Sakani/Trademind Foundation

"According to Psychologists, there are four types of Intelligence:

1) Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
2) Emotional Quotient (EQ)
3) Social Quotient (SQ)
4) Adversity Quotient (AQ)

1. Intelligence Quotient (IQ): this is the measure of your level of comprehension. You need IQ to solve math's, memorize things, and recall lessons.

2. Emotional Quotient (EQ): this is the measure of your ability to maintain peace with others, keep to time, be responsible, be honest, respect boundaries, be humble, genuine and considerate.

3. Social Quotient (SQ): this is the measure of your ability to build a network of friends and maintain it over a long period of time.

People that have higher EQ and SQ tend to go further in life than those with a high IQ but low EQ and SQ. Most schools capitalize on improving IQ levels while EQ and SQ are played down.

A man of high IQ can end up being employed by a man of high EQ and SQ even though he has an average IQ.

Your EQ represents your Character, while your SQ represents your Charisma. Give in to habits that will improve these three Qs, especially your EQ and SQ.

Now there is a 4th one, a new paradigm:

4. The Adversity Quotient (AQ): The measure of your ability to go through a rough patch in life, and come out of it without losing your mind.

When faced with troubles, AQ determines who will give up, who will abandon their family, and who will consider su***de.

Parents please expose your children to other areas of life than just Academics. They should adore manual labour (never use work as a form of punishment), Sports and Arts.

Develop their IQ, as well as their EQ, SQ and AQ. They should become multifaceted human beings able to do things independently of their parents.

Finally, do not prepare the road for your children. Prepare your children for the road."

WHO SOLD NIGERIA TO THE BRITISH FOR £865K IN 1899?

This is the story of the first oil war, which was fought in the 19th century, in the area that became Nigeria.

All through the 19th century, palm oil was highly sought-after by the British, for use as an industrial lubricant for machinery. Remember that Britain was the world’s first industrialised nation, so they needed resources such as palm oil to maintain that.

Palm oil, of course, is a tropical plant, which is native to the Niger Delta. Malaysia’s dominance came a century later. By 1870, palm oil had replaced slaves as the main export of the Niger Delta, the area which was once known as the Slave Coast. At first, most of the trade in the oil palm was uncoordinated, with natives selling to those who gave them the best deals. Native chiefs such as former slave, Jaja of Opobo became immensely wealthy because of oil palm. With this wealth came influence.

However, among the Europeans, there was competition for who would get preferential access to the lucrative oil palm trade. In 1879, George Goldie formed the United African Company (UAC), which was modelled on the former East India Company. Goldie effectively took control of the Lower Niger River. By 1884, his company had 30 trading posts along the Lower Niger. This monopoly gave the British a strong hand against the French and Germans in the 1884 Berlin Conference. The British got the area that the UAC operated in, included in their sphere of influence after the Berlin Conference.

When the Brits got the terms they wanted from other Europeans, they began to deal with the African chiefs. Within two years of 1886, Goldie had signed treaties with tribal chiefs along the Benue and Niger Rivers whilst also penetrating inland. This move inland was against the spirit of verbal agreements that had been made to restrict the organisation’s activities to coastal regions.

By 1886, the company name changed to The National Africa Company and was granted a royal charter (incorporated). The charter authorised the company to administer the Niger Delta and all lands around the banks of the Benue and Niger Rivers. Soon after, the company was again renamed. The new name was Royal Niger Company, which survives, as Unilever, till this day.

To local chiefs, the Royal Niger Company negotiators had pledged free trade in the region. Behind, they entered private contracts on their terms. Because the (deceitful) private contracts were often written in English and signed by the local chiefs, the British government enforced them. So for example, Jaja of Opobo, when he tried to export palm oil on his own, was forced into exile for “obstructing commerce”. As an aside, Jaja was “forgiven” in 1891 and allowed to return home, but he died on the way back, poisoned with a cup of tea.

Seeing what happened to Jaja, some other native rulers began to look more closely at the deals they were getting from the Royal Nigeria Company. One of such kingdoms was Nembe, whose king, Koko Mingi VIII, ascended the throne in 1889 after being a Christian schoolteacher. Koko Mingi VIII, King Koko for short, like most rulers in the yard, was faced with the Royal Nigeria Company encroachment. He also resented the monopoly enjoyed by the Royal Nigeria Company and tried to seek out favourable trading terms, with particularly the Germans in Kamerun (Cameroon).

By 1894, the Royal Nigeria Company increasingly dictated whom the natives could trade with, and denied them direct access to their former markets. In late 1894, King Koko renounced Christianity and tried to form an alliance with Bonny and Okpoma against the Royal Nigeria Company to take back the trade. This is significant because while Okpoma joined up, Bonny refused. A harbinger of the successful “divide and rule” tactic.

On 29 January 1895, King Koko led an attack on the Royal Niger Company’s headquarters, which was in Akassa in today’s Bayelsa state. The pre-dawn raid had more than a thousand men involved. King Koko’s attack succeeded in capturing the base. Losing 40 of his men, King Koko captured 60 white men as hostages, as well as a lot of goods, ammunition and a Maxim gun. Koko then attempted to negotiate a release of the hostages in exchange for being allowed to chose his trading partners. The British refused to negotiate with Koko, and he had forty of the hostages killed. A British report claimed that the Nembe people ate them. On 20 February 1895, Britain’s Royal Navy, under Admiral Bedford attacked Brass and burned it to the ground. Many Nembe people died and smallpox finished off a lot of others.

By April 1895, business had returned to “normal”, normal being the conditions that the British wanted, and King Koko was on the run. Brass was fined £500 by the British, £62,494 (NGN29 million) in today’s money, and the looted weapons were returned as well as the surviving prisoners. After a British Parliamentary Commission sat, King Koko was offered terms of settlement by the British, which he rejected and disappeared. The British promptly declared him an outlaw and offered a reward of £200 (£26,000; NGN12 million today) for him. He committed su***de in exile in 1898.

About that time, another “recalcitrant King”, the Oba of Benin, was run out of town. The pacification of the Lower Niger was well and truly underway. The immediate effect of the Brass Oil War was that public opinion in Britain turned against the Royal Nigeria Company, so its charter was revoked in 1899. Following the revoking of its charter, the Royal Niger Company sold its holdings to the British government for £865,000 (£108 million today). That amount, £46,407,250 (NGN 50,386,455,032,400, at today’s exchange rate) was effectively the price Britain paid, to buy the territory which was to become known as Nigeria.

Gossip House

He was paying N9,000,000 yearly for 3 bedroom flat in Maitama, Abuja. It was later increased to 10M and he was paying. No savings. No investment. He's working. He believed and depended on his salary. It will surely be coming.

His argument:

"When you live in the neighborhood of big men, you will behave like big men. You roll with big men. Packaging. You network".

His junior colleagues went to the developing areas like Lugbe, FO1 Kubwa, Ushafa and bought lands in the selling estates there.

They used their salary and built to their satisfaction, the kind of house they needed. They also rented the boys quarters and build other commercial houses they rented out.

This man in Maitama was making mockery of those friends of his for living in the outskirts of the city.

He said they live in the village and shouldn't claim they are in Abuja. He always argued that living in the neighborhood of the rich makes you have respect, you network.

Fast forward to the second tenure of Bubu, something happened. The man was sacked.

Remember, for the past 10 years, he has been paying rent between 9M to 10M in Maitama when all his mates became landlords.

His rent is expiring next month, no money to renew it or even get another one.

He told one of his friends — those he laughed at for staying in the village to give him a flat from his house. He sent him the number of the property lawyer.

"Excuse me. You are my friend. You should give me this for free. You know what I am passing through".

His friend replied him:

"Building materials didn't come to me for free. The land I bought wasn't for free. Please, my house has been handed over to a lawyer.

If you need it, call him, he will tell you the price. There are others who need it. I can only convince my lawyer to give it to you because we are friends. So, if you are serious about it, you let me know".

He paused, they paused; both of them paused.

This is not fiction. I know those involved.

Over 10 years of living in the neighborhood of the rich, ọga is still poor.

Think and plan your life. Where you live doesn't matter. What matters is you and the value you create.
Stay in the forest, the world will find you. ©Maazi Ogbonaya

Nigeria Youth Movement

The pillars of colonialism must be destroyed and the architects of capitalism must be completely neutralized in Africa.

Many Africans were led to believe that they were free after declaring independence from 1950s - 1990s, but a far greater colonialism is still in place.

Those independence proclamations were nothing but a mirage, the colonialists only took off the physical chains and shackles — the freedom and total liberation of our societies have not been achieved yet!

While Elizabeth recently celebrated her diamond jubilee in England, Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 is still under decades of British-led sanctions which has completely crippled its economy. Instead of rallying around Zimbabwe, many African leaders were celebrating their ex dictators jubilee. Congratulating Elizabeth while your brothers and sisters are being starved in Zimbabwe by Britain?

Some Africans adore Elizabeth and her royal family so much, meanwhile our brothers and sisters in South Africa 🇿🇦 continue to vacillate between exorbitant enthusiasm and irrational irritability, while the microscopic few apartheid beneficiaries live in byzantine luxury and proprietary solitude.

Do not forget the foreign multinationals crimes in Democratic Republic of Congo 🇨🇩 and the western-backed militias parading the streets of Libya, terrorizing our people. Remember, the destruction of Libya paved way for terrorism to thrive in the Sahara/Sahel regions of Africa.

✍🏽 Mustapha Hajji (𝐴𝑛 𝐴𝑑𝑣𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑂𝑓 𝐺𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑆𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 𝑃𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒'𝑠 𝐿𝑖𝑏𝑦𝑎𝑛 𝐴𝑟𝑎𝑏 𝐽𝑎𝑚𝑎ℎ𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑦𝑎 𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑃𝑎𝑛-𝐴𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑠𝑚).

Developing healthy perspectives on entrepreneurship Protect your students' future and support Africa’s youth development through entrepreneurial thinking. Our future lies in their hands.

"I AM NOT A READER"
"I AM NOT THE READING TYPE"

I've heard this so many times. So many times! You've probably said that too.

Do you know the important thing word in these sentences?

"I"

Identity.

This is an identity problem.

Whenever someone is saying this, he or she is expressing an identity. They are saying "The Me I know is not the reading person".

There is good news. This you that you know can change. Identity is a fluid thing.

Let me use this extreme example, that you may not like. You've heard of people who say they are gay, right? Most times, they don't change their biology, but they change their IDENTITY.

How do you change your identity?

1. Join a group that looks like the person you want to become. In this case, join a book club. You know that proverb that says, a friend of a thief is a thief right? A friend of a bookworm is a .... bookworm. You gerrit?

2. Place reminders that remind you of your new identity. The reason I post on Facebook every day is so that you will see and remember to read. Do you remember how you felt when you saw one post saying something about reading and instantly you went back to read? That's what reminders do for you. This is the reason why athletes fill their rooms with photos of their heroes. It reminds them of the person they want to become. Get reminders. They can be books, they can be quotes, etc.

3. Take action towards the person you want to become. You will never change without taking action. Even small action every day makes the difference. I have always encouraged you, don't start big. Start small. Read 5 pages every day. In fact, no, read 1 page every day. Start from there. Build gradually.

If you do these 3 things for 1 year and you are not a reader, when we meet on the road, you can slap me. No kidding.

It always works.

1. Join a book club.
2. Place reminders. Reaffirm your identity.
3. Take action.

I'm off to work, see you later.

CIVO STADIUM 6TH JULY FREE UFULU FESTIVAL

The Sabaoth Band is our new TRADEMIND CONSULTANTS PARTNER

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INVESTING

What comes to your mind when you hear the word investing. The basic definition of the word investing is carrying out any endeavor from which you expect to gain a large amount of money, than initially used, after a reasonable time. An example can be buying five bluegum seedlings at K200 each and after taking care of them for 7 years, sell them at K200 000 each. You used K1000 and later on realized K1000 000.

It is the money gained from such an investment that can be used to start a business. Most business minded young people often have great business ideas. Due to the size of our financial industry, banks and other money lending institutions are reluctant to lend money to young people with great business ideas. Had it been that ten years earlier such individuals knew about investing, they would have for example reared chickens and sell them and use the profits obtained, after a reasonable time, to fund their great business ideas just to get started.

Financial literacy is the message that needs to go to the masses especially the young people in Africa. Most young people spend the little they earn on luxuries instead of thinking of investing. Starting as early as in secondary schools an individual has to start contemplating of having several streams of financial income which can be channelled to fund the business visions they may have.

THE AFRICAN UNION : A TALE OF BINGU AND MUAMMAR

The former Malawian president, late Prof Bingu wa Mutharika succeeded former Libyan president, late Muamar Gaddafi, as the African Union chairman. The common thing is that both held similar ideologies and they both died untimely death to say the least.

What were these Ideologies that the two former presidents held in common that some sectors believe were the causes of their untimely death. This article will not go into full details but will just scratch the surface beginning a long journey of self identification of purpose and vision, without which people perish.

Bingu brought an idea that the west can not survive without Africa, he went on to say, if Africa can just decide to stop sending exports to the west, the western civilization can collapse in months. Muammar held the idea of a United States of Africa, that without the hands of the west. He went on suggesting of one mighty African currency backed by gold reserves not like in other superpowers where they just print papers.

The events that occurred soon after the death of these two African presidents were very drastic and undesirable. The Malawian currency was devalued at 49%, at the bidding of the west which was against the advice of economists of the land, who sided with Bingu against devaluation which didn't make any economic sense. All is left for us to imagine and sometimes watch with tears what is left of Libya, once an admired country.

Wow this is amazing, one of our partner companies ESEE

We thank God

TURNING DREAMS INTO BUSINESS IDEAS

The founder of Dropbox said " we think of problems before people realise that there are problems and we find solutions to those problems and turn the solutions into business"
You need to be a visionary for you to see and provide solutions to the world. Money goes to those who have solutions to the problems of the world the solutions being turned into productive means of getting income. A medical doctor solves healthy problems and a lawyer solves legal problems and they earn money each according to the problem they are solving and who they are solving it for.

A vision is a dream that has met a revelation. A dream alone is just like scanning for cancer, you may find the cancerous cells but may not be able to cure it. In a vision one has insight, truth about a particular situation and without vision people perish. Once you turn a dream into a vision you know what to do, who to talk to and what to pursue.

Finally, the vision has to be chopped into small goals that can be achieved in a specified time period. For example business managers have goals like beating competition, maximising profits, being innovative or having a large footprint. Have clearly defined goals. On top of that have a team of visionaries, designers, managers, marketers and executors inorder for your dream to be turned into a productive means of getting income.

THE WEST: OUR PARTNERS OR COMPETITORS?

I read a research paper from a certain Ghanaian university, it exposed how the West manipulates economic policies of African governments and replaces them with their experimental policies on Africa which in total failure to the detriment of African economies.

In blind trust, most African governments forsake the policies that have worked for them over many years and adopt these newly established experimental policies in the name of not disappointing the donors. The relationship which should have been based on trade and not manipulation through aid.

A good example of this Africas plight is when the late Prof Bingu wa Mutharika came up with universal fertilizer subsidy program of which the West threatened not to support. Bingu was adamant with this program and went on establishing it. The program was a total success and helped Malawi achieve food security for the first time in a long time.

WEALTH CREATION THROUGH CUNNINGNESS AND UNDERSTANDING

If building wealth is your purpose in life, you have to be willing to pay for the full price as their is no such a thing as free lunch. We are living in a world that is at war in every sector. It seems like every business idea has already been explored and for you to stand out you have to be very cunning and have understanding.

You have to be very wise and you must know that this world is unfair. Being a righteous person before God does not make a person to have wealth. It is the word of God that will make you a wealthy man. The yokes of poverty are broken because of the anointing for poverty just like debt is a spirit.

You have to be aware of the laws that govern the systems of this world in order to be successful. You have to know how you can manage your finances. A poor man is controlled by the little money he/she has and all the good plans that were laid before the money came get scattered. They forget that one rule of money is that you consume the result of multiplying the money you had meaning after you have invested the money, you consume the interest s.

You have to understand that some people have failed here on earth, they left a sad legacy. You need to have information and ideas from the heavenly places for you to make it here.