Breaking News: Etisalat Nigeria Rebrands, Now Known as 9Mobile Telecom...

The highly embattled Nigerian telecommunications company, Etisalat Nigeria has finally changed its brand name.



According to Premium Times, Etisalat Nigeria on Thursday rallied to move away from the shadows of its troubles by taking a new brand name.

At end of a management meeting of the telecom firm in Lagos, 9Mobile was adopted by the company as the new brand name.

Details Later

Ivan Perisic's transfer to Manchester United 'is not happening', insists Inter Milan chief Piero Ausilio

Manchester United's quest to sign Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic is unthinkable, according to the latter's sporting director.

The Croatia international has been strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer as manager Jose Mourinho looks to bolster his attacking options.

Speculation increased recently when Perisic liked a recent Paul Pogba Instagram post welcoming Romelu Lukaku to the Red Devils too.

However, Inter chief Piero Ausilio has dismissed the notion of the Italian giants losing him this summer - with the 28-year-old back in pre-season training with the club.

'It's not happening,' he told Sky Sport Italia.

'Perisic is training with us and so far we have not taken into consideration anything that at Manchester United have offered us.'

Perisic scored 11 goals in 42 appearances for the Nerazzurri last season.

United have made two signings so far this summer with the £75million acquisition of Lukaku following the £35m signing of Victor Lindelof.

UTME Admission Screening: Good WASSCE result is key

THE hope of many students seeking admission into Nigerian universities may be dashed if the admission screening in 2017 is based on students’ WASSCE results and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scores. Recall that in 2016, the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, abolished post-UTME as a means of admitting candidates into tertiary institutions.

Meanwhile, in 2017, over one million, eight hundred thousand (1,800,000) students sat for UTME, for a total of 800,000 admission spaces in tertiary institutions. Going by the huge number of candidates and limited admission spaces, various institutions have since 2016, resolved to admit students by screening and awarding marks to their WASSCE results and JAMB scores.

 

Thus, for an institution to select the best students from the multitude, instead of conducting post-UTME as was the case previously, all that is needed now is to grade candidates’ O’Level results and score them over 40 per cent. The breakdown shows that when a candidate submits his/her O’Level result for screening, five O’Level subjects relating to his proposed programme of study will be examined and marks awarded based on what he scored in WASSCE. Hence, A1 is awarded 8%, B2-7%, B3-6%, C4-5%, C5-4% and C6-3%. Total marks for anyone with five A1s is 40 per cent. What this means is that if a candidate has five ‘A1s’, he has gotten a maximum 40 per cent.

 A student with five B2s, would score 35 per cent, five B3s, 30 per cent, five C4s, gets 25 per cent, five C5s, 20 per cent and five C6s would score just 15 per cent. Besides, since institutions discovered that many candidates who choose their schools have above UTMEs cut-off marks, they have also graded UTME’s scores into percentages. If a UTME candidate has 180 to 189, he is assumed to have scored 10 per cent. If he scored between 190 and199, he gets 20 per cent. For those who scored between 200 and 209, they have 30 per cent while someone who scored between 210 and 219 gets 40 per cent. Those who scored between 220 and 229, earn 50 per cent and a student with 230 and above gets the maximum 60 per cent. Apparently, a student who has five A1s in WASSCE and also scored 230 and above in UTME, is certrain to be admitted because he has 40 per cent in WASSCE and 60 per cent in UTME. Securing admission For a student with five C6s in WASSCE, and between 190 and 199 in UTME, the chances of securing admission in public institutions is dicey because he has only scored 15 per cent in WASSCE and 20 per cent in UTME. His total percentage score is 35 per cent. 

With this system, it means that students aspiring to secure admission into Nigerian public universities must study hard and be academically sound to obtain A or B grades in WASSCE to stand a chance. The initiators of this innovation believe it will propel students to aim high so as to obtain A1 in five subjects. Also, the issue of paying for post-UTME and travelling long distances for the examination would be a thing of the past. Exam racketeering Meanwhile, as good as it appears on the surface, many stakeholders who spoke with Vanguard disagreed, noting that the development will breed and promote examination racketeering in secondary schools and examination bodies. They argued that some students and parents could go to any length to obtain the five A1s in order to guarantee their admission. 

Unfortunately, many times, students with C5 and C6 in their WASSCE results may prove to be better academically than those with A1 because they read and wrote the examination themselves, hence the results represent true reflections of their academic abilities. It has also been noticed that many students with A1s in their WASSCE cannot defend such results because the exams were probably written for them. Besides, where there is no proper monitoring from relevant examination authorities, tertiary institutions can engage in sale of admission to the highest bidders so the posibility of children of the poor securing admission will be slim. 

There had been reports from students about how their names were once pasted on admission notice boards, but replaced by other students’ names; a situation such school authorities could not defend when contacted. Admission for highest bidder Reacting to the scrapping of Post-UTME and using WASSCE result as yardstick for admission, Olamide Azeez, a 100-Level student of Yabatech said post-UTME gives institutions the privilege of knowing the type of students they want to admit. He added that post-UTME helped students to prepare more academically before they enter the university. Also reacting, Miss Damilola Adeleke, a final year student of Biology, Yabatech said: “The scrapping of post-UTME does not favour everybody. Post-UTME helped students to boost their chances of securing admission into universities.” On his part, Mr. Akinbiyi Folorunsho from the Department of Mathematics of the institution said: ”Without post-UTME, there will be high rate of examination malpractice in secondary schools. Post-UTME is preferable because it will be 50-50 admission chances for every seeker.” Adeyinka Adebayo, an undergraduate at Laspotech said he supports post-UTME, adding that there will be high rate of unadmitted students without post-UTME. “If care is not taken, the situation will lead to admission backlog, because many students will keep doing JAMB every year without hope of getting admission.”

Fresh Music- Wizpra "My Life"

Recently after hes recent Deal, he came up with a song he titled "Nashigo" and now hes back with another banger tittled "My Life".... below is a little word he dropped........ also download and share

Download My Life

The song MY LIFE came out of my life experience being someone who was born and raised in d street but hv a dream of becoming great, my dad and mom in their little effort make sure i never lack anything, nt till 2008 when my dad passed away and my mom continue taking the cross of everything my academics, shelter, food infact everything no one render any help mom fully know that God never fells keep encouraging us me and my other siblings dat one day we go chop!!! My mom told me am a born artist because since my earlier age i was a fan of all those music music stuffz but she never told me nt until i go on my first studio record in the year 2012 after finishing my ssce exams successful. I actually did side wrkz before i got d money i settled d producer luckily for me my entire hood heard d song and were amazed dat aw d hustle change to pure music hustling just to make it big 2014 got admitted to A.b.u zaria to study computer sc still studying hoping to graduate soon then a record deal came with Megatunez music gang coz even as am in skul m still pushing d music too. Facing differen challenges buh no one is ready to hlp only God and so with superb confidence m saying ya all will hear my name.... dat why i cum with this piece

Nigeria v Cameroon: NFF confirms Uyo as venue

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) may have laid to rest the controversy that preceded the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier between the Super Eagles and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.

There was a heated debate of whether the match will be played at the Nest of Champions International Stadium in Uyo or not after the Super Eagles lost 0-2 to the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in the 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier at the the stadium. But the NFF who spoke through its Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire has confirmed the stadium as the venue for the encounter which will now be played on September 1.

 Olajire told journalists yesterday in Abuja the issue of venue has been settled and that all the necessary stakeholders are being informed of the date and venue. He also assured that the federation is putting in place every necessary arrangement that will ensure that the Super Eagles who are leading their group with six maximum points will get the desired result when the defending African champions visit Nigeria. “I want to confirm that the match against Cameroon will take place in Uyo on the September 1. 

Uyo has been a good ground for the Super Eagles irrespective of what happened in the last game against South Africa in the AFCON qualifier. “Equally, I have to reassure all lovers of Nigerian football that the NFF is not leaving any stone unturned to ensure that we defeat Cameroon because that will brighten our chances of qualifying for the World Cup” Olajire concluded.

US launches anti-corruption website for Nigeria

The United States, US Government yesterday launched a Web-based platform that leverages Nigerian citizens’ engagement to fight corruption in Nigeria.Buhari




The anti-corruption initiative is funded by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement and was developed by BudgIT.

Speaking at the official launch of the ‘Report Yourself’ initiative, Mr. David Young, Charge ‘D’ Affaires, U.S. Mission to Nigeria, stated that, the platform seeks to address the daily instances of corruption faced by millions of Nigerians.

He urges Nigerians to demonstrate their commitment to the fight against corruption by making use of the innovative online platform.

“The tide will turn against the culture of corruption when Nigerians recognize that they must fight as one to stamp out this scourge that has hampered development and stifled prosperity.

“Report Yourself offers Nigerians the means to instantaneously report corruption, bribery, and graft with the option of filing an official complaint with the Nigerian Police Force Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit, (PCRRU),” he said.

“Through the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, we are working to increase the capacity of Nigerian law enforcement agencies and the justice sector,”

The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abayomi Shogunle, who spoke on behalf of Commissioner of Police, told Nigerians to make proper use of PCRRU, to assist the police in its fight to realising zero tolerance of corruption.

He noted that the Nigerian Police Force, NPF, is fully committed to the initiative, adding that, “We will increase our dedication to promoting transparency and enhanced the fight against corrupt practices in both the government and co-operate institutions.”

Etisalat Begins Exit from Nigeria

Etisalat, with a 45 per cent stake in the Nigerian business, had been ordered to transfer its shares to a loan trustee after it became obvious that it could not pay up the $589m debt of the original loan.




Etisalat International on Monday said it had terminated a management agreement with its Nigerian unit, saying that it had given the business about three weeks to phase out the Etisalat brand in the country.

The Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat International, Hatem Dowidar, told Reuters that the exit process became necessary given that the firm had been unsuccessful at converting some of its dollar debts to naira.

The Nigerian Communications Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria had recently intervened to save Etisalat Nigeria from collapse after it failed to pay the remaining $589m from a $1.2bn loan it took from a consortium of 13 banks.

Before then, all the United Arab Emirates shareholders of Etisalat Nigeria, including state-owned investment fund, Mubadala, had exited the company and left the board and management.

Etisalat, with a 45 per cent stake in the Nigerian business, had been ordered to transfer its shares to a loan trustee after it became obvious that it could not pay up the $589m debt of the original loan.

However, with the current development, Dowidar said, “The Nigerian lenders may try to continue to operate the company until they find a buyer; or they may merge the company with the existing players in Nigeria.”

He said it was tough to say what the lenders would do. The Etisalat CEO added, “The brand agreement in either of these two scenarios won’t be a long-term thing, so we take out the brand; in the long term, Etisalat won’t be in Nigeria.”

He had earlier told Reuters that discussions were ongoing with Etisalat Nigeria to provide technical support.

“There’s a new board and we are not part of that company. We have sent our termination letter for the management agreement,” Dowidar said of the ongoing discussions with Etisalat Nigeria.

According to him, the parent company (Etisalat) has written down the value of the Nigerian business on its books and that transferring its 45 per cent stake to the lenders after loan renegotiation talks collapsed has no impact on the group.

When asked whether Etisalat would consider entering Nigeria again, he said, “The train has left the station on that one. Being in that market as an investor…are we willing to risk more money compared to the reward for the long-term?”

Meanwhile, most Etisalat Nigeria outlets in Lagos were either shut or almost empty when our correspondent visited some of them on Monday, an indication that the telecommunications company is gradually exiting the country.

Of the 11 outlets visited by a Punch correspondent in Lagos, six of them did not open for business, while the other five witnessed skeletal activities.

The Etisalat Experience Centre at the Ikeja City Mall received only two subscribers between 9am and 1pm on Monday, the visitations register showed.

Previous visitation registers of the telco from January to March showed that not less than 50 persons, on the average, visited the centre for one transaction or the other in the morning and afternoon hours daily.

There were only two employees of the telecoms firm on ground and one of them, a contract worker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “We somehow knew it was going to come to this because since the news appeared in the media in March, the subscribers have been pulling out gradually.


“The number of those who come to the outlet on a daily basis, and other outlets as we were told, has also started reducing gradually. The company is no more funding the operation here as it used to do.”

Glo Introduces Free Data to Subscribers... See New Procedure

Globacom has moved to give back to its consumers with a data bonus that will grant subscribers more access to the internet.




Globacom has introduced a new data offer, which guarantees its data subscribers a free access to the Internet for a whole day.

The telecommunications company said that the new offer, ‘Free Data Day’, had been programmed to give subscribers on the network that met the threshold of voice or data usage, 200 megabytes, usable throughout the day for all data-related activities.

“The offer is open to all Glo subscribers,” a statement from the telecoms company said.

The Globacom’s Zonal Business Coordinator, Lagos, Adebola Omoboya, said that the offer would allow subscribers on the Glo network to browse the Internet free of charge for a whole day.

According to him, subscribers who want to enjoy the Free Data Day are expected to spend a certain amount or more on calls in the preceding seven days to a free data day or spend at least N150 on voice calls.


“They are also expected to use a minimum of 100MB of data in the preceding seven days to the free data day from any or a combination of methods such as ‘Pay as you use’, purchase of data plan’ and usage from existing data plan,” Omoboya said.

(coiled from tori.com)

Meet the World's Tallest Boy Who is Just 8 Years But is Already 6ft 6inches Tall

Eight-year-old Karan Singh of India has been named the world's tallest boy towering over 6ft.



Karan Singh is twice taller than his classmates

A schoolboy who measures a whopping 6ft 6in is believed to be the world’s tallest eight-year-old at – twice the size of many of his classmates.

Karan Singh, from Meerut in India, has been a record breaker all his life, entering the Guinness Book of Records as both the heaviest and tallest baby at birth. Now his Dad Sanjay, 41, hopes his son’s amazing height will be recognised again.


“When Karan was born, he weighed 7.8 kg and was over 63 cm in length. So that got him into the record books instantly.


“Then, when he was five-years-old, he got the record for being the tallest toddler. He is eight now and I want to get him into the Guinness Records again,” said Sanjay whose son is already his height.

Karan is not the tallest in his family and seems to owe his extraordinary height to mum Shweatlana, 33, who was named India’s tallest woman with a towering height of 7ft 2in.



Shweatlana, 33, is a basketball player and has represented India in numerous national and international sports events.

Although it’s not clear what has caused their lofty height, there is the possibility that both mum and son have an excess of the growth hormone.

Sanjay said: “We take Karan to an endocrinologist regularly. Until now, the tests have not shown any problems and everything is normal. Karan has a good stamina and has no internal problems.


“I am a naturopath by profession and I make sure that we follow a special diet and supplements along with a healthy day to day lifestyle.”

Despite towering above his classmates, Karan manages to do everything his smaller friends do.

He said: “After finishing my homework, I play with my friends and then I go play basketball with my mother; she started teaching me since I was five years old and I want to play basketball like her, but I also like science a lot.”



The family attracts a lot of attention when they step out together, but say their main problem is getting clothes and shoes in their enormous sizes.

Shweatlana said: “When Karan was born, he didn’t fit into regular baby clothes. We had to get clothes for a six month old baby for him.


“At the age of three, clothes for a 10-year- old would fit him. Now, his shoe size is already 12 and sometimes we don’t get that in the markets and have to get them made.”

Mum and son have the same shoe size and often wear each other’s, and Karan’s clothes are often especially made for him.

Shweatlana said. “My clothes have to be stitched specially. I don’t even find bangles or sandals in my size. Now we get Karan’s clothes tailor made as well.”



Far from being embarrassed by his height Karan has said he would like to keep growing.

He said: “I like that I am tall and that my mom is tall. I want to be taller than my mom and make my parents proud.


“But if I have to choose between becoming a doctor and a basketball player, I will choose basketball for sure.”

And proud mum Sweatlana insists that her and her son’s stature is nature’s gift.

She said: “As they say, a tiger’s son grows up to become a tiger. Karan is also the son of a tigress. He will grow up to be a tiger.”

Female Suicide Bomber Strikes in Cameroon, Killing Scores (Graphic Photos)

Boko Haram has hit Nigeria's neighbour - Cameroon in a lethal attack that has left a small village devastated with the fear, injuries and deaths recorded.



A stray human head found at the scene of the attack

According to multiple online reports, a female suicide bomber has attacked Kolofata border town of Cameroon, killing scores.

A severed head as well as corpses of civilians were spotted at the scene of the bloody attack.

Boko Haram which has been massively depleted by the Nigerian army has resorted to using suicide bombers to inflict pains on locals.

Nigeria has endured a 7-year reign of terror of the terrorist group with Niger and Chad also suffering from the spill-over effects of the security crisis.

See more photos:

See the Airplane Biafra Legend, Odimegwu Ojukwu Used in Fleeing to Ivory Coast After the Civil War (Photos)

The plane in which the leader of the breakaway Republic of Biafra, Odimegwu Chukwuemeka Ojukwu used to flee Nigeria to Ivory coast after the civil war, has been captured on camera...











Nigerian business magnate and senator representing Bayelsa East, Benedict Murray-Bruce, has taken to his Twitter page to share the photos of the airplane which legendary Igbo leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu used to flee Nigeria to Ivory coast after the civil war.





Chief Ojukwu was a Nigerian military officer and politician who served as the military governor of the Eastern Region of Nigeria in 1966 and the leader of the breakaway Republic of Biafra from 1967 to 1970.








Ben Bruce posing with the aircraft





The founder of Silverbird Group, Ben Bruce who posted the photos, wrote; "This is the plane Ojukwu left Nigeria with and fled to Ivory coast after the civil war. Nigeria should fix this plane & send to a museum."

Nelsan Ellis"True Blood" actor died of alcohol withdrawal complications

Known for his eclectic role as Lafayette on HBO TV series, "True Blood," Ellis will be missed dearly.


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Nelsan Ellis' last appearance on television was on CBS' "Elementary". (Wetpaint)

Nelsan Ellis died on Saturday, July 8, from complications of alcohol withdrawal.

The late actor's family confirmed his death to The Hollywood Reporter, on Monday, July 10, saying:

“Nelsan’s father has bravely agreed for me to share the circumstances of Nelsan’s heart failure,” the late actor’s manager, Emily Gerson Saines, told the site.

“Nelsan has suffered with drug and alcohol abuse for years. After many stints in rehab, Nelsan attempted to withdraw from alcohol on his own. According to his father, during his withdrawal from alcohol he had a blood infection, his kidneys shut down, his liver was swollen, his blood pressure plummeted, and his dear sweet heart raced out of control.”
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Nelsan Ellis. (Us Weekly)





The statement went on to say: “On the morning of Saturday, July 8th, after four days in Woodhull Hospital, Nelsan was pronounced dead. Nelsan was a gentle, generous and kind soul. He was a father, a son, a grandson, a brother, a nephew, and a great friend to those that were lucky enough to know him.

"Nelsan was ashamed of his addiction and thus was reluctant to talk about it during his life. His family, however, believes that in death he would want his life to serve as a cautionary tale in an attempt to help others.”
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Nelsan Ellis (usweekly)



Speaking of the late actor's death, HBO, in a statement released on Saturday, July 8, said:

"We were extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Nelsan Ellis.

"Nelsan was a longtime member of the HBO family whose groundbreaking portrayal of Lafayette will be remembered fondly within the overall legacy of True Blood. Nelsan will be dearly missed by his fans and all of us at HBO."

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Nelsan Ellis played the role of Lafayette Reynolds in True Blood. (Screen Crush)



Ellis’ costars Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer also took to social media to share touching tributes.

“It was an utter privilege to work with the phenomenally talented and deeply kind soul .@OfficialNelsan I'm devastated by his untimely death,” Paquin tweeted on Saturday.

Known for his eclectic role as Lafayette on HBO TV series, "True Blood," Ellis will be missed dearly.

May his soul rest in peace.