MPYREMAGAZINE: Don Jazzy and Mavin Crew to perform at Big Brother...

MPYREMAGAZINE: Don Jazzy and Mavin Crew to perform at Big Brother...: The Mavin crew members will be joined by South African Mafikizolo and  Kenyan rap queen, STL. 28 new housemates from African countries wi...

Don Jazzy and Mavin Crew to perform at Big Brother

The Mavin crew members will be joined by South African Mafikizolo and  Kenyan rap queen, STL.
28 new housemates from African countries will be unveiled at the opening ceremony on Sunday, 26th of May.

The biggest reality show in Africa, Big Brother Africa is back for the 8th season, and this year’s edition is titled The Chase.
A total of 28 housemates from 14 countries will be chasing after the US$300 000 cash prize and all the other perks that comes with winning the biggest reality show in Africa.
The show is set to launch on Sunday, 26 May, and we’re informed that this years edition will have more twists and more surprises. With reality you just cant tell.
IK Osakioduwa returns once again in 2013 to host ‘The Chase

MPYREMAGAZINE: Late Dagrin's manager, Tunde Peters speaks with Mp...

MPYREMAGAZINE: Late Dagrin's manager, Tunde Peters speaks with Mp...: Who is Tunde Peters? Tunde Peters is a symbol of music, I am also a talent manager. I am peacefully married and blessed with children...

Late Dagrin's manager, Tunde Peters speaks with Mpyre Magazines

Who is Tunde Peters?

Tunde Peters is a symbol of music, I am also a talent manager. I am peacefully married and blessed with children.

You have worked with many artists, what major challenges does the

 Nigerian artist face and how do you help them overcome them?

YES I have worked with the likes of PSQUARE, DJ ZEEZ, late DAGRIN, TIMAYA, etc.  Most challenges faced by Nigerian artistes are:

 1. Issues of Piracy

 2. Lack of a well structured music industry.

 3. No support from the Government

 4. Too many mediocre

 5. Association instability

What was your relationship with the late dagrin?

 I worked with the late Olaitan Oladapo Olaonipekun aka DAGRIN as his MANAGER.

If you could change something about the entertainment scene in

 Nigeria! What will it be?

 I would lay a proper entertainment structure for the industry.

What are you up to these days?

 I run my own company still under entertainment.

Chitchat with Solidstar

 

What is your name and where are you from?

JOSHUA INIYEZO AM FROM DELTA STATE, AN ISOKO BOY, BUT BORN AND BROUGHT UP IN LAGOS

What can you say was the defining moment in your career?

WHEN I STARTED GETTING ATTENTION FROM MUSIC LOVERS AND THE MEDIA

Where does your inspiration and concepts come from?

GOD, MY ENVIRONMENT AND PEOPLE

How rewarding has the journey been?

IT’S BEEN VERY GOOD SO FAR, 6 YEARS AGO I COULD NOT EAT A MEAL BUT I CAN BE PLACED AMONG MILLIONAIRES TODAY

What do you do in your spare time?

I PLAY PS3 (FIFA13), FOOTBALL, GIST WITH THEM OMOTENAS AND DO A LITTLE SOCIAL NETWORKING

The skibo video has been having lots of good ratings and airtime! What prompted the choice of location and costumes?

LETS GIVE THAT TO CLARENCE PETERS AND MY TEAM ACHIEVAS MUSIC

Any parting words for your fans out there?

THANKS FOR ALL THE LOVE, BE STRONG, BELIEVE, PRAY AND SKIBO, LOL

Do you have a girlfriend?

A LOT OF OMOTENAS!!!

How long have you been on dreads? 

CANT REALLY REMEMBER, AROUND 6-8 YEARS THOUGH.

JESSE JAGZ SPLITS FROM CHOCBOYS

First we had Dbanj leave Mohits, May D left Square records, Whizkid ran away from Eme and now Jesse Jagga has left his brother MI AND CHOC CITY to start his own nation.

Jesse has decided to move on, although the reason for his exit is unclear, he says “he’s leaving with no bad blood”
In a press statement sent by Jesse to his fans, he notified the general public about his exit from the record label.
“I, Jesse Garba Abaga (also known as “Jesse Jagz”) an artist formerly signed to Chocolate City Music label hereby wishes to notify my fans and the general public about my voluntary exit from the label.
After my initial two year contractual agreement with Chocolate City, I do not wish to renew my contract with them and as such have proceeded to continue my music career with my new team at Jesse Jagz Nation.
I still maintain a cordial relationship with the management of Chocolate City and my former label mates and I wish them the best in all their future endeavours.
Any further information will be passed across through my publicist but until then, have a good day. Look out for my sophomore album JagZNation Vol. 1 coming out in July 2013.”
Jesse Jagz’s hit singles “Wetin Dey”, “Pump It Up, “Nobody Test Me”, Bend Down Low, Sugar Cane Baby and The Greatest were all released under Chocolate City.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE FROM CHOCCITY

The rumour mill has been working overtime and the result is some information that has surfaced online regarding the Choc City versus Jesse Jags story. The NETNG.com website produced libellous information which made several allegations against the record label without confirming facts prior to the release.
In one allegation, it made comments that Choc City had two so-called “strong claims” against the said Artiste, one of which stated that Jesse Jags owed the label some un-paid debt and the other which claimed the label leaked that the Artiste was addicted to Marijuana. World PR Media (who recently began to handle PR activities on behalf of the label) released the following facts and forwarded the following statements on behalf of Choc City.
“Chocolate City has never released information on any owed monies by the Artiste “Jesse Jagz” and as a matter of fact is not being owed any monies by the Artiste through show performances or other means”. Furthermore, Chocolate City also states categorically that “Jesse Jagz does not have a history of Marijuana abuse neither did it or any of its staff make any allegations to that effect”.
In other parts of the defamatory release, it claimed that Jesse’s Manager “Sola Oladebo” was fed up of the Artiste but unwilling to leave him as yet. We can officially confirm that Jesse and Sola have had a very strong relationship over the past 5 years and this relationship continues as we speak. The entertainment website also continued to paint a very untrue picture of the relationship of the Artiste and the record label by claiming Jesse’s career was dormant. The Legal and Content Manager of the label commented and confirmed that “at no time has Jesse Jagz career been dormant. Stating that Jesse Jagz career has been dormant is a gross understatement as he has since the release of Jagz of All Trades, focused on the production aspect of his career working with Brymo and Ice Prince on their respective albums as well as featuring on several songs with various artists. His sophomore album Jagznation VOl1 will be released in 2013 as scheduled”. Furthermore, “it is untrue that Jesse Jagz has refused to appear at the Chocolate City Office when invited. At all material times Jesse and his team have always responded and communicated with Chocolate City in respect to all matters and continue to do so”.
Whilst certain issues are still under resolution, the Chief Executive Officer of the Music Group, Mr. Audu Maikori, confirms that “I never sent a summons to Jesse Jagz nor did I receive any derogatory email from Jesse Jagz refusing to attend any meetings”. What is even more ludicrous is that Audu Maikori has been in the USA on official business and as such couldn’t have summoned Jesse for a meeting when he was abroad. Jesse and Audu have and have always had a cordial and respectful relationship, a relationship that still exists till date.
Frankly we are surprised that a newspaper of such caliber as NETNG will give several conflicting stories in the same report. On one hand it states that “Attempts to reach him(Audu) and other staff at the label through emails, phone calls and text messages have been unsuccessful” Yet on the other hand they say that a “Chocolate City Staff” informed them about the above statements. For purposes of clarity, Chocolate City and its staff have not made any statements/ comments about any of the events till now.
The released statement from the Chocolate City camp ended with this encouraging note “Finally, we understand the concerns of fans and well wishers in respect the alleged Jesse Jagz “war” with Chocolate City. Our position is that there is no war within our camp. Like any relationship, there are ups and downs especially in our type of business, however, rest assured that these issues will be resolved and communicated subsequently”. “Thanks for your concern and continued support”.

NAETO C GETS BLESSED

Naeto C, who tied the knot with Nicole took to the social media to appreciate his fans and well-wishers for the congratulatory messages.
“Thanks 2 every1 for all the messages…words arent honestly enuff to express this moment…its ironic especially for some1 like myself who is used 2 putting words 2gether…mayb later…but right now i’m just Thanking God w/my Family and enjoying my son’s company! I wish u all similar moments at some point(s) in your lives!.” He wrote.
The Chikwes are currently in the U.S where Nicole delivered the baby boy.
Naeto is expected to continue his North American tour in Winnipeg, Canada.

HEALTH NEWS: Vitamin C supplements tied to men’s kidney stones

 

Men who take vitamin C supplements are at higher-than-average risk of developing kidney stones, a new study from Sweden suggests

The findings don’t prove the vitamin itself triggers stones to form. But researchers said that because there are no clear benefits tied to taking high-dose vitamin C, people who have had stones in the past might want to think before taking extra supplements.

“I don’t think I would hold this up and say, ‘You shouldn’t take vitamin C, and here’s the evidence,’” said Dr. Brian Matlaga, a urologist who studies kidney stones at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore.

But, “When you talk to patients, a lot of times you’ll find patients are taking non-prescribed medications, like vitamin supplements… and there may not be great evidence that there’s an actual health benefit associated with these,” he told Reuters Health.

The new finding “suggests that stone formers who take regular vitamin C may actually place themselves at increased risk,” said Matlaga, who wasn’t involved in the study.

Researchers led by Laura Thomas of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm used data from a large study of middle-aged and elderly Swedish men who answered a series of questions on their diet and lifestyle, then were tracked for an average of 11 years.

The current analysis included 907 of those men who said they took regular vitamin C tablets and more than 22,000 who didn’t use any nutritional supplements.

Of the vitamin C users, 3.4 percent developed kidney stones for the first time during the study, compared to 1.8 percent of non-supplement users. Men who took vitamin C supplements at least once a day had the highest risk of kidney stones, researchers reported Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine.

“It has long been suspected that high doses of vitamin C may increase the risk of kidney stones as some of the vitamin C absorbed by the body is excreted in urine as oxalate – one of the key components of kidney stones,” Thomas told Reuters Health by email.

Stones are made up of tiny crystals, which can be formed by calcium combining with oxalate. They usually pass on their own, but can cause severe pain in the process. Larger stones occasionally require surgery.

Men are more likely to form stones than women.

‘AN IMPORTANT PART OF A HEALTHY DIET’

The findings don’t mean people shouldn’t get plenty of vitamin C through fruits and vegetables, researchers said. The antioxidant is important for bone and muscle health – and severe deficiency can cause scurvy.

“Vitamin C is an important part of a healthy diet,” Thomas said. “Any effect of vitamin C on kidney stone risk is likely to depend both on the dose and on the combination of nutrients with which it is ingested.”

Swedish supplements, like those the study participants would have taken, typically contain about 1,000 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C per tablet, she noted. Most vitamin C supplements sold in the U.S. contain either 500 or 1,000 mg.

The U.S. Institute of Medicine recommends 90 mg per day for men – the amount in a small glass of orange juice or a cup of broccoli – and 75 mg for most women.

Matlaga said more research is needed to determine for certain whether reasonable doses of vitamin C may increase the risk of kidney stones. For now, he said people who haven’t had kidney stones before shouldn’t worry about any related risks tied to the vitamin.

 

Nicola Adams desperate

 

History maker Nicola Adams admits she’s ‘really, really desperate’ to win gold for England at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Adams, the first ever female Olympic boxing champion, is hoping to take Glasgow 2014 by storm when, like at the London 2012 Olympics, female boxing makes its debut.

Speaking after a training session, when asked how desperate she was to continue her remarkable history making achievements – adding to her Olympic and Great Britain Amateur Championships victories – she was defiant.

‘I’m really, really desperate,’ she said. ‘It would be really nice to have another history-making medal under my belt and I really want to achieve that next year.

‘Glasgow 2014 is going to be my main focus. I’ve always believed you have to aim high, and I’m aiming to try and get gold.’

Women’s boxing was announced as part of the Glasgow 2014 sports programme at the Commonwealth Games Federation’s General Assembly last year, confirming that three medal weights will be competed for – flyweight (48-51kg), lightweight (57-60kg) and middleweight (69-75kg).

Flyweight Adams, who received an MBE for services to boxing last week, believes that the Commonwealth Games can have a similar impact on her sport to that of the Olympics.

 

WWE COMES TO AFRICA

WWE will return to South Africa this summer from July 30th through August 2nd. Tickets go on sale February 25th and stars advertised include Alberto Del Rio, Big Show, Sheamus, Randy Orton, Damien Sandow, Cody Rhodes and Justin Gabriel. Here are the dates:

* 7/30 at the GrandWest Arena in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

* 7/31 at the GrandWest Arena in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

 

* 8/1 at the Westridge Stadium in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa

* 8/2 at the Coca-Cola Dome in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

* 8/2 at the Coca-Cola Dome in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

Pete's bar CEO Seyi Olusa talks to Mpyre Magazines

 

 

 

 

 

                 Meet the man who brings the thrill chill to hanging out in Ibadan.

What prompted your decision to venture into the hospitality business?

Honestly; the space was available for rent. Beyond that I'm socially aware and realised the enormous potential the location has for fun seekers of all kinds.

What edge does pete's bar have over the others?

We have a conducive environment with maximum security. We  have an indoor  and also an outdoor bar. Also the environment is very spacious and extremely relaxing.

Knowing the situation of things in the country, has it been easy

running a business like this?

Easy? No. The main hindrances are power generation and right staffing. We have two generators to combat the power menace and continuous staff training for all our staff.

what other things engages ur time?

I'm essentially an Info Tech engineer and Head of Operations for AS Technologies Ltd; Leaders in Technology Sales and Solutions. That job takes all my time; I don't understand where I find time to run the Lounge; but by His Grace, all is well.

How do you rate ibadan fun seekers and how do you satisfy them?

Ibadan people are like typical Nigerians. They like fun but don't relax. Our outside bar is really relaxing and the fresh air is very clean and second to none in Ibadan. The average Ibadan "fun seeker" is hard to please therefore we have to go the extra mile to make sure our drinks are always very cold and that our. Conveniences  are clean at all times. Also we have a lot of hostesses on duty every night to facilitate quick service delivery to our esteemed customers.

WELBECK AND RONALDO ON TARGET

It was an epic night and, by the end, Manchester United might be emboldened enough to reflect they have made the first decisive move. Sir Alex Ferguson's team may have to be more ruthless in the second leg. They will also need to think again when it comes to trying to muzzle Cristiano Ronaldo but this was still an encouraging night for the Premier League leaders and it is typical of how they played that they were so aggrieved at the final whistle.
The mob of players in red shirts who gathered around the German referee, Felix Brych, to complain he had blown for full-time before they could take a corner were aghast because these were moments when they were threatening to win the match. They were frustrated because they had passed up three wonderful chances to register one of the great results of Ferguson's quarter of a century at the club. Ferguson had promised they would play with ambition and in those final exchanges, when another team might have settled for a draw, they were still pressing forward in the old United traditions.
They had been subjected to some intense pressure from José Mourinho's team. David de Gea put in the kind of performance that makes it clear why Ferguson will tolerate the goalkeeper's occasional lapses and, with Ronaldo in this mood, the return leg will always have its dangers. Ronaldo was brilliant, such an elusive and devastating opponent. He almost won it with a dipping, swerving free-kick from 40 yards and his equaliser, 10 minutes after DannyWelbeck had opened the scoring, sets up another enthralling occasion for 5 March.
Yet Ferguson was entitled to argue his team might have left Madrid in a greater position of strength. Robin van Persie was wasteful with two opportunities in quick succession and, for the second, a surer touch would never have allowed Xabi Alonso to clear off the goalline. Ryan Giggs, a substitute who entered the pitch to the kind of applause the Bernabéu reserves for only a select few, also had the chance to win the game. United will just have to hope those misses do not come back to haunt them because Mourinho had a fair point when he said Madrid could score at Old Trafford. "Many teams have already done that this season," he said.
The trick for United, once again, will be to balance their normal sense of adventure with strategic conservatism. They had Phil Jones in midfield here to prove extra cover for Rafael da Silva against Ronaldo. Wayne Rooney could be seen tracking back from the right side of attack. Ferguson, in other words, had three players under specific instructions to subdue their old superstar. Even then, Ronaldo was a brutal opponent. Once again, he demonstrated to the watching world that a superstar at his level is not fazed by smothering tactics. Ronaldo has a rare ability to find space and elude the most careful planning.
Yet there were other moments that will offer United encouragement ahead of the return leg. Madrid's vulnerability when defending crosses was not just evident for Welbeck's goal. The same player also came close to scoring again after Van Persie's left-wing cross. There was the sight, early on, of Raphaël Varane trying to head the ball back to his goalkeeper and succeeding only in conceding a corner. Varane was lucky not to be sent off later on after colliding with Evra, as the last man, and Welbeck's goal was so straightforward it brought a disbelieving Mourinho to the touchline, gesturing his horror. Madrid have been poor at defending corners all season and, once Rooney had swung the ball over, Welbeck exposed this weakness by holding off Sergio Ramos and flashing his header past Diego López.
The more worrying aspect for Ferguson was the frequency with which Da Silva looked susceptible on the right side of defence. It was not just Ronaldo who menaced the youngest member of United's defence. Mesut Ozil played with great distinction during those moments in the first half when virtually all of Madrid's attacks started on the home side's left.
Ferguson had left out his usual captain, Nemanja Vidic, on the basis that it would be over-exerting him after his knee issues. Instead Jonny Evans partnered Rio Ferdinand whose performance, once again, demonstrated how eccentric it is that he is excluded from England's plans. Da Silva, to give him his due, improved in the second half and De Gea deserved all the acclaim that Ferguson reserved for him after the match. The young Spaniard might invite scrutiny sometimes but he has an incredible knack of getting his fingertips to shots and he was in exhilarating form. He had to be because Madrid attacked from all angles.
As for Ronaldo, he managed to terrorise Ferguson's team and still get a bearhug from his old manager. His goal was a classic. Angel di María whipped his cross into the penalty area and, after that, it was a demonstration of Ronaldo's prodigious ability to leap for crosses, like a centre-forward from another era. "I blamed Patrice Evra at first," Ferguson said. "But then I saw the replay and felt stupid. Watch it again. Ronaldo's kneecap is the same height as Evra's head. It's phenomenal. I don't think there's another player in the world who can do that."

OSCAR PISTORIUS MAY HAVE KILLED HIS GIRLFRIEND

South African paralympic star Oscar Pistorius is being questioned by South African police for allegedly shooting dead his girlfriend at his home in Pretoria, local media are reporting.
Johannesburg's Talk Radio 702 said Pistorius was understood to have shot his girlfriend in the head and arm, although the circumstances surrounding the incident were unclear. He may have mistaken her for a burglar, the radio report said.
South African police confirmed a 26-year-old man was being questioned in relation to a fatality at Pistorius's home.
A police spokeswoman told Reuters that a woman had been found dead at the house but declined to give any more details.
Pistorius, who races wearing carbon fibre prosthetic blades after he was born without a fibula in both legs, was the first double amputee to run in the Olympics and reached the 400 semi-finals in London 2012.
South Africa has some of the world's highest rates of violent crime and some home-owners carry weapons to defend themselves against intruders.

Maonigyrian Naijamusic ECLIPSE media player, Movie Nigeria, play Naija Music for free .::Naijamusic (Nm)::.

Maonigyrian Naijamusic ECLIPSE media player, Movie Nigeria, play Naija Music for free .::Naijamusic (Nm)::.

NIGERIAN PRESIDENT REWARDS AFRICAN KINGS OF SOCCER

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday announced a cash gift of N5m to each member of the victorious Super Eagles and the team’s three assistant coaches that clinched the gold medal in the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

While the Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, was given N10m, members of the technical crew were also given N2m each.

The cash gifts also came with a plot of land and national honours for each member the team.

Keshi bagged the national honour of the Commander of the Order of Niger while his three assistants and the team captain, Joseph Yobo, were conferred with Officer of the Order of Niger.

The remaining players were conferred with Member of the Order of Niger.

Jonathan made the announcement amidst loud ovation from the lucky players during a state dinner he organised in their honour at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, few hours after their arrival in the country.

The President said two sets of Nigerians youths, musicians and footballers, had been placing the nation on the world map.

He described the players as super heroes, saying their victory was an inspiration to million of Nigerians.

He said the trophy was the most precious centenary gift presented to the nation by the team.

The President recalled that there was skepticism on the part of Nigerians on the ability of the team to deliver when they left for the tournament.

He commended them for ignoring criticisms and refusing to surrender by their superlative performance.

“The lesson in your victory for all of us is that we should never give up in the midst of criticism. Believe in yourself. With time, you will see the fruits of your labour,” he said.

He said the victory was an indication that there would be victory for his administration as he works hard to transform the country.

He said his administration would continue to give sports it’s pride of place in the country.

He assured the Chief Coach of his full support, urging him to ensure that the nation qualifies for the next World Cup.

The President urged Nigerians not to allow their differences to divide them, observing that the noise of joy during sporting victories were the same across the country.

Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, described the victory as another moment of national rebirth and fresh air.

He said as the nation savours the sweetness of the victory, sports administrators in the country were not unaware of the responsibility placed on their shoulders to sustain the victory at all levels and in all sports.

“Winning this trophy is only a milestone for us, not the destination. Until we fulfill your (the President’s) vision for us which is to be the best, we will not rest on our oars,” he said.

The minister asked stakeholders to put the years of rancour and acrimony behind them because a lot could be achieved when united.

He said the Nigerian character of resilience fetched the team, which he described as work-in-progress, the trophy.

In formally presenting the trophy to the President, the Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, said it was a national pride for the players to win the trophy after 19 years.

Jonathan had while engaging the players and their handlers in a teleconference ahead of the tournament’s semi final match against Mali promised to make them “very happy young men” if they could return to the country with the trophy.

The colourful event was attended by the wife of the President, Patience; Vice President Namadi Sambo; President of the Senate, David Mark; Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwwal; Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihediora, and state governors among others.

Keshi Delivers, Super Eagles Win Nations Cup

The Super Eagles of Nigeria won the African nations Cup in South Africa with homeboy Sunday Mba scoring the only goal of the match. National team coach Stephen Keshi dedicated the win and trophy to all Nigerian coaches. It was a night Stephen Keshi wrote his name in the history books to win as a coach and as a player when he captained the national side in 1994. He had served as coach for both Togo and Mali before taking up the Eagles job.

Oyo State Gov Ajimobi Commissions Awolowo Bridge

The Awolowo bridge has been commissioned by the Oyo State Governor after months of reconstruction. For years the Awolowo river overflows its banks and causes damages to properties and has claimed many lives.

Prolonged TV viewing linked to lower sperm count

Sperm production in the testes is affected by factors like temperature. Men who do little exercise and spend much of their spare time watching TV have lower sperm counts than more active men, a study suggests.
Clocking up 20 hours a week of TV time appears to be detrimental, the US authors from Harvard say in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Yet 15 hours or more of exercise a week boosts semen quality, according to the results in nearly 200 college students.
The researchers said more studies were needed to explore the possible causes.
And some experts say men wanting to conceive need to be selective about the sport they do as some types may harm sperm.
Too much time riding a bike or doing long-distance running in tight clothing may not be good, other studies suggest.
“Start Quote
My advice would be everything in moderation – and that includes time in the gym as well as watching TV”
Dr Allan Pacey Fertility expert
Similarly, wearing tight underwear rather than boxer shorts has been linked with lower sperm levels.
Sedentary lifestyle
In the latest study, the researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health asked 189 young men who were students at a university in New York to record how many hours they had been spending doing physical activity and watching TV in a typical week.
The volunteers, all aged between 18 and 22, were also asked to provide a sperm sample for lab analysis

MPYREMAGAZINE: Broadband access profitable says Titi Omo Ettu

MPYREMAGAZINE: Broadband access profitable says Titi Omo Ettu: Telecommunications engineer, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu, has said that access to broadband by everybody is profitable to industry and governance. ...

MPYREMAGAZINE: Bharti Airtel Limited has recorded 15 per cent yea...

MPYREMAGAZINE: Bharti Airtel Limited has recorded 15 per cent yea...:     The growth, according to the statement, is supported by customer-base growth of 21 per cent, voice traffic increase of 42 per cen...

MPYREMAGAZINE: Ropeways To Launch Cable Cars In Lagos From 2015

MPYREMAGAZINE: Ropeways To Launch Cable Cars In Lagos From 2015: Former Managing Director of Virgin Nigeria Airlines and the Chief Executive Officer of Ropeways Transport Limited, Dapo Olumide on Saturday ...

Broadband access profitable says Titi Omo Ettu

Telecommunications engineer, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu, has said that access to broadband by everybody is profitable to industry and governance.

Omo-Ettu, who is the former President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, maintained that broadband access everywhere in the country was achievable.

He argued that the dividing line between the haves and the have-nots in access to broadband Internet was determined by the relative ease with which those who provided last mile services were accessible to investment funding.

Omo-Ettu said, “This is because Nigeria has conquered the major hindrance normally caused by lack of understanding on the part of government, because today, all of us, government, operators and other service providers, are speaking the same voice.

“We all have agreed that access to broadband for everybody is profitable to industry and especially to governance, and Nigerians are easy to mobilise once we give them access to electricity and total communication.”

According to him, the broadband roadmap is one of the unusual issues on which government, its agencies, the private sector and industry activists are all saying the same thing and all agree on the direction of travel.

“Our industry liberalisation did not come on a platter of gold. It came on high bargaining and eventually by divine intervention because while the military operatives of the early 1990s did not agree with all arguments in favour of liberalisation of the telecoms sector, the head of government at the time switched to the side of a campaign for liberalisation and that was the joker that did it. The remaining is now history, both the good and the bad,” Omo-Ettu said.

According to him, top officials of government support the campaign while all the agencies of government are also part of the effort to make Nigerians have access to broadband resources.

“So, there is no way we will not break through once we tidy up on all the minor issues that are being worked upon at the moment,” he added.

Omo-Ettu used the broadband expansion programme, which he is coordinating, as an example of agencies of government being in agreement with the private sector as a culmination of all that had been said at several conferences and summits.

“Somebody just now needs to press some buttons and the gates may just start opening up,” he said.

He explained that the programme was about fashioning a better means of accessing funds for the industry players who had the capability to deliver national backbone and last mile services but were hampered by lack of access to investment and operational funding.

The irony, he said, was that while foreign financial institutions were prodding foreigners to bring in large investments into our local market, the local financial institutions were not geared towards empowering small and medium enterprises, which is the class to which those who brought services to the last mile belonged.

According to him, the broadband expansion programme is not a conference but an implementation of conference results.

The business workshop component, according to him, is designed to make all willing and capable service providers to jointly work out how best to take the next move, which is already identified.

Bharti Airtel Limited has recorded 15 per cent year-on-year revenue growth

 

 

The growth, according to the statement, is supported by customer-base growth of 21 per cent, voice traffic increase of 42 per cent, and non-voice revenue growth of 85 per cent.

Voice usage per customer, according to the statement, has grown year-on-year by 15 per cent from 125 minutes to 144 minutes.

These were contained in the company’s audited consolidated IFRS results for the third quarter and nine months ended, December 31, 2012.

Revenues in the third quarter on a consolidated basis at 20,239 crore grew by 9.5 per cent over the corresponding period last year, led by strong growth of 70 per cent in mobile Internet in India, 29 per cent in Digital TV, 20 per cent in ‘Airtel business’ (B2B) and 15 per cent in Africa.

The company said the new activation processes and improved retention strategies in India had helped reduce monthly churn to 5.9 per cent from 8.5 per cent in the previous quarter.

The Average Revenue per User, according to the statement, has improved to 185, a sequential improvement of eight in the quarter.

The consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation margin is at 30.6 per cent. The second quarter margins at 31.3 per cent benefited from a favourable judicial outcome in respect of certain inter-connect agreements.

The Chairman and Managing Director, Bharti Airtel Limited, Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal, said the consolidated net income at 284 crore was impacted by higher depreciation and amortisation cost (316 crore), net interest costs (`284 crore), forex fluctuation losses (261 crore) and tax provisions (109 crore).

Consolidated Operating Free Cash Flows for the quarter were at 3,801 crore, he added

The net debt – equity ratio was at 1.25 and USD Net Debt-EBITDA ratio was at 2.55.

Mittal said, “Market conditions have been challenging in recent quarters due to pricing pressures and rising input costs, which have put enormous pressure on the sector and consequently the margins

Boko Haram recruits women

Nigeria’s terror outfit, Boko Haram, is said to have commenced the recruitment of women for the movement of arms and ammunition in the North Eastern geo-political zone.

It was learnt that the leadership of the JTF had informed operatives of the special task force during a briefing in Maiduguri, that the sect was recruiting women into its fold as couriers.

An officer of the JTF,  who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent on Friday, that the group also planned to use women to get the addresses and locations of some prominent politicians and businessmen considered to be enemies of the sect.

Prior to the revelation that the sect was recruiting women for intelligence gathering and operational information, women were often ignored during searches by JTF operatives.

Operatives of the JTF who had initially avoided the screening of women in order to avoid whipping up religious sentiments had since embarked on the screening of women.

The source said, “Boko Haram now recruits women to help them carry their arms and ammunition.

 “Before now, JTF operatives don’t search women here. If you see three women and two men in a car, only the men are asked to come down and frisked. You don’t do that to women; the women were hardly searched.

 “But we got the  information that they want to use women to get information they need for launching their attacks; they want to use them to lure prominent politicians and people that are not supporting them and kill them.”

Source added that the sect also planned to use women to monitor locations of  JTF operatives in order to carry out sudden attacks.

“But since we got that information, our operatives have started searching everybody. If operatives find three men and a woman in a car, all of them are asked to come down for searches to be conducted unlike before. It is not being done to hurt or molest anybody,” he added.

The reported moves to co-opt women into the sect’s activities is coming on the heels of an offer for ceasefire by Boko Haram last week.

While reacting to the offer for ceasefire by the sect, the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim, said the Federal Government could only take the sect seriously if after one-month ceasefire, there is no violence in the North.

Ibrahim said, “You see, we must treat with a lot of caution.

Meanwhile, the JTF has apprehended some suspected terrorists who fled Mali for Borno State.

It was learnt that the terror suspects were being held at the headquarters of the JTF in Maiduguri.

However, the Director of Defence Information, Col. Mohammed Yerima, said he was not aware of the arrests and referred our correspondent to the Spokesman of the JTF, Sagir Musa.

When one SUNDAY PUNCH contacted Musa, he said he was not aware of it and promised to brief our correspondent on the development later

Gen. Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno Leads Chadians Against Islamists In Mali

Around 1,000 troops from Chad led by the president’s son, Gen. Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, advanced towards the mountains of northeast Mali on Thursday to join French search-and-destroy operations hunting Islamist jihadists.
A column of 100 Chadian armored vehicles, jeeps and supply trucks rolled out of Kidal, the Saharan town 1,200 km (750 miles) northeast of the capital Bamako. From Kidal, French and Chadian forces backed by French warplanes are striking against Islamist rebel hideouts in the Adrar des Ifoghas mountain range straddling the border with Algeria.
President Idriss Deby’s son, General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, commanded the Chadian column. He told Reuters its mission was to “fight terrorism, and eradicate it from the region”, a reference to the Al Qaeda-allied fighters in the mountains who are being bombarded almost daily by French aircraft.
More than 2,500 troops from Chad and Niger are assisting 4,000 French soldiers in the second phase of Paris’ four-week-old intervention against Al Qaeda and its allies in Mali. This is supported by Africa, the United States and Europe as a strike against radical jihadists threatening international attacks.
France’s Operation Serval has retaken the main urban areas of Mali’s north, including Timbuktu and Gao, and is now pursuing the retreating jihadists into the remote northeast. Malian troops are moving up behind to secure the recaptured locations.
Malian Defense Minister General Yamoussa Camara told Reuters the Malian army intended to follow the French and Chadians right up to Tessalit close to the Algerian border.
“That is going to take some time. The enemy’s offensive has been broken, they’ve lost a lot of equipment, but there are pockets of resistance scattered across the country,” he said.
This echoed statements by French leaders who say the Islamists have suffered “hundreds” of casualties but warn the Mali campaign is not yet over. France has said it wants to start pulling troops out of its former colony in March and would like to see a U.N. peacekeeping force deployed there by April.
Pro-autonomy Tuareg MNLA fighters, whose revolt last year defeated Mali’s army and seized the north before being hijacked by Islamist radicals, have said they are controlling Kidal and other northeast towns abandoned by the fleeing Islamist rebels.
Tuareg desert nomads, offering local knowledge as guides, have said they will help the French and Chadians hunt down the al Qaeda-allied insurgents in the desert and mountains.
But this has created a potentially sensitive situation as Mali’s government and army insist on restoring Bamako’s sovereignty over every corner of Mali, including the vast and empty desert zone which the Tuaregs claim as their homeland.
“It is out of the question that we would abandon any place to the MNLA,” Defence Minister Camara said.

Apple Edges Out Samsung For Mobile Phone Sales

Apple Inc became the top mobile phone seller for the first time in the lucrative U.S. market during the fourth quarter of 2012, outshining arch rival Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, a report by Strategy Analytics showed.

Apple’s share of the U.S. mobile phone market, including feature phones and smartphones, jumped to 34 percent from 26 percent, while Samsung’s share grew to 32.3 percent from 31.8 percent, the research firm said.

Samsung had been the top mobile phone vendor in the US since 2008, the firm said. Indeed, for the full year, Samsung still held the crown for mobile phone sales; it had a 31.8 percent share of the U.S. market in 2012, against Apple’s 26.2 percent.

Apple investors have recently been anxious about the future growth prospects for the company amid intense competition from Samsung’s cheaper phones, powered by Google’s Android software, and signs the premium smartphone market may be close to saturation in developed markets.

Overall, mobile phone shipments rose 4 percent to 52 million units in the U.S. during the fourth quarter of 2012, driven by strong demand for 4G smartphones and 3G feature phones.
But in all of 2012, U.S. mobile phone shipments fell 11 percent to 166.9 million, Strategy Analytics said.

Apple sold 17.7 million iPhones in the U.S. in the fourth quarter, up 38 percent from the previous year, driven by aggressive marketing of its new iPhone 5 and steep carrier subsidies, the firm said. Samsung shipped 16.8 million phones during the same period.
In the international arena, Samsung Electronics, with a range of handsets, has overtaken Apple as the world’s top smartphone seller.

Ropeways To Launch Cable Cars In Lagos From 2015

Former Managing Director of Virgin Nigeria Airlines and the Chief Executive Officer of Ropeways Transport Limited, Dapo Olumide on Saturday said the proposed Lagos cable cars will start operations in 2015.


Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s weekend breakfast programme, Sunrise, Mr Olumide said the cable cars will operate around on three routes around the Adeniyi Adele axis.
According to Mr Olumide Ropeways Transport is investing $500 million (about N81 billion) to launch a cable car mass urban transit system in the nation’s commercial capital, Lagos.
The cable car transit system is the first in the quest in Nigeria to provide commuters affordable, safe, timely and stress-free mode of transportation, particularly in urban centres like Lagos.
Already, Ropeways Transport Limited has signed of a 30-year Franchise Agreement with the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) and the Lagos State Government for the execution of the project.
Under the terms of the agreement, Ropeways Transport will this November, begin the construction of towers, stations and connecting network cables along various routes covered in the first phase of the project, namely, Ijora – Iddo, Iddo – Adeniji, Apapa – Oluwole, Oluwole – Adeniji, Adeniji – Obalende, Obalende – Falomo, and Falomo – Victoria Island. The project is expected to be fully completed and commissioned by early 2015.
According to him, when completed, the Lagos cable car transit system would incorporate several standard safety features, including auxiliary drives and hydraulic brakes to prevent passengers being stranded, lightening protection on towers, ropes and stations, as well as solar panels on each cabin roof, to provide power for cabin interior and exterior lighting.
There will also be passenger monitoring with CCTV and audio communication links and passenger address systems.
The project will be powered by several sources namely, IPP’s, dual-fired primary power turbines and dual-fired back up power turbines, with sufficient number of static inverters to provide 30 minutes of backup power.
The Project uses Doppelmayr’s proprietary technology. Founded in 1892, Doppelmayr is a Swiss/Austrian specialist company that manufactures chairlifts, cable cars, gondolas, surface tows for ski and amusement parks, as well as urban transport systems.
Doppelmayr cable car technology has successfully been used in locations like Merida, Venezuela; Roosevelt Island, New York, USA; Caracas, Venezuela; Medellin, Columbia; Portland, Oregon, USA; and Tlemcen, Algeria. Others are Constantine, Algeria; Koblenz, Germany; Ngong Ping, Hong Kong; Sentosa Island, Singapore and Sky Rail, Australia. The company is also presently executing similar projects in Bosporus, Turkey; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; La Paz, Bolivia and recently in London, England.

Culled from channels tv

MPYREMAGAZINE: Kim Kardashian tweets about visit to Nigeria

MPYREMAGAZINE: Kim Kardashian tweets about visit to Nigeria: US reality TV star Kim Kardishian, Tweets about her upcoming trip to Nigeria, she wrote ’ Yes it is I can’t wait! ‘, in reply to a fan ...

Kim Kardashian tweets about visit to Nigeria

US reality TV star Kim Kardishian, Tweets about her upcoming trip to Nigeria, she wrote ’Yes it is I can’t wait!‘, in reply to a fan who asked if the news is true and she’s indeed coming

The 32-year-old will be co-hosting Darey’s ‘Love Like a Movie‘ concert holding at the Convention Centre of the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos on Sunday February 17.

 

 

Wizkid is still with EME says Banky W

EME boss, Banky W in an interview with Silverbird Entertainment denied report that Wizkid has left the record label. Banky W said the record label is currently re-reviewing the contract Wizkid signed with EME and they are in the “middle” of the negotiation.
“Wizkid is going international and as a result we have to re-negotiate the contract he signed. Wizkid has his own idea of how he wants to do things and he has plans for himself too. Wizkid is still with us, there’s no problem, things will be sorted out soon” Banky W told Silverbird.
Banky W insist things will be ironed out in the next few weeks.

cosmos maduka exits access bank

Dr. Cosmas Maduka

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Maduka’s tenure as non-executive director on the Access Bank board ended after the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN’s hammer fell on the bank for alleged insider abuse and flouting of corporate governance rules. The CBN had accused Access Bank of granting loans, in excess of the amount allowed under financial regulations, to Maduka and two other directors, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode and Mr. Tunde Folawiyo. The regulator said the bank flouted Section 20(1) of the Banks & Other Financial Institutions Act, BOFIA, 1991(as amended), by awarding credit facilities to firms linked to the trio, in excess of its (the bank’s) single obligor’s limits.
The single obligor limit is the percentage of its shareholders’ fund that a bank can grant to a single customer as loan at any particular time. The credit ceiling was part of measures introduced by the CBN in the wake of the banking crisis of 2008, to limit banks’ exposure to a particular entity, and in essence, reduce risk.
For the said loan infraction, the apex bank slammed penalties totalling N3m on Access Bank. “Contrary to the CBN circular No. BSD/9/2004 of 16 July 2004, which stipulates that credits to directors and their related companies shall not exceed 10 per cent of the paid-up capital without the CBN approval, the bank (Access) granted to its following directors – Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, Dr. Cosmos Maduka and Mr. Tunde Folawiyo – facilities in excess of 10 per cent of its paid-up capital without the necessary regulatory approval,” read a CBN statement detailing the infractions.
Maduka’s ouster comes on the heels of a petition by two minority shareholders of Access Bank, Godfrey Onyeka and Godfrey Obiamalu, accusing the bank’s board of bending the rules in the granting of loans to Maduka and two other directors.
The petition, dated 21 January 2013, and addressed to the CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, was endorsed by counsel to the aggrieved shareholders, Ime Asanga and Co.
It read: “Our clients have become aware of fraudulent credit facilities made by the bank to three of its directors – Dr. Cosmas Maduka through two of his companies namely: Coscharis Motors Ltd and Sure Comfort Limited here in Nigeria, to Mr. Gbenga Oyebode and Tunde Folawiyo. Our clients are desirous of protecting their investments in Access Bank and ensuring that returns on those investments are not unnecessarily depleted, especially when easier, cheaper and more readily available local remedies are provided for under BOFIA.
“Accordingly, we have our clients’ instructions to make this complaint to you with a prayer that you invoke the clear provisions of Section 20(6) of BOFIA to recover from the directors of the bank the full amount involved in the obnoxious credit facilities as well as cleanse its Board and Management by removing all the Directors.”
But Access Bank quickly tried to put a spin on the loan scandal and Maduka’s ouster by claiming in a statement that the ex-director of the bank only retired from its board, having completed the 12-year term stipulated by the CBN’s Code of Corporate Governance for banks.
A statement jointly endorsed by the bank’s legal adviser, Fatai Oladipo, and its head, Media Relations, Segun Fafore, maintained that contrary to media reports, Maduka left the board on completion of his tenure, adding that “the allegation that he was sacked was spurious, baseless and a tissue of lies”.
The statement further said: “As you may be aware, Dr. Cosmas Maduka had been on the Board of Access Bank since 2000 and therefore in line with the CBN policy on Banks Directors tenure, which stipulates that no Director shall serve more than 12 years, his tenure expired and he ceased to be a Director of the Bank effective December 2012, having served meritoriously in that capacity for the maximum period allowed by the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Policy.”
The bank insisted Maduka’s retirement from its board had nothing to do with the outcome of the CBN’s risk-based assessment of the bank that took place in 30 September 2011. “We, therefore, find the report that he was removed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disturbing as his retirement from the board has nothing to do with the apex bank’s directive to the bank on the outcome of the risk-based examination of September 30, 2011 as reported,” the statement added.

Microsoft and Huawei to tap into exploding mobile market

Microsoft on Tuesday announced a partnership with Chinese manufacturer Huawei to offer an affordably priced smartphone in Africa geared toward tapping into the continent’s exploding mobile market
Introducing the phone at an event in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, a Microsoft executive said the aim was to have the 4Afrika phone priced at below $200.
The Huawei phone model is not exclusive to the continent, but the 4Afrika version is being adapted to African markets, including with apps geared toward specific countries.
At the Nigerian event, officials demonstrated apps including a dictionary for the local Yoruba language and local news. There would also be an app related to the country’s popular low-budget movie industry, called Nollywood.
“The key aspect of this is not price,” said Gustavo Fuchs, mobility director for Microsoft in the Middle East and Africa.
“It’s really the content and the applications that we are working through our innovation pillar to make sure the phone becomes locally relevant.”
On a corporate blog Microsoft’s top executive for the Middle East and Africa, Ali Faramawy, called it a “full-functionality Windows Phone 8 preloaded with select applications designed for Africa, by Africans.”
Huawei is known for building affordable phones, and the first in the series of the 4Afrika brand will initially be available as early as this month in Angola, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa.
Africa has been the world’s fastest growing mobile market — in addition to being home to the globe’s most rapidly expanding population.
In countries such as Nigeria, landlines are almost non-existent, with infrastructure left to decay as mobile phones expanded.
However, the high cost of smartphones, which can sometimes run over $700, has kept penetration of the such devices on the continent relatively low.
Microsoft estimates that smartphone penetration in Africa is about 10 percent, while IDC research firm says sales of the devices accounted for 45.5 percent of total mobile phone sales globally last year.
In Nigeria, the number of smartphone subscriptions has been put at some four million, with half of those Blackberries, which remain overwhelmingly popular in the country despite the brand’s sharp decline elsewhere.
A Blackberry is seen as a status symbol in Nigeria — and the brand has even spawned a Nollywood feature “Blackberry Babes.” Its free messaging service is especially popular.
iPhone penetration in Nigeria has remained limited however, and Microsoft’s initiative could prove a boost to WindowsPhone8, a mobile operating system that has had difficulty gaining traction.
Samples of the 4Afrika phone showed a touchscreen with a sleek design. The internal memory size and screen resolution are below those found in higher-end models but the phone sports a fast processor and two cameras.
Microsoft executives said the 4Afrika Initiative overall aimed to put tens of millions of smart devices into the hands of Africans and bring a million small and medium-sized businesses online by 2016.
Microsoft added it was partnering with Kenya’s communications ministry and Internet service provider Indigo Telecom to deliver low-cost, high-speed wireless broadband access across Kenya using solar-powered base stations.
It also said it had agreements with Safaricom in Kenya and Bharti Airtel in Nigeria to accelerate local adoption of the Nokia Lumia 510 and Nokia Lumia 620 Windows phones

DStv League to start 23 Feb

After a week-long Annual General Meeting, AGM, and pre-season seminar, which took place in Abuja, the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, has fixed 23 February to begin the 2012/ 2013 domestic league season.
According to a reliable source within the basketball ruling body in Abuja, the last weekend in February was agreed upon by all the stakeholders present during the pre-season seminar and the AGM.
“The league will certainly start in February as the NBBF and our sponsor, Multichoice, owners of DStv, have renewed the new contract as title sponsor for another four years.
“This season’s early dunk off is informed against the backdrop of many international engagements on our card, starting with the 27th edition of the men’s Afrobasket slated for Abidjan, Ivory Coast and the women’s edition holding in Maputo, Mozambique.
The basketball league is fashioned after the National Basketball Association, NBA, of the United States of America on conference basis with all the 16 teams divided into eight teams each for the Atlantic and Savannah Conferences.
The Atlantic Conference has the defending champions, Royal Hoopers of Port Harcourt, Dodan Warriors, Islanders, Comets, Police Baton and Customs and newly promoted Oluyole Warriors of Ibadan.
Savannah Conference has former champions, Kano Pillars, Nigeria Immigration of Kano, Kada Stars of Kaduna, Niger Potters of Minna, Plateau Peaks of Jos, Bauchi Nets,Yelwa Hawks of Bauchi and Mark Mentors of Abuja who acquired former Tapgun Rockets of Jos.

LG launches battery powered tv in Nigeria

 

The novel LG LED TV called LG 32LS3800 Battery LED TV, though operates on electricity has a long lasting battery that ensures TV viewing is not unnecessarily interrupted when in it is use.

According to LG, the TV comes with exciting features that make for exciting entertainment experience. It is portable and easy to carry which makes it convenient for it to be moved from one place to the other.

Amongst various features of the LG Battery LED TV is also the in-built surge protector for long lasting durability and better performance against Power surge; the battery which comes in handy during power outages has a long battery life as it can last the duration of a football match.

The General Manager, Home Entertainment Division, LG Electronics, Mr. Dave Shin said that the LG Battery TV has come to end the embarrassment faced by Nigerian TV viewers by solving the problem experienced as a result of the constant Power outage that households and businesses in Nigeria experience’.

Unlike the conventional TV sets, the battery LED TV eliminates the problem of TV viewers having to scamper for alternative power supply sources like generators; because with the Battery TV they can continue watching TV programs uninterrupted.

The product is also said to be designed to avoid the inhaling of fumes from generating sets, with the health implications. For some people, the introduction of the technology could spark the birth a new experience in the nation’s entertainment industry.

Orient petroleum and gas to start new refinery in 2013

 

Orient Petroleum and Gas said it would begin operating a new refinery in Anambra state by the end of next year which will process an initial 20,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil.

Nigeria is among the world’s top 10 crude oil exporters but has to import most of its refined product needs due to the dilapidated state of its refineries. Previous efforts to build new refineries have often been delayed or cancelled.

The country has a theoretical refining capacity of 445,000 bpd from its four plants but they process around 30 percent of this amount, oil industry sources have said.

“Our expectation is that the refinery will be up and running by the end of the year,” Orient Petroleum Chairman Emeka Anyaoku said at the inauguration of the project.

“We expect that by the end of the year we should be refining 20,000 barrels of oil everyday and gradually after that we will build up to 35,000 then 55,000 and possibly higher.”

Orient is exploring for oil in Anambra state, which sits north of the main oil producing Niger Delta region, but there have been no official oil reserve figures published.

The company’s website said it will refine crude oil produced from Anambra state and Brass River oil, which is currently pumped from fields operated by Italian firm Eni.

ANOTHER REF SENT HOME BY CAF

Tunisian referee; Slim Jdidi following his controversial performance in Wednesday’s semi-final match between Burkina Faso and Ghana has been banned by The Confederation of African Football (CAF)

CAF Secretary General, Hicham el-Amrani told journalists that they are not happy with the ‘standard of refereeing’ in the match and that Jdidi has been asked to step aside.

During the match which was played on Wednesday, February 6, 2013, a contentious red card was awarded to the Burkina Faso forward Jonathan Pitroipa which means he would miss the final game against Nigeria on Sunday.

Another issue was the penalty kick Jdidi awarded to Ghana.

Pitroipa had appealed the referee’s decision to send him off in the semi-final match and CAF have admitted his appeal

AGBALUMO

It is a fact universally accepted and acknowledged that you and I can achieve long life ,fitness and good health through eating healthy diets.
Nigeria as a nation grows varieties of fruits and vegetables and most importantly, they are all organic!
There are many fresh fruits and vegetables one can pick even from local farms or gardens.
The fruits that come to my mind right now are pineapples, oranges, mangos; banana, avocado pears, grapefruits; tangerines, carrots, apples, cocoa, paw paw; lime, lemons, guava, kola nuts, coconuts, pears, olive, palm fruits and numerous other fruits scattered but can be found all over Nigeria.
Nigeria also grows numerous vegetables including root vegetables and they include onions, cucumber, spinach, cauliflower, carrots, pumpkin, garden eggs; melons, watercress, sweet potatoes; potatoes; water-melon, fluted pumpkins, mushrooms, celery; bitterleaves, groundnuts, tomatoes, corn/maize, pepper, coco-yams etc; what i really want to share with you is the one called AGBALUMO


The “agbalumo” fruit, also known as the “star apple”, is an annual popular fruit in Lagos State.The botanical name of the fruit is “Chrysophyllum albidum, Family Sapotaceae”.
The fruits are sub-spherical in shape, about 3cm in diameter, usually 5-celled and contain an edible, sweet fruit-pulp. When in season, it is often an item of market trade.
Women retail-traders sell the fruits both inside our markets and along our streets, especially adjacent to school-gates{school children love this fruit dearly!} and bus –stops. Young girls hawk them in large trays on top of their heads. This has to be so because the “agbalumo” fruits cannot be kept for too long after harvesting.
Medicinally, they are good remedies for sore-throat and tooth-ache. They are also useful for constipation.
Culturally, the seeds are threaded as anklets in dancing. Also, young people, especially boys, use the seeds to play a peculiar out
The fruit pulp is rich in Vitamin C and iron and an excellent source of raw material for industries. Tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, proteins, carbohydates and resins are the phytochemicals that have been reported in Chrysophyllum albidum. Methanolic extract of the cotyledons from the seeds of Chrysophyllum albidum led to the isolation of eleagnine, tetrahydro- 2 -methylharman and skatole.

Eleagnine was found to be the main compound responsible for its antimicrobial activity. Eleagnine was further shown to exhibit anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The seed cotyledon has been reported to possess anti-hyperglycemic (lowers high blood sugar) and hypolipidemic (lower blood cholesterol) effects.

The researchers investigated the effect of oral administration of the leaf extract of Chrysophyllum albidum G. on biochemical and haematological parameters in albino rats for 16 days.

The researchers write: In conclusion, the study has demonstrated that the leaf extract of Chrysophyllum albidum may not cause any adverse effect on the biochemical and haematological indices of toxicity.
 Moreover, the extract was found to possess anti-platelet and hypoglycemic (lowers blood sugar) properties and might be employed in the management of myocardial infarction (heart attack) and diabetes mellitus, respectively. Further investigation is needed to establish the anti-platelet property of the extract.

Another study by researchers at the Forest Research Institute, Ibadan, Oyo State, showed that star apple leaves exhibited strong antibacterial activity against common bacteria isolates.

The study titled, Antibacterial activity and phytochemical screening of Chrysophyllum albidum leaves was published in Asian Journal of Food and Agro-Industry.

Preliminary phytochemical screening of Chrysophyllum albidum leaves for secondary metabolites showed the presence of tannin, anthraquinone and cardiac glycosides in the plant samples. The samples were devoid of saponin, alkaloids and reducing sugars.

The researchers write: Biological actions are primarily due to these components in a very complicated concert of synergistic or antagonistic activities. Mixtures of such chemicals show a broad spectrum of biological effects and pharmacological properties.

The antimicrobial properties of the plant observed in this study could be attributed to the presence of tannin, anthraquinone and cardiac glycosides. The results showed that the test organisms were susceptible to the water extracts based on their zones of inhibition, which ranged from 10 to 27 mm. Escherichia coli showed the highest susceptibility of 27. All the organisms were sensitive at all concentrations except Escherichia coli, which was not sensitive at 125 g/mL and 250 g/mL. The least activity 10 mm was detected at 125 g/mL concentration with.

The methanolic extract of Chrysopyllum albidum leaves exhibited some antimicrobial activity against all the microorganisms tested as assessed by zones of inhibition that ranged from (250 to 350.40mm).
 Escherichia coli had the highest susceptibility at 250 g/mL concentrations with zone of inhibition of 350.40 mm. There was increase in the zone of inhibition for Escherichia coli from 30 (0.15) mm at 125 g/mL to 35 (0.40) mm and 350.21 at 250 g/mg and 500 g/mL respectively. Salmonella typhi and Shigella spp had a zone of inhibition of 35 mm at all concentrations except at 500 g/mg where Shigella spp. which had zone of inhibition of 30 (0.30) mm.

These results suggest that water and methanolic extracts from the leaves of Chrysophylum albidum may contain active agent(s). This provides the basis for their folkloric use as cure for some human ailments like skin infection, diarrhoea and stomachache, which are as a result of infections and inflammatory reactions. It is suggested that more research be conducted to further isolate, identify, characterise and elucidate the bioactive compounds from Chrysophylum albidum.

In conclusion, the result of this study justifies the traditional uses of the leaves of Chrysophylum albidum for therapeutic purposes. The findings could also be of commercial interest to both pharmaceutical companies and research institute in the production of new drugs.