Wednesday, September 26, 2007

The Mandara Margi: A Society Living on the Verge

The above topic was first inspired by Jeremy's blog. But while I was going through the web site, I came across the Ethnographer's note. What catches my attention was the above picture which appear at the bottom of this page. Read the preceding paragraph and, like the writer do say - "Think about it"

Monday, September 24, 2007

Was that fighting for our sake?

I was so much consumed with work that I hardly find time to comment on last week show of shame at the House of Representatives. The question that keep ringing in my mind since then was whether those boxing, those shouting, those temper flaring and of course those show of same were all for our sake. I mean we the masses are the one those legislators claimed they represent at the House, therefore, was all those fighting for our sake? Are they doing that to defend our interest?
The answer of course is a capital NO. They are doing that to defend their own selfish interest and I made bold to say that they are defending their pocket as well as fighting for the money they have collected.
Like I had commented earlier on this blog, what Madam Speaker did was not a new thing, it has always been the case at the House, I wonder why there was so much noise on this particular Speaker probably because she is a woman. Of course, I need to bring gender into it since the whole house did not deem it fit to include a woman on the panel investigating the whole saga. I think the whole fighting and noise making was the fall out of the appointment of the House Committees Chairman and other juicy positions. Some people are hell bent that the Speaker must go, to pave way for their parochial interest.
Mind you, I am not saying I support the Speaker, what I am saying is that they are all the same, it will still be the same story, should another person come on board.
Enough of those show of shame, we the masses are not impressed one bit other than that they are showing their real self to us - Thieves!
So, pause and ponder along with me whether those fighting are being embark on by our Legislators to protect the interest of electorates. I dont think so.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Joan Agabi of Big Brother Nigeria













Yes, Joan of Big Brother Nigeria, I had a chat with her of recent and was able to extract some answers to questions a lot of her fans had wanted to ask her. Here goes


PTP: How have you been coping with fame after the BBN?
Joan: we handle it as it comes.

PTP: After your participation in BBN, what have you been doing?
Joan: Acting in movies and soaps.

PTP: Can you mention some of the films you have participated in?
Joan: A price to pay, be my val, duty, twisted.

PTP: How have you gone with furthering your studies?
Joan: School starts in febuary.

PTP: Going personal now, a lot of your fans will want to know candidly, what has been happening between you and Chinedu?
Joan: We have remained good friends.

PTP: What is your general view about Nollywood?
Joan: It is a work in progress.

PTP: Who is your favourite housemates in Big Brother Africa.
Joan: I dont watch much of TV but i would say richard is ok.

PTP: Can you compare the BBN and BBA.
Joan: It is different a lot.

PTP: How had it been going with you and other BBN housemates after the show.
Joan: Everyone is doing fine.

Next on this blog will be her Vital Statistics. Watch out!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

NFA/NFL Crisis

Even FIFA the highest ruling body of the game had not laid an example of banning its official for 3 years despite the offences as serious as mismanaging money. But, here in Nigeria, anything is possible. For merely fighting to save our league and pivoting it to a better standard and refusing to allow the laid down foundation to be jeopardised, the NFL Chairman Obaseki and its deputies got suspended for 3 and 2 years respectively.
Nigerian football is in for another problem this year. Despite the fact that, it was planned to start our own league to run parri-passu with that of eruope, the league has not yet start up till now due to NFA/NFL Crisis. The bone of contention this time around is appointment of referees for league matches even though everyone knows it wasnt that but globacom money to run the league. The truth of that however came out when the seeming bone of contention i.e appointment of referees for matches was settled when the NFL agreed that it was NFA who could appoint referees. The imbroglio continued with the NFL chairman getting suspended along with his deputies.
Now, our football is in problem and the league might take a while before it commences unless the Senate successfully waded into the matter and resolved it amicably. What is more, the Club Owners Association had take a stand that it will not ordered its clubs to participate in the league scheduled to take off this weekend if the NFL officials suspended are not re-instated. What an Impasse!
When will our football be run by the professionals and not by politicians? When would NFA be run like the real NFA and not like a Federal Ministry or Parastatals? When would NFA be more responsible and avoided ugly incidences like unpaid bonus to Super Eagles, Super Falcon and of course glaring neglect of the Golden Eaglet before their triumph at the U-17 African Nation Cup as well as their shot at the real thing - U-17 FIFA World Cup which they won, but which NFA has been going about with the accolades as if they were the true brain behind the achievement.

Friday, September 14, 2007

See My Daddy's Car

My Son is 2 years old and you can never guess what his daddy's car look like, but the truth is he can recognise the make of the car at any slightest sight of it. He is now accustomed to the phrase "See my daddy's car" each time he sighted the make of the car irrespective of colour or model. Nobody seems to know how he was able to photographed the make of that car in his brain. On a long journey that involves him of recent, he actually make the journey less stressful because each time he sighted the make of his daddy's car, he will draw our attention to it. If you are lock in a deep conversation and you seems not to listen to his 'phrase' he continue to shout your name until you discard such conversation and reply with another phrase he is accustomed to i.e 'yeah, See this boy daddy's car'. Kids!!!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Be careful how you list names on your cell phone

I got this from my mail box, and felt I should share it with those who might not have received same. Here it goes....
This lady has changed her habit of how she lists her names on her mobile phone after her handbag was stolen. Her handbag which contained her mobile, credit card, purse...etc....was stolen. 20 minutes later when she called her hubby, from a pay phone telling him what had happened, hubby says "I've just received your text asking about our Pin number and I've replied a little while ago." When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn.
The pickpocket had actually used the stolen hand phone to text "hubby" in the contact list and got hold of the pin number. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from the bank account. Moral of the lesson: Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your contact list. Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, sweetheart, Dad, Mum etc....... And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked thru texts, CONFIRM by calling back. Also, when you're being texted by friends or family to meet them somewhere, be sure to call back to confirm that the message came from them. If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places to meet "family and friends" who text you.

Monday, September 10, 2007

What about the Silver Eaglets?

When the Ugbade led Eaglet won the maiden edition of the U-16 world youth Tournament in china in 1985, all the sets of the recently crowned Golden eaglet were yet to be born, neither were they when the next eaglet failed to lift the trophy again in Canada 2 years later. How time flies.
While we are quick to remember the three occasions where we triumphed in the competition, it is a pity how we are quick to forget to celebrate the period when we came close to winning the trophy i.e Canada in 1987 and Trinidad & Tobago in 2001. So I said what about the Silver Eaglets? Those of us who still cares, does these names still rings a bell as regards those who took Silver in Canada 87 even though they lost on penalties, or these names that clinch Silver in 2001?

I am back

3 weeks now I have left this blog unattended. I explained the reasons when I took the leave of absence. My 3 weeks absence open my eyes as for the first time in my life I travel all the way from Abuja to Ilorin all by myself and alone in the vehicle, and indeed a smooth journey. My journey also took me to Lagos where also for the first time in my life, I saw how the Area Boys do their things. I witness the way and manners they collect toll from the danfo drivers as if they are the one they are working to take care of, I however do not pity my danfo driver I boarded because he tried to take a fast one on us (Me and my friend who is my guide). In all, he had to settled about 11 different groups of area boys on our way to Oshodi bridge from Ojota. Lagos will always be Lagos, probably the only city in Nigeria that bear a native name and English name - Eko and Lagos.
While away, I also visited Ilorin town in Kwara State. It is still its old self, with the idea of blocking the road just to hold festivities. I had trouble making my way around. But I must confess that the town is very neat and tidy, the Governor is doing an excellent job on this part.
Now, while I was away, I wasnt current with much of the news around, but I heard of the suspension put on denomination of the Naira. Some even argue that, the government had to veto its suspension because of some powerful people it will be affected, other even argue that its suspension is political in nature because at the end of the day when the action become successful, the CBN Governor will be more powerful than the President himself. Can you believe that, what an arrant nonsense.
I cannot but also comment on the Madam Speaker's 'Contract Gate'. I wonder what the fuse is all about, all the present crop of legislators needs to do is to check on the precedents before the advent of this new speaker what has been the practice. I am quite sure she follows the footsteps of her precedecessors in office. Perhaps there is so much dust on this one because she is a MADAM Speaker. It is the systems that is bad, not the Madam speaker herself.
During my leave of absence, I also happen to get in touch with Joan Agabi - remember her? Well, let me reminded you of her, she is one of the housemates of the famous Big Brother Nigeria. I had some interesting vital statistics on her which I will publish in due course.
Now that I am back, I guess I am back with a bang!