Custom Search

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Ex President Olusegun Obasanjo slumps at church service



There was a mild drama in Igbotako area of Okitipupa Local Government in Ondo State on Monday as former President Olusegun Obasanjo slumped at a thanksgiving church service to mark the 70th birthday of General Olu Bajowa (retd)
Obasanjo was one of the guests at the church service held at the St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Igbotako.

Also present at the thanksgiving service were Governor Olusegun Mimiko and top government functionaries
Daily Sun gathered that the Owu-born General collapsed in the middle of the service and was hurriedly rushed out of the church for urgent treatment.

 His collapse changed the atmosphere in the church as his issue became the talking point by guests at the church service.
The former president was saved by the quick intervention of medical doctors attached to Governor Mimiko.
For over 30 minutes, the doctors reportedly battled to revive Obasanjo who was believed to have fainted. He later regained consciousness after the treatment given to him by Mimiko’s team of medical doctors.

Shortly after he was revived, the Owu-born General was said to have returned to the church to continue with the service.
His re-entry into the Church was said to have turned him to the cynosure of all eyes, as guests and other dignitaries looked at him with keen interest.

Former President Obasanjo who was not moved by the incident later joined others to sing praise and worship.
The celebrant who looked ruffled after Obasanjo slumped later danced to the admiration of the guests and family members.
In a swift reaction yesterday, however, media consultant to the former president, Adeoba Ojekoni denied that Obasanjo fainted at the ceremony.
Ojekoni, in a telephone chat with Daily Sun said: “There was nothing like that. 

He did not collapse.
“He (former president) was invited to the ceremony and he attended both the church service and reception. If he had collapsed as you claimed, he would not have been able to attend the church service and the reception, which he did. He left the place after the event.
“I can tell you, he (Obasanjo) is hale and hearty. There is nothing wrong with him.”

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Muslim group claims Nigeria blasts



A Nigerian Muslim group formerly known as Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for series of bombings on Christmas Eve in Nigeria that left at least 38 people dead and sparked violent reprisals.
In a statement published on Tuesday on what is thought to be its website, the group claimed responsibility for the bombings in central Jos and two attacks on churches in Maiduguri.

Nigerian police immediately cast doubt on the claim, but if the claims are true, the attacks would mark the first time Boko Haram strikes outside of the country's predominately Muslim north.

Many analysts have instead attributed the Christmas Eve bombings in Jos to the struggle for political and economic power in between Christian and Muslim ethnic groups in the region.
Hundreds of people have been killed in previous clashes between the two groups.

The website statement read: "O nations of the world, be informed that verily the attacks in Suldaniyya [Jos] and Borno on the eve of Christmas was carried out by us, Jama'atu  Ahlus-Sunnah Lidda'Awati Wal Jihad, under the leadership of Abu Muhammad, Abubakar bin Muhammad Shekau."

Boko Haram changed its name following a prison break earlier this year, in which more than 700 inmates were freed, to Jama'atu Ahlus-Sunnah Lidda'Awati Wal Jihad, which translates roughly to "People Committed to the Prophet's Teachings for Propagation and Jihad".

'Religious war'

The statement said that the attacks were meant "to start avenging the atrocities committed against Muslims in those areas, and the country in general. Therefore we will continue with our attacks on disbelievers and their allies and all those who help them".

Shekau, the name mentioned in the statement, is a suspected Boko Haram leader. Video footage of a man believed to be Shekau speaking in the Hausa language was also posted on the website.

"We are the ones who carried out the attack on ... Jos," he said in the video. "We are the Jama'atu Ahlus-Sunnah Lidda'Awati Wal Jihad that have been maliciously branded Boko Haram ...

"Everybody knows about the gruesome murders of Muslims in different parts of Nigeria ... Jos is a testimony to the gruesome killings of our Muslim brethren and the abductions of our women and children whose whereabouts are still unknown ...

"My message to my Muslim brethren is that they should know that this war is a war between Muslims and infidels. This is a religious war."

Official scepticism

The address for the website had been given in a video that emerged earlier this year purportedly from sect members.But Abdulrahman Akano, police commissioner for Plateau state, where Jos is the capital, cast doubt on the claim.

"Anybody can post anything on the Internet," he said, adding that the bomb blasts were not the usual method used by Boko Haram.
The Christmas Eve bomb blasts in Jos and the reprisals that followed killed at least 80 people, Nigeria's emergency agency said.

On Monday Nigerian police arrested six people in connection with the violence that erupted in the aftermath of the bombings, but not in connection with the blasts themselves.

Attacks condemned

Police and the army have declined to identify the bombing suspects. They have also not confirmed if the bombings were related to the church attacks. The two areas are about 520km apart.

Boko Haram is thought to have been defeated in 2009 when the military destroyed its mosque and its leader was arrested. He later died in police custody.

Ban Ki-moon, United Nations secretary-general, has condemned the violence in Nigeria "especially at a time when millions of Nigerians are celebrating religious holidays".

Goodluck Jonathan, the Nigerian president, has expressed his sympathy to the victims' families and committed to bring the perpetrators to justice.

"I assure Nigerians that [the] government will go to the root of this," he said of the explosions. "We must unearth what caused it and those behind it must be brought to book."

Source:
english.aljazeera

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Professor Wole Soyinka and President Jonathan’s reading campaign



Nigerian writers have given a cautious welcome to President Goodluck Jonathan’s ‘Bring Back The Book’ campaign, launched in a high profile series of events at the Eko Hotel, Lagos, on Monday, December 20.
Joining the president for the first event of the day, a reading session with 400 pupils from about 20 schools, was Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, who read from an abridged version of his childhood memoirs, ‘Ake’. Soyinka said the draw to the event, for him, was the idea of reading to children, likening the experience to an early Christmas present for himself. The laureate explained the irreverent nicknames he coined for his father and mother, Essay and Wild Christian. The elder Soyinka was known to his friends as S.A, and the way they said the initials, sounded like ‘essay’ to the son. As for his mother, Soyinka told the children that “her Christianity was on the wild side,” hence her nickname, which he never dared utter in her presence. “I hope you have more respectful names for your parents,” he told the pupils, who were all given gift packs of reading materials at the occasion.

President Jonathan had earlier tried to impress on his young audience the imaginative power of books, while introducing his own choice of reading material for the event. “You don’t have to go to the South East to know about the place; you can read about it,” he noted, while summarising the adventures of the protagonist of Chinua Achebe’s ‘Chike and the River’, who wanted to cross the River Niger in order to get to the big city, Onitsha. Jonathan then read from Achebe’s book, sustaining the attention of the children, who opened their own copies to follow the narrative. The mention of the word “kidnapper” in the 1966 publication, got the attention of the adults in the gathering. “So, kidnappers have been in the system for a long time!” said one. Other references like gramophone, six pence and one shilling, led to some discussion during the interactive session, when the children put questions to the high profile readers about the excerpts read. There was an unintended commentary on the quality of Nigerian publishing, when the president said of his copy of ‘Chike and the River’ that “There are some errors in the print.”

Goodluck’s friends cannot spell

Not even the president’s own book, presented to coincide with the ‘Bring Back The Book’ campaign, is free from error. In the opening dedication of ‘My Friends and I’, Jonathan pays homage to “my friends on facebook, for keeping me engaged and encouraging me to keep this national conservation (sic) on our country’s future going.” And there the unintended errors end. The 357-page ‘My Friends and I: Conversations on Policy and Governance via Facebook’ is riddled with comments like “U will not make mistakes, only because u listen 2 d voice of the masses. GOD be wit u. U are good 2 go 4 d next 8 years mr president.” Even Reuben Abati, the book’s reviewer, could not but respectfully state that, “Many of Jonathan’s friends cannot spell.”

‘My Friends and I’ is a collection of the interactive exchange over a four-month period between (supposedly) the president and the 350,000 friends on his Facebook page. It is not known whether the ‘friends’ gave permission for the publication of their images and the often badly written commentary originally posted on the internet. Abati observed that President Jonathan, “is the first Nigerian leader to adopt this technological mode of interaction with citizens,” after being influenced by the Obama campaign. The reviewer said the book underscores “the inevitability of digital democracy or electronic democracy… This book demonstrates the passion of Nigerians for their country.” While suggesting that the president’s Facebook publication “makes the political process more participatory,” Abati showed little enthusiasm for the computer language on display on the pages, riddled with jargon and typos. These, he declared, are “a threat to literacy.”

Who’s who

Prominent on the high table were poet Odia Ofeimun; President of the Association of Nigerian Authors Jerry Agada and US Democratic campaign worker, Joe Trippi. In the audience were Petroleum Minister Diezani Allison-Madueke; Speaker of the House of Representatives Dimeji Bankole; Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel; Minister of National Planning, Samsudeen Usman and Labaran Maku, Minister of Information and Communication.
The carefully stage-managed event was not without glitches. Maku committed a major gaffe on live television at the event, when he claimed that President Jonathan “has brought Facebook to Nigeria.” He was not alone; a singer who appeared to have been flown into Nigeria to sing the national anthem, not only could not get her pitch right, she got the words of the anthem wrong. The prominent photographer on the day was TY Bello, the woman responsible for the very flattering images of the president that adorned the Eko Hotel lobby.

A sizeable contingent of writers were in attendance, including John Pepper Clark, Helon Habila, Sefi Atta and Lola Shoneyin. For an event designed to promote books, it seemed more like a day for musicians. Some of Nigeria’s biggest pop stars held sway on the stage, just across from the smiling, ‘casual’ jean-and-T-shirt clad Jonathan, who sat rigidly in his chair as D’Banj, Tuface and P-Square rocked the house with singing and dancing. Other performers were rapper Mo’Cheddah and Zakie, who sang a specially composed Hausa number in praise of Jonathan’s election campaign.

What they said

“I decided to publish because I wanted to promote a reading culture and accountable governance,” said President Jonathan about ‘My Friends and I’. He further stated that, “At all times, we should have a book in our hand. This is the way of civilisation.” In his speech on the podium, Odia Ofeimun praised Jonathan as “a new type of leader… who does not put on the airs of an overbearing patriarch or Philosopher King but is prepared to read to children like a next door neighbour.” Reading, he noted, “is an equaliser of peoples. By giving all of us common access to knowledge and entertainment, the art of reading mobilises consciousness, in favour of human empathy and solidarity.”

Ofeimun welcomed the president into the ranks of those who champion a reading culture, saying, “This is the first time a national leader at the apex of decision making would be identifying with the campaign for the development of a reading culture without minding the cynicism of those who believe the situation is too far gone to be remedied.” The poet however decried what he called the “derailment” of public education in the country, the death of libraries in schools and local governments, as well as the “defeat” of the bookshop culture. All of these lead to poor results in the West African Examination Council, he argued. “We have an educational system which gives poor education to poor people in order to keep them poor and unmobilisable,” Ofeimun declared, to audience applause. He called for the provision of the US Library of Congress-styled libraries, to be spearheaded by the National Assembly. He also called on every local government to buy at least 1000 books a year, to revive the reading culture.

Other speakers at the event included TY Bello, Ken Wiwa Jr and Toyosi Akerele, who, in a seeming endorsement of a Jonathan candidacy, declared, “I’m tired of seeing 80 to 85-year-olds determining a future they are not going to be part of.

Labaran Maku and Oronto Douglas, Special Adviser on Documentation and Strategy, represented President Jonathan at a special writers’ event in the evening. Mr. Maku redeemed himself somewhat in a short speech, acknowledging the great strides made by females in current Nigerian writing. “The next phase is the women’s phase,” he declared. There were readings as well as frank discussions about the Bring Back The Book campaign with some like writer Simi Dosekun questioning the value of the president’s book. Douglas, who mounted a spirited defence of the publication, promised to take the writers’ suggestions on publishing and the reading culture, back to the presidency.

Christmas Bombs in Nigeria's Jos Kill 32 in Attack Army Calls Terrorism



At least 32 people were killed in suspected bomb blasts yesterday in the central Nigerian city of Jos, where violence between Christians and Muslims has left hundreds dead this year, Police said.
More than 50 people were injured in the explosions, Abdulrahaman Akanno, Plateau state Commissioner of Police, told journalists in Jos today.
The casualty figures were earlier given as 20 dead, and more than 60 wounded, by Gregory Yenlong, a spokesman for Plateau state, who spoke in a phone interview from Jos today. The blasts took place at about 7 p.m. local time at three different locations, he said.
“For the past two weeks there have been threats to disrupt Christmas celebrations in Jos,” Yenlong said in a text message today. “We know the people and the security agencies know them. We are still investigating.”
The attackers placed the explosive devices “by the roadsides where they expected a high concentration of people,” Manasseh Panpe, Plateau Branch Secretary of the Red Cross, said by phone today from Jos.
At the Jos University Teaching Hospital, one of the places where the wounded were taken, “I saw 50 or so of them,” Panpe said. “Some of them have their lower limbs completely destroyed, and if they survive, their legs might not be useful to them again,” he said.
Act of Terrorism
The Nigerian military will enhance its intelligence operations to prevent further bombings in Africa’s most populous nation, Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika said today. The Jos bombing was an act of terrorism, Ihejirika said in the southern town of Port Harcourt, during a visit to sites of recent clashes between government forces and militants in the Niger Delta region.
Twin car-bomb blasts in the capital, Abuja, on Oct.1, left at least 12 people dead and several others wounded. The blasts occurred close to the venue of celebrations marking Nigeria’s 50 years of independence from Britain.
At least 492 people were killed in an attack on a predominantly Christian village by Muslim Fulani herders near Jos on March 7, Civil Rights Congress, a local rights group, said. Estimates for the number of people killed in sectarian clashes that broke out in Jos in mid-January ranged from 326 by the police to more than 400 by the Civil Rights Congress.
Nigeria vies with Angola as Africa’s biggest crude oil producer.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

PICTURES: Ojukwu flown to UK in German air ambulance


Ikemba Nnewi, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who is down with Cerebral Vascular Accident (stroke), was on Thursday flown to the United Kingdom on board a German air ambulance for further treatment.

The national leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance was taken to the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu at 11.10 am in one of the three state of the art ambulances provided by the Anambra and Enugu state governments.

The ambulances, which were followed by other vehicles drove into the airport through the Air Force wing , apparently to avoid the prying eyes of anxious passers-by, sympathisers and journalists.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s wife, Bianca; the National Chairman of APGA , Chief Victor Umeh; the Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Linus Ilika; the leader of the Movement for the Survival of Sovereign State of Biafra, Chief Ralph Uwazurike; Prof. Augustine Nwabueze; Prof. Vincent Ike; Dr. C.C. Amah; and Dr. Paul Ufoegbunam, were in the convoy of vehicles that followed the ambulances.

Others were the children of the elder statesman, some of whom flew into the country from the United States and the UK. The convoy was received by the commander of the Airforce Wing, Air Commodore Jacob Gbamwuaw, and the Commander of the Flying School, A.B. Esuara.

The air ambulance marked D-CSIX arrived at the airport at about 11.30am and departed around 1. 52pm for the UK.

Before the convoy arrived, Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, had visited the airport where he conferred with the air ambulance crew.

Obi, who looked pensive, thanked Nigerians for their concern. He specifically mentioned President Goodluck Jonathan, whom he said called him on a daily basis to find out about the condition of the elder statesman.

Expressing confidence that Odumegwu-Ojukwu would return to Nigeria in good health, the governor enjoined Nigerians to continue to pray for him.

Asked what the ex-Biafran warlord’s ill-health was costing the state, Obi replied, “Who cares what it costs the state than our beloved father getting well?”

Umeh had earlier on Thursday visited UNTH where he coordinated the movement of the Ikemba to the airport .

“Dim (Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s other title) is being moved abroad for further treatment. We do not want interference in the movement,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted him as saying.

Umeh, who appeared agitated while chasing away journalists, officials of UNTH and other people, who trooped out to see what was happening, repeatedly said, “We are flying him abroad.’’

Odumegwu-Ojukwu was rushed to the Accident and Emergency Unit of the UNTH on Sunday morning but was later moved to the ICU in the afternoon after he was diagnosed with Cerebral Vascular Accident.

CVA, according to seniorhealth.about.com, is “another name for a stroke. It is damage to the brain caused by a disruption of the blood supply to a part of the brain.

“This disruption of blood supply can be caused by a blood clot, or by a ruptured artery.

The website also states that “symptoms of a CVA depend on which part of the brain is affected. Common symptoms may include paralysis of a part of the body, loss of all or part of the vision, or loss of the ability to speak or to understand speech.”

Odumegwu-Ojukwu was born on November 4, 1933 at Zungeru, Niger State, to Nigeria’s first millionaire businessman and pioneer President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Sir. Louis Phillippe Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

He began his educational career in Lagos.

At 13, his father sent him to the UK to study at Epsom College, England. He left Epsom at 18 for Lincoln College, Oxford.

At Oxford University, he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Modern History. He later earned a Master’s degree in history at Lincoln College, Oxford University, before he returned to the country in 1956.

At 11, Odumegwu-Ojukwu was briefly imprisoned for assaulting a white British colonial teacher, who was humiliating a black woman at King’s College, Lagos. The incident generated widespread coverage in local newspapers.

The ex-Biafran warlord joined the civil service in Eastern Nigeria as an Administrative Officer for Udi District in Enugu State on his return to the country in 1956.

In 1957, within months of working with the colonial civil service, he left and joined the military as one of the first and few university graduates to join the army as a recruit.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu rose to the rank of a Lt.-Col. in the Nigerian Army, before he was appointed the Military Governor of the then Eastern Region by the regime of the late Maj.-Gen. Johnson Aguyi-Ironsi.

He proclaimed the former Eastern Region as the Peoples Republic of Biafra on May 30, 1967 and became its Head of State and Commander-in-Chief. His action led to the outbreak of the Nigerian civil war the same year.


Patience Jonathan Secret Visits to T.B. Joshua Worries SSS


The church is ground and pillar of truth. Folks attend church services for different reasons; but a unique feature among all church goers is that they go there to meet a need. Nevertheless need vary from one individual to another, while some go to church to fellowship with God and satisfy their spiritual needs; others attend church services with the prospect of landing a husband or wife. For some others, church is place to network and display their latest wares.

Among these aforementioned, none, attend church services in disguise, which begs the question, why Nigeria`s first lady, Patience Goodluck Jonathan has to conceal her identity each time she visits T.B. Joshua`s Synagogue Church of All Nations.

The President’s wife, Patience, has met with T.B. Joshua three times, since she became first lady of the federal republic of Nigeria.

A highly placed source within the church who preferred to remain anonymous, said,

“Though the president had not met with Joshua for any reason since he became the first citizen of the country, his wife had visited the church three times”.

According to the source, the first lady’s interest in the man of God began when he accurately predicted the death of the former President, Umar Musa Yar’Adua, the week he was rushed from Nigeria to a hospital in Saudi Arabia.Prophet Joshua in his usual prayer session that afternoon told the congregation and Nigerians to pray for the soul of the President.

He also told them that the country needed prayers because he was saw darkness enveloping her as he was looking at a basket covered with the colours of the Nigeria flag.

Before the former President fell ill and when he was persuading the militants of the Niger Delta region of the country to accept his amnesty offer, TB Joshua had stated that the militants were only fighting because they were oblivious of God’s plan for them. According to him, somebody from the region would emerge on the seat of power unexpectedly.

“So as someone who was favored by the prophesy, the woman decided to sometimes visit the church whenever the need arose.

The source also confides that the second time the first lady visited the church was when her husband became the substantive president and the Prophet was said to have declared that Jonathan would later be interested in the presidency and that his decision to contest might pitch the southern part of the country against the north.

He therefore warned the president not to declare any intention till the after August this year.

“If you remember, the president was lukewarm to the issue of his ambition and he left Nigerians guessing his future moves.

“It was because of the prophesy that he delayed. And you could see what has been happening in the political environment even before he declared his willingness to contest for presidency,” the source said.

She visited not too long ago and has been in communicating with the Prophet. But is it a crime for a person to be religious in Nigeria?” The source asked.

However, the first lady’s visit had always been shrouded by her.It was learnt that she always visited the church with only two security operatives and this had been giving the Lagos state secret security service, SSS some concern.

The operatives, the source say, are concerned of her safety and as a result, they had asked the church to compile the list of both local and foreign politicians and political office holders who visit the church.

However, the list is still being prepared.

Friday, December 24, 2010

"I want to thank Goodluck Jonathan for bringing facebook to Nigeria" Minister of Information



Labaran Maku
"I Want To Thank GEJ For Bringing Facebook To Nigeria"- Minister of Information, Labaran Maku @ President Goodluck Jonathan's 'Facebook' book launch that held on Monday Dec 20, 2010 at Eko Hotel, Lagos.
Source: People who watched the programme live on AIT

Ha ha ha! How embarrassing!
Let me officially thank MTN for bringing telephone to Naija..lol
But to be fair to the minister, people are saying he meant to say Jonathan introduced social networking to Nigerian politics. Now most politicians are using it to reach the masses...but still...

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Stolen Benin Mask to be sold For £5 Million In London in 2011



A 16th century ivory mask looted by the British during an invasion of Benin in West Africa (Nigeria) in 1897 is set to go for £5 Million at auction at Sotheby's ( Phone :+44 (0) 20 7293 5000) in London. It was kept by the family of British commissioner Lt Col Henry Galway and recently resurfaced  

The auction has been fixed for February 17th, 2011 at Sotheby's in London with a guide price of £5m and some Nigerians want to protest the sale.

If you want to protest too, then go here to sign the petition

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Kilimanjaro in conjunction Storm 360 presents Rick Ross live in Lagos on the 27th of Dec at the Eko Hotel

Tuface Idibia's younger brother, HI, marries





Hyacinth Idibia,Tuface Idibia's immediate younger brother, and former member of hip hop group, Da Natives, is married. He married his Sierre Leonean girlfriend of many years on Sat Dec 18th. The wedding took place at the bride's home town. 
Congrats to him and his new bride.

Nigerian wrestler dies fighting for title



Tragedy hit the indoor sports hall of the National Lagos Stadium in Surulere on Sunday when national heavyweight title contender, Lion Man, slumped and died shortly after losing the belt to Power Lee via a technical knockout.

Lion Man, whose real name could not be ascertained at press time, came into the fight hoping to win the belt he lost to Osita Offor, also known as De Ultimate Commander, about five years ago.

Unfortunately, he could not live to even receive the consolation from those that felt he gave his all in the tragic fight. The pugilist, whose wife is said to be five months pregnant, jumped into the ring with the mien of somebody eager to dispatch his opponent quickly.

But he met strong resistance from Power Lee, who after the initial moments of the fight, began to pummel the visibly unfit challenger.
And to save Lion Man from further punishment, the ring judges stopped the fight, but it came too late.

Shortly after the Enugu State-born wrestler trudged off the ring, news filtered in that he had slumped and died just outside the venue of the championship. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was certified dead by doctors.

Reacting to the incident, President of the Nigerian Wrestling Board of Control (NWB of C), Everest Ofoegbu, said it was an unfortunate development that could have been avoided if all the wrestlers had adhered strictly to the rules of the sport. “We try to preach the safety in wrestlers being physically fit for every competition, but at the end you still find some people not adhering to the rules,” he said. “We will find a way of monitoring the fitness of our wrestlers to avoid future occurrence of such sad incidents. This is really unfortunate.”

Meanwhile, in the main event of the day, De Ultimate Commander defeated American Shelton Benjamin and Warlord to become the new Universal Pro-Wrestling Federation (UPWF) champion in a three-way fight decided by knockout.

Another American, The Barbarian, beat his compatriot, Katanka, by a pin-fall, the same way Mike Mondo defeated Jeff Lee in the main supporting bout of the night. America’s tallest woman wrestler, Lindsay Hayward, lost to her compatriot, Trenesha Biggers, just as Nigeria’s The Executioner defeated Congo’s Shakabula.
 
 
 
Source: The Guardian/Nigeria

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Still Single, Despite the Fame


Nigeria's entertainment industry is filled with famous, handsome dudes and beautiful divas, endowed achievers who inspire and make other folks happy, but are either divorced, unhappy, unmarried or of 'unexplainable' status. Question abuzz is,'What's amiss?'

Rita Dominic

This picture raises one question,'can Rita play the guitar?' The answer is, em . . . Never mind, the theatre arts graduate of the University of Port Harcourt is one hell of an outstanding actress and is one of the few actresses who has almost no scandal to her name.

She started performing when she was a child, appearing in school plays and children's television shows in Imo, her home state. Having put up sterling performances in over 100 movies, she won the City People Award in 2004 as the Most Outstanding Actress and is regarded by many as a well cultured lady. But many have endlessly asked,"what is she waiting for?"

Weird MC

The England-born female rapper of Ijoya fame is one of Africa's active, female rap artistes and one of the few Nigerian women associated with AfroHip-hop. Though the media was once awash with reports that she was involved in lesbianism, the mother of one is still well respected. But she has never hinted at marriage, neither does she look like one who has batted an eye-lid at any man. Wonder . . .

Genevieve Nnaji

Genevieve Nnaji is undoubtedly one of the most successful actresses in the industry. Though she had a daughter while in secondary school, she has never had cause to regret it, because it didn't deter her from sailing the high seas of success and fame.

In 2005, she won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Genevieve began her acting career as a child actress in the then popular television soap Ripples at the age of 8 and joined Nollywood at the age of 19. She has featured in over 80 Nollywood movies and is considered one of Nollywood's highest paid actresses.

She released her debut album One Logologo Line in 2004 and has featured in several commercials , including those for Pronto beverage and Omo detergent. Also in 2004, she became the Face of Lux in Nigeria. In 2008, she launched her clothing line St. Genevieve and was appointed the official Face of MUD cosmetics in Nigeria in 2010. The highpoint of her career, so far, is her famed appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show, where she was hailed as 'one of Africa's best'. She has also received many awards and nominations, but inspite of her attainments, the screen goddess who is still single, has continually parried questions relating to marriage and any form of romantic dalliance with anyone. . .but we don't know if she is searching.

Chidi Mokeme

The multi-talented computer science graduate is a successful actor but Chidi who has remained unmovable on Nigeria's Eligible Bachelors' List has raised a lot of eye-brows with his prolonged single status. Could it be that the charming 'GQ' is still single because he has not made enough for a bride price? Tufiakwa! Em, the money made frm selling those wonderful toys, nko?

Cossy Orjiakor

Largely considered Nigeria's undisputed Queen of Headlights,controversial actress Cossy Orjiakor,a bachelor's degree holder in accounting, with a master's degree in administration frm the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and University of Lagos, respectively, first became popular as one of Fuji artiste Obesere's raunchy dancers.

She has made lots of enemies among the female folk for daring to 'bare it all' in many movies in which she has appeared, but has refused to budge, claiming to be 'a true professional'.

Beautiful and well endowed, the sexy one, like the others on this list, has been unable to 'tie' down Mr. Right.

2Face

Hailed as one of Nigeria's most talented artistes, 2Face has refused to say "I do" to one of his numerous women.

The father of many children frm different women, has at different occasions caused chaos among the women who are all fighting to have him as a husband. With all his women and children, he is still single. probably stalling about his wife of choice?

Princess

Comedienne Damilola Adekoya, popularly known as Princess is the last woman standing among the comedians. Princess is a graduate of creative arts frm the University of Lagos.

She started acting at the age of six and when she turned nine, she took part in a play entitled: Half Human, Half Animal.

Princess who dumped engineering for creative arts has featured in so many television programmes, including Flat Mates and Super Story and she is also into so many other things, while maintaining her status as a comedienne. Chick's still single, sha.

P-Square

The Anambra State-born twins are making waves in the music industry. Both graduates of mass communication and business administration respectively frm the University of Abuja, they have endlessly blurnt the charts since their debut with Get Squared, an album released by their label Square record. The album dominated charts across Africa on the backs of hits like Bizzy body and Temptation.

Peter, who doubles as a guitarist and drummer, is the choreographer of all their dance routines while Paul plays the keyboard and does all the production and sequencing.

They have become Africa's biggest music act and recently won $1m as the best African act at the Kora All-African Music Awards 2010.

These talented artistes recently 'opened' their mansion in Lagos and have swelledd their coffers by plying their trade as music icons and Globacom Ambassadors. Inspite the fame they enjoy, they are still single.

Uche Jombo

The Post Graduate Diploma holder is also a script-writer. Her first script was Ordained, produced by OJ Productions.

She started acting back in secondary school and was a member of a drama group in her church, earning her a scholarship. Aside acting and scriptwriting, Uche Jombo also does a TV presentation for the NTA and interior decoration.

The Glo Ambassador seemingly has all it takes: physique, wits, charisma but... no bobo, yet.

D'banj

The Koko master, D'banj was a London-based singer and song- writer with JJC and the 419 squad and they burst onto the scene with their acclaimed song Kilonshele, before he quit the group to chart his course as a solo artiste with Don Jazzy as his producer.

The all-out entertainer, known for singing about Kokolettes and long things has evidently not found out who to Fall In Love with.

Pastor Adeboye Prays For President Jonathan - Picture





Jonathan goes spiritual on insecurity

Nigerian President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan has admitted that natural and acquired intellect, strategic plans and formidable defence were altogether insufficient to tackle the alarming rate of insecurity in the nation, except by divine intervention.

The president assured that his government would employ all means to ensure that the alarming incidents of kidnapping and threat to lives and property in Nigeria became a thing of the past, before the end of the first half of next year.

President Jonathan, while speaking at the just concluded annual Holy Ghost Congress of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, on Friday night, held at the Redeemed Camp, Lagos- Ibadan Express Road, reiterated that his government was committed to phasing out kidnapping in Nigeria and assured the people on security of lives and property ahead of next year’s general elections.

He stated that his government was aware that there would be no meaningful economic development in Nigeria if incidents of kidnapping persisted.

“I promise you that we will do everything to phase out kidnapping in Nigeria by the first half of next year, this is because there cannot be any development in a nation with high rate of kidnapping. Nobody will want to do business where there is no safety.

“Safety in Nigeria is the priority of our government, just pray for us that God should give us wisdom. We will work hard against robbery; we are committed to tackling corruption and mismanagement of public funds and we are also committed to education development. But I must tell you that none of these will work if God is not there for us. Pray that God should guide us.

“It is only God that can help me to change things. Pray for me now that I am the sitting president of your country. Pray for me not to deviate from the fear of God,” the president stated.

Speaking on the 2011 general elections, President Jonathan, who enjoined Nigerians to pray against any self- imposed leader at all levels, stressed that the stability and expected meaningful development in Nigeria could only come with the emergence of true leaders in the coming elections.

“I have discovered that whenever the country is drifting, Christians will always rise to pray and ensure stability. I am here tonight to submit myself to you and God for prayers. My political history was just like that of David in the Bible who did not know that he would become a king. I did not struggle for political position, it is never my efforts, that is why, anything I have to do, I do with the fear of God. Therefore, pray for me not to drift from His fear,” he said.

Based on his request, president Jonathan knelt down before the congregation and he was prayed for at the Holy Ghost Congress.

While commending Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the church, President Jonathan, who was attending the programme for the first time in its 13 years of existence, noted that when he visited the pastor in 2007 in company of his late boss, Musa Yar’Adua, “he prayed for us and all he told us came to pass.”

President Jonathan left the Holy Ghost Congress at about 12 midnight.
In his response, Pastor Adeboye reiterated that Nigerian Christians would not fold their arms and watch during the coming general elections promised to lead the fight against any cheating during elections. He warned the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against rigging.

He said: “I am a Nigerian; I love Nigeria and it is going to be well with Nigeria. I want to say it again, Christians, you must register, you must vote and be ready to defend your vote. INEC, we love you, but no magomago this time. I will lead the fight, if we suspect any magomago. Give us a free and fair election, whatever the result is, just give us a free and fair election.” 



Monday, December 20, 2010

MY PRISON EXPERIENCE---IBINABO FIBERESIMA

*I’ve never been married


*Shares prison experience

*Says Fred Amata is my heartthrob
As she relived memories of her sad past, tears rolled down her cheeks. Intermittently, she would pulse, gaze into the space and then continue. Right inside her room at the Le-Meridian Hotel, Port-Harcourt, Ibinabo Fiberesima for the first time since her release from prison last year went down the memory lane, explaining the circumstances that led to her Kirikiri journey; the pain, the anguish and the trauma that she went through.
Ibinabo’s prison note…
After your horrible prison experience, how is life treating you?
Life has been nice to me. I’m a more relaxed person now than before and I’m at peace with myself and you can notice it.
What would you say is the lesson that your recent experience taught you?
Life has taught me to be more careful; to look before I leap. In the past, I used to take a lot of things for granted, but now, I’m calmer. I also pray a lot these days.
Do you see yourself as a testimony of God’s mercy?
Yes, I’m a defined testimony of God’s mercy. The accident, the trial and the trauma I had to pass through, and finally my release from prison is worthy of a testimony.
I actually don’t remember the accident anymore and it’s amazing. I never believed I could get over the trauma.
While it lasted, I locked myself up in the darkness of my little world for several days without food. It was close to hell.

But I must tell you; the depression, the trauma and the pain were unbearable. I came out of Kirikiri prison, feeling dejected, and abandoned. People no longer wanted me around them any more . But like I said earlier, it’s a different world today.
In prison, the inmates showed me a lot of love, care and sympathy. They also gave me hope and the confidence to live. I was also treated as family in that peaceful environment
Surprisingly and in spite of my incarceration, I’m still celebrated and recognised as a celebrity in the country.
What went through your mind the moment you were ushered into the prison?
First, when I was ushered into the Black Maria, after the court verdict, I went into a shock. I cried out for help, but nobody heard my cry .
And when the Black Maria moved from the court to pick other inmates in other courts, it dawn on me that the game was up.
When we got to a particular court, I refused to climb down from the Black Maria.
There, a woman joined me with a child. I was dumfounded. As I summoned up courage to ask what she was doing with a child in a Black Maria, she said to me; “I don’t have anywhere to keep her, hence I’m going to prison with her.” I felt bad.
Eventually, that same baby was soon to become everybody’s baby in prison .
More drama was soon to unfold as the Black Maria approached the prison gate. I passed out.


I couldn’t believe it. That I, Ibinabo was going to make the prison my new home.


For three days, I was in a shock. And when I recovered, I started receiving inmates who called to sympathise with me.
Soon, life returned to normal and my interaction with other inmates became cordial. Life in the prison could be compared to life in a female hostel in high school.
And since I was a boarder in high school, I was quick to adjusted to the environment.
But what hurts most was knowing that some inmates had spent between five and seven years on awaiting trial. All of these will be contained in my prison notes which will be published soon.



How did I meet Christ, you may want to ask me?



In prison, there was a particular pastor that got me to reflect on what brought me to Kirikiri. I thought of so many things including how I begged the family of the man I knocked down. I also thought of my relationship with God and wondered if l was on a good stand with Him.
I wondered if that may have been responsible for my woes. As I pondered over these things, I got connected to my creator.
At that moment, he told me “this is the path you are going to follow from today if you must find peace in life”.

While the trial lasted, you were always covering your face. Was it done as a result of shame?

Yes. It wasn’t a picture I would want to see when I’m out of the prison. If I had allowed my frustration to be captured through the lens of the press guys, it would remain in my memory forever.
How did the warders treat you?
The warders were nice to me. I was amazed at the way the warders treated me .
Is it true you were drunk when the accident happened?
I was not drunk. I was going to pick up a friend’s daughter at school on Victoria Island. She’d gone to the saloon to make her hair. I was on my way home when she pleaded with me to stop over and pick up her daughter and another lady.
As the lady was not properly dressed, I was counseling her when a group of four guys in a red-car, smoking at random, for no reason trailed and tried to overtake our vehicle.
Sensing danger, I increased my speed, but the guys double theirs.
While trying to avoid hitting their car, I swerved to the other lane and unfortunately collided with two cars on motion. That’s exactly what happened.
When the accident happened, I passed out. And when I woke up, I found myself in the hospital.

As I speak with you, I am yet to set my eyes on that car. I don’t know where they kept the car. And each time I read stories concerning the accident I always feel very bad.
During the trial, did you at any point feel abandoned by relations and close friends?
Abandoned by my friends yes, but by family members, no. They stood by me, while the trial lasted.
A year before the accident in 2005, I had relocated to Port Harcourt. I was in Lagos for a meeting with management of the African Independent Televison (AIT) regarding my annual Miss Earth beauty pageant. They were to partner with my organisation for that year’s edition.
Since the incident happened, I have learnt how not to trust anybody anymore. I put my trust now in the Lord. And this is better explained in the new song I recorded. The music captures my story.
Emotionally, I have been drained and to some extent humiliated, even in public.
I recall a particular situation, where I was called a murderer at a friend’s wedding by a certain lady.
I had stopped to greet a friend when she asked my friend “is that not the murderer”.

I was furious as I confronted her, demanding that she differentiate between manslaughter by accident and murder.
But she later apologised to me, blaming her action on what she read in the national dailies about the accident.
I wasn’t happy that I was involved in that accident and I have said it over and over again that I’m deeply sorry that it ever happened. I don’t know how else to atone for the accident. (The tears started rolling down her cheeks).
I started begging my victim’s family from the very day, the accident happened. My family attended the funeral rites, service of songs and I even attended the 40 days prayer when I was strong enough to move about. I met with the mother and the wife of the deceased. There’s virtually nothing I didn’t do to plead with the deceased’s family to let me off the hook. I’m still pleading with them as I speak with you right now.
Were you expecting the court verdict on the day it came?
I wasn’t. The moment they pronounced the verdict “guilty” I passed out. I didn’t need to hear the rest. I was finished because I had only N5000 in my bag.
While I was trying to mobilise my family members to see how they would raise the N100,000,00 option to jail, a woman I had never met in my life walked up to me to say she’d paid the money on my behalf and handed me the receipt. She urged me to go home and take care of myself. Unknown to Nigerians, I was pregnant when the verdict was reached.

A week after I was released on bail, I traveled abroad to have my baby.
I had complication during delivery and since I was alone over there , I returned home so that my mum could assist me in taking care of the new born baby.
It was indeed when I returned to the country that I started hearing stories that I ran away.
It was also during the period that my lawyer called to tell me that the Lagos State Government had appealed against the N100,000,00 option of fine. Confused, I went back to beg the family again to let me be. But they told me they had no hand in the appeal. That was how I entered for the second trial.
You have not been acting for some years now?
No. I stopped acting because I didn’t know what was right or wrong anymore. Feeling that the family lost a loved one, I figured that if they kept seeing me on screen, it could raise emotions. So I said let me stay off the screen, for a while for my peace of mind.
The media didn’t help matters too as they kept writing false stories about me. I withdrew from public and social functions.
They kept the attack, reporting stories that I was throwing parties here and there. In fact, most of those reports helped to complicate my situation. People started seeing me as a bitch who did not show an iota of remorse for what happened.
My medical doctor father with whom I lived with, was in pain because of a late colleague, his daughter was on trial.

During the period I lost interest in my businesses. I contracted another company to run my business interests. Nevertheless, I am back into acting and as we speak, I’m on many set.

Before the accident happened, people saw you as reckless?
I’m not reckless at all. I’m a proper lady. I can act to be that person you see on screen, but I’ m not that person in real life.
Yes, I wouldn’t say I was wild, rather I was a carefree person. And before now, a lot of things did not matter to me. But today, I have given birth to children so I need to be a role model. It hurts me when people write careless things about me in the press. My children read too.
Have you ever been married?
No, I have not been married. My first son’s father died. We lost him and my second child’s father could not stay with me. Something happened along the line and we couldn’t be together.

When the media came after me, my guy thought I was the one giving out our personal information to them. I tried to explain things but he wouldn’t listen. So we went our separate ways.

Thereafter, I met my heartthrob, Fred Amata and again the press got involved. Fred was my friend first of all, before he became the father of my baby.
The press started writing that the mother never liked me, even as I speak with you, Fred’s mother and I are the best of friends. I talk with her almost every day.

I was accused of breaking Fred’s marriage. I met Fred, four years after he was separated from his wife. So how could I have caused his marriage to crash. If Fred decides to make peace with his wife, I wish them well. I have a relationship with Fred, he’s my baby’s father. I respect and love him. That does not take away the fact that I’m still single and searching. I want to marry and have a complete family. I know God will grant me my heart’s desire because I live a Christ- like life now. That’s all that is missing me, I want to be addressed as Mrs Ibinabo, I really want to settle down.
While your ordeal lasted, what was the reaction of your parents?
You know because of me, my parents stopped reading Nigerian newspapers. My Dad particularly would prefer to listen to the news on television and radio, because of the negative stories they carry about me.
What project are you working on at the moment?

After I prison, I decided to extend help to the less privileged. I ‘m trying to register my Ibinabo Foundation. But before this time, I have been working with a group of lawyers, who are assisting me to help some inmates regain their freedom especially those who are on waiting trial.

At the moment, we have freed two inmates. Of the two, one spent eight years in prison while on awaiting trail. She was 17 years when she was incarcerated. Right now, we are trying to see how we can rehabilitate her so could move on with her life.

The second person, spent four years on awaiting trial. She has been discharged. There are other inmates we are trying to see how they can regain their freedom again. We visited the prison in Port Harcourt, to share my story with the inmates and also to tell them to hold on to the Lord.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Hulk Hogan remarries





Hulk Hogan (57) married his girlfriend, Jennifer McDaniel (35), at his Clearwater Florida Home on Tuesday Dec 14th, 2010

Hugging of women banned at IBB University, Niger State.


VC, IBB University
 The Vice Chancellor of Niger State Govt. owned Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, professor  Ibrahim Adamu Kolo, has banned the hugging of female students in the university. The VC said anyone caught 'embracing or hugging' any female student would be dismissed from the school, as he called it immoral and not in line with the provision of the Islamic legal code.

Source: lindaikeji

Friday, December 17, 2010

Why lesbianism thrives in Nigerian universities


Higher institutions of learning in Nigeria, degrees are awarded after students have been found worthy in character and learning. But with the level of moral decadence that has set in, one cannot but wonder whether graduating students still fulfill the clause on the certificate most of them brandish.

The days of “Aristo”, where female students are packaged for rich men outside their campuses seem to be fading away gradually. It is a modernized form of prostitution used by female students to meet their financial needs. There are also tales of students who went into “Aristo runs” just for the sake of adventure. It is an open secret that girls from higher institutions attend social functions just to be noticed by rich patrons who would thereafter pay for being kept company by such girls.

Though the Aristo bug is a vice that has eaten deep into institutions of higher learning, Street Journal’s investigations have revealed that lesbianism, which is the female version of homosexuality, has taken root in almost all tertiary institutions. The act, which many believe is alien to African culture, has become so acceptable to those involved in it that they even flaunt their lesbian partners.

The male-female relationship seems to be going out of vogue in many Nigerian schools. In most institutions, those involved in the act include poor students, who are often in it to get attached to rich partners; some students from affluent backgrounds are also involved too. With their financial muscles, they attract and lure other female students to bed. There is also a third category of those who are doing it just to catch their fun.

Source: nigeriafilms

Tuface Daughter, Isabel Clocks Two



Isabel Idibia, Tuface and Annie Macaulay’s daughter has clocked two years old on the 10th. of this month. Indeed, time really flies. I could still recall the news of Annie getting pregnant for the music star, and when she gave birth in the United States.

Back to my gist, a little party was thrown at Annie’s home for the little girl. And guess who kept calling in? It was no other person than controversial actress Tonto Dike. She told everyone who cared to listen that Enenu, as Isabel is fondly called, is her god daughter. Annie and Tonto have been friends for a while now, but their friendship became deeper when Tonto almost went naked on stage with Tuface Idibia at his just concluded show held in his honour at Eko Hotel and Suites. We learnt Annie was delighted that Tonto accepted to play the role along side her baby daddy. 

lA bird in the know also brought to our knowledge that she is the one solidly behind Annie and making sure she gets the few roles she is getting now in Nollywood. That’s why observing birds don’t get bothered whenever they spot Annie at Nollywood parties, as she always attend on Tonto’s invite. They have also been spotted together hanging out with Isabel. Here’s wishing the little damsel happy more years ahead. 


Source: nigeriafilms