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my family support me through my scandals – Nuella Njubigbo

Posted by cozzy webtatafo on April 8, 2011 at 9:13pm

Scriptwriter and actress, Nuella Njubigbo, is gradually becoming a household name but her success is not without a scent of scandals, with one of them being her alleged romance with top movie director cum producer, Iyke Odife. In this interview with ADA ONYEMA, she talks about her career and her relationship with Odife What’s new about Nuella Njubigbo?

I’m writing a script that will be shot in Spain. It will be an Afro-Spanish film. We’re going to use two Spanish actors – a female and a male – and Nigerian actors will also be there.

Why Spanish?

It is going to be a mixed script fusing the two parties together. Although they don’t speak English Language, we have sent the script to them and they are translating it. They are working on it and I’m still trying to inject the particular theme that I want into it. For now, we’re having conferences and correcting ourselves. They already have the idea of what we want and everything is being done to achieve it.

What is the story line?

The story is about a girl that was taken out of this country at a very early age, simply because she lost her parents at a very tender age. It paints the picture of all her struggle in Europe, how she went through negative experiences. It is about child trafficking and the movie is for the cinema; it is not the regular kind of movie that I used to do. We’re not limiting it to Nigeria; it will go to about five to 10 countries of the world.

Are you producing the movie?

No. I’m just writing the script and I will also act in it.

How come you have not done any movie that went to the cinema before now?

Actually, I have done one and the film was entitled, Room Service, and I acted alongside Mercy Johnson. The truth is that I have stopped doing anything that comes my way, but I still have other blockbuster movies in the market now. I’m very choosy when it comes to taking scripts, because I’m a writer and should be able to determine a good script. I’m having more demands from people who want me to write scripts for them, but I can’t do that because I have to get myself involved with acting too. I’m choosy and can’t do anything I see.

You once told us that you have slowed down in writing. When did you pick it up again?

I slowed down in writing because I wanted to start working on special scripts. I want to write a script that can be of Hollywood standard. I want to do something that people out there will reckon with. I don’t write like before again; anything that I’m coming out with now will be a blockbuster. I can’t stop writing, it is in me and sometimes I miss it.

Where does your passion really lie? Is it in acting or writing?

I can’t really say because I love the two creative professions. I can’t point my finger and say that I love this one more than the other; it is just that acting for me is more demanding than writing. I have passion for the two.

Are you in any relationship now?

Yes, I’m and I don’t want to talk about the person now. You will know at the right time.

Many people still believe that Iyke Odife is the man in your life. Can you clear the air on this?

I have made this statement a number of times: I’m not dating Iyke Odife, simple. Iyke Odife brought me into the industry and he is my very good friend. He will remain my very good friend.

We learnt you dumped him for another rich guy.

I have never had any romantic relationship with Iyke, so how can I dump him? I’m in a relationship, but it is not with (Iyke) Odife. I’m in relationship with a young man and I don’t want to talk about it.

Is he an industry practitioner?

No, he is not an industry person. (Laughs) Just leave it; I don’t want to talk about him now.

Many people believe that Nuella is now glamorous. What is the secret?

It’s true, the industry has changed my life so much and a lot of good things are beginning to happen to me now. Although acting has its low moments as a result of the controversial side of it, there are things you can’t do freely anymore because you will not want people to see you in a wrong direction, but the industry has helped me. It has helped me financially, socially, and in every sense of it. I will say that it has really helped me in life. I have got a lot of things since I became an actress, and I can go to places now. Before, I was into the supply business and it wasn’t easy at all, but now it is easier for me. Acting opens doors for you anywhere and anytime. Things that would have been hard for you to get are made easier. Things come your way easily because people will always want to help or do things for you.

Apart from this business and acting, what other things are you into?

I’m an actress, movie scriptwriter and a business woman. I don’t do anything else, but what I do has been satisfying me financially.

Were you removed from President Jonathan’s campaign list? Your name was there but we didn’t hear your jingles or see you on the screen.

I didn’t drop out along the way. I was giving my own support in my own way. We need support in what we do, and anybody who supports what I do; I will definitely support that person because it is my career. If anybody wants to help me grow, I will help the person to grow also.

So, what really happened, how are you giving your own support to him?

I don’t what to talk about it.

You are now wearing tattoos, why?

I have had this tattoo for two years now. I got it in 2009; maybe it’s very small that is why you have not noticed it. It is just a normal tattoo and it is a butterfly and I love butterflies because they signify tenderness. Butterflies are very colourful and most of them are very beautiful. They symbolise beauty and tenderness.

But it looks very new; how much did it cost?

(Laughs) Forget it, I won’t tell you that.

Do you have other ones in other parts of your body?

(Laughs) Please next question. Anyway, I don’t have another tattoo on my body.

What is fashion for you?

Fashion is anybody’s personal style; I don’t believe that there is anything called fashion with the meaning that something must go in a particular way. You might dress in one style and I will decide to dress in another style. It is all about what suits everybody. For me, fashion is my style and my fashion is my style.

What are the labels that you wear now?

I still wear Nigerian labels and they look good on me. I wear a lot of foreign brands, but I still wear Nigerian labels. In perfumes, I like Marc Jacobs and Tom Ford. I don’t think that I can wear any other kind of perfume now.

How was growing up like for you?

Growing up was very normal and I was a happy child. It was a small family of my parents and two younger brothers. I was taken care of but not pampered; I had sweet parents who taught me the right things at the proper time.

What are those things that acting has deprived you from doing?

There are just a few things because I’m still myself, but I’m very careful of where I enter and what I do. Before I enter any crowd, I have to make sure of what is happening and the people inside. I have stopped attending events and parties anyhow. I have to be careful now and I must be officially invited before stepping into any gathering.

Don’t your parents feel that you are tarnishing their image and name with scandals?

They have always supported me even when I am at the low moment. They have always lifted me up when I am down. If I complain too much about scandals, they will tell me that I should have known that such things will come up before going into acting. Anytime there is a scandal, the first thing that comes to my mind is my family and I will ask myself, who knows how they will feel if they see this? Surprisingly, they have supported me in these periods because they know what I can do and what I can’t do.

How come you are not close to other actresses?

I’m very friendly with all of them, but I’m just being myself. I have people who I hang out with, but naturally, I’m just myself. I am neither here or there, just like a jelly fish and you can’t hold me down. I keep friends who are real and can open up to me. I don’t like fake friends who cannot be loyal to me.

Explosion rocks INEC office in Suleja

Posted by 9jabook.com webmadam on April 8, 2011 at 8:53pm

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An explosion has hit the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission Office in Suleja, Niger State, killing at least 11 people.

About 30 people, many of them Youth Corps members, who had gone to the INEC office to check their names and postings against tomorrow's polls, were reportedly victims of the blast.
The cause of the explosion is not yet known but eyewitnesses say it occurred less than two hours after electoral materials were delivered to the office amidst a security convoy.
A nurse at the Suleja General Hospital said about 30 people were taken to the hospital after the incident. The nurse, who asked not to be named, said at least 10 of the victims had died.
Earlier, the hospital requested for ambulances to convey the victims to a hospital in Abuja as its facilities could not accommodate the casualties.
"We have good doctors," said Chris Olukudo, a lab scientist who appeared shocked about the extent of decapitation he had witnessed. "But we don't have equipment. It was a bad day and the ambulance only arrived two hours after the first victims".

When NEXT contacted the spokesperson of the police in the state, Richard ADAMU Oguche he said, "I am driving there now. Please I need to see the place before I can talk to you."
However, reacting to the tragedy, the state's acting attorney general, Abdul Bawa, said it is a national tragedy and called on the electoral body to postpone elections in the state.

"These dead young people are here on national duty but some callous being has taken their life. For what? " he said. "This power you seek even if you get it can only be for a short time."
"We are not an insensitive government. How can elections go on in this circumstance?" Mr Bawa further said.

"Although it is not our place to decide if election should take place, we would advice against it."
Yesterday the electoral commission had announced that parliamentary voting had been postponed place in the Niger South senatorial district as well as the Bida/Gbako/Katcha and Lavun/Edasi/Mokwa federal constituencies. The commission has not yet announced if the Friday evening blast would force a further curtailment of the elections.

The curse of 'juju' that drives sex slaves to Europe

Posted by cozzy webtatafo on April 8, 2011 at 8:09pm

Nigerian traffickers use black magic to trap thousands of women and send them to Italy as prostitutes

It is 6pm on a Monday night on a highway outside Milan. The thermometer on the car dashboard says it is two degrees below zero, but every few metres our headlights pick out figures waiting along the roadside, some hunched with their palms splayed over makeshift fires. Silvio Berlusconi outlawed soliciting on the street three years ago, but the estimated 20,000 Nigerian women who work as prostitutes in Italy are easy to find. Even in winter, there is no shortage of customers.
Vivian Peter, 23, has sworn loyalty to her traffickers in a ritual carried out by the juju priest Dr Stanley
This is one of hundreds of highways throughout Europe where Nigeria's trafficking victims are forced to work. We could be in Barcelona or Madrid, Paris or Berlin, Glasgow or London. There are 100,000 trafficked Nigerians in Europe, and 80 per cent come from Edo – a southern state that is home to only three per cent of Nigeria's population. It is the trafficking capital of Africa, and home of the traditional West African religion they call juju.

The condom-strewn lay-by near Bergamo where Rita picks up clients is a far cry from the Europe she imagined five years ago when traffickers approached her in Edo. "I was happy that I was going to Europe to feed my family," explains Rita, 27. "I didn't know it would turn out to be like this." She now sleeps with about 10 men a day, seven days a week, for €20 (£17.50) a time. She will work even if she feels ill, even if she has her period, even though she has been badly beaten in the past.

Rita says she has no choice but to carry on working. Before she left Nigeria, she swore an oath of loyalty to her traffickers in a traditional religious ritual, a practice I was investigating for Channel 4's Unreported World programme. She promised to pay back the cost of her transportation to Europe and offered up her soul as collateral for the debt. When she arrived in Italy, she was told she owed her traffickers €50,000 (£44,000), as well as extortionate living costs, including €300 a month in "rent" for the right to solicit from her particular patch. "I can't escape this unless I pay," she says. "Africans have very strong charms that can destroy someone in the twinkle of an eye."

Nigeria's human traffickers are using black magic to trap thousands of women like Rita into a life of sex slavery in Europe. Eastern European gangs use violence to coerce the women they transport, but the "madams" at the top of the Nigerian trafficking chain don't need muscle – they have juju on their side. It is a form of ritualised extortion that allows Nigerian women to be both perpetrators and victims of the exploitation.

Three thousand miles away in the small Edo village of Ewhoini, I meet 23-year-old Vivian Peter – intelligent, beautiful and full of aspirations that are hard to realise in rural Nigeria. The £2 a day she earns selling tomatoes at the market isn't enough to put her younger brothers and sisters through school, and buy a home where she can live with her boyfriend, Elonel. But he says he has the answer to their problems: he is arranging for Vivian to go and work for someone he says is his sister in Italy.

Paved roads and reliable electricity may not have reached this part of rural Nigeria, but the myth of the "Italos" – the women who have made a fortune in Italy – has permeated every household. It is an open secret that the Italos earn their money by selling sex, and there is no shame in it – Nigerian women who travel are stigmatised only if they return home penniless. But many do, often beaten and HIV-positive, and are rejected by their families.

Vivian doesn't know exactly where she will be taken, or how much she will owe her traffickers, but she imagines her debt will be paid within a few months. "I won't have any idea until I get there," she tells me. Her boyfriend has no qualms about sending her to sell sex on Italy's streets. "A lot of people do it over there," Elonel, 27, says matter-of-factly, "I'm not going to stop her." All the arrangements are in place: he has bought her plane ticket to Rome and booked her in to see Doctor Stanley, the local juju priest. He says the ritual will "help her out" and bring her luck in Italy. Juju has been practised in West Africa for centuries, and it would be hard to find anyone in Edo who is prepared to say they don't fear it. Believers say invisible spirits govern the earth and control every aspect of human existence, and nothing can be hidden from their scrutiny. The spirits can be called on to protect people, but they can also destroy them.

"If she breaks the promise she makes at my shrine, we need blood from her," Dr Stanley tells me on the morning of Vivian's ritual. "I can use my power to destroy anything I want. I can throw any type of sickness to a person, whether cancer or stroke." He boasts that "uncountable" trafficked women have sworn oaths at his shrine. I ask if he feels responsible for compelling so many to a life of prostitution. He fixes me with a stern gaze. "When you promise this is what you will do, unfailingly you must do it."

Tall and muscular, with crimson robes adorned with talismans, Dr Stanley strikes an imposing figure next to Vivian's small frame. While not officially part of the trafficking chain, he provides the most important component: the oath that makes women compliant. It is a lucrative source of business for him. He is making £120 from today's ritual – a serious amount of money here.

The shrine is filled with juju fetishes: rattles, idols made out of feathers, bones and sea shells, crucibles filled with bright powders. Dr Stanley commands Vivian to undress and wash in the hut outside the shrine, and when she emerges he blows chalk dust over her body and smears clay over her forehead, marking her out so the spirits can identify the soul that is being offered to them. Then he asks her to kneel before him to swear the oath. Elonel watches impassively, smoking a cigarette. The ritual over, Dr Stanley lifts Vivian to her feet. "I feel safe in his hands," she says, visibly relieved.

A few days later, in a bar an hour's drive away, Elonel says he is doing another piece of business: he claims his sister has found two other women to travel alongside Vivian, and he is arranging for them to swear their oaths tomorrow so they can all go and work for her in Italy. "When they get there, she will make money. A lot of money," he says blankly, "and if things are going well, they will send me money." Poverty has absolved him of any moral responsibility for the women he's trafficking, he says. "I don't have to feel bad. I need money."

Vivian has been outside Edo only once – when Elonel took her to Lagos to get her travel papers – but the myth of the Italos has convinced her she belongs in Italy. "I know it will be a better place for me," she says when we meet for the last time. I tell her about the women I saw at the roadside outside Milan, about the cold, the beatings, and the €50,000 debt that Rita is still paying off, five years on. "I don't think so. Mine won't be like that," Vivian frowns. "If you are hard-working, you won't suffer. I know how to plait hair. There are lots of things I know how to do," she insists. Then she pauses. "I've made up my mind that I will go there, and I must go there. I chose it."

Europe's trafficking statistics are made up of Edo women like Vivian who do not conform to the stereotype of passive "victims". It is the most determined and driven who fall prey to Nigeria's traffickers – those without dreams to exploit are left alone. No matter how strong these women might be, the juju oath leaves them manipulated, abused and utterly trapped. Without faith in ancient, traditional beliefs, this modern form of slavery would not exist. And without a thriving market for their services, no Nigerian woman would be trafficked to Europe in the first place.

An ancient African ritual

* Little is known about the origins of juju – a West African tradition which encompasses a range of rituals and supernatural entities from auras, spirits and ghosts, to magical properties believed to be bound to objects.

* It is not uncommon for Nigerians from all walks of life to carry amulets to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. But it is also believed that the powers of juju can be summoned and used only by a witch doctor. Contrary to popular belief, juju is not related to voodooism.

* Believers hold that juju can be used for 'good' purposes, such as curing ailments, but 'bad' juju can also be used to impose a host of misfortunes, such as madness, disease and death.

* Dried chameleons and chickens are often used in juju rituals.

Jenny Kleeman's film for 'Unreported World', called 'Nigeria: Sex, Lies and Black Magic', will be broadcast on Channel 4 tomorrow at 7.30pm. It can also be watched at channel4.com

Ohakim's plot to hack our votes.

Posted by Deacon Chike Oluigbo on April 8, 2011 at 5:55am

The governorship election in Imo state can not be credible if Prof.Cyril Onwuliri who happens to be the husband of Prof.Violet Onwuliri (Ohakim's Running mate) remains the INEC Collating and Returning Officer for the presidential and governorship elections in Imo State. Both of them are lecturers in FUTO and most of the INEC returning officers in Imo State are FUTO lecturers. State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Rose Oko, please do what is right in the sight of God and Man. How can one be an umpire in a game He is also playing? Can your father be in HEAVEN and you end up in HELL? Emphatic NO! Let's start doing things right in this part of the world. And there is no way the state REC could be an unbiased umpire, having accepted accommodation by the state government where she is quartered among serving state government commissioners and accused Jega of withholding her accommodation allowance

Why not take Prof.Onwuliri to Oyo State and get us a man from Jigawa State or any other state of the federation in the spirit of national unity and integration. Let there be a last minute swapping of all the REC, Collating and Retuning officers, you will see that some governor's will collapse before the Election Day. Try it and see how it works. Let there JUSTICE

Prof.Jega, act fast and save our state. Let our votes count! Let there be free and fair elections in Imo state.We will forever be grateful to God for giving us JEGA. God bless Nigeria!

African Migrants cry out in America life is too hard here they complain

Posted by 9jabook.com webmadam on April 8, 2011 at 4:24am

The American dream is not all it is cut out to be and some Africans are turning their backs on life in the US.

Frustrated by tough economic times in the United States, Sammy Maina is packed, ready and waiting to return to Kenya.

"I'm fed up and finished with the US," declares Mr Maina, 33, owner of a prepaid calling card firm, Myaatel, and a money transfer company, Doubles Xpress, that caters for African immigrants.

But with money scarce because of the recession, fewer and fewer immigrants can afford to purchase his international phone cards or pay to use his money transfer services.

"People here don't have money any more," complains Mr Maina, who says the "American Dream" of a big house, flashy car and piles of money was unrealistic.

Instead he found long hours, little pay and limited joy.

Life in America is so demanding, says Mr Maina, that it has cost several of his African friends their marriages and even led some to commit suicide.

"It is very difficult right now and so many people are packing and going back to Kenya in big, big numbers."

'Little Senegal'
There are an estimated one million Africans in the US.

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Start Quote

You are very unlikely to find Africans who have settled in the US giving up the insurance policy of a green card or US citizenship to completely transfer their lives back to Africa”

Kathleen Newland
Migration Policy Institute
According to the homeland security department, 130,000 Africans migrate legally to the US each year.

It is impossible to say how many returnees there are, as the evidence is anecdotal but representatives of African community associations in New York, Atlanta and Boston all say they know of large numbers of expatriates making plans to leave the US.

The reason: they cannot find jobs and have become desperate about their future here.

New York's Association of Senegalese in America has been inundated with requests from expatriates who have lost their jobs, are facing homelessness, and who want financial help to return home.

Dame Sy, a volunteer with the association, says members donate money to buy aeroplane tickets to send home Senegalese who are down on their luck in New York.

"We just sent one home in January and before that we sent between 12 and 15 last year," explains Mr Sy. "Everyday, people are talking about it."

At the association's offices in the "Little Senegal" section of Harlem, in New York, I was introduced to a 41-year-old illegal immigrant called Ndoum.

She has been having a very difficult time in the US, she says, and would happily go home to Dakar if she could find the money for a plane ticket.

Before the recession it was possible for an undocumented immigrant like her to find a menial job in a factory. Unable now to find work, and in constant fear of being seized by immigration police, Ndoum does not know what to do.

"I tell people: 'Don't come to the US now'," she says tearfully.

'Sweet Liberia'
Kenyan Irene Onyango is a 37-year-old nurse living in Delaware, near Washington DC. Her income sometimes barely covers her bills. She is also concerned that working a 16-hour day is damaging her health.

"Africans in the US will leave in record numbers." predicts pastor Shadrach Deline
When she goes to Kenya on holiday, her friends refuse to let her pay for anything because they say she has to slave to earn her money in the US.

Now that the Kenyan constitution has been amended to allow dual citizenship, Ms Onyango says she can go home and not worry that should she need to return to the US one day, she will be stopped.

"Believe me," she says, "the next plane that goes to Jomo Kenyatta airport will have me on it."

But migration expert Kathleen Newland, a director of the Migration Policy Institute in Washington DC, says what Ms Onyango and other Africans resident in the US are doing when they return to Africa, is not reverse migration.

Ms Newland says this is better described as "the formation of transnational populations" - people who keep a foot on two continents.

"I think you are very unlikely to find Africans who have settled in the US giving up the insurance policy of a green card or US citizenship to completely transfer their lives back to Africa," Ms Newland says.

What transnational people like Ms Onyango will do, she adds, is divide their lives between two places.

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"What it does tell us about Africa is there is a lot more hope and optimism about the economic prospects," she says.

Liberian singer and pastor Shadrach Deline is one of several African expatriates in the US to recently release a song expressing a longing for Africa.

In Tomorrow I Am Going Home, Deline, a pastor of the Nation of Christ Believers' Fellowship Center in Atlanta, Georgia, sings he has "sweated hard" in the US. Now it is time for him to "sell his house, sell his car, sell his boat" and go home to "sweet, sweet Liberia".

In the video, Deline removes his Western-style three-piece suit and puts on an African robed garment.

Deline says the song's message resonates with African expatriates because no matter how comfortable an exile they enjoy, an African will always yearn for home.

"There will come a time," he says "when Africans will not even bother coming to the US because life will be so beautiful back in Africa. There will be no need to ever leave."

Leslie Goffe is a freelance journalist based in New York

Bishop Oyedepo acquires $30m jet, builds private hanger

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on April 8, 2011 at 4:08am

Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of Winners Chapel International is reported to have increased the number of jets in his hanger. The new aircraft is estimated to be worth a whooping $30m.

This therefore brings the number of his private jets to four. .

The private jet, a Gulfstream V was declared to the over 10, 000 worshipers who thronged Canaanland on Sunday March 27th, by the bishop himself.

The bishop said the new jet will be used exclusively for the ministry's African Mission.

In his speech on Sunday, the bishop also announced that a state-of-the art private aircraft hanger that can accommodate five jets at a time is being built for his jets near the international wing of Murtala Mohammed International Airport.

Four jets



	Bishop David Oyedepo cruising in one of his jets

Apart from this latest acquisition, the bishop has a Gulfstream 1 which he acquired in 1996, a Gulfstream 4 and a Challenger Aircraft.

When the spokesperson for the church, known only as Mr William, was contacted, he confirmed the story.

"Yes, Bishop announced the purchase of a jet on Sunday," he said.

Osaze Apologizes To Samson Siasia On Brilla Fm

Posted by cozzy webtatafo on April 8, 2011 at 4:00am

Osaze was with an Interview with Brilla Fm, where he apologized on air to Samson Siasia, that he was mis understood, he was only expressing his opinion, after he pleaded with the Eagles coach that he wanted to leave early and treat his injury, but left anyway without an approval, and that was his mistake, and later read somethings in the paper that got him angry, whereby he now expressed his personal feelings on twitter, but accepted responsibility and apologized.

WEST Bromwich Albion forward, Peter Osaze Odemwingie has apologised to the head coach of the Super Eagles, Samson Siasia following his twitter rantings.
The comments came after the light skinned attacker opted out of the international friendly against the Harambee Stars of Kenya.
“What I tweeted was not any criticism on him, it was like a thought. I had a question in my head like why didn’t he understand why I had to leave, its not an insult but I can say sorry to coach.
“We are assuring Nigerians that everything is okay and I am always ready to give my best to the national team,” he stated.
Osaze revealed that he received a lot of messages and emails following his twitter comments.
“Well I know for the past few days, I have received messages asking me if there is a problem. Honestly there is no problem. My tweet was, wont say unnecessary because were the two things I thought at the moment in my head when I saw an article which stated 'Siasia face off with Osaze, Martins', so, I was really surprised it became a problem.
Osaze further told brilafm.net “I must confess that I poured out my anger on him in frustration, but it is nothing personal. If it was said by any one else in the national team, I would have twitted the same thing. It sounded rude, but we don’t have problems, we are all together for a cause to win and lift a trophy for Nigeria. I have never won any trophy with the Super Eagles. Winning bronze twice is not enough for me. I hope we work together as I am ready to play for the coach

Jega moves Elections yet again INEC postpones elections in 15 senatorial districts, 48 federal constituencies

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on April 7, 2011 at 8:27pm

present election calender for now !

When the Commission last Saturday, April 2nd, 2011, rescheduled the National Assembly elections, it stated very clearly that the elections will hold this Saturday, April 9th, 2011. We are happy to say that the elections will go ahead this weekend as planned.

We as a Commission fully appreciate the enormous sacrifices made by millions of Nigerian voters who turned out for the exercise on the 2nd of April. I urge you to also do the same this weekend.

Since the postponement, the Commission has worked tirelessly to address the challenges observed in the conduct of the rescheduled elections. Thus, result sheets have not only been delivered to the country, but have been received by states and Local Government Areas nationwide. Similarly other election materials needed at the State and Local Governments have been supplied. Logistic challenges have been addressed and we have had further consultations with political parties, security services and other stakeholders to address other challenges that emerged last Saturday. Consequently, all is now set for the National Assembly elections to hold across the country on Saturday.

However, some challenges emerging from the fact that voting took place in some areas in spite of the postponement require more time than we have had since last Saturday. For example, in some areas a good quantity of ballot papers had been used and it is not possible to reprint enough replacement ballot papers before the elections. Also, in a few constituencies, party names and logos were missing on ballot papers. While some of these resulted from human errors in compiling the names of qualified candidates and parties for the elections, others are related to sudden changes emanating from several judicial pronouncements on party nominations. These challenges dictate that fresh ballot papers be printed prior to conducting the elections.

The Commission has made strenuous efforts to get these ballot papers printed within the available time; but given the security requirements of the printing of ballot papers and the inability of domestic and international companies to deliver on time, it has become imperative that sufficient time be given for the printing of these ballot papers. Consequently, while elections will in general take place next Saturday, it has become inevitable to postpone elections in a few affected constituencies, that is 15 Senatorial Districts and 48 Federal Constituencies which are as follows: [See Below]

I should say that the postponed elections affect only about 14% of all Senatorial Districts and 13% of Federal Constituencies. This means that elections will take place this Saturday in 86% and 87% of Senatorial Districts and Federal Constituencies respectively.

Elections in these affected constituencies will now hold on Tuesday the 26th of April 2011 together with the Governorship and State Assembly elections.

For purposes of clarity, it is not everywhere that voting took place last week that is affected by this rescheduling. In some areas, only very few ballots were used, which means that elections can go on unhindered in those places this Saturday.

I want to seize this opportunity to advise all voters to be orderly and peaceful during the elections. Those who choose to stay behind after voting must be orderly and non-violent. I appeal to political parties to implore their supporters to eschew violence. We are working closely with the security agencies to arrest political thugs and vigilantes. Also, underage voters will be arrested. I appeal to parents and community leaders not to allow their children to indulge in this illegal act.

We also noticed last Saturday that some Governors did not comply with the appeal to them not to move around with their security orderlies during the elections. Although we recognize that Governors are Chief Executives of their States, I once more appeal to them to vote and return home in order to reduce political tensions during the elections. Security agencies will strictly enforce compliance with this directive.

Let me once again thank Nigerians for their understanding and support for the Commission in its efforts to deliver free, fair and credible elections. I urge you all to come out on Saturday, April 9th, to exercise your right to vote.

Professor Attahiru M. Jega, OFR,

Honourable Chairman

See table for details:

Present Election calender

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on April 7, 2011 at 8:11pm

INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC)
DISTRICTS & CONSTITUENCIES WHERE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS WILL NOT HOLD ON 9TH APRIL 2011
S/N STATE ELECTION TYPE
SENATORIAL DISTRICT FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY REMARKS
1 ABIA 1 Isialangwa North/South Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
2 AKWA IBOM 2 Ukanafu/Orun Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
3 ANAMBRA 3 Anambra East & West Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
4 4 Nnewi/Ekwusigo Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing Accord logo
5 5 Oyi/Anyamelu Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing CPC and CDC Logos
6 BAYELSA 1 Bayelsa Central Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing APGA Logo
7 BENUE 2 Benue North Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing CPC Logo
8 6 Gwer East/West Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
9 7 Katsina Ala/Ukum Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing CPC Logo
10 CROSS RIVER 3 Southern District Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing DFPF Logo
11 4 Central District Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing CPC Logo
12 8 Abi/Yakurr Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
13 DELTA 9 Aniocha/Oshimili Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
14 10 Ethiope East/West Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
15 11 Bomadi/Patani Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
16 EBONYI 5 Ebonyi North Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant number were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
17 12 Ohaozara/Onichal/Ivo Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant number were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
18 EDO 13 Akoko Edo Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
19 EKITI 6 Ekiti Central Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing NTP Logo
20 7 Ekiti North Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
21 8 Ekiti South Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
22 14 Ado Ekiti/Irepodun/Ifelodun Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing NTP Logo
23 15 Ido/Osi/Moba/Ilejemeje Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
24 16 Ijero/Ekiti West/Efon Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
25 17 Ikole/Oye Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing NTP Logo
26 GOMBE 9 Gombe North Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
27 18 Yamaltu/Deba Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
28 19 Kaltungo/Shongom Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
29 20 Dukku/Nafada Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
30 IMO 21 Okigwe/Iheme/Mbanu Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing PPA Logo
31 JIGAWA 22 Taura/Ringim Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing CPC Logo
32 KADUNA 10 Kaduna North Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
33 23 Ikara/Kubau Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
34 24 Kachia/Kagarko Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
35 25 Kauru Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
36 26 Makarfi/Kudan Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
37 KADUNA 27 Z/Kataf/Soba Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
38 KANO 28 Dala Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
39 29 Gwarzo/Kabo Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
40 30 Karaye/Rogo Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
41 KWARA 31 Ekiti/Oke Ero/Isin/Irepodun Need to reprint Ballot Papers to remove AC logo and add missing DPP Logo
42 LAGOS 32 Ifako/Ijaye Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing LP Logo
43 33 Shomolu Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing LP Logo
44 34 Ikorodu Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing LP Logo
45 NASARAWA 35 Keffi/Kokona/Karu Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
46 NIGER 11 Niger South Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
47 36 Bida/Gbako/Katcha Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing CPC Logo
48 37 Lavun/Edasi/Mokwa Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
49 OGUN 38 Abeokuta North/Obafemi-Owode 1 Odeda Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
50 39 Ijebu Ode/Odogbolu/Ijebu North-East Need to print additional Ballot Papers.
51 40 Egbado South/Ipokia Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
52 OGUN 41 Ijebu North/Ijegu North East/Ogun Water Side Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
53 42 Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
54 OYO 43 Ibadan NW/SW Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing CPC Logo
55 PLATEAU 12 Plateau North Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
56 13 Plateau Central Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
57 14 Plateau South Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
58 44 Jos North/Bassa Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
59 45 Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
60 RIVERS 46 Port Harcourt 2 Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing CPC Logo
61 SOKOTO 15 Sokoto North Need to reprint Ballot Papers to include missing DPP Logo
62 ZAMFARA 47 Anka/T. Mafara Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections
63 48 Zurmi/Shinkafi Need to reprint Ballot Papers. A significant quantity of Ballot Papers were used on 2nd April 2011 inspite of suspension of Elections

Hassan Tukur Linked to INEC Ballot Paper Contractors

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on April 6, 2011 at 10:32pm

A reader labeled Mr. Asiwe, “racist”, when huhuonline.com broke the story that Prof Attahiru Jega rejected the bid from competent contractors from southern Nigeria and awarded the printing of ballot papers, result sheets and other sensitive materials for the 2011 general elections to contractors from the North.

According to documents obtained by huhuonline.com, the six firms are: VI Solutions, backed by Alhaji Yahaya Sani; SanFrano, a German/Polish firm, which had Alhaji Sanni Musa as its front; Graphic Inline (Gi), which had Alhaji Sanni Lamido as its proxy.

The others companies are: Tip3, a Spanish company represented by Alhaji Hashim Dikko,Aero-vote represented by Alhaji Yerima, and Kalamazoo, sponsored by Dick Jackson, who holds dual nationality (Nigeria/British).His wife is from Kano State.

Findings reveal that the six men, who collectively received a whopping sum of Thirteen billion naira, were proxies for Prof Attahiru Jega and Alhaji Hassan Tukur, principal Secretary to President Goodluck Jonathan.

Our checks reveal that Hassan Tukur chose and engineered the appointment Prof. Attahiru Jega as INEC chairman.

The Man Hassan Turkur

In the words of Ambassador Jetta, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is a man of uncommon loyalty, impeccable integrity, and possesses an immense commitment to Nigeria. But it appears these great attributes might become an impediment, as his closest associate from the North, Hassan Tukur, who appears to have gained his absolute confidence, may be covertly working against his ambition to become President.

Hassan Tukur, who has been a friend to the President for a very long time and currently works as his principal secretary, may be a “Frenemy” (one who pretends to be a friend but is actually an enemy).

Mr. Tukur is a diplomat and technocrat par excellence. His friendship with President Jonathan dates back to pre-Aso Villa days. He was President Yar’Adua’s special assistant on Petroleum Resources. Tukur is assumed to be the president’s closest associate from the North and is alleged to have single-handedly picked most of the regime’s political appointees that were employed from the North by Goodluck Jonathan.

According to sources who have had contact with him, Tukur does not hesitate to inform you that “he can get the President to do anything”, and really in most cases he delivers; a source added.

However, Hassan Tukur, Huhuonline.com learnt is torn between his loyalty to his boss and his kinsmen from the North, who are vehemently opposed to the President`s 2011 presidential ambition.

To this end, Tukur is alleged to have asked the President not to contest the 2011 election. But his advice has not been heeded.

Now, Hassan Tukur has pulled another fast one on his supposed friend, as he ensured his proxies did not deliver the election materials as scheduled, after they pocketed thirteen billion naira.While Attahiru Jega continues to issue ambiguous directives.

Our source at the Abuja INEC commission mentioned that the trio of Jega, Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu Jega’s chief of staff and personal consultant, and Hassan Tukur took charge of the award of the contracts for the printing of 200 million copies of the ballot papers and result sheets.

Our source revealed that in December 2010, INEC set up four committees to traverse the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Lithuania, South Africa, Asia and the United Arab Emirate (UAE) to search for suitable printers which made Jega, as chairman of the committee ‘A’, visited the United States and Canada, with Prof. Lai Olurode and U.F. Usman as members of his committee while Mr. Nuru Yukubu, chairman of committee ‘B’, visited England and Ireland, with Mrs. G.N. Nwafor, Dr. Oniyangi, Col. M. K Hammanga, D. I. Anumba as members of the committee.

The third committee, according to our source had Mr. Philip Umeadi, Mrs. T. Iremiren and K.N. Ukeagu as members and visited Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Lithuania, while the fourth committee headed by Dr. Ishmael Igbani visited South Africa, Asia and UAE. Members of the committee included Dr. Chris Iyimoga, Prince Solomon Soyebi and Mrs. Amina Yusuf.

Findings by huhuonline.com revealed that after the overseas assessment tour of facilities of printers of security materials by the four committees another committee headed by the INEC National Commissioner in Charge of Logistics, Col. M. K Hammanga, was allegedly set up to harmonise the reports of all four committees.

In its report, the Hammanga led committee rejected printing in US and England due to distance and high cost of printing respectively. The option of South Africa was also thrown out as a result of the 2007 general election experience which led to the delay, as some of the sensitive election papers were still on ground during the poll.

The committee however recommended that the ballot papers, result sheets and other sensitive materials be printed in Germany, France and Poland and subsequently shortlisted 21 companies and the list was submitted to Jega.

It was discovered that to the utter surprise of the committee members, INEC dumped the shortlisted companies.

Our source disclosed that “Since then, the issue on the award of the contracts for the printing of the ballot papers, the result sheets and other sensitive election materials was shrouded in secrecy. The files relating to the contracts were always kept in the office of the INEC chairman”.

Soyinka supports Ribadu shuns Jonathan & El rufai endorses Buhari

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on April 6, 2011 at 9:13pm

Professor Wole Soyinka has declared his lack of support for Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria Nobel Laureate made the declaration at this interview, watch below

El rufai for Buhari Bakare

Former Minister of FCT, Malam Nasir el-Rufa’i said that he supports Buhari despite his relationship with President Goodluck Jonathan and Malam Nuhu Ribadu because of all the presidential candidates, none has the capacity to address Nigeria’s enormous security threats and corruption like General Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change.
El-Rufai stated this at an interview with newsmen yesterday shortly after he chaired the unveiling of the CPC presidential manifesto which held at Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt, the Rivers capital.
The former minister said he has been a friend of PDP’s presidential candidate, Jonathan since the latter was deputy governor in Bayelsa State which made him (El-Rufai) visit Bayelsa four times. In the case of ACN’s candidate, Ribadu, he said they were not only friends but brothers.
El-Rufa’i also said he knows Malam Ibrahim Shekarau of the ANPP closely, stressing that his association with the three foremost candidates had afforded him the opportunity to assess their individual strengths and weaknesses and came to the conclusion that none of the three can manage Nigeria’s numerous challenges as Buhari.
“Credible leadership is not about friendship, it is about competence and commitments. I know all the candidates; I know what they can do and what they cannot do. By my own assessment and conviction, I can tell you that none of them has the competence of Buhari in terms of being president of this country given our huge problems,” El-Rufai said.
“Buhari has what it takes to stamp out corruption because his mere presence will instil discipline in every one and this is the kind of person we need in this country,” he added.
Buhari’s running mate, Pastor Tunde Ba-kare,- who unveiled the manifesto enumerated Buhari’s programmes for the country on all sectors while listing ways by which the programmes will be implemented. He said Buhari will neither borrow fund nor refer to the foreign reserve to carry out transformation, but will mainly rely on prudence and transparency.

Fashola denies blood oath with Tinubu,80% Lagosians Will Vote GJ,need a husband ? solution is here

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Reuters----80% Lagosians Will Vote Jonathan.

Posted by cozzy webtatafo on April 6, 2011 at 8:26pm

Nigerian polls put president ahead in election race
Former anti-corruption chief Nuhu Ribadu is hoping to secure strong backing for his presidential bid in the southwest, the stronghold of his Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) party, but the poll put him on just 4.7 percent of the overall vote.
It said 92 percent of respondents in Nigeria's most populous city of Lagos, in the southwest, would vote for sitting state governor Babatunde Fashola (ACN) in the governorship election, but 80 percent would vote Jonathan for the presidency.
Jonathan inherited power after the death of late northern President Umaru Yar'Adua last year and is seeking what would have been Yar'Adua's second term.
Buhari is hoping to capitalise on northern resentment at his candidacy but would need Ribadu to perform well in the southwest if he is to have a hope of forcing a run-off.
A second poll carried out by local firm NOI Polls, which has a partnership with Gallup, said 68 percent of Nigerians approved of Jonathan's performance so far as president.
The poll, commissioned by Nigerian civil society group the ANAP Foundation, said 53 percent of respondents expected Jonathan to win the April polls.
It said 73 percent of those questioned were aware that Buhari was running for president, while only 48 percent were aware that Ribadu was standing.
Jonathan has just completed a high-profile tour of the 36 states. Buhari's campaign is ongoing, while Ribadu's has been comparatively low key.

Woman trapped in Abeokuta crash wreckage

Posted by cozzy webtatafo on April 6, 2011 at 8:24pm

A housewife, identified as Bimpe Awotiku, was crushed by a truck in Abeokuta, Ogun State, yesterday.

The accident occurred at the hill top dual carriage road between Guaranty Trust Bank and Mobile 16 Base, located in the Oke-Ilewo area of the town. Witnesses say the heavily loaded truck was fast descending the steep road, while Mrs Awotiku was driving up hill. The victim, who was in the car with her two children, tried to get out of the path of the speeding truck before the impact. The truck fell on the car and trapped the occupants, however the two children were rescued from the trapped car unhurt. The truck’s impact on the drivers side of the car was greater.

For hours, witnesses tried to extricate the unconscious woman. Medical personnel deployed to the scene tried unsuccessfully to revive her with the aid of an oxygen mask. As at the time of going to press, a crane brought by the state government to remove the truck was unable to do so. The victim, reportedly a staff of the Nigerian Meteorology Department, remained in the car.

The children were taken to a hospital, while officials of the Fire Services, Nigerian Police, Federal Road Safety Commission, continued the rescue efforts. “On getting to the spot, we were told the driver of the truck had already run away,” said a police officer at the scene who did not want to give his name. “We quickly chased after the direction he was heading to and brought him down. He is in the cell now.

White American Students teach Nig.erians Yoruba in University of Ibadan ? ? ?

Posted by 9jabook.com webmadam on April 6, 2011 at 4:28am

jpeg&STREAMOID=73Xi_hbrRZAXObrlypd$2C6SYeqqxXXqBcOgKOfTXxRzoqq7U$i_09OCGnydJATPnW_PgxgftuECOcfJwS6Jtlp$r8Fy$6AAZ9zyPuHJ25T7a9GKDSxsGxtpmxP0VAUyHL6IDcZHtmM2t7xO$FHdJG95dFi6y2Uma3vSsvPpVyo-&width=345

Five white American students from the University of Wisconsin, United States of America, who are undergoing a Language immersion programme at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, were some of the guests at the 2011 Yoruba Day at the Vivian Fowler Memorial Girl's College, Lagos. Their mastery of the Yoruba Language is raising fresh concerns among language enthusiasts on the need for parents to encourage their children to speak the language, MOTUNRAYO ABODERIN reports One man's meat is another man's poison is a witty saying that aptly describes the decision of some American undergraduates to obtain Bachelors of Art degree in Yoruba Language.

The American students are actually treading a path that many Yoruba parents will never encourage their children to tread. Due to civilisation, the usage of the language has become a taboo in many homes, let alone going to the university to study it. But this is not so for Lauren Halloran, Caraline Harshman, Kelvin Barry, Kelly Moses and O'Neil Keegan, all undergraduate students of the University of Wisconsin, United States of America. Apart from studying the language, they have even adopted Yoruba names. Halloran is Abike, Harshman is Titilayo, Barry has adopted Kayode, and Moses is Akinwumi while Keegan's Yoruba name is Kolade. photo above:Clockwise from up: Kayode, Akinwumi, Kolade, Abike and Titilayo

Yoruba Language is the language of about 40 million people living in the South West geo-political zone of Nigeria.

But the language is being threatened with extinction because of the poor disposition of some Yorubas to it. Yoruba Language and culture enthusiasts including Prof. Wande Abimbola, Prof. Akinwumi Isola and Prof. Ayo Bamgbose had at various forums, expressed fears that if care was not taken, the language might go into extinction in some years to come.

However, these students, who are currently at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, for a one academic session language immersion programme, were part of guests that witnessed the Yoruba Day organised for pupils of Vivian Fowler Memorial Girl's College, Lagos recently.

The school's proprietor, Chief Leila Fowler, said that the Americans were invited for the event to motivate pupils and parents to embrace the use of Yoruba Language in their homes and in school. As each of the students from the University of Wisconsin spoke the Yoruba language with such dexterity and passion, with the American accent, the audience was forced to clap and scream for joy. "Americans speaking Yoruba, our mother tongue! Should this be a slap in the face of Yoruba girls who can't even say a word in Yoruba?" a parent sitting close to our correspondent asked rhetorically.

The Americans have been at the UI since September 2010 to sharpen their understanding of the Yoruba language and culture. This involves living with Nigerian families for close to one year. The Nigerian families signed an undertaking to speak to the students in Yoruba as well as encourage them to speak the language.

Before coming to Nigeria, they had been learning the Yoruba language at the University of Wisconsin, in the US along with their major courses for close to three years. At their first day in the Yoruba class in America where they were taught by professors from Nigeria, they were given a list of Yoruba names to pick from, and were asked to choose the appellations that best suited them.

And since then, they prefer being called their Yoruba names.

Interestingly, they eat Yoruba food, greet in the Yoruba way, and speak the language better than many Yoruba-born persons.

Kayode, when asked what his best food was, said in Yoruba, "Any day, any time I will go for Oka and Abula (Okro and Amala). It's divine and I love it. Nigeria is one place I've always wanted to live. So, being here is like a dream come true. I wouldn't trade this opportunity for anywhere else.''

Being endowed with an unbeatable talent and skills on how to beat the talking drum came as a surprise to the audience. "I developed an intimacy with the language by listening to radio stations, reading Nigerian newspapers, and also watching Yoruba movies. I always listen to Radio Lagos 107.5FM from the US. That really helped in getting to know the Yoruba accent.

"Also, I leant through the Yoruba films, you can watch any type of Yoruba movie on YouTube from America."

Titilayo, who was the most outspoken of the group, said someday, she wants to become a West African correspondent for one of the top media houses in the world.

"I want to be able to communicate in various African languages without any barrier. After mastering the Yoruba language, I'm going to pick up other African languages," she said.

Living in the ancient city of Ibadan, she said, had been an interesting experience, bringing her closer to the Yoruba culture and its components,

"My experience in Nigeria so far has been better than what I expected. I never thought I would become a motivation for kids to take pleasure in learning their mother tongue. It has been a big experience. Everyone has been so warm and welcome. Well, I hope this challenges people to know that the Yoruba language is a beautiful one, and Yoruba-speaking parents especially should ensure that they teach their children how to speak the language. If I can do it, so can they," Titilayo said.

Kolade, the most reserved of the group, said because of his nature, naturally he didn't think he could stay in Nigeria other than the stipulated time his course required, but because of the warm nature of Nigerians, he might change his mind.

"I'm more of the quiet type, I don't really like talking. Nigerians are really great at making you feel at home. A lot of people don't know much about Nigeria, that's why they have the impression that the country is wild and dangerous. But I have discovered that this impression is not true," he said.

On some of the challenges he faces, one of their teachers, Mr. Moses Mabayanje, said despite the passion he has for his job, teaching foreigners was harder than teaching Nigerians. "I have passion for what I do, but it can be challenging teaching foreigners than Nigerians who already have an idea and the nitty-gritty of the language. For foreigners, you have to start from the scratch. Also, I have to make sure that the five of them master the Yoruba language," he said.

Responding to fears that foreigners would one day have to teach Yoruba people their mother tongue, he said, "There is every possibility that this could happen. It may look like a joke, but it could happen. However, I don't think this would happen as a result of me teaching foreigners the Yoruba language; rather it will be as a result of parents failing to teach and imbibe in their children the Yoruba culture."

Also, Yoruba author, Olarotimi Makanjuola, said children now prefered speaking either the British English, or most especially the American English to their peers and parents, and that in some years' time, there would be nothing left of the Yoruba culture if caution wasn't taken.

"Would our grand children know the English meaning of the Yoruba word, 'Wa'? Almost everywhere this issue is brought up, people lament on the neglect of the Yoruba language. As they speak, you can hear the pain and sadness in their voices. Very soon, the whites are going to be the ones teaching our children their mother tongue," he said.

However, the Chairman, Association of Yoruba Language and Culture Teachers Association, Lagos State, Mr. Atanda Olawale, has called on parents and stakeholders in the education sector to fight against the extinction of Yoruba language.

He said, "The greatest tragedy regarding language is the dominating trend of parents wanting to speak only English to their children, making it their first language, and then sending them to private schools which only teach English. This makes these children to value English above other languages."

"When I heard about the story of the five students from University of Wincosin who are currently in UI studying Yoruba, I was not so shocked because I've always said that if we are not careful, the Yoruba language will soon become extinct. Then we will have foreigners coming down here to teach us our own mother tongue," he said.

Are you a lady that needs a husband ? solution is here !

Posted by cozzy webtatafo on April 6, 2011 at 4:17am

Fashola denies taking blood oath with Tinubu

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on April 6, 2011 at 3:56am

jpeg&STREAMOID=2Qs5WIVboCQiz9C2hRU3$S6SYeqqxXXqBcOgKOfTXxQTShsO5X5l3pHb4jRjo8F$nW_PgxgftuECOcfJwS6Jtlp$r8Fy$6AAZ9zyPuHJ25T7a9GKDSxsGxtpmxP0VAUyHL6IDcZHtmM2t7xO$FHdJG95dFi6y2Uma3vSsvPpVyo-&width=234

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday blamed the People's Democratic Party for masterminding the different messages being circulated through several electronic media about a "fictitious" rift between him and his predecessor, Bola Tinubu.
The message, being circulated under the title of "Lagos Voters" read that "Fashola says no to Tinubu's juju oath swearing, let us all pray for Fashola's protection from the evil Tinubu godfather."
Mr Fashola, while speaking to journalists after a meeting of the party's leaders held at Mainland Hotel in Oyingbo, urged all Lagos residents to ignore the message. "I will ignore it and I implore every right thinking member of our party to remain vigilant," he said. "This is the manifestation of the corrupt character of the PDP which is posing as Labour and all sorts of things to destabilise all other parties. People must be vigilant. They must wake up to all these false antics. They must ignore all these text messages of fear and deception. People should ignore all those text messages; they are messages of farewell because the PDP is going."
Internal rift
The governor denied any rift within the ranks of the party, especially in the Mainland Local Government where the meeting held. The party was allegedly losing last Saturday's botched National Assembly election which was already underway before it was cancelled. The postponement of the election was therefore a lifeline for the party to close cracks existing within the party. "We have just finished our meeting and there is no rift in our party," he said.
Another message being circulated advised Lagos residents to vote for Mr Fashola but not for legislative candidates of the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria because if the party has the majority of the House of Assembly, it will be easy to impeach Mr Fashola. However, the governor urged Lagos residents not to use the power of their vote in accordance with baseless opinions. Rather, he said, they should consider the track record of the party, which he described as a "refreshing breath of fresh air."
Attacking the PDP
"We expect to win in all the places where we fielded candidates," he said. "People must wake up and listen to us because we mean well. They should look at our track record in all the states we are controlling. So, we are imploring the voters to try something new because the PDP has failed them. The truth is that PDP has not campaigned on any issue. They have not told us a believable solution for health, housing and other problems confronting our people. Those peddling the rumour that we shall lose have their opinion. We have focused on our campaign and our manifesto. What do other parties bring?
After a party have run government for 12 years without a record of any progress, then we are a refreshing breath of fresh air. We must be. Look at what they have done to themselves in other states they controlled. You see candidates emerging overnight and some being removed. Within one year, they have changed national chairman thrice. PDP is a party that cannot even manage its affairs. They said their former chairman has a case to answer, were their eyes closed when they picked him?"
Support for INEC
While commenting on the uncertainties surrounding the ability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr Fashola urged asked Nigerians to show their support for the commission, which he said is working "in a difficult environment created by the mismanagement and inefficiency of the PDP-led federal government."
"But we have to understand that this is a country where the PDP government has wrecked virtually all our infrastructure," he said. "So, what normally is a difficult task becomes monumental. There are no roads and no rail. So what miracle do we expect, really? How do we get materials to far flung areas on time? Is INEC supposed to perform overnight magic by constructing roads?"

Nigeria's Okwandu wins US college basketball honours

Posted by Choochoo Sports Book on April 6, 2011 at 3:36am

jade: an ornamental stone ,jaded: made dull, apathetic, or cynical by experience , jada: a very talented mother of a very talented family , jaga: a double word used by eedris abdukarim 9gerian rapper to describe 9geria . my remix "9geria jaga jaga, we don jaded so tay, all the jadas wey remain, na jade necklace dem want ! gunshots inna d air ....i wish Fela were alive .

Charles Okwandu has won an NCAA winners medal after his team, the University of Connecticut Huskies defeated the Butler Bulldogs in the final of this year's NCAA National Men's Division One Championship.
The match which came up on Monday night (early hours of Tuesday morning in Nigeria) at the Reliant Stadium, in Houston, Texas, saw the Huskies running out with a 53-41 victory. It is their NCCA title in 12 years.
It was a game of contrasting fortunes, that saw the presence of the 7-feet-tall Okwandu, who featured for 13 minutes and finished the game with two points, along with five rebounds, four of which were offensive rebounds, after the Bulldogs over photo:Connecticut Huskies center Charles Okwandu (35) knocks the ball out of the hands of Kentucky Wildcats guard Brandon Knight (R) during their semi-final NCAA Final Four college basketball game in Houston, Texas April 2, 2011. Photo: REUTERS and over again failed in their bid to box him out of the paint.
The former Dodan Warriors of Lagos player, also finished with a block and with his success with the Huskies, becomes the first player from the Nigerian Premier Basketball League to win an NCAA Championship ring.
Okwandu, was discovered by Dodan Warriors president, Sam Ahmedu, a retired Army colonel, and the late basketball coach, Emmanuel Chagu in Satellite Town, a suburb of Lagos, from where he was drafted as a tall skinny high school prospect.
He participated in the Radar Hoops/Nestle Milo Top 50 Camp and the NBA-organized Basketball Without Borders Camp in South Africa and then played for the Lagos-based Warriors in the Premier Basketball League in 2005.
Thereafter, he featured for the Warriors in the finals of the 2006 African Champions Cup for Men hosted in Lagos where the Warriors finished in third place.
And Ahmedu can't but heap accolades on the 25-year-old and his team for winning the 2011 title.
"We give glory to God that the shy, skinny kid of yesterday has grown up to be a man influencing an event of such magnitude on the world stage," said Ahmedu.
"The entire Dodan Warriors programme, and I believe all well-meaning basketball lovers in Nigeria and beyond, are proud of this remarkable achievement which has never been attained by any player from the Nigerian league.
He added: "This is an indication that the Nigerian league will produce world beaters any day, if properly harnessed and managed."
Okwandu wasn't however the only Nigerian player in the Huskies line-up, as they also paraded Alex Oriakhi who, although born in the United States, has Nigerian parents.
The 20-year-old Oriakhi featured for 25 minutes and finished the game with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
"We've been down that road before throughout the whole tournament," Oriakhi said in a statement posted on his school's website. "We just keep playing basketball and we stick together, and I think that's what's most important."

I Can Act Nude For Good Pay - Folake Okoye Nollywood Actress

Posted by cozzy webtatafo on April 5, 2011 at 8:31pm

Folake Fadele is an actress in the Yoruba movie industry. She debuted about five years ago in a movie entitled: Ile Ola Lewu, after which Saheed Balogun spotted her for a lead role in a movie, Sako Jiya. In this chat with Adunola Fasuyi, she talks about herself, the industry and nudity in the movie industry.
CAN you tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Folakemi Fadele Victoria Okoye; I am an actress. I went to school like every other girl who appreciates the importance of education. I am a loving lady who loves to be loved and love to love.I’m from Imo State but my mum is from Ondo in Idoani. I have sisters that are all doing well in their various fields of endeavour. My mum and my entire family live abroad.
Were you born in Lagos?
Yes, I was born in Mushin area of Lagos.
Where would you place yourself in the cadre of up and coming actresses in the industry?
Though, life itself is competitive, but I am not going to tell you where I belong in the cadre of upcoming actresses.
When I had my appearance in Ile Ola Lewu, about three years ago, I never knew I would step up as quickly as I did in the past months.
So, God, who has placed me on this level is not done with what he’s doing in my life. I am always on top.
You must have had your challenges as an aspiring actress, what were the major ones you had?
The major one, to me, is sexual harassment. I have had a couple of producers who asked me for sex before giving me a role. Though, sexual harassment is a universal phenomenon, notwithstanding, it has to be based on mutual understanding.
You don’t have to compel me to sleep with you before giving me a role to play in a movie. Aside this, other challenges are just the normal things an aspiring actress tends to face in the course of acting.
Have you dated a movie producer before?
Not really. But I can actually date a producer if he falls into the category of my kind of man. Within my short time in the industry, I have had hundreds of advances from co-actors, producers and even marketers. But as an adult, if you caught my fancy, I will date you, that’s all.
What are the qualities that stand you out from other actresses?
My lips are not the same with others, my boobs are not same with others, in fact, my entire body structure is not same with other actresses. These qualities, coupled with my artistic prowess, stand me out among others.
When do you want to get married?
When the right man comes. I am not even thinking along that line at the moment. All I want to achieve is to be on top of my game in this industry and affect my generation and the next, as well.
Are you saying marriage can affect your career negatively?
Yes, of course, it can and we have many cases of marital disorder in the industry. Actually, I have tried it once, I was once engaged, but it was obvious my career would be at jeopardy, so I pulled out of the relationship.
You know our job is time-consuming and very tedious, so it only takes an understanding man to have a good home as an actress.
How many movies have you featured in?
A lot of movies, but all in the Yoruba genre.
Which one shot you into limelight?
Sako Jiya by Saheed Balogun. I played the major role there, as the wife of Saheed Balogun.
Have you ever dated Saheed Balogun?
Mr. Saheed is my boss, mentor and of course, my godfather in the industry. We are very close, he’s more or less a family friend, but if people see our closeness as something they are not comfortable with, they can form their opinion.
Who is your first love?
It’s personal.
Are you seeing anyone at the moment?
No. I am single and still searching. Guys can forward their application letters to me.
How would you describe your background?
I was born and grew up in Mushin but I left that area when I was 13 years old to Abule Egba area of Lagos.
We were born with silverspoon because that time, we never lacked any good things of life.
In fact, my mum built the Abule Egba house when I was 12 years, so we were quite comfortable as kids.
My mum and my entire household (five siblings) have been living in the United Kingdom for more than 20 years now.
Why did you choose acting?
I love acting even when I was still very young; my passion for it was awesome.
So, when I grew up and I wanted to do something different, I got introduced to Saheed Balogun through my sister, when he came to see her about someone they were supposed to feature in their movie.
Fortunately, Saheed sighted me and asked my sister to allow me play that role. After much persuasions, my sister allowed me and I got involved with his production outfit. That was how I got into the industry.
Since you had the flair from childhood, did you study the arts in school?
On the contrary no. I was in UNILAG to study Banking and Finance, though I dropped out because I wanted to travel and was also doing business. But the travelling didn’t click at the end. So, I didn’t complete my degree programme.
Can you act nude in a movie?
I laugh when I read in the papers about some actresses’ opinion on this question. No one has ever admitted to act nude for a fee. Let me tell you here, a whole lot of them act nude but they don’t know.
You cannot act nude and you are sleeping with a producer, marketer, director etc, how else do you want to act nude? For me, the question is yes, I can act nude if the pay is right, if the producer is ready to pay me handsomely, why not? Afterall, Hollywood stars act nude and yet, we want to get to where Hollywood is and we keep shying from versatility in acting.
As a versatile actress, I can act nude but the pay must be good! In fact, the fee must be able to sustain me throughout my lifetime. To act nude is against our tradition, friends, associates and even some colleagues would turn you a recluse, you would be stigmatized. So, if I have to act nude, I would consider all these things and ask for a fee that will last me a lifetime. With that, I can buy a world for myself even a man if need be

Editorial: This Police Order on Tinted Glasses: Jim Iyke also Replies "I was set up "

Posted by 9jabook.com webmadam on April 5, 2011 at 8:27pm

"I was driving one of my posh rides in Abuja when all of a sudden these men dressed in different uniforms, army, police and even a colour that I don't even recognize just swooped on me and asked me to get down from my car. I did that and then I was told I am not authorized to have tinted glass, that it's against the law, so they proceeded to remove the tint. But all of a sudden this set of people arrived with some huge cameras I have never seen before and started recording the scene. That was when I got upset and drove away. In fact I think it was just a set up because I don't know how those people got to know what was happening at the time and they came with their cameras like it was a movie scene." Jim Iyke to Vivian Onuorah of City People Magazine.

The Inspector General of Police, Mr Hafiz Ringim, recently announced a ban on the use of tinted glasses on vehicles in the country. No reason was given for the ban, but a few specified top government officials were exempted from it. The Police were ordered to arrest drivers of vehicles with tinted glasses, except those that are factory-fitted. The ban which was announced through advertisements in the media, had a deadline of March 15, 2011. Since then, policemen have begun a clamp down on car owners who have not complied with the order.

The growing menace of kidnapping and other vehicle-facilitated crimes in the country may have compelled the revocation of police permits which hitherto allowed car owners to use tinted glasses. The Police had wanted to monitor and account for motorists that were using tinted glasses on their vehicles by demanding that they (car owners) obtained police permit before using such cars. However, the process soon got abused, as almost every applicant got the permit, whether the tint was factory-fitted or not. Indeed, driving a car with tinted glasses soon became a status symbol, as it conferred on the owner some mystique of social importance, with a pseudo VIP flourish. Sadly too, even policemen at checkpoints seemed to treat car owners in tinted glasses with greater respect, if not awe. That way, criminals who rode in cars with tinted glasses, sometimes with kidnapped victims in the cars, got reverent courtesies from the police and other members of the society. The need to forestall the pseudo posturing may have led to the outright ban on the tinted glasses.

While we appreciate the difficulty tinted glasses pose to the police in identifying the status of all car owners, we are concerned that the enforcement of the order may soon lose its steam. Most of the police officers, especially those of junior rank, who are often at highway checkpoints, scarcely know the difference between factory-fitted tints or local film tints. Thus, despite the exemption of the former from the ban, the police still harass car owners with factory-fitted tints, the same way they do locally-fitted tinted cars. Many policemen have even turned the new order to avenues for monetary extortions from car owners.

The Police authorities should therefore further educate its rank and file on the difference, as only the back windows of factory-fitted tints are darkened.

More than that, we believe that the mere use of cars with tinted glasses (factory-fitted or not) does not confer any special importance on the car or its occupants. They should thus be subjected to routine police checks, where and when the need arises. That way, those who hide under the cover of factory-fitted tinted glasses to perpetrate crime can be nabbed and prosecuted.

We are also worried, like the Inspector General of Police, that even some state security chieftains, including policemen, are, as always, lifting themselves above the law by yet driving official and even private cars with local tints on their glasses. We are familiar with this flagrant abuse of office by security agents, as they drive, unchallenged, against traffic, ride motor cycles without helmet, drive menacingly on the highways etc. Perhaps, they need to be reminded that those entrusted with the responsibility of enforcing the nation’s laws should not be the same people that so flippantly flout the laws of the land.

All said, we believe that while the ban should help check crime rate in the country, the issue of tinted glasses should not distract the police from the task of securing lives and property. The police should re-work their security system by exposing the men and officers to advanced and latest forms of security strategies with the aim of re-assuring Nigerians of their overall safety.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.