YOU ARE GREAT, AVOID EXCUSES

AVOID EXCUSE

A roadblock that stands between you and success – and you felt compelled to retreat or, even worse, give up? At one point or another, everyone has found
themselves without motivation or with no strive to keep going. However, we’re privileged to be in a generation where excuses are no longer interesting stories.

Excuses are good reasons for bad results. Dear, do you think generations unborn will reckon
with your “good reasons” for not making headway? If men and women of preceding generations could etch their names boldly across the pages of history, what
then is your excuse?

Poor Background?

Looking at her today, you’d never imagine that Oprah Winfrey was born to a teenage single mother in
impoverished rural Mississippi, or that she gave birth to a son at 14. As a child, Oprah often had to wear
dresses made of potato sacks – that’s all her family could afford. Today, Oprah is one of the most
influential women on earth. Dear, wake up to the reality of your dreams and never let your background put your back on the ground.

Little or No Formal Education?

Before drawing conclusions that your success has been truncated because you don’t have a University degree, remember that Benjamin Franklin’s schooling ended when he was ten (after two years of formal education).
Yet, Ben rose to become one of the most prominent figures in American history.
You remember Nelson Mandela? Serving under several masters didn’t earn him a Master’s Degree. Yet, he played a critical role in
bringing an end to apartheid in Africa. Dear, formal education is good, but never allow schooling interferewith your learning.

Gender?

J.K Rowling became the world’s bestselling children’s author, despite managing on benefits as a single mother. Being a female writer, her manuscript for Harry Potter was rejected by several publishers. If that doesn’t make sense, remember the likes of Margaret Thatcher, Sarah Palin, Hillary Clinton, Rosa Parks,
Angela Merkel, Joan of Arc, Catherine the Great, Marie
Curie, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Louisa Diogo, Florence
Nightingale, Elizabeth Fry, and many others. Dear, if these ones weren’t limited by gender; you shouldn’t be.

Physically Challenged?

This is probably the commonest excuse of our generation. Listen, for a musician to lose his hearing is the greatest possible misfortune. Yet, the inevitable
frustration didn’t stop Ludwig van Beethoven from composing some of the most sublime pieces of music in the history of man. Perhaps that didn’t sound
impressive, Hellen Keller became deaf-blind before her second birthday. Despite this debilitating disability, she learned to read and write, and became the first deaf-
blind person to gain a Bachelor’s degree. One more!

Franklin D. Roosevelt is often regarded as one of the greatest American presidents. He contracted an illness at 39 that left him paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life. Dear, the wheelchair didn’t stop him from being elected to office four times making him the only American president to be elected more than twice.

Past Failures?

Apart from the likes of Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Edison, almost every other great achievers encountered one or more setbacks in their journeys in life. I believe
this quotation from the great basketball player, Michael
Jordan, will convey the point I’m trying to drive out here; “ I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I
have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed it. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Rejection?

If you had told the people who rejected Einstein from college for failing the entrance exam that he would go on to write important scientific theories, they would
have laughed you out of the room. Einstein didn’t give up after not getting into college the first time. Have you ever given up on something because of rejection?
Learn from Stephen King. After his first book was rejected 30 times, he threw it in the trash. His wife
fished it out and encouraged him to resubmit it. Dear, the rest is history, with King now having hundreds of books published.

Poor Childhood?

As a child, Richard Branson performed poorly on tests
in school and go struggled with dyslexia. Teachers and authority figures assumed he wouldn’t go very far, but Branson defied the odds. Today, he is one of the richest persons in the United Kingdom.

Dear, let me leave you with the words of Tom Hopkins:
“The single most important difference between champion achievers and average people is their ability to handle rejection and failure.”

Whenever you fall, remember to pick something up

written by - Obi Anthony Uchenna

Anambra Poll: APC rejects INEC’s plan to hold supplementary election

source : vanguard

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the announcement by INEC that it will hold a supplementary election after declaring last Saturday’s governorship poll in Anambra inconclusive, insisting that only the total cancellation of the election will be acceptable.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also called on INEC to come clear on how the election was sabotaged.

APC accused INEC of not taking seriously the opinions of Anambra residents as well as local and foreign observers that most of the registered voters in the state were disenfranchised during the election.

”First, the electoral commission proposed make-up election in only 65 polling units in Obosi before scaling things up to a supplementary election ‘in those areas where election was cancelled’. But we say, without equivocating, that a total cancellation of the election and the organization of a fresh poll, under the supervision of a credible Resident Electoral Commissioner, will be acceptable to our party,” it said.

”It is not enough for INEC’s Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to tell the nation that an INEC official sabotaged the election in a certain part of the state, he must tell the nation who this fellow is, who he/she is working for, what is the extent of the damage he/she has done to this and previous elections, and whether or not he/she has access to the commission’s database of voters’ register, which was apparently tampered with for Saturday’s election.

”Prof. Jega must also tell Nigerians why 16 Electoral Commissioners, who migrated to Anambra days before the election ostensibly to supervise things, could not ensure the success of an election in a single state, when even a polling unit behind the INEC office in Awka did not get voting materials till after 9 am on election day,” it said.

Meanwhile, the APC has accused the PDP of being an accessory to the election anormaly in Anambra, going by the statement credited to the party that the election was free and fair.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/anambra-poll-apc-rejects-inecs-plan-hold-supplementary-election/#sthash.ZPYRwDxT.dpuf

Anambra: INEC orders supplementary election in 208 poling units

source : vanguard

AWKA- THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Monday declared the November 16, 2013 governorship election in Anambra State inconclusive and ordered supplementary election in 208 polling units which have registered voters strength of 113,113, in parts of the state.

The highest number of the repeat exercise would be held in Idemili North local government area, which is the stronghold of the APC candidate, Senator Chris Ngige where the election would be held in 160 polling units. The affected areas in the local government have combined registered voters’ population of 89,997.

INEC returning officer for the governorship election, Professor James Epoke, who is the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, said the decision to order for supplementary election in such areas was informed by the inability of the commission to conduct the exercise there due to alleged electoral malpractices.

Other areas where the supplementary election would hold include three poling units in Ayamelum local government (1247 voters), one poling unit in Anambra East (250 voters), six units in Anambra West (2000 voters), one unit in Anaocha (276 voters), two units in Awka North (1356 voters), one unit in Aguata (310 voters) and one unit in Awka South (249 voters).

Others are three units in Ekwusigo (884 voters), two units in Idemili South (800 voters), one unit in Onitsha North (484 voters), 17 units in Onitsha South (12299 voters), four units in Orumba North (588 voters) and four units in Oyi (1202 voters).

According to Epoke, the supplementary election became necessary because the number of registered voters in the cancelled polling units would significantly affect the final scores of the candidates if election was conducted in the affected areas. He, however, did not give the date for the supplementary election.

Before taking the decision, the 21 collation officers for all the local government areas of the state, who were all from the University of Calabar, had announced the results of their assignment which showed that the APGA candidate, Chief Willie Obiano scored a total of 174, 710 votes to place first, followed by the PDP candidate, Comrade Tony Nwoye who polled 94,856 votes, while Senator Chris Ngige of APC polled 93,300 votes to place third.

Obiano also won in 16 of the 21 local government areas, while Nwoye and Ngige won in two local government areas each.

The APGA candidate won in Aguata, Ayamelum, Anambra East, Anambra West, Anaocha, Awka North, Awka South, and Ekwusigo. He also won in Ihiala, Njikoka, Nnewi South, Ogbaru, Onitsha North, Onitsha South, Orumba North and Orumba South.

The PDP candidate won in Dunukofia and Oyi, while the APC candidate won in Idemili North and Idemili South.

Umeh insists Obiano would win

The national chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, who was Obiano’s agent at the collation center, expressed optimism that his party would ultimately carry the day, describing the development as a mere delayed victory.

According to him, it would be difficult for any other candidate to upstate APGA in view of the gap already given the other parties,

He said: “Some of the places affected by the supplementary election were places where APGA won, adding that while other candidates would be striving to meet his party, the party would also be garnering more votes.”

He also said that the supplementary election would prove whether the number of voters often claimed to be in the register of voters is actually authentic.

Vanguard recalls that the candidates of PDP, APC and LP had, at a joint statement in Awka before the release of the result of the election, called for total cancellation of the November 16, 2013 polls in view of alleged massive irregularities that marred it.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/anambra-inec-orders-supplementary-election-208-poling-units/#sthash.4ZreAv4x.dpuf

My First Job: HOW IMPORTANT IS YOUR INTERNSHIP?

many of the fortunate young undergraduates often misuse this golden key being handed to them called "internship". do they do this as a result of lack of knowledge or is it just a case of youthful exuberance?.

 Mr Bill Mccomb, Chief Executive Officer at Fifth & Pacific Companies, Inc. lets us into his experience with his first job

I had no idea how lucky I was when, back at age 15, I took a job with Walker Research in my hometown in Indiana. It was my first job, and they were one of the few places that hired “kids” under 16, although most of my colleagues were full time adults. The company — today one of the most respected research houses – conducted market research for clients around the US. At this office, there was one client, the local telephone company, GTE. Unwittingly, I landed in a place that taught me about good management, client services, marketing, research, and consumer behavior — the very basis of my career.

I was one of the many telephone survey “operators” who called and interviewed GTE customers around the country to measure their satisfaction with the services they received. While sitting on the telephone for long shifts was neither pleasant nor stimulating, it was clearly better than most of the alternatives out there. They also paid a good wage.

Very quickly I learned that market research had scientific elements to it. We were trained to deliver questions without introducing bias via our delivery. We had to perfect a certain monotone rhythm, especially when prompting the consumer with the rating scale. I can still recite it: “poor—fair—good—excellent” spoken in deadpan. Supervisors monitored our calls and promptly provided feedback on our delivery — all the time. I had plenty of humiliating sessions with the supervisor. Invariably, I was trying too hard to make the calls interesting for the respondents. I learned that market research isn’t supposed to be interesting; it has to be objective.

We were also trained in taking what they called “action comments,” which is when an interview shifted from market research to customer service, as an irate customer would demand help with an egregious problem. This is where I really soared — during these times, we were allowed to turn back on our personalities, and be empathetic and assuring, while also inquisitive and probing. There were times when people screamed so hard at me it actually became scary. Back then people hated the phone company, so we were targets for some of their rudest behavior. But right then and there I learned first hand the cardinal rule of retailing — the customer is always right.

In fact, I learned a lot from this part-time job. The company was grade A: excellent training, strong shift supervisors and managers, unwavering quality control, and a serious environment where the customer and the client were respected and even revered.

And even though it was, for me, “just an after school and weekend job,” it actually helped foster a lifelong interest in consumer behavior, market research, marketing, and ultimately, branding. Some of the mottos they had printed on posters in their break room forged strong values in me as an impressionable 15 year old: messages about active listening, about the customer being first, about workplace norms, about leadership, about accountability. When I reflect on that job, I realize how much old world wisdom I got from the experience, and I realize I was lucky at 15.

" I realize how much old world wisdom I got from the experience"- that was Mr Bill's words, what can you say about yours???

That cry of no money

There is no money, kosowo!!! Is the cry we hear all around the city, ah! 
You hear, my brother, there is no money. 

Wonders shall never end, there is no money they say, 
the number of cars are increasing. There is no money, Olo’un kosowo, 
they use two phones, one blackberry, one android, one kindle, and one laptop, yet kosowo! My dear, seriously I no get money! 

They have properties in virtually all states of the nation. Ba Ego, 
the numbers at the beer parlors are at an ever increasing rate. There is no money,
the number of hotels are increasing and not without low patronage. There is no money 

But they want to spend N15,000 on shirts made by D & G, even when there is Aba made of N1000, there is no money is all we hear, 
the number of electronic gadget used by individuals in the country are just increasing non stop. yet ........

Don’t say my own is too much o! But the saying “Kosowo” makes me wonder when they will say “There is money!”

May my hands hunt me if I fail to write the truth.

written by Whispers

ASUU STRIKE UPDATE: Education Ministry Directs Varsities To Commence Re-Opening Process

Barely 48 hours after President Goodluck Jonathan engaged the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, in a marathon 13-hour closed door meeting, in a bid to end the union's four-month old strike, Vibesngists.com gathered, yesterday, that officials of the Federal Ministry of Education have been directed to commence processes for the re opening of federal universities.

Investigations revealed that governing councils and vice chancellors of the universities have been specifically directed, via direct communication from the National Universities Commission, NUC, to take immediate steps to ensure that their institutions are in the right position to receive students immediately the strike is called off.

Sources at the NUC said that the vice-chancellors were also directed to protect the interest of students and parents henceforth and ensure that no one takes advantage of the ugly situation.

Before the strike which commenced on July 1, almost all public universities were in their second semesters and had less than two months to conduct examinations. As the strike lingered, final year students in the universities had their hopes dashed for mobilization in the Batch C set of the compulsory National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, scheme.

According to officials of the NYSC, their counterparts in private universities have already resumed at their various camps last Tuesday. What this means is that,
if eventually the strike is called-off, any time from now, public universities will have to re-adjust their 2012/2013 academic calendar to enable their final year students get mobilized for national service in the next batch, come February 2014.

Meanwhile, when contacted, Vice Chancellor one of the Federal Universities in the South-West, who craved anonymity, disclosed that his university is yet to receive any circular from the Ministry of Education on a specific date of resumption, but noted that the university is eager to resume as soon as possible.

He said: "I have not received any circular from the Ministry of Education on any specific date of resumption. When we get any, we will call back students to resume studies without delay, as we are eager to resume once the matter is resolved between ASUU and Federal Government."

Asked what situation in the university has been like in the last four months, he said: "You can guess what has happened in the last four months. We have not functioned to 100 per cent capacity. Teaching and learning have been put on hold, but research and all other administrative functions have continued.
Within the last four months, we have been sending and receiving proposals."- See more at: 

http://www.akpraise.com/2013/11/asuu-strike-update-education-ministry.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook#sthash.YM77glyl.dpuf

READERS ARE LEADERS

Why do I have to write? Can’t I just create a different avenue to pour out my thought? Must I constantly be in the world of unknown possibilities? Sincerely I really do not know what to say.
But facts be told, my generation was never thought how to read and write and the general noise we hear is READERS ARE LEADERS.  My generation is going through strong decadence in its educational sector. Oh! Why would I say such is the question?
Well, months ago in the comfort of my house, a young , energetic , enthusiastic lady walked in with her educated parents, educated I say because of their intonation. Friends of the family they say they were, maybe I was just seeing them for the first time or the first time I ever saw them I must have been pretty young. My mum on hearing their voices came out warm smiles and pleasantries, and so parents had to go on with pleasantries and discussions, then I had some time alone with the young lady of the age of 14 if am not mistaken. Well, I was about 20 years of age at that time, with the pride of been a university student of 300 level, in one of the most prestigious Universities.
You know the saying “ one eyed man leading a thousand blind men  is praised as the king”. In the corners of my room, I saw brilliance and intelligence in me. To my greatest surprise and shame, she a G.S.S 3 student equivalent here in Nigeria, studying in South Africa did put me through history and certain historical facts which I at my level of education barely had an idea of, she was all about Nelson Mandela, Julius Nyerere, Tafawa Balewa, and the likes, she was telling me about the world war I and II and then typical of a Nigerian all I could say was eehn eehn and nodded my head like a lizard who knows not the reason why it has got to nod his head. She left the house some minutes after our conversation, leaving me in the state of the saying wonders shall never end. I started asking myself questions, ah ah! I am not reading or what? Am I not a Student, I mean this young girl just finished me! I said. Then, I realized we are not taught to read, to write or to study, we are often put through the read to pass ideology and so this has sunk deep within most of us.
Hmmm! Now I have woken up from the slumber of ages past and say shall wait for the schools to get
better before I read? Or what shall I do?

“May my hands hunt me if I fail to write the truth”

written by Whispers 
tchijoys@gmail.com

ODEKUNLE IFEMIDAYO: How to Stop Being Overly Jealous, 10 solid points

ODEKUNLE IFEMIDAYO: How to Stop Being Overly Jealous, 10 solid points: Do you find yourself getting nagging feelings of jealousy when your partner is talking to other girls? Do you worry that you’re smothering ...

ODEKUNLE IFEMIDAYO: Guide For You Guys On How To Please Your Partners ...

ODEKUNLE IFEMIDAYO: Guide For You Guys On How To Please Your Partners ...: You get a call from your friend, who invites you to hang out with the guys on Saturday night. An old college buddy is in town and will be ...

Motivation for Work.: Team Building and Activities

Motivation for Work.: Team Building and Activities: Team-Building Exercises Planning Activities That Actually Work Make sure your team-building event has a purpose. © iStockphoto/Ni...

MISTAKES LADIES MAKE!!!

MORNING DIGEST!!!!
MISTAKES LADIES MAKE!!!
1. Believing a guy will change for you
2. Insisting on a guy who clearly doesn't give a
crap about you.
3. Playing hard to get for entirely too long.. Till
you're way past your past your sell by date!
4. Falling for a bad boy.. And putting the good
guys in the "friend zone"
5. Thinking every guy is like your Ex
6. Shaving off your eyebrows completely just to
draw them back on.
7. Blaming the entire male population for one bad

experience
8. Bringing other girls down coz of your own
insecurities

9. Allowing the same guy to hurt you over and
over.. You've taken him back 41 times.WOW ... it's YOU
who has a problem, not HIM!
10. Ignoring this update and perfecting the same
mistakes

Unilever Interns celebrate Nigeria Independence in grand style in an Orphanage

The students undergoing their internship at Unilever Nigeria plc, Ikeja led by example by celebrating the national independence day with the children at the SOS orphanage home iyana-isolo, Lagos. They taught the children about the importance of handwashing and the bestway to wash their hands, which is with a soap and clean water as shown in the pictures below

How to spot a liar: 8 ways to know he’s lying

1. “LEFT”When he uses this word (think: “I left the bar at six” vs. “I went home at six”), there’s some kind of drama involved. Maybe he got stuck in traffic or is hiding something he did that he shouldn’t have.

2. ”NEVER”The big thing to look out for is when he says “never” when “no” will do. It’s a sign he’s overcompensating. For example, if you ask, “Did you just look at that girl’s butt?” and he says, “Never!”

3. ”THAT”Like never, it depends on how he uses it. If he puts “that” in front of a noun, like “that woman” or “that money,” it’s a subconscious attempt for him to distance himself from the word. This is a common trick of manipulators.

4. “WOULD”If he skips “no” and goes straight to “I would never do something like that!” when talking about a past event, be wary. For example, “Are you still talking to your ex?” “I would never do that to you!” “Would never” suggests that he plans to do it in the future.

5. “YES, MA’AM”If your guy is a Southern gentleman, then this doesn’t apply. But if he suddenly says “ma’am” to you out of nowhere, be cautious. It’s a sign that he’s feeling stressed and knows he’s in trouble.

6. “BY THE WAY…”Liars use phrases like this to try to minimize what they say next—but usually it’s what’s most important to the story. Pay extra attention to what he says afterward.

7. “BUT”Liars usually try to downplay what they say with this word, so pay attention when he says something like, “I know this is going to sound strange, but…” or “I know you think I’m lying, but…”

8. “WHY WOULD I DO THAT?”It’s a favorite stalling line of liars, so they can buy a little time to work out what to say next. These phrases also fit the bill: “What kind of person do you think I am?”, “Are you calling me a liar?”, and “I knew this was going to happen to me!”

As written by : ODEKUNLE IFEMIDAYO