” I am Jaguar Paw, son of Flint Sky, my father hunted this forest before me. I’m Jaguar Paw. I am a hunter, this is my forest and my sons will hunt it with their sons after I’m gone. Come on! Come on!”.

1. Know your Forest

2. Hunt your Forest

3. Who’s leading you in your Forest

4. Return to your Forest

5. Use your Forest

6. Have a Plan B in your Forest

I hate school, but I love learning
Albert Einstein once said “All through life, I never allow my education to interfere with my learning”
I’ve learnt the hard way that school shouldn’t be looked at like an institution but as a tool. It completely shifts my paradigm anyway when I try to unlearn what I’ve learnt all through school.
Someone said the 21st century illiterate isn’t one who doesn’t have an education but one who can not learn, unlearn and re-learn.
I can almost not quantify the amount of learning I’ve done in the past 1 year doing Holildays and Cash. I’ve not read as many mails, articles or books based on any one subject as I’ve done on network marketing in the time I’ve been involved with this opportunity.
I’ve learnt from the best, the average and the worst. I’ve learnt how to succeed and how to not fail. I’ve learnt how to sell and how to market and the difference between both. More than anything, I’ve learnt how to dream and how to keep the picture of those dreams in front of me till they become either reality or fantasy(if I don’t achieve them).
Most significant is the fact that I never learnt any of these in the regular academic or school curriculum. It’s what makes me hate school but also makes me fall in love with learning. Most of what you will learn about life and success will be learnt outside school.

Zimbabwe

Towards the end of last year, I felt I needed a vacation for myself and decided to take one. I wanted to go to some part of the world I had never been to just to unwind and refresh my energies. Incidentally I got an invitation from my Uncle and Aunt in Zimbabwe and I decided to honour it. While at it, I also made up my mind to go to South Africa and see the land.

A few months before, I would never have thought of going on a personally-sponsored vacation but since I got involved with Holidays and Cash, it’s become a dream come true.

On Dec 17, 2009, I hopped on a plane to Zim and was there till the beginning of 2010. I had a beautiful time there with my cousins who I hadn’t seen for over 10years and who studied in the UK. Loads of new friends were made and it was fun all the way. We went to some resorts and I particularly enjoyed the cooking of the house chef – Imagine! I was fasting during the period. There was also this tasty punch-like drink called Mazoe. I couldn’t drink enough of it. After which I went directly to South Africa to have some good time.

South Africa

SA was quite an experience. I had never been there before so I was really looking forward to it. I got picked up by a colleague from my university days and we headed straight to Pretoria from O. Tambo airport in Johannesburg. Pretoria proved to be exciting. I met and made a few new friends and we had a time of our lives. We went ICE-SKATING, GO-CARTING, to the zoo, football playing and so on. I met a few nigerians, zambians, south africans and other nationals as well. I got back to Nigeria after about 9 days in SA and started preparing to go to India.

India

What made India possible? Holidays and Cash says, “If you build leaders in your team, you can qualify for an all-expense paid vacation in an exotic city of the world.” I did build leaders in 2009 within the qualifying period and got to qualify for this vacation.

About 40 leaders qualified from around the world and we all met in India. INCREDIBLE was all I could describe India as. We went to see the Taj Mahal ( one of the wonders of the world). We were treated as kings from city to city. 5-star hotel accomodation (Galaxy Hotel in Delhi and Jaypee Palace Hotel in Agra). It was so much fun shopping, touring and networking. After 7 days of luxury, we moved to the UAE.

United Arab Emirates

I had been to Dubai before but I didn’t have the same kind of experience. For one, I went with a friend when I went earlier but I didn’t get to enjoy an all-expense paid luxurious time there. This time around, it was made even better because I had about 30 other friends from Nigeria with whom I explored and shopped in Dubai.

We went on a Dhow boat cruise on a lovely evening on the waters of Dubai with beautiful Dubai in the background as soft music played on our boat and cool breeze blew into our faces. It was a perfect moment to propose but my babe was in Nigeria. The buffet was quite good and after a while, trust us Nigerians to begin to make a noise singing praise songs to worship God.

Then we went on a desert safari the next day. Yes, I’d gone the safari before but it was as exciting as if I had never gone before. I recommend this activity for everyone who goes visiting in dubai. We left after 3 nights for lagos and to plan for the next leadership luxury vacaton(MALDIVES). I’ll talk about that in the next post.

Holidays and Cash has simply given some of us a new lifestyle of freedom, income and fulfilled dreams. If you also want to own your life or be as free as I am, simply go to www.holidaysandrewards.com/lcp1a/bussee and fill your details. I’ll get back to you as soon as I see your details.

Hi folks, I know you want to say “where have you been for all these months?” or ” How come you haven’t written a single article in 4 months?” I really don’t know the answer. I must admit quite honestly that even right now I don’t feel like or want to write anything.

It’s not because there aren’t things to write, it’s just because I feel quite unmotivated and unworthy to write them. Anyway, I’m writing now ain’t I? So please just bear with me and read on…this will bless you.

I once heard about the parable of the monkeys. Once upon a time a monkey was placed in a particular cage with a bunch of bananas hanging from the top of the cage. Naturally, the monkey swung up the cage excitedly and reached up for the bananas, he was immediately doused with a jet of cold water from a hose that was aimed at the cage. Immediately, he dived back down to the bottom of the cage. Of course, monkeys don’t give in that easily so he tried again – no one was going to deter him from feasting on the bananas. He swung up again to retrieve the bunch of bananas but as soon as he almost touched it, he got doused with water again. He immediately dived back down looking for the source of his affliction (apes hate water). He couldn’t really see anybody and tried after a few minutes. He got doused again. He tried again and again and each time he got doused again and again. After a few days and many attempts, he stopped trying.

One month after, another monkey was brought into the cage. The monkey saw the bunch of bananas and immediately went for it (Note: The bunch of bananas were changed to fresh ones from time to time). He got the shock of his life as a jet of cold water hit him in the face. He quickly scurried to the bottom of the cage and waited a few minutes for the shock to wear off before trying again. He got the same result and after trying a while and getting drenched, he understood why the first monkey wasn’t as eager as he was to eat “free” bananas hanging at the top of the cage. He also succumbed to fate and stopped trying to get the bananas.

Another month after, a new monkey was introduced into the cage. As custom will have it, he went straight for the bunch of fresh bananas he saw hanging at the top of the cage but the other two monkeys went for it as pulled it down with his legs. They immediately pounced on it and beat it silly and into submission. They did that because they knew he would get sprayed with water  and all of them will get wet. They didn’t want to get wet and they knew that he wont get the bananas anyway so they took steps to ensure it didn’t happen. After a while of trying and getting beaten, the monkey gave up trying. One month went by and another monkey was introduced into the cage. He suffered the same fate as the 3rd monkey only that the 3rd monkey was involved in beating him up and keeping him from getting the bunch of bananas.

After a few weeks, the first two monkeys were taken out of the cage. Now of the two monkeys remaining in the cage, none of them actually had water sprayed on them for reaching for the bananas. They were only restrained with pain by the first two monkeys.

Yet another month went by and another monkey was introduced into the cage. He immediately was giving the customary beating treatment when he tried to get the bunch of bananas. After trying a while and getting beat a few times, he suddenly blurted

“Why are you monkeys beating me and holding me back?”

The other monkeys looked at themselves blankly and said

“We don’t know, we don’t know why we are beating you? We were beating as well when we came and tried to reach for the bunch so we just took on the custom of beating every other monkey who tried to reach for the bananas”.

How many of us are like that? We don’t why we are where we are or why we are doing what we are doing. We just know that that is how it should be done. Who told you that? Who told you that you must have only one stream of income? Who told you that you can not live above sin? Who told you that you can’t own your business? Who told you that you can not be financially free?

We were mostly brought up hearing our parents and environment say,

“Get a good education, get a good job thereafter, work all your life, retire broke and busted with a good pension and die!”

What a big lie!

You are like the monkeys!

Why can’t you dare the jet of water and pull out all stops to get the bananas!

What is your own excuse? Are you pulling others down who are trying to get the bananas?

Have you been enslaved by the system?

Do you merely wish freedom or do you DESIRE it?

Listen!!! those who have tried and failed have been taken out of the cage!

Ask yourselves what they did and how you can do it better?

Perhaps, if the three remaining monkeys planned to go for the bananas together the focus of the water spray would be divided and one of them would have been able to get the bunch.

Instead of proliferating negativity and pessimism, think of another way to achieve your dream and go for it.

LIFE DOES NOT GIVE YOU WHAT YOU DESERVE, IT GIVES YOU WHAT YOU DEMAND.

“if God judge count the iniquity of the wicked, who shall stand?”

I seat here watching and listening to intermittently the CEOs of banks in the U.S giving comprehensive account of their transactions with regards to the bailout they got from the government a while ago. I see seated all the CEOs of the big and mightly banks. The JP Morgan Chases, Goldman Sachhs of this world are ably represented as they say what and what they have done with the moneys given to them an what amount of profit or loss they have made.

The idea behind the committee that is holding them accountable is to find out whether the CEOs can be trusted as proper custodians of public funds and whether or not they will sacrifice all that is needed to ensure that Americans have access to proper credit again credibly in the bid to grow the sunken economy.

The last time some of them were told to give account, questions fired at them bothered on their own personal sacrifices and those of the management with regards to crises situations. Questions like “Did you arrive by private jet or did you take the train or did you fly first class?” were thrown at them to see what lengths they were willing to go to indicate their empathy with Americans and the American economy crisis at present. Those whose personal spending habits didn’t reflect what they drafted on paper as reports were seriously reprimanded.

And then suddenly, with tears in my eyes, I ask myself “when will this happen in Nigeria?” When will the Jim Ovias and Tony Elumelus be brought before an equitable committee to give an account of how they have put public funds to use?

When will there be a harmonised financial year end for banks so that all the buffering up of accounts from one bank to another and mistatement of accounts by so-called auditors who have been bribed stop?

When will even the CBN governor be able brought to accountability on his projections, his statements and the state of the economy as a fall out of his policies or inactions?

This hand-in-glove arrangement that the banks have with the CBN governor such that the true state of health of the banks are not disclosed despite the fact that billions of naira of public funds are at risk may have been exposed by then.

When will those who are in charge of leading, driving and growing our economy be brought to accountability in the face of their woeful failures?

I can’t wait. I just can’t. Even the Bank of England governor can attest that the nation is in deep recession. Our own CBN governor can’t even state the banks that are “living dead” and find a solution to rescuing the public’s funds.

Who will bell the banks? and when? In the New Nigeria, I believe all that should be will be.

Michael Faust, the International Sales Director  of HolidaysandCash, a multinational network marketing company headquatered in Nigeria is set to formerly launch the current fastest growing and most rewarding online marketing product in Nigeria ith the course of this week and next week. Michael is going to launch the product in major cities across the country namely Lagos, Abuja, Port-Harcourt and maybe a few other ones starting from Saturday, 24th January at The Coliseum in Lagos to 29th January in some other part of the country.

HolidaysandCash is marketing a travel product called “privilege pack”. This product gives access to the owner an online portal that has the ability to search for over 900,000 of the best hotel reservation, resort reservation and flight reservation deals all over the world at unbelievably discounted prices. Interestingly, H&C as holidaysandcash is fundly called also provides an opportunity for its members to earn as much as and over $10,000 weekly.

Network marketing, I’ve always believed is at the core of our economic development in Africa. Until people can begin to get rewarded for the simple action of referring other people to buy products or services, Africans will never believe that wealth is attainable by all and sundry. Network Marketing also creates a flat level of relationship between all that participate. No graduate has undue advantage over the undergraduate. In fact, experience and statistics have shown that people with no other options succeed more at Network Marketing than those who fill they have other options. Here what the money bags say about network marketing………….

“Network marketing is the business of those who love helping other people.”…………….Robert Kiyosaki

“If I go bankrupt and lose all the money that I have now, I will simply join a network marketing company and rise through the ranks on the way to my making back all I lost.”…………..Donald Trump

HolidaysandCash since its launch in July, 2008 has succeeded in making several millionaires in Nigeria and many other countries all over the world. Ijeoma Chukwu in Nigeria is currently the highest earner in the country. She earns over $10,000 per week. Many others in Nigeria earn hundreds of dollars per week on the basis of referrals. Many others have had to access prime vacation deals through the online portal that H&C offers to its subscribers.

To know more about holidaysandcash, you can mail me at busayoakanro@gmail.com or check the link out at www.holidaysandcash.com/bussee and my phone number is +234-803-4717-104; +234-8072690079

Other Cities for the H&C Launch are:

Holidays and Cash “Nigeria” Events
Lagos, Enugu, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Ibadan

We encourage you to make one of these events a high priority and encourage your team to do the same. The information shared has the potential to change your life forever!

Please note, all attendees must register and make payment prior to the event to secure places.

Lagos

• Venue: The Coliseum, off Opebi Road, Ikeja, Lagos.
• Date: Saturday January 24, 2009
• Schedule (2 sessions)
  • 10:00am – 1:00pm
  • 2:00pm – 5:00pm
• Cost: N1000 per person (Seminar packs and refreshments)
• Presenter: Michael Faust (CEO/President of H&C)

Enugu

• Venue: Cassino Hall, Zodiac Hotels 5/7 Rangers, Avenue Independence Layout, Enugu, Enugu State.
• Date: Sunday January 25, 2009
• Schedule 12:00pm – 3:00pm
• Cost: N1000 per person (Seminar packs and refreshments)
• Presenter: Michael Faust (CEO/President of H&C)

Abuja

• Venue: The Haven, Conference and Halls, No 6, Lasale Street Off Shehu Shagari Way, Maitama (Near MTN Office)
• Date: Monday January 26, 2009
• Schedule (2 sessions)
  • 12:00pm – 3:00pm
  • 4:00pm – 7:00pm
• Cost: N1000 per person (Seminar packs and refreshments)
• Presenter: Michael Faust (CEO/President of H&C)

Port Harcourt

• Venue: Royal Banquet Hall, Presidential Hotel, Port Harcourt.
• Date: Wednesday January 28, 2009
• Schedule: (2 sessions)
  • 10:00am – 1:00pm
  • 2:00pm – 5:00pm
• Cost: N1000 per person (Seminar packs and refreshments)
• Presenter: Michael Faust (CEO/President of H&C)

Ibadan

• Venue: Nigerian Union of Journalist, Oyo State (NUJ) Millenium Press centre, Iyaganku GRA, Ibadan.
• Date: Thursday January 29, 2009
• Schedule 2:00pm – 5:00pm
• Cost: N1000 per person (Seminar packs and refreshments)
• Presenter: Michael Faust (CEO/President of H&C

PLEASE NOTE: If you are reading this any time after December 31st, 2009 then you need to contact me for more updates. This is because many great changes has been made.

If wealth is lost, nothing is lost; if health is lost, something is lost; if character is lost, everything is lost……….

I heard that last week, Reuben Abati, a foremost journalist with the Guardian newspapers wrote an article of how his email account was hacked into and his friends had all received emails allegedly from him stating that he was currently in India attending a conference and his daughter who was very ill and needed to undergo a life saving operation urgently. The mail stated that he urgently needed N250,000 to balance the operation fees and that those who were willing to help should pay to a particular account with the details of the account included.

Mercifully, those who were willing to help immediately gave him a call on his number expecting that even if he was in China, he should be roaming. To his perplexity, his phone rang at 4am Nigerian time and one of his friends is on the other end of the line commiserating with him and expressing their suprise at haven not known about his daughter’s condition before they received the mail. He was said to have felt like fainting. His shock couldn’t be hidden as he told his friend and all the other friends that called him after that the information on his daughter was as knew to them as it was to him.

This is a scenario that is being replicated everyday in Nigeria. Scammers looking for people to steal from. I just imagine if only 10 of his friends had responded immediately to that distress email and each sent in their magnanimity N250,000 to the stated account. Soneone or some people would have made about N2.5 million immediately. Why is it that in Africa and ofcourse Nigeria corruption and fraud have become the character of the people.

When Nigerians go to certain places now, the warning lights that flash in people’s minds are “corruption, greed, fraud…“ Why? Why must we be set aside for humiliating searches at airports? Why are we considered security risk in many places? Isn’t because NIgerians have built a culture of wrong doing? Isnt it because people now lack character. If the quote at the beginning of this post is anything to go by, can we say that for the majority of Nigerians, “all has been lost?”

Or how do you explain parents who hire mercenaries to write exams for their children? Or governors who loot the treasuries of states they were elected to serve in and get chieftaincy titles from royal fathers within and outside those states?

The corrupted character Nigerians exhibit is no longer seedlike in form. It has grown to become a very great tree and regardless of how much the leaves and branches are cut. The tree will still continue to remain and to grow except it is cut down and uprooted. That is to say a total paradigm shift may be necessary. I also do believe that the several corrupted trees in Nigeria that constitute the dark forest can be set on fire and razed down till they are burnt to ashes. (those who need to be killed, jailed, disgraced or banished need to get those measures meted out to them urgently)

Good character is a product of a good heart. “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. Until Nigerians change the content of their hearts, Nigeria will never be known for good character. Until character is more celebrated than money, Nigerians are not likely to take it as priority. Until our children, the next generation, understand that possessing good character is sufficient to get them wealth and even health, EVERYTHING will ultimately be lost.

Africa has been dubbed the untouched and virgin continent. This was due to the seeming unscathing of African countries in the global meltdown that characterised the latter part of 2008. African seems to have escaped almost wholly from the economic recession that hit the world and crushed many countries and multinationals in other continents of the world. Iceland is bankrupt, auto makers in the US are bankrupt; Mega Banks in UK, Japan, Switzerland, US, Belgium, Germany and many other countries of the world would have gone under but for aid from their governments. Albeit, many banks have still being crushed in the wake of the recession.

However, Nigeria for one has been touched by the recession. Even though the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria has kept assuring Nigerians that we are beyond the reach of the economic whiplash swinging across the globe, happenings in our own economy are pointers to the fact that his assurances hold no water. Examples are:

1. The crash of the NSE

The Nigerian Stock Exchange fell through about the same time the economic crisis started in the west last year. The Central Bank of Nigeria ordered banks to refrain from giving margin facilities to investors and SEC pegged the condition for the rise in value of a stock to its ability to trade over 100,000 units. Investors immediately lost confidence in the market and the inevitable loss of the All Share Index started. One policy after another was released to the public by SEC, CBN and NSE at different times to help boost the market but it seemed to have tipped. The irrecoverable free fall cost the lives of many as people who had so much exposure with regards loans decided to end their lives as they couldn’t take the pressure anymore. The NSE has since lost more and more value as institutional investors (especially foreign ones) cashed out of the Exchange unable to vouch for the credibility of the market any longer. All those who had planned on creating a path to financial independence through the NSE are having to look elsewhere now as all their investments have at least been cut to about one-third the value a few months ago.

2. The crash of Oil

When the stock exchange started making people cry, and even die, another opportunity opened up in the Oil and Gas industry. Oil seemed to be the next panacea. Oil products were selling for unbelievable margins. The price of crude oil per barrel had hit $150 and was reaching for $200. AGO (Diesel) in particular was the next best thing to be involved with. The commodity is in high demand in Nigeria and completely deregulated by the Federal Government. This made it an all-comers market. People made as much as NGN1billion in single deals on oil products. DPK (Kerosene) and LPFO were not left out. As if the cloud that had hung over the NSE was moving in the Oil and Gas direction, the price of crude oil started to dip in the international market. People started incurring losses and getting heavily indebted to banks who were financing oil deals. The volatility in the market made it even harder to play in and ultimately it also bottomed out with the price of crude oil hitting below $40 per barrel. Banks stopped financing Oil deals. Gist had it that collectively they were exposed to the tune of almost NGN400billion. Bad debt that is.

3. The rise of Real Estate.

Immediately, opportunities moved from Oil & Gas to Real Estate. 3 bedroom flats were going for about $3million in places like Banana Estate. Rental rates increased by as much as 100% in some places. It seemed as if those who lost in categories 1. and 2. wanted to recoup through category 3.

4. The crash of Real Estate

This boom unfortunately like the golden era of real estate and mortgages both in Europe and America which has since crashed, appears to be headed for the precipice and signs abound to that fact. Banks had financed loans with which developers built houses. These houses are still on the market with no buyers in sight because of the low cash flow of buyers due to number 1. and 2. above. Even buyers who had bought had bought with loans from the same or other banks. One way or the other, banks have financed loans from both developers and buyers and neither of these have the cash flow to repay the loans. The banks are therefore foreclosing on the properties and selling at any price possible to regain their monies and developers are making distress sales at ridiculously low prices to offset their loans and keep the banks at bay. One way or another, the property market in Nigeria is headed for a crash and Lagos is leading the downward tumble predict analysts. Brace up for this eventuality and get out of the way if you can.

For the first time after it was created, the Eurozone is in recession, needless to overflog that the U.S is also in the same state. Japan and other parts of Asia are not left unscathed by the economic whiplash flying all over the world. Banks are crumbling; industries are folding up; mega multinationals are laying off staff. All are begging for bailouts varying from one to another but not less than billions of dollars. Only Africa has remained untouched, unsullied by the economic mistakes caused by excessive credit exposure and lending. Africa’s economy remains solid and at the top of it is Nigeria. Our stock exchange boasts of companies with strong fundamentals, our economy is strong and deep enough to deliver sizeable returns on investment. The world is turning to us. See what Merril Lynch has to say.

A major boost was given to Nigeria’s quest for foreign investment inflow at the weekend as the country was named the least vulnerable economy in the world, according to a report, Global Economics, compiled by a team of experts from Merrill Lynch. Merrill Lynch is one of the world’s leading financial management and advisory companies, providing financial advice and investment banking services.

The report, a copy of which was made available to THISDAY at the weekend, was compiled following several data requests from clients of the investment bank for key risk indicators for all major economies including Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

According to the statistics, the world’s 10 least vulnerable economies are Nigeria, Mexico, Philippines, Colombia, Egypt, Oman, Indonesia, Peru, China and Russia. Also, the report identified Australia, Switzerland, Korea, Romania, Hungary, Sweden, Bulgaria, Euro area, United Kingdom and the United States of America as the highest risk economies in the world.

The risk ranking was based on seven indicators and they are – current account financing gap, foreign exchange reser-ves/short-term external debt ratio, private credit-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio, and private credit growth, loans to deposits and banks capital-to-assets ratio. Merrill Lynch said the report also addressed all the requests in 62 indicators of the 60 world economies.

According to the report, Nigeria, with a population of 141.41million, was able to record a 7.3 per cent growth in GDP, with its Consumer Price Index hovering at 11.5 per cent, its current account balance, fiscal balance and public debt at 6 per cent, 6.3 and 10.4 percentage respectively.

To determine its external vulnerability, Nigeria’s external debt position was put at 12.9 per cent of the GDP, while external debt /exports ratio was put at 9 per cent. Her forex reserves totalled $60.8billion.

The percentage of Nigeria’s total external debt in relation to the GDP was put at two per cent, total foreign claims is $15.3billion while international claims stood at $13.1billion.

The report stated that the percentage of Current Account Balance plus net Foreign Direct Investment of the Nigerian GDP was 34, Forex reserves/short-term external debt totalled 41, while percentage of export of the GDP was 38 point.

The percentage of private credit of GDP was 43, while the percentage of bank capital to assets, according to Merrill Lynch was 41.

The 10 most vulnerable countries, which are mostly European countries, were said to have exhibited worse balance of payments positions, stretched external debt service ratios and overleveraged financial systems.

“Many of the economies that top our risk ranking have been identified by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) as those that have experienced capital flow bonanzas in the past five years and hence exhibit higher likelihood of economic crisis,” the report explained.

Explaining further on how it put the report together, Merrill Lynch states that: “While we believe that our country risk ranking produces plausible results, one needs to be aware that, as any ranking of that type, it is highly sensitive to the selection of indicators employed. For example, developed countries can probably sustain higher external vulnerability indicators than emerging markets; some Euro area country statistics are possibly misleading given there is a monetary union.”

In their reactions, the leadership of the Nigerian organised private sector said the various investment-friendly programmes put in place especially in the past five years largely gave Nigeria a pride of place in the ranking.

Immediate past Director-General of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Dr. Mansur Ahmed said the latest ranking has confirmed that Nigeria is indeed an investors-haven. The feat, he said, should be traced to a regime of consistent and sustained improvement in the nation’s fiscal management.

Speaking with THISDAY in a telephone interview yesterday, Ahmed acknowledged that Nigeria has been able to maintain a healthy foreign exchange management, low budget deficit and heavily low external indebtedness, which he said have combined to grossly reduce the nation’s level of risk. He said those indices have also endeared the nation’s economy to foreign investors.

However, the incumbent DG of NESG, Mazi Sam Ohuanbuwa said the investment community would not be surprised at the latest ranking by Merrill Lynch.

According to him, the key indicator to the safety of investment in Nigeria is the freedom to invest in any part of the country without government’s intervention.

He maintained that issues like hostile acquisitions, or government take-over is not common in Nigeria, explaining that even in cases where government reversed policies, it is always limited to government investments.

“In Nigeria, people can invest anywhere without hindrance. Other important considerations are the sheer size of the Nigerian market and underlying macro-economic issues,” Ohuanbuwa said.

He noted that although investors in Nigeria are still complaining of high cost of doing business, the level of risk is far lower than what obtains some other economies of the world.
Relevant Links

* West Africa
* Economy, Business and Finance
* Nigeria

On measures to improve on the latest ranking, the experts were unanimous in their call for the sustenance of investor-friendly policies by the government.

Ahmed emphasised the need for effective management of the nation’s foreign asset especially in the face of the dwindling prices of crude oil at the international market.

Ohuanbuwa charged the government to liberalise the economy by removing all hindrances to the economy.

written by Felix Akanbi on

After listening to this news, I suddenly got apprehensive. The last budget for 2009, before it was reviewed was done based on crude selling at $69 per barrel. If Nigeria plans on that, it simply means we’ll experience loads of deficit as a country. Even if the revised, unapproved budget based on $45 per barrel is implemented, there’s no guarantee that the price of crude wont fall below $45 within the period (2009). What it reveals is that our erstwhile weak economy may be about to take a plunge into darkness. If we are talking about recession in the World, we may decide to term ours Depression. Does that mean I’m a prophet of doom or a seer of gloom?

No. Not necessarily. My Mother used to tell me when I was much younger. “It’s always darkest before the dawn” and so I developed an attidtude towards bleak situations. The worse it gets, the closer the reprieve is. Some people say, “there’s always light at the end of a tunnel”. So what light have I seen at the end of this dark tunnel of recession coming. What dawn is likely to break over this apprehensive and cloudy outcome? – NETWORK MARKETING.

Network Marketing is what i’ve come to dub, the 9th wonder of the world. It is a business that is owned by all for the good of all. Everybody becomes a marketer of the products the business makes and earners from the business are determined by their referral ability. Telling someone to purchase the products rewards the teller, the told and the business altogether. The teller earns referral bonuses, the told gets a good product and an opportunity to earn referral bonuses if he/she decides to tell someone else about the product and the business profits since it’s products are being sold.

I’ve heard someone say before “the economy of Nigeria is tied to Network Marketing”.  and I sincerely thought the person made a lot of sense. There are very few countries like Nigeria where networks are taken very seriously. We have networks within networks; networks or barbers, welders, pure water sellers, dwarfs, physically challenged, okada riders, taxi drivers, market sellers, vulcanizers etc. to name but a few. That doesn’t have included religious networks – churches, fellowships, mosques of different denominations and convictions; and even other networks within these networks. What about blood? So many people at the end of the year travel long distances to re-unite with other members of their extended family. These networks can number as many as 100 sometimes. Then, there are clubs and networks of primary schools (different sets), secondary schools, universities, polythecnics and all other institutions.

If building social networks has moved literally from being a talent to being a skill for us, there just might be window (large one) of opportunity for our economy to leverage on in the guise of network marketing. We would find it relatively easier to buy and sell on that model than on any otherI know of. Better still is the fact that as a developing country, it will accelerate our efforts into becoming 1st world because it empowers all that are concerned. Of course, it’s no news that common wealth can only be achieved when wealth is common. That is, when many have access to and can easily harness the opportunities to create wealth. If Network Marketing is then the answer to our economy, what is the question….LOL…..what network marketing products are available. Well, I’ll talk about that later but the 2 that are currently making waves every Nigerian needs to ride on right now are Holidays and Cash and Independent Field Advertisers(IFA). For any info on these, feel free to send a mail to busayoakanro@gmail.com.