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Mr Duke was driven away in his car, sandwiched between some senior police officers, to the state police headquarters at Diamond Hill where he was interrogated and afterwards released. He returned to the venue of the ceremony just when it was over to the palpable relief of his wife and admirers. He did not witness the cutting of the tape at the reception of the hospital.
A detachment of anti-riot policemen, led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police [operations], arrived at the venue and went straight to the master of ceremony and demanded to know who were the organizers and upon being referred to Mrs. Duke, engaged her in a discussion which attracted the husband's attention.
The former governor was told in clear terms that they have orders from above to stop the ceremony and would want him to follow them to the state headquarters of the force to answer some questions. The drama between him and the police took place beside the Murtala Mohammed Highway, where the hospital is located.
There were two version of Duke's arrest. One version has it that the police were acting on a court order stopping the ceremony from taking place while the other said the law enforcement agents swooped on the venue because it was an unauthorized political meeting summoned by Mr Duke.
The hospital complex is the state secretariat of the defunct National Republican Convention [NRC] of the botched Third Republic . It is a government facility which the Dukes used official fiat, while in power, to convert to a private use.
Rehabilitation work on it commenced during the second term of Mr Duke. At that time, Mrs. Duke told the press that the hospital was being constructed under public-private-partnership [PPP]. But today, the ownership of this specialist hospital for women and children resides with Mrs Duke.
This is the second time in a week that the now estranged political allies are having a brush. Penultimate Saturday, state governor, Liyel Imoke stopped the Cross River University of Technology [CRUTECH] from conferring an honorary doctorate degree on his predecessor who founded the university on the excuse that since the institution has not commenced post graduate studies, it cannot award such certificate.
Ever since Mr Duke dumped the PDP for another party to enable him realize his presidential ambition, relations between him and Mr Imoke have been in the freezer.
Recently, the state leadership of the PDP went on air to deride Mr Duke's resignation from the party and warned party members to stay clear of the former governor. Despite this, Mr Duke, who brooked no opposition during his eight years reign, has been holding nocturnal meetings with some of his former aides with a view to making them his foot soldiers in the state ahead of next year's general elections.
Mr Imoke and members of his cabinet shunned the hospital inauguration ceremony. Mrs. Obioma Imoke too was away at Biase Local Government Area for the launch of her pneumonia programme.
Chief consultant of the Women and Children Hospital and former commissioner of Health under Duke, Joseph Ana described as political the attempt to disrupt the ceremony. He said that as a private hospital, the institution does not require the presence of government officials to have it inaugurated.
The former commissioner described the hospital as a referral center that would help to attend to paediatric cases in the country ant the entire West Africa sub region given its state of the art facilities in modern health technology.
Gary Coleman: The Child Star Who Never Had It All
Gary Coleman was taller than you might've thought. He was world-weary for longer than you might've feared. And he was not the former child star you might've imagined.
The quintessential former child star is a person whose early success is a curse, who gets it all—fame, wealth, influence—only to lose it all, mugshot by mugshot by Cash Call commercial.
Coleman looked as if he fit the bill better than anyone. But not if you know the whole story.
Now, even though I wrote a book on former child stars, I don't pretend to know the whole story. I don't know what happened to Coleman's millions. I don't know why a joint autobiography written with his parents discussed the night his mother gave birth to him, even though she evidently didn't—he was adopted.
But I know this: Coleman, who died today at age 42, couldn't lose it all if he never had it all.
When he was just 22 months old, it was learned a knotted-up ureter tube had blocked off, and essentially killed his kidneys. Until the age of 4, he relieved himself through two holes that doctors cut into his stomach. For a time, he was equipped with a pouch that the preschool-aged Coleman could manipulate to make it look as though he was peeing just like all the other boys. When he was 5, he underwent kidney-transplant surgery.
So, no, Coleman never had it all.
Even when you thought he had it all—when he was the biggest child-star of the late 1970s-early 1980s, when he was the kid who saved the then-struggling NBC, when he was earning as much as $3 million a year from Diff'rent Strokes and his far-flung enterprises—he didn't.
In fact, he only appeared to have it all precisely because he never had it all.
Following the kidney transplant, Coleman was put on a steroid regimen to guard against organ rejection. The treatment had two side effects: One, it stunted his growth; two, it made him the Hollywood ideal—the performer who can play younger, much younger. That Coleman could sell a punchline made him a talent. The fact that, as a 10-year-old, he could sell a punchline looking like a cherubic 8-year-old made him a phenomenon.
Hollywood has probably never taken more advantage of a disadvantage.
Diff'rent Strokes curse? Child-star curse? Coleman wasn't one for self-pity or excuses, and he didn't do curses. "I just happen to be one who has survived, who has survived being chewed upon," he told me in 2001.
Coleman's determination was double-edged: Because he perservered, he spent more years as a former child star—as the ultimate former child star—than he did as a child star. He spent more years living down Arnold Jackson than he spent living it up as him.
One thing Coleman never seemed to spend time on, however, was trying to get back what he once had. Sure, he'd appear on your TV show or do your movie if the money was there, but he never seemed desperate, as former child stars can be, for a return to the spotlight. For a return to the good old days.
Maybe he knew he they were never that good to begin with.
Read more: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b183481_gary_coleman_child_star_who_never_had.html#ixzz0pJHOJMuv
Colombian football team robbed in South Africa two weeks ahead of the World Cup..
The Colombian football team has been robbed in South Africa two weeks before the start of the World Cup.
The team lost £1,800 pounds worth of U.S. dollars and euros on Tuesday after players were targeted at their hotel in Johannesburg.
Two female workers at the five star Hyde Park Southern Sun were arrested for allegedly taking the cash from the players' suitcases after they arrived to play an international friendly against South Africa.
Police spokesman Eugene Opperman said the pair had been charged with theft and appeared in court.
He said: 'They are accused of taking the money after going through suitcases and bags in several rooms on May 25.
'We were informed about the theft the following day and officers investigated. The suspects were cleaners at the hotel. They were arrested at the hotel and are being held in custody.
'It appears it was an inside job.'
The theft allegation is likely to be seen as a major embarrassment to South Africa so close to the start of the tournament.
South Africa's Times newspaper named the pair as Lucky Mahlatsi, 25, and Jeanet Mashimbyi, 29, from neighbouring Lesotho.
They will reappear in court next week.
Charges against a third woman were dropped because of lack of evidence.
The Colombian national team, who did not qualify to play in the World Cup, arrived in South Africa on Monday.
Last night they lost 2 - 1 in a friendly against the tournament hosts at the flagship Soccer City stadium.
The Hyde Park Southern Sun will host England's group stage rivals Slovenia during the tournament.
The eastern European squad is expected to arrive in South Africa on June 7.
Some of the 31 visiting nations have already arrived in Johannesburg and other teams are expected over the weekend..
Organisers have repeatedly stated their confidence in the ability of the police to protect players' and fans during the tournament.
But last year officers were called to investigate theft charges against the Egyptian national team during their stay in South Africa.
The players lost around £1,600 in U.S. dollars after being targeted at their Johannesburg hotel during the Confederations Cup.
Today a Fifa spokesman declined to comment on the robbery but said the security arrangements in place for the Colombian team's visit were not the same as those that had been arranged for World Cup teams.
As we were informed, a couple of week ago, N10m belonging to a company in Abuja known as Baye-Ebi Nigeria Enterprise suddenly developed wings and flew from the account to another new account. According to information, the company, Baye-Ebi is one of the best customers of the Abuja branch of the bank. The bank staff, Oloyede Oluwaseyi allegedly said to have transferred the said money into another account in the branch, Easy Trade Concepts. Shortly after the transfer, we reliably gathered that, the money was immediately transferred again from the new account to unknown destination.
As you're reading this, the management of Finbank are said to be running here and there to save the good name of their bank now that the team of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have waded into the matter with a letter from the chairman to fish out the culprits or face the wrath of the law, we gathered Miss Oloyede, a resourceful hand in the Credit and Marketing Department of the bank was managing the account of the Baye-Ebi before the cookies crumbled.
"Miss Oloyede is no longer with us. She tendered her resignation May 27, 2010 letter a few days after the discovery of the fraud and nobody seems to know her whereabouts. However, what we junior staff noticed is that, there is no smoke without fire, we are very sure some top shots in this bank played a pivotal role in executing that game of fraud for the money to have disappeared just like that without any traces. It's really a sad story indeed." One of the people we talk with said anonymously.
Responding to the said allegation, the Corporate Communication Head, Mr. Rafiu Mohammed forwarded a mail to counter the story and he explained in detail what transpired between their bank, Baye-Ebi and the Easy trade Concept. Below.
Dear Sir,
RE: ALLEGED FRAUD ON BAYE-EBI NIGERIA ENTERPRISES ACCOUNT WITH FINBANK PLC
We refer to the above matter and information reaching us of the intention to publish a news item in your newspaper in relation to the above matter.
We have outlined below the facts of this matter in order to set the records straight.
Background.
i. Baye-Ebi Nigeria Enterprises (Customer) commenced banking relationship with FinBank Plc (the Bank) on November 2, 2009 through the Bank’s Wuse Zone 4 Branch in Abuja. The Relationship Officer for the account was Miss Renike Oluwaseyi Oloyede.
ii. On February 10, 2010, the Bank received a letter from the Customer informing the Bank of its observation that expected interest for two (2) consecutive maturity dates on a fixed deposit of N10m with the Bank did not reflect on their account.
iii. In line with the Bank’s internal procedures, the issue was referred for investigation and a thorough investigation was carried out on the activities on the account.
Investigation on the account disclosed the following:
1. Review of the Customer’s records with the Bank.
a. The Customer had addressed a letter dated November 20, 2009 to the Branch Manager of the Wuse Zone 4 Branch of the Bank to place the sum of N10m in fixed deposit for ninety (90) days at prevailing market rate. The letter was for the attention of the account Relationship Officer (Renike Olwaseyi Oloyede) who also received it.
b. In furtherance of the said letter, the Customer issued its FinBank Plc crossed cheque dated November 19, 2009 in favour of the Bank with face value of N10m. The Customer signed twice on the reverse side of the cheque with the following instruction “pls raise a draft IFO Easy Trade Concepts Ltd”.
c. This letter was not handed over to the Branch Manager for necessary directives, in line with the practice in the Bank as the Bank only became aware of the existence of the letter from the photocopies attached to the Customer’s letter of complaint.
d. Entries on the Customer’s statement for November 24, 2009 rather confirmed that a draft was raised for the sum of N10m in favour of one Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd and no deposit for the similar amount was placed with the Bank.
2. Statement by Renike Oluwaseyi Oloyede: though Renike is no longer with the Bank, she was contacted and a written statement volunteered by her. The highlight of her statement is as follows:
a) The Customer was aware that the N10m was fixed with Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd. A photocopy of the FinBank Draft in favour of Eazy Trade is attached.
b) That the transaction had nothing to do with FinBank Plc but that the Bank’s documents were used by her to give the transaction credibility.
c) That she signed and procured the signatures on the letter dated November 23, 2009 addressed to the Customer on the Bank’s letter head acknowledging the Customer’s purported investment in the Bank as a means of providing comfort to the Customer. She also confirmed that the second named signatory on the letter was not aware of the said investment. A photocopy of the purported investment letter is attached.
d) That the investment in Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd was based on discussions between her and the Customer’s Managing Director, Rodney Ambaiowei and in furtherance of which she wrote the instruction “pls raise a draft IFO Easy Trade Concepts Ltd” on the reverse side of the Customer’s cheque. A photocopy of the Customer’s cheque is attached.
e) To support the position in (d) above she provided official receipt from Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd acknowledging the receipt of the draft of N10m. The receipt was issued in the name of the Customer’s Managing Director, Rodney Ambaiowei. A photocopy of the said receipt is attached.
f) Prior to the Customer’s complaint to the Bank, both of them (Renike and Customer’s Managing Director, Rodney Ambaiowei) paid several visits to the Offices of Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd to follow up on the repayment of the investment.
g) She also stated that they were assured that the principal amount and interest at 15% would be paid by February 25, 2010 but the amount is yet to be received.
Prevailing Issues.
1) The Bank is concerned about the real motive of Renike Oluwaseyi Oloyede and the Customer, which is targeted at passing-off an investment in the Bank in order to hedge against any repayment risk in their investment in a “Wonder Bank”.
2) Contrary to standard banking practice, the Customer did not endorse the instruction on the reverse side of the cheque purportedly signed in furtherance of the request to the Bank to place the N10m in a fixed deposit in the Bank.
3) There is no fixed deposit in the Bank’s record in favour of the Customer for N10m or any similar amount at all.
4) It is curious why it took the Customer seventy-eight (78) days from the inception of the purported investment to start making enquiries.
5) It is obvious that the Customer realised that its investment with Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd was in jeopardy that was why it resorted to the Bank with the view to place liability on the Bank.
6) The Customer failed to act prudently when he did not raise objection to the debit of N10m in his statement of account on November 24, 2009 with the description “draft IFO Eazy Trade Concepts Limited” as the transaction details did not represent the instruction it gave the Bank. The Customer received its Statement of Accounts on a regular basis.
7) The Customer issued a cheque with instructions to raise a Draft in favour of Eazy Trade Concept Limited as a result of which a payment receipt was issued in favour of the Customer’s Managing Director for same amount.
8) It is obvious that the lure of higher and lucrative interest rate led to the private arrangement between Renike Oulwaseyi Oloyede and the Customer to invest the N10m in Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd.
Current Developments.
From available information, Eazy Trade Concepts Limited, the beneficiary of the N10m draft issued from the Customer’s account is a company based in Abuja engaged in mobilising deposits from members of the public and offering high and attractive deposit rates of between 10% to 20% monthly. It appears the company is going through some liquidity challenges and have not been meeting up with obligations to their depositors.
Following the findings from the Bank’s investigation, the Bank reported the developments to the Nigeria Police Force and investigation is currently being handled by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (Force CID) of the Nigeria Police Force Head Quarters, Abuja.
The Police have received representations from the Bank, Renike Oluwaseyi Oloyede and representatives of Eazy Trade Concepts Ltd. However, the Customer is yet to honour invitations made to them by the Police.
Conclusion.
The above facts constitute the true events of the activities on the Customer’s account leading to the on-going investigation by the Police. As a law abiding financial institution committed to transparency and fairness, we took reasonable steps within the ambit of the law to unravel the events leading to the Customer’s complaint.
It is our expectation that the above facts will receive unbiased consideration and that any reporting contemplated on the matter will be devoid of any innuendo capable of conveying defamatory imputation.
Yours faithfully,
For: FINBANK PLC
A 20-year-old man from Niger Republic, who is also a son of an Imam residing in a village in Birnin-Gwari area of Kaduna State, was arrested recently along four others for allegedly plucking the two eyes of a 10-year-old Almajiri (street urchin) for rituals..
The culprit (name witheld) in an interview with Daily Sun at the Police headquarters in Kaduna said, one Mallam asked him to get the two eyes, which he promised to use in preparing charms that would make him invincible.
The suspect said he lured the boy to follow him to a nearby farm:
“When I took the boy to the bush, I tied him down and came back and told the chief priest. He gave me a concoction which I drank and another charm to tie on my waist.
“I went back to the boy in the bush, pinned him down to the floor after placing a charm given to me by the chief priest around his neck. I then plucked his two eyes with a sharp knife and took it to the chief priest.
“I was caught by the villagers when I went back to collect the hoe and knife I left at the scene.”
The culprit said he regretted committing the act because according to him he was not in his senses when the crime was committed:..
“I am a farmer and I do give people spiritual help before I was introduced into thisact.
“I worked with two male and female spirits which I named ‘Mallam’ an‘Bilki’.
“My father is from Niger Republic and an Imam in Birnin Gwari LGA has no knowledge of my involvement in these activities.
“He has once shown his disapproval of my movement with these people.”
He blamed the chief priest for continuously pestering him to be involved:
“I have never committed this act before. It is this chief priest, and one Soho Bello (not real name) who promised to pay me one million naira if I could bring the fresh human eyes to prepare charm for invisibility.
“Soho Bello said he will be taking it to a big man in Abuja.”
The 42-year-old Bello who was among those arrested, however denied his involvement in the act:
“I was at my farm in Jaji near Kaduna when the Nigerien and one other person accosted me that they will help me with weapon resistant and invincibility charm. “I did not set my eyes on them since January 2010 until last Sunday morning when I was arrested and taken to Birnin Gwari.”
The 63-year-old chief priest, who was caught by the police with the fresh eyes in his house, initially said that he had no choice than to admit all allegations against him, only for him to make a u-turn to say the Nigerien brought the fresh human eyes to him for safekeeping when the people who saw him as he went to recover his hoe were chasing him.
“I have no regret in this whole issue because I know I am innocent,” the chief priest insisted.
When our reporter contacted the victim (name witheld) at the National Eye Center, Kaduna, where he is receiving treatment, he said he is one of the over 70 almajirai (street urchins) of about his age who came from Bungudu in Zamfara State, to Kaduna. He said the suspect “asked one of his two wives to give me food when I came to his house begging.
“He took me to the bush to clear his farmland at the cost of N60.00)
“He asked me to lie with my back resting on my hands and close my eyes so that he can administer medicine for ‘knowledge’ on me. “He placed short rope-like charm around my neck which immediately sedated me.
“I could feel pains when he was plucking my eyes with a sharp object but I could not struggle. He dug a hole and buried me alive.
“I managed to push some sands on my face after he had left as I began to recover from the ‘sedative’ and shouted faintly upon hearing sounds of passersby who came immediately and rescued me.”
Nigeria went down a step to 21st place in the current FIFA Ranking for the month of May released yesterday. The Super Eagles were ranked at the 20th place last month.However, the Lars Lagerback led team who fumbled to a lacklustre barren game against Saudi Arabia in Austria on Tuesday maintained their third place in the Africa ranking. Egypt who moved up a ladder on the global ranking at 12th place retained the leadership of the continent. Cameroon stagnated in their 19th place globally to also retain their second slot in Africa ahead of Nigeria.
..
FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, the last to be published before the 2010 FIFA World Cup begins in South Africa also saw the head-to-head battle for top spot between leaders Brazil and European champions Spain continues, and both have a clear lead over the chasing pack of Portugal, Netherlands and Italy.
Trailing even farther behind, after Germany, Argentina, England and France, are two teams not participating South Africa 2010 – Croatia and Russia – who are likely to lose even more ground after the tournament.
Meanwhile, hosts South Africa have received a boost, winning not only two friendly matches, but also gaining seven places in the ranking (83rd, up 7), which is more than any other team. The only other teams to climb five or more places were Oman (91st, up 6) and Estonia (99th, up 5). In the top 100, Burkina Faso (48th, up 4) and Montenegro (64th, up 1) are currently in their highest-ever position since the World Ranking was introduced.
Of the top 20 teams, only Croatia, Russia and Egypt will be absent in South Africa. On the basis of this edition of the World Ranking, Group G, which includes Brazil, Portugal and Côte d’Ivoire, is still the strongest, but only if the best three teams are taken into account (average position 10th, points 1,239). However, if all four teams in each group are evaluated, Germany’s Group D (18th on average) comes out on top in terms of rank, while Spain’s Group H is strongest on points (1,013 on average), well ahead of the supposed “group of death” (34th, 1,000 points).The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 14 July 2010.
After a long wait for Michael Essien, the Ghana Football Authority (GFA) stated on Wednesday that the Ghanaian captain will not be fit in time for the World Cup which starts in a fortnight.
The statement on the GFA site read in part: "An evaluation by a combined team of medical experts from the Ghana Football Association and Chelsea Football Club revealed that Essien will not make full recovery until the end of July. The Ghana Football Association wishes him full recovery and a quick return to football action."
Unending rehabilitation
The 27-year-old Chelsea midfielder has been sidelined since suffering a knee injury during the African Cup of Nations in January.
It had been thought that Essien would return before the end of the season alongside Ashley Cole for Chelsea. Cole fractured his left ankle on February 10 2010 against Everton. The 28-year-old England international though returned in time to help the Blues grab the double, scoring the last goal in the 8-0 rout of Wigan on the last day..
What next for the Black Stars
This will further heap a lot of pressure on recuperating Stephen Appiah, who has not played club football for a year and Sulley Muntari, as both are not as dynamic as Essien.
Essien played in 10 of Ghana's 11 qualification matches, clocking more than 800 minutes of game time, as Ghana finished at the top of their group, and automatically sealed a spot at the World Cup. The Ghana coach had said last week that Essien's presence was invaluable to the Black Stars.
"Essien is an important player, not only for Ghana but for the World Cup. He is one of the best players in the world and the World Cup is an assembly of the best," said Coach Milovan Rajevac.
The coach must now tinker with the favoured 4-4-2 formation to accommodate Udinese's Kwadwo Asamoah alongside Sulley Muntari and Appiah. Although Ghana won't lack for presence in the centre of the park, there will be something missing; and that will be Michael Essien, who would make the line-up for any of the nations at the 2010 World Cup a better team.
The actors, who joined the movie industry almost at the same time, are giving parents concern over the roles they play in movies.
Their argument is that the actors should play a consistent role in movies; they either take the role of kids or that of adults.
The parents said that since they [Akin & Pawpaw] started as kids in their first movie, a lot of kids at home see them as peers and as a result imitate most of the things they do in movies.
But now that the actors take romantic roles and other adult roles that children shouldn’t emulate, the parents want the authorities concerned to call them to order before the situation gets out of hand.
“This attitude of theirs is becoming a threat to us because children don’t want to believe that they are adults. The advertisement they also did with sweet meant for children has also made the children believe absolutely that the two actors are children like them and they are ready to do anything they see them do.
“ This has become a great concern that it is becoming a topic of discussion among parents, especially in the buses and market places,” one of the parents said.
According to Mrs. Okafor, she was stunned when one of her sons, after watching one of Aki & Pawpaw’s films, told her that “mummy I want to kiss you the way Aki and Pawpaw kissed that girl in that film.”
Another parent, Mrs. Kunle also said that her sons now do everything to imitate Aki & Pawpaw; her sons now dance like them, imitate the way they talk and walk.
She, however, said she now keeps a close watch on her children to ensure that they don’t watch movies in which the actors play romantic roles.
Children are what they view and have the tendency of practising whatever they watch on television.
Though another parent said that the actors are talented to play the roles of kids well, she maintained that for the fact that they came to the industry with the impression that they are children, they should maintain that role in order not to have negative influence on children.
Sometime last year, the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria Board of Trustees headed by Prince Ifeanyi Dike made a move to ban the actors from taking adult roles, but they were later pardoned when their fans from home and abroad pleaded with the board.
The Koko master as he is fondly called doesnt deny being “endowed” and that explains the huge love he gets from the ladies. One of such ladies is Jasmine Murray Bruce, CEO of Monae spa located in silverbird galleria in Victoria Island, lagos. Jasmine is the daughter of Guy Murray Bruce of the silverbird family.
Jasmine, who also co-hosted the MBGN pageant with Ik Osakioduwa recently, was seen by eagle eyed gossip bird inside her spa today, 25th of May 2010, and according to them, she and Dbanj were touching each other, whispering sweet nothings into each others ears and she giggled and laughed her heart out like an over-excited, love lost lady..
Dbanj who came to the place with two heavily built bouncers was adorned in a black long sleeve shirt, blue rock and republic jeans and not without his trade mark sun glasses. Our shocked spy left the scene too shocked to even hang around at the sight of the scene.
So maybe we should wait and see if he would unveil her as his new woman, or was she just being “nice” to her client? And since when did Dbanj start doing spas?
Pardon my ignorance, just had to ask……
For the sake of a “distinctive identity” and a desire to attract and retain a high calibre workforce, the Senate has approved a 100% increase in the salaries of the National Assembly workforce.
The new increase is coming at a time when the legislators are also considering increasing their pay by 68%, but will apply across the Legislative aides, the National Assembly staff and the management staff.
Discussions on the new salary structure was concluded in the Senate on Wednesday, following the adoption of a report of the Senate committee on establishments and public service, which reviewed the consolidated legislative salary structure for staff of the National Assembly.
The increase is a result of an agreement reached by the National Assembly service commission and the Parliamentary Staff Association on Nigeria.
The increment, according to the committee’s report, will take effect from January this year, but will be deployed in batches: 50% to be paid immediately, while the balance will be spread over the next eight years.
The 50% balance will be added up incrementally by 20%, 15%, and 15% after the second, sixth, and eight year respectively.
The cost
The implementation of the immediate 50% salary increment will cost the nation a whooping N11 billion annually, N4.65 billion above the N6.3 billion that it costs to service the National Assembly workforce currently.
The Senate, however, argued that it is a necessary step to strengthen the autonomy of the National Assembly.
“...there is the need to create an identity for the National Assembly service, in line with the constitution of Nigeria, which makes it an independent arm in tandem with the concept of separation of powers,” Mohamed Ahmed, chairman of the Senate committee, stated in the committee’s report.
He added that it was “imperative to establish a pay structure which will ensure good salaries and reasonable allowances that will attract and retain high calibre of staff, even from the academia and the private sector, as is the case in other parliaments of the world.”
With the initial 50% increase, grade level 17 officers with the National Assembly service commission will earn N5.25 million annually. A graduate at grade level 8 will earn N1.25 million annually, while the least - grade level 3 - will earn N404 thousand annually.
The National Assembly service commission has 317 staff and will cost a total of N4.57 billion annually.
The bulk of the money will, however, be spent on the legislative aides working directly under the lawmakers.
The legislative aides numbering 2 942, will cost the government N6.02 billion annually, till the next increment in 2012.
The third batch of employees, the National Assembly management staff, numbering 3 167, will cost the nation N4.576 billion annually.
“The committee is (also) of the strong opinion that an improved salary structure will encourage hard work, honesty, dedication, and commitment of staff; and will reduce corrupt tendencies and practices in the service,” Mr. Ahmed said..
The United States of America’s table tennis team turned out a poor match for Nigeria as it was roundly beaten 3-0 at the ongoing World Team Table Tennis Championship in the Russian capital of Moscow.
The game was the last group fixture for both teams; while Nigeria was coming from a 1-3 loss to Serbia; being the only defeat so far in the tournament, the United State team had lost their four previous games.
Nigeria’s Seun Ajetomobi led the team’s assault displacing his opponent; Li Peter in three straight set.11-6, 12-10 and 11-9. Team mate, Monday Merothoun, was also in top form when he whitewashed Oak Niraj in another three straight set victory 11-6, 11-8 and 12-10.
The Americans however saved their face from a complete defeat as Lander Michaels took a set off home based Aruna Quadri with the tie ending in 13-11, 5-11, 5-11 and 7-11.
The Nigerian male team thus finished second on the log with nine points, one behind group leaders Serbia who finished with ten points.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian female team have been unstoppable has they finished the group games undefeated and thereby top the table with ten points. In their last game played against Latvia, the Funke Oshinaike inspired team emerged 3-1 victors over the European country, which finished fourth on the six team group.
Results from the ongoing world championship, which is the first to be handled by the Kayode Abdulwahab-Omotose-led board, which assumed office last year points to a great start. The country hopes to use the tourney to shape up for the Commonwealth Games holding later in the year in New Delhi, India..
As a reminder, “The Unstoppable International Edition” is now in stores. It’s an instant classic.
Director: Clarence Peters.
For those in Nigeria, this is what the new “Unstoppable International Edition” looks like… and it costs 1,000 Naira. If you see any inferior paper-back copy, it is pirated, and you’re strongly advised not to purchase it.
Director: Clarence Peters.
For those in Nigeria, this is what the new “Unstoppable International Edition” looks like… and it costs 1,000 Naira. If you see any inferior paper-back copy, it is pirated, and you’re strongly advised not to purchase it.
He dropped from 214 pounds to an astonishing 160 with a liquid diet and three-hour-a-day treadmill walks for nine weeks.
"I was starving." Now he's back on tour and says, "I've been eating. I'll be back in shape in no time!"
These shocking pictures look like a homeless man who has not eaten for weeks.
But they are actually photos of multi-millionaire rapper 50 cent, who lost a staggering 54lbs in just nine weeks for a film role.
The hip-hop star went on a liquid-only diet and worked out for three hours a day to achieve the staggering weight loss.
He is due to play a cancer-stricken American football player in a forthcoming film and wanted to look authentic for the part..
In the past 50 cent has made much of his muscular body, often appearing topless in videos and showing off his huge frame.
The 34-year-old is starring and co-producing 'Things Fall Apart', which will also feature Ray Liotta and is directed by Mario van Peebles.
Soon after the dramatic weight loss pictures were posted on his website, 50cent.com, rumours swept the internet they were a hoax.
But in a statement the star, real name Curtis Jackson, said they were true.
'I was starving,' he said, adding that now he is back on tour, 'I've been eating. I'll be back in shape in no time!'
'50 Cent lost a lot of weight for his upcoming movie Things Fall Apart,' said the text between the pictures of him.
'In the movie 50 Cent plays a football player diagnosed with cancer.
He dropped from 214 pounds to an astonishing 160 with a liquid diet and three-hour-a-day treadmill walks for nine weeks.'
The rapper's achievement still does not top that of Christian Bale, who lost 63lbs for his role in the dark mystery film 'The Machinist'.
Bale went from 185lbs to 122lbs to look like he 'had not slept for a year' and did it by cutting out most foods and relentlessly exercising.
People are talking and saying that What Turai did was mere childsplay that we are about to see the mother of all First Ladies in 9ja ! READ ON: Shocking Revelations await
Article:
It used to be that our government officials, their wives, aides, and hangers-on were prolific in the exercise of poor judgment and the making of horrible choices that always exacted a terrible price from the rest of us. When I read newspaper reports last week that Mrs. Patience Jonathan had travelled to Dubai and Beirut “on a private visit”, I concluded that our nightmare had just been made worse. It means that these fellas ruining our lives in Abuja and the state capitals have now graduated from the congenital exercise of poor judgment that afflicts all of them, to an outright assassination of judgment.
Let’s dispense first with some of the half-witted commentaries of the ponces of power that have been running riot on the Internet. Dame (the title maniacs have quietly introduced the ‘Dame’ thing in the media) Patience Jonathan, we are told, has the right to travel anywhere privately as a free citizen of Nigeria bla bla bla and more bla. Fine. The emergency contractor-defenders of the civil rights of the First Lady should please remind her not to use the presidential jet for the Abuja-Lagos leg of such private trips next time. Once the Nigerian taxpayer foots the bill of any part of the First Lady’s private trips, it is our responsibility to make our basketmouths to start dey leak again - apologies to Fela.
Of all the destinations that Patience Jonathan could have visited on this horribly ill-timed and unbelievably ill reflected “private trip”, it had to be Dubai, an increasingly popular money laundering route/destination for Nigerian politicians, government officials, and their courier-wives and concubines. And this is a Patience Jonathan who is still waiting for her day in court for corruption charges bordering on money laundering (by the way, her EFCC indictment file must not disappear)! Pray, when your neighbours suspect you of stealing the dogs in the neighbourhood for 404 purposes, must you be heard boasting of your affection for puppies in the market?
It gets worse.
Our friend, Elder Chief Stakeholder James Ibori, was apprehended by Interpol in Dubai. One week later, Patience Jonathan is on the plane to Dubai. Is there, by any chance, any of the handlers of the Jonathans who was thinking correctly?
The couple has a retinue of aides and advisers responsible for the packaging of their every move. We need to know which of them thought it was a great idea for the Patience Jonathan to head out to Elder Chief Stakeholder Ibori’s embrace in Dubai at this most inauspicious of times.
Ibori’s embrace? Am I perhaps stretching metaphor and speculation? You bet I am! I am more than happy to help the Jonathans ruin the little goodwill that ushered them into Aso Rock since squandering that goodwill appears to be their first order of business. And that is precisely what Nigerians are doing online. It’s an orgy of wild speculations out there. What does Elder Chief Stakeholder Ibori know?
What is the nature of the beans he is threatening to spill to the Dubai and British authorities that may have warranted presidential pacification? Does he perhaps have more embarrassing details on that little matter of Patience Jonathan’s money laundering wahala? Who knows what the Yar’Adua cabal revealed to him about the Jonathans when he played godfather over Aso Rock.
There is also considerable Internet chatter about madam having gone on a jewelry shopping spree. All the chatter about going to pacify Elder Chief Stakeholder Ibori or waste our money on jewelry is deserved. That is what you get when you have a Presidency that has been so perennially clueless in the management of public perception. Segun Adeniyi and his crew perpetually mismanaged the public perception of the Yar’Aduas. They were so incompetent that they couldn’t even tell coherent lies to the Nigerian people. Ima Niboro and his crew don carry dem own come. Not one of them suggested to their Oga and his Madam that this woolly-headed trip couldn’t have come at a worse time?
Beyond Internet chatter about the ill-advised trip to Dubai, it does appear that we, first lady-weary Nigerians, will once again have to contend with the spectre of that unconstitutional assault on our sensibilities. Patience Jonathan is already showing all the symptoms of a looming no break no jam first ladyship. There is always a competition to surpass the last occupant of that constitutionally non-existent office in overbearing showiness, gra-gra, and ostentation.
What is wrong with Nigerian men? Why do they find it so difficult to tell their ever ambitious madams that our Constitution does not recognise their predilection for transforming oga’s political office into a divahood launching pad? Every time someone gets selected to office, they make a heck of a noise about not tolerating the first lady aberration, only to get to the bedroom and sing a different tune to madam. After Maryam Babangida, Miriam Abacha, Stella Obasanjo, and Turai Yar’Adua, Nigerians are more than ready for a return to the first ladyless days of Shehu Shagari and Muhammadu Buhari. Deopka Goodluck Jonathan must therefore be advised to exercise no patience with Patience on this matter.
By Pius Adesanmmi
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The global premiere of Notes to Notes, an animated video that tells the story of Nigeria’s rich history using the naira notes, and illustrates the core values of the country’s naira notes, will hold today at the Genesis Deluxe Cinema, The Palms, Lekki, Lagos.
According to Aneto Okonkwo, an associate of the Nigeria leadership Initiative (NLI), an international non-profit organization and the organizers of the event, the country’s younger generation lack a good knowledge of the history of their nation.
Knowledge of the country
“During the last Future Leaders Class of the NLI (all new NLI Associates must go through a three-day Leadership Training before induction), we were taken through a course on Nigeria’s history,” said Mr Okonkwo.
“Very quickly, it became obvious that quite a few of us (especially the Nigerians in the Diaspora) had a few gaps in our knowledge of our nation’s history. We were concerned that this would be even worse for the younger generation. So we set out to create an animated video that was short and fun, that would remind the youth about Nigeria’s history and values.
“The video was deliberately kept short in view of the short attention span of some youth. Also, we wanted something that was easily distributed on the web and mobile phones.”
The project team was drawn from NLI Associates in the October 2009 Class (Associates are inducted twice a year - in May and October).
A lineup of celebrities including MI, Kate Henshaw-Nuttall, BOUQUI, TY Bello, Sasha, Omawumi, Rooftop MCs, Chioma Omeruah and Aisha Augie-Kuta, will narrate the Aphobos Studios’ Femi Omoluabi-produced video.
Reliving the past
Tunde Olanrewaju, Co-Chair of the NLI Management Board, relived the experiences of the Nigerian youth in the early sixties.
“We had gained independence and Nigerian youth exhibited an insatiable thirst for education and innovation in different spheres of life. During this time, strong values and a sense of community were the fabric of Nigerian society and Nigerians upheld values in their everyday activities. Today, this is just not the case.”
The Notes to Notes video will also be broadcast on TV and radio stations on Children’s Day, May 27, 2010, at 8pm on Silverbird TV and Inspiration FM. It will also be available for free download at www.nli-global.org.
The Notes to Note project is under NLI’s CLEVER initiative, which includes other projects like the Wordslam competition where youth can write the lyrics to a potential award-winning song and international poetry book. There’s also a Clever Club, which gives students an opportunity to take responsibility for transforming the country by developing a sense of civic responsibility.
Security forces have been fighting people who want to prevent the extradition to the United States of Christopher "Dudus" Coke, who was charged last year in U.S. federal court with conspiracy to distribute marijuana and cocaine and with conspiracy to traffic in firearms illegally.
Twenty-six of the dead were civilians and one was a Jamaican Defense Force member; 25 civilians and six defense force members were injured as security forces battled criminal elements in Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town, officials said.
The government said those killed were mostly males and their bodies were recovered from areas close to barricades, building entrances and gullies coursing through Tivoli Gardens. It said 211 people, including six women, were detained.
Security forces have confiscated firearms, ammunition, binoculars, army fatigues and ballistic vests and are conducting searches, the government said.
The fighting has paralyzed the metropolis.
Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding has declared a state of emergency in some parts of Kingston. Schools are closed in the capital, and at one point some flights were canceled, said U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley.
"Our embassy in Kingston is closed today and we will continue to make that evaluation on a day-to-day basis based on events on the ground in Kingston," Crowley said.
"The United States government and the government of Jamaica continue to work collaboratively to ensure the safety and security of our citizens as we also counter illicit trafficking."
Golding has requested that public defender, Earl Witter, and political ombudsman, Dr. Herro Blair, visit Tivoli Gardens on Tuesday to assess the security operation and determine the number of casualties, the government said..
The Red Cross also will provide support, including ambulances and medical care to the injured, it said.
Coke maintains a heroic reputation in the Kingston slums, with some people comparing him to Robin Hood, Jesus and one-time Colombian kingpin Pablo Escobar. He has helped the community by handing out food, sending children to school and building medical centers.
Experts: Accused Jamaican drug lord akin to Robin Hood
But drug enforcement officials said he deserves to be classified as one of the world's most dangerous drug lords.
"He is the head of an organization, a cartel or a syndicate that has a global impact and also has a direct impact on the United States," said Michael Braun, a former chief of operations for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
On Monday, residents said that government helicopters dropped explosives into the area near Coke's stronghold, though it was not clear if he was there.
The attack came after residents blocked roads in the area to restrict access to police and military. The violence then spread to Spanish Town, about 20 minutes outside the capital, where armed thugs blocked a major road and a bridge that serves as a link between Montego Bay and Kingston, police said.
Looting also occurred in downtown Kingston.
Monday's unrest followed a Sunday night shooting that left two police officers dead and six others wounded near Norman Manley International Airport outside Kingston, police said.
Coke's lawyers were to meet with the charge d'affaires officer at the U.S. Embassy in Kingston. Coke's attorney, Don Foote, said he would listen to U.S. authorities but insisted his client should face charges in Jamaican courts.
Golding said last week that citizens should "allow the courts to deal with the extradition matter," the state-run Jamaica Information Service reported.
In a statement Sunday, Golding announced an emergency meeting of his Cabinet in response to the heavy gunfire and blockades, the information agency said.
Larry Birns, director of the Center for Hemispheric Affairs think tank, said he believes Jamaica "is probably tipping into being a narco-state and it has become too big a problem for the United States to handle in the tried and true ways of the past."
In August, the U.S. attorney's office in New York charged Coke, accusing him of leading an international criminal syndicate known as the "Shower Posse."
"At Coke's direction and under his protection, members of his criminal organization sell marijuana and crack cocaine in the New York area and elsewhere, and send the narcotics proceeds back to Coke and his co-conspirators," the DEA said.
"Coke and his co-conspirators also arm their organization with illegally trafficked firearms," the agency said.
Coke is on the Justice Department's list of Consolidated Priority Organization Targets, which the department said "includes the world's most dangerous narcotics kingpins."
The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert for Jamaica last week.
Fiberesima: Appeal court grants Lagos extension of time
The Court of Appeal in Lagos on Monday granted the Lagos State Government extension of time to file its brief of argument in an appeal filed by a convicted Nollywood actress, Ibinabo Fiberesima.
Ibinabo Fibresima
The appellate court presided over by Justice Clara-Bata Ogunbiyi, however, wondered why it took the state government so long to file its brief of argument and warned against a recurrence of the development.
Lawyer to the state government, Mrs. Rotimi Odutola, pleaded with the court to grant the extension of time, saying that the delay was due to circumstances beyond her control.
But the lawyer to Fiberesima, Mr. Nnaemeka Amaechina, did not raise an objection just as the appellate court struck out his application seeking a date for the hearing of the appeal.
Fiberesima was convicted by Justice Deborah Oluwayemi of Lagos High Court for dangerous and reckless driving which allegedly led to the death of a doctor, Dr. Giwa Suraj, and sentenced her to five years imprisonment.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, had in 2005 charged Fiberesima to the Igbosere Magistrate's Court on a two-count charge of dangerous and reckless driving on the Epe Expressway, Lagos that led to Giwa's death.
In his judgment, the Magistrate, Mr. A. O. Isaacs, found Fiberesima guilty on the two -count charge and sentenced her to seven years imprisonment for count one and two years imprisonment for counts two.
But the magistrate, gave the convict the option of paying N100, 000 fine to regain her freedom.
The ex-beauty queen reportedly paid the fine and regained her freedom.
But the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Olasupo Shasore (SAN), was dissatisfied with the sentence of Magistrate Isaacs and filed a notice of appeal at the Lagos High Court.
This incident took everybody by surprise, as Ibori aka Ogidigbogbo himself has so many problems hanging on his neck with the metropolitan police of London and Goodluck waiting for him in Naija.
The fire actually emanated from the Club neighbouring his house.
From reliable sources inside, valuables worth millions of Naira, and Ibori's personal valuables have been lost to the fire.
It is being speculated that, the fire emanated from the generator house of their neighbour.
That is the situation, for now.
A couple of weeks before now, Jim Iyke was said to have being beaten up for same attitude in Kastina State during a film shooting and while he’s yet to redeem his dented image on his many controversies, Wednesday 19th may 2010 he left some of his scenes unattended to, headed to the Airport with a reason that he had to conduct an audition for his own film in Abuja. www.nigeriafilms.com scooped.
Mercy Johnson, Van Vicker, Nora Robert are a few of the actors that are posses with this kind of attitude and have once or twice abandoned location and rendered the shooting of that day useless. Other stars in the movie were said to have all registered their disappointments at the silly attitude Jim put up but for the intervention of the director and the executive producer who took off immediately to the nearest Airport in Benin with some Policemen and repatriated him back to the location in Asaba other actors too would have done same.
“It was a very disgraceful scene as people including airport officials gather to rescue him from their grip. Police and other security agents intervened to settle their brouhaha amicably. Finally both parties resolved to sign a memorandum of understanding in presence everybody including the Police and he returned back to the location to finish his unfinished scenes but not without him employing a service of a Policeman to guide him so as not to be beaten but the embittered cast and crew around.” www.nigeriafilms.com exclusively gathered.
At the moment, Jim is said to have hit location for his own movie in Abuja.
