LETTER TO NIGERIAN PARENTS
This is from a friend.
Dear All- Let’s be real.
I wish to start by adding the benefit of my time as a student and then resident in the UK. Living in Abuja now. The first thing that I discovered about UK-born, white, English undergraduates was that all of them did holiday or weekend job to support themselves – including the children of millionaires amongst them. It is the norm over there – regardless of how wealthy their parents are. And I soon discovered that virtually all other foreign students did the same – except status – conscious Nigerians.

I also watched Richard Branson (owner of Virgin Airline) speaking on the Biography Channel. To my amazement, he said that his young children travel in the economy class – even when the parents (he and his wife) are in upper class. Richard Branson is a billionaire in Pound sterling. A quick survey would show you that only children from Nigeria fly business or upper class to commence their studies in the UK. No other foreign students do this. There is no aircraft attached to the office of the Prime Minister in the UK. He travels on BA. And the same goes for the Royals. The Queen does not have an aircraft for her exclusive use.

These practices simply become the culture which the next generation carries forward. Have you seen the car that Kate Middleton (the wife of Prince William) drives? VW Golf or something close to it. But there’s one core difference between them and us (generally speaking), they (even the billionaires among them) work for their money, most of us steal ours
If we want our children to bring about the desired change we have been praying for on behalf of our dear country, then please, please let’s begin now and teach them to work hard so they can stand alone and most importantly be content and not having to “steal” which seems to be the norm these days.

We have Nigerian Children who have never worked for 5 minutes in their lives insisting on flying “only” first or business class and using the latest cars fully paid for by their “loving “ parents.

I often get calls from anxious parents”my son graduated 2 years ago and is still looking for a job, can you please assist!”
“Oh really! So where exactly is “THIS CHILD?” is my usual question. “Why are you the one making this call dad/mum?

I am yet to get a satisfactory answer, but between you and me, chances are that the big boy is cruising around Abuja with a babe dresses to the nines, in his dad’s spanking new SUV with enough “pocket money” to put your salary to shame. It is not at all strange to hear a 28 year old who has NEVER worked for a day in his or her life in Nigeria but “earns” a six figure “salary” from parents for doing absolutely nothing
I see them in my office once in a while, 26 years old with absolutely no skill to sell apart from a shiny CV, written by his dad’s secretary in the office. Of course, he has a driver at his beck and call and he is driven to the job interview. We have a fairly decent conversation and we get to the inevitable question- so, what salary are you looking to earn? Answer comes straight out – N250,000.00. I ask if that is per month or per annum.
“Of course, it is per month”
“Oh, why do you think you should be earning that much on your first job?”
“Well, because my current pocket money is N200,000.00 and I feel any employer should be able to pay me more than my parents.”

No wonder corruption continues to thrive. We have a society of young people who have been brought up to expect something for nothing, as if it were a birthright. Even though the examples I have given above are from parents of considerable affluence, similar patterns can be observed from Abeokuta to Adamawa.
Wake up mum! Wake up dad! This syndrome – “my children will not suffer what I suffered is destroying your tomorrow. You are practically loving your child to death.

I learnt the children of a former Nigeria Head of State with all the stolen (billions) monies in their custody, still go about with security escort as wrecks. They are on drugs, several time because of the drug, they collapse in public places. The escort will quickly pack them and off they go. What a life! No one wants to marry them.

Henry Ford said “hard work does not kill.” We are getting everything wrong in Nigeria now, including family setting. It is time to prepare your children for tomorrow, the way the world is going, only those that are rugged, hard working and smart working that will survive. How will your ward fare?
Please forward this to all parents you know…

MAKE TODAY COUNT

MAKE TODAY COUNT
Each day is given to us as an opportunity for improvement and progress. No day should leave you the way it met you. Things need to change on your inside on a daily basis and that happens when you take in information and learn something new.
Today is an opportunity for you to take a step forward and succeed like you have never succeeded before.
What makes each day count?
it is the passage of time that is converted to achievement and fulfillment. This is when we have measurable goals and specific targets. So if we achieve our targets,we have converted this day into the achievement of a particular purpose or goal.
What you do with your time is literally what you are doing with your life. This is why you cannot afford to waste your time. To waste time is to waste life. Time expended can never be recovered again.
When we set goals,we give ourselves the opportunity to convert time to progress.

THE SCHOOL CALLED MARRIAGE

THE SCHOOL CALLED MARRIAGE

Marriage is the only school where you get the Certificate before you start.
It's also a school where you will never graduate.
It's a school without a break or a free period.
It's a school where no one is allowed to drop out.
It's a school you will have to attend every day of your life.
It's a school where there is no sick leave or holidays.
It's a school founded by God:
1.On the foundation of love.
2.The walls are made out of trust.
3.The door made out of acceptance.
4.The windows made out of understanding
5.The furniture made out of blessings
6.The roof made out of faith.
Be reminded that you are just a student not the principal.
God is the only Principal.
Even in times of storms, don't be unwise and run outside.
Keep in mind that, this school is the safest place to be.
Never go to sleep before completing your
assignments for the day.
Never forget the C-word...Communicate.
Communicate with your classmate and with the Principal.
If you find out something in your classmate (spouse) that you do not appreciate,
Remember your classmate is also just a student not a graduate,
God is not finished with him/her yet.
So take it as a challenge and work on it together.
Do not forget to study the Holy Book (the main textbook of this school).
Start each day with a sacred assembly and end it the same way.
Sometimes you will feel like not attending classes, yet you have to.
When tempted to quit find courage and continue.
Some tests and exams may be tough but remember,
the Principal knows how much you can bear and yet
it's a school better than any other.
It's one of the best schools on earth;
joy, peace and happiness accompany each lesson of the day.
Different subjects are offered in this school, yet love is the major subject.
After all the years of theorizing about it, now you have a chance to practice it.
To be loved is a good thing, but to love is the greatest privilege of them all.
Marriage is a place of love, so love your spouse.
More grace from God.

PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI’S 55th YEAR INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATION BROADCAST ON THURSDAY 1st OCTOBER,2015.

October 1st is a day for joy and celebrations for us Nigerians whatever the circumstances we find ourselves in because it is the day, 55 years ago; we liberated ourselves from the shackles of colonialism and began our long march to nationhood and to greatness.

No temporary problems or passing challenges should stop us from honoring this day. Let us remind ourselves of the gifts God has given us. Our Creator has bequeathed to us Numbers – Nigeria is the ninth most populated country on the planet. We have in addition:

• Arable land
• Water
• Forests
• Oil and gas
• Coastline
• Solid minerals

We have all the attributes of a great nation. We are not there yet because the one commodity we have been unable to exploit to the fullest is unity of purpose. This would have enabled us to achieve not only more orderly political evolution and integration but also continuity and economic progress.

Countries far less endowed have made greater economic progress by greater coherence and unity of purpose.

Nonetheless, that we have remained together is an achievement we should all appreciate and try to consolidate. We have witnessed this year a sea change in our democratic development. The fact that an opposition party replaced an entrenched government in a free and fair election is indicative of the deeper roots of our democratic system. Whatever one’s views are, Nigerians must thank former President Jonathan for not digging-in in the face of defeat and thereby saving the country untold consequences.

As I said in my inaugural speech, I bear no ill will against anyone on past events. Nobody should fear anything from me. We are not after anyone. People should only fear the consequences of their actions. I hereby invite everyone, whatever his or her political view to join me in working for the nation.

My countrymen and women, every new government inherits problems. Ours was no different. But what Nigerians want are solutions, quick solutions not a recitation of problems inherited. Accordingly, after consultations with the Vice President, senior party leaders and other senior stakeholders, I quickly got down to work on the immediate, medium-term and long-term problems which we must solve if we are to maintain the confidence which Nigerians so generously bestowed on us in the March elections and since then.

As you know, I toured the neighboring countries, marshal a coalition of armed forces of the five nations to confront and defeat Boko Haram. I met also the G7 leaders and other friendly presidents in an effort to build an international coalition against Boko Haram. Our gallant armed forces under new leadership have taken the battle to the insurgents, and severely weakened their logistical and infrastructural capabilities. Boko Haram are being scattered and are on the run. That they are resorting to shameless attacks on soft targets such as I.D.P. camps is indicative of their cowardice and desperation. I have instructed security and local authorities to tighten vigilance in vulnerable places. 

On power, government officials have held a series of long sessions over several weeks about the best way to improve the nation’s power supply in the safest and most cost effective way. In the meantime, improvement in the power supply is moderately encouraging. By the same token, supply of petrol and kerosene to the public has improved throughout the country. All the early signs are that within months the whole country would begin to feel a change for the better.

Preliminary steps have been taken to sanitize NNPC and improve its operations so that the inefficiency and corruption could be reduced to a minimum. Those of our refineries which can be serviced and brought back into partial production would be enabled to resume operations so that the whole sordid business of exporting crude and importing finished products in dubious transactions could be stopped.

In addition to NNPC, I have ordered for a complete audit of our other revenue generating agencies mainly CBN, FIRS, Customs, NCC, for better service delivery to the nation. Prudent housekeeping is needed now more than ever in view of the sharp decline in world market oil prices. It is a challenge we have to face squarely. But what counts is not so much what accrues but how we manage our resources that is important.

We have seen in the last few years how huge resources were mismanaged, squandered and wasted. The new APC government is embarking on a clean up, introducing prudence and probity in public financing.

At an early stage, the federal government addressed the issue of salary arrears in many states, a situation capable of degenerating into social unrest. The APC government stepped in to provide short-term support to the owing states and enabled them to pay off the backlog and restore the livelihood of millions of Nigerians.

Fellow Nigerians, there have been a lot of anxiety and impatience over the apparent delay in announcement of ministers. There is no cause to be anxious. Our government set out to do things methodically and properly. We received the handing over notes from the outgoing government only four days before taking over. Consequently, the Joda Transition Committee submitted its Report on the reorganization of Federal Government structure after studying the hand over notes. It would have been haphazard to announce ministers when the government had not finalized the number of ministries to optimally carry the burden of governance.

Anyway, the wait is over. The first set of names for ministerial nominees for confirmation has been sent to the senate. Subsequent lists will be forwarded in due course. Impatience is not a virtue. Order is more vital than speed. Careful and deliberate decisions after consultations get far better results. And better results for our country is what the APC government for CHANGE is all about.

I would like to end my address this morning on our agenda for CHANGE. Change does not just happen. You and I and all of us must appreciate that we all have our part to play if we want to bring CHANGE about. We must change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust. We must change our unruly behavior in schools, hospitals, market places, motor parks, on the roads, in homes and offices. To bring about change, we must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizen 

Happy Independene Celebrations. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. God Bless.

5 clear signs your partner is just using you

First of all, a user is someone who brings nothing to the table but collects everything on it.  When you are deeply in love with this person, it’s hard to find out if their true character.

They can listen to your problems and ask you enough questions to know who much they can collect before talking a walk. It may not be in financial terms, they also drain you of your precious time and resources.

According to Beliefnet, here are some warning signs that your partner may just be using you:

1. They never pay for anything: A user will always make excuses and are really tight fisted. They spend a lot when it’s your turn to foot the bills but will always complain and constantly make excuses when it’s their turn.

2. They never cease to ask for help: And they don’t care if their request will put you into trouble. They get used to you supporting them because they believe you’ll always say yes. Their true colors begin to show when you start saying no to their absurd requests.

3. They’ll never inconvenience themselves for you: Users are actually the last person to depend on when you are in dire need of help. They can try to show up during emergencies but will never let you hear the end of their good deed for you. They are good at keeping scores too.

4. They are very selfish people and expect you to always support their visions and goals: They leave you drained all round, so much that you can’t muster enough strength to pursue your own dreams. They love the word “me” more than “us”.

5. They have little or no interest in your dreams: A relationship should be a mutual benefit thing but if it’s not that, then forget it. Your partner should always be your cheerleader doesn’t matter how badly you are beaten. Their strong presence in you dreams will put you back on your feet.

Happy independence day Nigeria

Quote of The Day:

Nobody should fear anything from me ,we 're not after anyone. People should only fear the consequences of their actions-----President Muhammadu Buhari (Independence Day Speech)

(News splash)

Photos: Buhari arrives New York for UN general meeting

President Buhari has arrived New York ahead of the UN general meeting. His delegation includes former Rivers and Ekiti state governors, Rotimi Ameachi and Kayode Fayemi, former house of representatives member Abike Dabiri Erewa, SSA Household & Domestic Sarki Abba, SSA Media & Publicity Femi Adesina, Senator Hadi Sirika and others.

He was received at JFK international airport by Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof Joy Ogwu, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Paul Bulus Lolo and National Security Adviser Rtd Maj. Gen. Monguno Babagana.