THE CHARM OF WHITEThe colour white is synonymous with a whole lot of meanings and fashion sense especially to fashionistas. However whether white or black, it all depends on who is wearing what, when, and where.
Sporting white can make a big statement. Wearing white is no longer seen as boring. Rather, it is sexy, modest, or sophisticated depending on the where and how. You can personalize an outfit of white to give it a personality that will stick out in anyone’s memory.
If you decide to wear something with volume, try to pair it with a slimmer item to avoid the totally sloppy look. After all, once you get the attention that you are craving, you want to be able to maintain it.
In choosing a handbag, a slightly oversized bag makes more sense than a large satchel that’s big enough to hold half a dinner set of dishes. If it’s easy to clean, so much the better. White accessories, while blending in, can add a sparkle and shimmer that can liven up an outfit. Embellishments from beads and tassels to ribbons and lace can add an exciting dimension to the already perfect outfit.
We all know the task of maintaining a white colour, instead of worrying about white becoming dirty quickly, purchase something that’s easy to clean such as cotton or stretch cotton. Or simply be bold and wear your whites with zest and the confidence that at the moment, the outfit looks fabulous. After all, we love to add to our wardrobe constantly, and chances are, you will only have to replace part of an ensemble if the worst does happen.
Wearing white promotes a look that captivates the sightseer of fashion. It almost mesmerizes to the point of distraction. The fact, that many celebrities now choose to wear white all year long, adds to the glamour of the colour. Here in Nigeria, there are also exclusive white parties for celebrities where every invited guest is mandated to be totally dressed in white. Occasions like weddings, burial ceremony, graduation and even chorography performances are all avenues were people wear white.
For your lingerie steer away from the typical hot colours of red and black for your lingerie. The colour white can inspire your mate and give you an almost untouchable look that will send him burning with desire straight into your arms.
The crisp and clean look of white can give an appearance of newness, of innocence, of simplicity. Soft, sheer, and frilly can add a touch of romance. Puffy sleeves, bits of ribbon, and trimmings of lace can lend themselves to the feminine side of your nature.
Also, fitted jackets and blouses add a sense of professionalism. Whatever you wear, make it white, and make it yours with every boldness and confidence you can garner.
By: Yetunde Omosa
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Facts available to huhuonline revealed that the marriage of top actor, Femi Adebayo and his Kahdijat Bukola has hit the brick wall.The blissful marriage of the couple began to experience turbulent several months ago.After several reports made the rounds that the actor has been involved in secret affairs with the leading actress who featured prominently in the Yoruba movie Jenifa (a village prostitute who got admission to the University in the City) 1 and 2, Funke Akindele. Femi Adebayo is the son to the ace actor Adebayo Salami (Oga-Bello) who was formerly the Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP) national President.Before things finally degenerated to this level, there have been several reports making rounds about how Femi sent Khadijat packing with three children after several efforts by and concerned friends and relatives to reconcile the embattled couple failed. Khadijat now presently live with her parents at Ikpe road, GRA Area, Offa, and Kwara State. The University of Ilorin Graduate of Computer Science huhuonline gathered has been abandoned and left to cater for three kids. The embattled woman also has to face the reality of getting a job for the upkeep of the children, unlike when she lived happily with her husband as a full house wife, to take proper care of the kids.A source further hinted huhuonline that several efforts made by Khadijat to be reconciled with her husband have yielded no result. There were situations she sent text messages to Femi about the crises in their marriage and he need to make up a couple. Such text messages a source informed are forwarded to by Femi to the mobile number of his father, Chief Adebayo Salami, which one way or the other always gets to other members of the Adebayo’s family, Khadijat’s family, we discovered, has not been happy with Femi’s father and mother the way they have handled the crises between the couple. They believe Oga Bello as an authority in the Nigeria movie industry should have called both his son Femi and Funke to order, rather than watch them, a situation that has adversely affected the marriage which has resulted in constant feature in the media, leading to an eventual crash. This ugly trend has caused more damage than truth. On his part Oga Bello has denied any knowledge of the relationship between and Funke. He said he’s not aware that his son, Femi is having an affair with Funke Akindele.Before this whole issue finally degenerated to its present state, Oga Bello earlier spoke, saying that only Femi and Funke can clear the on their relationship. He said: Everybody is entitled to his own opinion. Only Femi and Funke can talk better on that. I am their father in the industry.’’ Another Nollywood source of the Yoruba genre said these days, Funke has become the toast in Adebayo’s household. The source disclosed:‘ ‘Funke has played herself to be a very important to all members of Femi Adebayo’s family. They are involved in the production of her movies. Apart from that, she visits them at their Ikorodu, Lagos home regularly. ’’It was further gathered that Khadijat recently drank a toxic substance believed to be poison as a result of frustrations when the heat became seemingly unbearable for her sometime in September 2009. She was then taken to an undisclosed hospital. The crack in the matrimony became more obvious when Femi was spotted lodging at a popular hotel in Ibadan, with reports getting to wife that her husband was sighted at some fun spots with his new love Funke Akindele. Femi and Khadijat started well while dating; they were University of Ilorin students. Then, Femi was studying Law, which the soft spoken devoted Muslim studied Computer Science. It was gathered that the fact that Femi was Khadijat’s first love has made it difficult task for her to live without him. When the going was good, Femi apart from being an actor and a caring father also had a thriving Law office where he handled a few legal matters on properties and importation, while Khadijat kept the homefront going, taking care of the kids. Meanwhile, the relationship between Femi and Funke has continued to raise a lot of reactions amongst actors and actresses who are privy to how the two love birds relate on movie locations, and there have also been several situations when Funke had challenged some actresses who are close to Femi and who she often threaten to deal with.However, with disturbing stories like this, one would simply say most Nigerian actors and actress lack character and dignity and they stand in contrary to what their profession stands for (correction of societal ills). Incessant stories of spousal abuse, divorce, recklessness etc are often emanating from their end. It would be recalled that the circumstances surrounding the death of Monsurat Omidina (Omoladun_Kenkelewu) was also entangled with strands of protracted arguments and beating by Tunde Omidina (Babasuwe) her husband which arguably led to the death of Moladun. Also Lilian Bach was enmeshed in a husband snatching scandal recently. In another development Ronke Ojo (a.k.a. Oshodi-Oke) who got married to Sylvester Omogbolahan Anthony (an auto dealer) on January 24, 2009, also witnessed a crumbled marriage in October 2009, with the husband giving reason for the separation on grounds of infidelity; this is one too many.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on November 25, 2009 at 5:06am
DO Nigerians deserve the kind of leaders they have? Can Nigerian leaders offer the kind of leadership that will lift the country from the shackles of corruption? Can Nigerians develop the culture that abhors corruption? Can Nigerian leaders toe the path that has transformed a poor nation like Malaysia into an Asian Tiger?
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These are some of the questions that agitated many minds yesterday at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos. The event was the 11th session of the Emmanuel Onyechere Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Lecture Series.
This edition's lecture: "Incorruptibility: A spiritual premise for material well-being", was delivered by Mahathir Bin Mohamad who was Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003.
Former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, who was drafted to replace former Director-General of the NIIA and Ambassador to the United States (U.S.), Prof. George Obiozor, said he was elected Secretary-General during the reign of Mohamad. He hailed him as one of the best leaders in the world.
Guest of Honour, and former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shaukat Aziz, who also said that he had a lot to learn from Mohamad "which is why I flew in from China," said that the nations of the world are in adversity and facing various challenges. One of the challenges, he said, is the global financial crisis, which has humbled many people and nations. He said that the crisis was not yet over.
According to him, "there is the issue of water, food, energy, security" but the good thing, he pointed out, is that the world is coming together and the "solution lies in the home-grown ideologies. Leaders of nations must develop the roadmap and lead the people out of adversities."
He noted further that terrorism remains an issue just like nuclear proliferation. He, however, said that the absence of interfaith harmony has led to some crisis. "We need to promote peace and harmony," he said.
Stressing the importance of leadership and governance, Aziz noted: "We have good politicians but good leaders who can change the world are in short supply in the world today."
On the battle Pakistan waged against corruption in his era, he said: "Corruption is endemic in the world and no country is immune. In Pakistan, to fight corruption in the civil service, we had to deregulate, liberalise, privatise and reduce state involvement and involve the private sector. But the state did not abandon the development and provision of infrastructure. Reforms were embarked upon."
In his lecture, Mohamad dwelt on the sub-themes of leadership, governance and corruption. Listing the ideals of a good leader, he stated that a leader must be learned and well trained; have ideas far above those who work with him; he must be prepared to carry out what he preaches; he must be brave, disciplined; and capable of fighting his base inclinations. He must show a willingness to listen to everyone in and outside his cabinet and government. He must make up for his lack of knowledge with his readiness to listen and learn; he must not listen to only his officials as because they are more likely to be sycophants. He must have good lieutenants and with a good team in place, he is capable of leading a state.
Drawing a parallel between a good leader and a company's Chief Executive Officer, he said that a leader must be in a position to gather information on the assets and liabilities of the nation in all spheres; he must then set realistic targets, taking into consideration the abilities and potentials of the nation.
Mohamad added it was very important that every nation and leader find a model for its development. For developing nations, he said that the models would be recently-developed countries and not countries that developed under circumstances that are not applicable today. In this instance, he pointed out that no nation would adopt the model of the older nations that profited from colonialism.
He said: "It is better to adopt a model than striking out on your own with untested models. It's up to a politician to choose the best model; a good leader must make the best of any model."
According to him, a good leader must be decisive because "nothing is as debilitating as indecision. He must quit when he fails and nothing is shameful about quitting but a lot is wrong if he fails and stays. He needs almost superhuman skills; he needs not just to survive but also to manage things well."
He admitted that "it is obvious that such a man cannot be readily found."
Corruption, he said, is endemic; no country in the world is exempted. It is in the private sector, but if it is in the public sector that it is really bad. Many ways have been tried to stop corruption; many laws have been passed, anti-corruption agencies set but the results have remained dismal.
"Some people have suggested that it is a way of life and there have been going rates for specific favours. It is the bane of governments and countries.
"The reputation of the country is affected, undermining the development of infrastructure, investors stay away, causing unemployment and other social ills.
"Corruption is a function of the culture of the people; it is their value system."
And on how to stop corruption he said that, "every nation has to develop a culture that rejects corruption at home and in the schools." He said that the Japanese have a "culture that allows them to commit suicide, hara-kiri, when they do what is wrong."
Stressing that a sense of shame is perhaps the most important value, he said that, "the fear of being shamed makes the Japanese do the right thing. They commit suicide or resign or return their loot when they are exposed."
Every leader should develop a sense of discipline to reject what does not legitimately belong to him; he must reject corruption so that he will be respected and he will be listened to. There is need to have an incorruptible leader. Even in a clean society, once a leader is corrupt, everything else becomes dirty.
He said that individuals have a role in ensuring that corruption ceases by voting in those who are not corrupt.
"If people elect corrupt people into government, they don't have to complain about their actions. It is them who will decide whether they get good people or not. The government reflects the culture of the people."
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) who was represented by the state's Solicitor-General, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), on his part, declared: "Let me further assure you that on the level of good governance, we are not about to fail in Lagos. Nigeria shall overcome its problems in the same manner that Malaysia overcame hers."
A member of the Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation, Miss Peace Osigwe-Anyiam said: "Corruption is actually one of the big issues in Nigeria right now and the continent in general... It became an issue because if we want the growth of the nation, we must deal with corruption at all levels and I guess one of the people who can talk about this issue is Muktar who did marvelous things for Malaysia and the country is one of the leading countries in the world today.
"There are people who are not corrupt; we are not all corrupt, it is just a few people that give us a bad name. We cannot generalise on a nation of 140 million people."
In his own address, former Nigerian Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme said: "During my presidential campaign in 1998/99, I used to say that my goal was to transform Nigeria from a third world country in the same way that Mahathir Bin Mohamad did in Malaysia. He is someone I have always admired and I was not surprised with his lecture. He spoke very frankly and I am sure that we have benefited from his frankness."
The former Prime Minister of Malaysia is credited with being the figure behind transformation of Malaysia from a developing nation to a developed economy and prosperity.
It was not quite a gathering of government officials; it was more a gathering of the diplomatic corps and corporate chieftains. The only government presence on the high table was Governor Fashola who was represented by the state's solicitor-general.
Other guests were Alex Ekwueme; Ambassador Arthur Mbanefo, one-time Minister of Information, Chief Nnia Nwodo; Dr. Gamaliel Onosode; former Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Chief John Edozie; Executive Director of Ibru Organisations, Olorogun Oskar Ibru; university dons, some members of the religious community and traditional rulers.
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HAS THE TITANIC Movie MET ITS MATCH ? Twilight Sequel : Have you Seen the Movie Twilight New Moon Currently Takingthe World by storm ! ?JOIN GROUP !Leonardo the Caprio made his Big Jump into the Movie Hall of Fame with his portrayal of the love crazy romance thathit the screens years back with kate winslet . Now there is a new Kid on the block and he is driving Teenagers especially girls WILD with his portrayal of another Love crazy romantic but this time a Vampire ! The Catholicpope's Vatican even suggested it be banned !http://tinyurl.com/PopeBansVampireWhat is his name ? Robert Pattinson ! see below for New Moon plot !T W I L I G H TShhh, can you hear that? What you're hearing is the collective shrieks from Twihards everywhere as The TwilightSaga: New Moon is upon us. For those of you asking yourself, what is a Twihard? I’ve included the definition below.twi-hard nounA serious/obsessive reader of the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, one leap above Twilighters.Are you a Twilight fan? Do you plan on seeing the movie? Let us know at 9j.a.bo.ok.com !Currently the Twilight Saga is all the rage, and seems to have taken over almost every aspect of social media. If9.you venture over to MySpace.com you’ll see that the homepage has been New Moonified. It should be noted that NewJ.Moon & MySpace seem to share the same demographic, Tweens... so it only makes sense to try and grab those pageviews.A.MySpace has been all about some New Moon here lately, as they just hosted an exclusive stream of the red carpetB.during the films premiere, which pulled in 3 million viewers. Did you watch any of the red carpet stream? Tell us.OOKOver on Twitter, Twilight holds 3 of the top 10 trending topics including the highly coveted top spot.YouTube is even trying to cash-in on the New Moon craze by adding a “Twihard” box atop their site that states thefollowing, "The world is gripped by Twilight mania these days and on YouTube that translates into videos thatcelebrate, discuss and even mock the cultural phenomenon."Like I said before, New Moon hits theatres today and is expected to make somewhere between 85 million – 100 milliondollars this weekend, and could possibly break some box office records when it’s all said and done. It’s alreadybroken the advance ticket sales record, previously held by Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. How much doyou think New Moon will make when it's all said and done? Tell us.It'll be interesting to compare New Moon's "social media status" against the next film in the saga when it hits thecinema around this same time next year, to see if it stil has the same amount of hype around it.Why do you think Twilight is such a huge success? Let us know your honest opinion.Twilight Book/Movie Summary9.Twilight is a series of four vampire-based fantasy romance novels by American author Stephenie Meyer. J.It charts a period in the life of Isabella "Bella"A.Swan, a teenage girl who moves to Forks, Washington and falls in love with a 104-year-old vampire B.named Edward Cullen. The series is told primarily fromO.Bella's point of view, with the epilogue of Eclipse and Part II of Breaking Dawn being told from the O.viewpoint of character Jacob Black, a werewolf. TheK.unpublished Midnight Sun is a retelling of the first book, Twilight, from Edward Cullen's point of view.Ever since the release of the first novel, Twilight, in 2005, the books have gained immense popularity and commercial success around the world. The series ismost popular among young adults; the four books have won multiple awards, most notably the 2008 British Book Award for "Children's Book of the Year" forBreaking Dawn,[1] while the series as a whole won the 2009 Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Book.[2]As of November 2009, the series has sold over 85 million copies worldwide[3] with translations into at least 38 different languages around the globe.[4][5]The four Twilight books have consecutively set records as the biggest selling novels of 2008 on the USA Today Best-Selling Books list[6] and have spent over235 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list for Children's Series Books.[3]Thus far, the first three books are being made into a series of motion pictures by Summit Entertainment; the film adaptation of Twilight was released in 2008and the second, New Moon, was released on November 20, 2009.[7] The third film, Eclipse, is set to be released June 30, 2010.NEw Moon PlotOn her 18th birthday, Bella Swan wakes up from a dream in which she sees herself as an old woman. She expresses her distaste with growing older than herboyfriend Edward Cullen, a vampire who stopped aging at 17. Edward's family throws Bella a birthday party. While unwrapping a gift, Bella gets a paper cut,which causes Edward's adoptive brother, Jasper, to be overwhelmed by her blood's scent and attempt to kill her. Realizing the danger he and his family poseto Bella, Edward decides to end their relationship, and the Cullens move away from Forks, Washington.Edward's departure leaves Bella heartbroken and depressed for months. However, when her father, Charlie, attempts to send her to live with her mother, Bella Twilight Trailer agrees to spend time with her friends. After seeing a movie with Jessica, Bella sees a group of men who remind her of a time when Edward rescued herpreviously, and she is surprised to see a vision of Edward warning her against approaching them. Bella discovers that all thrill-seeking activities grant hervisions of Edward. She also finds comfort in her deepening friendship with Jacob Black, a cheerful companion who eases her pain over losing Edward. WhenJacob is unable to see Bella for weeks, she discovers that he is a werewolf, an age-old enemy of vampires. Jacob's pack members are on constant patrol forVictoria, a vampire searching to kill Bella, leaving Jacob little time to spend with Bella. Alone, Bella returns to seeking thrill-inducing activities.A series of miscommunications leads Edward to believe that Bella has killed herself while cliff-diving. Distraught over her supposed suicide, Edward flees toItaly to provoke the Volturi, a powerful coven of vampires who are capable of killing him. Alice, Edward's adoptive sister, and Bella rush to Italy to save advertise on 9j.a.book.comEdward, and arrive just in time to stop him. However, the Volturi decide that Bella, a human who knows that vampires exist, must either be killed ortransformed into a vampire herself. Alice stops them from killing her by showing them a vision of the future in which Bella has been transformed. Once theyreturn home to Forks, Edward tells Bella that he has always loved her and only left town to protect her. She forgives him, and the Cullens vote in favor ofBella being transformed into a vampire, to Edward and Jacob's dismay. Edward gives Bella a choice: either she lets Alice change her after their graduation,or, if Bella agrees to marry him, he will change her himself. However, Jacob reminds them of a treaty the Cullens have made with the werewolves: they willnot attack each other, as long as the Cullens never bite a human.ADVERTISEMENTS ! ADVERTISE ON 9JABOOKRead more…
Posted by OBAJE AFREECA on November 26, 2009 at 9:37pm
The government is launching a campaign against domestic violence. But rap is responsible for many of these problems, and it can also supply the answer.By Ian DuntAfter months of planning and unprecedented consultation, the government released a new strategy to combat violence against women this morning. There is a wealth of different campaigns and programmes being launched but the headline is that schoolchildren will be educated against violence in their personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education classes. And that's about as much as I'll bore you with.The government will be competing for schoolchildren's hearts and minds with some pretty vocal advertising from the music industry. Officials, especially those working for women's minister Harriet Harman, have been shaken by survey findings which show a worrying level of acceptance of violence against women among teens. They won't be happy to discover, if they even have yet, that 'gash' is now the preferred term for women among many young people. So the new violence against women strategy starts with the kids and works from there.Their principle opponent in this respect comes from grime, hip-hop and garage music, among others, which constantly spout a different message. Swaggering, misogynistic and violent, it has children's ears in a way the government never will. How did it get like this?There are two factors. The first is that rap, coming primarily from poor African-American communities in the Bronx during the seventies, reflected the status of its creators. Men must be able to express their masculinity. We tend to do that by providing for those we love. When you subject a group to poverty you deny men that avenue, and they typically, but not always, revert to strictly physical ways of expressing their manliness. Fair enough. I'd probably do the same. This is a fairly typical response of impoverished communities and rap came from an impoverished community.But when it emerged, it was not entirely dominated by the brutal, shallow tendencies which define it now. By the late eighties, the biggest hip-hop names were Public Enemy and Run DMC. The former used to come on stage with a militia, the S1W's. They were a threatening site to white America. Which brings us on to our second factor. It was far better to have rappers talk about nonsense and money than the call-to-arms of intelligent, articulate black men like Chuck D.The establishment takes that which threatens it and turns it into a eunuch. It is too wise to ban it. Instead it retains its appearance, while gutting it of meaning. That's how feminism turned into Sex and the City, gay turned into camp, and black militancy turned into gangster rap.And so the gates were opened to something completely different. What passes for mainstream rap now is some of the most violent, misogynistic, homophobic garbage imaginable. It's startling that any record company is irresponsible enough to allow it out. Take 50 cent, a man who turned his violent past, and gun shot wounds, into his selling point. He's currently worth around $440 million, has a clothing line, a video game, and a movie career under his belt, along with his multi-platinum album.Through hip-hop, gang culture infected other forms of music, as well as clothes, celebrity and speech. If you want an explanation for all those worrying survey results of school children, look no further. It has infected America, fuelling gang warfare and a fake-masculinity which bases itself on abusing women and proving your strength. It has, gradually, come to contaminate grime ,Britain's hip-hop.Government sanctioned classes and publicity campaigns can't combat something so attractive to kids. So what will?Not, it goes without saying, Mary-Whitehouse-style censorship, which would be pointless and juvenile. But for one, we could start trying to tackle the underlying economic factors which provide the nutrients for gang culture's world-view and attitude. That's a tall order for any government and Labour is eminently incapable of achieving it. The party has assumed, for over a decade now, that comparative inequality is irrelevant as long as absolute inequality is being tackled. That betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the human condition. We assess ourselves by those around us. The gaping chasm between rich and poor has contributed to this malaise.For the less ambitious, there is another route: the emergence of a new generation of musicians, writers and artists with a fierce social conscience: people who look at the world around them and ask tough questions, people who don't just talk about money and cars and guns. There are UK grime stars out there now who started down this road, to minimal fanfare, years ago. I'm thinking primarily of the fierce, angry calls for social justice from Devlin's, or the cheeky, principled and patriotic Sway.We need more of them. One song of theirs is worth billions in government communications strategies. But they will face the same problems as their predecessors: they will be considered a threat to the establishment. That's because they are.
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Jay-Z Becomes A Broadway Producer For 'Fela!'The rapper found the musical about the Nigerian Afrobeat legend 'fascinating.'NEW YORK — After having Los Angeles singing about their "Empire State of Mind" at the American Music Awards on Sunday, Jay-Z returned home on Monday evening to share in a different kind of celebration. Along with celebs like Ben Stiller, Harry Belafonte and Gayle King, Jay attended the Broadway opening of "Fela!," a musical celebrating the work of another great man, the late Nigerian superstar Fela Anikulapo Kuti.Jay said that he jumped onboard the project as a producer for its Broadway (along with Will and Jada Pinkett Smith) run because he was inspired by the power of Kuti's music and life story."It's an inspiration, about the power of music. Here's a guy that's on the other side of the world who was influenced by James Brown, who takes this thing and makes his own sort of genre of music," Hov told MTV News. "I just think it's fascinating.""Fela!" focuses on the life and music of the Afrobeat pioneer and political activist, who first broke out on the international scene in the 1970s. It was written by Jim Lewis and Bill T. Jones, who also choreographed the musical, and features Kuti's music, arranged and performed by members of the Brooklyn Afrobeat orchestra Antibalas.Jones, a world-renowned dancer and choreographer, said that musical wouldn't have been possible without another producer, Stephen Hendel."This was one man's dream, Stephen Hendel — a very sweet man who loved Fela's music and was determined it would be on Broadway," Jones said. "It was because of that one man's dream and love, something that I really appreciate and love and something that I know Fela stands for." Jones said that the music translates so well onto the stage because of its genius and uncontrollable energy."Fela's music is unwieldy, but it is brilliant and it is music that really wants groups of people to come together and enjoy."Jay-Z At The Opening Of 'Fela!'Jay-Z was one of those people who enjoyed Kuti's music. He became involved the play after seeing it during its Off-Broadway run. That might never have happened, however, without the prompting of another hip-hop heavyweight, ?uestlove of the Roots. ?uestlove attended a very early show and sent an e-mail blast declaring "Fela!" to be the best musical ever. Once he saw the play, he said he was instantly moved."Moved to the point that I blogged about it for hours, and then when the producers read my blog, they so graciously asked me to go out and bat for them and grab any of my friends that make over nine to 10 figures a year to come and lend their 'muscle,' " ?uestlove told us.For eight weeks, he begged people, bought tickets and even the balcony out, so that the message would get out there. Pointing to Jay, the drummer added, "As you can see, the right man finally came."
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By Victoria Osteen
Not long ago I was talking to a young lady who recently gave her heart to the Lord. She told me that her family wasn't sure about her new life of faith, and she was a little nervous about her trip to go visit them for the holidays. She was intimidated and didn't want to get into debates or arguments, and she just didn't know what to do or what to expect. I simply told her, "You don't have to be nervous to go see your family. You don't have to preach to them, just be the blessing God has called you to be.quot; I began to explain to her the principle that God's purpose for blessing us is so that we can be a blessing to others.
John 10:10 says that God wants you to have an abundant life. "Abundantquot; simply means "amply supplied.quot; God wants you to be amply supplied with everything you need so that you can reach out and be a blessing to others. That's His purpose in blessing us—so that we can be an example of His goodness to the people around us.
Remember, people respond differently when they know you have their best interest at heart. You'll have greater opportunity to speak into their lives when you encourage and lift them up. It's God's kindness that draws people to Him, not philosophical debates or arguments. As believers, our job is to show His kindness. So look for ways to be a blessing, and be an example of His amazing love!
Joel and I want to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving and a blessed holiday season. Remember that you are God's hands and feet in the earth. So take time for the people in your life and look for ways to reach out and be a blessing wherever you go!
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Posted by SULE BELLO on November 29, 2009 at 10:15pm
Six die at police check-point in DeltaBy Sola Adebayo, Warri, Published: Friday, 27 Nov 2009Tragedy struck in Delta State on Thursday as six persons were crushed to death at a police check point in Ebrumede community, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.The deceased, all women, were conveying palm oil to a market in Effurun, the headquarters of Uvwie LGA, before they were crushed to death by an oil trailer at the road block mounted by policemen attached to Ebrumede Police Station.It was learnt that the driver conveying the deceased on the ill-fated trip was engaging the policemen in a hot argument over a bribe demand before the trailer rammed into the bus.Consequently, the oil tanker with registration number XA 399 GNA smashed the bus with registration number AA 49 FST and killed all its occupants. The policemen fled the scene as the women groaned under the heavy impact of the accident.It took officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission and sympathisers over two hours to secure a pay loader to remove the oil tanker, which rested on the bus. Sympathisers cried uncontrollably as the mutilated remains of the deceased were eventually recovered and taken to the morgue of a government-owned hospital in Effurun.However, the driver of the bus, his lieutenant and another woman, who had seized the opportunity to ease herself in company with her baby, survived the tragic event.Blood, palm oil and the wreckage of the bus littered the scene as the rescue operation led to the closure of a portion of the East/West Road (Warri/Port Harcourt highway) by the FRSC.But the whereabouts of the driver of the oil tanker could not be ascertained on Thursday afternoon.In reaction, angry members of the public sacked the police station, a few minutes after the remains of the deceased were evacuated from the scene.It was, however, learnt that the police station was deserted before the protesters attacked it. The police station was eventually torched by the protesters.The authorities of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Restore Hope, later deployed soldiers and policemen in the area. Two Armoured Personnel Carriers attached to the JTF were also moved to the sacked police station.It was learnt that the Sector 1 Commander of JTF, Colonel Jamil Sarham, authorised the deployment of the troops and the APCs.The Sector Commander of FRSC in Delta State, Mr. Luka Ikpi, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with our correspondent.“A tanker fell on a bus; and from information available to us (FRSC), the six people in the bus died. All the six people are women. Three persons, made up of two men and one woman, were injured,” Ikpi said.The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command, Mr. Yakubu Alhikali, declined to comment on the incident. He claimed to be in a meeting on the four occasions our correspondent contacted him on the phone.
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Nigeria records 46.7 per cent drop in new HIV cases !
By Chukwuma Muanya and Collins Olayinka
AS the country joins the rest of the world to mark the 2009 World AIDS Day today, the country has recorded a 46.7 per cent drop in Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) infection in seven years.
Also, a new data in the 2009 AIDS epidemic update released at the weekend by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), showed that globally, new HIV infections have been reduced by 17 per cent in the past eight years.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) have also called for proactive steps to stem discrimination against workers living with HIV.
The report indicated that since 2001, when the United Nations Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS was signed, the number of new infections in sub-Saharan Africa is approximately 15 per cent lower, which is about 400,000 fewer infections in 2008.
Director-General, National Agency on the Control of AIDS (NACA), Prof. John Idoko, told The Guardian: "Going by the sero-prevalence and the Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance Survey (IBSS), the HIV epidemic is dropping. For example, the prevalence among young people aged between 15 and 24, which reflects new infections has dropped from six per cent in 2001 to 3.2 per cent in 2008."
According to UNAIDS, Nigeria has the third largest number of HIV infections in the world, with roughly four million men, women and children living with HIV and AIDS.
The World AIDS Day, celebrated on December 1, draws together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic. The day is one of the most visible opportunities for public and private partners to spread awareness about the status of the pandemic and encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in high-prevalence countries and around the world.
According to 2008 figures released by WHO, there are now 33.4 million people living with HIV. An estimated 2.7 million were newly infected with the virus and two million died of AIDS the same year. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most heavily affected by HIV. In 2008, sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 67 per cent of HIV infections worldwide, 68 per cent of new HIV infections among adults and 91 per cent of new HIV infections among children. The region also accounted for 72 per cent of the world's AIDS-related deaths in 2008.
According to the new UNAIDS report, HIV incidence has declined by nearly 25 per cent in East Asia and in South and South East Asia by 10 per cent in the same time period. In Eastern Europe, after a dramatic increase in new infections among injecting drug users, the epidemic has levelled off considerably. However, in some countries, there are signs that HIV incidence is rising again.
Meanwhile, the ILO and the ITUC have called for proactive steps to stem discrimination against workers that are HIV-positive.
In his message yesterday to mark the occasion, the Director- General of ILO, Mr. Juan Somavia, said the slogan: "I am living my rights. Stop AIDS, keep the promise" is a collective responsibility to respond to this call of World AIDS Day 2009.
He noted that out of over 33 million people that are living with HIV/AIDS, more than 90 per cent are adults in their productive and reproductive prime.
According to him: "Keeping the promise means enabling HIV-positive workers to remain on the job. Eliminating HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination in the world of work upholds the dignity of work and of workers. Policies and strategies for prevention and treatment sustain the workforce: They must reach all workers, wherever they work, including in the informal and rural economy. And in sustaining the workforce, we sustain families, communities, societies and economies."
He cautioned that the world must not be carried away by the availability of drugs, saying: "Yet, let us not forget that for every two persons who obtain treatment, there are five new infections and one of every two new infections is among 15 to 24-year old. Too many of these young people are unlikely to realise their potential."
Somavia stressed that the world cannot relent on prevention and that prevention must be multi-dimensional and approached with long-term commitment, creativity and diversity.
He revealed that in June 2010, the International Labour Conference (ILC) will consider adopting a new labour standard in the form of a recommendation on HIV/AIDS and the world of work to reinforce its work.
On its part, the ITUC blamed the massive human suffering caused by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the failure to date to check and reverse its growth on lack of political will of governments.
It stated that the ITUC remains committed to action to combat HIV/AIDS discrimination in the workplace, to ensure a rights-oriented approach to the interventions, to advocate for strong privacy and confidentiality safeguards and to ensure equitable access to HIV/AIDS treatment.
It also expressed its concerns at the impact of the financial crisis on development and thus on combating HIV-AIDS.
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A divorced father of three stabbed his mother 21 times after becoming convinced that she was a witch and had put a curse on him, a court in Britain heard on Friday.
Kayode Kuye reportedly tortured and killed Christina Kuye, 69, because he believed she had ruined his life with a black magic spell, the Old Bailey was told. Unemployed Kuye, 50, of Edmonton, north London, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
The judge, Christopher Moss, ordered him locked up indefinitely under mental health laws and described it as a “brutal” killing.
Kuye reportedly attacked his mother after letting himself into her home in Finchley, north London, with a key in May last year, the court heard.
After a lengthy argument, he stabbed her 21 times to the upper body, also slashing her arms and hands as she tried to defend herself.
He was later arrested covered in blood at Finchley Central station, laughing as he said: “I have had an argument with my mother.”
Policemen forced their way into her home where they found her body in her bedroom.
Kuye later told psychiatrists that his purpose was “to torture his mother to try to prevent her from continuing what he perceived to be black magic upon him,” said Alan Kent, prosecuting officer.
Mr. Kent said: “The motivation behind his attack was his paranoid and deluded belief that his mother had cursed him through witchcraft and had ruined his life.”
Mrs. Kuye came to Britain from Nigeria in 1961 with her husband, who died in 1984. She had eight children, including the defendant, and 20 grandchildren.
She herself believed in witchcraft and her son became increasingly interested in the subject during the four years before he killed her.
His mother helped him get in touch with a witch doctor she knew in Nigeria and he would send him money “for advice and medicine,” the court heard.
Two years before the killing, he began to blame her for all his problems, saying she had “sacrificed him as a child and had put a curse on him.”
He believed that “he was a king and should be rich, but the curse prevented this from happening.”
For about a year before his mother’s death, he had been saying he was going to kill her, as well as other family members.
On the day of the stabbing, he had been “ranting and raving” at his former wife and told her that “he had to go and do what he had to do,” the court heard.
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Super Eagles soar in FIFA rankingsBy Tunde EludiniNovember 20, 2009 07:23PMTThough not seeded as one of the top countries in next year's Nations Cup in Angola, the Super Eagles of Nigeria moved up ten notches in the FIFA rankings released on Friday.The Super Eagles are now ranked 22nd in the world, a position which takes them to third in Africa as Cameroon remains the continent's highest ranked team in eleventh position just below the world's top ten teams.The display by the Elephants of Cote d' Ivoire in the just concluded World Cup qualifiers accounted for their movement three steps up the ladder to become the 16th best team in World and Africa's 2nd best.The Mambas of Mozambique whose 1-0 victory over Tunisia aided Nigeria's World Cup dreams were also handed a massive 80 points thereby jumping 12 places to 72 in the world and 14th in Africa.Ghana gained only 1 place and are 6th in Africa while Egypt's woes of missing out of the World Cup were compounded as they slipped down the ladder to 5th in Africa and 29th overall with Algeria taking its place At the top, Spain have overtaken Brazil to become the world's top-ranked team. Holland, Italy and Portugal complete the world's top 5.Back
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Posted by 9jabook.com on November 21, 2009 at 6:35am
FG begins payment of N65,000 monthly allowance to ex-militants
By Jimitota Onoyume, with Agency reports
A cross section of Niger Delta Militants who embraced amnesty and surrendered their weapons in Arogbo town
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Each repentant militant is entitled to an allowance of N65,000 per month for the period of rehabilitation.
There are two rehabilitation camps in Rivers and Delta States.
Former militants camped at Aluu, near the University of Port Harcourt, staged a protest on November 16 over non-payment of the arrears of their allowances and alleged neglect by government.
The Media Coordinator of the Amnesty Implementation Committee, Dr Timiebi Koripamo-Agary, said yesterday on phone that the payment commenced earlier in the day.
“As I speak to you, the Federal Government has commenced payment of the arrears owed former militants at various camps in the Niger Delta region.
“Normalcy has also been restored at the Aluu camp, near Port Harcourt,’’ she added.
Koripamo-Agary said government was resolutely committed to the implementation of the post-amnesty programme and would ensure that the former militants were properly rehabilitated.
She declared: “The delay in commencing the rehabilitation programme was caused by the leaders of the former militants.
“At a meeting we held with their leaders, they asked for time to enable them to study the programme. They have not responded and we are still waiting for them,’’ she said.
The Coordinator urged the former militants to exercise restraint and patience, stressing that violence would not achieve anything.
“The former militants should adopt peaceful means of conveying their grievances to government. We appeal to them to remain calm, because the programme is on course,’’ she added.
Ex-militants clash
Meanwhile, some ex-militants yesterday clashed at their Aluu rehabilitation camp yesterday. But for the timely intervention of soldiers on ground, the development would have recorded casualties, some of the ex-militants told Vanguard.
According to the ex-militants, there are about five different groups being quartered at the rehabilitation centre.
They are boys loyal to Prince Amachree aka General Adekunle; boys of General J.J.; Osama Bin-Laden; Soboma George and others.
They said the clash erupted after one of the ex-militant leaders led about 20 boys loyal to him to attack another ex-militant leader at a drinking spot in front of the rehabilitation centre.
According to them, the situation almost degenerated to an orgy of violence but for the timely intervention of soldiers on ground who stepped in to calm frayed nerves.
They said the rehabilitation centre has already been divided along lines. They therefore urged the soldiers on ground to beef up security to avert a repeat of the clash.
Meanwhile, at press time, the ex-militants at the camp were still expecting their allowances.
They said they were assured that they would be paid that yesterday, but as at 5pm when Vanguard called, they said the Major who does the payment was yet to come to the rehabilitation centre.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on November 18, 2009 at 10:18pm
By Festus Owete and Ini Ekott with a brief intro by Abi John Balogun
The song "The more money we get the more problems we see ...." These lyrics must have had Nigeria on the mind of the Singer slain Biggie Smalls aka Notorious B.I.G
Now The apparently dim witted Dimeji Bankole Speaker of the Federal House of Reps and general youth disappointment to the youths of this great Nation has spearheaded this opportunity for Business as Usual.
Story
The House of Representatives yesterday consented to President Umaru Yar'Adua's request to get $500 million loan from the World Bank.
The loan was approved after a motion sponsored by the Chief Whip, Emeka Ihedioha, and seconded by John Kalipa (PDP, Rivers).
Mr. Ihedioha, who stood in for the House Leader, Tunde Akogun, said that Mr. Yar'Adua had in a letter dated July 27 asked the House to endorse the emergency supplementary expenditure to effectively respond to current challenges.
He reminded the house that the 2009 Appropriation Act inadvertently omitted or insufficiently provided for certain items, adding that the supplementary budget will be funded from a special concessional facility from the World Bank.
The lawmaker said that the concessionary terms for the World Bank facility include zero interest rate, 0.7 per cent for service charge, 0.5 per cent commitment charge on undisbursed balance, 10 years grace period and 40-year-repayment period, among others.
Mr. Ihedioha said that if granted, the loan will address core infrastructural development in power, works, transport and aviation sectors.
Earlier however, there was confusion over the President's request for the loan. Dino Melaye (PDP, Kogi) while invoking Order 8 (4) of the Standing Rules, had complained that the Federal Executive Council last Wednesday approved a $300 million loan from the International Development Association to fund the power sector without recourse to the National Assembly.
He stated that the finance minister and his counterparts in the ministries of power, justice, and power as well as officials of the Debt Management Office and Power Holding Company of Nigeria, entered into negotiations with the association between May 11 and 13 this year.
He added that on June 16, the World Bank executive met with the officials after which the federal executive council asked the minister of finance to implement the plan to obtain the loan.
Violation of Constitution
Mr. Melaye said that the executive arm violated Sections 21 (1) and 22 (3) of the Debt Management Establishment Act by not consulting the National Assembly on its plan to take the loan.
He said that when Mr. Yar'Adua wanted to grant a loan to Sao Tome and Principe he asked the National Assembly for approval, wondering why he could not do so when he was planning to take the $300 million from the World Bank.
Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, Ita Emang, reminded the House that the President had in July written the National Assembly asking for permission to get a loan to fund the emergency supplementary budget.
He said that the House approved the budget but did not approve the loan at that time. Mr. Enang said he had met with Mr. Melaye severally on the issue with a view to explaining the matter to him.
However, in his response, Mr. Melaye insisted that the two are different loans since "one is $300 million and the other $500 million" and that the House should treat it as a matter of urgent importance on the next legislative day.
Both the deputy finance committee chair and his police affairs counterpart also made contributions and called for caution. In the end the loan was approved, but to ensure clarity on the matter, the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole asked the committees on finance, appropriation and local and foreign debts to investigate if the $500 million dollars approved is inclusive of the $300 million that president obtained from the international Development Association. Mr. Bankole asked the committee to report their findings during the next legislative session.
Supplementary budget
Also on Wednesday, the lawmakers approved the N353.6 billion as supplementary budget for the President. The amount is higher than the N352.8 billion requested by Mr. Yar'Adua two weeks ago.
However, the lawmakers approved an amendment proposed by Mr. Ihedioha to transfer N2 billion from the N10 billion allocated to the Public Mass Transit (Revolving Fund to Procure Vehicles) to complete the Port Harcourt-Opobo-Azumini-Ukanafun Road. This leaves the allocation to mass transit at N8 billion.
They also asked the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Adamu Aliero, to send to the House a written explanation on how the contracts for the expansion of airport and Kubwa roads were awarded. The deputy chairman of the Committee on Finance, Leo Dilkon, had informed the House that Mr. Aliero opted for Private-Public-Partnership when the banks which were to grant loan to the FCT to fund the projects asked for 23 per cent interest rate on the loan.
Mr. Dilkon said that with the new arrangement, the FCT will be saving the nation about N109 million.
Not mine I DON"T own this audio lyrics: Now, who's hot who not Tell me who rock who sell out in the stores You tell me who flopped who copped the blue drop Who jewels got robbed who's mostly Gold..
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As a direct consequence of the death of Mrs Uche Umunnakwe, who was crushed by a fence on Saturday, the Lagos Physical Development Agency started demolishing houses within the vicinity of the sad incident this afternoon.Earlier in the day, Officials of the Agency were around to access the extent of deterioration in the neighbourhood. Several houses were marked for demolition to the admiration of the residents who felt it was high time. Not long after, the neighbourhood witnessed an influx of journalists from diverse media houses who must have received tips from the government agency (I broke this news since Saturday).About one hour ago, the government officials returned with a retinue of policemen, more pressmen and several sledge hammer wielding young man who immediately brought down the offending fence and attached house, before moving on to other structures that from all indication, are death traps too.Caught unawareMost of the residents had already gone to work but the power of new age communication devices brought most of them running home to salvage as much of their properties.At this very moment, demolitions are still ongoing and the general belief is that the days of the standing structures are numbered.
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A lot of commentators like to point to leadership as Nigeria’s biggest failing. Not true, in my view. There are worse problems bedevilling that poor dear country than its leadership. We have religion, ethnicity, the British, etc, etc. But taking pride of place at the top of this scrapheap are the ordinary Nigerians – the followers.
Last week, I was reading through the many commentaries from some Nigerians responding to a write up on Sahararepoters titled: “Nigeria Golden Eaglets Captain 7 Years Ago” written by Sunny Achi. The piece was done in support of an initial revelation that the team captain, Fortune Chukwudi is far older than the 17 years age limit of the FIFA under-seventeen World Cup football tournament. The writer also provided some pictorial evidence.
In those pictures, Fortune Chukwudi looks nothing like a seventeen year old. He looks decidedly older. That was not all. Former Green Eagles player, Adokiye Amiesimaka, who at one time was the Chairman of Sharks Football Club and the Coach of its feeder (Youth) team had earlier provided evidence to show that Fortune Chukwudi played for his club as an 18 year old in 2002. This is seven years later, and the same Fortune Chukwudi is the captain of our national under-seventeen football team!
There’s another player, Olanrewaju Kayode, who wanted to play for Sharks feeders in 2002 and he said he had finished secondary school back then. Kayode is also in the under-seventeen team. Please note that the first MRI test carried out by FIFA eliminated 15 of our squad members. 15! God only knows what ingenuity was then employed by our football authorities for the subsequent test.
But that wasn’t the worst news. Out of about 76 commentaries on Saharareporters from Nigerians (as at the time I began writing this), close to half were dismissive, contemptuous and lampooned the writer, Amiesimaka especially, even Saharareporters (whose only crime was publishing the story) and the other commentators who thought the whole affair was blatant cheating and wrong.
I now, for the first time, understand why our senior team, the Super Eagles, can’t get off the ground (or is it grass?). I had always wondered why we play ‘walking football’ at the senior level. I had wondered many, many times why the same players who excelled at junior levels could never deliver at the senior stage. Now we know: Those players were performing at their peak in junior tournaments. At the senior stage, they were already in their 30s, with kids, mortgages and individual retirement accounts.
But this is not an isolated case as much as there could be the temptation to pass it off as passion for the game or nationalism. It is woeful cheating and misplaced patriotism. It is a manifestation of the Nigerian malaise; the Nigerian factor. Worse; it is short sighted and very self defeating. A retrogressive practice where we mess up our own future.
When former governor Alamieyeseigha, who had Bayelsa in a headlock was let out of jail, he was immediately feted with government’s money over three days by the same State. Otherwise intelligent people who hail from that part of the country could not bring themselves to condemn this abhorrence because; well…he is their thief. They loudly and angrily told other revolted Nigerians to mind their business and go mind their own thieves.
Ibori was recently able to get grown men to stand out in the cold in front of a London court, holding up freshly made PVC banners in demonstration where his sister, secretary, and mistress are being tried for laundering some of the money that he stole. Those demonstrators decried the English legal system and blamed Ibori’s troubles on colonialism. This happened in the UK in the year of the Lord, 2009! At least some of the protesters were sufficiently embarrassed and tried to avert their faces, but they still stood there in the open protesting on Ibori’s behalf. How hungry can someone be? The same Ibori was able to bus a few women with sad drooping breasts from Delta to Kaduna earlier in the year to demand his release from custody.
Freshman Bode George still has people (not just his immediate family) trooping to protest his innocence and rain curses on the EFCC as George begins classes at kirikiri.
Today, even though Babangida’s house is no longer the Mecca it once was, there are still Nigerians going there and telling the man that his gap teeth is the best thing to happen to Nigeria this side of a tuning fork.
There’s currently a character turning the internet blue pushing the candidacy of governor Shekarau as Nigeria’s next president. But almost everyone knows that Kano in the last eight years has actually retrogressed during the Shekarau years.
When some of us heaved a sigh of relief and said thank God, Chief Adedibu was gone and that Oyo State could catch its breath and can get on with normal civilised life, a gentleman from the Nigerianvillagesquare retorted that I don’t know what I was talking about and that Adidebu’s brand of politics was the best thing that ever happened to Oyo State. He said ‘outsiders’ like me don’t understand Oyo political dynamics, blah, blah, blah. Months before that, a Yoruba Professor teaching in one of the schools in America had sent me a disapproving email accusing me of not showing enough respect for criticising Chief Adedibu and calling his method ‘thuggery.’
Nobody wants to call a spade a spade anymore. We have perfected the art of self imploding and looking outwards for the pin prick. There’s absence of shame and absence of responsibility. Cheating and lying is simply the reality of our life as most Nigerians have come to know it. Most of us, depending on the circumstance, would find no qualms at all in justifying any perfidy but we then have the nerve to look and point elsewhere. We point to the leaders – as long as they are not from our neck of the woods – as the problem. Only a few honest Nigerians buck this trend.
I once had a surreal debate with a Nigerian who returned from Abuja and said that Abuja was better than London only on the basis that in London, there was too much maintenance of roads and that he found that very annoying when he drove. But in Nigeria, when a contractor comes in the dead of the night and fills a bad road with blocks and bricks instead of a full scale repair job, that is acceptable because he has settled officials and other civil servants who willingly accepts the money, or may even have demanded it knowing fully well that it means the road which they all ply would not be repaired. The contractor then takes the rest of the money and goes out to celebrate his ‘arrival.’ Everyone – including the greased civil servants then acts surprised and blame leadership when the same road falls apart worse than it was before.
The same goes for NEPA. Every new landlord or shop owner goes to bribe a NEPA official and stick their line into an already congested transformer that is extended well above its normal capacity and blame leadership when the transformer blows up within two months.
Another mate recently admitted that he regularly settles the boys in black at their illegal checkpoints with N50 every time he drives through. Most of us do. What will eventually happen if we all begin to refuse to pay this N50 bribe to the police? I am sure this person bribes other officials privately and publicly as a matter of course but remains adamant that he is awaiting a non-corrupt Nigerian to come and fight a clean fight against corruption that he and others like him daily empowers. The irony is completely lost on him. Nobody takes personal responsibility anymore. Nigeria’s problems are someone else’s making and it is therefore for someone else – untainted – to come and resolve. Meanwhile the majority seems to condone, abets and, in fact, awaits their turn at the trough. Only lip service is paid to fighting what is wrong. It is only wrong when other people do it or when we are inconvenienced by it. But if it directly benefits us, then other people complaining are unpatriotic, or it is a case of ‘bad belle’ and ‘pull him down syndrome’ – our newfound lazy, condoning, mop-up phrases.
Our leaders know us so well and have been happily shafting us accordingly. They probably have a good laugh behind our backs whenever they meet. Every time anyone of us raises an objection to their thieving and other scandalous acts, they know and understand that that person is in the minorities’ minority. There would be no shortage of other Nigerians to rain him or her down. A country does really get the leadership it deserves. Just the other day, David Mark was audacious enough to say that Nigeria is doing very well indeed and that those Nigerians complaining within and without should go start their own country. This is how much followership has enabled the kind of leadership we have.
If you do the right thing in Nigeria or even talk about doing what is right, you are laughed at by the people around you. They quickly remind you that ‘things don’t work like that here.’ Amazingly, some people don’t seem to see their own handsome contributions to why things don’t or won’t work. On the football story, some of the commentators chastised Amiesimaka for waiting till the competition got underway to make his revelation about Fortune Chukwudi. Clearly this is an afterthought and a very poor excuse. If Amiesimaka had said something before the start of the competition, they would have said why not wait till afterwards; you’re going to blow it for us. No time is a good time. What they really mean is: leave it alone. I’m afraid these are the same people who would justify cheating during exams.
Some people have argued that FIFA has given us a pass (it hasn’t) on the second MRI test and so we should not complain about over-age players anymore. It is mind bugling really. That has never being the point. All sorts of specious talk and excuses are reeled out to justify what is clearly wrong and should have been universally condemned. Everything with some of us seems to be about short-term gratification - the here and now (no matter how), and the future is consigned into the hands of fate and for other people to fix – the inshallah mentality. When we have erected sub-standards around us and have pulled the environment down to that mediocre level, we then expect giants and worthy leaders to arise from the ashes.
I think that, largely, leaders everywhere would misbehave sometimes and do their own thing if their citizens don’t hold them to account and to better standards. But some Nigerian not only condone and rationalise away what is bad, they also happily abet their own under-development. Now, please, nobody should get me wrong; Nigeria’s leadership is mostly crap and has consistently failed that country. I mean, look at Yar’Adua and Michael Aondoakaa for goodness sake…But its followership is proving worse.
One of the more enterprising commentators on the referenced story on Saharareporters actually wrote: “Age cheating is the only way developing countries(sic) can compete with Europe, America and the 1st world who cheat with technology, better health facilities and quality food. Where would Africa match these people, if not over-age posing as under-age?”
So there!
demdem@hotmail.co.uk
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Posted by 9jabook.com on November 17, 2009 at 7:34pm
The Lagos State government, on Monday, demonstrated its commitment to recognise gallant and patriotic law enforcement agents by presenting the keys of a three-bedroom flat to Mrs Olubunmi Oluseyi Awe, widow of a naval officer, who was killed during an attack on the Atlas Cove Jetty. The state government also presented certificates of commendation to 16 police officers and men who have distinguished themselves in their careers.
Speaking at Lagos House, Ikeja while handing over the keys of the flat located at Igbogbo II in Ikorodu, Deputy Governor Sarah Adebisi Sosan, who stood in for Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), said the state government would always stand by officers in times of need.
According to him the death of late Commander A.K Joshua Awe, during the attack by unknown men on the Atlas Cove Jetty, some months ago, showed the commitment and gallantry of the officer in the course of duty.
He added that the widow, Mrs Olubunmi Awe, who was accompanied by her three children, one of whom was marking her seventh birthday, should take solace in the fact that her husband died in the course of national duty and would forever be remembered in the annals of the history of the nation.
While asking her to be of good courage, Governor Fashola said Mrs Awe should be steadfast and ensure that the future remained bright by training the children left behind by the deceased and giving them sound education.
He added that like all mortals, the late officer had transited to the great beyond, promising that the state government would not abandon her and the children in the years ahead, adding that the provision of the accommodation was one of the little ways by which the state wanted to appreciate his service.
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Months after they were first spotted at Rita Dominic’s birthday party and weeks after the news of their engagement broke via Stella D-K, Everton FC defender Joseph Yobo and 2008 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Adaeze Igwe have officially announced their engagement. Rather than going for a traditional engagement ring, Yobo presented Adaeze with a unique ring – a diamond encrusted band with a heart shaped attachment.
The bride-to-be Adaeze represented Nigeria at the 2008 Miss World competition and she recently completed a course at the New York Film Academy while the prospective groom is set to play in Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier against Tunisia today.
Cute couple! Wishing them all the best.
Joseph Yobo engaged to MGBN Adaeze Igwe
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Posted by 9jabook.com on November 15, 2009 at 4:31am
After a week in the dungeon of the captors, the Nollywood ace Comedian Nkem Owoh (Osuofia) has finally regained his freedom. The family declined to make any comment whether any ransom was given to the kidnappers. But a source confirmed that a sum of N1.4 million was doled out to the kidnappers in exchange for his release.
It was further gathered that the criminal elements however, failed to release the actor‘s car until the balance of N100,000 is finally paid to them. Huhuonline.com gathered that the family members pleaded with the abductors to release Osuofia’s car, but the plea was seen as effort in futility. Initially the faceless captors demanded N15m ransom, this was negotiated to N2 million, and after several plea again since the family could not meet up, it was eventually cut down to N1.5 Million, but the family members who are under panic measure could only raise N1.4m.
President of the Actors Guild Mr. Segun Arinse confirmed this reports, affirming that Nkem Owoh is hail and hearty and he is in good health, maintaining that there is no course for alarm. He implores the security operative to heighten their security in ensuring that freedom to life and movement in Nigeria are ultimately guaranteed. A source on account of anonymity said this is the best time for the Police and other security agents in the country to nab these criminal elements since they still have the (defenseless) actor’s car vehicle in their possession.
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The factLast night at about 9:30 pm, a loud noise, followed by a deep tremor attracted the attention of the residents of number 4 Bada Street in Mafoluku area of Lagos. Since PHCN was effecting its usual off days, most of the tenants were already indoors, either slumbering or preparing to, But most rushed out to see what made that startling noise. It turned out that the fence of number 2 Bada Street had collapsed, trapping a Widow Mrs Uche .M. Umunnakwe, a secretarial assistant with the office of head of the civil service of the federation, under the rubble.After spirited efforts by neighbours, working with bare hands, she was dug out and rushed to a nearby hospital from where she was taken to the Ikeja General hospital where she gave up the ghost at about 12:30 AM.Matters arisingSomebody was at the wrong place at the wrong time some might say, and call to mind the Igbo Adage that states that ‘a strangers corpse is like a bunch of firewood by the road side’ but Mrs Umunnakwe did not die because she decided to wash her hands after exiting the bathroom where she had just answered natures call, no, she died because of the rot that has eating deep into the fabrics of the Nigerian Nation.The fence that killed her has been a source of constant bickering between the tenant whose room is attached to it in number 2 Bada Street, Papa Chineye, and his elderly landlady, known only a Ramota. Erosion has over the years eroded the foundation of the fence and attempts to get the landlady, who resides in the same house, to repair the damaged foundation had proved unsuccessful. She is said to have told the tenants to either repair the house or abide in it like that. Her stand is not alien to anyone who resides in the low income neighbourhoods of Lagos where the landlords and landladies are demi-gods who see nothing wrong in collecting rents for houses and not putting back even a kobo into maintenance.Fate’s handThe tenants whose room is also attached to the fallen fence, Papa Chineye, had just taken stuck of what it would cost him to repair the damaged foundation just yesterday morning and have even paid for the estimated fifteen blocks it will take to rebuild it. Neighbours attested to hearing him discussing with the mason that would have done the repairs. It appears the premonition of the incident was felt my a lot of people, even the deceased neighbour my Tony, an Okada rider, claims he told the woman earlier that day of a dream he had the night before of the fence falling, a claim that was substantiated by several people who overheard the discussion between them.The hospital’s handThe Holy Saviour Hospital along Mafoluku road where she was first rushed to is nothing more than a dirt caked consulting clinic that lacks even the sanitary ambiance that one expects from a hospital environment. Though the doctor on duty was game enough to examine her, his only submission was that she should be taken to another hospital. On getting to the surgical emergency ward of General hospital in Ikeja, the ambiance was a big contrast to that of the aforementioned Holy Saviour Hospital. The environment is as clean as a hospital should be and the presence of several health personals made the mind a whole lot lighter. But, their insistence on protocol in the face of human tragedy was cause enough for tempers to flare as did their asking relatives of patients to run around the hospital from the pharmacy to the x-ray department and so forth. One expects a hospital a big as the general hospital to have staffs for that as well situating, at least, mini facilities within the emergency units. In addition, one seriously frowned at the dearth of beds and ward spaces.Though the doctors and nurses at the Ikeja general hospital did their duty, it was done in a lackadaisical manner that bespoke the attitude of Nigerian health professionals, slow when speed is expected of them, complacent when compassion would have eased a sullen nerve and overworked, with too few modern equipment at hand to help speed up the diagnosis process.A good neighbourEven in her last hours, Mrs Uche .M. Umunnakwe taught a solid lesson in community relations. Of the neighbours that followed her to the hospital were representatives of the five geo-political zones, there was a man from the Ogun state, Cross River state, Benue state and the eastern region.For her soul to rest in peaceAt the moment Mrs Uche Umunnakwe lies at the Ikeja general hospital while her two young boys Ugochukwu and Chidiebere, both in their teens, struggle with the cruel reality that fate has bestowed on them.The landlady is still holed up in her room – not that anyone expects much from her based on her advanced age.The house is still crowded with sympathisers and curious onlookers who are attracted to the scene for curiosity sake.…And more houses will followThe immediate vicinity, from Eyinogun street to areas around 7 and 8 pure water are riddled with dilapidated building in their tenth decades whose owners are either too numerous to collectively carry out repairs or even modernise them. THIS SITUATION BEGS FOR INTERVENTION FROM THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY INCHARGE.
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Itohan The cossy Orjiakor Dog Sex MovieWhen the news of Nollywood Diva (Cossy Orjiakor) and the Dog made the waves, Some of our ardent readers did not believe the gist. In fact, our own Mahaborne-The Grand Master in one of the threads, (Itohan movie producers deny Cossy Orjiakor) emphatically requested the NFC to post the pictures of Cossy and the Dog for all to see.Consequently, NFC swung into action and thus we are proud to share with you, a clip from the movie (Itohan Part 3) as posted on youtube. Enjoy!Caution: The clip below you're about to see may shock you! (18+)1:25min-5:25min
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