NOKIA C3, a revolutionary messaging solution coming soon…

Hey guys, its 8.45am and I just stepped down of Arik airline (Queen of Angels) in Owerri from Lagos, this is the second time I am coming to this town, and also my 4^th trip in the last 3 weeks work has taken me around Nigeria. As a strategy and business development executive, I am saddled with the task of setting up new branches and recruiting for Credit Direct Ltd, and coming off the plane now still feeling sleepy as i woke up very early to catch the flight, my ear partially blocked from the pressure in the cabin, my colleague Igoche just woke up and hmmm with a swollen face shows he hasn’t had enough rest in days, we knew sleeping all through the drive was inevitable.

We had a 4 hours drive to Abakaliki, the location for our new branch, and as we boarded the airport Taxi we both switched off, and went to sleep to refresh ourselves for the work ahead. We got into Abakaliki by 1pm and whoa what a town, so dry for a state capital, then got to the branch and logged on the internet to read my mails, then I got a phone call from a friend Chukwudi Ejezie (Queen of attitudes J a DIE HARD Nokia fan) telling me about a new phone about to  make  a grand entrance into the Nigerian market soon, the new NOKIA C3, well  for me this isn’t a big deal as I’m not a huge  NOKIA fan just because they are too good  but when I goggled the phone and the features, I feel in love and now I totally submit to their might. This entrance is definitely going to be a tough one for the world leaders in mobile solutions as Blackberry has taken a firm hold on the target market.

The new phone is the latest entry that is set to compete with Blackberry, and is even cheaper which means everyone especially hard core Nokia fans would enjoy the IM that has suddenly taken over Nigerians. The Nokia C3 device, which amongst other features offers instant messaging to its users. Built with social networking in mind, the Nokia C3 offers instant access to favorite sites such as Facebook and Twitter straight from the home screen, allowing people to easily view, post, comment and update their status. Managing email, chat, calendar and music is simple with dedicated widgets on the home screen. Getting messages across is quick thanks to the full QUERTY key board.

This solution meets the desire of Nigerians who are always on the lookout for a good-looking, affordable handset that allows them to stay continually connected, in a way that suits their lifestyles – whether it’s via email, social networks or IM buddies. The Nokia C3 allows people to surf the web and access social networks where ever they are so they can be sure to keep in touch with their friends and family, whenever they like.

DSTV knocks HITV off EPL

HITV

Hey guys this post might not be the best of my post as I write in a sad mood, ooohhh I am really sad, I was expecting to have a good season ahead, I mean the coming English Premier league expected to kick off on the 14^th of August 2010.

I am a loyal subscriber of HITV, the indigenous pay TV, and have been enjoying the EPL since I got the decoder, I was excited when HITV bought over the rights of TV from rival DSTV who have monopolized the market like forever, well I never knew the joy would be short lived, news reaching me says DSTV has gotten back the right to show the EPL in Nigeria for the next 3 seasons, currently I’m in Ebonyi state on official duties, I decided to rest over the weekend, and watch the television up on till I resume my busy schedule tomorrow, and the hotel has DSTV, they make it so painful for me by hyping  the win every 5 minutes, and anytime they show the clip, it’s like a huge nail is driven into my skin, I just feel like changing the channel, well it’s a sad development I have to cope with.

The Public relations officer of Multi choice Nigeria the parent company of DSTV the platform on which the matches would be aired said the deal was sealed after negotiations by both parties, Segun Fayose said: DSTV now has exclusive rights to broadcast the EPL for 3 seasons, starting from August.

HITV is yet to officially respond to this development. Currently HITV has the right to the UEFA champion’s leagues and the EUROPA cup matches in Nigeria, but who knows if they can hang to it or lose this to its rival. HITV paid over the top to gain this right and now it’s so gone.

My pain is: could this be a Nigerian thing cause I can’t understand why such an investment would be lost like that, over 80% if Nigerian male youth watch football and English clubs have dedicated followership, so this already is a need which HITV would have tapped into. I once had a heated argument on this rivalry with a friend and I totally defended HITV maybe because I am a loyal fan, his point was that HITV had no content order than Soccer,”

12 WAYS TO REVERSE MIDDAY DROWSINESS

Work nap

Hey guys, it’s 3 pm and the lunch sleeping pill has started to take effect.

Your eyelids are heavy….again.

Every afternoon it happens. Why? It’s because your blood sugar has dropped. For people without diabetes, that is from the top of the ‘normal’ spectrum to the lower end (below 100).

For someone with out of control blood sugar (pre or full-blown diabetes) that’s from dangerously high to normal, or to dangerously low.

What can you do about it that is safe? Here is 12 things from AskMen.com:

1. Drink some water. A glass of water will activate your   body and wake up your head as well.
2. Eat lunch every day. Your body dips into ready blood sugar reserves to keep you going when you don’t eat regularly. When you get sleepy with no lunch in you, this means you have run out of reserves.
3. Take a short break. Stand up and stretch – don’t need to be over the top, with yawn etc., just get up on your feet, shake out your toes and fingers, roll your head. If you can, walk for a couple of minutes. Getting circulation moving wakes you up.
4. Move. Work out a gym at lunch. The increased metabolic rate will keep you awake for the afternoon. Failing that, instead of an email to a co-worker, walk over, walk up some stairs – get your blood flowing!
5. Work on a different task. Routine leads to boredom. Boredom leads to sleepy. Change it up – do something creative or engaging.
6. Interact with coworkers. Strike up a conversation at the copy machine – to someone’s desk rather than email. It will break up the routine (see 5.) and get you moving.
7. Take a siesta. 15 minutes of power nap will clear your decks for action.
8. Have a snack. As part of your diabetes reversal, this should be raw almonds or raw vegetables, about a palm full will do it, when accompanied by water.
9. Splash your face with cold water. Just like a morning shower, this change of sensory input will snap you out of your lethargy.
10. Turn down the heat. Warmth brings on naps. If you can’t because of cubical mate complaints, dress lighter.
11. Get more natural light. More light keeps you alert. Work where you look out a window. Can’t do that? Use a desk lamp – the closer light source will brighten up colors and keep you engaged in your surroundings.
12. Focus on your plans after work. First, make a list of what you have left to accomplish before the end of the work day. Then you can consider what you are going to be up to after work – movie with your honey? Going out with the buds? Giving yourself a time you need to get out of work as well as a list of things to be done before that time will get you out of the sleepy rut you are in.

Is it more than a slump? Get to bed earlier – more sleep at night will give you reserves for the day.

Another issue may be that you don’t want to be at the thing you are doing for work, or it may be an ongoing issue like depression or relationship stress. Assess the situation with an honest eye. Find what you think it may be and take action to change it.

In any case, if you find your energy is leaking away after lunch regularly, you need to get over the reason why it’s happening. It may be that you need to make a lifestyle change – more exercise, or modify your diet to cut out simple carbohydrates that spike you blood sugar and then crash it as your body reacts with excess insulin.

Make the positive changes and you will find that you work better and enjoy what you are doing. Afterwards, you will have more energy for evening social activities

A BANKERS PASSION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Ladi Balogun

In the club of bank bosses Ladi- Balogun stands out as a brilliant banker. Youthful and debonair, the group managing director and chief executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has won plaudits with his hardwork, knack for innovation as well as inspiring roles in the transformation of First City enterprise into a financial behemoth.

But even in his apparent exultant position, the chief executive’s accomplishments could only be said to be modest compared to the achievements of his father, Subomi Balogun, the acclaimed doyen and titan of Nigeria’s financial sector and founder of the First City group whose shoes are still considered too big for today’s industry leaders.

But it would be wrong to assume that as a scion of a banking dynasty, Ladi’s respect would only come from the industry for the younger Balogun has been digging new grounds outside the family profession. More than any other chief executive in the country Balogun is romancing the environment in a manner that is already touching lives in a refreshing manner.

In the last couple of years, the chief executive has been steering the bank in the direction that is stimulating to the global cause for the preservation and protection of the environment to the extent that environmental and climate change concerns now constitute an important plank of FCMB’s corporate social responsibility.

Balogun and the bank have been in the forefront of promoting environmental conservation in the country along the line of developing partnerships that encourage economic independence and opportunities for human development. “Our ongoing CSR journey enables us to ensure our actions transcend cultural barriers, and address both social and economic challenges,” he says.

“This can be seen in the promotion of environmental conservation around our branches and our homes, and the development of partnerships that encourage economic independence and opportunities for human development.” Through its environmental sustainability initiative tagged ‘Committed to Green’ (C2G), the bank has deployed enormous resources and energy, promoting nationwide awareness campaign via a social engagement arrangement to sensitise and educate the people on the benefit of cultivating an environmentally friendly behaviour across the country.