Solved: Roku TV Restarting Itself

l own a 55" Roku Hisence Smart TV. Recently encountered this problem with the TV. where it would shut down by itself. then it restarts itself over and over again. I browsed the internet for people with similar issues. l found a few cases where some people solved the problem by pressing the reset button to save the day. l tried that several times without any luck... but that did not work for me. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj37ZLTiq-GAxUpEFkFHaSsDCkQFnoECBQQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcommunity.roku.com%2Ft5%2FDiscussions%2FTCL-Roku-TV-Constantly-Rebooting%2Ftd-p%2F898629&usg=AOvVaw0mLRabRR6c3x2bFysHeCnu&opi=89978449

So l opened up the TV. l noticed two small 10Uf 250Volts capaciators that appeared to have burnt out. I think they are on the Power part of the only control circuit board. their top appeared to be swollen. l found replacement parts on Amazon for $8. but there are better sites that sell quality electronic parts - wellnunder a $1 for one. l ordered a replacement and changed them out. and presto! the TV sprang back to life.

l was am easy fix. Anyone who can use a soldering iron can do this without any problem. l had made plans to replace the entire board if the capaciators didn't work. l found a site selling the circuit board for under $50. so if you are unable to identify what parts are faulty, you might as well replace the board instead of tossing your TV in the bin. Here's the link to order a new circuit board.

Introducing Special Assistant

Introducing your Special Assistant (SA)

Inexpensive Smart TV - Part 2

Okay I have been bored stiff from the Covid-19 lockdown situation in my country and need something worthwhile to keep busy. The thought of streaming vides came to mind an a new project was borne. This video plug is the second part to my initial video on what to order for the project as seen here. If you haven't ordered your parts yet you can do so on eBay or www.360hub.com.ng

We need to install a barebone operating system called LibreELEC on the Raspberry Pi, Kodi is a sophisticated media centre that will run on this Operating system and facilitate process of running and managing our smart TV. If that sounds technical, don't worry, much of the work has been done by experts and you only need to configure a few things.

The first thing we will do is to burn the LidreELEC Image on the SD Card. Follow the video below and leave comments for help. Next step will be connecting the TV and starting the Raspberry Pi for the first time.

Please share and subscribe to my channel to encourage me keep this vlog open.

Inexpensive Smart TV - Part 1.

Frustrated from the world-wide Covid-19 clamp down I have been unable to sleep having lost track of time. I got tired of watching TV - I hadn't paid for subscription on DSTV for so long, I am sure the might have flagged my account to be delisted. I could have been watching movies on Netflix, or my favorite documentaries from the internet if only I had a smart TV. I wanted to buy one a few years ago, but they were much too expensive for my liking...

So that's when it hit me that I could actually use Raspberry Pi to make my old TV a Smart TV. That sure sound like a good Covid Project.

I posted the above video on my Whats App status page, and my mailbox started overflowing with request on the "How Tos". The reaction was so much that I have decided to make a follow-up video to guide anyone who is interested.

So the list of things to prepare are as follows

1.  A TV with HDMI or VGA port.
2.  A short HDMI cable OR A HDMI - VGA adaptor if your TV doesn't have a HDMI port.
3.  A high quality SD card with at least 16Gig storage space (Nothing else on the SD it will be reformated and all files deleted)
4.  A laptop or PC with full adminstrative privilages to allow you install on.
5. Full access to the Internet (Preferably high bandwidth).
6.  2 Sided Velcro to stick our Pi to the back of the TV
7.  Raspberry Pi - Preferably RP4, but RPi Zero, Pi 1 - 3 will still work.

I will be waiting patiently for you to order for these parts and we can start the simple 5 steps.

My Smart Sprinkler System Part 2.

Introduction
You might be aware that I have been frustrated about forgetting to switch off appliances before leaving home. I guess its a sign of old age, my forgetfulness is becoming fairly pronounced. but instead of grumbling, as a technological determinist, I decided to create a smart home.

I have been tinkering with microcontrollers for some years, but creating a smart home got me jumping into the deep end of Internet of Things IOT. I have short listed several projects that I will need to create to have a smart home, and you can find them from looking through my blog for IOT and my smart home. here -

As you can see I have a whole lot of projects to keep me busy for a long long time. but not to worry, they are all simple modular systems that latch unto each other to create a smart system. I usually, will share them here with you. you can follow the steps and recreate them for yourself if you have the basic skills of soldiering and following simple instructions. I will also share Gerber files, circuit diagrams and a whole lot of information to help you build these circuit systems on your own.

To Sprinkle Or not to Sprinkle
for today, I will focus on the plants in my compound. I want to be able to automatically water the lawn, plants around the compound at preset times every single day of the year without much manual intervention. Yes one can easily buy a working water sprinkler off the shelve in any hardware store. but there is no fun in that. Plus, we can build a smarter system that takes cognizance of the weather to decided if it should give the plants their usual dose of water, or not water at all if it has rained in the last 24 hours. We could also throw on a Big Bank effect that brings in the watering sequence to a crescendo as part of the Christmas Lighting experience.

Examples of making of the Project Circuit Boards PCB abound on the internet. 1. Transfer a circuit trace from a Laser Printer to a paper and unto a PCB board. and 2. Rule traces manually by hand. 3. etch in an acid bath and 4. Solder on the components. etc.

Feel free to look them up and choose which one to use. For the 1st step - there are basically only two methods open to you, One, to carefully draw it with your hand using a permanent maker like a fine point sharpie, or two, to use a purpose built application to design the circuit and print it out using a Laser printer (not a bubble jet ink based printer). I have written an article on how to make a a PCB using the manual process. If you don't want to use that method, I will explain here how to follow another more precise method.

Laser Heat Transfer Method
If you desire a more professional end product, you can create professional PCB files using purpose built applications - there are a lot of applications that take away the stress of sweaty and shaky hands to deliver crisp looking products. See a list of the top 9 free PCB softwares. I have tried my hands on a couple of these, they all have their pros and cons, but I especially like Fritzing software. Its intuitive features allow you  make professional looking double sided PCB. Below is the image of the PCB I designed for the water Sprinkler. Along with its Gerber files if you wish to print it out and transfer it to the board.

Here are the Gerber files from my Fritzing design, for the sprinkler system.

After the traces have been printed on paper, they are ironed with high heat to melt the Laser Toner onto the board. As you may have noticed, this design was done on two sides - two sided boards are very difficult to make, the main problem is ensuring that the vias (the points where current passes from one side to the other side of the board. If the vias are not precisely placed, the PCB will not work.

Note: To esure that the vias line up, I utilize a light box to ensure that both sides of the mirrored print out match. I tape it on three sides before sliding in the measured fresh PCB. This way, when the PCB is etched and the holes are drilled, each trace matches. If the VIAS don't match point to point, all the vias will fail and your two sided board will fail.

After both sides are held in place, I iron both sides with a pressing iron until I can clearly see all the traces melted onto the board - most websites tell you to do this for about 5 mins, but I iron mine for longer periods than that. At the end you can clearly see that the traces have melted unto the PCB.

After allowing the PCB to cool down, I leave it in a bowl of water to soften the paper. softly rob off paper to reveal a perfect work of art...

Gloves On!!!
Handling or even inhaling chemicals is very dangerous. Please be careful with the following steps.

Choosing the etchant is very important. Boric chloride, off the shelve etchants, etc. are easily obtained in the west, but in the south, its not easy to come by. but not to worry, finding a chemical that corrodes copper is not very difficult. I use Hydrochloric Acid (easily obtained from any swimming pool shed) and Hydrogen Peroxide (From any pharmacy). One part peroxide, and two parts Hydrochloric Acid.

Please note that you should not dispose of the etchant in the drain - it could potentially corrode the pipes and sink. do not also throw it out indiscriminately as it could kill plants and pollute the earth. I use mine to clean concrete of moss. and water it down afterwards.


By now the PCB is looking very good. but we need to mark the points to drill each hole. I use a carbide score to nick the points for my pilot holes. these points are important to ensure the drill doesn't "runaway" and end up in the wrong place. scoring the PCB, only to make a dent, not to make a hole. Remember each via on the topside must match its corresponding via on the bottom. After the scoring, its time to drill the holes.

My Smart Sprinkler System Part 1.

Introduction
You might be aware that I have been frustrated about forgetting to switch off appliances before leaving home. I guess its a sign of old age, my forgetfulness is becoming fairly pronounced. but instead of grumbling, as a technological determinist, I decided to create a smart home.

I have been tinkering with microcontrollers for some years, but creating a smart home got me jumping into the deep end of Internet of Things IOT. I have short listed several projects that I will need to create to have a smart home, and you can find them from looking through my blog for IOT and my smart home. here -

As you can see I have a whole lot of projects to keep me busy for a long long time. but not to worry, they are all simple modular systems that latch unto each other to create a smart system. I usual, I will share them here with you. you can follow the steps and recreate them for yourself if you have the basic skills of soldiering and following simple instructions. I will also share Gerber files, circuit diagrams and a whole lot of information to help you build these systems on your own.

To Sprinkle Or not to Sprinkle
for today, I will focus on the plants in my compound. I want to be able to automatically water the lawn, plants around the compound at preset times every single day of the year without much manual intervention. Yes one can easily buy a working water sprinkler of the shelve in any hardware store. but there is no fun in that. Plus, we can build a smarter system that takes cognizant of the weather to decided if it should give the plants their usual dose of water, or not water at all if it has rained in the last 24 hours.



The making of the Project Circuit Boards PCB
Examples abound on the internet on how to create a PCB.

1. Transfer a circuit trace from a Laser Printer to a paper and unto a PCB board.
2. Rule traces manually by hand.

feel free to look them up and choose which one to use. but there are basically only two methods open to you, One, to carefully draw it with your hand using a permanent maker like a fine point sharpie, or two, to use a purpose built application to design the circuit and print it out using a Laser printer (not a bubble jet ink based printer).

1. Manual Trace
I typically use the manual tracing method only when the design is simple or I don't have access to a Laser Printer and time is of the essence. Though this would typically give a rough amateurish outcome, but as usual, I put a little method to the madness. As expected, this manual process, though fast, creates a not so professional outcome. but there are a whole lot of lessons to learn from this method, so I will show you how to make a PCB using the manual writing method.

1st step is to clean the PCB with steel wool and use 4 pins to sandwich the dotted project board, the two sided board against a piece of paper.

I usually pull out a dotted project PCB as a guide to help me mark the necessary points from studying my circuit on the bread board, I experiment with where each component will fit by placing them on the paper, punching a tiny hole through the doted project board.

 At the end I get a fair idea of where things would end up and I rule the lines on the paper.

I then manually rule the necessary traces with a sharpie (permanent marker). If I make mistakes, I wipe them off with cotton wool dipped in acetone and touchup with a fine tipped sharpie or any permanent marker after it dries.

These markings are actually thin plastic traces protecting the copper upon which they are written. the protection prevents corrosion by the chemicals when dropped in an etching bathe. Spend all the time you need reviewing the traces, make sure there are not shorts and that each pad connects to a matching hole that way when drilled the components will easily fall in place. this is particularly important if they are surface mounted components - I avoid  them cos they are very difficult to solder, but they are cheaper and also small, ideal for compact designs.

If you are able to follw these steps you will have something similar to the image above and ready for the next phase - etching the copper plate in an acid bathe. I will show you just how in another article. until then cheers.

Internet Of Things IOT

Hello Thinkers, Its been quite a while since I hooked up, but believe me, I have been very busy doing so many many things. I can only sum them up as my deep dive into the rave of the moment - Internet of Things (IoT). We have all had our share of that sad moment after driving hours into town only to realize that you didn't switch off the air conditioner at home. Or perhaps, there was no power when you left, but you know you left several appliances running before the power cut - meaning that you will be running (wasting) energy with no one around to enjoy them. In the 3rd world where these are scares resources, no body wants anything to go to waste. It could be anything;-

you forgot to close the garage door. you forgot to switch the generator to manual to prevent it from kicking in when there is a power cut. You forgot to switch off the TV, Fan, AC, etc. depending on where you are, your problem might be different.

The Problem
My problem was how to create a smart home, that allows me the freedom of switching these things off even after I have left home. Yes! without coming home, or calling in the neighbors. Literally from anywhere I am in the world. My plan is to create a smart home, capable of doing the following;-

1. Open & Close the gate (electric gate already exist)
2. Arm Electric fence
3. Let the Dogs out of their kennel 
4. Monitor the weather to ascertain steps to take for air-conditioning, watering plants, letting out dogs, switching on lights, notifying the pool maintenance guy,
5. Switch off / on several equipment's
1. Generator
2. Air Conditioners
3. Fence / Outside Lights
4. Borehole pump
5. Swimming pool pump
6. Swimming pool lights
6. Monitor the battery level of the inverter
7. Monitor the temperature of the deep freezer
8. Water the lawn and the plants at home
9. Monitor the security alarm
10. Track motion after hours
11. etc.

As expected, I had to do some research, and I found several projects I could latch unto - one of the is My Sensors Project. MySensors is an open source hardware and software community focusing on do-it-yourself home automation and Internet of Things IOT. They provide easy to follow build instructions, ready to use code examples and adaptable open source hardware designs. All of this runs on the MySensors software library for secure communication that has been battle-tested with more than 20 of the leading home automation controllers on the market.

MyController?
Controllers as the name suggests are the brain behind an IOT architecture. The controller is the unit like a CPU is to a computer, that does the processing of data fed in by sensors like temperature sensor on a node circuit tucked away somewhere in the compound. The controller uses this data to make rule based decisions (as created by me) to set switches on or off as desired. For example, I could use the rain gage data that shows that it rained today to tell the water sprinkler not to come on as scheduled every 4:00pm. In addition, the controller can tell, the node that controls the fence light to come on as soon as it gets dark, this could be set at a specific time, or just based on day light, the latter being the preferred as it will switch on the lights both in summer or winter when day light is delays or even during a storm when it could get dark even at noon.

My choice of controller was stressful. I was looking for a neat easy to use (and understand) controller with an active community to help when I get stock. I settled on MyController another open source project by JKandasa. The system is based on pure java (back end) and angularJS (front end) it can run it in any platform supporting Java SE 1.8. I liked its look and feel. and as expected JKandasa himself was readily on hand to support newbies like me. but after a difficult start and several huddles I faced with frustration, I went back to the square one to look for an alternative... my research lead me to Domoticz.

Domoticz is a free/open-source Home Automation System that lets you monitor and configure various devices such as lights, switches, temperature, rain, wind, UV and meters (electric, gas, water). It appeared quite powerful and intuitive as it promised. In less than an hour after I downloaded and installed it, it had latched on to the flimsy MySensors Gateway that I had arranged on my breadboard. with that, my journey has begun.

IOT here we come1

3D Printed Fidget Spinners

As the yuletide season approaches, you may have already started making plans to start shopping against Santa's list; What are the exciting toys of the season? What are all the kids looking for? 

This is exactly what I have been think about these past few days. After a few minutes on Google… presto! Fidget Spinners are probably one of the most desired toys for kids of all ages this year. But where does one find Fidget spinners in Abuja without spending more than necessary? Well don’t even bother.

So out with Google and in with my Google Sketchup. I am going to design my own working Fidget Spinner – then PRINT it on my 3D printer.

Here is what we are going to needs

1.       Ball Bearings – the smallest I could find were 11mm radius (22mm diameter) and they cost N400 (about $1.00c USD) and you need only one for a fidget spinner.

2.       Ring Washers – I calculated that I would need about nine washers for a spinner. At N50 for one, that would be a total N450.00 (About $1.20c USD)

       they come in varying sizes, I just chose one that was almost 22mm in diameters. They are needed to load the spinners. The heavier the spinning parts, the longer it will spin. But care must be taken not to make it too heavy for the kids.

With caliper in hand and the above materials, work commenced on the computer with a 3D software. 3D applications abound, every tinkerer has a handle on one of many 3D modeling software – Blender, Solid works, Fusion 360, Maya, AutoCAD, etc.

I prefer SketchUp because its really simple and stress free. Designing two circles in two axis is not that difficult, you can get creative and design a complex set of gears or Ninja like three – five pointed stars. I kept mine simple and below is a link to the final .stl file for printing.

1.       The 2 thumb knobs

2.       The 6 covers for each set of washers (male and female)

3.       The spinner body

Presto!!!! The final result.

For full details, please watch video at https://youtu.be/KKfAX0huBaI

Bountiful Harvest In Nigerian Churches

I am always baffled by the way our people behave within religious circles. How they seem to lose their senses once the name of Jesus Christ and God are mentioned. Leads one to wonder if they leave their brains at home and resort to think for their ass.These has raised series of yet unanswered questions. Questions like; How naive and gullible are the average people on the Nigerian streets? Are Nigerians as educated as they pride themselves to be? Nigerians have a (undeniably) international reputation of being "Smart", How does this street smart "Wise Man" reputation reflect on the average parishioner, How deluded are our people? Does the average Nigerian christian read the Bible? Finding answers to these questions compelled me to write my article in 2013 on "Delusions in Christian Parishes" http://www.tantiblo.blogspot.com/2013/08/true-skeptist-in-religion.html to which I still receive hate mails reminding me of the impending doom if I did not repent. These threats forced me to stay quite as topical issues of 2013 passed by - The recent declarations by the pope putting Heaven and Hell in the proper perspective. The truth that Adam & Eve stories like several other Bible stories were mere allegories. Topics that could have strengthen my argument that religion is a creation of man. arguments that the generality of Nigerians don't appreciate. But hey! there is still a freedom of speech right? However, an article culled from Premium Times is instructive. The article depicts Dr. Fireman's brand of extortion and how ironically, his congregation continues to grow. I watched a documentary on Dr. Fireman on CNN. The show sought to expose how religious Nigerians were and how exploitative their pastors were. The article reads:-

Mr. Fireman returns to his tricks



The elderly woman went down on her knees, tears streaming down both corners of her eyes. Her movement was laboured, but when she opened her mouth, the words spilled out in torrents. Her elder brother had died last Friday. But the seemingly tragic incident provided a veritable platform to flaunt the efficacy of “the Jesus Christ of Dr. Fireman.”

“When they called me to inform me of my brother’s death, I took my anointing oil which was blessed by Dr. Fireman and went there. When I got there, there were pastors there, I asked everyone to leave the room. I used my anointing oil and called the God of Fireman and he answered me. I used the oil to anoint my brother and he sneezed and came back to life,” the woman declared.”The moment he stood up, he requested for food. Then he said he wants to eat apple. I told them it is the God of Dr. Fireman.”

The church erupted into claps and cheers...

The supervising pastor called on the congregation to hurry and buy a bottle of the anointing oil – selling at N500 per bottle – and bring to the altar for “Daddy” to touch for a fresh anointing.
“The one you have before will not work,” the pastor said.”If you don’t have money, borrow from your neighbour and go and buy. When you blow, you give him back.”

Such money-spinning episodes dominated Sunday’s service at the Perfect Christianity Mission’s grounds at Surulere, Lagos.

Last week was awash with news reports of the involvement of the church’s General Overseer, Ofuche Ukoha aka Dr. Sign Fireman, in an alleged rape and killing of a 12-year-old girl in Badagry.
According to Ikechukwu Egbo, 18, who allegedly carried out the dastardly act, Mr. Ukoha instructed him to strangle a female virgin, obtain the faeces she would pass out in the throes of death, and bring to him for a reward of N100,000.

Sunday’s service began with an unusual absence of Mr. Ukoha. Church members arranged themselves into groups and launched into a prayer session that lasted an hour.
“We are going to end this session with a seed. Dip your hands in your pocket and raise it up,” the voice of one of the pastors rose across the hall. “Everyone must participate. Raise up N1000, N500, N200, N100. Everybody must participate,” he repeated, and then launched into a missile against unseen enemies. “Every arrow of the enemy against my life, my progress, my family, this ministry, by this seed I cancel it.”

“I want you to pick up a seed and drop at her feet. Anybody that wants to take your husband, life, piece of your land, your vehicle, property. As you drop that seed, it shall come back to you,” the pastor enjoined the congregation.

A young man beside me unfolded his wallet. A single N500 note lay with about half a dozen N20 notes. He carefully extricated a N20 note, clenched his fist, and marched towards the altar.

In another testimony, a lady said the man of God prophesied to her in her dream and her three year job hunting came to an abrupt end last Tuesday. Her new job also came with an accommodation. A bus driver narrated how, on his way back to Lagos from his village in the east, he used ordinary rope soaked in Mr. Fireman’s anointing oil as a fan belt for his faulty vehicle. Another lady said she woke up in the middle of the night to see a bird inside her room.

“I brought out my anointing oil and said ‘In the name of Jesus of Dr. Sign Fireman.’ The bird disappeared.”

More testimonies flowed, each followed by calls by the pastor to the congregation to, with various sums of money, tap into the good fortunes of their fellow members. Members who attempted to testify about the miracle of Mr. Fireman’s ordeal and his surprising appearance in church were rushed through their testimonies...

“If you are here this morning and you want God to take you to a new financial level, pick up a seed of N1,000, N2,000, and line up here. If he (Fireman) touches you, you go back to your seat quickly,” the pastor at the pulpit shouted. “If you don’t have N1,000 or N2,000, pick up N500 and join them at the back.” I needed to get a closer look at Fireman and possibly scan him for torture marks. So, I joined them at the back. Sporting a grey jacket atop a white shirt and black pants, Fireman, looked leaner than when I first saw him seven months ago. Seated on a white upholstered chair, he appeared withdrawn, a deviation from his usual boisterous self.

We dropped our seeds into a basket and knelt before him, he patted our shoulders without uttering a word. His black hair glistened under the altar lights. There were no signs he had been tortured.
When it was time for him to speak, he merely stood on the pulpit and allowed a smile that began at the corner of his mouth to travel across his face...

Before Mr. Fireman introduced the day’s guest preacher, more members came out to narrate tales of how they “sowed blindly” and then enjoyed a bountiful harvest afterwards.

One member said he, following the directive of Mr. Fireman, donated his only vehicle which doubled as a source of income for his family to the church. Four months later, he got a better vehicle.
The pastor’s voice rang out again: “If you want to buy something and your money is not enough, come out with a seed of N200 and Daddy will shake you. You will meet someone who shall sell it to you at a cheap price.”

For the next person, who said he paid N2,500 for a one year rent on a room and parlour apartment; the pastor called for a N100 seed.

For more details http://premiumtimesng.com/news/153262-accused-ritual-killing-pastor-fireman-returns-heros-welcome.html

As I read the lengthy article, I wonder what the congregation was thinking while the pastor frisked their pockets. Even worse, how they manage to come back every other Sunday (These days, there is always a church activity every week day). Whether we see it clearly or not, this is a financial crime, in the name of God, solely aimed at defrauding gullible Nigerians. Something needs to be done to stop it. Whats your take?

Money Matters!

A very rich man once said, "If you took all the money in the world and divided it equally among everybody, it would soon be back in the same pockets it was before [you started]." This is only true because our knack for finances vary. While most are extravagant even in the midst of poverty, a few are prudent and know just how to carry on living counting their pennies.

My entire outlook in life was molded by the wise thoughts of my late Father Chief Seth Okachi Eleonu. Like most kids, I thought he was being too hard on me at the time, but I have recognized the fact that he was preparing me for the difficult task of leading an honest life and earning enough to take care of my family. He went about his life lessons in odd ways. Impacting knowledge by making me watch & practice what I had seen, teaching me by instructions and most of all allowing me to play.

Watching and Practice

I learned to watch and practice the hard way. As a young school boy, I spent most of my mid term breaks working as an artisan – as a carpenter one day, an electrician next break, helping out with a Welder one holiday and working with a Mechanic next one. This early exposure to professional handiwork resulted in the “Techie Guy” most of you know today. (see what my friends think of me http://www.tantiblo.blogspot.com/2012/10/jack-of-all-trade-master-of-non.html) This post however, is not about technical stuff though, it is about another hard lesson my Father taught me – Money Matters! 

Teaching Money Matters by Play
My Father is the most prudent man who ever lived. I often thought he was been stingy to himself as he did not care about the "Jones". He bought things based on function, price and durability rather than form or trend as most people would. He taught me to make a note of what I wanted and think around the issue contemplating other possible more cost effective options. He insisted on comparing prices and never to rush into the market. Most importantly, he taught me that it is hard to keep that which has not been obtained through personal development and hard work. According to him, "everything has a law controlling it. The car functions because of the law of combustion. The aircraft fly because of lift aerofoil and boats would not float with the law of dispersion. Money also has its own rule" – as he would put it “Easy come, Easy go!” 

These are sound advice I have imbibed and practiced throughout my life, to the ridicule of my friends and acquaintances.  In University (just as today), I was always the one friends ran to for a small loan when times where hard. I was usually the one with change when most would have squandered their pocket money. My friends would often say I am financially disciplined, but what I never told them was that I learned it through play. It is a known fact that most of us are not disciplined when it comes to finances. We are unable to resist the urge to SPEND, PAY, BUY. Little wonder why it is often difficult pay for ______ (type in your usual monthly head ache) subscription, let alone pay the children school fees. 

Abundant literature exists on how to make money and keep it, but theory is often very difficult to put to practice. Some clever guys have even devised bogus opportunities that gradually impoverish the uncanny – “Make $5000 from you house over the internet”. Others have opened up workshops to teach housewives how to make money by trading forex online, but they fall short to tell them that they will have to part with a lot of money in the process and end up broke (see https://www.google.com.ng/search?q=Make+money+online&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&gws_rd=cr&ei=xaRNUrqiI-jX0QX7p4DADg). Others less risk-averse folks have resorted to class rooms to learn the art. 

The Central Bank of Nigeria has drawn an inference with the financial literacy and the high exclusion rate in Nigeria. The Bank has commenced on a new initiative to include financial literacy in the educational system. Only recently, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi recently picked up chalk to teach school children about financial literacy (see all the photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/78609336@N02/sets/72157636108988423/). He noted that most children nowadays struggle with ‘peer pressure’, which he said always pushes them to making unjustifiable demands from their parents, who also have needs and responsibilities to take care of. I am sure that many of them will miss the mark. What they will get is the sound advice. They however still need to practice what they have heard. As they say practice makes perfect and there is no better time to start practicing than as a youg school child.So, I have decided to let the secret out on how I practiced to be prudent. I believe it is a better and more effective way to learn prudence. – wait for it….

…

..

.

Play Monopoly! 

Yes, play the board game Monopoly™. Charles Darrow, the inventor of Monopoly couldn’t have evolved a better way to teach most economic principles in a tidy small board. As a child I played it at every passing spare time. We had protracted games involving all the kids in the neighborhood. Some would act as Bankers, others as advisers to players. We spurned a “Naija flavor” to it (there is now a Lagos edition), and changed some rules to make it even more interesting. We even encouraged teaming up to win and Yes, some people preferred to steal money houses, rub the bank when no one was watching, sell black market money and deeds to get rich. Monopoly taught me the following hard lessons in life;

• all the financial terms and concepts I know without ever studying commerce or economics (two subjects I hated with a passion) terms like, Mortgage, Tax, Liquidation, Bankrupt, Rent, Title Deed, Remortgage, Utility Bill, Assets, Liquid, Float, Salary, etc.
• we all start out equal but certain decisions will impact on ones ability to “Monopolize”
• you can only spend what you have
• you have to guard my business – no need to let the neighbors know what I have until…
• bluffing is an art and it have saved many a lives
• spending all you have to look good is not the aim of the game of life ultimate aim is to stay on and buy important deeds or deal out your opponents
• Salary may not come at the end of a run (month)
• you have to make provisions for Chance and falling fowl of the law
•  that making the right “friends” is important
• buying what you don’t need is like slashing your wrist and then taking a shower
•  Its all about strategy -buying “Old Kent Road” can win the game and mortgaging “Mayfair” could be a life saver.

As a parent, I am now struggling to impact the same values on my children – Chisom (9) Oma (3) and Chime (well lets say for now he play the bank robber as he is only 1yr old and does not speak any English). You may argue that it will be difficult since the days when families gather around the TV in the sitting room are long gone. Hand held computer games, including mobile phones and the internet have taken over the minds of the youths, but I have painstakingly reintroduced Monopoly to my family and insisted that Sundays is game night and everyone must play educational games. I intend to keep it up until Chisom understands the concepts. I trust it will work for you too if you try. The CBN Governor warned that “people could become poor when they spend more than they earn, and would conversely, become wealthy when they spend less than they earn”. A stitch in time saves nine. Unless You Change How You Are, You'll Always Have What You've Got.

Baked to Death in the Sahara

I stumbled on a video (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=691603344188871) posted on FB showing scores of dead Nigerians in the baking heat of the Sahara Desert. The eerie video was no different from a similar one on Nigerians marooned and isolated in the Sahara en route Europe aired by CNN recently.

I once talked a GIRL from embarking on this trip in 1994. She had the list of all the safe houses and pass phrases including the fees and brief for migrats who wish to go on this journey through Benin – Togo – Ghana - Boukina Faso-Algeria – Europe. She said it was full proof and she knew many who had made it to Europe. I thank God she listened to me and is now happily married and still lives in Lagos.

Emmanuel Mayah, the renowned award winning investigative journalist documented the travails of migrants in his exposé Europe by Desert: Tears of African Migrants. in a recent interview he said “Nigerians are being executed in Libya; many have perished in the Sahara while trying to cross the desert on foot; many have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea trying to cross from Morocco to Spain and hundreds of thousands of Nigerians are in prisons in different countries. Many are at a point of no return; they have no money to buy food let alone transport themselves back to Nigeria.”

So from the above, it’s a known fact that Nigerians go on this trip and from various routes all across West Africa, but I am a bit worried about this video. It raises a few questions. How can all these men slump and die at the same time, within the same area? Even more worrying is the fact that the dead all seem to be bent over hiding their faces - as if they were been robbed or hiding from someone/something. Since there is no evidence of blood, I will eliminate gun shots but what about poison? Another worrisome issue is how the nationalities of the individuals were ascertained. The clothes worn by the deceased do not seem to originate from Nigeria (debatable). To me they look like those worn by our other west African neighbors.

I ask these questions because from that same document I mentioned earlier, I learned that locals from the communities migrants pass through despises these migrants, especially as the local operators are usually the same people that organize other vices in these same communities - gunrunning, smuggling, armed robberies, child trafficking, name it. Similarly, the locals are also very aware of the large sums of money they carry (usually US$). In fact their handlers have been known to rob migrants and drop them off in the middle of the desert to die. This is well documented by Aljazeera, CNN, BBC, and you can watch all this on youtube… watch the video -

While one can easily dismiss this all by saying the migrants are to blame. Why should Nigerians, especially the (Igbos including Delta and Edo states) continue to rub our name in the mud? Why do they think that they must seek greener pastures at all cost? Some have been known to “Sell all that they own to secure a bleak chance in a foreign country only to reach there and end up hawking / Hooking on the street in J’boug, Italy, Israel, Turkey, etc. These questions are debatable, but I blame the state, our leaders and the Federal Government. Nigerians are scattered all over the world, most of them struggling to earn a living in communities that loathes them. The federal government should look into these issues and ascertain or verify the events that led to the death of these people with a view to curb the trend.

To my mind, if our communities are made more habitable, if there is better transparency, if our leaders are more responsive to our cries, if there is more security of lives and property, then and only then will our people stop seeking greener pastures. What is your take?
 

Delusions in Christian Parishes

Only this morning (28th August 2013) my attention was drawn to Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo unfolding saga making rounds on Twitter and other social media channels. Ms Ese Walters had published an expose accusing the Common Wealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) of manipulating her sexually / spiritually.

As usual, rather than concentrating my article on this particular event, I will look at the big picture. Let us come away from the tree and look at the forest.

There are countless number of reported cases of rape that go unpunished because no victim is ready to speak up. Even when the victims speak out against their assailants, they are often slandered and even threatened. This has forced many victims to suffer undue hardship trying to pretend normalcy while the world around them continues to bask in the euphoria of our pretentious society.
This would not be the case in other societies.

I read Ese's story on her blog - http://esewalter.wordpress.com/2013/08/22/my-affair-with-pastor-biodun-fatoyinbo-of-coza/#comments and was perplexed to read what Nigerians had to say about her ordeal. Rather than empathizing with her, or investigating the matter, Nigerians had resorted to calling her names and blaming her for her ordeal. Typical you say. We (Nigerians) blamed the ABSU gang rape on the victim http://www.cknnigeria.com/2013/08/identity-of-2011-absu-gang-raped-victim.html When the news broke and the video went viral the reaction of Nigerians was more about verifying the location of the crime scene and absolving their university rather than empathizing with the victim and bringing the perpetrators to book.

This is further exuberant when we add religion to the mix. Ese’s present predicament is reminiscence of another Nigerian pastors escapade in 2011. I recall watching a series of BBC documentary on African demons and deliverance in the Untied Kingdom. The series focused on tackling the belief system that African parents pass onto their British born children. The documentary consisted on in-debt studies and carefully planned stings aimed at documenting evidence that may convince the people. In one of such stings, a Nigerian mother visits a particular Redeemed Christian Church in London. She complains to the resident Pastor that her teenage British born daughter is “Acting up”. Readily without prompting, the pastor assures the woman that the girl is possessed and would require spiritual deliverance. After agreeing to make a voluntary contribution to the church after the deliverance is complete, the young girl is invited to attend a bi-weekly session run by the pastor. Before long, lured by the beauty of the girl, the pastor makes advances. Armed with audio and video recordings of the stings, the producers create a short account and randomly select 10 people from the parishioners to watch the video after the Sunday service, but are surprised that not one of them is bold or inquisitive enough to watch the whole 15mins video. Shouts like “Touch not my anointed!” ring out.

This same hypocrisies don’t only inhibit us as a people, but indulges perpetrators to carry on with impunity. Why can’t we look at the issues and forget about the players. Why do we avoid the truth and focus on self preservation. Why have the authorities remained silent in all this.
•    Unresolved cases of rape in Nigeria
•    Men raping their daughters
•    Public officials rape the nations treasury
•    Child marriages

Work in progress...

Co-operation, no be competition - By Pa Monday

Yeah wondering where I have been all this while? Well the project to gracefully convert Nigerians to utilize electronic means of settlment has proved tough. For the past 12 months or so, I have been slaving away at it. first begining with the pilot in Lagos, and now planning to roll out to 6 more locations in Nigeria.

I miss writting but I thout to break the silence as I read my very good friends blog which has been published on at http://premiumtimesng.com/opinion/122934-co-operation-no-be-competition-by-pa-monday.html#disqus_thread he write...

Even we small people dey do our own. Sotay we get generator wey we dey call ‘I better pass my neighbour’. That name alone don show how bad this spirit of competition dey. If you on your generator, connect light for your neighbour, na bad thing? Dat neighbour fit contribute to buy fuel na. Why house of 10flats go get 10generators?


I have always wondered why we are in such a mad rush on several fronts, but I never really saw the parallels with other bizarre things going on around us. Kudos Pa Monday, this is a brilliant Article on our percived bad sense of competition.,. even better is the genre - pidgin sets a very clear perspective to view Nigeria from.

Jack of All Trade - Master of Non!

While several of my friends knew what their calling way back when we were toddlers - I am yet to find out where I belong. I have always thought this was due to the fact that I am multi talented. But my friend Amalaye Oyakes comments about me on Facebook got me thinking...



By the way, Amalaye settled for exploring the celestial bodies ever since we left secondary school. So when I heard he was one of the big boys at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab in Huston, I wasnt too surprised. But, why am I so confused? Whats my calling? Why haven't I settled down yet and focused on one career path? Am I a Jack of all trade... and master...? This comment made we think about my diverse interest, and how I came to be where I am.

• My first love is music - I am a prolific entertainer - I once lead a brass band in my secondary school. I even went as far as playing on the same stage with world renowned Dizzy Gilespie (twice at the Port Harcourt Jazz festivals. Femi Anikulapo Kuti, Eddie Okonta, Gerald Opino, etc. I was given a scholarship to study music by the Nigerian Navy, but my father would have nothing of it. The only thing that kept me away from being a musician was education. I play (well I think I still can) all brass music instruments, from the Beagle, Trumpet, Trombone, to the almighty Tuba. I also play the guitar, and most wind instruments like the Clarinet. I have written several songs, but havent mustered the courage to enter a studio... yet.



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•  I have always been an artist. I recall attempting my first drawing at five after watching my Dad draw a human head - I guess its in the blood, I picked up a pencil and tried to do just what I saw and the rest as the say is history. I exhibited my first art piece at the tender age of 15 at the United Nations sponsored art exhibition in New York.
•  Being a science student in secondary school, I applied for Electrical Engineering & Architecture when I left secondary school. I got an offer to study Electrical Engineering at the Federal University of Technology Owerri FUTO. But that was not to be, cos my family thought I could do better to study art and be my own boss - I wish I didn't listen. I went on to study Graphic Arts at University of Nigeria. I recall my name was on the notice board when I resumed - my head of department wanted to meet this "Mad man" - I must have been mad to enroll for Fine & Applied Arts with Physics, Mathematics, English & Arts. I got an A in all with Arts been the lowest score. I guess I must have made an impression as Prof. Chike Aniako, Prof. Obiora Udechukwu and Prof. Ola Oloidi would become life time mentors.
• Computer Graphics was a budding career path by the time I left University. In advert agencies of the time, studio heads had to depend on the skills of their "glorified" secretaries to bring their art creations into the digital world. As you may have imagined, this practice did not produce the finest results. With my love for computers, an inquisitive mind and a wealth of creative ability, I thrived in Ad Agency work. After a stink at three advert agencies - Dawn Functions, New Generation & Media Plus International, I realized that I felt like I was being used, while the products I churned out (calendars, Annual reports, Desk Diaries, Product advert, etc) were sold for millions, I got stipends. So I wrote a private proposal to Banks who were the major clients in the industry and voila, Afri Bank (now Main Street Bank) & NAL Merchant Bank Plc. (now Sterling Bank) took the bait. That's how I went to work as the in house Graphic Artist for NAL Merchant Bank.
• One little known secret is that Graphic Artist helped make the internet what it is today. After Sir Tim Bernes Lee created the hyper-text protocol in 1993 (the http:// you find before the www web url) that changed the aparnet (as it used to be known) to what we now call the internet, Graphic artist were the first group of professionals to apply their visual creations... I consider myself one of Nigeria pioneers having built my first website in 1994.I also designed NALs website in the early 1990s when very few Nigerians knew what the internet was.
• As the internet grew in complexity, I grew with it. My simple HTML pages designed with WYSIWYG applications gave way to more mature web programming languages like ASP.net, SharePoint, etc. With several web development and other professional certifications under my belt, I gracefully transited to being called a web developer. Even went on to design the nations Central Bank of Nigeria internet, intranet and extranet websites.
• As you can imagine, web development is not a core function for banking - so the promotions were not coming as fast, and after 10 years of creating the web communications office and administering an army of content managers, one think stuck out like a sore thumb. "But... you are an artist" was becoming a derogatory statement I couldn't bear anymore. and so even-though I really wanted to study Human Computer Interaction HCI to prepare myself to join the now thriving Nollywood movie industry, I was forced to study Information Systems in Manchester University, United Kingdom.
• On my return from studies, along with my Project Management PM skills and certification, I jumped into the deep end of project management pool. The PM skills was to see me working on the banks Cashless Nigeria initiative. I had reinvented myself once more.

So while I am sitting here thinking I have derailed a million times already - Amalayes comments clearly shows that my electronics and inventing talents has taken a back seat. If the climate was right, I should be an industrialist and inventor.Its always reassuring to hear your friends describe you in ways you never imagined. I recalled Amalaye near fatal electrocution at my house in the late 1980's when he tried to test my Door Zapper! a device I put in place to detar buglars who had hit my room a few weeks prior to his visit. His recent visit to Nigeria last month may have well Zapped me back to life - I should make plans to attend the exhibition, perhaps, this time, I may have finally settled down cos a rolling stone gathers no moss.