Offshore Banking
Offshore banking or Offshore banks refers to the many banking and investment institutions available in countries and jurisdictions other than the depositor’s home country. While technically any bank can be considered an Offshore bank when it meets the above criteria, the term is generally reserved for the banking institutions located in what are consider low-regulation, low-taxation “haven” jurisdictions.
Since their origin, Offshore banks tended to be unfairly portrayed by both media and the home jurisdictions alike--the accusations have ranged from tax evasion to money laundering, but careful examination of the true purpose of the Offshore banking accounts, and an unbiased examination of where illicit funds are truly held or “laundered” sheds light on the situation. Other false accusations have centered around criticism of unsafe environments, poor regulation, etc. Again, these could not be further from the truth. Most Offshore bank account jurisdictions of any repute have very sophisticated, stable banking regulations, and because it is in their best interest to attract and keep depositors, these regulations are geared towards meeting the needs of the depositor. Many of these jurisdictions rely on foreign capital held in their banks as their primary economic factor, and as their only source of foreign investment.
What is Offshore Banking?
The broad definition of an Offshore bank is that of a bank that is located in a jurisdiction or country that is different from the jurisdiction or country that the depositor or investor resides in. One of the many benefits of holding an Offshore banking account is that they are usually located in tax havens that provide substantial asset protection and confidentiality benefits to the bank account holder. These jurisdictions also often allow for a relaxation of restrictions with respect to the types of offshore banking accounts available to depositors or investors, and how then can be manipulated. This amounts to decreased regulation. The more popular offshore jurisdictions often provide a substantial decrease in tax liability. While technically any bank outside of a depositor’s home country can be called an “offshore bank”, for our purposes here we will focus only on those proven to provide quantifiable benefits as outlined above. These Offshore banks can be located in actual island-states such as the Caymans or Channel Islands, or in landlocked countries such as Switzerland--being surrounded by water is no longer a determining factor.
As mentioned in our opening paragraph, there are a number of misconceptions and myths associated with offshore bank accounts in these offshore financial centers... Are Offshore Banks the Haven of Money Launderers and Criminals? We have additional information on Offshore Bank Account Myths that should be taken into consideration.
Where Should an Offshore Bank Account be Established?
It is important that the proper jurisdiction be selected when deciding which jurisdiction to use as an offshore banking jurisdiction. The majority of the offshore jurisdictions have prudent, sound regulations in place geared towards safeguarding the deposits and maintaining their confidentiality. However, some weigh their benefits in taxation, while others in confidentiality, and so forth. Though they all offer a comparatively confidential and secure environment, it bears consideration to outline what the banking goals are and then choose the jurisdiction accordingly. A small minority of the offshore jurisdictions do a poor job of managing and regulating their banking institutions, but the informed investor or advisor will deem these as unsuitable for themselves or their clients. Further, these poorly organized and run jurisdictions are often manipulated by illicit depositors and hence prove easy targets of the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) looking for money laundering or other criminal activity.
History of Offshore Bank Accounts
It is an unfortunate fact that Europeans have always been subjected to relatively heavy tax burdens. This was as true on the British Isles as it was on the continent. Faced with the prospect of watching their hard earned assets and wealth diminish with every out-reach of the tax collector’s hand, they were ripe for a solution. And a solution came--the small, island nation state known as the Channel Islands convinced these frustrated depositors that deposits placed in its banks could be free from scrutiny and hence the heavy-handed taxation burden. The Euros were convinced--and soon this service thrived, with other small jurisdictions becoming savvy to this foreign capital-attracting status and they began to revamp their banking institutions, adopting sound, pragmatic banking rules and regulations that eased the potential concerns of investors and depositors. The Offshore bank was off to a running start!
And soon the term “Offshore banking” became synonymous with any smaller, haven jurisdiction that offered safe, secure, confidential banking with practical regulations. Soon the rest of the world was “in the know”, and began to look at these havens as viable solutions to their needs. Americans, Africans, Asians, etc., found these Offshore bank accounts quite useful for a myriad of reasons. Unlike their banks at home, these Offshore banks were not regularly subjected to political turmoil or economic strife, and were most welcome for their stability and asset protection benefits.
In the years since they have come into greater use and thus more visible, offshore banking accounts have been unfairly portrayed by the media and by the larger jurisdictions as the stomping grounds of the criminal underground--a veritable haven for their illicitly-obtained assets and funds, or the choice locales for their money-laundering schemes. Money-wise investors and depositors have long known that these prejudices could not be further from the truth. They know that offshore banks can be remarkably effective havens for assets and funds in need of safe, secure, confidential keeping. They know that these banks can safeguard their funds from the perils of civil, economic, or political strife in their home countries. Today, offshore banks continue to keep their end of the bargain and continue to provide a safe, confidential haven for those seeking to safeguard their assets and funds from the perils of undue regulation and taxation.
Many a discriminating depositor has benefited from the safe, confidential, and low taxation environment that an Offshore banking account has to offer. While it is important to assess your goals and discuss these with a competent, experienced agent before leaping into un-chartered waters, there are many unquestionable benefits provided by establishing an Offshore bank account. Their reputation among depositors and investors for providing a viable banking location featuring protection from liability and confidentiality is growing, and Offshore banks will continue with this hard-earned reputation for asset protection, tax reduction, and superb confidentiality of deposits.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
THE GROWTH IN NIGERIAN ECONOMY
Benefits of govt, private sector partnership.
FOR the country to play active role in global economy, compete favourably and eventually become the financial hub of the continent, there is a dare need for a stronger collaboration between the government and the private sector.
This was the view of Mr. Simon Harford, the chief executive officer (CEO), Actis West Africa during a workshop on private equity 101 in Lagos recently.
Harford said serious infrastructural decay has been a cankerworm that has hindered the speedy growth of the Nigerian economy, stressing that improving the infrastructural states will go a long way to build a sustainable economy.
According to him: "If the economy is to be better, to the extent of it having positive impact on the people, an enabling environment, improved infrastructures, social security must not be found wanting."
"Jobs, I mean better paid job and the development of necessary social amenities like motorable roads, well equipped hospital, improved power sector must be worked upon with all seriousness."
For all these to become achievable, the Actis CEO said a collaborative efforts between the private sector and the government will do the magic.
His words: "Research over the years had shown that the private sector was more successful in an enabling environment for growth than the public sector.
"So, to me, everything has to be done to support initiatives of the private sector in their quest to help develop the economy. The capacity and strength to grow the economy is embedded in them."
To him, more private equity firms like Actis West Africa, would be interested in investing in the Nigerian economy, if the enabling environment to absorb such investments are created.
Speaking on private equity, Harford said when companies were funded by private equity funds from investments, such economies performed better than if they were funded by other means like stock market listings and bank facilities.
He said in less developed markets, the PE is more diverse, e.g. minority and/or stakes in public companies and/or earlier stage companies.
According to him, private equity is growing globally and emerging in Nigeria because of the following: Investor pressure for asset diversity and better returns; evidence of better returns from active majority investors; attractions of being non-quoted; executives favouring PE roles over public companies; more buoyant businesses available etc.
FOR the country to play active role in global economy, compete favourably and eventually become the financial hub of the continent, there is a dare need for a stronger collaboration between the government and the private sector.
This was the view of Mr. Simon Harford, the chief executive officer (CEO), Actis West Africa during a workshop on private equity 101 in Lagos recently.
Harford said serious infrastructural decay has been a cankerworm that has hindered the speedy growth of the Nigerian economy, stressing that improving the infrastructural states will go a long way to build a sustainable economy.
According to him: "If the economy is to be better, to the extent of it having positive impact on the people, an enabling environment, improved infrastructures, social security must not be found wanting."
"Jobs, I mean better paid job and the development of necessary social amenities like motorable roads, well equipped hospital, improved power sector must be worked upon with all seriousness."
For all these to become achievable, the Actis CEO said a collaborative efforts between the private sector and the government will do the magic.
His words: "Research over the years had shown that the private sector was more successful in an enabling environment for growth than the public sector.
"So, to me, everything has to be done to support initiatives of the private sector in their quest to help develop the economy. The capacity and strength to grow the economy is embedded in them."
To him, more private equity firms like Actis West Africa, would be interested in investing in the Nigerian economy, if the enabling environment to absorb such investments are created.
Speaking on private equity, Harford said when companies were funded by private equity funds from investments, such economies performed better than if they were funded by other means like stock market listings and bank facilities.
He said in less developed markets, the PE is more diverse, e.g. minority and/or stakes in public companies and/or earlier stage companies.
According to him, private equity is growing globally and emerging in Nigeria because of the following: Investor pressure for asset diversity and better returns; evidence of better returns from active majority investors; attractions of being non-quoted; executives favouring PE roles over public companies; more buoyant businesses available etc.
THE GLOBAL AMBITION AMONG NIGERIAN BANKS
Nigerian Banks Deepen Global Ambition
Leveraging on their swollen capital that is expressed in both tiers 1 and 11, Nigerian banks are touted as the emerging frontiers in the global financial market.
Many analysts think the offshore business expansion of these banks couldn't have come at a more auspicious time.
Challenged by enhanced financial muscle that could hardly be maximally invested in the Nigerian economy where the growth of most industries are impaired by the difficult operating environment and the fact that the population is grossly under-banked, banks that are eager to optimise returns for their shareholders must seek external businesses. That, the Nigerian banks have been doing.
The Global Foray
The global foray cum business expansion of Nigerian banks is essentially one of the offshoots of consolidation. What started with the mushrooming of local branches has today gone far across West Africa, Europe and the United States.
Before consolidation, there were only two Nigerian banks with an active presence in London: First Bank and Union Bank. At present, four more banks have been granted licence by Financial Services Authority (FSA) of that country to establish UK branches.
Zenith Bank, United Bank for Africa, Guaranty Trust Bank and Intercontinental Bank are already in UK. Access Bank is planning to open a full fledged subsidiary in that country before the end of this year.
Erastus Akingbola, Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank, the latest financial institution to enter London, said the new opening signalled the bank's commitment to emerge as one of the top 100 banks in the world.
Nigerian banks now have their subsidiaries in Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Ghana, other regions of Africa, London, Paris and New York among others.
The rationale for the ascendancy of Nigerian banks can be seen in their rapid rise by the key indicators. The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said, "The number of depositors increased from 13 million in 2003 to 24 million in 2007. Total bank deposits soared from N1.4 trillion in 2003 to N4.5 trillion in 2007 while bank credits have increased from N1.9 trillion in 2003 to N4.6 trillion in 2007"
Recent revelations by The Banker Magazine also attest to the rising international profile of Nigerian banks. The Banker reported that Nigerian banks' total tier one capital has more than doubled to $11.29bn in 2008 (from $5.38bn in 2007), and that, consequently, Nigeria's share of sub-Saharan tier one capital has risen to 34 percent, from 24 percent in 2007. In contrast, it reported that South Africa's share dropped to 62 percent, down from 71 percent, over the same period.
Access Bank achieved the record of world's fastest growing bank for the African region in that report. Industry watchers are of the opinion that Access Bank has by the opening of its full fledged subsidiary in Zambia last week, in a ceremony that was attended by the country's Ag. President, Mr. Rupiah Banda, and Governor, Bank of Zambia, Dr. Caleb Fundanga, has given fresh impetus to the global financial ambition of Nigerian banks.
"I must say that by going into Zambia, Access Bank will be a strong factor for the trade that exists between the SADC and the East African region, and that is positive for the Nigerian banking industry," said Dr. Cletus Obegwu, economist and financial consultant.
Access Bank's Cross Border Inroads
Access Bank (Zambia) Ltd is the seventh regional subsidiary of the bank since the commencement of its African expansion drive in 2006. Access Bank holds a controlling 75 percent stake in Access Bank (Zambia) Ltd while a consortium of Zambian investors holds the remaining 25 percent.
The bank's managing director, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, said in an anvestors' forum at The Dorchester, London, recently that, "Access Bank's target is to be one of the top five banks out of Africa that will compete favourably with HSBC, one of the world's largest commercial banks, in the next 20 to 30 years".
The MD said from 10,000 shareholders in 2002 when the current management took over the old Access Bank, there are now over 500,000 shareholders with forecasts that this will grow to 2.5 million in the next two years.
Access Bank's shareholders' funds have also grown from N25 billion in 2005 to over N160 billion last year.
"We went to the market and raised some money which we will use for expansions in Africa. Our budget for the expansions is $200 million," said Hebert Wigwe, the bank's deputy managing director.
Access Bank reportedly spent $10 million to set up in Zambia and aims to spend another $26 million on new branches. Access Bank Zambia's Managing Director David Chewe, said the bank would list on the Lusaka Stock Exchange by 2012 and that it would open six branches this year and 10 more in 2009.
Aig-Imoukhuede said the bank is targeting post-conflict African countries such as Congo, Rwanda and Burundi for expansion because of the potential for political stability and economic growth.
"After a war, experience shows that the probably of another war is lower. This offers a good ground for investment and growth," he said, pointing out that Zambian government officials recently paid a visit to the government of Nigeria because of the investment Access Bank is pumping into the economy."
The MD added that because of the recruitment policy of the bank and its emphasis on human resource development, "the bank will in the next five years boast of over 6000 employees in its global operations that will be rated among the best and brightest not just in Africa but all over the world".
Access Bank through its operations in Zambia has made a grand entry into the SADC region after a recent announcement of its acquisition of Omnifinance Bank, Cote d'Ivoire; Bancor Bank, Rwanda; Banque PrivÈe Du Congo; spread across the Western, Central and Eastern African sub-regions respectively.
Access Bank had announced in May this year the acquisition of a majority stake in three foreign banks namely Banque Privee du Congo, Rwanda's Bancor Bank and Omnifinance of Ivory Coast in a bid to become a bigger regional player.
The bank is also in Sierra Leone and The Gambia - and it is currently rated one of the top four banks in The Gambia even though its foray into the country is barely up to a year. Access Bank Gambia, according to reports, has successfully deployed Automated Teller Machines (ATM) and Point of Sale (PoS) Terminals, executed in partnership with InterSwitch, a leading switching platform in Africa with tested first class e-payment solutions.
Ag. President, Republic of Zambia, Mr. Rupiah Banda, expressed satisfaction at the coming of Access Bank into Zambia, adding that the socio - economic climate in that country is conducive for business and assured the bank that the government would continue to make the country attractive to investors through implementation of economic friendly policies and people oriented programmes.
Chairman, Access Bank (Zambia) Ltd, Mr. Caleb Mulenga, assured Zambians of the immense benefits that the entry of the bank will bring to them and other economies in the SADC region, and enjoined Zambians to patronise the bank. "With the entry of Access Bank into Zambia, the pace of economic development will become accelerated because this is a bank with high entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to economic development" said Mulenga.
Access Bank is also committed to leveraging its international alliances and partnerships for the benefit of the Zambian economy by attracting critical financing that will contribute to the socio - economic growth objectives of the country. It will be recalled that the bank is in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to provide capacity development and managerial assistance to women in Business.
Challenges Of Regional And Global Expansion
The challenges Access Bank will be facing in its globalisation spree are related to the nation's banking industry. Nigerian banks will face about the same challenges even though they will come out of it differently, according to the circumstances of each organisation.
Obegwu said one of the major challenges that Nigerian banks will face in the global expansion plan is how they can convert their phenomenal growth into actual profits.
The Banker Magazine reported that Nigerian banks are struggling to maintain their rate of return on capital which it said dropped 21.9 percent in 2007 to 18.6 percent in 2008.
But investors in Access Bank seem not to have cause to worry about the earnings capacity of the organisation.
Access Bank reported a profit before tax of N19 billion for its operations, in the past year to March 2008, indicating an increase of 136 percent over the N 8 billion recorded in 2007.
The bank also recorded remarkable improvements in gross earnings which grew by 111 percent to N 57.9 billion from N 27.8 billion in the previous years. The directors declared a total sum of N10, 492,627,600 as dividend payment, translating to 65 kobo for every 50 kobo ordinary shares held by shareholders.
The Unaudited Results for the First Quarter Ended June 30, 2008 showed profit after tax increasing to N 6.1 billion from NGN 3.1 billion reported in the corresponding quarter a year ago. Gross earnings on its part increased to N 20.6 billion from N11.1 billion reported a year ago.
The next challenge faced by the industry is that of convincing the international community that the operators are able and ready to meet the rigorous regulatory requirements of the major financial centres. That is an area the management of Access Bank said it has no problems with.
The Nigerian government has shown interest towards changing the corruption-prone perception of the country. That is helping the global penetration of Nigerian banks.
The thinking by most industry observers is that with globalisation the order of the day, Nigerian banks have no choice than to key in. Access Bank is one of the forerunners in that direction. Some of the industry operators will have a lesson or two to learn from the way the bank has structured its global foray, which is in such a manner as Obegwu put it, is not aimed at expansion for its own sake but to guarantee superior value to shareholders.
Leveraging on their swollen capital that is expressed in both tiers 1 and 11, Nigerian banks are touted as the emerging frontiers in the global financial market.
Many analysts think the offshore business expansion of these banks couldn't have come at a more auspicious time.
Challenged by enhanced financial muscle that could hardly be maximally invested in the Nigerian economy where the growth of most industries are impaired by the difficult operating environment and the fact that the population is grossly under-banked, banks that are eager to optimise returns for their shareholders must seek external businesses. That, the Nigerian banks have been doing.
The Global Foray
The global foray cum business expansion of Nigerian banks is essentially one of the offshoots of consolidation. What started with the mushrooming of local branches has today gone far across West Africa, Europe and the United States.
Before consolidation, there were only two Nigerian banks with an active presence in London: First Bank and Union Bank. At present, four more banks have been granted licence by Financial Services Authority (FSA) of that country to establish UK branches.
Zenith Bank, United Bank for Africa, Guaranty Trust Bank and Intercontinental Bank are already in UK. Access Bank is planning to open a full fledged subsidiary in that country before the end of this year.
Erastus Akingbola, Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank, the latest financial institution to enter London, said the new opening signalled the bank's commitment to emerge as one of the top 100 banks in the world.
Nigerian banks now have their subsidiaries in Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Ghana, other regions of Africa, London, Paris and New York among others.
The rationale for the ascendancy of Nigerian banks can be seen in their rapid rise by the key indicators. The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said, "The number of depositors increased from 13 million in 2003 to 24 million in 2007. Total bank deposits soared from N1.4 trillion in 2003 to N4.5 trillion in 2007 while bank credits have increased from N1.9 trillion in 2003 to N4.6 trillion in 2007"
Recent revelations by The Banker Magazine also attest to the rising international profile of Nigerian banks. The Banker reported that Nigerian banks' total tier one capital has more than doubled to $11.29bn in 2008 (from $5.38bn in 2007), and that, consequently, Nigeria's share of sub-Saharan tier one capital has risen to 34 percent, from 24 percent in 2007. In contrast, it reported that South Africa's share dropped to 62 percent, down from 71 percent, over the same period.
Access Bank achieved the record of world's fastest growing bank for the African region in that report. Industry watchers are of the opinion that Access Bank has by the opening of its full fledged subsidiary in Zambia last week, in a ceremony that was attended by the country's Ag. President, Mr. Rupiah Banda, and Governor, Bank of Zambia, Dr. Caleb Fundanga, has given fresh impetus to the global financial ambition of Nigerian banks.
"I must say that by going into Zambia, Access Bank will be a strong factor for the trade that exists between the SADC and the East African region, and that is positive for the Nigerian banking industry," said Dr. Cletus Obegwu, economist and financial consultant.
Access Bank's Cross Border Inroads
Access Bank (Zambia) Ltd is the seventh regional subsidiary of the bank since the commencement of its African expansion drive in 2006. Access Bank holds a controlling 75 percent stake in Access Bank (Zambia) Ltd while a consortium of Zambian investors holds the remaining 25 percent.
The bank's managing director, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, said in an anvestors' forum at The Dorchester, London, recently that, "Access Bank's target is to be one of the top five banks out of Africa that will compete favourably with HSBC, one of the world's largest commercial banks, in the next 20 to 30 years".
The MD said from 10,000 shareholders in 2002 when the current management took over the old Access Bank, there are now over 500,000 shareholders with forecasts that this will grow to 2.5 million in the next two years.
Access Bank's shareholders' funds have also grown from N25 billion in 2005 to over N160 billion last year.
"We went to the market and raised some money which we will use for expansions in Africa. Our budget for the expansions is $200 million," said Hebert Wigwe, the bank's deputy managing director.
Access Bank reportedly spent $10 million to set up in Zambia and aims to spend another $26 million on new branches. Access Bank Zambia's Managing Director David Chewe, said the bank would list on the Lusaka Stock Exchange by 2012 and that it would open six branches this year and 10 more in 2009.
Aig-Imoukhuede said the bank is targeting post-conflict African countries such as Congo, Rwanda and Burundi for expansion because of the potential for political stability and economic growth.
"After a war, experience shows that the probably of another war is lower. This offers a good ground for investment and growth," he said, pointing out that Zambian government officials recently paid a visit to the government of Nigeria because of the investment Access Bank is pumping into the economy."
The MD added that because of the recruitment policy of the bank and its emphasis on human resource development, "the bank will in the next five years boast of over 6000 employees in its global operations that will be rated among the best and brightest not just in Africa but all over the world".
Access Bank through its operations in Zambia has made a grand entry into the SADC region after a recent announcement of its acquisition of Omnifinance Bank, Cote d'Ivoire; Bancor Bank, Rwanda; Banque PrivÈe Du Congo; spread across the Western, Central and Eastern African sub-regions respectively.
Access Bank had announced in May this year the acquisition of a majority stake in three foreign banks namely Banque Privee du Congo, Rwanda's Bancor Bank and Omnifinance of Ivory Coast in a bid to become a bigger regional player.
The bank is also in Sierra Leone and The Gambia - and it is currently rated one of the top four banks in The Gambia even though its foray into the country is barely up to a year. Access Bank Gambia, according to reports, has successfully deployed Automated Teller Machines (ATM) and Point of Sale (PoS) Terminals, executed in partnership with InterSwitch, a leading switching platform in Africa with tested first class e-payment solutions.
Ag. President, Republic of Zambia, Mr. Rupiah Banda, expressed satisfaction at the coming of Access Bank into Zambia, adding that the socio - economic climate in that country is conducive for business and assured the bank that the government would continue to make the country attractive to investors through implementation of economic friendly policies and people oriented programmes.
Chairman, Access Bank (Zambia) Ltd, Mr. Caleb Mulenga, assured Zambians of the immense benefits that the entry of the bank will bring to them and other economies in the SADC region, and enjoined Zambians to patronise the bank. "With the entry of Access Bank into Zambia, the pace of economic development will become accelerated because this is a bank with high entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to economic development" said Mulenga.
Access Bank is also committed to leveraging its international alliances and partnerships for the benefit of the Zambian economy by attracting critical financing that will contribute to the socio - economic growth objectives of the country. It will be recalled that the bank is in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to provide capacity development and managerial assistance to women in Business.
Challenges Of Regional And Global Expansion
The challenges Access Bank will be facing in its globalisation spree are related to the nation's banking industry. Nigerian banks will face about the same challenges even though they will come out of it differently, according to the circumstances of each organisation.
Obegwu said one of the major challenges that Nigerian banks will face in the global expansion plan is how they can convert their phenomenal growth into actual profits.
The Banker Magazine reported that Nigerian banks are struggling to maintain their rate of return on capital which it said dropped 21.9 percent in 2007 to 18.6 percent in 2008.
But investors in Access Bank seem not to have cause to worry about the earnings capacity of the organisation.
Access Bank reported a profit before tax of N19 billion for its operations, in the past year to March 2008, indicating an increase of 136 percent over the N 8 billion recorded in 2007.
The bank also recorded remarkable improvements in gross earnings which grew by 111 percent to N 57.9 billion from N 27.8 billion in the previous years. The directors declared a total sum of N10, 492,627,600 as dividend payment, translating to 65 kobo for every 50 kobo ordinary shares held by shareholders.
The Unaudited Results for the First Quarter Ended June 30, 2008 showed profit after tax increasing to N 6.1 billion from NGN 3.1 billion reported in the corresponding quarter a year ago. Gross earnings on its part increased to N 20.6 billion from N11.1 billion reported a year ago.
The next challenge faced by the industry is that of convincing the international community that the operators are able and ready to meet the rigorous regulatory requirements of the major financial centres. That is an area the management of Access Bank said it has no problems with.
The Nigerian government has shown interest towards changing the corruption-prone perception of the country. That is helping the global penetration of Nigerian banks.
The thinking by most industry observers is that with globalisation the order of the day, Nigerian banks have no choice than to key in. Access Bank is one of the forerunners in that direction. Some of the industry operators will have a lesson or two to learn from the way the bank has structured its global foray, which is in such a manner as Obegwu put it, is not aimed at expansion for its own sake but to guarantee superior value to shareholders.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
MAKING MONEY IN STOCKS
Investors may hit gold in Conoil stocks
Amid the bearish situation in the Nigerian stock market, investors who decided to raise their stakes in the shares of Conoil Plc, stand a good chance of hitting gold in the full year circle with returns on their investment likely to be above 100 percent.A sterling performance in the company’s unaudited reports for the first quarter (Jan. - March) has already re-assured shareholders and the investing public of the bright prospects for huge returns on investments at the end of 2008 financial year, as well as what the future holds for the company.The company recorded a turnover of N32.9 billion, representing 104 percent increase over the N16.138 billion earned in the same period in 2007. Profit Before Tax (PBT) rose by 161 percent to N1.598 billion as against N613 million in 2007, while Profit
After Tax (PAT) stood at N1.087 billion, about 153 percent above the N429 million profit earned in 2007.In a media briefing leading up to the company’s annual general meeting, the Managing Director, Mr. Sanjay Manthur, said the goal of the restructuring plan, which the company had since embarked upon, was to deliver quality service to customers and maximize value to all stake-holders.Mr. Manthur, who disclosed plans to raise funds through the capital market next year, said more one-stop mega stations were being built in various parts of the country and stressed that state of the art retail network would be tied up with leading fast food chains. According to him, the company projected about $159 million (N22.26 billion) for importation of petroleum product to boost rising demands for the products in the country.
The investment was a total of 90,000 metric tonnes of kerosene at the cost of $63 million and another $96 million on importation of a total of 150,000 metric tones of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) better known as diesel, to meet rising demand for the product by mostly industrial consumers. He said the company is increasing its lubricant production by 100 per cent to 24 million litres in 2008, as it positions to take advantage of a rise in demand for engine oil even as it said that it was increasing its lubricant storage capacity to 60,000 metric tonnes.With the vision of being the market leader beyond Nigeria, the company have also embarked on expansion of its petroleum products storage depots spread across the country, with an investment outlay of about N3.5 billion spread over a five-year period. Facilities being upgraded are the company’s storage tanks for Premium Motor Spirit, Automotive Gas Oil and Dual Purpose Kerosene at the Apapa depot, AGO and Bitumen storage tank in Port Harcourt, the AGO depot in Warri, as well as company’s Aviation fuel storage capacity at its service centers in Ikeja, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Jos, Maiduguri and Port Harcourt.As a leader in the aviation fuel marketing sector, the company has continued to attract more patronage from airlines. As it recently signed up by Emirates Airline to supply 20 per cent of its aviation fuel need.
Amid the bearish situation in the Nigerian stock market, investors who decided to raise their stakes in the shares of Conoil Plc, stand a good chance of hitting gold in the full year circle with returns on their investment likely to be above 100 percent.A sterling performance in the company’s unaudited reports for the first quarter (Jan. - March) has already re-assured shareholders and the investing public of the bright prospects for huge returns on investments at the end of 2008 financial year, as well as what the future holds for the company.The company recorded a turnover of N32.9 billion, representing 104 percent increase over the N16.138 billion earned in the same period in 2007. Profit Before Tax (PBT) rose by 161 percent to N1.598 billion as against N613 million in 2007, while Profit
After Tax (PAT) stood at N1.087 billion, about 153 percent above the N429 million profit earned in 2007.In a media briefing leading up to the company’s annual general meeting, the Managing Director, Mr. Sanjay Manthur, said the goal of the restructuring plan, which the company had since embarked upon, was to deliver quality service to customers and maximize value to all stake-holders.Mr. Manthur, who disclosed plans to raise funds through the capital market next year, said more one-stop mega stations were being built in various parts of the country and stressed that state of the art retail network would be tied up with leading fast food chains. According to him, the company projected about $159 million (N22.26 billion) for importation of petroleum product to boost rising demands for the products in the country.
The investment was a total of 90,000 metric tonnes of kerosene at the cost of $63 million and another $96 million on importation of a total of 150,000 metric tones of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) better known as diesel, to meet rising demand for the product by mostly industrial consumers. He said the company is increasing its lubricant production by 100 per cent to 24 million litres in 2008, as it positions to take advantage of a rise in demand for engine oil even as it said that it was increasing its lubricant storage capacity to 60,000 metric tonnes.With the vision of being the market leader beyond Nigeria, the company have also embarked on expansion of its petroleum products storage depots spread across the country, with an investment outlay of about N3.5 billion spread over a five-year period. Facilities being upgraded are the company’s storage tanks for Premium Motor Spirit, Automotive Gas Oil and Dual Purpose Kerosene at the Apapa depot, AGO and Bitumen storage tank in Port Harcourt, the AGO depot in Warri, as well as company’s Aviation fuel storage capacity at its service centers in Ikeja, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Jos, Maiduguri and Port Harcourt.As a leader in the aviation fuel marketing sector, the company has continued to attract more patronage from airlines. As it recently signed up by Emirates Airline to supply 20 per cent of its aviation fuel need.
Monday, September 22, 2008
THE DEMOCRACY IN INDIA
India’s Democracy Has Many Voices
Energetic, multiparty system of government relies on consensus
A poster of India’s most powerful low-caste politician, Uttar Pradesh’s Mayawati, with her party symbol, the elephant. (© AP Images)
By Lea TerhuneStaff Writer
Washington -- The world’s largest democracy is distinctive. With dozens of languages and hundreds of dialects spoken, India’s population is among the most diverse in the world.
“It’s very fluid, very dynamic, almost chaotic when viewed from the outside,” said Mira Kamdar, author of Planet India, a book that examines “the turbulent rise of the largest democracy and the future of our world.”
India is a country “going through a continued phase of incredible evolution and change,” she told America.gov. In recent decades, India has moved from the tight control of a political dynasty to a rough-and-tumble era of coalition governments that must respond to broader constituencies.
“You are watching the enfranchisement into the political process of whole blocks of a population whose specific interests and needs really never found expression in that process before in any kind of direct way,” Kamdar said. New parties are coming up and old parties that used to be powerful are losing influence.
According to Sevanti Ninan, media analyst, author and co-founder of www.thehoot.org, regional newspapers have helped that process. “It’s a post-liberalization phenomenon,” she said. In the early 1990s, growth in advertising made it lucrative for vernacular papers to expand regional editions.
There are upwards of 70 such papers in the politically important and populous Hindi Belt in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh alone.
“There’s an emerging rural middle class, it has purchasing capacity, it’s interested in buying newspapers, it’s upwardly mobile,” and it delivers a new, “very broad segment to the advertiser,” Ninan said.
These papers do a great deal of local reporting. “If a bridge collapses, or a shoddily built hospital or road, you start saying, ‘Who built it?’
“When the press gets more local, there is more scrutiny of local institutions and local governments, and in that sense people have a greater say, they know what’s happening, the little fellow who wants to get elected from there becomes accountable.”
LOCAL GOVERNANCE
Ninan said the institutionalization of the panchayat, or council of five, as a formal village governance system has spurred more citizen involvement.
Election of five elders to a village council to arbitrate local disputes is a tradition in India. But in 1994, a constitutional amendment delegated more administrative authority to these councils and reserved one-third of the seats for women and some for lower-caste individuals.
A crowd listens to Sonia Gandhi. Her Congress Party once dominated Indian politics but now shares power in a coalition. (© AP Images)
Panchayats now look after village infrastructure, schools, public health and water supplies and keep local records. Their flowering coincided with the rise of regional newspapers, Ninan said.
“They did a lot of panchayat coverage. ... Village-level democracy gets a big boost from newspapers.” The newspapers helped to localize concerns and give the panchayat members a platform: “It’s another level of democracy. … You have democracy because of local self-governance; you have democracy because of the local press interacting with the local self-governance process.”
Despite big, urban newspapers becoming more consumer-driven, Ninan said, “more than TV, which isn’t really able to do justice to complex issues, I think the Indian press is still doing a good job.”
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
The people’s voice is being heard in India, but sometimes its volume can pose problems. Kamdar said representation of many interests is healthy, but a coalition government of 15 or more parties makes it “difficult to push through certain kinds of legislation or initiatives” that lack popular appeal. She cited the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement as an example.
That agreement to transfer nuclear technologies for the purpose of clean power generation has been stalled in India by political opposition. (See “President Bush Signs U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement.”)
Analyst Michael Krepon, co-founder of the Stimson Center, agreed. “India’s fractious democracy has to rely a great deal on consensual agreement. The country is so diversified, a high value is placed upon consensus.”
“I think India’s vibrant democracy is a great strength, and it’s also a great inconvenience when it comes to making hard political decisions,” he told America.gov.
“We see it in our own country, where a party that supports something when it’s in office opposes it when it’s in the opposition. That’s part of how democracies work,” Krepon said.
Kamdar sees another similarity between Indian and American politics: supporting a candidate “so that he can get his hands on the goody pot and pass some goodies back to us” rather than for “his or her ideas and policies they propose.”
India contends with violent domestic militancy, so security issues influence its democratic processes. “All of India’s neighbors are very unsettled. India lives in a very tough neighborhood. It’s not just China, the big guy, which seems to be settled, it’s also the smaller countries, that have great domestic turbulence and provide breeding grounds for violent acts,” Krepon said.
India foreign policy expert C. Raja Mohan, currently at Nanyan Technological University in Singapore, added, “The relationship with Pakistan and Bangladesh is very central to the foundation and evolution of Indian democracy, for these two relations are as much domestic as they are bilateral.” Both countries were part of British India.
“The positive evolution of ties with Pakistan,” he said, is “definitely a signal of [India’s] maturation.”
Kamdar said Indian democracy is not like U.S. democracy, but she sees a tremendous opportunity for future cooperation between the two countries, particularly in tackling big issues of mutual concern like global warming
Energetic, multiparty system of government relies on consensus
A poster of India’s most powerful low-caste politician, Uttar Pradesh’s Mayawati, with her party symbol, the elephant. (© AP Images)
By Lea TerhuneStaff Writer
Washington -- The world’s largest democracy is distinctive. With dozens of languages and hundreds of dialects spoken, India’s population is among the most diverse in the world.
“It’s very fluid, very dynamic, almost chaotic when viewed from the outside,” said Mira Kamdar, author of Planet India, a book that examines “the turbulent rise of the largest democracy and the future of our world.”
India is a country “going through a continued phase of incredible evolution and change,” she told America.gov. In recent decades, India has moved from the tight control of a political dynasty to a rough-and-tumble era of coalition governments that must respond to broader constituencies.
“You are watching the enfranchisement into the political process of whole blocks of a population whose specific interests and needs really never found expression in that process before in any kind of direct way,” Kamdar said. New parties are coming up and old parties that used to be powerful are losing influence.
According to Sevanti Ninan, media analyst, author and co-founder of www.thehoot.org, regional newspapers have helped that process. “It’s a post-liberalization phenomenon,” she said. In the early 1990s, growth in advertising made it lucrative for vernacular papers to expand regional editions.
There are upwards of 70 such papers in the politically important and populous Hindi Belt in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh alone.
“There’s an emerging rural middle class, it has purchasing capacity, it’s interested in buying newspapers, it’s upwardly mobile,” and it delivers a new, “very broad segment to the advertiser,” Ninan said.
These papers do a great deal of local reporting. “If a bridge collapses, or a shoddily built hospital or road, you start saying, ‘Who built it?’
“When the press gets more local, there is more scrutiny of local institutions and local governments, and in that sense people have a greater say, they know what’s happening, the little fellow who wants to get elected from there becomes accountable.”
LOCAL GOVERNANCE
Ninan said the institutionalization of the panchayat, or council of five, as a formal village governance system has spurred more citizen involvement.
Election of five elders to a village council to arbitrate local disputes is a tradition in India. But in 1994, a constitutional amendment delegated more administrative authority to these councils and reserved one-third of the seats for women and some for lower-caste individuals.
A crowd listens to Sonia Gandhi. Her Congress Party once dominated Indian politics but now shares power in a coalition. (© AP Images)
Panchayats now look after village infrastructure, schools, public health and water supplies and keep local records. Their flowering coincided with the rise of regional newspapers, Ninan said.
“They did a lot of panchayat coverage. ... Village-level democracy gets a big boost from newspapers.” The newspapers helped to localize concerns and give the panchayat members a platform: “It’s another level of democracy. … You have democracy because of local self-governance; you have democracy because of the local press interacting with the local self-governance process.”
Despite big, urban newspapers becoming more consumer-driven, Ninan said, “more than TV, which isn’t really able to do justice to complex issues, I think the Indian press is still doing a good job.”
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
The people’s voice is being heard in India, but sometimes its volume can pose problems. Kamdar said representation of many interests is healthy, but a coalition government of 15 or more parties makes it “difficult to push through certain kinds of legislation or initiatives” that lack popular appeal. She cited the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement as an example.
That agreement to transfer nuclear technologies for the purpose of clean power generation has been stalled in India by political opposition. (See “President Bush Signs U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement.”)
Analyst Michael Krepon, co-founder of the Stimson Center, agreed. “India’s fractious democracy has to rely a great deal on consensual agreement. The country is so diversified, a high value is placed upon consensus.”
“I think India’s vibrant democracy is a great strength, and it’s also a great inconvenience when it comes to making hard political decisions,” he told America.gov.
“We see it in our own country, where a party that supports something when it’s in office opposes it when it’s in the opposition. That’s part of how democracies work,” Krepon said.
Kamdar sees another similarity between Indian and American politics: supporting a candidate “so that he can get his hands on the goody pot and pass some goodies back to us” rather than for “his or her ideas and policies they propose.”
India contends with violent domestic militancy, so security issues influence its democratic processes. “All of India’s neighbors are very unsettled. India lives in a very tough neighborhood. It’s not just China, the big guy, which seems to be settled, it’s also the smaller countries, that have great domestic turbulence and provide breeding grounds for violent acts,” Krepon said.
India foreign policy expert C. Raja Mohan, currently at Nanyan Technological University in Singapore, added, “The relationship with Pakistan and Bangladesh is very central to the foundation and evolution of Indian democracy, for these two relations are as much domestic as they are bilateral.” Both countries were part of British India.
“The positive evolution of ties with Pakistan,” he said, is “definitely a signal of [India’s] maturation.”
Kamdar said Indian democracy is not like U.S. democracy, but she sees a tremendous opportunity for future cooperation between the two countries, particularly in tackling big issues of mutual concern like global warming
Sunday, September 21, 2008
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
Why Ghana is now haven for Nigerian industrialists
The Bible prophecy that the first shall be the last and vice versa is coming to fulfillment as Nigeria, the once most sought after country by neigbouring African countries most especially Ghana has become the land of hunger and other vices. Ghana today has become the promise land for Nigerian industrialists and manufacturers.
This is the view of one of the foremost personalities in the hospitality business in Nigeria, Chief Felix Obi-Odunukwe, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Gossard Hotels Limited and Our House Restaurants.
Going down memory lane, Odunukwe said that in the 70s, Ghanaians were trooping to Nigeria in search of greener pastures, adding that when they came, they did menial jobs like factory work, house helps, shoe mending for survival.
However, he said that in the 80s the government of the day felt that they were constituting a nuisance in the country and drove them back to their country.
He said that today the pendulum has changed as it is now Nigerian manufacturers who are trooping to Ghana in search of more conducive environment to manufacture their products and then bring them back to Nigeria for sale.
He said that the reason is the unfavorable business climate that pervades the country.
According to him, for anybody to do business in Nigeria, he has to provide the whole infrastructure for his business.
“I spend over N700.000 every month on diesel and fuel. Last year, I spent over N400.000 to make the road that leads to my hotel and restaurant motorable so that customers could come. This money which I am spending on infrastructure would have gone into expanding my business or even improving the welfare of my staff.”
In this interview, he also spoke on the challenges facing hospitality business in the country, the laudable efforts being made by the Governor of Lagos State to improve infrastructure in the state, what government should do to improve the business environment and on other issues.
Excerpts
My name is Chief Felix Obi-Odunukwe, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Gossard Hotel and Our House Restaurant. My business location is in Community Road, Satellite Town Lagos that is by Lagos-Badagry, Expressway Lagos. I am into hospitality business, which you and I know is fraught with a lot of challenges. It is a very dynamic kind of business of which if you fail to flow with the tide, you would be drowned by the torrents. I went into the business in 2002 and today to God be the glory, we have attained international standard as people from different countries in West Africa and even beyond patronize us. We have had cases of people calling us all the way from Europe and America to make reservations for them that they are coming to Nigeria and would want to stay in our hotel.
How to run a successful hospitality business
The challenges of running a hospitality business are enormous. As I said earlier, it is a very dynamic business especially if you want to be on top of the business. For instance, we in Gossard use to have both local and international guests and as such we have to make sure that the service we offer is the same thing if not more than what our international guests get in London, New York or even Dubai. In order to achieve this, I travel most of the time and when I do, I stay in the best hotels wherever I go. While in the hotel, I look at the facilities in the hotel, their services and so on and when I come back, I try to put what I observe in my own hotel and restaurant.
That is to say that hospitality is not a business you do sitting at a place. You have to go around and see what others are doing and then try to improve on it. Another challenge about hospitality business is having friendly disposition to all. For you to have done well in hospitality business, you have to put all smiles, all-apologetic even when you are right and very neat.
The reason is because once a customer comes, the first thing he or she looks at is your countenance, the second is the neatness of the environment. It is when he or she is satisfied with that that he would feel relaxed. Your countenance and the neatness of your environment is even more important than the taste of the food or drink he is going to take. Therefore, you have to have a friendly disposition; you and your business environment have to be very neat. Then the food and drink that they are going to consume must be served the way they like it. You can only thank your stars when a customer comes and come again with his friends. That is the exam in the business and once you pass it then you know that you are on the right course.
Challenges of doing business in Nigeria
I want to start by saying that it is only a man with a large heart that can do business in Nigeria. The challenges of doing business are the same thing as one trying to live in comfort in hell. I have travelled across the length and breadth of the globe and I want to confess that Nigeria is the most difficult place to do business. Whoever survives minimally in the Nigerian business environment would be a superstar in any other country in the world. Now if you listen very well, you would hear the noise of our generator. I have four of them and I run them 24 hours.
We have guests from different parts of the country and the world. It would be inhuman and bad business for somebody that comes from United States or Canada and is lodging with you and all of a sudden the power goes off. How would you expect him to come back another time? So I spend about N700.000 every month on diesel to keep my four generators running. Last year, the road that leads to our business premise was not motorable, that is Community Road; I had to spend N400.000 to make it motorable. There is no pipe borne water in this side of Satellite Town and you know I am in a business where water is needed every second of the day, so I provide the water.
With what I have told you now, what is the difference between government and me. My fate is the same with others in business in Nigeria. We provide everything for ourselves and at the end of the day, we still pay tax to government. That is why a lot of Nigerian manufacturers are trooping to Ghana. They set up their factories there, employ Ghanaians and after producing they would bring them down to Nigeria to sell. Just imagine what government is losing by this. This is Ghana, which about 20 years ago had their citizens rushing to Nigeria for survival but today the reverse has become the case. Even our traders now go to Ghana to buy the goods that they sell in Nigeria. Now tell me who is the giant and who is the dwarf of Africa.
Marketing style
Well, our good work speaks for us. There have never been any bodies that come to either our hotel or restaurant that would not want to come back. This is because we treat our customers in a way that they would be thoroughly satisfied.
The Bible prophecy that the first shall be the last and vice versa is coming to fulfillment as Nigeria, the once most sought after country by neigbouring African countries most especially Ghana has become the land of hunger and other vices. Ghana today has become the promise land for Nigerian industrialists and manufacturers.
This is the view of one of the foremost personalities in the hospitality business in Nigeria, Chief Felix Obi-Odunukwe, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Gossard Hotels Limited and Our House Restaurants.
Going down memory lane, Odunukwe said that in the 70s, Ghanaians were trooping to Nigeria in search of greener pastures, adding that when they came, they did menial jobs like factory work, house helps, shoe mending for survival.
However, he said that in the 80s the government of the day felt that they were constituting a nuisance in the country and drove them back to their country.
He said that today the pendulum has changed as it is now Nigerian manufacturers who are trooping to Ghana in search of more conducive environment to manufacture their products and then bring them back to Nigeria for sale.
He said that the reason is the unfavorable business climate that pervades the country.
According to him, for anybody to do business in Nigeria, he has to provide the whole infrastructure for his business.
“I spend over N700.000 every month on diesel and fuel. Last year, I spent over N400.000 to make the road that leads to my hotel and restaurant motorable so that customers could come. This money which I am spending on infrastructure would have gone into expanding my business or even improving the welfare of my staff.”
In this interview, he also spoke on the challenges facing hospitality business in the country, the laudable efforts being made by the Governor of Lagos State to improve infrastructure in the state, what government should do to improve the business environment and on other issues.
Excerpts
My name is Chief Felix Obi-Odunukwe, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Gossard Hotel and Our House Restaurant. My business location is in Community Road, Satellite Town Lagos that is by Lagos-Badagry, Expressway Lagos. I am into hospitality business, which you and I know is fraught with a lot of challenges. It is a very dynamic kind of business of which if you fail to flow with the tide, you would be drowned by the torrents. I went into the business in 2002 and today to God be the glory, we have attained international standard as people from different countries in West Africa and even beyond patronize us. We have had cases of people calling us all the way from Europe and America to make reservations for them that they are coming to Nigeria and would want to stay in our hotel.
How to run a successful hospitality business
The challenges of running a hospitality business are enormous. As I said earlier, it is a very dynamic business especially if you want to be on top of the business. For instance, we in Gossard use to have both local and international guests and as such we have to make sure that the service we offer is the same thing if not more than what our international guests get in London, New York or even Dubai. In order to achieve this, I travel most of the time and when I do, I stay in the best hotels wherever I go. While in the hotel, I look at the facilities in the hotel, their services and so on and when I come back, I try to put what I observe in my own hotel and restaurant.
That is to say that hospitality is not a business you do sitting at a place. You have to go around and see what others are doing and then try to improve on it. Another challenge about hospitality business is having friendly disposition to all. For you to have done well in hospitality business, you have to put all smiles, all-apologetic even when you are right and very neat.
The reason is because once a customer comes, the first thing he or she looks at is your countenance, the second is the neatness of the environment. It is when he or she is satisfied with that that he would feel relaxed. Your countenance and the neatness of your environment is even more important than the taste of the food or drink he is going to take. Therefore, you have to have a friendly disposition; you and your business environment have to be very neat. Then the food and drink that they are going to consume must be served the way they like it. You can only thank your stars when a customer comes and come again with his friends. That is the exam in the business and once you pass it then you know that you are on the right course.
Challenges of doing business in Nigeria
I want to start by saying that it is only a man with a large heart that can do business in Nigeria. The challenges of doing business are the same thing as one trying to live in comfort in hell. I have travelled across the length and breadth of the globe and I want to confess that Nigeria is the most difficult place to do business. Whoever survives minimally in the Nigerian business environment would be a superstar in any other country in the world. Now if you listen very well, you would hear the noise of our generator. I have four of them and I run them 24 hours.
We have guests from different parts of the country and the world. It would be inhuman and bad business for somebody that comes from United States or Canada and is lodging with you and all of a sudden the power goes off. How would you expect him to come back another time? So I spend about N700.000 every month on diesel to keep my four generators running. Last year, the road that leads to our business premise was not motorable, that is Community Road; I had to spend N400.000 to make it motorable. There is no pipe borne water in this side of Satellite Town and you know I am in a business where water is needed every second of the day, so I provide the water.
With what I have told you now, what is the difference between government and me. My fate is the same with others in business in Nigeria. We provide everything for ourselves and at the end of the day, we still pay tax to government. That is why a lot of Nigerian manufacturers are trooping to Ghana. They set up their factories there, employ Ghanaians and after producing they would bring them down to Nigeria to sell. Just imagine what government is losing by this. This is Ghana, which about 20 years ago had their citizens rushing to Nigeria for survival but today the reverse has become the case. Even our traders now go to Ghana to buy the goods that they sell in Nigeria. Now tell me who is the giant and who is the dwarf of Africa.
Marketing style
Well, our good work speaks for us. There have never been any bodies that come to either our hotel or restaurant that would not want to come back. This is because we treat our customers in a way that they would be thoroughly satisfied.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND NIGERIA'S DEVELOPMENT
AN INTRODUCTION.
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, ACCORCING TO WIKIPEDIA ENCYCLOPEDIA CAN BE BROADLY DESCRIBED AS THE DEVLOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION AND STUDY OF BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT POLICY. THIS IMPLIES THAT PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION ENCOMPASSES ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLIMENTATIONS OF GOVERNMENT POLCIES AND DECISION. IT IS LINKED TO PURSUING THE PUBLIC GOOD BY ENHANCING CIVIL SOCIETY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.
EVALUATING THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE ABOVE BROAD EXPLANATIOON, WE CAN THEN PROPERY DESCRIBE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AS THAT WHICH INVOLVES THE STUDY OF PUBLIC ENTITIES AND THEIR REALTIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH LARGER WORLD; HOW PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS ARE ORGANIZED AND MANAGED ; HOW PUBLIC POLICY STRUCTURES THE DESIGN OF GOVERNMRENT PROGRAMMS THAT WE RELY UPON AND HOW OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT CREATES AND CHANGES PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMS TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS AND INTERESTS OF A NATION. PUBLIC ADMINSTRATION, AS WE CAN SEE INVOLVES ALL THAT GOES IN GOVERNMENT. IT MEANS THAT PUBLIC ADMINSTRATIO CAN AS WELL AS BE RERRED TO AS PUBLIC GOVERNANCE OR MANAGEMNT OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
WITH THIS, THE IDEA OF GOVRNMENT ITS MEANING ANF RELATIONMSH WITH PUBLIC ADMINSTRATION COMES TO MIND,. WHAT THEN IS GOVERNMENT? HOW DOES IT RELATES TO PIBLIC ADMINSTRATIO?
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PUBIC ADMINSTRATION AND GOVERNMENT
THR TERM 'GOVERNMENT' CAN PROPERLY BE EXPLAINED AND UNDERSTOOD IN THW WORDS OF P.N. CHIKENDU, IN HIS BOOK "NIGERIAN POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT". FOR HIM, THE IDEA OF GOVERNMENT EMANATES FROM THE FACT OF A DEFINITE GROUP OF PEOPLE LIVING TOGETHER AND INTERACXTING AMONG THEMSELVES IN ANEFFORT TO SATISFY THEIR RESPDTIVE NEEDS AND DESIRES ALL INORDER TO ATTAIN WHAT ARISTOTLE CALLS THE GOODLIFE.
HA ALSO HAS IT THAT GOVERNMENTOPERATES WITHIN THE AMBIT OD A STATE. A STATE IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO SETTLE AND LIVE WITHIN A DEFINTE TERRITORY WITH DEFINITE FRONTIERS AND HAVING A FINAL AUTHORITHY OF A BODY DALLED GOVERNMENT. IT IS HERE THAT GOVERNMENT AQND PIBLIC ADMINISTRATION HAD A REMARKABLE LINK. PUBLIC ADMINSTRATION INTERS HAVING A CENTRAL BODY IN AN ORGANIZATION THGAT MANGES AND ADMINSTERS THE AFFAIRS OF THAT GROUP. THIS IS ALSO REFERRED TO AS GOVERNMENT. NOW, HOW DO WE APPLY THESE EXPOSITRIONS MADE ABOVETO NIGERIA AS AN EWNTITY, A NATION THAT HAS GOVERNMENT AND INVARIABLY PUBLIC ADMINSTRATION? HOW HAD THE PUBLIC GOVERNACE AND ADMINSTRATIONM HELPED OR CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NIGERIA AS A NATION.
RELATING PUBLIC ADMINSTRATION TO NIGERINAN CONTEX
PUBLIC ADMINSTRATION IN THE NIGERIAN CONTEX IS ALL ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT, ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMNT OF POLICIES THAT AFFECTS NIGERIANS BY THE NIGERIAN ADMINSTRATORS. IT INVOVES THE ACTIVITES OF THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT AND HOW THESE AFFECT THE NIGERIANS AS A WHOLE. IT INTERS HOW THE PUBLIC POLICY, STUCTURES THE DESIGN OF GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS AND HOW OUR STATES, CITIES AND TOWNS WORK WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN REALIZINF THEIR GOALS AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
NIGERIA, SINCE ITS EXISTENCE HAS WITNESSED A LOTS OF PUBLIC ADDMINISTRARORS AND GOVERNMENTS. HOW HAVE THESE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATORS AND GOVERNORS HELPED OR CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NIGERIA.
THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIONS TO NIGERIAN DEVELOPMENT
NIGERIA AS ENTITY, WE MUST NOTE, IS AN ACCIDENT OF HISTIORY. THIS ENTITY WE NOW CALL NIGERIA IS COMPOSED OF VARIOUS ETHNIC GROUPS. THE VARIOUS ETHNIC NATIONALITIES THAT NOW CONSTITUTE NIGERIA LIVED SEPAERATE POLITICAL EXISTENCE. THAY HAD THIER SEPARATE GOVERNMWENTS AND WERE INDEPENDENT OF EACH OTHER. IF IT WAS NOT BECAUSE OF THE BRITISH COLONIALISTS THAT BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER UNDER ONE POLITIACAL UMBRALLA, THAY WOULD HAVE REMAINED MINI-STATES OR DEVELOPED BETTER IN ANOTHER WAY.
TO BE CONTINUED.......................................
A SOCIAL REVOLUTIONALIST
KWAME NKRUMAH'S POLITCAL THOUGHTS.
KWAME NKRUMAH WAS A SOCIALIST REVOLUTIONIST WHO FOUGHT WITH HIS LIFE TO SECURE FREEDOM FOR THE WHOLE OF AFRICA. HIS PAN-AFRICAN NATIONALISM AND PHILOSOPHICAL CONSCIENCISM MARKS HIM OUT FROM HIS CONTEMPORARY POLTICAL THEORISTS. A GHANAIAN BY ORIGIN AND AN AMERICAN BY INTELLECTUAL FORMATION, A FORMATION THAT HE LAMENTED TO BE ENSCHACKLING FOR THE AFRICAN, NKRUMAH GAVE IN ALL IN HIS POWER FOR THE TOTAL LIBERIATION OF AFRICA, NOT ONLY FROM COLONIALISM BUT ALSO FROM NEO-COLONIALISM AND IMPERIALISM. HIS THEORIES EMBRACED THREE INTER-RELATED PHASES: THE THEORY OF LIBERATION. PAN-AFRICANISAM AND PHILOSOPHICAL CONSCIENCISM. IN THIS EXPOSE THEREFOR, I AM SET TO X-RAY THESE DORPORA AND FROM THEREIN DISCOVER NKRUMAH'S CONVICTIONS AS TO THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE.
KWAME NKRUMAH'S POLITICAL THOGHTS:
1. THE THEORY OF LIBERATION
KWAME NKRUMAH, IN HIS BOOK."TOWARDS COLONIAL FREEDOM". JUST LIKE THE MARXIST PREDICTION, IDENTIFIED THE ELEMRNTS OF COLONIALISM, WHICH HAS WITHIN IT. ITS OWN SEED OF DESTRUCTION. THE INTELLIGENSIA, NKRUMAH MAINTAINED ARE THOSE AFRICAN SONS DRAWN FROM THE FAMILIES OF CHIEFS AND FROM THE "MONEYED" SECTION OF THE POPULATIOOPN, WHO ARE EDUCATED IN WESTERN IDEOLOGY. THESE PROVID ALINK BETWEEN THE COLONIAL POWER AND THE MASSES. SO, THE MONOPOLY AND CONTROL OF DAPITAL BY THE COLONIAL LORDS AGAINST THE AFRICANS ACCELERATES THE DESIRE FOR RECOLOLT AMONMG THE COLONIZES INTELLIGENTSIA. AS CAPITAL IS CONTINUOUSLY PUMPED INTO THE COLONIES, EXPLOTATION INCREASES AND THE ECONOMIC SUBJUGATION OF THE COLONIES LEADS TO UNEVEN DEVELOPMENT OF THE CAPITALIST CONTRIES AND THE ROFE BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR IS FURTHER STRRNTHENED. THIS WIILL INEVITABLY LEAD TO WAR.
THIS ENCOURAGES NKRUMQAH INTO MAPPING OUT PLANS TOWARDS THE LIBERATRION OF AFRICAN FROM THEIR COLONIAL SUBGATION. THE FIRST AND ESSENTIAL STEP IS THE ORGANISATION AND MOBLIZATION OF LABOUR AND YOUTH, MASS POLITCAL EDUCATION AND TRAINIG AND EMPLOYING FRON THE BEST MANPOWER WE HAVE IN YOUTHS. THESE SHOULD BE MADE TO KNOW WHO THE ENEMY IS AND HIS STATEGIES TO BRING THE AFRICAN POPULACE UNDER PERPETRUAL SERVITUDE. THESE LIBERATION MOVEMENTS FORMED, COULD RALIZE THEIER AIMS THROUGH FERE PRESS AND ANTI-COLONIAL SREUGGLES AND A TRUE AFRICAN CONSCIOSNESS SHOULD BE AWAKEND. WHAT THESE LIBERATION MOVEMENTS ASPIRE TO IS TOTAL FREEDOM, WHCH IS EXPRESEXD IN POLICAL FRESSDOM AND SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION. THESE CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH A CONCERTERD EFFORT OF THE ENTIRE CONTINEENT.
TO BE CONTINUED...............................................
KWAME NKRUMAH WAS A SOCIALIST REVOLUTIONIST WHO FOUGHT WITH HIS LIFE TO SECURE FREEDOM FOR THE WHOLE OF AFRICA. HIS PAN-AFRICAN NATIONALISM AND PHILOSOPHICAL CONSCIENCISM MARKS HIM OUT FROM HIS CONTEMPORARY POLTICAL THEORISTS. A GHANAIAN BY ORIGIN AND AN AMERICAN BY INTELLECTUAL FORMATION, A FORMATION THAT HE LAMENTED TO BE ENSCHACKLING FOR THE AFRICAN, NKRUMAH GAVE IN ALL IN HIS POWER FOR THE TOTAL LIBERIATION OF AFRICA, NOT ONLY FROM COLONIALISM BUT ALSO FROM NEO-COLONIALISM AND IMPERIALISM. HIS THEORIES EMBRACED THREE INTER-RELATED PHASES: THE THEORY OF LIBERATION. PAN-AFRICANISAM AND PHILOSOPHICAL CONSCIENCISM. IN THIS EXPOSE THEREFOR, I AM SET TO X-RAY THESE DORPORA AND FROM THEREIN DISCOVER NKRUMAH'S CONVICTIONS AS TO THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE.
KWAME NKRUMAH'S POLITICAL THOGHTS:
1. THE THEORY OF LIBERATION
KWAME NKRUMAH, IN HIS BOOK."TOWARDS COLONIAL FREEDOM". JUST LIKE THE MARXIST PREDICTION, IDENTIFIED THE ELEMRNTS OF COLONIALISM, WHICH HAS WITHIN IT. ITS OWN SEED OF DESTRUCTION. THE INTELLIGENSIA, NKRUMAH MAINTAINED ARE THOSE AFRICAN SONS DRAWN FROM THE FAMILIES OF CHIEFS AND FROM THE "MONEYED" SECTION OF THE POPULATIOOPN, WHO ARE EDUCATED IN WESTERN IDEOLOGY. THESE PROVID ALINK BETWEEN THE COLONIAL POWER AND THE MASSES. SO, THE MONOPOLY AND CONTROL OF DAPITAL BY THE COLONIAL LORDS AGAINST THE AFRICANS ACCELERATES THE DESIRE FOR RECOLOLT AMONMG THE COLONIZES INTELLIGENTSIA. AS CAPITAL IS CONTINUOUSLY PUMPED INTO THE COLONIES, EXPLOTATION INCREASES AND THE ECONOMIC SUBJUGATION OF THE COLONIES LEADS TO UNEVEN DEVELOPMENT OF THE CAPITALIST CONTRIES AND THE ROFE BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR IS FURTHER STRRNTHENED. THIS WIILL INEVITABLY LEAD TO WAR.
THIS ENCOURAGES NKRUMQAH INTO MAPPING OUT PLANS TOWARDS THE LIBERATRION OF AFRICAN FROM THEIR COLONIAL SUBGATION. THE FIRST AND ESSENTIAL STEP IS THE ORGANISATION AND MOBLIZATION OF LABOUR AND YOUTH, MASS POLITCAL EDUCATION AND TRAINIG AND EMPLOYING FRON THE BEST MANPOWER WE HAVE IN YOUTHS. THESE SHOULD BE MADE TO KNOW WHO THE ENEMY IS AND HIS STATEGIES TO BRING THE AFRICAN POPULACE UNDER PERPETRUAL SERVITUDE. THESE LIBERATION MOVEMENTS FORMED, COULD RALIZE THEIER AIMS THROUGH FERE PRESS AND ANTI-COLONIAL SREUGGLES AND A TRUE AFRICAN CONSCIOSNESS SHOULD BE AWAKEND. WHAT THESE LIBERATION MOVEMENTS ASPIRE TO IS TOTAL FREEDOM, WHCH IS EXPRESEXD IN POLICAL FRESSDOM AND SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION. THESE CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH A CONCERTERD EFFORT OF THE ENTIRE CONTINEENT.
TO BE CONTINUED...............................................
Thursday, August 28, 2008
WHAT SUCCESS MEANS
What is success?
Success is a word which probably has as many definitions as there are people to define it. It means something different to every one of us, often changing with age, context and circumstances. Attempts have been made to define success from the earliest of times: in ancient Greece Aeschylus said, "When a man is willing and eager, the gods join in." In Ecclesiastes in the Bible it says, "Take time to work – it is the price of success." William Menninger said that "The six essential qualities that are the key to success (are): sincerity, personal integrity, humility, courtesy, wisdom (and) charity," whereas novelist Pearl S. Buck thought that "The secret joy in work is contained in one word – excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it." However, often it can seem as though success is due to large doses of luck – being in the right place at the right time or simply having the right numbers on your lottery ticket! If you do a search on the internet for "success definition" you will find that it means "the achievement of something desired, planned or attempted" – an accurate definition for some, no doubt, but one that leaves us none the wiser as to how to achieve it. How to be Successful Look in any reputable bookshop and you will find a wide range of books on how to be successful at work, at home, in yourself and in life in general. They sell well – apparently we would all like to achieve success in some areas of our lives. In fact there is so much advice offered on achieving success that it can be hard to sort through it all. The "secrets of success" range from the obvious (such as setting yourself challenging but achievable goals, writing them down, knowing yourself, living according to your values, taking responsibility for yourself and reacting positively and flexibly to feedback) to the seemingly banal or even ridiculous: get adequate sleep, drink lots of water, never eat alone. A key factor, often overlooked, is how you will measure your success: at which points on your path to your goal are you going to pat yourself on the back, smile at yourself in the mirror and say "Well done!" Not only that, but what will you do once you have achieved your aim? Will you bask in glory or set yourself another target? The Disadvantages of Success In the West, having a successful lifestyle often means having material goods such as a large house (or two), a large car (or two), private schooling for the children, designer clothes, foreign holidays in exotic locations (winter and summer), all mod cons. However, it could be argued that this emphasis on financial and material success can lead to people becoming locked into an unfulfilling lifestyle, albeit a luxury one, working harder and harder to become more and more successful financially in order to buy more and more luxury items. But is this necessarily a bad thing? Don't we all want to do well in life...?
Finding Success
Majority of the people are in their quest of finding success. Little do they know that success lies within them? It's just a matter of how one triggers it to put success in full throttle. First thing that one should do is to acknowledge the presence of potential success within. By doing so, it flames up one's passion to stimulate unstimulated success. One should ponder and reflect on the things that he or she has done and not done. Take time to evaluate yourself. By fully grasping the full essence of success, you are now ready to let that potential energy transform into kinetic and useful energy. Brian Tracy's book "Eat That Frog!" is your compass to success. It directs one to be more effective in his or her work "pond" by concentrating only to the MOST CRITICAL TASKS (the 20-80 Rule), planning your day ahead, short-term/long-term goal setting (The Rule of 3), Thinking On Paper, Prioritizing (The ABCDE Method) and focusing only to results. The discipline, the culture, the skill are all taught and rekindled in the book. You might have exposed and soaked yourself with a lot of "self-help" materials in the past which includes optimizing wealth, developing successful habits, etc. Read tons of articles like this but still end up clueless. Allow "Eat That Frog!" to modernize your work panorama. By investing only to yourself will surely give you the benefits of success. Try to un-learn bad habits of procrastination and delaying things. Now is the time to psyche yourself to a brighter and promising successful future. Every action you do now will all contribute to your big picture, to your bigger goal. Finding success doesn't need a genius or an expert hunter to unveil. All you need is common sense and discipline on how you can eat the biggest and ugliest frog FIRST in your work "pond" and deliver results in no time and with flare.
Success is a word which probably has as many definitions as there are people to define it. It means something different to every one of us, often changing with age, context and circumstances. Attempts have been made to define success from the earliest of times: in ancient Greece Aeschylus said, "When a man is willing and eager, the gods join in." In Ecclesiastes in the Bible it says, "Take time to work – it is the price of success." William Menninger said that "The six essential qualities that are the key to success (are): sincerity, personal integrity, humility, courtesy, wisdom (and) charity," whereas novelist Pearl S. Buck thought that "The secret joy in work is contained in one word – excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it." However, often it can seem as though success is due to large doses of luck – being in the right place at the right time or simply having the right numbers on your lottery ticket! If you do a search on the internet for "success definition" you will find that it means "the achievement of something desired, planned or attempted" – an accurate definition for some, no doubt, but one that leaves us none the wiser as to how to achieve it. How to be Successful Look in any reputable bookshop and you will find a wide range of books on how to be successful at work, at home, in yourself and in life in general. They sell well – apparently we would all like to achieve success in some areas of our lives. In fact there is so much advice offered on achieving success that it can be hard to sort through it all. The "secrets of success" range from the obvious (such as setting yourself challenging but achievable goals, writing them down, knowing yourself, living according to your values, taking responsibility for yourself and reacting positively and flexibly to feedback) to the seemingly banal or even ridiculous: get adequate sleep, drink lots of water, never eat alone. A key factor, often overlooked, is how you will measure your success: at which points on your path to your goal are you going to pat yourself on the back, smile at yourself in the mirror and say "Well done!" Not only that, but what will you do once you have achieved your aim? Will you bask in glory or set yourself another target? The Disadvantages of Success In the West, having a successful lifestyle often means having material goods such as a large house (or two), a large car (or two), private schooling for the children, designer clothes, foreign holidays in exotic locations (winter and summer), all mod cons. However, it could be argued that this emphasis on financial and material success can lead to people becoming locked into an unfulfilling lifestyle, albeit a luxury one, working harder and harder to become more and more successful financially in order to buy more and more luxury items. But is this necessarily a bad thing? Don't we all want to do well in life...?
Finding Success
Majority of the people are in their quest of finding success. Little do they know that success lies within them? It's just a matter of how one triggers it to put success in full throttle. First thing that one should do is to acknowledge the presence of potential success within. By doing so, it flames up one's passion to stimulate unstimulated success. One should ponder and reflect on the things that he or she has done and not done. Take time to evaluate yourself. By fully grasping the full essence of success, you are now ready to let that potential energy transform into kinetic and useful energy. Brian Tracy's book "Eat That Frog!" is your compass to success. It directs one to be more effective in his or her work "pond" by concentrating only to the MOST CRITICAL TASKS (the 20-80 Rule), planning your day ahead, short-term/long-term goal setting (The Rule of 3), Thinking On Paper, Prioritizing (The ABCDE Method) and focusing only to results. The discipline, the culture, the skill are all taught and rekindled in the book. You might have exposed and soaked yourself with a lot of "self-help" materials in the past which includes optimizing wealth, developing successful habits, etc. Read tons of articles like this but still end up clueless. Allow "Eat That Frog!" to modernize your work panorama. By investing only to yourself will surely give you the benefits of success. Try to un-learn bad habits of procrastination and delaying things. Now is the time to psyche yourself to a brighter and promising successful future. Every action you do now will all contribute to your big picture, to your bigger goal. Finding success doesn't need a genius or an expert hunter to unveil. All you need is common sense and discipline on how you can eat the biggest and ugliest frog FIRST in your work "pond" and deliver results in no time and with flare.
SUCCESS IN LIFE
WHAT REALLY IS SUCCESS IN LIFE
I think success is different for everyone and can't be termed in values of what you get or achieve in life..So long as you're not content and you're able to live comfortably without fear of losing everything you have, without fear of imminent danger at all times you're probably what I would consider successful. To me, success is doing better in my family with every generation... better job, more comfortable life, being able to give the things I want to my own children, should I have them in the future..I don't know that I can consider having my own family a "success..." but being close to that family would be. I see plenty of unhappy families out there. Rich and poor. I don't know that having a good job is 'success' because 'good jobs' often burn people out or they just hate them. A 'good job' to me is something you enjoy doing and make enough to live on at it. A "GREAT" job is doing one that you love and pays you hand over foot for it or offers great benefits (and im not talking medical, im talking travel, personal time, perks etc) Success is finding who you are in the world and making your place in it.
DOES SUCCESS LIES SOLY IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
I think success is different for everyone and can't be termed in values of what you get or achieve in life..So long as you're not content and you're able to live comfortably without fear of losing everything you have, without fear of imminent danger at all times you're probably what I would consider successful. To me, success is doing better in my family with every generation... better job, more comfortable life, being able to give the things I want to my own children, should I have them in the future..I don't know that I can consider having my own family a "success..." but being close to that family would be. I see plenty of unhappy families out there. Rich and poor. I don't know that having a good job is 'success' because 'good jobs' often burn people out or they just hate them. A 'good job' to me is something you enjoy doing and make enough to live on at it. A "GREAT" job is doing one that you love and pays you hand over foot for it or offers great benefits (and im not talking medical, im talking travel, personal time, perks etc) Success is finding who you are in the world and making your place in it.
DOES SUCCESS LIES SOLY IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
In academia, success often refers to finding a tenure-track job --- a difficult task that not all PhDs accomplish. Those that don't often see themselves as failures, and become depressed and anxious. Given the lack of academic positions, the real problem lies in the narrow way in which we defined failure and success in academia.
In academe, the epitome of success is a tenure-track job at a research university. A lesser degree of success is awarded to those who hold jobs at liberal-arts colleges, and even less so at community colleges. Nonacademic careers, however, are simply unacceptable in the culture of traditional academia.
These attitudes may seem outlandish, but they're often seen among doctoral students and faculty. Attitudes can vary among disciplines and departments. Still, the narrow view of success persists for many students, faculty, and administrators. However, only a small percentage of PhDs will become tenure-track professors at research institutions. For example, researchers Maresi Nerad and Joseph Cerny discovered that less than 60% percent of English PhDs were on the tenure track or tenured 10 years after graduation. Less than 20% of those worked at research universities.
On top of that, about 50% of graduate students never complete their PhDs, according to Barbara Lovitts, author of Leaving the Ivory Tower: The Causes and Consequences of the Departure From Doctoral Study. Most students who begin doctoral study never make it to the tenure-track. It's probably not surprising, then, that depression and anxiety are serious problems for many graduate students.
How can we improve the situation? Try to expand your perspective on careers for PhDs -- move beyond the limited perspective and consider other images of success. What is it that you need to be happy? What is success to you? Not your advisor -- you. reconsider success and failure. We have overly narrow definitions of each.
During graduate school continue to pursue your other interests. Seek experiences that will prepare you for alternative careers (e.g., grant writing, leadership seminars, and more). Changing your mind and moving away from the tenure track is right for some students. Finally, even if your hope is a tenure track position, prepare yourself for other opportunities.
WHAT SUCCESS IS NOT
Well I’ll tell you what it’s not. Even thought many of us like to periodically visit our own personal Fantasyland complete with its mansions, servants, fancy cars and trips to exotic places (check under the heading of “What I Would Do if I Won the Lottery”) most of us over the age of twelve with any experience under our belts are realistic enough to recognize our Fantasyland for what it is. A fun place to visit but one sorely lacking in personal fulfillment.
Unfortunately, there are many in our society who have bought into the concept that equates “success” with big money. And you can’t really blame them. Our entertainment industry and the media have vigorously promoted this concept. “Join us now as we take a closer look at the lifestyles of the rich and famous!” “Travel in luxurious style in our Really Expensive Vehicle!” “Are you ready to be a Success? I made a million dollars last year and you can do the same!” “Dress for Success with this Really Expensive Suit from the Really Expensive Store!”
OK, all you with a huge checking account and a pile of assets can just relax and take a deep breath. I personally feel than anyone who has worked hard and has earned their money honestly is deserving of at least a pat on the back. There’s a good chance that a lot of people have benefited in one way or another from your efforts. That’s another checkmark in the plus column.
So yes, money can be an indication of – or a result of – success. But it ain’t “success”.
So what is success anyway? Here’s old Gene’s personal opinion. Success is simply taking the steps to do the things you want to do. And it doesn’t matter what those “things” are. It can be just being the best mom or dad possible. Or being the best teacher or secretary or tree-trimmer or banjo player or dog groomer or volunteer that you can possibly be. And no, you don’t need to be better than anyone else at what you like to do. Just working to be the best you can be – at whatever interests you - immediately qualifies you as a huge accomplish in life. If you’ll set this image in your head and work for it, you can immediately consider yourself to be “successful”. In fact, maybe you should get a plaque or poster that says “I’m Successful!” and place it in some highly visible spot in your house or apartment. What the heck. You deserve it!
What really is success?
laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty; To find the best in others; To give of one's self; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived –
This is to have succeeded.
You may have succeeded at life if...
If you do something noone ever accomplished before.
If you give more to the human race than you take away.
If you are ever a world champion.
If you spend more time happy than sad.
If you practice refined taste.
If you spend less time thinking about other people than they spend thinking about you.
If you have two or more surviving children.
If you have sex with more people than your partners.
If you die with more money than your parents.
If when the time comes you don't fear death.
If someone remembers you 100 years after you're gone.
If you make a difference in just one person's life.
If you ever get someone to truly love you.
If you accomplish everything which was expected of you and more.
If you never purposefully harm anyone.
...But the truth is, there is no official score.
SUCCESS IS YOURS……
In academe, the epitome of success is a tenure-track job at a research university. A lesser degree of success is awarded to those who hold jobs at liberal-arts colleges, and even less so at community colleges. Nonacademic careers, however, are simply unacceptable in the culture of traditional academia.
These attitudes may seem outlandish, but they're often seen among doctoral students and faculty. Attitudes can vary among disciplines and departments. Still, the narrow view of success persists for many students, faculty, and administrators. However, only a small percentage of PhDs will become tenure-track professors at research institutions. For example, researchers Maresi Nerad and Joseph Cerny discovered that less than 60% percent of English PhDs were on the tenure track or tenured 10 years after graduation. Less than 20% of those worked at research universities.
On top of that, about 50% of graduate students never complete their PhDs, according to Barbara Lovitts, author of Leaving the Ivory Tower: The Causes and Consequences of the Departure From Doctoral Study. Most students who begin doctoral study never make it to the tenure-track. It's probably not surprising, then, that depression and anxiety are serious problems for many graduate students.
How can we improve the situation? Try to expand your perspective on careers for PhDs -- move beyond the limited perspective and consider other images of success. What is it that you need to be happy? What is success to you? Not your advisor -- you. reconsider success and failure. We have overly narrow definitions of each.
During graduate school continue to pursue your other interests. Seek experiences that will prepare you for alternative careers (e.g., grant writing, leadership seminars, and more). Changing your mind and moving away from the tenure track is right for some students. Finally, even if your hope is a tenure track position, prepare yourself for other opportunities.
WHAT SUCCESS IS NOT
Well I’ll tell you what it’s not. Even thought many of us like to periodically visit our own personal Fantasyland complete with its mansions, servants, fancy cars and trips to exotic places (check under the heading of “What I Would Do if I Won the Lottery”) most of us over the age of twelve with any experience under our belts are realistic enough to recognize our Fantasyland for what it is. A fun place to visit but one sorely lacking in personal fulfillment.
Unfortunately, there are many in our society who have bought into the concept that equates “success” with big money. And you can’t really blame them. Our entertainment industry and the media have vigorously promoted this concept. “Join us now as we take a closer look at the lifestyles of the rich and famous!” “Travel in luxurious style in our Really Expensive Vehicle!” “Are you ready to be a Success? I made a million dollars last year and you can do the same!” “Dress for Success with this Really Expensive Suit from the Really Expensive Store!”
OK, all you with a huge checking account and a pile of assets can just relax and take a deep breath. I personally feel than anyone who has worked hard and has earned their money honestly is deserving of at least a pat on the back. There’s a good chance that a lot of people have benefited in one way or another from your efforts. That’s another checkmark in the plus column.
So yes, money can be an indication of – or a result of – success. But it ain’t “success”.
So what is success anyway? Here’s old Gene’s personal opinion. Success is simply taking the steps to do the things you want to do. And it doesn’t matter what those “things” are. It can be just being the best mom or dad possible. Or being the best teacher or secretary or tree-trimmer or banjo player or dog groomer or volunteer that you can possibly be. And no, you don’t need to be better than anyone else at what you like to do. Just working to be the best you can be – at whatever interests you - immediately qualifies you as a huge accomplish in life. If you’ll set this image in your head and work for it, you can immediately consider yourself to be “successful”. In fact, maybe you should get a plaque or poster that says “I’m Successful!” and place it in some highly visible spot in your house or apartment. What the heck. You deserve it!
What really is success?
laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty; To find the best in others; To give of one's self; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived –
This is to have succeeded.
You may have succeeded at life if...
If you do something noone ever accomplished before.
If you give more to the human race than you take away.
If you are ever a world champion.
If you spend more time happy than sad.
If you practice refined taste.
If you spend less time thinking about other people than they spend thinking about you.
If you have two or more surviving children.
If you have sex with more people than your partners.
If you die with more money than your parents.
If when the time comes you don't fear death.
If someone remembers you 100 years after you're gone.
If you make a difference in just one person's life.
If you ever get someone to truly love you.
If you accomplish everything which was expected of you and more.
If you never purposefully harm anyone.
...But the truth is, there is no official score.
SUCCESS IS YOURS……
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
THE FAITH OF NIGERIAN YOUTHS
THE YOUTHS IN NIGERIA: ANY HEAD WAY?
Yearly, thousands of Nigerian youths graduate from the nation's Universities and other institutions of learning; while others take their place through various entrance examinations.
Unlike in the 60s and early 70s, graduation no longer translates into automatic employment, gainful or not. What results are feelings of frustration and anger at an 'unfeeling' society.
Among the fallout are drug trafficking, cultism, prostitution, armed robbery and burglary, credit fraud, patricide, exploitation as political thugs, and desperation to flee the country.
Yet Nigeria needs her youths, who form the largest percentage of her potential and actual workforce, in so many areas and sectors. Countries like Azerbaijan and Herzegovina are already reaping their investment in youths.
The questions: In what ways can the numerous youths of this country be put to the best use? Which areas or sectors should the youths be deployed to ensure gainful employment and provide a skilled labour force? What incentives are necessary for them?
NECESSARY SUGESSTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
• Governance in Nigeria has gotten to a level in which an average youth is thinking of how to get to the top either by hook or by crook.
A conducive environment for learning should be made available in our public schools (primary, secondary, tertiary) and adequate measures should be put in place not to obstruct the learning process.
Youths need to be encouraged so as to bring out the best in them and given opportunity to build upon their God-given talent. They should be given opportunity to speak up and express their minds. Government can also organise various activities including sports, workshops and seminars to keep the youths off the streets.
- Mr. Olawale Salami, Credit Direct Limited, Ikeja, Lagos
• There is need for a comprehensive policy towards youth development, which is inevitable in any meaningful national development plan.
Government has to engage our jobless youths through mechanised agriculture and micro credit facilities. This is a task for the three tiers of government.
- Barrister Mike Utsaha, JDPC Catholic Ecclesiastical Province, Kaduna
• Nigeria needs a youth summit involving all stakeholders aimed at reviewing its youth policies and programmes through a NEEDS assessment.
An expected outcome shall be the introduction of a Skills for Citizenship Awareness & Lifeline Education (SCALE) for youths, which WANEP has been championing.
- Mr. Chukwuemeka Eze, National Coordinator, West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), Lagos
• Nigeria is ranked among the worst nations that have toyed with its youth population.
Nigerian youths cannot compete technologically with their peers globally. The human capital gap is wide and can only be bridged if University education is free.
Vast majority of Nigerian youths need to be integrated into the global ICT scenario.
The Police need overhauling with youth graduates scheme brought in. The Petroleum Trust Development Fund needs to be disbanded for a youth-centred initiative manned by Niger Delta youths.
- Mr. George-Hill Anthony, National Coordinator, Niger Delta Budget Monitoring Group (NDEBUMOG), Port Harcourt, Rivers State
• We can harness the youth through creation of employment opportunities. There is also need for vocational skills training, and more guidance and counselling in schools.
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) should be revived and entrepreneurs should be promoted.
- Dr. Keziah Awosika, Programmes Director, Women Law and Development Centre (WLDC), Lagos
• The agricultural sector can employ the whole youth in our country, but the belief is always that farming is a back-breaking job. This is not so with technological development. It (agriculture) can enrich the whole nation.
The government should allow the youth have access to micro credit and non-collateral loans. This is because majority of our youth just need little capital to start a business but no access to funds.
- Mr. Abdullahi Ahmed, Saw Mill, Ilorin, Kwara State
• Nigerian youth resources can be successfully harnessed by the creation of an environment for adequate self-employment. Job opportunities and incentives through welfare should be created. There is also a need for provision of qualitative education.
• Indeed, that (harnessing the youths) has been one of the major concerns each time issues of Nigeria's development are being discussed.
However, the only way this can be managed is for the government to initiate policies that can lead to job creation, encourage private sector development.
Above all, there is need to introduce skills acquisition programme into schools' curricula, especially from Secondary School level.
- Mr. Boniface Kassam, Senior Programme Officer, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Abuja
• Nigeria can harness her youth population in so many ways. The government should create job opportunities for the youths in the society, and build more industries to encourage the youths.
Secondly, the government and private sector should create more flexible working hours for parents, especially those working in banks, so that these parents can have time to talk to their kids and advise them properly.
Youths are leaders of tomorrow. Government should encourage them because some of these youths are naturally talented in various areas. They also need to be supported through seminars and lectures. At the end, all of us will be beneficiaries.
- Miss Oluwadara Solarin, Student, Lagos
• There is need for government to embark on job creation policy and also revive the industrial sector. This will create an enabling environment for industrial growth and Nigeria will become a producing not consuming country.
- Mr. Rotimi Aboluwade, Systems Engineer, Ikeja, Lagos
• To harness Nigerian youths adequately, there is need to teach them entrepreneurial skills.
- Mr. Nankin Bagudu, Ministry of Housing and Environment, Jos, Plateau State
• To harness the youth population, first, our leaders should show good example and intensify re-orientation towards encouraging hard work.
Then there is need for massive skills building, establishment of cottage industries, and proliferation of agro-allied industries headed by visionary young entrepreneurs and role models.
- Mrs. Augusta Akparanta-Emenogu, ActionAid International, Nigeria (AAIN), Abuja
• Education is key. An educated youth is an empowered youth. As opposed to the moribund education youth are being given now in public schools, Federal, State and Local Governments need to make qualitative education available at all levels but compulsory up till primary level.
Also, the current dichotomy in educational qualification in the work place especially between HND & B.Sc. holders should be scrapped so that Nigerian youth can be confident in their job search and work with dignity on the job whether as employees or employers.
A hungry man is said to be an angry man. Government should pay weekly allowances to unemployed graduates so they can meet their basic needs while waiting to be employed. They should also be exposed to empowerment programmes
Yearly, thousands of Nigerian youths graduate from the nation's Universities and other institutions of learning; while others take their place through various entrance examinations.
Unlike in the 60s and early 70s, graduation no longer translates into automatic employment, gainful or not. What results are feelings of frustration and anger at an 'unfeeling' society.
Among the fallout are drug trafficking, cultism, prostitution, armed robbery and burglary, credit fraud, patricide, exploitation as political thugs, and desperation to flee the country.
Yet Nigeria needs her youths, who form the largest percentage of her potential and actual workforce, in so many areas and sectors. Countries like Azerbaijan and Herzegovina are already reaping their investment in youths.
The questions: In what ways can the numerous youths of this country be put to the best use? Which areas or sectors should the youths be deployed to ensure gainful employment and provide a skilled labour force? What incentives are necessary for them?
NECESSARY SUGESSTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
• Governance in Nigeria has gotten to a level in which an average youth is thinking of how to get to the top either by hook or by crook.
A conducive environment for learning should be made available in our public schools (primary, secondary, tertiary) and adequate measures should be put in place not to obstruct the learning process.
Youths need to be encouraged so as to bring out the best in them and given opportunity to build upon their God-given talent. They should be given opportunity to speak up and express their minds. Government can also organise various activities including sports, workshops and seminars to keep the youths off the streets.
- Mr. Olawale Salami, Credit Direct Limited, Ikeja, Lagos
• There is need for a comprehensive policy towards youth development, which is inevitable in any meaningful national development plan.
Government has to engage our jobless youths through mechanised agriculture and micro credit facilities. This is a task for the three tiers of government.
- Barrister Mike Utsaha, JDPC Catholic Ecclesiastical Province, Kaduna
• Nigeria needs a youth summit involving all stakeholders aimed at reviewing its youth policies and programmes through a NEEDS assessment.
An expected outcome shall be the introduction of a Skills for Citizenship Awareness & Lifeline Education (SCALE) for youths, which WANEP has been championing.
- Mr. Chukwuemeka Eze, National Coordinator, West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), Lagos
• Nigeria is ranked among the worst nations that have toyed with its youth population.
Nigerian youths cannot compete technologically with their peers globally. The human capital gap is wide and can only be bridged if University education is free.
Vast majority of Nigerian youths need to be integrated into the global ICT scenario.
The Police need overhauling with youth graduates scheme brought in. The Petroleum Trust Development Fund needs to be disbanded for a youth-centred initiative manned by Niger Delta youths.
- Mr. George-Hill Anthony, National Coordinator, Niger Delta Budget Monitoring Group (NDEBUMOG), Port Harcourt, Rivers State
• We can harness the youth through creation of employment opportunities. There is also need for vocational skills training, and more guidance and counselling in schools.
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) should be revived and entrepreneurs should be promoted.
- Dr. Keziah Awosika, Programmes Director, Women Law and Development Centre (WLDC), Lagos
• The agricultural sector can employ the whole youth in our country, but the belief is always that farming is a back-breaking job. This is not so with technological development. It (agriculture) can enrich the whole nation.
The government should allow the youth have access to micro credit and non-collateral loans. This is because majority of our youth just need little capital to start a business but no access to funds.
- Mr. Abdullahi Ahmed, Saw Mill, Ilorin, Kwara State
• Nigerian youth resources can be successfully harnessed by the creation of an environment for adequate self-employment. Job opportunities and incentives through welfare should be created. There is also a need for provision of qualitative education.
• Indeed, that (harnessing the youths) has been one of the major concerns each time issues of Nigeria's development are being discussed.
However, the only way this can be managed is for the government to initiate policies that can lead to job creation, encourage private sector development.
Above all, there is need to introduce skills acquisition programme into schools' curricula, especially from Secondary School level.
- Mr. Boniface Kassam, Senior Programme Officer, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Abuja
• Nigeria can harness her youth population in so many ways. The government should create job opportunities for the youths in the society, and build more industries to encourage the youths.
Secondly, the government and private sector should create more flexible working hours for parents, especially those working in banks, so that these parents can have time to talk to their kids and advise them properly.
Youths are leaders of tomorrow. Government should encourage them because some of these youths are naturally talented in various areas. They also need to be supported through seminars and lectures. At the end, all of us will be beneficiaries.
- Miss Oluwadara Solarin, Student, Lagos
• There is need for government to embark on job creation policy and also revive the industrial sector. This will create an enabling environment for industrial growth and Nigeria will become a producing not consuming country.
- Mr. Rotimi Aboluwade, Systems Engineer, Ikeja, Lagos
• To harness Nigerian youths adequately, there is need to teach them entrepreneurial skills.
- Mr. Nankin Bagudu, Ministry of Housing and Environment, Jos, Plateau State
• To harness the youth population, first, our leaders should show good example and intensify re-orientation towards encouraging hard work.
Then there is need for massive skills building, establishment of cottage industries, and proliferation of agro-allied industries headed by visionary young entrepreneurs and role models.
- Mrs. Augusta Akparanta-Emenogu, ActionAid International, Nigeria (AAIN), Abuja
• Education is key. An educated youth is an empowered youth. As opposed to the moribund education youth are being given now in public schools, Federal, State and Local Governments need to make qualitative education available at all levels but compulsory up till primary level.
Also, the current dichotomy in educational qualification in the work place especially between HND & B.Sc. holders should be scrapped so that Nigerian youth can be confident in their job search and work with dignity on the job whether as employees or employers.
A hungry man is said to be an angry man. Government should pay weekly allowances to unemployed graduates so they can meet their basic needs while waiting to be employed. They should also be exposed to empowerment programmes
FUTURE HOPE IN THE WORLD
MY DREAMS AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.
A journey of thousand miles will begin with a single step. Life is an empty dream. Dream is something having great beauty or charm. Dream means a vision of fantasy. It means a picture existing only in the mind. A focused man should, will and must definitely have a dream. The dream must not be an ordinary one, but for the future. He who fails to plan is planning to fail. I felt I should let people know my dreams and hopes for the future of our world. These dreams come under various sub-topics; education, religion, health, governance, and terrorism.
To start with, they say education is the best legacy. I believe the only way in which the world can move forward is by making sure nothing disrupts our educational life. Most of the reported cases of child abuse are due to lack of knowledge, educationally. Had it been our parents know the fact that only educated children can become great in life, they could have taken education very seriously.
Today, our present democratic government has mandated primary education for children below fourteen years of age. I believe and have faith that, if this is brought into law, I see children of this world reaching the climax, in terms of achievement. No doubt, it is just a matter of time.
Moreover, they say religion determines the type of behavior one has, or one’s character. In the whole world, we have various religious groups. These groups practice their religion in various ways. Even some can easily be recognized by their mode of dressing. In the past, there have been reported cases of religious clashes. Why this? I see no reasons we should be fighting one another .At least, we direct all our prayers to only one God. The different is the various type of names we call Him .I want us to be living as if we are brothers and sisters, irrespective of our religions group .To be sincere, if this is not done, I predict loss of innocent lives and souls in this precious world of ours .I see us leaving in peace, love and harmony in this world.
However they say health is wealth .Today there have been reported cases of various untreated disease, some of which SARS and AIDS. I feel sad anytime I heard people die of such diseases .A death makes a useful person to become useless .Everybody is useful in one way or the other. I want us to sit on a round table. We should dialogue. We must find a means of curing all these diseases. We should welcome ideas and suggestions from various people, irrespective of your tribe. A man worked on AIDS in Nigeria. He was not reckoned with, because he did not back his drugs up with theories. Haba! We say we do not want something, still, some are against our progress. Together we stand divided we fall .I have faith that these diseases can be cured .
In addition , I am not happy about the ways our leaders of various African countries treat people .The rich are getting richer, while the poor are getting poorer .To be candid ,it is frustrating and provoking. Most of them are tyrants. They treat the masses or civilians like dogs .I weep internally for those who are denied their human rights. A situation whereby someone would be jailed for an offence that he did not commit. A nation that does not have best of its men at the leadership position is a moral absurdity .I hope to be in the helms of affairs. I am aiming high, working hard and praying seriously to be in power house .I wish to stop the intimidation. That is my dream.
Moreso, terrorism gives me concern. This is the act of terrorizing; use of terror especially the systematic use of terror by government or other authorities against particular persons or groups. This act should be curbed if not totally stopped .We have to take the bull by the horn. I got to find out why the so-called terrorists try to terrorize people. They do that in other to revenge or avenge. Now a situation whereby the USA government killed all the family members of a six-year old girl. How would such a girl keep quiet without taking any action, after realizing that her people where killed by USA military officers. She might not act now, but I foresee a terrorist attack on USA, by wounded lions of Iraqis children. I doubt if this kind of a girl would be a quietist. Thereby, USA should be prepared.
In conclusion, some of the dreams and hopes for the future of our world are: Our children should be given qualitative education; we should believe we are serving one God, irrespective of your religion; health is wealth; so we should all kick away SARS and AIDS; countries should stop waging war against one another and terrorism should be stopped .I have faith and belief that the world can reach where we inside it ,want it to reach. Thereby I have good dreams and hopes for the future of our world.
A journey of thousand miles will begin with a single step. Life is an empty dream. Dream is something having great beauty or charm. Dream means a vision of fantasy. It means a picture existing only in the mind. A focused man should, will and must definitely have a dream. The dream must not be an ordinary one, but for the future. He who fails to plan is planning to fail. I felt I should let people know my dreams and hopes for the future of our world. These dreams come under various sub-topics; education, religion, health, governance, and terrorism.
To start with, they say education is the best legacy. I believe the only way in which the world can move forward is by making sure nothing disrupts our educational life. Most of the reported cases of child abuse are due to lack of knowledge, educationally. Had it been our parents know the fact that only educated children can become great in life, they could have taken education very seriously.
Today, our present democratic government has mandated primary education for children below fourteen years of age. I believe and have faith that, if this is brought into law, I see children of this world reaching the climax, in terms of achievement. No doubt, it is just a matter of time.
Moreover, they say religion determines the type of behavior one has, or one’s character. In the whole world, we have various religious groups. These groups practice their religion in various ways. Even some can easily be recognized by their mode of dressing. In the past, there have been reported cases of religious clashes. Why this? I see no reasons we should be fighting one another .At least, we direct all our prayers to only one God. The different is the various type of names we call Him .I want us to be living as if we are brothers and sisters, irrespective of our religions group .To be sincere, if this is not done, I predict loss of innocent lives and souls in this precious world of ours .I see us leaving in peace, love and harmony in this world.
However they say health is wealth .Today there have been reported cases of various untreated disease, some of which SARS and AIDS. I feel sad anytime I heard people die of such diseases .A death makes a useful person to become useless .Everybody is useful in one way or the other. I want us to sit on a round table. We should dialogue. We must find a means of curing all these diseases. We should welcome ideas and suggestions from various people, irrespective of your tribe. A man worked on AIDS in Nigeria. He was not reckoned with, because he did not back his drugs up with theories. Haba! We say we do not want something, still, some are against our progress. Together we stand divided we fall .I have faith that these diseases can be cured .
In addition , I am not happy about the ways our leaders of various African countries treat people .The rich are getting richer, while the poor are getting poorer .To be candid ,it is frustrating and provoking. Most of them are tyrants. They treat the masses or civilians like dogs .I weep internally for those who are denied their human rights. A situation whereby someone would be jailed for an offence that he did not commit. A nation that does not have best of its men at the leadership position is a moral absurdity .I hope to be in the helms of affairs. I am aiming high, working hard and praying seriously to be in power house .I wish to stop the intimidation. That is my dream.
Moreso, terrorism gives me concern. This is the act of terrorizing; use of terror especially the systematic use of terror by government or other authorities against particular persons or groups. This act should be curbed if not totally stopped .We have to take the bull by the horn. I got to find out why the so-called terrorists try to terrorize people. They do that in other to revenge or avenge. Now a situation whereby the USA government killed all the family members of a six-year old girl. How would such a girl keep quiet without taking any action, after realizing that her people where killed by USA military officers. She might not act now, but I foresee a terrorist attack on USA, by wounded lions of Iraqis children. I doubt if this kind of a girl would be a quietist. Thereby, USA should be prepared.
In conclusion, some of the dreams and hopes for the future of our world are: Our children should be given qualitative education; we should believe we are serving one God, irrespective of your religion; health is wealth; so we should all kick away SARS and AIDS; countries should stop waging war against one another and terrorism should be stopped .I have faith and belief that the world can reach where we inside it ,want it to reach. Thereby I have good dreams and hopes for the future of our world.
ECONOMIC CRISES IN NIGERIA
ECONOMIC PROBLEMS IN NIGERIA: ANY PANACEA.
What an impractical way to tackle a problem when a problem isn’t identified as a problem? This is a direct response to government’s remarks about the hunger facing us in Nigeria. While the relatively more comfortable and wealthier nations astutely square up with the present global food crisis by officially acknowledging it; adopting strategic plans to mitigate its unpleasant effects on its people, poor and disadvantaged Nigeria is still denying it, with ministers and officials claiming there is no food shortage; that what we have in Nigeria is mere increase in prices.
This is totally ridiculous.
What is it mean when more than half population of a nation cannot afford to feed conveniently or afford the prices of food needed in their house hold? Of course, that’s food shortage. And that is generally a resultant effect of another shortage experienced somewhere in the systemic malfunctioning of demand-supply chain. It could be money, affecting demand; it could be the product, affecting supply, with both still having many determinant factors.
Let’s go by this theory: “In an effective demand-supply chain, products flow smoothly from producers to consumers through all necessary actors of the chain and information flows fluently between actors so that every actor can predict and plan its operations compatible with their environment and other actors. Increased co-operation and more fluent information flow improve competitiveness of chains by reducing costs and improving accessibility to products,” (Kotzab, 2001; Vorst, 2000).
Simply put, the above means that though consumers’ willingness to buy may be stable, but if there is a breakdown somewhere in the system, as our status quo; having low purchasing power as consumers, this will lead to feelings of insecurity and loss of interest in food production on the side of the producers which, as a result, will lead to a slight drop in food supply.
This assertion has been made by the Vice President himself, Jonathan Good luck, when he was reported in Vanguard, May 4, 2008 while fielding questions from journalists, as saying “…So, the high price…, while we grumble and complain that the lower earners are not getting it, it also helps the farmers to come up and sell their produce so that the farmers don t die. Do you want the farmers to die? No! Consumers please put your hand up a little, pay a little bit better so that the farmer can go back to the farm. If you do not pay him well, he will abandon the cassava there and he will not go back to farming cassava.” Then I ask why? It is because the farmer had lost confidence in the consumers. Besides, may I ask the Vice President if it is possible for him to give what he doesn’t have?
No right-thinking person would want the farmers to sell their produce at loss. Farmers need to get good prices for their products so that they can go back to the farm with confidence and bring more food. But we will only be able to do this when we have the money. Like the consumers, farmers are also a part of the same malfunctioning society; we both are just victims of unfortunate circumstance.
That we still have a lot to do concerning food security is a reality that needs to be confronted. It is just funny that with all our theories; our postulations and suggestions, if all things remain unchanged, Nigerians will still survive. That is a mystery to the entire world and perhaps attributable to the fact that we run a cash economy where most incomes are derived from non-declared employments and businesses and where those who declared or registered their businesses evade lodging tax returns, as-well-as from other illegal activities like what is happening in the south-south and other petroleum tapping spots.
So while the economically disadvantaged majority will be suffering in silence because they haven’t got a voice stringent enough, it is only the minority few who found themselves in the category of players above, who also are blessed with a stringent voice that our government will listen to and use as our representative samples. What the government should have done otherwise is taking the food crisis serious by taking the farming problem to the local/village level for the local people themselves to solve, with government at the background, backing them while also injecting on another parallel macro level, an appreciable investment that will boost agricultural research and production for the food export industry. Who says earning from Agric cannot compete with oil?
Even though we have been nursing our own food shortage long before now, in other parts of the world, the problem is the same at present. We all know that. The American Agricultural economy for instance, at this time, may benefit what is known as ‘emergency economic loss assistance’ or whatever. This is in addition to other yearly handouts to farmers, to boost their output. No wonder they are happy and willing to remain farmers for ever.
Until our government so empowers the farmers financially, attaining food security will continue to be a fantasy for us in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, let me congratulate us for what seems to be the dawn of a new era in our life. That is the gradual re-emergence of a new echelon in the middle-less stratification pyramid of our social structure which though resembles the middle-class strata that had long disappeared from the face of our society but still having enough characteristics to have us scratching our heads.
Although the evolution of the class has its traditional process which embraces steady upward mobility of its three constituents -- the self-made people who owe everything to their personal efforts; being it resources, expertise or educational qualification or whatever -- these are the white-collar workers such as salaried managers and administrators, public servants, bankers, etc; the SMEs entrepreneurs such as small-scale manufacturers, traders, artisans, farmers, etc, and the qualified service-rendering professionals like lawyers, doctors, beauticians, designers, architects etc.
With the exception of the first stratum where currently we are witnessing a promising turn-around due to sharp increase in the business activities of certain selective industries like banking, oil and gas, IT, food processing, communication, insurance and a host of others, and of course, the ever-increasing state needs for qualified administrators as a result of our active political sector, the two others are somehow still in the doldrums.
By this depiction, one may say it is nothing worth of any jubilation or congratulating ourselves over; thinking we have arrived. But the cause for jubilation truly arises, and it is found in the reality that many years a go, there had been unprecedented recession in these industries which had, in fact, led to unannounced embargo on employment whereby companies rarely publicly advertised vacant positions as against now that jobsites are filled with ‘vacancies’ posted by both local and multinational organisations with mouth-watering salaries and attractive paraphernalia of office awaiting the lucky dudes that pick them up.
Today, if you are truly qualified, you can move from one organisation to another better organisation without the trepidation of the unknown. Our graduates now use their diary for keeping dates with job interview appointments and open days rather than recording hostile uncles and cousins’ offensives triggered as a result of excessive proximity caused by joblessness. Opportunities are now rearing heads from different directions, far from what the situations used to be in 2005 and 2006 as the contents of this horse’s-mouth link humorously reveals.
What an impractical way to tackle a problem when a problem isn’t identified as a problem? This is a direct response to government’s remarks about the hunger facing us in Nigeria. While the relatively more comfortable and wealthier nations astutely square up with the present global food crisis by officially acknowledging it; adopting strategic plans to mitigate its unpleasant effects on its people, poor and disadvantaged Nigeria is still denying it, with ministers and officials claiming there is no food shortage; that what we have in Nigeria is mere increase in prices.
This is totally ridiculous.
What is it mean when more than half population of a nation cannot afford to feed conveniently or afford the prices of food needed in their house hold? Of course, that’s food shortage. And that is generally a resultant effect of another shortage experienced somewhere in the systemic malfunctioning of demand-supply chain. It could be money, affecting demand; it could be the product, affecting supply, with both still having many determinant factors.
Let’s go by this theory: “In an effective demand-supply chain, products flow smoothly from producers to consumers through all necessary actors of the chain and information flows fluently between actors so that every actor can predict and plan its operations compatible with their environment and other actors. Increased co-operation and more fluent information flow improve competitiveness of chains by reducing costs and improving accessibility to products,” (Kotzab, 2001; Vorst, 2000).
Simply put, the above means that though consumers’ willingness to buy may be stable, but if there is a breakdown somewhere in the system, as our status quo; having low purchasing power as consumers, this will lead to feelings of insecurity and loss of interest in food production on the side of the producers which, as a result, will lead to a slight drop in food supply.
This assertion has been made by the Vice President himself, Jonathan Good luck, when he was reported in Vanguard, May 4, 2008 while fielding questions from journalists, as saying “…So, the high price…, while we grumble and complain that the lower earners are not getting it, it also helps the farmers to come up and sell their produce so that the farmers don t die. Do you want the farmers to die? No! Consumers please put your hand up a little, pay a little bit better so that the farmer can go back to the farm. If you do not pay him well, he will abandon the cassava there and he will not go back to farming cassava.” Then I ask why? It is because the farmer had lost confidence in the consumers. Besides, may I ask the Vice President if it is possible for him to give what he doesn’t have?
No right-thinking person would want the farmers to sell their produce at loss. Farmers need to get good prices for their products so that they can go back to the farm with confidence and bring more food. But we will only be able to do this when we have the money. Like the consumers, farmers are also a part of the same malfunctioning society; we both are just victims of unfortunate circumstance.
That we still have a lot to do concerning food security is a reality that needs to be confronted. It is just funny that with all our theories; our postulations and suggestions, if all things remain unchanged, Nigerians will still survive. That is a mystery to the entire world and perhaps attributable to the fact that we run a cash economy where most incomes are derived from non-declared employments and businesses and where those who declared or registered their businesses evade lodging tax returns, as-well-as from other illegal activities like what is happening in the south-south and other petroleum tapping spots.
So while the economically disadvantaged majority will be suffering in silence because they haven’t got a voice stringent enough, it is only the minority few who found themselves in the category of players above, who also are blessed with a stringent voice that our government will listen to and use as our representative samples. What the government should have done otherwise is taking the food crisis serious by taking the farming problem to the local/village level for the local people themselves to solve, with government at the background, backing them while also injecting on another parallel macro level, an appreciable investment that will boost agricultural research and production for the food export industry. Who says earning from Agric cannot compete with oil?
Even though we have been nursing our own food shortage long before now, in other parts of the world, the problem is the same at present. We all know that. The American Agricultural economy for instance, at this time, may benefit what is known as ‘emergency economic loss assistance’ or whatever. This is in addition to other yearly handouts to farmers, to boost their output. No wonder they are happy and willing to remain farmers for ever.
Until our government so empowers the farmers financially, attaining food security will continue to be a fantasy for us in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, let me congratulate us for what seems to be the dawn of a new era in our life. That is the gradual re-emergence of a new echelon in the middle-less stratification pyramid of our social structure which though resembles the middle-class strata that had long disappeared from the face of our society but still having enough characteristics to have us scratching our heads.
Although the evolution of the class has its traditional process which embraces steady upward mobility of its three constituents -- the self-made people who owe everything to their personal efforts; being it resources, expertise or educational qualification or whatever -- these are the white-collar workers such as salaried managers and administrators, public servants, bankers, etc; the SMEs entrepreneurs such as small-scale manufacturers, traders, artisans, farmers, etc, and the qualified service-rendering professionals like lawyers, doctors, beauticians, designers, architects etc.
With the exception of the first stratum where currently we are witnessing a promising turn-around due to sharp increase in the business activities of certain selective industries like banking, oil and gas, IT, food processing, communication, insurance and a host of others, and of course, the ever-increasing state needs for qualified administrators as a result of our active political sector, the two others are somehow still in the doldrums.
By this depiction, one may say it is nothing worth of any jubilation or congratulating ourselves over; thinking we have arrived. But the cause for jubilation truly arises, and it is found in the reality that many years a go, there had been unprecedented recession in these industries which had, in fact, led to unannounced embargo on employment whereby companies rarely publicly advertised vacant positions as against now that jobsites are filled with ‘vacancies’ posted by both local and multinational organisations with mouth-watering salaries and attractive paraphernalia of office awaiting the lucky dudes that pick them up.
Today, if you are truly qualified, you can move from one organisation to another better organisation without the trepidation of the unknown. Our graduates now use their diary for keeping dates with job interview appointments and open days rather than recording hostile uncles and cousins’ offensives triggered as a result of excessive proximity caused by joblessness. Opportunities are now rearing heads from different directions, far from what the situations used to be in 2005 and 2006 as the contents of this horse’s-mouth link humorously reveals.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
WAYS OF MAKING SUCCESS IN LIFE ACTIVITIES
SURE WAYS OF ACHIEVING SUCCESS
FOR ONE TO SUCCEED IN ANY ACTIVITY THAT HE UNDERGOES THERE IS THE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND MAKE OUT WAYS OR PLANS FOR ACTING.
SUCCEEDING IN ANY BUSINESS ADVENTURE ONE MUST BE ABLE TO LEARN,ASSIMILATE AND PRACTICE THE FOLLOWNIG SECRET WAYS,
FIRSTLY. PROPER MARKETING.
THE MAIN REASON WHY CUSTOMERS CHOOSE TO BUY YOUR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES IS BECAUSE OF YOUR EFFECTIVE MARKETING. THE MARKETING PROCES STARTS AT THE VERY BEGINNING AND CONTINUEES FOREVER. IT BEGINS WITH PRODUCTS DEVELOPMENT ENSURING THAT THE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES FILLS A NEED FOR POTENTIAL CUSTOMRS SO THAT THEY WILL WANT TO BUY IT.
THE MARKETER MUST ENSURE THAT THE PRICING OF THE BUSINESS WILL ACHIEVE PROFITS FROM SALES AND THAT CUTOMERS WILL PERCEIVE PRICE TO BE LESS THAN THIER VALUE OF THE BENEFITS THEY RECEIVE. EFFECTIVE POSITIONING ALLOWS POTENTIAL CUSTOMWERS EASY INTERACTION WITH THE BUSINESTO EVALUATE THE PRODUCTS
HE SHOULD MAKE THE BUSINESS COMMUNICATE WITH ITS POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS ON THE EXISTENCE AND BENEFITS OF THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO ENTICE THEM TO CONTACT THE BUSINESS TO LEARN MORE. MARKETING IS CULMINATED IN SALES, WHEN THE CUSTOMERS VALUE OF THIER BENEFITS EXCEEDS THE PRICE OF THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICE.
SECONDLY. LOOK FOR OTHERS OPINION AND DERSIRES.
OWNERS OF BUSINESS BELIEVE THIER POWER AND FEEDOM OF CHIOCE AS THE BOSS MEANS THAT THEY DONT HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE OPINION OF OTHERS. THAT I AM NOW MY OWN BOSS IS ONLY PARTLY TRUE. YOU ARE IN VIRTUAL CONTROL OF EITHER SUCCEDING OR FAILING TO CONVINCE THE CUSTOMER TO BUY YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. YOU MUST AVOID IMPOSING YOUR OPINION ON YOUR POTENTILS CUSTOMERS. FOCUS ON FULFILLING THE PERCIVED WANTS AND NEEDS OF YOUR CUSTOMERS FROM THIR PERPECTIVE, SO YOU WILL GRATLY INCREAS THE NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS THET WIIL DECIDR TO BUY YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVIECS.
THIRDLY. LEARN YOUR POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
YOU SHOULD ENDERVOUR TO LEARN EVERYTHING POSSIBLE ABOUT WHO YOUR POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS ARE' WHAT YOUR POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS THINKS THEY WANT TO BUY, WHY THEY THINK THEY BUY, HOW THEY THINK THEY BUY.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AND OBLIGATUION TO DETERMINE WHICH POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS YOU WILL AGREE TO SERVE. YOU SHOULD SCREEN OUT UNDERSIRBLE CUSTOMERS EARLY SO YOU CAN FOCUS MORE ATTENTION ON CUSTOMERS YOU WANT TO SERVE. SADLY, YOU OFTEN MAY NOT KNOW HOW TO SELECT DESIRABLE CUSTOMERS FROM THE POOL OF POTENTIAL CUSTROMERS YOU ENCOUNTER. AS A RESULT YOU WILL OFTEN SPEND TOO MUCH TIME, MONEY AND ENERGY TRYING TO DEAL WITH A HANDFUL OF HARD TO PLEASE CUSTOMERS WHO FRQUENTLY DEMAND LOWER PRICES AT THE EXPENSE OF BETTER CUSTOMERS, WHO GO ELSE WHERE BECAUSE THEY WERE IGNORED. YOU SHOULD KNOW THE KEY CRITERIA TO HELP YOU DECIDE WHICH POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS ARE ACCEPTABLE.
FOURTHLY. APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF YOUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS.
YOI MAY OFTEN BECOME SO FOCUSED ON GETTING NEW CUSTOMERS THAT YOU IGNORE YOUR EXISTING REPEAT CUSTOMERS. YOUR BUSINESS WILL PROBALLY NOT SURVIVE WITHOUT REPEAT BUSINESS. REAPEAT CUSTOMERS PRESENT WEALTH OF OPPORTUNITIES TO YOU. THEY FRQUENTLY PROVIDE YOU EXCELLENT FEEDBACK, THEY PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT REFERENCE AND REFERIAL SERVICE, THEY ARE THE LEAST EXPENSIVE AND MOST LIKELY SOURCE OF ADDTIONAL BUSINESS, AND THIER UNNECESSARTY DEPARTURE CAUSES SUBSTATIAL DAMAGE. STAY CLOSE TO YOUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS AND LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN FROM THEM.
FIFTHLY. THE OVERWHELMING POWER OF EMOTION
CONSIDER THE GREAT POWER OF EMOTION HAS ON THE PROCESS OF DECIDING TO BUY. THE ENTIRE BUYING PROCESS IS GOVERNRD BY EMOTIONAL FORCES. SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY THAT 80% OF THE ENTIRE PROCEE IS EMOTINAL. YET, YOU PROBABLY FOCUS YOUR ENERGES ON PRICE AND AVOID THE REAL EMOTIONAL REASONS CUSTOMERS WILL BUY.
YOU SHOLUD KNOW AND FEEL THE EMOTINAL CONNECTION YOUR POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS WILL ATTACH TO YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, AND THE WAY CUSTOMERS INTERACT WITH YOUR BUSINES. YOUR ENTIRE MARKETING PROGRAM SHOULD ADDRESS THE EMOTIANL ISUESS TO ATTRACT AND KEEP THE RIGHT CUSTOMERS.
THE NORMAL BUSINESS HUMAN THINKING PROCESS OF DECIDENG TO BUY ALMOST ALWAYS STARTS WITH AN EMOTIANL NEEDS. THE EMOTANL NEED CAUSES THE CUTOMER TO CONSIDER BUYING SOMETHING TO FILL IT. THE SEARCH AND EVALUATION OF THE POSSIBLE CHIOCES OF PRODUCT AND SERVICES IS ALSO FREQUENTLY EMOTNAL AND ADDITTIONAL EMOTINAL FORCES ARE OFTEN ADDED.
THE PRICE ISSUE COMES IN NEAR THE END AND IN REALITY, THE CUSTOMER WANTS TO KNOW THE PRICE TO HELP JUSTITFY THE EMTIONAL DECISION THEY HAVE ALREADY MADE. INFACT, THE REQUEST FOR THE PRICE FROM A NORMAL CUTOMER IS A VERY STRONR BUYING SIGNAL. HE WILL ALWAYS ASK WITHIN HIMSELF/ DOES THE COST ALLOW ME TO BUY WHAT I WANT AND IS IT FAIR FOR WHAT I DECIDED TO GET-
BUSINESS OWNERS SUCCESD EHWN THEY KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS EMOTIONAL PROCESS AND PERMIT THE CUSTOMER TO COMPLETE THIS PROCESS THROUGH FINAL PAYMENT.
TRY THIS GREAT IDEAS IT WILL WORK FOR YOU.
SUCCESS..... SUCCESS........ SUCCESS...
Thursday, August 7, 2008
TRANSFORMATION MATERIALS
A SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION MATERIALS YOU NEED TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL SUCCESS IN LIFE.
THE SPIRITUAL BOOKS: "THE WORD AMONG US"
AND "ABIDE IN MY WORD".
THIS IS AMONTHLY PUBLICATION THAT TREATS, DISCUSSES,
AND MEDITATES ON THE DAILY READING FOR CHRISTIAN
FAITHFULS. THE BOOKS TREATS THE CENTRAL ASPECTS AND
IMPORTANT WORKS A FAITHFUL AND DEVOUT CHRISTIAN WILL
ALWAYS LONG TO HAVE EVERY MOMENT OF HIS/HER LIFE: S
SUCH THINGS LIKE--- 1.LESSONS FROM THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS, 2.DAILY MASS READINGS AND 3. THE ORDER OF MASS.
UK: ABIDE IN MY WORD PUBLISHING,C/O THE WORD AMONG US INY LTD,CLARENDANHOUSE 125 SHENLY RD, BORCHAMWORD HERTS,WD6 LAG
NIGERIA: MR UZOR BEN (AN AGENT) BOX 18, UGA AGUATA LGA, ANAMBRA STATE. EMAIL: uzorben04@gmail.com
www.successtargetways.blogspot.com
TELL: (+234) O8O-64653036
A COPY: N150
THE SPIRITUAL BOOKS: "THE WORD AMONG US"
AND "ABIDE IN MY WORD".
THIS IS AMONTHLY PUBLICATION THAT TREATS, DISCUSSES,
AND MEDITATES ON THE DAILY READING FOR CHRISTIAN
FAITHFULS. THE BOOKS TREATS THE CENTRAL ASPECTS AND
IMPORTANT WORKS A FAITHFUL AND DEVOUT CHRISTIAN WILL
ALWAYS LONG TO HAVE EVERY MOMENT OF HIS/HER LIFE: S
SUCH THINGS LIKE--- 1.LESSONS FROM THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS, 2.DAILY MASS READINGS AND 3. THE ORDER OF MASS.
SUBCRIPTION/ORDER OF COPIES
UK: ABIDE IN MY WORD PUBLISHING,C/O THE WORD AMONG US INY LTD,CLARENDANHOUSE 125 SHENLY RD, BORCHAMWORD HERTS,WD6 LAG
NIGERIA: MR UZOR BEN (AN AGENT) BOX 18, UGA AGUATA LGA, ANAMBRA STATE. EMAIL: uzorben04@gmail.com
www.successtargetways.blogspot.com
TELL: (+234) O8O-64653036
A COPY: N150
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
GSM REVOLUTION
MAKE FREE AND UNLIMITED CALLS VIA YOUR GSM PHONE
Many of the GSM companies across the world, including Nigeria also make use of this hidden network to give you free or cheap GSM calls.
In our quest to eliminate poverty and unemployment, we have made it possible for our every average Nigerian to use their GSM and talk free of charge via Smartcom, a Mini telecommunication service provider from Smart Ideas aimed to get members to it’s network large enough to build an investment club….more like CLUB FREEDOM, DAIMOND CASH CLUB, GETAWAY CLUB etc, as we major in building a richer Nigeria.
As Smartcom remains a fully free service, this service remains exclusive only to Mobile phone users only as it is not available to Telephone users, it is all about us sending our activation code to your mobile phone and you storing our code in your mobile phone.that is it….It is not about MLM or any referral -programme where you have to pay membership fee and buy some recharge cards every month.
If you can use handset, then you can connect to free call server yourself by simply pressing few bottons on your handset.
Help millions of GSM USERS to connect to free call server and make millions of naira monthly.
What really exites me about this opportunity is not all about free and unlimited calls , but for the fact that the opportunity is able to turn you to a multimillionaire within shortest time you could ever imagined.It shows you, how to connect other people to this amazing telecom network and giving you opportunity to make huge amounts of money every month , you’ll be working as our Distributor.
For so many years, association of world GSM providers had tried to suppress this network by restricting or keeping its existence “within”. They would rather use it as a gateway to supply free or cheap call rates.
The above scene was going on untill a company developed a tiny operating system which enable an handset to recognize and withhold the signal from this free calls server without affecting your sim card which accept the signal from your local GSM provider.
The general question popping from millions of Nigerias is, “how can a person in his right sense give such an information out for free”? My simple answer is, “You can always have what you want if you can help others find what they want
As the testimonies continues to flowd our site we will never ristrain from herralding this pretty cool secrets to financial freedom.
However as we take zero fee to connect people to our service, we’ve made it possible that every individual who is to use Smartcom from us must expand the Horizons of his/her fianancial life, we’ve made it possible to oue exteem cutomers or individuals in and out of Nigeria to order for a package called “ E -CURRENCY PACKAGE” a life changing package that will teach you how to make unlimited income earning from $200 daily with the comfort of your computer, this Online Buisness is not Forex trading and have nothing to do with reading of charts or down loadind software, it is quite simple and easy , a Junior secondry school in his teens at Edo college in Benin City have been able to earn $47,000 in two months with it.
So ordering for THE ECURRENCY PACK entittles you to our Smartcom simply free service, we specially made it possibly this way to help our esteem subscribers the ability to live the reality of their dream.
NOTE: WE ARE NOT SELLING SMARTCOM MANUAL TO YOU INDIRECTLY BUT FREE OF CHARGE, WE DOSEN’T GIVE IT OUT WITHOUT THE PURCHASE OF E CURRENCY PACKAGE.
The E CURRENCY PACKAGE COST N 28,000 ( ORIGINAL PRICE) BUT FOR THE FIRST 50 PEOPLE TO ORDER SMART IDEAS WILL GIVE THEM THE COMFORT OF OREDRING FOR THE E CURRENCY PACKAGE NOW N 6000 (FOR ONLY FIFTY PEOPLE).
ODERING FOR E-COPY COST ONLY N6000 ( WHICH WILL BE SENT TO YOUR E-MAIL BOX ) AND HARD COPY COST N9,500 ( SHIPPING COST INCLUDED)
TO ORDER
MAKE YOUR PAYMENT AT
GTBank
MITCHEL C KINGS
511 243 796 110
FOR MORE ENQUIRY
call;08064543036
OR send e-mail to; uzorben04@gmail.com
OR VIISIT
Many of the GSM companies across the world, including Nigeria also make use of this hidden network to give you free or cheap GSM calls.
In our quest to eliminate poverty and unemployment, we have made it possible for our every average Nigerian to use their GSM and talk free of charge via Smartcom, a Mini telecommunication service provider from Smart Ideas aimed to get members to it’s network large enough to build an investment club….more like CLUB FREEDOM, DAIMOND CASH CLUB, GETAWAY CLUB etc, as we major in building a richer Nigeria.
As Smartcom remains a fully free service, this service remains exclusive only to Mobile phone users only as it is not available to Telephone users, it is all about us sending our activation code to your mobile phone and you storing our code in your mobile phone.that is it….It is not about MLM or any referral -programme where you have to pay membership fee and buy some recharge cards every month.
If you can use handset, then you can connect to free call server yourself by simply pressing few bottons on your handset.
Help millions of GSM USERS to connect to free call server and make millions of naira monthly.
What really exites me about this opportunity is not all about free and unlimited calls , but for the fact that the opportunity is able to turn you to a multimillionaire within shortest time you could ever imagined.It shows you, how to connect other people to this amazing telecom network and giving you opportunity to make huge amounts of money every month , you’ll be working as our Distributor.
For so many years, association of world GSM providers had tried to suppress this network by restricting or keeping its existence “within”. They would rather use it as a gateway to supply free or cheap call rates.
The above scene was going on untill a company developed a tiny operating system which enable an handset to recognize and withhold the signal from this free calls server without affecting your sim card which accept the signal from your local GSM provider.
The general question popping from millions of Nigerias is, “how can a person in his right sense give such an information out for free”? My simple answer is, “You can always have what you want if you can help others find what they want
As the testimonies continues to flowd our site we will never ristrain from herralding this pretty cool secrets to financial freedom.
However as we take zero fee to connect people to our service, we’ve made it possible that every individual who is to use Smartcom from us must expand the Horizons of his/her fianancial life, we’ve made it possible to oue exteem cutomers or individuals in and out of Nigeria to order for a package called “ E -CURRENCY PACKAGE” a life changing package that will teach you how to make unlimited income earning from $200 daily with the comfort of your computer, this Online Buisness is not Forex trading and have nothing to do with reading of charts or down loadind software, it is quite simple and easy , a Junior secondry school in his teens at Edo college in Benin City have been able to earn $47,000 in two months with it.
So ordering for THE ECURRENCY PACK entittles you to our Smartcom simply free service, we specially made it possibly this way to help our esteem subscribers the ability to live the reality of their dream.
NOTE: WE ARE NOT SELLING SMARTCOM MANUAL TO YOU INDIRECTLY BUT FREE OF CHARGE, WE DOSEN’T GIVE IT OUT WITHOUT THE PURCHASE OF E CURRENCY PACKAGE.
The E CURRENCY PACKAGE COST N 28,000 ( ORIGINAL PRICE) BUT FOR THE FIRST 50 PEOPLE TO ORDER SMART IDEAS WILL GIVE THEM THE COMFORT OF OREDRING FOR THE E CURRENCY PACKAGE NOW N 6000 (FOR ONLY FIFTY PEOPLE).
ODERING FOR E-COPY COST ONLY N6000 ( WHICH WILL BE SENT TO YOUR E-MAIL BOX ) AND HARD COPY COST N9,500 ( SHIPPING COST INCLUDED)
TO ORDER
MAKE YOUR PAYMENT AT
GTBank
MITCHEL C KINGS
511 243 796 110
FOR MORE ENQUIRY
call;08064543036
OR send e-mail to; uzorben04@gmail.com
OR VIISIT
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