Do We Really Have a Tommorrow?

                        

At a recent technology and innovation expo in Abuja, the minister of science and technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, staged a grand entrance in a wooden car named Amara, coupled together by a certain Ahmed Aliyu. Amara, the wooden car, was the show stopper; it got all the media attention, all the accolades and even made its inventor, Ahmed Aliyu quite popular. It gave Dr. Onu some bragging rights, after all the maxim that Nigerians are gifted had suddenly been seconded by such an innovation. Perhaps a brief lesson in history will help us realise that the euphoria about a wooden car invention is certainly more than a century late.

In 1908, the Ford Plant in Michigan, Detroit, rolled out hundreds of units of the Model T Ford (colloquially called the Tin Lizzie), while Henry Ford, its inventor, looked on. This invention became the darling of the middle class owing to its efficient fabrication, which made it inexpensive and hence Henry Ford’s dream of democratising transportation was born. The Model T ford sold 16.5 million units. Now that is what you call an innovation.

Interestingly, Dr. Onu, the visionary minister of science and technology whose dream for the country is to see Nigeria manufacture pencils by 2018 was also named the most performing minister of the year by an Abuja based magazine, Verbatim. The event, which garnered global coverage, saw Dr. Onu awarded for his “exemplary performance and outstanding leadership”, was simply to me a demonstration of mutually assured mediocrity, apologies to Tony Elumelu. Rather than rolling out the vuvuzela in celebration of a feat attained by others over a century ago, we must articulate a bold and compelling vision for our country, determine the resources and capabilities required and strategically invest in the people, process and technology that will deliver the future.

For how long will our future be dependent on the giant strides of individuals and governments in other parts of the world? To eradicate polio, we were totally reliant on not just foreign funding but also external execution and evaluation, just as we are totally reliant on foreign bodies for vaccines to subdue the presently raging meningitis in large parts of Nigeria. I make bold to say that it is either we wake up or face extinction because a people totally dependent can hardly perpetuate themselves positively.

Currently, Microsoft is working on developing a machine called Hanover. It aims to memorise all information necessary to cancer and help predict which combination of drugs will be most effective for each patient. It is leading the fight on myeloid leukaemia, a fatal cancer in which treatment has not improved in decades. The Jaguar Land Rover began testing self-driving technology on public roads last year. The trials heled to develop innovative self-driving technology, including safe pull away features aimed at preventing low speed accidents at junctions, roundabouts and in slow moving traffic. Elon Musk is trying to redefine transportation on earth and in space. He has injected fully electric cars in to the market and is currently lunching satellites that will help send human beings to other planets. A factory in Dongguan, China replaced 90 percent of its human workers with robots and saw production rise by 250 percent while defects dropped by 80 percent.

I could write a book on how individuals, companies and governments around the world are breaking barriers, extending frontiers and creating the future, while we look on, waiting for the eighth day of the week to take action. We are where we are today largely because 30 years ago, not one leader had the courage or the vision to see today and invest in the critical areas that would have yielded much dividend. Remember that China was able to lift over 600 million people out of poverty in 30 years because they had a vision, laid out a plan and got to work at it. We presently have another opportunity to create a future for ourselves and our children – one we all would be proud of, but we must find the courage to look 30 years ahead to determine where we want to be and begin to build towards this today.

Written by Ayodele Adio 

Ayodele Adio is co-host of a Lagos radio programme.

Trump confirms plans to improve ties with Moscow — Lavrov

                            

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recalled on Monday that US President Donald Trump earlier called for improving ties with Russia and confirmed that Moscow is ready for this.

Russia’s top diplomat commented on the words of US National Security Adviser Herbert McMaster that it was time to have "tough discussions with Russia" on its steps in Syria.

"We will rely on what President Donald Trump has once again confirmed, rather than on the words of his adviser. The president confirmed that he seeks to improve relations with Russia and we are also ready for this," he added.

Lavrov said he would not like to comment on all allegations against Russia.

"They have started speaking that cooperation with Russia is possible if it behaves well in Ukraine and Syria, and now also on the Korean Peninsula. This is not an approach of a partner and we won’t accept it," Lavrov stressed.

"Although chaos in the world exists, it was not created by us," Lavrov said. "ISIL [former name of the Islamic State terrorist group], and earlier Al-Qaeda and then Jabhat al-Nusra emerged due to risky undertakings of our Western partners, namely the previous US administrations. And it turns out that we should pay for the consequences," he stressed.

In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, Herbert McMaster criticized Russia for its support of the "horrible" regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. He also said that the relations between Russia and the US are "at the lowest point and there's nowhere to go but up."

Palestinians begin hunger strike in Israel

                              

Hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli jails are beginning a mass hunger strike in protest against their conditions.

The action is being led by Marwan Barghouti, a Palestinian leader jailed by Israel for life for five murders.

Barghouti, a key figure in Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction, has been touted as a possible future successor to Mr Abbas

There are fears the protest could fuel tensions across the occupied West Bank.

According to Israel’s prison service, 1,187 Palestinians in Israeli prisons are joining the hunger strike, which coincides with the annual Palestinian Prisoners Day.

The issue of Palestinians held in Israeli jails is an ongoing source of tension between the two sides.

Palestinians regard the detainees as political prisoners, many of whom have been convicted of attacks against Israeli and other offences.

Others are detained under so-called Administrative Detention, which allows suspects to be held without charge for six-month intervals.

There were about 7,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails by the end of last year, according to Palestinian prisoners’ groups. (NAN)

Unemployment:How Nigerian Youths Can Create Jobs

                                 

It is no longer news that Nigerian is one of the top ranking in the list of countries who can no longer provide job for its teaming population. So many factors contributed to this, chiefly among them is corruption. Corruption is one cankerworm that has eaten deep into the fabrics of our dear nation, its magnitude in our society can be best compared to the destructive prowess of nightfall in J P Clerk’s “Nightfall”. The poet wrote. ”Nightfall comes like a dreaded disease seeping through the pores of a heathy body and ravaging it beyond repair.” experts says it will require serious commitment on the part of both government and every Nigeria to stem the tide.

Corruption, which has permeated the entire social structure of Nigeria, has robbed the country of developing a vibrant economic base. Funds meant for development projects such as localization of industries have been misappropriated, diverted, or embezzled and stashed away in foreign banks, while some incompetent and corrupt bureaucrats and administrators in the public enterprises and parastatals have liquidated these organizations.

But while efforts are put in place to battle corruption and reinvigorate the once buoyant economy, wisdom demands that Nigerian unemployed populace, especially graduates thinks outside the box. Any graduate in this era who still hope and believe in the elusive job promise by the government is doing himself double damage.

Aside corruption, another identified causes of youth unemployment in Nigeria is the rapidly growing urban labour force, arising from rural urban migration orchestrated by rapid population growth. Going by the 2006 census in Nigeria, the nation’s population was put at 140,431,790 and projections for the future indicate that the population could be over 180 million by the year 2020, given the annual growth rate of 3.2 percent

Regardless of the above unpalatable indices, Nigeria as a country has numerous business and investment potentials due to the abundant, vibrant and dynamic human and natural resources it possesses. Tapping these resources require the ability to identify potentially useful and economically viable fields of endeavours. Nigerians have made their marks in diverse fields such as science, technology, academics, business and agriculture entertainment etc.

Agriculture is on sector that has the capability to sustain a nation if properly harnessed there are numerous lucrative  aspects such as fish farming, snail rearing, poultry grass cutter rearing, cassava farming to mention  a few. It is sufficient not to forget that Nigeria’s main stay as a nation before the discovery of oil in the Niger delta was agriculture. The groundnut pyramid in the north, cocoa farming in the west and oil palm in the east and mid- west Nigeria; these were the country’s major source of foreign exchange earnings.

ICT is another area of great and immeasurable potentials that millions of people around the world are making great fortune from, opportunities in this area include blogging, website designing, software development, online networking, hardware repairs etc one good thing about ICT is that it requires little or no formal education to master.

How about skills in soap making, cosmetics, baking and confectionaries, decorations. most often than not, these skills are  underestimated, although they may be classified as small and medium scale enterprise, but the fact remains that they are the real machineries that drive the economy of any country.

Also, great opportunities abound in the fashion and entertainment world, entertainment has helped shaped the economic fortunes of many countries such as US, china, India and lately Nigeria. Everyone has an inherent talent, discovering these talents early enough will go a long way in shaping the future of the individual. Ask yourself the question, what is my talent and how can I discover it.

For those who are undergoing their one year compulsory service to father land. Hey! Stop basking in that euphoria, for u may soon discover that the father land you are serving under the sun and in the rain may not reward you in return. It will be more profitable for you to get yourself a skill that will sustain you when 19,500 naira allowance alert is suspended.

And if you are still in school, wisdom is profitable to direct you to start thinking beyond the shored of the university,. Hear it now, there is no job anywhere, but the god news is that you can create your own job and become an employer of labour. Get involved in a skill, this is what will give you an edge over your contemporaries.

It is high time graduates begin to look beyond certificate and start craving for skills, a combination of both will make the holder an asset. In technologically developed countries of the world such China, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and Taiwan, high premium is placed on skills rather than certification.

The onus therefore lies on the individual either to take advantage of the opportunities available to create wealth and become self-reliance or continue to depend and hope on the government. There is no job anywhere, take a step today and protect your future and that of the unborn generation. A stitch in time saves nine.

              

Written by Ndu Samuel

Jesus was killed because he was black

                                              

In the times and events of Easter,i am just here to tell you the truth in love.Many people argue fervently about the ethnicity of Christ Jesus but it is clearly a game changer when following him.It is true from a spiritual perspective but it is also irrelevant because what is the colour of light?At the same time,it was relevant enough for Jesus to be born into the same line as Abraham,but for some reasons man decided to change the original illustrations of  Christ Jesus through paintings,sculpting and coin.And the truth is the real Christ Jesus is different from the blondy Jesus that is being portrayed by a modern racist society.

What would you do when Jesus Christ returns and suddenly discovered that he is darker than Wesley Snipes?

How would racists react to this?

I have heard some controversial statements from people that if Aliens comes to earth,and they are black,they will commit suicide.

One of the biggest cover-ups in human history involves the truth about Jesus and it is so sad that Christians read lies about Jesus Christ. Jesus was not a white man but was black and he was killed by racists.

Our environment is filled with hate and racism that we classify the devil as black and Jesus as white.

The racists of his time never knew they were fulfilling the plan of God but the truth has to be said.

Also,i don't need to start telling you this but if you dont know,better know now that Easter is not biblical so it is pagan celebration.

We have to look at what Revelation 1;15 and hear what the Holy Spirit  is saying so that we can know the colour of the feet of Christ Jesus."And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters".

 Brass is black and the only people that we know are black are African descent.

Remember that when Joseph fled the wrath of Herod,he went to Egypt with baby Jesus and we all know that the Egyptians of then were Nigroids.

At best,people will argue that Jesus was olive skinned and this builds a stronger case of the true ethnicity of Jesus.There are two types of olive.The green and the black.Do you think Jesus was green?i doubt it.

Or what do you think?

Written by Michael Erevna

Possible Reasons Why Nigerian Men Marry Older Women

                                  

It is general believe, that a man should be older than his spouse, or in some cases, be of the same age, as African cultures frown at younger men dating, or marrying older women.

However, as the economic hardship of Nigeria continues to bite harder, the rate at which younger men are opting for older women, is at an alarming rate.

Like their female counterparts, young men also want financial security, especially in these tough times, thus, many have resorted to pitching their tents with older partners, in order to have a soft landing.

Different categories of men now go for older women for different reasons. Some like the ‘gigolos’, that is, do it strictly for financial security, while others date older women, because they are more understanding, experienced, mature, and caring.

It was found out that most single women who are over 40 years, are mostly financial independent, and have already had their fair share of heartbreaks, and disappointments, from their peers, and have somewhat given up on the idea of marriage.

They sometimes prefer to hang around younger men in their twenties, who can give them the sexual pleasure they desire, and a good time.

Emmanuel Okoh, a Businessman in Gwarinpa, Abuja, said he used to go after younger girls, particularly students back in the days, because the working class ladies were only about marriage and no fun, but now the trend has changed.

“I used to date students, because all they want is someone to carter to their needs, and have a good time. They never cared about commitments, or marriage, but now with this bad economy, I no longer have spare money to lose. I prefer older and working women, who are self-reliant, because they can also support financially, and morally, because they are more experienced” Okoh said.

Another young man who wanted to remain anonymous, said women are becoming increasingly self-reliant, and independent, and as a result, have little or no time for themselves. That is why they would need a young blood like me, to satisfy all their needs, including ‘the other room’.

“Take it from a professional; older ladies are so fragile, caring, and understanding. They are not stubborn like those young girls. If she is in love with you, she can do anything you want her to. All it takes is understanding, and maturity.”

Terna, a man in his early thirties, concurred with Mr. Anonymous, stressing that younger women tend to be more expensive to maintain, than the older ones. This is because, older women most times already have their means of livelihood, and are less demanding.

“You don’t have to pay for her rent, or school fees, because she is self made. Instead, she will shower you with gifts, and undivided attention, because she feels lucky to have a younger hunk for a man.”

Other guys choose to date older, and successful ladies, who they think can offer resources and stability.

Micheal said: “I have not had any relationship with an older woman, but I know it is less stressful. These days the average guy does not have the time to expend on a timid young girl, who believes you have to woo her forever. The older ones are more forward, and may even walk up to a guy, and ask him out herself.

This was confirmed by a certain Emeka Anudi, who says older women do not play games like the younger ones. They are committed to a relationship, because they know what they want, and go for it.

When asked why he would date an older woman, John, a 300 level student screamed, “Financial Stability!!!”

He added, “I know it does not sound very sexy, but when bills need to be paid, those young fine faces, and hourglass will not pay bills. That is where the older financially stable woman comes in. The sweetest part of it, is they are not possessive, and childish.

Another participant, Adewale, maintained that the older, the better. They are more experienced in everything, including the craft of cooking, love making, and all.

“Having a solid 10 to 15 years more experience of living on this planet than you do, she might be able to school you on a few historical facts, (ones that happened way before you were even born), including cooking, and good sex. The older woman will do anything to please you in bed, unlike the younger girls.”

When asked if he could marry an older woman, Adewale said yes, but she should only be 3-5 years older, adding that, the world is evolving, and very soon Nigeria will embrace older women dating younger men, as they see no wrong doing, in older men marrying younger ladies.

Compiled By Jennifer Ajimande

Kenya to export 100,000 workers to Saudi Arabia

                                     

Kenya may soon export 100,000 workers to Saudi Arabia if negotiations between the two countries bear fruit while Qatar is willing to open its market for Kenyan meat.

These are some of the wins the government achieved when it received high-profile visitors from the two countries this week.

Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, was on a one-day State visit to Kenya on Tuesday and Saudi Arabia’s Commerce minister Majed bin Abdullah Al-Kassabi led a delegation of 70 people from the private sector and government officials for talks with Nairobi on Wednesday.

Resolutions seen by the Sunday Nation show that Saudi Arabia and Kenya agreed to work together on a number of issues.

However, it puts into question previous agreements Kenya has made with other countries.

EMPLOYMENT

In 2015, the government said it had secured 100,000 jobs in the United Arab Emirates and up to now nothing has been heard of the deal.

In the new deal with Saudi Arabia, the Middle East economic powerhouse, will negotiate with Kenya for skilled and semi-skilled workers such as nurses and technicians.

The two governments agreed to continue addressing the thorny issue of domestic workers who suffer in the hands of their employers in Saudi Arabia.

The Qataris agreed to put up Nairobi’s financial hub. Since 2014 Kenya has been angling to become Africa’s top financial hub but the lack of a legal framework has been a drawback.

The Emir and his delegation also agreed to support the completion of the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport Corridor project.

CRUDE OIL

The agreement on cultural corporation will focus on the reconstruction of Bomas of Kenya as a modern cultural and convention resort.

The upgrade has been in government’s plans for quite some time.

A team comprising Qatari government officials is expected in Nairobi in three weeks’ time for further discussions on these issues.

Separately, the Saudi Arabian delegation had a joint meeting with seven Cabinet Secretaries where it was agreed that a government-to-government agreement will soon be negotiated so that Kenya can purchase Saudi crude oil at subsidised prices.

“This is about continued engagement with a key Middle East country in securing opportunities for Kenyans.

The President recognises that he must continue to seek and deliver decent jobs for Kenyan people, and that’s exactly what he is doing,” Manoah Esipisu, the President’s spokesperson, said.

SAUDI RELATIONS

The meeting also agreed on the negotiation of a government-to-government agreement in order for Kenya to import fertiliser at cheaper rates from Saudi Arabia.

Mr Esipisu said President Kenyatta appointed Industrialisation Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohammed to be the focal point between Kenya and Saudi Arabia on all subjects of cooperation.

“Having one focal point in relations with Saudi Arabia also means that coordination will be much better, with Adan Mohammed taking responsibility for both success and failure. Now it is really getting on with agreements on all issues already identified,” Mr Esipisu added.

President Kenyatta pledged to visit Saudi Arabia in the coming months.

Source:http://www.nation.co.ke