The Floods....Anything for people?

The rains are here again and the floods are manifesting everywhere. But despite the fact that the flooding showers have hit Lagos and a number of other states heavily resulting in all manner of bad news, is there any good side or advantage to it? This is just a thought I was pondering because I sort of noticed that some people happened to have cashed in on the opportunity of the rains to make some change. 

I

Area boys have seized the opportunity to step in where cars,marwas and okadas have failed. And that is seen in many of these pictures of human ferries littering the internet.

Canoemen can now extend business beyond the Lagos lagoon and waterways in ferrying people.

By the end of the flood the petrol here may not be good
for a car's consumption. This would be good news for a competitor

For those who have always wished to learn swimiming, this may be a big opportunity!

An opportunity not to pay rent anymore as you have experienced

damage to personal property (God forbid!)

Now you can get a view of what living by the sea or lagoon looks like

...plus floating refuse and debris.

I hope these ferry guys pay their tithes oh! God has surely buttered their bread.

The floods are also a good excuse to get to work late

as the traffic situation these past few days have pointed out!

Muddy waters...everywhere that is not tarred.

Let's just hope there are no perverts amongst these ferry guys

who have a very dire reason to want to ferry women across.

The Bigger your Canoe, the larger your returns...abi na profit.

Even the death defying danfo and taxi drivers of Lagos have no choice

but to succumb to the power of the ferocious floods

Now you don't stroll to go shopping for groceries...you wade or swim.

And the flood no stop these folks from opening market.

Nigerians! They never give up!

Even Surulere that looks well planned had cars submerged

***************************************************

Below are pictures from floods of last year which happened

between June to August 2011...meaning the rains have not finished with us

in 2012...we still haveJuly and August rains to contend with!

This particular one happened in Ogun State...see why it's good to rent an upper flat?

I pity the owners of these cars...Gbese!

Where are the canoemen when you need them?

This is a good reason why one should not buy or rent accommodation in any sand-filled location.

In fact this is another good opportunity the rainy season(or should I say flooding season?) offers - the opportunity to search for accommodation that won't flood like this house!

Guess where this is? Ibadan! Even the Naija's most populous city

suffered it heavily last year...remember?

Finally...please don't take me too serious. I was just trying to see

what can be called if there was any advantage in the flooding season!.

Pictures Courtesy

www.informationnigeria.org 

www.nairaland.com

www.newsfrombukolar.blogspot.com

www.pmnewsnigeria.com 
www.punchng.com
www.tradenewswire.net
www.vanguard.com

www.wazobiareport.com 
www.ynaija.com
www.facebook.com

Boko Haram on Our Church Bus?

It was a bright Sunday morning and the designated BRT bus to our church waited at the bus stop for church members to board before it took off.

We had decided to follow the bus this particular Sunday. There’s nothing as relaxing (most especially for me) as just sitting in a bus getting driven to church rather than driving through the mad streets of Lagos by myself. By the time I got to church after driving myself, I would have felt the ‘hangover’ of the riotous Lagos cruising.

I, wifey and the kids were comfortably seated and when the bus eventually got filled, the driver starts the engine and we take off. A brother stands up to lead members in prayers and then hands over to a little girl to lead us in choruses as we progressed to church.

Soon everybody was singing along happily, praising God for his goodness. Not everybody sang though; some just nodded along to the song, some ignored joining in the singing and involved themselves in gists, some dozed off into a sound sleep, some just looked on forlornly out the windows. I was able to draw a conclusion from this that it’s different strokes for different folks; not everyone leaves home in the same mood for church. Only God knows what’s going on in their minds.

Soon, we got to a bus stop and two men dressed in long gowns and skull caps (which was an obvious pointer to the fact that they were Muslims) joined the bus.

This unsettled people on the bus.

What were Muslims doing on a BRT that had been chartered by the Church?

When inquiry was made we were told they were friends to the bus driver.

By now, the little girl who was leading the praise was getting tired and a brother standing near the back exit quickly took up the singing with more fire and fervor.

Then he suddenly halted the singing and led us in a prayer session calling on all to begin to pray against terrorists and Boko Haram. Instantly, the bus became agog as everyone began to spit fire and curse the enemy and his agents.

At this point, I had come to understand that there was suspicion over the fact that these guys could be Boko Haram.

Or what on earth were they doing on our bus?

I joined in the prayer session. I had been singing along and praising God as well so I was already geared up to pray fervently. The last thing I’d ever want to think was I and my cute little family colliding with bomb terrorists.

We arrived at another bus stop in the heat of the prayers and the two Muslim men disembarked quickly. The bus then progressed further but the brother leading the prayer did not stop there, he rounded up the prayer and directed instant proclamations and spiritual judgment against any bus driver who was collaborating with any terrorist.

The ‘Amen’ echoed strongly throughout the bus.

 He then led us into a prayer of thanksgiving for journey mercies as we arrived safely at the outskirts of the church entrance.

Thank God for protection and preservation of life.

Looking back, I can understand the vigilance that happened at that point in time. Though we couldn’t be sure whether those men were really Boko Haram loyalists but then it was better we didn’t take the incident for granted and that we reacted accordingly. This also coupled with the fact that the act was downright suspicious.

With all the heartless attacks on churches in the north, news and rumours of the terrorist sect planning to invade the Southern parts of Nigeria, we can’t afford to take anything for granted.

This is no longer the era of siddon look!

To Fly or Not To Fly....Which Aircraft?

In the wake of the recent air disaster that happened lately, a lot of questions have arisen over whether to ever travel by air across Nigeria's airspace. Even if the option was to fly, which aircraft company would be the best bet to fly?

I got wind of this list on the different Nigerian aircraft (of which most are Tokunbo aircraft) and it's shocking to discover that our airports may actually be a dumping ground for worn-out aircraft. Check out the age range of these airlines.

Aero Contractors Company – 12 planes. Average age is 19.7 years

Africa Charter Services – 2 planes. Average age is 32.1 years

Air Nigeria – 12 planes. Average Age is 13.5 years

Air Taraba – 2 planes. Average age is 10.5 years

Arik Air – 21 planes. Average age is 5.5 years

Axiom Air – 1 plane. Average age is 24.5 years

Bellview Airlines (now defunct thanks to the 2005 crash that made

the business nose dive) – 2 planes. Average age is 31.9 years

 First Nation Airways (Formerly Bellview Airlines) – 3 planes. Average age is 18.4 years 

Chanchangi Airlines – 6 planes. Average age is 25.6 years

Dana Air – 4 planes. Average age is 21.4 years

IRS Airlines – 5 planes. Average age is 21.6 years

Kabo Air – 5 planes. Average age is 34.5 years

Not even a single image of this airline is available on the internet!

Max Air – 6 planes. Average age is 24.1 years

Overland Airways – 2 planes. Average age is 22.2 years

At least this airline can be excused for not having any image online
since it says they've got just 1 plane!

Tradecraft Airlines – 1 plane. Average age is 25.4 years 

TranSky Airlines – 1 plane. Average age is 28.2 years

It's amazing how some of these planes happen to look good despite their age. It's probably when you enter them that you realize that they are not all that. I know this because I once boarded one of the newer ones I could tell that it was not an old plane by the time I stepped inside.

So with these listed statistics, you can make a decision which airline you'd feel safer flying with!

R.I.P - Beautiful Faces of The Dana Air Crash

I was at home yesterday, babysitting the kids when I got the call from Ben, a friend.
A plane had crashed into my parent's neighborhood three bus stops away from our family home.
So saddening.
I give glory to God though because my baby brother was planning to come home from Abuja by Dana Air. He's changed his mind now and decided to go by road.

Since all over the net the news is no longer news, I don't need to talk about what happened. But I went round trying to find out who and who was on that ill fated plane. These pictures I came across drew tears to my eyes...such promising faces...lives cut short by the tragedy...generations wiped out in an instant...

May we never see such again. Here they are...

Adeleke Oluwadamilare - a 400 level student of
Bowen University, Iwo.

Adamu Bamaiyi

Amaka Awani

Amina Bugaje

Amina Bugaje's last BB message before boarding

Ayoola Somolu - a very dear friend of Standtall's

Dunni Doherty 

Echendu Ibe and Jennifer Ibe (Mother & daughter)

Ehime Aihkomu - Augustus Aihkomu's son

Iniebong Asuquo

Jones Ifekawa

Kayode Okikiolu - An Alumni of my beloved high school - CHS Aiyetoro

Kola Ayoola, A branch Manager at Sterling Bank Plc. Lagos

Kunbi Adebiyi

Levi Ajuonoma - NNPC spokesman & Ace Broadcaster 

Lt Colonel Jumbo Ochigbo  

Maimuna Ayene was on board with her husband, kids & Mother.
Kids were visiting Nigeria for the first time.
 Maimuna is sister to Prophet Ugo Wems

Nadine Chidiac

Mutihir Isttifaanus

Alvana Ojukwu - was supposed to be off to Oxford in September

Pastor Akin - of House on The Rock

 Olumide Coker

Prof. Onwuliri, former Vice Chancellor of FUTO

 Rev. Ayodeji and Ngozi Cole - they left behind those 3 adorable kids

Uche Ulasi - a crew member who seems to have the most pictures online.
She was to go on leave in two weeks

Wale Eribake - a business consultant 

 Maimuna Ayene's cousin, Oluchi Onyenyiri
with Maimuna's two kids who were also on the plane. 

Sgt Adejilola Abraham of the Nigerian Airforce.
He was returning to work after his 2nd child naming ceremony. 

Ibrahim Matankari

Crew member, Vivien Effiong Atangakak was due
to get married on 28th of July. 

******Updated!*****

Joy Alison (Sent in by Ify Monye).
She left behind a baby and husband
5.29pm, 5/6/12

Tunde Alade Martins 
(Sent in by Alex-Adeomi Maimunat)
5.29pm, 5/6/12 

Awyetu Hope Wasa.

She was travelling with her mum Ruth Wasa.
(Sent in by Folake Adeyemi)

 5.41pm, 5/6/12 

Prof. Emmanuel Obot
 6.10pm, 5/6/12

******Updated!*****

Mrs. Fatokun Anjola and her kids: Ibukun & Olaoluwa
(Sent in by a loved one)
  10.10am, 6/6/12 

Alhaji Shehu Sahad Usman - Director Of Mainstreet Bank
(Sent in by Dawood Uthman)
10.10am, 6/6/12 

Eseoghene Okor and Stanford Obrutse
(Sent in by friend)
10.10am, 6/6/12 

Kalthum Abubakar
(Sent in by a loved one)
10.10am, 6/6/12 

Femi Shobowale
(Sent in by Oluwafunmilola)
10.50am, 6/6/12

Onyinye Mgbanwa
(Sent in by Kassimmah Dafi, her cousin)
10.50am, 6/6/12

Tosin Anibaba - She left behind a loving husband
and a 2yr old daughter.
(Sent in by Debbie)
 10.53am, 6/6/12 

******Updated!*****

Ruth Wasa, mother of Awyetu Hope Wasa (8 pictures above)
(Sent in by Sadiq)
3.15pm, 6/6/12

Okeke Hope, a dedicated nurse with the SOS Children's Villages, 
Gwagwalada,who was on an official assignment from abuja to lagos
(Sent in by Charles Omofomwan)
3.25pm, 6/6/12 

******Updated!*****

Obiola Ikpoki
(Sent in by Yetunde Olusesi)
 9.56am, 7/6/12  

Mrs Chinwe Dike and her son Ezugo Dike were on their way
to Lagos for Convenant University's Post UME.
(Sent in by a Olybarbie3000)
9.57am, 7/6/12 

Ijeoma Onyiuke was before her death the
Marketing Head for Hewlett Packard (HP);
a role she returned to Nigeria to resume
after years in the UK.
(Sent in by 'Buchi - bossom friend)
10.04am, 7/6/12

Aderoju Osunbade, husband of Tope
and loving Dad of Haniel and Jason.
(Sent in by Lapinchie)
10.10am, 7/6/12

Falmata Nur Muhammad. Survived by
husband, daughter, mother and siblings.
(Sent in by a loved one)
3.20pm, 7/6/12

******Updated!*****

Eyo Bassey. He and Femi Shobowale
(who was also on the flight) worked together.
(Sent in by a friend)
8.50am, 8/6/12

Adiza Otegbeye (nee Thompson). She is survived by
her husband, Leke, and her two children.
Tomi, her daughter, is 16,and Olorunleke, her son, is 13.
Here she is seen in the 2nd picture with her daughter,
Tomi, just before she boarded the ill-fated flight.
(Sent in by her elder brother, Joseph Thompson)
8.51am, 8/6/12

******Updated!*****

Lilian Naicha Las, a staff of ICAN.
Somehow her name was omitted in the manifest
but she was on board the flight as confirmed in this article.
(Sent in by Nafisa Ishaku)
1.07pm, 10/6/12 

Rajuli and Ugbabio Oyosoro.
They were returning home
to their (already widowed) mother.
(Sent in by Atilola Salu)
 1.08pm, 10/6/12  

Ike Okoye
He left behind a wife and lovely daughter.
(Sent in by Atilola Salu)
 1.09pm, 10/6/12  

Saka Otaru.
He is survived by a wife and three kids.
(Sent in by a concerned friend)
 1.11pm, 10/6/12  

******Updated!*****

. Okocha Christopher
He left behind his wife and a 15 month old daughter.

(Sent in by Temitope Williams)

10.42am, 11/6/12

May these souls and those whose faces are not here plus those who were 

on the ground when the plane hit rest in perfect peace...Amen!