I HAVE MY OWN DASHED HOPES~~~BETTY IRABOR

Beautiful Betty Irabor, CEO Genevieve Magazine , Nigeria's leading lifestyle magazine recently asked a million dollar question.You think I don't know abt dashed hopes??  Enjoy the write-up :
(This is for everyone who has ever had their hopes badly shattered)

In the third year of Genevieve, Elle mag South Africa approached me and offered to invest $$$ in Genevieve. They wanted 60 percent shareholding. Isn't that the dream of every entrepreneur??? The would-be investors and my board members and I went ahead and signed Non disclosure agreement and commenced with due diligence and negotiations.. Then nothing. Silence.

They pulled out without any explanations. I Iater heard that Elle was in turn bought over by a bigger global brand . Hope dashed. I survived. Then came another phone call from Another would -be investor in Paris.."we would like the French edition of Genevieve to circulate in 9 Francophone countries".He said.

Whoop Whoop!! I saw this as compensation for my earlier loss. Ahh! I was overjoyed. I assembled a team of consultants and off we went to Cote d'ivoire. We had amazing deliberations and agreed to meet again in Nigeria to continue with more deliberations and agree on terms etc..And then I got news that the French man with the vision for A French version of Genevieve had suffered a stroke!! And the vision died.. Again I was dealt a bad blow! Talk abt sinking heart!!
It was a devious turn of events. (Who did I offend?)

Imagine where Genevieve would be if both opportunities didn't fall through?? I thought as I moaned.
But who knows why they fell through? Those periods were the worst period of my Genevieve journey; I lost hope, my faith was shaken and I saw no reason to continue.. But I am still here, I am a major testimony that No matter what life throws at us we have a choice to stay down or get up and trust God to make a way where there appears to be none.

When you find your self in a hole, don't continue to dig because you just sink further in the hole... Don't celebrate setbacks by focusing on them. Nothing makes sense when life deals you blows but trust me that's when you discover how strong you really are... And sometimes these things happen because God has a much bigger plan for us.

They may not manifest when you desperately need them to but they sure will.. In all things we must pray that our plans align with God's and not that His aligns aligns with ours.
Look at me... I am still here. I am great, I haven't given up on me. And whichever way things go in my life I am content as long as I have God. I have learnt not to depend on my human strength but on His... My redeemer liveth. God is good...,
Merry Christmas my friends...

JAMES IBORI HEROIC WELCOME SHOWS NOTHING CALLED SHAME OR CONSCIENCE IN NIGERIA!

The news of the release of former Delta state governor, James Ibori from a UK prison on Tuesday night after completing half of his 13 years sentence is no longer a news to majority of us all!

It would be recalled that James Ibori was convicted for stealing $250 million form the state coffers while he was governor of the state from 1999 to 2007. That is to say he systematically and deliberately stole the money that belong to the Delta state tax payers   during his terms as Governor of the oil-rich Delta State for his own personal enjoyment!

I am not against his released from prison or his family from welcoming him back as one of their own but  this must be with funfair. James is one of the smartest  Nigerian  where only dishonest people become so  rich even get richer  than their state.

Speaking to newsmen after the state's (Delta) executive council meeting, Commissioner for Information, Patrick Ukah, said ;“We are all very happy that our son, our brother, former governor has been released. So, it is a thing of joy and the only expression as a state is that we are happy. I think for everybody, who has a personal relationship with him, will be very happy and I think that as a state we don’t have issues with our former governor and he is somebody that everybody loved.”he said....... was DELIGHTED to know that their son has been released.

 A state executive stated  that 'their son' was released......and 'very happy and I think that as a state we don’t have issues with our former governor and he is somebody that everybody loved', despit the fact that this guy is a common criminal! According to Prosecutor Sasha Weils (of London Southwark Crown Court)"The amount James Ibori stole is un-quantified . He is a common thief "

 I wrote in the past that Justice are for sale in Nigeria....Nigeria's court did not found Ibori guilty  for the same offences he was sentenced in the United Kingdom. Rather, as a cover-up for him, the Administration of Goodluck Jonathan wrote ;

"Arising out of the proceedings the court made a fairly draconian world-wide freezing order on all Ibori assets This has inflicted obvious and serious consequences for James Ibori and his ability to live his life day by day. James Ibori is a public figure in Nigeria , a former Governor of Delta State and still actively involved with the governing party (PDP) of Nigeria."

From the foregoing,"any arousing welcome given to him is not surprising because Nigeria has lost its sense of shame since the military rule of 1966 . All the country has espoused ever since is culture of "kill and share , rule and divide "as well as "share the gala and share the booze: mentality according to Prof Pat Utomi.

As one of my friend wrote," there is nothing called shame or conscience in Nigeria"!