Ghana, Zambia to adopt Nigeria's BVN scheme

Written by Jonah Nwokpoku
~Vanguard Nigeria. Wednesday, November 9, 2016.

GHANA's apex bank, the Bank of Ghana and Bank of Zambia are currently understudying Nigeria's bank verification number, BVN initiative in order to introduce it into their banking system.

This was disclosed by Director, Banking and Payment System, CBN, Mr. Dipo Fatokun while speaking about the several initiatives the CBN has undertaken to strengthen Nigeria's financial system, at the Swift Business Forum held in Lagos yesterday.

He said: "Under the payment vision 2020, we have actually implemented some reforms. First to be mentioned is the RTGS system. This is one of the systemically important payment infrastructure that we have. And it has assisted in conducting bank transfers and settlements, real time. Another thing that we have done is the bank verification number, which was concluded last year. This has helped a great deal to properly identify bank customers and we are also witnessing drastic reduction of incidence of fraud as a result. And I am glad to say that my colleagues from the Bank of Ghana have visited us, about two weeks ago, to see how this has been done. Our colleagues from the Bank of Zambia are also currently in Nigeria seeing how this was done, with the aim of replicating such in their own country."

Fatokun who was also speaking as a member of a panel discussing, 'Regionalisation and Trade Corridor Evolution in West Africa' pointed out that besides African countries' focus on commodities that offer them comparative advantage and creating incentives to encourage investments, there is need for strong and reliable payment infrastructure to enhance intra-African trade.

Comparative advantage

According to him, "There is need for structural reforms for us to be able to trade successfully within the West African sub region. Each country will specialise on areas where they have comparative advantage. One of the things that has hindered trade between African countries is because most African countries are commodity producers. So, there is need for countries to restructure their economies so that they can also get involved in activities outside the commodity market.

"Another thing that can be done is to create incentives among countries. For example, tax holidays, market instruments, waivers, etc. And there is no doubting the fact that the central bank of these countries and the ministry of finance, the fiscal authorities, will play critical role in the process.

"More so, we must have infrastructure that will connect all the countries so that people can pay seamlessly across different regions of the continent.

If all these are taken care of, then enhanced intra-African trade is doable. And in pursuing this, the government has the responsibility to create awareness because you can only trade in articles that you need.

If citizens are still consumers of foreign products from Europe, America and Asia, then you need to create the necessary market for the African trade. So on our own, we need to begin to educate our people so that we can encourage trade among ourselves."

Nigerians are talented-Zuckerberg

Written by By Prince Osuagwu, Levinus Nwabughiogu and Geraldine Anunukem
~Vanguard Nigeria. Friday, September 2, 2016. 

• Meets Buhari, attends Aso Villa Demo Day

• Rich men don't dress like you in Nigeria-Buhari

• FG to partner Facebook

Facebook Founder, Mark Zuckerberg visits President Muhammadu Buhari
in Aso Villa on Friday, September 2, 2016.

Co-founder and the Chief Executive Officer of social networking website, Facebook, Mark Elliot Zuckerberg has said that Nigerians were highly gifted in the Information Communications Technologies, ICT.

He said this after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The computer guru said he was impressed by the interest, energy and entrepreneurial spirit displayed by young Nigerians in all the ICT camps that he had visited in Lagos.

"I was highly impressed by the talent of the youths in the Co-creation Hub in Yaba. I was blown away by their talent and the level of energy that I saw," he said.

Recall that Zukerberg was in Nigeria earlier in the week but left Lagos for Kenya amidst speculations that there were no government officials to speak with him.

But on Friday, he returned to Nigeria and met with Buhari in a meeting also attended by numerous ministers including Adebayo Shittu, Ogbonnaya Onu, Okechukwu Enalemah and Lai

Mohammed who are respective Ministers of Communications, Science and Technology, Trade and Investments and Information and Culture.

The president commended Zukerberg for sharing his technological ideas with the Nigerian youths, saying such was mostly needed at the time.

Stephanie Busari heads Nigeria CNN office

Written by Akeem Lasisi
~Punch Nigeria. Tuesday, July 26, 2016.


Seasoned Nigerian broadcaster with the Cable News Network, Stephanie Busari, is back to head the company's Nigerian office to be unveiled in Lagos. The office is to give the network a "nimble, broad-based, digital-first presence in Africa's most populous country."

The lady, who will be the Supervising Producer, Africa, will work across CNN's news gathering and digital operations, and will be the network's first responder for all platforms.

A statement from the organisation indicates that since joining CNN in 2008, Busari has worked across some of the network's most important African stories.

She was central to CNN's coverage of the missing Chibok girls, working alongside Senior International Correspondent, Nima Elbagir.

On her feeling about the new assignment, she says, "I am thrilled and excited to be back home after a long time away. I have always kept close links with Nigeria and have a considerable network here already. CNN is investing here because we believe Nigeria is a globally important nation with enormous potential and it is v ery exciting that I have been entrusted with helping to tell the story of my country to the world."

According to her, her wide experience across the globe will aid her.

"I have covered a wide variety of beats across hard news stories and features. I have even worked on the party scene as a showbiz reporter, and, at the other extreme, I have worked as a court reporter. So, hopefully all of this experience will stand me in good stead in such a diverse country as Nigeria. There are literally stories to tell everywhere you look here," she notes in an interview.

A multi-award winning journalist, Busari began her career at the defunct London-based newspaper, New Nation, which was aimed at the UK's black and ethnic minority communities. She then moved to the UK's Daily Mirror, where, among other beats, she covered Northern Ireland, reporting on some of the worst-affected areas of "The Troubles". While in Belfast, she also launched and edited an award-winning lifestyle column for the paper. A native Yoruba speaker, she also speaks French fluently.

Watch out for this suspected ATM fraudster, EFCC warns Nigerians

~PUNCH NIGERIA. Tuesday, July 19, 2016.


The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has raised the alarm about the activities of identity thieves and automated teller machine fraudsters in the country.

It has also urged Nigerians to be more careful when carrying out transactions via ATMs and to avoid disclosing their Personal Identification Numbers to others.

In a post on its Facebook page, the anti-graft agency drew attention to the activity of one suspected ATM fraudster, who goes by the name Akinade Tofunmi.

The EFCC, which has released images of the suspect, is seeking the cooperation and support of Nigerians to capture her and prevent her from defrauding more people.

The suspected scammer, who is being trailed by the Ibadan Zonal Office of the EFCC, is into identity theft and lurks around the ATMs and Point of Sale machines.

According to the EFFC, Tofunmi, operates late in the night when all bank transactions had closed and preferably over the weekend when her prospective victims may not be able to alert the banks for any unauthorised transaction.

A boy used diabolic means, sexually abused me – Rita Edochie

~Vanguard, Nigeria. Sunday, May 29, 2016

Abuja – Popular Nollywood actress, Rita Edochie, said on Saturday in Abuja that she was unaware that she was pregnant when she was in primary six.

Edochie said in an interview that contrary to a story that she did not tell her mother about the pregnancy, she was not even aware of her situation.

“Though a boy used diabolic means and sexually abused me; I was not aware, I could not tell exactly how it happened.

“I was not aware that I was pregnant then; I was so tiny.

“We were playing games in the school; the type that the instructor or referee will say `number one' and pupils with number 1 would run and collect something.

“It was during the game that a fellow pupil insulted me that my tummy was like a breadfruit; I was angered and beat her up,” she said.

She explained that the lesson teacher then asked them to go home and bring their parents.

The actress said that she was a young innocent girl who could not tell lies to the mother or against the mother.

“When I got home, I told my mother what led to the fight; she then asked me to raise up my dress; I did and after examination, she said that I was pregnant.

“When she said, ‘do you know that you are pregnant,’ I fainted; any other story aside this is not true,'' Edochie said.

Under-reported gynaecological problems - | - Plight of cancer patients

Topics:

• Under-reported gynaecological problems
• Plight of cancer patients

_________________________________

Under-reported gynaecological problems
Written by Dr. Sylvester Ikhisemojie

~Punch, Nigeria. Sunday, May 22, 2016

Dr. Sylvester Ikhisemojie

The spectre of having to deal with specific problems such as vesico-vaginal fistula and recto-
vaginal fistula are important conditions which many people across the country have become familiar with. Not the least because of the stigmatisation associated with those conditions and the campaigns that has helped to bring attention to the abnormal situation.

These problems are known to be associated with largely unsupervised deliveries in the rural areas, just likeutero-vaginal prolapse, also known as UV Prolapse. This is a condition that is associated with unsupervised delivery invery young expectant mothers who are commonly in their teens. Expectedly, this problem is seen mostly in the underdeveloped Third World where ignorance, disease and poverty hold sway.

Utero-vaginal prolapse is an abnormal condition where parts of the female genital organs descend into the vagina and the person becomes aware of that anomaly. The level of descent varies in accordance with the severity of the weakness in the supporting structures that hold the uterus in place. Sometimes, a part of the uterus may descend into the vagina; that is usually the cervix, the neck of the womb, which the woman is able to feel. At other times, the entire uterus may descend into the vagina. Worse still, the spectre of the entire uterus actually passing through the vagina could be turned completely outside. If it is as bad as this, then the situation is desperate, with the patient constantly aware of the fact that she is undergoingan abnormality. The organ, now inside out, is prone to bruising and ulcer-formation. As a result, there is associated bleeding,constant infection and the woman descends into poor health. Through it all, she is largely left to her fate. It is cruel.

Many of these conditions are common in many parts of Nigeria where forced under-age marriages occur. It is perhaps far more common than the much more popular conditions like VVF and RVF. The causes are similar. Many victims are themselves children who are forced to have babies at the time they develop the condition.

Tips for dating a Nigerian woman

By Femi Ajasa

~Vanguard: Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Dating a typical Nigerian lady can be a topsy-turvy experience especially for a man who is just wetting his feet in the dating game. Normally, women are complicated beings let alone a Nigerian woman who has so many challenges to deal with like an unstable economy, family, tradition, ethnicity, religion, peer pressure, biology and much more. All these factors conspire to influence whoever she will date.

The averageman with his chauvinistic African mindset or perception does not understand this and expect this type of woman to accept him hook, line and sinker. Little does he know that the days of parents marrying wives for their kids isold skooland that most women know what they want. If you want your relationship to blossom with a typical Nigerian woman, Jovago.com, Africa's shares tips that can make this dream a reality.

Give her money to make her hair

Didi,Shooku, andPatewoare traditional hairstyles in Nigeria but young women prefer the Brazilian hair, the deft Ghana weaving, and attachment because it makes them appear sophisticated. They rarely wear their natural hair, adorning these foreign hairstyles cost money and time and she expects her man to foot the bill for her hair. If not always but once in awhile. In other cases, if you notice she is wearing a new hairstyle, it will not kill you to compliment her and perhaps pay for it. Afterwards, it is because of you, she spends that much time at the salon anyways.

4 amazing folktales told by the Igbos

Written by Ndem Nkem

~Vanguard, Nigeria: Ndem Nkem is travel/tech writer @Jovago. 

The eastern part of Nigeria largely occupied by the Ibo tribe, is rich in culture, customs and traditions and one of the tenets that has survived the rage of civilization and modernization is the art of storytelling. Interesting and educative folktales which have been passed down from generations to generations from the 'ancestors' are told to children in the bid to preserve the norms and culture of the tribe, imbibe good morals and instill the spirit of communal love amongst members of their society.

These Igbo folktales which paints colourful pictures of spiritual life and traditional aspirations are regarded as fictitious, incredible, mythical and totally removed from real life situations. However, with regards to their functionality, these folktales exhibit elements of truth that translate into realism.

Jovago.com, Africa's No.1 online hotel booking site offers 4 common traditional folktales you should seek to hear while visiting eastern Nigeria.

Obaledo

Usually accompanied with a song, this folktale tells of a young pretty girl who meets a great misfortune due to her defiance and decision to disobey her parents.

Set in a time when demons and spirits roamed around villages, the girl called "obaledo" was instructed by her parent before embarking on their trip, to remain within the confines of their home and eat just yam and snail when hungry. The parents asked that she roast the yam first before the snail, as the snail would eventually quench the fire. Unfortunately, the girl, being greedy and having a strong lust for meat, roasted the snail first and fire went off. Still hungry, she set out of her home, in disobedience to her parents, to get a matchstick from neighbors. On her way, she encounters a demon that steals her beauty and leaves her with his own ugliness.

The King's Drum

This story tells about a greedy tortoise who ends up trapping himself in his own greed. The tortoise, envious of a rich king who had a drum that would produce food and great wealth each time it was beaten, set a trap for the king's wife, and when she fell for it, he demanded the drum as his only compensation.

Nigeria and the future of the black world -Ambassador Carrington

Written by Enyioha Opara, Minna, Punch-Nigeria.

The purloining of Benin's magnificent treasures may have begun with the long ago British so-called punitive expedition which resulted in the looting of the palace of King Ovonramwen. But it didn't end there. It continues still. So, I am here to confess to my own culpability. Twenty years ago, I stole away your most beautiful modern treasure, my beloved wife, Arese. What a great honour it is to be with her here today in the city of her royal ancestors.

There was a time when Europeans marvelled at what they referred to as Great Benin. Travellers returned home, each outdoing his predecessor, with tales of an African Kingdom the equal of their own royal courts in organisation and administration. Its treasures and artistic masterpieces were widely envied. Then, in 1897, came what the pages of the London Times proclaimed as the "Benin Disaster" leading to the sending out of that punitive expedition to avenge the deaths of members of a British delegation allegedly at the orders of local officials. It resulted in the overthrow and exile of the Oba and the looting of his palace. While intricately carved Benin Ivories had been known to Europeans for three centuries, the hitherto carefully guarded Bronzes, became, at the dawn of the colonial scramble for Africa, stolen booty, spoils of war triumphantly displayed for the first time on foreign shores.

That the "dark continent" could have produced such great art, in the words of a BBC documentary, "changed European understanding of African history." But many who should have known better were discombobulated. The curator of British Museum, at the time, declared:

"It needs scarcely be said that at the first sight of these remarkable works of art, we were at once astounded at such an unexpected find, and puzzled to account for so highly developed an art among a race so entirely barbarous."

"Barbarous!" that is what they thought all black people to be.

And so it has ever been. Whether discussing African art or ancient ruins like Great Zimbabwe, they fantasised that they must have been copied or inspired by artisans of lighter hue (meaning their fellow Europeans) or even aliens from another planet. Anybody but black people! It was greatly satisfying to me when a friend of mine, the African art expert, Warren Robbins, opened an exhibition in Washington, a few years ago, demonstrating that several modern art masters such as Picasso were in fact heavily influenced by (or even copied) the traditional art of many African societies.

Starting a business in Nigeria

By Yinka Kolawole - Nigeria. 

There are successful stories of Nigerians who pursued their entrepreneurship dream,and their businesses are doing well despite the economic downturn.

The success stories of these entrepreneurs show that starting a business in Nigeria is do-able.

Cosmas Maduka is Chairman of Choscharis Group. He started his business journey from a humble beginning. After seven years of apprenticeship in selling motorcycle spare parts, his uncle gave him a token of N200 to start his own business in 1975. Today, he is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

Another creative successful business owner is Cosmos Okoli, who has proven that starting a business in Nigeria and achieving success is do-able.

At the age of four and half years he had polio. He lost his limbs to the disease. He is making money by creating tools that help disabled people live a convenient life.

He is the chairman of Mobility Aids and Appliances Research and Development Centre (MAARDEC) and the chief executive of Cosokoli Ventures Nigeria Limited and Omokas Nigeria Limited.

Starting a business

Prince Samuel Adedoyin is the chairman/chief executive officer of Doyin Group of companies. He is another testimony to buttress that starting a business in Nigeria and succeeding is achievable. He started petty trading at age 14 with an initial capital of 48 pounds. With that token amount, his business grew to conglomerate of businesses which includes manufacturing, motor vehicle sales, real property investment, general merchandising, etc.

Scientists validate local plants for cancer treatment.

Written by CHUKWUMA MUANYA - Nigeria

Mucuna pruriens Piper guineense

Chinese and Nigerian researchers have validated the use of bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), Gongronema latifolium (utazi in Ibo, arokeke in Yoruba), West African Black Pepper or Ashanti pepper (Piper guineense, uziza in Igbo and ata iyere in Yoruba), sesame (Sesamum indicum), and Cowhage also called Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens, agbala or agbaloko in Ibo and werepe in Yoruba) in the treatment of cancers. 

A very recent study on anti-cancer and free radical scavenging activity of some Nigerian food plants shows that regular intake of local spices and vegetables such as bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), Gongronema latifolium (utazi in Ibo, arokeke in Yoruba), West African Black Pepper or Ashanti pepper (Piper guineense, uziza in Igbo and ata iyere in Yoruba), sesame (Sesamum indicum), and Cowhage also called Velvet bean (agbala or agbaloko in Ibo and werepe in Yoruba) could provide the elusive cure for cancers.

The study was published in February 25, 2015 edition of the International Journal of Cancer Research.

Nigerian designer wives

Written by Jide Ojo - Nigeria

Follow on twitter: @jideojong

Jide Ojo

The title of this piece is a copyright from Aisha Falode and her team of co-presenters of "Amazons", a magazine programme on African Independent Television. The phrase was the topic of the episode aired on Friday, August 28, 2015. I watched the fascinating edition and therefore decided to share my perspective on the issue with a wider audience. In the episode, Nigerian designer wives was the ascription given to married career ladies who are trendy, sophisticated, and cosmopolitan but deficient in culinary prowess. They are women who are well-read but lack the ability to manage the home front. They rely heavily on house-helps to clean and cook thereby outsourcing crucial matrimonial duties.

Ace actress, Funke Akindele, in one of the recent episodes of her highly entertaining TV drama entitled "Jennifer's Diary" featured a character that best describe Aisha Falode's Nigerian designer wife. The lady couldn't cook nor do any household chore and only tried to do them when she was about losing her fiancé to another woman.

Is it not shocking that this country now has a sizable number of married women who cannot cook anything beyond noodle? There are even some of them who cannot boil water let alone egg. They have been so pampered that they do not know the way to the market and if they do, they don't know the recipe for soup making; how to identify good fish or meat; which yam is good for pounded yam and which one is good for porridge; how to bargain, etcetera.

There are many ladies in today's Nigeria that hire people to go to market for them. Thereafter, they go for their cookery book for guidance on how to go about preparing their meals. Some who couldn't cook order large quantum of prepared food and soups from restaurants which they take home to refrigerate and microwave when they want to eat or entertain visitors. Some don't even bother themselves going through all that stress, they simply eat out.

These designer wives do not know how to sweep, wash plates and clothes, mop the floor, dust the furniture, iron clothes, arrange the home and tidy up their environment. While some of them make heavy investment in purchasing washing machines for their laundry; some others hire people to do their home cleaning. Some do most of their laundry at the dry cleaners. All these are done at great financial and social costs.

What then do these designer wives know how to do? Oh, a lot! They are fashionistas and are specialist in the use of information and communications technology. They are connected to all the social media and can ping and chat from morning till evening except when they are busy at work. They regularly upload their latest pictures on their social media accounts such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. They also are good at watching the latest movies and films on satellite television. They have favourite soap operas they cannot afford to miss on terrestrial TV. They know all the major characters in Mexican soaps, Nollywood and Hollywood. They like to gossip and as such spend quality time on phones chatting up friends, colleagues and relations. They also love cars, customised, posh wonders-on-wheel, with which they cruise town.

10 reasons Nigerian men run from marriage

Written by Olufemi Ajasa

Follow @OlufemiAjasa. 

When it comes to romance, Nigerian men are known to be actively engaging. Apart from their culture of carrying the financial burden of relationship with women, they harness every opportunity to appeal to their lovers, be it on social-network sites, in their respective offices, religious organizations, gym centers, parks, clubs among others. 

Despite the many romantic attributes that could be said of men in Nigeria, women still hold a contrary account about them. Predominant among the contrary views women hold against men here is that no matter how romantic they are, getting them to the altar for marriage could be very challenging.

So, what are those factors that scare Nigerian men away from marriage? We have tried to compile some reasons that make most men feel jittery to converse on 'Marriage' as topic, feel free to add yours if not in our list.

1. No wife materials

Common among some men is the reservation that there is scarcity of ‘wife-materials’ in Nigeria. In this case, they are not referring to ladies not being in quantifiable distribution among men, what they are complaining about is that most ladies of this generation lack the necessary attributes that will qualify them for the lifetime commitment called marriage. If this is the case, time of quality search can help heal the wound of such man.

2. They get sex freely without marriage than in time past

Realizing now that they can get sex more easily than in times past, when 'virginity' for women was a pass value to marriage, some men now feel lot of women today have lost it when it comes to keeping themselves whole. But, this might not be the fault of women as promiscuity is not an exclusive act than can be carried out without the consent of either gender.

3. Nigeria weddings are expensive

In a country where a man is expected to marry a woman in three different kinds of wedding- Religious, Traditional and Court, the cost of marriage no doubt is something men find very intimidating. As of last year, the average Nigeria wedding cost something like N500,000 and the it goes upward from that to more unimaginable cost. For most people, especially in this economy, that’s a lot of money. But all we advise is that men should try and cut their coat according to their material.

4. In search of a ‘working class’

Today, most Nigerian men are in search of a wife capable of sharingfinancial responsibilities with them. Gone are the days when menmarry ‘full-house-wives’, the increasing cost of living has tilted most men in favor of ladies who have a means of livelihood and willing to share with their man, the burden of building a home.

The renaissance of Nigerian music

Written by Jide Ojo - Nigeria

Follow Jide Ojo on twitter @jideojong

"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain" -Bob Marley

I love good music. If there is one thing I am addicted to, it is soulful, joyful noises. I listen to all genres of music from the traditional to the contemporary. I have a stockpile of downloaded music on my phones and personal computers. I have also invested a small fortune buying musical cassettes and compact discs. They range from indigenous juju, fuji, apala, Afro-beat, highlife, and sakara to the contemporary hip-hop, pop, jazz, and rap. I am also in love with country music and gospel. As rightly observed by Taylor Swift, "People haven't always been there for me but music always has." What do I love in music? I love the inspiration, the idioms, the creativity, the originality and the relaxation that good music offers.

Among my Nigerian music icons are Sir Victor Abimbola Olaiya, I.K. Dairo, Adeolu Akinsanya (Baba Eto), Tunji Oyelana, Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade, Lijadu Sisters, Sir Victor Uwaifo, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe of the Osondi Owendi fame, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Christy Essien-Igbokwe, Sunny Okosun, Onyeka Onwenu, Oliver De Coque, Lara George and a host of other artistes too numerous to mention.

The evolution of Nigerian music is phenomenal. There was a time highlife ruled the Nigerian music world. Then came juju, fuji and Afro-beat popularised by Fela in the sixties. Thereafter came the Nigerian brand of hip-hop in the early eighties. I remember the likes of Mike Okri, Felix Lebarty, Danny Wilson, Blackky, Chris Okotie, Dizzy K. Falola and Alex Zitto. On the reggae side, we had the Mandators, Oritz Wiliki, Majek Fashek, Ras Kimono and Evi Edna Ogholi. The evolution gave way to revolution in the 90s with the emergence of new kids on the block like The Remedies, Plantashun Boyz, Daddy Showkey, Papa Fryo and Daddy Fresh. There was also Junior and Pretty, Maintain group and the Styl-Plus group. The split of The Remedies and Plantashun Boyz gave rise to star artistes like Tuface Idibia, Tony Tetuila and Eedris AbdulKarim.

Ajegunle: 'Here, girls can't be virgin at 15!'

Written by Chukwuma Okparaocha, Lagos 

Arguably one of the most popular places in the country, Ajegunle has been described as a community that epitomises the entity called Nigeria. It is a community that swims in the pool of neglect, tragicomedy and absurdities.

It shares certain similarities with communities such as Trenchtown in Jamaica as well as the slums in the northwest and southeast regions of Soweto, South Africa, where many residents rank among the poorest in Johannesburg.

Also known as AJ City, Ajegunle is a Yoruba word which literarily means 'fortune has landed.' Therefore, in a community that has such an enviable name, one would ordinarily expect to easily find an evidence of fortune.

However, the situation at Ajegunle is far from what its name suggests. It is a community that exudes raw poverty, neglect, infrastructural decay and squalor. It is not uncommon to see houses, especially those on a street called Olodan, off Ezeagu Street, built with planks on a piece of land which is so soft that by merely walking on it, one would have a sensation of sinking.

Such shacks are usually 'painted' with old carpets which are cut like ribbons and pasted on the shacks with glue. Rows of tube-like structures made from corrugated aluminium sheets which serve the dual purpose of toilets and bathrooms can be seen standing just a few metres from the shacks just at the edge of a huge canal covered with plants and filth.

All an individual who wishes to answer the call of nature needs to do is to defecate inside a black polythene bag and afterwards 'shot-put' the content into the canal, which, needless to say, reeks of human filth.

Nigeria's comedians have over time adduced the word 'pikin,' which is the general Nigerian Pidgin English word for a child, to children of the poor or low-income members of the society.

They probably had Ajegunle in mind when formulating this idea, as virtually every kid in Ajegunle is usually referred to as a pikin. "Na where you put my pikin," one woman was heard yelling at a young girl in one of the sections visited.

Yes, he beats me; yet, I love him

Written by Fola Ojo

Fola Ojo

She got out of her 1994 Nissan Sentra, hobbling. Some visible, though vanishing bruises around her left eye couldn't be concealed even with the heavy make-up she had on. She moaned and grimaced a bit as she shook my hands.

"What happened, girl?" I asked her curiously. "Nothing, Fola, nothing", she said, forcing a smile.

"What do you mean 'nothing'? You are shuffling and hobbling, and you want me to believe that there is nothing?"

She continued to force a dying smile that revealed a dying spirit and esteem inside of her. She was in pain; more of emotional discomfort than physical. What happened to my friend, I kept asking myself? Was she involved in an automobile accident or in a skiing mishap?

I quit trying to probe her; I felt she needed the privacy.

Four hours went by on that evening shift before she mustered the courage to open up to me.

"It's my husband, he hit me; he said he was going to kill me. I fought back, but you know him. He is stronger. I am tired, Fola. I am tired of this constant beating...but...."; she shook her head.

"But what"? I asked

"I love him, Fola. I love Andy. Yes, she beats me; but I love him."

After escaping Boko Haram, Chibok girls adjust to new life in America

Culled from Cosmopolitan

After escaping Boko Haram, Chibok girls adjust to new life in America

Grace slept through the sounds of gunfire in the night. Exhausted from final exams at her boarding school in Nigeria, she awoke when her roommate Mary prodded her, "Get up!"

Suddenly, the girls saw a gang of men spreading across the school grounds. "They said they were soldiers. They said they were there to protect us," Grace says. "They told us all to stay together."

Terrified, the girls did as they were told. The men made their way to the pantry, grabbing all the food. Then they headed for the administrative office. On the way, they began shouting, "Allahu akbar! Allahu akbar!" It means "God is great" in Arabic. They lit the office on fire.

"We realized they were impostors," Grace says. "They were not there to help us." But it was too late to run. The girls were forced into trucks at gunpoint. Grace sat with Mary as their vehicle roared off into the dawn. As the school burned in their wake, lighting the sky, Grace thought: "These men are going to kill us."

Incestous brothers and sisters!

Written By Emmanuel Edukugho

We are living in a complex and highly sophisticated society in which sexual intercourse is often taken for granted not only among individuals unknown to each other, but even between family members and close relatives. Incidents of incest, defined as "having sexual relations or activity with close family members", are common today all over the world, but not often reported. That presents a dilemma.

Incest is not only a taboo but also illegal. Different kinds of incest exist - one is when a father and daughter, or step father and step daughter engage in sexual relationship. This kind of incest has been the most reported worldwide. But in Nigeria, incest between fathers and daughters is hardly reported because nobody wants such a story to be heard outside the family.

Incest in Nigeria is kept often as a "family secret", not to be reported to the relevant authorities.

However, some fathers and stepfathers abuse their daughters and stepdaughters on regular basis, while victims are unable to do anything about it. Even when a mother knows what is going on, she tries to put an end to it in her own way, but rarely reports the matter to the authorities, for fear of being stigmatized.

Virgins at the village evening market - the Nigerian situation!

It is that time and season again. Everywhere is a beehive of activities. We are being tantalized and titillated. They are whispering the sweetest things in our ticklish ears and promising us they will love us forever. Or haven't you heard them? Of course, you have. It's like the evening market in the village. The village damsels are all powdered and smelling nice. Their wrappers are tied in ways that show off their well rounded backsides. They bare their youthful skin, their necks tilted at angles that leave the men panting.

When young men go to evening market, it is not to buy vegetable or local seasoning. It is usually because their libido is running wild. Their blood is hot, their loins burning, seeking to be assuaged by a damsel's you-know-what. Somehow, most of the maidens you see in this market are also not here to buy pepper or dry fish. They have, most times, left home without their mothers' consent, sneaking through the back into the dark. They also want to spread their wings and experiment. The girls enjoy the sweet lines the boys are armed with. Away from the flickering light of the oil lamp, they sneak into darker corners to nurse their desires. Under the cover of the night, far from the real buying and selling, the young men sell their lies. A few young gullible girls drink to their hearts' content the dripping honey-coated lies, moaning until the mourning morning after. A few maiden heads have been reported broken in those couple of hours.

The hot loin cooled , the man goes home grinning like the cat who got the milk. And indeed, didn't he? The virgin sneaks back in, confused, close to tears, wondering if she hadn't sold her honour and future for a few minutes of indescribable ecstasy.

Wise men marry many wives

Written by Uzor Uzoatu - Nigeria

A social commentator.

A very wise man died in Benue State not so long ago. But before I tell the details of his death, I need to state that through the man's life it has been revealed to me exclusively that the lack of wisdom in the world of today is because men marry only one wife. You can quote me on that.

Even as Islam allows men to marry up to four wives you still see a good number of my Muslim brothers sticking to the one-man-one-wife maxim. You only need to delve into the The Bible to discover that the wisest man of all time, King Solomon, had 700 wives and 300 concubines.

Without the help of a calculator I have added them all up to know that Solomon had one thousand women to service and nourish his wisdom.

That is cool by me. How can a very lonely man in the vice grip of only one wife challenge the lavish wisdom of King Solomon?