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Did you expect to be evicted from Gulder Ultimate Search, Celebrity Showdown so soon?
Princess
I didn't expect it. We didn't even know what the task was going to be like. When they said we should start breaking our pots, I was scared, because I don't know how to throw an object at something else.
Didn't you take it out on Daddy Showkey for breaking your own pots?
Yes, I did. Normally when I cooked, I always gave him extra meat. Before we left for the task that morning, I had even helped him wash his clothes. When we got there and the task required us to break pots, Weird MC said she was not going to participate. They said it was a game and we had to play it. I knew that Daddy Showkey knew how to throw things, so I begged him not to break my pot. But that was in vain. He broke all the three pots! I was so upset. I didn't really take it personal, but I was upset. I don't tell lies. I don't pretend to be friendly with somebody when I am not. I was very friendly with Daddy Showkey.
But he said he didn't do it on purpose
That was what he said. That was why I was upset with him.
Are you saying he actually targeted your pots?
He did. He even said he made a mistake by breaking Obesere's pot. He said he was targeting my pot. But he came to me and claimed it was a mistake, but I told him not to patronise me. I might be younger than him, but I am not a fool. Obesere's pots were broken by different people, but just one person broke my own pots. This was the same person that was laughing and playing with me before the task. I didn't expect him to do what he did. He should have been diplomatic. Even if he wanted to evict me, he should have allowed at least one other person to break one of my pots. He aimed at my pots and he broke all of them.
Were you friendly in the camp?
Oh yes. He used to call me Her Excellency while I called him my personal bodyguard. Monkeys would have raped me in camp. He was the one that chased them away. I was not happy with what he did.
Wasn't it just a game?
When we were going to the camp, we were not told that we were going to perform very physical exercise. When we noticed that it was going to be physical, we knew a woman was not going to win the game. They told us that it was going to be more of an intellectual game like puzzles, riddles and stuffs like that. But it didn't turn out that way. I told Daddy Showkey that he broke my pots because he knew that I would have given him a stiff competition if the game was mainly intellectual. He is very strong. He wanted to evict his intellectual opposition first, so that he would be left to deal with physical opposition. Of course, he is stronger than Dare and Emeka.
And who do you think will emerge the winner?
Weird MC is the only female left in the competition now. It has been very tedious. It wasn't what we expected. I hope she tries her best to win. It will be nice if she wins. If she doesn't win, I wish all the others luck.
Who was your close buddy in camp?
Everybody was my friend.
Including Muma Gee?
I knew Muma even before we went to camp. We had our differences. In camp, she said some unprintable things. We used to be very close, but later, due to some things, we fell apart.
Many people believed that all the ladies, except Weird MC, ganged up against Muma Gee.
That was not the case. She probably had issues with some people. Nobody went there as a group; we went there individually. Ganging up against her was not applicable at all. But there were some things she did that were not acceptable to everybody.
Like what?
There was a day she called everybody together and said she wanted to make an announcement. She said it was important and that we should leave everything we were doing. We all ran towards her and asked her what the problem was. Do you know what she said? She said somebody had used her disinfectant. Can you imagine? We were all upset. It was so rude. I thought she had something important to say to us. The fact that somebody used your disinfectant should not be enough reason to call a conference. She did funny things sometimes. I call them funny things because I had known her even before then. It might be difficult for those who didn't know her to understand her. She wears her make-up 24 hours, even at night. But because I knew her, I saw it as her nature. I know her well. She is the type that can wear six sets of clothes in one day. She says it brightens her up and gives her an aura.
Were you allowed to bring make-up into
the jungle?
No. We were told not to bring make-up because of bees. A bee stung me. It was just a simple instruction, but Muma was so used to her make-up. That is her personal style. If you are meeting her for the first time, you will not find it funny. For the sake of our collective safety, we were told not to do something, yet one person disobeyed the instruction. There is a probability that there would be friction all the time. The first task that we were given was to look for a place to settle. They asked us to sit in a boat. Some people were not used to water and boats. I was comfortable with it because I swim. But that didn't mean I should dive into the water. We were told to sit down till we found our clue. But Muma stood up in the middle of the sea and started dancing. She was rocking the boat. A lot of people got scared. Even the guy that was rowing the boat had to tell her to sit down. These were some of the instances. We all have our bad sides. But it is wrong for somebody to act as if she is holier than everyone else.
At one point, all of you were mad at her. What really happened?
She said something horrible. The things she said were edited. They only showed people's reaction and I don't think that was fair enough. What she said would have broken many homes. It would have broken someone's marriage. I don't want to talk about it. Chioma tried to correct her, but she said she didn't want that kind of correction from her. We argue. We are adults. But if I offend you, you tell me and I will apologise. God knows that what Muma Gee said that day was horrible. I was so angry. Chioma was even the one that came to me and said it was okay.
What is this thing she said?
I cannot say it. It is not printable. It is not good for kids and adults. It is a very vulgar and improper thing to say. I am sure she is sorry for what she said. She might have been trying to cast a joke, but it came out the wrong way.
Would you say Chioma was acting her quarrel with Muma?
Some of those things were mere acting. If Muma Gee said Chioma was not acting, then she is not being truthful. If we didn't go there to argue and quarrel, what would viewers be watching? Let us be factual. Viewers needed to watch us. We were in front of the camera all the time. We needed to do most of the things for the sake of the cameras, because we knew that people were watching us at home. If we were not acting, I am sure some people would have left the first day. The arguments kept the show going. It is just that some parts that led to some incidents were edited. We were friends in camp. We had quarrels and we settled them. If Muma and Chioma did not argue, they would have been pretending.
Is it true that Muma Gee said you ladies were envious of her?
That is a joke. I am not sure she said that. Why? Why should I be envious of Muma Gee? Is it because I am big, bold and beautiful? Anyway, I am sure she was not referring to me, if she actually said it. Since you asked this question, I have tried to call her and her phone is switched off. I am not sure Muma said that. No way! Of course, she couldn't have been referring to Funke who didn't even know who she was until we got to the camp. Maybe she was referring to the guys. Personally, I am not sure she was referring to me. I am sure she did not say that. She wouldn't dare. I am vouching for her.
I read in a recent publication that Muma called Chioma a demon. Do you also perceive Chioma as a demon?
I feel so sad about that article. Muma said Chioma acted like an animal towards her. That is uncalled for. It is not good. If we say we are good people, how can you call somebody a demon? When you are fighting someone, leave a space for reconciliation with that person. I learnt Muma said that even if she eventually bears children tomorrow, God will not let them be friends with Chioma's kids. That is very bad. Why do you have to turn it into a generational squabble? Has it turned to the kind of fight between Osama Bin Laden and America? No squabble should go on forever. I am not happy with Muma for calling Chioma a demon. Chioma is selfless. Muma is a very liberal person. I know that people are trying to capitalise on the squabble they had in camp. We should not call ourselves names so that when we make up, we can make up very well.
Let us leave Gulder Ultimate Search aside. Is it true that you caused a man to be deported from England because he had an issue with his wife?
If you read the article well, the writer said she hadn't spoken to me or the person involved. I think the writer said some people said something about the matter. That is just a personal issue. But it is a fact that I am in the United Kingdom most of the time. But I don't need to call the police for anything because I don't know their number. As an educated person, you cannot have an issue with your wife and a third person invites the police and they deport you. The guy in question came to Nigeria to promote his music album. I rendered some help to him. I learnt they said he left his pregnant wife. But the wife has been delivered of the baby since and I was even the first person he called to tell me that his wife had put to bed. It is very annoying. Gossip is gossip. Most of the things written in gossip columns are never true.
Thomas Ikimi may not be known in Nollywood, but in Hollywood, the Nigerian movie director has made a name for himself as the first Nigerian to direct a Hollywood movie.
According to Paris Harcourt of Paris Harcourt Media Consulting, London, organisers of the movie launch, 'Legacy' will be released in Nigeria later in the year.
Life and Beat gathered that the movie will be showing next at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, followed by the American Black Film Festival in Miami.
Talking about the movie , Harcourt said 'Legacy' is a psychological suspense thriller that tells the story of two brothers in conflict.
"Malcom Gray" (Idris Elba,Rock n Rolla,American Gangster ) , a highly trained Special Forces soldier, has gone AWOL after being captured and tortured for months in the Balkans. He books himself into a New York hotel room, from where he calls a journalist promising to reveal damaging information about his brother, Senator Darnell Gray. Confined to his hotel room, he is visited by a series of people - firstly his colleagues from the special ops unit, then the female journalist to whom he gives the evidence about his senator brother, and finally he is visited by his ex fiancée who has broken his heart by marrying his brother. They each want to help him but his resolve for revenge is unbreakable. Tormented by guilt over his own actions as a soldier and by the personal and political betrayals of his brother, Malcolm's paranoia is like a pressure cooker. On the verge of violence from moment to moment, Malcolm's grasp on reality is gradually called into question. It is only in the last scene that his intentions are finally revealed," Harcourt said...
IMDB Internet Movie Database Profile
Birth Name
Thomas Eromose Ikimi
Height
6' 0½" (1.84 m)
Mini Biography
Thomas Ikimi was born in Westminster, London on April 10th 1979. He is of Nigerian descent. He attended primary school in Nigeria, prep and public school in England and university in America. He holds a literature and writing degree from Columbia University, New York.
Thomas' student film, 'Limbo' (2005), after a showing at the Cannes Film Market in 2005, was subsequently invited to the Taormina International Film Festival in Sicily, Italy as an Official Selection. It was one of only 12 films chosen worldwide, and had the added honour of opening the festival. This brought attention to Thomas due to the fact 'Limbo' only cost $9000 to produce mostly on his student credit card, and it was in a fest where the $153 million Batman Begins was premiering in Italy. Thomas was a second year student when he wrote, directed and produced the film, balancing the 2 1/2 week shoot with his mid term exams. He was nominated for best director and best picture at the Eerie Horror Festival 2004, and he won the Honorable Mention Award at the Flint International Film Festival 2005. Thomas has been working as a screenwriter in London since 2005, writing and developing screenplays for producers.
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President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, tacitly revealed his intention to contest the 2011 presidential election, saying he would set up a Facebook account for the poll.
The proposed account, he said, is “part of my contribution to the (election) debate” and that it would focus primarily on the exchange of ideas..
Facebook is a popular social network interactive site with millions of subscribers globally.
Jonathan, who spoke at the 26th Convocation of the University of Port Harcourt, on the second day of his visit to Rivers State, also harped on the urgent need for national transformation and harnessing of the unchallengeable power and good in the Nigerian youth. He urged Nigerians to register as soon as the voter registration exercise commences and be ready vote.
“Once we can successfully prevent a few people from determining the outcome of elections, all elected leaders immediately come into the service of the general good. There will neither be accountability nor development when political leaders owe their privilege of power to the narrow interests of the few. I believe every major challenge that we face as a country can be confronted by the power of the vote,” he said..
Stressing that “our political process is a work in progress,” Jonathan appealed to Nigerians, particularly the youths, to come back into the process, adding that the stakes were too high “for us to abandon our right to re-order the present and determine the future.”
The President, whose address dwelt mainly on the nation’s youths, paid glowing tribute to the undying spirit of the Nigerian as represented in the youths.
“There is an unchallengeable power of good in the Nigerian youth and we must recognize and harness it with a view to deploying its potential. With 70 per cent of our population below the age of 35, we are a strong and sturdy community, determined to defend our collective interest. Challenging times need to be challenged by the overwhelming strength of vision.
“It is in this regard that as I settle down to the duties of office, I will be depending on the ideas, energy and co-operation of all Nigerians to bring our dream to reality. There can never be a better time for national transformation than now,” Jonathan said. He commended the Vice Chancellor, Prof Don Baridam, whose tenure expires in July, for his uncommon achievements.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor said the Federal Government has approved the establishment of the Centre for Energy Studies in the university, adding that when functional, the centre would facilitate studies in nuclear energy and related disciplines..
Baridam, who recalled the assassination of two staff of the institution, including its Chief Security Officer, Mr Amadi Wali, observed that such violent killings and threats have become commonplace in the nation’s university system and urged the government to tackle insecurity in universities and the larger society.
Highpoint of the convocation was the award of certificates, first degrees and post-graduate degrees to 5,922 graduates and the award of honorary doctorate degrees to some eminent Nigerians, which included a former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Uwais; Managing Director of the World Bank, Dr. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, who was represented by her father; a former Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Sylvanus Cookey, Prof Aniezionwu Okoro, and Mr Donald Duke, former Cross River State Governor.
Also honoured was the Oba Akran of Badagry, Dr De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I, who is the new Chancellor of the univeristy.
President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, tacitly revealed his intention to contest the 2011 presidential election, saying he would set up a Facebook account for the poll.
The proposed account, he said, is “part of my contribution to the (election) debate” and that it would focus primarily on the exchange of ideas..
Facebook is a popular social network interactive site with millions of subscribers globally.
Jonathan, who spoke at the 26th Convocation of the University of Port Harcourt, on the second day of his visit to Rivers State, also harped on the urgent need for national transformation and harnessing of the unchallengeable power and good in the Nigerian youth. He urged Nigerians to register as soon as the voter registration exercise commences and be ready vote.
“Once we can successfully prevent a few people from determining the outcome of elections, all elected leaders immediately come into the service of the general good. There will neither be accountability nor development when political leaders owe their privilege of power to the narrow interests of the few. I believe every major challenge that we face as a country can be confronted by the power of the vote,” he said..
Stressing that “our political process is a work in progress,” Jonathan appealed to Nigerians, particularly the youths, to come back into the process, adding that the stakes were too high “for us to abandon our right to re-order the present and determine the future.”
The President, whose address dwelt mainly on the nation’s youths, paid glowing tribute to the undying spirit of the Nigerian as represented in the youths.
“There is an unchallengeable power of good in the Nigerian youth and we must recognize and harness it with a view to deploying its potential. With 70 per cent of our population below the age of 35, we are a strong and sturdy community, determined to defend our collective interest. Challenging times need to be challenged by the overwhelming strength of vision.
“It is in this regard that as I settle down to the duties of office, I will be depending on the ideas, energy and co-operation of all Nigerians to bring our dream to reality. There can never be a better time for national transformation than now,” Jonathan said. He commended the Vice Chancellor, Prof Don Baridam, whose tenure expires in July, for his uncommon achievements.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor said the Federal Government has approved the establishment of the Centre for Energy Studies in the university, adding that when functional, the centre would facilitate studies in nuclear energy and related disciplines..
Baridam, who recalled the assassination of two staff of the institution, including its Chief Security Officer, Mr Amadi Wali, observed that such violent killings and threats have become commonplace in the nation’s university system and urged the government to tackle insecurity in universities and the larger society.
Highpoint of the convocation was the award of certificates, first degrees and post-graduate degrees to 5,922 graduates and the award of honorary doctorate degrees to some eminent Nigerians, which included a former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Uwais; Managing Director of the World Bank, Dr. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, who was represented by her father; a former Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Sylvanus Cookey, Prof Aniezionwu Okoro, and Mr Donald Duke, former Cross River State Governor.
Also honoured was the Oba Akran of Badagry, Dr De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I, who is the new Chancellor of the univeristy.
This is the fourth part in a five-part look inside "Nollywood," the Nigerian film industry.
My bid to make it in Nollywood is gaining steam, but I need to hone my skills and learn from seasoned veterans, so I arrange to observe an audition. It takes place in the shadow of the National Theater, a spaceship-like structure visible from miles away, the only landmark in an otherwise desolate, dirty swamp bisecting the two main sections of Lagos.
Behind the theater in a dusty square, actors, dancers and other industry players regularly gather for auditions and meetings. A grove of trees to one side of the square marks the actors’ area, and a tiny open-air pool hall to the other side marks the dancers’ area. In between are the offices of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, and on the outskirts of the square are several "chop houses," or restaurants, and a few bars. .
Lesson One: Bow Your Head
Before today’s audition can begin, the actors gather under the canopy of a large tree for a group prayer. One of the veteran actors steps forward. “Welcome, everyone. Let us bow our heads in prayer.” He holds his arms outstretched over the heads of the others. “Please God, help us perform our best today. Destroy the agents that would delay our projects, O Lord. In the name of Jesus. Father, I ask that these agents be nullified in the name of Jesus. As you cover everything in the blood of Jesus, Lord, destroy our enemies who would have us not do well at this audition today…” He continues for some minutes before closing with a solemn “Amen.”
In Hollywood, a pre-audition prayer would likely be met one of two ways: with derision or a lawsuit. But the prayer is not unusual in a country as religious as Nigeria, split equally between Christians and Muslims, where mega-churches in the south draw tens of thousands of worshipers to weekly services, and where several northern cities practice sharia law. What is unusual is that I am standing next to a Muslim friend, and he has taken part in the Christian prayer along with everyone else. Later he will tell me that most of the directors in Nollywood are from one predominantly Christian ethnic group, so he uses his middle name instead of his Muslim-sounding first name and always takes part in the Christian prayers. .
Lesson Two: Patience Is a Virtue
After the prayer, a producer announces that the casting directors cannot make it today, and the audition is postponed until further notice. The actors sigh and mumble to each other but no one seems particularly surprised. Once again I am reminded that in Nollywood, and in Nigeria in general, things never go as planned and patience is a requirement for survival, and for sanity.
As we start to leave I notice a man in a bright yellow shirt, black shorts, black cowboy boots, and a black cowboy hat walking by. His name is Emma George. He is a small man with a thick beard and kind eyes. Though well into his forties, he has just recently moved to Lagos and has only been acting for three years.
“I was working at the Ministry of Transportation before, but I had a passion for acting,” he says. “My mother thought I was crazy and said, ‘Emma, are you sure? You’ve got a good job.’ And I told her, ‘Mama, I have to go for it.’” Because of his age, dark beard, and well, the black boots, Emma most often gets cast as the villain, though he would rather be seen as a leading man. “I played a loverboy only once, in Virginity of the Goddess. I’m a real gentle soul, but I’m always carrying a gun onscreen.”
Lesson Three: Turn the Other Cheek
I ask Emma about the frustrations of trying to make it in Nollywood: the unpredictable schedules, the meager pay, the shoddy production quality. He nods knowingly. “Acting in Nollywood is not an easy thing,” he says. “But with patience, perseverance, and determination, we’ll get there. Nollywood is still young compared to Hollywood, but we believe we’ll get there with time.”
Emma says good-bye and heads to a nearby restaurant, where he hopes he’ll be seen by a director or producer. As he leaves, I realize that he embodies the dominant trait of many Nigerians I’ve met. Here’s a middle-aged man who left his steady -- if unprofitable -- government job to pursue his love for acting and who stays positive despite numerous setbacks and dim prospects. That is Nigeria in a nutshell: millions of people streaming into the cities with few, if any contacts, looking for whatever work they can find and striving through all manner of obstacles. Whether investment banker or dressmaker or bread seller, they are among the most resilient people I’ve come across.
My attempt to observe an audition had failed, but there would be other chances. My friend says we should go. A quick wind picks up dust and whirls it across the now-empty square. Then a little girl in a ragged dress and pink sandals walks by holding a monkey on a chain. I look at my friend for an explanation but he just smiles, shrugs, and turns to leave. The little girl walks to the middle of the square and stops. The monkey sits down. I follow my friend back toward the main road and the teeming Lagos traffic. When I look back, the girl and the monkey are gone.
Bauchi State administration headed by the very handsome Mallam Isa Yuguda appears to be one of the most corrupt states in Nigeria as the people of the state who are always complaining of his many financial misappropriations are not finding things easy with him.
While he’s yet to clear himself from his excesses and nontransparent contract he awarded to China Zhonghao Nigeria Limited valued at N7.8b of which knowledgeable sources point to China Zonghao as the governor’s conduit pipe for the looting of Bauchi State, the amiable governor is said to have been a drug addict. “Yes, he can’t do without taking it every night.
Why he’s so engrossed to smoking of Indian hemp these days cannot be explained, the reason is because, immediately he takes it, he begins to cry a baby for a while before he gains his strength back. A lot of us, who are witnesses of this strange ordeal, have come to conclusion that there is more to that act than meet the eyes.
” One of his aides informed us. Governor Isa Yuguda is the son-in law to the late former president of Nigeria, Musa Yardua and while he is said to have been going away with the looting of his state’s treasury is based on this fact.
Though, there is a strong warning from the presidency that the youthfully looking governor is ‘untouchable’ and both EFCC and ICPC seem to adhere to this instruction, close sources informed. .
This friendly and very playful governor who is said to have turned the good fortune of his state to misfortune, information at our disposal reveals, is not only hooked on drugs but is deeply involved in all kinds of immoral acts.
www.nigeriafilms.com will soon give you all the documentary evidences of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) program to you as soon as possible..
While he’s yet to clear himself from his excesses and nontransparent contract he awarded to China Zhonghao Nigeria Limited valued at N7.8b of which knowledgeable sources point to China Zonghao as the governor’s conduit pipe for the looting of Bauchi State, the amiable governor is said to have been a drug addict. “Yes, he can’t do without taking it every night.
Why he’s so engrossed to smoking of Indian hemp these days cannot be explained, the reason is because, immediately he takes it, he begins to cry a baby for a while before he gains his strength back. A lot of us, who are witnesses of this strange ordeal, have come to conclusion that there is more to that act than meet the eyes.
” One of his aides informed us. Governor Isa Yuguda is the son-in law to the late former president of Nigeria, Musa Yardua and while he is said to have been going away with the looting of his state’s treasury is based on this fact.
Though, there is a strong warning from the presidency that the youthfully looking governor is ‘untouchable’ and both EFCC and ICPC seem to adhere to this instruction, close sources informed. .
This friendly and very playful governor who is said to have turned the good fortune of his state to misfortune, information at our disposal reveals, is not only hooked on drugs but is deeply involved in all kinds of immoral acts.
www.nigeriafilms.com will soon give you all the documentary evidences of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) program to you as soon as possible..
Have you ever made a commitment and then wished you hadn't? I'm sure it happens to everyone at some point. Maybe you made a commitment to go somewhere with a friend or to someone's house for dinner, and at the last minute, you're too tired or something else comes up and you want to switch your plans.
Well the other day, that's exactly what happened to me. I had committed to go somewhere and when it came time to get ready, I was so exhausted. It had been a long day and I was thinking to myself, "Boy, I wish I hadn't committed to this! I wish there was some way I could get out of doing this." As I thought for a minute, it made me realize that sometimes we think God is like us—that He makes a commitment, but we aren't sure He's going to show up. We aren't sure He really wants to do it.
Well, let me reassure you today, God will never call and cancel! He will never "get out of the mood" and "something else" will never come up with God! He always shows up. He never withholds His provision. Just because we don't want to show up sometimes doesn't mean that God doesn't. He is the friend that sticks closer than a brother. He is the faithful One. He is always true to His promises.
Today, meditate on that fact. Let it sink down in your heart. The God of the universe is able and willing to meet your needs. It pleases Him to give you the kingdom. He is faithful from everlasting to everlasting, and His Word is forever settled. Have confidence today when you reach out to Him because you can trust that He will always show up anytime you call upon His name.
He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him (Psalm 91:15, NIV).
People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.
2 . Overeating
It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.
3. Smoking
It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.
4. High Sugar consumption
Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients
causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.
5. Air Pollution
The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the
supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.
6 . Sleep Deprivation
Sleep allows our brain to rest.. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells..
7. Head covered while sleeping
Sleeping
with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and
decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging
effects.
8. Working your brain during illness
Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the
brain.
9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts
Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.
10. Talking Rarely
Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain
The main causes of liver damage are:
1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause.
2. Not urinating in the morning.
3 . Too much
eating.
4. Skipping breakfast.
5. Consuming too much medication.
6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring, and artificial sweetener.
7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil.
As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is20very fit.
8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the
burden of liver.
Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.
We
should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have to
adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to 'schedule.'
The top five cancer-causing foods are:
1.. Hot Dogs
Because
they are high in nitrates, the Cancer Prevention Coalition advises that
children eat no more than 12 hot dogs a month. If you can't live
without hot dogs, buy those made without sodium nitrate.
2. Processed meats and Bacon
Also high in the same sodium nitrates found in hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats raise the risk of heart disease. The saturated fat in bacon also contributes to cancer.
3. Doughnuts
Doughnuts are cancer-causing double trouble. First, they are made with white flour, sugar, and hydrogenated oils,
then fried at high temperatures. Doughnuts, says Adams , may be the
worst food you can possibly eat to raise your risk of cancer.
4. French fries
Like
doughnuts, French fries are made with hydrogenated oils and then fried
at high temperatures. They also contain cancer- causing acryl amides
which occur during the frying process. They should be called cancer
fries, not French fries, said Adams .
5. Chips, crackers, and cookies
All
are usually made with white flour and sugar. Even the ones whose labels
claim to be free of trans-fats generally contain small amounts of
trans-fats.
PASS THIS TO ALL WHOM YOU LOVE & CARE FOR.
how a man abducted his son, alerted a family member and demanded a ransom from his extended family
A 45-year-old drummaker, Tanimowo Hunge, has been paraded by policemen from the Ogun
State Police Command Headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for allegedly abducting his 16-year-old son, John, and demanding N100,000 as ransom.
Hunge, a native of Maun, Ipokia Local Government, was paraded alongside some robbery and murder suspects by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Musa Daura, in Abeokuta on Wednesday.
Hunge, who wept profusely, blamed the devil for the crime. According to the CP, the suspect tricked his son who lives in Lagos with his brother in-law, Joseph Dosa, to come home. His father later abducted him and got in touch with Dosa that John had been kidnapped and the abductors demanded N100,000 ransom.
Dosa later told reporters that efforts to get the alleged abductors' telephone number from the boy's father proved abortive as he was said to have claimed that the abductors warned him not to release the telephone number to any other person.
The CP added, "When information go the police, they phoned the kidnappers and the money was made available by the police in order to attract the suspect. As the suspect surfaced for the collection of the money, he was arrested. Incidentally, the suspect is the biological father of the victim.
"We even tried to negotiate the ransom to N50,000 but the father refused, saying the kidnappers had refused any form of negotiation."
Amidst continuous sobs, Hunge, who confessed to the crime, claiming that tree felling had robbed him of the materials with which to make drums.
"It was the devil. I used to have money. It was hardship that pushed
me to this level and I only pray that God will save me from this problem," he lamented.
Also, another suspect, Abdullahi Adekunle, was paraded for allegedly killing one Musibau Olopade, who was caught having sex with his (Adekunle's wife) on their matrimonial bed.
Daura said Adekunle, a block moulder in Ilogbo Ota, stabbed Olopade in the back after he caught his wife, Funmilayo, and the young man having sex on their (Adekunles) matrimonial bed. A sober Adekunle explained that though he stabbed the late Olopade, who was unmarried, with the knife he used during the Eid-el-Kabir (Ileya), he did not know that the deceased would die.
The wife who had had a stillbirth for the suspect claimed that the deceased raped her. Funmilayo said, "I was expecting my husband in the morning; so, when he (Olopade) knocked, I thought it was my husband. I opened the door while I had only wrapper on. He pushed me to the bed and started. When my husband was knocking, he said I shouldn't open the door that it was not my husband. When my husband forced the door opened and saw him; they started fighting and I ran out of the building. As he (late Olopade) was trying to escape, my husband stabbed him in the back."
Nkem Owoh received a very hot and embarassing slap from a marketer. ''We can no longer take your excesses'' P. Collins declared.
Humorousand outstanding, the one and only, Mr Nkem Owoh, popularly known asOsuofia, is without a doubt the most expensive actor in Nigeria andonly a few producers can afford him.
Recently, there has beenserious complaints concerning his attitude at work, '' How can we payas much as 2 million nairas to him yet he will not be seen on locationtill 12 noon? He keeps every other cast and crew waiting and when hefinally surfaces, in no time he wants to call it a day!'' says anotherfrontline insider who wants to remain anonymous.
As they say,business is about taking risks. Thinking that he was applying effectivePR to achieve a good working relationship, P. Collins contracted NkemOwoh for a project. Unfortunately, the contract brought him nothing butsorrows and disappointments. "Nkem Owoh is delaying the job, always thefirst to leave location, yet the last to turn up."
Vexed by these declarations, Nkem Owoh picked his personal belongings and attempted to leave the set, feeling he should not
be addressed to in such a manner. He threatened to abandon the project and refund whatever sum of money he had been paid.
..
Outof control, P. Collins tried to restrain him physically after landinghim a very hot slap. Out of his grip, Nkem Owoh chased him
around, throwing stones until people pleaded him down with him. Issues were resolved later and work continued.
act? Shhh! Oh no! Wait! don’t jump into any conclusion yet, just take your time now, as you embark on this ride with YEMISI ADENIRAN in her recent trips to some homes, Nigerian universities and other higher institutions alike and see how much of our female fellow Nigerians are attracted to themselves these days, in spite of the many men around.
To most students who are knowing them for the first time, Joy and Joke come across, as not just mere friends, but like some blood-related associates. Wherever you find one, the other, if not yet visible, is simply lurking around. Apart from studying the same course, Languages and Linguistics, at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, they live in the same hostel, cook together, eat from the same plate. Just think of any activity, they basically go about it like a siamese twin.
At first, no one really cared about their intimacy until a recent incident that almost sent them packing from their hostel. “Before now, we never read any meaning into their actions until Deola, a curious girl on our block drew our attention to it,” recalled Tanny, an undergraduate of this same university who offered to help this reporter in her curious assignment. According to her, Deola was a sister of one of their room mates and had come to spend some few days with her sister as she was preparing for the last Joint Admission Matriculation Examination (JAME). Within the first three days of her stay, she had become greatly worried about the intimacy of Joy and Joke that she could not but ask questions. However, as much as the many responses she was offered by her sister and her co-room mates, Deola’s curiousity remained unabated. Soon, at her leisure time, she began trailing her suspects. “Why would they always bath together and be hostile to anyone who come around at that particular time,” asked a worried Deola.
From her findings, Deola discovered that the duo preferred to take their bath in the evenings together and always proved hostile to anyone who intruded into their closet at that particular time. This was how she discovered this: “Around 9 p.m. on a Friday, I noticed that these two girls were ready to have their bath, but 30 minutes after they had left their room, they were still roaming about the area for God-knows what. I was very disturbed within me and made up my mind to watch them very closely. I did not tell anyone but informed my elder sister about my plan as I noticed their readiness to go to the bathroom. My fear was soon confirmed when I got to the two entrances of the bathroom and met it closed. Most times, the doors were always left ajar for anyone to enter since we are all girls. I quickly went back to inform my sisters who followed me with one other room mate of hers. Although, they wouldn’t see any reason for this, but I guess, they got curious too. We tactically broke into the bathroom and was shocked when we saw them leaning against each other on the wall of the bathroom having their disgusting fun. It was Joke who first saw us as she was under, she screamed and the other girl, haven been alerted, immediately disengaged from her. They both tried to attack us but when we begun to shout and threaten to report them to the head, Potter and the school authorities, they soft pedaled and begged that we should not expose their shameless act.”
This was strange and at the same time amazing. For about two semesters now, these girls have been around and no one cared to seek for why they are that intimate until a younger girl came around to give a clue to this. Within the space of a month, the news had gone round so much that the girls, without any prompting from the school authority, resulted to living off the campus. In spite of this however, the damage had been done, they had become labeled as lesbians and clues have been laid bare for ways of getting others in such practice.
If you think lesbianism is only prominent amidst the adults or those in higher institutions, then, you might just be making a big mistake. A lot of these lesbians around now have been exposed to it right from their childhood and if you will be careful enough to monitor what goes on around you, you will soon submit to the adage that says “Charity begins at home.”
The word lesbian according to Mrs, Bola Babs, a Consultant psychologist with the Orphan and Vulnerable Children, Abuja, can refer to desire, an act of sexual intimacy involving two women. It is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. “The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterised by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an adjective, to describe characteristics of an object or activity related to female same-sex desire,”she said.
Tracing its documementation to the late 19th century when sexologists published their observations on same-sex desire and behaviour, she opined that lesbians in Western culture, are designated as a distinct entity. “As a result, women who became aware of their new medical status formed underground subcultures in Europe and North America. Further broadening of the term occurred in the 1970s with the influence of second wave feminism. Historians since, have re-examined relationships between women in history, and have questioned what qualifies a woman or a relationship as lesbian. The result of such discussion has introduced three components to identifying lesbians: sexual behaviour, sexual desire, or sexual identity,”she added.
Speaking on some of the reasons why we have many ladies indulge in the act especially these days, Babs said some are into it either for adventure, which is a social reason; some, as a result of a disorder, anti-social or mental disorder, while generally, she attributed the desire to an act based on lack of the fear of God.
“In spite of the level of our civilisation, lesbianism, no matter what is abnormal and a shameful thing. That is why most of them in the habit cannot come out in the open to declare their habit. It is categorised under Sodomy and should be discouraged by all,” she said.
Supporting the opinion of the early sexologists, Babs based her characterisation of lesbians on their beliefs that women who challenged their strictly prescribed gender roles were mentally ill. She however blamed this on carelessness on the part of many parents.
“Most of these lesbians from my experience so far, were lured into this act when they were young and pushed out to the boarding school system. I am not saying it is bad or wrong to send children to boarding schools, all I’m saying is that it should not be made so early. Some children in the craziness or the lust for this same exposure, on the part of their parents got “thrown out” of the country to live without their parents and ended up with a lot of bad habits that have become part of them.”
Apart from these, most parents, she noted, are very far from their children, all in the name of some career they are pursuing. She therefore advised that parents should become more intimate to their wards right from the cradle till they have become mature. They should be role models to them, share love and their thoughts with them as much as possible. And should they discover any of their children in such an act, they should seek the help of a counsellor or have them rehabilitated until the urge gets quenched. Lesbianism has sometimes been in vogue throughout history, which affects how lesbians are viewed by others as well as how they view themselves. Some women who engage in homosexual behaviour may reject the lesbian identity entirely, refusing to identify themselves as lesbian or bisexual.
Women who adopt the lesbian identity, however, share experiences that form an outlook similar to ethnic identity: as homosexuals, they are unified by the discrimination and potential rejection they face from their families, friends, and others. As women, they face concerns separate from men. Lesbians may again encounter distinct health concerns. Political conditions and social attitudes also continue to affect the formation of lesbian relationships and families. Additional reports from Moyo Odebiyi
7 Things to Stop Doing Now on Facebook
by Consumer Reports Magazine
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
provided by
Using a Weak Password
Avoid simple names or words you can find in a dictionary, even with numbers tacked on the end. Instead, mix upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols. A password should have at least eight characters. One good technique is to insert numbers or symbols in the middle of a word, such as this variant on the word "houses": hO27usEs!
Leaving Your Full Birth Date in Your Profile
It's an ideal target for identity thieves, who could use it to obtain more information about you and potentially gain access to your bank or credit card account. If you've already entered a birth date, go to your profile page and click on the Info tab, then on Edit Information. Under the Basic Information section, choose to show only the month and day or no birthday at all.
Overlooking Useful Privacy Controls
For almost everything in your Facebook profile, you can limit access to only your friends, friends of friends, or yourself. Restrict access to photos, birth date, religious views, and family information, among other things. You can give only certain people or groups access to items such as photos, or block particular people from seeing them. Consider leaving out contact info, such as phone number and address, since you probably don't want anyone to have access to that information anyway.
Posting Your Child's Name in a Caption
Don't use a child's name in photo tags or captions. If someone else does, delete it by clicking on Remove Tag. If your child isn't on Facebook and someone includes his or her name in a caption, ask that person to remove the name.
Mentioning That You'll Be Away From Home
That's like putting a "no one's home" sign on your door. Wait until you get home to tell everyone how awesome your vacation was and be vague about the date of any trip.
Letting Search Engines Find You
To help prevent strangers from accessing your page, go to the Search section of Facebook's privacy controls and select Only Friends for Facebook search results. Be sure the box for public search results isn't checked.
Permitting Youngsters to Use Facebook Unsupervised
Facebook limits its members to ages 13 and over, but children younger than that do use it. If you have a young child or teenager on Facebook, the best way to provide oversight is to become one of their online friends. Use your e-mail address as the contact for their account so that you receive their notifications and monitor their activities. "What they think is nothing can actually be pretty serious," says Charles Pavelites, a supervisory special agent at the Internet Crime Complaint Center. For example, a child who posts the comment "Mom will be home soon, I need to do the dishes" every day at the same time is revealing too much about the parents' regular comings and goings.
(Extracted from http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/109538/7-things-to-stop-doing-now-on-facebook)
Copyrighted 2009, Consumers Union of U.S., Inc. All Rights Reserved.
In a telephone interview, Mercy recountedher side of the story. She noted that Patience Ozokwor was given arevealing clothe to wear on that location, apparently to depict acharacter in the movie that was in the making and Patience allegedlyrefused the outfit, stating that she is not Mercy Johnson, not an‘ashawo’.
“I’m not a prostitute. I don’t like the name. I toldher I didn’t like it”. According to her, the faceoff was escalated whenMama Gee refused to stop calling her by unpleasant name...
By lastweek, there were unconfirmed reports that the Actors Guild of Nigeria(AGN) might take a disciplinary action against Mercy Johnson andPatience Ozokwor but when we contacted the AGN president, Segun Arinzevia SMS, he simply stated that the issue has been sorted out in-house.
Thetext message read “Hello sir, I just want to know if the AGN is takingany disciplinary action against Mercy Johnson and Patience Ozokwor”.
“No it’s sorted out. Thanks”, he replied. Arinze would not comment further.
Arinze, sources said, has instructed both parties not to make any further comments on the matter.
An early instant messenger exchange Mark had with a college friend won't help put these concerns to rest.
According to SAI sources, the following exchange is between a 19-year-old Mark Zuckerberg and a friend shortly after Mark launched The Facebook in his dorm room:.
Zuck: Yeah so if you ever need info about anyone at Harvard
Zuck: Just ask.
Zuck: I have over 4,000 emails, pictures, addresses, SNS
[Redacted Friend's Name]: What? How'd you manage that one?
Zuck: People just submitted it.
Zuck: I don't know why.
Zuck: They "trust me"
Zuck: Dumb fucks.
Brutal.
Could Mark have been completely joking? Sure. But the exchange does reveal that Facebook's aggressive attitude toward privacy may have begun early on.
Since Facebook launched, the company has faced one privacy flap after another, usually following changes to the privacy policy or new product releases. To its credit, the company has often modified its products based on such feedback. As the pioneer in a huge new market, Facebook will take heat for everything it does. It has also now grown into a $22 billion company run by adults who know that their future depends on Facebook users trusting the site's privacy policy.
But the company's attitude toward privacy, as reflected in Mark's early emails and IMs, features like Beacon and Instant Personalization, and the frequent changes to the privacy policy, has been consistently aggressive: Do something first, then see how people react.
And this does appear to reflect Mark's own views of privacy, which seem to be that people shouldn't care about it as much as they do -- an attitude that very much reflects the attitude of his generation.
After all, here's what early Facebook engineering boss, Harvard alum, and Zuckerberg confidant Charlie Cheever said in David Kirkpatrick's brilliantly-reported upcoming book The Facebook Effect.
"I feel Mark doesn't believe in privacy that much, or at least believes in privacy as a stepping stone. Maybe he's right, maybe he's wrong."
Again in Kirkpatrick's book, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg puts it this way:
"Mark really does believe very much in transparency and the vision of an open society and open world, and so he wants to push people that way. I think he also understands that the way to get there is to give people granular control and comfort. He hopes you'll get more open, and he's kind of happy to help you get there. So for him, it's more of a means to an end. For me, I'm not as sure."
Facebook declined to comment about Mark's attitude toward privacy.
Embattled national Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Vincent Ogbulafor has resigned as the party's leader.
Mr Ogbulafor is currently facing trial in an Abuja High Court for allegedly defrauding the federal government of over N100 million while serving as minister of special duties during the Obasanjo administraton.
Mr Ogbulafor was arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) at an Abuja High Court on Monday where he pleaded not guilty to a 16-count charge and was granted bail on liberal terms.
Opposition parties, such as the Action Congress had called on the Mr Ogbularfor to quit against the backdrop of his impending trial over alleged fraud charges..
Details are now confirmed from the United Arab Emirate revealing that the former governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe
Ibori has been apprehended.
Mr. Ibori was recently declared wanted by the Economic and financial Crimes Commission over alleged diversion of N528m shares belonging to Delta State in Oceanic
Bank.
Mr. Ibori who has a lengthy rap sheet fled the country to avoid arrest, but his luck ran out, when Interpol acting on tip off, tracked him down to his hide out
in Dubai.
James Ibori’s Rap Sheet
According to the then British court records, Mr. Ibori, age 29 and standing at 5ft 11 at the time, was born on August 4, 1962, and lived at 9 Nower Hill Pinner Middlesex, England. He worked as a
cashier at Wickes Building Supplies, Victoria Road, Ruislip, Middlesex,
and earned 9,500 pounds per annum.
On Tuesday, August 28, 1990, three days after she had been in police trouble, Theresa Nakanda Ibori's girlfriend went into the Wickes
Building Supplies Store and, putting her Uxbridge Police Station
incident quickly behind her and stole goods with the connivance of her
boyfriend, Mr. Ibori, at about 8.30pm.
Mr. Ibori "Assisted his girlfriend (Theresa) to pass through his check-out without paying for goods whilst employed as
cashier," was the way British court records described the former
governor's act.
Mr. Ibori and his girlfriend (now wife) were then charged before the Crown court at Isleworth. Theresa Nakanda and James Ibori, on August 28, 1990, were charged for "stealing a quantity
of goods..."
On January 25 1991, Judge Thomas convicted both Mr. Ibori and his wife and fined them "300 pounds in default and 14 days imprisonment”. They were also made to pay
"costs of the prosecution in the sum of 450 pounds."
Mr. Ibori, who was represented by the law firm of Desmond Wright and Co., paid a total of 750 pounds for his
crime.
Graduating to credit card fraud
A year after his conviction before the Crown court at Isleworth, Mr. Ibori, who is an elder of the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) was back in court again, this time at the
Clerkenwell magistrates court, in London.
Police officer McDonald
stated in his witness statement that:
"I have made further enquiries into the criminal convictions for Mr. James Ibori and can confirm that on the 7th
of February 1992 at Clerkenwell magistrate's court, London, Mr. Ibori
was convicted of one count of handling stolen goods contrary to Section
Mr. Ibori was convicted of one count of handling stolen goods contrary to Section 22 of the Theft Act, 1968."
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says the NBA should raise its minimum agefor entry into the league to 21.
The NBA’s career scoring leader and center on the Los Angeles Lakers’ 1980s“Showtime” teams said Wednesday there’s a disturbing sense ofentitlementamong many of today’s young pros.
“They get precocious kids from high school who think they’re rock stars—‘Where’s my $30 million?’ ” said Abdul-Jabbar, who was in Omaha to speakat theB’nai B’rith sports banquet.. “The attitudes have changed, and the gamehassuffered because of that, and it has certainly hurt the college game.”
The 63-year-old Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson led the Lakers to five NBAtitles in the 1980s. Before Abdul-Jabbar retired in 1989, he set the NBArecordfor career points (38,387), MVP selections (six) and All-Star selections(19).
He now is a special assistant to the Lakers and a best-selling author.
Abdul-Jabbar met students Wednesday at Boys Town, the nationally acclaimedhome for troubled youth. He told them about his time at UCLA, where heplayed onthree national championship teams for John Wooden and graduated in fouryearswith degrees in English and history.
“Coach John Wooden encouraged me to be more than just a jock,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “He said if I let my intellectual life suffer becauseI wasso into being an athlete that I would be less than I could be. I wouldtell allstudents to pursue your dreams but don’t let your education suffer.”
The NBA in 2005 changed its entry age to 19. Players who previously mighthave jumped from high school to the NBA now end up playing one year ofcollegeball before declaring for the draft.
Those players are still too young, Abdul-Jabbar said, and many deprivethemselves of the emotional and physical maturity necessary to meet on-andoff-the-court challenges.
“When I played, the players had to go to college and earn their way ontothe court, meaning that there were upperclassmen ahead of them,” hesaid.“Players who had to go through that and had to go to class, when theygot to beprofessional athletes, they were a lot better qualified.”
Abdul-Jabbar said if college weren’t the right place for a player, theplayer should, as an alternative, be required to play in a minor leagueordevelopmental league.
Kevin Garnett, KobeBryant and LeBronJames became stars right out of highschool. The day after James all but disappeared in Cleveland’s playoffloss toBoston, Abdul-Jabbar said even “King James” would have benefited fromcollege.
“He would have come into the professional ranks very polished, given hisinnate gifts,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “Having to go through a college systemwouldhave made him a total gem as soon as he stepped out of the collegeranks.”
Abdul-Jabbar commented on other topics:
— He said his role as co-pilot “Roger Murdock” in the 1980 comedy movie“Airplane” changed his life.
“I think everybody in the airline industry is required to watch it,” hesaid. “When I get on planes, every so often the stewardess or the pilotwillcome out and ask me, ‘Do you want to fly the plane?’ “
During a flight in Europe, a pilot escorted him from his seat to the cockpitfor takeoff.
“I get a good laugh from it,” he said. “It’s been over 25 years since Imade that movie and people still watch it all the time. I guess it’s aclassic.”
— He said he has known about Boys Town and its founder, the Rev. EdwardFlanagan, since he attended Catholic school in an Irish neighborhood inNew YorkCity. “The Irish were very proud of him and what he had achieved. It’sreallyneat for me to come out here and see it in reality and seeing they’redoing suchfine work. That is so necessary. People have to care about our youth.They areour most precious resources. If we don’t care, what’s going to happen.”
— He said his greatest athletic achievement was playing on the Lakers teamthat beat Boston for the NBA title in 1985.
“But seeing my kids graduate from college and knowing they have a firmbasis in life, that is a lot more important to me, personally,” he said.
— He said 6-11 center Nate Thurmond, who played for Golden State, Chicagoand Cleveland, was his toughest matchup.
“A lot of guys beat on me and said they played good defense. Nate actuallyused skill and knowledge of the game to play against me and make myeveningsmore difficult when I had to play him,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “He waseverythinga professional center should be.”
— He said the “Showtime” Lakers would fare well in the current NBA.
“We had guys on the bench who were Hall-of-Famers,” he said. “That doesn’t happen now because there is such a dispersal of talent. We woulddo verywell in this present climate.”
From the photo it is clear that one of the boys is black I hope say no be naija man pickin !
An eight-year-old girl cuddled her teddy bear and cried as she told a jury in a recorded interview that she had been raped by two ten-year-old boys.
The defendants sat with their mothers in the well of a courtroom as the recording was played at the Old Bailey yesterday. The girl, who was interviewed by specially trained police, said that the boys had refused to return her scooter unless she did what they demanded. She said that they led her from a lift at a block of flats to a bin shed, then a hedge, and exposed themselves and raped her.
Wiping away tears, she said that while it was happening she had thought about going to a sweet shop with her mother.
She said that on the day it happened, in October, she had been playing with her younger sister and a five-year-old friend when the boys approached and led her away. They told her to pull down her underwear, warning that she wouldn’t get her “scooter from the bush” if she didn’t
Sometimes rushing her sentences, the girl said: “Then they took me and my friend downstairs to the bin shed and they put the bins near the entrance so we couldn’t get out. We wanted to go out but they wouldn’t let us. They put the bins so no one could see us.”
Rosina Cottage, for the prosecution, said that the girl’s mother had been told by her younger daughter, who returned home alone, that the two boys had been “hurting her”. The alleged victim’s mother and younger sister went to look for her and came across the mother of the younger defendant and a five-year-old playmate.
When the boy’s mother asked the little boy where her son was, “he said that he was in a nearby field and that he was with her and that he was hurting her”, the prosecution said.
He pointed to the field and they went to find the children. The girl’s mother went into the field in Hayes, West London, but could not find her. “As she was walking out she saw her with the boys and asked what they had been doing. They all said nothing,” Ms Cottage said.
The mother asked for her daughter’s scooter back from the younger defendant. As they walked home, the woman “could see things were not right with her daughter”. It is claimed that the girl later told her mother what had happened and the police were called.
The judge and three barristers in the case are appearing without their usual wigs and gowns because the defendants and alleged victim are so young. Mr Justice Saunders has also moved from the raised judge’s bench to the lower court clerk’s seat. The sitting hours will be shortened.
The two boys often discreetly asked their mothers or solicitors questions and occasionally pointed at the screens used to show maps and CCTV footage of the area. The girl was introduced to the jury via a video link from an anteroom of the court after the taped recordings had been played.
Opening the case, Ms Cottage said that after the alleged attack the girl was taken to hospital complaining of stomach pains, and scratches and grazes were found. When officers interviewed the older boy he denied raping the girl and blamed the other, who said nothing to the police.
Both boys deny two charges of rape and two of attempted rape. The trial continues.
