BREAKING NEWS: Mark Zuckerberg Returns To Nigeria, Meets Buhari

                                           

Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, has returned to Nigeria from Kenya on Friday, September 2, 2016 to meet with the President, Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Rock.

Here are photos from the meeting.

 

How to Master Your Emotions and Take Back Control of Your Life

                               
Do you know that your daily emotional experience shapes the decisions you make and the actions you take?
It has been said that it’s not what happens to us, but rather how we respond to what happens that determines the results you will experience in your life. And how you respond is directly influenced by how you choose to interpret the events and circumstances of your life. This likewise stems from your ability to effectively manage your emotions in ways that will allow them to serve and assist you with obtaining your desired outcomes.
Each and every one of the so called negative or limiting emotions that we experience on a daily basis can actually serve us and provide us with the necessary guidance we need to make more effective decisions throughout the day. As such, it’s absolutely paramount that we take the time to learn to understand how to interpret our emotions in ways that will help us find answers and solutions, not problems and difficulties.
Within this summary I would like to provide you with all the necessary knowledge you need to help you manage and interpret your emotions far more effectively throughout the day. We will first take a look at different types of so called “limiting” emotions that we experience on a daily basis and attempt to see them from a new, unique and helpful perspective. We will also break down a process you can work-through to help you transform your emotional state — providing you with the leverage you need to effectively manage your emotional state on a daily basis in ways that helps serve your purposes and objectives.

Breaking Down the 8 Emotional Types

Before jumping into an explanation of each one of these emotions, it’s important to understand that these emotional responses are a signal to your conscious brain that something is not working, and therefore something needs to change. They are in essence a call-to-action directing you to do something specific to alleviate your discomfort or pain.
Finally, all the emotions we are going to be discussing below are a result of stuck-states that we bring upon ourselves throughout the day. These stuck-states are patterned responses to events, people and circumstances that have their own physiological responses, words, phrases, etc. They are in essence comfort seeking mechanisms that we use whenever things don’t go our way, or as we had expected.
Let’s now break down each of these eight emotional states. 

Discomfort
Discomfort is an uncomfortable emotion that often leads to boredom, distress,impatience or embarrasement.
You are experiencing discomfort because you are interpreting a situation or a set of circumstances in a specific way that naturally leads you to the feeling of discomfort. It’s actually within this interpretation that discomfort grows. This therefore means that the moment you transform or change your interpretation of the situation, is the moment you gain control over your emotional experience.
If you ever experience the emotion of discomfort it’s important to first determine what it is that you are doing, and secondly how exactly you are interpreting your experience of reality. If what you are doing is not getting you the results that you are after, then simply try taking a different approach. If however you are not able to tackle the situation from a different perspective, then try to change your perspective of the situation. Either way, you should be able to find an answer that will help you to pull yourself out of this uncomfortable emotional state.
If for example you are bored, then attempt to do something different with your time. Or you can simply try and interpret your experience in a unique way by turning things into a game. Either strategy will work well as long as you are willing to be flexible in your approach. 

Fear
Fear is often a very debilitating emotion that leads to worry,anxiety and indecision.
You are experiencing fear because you are interpreting a situation or a set of circumstances in a specific way that naturally leads you to the feeling of fear. This feeling of fear often results from an emotional response of what might occur in the future if you make a specific decision or take a specific action. This is all well-and-good if it’s something that is based on hard facts and evidence that is designed to protect you from harm. However, many times our fears are riddled with inaccuracies that confuse and mislead us. Therefore the first step you must always take to begin the process of removing fear from your life is to evaluate the “real” from the “imagined”.
Fear is of course a very valuable emotion because it protects us from harm in the off-chance that we are running away from a saber-toothed tiger. However, most of the time, in this modern day-and-age, it actually harms us because it keeps us away from achieving our goals and objectives.
There are two quick things you must do that will help you manage your fears more effectively. The first is to clarify what it is you really want. And the second is to prepare thoroughly for the actions you will take to achieve your desired outcomes. These two steps are critical, because the vast majority of our fears are based on a lack of knowledge and a lack of preparation. If you successfully tick both of these boxes, then you will have the ammunition you need to overcome just about any fear that you can possibly experience in our modern age. 

Hurt: 
The emotion of hurt tends to leave us feeling powerless and often leads to a sense of loss and jealously.You are experiencing hurt because you are interpreting a situation or a set of circumstances in a specific way that naturally leads you to feeling hurt. Likewise, feeling hurt could be a result of not communicating your needs effectively to others. As such you must begin today by communicating what you need from your relationships in a clear and non-threatening manner.
If communicating your needs to others doesn’t work, then take into consideration your expectations. Maybe your expectations are not reasonable, maybe they have changed over time, or maybe they simply no longer apply to your current relationship and therefore may need to be reevaluated.
Finally, feelings of hurt sometimes result from a lack of understanding about our relationships or about our circumstances. In such instances it helps if you replace your hurt with fascination and curiosity. By becoming curious, you immediately begin asking better questions, which expands the way you think and leads to answers and possibilities that you may not have considered before. 

Anger
Anger has a tendency to spin us out-of-control and can often lead to resentfulness.
You are experiencing anger because you are interpreting a situation or a set of circumstances in a specific way that naturally leads you to the experience of anger. However, anger can actually serve us if we are able to understand its underlying meaning.
Before you are quick to embrace the emotion of anger, it’s important to understand that anger often arises because one or more of our rules has been violated by others. As such, we become angry because we no longer feel in control of the situation, people or circumstances. In such instances we can actually let go of anger quite quickly, by spending some time reevaluating our rules. Maybe they’re not reasonable, maybe they are out-of-date, or just maybe they shouldn’t be applied in these circumstances.
Alternatively, anger can come about because of an incorrect interpretation of circumstances or people’s intentions. In such instances you must question whether or not you have possibly misinterpreted the situation, or simply misinterpreted people’s intentions. In that case, be open to the possibilities and passionately look for alternative meanings. Only an open and flexible approach will provide you with the answers you are after. 

Guilt
Guilt has a tendency to leave us feeling somewhat deflated and can often lead to the emotion of regret.
You are experiencing guilt because you are interpreting a situation or a set of circumstances in a specific way that naturally leads you to the feeling guilt. And the longer you hold onto that guilt the worse it tends to get as it continues to fester and grow inside your head.
When experiencing guilt it’s important to remember that our experience of guilt is simply our interpretation of what we did or failed to do and the impact that this has had on others. The moment you choose to interpret the events and circumstances of your life in a new and unique way, is the moment that guilt suddenly changes and turns into something that can potentially motivate and empower you to take positive action.
Realize that the impact that your actions have had on others may not be as they seem. Therefore in such instances you may need to take a look at your rules for feeling guilty. Maybe these rules need to be reassessed.Finally, guilt is often resolved when you are able to make peace with yourself and peace with the people you may or may not have hurt. 

Frustration
 Frustration is one of those emotions that we just love to hate because it makes us feel as though we’re so close, yet so far away from the outcome we want.
You are experiencing frustration because you are interpreting a situation or a set of circumstances in a specific way that naturally leads you to feeling frustrated. Yet it is within this feeling that your answers lie.
You are frustrated because you are trying to do something, however you don’t seem to be getting the results you are after. It’s like you’re being held-back from your goal by some outside force that you can’t seem to control.
Instead of trying to control the situation, the key is to begin thinking outside the box; to begin thinking of new possibilities, ideas and possible solutions that might very well help you solve the problem you are dealing with. And sometimes all it takes is for you to look for new information that will provide you with the insight you need to see the circumstances from a slightly different perspective.
Finally, frustration often results from not getting the results you are after. In such instances all it takes to resolve your frustrations is to simply change your approach; try something new and different that you hadn’t considered before. Curiosity, determination and a flexible approach are the keys you should be looking for. 

Inadequacy
Inadequacy can make you feel miserable,unworthy and incompetent. It’s an emotion that leaves you feeling like you’re at the bottom of the heap with no way out.
You are experiencing inadequacy because you simply don’t have the experience, skills or knowledge to live up to your high expectations. So you can either change your expectations about yourself and your ability, or you can go out there and gain the necessary knowledge, skills and experience necessary to achieve the outcomes you desire to have in your life.
You could also be experiencing inadequacy because you are simply undermining your own strengths and abilities. In such circumstances it’s always important to get a second opinion. Therefore, go out there and ask someone for feedback. Ask them to give you their honest observations. Maybe they will provide you with some very surprising insights and perspectives.
Finally, inadequacy can often stem from a lack of confidence. If you you are riddled with low self-esteem, then it seems perfectly okay to feel inadequate. However, if you take the time to build your confidence, then you will likewise develop more self-belief and will begin to feel better about yourself and your prospects. 

Overwhelm  
Overwhelm is one of those emotions that creeps up on you over time, and before you know it, it takes over your life and can at times lead to the very debilitating emotions of grief and depression.
You are experiencing overwhelm because you either have too much on your plate or you are simply unable to manage or take control over aspects of your life. In such circumstances you feel out-of-control and unable to respond accordingly.
The solution to overwhelm lies in taking back control over small chunks of your life, one piece at a time. It means taking a part of your life and dividing it up into smaller manageable chunks that you can successfully work with. It also means letting go of any unnecessary obligations and commitments that are weighing you down, or simply rescheduling them in a way that will free up your time while providing you more space to do what’s most important.
Overcoming overwhelm is simple if you know what to do and are committed to taking the actions necessary to reschedule and re-prioritize your life accordingly. Sometimes all it takes is a little lesson in productivity.

 Written by Adam Sicinski

How to Turn your Social Media Audience into your Customers

                                 
Having a social media following can be a cost-effective marketing strategy, but there are best practices to follow if you hope those posts will lead to paying customers. Here’s how to turn your social media audience into customers.

Focus your efforts strategically. The “best” social media channels for your business are those used most frequently by your target audience, but data indicates that some social media channels tend to be more conducive to turning followers into paying customers than others. For example,statistics indicate that 72 percent of Twitter followers are likely to buy from a business they’ve engaged with on Twitter; 30 percent of them are likely to recommend a business they follow on Twitter to others. Shopify reports the bulk of traffic for its online shops is driven by Facebook. In fact, 85 percent of all social media-generated purchases come from the social network. What you sell correlates to how likely it is that your social media followers will convert into paying customers, too. Shopify’s data reveals that businesses related to photography, sports and recreation, pet supplies, jewelry, clothing and apparel are among those most likely to successfully turn social media fans into customers.

Start a conversation, not a marketing campaign. Social media is founded on the idea of two-way communication. At least once a week, post questions that invite your audience to respond and share ideas. Acknowledge all feedback thoughtfully, personally and respectfully. Establish a social media “voice” that’s representative of your brand and business. There are plenty of tools that “auto-respond” to social media posts, but they won’t build the customer relationships that lead to purchases. To do that, you need to let your fans know you’ve heard what they had to say — and value their relationship enough to take time to personally respond.

Let fans know their feedback matters. Social media provides informal market research that you can harness to make more informed business decisions. Listen to what your social media followers have to say, instead of telling them about you. When their feedback is taken into account and changes your operations in some way — which may mean stocking additional products, changing store hours or altering a return or exchange policy — let them know their voice was heard, valued and drove change.

Make your audience the stars. A consistent presence is important on social media, but all posts should be relevant to your target audience — whether they’re humorous, inspirational, educational or informative. Can’t think of relevant posts to share? Put your social media audience in the driver’s seat. That strategy made GoPro, the maker of action cameras, into a social media marketing legend. By simply inviting its social media audience to capture GoPro footage and share it on social media (with “GoPro” tagged in the posts), the brand now reports that more than 6,000 GoPro-related videos are uploaded to YouTube eachday. It turned what could have been a passive social media strategy into one that drives purchases and product use — and has built a community of brand ambassadors.

Integrate tools that encourage them to buy. The number of steps your customers must take in order to buy something they see on social media should be minimal, and include a seamless checkout process. Posts should direct customers to the appropriate website page that’s equipped to function appropriately on both mobile and desktop devices. Give customers the option to validate credentials from social media with the click of a button, or purchase as a guest. (According to a study by VWO eCommerce, more than 20 percent of potential customers abandon a purchase when they’re forced to register with a site to buy.) If you offer social media fans a discount, auto-populate the discount field when they click from social media to your site. Assure customers that their sensitive payment information is processed securely, according to payment card industry security standards.

Social media is a low-cost channel all small business owners can leverage to build business, but it takes some strategy to post in such a way that drives purchase behavior. Try these tips to boost the return on investment that your social media efforts deliver.

Written by Kristen Gramigna
 Kristen Gramigna is Chief Marketing Officer for BluePay, a credit card processing firm. She has more than 20 years experience in the bankcard industry in direct sales, sales management and marketing. Follow her on Twitter at @BluePay_CMO.

Fayose Signs Law Banning Possession Of Firearms By Fulani In Ekiti

                                                        
Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State has signed the Open Grazing Prohibition Bill into law.
Fayose signed the Bill in the presence of over 3,000 traditional rulers in the state.
The new law effectively bans herdsmen from grazing their animals in areas not designated for grazing. They are also barred from carrying arms.
Any violator of the law would be sentenced to six months in prison without an option of fine, while any herdsman found with arms would be charged with terrorism.

Chinese Company Wins $1.85 Bln Nigerian Railway Contract

                                           
China’s state-owned railway construction firm has been awarded a $1.85 billion contract to build a light railway line in Kano State, north of Nigeria.
The China Railway Construction Corporation Ltd issued a statement saying two of its subsidiaries had been provisionally awarded the light railway project in Kano.
“The contract amount of the project is approximately $1.851 billion, accounting for approximately 2 percent of the operating revenue of the company for the year 2015,” it said in the statement, issued to the Hong Kong stock exchange.
The contract is for four lines, totalling 74 km (46 miles) and capable of carrying trains travelling at a top speed of 100 km per hour.
“This award is subject to the fulfilment to all conditions spelled out in the letter of intent from the financing bank and the final approval by the presidency of Nigeria,” it said. A spokesman for the president declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.
A government source said contracts of this nature are usually passed to the cabinet for approval.
The company said it expected the first and second phases of construction to each last for two years, but did not give details of when work was expected to start if approved.

Source: Channels Television

Do-It-Yourself: 6 Helpful Tips for Small Businesses

                                  
If you’re a small business, doing your own PR is all about crafting pitches and getting them to the right people. Creating buzz in your industry involves being authentic to yourself and your business. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort, doing PR yourself can be a great money-saving option for your small business.

1. Tell Your Brand's Story
Storytelling can help transform your brand’s identity and presence, and create trust from consumers or others in the industry. Some of the best stories come from you and your loyal customers. You can tell the story of how your brand came to be, and customers can tell the stories of their experiences with your business.
Think of your brand as a human persona. The more interesting and genuine its personality is, the more trust others will feel toward it. Be sure to tell others why your business exists, its ethics, how the brand evolved, or anything else that will help people see the full picture of your business. Don’t be afraid to encourage your customers to tell their stories of how your business benefited them. A compelling story will give the audience a way to emotionally connect with who you are and ultimately set the tone for the entire company.

2. Keep up With the Industry
Read a lot, and read often to make sure you’re staying informed with everything related to your industry.
Set up Google Alerts and Twitter Mentions. Find and follow the top industry influencers, and read up on what your competitors are doing. You can use sites like IFTTT to collect articles containing relevant keywords from all over the internet, and have new content delivered right to your inbox.
You need to be as knowledgeable as possible in your industry. You never know when the spotlight might be on you. And that knowledge might just impress the right person, leading to your next big break.

3. Network With the Top Influencers
If you’re actively keeping up with the top industry reporters and influencers, the second step is to then try and network with them. If you take notes on what those writers typically focus on, you’ll have an abundance of knowledge when you finally reach out to them to build a relationship.
Try creating a list of the blogs or news sites these top influencers write for and keep track of what each author is writing. Then, find where you can comment and engage with them, whether it be through a blog post or a Twitter chat.
Networking with influencers and others is a great way to build a name for yourself and your brand within the industry, but make sure the comments aren’t forced or self-promotional. Remember: do-it-yourself PR is all about being authentic and trustworthy.

4. Do Your Research and Remain Objective
This relates to keeping up with the industry. You need to make sure you have something to contribute to the conversation or the industry, whether it be information in the form of an article or a product or service that is particularly helpful.
It’s important to do enough prep work before making any pitches. Study the outlets you’ve chosen to pitch to, and look to see if there is a specific person at an outlet you think would respond well to what you’re offering. Once again, learn as much as you can before jumping forward.

5. Perfect Before Pitching
Putting your name out there before your product or service is ready can lead to negative customer reviews, and that can be a death sentence for a small business or startup company. Plus, a good product or high quality service is more likely to get better press once the word is actually out.
Focus on perfecting your product or service before reaching out to get press. Don’t be afraid to first get the opinion of a small group of trusted people who can provide you with feedback to help you improve upon your product or the quality of your service.

6. Craft Creative and Compelling Pitches
When you’re pitching your brand or product, you need to make sure you remain as objective as possible. Even though you might think everything your business does or provides is notably the best, not everyone will agree.
Remember that a lot of top industry influencers are constantly bombarded with pitches, so yours needs to be creative and, most importantly, personal. This circles back to the first tip: tell your brand’s story. Keep it short and sweet, and make sure if you’re reaching out to anyone over email, your subject line is attention-grabbing and won’t be mistaken for spam.

There may be a point where a larger PR company could help your company reach new heights. But, for small businesses, the right attitude and drive for success makes doing PR yourself a completely plausible option.

Written by Rich Kahn
 Rich Kahn is the CEO of eZanga.com and has been recognized as a leader in the online advertising industry since 1993. Rich started eZanga.com, a digital marketing firm specializing in pay per click and pay per call advertising, in 2003 with his wife, Beth. Follow him on Twitter at @richkahn.

Veteran Comic Actor,Gene Wilder is dead

                              

US actor Gene Wilder, remembered by many for his lead role in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, has died at the age of 83, his family has confirmed.

The comic actor also starred in classic films such as The Producers, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein.
Wilder frequently collaborated with writer and director Mel Brooks as well as stand-up comedian Richard Pryor.
The actor died in Stamford, Connecticut, due to complications from Alzheimer's disease, his family said.
"It is almost unbearable for us to contemplate our life without him," his nephew Jordan Walker-Pearlman said.