Friday NightMay 24, 2009Friday NightOriginally uploaded by NollywoodForeverFriday Night – 2008Story – Adjoa Van Vicker & Diana MorrisScreenplay – Van VickerDirector – Van VickerStarring:Van Vicker – PapeNana Ama McBrown – MissyLivingston Kwane Lotsu – AndreOmar de 1st – RashidFred Magma Johnson – KobiGloria Osei-Sarfo – AbigailZiggy Nartteyson – GamboPatrick Sarfor – JakeMaame Gyamfua Asibey – BrendaJanet Osei-Sarfo – BerniceNii Offei Dodo – StickGloria Nyarko – AbenaSunita Tetteh – ChristabelEdmond Quarshie – Hotel ManagerBright Alogbaya – SunshineThemes:ProstitutionPimpingMarriageInfidelityMy Rating: 8%This the blurb from the back cover of the movie:Childhood friends Pape, Koby and Rashid, now married have made an outing every Friday Night, a tradition in their lives, even though their wives try to talk them out if it. What they do at these outings is “unimaginable”. Koby has a grudge that he must settle with Pape so he honours a deal with a notorios pimp Jake the Shadow to get one of his whores Missy in trouble to get back at Pape. Missy on the other hand wasnt to buy back her freedom, like her friend Debra in order to pursue a singing career, but Jake has a plan in motion.It was a perfect hook up but on the wrong night.Friday Nights can be freaky.*************SPOILERS*************The reason that I have copied the synopsis fromt the back movie cover is that I could not finish watching this movie, and to the point I had got up to I could not really tell what the general gist of the story was except there was a pimp, some hoes and a dude cheating on his wife.I was looking forward to watching this… Van Vicker’s attempt at writing and directing a movie… I wish I could say that it was a great effort but I can’t. It was torturous watching this absolute drivel. If you look at it the concept isn’t bad but the execution was horrible, a complete waste of a story. I started with an open mind but only 11 minutes in and I was ready to be finished.The begining alone should have contained some scene to draw viewers in and make us want to keep watching, instead we are stuck with a club scene with loud music and no dialogue. I got bored very quickly and my patience was wearing thin but I persevered.We see a scene with Andre in his bedroom in his marital home. One of the girl’s he met from the club the night before calls him on his cell. He starts shouting at her that she shouldn’t have called him. His wife then walks in and he hangs up on her changing the conversation as if he is talking to a business associate that needs to meet up with him urgently. his wife is suspicious and while he is pretending to talk on the phone calls it. Of course it rings and he is BUSTED!So what does he go and tell his wife as his excuse for lying,“It was this stupid girl from the club last night – You know how they are. She said she was lonely.”What kind of idioticness is this? What man is going to say that, a man that is supposedly trying to show that he is sorry. I would imagine they would at least pretend that they were trying to get rid of someone that had been after them for a while. I mean what is a married man doing giving his number to a chick in the club only LAST NIGHT anyway?The wife then does some exaggerated talk to the hand type of gesture. The whole scene is so dreadful, fake and terribly acted.There is another scene that was also kinda weird. The prostitute Missy has run away from her pimp and is in the gym. The camera focuses on her and Brenda. Brenda keeps looking over at Missy and smiling in a suggestive way. It looks to me like Brenda is a lesbian trying to prey on Missy. When the exercise class is over Brenda goes over to Missy and they start talking. The exchange is as if they are strangers, however within minutes they are talking about things that would suggest that contrary to being strangers they actually know each other very well. This is the height of bad execution.Maame Asibey who played Brenda acted like she needed to be in a pantomime. Everything she said was as if there were an exclamation mark after it and her eyebrows were constantly raising as if she were suprised. Nana Ama Mcbrown was decent, but what good is decent with everything else around you being so bad?Half an hour in a gave up and switched it off. Perhaps it gets better but I really didn’t care enough to plough through. I would not recommend this at all. On the plus side Livingston Lotsu (with the dreads) was a nice piece of eye candy.
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Story – Oby Somina OkaforScreenplay – Oby Somina Okafor & Amaechi UkejeDirector – Ugezu J UgezuStarring:Van Vicker – MickyOge Okoye – AliciaEmeka Enyiocha – JoeAndy Chukwu – Pastor FrankCassandra Odita – Mrs DaviesAda Ameh – MabelNnadi Ihuoma – AngelUche Elendu – HavillaTom Njemanze – Micky’s DadIfeanyi Nnaso – BuddyZubby Egwu – BrunoIjeoma Azuka – DPOOkwudili Oguegbu – Angel’s FriendSharon Umoh – Micky’s girlNdidi Diala – Chief WhiteOby Somina Okafor – SosoGloria Mba – EmemAzimma Juliet Eboh – JoanWalta Anga – CharlesSomina Anthony – LucyOluchi Egbuska – MimiMartins Phil Odili – DoctorSylvia Amaso – JaneFugene Odu – MarkThemes Explored:Campus LifeCultismMy Rating – 37%The movie is named after the female cult that feature in the film. They are called the Twilight Sisters, perhaps because most of their cult like ceremonies are performed at twilight, or perhaps not. It is more than likely the makers just thought that the title sounded good. I digress.The leader of the Twilight Sisters is Soso. Soso is in conflict with her boyfriend Joe’s sister, Angel. Angel is continuously battling with Soso to leave her brother alone. She believes that Soso is a bad influence.In a bid to make Angel’s life a misery Soso enlists the help of Charles, a known ladies man. His job is to seduce Angel, make her fall in love and then dump her. The plan backfires and Charles and Angel fall madly and deeply in love, much to the chagrin of Soso.After Charles and Angel fall for each other we see Charles’ ex girlfriend Alicia’s brother Micky goes and threatens Charles to get back with Alicia. He also goes to threaten Soso because he believes she is leading Alicia astray.*************SPOILERS*************We then see Alicia and Mickey who are brother and sister get thrown into jail for Angel’s death. When they come out their mother is dead. On the other hand Soso leaves university but not before her younger cousin Havilla is inducted into the sisterhood by force. It is not long before Havilla turns from a coy church girl into a fearsome campus cultist.Havilla has her eyes on Charles and mkes it her mission to seduce him. When he rebuffs her in anger she beats up Angel causing her death. She then starts seeing Joe and finds out deep into their courtship that Angel is his sister. She is racked with guilt and confesses. She then is thrown into jail and Alicia and Mickey released. It is only at the end of the movie that amends are made between herself and Joe’s family.This one is a campus cultism flick a la Black Bra and War Game. The only difference being that this movie is NOWHERE near as good as the previous two mentioned. This movie was very poorly executed. Too many storylines made it very confusing to watch, and much of it did not seem integral to one central plot. It was just a mish mash of mess.Overall I get the message that was trying to be sent out, which was basically “Whatever is done in darkness shall come to light” but the vehicle in which it was done was shoddy. The sound was bad varying hugely between scenes. The chemistry between members of the sisterhood was not natural and felt false. The dialogue didn’t flow and much of it felt disjointed. It did however get better and pick up slightly in part two as the story began to flow more, and intrigue added to the plot but still the flaws screamed at me like a new born baby seeing light for the first time.There was one scene in particular that I thought was nonsense. Havilla goes to see Soso for the first time and Soso on seeing her with bags in her hands asks her what the bags are for,“My mother bought some things for you.”Please note that Havilla does not give any indication of what is in the bags, and Soso replies,“She shouldn’t have. I don’t really need them.”She then tells her to leave the bags outside on the doorstep. The camera pans over the bags and they are closed, leaving no indication of what is in them so how does this make sense? It would have made more sense for Havilla to have indicated what was in the bags or for a bag to have ripped open accidentally.Van Vicker was cast as a bad boy cultist. How ridiculous! His attempts at playing the tough guy were pathetic. I don’t know if it was the cliché ridden lines he was given or simply his acting. Put simply he was very unconvincing and more comedic that anything else. The majority of the supporting cast were less than mediocre. Uche Elendu and Oby Somina Okafor were the standout performances for me in this movie. They were the only ones that had characters that felt believable and we not addled too much by the poor script and plot.In short I would not recommend this movie. It was a watchable, as in I got to the end of it without slitting my wrists, but it’s best you save your money if you love yourself.
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A policeman attached to Emene Police Station, Enugu, has provoked public outcry following his shooting of a commercial motorcycle operator, Okorie Aneke, last Friday.Okada men live a terrible life and sometimes not only police but strange people murder them in strange locations .See picture at bottom at your own risk ! Terrible slaying of Seirra leone okada driver.An investigation showed that Aneke was riding his motorcycle when he was stopped at a police checkpoint on the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway, Emene.One of the policemen had demanded N500 from him for not using a crash helmet, but the rider had replied that he had no money as he had just left his house to start the day's work. He, however, offered the policemen N90 which was rejected.An argument ensued between Aneke and the policemen and in the course of this, one of the security operatives, an inspector, shot at him.The bullet entered through his back and emerged from the chest leaving the victim gasping for breath as he was soaked with his own blood.To cover up, the killer policeman reportedly hung his rifle on the dying man's neck to give the impression that he was an armed robber.But his plot was frustrated by an eyewitness, Mr. Vincent Obetta, a legal practitioner, who was approaching the checkpoint in his car when the incident happened.The lawyer alighted from his car and insisted that the killer cop must remove the rifle, but he refused.Sensing that tempers were rising as people in the vicinity were gathering, the policemen called their colleagues at Emene Police Station, who, within a few minutes, came in a Hilux patrol van.The policemen were led by the Divisional Crime Officer at the station to the crime scene. The cop told the DCO that he was attacked by Aneke and two unknown assailants who had fled into the bush.He maintained that the assailants wanted to snatch his rifle and in the process, he managed to shoot one of them while the two others fled into the bush.Obetta, however, refuted his claims saying that the okada rider was alone and did not attack the cop. He explained that Aneke was shot while arguing with the other policemen.He said, "The DCO then asked me what I wanted them to do, but I said we should take the victim to the hospital since he was still breathing and he suggested that he should be taken to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, whether his life could still be saved."I also helped in carrying Aneke into the police Hilux van, but he was not taken to the hospital; they drove him to Emene Police Station."Obetta said he went with them to the station where he informed the Divisional Police Officer that Aneke was killed without any provocation.In the course of this, he said a crowd had gathered in front of the station and fearing a mob attack, the policemen fired teargas canisters to disperse the people.Obetta said he had to run away, abandoning his car at the police station. He boarded a commercial motorcycle to the state police headquarters where he demanded to see the Commissioner of Police but was told that he was not in the office.He later met with the officer in charge of the CP Police Monitoring Unit, Mr. Mike Abattam and narrated the story to him.Obetta also met with another team of seven senior officers who were having a meeting. He informed them about the incident and they asked him to give them 20 minutes to discuss the matter.When he was called in, the meeting presided over by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Oguguo, asked him to go back to Emene Police Station to pacify the protesting youths.At the station, he learnt that Aneke's remains had been deposited in a mortuary and his motorcycle recovered and taken to the police headquarters.The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Ebere Amarizu, got many people boiling when he alleged in a radio interview that Aneke was a criminal who, along with two assailants, attempted to snatch a rifle from a policeman.The state police command has, however, doused public anger by promising to investigate the incident.The Assistant Commissioner in charge of the state CID, Mr. Damilola Adebuyi, told journalists on that the commissioner, Mohammed Zarewa, had ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.okada man picture slaughtered in sierra leone by unknown persons .SCROLL DOWN TO SEE PICTURE AT YOUR OWN RISK !Read more…
Fears over safety bridge
THE woman, Mrs. Anu Jegede, had a baby strapped to her back while a toddler of about three or four clutched her right hand.
They were returning from Anthony Village and had to cross the Oshodi pedestrian bridge to get to their Afariogun Street home.
But, mother and kid had stood at the foot of the bridge the last 25 minutes or more waiting.
When The Guardian on Thursday enquired from her why she would not continue her journey across the footbridge, she answered:
"There are too many people on the bridge. There is hardly enough space for people to walk. People shuffle and step on each other's toes or feet and it takes longer than necessary to get to the other side.
" For one thing, the crowd is so thick I am afraid they can suffocate my children.
"Secondly, there are so many people on it at the same time, I am worried that the bridge may collapse. I do not know whether it can carry such weight."
Many other Lagosians who have observed the Oshodi pedestrian bridge go from underused to the present situation where it is always overcrowded, also share the woman's fears.
"When street traders were at the rail tracks, not many bothered to use the footbridge that linked the two sides of Oshodi," a transport union official, Kunle Adebayo, told The Guardian last Thursday.
"It was more convenient to cross the rail lines. But that is no longer convenient because the Environmental Task Force and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) officials always arrest those who do not use the footbridges. "People have also realised it is safer and better to use the footbridge, which has led to overcrowding and fears that it may not be able to carry the weight."
The scene that has led some Lagosians to still prefer a dash across the highway, as was obvious on Thursday.
The crowd was so thick people got stuck for several seconds, standing where they were.
Movement came to a standstill, leaving the pedestrians pushing to give themselves breathing space. Even as some people were pushing from behind, others were shoving backwards from the front. Some who could not withstand the pushing and shoving, fell down.
"It was a miracle nobody was trampled to death," Adebayo later said.
Such fears forced Mrs. Jegede and others to call on government to intervene before a tragedy occurs.
" Many people who witness the jam decide to wait until the traffic eases.
But usually, instead of easing, the number continues to swell as more people in their haste to get to their destinations rush in and worsen the chaos," Adebayo said.
Not even the presence of one or two traffic wardens at both ends of the pedestrian bridge was able to stem the rush.
Worst hit were those who carried heavy loads while children strapped to their mothers' backs were crying because of the heat and stuffy atmosphere?
Many regretted having ventured on to the bridge at all since they could neither move forward with ease or even retreat and get off the bridge, heightening their worries that the weight may be too much for the structure.
As if aware that pedestrian traffic on the bridge would increase tremendously, the Lagos State government soon after driving away traders from Oshodi, reinforced the bridge with several pillars.
But neither the pillars nor the presence of traffic wardens seem to have brought much confidence to many users who want a controlled movement across the bridge.
"It is possible to regulate the flow of people across the flyover, one of the traffic wardens told The Guardian.
"Everybody knows Lagosians are impatient, but that notwithstanding, the safety of lives is more important than reaching wherever one is going to a few minutes later."
One of the pedestrians on Thursday, Kelvin Ekedi, said even with the newly constructed pillars, he still did not consider the bridge strong enough to carry such an enormous crowd.
"The people are too many and how do we know the weight won't be too much?
Do you not see that they added some pillars?
That shows the pedestrian bridge may already be weak or too old. Let them find a permanent solution," he said.
What is happening at Oshodi and elsewhere may signify a growing acceptance among Lagosians to use the footbridges across the metropolis and thus, avoid the fines slapped on them by KAI officials.
Pedestrian bridges at Ojota, Cele Express, Onipanu and Palm Grove, Yaba, Orile and Five Star Bus Stop are now being put to use by Lagosians.
However, students of Lagos State Polytechnic at Iyana Isolo have called on the government to provide them the pedestrian bridge they had been clamouring for in the area.
Although there is a provision made on the fly over across the expressway for pedestrians, most people make a dash for it, which has caused several casualties.
According to one of them, Taiye Olorunwa, "It is true that there is walkway on the flyover but if government can drop a pedestrian walkway on both sides of the flyover at both end of the expressway, then most of us will use it rather than face the daily risk of crossing the expressway."
In a similar vein, Peter Ogachi, a trader in Oshodi has also called on the government to construct a pedestrian bridge at Oshodi Oke saying: "It is imperative that a pedestrian bridge be built at Oshodi Oke.
Several people had been killed while trying to cross the road"
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Stars From 'The Terminator': Then & Now May 22nd, 2009 Christian Bale in 'Terminator Salvation' Backstage meltdowns aside, we're excited to see "Terminator Salvation." The fourth film in the "Terminator" franchise (now released 25 years after the original) looks like it's going to live up to its predecessors in terms of post-apocalyptic plot and state-of-the-art visual effects. But it fills us with nostalgia for the cast of the first three films and makes us wonder, "Where are they now?"See "The Terminator" Stars Through the Years >>Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Schwarzenegger: Then T-800 in "The Terminator," "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," and "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines"The bodybuilder-turned-actor had pretty much only appeared onscreen with an oiled chest or a loincloth before he was cast in the title role of "The Terminator." That one film launched an epic action star and gave us one of the greatest tag lines in movie history. Say it with us: "I'll be back." And he was -- for two "Terminator" sequels -- the only actor to appear in all of the first three films.Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Schwarzenegger: Now The Terminator is now the Governator. The Republican took office in California following a recall election in 2003 and was re-elected in 2006. There are rumors of a Senate run in 2010, but Arnold's Austrian birth precludes him from a bid for the Oval Office, barring any significant (and once-rumored) changes to the Constitution. In the meantime the movie star hasn't given up acting altogether. While running the state and balancing budgets, Arnold found time to make an appearance in 2010's "The Expendables," written, directed by, and starring his pal Sylvester Stallone along with fellow action stars Jet Li and Dolph Lundgren.Corey Feldman Linda Hamilton: Then Sarah Connor in "The Terminator," "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," and Terminator Salvation (voice only)After a string of TV appearances, including the soap "Secrets of Midland Heights" and a starring role in the cult classic "Children of the Corn," Linda Hamilton became a silver-screen success in "The Terminator." Between "T1" and "T2" she scored on the small screen as well with her Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated role of Catherine Chandler on "Beauty and the Beast." She left the series in 1989 and, we can only imagine, spent all her time pumping iron -- lots of it -- to get those incredibly cut arms she sported in "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." All the hard work paid off: Linda took home two of pop-culture's highest honors, the 1992 MTV Movie Awards for Best Female Performance and Most Desirable Female.Linda Hamilton Linda Hamilton: NowLinda's worked consistently since her "Terminator" films but has yet to enjoy another major success (and before you start posting your comments, NO, we do not consider "Dante's Peak" a success). Her most intense dramatic role in the '90s, however, was the one she played in her divorce from director James Cameron. The two had met while filming "T1," worked together again on "T2," and were married in 1997. He even offered her a part in a little film he was working on called "Titanic." But she turned down the part of Molly Brown, and it went to Kathy Bates instead. Maybe if Linda had been on the set every day her marriage wouldn't have hit an iceberg in the form of Suzy Amis (who played Lizzy Calvert in the film). When Hamilton learned of her husband's affair, she filed for divorce. Her settlement was of titanic proportions: roughly $50 million.Michael Biehn Michael Biehn: Then Kyle Reese in The TerminatorMichael Biehn had been steadily climbing the Hollywood ladder for seven years, with appearances on "James at 15" and "Family" and film work in "The Fan" and "The Lords of Discipline." But he got his big break in '84 as the hero in the mega-action flick, "The Terminator." He would surely be the breakout star. After all, he was the handsome good guy, and the other dude, who played the villain, was some bodybuilder/cult-movie actor with an unpronounceable name and only 17 lines of dialogue. And yet 25 years later we had to struggle to remember Michael Biehn's name. And Arnold -- well, he doesn't even need that unpronounceable surname any more.Michael Biehn Michael Biehn: NowBiehn followed "Terminator" with roles in James Cameron's "Aliens" and "The Abyss" and a few more movies before turning to TV. There he seemed to land one short-lived series after another, including "The Magnificent Seven," "Adventure Inc.," and "Hawaii." All the while he never quite found that next big role. We're not sure if any of his upcoming films will help him break back into the mainstream, but with parts like Policeman in "Young Americans" and Detective Marling in "Psych 9," we have our doubts.Edward Furlong Edward Furlong: Then As John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment DayFurlong was not an aspiring child star when casting director Mali Finn noticed him at the Boys Club of Pasadena and asked if he'd like to audition for the new "Terminator" movie. Nonetheless, he won the role of John Connor and seemed to be on the path to big-budget movie superstardom.Edward Furlong Edward Furlong: Now After "T2," Furlong took parts in indie and edgy films like "Pecker" and "American History X," avoiding the big-budget blockbusters that had thrust him into the spotlight. Although he was considered to reprise John Connor in "T3," he turned it down. Eddie hasn't stopped working, but that hasn't kept him out of personal trouble. Known to have drug and alcohol problems, Furlong has had several run-ins with the law, including two separate DUI incidents in 2001 and an arrest in 2004 for drunkenly trying to remove lobsters from a Kentucky grocery store in the name of animal rights.Robert Patrick Robert Patrick: Then T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment DayUnless you were a big fan of "Warlords of Hell," "Killer Instinct," or "Future Hunters," you probably hadn't heard of Robert Patrick before "Terminator 2." But he'll go down in movie history as the first guy to really morph before our very eyes (OK, we know the first morphing was done in "Willow" and that Cameron used the effect in "The Abyss"; settle down, visual effects fans), back and forth between a lock-jawed cop and a shiny silver snake. He didn't say much. He didn't need to. His steely stare was chilling.Robert Patrick Robert Patrick: NowRobert's appeared in two or three movies a year since his "T2" breakthrough, including "Rosewood" and "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle." He was also a regular on the TV series "The X Files" and "The Unit." Busy guy. This year will be no different: he's got four movies slated for release, including "The Men Who Stare at Goats" and "Freedom for Joe."Nick Stahl Nick Stahl: Then John Connor in Terminator 3: Rise of the MachinesThe 24-year-old Stahl was already a veteran actor when he was cast as John Connor in "Terminator 3." From his first gig in the TV movie "Stranger at My Door" at age 12 to his first acclaimed performance, alongside Mel Gibson, in "The Man Without a Face," to his Screen Actors Guild nomination (Best Ensemble Performance) for "In the Bedroom," Stahl was without a doubt a promising young actor. So it's not surprising that he beat out more high-profile young stars like Shane West for "T3."Nick Stahl Nick Stahl: NowStahl followed his "T3" turn as a series regular on HBO's cult-classic series "Carnivale." He went on to a string of movies, including "Sin City" and "My One and Only," and has six films due in 2009: "In NorthWood," "Kalamity," "Burning Palms," "The Speed of Thought," "Everything Will Happen Before You Die," and "The Chameleon."Claire Danes Claire Danes: Then Kate Brewster in Terminator 3: Rise of the MachinesMaybe it was her role as introspective teen Angela Chase on "My So-Called Life" or her turn as Juliet to Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo in Baz Luhrmann's ultra-hip retelling of the ultimate Shakespearean romance, but we were shocked when Claire Danes was cast in one of the biggest action movies of all time. We know she'd played an undercover cop in the film adaptation of "The Mod Squad," but could she compare to the ultra-tough everywoman, Linda Hamilton? Big shoes to fill, but she did just fine.Claire Danes Claire Danes: NowAfter "T3," Danes returned to more subdued roles, such as Mirabelle in Steve Martin's quirky love story "Shopgirl" and Julie Morton in the Sarah Jessica Parker Christmas tale, "The Family Stone." Off-screen her life was far more interesting. First she dated Aussie indie darling Ben Lee for almost six years (before he went on to marry Ione Skye). Then she got wrapped up with her "Stage Beauty" co-star, Billy Crudup. That would have been OK, but Billy was living with his pregnant girlfriend, Mary-Louse Parker, at the time, and he left her just two months before their baby was born to be with Claire. But in a perfect turn of celebrity love karma, Danes dumped Billy for her "Evening" co-star, Hugh Dancy. This seems to be the end of Claire's love rollercoaster -- she and Hugh were engaged in February.Kristanna Loken Kristanna Loken: Then T-X in Terminator 3: Rise of the MachinesLoken's stunning good looks landed her a slew of TV guest spots ("Law & Order," "Lois & Clark," and "Just Shoot Me!" to name a few) and roles on shows like "Unhappily Ever After, "Mortal Kombat: Conquest," and "D.C." But that one big film part had eluded her, until she was cast as the Terminatrix in "Terminator 3."Kristanna Loken Kristanna Loken: ThenAfter "T3," Loken returned to her TV roots as a regular on "Ring of the Nibelungs," "Painkiller Jane," and "The L Word." But she heads back to the big screen in two very different movies this year: the comedy "The Legend of Awesomest Maximus," co-starring Will Sasso and Ian Ziering, and the drama "Darfur," co-starring another "Terminator" alum, Eddie Furlong.James Cameron James Cameron: Then Director of "The Terminator," "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," James Cameron had only written and directed one film prior to "The Terminator," a low low-budget (we're talking $20,000 low) short called "Xenogenesis" that was allegedly funded by a group of dentists. Hey, if four out of five dentists recommend this guy, who wouldn't give him a shot at a big action movie? But shockingly, "T1" wasn't that big of a financial risk. The film cost only $6.4 million to make and went on to earn almost $80 million worldwide. Now that would put a smile on any studio executive's face.James Cameron James Cameron: NowCameron has gone on to become one of the most innovative and financially successful directors of all time. He pushed the visual effects boundaries not only in the "Terminator" franchise but also in such films as "Aliens" and "The Abyss." And his 1997 epic, "Titanic," still holds the #1 all-time box office spot, with a $1.8 billion take despite the onslaught of "Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter" movies that have vied for the position. There are also high hopes for Cameron's next sci-fi blockbuster, "Avatar," currently in post-production and due out December 18.
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Justice Africa
working for peace and rights in Africa
Dr Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, the most irrepressible Pan Africanist of his generation,
died in Nairobi on 24 May 2009. His friends and colleagues are stunned at the loss of a
man who was so full of life and humour, such a determined Afro-optimist, and such a
devoted father to his children, Aisha and Aida. Africa is impoverished by his untimely
death.
Tajudeen was born in Funtua, Katsina State, Nigeria, in 1961. His commitment to his
home town and family remained undimmed throughout his life. He was educated at
Government Schools in Funtua from where he went to Bayero University, Kano, where
he graduated with a first class honours degree. He was winner of the Nigerian
Government’s Merit Award as the best student of Political Science between 1980-82 at
Bayero University.
After his National Youth Service, Tajudeen applied for a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford. He challenged the selection committee by dressing in traditional style for his interview and exam and demanding why they should want to associate someone like him with the name of the grand imperialist, Cecil Rhodes. To the credit of the Rhodes Scholarship, they selected him and Tajudeen spent three years at St. Peter's College, Oxford, writing his DPhil degree in politics. While there, he invigorated the Africa Society (serving as president) and injected his
unique mix of humour, anecdote, sharp political analysis and enthusiastic optimism into the university’s African debates. Tajudeen was engaged in an astonishing range of African and anti-imperial activities including the Pan African Movement, the All African Anti-Imperialist Youth Front, the Movement for Awareness and Advancement, the Anti-Apartheid Movement, the Save the Sharpeville Six Campaign and several magazines including the Africa Research and Information Bureau (ARIB).
Tajudeen was an energetic journalist and writer, commenting regularly on
contemporary Africa in newspapers, magazines, journals and radio. Those who knew him cannot forget his rapid one-fingered typing, bold and articulate and immediately dispatched into the public realm without a spell-check. He was fearless in denouncing hypocrisy or abuses wherever he encountered them, from whatever quarter. He was as resolute in condemning the violations of Africa’s dictators and warlords as he was in pointing the finger at the double standards of international agencies and the shortcomings of Africa’s would-be
liberators.
Tajudeen’s candid lack of guile and good humour enabled him to say things that for many others were unsayable, and to ask the most difficult questions without provoking defensiveness. At the time of the constitutional referendum in Zimbabwe, he demanded of the government, “what happens if you lose?” and of the opposition, “what happens if you win?”, discovering that neither had planned for this. He castigated his Pan Africanist allies in government without hesitation when they fell short. When told that Kofi Annan had won the Nobel Peace Prize he famously retorted, “For what?”
Tajudeen broadcast for the BBC's World Service Programmes on Africa both in Hausa and English and Voice of America (VOA). He was editor of the journal, Africa World Review and edited the book Pan Africanism in the 21st Century (Pluto Press, 1996) which included contributions from the OAU Secretary General, Dr Salim Ahmed Salim, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Professor Horace Campbell and other leading figures in the Pan African Movement. Tajudeen wrote many academic and specialist journals, including Review of African Political Economy (ROAPE), Journal of African Marxists (JAM), Southern Africa Political Economy Monthly (SAPEM), New Internationalist, and International Journal of Development.
He became widely known for his regular column Tajudeen's Thursday Postcard for Uganda's largest selling national newspaper, The New Vision, which was syndicated in a number of other African newspapers such as The Weekly Mirror (Harare), The Daily News (Harare) The Weekly (Dar es Salaam), The Weekly Trust (Kaduna) and occasionally in the Business Day
(Johannesburg). Tajudeen was also a columnist for the journal, Democracy and Development, published by the Centre for Democracy and Development, of which he chaired the International Governing Council.
Tajudeen lectured at a number of colleges including the School of Oriental and African
Studies (SOAS), London and Goldsmith College London and several universities in the USA. He was a visiting UNESCO professor at the Centre for Global Studies, University of Trier, Germany. Beneath his exuberant public persona and wit, he levelled incisive analysis and a sound elaboration of the political economy of African crisis. Tajudeen’s lectures were always unforgettable due to his refreshing honesty, command of language and superb sense of dramatic timing. Speaking to a human rights conference in the UN conference centre in Addis Ababa in 1996 on the then-unfolding war in Zaire, the electricity suddenly went off and he declaimed, “Even speaking of Mobutu makes the lights go out!” In the same hall a few years later he challenged Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, noting that European and American delegates to the conference could get an Ethiopian visa at the airport—but not Africans. “How can this happen in the capital of Africa?” he demanded. Prime Minister Meles said that no answer could match the passion of Tajudeen’s questioning. A couple of weeks later the Ethiopian government waived visa regulations for African delegates to international conferences.
In 1992 Tajudeen was appointed General-Secretary for the Secretariat organizing the Seventh Pan African Congress in Kampala, Uganda. Held in 1994 with delegates from 47 countries, this was the largest Pan African gathering for twenty years. The theme was 'Africa: Facing the Future in Unity, Social Progress and Democracy'.
But the Congress was overshadowed by the unfolding genocide in Rwanda. A delegation from the Pan African Movement travelled with the RPF to Rwanda, falling into an ambush near Kigali from which Tajudeen was lucky to escape unscathed. Thereafter, he was closely involved in the Pan African mobilization to respond to the crisis in the Great Lakes and Zaire—though he became critical of the record of the liberation movements in power and
at the time of his death was working on a historical account and political analysis of the liberators and where they had gone astray.
Tajudeen often bemoaned the fact that so many of the giants of African liberation had passed away without writing their memoirs, and that the treasures of Africa’s history, as forged by Africans and written by Africans, were passing without record. It is a sad irony that much of his own life will remain insufficiently recorded, though still vibrant in the memories of his innumerable friends.
Tajudeen was a Director of Justice Africa, Chairperson for the Pan African Development
Education and Advocacy Programme (PADEAP) and Chair of the International
Governing Council of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD). He joined the
United Nations as its coordinator for outreach on the Millennium Development Goals in
Africa, and was living and working from a base in Nairobi in recent years.
Tajudeen never allowed his critical sense degenerate into cynicism or disillusion. His
confidence in Africa and Africans to resolve their problems, whatever the setbacks, was
always undimmed. His untimely death leaves a vacuum of human energy and hope that will be difficult to fill.
Tajudeen was married to Mounira Chaieb and has two daughters, Aisha and Aida, to whom he was completely devoted. Our thoughts are with them in their inconsolable loss.
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Detectives at the Lagos State Police Command are now trying to unravel how a secondary school student killed his colleague during a fight.The incident, which happened at Olodi-Apapa, Lagos, on Friday, was said to have caused a great commotion in the area.It was learnt that two male students (names withheld) of Reservation Senior Secondary School, Tolu complex, Olodi Apapa, had a brawl.The fight between both students occurred at about 2pm, shortly after the school closed and the students were on their way home.It could not be ascertained what led to the fight, but the students were said to be on Ojoku Street, where the fight broke out.During the fight, one of the students allegedly picked a big stone and threw it at his colleague.The stone, it was gathered, landed on the stomach of the victim, who was already on the ground.Our correspondent learnt that the unfortunate boy (also 14 years old) fainted immediately the stone hit him.Sympathisers at the scene were said to have rushed the boy to Ajeromi General Hospital for medical attention.It was, however, sad news for the boy‘s family when the doctors at the hospital confirmed him dead.The corpse was said to have been deposited to a mortuary pending the result of an autopsy to be carried out.Spokesman for the police in Lagos, Mr. Frank Mba, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Sunday.Mba said the police had arrested the culprit and he was still being kept in police custody until the outcome of an investigation into the case.Meanwhile, it was learnt that the school and parents of the students were collaborating with the police to settle the matter.
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Teachers in Ondo State have called off their proposed strike, following the agreement by the state Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, to pay the 27.5 per cent enhanced Teachers Salary Structure with effect from July 1.Skip to next paragraphthenewsng.comOndo State Governor, Dr. Segun MimikoThe development was contained in a statement made available to our correspondent on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi.The NUT in Ondo State had through its chairman Mr. Ojo Fanimokun, directed its members to begin an indefinite strike from Monday (today).But the planned strike was called off due to the success of the negotiation between Mimiko and the teachers.The statement reads in part, “In the circular signed with the state government on Saturday morning, it was agreed that the implementation of the TSS takes effect nominally from January 2009 while financial benefits commence on July 1, 2009.”The governor had blamed the steady dwindling of federal allocation to the state due to the global economic crisis to delay in the implementation of the increment.Mimiko also said that, “Actual income has gone down since January this year. As at January, we had N1.3bn, it went down to N1.034bn in February; by March, it plummeted to N925.18m; this further went down to N867m by April.“Indeed, in the month of February, N111m had to be taken from the capital savings to augment, this rose to N278m in March and had gone to N310m in April.“The situation was so bad that as at April this year, no local government council has enough money to pay teachers.”The state Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Mr. Olusola Adejutelegan, commended the governor for acceding to the demand of the teachers.He assured the governor that the teachers would also double their efforts in discharging their duties to restore the state’s lost glory in education.
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The police in Nsukka have arrested a Catholic priest, (name withheld) for allegedly kidnapping a woman and demanding N4m ransom.The suspect, who is the priest of a parish of the Catholic Church, Nsukka, was arrested on Friday by the Nsukka Divisional Police and transferred to the state Anti-robbery Squad, Enugu, for further investigations.Our correspondent gathered that the husband of the woman, Chief Reminus Okenyi, had reported the kidnap of his wife to the police on Wednesday when he saw her car in front of his house with just her bag and mobile telephone in the car.Not long after, he received a telephone call from number 07088619479 and he was asked if he had any problem with the priest who was his cousin. The caller thereafter asked him to make N4m available if he wanted his wife back.Reminus promised to pay the money, but instead reported to the police who went after the cleric. The investigators visited priest’s residence, but he was not found for two days.He was, however, arrested at the police station where he came to drop a petition for the Inspector-General of Police.A police source said the suspect had confessed to the crime and also gave useful information that aided the rescue of the kidnapped woman.The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Nsukka Urban Police Station, Mr. Ike Mba, confirmed the involvement and arrest of the Catholic Church priest to our correspondent on Sunday.He stated that the suspect had been transferred to the SARS for further investigations and prosecution.Meanwhile, the Assistant Commissioner in charge of the SCID, Mr. Damilola Adegbuyi, has defended Mba over allegations that he was abetting criminals in the area.Adegbuyi explained that the recent protest against the DPO was politically motivated, describing Mba as a disciplined officer who had worked hard to reduce crime in Nsukka area of the state.
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From Lemmy Ughegbe, AbujaIT was a sad end for an Ibadan-based panel beater, Mr. Emmanuel Olabode yesterday as the Supreme Court affirmed his death sentence for burning an apprentice, Kehinde Omotanwa to death about eight years ago.The Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division had on March 26, 2007 upheld the decision of an Oyo State High Court, which sentenced Olabode to death by hanging.In his bid to escape the hangman's noose, Olabode approached the apex court, praying it to upturn his conviction and the consequent death penalty passed on him.But in a unanimous decision of the five-man panel, the court held that the appeal lacked merit and accordingly dismissed it.In the lead judgment prepared by Justice Pius Aderemi, he espoused the facts of the case thus: "On the 18th of March, 2001, at the deceased's workshop at New Garage Area, Orita Challenge, Ibadan, Oyo State, where he (deceased) was an apprentice mechanic under one Adeleke Balogun, who testified as prosecution witness 1, the accused, a panel beater, poured petrol on the deceased and set him ablaze."Consequently, the deceased sustained severe burns all over his body. On seeing that the deceased was burning, the accused hastily left the scene of the incident and went to hide himself somewhere unknown."The deceased was taken to Adeoyo State Hospital, Ibadan where he was admitted for medical treatment."At a point in time after the incident, the accused surfaced in the hospital to see the deceased on admission for treatment. There, he undertook, in writing, to be responsible for the medical bill of the deceased, the written undertaking was tendered in the course of the proceedings."However the deceased died after 14 days thereafter."Justice Aderemi recounted further that after the demise of Omotanwa, the accused was charged for murder contrary to and punishable under section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Volume 11, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 1978.He pleaded not guilty to the charge. But after taking evidence from eyewitnesses, the High Court convicted him and sentenced him to death by hanging. He appealed to the Court of Appeal, Ibadan but lost.Olabode finally appealed to the Supreme Court, which he told that the charge was not well explained to him at the trial stage.On that issue, Justice Aderemi said: "I have had a careful reading of the whole record of proceedings. I also find nothing suggesting that the accused did not understand the charge when read and explained to him."In fact, there is on record that the accused was educated up to the school certificate level."In conclusion, for all I have said, this appeal in my judgment is unmeritorious. It must be dismissed and it is accordingly dismissed. The judgment of the court below affirming the conviction and the sentence passed on the appellant by the trial court is also affirmed here
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EXCLUSIVE INSIDE ASO ROCK
Written by Jide Ajani Sunday Vanguard and Adapted by Weboga and Akin Osunlaja pimpmynaija.com
Is Yaradua a Strange man ? is he one of those eccentric Teachers we all remmeber in school (yoruba were or kolo mine was my Art Teacher Mr Isuosuo we used to call him tolotolo because of his long neck .My apologies sir but that your cane no dey rest )
Lets come back to the the number one Teacher in naija and the First gentleman as rumors abound that Turai his beautiful wife wears the sokoto or trousers in Aso rock.They are rumours please, no one should conclude. .
Ok some People get the "Idea" that 9jabooks pimomynaija Editors& bloggers dont Like The HNIC (head Naija in charge ) But that is not true . We always try to give a fair judgement of the man.His health, his reputation and Above all his Suitability for office .Our friends at Sunday Vanguard have a very different view from this piece below.For a second one might think They were talking about Obama !
READ ON all comments with (PMP Pimp My President is from Us ) ! Enjoy !
This report presents insiders’ accounts of how President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has been running the affairs of state, depicting true life situations, inside Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja. This report was pieced together using words of very close presidential aides and former ministers. This is by no means an endorsement of Yar’Adua’s presidential style as he is known to operate a close-knit administration it is, however, an attempt to open him up to Nigerians.( pmp:Thanks E be li ke say dem don settle you )
WAITING TO SEE MR. PRESIDENT
State Governors Come And See-O
Just last Tuesday, May 20, 2009, some state governors experienced what it meant to wait to see President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. The day depicted a typical day in presidential affairs.
In the last two weeks, the earliest time the President has closed from office, according to sources inside Aso rock Presidential Villa is about 8.15pm.
In fact, many governors have had to sit all day waiting for him.
After last Tuesday’s National Economic Council, NEC, meeting, presided over by Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, some of the state governors made a push to see President Yar’Adua.
Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State, Peter Obi, Anambra State Governor, and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, wanted to have an audience with him.
All three of them had to contend with the hectic schedule of the President.(PMP some schdule ! who is his secretary that governors have to wait for him have they not heard of appointments before ?)
ANOTHER MEETING IN THE VILLA
Yar’Adua’s Charge To Power Minister
Earlier, in late March, President Yar’Adua made an unusual confession to the effect that he “can hardly sleep again because of the power situation”. It was immediately after this that he gave a blank cheque to Lanre Babalola, the minister of Power.
At a meeting in Aso Rock Presidential Villa, between the Minister of Power, Lanre Babalola, Vice President and Petroleum Minister, Rilwanu Lukman, Eng Emeka Ezeh, Bureau of Public Procurement Director General; Michael Aoondoakaa, Attorney General of the Federation; Tanimu Yakubu, Chief Economic Adviser, as well as top officials from the Ministries of Petroleum, Power and NNPC, the President reportedly told the Power Minister:
“Anything you need to succeed, I will give you. If anybody stands in your way and you want him or her out, just tell me and I will clear such a person for you. But I want results. I can hardly sleep again because of the power situation. I made a pledge to Nigerians that by the end of this year, they will enjoy stable electricity and it is a pledge I intend to keep. My name and credibility is at stake on this issue.”
Even when Vice President Goodluck Jonathan chipped in that the credibility of everybody in the administration is at stake, including that of the Minister himself, it did not take President Yar’Adua long to charge back:
“No, it is my credibility that is at stake. How many Ministers of Power have we had and who remembers them? If things fail tomorrow, Lanre (the minister) is a young man. He will simply dust his CV again and begin to look for another job but Nigerians will remember the promise I made.”Since then, President Yar’Adua has been getting a daily update from the Ministry and directed that the Minister can see him anytime he wants. Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that the Power Minister now has unfettered access to President yar’Adua. In fact, the minister is said be to provide a daily briefing to President Yar’Adua on every of his efforts.
.(PMP so the power minister now has quick access to him . I see .perhaps he should have quick access to NEPA CV ? Which president of naija needs a CV for another Job with the Fat Pension in Ghana must go bags they are awarded during office they dont need a CV )
PRESIDENT YAR’ADUA’S DAILY ROUTINE
As a devout Muslim who takes his prayers very seriously, President Yar’Adua rises from bed any time between 5am and 5:30 am. He says his prayers. That is apart from special prayers he offers in the middle of the night. President Yar’Adua starts receiving visitors from around 8am.
He resumes in office by 9.30am from whence official work commences.
But before that day starts, President Yar’Adua, just as was revealed by Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari in his auto-biography, meets with his personal staff, especially the State Chief of Protocol and Principal Secretary.
.(PMP thank God he prays no comment .insha allah they will be answered )
The first thing Yar’Adua does in the office is to go through the summary of newspaper stories and editorials for the day. This is the forte of Olusegun Adeniyi; the summary is usually prepared by the office of the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity. After this, there is a briefing by State Chief of Protocol for the assignments of the day and the Principal Secretary for whatever directives President Yar’Adua wants to give.
All these are routine. What is not routine is the closing time.
There is no fixed time. President Yar’Adua normally returns from office to the house, within the same Presidential Villa between 6pm and 10pm
This has become the norm in recent times.
Before, he would leave office between 6PM and 7PM.
There is what a source described as ‘night-runs’, that is visits, which would begin around 9.30pm.
But since he started closing late, night visits have been cancelled.
But occasionally, there are some people Mr. President would still see at night..(PMP night runs ? wetin be that ? sounds very maradonaish with lots of magomago spiced with some jibiti .ok we hear it is meeting with the power minister. good work guys ! We wish you guys had a 20generators like we do in our apartment block or Block of Flats )
PRESIDENTIAL MANNERISMS
And whereas President Yar’Adua cracks jokes, he stays within the confines of decency, Sunday Vanguard was reliably informed.
“Mr. President is a human being .(PMP are we sure ? ) and, therefore, he cracks jokes, normal jokes but definitely not dirty jokes”, a minister told Sunday Vanguard.
During meetings, information available to 7 suggests that the President is a good listener and does not interrupt when someone is making his point.
However, he is blunt, while at the same time, he is said to put his points of view across politely.
President Yar’Adua does not suffer fools. .(PMP no comment )
Sunday Vanguard was made to understand by another former minister that “it is part of his nature to listen to you and correct you if he thinks you are wrong. He gives you the appropriate guidance that you need to do your work instead of allowing you to beat about the bush. He, however, allows one a lot of initiatives. He does not give you a job and then follow you around. What he expects is results”.
Sunday Vanguard learnt from one of the ministers who was dumped during the cabinet reshuffle that one minister almost lost her job because Mr. President was very angry about her attitude to work.
MR. PRESIDENT’S SHORT AND LONG MEETINGS
Yar’Adua’s type of meetings, Sunday Vanguard went about asking people: Does he like them sharp and short?
President Yar’Adua can be unpredictable at times..(PMP o yes like NEPA and the promises he made )
Ordinarily, Yar’Adua would rather have his meetings short and sharp.
However, this does not in any way mean that he would sacrifice expressiveness on the alter of time limit. He is said to allow each person at meetings to be as expressive possible as .And therein lies the irony. Allowing people to express themselves very well have sometimes led to long meetings, some of which have gone on to last for as long as six to seven hours.
Yar’Adua can be meticulous even to a fault and that is why some people think his administration is just too slow.
He places much premium on strategic planning. Therefore, his actions are well thought out and he does not react instinctively to issues.
SYCHOPHANTS, PLEASE SHIFT
When you visit a state governor and his commissioners want to address him, they all use the appellation, ‘His Excellency, The Governor of Kuturu State, Governor I-Done-Chop’. In most cases, the 11-word prefix ends up being repeated more often than the real sense to be made.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that Yar’Adua would rather prefer Mr. President, as against the practice some tried to introduce in the very early days of his presidency which was: His Excellency, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, President Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Now, when a minister prefixes every sentence with this 17-word (not minding the compound word C-in-C), won’t the sense be lost in whatever sense is to be made?
“
He prefers Mr. President”, Sunday Vanguard was told, “essentially because it saves time and does not tend towards sycophancy.
But he is too polite to stop those who enjoy making all those introductions.
HIS MOUTH, HIS FOOD
Some argue that President Yar’Adua is endowed with good stature.
Others insist that it is a function of his health.
Between these two extremes lay the fact that Yar’Adua is not a very heavy eater, not a glutton of sorts.
He is said not to eat much. .(PMP you see how the man lepa you dey talk say him no dey chop ? )
Sunday Vanguard confirmed that he eats biscuits and drinks tea a lot, especially in the office.
That way, he keeps his metabolism in check..(PMP Abeg make una give the man food ! nobody want talk say yardy no well ! Feed him please !)
ADMINISTERING NIGERIA
Whereas Yar’Adua may be a good listener who respects other people’s opinion, especially because he has walled himself with young intellectuals who are both enlightened and exposed, it is his background as a teacher that enhances his capacity to patiently guide his subordinates to do the right thing. Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that President Yar’Adua rebukes, politely, officials of state in camera and praises good work in the open.
In fact, during the cabinet reshuffle, President Yar’Adua was said to have written and personally signed letters of appreciation to some ministers who were retained.
Even those who were shown the way out got their own letters from President Yar’Adua appreciating their contributions to nation building at a time like this.
AS A COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
As part of the character of President Yar’Adua not to dwell on presumptuousness, but rely on hard facts, he is said to have a listening ear. He is said to listen patiently to his service chiefs. Not being a professional soldier, Yar’Adua is said to ascertain the correctness of decisions by encouraging everyone to participate in discussions. He is, however, firm but the need for the military to remain professional in the discharge of their duties remains very strong.
He doesn’t pretend to know everything..(PMP that is quite obvious he doest not ! )
YAR’ADUA’S HEALTH IS HIS WEALTH .(PMP are we talking about the same person here I know Obama is a chain smoker but What does wealth and health have to do with yaradua ? his wealth ok but cant this people just come out straight and say the man is ill ! we wish him good health but with a job like the one he has ! well..)
Some more discerning observers have come to the conclusion that there is nothing abnormal about Yar’Adua’s health. As Yar’Adua himself has said, he is not superhuman, therefore, he is like any other human being that falls sick and gets well.
When he visited Vanguard premises during the campaigns of 2007, the same question was posed. His response was that it is evil of any individual to wish death upon a fellow human being. The expression on his face betrayed his anger. But he continues to confound critics of his health.
During a briefing with State House Correspondents recently, on his position on the electoral reform, Ekiti rerun election and Halliburton bribery scam, the President was on his heels for more than an hour. Even the correspondent s were astounded.
During the campaigns at the Events Place in Victoria Island, Lagos, Yar’Adua addressed the business community for over two hours standing.
PRESIDENTIAL WEAKNESS
President Umar Musa Yar’Adua is said to be too patient and that constitutes a weakness. .(PMP tell that to MEND , tell that to the ijaw people TELL that to the marines ! patient ? e no waste time bomb Niger Delta !)
He is said to lead his staff to arrive at decisions more accurately by emphasizing the need to rely on facts rather than sentiments. He is quick to admit faults and accepts correction even from subordinates..(PMPmaybe he should accept some of the correction of his citizens )
But would some people not exploit this?
Well, as President and C-in-C, it is for him to be circumspect. But is he?
Yes, some politicians very close to him insist.
HIS WIFE, HIS CHARM
Turai Yar’Adua, Nigeria’s First Lady, is said to play her role as a wife and a mother at home. She is said not to be involved in state administration..(PMP ok ok ok ok ! Rumours ! My best friend says there is one about the president wearing the Apron )
This is a far cry from the impression that people outside have of President Yar’Adua’s family.
Nay Sayers insist that President Yar’Adua is dominated by Turai Yar’Adua. None has, however, come out with any proof. (Woman na Woman o ! We no need proof ! )
But if a man’s likeness for his children and his grandchildren, and the fact that he makes out quality time to spend with them means he sops to his wife, then President Yar’Adua is very guilty because he loves his grand children and really makes out time to be with them..(PMP maybe he should remember he is a Father to the nation and the kids living on the streets need his attention too )
Yar’Adua insists that Turai’s activities as First Lady must remain low key, and as much as possible should not involve state funds.
BETWEEN PRESIDENT YAR’ADUA AND VICE PRESIDENT JONATHAN
The relationship between both men is said to be very cordial.
He understands that he needs the confidence and respect of his deputy. This he believes should be earned through mutual respect and understanding. Therefore, Yar’Adua carries his deputy along, ensuring that the Jonathan has enough work to do.
Vice President Jonathan, too, has the confidence of his boss because he (deputy) continues to carry himself with dignity.
Jonathan, Sunday Vanguard gathered, will hardly do anything without his boss’ consent since he has played that role elsewhere before – at least he was described as the docile deputy to Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State, only to outfox him and become governor. Most of the stories being peddled that Jonathan a mere handbag may not be particularly true, according to Aso Rock insiders who should know. Some even query Jonathan’s relevance on account of the onslaught in the Delta. But it does appear as if some people fail to recognise that the Vice President is the Vice President of Nigeria and not Vice President of Ijaw nation. Fortunately, the VP understands his roles and responsibilities.
.(PMP Mr badluck jonathan will bomb his mother's house to remain VP PERIOD ! )
PRESIDENTIAL STRENGTH
Yar’Adua’s strongest point is what some ministers describe as his sincerity of purpose and the commitment to lead Nigeria out of the woods and take her to the comity of great nations. One of his handlers told Sunday Vanguard that “he has a vision of a great Nigeria that is politically stable and economically prosperous”
In fact, President Yar’Adua is said to have told some of his aides that a four-year tenure is like a long-distance race rather than a 100 metre dash race and “you don’t run a 400 metre race like 100 metres if you truly want to succeed. If you watch the Olympics, successful athletes build momentum gradually and thereby end in a strong way.”
“That has always been his style”, Sunday Vanguard was told. Of course some people are very good at drawing applause in their first year in office by simply playing to the gallery but at the end of their tenure when you look back there is hardly any concrete achievement you can point to.
By December 2011, some predict, Yar’Adua “wants to be able to look back with satisfaction for the difference he has made in the lives of Nigerians in the area of critical infrastructure, including power, transportation, security, food security, human capital development and wealth creation. By the end of this year for instance, the dredging of River Niger, which has been mere talk since independence, would have been done.
All is set for it and “we’re just waiting for the water level to rise; it is already slated for between July and December and the contractor has been mobilised for the job. Also by year ending, railway, as mode of transportation would be back to Nigeria with the holistic plan for which Nigeria will sign an MOU with General Electric next week”, another ministerial appointee, added.
Yar’Adua: 24 months of uncertainty .(PMP YOU ALL GOT THAT RIGHT ! hope it is not another 24months )
.(PMP over and out ! The rest of this article is what Fela calls Demo ! maybe it is the whole article itself .)
Dapo Akinrefon & Charles Kumolu
IN what many described as a script of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, President Umar Yar’Adua sold his seven point agenda to party stalwarts and maybe other Nigerians, as a campaign slogan.
In most quarters, this was viewed as a part of the factors, needed to sell candidate Yar’Adua to Nigerian voters.
Sure, the agenda may not have failed in all areas as many think, but it does not neglect some areas where it seems promising.
Unfulfilled pledges:
Power sector.
The average Nigerian appears not to have felt any impact of the seven point agenda.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had promised fixing Nigeria’s troubled power sector, in 1999. Following this pledge a former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, was given the assignment of helping to resuscitate the sector.
Same was Yar’Adua, whose sole campaign slogan, was declaration of state of emergency on the power sector. Yet, power supply has plummeted from what it was in May 29, 2007.
The bottomline is that there is concern among Nigerians and foreign investors alike at the slow pace the President seems to handle the crisis.
The promises- Power and energy, Food and security, Wealth creation, Transport sector, Land reforms, Security, Education, Anti corruption war, Electoral reforms
Wealth creation and human capital development
Productivity growth, equity, poverty eradication and security, have remained it its pre-2007 state.
Though the 2009 budget provided adequate provisions to address the issue of wealth creation, human capital development and guarantee of security to life and property, yet, most Nigerians have remained wretched.
Niger Delta
The emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as Yar;Adua’s running mate, then, however, was expected to douse the tension in the creeks. But that was far from what the people yearn. Even the creation of a ministry for the region could not stop the anger of an impoverished people. These experiments, only heightened the crisis in the oil rich region. As at the time of filing in this report, booming guns are threatening the lives of the people in the creeks.
Pledges realised
Though far from the seven point agenda., what this administration appears to have realised, is uncertainly about its direction. Aside, the functionality of the rule of law, most aspects of Nigeria’s life have been at a low ebb.
Security
Internal security in this dispensation, has remained in it its pre 1999 state. The growing insecurity in the Niger Delta, explains much about the spate of insecurity in the last two years.
Today, Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Maiduguri & Onitsha have remained the highest crime spots in the country.
Anti corruption
Promise: “We are determined to intensify the war against corruption, more so because corruption is itself central to the spread of poverty. Its corrosive effect is all too visible in all aspects of our national life. This is an area where we have made significant progress in recent years, and we will maintain the momentum.”
The war against corrupt on seems to be heading Nigeria to nowhere
Electoral reforms
Promise: We acknowledge that our elections had some shortcomings. Thankfully, we have well-established legal avenues of redress, and I urge anyone aggrieved to pursue them. I also believe that our experiences represent an opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Accordingly, I will set up a panel to examine the entire electoral process with a view to ensuring that we raise the quality and standard of our general elections, and thereby deepen our democracy.” Verdict: The Uwais report on the reforms, has remained at the mercy of some powerful forces.
Yar’Adua Govt In Figures
* 24.893 billion, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Yar’Adua’s first year in office (2008).
* N2.67 trillion the budget proposed by President Yar’Adua to the National Assembly for 2008. It was increased to N3.049 trillion by the NASS and Yar’Adua now says he can’t implement it.
* 6,000 megawatts the total electricity capacity targeted by the Federal Government by December up from current average of 2000 megawatts.
* N628.875 billion the intervention fund for the power sector in 2009 of which N288.223 billion is FG’s contribution.
* N50 billion - aggregate allocation to the Niger Delta in 2009.
* 3,293 kilometres of road earmarked for construction and rehabilitation.
* 12,000 hectares of arable land to be irrigated.
A KITCHEN CABINET
Those who see the President more than other people and those to whom the President relates with respectfully are as follows:
Engineer Emeka Ezeh, the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprise.
Chief Mike Aondoakaa, Minister of Justice and Attroney General of the Federation.
Dr Lanre Babalola, Minister of Power,
Yayale Ahmed, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF
Alhaji Adamu Aliero, FCT Minister (by virtue of his position as landlord)
Tanimu Yakubu, Chief Economic Adviser
Abba Ruma, Agriculture Minister
Dr Muhtah Mansur, Finance Minister
Sarki Mukthar, National Security Adviser, NSA
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Sensational Nigeria actress Rita Dominic has rounded off her visit to southern Africa's Malawi with a big party in the commercial city Blantyre. The popular actress was in Malawi on a five-day visit courtesy of DStv provider MultiChoice Malawi. She left on Saturday.Rita DominicDuring her visit, she toured Malawi’s former head of state - late Hastings Kamuzu Banda’s - mausoleum in Lilongwe as well as Chombo orphanage in Blantyre.Her sign-off party was spiced up by performances from the country’s top artists Lucius Banda and Zembani Band and the Black Missionaries.MultiChoice Malawi organized the trip as a reward to Malawians watching the Africa Magic channel which features a lot of Nigeria (Nollywood) films.
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Her name may not instantly ring a bell but her face is synonymous with Nollywood. This fair complexioned actress who holds a diploma in Public Relations from the Ogun State University and a degree in Sociology from the Lagos State University, is working hard towards becoming an A-list actress.
With over 20 movies to her credit, this Isoko indigene from Delta State is not resting on her oars to see that the movie industry returns to it’s old glory.To achieve this, she eats, drinks, sleeps and lives acting because it is her first love.Okurame told Saturday Sun that if she was not an actress, she would have found herself a field job but not in the corporate world.The busty actress, who is the last child of a family of seven, also hinted that she would soon walk down the aisle with her dream man. She also spoke about her passion for the industry, her career, boyfriend, the thrills and many more.ActingI got into acting because of my passion for it. Right from the onset, I always had the passion for acting. Maybe, I did not start early or maybe because I did not meet the right people but I was into modelling where I met a guy who was interested in acting too.He suggested we went to the National Theatre to register. We got there and registered through Obot Etuk who was one of the executives of AGN. That was in 2004. I had to go for some screening before I got the first job, Schemers, which was directed by Andy Chukwu and Mike Ojabo. It had other stars like Keppy Ekpenyong Bassey, Rita Dominc, Bimbo Akintola and others.Rewarding professionTo some extent, if you are determined and if it is your choice too. If you are humble and hard working, you will find it rewarding. Don’t look at the financial gains first.Most times, people think that they can get half a million naira for a job, especially for starters but it is not so. It is a gradual thing.Although I take less than N500,000, but people who earn N1m today have paid their dues. They were once paid N1000 in the years gone by. You will eventually enjoy it but you must be able to work hard and pay your dues, too.Inspired into actingNobody actually inspired me. It has always been a passion right from when I was in secondary school. I was also an athlete. I had no role model before I got into the industry. I was not influenced by anyone either. It is the passion. I started in the days when Morning Ride was produced on NTA. Maybe, if I had started earlier, I would have been an a-list actress earning big money now.Role modelI have three, Patience Ozokwor, Kate Henshaw and Liz Benson. I have worked with them and I used to see Liz Benson when she acted in Third Eye as Alero.When I got to the industry, they welcomed me with open arms and taught me how to deliver my lines. They taught me how to make corrections on set and how to keep my head very low. If I have any problem, I would go to them and ask for their advice and they would gladly oblige me. The person that I am not too close with now is Liz Benson because she is far from the industry. We don’t even communicate. It hurts me but what will I do? She is so busy with her career as an EvangelistFirst experience on setIt was terrible. I was so tensed up. It was my first job where I featured in Schemers as Blessing. There was this day that we were shooting and I mixed up my lines and it was a bit complicating that everybody was upset and the director wanted to throw me out but Dominic helped to calm him down.If it were some A-list actresses, they would have been pissed up because I just didn’t get it right but she took her time to help me with my lines. She even offered me drink to calm my nerves. Her encouragement helped me to work with other new comers. I also learnt to teach them as well.WorksI have featured in many movies, some of which included, Stolen Bible, Carcass, Super Warriors, Apostle of Hell, The Last Order, Family Passion, My love my Sorrow, Desperate Sister, Rush Hour, Pride of a Woman, Marriage Apart, Women in Power, Dangerous Gambling, Temple of Justice, Sisters Heart, Bye Bye to Poverty, Political Control, and The last from Germany.Most challenging roleI have three of them. The first one is The Last Order. I played the role of a police officer’s wife and I was always beating my husband. I was always fighting. I wouldn’t feed him well to the extent that my director, Dickson Iroegbu asked me if I actually beat my boyfriend at home. I did it so well that I lost my voice.Another one, My Love, My Sorrow was a wayward role. I played the role of a Warri girl where I was supposed to be married and still flirt around, fighting my husband’s friend, fighting my own boyfriend’s friends, scheming, running in the street with pistol and I lost my voice as well.The third one is Rush Hour. It was so challenging because there was fuel scarcity at that time and it was during the rainy season. It is a cult movie. I was a cultist and was trying to initiate my friends and most of my scenes are being shot late in the night. We went into the forest to shoot. We were badly bitten by mosquitoes. We were in the forest with knives and guns. We worked with people like Nonso Diobi, Uche Jombo, Oge Okoye, Mac Morris. We did it well and it came out beautiful. I have never done any job like that.Aside actingI would have been an athlete. A lot of people know me in my neighbourhood as anAthlete. I was in sprinting. I also do some business. I also manage a hair saloon.Couple of years from nowI want to see myself bigger than this. Playing more challenging role not only in Nigeria but outside the shores of this country, probably win an award and if possible, produce some jobs.I also want to ask the government to assist us to excel more in our production. Right now, there is a little hitch here and there. There is crisis between the Censors Board and marketers.Though, Censors Board is trying to make the marketers realize that they are doing us a favour. If the government comes in and invests in a production, we wouldn’t be having the crisis we are having now. It happens all over the world where the government supports the movie industry in their country but here, they leave it in the hands of marketers and they have even tried so much.It is not easy to invest, N10m, or N6m, in a production you don’t even know whether it will yield profit. You don’t even know if you are going to get your money back. So, most times, it is difficult when you find out that some marketers are at loggerheads with the Censor’s Board. I believe that they should come to an understanding so that we can work together. Right now, the industry is going down but I know it is for a while. It will bounce back soon.HookedI am not hooked neither am I married but I have a boyfriend who is into business.I cherish all parts of my body because I take time to take care of myself. My boyfriend tells me that he likes my boobs. He cherishes my understanding and being able to take care of him. We would soon get married.AdviceThey should be determined. If truly, they want to come into this industry, they should very low profile; learn and try to listen to people, and take corrections. A lot of them do not like to take corrections even the big actors also make mistakes. They should calm down, be respectful, take corrections, try and read their lines very well and interact with people. They should also be patient because one learns everyday.Coping with male admirersIt is not easy but I still manage to handle them. Most of them don’t even know what they want. They just chat unnecessarily. Some of them are rude. Some are respectful. Sometime, you cannot give all of them your attention. Some of them get obsessed with you and they are just your fans. You have to caution them and tell them off politely. Some of them would call you up at odd hours when you are with your loved ones giving the impression that something is actually going on.And that is the interesting thing I like about my boyfriend. He understands me and knows that the messages are from admirers and that I have nothing to do with them.When calls keep coming up like that, it gives room for suspicion. I meet a lot of them everyday and I thank them for appreciating me but most time, they don’t know how to go about it. There was this interview I granted last year, the producer mistakenly put my number on the phone and the whole Nigeria was calling me. My picture was in the paper. And some would be sending me some funny and stupid messages as if you are looking for a boyfriend. Even agberos call me. I had to dump that number.
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Producer Paul Julius is confident that the tens of thousands of dollars he has spent producing the soap opera “Tomorrow’s Tears” will be recouped, no matter the electricity shortages, lack of investors or grease-palmed government officials hampering his shooting schedule.Fighting to be heard over a steady stream of traffic and actors complaining about the lack of food, money and air conditioning, Mr. Julius explained the plot of his soap, which he hopes to sell to local TV stations. “I changed the subject from the normal stuff: blood, magic, stepmothers, etc.,” he said. “This is going to be about real-life issues.”Mr. Julius is an up-and-coming player in Nigeria’s film and television industry, known as Nollywood, which has grown from its infancy in the 1980s into the one of the world’s biggest movie industries, but is facing some real-life issues of its own.In 2006, nearly 900 movies, almost all straight-to-video, were shot in Nigeria, trailing only India and almost doubling Hollywood’s total for the same year, according to a Unesco report released this month. Currently around 40 movies are shot every month in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, not counting the dozens of television dramas that are also shot here. The industry generates an estimated $250 million a year, and is popular throughout Africa and immigrant enclaves in Europe and the U.S.But rampant piracy means substantial losses for producers and directors already operating on tight budgets. Understaffed and bribe-ready police means copyright enforcement is minimal. Inadequate roadways inhibit a small distribution network itching to grow. Constant electricity outages stall production schedules. These problems threaten to derail the industry.Nigeria’s messy and often corrupt oil industry drives much of what happens in this country. It is the biggest oil producer in Africa, and as much as 95% of the country’s export earnings come from oil. Nigeria has taken in roughly $400 billion in oil-generated revenue since 1970 but the standard of living for most Nigerians has actually decreased.Nonetheless, the country’s residents have an impressive appetite for movies. The most successful Nollywood movies are often melodramas like “Living in Bondage” and “Domitilla,” filled with adultery, bribery and elements of local mysticism.A comedy, however, may have given Nollywood its best chance at international exposure. “Usuofia in London,” about a Nigerian man who lands in the big city straight from his native village, may be the best-selling Nollywood movie to date, with an estimated 500,000 copies sold. Only a handful of Nigerian movies have made it to international film festivals, such as “The Rivals,” directed by Aquila Njamah, which was shown at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival in 2007.Most Nigerian movies are produced fast and cheap, shot in a few weeks for $15,000 to $25,000, then roughly edited and handed off to marketers and eventually street-side vendors, or video clubs, as they are known locally. Financiers, usually friends or family members of the producer or director, want to see their investments recouped and care little for artistic exploration or high-quality technical effects.Directors are under pressure to keep each movie on schedule and under budget. Profits, when made, are small. Producers estimate that as much as 70% of their yearly revenue is lost to piracy. “I would say the biggest challenge facing the industry at the moment is lack of structure, and a high level of informality,” said Emeka Mba, the chairman of the National Film and Video Censors Board, the Nigerian movie industry’s main regulatory body.There is no formal distribution network for Nollywood producers. A finished movie in Lagos is burned onto around 15,000 DVDs with no copy protection and released into the market. If it’s a hit, demand swells. Vendors need more copies. But the producers often can’t keep up. So the movie is copied by pirates and thrown back into the market. The producer can only hope he made back his investment in time.“We’ve been crying to the government. If these things are not checked now, Nollywood will go into extinction,” said Cosmas Ndulue, 42, a producer and owner of one of only two indigenous DVD manufacturing companies in Nigeria.Industry officials and government agencies have started paying closer attention to piracy, but so far there hasn’t been much of an effect. A recent police raid on a well-known DVD-copying operation resulted in a brief confrontation between police and piracy-ring leaders. The pirates stood their ground and burned a police truck, then went back to work making knock-off Nollywood copies. The only repercussion for the offenders? A bill for the damage to the police vehicle.As piracy takes a larger and larger chunk of the profits, finding enough money to shoot a movie is becoming even more of a challenge. Chico Ejiro, a producer and director, has been struggling to find financing for his movies. A few years ago, during the shooting of his movie “Sisters on the Run,” he sold his car to keep the production afloat. This year he convinced a local bank to sponsor “100 Days in the Jungle,” a film about abduction and village lore, but it was a flop and Mr. Ejiro says the bank quickly soured on Nollywood.Mr. Julius, despite his production headaches, is optimistic about the future of Nollywood, as are most industry players. While watching two of his actors struggle to finish a scene on a busy Lagos street, Mr. Julius was looking forward to a complicated shoot that would involve a substantial police convoy, hundreds of extras, and foreign actors.“I need someone to play the British prime minister in the big scene we’re shooting this weekend,” Mr. Julius said, eyeing a reporter up and down. “Am I looking at him?”
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Hello Honey, It's being a while. I have tried very hard to keep certain worries to myself ever since I wrote to you about your excessive make-up. However, keeping quiet over such serious issues as long as our relationship is concerned is as difficult as single-handedly carrying a man with a broken waist, to borrow Achebe's repertoire of diction.I must confess how happy I was about how you behaved when you visited me over the weekend. And do you know my mother was closely monitoring everything you did and said? You have not allowed your beauty and brains to dictate your character. She was very pleased with you except for one thing. It is something I have always worried about and I think my mother's concerns are genuine and it will do both of us a great deal of help if we deal with it once and for all. I may seem to be talking to much but while I was still searching, one thing I learnt was the fact that one must keep one's eyes wide open before marriage and afterwards, keep one eye shut. I'm a bit worried about the way you dress. I tried to tell you but it has not been easy saying it, so I think this letter is the best medium to discuss some of our issues.According to Mahatma Gandhi, an honest disagreement is a good sign of progress so it's good we both know each other's mind so that we can get on well in our relationship even when we disagree.These days most girls in the country seem to be going about naked without any concern about what society says about them. I remember the first time I saw this type of dress code was in a movie. I had since associated that dress code with the oldest profession in the world because those who dressed that way in movies usually played the role of commercial sex workers. Today, however, I will be wrong if I try to think that way. Young girls, ladies, married women and some shameless grey hairs seem to be competing for attention over indecent dressing. It is appalling to note that this madness has now found its way into churches, where morality should be upheld.Do you know that in the past the expression “a man has seen a woman's beads” was a euphemism for a love affair between the two? I have come across that expression in African novels. Today I don't think any modern writer in his right senses would use such an expression. Why? Your guess is as good as mine. Some ladies these days do not only show their beads, but other appallingly grotesque images as well.This act reminds me of a small girl who lived in our neighbourhood back in the village. Akos was her name. One day her mother warned her not to climb mango trees, for the boys who stood beneath to pick the fruits would see her pants. The following day she came home with more fruits than ever so her mother was suspicious and furious.“Akos, I suspect you climbed the mango tree today too,” she said.“Yes I did, Mum,” Akos replied.“Haven't I warned you against such acts?” her mother snarled.“You said they would see my pants so today I didn't wear any pant.”Little Akos might sound funny and silly, but if you happen to board a 'trotro' bus, with such ladies and they are about to alight, you will understand what I'm talking about. When this madness about fashion first started, people used to complain about girls dressing and exposing their pants so they have “heeded” to the criticism in a rather more disgusting way. Some ladies, before wearing their tight-fitting pair of trousers don't put on panties so whenever they bend or duck to alight from a car, they create a lot of mess. This discussion once came up in a lecture hall and some ladies agreed that there are ladies who do not wear 'undies'.Like mad men and women in Kete-Krachi, no one can tell who gives names to these provocative dress codes, but they come with a host of equally provoking names. We have names such as I'm Aware, Show Your Stomach, Bare Back, Shine Your Eyes and as for the latest one, I haven't heard its name, but I will not be far from right to christen it “SHOW YOUR BREASTS”. With this form of indecent dressing, it doesn't matter whether the person is wearing Kaba or any dress considered decent. They will find a way of cutting it to expose their breasts (not the cleavage).This is one of the reasons I cannot hide my admiration for students of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Both ladies and young men, except a few bad nuts, dress somehow decently so I see no reason why other students can't do same. Do you know that we the guys suffer a lot in lecture halls? How possible is it to concentrate on the lecture when there is a “pornographic material” seated next to you?If at the university level a lady will still debase herself to the level of a sex object, walking about almost naked, then I don't know how she understands education. Unfortunately, we these days ignorantly associate such decay in morality to modernity and civilization. Is there any civility in going about naked?The Central University College (CUC) recently introduced a dress code for its students and a human rights activist, Nana Oye Lithur, took the authorities on in her article in the Daily Graphic. Ever since the article was published, bitter reactions have been pouring in from people who read her condemnation of the CUC authorities. In fact, I think at the university level, students are old enough to know what is right. Telling them what to wear is an insult to their intelligence, but if their freedom is getting out of hand, I think some form of intervention is needed. Let someone ask Nana Oye Lithur if students of the Ghana School of Law are permitted to wear what they like. Law is law and morality is morality. Morality may be subjective but is the basis of all laws. The human rights activists must not forget this.Yours, Sweetheart, is not as provocative as those I see in town, but I'm not too comfortable with it and I think I must do something about it. Deuteronomy 22:5 of the Holy Bible says, “A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman's garments; for whoever does these things is abomination to the Lord Your God.” Do you know that both Christians and non-Christians alike have found a way of condemning this quotation? Most people say the Bible did not specify which clothes belong to what sex. But I'm yet to see a man in right senses wearing kaba and slit. The Holy Bible cannot be amended to specify who should wear what. Some female pastors now deem it fit to mount the pulpit in tight-fitting trousers? In the words of Kerry Elliot, “Flaunting sexuality in public is a betrayal of your femininity, not an endorsement. It is like playing the tuba on the subway to prove that you're a musician… It isn't honest to expose a man to the aroma of steak and apple pie and then accuse him of being a glutton because he licks his lips.”I hope you have understood his last sentence well. Many argue that indecent dressing is not an excuse to rape a girl and I think they are right. Even if a lady decides to walk about naked, it's not an excuse to rape her. But let us not forget that some men have abnormal sexual behaviours, and cannot be governed by this moral principle.Anytime I talk about the rot in society, especially indecent exposures by some ladies, my mates say they don't think I will be able to get a suitable lady to marry. The most important thing in marriage is not to think alike, but to think together. It is impossible to get someone with 100% of the qualities I need in my future wife. We must compromise, but not on some problems we can avoid. We both have our individual differences and I cannot impose what I like on you. I might sound like an extremist but I respect women a lot simply don't see why our women are degrading themselves to that extent.It is now difficult to tell whether the primary aim of wearing clothes is to cover our nakedness or for fashion. The beautiful shape of the African woman is so conspicuous and one does not need to display some vital parts to be recognized.I think you now know why I could not tell you this face-to-face. It doesn't sound like a letter to a loved one, but I couldn't have kept this worry for years. I will not introduce a dress code for you but I just want to appeal to you to be natural and decent, for I will always love you, come what may. On mutual understanding shall we build our relationship and the gate of divorce shall not prevail against it!Sorry, if you may be hurt in any way. I can't wait to hear your reaction!
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DO you sometimes have difficulty finding the right clothes for your thin frame? Hordes of women envy your size, yet it's often difficult to find good clothes that suit you and play to your strengths. Follow our advice to get a feminine and trendy look.The right cutYou need to create curves where you want them. You can dare to wear very tight close cuts or longer, bigger cuts to make you look wider. f( you are a size· six or eight there are affordable brands out there that specialise in slim sizes and do some very feminine pieces.The right coloursAlmost anything goes. Current fashion is geared towards women who are thin and happy in their skin. Don't be shy about wearing bright colours: dare to wear red or yellow if you have the right colouring. If you want to look wider, wear neutral/light colours and play with contrast. For example wear light tops and dark bottoms or vice versa. Prints look great on you, so go for big motifs. You can also wear horizontal stripes if you are tall.The right materialsThick fabrics, soft and flexible knits suit you. Always play with contrast for example team a silk blouse with jeans or a plain cotton tee shirt with linen trousers or a satin skirt. You can also layer your clothes to fill out your figure.The right accessoriesWith the right accessories you can highlight your strength·s - your slim figure, elegant neck and lean legs. Accessories can add volume by playing with horizontal lines.- BeltsIf you have no waist, go for wide belts in bright colours. If your waist is small, try out some beautiful original belts.- ScarvesScarves and shawls suit you well because they add volume and divert attention away from your figure. If you have very thin arms, wear a little scarf knotted around your neck rather than contrasting a thick shawl with thin arms.- Big braceletsWooden or metal bangles add curves! Wear several on 'your wrist to jazz up a dull. outfit or give it an ethnic look. If your wrists are really tiny, bangles· give an illusion of volume and of softness. Be careful not to go too bling, though!- Ballet pumpsBallet pumps break up long, thin silhouettes. It doesn't matter if you have big feet: it's the horizontal line that counts. If you're petite, go for shoes with a slight platform or a little kitten heel. Wear them with all types of outfits, but especially with jeans or short black trousers.Avoid- T-shirts with very short sleevesIf you have very thin arms, they're not very flattering. Go for length or long sleeves. Don't do spaghetti straps if your shoulders are bony.- Slight V necksThese are too pointy for you. They enhance the vertical line of your figure. Round or square necks are better. Also avoid long jewellery, but go for V neck jumpers over bare skin or a white tee.- Flared mini skirtsThese can make your legs look even skinnier than they already are. If you like light skirts, go for long ones that flatter you more.Also try- Balloon skirtsOne word: Volume! The balloon skirt doesn't suit everyone, but it looks good on thin frames, whether you are tall or petite. The balloon skirt is quite short and usually comes in cotton. It isn't actually shaped like a balloon at all: it's doubled, with an uncut bottom. Go for dark colours and wear with ballet pumps for lightriess.- Pleated skirtsRock the schoolgirl look in pleated skirts that stop just above the knee. These are ideal for skinny legs because. the pleats give fullness at the hips and thighs. Wear with a jumper and ballet pumps or heels. Don't team with schoolgirl-style shirts if you don't want to look like you're going to a Back to School themed party, though.- One sleeved tops with a full, loose sleeveThese can be difficult to wear day to day but make great evening tops and one sleeved dresses are fab for nights out.How to cheatPlain white or colored shirts They can be dressed up or down for all occasions. Tuck into your trousers or into a straight skirt to create volume, or accessorise with a little pearl necklace to add roundness for girlie look.- Boot cut jeansA low cut waist is ideal for creating curves. Boot cuts make your buttocks round, and the new flared jeans are tight-fitting but flare out at the ankles, so they flatter skinny bodies more than other types of jeans like skinnies which can just end up making you look skinnier.- Wide trousersThey're back in! Choose a pair with a good finish and large turn-ups at the bottom. They fall perfectly on flat shoes or platforms if you're short. Wear with straight long-sleeved sailor-stripe tops.
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A lecturer at the Accra Polytechnic says sex ban cannot be the solution to political stand-off.Nana Obiri Yeboah told Joy News " i don't think it has solved any problem. It has even worsen it. We cannot use sex bans to solve conflicts. Even from the house hold level there must be peace so if there is sex ban at the household level, the family unit, then you are exacerbating the problem."His comments is in reaction to a legal suit filed by Kenya's James Kamundo against gender activist leading the crusade for sex bans in Kenya.The ban is to push the male dominated political leaders, led by President Moi Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to go for an amicable settlement of election related violence.Even though the sex ban has not achieved the desired results, Kamundo has been greatly affected.He told the BBC, he is sexually active and the ban is causing considerable havoc in his life."I had a lot of stress. I couldn't concentrate on my work. Normally I have sex with my wife about three times a day. Sometimes I even go home at lunch time to have sex with my wife."He said he feels sick after being starved of sex and wants redress at the law courts.Nana Obiri Yeboah told Joy News Evans Mensah, such a ban in Ghana will be "basis for divorce" in the country."Your wife can even report you if you don't pacify her sexually," he said.When Joy News sought the opinions of some Ghanaians, the sexist line was clearly drawn.The females were ready to slap a ban on sex with their husbands, but the men were ready to seek sex elsewhere if the ban is imposed.
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A 24-year-old trained nurse, Stella, says she has been forced into what she calls 'prostitution' by the Ghana Health Service which failed process her salary.Stella said she has been working without salary for the past eighteen months and all efforts to get the Controller and Accountant General's Department to resolve the issue have yielded no results.Speaking to Joy FM's Super Morning Show host Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, Stella said owing to her precarious situation, she is forced to stay with a man to whom she is not and does not intend to marry.But she performs wifely duties in return for money her upkeep and other basic necessities."It's been difficult to be very frank with you. I live with a man, he is not my husband but he decided to pay my rent, give me some money and now am performing a wife's duty simply because I can't afford to take care for myself and it's hell."I'm not the only person most of my colleagues are going through similar, similar stories and is very very painful," she lamented."Stella, how do you feel in this current situation?" Oppong-Nkrumah asked, to which she responded, "to me is ugly for a nurse to go through these things. I don't even like talking about it but the way things are it is better I say it. It is the ugliest thing I've ever done and is the thing I will be very glad to stop."The distraught nurse appealed to authorities to rectify the situation since it was exacting a heavy toll on her.The Public Relations Officer at the Controller and Accountant General's, Sephax Dosu said the problem was not caused by the department.According to him, it is the responsibility of Personnel Processing Departments of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to do the property documentation to facilitate the payment of salaries of their employees.Mr. Dosu said if staff of PPD of MDAs enter the data of employees in good time, salaries of workers could not be delayed.He appealed to MDAs to exercise patience and explain to workers who complain about delays in salaries so "that they don't insult to injury."
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It was all glamour, sophistication and fun at the Silverbird Galleria in Lagos, Nigeria over the weekend at the premiere of “The Perfect Picture”. Top Nollywood movie stars and producers gathered in the Victoria Island city of Lagos to witness the spectacular event.This Premiere is believed to be the first time a Ghanaian production is being showcased in Africa's leading Movie Industry (Nigeria). Not only did the occasion attract movie fans but also stakeholders in the Entertainment industry including Bankers, Advertisers and media Practitioners across the continent.It was a night of fashion, good blend of music from the two countries and a red carpet treatment for the top stars who turned up for the premiere. Like a Hollywood Premiere, the Nollywood movie stars and their Ghanaian counterparts arrived in an array of Limozines and other stylish vehicles. Even before the actual premiere began, the atmosphere at the Silverbird Galleria had been turned into a cheering one for producer and director of “The Perfect Picture”, Shirley Frimpong-Manso and her cast and crew.“This is another demonstration that Ghana and Nigeria have so much in common, that the natural interest in each other's development remains a strong commitment to Ghanaians and Nigerians. Silverbird and Global Media Alliance are committed to encouraging and promoting the African movie industry. This is a good beginning” Emphasized, Edward Boateng, Executive Chairman of Global Media Alliance.The idea of premiering the movie in Nigeria was mooted by Silverbird Cinemas, Ghana after an impressive showing in Accra two months ago. The Chairman of the Silverbird Group, Bruce Ben-Moree Bruce is full of praise for the quality of the movie.Before the premiere in the evening, stakeholders in the movie industry from the two countries met to discuss how best the industry can be supported especially financing movie productions in Africa and promoting the industry on the international scene. Global Media Alliance and the Silverbird group, organizers of the event say “The Perfect Picture” will be screening in other states in Nigeria and premiered in Kenya and London later this year.Information Minister, Zita Okaikoi who was the special guest of honour said government is committed to supporting and investing in the movie industry since it plays a vital role in the country's developmental agenda.Top Nigerian movie stars and producers have heaped tonnes of praises on Shirley and her talented team. This was after they had been treated to a special showing of the movie. Some of the people were particularly impressed with the quality of the cast and the storyline.Among the Nollywood stars and producers who graced the occasion were Stephany Okereke, Kate Ershaw, Ngozi and Zack Orjih.
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img src="" alt="" width="140" height="105"/>As Nollywood continues to rise in popularity, Hollywood might just begin to see Nigeria as the perfect background for its movies. Why not? A city like Lagos has all the scenic drama you would need for the perfect action scene. Variety Magazine announced this week that Ben Stiller will be directing a new movie based on a Chicago banker who gets swindled in a Nigerian scam. While the project is meant to be entertaining, it also sheds light on current issues in Nigeria and other African countries. The film is going to be produced by Participant Media (The Soloist) whose mandate to make films that compel social change.At the premiere of X-Men the wolverine last weekend, many Nigerians were proud to see that one of the beginning scenes was set in Lagos. There was even a man speaking Igbo! The aerial view was definitely Lagos and some even think that the action shot that featured a Nigerian diamond dealer took place in the UBA building. However, most of the shots were probably in a studio.Normal 0 false false false.It looks like Nollywood might also be able to compete with “Tinsel Town’ some day. UNESCO announced that the Nigerian film industry has overtaken Hollywood and closed the gap on India in the number of movies produced each year. So, what are your thoughts on Hollywood films and TV shows that reference Nigeria and how accurate are they? Here are a few below but I’m probably missing a lot.
Bruce Willis plays a Special-Ops commander who leads his team into a jungle in Nigeria to rescue a doctor played by Monica Belluci who will only go with them if they agree to rescue 70 refugees too.
SaharaMatthew McConaughey is cast as explorer Dirk Pitt who goes on the adventure of a lifetime of seeking out a lost Civil War battleship known as the “Ship of Death” in the deserts of West Africa while helping a UN doctor being hounded by a ruthless dictator.
Phat GirlzMonique plays a plus-size woman trying to find a place in the skin-and-bones world of high fashion by launching her own line of clothes for large ladies. While on vacation, she meets Tunde (Jimmy Jean-Louis), a handsome and successful doctor from Nigeria, and she discovers to her surprise that Tunde is strongly attracted to her.AddendumI just had to write this note after hearing the opinions of our readers thus far. I definitely agree that we have seen too much from the media about the negatives like the scam industry and not enough positive news. Just wanted to note that the producers of the movie have stated that the movie will highlight issues in the country that influence the scam industry.The purpose of film is to showcase reality, provoke thought, invoke emotion and hopefully bring about change. The “419″ scam is one that is very real in our society and stains our public image. This movie or any type like it is not what is destroying our image. Unfortunately, thanks to a few bad apples, all “The West” has to do is look at their inbox and fax machine to be presented with a negative view of Nigeria. Hopefully through a movie like this we can talk about the real reason why corruption and scams like “419″ exists.I also agree that “The West” needs to look internally instead of pointing the finger at us. From the corporate greed in Wall Street that caused the global financial crisis, to Bernie Madoff and other Ponzi schemes, 419 exists in everyone’s backyard. While we shouldn’t rely on Hollywood to be the ones to highlight our issues, culture and identity. We need to understand that to change perceptions we do have to be in the broad public dialogue.The one thing that makes me nervous is that the there isn’t a single Nigerian on the executive production team. Either way, as someone who doesn’t have the luxury of being in my country every day. It’s still pretty cool to once in a while see Nigeria or Nigerians referencd in a movie or TV show, unfortunately that comes with bad plot lines and inaccurate scenery. Thanks guys for the comments and please keep them coming!Note (3:15pm) Synopsis of Tears of the Sun movie changed to “jungle in Nigeria”. Thanks for catching that rizzle we definitely dont want the world to think all of Nigeria is a jungle
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