Local News: Aliko Dangote Is Africa's First $20 Billion Man!

Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

   By Olumide T. Agunbiade |Nigerian writer and Blogger

Nigerian billionaire and Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote has become the first African entrepreneur to lay claim to a $20 billion fortune as the stock value of his largest holding, Dangote Cement, leaped just about three-fourths since March when Forbes released its annual ranking of the world’s richest people. 

Aliko Dangote’s 93% stake in the cement company is now worth $19.5 billion. Add this to his controlling stakes in other publicly-listed companies like Dangote Sugar and National Salt Company of Nigeria and his significant shareholdings in other blue-chips like Zenith Bank, UBA Group and Dangote Flour; his extensive real estate portfolio, jets, yachts and current cash position, which includes more than $300 million in recently awarded Dangote Cement dividends, Dangote is now worth more than $20 billion.

Put into context, the Nigerian billionaire is now among the top 25 richest people in the world, richer than Russia’s richest man, Alisher Usmanov, richer than India’s Lakshmi Mittal and running neck and neck with India’s Mukesh Ambani. He is catching up to such Americans as Google’s billionaire founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

The unprecedented surge in Dangote Cement’s share price is largely a market response to the company’s impressive 2013 Q1 results.

The cement manufacturer’s unaudited results for the three months ending March 31 showed that the company’s pre-tax profit rose to $339 million, representing an 80.6% increase from last year and a strong indicator of the company’s future earning potential. The results also indicate a 79.5 % rise in its earnings per share over the corresponding period last year.

Bayelsa Tragedy: 20 die in road accident!

By Olumide T.Agunbiade

 

A collision accident

About 20 students of the Niger Delta University (NDU), in Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, were reported killed in an accident along the Tombia highway, the only road leading to the university.

The victims of the accident were mostly part-time students of the state-owned Niger Delta University, Amassoma who were returning from lectures in a 13-seater bus that collided with another that was returning to Amassoma from Yenagoa.

The accident happened when two buses coming from opposite directions had a head on collision on Tuesday evening. Coincidentally, both buses belonged to the state-transport company.

An  eyewitness, Mr Inaikozia Fumgbe who is a 100-level Sociology student of NDU and whose vehicle was behind the bus, as saying  said the 13-seater bus with registration number RIVERS KNM 1415A clashed with another thirteen seater bus with registration number RIVERS SP 269 KPR from Yenagoa. It was without its headlight and was on high speed.

Envoy: British Soldier Attacker Never Been To Nigeria, Hold A British Passport

 By Olumide T. Agunbiade

British born Michael Adeboloja

Nigerians all over the world have been urged to speak out and condemn the brutal murder of a British soldier on a London street on Wednesday.

Amb.Habib Habu, Consul General of Nigeria in New York stated this in a message on Thursday.

According to him, the beheading of the 25-year-old soldier was done by a British citizen and not a Nigerian as speculated, his name does not confirm his nationality.

British born Michael ‘Mujahid’ Adeboloja with an accomplice beheaded a British Soldier on a street in Woolwich, London. The Consul General noted that Nigerians are a great people and that they are usually positive additions to any culture they join.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Pakistan School Bus Gutted By Fire, 16 Children Killed

By Olumide T. Agunbiade

The burnt bus

At least 16 children and their teacher have been killed when their school bus caught fire in eastern Pakistan, police say.

At least seven more children were taken to hospital after the incident on the outskirts of the city of Gujrat.

The bus driver is reported to have survived.

Police told the BBC a compressed gas cylinder had exploded on the bus after fire broke out.

The children, aged between four and 10, were just a few kilometres from their school in Gujrat, about 200km (120 miles) south-east of the capital Islamabad, when the incident happened.

Ogun WAEC Fee Fraud: Police Arrest 20 ZEOs, Two Directors!

By Olumide T. Agunbiade

About 22 senior officers in the Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology have so far been arrested and interrogated by the police over the N200 million fraud uncovered in the payment of the West African Examination Council, WAEC, fees.

A source close to the police detectives told our correspondent that those arrested included a director, an assistant director as well as the Zonal Education Officers, ZEOs, in all the 20 local government areas of the state.

The source added that the new arrest, which brought the number of those currently undergoing interrogation to 26, was made late Wednesday evening. All those arrested, according to the source, have been taken to the state police headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta. Meanwhile, the state government has implored members of the public who have useful information regarding the fraud to furnish the police with such information.

SPORTS: UEFA Champions League Final: Player Ratings

 

Borussia  Dortmund

Roman Weidenfeller  

A string of brilliant saves in the first half, including the faintest of touches to tip Mandzukic's header onto the bar, helped keep his team in control of proceedings. He stayed big in one-on-ones and produced more great stops from Alaba and Schweinsteiger. 8/10

Neven Subotic

Stayed tight to the opponents and kept an eye on the movement of Mandzukic. A bad decision gave Robben the space to supply the opener but redeemed himself with a brilliant goal-line clearance late on. 7/10

Mats Hummels

Looked a bit shaky as he struggled to read the game well and allowed the opposition to find space in behind him. His distribution was not the best as a number of his long passes forward were wayward. 5/10

Lukasz Piszczek

Did well to minimise the threat of Ribery for much of the game, only allowing him to get in a single cross in the first half. This required him to be a bit more reserved than usual in attack and so his combination with Blaszczykowski suffered. 7/10

Marcel Schmelzer

The left-back was adventurous early on but soon had to ease off as Robben began to find a large amounts of space in behind him. He failed to help provide a threat for BVB down their left flank and was slow to come across and provide cover. 4/10

 Sven Bender

Hunted the ball down in midfield and this forced Bayern to play direct for much of the first half. He disrupted the play impressively and was not afraid to move forward with a few late runs. 6/10

Ilkay Gündogan

 A tireless performance from the young midfielder as he pressed quickly when out of possession. Showed composure beyond his years on the ball, slotting home a penalty and feeding his team-mates impressively. 8/10

Jakub Blaszczykowski

Put Bayern on the back foot with his running but did not get at them enough. His 14th-minute effort was kept out by a great Neuer save and it proved to be his only chance of the game. He tracked back effectively in the second period. 6/10

Kevin Großkreutz

Failed to offer much attacking intent down BVB's left in what was a fairly ineffectual performance. He worked hard and helped provide some extra defensive cover, but his influence in the final third was minimal. 5/10

Marco Reus

Glided across the forward line to great effect. He sent in some decent crosses when drifting out to the right and his agility and speed also made him a constant danger when dribbling at the Bayern defence. 7/10

Robert Lewandowski

The Poland striker's elusive movements made it hard for Boateng and Dante to pick him up. He was excellent with his back to goal, but after being denied by Neuer twice he faded out of the game in the second half. 6/10

Substitutions

Nuri Sahin

Came on for Sven Bender in the 92nd minute.

Julian Schieber

Replaced Blaszczykowski in the 91st minute.

 Bayern Munich

FEATURE: LAGOS LIGHT RAIL: ANTICIPATING A WORKING MEDIUM

By Olumide T.  Agunbiade and  Olalekan Paul

WITH the capacity to employ over 300, 000 workers, cover a distance of 57 kilometers and a construction cost of about N500 billion (3 billion USD), the Lagos Light Rail Project is arguably one of the biggest on-going projects in Africa.

The Light Rail is a bold statement by the state government in its drive towards achieving a Mega City status for Lagos state. Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub accounts for about 65% of industry in the country and contributes more than 70% of the nation’s economic output.

The light rail, which has its Blue Line near completion, will transport 40, 000 commuters to and from work daily. The Blue Line will have 13 stations and end- to-end journey will take only 35 minutes approximately-a sharp contrast to the long hours it currently takes by road coupled with the traffic nightmare.

According to CPCS Transcom, an infrastructure development consulting firm, and transaction adviser to the Lagos State Government for the Blue Line project, ‘‘the infrastructure will consist of 27km of double track, 13 passengers stations, and a 1250-metre 4-track bridge spanning the  lagoon and connecting Lagos Island to the mainland. The Blue Line will be the first of 7 light rail transit that will eventually comprise the Lagos Urban Rail network.’’

On completion of the Blue Line, construction of the Red line will commence. It will run from Marina to Agbado in Ogun State. It is expected that the line will share the existing 30 metres wide right-of-way with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) line.

Actor Morgan Freeman sleeps off during a Live TV interview!

Michael Caine and the sleeping Freeman!

By Olumide T. Agunbiade| Nigerian writer and Blogger

Give him a break, he's 75! The actor was caught sleeping on live TV during an interview with Fox News promoting his latest movie 'Now You See Me' with fellow actor Michael Caine, 80.



Michael Caine was answering a question when Morgan Freeman fell into a deep sleep...but woke up moments later and fully joined the early morning interview.



After the video went viral, Morgan released a statement to E! News saying:
"I wasn’t actually sleeping; I’m a beta tester for Google Eyelids. I was merely updating my Face book page."

LMAO! Nice comeback! He was actually sleeping, the statement is just a play off of Google Glass, a device which is supposed to allow users to update their social networks through a pair of glasses and access the internet through voice commands.