Posted by OBAJE AFREECA on November 26, 2009 at 9:37pm
The government is launching a campaign against domestic violence. But rap is responsible for many of these problems, and it can also supply the answer.By Ian DuntAfter months of planning and unprecedented consultation, the government released a new strategy to combat violence against women this morning. There is a wealth of different campaigns and programmes being launched but the headline is that schoolchildren will be educated against violence in their personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education classes. And that's about as much as I'll bore you with.The government will be competing for schoolchildren's hearts and minds with some pretty vocal advertising from the music industry. Officials, especially those working for women's minister Harriet Harman, have been shaken by survey findings which show a worrying level of acceptance of violence against women among teens. They won't be happy to discover, if they even have yet, that 'gash' is now the preferred term for women among many young people. So the new violence against women strategy starts with the kids and works from there.Their principle opponent in this respect comes from grime, hip-hop and garage music, among others, which constantly spout a different message. Swaggering, misogynistic and violent, it has children's ears in a way the government never will. How did it get like this?There are two factors. The first is that rap, coming primarily from poor African-American communities in the Bronx during the seventies, reflected the status of its creators. Men must be able to express their masculinity. We tend to do that by providing for those we love. When you subject a group to poverty you deny men that avenue, and they typically, but not always, revert to strictly physical ways of expressing their manliness. Fair enough. I'd probably do the same. This is a fairly typical response of impoverished communities and rap came from an impoverished community.But when it emerged, it was not entirely dominated by the brutal, shallow tendencies which define it now. By the late eighties, the biggest hip-hop names were Public Enemy and Run DMC. The former used to come on stage with a militia, the S1W's. They were a threatening site to white America. Which brings us on to our second factor. It was far better to have rappers talk about nonsense and money than the call-to-arms of intelligent, articulate black men like Chuck D.The establishment takes that which threatens it and turns it into a eunuch. It is too wise to ban it. Instead it retains its appearance, while gutting it of meaning. That's how feminism turned into Sex and the City, gay turned into camp, and black militancy turned into gangster rap.And so the gates were opened to something completely different. What passes for mainstream rap now is some of the most violent, misogynistic, homophobic garbage imaginable. It's startling that any record company is irresponsible enough to allow it out. Take 50 cent, a man who turned his violent past, and gun shot wounds, into his selling point. He's currently worth around $440 million, has a clothing line, a video game, and a movie career under his belt, along with his multi-platinum album.Through hip-hop, gang culture infected other forms of music, as well as clothes, celebrity and speech. If you want an explanation for all those worrying survey results of school children, look no further. It has infected America, fuelling gang warfare and a fake-masculinity which bases itself on abusing women and proving your strength. It has, gradually, come to contaminate grime ,Britain's hip-hop.Government sanctioned classes and publicity campaigns can't combat something so attractive to kids. So what will?Not, it goes without saying, Mary-Whitehouse-style censorship, which would be pointless and juvenile. But for one, we could start trying to tackle the underlying economic factors which provide the nutrients for gang culture's world-view and attitude. That's a tall order for any government and Labour is eminently incapable of achieving it. The party has assumed, for over a decade now, that comparative inequality is irrelevant as long as absolute inequality is being tackled. That betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the human condition. We assess ourselves by those around us. The gaping chasm between rich and poor has contributed to this malaise.For the less ambitious, there is another route: the emergence of a new generation of musicians, writers and artists with a fierce social conscience: people who look at the world around them and ask tough questions, people who don't just talk about money and cars and guns. There are UK grime stars out there now who started down this road, to minimal fanfare, years ago. I'm thinking primarily of the fierce, angry calls for social justice from Devlin's, or the cheeky, principled and patriotic Sway.We need more of them. One song of theirs is worth billions in government communications strategies. But they will face the same problems as their predecessors: they will be considered a threat to the establishment. That's because they are.
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HAS THE TITANIC Movie MET ITS MATCH ? Twilight Sequel : Have you Seen the Movie Twilight New Moon Currently Takingthe World by storm ! ?JOIN GROUP !Leonardo the Caprio made his Big Jump into the Movie Hall of Fame with his portrayal of the love crazy romance thathit the screens years back with kate winslet . Now there is a new Kid on the block and he is driving Teenagers especially girls WILD with his portrayal of another Love crazy romantic but this time a Vampire ! The Catholicpope's Vatican even suggested it be banned !http://tinyurl.com/PopeBansVampireWhat is his name ? Robert Pattinson ! see below for New Moon plot !T W I L I G H TShhh, can you hear that? What you're hearing is the collective shrieks from Twihards everywhere as The TwilightSaga: New Moon is upon us. For those of you asking yourself, what is a Twihard? I’ve included the definition below.twi-hard nounA serious/obsessive reader of the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, one leap above Twilighters.Are you a Twilight fan? Do you plan on seeing the movie? Let us know at 9j.a.bo.ok.com !Currently the Twilight Saga is all the rage, and seems to have taken over almost every aspect of social media. If9.you venture over to MySpace.com you’ll see that the homepage has been New Moonified. It should be noted that NewJ.Moon & MySpace seem to share the same demographic, Tweens... so it only makes sense to try and grab those pageviews.A.MySpace has been all about some New Moon here lately, as they just hosted an exclusive stream of the red carpetB.during the films premiere, which pulled in 3 million viewers. Did you watch any of the red carpet stream? Tell us.OOKOver on Twitter, Twilight holds 3 of the top 10 trending topics including the highly coveted top spot.YouTube is even trying to cash-in on the New Moon craze by adding a “Twihard” box atop their site that states thefollowing, "The world is gripped by Twilight mania these days and on YouTube that translates into videos thatcelebrate, discuss and even mock the cultural phenomenon."Like I said before, New Moon hits theatres today and is expected to make somewhere between 85 million – 100 milliondollars this weekend, and could possibly break some box office records when it’s all said and done. It’s alreadybroken the advance ticket sales record, previously held by Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. How much doyou think New Moon will make when it's all said and done? Tell us.It'll be interesting to compare New Moon's "social media status" against the next film in the saga when it hits thecinema around this same time next year, to see if it stil has the same amount of hype around it.Why do you think Twilight is such a huge success? Let us know your honest opinion.Twilight Book/Movie Summary9.Twilight is a series of four vampire-based fantasy romance novels by American author Stephenie Meyer. J.It charts a period in the life of Isabella "Bella"A.Swan, a teenage girl who moves to Forks, Washington and falls in love with a 104-year-old vampire B.named Edward Cullen. The series is told primarily fromO.Bella's point of view, with the epilogue of Eclipse and Part II of Breaking Dawn being told from the O.viewpoint of character Jacob Black, a werewolf. TheK.unpublished Midnight Sun is a retelling of the first book, Twilight, from Edward Cullen's point of view.Ever since the release of the first novel, Twilight, in 2005, the books have gained immense popularity and commercial success around the world. The series ismost popular among young adults; the four books have won multiple awards, most notably the 2008 British Book Award for "Children's Book of the Year" forBreaking Dawn,[1] while the series as a whole won the 2009 Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Book.[2]As of November 2009, the series has sold over 85 million copies worldwide[3] with translations into at least 38 different languages around the globe.[4][5]The four Twilight books have consecutively set records as the biggest selling novels of 2008 on the USA Today Best-Selling Books list[6] and have spent over235 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list for Children's Series Books.[3]Thus far, the first three books are being made into a series of motion pictures by Summit Entertainment; the film adaptation of Twilight was released in 2008and the second, New Moon, was released on November 20, 2009.[7] The third film, Eclipse, is set to be released June 30, 2010.NEw Moon PlotOn her 18th birthday, Bella Swan wakes up from a dream in which she sees herself as an old woman. She expresses her distaste with growing older than herboyfriend Edward Cullen, a vampire who stopped aging at 17. Edward's family throws Bella a birthday party. While unwrapping a gift, Bella gets a paper cut,which causes Edward's adoptive brother, Jasper, to be overwhelmed by her blood's scent and attempt to kill her. Realizing the danger he and his family poseto Bella, Edward decides to end their relationship, and the Cullens move away from Forks, Washington.Edward's departure leaves Bella heartbroken and depressed for months. However, when her father, Charlie, attempts to send her to live with her mother, Bella Twilight Trailer agrees to spend time with her friends. After seeing a movie with Jessica, Bella sees a group of men who remind her of a time when Edward rescued herpreviously, and she is surprised to see a vision of Edward warning her against approaching them. Bella discovers that all thrill-seeking activities grant hervisions of Edward. She also finds comfort in her deepening friendship with Jacob Black, a cheerful companion who eases her pain over losing Edward. WhenJacob is unable to see Bella for weeks, she discovers that he is a werewolf, an age-old enemy of vampires. Jacob's pack members are on constant patrol forVictoria, a vampire searching to kill Bella, leaving Jacob little time to spend with Bella. Alone, Bella returns to seeking thrill-inducing activities.A series of miscommunications leads Edward to believe that Bella has killed herself while cliff-diving. Distraught over her supposed suicide, Edward flees toItaly to provoke the Volturi, a powerful coven of vampires who are capable of killing him. Alice, Edward's adoptive sister, and Bella rush to Italy to save advertise on 9j.a.book.comEdward, and arrive just in time to stop him. However, the Volturi decide that Bella, a human who knows that vampires exist, must either be killed ortransformed into a vampire herself. Alice stops them from killing her by showing them a vision of the future in which Bella has been transformed. Once theyreturn home to Forks, Edward tells Bella that he has always loved her and only left town to protect her. She forgives him, and the Cullens vote in favor ofBella being transformed into a vampire, to Edward and Jacob's dismay. Edward gives Bella a choice: either she lets Alice change her after their graduation,or, if Bella agrees to marry him, he will change her himself. However, Jacob reminds them of a treaty the Cullens have made with the werewolves: they willnot attack each other, as long as the Cullens never bite a human.ADVERTISEMENTS ! ADVERTISE ON 9JABOOKRead more…
The nation marked its 49th Independence anniversary last month with many Nigerians expressing happiness that despite the various problems plaguing the country, it is still one indivisible entity.However, many are not losing sight of the prediction by the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that Nigeria could break up in 2015. The CIA had, in 2005, declared that Nigeria could break up in 15 years time. Between 2005 and today, many things have happened in Nigeria to cause much apprehension.It was gathered that the CIA, in making the declaration, had intelligence report on some activities capable of undermining the sovereignty of the country. Some of these predictions have manifested, forcing some people to take the CIA position seriously.Earlier in the year, the Federal Government warned that the foreign reserve would nose-dive with damning consequences if Nigerians failed as a nation to appreciate the impact of the global economic meltdown on the country's economy and re-order their priorities.Accordingly, a bleak future awaits the nation unless a major drastic measure is taken to address the economic crisis.The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Chief Achike Udenwa, was reported to have made this disclosure in Abuja.Udenwa expressed fear that Nigeria would be caught napping along the line because as a nation, Nigerians had failed to appreciate the body language in the oil sector and how it would affect the country.(Article extracted from The Compass: http://www.compassnews.net/Ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32025:nigerias-economy-it-is-all-doom-and-gloom&catid=42:commune&Itemid=796)See Wikipedia's indicators of a "Failed State" :Social indicators1. Demographic pressures: including the pressures deriving from high population density relative to food supply and other life-sustaining resources. The pressure from a population's settlement patterns and physical settings, including border disputes, ownership or occupancy of land, access to transportation outlets, control of religious or historical sites, and proximity to environmental hazards.[5]2. Massive movement of refugees and internally displaced peoples: forced uprooting of large communities as a result of random or targeted violence and/or repression, causing food shortages, disease, lack of clean water, land competition, and turmoil that can spiral into larger humanitarian and security problems, both within and between countries.[6]3. Legacy of vengeance-seeking group grievance: based on recent or past injustices, which could date back centuries. Including atrocities committed with impunity against communal groups and/or specific groups singled out by state authorities, or by dominant groups, for persecution or repression. Institutionalized political exclusion. Public scapegoating of groups believed to have acquired wealth, status or power as evidenced in the emergence of "hate" radio, pamphleteering and stereotypical or nationalistic political rhetoric.[7]4. Chronic and sustained human flight: both the "brain drain" of professionals, intellectuals and political dissidents and voluntary emigration of "the middle class." Growth of exile/expat communities are also used as part of this indicator.[8]Economic indicators5. Uneven economic development along group lines: determined by group-based inequality, or perceived inequality, in education, jobs, and economic status. Also measured by group-based poverty levels, infant mortality rates, education levels.[9]6. Sharp and/or severe economic decline: measured by a progressive economic decline of the society as a whole (using: per capita income, GNP, debt, child mortality rates, poverty levels, business failures.) A sudden drop in commodity prices, trade revenue, foreign investment or debt payments. Collapse or devaluation of the national currency and a growth of hidden economies, including the drug trade, smuggling, and capital flight. Failure of the state to pay salaries of government employees and armed forces or to meet other financial obligations to its citizens, such as pension payments.[10]Political indicators7. Criminalization and/or delegitimisation of the state: endemic corruption or profiteering by ruling elites and resistance to transparency, accountability and political representation. Includes any widespread loss of popular confidence in state institutions and processes.[11]8. Progressive deterioration of public services: a disappearance of basic state functions that serve the people, including failure to protect citizens from terrorism and violence and to provide essential services, such as health, education, sanitation, public transportation. Also using the state apparatus for agencies that serve the ruling elites, such as the security forces, presidential staff, central bank, diplomatic service, customs and collection agencies.[12]9. Widespread violation of human rights: an emergence of authoritarian, dictatorial or military rule in which constitutional and democratic institutions and processes are suspended or manipulated. Outbreaks of politically inspired (as opposed to criminal) violence against innocent civilians. A rising number of political prisoners or dissidents who are denied due process consistent with international norms and practices. Any widespread abuse of legal, political and social rights, including those of individuals, groups or cultural institutions (e.g., harassment of the press, politicization of the judiciary, internal use of military for political ends, public repression of political opponents, religious or cultural persecution.)[13]10. Security apparatus as ‘state within a state’: an emergence of elite or praetorian guards that operate with impunity. Emergence of state-sponsored or state-supported private militias that terrorize political opponents, suspected "enemies," or civilians seen to be sympathetic to the opposition. An "army within an army" that serves the interests of the dominant military or political clique. Emergence of rival militias, guerilla forces or private armies in an armed struggle or protracted violent campaigns against state security forces.[14]11. Rise of factionalised elites: a fragmentation of ruling elites and state institutions along group lines. Use of aggressive nationalistic rhetoric by ruling elites, especially destructive forms of communal irredentism (e.g., "Greater Serbia") or communal solidarity (e.g., "ethnic cleansing", "defending the faith").[15]12. Intervention of other states or external factors: military or Para-military engagement in the internal affairs of the state at risk by outside armies, states, identity groups or entities that affect the internal balance of power or resolution of the conflict. Intervention by donors, especially if there is a tendency towards over-dependence on foreign aid or peacekeeping missions.[16]Updated 2 minutes ago · Comment · LikeUnlikeWrite a comment...
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Posted by 9jabook.com on November 25, 2009 at 5:06am
DO Nigerians deserve the kind of leaders they have? Can Nigerian leaders offer the kind of leadership that will lift the country from the shackles of corruption? Can Nigerians develop the culture that abhors corruption? Can Nigerian leaders toe the path that has transformed a poor nation like Malaysia into an Asian Tiger?
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These are some of the questions that agitated many minds yesterday at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos. The event was the 11th session of the Emmanuel Onyechere Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Lecture Series.
This edition's lecture: "Incorruptibility: A spiritual premise for material well-being", was delivered by Mahathir Bin Mohamad who was Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003.
Former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, who was drafted to replace former Director-General of the NIIA and Ambassador to the United States (U.S.), Prof. George Obiozor, said he was elected Secretary-General during the reign of Mohamad. He hailed him as one of the best leaders in the world.
Guest of Honour, and former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shaukat Aziz, who also said that he had a lot to learn from Mohamad "which is why I flew in from China," said that the nations of the world are in adversity and facing various challenges. One of the challenges, he said, is the global financial crisis, which has humbled many people and nations. He said that the crisis was not yet over.
According to him, "there is the issue of water, food, energy, security" but the good thing, he pointed out, is that the world is coming together and the "solution lies in the home-grown ideologies. Leaders of nations must develop the roadmap and lead the people out of adversities."
He noted further that terrorism remains an issue just like nuclear proliferation. He, however, said that the absence of interfaith harmony has led to some crisis. "We need to promote peace and harmony," he said.
Stressing the importance of leadership and governance, Aziz noted: "We have good politicians but good leaders who can change the world are in short supply in the world today."
On the battle Pakistan waged against corruption in his era, he said: "Corruption is endemic in the world and no country is immune. In Pakistan, to fight corruption in the civil service, we had to deregulate, liberalise, privatise and reduce state involvement and involve the private sector. But the state did not abandon the development and provision of infrastructure. Reforms were embarked upon."
In his lecture, Mohamad dwelt on the sub-themes of leadership, governance and corruption. Listing the ideals of a good leader, he stated that a leader must be learned and well trained; have ideas far above those who work with him; he must be prepared to carry out what he preaches; he must be brave, disciplined; and capable of fighting his base inclinations. He must show a willingness to listen to everyone in and outside his cabinet and government. He must make up for his lack of knowledge with his readiness to listen and learn; he must not listen to only his officials as because they are more likely to be sycophants. He must have good lieutenants and with a good team in place, he is capable of leading a state.
Drawing a parallel between a good leader and a company's Chief Executive Officer, he said that a leader must be in a position to gather information on the assets and liabilities of the nation in all spheres; he must then set realistic targets, taking into consideration the abilities and potentials of the nation.
Mohamad added it was very important that every nation and leader find a model for its development. For developing nations, he said that the models would be recently-developed countries and not countries that developed under circumstances that are not applicable today. In this instance, he pointed out that no nation would adopt the model of the older nations that profited from colonialism.
He said: "It is better to adopt a model than striking out on your own with untested models. It's up to a politician to choose the best model; a good leader must make the best of any model."
According to him, a good leader must be decisive because "nothing is as debilitating as indecision. He must quit when he fails and nothing is shameful about quitting but a lot is wrong if he fails and stays. He needs almost superhuman skills; he needs not just to survive but also to manage things well."
He admitted that "it is obvious that such a man cannot be readily found."
Corruption, he said, is endemic; no country in the world is exempted. It is in the private sector, but if it is in the public sector that it is really bad. Many ways have been tried to stop corruption; many laws have been passed, anti-corruption agencies set but the results have remained dismal.
"Some people have suggested that it is a way of life and there have been going rates for specific favours. It is the bane of governments and countries.
"The reputation of the country is affected, undermining the development of infrastructure, investors stay away, causing unemployment and other social ills.
"Corruption is a function of the culture of the people; it is their value system."
And on how to stop corruption he said that, "every nation has to develop a culture that rejects corruption at home and in the schools." He said that the Japanese have a "culture that allows them to commit suicide, hara-kiri, when they do what is wrong."
Stressing that a sense of shame is perhaps the most important value, he said that, "the fear of being shamed makes the Japanese do the right thing. They commit suicide or resign or return their loot when they are exposed."
Every leader should develop a sense of discipline to reject what does not legitimately belong to him; he must reject corruption so that he will be respected and he will be listened to. There is need to have an incorruptible leader. Even in a clean society, once a leader is corrupt, everything else becomes dirty.
He said that individuals have a role in ensuring that corruption ceases by voting in those who are not corrupt.
"If people elect corrupt people into government, they don't have to complain about their actions. It is them who will decide whether they get good people or not. The government reflects the culture of the people."
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) who was represented by the state's Solicitor-General, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), on his part, declared: "Let me further assure you that on the level of good governance, we are not about to fail in Lagos. Nigeria shall overcome its problems in the same manner that Malaysia overcame hers."
A member of the Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation, Miss Peace Osigwe-Anyiam said: "Corruption is actually one of the big issues in Nigeria right now and the continent in general... It became an issue because if we want the growth of the nation, we must deal with corruption at all levels and I guess one of the people who can talk about this issue is Muktar who did marvelous things for Malaysia and the country is one of the leading countries in the world today.
"There are people who are not corrupt; we are not all corrupt, it is just a few people that give us a bad name. We cannot generalise on a nation of 140 million people."
In his own address, former Nigerian Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme said: "During my presidential campaign in 1998/99, I used to say that my goal was to transform Nigeria from a third world country in the same way that Mahathir Bin Mohamad did in Malaysia. He is someone I have always admired and I was not surprised with his lecture. He spoke very frankly and I am sure that we have benefited from his frankness."
The former Prime Minister of Malaysia is credited with being the figure behind transformation of Malaysia from a developing nation to a developed economy and prosperity.
It was not quite a gathering of government officials; it was more a gathering of the diplomatic corps and corporate chieftains. The only government presence on the high table was Governor Fashola who was represented by the state's solicitor-general.
Other guests were Alex Ekwueme; Ambassador Arthur Mbanefo, one-time Minister of Information, Chief Nnia Nwodo; Dr. Gamaliel Onosode; former Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Chief John Edozie; Executive Director of Ibru Organisations, Olorogun Oskar Ibru; university dons, some members of the religious community and traditional rulers.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on November 25, 2009 at 5:04am
Glo to launch broadband access service
A brand new revolution is in the offing in the Nigerian telecommunications industry as Globacom is now set to launch its Glo Broad Access service, which offers the convergence of advanced voice, advanced data and advanced video on one single wired line.
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With the introduction of this new service, Glo will be bringing Nigeria closer to the advanced nations that have long enjoyed the benefits of broadband services which include convergence, high speed internet and video and television on demand at very low cost.
The new service is expected to have a significant impact on the way Nigerians work, conduct business, pursue their education, obtain information and get entertained as it will allow subscribers to use the same dedicated Glo fixed line in their homes and offices for voice call, internet connection, video conferencing and cable television.
Glo Broad Access is anchored on Globacom’s state-of-the-art optical fibre cable (OFC) that connects over 40 cities in Nigeria and is reputed to be the largest OFC network not just in Nigeria but in Africa.
This network will enable users of Glo Broad Access to harness the power of instant connectivity, congestion-free traffic and high capacity for enormous volumes of voice, data and video as well as economy and affordability, which will lead to the overall economic development of the nation.
According to the Group Chief Operating Officer, Globacom, Mohamed Jameel, the service offerings from Glo Broad Access include landline telephony on IP/MPLS-enabled optic fibre for distortion-free clarity, 24/7 connectivity and stability of connection at a price that will put smiles on the faces of Nigerians.
“Apart from its affordability, the phone lines will also provide value-added services such as three-party conference call, alarm clock, call waiting and diversion, caller identity recognition (CLIR) and a host of other exciting features.
“The Glo prepaid fixed lines can be recharged using normal Glo mobile recharge cards which are available at Gloworld shops and almost at every street corner,” he said.
Jameel stated that other packages included in the service are video conferencing, which would help to reduce travel and thus enhance enterprise productivity, fast broadband internet which allows for interactive gaming, video streaming, high speed downloads and simultaneous ‘Talk & Surf’ on the connection.
“Glo Broad Access will also offer consumers their favourite local and foreign cable TV channels subject to agreement with broadcast right owners, using the same magical digital wire or dedicated Glo fixed line,” he said.
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Facts available to huhuonline revealed that the marriage of top actor, Femi Adebayo and his Kahdijat Bukola has hit the brick wall.The blissful marriage of the couple began to experience turbulent several months ago.After several reports made the rounds that the actor has been involved in secret affairs with the leading actress who featured prominently in the Yoruba movie Jenifa (a village prostitute who got admission to the University in the City) 1 and 2, Funke Akindele. Femi Adebayo is the son to the ace actor Adebayo Salami (Oga-Bello) who was formerly the Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP) national President.Before things finally degenerated to this level, there have been several reports making rounds about how Femi sent Khadijat packing with three children after several efforts by and concerned friends and relatives to reconcile the embattled couple failed. Khadijat now presently live with her parents at Ikpe road, GRA Area, Offa, and Kwara State. The University of Ilorin Graduate of Computer Science huhuonline gathered has been abandoned and left to cater for three kids. The embattled woman also has to face the reality of getting a job for the upkeep of the children, unlike when she lived happily with her husband as a full house wife, to take proper care of the kids.A source further hinted huhuonline that several efforts made by Khadijat to be reconciled with her husband have yielded no result. There were situations she sent text messages to Femi about the crises in their marriage and he need to make up a couple. Such text messages a source informed are forwarded to by Femi to the mobile number of his father, Chief Adebayo Salami, which one way or the other always gets to other members of the Adebayo’s family, Khadijat’s family, we discovered, has not been happy with Femi’s father and mother the way they have handled the crises between the couple. They believe Oga Bello as an authority in the Nigeria movie industry should have called both his son Femi and Funke to order, rather than watch them, a situation that has adversely affected the marriage which has resulted in constant feature in the media, leading to an eventual crash. This ugly trend has caused more damage than truth. On his part Oga Bello has denied any knowledge of the relationship between and Funke. He said he’s not aware that his son, Femi is having an affair with Funke Akindele.Before this whole issue finally degenerated to its present state, Oga Bello earlier spoke, saying that only Femi and Funke can clear the on their relationship. He said: Everybody is entitled to his own opinion. Only Femi and Funke can talk better on that. I am their father in the industry.’’ Another Nollywood source of the Yoruba genre said these days, Funke has become the toast in Adebayo’s household. The source disclosed:‘ ‘Funke has played herself to be a very important to all members of Femi Adebayo’s family. They are involved in the production of her movies. Apart from that, she visits them at their Ikorodu, Lagos home regularly. ’’It was further gathered that Khadijat recently drank a toxic substance believed to be poison as a result of frustrations when the heat became seemingly unbearable for her sometime in September 2009. She was then taken to an undisclosed hospital. The crack in the matrimony became more obvious when Femi was spotted lodging at a popular hotel in Ibadan, with reports getting to wife that her husband was sighted at some fun spots with his new love Funke Akindele. Femi and Khadijat started well while dating; they were University of Ilorin students. Then, Femi was studying Law, which the soft spoken devoted Muslim studied Computer Science. It was gathered that the fact that Femi was Khadijat’s first love has made it difficult task for her to live without him. When the going was good, Femi apart from being an actor and a caring father also had a thriving Law office where he handled a few legal matters on properties and importation, while Khadijat kept the homefront going, taking care of the kids. Meanwhile, the relationship between Femi and Funke has continued to raise a lot of reactions amongst actors and actresses who are privy to how the two love birds relate on movie locations, and there have also been several situations when Funke had challenged some actresses who are close to Femi and who she often threaten to deal with.However, with disturbing stories like this, one would simply say most Nigerian actors and actress lack character and dignity and they stand in contrary to what their profession stands for (correction of societal ills). Incessant stories of spousal abuse, divorce, recklessness etc are often emanating from their end. It would be recalled that the circumstances surrounding the death of Monsurat Omidina (Omoladun_Kenkelewu) was also entangled with strands of protracted arguments and beating by Tunde Omidina (Babasuwe) her husband which arguably led to the death of Moladun. Also Lilian Bach was enmeshed in a husband snatching scandal recently. In another development Ronke Ojo (a.k.a. Oshodi-Oke) who got married to Sylvester Omogbolahan Anthony (an auto dealer) on January 24, 2009, also witnessed a crumbled marriage in October 2009, with the husband giving reason for the separation on grounds of infidelity; this is one too many.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on November 23, 2009 at 8:30am
By Felix Onuah
ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua will travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday for medical checks, his office said.
"President Umaru Yar'Adua will leave Abuja today for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. While there, the president will call on his personal physicians in Jeddah for follow-up medical checks," presidency spokesman Olusegun Adeniyi said in a statement.
Yar'Adua has travelled to Saudi Arabia in the past for treatment for a chronic kidney problem, raising questions about whether he will be fit enough to stand for a second term in 2011 elections.
Adeniyi said Yar'Adua had forwarded copies of the 2010 budget, which he had been due to present to parliament last week, to the heads of the Senate and House of Representatives.
The presentation of the spending plans for sub-Saharan Africa's second-biggest economy was postponed because of a row between the two chambers of parliament over which one should host the event.
Government sources have said Yar'Adua will seek approval to breach a 3 percent deficit target for the second year in a row in 2010, due to the cost of development projects in the Niger Delta and rehabilitating the country's ailing power sector.
Yar'Adua has had regular medical treatment in Germany and Saudi Arabia and his health was a source of concern even before he assumed the presidency.
He has not yet confirmed whether he plans to stand again in presidential election in 2011 but key figures in the ruling party have pledged their support if he decides to do so.
FROM Saharareporters
It was gathered that sickly Nigerian ruler, Umaru Yar’adua, is due to be flown out today or early tomorrow for what our source described as “urgent medical treatment.”
As at the time we were briefed, the source said insiders close to Yar'adua said the sick former governor of Katsina would be taken to a hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Our source said that Yar’adua’s father-in-law is also in an Egyptian hospital. “The president’s medical trip is scheduled to last at least one week,” said the source, adding that Yar'adua “may offer the excuse that he would be visiting his father-in-law in Egypt and that his wife would attend this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia as the excuse for the trip.”
Mr. Yar’adua suffers from Churg Strauss syndrome, a degenerative disease. Our source said Yar’adua’s health dipped in the last three weeks. Poor health explained his conspicuous absence at the Abuja stadium during the final game of the FIFA Under-17 football game that featured Nigeria and Switzerland. “Vice President” Goodluck Jonathan stood in for him.
Saharareporters sources also said Yar’adua had only managed to meet with cabinet members at his official residence in Aso Rock Villa, Abuja. “His health took a turn for the worse over the weekend,” said one source. “His doctors have advised that he undertake immediate medical treatment outside Nigeria,” the source added. Yar'adua maintains a retinue of expatriate medical personnel at his residence and office. He travels with two well-equipped ambulances everywhere he goes in Nigeria. Another source Yar’adua’s inability to present the annual budget last week at the National Assembly was actually due to his illness. “The so-called ‘crisis’ between the two chambers of the National Assembly was contrived to cover up Yar'adua's illness,” said the source.
In an intriguing move, Yar’adua’s People's Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday issued a stunning press release to denounce those campaigning for Yar'adua's second term in office. The party said it has not made such decision.
Meanwhile, several sources have told Saharareporters that some PDP crooks, including rogue Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa and former Delta State governor James Ibori, have been assuring Yar’adua’s wife, Turai, that they are capable of arranging for her to serve out the remainder of her husband’s tenure should Mr. Yar’adua die or become permanently incapacitate
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Rivers: Gunmen in police uniform kill Gov’s aide
Rivers State on Saturday woke to mourn the killing of an aide to Governor Rotimi Amaechi and a former member of the state House of Assembly, Charles Nsiegbe, by unknown gunmen who wore police uniforms.
Nsiegbe who until his death was a member of the state‘s Bureau of Public Procurement was reportedly gunned down on Friday night at Tombia Street extension of the Government Reservation Area of Port Harcourt by men who flagged down his car as he travelled in company with some male associates.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Rita Inoma-Abbey, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent said only one gunman in “mobile police uniform,” shot at the former lawmaker.
Our correspondent gathered that Nsiegbe, who was an official of the State Security Service before his election into the House of Assembly, was shot severally on the chest and legs immediately he came out of his car and attempted to open the boot.
The assassins were also said to have kept shooting at the deceased as they moved towards their waiting car just to make sure he did not survive the attack.
But it was disclosed that no shot was fired at the associate whose name could not be determined.
According to sources, security agencies in the state were said to be working on the theory of assassination as the gunmen did not remove anything from the car of the man and his associate.
Nsiegbe was said to have been quickly rushed by his associate and sympathisers to Teme Clinic in the state capital where he died.
The police, our correspondent reported, had moved the victim‘s car to the Rivers State‘s Criminal Investigation Department in Port Harcourt and arrested the associate who was interrogated and detained at the SCID for further investigations.
Inoma-Abbey assured that the perpetrators would be arrested and prosecuted to serve as warning to others.
She pleaded with members of the public for “prompt and accurate” information that could lead to the arrest of the killer.
Amaechi, who expressed shock at the killing, said the incident was sad and very unfortunate.
The Governor who spoke through his Acting Chief Press Secretary, Blessing Wikina, stated that the ugly incident happened when the governments to tap from the experiences of committee persons like Nsiegbe, to move the state forward.
The governor asked the security agencies to get to the root of the killing, stressing that the death was unexpected at this crucial period when people of the Niger Delta, especially the youths, agreed that they would no longer be involved in criminality, thereby embracing amnesty.
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Nemesis has caught up with Rabi Haladu of Magami village in Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara state after killing her husband on Sunday, November 8, 2009 in their matrimonial home.The deceased, Malam Haladu Mikailu, 35, lost his life as a result of a misunderstandig that occurred between the couple over a N100 loan he reportedly requested the wife to grant him for the purchase of a Hausa traditional salt called Balma usually given to livestock.Eyewitness told this reporter that the genesis of the crisis was that, the late husband had requested the wife to grant him the loan to buy the ‘salt’ which she refused.Consequently, our sources said, the husband had allegedly thereafter pounced on her for her refusal to grant him the loan, as a result of which she got hold of his genitals which led to his being in a comma and ultimately death on the spot.According to our sources, late Haladu could not be even be saved by neighbours who rushed to the scene of the episode after hearing him screaming for help.He was later rushed to Gusau Federal Medical Centre where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor.The wife of the deceased is now in police custody at the state CID Gusau facing criminal charge of culpable homicide punishable with death under Section 221 of the Penal Code of Northern Nigeria.The state commissioner of police, Alhaji M.J. Abubakar fwc, has meanwhile, directed the CID to conduct discreet investigation into the matter.Alhaji Abubakar said as soon as the command concludes investigation, the culprit would be arraigned before the court of law.The CP said the case-file will be sent to the state ministry of justice for vetting and legal advice.Already, the remains of Malam Haladu have been buried according to Islamic rites. He is survived by his aggrieved wife and an eight months old pregnancy.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on November 22, 2009 at 7:46pm
If Mrs. Ekwunife L. Akabogu failed in her duties as a Priority Sales Support Officer for Skye Bank Plc, it was not for lack of effort. But if anything, she indeed succeeded in her new found role of hell-raiser with a sexual harassment and exploitation lawsuit against her former employers that have been giving the management of Skye Bank Plc white nights, as they grapple with damage control over what now seems to be a public relations disaster for the bank.
Love or hate her, there is no denying that her story exposes the hellacious ordeal of several Nigerian women who are coerced into engaging in shameful dehumanizing sexual escapades in a desperate effort to break the glass ceiling to meet unrealistic goals and expectations set for them by heartless mean-spirited men without any moral scruples.
The facts of her story as contained in her lawsuit against Skye bank Plc make for interesting reading, but she is not alone. Mrs. Akabogu is amongst the hundreds of thousands of Nigerian women who face workplace discrimination and harassment simply because they refuse to put their bodies at the disposal of their employers.
Imagine hiring someone simply because you intend to exploit her physical attributes in your unbridled quest for financial gain. If this sounds familiar, then consider a married woman, who is being pressured to employ her “bottom power” to rein in big clients like contractors and politicians for Skye Bank Plc. She is seeking N1 billion in general and punitive damages from Skye bank and some of its top executives who are named as co-defendants in the suit.
The end justifies the means, some might say, but not when an institution like a bank; in this case Skye Bank is so desperate to build its market share, to the extent that it should be indulging in such unorthodox and perverted practices.Upon being hired as Priority Sales Support Officer for Skye Bank Plc, in May 2009, Mrs. Akabogu was posted to the Enugu branch, ostensibly on a six-month internship.
Because the terms of her job description were vague and ambiguous, the bank sought to use her as a sex bait for its potential high value clients like local PDP bigwig, Chief Christian Uba, who was on the bank’s radar screens as a potential target. It did not help that Mrs. Akabogu had a personal relationship with the said Chief Uba which Skye Bank attempted to exploit in their grand scheme of “capturing” the man at all cost, including forcing Mrs. Akabogu into bed with him, in a quid pro quo arrangement involving sexual patronage by Mrs. Akabogu that will open the door for Chief Uba to become a Skye Bank client.
The Skye bank retaliation was predictable when Mrs. Akabogu rejected the indecent proposal by her boss. She was relegated to a more inconsequential position within the bank, where she was maligned and sidelined and treated with scorn and subjected to all kinds of humiliation from her superiors and co-workers, simply because she stuck her guns and upheld her dignity.
Even though she had succeeded in bringing in sixteen new genuine clients worth an estimated N6 million, management of these accounts were assigned to other colleagues and she was given no credit for her efforts. As if that was not enough, she was denied even the basic requisite facilities to effectively carry out her duties – no office; no work station; no computer; no vehicle and was permanently under stress and pressure, as he bosses missed no opportunity to remind her that she was an under-achiever, who was virtually on her way out of the job for failing to do what is expected of her.
According to Skye Bank policy, Mrs. Akabogu’s refusal to exchange sexual favors to meet the bank’s target client benchmarks was seen as an act of betrayal by Mrs. Akabogu, whose decision to uphold her matrimonial vows was viewed as an act of disloyalty by the Skye bank hierarchy. The message Skye bank was sending to Mrs. Akabogu as clear: he who pays the piper calls the tune and if you want to work here, better play by our rules or quit. Otherwise stated, her loyalty should be with Skye bank, and not her husband.
She was subsequently assigned to manage a new campaign of proximity banking; taking the services to the customers wherever they may be found. To which end, she was urged to go to certain local hotels frequented by the rich and wealthy, where Skye bank hoped, she would entice some of the men with he beauty. Mrs. Akabogu, according to the lawsuit, was directed by her boss to wear expensive perfumes, short skirts and other sexually inviting outfits to arrest public attention. To crown it all, she was given an open check to use the Zodiac hotel, as part of contingency arrangements, should the need arise.
The pressure to deliver and the stressful nature of her work environment had a huge impact on her health, which began to degenerate, until she suffered a nervous break down and passed out on two occasions and was rushed to the hospital. But Skye bank officials were heartless and refused to acknowledge that her blackouts were the result of stress, arising from emotional devastation and the psychologically traumatizing pressure deadline driven assignments she was being forced to undertake, against her own valuesb.
When she eventually returned to work from the hospital, it appears, Skye bank officials had come to the conclusion that they hired the wrong horse for the job and decided to force her to quit. It was therefore a contrived policy by Skye bank to make her working conditions so unbearable; she was the target of all kinds of unrestrained vituperations and snide remarks and when matters came to a head with an ultimatum that she opens ten new accounts every week, Mrs. Akabogu was forced to resign her job.
She has proceeded to file a lawsuit No. E/386/09 in the High Court of Enugu State of Nigeria between (Plaintiff) Mrs. Ekwunife L. Akabogu vs, (Defendents) Skye Bank Plc, Nkolika Okoli, Chinedu Oguejiofor, Donatus Ugwuoke, Dr. Charles Udeogo, Maureen Okoye. Mrs. Ababogu seeks N1 billion in damages from Skye bank.
She has also petitioned the Nigerian Human Rights Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), asking for an independent investigation into the practice by banks and other service industry institutions wherein women are being forced into involuntary prostitution as a condition sine qua non to keep their jobs. It is a shame.
Speaking about human rights, for Mrs. Akabogu, it has been hell on two legs. She was taken on a jolly ride to the realm of moral degeneracy by unscrupulous Skye bank bosses who suffer from incurable money-mindedness and will stop at nothing in their quest for personal gain. Fortunately, she will get her day in court where Skye Bank Plc will be made to face their own music.
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What DID Jesus do ? What WOULD Jesus do ? what WILL Jesus do ? Answers : He died,He Rose up,He BE COMING BACK ! So what SHOULD "we " do ? We die,We Rise Up n We be coming back ! Make a comeback Today n Everday ! Sunday Sermon.
Though variations of this phrase have been used by Christians for centuries as a form of imitatio dei, the imitation of God, it gained much greater currency following Charles Sheldon's 1896 book, In His Steps which was subtitled "What Would Jesus Do?".
Sheldon's novel grew out of a series of sermons he delivered in his Congregationalist church in Topeka, Kansas. Unlike the previous nuances mentioned above, Sheldon's theology was shaped by a commitment to Christian Socialism. The ethos of Sheldon's approach to the Christian life was expressed in this phrase "What Would Jesus Do", with Jesus being a moral example rather than a Saviour figure. Sheldon's ideas coalesced with those that formed into the Social Gospel espoused by Walter Rauschenbusch. Indeed Rauschenbusch acknowledged that his Social Gospel owed its inspiration directly to Sheldon's novel, and Sheldon himself identified his own theology with the Social Gospel.
In this popular novel (it had been translated into 21 languages by 1935), Rev. Henry Maxwell encounters a homeless man who challenges him to take seriously the imitation of Christ. The homeless man has difficulty understanding why, in his view, so many Christians ignore the poor:
"I heard some people singing at a church prayer meeting the other night,
'All for Jesus, all for Jesus,
All my being's ransomed powers,
All my thoughts, and all my doings,
All my days, and all my hours.'
"and I kept wondering as I sat on the steps outside just what they meant by it. It seems to me there's an awful lot of trouble in the world that somehow wouldn't exist if all the people who sing such songs went and lived them out. I suppose I don't understand. But what would Jesus do? Is that what you mean by following His steps? It seems to me sometimes as if the people in the big churches had good clothes and nice houses to live in, and money to spend for luxuries, and could go away on summer vacations and all that, while the people outside the churches, thousands of them, I mean, die in tenements, and walk the streets for jobs, and never have a piano or a picture in the house, and grow up in misery and drunkenness and sin."
This leads to many of the novel's characters asking, "What would Jesus do?" when faced with decisions of some importance. This has the effect of making the characters embrace more seriously Christianity and to focus on what they see as its core—the life of Christ.
In the novel men and women respond in different ways: in contrast to the men who vow never to act without asking what Jesus would do, the women's task is self sacrificial, for example a singer gives up her voice, both in the sense of yielding her singing to the cause and in the sense of silencing the individual expression of her personality.[1]
In 2005, Garry Wills wrote "What Jesus Meant," in which he examined "What Would Jesus Really Do" (also a book review in Esquire Magazine). The expression has become a snowclone, often for humorous effect. For example, What Would Jesus Buy?, What Would Brian Boitano Do?, "What Would Shinoda Do?" Written By The Members of the Silver League (Referring to Mike Shinoda) or "What Would Johnny Cash Do?" (particularly fitting for the Jesus Christ initials)
The novel also started a grassroots phenomenon originating in Holland, Michigan that spread nationwide in the 1990's among Christian youth groups studying it or wearing bracelets bearing the initials.
If life begins at "40" then i guess one was being concieved all this while .Everyday is a birth experience !
Woman:"As light divides itself from darkness, so does woman possess the gift to divide in man good intent from the thought of evil. Your best thoughts must belong to woman. Gather from them your moral strength, which you must possess to sustain your near ones. Do not humiliate her, for therein you will humiliate yourselves. And all which you will do to mother, to wife, to widow or to another woman in sorrow-that shall you also do for the Spirit."
"Miracles made their appearance from the very day when the world was created. He who cannot behold them is deprived of the greatest gift of life"
Happy Sunday !
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Before I Self Destruct50 Cent's fourth studio album, BEFORE I SELF DESTRUCT, is in stores NOW and available on the iTunes Store and other online outlets. The LP features the smash single "BABY BY ME" with Neyo and appearances from Eminem, R. Kelly and more!The album / DVD movie package features Before I Self Destruct : The Movie, a gritty street tale written, produced, and directed by 50 Cent. The 3 Disc deluxe package includes the movie and also features the documentary 2 Turntables and a Mic, the story of one of 50's mentors, the late great Jam Master Jay.Selling more than 30 million albums worldwide, 50 Cent continues his phenomenal rise from street culture hero to pop culture icon.
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Super Eagles soar in FIFA rankingsBy Tunde EludiniNovember 20, 2009 07:23PMTThough not seeded as one of the top countries in next year's Nations Cup in Angola, the Super Eagles of Nigeria moved up ten notches in the FIFA rankings released on Friday.The Super Eagles are now ranked 22nd in the world, a position which takes them to third in Africa as Cameroon remains the continent's highest ranked team in eleventh position just below the world's top ten teams.The display by the Elephants of Cote d' Ivoire in the just concluded World Cup qualifiers accounted for their movement three steps up the ladder to become the 16th best team in World and Africa's 2nd best.The Mambas of Mozambique whose 1-0 victory over Tunisia aided Nigeria's World Cup dreams were also handed a massive 80 points thereby jumping 12 places to 72 in the world and 14th in Africa.Ghana gained only 1 place and are 6th in Africa while Egypt's woes of missing out of the World Cup were compounded as they slipped down the ladder to 5th in Africa and 29th overall with Algeria taking its place At the top, Spain have overtaken Brazil to become the world's top-ranked team. Holland, Italy and Portugal complete the world's top 5.Back
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Posted by 9jabook.com on November 21, 2009 at 6:35am
FG begins payment of N65,000 monthly allowance to ex-militants
By Jimitota Onoyume, with Agency reports
A cross section of Niger Delta Militants who embraced amnesty and surrendered their weapons in Arogbo town
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Each repentant militant is entitled to an allowance of N65,000 per month for the period of rehabilitation.
There are two rehabilitation camps in Rivers and Delta States.
Former militants camped at Aluu, near the University of Port Harcourt, staged a protest on November 16 over non-payment of the arrears of their allowances and alleged neglect by government.
The Media Coordinator of the Amnesty Implementation Committee, Dr Timiebi Koripamo-Agary, said yesterday on phone that the payment commenced earlier in the day.
“As I speak to you, the Federal Government has commenced payment of the arrears owed former militants at various camps in the Niger Delta region.
“Normalcy has also been restored at the Aluu camp, near Port Harcourt,’’ she added.
Koripamo-Agary said government was resolutely committed to the implementation of the post-amnesty programme and would ensure that the former militants were properly rehabilitated.
She declared: “The delay in commencing the rehabilitation programme was caused by the leaders of the former militants.
“At a meeting we held with their leaders, they asked for time to enable them to study the programme. They have not responded and we are still waiting for them,’’ she said.
The Coordinator urged the former militants to exercise restraint and patience, stressing that violence would not achieve anything.
“The former militants should adopt peaceful means of conveying their grievances to government. We appeal to them to remain calm, because the programme is on course,’’ she added.
Ex-militants clash
Meanwhile, some ex-militants yesterday clashed at their Aluu rehabilitation camp yesterday. But for the timely intervention of soldiers on ground, the development would have recorded casualties, some of the ex-militants told Vanguard.
According to the ex-militants, there are about five different groups being quartered at the rehabilitation centre.
They are boys loyal to Prince Amachree aka General Adekunle; boys of General J.J.; Osama Bin-Laden; Soboma George and others.
They said the clash erupted after one of the ex-militant leaders led about 20 boys loyal to him to attack another ex-militant leader at a drinking spot in front of the rehabilitation centre.
According to them, the situation almost degenerated to an orgy of violence but for the timely intervention of soldiers on ground who stepped in to calm frayed nerves.
They said the rehabilitation centre has already been divided along lines. They therefore urged the soldiers on ground to beef up security to avert a repeat of the clash.
Meanwhile, at press time, the ex-militants at the camp were still expecting their allowances.
They said they were assured that they would be paid that yesterday, but as at 5pm when Vanguard called, they said the Major who does the payment was yet to come to the rehabilitation centre.
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It has been revealed how Super Eagles striker, Obafemi Martins, extranvagantly squandered about N3.1 trillions while a player of Newcastle.MartinsadvertisementHis former management company, NVA Management Limited who has dragged the player to court over breach of contarct, told the jury how the player’s account almost went red because of his lifestyle.Obafemi Martins was paid £75,000, but allegedly squandered the earnings on an extravagant lifestyleA former Premiership footballer routinely blew his £75,000 a week wages in a matter of days and was constantly overdrawn, a court was told yesterday.Obafemi, ex-Newcastle striker 25, was paid the handsome salary after he joined the club for a £10million fee in August 2006.But despite his extraordinary earnings, his former management team yesterday claimed they repeatedly bailed him out after his bank account continually slipped into the red.The High Court heard that the Nigerian international player would withdraw £40,000 in cash from his bank account at the end of the week.But that would only last him two days, the court heard, as he topped up with a further £25,000 on the Monday morning.He was always overdrawn and repeatedly relied upon NVA Management Limited to ‘manage his life’, the High Court was told.Martins, who owned several fast cars including a top of the range Porsche 4X4, spent the money funding an extravagant lifestyle of luxurious penthouse homes and fine dining.He is now being sued by his former management company which claims that he still owes them 300,000 for sorting out his finances.He told the court that Martins would withdraw £40,000 for the weekend, followed by another £25,000 on the Monday.‘Despite earning these vast sums of money he was constantly overdrawn,’ added Mr Tennink.He said the firm, which looks after the affairs of several footballers, film and music stars, said that Martins had agreed to pay them for simply managing his life.It was under their stewardship that Martins agreed a £2million image rights deal ‘simply for being Mr Martins’.It’s claimed Martins was constantly overdrawn despite earning £75,000-a-weekHe also had lucrative sponsorship deals with various companies including Pepsi and Nike but had not been paid.When the company stepped in to run his affairs they sorted the unpaid contracts, bringing in thousands of pounds.They also organised visas when he travelled to Italy, where he once played for Inter Milan, and sorted out his passport, his mortgage and property valuations.They even arranged critical illness cover and were constantly running up and down the motorway from their London offices to Newcastle in a bid to do all that he required.‘But surely these were things a secretary could do?’ asked Judge Richard Seymour QC, referring to the size of fees charged.‘It was a Jeeves-type of role that they performed.’Mr Tennink protested that managing every aspect of his life was just part of what they did, and asked the judge to bear in mind the sort of figures these players earned.He said Martins had come to them in July 2007 and had agreed a fee of around £300,000 plus 20 per cent of any sponsorship monies they managed to acquire on his behalf.“He asked for these services to be carried out,” Mr Tennink told the court.Before they managed his affairs, Martins had not been paid a penny for his image rights for the use of his name on Newcastle shirts and mugs and had received nothing from his sponsorship deals.He could not even find the contracts he had originally signed, Mr Tennink added.Martins paid the company £67,500 in January last year and another £25,000 in April last year.But the question for the court to decide, said Mr Tennink, was whether there was a ‘binding obligation’ for him to pay the outstanding bill of over £300,000.After Newcastle were relegated from the Premiership last summer Martins was sold for £9million to German Bundesliga Champions Wolfsburg.Martins, who once owned a penthouse apartment overlooking Newcastle’s exclusive Quayside, is fighting the claim.The hearing is scheduled to last for three days.Read more…
Posted by Mikky Webs on November 20, 2009 at 6:06am
With no doubt whatsoever, the crisis in the Niger Delta is traceable and contributed to poor leadership and neglects by the Nigerian Government.The Niger Delta region is at the South Southern Part of Nigeria facing the Atlantic Ocean by the South via the Gulf of Guinea and the Cameroonian cities by the East. The Niger Delta Region is rich in mineral resources like crude oil and natural gas, arable and fertile land for farming and for rearing of animal. The people in this region are of various cultures and languages and industrious as well.More so, the Niger Delta region is best locations for tourist attractions and investments due to excellent weather and serene environment. It is point blank the region every tourist would like to visit and the treasure base of the Nigerian nation and no wonder international companies thrive in the region.Development in the Niger DeltaThe development in the Niger Delta Region is very discouraging and stunt since the inception of the Democratic dispensation in Nigeria headed by the former president Olusegun Obasanjo. The rate of insecurity and mostly unemployment of from the Niger Delta and the poor leadership in the Nigerian nation led to the coalition of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Niger Delta State (MAND) or rather nation which has been in existence for quite sometimes now. They feel marginalised and are fighting the government of Nigeria with the aim of being emancipated from cruelty practiced by the Nigerian Government. Hence the issue of the Niger Delta Region in Nigeria has for some time now remained untreated and neglected by the Nigerian Government.Check the neccessary measures to hit the point here:Read more…
Posted by Mikky Webs on November 20, 2009 at 5:52am
Click here to read the main articleThis will certainly interest you if you are writing a business projection/proposal.Before getting into business one should ask a warm up questions like:1. What is the type of business?2. How will I be classified?3. What is the purpose of this plan?4. Who are our target audience?5. How can we use the plan to advance?6. What market need are we satisfying?7. How is my approach better than existing products and services?8. My time table to get my offering to the marketplace.Click here to read the main articleTIPSBe sure of these tips if you are writing a business projection/proposal.1. Approach to be market driven rather than products driven.Investors are only interested on how the product will be received in the market.2. Quality is the competition.3. Present your distribution plan to the targeted audience.4. Exploit you company uniqueness. (Like traded secret)5. Emphasis to be on management strength.6. Present attractive projections – be realistic in you market data.7. Show possible funding source because banks interest always lies on stability, security, cash flow coverage & fund return8. Close with a bang – drive home your points that you are offering a good deal.“Until you are able to say where your money goes you are not qualified to handle money”Click here to read the main articleA MUST HAVE FOR ENTREPRENEURS1. Intelligent, brilliant and has potentials2. Has a forward looking disposition towards the market prospects3. Believe God is more or his side than with anyone else4. Is faced by the twin evil of poor basic infrastructures, small or no capital.5. Is not attuned to borrowing to leverage.6. May or may not keep adequate recordsClick here to read the main articleSCHEMES FOR THE ENTERPRENEURSThe scheme are mostly credit orientated a few offer capacity building/ training and infrastructure development for entrepreneurs. Some are for export while some are in form of tax incentives owned by state, federal government Private Sector foreign agencies, non governmental organization; schemes for groups, individuals, firms etc. Micro Credit approaches are adopted in certain cases a general problem of poor access to the schemesClick here to read the main articleRead more…
Former Newcastle United striker Obafemi Martins was broke despite earning £75,000 a week, a High Court judge has been told.Martins was "constantly overdrawn" and regularly blew £40,000 in a weekend before withdrawing another £25,000 on Monday, the court heard.The 25-year-old is being sued by his former agent, Chris Nathaniel, whose company NVA claims it managed every aspect of his life and gave him cash advances.NVA say he owes a £284,000 fee plus interest for managing his finances and other areas, and used Nathaniel in what Judge Richard Seymour QC described as "a Jeeves role".Martins signed the a lucrative £75,000-a-week contract when he joined Newcastle from Internazionale for £10 million in 2006.Robert Tennink, the lawyer representing NVA, told the High Court in London: "Despite earning these vast sums of money he was constantly overdrawn."Martins, now of German champions Wolfsburg, owned a multi-million pound mansion in Darras Hall, Northumbria and rented a luxury flat on Newcastle's Quayside. He also had several high-performance cars.The striker is fighting the claim. He was not in court on Thursday and the hearing is scheduled to last for three days.Eurosport
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Posted by Jane Okinedo on November 20, 2009 at 12:30am
Vampire movie New Moon is deviant, says the VaticanVampire movie New Moon has been condemned by the Vatican as a 'deviant moral vacuum.'The latest film in the Twilight saga stars British actor Robert Pattinson as a blood-sucker who falls in love with a beautiful teenage girl.It is based on the hugely popular series of books by Stephanie Meyer, an American Mormon and mother of three. But that means little to the Catholic Church in Italy.This film is nothing more than a moral vacuum with a deviant message and, as such, is something that should be of concern,' said Monsignor Franco Perazzolo, of the pontifical council of culture yesterday.'This theme of vampires in Twilight combines a mixture of excesses that, as ever, is aimed at young people and gives a heavy esoteric element.'Three weeks ago the Vatican condemned Halloween as 'anti-Christian and dangerous' and it urged parents not to dress their children as ghosts, goblins and vampires.Such statements are not likely to dent New Moon's massive box office appeal. The first Twilight movie grossed more than $550million (£330million) in US box office and DVD sales.
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Posted by Jane Okinedo on November 20, 2009 at 12:28am
Friday, November 20, 2009A gang in the Peruvian jungle has been killing people and draining fat from the corpses to sell on the black market for use in cosmetics.Three suspects confessed to killing five people, but the gang may have been involved in dozens more, said Colonel Jorge Mejia, chief of Peru's anti-kidnapping police.Mejia said two of the suspects were arrested carrying bottles of liquid human fat and told police it was worth $60,000 a gallon.The fat was sold to intermediaries in Peru's capital, Lima, and police suspect it was then sold to cosmetic companies in Europe.Medical experts expressed doubt about an international black market for human fat, although it does have cosmetic applications.At a news conference, police showed reporters two bottles of fat recovered from the suspects and a photo of the rotting head of a 27-year-old male victim.Suspect Elmer Segundo Castillejos, 29, led police to the head, recovered in a coca-growing valley last month.Mejia said Castillejos recounted how the gang cut off its victims' heads, arms and legs, removed the organs, then suspended the torsos from hooks above candles that warmed the flesh as fat dripped into tubs below.Six members of the gang remain at large, Mejia said. Among them was the band's alleged leader, Hilario Cudena, 56, who Castillejos told police has been killing people to extract human fat for more than three decades.This year alone, at least 60 people are listed as missing in Huanuco province, where the gang allegedly operated, though the province is also home to drug-trafficking leftist rebels.Human fat is used in anti-wrinkle treatments - but is always extracted from the patient who is being treated, usually from the stomach or buttocks."There would be a risk of immunological reaction that could lead to life-threatening consequences" if fat from someone else were used, said Dr. Neil Sadick, a professor of dermatology at Cornell Weill Medical College in New York.
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