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

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

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.” 

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.

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

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