Now is the Future

Author: tdpel

  • How to remove customer added photos from your Google my business profile

    You might have found photos in your Google My Business profile that don’t represent your business or that you did not add and did not like. The next thing that comes to your mind is to delete it.

    But Google has made the process hard. One would expect that as the business owner, you should have control over contents that claim to represent your business.

    Google however, for some reason have decided that you cannot control contents that represent your business and so, anybody including your adversaries can try to hurt your business by adding wrong or bad information to your business profile on Google.

    We have also experienced addition of wrong photos to our business profile and in the process of removing it, we found out its not as easy as just clicking the delete button, hence this post.

    To remove a bad photo, follow this steps according to Google:

    1. Tap Photos and then Find the photo you want to remove.
    2. At the top, on the right, tap Report a problem Report a problem.
    3. Select the type of violation you want to report and then Tap Submit.

    It will then take some days before Google may decide to remove such photos or leave it to continue making you unconfortable.

  • Former Minneapolis Police Officers Convicted of Human Rights Violations In Death of George Floyd

    Following a trial that lasted nearly five weeks, a federal jury in St. Paul, Minnesota, found three former Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officers guilty of federal civil rights offenses arising out of the death of George Perry Floyd Jr. on May 25, 2020.

    Former MPD Officers Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng were found to have deprived Mr. Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from an officer’s unreasonable force when each willfully failed to intervene to stop former MPD Officer Derek Chauvin’s use of unreasonable force, resulting in bodily injury to and the death of Mr. Floyd. Thao, Kueng and former MPD Officer Thomas Lane also were found to have deprived Mr. Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from a police officer’s deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs when they saw him restrained in police custody in clear need of medical care and willfully failed to aid him, resulting in bodily injury to and the death of Mr. Floyd. Both offenses are violations of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 242.

    The convictions announced today are separate from and in addition to any and all charges the State of Minnesota has brought against these former officers related to the death of Mr. Floyd. The federal charges addressed civil rights offenses that criminalize violations of the U.S. Constitution.

    “Today’s verdict recognizes that two police officers violated the Constitution by failing to intervene to stop another officer from killing George Floyd, and three officers violated the Constitution by failing to provide aid to Mr. Floyd in time to prevent his death,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to seek accountability for law enforcement officers whose actions, or failure to act, violate their constitutional duty to protect the civil rights of our citizens. George Floyd should be alive today.”

    Co-defendant Derek Chauvin previously entered a guilty plea in connection with the federal case. Chauvin pleaded guilty to willfully depriving Mr. Floyd of his constitutional rights while Chauvin was serving as an MPD officer. Chauvin also acknowledged that his conduct resulted in death and that he acted in callous and wanton disregard of the consequences to Mr. Floyd’s life. In addition, Chauvin was tried in state court and convicted of second-degree murder. In 2021, Chauvin was sentenced in state court to 22.5 years in prison.

    Evidence presented at the federal trial for defendants Thao, Kueng and Lane established that on May 25, 2020, then-MPD Officer Chauvin held his knees on Mr. Floyd’s neck and back as Mr. Floyd lay on the ground, handcuffed and unresisting. As soon as Mr. Floyd was on the ground, Chauvin placed his knee on the back of Mr. Floyd’s neck, while Kueng placed his knee on Floyd’s lower body. Chauvin would not remove his knee for the next nine minutes and 29 seconds, and Kueng maintained his position for the next eight minutes and 11 seconds. Throughout this period, Mr. Floyd pleaded with officers 25 times to let him breathe.

    As Mr. Floyd lost consciousness and a pulse, Chauvin and Kueng maintained their positions on his body. Even as Mr. Floyd ceased movement and stopped speaking, and even as Lane noted that Mr. Floyd was “passing out” and Kueng said he could not find a pulse, none of the CPR-certified defendants did anything to stop Chauvin from keeping his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck or to render the medical aid that they were trained and required to provide. Even as EMTs arrived and checked Mr. Floyd’s pupils and pulse, Chauvin did not move his knee and the other officers on scene did not render aid to Mr. Floyd.

    Firefighters and EMTs unsuccessfully attempted to revive Mr. Floyd on the way to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The county medical examiner ruled Mr. Floyd’s death was a homicide due to cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression.

    After the incident, an MPD supervisor and, later, an MPD lieutenant, spoke with Lane and Kueng. On both occasions, Lane and Kueng both omitted that Chauvin had knelt on Mr. Floyd’s neck, that Mr. Floyd had been restrained on his stomach for nine and a half minutes, that Mr. Floyd had lost consciousness, and that officers had not been able to find a pulse. Additionally, Kueng told the supervisor that Mr. Floyd did not stop moving until after an ambulance arrived on scene, which he admitted at trial was false. At trial, the MPD lieutenant testified that, after watching video taken by a bystander, he realized that what he was told and what was on the video was “totally different.” He further testified that if an MPD officer observed another officer using too much force or doing something illegal, the officer has a duty to intervene to stop it, regardless of rank or seniority. Testimony offered at trial established that this duty to intervene is enshrined in MPD policy and is a component of the police department’s training program.

    Evidence presented at trial also showed that MPD officers were required to complete emergency medical responder (EMR) training prior to entering the police academy, which includes CPR training. Further, MPD policy requires officers to determine if a subject is injured after a use of force and to render medical aid as soon as reasonably practical and requires officers assisting a person experiencing a medical crisis to provide first aid while awaiting EMS.

    The jury found that the defendants disregarded this training and willfully violated Mr. Floyd’s constitutional rights. Kueng and Thao failed to intervene to stop Chauvin’s use of unlawful force and all three defendants failed to provide aid to Mr. Floyd as he suffered a medical emergency at the hands of a fellow police officer.

    The jury found that the defendants disregarded this training and willfully violated Mr. Floyd’s constitutional rights. Kueng and Thao failed to intervene to stop Chauvin’s use of unlawful force and all three defendants failed to provide aid to Mr. Floyd as he suffered a medical emergency at the hands of a fellow police officer.

    No sentencing date has been set. The statutory maximum sentence for the death-resulting violation of Section 242 is life in prison.

    Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats and Special Agent in Charge Michael F. Paul of the FBI’s Minneapolis Division announced today’s verdict.

    The investigation was conducted by the FBI with the cooperation of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The case is being prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Samantha Trepel and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha Bates, LeeAnn Bell, Evan Gilead, Manda Sertich and Allen Slaughter of the District of Minnesota.

  • Update on Hushpuppi’s death: Hushpuppi is not dead

    Kemi Olunloyo has expressed anger over those claiming that she once said Hushpuppi has died.

    In a tweet, she said “May God deal with the stupid bloggers who attributed Hushpuppi’s death to me and moving it around WhatsApp. I’m an investigative journalist and there was no where I said that. Always check on my pages for authentic news. I should stop giving you Hushpuppi updates. ”

    See the tweet below

    Some source have previously quoted her tweets to mean Hushpuppi has died in USA, but she later cleared the air by saying “Kemi Olunloyo did not announce that Hushpuppi is DEAD in the US. Stop spreading #Fakenews Avoid those blogs.”

  • Zinoleesky, others arrested by NDLEA could be charged with intent to sell drugs – Kemi Olunloyo

    Kemi Olunloyo has expressed her opinion about the amount of drugs NDLEA found with Zinoleesky and others who have since been arrested.

    According to her, NDLEA found “found 10 people in one room heavily smoking and arrested six. 27KG of Canada Loud was found and 4G of Molly. The NDLEA also seized 11G Loud in a brand new ash colored Lexus SUV with no tags.”

    In another tweet she said “In my opinion 27 Kilos is a lot. This could amount to intent to distribute ”

  • Apartment NDLEA arrested Zinoleesky, others is Naira Marley’s

    Kemi Olunloyo has once again cleared the air about the apartment where NDLEA busted Zinoleesky and others, with large amount of drugs.

    In her tweet, she said “Naira Marley is angry right now in Europe as he posted on his IG Story. He reportedly got the apartment for his artists in the Agungi area of Lekki which is typical for record label bosses. In my opinion 27 Kilos is a lot. This could amount to intent to distribute”

    See the tweet below

  • E-commerce platforms boost Badagry youths coconut sales

     

    Some youths in Badagry area of Lagos State say social media, e-marketing and e-commerce platforms have helped to attract more sales in the coconut value chain.

    A cross session of the youths told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday that the platforms had helped to promote their business and increase sales.

    The youths, who operate from Agbalata coconut market, Badagry Local Government Area, said platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and others have opened new frontiers in the trade.

    Ms Serah Danbu,  34-year-old and mother of two, said that the use of social media and e-marketing platforms had assisted in boosting her coconut business.

    Danbu, a graduate of Sociology, Lagos State University, Ojo, said that she decided to use the platforms to improve on the value chain and make it more attractive to other youths.

    She said that many youths were in the coconut value chains due to lack of jobs, claiming that 50 per cent of traders in Badagry were youths.

    ‘”Coconut farming and trading is our family business, we have more than four generations in the value chain in Badagry.

    “I grew up in the business, so I know almost everything about it. But I decided to do things differently from my mother to make it more attractive and enterprising.

    “There are many graduates here in the market and we deploy the use of my social media, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and other online channels to attract customers.

    “I display my coconut every time I have new supply on my status and it makes it easy for my customers to place their orders,” she said.

    Danbu said that the e-marketing and e-commerce platforms made it possible for her to reach customers anywhere in the country.

    “I have customers all over the country, and I supply coconut to them with ease.

    “I can say it categorically that digital marketing is useful for any trade, including coconut,” she said.

    Danbu urged the Federal and State Governments to provide financial support  to assist the youths start coconut trading because it was capital intensive.

    Another dealer, 27-year-old Janet Gbeliho, said that the youths are changing and upgrading trading of coconut to a different level.

    Gbehilo, an undergraduate, said that the e-marketing platforms had expanded and increased her customer base as well as  transactions.

    She said she got referrals from customers who had patronised her father over time and developed trust on their services.

    The undergraduate said that many processors and producers don’t come to Badagry market again to purchase coconut because of distance, security challenges and bad roads.

    “What our customers do now is to place their orders from anywhere in the country and we will deliver it to them.

    “We have pickup points all over the state, so it is easy to deliver and we are also working with some dedicated transporters on pick up and deliver.

    Gbehilo said that a sack of coconut contains 200 pieces.

    ”We do the selection, sorting and arrangement for our customers. The process is very easy, fast, convenient and safe.

    “We deliver to Edo, Akure, Ibadan, Abuja, Delta, Ilorin, Oyo, Kano, Yobe and other parts of the country,” she said.

    The undergraduate urged government at all levels to setup coconut plantations to engage youths and keep their minds from wandering and committing crime.

    Also, Mr Whenthon Mijohotho told NAN that with e-marketing, many youths are embraced the coconut value chain in Badagry.

    Mijohotho said that with adequate training and capacity building on business management, the  youths would transform the value chain.

    He said that challenges confronting the value chain are lack of training, lack of government support, lack of access to loan, security, illegal levies and dues as well as lack of conducive  environment.

    He appealed to the youths to embrace farming, describing it as the future of the country.(NAN)

  • How we invented first LNG stove – Young Nigerian engineers

    Seven young Nigerian Engineering graduates have explained how they invented the first  Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) stove which is expected to be inaugurated in December.

    The inventors spoke on Thursday in Lagos when the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, paid a working visit to the Nigeria office of  Unicorn Group, a pan-African organisation targeting innovative ideas.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the seven young graduates had  berth the first ever Nigeria LNG stove under the supervision of the Unicorn Group.

    The young inventors are Taiwo Yussuf, Bukunola Bolajoko, Martins Omobude, Anjola Badaru, Toheeb Aleshinloye, Elijah Olasehinde and Edidiong Udoh.

    Speaking after a presentation of the stove to the minister and other guests, Bolajoko, the only female among the seven inventors, said they took up the teething challenge of how Nigeria could better utilise its abundant natural gas deposit.

    According to her, LNG in advanced countries is used  for electricity generation and industrialisation while it is either being flared or exported for processing in Africa.

    Bolajoko said they were worried with the ineffective method whereby LNG, which Nigeria has in abundance, is either flared or shipped abroad.

    She said from exported LNG,  Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) which is used at home for cooking is exported and shipped back for sale in Nigeria at higher cost.

    The female engineer said they were given the challenge to come up with an innovative design where LNG could be used directly for cooking.

    She said after the meeting with Unicorn, it took them about five months to come up with a design suitable for the country.

    Omobude, one of the inventors who explained how the stove works, said they came up with a simple design  that is portable and easy to use.

    He said the stove comprised of the storage system where the LNG is stored, the re-gasification  unit that converts the LNG to natural gas and the burner.
    According to him, the stove has a special burner with a system that maximises the heat generated.

    He explained that with the stove system one litre container of LNG would be equivalent to 600 litres of LPG.

    Speaking on the advantages of the LNG stove over the LPG available presently  in the country,  Omobude said it would be readily available at lower cost and stable price.

    According to him, the gas generated by the LNG stove is less risky because it is lighter than air and in case of leakage will dispense freely.

    The young innovator said the stove system has lower Carbon emission with better combustion because of its level of purity.

    Dr Akintoye Akindele, the Chairman of Unicorn, said they assembled the youths to come up with the innovation because of the need to finance Nigeria’s gas asset and prevent flaring.

    “The stove was designed in our incubation campus here in Lagos.

    ”  We brought the young and talented engineers together from all over Nigeria and they worked collectively for about five months  designing this.

    “We gave them accommodation, they get allowances and they designed this which is the first if its kind in the country.

    “We will present the prototype, we will then patent it, make it available all over Nigeria and export it first to African countries and to the world in general

    “This is a product every Nigerian should be proud of and the inventors’ names will be inscribed inside the gas burners for life,” he said.

    Akindele, who disclosed that 85 per cent of the production content was locally sourced, gave an assurance that it would be 100 per cent local content in a few years.

    He also assured Nigerians that the stove would be inaugurated and made available in the market before the end of the year.

    The minister, on his part, commended the young innovators and assured them and their sponsors of government support.

    He also commended Unicorn for encouraging young Nigerians to become the world’s best innovators and helping them to make their dreams come true. (NAN)

  • Leaders who swear by Holy Book must not abuse public office – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari says leaders who take the oath of office, swearing with the Holy Book, must be careful not to abuse the trust of leadership placed on them by the people and God.

    Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s media aide, in a statement said the president stated this during a courtesy visit to the palace of Emir of Lafia, retired Justice Sidi Muhammad 1, in Lafia, Nasarawa State, on Thursday.

    According to the president, he has no intention whatsoever to stay beyond the constitutionally recognised two terms of office as leader of Nigeria.

    ”The traditional ruler is on a terminal appointment. Constitutionally, we (elected public office holders) are not. I cannot go beyond two terms and I have sworn by the Holy Quran that I will uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    ”Politics apart, whenever we are made to swear by the Holy Quran, we have to be very careful. We must make sure that we do not abuse the trust God has given us as leaders.

    ”I have seen former Governors here and I am looking forward to also becoming a former President,” he said.

    Buhari thanked the people of Nasarawa State for a rousing welcome, expressing delight that the North-Central State was wearing a new look since his last visit in 2019.

    He congratulated the immediate past Governor and Senator representing Nasarawa South Senatorial District,   Umaru Al-Makura and the incumbent, Gov. Abdullahi Sule for the laudable initiatives and accomplishments in the State.

    While welcoming the president to the over 200-year old palace, the Emir of Lafia thanked him for ending the problem of insufficient power to Nasarawa State with the provision of 330kVA sub-station.

    The Emir, who is also the Chairman, Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs, told the president that the provision of the electricity plant ”has taken out 80 percent of our problem.

    ”Our people have never had it so good. Our people are back to their normal life as entrepreneurs.’’

    According to the traditional ruler, the Federal Government projects that were ”standing as ghosts” in the state in the past have now become a reality.

    The retired jurist listed the newly inaugurated CBN Building in Lafia, the Federal Secretariat, UBEC Smart School and completed Ecological projects, just to mention but a few.

    On arrival in the capital for his two-day State Visit to Nasarawa, Buhari inaugurated the Lafia Airport, Vocational and Skills Acquisition Centre, Modern Bus Terminal and the Shinge-Barkini Abdullahi-Kilema road, executed by the state government.

    He also inaugurated CBN Lafia Branch building and a 330kva Akurba Transmission Substation executed by the Federal Government through the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) to boost power supply in the state and its environs. (NAN)

  • Victims of banditry get NEMA’s support in Niger

    By Rita Iliya

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Thursday donated relief materials to victims of armed bandit attacks in four local government areas of Niger.

    The Director-General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, during the distribution of the items to victims in Kontgoara said that they were approved by President Muhammadu Buhari to cushion effects of the attacks.

    He said that on receiving report on the incidents, NEMA Minna Operations Office was activated to conduct an assessment to determine the extent of damage and level of Federal Government’s assistance to the affected persons.

    Ahmed said the affected communities were across Kontgoara, Mariga, Magama, Mashegu and Wushishi Local Government Areas where many lives were lost, many displaced, property and livelihoods were destroyed in the attacks.

    He said that the relief items included 1,500 bags rice (10kg), 1,500 bags of maize (10kg), 1,500 bags of beans (10kg), 150 kegs of vegetable oil (20ltrs), 250 cartons seasoning cube,  75 bags of salt (20kg) and 125 cartons of tin tomato.

    Other items were 1,200 bags of cement, 1, 000 pieces of ceiling boards,  800 bundles of roofing sheets, 60 bags of nails (25kg), 300 packets of zinc nails, 1,000 pieces of mattresses and 1,000 pieces of mosquitoes treated nets.

    He added that other relief materials were 1,000 pieces of nylon mats, 1,000 pieces of blankets, 1,000 pieces of guinea brocade, 1,500 pieces of children’s wears, 1,000 pieces of women’s wears, 1,000 pieces of men’s wears,  200 cartons of toilet soap and 200 cartons of detergent.

    The director-general said that the items were to complement the efforts of what the Niger government was doing and other corporate organisations and spirited individuals in providing succour to the affected persons.

    Responding, the Emir of Kontagora, Alhaji Mohammed Barau,  appreciated the Federal Government for the intervention, adding that there was need to address the security challenges to enable the people to return to their homes.

    Also, Member, House of Representatives, representing Mariga, Kontagora, Mashegu and Magama, Rep. Abdullahi Garba, appreciated NEMA for the prompt response in delivering the relief items to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the director-general was accompanied by the Director, Relief and Rehabilitation of NEMA, Alhaji Alhassan Nuhu.(NAN)

  • Ministry to investigate alleged ill-treatment of Super Falcons

    By Muhyideen Jimoh

    Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has condemned alleged unpleasant treatment of the national women senior football team, the Super Falcons on their return to the country from Cote’d Ivoire.

    The Falcons were reportedly delayed for hours and subjected to traumatic experience at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja due to some unclear COVID-19 protocols early hours of Thursday.

    The Nigerian girls were returning to Nigeria from Abidjan, few hours after picking a priceless ticket to the African Women Cup of Nations tournament to be hosted in Morocco in July.

    In widely circulated videos trending on social media, the footballers and their officials were seen going through difficult times at the airport.

    They were delayed for about three to four hours owing to COVID-19 protocols and later the locking up of all terminal exit doors for a totally different reason.

    One of the players, Uchenna Kalu, was seen lying on the floor, in pain and dire need of medical attention.

    The minister in a statement on Thursday described the incident as unfortunate, noting that an account of what happened had been received by his office.

    He said the ministry would send its findings to the National Centre of Disease Control (NCDC) and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to thoroughly investigate the matter and ensure that  sportsmen and women are treated fairly and respectfully.

    Dare said the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) would also meet with the relevant authorities to review and ensure that this type of situation does not happen again.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Super Falcons on Wednesday defeated their host, the Lady Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire 1-0 at the Stade Robert Champroux, Abidjan.

    The victory qualifies them for the 2022 Women Africa Cup of Nations Championship slated for Morocco in July.

    The Falcons had earlier beaten their opponent 2-0 in the first leg played in Abuja.(NAN)