2017 NEW YEAR RESOLUTION FROM J.J OMOJUWA

For 2017, identify friends who will always stand with you when others come for you publicly - whether you are wrong or right - you need them.

Make sure such friends have the guts and the capacity to tell you the truth privately. But you need friends that can swim the tide with you.

If you are doing anything of significance, there will be days when a mob comes at you - whether you are wrong or right - don't wither.

On days like that, some will mean well, but there will be many who will see such as an opportunity to express their hatred for you those are the days you need your friends to stand up for you publicly. If they don't, don't make excuses for them. They are likely fake!

None of us is perfect but once a mob comes against one of us for any reason, we cannot stand with the mob and claim to be well wishers.

Anyway, do what works for you but any day a friend of mine stands with the mob against me, that friendship dies that day! In Jesus name too!

We won't fight. I won't stop taking your calls. I know how to kill a friendship without withdrawing my physical presence.

You don't need too many friends. And you need to define what you call "friendship" afresh so you don't make leeches your soldiers!

There is a time and place for everything. Whatever fault of mine you can't tell me privately as a friend, saying it publicly is betrayal!!!

Be ready to walk away from people who think that without them the sun will not shine on you and the earth will not rotate for you.

The best decision of my life was "walking away." Especially when walking away was me walking into uncertainty from convenience.

That that we walked away from who thought the world revolved around his wishes, that we can look back on and send some help. God is great!

Everyone around you matters. No one around you is indispensable. You don't know how strong you are until being strong is all you've got left.

HAKUNA MATATA; 2017 RESOLUTION MESSAGE TO EVERYONE- Mahfouz Adedimeji PhD.

Hakuna matata; Courtesy of the Bee Media Solution, I addressed a group of students along with other speakers on Wednesday, December 14, 2016 at the University of Ilorin under the “Impact Makers” programme tagged “Getting It Right”.
Given the situation of the country, which makes recession to become depression for many people, including the youths who worry about their seemingly forlorn future, I chose to speak on the topic, “Hakuna Matata: On Your Own To The Top”.
The message is relevant now that the year is coming to an end this weekend and there is need to start a new year ahead afresh. The intervention was informed by a quote that has managed to stick to my mind for many years: “worry does not give you anything in return; it rather deprives you of many things.”
By the way, “Hakuna matata” is a Swahili phrase that means “don’t worry”, if you have not watched the popular cartoon, “The Lion King” or seen the advert of a Nigerian bank some time ago which exploits the phrase.
Getting worried is counter-productive and the right attitude to life and its vicissitudes is to just try to be happy anyway. So, if there is an issue that bothers you, you analyse it. It is either you can do something about it or you can’t. If it is something you can do something about, then, why worry? And if it is something you cannot do something about, the question still remains: why worry?
The rationale for worry on many occasions is actually non-existent. More than 500 years ago, Michel de Montaigne said, “My life has been filled with terrible misfortunes; most of which never happened.” Researchers have been able to arrive at the same conclusion.
As reported by Don Joseph Goewey, a study required subjects to write down their worries over an extended period of time and then identify which of their worries or imagined misfortunes never happened. It turned out that 85% of what the subjects worried about never happened while only 15% happened. Besides, 79% of the subjects discovered that they could handle the difficult situations better than they actually imagined.
I like the poster that reads: “As you waste your breath complaining about life, someone out there is breathing their last. Appreciate what you have. Be thankful and stop complaining. Live more, complain less. Have more smiles, less stress. Less hate, become more blessed.” The profundity of the words is just remarkable.
It is time to assess your situation and come to terms with life. If you have or develop what Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone refer to as “positive mental attitude”, you would realise that you are the most important living person in the wide world and you appreciate, like William Earnest Henley, that you are the master of your fate and the captain of your soul.
In the past 30 years, Nigerians have found it easy to play blame like ping pong. We blamed Babangida and lampooned Sonekan; we loathed Abacha and deplored Abdussalam. We flayed Obasanjo, criticised Yar’Ardua, excoriated Jonathan and now we are attacking Buhari. Those who wish can continue to quack like a duck and those who desire can soar like an eagle in spite of the challenges.
You better make a good choice. The worries of 2016 should be buried. Another year offers another opportunity of recalibrating. If you failed or missed something important, you are not alone. Besides, you can always fail forward and move ahead.
Always do your best in all situations and leave the rest. And when any disappointment comes your way, just believe that every disappointment is a blessing just as every cloud has a silver lining.
It is a festive season: hakuna matata. Don’t worry. Be happy. Be healthy. Remain awesome.

ETISALAT SUPRISES USERS WITH SPECIAL OFFER

In celebration of the festive period, Etisalat Nigeria has unveiled a new yuletide offer that will enable customers on the network enjoy a wide range of mouth-watering offerings and gift items.
The Etisalat “Green Xmas Offer” is for existing and prospective customers on the network, and can be accessed upon the purchase of a smartphone from any of the company’s Experience Centers across the nation.
Any customer who purchases a smartphone, will be rewarded on the spot with 1GB free data, free access to social and chat apps monthly for 11months; and tons of free gift items like mini massagers, power banks and mobile
cooling fans.
Also, if you recharge N5000, you get N5000 talk time, 3GB data and free incoming calls while roaming in 14 countries. And for customers who want to spend the yuletide season overseas, you aren’t left out either. At a discounted rate of N100/min, you can make local calls and back home to Nigeria in the UK, USA, UAE, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, courtesy of Etisalat Nigeria.

MANY CELEBRITIES WINS AWARD AT THE SOUNDCITY MVP AWARD FESTIVAL

Yesterday was colourful and wonderful with the loudest ovation from the audience of the 2016 Soundcity MVP Award festival. The event which was the maiden edition was held at the luxurious EKO HOTEL CONVENTION CENTRE with several celebrities in attendance including Victoria Kimani, Dolapo Sijuwade, Falz, Emma Nyra, Noble Igwe, Moet Abebe, Vj Adams, Mimi Onalaja, Toni Tones and many more.
Wonderful and electrifying performances from Lil.Kesh, Patoranking, Falz, Koker,Olamide, Tekno etc made  the event glamourous.

The Following artiste emerged as winners at the event...

Best Male Artiste- Wizkid

Best Female Artiste- Yemi Alade

Pop Artiste of the Year- Kiss Daniel

Digital Artiste of the Year- Tekno

Collaboration of the Year- “Who you epp” Olamide ft. Wande Coal X Phyno

Best Group/Duo- Sauti Sol

Song of the Year- “Pana” by Tekno

Best New Act- Mr. Eazi

Viewers Choice Award- “Soldier” by Falz ft. Simi

Listeners Choice Award- “Pana” by Tekno

Producer of the Year- DJ Maphorisa

Video of the Year- “Aje” by Alikiba. Directed by Meji

Artiste of the Year- Wizkid

2017 MUST-READ BOOKS FOR ENTREPRENUERS

Bill Gates recently released his favorite
books of 2016. Claiming he averages
about one book a week, the billionaire
business magnate says reading is his
“favorite way to learn about a new
topic.”
W e were inspired to put together our
own reading list of some of the best-
selling business books of the year.
Here’s a selection of 10 must-reads that
we think have the potential to transform
your business and take it to the next
level.

SHOE DOG BY PHIL KNIGHT

A Bill Gates favorite, Shoe Dog offers an
inside look at Phil Knight’s
entrepreneurial journey and how he
built his startup Nike into the global
brand it is today.

TOOLS OF  TITANS BY TIM FERRISS
In his latest book, entrepreneur and
strategist Tim Ferriss shares the
productivity secrets of the more than
200 “world-class performers” he has
interviewed on his podcast.

THE POWER OF BROKE BY DAYMOND JOHN
Shark Tank star and Fubu founder
Daymond John explains that starting a
business with limited resources is a
competitive advantage, not a liability.

THE CODE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY MIND BY VISHEN LAKHIANI
What if everything you thought about
love, work, and life is wrong? Vishen
Lakhiani, founder of MindValley,
challenges your most entrenched beliefs
in an effort to help you redefine the
meaning of personal success.

DISRUPTED BY DANS LYON
This is a messy, tell-all account of what
happens when a seasoned journalist
from an established news magazine
takes a job at a software marketing
startup. He chronicles his time at
Hubspot where he encountered “devilish
angel investors, fad-chasing venture
capitalists, entrepreneurs and
‘wantrapreneurs."

ORIGINALS BY ADAMS GRANT
Author and professor Adam Grant
examines how people can reject
conformity and improve the status quo
by generative creative, original ideas.

HUSTLE BY NEIL PATEL, PATRICK VLASKOVITS AND JONAS KOFFLER
This New York Times bestseller guides
readers through the process of
“breaking free from the drudgery” in
their daily lives and turning potential
into opportunity.

GRIT BY ANGELA DUCKWORTH
Psychologist Angela Duckworth claims
that success is the result of passion and
persistence, not talent and luck.

BUILDING THE INTERNET OF THINGS BY MACIEJ KRANZ
This is a practical handbook for
entrepreneurs who are focused on the
business implications of the internet things.

THINKING, FAST AND SLOW BY DANIEL KAHNEMA
Though originally published in 2011,
this book continues to be a best-seller in
2016. Renowned psychologist Daniel
Kahneman does a deep dive analysis of
the two cognitive systems that shape the
judgments and decisions we make in
our everyday lives.

2016 Miss Nigeria's Audition Concluded

Miss Nigeria 2016 concluded audition exercise on
the 5th of December 2016. This year’s auditions
were held in four locations; Port Harcourt,
Abuja, Enugu and Lagos from the 29th of
November 2016 to 5th of December 2016. This was
to accommodate contestants from the thirty-six
states in Nigeria. The Port-Harcourt audition
held on the 29th of November at Hotel
Presidential, the Abuja audition on the 1st of
December at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja,
Enugu audition on the 3rd of December at The
Hotel, Independence Layout, and the
final audition in Lagos on the 4th and 5th of
December at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria
Island, Lagos.
There was a huge turnout of contestants vying
for the crown. The reigning queen, Pamela
Peter-Vigboro was present at the Lagos auditions
to encourage the contestants. Interviews and
screenings were conducted by experienced
pageant judges. Below are the names of Judges
at the audition stage.

Port Harcourt Auditions:
Yenebi Dike (CEO, Clothes Rac Stores), Daye Horsefall (Fashion Influencer), Kaka Peters (Kaka’s hair Salon), Akpos Okudu (Designer)

Abuja Auditions: Geraldine Uba, Chine
Anosike, Vannessa Oghomwen Ogida (Project
Manager and Judge, Miss Nigeria 2016), May
Ikeora (Director, Miss Nigeria Organisation)

Enugu Auditions:
Jasmine Naza, Odogwuchyke, Benzufele, Noreen Odor

The selected ladies will be in camp where they
will be involved in different activities which
include 80% empowerment training, fun
choreography and etiquette classes. Other
activities planned for the camping duration, will
be exploring Nigeria’s culture and heritage in
Benin; the international beach soccer courtesy
of Powerhorse; and Mentorship by a renowned
WIMBIZ member and among others.
The 40th Miss Nigeria will be crowned on the 19th
of December 2016 at the Eko Convention Centre
by 7:30pm with Red and Green carpet from 5PM
– 7PM Tickets on sale at Eko Hotel and Suites,
Victoria Island, Lagos. For enquires and table
booking, contact: 08033150455,
07064933209,08176201460 or the
website: www.missnigeria.ng

Miss Nigeria pageant is powered by Daily Times
Newspaper and sponsored by The Ministry of
Environment, Ministry of Information and
Culture, Pinnacle, Pathcare Nigeria, Zaron
Cosmetics, Powerhorse, Heritage Bank, Eko Hotel
and Suites, Quilox, Arik Air, Air France, Eco
Bank, NEPC, and Shell.
Media Partners; DAAR Communications,
BellaNaija, Vanguard, Classic Fm, Beat Fm, The
Sun,The Nation, Leadership,The Guardian,
Bellanaija, Red Media/Ynaija, Pulse.ng, ThisDay
Style, Onobello, Ovation magazine, Style Vitae,
Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), NTA, Daily
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