Facebook's first hub space in Africa to train 50,000 Nigerian youths

Written by Juliet Ebirim
~Vanguard Nigeria. Wednesday, May 30, 2018.

No fewer than 50,000 Nigerian youths would turn geeks by the time they go through the numerous training modules laid out by popular social media platform and technology company, Facebook.

The trainings would happen at the ultra modern hub space, first in the whole of Africa which it sited in Nigeria recently.

Facebook unveiled the space tagged NG_Hub in Lagos, announcing immediately that it was the first community hub space in Africa. The hub was established in partnership with Nigeria's talent curators, Co-creation Hub,CcHUB.

The hub, according to Facebook, highlights its ongoing commitment to supporting local talent in Nigeria even as it has planned a week-long celebration which will bring together developers, start-ups, and the wider tech community across Nigeria.

Unveiling the new multi-faceted space, Facebook's Vice President Partnerships, Mr Ime Archibong, said the centre is targeted towards bringing communities together to collaborate, learn and exchange ideas.

He said: "Technology provides expansive opportunities to engage young, creative and resourceful Nigerians, especially in delivering solutions to challenges across communities here in Nigeria. Our mission is to build community and bring the world closer together. "NG_Hub provides that physical space that will serve as a centre of learning and skills development in Lagos, and I'm excited about the possibilities that this will create."

Also, the Manager, Developer Programmes Facebook, Mr Emeka Afigbo, said the hub will help Facebook train 50,000 people in digital skills even as it is aimed to drive innovation in Nigeria's tech ecosystem.

Afigbo said the hub was also a deliberate design to equip Nigerian SMEs, tech entrepreneurs and the next generation of leaders to better understand and utilise the power of digital tools for economic growth.

On his part, Bosun Tijani, Founder/CEO of CcHub, said: "Our aim has always been to provide a viable platform for creators and innovators to express their talent and create solutions to the myriad of social and economic challenges faced by countries across the continent. Partnering with Facebook on NG_Hub enables us to achieve our objectives at scale and make the desired impact in the tech ecosystem here in Lagos."

Jokes and Humour: Say Your Phone Number - in 9ja!

2016/2017 Jokes:

• Say Your Phone Number - in 9ja!
• WhatsApp Group
• Doctor tells a story
• Akpors Versus Teacher: Can I ask u a few questions?
• Don't try to control your spouse. You will always lose!
• Wise Man Vs Pin-Head
• Drunk Driver's Offence
• Don't make A Woman Cry
• Beware of the Price Lure
• Auto-maniac joke, 2016
• BET9ja
• WATCHING FOOTBALL with your wife can be very frustrating and stressful!

_____________________________________


Say Your Phone Number - in 9ja!
~Anonymous

Ask a Yoruba person for his/ her Number and you will hear:
"Sero Hate Sero, Sis Hate Sis, Tlri Hate Hlri, Sefun Sis"
(0806863876)
"Na my Heartel number be that"

AN Hausa man nko? You will hear:
Tzero Seben Tzero, Pipe Pipe Seben, Por Pipe Por Eleben. 
(07055745411)

Then ask an Anambra lgboman , you get this: 
Not Ate Not, Tliple Tili, Dozen Dozen Tili 
( 0803312123.....)" 
"O Number mu"
--------------------------------------

WhatsApp Group
~Tobe Obi.

Beggar at the traffic signal:
"What sir, only N10... 
Why the discrimination sir? You gave my friend N100 at the last traffic light".

Man in the car: 
"How did u know?"

Beggar: 
"He just sent me a whatsapp message with your car no. We are all members of the same whatsapp group".
----------------------------------------------
Doctor tells a story
By OK Chuk-Wu Dibor
March 4, 2017

Guy: Doctor, My girlfriend is pregnant but we always use protection and the rubber never broke. How is it possible?

Doctor: Let me tell you a story: "There was once a Hunter who always carries a Gun wherever he goes. One day he took his Umbrella instead of his Gun and went out. A Lion suddenly jumped infront of him. In order to scare the Lion, the Hunter used the Umbrella like a Gun,and shot the Lion,then it died!

Guy: Nonsense!! Someone else must've shot the Lion...

Doctor: Good!! You understood the Story.

Next patient please...
--------------------------------------------------

Akpors Versus Teacher: Can I ask u a few questions?
~Tobe Obi.
9th February, 2017.

INTERNET: .africa joins the internet

~TheGuardian Nigeria. Friday, March 10, 2017.



Africans who want to register a website will be able to apply for a .africa domain name in the coming months, which outgoing AU commission chair Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said would allow the continent’s people and businesses to better reach the world.

“With .africa, I would say Africa has finally got its digital identity,” said Dlamini-Zuma, who will next week hand power to Chadian Foreign Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat after four years at the helm of the continental body

Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the lowest rates of internet penetration in the world, according to the World Bank, with only around 22 percent of people online compared to the global average of 44 percent.

The AU has vowed to increase broadband internet penetration by 10 percent by next year as part of its ‘Agenda 2063’ development proposal.

As the continent’s largest economy, South Africa dominates African presence online, holding 1.1 million of the two million website registrations on the continent, said Lucky Masilela, CEO of ZA Central Registry, the South Africa-based company that will administer .africa.

High fees are an obstacle to many people who want to register a website, Masilela said.

In some African countries, it can cost as much as $250 (235 euro) but Masilela said .africa addresses will be available at a cut-price rate of just $18 to anyone on the continent.

“.africa is going to be a market disruptor and will assist in lowering the cost of domain names,” Masilela said.

The AU is hoping proceeds from the domain registrations will help cover some of its administrative costs and fund the AU commission.

The domain is due to be available to the public in July but it remains unclear how strong demand will be.

Pornography: Pornography can ruin your marriage

Topics:
Pornography can ruin your marriage
Dealing with the scourge of pornography
_______________________________

Pornography can ruin your marriage

Written by Tunde Ajaja

~Punch Nigeria. Sunday, September 18, 2016.

Pornography, being the visual material containing the explicit description or display of sexual organs or activity, intended to stimulate sexual excitement, is no doubt one sexual activity that has been in existence for a long time. For some, it is something they watch in their leisure, and for some others, it has become an addiction.

As much as it has been condemned by moralists and spiritual leaders, more so that major religions also abhor it, it is however interesting to note that it keeps spreading, and more than ever before, people across all ages; young, old and elderly seem to (increasingly) indulge in it.

According to Covenant Eyes, internet accountability and filtering company, as of 2007, global porn revenues were estimated at $20bn.

A report had shown that the number of pornographic views on one of the popular pornographic websites rose from 63.2 billion video views in 2012 to 78.9 billion views in 2013, and phones accounted for 45 per cent of these views; desktop was 44 per cent and views on tablets rose by 20 per cent to account for its 11 per cent.

Previous reports had also found that men are 543 per cent more likely to watch pornography than females, but one in three women also watches it at least once a week, and most of such persons view it on their mobile devices.

It is believed that most people who watch pornography do so to satisfy their sexual urge, but it is worthy of note that some married persons also watch it.

For married persons who watch it, such is seen as a symbol of sexual dissatisfaction and or matrimonial discontentment, especially if the viewer started it after entering into marriage.

Findings have revealed that watching pornography has numerous side effects, as it can dull the brain, breed masturbation, influence the viewer's perception of the opposite sex as a mere sex object, breed inferiority complex and reduce libido. But beyond these, it has been found to be one of the things that ruin marriages.

Smart ways to search Google

~Punch Nigeria. Wednesday, August 10, 2016.

To get the best out of Google search, here are a few techniques to apply:

Phrase search

If you want Google to return your search as a complete phrase, in the exact order and proximity that you typed it in as, then you'll need to surround it with quotes; i.e., "three blind mice."

When you use quotation marks around a phrase, you are telling the search engine to only bring back pages that include these search terms exactly how you typed them in-order, proximity, etc. For example: "Nobel Prize Winners 1987"

Negative search

Use the "-" symbol when you want Google to find pages that have one search word on them, but you need it to exclude other words commonly associated with that search word. This is commonly known as Boolean search which allows you to combine words and phrases using the words And, Or, Not and Near (otherwise known as Boolean search operators) to limit, widen, or define your search.

The Boolean search operators;

'And' is represented by the "+" symbol.

'Not' is represented by the "-" symbol.

'Or' is the default setting of any search engine. If you use 'Or,' all search engines will automatically return all the words you typed in.

Order of search

The order in which you type your search query affects your search results. For example, if you are looking for a great waffle recipe, typing in "waffle recipe" is different from typing in "recipe waffle".

Forced search

Google automatically excludes common words like "where", "how", "and", etc. because it tends to slow down your search. However, if you're looking for something that actually needs those words included, you can "force" Google to include them by using the addition sign +.

Site search

You can use Google to search within a site for content; for example, if you want to look inside 'About Web Search' for everything on "free movie downloads." Type site:websearch.about.com "free movie downloads" inside the Google search engine.

Number range search

For this search, just add two numbers, separated by two periods, with no spaces, into the search box along with your search terms. You can use this number range search to set ranges for everything from dates (Willie Mays 1950..1960) to weights (5000..10000 kg truck). However, be sure to specify a unit of measurement or some other indicator of what your number range represents.

Five things to avoid when chatting up someone

AfriMobile
~Punch Nigeria. Sunday, July 31, 2016
Communication between two strangers can be hard. Make them both of different genders and you have the world's oldest mystery on your hands. Contrary to what our parents said, it's not one of those things you get better at by being a good boy and reading your books. In fact, it seems to get worse the smarter you are.

Have you missed out on an opportunity to get to know someone because you were tongue tied? Well hopefully this will happen never again. The next time you want to walk up to someone, here are five things that you should avoid.

PS: Ladies, don't leave the challenge to the men, you can use them too.

1) Having Nothing To Say :

Impulse is not always bad and sometimes there's no time. But the last thing you want to do is hold her up and not be able to string together a coherent sentence. You might still get her number out of pity but is that really a first impression you'd like to leave? Whether it's a compliment or a joke, have at least one sentence ready.

2) Using Clichés:



'I think I've seen you somewhere before' or 'You must have fallen from heaven'. Unless you are absolutely sure this is true, no one wants to hear these clichés that have been around since 1000B.C. It immediately makes people distrust you and raise their walls even higher. Your best bet is honesty. Simple sentences that say exactly what you mean, devoid of Shakespearean phrases will always go down well.

3) Being Dishonest:

Now Trending Jokes

Topics:

• Just for laughs
• My BLACK RANGE ROVER JEEP
• Last minute confessions
• "CUT ! ".
• Peter & Nora on whatsapp 

__________________________________________________
Just for laughs
~Punch, Nigeria.

Lets see how much our 'ribs will crack' from these bloopers and witty remarks that are made even more dramatic by their spontaneity and shrouded irony in some cases.

Pat Williams:We can't win at home. We can't win on the road. As general manager, I just can't figure out where else to play.

Scout to Bill Shankley: He has football in his blood.

Bill Shankley: You may be right,but it hasn't reached his legs yet.

A journalist asks boxer Chris Eubank the following question during an interview:

Have you ever thought of writing your autobiography?

Chris Eubank: On what?

Muhammad Ali: I've seen George Foreman shadow-boxing and the shadow won.

Eddie Shaw: He has turned defensive boxing into a poetic art. Trouble is nobody ever knocked anybody out with a poem.

Golf commentator: One of the reasons Arnie (Arnold Palmer) is playing so well is that before each tee-shot, his wife takes out his balls and kisses them. Oh, my God, what have I just said?

Metro Radio: Julian Dicks is everywhere. It's like they've got eleven Dicks on the field.

George Best: I spent 90 percent of my money on women and drink. The rest I wasted!

Oscar Gamble: They don't think it be likeit is, but it do.

Jerry Rice: I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.

Karl Malone: I ain'tgonna be no escape-goat.

Rita Rudner: The word 'aerobics' came about when the gym instructors got together and said, If we're going to charge $10 an hour, we can't call it jumping up and down.

Kevin Keegan: The Germans only have one player under 22, and he's 23!

We deserved to win this game after hammering them 0-0 in the first half.

Doug Plank: Most football players are temperamental. That's 90 percent temper and 10 percent mental.

Tito Fuentes: They shouldn't throw at me. I'm the father of five or six kids.

David Beckham: I definitely want Brooklyn to be christened, but I don't know into what religion yet.

Jimmy Demaret: Golf and sex are the only things you can enjoy without being good at them.

George Best on Paul Gascoigne: I once said Gazza's IQ was less than his shirt number and he asked me: What's an IQ?

Ruud Gullit: We must have had 99 per cent of the match. It was the other three per cent that cost us.

Jasper Carrott: I hear Glenn Hoddle has found God. That must have been one hell of a pass.

John Lambie, Partick Thistle Manager, when told his concussed striker did not know who he was: That's great, tell him he's Pele, and get him back on.

Tom Landry: Football is an incredible game. Sometimes it's so incredible, it's unbelievable.

Derek Rae: It's headed away by John Clark, using his head.

Murdo Macleod: That was only a yard away from being an inch-perfect pass.

Torrin Polk: He treats us like men. He lets us wear earrings.

Bob Varsha: The drivers have one foot on the brake, one on the clutch and one on thethrottle.

Jeremy Roenick: Yeah, I'm cocky and I am arrogant. But that doesn't mean I'm not a nice person.

Michael Jordan: I've never lost a game. I just ran out of time.

Eric Cantona: I prefer to play and lose rather than win, because I know in advance I'm going to win.

Lou Duva: He's a guy who gets up at six o'clock in the morning regardless of what time it is.

You can sum up this sport in two words: You never know.

Bill Peterson: You guys line up alphabetically by height.

Which one are you - The finger story.

The Story Of Wife Whose Husband Cheated On

Written by By Anna Seaman - TheGuardian, Nigeria. 

WHILE I have been incredibly hurt by Doug’s repeated infidelities, the real twist of the knife has to be how naive I’d been for so many years. The bitter irony, of course, is that I am a relationship counselor, giving couples advice on how to avoid affairs.

Yet all the time, infidelity was going on right under my nose – and I never spotted it. When I met Doug in 1980 at a dinner with friends in Battersea, London, it wasn’t lust at first sight.
But he was a pleasant, chatty guy and just a year younger than me. I’d been married once before, to a man 14 years older, but we’d divorced after five years. When I started seeing Doug, I was really hopeful that we might have a future together. He seemed very sincere.

Two years later, in 1982, I was thrilled when we were married in South-West London.
Now, when I think that within six months he was cheating on me with an ex-girlfriend, I just want to scream. How could he have betrayed me so callously?

I guess I was taken in for so long because Doug never struck me as a Jack-the-Lad type. He is not a flirt and he doesn’t come out with cheesy chat-up lines. In short, he does not fit the description of men I have known to stray. It just goes to show that there is no type, and you never can tell.

To all appearances, Doug and I had an ideal partnership. He was a doting father figure to Nicky, now 31, my daughter from my previous marriage, and four years after we wed, I gave birth to Rob, then Mike a few years later.

The rise of smart mobile messaging

Written by Adeola Kayode - Nigeria

The rapid spread of smart phones is expanding the possibilities for digital technology across the world. There is a significant shift in mobile communication, as smartphones ensure that people can now go beyond the traditional phone calls to other Internet-enabled functionalities, including emailing, browsing, using social media and using mobile payments. Most of these functionalities are being powered, using various applications.

In an Ericsson Mobility report earlier in June, it was asserted that the number of global smart phone subscriptions would double by 2020. The report also said that 70 per cent of the world's population would have smart phones by that date.

Is this possible? Certainly. This is because Africa, which has the lowest Internet penetration, has emerged as one of the fastest growing continent when it comes to digital and mobile technology. Africa's population is largely youthful - many of its teeming population are already getting used to living with phone technology.

How are brands and businesses positioning for this global reality? Take the example of Facebook. Before apps became a trend, Facebook had keyed into opportunities in mobile apps. In early 2014, Facebook made waves in the tech world by acquiring WhatsApp for an astounding $19bn. About 18 months later, it bought another photo, messaging app for $1bn. While so many people had debated the rationale behind the huge transactions, current market performances confirm Facebook's decision.

Facebook own four of the top 10 mobile, messaging apps downloaded across the world. As the focus on the screens across the world moves to laptops, tablets and mobile phones, there is the need for brands and businesses to pay close attention to online and apps.

It is interesting to note that as mobile apps have continued to increase, smart phone users are moving from social networking to mobile messaging. In fact, someone described social networking as someone attempting to communicate with friends by pinning a messaging on their doors and hoping that they will see it somehow.

Holy Toasting...!

From  Lewis Okomayin - Nigeria

Boy: do you have a boyfriend?
Girl: No. I don’t want a boyfriend.
Boy: Genesis 2:18 “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him’.”
Girl: But I don’t love you.
Boy: 1 John 4:8 "Whoever does not love, does not know God, because God is love.”
Girl: So how do I discern that your words are true?
Boy: Matthew 12:34b “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."
Girl: But how can I be sure that you are faithful and honest?
Boy: Mark 13:31 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."
Girl: But why me? There are so many girls out there.
Boy: Proverbs 31:29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all!”
Girl: But what do you see in me, that makes you love me?
Boy: Song of Songs 4:7 " You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you."
Girl: But really, I’m not that beautiful … you’re exaggerating.
Boy: Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

A new dawn: as American govt. partners Nollywood

Written by Benjamin Njoku - Nigeria

There are indications that the government of United States of America (USA) is set to partner the Nigerian film industry, popularly called Nollywood, particularly in the areas of co-production treaties, protection of Intellectual Property rights and distribution, among others.

The US Assistant Secretary of State on Economic and Business Affairs, Ambassador Charles Rivkin, dropped this hint when he and his team met with a high-powered 6-man delegation of Nollywood on Wednesday, at The George Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos, to discuss the challenges and economic prospects of Nollywood and how the US government can begin to officially partner the third largest film-making nation in the world.

According to Rivkin who was a former US Ambassador to France, his visit is to find a common ground between Nigeria and the USA in various sectors, including Nollywood, pointing out that the US was very much concerned about the issue of piracy and Intellectual Property protection in the sector.

"My visit today is one of a long line of engagements with U.S. in coming years and there will be other opportunities to collaborate on mutual interests. We will look at the issue of co-production treaties between our countries, getting your country to ratify and domesticate relevant World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaties for the protection of Intellectual Properties especially online;

getting big US production studios to invest in Nollywood particularly in the areas of cinemas and other forms of distribution in conjunction with bodies like Netflix among other symbiotic relationship," Rivkin stated.

The Nollywood delegation included Alex Eyengho (President, Association of Nollywood Producers, ANCOP, and Vice President of the International Federation of Film Producers' Associations, FIAPF), Zik Zulu Okafor (President, Association of Movie Producers, AMP), Adeyinka Oduniyi (Vice President, Independent Television Producers Association, ITPAN), Gab Okoye, alias Igwe Gabosky (President, Motion Picture Distributors of Nigeria, MOPIDON), Andy Amenechi (President, Directors Guild of Nigeria, DGN) and Nobert Ajaegbu (Leader, Film and Video Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria, FVPMAN).

Ejike Asiegbu who was to represent the Actors' Guild of Nigeria (AGN) missed his flight from Abuja to Lagos.Ambassador Rivkin who was in Nigeria for a 3-day State visit had earlier met with the Presidency, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Trademark, Patents and Designs Registry (TPDR), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). Rivkin is a friend to the film industry and has a background in the business (as an executive with Jim Henson's production company - i.e the Muppets).

Social networking tips for job seekers

Written by Segun Akiode - Nigeria

Segun Akiode

Social networking involves communication and interaction between "friends" or "connections" or people that are a part of your online community. An online community is built by the effective use of social media platforms.

Social media networking or simply social networking is using social media to network with people in the same way that you would do in a face-to-face interaction. Social media networking does not replace an offline interaction, it only adds to it and enhances real-time communications among people across different geographically locations.

In my line of work as a talent-sourcing specialist with special interest in social recruiting, I am often asked, "What are the basic social media etiquettes that govern the use of social media by jobseekers?" I attempt to answer that question in today's article. Permit me to cite a few social networking tips for job seekers:

Focus on a value-adding social relationship: 

As a job seeker, you need to know that in order for you to take advantage of social networking, you have to realise that recruiting is all about building relationships. When you use social media to connect with people: friends, recruiters and hiring managers, your focus should be to add value.

Before you know it, value will flow back to you in return. That is the secret of social media networking you need to come to terms with. People make job referrals first to their friends and not their enemies.

Endeavour to know your social media audience: 

Every social media platform is built on its own unique audience.

And as a job seeker, you need an understanding of your social media audience to leverage social media platforms. As a job seeker, make sure your messages are appealing to the people who read them.

Tips for writing a better blog

Written by Geoff Iyatse

There is no doubt that blogging helps to improve engagement and communication between your business and your customers. Many business owners have recognised that fact, and they have been quite successful at dedicated business blogging. The result is increased traffic to their websites or blogs, increased awareness of their services or products, increased positive perception (depending on how well managed the blog is) and, ultimately, increased sales.

However, blogging can be time-consuming and if writing does not come naturally, it can be such a chore that it is easy to abandon it altogether.

To enjoy the benefits listed above, one has to learn to be patient and be willing to master the art and science of creating an interesting blog.

Here are tips that can help you to write a better blog:

Understand your audience

While it is tempting to start a business blog, it is also important to understand your audience - who they are, where they are, why they will be interested in reading your articles, what their pains are and others.

For example, I found it interesting that comments on a popular food blog show that the audience are primarily women who are looking for new ways to spice up the family dining sessions at home. That insight is a great point to plan a blog.

What is your premise? To help you dig deep, you can start to researching what others within your industry are blogging and the response their posts are receiving. This may not often give you the whole picture. A blog may be receiving lots of traffic but little or no comments. It does not mean people are not reading the blog. However, that can form a great starting point to help you carve your niche.

Understand what makes your target audience tick. Are they looking for something humorous to take them through the day? Are they looking for something serious to help them to solve a pressing problem? Are they looking for insider information in the industry?

Understanding your audience is just a first step to getting blogging right.

Managing oneself in the Digital Age

Written by Opeseyi Joel - Nigeria

The Wired World: A graphic representation of the Internet

In today's ever varying marketplace, one wonders: How do we manage oneself in the digital age? Most businesses believe that they have a digital presence but it is not sufficient for them to just have a website and a few social channels. To have an overall digital marketing presence, one must stand against the competition, and more significantly, drive more clientele to their business.

The first place to initiate is to think about what is already in the digital domain about you, review it and then take manage of how your 'brand' is being accessible to anybody (a prospect or present manager, potential client or even member of the press) who may wish to give you an opportunity.

Would they want to know more about you or form an instant judgement of your 'brand' based on images, remarks, you make on social media pages for example?

The preponderance of digital and media sense business people do have some component of social media existence. They manage perceptions and their individual and business brand image by putting their best genuine selves on the noticeable digital shelf. They almost always have deliberately thought about how they exhibit their personality.They do so by unscrambling their business social media from personal.

Through the supremacy of the Internet, companies are now capable to tap into a networked financial system where they can connect with a multiplicity of businesses, clientele, technology and a distribution system of information that supersedes the antiquated ways of oldmedia. The World Wide Web and Internet have revolutionized what a corporation must do to be successful in the digital age, but managing begins by understanding what it takes to adapt to the changing landscape of the market and which technologies are needed to help businesses evolve.

Understanding increased hacking With today's market, businesses need to tap into discovering new,creative ways to grow their digital presence. Increased hacking requires the ability to be analytical and drive results based on media, customer engagement and data.

However, one must also be able to think outside of the box and create strategies that no one has thought of before. Once this balance is reached, through trial and error,businesses will be able to reach more clientele through more engaged efforts to construct social traction and online exposure. Though this is a case-by-case basis, through research, analytics and creativity, a business can even potentially catch a wave of viral marketing by trying out dissimilar policies that put across the significance of their goods, products, or services that wow their clientele so they want to share the experience with their connections.

Discovery through relevancy

Truth, lies and breaking news

Written by Adeola kayode - Nigeria

Adeola kayode

With the popularity of blogs, social media and camera phones, almost everybody is now a citizen journalist. This is putting much pressure on the society who must separate facts from rumours.

Social media are a powerful tool, and the people who know how to use them are getting results. They are a great means to connect with others and to share information on things that are important to us.

However, they also come with their pitfalls and challenges. An important trend we need to guard against is the way many people spread false, obsolete and malicious information online.

We have all experienced it: breaking news of someone's car being stolen, a picture of events that happened years ago but posted like a current issue and so on.

At the 2014 World Economic Forum's Network of Global Agenda Council, members voted the rapid spread of online misinformation as one of the top 10 threats facing the world.

The viral spread and rapid response false online information usually generates has become a global cause of concern. Consider that two of the major images people created and spread during the start of #Bringbackourgirls campaign were traced to a completely unrelated event in Africa.

Also consider the recent false story which claimed that former President Goodluck Jonathan's Chief Security Officer, Gordon Obuah, was dead.

In this age of website journalists, it is easy for people with malicious intentions to set up website for the purpose of spreading false information.

We hear of breaking news today but only to find out that some copy-and-paste bloggers are the source of the information. As a result, we need to think before we share false information so that we do not become a conduit pipe for falsehood.

In fact, whatever you share online is a reflection of your intelligence and it affects your credibility. This is why I want to share with you some simple fact-checking tips:

Go beyond the headlines

The challenge is that many people do not read the stories but stop at the headlines. Look at the context. Get the whole story. If you had bothered to cross-check before shocking your colleagues, you could have stopped some major problems caused by falsehood. If you had read headlines about the Niger Delta question posed to the President during his recent visit to the United States, you would been very angry with him. But the video and the complete story said something else. A headline has its purpose; it not a summary of the content of the story. In many cases, it is crafted to attract attention to the story.

Who is saying it?

As someone said, "If using the phone keypads cannot be taken as a typing skill during interviews, you also cannot assume that everyone sharing information online is a credible source."

According to Eric Scherer, a director of future media, France Television, who spoke at an International Journalism Festival in Perugia in May, "The next big thing is not attention; the next big thing is trust."