Google’s N13,000 Smart Phone Offer: what is in it?

An average Nigeria seeking to purchase  a mobile phone does so for numerous reasons besides making calls and sending text messages. Being a clime where laptops or personal computers are not quite within arm’s reach, mobile phones serve dual functions for Nigerians. Battery life, durability, speed and memory capacity are topmost on the minds of consumers but money knocks all others off. Hence, the need for pocket friendly and customer satisfying smart phones.

In this light, Google is set to launch an affordable mobile device for the Nigerian market on September 2017, as announced by Chief Executive Officer, Google, Sundar Pitchai, during the Google for Nigeria event.

Produced by Japanese smart phone brand, Freetel, the ICE 2 smart phone will go on sale for N13,000 (about $40) and six distinct features are expected.

1) Google Play Protect: The ICE 2 smart phone will be the first device equipped with Google Play Protect, a new security software which continuously works to keep one’s device, data and apps safe.

It actively scans your device and is constantly improving to ensure you have the latest in mobile security so users can rest easy.

2)Android 7.0: The ICE 2 smart phone will run on Android 7.0, one of Google’s most recent Android operating system which boasts of a suite of impressive features including the ability to use two or more languages at a time, as well as the ability to switch between apps with a double tap, and run two apps side by side.

In addition, the device will come pre-loaded with the latest Google apps. Vice President, Product Management at Google, Cesar Segunutpane disclosed that: “Android is the largest tech ecosystem in the world today.

In nine years, it grew from one phone to 2billion smart phones across the world. The ICE 2 device comes with all Google apps and will start shipping in September.”

3) MTN apps-enabled: As disclosed by Google, the company is also working in partnership with MTN on the ICE 2 smart phone. While speaking at the Google for Nigeria event, Segunutpane highlighted the fact that Google has continued to work with partners and OEMs to develop devices for Africans, especially Nigerians, noting that the ICE2 is being rolled out in partnership with MTN.

For prospective users of the device, the foregoing means access to some of the latest MTN apps and special data bundles.

4) Japanese Quality: Designed for the Nigerian market, the ICE 2 smart phone is one of the devices from the stable of Japanese brand, Freetel. Others include the ICE 2 Plus, ICE 3 LTE and Priori 4. Japanese products are generally associated with good quality – a factor that will go a long way to assuage some of the fears expressed by industry watchers over the low price point of the ICE 2 device while also bucking the trend of the influx of poor quality phones in the market.

Furthermore, the device is Google GMS certified, which is a confirmation that it meets Google’s performance requirements and properly runs the Google apps.

6) Disruptive effect on smart phone market: The imminent launch of the affordable ICE 2 smart phone will ignite keen competition and cause a ripple effect that will potentially drive down prices in the market. 

The entry of the ICE 2 smart phone will encourage the influx of more quality-minded but price-sensitive manufacturers into the Nigerian market, all of which will translate to more investments, job opportunities and other benefits for Nigerians. Nigeria, with its booming youth population remains one of Africa’s most attractive smart phone markets.

However, the percentage of the population which owns a smart phone, while admittedly on the rise, has been hampered by the high price points of smart phones. With the entry of the ICE 2, Nigerians will have a relatively affordable and quality smart phone, a factor that will not only boost the country’s smart phone penetration rate but also encourage more people to make the transition from feature phones to smart phones.

Credit: vanguardngr.com

Robert Mugabe Wife, Grace Beat Up A Woman In South Africa

President Robert Mugabe kisses his wife, first lady Grace Mugabe

A South African woman has in recent days filed a criminal complaint against Zimbabwe’s first lady, who was recently visiting the country for health treatment. Gabriella Engels, a 20-year-old model, said she was assaulted by Grace Mugabe in an upmarket hotel in Johannesburg.

South African police opened an investigation into the incident and requested Grace Mugabe hand herself in for questioning. (At one point, South African Police Minister Fikile Mbalula claimed that Zimbabwe’s first lady had surrendered to police, before later being corrected.) But as of Wednesday, she has not given herself up to police, and her location remains unknown.

The timing couldn’t be worse for Mugabe, who is due to travel to South Africa in the coming days for a conference of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a regional economic grouping—and his wife is due to go with him.

“It’s very awkward for Zimbabwe and South Africa and for SADC as well,” says Knox Chitiyo, a Zimbabwe expert at international relations think tank Chatham House. “It has come at a very awkward time just ahead of the summit.”

Neither President Mugabe nor the first lady has publicly commented on the allegations, but there are indications that the Zimbabwean government is trying to strike a deal with its South African counterparts.

The South African police ministry released a statement Wednesday saying that Grace Mugabe was still in the country and that her lawyers were cooperating with South African authorities. The statement said that Grace Mugabe’s lawyers indicated that she wished to claim diplomatic immunity regarding the incident and that discussions were ongoing to ensure that “the suspect is processed through the legal system.”

Grace Mugabe has remained off the radar since the alleged incident took place Sunday. Engels claimed she was visiting Robert Mugabe Jr. and Chatunga Mugabe—two of the Mugabe sons who live in South Africa—at the Capital 20 West Hotel. She said she was in a separate room from the Mugabe sons when Grace Mugabe entered and assaulted her using an extension cord.

Gabriella Engels shows head injury she sustained when she was
assaulted by Grace Mugabe on August 14, 2017 

“She flipped and just kept beating me with the plug. Over and over. I had no idea what was going on,” Engels told News 24. “Her 10 bodyguards just stood there watching. No one did anything. No one tried to help me.”

The incident sparked strong reactions in both countries. South Africans called on their government to prosecute Grace Mugabe, while Zimbabweans criticized the first lady for her actions.

Terror In Barcelona

Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain, Aug. 17, 2017

Van plows into Barcelona crowd.
A white van plowed into a packed summer crowd Thursday in Barcelona’s historic Las Ramblas district, killing some people and sending dozens fleeing. Barcelona police called it a terror attack and local media reported up to 13 dead and many injured.

Catalan police tweeted “there are mortal victims and injured from the crash” without specifying any numbers. Spanish media, including Cadena SER radio station and TV3, reported up to 13 dead, while other media had varying death tolls.

Police cordoned off the broad street that is so popular with tourists, ordering stores and nearby Metro and train stations to close. They asked people to stay away from the area so as not to get in the way of emergency services. A helicopter hovered over the scene.

Mossos d’Esquadra Police officers attend injured people

Quoting unnamed police sources, the El Pais newspapers said the two perpetrators of the crash were holed up in a bar in Tallers Street. Armed police ran down the streets and through a market, checking in stores and cafes, presumably in search of them.

In photographs and videos, at least five people could be seen lying on the ground in the streets of the northern Spanish city Thursday afternoon, being helped by police and others. Other video recorded people screaming as they fled the van.

Las Ramblas, a street of stalls and shops that cuts through the center of Barcelona, is one of the city’s top tourist destinations. People walk down a wide, pedestrian path in the center of the street but cars can travel on either side.

Heavily armed police officers arrive for a manhunt near the site of crashe

Keith Fleming, an American who lives in Barcelona, was watching TV in his building just off Las Ramblas when he heard a noise and went out to his balcony.

“I saw women and children just running and they looked terrified,” he said.

He said there was a bang — possibly from someone rolling down a store shutter — and more people ran by. Then police arrived and pushed everyone a full block away. Even people leaning out of doors were being told to go back inside, he said.

Fleming said regular police had their guns drawn and riot police were at the end of his block, which was now deserted.

“It’s just kind of a tense situation,” Fleming said. “Clearly people were scared.”

Carol Augustin, a manager at La Palau Moja, an 18th-century place on Las Ramblas that houses government offices and a tourism information center, said the van passed right in front of the building.

“We saw everything. People started screaming and running into the office. It was such a chaotic situation. There were families with children. The police made us close the doors and wait inside,” she said.

Mossos d’Esquadra Police officers attend injured people

Cars, trucks and vans have been the weapon of choice in multiple extremist attacks in Europe in the last year.

The most deadly was the driver of a tractor-trailer who targeted Bastille Day revelers in the southern French city of Nice in July 2016, killing 86 people. In December 2016, 12 people died after a driver used a hijacked trick to drive into a Christmas market in Berlin.

There have been multiple attacks this year in London, where a man in a rented SUV plowed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four people before he ran onto the grounds of Parliament and stabbed an unarmed police officer to death in March.

Four other men drove onto the sidewalk of London Bridge, unleashing a rampage with knives that killed eight people in June. Another man also drove into pedestrians leaving a London mosque later in June.


Source:  AP

Nigeria Public Officials Took N400bn Bribe in One year – NBS

The NBS disclosed yesterday that Over N400 billion was paid out to public officials as bribes in Nigeria between June 2015 and May 2016.

According to the report computed by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, the highest incidents of bribery occurred during encounters with the police, though the bribe received by policemen was often below the average bribe taken by public officials.

Bribe taking by public officers

While nearly one out of every two encounters with the police led to one form of bribe or the other, the report further puts bribe-taking to be more prevalent among judicial and law-enforcement agencies.

The rate of bribe-taking spread with prosecutors at 33 per cent, closely followed by judges and magistrates, at 31.5 per cent; car registration/driving licence officers (28.5 per cent); tax and Customs officers (27.3 per cent); road traffic management officials (25.5 per cent), public utilities officers (22.4 per cent) and land registry officers (20.9 per cent).

The report immediately received strong reactions from some strong public commentators, including Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, former Commissioner of Police and Second Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, who said it was indicative of the fact that corruption was still pervasive, despite the change in administration.

Prof. Itse Sagay, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Anti-Corruption, however, described the report as vague, saying he could not comment on it.

In the report titled, “Corruption in Nigeria: Bribery – Public Experience and Response 2017”, NBS also noted that bribery was not limited to the public sector, as there were cases of corruption in the private sector as well.

“Taking into account the fact that nine out of every 10 bribes paid to public officials in Nigeria are paid in cash and the size of the payments made, it is estimated that the total amount of bribes paid to public officials in Nigeria in the 12 months prior to the survey was around N400 billion, the equivalent of $4.6 billion in purchasing power parity, PPP.

This sum is equivalent to 39 per cent of the combined federal and state education budgets in 2016. Bribe-payers in Nigeria spend an eighth of their salary on bribes.

“The average sum paid as a cash bribe in Nigeria is approximately N5,300, which is equivalent to roughly $61 – PPP. This means that every time a Nigerian pays a cash bribe, he or she spends an average of about 28.2 per cent of the average monthly salary of approximately N18,900. Since bribe-payers in Nigeria pay an average of 5.8 bribes over the course of one year, 92 per cent of which are paid in cash, they spend an average of N28,200 annually on cash bribes   equivalent to 12.5 per cent of the annual average salary,” the report stated.

33% adults paid bribes

NBS also noted that almost one-third of Nigerian adults paid bribes when in contact with public officials within the survey period.

“Almost a third of Nigerian adults (32.3 per cent) who had contact with a public official between June 2015 and May 2016 had to pay, or were requested to pay, a bribe to that public official.

“The magnitude of public sector bribery in Nigeria becomes even more palpable when factoring in the frequency of those payments, as the majority of those who paid a bribe to a public official did so more than once over the course of the year. “According to the survey, bribe-payers in Nigeria pay an average of some six bribes in one year, or roughly one bribe every two months. On average, almost one bribe is paid by every adult Nigerian per year.

“By combining the total number of people who paid a bribe to a public official with the frequency of those payments, it is estimated that a total of roughly 82.3 million bribes were paid in Nigeria in the 12 months prior to the survey.

“This results in an average of 0.93 bribes paid per adult, or almost one bribe paid by every adult Nigerian per year,” NBS added in the report.

Bribery in private sector

NBS further stated: “As elsewhere, corruption and bribery in Nigeria are not only limited to interactions between the public and public officials, but also take place between the public and employees of private sector entities (businesses).

“Nigerians experience bribery in various private sector exchanges when they come into contact with employees in the private sector with a certain decision-making power or who can provide access to coveted goods or services.

“These can include, admission to a private school; preferential school grades; favourable treatment in private hospitals in exchange for a payment that personally benefits a nurse or doctor; access to a bank loan that may otherwise be denied or to avoid thorough controls in the insurance sector.

“For the purposes of the survey, six types of private sector employees were selected, doctors in private hospitals, nurses in private hospitals, teachers in private schools, employees in private banks, employees in private insurance companies and others. In contrast to the 52.2 per cent of adult Nigerians who had contact with a public official, only one out of four (25.2 per cent) had contact with any of these six types of private sector employees during the 12 months prior to the survey, yet, though lower than the prevalence of public sector bribery, the prevalence of bribery among persons who paid a bribe to private sector employees is still significant, reaching 5.5 per cent at the national level (6.1 per cent in rural areas; 4.7 per cent in urban areas).”

Motive

“The vast majority of bribery episodes in Nigeria are initiated either directly or indirectly by public officials (85.3 per cent) and almost 70 per cent of bribes are paid before a service is rendered.

“With such a large portion of public officials initiating bribes, which are paid up front, it seems that many public officials show little hesitation in asking for a kickback to carry out their duty and that bribery is an established part of the administrative procedure in Nigeria.

“The survey shows that a large proportion of bribes in Nigeria (42 per cent) are paid to speed up or finalize an administrative procedure that may otherwise be delayed for long periods or even indefinitely, thus making bribery the most effective option for facilitating that service. 

The second largest proportion of bribes (18 per cent) is paid to avoid the payment of a fine, a frequent request in citizens’ encounters with the police, while 13 per cent of all bribes are paid to avoid the cancellation of public utility services, an indication that the provision of the most basic amenities, including water and sanitation, can be subject to abuse of power by public officials in Nigeria.

Who takes bribes?

Police officers are the public officials to whom bribes are most commonly paid in Nigeria. Of all adult Nigerians who had direct contact with a police officer in the 12 months prior to the survey, almost half (46.4 per cent) paid that officer at least one bribe, and in many cases more than one since police officers are also among the three types of public official to whom bribes are paid most frequently (5.3 bribes per bribe-payer over the course of 12 months) in Nigeria.

“At the same time, the average bribe paid to police officers is somewhat below the average bribe size.

“Although fewer people come into contact with judiciary officials than with police officers over the course of the year, when they do, the risk of bribery is considerable: at 33 per cent, the prevalence of bribery in relation to prosecutors is the second highest, closely followed by judges and magistrates, at 31.5 per cent. The experience of corruption in encounters with public officials whose duty it is to uphold the rule of law can lead to the erosion of trust in public authority.

“Other public officials with a high risk of bribery include car registration/driving licence officers (28.5 per cent), tax and custom officers (27.3 per cent), road traffic management officials (25.5 per cent), public utilities officers (22.4 per cent) and land registry officers (20.9 per cent). This shows that corruption takes place across a number of different sectors of the public administration and that certain public officials have a disproportionate impact on the daily lives of Nigerians,” the NBS survey reported.

Methodology

For the main survey, NBS said a total of 33,067 interviews were conducted across the 37 states with persons aged 18 and older.

“The sampling methodology adopted is a stratified random sampling, with a stratification process conducted at the state level. Stratified random sampling is a sampling method that requires dividing the population into smaller groups (or strata) and drawing a randomized sample within each stratum.

“In this case, the strata are represented by the 37 Nigerian states (36 states and the Federal Capital Territory) and within each state, the (adult) population was extracted randomly.

“In each of the 37 states, between 779 and 900 interviews were conducted. To make survey results at the state level representative at the national level, for the analysis of the data after the survey, the sample size was adjusted (“weighted”) for the size of the population in each state.

“Weighting ensures that the distribution of the sample across states reflects the actual distribution of the population,” NBS stated.

Police not corrupt — FPRO

Reacting, last night, police Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Jimoh Moshood, said: “Nigerian police as an institution is not corrupt. There are mechanisms in place to deal with corrupt individuals, like X-Squad and PCRRU. NBS has not presented empirical facts to show that police is corrupt. IGP Ibrahim does not condone corruption and has directed Cps, Zonal AIGs to visit the law on any corrupt police officer.”

I’m not surprised, says Tsav

Reacting to the report, a retired Police Commissioner, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav said: ‘’I am not surprised because the level of corruption in that era was so much. It was a period when the issue of corruption was not taken seriously. With that kind of attitude, it is therefore, not surprising that people paid that much in bribes.”

The government is not fighting any corruption — Mohammed

In his reaction, second Republic lawmaker, Dr Junaid Mohammed, said: “It is unfortunate that these monies are not only entering individuals hands but it is also moving out of the country. However, I am not surprised about the statistics released and if they are to be believed, then all we are being told about anti-corruption war is just a farce. 

It means all the monies claimed to have been recovered so far have not been returned to the treasury and it shows total absence of government in Nigeria and I strongly believe Nigeria cannot survive this leakages.”

Credit: Vanguardngr.com

CAPITALISM AND THE CHURCH - THE WAY FORWARD.

Missionary built Schools and Hospitals

Comedian Enenche blew my mind with this write up : CAPITALISM AND THE CHURCH... THE WAY FORWARD.

There is a work side to prosperity. It is the works of your hand God blesses.

People are in farms planting yams and you are busy sitting in church, when it is harvesting time; don't expect yams to fall from heaven. 

When it is eating time; people are eating and you are "believing" God for yams.

Faith without work is dead. There should be a corresponding action in line of faith.

When the gospel came to Africa, the missionaries saw two vital areas of deficiencies; HOSPITAL and SCHOOL. They filled these gaps. Today, directly or indirectly, we have all benefited from it.

Today, we have a major problem; UNEMPLOYMENT. Instead of filling this gap we are taking advantage of it.

We gather the unemployed and "prophesy" jobs to them. We give them stickers, sell "holy water", tell them to sow and expect harvest, convincing them to "work" for the Lord, that breakthrough is coming... 

All these we do to exploit and explore the vulnerable.

We travel abroad. We have gone to Israel and see the agricultural exploits there. But we are not willing to take them home.

Israel Agriculture

When we sow, instead of our money to be invested into ventures like agriculture that would alleviate the sufferings of the weak ones among us, we channel the money to an atheist in Germany who designed MOG's customised car.

We channel the money to Buddhists in China where we bought our building materials. We channel the money to a gay in America who produced the sound system and lighting system.

We channel the money to a Muslim in Dubai who did the interior decoration of our " magnificent " building...what a Capital Flight!

Why are we crying of poverty and for breakthrough? 

The God that I know respond to work wherever he sees man doing something to advance humanity, be it a Hindu, Gay, Buddhist, atheist etc.

I don't want to start mentioning names, neither do I want to indict any person. But just imagine Living Faith going into rice production, RCCG going into Cassava production, Christ Embassy into Maize, God's Chosen into Yams, Catholics into millet etc.

The land is there, the man power is there, the money is there, like the missionaries, who saw a problem and filled it, we can also fill this problem of unemployment and food security.

Just imagine a church sending hundreds of trailer load of food to evangelize the north. No man can resist love. Feed them in love and watch how their hearts change. That was how the missionaries changed the hearts of our forebears who were animist

.

The missionaries have tried for us, and instead of us to keep pressing northwards, we have resulted in building empires, e.g 3 km by 3 km. We have commercialized the gospel. It is all about breakthrough, money and less JESUS CHRIST, His Person, His Sacrifice and Finished works.

We have the man powers to feed Nigeria and Africa, generate employment by adding values to farm produce and exporting them.

We have traveled abroad and have seen great agricultural exploits, it is time to bring these inventions home.

It is time we convert our exotic cars in our garages to tractors and other mechanized and modern agricultural tools. Doing what government cannot do, by doing this; "THE GOVERNMENT SHALL BE UPON HIS SHOULDER ".

When we roar, the government is supposed to quiver, not because of our large bank accounts, but because of our intimidating exploits.

It is time to wake-up.

I see a day when we shall be holding our numerous church services in farms and factories. It is time to take the government upon His shoulder. It is action time!

A mere comedian has spoken!

MANDELA TO NIGERIA

Nelson Mandela, former South Africa President

“YOU know I am not very happy with Nigeria. I have made that very clear on many occasions. Yes, Nigeria stood by us more than any nation, but you let yourselves down, and Africa and the black race very badly. 

Your leaders have no respect for their people. They believe that their personal interests are the interests of the people. They take people’s resources and turn it into personal wealth. There is a level of poverty in Nigeria that should be unacceptable. I cannot understand why Nigerians are not more angry than they are.

“What do young Nigerians think about your leaders and their country and Africa? Do you teach them history? Do you have lessons on how your past leaders stood by us and gave us large amounts of money? You know I hear from Angolans and Mozambicans and Zimbabweans how your people opened their hearts and their homes to them. I was in prison then, but we know how your leaders punished western companies who supported Apartheid.

“What about the corruption and the crimes? Your elections are like wars. Now we hear that you cannot be president in Nigeria unless you are Muslim or Christian. Some people tell me your country may break up. Please don’t let it happen.

“Let me tell you what I think you need to do. You should encourage leaders to emerge who will not confuse public office with sources of making personal wealth. Corrupt people do not make good leaders. Then you have to spend a lot of your resources for education.

“Educate children of the poor, so that they can get out of poverty. Poverty does not breed confidence. Only confident people can bring changes. Poor, uneducated people can also bring change, but it will be hijacked by the educated and the wealthy...give young Nigerians good education. Teach them the value of hard work and sacrifice, and discourage them from crimes which are destroying your image as a good people.”

Excerpts taken from a 2007 interview with Mandela conducted by Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed.

WHAT TYPE OF WIFE DO YOU HAVE

1. BOXING WIVES : These are the type of wives that fight with their husbands deliberately just to provoke him to anger. These kind of women are ready to fight with the husband mostly in the public area to create a scene.

2. HEADMASTER WIVES : These are the wives that are well paid in either their career or business but they disrespect and put their husband down because they have the financial edge over their husbands...

3. POLICE WIFE : This type is very common. These are the wives that inspect or police their husbands everywhere they go...When the husband goes to the bathroom they pick up his phone to quickly check his messages...If the husband makes a call they hide behind the door to listen to every conversation...If the husband goes out they make sure he is followed and has friends that keep an extra eye on the husband activities.

4. DICTIONARY WIFE : These are the wives that don't listen to the advise of their husband but rather they prefer to listen to their mother or sister or friends...Whenever their husband says something, they quickly go to verify from either the mother, sister, friend e.t.c like a dictionary to know if she should go ahead with what their husband instructed or not.

5. PARTY WIVES : They prefer to buy every available asoebi and shoe and bag to attend any available party even though her family does not have the financial muscle to entertain such expenses...They are readily available at every party and owambe thereby neglecting their children, husband and home...

6. PAMPERED WIVES : These are also known as daddy's little girl...They call and report their husband to their father at any slight argument or conversation...The rich ones are highly dangerous especially when the husband is working directly for the father...

7.DUSTBIN WIVES ; The name might sound harsh but they exist...These wives leave the home unkempt and dirty and you only see them rushing to clean the house only when they have a visitor at the door...There are several occasions where some husbands get home after a days work only to find the house upside down and dirty...

8. GOD FEARING WIVES : They are caring and loving. Provides emotional needs and creates extra time
for family. Guides home spiritually, Very responsible and treats husband and family with respect.

9. FACEBOOK WIVES : they are always on the internet, Instagram, posting pictures with twisted legs, chatting and even forget to do basic shores because they want to know what is happening on FB.

So for the ladies which one are you and for the guys which one do you currently have...Kindly go through so that you can work on yourself to be a good wife and husband if need be.

Source: Anonymous