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Ibu-320x336.jpg?width=320

John Okafor alias Mr. Ibu

Nollywood star, John Okafor, popularly known as Mr. Ibu, has begged the kidnappers of his wife, Stella-Maris and son, Emmanuel Mandela Okafor, that he can’t afford the N50 million ransom they are demanding from him.

Mr. Ibu’s wife, son and two in-laws were kidnapped in Enugu State by some heavily armed masked men on Tuesday evening, but the two in-laws, a boy and a girl, managed to escape when the abductors abandoned them in a vehicle and left with Ibu’s wife and son in another vehicle.

The victims were attacked while driving in their Black Honda (End of Discussion)vehicle with registration number AQ 809 NNB.

Speaking with P.M.NEWS on phone this morning, Mr. Ibu said when the abductors attacked his family on their way home from the market, they locked one of his in-laws (a boy) in the boot, while the wife, son and the female in-law were in the car with some of the kidnappers.


“So when they got to a place, they dropped my wife’s car and drove her with my son in another vehicle. But they left the boy in the boot and the 15-year old girl in the vehicle.

“Right now, I’m just begging them to release my wife and son. My son is just a year and two months old. So, he is too young to be going through this,” Mr. Ibu said, adding that “the N50m ransom they are asking for is on the high side. Where on earth can I get such money?”

P.M.NEWS, however, gathered, that the kidnappers have slashed the ransom to N6 million as at the time of filing this report. And when Ibu was contacted again, he confirmed the latest development.

He said: “I’m currently talking to friends to see how I can raise the money. When they (the kidnappers) called me this morning, I pleaded with them that I can’t afford the N50 million, so they reduced it to N6 million.”

In 2007, Mr. Ibu was kidnapped on his way to a film location in Imo State, but was later released when his adbuctors compelled him to abuse former President Olusegun Obasanjo for neglecting them (the kidnappers).

“I did not hesitate to do that because that was the only way I can escape from their claws. In fact, after abusing Obasanjo in front of their camera, they gave me a gift of N100,000 because I did it in a very funny manner,” Ibu said.

— Bayo Adetu

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Today is World AIDS Day. And while we appreciate that the world stops to reflect and recommit itself to the fight against HIV every Dec. 1, every day is World AIDS Day at the Black AIDS Institute because ending AIDS requires work each and every day.

Next June will mark 30 years since the first AIDS cases were diagnosed The moment brings not only an opportunity for reflection, but also for a renewed commitment from each of us to do our part to finally end the spread of this disease.

No matter how you look at it, through the lens of gender, sexual orientation, age, class, level of education or region of the country, Black people bear the brunt of the AIDS epidemic in America today. Those are the facts

Thankfully, a growing number of organizations that recognize that ending AIDS is a year-long effort are slowly joining the effort. Today in The world, there's a beginning of a new era of engagement on HIV/AIDS. Now, 30 years later, the country is engaged again with a national HIV/AIDS strategy, new scientific breakthroughs, and possibly a renewed sense of hope that, someday, we will be Greater Than AIDS.

I believe weas individuals, as a community, as a nation, as a familycan be GREATER than AIDS. Last year, the Black AIDS Institute, together with our partners at the Kaiser Family Foundation, launched a national effort to mobilize Americans in response to HIV. Greater Than AIDS is about the role that each of us can play, including getting informed, getting tested, getting treated, and getting involved. By acting together, we can be Greater than AIDS. ·





From Bollywood:



Use protection and spread awareness, suggested a few Bollywood celebrities on World AIDS Day Wednesday.

"On World Aids Day I want to appeal to you all today not to fear HIV. Just be safe, use protection and do not stigmatise people living with HIV," actress Preity Zinta posted on her Twitter page.

"Mother-to-child transmission of HIV really upsets me. We should be able to protect every child frm HIV! Less ignorance and more awareness is needed."

Preity feels people suffering from HIV should be handled with care.

"Amazed how judgemental and insensitive we have become. A little love and compassion is all they need. A friend living with HIV is still a friend! One lady living with HIV told me she was sick so she went to the doc (doctor). On meeting her, he said, 'Why do you wanna life? Don't waste my time!' "

"Don't want 2 depress you guys, but would like 2 urge all of you to be less ignorant and more human. Let people living with HIV live with RESPECT! Nothing else matters except the language of LOVE! Everything else is superficial. This is what seperates Man from Beast! Sad V have 4gotten it," says Preity.

Bollywood has done its bit to create awareness about the disease through films like Phir Milenge and My Brother Nikhil...

Jewellery designer Farah Khan Ali wrote: "It's WORLD HIV Day today. Let's not differentiate between the afflicted and non-afflicted and be kind to the ones who need us. Adopt one HIV-AIDS person's medical needs and make a difference if you can."

Diya Mirza: "It's the day to pledge that those living with HIV are never ostracised again. The stigma kills more than even the disease does."

Actor Sikander Kher, who will be seen in Ashuotosh Gowariker's Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, wrote: "Keep it covered boys! Happy December 1st!"

Recollecting her days as a veejay, actress Sophie Chaudhary wrote: "World Aids Day today! Reminds me of the awesome MTV Aids summit we used 2 do! Be safe, spread awareness and don't stigmatise those living with HIV!"
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The Falconets class of 2010 have made history by beating the USA and qualifying for a first ever semi-final in any FIFA organised women's competition.

The team trailed from a USA goal in the 9th minute but equalised spectacularly through Helen Ukaonu in the 79th minute to drag the match into extra time which did not produce any more goals.

In the ensuing penalty kicks, USA captain, Christine Nairn lost the USA's first kick and Sydney Leroux blazed their fourth kick over the bar to hand the Nigerian girls' victory 5-3. They will meet Colombia in the semi-finals on Thursday, July 29, 2010..

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Google rules: I Googled in Now I cant Google out !

I like Google, but the contextual advertising can still step way over the line.

My wife and I had an argument a couple of years ago, and sent a fewnot-terribly-pleasant emails back-and-forth. So I'm sitting therereading an email from her, and what do you think was being displayed inthe gmail banner ad?

"Need a divorce lawyer?"

I'm sorry, but I found that pretty damn offensive.





You know they just revealed that Google can nowrun as a power company right? It won't be soon till they control yourwater mains and your trash collection.

Google will rule all. It's not a matter of if, but when.





I have to agree with the CEO of Google. If there'ssomething that you're doing that you dont want other people knowing,maybe you should quit doing it or quit being so iffy about it. 99% ofthe time I've learned people just don't freaking care when they findout.

I don't care about my privacy, I don't do anything wrong. Hell, I'd even walk around naked if it wasn't illegal.

As a moderately honest individual that likes a tightly integrated service, I have nothing to lose.



Now I log into Google and everything is there. Nohaving to log into multiple services on multiple websites and having toread multiple agreements and set multiple privacy settings.

Google will not share any more about you then you set in your privacysettings. It's just that most people don't bother going over them andthen complain later.

Even the Buzz launch. I just read the opening screen, clicked yes,logged into my privacy settings, made the changes I wanted to make andeverything was done and set.

Don't call them evil just because you didn't RTFM.



My tip: Don't leave. If you leave and join aservice that a lot of other people join, Google will see it asvaluable, buy it, and then once again own you. You. Can't. Escape.


Idon't know why everyone keeps complaining about the accelerator pedalsin Toyotas. Only an ignoramus wouldn't know that you can easily open upthe hood, cut a few wires, reprogram a couple modules, and the carworks perfectly fine. Who expects their products not to have a fewminor, fixable glitches? Clearly, all those people blithely assuming itwill just work deserve their collisions.
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