Veteran Nigerian actress, dancer, and vocalist, Toun Oni is dead. The actress passed away Wednesday morningwhile being rushed to the hospital.

“She complained about not feeling too well last night and thenthis morning she felt very weak so we had to rush her to the St Paul’sHospital, Ebute-Metta, but she passed away before we arrived there,”said her son, Toyin Oni. “We were rushing her to the hospital from ourAjah home.” The body of the late actress has been deposited at St Paul’sHospital, while funeral arrangements are currently being finalised atthe family house at 66a Brick Field Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos.

Fondly called Mama T, Toun Oni was one of Nigeria’s most successful cross-over actresses. She was also arecipient of the prestigious Order of Niger (OON), conferred in 2006. Astaunch Jehovah Witness, she will be remembered for her many movieroles. Her most memorably roles were undoubtedly on television, withparts in one of Nigeria’s longest running soap opera, ‘Checkmate,’ andthe popular ‘Fuji House of Commotion,’ where she played Mama Moji.

Equally at home in movies and television, she tended to feature more in soap operas, and it is forthese that she will be remembered by most fans. Amaka Igwe, who produced‘Fuji House of Commotion,’ could not be reached for her reaction on thelate actress’ death as at press time. Toun Oni’s career dated back tothe 70s. She was aged 67..

Disses Home Team :Cavaliers

Disses good Friend:Jay Z part owner of Nets

Disses money:Chicago Bulls was reputed to have made him a Don Corleone offer he couldnt refuse but he did !

The former king and chosen one GOES FOR FAME & GLORY with Dwyane Wade (The flash) & Chris Bosh (CB4 )

Perhaps the most hysterically-hyped free agent in sports history, James announced Thursday night on national TV that he plans to leave Cleveland to join the Miami Heat for a chance to play with Olympic teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Photos: lebron,bosh & wade

It's a power trio that could rock the league for years to come.

"I can't say it was always in my plans, because I never thought it was possible," said James, who wrestled with his decision for weeks. "But the things that the Miami Heat franchise have done, to free up cap space and be able to put themselves in a position this summer to have all three of us, it was hard to turn down.

"Those are two great players, two of the greatest players that we have in this game today."

Add in James, and Miami has a three-headed monster.

Ending weeks of round-the-clock speculation, the two-time MVP said he was uncertain until the eleventh hour before deciding that the only way he could fulfill his dreams of winning multiple championships was to leave his home state and a city that hasn't sprayed championship champagne in 46 years.

See ya, Cleveland.

Sorry, New York, Chicago, New Jersey, Los Angeles and all you other NBA cities who came calling.

Hello, South Beach.

"It's going to give me the best opportunity to win," James said. "We're going to be a real good team."

That's not what Cleveland wanted to hear.

Fans poured out of the same downtown bars and restaurants that have thrived with James around in frustration moments after the announcement. A few set fire to his No. 23 jersey while others threw rocks at the 10-story-tall billboard featuring James with his head tossed back and arms pointing skyward.

"We Are All Witnesses," the mural says.

This was something Cleveland never thought it would see.

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert posted an open letter to fans on the team's website ripping James and told The Associated Press he believes James did not play up to his abilities in Cleveland's second-round loss to Boston.

"He quit," Gilbert said. "Not just in Game 5, but in Games 2, 4 and 6. Watch the tape. The Boston series was unlike anything in the history of sports for a superstar. ... People have covered up for him for way too long."

Not Gilbert, not anymore.

"As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier," Gilbert wrote. "This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his 'decision' unlike anything ever 'witnessed' in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment. Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

"The self-declared former 'King' will be taking the 'curse' with him down south. And until he does 'right' by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.

"Just watch."

Olympic teammates four years ago in Beijing, James, Bosh and Wade all helped deliver gold medals while playing for the U.S.

This time, the superstars will pursue another gold prize — an NBA trophy — the one Wade got in 2006, the one that James and Bosh have yet to touch.

"Winning is a huge thing for me," said James, who left more than $30 million on the table by not signing with Cleveland.

It's a huge victory for the Heat, which got Wade and Bosh, a five-time All-Star with the Toronto Raptors, to agree to take less money on Wednesday so James could join them. Heat president Pat Riley was able to corral the top three stars in an unprecedented free-agent class.

So while Miami is building a dynasty, Cleveland is devastated.

In a city scorned for generations by some of sports' biggest letdowns, James' long-awaited words that he is leaving represented a defeat perhaps unlike any other.

"The Decision," the name of the prime-time, hour-long special James and his team of advisers brokered with ESPN, now joins "The Drive," ''The Shot," ''The Fumble," and "The Move" in Cleveland's sports hall of shame.

Cleveland fans, so accustomed to disappointment, have been let down again — this time, by one of their owns sons.

Not long after James' decision was announced, one of his jerseys was shown being burned in the city's streets.

"I can't get involved in that," James said. "I wanted to do what was best for LeBron James ... At the end of the day, I feel awful. I feel even worse that I wasn't able to bring an NBA championship to that city. I never wanted to leave Cleveland. My heart will always be around that area. But I also felt like this is the greatest challenge for me, is to move on."

James' decision ends nearly two years of posturing and positioning by teams hoping to add the 6-foot-8, 260-pound physical force of nature to their roster. He famously announced at New York's Madison Square Garden in November of 2008 that "July 1, 2010, is going to be a big day."

He wasn't kidding. When the clock struck 12:01 a.m. last Thursday, a free-agent frenzy unlike any before it — in any professional sport — got under way with the enough speculation, rumor and second-by-second intrigue to last a lifetime.

March may be madness, but this was a year's drama crammed into eight days.

James, Wade and Bosh were wined and dined by suitors who spared no expense to make them feel special. It was billionaires chasing millionaires, and depending on your view, it was either a shining moment for the NBA or a travesty.

Commissioner David Stern probably didn't mind any of it. The league stayed front and center in newspapers, on the Internet and in the blogosphere, leaving the World Cup, Wimbledon, Major League Baseball and other goings on fighting for scraps.

Last week, the Heat, Cavaliers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls converged on Cleveland to make their sales pitch to the league's most wanted man. The Cavs only had to drive across town to meet with in the business offices of the local superstar, who grew up in a single-parent home in the Akron projects and has known no other pro basketball home.

The Cavs appealed to James' loyalty, his Buckeye roots and the fact that this is where he is raising his two young sons, to keep him. They hired Byron Scott as their new coach last week.

None of it worked.

"We believe in this team, this organization, this community, and what we will do to compete at the highest level," Cavs general manager Chris Grant said in a statement that did not mention James. "We believe in the new coach and leader we have in Byron Scott, and the world class basketball organization and positive and strong culture we've established."

New York devoted two years to trying to snare James.

"We are disappointed that LeBron James did not pick the New York Knicks, but we respect his decision," Knicks president Donnie Walsh said.

New Jersey couldn't land him despite having rapper Jay-Z, a good friend of James, as a part owner.

"We have a vision of a championship team and need to invest wisely and for the long term," Nets billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov said. "Fortunately, we have more than one plan to reach success, and, as I have found in all areas of my business, that is key to achieving it."

And Bulls general manager Gar Forman said he was convinced his organization "made the strongest of bids to acquire LeBron James during this free agency period."

Wade has shared the spotlight in the Heat locker room before, doing so when O'Neal was there for the 2006 title run. James said that if not for Wade being willing to make this megadeal happen, the trio wouldn't be together.

"D-Wade, he's the unselfish guy here," James said. "To be able to have Chris Bosh and LeBron James, to welcome us to his team, it's not about an individual here.

"It's about a team."

sorry lebron money & fame is not everything what about family ? Remember the fab 5

Niger Delta Militants Protesting against non-registration and non-payment of their allowance reportedly blocked the Abaji-Gwagwalada end of the road to Abuja, Leaving thousands of commuters stranded on the busy highway.

The Militants who were prevented from entering Abuja by policemen vented their frustration by taking over the road and causing serious traffic gridlock that lasted for hours.

Only last week, some Militants in Cross River State, rough handled Alaibe at the "Peace Training" camp in Obubra near Calabar, over the same issues.

Nigeria asks for Akingbola's arrest, extradition

The letter, dated July 1, and signed by the Attorney General of the federation, Mohammed Adoke, was addressed to the British Home Secretary, the Home Office, and the United Kingdom Central Authority, London.

The request by the government was consequent upon a request from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for Mr. Akingbola to be extradited to face trial for 28 charges preferred against him for fraud-related offences at the bank.

List of offences

The charges cover allegations of financial misappropriation, money laundering, financial malpractices, corrupt practices, and other related offences pending against him at the Federal High Court (FHC), Lagos.

The Attorney General, who prayed the Home Secretary to grant the request in the interest of justice, said government's action was pursuant to the Extradition Act (Designation of Part 2 Territories) Order 2003 (SI2003 No.3334) of the United Kingdom, for the purpose of his being brought home to stand trial for the offences he is being charged.

The request was supported with an affidavit deposed to by Ibeakaku Nkechi Rita, a deputy superintendent of the EFCC, as well as a certification signed by Ahmed T. Almakura, senior state counsel of the Federal Ministry of Justice.

History

In the wake of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervention in the nation's banking sector, which resulted in the sack of the chief executives of five banks last year, Mr. Akingbola, who was abroad when he was sacked along with others, decided to stay away from the country.

This led to his being declared wanted by the anti-graft agency. He was declared wanted in connection with alleged fraudulent abuse of credit process, insider trading, capital market manipulation, and money laundering running into billions of naira.

Though several requests were reportedly sent to various international security agencies around the world, including the INTERPOL to help facilitate Mr. Akingbola's arrest and extradition, these appear to have been to no avail.

Property sealed off

Early this year, the EFCC sealed off his Lagos home, located at 12, Ruxton Road in Ikoyi, in line with the order of the Federal High Court, Lagos, presided over by Justice Tijuana Abubakar, that his assets be seized and his bank accounts frozen to help recover depositors' fund, allegedly misappropriated under his stewardship in the bank.

The court also granted an order of Mareva Injunction restraining Mr. Akingbola, his wife, Anthonia Tolulope Akingbola, his children, relatives, solicitors, servants, associates, trustees, agents, privies and companies from removing, alienating, disposing of, or diminishing the value of assets whether held directly or indirectly, or for his benefit within the jurisdiction of the court up to the amount set out, pending his trial.

The arrest and extradition order, which was dispatched by DHL Courier Services for his service at his known abode at No. 26 Chester Terrace, London, England, NW 14 ND, also restrained him from giving directions for sale, transfer, alienation, disposal, dealing with stocks, or other forms of securities held or kept by the central securities clearing system in Nigeria, or any custodian, stock broker, registrar, held whether directly or indirectly by him.

For the sixth time, Zain Nigeria has got a new name. The mobile phone company that started trading as Econet in 2001 and the first to be licensed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) became Bharti Airtel Nigeria on Tuesday, following the sale of Zain Africa to Bharti Airtel India.

At a press conference in Lagos, the management staff of Bharti Airtel Group reaffirmed that the new management and brand are committed to doing business in Nigeria, its turbulent history notwithstanding.

NEXT reported in our February 28 edition, that Broad Communications, a major shareholder of Zain Nigeria, had accused the majority shareholders, Zain Group, Kuwait, of mismanagement, fraud, and capital flight to the tune of N16.6 billion. Broad further accused Zain Kuwait of not paying its shareholders dividends since the Kuwait group started managing the firm.

In June, Broad again filed a suit against the directors of Zain Nigeria over the five-year lease of the company's head office at Ikoyi for $27 million..

Oba Otudeko, the company chairman said on Tuesday, "You do not require any education on the history of our company through all the twists and turns over the years. One thing I must say, however, is that our resilience and the grace of God have left us stronger and more resolved to serve you better.

"Indeed we have come a long way and achieved a number of remarkable milestones, as reflected in numbers of firsts that we have recorded in the Nigerian telecom industry. On behalf of the board and management, I want to assure Nigerians that our best is yet to come."

Also speaking, Rajan Swaroop, the new chief executive officer said, "Let me also reaffirm our commitment as a business to continue to go the extra mile to meet and exceed the expectations of our customers. With Bharti Aritel, we can only do better. Bharti Aritel would build on the momentum of activities to ensure we provide quality services to all Nigerians, irrespective of their economic power and social status."

A new name all the time

The company started as Econet Wireless Nigeria (2001); Vodacom Nigeria (2004); and the same year to V-Mobile Nigeria; Celtel Nigeria (2006); to Zain Nigeria (2008) and now Bharti Airtel Nigeria.

According to Manjo Kohli, the Africa group chief executive officer of Bharti Airtel, the new brand name would coincide with the 50th Independence anniversary of Nigeria on October 1.

"We will invest $600 million in Bharti Airtel Nigeria in the next three years. Fifty per cent of that amount would come up in the first year. We have looked that the Nigerian telecom industry and have discovered three issues: quality of service, freedom to make calls and affordability of service which we would work on to provide quality service to consumers," added Mr Kohli.

Subscribers are, however, concerned about the quality of service following another name change. Deolu Ogunbanjo, the president of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS) said via phone, "Somehow, I do not expect that the new change in name would affect them because of their subscriber's volume but may affect them if their quality of service becomes bad.

"Once they zero their mind on the quality of service and cheaper tariffs, then they would be able to survive the change. Considering the volume of subscribers Bharti Airtel has around the world and its history, it would be able to bring down Nigerian tariff."

Frank Okafor, a subscriber said, "I am not concerned about their change of name but about the quality of their service which I hope improves soon or they will lose subscribers."

Following the acquisition of Zain Africa in 15 countries, Bharti Airtel becomes the fifth largest mobile company in the world with over 180 million customers across its business units.

"It's like someone who cheats but doesn't think it's cheating if they don't get caught," Judge Marsha Revel saidin finding that Lohan had violated the terms of her probation forreckless driving and two DUI charges from 2007. Revel noted severalinstances over the last few years in which the actress lied about takingdrugs and drinking.

A teary Lohan addressed the court before being sentenced.. She said that "as far as I knew I was in compliancewith my programs."

"I wasn't trying to get special treatment," said the actress, whose credits include Mean Girls, FreakyFriday and Herbie Fully Loaded. "I have to provide formyself. I have to work. Having said that, I did everything to balance myjobs and showing up. I'm not taking this as a joke. It's my life. It'smy career. ... I take responsibility for my actions. I've tried to dothe best I can. It's been such a long haul, I don't want you to thinkthat I don't respect you."

After she's out of jail, Lohan must do 90 days in a rehab center. She'll surrender in two weeks.

A good friend of our in Mequon lost their 25 years old son (Arun Gopal Ratnam) in a fire at home June 4th. This what happened. He graduated with MBA from University of Wisconsin-Madison two weeks earlier and came home. Had a lunch with his dad at home and decided to bach to clean up his room at school.

The dad told him to wait and see his mother before he goes back for a few days decided to take a nap while waiting for his mom to come home from work. Neighbours called 911 when they saw black smoke coming out of the house. Their 25 years old son Arun died in the three old house. It took several days of investigation to find out the cause of the fire. it was discovered that the fire was caused by lap top in the bed.

When the lap top is on the bed, cooling fans does not get air to cool the computer and that is what caused the fire. He did not even wake up to get out of the bed, he died of carbon monxide (CO).

The reason am writing this to all of you is that, I have seen all of "us" using our lap top in bed. Lat us all decide to make it a practce not to do that.

RISK IS REAL.

Lat us make it a rule not to use lap top in bed or put computer on bed with blankets and pillows around. Please, Broadcast this message and you may save others.

Ukrainian illegal immigrants lived life of luxury after conning HMRC into paying out £4.5million in tax rebate scam

A gang of Ukrainian illegal immigrants enjoyed a lavish lifestyle of expensive cars and luxury apartments after swindling £4.5million from the tax office by using false identities to claim tax rebates.

A court was told the fraudsters found the streets of London were 'paved with gold' after successfully claiming back millions of pounds through false applications.

A judge criticised the ease at which the gang was able to dupe HM Revenue and Customs by using 'flawless' identity documents and setting up bogus bogus firms to appear as employers on the doctored self assessment forms.

Elaborate fraud: Members of a gang of Ukrainian conmen enjoy the spoils of their luxury lifestyle, which was funded through a £4.5million tax con

In each case, the gang made it appear as if the applicants had paid too much tax, and were owed a rebate.

The fraud was so convincing that Revenue officials were duped into paying out more than £4.5million, out of total applications for more than £8million.

Eleven members of the gang were sentenced to a total of 42 years and 10 months at Southwark Crown Court on Friday for conspiracy to cheat the Revenue.

By the time the con was uncovered last year the gang had spent a fortune on top-of-the-range cars, luxury apartments, weapons and lavish parties..

Judge Christopher Hardy, criticised the ease with which the defendants were able to obtain money.

He said: 'The prosecution has said the system was based on trust. Sadly, however, trust has become a very risky and unwise basis in this day and age to disperse millions of pounds of public money.

'It must have seemed to you as if truly the streets of London were paved with gold.'

Life of luxury: The illegal immigrants enjoyed lavish parties in London after using false identities to claim millions of pounds in tax rebates

He added that while the scam was not sophisticated 'you made up for it with the relentless determination and efficiency with which you went about relieving the British taxpayer of this money.'

The mastermind of the fraud, Ukrainian Volodymyr Panchak, 27, received a sentence of six years and one month.

His cousin Roman Panchak, 32, and Yuriy Brovarsky, 26, received five years each; Olegs Parkov, 35, was jailed for four-and-a-half years; Krzysztof Giers, 32, Olesya Kovbasa, 28, and Oleg Zdyshcuhuk, 23, four years apiece; Marek Pic, 25, three years and nine months; Marek Krinicki, 25, three years, and Andrey Klym, 26 and Andrey Babukh, 31, each received a year and nine months.

Another man, Vitalijuis Kostrominas, is on the run after he leapt from a fourth floor balcony and ran away when police tried to arrest him at a flat in Brentford.

Scam: HMRC officers found fake bank cards, guns, swords and cash when they swooped on the gang's properties in Brentford last year

Prosecutor Rosina Cottage told the court that Panchak and his henchmen took advantage of the system which allows self employed workers to claim money back if they have paid too much income tax.

Over a three year period between June 2006 and July last year, they created 1200 false identities and set up 600 bank accounts into which the rebates were paid.

Applications were made online through the HMRC website.

All of the defendants had either entered the country illegally, or had overstayed after their visas expired.

Panchak was arrested in March last year, and police followed up with raids on various West London addresses, seizing notebooks full of names and details of individuals, as well as £361,000 in cash.

Scores of false identity documents and driving license applications were also uncovered.

Miss Cottage said the gang members bought the identities of real people who resembled them physically, before applying for new photocards with 'up-to-date' photographs of themselves.

'They used the DVLA to create perfect, untraceable identity documents for themselves', she said.

The fraudsters used their ill-gotten gains to lead a lavish lifestyle, blowing thousands on brand new Range Rovers and BMWs, and enjoying days out skydiving together.

The court heard Panchak's ultimate aim was to run an ongoing fraud at arm's length from an operating base in the Ukraine.

Tragedy struck at the weekend at the parsonage of the Assemblies of God Church, Laguru, Umuosu Ubakala, near Umuahia, Abia State, when the resident pastor, Monday Jacob, was found unconscious in his living room with his wife and two sons dead. Photo:The ill fated Match that blew No African any good The family was suspected to be watching the Ghana versus Uruguay match in the ongoing World Cup last Friday when tragedy struck.

Mr. Jacob was said to have packed into the apartment on 30 June, and was suspected to be watching the Ghana versus Uruguay match in the ongoing World Cup last Friday when the tragedy struck, as they were found in sitting positions in front of their television.

Neighbours believed that the family must have died from the fumes from a generating set which powered the electrical appliances in the apartment, which was found at the staircase of the one-storey building with its switch button in the on position, though there was no fuel.

Investigations revealed that while Mr. Jacob was found in a sitting position unconscious when the door of the house was forced open, his first son, a final year Political Science student of Abia State University, Uturu, and his second son were also in the same position, while his wife was lying dead on a six-spring foam.

No Sunday school

It was gathered that members of the church became apprehensive when their pastor or any member of the family was not present at the Sunday School at 8am and could not pick calls put across to them. They went to the house to find out why, but were shocked when there was no response from inside.

It was also gathered that members who had called on them on Saturday had found the doors locked and concluded that they had traveled, without knowing that the family were in distress. They were said to have contacted the police at the Ubakala Police Division who accompanied them to force the door of the house open and discovered the shocking scenario.

The victims were rushed to a nearby hospital where the three were confirmed dead, while the doctors battled to resuscitate Mr. Jacob who was struggling to breathe.

It was further gathered that Mr. Jacob has been transferred to a hospital in Enugu, as the resident doctors’ strike at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, made it imperative that he be referred to a competent hospital.

Chidi Okoroafor, the Umuahia District head of the Assemblies of God, expressed shock at the incident and said it was too early to say the cause of the incident, but assured the police have started investigation to unravel the mystery.

Basketball star Manute Bol was buried in his family’s hometown in south Sudan on Sunday and hundreds of mourners paid tribute to the man whose talent took him from the grazing lands of Africa to NBA fame.

Sudan-born Bol, a phenomenon through 10 NBA seasons, thanks to his 7-foot, 7-inch (2.31-metre) frame and ability to block opponents’ shots, died in a U.S. hospital on June 19, aged 47.

Bol herded his family’s cattle in south Sudan as a boy and was spotted playing basketball in Khartoum by a visiting U.S. coach. After his NBA career, he continued to focus his time and wealth on humanitarian work in his underdeveloped homeland.

The charity he worked with building schools, said the cause of death was kidney failure and a painful skin disease, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, which worsened after his last trip to Sudan during the country’s April elections.

Giving his all

A plane carrying Bol’s body arrived in south Sudan’s capital Juba on Saturday. On Sunday, members of his extended family and local politicians accompanied Bol’s remains on a two-hour plane ride and four-hour road trek to Turalei, his remote hometown in the region’s Warrap state.

“There are lots of family here, lots of people who loved him very much ... He gave his life for south Sudan,” Bol’s wife Ajok Deng told Reuters before the burial.

“We are here because he told me ‘I want to be buried next to my grandfather’. We’re here to go according to his will.” His wife said she was planning to stay in Sudan for a few days with their three sons and one daughter before returning to their U.S. home in Olathe, Kansas.

Hundreds of people from surrounding villages walked to Turalei for the burial and lined the road from outside the settlement right up to his family’s mud-walled hut.

Young men carried pictures of the sports star and a local basketball team accompanied the coffin that was lowered into the grave lined with cattle hides..

Locals would continue slaughtering bulls in his honour until Tuesday, as part of the funeral rites that mixed Christianity with Dinka tribal custom, said Bol’s brother Nicola, adding: “He will be remembered for all the charity work he did in Sudan.” Bol, who played for Washington, Golden State, Philadelphia and Miami, is tied for the record as the tallest person to play in the NBA. He also owns the career record for most blocked shots per 48 minutes of playing time.

South Sudan’s president Salva Kiir paid tribute to Bol’s work during a Catholic requiem mass in Juba on Saturday, saying he supported the region during its decades-long civil war with north Sudan.

The oil-producing territory is just over six months away from the scheduled start of a referendum on whether it should split away from Sudan as an independent country, a vote promised under the 2005 accord that ended the civil war.