The Hollywood Foreign Press was happy to open Pandora's box.Avatar, James Cameron's years-in-the-making vision of the possibility of performance-capture technology, was named Best Motion Picture, Drama, at the 67th Annual Golden Globes, triumphing over the seemingly unstoppable Hurt Locker."We have the best job in the world, we really do," the filmmaker said in accepting Sunday's top prize. "I just want you to give it up for yourself. What we do is, we make entertainment for a global audience, and that's what the Golden Globes mean. Give it up for yourselves," he encouraged his fellow Hollywood players.Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock, winners for Best Actor and Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama, were prepared to do just that."Please don't let Ricky Gervais be right. Do I need to thank whoever bought this for me?" began Bullock, long America's sweetheart but never a critics' darling before starring in The Blind Side, referencing one of the host's opening jokes. "Thank you, Hollywood Foreign Press, after all these years."Bridges, too, joked about his sudden ascendance to the upper echelons since playing a washed-up country singer in Crazy Heart."You're really throwing my underappreciated status here," he mock-complained, before thanking his late dad, Lloyd Bridges, and mom for encouraging their kids to go into show business.And while the critical favorite, Hurt Locker director Kathryn Bigelow (aka the third Mrs. James Cameron), could still get the Oscar in the divorce, Cameron got the Globe."I'm absolutely not well-prepared," the filmmaker said after claiming his award from next-door neighbor Mel Gibson. "Frankly, I thought Kathryn was going to get this. She richly deserves it."The on-again king of the world also thanked his performance-capture troop and visual production facility. "We're family, guys, whether you like it or not," he said.Meanwhile, in another surprise, The Hangover was named Best Musical/Comedy, beating a field that included Nine, which came in with a whopping five nominations but was completely shut out.Robert Downey Jr., winner for Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy, gave a shout-out to the mysterious team of journalists who comprise the Globe-giving Hollywood Foreign Press Association."Art in the blood is liable to take the strangest forms, said the Sherlock Holmes star, quoting Arthur Conan Doyle. "That is why I would like to thank also, or not thank, the HFP, because they are a strange bunch, and now I'm one of them."But we're mainly glad he won because of this: "Thank who? [Producer] Joel Silver, the guy who's only restarted my career 12 times since I began 25 years ago? I mean, I really don't want to thank my wife, because I could be busing tables at the Daily Grill right now if not for her. Jeez, what a gig that'd be."Meryl Streep didn't have to share with Bullock tonight, standing solo on the podium to accept Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy, for channeling Julia Child in Julie & Julia.And Streep, no matter how many times she gets to go up there, always thinks of something apropos to say."I come to Golden Globes weekend and I am really honestly conflicted how to have my happy movie self in the face of everything that I'm aware of in the real world," she said after humorously informing everyone that she wants to change her name to T-Bone, as in Best Original Song winner Burnett, winner for Crazy Heart's theme song "The Weary Kind.""And I want to say," Streep continued, "that's when I hear my mother's voice, saying, 'Give some cash to Partners in Health, put the dress on, put on a smile, and be damn grateful that you have the dollars to help and the next day, and the next day...' "Mo'Nique, a comedian who's left audiences floored by her portrayal of an abusive mom in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire, heads into the Oscar homestretch with a Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, which tends to be the category most hospitable to breakout performances overall."First, let me say, thank you, God, for this amazing ride that you're allowing me to go on," she said, ultimately concluding with the pointed message, "I celebrate this award with all the Preciouses and the Marys, with all the people who've ever been touched...It's now time to tell, and it's OK."Also continuing his goosestep waltz toward Oscar was Austrian Christoph Waltz, who's been the subject of Oscar buzz since Cannes and tonight was a Best Supporting Actor winner for playing Nazi nut Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds.Quentin Tarantino, who lost Best Screenplay to Up in the Air scribes Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, finally had a reason to smile.Matthew Morrison, Kevin McHale, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Ian Brennan, Chris Colfer, Jenna Ushkowitz, Jane Lynch, Dante Di Loreto, Dianna Agron,Ryan Murphy, Lea Michele Steve Granitz/Getty ImagesOn the tube side, the Hollywood Foreign Press didn't waver from their stance that Mad Men is the best TV show ever, awarding the series its second straight Golden Globe for Best TV Series, Drama.But instead of sticking with 30 Rock, too, the HFP was instead charmed by Fox's new musical show, Glee, which was named Best TV Series, Comedy."'This show is about a lot of things," gleeful cocreator Ryan Murphy said. "It's about the importance of arts education, and this is for anybody and everybody who got a wedgie in high school."Very appreciative of Mo'Nique's message was screen veteran and acceptance-speech newcomer Drew Barrymore, who snagged the Globe for Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie for Grey Gardens."I've been meeting with the Hollywood Foreign Press for, like, 97 years and I've been in this room since I was 7 years old," the charmingly befuddled and self-deprecating thesp said in appreciation. "I could be Jeff Spicoli's girlfriend with the lisp and the paralysis, so thank you for taking a chance on me...I have grown up here and I would like to say that this is for all the people nice enough to love me and wish the best for me along the way."Other first-time winners despite their incredibly familiar faces include Chloë Sevigny, a Best Supporting Actress winner for Big Love, and Kevin Bacon, Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie for Taking Chance.Michael C. Hall Steve Granitz/Getty ImagesAnother subtle yet poignant Moment was Michael C. Hall's win for Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama, which comes amid the news that he was simultaneously shooting Dexter's fourth season and receiving cancer treatment."It's really a hell of a thing to go to work at a place where everyone gives a damn," a smooth-faced Hall, wearing a black head wrap over his bald pate, said upon accepting his first Globe in four nominations. "This is a dream job, and I am so grateful."It was an emotional moment for the whole Dexter clan, including a teary John Lithgow, earlier a winner for Best Supporting Actor in any TV genre whatsoever (there's only one supporting win per sex at the Globes). He said he had a great time "creeping out America for six months" as the gruesome Trinity Killer.Showtime reached its own personal best with three statues tonight, including United States of Tara star Toni Collette's win for Best Actress in a TV Comedy. Though, of course, HBO was the top network with four wins, as tends to be the case.Julianna Margulies, star of CBS hit The Good Wife, beat out Emmy winner Glenn Close and defending champ Anna Paquin for Best Actress in a TV Series, Drama.Ricky Gervais Paul Drinkwater/NBC Universal, Inc via Getty ImagesFirst-time Globe host Ricky Gervais came out firing, with even his introduction being an exercise in comedic timing as the camera swung between him and a stone-faced Steve Carell, who pretended (we assume) to seethe as Gervais reminded everyone that he created The Office. (And urged everyone to pick up the two-season series on DVD. "Quality, not quantity, that's what counts," he boasted.)"All right, I better get on with it before they replace me with Jay Leno," Gervais quipped.Whether it was Gervais' golden touch or not, the Globes' entire writing staff seemed to have kicked it up a notch this year.Paul McCartney got two gems in ("Hello, I'm Paul McCartney, or as I'm now known, 'that guy from Rock Band,' " and "Animation is not just for children. It's also for adults who take drugs") before presenting the Best Animated Feature Film award to Up, which despite the late buzz surrounding Fantastic Mr. Fox still looks to be the front-runner for Oscar gold in the animated category, if it's not an overall Best Picture nominee."By any measure, a substantial move up," Tom Hanks described Meryl Streep's chance to bed Stanley Tucci in Julie & Julia as opposed to Alec Baldwin in It's Complicated.In comparing himself and Cecil B. DeMille Award recipient Martin Scorsese to an old married couple," Robert De Niro explained, "We built a life together. We have great memories. We just don't sleep together anymore.""I've collaborated with a lot of people," Scorsese said during his signaturely rapid-fire acceptance. "Many of them are here tonight, and I want to thank them all—but not individually. That would make this show longer than the Globes and the Oscars put together."(Originally published Jan. 17, 2009, at 8:08 p.m. PT)
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Posted by 9jabook.com on January 17, 2010 at 5:47pm
20 Feared Killed in Another Jos Riot
From Seriki Adinoyi in Jos and Yemi Akinsuyi in Abuja, 01.18.2010
The fragile peace in Jos, Plateau State, collapsed last Sunday when another riot broke out in Dutse-Uku quarters in Nasarawa-Gwong area of Jos North local government, leading to the death of at least 20 people and leaving many injured.
THISDAY gathered that the state Governor Jonah Jang has imposed a dusk-to-down curfew to contain the situation. A statement released by the government house read: “after reviewing the security situation along with the state security council, we have directed the observance of 6pm to 6am curfew within Jos metropolis.
“The measure is aimed at nipping in the bud the prevailing security situation in Jos town so that hoodlums will not take advantage of the security breach to molest innocent citizens.”
The latest bout of violence occurred following a misunderstanding between two neighbours, one Mr. Garba, a Muslim and the other a Christian who both had their houses burnt during the November 2008 crisis.
THISDAY learnt that they decided to re-build their homes when Garba allegedly encroached on the plot of his Christian neighbour, a development that resulted into a hot argument and then a fight.
The entire quarters re-grouped along religious lines and began a riot that spread to other parts of the city.
Security agencies; heavily armed military personnel and riot policemen were drafted from the Maxwell Kobi Cantonment and Police Headquarters in Jos. The crisis was effectively contained thereby preventing the rioters from taking over the entire city.
As at press time, commercial vehicles had deserted major roads in Jos. Stranded commuters, most of whom were Christians coming back from the church were seen trekking long distances to their homes. Scores of armoured tankers and heavy security road-blocks were mounted in the city coupled with thorough search of the few private vehicles plying the roads.
The state government in a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Greg Yelong, said: “the police and other security agents are putting the situation under control.”
“Government appeals to people to remain calm and report any suspicious movement to the police,” the statement added.
Two burnt bodies and a motor-bike were seen around the Jos Central Mosque. Staff of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) also confirmed that at least eight bodies were brought to the mortuary. The same picture was painted at the Plateau State Specialist Hospital where over 30 wounded patients were on the floor.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Moha-mmed Lerama, said: “the situation is being contained. Other residents of the town are advised to remain calm and report any suspicious movement. Anyone who takes the law into his or her hand would be dealt with in accordance with the law. Residents should equally disregard any rumour of crisis in the city.”
Meanwhile, the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Greg Ayating, revealed that 35 arrests had been made, five of them in military uniform.
He explained that the extent of houses and churches burnt could not be ascertained as yet and that the police would want to work with definite statistics. But he said the information available to him is that “a hand-full of some Muslim youths without any form of provocation began to attack the Christians worshippers in their places of worship”.
Meanwhile, as part of efforts to bring peace to the boiling city of Jos, the Inspector General of Police (IG) Ogbonna Onovo, has ordered the immediate redeployment of four mobile units to quell the crisis.
Speaking on behalf of the IG yesterday evening in Abuja, Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Yemi Ajayi, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), said normalcy had since returned to the city.
Ajayi said the cause of the riot was yet to be ascertained, as well as the number of the causalities.
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Hi Guys,I ran into an online video last year of a Network Marketer/Personal development expert who was teaching on the process of personal development. According to this guy every book we read or audio program we listen to affects us on a subconscious level whether or not we are aware of it. He said the initial effect, though rarely noticeable, should not deter us from continued exposure as it will produce a cumulative effect resulting in an undeniable change in thought pattern and consequently our productivity. And so he suggested that we all be engaged in a continual process of reading and listening to books and audios regardless of whether or not we sense any significant change because we know that eventually it will produce the desired impact.That theory made lot of sense. Not sure I believed it completely but it made me feel like I wasn't wasting time feeding on all those books and audios. So I kept on reading and listening, buying and downloading anything that caught my attention. With each new material I gathered I got a better understanding but nothing significant happened for a period of three months. Then suddenly on the first day of 2010, I felt a degree of power I'd never felt before. Things I'd struggled to believe for months finally seemed possible. Fears I'd harbored in my heart for years, though not shrunken in size, seemed so surmountable. I saw myself bigger and better than I'd ever imagined I could be. I felt a desire for discipline stronger than my compulsive habits and the eagerness to exercise my will power. I'm even managing my time better and witnessing an increase in my productivity.I used to wake up in the morning listening to the audios just before any negative thoughts usually penetrate my mind. Unknown to me each of these materials; Think & Grow Rich, The Secret-The Law Of Attraction, Thought Vibrations by William Atkinson, The Message Bible, Science of Getting rich by Bob Proctor ,and the free podcasts from Roy Masters and others, were deprogramming my mind of negative thoughts and replacing them with empowering ones. What a blessing this exercise has been.I encourage you all to try it and reap the rewards of an empowered mind through personal development in 2010!
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When my brother fell and in sin continued to lingerwas it not I who pointed the finger ?when my sister erred and hope deferredwas it not I who mocked ?but now I lay in the light of God's presencewith nothing but a bitter conscienceI who thought never made a mistakenow acknowledge my fallen state.- Me
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One of Nigeria’s premier universities, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka was on Saturday shut down by the school’s authorities following the destruction of properties by rampaging students who were protesting the new hike in their tuition.
The institution’s Registrar, Mr. I. Okonta in a statement directed all students to vacate their hostels till further notice.
Investigation revealed that tuition was increased form N25, 000 to N70, 000, convocation fees was increased from N6, 000 to N35, 000 while acceptance fees was hiked from N6000 to N25000.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Bath Okolo whose official residence was destroyed during the riot was reported to have triggered the conflict when he told the Students’ Union executives that had waited for hours to meet with him to dialogue on the issue that he had no time for meetings with them.
The executives who left in anger promised to take their destinies in their hands and started mobilizing fellow students from the popular Ziks flat hostel accommodation before they marched to the Vice Chancellors residence on Saturday morning.
At the Vice Chancellors residence the students reportedly went in ransacking the entire residence before destroying the building and vehicles in the compound.
Their action prompted the authorities to invite the police from the Nsukka Division who managed to chase the students out of the school to the streets. Eyewitnesses said the students went on rampage again on the streets destroying vehicles and burning tires. They barricaded the Adani and Obollo-Affor road and marched to Opi Junction near the 9th mile-Oturkpo Highway where they disrupted vehicular traffic for a while before they were dislodged by mobile policemen and soldiers.
Several students were allegedly shot during the riot by police and they are receiving treatment at the Bishop Shanahan hospital near the school. A female student, Onyiye Ngwu of the department of nursing who was shot in the leg is being treated at the schools medical centre.
Enugu Police spokesman, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu confirmed that the police arrested many students in relation to the riot but was not sure of the exact number.
The University of Nigeria has two campuses; one is located in Nsukka and the other is in Enugu
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Plot, intrigues against VP thicken - Power, water supplies regularly interrupted in Aguda House - His correspondences under close monitoring - VP keeps mute
Plot, intrigues against VP thicken - Power, water supplies regularly interrupted in Aguda House - His correspondences under close monitoring - VP keeps mute
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VICE-President Goodluck Jonathan has been subjected to great discomfort in the last four weeks, as events are attesting to this, Nigerian Tribune investigations have revealed.
Since the clamour by Nigerians that Vice-President Jonathan should act as president has been intensified following the continued absence of President Umaru Yar’Adua, who is thought to be currently recupperating in a Saudi Arabian hospital, the vice-president is reportedly prone to attacks in the Villa, according to Nigerian Tribune source.
One of such attempts against the number two citizen was through food poisoning, which sources said the vice-president himself had taken note of and therefore refrained himself from taking food and drinks served in the State House.
Nigerian Tribune also gathered that events in the last four weeks in the Villa suggest that there is more to the threat to the life of Vice-President Jonathan. The latest remote or near incident, according to sources, indicated that a top company which manages Aso Rock, is this time orchestrating the plan.
For instance, sources said the entire Presidential Villa was thrown into darkness on Tuesday night, when the vice-president was billed to host members of the Diplomatic Corps in Aguda House.
The incident was so dramatic that even the envoys were quite stunned. Sources said that as soon as the diplomats began to trickle in, the Villa was, without warning, plunged into darkness for close to one hour.
The confused ambassadors, it was gathered, were seen huddling together, wondering if the Presidential Villa had no standby generator, or if there was something sinister about it.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that, when power was finally restored, the central public address system failed to work, causing the vice-president’s aides to run helter-skelter for remedy.
The Nigerian Tribune gathered that it was not the first time such an incident had happened. Sources said that in December 2009, during the Christmas Carol night hosted by the vice-president, the Villa was similarly thrown into darkness, causing a similar scare.
“And when power was eventually restored, the air conditioners were deliberately shut down. Over 100 guests had to endure the suffocating heat of the banquet hall during the event, but dramatically, the air conditioners began to work again as soon as the event ended,” the source said.
It was learnt that mobile phones are programmed not to work in the Presidential Villa, leaving the principals and staff with no choice but to use the telephone lines run by the company.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that situation had become so bad that the company is being fingered in an effort to sabotage the vice-president’s activities in the Villa. During the week, Jonathan was said to have issued a query to the company over recent happenings.
The role of the top company said to be managing the Villa was also said to be another “instrument” being used to sabotage the efforts of Vice-President Jonathan or cause him discomfort.
The Nigerian Tribune learnt that given its vantage position, the company holds sway over virtually all activities in the Villa. It was gathered that its access to every part of the villa is unrestricted.
Sources said: “The company has unfettered access to the vice-president’s offices and the innermost recesses of his living quarters. They control the telephones, so they can have access to the vice-president’s conversation, and they run the internet services, so they have access to private e-mails through the web portal.”
It was gathered that this company is being used to monitor the vice president’s activities, while sources said that “they do this by shutting down facilities like electricity and water at such hours in sections of Aguda House and when they are inevitably invited to check what has gone wrong, they are able to pinpoint where the vice-president is and when.”
Meanwhile, rather than abating the constitutional crisis, Wednesday’s verdict by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Daniel Abutu, has further deepened the logjam occasioned by the long absence of President Yar’Adua.
Abutu, had on Wednesday, directed Vice-President Jonathan to perform the functions of the president in his absence. Curiously, the judge was emphatic that Jonathan was not an acting president as adherence to section 145 of the constitution, according to Abutu, was at the discretion of the president.
This is coming on the heels of a warning by the Ijaw National Congress (INC), the umbrella body of Ijaw ethnic nationality, that the verdict was capable of causing further damage than ameliorating it.
INC’s position was made known by its National President, Dr Atuboyedia Obiannime. Obiannime spoke as constitutional law expert, Professor Itsey Sagay, said that the verdict had said nothing new.
Also, the coordinator of Ijaw Monitoring Group, Joseph Evah, canvassed that further steps should be taken to address the issue along the constitution instead of putting the nation’s judiciary to ridicule.
”The development is a very welcome one. I mean it means that the judiciary is also seen to be performing its duties as the third tier of government. But I doubt if the verdict has really leveraged anything near the resolution of the crisis because it is already a constitutional crisis. Rather, I see a situation where some persons have decided to impose their political inclinations as well as their personal views on the nation. By and large, what they are doing is simply replacing the nation’s supreme document, which is the constitution, with their views.
“In my own view, this is very dangerous and it is capable of instigating doubts in the minds of the people, whether the prayers of Nigerians are, indeed, needed. Nevertheless, much as the INC will continue to pray for the quick recovery of the president, it abhors anything aimed at undermining the nation’s constitution to suit the personal whims and caprices of a few individuals.
“We pray for the vice-president as he pilots the affairs of the nation, but he has to be wary of booby traps such as this verdict,” Obiannime said. Sagay said “this verdict has said nothing new in its enterity. I have not seen the full text of the verdict, but from what I have seen this morning in some newspapers, it is mere academic exercise for anyone to say the vice-president should continue to perform the duties of the president.
“The verdict is nothing new from what the justice minister said that all other things requiring the attention of the president are being attended to by the vice-president. To me, the verdict has successfully affirmed that position. Beyond that, the verdict is a very trickey one that requires the carefulness of the vice-president because it is capable of pitching him against the constitution and, even, his boss.
In his own reaction, Evah said ”the verdict delivered by the chief judge of the Federal High Court has confirmed that there is a cabal in this country that is trying to subvert the nation’s constitution by all means, but Nigerians will reject it with all legal means because the nation belongs to all of us.
“What the judge said in the verdict was just to read out the provisions of Section 50 of the constitution; does Jonathan need a judge to answer his name as Jonathan or doesn’t he know that he is a vice-president? As far as we know, the verdict is another way of deceiving the vice-president to believe in the wrong thing but he will survive all these intrigues.”
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The 2011 governorship election is just one year away, if a provision that elections should be conducted, six months before swearing-in as canvassed in the electoral bill is finally passed. However, the race for governorship election is becoming more interesting in Lagos State, given the emerging forces and issues in the politics of the state. Gboyega Akinsanmi profiles some of the aspirants
The political climate in Lagos State is already charged like other states of the federation. One major reason is responsible for the charged political climate in Africa’s most populous metropolis. This simply zeroes in on who rules Lagos Mega-City from May 29, 2011, a political entity which is not just Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, but has a teeming population of about 18 million.
Given the multifaceted challenges of the metropolis, public debates have started at different levels on who clutches the political leverage of the state after the 2011 general elections. The debates have polarised interests and groups in the state. For the elite, the incumbent Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) deserves another four-year term to enable him consolidates his programmes of socio-economic transformation and infrastructural renewal, which the administration of former governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu commenced.
For the political interests even in the ranks of Action Congress (AC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) among others, the move to clinch Fashola’s job has already commenced even when it is apparent that the incumbent has made history in transforming Lagos metropolis in the last two and half years that he has been in the office.
And lastly, the masses, largely low-income earners, ally with the political interests due to Fashola’s harsher tax regime and massive demolition. Being the largest electorate in the state, this particular class is worst hit by the reform programmes of the Fashola administration.
However, the political game in the state is also open for players in other political parties, such as the Action Congress (AC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Democratic People’s Alliance (DPA), All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP), Labour Party (LP) and Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA). But beyond the strength of the political parties, other factors like proven leadership qualities, past records in public offices and political programmes among others will determine who will rule the metropolis next in 2011.
Babatunde Raji Fashola
Often called BRF in the elite circle, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) is the incumbent governor of the state. He won the governorship primaries of the Action Congress in 2007 amid controversies, which culminated in the defection of major actors to other political parties. His political godfather single-handedly secured victory for him in the primaries, despite his skeletal political credentials, before he joined the Tinubu administration in 2003 as the Chief of Staff.
Fashola won the 2007 governorship election, despite all the desperate moves of the ruling party to wrestle the political power of the state from the AC, which emerged on the crumbling rubbles of the Alliance for Democracy (AD).
Since his assumption of office, the incumbent governor has been paddling the canoe of the state amid socio-economic challenges and life-transforming outcomes of his 11-point agenda, which have elicited sound public rating.
Even though his reform programmes have pitched him against the masses in the state, Fashola has made history, taking cognisance of massive infrastructural development, construction of network roads, building ultra-modern health care centres, provision of modern health care facilities, free education and accessible health services. His programmes have brought crime rate down by 70 percent, beautified critical areas in the state, turned around transportation sector and provided relatively enabling environment for investors.
Most of his projects are on-going in different parts. The need to consolidate his performance must have compelled some enlightened interests in the state to ask him questions in public functions whether he will seek second term.
Fashola has indicated interest in second term, but his party will determine if he will run the 2011 governorship race on the platform of the Action Congress. His re-election may have pitched him against his political father, who was said to hold the view that Fashola’s re-election will affect his political plan for the state. But there have been several denials of frosty relationship between the duo.
Jimi Agbaje
Popularly known as Jay Kay, Mr. Jimi Agbaje’s political career and fame rose to prominence in 2007, when he contested the gubernatorial elections in Lagos State. He started the race on the platform of the Action Congress. But when Fashola clinched the AC governorship ticket, Agbaje defected to Democratic Peoples Party (DPA) and brought innovations into politicking in the state, thus using text messaging, YouTube and e-mail to campaign.
Agbaje took off from ‘Idile’, a group of promising minds bubbling with innovative programmes. But he served as a treasurer of Afenifere, the umbrella Yoruba socio-political group. His activities earned him a cabinet position in the Tinubu Administration after the 2003 general elections, but declined the offer, apparently strategising how to occupy the Lagos seat of political power in 2007.
His plan was foiled because Agbaje parted with the political forces through which he could easily realise his gubernatorial ambition in the state.
His dream was to become the governor on the platform of AC.
The governorship primaries did not favour him, a reason he defected to the DPA in 2006. But Agbaje could not win the 2007 gubernatorial race while alleging that the process was not credible, free and fair enough. Yet, Agbaje still remains a major player in the 2011 political game given his popular acceptance, proven leadership qualities and political programmes for the state. He has not rested his gubernatorial oars, though remained silent in the recent time.
But his appearance in the last AC congress has fuelled speculations that Agbaje is still a relevant force not just in the DPA, but also in the ranks of the AC leadership.
There are insinuations that Agbaje may replace Fashola in 2011. But THISDAY learnt that Agbaje, being a principled man has remained neutral, not wanting to come between Tinubu and Fashola.
Musiliu Obanikoro
Senator Musiliu Obanikoro remains a key player in the political game of Lagos. Currently Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Obanikoro keenly contested the 2007 governorship race with the incumbent governor on the platform of the ruling PDP. Nevertheless, the envoy is still eyeing the governor’s seat of Lagos State, despite intra-party challenges facing PDP in the state.
He has a two-decade political experience, starting from when he returned to the shore of Nigeria in 1989 after his tertiary education and short service in the United States. Obanikoro was once appointed Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Surulere Local Government and later elected Chairman, Lagos Island Local Government before a new democratic order began in 1999.
He was appointed State Commissioner for Home Affairs & Culture in 1999 during the administration of former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In 2003, he was elected Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD). He defected to the ruling PDP in 2006, when he could not clinch the gubernatorial ticket of the AC, a political party which emerged from the dying AD in 2006.
Femi Pedro
Before his appointment as the Deputy Governor of Lagos State in 2003 during the administration of former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Pedro was Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of former First Atlantic Bank (now Fin Bank Plc). In 2006, the former deputy governor indicated interest to run the 2007 governorship election on the platform of the Action Congress.
Precisely on December 13, 2006, Pedro dumped the AC to realise his dream to clutch the political leverage of Lagos State under the Labour Party. His defection was premised on what he described as gross manipulation of the AC governorship primaries. He resigned his position as deputy governor after citing electoral malpractices in the gubernatorial elections in which he participated and lost.
But, Tinubu administration rejected his letter of resignation, and the Lagos State House of Assembly commenced an impeachment process against him. He was finally impeached in 2007 at the tail end of his tenure. Since 2007, Pedro has been playing the role of opposition in the state, indicating his plan to contest the 2011 election to realise his governorship ambition. After the last election, Pedro defected to the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) where he is currently rooting deep to contest the next election.
Compared with other political actors in the state, Pedro is not a popular candidate, and his political party is not strong enough in the state. He has a strong personality and required leadership qualities to lead the state successfully. But the former deputy governor has such stronger personalities as Alhaji Demola Seriki, who is the current Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Adegboyega Dosunmu, who is the favourite candidate of the Chief Bode George political group and Obanikoro who is now Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana to contend with in the primaries of the ruling party.
Muiz Banire
Unlike the contenders earlier stated, Dr. Muiz Banire has not tested his popularity in any electoral contest, but has held different political offices at the cabinet level. Currently Commissioner for Environment in the state, Banire has an ambition to contest the 2011 governorship race. He has been said to be the favoured candidate of the Tinubu political group. Banire has not declared his ambition publicly, though has been making underground moves to realise his dream.
Aside that, he has been holding public offices at the level of cabinet in the state since 1999; Banire has sound academic background, but low political profile. With a doctoral degree in Law and vast experience in Governance and Public Administration, Banire stands out among other contenders. The question remains: Can he garner enough support that will definitely earn him governorship ticket of the AC? This is a hurdle many sceptics believe Banire cannot scale.
For his critics, Banire cannot garner the support of the party leaders to clinch the gubernatorial ticket of the AC. Even with his celebrated ties with Tinubu, major actors in the party have said Banire cannot win the primaries. Some said that, the party leadership has an entirely different political plan on which the mantle of leadership falls in the state.
Besides, Banire has some powerful actors to contend with, and the working of the actors may cripple his governorship plan. However, investigation revealed in the recent time that the leadership of his political party are looking beyond the party to pick its gubernatorial candidate.
Adegboyega Dosunmu
Dosunmu, a former Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is believed to have been substantially adopted by a good number of the major interest groups in the Lagos PDP.
His belief, according to one of his close aides, is that every programme of government must carry a human face and not destroy the people’s means of livelihood.
Dosunmu had recently declared his intention to run the 2011 gubernatorial race in the state. Dosunmu depends on the support of the Chief Bode George camp to actualise his gubernatorial ambition. It appears that Dosunmu is politically strong enough to wrestle the PDP governorship ticket from either Obanikoro or Pedro.
Tokunbo Afikuyomi
Unlike Mrs. Remi Adikwu-Bakare who had shelved her ambition to rule the Lagos for now, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi has lived a low-political life since 2007. In 2007, Afikuyomi got the ANPP governorship ticket in the state, though returned to the AC shortly before the April 14, 2007 Election and was later appointed Commissioner for Tourism.
The race for the 2011 governorship election is becoming more interesting by the day as more contenders are working underground, testing their popularity and political weight to determine their chances of winning the race.
But like 2007, there will be surprises, as some actors will fall out of the scheme of party decision makers and others form alliance with a view to frustrating the power of political dragons.
While the incumbent has an edge, his political rivals, especially in the ranks of his political affiliation, may not sheathe swords in thwarting his re-election bid.
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Yakubu gives Super Eagles hopeSCORING SUMMARYNigeria BeninAyegbeni Yakubu (pen 42)MATCH INFORMATIONStadium: Estadio do BenguelaAttendance: 8,000Match Time: 16:00 UKOfficial(s):Henrique Martins de Carvaldo (Referee)TEAMSNigeria Benin1 Vincent Enyeama 16 Rachad Chitou6 Dan Shittu 5 Damien Chrysostome2 Joseph Yobo 3 Khaled Adenon21 Uwa Echiejile 23 Emmanuel Imorou19 Yusuf Mohammed 18 Seidath Tchomogo20 Dickson Etuhu 7 Romuald Boco16 Kalu Uche 17 Stephane Sessegnon10 John Mikel Obi 4 Djiman Koukou8 Ayegbeni Yakubu 10 Nouihoum Kobenan11 Peter Osaze Odemwingie 11 Muri Ogunbiyi7 Chinedu Obasi Ogbuke 8 Razak OmotoyossiSubstitutes12 Austin Amamchukwu Ejide Yoann Djidonou 123 Dele Aiyenugbu Valerie Amoussou17 Chidi Odiah Felicien Singbo 123 Taye Ismaila Taiwo Rede Johnson5 Obinna Nwaneri Mouftaou Adou22 Onyekachi Apam Jocelin Ahoueya 1914 Seyi George Olofinjana Pascal Angan13 Ayiila Yussuf Junior Salomon15 Sani Kaita Gerard Adanhoume4 Nwankwo Kanu Mickael Pote 149 Obafemi Martins Mohamed Aoudou18 Victor Nsofor Obinna Arnaud Seka 20SubstitutionsOnyekachi Apam for Joseph Yobo (55)Felicien Singbo for Emmanuel Imorou (66)Victor Nsofor Obinna for Ayegbeni Yakubu (59)Yoann Djidonou for Rachad Chitou (73)Sani Kaita for Kalu Uche (74)Arnaud Seka for Nouihoum Kobenan (83)Yellow CardsUwa Echiejile (86)Stephane Sessegnon (25)Romuald Boco (42)Razak Omotoyossi (90)Nigeria reignited their African Nations Cup hopes with a narrow victory over Benin in an entertaining game in Benguela.Ayegbeni Yakubu's spot-kick four minutes before the break was enough to separate the sides.Nigeria are now level on points at the top of Group C with Egypt, who face Mozambique later. Benin are rock-bottom.The match got off to a bright start and Nigeria slowly started to take control but it was to be Benin who had the first decent chance as Seidath Tchomogo saw his 25-yard effort fly narrowly wide of the left upright.Nigeria knew they had to win to boost their chances of progressing but wasted a glorious opportunity in the 15th minute.Yakubu was sent through on goal but, with only the goalkeeper to beat, he sent a rasping shot wide in a real let-off for Benin.The Nigerians were almost made to instantly pay for their profligacy when Benin won a free-kick on the edge of the area but Stephane Sessegnon could not get his attempt to dip enough and it flew over the crossbar.Sessegnon went closer in the 39th minute when he sent a fabulous drive crashing off the bar.However, Nigeria were to take the lead four minutes from the break. Benin goalkeeper Rachad Chitou did well to beat out Djiman Koukou's attempt but in the goalmouth scramble it fell to Chinedu Obasi Ogbuke who crossed in towards Peter Odemwingie.Romuald Boco was adjudged to have handled Odemwingie's header and Yakubu sent the resulting penalty straight down the middle to give Nigeria the lead.Benin came out after the break desperate for the equaliser and almost got it ten minutes after the restart when the ever-dangerous Sessegnon set up Nouihoum Kobena only for the Squirrels to once again be denied by the woodwork.Nigeria thought they had doubled their lead shortly after the hour mark as a superb ball by Obasi Ogbuke released Victor Obinna just moments after the Malaga striker had come off the bench.However, Chitou was quick off his line and did well to keep his side very much in the game.The Super Eagles should have sealed the result 15 minutes from time but Obasi Ogbuke headed wide from close range. However, Nigeria clung on to take all three points.
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Posted by Tejiri Orugbo on January 16, 2010 at 3:12am
If I got a penny for every time I've heard someone say I want to lose some weight before engaging in weight training, I would be living happily in some exotic island with no financial worries in the world. Some of the people that say these are those that still believe that muscle can turn into fat. Let me clarify this, that is complete rubbish! Muscle can never turn into fat. That is like saying, "water can turn in to oil". There are several reasons why people say this;1. They have probably noticed an increase in weight after a few weeks of training or2. They are concerned that they will look like Ronnie Coleman (much respect for Ronnie by the way)Clearly, some of these people do not realize the time, effort, dedication, etc that people like Ronnie put in to their workouts. Some even think (and this is very common with women) that, they will get huge just by touching weights.First of all, what is wrong with building muscle? I submit that not everyone wants to look like a body builder. Some people are happy just to look toned, which is great. However, to look really toned, you need some resistance training, which means that you will gain or at the very least, maintain muscle mass.Secondly, we all know that muscle weighs more than fat. This is why your body weight "might" increase when you start a resistance training routine. The reason I used the word "might", is that your weight could stay the same, if you lost some body fat while gaining the same amount of weight you lost in muscle (which is great if all you want is to lose some fat). On the other hand, you could be gaining more muscle while losing fat (which is also great). The scary scenario is where you not only gain muscle but also gain fat (which is what a lot of us do not really want).The bottom line is, if you eat too much while engaging in resistance training, you will gain both fat and muscle. Look at it this way. If you get tank and drilled a hole at the bottom so that as you pour water in to it, the water drains out; the rate at which you pour water in to the tank will determine how much water you will have in the tank.1. If the amount of water going in to the tank was more than that coming out, the tank will eventually overflow.2. On the other hand, if the tank is losing water faster than it is being filled, it will eventually get empty (at least almost empty)3. If an equilibrium is established where "water-in = water-out" then the water level clearly stays the same.The key to fat loss is therefore, to give off slightly more calories than you ingest and once you are happy with how you look, you can balance it out so you maintain muscle and fat mass.The reason your weight goes up when you start a resistance training routine is that your body stores more glycogen in your cells. Take a car with only one fuel tank for example. When you fill it up while preparing for a long road trip, it gets heavier. Does your car get fat? The body works in a similar way. When you engage in resistance training, your body stores fuel both to keep you going and for your next workout. This fuel is in the form of glycogen. Glycogen is simply a bunch of glucose molecules bound together. In fact, glycogen is so thick that, for your body to store 1 molecule of glycogen, it needs 3 molecules of water.Now, unlike your car that has only one tank, your body has millions of little tanks called cells. When these cells fill up with glycogen, depending on how much you are eating, your weight will increase, but are you fatter?I don't care what your body weight is and neither should you, because your weight will increase/decrease based on you hydration level and at what point you weigh yourself. For instance, if I weighed you now and then have you drink a pint of water (bearing in mind that a pint of water weighs a pound) and then weighed you again, you would be a pound heavier. This is similar to weighing you before and after a meal (in some cases that could be a ten pound difference). The bottom-line being, you would clearly be heavier the second time around. Are you fatter though? The answer is a resounding NO. What is really important is your body fat percentageNot to sway too far off the subject, the point I want to make is that, muscle is your friend. Look at muscle as the furnace with which your body burns fat and that being the case, why should anyone be scared to build muscle? Having an extra pound of muscle means your body will burn about 50 calories while you are at rest! For those of you who believe you should lose weight before engaging in resistance training, that is the longer route to take! Also, for those of you who think that they have to get fitter first; who said you cannot get fit through resistance training? Of course you can get fit while training with weights but that is another article on its own.Oghenetejiri Orugbohttp://www.gymhawk.comFor those of you who believe that you should lose some weight before building muscle, that is the longer route to take. Building muscle will not only increase your metabolism it will also make you a stronger athlete. It will also make you more attractive as you will have an enviable physique. Let's imagine someone who is 90kg and a body fat percentage of 25. This individual would look great at the same weight but with 10% or even 12% body fat. To sum it all up, it is best to maintain muscle mass (at the very least) or gain some while getting rid of excess fat. The best way to do this is by engaging in some type of resistance training. The trick is to find out what your present muscle mass is and how to maintain it while ridding yourself of excess fat. A personal trainer, preferably one who is also a certified nutritionist, can help you with that. My Name is Oghenetejiri Orugbo. I am a certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Nutritionist with 20 years of experience. My aim is simply to demistify the often confusing world of Health and Fitness. You can view my web page at http://www.gymhawk.com I believe that exercise is and always should be a way of life. It does not start and end in the gym. You are never too old to start.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Oghenetejiri_OrugboRead more…
Posted by Tejiri Orugbo on January 16, 2010 at 1:24am
I love our staple food, and I am lucky enough to eat it on a daily basis. How healthy are they though?In Nigeria, our staple food consists of a variety of yam, cassava and brown rice. These can be prepared in any number of ways. They however, all have one thing in common. Since it makes sense to classify foods based on their highest nutritional content, the one thing they have in common is that Cassava, Yam and Brown rice are all carbohydrates.Carbohydrates however, are the main culprit where weight gain is concerned. This is because; the final break down of carbohydrate in the body is simple sugar. I want to point out that when the supply of ingested glucose (glucose is the only usable form of simple sugar) is too high, the blood sugar level gets too high and the excess glucose must be eliminated from the bloodstream. This increased level of blood sugar triggers the release of insulin (the hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar levels) to transport or make the excess glucose available to the body tissues.Especially after exercise, when energy stores are low, the muscle tissue is the first point of call of the insulin-carried glucose. Glucose however can only be taken up by the muscle tissues at a gradual rate. If too much insulin-carried glucose is present at one time, the liver is the next stop.The liver like the muscle tissue, also takes up glucose at a gradual rate and when the liver stores are full and there is still an excess supply of insulin-carried glucose in the bloodstream, the next stop is the adipose tissue where it is stored as fat. Unlike the muscle and liver, the adipose tissues take up glucose quite rapidly.The rate at which glucose is released into the blood is an important issue as, if the ingested carbohydrates are already simple sugars or low in fibre, the digestion process will be shorter and they will be absorbed too quickly. This causes the pancreatic tissue to release an excess amount of insulin into the blood. Since the liver and muscle tissues only take up glucose gradually, the excess insulin-carried-glucose will by-pass the muscle and liver and be deposited in the adipose tissue where it is rapidly stored as fat.This is where the quality and quantity of carbohydrates we eat comes in. I believe that by now you can see the danger in eating too much simple sugars or food low in fibre. The flip side to the coin is to eat complex carbohydrates as this will result in an intermittent release of glucose into the bloodstream which means that the pancreas will not release excess insulin into the bloodstream; which also means that most of the glucose will be stored in the liver and muscle tissues as opposed to being deposited as fat in the adipose tissue.Our staple foods tend to be complex carbohydrates and that is great news but we definitely do not eat them on their own. Irrespective of how healthy they are, we cannot survive on carbohydrates alone. There are a number of ways in which we eat our staple food. For example, yam can be boiled and eaten with palm oil and pepper soup or yam when cooked, will be beaten to a paste to make pounded yam and eaten with ogbono soup (my favourite) or egusi soup, etc. Cassava can be used to make garri and eaten in a similar way. Brown rice can be eaten with stew, or made into jollof rice, or fried rice.I mentioned above that the glucose we get from complex carbohydrates is slowly released into our blood stream. This is because it takes longer for our body to fully digest them (up to an hour). Well, it takes even longer when these complex carbohydrates are mixed with proteins and fat. In fact, when you eat carbohydrates with proteins, it takes about 3 to 4 hours for digestion to be completed.The Nigerian staple food is clearly healthy to eat as they are complex carbohydrates. However, what we eat them with and how much we eat at any given time, also plays an important role in our weight management and overall well-being.Look out for my future article on THE RIGHT WAY TO EAT TO BURN FAT! Until then, here are a few tips to follow:• Eat moderately, not like there is no tomorrow. It does not matter how healthy the food is, if you eat too much, you will gain weight.• When using Palm oil, choose that with little or no cholesterol and use it sparingly. Avoid palm oil or any other oil that is solid at room temperature.• Eat at regular intervals – 3 to 4 hours and do not skip meals.• Engage in a regular sporting routine so that you can balance out your input versus your output (depending on what your goal is).Tejiri OrugboCertified Fitness NutritionistCertified Personal TrainerFounder - http://wwwgymhawk.comRead more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on January 15, 2010 at 10:46pm
Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- Earthquake victims, writhing in pain and grasping at life, watched doctors and nurses walk away from a field hospital Friday night after United Nations officials ordered a medical team to evacuate the area out of security concerns.
The only doctor left was CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta. He assessed the needs of the 25 patients, but with no supplies there was little he could do.
And more people, some in critical condition, were trickling in late Friday.
"I've never been in a situation like this. This is quite ridiculous," Gupta said.
With a dearth of medical facilities in Haiti's capital, ambulances had nowhere else to take patients, some who had suffered severe trauma -- amputations and head injuries. Others had suffered a great deal of blood loss, but there were no blood supplies left at the clinic.
Search and rescue must trump security. ... They need to man up and get back in there.
--Retired Army Lt. Gen. Russell Honoré
Gupta said some might not survive the night.
He said the Belgian doctors did not want to leave their patients behind but were ordered out by the United Nations, which sent buses to transport them.
"There is concern about riots not far from here -- and this is part of the problem," Gupta said.
There have been scattered reports of violence throughout the capital.
"What is striking to me as a physician is that patients who just had surgery, patients who are critically ill are essentially being left here, nobody to care for them," Gupta said.
Sandra Pierre, a Haitian who has been helping at the makeshift hospital, said the medical staff took most of the supplies with them.
Port-au-Prince
"All the doctors, all the nurses are gone," she said. "They are expected to be back tomorrow. They had no plan on leaving tonight. It was an order that came suddenly."
She told Gupta, "It's just you."
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake flattened Haiti's capital city Tuesday afternoon, affecting as many as 3 million people. Tens of thousands of people are feared dead.
Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere, lacked adequate medical resources even before the disaster and has been struggling this week to tend to huge numbers of injured. The U.N. clinic, set up under several tents, was a godsend to the few who were lucky to have been brought there.
It was not known whether the medical team would return in daylight.
Retired Army Lt. Gen. Russell Honoré, who led relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina in 2005, said the evacuation of the clinic's medical staff was unforgivable.
"Search and rescue must trump security," Honoré said. "I've never seen anything like this before in my life. They need to man up and get back in there."
Honoré drew parallels between the tragedy in New Orleans and in Port-au-Prince. But even in the chaos of Katrina, he said, he had never seen medical staff walk away.
"I find this astonishing these doctors left," he said. "People are scared of the poor."
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Shaibu Amodu of Naija earning peanuts of 110,000 pounds while Algeria's Rabah Sadaane earns 220,000pounds double that of amodu !A list published by the Madrid sports daily Marca shows that the England manager easily out-earns the rival coaches he will meet in South AfricaAmodu, least paid World Cup coachEver wondered why the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is reluctant to sack Shaibu Amodu as Super Eagles' coach despite the public demand for his dismissal? Well, he is paid peanuts compared to other coaches in his position. A survey by Early Doors (ED) published in Yahoosports indicate that of all the 32 coaches who qualified their teams for the South Africa 2010 World Cup, Amodu earns the least annual salary.In fact, the second lowest paid coach of an African team, Algeria's Rabah Sadaane, earns double (£220,000) of Amodu's £110,000) yearly salary, while the highest earner, England's Fabio Capello (£6.1 million), can pay Amodu's annual salary from his weekly allowance. Has performance anything to do with the amount of money spent on a gaffer? This article thinks so. Excerpts.WHAT does Fabio Capello have in common with the managers of Brazil, Argentina, France, Chile, Cote d'Ivoire, South Korea, Denmark, Ghana, Serbia, USA, Slovenia, Paraguay, Algeria, Honduras, Slovakia, Uruguay, North Korea and Nigeria? Capello earns the same amount as all the others put together.Yes, according to Spanish paper, Marca, for the same price as the England manager you could afford a brains trust of the bosses from 18 of our World Cup rivals. The £6.1 million Capello gets paid every year is more than three times the amount earned by the next best-rewarded boss - his countryman, World Cup-winning Italy coach, Marcello Lippi.On the face of things, it looks like a shocking waste of money and another example of outrageous largesse from the suits at Wembley. But then you look at the managers of the major teams named in the above list. There's Raymond Domenech and Diego Maradona, two of world football's bigger laughing stocks, and two men who have ensured that their countries have significantly less chance of winning the tournament than they ought to.And there's Dunga, who appears to have done a good job with Brazil so far but is as yet unproven at squeaky-bum time. Capello, on the other hand, has won Serie A seven times with three teams, La Liga twice in separate spells at Real Madrid, and the Champions League twice. As and when England gets into a pickle in South Africa - and it certainly will - ED trusts that Capello will know what to do. He cannot guarantee success, but he can provide clear, logical decision-making when it matters.International football can be a frustrating business. The players you have are the players you have. If you don't have a quality goalkeeper there is nothing you can do - except possibly make overtures to a screaming mediocrity like Manuel Almunia. While clubs can spend hundreds of millions on new players, countries have much less room for maneuvering.The manager is the single most important member of staff a football team has, and that is magnified when you cannot change your players. The English FA reported operating costs of £245 million in 2008. Early Doors has no problem whatsoever with spending about 2.5 per cent of that on a manager. If - and this 'if' so big you can see it from space - you have the right manager in place, then £6 million a year is a bargain.As well as being something worth doing in its own right, winning the World Cup is the single biggest thing that can happen to boost grassroots participation, increase public goodwill and bring in global sponsors. It is the silver bullet.Early Doors reckons that England and France have roughly equivalent squads. Yet while the Three Lions are third favourites for the World Cup at a best-price 6/1, Les Bleus can be backed 18/1 - the bookies reckon that England has a 14.3 per cent chance of winning the World Cup, and the French just 5.3 per cent.Why the difference? Is France being punished for the sins of Thierry Henry? Is England just over-rated (well, a bit)? Or is it due almost entirely to the yawning gap in competence between the two managers? So, if it costs 14 times more to employ Capello than Domenech, fine. Put simply, any time you have the chance to spend £6 million-a-year on somebody who makes you three times more likely to win the World Cup, you have to do it.World Cup Managers' Pay League (in order of appearanceFabio Capello (England) - £6.1 million, Marcello Lippi (Italy) - £1.8 million, Bert van Marwijk (The Netherlands) - £1.7 million, Ottmar Hitzfeld (Switzerland) - £1.6 million, Joachim Loew (Germany) - £1.4 million, Vicente Del Bosque (Spain) - £1.4 million, Carlos Queiroz (Portugal) - £1.2 million, Pim Verbeek (Australia) - £1.1 million, Javier Aguirre (Mexico) - £1.1 million, Carlos Alberto Parreira (South Africa) - £1.1 million, Dunga (Brazil) - £750,000 and Diego Maradona (Argentina) - £740,000.Takeshi Okada (Japan) - £740,000, Ricki Herbert (New Zealand) - £740,000, Otto Rehhagel (Greece) - £710,000, Paul Le Guen (Cameroon) - £590,000, Marcelo Bielsa (Chile) - £520,000, Vahid Halilhodzic (Cote d'Ivoire) - £460,000, Raymond Domenech (France) - £440,000, Huh Jung Moo (South Korea) - £370,000, Morten Olsen (Denmark) - £350,000, Milovan Rajevic (Ghana) - £330,000 andRadomir Antic (Serbia) - £280,000.Bob Bradley (USA) - £250,000, Matjaz Kek (Slovenia) - £220,000, Gerardo Martino (Paraguay) - £220,000, Rabah Saadane (Algeria) - £220,000, Reinaldo Rueda (Honduras) - £220,000, Vladimir Weiss (Slovakia) - £190,000, Oscar Tabarez (Uruguay) - £180,000, Kim Jonh Hun (North Korea) - £150,000 and Shaibu Amodu (Nigeria) - £110,000.The Top 201. Fabio Capello (England) £6,098.6002. Marcello Lippi (Italy) £1,848,4003. Bert van Marwijk (Holland) £1,663,6004. Otmar Hitzfeld (Switzerland) £1,602,0005. Joachim Loew (Germany) £1,417,5006. Vicente Del Bosque (Spain) £1,355,8007. Carlos Queiroz (Portugal) £1,232,7008. Pim Verbeek (Australia) £1,121,600=9. Javier Aguirre (Mexico) £1,109,100=9. Carlos Alberto Parreira (South Africa) £1,109,10011. Dunga (Brazil) £755,250=12. Diego Maradona (Argentina) £739,900=12. Takeshi Okada (Japan) £739,900=12. Ricki Herbert (NZ) £739,90015. Otto Rehhagel (Greece) £708,90016. Paul Le Guen (Cameroon) £591,70017. Marcelo Bielsa (Chile) £523,80018. Vahid Halilhodzic (Ivory Coast) £456,00019. Raymond Domenech (France) £443,80020. Huh Jung-moo (South Korea) £369,800Top 12 Coaches in the world12. Mike D’AntoniSalary: $6 millionMike D’Antoni turned the Phoenix Suns around. Then, it all fell apart. After that, the storied Chicago Bulls came calling with a bit more money. But who can say no to coaching in the world’s media capital? After struggling for an identity, the New York Knickerbockers landed their elusive coach. Now the Big Apple has a new punching bag.11. Arsene WengerSalary: $7 millionThe French manager’s patented approach of crafting young players into superstars keeps Arsenal on top. Wenger turned down a pile of money from Real Madrid in the summer of 2009, endearing him to fans for years to come.10. Guus HiddinkSalary: $7.3 millionHiddink made South Korea the first Asian country to reach the World Cup semifinals in 2002. He also led Australia to its first World Cup appearance in 32 years. Today, Guus is looking to work the same magic with the Russian national team. That said, it should be noted that the weather in South Korea and Australia is relatively warm. Just sayin’.9. Louis Van GaalSalary: $7.62 millionThe Netherlands native has won a Champion’s league and two La Liga titles. Bayern Munich ponied up the cash to get their hands on the title winner. Locals call him “The Van” because he “carries” teams to championships.8. Manuel PellegriniSalary: $8 millionAfter managing Chile International, Pellegrini took the reigns of Real Madrid, the world’s richest team, in the summer of 2009. The team spent over $500 million for top players in 2009. He makes about 1/62 of that amount. Good luck.7. Roberto ManciniSalary: $8.8 millionRoberto here doesn’t work for Inter Milan anymore. They booted him after he mouthed off about his team after a bad loss last year. He didn’t know a few choice cuss words could get him fired. Maybe modeling is in his future, no?6. Carlo AncelottiSalary: $9.5 millionThis spry 50-year-old was one of only six coaches to win the Champions League both as a player and coach. The Chelsea F.C. manager has also been seen in local press with two devastating beauties entering a ‘no-tel’ hotel. As you might imagine, it hasn’t hurt his public standing.5. Sir Alex FergusonSalary: $10.2 millionThis legend has coached Manchester United since 1986. His team has won 11 Premier League, 5 FA Cup, 3 League Cup, and two Champions League titles. Ferguson is widely considered one of the best Futbol managers in the world.4. Phil JacksonSalary: $10.3 millionJackson has coached the greatest players in the world (Jordan, Kobe) while managing to control the craziest players (Rodman, Shaq). He also navigated his way to 9 NBA championships. Heck, he might deserve that $10 million per year–not that the “Zen Master” cares about money.3. Fabio CapelloSalary: $12.9 millionWhen you manage the English national team, you get national kind of money. Capello guided the team to 2010 World Cup qualification. To the Brits, that is worth double the money.2. Jose MourinhoSalary: $16.3 millionMourinho is one of the most controversial and talented club managers in the world. He took Intern Milan’s lower pay offer, but still turned them into a Chelsea-capable team. He will still be cussing at the refs in 3 different languages.1. Luiz Felipe ScolariSalary: $24.05 millionYou take a legendary the legendary Brazillian soccer team to a World Cup win. The industry rewards you with a management position at Chelsea F.C., one of the world’s best clubs. What to do for an encore? Go coach in Uzbekistan, of course. Just imagine how much $24 million is worth there
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Three steps to take to protect your account data from getting into the wrong handsWhether by choice or necessity, American consumers are increasingly relying on debit rather than credit cards. Debit card spending has risen steadily, growing from 47.7 percent of purchases made with plastic in 2003 to 58.9 percent in 2008 and it is expected to surpass 67 percent by 2013, according to the Nilson Report, a newsletter that tracks the consumer payment industry.When you use a debit card, the money is immediately taken from your checking account. While using debit guarantees that you pay as you go, these cards have downsides, including a growing appeal to thieves. "As economic conditions have worsened, there's been a noticeable increase in all types of card fraud," says Avivah Litan, an analyst specializing in fraud detection and prevention at Gartner Research in Stamford, Conn. "But ATM and debit-card fraud is the top area of concern we're hearing about from banks all over the world."Unlike credit-card thieves, who usually charge merchandise merchandise and then resell it to come up with money, people who create counterfeit ATM or debit cards by stealing your PIN and other account data can simply pull cold cash from your bank account. Using a technique known as skimming, they set up equipment that captures magnetic stripe and keypad information when you input your PIN at ATM machines, gas pumps, restaurants, or retailers.Here's how you can protect yourself:Don't Type in Your Pin at the PumpBe especially vigilant at gas stations, Litan says. "Gas pumps are notorious for skimming because they're produced by only a couple of different manufacturers, and if someone gets the key to one from a disgruntled employee, they can insert a skimming device inside the pump where it can't be seen," she says. She recommends using a credit card rather than a debit card when you fill your tank.If you must use a debit card at the gas pump, choose the screen prompt that identifies it as a credit card so that you do not have to type in your PIN. The purchase amount will still be deducted from your bank account, but it will be processed through a credit-card network, which will give you greater protection from liability if fraud does occur. This is because card issuers typically have "zero liability" policies for both debit and credit cards, but sometimes exclude PIN-based transactions from that protection.Stick With ATMs Located at BanksTo reduce your risk at ATMs, use machines at banks rather than in convenience stores, airports, or any isolated locations, advises Darrin Blackford, a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service, which investigates financial crimes involving interstate commerce. "A thief has to be able to attach and retrieve a skimming device to use the data it's gathered," he says. "And that's more likely to happen in nonbank settings where there's less traffic and no surveillance cameras."That doesn't mean that bank ATMs are immune, however. In August 2008, Wachovia Bank reported that several debit-card "identities" were stolen when a skimming device was placed on an ATM at a branch in Cape Coral, Fla."It's often hard to spot skimmers," Blackford says. "But if you notice a change at an ATM you use routinely, such as a color difference in the card reader or a gap where something appears to be glued onto the slot where you insert your card, that's a warning sign you'd want to report to the bank that owns the machine."Closely Monitor Your Bank AccountsCheck them regularly—preferably online rather than waiting for monthly statements to arrive in the mail. Federal law limits your liability for fraudulent debit-card charges to $50, but only if you report the theft or loss of your card or PIN within two business days of discovering the problem. If you fail to report unauthorized charges within 60 days of the date the statement listing those charges was mailed, you could be liable for any unauthorized withdrawals afterward, including the full value of credit lines or savings accounts linked to your account for overdraft protection.Visa and MasterCard have zero liability policies that go beyond federal law by exempting debit cardholders from liability in most circumstances when a bank investigation confirms that a transaction is fraudulent. But dealing with debit-card fraud can have a greater impact on your finances than credit-card fraud.When you're a victim of unauthorized charges on a credit card, you won't be out any money while the disputed charges are being investigated. But when a thief steals money from your bank account using a counterfeit debit or ATM card, that cash won't be restored to your account until the bank conducts its investigation and classifies it as a case of fraud. Some victims of debit-card skimming scams who have contacted the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, about their experiences report that while banks in most cases replenished the stolen funds, some of them had no access to the money for several weeks while bank investigations were conducted.Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on Yahoo!Copyrighted 2009, Consumers Union of U.S., Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Put Savings (and Yourself) First With a Budget1Put Savings First With a BudgetWhere does that money go? America, it seems, is in the midst of a savings crisis. Personal savings rates have dropped in recent years and remain low by historical standards as many people continue to spend beyond their means.If you're among those Americans who can't seem to save, it might be time to create a budget. A budget allows you to understand where the money goes and may help you free up cash for important savings goals, such as college and retirement.Back to top2Getting StartedSetting up a budget will require some work, but the benefits more than offset the time invested. How you create your budget is up to you. You may choose a piece of financial planning software, such as Microsoft Money or Quicken, or you may choose the paper and pencil route. The above worksheet is a simple yet inclusive budget that you can use to get started.The first element of any budget is your income, or how much money you receive each month. This can include paychecks, legal settlements, alimony, royalties, fees, and dividends from investments that you do not reinvest. Once you know what your monthly income is, you can use a budget to make sure you don't spend more than you earn, thus helping to reduce debt and freeing up cash for savings.Next, you need to know how you spend your money. Start by tracking your spending for a month. Gather bills and receipts, and don't forget to include newspapers from the corner store and trips to the soda machine. Don't assume any expense is too small to record.Write down your expenses and break them into categories. Using the budget worksheet as an example, we find Fixed Committed Expenses -- mortgage, loan, and insurance payments that stay the same from month to month; Other Committed Expenses -- things you can't live without, like food, utilities, and clothing; and Discretionary Expenses -- things you like but don't necessarily need.Back to top3Less Spending = More SavingsOnce you know where the money goes, it's time to analyze your expenses. There probably isn't much you can do about Fixed Committed Expenses without moving or getting rid of the family car. However, if these expenses are greater than your monthly income, you are probably carrying too much debt to effectively save.You may find some room to economize in Other Committed Expenses, but look at Discretionary Expenses first. This is typically the easiest place to reduce spending. Begin by canceling magazine subscriptions to titles you don't read. Eat fewer meals out, or choose less expensive restaurants. Across much of the country, you can rent two DVDs for the price of a single adult ticket to a movie and throw in some microwave popcorn for a dollar more.Back to top4Digging DeeperOnce you've reduced discretionary spending, look at those Other Committed Expenses. Can you reduce the grocery bill with coupons or more economical meals? How about taking public transportation instead of cabs?One area to closely examine is credit card debt. If a high balance is keeping you from saving, you need to find ways to trim those monthly payments. Call your credit card company and ask them for an interest-rate reduction, or shop around for a card with a lower rate. You can find a list of low-rate cards through CardWeb (1-301-631-9100 or online at www.cardweb.com). Beware of low introductory "teaser" rates that increase to much higher rates after six months.You could also consider a home equity loan, which may offer a tax deduction, or a consolidation loan. Make sure that you'll be able to afford the monthly payments before you take the loan. Banks can foreclose on a home equity loan within 90 days if you miss payments.If your savings are still being crushed under the weight of debt, or if you're having trouble making minimum monthly payments and covering necessary expenses, consider getting some help. The nonprofit National Federation for Credit Counseling (call 1-800-388-2227, or visit www.nfcc.org) can help you set up a budget and negotiate payment schedules with lenders for a modest fee. Once you start paying off your credit cards, the extra money can be used to build savings.Back to top5The Goal: More SavingsOnce you've figured out where to economize, you can enter amounts in the Expected column of the budget. Notice that Savings and Children's Education appear under Fixed Committed Expenses. This is to encourage you to pay yourself first, a key rule of saving. By setting aside a certain amount each month for savings, you can build toward your goal without missing the money. You may be able to set up a payroll savings plan through your bank or credit union. Also look into any employer-sponsored retirement plans you may have at work, which potentially offer tax benefits along with savings for the future.It might also help to set a savings goal, both for short- and long-term needs. Studies have revealed that families with savings goals tend to save more.Remember that your budget is a living document. As your circumstances change, so will your goals and needs. Review your budget every few months to make sure it reflects your goals and to see if you are saving as much as you possibly can.SUMMARYYou can use computer software or a pencil and paper to create a budget.Analyze your spending for a month to see where your income goes. If your living expenses are greater than your income, you'll need to find ways to economize.Your spending can be broken down into three categories: Fixed Committed Expenses, Other Committed Expenses, and Discretionary Expenses.To free up cash for savings, begin by reducing Discretionary Expenses, then look at Other Committed Expenses.Pay down credit-card debt aggressively. Once the debt is paid off, direct the extra money to savings.Set aside some of each paycheck for savings goals. Ask your bank or credit union about payroll savings plans and investigate your employer-sponsored retirement plan.Review your budget periodically to make sure it is still in line with your needs and goals.(Article extracted from Yahoo Finance)
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Posted by 9jabook.com on January 15, 2010 at 8:13pm
The web of secrecy woven around ailing President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua might have been thicker than many Nigerians envisaged and dated far back than now as it has been revealed that First Lady, Hajia Turai Yar’Adua even barred highly favoured individuals, including the Chairman of the Governors’ Forum, Dr. Bukola Saraki together with a governor–in-law, Isa Yuguda of Bauchi and Katsina State governor, Ibrahim Shema from seeing him when they visited Jeddah late November, 2009.
A highly placed source revealed that the First Lady just refused to bend the rules in favour of anybody to stave off any attempt to exploit the situation on ground to the detriment of the family.
The tension generated by the sudden movement of the president to the Arabian country and his condition, even in those early days were said to have made the first family to decide on strigent measures to keep away prying eyes at bay.
According to the source, " Even those governors who rushed to Saudi Arabia with the intention to see Mr. President were barred by the First Lady from seeing him. It could have been because of the state of the president, which then was considered pretty frightening and she did not want to expose it for anybody to use the condition of the president against him."
Besides, the source revealed that part of the reasons the First Lady acted the way she did was because of a conspiracy theory even within the inner caucus to the effect that she had gotten wind of the immediate actions of some political figures back home in the first four days of the president’s departure to Saudi Arabia.
"You will not believe this, but she was actually warned to be wary of visitors from Nigeria, especially political figures, irrespective of their position and status. And she did just that; whatever you heard after that was just part of the game to make people believe that we are the ones there and try to take credit for what they never did," the source revealed.
Yar’Adua left for Saudi Arabia on Friday, November 23, 2009 for a medical check-up, having suffered acute pericarditis (inflammation of the covering of the heart) after a Jumat service.
The President has since then been receiving treatment at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah.
Saraki, the other governors and some members of the kitchen cabinet had left for Saudi Arabia to see the president in what was supposed to be a get-well visit and to have first hand information on the state of health of the President.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on January 15, 2010 at 8:10pm
Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan scored another first yesterday. He became the first Vice President in the history of Nigeria to lay wreath for the fallen heroes, those who died in defence of the country.
The VP took the place of ailing President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua as a result of Wednesday’s ruling of an Abuja Federal High Court that he can perform the President's duties, if such powers were delegated to him by the President.
He rode into the National Arcade at 10.a.m, with all the pomp and ceremony accorded previous Heads of Government with the horse riders and other paraphernalia of office at his disposal for the parade.
Decked in brown Niger Delta attire, with a black bowler hat and black shoes to match, he wasted no time in taking on the first duty of inspecting the guard of honour mounted by the combined detachments of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and the Nigerian Legion.
Like his predecessors, the VP had no words for either the fallen or surviving heroes.
After prayers were said for the fallen heroes, the leaders as well as the country, a minute silence was observed after which the VP stepped out, as if reluctantly, looking grim; he took the wreath, laid it, stepped back, said a little prayers and turned back.
The Senate President, David Mark followed suit. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, in his usual casual with short caftan (jumper), white cap and black shoes to match walked briskly to the "Unknown Soldier ".
The new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Katsina-Alu; the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Godwin Abbe; the Minister of FCT, Sen. Adamu Aliero; the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike and the other Service Chiefs as well as the Inspector General of Police took their turns to honour the fallen heroes.
81-year-old, Private Mohammed Boyi represented the Nigerian Legions.
A World War 11 veteran, who joined the Colonial Army in 1942, was helped to the podium by a colleague amidst cheers from the gathering.
Frail-looking Boyi retired from the Nigerian Army in 1977 and now lives in Katsina State with two of his four children and 26 grand children.
After the wreath laying ceremony,a 21-gun salute was fired and the VP led others to the pigeon cage. He released the white birds and they flew, even if not too far from the arcade.
Jonathan left the venue after signing the continuation of celebration register.
According to a fellow legionnaire, Boyi is the only surviving veteran that took part in the 2nd World War. Though his sight challenges began about five years, Boyi could still recall nostalgically how he served in various parts of the world like Burma, Cairo and Japan, among others.
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This is how we do itBy Jayne UsenShow Dem Camp, or SDC, is the latest tag team to join the growing list of Hip-Hop heads on the Nigerian music scene. Olumide Ayeni a.k.a. Ghost and Wale Davies a.k.a. Tec are SDC and they say they are here to show how rap music is done. In this interview, both members respond but inform they speak as one collective voice.Why Show Dem Camp?Show Dem Camp is all about youth empowerment. A lot of times, people have some stigma attached to music, especially Rap. Even in a wider context, people try to break the convention to follow their dreams. So really, it is all about us telling people that they can pursue their dreams and love and still be happy with their choices and not be afraid to actually dream. We are showing the world at large that we are pursuing what we want to do and we are going to be successful at it.Has it always been music?Not really. We actually met each other at Coventry University in 2001, then music was a hobby. We hooked up during a rap battle in which we [went up against each other]. From then on, a mutual respect was born. We begun going around different Nigerian communities in various universities and from there it all began.With all Hip-Hop groups in Nigeria, why should I listen to SDC?We are different from everyone else and obviously, music is an expression of our different experiences going by all the different cultures we have experienced garnered from having visited various countries. We are fresh; we have been fortunate enough to reside in different places so we touch on different themes.When we moved back to Nigeria in 2008, people were telling us that our music was too different from that which is done here, that we had to tone it down. We are however happy that MI and Naeto C have really paved the way for a lot of rap artists in Nigeria. In the past, a lot of people thought Rap music was only all about shayo, however, now they realise that it is all about thoughts and ideas put together creatively. We have fused our experiences and sound into the Nigerian sound.What influences your sound?Basically from the different places we have been to. Our musical influences are a lot, but [primarily] people with a message from Fela to Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye, Nas, Tupac and Jay-Z; we have been able to put our message across in a palatable wayIs there an album in the works?We have two singles "Tell Me Nothin'" and "Yawa on the Dancefloor" already out. We are also working on The Dreamer project which will more or less be a compilation of works of various talented upcoming acts that believe in themselves and share the same passion and dream as ours. It will be released in the first quarter of the year. We also have the Memoirs project which will basically be about our life stories and experiences. We have a video for "Tell Me Nothin'" by Dayo Oyedele who worked on the Talib Kweli project shot in Nigeria.Are you signed to any label?No, we have our record label, Show Dem Records. We feel as though besides music, we both have backgrounds in business; we both studied Business anyway, so we are working on other businesses asides the music. We feel that nobody will be as passionate or know where we want to go as much as ourselves. We have our partners, Femi and Tolu, as well on the project. Some of the artists who will feature on the Dreamer project will be signed to our record label. We also do event and talent image management.How would you rate Rap music in Nigeria?It is growing incredibly but still has a long way to go. We remember when we used to come to Nigeria on holidays, the first person who caught our attention were Naeto C, and MI, because we saw that we could relate to a lot of their themes. MI came out and we were really amazed at his success because a lot of people now listen to lyrics, whereas in the past, Nigerian rappers just felt that all they needed to do was just party music all for dance. We used to have a problem with that, I remember us saying that if that was the kind of music they expect us to make, then we would rather not do music. It's not all about copying or following trends.
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Posted by John Akukwe on January 15, 2010 at 5:02am
Beloved,Welcome to 2010. As we begin another year, it is important that we understand the importance of 'The beginning'. We thank God for bringing us to a new and favourable year.In the beginning, God created........ The first thing God did was to CREATE. After God created man, He blessed and gave man the 5-fold blessings (ministry) namely: Fruitfulness, Multiplicity, Replenishment, Subduing, and Domination.(1) This year, you shall be fruitful and shall produce something useful with positive results and benefits not only to yourself, to your family, the society and the nation.(2) This year, you shall multiply and increase in amount so much that the generations yet unborn can benefit from your creativity just as we are beneficiaries of other people's creativity.(3) This year, you shall replenish the earth and shall nourish and fill a particular need in your environment.(4) This year, you shall subdue the earth and have positive control in the minds and lives of people as a result of your creativity.(5) Finally, this year, you shall dominate and have a reasonable sphere of influence that can only be known to you so that when your name is being mentioned, it will be pinned to the positive changes you have created.Note, the journey from fruitfulness to domination, might take some days or weeks, just like it takes 90 days for a maize seed to mature. Nevertheless, you shall fight with the aim of success and achievement. It took Nelson Mandela several oppositions to regain freedom, become President and a world-acclaimed personality. It took Martin Luther King (Jnr) several humiliations, deprivations, stigmatization and discrimination. As you run the race, be confident that joy is set ahead of you. It was the same joy that made Jesus Christ to endure the cross.Strive to CREATE something of positive and lasting influence on people around you and most importantly, you must shine your LIGHTS so that the people around you will see it and glorify the Father and Giver of Light.Remain blessed.JOHN AKUKWE08034041279
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Posted by Jane Okinedo on January 15, 2010 at 12:28am
Celebrity Takes 2 is back for a second season! This time the crop of celebrities is just as exciting…maybe even more as the first season.Stars from the music and movie industries have been paired with experienced dancers for the competition of a lifetime.The couples for this season are Fred Amata and Blessing Akombi; Yinka Davies and Gbenga Yusuf; Kel and Francis Edet; Zaki Azzay and Bunmi Olunloyo; Faithia Balogun and Buddy Agedah; Stella Damascus and Wale Sodade; Yemi Blaq and Funke Sodade; Obiwon and Lilian Yeri; Faze and Folake Cole; Dakore Egbuson and Edet Iso.For the first few episodes, it will be Rhythm & Blue (Music) versus Red Hot Drama (Nollywood); one team from each camp will be voted each week. Then, it switches back to the traditional format. Viewers will get to vote for their favourite celebrities. The competition has already started and according to early indications, its going to be a very tough contest!Check out photos of all the celebs and their dance partners below and click back on BN to find out who is eliminated first!
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