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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

25-year-old man rapes toddler

The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper
Breaking News, information and opinion in Nigeria
25-year-old man rapes toddler
Apr 30th 2013, 23:30

A 25-year-old man was on Monday arrested at Somolu, Lagos State after he was allegedly caught having sex with his two-year-old cousin.

The suspect, David Nnebong, lived with the victim's grandmother at 18 Awoseyin Street, Somolu.

It was learnt that the incident occurred at about 3pm when the toddler was left in the house with the suspect by her grandmother, known as Iya Wura.

 The mother of the girl was said to be in Calabar.

PUNCH Metro learnt that on her return, the little girl who was crying while greeting her grandmother pointed to her vagina.

A neighbour, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said it was the girl's cries that made her grandmother suspicious.

He said, "It was the child who actually made Iya Wura know that David had raped her. The grandmother raised the alarm and all the neighbours pounced on David.

"Although she was upset with David, Iya Wura and other relatives, who were present, did not want to get him arrested.

"They only wanted him to leave the house and relocate elsewhere, but neighbours insisted on involving the police.

At the time David was taken to Alade Police Division, there was still semen on the child."

As of Tuesday evening, the relatives of the victim were yet to report to the police station to write statements although Nneobong was said to still be in police custody.

Punch Metro learnt that the relatives were still insisting that they did not want police to be involved in the issue.

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Pastor, 50, in court for raping three pupils

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Pastor, 50, in court for raping three pupils
Apr 30th 2013, 23:35

A 50-year-old man, Emmauel Mathew,  was on Tuesday arraigned before Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf of the Federal Capital Territory High Court for raping three pupils.

News Agency of Nigeria reported that Mathew, who is the pastor and General Overseer of The Choice Bible Church, Mpape, and proprietor of primary school the victims attended, was arraigned on six counts of rape.

He was accused of having carnal knowledge of two seven-year-old pupils and a nine-year-old on different occasions in the school's office without their consent.

The offence is punishable under Section 283 of the Penal Code.

"Whoever has canal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 14 years and shall also be liable to fine," the Penal Code reads.

Mathew pleaded not guilty to the charges, but the presiding judge ordered the prosecuting counsel to amend the remaining three counts against the accused.

The prosecutor, Stalley Nwodo, urged the court to fix a date for the amendment of charges.

Baba-Yusuf granted the prosecutor's application and adjourned the matter until May 8.

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Police kill three robbers in Ogun

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Police kill three robbers in Ogun
Apr 30th 2013, 23:32

The Ogun State Police Command on Tuesday said its men killed three robbers operating along the Ijebu-Ode – Benin Expressway.

The robbers were gunned down around 1.30am while robbing motorists at Alafia, near J3.

The police said the robbers engaged men of the anti-crime patrol team attached to Ogbere Division in a shoot-out.

It added that dangerous weapons were recovered from the gang members such as a locally-made pistol, empty cartridges, machetes and objects suspected to be charms.

The command's Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement that two of the robbers were killed during the exchange of fire while other members escaped.

Adejobi, however said that one of the fleeing robbers, Joseph Oso, who escaped with bullet wounds, was later arrested.

He said Oso named other members of the gang before he gave up the ghost. Adejobi added that efforts were being made to apprehend the fleeing robbers.

 

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Opposition misinforming Nigerians on Jonathan’s performance – FG

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Opposition misinforming Nigerians on Jonathan's performance – FG
Apr 30th 2013, 23:05

The Federal Government has accused opposition parties  of  deliberately misinforming Nigerians  about  the performance of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, who  made the allegation  on Tuesday, however said Jonathan was determined to pursue and actualise his administration's transformation agenda   in spite of the tendency of the opposition to feed the public  with   wrong information.

Anyim  said this in an address he sent to the opening of a one-day workshop on Effective Information Management and Public Communication as a Key Component of the Transformation Agenda.

The workshop was organised for Special Assistants on Media and Directors of information of Federal Government ministries, departments and agencies by the office of the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Dr. Doyin Okupe, in Abuja.

The address was read on behalf of the SGF by his Special Assistant, Mr. Ferdinand Agwu.

 Anyim asked those entrusted with the responsibility of managing information for government to rise to the challenge of dispelling  misinformation from the public.

He said, "President Jonathan's commitment to transforming  this country remains unshaken despite the growing tendency of the opposition to misinform the public. It is your responsibility to stem this unwholesome trend. Make deliberate efforts to debunk the misinformation and campaigns of calumny against the government.

"You can achieve this in a coordinated and professional manner that leaves no one in doubt that this administration is living up to the promise it made to the people when it was inaugurated on May 29, 2011."

But the nation's main opposition parties – the Action Congress of Nigeria and Congress for Progressive Change –  said the accusation  was a  grand deception to deal in conjectures.

National Publicity Secretary of the ACN,   Alhaji Lai Mohammed,  said  it was inconceivable for the  Federal Government to expect the opposition to be singing its praises.

Mohammed, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, noted that the  government  which he described as incompetent,  was only being emotional.

He  said, "Why would the opposition be expected to be the one to blow the trumpet of the Federal Government. Don't they have people who are entrusted with that responsibility?

"Let them not be emotional; let them come out and say what we have said that is not true. I think they have a problem with their image and I think it is because of their incompetence."

His CPC counterpart,   Rotimi Fasakin,  said the claim by Anyim was only   a guess meant to deceive Nigerians.

He said that the Jonathan administration had not achieved anything worthy of note apart from  increasing the rate of corruption in the country.

Fasakin stated that   government officials must not lose sight of the fact that Nigerians knew the truth about  their performance.

 He said, "In two years after his purported election, what is the achievement that is worthy of note, aside from the humongous corruptive tendency associated with his regime.  The folks around the regime are under self-delusion to think Nigerians do not know the truth. The preponderant view of the Nigerian people is never again.

"Never again shall they allow such puerile campaign slogan of 'goodluck for me, goodluck for you, goodluck for everybody' to hoodwink them.

"They are determined not to vote for ethno-religious sentimentality anymore. They are determined to remove cluelessness. That is the irreducible minimum from Nigerians going forward."

Meanwhile, a former senatorial candidate for the Action Congress of Nigeria, Dr. Ben Nwoye,  has  said events in the nation  since Jonathan assumed office  "show that he has no clear agenda for the country."

Nwoye spoke shortly after the Enugu State congress of the party where Barth Ugwoke emerged as the state chairman of  the ACN and  Uche Ogbu , secretary.

Nwoye said  on Tuesday that  many members of the Peoples Democratic Party, including those in the   Senate and House of Representatives, would defect to  the All Progressives Congress once the party was registered.

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Fuel subsidy: EFCC quizzes Ubah

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Fuel subsidy: EFCC quizzes Ubah
Apr 30th 2013, 23:18

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday arrested the Managing Director of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited, Ifeanyi Ubah.

Sources said he was arrested by the security operatives of the commission in his Abuja home in connection with the fuel subsidy scam.

His level of involvement in the scam could not be ascertained as of press time.

But our correspondent gathered that he was interrogated by the operatives of the commission and allowed to go home.

Confirming the arrest, EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said, "It is true he was arrested. But he has been allowed to go home."

Asked when he was expected back at the commission, Uwujaren said, "That will be communicated to him, but for now he is no longer with us."

About 40 persons and companies are facing trial over the fuel subsidy scam.

Meanwhile, the Code of Conduct Tribunal, sitting  in Abuja, on Tuesday stayed proceedings in the trial of the Director-General of the National Centre for Technology Management Dr. Willie Siyanbola.

Siyanbola, who is facing a one count of abuse of office, allegedly recruited over 60 percent of the staff of the organisation from a particular section of the country.

When the matter came up on Tuesday, Sinyabola's counsel, Mr. Adamson Adeboro, moved the application for stay of proceedings pending the outcome of the appeal challenging the decision of the tribunal to assume jurisdiction.

Adeboro, in the notice of appeal filed at the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, held that the tribunal erred in law by assuming jurisdiction to hear the matter.

The prosecution counsel, Abbas Ibrahim, did not oppose the application.

The CCT Chairman, Justice Danladi Umar, who presided over the three-man appeal panel, granted the application as prayed and stayed proceedings pending the outcome of the appeal.

He adjourned hearing in the matter till June 30.

Siyanbola was accused of employing over 60 per cent  of the organisation's staff from the South-West, where he comes from, in contravention of the Code of Conduct and Tribunal Act. 1998.

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Man uses Adeboye’s project to swindle investors

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Man uses Adeboye's project to swindle investors
Apr 30th 2013, 23:24

A self-proclaimed architect, Opeyemi Oluwole, has been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly using a building project proposed by the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, to dupe scores of people.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Adeboye had announced during the church's December Holy Ghost Service titled 'Signs and Wonders' that the church had a challenge of accommodation.

He had said, "The dormitories we have are many but are not enough for the number of people that attend our programmes so we need people to join us in building extra 2,000 dormitories in order to reduce the number of people sleeping on bare floor in the church auditorium.

"The dormitories, we are hoping, would be ready before the next congress and anyone willing to help should get across to us."

According to police authorities, Oluwole, under the pretext of building the dormitories for the church, tricked many people into paying money into his bank account.

Our correspondent learnt that the monies collected from victims ranged from N250, 000 to N2.5m.

It was learnt that the suspect however ran out of luck after he approached a member of one of the parishes of RCCG.

It was learnt that the member immediately reported the matter to the Ketu Police Division.

The member, who craved anonymity, said the suspect had told his victims that he had been given the contract by the RCCG to build the dormitories.

He said, "Oluwole approached me, saying he had been given the mandate to build the dormitories and that some companies had bid for the contract. He said some of the companies that won were not financially capable of constructing the dormitories so he was sub-contracting it.

"He said we would handle the contracts but would have to use the names of the companies that originally won the bid and we would get our money afterwards. He gave us his bank account number and told us to pay N250, 000 as the initial fee for registration.

"However, I contacted the Project department of the RCCG and they said they did not give Oluwole any contract. They even checked past records and his name did not appear in the files."

When the police wrote the RCCG headquarters, the church denied knowing the suspect.

In a letter addressed to the police, the church's legal department stated that it was ready to pursue the case to a logical conclusion.

The church also stated that it was not possible for building project to be executed without the knowledge of the project department.

The suspect however denied the allegation, insisting that he had indeed been given the contract by Pastor Adeboye to construct the dormitories.

He said, "Baba (Adeboye) told me to go ahead with the dormitories. The agreement was verbal and there is no written document. Some people gave me money for the drawings of the buildings. Others loaned me money."

Oluwole alleged that he and Adeboye had entered into a secret arrangement on the building project without the knowledge of the church authorities.

A police source, who craved anonymity, said the suspect was arrested a few weeks ago but was later granted bail.

The suspect however absconded soon after, making it difficult for the police to carry out investigations.

The  police were however able to re-arrest him last Friday.

Our police source said, "After granting Oluwole bail, the best thing for him to have done was to go to the church and explain his predicament. We even offered to take him to the church's Chief Security Officer, who would have taken him to see Adeboye.

"However, after some weeks, we did not hear from him again. He even moved out of his apartment."

When asked why he jumped bail, Oluwole said, "My house was dilapidated and I had to leave the place so that it would not collapse on me."

When contacted on the telephone, the spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, said the police had taken the matter to court.

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Lagos-Ibadan Expressway still death trap, insecure – Motorists

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Breaking News, information and opinion in Nigeria
Lagos-Ibadan Expressway still death trap, insecure – Motorists
Apr 30th 2013, 23:22

Motorists and commuters have expressed dissatisfaction over the state and safety of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway five months after the Federal Government promised to make it better.

The government had on November 19, 2012, revoked the concession it granted  Bi-Courtney Highway Services on May 8, 2009.

Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, had said the government could not fold its hands and watch "the senseless carnage on this important expressway which is part of arterial route A1". He added that the government had decided to embark on emergency reconstruction of the expressway.

Two firms- Julius Berger and RCC Nigeria Limited- which were engaged by the government,  began a palliative repair during the yuletide, raising the hope that succor was about coming to motorists and commuters.

However, the initial euphoria generated by the announcement and the palliative repairs have been dampened as it seems work has stopped on the highway, while it is gradually falling back into its usual state of disrepair.

Gridlock that was gradually becoming history before the government took over the road is now returning. Our correspondents reported that areas in Ogere Remo, Mowe and Ibafo end of the expressway are the most affected by the traffic snarl.

It was also noted that the road was falling apart again while no visible efforts are seen concerning repairs by the companies engaged by the government.

A commercial bus driver Moshood Abidola,  lamented the gridlock, accidents and robberies on the road."

Abidola, who claimed to have been driving for 40 years, said, "The accidents we experience on this road are caused by its poor state. If the road is good, accidents will reduce.

"The condition of the road also affects our vehicles. There are also robberies because the road is terrible. Robbers take that advantage to rob us and our passengers. It has happened to us many times. One happened last Saturday."

Another commercial driver, Olusola Akinyode, said it was surprising that despite its promise to make the expressway better, the Federal Government had allowed it to fall into a state of disrepair again.

He said, "There are many portholes on the road that if one is not careful, he may find himself in a ditch.

"There are also robbery incidents that I have witnessed as a driver. There are some days that robberies can happen four times in a day on the road.

Another driver, Alaba Jinadu, said since 1997 that he started plying the expressway, he had yet to see any improvement.

He said, "Government keeps patching the potholes, but this has not solved the problem. The potholes cause many accidents.

"When we heard that the Federal Government had awarded the contract for the rehabilitation of the expressway to Julius Berger and RCC, we were happy. But now, we are yet to see changes. Initially, Julius Berger started working for a short time, and then stopped. There are excavations left unfilled by the engineers; these are very dangerous.

"The worst parts of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway extend from Remo tollgate to Ibadan. Along this damaged path is Dakeroro, which serves as hotbed for carjacking and robberies. Drivers and passengers often get waylaid because vehicles usually move too slowly on the road. A colleague of mine, Shakiru, was robbed and killed."

Romanus Obuligbe, who commutes from Imo State to Lagos, said the patching of the potholes by the government has not remedied the problem, adding that "because of the bad road, I witness accidents at least three times a week."

Noah Salami, a commercial bus driver at Ojota Park, who makes an average of two trips a day on the road, said, "What government contractors have done is to patch the road, but that is not enough.

"The job done by them (contractors) is very shoddy, so the road is bumpy. There are also some parts that were not done and this sometimes leads to traffic build-up along the road. The road also damages tyres and causes so many accidents."

An officer of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Berger Park, Muslim Alao, urged the government to ensure the immediate commencement of comprehensive work on the road.

He said, "The road is a write-off. We want government to look into the matter and do something about it."

A private motorist, Mr. Abimbola Akintayo, said, "The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has been known to be a death trap.

"It is a shoddy job that they are doing on that road; it seems there is no cohesion between the two contractors that the job was given to as they don't work at the same rate and the quality of job done is also not the same."

Security agents, who carry out patrols along the expressway, said bushes beneath the long bridge help hoodlums to commit crime.

A policeman attached to the Quick Response Squad told one of our correspondents that hoodlums always hide in bushes under the bridge.

The police officer, who craved anonymity, said movement of motorcycle riders on the bridge should be restricted because it is difficult apprehending them  whenever they engage in criminal activities.

He said, "The Warewa Long Bridge is the most dangerous because there is no activity on the bridge except vehicular movement. Also, the bushes beneath the bridge serve as a hideout for hoodlums.

A resident of Papa Olorunda Victorious Community, Sheni Daramola, said constant police patrols have helped in reducing robberies on the expressway. He however said the police should extend their patrols to residential areas off the expressway.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Command, Muyiwa Adejobi, disagreed that the expressway was unsafe.

He, however, said the bushes beneath the bridge pose a security threat.

Adejobi said some churches in the area as well as companies had promised to assist the police in tackling the problem.

He said, "Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church and some companies have promised to help trim the bushes. I am sure that by Wednesday (today), they would have started.

"We are not folding our arms and I can tell you that crime along the Lagos –Ibadan Expressway has reduced drastically.

"As regards the issue of thieves on motorcycles, we have not received such complaint from the public. Besides, Ogun State has no law prohibiting the movement of motorcycles on the expressway."

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‘Nigerian youths are worth every investment’

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Breaking News, information and opinion in Nigeria
'Nigerian youths are worth every investment'
Apr 30th 2013, 23:34

The Nigeria Youth Movement has said every investment on Nigerian youths is worth it because it will help build good future leaders.

A statement on Tuesday by one of the group's organisers, Olowe Oluwatayo, said the current leadership should, therefore, make young people its priority.

He said, "The youth are worth every investment as future leaders of this country. We challenge the current leaders to make young people their priority in order to bring out good, visionary and passionate future leaders for the betterment of our dear nation."

Oluwatayo said the group was planning an event to honour leaders in public and private sectors, who had contributed to the growth and development of youths, communities and the nation.

He said among such people are the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Mr. Ibrahim Salu, Chairman, Ifako ijaiye Local Government Area, Olohuntoba Oke, and daughter of a former governor of the state, Mrs. Shade Tinubu-Ojo.

He said, "This project slated for May 5 will inspire other people to serve their communities."

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House agent arraigned for duping 214 persons

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House agent arraigned for duping 214 persons
Apr 30th 2013, 23:37

A house agent, Mr. Hakeem Olanrewaju, 44, has been arraigned before court 1, Yaba Magistrate's Court on 429 counts by the State Criminal Investigation Department, for allegedly defrauding 214 accommodation seekers.

The complainants had approached Olanrewaju to assist with their accommodation needs.

The charge sheet, which numbered over 100 pages revealed that Olanrewaju had collected sums ranging from N1.5m to N350, 000 from each of the complainants within nine months.

It reads in part, "That you, Hakeem Olanrewaju, m, and others at large between the month of August 2012 to April 2013 at 12 Daniel Makinde Street, Ketu in Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: obtaining money under false pretences and stealing, and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011"

Olanrewaju pleaded not guilty to the charges.

His defence counsel prayed the court to grant him bail under liberal terms.

The magistrate, Mr. P.A Ojo agreed to admit the defendant on bail upon the payment of N500,000 with two sureties each in like sum.

The case was adjourned till June 19.

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D’banj and Davido Are Fuji Singers – Adewale Ayuba

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D'banj and Davido Are Fuji Singers – Adewale Ayuba
Apr 30th 2013, 23:11
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Strengthen your mother-daughter relationship this Mother's Day

Columbus Ledger Enquirer -- Homepage
Columbus Ledger Enquirer, Columbus, GA
Strengthen your mother-daughter relationship this Mother's Day
Apr 30th 2013, 04:00

Linda Wilson, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and partner at Columbus Psychological Associates in Brookstone Centre. She agreed to talk to her magazine about the important mother-daughter relationship, in honor…

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Shedding Our Secrets provides support for victims of incest

Columbus Ledger Enquirer -- Homepage
Columbus Ledger Enquirer, Columbus, GA
Shedding Our Secrets provides support for victims of incest
Apr 30th 2013, 04:00

Carol Hall remembers when the abuse began. "I was 9 years old when my father came home from Vietnam, and he immediately began prepping me for the abuse to come,"

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Red Shoe Run: Fundraiser supports Ronald McDonald House Charities of West Georgia, Inc.

Columbus Ledger Enquirer -- Homepage
Columbus Ledger Enquirer, Columbus, GA
Red Shoe Run: Fundraiser supports Ronald McDonald House Charities of West Georgia, Inc.
Apr 30th 2013, 04:00

Get ready for the inaugural Red Shoe Run, a May 11 fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities of West Georgia, Inc. The event, which starts in downtown Columbus, includes a…

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Married to the stage: Natalia Pestova and her husband perform a joint act in Cirque du Soleil's 'Quidam'

Columbus Ledger Enquirer -- Homepage
Columbus Ledger Enquirer, Columbus, GA
Married to the stage: Natalia Pestova and her husband perform a joint act in Cirque du Soleil's 'Quidam'
Apr 30th 2013, 04:00

Natalia Pestova is with her husband pretty much all day, every day.

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her fashion: Southern belles turned surfer chicks

Columbus Ledger Enquirer -- Homepage
Columbus Ledger Enquirer, Columbus, GA
her fashion: Southern belles turned surfer chicks
Apr 30th 2013, 04:00

A shared love of the beach was the inspiration for the creation of the Citrine Swim line. Southern-born beach lovers Caroline Hay and Erica Segerberg became friends when they were…

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5 things you must do in May

Columbus Ledger Enquirer -- Homepage
Columbus Ledger Enquirer, Columbus, GA
5 things you must do in May
Apr 30th 2013, 04:00

Bid on a birdhouse for Habitat for Humanity, gather a team to race at the Dragon Boat Festival, Picnic in the Garden at Hills & Dales Estate in La Grange,

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Cooking with Georgia's vidalia onions: Our state's official vegetable adds flavor and sweetness to summer dishes

Columbus Ledger Enquirer -- Homepage
Columbus Ledger Enquirer, Columbus, GA
Cooking with Georgia's vidalia onions: Our state's official vegetable adds flavor and sweetness to summer dishes
Apr 30th 2013, 04:00

Georgia cookbook author Rebecca Lang is this year's Vidalia Onion Committee spokesperson. The Vidalia onion, Georgia's official state vegetable, grows April through September.

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Sweet scents: Learn about aromatherapy at Essential Oils Boutique

Columbus Ledger Enquirer -- Homepage
Columbus Ledger Enquirer, Columbus, GA
Sweet scents: Learn about aromatherapy at Essential Oils Boutique
Apr 30th 2013, 04:00

When in doubt, go with lavender. That's one of the lessons you might learn during your first trip to Essential Oils Boutique (3470 University Ave., Suite No. 2).

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Cancer survivor pursues her passion to sew

Columbus Ledger Enquirer -- Homepage
Columbus Ledger Enquirer, Columbus, GA
Cancer survivor pursues her passion to sew
Apr 30th 2013, 04:00

Four weeks to the day after brain surgery to remove a malignant tumor, Mary Miranda was back in the shop behind her north Columbus home, doing what she loves best…

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Former Columbus High lacrosse star Amanda Hurley earns Atlantic Sun tournament MVP honors

Columbus Ledger Enquirer -- Homepage
Columbus Ledger Enquirer, Columbus, GA
Former Columbus High lacrosse star Amanda Hurley earns Atlantic Sun tournament MVP honors
Apr 30th 2013, 23:01

Former Columbus High lacrosse player Amanda Hurley helped lead Jacksonville to the inaugural Atlantic Sun tournament championship on Sunday with a 22-8 victory over Detroit.

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Monday, April 29, 2013

Making money from undeveloped land

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Breaking News, information and opinion in Nigeria
Making money from undeveloped land
Apr 29th 2013, 23:29

It is amazing that many have unused land in their hands without making money from it or using it profitably in any way. The common idea is that buying land is good and the longer you hold it the higher the value goes. This is true.

 As some investors say 'land does not eat', meaning that you can buy a piece of undeveloped land and do nothing on or with it and still make money because it gains value. However, this is not entirely right or strategic in many instances.

An asset is not only something that gains value but also something that puts money in your pocket. In the world of money, cash flow is king. Your purchase of land is an investment which should not only give you capital appreciation but cash flow or income value.

If we make a comparison with stocks, your investment gains capital appreciation when your stock gains value and you enjoy cash flow when you receive dividend payments. It is this cash flow aspect in relation to undeveloped land that many do not pay attention to.

When land is developed and the property is leased or sold it's easy to understand that it brings in cash but when dealing with undeveloped land you need to be more creative.

One idea to consider is to grow plants or crops that could be used by you or sold to others on your land. What you grow and use saves you money and what you sell gives you income.

There are several small farming businesses that you could start and run on a plot of land devoting your weekends and free times to it.

This has inspired many to take bigger steps in fully going into business. What better place to start your own business than your own land?

 Another workable idea is to lease your land to those who need it for farming or operation of businesses that does not require too much infrastructure. At other times, where the supply of water is an issue we have seen individuals drill boreholes and turn the need into a business. Indeed, many small scale businesses cannot afford large premises or commercial facilities and all they need is just a little space.

And if your land is situated in a commercial area you may consider using it as a private car park for individuals and companies. You may be surprised at how much you'll earn monthly.

I know a man who owns two plots of land close to a commercial area of Lagos. When the government decided to clean up the area several street traders relocated to his property and started a mini market there. His monthly rental charge was quite significant.

His risk was minimal since they were 'daily tenants', who pay monthly, kept their wares elsewhere and could be easily barred from entering the premises if they fail to pay.

In another part of Lagos Nigeria, along a particular stretch of road where a lot of banks were located another individual who had an empty plot of land decided to lease it to the bank who found it appropriate to use as a parking space exclusively for its staff and thereby freeing more parking spaces for their customers.

Prior to the days of co-location in the telecommunication industry in Nigeria, some people leased their undeveloped land or used part of their property for a reasonable fee paid in advance to telecommunication companies for setting up base stations.

A shrewd investor who was approached by one of the telecommunications company leased a portion of her land for a period of five years without a renewal clause and with a written agreement with the company to restore her land back to its former state after the expiration of their term. She made good money and also had her land back at the end of the term.

When doing this you need to ensure that you make a projection as to when you'll need your property back and ensure that you have a clear agreement in place. The term should be certain and there should be no renewal clause except you intend to.

The idea behind all these is to inspire you to be more creative in your use of idle assets. The list of what could be done with an undeveloped parcel of land is endless but you can generate ideas by driving around the area where your land is located, analyzing their needs and making enquiries or exploring solutions.

Oftentimes, all you need to do is to copy an idea that is being used in another area and using it in an area where it is not presently being used.

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Keep your metabolism running

The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper
Breaking News, information and opinion in Nigeria
Keep your metabolism running
Apr 29th 2013, 23:00

Eat enough calories:  When you reduce your calorie intake, your body thinks it is starving and conserves energy, slowing down your metabolism, i.e. burning fewer calories for energy than it would otherwise.

Eat often enough:  When you skip meals, you are starving your body, so it slows down, burning fewer calories to conserve energy. Spread your daily calories more frequently throughout the day. Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with a few healthy snacks throughout the day. Remember, a snack is less than 200 calories and meals do not exceed 500 calories.

Engage in regular aerobic/sendurance exercise:  Aerobic or cardio activity increases your metabolism while you are working out. There are some studies showing that you continue to burn calories faster for a while after exercise, especially after higher intensity interval training. Aerobic activity is any physical activity that uses large muscle groups and increases your heart rate. When you are performing an aerobic activity, you should be breathing slightly harder than you would at rest. You should still be able to talk, but should be breathing a little faster than usual.

Build muscle:  Muscle blasts fat. Strength training increases your muscle mass which increases your metabolism overall. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, and therefore burns more calories. One pound of fat burns about two calories per hour, one pound of muscle burns about 35-45 calories per day. As an added bonus, muscle takes up less room than fat.

Source: wpahs.org

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How to build a great brand (1)

The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper
Breaking News, information and opinion in Nigeria
How to build a great brand (1)
Apr 29th 2013, 23:27

Ehi Braimah is the Managing Director of Neo Media & Marketing Limited, a public relations and event management company. He writes on what it takes to establish an emotional tie between a brand and the customer.

Let us begin by understanding what a brand truly represents. However you choose to define a brand, because there are a multiplicity of  definitions, a brand, from my knowledge-sharing experiences, is a statement of promise that earns the trust of the consumer. What is important here is keeping the promise otherwise the brand is asking for trouble.

The key to building a great brand is getting the customer to come back and one way we can achieve this is by establishing an emotional tie between the brand and the consumer. A brand can be a product, service, personality, city or country. A brand must be easily recognisable like Coca-Cola, Apple, Red Cross,  Barrack Obama, London or the United States of America.

Perception of a brand

 The perception of a brand is as good as reality because front-of-mind awareness is measurable. The choices that we make are usually a function of how well a brand has established its credentials in the minds of the consumers. Brands will stay with us for the following reasons: ownership, honesty and trust, assurance and quality, longevity and loyalty, power and profit and finally, emotional and value needs.

When you  go into a shopping mall like Shoprite , there is a reason to believe that what you are buying in any of the shops is of "great quality" and at the "right price", and that emotional satisfaction is what we need to make a purchase. It does not matter whether it is the Shoprite located in Ikeja or Lekki or outside Lagos, the feeling conveyed is the same. This is what "branding"does to us, it clones our sensory organs and limits our choices to what we perceive will deliver "distinctive benefits" or "value for money".

If you ask for the price of a Rolex wrist watch, you do not expect it to be cheap, otherwise you would conclude that it is a fake Rolex. This is how we perceive the value of a Rolex wrist watch. However, the truth of the matter is what is in the "mind" of the consumer is that people who wear Rolex wrist watches are successful people; it is a symbol of prestige and achievement; for the ''big boys'', if you like.

Power to influence

The consumer would like to buy what he knows and trusts, although price may become a discriminator. Every brand has its own audience and value proposition. A brand must have the power to change or influence consumer behaviour. For example,  Primark in the UK is a retail fashion outlet known for bottom of the fashion price chain, but this does not mean that their products are useless; instead Primark appeals to a certain category of customers  because of their affordable price range, just as we now have Mr Price fashion outlets in Nigeria where their prices are ridiculously low, but the customers keep coming.

On the other hand, Tesco, the supermarket chain, has a value range of products which is priced at a premium with its customers because they have been able to earn the value proposition of quality and convenience. Virgin Atlantic is a youthful, hip airline. Indeed, Virgin brands, as personified by the avant-garde billionaire entrepreneur and founder, British-born Richard Branson, are ambitious and fun-driven. Red Bull is an energy drink for young people. The value proposition here is that Red Bull represents convenience (energy in a can) and revitalisation. Let us just say its  a "cool brand".

Proposition plus personality

In building a great brand, we must understand that the proposition plus personality makes the brand. Here, the product is the proposition whereas the values and character shape the personality of the brand. When a brand creates a set of values, it should not change over time because these values keep the brand going. For example, Coca-Cola is known for great taste, Apple for innovative products, Red Cross for humanitarian service and Volvo for safe driving. So, we can say that a brand is a name that stands for something positive in the minds of its target audience. By ''positive'', we mean a consistent set of values that resonates with the consumer over time. What can we say Nigeria is known for? For example, Nigeria can become famous as the food basket of Africa because we have everything to make it happen.

One good reason consumers trust their brands is because of "consistent quality". People die, but brands live on. What's the point of acquring knowledge if we do not pass it on? Unless you communicate the values of your brand, the brand dies when the vision driver dies.

Brand culture

A brand must provide empathy and insight; it should also be provocative, inspiring and disciplined. These are personality traits that attract customers. Every organisation should also establish a brand culture for both its internal and external audiences. This brand culture must allign with the big picture (vision/mission statements) of the organisation which is then cascaded into a set of values (personality traits) that would guide its the day to day operations.

 You must practice what you preach as a brand. There is nothing  wrong when a brand makes a mistake, however what is important is how well the brand reacts when a mistake occurs. Brand owners must note that it is forbidden to say, "it's not our fault". For example, when Toyota had brake problems with some of their cars not too long ago, they were honest enough to own up, apologise and recall the affected cars. Through this action of honesty, Toyota was able to restore their pride and earn the trust of their loyal customers worldwide.

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