PDP NOT for Poor Men as Party disqualifies aspirants with less than N500m

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on July 26, 2010 at 8:21pm

The PDP in Osun East senatorial district declared on Monday in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, that it had disqualified governorship aspirants in the area who had less than N500 million in their bank accounts. Duro Famojuro, the party’s deputy leader of Ijesa Elders’ Caucus, said this at a news a conference in Ilesa, organised to present the party’s aspirant from the area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Gbenga Onigbogi, a House of Representatives member, who was adopted by the group, formally declared his intention for the 2011 governorship election. Mr. Famojuro said the caucus investigated the background of about 14 aspirants, to determine their legibility and financial strength through their bank accounts. He said the scrutiny was necessary to avoid the mistake of the past when the party sponsored campaigns for aspirants.

“Anybody who has less than N500 million can’t go for the governorship race. It is the caucus’ decision that nobody will give aspirants the money to campaign.”

Mr. Famojuro said Mr. Onigbogi met the criteria and had been adopted as the only aspirant qualified to run the race in Ijesaland for the governorship seat..

He also said that many young aspirants were eliminated because they had not contested for even a councillorship position before aspiring to become governor.

Paupers are not welcome

Ebenezer Babatope, a PDP chieftain and a member of the caucus, said the race was not for paupers. On complaints by some aspirants that the group was exploiting them, Mr. Babatope said they failed to meet the requirements.

The former minister of transport said a committee was set up to scrutinise aspirants who were required to pay money for the exercise. He said that though many of the aspirants failed to pay the levies, the caucus did not stop anyone from pursuing his governorship ambition.

“If the party at the state level conducts free, fair, and open primaries, we, the elders here, are ready to embrace whoever emerges as the PDP candidate for the election,” he declared.

Onigbogi, who represents Ijesa South federal constituency, pledged to embark on an agrarian revolution to turn around the agricultural fortune of the state, if elected.

Gen. Gausau to resign as NSA boss to face presidency ambition

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on July 25, 2010 at 11:07pm

Barring any last minute changes, Lt. Gen. Aliyu Gusau rtd, will soon resign his position as National Security Adviser. His exit is to allow him prepare for his presidential campaign. His replacement is not yet known, but presidency sources reveals

that it will certainly not be Sunday Are, the deputy National Security Adviser.

Gasau, one of the most celebrated spymaster, is relying on no other requisite skill to rule Nigeria other than a prophecy given to him and three other friends about two decades ago by an Islamic cleric that all of them would rule country one after the other.

Sources close to the general revealed that an imam had told Gasau that himself, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, Gen Sani Abacha and Gen Ibrahim Babangida would head the Nigeria government in succession. For his three friends the prophecy came true as predicted. But the presidency thus far has eluded the spymaster.

His last attempt at the presidency was in 2007, when President Obasanjo sent Nuhu Ribadu led EFCC after major contender thus paving way for only pretenders..

Kidnapped Journalists:How we were kidnapped as Onovo deploys special detectives to rescue abducted journalists

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on July 13, 2010 at 7:53pm

‘How we were kidnapped’

•Onovo deploys special detectives to rescue abducted journalists

Four journalists that were ambushed and kidnapped last Sunday have narrated how they ran

into armed gunmen along Ikot-Ekpene-Aba road.

This comes as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mr. Ogbonna Onovo yesterday ordered the deployment of special detectives from Imo and Akwa Ibom State to handle the case.

Also, Senate President David Mark has called on the kidnappers, who have demanded a ransom of N250 million, to release the journalists without any condition.

Photo: Wahab Oba One of the journalists & IGP Onovo

Those abducted are Chairman Lagos State Council Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Wahab Oba, Secretary of Zone G Adolphus Okonkwo, Acting Secretary Lagos State Council Sylvester Okereke, Lagos-based journalist Sola Oyeyipo and the driver of the vehicle.

In phone conversations with NUJ National Secretary Leman Shuaibu, Oba and Okonkwo said they were taken unawares.

Wahab had travelled to Ibadan, Oyo State, last week Tuesday for the Press Council week of that chapter. From there, he proceeded to his hometown of Ilorin in Kwara State to see his aged mother.

He left for Abuja last Wednesday for another official assignment. Okonkwo and Okereke flew into Abuja for that same event. They all left the capital city together on Thursday for Akwa Ibom State to attend the NUJ National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

On Friday, they attended the opening ceremony, the closed-door meeting on Saturday and left Uyo by 8am the following day. It was on their way back that they were attacked in a Serene Space bus around 10am.

The journalists told Shuaibu that there was a convoy of three vehicles transporting all of them. The first one was attacked by the gunmen who were operating in a Volvo car. They shot into the air while two of them jumped into the bus and forced the driver at gunpoint to follow their vehicle, they said.

Immediately, the two other cars swerved towards another direction. They stopped at some point and fled into the bush. They emerged 30 minutes later and re-boarded their vehicles.

The kidnappers contacted the NUJ National President Garba Mohammed three hours later. They also spoke to the Vice-Chairman of Lagos NUJ Deji Elumoye and demanded for N250 million ransom.

By 1pm yesterday, the kidnappers had not backed down. They spoke to Shuaibu and maintained that they were still waiting for the money. Oba and Okonkwo, were however, allowed to speak to Shuaibu.

The journalists said they were in good condition but were anxious to regain their freedom. Shortly after that, the phone was snatched from them. The kidnappers then asked Shuaibu to ensure that the ransom is paid to avoid any ugly incident.

Hundreds of journalists trooped to Oba's residence in Arepo, Ogun State, yesterday. A prayer session was held for the release of their colleagues.

Meanwhile, the SSS and police are already tracking the kidnappers. Also, Onovo has directed special detectives from Imo and Akwa Ibom States to ensure their release.

The directive was contained in a statement signed by Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Force Headquarters Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu. It said Onovo had directed both Imo and Akwa-Ibom Police Commands to assist in securing the release of the journalists.

According to the statement, the police is deeply concerned about the incident. The force urged members of the NUJ “to be calm over the abduction of their colleagues. We are actually working to rescue your people now in bondage but let me tell you that their kidnappers will be arrested, I can assure you that your colleagues would return to you safely like nothing ever happened to you.”

In another statement in Abuja issued by Shuaibu, the NUJ official urged journalists to remain calm as the union is on top of the matter. Oba’s wife, Barakat, expressed concern over the deteriorating state of health of his 80-year old mother. “What on earth do I know would happen to mama?”she asked.

Another NUJ official, Elumoye, appealed to journalists not to write any story that could jeopardise “our moves of securing the captured safely from the hands of the kidnappers.”

“For now, we are yet to know there location but we have spoken with them on the telephone this morning,” he explained.

The state wing of the National Association of Women Journalists also organised a prayer session at the NUJ Secretariat, Ikeja.

On his part, Senate President David Mark yesterday condemned the spate of kidnappings and abduction and tasked security operatives to “rise up to the challenge and save the citizens of his avoidable hostility in the hands of criminals.”

“No responsible government would allow this to continue,” said the Mark. He added that “we must all rise to the occasion and curb the menace.”

In a press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary Mr. Paul Mumeh, the Senate President told the kidnappers to release forthwith the abducted journalists unconditionally, saying, “Enough of this embarrassment, we cannot continue to allow this to happen; criminality of any form is condemnable, it cannot be our way of life.”

Mark called on communities, especially traditional rulers, to join the fight against kidnapping. He sympathised with the families of the victims and the NUJ.

Facebook assets frozen as man claims majority ownership

Posted by 9jabook.com on July 13, 2010 at 1:51am

A New York man has filed a lawsuit claiming he owns 84 percent of Facebook and the money it's made since 2004.

Paul D Ceglia says he signed a deal with Mark Zuckerberg in April 2003 to design and develop the website that ultimately turned into Facebook. The contract, he says, gave him $1,000 and a 50 percent stake in the company.

And he claims that this stake was increased through a provision in one clause, so that it now gives him a majority share.

"Under Paragraph 3 of the contract, the Seller and Purchaser agreed that for each day after January 1, 2004, the Purchaser would acquire an additional 1% interest, per day, until the website was completed," the lawsuit reads.

This would mean Ceglia receiving a further 34 percent stake in the company.

Ceglia filed his suit in the Supreme Court of New York's Allegany County on June 30, and has won a state court order temporarily restricting Facebook from disposing of its assets...

Facebook has had the case transferred to federal court in Buffalo. It's arguing that the suit is frivolous, and that in any case the deal was signed so long ago that it's almost certainly barred by the Statute of Limitations - which runs for six years in New York.

The timing of the alleged contract is also doubtful. While the suit refers to the website as 'The Page Book' or 'The Face Book', Zuckerberg has been pretty widely profiled in both books and a film, and is generally depicted as having started work on the site in September 2003. The domain thefacebook.com wasn't registered until January 2004.

Ceglia is no stranger to the courts. Last year he was accused of having defrauded customers of his wood fuel pellet company in a case which is still ongoing.

Telecoms manager & Cocaine Pusher as Agency nabs Ifunanya Igbokwe over illegal drugs

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on July 13, 2010 at 7:27pm

A Lagos-based telecommunications manager, Ifunanya Igbokwe, has been apprehended by the anti-narcotics agency at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, for drug peddling..

Announcing the arrest of the suspect on Tuesday in Lagos, Mitchell Ofoyeju, spokesperson for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) disclosed that Ms Igbokwe, who works with a telecoms firm in the country, was found to have ingested substances suspected to be cocaine on her way to Heathrow Airport, London.

“The 29-year-old computer engineering graduate from Enugu State University of Science and Technology confessed to have ingested 70 wraps of cocaine in a desperate bid to save her sick mother from death,” said Mr Ofoyeju.

Explaining that the crime was detected with the aid of the scanning machine at the centre screening area during the outward clearance of British Airways passengers to London, Mr Ofoyeju said the anti-narcotics agency discovered that the suspect earlier travelled to London on vacation in March.

“She is believed to be working for a drug syndicate and using her job as a cover,” he said. “She was also given £2,000 with a promise of additional money upon successful delivery of the drug.”

Motivation

The suspect, in a statement, denied working with drug cartels, disclosing that her search for funds to cater for the deteriorating health of her mother led her to drug smugglers who lured her into the act.

“My mother is sick and in critical condition. Her sight is failing and she has been diagnosed with partial stroke. I have been solely responsible for her medical bills,” she said.

“When I could no longer settle the bills and the condition is getting worse, I began running around for help, when I fell into the people that introduced me into drugs. This is my first time.”

Hamza Umar, airport commander for the agency, who dismissed the suspect’s claims, said that numerous drug suspects always come up with similar excuses. “We are investigating the case because we are interested in other members of the gang,” he said.

Mr Hamza, however, gave the names of other suspects apprehended alongside Ms Igbokwe to include: Okoli Anthony, 45; Edehen Efosa, 32; Olebunne Ndubisi, 35; and Ndubisi Tochukwu, 30.

The airport commander said that apart from Mr Tochukwu, who attempted to export 1.5kg of cannabis to China, others ingested various quantities of substances suspected to be cocaine.

Describing the act by the suspects as criminal, Ahmadu Giade, Chief Executive of the agency said that if the telecoms firm where Ms Igbokwe works is found culpable, it will be severely sanctioned in accordance with the dictates of the law, adding that all the suspects will be prosecuted.

“Nobody or organisation is above the law. If investigation indicts anyone or group of persons, even a company, the law will take its course,” he said.

Facebook VS Googleme as Google presses ahead with social networking plans

Posted by technology on July 12, 2010 at 10:29pm

by @gordonmacmillan, posted on 13 July, 2010 at 8:56 am, filed under Search Engines, Social Media, Social Networkingand tagged Facebook, Friendster, Google, Google Me, LinkedIn, MySpace, Orkut, Twitter, Zynga. Bookmark thepermalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.

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More details are emerging that point to Google launching a social media website, called Google Me, to rival Facebook as it emerges the web giant is looking for web users to take part in a “usability study”.

According to Techcrunch, Google is asking people to take a short survey to qualify for the study, which is taking place in Dublin with the likely hood that it is also conducting similar studies in other markets.

The study also suggests that Google has a working demo site of what could be Google Me (although that’s almost certainly a working name — good as it is) that it wants to let users loose on.

The questions focus around on and offline social networking looking at how people are making their connection days to day; their social habits (do they play sport, meet friends for drinks?); and which methods they use most frequently to communicate with friends and family..

Other questions ask which social networking sites users regularly visit from a list topped by Facebook followed by Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, Friendster and Orkut. It then asks about how many times they are accessing their “primary” social networking website (if they have one).

Another question asks about content habits and whether users have shared photos, video, reviews and blog posts.

The Google social networking site story kicked off at the tail end of June when Digg founder Kevin Rose tweeted that Google Me was a real project. This was followed by D’Angelo, the former Facebook’s CTO and founder of Q&A service Quora, who added more meat to the rumour when he posted that there were a large number of people at Google working on it.

Yesterday in a possibly related move Google invested as much as $200m in social gaming business Zynga. That expanded its social media footprint and possibly giving it access to a wealth of social media gaming for its planned site launch.

It is extremely exciting development and a necessary one. At the moment Facebook looks almost unassailable even with its tribulations around privacy. Those issues, and Facebook’s attitude to them, clearly make people uneasy, but there seems a widespread reluctance to leave it. I think part of that is ground in the idea that at the moment there is no widespread alternative to Facebook. Google could change that and offer a viable alternative and give Mark Zuckerberg and company a run for their money.

Ahoy there: as Seadogs aka Pyrates Confraternity offer free medical aid

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on July 13, 2010 at 5:11am

Medical doctor members of the National Association of Seadogs on humanitarian duty.

Seadogs offer free medical aid

The Pyrates Confraternity is known to have been founded by the Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka and six others. But the professor of Comparative Literature has maintained, at different times that, contrary to the general belief, the association he founded while a student at The University College, Ibadan, has nothing to do with the nocturnal groups currently found in the nation’s campuses.

As a way of lending credence to Mr. Soyinka’s claim, some members of the Lagos State chapter of the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), a.k.a Pyrates Confraternity, recently came out to demonstrate their noble intentions by offering free medical aid to some Lagos residents, while using the forum to carry out a voter-education campaign, in preparation for the 2011 general elections.

Under the canopies erected at the Ojuelegba Bus Stop at Surulere, members of the confraternity who are medical practitioners checked the blood pressure (BP) and the sugar levels of passers-by, dispensed drugs and gave advice to people with serious health conditions; while other members of different professions shared fliers educating the public on the dangers of drug abuse and addiction.

A passer-by, Ekaette Daniel, said the occasion allowed her to check her health and confirm some of the health problems she had suspected she was suffering from.

“I saw them giving free medical treatment so I decided to check myself. The doctors told me that my BP is OK but that I am too big for my height. I had suspected this but was not sure because it has been long I did a check-up. They confirmed it and advised me on what to do,” said Ms Daniel.

One man, one vote

While speaking at the occasion, which also served as a forum to educate the public on the forthcoming general elections, the secretary of the group, Uche Nwachukwu, condemned any power shift or zoning formula in the formation of Nigeria’s polity..

Mr Nwachukwu said any concept which supports allotting where a person must come from before aspiring to an elected office, is contrary to the principles of democracy.

“Zoning is an anathema. It runs in opposites to democracy. It is a means of disenfranchising people from certain positions. What Nigeria needs is credible elections. There must be a review of the voters register and necessary structures must be put in place now to ensure our votes count by 2011,” said Mr Nwachukwu, who is a paediatrician at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

Seizing the opportunity for a free check-up, a teacher, Olaniyi Ogunmuyiwa, said, for eight months, he has been suffering from relapsing chest and throat pains. He said he was “pleased to get free medical attention” because he had been procrastinating going to a hospital.

The association’s Lagos chapter spokesperson, Sylvester Nsor, said over 130 people were given free medical attention during the exercise. He said the association, which is a male-only confraternity, chose the Ojuelegba Bus Stop as its sensitisation point owing to the location being a melting-pot for several inhabitants who engage in diverse clandestine activities.

“Amongst NAS values is the promotion of humanitarian ideals aimed at touching lives and giving hope to the less-privileged in the society. And Ojuelegba is a place with so many characters who need to be informed on the dangers of drugs,” said Mr Nsor, a member of the confraternity since 1991.

Formed as a tertiary campus pressure group, the Pyrates Confraternity was founded in 1952 by seven students of the University College, Ibadan (now the University of Ibadan), including Mr Soyinka, to protest against oppression and tribal alienation. It was formally registered as the National Association of Seadogs in 1980. The Association, since 1984, has continually dissociated itself from university cult fraternities known for anti-social tendencies.

Octopus Prophet Predicts Spain as World Champions !

Posted by Choochoo Sports Book on July 9, 2010 at 9:31pm

Germany's oracle octopus Paul picked Spain to beat the Netherlands in the World Cup final on Sunday in a live television broadcast watched across Europe.

The two-year-old celebrity octopus, who has accurately picked the outcome of all six of Germany's World Cup matches so far, quickly tipped Spain to beat the Netherlands. It took him only three minutes to make up his mind.

"That was fast -- it looks like a clear-cut victory for Spain," said Tanja Munzig, spokeswoman for Sea Life in Oberhausen. She was surprised by his speed in picking Spain. For some matches it took Paul 70 minutes to decide.

The octopus, considered by some to be the most intelligent of all invertebrates, got the choice of picking food from two different transparent containers lowered into his tank -- one with a Dutch flag on it and one with Spain's flag.

Reaction in Spain was swift, with the country's biggest selling sports daily website Marca.com running the headline: "The octopus Paul makes us champions".

The container Paul opens first is regarded as his pick. On Friday he wasted no time in diving for the container on the right side with the Spanish flag on it.

Two German television networks interrupted their programming for live coverage of the two-year-old celebrity octopus's picks. Networks in Spain, the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe also broadcast Paul's decision live.

Earlier on Friday, Germans heaved a sigh of relief when Paul tipped Germany to beat Uruguay in the World Cup match for third place. There were cheers in offices across Germany after crowds of viewers tuned in to watch Paul live.

Normally he only picks Germany matches. But for the final Sea Life made an exception.

The octopus in Oberhausen turned into a global celebrity for correctly picking the winners of all six of Germany's World Cup matches -- including their two defeats to Serbia and Spain.

On Friday Paul first settled on top of the Germany container but after a few minutes shifted to the Uruguay container. Then after about 15 minutes he went back to Germany container, quickly opened the lid and ate the morsel of food inside.

Not an ordinarily superstitious people, Germans have become believers in Paul's possible psychic powers. The country was shocked and distraught when he picked Spain to beat Germany after tipping German wins over Argentina, England, Ghana and Australia.

Paul's selections have become top news across Germany and around the world. Some commentators even wondered aloud whether his improbable winning streak might have begun to influence some of the more superstitious players.

But after Paul accurately picked Spain to beat Germany in the semi-final, some Germans called for a public roasting of the oracle octopus. Newspapers and websites were filled with suggestions on how to cook and eat him.

Officials at Sea Life in Oberhausen have installed extra security to protect their octopus.

"Paul is in safe hands with us," said Munzig.

Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero was quoted in Spanish media reports saying -- in jest -- he was concerned about Paul's safety.

"I am concerned for the octopus...I am thinking of sending him a protective team," Zapatero said.

Spain's Environment and Fisheries Minister Elena Espinosa also said: "On Monday I shall be at the European Council of Ministers and I shall be asking for a (fishing) ban on Paul the octopus so Germans do not eat him."

REUTERS

Pauls Predictions so far :

Lebron James Snubs Cleveland Cavs as Basket Ball Genius Goes for the Heat as Miami lands free Agent

Posted by Choochoo Sports Book on July 8, 2010 at 8:02pm

Disses Home Team :Cavaliers

Disses good Friend:Jay Z part owner of Nets

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See ya, Cleveland.

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

Hello, South Beach.

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

That's not what Cleveland wanted to hear.

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

"We Are All Witnesses," the mural says.

This was something Cleveland never thought it would see.

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

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

Not Gilbert, not anymore.

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

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

"Just watch."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

None of it worked.

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

New York devoted two years to trying to snare James.

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

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

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

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

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

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

"It's about a team."

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

Ribadu for President: Action Congress (AC) to select previously estranged EFCC Boss

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on July 8, 2010 at 6:13pm

If the Action Congress and its new coalition partners stick to their plans, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu, will fly the flag of the new Action Congress of Nigeria in the 2011 presidential election..

NEXT learnt yesterday that AC top brass as well as some chieftains of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Democratic Peoples Party, All Nigeria Peoples Party, and Congress for Progressive Change have in the past weeks engaged in a series of meetings and negotiations expected to culminate in the drafting of Mr. Ribadu into the presidential race. The National Conscience Party, led by Lagos lawyer Femi Falana, is expected to join the coalition.

Our sources said at several meetings held in Abuja and Lagos by the group, it was agreed that Mr. Ribadu was the strongest and the most credible candidate that could be fielded by the opposition to dethrone the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

No decision has been taken on who Mr. Ribadu’s running mate would be..

Leaders of the coalition, it was learnt, met with Mr. Ribadu during his visit to Nigeria from his Washington base in June. Another delegation from the group also reportedly met the former EFCC chairman in Washington to pressure him to shun offers of appointment from President Goodluck Jonathan and return home to participate in the political process.

The former police officer is expected back in Nigeria later this month, during which arrangements for his formal declaration for the presidential race would be finalised.

Mr. Ribadu’s candidature might alter Nigeria’s political equation. The country is dominated by the PDP, which has been in power since 1999 when the nation returned to constitutional democracy.

The ruling party is still bickering over whether it should retain a zoning formula, which allows the presidency to be rotated between the North and the South.

Before zeroing in on Mr. Ribadu, others considered by the group for the presidential ticket were a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir el-Rufai; a former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke; and the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress in the 2007 election, Pat Utomi.

“But after extensive discussions, we decided that Ribadu is our best bet,” a member of the coalition said. “If he agrees to run, that will be great for our country. He is a credible and energetic young man who will do well. All we want to do is to enthrone credible and efficient leadership for our country.”

When contacted yesterday, Mr. Ribadu was evasive on whether he would contest the 2011 election or not.

“Whether I will run or not is a decision for another day,” he said. “But I will quickly add that what Nigeria needs is good leadership that the people believe in, that will bring the people together, provide stability, security, justice and peace.

“We need a leadership that will not allow wastage of our resources. I agree with the Greek proverb that says a society grows great when all men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in. People should be willing to selflessly serve their country without wanting anything in return,” he said.

On whether he has been contacted by the Action Congress coalition, Mr. Ribadu laughed and said, “I don’t want to single out any one group. I have been in constant touch with a lot of Nigerians of all shades and opinions who mean well for our country.”

Selling the candidature

The National publicity secretary of the AC, Lai Mohammed, could not be reached yesterday, but he had told journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday that the new Action Congress of Nigeria would unveil its presidential candidate, who will not be older than 50, at the end of this month.

Mr. Ribadu will be 50 in November.

Mr. Mohammed and some party chiefs have reportedly been travelling round the South West region to sell Mr. Ribadu’s candidature and planned coalition to party members in the zone.

A visit to the five other geopolitical zones, NEXT learnt, will follow in the weeks ahead.

Before arriving at the candidature of the anti-corruption activist, our source said the group also considered former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari. But he was reportedly ruled out after some participants in the negotiations argued that Nigerians might be reluctant to vote for former military dictators believed to have brought Nigerians to its knees.

“There are those who also argued that Mr. Buhari is yet to, and may not embrace democratic tenets, being a former military ruler,” said a source who did not want to be named. “But the greatest factor against Buhari is that he is not sellable to Christians and to people in the South who still consider him a religious zealot.”

He said the team was already reaching out to the former head of state to drop his presidential ambition and support the candidature of Mr. Ribadu.

“Buhari is a good man. He has done his best for our country. But what we are saying is that it is time for him and his likes to allow fresh blood to take charge of our country. He should give others a chance.”

Deji of Akure Deposed as Ondo govt removes wife battering king

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on June 10, 2010 at 6:20am

Finally a big boy gets it for beating the crap out of his wife.The Ondo State government has deposed the embattled Deji of Akure, Oba Oluwadare Adesina Adepoju three weeks after a public altercation with one of his wives.

Oba Adesina had, on Sunday, May 31 led a group of people to assault Bolanle Adesina in a free for all in the public arena in Akure, an act which has been widely criticised by both Akure indigenes and human right groups across the country.

The king of Akure had, on Sunday, been declared unworthy of the throne and his seat was declared vacant by the Akure kingmakers in Akure, the Ondo state capital.

The Inspector General of Police, Ogbonoya Onovo also yesterday ordered a detail investigation of the case and asked the state police command to charge the king to court for assault.

The state government decided on the removal of the king during the its weekly executive council meeting in Akure, the state capital

Nollywood Storms NewYork as corner in Queen's central where movies spur local businesses

Posted by NollywoodMohits on June 16, 2010 at 12:12am

It has stars to rival Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard and Mumbai's Juhu Beach. But the tabloid tracking the every move of Nigeria's"Nollywood" actors isn't in Nigeria, or even Africa- it's in Queens.

For the past two years, Nigerian-born journalist Ekerete Udoh has run the Diasporan Star - the only paper covering Nollywood outside ofAfrica - from his home in St. Albans, distributing it tothousands of readers in cities across the country.

"We're like the National Enquirer, the US Magazine and the Magazine"">People Magazine of Nollywood combined," Udoh said of thepaper.

Nollywood surpassed Hollywood as the world's second largest movie industry in 2006 (India's Bollywoodoutpaces both, producing some 1,000 titles annually). But itscross-cultural appeal has recently become apparent in NewYork, where superstores in the Bronxand Brooklyn sell thousands of DVDs aweek.

Now the films - long preferred by African and Caribbean immigrants - are enjoying an explosion of popularity among a diverseaudience in Queens. New releases are sold in salons, groceries andbodegas across the borough.

Since March, the blockbusters can even be found at six branches of the Queens Library, though you might have a hard time getting your handson one.

"They don't stay on our shelves," said Patricia Eshun, the Rosedale branch manager.

Fans say the films - often serialized love stories or family dramas - are highly addictive. Many female viewers first see the movies at thesalon, where hairdressers play them back-to-back during long hairappointments.

"You're doing your hair for seven or eight hours, you get hooked." said Dominique Lewis, 48, a legal assistant whotraveled from Brooklyn to pick up a film called "Virginity" at the Jamaica bus depot. Like many, she saidshe has several dozen Nollywood DVDs at home.

"My kids made fun of me [saying]: 'Mom, do you do anything else?'" she said.

Part of the appeal is the price: $4 to $7 buys two or three hours of heart-wrenching drama. Releasing a single film across two or three DVDsalso keeps customers coming back.

"I sell American movies, but not a lot," said Tass Sacko, who owns a Nollywood movie store on Jamaica Ave. "The original American movies areexpensive."

But Udoh said the films also present an alternative view of Africa, one that viewers are eager to explore.

"Above all, I think Nollywood has done a lot to rebrand Africa," he said. "A lot of people had the notion that Africans were still living intheir mud houses - they are shocked when they see places that look likeManhattan,and they can't believe that that is in Africa."

Nollywood Storms NewYork as corner in Queen's central where movies spur local businesses

Posted by NollywoodMohits on June 16, 2010 at 12:08am