Nelson Mandela's Funeral.

The casket of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, draped in the multi-coloured South African flag, arrived on at the seat of power in the country's capital for public viewing.

Motorcycle-riding police officers escorted the casket from 1 Military Hospital outside of Pretoria to the Union Buildings, once a symbol of the white-dominated government in the country. When Mandela took office, he used the building as his offices and the presidency is still located there.

Some residents of Pretoria lined the streets to watch the procession go by. They sang old struggle songs and called out their farewells to Mandela.

Soldiers in formal uniforms carried Mandela's casket into the Union Buildings to a special viewing centre built inside the building's amphitheatre, which President Jacob Zuma named after Mandela by decree on Tuesday

social meedia war, it's Facebook against many

Sorry, Facebook — but it's time to change our relationship status to "It's complicated." While the Home of the Poke still retains a billion-strong user base, people are starting to use it less, divvying up their interactions and uploads, and all kinds of apps and services benefit as Facebook's hotness fades.

It used to be that we used Facebook to schedule parties, trade phone numbers, find old classmates, keep in touch with distant family members, share photos and generally opine. Now there are other ways to share photos and thoughts — and to connect with one another. Tumblr, Instagram, Google+ Hangouts, WhatsApp, SnapChat and others are luring people away from the convenience of Facebook's one-stop shop.

Part of the reason may be, well, your mom.

SAMSUNG GALAXY S 4 LTE-A AVAILABLE TO OTHER MARKETS.

 There was an LTE-A-equipped Samsung Galaxy S 4 with a juicy Snapdragon 800 CPU for South Korea and a lesser Exynos 5 or Snapdragon 600 version for everywhere else.

How the Deal On Oduah's U.S.$1.6 Million BMW Cars Was Sealed.

More facts emerged, at the weekend, lending credence to the claim that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) may have bought the two controversial $1.6 million (approximately N255 million) BMW bullet proof cars for the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, amid the parastatal's precarious financial situation.

Lampedusa boat disaster: Divers recover more bodies

Divers in Italy have been recovering more bodies from the boat of African migrants that sank on Thursday.

Seventy bodies were brought out on Sunday, bringing the official death toll to 181. About 200 people are still missing and 155 have survived the accident off Lampedusa island.
The authorities have denied allegations that they were slow to mount a rescue.
France has called for an urgent EU meeting after Italy requested help to deal with the influx of migrants.

Obama’s African tour overshadowed as Nelson Mandela remains in critical condition, as family is caught up in heated row

Barack Obama arrives in Africa for a tour which threatens to be overshadowed by the precarious health of Nelson Mandela, who is still in a critical condition in a South African hospital.

Mr Mandela’s daughter Zindzi said that her father smiled and opened his eyes when she told him of Mr Obama’s visit, but should Mr Mandela’s condition worsen – as South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has warned it might – the US delegation would find itself a sideshow in a global outpouring of grief.

latest from Dbanj.

Nelson Mandela's condition 'unchanged'

The South African government says former President Nelson Mandela's medical condition remains unchanged.

Mr Mandela, 94, has been in a Pretoria hospital since 8 June being treated for a recurring lung infection, and his condition became critical on Sunday.

"Doctors continue to do their best to ensure his recovery, well-being and comfort," the latest update said.

NASA's biggest rocket yet aims for 2017 test flight

By Rod Pyle, Space.com

NASA's largest rocket yet, a vehicle under development called the Space Launch System (SLS), is on track for its first test flight in 2017, according to experts who spoke at the Space Tech Expo in Long Beach last month.

Mandela, 94, hospitalized in 'serious' condition with lung infection

Former South African President Nelson Mandela was hospitalized Saturday after suffering a recurrence of a lung infection, according to a statement released by the nation’s current leader. The statement said the 94-year-old Mandela was in a serious but stable condition.

“During the past few days, former President Nelson Mandela has had a recurrence of lung infection,” said the statement by President Jacob Zuma. “This morning at about 1:30 a.m. [7:30 p.m. Friday ET] his condition deteriorated and he was transferred to a Pretoria hospital. He remains in a serious but stable condition."

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“The former president is receiving expert medical care and doctors are doing everything possible to make him better and comfortable,” it added.

A spokesman for the South African presidency, Mac Maharaj, told Sky News that Mandela was "able to breathe on his own," adding "I think that's important."

Maharaj said he was trying not to paint "a rosy picture" but added "neither do I want to paint a bad picture and say 'let's give up."

"He's a fighter. He's been through this many times, he's been through worse issues and he has survived," Maharaj said.

Asked about Mandela's general state of health, the spokesman said "there are moments when he looks terribly frail, within minutes he changes so you think he is completely normal and usual."

The Nobel Peace Prize winner and longtime political prisoner led the nation’s battle against the white-minority apartheid government.

He became the first president of the country to be elected following the fall of the apartheid system, leading his country as head of the African National Congress from 1994 to 1999.

Mandela has a history of lung problems dating back to when he contracted tuberculosis while being held in prison under the apartheid regime. 

He has been in and out of the hospital several times in recent months, most recently being discharged from a hospital on April 6 after having been treated since March 27 for pneumonia and other problems.

Zuma’s ANC government was recently criticized for allowing a visit by the president and other party leaders with Mandela to be broadcast on national television because of his ailing health.

The use of the word “serious” to describe Mandela’s condition was a cause of concern for ordinary South Africans.

"It's such painful news but I pray for him that he can get better and better and better as he is the best man in this country," Pretoria resident Khodani Mulwena told Reuters. 

"He is going to survive," Willie Mokoena, a gardener in Johannesburg, told The Associated Press. "He's a strong man." 

Concern for Mandela's health united the ANC and the opposition.

“We will keep President Mandela and his family in our thoughts and prayers at this time and call upon South Africans and the peoples of the globe to do the same for our beloved statesman and icon, Madiba,” the ANC said in a statement.

“Nelson Mandela is a father to South Africa and South Africans; every time he is admitted to hospital we feel saddened along with the rest of our country,” the Democratic Alliance, the main political opposition party, said in a statement.

Danger of your information on social media.

Nidhi SubbaramanNBC News

Bits of you are all over the Internet. If you've signed into Google and searched, saved a file in your Dropbox folder, made a phone call using Skype, or just woken up in the morning and checked your email, you're leaving a trail of digital crumbs. People who have access to this information — companies powering your emails and Web searches, advertisers who are strategically directing ads at you — can build a picture of who you are, what you like, and what you will probably do next. Revelations about government counter-terrorism programs such as PRISM indicate that federal agents and other operatives may use this data, too.

Amazon plans major move into grocery business.

                                                                       

Amazon.com Inc is planning a major roll-out of an online grocery business that it has been quietly developing for years, targeting one of the largest retail sectors yet to be upended by e-commerce, according to two people familiar with the situation.

see here

Carlos Slim still world richest man-Forbes

Carlos Slim Helu

Net worth: $73 billion

Carlos Slim is once again the world’s richest person, followed by Bill Gates. Amancio Ortega of Spanish retailer Zara moves up to No. 3 for the first time. He is the year’s biggest gainer, adding $19.5 billion to his fortune in one year. He moves ahead of Warren Buffett, despite the fact that the U.S. investing legend added $9.5 billion to his fortune. This is the first year since 2000 that Buffett has not been among the top 3. The year’s biggest loser is Brazilian Eike Batista, whose fortune dropped by $19.4 billion, or equivalent to about $50 million a day. His rank falls from no. 7 to no. 100 in the world.

Aliko Dangote Is Africa's First $20 Billion Man

A report released June 1st says the business tycoon is currently worth over $20 Billion.
Read more here

He has paid his price.

HOT NEW VIDEO FROM TIWA SAVAGE.

Tittle: Olorun Mi.

Very wonderful work. classic and melodious.

President Jonathan presents Mid-Term Report.

Nigeria President, Goodluck Jonathan, Wednesday 29th May presented his Administration’s Mid-Term Report stating that in spite of the security challenges of the country, Nigeria remains the favorite investment destination in Africa.

go here to read the full report. 

N912.4bn worth of new investments in Nigeria.

By Franklin Alli

…Investments go to Manufacturing, Agriculture, Energy
Some pockets of new investments were recorded in the economy in the last few years, data tracked by Financial Vanguard has revealed. The new investments came from Nestle Nigeria Plc, Dangote Cement Plc, Lafarge WAPCO Cement Plc; Western Metal Products Company Limited (WEMPCO Group) and Teragro, the agro-business subsidiary of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp), Makurdi, Benue State.

Also in the pack are Indorama Eleme Petrochemical Limited, Port Harcourt; SABMiller Plc’s brewery plant in Onitsha, Anambra State as well as PZ Wilmar palm oil  factory and plantation at Ikorodu, Lagos and Calabar, respectively.

Analysis of the new investments showed that Nestlé invested N12 billion in Flowergate factories, dedicated to the production of Maggi products, at Sagam, Ogun State. It also made an investment of N5.4 billion to set up a Distribution Center in Agbara, Ogun State;  Dangote Cement on its part invested a total of  N140 billion in Ibese plant with a capacity of six million metric tons built by Sinoma, using state-of-the-art Chinese and European technology.

The plant is expected to increase its capacity to 12 million tons per year by the end of 2014, providing ample supplies for the rapidly growing South-West region of Nigeria, as well as the ability to export cement and clinker through Dangote Cement terminals in Lagos.

Lafarge WAPCO on the other hand invested N75 billion on a 2.5 million tons plant at Ewekoro II christened “Lakatabu. Lafarge also invested N23 billion on power plants at Ewekoro Ogun State to generate a total of 90 megawatts both to power Lafarge’s Lakatabu cement plant and to support Nigeria’s quest for power sufficiency.

Still in Ogun State, Western Metal Products Company Limited (WEMPCO Group) invested N1 billion CBN intervention fund it got through the Bank of Industry (BoI) on a 52 megawatts power plant to provide 24 hours electricity to all its factories.

WEMPCO also recently made a combined investment of N344 billion on steel, ceramic tiles plant and nail production, at its 700,000 metric tons per annum Cold Rolled Steel Mill complex in Ibafon, Ogun State to complement its existing investments in the country.

The Group Managing Director, Wempco Group, Mr. Lewis Tung, gave the breakdown as follows: $1.5 billion steel, ceramic tiles plant worth $500m and a nail production plant worth $200m. Benue State also got a slice of the new investments with an injection of Teragro N1billion fruit processing plant which was commissioned March last year by President GoodLuck Jonathan. Teragro, the agro-business subsidiary of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) signed an agreement with the Benue State Government for Benfruit, the fruit juice concentrate company.

Minister of Trade & Investment, Olusegun Aganga

The plant, which is located in the Makurdi Industrial Estate, is situated on one hectare of land. It has installed capacity to produce orange, mango and pineapple fruit concentrates at up to 26,500 metric tons per annum.  Anambra State was not left out as South Africa’s brewery giant, SABMiller Brewery  invested $100 million dollars (N15 billion) on its first beer plant at Onitsha  for the product launch of Hero Lager.

The project was awarded in March 2011 to Jagal Nigeria Limited and was completed within 18 months. The new plant which has an annual capacity of 500,000 hectoliters was also commissioned by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan along with Governor Peter Obi and other government dignitaries. Also in attendance were senior officials from SABMiller Plc including Mr. Mark Bowman, Managing Director, SABMiller Africa.

In addition to these, Indorama Corporation is also investing US$1.2 billion (about N188 billion) on single-stream gas-to-urea fertiliser project in Port Harcourt, through its Nigerian subsidiary, Indorama EPL.

The Indorama fertiliser plant, which has capacity for 1.4 million metric tons of Urea, Ammonia and NPK fertilisers per annum would be the world’s largest single-stream gas-to-urea plant, says the Technical Director of the project, Mr. Uptal K. Chatterjee.

According to Chatterjee, the plant, expected to be completed in fourth quarter of 2015, is geared towards transforming Nigeria from a major importer to a key exporter of fertiliser.

According to the Managing Director of Indorama, Eleme Petrochemicals Limited, Mr. Manish Mundra; “When completed, the project would deliver high quality fertilisers to Nigerian farmers, thereby helping Nigeria to boost agricultural output and enhance food security,” Mr. Mundra said.

The project has already attracted huge financing from many international and local financial institutions, revealed Mr. Munish Jindal, Director of Finance of IEPL.

Last February 18, 2013, Indorama and its financial partners sealed an US$1.2 billion financing arrangement in Dubai. A total of $800 million dollars is in loans, while $400 million dollars is in equity.

According to Mr. Jindal, the financial partners involved in the $800 million loan syndication include the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Standard Chartered,  African Development Bank (AFDB), Africa Export Import Bank (AFREXIM Bank), Bank of India, as well as KFW and DEG of Germany.

Others are Commonwealth Development Corporation of the United Kingdom, FMO Entrepreneurial Development Bank of Netherlands and Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund. The Nigerian banks are United Bank for Africa (UBA), Stanbic IBTC Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), and Access Bank.

Chairman of Indorama, Mr. S.P. Lohia, had in May 2011, broken the news of the fertiliser project to President Goodluck Jonathan, who promised to support the project because of the huge impact it would have on Nigeria’s agricultural sector and the creation of employment opportunities for Nigeria.

Also tracked by Financial Vanguard in the new investment and job creation drive is PZ Wilmar, a new joint venture of PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc and Singapore’s Wilmar.

They are investing N109 billion. N100 billion in oil palm plantations in Calabar and N9 billion refinery based in Lagos.

Speaking on the new investment, the group’s Chief Executive, Mr Christos Giannopoulos said that palm oil plantation and refinery is the conglomerate’s new business line, adding that it has already acquired 30,000 hectares of palm oil plantation in Cross River State to boost its palm produce business in the country.

Giannopoulos, who noted that Nigeria’s lost status as the biggest producer of palm oil in the world promised that his company would work assiduously towards helping the country regain its lost glory in the palm oil and associated produce in the global market.

My take?

Until this figures are translated into jobs and better living conditions for Nigerians it remains figures and nothing more..... We keep seeing figures and how our economy is the fastest growing economy with foreign investments pouring into the country like water but people are still going hungry and beggars increasing on our streets, unemployment is still on the rise.

Please some body tell this people to do something that the common man can identify with?

what you think people?

JOHN UTAKA MARRIED.

FG begins privatisation of 10 power plants.

Lagos –  The Federal Government is to privatise the 10 independent power plants built by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP).

Mr James Olotu, Managing Director, NDPHC, made this known at an interactive session with journalists in Lagos.

The  power plants are: Omotoso in Ondo State (450MW), Sapele in Delta (450MW), Geregu in Kogi (434MW), Olorunsogo in Ogun (750MW) and Ihovbor in Edo (450MW).
Others are Gbarain in Bayelsa (225MW), Alaoji in Abia (450MW), Calabar in Cross River (561MW), Egbema in Imo (338MW) and Omoku in Rivers (225MW).

Olotu explained that a road show to indicate the commencement of the exercise would start in Lagos from Tuesday, June 4 to June 5 with 40 investors.

He said that the road show would be extended to United Kingdom, United States and Hong Kong.

The NDPHC boss confirmed that six of the plants had been completed technically, while the remaining would be completed before 2014..

He explained that the Federal Government would divest 80 per cent of its shares in the power plants, while auctioning would involve the Ministry of Power and the Bureau of Public Enterprises.

Olotu, who did not disclose the expected revenue from the auction, said that proceeds realised would be used to build additional power plants and boost transmission lines in the country.
“With the planned privatisation, there would be efficiency and effectiveness in the management of the power plants.

“Government can play its role where it has relative advantage. Government will invest little but more on transmission sector so as to build the country’s power infrastructure,” he said.

Olotu stated that the Board of Directors of the company which has Vice President Namadi Sambo as its Chairman, had got the approval of the Federal Government to privatise the plants.

He said the sale became imperative due to the fact that the company has achieved the mandate given to it in 2005.

“The mandate was to build 10 independent power plants across the country with capacity to generate 5000 MW by end of 2013 and divest it.

“We are confident to tell you that this year will be a year of harvest in the power sector. All the power generating plants will be completed this year.
“In fact, six plants are ready for commissioning while four others are about to be completed within the next few months.

“We are divesting 80 per cent stake in each power plant as valued by our financial advisers..
“We will retain 20 per cent in order to assure potential investors of our confidence in the plants we are selling,” he stated.

Also speaking, Mr Arif Mohiuddin, CPCS Transaction Adviser to the NDPHC, said submission of bid for the plants was scheduled for July 19 while August 8 was fixed for short-listing of bidders.

“There will be bidders’ conference on Sept.18 and Sept.19. Bidders are expected to submit their proposals on Nov. 8 and evaluation of technical proposal would come up one month later,” Mohiuddin said.

He said names of successful bidders would be announced, while the handing-over of the assets to the investors would come up before June 2014.

He gave the assurance that the plants would not be handed over until completion and commissioning. (NAN)

Nanbol's view:

Indeed the road map to power is paying off, i hope it does not end like the OBJ's $16b PIP. I really don't want to make any critical look into this report but i strongly believe this Government is doing great in the power sector and deserve our support.

What do you think?

Public Smoking; the World should learn from Russia.

By Anna Nemtsova, NBC News

MOSCOW – Smoking in public has long been a part of Russia’s everyday life, something non-smokers hate but have to deal with, like cold winters, bad roads and Moscow traffic jams.

That fact of Russian life is about to change – a law coming into force Saturday will ban smoking on public transport, at airports and in railway stations. Russians will also be barred from puffing away in schools and university campuses, hospitals and a number of other social institutions. Cigarette ads will disappear from Russian streets.

Instead of protesting the move, many Russians say they are happy the government is forcing smokers’ hands.

“I cannot wait for smoking to be prohibited everywhere. Every time I get in a taxi the first thing I ask the driver is to put down his cigarette,” said Yekaterina Temriazeva, who is pregnant. “Some cafes and restaurants can be simply intolerably full of smoke.”

Temriazeva said she was happy to learn that smoking would also be prohibited at all children’s playgrounds. Teenagers smoking behind a school, or even on the school’s front steps, has long been an ordinary scene throughout Russia.

“Children begin to smoke very early in our country, sometimes as early as age 10,” Russia’s Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said at a press conference on Monday. “That concerns not just boys, but girls too – they do not stop when they get pregnant later.  And as a consequence, we have orphanages with deeply sick and retarded children.”

The ban intends to save 200,000 lives a year, she added.

Indeed, Skvortsova and the government are up against a deeply addicted country. A whopping 55 percent of men and 16 percent of women smoke daily in Russia, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. In the United States, for example, only 17 percent and 13 percent do.

And at between $1.50 and $2.50 a pack, smoking is cheap. The choice to smoke does not depend on education or social status – smoking men and women can be seen in every bar and on every restaurant veranda in Moscow.  Smokers gather outside theaters, and on the stairs of apartment and office buildings.

The ban on smoking advertisements and marketing – also a part of the government’s campaign – lit up the Russian Internet.

Cigarettes and smokers will disappear from all Russian-made movies and even cartoons, including classics with pipe-smoking characters. Many wondered what will happen to Gena, a pipe-smoking animated crocodile who is beloved by millions of Russians.

“But what about Stalin and Sherlock-Homes?” a user on a Gazeta.ru forum asked.

While many welcomed the new rules meant to inspire the nation to live healthy and longer lives, others grumbled about the announcement.

Two men discussed the ban on the train from Nizhny Novgorod to Moscow, puffing away in the hallway of a train car, which will be off-limits to them by the weekend.

“They banned smoking outside metro stations – what a doomed country,” said one, who gave his name only as Nikolai.

It was unclear to the two friends how police would catch violators.

“They don’t have enough cops,” the one suggested.

Russia is not known for its shortage of police.

Nanbol's view;

The law is enough to reduce the level of danger that public smoking poise to people whether there is shortage of police or not. And i think it is time Nigeria and other countries begin to look in the same direction as passive smokers are innocently suffering for the sins of others. I am not stopping anyone from smoking but doing in public is endangering other people's live so do it in your house.

what do you think?

ACN slams Jonathan over NGF’s crisis

Source: Vanguardng.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has said it is a travesty of democracy for President Goodluck Jonathan to recognise Gov. Jonah Jang of Plateau State as the ‘Chair’ of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), even though Jang lost to Gov. Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State in what has been widely acknowledged as a free, fair and transparent NGF poll.

In a statement issued in Osogbo on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the President’s ill-advised decision has shown that he has little or no respect for democracy, and will stop at nothing to jettison time-tested ideals on the altar of political opportunism.

The party said the recognition of the losing candidate for the Chairmanship of the NGF has also shown that the President’s spokesmen either do not know the thinking of their principal or have chosen to engage in downright lies in his defence.

”President Jonathan is frittering away whatever is left of his credibility by the day. His spokesman said in a statement the day after the NGF election that ‘the President has always shown a willingness to work harmoniously with any leadership freely and independently chosen by the Governors Forum for the collective progress and development of all sections of the country and will continue to do so.

”’President Jonathan trusts that as true democrats and respected national political leaders, members of the Governors Forum will quickly resolve the issues and differences amongst them which emerged yesterday (May 24th) and continue to contribute effectively to national development as a strong, and progressive body’.

”But it is now clear that the presidency’s statement is not worth the paper on which it is written, that in the Nigerian presidency, words do not carry their exact meanings and that the spokesmen for the President speak for no one but themselves. When viewed in the context of similar deceitful statements by the presidency in the past, especially on the health of the First Lady, one can see a growing pattern of a lying presidency, a presidency that likes to hide behind one finger. This is sad, because without credibility, a President cannot govern successfully,” ACN said.

The party said the President, who should be looked up to as the father of all, has become the father of a ‘few renegades’,and descended from being the President of Nigeria to the President of the PDP and and now the President of a faction of the PDP.

”This President is daily cementing his unenviable reputation as the most divisive President in the history of Nigeria. By raising partisan politics to a pedestal higher than national interest, he has divided the country along religious, ethnic and political lines more than any of his predecessors.”

I have read a lot about this story on National dailies, that's why i am posting it here to make my views on the subject know to all of you. It saddens my heart that what transpired in the NGF's elections held on May 24th is happening in this dispensation called Democratic. How can we say we are democratic when we can't even abide to rule law? Isn't this the same Government or administration that boast regularly of it obedience to the rule of law? or that bragging is subject to certain conditions?

Well i think a lot is yet to be told to Nigerians on this matter. If the presidency and the NGF continue to acknowledge Gov. Jonah Jang as chairman of the NGF, then they tell us to watch it when the say anything to us.

Sunday dose.

I LOVE JESUS BECAUSE HE LOVED ME FIRST, EVEN WHEN I DIDN'T LOVE HIM.

DO YOU LOVE HIM?

Like father, like son: Will and Jaden Smith not only family pair working together

In "After Earth," which opens Friday, father and son Will and Jaden Smith play ... a father and son. But from there on out, things are pretty different than their real-life relationship. The film is set in the future, and the Smiths play a seasoned general and his young recruit son who crash-land on an abandoned Earth, meaning Jaden Smith must set out on a dangerous mission to save his father. We're guessing the closest 14-year-old Jaden comes to this kind of thing in real life is when he has to carry a dangerously hot latte to his dad at the Beverly Hills Starbucks.

Columbia Pictures

Will and Jaden Smith play father and son in "After Earth."

The Smiths are far from the only father-son entertainers who've worked together -- and many often slip right into their real-life roles, playing dad and child onscreen as well as off. Here are just a few.

Nigeria vs Mexico- international friendly.

Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas is the stage as Mexico and Nigeria clash in an international friendly.

Both sides have incredibly busy summers, and will be keen to set the tone with a win. A poor performance for either nation could have a critical effect on World Cup qualification and the imminent Confederations Cup.

After an uninspiring recent run and an unhappy atmosphere invading both camp and federation, El Tri will be keen to do their talking on the pitch. Usually so lethal, the Mexicans’ attacking options have been muted in recent times, and boss Jose Manuel dela Torre urgently needs to sort this out.

His insistence on the presence of Giovani dos Santos is a major statement of intent.

It hasn’t all been plain sailing for Nigeria since their cathartic Cup of Nations victory back in February. The NFF have endured disputes with coach Stephen Keshi, who himself has fallen out with several senior players—including skipper Joseph Yobo.

After a disappointing home draw with Kenya in the African World Cup qualifiers, the pressure is on both manager and team to reignite their stalling momentum. The absence of Victor Moses, Kalu Uche and Emmanuel Emenike is a major blow, but perhaps not fatal—this generation of Nigerians possesses enough class and vigor to cause the Mexicans problems.

Time 2:00 am Saturday Nigeria time. 8:00 pm Houston USA

Line up

Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (Ajaccio), Jesús Corona (Cruz Azul), Alfredo Talavera (Toluca)

Defenders: Severo Meza (Monterrey), Francisco Javier "Maza" Rodríguez (América), Héctor Moreno (Espanyol), Diego Reyes (América), Jorge Torres Nilo (Tigres UANL), Carlos Salcido (Tigres UANL), Hiram Mier (Monterrey)

Midfielders: Jesús Zavala (Monterrey), Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Jesús Molina (América), Héctor Herrera (Pachuca), Javier Aquino (Villarreal), Andrés Guardado (Valencia), Ángel Reyna (Pachuca), Pablo Barrera (Cruz Azul)

Forwards: Giovani dos Santos (Mallorca), Oribe Peralta (Santos Laguna), Javier Hernández (Manchester United), Raúl Jiménez (América), Aldo de Nigris (Monterrey)

Nigeria (4-4-2): Enyeama; Kwambe, Obobona, Omeruo, Echiejile; Oduamadi, Ogu, Onazi, Mba; Ujah, Ideye

Line up

Goalkeepers: Chigozie Agbim (Warri Wolves), Austin Ejide (Hapoel), Vincent Enyeama (Maccabi Tel Aviv)

Defenders: Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves), Efe Ambrose (Celtic), Elderson Echiéjilé (Sporting de Braga), Kenneth Omeruo (ADO Den Haag), Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars), Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars), Francis Benjamin (Heartland F.C.), Odunlami Kunle (Sunshine Stars FC)

Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea), Victor Moses (Chelsea), Ogenyi Onazi (Lazio), John Ogu (Academia de Coimbra), Obinna Nwachukwu (Heartland), Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers), Michael Babatunde (Kryvbas Kryvyi), Reuben Gabriel (Kilmarnock)

Forwards: Joseph Akpala (SV Werder Bremen), Brown Ideye (FC Dynamo Kyiv), Anthony Ujah (FC Koln), Nnamdi Oduamadi (Varese), Kalu Uche (Kasımpaşa Spor Kulübü), Gambo Muhammad (Kano Pillars F.C.)

This will be a great test for the big Boss. I wish him and the Super eagles good luck.

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK MEET IN MOROCCO.

*UN Report says Africa’s resources can fuel economic transformation; but growth must be broadened to reduce poverty, create more jobs*

Bloomberg/Businessweek, UN News Centre, AfDB (May 27, 2013) — African governments risk losing the economic gains they’ve made unless countries broaden the base of growth by educating poor children and creating jobs, said African Development Bank (AfDB) President Donald Kaberuka, as the AfDB’s 48th annual meetings began today in Marrakech, Morocco.

Some 2,500 participants are attending the five-day AfDB meetings — including heads of state, finance ministers, central bank governors, and other delegates – which are focused on the need for Africa to turn economic growth into truly shared and sustainable economic transformation in the next half century.

Setting the stage for the gathering, the African Economic Outlook 2013 report was released in Morocco today by the United Nations, AfDB, and its partners, stating that African countries must take full advantage of their agricultural, mining and energy natural resources to accelerate the pace of growth and ensure the process can benefit ordinary Africans. The new report stresses that this must be accompanied by inclusive social policies that seek to reduce inequality in the continent.

Countries that don’t bring more people into the economy may end up in a middle-income trap, in which productivity and income growth can stall as annual per capita incomes reach $5,000 to $10,000, Kaberuka said in an interview at the African Union summit in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. “Unless you broaden the base, you include more people, you actually get stuck,” he said on May 25.

Africa is the world’s second-most inequitable region after Latin America, the African Development Bank said in a report last year. In 2010, six out of the 10 most unequal countries worldwide were in southern Africa, the Tunis-based lender said. “The biggest single important thing to do to ensure inclusive growth is to make sure that the children of poor people end up in education,” Kaberuka said. “That is how you break the inter-generational transmission of poverty.”

Economic growth in Africa averaged 5.2 percent from 2003 to 2011, while average gross domestic product per capita on the continent stood at $3,025, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

“Now is the time to step up the tempo of economic transformation, so that African economies become more competitive and create more gainful jobs,” said the authors of the new African Economic Outlook, adding that “widening the sources of economic activity is fundamental to meeting this challenge.”

The report says the continent’s economic prospects for 2013 and 2014 are promising, with the economy projected to grow by 4.8 per cent the first year and accelerate further to 5.3 per cent the next. However, it emphasizes that economic growth alone will no be enough to reduce poverty, tackle persistent unemployment, and address income inequalities and deteriorating levels of health and education.

AfDB’s annual meeting in Marrakech will explore new ideas & set out concrete actions to help transform Africa’s economic boom into sustainable and inclusive growth. AfDB

“Growth is not enough,” said Mario Pezzini, Director at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Centre. “African countries must provide the right conditions for turning natural resources into jobs, optimise their resource revenues through smart taxation and help investors and locals to make the most of linkages.”

According to the new report, four key elements are necessary for inclusive growth. These consist of: creating the right conditions for transformation including infrastructure and the creation of more competitive markets; implementing more effective tax systems as well as improving land management; ensuring proceeds from natural resources are invested in projects that benefit civil society; and actively fostering economic diversification.

“Ultimately, transformation means opening opportunities so people can find jobs, create businesses, as well as invest in health, education and food security. In turn, higher levels of human development for all, including the most vulnerable, can accelerate the pace of economic transformation, leading to a virtuous cycle of growth and development,” the UN Development Programme (UNDP) said in a news release.

The UN report is produced annually by AfDB, UNDP, the Development Centre of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

Failure to generate equitable growth could result in “a demographic disaster marked by rising levels of youth unemployment, social dislocation and hunger,” said former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who chairs the Africa Progress Panel.

“The quality of growth and the sustainability of growth” are the two main issues confronting Africa today, AfDB President, Donald Kaberuka, said May 25 at the African Union meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. AfDB’s Annual Meetings are being held at a crucial time. For Kaberuka, “Africa is rising, and it needs a push. The rest of the world is languishing, and it too needs a push. Africa needs the world, and the world needs Africa. Each can give the other a push.”

“We have the will, we have the systems, but we still don’t have all the funds. The Bank can work magic with what it is given, raising nine dollars for every one of its own,” Kaberuka added.

African states should adopt policies like former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s program to pay families to keep children in school, Kaberuka said. Two donor-funded programs that provide cash transfers for work to low-income Ethiopian families and its government’s focus on education and supporting farmers are the right approaches, he said.

“They are putting in place in my judgment one of the most interesting social safety nets that combines everything,” he said. “If you can figure out how to do agriculture, education and small businesses you are truly on the way.”

The Marrakech meetings will also involve the AfDB Board of Governors decision on the Bank’s return to its original headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

My thoughts on this?

well i believe this is a much needed meeting for Africa. My hope is that the things that needs to be sorted out in other to pave way for the much awaited development in Africa, improvement of livelihood and the eradication of poverty which currently are some of the challenges that seems not to have solution on our continent be thoroughly trashed. What do you think?