5 Snacks you can only find in Nigeria

Nigeria is a haven for anyone seeking to explore gastronomic delights. Each community within the nation offers its own unique delicacies which you will find nowhere else – not even in restaurants! These food and snacks are different from rest of the world not only in taste but also in cooking methods as they reflect a perfect blend of cultures and histories. Just as the culture, snacks in Nigeria has had its fair share of western influences. However, there are some that remain originally unique to the country. Jovago.com, Africa’s No.1 online hotel booking portal, brings you an assortment of 5 snacks that are not ‘only’ be savoured, but are set to make your mouth water. Kuli kuli kulikuli A favourite Nigerian snack originated from the Hausa people of Northern regions of the country, Kuli-Kuli is primarily made from peanuts. The process of making this snack is such that peanuts are roasted and then ground into a paste called Labu, then mixed with spices, salt, and sometimes ground pepper. The paste is further stripped of excess oil, made into the desired shape then fried until it solidifies. While the snack is often eaten alone, it can be paired with a mixture of garri (cassava), sugar and water. It is often also ground and used as an ingredient for Suya and Kilishi. Kokoro A common crunchy snack consumed in the western parts of Nigeria, Kokoro is a found only in Nigeria. The snack is made from a paste of maize flour mixed with sugar and gari (cassava) or yam flour which is deep-fried in either groundnut or palm oil. Two kinds of the kokoro are sold in the local markets :the Crunchy plain type and the Crunchy Spicy type. The difference is noted in in shape and taste. Kilishi kilishi Kilishi ,also known as the Nigerian beef jerky, is one of the most loved meat delicacies derived either from beef, mutton or chevon, and it is common among Hausa people in Northern Nigeria. Kilishi is prepared by slicing lean meat into thin sheets which are sun dried on a raised wooden table covered in rush matting for about four hours. The dried sheets of meat are then immersed in “Labu”, a slurry of groundnut and seasonings including sugar, salt and paper. After being immersed in the Labu, the meat is returned to the rush matting to dry in the sun for a five to twelve hours. The final product is finally roasted briefly over fire, and can be kept for months without much change to its taste. Nigerian Chin Chin A crunchy deep-fried snack that originated from Nigeria and very popular around the country, Chin Chin is an ideal snack for periods you feel puckish or just light refreshment. The snack is very easy to make as it does not require baking or grilling. It is made from basic combination of flour, milk and sugar with optional ingredients like egg, baking powder and nutmeg. It can be made hard or crunchy and can last for weeks if stored in an airtight container. Kpekere Kpekere is the pidgin lingo for fried unripe plantain, a Nigerian snack found in almost every part of the country, mostly sold by street vendors and hawkers. It is also known as Igbekere by the Yoruba tribe of Western Nigerian. Kpekere is the simplest plantain recipe to try and it can be made in varieties : crunchy, salty, spicy or sweet.

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NIGERIA ESCAPES THE DEATH TRAP

Nigeria's Best Web design firm In spite of criticisms from various quarters, President Muhammadu Buhari’s intensive war against corruption may actually be making a noticeable mark. One of the indications that the anti-corruption war may be recording successes, is the escape of Nigeria from Transparency International’s top 10 most corrupt countries’ list. Nigeria, a regular customer, was not included in the upper echelon of corrupt countries in the world, as released by TI on Wednesday, January 27. The countries listed as the most corrupt in the world are: 1.North Korea and Somalia (Tied) 2. Afghanistan 3. Sudan 4. Angola and South Sudan (tied) 5. Iraq and Libya (tied) 6. Haiti, Guinea-Bissau and Venezuela (tied) 7. Eritrea, Syria, Turkmenistan and Yemen (tied) 8. Uzbekistan 9. Burundi, Cambodia and Zimbabwe (tied) 10. Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo and Myanmar (tied) On the other side of the coin, the top ten least corrupt countries are 1.Denmark 2.Finland 3.Sweden 4.New Zealand 5.Netherlands 6.Norway 7.Switzerland 8.Singapore 9.Canada 10.Germany, Luxemborg and United Kingdom (tied)

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MTN AND HER LOYAL CUSTOMERS

Ok, I have a lot of friends that relate to the fact tha MTN hasn't been good to them at all. I appeal on behalf of them to please do something swiftly. So you don't lose your customers. A SENIOR Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Rickey Tarfa, has filed a N5 billion suit against the telecommunication giant, MTN Nigeria, over the alleged act of violation of his rights to privacy at the Federal High Court, Lagos. Joined, as respondents in the suit, are the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), its boss, Ibrahim Mustafa Magu, Mrs. Rashidatou Abdou and a Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN). The originating motion on notice was brought pursuant to Section 37 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (As amended) and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap 10, LFN, 1990. The applicant is therefore asking the court for an order declaring that the unauthorised act of using his iPhone 6 with mobile number 08034600000 in calling one Alhaji Ado in Kaduna on mobile number 08061272929 on February 9, 2016 while the said phone was with Magu and the agency without any reasonable cause or any court order is unlawful, wrongful, illegal and a gross violation of his rights. Specifically, the applicant asked the court to declare that the unauthorised act of accessing his bank details, client’s information, private and confidential information contained in his iPhone 6 with number 08034600000 and Samsung 6 phone with number 08077341616 by EFCC and Magu without any reasonable cause or any court order is unlawful, wrongful, illegal and a gross violation of his fundamental rights. Besides, Tarfa asked the court to declare that the unauthorised act of accessing the phone call records/call log of his phone with mobile number 08034600000 by the respondents and forwarding same to Sahara reporters and other online news agencies without any reasonable cause, or any court order, is unlawful, wrongful, illegal and a gross violation of his rights under the constitution. Also attached to the motion on notice is a 134-paragraph affidavit wherein the applicant stated that trouble began when the relationship between his client, Ghanhoue Nazaire and third respondent, Mrs. Rashidatou Abdou, blessed with a child, went soar in 2011. Consequently, Mrs. Abdou complained of being excluded from the management and control of Rana Prestige Industries Nigeria Limited. By 2012, she filed a minority shareholder’s action in suit No: IKJ/CP/179/2012 between herself and Nazaire for winding up of the company. The petition was later withdrawn and struck out. And dissatisfied, she wrote another petition to the Police Special Fraud Unit complaining about her exclusion from the company and Mr. Nazaire was detained for a day but when the Inspector-General of Police discovered the case lacked merit and not within scope of their power, he told parties to settle amicably and Nazaire was released.

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13 DIY Household Products That Could Save You Some Serious Coin

An American family spends an average of $504 per year on cleaning supplies. That’s a lot of money, especially toward products that are made mostly of water! In the spirit of saving, we’ve partnered with Sparkle® paper towels to bring you a way to seriously scrub down your cleaning budget: homemade household products. If you cut 75 percent of your cleaning-supply spending (which many of the following ideas do), you could save up to $378 a year. That could cover 2.5 weeks of groceries, 10 months of air-conditioning, or 47 movie tickets. Pick your jaw up off the floor and get ready to DIY! 1. Dishwasher Tabs detergent tabs We could pen an ode to dishwasher tabs. Using them feels way easier than a detergent, yet they seem to come come with a big markup. These homemade detergent tabs use baking soda to cut grease, washing soda (which you can make yourself) to clean, and kosher salt to reduce hard water buildup. This recipe could run you as little as 3 cents per tab -- about a fifth of what you might pay at the store. [Recipe] 2. All-purpose Cleaner all purpose spray This cleaner is the solution to so many messes -- in the kitchen, bathroom and the dinner table where your little one (perpetually) spills some milk. Vinegar is a homemade cleaning heavyweight and the star of this potion, with disinfecting properties thanks to its acidity. A batch of this miracle worker cost its inventor 52 cents, or a sixth of what leading cleaners sell for. [Recipe] 3. Glass Cleaner glass cleaner This glass cleaner is as simple as vinegar + rubbing alcohol + water -- three ingredients already in your house! The gamechanging ingredient in this concoction is rubbing alcohol, which works to dissolve dirt and oil and dries quickly for a streak-free finish. [Recipe] 4. Fabric Softener fabric softener It’s worth repeating, vinegar is the cleaning superhero that conquers all. This recipe for fabric softener uses it as a softening agent and static cling fighter, while a measure of conditioner incorporates your favorite scent. And at as low as $2 per batch, the price can’t be beat. [Recipe] 5. Laundry Detergent laundry detergent American families wash almost 400 loads of laundry per year on average. That’s a lot of detergent! This recipe for homemade laundry soap might seem like it has a lot of ingredients, but it will save you loads on loads. The recipe makes enough for 504 loads, and at 4 cents per load, you can be doing laundry for under $20 dollars per year. A box of one of the leading detergents will cost more and clean only a fraction of the loads. Mind. Blown. [Recipe] 6. Carpet Stain Remover carpet cleaner This DIY carpet stain remover recipe is so simple it’s foolproof. There’s just one ingredient: hydrogen peroxide. Good not only for our little one’s “ouchies,” but for pizza-meets-carpet boo-boos, as well. [Recipe] 7. Deep Clean Scrub deep clean scrub Deep cleansing scrub is a miracle worker on sinks and tubs, but can cost a pretty penny. This homemade scrub harnesses the power of baking soda and castile soap (and optional essential oil for scent) to help you banish grime and stains. While castile soap may seem like a pricier ingredient, it’s found in many DIY cleaner recipes and is highly concentrated -- it will pay for itself many times over. [Recipe] 8. Vegetable Wash vegetable wash Vegetable wash might feel like an unnecessary splurge to some -- that is, if you pay retail prices for it. We found a way to make it with disinfecting ingredients you likely already have in your home: water, white vinegar and lemon juice. [Recipe] 9. Microwave Cleaner microwave cleaner We’ve all been there. You’re heating up pasta sauce. You hear a series of pops and sizzles from across the kitchen, and you just know: it’s all over the microwave. Skip the expensive steam bags and opt for this trick. Slice lemons, place them in a bowl full of water and microwave for five minutes. Voilà! The grime is ready to scrub away. [Recipe] 10. Refeshers: Room & Fabric fresheners These two DIYs make use of the same ingredients to fight unwelcome odors. Baking soda acts as a deodorizer, while essential oils add your favorite scent. Essential oils are another concentrated ingredient; a little will go a long way. Mix the two ingredients and place in a small jar to make this two-ingredient room freshener, or simply add them to water to make a fabric refresher. Perfect for bathrooms, your pet’s favorite chair and teenager’s bedrooms everywhere. [Recipe] [Recipe] 11. Wood Polish wood polish This two-ingredient furniture polish employs olive oil for shine and lemon juice to help remove any buildup or stains. Leaving your furniture shiny and lemony-fresh will only cost you $1.55 per bottle, a fraction of leading commercial wood polishes. [Recipe] 12. Oven Cleaner oven cleaner Cleaning out the oven is not for the faint of heart. Between the crouching, scrubbing and nauseating fumes, we tend to avoid it for as long as possible. This oven cleaner is nontoxic and fume-free, with baking soda and salt for ultimate grease-cutting, scouring power. Let it sit and work its magic! [Recipe] 13. Bleach Pen bleach pen Bleach pens are the laundry room sidekick we can’t live without. But they’re a little pricey! This homemade bleach pen will cost you a minuscule 25 cents. That’s not a typo. Cornstarch, water, bleach and a little bit of stovetop magic make for a household product that’s cheaper than anything we can remember buying … ever. [Recipe] It’s a messy world out there.™ Like these DIY household cleaners, Sparkle® paper towels are priced just right for life’s everyday little messes...from wiping up a little sloppy spaghetti to erasing sticky fingerprints.

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There is Good News Out of Nigeria - By Dele Momodu

Fellow Nigerians, please, let’s move away from the plethora of bad news today. Everywhere you turn in the world it seems the world would soon come to an end. If it is not some terrorist bombs exploding and floating in the rarefied air like flying saucers it is news of some deranged person spraying bullets at school kids in America. The baddest news for us lately in Nigeria apart from the unending Boko Haram menace is that of the free fall of the Naira like kamikaze divers. I have never seen anything like it. It is big trouble for those who transact most of their businesses in foreign exchange and do importations. If your family lives abroad and you have school fees to pay you are just on your own. But I want us to run away from all that migraine today and celebrate good news. As bad as things may seem, some Nigerians are marching forward, breaking down barriers and conquering territories. This period requires doing things differently. We need men and women of valour. Those who can take on humongous tasks without minding the encumbrances they are likely to encounter along the way. There is so much to learn from such people by many of our youths. Life is never a bed of roses. It is one of the reasons I love reading biographies. I also enjoy conducting interviews or reading those granted by iconic figures. They all have something in common; they had to ride through rough valleys and mountains of trouble to get to the top. Many of our young ones missed the great businessman and political colossus called Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. No story was better told than the way he captured his grass to grace trajectory. Chief Abiola was greatly endowed and he was able to display exceptional brilliance early in life. From a poor background, he was able to attain a global status by dint of hard work and remarkable courage. His forays into telecommunications, agriculture, shipping, aviation, books and media at a relatively young age showed a man who was clearly ahead of his time. For him, the money he made was not as fulfilling as how much he contributed to charitable causes. He touched lives everywhere and became a global brand. He invested heavily in educating the poor and elevating them in life. He promoted the development of our youths through sports and became Africa’s Pillar of Sports. You can’t ever be great if you can’t do extraordinary things, Chief Abiola taught his disciples like me. I will recommend the teaching of Chief Abiola’s life in our school. In my adult years, I have been privileged to meet and study the lives of many great Africans. I discovered nothing good comes easy. Everyone knows and talks about the Chairman of Globacom Dr Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Isola Adenuga today but they are not likely to know that the secret of his uncommon accomplishments is that of guts, hard work and tenacity. I remember one of the rarest interviews he granted Newswatch when his Consolidated Oil became the first indigenous company to strike oil in commercial quantity. The Newswatch scoop gave an insight into a man who took a risk too big for the faint-hearted. Those who should know knew that oil exploration was a most risky business but Dr Adenuga was undaunted. He had the agility of a bull. He had started business right from the time he was schooling in the United States of America and the Ijebu blood in him prepared him for the long voyage in business. Dr Adenuga went into banking and single-handedly owned two prominent brands, DEVCOM Merchant Bank and Equitorial Trust Bank. He went into telecommunications and changed the landscape spectacularly. He made the impossible possible by empowering the poor and the rich alike. We often forget where we were at some point in time but some of us cannot forget those giant strides so quickly. Dr Adenuga did not stop there; he laid submarine cables from Europe to Africa to ensure a blistering internet speed. He ventured out and landed in Benin Republic and Ghana. He united Africa through football and entertainment. He supported our stars to live like their counterparts in Europe and America. There are endless testimonies to his generosity. It is painful when we don’t teach our youths about the pains that come with seeking greatness. Barely eleven years ago, there was no Nigerian Bank in Ghana. The story we were told was that none could pass the stringent conditions laid down by the Bank of Ghana. What was more, Nigerians were largely perceived as fraudsters and harbingers of bad manners generally. But one man dared to be different and this banker Mr Tony Elumelu scaled all the huddles and the bank he led then, Standard Trust Bank became the first Nigerian financial institution to be licensed. Not just that, the much smaller bank soon acquired the powerful bank UBA and the rest is history. Today UBA has solid presence in about 19 African countries as well as Europe and America. Mr Elumelu also founded Heirs Holdings and has his fingers in many pies including power projects and hospitality business. The iconic banker has made spectacular impact as a philanthropist who has chosen to build a new crop of youthful entrepreneurs in Africa. Permit me to give one more example of how Nigerians are performing wonders at home and abroad. My last but certainly not the least is the one and only Alhaji Aliko Dangote who has exploded on the world scene in the last couple of years. From doing commodities and making stupendous money he has become Africa’s leading industrialist with Dangote Cement becoming a major force on the African continent. There is no doubt that Dangote Cement will soon become number one in the whole of Africa and one of the largest in the world. Say what you will, this could not have been an easy feat. My mission is to encourage our young ones to grumble less and emulate these inspirational leaders. Alhaji Dangote at great risk has penetrated about 14 or more African countries and I have had the privilege of visiting some of his eye-popping plants. Nothing could be more daring than his refinery project I watched on television just days ago. By the time it is ready, Alhaji Dangote would have positioned himself as one of the most influential Africans ever. What gladdens my heart today is that there are new Adenugas, Dangotes and Elumelus emerging and doing outstandingly well. I’m writing this piece in Cotonou, Benin Republic where a group of young Nigerians are set to build one of the biggest power plants for that small but ambitious country. Thanks to the opening up of the country to transparent investors by President Yayi Boni, Genesis Energy, led by its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Akinwole Omoboriowo, has signed a Concession Agreement to execute a 360MW capacity Gas Powered Projects in the Republic of Benin. This agreement empowers Genesis Energy to “construct, own, operate, maintain and supply electricity to the national grid of the country.” The projects are to be delivered in phases. The first phase of 120MW will be operated on a fast track basis from Maria Gleta through a piped gas to be supplied by the Nigerian Gas Company. The Power Purchase Agreement for duration of 20 years was signed between Genesis and the Benin Electric Power Corporation for the 120MW Power Project. The key partners in the project include General Electric, Engro Powergen Limited, Cummins Cogeneration (UK) Limited and Genesis. According to Genesis, “The power project will provide on completion over 30% of Benin’s current electricity demand.” It is good to see Nigerian companies spreading its wings everywhere and showing the world our capabilities. This Genesis has been doing for some time without making any noise about its achievement. A look at its projects portfolios is impressive. As far back as 2006, it did project in Guinea Bissau, a co-development of 50MW Emergency Power project in Ghana (2007), on grid generation in Sao Tome and Principe, off grid Distributed Power Project at NNPC’s Port Harcourt Refinery, name-plate power generation in Banana Island, Lagos; Calabar Free Zone off-grid project; multiple embedded generation for the Eko Electricity Distribution, etc. As the former Governor of Oklahoma attested at a dinner in Cotonou days ago, the success of Genesis is rested mainly on its integrity and the rock-solid determination of its team. It is so wonderful to have such wonderful news come from non-Nigerians about Nigerians. It is only a matter of time before greater things begin to happen to us after all the bad stories we’ve had to endure over time.

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