LT JON COOLWAZOBIA REGGEA ANCHOR AND PRODUCTIONS OFFICER,HEADING TO THE ALTER IN STYLE

LT JON & PASTOR DAN

PASTOR DAN

HEADING TO THE ALTER

May JAH bless this union,congratulations!!!!

Growth & Employment in States (GEMS) Nigeria: ... Supporting the business environment through improved land, tax and investment reform.

GEMS3 works with private and public stakeholders at national, state and LGA levels to build and deliver a systematic framework that helps make it easier to do business in Nigeria, leading to lasting improvements in economic opportunities for the poor, especially women.

The GEMS 3 team in COOL FM KANO  after an interview.

Kevin Conroy

Intervention Manager

Muktar Ado Yakassai Tax expert GEMS 3

 

DFID Nigeria has a "State Partnership for Accountability, Responsiveness and Capacity" programme, to improve financial management systems and enhance government use of public resources at state level. In some states, this programme supports tax collecting agencies, for example, with systems, procedures and controls in collecting land and employment taxes. 

DFID Nigeria is providing £90 million in support to the ‘Growth and Employment in States’ (GEMS) programme which includes work on tax. The programme supports the value chain and business environment, as well as land reform and investment policy. An estimated £9 million is expected to be tax related, focused at state level.

This project follows the Nigerian sub-national government Investment Climate Project (ICP) from 2007 – 2011, which identified taxation as one of the key, feasible areas of reform. Support provided under the ICP included assistance with the development of state-level 5-year tax board modernisation plans, training for 600 tax officials (the first training on tax many of them had ever been exposed to) and substantial support to the introduction of unique taxpayer identification numbers (UTIN) which has now reached the stage of formal testing.

The latest programme (GEMS) will use an innovative 'market' approach to understand and address tax as it affects and is affected by market systems and political incentives, with a special focus on impact on the poor. It will have a strong focus on sustainability, looking at facilitating (rather than providing) pilot reforms, which it will seek to have replicated across the country through demand and demonstration effects.

The project will introduce a range of varied interventions in different states, including; mapping and documentation of existing tax processes, business processing re-engineering of tax processes, tax harmonisation and the removal of multiple and 'nuisance' taxes, and support to target states' existing, broader, reform plans.

DFID is also funding £11 million for the Enhancing Nigerian Advocacy for a Better Business Environment (ENABLE) programme. This programme, running until 2013, is to improve the environment for business advocacy in Nigeria. A small part of this programme worked to improve public-private dialogue in Lagos State on the issue of Multiple Taxation.

In 2011, DFID provided £89,000 to the International Monetary Fund to rewrite tax legislation in Nigeria.

HMRC has also provided assistance to Nigeria - two compliance caseworkers spent time in Nigeria helping the Federal Inland Revenue Service develop a compliance strategy, and senior level HMRC management sit on the board of the Nigerian tax administration in an advisory capacity.

 The teams are embedded in each of the focal states, with ambitions to expand as they enter other states across the country. Support to state teams is provided from the central office in Abuja that also manages the Federal level interventions. For further information, contact info@gems3nigeria.com.

Guests at GEJ's daughter's wedding received customized iPhones

Luxury designer Malivelihood posted samples of some of the gifts guests received at President Jonathan's daughter's wedding which took place in Abuja today. One of the gifts was a gold-plated iPhone. What were those Youth Movement people saying again? Lol. Continue to see more photos...

Killer child-bride speaks: ‘I regret killing my husband, 17 days after wedding

About two weeks ago, a 14 year old teenage girl named Wasila Umaru (pictured above), who was forced into marriage with a 35 year old man, killed the man and three of his friends with rat poison by slipping the poison into their meal during a small wedding party which took place in the northern Ungwar Yansoro village, at Gaya LGA near the city of Kano. (If you missed it, read here)

Wasila now says she regrets killing her husband. The killing happened 17 days after their wedding. Speaking with a Vanguard reporter at Bompai police HQ, Kano, where she is being held, Wasila said;

“Mine was a classical example of youthful exuberance; it dawned on me shortly after that it was a joke taken too far to resolve a forced marriage question. I have never enjoyed the opportunity of going to Islamic school or acquiring Western education. My father forced me into this mess by stubbornly forcing me into a relationship I was not prepared to live in"

"Though my target was my late husband, I must confess that my blood went cold when I realized I had committed mass murder”. Continue...

Narrating how she executed the mass murder, she said,

“On the fateful day, my husband’s meal was prepared by the senior wife and put in my room as I was due in fulfillment of his rotational duty in a polygamous setting. I obtained the rat poison for just N100 and, at my convenience, mixed it with the local dish prepared for him. When he returned home for the feast, he came with those who were destined to die with him. I was restless but could not stop it from happening.

"I felt normal and slept after the incident but the consequence of my action was clear when I was picked up by the police and I felt cold for the first time”.

"Destiny appears to have played a wicked one on me at this early stage of my life and I would rededicate the rest of my life to sincerely seek Allah’s forgiveness”.

However, despite the overwhelming evidence the police have to prosecute the alleged culpable homicide, they seemed to be in a dilemma due to age of the suspect.

Commenting on the development, Kano State Police Command Public Relations  Officer, ASP Magaji Musa Majia, said “the case has been referred to appropriate authorities  for the next line of action”. Majia told Sunday Vanguard: “I am assuring you that Wasila would appear in court soon because we have limitation on the number of days we can keep a suspect no matter the perceived weakness of the case or the personality involved”.

 Posted by Linda Ikeji at 10:16 AM

SUNRISE ACADEMY ON ESCORTION TO COOLWAZOBIA FM KANO!

The student of Sunrise Academy Kano visited the COOLWAZOBIA FM station Kano to see for themselves their favorite On Air personalities at work,over sixty boys and girls constituted part of the team that came calling this morning,and the student and teachers could not hide their surprise and excitement on visiting the most technologically advanced and professionally run broadcasting organization in the country. The student and teachers were received by the Head of Admin, Hajia Maryam Shariff,who conducted the contingent round the facility.

 

Hajia Maryam Shariff and some of the students

                        Biba of Wazobia FM and some of the students
                                               

        A visit with the Head of News Abubakar Salihu Abubakar
                                                   

Sharing the experience

YOUNG BOLD AND GIFTED!

 Meet the youngest and brightest OAP's in Nigeria, Kiyara and Haiyam, hosts of the kiddies corner show on 96.9 Cool FM Kano.

                                                               kiyara and Haiyam

                                                   

                                                                 Kiyara

Kiyara Coulibaly,fondly called KIKI, is a smart and inquisitive young girl that wants to be the best at what ever she does,she has lofty ambitions of becoming an Architect in the future,she loves to swim,play Tennis and sing.A big Justine Beiber fan,who believes pink is an awesome color,She is shy and gentle,but when she warms up...she is such a ball of positive and enthusiastic energy,one moment she might be singing and the next dancing,Kiki would have made a very good Doctor because she is a very sympathetic and caring person. She bakes one of the most delicious cup cakes on the African continent (lol) i have tasted it.

                                                Haiyam

 Haiyam Sharouf,called "Baby" at home is a very intelligent and precocious young girl,who can be very outspoken once she attains a certain level of comfort with you,pays a lot of attention to her looks,which will explain her love for fashion and shopping.Plans on becoming a Doctor in the future.Haiyam is a bit of an enigma,She is very quiet when you first meet her,but as she gets comfortable,she becomes very "difficult to stop from talking" lol! Loves the color pink and Justine Beiber (why????)

  KIDDIES CORNER,EVERY SATURDAY 9AM-10AM 96.9 COOL FM KANO!!


Encourage your child to pursue his/her own dream — not your dreams.
Ask yourself if you are getting your child involved with an activity because you really like that and so you want them to like it? Or is it a passion that your child really enjoys? You may want your child to take up a sport or hobby that you are involved in, but your child may have his/her own interest they want to explore. "There's a difference between programming our children to do what we love versus loving what our children do.If you push them to do what you want...there might be complications!

Lupita, Matthew Mcconaughey win 2014 Oscars. Full list of winners

Last night Kenyan beauty Lupita Nyong'o won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her first feature film. Her very first! Congrats Lupita, you definitely deserve an Oscar for that powerful performance as Patsy in 12 Years A Slave.

"When I look down at this golden statue, may it remind me and every little child, that no matter where you're from, your dreams are valid" Lupita said during her acceptance speech

And my Leo didn't win...again! Oh well! Congrats to Matthew Mcconaughey who won Best Actor in a Leading Role. See full list of winners at the 86th Academy Awards, plus a video of Lupita Nyong'o accepting her award and her powerful acceptance speech after the cut...

Best Picture -12 Years A Slave

Best Director - Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)

Best Actor in a Leading Role - Matthew McConaughey

Best Actress in a Leading Role - Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Actress in a Supporting RoleLupita Nyong'o (12 Years A Slave)

Best Animated Feature - Frozen

Best Live Action Short Film - Helium (Anders Walter, Kim Magnusson)

Best Visual Effects
Gravity (Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, Dave Shirk, Neil Corbould)

Best Film Editing
Gravity (Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger)

Best Sound EditingGravity (Glenn Freemantle)
Best Original Score
Gravity (Steven Price)

Best Original Screenplay
Her (Spike Jonze)

Best Make-up and Hairstyling
Dallas Buyers Club (Adruitha Lee, Robin Mathews)

Best Animated Short Film
Mr. Hublot (Laurent Witz, Alexandre Espigares)

Best Documentary Feature
20 Feet from Stardom

Foreign Language Film
The Great Beauty, Italy

Best Costume Design
Catherine Martin, The Great Gatsby

Best Cinematography
Gravity (Emmanuel Lubezki)

Best Production Design
The Great Gatsby (Catherine Martin, Beverley Dunn)

Best Documentary Short Subject
The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life

Best Original Song
Let It Go (Frozen)

Best Adapted Screenplay
12 Years a Slave (John Ridley)

Best Sound Mixing
Skip Lievsay, Niv Adirj, Christopher Benstead and Chris Munro (Gravity)

Fura da nono: Going beyond borders

It is a common sight to see fura da nono sellers around most cities in Nigeria, especially in the north. It is also a spectacular view to watch buyers swarm around these sellers like they are mother-hens with the right rhythm to end the crisis in their rumbling stomachs.

Nono is the Hausa name for the natural yogurt which is usually sold by the Fulanis who call it kosan in the Fulfulde language.

Originally taken as a snack by farmers who have worked long hours on their farms it could also be an accompaniment to morning meals which are usually leftovers from the previous night. Fura da nono has today become a national delicacy savoured by all and sundry.

Fura da nono, gruel of milk and pounded millet, is typically sold in calabashes or plastic buckets by female hawkers or elderly women at strategic spots.

One of such is Adama Ibrahim who comes to the Abuja metropolis on a daily basis from Gwagwalada.

According to Adama, she comes all the way from Gwagwalada to Jabi to sell her produce because “There are too many of us in Gwagwalada and the competition is very stiff. Coming to sell to the drivers and other workers in the Jabi Motor Park has paid me a lot more than selling in Gwagwalada.”

Although she spends no less than six hundred naira (N600) on every trip she makes into town, the Nasarawa State Fulani milkmaid says the cost of transport fare is not a factor that will discourage her. “On a good day, I make up to five thousand naira (N5, 000) as profit. On other days when business is not so good, I make about two thousand (N2, 000) or one thousand naira (N1, 000) at the least,” she said.

Hassana Saidu, a known face in Utako for fura da nono, sometimes adds manshanu and awara to her list of supplies. Servicing majority of the hungry stomachs yearning for the delicacy, Hassana comes to her strategic corner with no less than twenty litres of nono and a bowl of fura which she sells off before close of business.

Nono is made by lightly fermenting the milk after the butter is extracted.  They use cultures containing several healthy bacteria for this, and the end product is somewhat akin to both buttermilk and yoghurt, but not really tasting like either.  The nono is often sold blended with fura; this is cooked millet often spiced with ginger and hot pepper.

Hassana Saidu said, “I sell at least twenty 75cl bottles when I come with my twenty-litre bucket full of nono, along with fura commensurate to that quantity.”

Managing for over five years, Hassana has somehow consistently kept her arrival time at 12noon prompt, by which time her customers are almost too impatient for her to organise herself to start her business for the day. “Most times”, she chips in as she hurriedly sets her bucket and bowl down, “I have to quickly attend to the first batch of customers, who are usually eight perpetual men, before I get a chance to put anything in its proper place. Today, it seems you have beaten them to it,” she told this reporter.

Selling at N150 (one hundred and fifty naira) per 75cl bottle, trekking down to the popular mango tree located in a place that could be described as the heart of the Faculty of Arts, in the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria is a major fura de nono merchant who simply referred to herself as mainono. At this joint, there is no class distinction between lecturers and students, labourers or blue bloods as everyone converges there for the same purpose – “belle satisfaction” as a student calls it.

A worry for some who prefer to buy the fura only from such vendors is the case of hygiene. Idris Hamidu explains. “Initially I used to buy the fura and nono and sit there and drink it. The ambiance around such environments makes it all the more fun and tasty. But one day, just as I was taking a spoonful, I noticed something had caked around the calabash brim from which I was drinking. That day I had runny stomach like never before. That killed any pleasure I derive from drinking fura in these public bowls or in those spaces. Now I just buy the fura, take it home and mix it with my yoghurt.”

 

Although taking it on the spot is a delight for many like Hamidu, some others like John Folarin, prefer to drink it a few hours later or after one day of refrigeration. “It is tastier the next day the same way ogbono soup is sweeter after day one or after some hours. Drinking it chilled on the rocks, as my son and I describe it after putting some cubes of ice in it, is a thrill best experienced. In a few words, I say it will make you feel good.”

Taking the sale to another level and ensuring hygiene and portability is Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim of Safinabe, a company which now machine dries the fura and sells it packaged with a shelf life of up to one year. According to him, “Millet is a highly nutritious and easily digestible grain which helps lower cholesterol, protect against cardiovascular diseases and reduce cancer risks.”

Giving a brief history of how fura and nono came to be a permanent combination he said, “Millet is one of the basic cereals in the Sahel from Chad to Senegal. Traditionally, because the farmers have worked with pastoralists, there was the idea of combining the powder from the millet and the yoghurt from the pastoralists to produce this semi-liquid drink which is considered a very healthy meal for lunch especially when people don’t want to eat heavy.”

Nono is generally consumed as a local substitute to the commercial yoghurt because it is cheap and has good nutritional qualities.

source/weekly trust.

 

Introducing Don Jazzy’s New Artiste Di’ja! Listen to Her New Single – Yaro

Mavin Record‘s CEO, Don Jazzy finally unveils new signing Di’Ja to the music scene.
Hadiza ‘Di’Ja’ Blell has already made waves in Canada. She was nominated for the Best Urban/R&B Single at the 2009 Canadian Radio Music Awards and won the 2008 Best New Artiste award at the Beat Awards.
According to Don Jazzy: “Di’Ja represents the new generation of Nigerian music. She is versatile and adaptable. No experience in the studio with her is ever the same as the last. Our fans, friends and good music lovers are in for an interesting musical journey planned ahead.”

Her first official single after being signed to Mavin Records; “Yaro” is an up-tempo celebration of love and commitment against all odds. The song features an ethnic twist that infuses Hausa and Krio dialects in honour of her Nigerian and Sierra Leonean roots. The track was produced by Don Jazzy.

ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION!

How many of us actually bother to take part in this exercise?is it really our responsibility or that of the Government,don't they have people they pay to carryout this functions on other days?Well if that is your mind set,then sorry to say,you don't care about your health or that of your house hold.Sanitation is our collective responsibilities and NOT the job of the Government alone.Do you agree?

Hygiene generally refers to the set of practices associated with the preservation of health and healthy living. The focus is mainly on personal hygiene that looks at cleanliness of the hair, body, hands, fingers, feet and clothing, and menstrual hygiene.
Improvements in personal knowledge, skill and practice that modify an individual’s behaviour towards healthy practice are the focus of hygiene promotion. Safe hygiene practice includes a broad range of healthy behaviours, such as handwashing before eating and after cleaning a child’s bottom, and safe faeces disposal. When you carry out hygiene education and promotion the aim is to transfer knowledge and understanding of hygiene and associated health risks in order to help people change their behaviour to use better hygiene practices.
Sanitation means the prevention of human contact with wastes, for hygienic purposes. It also means promoting health through the prevention of human contact with the hazards associated with the lack of healthy food, clean water and healthful housing, the control of vectors (living organisms that transmit diseases), and a clean environment. It focuses on management of waste produced by human activities.
There are different types of sanitation relating to particular situations, such as:

• Basic sanitation: refers to the management of human faeces at the household level. It means access to a toilet or latrine.
• Onsite sanitation: the collection and treatment of waste at the place where it is deposited.
• Food sanitation: refers to the hygienic measures for ensuring food safety. Food hygiene is similar to food sanitation.
• Housing sanitation: refers to safeguarding the home environment (the dwelling and its immediate environment).
• Environmental sanitation: the control of environmental factors that form links in disease transmission. This category includes solid waste management, water and wastewater treatment, industrial waste treatment and noise and pollution control.

EVERYBODY NEEDS A PS4 AND HERE IS WHY...

 The next generation of consoles is finally upon us. It's an event that happens once every eight years at best, and with it comes a host of improvements designed to make everyone's gaming and home entertainment experience a lot better. After hundreds of press conferences, articles, reviews and tech demonstrations, many of you might be left a little overwhelmed with just what Sony's PlayStation 4 is actually bringing to the table this time around. Fear not however, because we've compiled all the key features you should know about and what they actually mean for your experience. If you're on the fence about getting a new console, here are the things you should consider.

Better Graphics

For good reason, the question on everyone's mind is if the next generation of hardware actually brings meaningful visual differences to the table when it comes to the games to be released. Without getting into the technical details of the hardware (hint: it's better), what you should know is that the hardware improvements make it possible to create better looking games, and also easier for developers to do so. The PlayStation 3 was notoriously difficult to develop for, and this meant that for games to look good it required a lot of optimization, and a lot more time and money from development studios.If you've seen some of the launch titles on the PS4 and you aren't completely blown away yet, keep in mind that graphics improve over the lifetime of a console. A lot of use suffer from a sort of selective memory when it comes to video game graphics, and the best way to demonstrate this is to take a look at what the launch titles for the PlayStation 3 looked like back in 2006. Kotaku has a great article that features screenshots of all the launch titles, and once you see them you'll immediately recognize how far we've come since then. Whatever the new PS4 games look like now, expect that same level of improvement over the life of this new console, and keep that in mind.
One of the most tangible benefits you'll see right away is that the PS4 plays games at a native resolution of 1080p. Believe it or not, most of the games you've been playing on your PS3 this whole time were actually running at 720p or lower, and were upscaled to fit your HDTV's 1080p resolution. This will mean a much clearer image, more legible text, and a much crisper overall experience for owners of the new console.

Ease Of Use

Everything about the way you interact with the PS4 has been redesigned to make your experience faster and more seamless. Back when the PS3 first launched, the word 'iPhone' wasn't even in anyone's vocabulary. We were all using dumbphones and BlackBerrys, The Departed was just released in theatres, and Facebook was just a cute little upstart biting at the heels of the unstoppable Myspace. Consoles were for playing video games, and if they did anything else you were already lucky. This couldn't be farther from the truth this time around. The PS4 let's you pause a game at any point, switch tasks and start watching Netflix or browsing the web, and then return right where you left off. The console is quicker to start, more responsive to use, and playing games happens almost immediately. If you buy a physical disk, the game can will start to install the minute you put the disc in the tray, and you can start playing within tens of seconds. If you've opted for a digital download you'll be afforded similar luxuries, allowing you to start playing the game mere minutes after you've started the download, and long before the entire game has finished downloading.
Best of all, you can walk over to your friends house, log in to your PSN account on their PS4, start downloading any game from your game library, and again, start playing wtihin minutes.

The Controller

Sony has made perhaps the biggest strides of all this time around when it comes to their completely overhauled Dualshock 4 controller. Game critics have held no punches in the past when it came to the shortcomings of the PS3 controller, and how it fared against the more ergonomically favorable Xbox 360 controller. This is far from the case this time around. The similarities between the Dualshock 3 and 4 controllers end squarely at the appearance. It's more comfortable in the hand, the analog sticks are better positioned and the triggers feel more like triggers. It's one of those things you'll have to get your hands on to truly grasp, but for now take solace in the fact that this controller has made fans of the previous iteration's biggest detractors.

Availability

If you opted out of pre-ordering a PS4 and you still want to get your hands on one you might be in for a bit of a wait. All of the launch-day consoles are mostly gone at this point, leaving would-be owners at the hands of eBay-flippers for the next few weeks. Amazon has already let people know that they will not be able to guarantee pre-Christmas delivery on any newly placed orders. If you want to pay a reasonable price for the new console, you might be looking at early next year. If you planned to gift a PS4 for the holidays this year, you should probably start making other plans, unless you want to fork over some cash to an eBay seller.

Closing Thoughts

We'll leave it to game critics and fans to debate over whether the PS4 or Xbox One is the victor this time around. We'll also leave it to them to decide whether this release is more of an iteration or an evolution. At the end of the day, the PlayStation 4 brings a host of much needed improvements that users will both notice and appreciate, and if playing modern games is something you want to take part in you're going to want to take the plunge at some point.

EVERYBODY NEEDS A PS4 AND HERE IS WHY...

Robocop Re-Make Lives Up to 80′s Original.

As a kid growing up when the Original Robocop movie was still fresh,i thought he was the coolest Character ever...When sequels to Great movies come out,there is always one complaint or the other,but this one was well scripted and shot,check out the trailer...

Sanusi's Letter Of Suspension From The CBN

 

 

19th February, 2014

Reference:

Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi Governor,

Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja.

SUSPENSION FROM OFFICE

1. Following the Report of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria on the Audited Financial Statements of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the year ended 31st December 2012, and other related issues, I write to convey to you His Excellency, Mr. President’s decision that you be suspended from office as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria with effect from Thursday 20th February 2014.

2. The decision is predicated on the loss of confidence in your ability to lead the Apex Bank towards the achievement of its statutory mandate. Of particular concern is the fact that, under your watch, the bank has carried out its functions in a manner characterized by disregard for due process and accountability.

3. This is exemplified by various acts of financial recklessness and unprofessional conduct which are inconsistent with the administration’s vision of a Central Bank propelled by the core values of focused economic management, prudence, transparency and financial discipline.

4. The particulars of the infractions are highlighted below:

5. Persistent Refusal and/or Negligence to comply with the Public Procurement Act in the Procurement Practices of the Central Bank of Nigeria

(a) By virtue of Section 15(1) (a) of the Public Procurement Act, the provisions of the Act are expected to apply to all ‘procurement of goods, works and services carried out by the Federal Government of Nigeria and all procurement entities.’ The definition clearly includes the Central Bank of Nigeria.

(b) It is however regrettable the Central Bank of Nigeria under your leadership, has refused and/or neglected to comply with the provisions of the Public Procurement (PPA). You will recall that one of the primary reasons for the enactment of the PPA was the need to promote transparency, competitiveness, cost effectiveness and professionalism in the public sector procurement system...read more

 http://www.nairaland.com/1640423/sanusis-letter-suspension-cbn#21623300

New video: M.I - Superhuman ft HHP

 

Kebbi Govt. To Revive Comatose Argungu Fishing Festival In 2014 (N.a.n)

This information is contained in statement signed by the Director of Information, Alhaji Garba Hamisu, in Kebbi on Wednesday.
The statement stated that the festival would hold in the first quarter of 2014 adding that the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu, would chair the Main Organising Committee. It said that modalities to ensure a successful conduct of the festival were being worked out.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the festival was introduced in 1934 as an avenue of peace between the Sokoto Caliphate and the people of Argungu in Kebbi.
NAN reports that the festival was last held in 2010.
Aside fishing with hand-held nets on the river, other events held during the weeklong festival, are agricultural shows, exhibition of crafts, traditional wrestling, boxing and cultural entertainment.
The others include traditional symphonies, wild duck catching, diving, canoe race, motor rally, dubar and Kabanchi traditional display.

This colorful annual festival takes place in Arugungu,("ar-GOON-goo"), a riverside town in Kebbi State, Arugungu Festivalabout 64 miles from Sokoto. The leading tourist attraction in the area, the festival originated in Aug. 1934, when the late Sultan Dan Mu’azu made an historic visit. In tribute, a grand fishing festival was organized. Since then, it’s become a celebrated yearly event held between Feb. and March. During the festival, hundreds of local men and boys enter the water, armed with large fishnet scoops.

They are joined by canoes filled with drummers, plus men rattling huge seed-filled gourds to drive the fish to shallow waters. Vast nets are cast and a wealth of fish are harvested, from giant Nile Perch to the peculiar Balloon Fish. Furthermore there’s canoe racing, wild duck hunting, bare-handed fishing, diving competitions and naturally, swimming. Afterwards, there is drinking, singing and dancing into the night.
The festival marks the end of the growing season and the harvest. A one mile (1.6 kilometer) stretch of the Argungu River is protected throughout the year, so that the fish will be plentiful for this 45-minute fishing frenzy.

About 5,000 men take part, armed with hand nets and a large gourd. During the alloted time, they fight for the fish in the river. Nile perch weighing up to 140 pounds (63.5 kg) are pulled out of the river, and the biggest are offered to the local Emirs who organize the festival. This festival began in the 1930s and has captured the nation's interest. It now includes many other events, such as canoe races and diving competition.

 

Nigerian Driver's License accepted in Europe, US - FRSC

 The Lagos Sector Commander FRSC, Chidi Nkwonta has said that the upgraded Driver's License being issued now in Nigeria can be used in 3 states in America as well as some countries in Europe.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday, Commander Nkwonta said in the US, the states of  Washington DC, California and Maryland recognize the Nigerian Driver's license while European countries such as Germany, Turkey, Switzerland, Poland, Spain, Austria and Sweden also recognize the Nigerian Drivers License. He said the license can be used in these places for a period of time, after which their own licenses would be issued.

He said these countries have the security measures to detect whether a presented Nigerian License is fake or original. He said efforts are being made for more states in the US to accept the use of our national drivers license there.

NADIA MUFTAH GARBA, THE LADY BEHIND “HATSIN BARA” THE NO.1 HAUSA BLOG IN NIGERIA.

Born on the 8^th of July, she attended the BUK staff nursery primary school Kano and then proceeded to FGGC Kazaure and then to the college of art and science and remedial studies for her IJMB, Enrolled at the Bayero University Kano and graduated with a Ba. in Hausa Languages, did her National Youth Service at the Aso Radio Station in Abuja. After her NYSC, she secured employment as a Hausa teacher with the Oasis international college Abuja 2010, then the following year moved to the Nigeria Turkish international school Kano and the same year, she was snapped up by WAZOBIA FM Kano as a Hausa News caster.

      This soft spoken and Shy Lady, metamorphoses into a no nonsense, driven and unbiased journalist, when it comes to reporting facts about the North and its people on her Blog, if you have never been to the North, take a virtual tour on her blog, hatsin bara.blogspot.com and see what the North has to offer in terms of cultural experience and hospitality.

Nadia Garba is married with 3 children, 2 soldiers and a Princess as she likes to refer to them. Wishing her all the best in her future endeavors.

Sun-dry Kilishi, travellers’ delight!

 

Kilishi is one of the meat delicacies derivable from beef. It’s common among the people in Northern Nigeria.

Kilishi has fast become a souvenir from the North for travelers from other regions of Nigeria. It’s made by cutting fresh beef into thin, wafer-like slices, seasoning it with ground pepper, groundnut and other spices.

It’s thereafter dried in the sun or oven. The unique taste of this source of protein is derived from the sun drying, which keeps all nutrients locked within it.

Kilishi is mainly taken as a snack and the process of its preparation makes it easy to store.

According to the NorthernNigeriaspeciality website, Kilishi has a long shelf-life at room temperature and enjoys high consumer acceptability because of its distinct and exotic flavor.

Some people also refrigerate it to keep it fresh.

Efforts toward making Kilishi a healthy food in terms of preparation, packaging and distribution had necessitated its being packed into wrappers (sealed cellophane or folded brown paper). Distributors believe this keeps it safe from contamination.

It’s also possible to dry the spiced meat in an oven as the last part of the drying process as this further keeps dirt away from the preparation process.

“Kilishi has further gained wide acceptance not only in Nigeria, but also across the sub-Saharan region and beyond. It is made from high quality beef obtained from the fillet and hind quarters of the remains of the animal.

“The product is sliced into thin sheets, covered in a preparation of a variety of spices and crushed groundnuts, after which they are spread to dry. Following this, each piece is then grilled and laid out to cool,” said NorthernNigeriaspeciality.

Kilishi (dried sliced beef)

Ingredients

500g beef top rump

1 teaspoon ground pepper

I teaspoon ground peanuts

Ground pepper and groundnut

1 tablespoon groundnut oil

Salt to taste

Method

Cut the meat into wafer thin slices

Season with the ground pepper and groundnut

Mix in the groundnut oil and salt

Spread slices of meat on a flat tray

Cover with a wire mesh and leave out in the hot sun for two to three days till completely dry

Alternatively, pieces of meat could be dried in the oven

Serve as a snack with your preferred drink

 July 7, 2012 by Bosede Olusola-Obasa

Classiq ft Ruby-Duniya

 Post by Ovie O, June 28th, 2013.

 Hip-Hop in the Hausa language is as rare as it comes. That’s one of many reasons why I’m very impressed with CLASSIQ and his new single “Duniya” featuring Loopy Records’ diva RUBY. Without fully understanding what he says, you can still connect with his pain and the depth in his delivery. More of this PLEASE!   “Life is a journey! “Duniya” is a Hausa word which means “the world”, and this song is ClassiQ’s story about his own journey and career. ClassiQ found his way into our hearts with his hit single “Sama” that still enjoys airplay on radio stations in the country and across the continent with a video which sat atop the MTV Base’s Big Friday Show twice. The emotive “Duniya” features Loopy Music songbird “Ruby” also known as the ‘lady of soul’ and she blessed it with her soulful vocals and siren belts.

    On this track; he showcases his true Northern spirit. Never has a song in this dialect been so captivating and sincere in delivery. This is just to wet your appetite, still anticipate the official single from this prolific Northern music ambassador who is signed to Finesse Entertainment. This is one Hip-Hop/Soul number we highly recommend. Enjoy!

”

FG Suspends Sanusi, Appoints Sarah Alade as Acting CBN Governor

 

The Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, has suspended Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi from his position as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The suspension was announced in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.
The statement read that, “Having taken special notice of reports of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria and other investigating bodies, which indicate clearly that Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s tenure has been characterised by various acts of financial recklessness and misconduct, which are inconsistent with the administration’s vision of a Central Bank propelled by the core values of focused economic management, prudence, transparency and financial discipline;
“Being also deeply concerned about far-reaching irregularities  under Mallam Sanusi’s watch which have distracted the Central Bank away from the pursuit and achievement of its statutory mandate; and being determined to urgently re-position the Central Bank of Nigeria for greater efficiency, respect for due process and accountability, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has ordered the immediate suspension of Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi from the Office of Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“President Jonathan has further ordered that Mallam Sanusi should hand over to the most senior Deputy Governor of the CBN, Dr Sarah Alade, who will serve as Acting Governor until the conclusion of on-going investigations into breaches of enabling laws, due process and mandate of the CBN.
“The President expects that as Acting Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Alade would focus on the core mandate of the Bank and conduct its affairs with greater professionalism, prudence and propriety to restore domestic and international confidence in the country’s apex bank.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria reassures all stakeholders in Nigeria’s financial and monetary system that this decision has been taken in absolute good faith, in the overall interest of the Nigerian economy and in accordance with our laws and due process.”
 Does this have anything to do with Sanusi's perceived defiance of the presidents order to resign? hmmmmm!!

 

 

 

THE HAUSA CULTURAL MARRIAGE

 

Brief introduction of Hausa People
The Hausa People are concentrated mainly in the northern part of Nigeria and other parts of Africa, but due to socio-economic nature of the world hausa people are found in all parts of the world. The northern part of Nigeria has the highest number of states in the country, the Hausas are predominantly Muslims and quite a number of Christians. Hausa tribe is the language spoken by almost all the Hausas, it is a second language to many in Northern part of Nigeria. The Hausas engage in farming, trading, tie and dye, black-smiting and many more vocational skills as their means of livelihood, the Holy Qur’an still remains the source of knowledge to the hausa people, even though they are involved in conventional form of education.
HAUSA CULTURAL MARRIAGE
The Hausa cultural marriage is based mostly on the Islamic marriage, starting from introduction to wedding proper. Unlike other cultures, the introductory part of the Hausa marriage is brief, not time consuming, and less expensive. When a man sees the girl of his choice he first seek for permission from her parents, after which the girls parents will have to make some kind of investigation about the man regarding his background, moral ethics and of course his religious believes, before he is allowed to see the girl only when found eligible. According to the Hausa tradition, the man is not allowed to spend a long time in seeing the girl and this is done to avoid any physical and or romantic contact, courtship before marriage is not encouraged in the Hausa tradition. Once the girl accepts the offer, the man sends his parents or guardians to formally seek for the girl’s hand in marriage.
Seeking for the girl’s hand in marriage varies amongst the Hausa people, as earlier mentioned, there are other ethnic groups having different modes of marriage introduction, nevertheless the most common method used includes, grooms parents or guardians visiting the girl’s parents with certain gift items, i.e kolanuts, candies and chocolates and in some cases bags of salt. During this visit which is an occasion on its own, the groom’s make their intention known thereby introducing the boy, his background and profile, the bride price or dowry is made through bargain starting from the minimum of what the Hausas called “Rubu Dinar”, its an Arabic phrase translated as “quarter kilogram of a gold piece” to the highest amount the man can afford. The wedding date is also set which is agreed upon by both sides. Bride price or dowries are preferred not to be very high or expensive, it is part of the teachings of Islam that the less amount paid as bride price or dowry produce the most blessed marriage.
HAUSA CULTURAL WEDDING EVENTS
Due to the diverse ethnicity in Hausa land, the cultural wedding events varies but the most commonly used by most Hausa people are as follows;
KAMU
This is one of the historical events in the Hausa cultural wedding which dates back to the origin of the hausa people, kamu signifies the cleansing of the bride , henna mixed with some herbs, scents and flowers of plants are applied to her body covering most part of the body for just some minutes, which is later washed away with a mixture or flowers and perfume in water. This mixture smoothes the skin and making the bride look fresh and more attractive. Another mixture of henna is used to make beautifully decorated designs on the bride’s hands, palms and legs. Henna design makes the bride not only astonishing but unique.
KAYAN LEFE
This refers to the clothing the groom presents to his bride, well arranged in boxes or bags ranging from materials of different kinds, shoes and bags, cosmetics to jewelries, the Holy Qur’an andpraying carpet areincluded in the” kayan lefe”. The “kayan lefe” is presented by the groom’s family either before the wedding day or on the wedding day. The groom’s family is also presented with gift items in terms of cash or kind by the bride’s family as appreciation.
WEDDING FATIHA
This is the most significant event in the Hausa cultural marriage, it is done at the brides residence or at the mosque, family and friends of both the groom and bride gather at the location to witness the wedding vows, unlike other marriages the wedding vows in the hausa cultural marriage is done by the representatives of the groom and the bride precided over by an Islamic leader witnessed by many invited guests. Prayers are offered to the newly wedded couple and celebration continues.
CONVEYING OF THE BRIDE TO HER MATRIMONIAL HOME
After the wedding fatiha, immediately or much later depending on the arrangement, the bride is accompanied by family and friends to her new home whom are well received by the groom’s family. This is not the end of events in the hausa cultural marriage.
In some parts of hausa land the “sayan baki” which is a friendly debate between the groom’s men and the bride’s maids, debating on the amount to be paid before the bride speaks to her groom. This is a way of making them to socialize and later have a greater relationship which is marriage.
In another part “Budan kai” meaning the “Unveiling of the bride” is another event organized by the groom’s family in order to honor and welcome the bride to her new family. During this occasion the bride is presented with gifts both in cash and in kind.
“Walimah” is also an event which normally follows the “Budan kai” it is the recitation of the Holy Qur’an and preaching on how tom live a marital life and other issues. Food, drinks as well as other pleasantries are always available in the Hausa cultural marriage events.
These events are mostly done by the Muslims of the Hausa land, the Christians have their own cultural wedding events.

 Credits:

Article: Fatsuma Musa Mugaji

Photograph: Maze Couture/Xsightn

The Nikkah ‘the Islamic wedding’ is the process followed when taking a wife in the amongst the muslims in Hausa land. It has its unique way of practice and this distinguishes it from other forms of wedding practices all over the world. In recent times, the practice of Nikkah has tilted more towards a more cultural angle rather than its previous religious sacredness. With the rise of westernization, people have generally adjusted the rulings to suite their convenience or desires.
 In the Hausa culture of Nigeria, the typical practice is initiated when the family, close family friends of the groom (not necessarily including his parents), the to-be-groom’s guardian go to visit the family of the bride. It's an all men affair and that usually referred to as Na gani ina so which literally means ‘I like what I see’. The groom’s family goes with a basket of a few things including fruits and kola nuts. This is for the acceptance or rejection by the bride’s father after which, according to tradition it is permissible for the man and the woman to ‘see’ each other.
 The man and woman communicate with one another, share likes and dislikes basically, if the girl feels comfortable with marrying the man, she gives her consent. she communicates this to her parents who in turn activate the  Gaisuwa meaning Greetings to their in-laws- to be. The Gaisuwa is a formal form of approval from the family of the bride to the groom's. At this point however, the father of the bride can still withdraw his initial approval if issues arise that cannot be sorted out. If all goes well at this point, the relationship is committal and it is certain that the two will be marrying each other. It is also on this day, that the proper wedding dialogue begins and wedding date is agreed upon and chosen by a delegation of the two families. The setting of the date is called  Sa rana. The bride’s family goes home with some gifts for the bride referred to as Kai Kaya meaning ‘Carrying Things’. Depending on the financial capability of the groom and his family, the items range from clothing, jewelleries, shoes, perfumes and many more.
Also, it is part of the Hausa culture for the groom to provide a house for the couple while the bride’s family has full responsibility of furnishing the house, especially her room, living room and the kitchen. All these are done before the wedding proper. The wedding day is usually referred to as Fatihah. That is the day in which there is a solemnization of the two families and payment of sadaki the dowry. Traditionally, the women folk aren’t expected at the wedding Fatihah and they usually never are present. Instead, the women are indoors  busy at the Kunshi, preparing the bride for her final moment as a spinster and new beginnings as a wife. The  kunshi is a ceremony  just like a bridal shower where the older women apply generous amounts of perfume and scented flowers on the bride, lalei (henna) is applied on the arms and feet of the bride and her friends . It serves as a form of decoration as flowers and other intriguing designs are drawn.
 Depending on the families involved, a Walimah ‘ wedding reception’ is held after the wedding Fatihah, it's a whole day’s ceremony, with food and drinks and merriment for family, friends and other well wishers. After all has been said and done, the bride is taken to her husband’s house after series of admonishments from both parents, aunts, uncles and even her new parents-in-law. It's known as Kai Amarya and it means conveyance of the bride.
 All in all, the Hausa Nikkah is usually a graceful and fun-filled ceremony with so many activities involved. For those of you non-Hausas looking to marry into this tribe, oh well! Start tightening your belts and scarves, cos’ it certainly is an adventurous journey to embark on! :)
- See more at: http://www.ourweddingstorynigeria.com/index.php?title=lifestyleReviews&id=31#sthash.lal82khz.dpuf

Bayern Munich grabs control over Arsenal in Champions League matchup of UEFA heavyweights

Steve Davis

Feb 19, 2014, 4:37 PM EST

1 Comment

Kroos and Robben tore Arsenal apart in Bayern's win. Bayern Munich took a big step forward in its Champions League defense, emerging from an eventful, pulsating night at the Emirates with a 2-0 win over an Arsenal team now on the fade in two major competitions.
A Bayern Munich team that, being so far ahead in the Bundesliga race, is destined to be judged by its ongoing Champions League defense, had to work hard to claim the margin in this Round-of-16 matchup of European heavies, one that now goes back to Bavaria for a final verdict.
Thomas Muller’s late goal on a skillful diving header doubled the lead provided by Toni Kroos earlier in the second half, as Arsenal needed just a few more minutes of defending to escape with something better (a 1-0 loss, that is) against all the offensive might of Bayern’s high-scoring side.
Two penalty kick failures (one by each team) and a red card, all before the break, went a long way to deciding this one, as Arsenal was forced to play a man down against the defending UEFA champs for more than 50 minutes.
A slightly controversial decision from the man in the middle will be the topic around North London as Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli ejected Gunners goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny after 38 minutes. Szczesny had brought down Bayern’s Arjen Robben near goal after the Bayern winger was put through on Kroos’ clever, chipped ball.
It was Kroos who finally broke through, putting the visitors in command with a sumptuous, well-placed right-footed shot in the 54^th minute. The sequence started with more good work from the right side, which Bayern worded relentlessly, feeding the tireless  Robben and Philipp Lahm time against along that flank.
The game was alive from the start with both goalkeepers forced into quality saves within five minutes. The best was from Gunners ‘keeper Szczesny, whose flying, fingertip save on Kroos’ well-aimed effort from 20 yards was surely among the best stops of all the Round-of-16 matches.
The real talkers of the early minutes were still to come as Mezut Ozil went through in the 8^th minute (although he was possibly offside). When Bayern center back Jerome Boateng failed to deal well enough with the German attacker’s quick cut-back inside Bayern’s 18, Rizzoli pointed to the penalty spot.
Big Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer stood his ground on Ozil’s tentative run-up and the Arsenal man saw his shot straight down the middle turned away by a fellow German international. Ozil, by the way, is the only player now to have missed two Champions League penalty kicks this year.
Rizzoli’s choice to eject Szczesny could have turned out worse yet for Arsenal but for David Alaba’s penalty shot for Bayern, which he aimed low and left, only to see it ping off the outside of Arsenal’s post.
Most of the second half was damage control for the home side; Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger set his side into a 4-4-1, with Ozil and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain wide – the hard-running “Ox” managed to be a bother here and there to Bayern’s back line, although he  didn’t dance through the German defense the way Robben did on the other side – in behind striker Yaya Sanogo.
Wenger had rattled the Champions League world with his lineup choice at striker, gambling with the French youngster Sanogo over far more experienced (and yet personally troubled, recently) Olivier Giroud.
Giroud has been Wenger’s preferred striker choice all year; Sanogo had just one previous start for the Gunners.
It was actually a double gamble, of sorts. If Wenger was unhappy with Giroud, who has been OK, although hardly overwhelming during Arsenal’s fine seasons, the manager could have opted for German international Lukas Podolski, who has over 100 caps for his country.
LINEUPS
Arsenal: Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Flamini, Wilshere; Ozil, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Sanogo
Bayern: Neuer; Lahm, Boateng, Dante, Alaba; Martínez, Thiago; Robben, Kroos, Gotze; Mandzukić.

 

James Corden, presenting the live ITV show for the final time, was encouraged to go “off the leash” and whip up some spontaneous fun. Which apparently involves kissing Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw and calling people with double-barrelled surnames "horse-faced inbreds".
The combined US star wattage of Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Pharrell Williams and Bruno Mars was imported from the Grammys to add lustre to the live performances and, notably, David Bowie's win for British Male Solo Artist cemented his musical comeback.

His trusty Vivienne Westwood hat was left at home, but Pharrell still shined in a metallic tux that he rolled up to his ankles.

 

Rita Ora

Winners list in full
British Male Solo Artist - David Bowie
British Female Solo Artist - Ellie Goulding
British Group - Arctic Monkeys
British Breakthrough Act - Bastille
British Single - "Waiting All Night" by Rudimental ft. Ella Eyre
British Album Of The Year - AM by Arctic Monkeys
Best Video – One Direction
International Male Solo Artist - Bruno Mars
International Female Solo Artist - Lorde
International Group - Daft Punk
Global Success - One Direction
Critics' Choice - Sam Smith
British Producer Of The Year - Flood & Alan Moulder

Makes Us smile! Lily Allen, in a dazzling long-sleeved gown, pulls off the two-toned hairstyle with ease as she swept her long black locks with yellow dip-dyed ends into a high ponytail.