Meet the 'Michelin Baby': Chinese boy, 10 months, weighs the same as a six-year-old

A Chinese baby has become so chubby he now weighs the same as a six-year-old child.

Ten-month old Lei Lei has been nicknamed the 'Michelin baby' after tipping scales at a whopping 20kg

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Michael Jackson's parents Joe and Katherine 'to divorce after 60 years of marriage'

Michael Jackson's parents are set to divorce after 60 years of marriage, after the King of Pop's mother Katherine tired of her husband Joe's cruel behavior.

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Project Fame – Another Type of Sport

The judges have their say...

Last weekend would have been like any other weekend in the country. However for sports lovers (most especially fans of the round leather game) it was no ordinary weekend.

The weekend marked the beginning of the English Premier League and even a stranger in Lagos knows that the English Premier League is the most popular and most watched soccer league in the country. Soccer lovers adorned the jersey of their favourite clubs and headed to the numerous viewing centres in the country to watch the kick off of this season’s league competition.

The EPL has over the years entrenched itself into the very fabric of the Nigerian society that it is now more fashionable to be a fan of one the Big Four (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United) than be an avid supporter of the Super Eagles of Nigeria whose fortunes over time has declined sharply from its glory days- Tunisia 94 and Atlanta 96. As the stock of Nigeria’s millionaire footballers have continued to plummet that of the Premiership has continued to rise thereby becoming the defacto football event in the country.

Therefore by the mere principle of substitution, the EPL has been able to grip the hearts of soccer lovers just like the way the Super Eagles did in their heyday. Whenever there is a hot league fixture it’s a sure thing that streets will stand still for the duration of the match. Such is the popularity of the Premiership where millions will leave everything they are doing to watch some good ole’ football.

The opening week of the premiership is one of those days where every other programme on TV fades to the background. TV shows that coincide with the Premiership are usually neglected by millions, who will rather watch their favourite team slug it out for 3 points. This is a scenario that had occurred for over some time now so even the most seasoned gambler would have put his money on the Premiership stealing the show once again. Well this was not the case this time as around.

As this season’s EPL kicked off, many expectedly rushed to watch the beginning of another nerve-wracking 6 months of near misses, brilliant goals and agonizing defeats. But when it was time for MTN Project Fame West Africa to be on air many of these soccer crazy fanatics flipped their remote to see which contestants were going to get evicted.

Surprised? No need to be! Now in its third season, MTN Project Fame has quietly but steadily gone on to become one of Nigeria’s most watched shows. Attracting over 50 million viewers across the sub- continent, PFWA has become so popular that it vies for attention with football matches, a move that most TV pundits couldn’t dare think of. Of course PF isn’t the first music competition that makes the bold statement of taking wannabes and transforming them into superstars. Several have been on this worn path but the hallmark that distinguishes Project Fame from the litter is in its format which is the underlying reason why it attracts millions.
Every day people get to watch the contestants in the Academy through 30 minute episodes shown all over the nation. This gives the viewer a sort of bird’s eye view on the happenings in the Project Fame Academy which makes them feel closer. Much as how entertaining footballers are on the pitch I sincerely don’t thin people will like to see them on a daily basis talking about football tactics. But with PF you get to see how the contestants grow and learn the intricacies of music- think of it as a musical version of Big Brother.

As for the roller coaster of emotions that watching football can give you, Project Fame can also equal that. Soccer viewers grow grey hairs whenever their team grabs a late winner or gets defeated by a lowly club side. Such a similar experience is faced by Project Fame fans whenever their favourite contestant gives a good performance or is eliminated. Soccer is a cauldron of so many extreme emotions so also is PF. At any moment you can be taken from ecstatic to sad in just a matter of seconds depending on the success of your contestant.

And in the aspect of audience participation, feedback is high up there with the numbers the EPL can boast of. EPL is just a weekend thing so it’s safe to say that audience participation in terms of sending in text messages to predict the winner of the match (and match betting only happens on Saturdays and Sundays). But audience participation in regards to Project Fame is a daily thing as a high number of people send in texts to encourage the contestants and vote for their favourite contestants. With that scenario it is safe to say that Project Fame involves a whole lot of people than any other platform on TV right now.

As this season’s EPL continues to progress expect the third season of Project Fame to compete with it. With so much drama coming, it won’t be surprising for for the music competition to even overshadow it a times. Am sure the folks behind the Premiership will be happy that Project Fame runs for only three months and not six. If it were, music might just become our new sport.

The Presenters keep it interesting...

Mike Anyasodo PF Season 2 Winner

Iyanya won the Inaugural Edition of PF

Nigeria's Ex-beauty Queen Ibinabo Fibresima Goes Into Ushering Business

Popular Nollywood actress cum ex Beauty Queen, Ibinabo Fibresima who has maintained a very low profile for some months now, has taken up a new profession. The beautiful light skinned actress now own an outfit that supply ushers for A class events around the country, she has good number of beautiful girls with unique and special uniform that makes them so different from the normal ushers people are used to seeing.

CHECKPOINTS OF DEATH: When Will Onovo Stop This Carnage?

Nigerians have expressed their anger over the carnage policemen always cause at checkpoints on the nation’s highways and they are asking when the Inspector-General of Police, Ogbonna Onovo, will call his men to order and dismantle the checkpoints

The outrage came in the wake of another avoidable tragedy caused by a police checkpoint mounted on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway yesterday.

The accident left over 25 people dead, some burnt beyond recognition. Several vehicles were also burnt.

According to eyewitnesses, immediately the accident occurred, the policemen who mounted the road block fled the scene and were pursued by people around the scene but the cops managed to escape.

At the time of writing this report, the policemen had not been fished out by the Lagos State Police Command. Some of the witnesses said the policemen came from Isheri Police Station while some claimed they were a team from the Rapid Response Squad, RRS.

When we called at Isheri Police Station this morning, a senior police officer said officers from the station don’t mount road blocks.

“We don’t mount road blocks. We do not have the capacity to mount road blocks. The accident was not caused by us even though the place is within our jurisdiction,” he said.

The officer said the information they had was that the truck driver was on top speed, lost control of the vehicle and it rammed into a commuter bus. The impact, according to him, was what caused the fire outbreak that ignited other vehicles.

The Police Public Relations Officer for Lagos State Command, Frank Mba, also debunked the claim by eye witnesses that the incident was caused by the police.

“You know that where the incident took place is a slope and it is a disaster for any vehicle to lose its brake in that kind of place.

“There was no policeman at that place before, during and after the incident. We do not know why people are going about with such stories. That conclusion is hasty and unnecessary. We are investigating and after our investigation, we will come out with our findings,” Mba said.

But eyewitnesses would not agree with Mba. A driver identified as Rasheed Adeniji explained how the incident happened.

“ We were again in a serious traffic here on this spot this morning where the police officers usually collect N20 from us and pursue people coming with second hand cars. All of a sudden we just heard a big bang at the back. Before I knew it fire had engulfed the whole place.

“I quickly ran out of my vehicle and ran to the other side where I saw a trailer that rammed into the long queue of vehicles waiting to be cleared by the police officers. People started running helter-skelter. I looked around here and there and did not see the conductor, my own brother.

“I rushed back to the bus and which at this time was in flames with many other vehicles. I started shouting for help from people to rescue my passengers, about 18 of them, including my brother. As I am talking to you now, they could not come out, they all burnt to ashes.”

Another survivor, Isaac Ejiwere, said, “I heard bashing of cars from behind. When I got out of the vehicle to observe what was happening, suddenly I saw a trailer engulfed in fire. We managed to escape.

“We would have been like one of these ones, if not for God. My vehicle is burnt beyond recognition and the car behind me over there has the charred body of a person trapped inside. What baffles me most is the fact that the policemen who mounted this road block disappeared immediately the accident happened.”

Another eyewitness, who gave his name as Christian, said a five year-old boy and his mother died in the tragedy.

“The woman, who was driving the vehicle cried out to people to rescue her son. But nobody could go near the vehicle as the fire was intense.”

Accidents caused by police checkpoints across the country are numerous and the authorities as well as the inspector general of police don’t seem to be bothered about bringing the culprits to book.

In January 2008, the Principal, Ansar-ud-Deen Junior Grammar School II, Iseyin, Oyo State, Mr. Bolanle Balogun, was crushed by a mobile policeman who was driving a vehicle with registration number Lagos AR 04 AAA.

The name of the mobile policeman was later given as Gideon Adepoju. The policemen were said to be chasing a defiant commuter bus driver who failed to stop at a checkpoint mounted close to a sharp bend. While the bus driver escaped, the policemen lost control and hit the principal.

A senior teacher, Mrs. Riskat Sanni, described the late Balogun as God-fearing, gentle and peaceful. Chairman of the NUT, Mr. Waheed Gbadegesin and his ANCOPSS colleague, Mr. A.O. Adeogun, called for justice.

Similarly, confusion reign on the streets of Effurun and Warri, Delta State on 14 August, 2007 when a lorry ran over an okada rider near a police checkpoint. What actually transpired between the lorry driver and the policemen could not be ascertained.

Four others were killed in similar circumstances in Effurun. Okada riders, therefore, went on the rampage in Warri and Effurun to protest the killing of their colleagues.

On 14 July, 2009, five students of Government Secondary School, Tunjga, Maji were killed while travelling on the Zuba-Gwagwalada (Abuja)-Lokoja road.

Reports said a police van gave their bus a chase after the driver allegedly failed to stop at a checkpoint. But the students’ bus ran into a gully on the road and crashed. Four policemen on the chase also sustained injuries.

The Abuja-Lokoja highway was blocked for more than three hours after the accident as students of College of Education, Zuba protested the killing of the students who were said to be going for the end of their school’s session prize giving day ceremony when the accident occurred.

Similarly, police road block accident was reported in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State in June 2010 when 20 commuters on Enugu-Onitsha road died.

Motorists protested the accidents when they blocked the Onitsha-Enugu road for many hours. The peaceful protest was later resolved by a joint team of policemen and the military.

However, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Emeka Chukwuemeka, denied the loss of lives in the accident.

As a result of the accident, the Senate Committee on Police Affairs summoned the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, the AIG Zone 9, Umuahia, Hafiz Ringim and the state Police Commissioner, Philemon Leha, to appear before it in Abuja.

Meanwhile, the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Oke Osanyintolu, has said that his men reacted swiftly to yesterday’s accident that occurred in front of the Jubilee Estate also known as Otedola Bridge.

In a SMS message to us, Osanyintolu confirmed that 20 vehicles were burnt while several persons were burnt beyond recognition. 18 other casualties, he said, were taken to a trauma centre for attention.

The Nigerian Animation Film Making Industry Gets a Boost: A Childhood Dream Materializes

SHRINKFISH Ltd, a newly incorporated Animation and Media Studios in Abuja, Nigeria has just one long standing intention: to substantially bring a change to the animation film making industry in Africa starting from Nigeria.

In 2009, the UN cultural organisation UNESCO, said that the Nigerian film making industry known as Nollywood was now the second-biggest film industry in the world thus pushing it one more rung up the ladder from the statistics of the previous year. Despite that, one can legitimately ask: "Where is Animation?"

This question is the major reason why Shrinkfish® was born. The company's 'history' goes back more than three decades before its incorporation in 2009. The driving force is Mr. Ifeanacho Okoye, who though without a film-making background, has gone that extra step to support a childhood dream and passion as embodied by Ebele Okoye.

Listening to the background information as being told by Mrs. Okoye, one cannot but say that the emergence of the company is a true result of perseverance and hard work. Mrs Okoye who grew up in the south eastern part of Nigeria says that Story-telling had always been part of her 'communal life'. Hear her:

"These stories were mostly handed down orally. As a child whose biggest companions were the characters in 'Charlie Brown' comics, I developed a very strong urge to extend this companionship to involve the heroes in my orally‐handed‐down stories told mostly by moonlight or around a crackling fire. I yearned for a medium through which I could share these heroes with "the rest of the world". These yearnings solidified my dreams of going into animation film‐making. However, due to the absence of film schools in Nigeria at that time, this dream could not materialize, so I studied Graphic design/Illustration after which I started looking for ways and places to gain knowledge in animation film‐making"

This knowledge was finally found more than three decades later at the International Film School Cologne, Germany through an intensive training in 2D Animation under well-known Names in Animation like Jimi Murakami ('A Christmas Carol') and the Oscar winning Michael Dudok de Wit ('Father and Daughter').

Through a strong urge to put motivation, experiences and goals in one basket, Shrinkfish® was founded in October 2009 by group individuals who share the passion and conviction of animation being a great channel for a cross‐cultural exchange.
According to Mrs. Okoye, the main goal at Shrinkfish® is to contribute to the African film‐making industry through animation and create cultural and creative awareness through cinematographic interpretations which lie within the realms of the current globalized social lifestyles while finding inspiration in the African folk Tales and the African society as a whole.

Asked how they intend to bring this through in a constellation like Nollywood where Animation has not yet received recognition, Mrs Okoye says:
"We know that it is not easy to promote animation -especially 2D- in this part of the world where people are more likely to relate with things that 'glitter', yet we are taking it step by step in seeing that we reach our goals. We have finished two shorts since October 2009 and are currently developing our first major production titled "The Legacy of Rubies", a 25-minutes short film inspired by African Folk tales"

The very first of such numerous planned productions titled "The Legacy of Rubies", will be kicking off in February 2011 using 100% local manpower. The production will be preceded by a hands-on training for 2D Animators. They hope that the production will inspire other film makers of African origin but specifically Nigerians to take bolder steps towards Animation, as a means of expression, which has a promising future in the African film‐making industry, especially in consideration of the fact that in film festivals in places like Europe, Asia and North America, animation films which are based on African stories or are playing in the African environment are either underrepresented or totally missing.

Having put into good consideration the numerous hurdles in the Nigerian social environment which do affect the productivity, Shrinkfish is structured in a way which allows the independent producers work at their own pace, yet with non-stop motivation and support under the supervision and management of a top African and European team whose experiences in film, television, Internet and print media go back to over 15 years.

Shrinkfish® is also involved in other aspects of animation like Music Videos, Dynamic content animation for Corporate Identity, Branding, Advertisement solutions, Internet,Training Films and Multimedia Presentations, not leaving out Personalized Packages.

In partnership with other bodies, they are also engaged in sustainable Training initiatives for children of very poor backgrounds, who are talented in the art of visual story-telling. The Pilot Project CCDI (Children Content Development Initiative) is being run globally in partnership with Nondyk Ventures based in South Africa.

10 things we won’t forgive in a relationship?

What happens when love goes sour? Resentment, bitterness and unforgiveness set in. Everyone is prone to make mistakes and as a result misunderstanding arises, tempers flare up, quarrels and then the partners begin to avoid each other.

The I’m-not-speaking-to-you mood may last for days and even weeks, unconsciously feeding the demon of unforgiveness. Has this ever happened to you? We went to town to speak with different people from different backgrounds on the 10 things they won’t forgive in a relationship. It’s revealing…

Tobi Ojo, Chartered Accountant
The things I can’t forgive in a relationship include unfaithfulness and murder. Polygamy for me is also unforgivable. If my spouse should disrespect my family members I can’t forgive that because I hold them in very high esteem. Lastly, when I find out that my spouse is gay (a homosexual), then I definitely take a walk because I can’t tolerate that at all.

Tola Otuyo, Business Analyst
I would have listed a lot of things I won’t forgive in a relationship but the truth is that what has kept my relationship going is that I have been forgiving all the while. And as the saying goes ‘to err is human but to forgive is divine.’ May I continue to have the grace to forgive.

Dayo Egbonwon, Marketer
I can go on and on about things I can’t forgive but the basic things I know I can’t easily forgive include a cheating spouse, lies, intolerance from my partner. Also I expect my spouse to be loyal all the time but if she becomes disloyal then I know there is a problem and I can’t forgive that. If my wife is a bisexual or if she commits a heinous crime like armed robbery, 419 or murder then I can’t forgive her because to me that is not the person I married.

Bode Ogundimu, Business Consultant
For me, the number 1-to-10 is adultery! adultery!! adultery!!! I can’t stand it if my wife sleeps with another man. Also if my wife deserts me when I’m ill or when I need her to donate an organ for me then I can’t forgive her. If my wife insults my parents or calls my mother a witch, if my wife or spouse gives me love potion and I later realize it, then I can’t forgive her. In fact if my wife is into voodoo or any form of black magic I can’t forgiver her.

Gbemi Abolarin
I was in an abusive relationship sometime ago. My man was cheating on me and he would flaunt it to my face. I tried my best to stop him but he never changed. Sometimes I even got the beating of my life and I would end up with injuries. On many occasions he would apologize and I will take him back. But in 2008 I ended the relationship despite the fact that we were almost getting married because it almost caused me my life. So what I’m saying is that I can’t forgive someone who beats me and cheats on me no matter what.

Emeka Ike, Actor
Ten things? Wow! But really the only thing I can’t forgive is my wife cheating on me. Also if my wife is rude to me in public but we can later trash that out and I can eventually forgive her. However, if my wife calls my mother a witch, I would forgive her you don’t know may be she gave her reasons to be suspicious (laughs) too. But you know my wife is just another human and the bible says we should forgive one another.

Stella Monye, Musician
As for me , he ten things I can’t forgive in a relationship include, cheating, lies, men who are not romantic, men who don’t pay attention to their spouses. A bad dresser, mouth odour (laughs), laziness, men who talk too much and those that don’t shave regularly.

Timi Gbenga
Really what is the essence of marriage if we can’t cover up our dirty linen? But there are exceptional cases and my number one would be adultery. If she is fetish, that really scares me. If she commits murder intentionally but really if she later becomes sober I have to be there for her. In the case of fraud, well, if she is found guilty, convicted and she finishes her sentence she can still come back home. But when she is unrepentant and then becomes a menace in the society then I can’t forgive that.

MC Abbey, Stand-up Comedian
I can forgive anything o! My heart is too busy with love to hold unforgiveness, no matter what. Trust me, I have seen things that could make someone find it very difficult to forgive but I can’t, I just let go and let God take control of the situation.

Dayo Babatunde, Ex-Model/Fashion designer
Basically, the two most important things I can’t forgive in a relationship are lies and cheating. You know cheating and telling lies go hand-in-hand. If you cheat, you would definitely tell lies. I can’t also forgive men that are lazy and lack patience. In addition to this, men who can’t tolerate children and men who don’t listen to their spouse.

UK deports 124 Nigerians

A total of 124 Nigerians have been deported from London following issues of indistinctness in their travel documents.

The deportees who arrived the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos over the weekend through a chartered aircraft with registration number PVT009 consists of 62 males, 52 females, and 10 children.

"They were all deported due to immigration related offences," said a source at the immigrations office at the airport who spoke on conditions of anonymity.

It could be recalled that in March, 85 Nigerians comprising of 59 males, 15 females, and 11 children were deported from the United Kingdom aboard a chartered aircraft with registration GCO-RJD.

The deportees, who landed at MMIA, Lagos were all sent packing from London still on issues of immigration related offences.

According to reports, over a million Nigerians are resident in the United Kingdom, with a greater concentration in Southern London.
Investigations have it that these residents send billions to their families in Nigeria in a bid to provide for their relatives back at home, though series of factors are said to have contributed to the migration of Nigerians out of their father land.

Meanwhile, the deportees, as in their custom, refused to speak with journalists as they left the cargo shed of the airport after undergoing screening by the immigration department.

For Me, Marriage Has Been Fun And Wahala -Julius Agwu

Julius Agwu and Wiffyyyyyyyy
One comedian who knows how to make the people laugh with his jokes is Julius Agwu. The Rivers State born comedian cum musician and a Theatre Arts graduate from the University of Port Harcourt told Adunola Fasuyi how he started comedy during his primary school days as punishment for coming late to school. Excerpts:

You were into music sometime ago, then you stopped. What happened to your music career or has comedy taken over completely?
I did not stop. After the first album, which was entitled: ‘Okombo’, people thought I did not have anything to offer with that song and that I just went into music for singing sake.

Then I did another song which I entitled, My Style’, the album has tracks like ‘Everybody show your handwork’ and ‘Sunita (When will you marry)’. After that album, I got married and I had to concentrate on building a family.

That was the reason I stepped back from music for a while. Presently, I have a beautiful daughter and I’m back onto the music scene because my third album is ready. The album should be out, hopefully, by the end of this month. So, I’m doing both, let’s say my style has an infusion of music and comedy.

What is the title of this new album? Should we expect the same comic lyrics?
The title is ‘D Genius’. Basically, what I do is music-comedy, but I try as much as possible to be eclectic in my style. It is a fusion of different styles from everything joined together.

There are different songs, there is gospel, there is hip hop, and the video of ‘Hello My Baby’ has been on air. There is a song that I featured 2Face ‘No Mind Them’.

I also featured a Ghanaian girl by name ‘Efya’ and many others. There are 10 tracks in the album. The packaging and the CD is being done abroad. It is going to be a bumper package of my music and DVD of Crack Ya Ribs in one.

Do you still do stand up comedy?
If I am called to perform, why not? We are in a business and everybody complements each other. These days, before I accept to perform in a show, I check if it is a show that would add value to my brand. I likewise check if I am going to add value to that brand. It is not every show that I can perform in. There are certain shows that can bring down your reputation, something I have suffered to build for years, no way.

These days, you do a lot of travelling in and out of the country, why is this so?
Oh, it’s all work. Just working hard, continuing and seeing how we can establish what we started long ago. That is the whole idea of the shuttling, because the job has to be done. Aside the Crack Ya Ribs show, I have an album that I’m working on. Besides, I have a brand to protect which I have to guard well.

How would you describe your marriage and does it infringe on your work schedule?
Oh it’s been fun and wahala. You have to explain whatever you are doing at any point in time, unlike before. The fun of getting married to a comedian means my wife does not quarrel with me all the time because if she does, it will form part of my jokes.

So, quarrels between me and my wife, which rarely happens anyway, form part of my jokes. Jokes are from everyday events in our lives you know. About work schedule, it’s just about planning and orderliness and doing the right thing at the right time.

You have reached the top in your career, how would you describe the journey so far and how do you maintain this?
In everything in life, there are challenges. There is the challenge of always re-inventing yourself, making sure that you are fresh, so that people will not say that you are no longer funny or relevant.
Comedy business is not like music business where you can come on stage and sing your old song. In fact, people actually request for the old songs. In comedy, you have to be fresh.

Sometimes, when you give people an old joke, they may hiss and say, ‘we don hear am before?’ ‘na only this joke you know?’ Such words can be embarrassing, so in comedy you must be creative and be on your toes to remain relevant.

So far, its not been easy, of course there were the teething stage but by and large, I have God to thank and I have been very hardworking too. I’m not there yet, but I’m still going.
Is there any difference in the comedy we have presently and the comedy we had in 1996 when A

Nite of A Thousand Laughs started?
If the truth must be told, I will say that then, jokes used to be like story telling. You will wait and be patient and listen to the scenario where they will paint picture for you. It is a kind of visual imagery; you wait until the end of the story before you get the joke.

But jokes have changed, comedy has changed. Now, you narrate happenings as if you are gisting with people then you chip in the joke.

Jokes are now things that people can relate with, day to day occurrences. It is just finding a way to observe things and look for the humour in it. Those days, people can just tell you joke but now, it has to be politically correct.

Your album was reviewed at your show last weekend. What other side attractions did you put to excite the audience?
People that were born in August joined and cut the special anniversary cake, members of the audience had a chance to come onto the stage to crack jokes. People thought it is easy to stand on a stage and make people laugh, but they now know better.

You are quite stylish. How does your career influence your style?
Whether you like it or not, the time we started was the time when a performer or an entertainer is seen as never do well. People see you as a dropout. So, at that time I started, one of my most important rules of being an entertainer is to make sure that I look good all the time.

It was mandatory for me to always look good and correct that wrong impression about entertainers. I made sure I looked very good to the extent that when people saw me, I would stand out and be different.

That was how I built the ‘Julius Agwu’ brand. My outfit, my clothing and my style would speak for me first before I start bringing out what I have inside.

I thought the sense came after the money started rolling in?
No, no, no! I have been a very fashion conscious person right from when I was very young. I took the stylish nature from my dad.

Those days that I was very young, I got what I could afford. I remember when I was much younger, in my university days, I used to buy what we call ‘Akube’ or ‘bend down select’ as many call it, washed it well and iron and each time I stepped out, oh, it was always beautiful. Then it was not a joke, the bend down select was ultimate, but now, levels don change and I buy from where my hand can reach. I don’t want to go into details. I love to look good basically.

You wear more of foreign than native attires. Is that your brand or what informs your outfit?
I dress the way the occasion demands. I wear jeans and T-shirts sometimes. Unfortunately, we live in a country were we don’t respect dress code. What I do with my dressing for event is that I try to make sure that I add value to that event with my appearance.

There is a way you dress to an event at times and someone will send you to go and buy pure water. If you are shabbily dressed to an event, the organisers may not let you perform. Your dressing plays on the audience psyche. When you are well-dressed, people admire you and it makes the job easier too, it gives you confidence but you have to have something in your head and then the clothing will complement it.

What do you think of the slim jeans in vogue for men now?
I love slim jeans but my wife does not like it. She says that people will think I am gay when I wear them but it is just fashion.

What’s your best colours?
I love bright colours because I like to shine. I have always been a bright colour person right from time.

Like how many suits do you have in your wardrobe?
I give out clothes a lot. Right now as I speak, I should have about 60 or more suits. I have a working closet. It is like a room that stores all my clothes, shoes and belts and other accessories.

But if you are too flamboyant, the audience may be distracted with your dressing or…..(cuts in)
That is if you overdress. I don’t overdress. My style basically is what makes me look good. It must make me outstanding and it must fit me.

How do you mean exactly?
Well, if I have my size in colours that I like, they make me look good. It may interest you that I even have Indian wears. Whatever stands me out interests me. For you to stand out, you have to be outstanding and as a public person, you must look good.

Are you a freak for any fashion items?
I am a freak for sunshades, i.e. glasses, shirts, shoes and belts. I like them a lot. I love shopping a lot and it has been causing problem between me and my wife. I am a compulsive buyer.

Those days when I was not married, I could just buy as many as possible, but right now, I check how the family is first. I prioritise. Sometimes, when I buy, I hide it in my boot and after sometimes, I’ll bring it out to wear and when she asks me, I will say, ‘ha, something that has been here since.’

Can you shop all year round?
I don’t think I can. I just got back from the United States of America last week and I shopped for only my wife and daughter. They have caught the bug. I cannot stop shopping for myself or for them.

Any particular designers?
I look out for things that are classy. My glasses is Posh, my shoe is Début, my suits and shirts are from different designers. I go for what is good and classy, it doesn’t have to be well-known designers.

Some people think that wearing native dresses makes one look less expensive, what is your opinion?
I don’t think so. There are traditional attires that are very expensive. You wear traditional attire to suit the occasion. You cannot be going to a cocktail dinner that is a black tie affair and you are wearing agbada, what message are you trying to pass? That you are humble? It does not make sense.

Do you wear clothes made by Nigerian designers?
Of course, there is this young guy called Tunde Marcos. There are a lot of young people that are making marvelous outfits. People are now bold to come out to showcase their talent in different areas unlike before when you can count the number of tailors. Tunde Marcos makes clothes that I wear to big events. I am like his model but it is coded. It is not defined in black and white.

Is there a kind of fashion that you don’t do?
I don’t do Tommy Hilfiger. I try to avoid him, especially after what he said about his design not meant for black people.

9ice Slams Ruggedman In New Song

Nigerian Afro Hip Hop singer, Abolore ‘9ice’ Akande, has reacted in a new song to the jibes being thrown at him by award-winning rap star, Michael Ugochukwu Stephens, otherwise known as Ruggeman.

The hitherto rosy relationship between the two musicians hit the rocks following the release of the controversial song titled Once Beaten, Twice Shy in 9ice’s current album Tradition.

In the song, 9ice claimed in one of his lines that he saw his girl having an affair with a close friend of his. And since the release of the controversial song, particularly at a time when 9ice walked out of his marriage to Toni Payne, people have been pointing fingers at Ruggedman as the man in the middle of the crisis.

Though Ruggeman has debunked the rumour, his moves to vindicate himself from the saga seems not to be enough as 9ice refused to publicly clear the air on the matter.

The Baraje crooner stressed that in a bid to protect his integrity, he has advised 9ice several times to issue a press statement that will reveal the truth about the whole issue, but instead, the Ogbomoso, Oyo State born-singer decided to remain silent.

However, in an interview he granted a soft-sell magazine recently, Ruggeman stated that he won’t forgive 9ice, until he apologises to him publicly.

“Well, I can’t reconcile with him when he does the wrong thing. I can only reconcile if he comes and apologise, but if he doesn’t, I can’t. In fact, I heard that he is releasing an album on my birthday, 20 September and I feel honoured.”

Sources close to 9ice disclosed to NFC that in one of the tracks in 9ice’s forthcoming album, he took Ruggedman to the cleaners, and that is why he decided to make it a ‘birthday gift’ for him.

Meanwhile, when our reporter called 9ice at about 12:03 p.m. yesterday, it was his manager, Dehinde a.k.a. Mode F that picked the call and he claimed that 9ice is too busy to be reacting to such jibes.

According to him, “see Bayo, 9ice is very busy at the moment. He has been doing a lot of shows and is also working on many projects, so there is no time to react to such thing. I have not read the Ruggedman story anyway because we hardly have time to read papers.”

In a recent interview, ID Cabassa, the producer of the controversial song, claimed that 9ice had recorded the song even before the hiccup in his relationship with Payne.

He said that during the recording of Once Beaten, Twice Shy, it was even Payne that prepared the food they ate.