by Admin | Oct 4, 2016 | Blog |
Follow @NigeriaPI Owing to the frustration that comes with difficulty in securing admission into choice universities in Nigeria, many youths of university age have fallen victim to fake admission racketeers. In the process, many waste vital years ‘chasing shadows,’ only to learn of their hard reality years later. But while some victims have been able to rise above the disappointment and move on, many have been disillusioned and their ambitions wrecked for life. Dorcas Egede explores the travails of some ‘fake admission’ victims and how they have managed to pull through. PROBABLY by virtue of Nigeria’s population and the sheer size of its youth demography, securing a university admission in the country has for decades been a herculean task. A quick look at Nigeria’s Demographics Profile (2014) showed that out of a whopping estimated population of 177,155,754 people, youths between the ages of 15-24 constituted 19.3%: 17,486,117 male and 16,732,533 female, totalling 34,218,650. That is not to talk of the spill-over in the 25-54 category, where the nation boasted of a whopping 54million. As a result, high school graduates who feel time is fast running by and that they may be losing out on the appropriate time to go for higher education usually get desperate. In the process, they fall into dubious hands, who take advantage of their predicament by offering them ‘admission’ and ultimately getting their fingers burnt – so to speak. Augustine Orireosobua Anyanna, 32 is one of such youths. Sitting on the pavement in front of his Surulere home, Anyanna narrated the arduous journey he had to undertake, just to get a university admission and further...
by Admin | Oct 4, 2016 | Blog |
Follow @NigeriaPI A firm, Bedding Holdings Limited (BHL), and its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sylvester Odigie, have sued a businessman, Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal, and his company, D. B. Mangal Nigeria Limited, at the the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court. The plaintiffs are demanding over N20 billion for alleged loss of business. Mangal, his company, the FCT Minister, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Jimec Company Limited and Matterson Properties Limited – owned by ex-Information Minister, Emeka Chikelu, are the defendants. The plaintiffs are seeking compensation for alleged losses following false allegation of fraud made against them to the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) by Mangal and his firms over a 2005 land deal. In their statement of claims, the plaintiffs stated that BHL, in 2005 sold Plot 527 Cadastral Zone A7, Wuse District of the FCT to Mangal and his company through their lawyer, Messrs Shehu Wada and Co., at N125 million. The buyers, they added, paid for the land on October 26, 2005 following the outcome of their searches at some agencies, including the Department of Land Administration and Resettlement of the FCDA. The plaintiffs said some months after the transaction when Mangal and his company wanted to begin development, they learnt that the FCDA had reallocated the plot to Chikelu and his firms. Mangal and his firm demanded a refund from BHL, the plaintiff averred, stating that, in its bid to recover the land for Mangal and his company, BHL sued the FCT Minister, FCDA, Mangal and two companies owned by Chikelu, in a suit marked: FCT/HC/CV/1074/2006. The plaintiffs added that despite the pendency of the...
by Admin | Oct 3, 2016 | Blog |
Follow @NigeriaPI A 35-year old mother of eight, Margaret Effiong, has reunited with one of her kids, Nkoyo, who was given out as a housemaid to a runaway child trafficker in Calabar. Nine-year-old Nkoyo and another child identified as Patience Stephen (eight) were on September 16, 2016, rescued in Calabar by a lawyer and child rights activist with Basic Rights Counsel, Mr. James Ibor, following a tip-off. The two victims, who were hawking coconut on the streets of Calabar, had bruises on their body when they were rescued. They were severely assaulted by one Eka Obong, who is on the run. After rescuing the abused kids, Ibor sent the pictures on the social media platform, Facebook, where it went virile and someone identified one of the kids. Narrating how he rescued the victim to Southern City News, Ibor said he was able to trace the mother of one of the abused kids to Ikot-Effanga community in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of the state. The mother of Nkoyo, Mrs. Effiong, who spoke in native dialect, admitted that she had eight children but had to send most of the kids to work for people as housemaids because she had no money to send them to school. Mrs. Effiong, who disclosed that her husband died five years ago, said she was into small scale farming and petty trading to provide food for the three children with her. Ibor, in his narration said, “After the post on Facebook, someone who is the distant relation of one of the kids (Nkoyo) identified her. He had to call our numbers, which were included in the...
by Admin | Oct 3, 2016 | Blog |
Follow @NigeriaPI Two Nigerian men were arrested on Friday, September 30th by a joint team of Delhi and Goa Police for cheating several people after befriending them on social networking sites. The suspects identified as Chukwuma Collins, 35, and Nicodemus Obinn, 27, used to befriend people on Facebook and then ask for money to send “necessary items” to their family members in UK. Police said that the two used to cook up stories about the poor conditions of their family members living in western countries and ask the victims to help them with money. After receiving the money they broke all contact with the victims. Both have been involved in several cases of fraud and an FIR was registered against them in Goa cyber crime cell. Bridget Fernandes Rai, a victim made a complaint to Goa Police, claiming to have been cheated of around Rs 8 lakh by the duo. She said that she had befriended Collins on Facebook and after a few days of chatting he started calling her. Rai told the police that Collins started referring to her as his sister and asked for Rs 8 lakh to transfer some money and jewellery through a courier to his relatives. He claimed that the courier was stuck in legal processes at the customs department in Goa and he needed to get it delivered quickly as his wife had expired. Rai agreed to transfer the money to his account. As soon as the money was transferred, Collins disappeared. After some time, Bridget received a call from the custom department, which raised questions regarding the parcel she had sent, and...
by Admin | Oct 3, 2016 | Blog |
Follow @NigeriaPI While some business managers are complaining of depreciating profits, inability to repay loans and declining demand for their products and services, others are smiling to the bank on a regular basis. In some cases, business managers have experienced both booming and declining business returns at different times. In order to remain competitive, experts advise entrepreneurs to show determination for success by coming up with new strategies. Increase your marketing expertise To be on a par with leading professionals in a chosen venture, experts advise that competency has to be built. According to the Managing Director, Bandel Enterprise, Mrs. Joke Olawale, a business manager should be knowledgeable in all areas of business management. “In marketing, the use of targeted messages and a combination of marketing techniques have a wider reach than limiting yourself to one method. The way messages are crafted in business promotion also plays a huge role,” she says. According to her, every business is expected to solve people’s problems; as such, understanding how different categories of customers perceive their problems will help define your messages more clearly. Olawale adds that proper understanding of their individual behaviour will help in deciding the right marketing techniques to use in reaching them. In dealing with the supply chain, she suggests upgrading the system with advanced technology such as warehouse automation systems to improve efficiencies and minimise costs and inaccuracies. She adds that important parts in the distribution network should be synchronised. Olawale encourages the use of tactics that will integrate warehouses, production facilities, customers, location, volume and roles of suppliers. According to her, the overall goal of improved...
Recent Comments