US to officially strip Nigerians naked at Airports – Rebrand Nigeria and Suicide Bombing

Credit crunch, Critique, Economy, Media, Religion, injustice, recession, situation report, violence 3 Comments »

Happy New Year all,

It is my helpless displeasure to announce to you that you may be asked to ’strip naked’ to US Airport officials as from today. They may even request to shave your… erm… erm hair, so do yourself a big favour by shaving “that” before travelling. Wash your panties, dirty boxers and your bra, you may be asked to strip on a long queue (you know we Nigerians sabi travel). Don’t wear a Ralph suit and Oshodi boxers, same goes for stockings (socks). If you sweat a lot, please get some good quality cotton singlet. The search is “extensive” they say, so expect to spend at least 60 minutes upon arrival. Book the Taxi cab/ Appointment accordingly. The sky is our limit, we are constantly re-branding Nigeria. Although corruption has reduced (that’s what they said) we have moved up in other departments. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s suicide bombing issue, barring.

In Yahoo News, the words were politically, diplomatically and wisely selected but they mean “plenty”, see:

“Beginning Monday, air travelers flying into the United States from Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Yemen and other “countries of interest” will be subjected to enhanced screening techniques, such as body scans, pat-downs and a thorough search of carry-on luggage. Passengers are subjected to special screening, including full body searches, in a designated area of the departure lounge, said the spokesman, Sultan Hasan.

My major concern is that I have a phobia for scanning machines. I know that frequent subjection to scanning rays could be detrimental to the human health on the long run. I have said time and before that I would someday consider changing Nationality and if tomorrow I claim to be Togolese, please don’t blame me, I’d rather be Ghanian than face this humiliation and phobia come true. Someone once said “There is NO single benefit of being a Nigerian” and I say to you today. There is at least one. No fuel, no jobs, no food, no water, no money, no reputation, no this, no that, but there is TIME (don’t hiss, every country has 24 hours and whatever you do with YOUR 24 hours…)! Dora, hope I made sense?

What a “perfect” way to start the new year!

Sources: http://rubminds.com/forums/world-news/nigerian-terrorist/

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_airline_security

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Lagos Security update: New Kidnapper tricks exposed

419, Credit crunch, Death, Lagos, Life, injustice, recession, scam, security, situation report, violence 3 Comments »
Kidnapping is the next big thing after Yahoozee

Kidnapping is the next big thing after Yahoozee

Tips on Avoiding Kidnappers and Ritualists

I told you back then, that Kidnapping was one of the highest paying non-white collar job. As employers cut costs and lay people off, trying to play smart, criminals have also returned to the drawing board, carving out schooled tactics (tricks) borne out of survival instincts… to make money at all cost! Comedy, Music, and Theatre art courses are sold out in institutions today but I’m seriously holding out for a course on Kidnapping, since it’s the next big thing after 419 Scamming. I received this mail from a friend and will encourage you to pass on to friends and loved ones. Don’t let greed get the best of you. I don’t pray to lose anyone right now, cos to be frank with you, I can’t even get a puppy out of their jail. Listen to me now or deal with them O.Y.O. (on your own). Remember, only the living can take decisions.

Dear All,
A new modus operandi is currently being used by kidnappers to lure unsuspecting victims to their hideout, usually an office-like apartment. This new trend has made it easy and less risky for the kidnappers as they don’t have to fire gun shots in the air to scare people or face risk of Police intervention at the point of kidnap.

First they will study you, your kind of business, your household and other activities, laying more emphasis on the kind of job you do and also good knowledge of your interests. They will of course have your full contact details. When they have all these information, they will put a call to you, claiming to offer you a business deal or to offer you something you have planned to have or buy. When they have convinced you, they will ask you to meet them at an agreed location where they will explain further, show you or deliver the expectant goods to you. The location they refer to is their hideout for kidnap victims and from there they will transfer their victims at gun point to other locations.

This is the current trend in Lagos and other cities in Nigeria and all of us should be very cautious of this. This has happened to a lot of business men and unsuspecting corporate staff and is still happening. This new trend makes it very difficult to trace the victims’ whereabouts as they (victims) tend to keep the business deal to themselves until after it has been concluded.

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES:

1). Do not disclose information concerning your self/family/business to every one you come in contact with. Limit information about yourself and nature of work to only those you trust.
2). Do not disclose personal/official intended project plans to every one or discuss it in public places.
3). On receipt of such calls, and they want you to meet them, play along with them and request them to meet you instead – Decide the venue of the meeting
4). Don’t be in a hurry to end the telephone conversation as they will be ready to continue to try to convince you. Get a second person around you to know what is going on and quickly alert the Police.
5) Do not leave minors unattended or alone at home.
6). Above all, if you are in doubt, end the conversation by saying “thank you, I am not interested”.

Please share this information with your staff, families,house-helps, drivers and well wishers.

Please pass this information to your family & friends.

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NLC rally over minimum wage and fuel reforms

419, Automobiles, Credit crunch, Currency, Economy, Education, Food, Lagos, Politics, Transportation, driving, flood and drainage, housing, jobs, recession, situation report, traffic No Comments »
We no go gree - fuel scarcity, bembele salary, Ekiti fraud...

We no go gree - fuel scarcity, bembele salary, Ekiti fraud...

Lagos: Nigeria Labour Congress on Wednesday, 13th of May, 2009 organised a peaceful rally and walked 20 kilometres from Ikorodu Road through Mobolaji Bank Anthony to the State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja. About 3,000 protesters showed up with policemen forming a ring around them. There was no riot or violence of any kind and placards conveyed the yearnings of the masses. The Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO) as well as the Trade Union Congress (TUC) were actively involved in the rally. According to this Yahoo! report, Abdulwaheed Omar, head of the NLC openly condemned the government of President Umaru Yar’Adua claiming it has no future for Nigerians. Two issues were raised.

1. Encourage the government to implement the electoral reforms (without permitting any amendment to it) and also raise the current minimum wage (which has been the same 7,500 naira for 10 years) to N52,200 (fifty-two thousand two hundred naira only).

Esele said: Our problem in Nigeria is that we are not allowed to choose who should lead us. Today, because of electoral flaws in the reforms Act, whoever is “picked” to rule is loyal to his godfather and not the masses

2. Discourage deregulation of petroleum products; contrary to the government’s belief that it is the only solution to the fuel crisis.

I remember the government has always supported deregulation to the anger of the NLC for as long as I can remember. They are saying deregulation will free us from the “Cartel” but the NLC think this is not true. It’s a tough war and a battle of interests. Deregulation will give the marketers the freedom to alter fuel pump prices as the government withdraws subsidies (to which the FG is owing over $1 billion to these “importers”). You and I know that majority of the oil marketers are greedy people, and given a blank cheque with which they can milk the masses dry, you will expect to buy fuel for N200 per litre before the end of the year, and don’t ask me if there will be competition, they also have a body and are out to make as much profit as politicians. I go with the NLC on that.

3,000 people combine voices, will it just end there?

3,000 people combine voices, will it just end there?

Instead of giving them a blank cheque to deal with the masses, they should rather focus on building or reviving our refineries. We do not need to import fuel for any reason, being one of the giants in OPEC. Why should a major oil producing country ship crude oil out and then buy the same again at a much much higher rate? It’s a plain old business reality. It is much better to own your infrastructure than to rent from a competitor. You can’t keep renting chairs for your school on a daily basis when you can actually buy chairs for life. If buying a chair costs 2,000 naira and renting one costs 100 naira, in just 20 days you would have paid the competitor 2,000 naira! It is plain to see that the competitor would never pray for you to think out of the box, unless of course there is a “Cartel” – and in our case, there is. Someone out there is benefiting in a big way from every litre of fuel that leaves or gets into the country.

Whatever the case, they need to rebrand our refineries before rebranding Nigeria because you cannot fool us with rebrand Nigeria when you have failed to provide our basic needs including power and fuel. You can’t keep cutting the branches when you can uproot the damn tree. Don’t ever send me such text messages until there’s a lil bit of sanity up there. I don’t need to be rebranded until you make efforts to rebrand the foundation. Its good they claim that Kaduna refinery is on the verge of complete turnaround, Warri Petrochemical company is back and better with 200 trucks of PMS loaded daily (remember only 18 were loading in Lagos as at last week) and that Port Harcourt refinery is doing well again. We need to see the impact at filling stations, the interface between the lengthy hierarchy and the masses.

Fuel Scarcity & Dollar exchange rate Update:

‘Nuff said. Fuel scarcity depends on areas. Some filling stations have a constant supply of fuel and are honest, some are not. It is no news that it is an offence to buy fuel in jerry cans (it is an offence to sell fuel to people in kegs), its equally an offence to buy fuel from black marketers, but in the last 4 weeks this has been the case. As the dollar now sells for 181 naira (official black market rate), 20 naira short of the highest all-time high, it is the black market guys who are having fun. Please read:

What happens in our filling stations nowadays.

http://lagosmet.com/blog/2009/05/nnpc-to-neutralize-fuel-scarcity-tomorrow-wed-6th-may-lagos/

Now inflation has every justifiable reason to exist. Markets are being scrapped in order to make Lagos beautiful, dollar don cost, fuel no dey. Tiny oranges now sell for 20 naira each, the bigger ones, 40 naira straight; imported apples, between 70 and 100 naira; Plantain, ah, please don’t go there; Yam, are you kidding me, Hello, are you in Lagos or Kwara? If you are a farmer living outside Lagos, my best advice for you is to load a truck and find your way here, the market is hungry, believe me, call me and i’ll buy. he he he (419’s beware).

Rain rain rain & Comedy

It’s raining again, BRT buses from Ojota to CMS, 150 Naira, LagBus with A/C, 200 naira only. Park your car at home and hit the BRT with your umbrella, I don’t know if you need A/C when it’s pouring heavily but the queues are shorter. Whether you drive or not, please read My tips for surviving the rainy season. The best selling non-white collar job in Lagos right now is comedy. Stand-up comedians and OAP’s (on air personalities) are swimming in millions – making more money than artistes, ‘high-class’ society sluts, gigolos and nollywood actors. It is commonplace for comedians to charge 500,000 naira per show (not so common though) and the good thing is that they get so many shows, an average of 5 per week. Do the math. As Nigerian football reaches an all-time pitiable condition, parents are now sending their wards to school of comedy, buying all the comedy series and begging other people to laugh when their wards crack jokes. Man gast to chop, dollar don cost.

And to think that Mohit Records (Dbanj’s) Suddenly and Close to you videos have been banned along with Tuface’s Enter the place and Kelly Handsome’s Maga don pay on radio. The last time Kerewa of Zule Zoo and Bang bang bang by Femi Kuti were banned, they sold like fire and won awards. Let’s see how they catapult these tracks already in high-demand into further glory. Rebranding Hypocrisy.

Bank Robberies on the rise.

Ah terrible news, I’ll post the pictures in my next topic, but brothers and sisters, bank robbers are now as plentiful as pick-pockets. It’s recession time and robbers are no longer wasting time having to force people to part with mobile phones and cars which they still have to resell, leaving that for the newing generation. They now go straight to the source. They can’t go to Nigerian Printing and Minting or the CBN, their best bet, the Retail banks.

LagosMet verdict: as the fuel scarcity situation fluctuates, some good days and more bad ones, we are still surviving. As the INEC plays into the hands of the government (who pays the piper, who dictates the tunes?) we are still surviving oh, my bros. As minimum wage remains N7,500 and an average House of Rep member goes home with an ‘official’ N172m (in case you thought it was a slip of keyboard, Over One hundred and seventy MILLION naira – not kobo) annually, my sister we still dey manage. Dollar cost, fuel cost, no job, market dry, food cost, dem thief my phone, dem rob me for bank, we still dey.

16 million people and counting, Lasgidi babe, we celebrate life – suffering and smiling.

Good day. The week ends tomorrow, remember Wednesday, May 27th – Children’s day, and Friday May 29th is Democracy day (public holiday). June 12 is another public holiday close by.

For the parents, I leave you with this video, a 2-year old girl with a big IQ (don’t blame those kids cos you gave them excess of Garri, Fufu and Pap).

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Happy Worker’s day – May day – Lagos

Automobiles, Lagos, Life, Movies, jobs, recession, situation report, traffic 1 Comment »

I’ve been kinda rusty these days, looking for news on the fuel scarcity situation, and hoping today would be a brighter day. Hopefully there shouldn’t be traffic till 4:00pm when millions would be headed to the Redemption camp (first friday of the month). Being a public holiday, you can be sure as death that many who have missed all of this year’s editions will try to make up for it today. It’s a funny situation, a funny day, sorry a great day.

1. It’s a Friday – (club boys, spend the whole day queuing for fuel, otherwise, your ass is grounded, no parole, lasgidi babe!)

2. It’s a public holiday (May 1st 2009 is worker’s day – day for the gallerias, start early, join the BRT)

3. Fuel scarcity day 4 (Black marketers, keep on cleaning out, rebrand, No! re-elect, No! refuel Nigeria)

4. Monthly RCCG (Redeemed Christian Church of God) vigil @ the Redemption Camp (if your parish got a bus then join the queue)

Whooooh! I guess you are on your own, I have a little below half tank and I’m burning all today… of course, no A/C, no overspeeding, no traffic (i hope,sorry, I pray!) .

For those who work, happy worker’s day, for students, wish you success in your exams, for the unemployed, it’s just another day getting you closer to your breakthrough, never give up trying your hands on tough things.

Happy Holidays.

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Millions of Lagosians set to lose homes by court order: Ilupeju, Anthony, Gbagada, Somolu

419, Economy, Lagos, Laws, Places, Structures, housing, injustice, real estate, recession, scam, situation report 3 Comments »

These Millions could be homeless in a matter of days

These Millions could be homeless in a matter of days

Lagos: Ilupeju, Gbagada, Anthony, Onigbongbo, Somolu residents are likely to lose their homes and lands as the Adoyi Ifadu Alashe Chieftaincy family seeks to claim back their heritage, backed by a 57-year old court judgement. e.t.c.

While a lot of people already have C of O’s for their title deed, the century old order is likely to prevail. The family has already, through agents sent notices to residents of the affected areas (about 2 million people) to quit their possessions peacefully or face forceful eviction engineered by the Police Force. It is rumoured that a politician close to the government is involved but as usual, this was debunked by the agents.

It is unfortunate (not suspiscious) that this is coming at this time of economic hardship and recession as the value of these transactions could run into Trillions of naira knowing the crazy value of real estate in the mainland where a plot of land costs as much as 4.5 million to 35 million naira. Don’t ask me why “anyone” would be interested in driving this or igniting the police into action. Money is king.

LagosMet verdict: This is probably the most ridiculous news I’ve heard since birth but the law must prevail. It is very unlikely that residents will so be evicted. I think deed owners and agents of the family will come to a compromise, pay a certain percentage and gain the permission of the family. Companies especially on Industrial Avenue include GSK, PZ, Direct on PC (ISP), uncountable banks, fast food restaurants, schools and major branches or regional headquarters of companies. This is one case that is sure to generate heat and dust over the next few weeks and months. I hope it doesn’t lead to bloodshed since Mushin is also affected.

LagosMet Rainy Season: My do’s and don’ts for motorists and passengers – How to survive the rainy season.

The cream of the crop is the obvious likelihood that 419, scammers and touts are likely to be more involved as they seem to lay claim to reap from where they have not sown. Residents, beware.

Here’s the full story from The Punch’s Sesan Olufowobi.

Residents of parts of Lagos Mainland, including Ilupeju, Anthony, Igbobi and Bajulaiye, have written a petition to the State Police Command over threats that have lately been issued to them by members of a popular Lagos family and their agents, advising them to willingly quit their houses of face eviction.

A copy of the petition quoted the Adoyi Ifadu Alashe Chieftaincy Family and their agents as claiming that the expansive land on which many big buildings are erected were illegally acquired by the owners of the buildings, adding that the family’s claims were also backed by a copy of court judgment.

Although the spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, Mr Frank Mba, said it would be difficult for the police to enforce the order, Saturday Punch investigation revealed that the family’s claims are supported by a series of court judgments, the last of which was delivered in 1952 by the Supreme Court under the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), the late Justice Adetokunbo Ademola. The judgment had held that the ownership of most parts of Lagos Mainland belonged to the descendants of Adoyi Ifadu Alashe chieftaincy family.

The head of Ifadu Alashe Family, 90-year-old Chief Lasisi Ajayi Arubo, told our correspondent at his Oko-Oba home that the family was seeking the enforcement of the 57-year-old judgment now because initial efforts to execute it were resisted so much that the family had to go back to court. “The court has determined all the cases in our favour, and we are currently seeking the execution of the judgment,” he declared.

The copy of the judgement shown to our correspondent indicated that the areas covering Idi Araba, Anthony, Idiroko, Onigbongbo, Obanikoro, Igbobi, Pedro Bajulaye, Abule Oja, Bariga, Shomolu, Gbagada, Iwaya and Oworonsoki belonged to the family.

The Adetokunbo Ademola verdict had stated, “There is no doubt that the Ifadu Alashe family at one time was not very active about the control of the area in dispute. This has been explained as largely due to the long illness of Madam Aina Edu who inherited the area from her father.

“I am satisfied on the whole that the area in dispute was ordinarily owned by Adoyi and that he and his descendants exercised numerous and positive acts of ownership for a period of many years.

I am satisfied that the area has always been in the possession of members of Adoyi Family and that in recent years (she) lost her tenancy owing to severe sickness.

“I therefore declare that the area in dispute belongs to the Ifadu Alashe to which all the just and true descendants are entitled and which family claims to the head.”

It stated further that all occupants of the area in dispute were illegal occupants except they “have the consent of the Ifadu Alashe Family to use apportioned areas.”

Arubo, who said he was happy that the family got back the land, said the family had made all arrangement to go back to court to compel the police and relevant security agencies to enforce the judgment.

Saturday Punch, however, gathered that the latest move is being championed by a politician who is close to the seat of government in Lagos.

But the Secretary of the family, Alfa Kareem Tajudeen Arubo, said there was no politician involved. He said, “You asked earlier why it took us all these years to execute the judgment. But the reality was that while those who we met on the land preferred to use thugs and violence to prevent us, we went back to court.

Our forefathers started these cases and we are still continuing. The Aworis are used to court cases and this one is not different. As soon as we are through with the relevant court judgment, we are enforcing it.

They can write one million petitions, we are not bothered. Truth and justice will prevail.

When it was pointed out to him that such a move could spell doom for Lagos State, Tajudeen retorted, “What about us that they had been cheating? We have made a provision for those who are willing to buy the land back. An oil company is already talking to us because it has one of its facilities on our land. But every undeveloped land will be claimed back; no negotiation.”

Many of the residents of the affected areas said they were not aware of any move to evict them.

But the few who were in the know were not really worried about the judgement. Mr. Olu Olaleye, who lives in Olateju Street, Mushin, said he was not bothered. “This land belonged to my father, and since I was small, we have been hearing of things like this. My father is dead and I am living in the house and the threat is still there. I can tell you that nohing can shake me”.

Mr. John Agha of Fola Agoro in Akoka, Yaba said he was waiting to see the person that would demolish the house he had just completed. “Let them try it,” he said.

Another resident of Shomolu, who gave his name as Olugbenga, said he got all the necessary papers on his house. “I have heard the rumour, but it can not affect me, because I have a C of O,” he said.

Some other respondents, who craved anonymity, urged the family to exercise caution.

At the Lagos State Ministry of Land in Alusa, the spokesperson was not available for comment. But an official who spoke with our correspondent said the ministry was aware of the court cases. “But I don’t think it has been resolved yet. I don’t think the Lagos State Government will go for such a crude action. The matter will be resolved,” he said, adding that he was not aware that anybody in government was spearheading the latest move.

Mba also said that the police had not seen any document compelling it to enforce the judgment. “But we will tread on the path of caution,” he said. But the lawyer to the family, Tobi Ogunleye, said the judgment was still binding because it was delivered by a court of competent jurisdiction.”

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Tips: How to avoid, manage or repel a rapist, rape

Credit crunch, Economy, Education, Lagos, Life, Nigeria, Relationships, recession, security, situation report No Comments »
If you can, please bite!

If you can, please bite!

LagosMet Tips: How to avoid, manage or repel a rapist, rape. RAPE, a topic no one wants share, remember, or report.

With no 911, rehab or respect, the present scare and scourge of HIV/AIDS, talkless of pregnancy, the last thing you want to come face to face with is the certainty of rape, or a rapists hands down your zippers. Thanks to Gov. Fashola, Oshodi is now a beauty to behold, even at night. Gone are the days when people who try to beat the early morning traffic on their way to work end up being raped in Oshodi even along the rail road. Things have changed now though. Stampedes, riots and curfews are sure fire ways to risk being raped and rapists are everywhere, in hostels, schools, parties, camps e.t.c. and they usually get away with it because no one dares to report.

Here in Lagos, there have been reports of fathers raping daughters (repeatedly), uncles deflowering nieces (forcefully), secondary teachers having their way with students and even gay rapes in male hostels. The after-effect of rape could be life-threatening sadness, darkness, depression and inability to trust. Some rape victims eventually commit suicide, some become very religious, while some refuse to settle down. Trust me, it’s recession, everyone’s cutting cost or getting laid off (not getting laid!) and you don’t want to add one rapist’s son to your payroll – rape is of no moral, spiritual, physical, social or even economic value. Its a stigma no one wants to live with. Have you been raped? You certainly don’t want a repeat. I feel for you, I don’t know how it feels but you must share your experiences sometime (on SecretZen, or Rubminds), with others, maybe, anonymously, and empty your mind just so you can move on.

The son of a rapist is what?

The son of a rapist is what?

As the rains approach, the weather becomes cold, there isn’t a better time than now to be wary of rapists. Please read and pass on:

Source: http://rubminds.com/forums/general-discussion/through-a-rapist’s-eyes-(no-joke)/

Long read but  worth it.. Pass it on to every female you know; you can even share this link.

A  group of rapists and date rapists in prison were  interviewed on what they look for in a potential  victim and here are some interesting  facts:

1) The  first thing men look for in a potential victim  is hairstyle. They  are most likely to go after a woman  with a  ponytail, bun, braid or other hairstyle that can  easily be grabbed .  They are also likely to go  after a  woman with long hair .  Women with short hair are not common  targets.

2) The  second thing men look for  is clothing.  They will look for women  who’s clothing is easy to remove  quickly.  Many of them carry scissors around specifically to  cut clothing.

3) They  also look  for women on their cell phone, searching  through their purse, or doing  other activities while  walking because  they are off-guard and can be easily  overpowered.

4) Men  are most likely to attack & rape in the early  morning, between 5:  00a.m. and 8:30a.m.

5) The  number one place women are abducted from/attacked  is grocery  store parking lots.  The number two: office  parking lots/garages. Number  three: public  restrooms.

6)  The thing about these men is that they  are looking  to grab a woman and quickly move her to another  location where  they don’t have to worry about getting  caught.

7) Only 2% said they carried weapons  because rape carries a 3-5 year sentence but rape  with a weapon is 15-20 years.

Cool If  you put  up any kind of a fight at  all, they  get discouraged because  it only takes a minute or two for them to realize  that going after you isn’t worth it because it will  be time-consuming.

9) These men said they  would not  pick on women who have  umbrellas,  or other similar objects  that can  be used from a  distance, in  their hands.

Keys  are NOT a  deterrent because  you have to get really close to the attacker to use  them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these  guys you’re not worth it.

10) Several defense  mechanisms he taught us are: If  someone is following behind  you on  a street or in a garage or with you in a n elevator  or stairwell, look  them in the face and ask them a  question,  like what  time is it?,  or make general small talk: ‘I can’t believe it is so  cold out here,’ ‘We’re in for a bad  winter.’ Now  you’ve seen their face and could identify them in a  line-up; you lose appeal as a  target.

http://lagosmet.com/blog/2009/04/how-to-avoid-manage-repel-rapist-rape-tips/

11) If  someone is coming toward you, hold  out your hands in front of you and yell STOP! or  STAY BACK!Most of the rapists this man talked to  said they’d  leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she  would not be afraid to fight  back.  Again, they are looking for an EASY  target.

12) If you carry  pepper spray (this  instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it  with him wherever he goes), yell I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY  and holding  it out will be a  deterrent.

13) If  someone grabs you,  you can’t beat them with strength but you can  by outsmarting  them.  If you are grabbed around the waist from  behind, pinch  the attacker either under  the Arm (between  the elbow and armpit) OR  in the upper inner thigh VERY  VERY HARD.  One woman in a class this guy taught told him she  used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to  date rape her and was so upset she broke through the  skin and tore out muscle strands – the guy needed  stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as  hard as you can stand it – it  hurts.

14) After  the initial hit, always GO  for the GROIN.  I know from a particularly unfortunate experience  that if you slap a guy’s parts it  is extremely painful.  You might think that you’ll anger the guy and make  him want to hurt you more, but the thing these  rapists told our instructor is that they want a  woman who will not cause a lot of  trouble. Start  causing trouble and he’s out of  there.

15) When  the guy puts his hands up to  you, grab  his first two fingers and bend them back as far as  possible with as much pressure pushing down on them  as possible. The instructor did it to me without  using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and  both knuckles cracked audibly.

16) Of course  the things we always hear still  apply. Always  be aware of your surroundings, take  someone with you if you can and if  you see any odd behavior, don’t dismiss it, go with  your instincts!!!

You  may feel a little silly at the time, but you’d feel  much worse if the guy really was  trouble.

1.  Tip from Tae  Kwon Do :  The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If  you are close enough to use it, do!

2.  Learned this from a tourist guide  in New  Orleans :  If a robber asks for your wallet and/or  purse,DO  NOT HAND IT TO HIM.  Toss it away from you….chances are that he is more  interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and  he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN  LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER  DIRECTION!

3.  If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick  out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the  hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t  see you, but everybody else will. This has saved  lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into  their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc.,  and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a  list, etc.) DON’T  DO THIS! The  predator will be watching you, and this is the  perfect opportunity for him to get in on the  passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you  where to go. AS  SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND  LEAVE.

a. If someone is in the car with a gun  to your head DO  NOT DRIVE OFF,  repeat: DO  NOT DRIVE OFF!  Instead gun the engine and speed into anything,  wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the  person is in the back seat they will get the worst  of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run.  It is better than having them find your body in a  remote location.

5  A few notes about getting into your car in a parking  lot or parking garage:

A.) Be aware: look  around you, look into your car, at the passenger  side floor, and in the back seat.

B.) If you  are parked next to a big van, enter your car from  the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their  victims by pulling them into their vans while the  women are attempting to get into their  cars.

C.) Look at the car parked on the  driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger  side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest  your car, you may want to walk back into the mall,  or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back  out.

IT  IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY . (And better  paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take  the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are  horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime  spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)

7.  If the predator has a gun and you are not under his  control, ALWAYS  RUN! The  predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in  100 times. And even then, it most  likely WILL  NOT be  a vital organ.RUN,  preferably in a zigzag  pattern!

8. As  women, we are always trying to be  sympathetic: STOP! It  may get you raped or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial  killer, was a good-looking, well-educated man, who  ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting  women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often  asked ‘for help’ into his vehicle or with his  vehicle, which is when he abducted his next  victim.
9.  Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her  friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night  before last, and she called the police because it  was late and she thought it was weird. The police  told her ‘Whatever  you do, DO NOT open the  door.’

The  lady then said that it sounded like the baby had  crawled near a window, and she was worried that it  would crawl to the street and get run over. The  policeman said, ‘We already have a unit on the way,  whatever you do, DO  NOT open the door.’ He  told her that they think a serial killer has a  baby’s cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of  their homes thinking that someone dropped off a  baby. He said they have not verified it, but have  had several calls by women saying that they hear  baby’s cries outside their doors when they’re home  alone at night.

Please  pass this on and DO NOT open the door for a crying  baby — This should be taken seriously because the  Crying Baby theory was mentioned  on America’s  Most Wanted this  past Saturday when they profiled the serial killer  in Louisiana .

I’d  like you to forward this to all the women you know.  It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by  lighting another candle. I was going to send this to  the ladies only, but guys, if you love your mothers,  wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may want to  pass it onto them, as well.

Source: http://rubminds.com/forums/general-discussion/through-a-rapist’s-eyes-(no-joke)/

Take away: Bobby Bishops song for Amy (a teenage rape victim)

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Don’t fall for Interswitch ATM/Debit card expiry scams

Credit crunch, Currency, Internet, Lagos, Life, Nerdic Stuffs, Places, Technology, Transportation, banking, jobs, recession, situation report 21 Comments »
Interswitch website warning

Interswitch website warning!

Don’t fall for the Interswitch ATM/Debit Card Scam!

This scam (perpetrated by our Yahoo Yahoo! boys who are fast running out of options – www.419eater.com) has been around for a while now especially since the inception of webpay which made e-commerce possible in Nigeria. The ATM/Debit Card is the only equivalent of the Western Credit Card only that it is prepaid. Naturally, you’d expect the ATM card to be very secure since you need a PIN and a physical provider (Interswitch, E-tranzact) card with preference for Interswitch (being more popular), but websites such as Buyright.biz, rechargenigeria.com, reloadng.com and deoluakinyemi all allow you to pay for goods and services from the comfort of your internet-connected device, just by punching your card number and PIN. In some cases, you get an SMS confirming the transaction, and in some other cases (especially if you are yet to subscribe to SMS alerts) you don’t get any alert. On interswitch’s official website (http://interswitchng.com), you could even transfer from one interswitch card account to another (not sure if this is still possible). Our fraudsters promptly rose to the occasion to explore the holes in the loops, GTB was one of the worst hit, and they reacted instantly by blocking the use of their ATM cards on websites.

It’s quite unfortunate that till today, many still fall for this trap. Look at the mail below: a scammer sends a mail asking you to click on a link to interswitch’s website. Do not click on links (especially masked links) but instead copy and paste into the browser, if it’s not Interswitch’s official website, then it’s pure scam, delete the mail. (http://allafrica.com/stories/200704190048.html)

Interswitch Logo

Interswitch Logo

Also, do not be deceived by the sender’s address, anyone can mask the sender address. If you wish to reply at all, always click on the reply button. Most scam mails usually ask you to reply to a different email address other than the one that was used to send the mail (e.g. sender: expiry@interswitchng.com please reply to: scammer@gmail.com). When they do provide websites, their fake websites mirror the original one (as seen in fake MTN and Zenith Bank job scam sites), sometimes, some cheap-ass scammers use free sites and folders within folders of sub-domains such as http://money.myfreewebsites.com/bank/scammers/fraud/?@www.interswitchng.com/register – you should easily “nab” these ones (I repeat, do not click on links in emails directly, always do copy and paste into google search with the word scam before it and see for yourself, trust your instinct).

LagosMet: My take on this is this, always suspect anything that comes to you by mail or SMS (better to be a pessimist on the internet). Take a line of the content or title of the message, google it with the word scam and see if you get similar results. Remember, if it’s too good to be true then it’s scam.

The mail:

Dear Interswitch Card Holder,

We are carrying out a fraud prevention on our system,
and you’ve been required to register all your ATM card(s) Online Immediately
for security reasons, and to prevent your ATM card(s)
from fraudulent activities.

Be notified, that all ATM card(s) must be registered, such as your
(DEBIT CARDS, X-CHANGE CARDS, and CASH CARDS)

Please Register your ATM cards now by CLICKING HERE and then do as required.

(Failure to verify your ATM Card(s) details correctly will lead to account suspension)

This Update is compulsory
If you do not register your ATM card(s) immediately,
you will no longer be able to use your card(s) on our ATM machines
or for ATM transactions and your card(s) will be cancelled or terminated.

Thank you.

=======================================================

Breakdown:

1. Prevent your card from fraudulent activities (and he’s planning to defraud you already)

2. All cards must be registered (are cards not already registered? A wise man will give the bank a call, not even interswitch)

3. Failure to verify will lead to account suspension (all ATM cards have their expiry dates, you can’t even do any online transaction without entering your debit card’s expiry date, why the rush?)

4. Glorious threats (this is the first scam mail without the magic word called “guarantee”, are you scared to lose your card? As long as your money is safe). Never ever reveal your PIN to anyone.

Finally, Interswitch should please release a list of approved websites so that users can verify which websites are registered and which ones are phishing/scam websites. If there was a list like http://interswitchng.com/list_of_approved_websites/ then the world would be a much better place for scammers and potential, unsuspecting victims like you and I. This modus operandi applies to other sites such as ebay, paypal and many bank websites worldwide. You don’t want to lose your hard earned money in this period of recession, its credit crunch period for scammers as well. Be watchful, be careful, be prepared, be informed.

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Lagos Politics: Governor Fashola stands out…

Automobiles, Economy, Education, Health, Lagos, Laws, Media, Nigeria, Personality, Politics, Relationships, Structures, Technology, Transportation, jobs, recession, security Comments Off
Governor Fashola

Governor Fashola

In Simon’s article, Understanding the Fashola Phenomenon, the relationship between Fashola and Tinubu clearly explains why Lagos is moving forward. He also compared the governor with other peers who have embarked on white elephant projects and like their predecessors have failed to make an impact. Please read on…

“Anytime someone pours encomium on Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, I smile, mischievously. I’m usually amused because… Okay, I’ll come back to that shortly. A few days ago, I was, as usual, discussing Nigeria with a friend. He recently had a terrible experience with a government institution. “We can never get it right in this country,” he said in frustration. “Nigeria is doomed,” he proclaimed on top of his voice. I looked at him and said: “Fashola.” I could feel his anger melt down. Reluctantly, he replied: “You may have a point there.” What did I mean by “Fashola”? No, I was not saying Fashola was about to solve all our problems. But under two years, he has demonstrated a sense of urgency, commitment and focus. It is not just about the change he is bringing to Lagos, but also the promise he has shown. He is showing us clearly that we are not living in a hopeless society, that things can change and change for good. Fashola has renewed my hope that a new Nigeria is possible.
It is very easy to think Nigeria is doomed. I have agonised over this doom most of my adult life. It is very difficult to see hope. We hardly see the silver lining in a dark cloud; rather, we see a dark lining in a silver cloud, as someone said years ago. We are so frustrated and pessimistic that we don’t even see the opportunities and prospects that gawk at us. All we can see are problems and pains. You cannot blame the Nigerian. We appear to be helpless and hopeless. We are like a sheep without a shepherd. Therefore, whenever someone appreciates Fashola, I smile mischievously, as if saying: “Didn’t you say it is finished with Nigeria?” And believe it or not, there are a hundred Fasholas – educated, exposed, committed, focused and visionary – all over Nigeria who do not have the opportunity to shine because of our peculiar political structure.
The major difference, however, is that someone placed merit above political expediency and stuck out his neck for Fashola. I’m talking about Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the immediate past governor of Lagos State. Having ruled Lagos for eight turbulent years, during which he kept battling with the President Olusegun Obasanjo-led PDP troops who were hell-bent on capturing Lagos at any cost, Tinubu could easily have handed over to another politician. There were many of them around him, pressing him left, right and centre. He chose, instead, to throw his weight behind a certain Babatunde Raji Fashola who was unknown outside the Lagos corridors of power. Why did Tinubu settle for Fashola? Why did he choose to gamble on someone who had never been a councillor, much less a council chairman, in a society where we make jest of people like Pat Utomi because their political CV is not intimidating?
Tinubu opted for someone whose first exercise of executive power would be in the office of the governor of Lagos, the most chaotic and the most strategic state in Nigeria. Why? My guess is that Tinubu saw something in him which some of us did not see. My guess is that having laid out a beautiful plan for Lagos which he could not fully implement because of political expediency in the Obasanjo years, Tinubu was sincerely committed to getting a rightful successor who would carry out the assignment to a logical conclusion. He put merit above merriment, purpose above politics, reason above rhyme. I wish Obasanjo could honestly say the same regarding his own choice of successor.
Why is Fashola making progress? This should provide good PhD research topics for political scientists and maybe economists. Since I am a student of Governance and Development, I will look at the Lagos Model from my own bias. My write-up today should help us understand the Fashola Phenomenon and put things in proper perspective. We can then ask: what can the rest of Nigeria learn from this? The major obstacle to good governance in Nigeria, in my own opinion, is politics. You can replace that word with “politicking”. Many times, we have managed to produce good people in government but they end up as failures. Why? I suggest: the impediments caused by politicking. For you to succeed as a leader in Nigeria, you must get your politics and policy right. You may have good policies, but without the right politics you will fail. No matter how much we dislike politicians, we need them. You can never have politics without politicians. That is one. On the other hand, you may get all your politics right – pleasing some people, pummelling others, perfecting all the intrigues – but the society will never move forward if you do not have the right policies. You, therefore, cannot escape a happy marriage of politics and policy if you are to be an achiever.
Now here comes the Lagos Model. Fashola is the “technocrat” who handles governance, the finer details. Tinubu is the “godfather” who handles the politics, you know, the murky waters. They complement each other. Tinubu himself is a technocrat, to be sure, but the politician took the better part of him during his tenure as he had to fight off the PDP hawks. If Fashola begins to play politics today, governance will suffer. If he was interested in politicking, he could never have removed the traders from Oshodi. He could never have chased away those yellow buses from the highway. In Nigerian politics, the critical mass of voters will be found in markets and at motor parks. The real voters and foot soldiers are petty traders, bus drivers, conductors and touts. The conventional wisdom is that if you control the motor parks, you control the thugs; if you control the thugs, you control the polling booth; if you control the polling booth, you control the votes! That is why associations such as National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) are very strategic to politicians and there is always a fierce battle to control them.
By taking these tough decisions, Fashola would have been committing political suicide. But, no, there is Tinubu to clean up the “mess” politically. This frees Fashola to retain his focus without much distraction. It is like in football: you have a defensive midfielder and an attacking midfielder – the former, like Tinubu, handles the defensive part of the job while the latter, like Fashola, is freed and creates goals for his team. Politics and policy, like we said, must be happily married if we are to enjoy good governance in this country. Fashola has never made any attempt to discredit his predecessor. I hear a lot of PDP people say: “It’s Tinubu’s programme that Fashola is implementing.” Pure rubbish. One of the biggest obstacles to our development is this mentality that you must discredit your predecessor and discontinue his programmes so that people would not say you don’t have your own ideas. Pure rubbish. Government is a continuum. If anything, policy reversals have done a lot of damage to the country, as we can see at the federal level.

Fashola and S.A.Ferguson

Fashola and S.A.Ferguson

President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua came to office in May 2007, and – based on the advice of people who probably had selfish motives – he suspended the power projects, cancelled the Lagos-Kano rail contract and reversed the privatisation of refineries. Nearly two years after, Yar’Adua is going back to the same power and rail projects – and he now wants to privatise the refineries again. Precious time wasted for nothing! Does he know the billions of dollars and invaluable productivity we have lost as a result of this? Why must he reverse policies for the fun of it? All the talk about 6,000 megawatts today is based on the projects Obasanjo initiated in 2006! So why waste our time? This is very common all over Nigeria – new governors abandoning critical projects for selfish reasons. Fashola has proved to be wiser than most.
But can we replicate the Lagos Model all over Nigeria? For instance, would Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani have performed better as Enugu governor if he had faced governance and allowed Jim Nwobodo to handle the politics? That is the problem with modelling. What works in Sokoto may not work in Akwa Ibom and what works in Oyo may fail in Kogi. However, the fundamental truth cannot be altered – that “politics and policy” must be delicately balanced, happily married, if we are to make progress. Whether one person should handle the two or there should be “separation of powers” between the “politician” and the “technocrat” is what we can debate more extensively. However, the Lagos Model can work for Nigeria as witnessed under Obasanjo administration. Obasanjo, though a terrible politician who was obviously power drunk, managed to handle the politics while “technocrats” such as Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Mr. Bode Agusto, Dr. Mansur Muhtar and Mallam Nasir el-Rufai went about the business of governance. Obasanjo’s battle with his own contradictions might have discredited his government, but we certainly made some progress under his government.
Can we then toy with the idea of a “politician” President and a “technocratic” VP in 2011? Technocrats have their failings, just like politicians too, so we need a balance. Somehow, I think Nigeria’s redemption will benefit tremendously by learning from the Lagos Model. It’s a phenomenon we should give serious consideration to, as we battle to create a new Nigeria.”

Joke of the day: African Remix Video (Beyonce put a ring on it) All the single ladies spoof

and Don’t put that ring on it (Spoof Video)

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Lagos! Are you ready for the $2,000 Tata Nano MiniCar?

Automobiles, Credit crunch, Economy, Education, Lagos, Nerdic Stuffs, Nigeria, Places, Social, Technology, Transportation, driving, recession 5 Comments »
My Tata Nano

My Tata Nano

Tata Nano and Lagos State, will it survive? A review.

Kia Picanto, I10, QQ, Maruti 800, Nano… Namaste! I think “we” know ourselves when it comes to class. You butterish ones, I ain’t talking to y’all, na we dem dem I dey follow yarn. I know you can afford the Smartcars ForTwos and cohorts but you won’t go near this one I can bet. Why? Cos it’s so dang cheap! When I’m thinking Mini-Car to office every Lagos day, you are thinking of driving it down the golf course only. Wait a minute? Even if GTB, UBA, Oceanic, PHB, Zenith and Intercontinental all “collabo” to donate this “ride” (yes, ride, not motor) to my pitiable cause, am I ready to put my one and only life into the driver seat and hit Western Avenue? Yeparipa, come with me and let’s inspect my dream toy. Please advise rightly, put yourself in my shoes, be thy brother’s keeper, even if I can’t be of “help” to someone else.

The Red Nano, high and cheap

The Red Nano, high and cheap

I’ve cruised a few really low (in terms of clearance, not height) cars on the streets of Las Gidi in the past. Volkswagen Bug and Kia Picanto to be precise and I know what it takes having one as your only “donkey” (remember Tico Daewoo?). Not nice at all. Every day you fight a battle against three foes; flood, bumps (including speed breakers) and pot-holes and you just never get to win. For a roadside mechanic who “knows his job” your sump and other car parts closer to the ground are bound to drill holes in your pocket (you should know by now that I’m more of a pessimist). Okay, nor vex, back to the topic. I did not say hatchback, read well, I said minicar sometimes called SmartCar so if you are thinking Swift, Rio or even Golf or Mini then you are getting it all mixed up because I’m not even talking about the Benz SmartCar or other look alikes but about these sub 1.1-llitre (mostly 800cc or less) engine minicars, usually with four doors, low ground clearance and looks that remind you of the Pocket PC. Unlike most SmartCars, these minicars ship with 4 doors.

Suzuki's $4,000 Maruti 800

Suzuki's $4,000 Maruti 800

As you are reading this, I just got me a wooden kolo (little bank) to save as much as I can before the Nano finds its way to the hungry Lagos Market.

QQ3 not a hit in Lagos

QQ3 not a hit in Lagos

I’m trying to imagine my Nano speeding past the Cayenne and LR3 on the third mainland bridge, defying the laws of Lagoon breeze and Lagos Madness. I’m not scared cos I’ve seen the Chery QQ3 and Hyundai I10 do 100 on the freeway. With 160 cm of height and 18cm of ground clearance, the Nano is more suited to the rigours of Lagos roads compared with QQ3’s 12.5cm, but with a rear engine I think i’m covered for balance. If you know what I mean, the typical Kia Sportage stands 7.7 inches (20 cm) from the ground. Compared with Maruti 800’s 800cc engine, my nano has a little above 600 and with a 2-cylinder engine, I’m eager to hear what it’ll sound like (keke Napep), hopefully the horn should compensate for the bike-like sound on the road. The electronic engine management should get the best out of our tiny set-up including fuel consumption. A gallon (4 litres) can take you as far as almost 90km. Besides, you only need 1,050 (one thousand and fifty) naira to fill your 15-litre tank! QQ3 has 38 litres. Don’t mention, I can’t wait for the luxury version so I’ll go with the standard version which has no a/c. Now if I were to “bus” to Ibadan, I would be looking at 500 naira to and maybe 450 naira fro (on the average, usually more). That’s almost my full tank and I only need half my tank to drive down to Molete and back but Lagostically thinking, I’d pick 3 other passengers up at Berger (@ 150 naira per seat, not butts) for 450 naira and do the same on the return trip… with 900 naira, that’s more fuel than my tank can hold. Who says having your brand new car doesn’t make sense? As for parking space, you shouldn’t have a problem, 2 nanos can park in your typical Volvo 740 parking space.

For the techies:

Th!nk city, Mini look-alike

Th!nk city, Mini look-alike

The Tata Nano has  a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623 cc, 33 PS, multi point fuel injection petrol (MPFI) engine. It’s a petrol engine of course. Rear wheel drive, rear engine configuration means that the front end is very light, and you would not feel the need for power steering. The powertrain of the Tata Nano is set in the rear. Maximum power and maximum torque is  35 bhp @ 5500 rpm and 4.8 kgm @ 3000 rpm, respectively. In terms of performance, the Nano can go from 0 to 60 kph in approximately in 8 Seconds, hitting a top speed of 105 kph. I bet you dont want to swerve or switch double lanes at that point.

On RubMinds.com, a poster from Ireland said she wouldn’t travel long distances due to traffic and fuel scarcity on the expressway, the kerb weight of 600kg didn’t go down either due to strong winds and seating capacity means no lift of any kind to Orobo people.250,000 naira, Imagine!

250,000 naira, Imagine!

Warranty on the Nano is 18 months or 24,000 Km, please don’t raise your hopes. Joor oh! Mi o le fi Keke Napep le Trailer o!

$16,000 Smart - the popular one

$16,000 Smart - the popular one

The summary of it all is that the Nano will work in Lagos but you must not expect too much from it (at least for the price). Not a bad car at all and at 500,000 naira a unit, it’s much better than buying a tokunbo car. There is currently no support but I think Tata should set up big time in Lagos sometime next year after fulfilling their promise to Indians. There is a chance that more and more cheaper cars can be manufactured or are we just paying too much for some cars that aren’t worth that much, like mobile phones? Will the Nano sell? Are you kidding me? Expect to see Glo Nano 100,000 cars Rule and Win Promo :) Bye-bye to one-chance or crash helmet… He he he. I’m not asking you to donate cash, please donate yarns, should I save or should I just buy a plot of Land at Mowe (25k per month)? Jaiho ooo!

Recessity is the mother of Invention!

Recessity is the mother of Invention

In Francis Dike’s words, Lagos Naija are you ready for this?

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Lagos – Helping one another to dial 911!

Critique, Economy, Escapades, Internet, Lagos, Life, Nigeria, Personality, Places, Relationships, Religion, Social, recession 5 Comments »

Brothers and Sisters,

If you didn't know now you do.

If you didn't know now you do.

LAGOS, NIGERIA: I don’t know how you’ll react to this message or revelation or reminder or piece of crap but one thing is sure; you will agree with me that these things do happen a lot around us so much that I can be forgiven to use the word “rampant”. Okay, when I blog, i leave so many things aside, i don’t mince words, for the sake of young readers I try to use dotted lines so you can, with your durrry mind, fill in the gap. Let’s leave religious hypocrisy and pretence aside and face the truth no one likes to talk about… cos you are probably one of them.

Relationships in Lagos, like in any Metropolis are usually dirty. I mean verbally dirty, morally dirty, spiritually dirty, socially dirty, financially dirty and maybe (sorry almost always) physically durrrry! Now where do I start from? Hmmmm…  Distance relationships! Common, you know what I mean, people need someone to hug and to hold, someone to hang out with, on thursday nights and weekends, in short someone to lust! Did you get that? Someone to lolox! Did I hear you say cheating? Come with me and see mums, dads, bosses, colleagues, siblings, friends and even partners getting help. Are you trying to cope with stress and depression from unemployment or the monster recession and just need to ease off? Okay I see you grabbing your cellphone, don’t dial 911 just yet, help’s on the way…

Okay let’s get down right serious. You ask someone, “Hey, what you doing with that person?”, you get the answer:

Her boyfriend’s in another Taraba State, I’m just helping her.

His wife’s 6 months pregnant, I’m helping him. No strings attached.

His wife’s out of town and my boyfriend’s in NYSC camp, we are helping each other.

Her boyfriend won’t be visiting till next week and we are next door neighbours, what’s bad in helping each other?

She’s away in another school and her boyfriend is on a course in the UK, I’m just trying to be of help to them.

You should know by now what the word “help” means – this has nothing to do with recharge cards or money. It’s plain, straight-to-the-point, no stories, durrry quickie sex – nothing to lose! If you haven’t heard the words Sharp Sharp, Kia Kia, Pa Pa Pa, One Time… now you know they mean “In a giffy”. It’s confusing when an individual tries to “help” so many people at the same time. It’s even more confusing when the needy ones know they are being helped by the same superman or superwoman. It’s part of the fun in Lagos innit?

The surprising thing is the abnormal understanding noticed in this type of relationship. It is firstly a relationship with no future or chance of getting anywhere, a higher version of the one night stand. If there is any exchange of any material nature, it’s simply mutual and not part of the plan as this is no sex-for-money thingy. You help in kind, not cash. Another thing is how people have evolved into loving one person and keeping such for marriage and at the same time helping a host of others who eventually show up to cheer their helpmates up at their wedding. For all I care, help goes on well after marriage even when both parties are married. A friend once told me his helpmate’s boyfriend called while they were helping each other but he was on another level and just couldn’t stop, even when she picked up the phone and the helpless one at the other end (who probably has his helpmate there too) could hear sounds of “torturing” over the phone… what a great way to retire to bed!

I’m not asking you to start suspecting your partner. Helpers are everywhere; schools, churches, neighbourhood, workplaces, dating/social networking sites (naijapals, facebook, legwork)… just name it. Age is no barrier when everyone is a potential helper, don’t be deceived by looks. I won’t go around asking you to “resist the devil and he will flee from you”, nope, I just believe if you are old enough to read through this blog, you can either say YES or NO to helping or being helped. And if you must help or be helped, please protect yourself so that your helpless partner can find you in one piece but know that you may not be able to “free” your erotic mind from your helpmate even when your partner returns. This could lead to a life of guilt, fear of blackmail, absent-mindedness, and depression if care is not taken. Risks as usual include breakup (busting), unwanted pregnancy, unwanted marriage, STDs, murder, rape (at the point of no return), ritual killing, robbery and so many ugly things. Nothing is entirely hidden you know. As you render helpful services, remember that someone could be helping your “love” elsewhere too. If your partner doesn’t trust you then someone is likely going to dial 911.

Do you still need help? Do you still want to help someone? Say it now, or forever hold your peace!

Joor Oh! Mi o le help Iya Arugbo O! (Please, I can’t “help” a grannie!)

Enjoy your weekend.

X.

A hunter with only one arrow does not shoot on impulse. – Naija Proverb

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