Friday, 30 August 2013

UBA: What's killing your Great Brand?

 

I got my Standard Trust Bank Account in 2003 (now UBA)
For the larger part of the last decade, UBA has been the most loved bank in Nigeria. It is fact also, that most of us – most people, who got UBA accounts, did so without any form of marketing. We walked in with our feet, got our forms and joined the queue at the customer service desk.
The allure of UBA was easy. The brand was slick, cool and the service was fantastic and with the slick ATM card, wao” it was heaven. Most people who got UBA accounts did because it was cool – it was almost like being associated with the UBA brand made one cool in extension. All the cool kids in school then had UBA accounts and brand loyal folks like me endured hundreds of “why don’t you have a UBA account?” type questions.
But all that, is dead. Dead and gone. At the peak of its brand might, UBA was like a new wife – it was the perfect and honest thing to do, it could do no wrong. Any complaints about poor service were done in hushed tones. But not anymore. Rumours of poor services started slowly, hush hush, and then gathered strength when influential customers found the will to complain publicly. Then came the internet banking crashes (which are still going on). Almost overnight, almost every mention of UBA on social media was in relation to some form of bad service. The mystique of infallibility, built on brilliant service is gone e.g. http://www.nairaland.com/104490/beware-uba-worst-bank-nigeria/3

Samuel Eto'o is unveiled at Chelsea's training ground

All smiles: Samuel Eto'o is unveiled at Chelsea's training ground
Gervinho (Roma, £8m), Vito Mannone (Sunderland £2m), Martin Angha (Nuremberg, undisclosed), Andrey Arshavin (Zenit, free), Denilson (Sao Paulo, free), Sebastian Squillaci (Bastia, free),  Marouane Chamakh (Crystal Palace, free), Andre Santos (Flamengo, free),   Craig Eastmond (Colchester, free), Jernade Meade (Swansea, free),  Sanchez Watt (Colchester, free), Conor Henderson

The seven unwanted West Midlands players on big money contracts who can't get a game... or a move away

QUESTION: What boasts 14 legs, 1,067 Premier League appearances, 63 goals, cost £28.5m to assemble and £300,000 per week to run? 
ANSWER: The seven players who make up the West Midlands bomb squad. As in bombed-out.
The septet form a unique club at Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers where names and reputations clearly count for little.
Protected by salaries that are - in some cases - in excess of £60,000 a week, they have all been deemed surplus to requirements by their respective clubs and are, without exception, all available for transfer.
In nearly all of these cases they also find themselves training either with the academy or the development squad as the protection of heavyweight contracts prevents them from being shipped out to any interested party.
Here, we assess the seven and their club’s chances of unburdening themselves before the transfer window closes.
Jamie O'Hara
Happy clapper: Sarcastically applauding supporters was the last straw for Jamie O'Hara at Wolves
Jamie O’Hara (Wolverhampton Wanderers) 
Two summers ago, the former Spurs trainee arrived with a £5m price tag, a five-year contract, a model girlfriend and hefty reputation.
While O’Hara’s home life has certainly blossomed with the arrival of his two sons and marriage to former Miss England, Danielle Lloyd, his football has taken a decided turn for the worse.
As part of a squad that has suffered two successive relegations, O’Hara was singled out, the nadir of his time at Wolves coming on the day their demotion from the Championship was sealed at Brighton last season.
He sarcastically applauded upset travelling supporters as he was substituted. That proved the final straw.
Although he has reported back to Molineux in fine fettle, he remains on the outside, looking in, as Kenny Jackett attempts to breathe life back into the Black Country club.

US OPEN LATEST

Roger Federer of Switzerland plays Carlos Berlocq of Argentina during their 2013 US Open singles match at

Federer breezes past Berlocq as five-time champion books third-round berth.

IGP Abubakar Releases Pre-Wedding Pictures!



Beverly Osu Hospitalized For Ankle Injury


One of Nigeria’s Big Brother Africa, BBA, representative in the 2013 edition of the reality show, Beverly Osu, is presently on admission in a Lagos hospital!


You will recall that Beverly sustained an ankle injury on the finale of the reality show while climbing the stage.

PDP Suspends Andy Uba, Four Others


The Peoples Democratic Party has suspended a serving Senator, Andy Uba, and four other members of the party from Anambra State.

The National Working Committee of the PDP suspended the five men for failing to honour the party’s invitation over the parallel congress organised in Awka on Saturday.

Arsenal Re-signs Flamini


Mathieu Flamini has re-signed for Arsenal, after agreeing a three-year deal worth a reported £50,000 per week with the club today.

The versatile midfielder, who can also fill in at full-back, had left Arsenal to join Milan in 2008, but was released by the Italian side at the end of last season and had been training with the Gunners over the summer.
"We’re very pleased Mathieu has agreed to re-join us," manager Arsene Wenger said. "He is a player of real quality, with a fantastic work rate and great mentality. As we know, Mathieu is a strong midfielder, but is also is comfortable playing in defence too. He is a very good addition to our squad."

Will Wenger spend £70m in four days?

Benzema, Ozil, Di Maria
Arsenal want to blow their entire £70million transfer budget on Real Madrid trio Karim Benzema, Mesut Ozil and Angel Di Maria as they bid to rescue a botched transfer window.

Usain Bolt recovered from another desperate start to win the 100 metres at the Weltklasse Diamond League

Slow start: Bolt was made to work hard as he reacted the slowest out of the nine in the field
Usain Bolt recovered from another desperate start to win the 100 metres at the Weltklasse Diamond League meeting in Zurich on Thursday night.
Eighteen days after taking the crown at the World Championships in Moscow, the Jamaican was the slowest of the nine-strong field out of the blocks before coming through to win in 9.90 seconds.
The world record holder, who branded his start at the London Anniversary Games last month 'horrific', had to work all the way to the line, only beginning to pull clear after around 80 metres.


Inside El Salvador's secretive prison pits where notorious gangs are crammed together like livestock in shed-sized cells

Huddled together like cattle in a cage, some of the men of El Salvador's prison pits have languished in these rancid holding cells for more than a year.
Huddled together like cattle in a cage, some of the men of El Salvador's prison pits have languished in their rancid holding cells for more than a year. Designed only for temporary 72-hour stays, the sweltering cells, each 12 feet wide and 15 feet tall are crammed with more than 30 people - all veterans of the country's vicious war between the MS-13 and M18

Britain's largest horse

Uneasy rider: Robert Hardman astride Sovereign
The Mail paid a visit to Sovereign and his owner Paul Evans, 39, in Werrington, near Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. But the first challenge was merely to get aboard something the size of an entry-level elephant.

SYRIA:The humbling of David Cameron

cameron
In an extraordinary assault on the Prime Minister's authority, 50 coalition MPs joined Labour in voting against a watered-down Government motion supporting the 'principle' of military action. There were shouts of 'resign' from the Labour benches as the result - 285 votes to 272 - was announced to a shocked House of Commons.

Thursday, 29 August 2013

BIG BROTHER AFRICA ARCHIVES: Confidence Hold the highest record of Nude Appearance

Confidence who perform the most spectacular nude photo shoot that got many tongues wagging; a situation which got her into another hot argument with yet another housemate who felt Confidence should have acted as a role model to the younger ladies in the house.
see nude photos of  Confidence       

Nigeria Porn Actress Afrocandy Offers Beverly Osu A Movie Role





Afrocandy says if Bev could do it in front of all Africans and for free, then she can do her movie. Hope Beverly replies her and ask for a live audition.

Neymar wins first trophy with Barcelona as Catalans lift Spanish Super Cup after fiery goalless draw with Atletico Madrid

Up for the cup: Neymar has won his first trophy with Barcelona
Barcelona won the Spanish Super Cup against Atletico Madrid on away goals as a goalless draw in the Nou Camp sealed the trophy after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

Eto'o to seal Chelsea move as striker agrees £10m-a-year pay cut to rejoin Mourinho

SAMUEL ETO'O IS HEADING TO CHELSEA
Chelsea will sign Samuel Eto'o on a stunning £7million one-year deal after admitting defeat in their pursuit of Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney. Eto'o, the 32-year-old Cameroon forward, is taking a huge pay cut from the £17m a year that made him the world's best paid footballer at Anzhi Makhachkala and will sign on a free transfer. He arrived at London's St Pancras station last night and is due to have a medical later today.

Thousands of revellers at recession-hit Spain's Tomatina festival are charged entry for the first time

Crowds of people throw tomatoes at each other during the annual
The town of Bunol near Valencia ended up covered in a sea of red mush as revellers threw 130,000 kilos of over-ripe tomatoes at each other. The local council restricted numbers by charging participants 10 euros (£8.60) to take part in the annual Tomatina festival for the first time ever.

Newlyweds tie the knot while water skiing

Sealed with a kiss: The happy couple actually exchanged vows at Vancouver Waterski Club before taking to the water to celebrate
Weddings are often very personal affairs and when it came time for Cam Auge and Caylee Wasilenko to tie the knot, the daring couple couldn't think of anywhere that they'd rather do it than powering along behind the back of a boat on water skis. First the couple exchanged their vows on dry land at the Vancouver Waterski Club in Bedwell Bay in North Vancouver, British Columbia on Wednesday.

'In the event of my death, I give all to my wife': Poignant wills and personal letters of 230,000 WWI soldiers revealed

Revealed for the first time in 100 years: The will of Private John Fleetwood, grandfather of Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac, who died of dysentery after fighting at Gallipoli during the First World War
The poignant last wishes of thousands of soldiers killed in the First World War are being made available to view online, after they have lain unseen for almost a century.
The hand-written wills of 230,000 soldiers who fought for the British Empire have been placed on a new website where their descendants can view them for the first time.
Many of the wills are accompanied by deeply personal letters penned by the doomed soldiers and intended for loved ones back home that were never posted.

Mugabe orders 300 giraffes, zebras and other animals to impress visitors

Herds: Giraffes, zebra, impala and hundreds of wildebeest as well as Africa's largest antelope - the eland have been transferred
Controversial: President Robert Mugabe has moved hundreds of safari animals across Zimbabwe to impress UN delegates
The safari animals have been transported for over 400 miles, from south Zimbabwe to Victoria Dalls ahead of the U.N. World Tourism Organization summit.

Europe's largest public library to open in Birmingham

The new Library of Birmingham is set to open on September 3
The new Library of Birmingham (pictured), which has taken three years and cost £189millio to build, will officially open on September 3. It was designed by architect Francine Houben who has described the building as a 'people's palace'. The library's futuristic exterior of interlacing rings aims to reflect the city's canals and tunnels.

Shoppers caught sleeping in air-conditioned IKEA

People have a rest at an IKEA store
IKEA's Beijing store regularly turns into a slumber party, with many customers visiting the store purposely for a nap, a catchup with families or just to get a welcome break from the summer heat. The flat-pack giant do not take any measures against customers making themselves comfortable on their display furniture, instead they see it as a 'future investment'.

Martin Luther King's granddaughter steals the show at ceremony to mark 50 years since I Have A Dream speech

Commander in chief: Yolanda's shyness quickly went away and she showed the president her charm
Yolanda Renee King, 5, was surrounded by presidents but managed to outshine them all. Her job at the Let Freedom Ring event was to literally ring a bell that once hung in the 16th St Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, where a racially motivated bombing in 1963 killed four black girls.

Revealed: Jailed Ponzi fraudster's extraordinary haul of designer clothes, handbags and shoes

ponzi
Kankamol Albon was jailed for six years last October after she was convicted of a massive multi-million 'Ponzi' fraud involving scores of prestige cars including Ferraris, Bentleys, Bugattis and Maseratis. She ran her business from her £4 million moated country mansion in Bures, Suffolk but cheated hundreds of would-be clients.

It's NOT Blue Ivy! Drake sets record straight amid buzz over new album art

Backwards and forwards: Drake's cover for his new album Nothing Was The Same features himself as a child and a man looking in both directions through timeBackwards and forwards: Drake's cover for his new album Nothing Was The Same features himself as a child and a man looking in both directions through time
The Twittersphere blew up last week with speculations that Drake's new album cover was an illustration of his friend Jay Z's daughter Blue Ivy Carter.
But the 26-year-old rapper recently shot down the rumours, explaining that the cover art is a depiction of a 'child version of myself staring at myself now'.
Although, fans clearly believed that the illustrated version of mini-Drake did bear a striking resemblance to his hip hop mogul buddy's one-year-old daughter.

Before Drake took the time to explain the meaning behind the cover illustration, it immediately went viral after he posted the artwork to his Instagram.
The singer simply captioned the album teaser with the new September 24 drop date for Nothing Was 
The Same after delaying the release by a few days.




Land Rovers imported to America from Britain are CRUSHED by U.S. customs for failing safety rules because they don't have airbags

The UK made Land Rover Discovery is hoisted high into the air (left) after being smashed to pieces moments earlier
The British-made Land Rover Discovery is hoisted high into the air (left) after being smashed to pieces moments earlier (top right) on the order of customs. The exclusive vehicle, which can fetch upwards of $100,000 in the US, was reduced to scrap with a value of about £30 (bottom right).

John Lewis versus M&S... the new High Street fashion war

John Lewis versus M&S - the new High Street fashion war: LIZ JONES on whether the Middle England store has finally made it as a style destination
It's the store where Middle England buys toasters and duvets. But can its new autumn collection finally make it a fashion destination, too? Like many of us, while I have bought Miele vacuum cleaners, Le Creuset pans, duvets and pillows, a fridge, and TVs, plus food in the Waitrose in the basement, I have never, ever bought fashion from John Lewis, 

Missile strikes may lead to terror attacks on UK, warn military experts

WHAT COULD THE ALLIES TARGET.jpg
Britain risks sleep-walking into a full-scale war by launching missile strikes against Syria, former top brass warned last night.
Retired commanders cautioned that an ill-thought-out attack against President Assad’s brutal regime could provoke revenge attacks at home and abroad.
Lord West of Spithead, a former First Sea Lord, General Lord Dannatt, a former head of the British Army, and Major General , a commander during the first Gulf War, all warned of the ‘unintended consequences’ of a military campaign.

World championships draw to a red hot close after same-sex couples make their debut in line-up

Tango
More than 500 couples from 37 countries strutted their stuff at the two-week festival and to the delight of the home crowd the Argentine couples stole the show. The Tango originated in Argentina and the passionate dance is now an important part of the country's cultural heritage. From left to right performing: Angeles Armando Villasanti and Seudy Marlen Benitez, Dmitry Vasin and Esmer Omerova, Daniel Alejandro Arroyo Miranda and Juan Pablo Ramirez, and Jose Luis Salvo and Yuki Misaki.

Wednesday, 28 August 2013

UNIUYO ANNOUNCES NEW DATES FOR POST-UTME SCREENING EXERCISE



PRESS RELEASE:UNIUYO ANNOUNCES NEW DATES FOR POST-UTME SCREENING EXERCISE

The University Of Uyo hereby invite candidates who had registered for POST UTME screeninfg exercise which was postponed, to attend the re-scheduled Screening exercise from Tuesday 10 September to Saturday 14 September 2013.

Nigerian Drug Dealer Escapes From Malaysian Prison



A Nigerian drug dealer, Osuji Kelly Prince, who escaped from a detention facility in Malaysia on August 12, may have fled to Thailand, media reports from Malaysia said, yesterday.

The 25-year-old Prince was assisted by a 52-year-old corporal to escape from Jinjang Detention Centre, where he was held for drugs possession.

Federal Narcotics Crime Investigation Department chief, Noor Rashid Ibrahim, said he obtained the information through their intelligence network.

Oge Okoye's New Look

Big Brother Africa:Melvin & Beverly Return To Nigeria (Photos)


Our bba king and queen are expected home tonight - Melvn & Beverly.
here are pictures of the crowd waiting for them at the airport.
so muchhh love ...

A fan on ground says they still aint out yet! There's security everywhere!! Fans are too much.....No space in d Airport -Muritala Mohammed International Airport Lagos!!

First pc is Melvin's dad with a fan.

Keep refreshing for more pictures. This is happening live.

Melvin and Beverly are IN Nigeria right now!!

Destruction Caused By Ocean Surge At Alpha Beach (Pictures)



Bus Driver & Conductor Strip To Prevent Arrest In Lagos (photo)


This happened today, Allen junction Ikeja, Lagos.
This bus driver and his conductor stripped Unclad to prevent police from towing their car or arresting dem ..as in stark Unclad!!
I learnt the strategy worked tho 'cos witnesses say the police fired a warning shot in the air and left quickly.

Giant Fish Washes-up On Alpha Beach in Lagos


A few weeks ago, i posted about the Alpha beach ocean surge, now a large fish washes up on ashore .
Picture of the fish is attached.

Would you like to sleep in David Beckham's bed?

Beckham's bed
The Beckhams' bed is expected to be the star turn in a sale of the contents of the 5-star Hempel Hotel, next to Hyde Park, which is due to be turned into apartments. Lots range from four-poster beds to teaspoons, to including designer art pieces including a sculpture of an elephant named 'Bobby'. Victoria Beckham always insisted on the Lioness Suite, and you can bid for everything in there, including the 10ft 5in by 8ft 2in suspended bed frame.

All the Dambusters heroes... together: Photographs of the men who took part in the daring WWII raid

All of the 113 men who took part in the 'Dambusters' raid of 1943 pictured together for the very first time
The legendary operation, on 17 May, 1943, saw RAF bombers break two large dams in Nazi Germany using innovative 'bouncing bombs'. In total, 133 men ew on the mission in 19 planes. Eight aircraft were lost, 53 men died and three were captured. The raid, which has been immortalised in books and films, was a terrific moral victory for the Allies.

Assad's 'ruthless' brother accused of being behind sickening chemical weapons attack in Syria

Maher al-Assad, the brother of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. An Israeli television channel has alleged that he was behind the chemical attack which killed up to 1,200 in Damascus
Maher al-Assad, a feared figure within the regime, has not been seen for more than a year. But an Israeli television channel has alleged that he was behind the chemical attack.

Tuesday, 27 August 2013

Proposed marriage to the head of seven guitars



My killer wife had affair with my deputy, disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai tells his corruption trial

Bo Xilai has told of an illicit affair between his wife Gu Kailai and former right-hand man Wang Lijun
As China's biggest political trial in 30 years comes to a close, Xilai (pictured right with wife Gu Kailai) denounced his wife and his former police chief Wang Lijun (left) in court in Jinan, Shandong province. He denied charges of embezzlement and bribery in which he is said to have netted £2.7 million of public money and interfering with the murder investigation of British businessman Neil Heywood.

The blobfish, the pig-nosed turtle and the proboscis monkey compete to be world's UGLIEST animal

 The Axolotl
All animals are beautiful. Except, perhaps, for some of these. But just because they aren't as easy on the eye as a newborn puppy or a fluffy pony, it doesn't mean they don't need looking after. So the Ugly Animal Preservation Society (yep, it exists) has launched a campaign to save these endangered species and encourage young people into careers in conservation: they are searching for a new ugly mascot.et

Chinese man pays for £16,000 car with ten boxes of small bills

Bills, bills, bills: A Chinese man pays for his £16,000 car with ten boxes of loose change
Customer Mr Zhang dropped the notes and coins, none worth more than one yuan (about 10p), at the auto market in Zhengzhou. He received the notes from cold drinks factories at his food additives business. Vast amounts of cash are also often needed to do business because the Chinese authorities refuse to print any bill larger than the 100-renminbi note (around £10).

Hunt for schoolgirl, 15, after she goes missing with 18-year-old boyfriend

Nicola Barr,15, is believed to have disappeared with her boyfriend Jamie Bloomfield, 18
Nicola Barr (right), 15, of Caversham, near Reading, Berkshire, is believed to have run away with 18-year-old Jamie Bloomfield (left, pictured with Nicola) nearly a week ago. The young lovers, who have not been seen since August 21, are believed to be travelling around the country together. Officers have appealed for the couple or anyone who sees them to contact police.

Mother and daughter catch an albino king snake in their garden - using just a pair of SALAD tongs and a sack

Snake Charmers...A Weymouth mother and daughter bravely captured an angry Californian King snake with a pair of salad tongs
Bridie Denniss (L), 24, was enjoying a cup of tea with her mother Ann (R), in Weymouth, Dorset, when she saw the 3ft snake outside. Ann, 54, grabbed the tongs and a garden sack and went after it. The non-venomous albino king snake tried to bite them but they eventually caught the angry reptile.