Thursday, 31 October 2013

real estate news and other alerts




Canals can be turned into tourist centers in Nigeria
By Abdulmumini Adeku.
Major drainage canals and others which seems to be threat to lives and property can actually be turned into tourist centers in Nigeria.
In an exclusive interview with The Paedia Express Multimedia in Lagos, Nigeria ,  member of the world Peace Institute and African and Korean Business Council, Mr Micheal Biyah Edem said that it was a sad development how our policy makers continue to allow opportunities to slip us by in the land.
He explained  that within the Korean Peninsular, there are abound several gorges and drainage canals which has been turned into tourist havens by the state and wondered why Nigerian leaders have not borrowed from them
He told The Prestige journal that he saw first hand the deep gorge at Yaya Abatan area in ogba,Lagos  and what he saw was a seamless opportunity which was been allowed to go down the drain.
His words”I saw the canal that was at Yaya Abatan here in ogba,Lagos and I told myself of how we are losing millions of dollars in tourism,I know of a similar canal that was built in Seoul ,South Korea and at the time it was constructed I could remember was even in worst conditions than Yaya Abatan is now presently”
“inside the canals you can have boats, canoes and duck boats  to take people to various locations within the city of Seoul, South Korea, we can use other tourist equipments like duck boats just to create lots of fun for the merry makers  “
Mr Edem recalled also visiting a Korean museum where memories of Christians martyr are usually relieved by the owners of the place as a remainder of the dark period in Korean history.

Nigerian Travelers troop en mass to Emirates Airlines to reduce costs
By Abdulmumini Adeku
Intending Nigerian travelers abroad by air  now use, Dubai Based airliner, Emirates Airlines as there means of leaving our shores.
In an investigations conducted by The Paedia Express Multimedia in Lagos, Nigeria ,a British born Nigerian housewife and educationist, Mrs Annette Adeoba lamented the huge costs in  light ticketing in the global aviation industry.
She explained that normally being a Briton by birth she would have loved to travel to London straight away from Lagos instead of going en route to Dubai but she does not have any choice now than to arrive her native land late due to cost related issues.
She revealed that of all the globally respected airlines still in business, Emirate Airlines which charges at N165,000 to London was the cheapest in ticketing.
Adeoba speaks ”I will be travelling early August ,I could have brought it forward as I lost a relative recently but for the costs. it will take me 24 hours right now to get to London as I have to go to Dubai and make a stop over for seven hours”
“it will only cost me N165,000 to get to London by Emirates as against N300,000 to get to  London via British Airways “
“most of the European airlines charge the same fees of around N300,000 ,the least amount to get to London now through a European airline is N280,000 but what can you do about it”
“my niece’s husband who works for a private security concern in Afghanistan will have to spend at least 3 days from Kabul to get to London to cut costs now, the company he works for refused to fund his trips despite having the money all in an attempt to cut costs”

Maxifoam rise from the ashes
By Abdulmumini Adeku
Two years after been razed by an inferno, Maxifoam Nigeria Limited is preparing to open its doors for business again.
In an exclusive investigation by The Prestige journal at the company’s premises in Ojodu area of Lagos,it was discovered that the company which had prepared one of its showrooms directly in front of its offices as one of its make shift offices was wearing a new look.
Efforts made by this reporter to speak to the company’s chief Executive officer as at press time proved abortive.
It was observed that a lot of construction work was going on within the administrative sections of the old building and its factory was either on going , nearing completion or had been completed as at press time.
The Project is believed will be ready for commissioning before the end of this year ,2013 .
The company had allowed its sales and marketing department to continue to market its brand in the last two years despite the fact that the bulk of its operations were temporarily down as it consolidated its efforts on getting insurers to redeem their pledge to the company and then finally collecting the funds before the on going construction.
GOSGRA Properties and  gives 70 percent on investments
By Abdulmumini Adeku.
GOSGRA Properties and Investments Limited have disclosed that the 70 percent which they give to investors and other clients alike is one of the main reasons why it has consistently remained ahead in the market.
In an exclusive interview with The Paedia Express Multimedia in the company’s corporate head office in Lagos, Nigeria ,a Senior marketing officer in the firm, Mr Femi Adeniyi said integrity was at the core of there operations and as such there been able to deliver to clients sets them apart from  others in the sector.
He affirmed that the company has a finance subsidiary that  gives at least 70 percent return on investments to clients when the need arises so that the clients can pursue other forms of interests beneficial to it.
He noted that rather than buckle under the weight of fellow operators who had promised in the past but could not deliver, GOSGRA Properties had being able to leverage on that to position its brand profile in the market place.
He pointed out that one of the major platforms which shows to the general public that they kept their promises was that it has been able to allocate plots of land to clients in its first, second  and third project
He explained   that when the company opened its doors to business it concentrated its efforts on the Lagos to Ibadan Expressway but now because of other opportunities elsewhere it has decided to shift to Ikorodu, Lekki and Agbara axis.
He revealed that the choice of where to do their project was always based on market forces as there properties were allocated to clients due to consumers’ preference.
His words” some of the things that stands us out is the support services that we have been able to give to our customers ,our support services do a lot of follow up on our clients as we make sure that they do not need to shed tears before they get what belonged to them “
“our websites are interactive ,the moment you are logged on I ca n assure you that somebody will be their to chart with you“
“for those who buy for investment  purposes we can also help them to sell if it is for such purposes “
He added that at the moment the company was laying emphasis on the Lagos market upon which it will now spread its dragnet to other areas with growing opportunities.

Special Menu from Esan  culture
By Abdulmumini Adeku.
This are some of the major meals prepared by the people of Esan land in Edo State during festive period and other celebrations ranging from weddings to funerals ,naming ceremonies among others.
Black beans meal otherwise called Ihiehie
The color is completely black in nature, it takes a longer time to prepare and as such you have to prepare it overnight to achieve good results.
The product is then mashed with a hand held pestle as a rich vein of reddish oil is added to the emerging constituents.
It is a very delicious delicacy when taken with roasted unripe plantain and a special brand of Yellow Yam served to go with it .
Ikpakpa
This is a reddish brown commodity in color ,it is usually very big in nature or size.
It is extremely toxic when it is not well prepared before been eaten.
In the course of preparation the cook has to continually sieve the water content to remove the toxicity .
It is highly delicious when taken with water Yam and it has a good retention capacity in the stomach of any consumer hence can fight hunger.
Osisinakpo
This is a product of ripe and unripe plantain .an unripe   plantain is mixed with over ripen plantain and then mashed together and stirred with a very rich red oil.
For the well to do you can add spice and crayfish to the menu and then you put it on fire to cook after wrapping with plantain leaves .
The ripe plantain gives it a sweet taste  but the unripe gives it a rich nutrient content.

Oke Une is now called Okene
By Abdulmumini Adeku.
Okene is the commercial nerve centre of Kogi state where it contributes at least 70 percent of the internally generated revenues to the state purse annually since the state was created in 1991.
It is not exactly the ancestral home of the Ebira Tao’s of Central Nigeria but a place called Opete near the present day , Ajaokuta in Kogi State.
Okene is a modern cosmopolitan town with a population comprising locals and non indiegenes.
It has Alhaji Ado Ibrahim as its paramount traditional ruler as  the present Ohinoyi of Ebiraland and the monarch presides over his subjects from his palace called Azad Palace.
In the ancient times,it was called Oke une because of the  various hills ,valleys and streams found near the area or its surroundings.
It was a place loved by hunters because of the presence of wild animals which they normally hunt for meals and for commercial reasons.
This days it has an impressive  array of businesses which seems to complement its rich cultural antecedents .
There are lots of primary, secondary and tertiary institutions of learning within the area, the Rambo dancers from Ebira land are highly revered as they remain cultural Icons.
There are several historical sites which an avid tourist lover can visit and explore for great information and among such places includes but not limited to the National Prisons, Okene Water Works, Atta’s palace among other places of interest.
The highly developed Government Reservation Area in Okene which has a  good view of the town goes a long way to show how the town has evolved over the years since it shows a lot of separation between the ancient times and modernity.
Ebira Tao’s refer to their ancestral homes as places like Ihima,Okengwen,Adavi Eba.Eika,Ebiya and not Okene,insisting that it is  a modern town  created by different factors because of business opportunities.
Okene is a Local Government Area and city in Kogi State, Nigeria based at the town of Okene on the A2 highway.The LGA has an area of 328 km² and a population of 320,260 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 264.[1]The predominant people are the Ebira of central Nigeria; the local language is Ebira.
Okene is the birthplace of American Hockey League player and National Hockey League prospect Akim Aliu.[2] People in Okene are predominantly ebira.The Federal College of Education is situated in Okene. There is also a satellite campus of the Kogi State Polytechnic

U.S, Israel  behind Egyptian crisis
By Abdulmumini Adeku
The United States and Israel has been blamed for been the root of the on -going political lock jam been witnessed in Egypt.
In an exclusive interview in Lagos, Nigeria , the Executive Director of Hope Arise Initiatives ,Mr Ado Vem  said that  except the United Nations acts very fast in the wake of the Arab spring there was still more to come from the highly restive Middle east region.
He recalled that right from the Naguib era up till Hosni Mubarak the Egyptians had always been ruled by the military.
He  noted that he knew that something was wrong in the scheme of things when Mohammed Morsi was elected the first civilian President in Egypt but was not called the Commander in Chief as de facto power remained with the military elites in that country.
He explained that the serious economic interests in Egypt by the West due to the presence of the suez canal and the  proximity of Egypt to controversial issues like annexed land like the Golan Heights, Gaza strip among so many issues of conflict with Israel will not allow the West to support an Islamist regime in Egypt.
His words”The Moslem Brotherhood has always been popular with the people but their philosophies are not in tandem with the imperialists, when there was no better alternative  the people had to make do with the Brotherhood who were not so far away from the dangerous Al Qaeda in orientation”
“The West decided to support the experimentation in Egypt with the aim of moving Gaddaffi because of the wealth of the Libyans that the latter managed very well for his people”
“the same forces which pushed Mubarak from office, the military are now asking Mohamed Morsi to go, initially they rode on the popularity of the Moslem Brotherhood to score a political point but now Morsi must go because he does not figure in the script written during the Camp David Accord which was silently read to him during the swearing in but which despite initial promises he has clearly deviated from”
As at press time ‘Former President Mohammed Morsi as said to be paced under a house arrest arrangement at an Egyptian military facility as a new government on ad hoc basis prepares the ground for a new general election in that country.
There were two 1978 Camp David agreements: A Framework for Peace in the Middle East and A Framework for the Conclusion of a Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel, the second leading towards the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty signed in March 1979. The agreements and the peace treaty were both accompanied by "side-letters" of understanding between Egypt and the U.S. and Israel and the U.S.[15]
The first agreement had three parts. The first part or preamble was a framework for negotiations to establish an autonomous self-governing authority in the West Bank and the Gaza strip and to fully implement SC 242. The Accords recognized the "legitimate rights of the Palestinian people", a process was to be implemented guaranteeing the full autonomy of the people within a period of five years. Begin insisted on the adjective "full" to confirm that it was the maximum political right attainable. This full autonomy was to be discussed with the participation of Israel, Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinians. The withdrawal of Israeli troops from the West Bank and Gaza was agreed to occur after an election of a self-governing authority to replace Israel's military government.[1] The Accords did not mention the Golan Heights, Syria, or Lebanon. This was not the comprehensive peace that Kissinger, Ford, Carter, or Sadat had in mind during the previous American presidential transition.[16] It was less clear than the agreements concerning the Sinai, and was later interpreted differently by Israel, Egypt, and the United States. The fate of Jerusalem was deliberately excluded from this agreement.[17]
The second part dealt with Egyptian-Israeli relations, the real content being in the second agreement. The third part, "Associated Principles," declared principles that should apply to relations between Israel and all of its Arab neighbors.
The second agreement outlined a basis for the peace treaty six months later, in particular deciding the future of the Sinai peninsula. Israel agreed to withdraw its armed forces from the Sinai, evacuate its 4,500 civilian inhabitants, and restore it to Egypt in return for normal diplomatic relations with Egypt, guarantees of freedom of passage through the Suez Canal and other nearby waterways (such as the Straits of Tiran), and a restriction on the forces Egypt could place on the Sinai peninsula, especially within 20–40 km from Israel. This process would take three years to complete. Israel also agreed to limit its forces a smaller distance (3 km) from the Egyptian border, and to guarantee free passage between Egypt and Jordan. With the withdrawal, Israel also returned Egypt's Abu-Rudeis oil fields in western Sinai, which contained long term, commercially productive wells.
The agreement also resulted in the United States committing to several billion dollars worth of annual subsidies to the governments of both Israel and Egypt, subsidies which continue to this day, and are given as a mixture of grants and aid packages committed to purchasing U.S. materiel. From 1979 (the year of the peace agreement) to 1997, Egypt received military aid of US$1.3 billion annually, which also helped modernize the Egyptian military.[18] (This is beyond economic, humanitarian, and other aid, which has totaled more than US$25 billion.) Eastern-supplied until 1979, Egypt now received American weaponry such as the M1A1 Abrams Tank, AH-64 Apache gunship and the F-16 fighter jet. In comparison, Israel has received $3 billion annually since 1985 in grants and military aid packages.[19]
Great Britain ceased to be a nation on 31 December 1800. The United Kingdom came to acquire a share in the Suez Canal in 1875. In 1951 Egypt repudiated the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936. The French and British were forced to defend moves to nationalize the Canal in 1956. The US refused to back its European allies and blackmailed the UK by threatening a run on the pound.
Since 1882 Egypt was a colony of the British Empire and while there was a relaxing after World War I they still controlled it after World War II. Since the canal is vital for a sea link to India the British held onto after Egypt and Britain separated. The Crisis in 1956 had Egypt take the canal before an international force was able to break through the blockade.

Alpha Jets can aid Nigeria to win Boko Haram war
By Abdulmumini Adeku
Nigerian Air Force owned Alpha Jets can be deployed by the Nigerian Multinational Force fighting to reclaim the North eastern region of the nation from the dreaded   Islamist group, Boko Haram
In an exclusive interview with   The   Paedia Express Multimedia  in Lagos , Nigeria a  retired major of the Nigerian Army who will not wish to be quoted in the print media  citing security reasons insisted that the use of  Alpha jets on the mountainous regions of Adamawa and its environs where the insurgents have made a home will eventually tilt the balance of war in the favor of the Nigerian people and government.
He explained that based on the fact that the terrorist group have taken a new aspect of their underground guerrilla warfare to the mountains it was imperative that the military use a new approach that will have at least four of the jets attacking at once.
He revealed that Alpha jets drop bombs simultaneously on the target areas the whole place will look like a volcanic eruption.
His words ”I was in Maiduguri for three weeks recently and I must say that the place is very  tensed up, people come out of their homes in trickles and by 1 in the afternoon businesses have closed for the day”
“You can have a situation whereby you stand by the roadside and people who look decently dressed in a commando fashion start to shoot and attack others”
The source retired from the Nigerian Army after the Nigerian Civil war and had worked  at the Defense and Military intelligence , trained at the Scotland Yard among several high security exposures.
Following the directive by President Goodluck Jonathan to the Armed Forces to commence the deployment of 900 troops to participate in the military operation to liberate Mali from Islamist rebels, the Nigerian Air Force, yesterday, recently deployed  two of its fighter aircraft and a transport aircraft for the combat operations.
The aircrafts  were  the F7 supersonic jet fighter, the latest and most modern in the NAF inventory, and the Alpha jet fighter aircraft aka ‘Dudu Bird’ which fast tracked the surrender of the rebels in both the Liberian and Sierra Leonean civil wars.

Bad intelligence responsible for Boko Haram ‘s persistence
By Abdulmumini Adeku.
Bad intelligence by the Nigerian Military has been identified as the reason behind the continued guerilla activities  by the Islamist group, Boko Haram.
In an exclusive interview in Lagos, Nigeria with The Paedia Express Multimedia ,The General Manager of Daily Trust Newspapers, Alhaji Aliyu Akoshile  blamed the Nigerian security agencies for the gross incompetence at all level.
According to him his company had a very hard working journalist  who was exposing all the activities of the group even  before it became a violent group but nobody did anything about it.
His words”Ahmed Saaa Kidda ,our former correspondent in Maiduguri,Bornu State  was a member of Boko Haram sect before it became a violent body”
“He was always getting a lot of exclusives about them so much so that he became a source of information for the British Broadcasting Corporation and other Western media firms”
“later on when his life became threatened we reported this severally to the state security Service and the Nigerian Police at the highest level but nothing came out of it”
“we even relocated him to Abuja because his life was seriously under threat but later on he had to relocate abroad because of Boko Haram yet nobody did anything about it”
In a related issue, a Lagos resident ,Mr Olakunle Olukankun  also faulted the way the Television Continental based in Lagos broadcasted the news on the discovery of a Boko Haram ‘s camp in Gwoza in Bornu State recently.
According to him the station ought to have protected the villager that volunteered the information saying that the villager ‘s life may now be under threat.

Revealed How  real estate can be valued in Nigeria
By Abdulmumini Adeku
A Real Estate  expert, Dr G.K.Babawale of the Department of Estate Management ,University of Lagos has sought to explain varying ways in which a standardized approach could be done to value real estates in Nigeria.
In a recent paper he submitted at a forum in Lagos, Nigeria, The University Don  said that reliable valuation was needed to support investment vehicles on property sales,insurance policies among others areas of the economy.
He observed that  property investment market would not operate efficiently  unle3ss reliable and accurate valuations are produced.
He noted that property valuation to a large extent was subjective as it depends  on an individuals valuers expectations about the future.
He pointed out that the unique features of property interests together with individual valuers features and training further creates room for the possibilities of methods and variations in approaches to valuation construction and reporting.
He agreed with other real estate experts that said that valuation was classed in the same mould with as an inexact science .
He wondered why the Nigerian real estate sector has not promoted the culture of real estate valuation as expected despite the trend globally.


Global Valuation good for investments in mortgage development
By Abdulmumini Adeku
International valuation is considered a veritable vehicle in the process of valuation of a mortgage.
In a paper presented at a national real estate forum in Lagos, Nigeria recently, Professor   .C. A .Ajayi of the Department of Estate Management, Obafemi Awolowo   University, Ile Ife said the main issue in mortgage valuation is that bank managers have diverging mortgage values for a similar property by different valuation firms due to the use by some open market value bases and the use of others by other means.
He explained that valuation standards must be part of   the solution to inaccuracy and variation because they have to do with the institution of best practices.
He  pointed out that  the absence of standards in any profession was an invitation to all sorts of contradiction and variation among expertly produced which could lead to confused and disappointed clients.
His words”the need for valuation standards is exuberated by the fact from an  international perspective ,clients and there accountants are getting more knowledgeable about valuation”  
“in response to this, accountants have been defining the basis of valuation required for company assets for financial reporting.
Professor Ajayi insisted that some of his may not yet be clear yet in Nigeria but they were issues which could not be swept under the carpet.
Bombshell!
More Houses to collapse in Lagos
By Abdulmumini Adeku
Residents of areas not affected by the recent spate of building collapse in the Lagos area have declared that except if the Lagos state government does something very fast there will be more houses collapsing sooner than later within the metropolis.
In an investigation conducted By The Prestige journal in Lagos ,it was discovered that areas near the zones regarded as been closer to  the water table like Yaba,Surulere,Mushin,among others were more prone to collapse than others near the boundaries with Ogun State.
A Beninoise National resident win the Ogba area of Ifako-Ijiaye ,Mr Francosi Tonjo Latun Nointy said that the building collapse was common this days because a lot of the houses were very old,with some been up to half a century old.
He lamented the get rich quick syndrome among real estate developers, an act he claims was responsible for there not willing to give the right counseling to prospective clients because of their immediate benefits.
He added that he was surprised that after people made the initial mistakes of building on poor soils which cannot support a building they now add more pressures to it by building more stairs to the ground floor thus compounding the situation.
He affirmed that since we are presently in raining season houses built under poor conditions will easily collapse.
He warned that those in highbrow areas like Lekki Peninsular ,Ajah ,Victoria Island and Ikoyi should brace up for harsh times in the future.
In a related issue, Miss Aderonke Akinnubi told The Prestige journal exclusively that it was fool hardy for anyone to think that those in Agege area and its environs were immune from building collapse.
She revealed that she lived in area very close to the rail tracks in the Agege area and the level of the soil in terms of its strength to support physical structures presently was at a stage where collapse could set in any moment from now due to the soft nature of the ground instead of hardness after several years of train vibration effects in the area.
Four persons, including a 15-year-old hawker identified only as Sukurah, lost their lives recently  after a two-storey building under construction, collapsed in Surulere, Lagos State.
Our correspondent, who visited the building on Ishaga Street, learnt that the building collapsed around 10am during  the early morning rain.
It was  learnt that three people were rescued and were responding to treatment at different hospitals.
In a related issue ,a trader who identified himself as Chukwudi told our correspondent that their unions have been trying to console all the members whose motorcycles in the warehouse on the first floor of the building were destroyed. In an emotion laden voice, he said he had about 200 Honda motorcycles, valued at about N20 million in the building before it collapsed.
Another trader, Mr Duru Fabian, seen combing rubbles at the site of the collapsed building for vital documents, told our correspondent he was looking for an invoice of goods he said had not been fully paid for.
“I trade with my brother in this building that collapsed yesterday, we had so many cartons of motorcycles spare parts valued at about N5 million in the building. Some of the goods have not been paid for. That is why I am looking for a particular invoice that our partners gave us.
“Please we want the Lagos State government to help us. The whole goods were destroyed. Where are we going to get the money to start all over again,” he wondered?  
Residents who spoke with our correspondent blamed the Lagos State government who they said failed to strictly enforce its building laws and regulations. According to Yunus Lateef, “This particular building was among the buildings marked on the Island. It has been marked but the government couldn’t demolish it. They allowed people to continue to live in it till that night that it killed people. May be if the state government had the political will and courage to pull it down those people will still be alive. God have mercy on us”. For Mr Oyin Loye, “The government should look properly before giving developers approval. They should also regulate the activities of developers to stop this issue of building collapse every time”.
The General Manager of LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu who coordinated rescue operations, said the agency has concluded rescue operation at the site of the collapse.
Inverness ear piece product debut in Nigeria
By Abdulmumini Adeku.
The Chief Executive Officer of Kammy House of Beauty , Mrs Chioma Onyekwena has disclosed that  a new ear piercing equipment simply called Inverness has been introduced into the Nigerian market.
In an exclusive Interview with The Paedia Express Multimedia In Lagos, Nigeria, the beauty consultant said that the unique selling point of the new product was that it can help to pierce ears without any forms of pain or infection.
According to her there were several ear rings in the market place among which includes but not limited to diamond and gold plated rings.
She pointed out that ear piercing was not an expensive thing in the real sense of it, as he machine is used for free.
She gushed with joy at the new method of handling the ear without any forms of problems ,adding that the product prices starts from N1,200 to around N1,600
She speaks;”there is also the piercing of the nose ,there is the permanent eye shadow and they do dots near the mouth and you think that it is a form of birth mark but it is not  because once you pierce your body you have to add the treatment to prevent any form of infection from setting in”
Incisions of various forms with marks to go with  has been common with man since the dawn of humanity, in fact this days It is considered fashionable to adorn tattoo on the body.
Inverness Corporation was established in the United States in 1974, with the invention of a safe, quick and sterile system for piercing the ears in a retail environment. Until that time, ears were usually pierced with a needle; at home,by a jeweler or in a doctor's office. By today's standards these methods are considered crude and dangerous. Inverness has been the leading innovator and supplier of piercing earrings and related products since the company's inception

Stars chose I Level lounge as new abode
By Abdulmumini Adeku.
Showbiz stars have since chosen wave making bar,I Level Lounge in Ogba,Lagos,Nigeria as their new relaxation spot.
In an exclusive Interview with Paedia Express Multimedia, a source who will not want his name in the prints but who is close to those who run the entertainment spot disclosed that P Square, Jay One, Chidinma, Sam Cleff among several crowd pullers have visited the place since it opened for business six months ago.
He explained that though there have been several entertainment spots in the city of Lagos but they were ahead of their peers because  they deliver on promises in terms of quality.
He assured that their prices despite the quality that they flaunt was not beyond the reach of the average Nigerian .
His words;”The only person that cannot afford to buy bread are those that do not want it but if you want it then you can have it ,so is our club to anybody who wishes to patronize us”
He pointed out that they have various ways with which they treat customers depending on which category they belong to in the scheme of things in their ratings in there company.
According to him the newly opened entertainment centre is used for such things like symposium ,lectures, seminars, trainings  but the cost varies.
Shawarmar Express debuts
By Abdulmumini Adeku.
 A new quick service restaurant simply called Shawarma Express has opened up its services to the consuming market in Lagos, Nigeria.
In an exclusive Interview with The Paedia Express Multimedia In her office ,the Chief Executive Officer of the company,Miss Abiola  Oyewusi  said shawarma was not a food recipe native to us but to the  Turkish who simply call it Kebab.
The restaurant owner noted that some other restaurant owners in her category have even gone ahead to add pizza as part of its food bouquet unlike them that have just included burgers , hotdogs, corndog, cocktails and others.
She revealed that presently she has in her company’s pay roll somebody with the expertise of Shawarma food technology as he knew what to do to add an extra dimension to the taste of what they prepare for consumers.
Oyewusi speaks;”we have our own special way of mixing our spices ,we have engaged some consultants  who give us tips on how to give our shawarma an edge in the market”
“we just opened about two weeks ago and the level of patronage has been very high,we already have loyal customers and we are building up on that to attract new customers in the market”
She recalled that in the first week of opening her company she gave out a lot of free samples of her product due to a special promotion they were doing to woo customers to their stables.
The young business tycoon repeated the same gesture for new customers in the second week of opening the new sharwarma based food company as she attempts to build customer loyalty and retention.
Shawarma is made by alternately stacking strips of fat and pieces of seasoned meat (beef, lamb or marinated chicken) on a stick. An onion, a tomato, or a halved lemon is sometimes placed at the top of the stack for additional flavoring. The meat is roasted slowly on all sides as the spit rotates in front of, or over, a flame for hours (see rotisserie). Traditionally, a wood fire was used; currently, a gas flame is common. While specialty restaurants might offer two or more meat selections, some establishments have just one skewer.
While cooking, the meat is shaved off the stack with a large knife, an electric knife or a small circular saw, dropping to a circular tray below to be retrieved. Shawarma is eaten as a fast food, made up into a sandwich wrap with pita bread or rolled up in an Armenian Lavashflatbread together with vegetables and dressing. A variety of vegetables come with the shawarma which include: cucumber, onion, tomato, lettuce, eggplant, parsley, pickled turnips, pickled gherkins, pickles, and cabbage. One has the option to get French fries in some countries, including: Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, also countries in Europe such as Romania, Italy, Germany, Bulgaria and the U.K.[5] Other options include thick cut French fries served inside the lavash to help soak up the sauce and juices keeping them inside the wrap.[6]
Dressings include: tahini (or tahina), Amba sauce (pickled mango with Chilbeh), hummus, or flavored with vinegar and spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Chicken shawarma is served with garlic mayonnaise, toum (garlic sauce), pomegranate concentrate, or skhug (a hot chili sauce). Once the shawarma is made, it might be dipped in the fat dripping from the skewer and then briefly seared against the flame.
In Saudi Arabia, goat is as common as beef or lamb. Less common alternatives include fish and sausage. Some shawarma stores use hot dog buns or baguettes, but most have pita and lavash.

Superking Tricycles now assembled in Nigeria
By Abdulmumini Adeku.
SuperKing Tricycle brand originally from China is now being assembled in Nigeria.
A source in the company’s Nigerian office told The Paedia Express exclusively in Lagos ,Nigeria that they were happy at the progress the brand has made so far in Nigeria since it arrived our shores.
The source said that the tricycle parts normally gets shipped from China and then they are warehoused here in Nigeria and the component parts are then coupled together.
He revealed that the company originally sold Superking for a sum of around N350,000 but reduced the price to a sum of around N250,000 due to a marketing promotional exercise it was now running.
At the time The Prestige journal  visited the company’s premises along Haruna Bus Stop off College Road ,Ifako-Ijaiye axis in Lagos, Nigeria ,it was discovered that as many as 14 tricycles were in the compound.
It was observed that a driver attached to the company normally do a round of check in terms of quality control by warming up the engines every morning.
It was gathered that at least 8 out of the 14 tricycles had been brought by customers  as at press time.
Ile-Oluji  Cocoa Company to unveil Multi-million TV Campaign soon.
By Abdulmumini Adeku
The Cocoa Products Company Limited in Ile-Oluji in Ondo state, producers of the natural cocoa product called Ile-Oluji Cocoa Powder will soon launch a multi-million television campaign targeted at boosting the brand mileage of the product in the market space.
In an exclusive interview with Paedia Express Multimedia in his office in Lagos, Nigeria, The Marketing consultant to the company and Chief Executive officer of Forte Bourgeoisie International Limited, Mr Olaide Oladunmade said that they  have done a lot of road shows, placed a lot of commercials on radio but now it was time to go to television to enhance the brand visibility.
He affirmed that the marketing of Ile-Oluji Premium Cocoa Powder Brand had been on since 2010 and the feedback that he had gotten from the field shows that  the market is waiting for them to take over the beverage industry.
He revealed that they have adopted a strategic step as it concerns the marketing of the brand as television is considered cost effective but highly expensive hence their decision to consolidate their  efforts on radio commercials and other aspect of multimedia on social networks .
The business man told The Prestige journal that the forthcoming television campaign of the company was going to be handled from the company itself in Ondo state while they will only follow through on instructions given from the head office.
His words;”We are not in the same league with Bounvita and Milo  as what we are selling is not what they sell,I mean it is like comparing sweets to chewing gum”
“The only head start the others have in the market right now is branding and longevity of their products ,what they do is called sweetened beverages while ours is the natural beverage”
“Ile-Oluji is the market leader in the natural beverage market,if you are asking for the sales and revenues of Ile-Oluji Cocoa as an entity I might not be able to give you the amount in naira and kobo”
“in the area of research and development there were new areas we are looking at ,we are thinking of doing the television before the end of the year”
“In a cocoa pod you can get the butter and the oil majorly  but there are other things too that you can get from it”
It was learned that the company, Cocoa Products Company Limited in Ile-Oluji ,Ondo state actually started production in 1984 upon establishment .


Designed And Installed Capacity: 30,000 tons of raw beans per annum (based on a projected 100 tons of cocoa beans per 24 hour day of 300-day year) to produce;
  • 7,000 tons of Cocoa Liquor
  • 8,000 tons of Cocoa Butter
  • 2,000 tons of Cocoa Cake
  • 7,200 tons Cocoa Powder 
  • How elections were held in kwara central
  • By Kehinde Akinpelu ilorin
IN Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, the Saturday October 26, 2013 Council Poll was generally peaceful.

Our roving correspondent who visited Ajase-Ipo, Ilala, Otun-Oro, Ijomu and Okerimi- Oro reports that voters troop out in their tens to exercise their civic rights.
He added that despite the late arrival of election materials due to logistic problems witnessed at Ajasse-Ipo, headquarters of the Kwara South Senatorial District when the materials did not arrive until about 10am, the electorate demonstrated patience to actively participate in the exercise.
Speaking with newsmen at the polling centre 001 located at the old Police station in front of Olupo Palace, the immediate past Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Banu attributed the large turn out to earlier mobilization exercise carried out the previous days and as sign of people’s demonstration of appreciation of what administration of Governor Ahmed has been doing for the area.
In his words, the Olupo of Ajasse-Ipo, His Royal Highness Oba Alhaji Sanni Kolawole Atanda told Journalists that the essence of the tumultuous turn out of his subjects for the exercise was to ensure that they vote for credible candidates who would bring about improved infrastructural development of the area.
He added that he has undertaken tour of Europe, America and other States of the Federation other than Kwara State to woo indigenes and well wishers in diaspora to come and invest at home.
He said the kin and kiths from his domain who are in diaspora have been duly sensitized that with the prevailing peaceful and conducive environment , now is the time to return home and develop their fatherland.
In his remark after excising his civic rights at his country home of Ijomu-Oro, the immediate past Special Adviser to Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed on Diaspora who had also served as State Commissioner for Information and Education at different times during the time of Senator Bukola Saraki as Governor, Alhaji Raheem Adedoyin explained that his people’s massive turnout was expression of his people’s gratitude for the unparallel development of the area the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has been doing in his Oro Ward 1.
He listed the construction of Otun-Oro to Ijomu-Oro and Okerimi-Oro roads and the water and electricity projects at Okerimi and Ijomu respectively as few of other democratic benefits the people of the area have benefited from the PDP administration in Kwara State.












Currently Achievable Capacity      24,400 Tons per annum (80%)

The factory is located at Ile-Oluji in Ondo State, Southwest of Nigeria. The community lies in the cocoa-producing belt of the state. The proximity of this factory to Edo and Osun states, two other states accounting for a substantial percentage of the national cocoa production output, gives an added advantage in terms of raw material procurement. A network of very good federal highways, which makes transportation of products to Lagos port and users’ warehouses easy, links the factory to the market for its products.


The factory is located on about 23.6 hectare of land, a very large percentage of which is yet to be developed.
The Mandela fever
By Abdulmumini Adeku
One day very soon the world will wake up to the inevitable that Madiba Nelson Mandela is dead. No matter how much the issue of his death is politicized it would come.
To think that  this same respected global figure  was yesterdays terrorist is a clear sign of departure from the  apartheid era in South Africa.
Public Affairs Commentator, Mr Okey Ndibe captured it very well recently when he insisted that the transparency garb been worn by the South African statesman even as he fight for his life from a vegetative state in hospital will most likely have been corrupted if he was a Nigerian.
Truth be told, Though Mandela spent the better of his life fighting through the African National Congress for the emancipation of his people from the whites in South Africa that did not really cure them of corruption  the situation here in Nigeria.
The Mandela clan have used the last one month to wash their dirty linen in public as one drama or the other showed that the sage himself was not free from scandals despite the urge to paint him as so by the media.
Miss Jessie Okoi-Edet of the Journalist Against AIDS in Lagos told The Prestige journal exclusively that those asking Madiba to forgive Winnie Madkizela-Mandela as part of his last wishes were only taking things too far.
According o her the marriage between the duo did not work out and so they should just allow sleeping dogs lie now that he was fighting for his life.
But it looks like Mr Nelson Mandela will have to prepare for as much controversy in his grave a much as during his lifetime when he finally answers the divine call soon.
The death of Nelson Mandela, the drama and deceitful acts by some members of the Mandela family and the government, strung across the media over the past month shows the insolence of a legacy left behind. Sometimes we need a gentle reminder of history and how apartheid and the Mandela legacy began. Perhaps going back in time can help this country heal its wounds and move forward into a brighter future.
Often, people judge apartheid in the most negative light and condemn the dreaded system for the failures of South African society. People remember the struggle for freedom and embrace Nelson Mandela for his bravery. Yet sooner than later, we must learn to leave the past behind and move forward into a democratic legacy – with lessons learned.
While under the leadership of Jannie Smuts, segregation between different races existed, a method practiced worldwide. In general, Smuts portrayed a patronizing view of the different races and was not alone in these views. A close confident of Gandhi would consider this issue. During March 1908, Gandhi wrote, “We believe as much in the purity of race as we think they do. We believe also that the white race in South Africa should be the predominating race.
Admittedly, segregation existed under his rule, and yet it was not uncommon in the rural and farming communities, to see different colored children schooling or playing together. The young ones did not allow color to restrict their free spirits.
During his rule, there existed the unsavory elements under the current system who wanted more and during 1948 general elections, the National party gained control, and Jannie Smuts was ousted. The new governing body, the National Party of South Africa introduced apartheid to the South Africa system. Apartheid only began festering its nastiness from 1948 until the collapse in 1994.
We seem to forget that it was not only the ANC and other banned political parties that protested against the apartheid system. From the beginning of the apartheid era, the opposition parties ‘The United Party” and the ‘Democratic Party’ were determined contestants in all the following elections. It was their policy to allow all South Africans freedom and dignity.
The current ruling party of South Africa, the ANC, claims the victory for ending the apartheid system. We seem to forget that the opposition parties during that time also fought to destroy apartheid.
Today in South Africa we remain a democratic country, but still, a third world country with many lessons to be learned. We have under the ANC government gained little and lost a lot. Every time a problem arises, the blame after all these years is called apartheid. The hatred and racist element in the nation is strong and a clash of different cultures or xenophobia should not be forgotten.
It is the recognition and words of the late Nelson Mandela that stems peace into people’s hearts daily. The ruling government must remember the Mandela legacy and revert to becoming a trustworthy one and then, perhaps we will remember our lessons of the past.
The Nelson Mandela drama is a gentle reminder about the history of apartheid. It was not just one person that made all the difference. We will remember Mandela and his wisdom and always agree that he walked the first steps into freedom after 44 years of torture, not only for black people but also for all the people of South Africa. We need to unleash the shackles of the past and move into the future with dignity.
South Africa must move forward with the most valuable legacy from Nelson Mandela, education. We can look back at his term as president and remember how he loved the young ones, and often quoted how essential education was. His legacy is now been tarnished by all the drama and deceit surrounding his last days on earth.
We as a united country, should rise to support the furtherance of educating our people and we should not support the furtherance of keeping our people in the dark. We need a gentle reminder from history that can help all races move forward. Put plainly, we need to stop blaming apartheid for the mistakes of today and focus on moving forward.


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