Naija babes in Barcelona rocking it... Gbedu Nite (Series 1a)

Is this REAL? Kanye West stand with JESUS...

Kanye West stand with Jesus...

Kanye West kicked off his 'Yeezus' tour in Seattle, yesterday Saturday October 19th and before his performance of his College Dropout hit song, Jesus Walks, a man dressed as Jesus walked on stage and Kanye jokingly asked "White Jesus, is that you?… Oh, shit!,". Later, Kanye and his female back-up dancers bowed to the Jesus look-alike as he stood on the mountain top.

Kendrick Lamar was Kanye's opening act. He performed a nine-song set which included songs off his "good kid, m.a.a.d. city" album.

Waoh... Popular singer Ashanti shows off her figure 8 in a hot bikini.

The 33yr old singer showed off her hourglass bikini body in a patterned strapless bikini as she soaked up the sunshine in Malibu, California. She shared the photos on her instagram page…

All about PROSTITUTION by Nigerians from Edo State.

Love and Relationship: 7 Stages of Love in Relationship

“Today I love you more than yesterday, but less than tomorrow”… Does the feeling of love grow and keep getting better with every day? Yes, to a certain point of your relationship love has several stages where it starts transforming from an innocent attraction to an unconditional love. Here are seven steps to peak of love:

The Start. In this stage love is a very vulnerable feeling that depends on you just like a baby needs his mother to be suckled. If you manage to behave with this feeling in a gentle and subtle way, you will achieve the upcoming stage of the more mature love. Passion. You want it all and right now! Any hesitation or unfulfilled wishes evoke an inner anxiety. If you’re together, everything seems splendid; if something goes wrong-you can’t find peace. It is quite common that despite the strong feeling from both of the partners, couples can’t get over this stage. Impulsive behavior typical to this stage evokes the conflicts and don’t let move on. Read about this in my website below.

Illusions. You are fascinated by your partner, you see him/her totally perfect and your life seems so complete. This illusion becomes a serious obstacle for a true love, because this prevents you from getting to know your partner for real. In this stage couples need to choose whether to fly in their dreams or start creating a harmonic relationship. Friendship. This stage is co called not because passion disappears, but because both partners start to know each other better and also start listening to each other. It strengthens the interrelation.

Tenderness. In this stage both partners build a strong intimacy which is important for further harmonic relationship. If any tension arises, only with attention and tact along with tenderness can it all be solved.

The Deep. Partners feel deep feelings for each other. They are happy together, even if the previously felt passion calmed down. It is replaced with a sincere attachment and affection, common life and hobbies which are pleasant for both of them.

Unconditional Love. This stage of love lets partners take each other the way they are, discover new horizons and save their love for the years to come. And if you want to maintain this love for eternity, you have to fall in love with your partner every single day…

So in what stage is your love? I‘m sure your love triumphs and gets stronger and stronger.
But if your situation is more complicated: you are thinking about breaking up with your partner, lover.

Who says women are not chameleons?

She is just 25 years or less and a sight. She has the innocent and pretty face of an angel, but the heart of a jezebel. A traitor! She’s a telephone operator and by the virtue of her work, meets a lot of people.The phone call centre is situated right on a street, which has many high profile buildings. Such buildings naturally house the rich. But she is not doing it for money! Maybe for a sadistic pleasure?

Who knows!Did you just ask me what I’m rambling about? Please hold your peace! I will gist you. They call her Gift. What a lovely name, you will say. Ha! A beautiful name, for a bad girl. What’s in a name anyway? People say, names shape us, but quite a good number of people insist that names are just words and pronunciations to give somebody an identity.

What do you think?Nobody can really state what Gift’s problem is, but the truth is that she doesn’t go after single men, except married ones.These days, because we are in a morally decadent society, people no longer view banging a married man as wrong. Indeed, people now have names for those that have an aversion for an affair with married men. They call them prude!My thinking is, what you can’t take, don’t do it to somebody else.

If a married man comes with his eager manhood, seeking where to plunge it into and ease its tension, ask yourself how you, as a babe, will feel, if you one day discover that your husband, man, lover, had been cheating on you.Let me not get carried away. I am on this case of Gift. The way she goes about dating these men is what I really don’t like. How you ask?She makes friends with their wives, then turns around to sleep with their husbands.

You wouldn’t believe it that it was actually those gullible women that usually introduced their husbands to her.She calls the men, broda and the wives, auntie. With her disarming toothpaste smile, she makes the ladies lower their guards, invite her into their homes and soon, …she strikes, nailing their husbands’ on a four poster bed, in a posh hotel room.Gift’s modus operandi is very simple. Most wives go to the business centre where she works to make calls. It’s usually there; she snares them with her charming smile and nice manners. Once she has made their acquaintances, she starts greeting them everyday whenever she sees them walking past. Soon, the relationship develops to the extent that she begins to visit the women at home.When you see their husbands’ going to Gift’s shop to make calls, know that she had nailed that one.

The men pretend they go to make calls, but the truth is that, they go there to fix appointments on where she will meet them.Since it’s a small community, tongues wag, but the smart babe had never been caught red-handed. But we all know.

The wives are usually the sucker in the game. The last to even have inkling.Just two weeks ago, one of the wives paid her a visit at her shop. After the fulsome greetings, the woman said: “My dear Gift, a friend of mine has a problem, I need your advice. She has a friend, whom she discovered was dating her husband. She doesn’t know what to do. What do you advise me to tell her?”Gift, unaware that the woman was referring to her, advised her to tell her friend to have a showdown with the friend.The aggrieved wife heaved a heavy sigh and said: “So now I am telling you, stay away from my husband!”I really don’t understand why this young lady takes so much pleasure in sleeping with her supposed friends’ husbands. Personally, I think she needs to see a shrink. What do you say?Ironically, she came from a Christian home.

I heard her Papa and Mama are very thick with Baba God. According to the gist, when her parents first noticed that unholy light in her eyes, they had prayed and fasted to exorcise it, but for where? Dog wey go lost, he no dey hear him master’s whistle!They prayed all they could, but still like a mad woman, Gift ran away from home, right into the market square, so to say. The market square called, Lagos. She now lives with a woman she knows next to nothing about. It is from the woman’s home that she goes to this shop where she works as a phone operator. How could a girl, born into a Christian family, turn out so bad? Beats me! Except for Baba God, who can understand the vagaries of the human nature and heart? Definitely not Julie! No way!Last week, she lamented to Every Dick and Harry who cared to listen that a friend of hers was getting married. She wondered aloud when her own Mr. Right would waltz into her life. I laughed. How can Mr. Right come, when she is spending the greater part of her youth, banging other women’s husbands? Who knows, maybe she wants to marry a married man. Yes, O! After all, there are several such ladies who know the men are already married, and yet will go into such a relationship. I don’t understand it. If na juju, make that juju no go catch me!The one thing I will say to ladies out there, is to be wary of those they call female friends. You just never know which of them is lusting after your husband.

I was discussing with a male friend one day and he told me that his wife’s friends used to make love advances at him. I was disgusted. Women! So terrible, to call somebody your friend and yet go behind to sleep with her husband. If that is not knifing her at the back, I don’t know what is.Another piece of advice to women is this: never discuss your guy, husband with friends. Even if you do, there should be a limit to things you tell a friend.I still remember a babe who was fond of telling her friend that her guy didn’t like giving her money.

The friend advised her to walk away from the relationship. But the lady couldn’t take the advice of her friend. She was too much in love with this guy. She however discovered that her so-called friend had been going behind her, pestering the guy to date her. The friend was so desperate that she was even taking the guy to eateries and spoiling him rotten.Please don’t ask me what later happened. Suffice to say, always keep what you have. Never trust anybody. You never know, the next babe you complain to about your man, may very well be a chameleon, showing you an innocent face, while inside she’s plotting how to snatch your man and wreck your home. Many ladies these days are hot pants!Believe me or not, some of these our husbands, need us to save them from the impulsiveness of their manhood.

Can you marry an older person?

Who should be older in a relationship- the man or the woman? What happens if the woman finds out that the man she wants to marry is younger? Will she go on with the wedding or simply walk away? Should the age difference be an obstacle to true love?

If she’s got what it takes, why not — Kris Amagiya, 2nd runner- up, Star Quest ‘08

I can marry any woman I’m in love with, especially if she’s got something that can make me salivate. You see, marriage is not all about age.

I know you may be asking what love is all about. Love for me is something that develops gradually because I don’t believe in love at first sight. And whether it (love at first sight) exists is something I cannot explain. I know that there must be something about a woman that will attract me to her. Once I’m attracted to her, the next thing is to start nursing this feeling of love for her.When all these things are done, I can’t refuse to marry her, simply because she’s older than me. If she loves me and is equally willing to marry me, then to God be the glory.

Another thing that can make a man change his heart towards anybody are character and carriage. Often, it’s possible for you to love somebody but can’t cope with the person’s character.Certain qualities make a good wife, and today, what we see in the society is the reverse of that noble upbringing that makes up the virtues of a woman. Most society ladies have lost the basics of the home and a lot of them don’t care and don’t even think they should be corrected.

How can you cope with a person that can’t take corrections? Even the Bible says that any man who hates correction is stupid. So, there will be no point trying to put up with such persons. For the sake of love, you’ll try the best you can but you may be forced to move on if he or she is not willing to make a change.

As far as I’m concerned, age is nothing but a number. What is important is that I find that attraction and both of us are in love.What I can see as a challenge is if the woman has passed the age of child bearing. That I may be not be able to stand because I want to have my own biological children. I don’t believe in adoption. Even if I have to do any form of child adoption, it shouldn’t be on the basis of not being able to have my own children but on the ground that I want to assist those motherless children.As a matter of fact, I want to encourage all those who have the resources to please create a means of helping these children.

Gone are those days when Abraham and Sarah, according to the Bible, gave birth at a very old age. We are now in a jet age where we are expected to work out things ourselves. So, whatever you choose is what you’ll live with.If you go marry woman wey you see with your own eyes say she don pass child bearing age, that’s your own headache.I don’t want to start hoping on extraordinary miracles that may never come. I’m saying this because I know that some people will begin to think that after all, God did it in the past, so he’ll do it again. It’s true that God can do all things but you have been given the opportunity to choose what is good for you. So, if I must marry her, she must be of child bearing age. The issue of just whether she’s my senior or junior is not the issue.I want to use this opportunity to advise my fellow young men and women not to count so much on age because age is not maturity.

Maturity comes with the way you think. If you are 20 years but reason like a 30 year- old, then you can function like that person who is 30 years of age. So, all of you out there should start thinking like a matured person. And to the young guys, don’t be scared of approaching any woman that you find attractive, no matter her age.

Age is not maturity— Toyin Aimakhu, Actress

My dear, age does not determine maturity. If the man in question is younger than myself but matured, I don’t think I’ll have a problem marrying him. For every relationship, what matters is love and understanding.If I love him and he loves me in return, nothing will stop me from going ahead to marry him, if he’s willing to marry me. Age does not really determine a happy home.

I’ll marry her only if she’s rich — Dele Adebayo, Civil Servant

The only thing that will make me marry a woman that’s older than myself be say the woman go don hammer or her family is wealthy, that’s all. If not, why should I marry an old woman when there are 1001 younger women calling for my attention?
There is nothing wrong with whether the lady is older than myself or not. But in my own case, I’m going to attach that condition to it.It’s not like I’m not going to love her. No, I’ll surely love her before I can marry her, and whatever attributes in her that brought us together will continue to keep us, not just her money.I also know that wealth can vanish. So, that will not be my first attraction. But for me to start thinking of getting married to her when I know that she’s my senior, I must be sure that she’s made.

Marry her, I’d have sold my birthright,— Bassey Ubong, Civil Servant

It’s not a bad idea at all but I’ll not do it because I can’t stand my elder sister as my wife. Do you remember that my wife is supposed be like a sister and friend to me? Look, I know how to treat my younger ones, so I’ll prefer a younger woman whom I can pamper.

Another factor is the African societal thing. You’ll agree with me that the average black man believes that the man should be superior to his wife. In that sense, living with an older woman will mean that I’ve sold my right as head of the family to her. The African society frowns at things like that and I don’t want to be seen as someone who’s taking advantage of anybody. Some people will even say that there’s an ulterior motive behind the relationship.

There’ll be no peace in the home if — Chidinma Okafor

No, I don’t buy the idea at all. First, our society frowns at such things and I’m not white. I still belong to the same African society. So, I’m not an exception. Besides that, the home is safer when the man is sure that he’s superior to the woman, especially when it comes to this age thing.
You should understand that African men always feel inferior over little things. For example, if you’re taller than your husband, it will create some kind of inferiority in him. Likewise, when he knows that you’re richer than he is. The home will know more peace if he knows that I’m his younger sister than when he’s sure that I’m his elder sister.

Marry a younger man? No way! — Flaky Ididowo, Actress

Ah! Marry a man who’s younger than myself? No way. I’ll prefer to marry an older man who’s more matured than myself. After all, what do I have in this my small head that I’m going to teach a younger husband?Believe it or not, maturity goes a long way to keeping intact a relationship. I know it’s possible for a 40 year- old to be less mature than a 30 year- old. But then, there are certain things that can differ if the same person is given another 10 years.

Abeg, I want a complete matured man for a husband and not all these low waist trouser wearing boys.

WHAT TO LEARN FROM EAGLES..!

Evidently, if you want to attract success the law of attraction states that you need to draw towards it. In order words, you need to affirm it daily, think it, believe it and most of all, stay in close contact with successful people. No one has a monopoly on knowledge, but they definitely know and practice something that many don't - and which works for them every time.

Be inspired as you read the article.

1. Eagles fly alone at a high altitude and not with sparrows or mix with other smaller birds. Birds of a feather flock together. No other bird goes to the height of the eagle. Eagles fly with eagles. Never in a flock. Even when Moses (Old Testament Bible) went to commune with God on the mountain, he left the crowd at the foothills. Stay away from sparrows and ravens. Eagles fly with eagles.

2. Eagles have strong vision, which focuses up to 5 kilometers from the air. When an eagle sites prey- even a rodent from this distance, he narrows his focus on it and sets out to get it. No matter the obstacle, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it. Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacle and you will succeed.


3. Eagles do not eat dead things. He feeds on fresh prey. Vultures eat dead animals but not eagles. Steer clear of outdated and old information. Do your research well always.

4. The Eagle is the only bird that loves the storm. When clouds gather, the eagles get excited. The eagle uses the wings of the storm to rise and is pushed up higher. Once it finds the wing of the storm, the eagle stops flapping and uses the pressure of the raging storm to soar the clouds and glide. This gives the eagle an opportunity to rest its wings.! In the meantime all the other birds hide in the leaves and branches of the trees. We can use the storms of our lives (obstacles, trouble, etc) to rise to greater heights. Achievers relish challenges and use them profitably.


5. The Eagle tests before it trusts. When a female eagle meets a male and they want to mate, she flies down to earth with the male pursing her and she picks a twig. She flies back into the air with the male pursuing her. Once she has reached a height high enough for her, she lets the twig fall to the ground and watches it as it falls. The male chases after the twig. The faster it falls, the faster he chases until he reaches it and has to catch it before it falls to the ground, then bring it back to the female eagle.

The female eagle grabs the twig and flies to a much higher altitude pursued by the male until she perceives it high enough, and then drops the twig for the male to chase. This goes on for hours, with the height increasing until the female eagle is assured that the male eagle has mastered the art of picking the twig which shows commitment, then and only then, will she allow him to mate with her! Whether in private life or in business, one should test commitment of people intended for partnership.


6. Eagles prepare for training. When about to lay eggs, the female and male eagle identify a place very high on a cliff where no predators can reach; the male flies to earth and picks thorns and lays them on the crevice of the cliff, then flies to earth again to collect twigs which he lays in the intended nest. He flies back to earth picks thorns and lays them on top of the twigs.


He flies back to earth and picks soft grass to cover the thorns, and then flies back to pick rugs to put on the grass. When this first layering is complete the male eagle runs back to earth and picks more thorns, lays them on the nest; runs back to get grass and rugs and lays them on top of the thorns, then plucks his feathers to complete the nest.


The thorns on the outside of! the nest protect it from possible intruders. Both male and female eagles participatein raising the eagle family. She lays the eggs and protects them; he builds the nest and hunts. During the time of training the young ones to fly, the mother eagle throws the eaglets out of the nest and because they are scared, they jump into the nest again.


Next, she throws them out and then takes off the soft layers of the nest, leaving the thorns bare. When the scared eaglets jump into the nest again, they are pricked by thorns. Shrieking and bleeding they jump out again this time wondering why the mother and father who love them so much are torturing them.


Next, mother eagle pushes them off the cliff into the air. As they shriek in fear, father eagle flies out andpicks them up on his back before they fall, and brings them back to the cliff. This goes on for sometime until they start flapping their wings. They get excited at this new found knowledge that they can fly and not fall at such a fast rate.


The father and mother eagle supports them with their wings. The preparation of the nest teaches us to prepare for changes; The preparation for the family teaches us that active participation of both partners leads to success; The being pricked by the thorns tells us that sometimes being too comfortable where we are may result into our not experiencing life, not progressing and not learning at all.


We may not know it but the seemingly comfortable and safe haven may have thorns; The people who love us do not let us languish in sloth but push us hard to grow and prosper. Even in their seemingly bad actions they have good intentions for us.


7. When the Eagle grows old, his feathers become weak and cannot take him as fast as he should. When he feels weak and about to die, he retires to a place far away in the rocks.While there, he plucks out every feather on his body until! he is completely bare. He stays in this hiding place until he has grown new feathers, then he can come out. We occasionally need to shed off old habits & items that burden us without adding to our lives...

By TOMTEM.

WHAT TO LEARN FROM EAGLES..!

WHAT TO LEARN FROM EAGLES..! [Photo]Evidently, if you want to attract success the law of attraction states that you need to draw towards it. In order words, you need to affirm it daily, think it, believe it and most of all, stay in close contact with successful people. No one has a monopoly on knowledge, but they definitely know and practice something that many don't - and which works for them every time.Be inspired as you read the article.[Photo]1. Eagles fly alone at a high altitude and not with sparrows or mix with other smaller birds. Birds of a feather flock together. No other bird goes to the height of the eagle. Eagles fly with eagles. Never in a flock. Even when Moses (Old Testament Bible) went to commune with God on the mountain, he left the crowd at the foothills. Stay away from sparrows and ravens. Eagles fly with eagles.2. Eagles have strong vision, which focuses up to 5 kilometers from the air. When an eagle sites prey- even a rodent from this distance, he narrows his focus on it and sets out to get it. No matter the obstacle, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it. Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacle and you will succeed.3. Eagles do not eat dead things. He feeds on fresh prey. Vultures eat dead animals but not eagles. Steer clear of outdated and old information. Do your research well always.[Photo]4. The Eagle is the only bird that loves the storm. When clouds gather, the eagles get excited. The eagle uses the wings of the storm to rise and is pushed up higher. Once it finds the wing of the storm, the eagle stops flapping and uses the pressure of the raging storm to soar the clouds and glide. This gives the eagle an opportunity to rest its wings.! In the meantime all the other birds hide in the leaves and branches of the trees. We can use the storms of our lives (obstacles, trouble, etc) to rise to greater heights. Achievers relish challenges and use them profitably.5. The Eagle tests before it trusts. When a female eagle meets a male and they want to mate, she flies down to earth with the male pursing her and she picks a twig. She flies back into the air with the male pursuing her. Once she has reached a height high enough for her, she lets the twig fall to the ground and watches it as it falls. The male chases after the twig. The faster it falls, the faster he chases until he reaches it and has to catch it before it falls to the ground, then bring it back to the female eagle.The female eagle grabs the twig and flies to a much higher altitude pursued by the male until she perceives it high enough, and then drops the twig for the male to chase. This goes on for hours, with the height increasing until the female eagle is assured that the male eagle has mastered the art of picking the twig which shows commitment, then and only then, will she allow him to mate with her! Whether in private life or in business, one should test commitment of people intended for partnership.6. Eagles prepare for training. When about to lay eggs, the female and male eagle identify a place very high on a cliff where no predators can reach; the male flies to earth and picks thorns and lays them on the crevice of the cliff, then flies to earth again to collect twigs which he lays in the intended nest. He flies back to earth picks thorns and lays them on top of the twigs.He flies back to earth and picks soft grass to cover the thorns, and then flies back to pick rugs to put on the grass. When this first layering is complete the male eagle runs back to earth and picks more thorns, lays them on the nest; runs back to get grass and rugs and lays them on top of the thorns, then plucks his feathers to complete the nest.The thorns on the outside of! the nest protect it from possible intruders. Both male and female eagles participatein raising the eagle family. She lays the eggs and protects them; he builds the nest and hunts. During the time of training the young ones to fly, the mother eagle throws the eaglets out of the nest and because they are scared, they jump into the nest again.Next, she throws them out and then takes off the soft layers of the nest, leaving the thorns bare. When the scared eaglets jump into the nest again, they are pricked by thorns. Shrieking and bleeding they jump out again this time wondering why the mother and father who love them so much are torturing them.Next, mother eagle pushes them off the cliff into the air. As they shriek in fear, father eagle flies out andpicks them up on his back before they fall, and brings them back to the cliff. This goes on for sometime until they start flapping their wings. They get excited at this new found knowledge that they can fly and not fall at such a fast rate.The father and mother eagle supports them with their wings. The preparation of the nest teaches us to prepare for changes; The preparation for the family teaches us that active participation of both partners leads to success; The being pricked by the thorns tells us that sometimes being too comfortable where we are may result into our not experiencing life, not progressing and not learning at all.We may not know it but the seemingly comfortable and safe haven may have thorns; The people who love us do not let us languish in sloth but push us hard to grow and prosper. Even in their seemingly bad actions they have good intentions for us.7. When the Eagle grows old, his feathers become weak and cannot take him as fast as he should. When he feels weak and about to die, he retires to a place far away in the rocks.While there, he plucks out every feather on his body until! he is completely bare. He stays in this hiding place until he has grown new feathers, then he can come out. We occasionally need to shed off old habits & items that burden us without adding to our lives...By TOMTEM.

TOMTEM

"It's good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it's good, too, to make sure you haven't lost the things that money can't buy." TOMTEM

TOMTEM

"Do not be desirous of having things done quickly. Do not look at small advantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly. Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished."

I wish you all a nice week!
TOMTEM

What Are These People Doing That Allows Them To Be Successful?

What Are These People Doing That Allows Them To Be Successful?

According to the article, millionaires in general have these traits in common:

1. They don't have an earn and spend mentality, instead they focus on saving and investing.
   
2. They are able to focus their efforts on a project and make it successful.
   
3. They're willing to do what it takes to make their ideas successful, even it involves making sacrifices.
   
4. They take calculated risks (In other words, they take risks when they have a chance of paying off).
   
5. They are generous, and share what they've earned and have been blessed with.
   

Excerpt from the article:

1. Avoid the Earn-to-Spend Mentality:   Michael LeBoeuf, author of The Millionaire in You, points out that to increase wealth, it's essential to emulate millionaires who view money as something to save and invest, rather than income to spend. Many wealthy people live quite simply, he points out, choosing less pretentious homes than they could theoretically afford and opting for financial independence over material showmanship.

2. Focus: LeBoeuf also counsels resisting the impulse to be scattered in your efforts and interests: "Winners focus; losers spray." And goals that are clearly written down are easier to keep in focus.

3. Do Whatever Is Necessary to Meet Your Goal:  People who earn their millions are able not only to focus but persevere in the pursuit of their goals. One single mom entrepreneur, Melissa Clark-Reynolds, started her first business, a health and safety consultancy, when she had a young son. En route to her goal of being a millionaire by age 35, Clarke-Reynolds and her son ate lots of pizza, did homework late at night and often slept at the office. She is now a chief executive mentor for Empower New Zealand, a global business consulting firm headquartered in London.

4. Take Calculated Risks:  You have to take strategic risks to earn and grow money. And a little rebelliousness seems to help too. One interesting study found a majority of male millionaire entrepreneurs had been in trouble with school authorities or the police during their adolescence.

5. Be Generous: And why doesn't it surprise us that millionaires are often very generous? Sometimes it's for the tax breaks, obviously, but often it's not. One Jewish Swiss millionaire, for instance, flew to Israel to give $5,000 in cash to a waiter at a Jerusalem café who foiled a Palestinian suicide bombing. Among the most generous of millionaires are those from North America, who are, according to a Merrill Lynch Cap-Gemini report, two to five times more likely to give to causes they value than their European counterparts.

These five habits are a pretty good prescription for living happily even if you're not a millionaire.

So millionaires are savers and investors, focused, dedicated, risk-takers, and generous to a fault. I guess it's not exactly surprising that they've found these things, it stands to reason that in order to be successful you need to be a dedicated hard working person who has integrity and focus. Without it I think the only way you can be successful like these folks is to either be lucky, or extremely unethical.  And gaining wealth through ill means never seems to be as satisfying (or lasting).

Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow. Proverbs 13:11

What Are These People Doing That Allows Them To Be Successful?

What Are These People Doing That Allows Them To Be Successful?

According to the article, millionaires in general have these traits in common:

1. They don't have an earn and spend mentality, instead they focus on saving and investing.
   
2. They are able to focus their efforts on a project and make it successful.
   
3. They're willing to do what it takes to make their ideas successful, even it involves making sacrifices.
   
4. They take calculated risks (In other words, they take risks when they have a chance of paying off).
   
5. They are generous, and share what they've earned and have been blessed with.
   

Excerpt from the article:

1. Avoid the Earn-to-Spend Mentality:   Michael LeBoeuf, author of The Millionaire in You, points out that to increase wealth, it's essential to emulate millionaires who view money as something to save and invest, rather than income to spend. Many wealthy people live quite simply, he points out, choosing less pretentious homes than they could theoretically afford and opting for financial independence over material showmanship.

2. Focus: LeBoeuf also counsels resisting the impulse to be scattered in your efforts and interests: "Winners focus; losers spray." And goals that are clearly written down are easier to keep in focus.

3. Do Whatever Is Necessary to Meet Your Goal:  People who earn their millions are able not only to focus but persevere in the pursuit of their goals. One single mom entrepreneur, Melissa Clark-Reynolds, started her first business, a health and safety consultancy, when she had a young son. En route to her goal of being a millionaire by age 35, Clarke-Reynolds and her son ate lots of pizza, did homework late at night and often slept at the office. She is now a chief executive mentor for Empower New Zealand, a global business consulting firm headquartered in London.

4. Take Calculated Risks:  You have to take strategic risks to earn and grow money. And a little rebelliousness seems to help too. One interesting study found a majority of male millionaire entrepreneurs had been in trouble with school authorities or the police during their adolescence.

5. Be Generous: And why doesn't it surprise us that millionaires are often very generous? Sometimes it's for the tax breaks, obviously, but often it's not. One Jewish Swiss millionaire, for instance, flew to Israel to give $5,000 in cash to a waiter at a Jerusalem café who foiled a Palestinian suicide bombing. Among the most generous of millionaires are those from North America, who are, according to a Merrill Lynch Cap-Gemini report, two to five times more likely to give to causes they value than their European counterparts.

These five habits are a pretty good prescription for living happily even if you're not a millionaire.

So millionaires are savers and investors, focused, dedicated, risk-takers, and generous to a fault. I guess it's not exactly surprising that they've found these things, it stands to reason that in order to be successful you need to be a dedicated hard working person who has integrity and focus. Without it I think the only way you can be successful like these folks is to either be lucky, or extremely unethical.  And gaining wealth through ill means never seems to be as satisfying (or lasting).

Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow. Proverbs 13:11

7 things you shouldn’t do in an economic crisis

7 things you shouldn't do in an economic crisis

1. You shouldn't listen to the media:  Remember the old saying, "If it bleeds, it leads".  The media will report the bad news first, and often gloss over the good or encouraging news.  Try not to take the news reports too seriously as good reporting is becoming harder to come by.
   
2. You shouldn't forget to be positive: If you can't stay positive, and look at the silver linings of a situation, your feelings of loss and panic will start to surface. Remember that money doesn't bring happiness, and that the market will rebound.  It may not happen as quickly as we'd like it to, but it will come around.
   
3. You shouldn't continuously check your 401k:  If you're like me, you can't resist the urge to be constantly checking your 401k every day.  The DOW dropped 400 points?  Oh my gosh, I wonder how much money I lost today!  Resist the urge to keep checking your balance.  Make sure you have good diversification and good allocations, and then set it and forget it.
   
4. You shouldn't count on the government to help you: Don't waste your time waiting around for the government to turn things around, bring you a bailout plan, and turn things around.  Things will only get better for you if you make things better yourself.   Create your own bailout plan, make some extra income and make a plan to succeed!
   
5. You shouldn't stop investing for retirement:  The old investing adage says, "Buy low, sell high".  The markets are tanking right now, so you'll probably be able to find some investments in good strong companies at a fraction of their normal price.   Buy it while it's low!
   
6. You shouldn't try and time the market: It's a fools game to try and time the market.  It's impossible to know when the market is at it's lowest, and when it's at the highest.  I thought it was at the low point the other day, and its dropped over a 1000 points since then. Don't try to beat the market.  Invest for the long term.   Put together a nicely diversified portfolio,  and then let it ride.
   
7. You shouldn't forget that it's only money: No matter how bad things get, remember  that the sun will rise tomorrow.   Even if you lose it all, your heavenly father will still take care of you.   "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34″
   

Remember, this country has gone through hard times before, and we have always come out of it sooner or later. I have no doubt that this time will be the same.

10 Things I Have Learned About Money

 

10 Things I Have Learned About Money

1. Having debt is not a good thing:  A lot of times you'll hear about how having and using debt is just a tool that people have in their arsenal as they work on their way towards becoming financially stable, and eventually, wealthy.  What I've learned these past few months is that debt will cut short any gains you hope to make.   I've learned that:
   

   The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. Proverbs 22:7
   

   When you have debt, you are a servant. Only once you have gotten rid of your debt and are living free can you truly work on your way towards true financial independence.
   

2. To truly succeed with money, you must have a plan: Not having a plan means you are planning to fail.  If you really want to have financial success you need to set up a family budget, have family budget meetings, and set financial goals for both the long term, and the short term.   As the bible states:
   

   A wise man thinks ahead; a fool doesn't, and even brags about it! Proverbs 13:16
   

3. Having money does not mean having happiness:  True happiness does not come from having things, or from having money.  When you have money, you only want more.
   

   Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 5:10
   

   Money is a never ending black hole where you never have enough.  True happiness comes from having a strong faith in God, and knowing your true worth is found in Christ, and not in things of this world. Once you realize that, it makes it so much easier to be happy!
   

4. Lending money to friends and family is almost always a mistake: One thing I've come to realize is that lending money to family or friends is almost never going to be a good thing.  By the nature of it, when you lend money it changes the relationship from one of family, to one of master and servant (see the verse above about the borrower being slave to the lender).  If you're going to give money to family, give it and don't lend it. By the same token, don't co-sign. There is usually a reason why someone needs a co-signer.
   
5. Giving helps not only the person you're giving to, but helps you as well:  Sometimes you feel like you don't have anything to give, or you can't afford to.  I've found this year that when you make a plan, you will always have something to give.
   

   Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. Deuteronomy 15:10
   

   Giving isn't always easy, but when you do, you will be blessed. Earlier this year when my wife and I actually started giving more regularly, I found that the amount we had started giving, was almost exactly the amount I had started making on this blog. When you give even when you don't know if the income is there – God will provide.
   

6. No need to worry, God will provide: We went through some very hard things earlier this year when my wife was hospitalized for almost a month and we had medical bills in excess of $250,000.  If we hadn't had insurance we would have gone bankrupt.  If we hadn't been saving for a rainy day through our emergency fund we would have gone deeply in debt.God knows what we need, even before we need it. Even if we aren't able to provide for ourselves, he will find a way.
   

   Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Matthew 6:31-32
   

7. Start saving as early as you can: The earlier you start saving for your future, the better off you'll be.    Interest that you earn on your money compounds at an amazing rate if you start saving early.  The wonders of compounding interest!  It's never too late to start!
   

   The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty. Proverbs 21:5
   

8. We are only stewards of everything we have: God has given us so much material wealth here in America.  We must remember, however, that everything we have is God's. We are only stewards of these things for a short time, and we must be careful how we use what we are given. We must use what we have for God's glory.
   

   For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and all it contains. Psalm 50:10-12
   

9. "Easy money" is almost never actually easy.  Get rich quick schemes often don't make you rich quick: There are a lot of get rich quick schemes out there offering quick and easy riches.  I've learned through experience that "easy money" or "getting rich quick" is almost never easy or quick.   Most often the best way to make money is through hard work, and saving little by little.
   

   Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow. Proverbs 13:11
   

10. Having your integrity is more important than having wealth: It can be easy to be lured by the siren song of quick riches, and to sell our soul to gain wealth. We can rationalize just about anything in order to justify doing things that are not very ethical, or just plain wrong. It is better to keep your integrity and not have as much. From Proverbs:
    

    Better is a little with righteousness than great income with injustice. Proverbs 16:8
    

Koko Mansion: Meet The Contestants

Meet the girls of Dbanj's Koko Mansion...currently airing on HiTV. LIVE transmission commenced 5:30pm yesterday.

1. Bolanle OkhiriaAge: 21Occupation: Student [Lagos State University]Bolanle’s first reactions to her selection was loaded with surprise, doubt, and utter consternation; she honestly thought someone was playing pranks on her, “I waited for so long for that call, and when it finally came through I was too excited to believe it was real – I had to tell the producers to prove to me that it wasn’t some kind of a joke” she said, still ecstatic about being selected. Bolanle, or Miss Bee as her close friends would call her, can best be described as a rounded character fresh off the set of a television sitcom – her intelligence, beauty, and sense of humour are some of the qualities that make her company completely irresistible. She describes herself as a romantic person who can’t be intimidated by anybody.Bolanle was born into privilege, but by the time she turned 12, her family fortunes took a nose dive into recession, forcing her to switch from a life of opulence to one of abject poverty. “I was born with a silver spoon, but when my family fortunes turned, I was forced to learn that life is not a bed of roses”, she recalls with a warm smile, “my dad told me, it was always best to make a very positive impact out of any negative circumstance”.As a student member of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria [APCON], Bolanle describes the ideal woman as, “someone whose beauty is not just in her outward appearance, she has to be someone who understands that character is the most essential beauty ingredient in a woman”.With a bouquet of talents ranging from rapping to dancing; Bolanle looks up to women like Cecilia Ibru and Tyra Banks as her role models. Thanks to the energy she’s derived from the lives of these exemplary women, her career ambition is to one day start her own talk show – The Bee Show, a platform to educate young women on the essence of being beautiful, bold, and brilliant.

2. Lilian EbehohonAge: 18Occupation: Student (University of Benin)Lilian is one of the youngest contestants on this show, yet she is by far one of the more imposing candidates. This young lady arrests your attention with her youthful “never let anyone or anything intimidate me” attitude; her zest for life is in fact highly infectious, as her demeanor gives away the fact that she’s determined not to be taken for granted as a result of her age.She summarizes her ideology with this smug line, “the youngest may be the smartest”. She considers herself outspoken and not loud, and she posits that, “I don’t like dull people; they always get me very angry”. She is very confident that she’s going to emerge victorious, “I know I have the qualities of the ideal Nigerian woman - amplified by my strong will”.She’s currently nursing a career ambition in public relations, as she muses about many charitable ways to spend her prize money, “if I win this money, I’d first of all, pay my tithe – and it’d be the first time I’ll be paying my tithe…”, she would also provide her dad with the resources required to pay for his eye surgery, since his sight is fast deteriorating.However she’s coming to the mansion, with one self-confessed flaw, “I have anger management issues, but once I hear music, I’ll calm down”. This is Lilian, whose flaw may be her quick temper, but her virtue will always be brutal honesty.
3. Chidinma MbalasoAge: 20Occupation: Student (University of Abuja)For Chidinma, her biggest concern is for people to see her as more than just a pretty face. This pretty young lady, whose role models are Dora Akunyili and Oprah Winfrey, considers herself an emotional person whose life ambition is to be an entertainment mogul. “I want to do movies – I want to be on TV – I want to make a difference in the entertainment industry”, she says.Growing up for her was very pleasant, “it’s not like my family is very well to do, but my parents made sure I didn’t lack anything, but they also made me understand that I couldn’t have everything”.She considers herself someone with a good sense of fashion. She thinks she could be caring to a fault. She just finished reading Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows, and as such, one can assume she has a romantic streak. And if her attractive looks are matched with an equal amount of intellects, then her participation on this show may really be jump-starting a flourishing career on TV.She has ten siblings, of which she is the youngest. And she comes to the mansion, determined to utilize this platform as a launch pad for her long-term career ambition in entertainment.

4. Victoria OloyeAge: 20Occupation: StudentWhen this young lady said, “I need to prove to people that you don’t need to come from a wealthy family to succeed in life” - she was just summarizing her travails, and describing her ambitions in life. She wants her life to be an inspirational rags-to-riches story. She is determined to use her participation on the show to buttress her point. Her dreams are gigantic, channeled in many directions. To her it is an effective strategy for success, because then when one door closes, she opens up another one. Her many dreams include running a successful travel agency, producing international standard movies, and owning a video-vixen agency. In order to keep herself focused on the bigger picture, she’s had to stoop on many occasions to conquer – she’s run a street-side phone call centre, worked as a sales girl, and later became a waitress in a classy bar, before enrolling into the Nigerian Institute of Aviation and Maritime Studies.She cuts across as an emotional young lady with so much energy and determination to make the best out of the available options that life has presented her. Her strategy for success on the show is, “ to simply be me, because if the judges could find me interesting enough to shortlist me, then the public will also be impressed by the real me”.
5. Chioma Akuezue
Age: 21Occupation: MusicianChioma is a talented musician who has no time to disguise her motivation for participation on the show, “I’m here for the money, because when I get the money, I’ll be able to produce my songs, and the popularity will help too, because for you to succeed in the entertainment business, you need to be known”. She believes she’s different from the other candidates because she can sing very well.Her slender frame lured her into modeling, a profession she is also passionate about. She even described her biggest challenge in life as her desire to prove to those fashion organizers who hurt her ego a few years ago by telling her she wasn’t fit for runway modeling, that she could and would become a successful entertainer.She considers her participation on this show as a desirable opportunity to showcase her talent to the world. According to her she’s been through a whole lot, where sexual predators had tried but failed to take advantage of her under the guise of helping her with her career, “I want to be a superstar, but not at the expense of my integrity”.
6. Shona MerenuAge: 23Occupation: freshly graduated from the Imo State UniversityDespite the fact that Shona disagrees that she’s a loud person, she admits that, “I don’t seek out attention intentionally, but I always end up attracting attention to myself”. She was more of a tom-boy growing up with three elder brothers, yet she feels that she was pampered as the last child in her family. She’s a very opinionated person who likes dictating what she wants to do, believing that nobody is capable of intimidating her. She hates rules, but does not always go out to break them; instead she looks out for loopholes in the rules that could work in her favour.“I’ve never struggled for anything in my life before, that’s why I want to struggle with eleven other beautiful ladies, because I need an experience to look back upon”, she says, going on to describe how she wishes to reconstruct people’s perception of her, “When people meet me, at first sight, they feel am a proud person with an attitude, and I want to correct this impression”She comes to the Koko Mansion on a mission to prove how deep she really is, while exposing her many talents which include knitting, sewing, hair braiding, and make-up. Not forgetting that this young lady has her eyes set on establishing a career in modeling and acting.
7. Bidemi Jolayemi

Age: 23Occupation: Student [Olabisi Onabanjo University]Bidemi is an unrepentant optimist. “I’m a girl with a PMA – Positive Mental Attitude” she reaffirms, “I’m disciplined, sociable, and hardworking”. Bidemi’s strong faith in humanity gives her a romantic disposition that believes that something good could always be harnessed from very bad situations.She’s always never in favor of popular opinions on issues, fashion, and everything in between, “I don’t like following the crowd, and I like setting my own unique trends, dictating my own pace, because I never let myself to be sucked in by peer pressure”Bidemi recounts an incident that almost shook her faith in optimism, “ when my dad was in a coma, about to die, and the doctors told my family that he was going to die – I was the only one who stubbornly held on to the belief that he would live, but he eventually died”, yet she did not give up believing that her faith was not misplaced, “my dad had always wanted me to be a medical doctor because he was diabetic and hypertensive, and his sole heart desire was to have one of kids cure him…”. Though she was devastated by her father’s death, she’s determined to save as many people as possible, and this is the reason why she’s currently studying to become a medical doctor. Her life is a crusade to give good health to the sick, and save the world from pessimism.She comes to the mansion, with years of experience living with strangers, from boarding school to her hostel on campus, “I’ve lived with strangers before and they all became friends with me, I’m patient, and it really takes time to get on my nerves, however I don’t like people taking me for granted"
8. Chinwe Hilda Ukadike

Age: 23Occupation: Just concluded NYSCThe fact that Chinwe loves tattoos cannot be overemphasized, because her love for tattoos is buried skin deep in three different places on her body. But so also is her passion for fashion, and her ambition to become a celebrated actress. She likes to consider herself as someone who got the necessities of life as a child, “growing up was fun for me, I was always doted on by eight wonderful elder sisters”.Chinwe grew up in Lagos. She loves watching horror movies, “I enjoy watching movies like Van Helsing, and whenever I’m watching a movie like this, I turn the light off [for that eerie effect]”.She can best be described as a brave and courageous young lady, who is walking into the mansion with no fear for anything, especially not for needles, “I’m used to needles – I’m used to pain, I pierced four holes in each of my earlobes myself – my pain-resistant level is very high”.Despite what many may consider eccentric, Chinwe believes that, “I have 90% of the qualities of an ideal woman, and will use the show as a ladder for my acting career…”
9. Elizabeth Efe EraAge: 27Occupation: Student (University of Uyo)Elizabeth is a lady that strikes you as someone who’s out to save the world, even if this task ends up hurting her. Despite the fact that she is studying economics, she maintains an unrelenting flair for entertainment. However, Elizabeth is a young lady who tries too hard to change the people around her – in fact, she says, “I should be able to counsel my fellow contestants – I want to be like a mother to them – I want to change the mindset of the girls”.She developed her inert motherly disposition as a result of her exposure as a child to the emotional needs of a large family – she was born into a family of eleven; gradually she developed into a surrogate parent to her siblings, acting as the voice of reason, and go-between between her siblings and her parents.“I study people” she admits, “so it will help me understand the ladies at the mansion”. It is quite unclear how eleven dynamic young ladies would react to a stranger imposing as a surrogate mother, but it would be interesting to see how Elizabeth intends to pull this off, since she’s so passionate about playing this role, “I cannot change who I am – I am a caring person, and I was born with this disposition to nurture and care for people”Not just that, Elizabeth comes to the mansion with a combination of self-uprightness, and one other character which she can be quoted as saying: “when I was growing up, I was like the Amebo (tell-tale girl) in the house – I was the one who always had to tell my dad things – I was bold, and I was the only one who could confront my dad with complaints from my siblings”.
10. Mary Osinachi Bruno

Age: 21Occupation: Student [Lagos State University]/ Business WomanMary describes growing up as fun, with a few tough times. Her nickname Sleek Chic best interprets her personality; having been raised in Lagos, she describes the incessant traffic on the roads as an inspiration that influenced a deep appreciation for promptness, swiftness, and accuracy in her actions through life. As a result, she’s learnt to act on her decisions quickly.She describes her parents as liberal disciplinarians, “they let you take your own decisions once they think it’s the right one”.According to her, she’s on this show just to live the life, and show Nigerians the kind of person she really is. She’s not really in for the money, but here because she wants to experience what it’s like to live in the same house with strangers – mix with other people from different backgrounds, since all her life, she’s never shared a house with persons other than her immediate family. She however states that, “the fact that I’ve not lived with other people doesn’t mean I don’t know how to live with people”.
11. Igbinedion Rita Isoken Age: 19Occupation: studentProbably the most emotional candidate in the mansion, Rita is a walking example of determination. Over the years, through experience, she’s learnt that the only way to succeed in life is to believe in your self 100%. “I came here because I want to get exposure, not necessarily because of the money, because if I represent myself well, the future will give me more money than the prize money”, she said, admitting that she intends to be caring to her fellow contestants, and guide them whenever they’re wrong.Coming from a very humble background has made her resolute in her pursuit to become successful. She believes her chances at the title are obvious, as she puts it, “I can prove myself as a woman because I know my left from my right”. Her ambition was inspired by an emotionally daunting experience a few years ago, when she was sent packing from school for her parents inability to pay her school fees – as she remembers, her dad was broke, and the rich folks she knew berated her for being poor instead of helping her with the required sum to pay her school fees – that incident introduced her to how cold the world was to the poor, “it was after this incident that I swore to myself that I was going to succeed in life”She comes to the mansion with the ability to tell emotionally gripping stories, and promises to be an interesting candidate.
12. Rekana Sharon Ojong

Age: 23Occupation: freshly graduated from the University of CalabarShe majored in Policy and Administrative Studies, yet her passion is deeply rooted in fashion. But if you think that being crazy about fashion is a denigrating attribute, then think again, because this young lady is on a mission, “I’m here to prove to people that I’m not just a beautiful person, but someone with enormous intelligence and depth”.Rekana’s childhood was not exactly a Cinderella story, “growing up was very difficult – I was raised by my dad alone because my mum left us when I was eight”. She grew up with four older brothers, and one sister, and as the case would be, she became a Tomboy, until she was rescued by a professional model who was involved with her dad, igniting her passion for fashion, and gradually grooming her into becoming a delectable young fashionista who’s left no trace of her tom-boy days.She decided to participate on this show because she loved the challenge of proving herself as an ideal Nigerian woman, “I like to be seen as a modern day woman who knows where she came from” she says, “from experience, I’ve been judged by my appearance, and for this reason, I want to advocate to people that they should not just look at a beautiful woman as a sex object”.This young lady believes in challenging challenges.
What do you guys think?
Posted by Linda Ikeji at 1:12 PM
Reactions:

26 comments:
Tokunbo said...
These girls are hot I must say. Let's see how long their real selves will play out.I already have some favourites among them, but for now I'll keep my fingers crossed. Thanks Linda, you are doing a great job.
June 29, 2009 4:38 PM
yinkuslolo said...
Can we watch the show anywhere online? i don't wanna miss out.
June 29, 2009 4:53 PM
downtheaisle said...
babe i knew i cld trust u for update on koko mansion.
June 29, 2009 5:06 PM
Anonymous said...
Some of these ladies ages is very questionable. If they all are 21, 18, 20 & 23 (with some exceptions) then i think i am 16!!Right....
June 29, 2009 5:13 PM
Anonymous said...
no comment!
June 29, 2009 5:35 PM
Lilian temewei said...
actuall,am 10 years old!11 most of them lied about their age.by the way sef,wetin 27years old girl dey find 4 koko mansion?
June 29, 2009 5:44 PM
Anonymous said...
lol..the girl with the head scarf cannot be 21 oh?
June 29, 2009 6:12 PM
Lilian temewei said...
actuall,am 10 years old!11 most of them lied about their age.by the way sef,wetin 27years old girl dey find 4 koko mansion?
June 29, 2009 6:47 PM
comedoes said...
nice article.. keep the good work
June 29, 2009 7:43 PM
mystoriesmytestimonies said...
OMG...i met chinwe hilda no 8 last year in lagos... na waooo..cant wait to see the video..abeg linda upload...
June 29, 2009 8:25 PM
Bombchell said...
this should be interesting
June 29, 2009 8:40 PM
Bisola said...
i'm watching the show now.the girls av no class at all.i was actually expecting mature ladies that are already professionals in their fields.....theses ones ke!!!!i'm highly disappointed.
June 29, 2009 8:59 PM
Anonymous said...
Why do naija girls like to lie about their ages sha? If those girls are actually the ages they claim, im probably still in my mom's belly at like 20 weeks gestation
June 29, 2009 9:09 PM
Anonymous said...