Kaduna- Abuja Railway firing on all Cylinders.

So I went all the way to Abuja to get on board the train and see what all the fuss was about. It was easy to locate the train station with my Park West Cabbie and the train station was very comfortable to wait in. Sadly, no wifi not yet at least. With a two hour trip to Kaduna, I'll say the rail line is not a bad alternative to the roads. I'll take the train anyday over hitching a ride on the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway. So i'll give the train service a nod. It was truly built for Nigeria.

Kaduna- Abuja Railway firing on all Cylinders.

So I went all the way to Abuja to get on board the train and see what all the fuss was about. It was easy to locate the train station with my Park West Cabbie and the train station was very comfortable to wait in. Sadly, no wifi not yet at least. With a two hour trip to Kaduna, I'll say the railline is not a bad alternative to the roads. I'll take the train anyday over hitching a ride on the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway. So i'll give the train service a nod. It was truly built for Nigeria.

Mark Zuckerberg came over to say Hello Lagos and Hello Abuja!

It was an eventful August...Nigeria had an August Visitor...Very nice seeing Mark Zuckerberg walking down the street in Yaba and popping in to see the Aso Villa Demo Day. A little boost to the morale of aspiring Tech fellows and acknowledgement of Nigeria's young entrepreneurs and entertainment stars.

Beyonce Amazing Performance in MTV VMAs 2016 - Beyonce Wins VMA Once again the Queen Bee Delivers

Delightful: The 90 year old Dick Van Dyke and the Vantastix surprise a crowd at Denny's in Santa Mon...

It has been 50 years since he appeared in the all time favorite movie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. A healthy and Happy 90 year old Dick Van Dyke gave a wonderful performance of the theme song to the Movie many loved growing up. Its so nice seeing the Entertainer doing what he loves even at 90.

I wonder what his lifestyle routine is? I wouldn't mind looking so good in 59 years time.

Lagos on A Demolition Mission.

All Illegal structures in Lagos are expected to be torn down and demolished by the government, especially Illegal Structures under public infrastructure especially bridges and Power Lines and Transmission Stations.

In line with this, The Lagos state government unleashed Bulldozers, Military and Police Security Teams on the Lekki Beach Axis to perform a clean-up and demolition exercise of illegal structures under the Power Lines. Settlers were seen scavenging for their belongings after the demolition exercise.

Nigeria's Corruption Prosecution Agency EFCC posts these Awareness Campaign Cartoons.

In a bid to raise awareness on citizens approval of corrupt government and public officials, The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has posted these cartoons on its Facebook wall. Now that is food for though. Who are we really as a people?

Nigeria Proudly Represented at the Olympics! *Rio 2016*

So after all the drama, Nigeria finally made it to the Olympics with her football team winning against Japan the day after they landed at Manaus even with the jet lag et al.

Not bad, i must say for the team.
Today's thoughts however are on the Nigerian Contingents outfits for the opening ceremony.

Apparently, the Nigerian Contingent didn't get their outfits which by the way would have made them look ridiculous and had to be kitted up in tracksuits for the opening ceremony.
In true Nigerian Style, my countrymen were just delighted to be at the Olympics no matter the hurdles they have faced on the way to Rio.

 Here is a photo of the contingent at the Olympics in their tracksuits versus at the Commonwealth Games and the London Olympics years ago.

Team Nigeria in their tracksuits in Rio

Team Nigeria in their forgotten costumes...

Team Nigeria at London 2012 Olympics

Walking proudly at London 2012 Olympics

Team Nigeria, Bright and Proud at the Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2014

Well,you be the Judge. Which was our best look?

Hey! Here's to Team Nigeria! Go do us proud and Shine no matter what. God bless you all.

Le Nigeria inaugure le 1er train à grande vitesse d'Afrique de l'Ouest: Felicitations Nigeria!

OMI - Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix) [Official Video]

Adele - When We Were Young (Live at The Church Studios) My Tuesday Playlist...Powerful

Sadly, the UK votes to Leave...

It is with a heavy heart that i type that finally Brexit has been achieved the UK is going it alone.

Oh what a day... I have to prepare for a possible new application for a Separate Scottish Visa. I love Scotland and i know the Scots will be happy to have me visit...

Photo credit Munich Business School 

Smile: Linda Ikeji Posts a Brilliant Message for her Detractors... and they sure are many.

She posted the photo on her Instagram with the caption:

1h

• officiallindaikejiHome chilling! 😊😊 For the record: the FIRS report is false. The house is 1000% mine. They keep trying but they don't know that baby girl is only just starting. #Somethingbigiscoming.#Livingmydream. #Youtoocan.#Keepworkingkeepbelieving. Kisses to everyone 😚😚😚

• 
  

This is one Lady who makes me smile... She seems to dust off whatever controversy comes her way effortlessly. Now that's a pretty trooper...
 Following  information that was published earlier in the day, that the Federal Inland Revenue Service was on her case for Tax Matters, the Power Blogger just had to rub it in that she is actually in the good books of the FIRS and Lagos Inland Revenue Service LIRS.

Benue and IFAD flag off Rice Planting Season

Benue's Agricultural Development is underway.
Benue State has flagged- off its Rice Planting Season.
Civil Servants have been encouraged to head back to the land and return Benue to its food basket  of the nation status.

Fridays have been designated and announced as farming days for the Civil Service. It is hoped that this will lead to a reduction in the civil service workforce in a few years time with people opting to go into Agricultural Production full time.

At the Flag-off ceremony for the Rice Planting season  Benue indigenes were encouraged to join the agricultural revolution.
International Fund For Agricultural Development, IFAD has provided huge support with an N800 million facility available for farmers in Rice, Cassava Production for 14 communities.

Ajah Flyover and Abule Egba construction projects in Progress...

More infrastructure  projects is the recurrent decimal now. The Governor of Lagos twitter handle posted these pictures of more projects currently underway. Here are pictures of Men at Work on the construction sites of the Ajah Flyover bridge and Abule Egba.

Nigeria's Naira Finally allowed to float...Central Bank Announces its plans to clear all the backlog of about $3-6Billion of Forex Demand

Its good news for foreign airlines who have been buckling under the pressure of  not remitting their revenue gotten within the country and which has made airlines such as Iberia and United Airlines to halt flights to the country.
The Central Bank today announced it is working to clear out the backlog of Forex demand of between $3 and $5 billion dollars through spot and forward settlements.

In a statement released by the Acting Director, Corporate Communications of the Central Bank, Mr Issac Okoroafor, the move is to engender confidence, ensure credible price formation and sustain the integrity of the Nigerian inter-bank FX market.
This was announced as the new flexible forex trading begins on Monday.

The apparent  lower value of Naira and the inability of foreign carriers to repatriate their revenues had forced United Airlines and Spanish  Iberia to withdraw services to Nigeria.As at March 31, 2016, foreign airlines funds held back in the country was about $575 million.

I guess most airlines can now heave a sigh of relief, Its back to business for most of Nigeria's more than 1 million frequent fliers.

Dollars at the Interbank  at 10am today trading at $255 and the parallel market between $330 and $345.

So Infrastructural Spending seems to be the way to go... Nigeria on the right track...

Another week of  Infrastructure spending coming through.

It appears The  Office of the Minister for Works finally  has its wheels churning... The Loko-Oweto Bridge Project has begun again... Some much needed respite from long journey times and waste of agricultural produce for residents of the Nasarrawa, Benue and Abuja axis.

The Minister for Housing, Works and Power, Babatunde Fashola said when completed, the Loko-Oweto Bridge would boost socio-economic activities in Nasarawa State and Benue.

“You will see those who lost their jobs; they would come back to work. You would see increased merchandising and supply of building materials.

“When this project is completed, it would open up these communities; connect Nasarawa State and Benue; farmers would benefit from the movement and transportation of their farm produce.

“I am optimistic that we would get this project completed in 2018,’’ Fashola noted.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Loko-Oweto Bridge contract was awarded to RCC Nig. Ltd. in November 2011 at N36. 1 billion with original completion date of Nov. 15, 2015.

The project was stalled in 2014 due to lack of funding and currently, at a revised contract sum of N51.6 billion, the project is scheduled for completion in 2018.(NAN)