Month: September 2022

By Bilyamin Abdulmumin

In the first part of this article, Ponzi alias pyramid schemes were discussed in detail, including their cunning modus operandi. If you come to these schemes with suspicion and scepticism, the chance is that you would notice some funny or dubious traits associated with them. The second part wishes to discuss these traits.

An obsession to prove originality

When someone is not truthful, he knows. So, he will assume the suspect mode consciously or unconsciously. He will always show the urge to convince others that he is a saint. This phenomenon is a funny trademark of Ponzi schemes.

These vague platforms float all kinds of certificates at any given opportunity to prove they are real. The more one becomes obsessed, the easier it becomes to detect his flaws. For instance, how could a firm claiming to be a global investment but floating a CAC with business name registration (which even a market woman can get) as evidence of originality? Many Ponzi agents woo potential subscribers with certificates as evidence of legitimacy, “mai kaza a aljihu ba ya jimirin” as” loosely means “he who has a skeleton in the cupboard live in fear.”

Unprofessional communication

 In this 21st century, communication has become a fundamental part and parcel of any firm, especially the one claiming to be a global player. Any renowned firms there will seek to prove to be professionals in their platforms and customer service delivery. For instance, if you visit any Nigerian telecommunications or bank platforms or engage their customer service agency, you will find them very professional. Likewise, their command of the English language is standard. But that is not the case with many Ponzi schemes. One will find their platform full of average written English, their responses sometimes as good as any street English user.  I have observed one costly mistake from these platforms; they kept replying “transaction successced (sic)” instead of “transaction succeeded” This is an embarrassing mistake no firm would afford. 

Definite and stable gains

Market forces dictate that there is always a level of uncertainty for the return of any investment, but not in the world of seemingly Ponzi schemes. Most legitimate investments are based on “gain and loss”. Sometimes the investment return will be much, small, or even deficit depending on the market forces. Still, as mysterious as it is, this basis of ‘gain and loss’ does not exist in the realm of Ponzi schemes. The song is always the same in these fraudulent platforms: gain and gain, invest x naira and recoup 2x naira.

 Some market forces not long ago that caught the global economy unaware were Covid-19 and Ukraine inversion by Russia. The only market immune from the shocks was the Ponzi scheme. So, dear investors looking for easy money, wake up and smell the coffee.

Camouflage 

Of course, anyone who wants to play a shady game will woo others into believing him by camouflaging a well-known establishment. The Ponzi schemers are masters of camouflage. They float a famous brand as their own. But a simple way to discern this trait is by noting the difference in name between the platform and its website address; let me emphasize this point by riding on the back of the white paper issued on Sunpower.

Sunpower is an acclaimed online investment but was found untrustworthy by “nogofallmaga”, an NGO dealing with scam practices.  The pseudo-Ponzi scheme is known everywhere as Sunpower, but their website name is www.sunsolar.one. This appears to be camouflage because there is a genuine global brand with the name Sunpower and has www.sunpower.com as its website address. So, dear Sunpower, why is the vagueness (brand name different from the website address)?

The dubious and funny traits of fraudulent platforms are many. Control your desire for windfalls, and it becomes difficult to sell you a dummy.

Bilyamin Abdulmumin wrote via bilal4riid13@gmail.com.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

According to reports, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest son, succeeded his mother as the new King of England.

Recall that reports said the world’s most recognizable symbol, Queen Elizabeth, passed away on Thursday.

In a statement released by Buckingham on Thursday, it was stated that she passed away peacefully at the age of 96.

According to The Guardian, Charles, her eldest son, takes over as king immediately after the Queen. Charles is 73 years old.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Chairman of Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Walid Jibrin has resigned his position in the opposition party.

According to reports, Jibrin resigned at the National Executives Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Thursday.
He said he resigned to make things easier for the party.

“I am stepping down as the chairman of BoT. I am stepping down to make it easier for all of us,” he said at the party’s NEC meeting on Thursday

This is coming amidst internal crisis that has bedevil the opposition party.

Many southern stakeholders in the party are also calling for the resignation of the chairman of the party, Ayorchia Ayu.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Queen of England, Elizabeth II is under a close medical supervision owing to concerns of her deteriorating health. A statement from Buckingham palace disclosed on Thursday.

The statement reads: “Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision.

“The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.”

This is coming after the Queen met UK new Prime Minister, Liz Truss on Tuesday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. The Prime Minister has joined the rest of the country to express concern over the Queen’s health

“The whole country will be deeply concerned by the news from Buckingham Palace this lunchtime.

My thoughts – and the thoughts of people across our United Kingdom – are with Her Majesty, The Queen and her family at this time.” She wrote on Facebook.

By Aliyu Nuhu

Rishi Sunak should have been British prime minister, arguably seen as most qualified candidate to Liz Truss. Born in Southampton to parents of Indian descent who migrated to Britain from East Africa in the 1960s,he would have been British version of Barack Obama. But then Obama himself once said” my story is only possible in the United States of America”.

Subtle British racism played a role to deny Sunak the office of prime minister. No matter your struggles the system has a cap to your dream. There is nothing like the British dream.

But then the British even tried. At least the system allowed him to be Chancellor of the Exchequer, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, member of the Conservative Party, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Richmond (Yorks). The only important position he missed is the prime minister.

In Arab world the system will not even allow a non citizen into the mainstream politics in those that practise democracy. The monarchies deny non citizens university education even if they are born and raised there. Nigerians in Saudi Arabia decried being denied university enrollment except if they are going to read Islamic studies.

Malam Aliyu is a renowned social analyst. He writes from Abuja, Nigeria.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The negotiator of the Kaduna train hostage, Tukur Mamu, was arrested by Interpol on Tuesday in Egypt.

According to reports, Mamu was arrested and detained by Interpol at the International Airport in Cairo on his way to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

Mr Mamu, also the spokesperson of the Kaduna-based cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, led the negotiation to release some of the abductees of the March 2022 Kaduna train attack. 

Mr Mamu has confirmed his arrest to the press. He disclosed that he was released immediately after a search which found nothing unlawful on him.

Mr Mamu had earlier withdrawn from negotiating with terrorists. He cited threats to his life by the Nigerian government as the reason for his withdrawal.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The United Kingdom has elected Liz Truss as the country’s new Prime Minister. Truss made history as the third woman to become UK Prime Minister on Tuesday, September 6, 2022.

Truss was elected as the leader of the Conservative Party on Monday and officially became British Prime Minister on Tuesday after an audience with Queen Elizabeth II.

In a ceremony traditionally known as “Kissing hands” held at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Tuesday, the Queen accepted Truss offer to become Prime Minister and form a new government.

The new PM, a former British Foreign Secretary said, as Prime Minister she will remove the obstacles holding her country back.

“As Prime Minister, I will unleash Britain’s potential by going for growth and removing the obstacles holding our country back. A growing economy is key to delivering for the British people and unlocking opportunity.” She said.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

A former minister of sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has blamed the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) for the mess and hardship in the country.

Abdullahi tackled the party, saying only persons with love for suffering will vote for APC in the forthcoming elections of 2023.

The former minister is the PDP senatorial candidate for Kwara Central. He said this while speaking with journalists in Ilorin.

He stated, “You have to have a love for suffering to even consider voting for APC again after how they have ruined this country.

“If not for the way things are, nobody should even be talking about APC again after the mess they have brought to the country. The next election is going to be the PDP and any other party but APC.”

According to him, the party has failed the country in all development indices. Meanwhile, Nigerians must be careful not to return it to power across all levels.

By Fatihu Ibrahim Salis

It is with a great sense of depression I am writing this on behalf of thousands of “inconclusive graduates” yes, I am referring to the class of 2020 of Kano University of Science and Technology (KUST), Wudil. We are inconclusive because we are yet to collect our statement of result. We sat for our final exam in October 2021. To date, we have not collected our certificates, thanks to the industrial action of the Academic Staff Union of the Universities (ASUU). However, we have seen our final year examination results.

The strike started in February 2022, four months after our final paper, which is more than enough time to compute our result and mobilise us for the mandatory one-year service to our motherland, which is the dream of any patriotic and faithful son of the soil.

Today marks almost a year of completing our studies without knowing our fate. We have tried our best to fight together and show solidarity to ASUU, but it seems it is not worth it since they cannot feel the trauma we are facing.

As a state-owned university, KUST is not related to IPPIS or UTAS battles because the staff’s salary comes directly from the state government treasury (I stand to be corrected). Hundreds of opportunities have slipped from our hands because of this action. Many of us have been confronted with life-changing shots, but unfortunately, we have no certificates to offer, although we have the required knowledge.

We have faced many tribulations during the long journey from our first year to our final year the annual strikes, the unrest saga, the one-year Covid-19-imposed lockdown, and the current strike, among others. What an irony; a five-year course has turned seven years with no hope in sight.

If I may understand them right, ASUU’s fight is for the protection of the educational sector from collapsing and emancipation of the University students from studying in challenging environments, and at the same time fighting for the well-being of their members. But now, with the continuation of the strikes, they are doing the government’s dirty work for them.  ASUU, your fights to liberate our lives as university students (pardon me if I sound rude) have changed direction to deter us from attending classes. It seems you are helping the government pro bono by continuing the industrial action.

Education is not a privilege but a fundamental right. Yet, as Nigerians, that basic right has been snatched from us. As a result, our futures are deterred, and our progress is choked. We are not holding only the federal government responsible but ASUU as well. 

With all due respect, ASUU’s timing for the strike is wrong. On the brink of the 2023 general election, the government’s focus is on the election, not education. ASUU should realise the bitter truth and suspend the strike. Withdrawing from a battle is another battle strategy to fight for another day. The association and the federal government should compromise for the sake of the Nigerian students who are hurt the most as the saying goes, “when two elephants are fighting, it’s the grass that suffers the most”.

The guiding philosophy of KUST is the provision of community-based education that will facilitate the production of graduates who shall fulfil the stipulated requirements in learning and character to graduate in their various fields of specialisation. The graduates shall also be groomed in such a manner that they will be able to function effectively in the community.  The students have been groomed so well that we spend seven years in a five-year course, but we have been denied our certificates. We have been told that we only receive them after the ASUU strike, which has no hope of resumption. 

As a state university student, I am very much aware of the contribution of the TETFund to our schools, which is ASUU’s brainchild. But this blind loyalty and solidarity to an association that not only consider you as second-class citizens but “quacks” should be halted. We are talking of our future, so remember the psychological and emotional effect the strike has on our lives.

Most of the graduates for the next batch of NYSC will be private university graduates. So indirectly, the masses have been kicked out of the struggle while the elites enjoyed a great monopoly, typical aristocracy restored. ASUU’s battle has denied many of us the opportunity to serve our nations. Most of us have reached the exemption age of 30, and a considerable amount is on the rim of the exemption age.

Finally, I want to call on the attention of all stakeholders to intercede on our behalf and call upon the school management to show us empathy. We are their children. They are our parents. We appreciate their fatherly support in our careers. Please, consider our future.

God Bless Nigeria 

Fatihu Ibrahim Salis wrote via fisabbankudi123@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) abducted in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna, over 90 days ago has said that all the rain of this year has been falling on him.

The officer said he was ill and had a blood clot as the bandits kept him in chain long since his abduction in June.

One of the family members, Musa Muhammad Gyadi-Gyadi, made this disclosure to journalists saying they usually hear how the gunmen torture the HOD every time they called.

The Daily Really reported that CSP Mohammed Gyadi-Gyadi was abducted while driving to report for duty at the Police Division in Birnin Gwari town, the headquarters of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area.

He said: “We are talking to him on the bandit’s phone. The officer told me that all the rain this year is falling on him, and he is sick and has a blood clot.

“He begged us to save his life. He said they were chained. He was just begging us to save them, because he is currently defecating blood, stooling, and has pain in his leg.

“N2 million was given to someone to take to the bandits, but they collected the money and refused to release the ransom bearer,” he added.

According to him, the bandits keep demanding more money for airtime, as well as a motorcycle.