NEWTON  JIBUNOH  :   the man that crossed the Sahara desert  thrice

Newton  Jibunoh  is  a soil  engineer  by profession,  This  Nigerian   has driven  across  the SAHARA DESERT thrice.  Sahara  Desert is the world  largest  desert.

He made his first trip across  the Sahara in 1966. He drove from  LONDON  to Nigeria  and  he was alone on that journey. Thirty three years  later he made the second journey alone . It was  in those trips across the sahara  that  he witnessed first hand, the  extreme drought and  the suffering of the people around the Sahara.  

Because of  what  he saw  he founded  an  international non-governmental organisation called FADE ( Fight Against  Desert  Encroachment)

Newton  Jibunoh  is  now  in  his 70s and has retired.

                    NELSON   MANDELA  A  MAN OF HISTORY DIES  AT 95

Nelson  Mandela  the  former  president  of  South  Africa  and  world  statesman  died  at  home  on  Thursday  November 5, 2013 due  to  a prolong lung  sickness. He  was   aged  95 years.

Nelson  Mandela  left  many good  legacies. He showed  an  exemplary  political  leadership  and  lived  a life of  dignity  and   humility.

 He  was  imprisoned  for his political  views for 27  years  in    Robben  Island  in South Africa.  

He  was  eventually  released  in  1990.
                                                           Robben  Island

                                                         

                                                    Entrance  to the  prison

                                                  Nelson  Mandela  standing in  his cell

                                                  Below:    inside his cell 

 Robben  Island   is  now World Heritage site  and  museum.
.

I  join  millions  of  people around   the  world  to  mourn  the  death  of this great man

             ZUMA  ROCK

Zuma  rock  is  a gigantic  rock  formation  and  a wonder  to look at.   It  is  located  in    Nigeria , along  Abuja  and  Kaduna road.

The rock  appears  differently when viewed from different  sides.  

If the rock is approached from  the northern side, it resembles a very  huge head with  a broken  nose.  When it  is  viewed  from the northwest it looks like  an  elephant crouching. 

So if  you are touring  Nigeria, Zuma  Rock is  a  good site to  visit. 

 

             TYPHOON  HAIYAN  HIT  THE  PHILIPINES

On  November 8, 2013  one  of   the  most  powerful  storms on record hit  the philipines.
 About  10,000 people were reportedly killed.  Many roads ,  homes, schools and airport were  damaged  in  Taclobancity.

SEE PICTURES BELOW

Aid  agencies   are   calling  for  help.   Let  us  all  lend  a  helping    hand.

                    THINGS  I  SAW  AT   WINNERS  CHAPEL , OTA


 I   took  these pictures   during  my  visit  to the headquarters of   WINNERS  CHAPEL  at, OTA, in Nigeria. The church headquarter is popularly called  CAANANLAND.  The  church  auditorium  is  really big as reported. It  is  a 50,000  seats  auditorium.  I  manage to capture  a section  of  it.

 Please feed  your eyes.

           

                              TRAGEDY    IN     SAHARA  DESERT

                                                          

 On  Monday 28th  of  October, 2013,  35  out  of  60 Africans going  to  Europe   through  Niger  republic across the  SAHARA  DESERT  were  reported  dead  due  to  lack  of  water.
                                                            

According  to  the  report , the  Africans  left   ARLIT  in   two  vehicles.  Along  the  way , one  of the vehicles broke  down  and  the  travellers  broke  into   small  groups  .
                                                                          

A   group started  walking  back  to get some spare parts for  the  vehicle. By  the time  they  got  to  Arlit  and  got some assistance from  the  army, it  was  too late for   those they left  behind.



Please,  i  would  appreciate   your comment  on  this  story.

                      MEMORABLE   QUOTE  on  Nature  Conservation

                                                                        

                             " Conservation  without  money  is  Conversation"
                           
                                                      -- PRINCE  PHILIP  DUKE OF EDINBURGH

                       SHARE   YOUR  STORY  AND  BE  INSPIRED

A  search  is going  on  in   Africa  for  the  most  INSPIRING  and  AMAZING  stories  of   how  the  WEB  and  GOOGLE  are  transforming  LIVES  in  Africa.

According   to  AFRICA CONNECTED,  the  organizer  of  this  competition , five  of the  MOST  inspiring stories  will  receive  $ 25,000  each  as well as   expert  assistance  from  " Google  Experts"  to  make their success even  greater.

                                        
                                                             

Interested  individuals  should  visit  www.africaconnected.com   for further details.

Submission  of stories  closes  30th   October,2013

                                      
                                    LEKKI  CONSERVATION  CENTRE


  Just  few  kilometers  from  Victoria   Island   in  Lagos  is  LEKKI  CONSERVATION  CENTRE (LCC) a  foremost   conservation  project  site  of    Nigerian  Conservation  Foundation  ( NCF).  The  site occupies  a land  area of  78 hectares
                                                         

The centre  is perfect  for TOURISTS   and   STUDENTS.

The  Lekki  Conservation  Centre is  divided into  two sections, the  OFFICE  BLOCKS  and  NATURE RESERVE AREAS.  The  nature reserve  area  cut  across  a  mosaic of  vegetation types  namely  secondary forest,  swamp forest  and savanna grassland.

A  two   kilometres  trail  BOARD WALK affords  visitors / tourists  the opportunity to see the  vast   resources of  the  nature reserve  such  as  a  swamp  out look, bird hide, the  tree house  and rest stops   

A   visit  to  the centre  will  definitely  inspire in  you  a  desire to  promote nature conservation  programmes in  your locality.



 

       
                     OBUDU  RANCH  INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN  RACE

                                                                    
The    Obudu  Ranch  International  Mountain  Race  is  slated  to  hold  on  23rd  November,2013   according to the  Local  Organisation Committee  ( LOC) for the competition.  This year's  edition  is  the  9th    of the  competition  and  the venue is  the OBUDU  RANCH  RESORT  in  Cross River State ,  Nigeria. 
                                                                 

The  Obudu  Mountain  Race  is  considered  by  many  as  " the world's richest   mountain  race".  The  total  prize money  is $ 250,000 ( US DOLLARS).   The  winners  in the  Men and Women categories will receive $ 50,000  each.
                                             

According  to the  organizers  of the competition   world  class  athletes    and  local runners  have  registered  to  participate.
                                           

The  race  is  now in  the  calendar  of  the  WORLD MOUNTAIN  RUNNING ASSOCIATION (WMRA)    and    is  recognized  by   IAAF.

                                                                 

Many  foreign  tourists  are  expected  to  watch  the  competition  and  they  will  be  accommodated  in  the comfortable  Obudu  Ranch Resort  Chalets.

MBGN 2013 PAGEANT FINALS

This  year's  Most  Beautiful Girl  in  Nigeria  (MBGN)  2013   pageant finals  holds on Saturday , July 20th, 2013  in  Bayelsa  State, Southern  Nigeria, at  Banquet Hall  Government  House, Yenogoa

The  pageant  will  be  shown  live  on  SILVER BIRD  television  by  7pm   Local  time.

Viewers  can also  watch  it online  live  at    www.silverbirdtv.com/live


Most  Beautiful Girl in  Nigeria  Pageant  is  conducted  annually in Nigeria by SILVER BIRD GROUP.

The  winner of the pageant  represents  Nigeria  in the  MISS WORLD  beauty  pageant.

A   past winner of the  pageant, MISS  ABANI  DAREGO  went  on  to win  the  Miss   World  beauty  pageant in 2001  making  her the  FIRST  BLACK , Miss  World.

Photographs of  some the 2013    CONTESTANTS  on  Nigerian  Traditional  attires   are  shown  here for  your  entertainment.

ELMINA CASTLE , GHANA

                                                                     

Elmina  castle  is  located   in  present  day  GHANA   in   West  Africa.  It  was  built  in  1482  by the Portugese   as  a trading  post  but    later  served as  a slave  trading  post.

Elmina  castle  is the  oldest  EUROPEAN  building  in  sub sahara  Africa.

                                         

It was  designed like most  West  African Slave    Fortresses built  during the slave trade era.   The castle consists of several sections.  The  upper levels  served  as  the  living  quarters of the  europeans, and  the governor's quarter was located at the topmost level.

The  slave dungeons  are below the upper levels of the castle and are often filthy and  cramped.   One cell can contain as  many  as 200 people at a time. At a time during the slave trade period , the castle held up to 1000 slaves.
                                 
Elmina  castle  is now   designated as  a  World  Heritage  Monument  by  UNESCO.

So  if you  are  visiting West  Africa     as  a  tourist,   ELMINA   CASTLE  should  be  on  your list.