WORDPRESS OR BLOGGER:HOW TO RUN YOUR OWN NEWS WEBSITE

 By Niyi Tabiti

For sometime people have been asking me questions such as Wordpress or Blogger-which one is the best blogging platform? I strongly believe that Blogger is the ultimate. The flexibility of blogger is cool but on the other hand, web designers have made a lot of great themes on wordpress.

RUNNING A NEWS WEBSITE
Running your own news website come with a lot of challenges.It is better imagined than experienced. Some years ago, i use to believe that it ends with registering a domain name and just write and post pictures.
  Want to stat your own serious news website?Then ask yourself
 (1) Whats the news website all about
(2) The target audiance
(3) whats the layout going to look like. The design should have easy navigation tools with visible links that want to make readers see more.
(4) How reliable is your internet provider?
(5) How many people are in your team?
(6) How do i make money from the news website?
(7) If you are hosting the website on your own and you are envisaging steady growth, then you must prepare ahead.You just be joking if you are not hosting on your own dedicated server.It cost a lot of money to run a real news website. From paying writers to hiring page designers and getting technical assistants/managers to handle the hosting and other problems that require urgent attention.
8) How reliable is your host? It would be embarrassing to open your website to see stuff like bandwith exceeded!

40 designers from 21 countries are set to rock Luanda at the 2nd Annual Fashion Business Angola from 14 to 16 October

   In a co-organization between FIL – International Fair of Luanda - and the Angolan Ministry of Mining, Geology and Industry, over 130 exhibitors in fashion, apparel, costume, jewellery, accessories and beauty will gather for the biggest fashion and beauty expo on the continent.

 

“Angola is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa, as such it is the perfect locale to celebrate fashion on the continent. My vision is to make Angola the go to destination for Fashion from Africa.

After the success of the first edition, I am encouraged to realise this dream,” says Mr Matos Cardoso, the President of the Board of FIL Angola, and the man behind Fashion Business Angola.

 

World-renowned Portuguese design duo Alves Gonçalves join this year’s line-up, which boasts 7 designers from South Africa, including heavy weights such as Klûk CGDT and David Tlale who both boast accolades such as Designer of the Year, respectively.

 

Two designers from North Africa, Salah Barka of Tunisia and Soucha of Egypt will also join the line-up of designers.

 

“We have been working hard to make the 2nd chapter of Fashion Business Angola even more successful than the inaugural event,” says Jan Malan of Umzingeli, the show's Fashion Director. “Fashion Business Angola has the potential to unify and bring together the fragmented fashion industry on the continent.”

 

Also invited to show their best work at Fashion Business Angola are three fashion week platforms: Dakar Fashion Week that was recently held by Adama Paris; Colour in the Desert Fashion Week, which was held Botswana headed up by Mpho Kuaho; as well as Swahili Fashion Week from Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania under the auspices of Mustafa Hassanali.

 

“Fashion Business Angola is not just about shows. It's about the business of networking designers, manufacturers and retailers across Africa and promoting African resources on African soil to a local and international audience,” says Malan.

 

26 international models representing 10 countries worldwide will be flown in by TAAG, the national airline of Angola from Rio, London, Paris, Johannesburg and Cape Town. 

Celebrating Angola’s win at Miss Universe, Fashion Business Angola will also be celebrating successful international models that hail from Angola. Sharam Dinez will fly in from London and Roberta Narciso, a top 10 winner in the 2010 Elite Model Look, will fly in from Paris, fresh from featuring in the most recent spate of fashion weeks in Europe.  Nayma  Mingas, Angola’s most successful modelling export will make a special appearance.

 

For the full list of participating designers please contact Jan Malan at janmalan@janmalan.com or Tatiana Augusto at tatiana.augusto@fil-angola.co.ao

HOW TOP PRESENTER DEJI FALOPE's WEDDING PLAN TO DIVINE LOGICO CRASHED+HOW FIANCEE ORGANISED POLICE TO BEAT HIM UP

 These days, many Nigerian celebrities know and feel the urgent inevitable need to draw and stay closer to God as there have been many mishaps in recent times, from Dagrin and mc Loph to frank edoho and one of Nigeria’s multi award winning veteran television presenters; Deji who currently has reasons to thank God again as he has barely escaped a deadly assault on his life by the skin of his teeth from what we gathered to be a crazy ex-girlfriend, a plan that will make Satan applaud with a standing ovation and throw an award ceremony with one nominee and one winner. Some say he must have prayerful friends and family and here is why. 

  In the past one year, Deji has survived 2 near fatal bike accidents where he lost 2 of his 4 high speed power bikes and came out relatively unharmed after a few days in hospital and was again almost robbed on his way from shows at victoria island more than once by armed gun men during 2010 Christmas season along apongbon under bridge. This time, Deji has escaped being trapped in what could have been a fatal relationship for him with a certain half Philippine half Benin lady, Divine Logico.

 According to our sources, after meeting Deji two years ago at a show and being casual friends, Divine Logico of Dudutunez animation and management company for terry the rap man and ijeoma approached Deji back stage while he was on tour asking for his help with her family’s financial and medical problems, she hounded Deji’s assistant, Victor for months before receiving audience and opened up to Deji about her mother being in hospital from diabetes and high blood pressure. 

Deji beaten to a pulp by policemen

  She pleaded with Deji to use his family’s medical connections to help her mother. Deji, being a kind hearted philanthropist volunteering in various charities like HOPE worldwide caring for hiv infected people and orphaned children is always eager to help young people so he obliged this while he was back stage and started making calls to various top Nigerian hospitals in Nigeria where his father, a renowned medical doctor and former secretary general of the Nigerian medical association was well respected. 

  Divine and Deji became close in the following months during which he was allegedly very close with the popular singer may7ven, daughter to popular footballer Segun Odegbami. Sources say Divine became jealous of Deji’s relationship with may7ven and offered to be a part of the birthday party Deji was throwing for may7ven so she can be close to and keep an eye on Deji.

About 5 months after may7ven returned to the UK, Divine became quite close to Deji fast and often played the good wife by cooking for him and his friends in his Ikeja house and going out on various dates with him to the movies, weddings and even bowling. The following months found the couple discussing about seriously moving in together and Divine got a few of her friends including former colleague from Hip on TV, Mr Femi to show herself and Deji some new houses in Ikeja area where she would like them to move into.

 Divine introduced him to her mother and Deji began supporting Divine who the mother claimed was the bread winner in her family. He helped Divine secure a light blue Acura MDS car and with the new house at number 20 Peggy osibor street magodo isheri as Divine and her family were recently ejected from their home at number 4 ayo fasugba street in the same estate. Everything seemed fine until Deji had to put feelings aside and look at his current relationship more objectively.

Deji’s friends became suspicious when Divine began “borrowing” so much property from his house. Divine borrowed various property like both his 42 inch LG flat screen LED televisions, his Samsung galaxy tab phones, video game consoles and cash in the amount of hundreds of thousands of naira to solve her family problems. 

  She claimed that besides her mother’s health, her father had immigration problems and could not stay at home; her sister and the child she claimed was her niece had not attended school for over 2 years. Also she claimed she had debts and the loan sharks were about to take her to court. Also she claimed that she had an outstanding debt to her former boss Ayo Animashaun of hip TV after purchasing split air conditioning systems in the company name on credit from suppliers and her father had been unable to pay the debt. She claimed that the company was going to take her to court.

 Deji asked some of our sources who are childhood friends for advice and they agreed to help him investigate the family further. Upon investigation, shocking revelations came to light about Divine Logico’s many lies and Deji was in shock for days and was considering leaving the country on vacation due to the mental and psychological stress that followed.

  Deji insisted to his close friends that the investigation had to be cleared before Deji would agree to commence the door knocking ceremony which Divine’s family had scheduled for the 8th of October 2011 as Divine and her family had begun introducing Divine as Deji’s wife to all his relatives at Deji’s sister’s naming ceremony in Lagos.

Deji was appalled that Divine and her family seemed desperate with actions at the naming ceremony and expressed his concern to Divine, saying they should slow things down and even go on a break for a while since he still had many un answered questions; that’s when all hell broke loose.

 Also Deji was concerned that Divine and her family were desperate for Deji to introduce them to more celebrities and coerced him to introduce them to Mercy Johnson, KC of Kc Presh and a few others. Divine’s family hustled Mercy Johnson for invitations to her wedding with Odi and were desperate to meet more celebrities. 

 She even requested that Deji speak to the Emcee of the Wedding AY announce them together. Deji reluctantly agreed, but stylishly declined taking photos in public since he prefers to keep his relationship private. When we called Deji for comment on this matter and revealed part of our investigation, he asked for our sources and did not comment further on the matter.

According to our sources, upon the much needed investigation Deji family realised that Divine had told him so many lies. Her father who she claimed was on business in Nigeria was actually an illegal immigrant and was on the run from the Nigerian immigration after allegedly conducting illegal businesses in Nigerian and was holed up in Ikeja. 

 The six year old child Laurina who Divine claimed was her niece was actually a love child between Divine Logico and her father Mr David Logico which she bore for him six years before. At this point Deji called his family and asked them to keep their distance till he could investigate further.  Deji later discovered that Divine and her mother had been communicating with members of his family behind his back on matters to do with international business as Deji’s mother is a business woman conducting businesses in parts of Europe and Nigeria.

Deji discovered that Divine and her family were about to send forged scam documents to his mother in Europe with the guise of conducting business with her company. The business she asked Deji’s family in London to help with is alleged to be a scam to defraud a certain martin rose. Deji’s family contacted him and he asked them to stall till he could find out what was really going on. At this point the pressure was too much for Deji and he decided to step back a bit from Divine and her family saying things had snow balled too fast. 

 Divine got angered when Deji broke up the relationship and stopped picking her calls especially after she and her mother she asked him to help with the alleged scam and he declined.

After Deji put the relationship on hold, Divine and her family approached Deji’s sister and begged her to speak to Deji on her behalf. Our sources confirmed that Divine's mother is in the habit of coercing potential suitors whom she felt into marriage with her daughters and in fact Divine's immediate elder sister Toyin was in one of such relationships. 

  Divines elder sister Toyin's husband, Chris, was arrested by the police in Abuja and forced to marry Toyin, Divine's sister under duress as orchestrated by Divines mother. Divines grandfather used to be with the Nigerian police and Divines mother exploits his influence within the police force for her purposes. Currently the unlucky young man Chris is married to Toyin, Divine's elder sister and lives in the mother's boy’s quarters with their baby in the same compound. Our sources say Divines mother runs the marriage and attempted to do the same to Deji about the time when he called off the relationship. The Logico family were then in financial peril as Deji has stopped paying all their bills and Divine could not return the funds she had allegedly borrowed. Also since Divine and her mother could not get Deji to agree back into the relationship after Deji’s sister failed to persuade him and she resorted to speak to Deji directly again. Divine was provoked when Deji did not return any of her calls and also that of her mother's. Eventually Divine and her mother called Deji’s mother in Europe. She responded that Deji was an adult and could make his own decisions, that it was ungodly to force a man into any relationship. She also said if Deji called off the relationship, he must have his reasons. She however agreed to speak with him and inquire what was happening. One of our sources was with Deji when he received his mother’s call and explained the whole situation. His conclusion was that he wouldn't rush or jump into any marriage now, he is still young and needed to clarify Divines family further. Also he mentioned that a broken relationship is better than a broken marriage. 

  Further investigation revealed that one major reason that Divine was desperate to settle down with Deji was because he is already taking care of her whole family and was about to send her sister and the child she claimed was her niece to Europe to stay with his family and commence education as they had been at home for over 2 years due to lack of funds.
Also as Deji declined to be part Divine's family business due to many unsettling facts about her father’s immigration status plus the proposed deal with the alleged martin rose of askari aero parts and many other grey areas, as he had told her that he would only support the company he registered for her called "Divine Gracia Logico ltd", since he could track her business progress this way and ensure she wasn’t involved in any unbecoming “business”. Divine agreed but her mother felt offended and considered Deji's refusal to be a part of the family business as an insult to her personally.
At this point, Divine and her family went to Deji's sister house again, when Deji's sister could not reach him, they left her house on Saturday 10th November and headed for Deji’s house. They tailed him from Ikeja under bridge according to our sources to his Ikeja home. When Divine confronted Deji outside his house and requested they go inside to discuss all what was going on, Deji got suspicious and declined saying he had to rush out for an event and they should talk briefly outside and he would see her later. Divine asked that she wanted to pick up a few of her things from his house. Deji obliged that she should come alone but a few minutes after Divine entered his house, her mother barged in with some other members of her family. They demanded that Deji sit and have a talk with the family on behalf of Divine all in the presence of some of Deji’s staff.

Divine and her mother had then called a few of her police friends and claimed Deji was going to expose their family secrets. They confiscated his phone and began deleting pictures Deji had taken while he dated Divine and all other details to do with Divine and her family. They attacked Deji when he tried to leave the scene so he told his assistant to call his lawyer as his phone was seized by the police, and proceeded to area F police station where a certain Inspector Daniel upon seeing Deji, acknowledging that he had followed his career closely as a fan and hearing the allegations scolded Divine and her mother for being ungrateful and unfair to Deji who had catered for her family. 

  He advised Divine to keep her mother out of her relationship with Deji. He also scolded the police men for even taking Deji's phone as Deji's lawyer who got to the police station mid-way through all the drama warned that that was a chargeable offence. One of the police women commented that it was women like Divine who would spoil the few good men for the rest of the ladies. 

 The police then asked Deji if he wanted to continue the relationship. Deji said an emphatic NO. He said God allowed this incident to happen as it had clarified the kind of family Divine Logico was from and that he and his family wanted nothing to do with them. Deji's lawyer also added that as long as they left him alone, he would not press charges as Deji didn't want the media attention. Everyone should go their separate ways. Deji decided to let go of all the property and cash that Divine had borrowed from him which she wanted to use to furnish her office; dudutunes studios in Ikeja all for the sake of peace and was glad that he hadn't agreed to the date of the introduction.

All this was on Saturday. On Monday Divine began calling Deji's family apologizing for the incident and requested to meet with Deji to iron things out. Deji at that time had travelled for an event but expressed over the phone that he still stood his ground on not wanting anything to do with Divine and her family. Divine then proceeded to speak to Deji's pastor. a certain pastor Shadrach Obasa of international churches of Christ.

After Divine could not get audience with Deji, she became desperate calling one of our sources who is Deji's childhood friend to reach out to him. Our source revealed to Divine that Deji was done with the relationship and that everything was too complicated. In all, he was most offended that Divine lied about the love child between herself and her father and couldn't trust her again. He just wanted to be left alone. Divine wouldn't take no for an answer and kept pushing Deji's pastor to get him to attend a sit down meeting to resolve the relationship. At this point, all members of Deji's family had cut off all communication from Divine and her family as Deji's lawyer, barrister Sam advised. Deji went back to his normal life and had a thanks giving service at his church our sources say. Divine immediately went to Deji’s sister’s house a pharmacist married with 2 children and asked that she speak to Deji to get back into the relationship. Deji declined then Divine went to Deji’s pastor. Deji granted audience to his pastor but declined to meet with the family.

At this point Divine was infuriated and lied to the police that Deji threatened to expose her family secrets again. Divine came to Deji’s house at 6 am on the 23rd September Friday with the guise to the police that Deji’s other female friends were harassing her and threatening her life. 

 When Deji got the station with his lawyer and publicist Mr Hazeez Balogun, who had placed a call to the Public relations department of the police to declare Deji missing, Divine and her mother admitted that they had been trying to talk to Deji for a while to forgive Divine and he was being difficult. The police got angry about being used for a fool’s errand especially after they realised who Deji was. Eventually Divine asked about the future of the relationship in front of the police and her family and Deji still declined and got his lawyer to restrain Divine and whole Logico family legally from coming anywhere close to him or his family or even contacting him in anyway. 

 The Logico family then begged that Deji not expose the family secrets with regards to the alleged scam and how they had embarrassed him twice in his house. Deji agreed still on the condition that Divine would leave him and his family alone forever and return the property Divine had borrowed from him. Divine had collected two 42 inch flat screen televisions, some video game consoles, galaxy tab pads amongst other items to furnish her office at dudutunes in Adeniyi Jones Ikeja.

At the time of press Deji Falope has been unavailable for comment and his lawyer and publicist are expected with a press release soon.

also investigations are underway into the alleged scam. stay tuned

INSIDE SOURCES:PROBLEM IN AIRTEL NIGERIA,COMPANY REDUCES STAFF SALARY

Sunil Bharti Mittal, the billionaire owner of Airtel

 Many would remember that over the past few months, there have remained several disagreements between staff of Airtel, Nigeria and the company’s management over several issues; issues which have led two 2 strike actions within the past 5 months. It should be noted that before now, Airtel’s Call Centre had been run by the subcontracted Nigerian firms: CCSNL, HR Index and Bezaleel.
 Barely three months after the Indians took over from ZAIN, they introduced their own Subcontracting firms: Tech Mahindra and Spanco BPO to ultimately take over from the Nigerians that have until now run the Abuja and Lagos call centre and the shops as well.
Fast forward: June, 2011. The Indians decided to make some organizational ‘adjustments’. Adjustments that led to the first strike action by the Abuja Call Centre agents. It was decided by the Company’s management that all staff who had gone on leave would be unpaid for those days not worked for; pregnant women to be indiscriminately sacked, termination of medical insurance and delay in the payment of June Salaries.
 This led to the first strike action which led to the total downing of tools by the Abuja Call Centre agents; an action which led to all customers’ calls being routed to the Lagos call centre. A day later, management had a change of mind and paid staff salaries, the payment of staff salaries that had been on leave and the enrolment of all staff in the National Health Insurance Scheme.
July 18, 20011. Airtel had declared excessive profits from the 2010 year and decided to award CERTAIN staff bonuses ranging into the millions of naira. One would think this largesse would go round all workers but the Indians decided that some staff where MORE EQUAL than others. Call Centre Agents that did 60% of the work were neglected. Also, staff that joined the call centre from November, 2010 till date were never given the benefits of staff lines prompting them to recharge their lines like any other network subscriber (imagine living by the ocean and washing your face with spittle).
 These issues led to a strike which involved the NLC that lasted over a week and a half. Finally, certain agreement were reached and the company promised to pay bonuses ON OR BEFORE 31ST AUGUST 2011 as contained in a communiqué issued to all staff; an agreement which it has not been acknowledged till date.
Monday, 19th September, 2011. After a meeting between Airtel Managent and their subcontracting Indian firms, Spanco Bpo, Tech Mahindra, and representatives of the workers union, it was decided unanimously by Airtel that ‘all staff salaries, effective from 1st October, 2011, would be reduced by at least 60%’ because “…the company needs to survive as the salaries were to hectic for the company to bear’.
 As such, call Centre Agents that have since the last two years earned N74,070 would now earn N29600; ‘Junior’ supervisors that have earned N180,000 would now earn N72,000 and some Assistant Managers that have earned N240,000 would now earn N96,000 per month!!!! Imagine Airtel ‘needing’ to survive after a $10.7 billion takeover of Zain, the highest ever trans-continental transaction
Now, with N29,600, how would Call Centre Agents, for instance, pay house rents that range between N80,000 and N450,000 in Lagos and Abuja, buy food, tend to their respective families/friends’ needs then clothe themselves. Seemingly, this is highly IMPOSSIBLE with the newly proposed Airtel salary structures. A corper, for intstance would earn as much as an Airtel Call Centre agent.
Sandeepn Nair, one of the mangers the Indians brought over was quoted to have said that the call centre job was a job not meant for graduates, since it was so in his country. He also claimed that he started work as a call centre agent in his country (a country that tolerates child labour) at the age of 14! Now at 29, his is a ‘proud’ call centre manager. There have been other indications that the proposed salary reduction was due to the ‘extravagant’ life styles (according to the Indians) of the call centre agents at the Abuja call centre.
 When one visits the Airtel Call Centre at Abuja during a typical shift, several flashy cars are seen parked and it could be mistaken for a car shop. The Indians on the other hand who earn FAR MORE than the workers still chatter cabs to take them to their various destinations. Also, at the staff canteen, while at least 3 Indian mangers ALWAYS share a plate of rice with a bottle of 7up, call centre agents eat lavishly, and individually as well. (Seriously, no pun intended).
One thing the Indians REALLY need to understand is to ‘act like Romans while in Rome’. This is Nigeria! The fact that India permits child labour, Indian-call-centres-run-by-school-drop-outs and the unschooled and peanuts being earned as salaries doesn’t mean it can work in Nigeria. Nigerians would prefer to ‘get rich or die trying’. Fact!
 Unless a consensus is reached between Airtel’s management and Workers union before 30th September, 2011 on NO SALARY REDUCTION, don’t be surprised when you call the Airtel Call Centre with your line’s issues and being unable to go through. Workers are ready to down tools again for as long as possible to press home their demands as there is a planned match to the National Assembly to press home issues.
It should be noted that inhumane working conditions are also being experienced by workers at the Indian run Delta Steel Company at Aladja, Warri, Delta State.eleme petro chemical port Harcourt
 Ps: kindly forgive if the word “Indian(s)” used mostly in this article sounds racist. This is because ‘a spade has to be called a spade’

COUPLES OF THE WEEK

Obiora Obiwon, a music star and composer is our pick for the week.The university of Nigeia graduate recently got married to Ngozi Ezeife, his long time girlfriend.
 They look very happy together. We congratulate them. And to those top stars who keep 'sampling' all naija babes and lying to the media that they have not seen the right woman, well...
 In a related development, Gistmaster gathered that top Lagos socialite and Chairman of Atlantic Autos, Chief Charles Ahinze who got married recently to Maureen a former beauty queen (She was Miss Malaika) is already rocking his honeymoon with every line of enjoyment. The couple choose Dubai and UK as their honeymoon destination point. 
-By Niyi Tabiti

NIGERIA BANS SAME SEX MARRIAGE

  Unlike some parts of Europe and United States where same sex marriage is legally permitted between homosexuals and lesbians, the Nigerian Government has condemned it, saying that the practice is immoral and ungodly.
Gistmaster gathered from the bill passed today by the Nigeria Senate (upper house of parliament), anyone who contract same marriage would be arrested and charged to court. The punishment attracts jail term. Anyone seen to have also encouraged such marriage would also be punished jailed but with an option of N50,000 as fine.
 President Goodluck Jonathan will have to sign the bill before it can finally become law. Those in the know strongly believe that Nigerian president will not think twice before signing it into law.

KOKOMASTER, DBANJ NOT ARRESTED FOR COCAINE SMUGGLING-DON JAZZY TWEETED

  Award winning producer and leader of Mo'hits records, Don Jazzy has denied recent insinuations that Dbanj was arrested in New York for smuggling substance suspected to be Cocaine. Don Jazzy tweeted about it some days ago, laughing at the report which he tagged baseless and unfounded.
 He disclosed that Dbanj was never in New York at the time the incident reportedly happened.Rather D'banj was on his way from Ghana to Lagos, so how come Dbanj was arrested, could it have been that he needed a transit visa from New York before he can come from Accra to Lagos? he queried.
 Gistmaster gathered that ever since the story of Dbanj's arrested hit town, he has not been happy at all. Ofcourse, he is thinking towards the direction of detractors  who are jealous of his success in the industry.
  D'banj, real name Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo has become one of Nigeria's highest earning music stars. He released his debut album No Long Thing in 2005 and ever since then, he profile has been on the rise. At his second album launch, he had the likes of Governor Fashola of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and others in attendance.
Dbanj is currently signed on GOOD music owned by American born music star Kanye West
-By Niyi Tabiti