10 Ways to Search Google for Information That 96% of People Don’t Know About

In our era of advanced technology and high-speed Internet connections, you can find information on virtually anything. In the space of just a few minutes, we can find recipes for the tastiest pie or learn all about the theory of wave-particle duality.

But more often than not, we have to sift through a vast body of knowledge to get the information we need, and this can take hours rather than minutes. This is why Bright Side has put together a list of the most effective methods for searching Google to help you find the precious material you’re looking for in just a couple of clicks.

1. Either this or that

Sometimes we’re not sure that we’ve correctly remembered the information or the name we need to start our search. But this doesn’t have to be a problem! Simply put in a few potential variations of what you’re looking for, and separate them by typing the “|“ symbol. Instead of this symbol you can also use ”or." Then it’s easy enough to choose the result that makes the most sense.

2. Searching using synonyms

Our language is rich in synonyms. Sometimes this can be very convenient when doing research online. If you need to find websites on a given subject rather than those that include a specific phrase, add the "~" symbol to your search.

For example, if you search for the term "healthy ~food" you’ll get results about the principles of healthy eating, cooking recipes, as well as healthy dining options.

3. Searching within websites

Sometimes you read an interesting article on a website and find yourself subsequently wanting to share it with your friends or simply reread it. The easiest way to find the desired piece of information again is to search within the website. To do this, type the address of the site, then a key word or entire phrase from the article, and it should come up immediately.

4. The power of the asterisk

When our cunning memory decides to prevent us from recalling that one key word, phrase, or number we need in order to find what we’re looking for, you can turn to the powerful "*" symbol. Just use this in the place of the word/phrase you can’t remember, and you should be able to find the results you’re looking for.

5. When lots of words are missing

If it’s the lengthier half of the phrase you can’t remember rather than a single key word, try writing out the first and last words and putting “AROUND + (the approximate number of missing words)“ between them. For example, ”I wandered AROUND(4) cloud."

6. Using a time frame

Sometimes we urgently need to acquaint ourselves with events that occurred during a certain period of time. To do so, you can add a time frame to your search query with the help of three dots between the dates. For example, if we want to find out about scientific discoveries during the 20th century, we can write:

7. Searching for a title or URL

To help find the key words and name of an article, type “intitle:“ before the search term, without any spaces between them. In order to find the words from a URL, use ”inurl:".

8. Finding similar websites

If you’ve found something you really like online and want to find similar websites, type in "related:" and then the address of the site, again without a space between them.

9. Whole phrases

Framing the search term within quotation marks is the simplest and most effective way to find something specific and in the exact order you typed it in.

For example, if you type in the words I’m picking up good vibrations without quotation marks, the search engine will show the results where these words appear in any order on a website, as opposed to the specific order in which you typed them.

If, on the other hand, you type "I’m picking up good vibrations" within quotation marks, you’ll get only those results where these words appear only in the order you typed them in. This is a great way to find the lyrics to a song when you only know one line from it.

10. Unimportant search words

To remove unimportant search words from your query, simply write a minus symbol before each one. For example, if you want to find a site about interesting books, but you aren’t looking to buy them, you can write the following:

Akeredolu’s Victory Has Demystified Tinubu’s Godfatherism, Influence In South West

Ondo Governorship election was a test-run of the popularity of President Muhammadu Buhari especially in the forthcoming 2019 election, adding that “for leading the ruling APC to victory, the President has shown that he and his party still command influence in the South West.
Mr Rotimi Akeredolu who is a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), was on Saturday elected as the sixth executive governor of Ondo State after a fairly and keenly contested election.
Akeredolu had 244,842 votes to emerge winner of the poll, after defeating 27 other candidates.
The APC candidate humiliated his closest rival in the contest, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, (SAN), by winning 14 out of the 18 local government areas in the state.
Jegede (SAN) of the PDP scored 150,380 while the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Chief Olusola Oke scored 126,889. Also Dr. Olu Agunloye of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) had 10,149 votes. Both Jegede and Oke won two local governments each.
Mr Akereolu had defeated Mr Olusegun Abraham, the preferred candidate of the National Leader of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tunubu, by a whopping 669 votes in the party’s primary election which held Saturday September 3rd, 2016.
Mr. Abraham, an international businessman and a one-time Chairman of Owena Motel under Governor Adefarati, scored 635 votes to place second in the race.
Akeredolu has said in an interview published by Punch Newspaper on September 3rd that the National Leader of the party, Tinubu would be “shocked” at the outcome of the primary results which he (Akeredolu) eventually won.
After Olusegun Abraham lost the primaries in September, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, had demanded the removal of the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, over what he called the latter’s anti-democratic handling of the party affairs.
In a statement he entitled, “Oyegun’s Ondo fraud: The violation of democracy in the APC,” released by the Tinubu Media Office back then, the party leader said the APC’s democratic credentials had been dealt a big blow by Odigie-Oyegun’s conduct, especially with his handling of the outcome of the Ondo State governorship primary.
APC was a party borne out of the quest for democratic good governance, arguing that the ideology was currently under a critical threat by those who managed to be in the party but were never part of it.
Tinubu further said, “from the party’s inception, the principles of democratic fairness and justice are to guide the APC’s internal deliberations.”
Many political observers however thought Tinubu’s alleged withdrawal from the Ondo State political campaign of the party would hurt Akeredolu’s chances at the poll last Saturday.
Tinubu and many of the South West Governors were not in the Ondo State APC campaigns and had given one reason or the other for not attending.
However, is of the opinion Saturday’s election victory for Akeredolu had finally consolidated President Buhari’s grip of the party and established his foothold in the South West.
Many Nigerians on social media had expressed opinion that Ondo people would show their revolt against the Buhari’s administration due the current recession and economic chaos Nigeria has been plunged into, by not voting for the APC candidate. This is moreso that Tinubu did not take part in the governorship campaign. However this permutation happened not to be the case.
President Buhari has indirectly indicated interest in the 2019 Presidential elections and establishing his ground in Ondo State, according to many political analysts, may actually be a proof of his subsisting popularity in the South West.

All You Need Is One Tea Bag and You Will Never See Mice or Spiders In Your House Again!

Mice find ways to enter homes through tiny cracks and holes. They make nests in unused corners, and they can exist on crumbs.

You may not even notice the presence of one or two, but if you aren’t careful you could end up with a full-blown infestation on your hands. The key to preventing mice from coming inside is to seal your home, clean out places where mice like to nest and remove their food sources. We found a method which is used with centuries and it is unbelievably efficient. All you need is a bag of this tea.

This homemade remedy uses a tea which most of us have in our home, Peppermint Tea*.

The strongest of the mint family, peppermint, or menthe piperita, has a strong, clean, fresh, minty aroma. Menthol, the most important active element in peppermint, is extracted and used in pharmaceutical products as well as commercial products such as toothpaste flavoring, and food flavoring.

Peppermint masks the pheromone trails the mice leave behind, and which other mice use to find their way around. Naturally they don’t like this, and prefer to spend their time in areas where they can easily navigate.

The strong peppermint  scent also irritates the nasal cavity of the mouse. Mice have an extremely acute sense of smell. The menthol in the peppermint oil which we find refreshing is at very strong concentrations quite irritating to the mouse. So they will avoid any area in which the scent is too strong.

Method

All you need to do is make the tea and leave the tea bag in the room (I like to leave 3 per room) in which you think there are spiders or mice.

In fact, you will need more than one tea bag which you will set out where you want. But the best is to put them in the corners of your rooms, and believe it or not you will never see any of this creatures in your house again!

How To Save A Person From Stroke Using Only A Needle?

The unconventional method of saving human life during a stroke is a method of a Chinese professor who says that you should always keep a needle in your house.

Share this advice, so that you help someone survive. Take the time to read. You never know if someone’s life may depend on you.

When someone gets a stroke, the capillaries of the brain gradually stretch. You require a rest and an ambulance. These tips will help you save someone’s life!

Stay calm! Regardless of the place the victim is, don’t move them, because if you move the patient, the capillaries will burst and there will be some bleeding in the brain! It would be best if you have a syringe needle at home, but a simple needle for sewing can help, too.

Hold the needle – over the fire, a lighter or candle to sterilize and then use it for pricking the tops of all 10 fingers.

No specific acupuncture is need; it should only be a few millimeters from the nail.

Perform so that the blood can flow.

If blood does not start to drip, tighten and start squeezing the blood to flow.

When all 10 fingers begin to bleed wait a few minutes – you will see that the victim will be back to life!
If the victim’s mouth is distorted, massage their ears until they become red – so blood can come to them.

Then prick with the needle in each ear in the soft part, to fall two drops of blood of each ear. A few minutes later, his mouth would no longer be distorted
Wait until the victim come to normal state without any unusual symptoms, then send to the hospital.

This method of bloodshed to save the life is a method of a traditional Chinese medicine, and its practical application is 100% effective and using it people can survive a stroke.

This is How Headaches Reveal What is Wrong With Your Health.

Headache is the most common form of pain. It’s one of the main reason people miss days at work or school or visit the doctor. Some people have them when they are tired or if they don’t sleep enough, some people have headaches if they didn’t drink enough water that day, etc.

The most usual types of headaches are 4 and all of them indicate something about our body. If you learn the signals, you will effectively learn to treat the headaches properly.

1. SINUS HEADACHE

As its name implies, a sinus headache occurs when sinuses become inflamed or blocked. This can cause pain behind the cheeks, nose and eyes that gets worse when your bend forward or when you wake up. Common causes include allergic reaction, a tumor, or an infection. Depending on its underlying cause, symptoms can closely resemble those of a migraine.

Treatment: consume as many liquids as possible. You possibly will benefit a lot from the use of warm water since it effectively reduces the inflammation and opens the sinuses. Also, you can try to apply cold and hot compresses, reduce the pain by eating a soup, or a fresh ginger, because it has powerful anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing properties.

2. TENSION HEADACHE

It’s the most usual headache type that is manifested by a constant pressure or pain around the head, mainly in the back of the head and the neck, or at the temples. It might also cause a radiating pain above or below the eye area. It can last between a few minutes to a few days. Triggers include lack of sleep, missed meals, stressful situations, high emotions and alcohol.

Treatment: Combine peppermint oil and ginger tea in order to successfully reduce the pain. Add some peppermint oil to the hairline to cause a cooling sensation with the intention to relax the head and neck muscles. Also, ginger tea will relieve the inflammation.

3. CLUSTER HEADACHE
This headache may appear over one eye, and it mostly affects women. It is often recurring, and may occur in a cycle or in a group. It appears suddenly and leads to a severe pain on one head side. In this case, you may often experience a nasal congestion, a rainy nose or a watery eye. Its cause cannot be stated, but it occurs as soon as certain nerve pathway is activated in the brain’s base.

Treatment: Capsaicin cream includes an active ingredient, cayenne pepper. A small amount of it applied to the nostril will cause a blockade of the nerve pain signals.

4. MIGRAINE

Migraines usually occur between the age of 25 and 55, but they can also be experienced regardless of the age. This headache type is way more complicated than any other headache, because it includes numerous different neurological symptoms.

Migraines are manifested by a severe, intense, throbbing pain on only one side of the head. In one-third of the migraine attacks, the pain occurs on the both sides of the head. The pain is combined with other symptoms like vomiting, dizziness, nausea, visual disturbances, extreme sensitivity to light, smell, touch, sound, as well as numbness or tingling in the face. The symptoms radiate from the top of the head descending.

Treatment: It has been shown that many migraine patients benefit from the use of omega-3 fatty acids,vitamin B12 (riboflavin), andmagnesium. Involve sufficient amounts of them in your diet in order to prevent migraines.
SOURCE

God Loves You

God Loves You!

The Bible says,"God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life"

The problem is that...
All of us have done, said or thought things that are wrong. This is called sin, and our sins have separated us from God.
The Bible says"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."God is perfect and holy, and our sins separate us from God forever. The Bible says"The wages of sin is death."

The good news is that, about 2,000 years ago,
God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins.
Jesus is the Son of God. He lived a sinless life and then died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins."God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us."

Jesus rose from the dead and now He lives in heaven with God His Father. He offers us the gift of eternal life -- of living forever with Him in heaven if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior.
Jesus said"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me."

God reaches out in love to you and wants you to be His child."As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name."You can choose to ask Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and come in to your life as your Lord and Savior.
If you want to accept Christ as your Savior and turn from your sins, you can ask Him to be your Savior and Lord by praying a prayer like this:

"Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want to serve you always."

Did you pray this prayer?

Mission Biodigester Toilets

“Biodigester toilets can free us from these problems,” says Singh. The zero-waste biodigester technology breaks down human excreta into usable water and gas through anaerobic process. It does not have any geographical or temperature limitation and also does away with the need to set up large sewerage networks. The experiments to develop bio-toilets were started by DRDO around 20 years ago. “We wanted to design toilets for forces deployed at high altitudes as human excreta was becoming a big problem there,” says W Selvamurthy, chief controller of research and development division at DRDO. In areas like Ladakh, deep pits are dug for defecation. Once the tank is full it is emptied in fields. The waste has chances of mixing with melting snow that feed rivers downstream. In freezing conditions, the waste is collected and then incinerated which requires energy and labour. “But no bacteria were functioning in cold conditions,” says Selvamurthy. DRDO then decided to send scientists to Antarctica under India’s 13th Antarctic Mission in 1994 to look for microorganisms that can break down excreta. “After screening we found a variety of psychrotrophic bacteria like Clostridium and Methanosarcina,” he says. These bacteria can live in cold or hot climate and feed on waste to survive.
The bacteria were then cultured in the DRDO lab in Gwalior and tested at various altitudes and temperatures. They worked in temperatures ranging from 0°C to 55°C. To use it in a toilet, a tank was fitted below the commode to collect the excreta. The tank made of cement had sheets with bacteria embedded in it and free-floating bacteria. The bacteria cannot move out of the sheets but can multiply. When human excreta comes in contact with bacteria, it gets converted into methane and water through a series of steps of anaerobic digestion—hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis.
Faecal matter is composed of carbohydrates, protein and fats. In the first step, they are converted into simple sugars, amino acids and fatty acids. In the next step, these break to form carbonic acid, alcohols, hydrogen and water. In the third step, acetic acid, hydrogen and carbon dioxide is formed. In the last step, methane, carbon dioxide and water are formed. “Methane can be used for cooking while water for irrigation,” says Singh. The best part is that once applied, the bacteria can work for a lifetime.
The first bio-toilet was set up in Ladakh in 1994. “Since then, 159 more have been constructed in high altitude regions like Ladakh and Siachen. We have enough evidence to show they are working efficiently,” says Singh. DRDO along with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry has also set up six biodigester toilets at Dhamra district in Odisha in June. Every day around 150 people use these toilets. In July, DRDO and Union rural development ministry signed an MOU to build 100,000 biodigester toilets in 300 gram panchayats of the country in the next two years under the Centre’s flagship Total Sanitation Mission. Indian railways has also signed an agreement with DRDO to retrofit these toilets in 50,000 coaches over five years.
Tailored for specific use To suit different geographical requirements, DRDO has also made various design modifications in the biodigester toilets. For example, to avoid choking of toilets in railways because of people throwing non-biodegradable plastics, like bottles, a special lid has been constructed. On pushing the flush, the flap opens and the bottles fall on the track. The excreta enters through a separate opening into the digester tank.
The tank has several chambers to provide more surface area to hasten biodegradation. The chambers increase retention time of the waste in places where water table is high, like in Lakshwadeep or homes and offices where people flush frequently. In glaciers where the temperature is as low as -40°C, the toilet is fitted with solar panels of 240 watt to keep the excreta warm for processing. Design changes are also being worked for toilets in houseboats in Srinagar to avoid water contamination. One biodigester toilet costs Rs 15,000. “The cost will come down with increase in scale,” says Selvamurthy.

People Who Avoid Failure Inevitably Avoid Success

History tells us that while attempting to invent the incandescence light bulb, Thomas Edison, the world famous American Inventor, failed 10,000 times.
After 5,000 failed experiments, his laboratory attendant said to him; “Mr. Edison, we have failed 5,000 times, shouldn’t we stop?” Mr. Edison replied; “Son, we have not failed 5,000 times, we have only discovered 5,000 ways in which it cannot work. We are closer to the solution now than when we started.”
Success is the achievement of predetermined goals. But how do you respond when things do not go the way you planned? Do you feel discouraged and depressed? Does it make you want to quit? Everybody wants to succeed, no one wants to fail. However, our knowledge of success cannot be complete without knowing how to handle failure.

Successful people see failure as a stepping stone, not a stumbling block. They have the right attitude that failure will neither be fatal nor final. They refer to their failure as “learning experiences” or “temporary setbacks”.

On the other hand, unsuccessful people are usually those who are so afraid of failure and rejection that they spend their lives avoiding the risks that could result in failure. They do not realize that those who avoid failure inevitably avoid success.

Don’t be afraid to fail. Success will not come without you taking a risk.
Don’t let what you have done label you negatively. That you failed an interview, an examination or a sales pitch does not make you a failure. Who you are is different from what you have done.

Don’t say to yourself; “I am a failure” just because things did not work out right. If you do that, you have internalized your failure. If you allow failure to get into your heart, it will follow you everywhere.
A key thing to note is that failure is usually a sign that you need to change something. If things are not working, something is out of place.

Be willing to make adjustments prayerfully. Just a small change can result in an outstanding breakthrough.
Always remember that failure is not peculiar to you. Most successful people can write volumes on how not to succeed. They have tried many things that did not work. However, the world has not recognized them for the many ventures in which they failed. No. They have been recognized for the few areas in which they have achieved outstanding success.

Dear friend, as you travel on the road to success, you will have challenges. If you get knocked down, are you going to give up and stay down, wallowing in your defeat? Or are you going to get back on your feet as quickly as you can? You can use failure as a springboard to success.
Stay blessed.

Sam Adeyemi

How Much Money Will Make You Financially Free?

In 2003, Mike Tyson, a former world heavyweight boxing champion was broke and filed for bankruptcy. This was in spite of the fact that he became a world champion at the age of 20 and earned a whopping $470 million! How did he become broke after earning such an amount of money?

A close look will reveal that Tyson’s undoing was his mind-set. Psychologists call it cognitive restructuring.
He grew up in the slums of Brooklyn, New York. The slum has its own culture; prevailing way of thinking. Unfortunately, when he began to earn millions of dollars, his old way of thinking remained with him.

He did not invest in stocks or in real estate. He did not know how to start and run businesses. His mind, instead of being an asset, became a liability.

Tyson’s story holds a big lesson for you and me. We cannot rise beyond the level of our thoughts. Given the fact that poverty and wrong thinking have become part of our culture, we must find a way to escape its mental trap.

Do you know that everyone has the opportunity to be prosperous but many people eat their seed money?

This is exactly the case of Mike Tyson. If you spend all you earn whether as a business person or an employee, you are eating your seed money.

What you have that you think is not enough, is actually enough. Try and cut down on your expenses. Learn to separate your need from your want.

Power to Prosper - Pastor E. A. Adeboye July 2016 HGS

Prayer:
Lift your voice unto God and say:
Father if only 2 people are to get a breakthrough today please let me be one of them.
Song:
I am serving the God of miracles I know yes I know, I'm serving the God of miracles I know yes I know x 2
Text
Deuteronomy 8:11-18
If you a true child of God you are going to prosper. In fact you will surely prosper.
There are 2 kinds of prosperity
True prosperity
False prosperity
Proverbs 10:22
22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
Proverbs 1:32
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
Jeremiah 17:11
11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.
True prosperity does not include having money alone but it includes freedom, good health, joy, fruitfulness, peace of mind, spiritual wellbeing etc.
1. Money is essential to have because poverty can destroy.
Proverbs 10:15
15 The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
Ecclesiastes 10:19
Money answereth all things.
Poverty can be a bondage
Proverbs 22:7
2 kings 4:1-7
A widow was in debt.
Prayer:
"Father don't let me die poor in Jesus mighty name"
Poverty is a killer.
2. True prosperity is not money alone but true prosperity is CONTENTMENT.
Ecclesiastes 5:10-12
1 Timothy 6:6
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Proverbs 30:8-9
Contentment is a great gain.
Prayer:
"Father don't let me lack but give me contentment almighty God"
3. True prosperity involves good health
Job 2:4
4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
2 kings 5:1-16
Ecclesiastes 6:2
Ecclesiastes 5:19
Prayer:
Father from now on let me enjoy good health so that I can eat anything I want to eat in Jesus mighty name.
4. True prosperity includes freedom.
Money that doesn't come with freedom is of no use.
Daniel 4:1-37
King Nebuchadnezzar was in bondage for 7 years yet he was a King.
1 Samuel 16:14
King Saul was a King and a demon was tormenting him. He was in a mental bondage.
Deuteronomy 8:11-14
Wealth can produce pride. It can bring divine resistance once pride comes.
When a man has wisdom he will choose freedom above wealth.
Prayer:
Father the kind of wealth that will put me in bondage almighty God don't let it come near me at all.
5. Importance of joy in true prosperity
Proverbs 10:22
Sorrow is a killer
Proverbs 15:13
Proverbs 17:22
Matthew 2:1-11
This passage Talks about the 3 wise men who came from the east looking for joy. They came in search of Jesus.
Prayer:
Father for the rest of my life don't let me know sorrow ever again in the mighty name of Jesus.
Father keep sorrow far away from me.
6. Spiritual wellbeing is another true prosperity
Mark 8:36
Philippians 3:7-11
Acts 19:11-12
Anointing is far far superior than money.
Prayer:
Father please hear me loud and clear I prefer anointing to money. I prefer spiritual wellbeing to material wellbeing in Jesus mighty name.
WHAT DO I DO TO PROSPER?
1. Deuteronomy 8:18 - since its God who gives the power to get wealth then wisdom tells us that we should always put Him first before anything.
2. Don't play games with him. Malachi 3:8-11. Learn to pay your tithes and heed to obedience.
3. Study his words. Joshua 1:7-8. Meditate on it regularly.
4. Obey Him completely. Deuteronomy 28:1-2;11-13. If you will listen to the will of God you will never borrow but lend to nations. Many are times His instructions are difficult to obey but you just obey and see the result.
5. Seek Him diligently. Hebrews 11:6.
6. Keep sowing. Ecclesiastes 11:6
7. Keep building His kingdom.
Prayer:
Father everything I need to serve you give to me in Jesus mighty name.

How Nigerian Petrol Attendants Cheat You

The rise in the price of petrol from ₦86.50/L to ₦145 Naira/L last week has continued to have a heavy toll on Nigerians, while many are taking to the street to protest the fuel hike, others are getting used to the excruciating fact that a litre of petrol now costs ₦145 Naira.

Sadly, as if the skyrocketing price of petrol isn’t enough, the ‘friendly’ fuel station attendants have found numerous tricks to add to their regular income, and undercut the customers who at the first place are paying through their noses.

The nefarious activity perpetrated by petrol attendants nationwide has gone unnoticed by many motorists as they drive into the filling stations to fill their tanks.

Fuel Station scams are not something new. There are plenty of foul plays which can leave you cheated at a fuel station.

Why do the petrol attendants cheat you?

First of all, the petrol attendants in Nigeria are one of the least paid in the country, infact an average petrol attendant is  paid between ₦10,000 - ₦15,000 monthly, but a smart attendant can make his salary in one day by cheating customers.

Ideally, when a petrol attendant resumes for work, he/she takes the reading on the meter on the fuel dispenser, which they call The Opening Meter, and after they close for the day,  the reading on the meter, called The Closing Meter is taken by the attendant. Then, they multiply the difference in the readings by the cost per litre, which is the amount they deliver to the manager. If there is any surplus cash, the attendant takes it.

Unfortunately, the surplus money is simply a product of manipulation/cheating of petrol buyers by the fuel attendants on a daily basis.

How Nigerian Petrol Attendants Cheat Customers In Filling Stations

I have compiled a list of some of the most common dirty tactics which are used to cheat customers at Nigerian fuel stations based on my research and conversation with some petrol attendants across the country.

TRICK 1: Recall or TIM/CAL button

On the fuel dispenser there is usually a button labelled ‘Recall, TIM/CAL’ or any other label, depending on the machine. The essence of the button is to enable the attendant to see the past sales.
If you want to see your last ten sales, you just press Recall, then the number you want to see etc, depending on the number you want, and it shows you the amount.

Beyond seeing  past sales,petrol attendants use it to cheat and make money from the customers.

For example, if a petrol attendant sold ₦5,000 worth of fuel to (Customer A), and the next customer (Customer B) also wants to buy ₦5,000., the attendant will clear the screen to ₦00.0 and tell Customer B to look at it (A way of gaining your trust and making you relax) then when they observe that the second customer (Customer B) Isn’t paying attention, they will sell some quantity, like ₦3,500 for example and press Stop or Cancel, depending on the machine, then press Recall 1, and Ok,With that, ₦5,000 will appear on the screen and that is what the customer will see on the meter, believing the sale is complete, meanwhile the attendant recalled the previous sale.

My investigations revealed that this can be done in less than one second.

Infact, some attendants could go to the extent of writing out some past sales on a paper where they can easily have a glance to know which number to recall when a customer is distracted or looks away, since many people prefer to buy based on price and not litre.

For example Recall 1 can be ₦5,000, Recall 2 - ₦3,000, Recall 3 - ₦2,000, so based on the customer they want to cheat, they look at the paper to recall, and the customers would think the machine was fast, so they wouldn’t always suspect anything

TRICK 2: Fake hang the nozzle

Almost every petrol consumer is knowledgeable that when the nozzle is hanged on the pump, the readings revert to zero. Thus the fuel attendants have also found a way to manipulate it to make some money for their pockets.

What they do is that they gently hang the nozzle, such that it won’t click to rub off the old sales and revert to zero, so,they fake hang the nozzle,while the dispenser is still running, so if a new customer comes, they simply continue from where they stopped from the previous customer.

This trick is used a lot during fuel scarcity, or when customers are in a hurry to buy fuel.

This trick is also easier for the fuel attendant if  the last sale was in a small quantity.

TRICK 3: The Okada/Keke Napep advantage

Most times, the Okada and Keke Napep's tend to buy petrol in small quantities, for example like 2 or 3 Litres of fuel.

After dispensing fuel for the Okada/Keke Napep, if the next buyer intends to buy fuel in his car or a big jerry can, the fuel attendant will use the Okada/Keke Napep advantage, because of the small quantity sold previously and continue to dispense fuel into your car tank without clearing the previous sale.

For example, if the previous sale to an Okada, Keke Napep or even a commercial bus is about ₦350, the fuel attendant will gently place the nozzle, and naturally, when the next customer (The Car owner) sees that the attendant removed the nozzle from the dispensing machine, he believes that it started from zero. However, it is not always the case, thus the car owner is automatically cheated by ₦350.

TRICK 4: The Fill up your tank system

eport culled from dailyfinance.com says filling up the tank may be another way to lose money and fuel, because when the pump clicks off automatically, no additional fuel enters the tank. “Instead, fuel is likely being diverted through the pump’s vapour recovery system and back into the station’s tank, which means you are paying for petrol that you are not getting.

“More importantly, the car needs space in its tank for fuel vapours to expand. Overfilling can force gas into the car’s carbon filter, leading to poor performance, reduced mileage or costly repairs. So, the next time you want to buy fuel, don’t top off your tank, it’s good for your car and even better for your wallet,” the report said.

TRICK 5: The faulty meter

Some petrol pumps have rigged meters that start ticking even before petrol starts to flow from the hose. Have you ever gone to a filling station to buy fuel and it takes lesser time to fill your tank, compared to other places? This is as a result of the meters that have been tampered with, the attendant will make you believe the particular fuel dispenser is faster or slower than normal, depending on how the meters were manipulated.

Nigeria’s petroleum regulator, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR,saddled with the responsibility of regulating, monitoring and enforcing the laws in the sector, used the Seraphin Can to expose filling stations involved in the nefarious act in Lagos recently.

The ten-liter Seraphin Can is used by the DPR to ascertain the exact dispensing meter measurement of filling stations. When filled to the level of ten liters, dispensing meters that have been adjusted will show above ten liters on the display board. When this occurs, the filling station is shut by DPR officials.

DPR said over 500 filling stations had been shut for under-dispensing and other related offences.

TRICK 6:  Using Unnecessarily Longer Dispenser Pipe

Pumps save on a lot of petrol when they use long pipes.

A perfectly good meter will show that a certain amount of petrol has been pumped out, but that amount hasn't reached your tank -- some of it is still in the pipe, and it goes back into the pump. Through the day, the number of litres that stations save can be enormous, making the attendant accumulate surplus cash from undispensed fuel.

TRICK 7: Get friendly, distract and cheat

How many times have you visited the filling station and you notice that the fuel attendant is trying to chat you up. If he is not talking about the government, religion or politics, he is most likely to dive into football, especially if he noticed you are a fan of a particular club.

'Oga mi up Arsenal o, me i be Barcelona fan, we go beat Arsenal all the time'

The trick is to make you get very comfortable, argue with him and take your eyes off the fuel meter.
Sometimes the attendant can even get his colleague to distract you, so he can focus on fuel pump to cheat you.

He can ask you questions like..

'Sir/madam do you need engine oil' or 'Sir you need to balance your wheels'

TRICK 8: Pretend not to hear you, fake ignorance, smile, apologize

This is another trick used by fuel attendants, when you request to fill up your car or
jerrycan for a particular amount, for example ₦4000, the attendant will sell only ₦1000 worth of fuel, when you ask him why he didn't fill up for ₦4000, the attendant will apologize and smile innocently and say that he/she heard you say you wanted to buy ₦1000 worth of fuel, and thus pretend to continue filling the remaining ₦3000, by pretending to reset the meter and fill up your ₦4000 worth of petrol and so you pay ₦4000

But the attendant just cheated you, and this is how...

He did not reset the meter to ₦0.00 , he continued from the ₦1000 point till he got to ₦3000, so in reality you only get the petrol worth ₦3000, but pay ₦4000

TRICK 9: Intervening the Dispenser Nozzle

It is generally found that the pump attendants keep their fingers tight on the nozzle and interrupt the flow of fuel manually. In this way, the required amount of fuel gets short. With these type of tricks, the pump staff saves probably litres of oil in a single day that accumulates to his personal surplus profit for the day.

TRICK 10: Fuel Adulteration

The simplest and the most effective way of cheating used by almost all the petrol pumps is the adulteration of fuel. Usually, the dealers chemically adulterate the petrol by adding Naphtha, which is a byproduct and is as dense as petrol. It does not leave residue and is cheaper than its counterpart.

TRICK 11: Two sides of price indicators

In this particular trick, manipulations are done by pump attendants who normally strike when motorists are preoccupied with other thoughts. Most times, pump attendants are so daring.

Motorists should be more careful with pumps that have two sides of price indicators—back and forth screen, displaying amount of money dispensed.

For several reasons, some of which are technical, each side of the screen could show a different price. For example, ₦5000 and the other screen could display about ₦4000.

If you requested to buy fuel worth ₦5000 and the a buyer from other side of the pump is also buying ₦5000 worth of fuel, if you are not watching close enough, a crafty attendant can dispense fuel worth ₦4000 and point to the other side pump,  hoodwinking you into believing that he/she has dispensed the amount you required, meanwhile you have lost ₦1000 as the price indicator was for the other pump.

Now to counter these 11 tricks above, here are some of the counter-tricks or precautions to cut the cheating attendants
Always, get off from your car, lock the vehicle and stand close to petrol tank and see the meter readings when buying fuel
Check the meter reading after opening the petrol tank or before fueling starts and again at the very end.
Keep a continuous watch at the meter reading and at the fueling person, throughout your turn.
If you develop doubt over a particular petrol pump, then AVOID that particular petrol pump in the future like the plague. I have also seen that there are petrol pumps which do not indulge in such activities. Identify such pumps and try to fill from these pumps only
In any case, don’t believe the attendants and NEVER EVER TAKE YOUR EYES FROM THE METER. Get it set to zero and do not take your eyes off till the last drop comes out of the nozzle
Ask the attendant firmly to keep his hands off the nozzle and wait for the auto cut-off to kick-in.
Park the car a bit away from the machine and let the attendant stretch the pipe to your fuel lid. Ask him to hold the nozzle at certain height post he is done fueling up the tank in order to allow the residual to flow in
Always check for zero before they start filling, even if the petrol pump is overcrowded.
Reduce conversations with the fuel attaendant, and if you must talk to him/her, please do it without taking your eyes off the meter for one second. Also make sure the meter is set at ₦0.00  before the attendants starts to fill up your tank/keg.
Do not take your eyes off the meter till the last drop, don't get distracted by counting the money you want to give him/her, wait till he/she is done dispensing the fuel.
End the transaction right there, in case the meter is stopped for any reason.
Do not hurry and always pay at the end of the transaction.
Ask for a printed receipt every time, as far as possible.
Always keep a watch on the attendant and on the meter. If you are suspicious about a certain fuel station, step out of your car and ask the attendant to move away from the dispenser while filling. If you still feel that he is cheating stop him from filling your tank and call the manager and lodge your complain. If nobody at the station admits their fraud or deny any assistance, reach out to DPR https://dpr.gov.ng/index/contact-us/ 
As we visit the filling station today, always remember The Golden Rule: Never take your eyes off the meter
Please share widely

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE A TYRE BLOWOUT

In the event of the unfortunate death of Nigeria's minister of state for labour due to an accident occasioned by a tyre blowout and the fact that in Nigeria now-a-days, we have many untrained drivers, it has become pertinent for me to write this.

There are 6 simple steps to take within a maximum of 2 minutes and you will be safe, these by the grace of God. They are as follow:

(1) DON'T PANIC in the event of a blowout, calm yourself down fast because your car will start misbehaving and you need to take charge.  

(2) Hold FIRMLY to your steering wheel with both hand, NO VIGOROUS TURNING, as you concentrate on the road and your mirrors, in seconds study the movement pattern of the car. Your car will naturally swerve to the direction of the burst tyre.

(3) Gradually take off your foot from the accelerator, DON'T EVER ATTEMPT TO PRESS THE BRAKES, IF YOU DO, YOU HAVE A 95% CHANCE OF A SOMERSAULT. The car will decelerate gradually while you concentrate on the road to avoid collision with any other road user.

(4) Disengage the gears of the car by shifting to neutral (N) as you still maintain a firm grip on the sheering wheel and put your eyes on the road.

(5) After a while depending on your initial speed, your car come to a speed less than 60km/h when it is now safe to GRADUALLY apply the brakes and navigate to the side walk

(6) Ultimately, it is now safe to put the car to a complete stop and turn off the engine. You have just saved yourself and passengers from untimely death.

NOTE:
Of course, everyone in the car will be in a panic mode BUT this is NOT THE TIME TO LISTEN TO THEM, it is TIME TO CONCENTRATE.

Please, don't just read share on your page and copy to other platforms, you may just be about to save a life. I pray the Lord continue to keep us safe as we use the road in Jesus name.

Nigerian Professor Set to Receive America's Highest Honor for Scientists

A Nigerian genius professor has broken very much into the world of science and is now set to receive the U.S government's highest award for scientists.
Highly acclaimed professor, Deji Akinwande has been selected to receive a '2016 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)'  by President Barrack Obama, the United States government’s highest honor for scientists and engineers in the early stages of research.
Prof. Akinwande is an associate professor in electrical and computer engineering and the Jack Kilby/Texas Instruments Endowed Faculty Fellow in Computer Engineering in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin.
He is among 106 recipients announced by the White House on Thursday. The winners, who will be honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., this spring, were selected for having research that is both innovative and beneficial to society. Prof. Akinwande is one of two PECASE recipients from The University of Texas at Austin. The other recipient is Prof. Keji Lai from the Department of Physics.
Now in its 20th year, the Presidential Early Career Awards are coordinated through the President’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, which selects winners “for their pursuit of innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology and their commitment to community service as demonstrated through scientific leadership, public education, or community outreach.”
Prof. Akinwande is known for his groundbreaking research on nanomaterials, sensors, devices and flexible technology. He is considered one of the top researchers in the world in the areas of graphene, silicon electronics and 2-D nanomaterials for use in flexible electronics. In 2015, Akinwande created the first transistor out of silicene, the world’s thinnest silicon material, and he is continuing to advance the capabilities of computer chips and other electronics.
Prof. Akinwande has been the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Inaugural IEEE NANO “Geim and Novoselov Graphene Prize,” an IEEE Early Career Award in Nanotechnology, a National Science Foundation Career Award, an Army Research Office Young Investigator award, and a Young Investigator award from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
Previously, Texas ECE professor Mattan Erez received the PECASE award in 2014 and Prof. Seth Bank received the PECASE award in 2009.

I begged to watch EPL - Iheanacho

Super Eagles youngster Kelechi Iheanacho has disclosed how he begged and sneaked into viewing centres in Nigeria just to watch the English Premier League as a child.
The Manchester City striker endured a very difficult childhood in his home country, but now serves as a hero figure for kids who are eager to catch a glimpse of him.
Speaking in a chat with Daily Mail, Iheanacho revealed he couldn’t afford to pay N50 as a child to watch the English Premier League. According to him, he most times have to sneak in or beg just to have a glimpse of the action as his parent also couldn’t afford a television at that time.
“We didn’t have the money.
“Maybe after the game I’d hear the scores and all that. I’d be at home playing football and my friends would come back after being there to tell me. We didn’t have a television at home.
“Sometimes I watched the Spanish league – it was a bit cheaper, maybe N30. But the Premier League was N50. Sometimes I’d watch the Premier League if I found the money, or I’d go there and beg them to let me in. Or sneak in for the second half and pay half the money.”
He revealed the hardship his family went through when he lost his mother.
Kelechi Iheanacho reveals how he begged and sneaked into viewing centres in Nigeria just to watch the EPL.
“It was hard for us when my mother left us. We couldn’t do anything so I said to myself “move on and keep working hard.
“She makes me work harder. When I’m not doing something right, or when I’m not playing or working hard enough, then I remember her. She pushed me to work hard.
“There are jobs (back home) but football has always been with me. When I was growing up they didn’t want me to do it because my mother was a teacher- they wanted me to go to school. But I love football and wanted to play – they wanted to stop me but couldn’t.
“They wouldn’t allow me to play outside after school but I went out anyway. Maybe I lost a bit of focus om my studies.
“It’s amazing when you go back home now, when you remember how you were before. You go back home and all those people are calling your name, shouting. I get mobbed by the kids. They want to see you want to know you.”
Now a first team player with City, Iheanacho described playing alongside Yaya Toure a dream come thorugh.
He said: “I support Barcelona because I watched the Spanish league. I saw Yaya (Toure) playing for Barcelona… And now I’m playing with him. It’s a dream come true.
“I have to be my own man but he is a big influence in Africa. He has done a lot in Africa and I hope to do that as well.
“I wasn’t expecting that. I was working with the EDS (Elite Development Squad). He (Manuel Pellegrini) said I was going with them to Australia in pre-season and after we came back I was in the first team. I was a bit surprised.
“You feel a bit nervous, these are great players. It’s important to listen.
“I’m happy playing with them now and they give me confidence to play, they encourage me a lot. That doesn’t mean I’ll disrespect them or feel I’m one of them now. I wouldn’t just do anything I like – I’ve got to keep my head down, keep working hard.”
Iheanacho has nine goals so far this term, and is in line to start at Stamford Bridge as Pellegrini prepares to name an understrength squad ahead of Man City’s trip to Kiev in midweek.

The Correct History of Bini (Edo)

Historical accounts are vague as to when and if the Bini (Edo), migrated from
the Nile valley. What is not in doubt is that the earliest rulers of Benin were
called Ogisos.
Thirty-one Ogisos in all ruled the kingdom of Benin between 900 - 1200 AD,
which is the earliest period so far accounted for in Benin history.
The Bini monarchy demonstrates strong affinity with ancient Egyptian gods and
Pharaohs, with which it shares identical authority, grandeur and a great deal of
reverence from their subjects.
In fact, the hair style of Bini chiefs is similar to Pharaoh Ramses II's famous
helmet, while the small circles on the helmet appear also on many Bini
bronzes. Bini Queens wear identical hairstyles to that of Pharaoh Mycerinus
(Fourth-Dynasty), and Pharaoh Sesostris I (Twelfth Dynasty). The kings
(Ogies) of Benin (Bini) also adopt grand Osirian titles of the 'Open Eye,'
signifying omniscience and omnipotence.
The Bini cosmological account of the universe draws significantly from the
Egyptian one. The Egyptian version, which later formed the basis of genesis in
the Bible, is that the universe was created from chaos and primeval (or ancient)
ocean. After a hill (called tatjenen) arose from the bottom of the ocean, a son-
god (God's child or baby god) called Atom (which is the Sun without which life
on earth is impossible), appeared on the land created by the hill. The son-god
or Atom then created eight other gods which together with himself made nine
gods. These nine gods are presumed by modern science to be symbolized by
the nine major planets of the universe.
The Bini version is that, in the beginning there was no land only water
everywhere. In the middle of the water stood a tree on top of which lived
(Owonwon) the toucan. Osanobua (The Creator) decided to populate the world
so The Creator sent three sons, each with a choice of peculiar gift.
One of the three sons chose to have wealth and the next chose magical skills.
As the youngest was about to make his choice known, Owonwon cried out to
him to settle for a snail shell. This he did. When the canoe the three children
were travelling in reached the middle of the waters, the youngest son turned his
snail shell upside down to release endless stream of sand resulting in the
emergence of land from the waters.
The three sons at first were afraid to step on the land from the canoe. To test
the firmness of the land, they sent the Chameleon, which is why Chameleons
walk with hesitation.
Osanobua then came down on a chain, from the sky, to demarcate the earth and
allocate responsibilities. Osanobua appointed the younngest son as ruler of the
earth. The son called the earth (Agbon) and promptly set up his headquarters
at Igodomigodo.
The oldest son was given control of the waters by Osanobua. The Bini call this
son, Olokun (meaning the god of the river). The other son was allowed freedom
to use his magical powers to balance out the negative and positive forces of
nature. He apparently represents evil and the Bini call him Ogiuwu (or Esu
sometimes) meaning the harbinger of death. Ogiuwu is supposed to own the
blood of all living things. In other words, no living thing can live forever.
Osanobua then settled in the realm of the spirit world across the waters where
the sky and the earth meet.
While Osanobua and Olokun represent aspects of life such as good health, long
life, good luck, prosperity and happiness to which man may apeal through ritual
purity, Ogiuwu represents mourning, evil omen and diseases.
The youngest son, the ruler of the earth represents innocence and so is
susceptible to the powers of the other deities. These same good and evil
influences form the basic elements of all modern religions, with man endowed
with the power to make choices.
The importance of the emergence of the tree before man on earth is not lost on
modern science, which recognizes that without the tree manufacturing oxygen,
life on earth would have been impossible. Modern science has also confirmed
the Bini cosmology that birds, insects etc preceded man to earth. The Bini
myth of creation was earth based in scope.
The Ogisos (meaning rulers of the sky) because of their direct lineage to the
youngest son of Osanobua (God), from the sky, were of course, accorded divine
qualities by the Bini. These, the Ogisos naturally tried to strengthen in a variety
of ways, including not allowing themselves to be seen eating in public and so
suggesting that they can live without food. They are not mortal but god-kings
with celestial mystique attached to them.
Because the kings (Ogisos) of Bini are considered divine, they are worshipped
by their subjects who speak to them always with great reverence, at a distance
and on bended knees. Great ceremonies surround every action of the Bini king.
Bini kings have immense political powers, as ultimate judges in court matters,
the deliverers of death penalty, the receivers of taxes and tributes, the
regulators of trade, the nominal owners of the land of the kingdom, chief
executives and law makers, and principal custodians of customs and traditions.
However, their immense powers are hedged with checks and balances to
prevent excesses. The king's powers are held in trust for the entire community
and cannot be exercised without consultation with other levels of authority,
such as the kingmakers, known as Edionisen.
The first Ogiso king was called Ogiso Igodo and his kingdom Igodomigodo was
at Ugbekun. Ogiso Igodo's successor, Ogiso Ere, transferred the capital from
Ugbekun to Uhudumwunrun.
This detailed history of Bini is being provided to illustrate the formidable
authority and infleunce welded by monarchs in African kingdoms and
demonstrate how ancient people tried to breath life into myths. Whether it is
the son-god of the Bini, Egypt or the Christian religion, ancient people
translated myths into reality. There is, therefore, nothing special about Jesus
Christ. The idea of the Son of God or Son-God is as old and ancient man in
Africa.
Ogiso Ere was a very resourceful king. He introduced the guild system of
carpenters and wood carvers, which eventually developed into the world
celebrated wood works and bronze casting of Igun Street in Benin City. Ogiso
Ere also built the first ever Igodomigodo market known then as Ogiso market
and in modern times as Agbado market. Ogiso Ere, a lover of peace, invented
the famous African kingship paraphernalia which includes the Ada (a sword of
honour), Eben (a sword for dancing), Ekete (a royal stool), Agba (a rectangular
stool) and Epoki (a leather box).
Ogiso Ere was succeeded by Ogiso Orire, maintaining the primogeniture (son
succeeding his father) principle. The fourth dynasty on the death of Orire
introduced the system of gerontocracy (the oldest person in the community
rules), until the death of the twenty-second Ogiso when the primogeniture
system was restored. The twenty-third Ogiso extended the primogeniture rule
to all his frontline chiefs known collectively as the Edion (Elders). The Edion
included Chief Oliha, Edohen, Ero, Ezomo and Eholo-Nire. Ogiso Ibioye, another
resourceful king introduced the use of cowries as currency to Igodomigodo.
The last of the Ogiso kings was called Owodo. He reigned in the 12th century
AD and had only one child (a male) despite having many wives. In attempt to
unravel the cause of his wives' barrenness, he sent his first wife Esagho and
three male messengers to consult an oracle. The oracle named Esagho as the
cause. To avoid the wrath and punishment of the king, Esagho threatened to lie
to the king that the male messengers had carnal relationship with her (an act
carrying death penalty), if they revealed the oracle's declaration. The
messengers, in connivance with Esagho told the king that the oracle fingered
his only son, Ekhaladerhan as the cause of his wives' barrenness and that
Prince Ekhaladerhan had to be killed to reverse the situation.
The king, angered by the development but reluctant to take the life of his only
child, banished Ekhaladerhan and his mother to a place called Ughoton on the
outskirts of Igodomigodo kingdom. Three years after the banishment, Owodo's
wives were still barren so he sent another set of messengers to the oracle. It
was then that the truth about Esagho's treachery was revealed. Esagho was
executed as punishment and still the king's wives remained barren. Apparently,
the problem had to do with the fertility status of the king himself but no body
dared to raise such ideas in those days. Women were always blamed for
barrenness.
However, Ogiso Owodo, apart from his domestic problems, was not a very
popular king and his execution of a pregnant woman for some misdemeanor,
proved to be one offence too many for his subjects and frontline chiefs who
banished Owodo from his throne. Owodo took refuge at a place called
Uhinwinrin, where he died miserably a few years later.
During the period of Owodo's banishment, a monster that appeared to be
coming out of the Ikpoba river, (although the Igodomigodos believed it was
coming from the sky), attacked and devoured people at will at the Ogiso
market. The Igodomigodos as a result, nicknamed the Ogiso market, Ägbado
Aigbare, (meaning we go there together we never return together), which is how
Ogiso market acquired its current name of Agbado market.
Every effort to tackle the monster, including spiritual means failed until Evian, a
member of the Ogiso royal family, succeeded in throwing a fire-hot iron into the
mouth of the monster. The feat appeared to have sent the monster to its
eventual death and endeared Evian to his people, because the monster never
bothered the people of Igodomigodo again.
The death of Ogiso Owodo created leadership vacuum for the first time in
Igodomigodo's history. The people were not prepared to countenance a mere
mortal from a non-Ogiso lineage ruling them. It had to be the God-son's first
son or nothing. It was during this period of confusion that the elders, known as
Edionisen, including Chiefs Edohen, Ero and led by Oliha mounted a search for
their banished Prince Ekaladerhan.
In the meantime, Ekaladerhan had set up a settlement he called
'Ilefe,' (meaning, successful escape) and had changed his name to 'Izoduwa,'
(meaning I have chosen the path of prosperity).
Izoduwa's new home, ' Ilefe' was in the heart of Yoruba land and because of his
immense magic powers soon endeared himself to his Yoruba community which
included some Uzebu (corrupted in Yoruba to Ijebu) who had followed him into
exile from Igodomigodo, and were treating him as a god. The Yoruba corrupted
his name Izoduwa to 'Oduduwa' and his camp, 'Ilefe' to
'Ile-Ife.'
Oduduwa became the spiritual leader of the Ifa divinity. The yoruba (who call
The Creator, Olodumare), saw Oduduwa as a direct descendant, which he
claimed as a result of his God-son lineage, although his banishment link with
the God-sons (Ogisos) was kept a secret from the Yoruba. In fact, the Yoruba
believed he was a deity from the sky as he claimed and accorded him great
reverence as their leading ancestor.
The Ifa myth of creation draws significantly from the Bini and Egyptian corpus.
It claims that Olodumare (The Creator) sent Orunmila (another name for
Oduduwa) down to the earth with a cock (rooster) which carried a quantity of
sand in its claws. Before then, the entire earth surface was covered with
water. The cock dropped the sand on the water and spread it with its claws to
create land. Oduduwa subsequently had eight children who later dispersed to
found and rule other Yoruba communities. The Yoruba myth of creation is
community based confirming lineal relationship with its (earth based Bini and
universe based Egyptian) mother sources.
Oduduwa's first son was by a Yoruba woman called Okanbi. This son was
called 'Omonoyan,' (meaning precious child in Bini) which the Yoruba corrupted
to 'Oranmiyan.'
When the Edionisen of Igodomigodo finally traced Ekaladerhan (Oduduwa) down
to (Ilefe) Ile-Ife, they could not persuade Oduduwa to return to his father's
throne in Igodomigodo. The Edionisen, out of frustration for not being able to
persuade Izoduwa to return home to his throne, installed a temporary
administrator, the hero whose name was Evian, to oversee the affairs of
Igodomigodo.
Evian was a popular administrator. He invented the acrobatic dance called
Amufi and the traditional dance called Emeghute. He ruled until very old age
and before his death, nominated his oldest son, Irebor to succeed him. Most of
the people of Igodomigodo and senior chiefs would not have this. They rejected
Irebor on the ground that his father Evian was not an Ogiso and, therefore,
lacked divine authority to bequeath kingship (Ogieship)to his heir.
Leadership vacuum was again created in Igodomigodo and after a period of
uncertainly, the Edionisen decided to once again reach out to their son,
Izoduwa, who had by then acquired the Yoruba title of 'Ooni.' After much
pleading by the Edionisen, for the Ooni to allow his first son to ascend to the
throne of Igodomigodo, the Ooni decided to put the people of Igodomigodo to a
test. He gave the Edionisen some lice and instructed them to bring them back
in three years to get their answer.
Cheif Oliha kept the lice in the hair of one of their slaves and after three years
returned the lice to Izoduwa who was surprised at the level of preservation and
development of the lice. Izoduwa (Oduduwa) concluded that if the Edionisen
could so adequately take care of the lice, his son was likely to be in good
hands.
In the meantime, Irebor was warning the people of Igodomigodo against what
he called (Ogie a mien, Aimmien Oba), meaning it is an Ogie that rules
Igodomigodo and not an Oba, in protest against the intrusion of the Ife Prince.
The word Ogiamen then became the nickname of Irebor and subsequently the
hereditary title of the ruler of Irebor's Igodomigodo.
Ogiamien Irebor prevented Prince Oranmiyan from entering the heart of
Igodomigodo kingdom. The people of Igodomigodo built a palace for Prince
Oranmiyan at Usama. Prince Oranmiyan, unable to bear the animosity for very
long, renounced his office and called Igodomigodo land, Ile Ibinu (meaning a
land of annoyance and vexation). He declared that only a child of the soil,
educated in the culture and traditions of Igodomigodo could rule the kingdom.
Prince Oranmiyan, on his way home to Ife, stopped briefly at Ego, where he
pregnated Princess Erimwinde, the daughter of the Enogie of Ego. Princess
Erimwinde's casual encounter with Prince Oranmiyan resulted in the birth of a
baby boy who couldn't talk in his early years but loved playing the game of
marble.
When Oranmiyan, who had in the meantime established his Alafin dynasty in
Oyo was informed about his son's predicament, he sent the child's mother
seven marbles. While playing with the marbles and other children, one of his
throws hit the target and in the excitement screamed: ' Owomika,' (meaning I
hit the target). This is how his title of Oba Eweka was derived and he ruled
over Usama renamed Ile-Ibinu outside Igodomigodo. In the meantime,
Ogiamien Irebor who ruled Igodomigodo had been succeeded by Ogiamien Ubi
by the time of Oba Eweka's reign in Ile-Ibinu.
Oba Eweka's reign was not particularly eventful. He was succeeded by Oba
Ewuahen, Oba Ehenmihen and the Oba Ewedo. Oba Ewedo changed the name of
Ile-Ibinu to Ubini, which the Portuguese corrupted to Benin or Bini.
Oba Ewedo moved his palace from Usama or Ubini to its present site in
Igodomigodo, causing a bitter war between the Oba and Ogiamien Ode who was
the ruler of Igodomigodo at the time. The fight was considered purely a family
matter by the people and elders of Igodomigodo. To prevent it leading to the
death of too many innocent lives, the elders prevailed on the adversaries to
settle their quarrel amicably.
Oba Ewedo requested Ogiamien Ode to sell the land to him. A treaty was
struck requiring Ogiamien as the traditional landlord of Igodomigodo kingdom,
to sell part of the land to the Oba at the coronation of every successive Oba.
The Oba elect first had to present gifts to the Ogiemien which include two male
and two female servants, a royal stoll, a wooden staff, a rectangular stool and a
round leather box.
The Oba-in-waiting and the Ogiamien would then meet at their common
boundary called Ekiokpagha, where the Ogiamien would take sand from the
ground and put it in the hand of the Oba while he eays: "I have sold this part
of Benin land to you but not your son and when you pass away your son will
buy the land from me as you have done."
The Ogiamien's dormain in Benin kingdom is known as Utantan where he has
chiefs assisting him in his traditional duties. The present Ogiamien of Utantan-
Benin is Ogiamien Osarobo Okuonghae, a graduate of history from the University
of Benin.
Oba Ewedo's reign was followed by that of Oguola, Edoni, Udagbedo, Ohen,
Egbeka, Orobiru and Uwaifiokun in that order, none of which was considered
particularly spectacular in Benin history.
The mid 15th century AD through the 16th century AD, withnessed the period of
the warrior kings in Benin history. Ewuare the great, Ozolua, Esigie, Orhogbua
and Ehengbuda consolidated, developed and expanded the kingdom through
innovative leadership ideas, closely knit, disciplined community organization,
warfare and conquests. A British adventurer called Ling Roth, was the first to
refer to Benin as great, a tribute not only to the extend of the Benin empire but
also to the elaborate, detailed and efficient administrative machinery the people
had evolved over a period of more than 1,000 years.
At its height, the Binis controlled vast Yoruba land with populations several
times larger than that of Benin. The Benin kingdom extended in the West to
Lagos, where the Binis set up a military camp of occupation which they called
Eko, in the North-east to Ekiti, Owo, Ondo, most of Delta state and all of the
North-west to the river Niger.
The Binis established their influence and authority along the West Coast of
Africa and through dominance lent their name to the Bight of Benin. The Binis
have very close affinity with the Ashantis of Ghana and are considered of
similar or common stock.
However, the frontiers of the Benin Empire were constantly expanding and
contrasting as new conquests were made and as vassals on the borders
rebelled only to be re-conquered.
The Binis spread their culture and traditions, particularly their Obaship ideology
and system by sending royal brothers to rule over tributaries, or holding
hostage, sons of conquered chiefs to be trained in Benin City or by sponsoring
candidates for thrones of conquered territories. Objects such as Ada and brass
masks were introduced to vassal lords as emblems of their authority and these
symbols have endured in virtually all the territories that experienced Bini
control. Even in places outside direct Benin influence, such as in the Niger
Delta area, the reputation of the Oba of Benin was such that leadership disputes
were brought to him for arbitration and the winners took back home, Benin
regalia to form part of their leadership traditions.
The city of Benin, like the ancient Egyptian cities walled against predators, has
a giant protective moat dug around it between 1280 - 1295 AD, without using
mechanical equipment. The engineering feat still marvels in modern times. The
Benin moat is described in the Guinness Book of Records as second in
magnitude only to the Great China wall.
Ewuare, the first Bini warrior king, was himself forced into exile as a young
prince and nearly would not have ascended the Benin throne. With death
penalty hanging on his head as a result of some misdemeanor, he fled into the
woods although regularly, secretly visiting the city of Benin at night.
The elders (Edionisen) heard about his secret visits and set a trap to capture
and kill him. Just as he was about to be caught, he escaped to the home of
Ogieva Nomuekpo, who hid him in a well covered on top with leaves. Ogieva
then went to invite the elders to come and arrest Prince Ogun as he was called
then.
While Ogieva was on his way to call the elders, Edo, the head servant of
Ogieva's household alerted Prince Ogun about his master's diabolical plan and
helped the prince to escape. Ogieva returned with the elders to find that he had
been betrayed and he severely punished Edo for this.
After several years in the bush, Prince Ogun began to grow weary of his
vagabond life and accepted to be crowned Oba Ewuare of Ubini land around the
mid 15th century AD. The father's throne had been vacant for a while then and
he was the oldest heir.
On the throne, one of his first acts was to reward Edo with many valuable gifts.
After Edo's death, he bought his corpse from Ogieva and buried it at the
entrance to the palace's inner tower. Then he decreed that the land of Ubini
should henceforth be known and called Edo. This was later expanded to Edo
O'Evho Ahire, meaning Edo the city of love, in appreciation of Edo's love that
saved young Prince Ogun's life and gave Benin her greatest king.
Oba Ewuare the great, as he later came to be known, was the most dynamic,
innovative and successful Oba in the history of Edo kingdom. Under him, Benin
was completely transformed religiously, politically, socially and physically.
Houses originally built with poles or palm ribs and padded with mud were
rebuilt with packed mud. The city was re-planned and neatly laid out, with
roads radiating from the center. It was divided into two distinct segments with
Ore ne Okhua, constituting the public sector and the Oba's sector (Ogbe) the
other.
The population of Ore ne Okhua was organized into wards with each
specializing in a peculiar craft or ritual services in allegiance to the king.
The palace, which did not have a permanent site in previous reigns, was
constructed on a massive scale covering several acres of land at its present
location and turned into a beehive of activities as the political and spiritual
nerve centre of the vast kingdom.
The Binis have a saying that in the Oba's palace there is never silence. The
complex includes shrine areas, meeting chambers for a variety of groups of
chiefs, work spaces for ritual professionals, royal artists and craftsmen,
storehouses, residential sections for the Oba's numerous wives, children and
servants.
A seventeenth century Dutch engraving from Olfert Dapper's Nauwkeurige
Beschrijvinge der Afrikaansche Gewesten, published in Amsterdam in 1668
described the palace thus:
" The king's palace or court is a square, and is as large as the town of Haarlem
and entirely surrounded by a special wall, like that which encircles the town. It
is divided into many magnificent palaces, houses, and apartments of the
courtiers, and comprises beautiful and long square galleries, about as large as
the Exchange at Amsterdam, but one larger than another, resting on wooden
pillars, from top to bottom covered with cast copper, on which are engraved the
pictures of their war exploits and battles, and are kept very clean. Most
palaces and houses of the king are covered with palm leaves instead of square
pieces of wood, and every roof is decorated with a small turret ending in a point,
on which birds are standing, birds cast in copper with outspread wings, cleverly
made after living models."
Ewuare re-organized the government by centralizing it and he set up three
powerful palace associations of chiefs. The political elite of the kingdom was
made up of titled chiefs and members of the royal family. The seven highest-
ranking chiefs who were, in fact, descendants of original elders of Benin were
constituted into Uzama with leadership authority next to the king.
The brothers of the king who tended to be potential rivals were sent as
hereditary rulers (Enogies) of administrative districts. The mother of the king
was given the title of Queen mother and set up in her own palace in the town of
Uselu just outside the city.
Ewuare restored the annual cycle of royal ceremonies the most important ones
being Ugie Erha Oba in honour of royal ancestors and Igue to strengthen the
mystical powers of the king. The present day elegant ceremonial costumes of
the kings and chiefs of Benin originated from Ewuare's reign.
Ewuare set up a war machine that extended Benin notion of kingship, objects,
aesthetic ideas and power across the West Coast of Africa. The arts,
particularly brass casting, flourished during his reign.
The kings of Benin from the reign of Ewuare the great until the 17th century AD
were Ezoti, followed by Olua, Ozolua, Esigie, Orhogbua, Ehengbuda, Ohuan,
Ahenzae, Akenzae, Akengboi, Akenkpaye, Akengbedo, Ore-Oghene, Ewuakpe and
Ozuere.
When king Ozolua died, a bitter struggle for power ensued between his two
sons, Esigie in Benin City and Aruaran in the town of Udo, about 20 miles from
Benin City to the northwest. Udo then, was an important centre almost as
large and powerful as Benin City. Esigie triumphed just as he did in the war
against the Igala people from north of Nigeria who had attacked the kingdom
during his reign. The Binis drove the Igala soldiers back across the river Niger
and established their king, the Ata, as a vassal of Benin.
The Portuguese first reached Benin which they called Beny or Benin (although
the Binis called themselves, their language, capital city and their kingdom, EDO),
during the reign of Ozolua between 1472 and 1486 AD. The Portuguese found a
highly developed kingdom with unique and very sohpisticated political, artistic,
linguistic, economic, cultural and military traditions in the process of territorial
conquests.
Between 1504 and 1550 AD, the Portuguese, a major European power at the
time, happily negotiated and established diplomatic and trade relations with Oba
Esigie and his kingdom of Benin. Portuguese mercenaries fought along side the
Binis in many territorial wars after the treaty. Trade between the Portuguese
and Benin was mainly in coral beads, cloths for ceremonial attire and great
quantities of brass manilas which Bini craftsmen melted for casting. In
exchange for Portuguese goods, the Binis offered tobacco, spices, colanuts,
ivory, earthenware, jewelry, artifacts, domestic slaves etc.
European slave trade in West Africa started with the acquisition of domestic
servants, and warrior kingdoms like Edo had plenty of them captured as war
booties. It was forbidden to sell or take a native Bini into slavery and so
elaborate identification marks on faces and chests were contrived. Binis,
therefore, were hardly ever captured by Arabs or Europeans into slavery.
One of the numerous elite palace associations was assigned the responsibility
of conducting affairs with the Portuguese. Until this day, a secret language
which some claim is derived from Portuguese, is spoken by members of the
association.
The seventeenth century witnessed another period of internal turmoil in Benin
history. After the death of Ehengbuda, the last warrior king in the late 16th
century AD, his son Ohuan ascended the throne but he did not reign for long
and he produced no heir. With his death, the lineage that produced the Eweka
dynasty ended.
Powerful rebel chiefs established private bases and selected kings from among
their ranks. This produced a series of kings with doubtful claims to legitimacy,
which seriously weakened the Benin monarchy.
At the turn of the 17th century, a very powerful Iyase (head of chiefs and the
supreme military commander of the kingdom), rebelled against Oba Ewuakpe
and after the Oba's death, supported a rival brother to the heir apparent, who
won and became Akenzua I. This rebel (the Iyase ne Ode), is remembered in
Benin oral history as a threatening foe and a very powerful magician who could
transform himself into an elephant at will.
Oba Akenzua I, from 1715 AD and Oba Eresonyen from 1735 AD, successfully
fought the rebellious chiefs and restored power and legitimacy to the Bini
manarchy. Their reigns were followed in 1750 by that of Akengbuda; 1804,
Obanosa and Ogbebo in quick succession; 1815, Osemwede and 1850 Oba
Adolo.
During the British invasion of Benin City in 1897, Oba Ovoranmwen Nogbaisi
(meaning the great) was on the throne. The British, viewing Benin as the main
obstacle in their expansion drive into the agricultural interior of the West African
coast from the river Niger, decided to provoke the kingdom to get an excuse to
sack it. The British stubbornly sent their scouts to Benin against the advice and
tradition of the Binis, during a sacred national ceremony when foreign visitors
are not welcomed. The British mercenaries were eliminated as hostile intruders,
which was the excuse the British wanted. The British then launched a full-scale
war, which lasted for eight days and went in their favour because of their
superior weapons. After capturing the ancient city of Benin, they scattered the
inhabitants to villages and farms. While the Binis were out of the way, and the
invaders had exiled Oba Overanmwen to Calabar (in South-east Nigeria), they
ransac ked the Oba's palace, all Bini shrines and chiefs' homes, stealing
thousands of sacred Benin works of art and other valuables which today adorn
the leading museums in Europe and America. Not content with their looting,
they burnt the entire city down to the last house.
From accounts of members of the British army that invaded Benin City in 1897,
we learn that the floors, lintels, and rafters of the council chambers and the
king's residence in the palace were lined with sheets of repoussé, decorated
brass covered with royal geometric designs and figures of men and leopards.
Ornamental ivory locks sealed the doors and carved ivory figurines surmounted
anterior. A brass snake, observed for the first time by a European in the early
eighteenth century, was still to be seen on the roof of the council chamber
house.
All of these the invading British, in the name of their king and country carted
away. What they could not steal or burn, they destroyed. And sitting on the
ruins, the British subdued and indirectly ruled this outstanding African
civilization for another 63 years as part of their Nigerian colony.
Despite the British abuse of Bini culture and marginalization of Bini history, the
spendour of Edo civilization continues to this day to astound and exite the
world. Benin artifacts are among the most exquisite and coveted in world's
history and the kingdom of Benin ramains famous for its sophistication in social
engineering and organization. The Bini Obaship institution is still one of the
world's most revered apart from being one of the most ancient.
Eweka II ascended the throne of Benin in 1814 and Akenzua the II became Oba
in 1933. Between them, they restored a great deal of the tradition and dignity
of Benin Obaship and rebuilt, although on a smaller scale than the Ewuare
palace, the grandeur, triumph and supremacy of Bini traditions. Large walled
areas have now replaced the numerous compounds of former kings with
enclosed individual altars for each of the three immediate predecessors and one
general altar for the rest. Decorated sheets of brass adorn the rafters and
lintels and terra-cotta plaques recount the exploits of former kings.
The current king of this great African kingdom and one of the most vibrant,
colourful and enlightened civilizations in the history of the world, is Oba
Erediauwa, Uku Akpolo Kpolo, the Omo N'Oba N'Edo.
Copyright: The Secrets of the Ages by Naiwu Osahon,
Published by Heritage Books, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria.
Also published in the children's book series:
Obobo Books, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria, under the title:
EDO: the kingdom of love, by Naiwu Osahon
Naiwu Osahon
Hon. Khu Mkuu,
The World Pan-African Movement.

Happy Valentine's Day, Happy Sunday!

The story of Valentine's Day begins in the third century with an oppressive Roman emperor and a humble Christian Martyr.   The emperor was Claudius II.   The Christian was Valentinus.

Claudius had ordered all Romans to worship twelve gods, and had made it a crime punishable by death to associate with Christians.   But Valentinus was dedicated to the ideals of Christ; not even the threat of death could keep him from practicing his beliefs.   He was arrested and imprisoned.

During the last weeks of Valentinus's life a remarkable thing happened.   Seeing that he was a man of learning, the jailer asked whether his daughter, Julia, might be brought to Valentinus for lessons.   She had been blind since birth.   Julia was a pretty young girl with a quick mind.   Valentinus read stories of Rome's history to her.   He described the world of nature to her.   He taught her arithmetic and told her about God.  She saw the world through his eyes, trusted his wisdom, and found comfort in his quiet strength.

"Valentinus, does God really hear our prayers?" Julia asked one day.

"Yes, my child, He hears each one."

"Do you know what I pray for every morning and every night?  I pray that I might see.   I want so much to see everything you've told me about!"

"God does what is best for us if we will only believe in Him," Valentinus said.

"Oh, Valentinus, I do believe! I do!"  She knelt and grasped his hand.

They sat quietly together, each praying.   Suddenly there was a brilliant light in the prison cell.   Radiant, Julia screamed, "Valentinus, I can see!  I can see!"

"Praise be to God!"  Valentinus exclaimed, and he knelt in prayer.

On the eve of his death Valentinus wrote a last note to Julia, urging her to stay close to God.   He signed it, "From your Valentine."  His sentence was carried out the next day, February 14, 270 A.D., near a gate that was later named Porta Valentini in his memory.   He was buried at what is now the Church of Praxedes in Rome.   It is said that Julia planted a pink-blossomed almond tree near his grave.   Today, the almond tree remains a symbol of abiding love and friendship.   On each February 14, Saint Valentine's Day, messages of affection, love, and devotion are exchanged around the world."

The Contemporary Application.

St. Valentinus echoed what Jesus Christ came for -leading by example in urging us to stay close to God no matter the challenges, opposition, and persecution.
He could damn all the consequences for a relationship with Christ because he knew that "God demonstrated His own love towards him, in that while he was yet a sinner, Christ came and died for him" -Romans 5:8...
And realised that this is the absolute demonstration of love!
The same God as a Father will do "what is best for you if you will only believe in Him" as you praise and worship Him in love, this Sunday and always.(John 1:12).

Happy Valentine's Day,
Happy Sunday!