearing without any trace not until these two men were suspected and later on captured with all the needed evidence.

1 person reached

The Central Bank of Nigeria has fined Standard Chartered Bank N2billion for foreign exchange infraction, an authoritative source told Thisday wednesday.

The bank, according to the source, drew the apex bank’s anger for buying $25million at the official rate and selling same way above the inter-bank market rate.

Apart from the hefty fine, the commercial bank’s treasurer is also said to have been suspended by the apex bank that has been battling to rein in unwholesome banking industry practises that have engendered a huge differential between the inter-bank and parallel market rates.

As part of its efforts to bridge the wide gap between the interbank and the Bureau De Change (BDC) segments of the foreign exchange (FX) market, the apex bank, the State Security Service (SSS), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Bureau De Change Operators (BDCs) also met yesterday over the need for the BDCs to adhere to the rules governing foreign exchange transactions.

A reliable source, who attended the closed-door meeting, said the federal government was concerned about the disparity in the FX rate among the three markets.

According to the source, the CBN and the security agencies present at the meeting made the BDC operators to understand that a lot of foreign investors are not comfortable with the wide gap between the three arms of the FX market and would only come in if the situation is addressed.

Therefore, it is anticipated that the initiative would encourage the inflow of FX from foreign portfolio investors.

The President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Mr. Aminu Gwadabe, who confirmed the development in a phone interview yesterday, said his members had pledged to cooperate with the government.

He explained: “We were told to follow the rules and make sure we cooperate with them. We have agreed to carry our members along on that, in ensuring that compliance is strictly observed. We have been sensitising our members and we have been holding meetings.

“We want to have same regulation that is happening within the banking industry for BDCs. If you go to any bank, you see the FX rates written boldly. So, we have promised the government that we would adhere to the rules. So, we are looking at a rate between N390/$ and N400/$. That is, we buy at N390/$ and sell at N400 to retail customers.”

He said the initiative was to make the parallel market unattractive.

“We already have a Rate Regulation Committee and we have an Enforcement and Surveillance Committee as well as a Sensitisation Committee. So, our business is now under strict surveillance by the security agencies and we have to protect it,” the ABCON president added.

THISDAY, however, learnt last night that some BDC operators who were caught selling FX above the stipulated limit were arrested by security agencies, both in Lagos and Abuja. Those arrested would be prosecuted in order to discourage others from flouting the FX regulations as well as the federal government’s objective.

A top executive of ABCON, who said he was not aware of the arrest, declined to comment on the exact number of BDC operators arrested.

Meanwhile, the naira reacted positively to the development on the parallel market as it appreciated to N460 to the dollar yesterday, stronger than the N465 to the dollar it closed the previous say. On the interbank FX market, the spot rate of the naira closed at N307.76 to the dollar yesterday, just as it went for N385 to the dollar on the BDC segment.

In a related development, the stock market reacted negatively to the news of Donald Trump’s election as US president. Specifically, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index (ASI) fell by 0.72 per cent to 26,173.69, while market capitalisation shed N65.6 billion to close at N9.0 trillion.

Although the market has been bearish in the past six trading days, operators said the surprising victory of Trump must have further dampened investors’ confidence.

“We acknowledge the possibility that the surprise victory of Trump in the US presidential election could potentially further dampen sentiments, as investors weigh the potential impact on the country given the close trade relationship between Nigeria and the US,” analysts at Meristem Securities Limited said.

The global markets were calm as the S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq stock indexes in the US were little changed after the first hour of trading.

The pre-open future markets forecast dramatic sell-offs when Trump’s lead became clear overnight.

Share traders had expected Hillary Clinton to beat Mr. Trump to become the next US president on the back of polling forecasts.

UK and European stock markets have made early losses, with money flowing into safe haven stocks, gold and currencies including the yen.

The UK’s FTSE 100 index initially dropped two per cent before recovering its losses to show a gain of 0.8 per cent in afternoon trading.

France’s Cac index and Germany’s Dax were back in positive territory after erasing losses of more than two per cent.

Yahaya Bello, is not dead, he is hale and hearty- Media aide says

Yahaya Bello, is not dead, he is hale and hearty- Media aide says

. The DG Media and Publicity to the governor, Fanwo Kingsley, this morning released a statement denouncing the rumor. According to him, Governor Yahaya is currently on break for two weeks and would resume office on Saturday November 12th. Read the statement after...

One year after, APC hasn't been able to manage its God-given victory-Rochas Okorocha

One year after, APC hasn't been able to manage its God-given victory-Rochas Okorocha

Imo state Governor and Chairman of the APC Governors forum, Rochas Okorocha, has said that APC has not been able to manage its God-given victory very well, one year and several months after the party won the presidential election.

Okorocha said this when he paid a visit to APC members in the Senate. He visited the Senators to seek solutions to the cold relationship between the executive arm of government, the National Assembly and the party

"I am here because I am a stakeholder. I am here as the Chairman of the Progressives Governors' Forum - your friends and colleagues in the struggle. Mr. Senate President, leaders of these great Senate, you may recall a few years ago that we were all in the trenches, in battle, asking for change in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I recall vividly the role most of you played in that very struggle. We became a government when no one gave us a chance to be so. And shortly, Nigerians believed in us and entrusted us with the responsibility of leading this nation. But one year and several months after, we have not been able to manage this God-given victory very well and it is very worrisome, Mr. Senate President. That Nigerians expects so much from us but yet we seem to be in crisis within ourselves. Not crisis made by the opposition parties but crisis created by ourselves for ourselves and which has kept us in total difficult position that we are not making the headway we need to make as a party. One wonders then what went wrong. Where did we get it wrong? And after these troubles and after the much hope we have given to Nigerians, we still cannot work together as a party, as a family. And I noticed particularly that there is so much bitterness in the system - from the party, from the legislature, from the executive, from the governors - and it seems to me like there is no more platform for us to chant those old songs which we used to sing in the days of struggle for change. One wonders, was this what we were asking for or was this the change we were asking for. 

I think Nigerians expect so much from us and at the end of it all. Nigerians will not ask us, how many of each other we have been able to destroy or how many we have been able to bring down. But they will ask us how many plates of food have we put on the table of the common man who elected us. So, I am here Mr. President of the Senate to call for unity among us and our party. And to sheath our sword in whatever form anger has gotten to us. We noticed and we know that we are a party in majority at the National Assembly and we are a party with majority in the number of governors - state houses of assembly - but we notice there is no cordial relationship between the Governors, the Executive and the legislature. And let me reemphasize that in all these arms of government, it is only the legislature with the executive that are the elected members. Not the Judiciary. And Nigerians will hold us responsible as the executive and legislative arms of government. So, we must act quickly to ensure peace reigns among us. I have discussed with the party - that was my first point of call - to seek what we must do to forge a way forward. 

The Governors recently met with the President all in a bid to move this party forward and bring about unity. Today, I am before you, the Senate President, number three citizen of this country and I ask you to use your wisdom to bring peace among our party. We need to enjoy that very vibrancy for which the National Assembly has been known for. We need to enjoy those things that PDP used to enjoy when they were a majority in the National Assembly. The APC government must see you as majority in the National Assembly not minority in the house. My Senate President, my Senate President, my Senate President, to whom much is given, much is expected and two wrongs can never make a right. It takes one arm of a relationship to make good the other. I liken my situation to what I see in my own government that it is difficult to succeed as an executive if you do not have the proper support of the legislature. 

I will appeal that we make amends where possible to ensure smooth running of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And we intend again, to hold a meeting between the executive, the legislature and the governors and the presidency as soon as possible. I may suggest that His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, has also agreed to address the leadership of our party very soon. But before then, I think all the rough edges must be smoothened. So we can truly tell the world that we are the government in power - our government is in the majority. Again, I want to thank you for the time taken to receive me and pray that this very visit would mark a new beginning in our relationship. Thank you"he said

Man carrying human head arrested in Ghana

Man carrying human head arrested in Ghana

An unidentified man was apprehended on Sunday by the police after he was caught with a severed head of a lady at the Greater Accra campaign launch of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

According to several reports, the man who was almost killed by an angry mob before the intervention of the police, was caught carrying the severed head in a polythene bag to the campaign ground. The man is presently at the community 1 Police Station for investigation...

$2.1b Arms deals: Dasuki intends to call former Pres. Goodluck Jonathan as witness

$2.1b Arms deals: Dasuki intends to call former Pres. Goodluck Jonathan as witness

Former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki, who is currently on trial for alleged mismanagement of $2.1 billion arms funds, says he intends to invite former President Goodluck Jonathan as his witness.
Jonathan has in the past condemned the charges against Dasuki, claiming that there is no way the ex-NSA could have stolen about $2.2billion funds for arms.

Dr. Jonathan said:

“We bought warships, we bought aircraft, we bought lots of weapons for the army,” he said in a recent interview at the Oxford Union in the United Kingdom.

Speaking with The Nation correspondent, Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), the ex-NSA’s counsel, said Dasuki wanted Jonathan to testify in court on his behalf.
Raji said:

“It will be desirable for Jonathan to testify for the ex-NSA. It will throw greater light into grey areas. And it will serve the interest of Justice. It will be fantastic for him to go to court to testify. Dasuki is an agent of a disclosed and known principal.”

Another member of Dasuki's legal team said:

“With what Jonathan said in London, the only logical thing for him to do is to see it through.

“We want Jonathan to follow-through. If he backs out, it will be bad.” But, in Raji’s view, a political solution will be better than trial because of the “characters involved”. He said: “But, frankly speaking, I pray for a political solution to the problem because of the characters involved.xx

“Both the accused and the government should embrace a political solution to the problem.”

When asked if Dasuki was ready to proffer a political solution, he answered:

“Why not? He is. He added:

”I believe the President is very sincere. He wants to reorganise Nigeria and he deserves the support of all.

“With a political solution, Mr. President will be in good stead to overcome unnecessary distractions in order to succeed. “I pray that everybody will key into his vision and the economic challenges facing the nation.” Those point of advising a political solution is that it will not be “tidy” for Dasuki to mention all those who got money from his office. Among them, said a source, are a prominent traditional ruler in the North, who reportedly got N500 million and a former Head of State. A source, who spoke in confidence, said Dasuki’s defence team was banking on Jonathan’s testimony. The source said: “All is set for the defence of Dasuki, who is still insisting on an open trial to let Nigerians know the beneficiaries of the arms cash.

“One of those who may testify is ex-President Goodluck Jonathan whose remarks in London appeared to be the first phase of the war chest of the ex-NSA. 

“You know the ex-NSA said he acted on Jonathan’s instructions in disbursing some of the cash. And from the look of things, the ex-President is now ready to accept responsibility for whatever Dasuki did. 

“We believe it has reached a level that Nigerians must know what really happened, how funds were disbursed and who got what. “This is why a secret trial is not a viable option, with the way things are going.”

“So far, we have secured the consent of Jonathan to appear in court for Dasuki. This will make the trial worth it.”

Dasuki had on December 13, 2015 said he disbursed the funds on Jonathan’s instructions.

The ex-NSA said:

“I wish to state as follows: That I have been publicly indicted and any statement may jeopardise my defence. Having been briefed by the EFCC investigators on why I was invited, I will answer the charges in court. As such, I do not wish to make any further statement on the matter.

“That I am aware in November (I cannot remember the exact date), my office requested the CBN to exchange N10billion from the account of the Office of National Security Adviser domiciled in CBN. The money was exchanged at $47m and some Euros which I cannot remember. The exact amount was delivered at my residence.

“The money was for delegates that attended the nomination convention for the PDP. Presidential nomination. The money was paid and sent to Hon. (Waripamowei) Dudafa (SSAP Household) and ADC(C-I-C) for distribution on the instruction of the President.

“Based on the statement of Director of Finance and Administration (Salisu), Ibrahim Wambai, and Yazidu Ibrahim, all the cash (both foreign and local) are usually given to them for official use. “I also noted the statement of Sagir Bafarawa whose company is Dalhatu Investment in which he stated that he received the sum of N4,633,000,000 from the account of the Office of the NSA. I authorised the payment . The money was for vehicles, motorcycles for youth empowerment and women sent to Saudi Arabia. I got the proposal from the President. I do not have the proposal; it should be at the office in the Villa.”

$7 billion: Why Falana must apologise to me – Soludo

Charles Soludo

A former Governor of the Central Bank, Chukwuma Soludo, has insisted that senior lawyer, Femi Falana, apologise for making incorrect allegations.
Mr. Falana had called for Mr. Soludo’s probe, after he accused the former bank chief of doling out $7 billion to commercial bankers while he was in office. The Senior Advocate claimed that the loan was never returned by the beneficiary banks.
Mr. Soludo has, however, clarified the disbursements; saying it was never a loan, but deposits placed in the appropriate banks by the federal government.
“I can’t believe that the learned and respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria does not know the difference between a bank LOAN and a bank DEPOSIT,” Mr. Soludo said.
The former Central Bank chief added that “none of the 14 Nigerian banks needed a loan or requested for a loan, and the CBN did not grant any loan with our foreign reserves.”
Read Mr. Soludo’s full statement below:

FEMI FALANA CONTINUES TO LIE: I INSIST ON HIS APOLOGY

Chukwuma Charles Soludo

I have just read further statement from Femi Falana in response to mine and his position that he does not need to apologize to me but that instead I may wish to direct my demand for apology to Mr. Festus Odoko (then head of corporate affairs at the CBN). I hereby further wish to state as follows:
When I read Falana’s original statement, claiming that he had “evidence”, that I ‘dolled out’ $7 billion of foreign reserves to banks as a LOAN, I denied the charge and challenged him to publish such evidence. His “evidence” turns out to be a newspaper report quoting the announcement by CBN through Mr. Odoko that “deposits worth $7 billion representing the apex bank’s share of the foreign reserves estimated at about $38 billion has been released to the consortium of bankers” (The Guardian newspaper of 5/10/2006). The same newspaper report noted that the Investment Committee of the CBN (charged with responsibility for deciding where and how our foreign reserves should be kept) approved the decision to allow 14 Nigerian banks with capital base of more than $500 million to be part of the consortium of banks that hold our foreign reserves as deposits.
In all honesty, I can’t believe that the learned and respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria does not know the difference between a bank LOAN and a bank DEPOSIT, and there is no way I would have imagined that he was referring to the deposits with banks as LOAN. As I stated in my earlier response, Nigeria’s foreign reserves are required by law to be kept in foreign currency abroad. This has been kept either as deposits in banks or invested in sovereign instruments such as the US treasury bill. Before 2006, none of the Nigerian banks was considered big enough or with the infrastructure to manage our foreign reserves. Consequently, our reserves were kept with a consortium of other countries’ banks such as JP Morgan Chase, USA, UBS of Switzerland, Citibank, USA, Bank for International Settlement (BIS), Switzerland, etc. Indeed, in much of the 1990s especially under Gen. Abacha, our reserves were almost exclusively kept with BIS Switzerland.
After the consolidation of banks by December 2005 and as part of our long term vision that Nigerian banks should ultimately take charge and manage Nigeria’s entire foreign reserves, the CBN took the patriotic step of allowing the biggest of our banks to join the consortium of other countries’ banks holding our reserves as deposits. The CBN decided as a first step to give the biggest Nigerian banks a small portion of our reserves, $7 billion as deposits, while the remaining $31 billion as at that date remained with other countries’ banks as deposits and other investments.
It is interesting that Femi Falana would refer to the deposits held by Nigerian banks as LOAN while saying nothing about the other deposits with other countries’ banks.
Let me state that none of the 14 Nigerian banks needed a loan or requested for a loan, and the CBN did not grant any loan with our foreign reserves. As I stated in my earlier statement, the CBN Act does not allow the CBN to grant loans with our reserves to banks, and no loan was ever made. Chief Falana is therefore looking for a repayment of a LOAN by banks that never existed in the first instance. Under my tenure, Nigeria’s foreign reserves grew from $10 billion to all time high of over $62 billion and due to our efficient management, Nigeria never lost a penny of it.
Finally, I must say that I don’t believe any of the conspiracy theories flying around, including those who question the motive, timing, and content of his bogus claims, and some even allude to it as a hatchet job. Going into the archives to fish out a newspaper report of 10 years ago about deposits and making up a fantasy story around it to become a loan, could give anyone cause for suspicion. Even several of the allegations against my successor, Emir Sanusi, are laughable and betray a lack of most elementary knowledge of how a bank such as the CBN works. As one of his admirers, I want to believe that this is one of those cases he is proving to be human after all and therefore could get his facts completely wrong. It may be challenging for him to admit his error and apologize, but if he is not on a mission, it is the only honourable thing for him to do.

FASHOLA SPEAKS !!!
"Our government of yesterday expressed its preference for providing ‘infrastructure of the stomach’, giving handouts instead of real infrastructure.
“This is how the seeds of today’s recession were sown. For those who say that today’s government should stop talking about yesterday, with due respect, I disagree.

“Yesterday will remain relevant in understanding today in order to make choices that make tomorrow different and better.
“I once used the allegory of the patient, and I think it deserves repetition. If a patient complains about stomach pain, the first question that the physician is likely to ask is: ‘What did you eat yesterday?’
“The answer helps the physician make a diagnosis and choose a prescription first to solve the problem, and to recommend further dietary habits about what to eat and what not to eat. This is what the current leadership is addressing.
"That we wasted our money, we did not invest in roads, highways, bridges, schools and hospitals. Money was taken out of the larger society and invested in private accounts. The economy began to shrink, construction companies laid off workers, who in turn lost income, which resulted in shrinking demand for goods and services, and in turn led to national under-productivity.
“That was what we ate yesterday. The stomach pain is comparable to symptoms of bad dietary choices that manifest in the recession we now deal with.
“The solution is to spend on infrastructure, which has started. The recovery time is a function of what we can spend and how quickly it will go round… If an arid area of land has not witnessed rainfall in two to three years, you know what happens when the first rain falls. It literally disappears into the ground.
“In order to reach a point where any moisture is visible in the soil that may support the germination of a seed to be planted, more rain water needs to be injected. This is the best analogy I can offer for where our national economy is......."
BABATUNDE FASHOLA.

*FACTS ABOUT NIGERIA YOU MAY NEVER HAVE KNOWN*
You may already know that Nigeria is the largest black nation in the world and the
most populous nation in Africa.
You may already know that Nigeria has great dependency on crude oil, plus all the other opinions of David Cameron.
Here are *20 popular *facts* about Nigeria.
1. Are you aware that all over the world Nigerians are setting the pace and becoming the standard by which others measure themselves? Do you know??
2. In the US, Nigerians are the most educated immigrant
community. Type it into Google and you’ll see it. Not one of
the most educated, the most educated.
3. 60% of Nigerians in the US have college degrees. This is far
above the American national average of 30%.
4. Nigerians in US are one of the highest earners, typically earning 25% more than the median US income of $53k.
5. In Ivy League schools in Europe and America, Nigerians
routinely outperform their peers from other nations.
6. A Nigerian family, The Imafidon family, have officially been named the smartest family in the UK.
7. The designer of the famous car, Chevrolet Volt, Jelani Aliyu,
is a super talented Nigerian from Sokoto State.
8. The World’s fastest supercomputer was designed by a world renowned inventor and scientist, Philip Emeagwali, a full-blown Nigerian whose patency was awarded in 2015. This means Nigeria has the patency to the world’s fastest computer: a Black Nigerian.
9. The wealthiest Black man and woman on earth are Nigerians, Aliko Dangote and Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija. Both have no trace of criminal record of any kind.
10. South Africa couldn’t have ended apartheid & achieved
Black rule if not for the leadership role Nigeria played.
11. Of the 3 South African Presidents who ruled after apartheid, two of them once
lived in Nigeria under asylum. Both Nelson Mandela (60s) and
Thabo Mbeki (70s) lived in Nigeria before becoming President of South Africa. We gave financial support, human support, boycotted an Olympics and our politicians, musicians and activists campaigned relentlessly.
12. Nigeria spent over $3 Billion and lost hundreds of soldiers to end the wars in both Liberia and Sierra Leone which the world ignored because they have no oil.
13. When there was a coup in São Tomé and Príncipe in 2003,
Nigeria restored the elected President back to power.
14. Before there were street lights in European cities, ancient
Benin kingdom had street lights fueled by palm oil.
15. 500 years ago, Benin casted metal alloys to create magnificent art including the world famous Queen Ida Mask.
16. Amina was a warrior queen who ruled Zaria Emirate in
Kaduna state, Northwestern Nigeria 400 years ago in 1610. Google and see what she means to Africa.
17. We gave monetary gifts to Ireland during our oil boom and
built a statue for France free of charge. We are not poor blacks. Nigeria is rich and don’t be lied to.
18. The first television station in Africa was NTA Ibadan (1960) long before Ireland has their RTE station.
=========
Wherever you look in this great country, Nigeria, heroes abound both now and in our recent and ancient past. If all you do is listen to mainstream Western media, you’ll not get the full
picture of your Nigerian heritage.
Do not listen to any leader who says Nigerians are criminals,
no matter who he is, or his height and position. We’re not a nation of scammers, drugs &
corruption, but a people with a verifiable track record of greatness.
==========
Here is what CNN, BBC, Aljezeera and western media will not tell you about Nigerians:
19. On the 7th May, 2016 at Howard University in Washington D.C history was
made. Out of 96 graduating Doctor of Pharmacy candidates,
43 of them were Nigerians and out of 27 awards given, 16 went to Nigerians. The entire world still envies our uniqueness as a NATION with living together despite our ethnic diversity. One single country with over 400 languages. They will only tell you how Nigerians are scammers and cheats, how Nigerians are into drugs overseas et al.
If you don’t blow your trumpet, no one will blow it for you.
VIVA NAIJA!!!
20. There are over 180,000,000 Nigerians world over and only less than 250,000 of this figure have traceable criminal records. This is about 0.14% of our entire national population in the last 20 years: nothing close to 1%. Shame on global media.
Listen Nigeria, don't let anybody woo you into believing that you are a criminal just because you are a Nigerian. Nigerians are
NOT criminals. You are NOT a criminal. You are topnotch; second to none around the world.
I am proud am created a Nigerian, thank you God.
Be proud of Nigeria wherever you go. Take out your Passport with pride.
Be proud of our GREEN HERITAGE.
Be enthusiastic of our FUTURE

“We got into trouble as a country, because we did not save for the rainy day. For example, between 1999 and 2015, when we produced an average of 2.1 million barrels of oil per day, and oil prices stood at an average of $100 per barrel, we did not save, neither did we develop infrastructure. Suddenly, when we came in 2015, oil prices fell to about 30 dollars per barrel.
“I asked; where are the savings? There were none. Where are the railways? The roads? Power? None. I further asked; what did we do with billions of dollars that we made over the years? They said we bought food. Food with billions of dollars? I did not believe, and still do not believe.

“In most parts of Nigeria, we eat what we grow. People in the south eat tubers, those in the north eat grains, which they plant, and those constitute over 60 per cent of what we eat. So, where did the billions of dollars go? We did a lot of damage to ourselves by not developing infrastructure when we had the money.
“Those who stole Nigeria dry are not happy. They recruited the militants against us in the Niger Delta, and began to sabotage oil infrastructure. We lose millions of barrels per day, at a time when every dollar we can earn, counts. It is a disgrace that a minimum of 27 states, out of 36 that we have in Nigeria, can’t pay salaries.”
- President Muhammadu Buhari (while speaking in New York when he hosted Nigerian professionals based in the United States of America on Friday, Sept. 23, 2016).

MMM ZIMBABWE CRASHES....

THOUSANDS of people, among them civil servants and vendors, have lost thousands of dollars to fraudulent online pyramid scheme MMM Global Zimbabwe after it collapsed recently. The social financial network, which relied on an accelerating number of new members to pay off the old, abruptly terminated its services last week leaving participants stranded.

This comes as Econet’s mobile financial service platform, EcoCash yesterday distanced itself from the pyramid scheme. Participants claimed they were using EcoCash for their transactions.

Zimbabweans have in the past months been joining the online investment scheme in droves in a bid “to get rich quickly”. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe warned people that the scheme was fraudulent and there was no legal recourse in the event they lost their money.

The central bank said MMM, which advertises its operations through a website and recruiting agents, was not a registered or regulated entity. EcoCash yesterday said: “We have noted that some of these pyramid schemes are allegedly advertising in a manner that suggests that the Ecocash facility is a medium for prospective members to deposit their money. This is not correct.

“We advise our valued customers and all stakeholders that Ecocash is a licensed mobile payment platform that enables customers to make financial transactions such as sending money, buying prepaid airtime as well as paying for goods and services within the confines of the law of Zimbabwe. EcoCash promotes safe and legal transactions but will not be held liable for any losses arising from the use of EcoCash to engage in illegal activities such as Ponzi schemes.”

The scheme advertises itself as a mutual aid fund under which recruited members contribute money to assist others and are promised investment returns of 30 percent per month. Some of the people left counting their losses told The Herald that they received emails that the scheme had been suspended until September 15.

“All along things were moving in the right direction and we now have nowhere to claim our investments,” said Mr Tinashe Muza of Harare.

“When we started putting our funds in the scheme one could get assistance within seven days but things later changed to 14 days and when we were shut out the waiting period was 21 days. What it simply means is that the number of people in need of help has outnumbered the number of people joining. Right now we have nowhere to get our money which we invested.”

MMM stands for Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox and takes its name from its founder, Sergei Panteleevich Mavrodi of Russia. He founded MMM in 1989 and the scheme was declared bankrupt three years later leading to the disappearance of Mavrodi until his arrest in 2003.

Another victim, Mrs Rosemary Mawonde said: “We never thought the scheme would end this way as we believed that by using EcoCash to do the transactions, things were in order. I am surprised that EcoCash is also distancing itself from the scheme and it is clear that I will never recover the $300 that I invested.”

While some people who were skeptical about the scheme started with small amounts, it is believed some poured in thousands of dollars anticipating higher returns. The RBZ said the schemes were fraudulent as existing investors were ‘paid money not from genuine market investment of their funds, but from contributions made by new investors, until a point when the scheme can no longer attract new investors,”

“The participants are made aware that they make their money by recruiting new members who in turn must recruit more members,” warned the Central Bank.