Word!!

Any truth in these?

Which is the best way to get to London Heathrow from Kings Cross?

I am looking for the best way to get to Heathrow airport from Kings Cross station.  I know that there are several ways to get to Heathrow from Kings Cross but I am looking for the most efficient without me carrying my luggage up and down roads, escalators and changing different transportation systems.

I am travelling with one large luggage and a hand luggage and I really do not want to be dragging these up and down.  From what I found out, I can use the Heathrow Express service from London Paddington. The fare for this is about £22.00 for a single or £36 for a return. This can be booked online and in advance. There is also the Heathrow Connect and a single ticket costs about £10.20 and open return for about £20.40.

Although the above 2 seems to me the fastest route to Heathrow, However, for me, there is still the inconvenience of dragging my luggage and finding my way to Paddington from Kings Cross in order to get the Heathrow express or Heathrow connect.   I do not want the hassle of dragging my luggage and waiting for a taxis, bus or changing trains to get to Paddington.

Another option for me is to go by coach. They are pretty frequent and run throughout the day and night with journey times not too bad - between 40 and 80 minutes to and from Victoria coach station, and fares from £6 one-way. If I had no luggage and I wanted to just experience the coach service to Heathrow, I might just do this. However, not on this occasion!!

The other option available to me is to get the Piccadilly Line from Kings Cross underground straight to Heathrow. The fare is not as much as the Heathrow express or connect. I could get a single ticket from £6 if I am leaving from Zone 1. This to me is more practical. All I have to do once I arrive Kings Cross is to get on the underground – Piccadilly line- and go straight to Heathrow. Although it takes longer – takes about 55 minutes. It is worth it for me. I do not have to drag my luggage up and down the roads, waiting for taxis and driving through London to get to another station. I just sit down, enjoy the ride and get dropped off at the terminal which I want. Sounds like a great plan.

Lets see how it goes!!!

Kenya building collapse

A building collapsed in Nairobi, Kenya, killing at least 12 people. People in the affected area have been asked to leave their homes.

This happened in a poor district on the outskirts of Nairobi made up of narrow streets. It was reported that firefighters struggled to get to the scene and were delayed by crowds.

Picture: BBC News

Tonight's sunset!!

I hope you had a lovely day? Here is a lovely picture of a sunset taken by Paul S.

Sunset by Paul S

We ‘ll recover looted fund to rebuild economy, says Buhari, the president of Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari has said his administration is bent on recovering the funds stolen from the public purse by some corrupt public office holders to rehabilitate the collapsed economy of the nation.

The president said this in his address read at the swearing-in-ceremony of 2016 Batch ‘A’ members of the National Youth Service Corps on Friday at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Ede, Osun State.

The President lamented the high rate of youth unemployment in the country but said his administration would do everything possible to rebuild the economy and create jobs for the youths to contribute their quotas to the development of their fatherland.

Buhari, who said the NYSC had continued to be attractive to young graduates across the country despite the temporary challenge of insecurity said there were inadequate infrastructure  at various orientation camps. He, however, promised  to invest in youth development.

He said, ” The collapse of industries and the eventual over bearing  pressure to grab  public jobs has put the nation in a sorry economic state of unemployment.

“Thousands of graduates from the higher institutions of learning get frustrated daily, as they search for non-existing jobs. That is why this administration is anxious to recover illicit wealth to channel them into enduring economic rehabilitation. Very soon, the gloomy situation would be reversed to put smiles on the faces of our young people.

“In the interim, I urge you to embrace the prevailing palliative strategies put in place by public and private institutions. The effort of the NYSC which can be seen in several steps initiated toward arresting this ugly development must be commended.”

The president advised the youths to channel  their energy towards productive ventures and shun vices such as kidnapping, robbery and fraudulent acts.

The NYSC Coordinator in Osun State, Mrs. Regina Iluebbey, said the the scheme  registered 1,620 corps members for the batch while lauding their comportment.

Culled from http://www.punchng.com/ll-recover-looted-fund-rebuild-economy-says-buhari/

Question time

I have been thinking of this lately and wanted to throw it open for all to peruse and analyse.

If you have all the money in the world, would you feel comfortable sleeping in a huge mansion, driving the most expensive cars and living large knowing that there are people living in abject poverty around you and dying everyday in it? 

The beauty of language

I read a beautifully articulated and educational article by Nkem Ifejika.  In his article, Nkem takes the reader on a journey that segues from his childhood to his identity highlighting issues and information of the Igbo tribe, culture, history and people.

I enjoyed the author’s explanation of his name Nkem Ifejika (or Nkemakonam Ifejika in full) which he explained means "may I not lack what is mine", while Ifejika means "what I have is greater".

The article highlights the inevitable extinction of the language if the language is not bequeathed to the younger generation.

One high point for me was the highlighting of the marginalisation of the Igbo people and the dissatisfaction that gives rise to secessionist groups.

It was a well written article and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Read full article on http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36139908

Beauty with brains

Leomie Anderson, 23, from London, and a Victoria's Secret model has written an open letter to her younger fans on peer pressure, sexting, and the right to say 'no'.

Leomie, wrote: 'With the uncontrollable rise of social media and mixed messages that young people are exposed to, more and more young girls are falling victim to being pressured to do things and having their most intimate moments shared on the internet.'

She said that, as a model, sharing her image is 'a big part of her job' but she's been lucky enough to be able to tell her agency when she isn't comfortable with something, adding: 'When you're at school you don't have that.'

She urged young girls to ask 'why does he need to have this in possession' before sending anything, adding: 'some girls I know say their biggest regret in school was sharing an intimate picture or getting into a scenario where a video had or could have been leaked.'

Leomie Anderson

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3559587/Victoria-s-Secret-model-Leomie-Anderson-pens-open-letter-teenage-sexting.html#ixzz4724R9V00 

Herdsmen Invasion – Enugu Community

The pictures I saw of the killings in Enugu were just too gory for me to put in here.  I question humanity and the intellect of killers. Was there any need to kill?

The people of Ukpabi Nimbo, a community in the Uzo-Uwani area of Enugu State, are in mourning. They were attacked by Fulani herdsmen on Monday. Death toll now 46. 

How the attack happened—Refugees Over 15 victims of the Fulani herdsmen attack in Enugu, taking refuge in Onitsha, Anambra State, yesterday, said that the attack would have been averted if the security agencies did not take the threat to attack them which came four days earlier with levity.

Addressing newsmen, yesterday, in Onitsha, spokesman for the Nimbo villagers who ran to Onitsha, Elder Okeja Paul said their attackers had written them through the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe John Akor, who quickly summoned a meeting of the town and mobilized security agents to ward off the attack. He regretted that the Police, National Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC and other security agents were guarding the community until Monday morning when they left, thinking that the threat was an empty one, only for their attackers to strike immediately they left, wondering why all of them had to leave at the same time, thereby creating opportunity for their attackers to strike.

Elder Okeja said that as early as 7am when their people went to their farms, over 11 people were already beheaded on their way to farm and then they entered the villages after they have killed those they met in their farms. “The security agents were nowhere to be found when they started killing people in the town, and it was later when about 30 to 40 dead bodies littered the town that the police and other security agents arrived and they took off, without any of them being arrested. “A youth who just concluded his National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, who just returned to the town weekend was cut down in the attack. As I am peaking with you now, nobody is in the town.

The herdsmen escaped through our boundary with Kogi State. “There is a river called Eshi River where we have boundary with Kogi State, that is where we suspect our attackers came in from and it was from there that they escaped when the security agents arrived. Our worry is that the people were armed to the teeth with AK 47 assault rifles and we keep wondering what Fulani herdsmen will be doing with such sophisticated guns if they are not being sponsored by some well-placed people in the country,” he said.

Presidency Reacting to the development last night, said President Muhammadu Buhari, had given specific directives to the Defence Minister to smash security threats in the country.

Culled from http://www.vanguardngr.com

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/fulani-herdsmen-attacks-threaten-nigerias-existence-nass/