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The Tontoh Dikeh Effect

POKO

Who is Tonto Dikeh ?! For the past 2 years, to be specific that name seems to make it’s way towards my eardrum, but quickly bounces off , because to be frank; the reports about her are always for all the wrong reasons.

Yeah it’s that simple if you don’t like someone, you can pro-gramme your mind to tune off, whenever gist flies about about that person.
But things got a little ermmm nah…. thinz got absolutely crazy on twitter last week.

Tontoh is a very controversial nollywood actress, who absolutely gives no f**k about what anyone thinks. I saw a preview of her movie 2 weeks ago while i was having a haircut, and it was unbearable ! She kept screaming in every scene of the preview i saw.

I wonder !

   So…. she then decides to add singing to the her repertoire. What the HELL ! I thought people will ignore her and just focus on something else interesting just like i did. For pete sake if you don’t like her then why do you follow her on twitter ?!

And then on that day she tweets the link and people still go ahead and download the 2 tracks. Why waste your bandwidth ?

I heard her songs got 3 million downloads in two days regardless of the insults from her fans/ haters.
 The highest for any song in the whole West Africa.At that point i became interested in making this a case study. 

• The whole Tontoh charade is basically motivated by branding. She is no Genevieve or Omotola who brand themselves by being posh and all that, so she decides to command attention by being controversial…. in every sense, and i repeat in every sense.

• Some 3 million or 2.5 million people obviously don’t know what they want, so what ever gets serve to them… they take, which makes it easier for people to make money. Do you disagree with me ? well please prove me wrong, because i can bet Tontoh made a kill off the number of downloads of just this 2 songs

Even Chukwudi Norris is vexed with her !

I haven’t and will not listen to the song, i am more interested in the person who suggested the idea for her to sing.

 But if she came up with that idea by herself …. then she is not as stupid as people think.There’s nothing like negative publicity.

Lets see how it all plays out. All eyes will be on her for a while, ofcourse she will make magazines sell and command huge amounts for any movies role offered to her. Social media is truly an INCREDIBLE tool, use it wisely. 

45 Life Lessons, written by a 90 year old

I come from the eastern part of Nigeria, and our people have this popular quote. It goes like this; What an old man sees while sitting down, a teenager can’t see even when he/she climbs a tree.That’s why i decided to share the life thoughts of a 90yrs old man, which goes as follows:

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short not to enjoy it.
4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.
5. Don’t buy stuff you don’t need.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for things that matter.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye… But don’t worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful.  Clutter weighs you down in many ways.
18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It’s never too late to be happy.  But it’s all up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words, ‘In five years, will this matter?’
27. Always choose Life.
28. Forgive but don’t forget.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give Time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
35. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d
grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have, not what you think you need.
42. The best is yet to come…
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

A Successful Strategy For Your Facebook Biz Page

Every single day i ask myself, why are certain things just the way they are ? The trivia keeps me in a maze and often the maze i find myself in amazes me.

But so is life …… a brief  analysis of your past can help maintain momentum in the present, since we as humans can be so forgetful.

 So what questions do you ask yourself to avoid  getting lost in this World ? That’s were meditation comes into play.

 Lots of small businesses keep springing up these days, a trend i see as an interesting one. People are motivated to engage things they enjoy doing.

After a lot of initial actions taken to kick-start your business, people tend to lose steam, after lack of success is noticed and then another dream goes down the drain. So not cool ! Especially when you discover the reason for the demise of the business. It could be a lack of business  plan, lack of awareness for what you have to  offer.

It must not always have to do with capital, it more or less the lack of an idea. Based on current observation; the major issue SMes face is getting the word out there about their business.

You feel social media has no place in your business, because you think its for the YOLO generation.

Well….. think again. For those who have embraced the change and have set up a business page facebook,  but struggle with is that 50-500 fan segment. It’s all in the planning.

Many find it pretty easy to get 40 or 50 likes from their friends, family, associates etc but often they are not interested in the business other than to support their friend or relative.

Stalling fan growth is just a symptom of a bigger problem.
There are three fundamental pillars that make up a successful strategy on Facebook:

1. Brand:  The more a business can articulate and refine who they really are, the better they will be at publishing content on Facebook that makes sense for their business goals.
2. Audience:  The better a business understands their audience, the easier it will be to publish content that they will like, comment on, and share.
3. Message: Messaging is nothing more then a two-way conversation between a business and their audience. A refined and articulated brand and audience naturally leads to effective messaging (content) that works for both the business and the fans.

It can be tough running your business and managing your presence on social media, that is why you need to make a date with a social media consultant or a social media manager. Anything worth doing is worth doing incredibly well.

Why you need to go harder….. Naija

They say; regardless of how it goes down life goes on …… you can either choose to live your life or let your life live you.  The world tends to bestow upon every individual a role to play, but you can choose to accept the role or tell the world; go f**k yourself.

Excuse my French,  i,m very passionate about being being different , especially in an environment where people thrive on  talking more but do less. A couple of months back like 3 months ago to be specific. i came across an article written by an info-tech correspondent, for  a popular media company who hinted that Africa especially Nigeria’s future potential in the area of on-line business ( social commerce, E-commerce) will be  massive. Since everyone is going mobile it was only logical .

President Barrack Obama last month predicted Nigeria to be the next economic success story in the world. Hmmmm seems like a Wash statement right ? but when you take a look at the number American companies currently flying in to the country to set up shop, you better think again they all know something we don’t know.

 Last weekend… i again stumbled upon a  blog post about ” How 30 year old Ladi Delano created a billion dollar investment company” .

CEO, Bakrie Delano Africa (Nigeria)

 Rick Ross’s hustle ain’t got nothing on this Fresh Naija Bo$$. Quoting what he said at the end of the article Ladi said  ” All entrepreneurs suffer periodic ups and downs and running a successful, profitable business isn’t easy. If it was, everybody would be doing it. But this is Africa’s time and the demand levels within our own continent’s domestic economy needs satisfying. This is a huge opportunity for entrepreneurial, hard working individuals.”

Enough said. The people who say there are no opportunities in Nigeria need to look again, and those who say things are hard …. well …. its time to go harder.

What Is Your Mind Focusing On ?

    Today was one of them days that really got me into observing a lot going on, around me or the world. It has become so easy to watch and observe once surrounding mainly because of the emergence of social media. You get to notice the trends that dictate human behaviour.

Katt Williams actually tweeted that “ Twitter looks like ESPN, Vogue, weather forcaste channel, and the Jerry springer show depending on whom you’re following” After laughing out loud (LoL), it made a whole lot of sense to me.

The nature of my hustle is centered all around social media so…. most times I’m always on-line especially on twitter doing a lot of research, searching for opportunities to market my clients. I have seen a lot bullsh*t during my quest on-line but if there is anything social media has taught me, it is the fact that you must learn how to control you Mind by watching your thoughts and your emotions.

We humans are passionate people we can’t help it and so when someone else’s  belief clashes with your’s before you can say “Iphone 5“, you start trading words with them. For the past 2 months i always come across weird tweets with links to crazy and bizarre stories. It is the work of some bloggers (like myself) seeking large traffic to their site so they can get people to advertise on their site. Rarely do i see links to info that could be beneficial to people

It sickens me to say the least, because if you really care about your audience you will offer them a sense of sanity, by sharing the problems and the solutions in your content. So much horrible news on their sites that it could mess up some peoples minds. We have to be careful of what we see , read and hear often because your  mind  absorbs and focuses on it. That’s why the violence, the anger and the hate keeps spreading.

I believe there are some good things happening out there !

In life you take take the good with the bad, but you must not focus entirely on the bad, it can make one paranoid. Focus your thoughts  on positivity …… it’s the Urbane way to live.

Is Your Culture Your Brand ?

   I came across a certain quote that said “Your culture is your brand” i didn’t understand it initially , so i used it as a PM on my blackberry messenger to see people’s reaction, and possibly chat with someone  about it with. I waited impatiently until finally with great relief, a friend of mine who is an artist pinged me, and after our usual yabbing session , he asked me what the quote on my P.M meant ?

And  then in a few seconds i was able to figure it out ! (that’s why it’s good to have conversation with people) I asked him; what do you know Fela for ?

I’ve tried copying this stance, just can’t seem to get it !

       His reply was a bit disjointed ….. he knew the answer but he didn’t know how to phrase it, so i had    to save him from his misery. 

Fela Kuti   was bold, stood up for his beliefs , and was never scared of expressing himself. That was his identity, it was a way of life for him, therefore that was his brand.  This qualities made him accepted by the world at large which in return made him very influential socially and in today’s Naija music.                                                  

What makes people powerful and influential in life? Well….there are Six Weapons of Influence namely:

 1) Scarcity    2) Likability 3) Consistency 

4) Authority 5) Social Proof and 6) Reciprocity. 

But how do you influence others in a world with no rules? No hierarchy? There’s a seventh weapon of influence that is unique to the Internet and unique to now, suggests Mark W.Schaefer . And that’s content. We all have the power to influence one another with the content we share. Fela created musical contents that tilted towards influencing a positive change and he did so passionately.

Social media provides a medium for sharing of contents in various forms. If you want to make your on-line presence influential, 

• Take a step back to think about the value you can add based on who you are and the expertise or the unique service or solution that only you can provide

• Define why you are different than your competition

• Design the professional brand and the persona you would like to convey online

• Describe “your” experience: What is it that you want people to see or think when they find you in social networks

These pointers will guide you on the kind of contents you will be creating, makes it easier  for one to find out what you are passionate about !

 

4 Regular Fashion Mistakes Men Make

You know when i see a work of art of this nature on a beach it makes me realize that

1.  Imagination is key
2. Your passion is what keeps you going , so do what you love.
3. I need to stop going to elegushi beach at night.  

It’s trend that i keep following and to be frank i ain’t digging it no more. I don’t think i have stepped my feet into the waters at that beach to know what it feels like let alone build a sand castle.

We all know fashion is a way of life ! it’s a way of telling people who you are without you having to say a word. Basically it’s about expressing yourself enough to exert an influence where ever you find yourself.

But a lot of guys make a mistake of…. ermmm, no; they make a lot of mistakes, or it can be simply stated that they create a disaster trying to look “hip” so to say.

Here are the common mistakes some dudes make trying to look “Hip”

• Confusing A Dress Shirt With A Casual Shirt:

A Typical Casual Shirt

Dress shirts aren’t casual shirts; you can tell by the length of the shirt if it is meant to be tucked in or not .

If the length of the shirt reaches your lower thighs ? its a dress shirt bro.

•  Wearing Shades Indoors

  

Wearing shades indoors will make it hard for you to notice people making fun of you.

Unless your name is Rasaki the welder or you are an upcoming/ down-coming musician       ( even though i still don’t get the idea), then you’re excused.

Or better still wear the geek glasses and stay ………. OUT-side…… STANDING.

• Wearing The Super Skinny Jeans

  Like seriously where does your nuts fit in there bro ?! Not everyone is supposed to wear the skinnys. Some are too skinny to wear it while some are too fat to look good in it.

The Ideal Skinny Pants

 Wear what suits you ! Obey your style because your body truly deserves it.

• Perfume Cloud

  The odd thing about wearing too much perfume is that; just like a person who has body odor can’t tell he smells , you also cant’t tell you have overstepped the spray limit. You might be able to notice the odd looks people give you if you are sharp enough.

   Or you could stand close to a 2 year child and if he/she starts coughing like he has asthma, then that is a sure sign for you to turn it down bro.

Lets Save Debbie

      Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), sometimes called infiltrating ductal carcinoma, is the most common type of breast cancer. About 80% of all breast cancers are invasive ductal carcinomas. Invasive means that the cancer has “invaded” or spread to the surrounding breast tissues.

 Ductal means that the cancer began in the milk ducts, which are the “pipes” that carry milk from the milk-producing lobules to the nipple. All together, “invasive ductal carcinoma” refers to cancer that has broken through the wall of the milk duct and begun to invade the tissues of the breast.

Over time, invasive ductal carcinoma can spread to the lymph nodes and possibly to other areas of the body.

DEBBIE                                  

Idiagbonya Osarere Debby is a medical technician,she lost her father to the cold hands of death on her birthday 1st Aug(3weeks ago). Her mum is a helpless widow currently and,she has been suffering from 4th grade invasive ductal carcinoma cancer of the breast and it is spreading at an alarming rate. 

One of the breasts is condemned already and it has moved to the 2nd and her NECK. Thanks to social media efforts are being made for contributions to be arranged, 

Debbie (in the middle)

The only source of support she needs is our financial contribution in any form. Spread the word let’s save Debbie. Every little contribution means something.

 

Account Details : Access bank

Account Nos: 0000216933

Account Name: Idiagbonya Osarere.

But i plead with you ladies please go for check up ! The rate at which  breast cancer is taking a lot of lives is alarming.

If spotted on time it can be treated. Spread the word “Lets save Debbie” and at the same save ourselves.

How To Adopt Social Media Into Your Business

   So finally Microsoft decides to change its logo design after 25 years by introducing a dash of color in its  logo redesign. From reports making the rounds, Microsoft is making this change to possibly create a hype around the line of products it will be launching during the month of October, which includes; Window 8 O.S for P.Cs, phone software for mobile devices. Since consumers are increasingly choosing the tablets over laptops, weakening P.C sales and curbing Windows revenue.

The New Logo

Well….. i hope there’s an improvement on the Internet explorer that comes with the window 8, because the one on window 7 is as ineffective as Chamakh  in arsenal.

Everything in life is a process, you either watch listen, act and hit the jackpot, or you cut corners and when you fail, start blaming your haters or your people in the village.

The same thing applies to adopting social media into your business, whether you are a small or big organization or even an upcoming musician. Social media adoption does not happen by accident.It is driven by planning, and planning is driven by having the right people in the right positions at the right time. It is very rare that a company or a personality can go all-in on social media without going through a series of stage.

So lets see the stages that are involved in fully turning your business into a fully integrated enterprise:

•  Stage 1:Grassroots

For instance you have this idea of a good or services you can offer and you believe people will be willing to pay for it. But getting the word out there seems to be a difficult task because of funds available to you for advertisement. Then someone pitches you on the idea of creating a social media platform for your business

You write down a plan, just like the way you wrote a plan for your business. This plan might include starting a twitter account, a facebook page or even a blog. This initial planning document should lay out the goals and metrics for success. Take a campaign oriented approach and tie your social media efforts to a larger marketing campaign, preferably something measurable.

 What’s notable in this stage is that efforts are usually driven by your passion, not results, and it can stall out without a connection to solving business problems

• Stage 2: Organized

This next stage is when your business starts to get serious. The experimentation is over and social media has grown beyond the initial shiny object syndrome. Various teams across the company or even you yourself, understand the value of social media and can report on metrics that show the benefit, but their efforts still may be soiled.

Activities like listening and engaging have grown beyond just responding to direct mentions of your company on twitter or responding to comments on your blog. This is the point where you hire a community manager to manage your on-line community. Someone with a sense of humor, who is articulate and equally passionate about social media.

•  Stage 3: Engaged

  For your business to be fully “engaged” a Social media manager  must be at the center of your company. He/she stays connected to you the owner of the company, your marketing and PR department on a full time basis. But if you run an S.M.E you could hire one on a part time basis.

Social listening is an important part of the company’s information gathering about competitors and the industry,because it now influences you business decisions and enables you to develop product ideas, and strategies for your business, that suites your target audience.

In Conclusion 

So now your company is fully integrated, social media reporting now reflects business goals and objectives. It is not just integrated into everything that the company does, but the data and metrics from social media activities are used for business planning purposes.

Now your company has become a true social enterprise !