Plane Crash Survivor Kechi Okwuchi Says The Crash Was A Blessing In Disguise..

Plane Crash Survivor Kechi Okwuchi Says The Crash Was A Blessing In Disguise..
THIRTEEN years ago on December 10,2005 a Sosoliso plane carrying more one hundred Nigerians, including students crash-landed at Port Harcourt International Airport,Killing 107 passengers.
Fortunately, Kechi Okwuchi was one of the two survivors on board that day.
In a recent interview, the 2017 America’s Got Talent finalist who have had over 100 surgeries due to injuries and burns, opened up about the outcome of the crash and how it has affected her life.
Since surviving the plane crash, you have had a lot of surgeries, are there likely to be more?
The way things are right now, I am in a place where if there are more surgeries that would benefit me by improving any functions that I am having issues with, I am open to such. I have no problems with undergoing various surgeries but if I have to live my life this way, then I am ready.
In what specific ways did that accident change your life?
One important way that tragedy has changed my life is that it has afforded me the opportunity to meet many amazing people from around the world, which may never have happened if I wasn’t involved in the incident. I wouldn’t trade anything for this amazing people I have met over this period. The incident is more like a blessing in disguise.
Are there people who categorize you as being physically challenged even though you only have burn scars on you?
There are many people like that. When some people see me, they hardly believe that I’m without any sort of physical limitation. Personally, I am glad that the burns didn’t cause me a kind of disability. I didn’t break a bone or a finger. I am grateful to God for this. I was 16 when the incident happened, so the tragedy took the best part of my teenage years. I just jumped somehow from 16 to 20 years of age.
If you are given the chance to make one wish, what would that be?
My wish would be to be able to speak every language in this world.
It’s been several years since that tragedy, would you say you have fully recovered from the trauma?
I have been relieved from the trauma, but not completely over it. The incident is something I cannot forget. Every single day is a memory for me. As long as I am happy and doing well in life, I think I would get to that point. I usually ask myself “do I really want to forget it” because it is the memory of the incident that drives me on in life. Can you ever board a local flight in Nigeria again? Actually, I have flown on local flights on my two visits to Nigeria after the incident. I had no reason to fear or panic.
Are you considering marriage already?
Not at the moment and I am not actively searching also because marriage isn’t something one should hurry into. However, if I find someone interesting, I would be happy to get engaged and marry. I do not feel I am against time even though I am trying to catch up with a lot of things after the accident. But we can’t say what God has in plan for me.
Do you sometimes look at your childhood pictures, see how you used to look and feel bad about the way you are now?
I actually don’t get to look at my pictures before the accident, but when I come across them, I just smile and say “wow” to myself. I admire my slim figure in those pictures and not how my skin used to look.
Do you still remember how the sad incident happened?
I wasn’t conscious for the whole time but I remember that everything was normal when the plane took off and suddenly it went into turbulence. Even at that, nobody panicked because that was a normal thing on air. But when the turbulence persisted, panic set in. I remember sitting in my chair and thinking about what was happening at that moment. I couldn’t overcome the shock of experiencing what I used to see in movies. The last thing I remember was holding hands with my friend who sat beside me before everything went blank. It was a terrible experience but I thank God for sparing my life.
From Punch

Ghanaian actress, Ellah Mensah robbed at gunpoint in Festac

Ghanaian actress, Ella Mensah has cried out on Instagram after she was robbed in Festac, Lagos, while on her way home from a movie location. According to her, the armed robbers who pointed a gun at her made away with her properties which includes an iPhone X, iPhone 7plus and some 

Ellah Mensah wrote:

“I was attacked by arm robbers last night in Festac…. from my location to my house…they broke my car screen, pointed a gun at me n took everything I had on me….Two of my fons (iPhone X n iPhone 7plus) my money (few dollard and Naira)”

“I thought they were gonna shoot me… Never been this scared in my life.”

”Never been afraid of my life until this past Tuesday…… Never seen a real gun,until this past Tuesday, never prayed for my life as hard as I did until this past Tuesday… God!! I thought I was going to die n never see my son again… I’m grateful they spared my life… Thank u Lord n a another Thank You to everyone who reach out to me even though I didn’t even have a fon cus ‘they’ took everything… I’m good n I will be better soon.”

Friends thought I was sick when I dumped engineering for poundo yam business –Olaye

The Managing Director/CEO of Ayoola Foods Limited, Mr Segun Olaye, shares his business’ success story and challenges, among other things, with JESUSEGUN ALAGBE
It’s been said often that agriculture is the way out of Nigeria’s economic recession. As an agricultural entrepreneur, what’s your view on this?That statement is quite correct, if we do it the right way, because when hunger is out of your problems, I think you can think further. They say
a hungry man is an angry man. I don’t see how a nation that can’t feed its people can make any progress, because you need food to survive. You may not change your shoes or clothes for a week, but you must eat, and if we cannot produce what we eat, we cannot survive as a nation. Agriculture can help in different ways. Apart from job creation, the cost of food items will be very low, especially if we have the facilities, as there’s no way any individual farmer can survive without government’s provision. The roads and other infrastructural facilities must be put in place. The problems we have in Nigeria today are enormous, but agriculture can solve a lot.
Specifically, what opportunities are there in agriculture for Nigerians to tap into?
Youths have always shied away from agriculture and moving out of the rural places to urban areas. Even if we had the agricultural settlements, do you think they would stay?
You may ask, why are they moving out? Because they have nothing to do in those places. If they had something doing in those places, I can tell you that some of those youths would stay back. If they know that there are no jobs in the cities, but they can get the jobs in their towns via farming, they would stay. Note that we are talking about mechanised farming and not about them using hoes and cutlasses. The youth would stay back in the rural areas if there were opportunities there.
You have been in the food processing industry for years. What has been your sustaining power?
I will tell you it’s not been easy. Anybody that tells you it’s easy to run a business of this type in Nigeria is not sincere with you. But by and large, we thank God that we’ve been able to withstand all the obstacles because life itself is full of challenges, irrespective of the type of business you’re doing. This is why you need to have the zeal, focus and determination. If you know what you want, no challenge will be able to make you go back, but rather you will see every challenge as an opportunity to elevate you. This has been my own idea about business. We are operating in an environment where there is no stable electricity, no rail network and no good roads. There are challenges everywhere, but the courage to solve these problems is what has been sustaining us. Some people who started this same type of business are no more in it. But I believe you can always solve problems. You have to find the solutions to the problems and I believe if you are always doing the right thing, God will always give you the strength and wisdom to find a way out of every problem. In this company, we use products from farms. We are in an urban area (Lagos), but most of these products come from the inland areas, so one of the challenges is how to get the products down here. In some other countries, they use the rail system. For instance, a train can leave Kano and arrive in Lagos within four hours and before you know it, your raw materials are here. Likewise, the finished products can leave Lagos and get to Kano in time. But by road, there is the risk of accident, you may not get there in two days, there could be armed robbery attack and so on. All these make food to be more expensive. For instance, if we are transporting our products by rail, from let’s say Lagos to Abuja, the cost per carton should not be more than N25. But by road, it’s N500, which makes food to be more expensive. There are many challenges but we have been able to navigate through to remain in business.
Recently, you introduced the unripe plantain flour into the market. Is there any unique thing about unripe plantain?
Unripe plantain has so many health benefits, which is why we introduced it. You see, Nigerians are now careful of what they eat because as the saying goes, you are what you eat. Plantain flour is a very good food for any age group, demography, gender, body shape. We use 100 per cent unripe plantain for the product, that is, when it is still green, because that’s the stage when plantain has so many vitamins. It contains vitamins B6, C, A. Unripe plantain helps in strengthening the bones because of the high calcium content, helps in enhancing good vision, helps in boosting the immune system and it enhances sexual performance, that is, it boosts libido. You can also use it to reduce fat tummy, it helps in losing weight. It also has carbohydrate. These are facts. And in our plantain flour, there is no additive, it is processed when it’s still green and the process is just drying.
What advice would you give youths wanting to venture into agriculture?
The earlier the youth understand that their destiny is in their own hands, the better. If everybody kept waiting for government or white collar jobs that aren’t there, they would be wasting their time, and time is money. Everything involves a bit of risk. To go out there to start something is a risk, but you’ve got to take it. Truly, it’s not easy. When I started, things were better then, at least £1 was exchanged for between N12 or N15. When I started the food business, many people thought I was crazy, asking how could I leave my profession as a structural engineer and come to Nigeria to start a food business, which I knew nothing about? Some people thought I was sick, some of my colleagues were even making jest of me. But you have to decide for yourself, be focused and be determined in your ability to get it done. If you don’t believe in your ability, you will opt out at the slightest challenge. The youth have to start small and not be in a hurry, as you start small and grow, you will get the experience. By the time you grow up there, it won’t be easy for anyone to pull you down, even with their money. The land is there for the youth, so they must make use of the opportunity. You should not be distracted by sights and when the results start coming, the same people who abused you when you were struggling would praise you and ask how you did it. The youth must just start something because I can see the jobs are not there. We have so many universities and other higher institutions in all the states, but what percentage of graduates that are churned out every year get jobs? The earlier they realise and start something, the better. Don’t deceive yourself, it doesn’t matter where you make the money. If you make it in one rural place, it doesn’t matter. But when we talk of the youth starting something, they need capital and that’s where the government comes in. Without the capital to implement your idea, an idea is just an idea. Irrespective of the size of any business, you need money, and this is where the government should help the youth. The banks will never come to your aid when you are just starting.
As a major food company in the country right now, do you plan exporting your products to other countries?
I laugh when people ask me this question because in the first place, we started this business by exporting to other countries. Up till 2004, all we were doing here was to produce for export. You could never get our products in the Nigerian market. We were packing virtually every Nigerian food and exporting to the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and so on. We were selling to the big stores in those countries. Let me tell you how we started selling our products in Nigeria. One elderly Igbo woman returned to Nigeria from Houston, US. But while she was there, she used to eat our fufu, which has no smell like the one here. She came to visit her family in Nigeria and she told them to buy our fufu for her. The children went everywhere but couldn’t get our fufu in the stores. The woman was surprised that even in the US, she used to get the product. She then told her people in Houston to send our fufu wrap to Nigeria so she could show her children. She gave the wrap to the children, still they could not get it. One day, as the children went to work, the woman took a cab and traced our office address. I was in the office that day. When I received her in my office, she brought out the fufu wrap and told how she used to eat our fufu in Houston but couldn’t get it in Nigeria. She asked why it was so. I told her we weren’t selling any of our products here, but for export. She asked, ‘How could you do that?’ That’s when it occurred to me that we should start selling in the country, after 10 years of operation. At that time, though, I was already thinking of rounding off the food export business and retire. But somehow, that woman changed my perspective and that’s how I decided to sell here. At that time, I always thought the local market wouldn’t accept the product, but when we introduced it, they loved it.
How do you unwind?
I love going to relaxation spots, especially jazz outlets. I love jazz music a lot. I also have a gym where I work out. I also travel out of the country to relax. In fact, every six to eight weeks, I travel to different holiday resorts across the globe. I also love watching football and lawn tennis.
Which is your favourite holiday destination and why?
That would be the South Coast of Spain called Coastal Del Sol, also known as Coastal Del Golf, because there are over 30 golf courses in that axis. I love the place because of its nice weather throughout the year, the sea, the mountains, the hospitality there, the quiet lifestyle and very low crime rate.
Does your wife also love jazz music?
Yes. We attend jazz music spots together.
Being a Russian, does she cook Western or Nigerian foods for you?
My wife cooks all sorts of Nigerian foods. She’s been in Nigeria since 1987, that’s 31 years. My mother taught her how to cook all the foods. Today, my wife can prepare pounded yam, amala, ewedu soup, edikaikong, among others.

What My Pregnant Wife Did After I Told Her I Was Diagnosed With Leukaemia – Carl Ikeme

Former Super Eagles keeper, Carl Ikeme said missing the FIFA 2018 World Cup in Russia was hard for him to take. Ikeme was diagnosed with leukaemia a few months to the tournament and after his recovery he announced his retirement from the game, with the Nigeria Football Federation offering to make him an assistant coach in the Super Eagles coaching crew.
“The World Cup was probably a bit more difficult to take. “The World Cup, to me, is the pinnacle of football.
No disrespect to Wolves, because I loved playing every minute for them, but the World Cup is a different stage – they’re the memories you have as a kid. So that was something that I’d knew I’d miss out on and never get the chance to do again.”
The goalkeeper who made 207 appearances for his boyhood club Wolves further spoke about how he revealed the news of his diagnosis to his wife who was then none-month pregnant.
“She was the first person I told. I was obviously upset, as you would be after that sort of news,” Ikeme said.
“I was in shock. I got back home and thought: ‘I need to tell Saba.’ I called her and I couldn’t get it out on the phone, but she knew something was up. “I got back and Saba came in and I told her the news. She was nine months pregnant at the time, due next week. I’ve never seen her cry the way she cried. It was tough.”

Ghanaian actress, Ellah Mensah robbed at gunpoint in Festac

34 mins ago

Ghanaian actress, Ella Mensah has cried out on Instagram after she was robbed in Festac, Lagos, while on her way home from a movie location. According to her, the armed robbers who pointed a gun at her made away with her properties which includes an iPhone X, iPhone 7plus and some money.

Ellah Mensah wrote:

“I was attacked by arm robbers last night in Festac…. from my location to my house…they broke my car screen, pointed a gun at me n took everything I had on me….Two of my fons (iPhone X n iPhone 7plus) my money (few dollard and Naira)”

“I thought they were gonna shoot me… Never been this scared in my life.”

”Never been afraid of my life until this past Tuesday…… Never seen a real gun,until this past Tuesday, never prayed for my life as hard as I did until this past Tuesday… God!! I thought I was going to die n never see my son again… I’m grateful they spared my life… Thank u Lord n a another Thank You to everyone who reach out to me even though I didn’t even have a fon cus ‘they’ took everything… I’m good n I will be better soon.”

Kidnapper Under Influence Of ‘Tramadol’ Dozes Off In Victim's Compound

Police in Ondo State have arrested a suspected kidnapper who slept off while planning to abduct a renowned pharmacist in the state.
The suspect, whose real name was yet unknown, was said to have attempted to abduct the owner of the Chinery Pharmacy in Owo, when he was arrested.
Femi Joseph, spokesperson of the Ondo State Police Command, made the disclosure in a press interview.
He said investigations showed that the suspect was under the influence of Tramadol.
He explained that the suspect and his gang members had invaded the pharmacy to kidnap the owner, but luck ran out on them as the victim raised the alarm and escaped through the back door.
"A gang of kidnappers entered into the Chinery Pharmacy with the intention of kidnapping the pharmacist, who, on sighting them with arms, escaped through the exit door.
"The kidnappers later came out of the shop at gunpoint and collected a Bajaj motorcycle from one Daodu Wale, who came to buy drugs. The other two escaped with the bike. However, one of them stumbled and fell due to the effect of the tramadol he had taken.
“The suspect has been sleeping for more than 24 hours after his arrest, while a 400mg tablet of tramadol was found in his pocket, and one cut-to-size locally-made gun was recovered from him.”

The drug found in the suspect's pocket
In a related development, one Victor Ebele was also nabbed for allegedly breaking into the home of Olunnagba Foyinsola at the back of the Jojein hotel on Oba Ile road, in Akure.
Ebele, aged 22, scaled the fence and entered into the house to rob the occupant.
He was, however, arrested by the police after he was overpowered by security agents in the area.
"On interrogation, he confessed to scaling the fence to rob, noting that he was under the influence of Tramadol, and that he took 600mg of Tramadol and (SK) ‘No Bible’, a brand of India hemp" Joseph added.

BREAKING!! DSS Appoints New Boss And He Is So Ruthless… Check Out His Profile

Mathew Seiyefa has been appointed as the new Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS). Seiyefa’s appointment was confirmed by the Presidency on Tuesday, August 7, 2018 after the sack of Lawal Daura. [READ
HERE ]
The new boss, Mathew Seiyefa is said to be a no-nonsense man.
Here are the 6 things you should know about Mathew Seiyefa.
1. He is the most senior officer in the DSS.
2. Seiyefa Served as DSS state Director in Osun, Akwa Ibom, and Lagos states.
3. He has also served as DSS Director of Operations.
4. He was the Director, Institute of Security Studies, Abuja.
5. Mathew Seiyefa has spent 34 years working as a DSS agent.
6. He hails from Bayelsa state.