Mrs Victoria A. Samson (M.D. Bovas Filling Stations) On Behalf Of All Residents Of Our Dear Country Nigeria Expresses Gratitude

Mrs Victoria A. Samson (M.D. Bovas Filling Stations). On behalf of all residents of our dear country Nigeria, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the management and staff of BOVAS FILLING STATION. The woman behind the smile of an average Nigerian today who couldn’t afford N500 per litre black market. All Bovas filling stations as I write sells fuel at N143 per litre across Nigeria. (Still less than the official N145 maximum fixed by government) Madam Victoria A. Samson has proven severely for years and of course is still proving that indeed Nigeria still has some God fearing people who are not dubious, egocentric, greedy and money drunk. This woman believes that everything in this life will end here. She believes there’s somewhere beyond this existence. A virtuous woman. Friend of the masses. Friend of the downtrodden, friend of the poorest of the poor. A woman who differentiated herself distinctively by her doings, attitude and composure. Despite several victimization from some of her colleagues in the petroleum industry, this woman has always remained herself. It’s not new. She has been known like that for years. Mama, May Almighty God whom we serve Day and Night continue to GUARD and GUIDE you and your entire household – both far and near – from all evil machinations of the wicked. This wonderful woman is one of the people we ought to be celebrating. Not those THIEVES who don’t care about us but their pocket. PLEASE JOIN ME IN CELEBRATING THIS WOMAN. KINDLY SHARE.

2018 New Year Resolution Might Not Work But, This 5 Ways To Control Your Spending & Improve Your Finances Will Definitely Help You

You probably spent a lot during the festive period. We are in the New Year, it becomes a necessity for you to control your expenses because of the December expenses. Hence, it’s time to start thinking about how to put a lid on your spending. Here are the 5 ways to control your spending & improve your finances. 1. Prepare a budget You already know this. But we have to keep reiterating as a reminder. Setting up a budget is the first step towards financial order. You can download a budgeting app to keep track of your income and expenses. Do not hesitate to dedicate a few days to this. 2. Set limits for total holiday spending Give your debit card and your mind a holiday by limiting what you buy to what can safely come out of your bank account. Use the opportunity to create or get your budget into shape, and use it to decide how much money you can afford to spend. 3. Budget based on your own finances A budget is key to controlled spending. Hence, budget based on the money you earn. This will prevent you from over-budgeting. For example, if you earn N50,000, your budget should not shoot past this amount. 4. Adopt an improved spending habit Try to embrace or develop a new spending habit. For example, for every naira you spend on gifts, you could find a way to deduct that amount from your regular spending. Around the holidays, you can use those savings to buy presents. So, planning ahead is very important. 5. Organise group volunteering parties Your friends probably struggle with overspending as much as you do over the holidays. Give them the relief of forgoing buying gifts for you by organising a group volunteer party where everyone brings something edible to the table.

Being Financially Prudent Is More A Thing Of Habit: You Want To Be Financially Smart? (Then You Must Read This Article)

Being financially prudent is more a thing of habit than anything else. There are certain ways (habits) people who desire financial independence and freedom live to ensure they achieve this desire. Read Below ; They Have a Budget The concept of budgeting might be daunting but it is extremely important to help efficiently and effectively manage your finances. Without a budget, you are going to end up falling into the pit of financial irresponsibility. A budget is just too important to be ignored. Having a budget will make it easier for you to see where your money is going and help you better direct it to where you want it to go. Just be sure to be disciplined with your budget and actually let it guide your spending, as opposed to it just being drawn up for decoration. They Avoid Impulse or Emotional Purchases Impulsive purchases might indeed be very tempting but financially smart people have mastered the art of overcoming these temptations and delaying purchase until they’re sure that they really want the item (s) and can afford it. Typically, they apply the 24-hour rule (which is one of the best ways to combat the habit of impulsive purchases) when they want to make such impulsive or emotional purchases. Before making the purchase, they go home, think about the item and if they really need it, and then they check their budget to be sure they can afford it before they eventually return the next day to make the purchase or decide it is unnecessary and not make the purchase. They Don’t Take Their Debit Cards Along With Them Everywhere They Go This is one of the smartest financial moves that you can make to ensure that you restrict your spending to what your budget stipulates. It is just way to easy to spend more than anticipated when you carry your debit cards. However, if you stick to carrying cash most of the time, it will be easier for you to restrict your spending to the amount you have on yourself at that moment. They Live Within Their Means This can really not be overemphasized. Living within your means is such an easy concept that is unfortunately so hard for most of us to employ, mainly because it requires a lot discipline. There is simply no better mark of financial smartness than being able to successfully live within your means. Living outside your means is actually a bad habit that can end up drowning your finances and leaving you in a financial mess. Financially smart people know to ensure that in all circumstances they live within their means, and within what they can conveniently afford. Source – Jumia Travel

Billionaire Entrepreneur And Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu Pens An Open Letter To The Next Generation (READ)

Well known Billionaire Entrepreneur and Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu has written an inspiring letter to the next generation. He shared the above photo on his Instagram page and wrote; “Letter to the next generation ; Young African, You are brave, you are resilient. You are savvy, you are entrepreneurial, and unlike the generations that have come before you, you are much hungrier for success. You call your ambition, “your hustle”, and you have several of them because you are tireless and eager to achieve financial independence – no matter how elusive it appears. You are optimistic but you are also anxious. You have seen others toil long and hard for economic security in vain, decades of labour without fruit. Some of your friends may have discussed emigrating with you – legally or illegally, and some may have lost their young lives crossing the Mediterranean in search of a future overseas where their talents are recognized and rewarded. You may even know a few in Libya, unsuspecting victims to the ugly acts of slave trade. A combination of these factors has left you disillusioned and disconnected. You don’t believe in politics. There is no use in getting involved. You have seldom experienced good governance, so you think, “What’s the point?” But despite the gloom, there actually is indeed a point. My generation and the ones before may have failed you, and the infrastructure for success glaringly absent – a persistent darkness in place of electricity, a stifling business environment that discourages enterprise and innovation, debilitating bureaucracy, inaccessible public officials who remain oblivious to your needs, an outdated education system in urgent need of reform– and the list goes on, but, if there’s anyone with the power to transform our continent and reshape our economic and social trajectory, it is YOU. There is formidable power in your intellect and creativity, your talent and ingenuity are rare, and your resolve and determination against all odds, can drive great change. But most importantly, the greatest force is in your numbers. Together, all 600 million of you that are under 30 years old, have the potential to be the most influential bloc on this continent. The indescribable influence that you can collectively wield, I hope that you soon fully understand and hopefully, deploy. Today, I’d like to discuss the inescapable reality of politics with you. It has been a busy week of traveling from Lagos to Boston, to Los Angeles, and in a few hours to New York, to receive BCIU’s inaugural Dwight Eisenhower Entrepreneurship Award, but I thought to take time out this evening to share a few thoughts with you. I have been inspired to share this with you after listening to my former professor at Harvard, Prof Michael Porter, whose session during our leadership council meeting of the Harvard Kennedy School Center of Public Leadership, was insightful, powerful, and very thought provoking. His well-articulated argument emphasized that as a people we cannot afford to remain passive about politics. Though his reference region was America, there are strong parallels with our own situation in Africa. The main root cause of our continent’s underlying failure to pull the majority of its citizens from the unyielding clutches of poverty is poor leadership, so then why do we continue to tell ourselves that politics exists in a realm outside our own realities? Why do we refuse to engage in the political process of identifying and supporting visionary candidates, instead we remain at the mercy of political leadership committed to putting private interest ahead of public interest. Leaders who are beholden to the ideology that political parties come before citizens. Leaders who are private gain-seeking actors. What we desperately need is a continent-wide awakening. We must grow to become active citizens who are committed to getting involved. The system is not self-correcting, there are no market forces at play to ensure that it corrects itself. It will require human actors – me and you – to identify and dismantle the structural impediments that fuel the status quo of bad leadership. We must address this issue both systemically and systematically. Our democracy has become very disconnected from being democratic, we must bring power back to the people. We must reform the rules of our electoral processes to inject more transparency. We must transform politics from being an industry for a few interests, to being about the people and addressing the public needs. We must change the oligopoly nature of our politics today to being one for the majority. The barriers to entry are high in politics, and very often, our best brains and talent are discouraged from running for office. We must dismantle these systems that keep away talented, individuals from joining the race. We must open the door for generations knocking after us. We must take advantage of our demographic dividend, millions of young people who are ready to make a change. We must welcome this new generation of new ideas and we must democratize access to opportunity for all. We must get more women involved in the process because when you empower women you empower communities. Structural reforms mean that no one individual can make this change alone, but with our collective voices and the realization that this is our time and that no one but us can save our continent, we can achieve change. We can no longer outsource politics or governance to people we do not trust. We must understand the inextricable link between governance, economic growth and national security. To pretend that politics does not influence the entirety of our lives harms us more than it benefits us. We must change the rules of the game. We must put up a coordinated front to reorient our values and bring power back to the people. Our leaders must be the best amongst us – those with the most transformative ideas and the capacity to deliver. . It should be the best amongst us leading us in government, in the military, in our judiciary and of course the corporate sector. We must instill accountability in our processes, but also hold ourselves accountable. We must play our own role in identifying and empowering those amongst us best placed to make this difference. To abscond from this duty is to be negligent of our responsibility to our continent. It won’t be easy, but nothing good comes easy. A famous man once said you should learn to categorize all your problems in three sections: Easy, Impossible and HARD but doable. When it’s easy, you should give it to someone else to handle. When it’s impossible, you shouldn’t bother with it. But when it’s hard but doable, you should go straight to work to make it happen. My fellow Africans, I appeal to you that though this task seems hard, it is entirely doable and we must begin this journey. Let us rise to this challenge and begin to elect leaders who we trust in and are confident will help us realize the social and economic hopes of our continent. TOE”

5 Steps How You Can Promote Your Business On Snapchat – So the question is, why Snapchat?

Unknown to most people, Snapchat currently has hundred million active daily users who watch seven billion videos per day and share nearly nine thousand photos every second. Thus making it a perfect platform to reach an unimaginable number of new audience. 1. Develop content The importance of developing content on Snapchat cannot be overemphasized. And you can do this by creating valuable tutorials on any subject in your field of expertise. Let’s assume you’re specialized in catering, for example, you can show users how to make/prepare something by giving them a show of “How to.” Additionally, you can give them the opportunity to see how you make your own products as well. You can also upload videos of major events where your food was the most interesting thing about the event. And if you are an event planner, a video or pictures of one or two successful functions organized by you will do just fine. 2. Build a relationship with your followers Yes, the idea is to promote your business but you must understand that people tend to think more about themselves than any other thing. So always say something that will interest your followers. Don’t be all about you, you and you. This is how you can build a relationship with them, and only when you’ve succeeded in doing this will they start showing interest in your business 3. Engage your followers with contest When you’ve succeeded in building that needed relationship with your followers, engage them in organizing a contest. This competition should be carried out in such a way that you invite your followers to send you snaps of themselves using your product, visiting your store, recommending your products or even briefly explaining why they love your brand so much. And in other to get them involve, prizes should be offered. You can offer something small like a coupon to get 20% off their next purchase. 4. Go behind the scene There’s something fascinating about behind the scene, it births curiosity and compels attention at the same time. Arouse in your fans that curiosity by inviting them to take a quick look into your warehouse or shipping room. A look behind the scenes of your office party is also good. However, you should bear in mind that where you choose doesn’t really matter as the purpose of this content is to give your followers a sense of belonging by connecting them with you and your product. 5. Your follower count, counts Increasing your follower count is very important; because as the number of your followers increases, the more chances you have to expand the outreach of your business. And in other to do this, you must find a way to constantly create compelling content. Source for great stories to tell. Break news if need be. In fact, there’s nothing wrong if you become a sort of blogger just for the purpose attracting more followers. And when the numbers start increasing, remember to build a relationship with the newcomers as well as engaging them.

A Must Read: These are some tested and trusted Nine Steps To Increase Your Savings In No Time

These are some tested and trusted measures to boost savings especially in an austerity period in Nigeria where recession is key. Although there are no magic tricks to make you into an instant millionaire, there are a few ways you can become more organised and change your habits to help build up your savings account in no time. No matter how much debt you have or how little money you make, financial freedom is attainable for anyone, and these nine easy steps will help you get there, according to www.mint.com. Make a realistic budget Making a budget isn’t difficult, but it can seem daunting if your finances need a big overhaul and you’re desperately trying to build up your net worth. There are plenty of helpful budgeting tools to get you on the right path, but the most important thing to remember is to make your budget realistic. When you’re trying to decide what to cut from your current spending, look for things you know you can live comfortably without. That means getting rid of your magazine subscriptions, cable, home phone, trips to the nail salon, or anything else that’s more of a want than a need. After you’ve made those cuts, divide your income into three piles: one to pay your bills and basic necessities with, one for savings, and one just for fun. Too strict of a budget will drive you crazy, and the best way to maintain good financial habits is by rewarding yourself, even if it’s just with a fancy latte or new outfit from time to time. Set specific savings goals Even if you make the most amazing budget in the world, without setting any specific savings goals, the chances of you actually sticking to your budget are pretty slim. Do you want to save up to buy a home? Pay down your student loan or credit card debt? Quit your job so you can backpack around Southeast Asia for a year? Whatever your goals are, give them price tags and deadlines to give your budget purpose and to keep you motivated. Set it and forget it The great thing about online banking is that for almost everything, you can set it and forget it. If you want to allocate 10 per cent of your income for retirement savings and five per cent to your down payment fund, set up transfers every pay cheque so that money goes exactly where it needs to automatically. This will help reinforce the habit of paying yourself first, and will save you time and effort as well. Spend with credit, not debit Many people are wary of using credit cards since it can lead to hefty debts if not used responsibly, but not only are they generally more secure to use than debit cards; they can also make you money that you can put directly into savings. Depending on the cash back credit card you get, for every dollar you spend, you’ll get money back either directly onto your card or in cheque form. Now that’s just easy money. Keep tax deductions in the back of your mind If it’s not tax season, write-offs may be the last thing on your mind. However, if you want to maximise your tax refund at the end of the year to top up your savings account with, you should always be thinking about possible deductions. For instance, if you take transit daily, you may want to consider buying a monthly pass instead of individual trip tickets because passes can be written off. Same with donating to charities, as long as you keep the receipts and the charity is government-registered. Know your worth and be paid for it Although sometimes you might just be thankful to have a job, it’s important to know your worth and be paid accordingly. Do some research to see if you’re being paid the median salary for your current role, and if not, it might be time to ask for a raise or look for a new job that pays better. Remember, the more money you make, the more money you can put into savings. Get a side gig Many people these days have second jobs or side hustles to supplement their full-time income, and it’s a great way to accelerate your savings, too. Are you a natural craft-maker? Maybe you should consider selling some of your crafts. Do you enjoy concerts and sporting events but don’t want to pay for them? Why not find a part-time job at night working at the stadium? Invest, invest, invest Putting money into savings is important, but to make sure that money grows or even just maintains its worth over the years with inflation, you need to have an investment strategy. The more you save, you need to make sure that big chunk of change is put to good use, and that might mean putting it into bonds, stocks, or other investments. Make some sacrifices Above anything else, the oldest trick in the book to build up your savings account is to make some sacrifices. That might mean cutting some creature comforts from your life for a while. It might mean cutting back on eating out or participating in social activities. No matter what, at the end of the day, all of those sacrifices will be more than worth it. Not only will you be a heck of a lot richer for doing it, but you’ll never have to waste another night losing sleep worrying about money. If you are really serious about getting on the right track financially and building up your savings account, these nine tips will definitely help steer you in the right direction. Regardless of your age or current financial situation, right now is always the right time to start curbing those bad spending habits and planning for a richer and more fulfilled future.

Students:- See The 7 Skills Every Nigerian Student Needs To Survive On Campus

Over time you will realize that there are certain skills every student needs to survive university campus in Nigeria. Without these skills, you might end up struggling till you learn...See More

5 Important Keys On How To Secure A Loan From A Bank

Securing a loan from a bank could be cumbersome if one is oblivious of the necessary procedures to be taken. Banks are in the business of making money. One of the ways through which banks make money is from interest income on loans to businesses. The whole process or methods used by banks to ascertain the creditworthiness of a borrower is very rigorous. Whatever process the bank you may seek for a loan from is, there are some guiding principles which will help you get a loan faster. Whether or not you are applying for a commercial loan, real estate financing, a line of credit for business working capital, some of the basic lending principles of banks still apply. They are known as the 5 C’s of lending; Character The character of a prospective borrower is the most difficult to measure out of the 5Cs, as it is intangible. As an individual, would you lend your own money to someone you have never met? Or to someone who has had a long criminal record. I guess your answer is no. Banks look for borrowers with good character. A background check on you should turn up no red flags that would call into question your willingness or ability to fulfill your financial obligations. To judge the character of a prospective borrower, several traits are analyzed by a bank to assess you. Some of these traits include; Successful prior business experience. An existing or past relationship with the bank (e.g. prior credit or depositor relationship). Referrals from professionals (lawyers, accountants, business advisers) who have reviewed your business proposals. Evidence of your care and effort in the business planning process. The amount a borrower is willing to commit to the business is also a good pointer to the character of the borrower. Ultimately, by assessing your character, banks want to know that if things go wrong, you will be there to ensure that the company honors its commitments to the bank. Even if you do well in the other C’s of credit, you will be refused a loan if the character test is failed. Capacity The Capacity of a borrower measures a borrower’s ability to repay a loan. A bank needs to be certain that the borrower will be able to generate enough cash-flow from his business to service the interest and principal on the loan. If you are a business owner, you will need to show the bank in your presentation a historical and projected cash flow of your business and compare it to the company’s projected debt service requirements. Commonly used metrics used by banks to measure the capacity of a borrower depending on the type of loan include; working cash flow ratio and Debt to Income ratio. If you are a salary earner, the bank will look at how long you have been at your job and how stable your job is. Capital The amount of capital a prospective business owner puts in a business shows how much equity you have in that business. A bank will believe that if you have none or a small percentage of your money invested in the business you are seeking funds for, it will be easier for you to walk away from servicing your debt if things go bad for your business. There is no precise measure or amount of enough capital, but it is specific to the situation and the owners’ financial profile. The bank will look at the borrowers’ investment in the business relative to his net-worth to ascertain the level of seriousness of the borrower. Collateral Sometimes things don’t work out as planned and the business may fold up. The bank will therefore need a secondary source of repayment. This is where “Collateral” comes in. If the company is unable to generate sufficient cash flow to repay the loan in the future, the bank will fall back on the collateral provided by the borrower. In most cases, the bank will want the collateral value to exceed the loan value. Some of the asset classes that banks are interested in as a form of collateral include; Real estate, Equipment, Accounts receivable and inventory. Conditions Conditions refer to the overall environment the bank is operating in. The bank will assess the conditions affecting the company, its industry and the macro-economy as a whole. Some of the issues the bank will look at to gauge the business will include; Competitive landscape of the business, nature of customer relationships, supply risks and macroeconomic factors.

Checkout 5 Cities That Are Best To Start A Business In Nigeria

You’re ready to start that small business you’ve been dreaming about for a long time now, you have everything you need to kick off, except for the location. You figure that you can just screen a few candidates, pick one, settle into it, get to work, and make truckloads of money. It’s not that simple. Many businesses ignore the location factor to their own detriment. It should be obvious that you’re not going to succeed at selling the latest Bentley model in some remote village by the river Katsina-Ala or vending pork at a market in Hadejia. But most times, the problems with the decision to locate a business in any particular area aren’t so easy to see. If you need help with knowing how to choose the right location for your business, you can read our article. Here, we’ll narrow down the best possible options for your business site to five cities that matter. 5. Ibadan The city of brown rusted rooves is still alive and well, despite losing its place as Nigeria’s most populous city to Lagos, and (more recently) Kano. Not to be intimidated by these two regional powerhouses, Ibadan has carved a space for itself as the go-to cosmopolis for those seeking an authentically South-Western experience. Ibadan’s population remains its key strength; there’s a large potential customer base for most businesses looking to set up there, as well as an environment that is less stress-inducing than its noisy regional superior that lies 130 km south of it (Lagos). 4. Port Harcourt This old colonial port which originally facilitated the export of coal from Enugu to the British Isles now seats at the heart of Nigeria’s oil industry. Its diverse population and sizeable expatriate community (largely made up of oil industry workers) make the city a great option for new businesses hunting for a set-up location to explore. Port-Harcourt’s seaport and airport make it fairly easily accessible to the world beyond Nigeria’s borders. They serve as gateways to a city that takes pride in its status as the commercial nerve center of the country’s far south. 3. Kano Kano is northern Nigeria’s foremost commercial hub and the country’s second-biggest city. Its industrial prowess continues to lure migrants from without, and it appears that this will remain the case for quite a while. Kano’s markets are international bazaars, which draw numerous buyers from all over West Africa. The wider state of Kano is also known for producing several agricultural products in large commercial quantities; these products, as well as others from elsewhere in the North’s agricultural heartland, are collected in the city of Kano for consumption, processing, and transportation to other parts of the country. 2. Abuja Abuja’s status as Nigeria’s capital has made it a magnet that takes in tens of thousands of new settlers every single year. Its population has swelled tremendously, from just under 800,000 (according to the 2006 census) to over 3 million at present. It has the highest per-capita income in the country, making it a choice location for businesses seeking to cash in on the unmatched purchasing power of its residents (as well as the higher prices that goods and services command there). Abuja’s urban growth has been accompanied by the rise of satellite towns, in which many of its lower-income families reside. Their presence is also good for business- there’s more to be sold in the city than just high-priced blings. 1. Lagos This isn’t a surprise. Lagos, taken as a standalone state, is Africa’s seventh largest economy. It accounts for 25 percent of Nigeria’s GDP, consumes a large fraction of the country’s goods (locally produced and imported), and is home to what is by far the largest concentration of skilled workforce in the country. It’s the headquarter-city of choice for most multinational companies operating in the country, and the birthplace of numerous thriving SMEs. Two seaports and an international airport are assets that have aided its propulsion in the direction of becoming a truly global city. The future looks even brighter for Lagos. The suburb of Yaba has become Nigeria’s ‘Silicon Valley’, hosting several innovative and market disrupting startups. Lagos’ inhabitants also possess a spending power that remains unrivalled by no other city apart from the nation’s capital, Abuja. Consumer spending in the city is expected to surpass $45 billion by the year 2030. Visitors to Lagos often speak of the energetic hustling that has become its defining characteristics. Its vibrant feel and sound attracts many enterprising people from all parts of the country and beyond, and has turned it into a melting pot of cultures and ambitions.

My Success Story – Popular Singer Evangelist Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi

EBENEZER OBEY-FABIYI the success of man is not in never failing, but to rise up each time he falls. Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi’s mother, Abigail had married her first husband for 20 years without any child in Lagos. The parents of the husband separated them after the long-year barrenness.  “What God hath joined together was put asunder by them.” She was adjudged a barren woman.  In order to hide from public shame, Abigail Oyindamola relocated to Idogo now in Yewa South Local government where she met Fabiyi, an Egba man who was a carpenter and cocoa trader.  Their marriage was unexpectedly blessed with a boy and later, a girl. This was the reason the name “Ebenezer” was arrived at in 1942. Meaning: “Nihin ni Oluwa ran mi l’owo de”. Ebenezer Oluwaremilekun Olasupo. Ile aanu Oluwa ki su. Like Sarah, God answered Abigail, and took away her reproach. So shall God’s promises of the fruits of the womb manifest and fulfilled in the lives of all His children. Every reproach shall turn to joy and fulfilment in their lives. Amen. Ebenezer Obey attended Methodist Primary school in Idogo where he was made as band leader in the school, this honed his music talents. He formed Ifelodun Mambo Orchestra in Idogo. The hidden talents and potentials in all the youths of His Order shall be revealed and brought to lime light for progress and achievement. Amen. Struggle in life: May our efforts in life be crowned with great reward and outstanding successes. Amen. In 1957, Ebenezer Obey renamed his band as Royal Mambo Orchestra. He relocated to Lagos from Idogo with two men, Akinyomi Savage and Bamgbose Jumoda, also known as Abengo Mayana. Late Fatai Olagunju, Fatai Rolling Dollar was the band leader and Obey was with him for 6 years. 6 years later, Obey formed another band called International Brothers. He was stranded with no music promoter. He decided to treck from his base in Mushin to Lagos Island, about 20 kilometres journey, to seek for assistance of a music company, DECCA. Obey walked from Mushin to Yaba, from Yaba to Oyingbo, to Iddo, Carter Bridge (There was no Eko bridge and third mainland bridge then) and, from there, he reached Idumota and now proceeded to Abibu-Oki Street in Lagos Island where DECCA West Africa Limited was located. May our feet take us to our destined place of honour. Amen. The Igbo gateman who was at the entrance initially disallowed him from entering the company but Obey told him he came to record for the company. He escaped the first hurdle. The confidential Secretary explained to him that artiste manager he would see was on leave.  Obey was confused, he left the place disappointedly. May our disappointments give us courage and impetus to forge ahead for progress and achievement. Amen. “Eledumare, lole f’ona han ni, ayafi Oba mimo le lona han wa o laiye.” Obey prayed for a week and returned to DECCA, he had his way through the gate but the Secretary still blocked him. He told the secretary, “I am a star and I have come to record for your company. And my record will make your company a bigger one.” The secratary said, “You cannot see him!” but the confident Ebenezer replied “I must see him!” “A nrin nile, a nrin loke kama ko elesu lona Baba, Baba wa Eledumare jowo fona han wa.” Obey who trekked from Mushin to Lagos Island was frustrated and he raised his voice louder as a musician when he noticed the white man, who was the Managing Director, Mr. C. K Cress was around. The noise did the magic, it attracted the attention of the M.D. Breakthrough: May you have breakthrough in life, despite all inhibitions and attacks of oppositions. Amen. “Obey de olohun Orin, Obey de olohun Orin, eiye to ma ba koowe ke koosi nigbo, Obey de olohun Orin.” The white man phoned the secretary through Intercom and asked “What’s all the noise about?” “it’s this man who said he is a star and will like to see you and I said he cannot.” the secretary replied. The MD asked, “A star?” “yes.” the woman affirmed. Mr. Cress asked Obey to come in. “Sir, I am a star – a future star. I have come to record for you. Just record me and don’t pay me until when you have recorded me and you see the sales of the released record. My record is going to sell.” – Obey confidently told the white man. The white man ordered the artiste manager, Mr. Ogunsanya to give Ebenezer Obey a trial. DECCA West Africa Limited recorded the songs of Ebenezer Obey, instead of 8 tracks he prepared for, 5 of the songs were recorded. Despite the fact that Ebenezer Obey moved round to canvass the distributors to buy his record, 500 copies of the Album were not sold for the selector’s mark, the basic requirements for the qualification.  It required just 19 copies to meet up 500 copies. May you be favoured and may help from above locate and sustain you. Amen. The future star failed, the staff were making jest of Ebenezer Obey. “Sir, your future star did not make it”, the artist manager told the white man. The white man had imbued with confidence on Obey’ optimistic style to succeed. He ordered for 25 copies to rescue the future star from disqualification.  Obey’s first Album ” Ewo ohun oju ri” sold 506 copies in 1964. Ebenezer Obey’ second Album changed his life. “Olomi Gbo Temi (My Dearest Wife Listen to Me)…Baby mi, jọwọ jeka Jo ma gbadun, Aya to mo Yayi lo nsefe Oko re, telegan ba ntan e, ko ma ma se gba.” Ebenezer Obey was brought into limelight with his second Album in 1965 but ‘Palongo’ which he released the same year gave him breakthrough. Since then Ebenezer Obey has never come down in his profession. He had travelled worldwide. May the hand of God support  and uphold you in high esteem to the honour and glory of His name. Amen. Surprisingly, the Military Decree of 1972 and 1976 (Nigeria indigenization decree) brought in new owners for DECCA West Africa Limited. Both Chief Moshood Olawale Abiola and Chief Ebenezer Obey controlled the 100% ownership of the company which later changed to Afrodisia Limited.  Obey became the employer of the white man, his former Managing Director and other staff of the music company. He later established  his own music company. The stone that the builders refused, became the head of the corner stone, so shall you be counted and recognised by your detractors in higher glory. Amen.  “Labe igi orombo, Ibe lagbe nsere wa, inu wa dun, ara wa ya.. ” Ebenezer Obey is an evergreen great juju musician, now an Evangelist and a Shepherd of His flock. May you fulfill your calling in Jesus name. Amen. “A i ma siko lo ndaamu, Ẹda o, Ọrọ mi lọwọ Oluwa lowa. Ire temi ko ma ni kọja mi.” Amin o.  Please share to encourage someone.

Business Is A Strategy – 5 Things To Consider Before Expanding Your Business

Entrepreneurs are decision-makers. They take decisions on the path or direction to drive their business. One of such decisions they have to take is when to expand their enterprise. Whether you get it right or wrong, your conclusions will have a groundbreaking impact on your business. Obviously, you do not want to get such a key decision wrong and join the approximately 70% to 80% of startups that fail within 5 years in Africa. Here are the things you have to consider before expanding your business. 1. A clear strategy The strategy is laying a clear roadmap ahead for the company to achieve its vision and mission. Without this, your expansion may be a totally foolhardy risk. 2. Stability of your financial report You should look to the data contained in your financial reports to determine the viability of an expansion at the current moment. The reports should show increasing profits, a firm handle on salary payment and good control over purchasing expenses. 3. Relationship with customers The truth is most companies in their early days do everything to keep their customers happy, and during their expansion phase, they fall apart in terms of customer service. Take this opportunity to build a rapport with your target group to win them over to your side. This is essential if the relationship is strained. If you cannot keep your customers happy, you really have no business expanding because there will be endless complaints which will not only ruin the reputation of your business but can also lead to business failure when you start losing them. 4. Effectiveness of your workforce A business depends on a well-trained, effective workforce to handle day-to-day activities. If you can rely on your staff to do their work tasks in an efficient manner, no matter what conditions throw at them, you are ready to utilize this essential resource to expand your business. 5. Funding Funding is perhaps the most important. Without capital, the business expansion will be near impossible. One trending way to get funds is through venture capitalists or serial investors who are willing and ready to invest in viable businesses. Don’t hesitate to take advantage of them by pitching to them. If your pitch is endorsed, they will pump money into your business and you can then expand.

Meet Annie Nyaga, a graduate who quit her corporate job to become a watermelon farmer

Do you know that Watermelon can be grown anywhere in Nigeria? Do you know that Watermelon matures in just 85 Days with very huge profit potential? If you doubt these claims, just read this post to the end to learn from Annie and see why this is a simple investment opportunity for all gender. 28-year-old Annie Nyaga quit her job of six months as a Purchasing Assistant to become a watermelon farmer, which according to her has brought her great joy. “I do not know how I would be fairing now if I had stuck to my purchasing job. Going into farming was a good decision,” she told the Saturday Nation. This graduate of biomedical science turned farmer, said she settled for watermelons because they do very well in her home town, and because “they are high-yielding, mature faster and do well in the market.” Like Annie, many Nigerians have come to the conclusion that watermelon farming is simply ‘a poor man’s fastest road to riches. And contrary to the wrong opinion that watermelon can only do well in the Northern parts of Nigeria, watermelon can actually be profitably grown from ANYWHERE in Nigeria. In fact, the warmer temperatures and longer growing season of the southern areas especially favors this vegetable. Why is Watermelon farming such a very lucrative venture you should consider? Here are 3 main reasons: 1.    Huge Selling Opportunities: If you choose to farm watermelons, you will never struggle with selling them, as watermelon is highly valued by Nigerians for their taste and health benefits. In many cases, your balls of watermelon are bought right in your farm 2.    High Turnover: Watermelon does not require so much to start, and takes less than 3 months from planting to harvesting. Interestingly, your Return On Investment (ROI) can be as high as 300-600%. Amazing indeed! 3.    Ease of Cultivation: Watermelon cultivation is not stressful. There is no complex preparation needed to start a watermelon business. If you can follow simple and clear instruction, then you are good to go. But, your success depends on one thing: You must get the RIGHT training. As a graduate of Agriculture with over 10 years experience planting in one of the biggest Agro firms in Africa, and having helped many Nigerians set up their profitable watermelon farm, I can tell you what works and what does not. I really want you to open your eyes to the potential in this business. Thus, I have put together for you a powerful FREE offer that available ONLY for TODAY. This restriction is for crowd control as there is a limited number we can train per time. What should you expect in this free package? 1. A Free Video Training on the Profitability of Watermelon Business 2. A Free 14 Days Training via your Email. Just make sure you check your email every day. 3. Opportunity to be a part of my Watermelon Growers’ Cooperative (WGC) I will provide detailed answer to the following questions… •    How much do I Need to Start? •    How Can I Access Government Loans •    How Do I Access Cheap Lands •    How Much Exactly Can I Make? •    How and Where Do I Get Hybrid Seeds to Plant? •    How Do I Market My Products? •    And Lot More How to Get the Free Package To download the Video and join the Free Training today, CLICK HERE, http://ift.tt/2eZYA6M On the Next Page, you will also have access to my personal contact and join my support group. Thank you for your time

Fcmb Empowers More Young Nigerian Entrepreneurs

Foremost Nigerian financial institution First City Monument Bank (FCMB) re-affirmed its position as a leading supporter of customer dreams and aspirations last week, as three winners emerged in its #FlexxYourCreativity 2.0 Contest. The #FlexxYourCreativity contest was targeted at young Nigerians aged between 16-25 years skilled in makeup, hair styling and fashion accessories designs. Up for grabs was N600,000 prize money as capital to help the winners grow their businesses, as well as the opportunity to have their work displayed on an acclaimed fashion stage. At the end of the exciting and exhilarating journey which involved public voting, panel voting and a Live Demo of skills, Ibukun Ogundipe clinched the top prize of N300,000. Temitayo Balogun and Ogana Lucy Lynda emerged in the 2nd and 3rd positions, winning N200,000 and N100,000 respectively. All three winners also got to work backstage with the #Dare2Dream team and showcased their creativity on several models at the Dare2Dream Season 4 Grand Finale which held on Sunday, September 10, 2017. #FlexxYourCreativity is an initiative exclusively for holders of FCMB’s Youth Account – Flexx. FCMB’s Flexx proposition is targeted at young people who are actively seeking platforms which allow them to express their uniqueness, while building skills for financial success. A youth-centric banking product, Flexx is designed to meet the overall financial needs of young people within the age range of 16 and 25 years, where and how they want those needs met. This is summarized in the description of Flexx as “An app. A card. An account”, which gives account holders the freedom to bank on the go using the Flexx Mobile App, as well as access relevant lifestyle and skills-building content. Some highlights of the Contest are captured below: Here’s what the Top 5 Finalists had to say:

Your Competitors Will Take Care Of Your Employees If You Don’t

When a new employee starts, we as managers already have their loyalty for hiring them, for giving them a chance. New starters come with enthusiasm, energy and readiness to move mountains. That loyalty and enthusiasm can fizzle out quickly, We lose loyalty if we do not understand what it is Loyalty is “about showing up, being on time, being reliable, doing what you say you’re going to do, being trustworthy, putting in a fair day’s work, respecting the work, respecting the customer, respecting the organization, respecting co-workers, not wasting time, not making work hard for other people, not creating unnecessary work for other people, not being a bottleneck, not faking work.” Jason Fried, CEO of Base-camp It is about telling us what we need to hear, not what we want to hear. They disagree privately. They support our decisions publicly. We lose loyalty if we ask employees for something that they do NOT owe us: Their health, their integrity, their sanity, their peace of mind, and their family: like asking them skip recitals and teachers conferences. We lose loyalty if we hold them back from advancement. We lose loyalty if we run for cover when they need us most. We lose loyalty if we promote wrong people. We lose loyalty if we do not let them pursue their passion. We lose loyalty if we do not find time to help them despite our own problems. Strong people stand up for themselves. Strong leaders stand up for others.

You Could Earn Weekly By Engaging In Reliable Online Jobs On iProo

You Could Earn Weekly By Engaging In Reliable Online Jobs. Over 25million Europeans earn a living through the online jobs they do from their homes. You can retain your 9 – 5 job in Nigeria and still generate an additional income of up to N20,000 per week by working online. The flexibility of online jobs such as virtual freelance enables you work as much as you want and earn as much as you want legitimately. One of the most flexible and rewarding online jobs you can do from your hometoday is to workas a virtual freelanceron iProo. You do not require any particular degree or years of experience. All you need is basic knowledge in any field, your commitment and the willingness to help others with the information and requests they seek via iProo. iProo is a trusted and reliable online resourcery for individuals who could search for information and leverage on this information to get paid. No need to chase people around for paymentas you will be working directly with iProo while they pay you within 24hrs of executing a job. While this presents a tremendous opportunity for you to provide advisory servicesor engage in special tasks for people on a specific subject which matches your interest – It doesn’t require you to be an expert. Below are some areas you can render a freelance service on: Health, Nutrition & Fitness Visual Arts & Designs Real Estate & Properties Public & Social Services Automobiles Business Planning & Management Financial Advisory & Budgeting Branding Marketing, Promotions & Advertising Web programming Legal Services & Documentation Creative writing, Proof-reading & Editing Mobile Advertising, SEO & Web Analytics General Consultancy Services…and so on. Before you can join iProo as a virtual freelancer using the sign up link you will find in this article, here are the 4 basic things you need to have: A valid email address (for vital updates) A Nigerian Bank account (for you to receive payments) A once-in-a-lifetime membership verification fee of $3 or N920 An active mobile line (for instant mobile prompts on jobs/gigs to be executed). You can sign up on iProo today as a virtual freelancer by visiting www.iproo.net Verified freelancers also enjoy the exclusive benefit of obtaining a support fund via iProo Turf. Sign up on iProo Now www.iproo.net and start making cool cash.

A MUST READ – Several Great Jobs You Can Easily Do From Home And Get Paid

Do you know that there are numerous free work-at-home jobs available through the internet? These jobs are real and reward you handsomely. They are ideal for stay-at-home mothers, fresh graduates, those seeking a side gig to complement their main job, and those who would rather avoid the stress and hardship out there, amongst others. Most...

How You Can Invest With N100,000 To Start A Business

With the current economic problem Nigeria is facing at the moment, it has not only affected the financial aspect of people’s lives but many are even afraid to invest or start a business due to the volatile situation. While keeping money in a bank might seem like a good way to save money for the...

Diamond Bank empowers SME’s at the 63rd Diamond Business Seminar

In keeping with its promise to support Emerging Businesses, Diamond Bank recently hosted its 63rd Diamond Business Seminar on 24th of August, 2017 at Atrium Facilities and Services Limited, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The Diamond Business Seminar is a monthly initiative focused on improving the capacity of Micro Small and Medium Scale Enterprise (MSME) business owners...

Writing A Good CV; 9 mistakes You Should Avoid in Writing a Good CV.

There are so many ways of writing a good CV. We’re often advised to put various kinds of information on our CV. But in our attempt to make the CV impressive, we tend to get carried away.

To me, i believe part of the reasons why most job seekers don’t get employed eventually is their curriculum vitae, most people add too much irrelevant details or make simple errors that makes employers decline their applications.

From several seminars and lectures on employment that i have attended,i found out that its not all about your qualification or how good you think you’re fit for a job, if you cannot present yourself well in you CV, providing the right and relevant information needed, you may still lose the opportunity at the end of the day.

this article is published to guide, and to help avoid this 9 mistakes that affects a good CV.

 

Here is a list of 9 mistakes that you should avoid putting on your CV.

 

1. Too much personal information: Your name, contact information and employment history details are relevant and necessary, so you must have them on your CV. However, you needn’t offer too much personal information. Avoid having your photo on the CV. Nor should you feel the need to specify your gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or caste. While there is no harm in doing so, it may unnecessarily bias the employers against you. So, it is best to avoid such personal details.
2. Irrelevant work experience: Read the job description carefully and modify your CV accordingly. Recruiters prefer and pay more attention to short and clear CVs, so it is advisable to exclude work experience that is in no way relevant to the job you’re applying for.
3. Spelling and grammatical errors: Spelling mistakes and poor grammar on the CV is surprisingly very common. One in every two persons is likely to have an error of this nature on his/her CV. Be sure to check your spellings thoroughly (including names of organisations, names of people, titles of degrees, etc.). Use a spell check if you’re not too sure of your spelling. It’s also a good idea to get someone else to read your CV to point out any mistakes.
4. A quirky email ID: Back when email was still new and trendy, most of us went ahead and created email IDs with some very quirky usernames that had very little do with our real names. However, when you’re putting your email ID on your CV, make sure that it’s a fairly uncomplicated and serious-sounding one (i.e. it has something to do with your name). Recruiters tend to take people with appropriate email IDs more seriously.
5. Negative language: You have to be sure to sound positive in your CV. Don’t refer to your previous job as a “mistake” or as a “waste of time” or even “boring”. Instead, use words and phrases that have a positive impact on the reader, such as “valuable experience”. Even if you feel negatively about an ex-boss or a previous job, don’t express it in your CV. Moreover, don’t emphasise what you think may be your shortcomings. Focus on your qualities, skills and positive traits.
6. Incomplete or false information: We all like to use our CVs to make ourselves look good. But if you bend the truth or lie in any way (about your previous roles, qualifications, etc.), it will mostly likely be found out and you will be disqualified. Maintaining honesty and accuracy on your CV is of utmost importance.
7. Too much information: A good CV is always a short CV. It is not necessary to list out all the things that you have done in your career. Recruiters prefer to engage with candidates who can tell the irrelevant info apart from the relevant details. Stick to the key roles, projects and skills. If you’re a fresher, a one-page CV on an A4 size sheet is a good length. Two pages are acceptable for experienced candidates.
8. Unrelated hobbies: If you must mention your hobbies, stick to only a select few, and especially to the ones that you think may be relevant to the job. For instance, mentioning hobbies like “collecting stamps”, or even achievements like “won the singing competition in school” have no relevance.
9. Too much creative expression: Sure, you want your CV to look good and to stand apart from the rest. But is your CV easy to read? That’s the first thing that matters to the recruiters. Don’t use fancy words, stylised fonts, images, and underlined or bold text. Keep the format clean and easy to read.

Thanks for reading, i hope you are able to understand the 9 mistakes that you should avoid in preparing a good CV. Comment and share this post with your friends if you find it helpful.

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