Nollywood Heartthrob Ramsey Nouah

The film industry in Africa is blessed with an abundance of talent. From Nigeria through to Kenya, South Africa and Ghana, the continent continues to produce quality actors and actresses. Year in year out, Africa’s impressive database of screen lords and goddesses increases with an appreciable level of quality, style and presentation.

So it is no wonder that Nollywood, Africa’s most successful movie industry (at least for now), is getting all the applause from across the divide of the filmmaking world. From very humble beginnings to its present state, Nollywood has stated its case as a global force to reckon with. In an impressive string of good results posted over the decade, the Nigerian film industry, despite its problems, is still leading the rest of the pack, in a clear unassailable manner that would take the rest of the continent to catch up.

Countries like Ghana, South Africa and Kenya are giving Nollywood a hot chase but given the fact that numerical advantage would always favour the Nigerian film industry, it makes it hard to even suggest or try to explain that, all others can or may catch up in terms of revenue flow. Nollywood will be around for a long time to come, and its key payers including the actors and actresses will ensure that.

Ramsey Adetokunbo Nouah is undoubtedly one of Nigeria’s most successful actors. To say that Nouah is a cult figure in Nigeria, would be stating the obvious, and to imply that he is one of Africa’s finest actors of all time, would echo the thoughts of many movie lovers across the continent. In the early 2000s when the Nigerian movie industry began making strategic inroads into other African countries, it was the likes of Nouah, Genevieve Nnaji, Liz Bension and Pete Edoche among others, who graced the screens.

Those days, it was pretty hard to come across a Nigerian movie without a certain Nouah. He constantly featured in almost all of the titles that were produced at the time, becoming a figure most young people would look up to. The respect and quantum of appreciation he earned from fans and industry players alike, aided his gradual growth to the top of what can be said to be, in all fairness, a career well lived.

And even though the film industry in Nigeria has gone through phases, accommodating other young hopeful, and carefully placing the likes of Ramsey in the backroom, he’s managed to go through all that unscathed, holding on to what he’s been known for over the years – quality. A career full of awards and accolades, the 39 year-old actor debuted on the local scene, with his appearance in the soap opera Fortunes.

Around 1990, a friend who had always dreamt of seeing Ramsey act, urged him on to try auditioning for a role in Fortunes. A year later, he found himself as one of key actors in the series. Fortunes, which later became Mega Fortunes, aired in 1993 on the Nigerian Television Authority, and to a larger extent, gave birth to what is currently referred to as Nigerian Home Videos.

Nouah would later go on to achieve nationwide fame, as one script after the another from major film production houses poured in. As many as they came, Nouah made good use of them, proving the fine actor he is. Born in Edo, Nigeria to an Iranian/Israeli father and a Yoruba mother, Nouah has featured in over hundred Nigerian movies notable among them being Dangerous Twins, and The Figurine, which won him a, 2010, Best Actor in a Leading Role recognition at the African Movie Academy Awards.



source:msnafrican

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Top 10 Signs You Are About To Cheat

When it comes to cheating, men are king. We cheat at cards, we cheat on our taxes, and far too often, we cheat on our partners.

According to the Ashley Madison Agency, approximately 50% to 60% of men will engage in an extramarital tryst at some point in their lives.

Our reasons are myriad, but the tell-tale signs of propensity for infidelity are typically the same. Gain insight into your own potential cheating heart by reading the top 10 signs you're about to have an affair.

Number 10 : You create a web of excuses and stories
Once reticent and quiet, you've suddenly become a better storyteller than Mother Goose. You never leave the house without an alibi and you're constantly lying about the women with whom you've been spending time. You haven't done anything yet, but you're clearly preparing yourself for the day when you do.

Number 9 : You feel trapped
You feel completely ensnared and you're not even sure how it happened. One moment you were happily picking berries and catching salmon in the river, the next you're concealed behind glass in a five-foot enclosure and being viewed by hundreds of grubby school kids every day. Like any trapped animal, you likely resent your lack of freedom and are anxious to return to the wild. Chances are you're also terrified that if you stay with your current partner she will be the last person you will ever have sex with (for free, anyhow).

Number 8 : You are suddenly forgiving of your cheating friends
Rather than condemning your buddies for cheating on their partners, you find reasons to empathize. Sure, your best pal might be having an affair, but his girlfriend had it coming to her for putting on 10 pounds. So what if she was pregnant? You share your friend's motivations and find yourself able to rationalize even their most caveman-like behavior.

Number 7 : You develop a relationship with other women
It used to be the only time you truly opened up was when you were screaming at your TV set during Monday Night Football
Now all of a sudden you can't shut up. You find yourself seeking out sympathetic women and telling them all about your crumbling relationship. Be forewarned: Most women eat this kind of conversation up faster than a bowl of fat-free chips. Emotional affairs like these are only one crying session and a couple of tequilas away from becoming a full-fledged physical fling.

Number 6 : You keep your girlfriend a secret
When speaking with other women, you find yourself concealing the fact you have a girlfriend, even lying about her existence when asked. You enjoy receiving attention from these women and are reluctant to bring the conversation to a halt by admitting you share your bed with a 200-pound behemoth who's beginning to look more and more like her mother every single day... or not. You have sex thoughts, and they're about real women...

Number 5 : You have sexual thoughts of being with other women
Let's face it: If you're a living and breathing, red meat-eating SportsCenter-watching man, you're bound to entertain thoughts of having sex with other women. If you didn't, no porn company in the world could ever operate in the black. When your mind starts to wander, however, it's only a matter of time before your body starts to follow. You might even find you're unable to perform with your partner unless you imagine she's someone else (Should that someone else be Star Jones, you might want to rush into therapy immediately).

Number 4 : You let your girlfriend understand it's okay to cheat
By relaxing your moral code, you hope your partner will be more understanding if she eventually catches you playing nude Twister with the maid. You suggest threesomes might be worth a shot, you tell her that monogamy is overrated and you even try to convincing her that you're 1/3 Mormon.

Number 3 : You search for arousal elsewhere
You find yourself increasingly drawn to pornography and strip joints, and not only for the chance to drink $10 beers and listen to "Wild Thing." The real issue, of course, is that you're no longer aroused by your partner. Perhaps you miss the spontaneity of when you first met, or maybe you can't get the image of her Days of the Week underwear out of your head. Whatever the reason, on those rare occasions you still have sex, you find yourself going through the motions, rushing through foreplay and finishing after only a few minutes (rather than the full five minutes you usually last).

Number 2 : You notice ads for escorts & sign up to adult sites
You begin searching for women who are up for a good time and are still eager to impress. These women might be less attractive than your current partner, but at least they still have that new girlfriend smell. After all, you're not looking to settle down again, you're just looking to have some no-strings-attached fun.

Number 1 : You pick up women & get phone numbers
You increasingly find yourself at clubs and bars resorting to your old tricks. You're turning on the charm, using your old pickup lines and even bathing regularly again. Chances are you're even more successful than before because you have the safety net of a secure relationship to return to, and the confidence that comes with it.

Honorable Mention : You put yourself in prime situations for meeting women
You start enrolling in salsa and cooking classes... by yourself. Perhaps you find reasons to work late and crunch numbers with that attractive (and slightly dimwitted) intern. Maybe you've even become the one male member of a feminist book club. The point is you're beginning to play the field more aggressively than Pete Rose.

Cheating the system
Do these signs sound familiar? These sudden and accumulative changes in your personality, words and actions could mean you're planning to run into the arms of another woman. Before you do, however, remember that any relationship worth saving can be saved through open and honest communication and that affairs, however tempting, have the potential to blow up in your face.

After all, once trust has been lost, it can never fully be regained. In the end, remember the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: "It is impossible for a man to be cheated by anyone but himself." Proceed cautiously in these delicate affairs of the heart.

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TB Joshua Insists On Refund Of Monies To Those Who Have Paid

Prophet T.B Joshua ministry, Synagogue Church Of All Nations, SCOAN, was charging $100 as registration from groups and individuals to facility their easy access to him.

But the easy speaking Prophet has condemned the move saying his Christian ministry was not a concert show where people would pay to go and enjoy themselves.

According to a statement sourced from TB Joshua Ministries on Facebook, “I have received many emails and newspaper reports on the internet complaining of registration fees of $100. What then makes us an evangelist? When people go to concerts, they also register with $100,” the statement, which was posted to over 500,000 fans of “TB Joshua Ministries”, read.

He maintained that co-ordinating visits to The SCOAN was evangelical and not finance-orientated, warning those involved that collecting undue money from vulnerable people was tantamount to partaking in their troubles.

“If we are evangelists, co-ordinating for God’s sake, all our concerns, aspirations and heart desires must be subjected to the Gospel through works of charity, by helping the sick, distressed and unsaved, instead of collecting registration fees of $100 from them before giving succor. I mean, attending to them. This cannot be justified; it amounts to taking a portion of their situation.”

The popular cleric insisted that money-making should not be the focus or drive of such co-ordinators, but rather care for the sick and distressed in society. “If we are focused on making money only, a large slice of life will pass us by. We should spend less on ourselves, and more on others,” he exhorted, reminding them of Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:40-45. “Don’t forget your promise when you were called to be co-ordinators. Your promise, if I may remind you, was to give rest to the sick, distressed and unsaved,” the statement read.

The statement ended with Joshua’s insistence that any money collected for registration should be immediately returned. “Those who have already paid $100 for the registration should be refunded, for God’s sake. I am impressed by the prompt action of the co-ordinators in Tanzania and Zimbabwe, who have been refunding the $100 paid by each person as a registration fee. I believe all others will act likewise.”

Citing Matthew 10:41, he concluded, “He who honours a prophet, because he is a prophet, will receive a prophet’s reward.”

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Vaginal microbicide offers hope for HIV prevention and protection

A new study has shown that a microbicide gel that is highly effective in blocking infection by HIV in a non-human primate model, could be the key to lasting protection from the virus which causes AIDS.

In the paper published in the PLOS Pathogens – an open access journal,Dereuddre-Bosquet and colleagues from the European Combined Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Microbicides, CHAARM, Consortium describe the gel’s key ingredient, which are small peptides engineered to present a decoy to bind up the virus and prevent it from entering and infecting the cells of the body. Because this is a gel it can be topically applied and could represent a powerful preventative agent against sexual transmission of HIV.

Worldwide, the scientific community is working on development of a vaccine against HIV. Meanwhile, research is also focused on the reduction of the spread of the virus by the application of a microbicide gel to protect users during intercourse which is a time of first exposure to virus. To date, few treatments that block virus entry have shown promising protection.

The researchers engineered peptides named “miniCD4s” because they mimic the CD4 receptor used by HIV to gain entry into immune cells of the body. The study shows that the miniCD4s blocks HIV entry into isolated cells in a dish and tissue models that mimic mucous membranes which are points of virus entry.

Then they formulated miniCD4s at 0.3 percent in a microbicide gel that was vaginally applied to six female cynomolgus macaques monkeys for one hour before the animals were given a high dose of the virus also in the vagina.

This dose would ordinarily make the animals highly infected but instead, five of the six were completely protected from HIV infection.

No trace of virus was found in any body tissue. They were also unable to detect any antibodies to the virus in the plasma of the animals, indicating that the virus was completely repelled and there was full protection.

This study provides a proof of principle that for a promising strategy for the prevention and protection against HIV transmission during sexual intercourse. Importantly, the protection was demonstrated in a non human primate model which represents an essential step prior needed to progress to a prospective clinical trial


source:vanguardngr

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Pastor Arrested With 181 Bags of Indian Hemp in Osun

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Osun has arrested a pastor and a 27-year-old man with 181 bags of cannabis sativa popularly known as Indian hemp.

The sector commander of the Agency, Anthonia Edeh, made this known on Friday while addressing newsmen in Osogbo.

According to Edeh, the 45-year-old pastor, and one other person were arrested at Ikire in Irewole Local Government Area of the state on Dec. 5, with the illicit weed weighing 1,838.4 kilogramme.

“Men of the command swooped into action based on the information received from patriotic Nigerians and arrested the two suspects in a three rooms apartment, where the bags of Indian hemp were stocked,” she said.

She added that two of the bags were full with cannabis seeds, which the suspects wanted to keep for the next planting season.

The commander also revealed that three others suspects, including a woman escaped arrest.

She said, “Efforts are on to nab the fleeing culprits, though the pastor is claiming innocence of the crime saying that he was only a co-tenant of the other suspect.

“The agency has no constitutional power to exonerate him, only the court has the power and the two men will be arraigned soon,” she said.

Edeh further said that men of the command recovered 68.8 kilogramme of Indian hemp, stocked inside a Volkswagen Vento car marked AW 652 AKR, on Dec. 2, along Ilobu Road in Osogbo.

She said that the owner of the car, who was on the road side waiting for suspected buyer took to his heels when sighted men of the command.

The commander admonished the general public to be conscious of their environment and report the activities of drug peddlers or traffickers to the security operatives.

She reiterated the commitment of the agency to put an end to the cultivation, trafficking and peddling of Indian hemp across the state, and urged the people to cooperate with the agency in the drug war crusade.

She also cautioned commercial drivers to beware of the loads they carry “now that we are at the peak of harvesting period”. (NAN)

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Transparency international report should serve as a warning bell

 Economic growth and development need social stability and the rule of law, so that people and entrepreneurs feel that it is safe to invest and seize opportunities to improve their living standards and that of their families.

Corruption — in any form — takes away time and money from the most vulnerable and diverts them to the pockets of thieves and bullies who accumulate disproportionate wealth, widening the income gaps which cause social instability.

This is why the latest Transparency International annual report, which shows that two thirds of the 176 countries surveyed can be classified as “very corrupt”, should sound warning bells for those government officials and community leaders working towards a better life for all. While surveys should always be interrogated, the transparency report is based on data from independent institutions specialising in governance and business climate analysis, such as the World Bank.

At the bottom of the table are Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia, clearly showing the link between social instability, weak political governance as well as a lack of transparency and corruption. Corruption thrives where there is no public accountability, no effective legal system or strong institutions of civil society. This also helps explain why Denmark, Finland and New Zealand are ranked as the least corrupt countries on the list.

The survey recorded high levels of corruption in countries that have been affected by the Arab Spring and the Eurozone debt crisis. Hard times often force people into desperate measures, including crime. However, that cannot be an excuse.

Much can be done to combat corruption. Those who are the victims of corruption can refuse to pay bribes or when they are compelled to do so — by circumstances or intimidation — must report the crime.

Companies must refuse to pay bribes and expose those in their ranks who are willing to do so to secure tainted business. And the strongest possible action must be taken against government official and bureaucrats who try to secure bribes. They often have undue power that can be used to exploit the vulnerable, who they have a responsibility to assist and protect.

 source:gulfnews

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UK Government to Legalize gay marriages in churches and Religious Buildings

Britain will announce plans next week to allow gay marriages in churches and other religious buildings, officials said Friday, although Prime Minister David Cameron insisted no faith group would be forced to hold them.

Culture Secretary Maria Miller will unveil ministers’ responses to a consultation earlier this year, which will propose that religious organisations should be able to ‘opt-in’ to hold same-sex weddings, according to a government source.

Amid strong opposition from the Church of England and Roman Catholics, however, as well as many members of Cameron’s Conservative party, Miller will stress that no religious groups will be forced to conduct gay weddings.

Speaking to reporters on a visit to a car factory, Cameron said: “I’m a massive supporter of marriage and I don’t want gay people to be excluded from a great institution.

“But let me be absolutely 100 percent clear, if there is any church or any synagogue or any mosque that doesn’t want to have a gay marriage it will not, absolutely must not, be forced to hold it.

“That is absolutely clear in the legislation.

“Also let me make clear, this is a free vote for members of Parliament but personally I will be supporting it.”
Gay couples have had the right to hold a civil partnership since 2004 but campaigners have pushed for full equality with heterosexual couples.

In its submission to the public consultation in June, the Church of England said legalising gay marriage could force it out of its traditional role of conducting weddings on behalf of the state.

However the Quakers welcomed Friday’s news, saying they had been campaigning since 2009 for all marriages in Quaker meeting houses to be legally valid.

“We are waiting for the law to catch up,” said recording clerk Paul Parker, adding: “For Quakers, this is an issue of religious freedom and we don’t seek to impose this on others.”

A government spokesman said: “The government is committed to bringing equal civil marriage forward and the consultation results will be announced next week.

“We are very clear that religious organisations must be protected and that no religious organisation will be forced to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies.

“The European Convention on Human Rights guarantees freedom of religion and we will additionally bring in very strong legal locks to ensure the protection is watertight.”


source: vanguardngr


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weird:TB Joshua’s Church Sells Registration Forms For US$100 To Go Receive Your Healing

Police moved in on Monday to disperse hundreds of people gathered at Belvedere Teacher’s College after they responded to a TV advert to come and receive “spiritual healing” from Nigerian preacher

The desperate crowd, mainly women, were under the impression TB Joshua would be at the college in person. College authorities called in the police to restore order as the restive crowd confronted organisers of the event.

The crowd were advised to reconvene at the Harare Agricultural Showgrounds on Monday evening but they were disappointed to discover TB Joshua was not in Zimbabwe.

One woman who travelled from Gokwe said she had an illness which she hoped TB Joshua could cure.
“I just came here hoping to get deliverance from the man of God, only to be told that we should register for an appointment,” she said after making the 340km bus trip to the capital.

Her husband, who travelled with her, said: “We were surprised to hear that we are required register. The message which we heard and saw on Emmanuel TV was that TB Joshua was coming to heal us, not the issue of registration.”

A member of TB Joshua’s church in Zimbabwe, identified as Chibwe, told the crowd: “The advert on TV was saying that people should come for registration so that they are ready to travel to Nigeria. So please don’t be confused because there is no chaos in Christ.”

The crowd were asked to buy “registration forms” for US$100 each and deposit a further US$2,000 for the trip to Nigeria for an audience with TB Joshua at his Synagogue Church of All Saints which is headquartered in Lagos.

Several Zimbabwean politicians have travelled to Nigeria over the last year for an audience with TB Joshua, believed by supporters to have healing powers and an ability to see into the future.

Among those who have sought TB Joshua are MDC-T leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi and Zanu PF officials Oppah Muchinguri and Chris Mushowe.



source:information nigeria

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Africa’s 10 Biggest Companies

There is no shortage of big businesses that call Africa home. The Africa Report website maintains a list of the top companies on the continent - let’s take a look at the 15 biggest, based on earnings during 2011..

1. Sonatrach
   
   $58.7 billion
   
   Winning the biggest business race by a wide margin is this Algerian oil & gas giant. Sonatrach keeps most of its focus on the country’s rich oil and gas fields, but has expanded to operations in other places. It also does work in other industries, such as the desalination of seawater and power generation. Sonatrach invests in or owns 18 major companies, including an airline.
   
   
   
   2. Sonangol
   
   $22.2 billion
   
   Though this list is dominated by South African companies, the top spots go elsewhere. Sliding in at number two is the Angolan oil giant Sonangol. It is practically a monopoly in the country, which is Africa’s third-biggest oil producer. Under its umbrella sits over 30 subsidiaries - most of which do business with Sonangol to help it reach its needs. These include railways, transport systems, telecommunications companies and refinery facilities located across the globe.
   
   
   
   3. Sasol
   
   $18.3 billion
   
   Energy is the name of the game for SASOL, which has interests in coal, oil, gas and more. It recently made a massive investment in a gas-to-fuel plant in the U.S. - to the tune of $21 billion - and has a presence in 38 countries. It can be found on every continent and is very active in the African energy market. SASOL is said to contribute 4 percent of South Africa’s GDP.
   
   
   
   4. MTN Group
   
   $17.2 billion
   
   Though it is the smaller of South Africa’s two mobile giants, MTN has a much larger global reach than its competitors. It is present in sixteen African countries and several in the Middle East. Established in 1994, by mid-2011 the group boasted having over 147 million subscribers. In recent years it has made good on expanding in West Africa and the Middle East, helping it collect some nice returns.
   
   
   
    
   
   5. The Bidvest Group
   
   $16.5 billion
   
   Large corporate groups often have their fingers in many pies. Still, Bidvest takes this to a whole different level. Though securely a South African company, it has operations across the planet, dealing in anything from travel to transportation to food services - of which Bidvest is one of the largest in the world. Said to employ over 100,000 people, Bidvest also has businesses in the fields of stationary, medical waste management and industrial lighting. Recently it has made an offer to buy Amalgamated Appliance Holdings, of which it already owns a share and which handles brands such as Russell Hobbs and Salton.
   
   
   
   6. Eskom
   
   $13.7 billion
   
   Though it is plagued with aging infrastructure, Eskom still remains the biggest generator of power in Africa and one of the biggest in the world. It generates 95 percent of power used in South Africa and also meets 45 percent of the rest of Africa’s power needs. There isn’t any company in Southern Africa that plays remotely the same role as Eskom, placing it in a good position to take in a lot of money - aided by its lucrative protection as an asset controlled by the South African government.
   
   
   
   7. Shoprite Holdings
   
   $10.14 billion
   
   
   One of Africa’s richest men sit at the head of this table: a retail giant found across the continent. Its stable is full of pedigree brands: Shoprite, Checkers, OK, House & Home, Medirite Pharmacies and a multitude of shops based in all forms of retail. In total the group has control over or input in more than 1,700 shops - located in countries that include South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania and Mauritius. There are Shoprite stores in 17 African countries. It is listed on the South African, Zambian and Namibian stock exchanges.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   8. Sanlam
   
   $10.12 billion
   
   Founded nearly a century ago, Sanlam has evolved from its beginnings as a mere insurer to a large financial services group. It has a presence on both the Namibian and South African stock exchanges. Physically it operates in numerous countries on the continent and across the globe, including Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, and Malawi - as well as the U.K., India and Australia. It very recently made moves to enter the South-East Asian market, by buying a large share of a Malaysian insurance company.
   
   
   
   
   
   9. Vodacom Group
   
   $9.2 billion
   
   This telecommunications giant has done well, reaching far beyond the borders of its home base in South Africa. Today the Vodacom Group provides access to mobile communications in five African countries, totalling over 30 million customers. Its South African operation holds more than 50 percent market share in that country.
   
   
   
   
   
   10. Imperial Holdings
   
   $8 billion
   
   Measured by turnover, the Imperial Group is the 12th-largest company in South Africa. It owns the largest number of car dealerships in the country, which cover just about every major brand available. Beyond that it has a large rental division - including Eurocar and Tempest Car Hire - and is also the largest privately-held logistics company in the country. The group recently expanded into delivering pharmaceuticals. It has a large footprint across Africa and parts of Europe.
   
   
   
   
   
   

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Funny: A New Zealand charity is teaching dogs to drive cars

As much as it sounds like a joke, a New Zealand animal charity is actually teaching dogs how to drive cars.

While it’s a bit silly on its face, a clear purpose is behind this program from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Auckland — it wants to show that rescued dogs are smart and that you can train them for many things. The charity wants to find homes for its dogs, so it’s pulling out all the stops.
On its Driving Dogs Facebook page, the SPCA writes:

"Every year, the SPCA need to find homes for thousands of dogs just like Porter, Ginny, and Monty — dogs who have been abused, abandoned, or just forgotten. They may be a mixed up motley bunch, but they’re all smart and they’re all lovable. So please don’t forget about them. Adopt them.

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5 young Nigerian CEOs to watch

The price Nigeria has had to pay for riding solo over the past five decades has been fairly heavy. In the last fifty two years, the country has been called everything including “Africa’s most corrupt nation”.Recent global trends will however tell you that the above tag may not entirely be the exact picture. There is, gradually a new Nigeria that is carving a new identity – one that positions the country as the gateway for growth, and prosperity.

That vision is being led by some smart, young and creative business minds that are making tremendous inroads in their respective fields.

• Jason Njoku

Jason Njoku is one of Nigeria’s brightest business hands. He makes a fortune by 

distributing original African films online.

Providing the best of African cinema to a billion people worldwide through his hassle-free iRoko tv online streaming channel, he has the world glued to unlimited entertainment from the motherland.

The success rate of iRoko tv has forced a comparison with global market leader Netflix, making it Africa’s foremost and the world’s largest one-stop online medium for digital distribution of African cinema.

Njoku, 31, is the founder and CEO, as well as the largest shareholder of iRoko tv. The company is poised for growth and an expansion that can get them closer to achieving platinum. During the first quarter of this year, it raised some raised GBP 5 million through venture capital.

Njoku’s iRoko is Africa’s largest content partner on YouTube and Dailymotion. The parent company Iroko Partners has 81 employees in Lagos, London and New York.

• Ehimuan

Ehimuan is Country Manager for Google Nigeria.

She has considerable experience in technology in Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) and the United States, making her a perfect fit for her latest portfolio.

Prior to joining Google, she worked with Shell Petroleum Development Company, and Microsoft UK, MSN EMEA. Ehimuan also worked as General Manager, Strategic Business Units at Chams Plc.

She holds an Executive MBA from the London Business School, and she was a recipient of the London Business School Global Women’s Scholarship, she was also a Selwyn College Scholar and Malaysian commonwealth Scholar – Cambridge University.

• Adepoju

Adepoju, 29, is the founder of the Encipher Group – the company responsible for developing “Africa’s Ipad” – the Inye tablet PC.

He started Encipher with a loan of 60,000 dollars but has grown it into a giant ready to rub shoulders with other market leaders.

Inye sells for around 350 dollars significantly less than the original iPad, making it the device for the future. It is anticipated that in the coming years the demand for Inye in Nigeria and parts of Africa will soar.

Adepoju is a Sun-certified Java programmer, and Microsoft certified Business solution specialist, with a background in software development.

• Delano

30-year-old Delano exemplifies the phrase “born to succeed”. From his days as a successful liquor entrepreneur through to his present status as one of Nigeria’s most able young men, he belongs to the league of young Nigerian CEOs, shaping the country’s vision.

Close associates speak of his strong business acumen, as one that identifies a niche and makes good use of it.

He is founder and CEO of Bakrie Delano Africa, an investment partner of the Indonesian-based Bakrie Group, created to facilitate the expansion of the South East Asia’s conglomerate, in Africa.

The Bakrie Group has made a billion-dollar fund available for investment in Nigeria over the next five years, with Delano’s BDA as lead project head.

The company’s holdings are in Mining (Coal, Iron ore and Gold), Agriculture (Oil Palm and Rubber) and Oil and Gas (Upstream and Downstream).

• Gossy Ukanwoke

Gossy Ukanwoke, 23, is the President and Founder of Beni American University, an online university that makes educational resources available to its members free of charge.

Launched in December 2010, the site currently has more than 2000 registered members, and over 20,000 more that are non-registered. He’s been hailed as the Marck Zuckerberg of Africa.

Known as “Students Circle”, the “Network allows students to interact and communicate over educational resources, making education and e-learning social and human by giving resources, study groups, social connections, scholarship offers and university placements.”

source: msn African 

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Another Pastor Acquires a Jet for "URGENT" Evangelism

Pastors buy jets for “urgent” evangelism – Pastor Victor Adeyemi

The President and Founder, Global Harvest Church, Pastor Victor Adeyemi, has attributed the need for private jets by clerics in the country to challenges of evangelism.
Adeyemi spoke on Sunday during the first anniversary of Global Harvest Church, Outer Ring Road branch, Ibadan.

The clergy said recent criticism by the public on the perceived affluent lifestyles of men of God was needless considering the challenges attached to their calling and the need to meet up with the demands of their duties.

He said, “It is very unfortunate that the acquisition of private jets has coloured the image of the pentecostal churches. They accuse many of living lavish lifestyles and just looking for comfort at the expense of the poor congregation. For me, it is a matter of perspective. Looking at a nation like ours where there is high prevalence of poverty, you can think that way.

“Of course, I cannot hold brief for people who have acquired one. However, I can certainly tell you that one of the people that own one has branches of their churches in well over 100 nations of the world.

“As a businessman or a preacher who runs a very busy schedule requiring you to be in several nations of the world within days or in a week, you may need it.

“On a particular mission from Kenya to Nigeria we had a convention in Nigeria, and we were stuck at the airport in Kinshasha, Zaire for more than 12 hours before we were able to get a connecting flight to Nigeria.”
The cleric explained that the need to attend urgent programmes and safety required the men of God to buy private jets.

Adeyemi, who also attributed poor infrastructure in Africa to poverty and lack of willpower to deliver good governance by the leadership, said that “It is certain that evil rulers will eat the fruits of their doings.”



- Nigerian Eye

 

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The Pope joins Twitter

THE Pope is set to attract a new string of followers - by joining Twitter.

The Vatican announced Pope Benedict XVI will join the micro-blogging site from December 12 - using the account name @pontifex.

His Holiness will send out official messages in eight languages: Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish.

An official announcement said the Pope's first messages will be answers to followers on matters of faith.

Greg Burke, senior media advisor to the Vatican, said: “The Pope wants to reach out to everyone.

"We are going to get a spiritual message. The Pope is not going to be walking around with a Blackberry or an iPad and no one is going to be putting words into the Pope’s mouth. He will tweet what he wants to tweet."

Primarily the tweets will come from the contents of his weekly general audience, Sunday blessings and homilies on major Church holidays. They will also include reactions to major world events such as natural disasters.

The leader of the world’s 1.2 billion or so Roman Catholics will not send the tweets himself, but he will sign off on them before they are sent in his name.

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