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justloy   justloy Loy's TIGblog
Loy's profile

UK Government To Fund Tech-Startups With £150 Million

According to UK’s largest business start-up community, Startup.co.uk

UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown announced earlier this week that the government would invest £150m in high growth technology businesses. The UK Innovation Investment Fund will focus on growing small businesses, start-ups and spin-outs in the digital, life sciences, clean tech and advanced manufacturing sectors.

The investment total will be matched by the private sector, and according to the government, this could lead to enough private investment to build a £1bn fund over the next decade.

“This fund will help build Britain’s future by investing in key sectors,” said Gordon Brown.
“It will provide crucial support for our most promising start-ups and existing small companies just when they need it most. Venture capital finance is the lifeblood of innovation and crucial to ensuring the commercialisation of the discoveries coming out of our research base.”

According to government figures there are 1,093 venture capital backed tech companies in the UK employing more than 40,000 highly skilled workers.

Business secretary Lord Mandelson said the government had identified access to venture capital as one of the ‘critical factors’ in developing innovative UK ventures.

He added: “The [fund] will be a shot in the arm for the British venture capital industry. It is also a challenge to UK VCs to follow the government’s lead in backing British entrepreneurs in building exciting new companies, investing in new technologies and creating new jobs.”

Via: Startups.co.uk


July 3, 2009 | 12:07 PM Comments  0 comments

Tags:


kinsblog   kinsblog Akinola Akinwumi's TIGblog
Akinola Akinwumi's profile

RE: Professionalism of Highest Order
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Hi all,

It was quite interesting to read in papers of disgraceful acts of our politician in the hood. I mean it depicts the level of desperation and ardent stickling our Nigerian politicians are to politics. Not in good turn, but still interesting is the fact that the bean is cooked by politicians, eaten by politicians and spilled by politicians.

That may however not be surprising to any NAIJA person who's watched the trend of events in recent times, even though, still 2 years far from a new election. However, what may be of great concern is the way the media has been covering the events between the embattled house of assembly member and the Governor of Ogun state.

For God's sake, what gratifying reason whatsoever, would a national newspaper like Compass newspaper advance for publishing the whole picture of a man entirely nude. Not just would that act be called unprofessional but suspicious. Little wonders why some people came out with the position that the governor is the major stakeholder, I mean owner of the newspaper publication.

I the spirit professionalism, I think the Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ) has a lot of investigation to do into the conduct of that reporter. not just alleging him to be soponsored but digging his political interest. The Nigerian re-branding project is still on, and if some escapees are found on the edge of lawless acts, then the whole idea will be contrasting, particularly debranding.

Just let's do our own part
One thing I know for sure,
No mater your desperation in acheiving a feat,
You will only be buried with 2 feet -
Your left and posibly your right one,
That is if not amputated by law or stricken by sickness.
Best burials so far.

July 3, 2009 | 9:07 AM Comments  0 comments

Tags:


oluseunoni   oluseunoni oluseun onigbinde's TIGblog
oluseun onigbinde's profile

Change, We cant wait....
Related to country: Nigeria

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

We live in a country whose endowment in terms in natural and human resources needs no further explanation. Nigerians have oratorical skills with unimaginable intellect. They mount the soapbox with verbiage or verbose grammatical tenses to talk endlessly about the misrule, injustice, corruption, non-performance in our society. Countless forums, youth empowerment seminars, blogs, meetings, communiqué, conference, news analysis, radio programmes, TV bulletin here and abroad are held to tell the sad tales of Nigeria. May 29 and June 12 meetings in London and Lagos give candid examples that Nigerians activists and public commentators are masters of the talkshop.
To prove that Nigerian critical issue analysis is not a function of size of bank accounts, we need to skim the informal places. Association of free readers at road junctions have adequate knowledge and intelligent understanding of the Nigerian problems. They inform each other with facts polished with half truths and rumours to ponder on why this giant still limps among midgets. Beer parlour banters are not always filled with inanities. Drunkards with a strong stench will still analyze while nothing works here.
Beyond talking, we also write very well. Editorial columns, opinion pages, SMS feedback, writers opinions, forum presentations could all analyze the core problems of Nigeria. We even prescribe solutions like infallible veteran doctors but even the hospitals are torture chambers.
The Islamic republic of Iran evolved in 1979 after change was unavoidable. A ship built with different wood had begun cracking at the joints. The growth of globalization fuelled by technology has trickled into the mindset of youths who form the majority. The leaders in contrast believe in ideals under the of cause of Allah to alienate themselves despite the overtures of the West championed by Obama. Iranian leaders believe that the enemy has grown wiser then they need to be ahead by the next mile. To them, the Obama sermon in Cairo was only chocolate gobbled by babies. Iran, a country with divided mindset and ambitions. Sincerely, I see another revolution ticking. Young people found their heroism in Mousavi. The blazing guns, religious verses, police brutal treatment could not muffle their voices. Of the courageous youths who feel shortchanged in an electoral process. Iran youths used Facebook, twitter. Myspace to energize change. Though change still eludes them, they have voiced and acted bravely.
Nigerians also have concerns and are always hopeful even till eternity that change will come. The cabal and perfidious sect that plunder our resources keep having the last laugh. We all watch with lamentations but our resolve to engineer societal correction is fictional. So we spin in circles through analysis paralysis (apologies to GS) telling our shameful story while the corrupt still walk, talk and live freely. We are never moved by change demand exhibited in Bangladesh, Madagascar, Ghana, Ukraine, USA and so on. Rather than the world profile our path of change we form numerous political parties and numerous facebook change groups. The Nigerian selfishly seeks to break free from the shackles by getting a decent job….for himself and family.
I sincerely believe we get Soyinka, Utomi, Fashola and other great personalities to evolve change with their ingenuity. Youths who undervalue death but have transferred the anger of their pain into fiery passion to be at forefront. Will we hijack Facebook, phone networks, nollywood, hip hop music campuses, villages, hamlets and influence parents. When do we realize that continuous failed generations drives our nation into extinction. A change movement that quenches the embers of tribe, religion , sect and so on that made us to not realize that the average Nigerian has common problem. A change movement ready to solve the problem of bad leadership and institute a framework for accountability and service.
I am tired of lengthy essays on the trouble with Nigeria, wrong reasons why we exist and black and white solutions. I ask myself with repeatedly why don’t I buy the front pages of dailies for full week talking up a revolution of the 2011 election? The nest of killers with use their hammer that fell giants like Ige to kill a fly like me? How long will I endure this hopelessness? The president said a cartel dictated our oil markets. Halliburton bribe takers and Niger Delta list of full culprits are still secrets of the state.
We all fear the throes of death and its has become a weapon to tame us? Why cant we all get angry and decide to take out the ruling party in 2011 and replace them with decent leaders? If Nigerians have Yaradua for another four years, we are doomed. I am tired with all we talk about, argue on, ponder about and grumblings of the misrule. I am tired of stage performances and drumming strokes.. I want to see the steps of change. I keep asking I have seen noisy thunderstorms, fuzzy sky, angry lightning….I don’t want to see instant showers. I only pray to feel the drizzle of change, so I can storm out bare chested to find my place.

July 3, 2009 | 8:21 AM Comments  0 comments



dainfinity   dainfinity Ibukun's TIGblog
Ibukun's profile

THEY ARE MAD
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Left to quest on the journey of no return,
I bid you farewell on this trip to Saturn;
How shall you, my dear, survive,
In this planet with nothing to revive?

Your ebullient boss,
Down on earth in your initial hose;
Barked orders to you in the eye of the dragon,
Who knows better way to win and get done?

You in the real live,
Or him in the theoretical hive?
That’s what superiors do,
Giving orders even to their boo.

How shall the opulent understand suffering,
If he has not lived in such bearing?
How shall the poor envision riches,
Without bits of such stitches?


The best people to define a pain;
Are those in the realms of its rain,
Not those who think they know,
They are Change’s greatest foe.




July 3, 2009 | 5:34 AM Comments  0 comments

Tags:


oyinda   oyinda Oyinda Fakeye's TIGblog
Oyinda Fakeye's profile

Urban Dynamik

Want to know how to make you own videos and use them on your
YouTube or Facebook? Got a story to tell? Need to film your next
music video? Urban Dynamik can help!

FREE - Only 10 places on each day- book fast. Free lunch.

Friday 17th July 2009
or
Friday 31st July 2009

TV and Mobile Media Taster days
To book a place contact programme producer Jim on:
jim@spacestudios.org.uk or 020 8525 4339

Taster days show how to use your mobile technologies and make
and share great videos. Taster days can move you onto further media
training, qualifications and work experience in the media industries.

July 3, 2009 | 2:07 AM Comments  0 comments

Tags:


Standtall   Standtall Standtall's TIGblog
Standtall's profile

Interview Thursday:"No one tried to help me when I was rape. I tried to reach out to my best friend at the time but she completely backed off"- Adaeze

She is poised and elegant with a dream of making a huge impact in her generation. Her rape experience did not deter her from thinking and believing in herself and in others, though traumatic, she is healing. I am happy to have Admirable Adaeze share with us on "Interview Thursday".





Tell us about your origin and your love for Nigeria.

My origin is complicated, to say the least. There are so many mixes in there that I can’t keep track.I have Jewish, Hispanic, French and Scandinavian blood in me to name a few. I grew up in Norway, my mother grew up in the US, Netherlands, France and England, and we always travelled a lot. I’ve always been viewed as a foreigner wherever I go. People can never determine where I’m really from. I believe all my experiences and the fact I do not have a single place to call “home”, has given me a unique perspective on culture and nationality.

I’ve learnt how to view people for who they are and never let religion and nationality cloud my judgement. I think it’s also made me very open-minded and humble. I tend to see people’s common ground rather than their differences and I am always everyone’s conflict-solver. Where other people see problems I see possibilities. My love for Nigeria stems from the fact that I feel it is the first place I’ve ever stayed that really received me with open arms. I always feel at home there, for some reason. I now take it as my home in many ways. Sure, there are downsides like there is in every country, but I have met so many loving, strong and amazing people. People are warm and alive and in touch. I love that. I can only pray that the political future of Nigeria is better than the past, so the full potential of her people can really be tapped into.






What is marriage to you?

Hmm.. Ideologically a marriage should be a journey between two individuals. They should both keep their individual identities but also have a third identity of "us". Being unified is incredibly important to me.

Marriage is not a perfect dance on roses, but a journey. It's about growing together in parallel curve. It's about respecting each other equally. It’s about rediscovering yourself on another level and learn from each other. Discover your weaknesses and strengths and know how to come strong where your spouse comes weak. No one is born with a built-in manual on how to succeed in a relationship. Life is never easy for anyone, but your marriage should be that safe haven where all the worst trouble goes away. Your spouse should be the person you want to come to whenever you get too tired to keep up the facade for everyone else. Marriage can be a journey of patience, but should be balanced with sense.






Though marriage, relationship and its expectations defer from culture to culture and some people feel respect is when you feel subservient to your spouse, do you agree with this and if not, what is respect to you?

The way I interpret the word subservient my answer is no, I do not think subservience is equivalent to respect. To me subservience is abject obedience. My husband will never benefit from me lying to myself about my own opinions only to “agree” with his. Respect is a lot of things. There are many fine nuances. In marriage, respect is accepting that your spouse may not agree with you on absolutely everything. Respect is allowing your spouse to be themselves and do things they need to do for themselves even if you do not understand. All with sense of course. Respect is restraining and controlling yourself if you’re about to lose control out of frustration or anger. Respect is making something important to you just because it’s important to your spouse. Respect for your spouse is also respect for yourself.In my marriage I’ve found out that it has to do with standing my ground on things that are extremely important to me. If I didn’t do that, my husband would lose me. By losing me I mean, the woman he knows as his wife would no longer exist. He fell in love with my originality and individuality. I can’t bargain on my principles. However, this does not mean I will never let him “win”. If something is very important to him and I disagree, I’ll bail, as long as it doesn’t go against my core principles. I expect him to do the same. If not – my flexibility would be reduced. Luckily that’s never happened with me. If my man had opinions against my core principles we’d never get married in the first place, no be so? Respect is also about talking in a nice manner to one another even in the heat of an argument. True respect to me is also when you are willing to set your own views aside and honestly consider the other persons point of view.





Domestic violence is a big issue world over, though it's more prevalent in some countries than the other, what is your view about domestic violence?

Domestic violence is a problem that persists in all countries regardless of class, religion and ethnic borders. A common denominator is that statistically, chances are that most of the cases of domestic violence are not even recorded. It’s incredibly common. I think that it stems from a various number of problems. People don’t learn how to communicate well enough, especially men who are not used to talking about their feelings. Men without good role models (read: absent or violent fathers) but also women who never learnt their worth. I guess domestic abuse can also be more accepted in certain cultures and in these cases that acceptance is a huge contributor.





Do you think the victim, mostly women is to be blame for any kind of abuse they receive from their spouse?

A woman is never to blame for abuse. Never. Although I completely understand why women end up staying with abusing spouses, unfortunately THEY are as adults responsible for choosing to stay in the relationship. It’s their job to be strong and protect their children if they have to, and get away. I think unfortunately, sometimes women unknowingly enable men to be more violent because they show them no consequences for their actions. But every case of domestic abuse is different. It’s not always a woman CAN do anything at all. I know what it’s like to be afraid of a man and I do not blame women for being too terrified. I think it’s impossible to give one straight answer to this question. Sometimes women need to stop kidding themselves and stand up, other times they are left powerless. That is why we need to fight this in all local communities





What are ways to prevent domestic violence?

First: DISCLOSURE. We all need to talk about it. Secondly, we need to bring the men into the discussion. Women need to stop discussing this alone. Men need to join the battle for their sisters, mothers and daughters and stop thinking that this is not their battle to fight just because they themselves aren’t abusive. We need to create a zero-tolerance for domestic abuse and make it less taboo for men to be open about their problems. I think abusing men coming out to talk about their issues could help others. We need to understand what’s going on within them too. This is where all our non-abusive brothers can help out. We need to create awareness and educate everyone on the terrible long term effects domestic abuse has on everyone in the family. We also need to do damage control on children who has lived/lives in abusive homes.





You are passionate about women's human rights, what steps are you taking to contribute your qoutas?

So far I have not been able to do as much as I want to, but I am a young woman. I have plans for the future. When I finish my education and grow older I would like to start up a centre in Nigeria for abused women and their families. But I’d also like to work on disclosure as mentioned earlier. Work on a tactic to get men more involved. I think that will be harder because Nigeria as a whole is still such a male-dominated country. But we have to start from somewhere. My mother’s best friend has worked with violent men and rehabilitation for many years – I think I am going to ask her for advice! Another way I keep working on contributing with my quotas is motivating all women around me to know their rights and their worth. All of this can not be stressed enough.





There have being a lot of criticism on feminism work as well as the women's right defenders, do you think the movement is unnecessary that there is nothing to fight for?

Absolutely not. The whole world, including all the “developed” countries still have a long way to go. I have been privileged to grow up in a country with a huge focus on equality. Still, here we have problems to fix. We need more equal salary, we need more respect for a woman’s wish to have a family and not let that result in any repercussions career- or job wise. More importantly, other parts of the world have a long way to go in providing more rights for their women. Women deserve to not be viewed as only a vessel to carry children into the world. I say this because I know even today, a woman who for example is infertile will be looked down upon. Her husband might go and find another woman to bear children. I don’t think this is right. It’s hard enough for a woman to suffer the loss of fertility. Women also need to become more dominant in leaderships positions both politically and on the private market so that they can fight for better practices and laws concerning women’s rights.





What does culture mean to you?

Big question! Culture means to me…a pattern of belief and behaviour, a set of values and social practices, combined with language, music and art. It is incredibly important to maintain the wonderful diversity we have on earth. First of all, lack of diversity is boring. Secondly, we would probably lose some perspective as we would have no one to compare ourselves against. It’s important to have perspective so one can criticize aspects of culture that needs improvement. The dominant way is not always the best way. There are things I like about western culture, but western culture also lacks some very important features that for example a typical culture for a less developed country has. Examples of this are caring for the elders and family values. We all need to get off our high horse to learn from each other and get the best of both worlds. That is what I have always viewed my intercultural marriage to be- we get to take the best from each others cultures, blend them into one lovely mix.





In any cuture, do you think there are necessary things to keep or expunge, can you identify them?

I think language is incredibly important to keep. . Language is important because language is the link to your culture and your forefathers. There are certain things that could only best be said in your own language. If we allow English language to completely dominate the entire world, their culture would take completely over (which it already has) and people lose part of their roots. When people lose their roots, they sometimes lose meaning as well. Imagine this; an Igbo family moves abroad – they don’t teach their kids Igbo and their kids don’t feel as strongly connected to their homeland as they should. When they in turn get kids – how connected will their kids be to the land of their grand-parents? Language is crucial when it comes to understanding.Any practice that doesn’t hurt anyone, I think should be kept. But old, traditional nonsensical ideas based on ignorance should of course be expunged. I think the challenge lies in combining renewal while at the same time maintaining culture. Examples of things that should be expunged is circumcision on women, marriage based on ethnicity/kinship, superstitious beliefs and practices (example ogbanje) etc etc. But there’s nothing wrong with masquerades and ancient tales being told to future generations, traditional marriage celebrations or other harmless traditions.





You recently posted a touching story of how you were raped at 14, did anyone try to help you get through the bitter experience?

No one tried to help me. I tried to reach out to my best friend at the time but she completely backed off. But in everyone’s defence, there’s no how I could have gotten help because I was afraid to tell anyone. My mother, once she found out 2 years later, wanted to help but I was in so much distress at the time that I did not let her.

Again, bring in the men. And bring in the women when it comes to taking responsibility in raising their children. I see so many girls getting kids for all the wrong reasons with the wrong men. They aren’t too stupid to see the man is never going to care. Often I see that they end up not caring either, however that is possible. I always look at the cute little boy and girl and wonder how they’ll end up. Every rapist has a mother and once used to be an innocent little boy.






I am sorry you had to go through something so wicked, has this in anyway affected your feeling for men?

It definitely has. I am quick to get scared. The other day my co-worker was dropping me off at the bus station, he took an alternate route and my mind started wondering if he was going to stop in some hidden area to do something to me. I felt so bad for thinking that because the man is totally innocent and good minded. For years it was easier to generalise and think everyone only wanted sex. That is still an impression I have because whenever someone hits me up it’s always about sex. It’s made me think that far more men than I thought are capable of rape. It’s made the relationship between my husband and I more difficult because of my fears and insecurities, because of my memories. It’s made me less of a dare-devil with the most trivial things like amusement parks. Anything that brings that tingly feeling of anxiousness I tend to stay away from. Mentally it’s been and still is a big battle for me to win. I used to be very confused before. The rules of my world had been turned upside down and I needed to find out again what is right and wrong. It’s easy to devalue yourself and start seeing yourself as what they see you as – just a piece of meat. But I thank God I never gave into that voice in the back of my head.






July 2, 2009 | 4:07 AM Comments  0 comments

Tags:


Standtall   Standtall Standtall's TIGblog
Standtall's profile

Interview Thursday:"No one tried to help me when I was raped.I tried to reach out to my best friend at the time but she completely backed off"- Adaeze

She is poised and elegant with a dream of making a huge impact in her generation. Her rape experience did not deter her from thinking and believing in herself and in others, though traumatized, she has heaed. I am happy to have Admirable Adaeze share with us on "Interview Thursday".




Tell us about your origin and your love for Nigeria.
My origin is complicated, to say the least. There are so many mixes in there that I can’t keep track.I have Jewish, Hispanic, French and Scandinavian blood in me to name a few. I grew up in Norway, my mother grew up in the US, Netherlands, France and England, and we always travelled a lot. I’ve always been viewed as a foreigner wherever I go. People can never determine where I’m really from. I believe all my experiences and the fact I do not have a single place to call “home”, has given me a unique perspective on culture and nationality.
I’ve learnt how to view people for who they are and never let religion and nationality cloud my judgement. I think it’s also made me very open-minded and humble. I tend to see people’s common ground rather than their differences and I am always everyone’s conflict-solver. Where other people see problems I see possibilities. My love for Nigeria stems from the fact that I feel it is the first place I’ve ever stayed that really received me with open arms. I always feel at home there, for some reason. I now take it as my home in many ways. Sure, there are downsides like there is in every country, but I have met so many loving, strong and amazing people. People are warm and alive and in touch. I love that. I can only pray that the political future of Nigeria is better than the past, so the full potential of her people can really be tapped into.



What is marriage to you?
Hmm.. Ideologically a marriage should be a journey between two individuals. They should both keep their individual identities but also have a third identity of "us". Being unified is incredibly important to me.

Marriage is not a perfect dance on roses, but a journey. It's about growing together in parallel curve. It's about respecting each other equally. It’s about rediscovering yourself on another level and learn from each other. Discover your weaknesses and strengths and know how to come strong where your spouse comes weak. No one is born with a built-in manual on how to succeed in a relationship. Life is never easy for anyone, but your marriage should be that safe haven where all the worst trouble goes away. Your spouse should be the person you want to come to whenever you get too tired to keep up the facade for everyone else. Marriage can be a journey of patience, but should be balanced with sense.


Though marriage, relationship and its expectations defer from culture to culture and some people feel respect is when you feel subservient to your spouse, do you agree with this and if not, what is respect to you?
The way I interpret the word subservient my answer is no, I do not think subservience is equivalent to respect. To me subservience is abject obedience. My husband will never benefit from me lying to myself about my own opinions only to “agree” with his. Respect is a lot of things. There are many fine nuances. In marriage, respect is accepting that your spouse may not agree with you on absolutely everything. Respect is allowing your spouse to be themselves and do things they need to do for themselves even if you do not understand. All with sense of course. Respect is restraining and controlling yourself if you’re about to lose control out of frustration or anger. Respect is making something important to you just because it’s important to your spouse. Respect for your spouse is also respect for yourself.In my marriage I’ve found out that it has to do with standing my ground on things that are extremely important to me. If I didn’t do that, my husband would lose me. By losing me I mean, the woman he knows as his wife would no longer exist. He fell in love with my originality and individuality. I can’t bargain on my principles. However, this does not mean I will never let him “win”. If something is very important to him and I disagree, I’ll bail, as long as it doesn’t go against my core principles. I expect him to do the same. If not – my flexibility would be reduced. Luckily that’s never happened with me. If my man had opinions against my core principles we’d never get married in the first place, no be so? Respect is also about talking in a nice manner to one another even in the heat of an argument. True respect to me is also when you are willing to set your own views aside and honestly consider the other persons point of view.


Domestic violence is a big issue world over, though it's more prevalent in some countries than the other, what is your view about domestic violence?
Domestic violence is a problem that persists in all countries regardless of class, religion and ethnic borders. A common denominator is that statistically, chances are that most of the cases of domestic violence are not even recorded. It’s incredibly common. I think that it stems from a various number of problems. People don’t learn how to communicate well enough, especially men who are not used to talking about their feelings. Men without good role models (read: absent or violent fathers) but also women who never learnt their worth. I guess domestic abuse can also be more accepted in certain cultures and in these cases that acceptance is a huge contributor.


Do you think the victim, mostly women is to be blame for any kind of abuse they receive from their spouse?
A woman is never to blame for abuse. Never. Although I completely understand why women end up staying with abusing spouses, unfortunately THEY are as adults responsible for choosing to stay in the relationship. It’s their job to be strong and protect their children if they have to, and get away. I think unfortunately, sometimes women unknowingly enable men to be more violent because they show them no consequences for their actions. But every case of domestic abuse is different. It’s not always a woman CAN do anything at all. I know what it’s like to be afraid of a man and I do not blame women for being too terrified. I think it’s impossible to give one straight answer to this question. Sometimes women need to stop kidding themselves and stand up, other times they are left powerless. That is why we need to fight this in all local communities


What are ways to prevent domestic violence?
First: DISCLOSURE. We all need to talk about it. Secondly, we need to bring the men into the discussion. Women need to stop discussing this alone. Men need to join the battle for their sisters, mothers and daughters and stop thinking that this is not their battle to fight just because they themselves aren’t abusive. We need to create a zero-tolerance for domestic abuse and make it less taboo for men to be open about their problems. I think abusing men coming out to talk about their issues could help others. We need to understand what’s going on within them too. This is where all our non-abusive brothers can help out. We need to create awareness and educate everyone on the terrible long term effects domestic abuse has on everyone in the family. We also need to do damage control on children who has lived/lives in abusive homes.


You are passionate about women's human rights, what steps are you taking to contribute your qoutas?
So far I have not been able to do as much as I want to, but I am a young woman. I have plans for the future. When I finish my education and grow older I would like to start up a centre in Nigeria for abused women and their families. But I’d also like to work on disclosure as mentioned earlier. Work on a tactic to get men more involved. I think that will be harder because Nigeria as a whole is still such a male-dominated country. But we have to start from somewhere. My mother’s best friend has worked with violent men and rehabilitation for many years – I think I am going to ask her for advice! Another way I keep working on contributing with my quotas is motivating all women around me to know their rights and their worth. All of this can not be stressed enough.


There have being a lot of criticism on feminism work as well as the women's right defenders, do you think the movement is unnecessary that there is nothing to fight for?
Absolutely not. The whole world, including all the “developed” countries still have a long way to go. I have been privileged to grow up in a country with a huge focus on equality. Still, here we have problems to fix. We need more equal salary, we need more respect for a woman’s wish to have a family and not let that result in any repercussions career- or job wise. More importantly, other parts of the world have a long way to go in recognising women's rights. Women deserve to not be viewed as only a vessel to carry children into the world. I say this because I know even today, a woman who for example is infertile will be looked down upon. Her husband might go and find another woman to bear children. I don’t think this is right. It’s hard enough for a woman to suffer the loss of fertility. Women also need to become more dominant in leaderships positions both politically and on the private market so that they can fight for better practices and laws concerning women’s rights.


What does culture mean to you?
Big question! Culture means to me…a pattern of belief and behaviour, a set of values and social practices, combined with language, music and art. It is incredibly important to maintain the wonderful diversity we have on earth. First of all, lack of diversity is boring. Secondly, we would probably lose some perspective as we would have no one to compare ourselves against. It’s important to have perspective so one can criticize aspects of culture that needs improvement. The dominant way is not always the best way. There are things I like about western culture, but western culture also lacks some very important features that for example a typical culture for a less developed country has. Examples of this are caring for the elders and family values. We all need to get off our high horse to learn from each other and get the best of both worlds. That is what I have always viewed my intercultural marriage to be- we get to take the best from each others cultures, blend them into one lovely mix.


In any cuture, do you think there are necessary things to keep or expunge, can you identify them?
I think language is incredibly important to keep. . Language is important because language is the link to your culture and your forefathers. There are certain things that could only best be said in your own language. If we allow English language to completely dominate the entire world, their culture would take completely over (which it already has) and people lose part of their roots. When people lose their roots, they sometimes lose meaning as well. Imagine this; an Igbo family moves abroad – they don’t teach their kids Igbo and their kids don’t feel as strongly connected to their homeland as they should. When they in turn get kids – how connected will their kids be to the land of their grand-parents? Language is crucial when it comes to understanding.Any practice that doesn’t hurt anyone, I think should be kept. But old, traditional nonsensical ideas based on ignorance should of course be expunged. I think the challenge lies in combining renewal while at the same time maintaining culture. Examples of things that should be expunged is circumcision on women, marriage based on ethnicity/kinship, superstitious beliefs and practices (example ogbanje) etc etc. But there’s nothing wrong with masquerades and ancient tales being told to future generations, traditional marriage celebrations or other harmless traditions.


You recently posted a touching story of how you were raped at 14, did anyone try to help you get through the bitter experience?
No one tried to help me. I tried to reach out to my best friend at the time but she completely backed off. But in everyone’s defence, there’s no how I could have gotten help because I was afraid to tell anyone. My mother, once she found out 2 years later, wanted to help but I was in so much distress at the time that I did not let her.

How can we help younger girls from getting raped?

Again, bring in the men. And bring in the women when it comes to taking responsibility in raising their children. I see so many girls getting kids for all the wrong reasons with the wrong men. They aren’t too stupid to see the man is never going to care. Often I see that they end up not caring either, however that is possible. I always look at the cute little boy and girl and wonder how they’ll end up. Every rapist has a mother and once used to be an innocent little boy.

I am sorry you had to go through something so wicked, has this in anyway affected your feeling for men?
It definitely has. I am quick to get scared. The other day my co-worker was dropping me off at the bus station, he took an alternate route and my mind started wondering if he was going to stop in some hidden area to do something to me. I felt so bad for thinking that because the man is totally innocent and good minded. For years it was easier to generalise and think everyone only wanted sex. That is still an impression I have because whenever someone hits me up it’s always about sex. It’s made me think that far more men than I thought are capable of rape. It’s made the relationship between my husband and I more difficult because of my fears and insecurities, because of my memories. It’s made me less of a dare-devil with the most trivial things like amusement parks. Anything that brings that tingly feeling of anxiousness I tend to stay away from. Mentally it’s been and still is a big battle for me to win. I used to be very confused before. The rules of my world had been turned upside down and I needed to find out again what is right and wrong. It’s easy to devalue yourself and start seeing yourself as what they see you as – just a piece of meat. But I thank God I never gave into that voice in the back of my head.



July 2, 2009 | 4:07 AM Comments  0 comments

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justloy   justloy Loy's TIGblog
Loy's profile

50 Free Online Business Ideas to Make Money

business-ideas50

Starting an online business has become very cheap and easy. If managed well, online businesses can generate multiple streams of income.

Today, I am sharing 50 free money-making online business ideas that are worth exploring in Nigeria. Most of these ideas have grown to become successful businesses around the world, and some have been bought by huge companies such as Google, Yahoo and Microsoft.

I’ll be adding more ideas in the future. But the trick is that you can actually start any online business in any niche of your choice. All you need to do is learn how to market your business and how to make that money.

If you need advice, send me an email via buzz {at} loyokezie.com

50 Free Online Business Ideas to Make Money

1. Photo sharing

Photo sharing sites allow users to upload photos and share them with an online community. Don’t just be Flickr fans. Start one. Users can share photos of places visited, event pictures, nature photos, etc in Nigeria.

2. Video sharing

Video sharing sites allow users to upload music and music videos, and share them with an online community. Don’t just be Youtube fans. Start one. With a video sharing site, we can watch episodes of soap operas, TV programs, Nollywood movies, etc

3. Dating

Dating sites in Nigeria are not bad at all. But how about adopting a different approach to the dating game? I like the concept of www.Alarena.com, a match-making site for Africans. I also like the concept of www.PlentyOfFish.com where you don’t have to pay to join.

4. Auction

There are only a few auction sites in Nigeria and they are not doing badly. If you are thinking of an auction site that will sell in Nigeria, why not consider an auction start-up that auctions jewelleries real-time. I’ll recommend a site like www.Bidz.com

5. Web Office Applications

Can you launch a start-up that can compete with the Microsoft desktop software? According to Paul Graham, this is a rich market, considering the huge sums of money Microsoft makes from it.

He also thinks that “a start-up that takes on such a project will be helped along by Microsoft itself, who between their increasingly bureaucratic culture and their desire to protect existing desktop revenues will probably do a bad job of building web-based Office variants themselves.

He further advises that before you try to start a start-up doing this, you should be prepared to explain why existing web-based Office alternatives haven’t taken the world by storm, and how you’re going to beat that. A Nigerian site www.Nigeria.ms seems to have an idea of a site for web desktop & office apps.

6. Online Learning

Nigerian schools don’t seem to have the best to offer our youths. Candidates who sit for WAEC, NECO and JAMB exams fail because of a failed education system, where the learning environment is not conducive.

Perhaps, youths can enjoy learning online if there are sites that help them go through revisions and prepare for tests. A site like www.InstantRevision.com is good example. Another idea could be to design online games that would help children improve their learning abilities and thinking faculties.

I also like the idea behind www.NaijaLingo.com – an online dictionary of Nigerian Pidgin English words. Can there be Naijapedia just like Afropedia that offers a free online encyclopaedia and social networking where users can all contribute information and enjoy the learning experience?

7. Search. Search. Search.

We all search everyday on the Internet. Do you Yahoo? or Are you a Googling? Yes, Google is the King of Search, but there’s probably something that Google hasn’t done with search that we can still do. Paul Graham thinks that Google’s biggest weakness is that “they have no sense of design” with their search pages, as they tend to keep things sparse. But if there were a kind of search that depended a lot on design, a start-up might actually be able to beat Google at search.

8. Online Payment Platform

Have you noticed that Nigeria is not listed as a PayPal member country? That’s sad! Ok, I know what the world says about Nigeria and scam, blah blah blah. Isn’t that enough reason to develop efficient online payment systems that could cater for the African market and beyond? I like what InterSwitch, eTranzact, and ChamsSwitch are doing, but their cards should be Europay, MasterCard, Visa (EMV) compliant.

9. Online Shopping Portal

Another untapped market, although there are a few online shopping sites in Nigeria such as www.BuyRight.biz, www.Tokunbo.com and www.Flegz.com amongst others. There are also sites where you can recharge your call credits such as www.PrepaidNigeria.com and www.RechargeNigeria.com Most of these sites are on the Interswitch network.

10. Portfolio Valuation

These days, Nigerians are becoming more aware of the benefits of investing in shares, stocks, bonds, etc. in the Nigerian Stock Exchange. If you are a stock market broker, expert, enthusiast, or novice like me, you could consider a start-up that evaluates the portfolios of investors (i.e. that monitors the value of people’s investments on the NSE). A good example is www.InvestorDelight.com

11. Web Hosting

Perhaps a saturated market in Nigeria, there is already a handful of web hosting sites offering web hosting packages, web design and web domain name registration services. Some good examples are NairaHost and Web4Africa.

12. Blogging Platforms

Blogging has been very successful with the help of blog platforms such as Wordpress, Blogger (Blogspot), and Typepad amongst others. In fact, this blog is hosted under Wordpress.

However, we need Nigerian blogging platforms that offer local content, design/theme and settings. I like www.BunduBlog.com, an African-owned blogging platform that echoes the voices of Africans to the world.

13. Blog Themes/Templates Design

We know we have so many design & graphics experts in Nigeria that should hone their skills more on today’s new web space. We need blog templates and theme designers out of Nigeria and Africa that offer and market their own designs based on local backgrounds and concept to the world. Thus, a start-up site that showcases blog templates/themes and allow users to download for a fee could be a hit.

14. Consumer Reviews

Of course you have used a product or service in Nigeria that you didn’t like. And you cursed and cursed but nobody listened to you. Here’s a chance to provide consumers/users the opportunity to share their opinions and experiences about a product or service.

15. Public Complaints

Maybe you have a public complain to make concerning a justice system gone bad, or a corrupt police force, or even a Nigerian government agency or ministry that needs to improve their service, a public complaints site could be a good place to voice your opinions anonymously. It could even be designed as a wiki page and could get a lot of attention. Trust me. Apparently, an ATM machines/ATM card online forum will be a mega hit.

16. Social Bookmarking

Sites like Digg, StumbleUpon, Delicious, South Africa’s Muti and Nigeria’s Sturvs help share content around the web. But there’s something that Sturvs is not doing (well) – Social Bookmarking. A Nigerian site that allows users to create bookmarks for local web items will really fly.

17. Social Music

When I discovered Last FM, I was thrilled to know that music can be social and fun on the web. Nigeria’s Truspot is a great example of a social music revolution. It would be great to see a Nigerian social music site that allows users to listen to full music tracks and download music (MP3) for free. Is there any site like that?

18. Room/Apartment rental

This is probably one area that has not been explored yet in Nigeria. Most people, especially students who can’t afford a 600K naira apartment for two years in Lagos or Abuja could benefit from this kind of site that allows them find roommates to share the rent and utility bills. You can get ideas from US-based www.EasyRoomMate.com

19. Classifieds

There are so many classifieds sites around the world providing different product listings from cars to laptops to jewelleries. An example is Craigslist. In Nigeria, this market is growing exponentially and sites like Nairalist and Kerawa are tapping into this market. If you’re thinking of launching one or you’re already in this business, you had better read about the recent Craigslist saga! Yeah, dating is allowed, but not prostitution!:-D

20. Editing & Proofreading

A site that provides students, researchers, etc with proofreading and editing services for a fee can be experimented. After all, there are still schools that value high standards for grades in Nigeria, so people who value good grades will pay for a service like that.

21. Technology Blog

A blog about Nigerian technology news, reviews, interviews and analysis will attract tech enthusiasts, IT experts, industry watchers, consumers/customers, advertisers, investors, etc

22. Fashion Blog

A blog about new fashion trends in Nigeria, fashion shows/awards, fashion tips, advice and ideas. This should include photos of different fashion outfits (both male and female), especially of African traditional wears. The audience would be fashion freaks, fashion designers and people looking for anything new in the fashion world. I like what Linda Okeji and LadyBrille are doing.

23. Entertainment Blog

A blog that provides entertainment news, reviews and interviews as well as gossips and gist in the Nigerian entertainment industry will sell big-time. You may include the who’s who in the entertainment world, events coverage, music/movie news, etc No doubt, Bella Naija has done well.

24. Tourism/Culture Blog

Nigerian culture and tourism is very rich, but is yet untapped. There are monuments, rocks, wildlife, water falls, beaches, resorts, parks, hotels, festivals, carnivals, world heritage sites and more that need to be explored. A blog that covers these areas audience could attract potential tourists, people interested in cultures, exhibitors, advertisers as well as investors.

25. Sports/Football Blog

We all know how enthusiastic and passionate people get when their favourite sport is on TV. Thus, a blog about the Nigerian premier league or any other sport in Nigeria could get a lot of attention – the championships, the teams, the players, and the business side of sports – can be highlighted.

26. Career Blog

Getting and keeping a job in Nigeria is a huge challenge. I have my own stories, but please don’t ask:-) A blog about job tips and career advice as well as how to succeed in the Nigerian job market will be a major hit. As a personal and professional development coach and having worked as career consultant and recruiter for several management and recruitment firms both in Nigeria and the UK, I am “seriously” considering this.

27. Car Blog

I find that Nigerians are so crazy about cars, especially fancy cars! A blog that writes about cars, brands, models, etc including photos as well as tips and advice will sell big time. The auto industry in Nigeria is evolving and blogs that report this trend could get premium paid advertisements from car dealers in Nigeria and around the world. A great example of a successful car review blog is www.CarAdvice.com.au

28. Events Blog

Nigerians love events, especially the “owa nbe’s”:D Thus, a general blog that covers all events in Nigeria including entertainment, politics, religion, sports, technology, oil & gas, etc could be an events hub catering for a large audience and will require a lot of contributors. You could get a lot of advertisement offers if you can manage this blog very well. An example is www.EventArcade.com

29. Politics Blog

Perhaps you might not like to report political news and gossips that would get you arrested and detained, but I bet that there are lots of insightful and exciting political news, topics, debates, etc that can get massive attention, especially during an election period. (e.g. CNN Political Ticker). I think that www.SaharaReporters.com is a great example of a site dedicated to political news, reviews and analysis.

30. Celebrity Blog

I notice that people love to read about people, especially about celebrities. Sometime last year, I always wanted to know what’s new about Britney Spears, so I was always on www.PerezHilton.com A blog about Celebs in Nigeria – gossips about their personal lives, their relationships/affairs, their career lives, etc – will be widely read and make you a lot of money.

31. Movies Review Blog

The Nigerian movie industry popularly known as Nollywood has grown to become the third most lucrative movie industry in the world after America’s Hollywood and India’s Bollywood. You could write reviews on movies, and get people to analyse and rate them and also get lots of opinions from Nigerian movie lovers.

32. Photography Blog

A blog that reviews nice sites and places, photos of nature, animals, etc in Nigeria could get attention from people who are interested in visiting Nigeria. You could also share tips, advice and ideas about photography, as well as review photography gadgets such as digital cameras, camcorders, mobile phone cameras, etc

33. Aviation Blog

The aviation industry in Nigeria has experienced a lot of terrible incidents and has shaped the way people view air travel in Nigeria. A blog that reviews airlines in Nigeria, their fleets, services, routes, promotions, and flight news could be a great resource. You might get advert deals from airline operators that have air ticket promotions for their various flight destinations.

34. Stock Market Blog

A blog that reviews and analyses the stock market trends and news reports in Nigeria, including recent company listings, market analysis, industry reports, etc A good example of a Nigerian site doing this is www.NaijaLowa.com

35. Oil & Gas Blog

The Nigerian oil & gas industry has got the world’s attention, so a blog that writes about the latest news and gist about the oil & gas industry could grow to become a lucrative business blog. You could also include the who’s who in the industry.

36. Food/Nutrition Blog

Everyone eats food. Some people love food. Personally, I’m always interested in trying new food options that could nourish my health. In fact, there is a lot of Nigerian, African and continental foods that we haven’t even seen, heard of, or tasted before.

Thus, a niche blog on foods and nutrition could get opinions from food enthusiasts and nutrition experts. You could also include tips, advice and ideas on nutrition and food strategies that might help people eat better and stay healthy.

37. Arts & Craft Blog

The African tradition has so much influence on the way the world sees Africa. Thus, a blog about African masks, sculptures, paintings, etc with photos will get the world’s attention. People can even visit Nigeria in order to shop for these items as a result of information from the blog and which will help boost tourism in Nigeria. They could also purchase these items via online shopping.

38. Religion Blog

Perhaps a Christianity, Islamic or Traditional religion blog that writes about their various activities such as campaigns, crusades, pilgrims, conventions, conferences, carnivals, annual religious rites, worship centres, shrines, etc could get a lot of attention. It could be an online community for people who are religiously inclined. Religious organisations, especially churches may even pay for advertisements on this blog.

39. Entrepreneurship Blog

I think that people would like to become entrepreneurs in Nigeria, especially with the success stories of Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola and Mike Adenuga. A business blog that provides entrepreneurship advice and resources on how to start ventures in Nigeria as well as web startups in Nigeria could be a great resource. Some examples are www.DeoluAkinyemi.com, www.LoyOkezie.com, www.NaijaEcash.com and www.EoluTosin.com.

40. Bloggers’ Blog

We’ve seen the success of Afrigator (as a blog aggregation site), but how about a blog that discovers other blogs in Nigeria. Something like a StumbleUpon for Blogs or a Blog’s aggregation Blog?

41. Web Design/Development Blog

A blog that reviews new and existing open source software applications as well as web programming technologies will have a huge readership and followership. It will also make a lot of money from advertisement, etc.

42. Telecoms Blog

A blog that reviews and analyses telecoms news, gossips, products and services, promos, as well as the NCC’s business in Nigeria, including market analysis, future trends and forecasts, industry reports, etc will be a smash.

43. Bank Blog

A blog that reviews and analyses banking trends, gossips, news, products and services, promos, reports including market analysis, etc in Nigeria will be another money spinner.

44. Interior Design Blog

A blog that provides interior decoration and home-making tips and advice, as well as design trends, news, deals, etc will draw attention especially from foreigners/expats living in Nigeria.

45. Gaming Blog

A blog that reviews and analyses gaming products, companies, etc such as PlayStation and Xbox will make a lot of money.

46. Real Estate Blog

The real estate industry has grown exponentially over the last few years. This blog will profile real estate deals and promo offers in different regions as well as tips and advice on how and where to get the best deals in Nigeria. The blog will attract advertisement from real estate companies looking to find buyers.

47. Mobile Gadgets Blog

A blog that reviews and rates mobile phones, accessories, gadgets as well as PC and laptop accessories, PDAs, and other electronics will be very resourceful and profitable.

48. Promo Blog

This blog could focus on covering all promotional offers from companies in all industries, but especially those of banks, telecoms, real estate and aviation. It could grow to become a mega promo shop online where people go to shop for the latest promo offers and news. The blog could have a mobile version, so that users can get promo news right on their mobile phones.

49. Investment Blog

This blog could be analyzing several financial investment ideas, options, and funds available in financial institutions such as banks, insurance companies, asset management companies and investment capital and advisory firms. The blog could also provide tips and advice on the best investment options.

The author must be an expertise in financial management and investment strategies. If managed well, it could generate a lot of attention from people needing investment advice as well as financial institutions that would want to promote their products.

50. Social Networking Site

Social networking sites are causing social netquakes on the web space. There are just enough, so let’s try something different, dudes. How about adopting a different approach to the social networking thingy?

Interestingly, I have a cracking idea for a great social network that can be heavily monetised and get the world’s attention. I’m not kidding. I would share it here on this blog so we can x-ray and analyse it together to see if it would fly. The idea is still in conception stage, but if I see larger potentials on the project, sorry I wouldn’t share:-P

It was an interesting exercise and experience for me compiling this list, even with sleepless nights. The list is by no means exhaustive, so if you have a great business or technology startup idea that’s not on the list, we’d love to hear them.


July 1, 2009 | 9:07 AM Comments  0 comments

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bookish99   bookish99 Ademola Adesola's TIGblog
Ademola Adesola's profile

CAMPUSLIFE AND ITS LOW POINT
Related to country: Nigeria

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic


A disclaimer first: I am not one of those base readers who superfluously find faults with news pieces or write-ups. As I am not an unscrupulous arm-chair gadfly, I crave that my felicitous critique of the racy and informative Campuslife pull-out be viewed as a compulsive reader’s contribution towards the enhancement of the quality of that segment of the rich Thursday The Nation newspaper.
Except one is a hardnosed doppelganger of that famous biblical personage – Thomas the doubter –, it would be pretty difficult to aver that campuslife is a worthless idea. For the avoidance of doubt, since the celebrated advent of the beat, numberless Nigerian students and youths; oodles of school administrators; and of course innumerable heads of public and private institutions of higher learning have benefited immensely, in one way or another, from it. More fortunate amongst these groups are students, especially those of them in the Southern axis of the country – students from the North are yet connect meaningfully to this all-important grid.
To be precise, many students have discovered, to their very delight, that one of the best ways to hone their writing skills is by constantly putting pen to paper. Many others have established themselves in the penumbra of their fellow compatriots as being parts of the movement for a better country where education is accorded the due attention as is the case in many countries of our gradually shrinking world. Indeed, a lot more have also been availed the means to ventilate their self-considered views on variegated issues. They enjoy the benefits of playing major roles on their campuses as a result of their news-gathering and writing engagements. What is more, a reasonable number have gained tremendously by participating in the apposite annual workshop sponsored by Coca-Cola. Some have even smiled to the bank.
The icing on the cake is that there appears to be no hiding place again on our campuses for dissolute and atrocious students, lecturers and school officials who thrive on nefarious and reprehensible endeavours to take cover due to the fact that the increasing armies of student reporters contributing to Campuslife are formidably on ground with their sensitive noses and limpid search-lights. Even the sorely irritating hotchpotch of rapscallions that, severally, instigates gratuitous ruckus on our campuses is striving laboriously to feign virtue, though it is alien to their highly repulsive lives. Truth is; in the last two years, Campuslife has done many things to people of different hues. Rendered differently, the introduction of aunty Ngozi’s eight-page bloc in the Nigerian communication space is like the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ which the holy writ says is for the rise of some and the fall of others. As a dedicated votary of the paper, this writer can turn out a volume on the many invaluable things Campuslife has done to Nigeria and its younger generation. It is no wonder, therefore, that the newspaper is a commercial success. May its fortunes continue to grow in leaps and bounds.
Flipside, there is something that sullies the squeaky clean attire of Campuslife pull-out. One wouldn’t have bothered to sign-post this if not for the frequency and consistency of its infelicitous occurrence. I feel heavily pained to point out that in my weekly perusal of the paper, many of the articles, features, cover stories and news pieces are usually riddled and encumbered with grammatical bloomers of varying degrees. No careful and finicky reader who truly belongs to the fast decreasing tribe of those who inexorably believe in the view that good and impeccable English is the plate with which a body of thoughts should be served can agree less that such incessant and untidy applications of the tidy rules of grammar as is often the case on the pages of Campuslife make reading exceedingly uninteresting. If the beauty of a published piece on the pull-out is not rendered unsightly by untoward use of punctuation marks, a conscious and observant reader is sure to be saddled with one largely made unreadable by inelegant expressions, wrong use of words, unintelligible use of tenses, or terrifying spelling errata amongst many other linguistic inexactitudes. Thus, most of the items published on Thursdays for anxious and expectant readers literally turn out to be lilies in the overly muddy swathes.
The most dismally deployed punctuation marks are; comma, colon, semi-colon, italics, quotation marks, and hyphen. To joust that the unguarded misapplications of these essential punctuation marks by different student writers are excusable is the easiest way to encourage immobilising ignorance in this area. The unvarnished truth is that many of these students are untutored in the fundamental uses of these grammatical items. This accounts for why their write-ups, stories and features are poor and unattractive, for according to Arlo Bates, ‘no man can write really well who does not punctuate well, who cannot vitally mean every punctuation mark as clearly and vigorous as he means every world.’
Also, the errors in their uses of tenses are legendary. If you are not told that ‘the student said that he is...’, you are likely to read that ‘the SUG president shouted and call...’ Wrong use of words like ‘severally’ (as in; The VC said that severally), ‘round up’ instead of ‘round off’ (as in; The Students’ Representative Council rounded up its meeting...), and the use of non-existing words like ‘vandalisation’ instead of ‘vandalism’ which is the appropriate noun, are recurring decimals on that beat. Sometimes, one reads something like ‘in spite of’ and ‘in fact’ written as ‘inspite of/infact’. In some cases, it is the worrisome inability of these writers to distinguish clearly between the American and the British brands of English that assaults readers’ sensibilities. With the use of the two versions at the levels of spelling and lexis in one singular piece, there is no other way to adjudge a writer as being inconsistent other than in this respect. Just as it is unacceptable to use ‘centre’ (British) and ‘traveling’ (American) in one essay, so also is it impossible to subordinate grammatical correctness for grammatical iniquities, inequities, or infidelities.
What is inferable from the foregoing anomaly is that the materials sent in by students, though most often badly written and typed, are not always painstakingly edited. And I dare asseverate that this is where the editor of the pages is culpable. If students get it wrong, should the editor/proof-reader not get it right? If the callow writers mess it up, should the supposed experienced hands not take time to rid it of the eye-sores? Students may turn in pieces harbouring unliterary expressions and abhorring good phrases and requisite idiomatic expressions, can’t the editor who went to school in the glorious days of the Nigerian education system bring her professional touch to bear in her engagement with students’ write-ups? Again, if we excuse other inconsequential errors that find their ways into the pages due to human fatigue, what we can learn from the constant appearances of the grammatical aberrations that do struggle for relevance with the contents of Campuslife is that there is a tiresome disregard of the fact that newspapers, apart from their information and enlightenment function, are a veritable avenue for learners and users of English language to learn the appropriate phrases that do not violate or stand linguistic rules on the head. There seems to be a kind of cavalier stance to the possibility that inexperienced and amateurish users of the ‘colonial’ language can take those avoidable, riling grammatical faux pas to be the correct forms, make use of them and in the end become twice ignorant of the correct usages. A look at the boondoggles our students in secondary schools, colleges, polytechnics and universities dignify as letters, project works and long essays will further attest to this claim.
It is in view of this extremely shaming (sadly, many Nigerians hardly see it as such!) reality that I venture to call for more vigilance on the part of the editor. Since what is served on these pages are more than information, it is ineluctably becoming for the editor to carefully, scientifically and patiently ensure that each of the items to be published is professionally edited; after all, it is not possible for one to serve one’s visitors food with broken china. However, the burden of the editor can be drastically reduced if the writers are schooled in the very fundaments of good writings. One of the best ways to do this is by incorporating a session – that is if it does not exist – that chiefly centres on good writing into the yearly Coca-Cola sponsored programme. If this is not feasible, the editor can reach out to another company or organisation to shoulder this responsibility financially. There are seasoned expert and professors of English whose services can be sought.
Additionally, The Nation newspaper has a few five-star essayists (thorough-going language purists) who themselves are evidently concerned about serving ideas and clinical analyses of local and foreign social, economic and political affairs on the captivating platter of prepossessing and elegant English. Welcome the inimitable Tatalo Alamu, a merchant of words who has successfully turned words into weapons of mass disarmament with which he duels the impenitent and callous human jackals that make life miserable for Nigerians. There is the feisty, percipient and highly perceptive Idowu Akinlotan who attractively deploys wounding verbal salvos in his chosen task of speaking raw truths to power. Can we ignore the sheer brilliance and dexterity of the educated minds that are Tope Adenle and Sola Fasure? These admirable writers can be invited to educate Campuslife reporters and other users of the language.
One other way of encouraging these young writers to mind their use of grammar, the engine room of language, is by getting good grammar books for them. It should not be monetary or happy birthday greetings alone. Good grammar books should be part of the gifts. Above all, writers and readers alike need to be overwhelmed with periodic messages emphasising the unquantifiable benefits of reading good literatures; of course not for the purpose of any examination, but for the enrichment of their minds and the equipping of their vocabulary base, for no one can be a good writer without first being a compulsive reader. The latter enhances the former. If these ideas are conscientiously appropriated, I am doubly sure that The Nation would have succeeded in being instrumental to the making of good writers whose works reek of undoctored finesse and panache. Moreover, the paper will equally succeed in weaning the student writers of the false impression that because their articles or stories are published, then they must be fine, great scribblers.
I should like to state with all sense of conviction that if the Campuslife contents are published with minimal punctuation incorrections, syntactic imprecision, spelling blunders, lexical infidelities, dry and drab expressions, and semantic equivocation, there is no modicum of dubitation in the fact that readers will appreciate it the more, while those who are repelled by the unsalutary violation of linguistic rules (and I know a number of them) that is almost becoming the norm rather than the exception in many media outlets will feel secured to commit their hard-earned naira and peaceably pore over the beautifully written news pieces, opinions, features and whatnot.



July 1, 2009 | 8:51 AM Comments  0 comments

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bookish99   bookish99 Ademola Adesola's TIGblog
Ademola Adesola's profile

THE DANGER OF CHILD ABUSE
Related to country: Nigeria

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

{Title: “An Incarnate” (A Case of a Troubled Childhood), Author: Tokunbo Dada, Publishers: Cedar Productions, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, Year of Publication: 2007, No of Pages: 68, Reviewer: Ademola Adesola}

It is trite to aver again that over 70% of the children in Africa are alien to paradisal living. They are unwilling victims of hunger, diseases, kidnapping, sexual abuse, divorce, broken homes, and inter and intra-tribal wars. Above all, these bairns are inhabitants of a loveless world, a cocoon where parental and communal affection and care have waned considerably. Thus, as they grow, the edge of the sword of their human capacity for raw crudity, barbarity, affectation, and hate become whet by the hostility, abuse, and absence of care that define the part of the world they exist in. In no time, they bare their poisonous fangs against the society that has so made them. The havocs that abused children can wreak are unimaginable. On the wide canvass of continental Africa, the tell-tale signs are there.
This is the very crux of Tokunbo Dada’s contention in his finely written book; “An Incarnate”: A Case of Troubled Childhood. Using the enthralling yarn of the tragic childhood experiences of the legendary Shaka the Zulu of South Africa, he teaches an invaluable lesson on the discomforting and discomfiting effects of child abuse, and the consuming consequences on the nation as a whole. He observes that, given the sultry reality that “so many children are suffering from different degrees of abuse which cause a lot of physical, psychological, and social damage”, if we do not take urgent steps to tackle the scourge of child abuse, we may not just be creating another Shaka’s incarnate, but a whole generation of such monster. The imperative here is for society to swing speedily into action and grind the racing chariot of child abuse to a permanent halt.
The story of Shaka the Zulu is an eloquent warning to societies that relish the abuse of its younger ones. A love-child, Shaka was utterly alienated from both his father’s family and the entire Zulu clan –the society’s culture abhorred children who were products of adult sexual indiscretion. In no time, he grew up to be a melancholic loner that soon morphed into a full-fledged masochist. And the society which found him guilty of an offence he didn’t commit paid direly for it. After the demise of the irresponsible biped who fathered the idea of his being, he was made the Chief of the Zulu clan which increased in population from 1,500 to 25,000 under his reign. The abused brat of yester years literally let off the lid on the jar of his decimated mind and joyously emptied its ravaging contents on the societies that marooned him emotionally and psychologically. Seething with raw spleen, he neither valued nor had respect for the sacredness of the human life. Thus, before he yielded up the ghost on the 23rd September, 1828, at the prime age of forty-one, he heartlessly made a mince-meat of a staggering “two million” of God’s creatures!
The enduring lesson the author wants Africans to note is this: Shaka was “a monster made by his own people. If only they had shown him care, love and family affection, he would have used his rare intelligence to benefit mankind. The anger had been in him since childhood and all he could give back to the society were violence and deaths. The brutality of abuse he suffered at childhood gradually nurtured him into ‘an incarnate’ of different personality that is wicked, beastly and blood-thirsty.” Put differently, the same cataclysm awaits the family and the society that make a pastime out of abusing its tots. This is the main point of chapter one titled An Incarnate.
In chapter two – Child Abuse – the concerned author deepens readers’ understanding on the issue of child abuse and its varied forms. He does a summative explication of the enunciated types of child abuse. What comes clear here is that, unfortunately, these abuses are perpetrated by parents and guidance, aided tacitly by government‘s painful lack of seriousness in dealing with them. Indeed, parents and guidance have a lot to learn from this chapter. The author concludes that that a pregnant woman infected with HIV/AIDS would be adjudged as remiss in her maternal duty if is the case that she advertently refused to seek medical attention in order to prevent the unborn child from being infected.
One other essential point of the chapter is the fact that men who glory in beating their wives are indirectly abusing their children, more so if the children are witnesses to the beastly act. It goes without saying that the oedipal complex at work in the male child may be provoked to the point where the child may think of getting the hawkish father a first-class ticket to a land of no return. The inferno of child abuse must be hastily put out because its consuming effects will always be all-encompassing. This explains why Nigeria and other countries in Africa with high incidence of child abuse be genuinely committed to the provisions of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child to which they are signatories.
Chapters three and four; Orphanage Homes/Tackling Child Abuse, further thicken the discourse on child abuse. In the former, the author examines the ideals of orphanage homes, the ubiquitous subversions, who should be granted licence to operate an orphanage homes and what are the standard requirements of setting them up. The chapter also dwells on issues like how to care for adolescents in orphanage homes, prevention and management of teenage pregnancy, the legality or otherwise of the largely controversial matter of abortion, and the fundamental roles of family in the up-bringing of a child. All of these border on how to minimise child abuse.
The latter chapter enlightens on the areas to explore in preventing child abuse. Of course the author adumbrates legislation, sensitisation, and mobilisation as some of the requirements of curbing the evil of child abuse. The nuggets of these chapters will interest every collector of useful information on this subject.
Without any iota of doubt, “An Incarnate” is a manual that lucidly evinces the crippling effects of child abuse. What makes the 68-page book an interesting read are the revealing references to different media reports on the subject and the vicarious experiences of the author. This shows that Dada is an informed and conscious member of his society. Another interesting aspect of the book is the use of poetry as a way of enhancing the issue of child abuse. Through the use of requisite metaphoric constructions, the knowledge of the reader (in this case one who appreciates good poetry) is further enriched. Dada, after all, may not be a scribbler of deathless verse. The outlined panaceas to the menace of child abuse equally form part of the book’s quality.
However, “An Incarnate” is void of the avoidable errata that now do compete with the substance of many published books in recent time only in a few respects. For instance, the contents page is a pure misinformation – the pagination indicator is inaccurate. A few editing problems subsist too. A revised edition may be a no-brainer. Nevertheless, individuals and organisations which sincerely subscribe to the almost hackneyed mantra that the young of today are tomorrow’s leaders should avail themselves of the meaty offering in the book. Primary and secondary school administrators and teachers will also find it useful.


July 1, 2009 | 8:06 AM Comments  0 comments

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naijapreneur   naijapreneur Odofin Caleb's TIGblog
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GET RICH QUICK

Yes, get rich quick, get rich quick, that is the state of mind of many youths but if you actually succeed in getting rich quick, the end result is getting poor quicker. All the get rich quick schemes that you look out for eventually end up as scams. You will see so many youths spending a [...]



July 1, 2009 | 6:07 AM Comments  0 comments

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Advice
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Allow Your Own Inner Light to Guide You
There comes a time when you must stand alone.

You must feel confident enough within yourself to follow your own dreams.

You must be willing to make sacrifices.

You must be capable of changing and rearranging your priorities so that your final goal can be achieved.

Sometimes, familiarity and comfort need to be challenged.

There are times when you must take a few extra chances and create your own realities.

Be strong enough to at least try to make your life better.

Be confident enough that you won't settle for a compromise just to get by.

Appreciate yourself by allowing yourself the opportunities to grow, develop, and find your true sense of purpose in this life.

Don't stand in someone else's shadow when it's your sunlight that should lead the way.

July 1, 2009 | 5:21 AM Comments  0 comments

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NGO organises seminar on Swine Flu Awareness
Related to country: Nigeria

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

In a bid to increase the rate of awareness on the dangers of Novel HINI otherwise known as Swine Flu currently ravaging the world, a non-governmental organisation Center for Sustainable Development in Agriculture (CSDA) recently at the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu organises a seminar on the pandemic.
According to the Chairman of CSDA, Mr. Oluwasegun Nofiu the theme of the seminar “Menace of Swine Flu; Dangers Prevention and Control” was necessitated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Centre for Disease Control (CDC) alert of the disease which has been raised to Phase 6 which is the highest level to declare a disease as a pandemic.
He explained that one of the aim of the seminar is to sensitize people on various prevention and treatment method people should cultivate to avoid the pandemic such as to cover the nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, washing of hand with soap and water especially after coughing or sneezing and to make sure you see the doctor anytime there is signs of the symptoms in the body.
Also, at the seminar the organization recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir, Tami Flu for the treatment or prevention of further spread of the virus.
Those present at the seminar include students of the institution include representatives of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, representative of the polytechnic Rector, Mr. Babatunde Iginla was Mr. T.K. Oloruntola, Chief Doctor of the general Hospital Ikorodu, Dr. Idowu, and students from different department of the polytechnic.
In his speech, Dr. Idowu enjoined the students to remember the importance of regular hand wash and to always cover their mouth. It was further agreed at the seminar that the fact that the flu has not been discovered in Nigeria does not call for complacency on the part of the people.
The group further uses the occasion to solicit for support for the various project that want to embark upon in order to achieve their mission which is “To promote the exchange of experience, knowledge and ideas, to improve the sustainability of Agricultural Development”
CSDA is a non-governmental aimed at promoting sustainable development in Agriculture with the vision to be an instrumental forerunner in sustainable Agricultural development.

June 30, 2009 | 9:50 AM Comments  0 comments

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NGO organises seminar on Swine Flu Awareness
Related to country: Nigeria

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Preserve your cultural identity, youth urged
By Adenike Ashogbon

Youths all over the world have once again been reminded of the traditional hidden treasure of Africa; its culture, norms and values, thus, they are implored to preserve the specific features of their cultural identity as this would also broaden their spectrum of knowing things about their country.
This counsel was made known through the implementation of a day programme by the Africa Rhythmic and Creative Arts (ARCA) recently at the Goethe Institut Nigeria and it was aimed at showcasing the legacy of indigenous culture and also to provide a platform through which the cultural values and traditional creative skills are transferred from one age to another.
The programme which was specifically designed for Nigerians and non-Nigerians school children including the wards of diplomatic community in Nigeria no doubt was able to explore African cultural creativity, through its inspiring impacts on the young minds present had training programmes like; mat weaving, drumming on the talking drum and African bedding in view.
However, this edition of the A3C proved to be entertaining and interactive as the learning programme of ARCA witnesses another dimension, as it featured Arts and Crafts exhibition to tell the story of the society.
Present at the event is the Executive Director of ARCA, Mr. Richard Adenekan, Head Programme Department, Goethe Insitut Nigeria Mr. Ingo Tegge who also represented the Director at the event.
Mr. Tegge advised everyone present to also endeavour to embrace unique opportunity offered through ARCA learning programme as this according to him would improve their interactive skills with African culture.
Schools present for the June edition of this programme include; British international school, Victoria Island, Tusi Children school Isheri Olofin, Wisdom Brook College, Gladys high school, Demurin, Ketu amongst others.
Africa Rhythmic and Creative Arts (ARCA) is a non governmental cultural arts organisation aimed at creating awareness among the young generation about African values and creative thus, broadening the horizon of all youths in indigenous creative skills which would make them fell indifferent to cultism, religious riots, ethnic and political violence.
More so to create an avenue for children, youths and women groups to acquire creative skills which could be turned into habit or income-generating venture.