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The “Teflon Don”, American rapper – Rick Ross is an exciting new addition to the MTV Africa Music Awards bill. The rapper along with Kenya’s P-Unit, South Africa’s Jozi and Nigeria’s Wande Coal will join previously announced performers DJ Arafat (Ivory Coast), 2Face (Nigeria), Daddy Owen (Kenya), Banky W (Nigeria), Fally Ipupa(DRC), Teargas (South Africa) and Cabo Snoop(Angola) on stage at the event.

This is Rick Ross’ first ever visit to Africa and we hear the rapper is very excited about the opportunity to perform here. Rick Ross is not just a performer but also a nominee as well. He is nominated in the Best International Category. Following the trend set by international nominees who performed at the MAMAs in prior years, it is safe to assume that Rick will be walking away with the award.

Rick Ross has been described by the New York Times as “one of rap’s most potent and creative forces”. The tattoo-loving, six-foot, larger-than-life rap figure first came to attention with “Hustlin”, his 2006 debut single. Influenced by artists like Luther Campbell and Notorious B.I.G, Ross, a.k.a. William Roberts, aimed to put Miami back in rap’s national spotlight and went on to do just that with his 2006 album “Port of Miami”, which went to number one on the Billboard album chart. Similar acclaim followed for “Trilla” (2007) and “Deeper Than Rap” (2009), while his 2010 album release “Teflon Don”, which debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, has garnered critical acclaim for its emotional depth, cinematic production, sleek, synth-heavy beats, and rich soundscapes. Ross is nominated in the Best International category at the MAMA awards.

Making their first appearance at the MAMAs, Best Group contenders P-Unit are going head to head against Uganda’s Radio & Weasle, South Africa’s Teargas and multiple MAMA winners and Nigerian music phenomenon, P-Square. As well as performing at the 2010 show, former MAMA winners Jozi are also nominated in the Artist of the Year category, where they are pitched against 2FACE, P-Square and Fally Ipupa. Wande Coal faces a tough race in the Best Anglophone category, where Ghana’s Sarkodie, Kenya’s Daddy Owen and South Africa’s Biz Nuz are also in the running...

The MTV Africa Music Awards with Airtel takes place at the Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos on Saturday 11 December 2010 and will broadcast on MTV base (DStv Channel 322), MTV platforms around the world and partner TV stations from 18 December 2010.

The MTV Africa Music Awards 2010 is sponsored by Airtel in association with MasterCard. Arik Air is the official airline partner of the MTV Africa Music Awards with Airtel...

Five months ago, a friend of mine, who edits a national daily, sent me a text message agreeing substantially with my column, ‘The Punch and the rest of us’, except the generalised conclusion that “all (journalists) have sinned and fallen short of the glory of the profession”. There are still some journalists, he submits, who toe the narrow path of integrity. Of course I knew where he was coming from, but I also knew the context in which I had made that statement.

I revisit that statement in light of the stories spewing out of the political beat, specifically on the race for the 2011 presidential elections and how it affects the integrity of news.

As part of the effort to sell his candidature for the presidency, former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) invited as many as 40 journalists to his Minna home on August 14 for an interview. I have heard questions asked about why he should invite journalists to his home instead of a public place if he didn’t have an ulterior motive, and why he should offer monetary gifts to the journalists in the name of paying for their transportation.

One news medium, which has championed this opposition in the open, is the online agency, Sahara Reporters. According to SR each of the journalists received N10 million for heeding Babangida’s call on his presidential ambition. That is N400 million just for one night’s interview from an aspirant yet to win his party’s nomination if it were true. But it was not. When some of the journalists complained about the fictional sum, SR changed the story on August 19, saying it was just “a paltry N250, 000 each”. Rather than admit its initial error SR simply said, “our accountants have told us that going by the number of 40 journalists in attendance, we are still around the same ballpark of N10 million”. So much for credible reporting!

Three days later, SR followed up with ‘IBB and his Rogue Journalists’, accusing the journalists of roguery and professional misconduct; roguery, because they collected money from two sources—their employers who presumably authorised and funded the trip and their news source, IBB; misconduct because it is unethical for them to demand/receive gratification from news sources for their services.

And on August 23 in ‘IBB Nocturnal Press Parley: Punch fires Editorial board Chairman’, SR stayed on top of the story by reporting that Adebolu Arowolo, editorial board chairman of the Punch, had lost his job for going on that trip without his management’s approval..

Media reports claiming that Mallams Nasir El-Rufai and Nuhu Ribadu are set to rebuff government's invitation to join in nation-building have recently been circulating the rumour mills and have been brought to the attention of these preeminent gentlemen.
We the undersigned, acting not on the instructions of these patriots who have enviable and proven track-records of service to the Father-land and whom are committed to the task of re-engineering this country into its rightful place of leadership and prominence in the continent and within the community of nations; hereby state unequivocally that Mallams El-Rufai and Nuhu Ribadu are willing to support the efforts of His Excellency, The Acting President Goodluck Jonathan to set our nation on its proper course, give hope and pride once again to the polity and deliver on the promise to our people.

Both the former FCT Minister and the former EFCC Chairman are willing to put the uncomplimentary events of the past behind, dissociate themselves from these rumours and are available to support the task of nation-building in any way possible.

We are unable to ignore the alleged assassination a few days ago of Danjuma Mohammed, a former EFCC investigator. Being aware that some elements continue to work relentlessly to rule this nation by proxy through intimidation and acts of terrorism, we urge all fair-minded Nigerians to disregard the afore referred rumours and chalk them up to the machinations of persons who are desperate to keep the nation under their thumbs and in perpetual slavery to their selfish ambitions and aggrandizement. Those statements emanated neither from Nasir El-Rufai nor Nuhu Ribadu.

Nigerians are not intimidated. We are not terrorized. May the gentle soul of the departed rest in peace.

G5 – Olowo

Amina

Roz

Mukaddas

Salihu