Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says Rio Ferdinand has not cracked a rib and is hopeful the defender will be available for the Champions League semi-final second leg away to Arsenal on Tuesday.
The European champions go into next week’s second-leg with a one-goal advantage following John O’Shea’s first-half match-winner at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
United’s failure to convert a host of first-half chances prompted Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to claim Ferguson's team would live to regret their profligacy once the dust has settled at the Emirates, yet United remain bullish about their prospects of reaching a second successive final. On their three previous visits to the Emirates, United have managed four goals and each result to date - a 2-2 draw and two 2-1 defeats - would prove sufficient to earn a trip to Rome.
Just one goal next Tuesday for the Premier League leaders would leave Arsenal needing to score three times and Cristiano Ronaldo is confident that United have the firepower to progress.
Ronaldo said: “It’s going to be difficult against Arsenal but I’m dreaming of Rome and I am very confident. The Olympic Stadium is a great stadium. I believe we can go to Arsenal and score a goal or two.
“We should have scored more in the first game, but Manuel Almunia made some great saves – 1-0 is still a good result for us, though.” Had a dipping volley from Ronaldo not struck the crossbar late in the second half, United could have emerged from the first leg with a more commanding advantage.
But Wayne Rooney, who goes into the second leg knowing that a yellow card would rule him out of the final should United win through, echoed Ronaldo’s assertion that Ferguson’s team would up the ante by scoring in London.
Rooney said: “If we get a goal, Arsenal will need to score three so we’re in a good position. We have to go there and try to score. If we do that, it will give us a great opportunity to get to the final.
“I don’t know how Arsenal will be feeling but they know what a difficult game they’ll be in for next week. They know they can’t really afford to concede a goal. We limited Arsenal to very few chances at Old Trafford and, if we do that next week, we’ll fancy our chances.”
Rooney’s recent return to his best form was evident again against Arsenal, despite his deployment out of position on the left flank.
The tactical move by Ferguson enabled Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez to flourish in central roles and Ronaldo, whose 42 goals last season provided the foundations of United’s success, believes he is now hitting his best form at the perfect stage.
Stress & Strain
MAN UNITED
Injury concerns: Rio Ferdinand (rib), Owen Hargreaves (knee), Gary Neville (ankle)
One booking from missing Champions League final: Wayne Rooney, Patrice Evra, Carlos Tevez
ARSENAL
Injury concerns: Gael Clichy (back), William Gallas (knee), Robin van Persie, Mikael Silvestre, Eduardo (all groin), Tomas Rosicky (hamstring)
One booking from missing final: Abou Diaby, Samir Nasri, Robin van Persie, Alex Song
CHELSEA
Injury concerns: Deco (hamstring), Joe Cole (knee), Ricardo Carvalho (hamstring), Paulo Ferreira (knee)
One booking from missing final: Michael Ballack, Alex, Nicolas Anelka
BARCELONA
Injury concerns: Gabriel Milito (knee), Martin Caceres (tonsillitis)
One booking from missing final: Daniel Alves, Sergio Busquets
Suspended for semi-final second leg: Carles Puyol
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ABUJA- Former Minister of foreign Affairs and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Major General Ike Omar Sanda Nwachukwu (rtd) has called for the arrest and prosecution of a member of the House of Representatives, Chief Albert Abiodun Adeogun over an alleged electoral fraud that produced him as PDP candidate in the 2007 National Assembly election in Ife federal constituency of Osun State.In a strongly worded letter to PDP National Chairman, Chief Vincent Eze Ogbulafor, Gen. Nwachukwu who was the Chairman, PDP National Electoral Panel that conducted the 2006 primary election in Osun State condemned in strong terms the fraudulent manner in which the winner of the primary elections for Ife Federal Constitution, Hon John Fasogbon, was substituted with someone that never took part in the party primary election.General Ike Nwachukwu’s angry reaction was provoked by a petition by a member of the House of Representative, Hon. Albert Adeogun (Ife federal constituency) dated February 13, 2009 to PDP National Chairman in which he alleged that the result sheet in possession of one Hon Fasogbon was forged and that he (Fasogbon) also stole the certificate of return from PDP National Secretariat Abuja.Hon. Adeogun and Fasogbon have been involved in legal battle in the past two years over the authentic candidate of PDP for Ife federal constituency during the 2007 general election.Adeogun had claimed before the court of appeal in Abuja that he was the PDP elected candidate for Ife Federal Constituency and that “the certificate of return in favour of Fasogbon could not have emanated from PDP headquarters in Abuja ”.The federal lawmaker literarily dug his own grave when he mustered the effrontery to write the PDP National Chairman on National Assembly letter headed paper personally signed by him and challenged PDP National Secretariat “to state in clear terms” the status of documents in possession of his opponent.However PDP National Chairman who considered the petition and the allegations therein as very serious ordered an immediate- in-house investigation into the petition.The in-house investigation by the office of the National Organising Secretary, however, revealed that the certificate of return for Ife Federal Constituency of Osun State signed by General Ike Nwachukwu was issued in favour of Hon. John O. Fasogbon as the winner neither did Hon Adeogun feature in the primary contest.Upon receipt of the in-house report, signed by the NOS, Prince Uche Secondus, Chief Ogbulafor ordered that a letter be dispatched to General Ike Nwachukwu to confirm or deny issuance of the certificate of return and to as well authenticate his signature on it.The PDP letter dated March 12, 2009 and signed by Chief Uche Secondus to General Nwachukwu asked him to urgently confirm the authenticity or otherwise of the document in dispute and his signature on it in view of the legal battle by the two contending PDP members.In a swift reaction to PDP letter General Nwachukwu in his reply dated March 27, 2009 and personally signed by him confirmed the genuineness of the result sheet and the certificate of return which contained his signature as the authentic documents his National Electoral panel issued in favour of Hon. Fasogbon.He confirmed that the result sheet was issued by Hon. Wahab Olaniyam and Prince Lere Laoye who were representatives of his panel at the venue of the election on 25th November, 2006 upon which the final certificate of return was also issued in favour of the winner.Apparently piqued by Adeogun’s petition and the fraudulent manner in which the winner of the primary election was substituted, General Nwachukwu demanded in his reply to the PDP National Chairman that Adeogun and others involved in the electoral fraud must be persecuted to a logical conclusion for a criminal offence to serve as deterrent to others who might wish to subvert the wish of the people in future.The letter dated 27th March, 2009 read in part ““I wish to confirm that that the result sheet that returns Hon. John O. Fasogun which contained my signature and dated 26 November, 2006 is the authentic result sheet submitted to the National Secretariat of the PDP.By- MIKE ODIAKOSE
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It is your duty to set aside tine to pray for the salvation and deliverance of your village, locality and community. Encourage pastors and ministries to hold crusades in your locality and spend money generously to fund such outreaches. That is the better way of fighting environmental powers, fight them with armies of prayer warriors. fellowships and churches) and not alone by yourself.PORNOGRAPHYFew factors destroy a single, cut him or her off God’s power and open the person to demon possession as pornography. Pornography is depicted in blue films, magazines and video materials.Pornography can be defined as pictures, films etc intended primarily to arouse sexual desire and usually considered obscene. It is writings or pictures intended to stimulate erotic feelings by portraying sexual activity. It is books, videos etc that describe or show naked people and sexual acts in order to make people feel sexually excited, especially in a way that morally sound people find offensive.The effects of pornography among the singles (we have focused on singles but it also affects adults as well) happens in the following ways.(a) It degrades or pollutes mentally and spiritually both the people that engage in it, the people who film it and those who watch it.(b) In a mental and spiritual sense if you watch pornography, you are actually a participant in it as you watch, if you are a woman, you are being mentally and spiritually napped by the men and the women in it. If you are a man you are being mentally and spiritually seduced by the women and the men in the film.(c) Pornography destroys a singles’ conception and thinking of marriage. It is the devil’s counterfeit to marriage singles think the marriage is only about sex and this is wrong. That is why after the wedding night trouble starts in the marriage, as other issues not anticipated begin to arise in the marriage. This make single react to issues rather than plan ahead. The singles now married find out that a marriage based on sex alone cannot last.(d) Pornography practices dissatisfaction with both courtship and marriage. Spirit spouses uses pornography to stir up carnal and primitive lusts and animal passion. The result is the man or woman wants his dating partner or spouse to sleep with him or her in the styles pornstars do but all too often the hapless spouse cannot satisfy his or her mate the way that pornstars (who has practiced fornication for years).(e) It is a counterfeit marriage and a mockery of marriage by the devil. pornography is to destroy all courtships, dating, engagement and marriage that is why the devil is using it so well.(f) It destroys personal morality and makes the person’s sexual desire to degenerate to the level of beasts and demons.(g) It stirs up and creates uncontrollable lust by breaking down spiritual and moral restraint or barriers.(h) It produces and leads a person into much sexual perversion in order to satisfy his inordinate lustful craving.(i) It is addictive, the more you indulge in it the more you get addicted and crave for more. In that more pornography will satisfy you less and less.(j) It leads to one of the strongest form of sexual demon possession and the devil uses the eyes of the individuals to put him into bondage and get him possessed.(k) It defiles and pollutes the mind considerably. It prevents you having a normal thought life. It makes a person’s mind to be sick, in that the person enjoys thinking morally depraved thoughts. It increases the chances of such a person of committing fornication or adultery to 100%. The examples are too numerous to mention of so many boys and girls who after watching pornography went straight into the act after watching such films or videos. It reduces singles to the level of dogs on heat(m) It creates spirit marriages with the individuals concerned and the evil spirit spouses will start to torment such individuals(n) it destroys the chances of success of a successful marriage(o) it destroys or leads to the destruction of a single’s virginity and chastity.Pornography whether by watching, reading or hearing (phone sex) is sinful and wrong in all ramifications. It is dangerous and deadly both to singles and married persons. There is a world of difference between pornography and sex education . Pornography presurises singles into fornication during courtship. It also destroys marriage because it creates dissatisfaction between spouses because their own spouse cannot live or perform up to the standard of experienced pornstars that have practiced this sin for years. It creates regular bouts of mind fornication and adultery, the end results and the Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:27 – 28.“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”Pornography is an excellent way to attract spirit spouses into one’s life”.Immoral Toys And Condoms.The sales and buying of immoral and sex toys is about the culmination of the societal sex madness that reigns in our society today that has proclaimed sex as a god to be worshiped and adored. This has created complex barriers for singles blocking their ways to getting married. Sex toys are in two broad ranges. One for men and the other for women. The Bible speaks of it as immorality and adultery.Men use their own toys to stimulate and imitate sexual intercourse with women. While the women use sextoys to stimulate intercourse with men. The Bible says in Jeremiah 3:9 “And it came to pass through the lightness of her whereto that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks (underlining is mine).Most of all of these sex toys are either made of stone, wood (stocks) or the product of stones and wood. All sex toys are dedicated to demons when you insert your genital into them (men) or insert it into your vagina (woman) you are committing adultery or fornication to the same extents as if you were doing it with another person.“I don’t agree you may protest. I’m only using a sex toy to satisfy my sexual urge that’s all”. The Bible says anybody having sex with stones or stocks (wood) is committing adultery. You don’t have to be doing it with a physical person to commit adultery (or fornication). Anytime you are committing adultery with sex toys (products of stone and wood (stocks), plastic product of stone rubber product of wood) you are committing adultery (or fornication) with DEMONS who marry you while you commit the act. some men and women or desperation (since they have no money to buy sex toys) commit adultery (or fornication) with pillows (men) and candles (women) respectively, a few do it with phones.Everybody having sex with sex toys or objects is committing adultery (or fornication) with demons who become their spirit spouses and as many times as you have sex with objects is as many times as you baptize your private part and your life with DEMONS and renew your bondage or marriage to spirit husbands or wives because all sex toys are dedicated to demons before they are sold.BY Uncle Sam
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Posted by Peter kanayo on April 29, 2009 at 12:00am
Never take someone for granted. Hold every person close to your heart because you might wake up one day and realized that you've lost a diamond while you were too busy collecting stones...
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YENAGOA- Less than 24 hours after the kidnap of a PDP chieftain, Mr Fyneman Wilson, a woman and three of her children have been kidnapped in Yenagoa.Reports say that the woman, whose name was given as Mrs. Grace Olobio, was abducted with her children at a church on Sunday.According to a family source, the four gunmen, after seizing the woman and her children, drove to Okaki, a boundary town in Ahoada West LGA of Rivers, and took away their victims in a speedboat.The driver of the vehicle that conveyed the Olobios to church later reported the incident to Mr Felix Olobio, a staff of the Auditor-General’s Office and husband of the woman.The INEC Road, Yenagoa, residence of the Olobios was filled with sympathisers on Monday morning when newsmen visited.The family gave the names of the children as Doubra, Ebizimor and Tamarakuro. Their mother works with the National Orientation Agency (NOA).The Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa, Mr Julian Okpaleke, confirmed the incident to newsmen on telephone.As at the time of this report, Wilson, kidnapped at his country home at Sagbama, headquarters of the Sagbama Local Government Area on Saturday night, is yet to regain his freedom.Reacting to the kidnap of the Olobios, former President of the Ijaw Youth Council, Mr Oyenfie Jonjon, condemned the action.Jonjon called on the kidnappers to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of the Olobios, saying “it is criminality and not part of the Ijaw struggle”.
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My issue with this is how come the US gets the 490Million dollars fine is it against the US people or the Nigerian people .
SUMMARY Of this Country Robbery :
RobberA(haliburton) bribes RobberB(probably yaradua & his boys) 490Millionusd to get contract of 2BillionUSD or more (this is from the law of bribing which states a typical bribe must be at least one quarter of the total payoff see http://www.9jageeks.com/lawsofmuguandguyman ) usd from MuguA(Nigerian people and dem say all of us na 419 ! )
RobberC (USA) then Fines RobberA about 490MUSD. RobberB(certainly yaradua & his boys) keeps loot does not get prosecuted by MuguA (me & you and the Nigerian people )!
WIN WIN situation for all except us the Mugus !
Pls Read on !
That Nigeria has a serious corruption problem is no surprise to even the most casual observer of Nigerian issues. As such, there was little shock when international conglomerates Siemens AG (Germany) and Halliburton (USA) were both exposed for collaborating with various Nigerian officials in corrupt practices to the combined tune of at least $436 million. Siemens AG and Halliburton have been punished by their home countries, Nigerians are yet to see the punishment or even legitimate identification of a single Nigerian individual tied to these corporate corruption scandals. Although the Nigerian public is demanding the identification of Nigerians involved in these and other corruption matters, it might take a lot longer for the guilty to be brought to justice.
HALLIBURTON BRIBERY SCANDAL
Earlier this year, Halliburton admitted guilt in bribing Nigerian officials and agreed to pay $492 million dollars in fines to the United States government.
There has been growing discontent amongst the Nigerian people with calls for those involved in the most recent Halliburton scandal to be exposed. Yar'Adua cautioned that although the US government conducted a thorough investigation into the matter, Nigeria must also review the sealed American court documents to determine who will face punishment in Nigeria. Speaking through his spokesman, Yar'Adua said,
"You cannot charge anybody on the basis of speculations. We need the actual facts and that is what we are waiting for and once those facts are available to government then we will prosecute all the people involved."
ANOTHER INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE
Consequently, Nigeria's Attorney General/Minister of Justice, Micheal Aondoakaa (the 'Nigerian Curiosity of 2007'), created a committee to look into the scandal over a 6 week period. This new Committee is led by Nigeria's Chief Inspector of Police, Mike Okiro, and consists of the heads of other agencies, such as the EFCC Chairwoman who replaced Nuhu Ribadu, Farida Waziri, the head of the State Security Services (SSS), A.A. Gadzama, and a few others.
According to Aondoakaa, the Nigerian government requested many relevant court records from the United States through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty and will use those documents to conduct an investigation.
A CREDIBILITY PROBLEM
When it comes to anti-corruption, Nigeria unfortunately has a serious credibility problem. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), charged with waging Nigeria's war against corruption, has failed to successfully try and convict any high ranking Nigerians on corruption charges. Additionally, many of the individuals on this new investigative Committee face credibility issues themselves. The new EFCC head, Waziri, is seen by many to be a pawn unwilling and/or unable to bring those who stole from public coffers to justice. Mike Okiro is seen as having played a significant role in removing Ribadu from the EFCC and as noted a few weeks ago, failed to respond or react to recent unsupported suggestions of a possible attack on the American Embassy in Lagos. The SSS is the security outfit which arrested and unlawfully detained Nigerian political bloggers Emmanuel Emeka Asiwe and Elendu and has a reputation of questionable tactics. Michael Aondoakaa, who created the investigative Committee, is apparently linked to a corruption scandal involving an Indian company that allegedly wants monies paid as bribes to be returned.
Even more important than the credibility issues faced by the various individuals tied to the Halliburton scandal Committee is the credibility problem faced by President Yar'Adua himself. Specifically with regard to corporate corruption and Nigerian officials, in 2007, Yar'Adua's spokesperson discussed the then-scandal of the day - Siemens AG,
"The President ... wishes to assure all Nigerians that in the new nation that we seek to build under his watch, any public official found to have abused his or her oath of office will not go unpunished. The President further assures that in this Siemens scandal, as in all cases that border on good governance and transparency, there will neither be sacred cows nor a cover up for anybody found culpable of breaching the law.”
This very public promise, like many others made by this administration, begs the question - what progress has been made? Although the ICPC was 'ordered' to investigate that scandal in 2007, it has been 2 years since Yar'Adua made that commitment and there continues to be no indication of any charges against the various Nigerians that were fingered in German courts, specifically, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohamed, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, Alhaji Haruna Elegí, and Senator Jibril Aminu.
THE QUESTIONABLE TIME LIMIT
Credibility is not the only issue that forces a curious mind to view this new Committee and those associated with it critically. Apart from the obvious issue of the Committee representing another bureaucratic stalling tactic that has been used as nauseam in Nigerian politics, the 6 week limit imposed on the committee leads one to wonder whether that is enough time to 'investigate' and release the names of the culprits as promised. Although $150 million of the $180 million Halliburton bribe money has been traced to Switzerland, the investigation will hinge on legal documents that must be released by the U.S. Department of Justice. Nigeria sent at least one request on March 30th and has sent a total of 2 to expedite the process. Being that the Department of Justice is now focused on investigating alleged torture techniques used in that country's war against terror, plus the fact that bureaucracies are slow everywhere, it would take the direct act of God himself, though President Obama might suffice, to have those documents released within a reasonable period of time. That 6 week time limit appears unrealistic and might be an indication that this Committee and indeed this administration has little intention of adequately addressing the Halliburton scandal.
THAT RE-BRANDING ISSUE
That Nigeria is trying to rebuild its reputation abroad is a factor that cannot be ignored as well. While it is crucial to present to not just Nigerians but the world in general, that Nigeria will be tough on corruption, previous failures to adequately address corruption and punish the guilty speak louder than any P.R. attempt to focus attention on this new anti-corruption move. It must be reiterated that "success is key" to the re-branding effort and as such, the investigation of Nigerians involved in this scandal will not be enough. In fact, the public naming of those individuals will also not suffice. Nigerians who accepted bribes from Halliburton, Siemens AG and all other corporations must not only be exposed but they must return the monies they gained illegally, and serve jail time without any possibility of the 'plea bargain justice' many other Nigerians fingered in corruption scandals have received. When this happens, Nigeria will be able to shed its reputation as one of the world's most corrupt countries and that will in turn encourage more foreign investment, but most importantly, a belief amongst the average Nigerian that the rules apply to everyone, not just the poor.
NIGERIAN CRIME AND NONEXISTENT PUNISHMENT
The 2008 Power Probe conducted by the National Assembly is another reminder that the crimes of the well connected go unpunished in Nigeria. After months exposing the failures and deep corruption of Nigeria's power sector, the House of Representatives refused to debate the Power probe report, and till this date, not only have culpable individuals and companies not been brought to justice, but Nigerians continue to suffer from little to no electricity supply without the aid of diesel powered generators. President Yar'Adua has said little about punishing those responsible for this unfortunate reality suffered by the majority of Nigeria's people.
If Yar'Adua could not compel the punishment of those responsible for the abysmal state of power in Nigeria, what assurance is there that his administration will indeed investigate and punish those involved in a bribery scandal that amounts to a drop compared to the stolen monies that directly resulted in the ability of all Nigerians to have reliable power supply?
This Halliburton scandal definitely presents an opportunity for the administration to be tough on corruption, but its track record with other similar situations leads to little confidence that this time will be any different. Nigeria definitely has a punihment problem and is unable to take the obvious steps necessary to discipline those who clearly took advantage of their position to fatten their pockets at the expense of Nigeria's children, men and women who now lack the basics that they rightly deserve.
adapted from nigeriancuriosity.com
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ABUJA - A housemaid, Lydia Elisha, has petitioned the House of Representatives over allegations of torture and humiliation meted out to her by the police on the orders of Rep. Henry Shawulu.The three-page petition, addressed to the Speaker of the House, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, was written through her counsel, Mr. Tom Metu of Peace Chambers, Abuja.In the petition, which was made available to newsmen in Abuja, Elisha said Shawulu accused her of stealing N40,000 from his residence at EFAB Estate, Abuja.Following the allegation, Elisha said the lawmaker took her initially to EFAB Estate police station where she was detained between April 5 and April 9.The petitioner said that she was transferred to Life Camp police station where she was almost tortured to death by the police.Narrating her ordeal, Elisha said: “I was handcuffed, tortured and taken to a hidden corner outside the police building in a container where I was asked to agree that I stole the money.”Elisha said that her refusal to agree to the police request earned her more torture and humiliation, as her boss directed and watched her being dehumanised.“The I.P.O implored me to agree that I stole the money to avoid further punishment. I refused. He therefore poured tear gas powder on me after soaking my body with water.‘’My body, breasts and private part were severely burnt such that I was unable to sit down for days,’’ she said.The housemaid said that a lawyer, Teslim Agboola, who came to assist in securing her release on bail, was equally assaulted by the police officers who threatened to beat him up.“I want to state categorically that I never stole any money from Shawulu’s home but I was no longer tolerating abuses, curses and insults from Shawulu’s wife and children,’’ she said.Elisha, a 22 year old girl from Kanke in Plateau, was engaged by Shawulu on November 14, 2008 on a monthly salary of N12,000 before it was increased to N15,000 due to her diligence and hardwork.The girl, through her counsel, had threatened to sue the lawmaker and claim damages for the brutality, humiliation and violation of her fundamental human rights.The maid told newsmen that she was still receiving treatment at a private clinic due to severe burns and injuries she sustained.According to her, she still has her mobile telephone, purse and a pair of shoes in the custody of the police station.Contacted on telephone, Shawulu, who represents Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency of Taraba, claimed ignorance of the matter.But he was quick to ask later, “where do you get that story.’’“I am not aware of what you are saying. Who are your witnesses? You have no evidence to prove what you are saying.’’Both the Divisional Crime officer at Life Camp Police Station and the I.P.O in charge of the case, had confirmed the incident but denied the alleged torture.An eyewitness, simply called Olatubosun, narrated how the girl was allegedly brutalised on the orders of Shawulu, who personally supervised the torture.Olatubosun told newsmen that all pleas by him and other sympathisers at the police station fell on deaf ears, as the lawmaker insisted he would force her to pay the alleged stolen money.The witness said that he heard the lawmaker saying that Lydia was very hard working, being the only maid who stayed beyond a month with his wife.
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Title: Enter The Place
Feature: Sound Sultan
Album: The Unstoppable
Producer: Jiggy Jegg
Video Director: Luke Biggins
Mixed By: Ozzie Tripple o and Wayne McNeish
Location: London
Enter the place is a feel good party dance track written by 2Face Idibia featuring Sound Sultan. The song is 2face’s way of inviting people to join him in the celebration of the good life. It directly translates as come join the fun. He depicts “The Place” as the party of the year which each listener can relate to in their own little way as maybe a birthday, house party or however they deem fit.
Sound Sultan featured alongside 2face on this track and was chosen due to their long term relationship and the rich lyrics, exuberance and energy that 2face knew he would bring to the song.
Once the song was completed the search was now on to find someone who could produce a video that would clearly convey 2face’s good life concept to all viewers. After a wide international search Luke Biggins a budding UK video director was chosen for the project, due to his impressive resume of 100 music videos, 18 television shows and directing coverage of Tsunami relief concert, all in a short space of time. The video was shot at various locations in London and was directed to show people in a party atmosphere. 2 face and Sound Sultan emitted vast amounts of energy on the video set showing the world their African version of the much loved “skanking dance”
“Whenever you are feeling down enter the place and give God the glory”.
NB: Don’t live on the fast lane, live life to the fullest, life is too short!!!!!!!!!
Title: Go Down There
Album: The Unstoppable
Video Director: Luke Biggins
Location: London
“Go down there” is a collaboration of 2face and Sway (a fellow MOBO award winner and a UK based artiste signed to Konvict records)
From being a humanitarian and selfless person 2face empathises on the world’s continuous suffering, he uses the song to convey how although grateful for good times, he is tired of the drama. He asks us all one question. If you had a chance to preview and review the world during the 9 months in your mother’s belly before u were born, if you were warned and informed of the Shooting and killings, the drug abuse, the terrorism and the wars that constantly go on, would you really come down here?
Sway also communicates that although life is not perfect, some others keep struggling through and try to make the most of the situation and where we have all found ourselves out here.
The video was shot at a ware house in London. It visually communicates some of the worries of the world. It shows the slums, death, knifes and guns, slaves in captivity, effects of the wars on the children. Showing things in the world that we sometimes don’t want to admit exist. Whether you have the peace of a dove or instinct of a leader we all coexist in this world, good alongside bad.
The question is what would you do? Would you really wanna go there?
NB: STOP THE VIOLENCE, STOP THE HATE MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE!!!!
Vote for 2 Face at Hip Hop World Awards 2009
Album of the Year
2FACE IDIBIA
Album: THE UNSTOPPABLE
Text------- HHWA1 UNSTOPPABLE to 33120 (Nigeria only)
Recording of the Year
2FACE IDIBIA ft MELISSA BRIGGS
Album: THE UNSTOPPABLE
Track: Can't do Without you
Best R ‘n’ B/ Pop Album
2 FACE IDIBIA
Album: THE UNSTOPPABLE
Text------- HHWA4 UNSTOPPABLE to 33120 (Nigeria only)
Awards:http://www.hiphopworldawards.com/nominees.aspx
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Please watch your kissing also lol !
As a precaution to an outbreak of swine flu in
Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Health has issued an alert but assured
Nigerians that measures had been put in place to tackle the epidemic.
The alert issued by the Minister of Health, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin, came on a day the worldwide death toll rose to 149.
Osotimehin
said that surveillance had been strengthened at all ports of entry into
the country – airports, seaports and all land borders.
“We have
our surveillance officers present and fully ready in all local
government areas, states and at the Federal level,” the minister said,
adding that so far, no suspected case of the flu had been reported in
Nigeria.
The minister also said the Federal Government was fully
prepared to contain any outbreak of the flu in the country with
adequate stockpile of Tamiflu, the drug of choice for treatment.
“We
wish to by this inform all clinicians and health workers to report any
suspected case of Swine flu to the Epidemiology Division, Department of
Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health,” Osotimehin stated.
The
ministry gave the phone details of contact persons, in the event of any
concern, as Dr. J.Y. Jiya (08034030212) , Dr. A. Nasidi (08037006349) ,
Dr. Henry Akpan (08037626718) and Mr. John Kehinde (08023210923) .
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has described it as a "public health emergency of international concern".
According to current projections, a pandemic today could result in up to 7.4 million deaths worldwide, the WHO says.
CNN reported yesterday that Mexico's government is ordering closure schools nationwide as the suspected death toll rose.
Health
Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said only 20 of the deaths had been
confirmed to be from swine flu and the government was awaiting test
results on the rest.
He said 1,995 people had been hospitalised with
serious cases of pneumonia since the first case of swine flu was
reported on April 13. The government does not yet know how many were
swine flu.Of those hospitalized, 1,070 have been released.
He
said schools at all levels nationwide are suspended until May 6.
Schools had already been suspended in Mexico City and five of Mexico's
32 states.
The United States and the European Union (EU) have urged
travellers to Mexico to exercise caution, amid concerns over the spread
of the flu virus.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the US - which has 40 confirmed cases - was taking the issue "very seriously".
Earlier,
the WHO said there were 40 laboratory-confirme d cases of swine flu in
the US, 26 in Mexico, six in Canada and one in Spain.
Tests are
also being carried out on individuals or groups in New Zealand,
Australia, Brazil, Britain and Israel who fell ill following travel to
Mexico.
In most cases outside Mexico, people have been mildly ill and have made full recovery.
Concerns
arose over the health of US President Barack Obama weekend as one of
the people he shook hands with on his recent trip to Mexico reportedly
died suddenly of a lethal pork flu pandemic that has claimed 149 lives
worldwide.
Obama had shaken hands with an archaeologist, Felipe Solis, who died of the disease soon after the encounter.
The
White House, however, said Obama’s health had not been endangered by
his trip to Mexico City last week, in spite of reports in the Mexican
press that an archaeologist who met the US leader, died soon after from
“flu-like symptoms”.
All the pork eaters be careful of the swine you chop !
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CALABAR ––Dr. Magnus Kpakol, National Coordinator of the National Poverty Eradication Programme(NAPEP), has said 74 million Nigerians are poor.He said the figure, which was as at December 2008, dropped by one million from the 75 million in 2007.He made this known in a paper titled, “NAPEP Programmes As Enabler For Rapid Economic Development In The South South Region,” presented at the just-concluded South South Economic Summit in Calabar.He said the population of the country’s poor was 80 million in 1999.Kpakol, a Senior Special Assistant to the President on Poverty Alleviation, said that the poverty prevalence was more in the northern part of the country.According to him, the poverty rate in North West geo-political zone was 72.2 per cent of its population while in North East, it is 71.2 per cent of the population.“The percentage is 67 of the population in North Central,” he added and disclosed that the South East has the lowest poor population of 26.7 per cent.“The zone is followed by South South where the poor constitutes 35.1 per cent of its population and South West with 43.1 per cent,’’ he said.The NAPEP Coordinator attributed the poverty index in the country to weak local economy and said that the poverty rate would reduce “when we have rule of law and good governance.”Other factors that would also elevate people from the poverty stratum include, “strong and high quality development growth and mass participation in economic development,” he added.He challenged local government councils to commit N1 million into micro lending in each community in their areas.Kpakol stated that the reduction of the size of the poor population from 80 million in 1999 to 74 million in 2009 was due to various poverty alleviation programmes embarked by various governments.He charged states and local governments in the South South to evolve a common poverty reduction programme.
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At least The suitors are getting beautiful wives cant say if OBJs daughters ... shuo make i shut up b4 SSS come carry me o !The Yar’Adua girls have simply become the hottest merchandise for most of Nigeria’s opportunistic, treasure-hunting elites and some wealthy but failed husbands. Next on the betrothal line is Aisha Yar`Adua, the beautiful 22-year old daughter of President Umaru Musa Yar`Adua , who in a couple of months will tie her nuptial.Though diamonds are described as a girl`s best friend, nuptial dates are certainly a girl`s happiest day and the dream of every father. President Yar`Adua’s giving away of his seven daughters, 9jabook.com learnt may after all be his seven-point agenda for his family.President Musa Yar`duaThe question now is, who will she be joined to? Recently she was sighted in social circles with an oil dealer, whom she introduced as her fiancé to a 9jabook.com source. However, emerging feelers suggest that there are subterranean moves by a certain Governor, with very close ties to the Yar`Adua, family, to join the race to land beautiful Aisha.Tagged third-point agenda, Aisha `s nuptial race will certainly be an exciting one to watch as there are indication that the list of contenders are getting longer than the list of pretenders.9jabook.com checks reveals that the traditional route to financial success in Nigeria are hard work, risk-taking and maybe building one’s own business, but lately, marrying money has become the latest trend in the path to acquiring wealth that isn't talked about quite as much these days.Even after people acquire wealth, their insatiable appetite still want more. They want more money and ultimately they want power. The desperate quest for power in Nigeria`s political circles has made politician, of northern extract to fall over themselves in the bid to marry one of President Yar’Adua`s girl who have literally become a prized trophy in elite circles.Yar’dua`s first daughter married the Governor of Kebbi state. Since the marriage, life has not been the same for Kebbi state governor and his cronies, as things drastically became better. Our checks reveal that the incumbent minister of FCT, got his plump job because of the union.Could be recalled that in May 2007, Adamu Aliero, anointed, the present governor of Kebbi state to succeed him. As an act of appreciation, the godfather was elevated to the FCT ministry, after Zainab’s marriage. Impeccable sources confided in 9jabook.com that Adamu Aliero was made minister by Zainab. In the spirit of keeping it in the family, it was Adamu Aliero who told Nigerians that President Umaru Yar`Adua will seek a second term in office.Recently, the governor of Bauchi state, Isah Yaguda also married Nafisa, Yar’dua`s second daughter, since then he has become a major player in Nigeria’s power circles, though he belonged to the opposition party, he has since crossed to the PDP. As a result of this union, Yuguda has been tipped to replace the Central Bank Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo when his tenure elapses. However, sources reveal that his young wife Nafisa, like her mom, Turai has keen interest in being first lady. Though she is wife number four, she is scheming to supplant the three older wives, but, the reigning first lady of Bauchi state, is not giving up her position without a fight, but sources within government circles in Bauchi state, said, “considering the fact that Isa Yuguda is a very ambitious man, she is likely to lose to Nafisa.”
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The indigenous African cultures in which the present superficial (though powerfully extractive) Nigerian state is embedded, has an aversion for the privatisation of social being. Instead, the African gets his/her fullest being in the community of interests, in the collectivity which is built on a fusion of personal responsibility and communal privilege. He/she. gets his or her rights .and obligations from belonging to a group with which he/she shares intimate solidarity.Bureaucratic corruption is less likely to occur in such a setting as when privatisation produces private interests in both the economic and political realms. Corruption in the state of individual poverty is more a rational than a moral choice, especially when the poor citizen has to choose between his family not surviving the next day due to hunger, and his taking some petty amount from the public coffers to meet his pressing- survival needs. Yes,’ it can be argued that such a citizen cannot be absolved of the consequences of the choice that he/she has made. After all, some workers in similarly derived positions have found morally acceptable ways of making ends meet by supplementing their meagre salaries with either becoming part-time farmers after the offices close, or engaging in the’ minimalist enterprises... of supplementary petty trading: It can even be better argued that the rich in high public offices are exactly those who loot the commonwealth the most. It becomes obvious that the corrupt Nigerian cannot completely escape the responsibility of the personal choice he/she has to make. What is important to note is that some of these personal choices may be rational at the micro personal level, but extremely dysfunctional at the macro level.Yet we must face the fact that to be public-spirited under such circumstances, comes at a very high price. Worse still, even your own family to whom you would have to run for support and reinforcement is more likely to abandon you emotionally because you have chosen your own morality over their own survival.But what are the cumulative results of corruption on the Nigerian state? First to be noted is the progressive enrichment of Nigerians through fraudulent accumulation, the emptying of the national treasury, the indebtedness of the country, and the dearth of resources needed for the social, economic and cultural development of our people. As part of the 2000 World Values Survey, Nigerians were asked:· “Generally speaking, would you say that this country is run by a few big interests looking out for themselves, or that it is run for the benefit of all the people?”The high degree of alienation and cynicism engendered in the Nigerian public. reflects the scandalous position in which the prodigious wealth of key members of the ruling class, exists to mock the unspeakable mass poverty and degradation of our people. This has bred mass cynicism and a distrust of the political elite(Azarya &, Chazan 1987) which have progressively contributed to the worsening intra and inter- communal conflicts (Ikelegbe 2001).Because the state treasury has been the ultimate target for phenomenal private accumulation, the struggle for state power has been particularly fierce and bitter among the several factions of the ruling elite. The recent well documented· brazen acts of political corruption through massive rigging of the 2003 Gubernatorial and State Assemblies elections in a number of states is a direct evidence of the democratic deficit engendered by materialist political corruption. Perhaps more frightful is the recent announcement by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) that all thirty-six State Governors except one, in 2003 are under investigation! Moreover, when excluded from the share of the booty, the losing factions are wont to use the poor masses from their villages and ethnic groups of origin as battering rams against their rivals from other areas. In this way they further undermine the stability of the already deeply divided society and undercut the possibility of the governance in Nigeria.Rampant corruption among the elite has also taught the very unfortunate lesson to the general public that being honest does not pay. As a result of this lesson, some of the ordinary citizens then try to replicate the corrupt practices of our rulers in their own lowly levels through petty acts of bribery, hiding and burning of files for small fees, and a general attitude that public money within one’s reach, no matter how small, is for the stealing. It is from this way that corruption has become our national way of life, what with the sapping effects of the Structural Adjustment Programme (S.A.P.) which has brought the standard of living of the average Nigerian as low as the thirteenth poorest in the world. And yet billions of dollars of our national wealth have been siphoned away into foreign banks of the already developed economies of the world.Since money meant to run our public institutions have been increasingly diverted to private purses, our hospitals, schools, public utilities, national airline, universities, refineries, judiciary and even the armed forces and police are run down. This state of neglect has effectively subverted these very crucial institutions and rendered them incapable of performing their functions and sometimes even endangering the lives of the citizens whom these institutions were meant to serve.This has further undermined the confidence of Nigerians in these key national institutions, and threatens to continuously erode the dividends of democracy. Asked in the same 2000 World Values Survey to indicate the amount of confidence they had in certain important national institutions, the cumulative positive evaluations of Nigerians for important national institutions were as follows: police (34.9%), political parties (44.2%), parliament (45.0%), armed forces (46.6%), national government (48.2%), as compared with the press (64.2%) trade unions (65.1 %), private companies (70.2%), civil service, (70.5%) and the churches (94.8%).The negative image of important democratic institutions as noted above is best put in focus in the light of other comparative findings about the linkage between support for democracy and permissiveness toward corruption. Alejandro Moreno (2003) working with the 1995-1996 and the 1999-2000 World Values Survey data from 58 countries, established some notable correlations. First he found that his index for permissiveness towards corruption had an overall negative correlation 0.32) with the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI). This means that “relatively high scores on transparency (the CPI is measured in a scale where high scores mean less corruption) are associated with low levels of permissiveness toward corruption” (Moreno 2003: 268) .Second, for the subset of 58 countries examined, Moreno found that the correlation between hisscales of permissiveness toward corruption and support for democracy, is an impressive negative coefficient of -0.43. This indicates that “high support for democracy is associated with low citizen justification of corruption. Among the most supportive of democracy and least likely to justify corruption are Japan, Hong Kong, and United States in the 1995 survey” (Moreno 2003: 268).The close association between support for democracy, low permissiveness toward corruption and national prosperity becomes evident in the above findings. It is therefore very lamentable that because of the unrelenting pillage of our national wealth by our rulers, the future of an entire generation of young Nigerians is being destroyed. Many of our youths who have graduated from universities frustratingly roam the streets jobless, for years on end, while some are forced to engage in crime, drug pushing and prostitution. Those of them who can find their way out are, “brain drained” to other countries where their services may be utilized. In these and other ways, our greedy rulers are mortgaging the future of this and next generations, and have reduced, our fatherland to a beggar nation even though Nigeria has been blessed with almost inexhaustible human and natural resources. Let us now proceed from diagnosis to prescription.SolutionsCan we dare to proffer solutions to this ravaging and overpowering social cancer, of our time, guilty as we all are in .our own several ways, of contributing to this national epidemic?It is very clear that we are dealing with a deep rooted problem that will definitely not yield to any simple quick-fix solution (Ake 2000).Neither will, moralising produce the answer as it has been aptly observed that as the number of churches and mosques has exponentially multiplied in our nation during these difficult and shameful years, so also has the scale of corruption exponentially multiplied. Short of revolution, some institutional beginnings have started to appear even though shakily in the Nigerian political horizon in the form of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act (2000) which was forced through the National Assembly by President Obasanjo immediately after coming to office, and now repealed by the Senate just before the 2003 general elections. Even if the Courts succeed in preventing the repeal of the Act, one is tempted to ask if it has a good chance, in and of itself, of doing the trick for Nigeria.However such laws, as pointed out by Doig (1995) under certain conditions have some part to play. Have we not tried Code of Conduct Bureau and all such other institutions in the past, and where have they led us? It is therefore important that we do not simply stop at: “CRY THE BELOVED COUNTRY”.To my mind what is needed is a long-term project solution. The solution that will be effective and that will endure has to be targeted at the structural deformities of the Nigerian state (Johnston, 1998). The first step therefore must be geared towards rescuing the state for our people, by creating a public no matter how rudimentary it may be. This difficult state project is aimed at realising some degree of legitimacy for the Nigerian state such that our various peoples will be enabled to see their welfare more effectively engendered by the large state entity, than by the small communal rival primordial polities that have hitherto served as our refuge in the past, (and paradoxically) are now serving as safe havens for our predators who are increasing becoming traditional chiefs.
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THE Joint Task Force (JTF) in Niger Delta has confirmed the killing of two militants and arrest of three others in a clash in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers.A spokesman for the taskforce, Col. Rabe Abubakar, said in an electronic-mail to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourtthat suspected militants engaged a JTF patrol in Degema in the early hours of the day.“In the ensuing battle, they were over-powered and forced to retreat and in the process, two militants were killed and three arrested,’’ Abubakar said.He named the arrested militants as Dasobobo Dawan, Pekribo Georgewill and Emi Alaibo.Abubakar said on interrogation, the militants confessed that they were sent to carry out attacks on prominent personalities and taskforce personnel.“Similarly, in the militants’ efforts to avenge their colleagues’ misfortune and probably to rescue the arrested ones from JTF custody, an unprovoked reprisal attack was carried out by the same group of militants from the same camp in three speed boats.“The attack was successfully thwarted by the brave troops of the security out-fit and the militants fled with various degrees of injuries. During this reprisal attack, no soldier was injured or killed,” he said.The spokesman said the taskforce would continue to defend itself and would not kill or maim innocent persons with no cause.“Therefore, those who might have been victims of our own action or in-action must have been the aggressors, as we always act in self defence and not on the offensive,” Abubakar said.He said the taskforce had the responsibility to provide security and protectthe citizens of Nigeria and expatriates resident in the oil rich region against intimidation from criminals.“We will keep on doing our job in securing the region and we won’t be intimidated by anybody or group in the conduct of our duty.“We are not in any way engaged in press war, but the fact of the mattermust be stated for the interest of our admirers and for the records to be put straight,’’ the spokesman said.
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She hit the silver screen as Bisi in the UNFPA-sponsored family television series called ‘I Need to Know.’ With plaited hair and secondary school uniform, she successfully played the role of a teenager for four years. Wasn’t that enough credential for her to stroll effortlessly into the centre stage in Nollywood?
That was what she thought but that was not what happened. She ran into many brick walls. Many doors were slammed in her face. She wept in toilets and inside ‘danfo’ on her way home after unsuccessful auditions. She decided to cut her losses and go into Yoruba movies. On her sixth production, she hit jackpot. Sunday Sun presents to you, Jenifa, the girl who brought Funke Akindele fame and fortune.
I sat in bukas in Ilorin, Ibadan and Osogbo to learn how to play the Jenifa character
The story of Jenifa is that of a village girl who wanted to be a big girl. She wanted to be a force to reckon with by force. She wanted to be noticed and she was noticed at the end of the day but on the negative side. She was infected with HIV and that’s why I want to do the return of Jenifa. There are unresolved conflicts that will be explored in the sequel, The return of Jenifa. For instance, what happened to the lady that arranged the girls for parties The sequel will reveal what happened to her and there are many other characters in there that we need to know what happened to them.
Then, I want to go deeper into the HIV theme, parental negligence, cultism. I want to explore the social vices on our campuses and that’s why we are having the return of Jenifa. I was moved to do Jenifa because I wanted to do something near real. I’d never seen anything like that before and of course I’m a very wild thinker. Oh and there is nothing in my background that helped me play Jenifa character as convincingly as I did. I’m just very funny naturally, at least that’s what people say. I say things that linger in people’s memory. What I did was to go and understudy how a local girl will pronounce ‘big girl’. I had to travel down to Ibadan, Oshogbo, Ilorin, sit in bukas and listen to all those local girls talk. I studied the way they painted their faces, their attitudes and their brand of self-confidence. Some of the slangs are Sulia kan, Ayetoro kan, then bigs girl, mo don jazzy e. The movie has really changed my life. It’s a big shoe that I really have to fit into. While I was coming here I was still thinking about how to do something better.
I only own the copyright. I’m not the executive producer. I have a marketer, Olasco Films. He paid me off. Jenifa has brought me fame and fortune but I believe that ‘the return of Jenifa will bring me more. It took me six months to write the script, one month to shoot and then the editing and all other post-production stuff. In all it took a year. The location was Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu.
I read Law to please my father
Funke Akindele is an actress, a movie producer who’s been producing before Jennifa but Jennifa gave her the break. The first movie I produced was Ojo ketala. I had six before Jenifa. I went to Grace Nursery and Primary School, Gbagada, Lagos State Model College. I have an OND in Mass Communication from Ogun State Polytechnic ,now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, I attended the University of Lagos where I studied Law but I’m not practicing.
I went into movie production because that is my first love. Right from when I was small I’d loved acting but I studied Law because my father wanted me to be a lawyer. I wanted to study Theatre Arts but he insisted I must study Law first and that I could act after I was through with Law.
I love criminal law and you could see that in my movies like Agbefo, Etanu, Taiwo Taiwo. It was after Taiwo Taiwo was released that the rumour about Oga Bello son and I started.
I was frustrated when I didn’t get movie roles after playing lead character in ‘I Need to Know’ for four years.
My mother has been there for me. She’s been very supportive. Back then she would drive me down to auditions. I started with ‘I Need to Know,’ a T.V series sponsored by UNNPA. I was in ‘I Need to Know’ for four years when I was in Unilag. It was about sex education, HIV/AIDS. I played a secondary school teenager and I had to learn how to talk like a teenager for me to fit into that character because i was not a teenager when I was playing that role. After ‘I Need to Know’, I thought I’d get movie roles easily because I was a lead character in ‘I Need to Know’ but it wasn’t forthcoming. I attended auditions. I acted in one or two English movies, ‘Egg of Life’, ‘Prison of Passion’ but it wasn’t forthcoming and I got frustrated. I moved into the Yoruba movies. I kept on attending auditions and they didn’t give me role and I didn’t know why. I believe it wasn’t my time then.
English movie makers have a lot to learn from their Yoruba counterparts.
The Yoruba movie industry people are very wonderful people. They gave me the break, the big opportunity. They were very good to me. I went into the Odunfa caucus where you have Yinka Quadri, Ogogo (Taiwo Hassan), Abbey Lanre is the director then and they accepted me. I started with one scene, two scenes, three scenes, sub-lead and then major roles. I believe we have better stories in the Yoruba movies. I’m not rubbishing English movies but I’ve watched some of them and after the first disc I just move on to something else. They have a lot to learn from us. Non-Yorubas can watch our movies because we subtitle in English. The only thing I think Yoruba movies should be doing is to shoot better movies. The English movies pay better but we are like a family where you can say when you do your movie, I’ll help you. We help each other but now we’ve improved. You can pay an artist as much as N500 000- N600 000 now. The market is becoming very big. I don’t really know who who the highest paid artistes are but I know that I pay my artist very well. I don’t know about others. Look at Jenifa, Olasco is always smiling to the bank. Each time I call him he’s always excited to pick my call. He made a lot of money from the film.
My saddest day was the day I was searched for drugs at the airport.
The worst thing that has been said about me was that Funke Akindele was caught carrying drugs at the airport. It was reported in a soft-sell magazine. Someone called me to tell me and I couldn’t believe it. I just broke down and wept. I felt so bad I had to start calling some friends in the media to write that I’m in Nigeria. It was the saddest moment of my life. I had to let people know it was a lie. I was even advised to feature on a show “Today on STV” but I declined. It was a big rumour. One woman abroad was just calling. Soggy was crying on phone when she called one of my friends and my friend connected her to me. When I told her I was at home, she shouted Halleluyah.
This is the first time I’ll be saying it. I was going to London around June last year with Virgin Atlantic and after I’d passed the immigrations, a guy just stopped me and said hello. He asked where I was going to and I told him London. He asked me what I was going to do and I asked what business that was to him. I told him I was going on holiday. He said he wanted to check to see if I had drugs on me. I queried his right to search me and he now brought out his ID. It was my first time and I felt bad. I was sad. They wrote down my name and asked me to go in and step on the scanning machine. I wasn’t smiling and I dropped my bag very close to me so that they would not drop something inside it. After the search the lady started mentioning all my movies and apologised, saying they had searched other top Nigerian artistes. I had to write my name as negative. I walked away and I saw Nigerians being chained, young, handsome guys caught with drugs. Though they were doing their duty, I still felt very bad.
The first time I went to London in October, 2007 they brought dogs to search us while the whites are passing freely and I said to myself, ‘see what we have brought on ourselves with yahoo yahoo, internet dating, drugs and the rest’. One of my friends, a big boy, was travelling to America and he was about bringing out his passport at the immigrations he now brought out Jenifa’s jacket. The American guy said oh bigs boy and I just said God thank you under my breath. They know me and I want them to know me more. Let me fly this flag positively, let them appreciate Nigeria through me and the movies I produce. I’m going to do something about that too to re-brand Nigeria. I’ll let people laugh and learn. Let us write scripts about these vices. Let me use the issue of yahoo yahoo guys. Let’s highlight things that Nigerians are doing that they would appreciate outside here, shoot it with international flavour that can cut across. By the time you show it in Hollywood they will appreciate it. You don’t shoot movies with one stupid camera and you believe they will watch it there. Do it and let them see Nigeria and the positive side.
The happiest day of my life
When my marketer called me that he really made a lot of money from my first movie Ojo Ketala, that was my happiest day in the movie industry.
Nollywood can produce its own Slumdog Millionaire
The technical aspect of our movies needs to be improved on. We are still far behind. As I watched Slumdog Millionaire, I kept on saying to myself I can do this. We can get professionals. What we need is funds. I watched D’Banj’s musical ‘Suddenly’ and it was shot with the Red Dot. The making was shot with the P2 and now in Nigeria we still are shouting I’m going to shoot my next movie with P2. If D’Banj brought P2 and Red Dot to shoot the musical, why can’t I do something like Slumdog Millionaire? Let’s do something with a good theme. Slumdog Millionaire was able to break into Hollywood because of that theme. We don’t yet have very strong themes and we are way behind technically.
As a producer it depends on how deep you can think even as a writer. When I was writing Jenifa I just wanted to cut across the teenagers, undergraduate, the females and all that and at the end of the day a lot of people appreciated Jenifa. It depends on how deep you can think as a writer and as a producer it depends on how deep you can treat a good script. We are trying, I’m still young in the industry and with the little time I’ve spent I think we are growing. Way back we didn’t shoot movies as good as this we didn’t have something as good as ‘Amazing Grace’, we are growing.
My dream is to make a great impact in the movie industry. All I have is given to me by God. I didn’t go to school to study it. When I write, my inspiration comes from God. So what I want to do in this industry is to make it grow, let the outside world appreciate our movies. I want the likes of Will Smith to watch my movie and say waoh, Nigeria is great because they watch Indian movies and they don’t speak English in Indian movies. They just subtitle. Slumdog Millionaire won eight Oscars. I want my own movies to get to that stage. I believe Jenifa is good enough to win an Oscar if it had been produced with international standard, if we have such equipment that was used to shoot Slumdog Millionaire.
My two big projects, Dasofunjo and My Choice will feature Genevieve and other big stars
I want to shoot two dance movies. I don’t have the money yet. One is in Yoruba, the other is English, Dasofunjo and My Choice. I want our parents to encourage their children to discover their talents. Everybody cannot be a doctor or a lawyer. It’s about the dancer that belongs to a family of lawyers and then one of the children said daddy I want to be a dancer; daddy I want to study theatre arts and the daddy said No you must study law and if you do not meet the cut off I’ll disown you. She did not meet the cut off. Daddy issues another ultimatum: if you don’t pass the diploma in Law I’ll disown you.
She did not pass and he did disown her. She had to move into the ghetto, joined the dance team and at the end of the day she became so popular and her father accepted her. If we want to shoot that movie we have to rehearse for like three months. I want our stars to dance. I don’t want it to be the professionals, I want to see the likes of Genevieve , myself and other stars do break dancing, traditional bata. The lead would be a professional dancer. that’s Ka dofee but I want the stars on set to be good. We’ll be rehearsing for three months and for me to bring Genevieve out of her home for three months, you know how much I’ll be paying her. I’ve not told her she’s going to see this for the first time.
Doris Simeon broke the news of my AMAA award to me on phone
It was Doris Simeon that was calling me and giving me blow-by-blow account of the event, who what and which film was nominated for what category until they called my name and then my mum called too. I just said thank God. Everybody is saying I’m big; she won Future Awards, Dynamix, City People but I’m not seeing it. I believe God is the one who has made it all possible.
Without God there is no me
I am very close to my God. He means everything to me. Without God there is no me. All my life I’ve been born again (laughs), I attend Mountain of Fire and Miracles. I don’t allow myself to be distracted when I go to church. I just greet everybody but when it’s time to pray I face my God. My church is very serious when it’s time to pray. Maybe after the service people walk up to me but while praying, there’s nothing like that and they do not frown at any of the roles I play.
I look back and the journey was so rough. Back then when I was looking for the right opportunity, trying to be known. When I went into acting I didn’t go into acting because of money or fame. I had the talent, I just wanted to display, exhibit, and the urge to do it was in me. The journey was rough. I’ll say things like at least give me a role even if it’s just one scene, it was rough.
Taibal boutique gave shoes worth N1m
I was at Taibal yesterday and the boutique gave me shoes worth a million. I tried the shoes on, beautiful shoes, I was given this bag too there, I just said God I thank you. Everybody is appreciating me it is you they are appreciating. it is you they are praising because you gave them to me.
I was sad ‘Apaadi didn’t win any award at AMAA
The Nigerian movie industry is lagging behind. From the little I watched of ‘From a Whisper’ from Kenya, it is technically sound, the picture is tight. I submitted Apaadi, I tried in Apaadi technically but I saw films that are way ahead of Apaadi .But I think next year we should be better. iI we want to produce any movie now, we really have to get the professionals. When you are given money, we should not think of what we want to gain. Finish the job first, do something very good so that when people see it they will come for more and you’ll make more money out of it. For AMAA I felt bad about it. Apaadi did not win any award and I felt bad, with all the my special effect I felt this is it and we were going to win many awards but when I got there I met my seniors. We have to really match that standard.
I trekked long distances for audition, wept inside toilets and buses and I almost gave up.
The journey has been long and tortuous but my mum, a gynaecologist has been very supportive. After God it’s my mum. She was there for me and she’s still there for me. When I felt like stopping she’d say no you have it in you, keep going. Frustration almost made me stop. I remember one day at about 6.30am I was going to Tobe Restaurant at Surulere (Lagos) where they had the auditions then and I misplaced my wallet. I had to trek from Ojuelegba to Kilo bus stop. When I finally got there, I put down my name and I was called me for the audition. I stood up and read my lines, acted, scaled through the first and second stages. At the last stage they said ‘sorry o your name is not there’.
I remember had not taken lunch that day. I had no money to go back home and I trekked a long distance. I got home tired and my mum kept on encouraging and assuring me that I would eventually make it. I remember another experience after ‘I Need to Know’. My director was an American who knew so much about production and we were well paid because ‘I Need to Know’ was aired on almost every station and DSTV. All I learnt on that set helped become a good producer because my producer educated us on many things. After ‘I Need to Know’ I felt I should get all the major roles but it didn’t happen that way and I had to cross into the Yoruba movies. I remember Fathia Balogun called me that a producer wanted new faces and that I should come over. I went, got auditioned and I was told to go on location. The day I was going to shoot, my box was so big. I packed lots of costumes thinking I was going to play a lead role and I went on set and appeared in just two scenes. I was so sad. They gave me three thousand naira. I went into the toilet and I cried. I remember Tayo Odueke (Sikiratu Sindodo) coming to meet me and saying ‘Funke stop crying, one day we will make it.’ I carried my box into the bus (public transport) and I was just crying in the bus, but I knew I will make it some day. When I look back today, I say God I thank you. For me to be there today I give God the glory.
I look like my father
My father is a wonderful man, Reverend G.O Akindele of the Methodists Church. He was the Vice Principal of the school I attended, Lagos State Model College. He’s retired now. He’s very wonderful, very liberal, easy going. My mum was always beating us then because she believes in beating but my father always talked to us. I’ll lie to my mum when she asked if I did something because I knew she would beat me but my dad would say Funke please tell me did you do it and I’d say yes I did it and he’d believe me and warn me not to do it again and I would not want to do it again because of my father. The day my father appreciated what I’m doing was the day I went to his school and the students refused to go back into class. He said, ‘so this is what you do. No wonder, you are a star o.’ He also called me to congratulate me for AMAA. I look like my father.
Success is when Funke Akindele wins an Oscar
To be successful in life, you really have to be focused, determined. Some say Funke Akindele is there and she’s successful now but no this is just the beginning. We have to start doing something good now. For success to keep coming we have to work hard. People say I’m already a success story but I’m yet to get there. When international stars acknowledge Funke Akindele, when I win an Oscar, when my movie is being appreciated outside these shores, that is when I will accept that I’m successful.
A producer once told me to come and meet him in a hotel and I told him to go home and sleep with his mother.
To be successful as an actress, you have to be focused, dedicated, patient. When you come there don’t be intimidated, don’t compromise. I don’t waste time. When I’m on set to work I’m there to work. People tell me I’m too disciplined, what’s your problem? Are you the only good girl? They tell me that. I remember I have been indirectly harassed by a producer who once told me he’d give me a script and let me play the lead role but I must come and meet him at one hotel. I looked at him and told him he was mad. I said, ‘you want to sleep with me abi, do you have a mother? Go home and meet her and sleep with her.’ That was what I said because I was so angry. He didn’t come out straight but I’m sure that was what he meant. As an actress, do not compromise, don’t be dejected when you are rejected. Your time will come.
People say to get to the top in Nollywood, one must kiss ass to get to the top but I did not kiss any ass but I beged for roles though, like saying please remember me in your next movie o.
I joined the Odunfa Caucus through Fathia Balogun
In the Yoruba movie industry you have to belong to a caucus. There are different caucuses like AKO (Awada Kerikeri Organisation) led by Oga Bello, Jide Kosoko, Odunfa caucus led by Yinka Quadri . There is also the caucus of Muka Ray, Ray Eyiwunmi, Lasun Ray. We have lots of them. It depends on the one you want to join but they are all the same. They all produce Yoruba movies and act in Yoruba movies. I joined Odunfa through Fathia Balogun and Iyabo Ojo. They belong to Odunfa caucus too. I met Fathia Balogun on set the production I was given three thousand naira I met Iyabo Ojo there too. That was how I got into the caucus.
In the Yoruba movie industry you get registered, get a form. You will be interviewed so they’ll get to know whether you can act or you just want to be laying about and if you are not good at all you’ll need rehearsals. If you pass you go for production and you get registered under the Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners, ANTP.
My next big role will be to play the role of an old woman.
So far, Jenifa is the most difficult role I’ve ever played. I had to learn how to speak like that but the character I want to play next is that of an old woman. I don’t want to play an old woman like any other person will do. I want to spend like six months each with three different old women and I give it to Garbazini, he’s a good make-up artist. I watched the movie where he made Mike Ezuruonye into an old man. The make-up was tight and Mike acted it very well. So I will get Garbazini to do the make-up. For me to do that, I want to learn how to talk like an old woman. I don’t want to mess myself up on set. I’ll spend six months each with the three old women, two educated and one illiterate. The way to interpret a role is by reading your script, understanding the character.
My favourite actors and actresses
I respect Bimbo Akintola especially when she’s acting emotional scenes. She’s a deep actress. She is one actress that makes me shiver. I give it to Bukky Wright, Sola Shobowale (I prefer Aunty Sola when she’s wild), Liz Benson, Joke Silva, Olu Jacobs, Kate Henshaw, Mercy Johnson, Nonso Diobi, Micheal Ezuruonye, Chioma Chukwuka.
Very soon, there will be Jenifa wigs, bigz boy shirts…
No I’m not doing anything on Funke Akindele for now but we are doing some thing on Jenifa. We are branding Jenifa, we are coming out with Jenifa wigs, weavon, accessories and we are coming out with bigs boy chain, bigs boys shirts, clothing lines. There will be Jenifa face caps, handbags, purses. We are building a brand around Jenifa.
On my first day in higher institution, I screamed ‘free-at-last’
I felt like someone that has just been released from the prison because at home you have to be inside the house. The lesson teacher would come and meet you in the house. She was a disciplinarian. All she did then was to tell us ‘remember the daughter or the son of whom you are, don’t live a fake life, be prayerful, be focused’ and she made sure we went to the best schools. She’d rather sell her jewellery or the last thing she had on her than allow her child go to a public school. I’m happy I have been able to buy her a car.
When she dropped us in our hostel then in her 504 and drove off I just screamed free at last and my elder sister was just crying that she would miss her mummy. Me I would dress up and go out, take money from my pocket money to buy jeans to look good. I felt free, happy at last.
I intend to marry and still remain in the industry
I’m not afraid of marriage. I intend to make it work by being myself, being submissive. I don’t believe because I’m a star on the screen I should be a star at home. I would keep my home away from the public and be a good mother. I want to be happily married and stay in the industry.
Olasco and I
I respect my marketer because he’s been there for me. If I tell Olasco I need N20m to produce this movie he will give it to me because he believes Funke Akindele can do it, she has it in her but for others if that’s is it then its wrong but for me. I respect the marketers because they are giving us money to produce movies, they are good, when they see a good story, a good producer, they will drop their money. They sell and pay off the producer and I respect them for that. Then as per the car for my mum, my marketer knows one or two motor dealers, I told him I wanted to get my mum a car and he has to give me some money to add to the one I have with me because my money is with him. He still has two or three of my movies that are not yet released. So we called the car dealers and I told them I will drop my own share of the money in their account and Olasco will balance. That was what happened with the issue of the car.
I don’t see marketers as God. If we see other people to give us funds they might be the one running after us.
Femi Adebayo is just a colleague
It is not true that Olasco has stopped using Femi in his movies. It’s a lie, I finished Ijaola three months ago, Femi played the lead role there and Olasco is marketing Ijaola. I have not even met Femi’s wife. I don’t know her, I’ve not met her, we’ve not spoken before. She has not called my phone. Femi and I only have a working relationship. Our relationship is all about j.o.b. Femi is just a friend and colleague.
Girls, get educated, stay away from drugs and ‘aristo’
My advice to the young ladies out there “you can use what you have to get what you want” by discovering your talent, the special thing God has given to you and make good use of it to be celebrated. Don’t sleep around, don’t believe in aristo, be focused, get educated and come out in flying colours, stay away from drugs, stay away from sex and if you must do it protect yourself.
I want to thank my fans for appreciating me. Without God and my fans there wouldn’t have been Funke Akindele and there won’t be anybody to celebrate Jenifa.
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By CHINYERE FRED-ADEGBULUGBE
A SUB-plot was acted out recently at a party when a young lady started distributing her business card. A cursory glance at the card to know her kind of services revealed the supply of choice sex toys as one of the things in her repertoire.
While a number of those present raised their eyebrows, those in the know believed the use of sex toys is a phenomenon that is fast gaining some ground in the country presently.
And though there are no statistics yet, sex and sexuality analysts are pointing fingers at women as the more frequent users of the erotic toys. What is more? They also believe that the trend shouldn't really be a surprise.
Princess Sola Oladimeji is the chief executive officer of Oju-Oge's World. Some of her services have one thing or the other to do with sex enhancement. She says many women resort to the use of sex toys when they don't get satisfaction from their spouses.
"There are a lot of women who keep several lovers before marriage and you know these men would come with various penis sizes. So when such a woman gets married, she might end up with a man who may not satisfy her in bed. But in order not to commit adultery, she would resort to sex toys. It will satisfy her and also save her marriage. So it is the married women that we reach out to," she said.
A sex and marriage therapist, Mrs. Funmi Akingbade, also toes Oladimeji's line. And she should know, having spent the last two decades counselling couples on sex and sexuality issues. "Many Nigerian women are sex-starved, even pastors' wives," she declared.
While she fingers the absentee husband factor as one of the causes, she insists that many women who stay with their husbands are usually deprived of good sex for several reasons. "Sometimes the man will have other women, especially the young girls outside and he won't have time for his wife.
"Such men are always giving one excuse or the other to their wives when they get home. Then another thing is that many of our men are always in a rush when they want to have sex with their wives. They don't have time for foreplay at all and therefore they hardly ever satisfy their wives. Many times many of these women have approached us to assist them in purchasing sex toys for them," she explained.
She even gave the instance of a woman who claimed that her husband encouraged her to buy the sex toys. "He told her to think of him while using them," she said.
But hate them or love them, sex toys, which are primarily used to enhance human sexual pleasure, seem to mean a great deal to some people. And this is because of the functions they purportedly perform.
According to the managing director, Zee Virtual Media (a company that sells sex toys), Mr. Uche Edochie, sex toys serve a variety of purposes.
Such purposes, he says, include not only enabling adults achieve sexual gratification, but also to achieve this gratification whenever they want, wherever they are and as often as they want it. "Sex with a human is never this generous," he said.
Furthermore, he opines that they are educational as well. "A careful study of certain toys like the vibrator for instance, enables us to figure out the erogenous parts of the female body that require the most stimulation for the best results," he states.
But he warns that they can never replace the real thing. He said, "Sex toys weren't designed to replace real sex and can never replace real sex. For a start, real sex takes place between two people who care for each other and can live together, bear children together and forge a life together. A toy cannot provide a human being with any of the above; neither can it provide companionship for single people."
Edochie, whose organisation has been credited with popularising sex toys and other adult products (he has an online shop which stocks and sells sex toys), believes more women than men embrace the use of sex toys in Nigeria
"Men masturbate more than women, but women invest more in sex toys than men do and toys for women sell a lot more than toys for men," he says. He reveals that a lot of young people tend to use and enjoy the use of sex toys. "Young people are more adventurous and more sexual therefore they tend to use toys more often than the older generation," he adds.
Sex toys come in different types: Vibrators, dildos, dongs, strap-on and clitoral stimulators for women; the men also have theirs.
Obviously because of cultural considerations, many people who use sex toys prefer to operate discreetly. "Many of my customers patronise me in secret," Oladimeji reveals. Even Edochie's outfit doesn't have a physical shop where people can walk in, look at those displayed and perhaps order. Rather they take orders online or on the phone and then deliver to their clients.
But are sex toys also completely harmless? While there is a general belief that there are really no side effects (Oladimeji claims that even people with hypertension can use them), the fact that they are addictive in nature is one factor that concerned observers believe should not be just glanced over. "Many women get addicted to it and won't even notice their spouses anymore and that is not good for the marriage," Akingbade said.
Edochie agrees that sex toys can be addictive, but insists that the advantages of acquiring and using them shouldn't be dismissed. "They prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS by limiting promiscuity amongst adults. They also serve as aids to our regular sexual routines by enabling us make up for areas in which our partners are lacking, such as 'staying power,'" he insisted.
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By TOYOSI OGUNSEYE
A 30-year-old Nigerian has emerged as one of United States of America's most wanted men. Tobechi Enyima Onwuhara shares the same poster with Osama bin Laden on the website of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the secret service agency of the USA.
The FBI declared him wanted on August 1, 2008.
To emphasise the importance of the suspect and the threat he is posing to the American economy, the FBI placed his picture under that of bin Laden on the agency's identification orders posted on the Internet.
Last year, ex-president George W. Bush ordered the security agents not to leave Onwuhara's trail until he was arrested.
Bush gave the order following an allegation that Onwuhara had allegedly stolen over $44m (about N5.28bn) from American citizens and banks, including a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeal, who was appointed by the ex-president.
The judge was once a Chief of Staff to the late American Senator, Strom Thurmond, who defected from the Democratic Party to the Republican and made history then as the longest-serving and oldest senator in US history.
By the time he was 100 years, he had served 48 years as a lawmaker.
According to the FBI, Onwuhara alias 'T,' 'Tobe,' 'Xavier,' 'Enyinna' and some of his co-conspirators used online Internet databases to steal victims' identities to the tune of $44m.
Investigations by the intelligence bureau revealed that Onwuhara hacked into his victims' personal information through a database, in a bid to access their Home Equity Line of Credit accounts.
Once inside, he would allegedly wire the money to accounts mainly located overseas, but some inside the US.
Onwuhara, who was called a 'fugitive' on the website, has been accused of causing tens of millions of dollars in losses to banks and home-owners.
The suspect was described by the agents as "a very smart and crafty fraudster," who had painstakingly perfected the scam, after lots of research, followed by several tests.
Also described as "The Consummate Con-man" with a seemingly-bottomless bag of tricks, Onwuhara was found to have been spending his money on wine, women and songs.
Among his traits and habits noted by the FBI are: gambling at the casino, flashing money, driving luxury cars and hanging out at strip clubs.
Investigators believe that Onwuhara first entered the US in 1999 or 2000 on a student visa.
"Onwuhara had high aspirations for himself, but his thirst for knowledge extended beyond the university's halls of learning - and they didn't involve getting a degree from a prestigious school," the agency said.
A statement signed by the FBI Director, Robert S. Mueller, reads in part: "Tobechi Enyinna Onwuhara, a convicted felon is wanted for his alleged involvement in an elaborate scheme that defrauded the financial industry out of tens of millions of dollars.
"Onwuhara is a key member of a group of Nigerians, which allegedly has been conducting fraudulent banking activities from Florida and Texas, since 2005. It is alleged that the group has been using online Internet databases to steal victims' identities.
"Once acquired, they allegedly use the victims' information to gain access to the victims' Home Equity Line of credit accounts and wire transfer the money to accounts mainly located overseas, some in the United States.
"Some of Onwuhara's alleged co-conspirators have been arrested, inside and outside of the United States.
"However, Onwuhara remains at large. Onwuhara was charged federally with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and a federal warrant was issued for his arrest by the United States District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, on August 1, 2008."
The statement carries a caution, boldly printed in red ink: "Should be considered an escape risk."
Mueller pleaded that those who have information concerning the case should contact the local FBI office or the nearest American embassy or consulate.
Investigators said Onwuhara had once moved from Seattle in Washington, where he lived for a short time, then Houston in Texas. Later, he was found to have set up homes in Miami and Dallas.
The Miami home is said to cost $600,000, and the Dallas base was described as a playground, where he lived the life of a multimillionaire playboy and businessman, renting a condo for $4,000 a month.
Although FBI agents describe Onwuhara as a quiet guy, they also say he craves the spotlight and let his money do his talking for him.
Dennis Michael Wagner, who works with the "American Most Wanted," reveals that Onwuhara loves "making it rain."
He usually throws fistfuls of cash up in the air, at one of his favourite spots, a local strip club. They say he easily drops $50,000, when he and his associates wanted a "thunderstorm."
According to Wagner, Onwuhara's desires didn't stop with cash and women.
Investigators say he loves luxury cars. He has a Maserati, a Bentley, a Rolls-Royce Phantom and he had been working as a car salesman to indulge his passion.
Once in his possession, agents say Onwuhara would ship the cars to Nigeria to be sold.
According to them, he was so confident in his skills and scams that he never believed they could be traced directly back to him.
The only paper trail Onwuhara left behind led directly back to close associates. Discreet investigations later unravelled his alleged scams in precise detail.
With the money he generated from his illegal activities, they say Onwuhara started his own hip-hop label, called S.W.A.T. Up Entertainment.
He even signed two artistes to the label. It was gathered that Onwuhara owned a recording studio at one point.
Investigators have now spread their dragnet across Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, New Jersey and Canada, looking for the suspect with the security label: W054871136.
Onwuhara's poster says he has access to fake driving licences and passports and millions of dollars in overseas accounts.
The FBI said it won't stop tracking him until he is in handcuffs. He is suspected to be hiding in Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, New Jersey, or Canada.
Born on July 24, 1979 in Nigeria, the suspect has black hair, brown eyes and is slightly built. He weighs 185 pounds and he is 5'10" tall. He does not have any known scar or mark.
The spokesman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Femi Babafemi, said he was not aware of Onwuhara's case with the FBI. "But we will look through our files and see whether there was anything on the man in the past," Babafemi said.
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In order to pay back your debt, pick the creditor that charges the highest interest rate and work on paying back that debt first. Pay this creditor as much money as you can so that that debt will be gone fast. Pay the minimum payment to all your other creditors. Once you are done, pick another creditor. Keep doing this until all your debts are paid. This is the best and quickest way for you to get out of debt, and is recommended by many experts.The best way to pay your creditors is to pick one and send them as much money as you can. Pay the minimum payments on the other debts. If you do this every month you will soon pay off that debt. At this point, you will want to pick another debt to pay off and do the same thing. Do this until you have no more creditors to pay.For debts that are accruing interest, it is wise to pay more than once every month. This will reduce the amount of interest you pay. Do this for credit cards and other loans that you pay interest on. It is not necessary to do this for your utility bills since they don't accrue interest and you won't gain anything from using this technique with them.Figure out how much you would like to pay every month. Then split it into 4. If you pay $75 a week instead of $300 per month, you will actually pay less interest that month. You will need to make sure your account number is written on the check, and that you attach a note that says exactly what you are sending the money for.You should also lower your expenditures. You will need to make some changes in your lifestyle if you want to be debt free, since you will need to put aside extra cash to repay your debt. Without lowering your expenses you will not be able to repay that debt.Do you shop often? Try to limit the amount of money you spend on your shopping, and pay only in cash. If you like eating out, see if you can do a barbecue or a potluck dinner with friends instead. You can rotate the dinners so that a different family hosts the meal each time. You will want to save the restaurants for very special events. You can use the library instead of buying books and rent videos instead of going to the theater. Also, save some money on your bills by using good habits such as turning off the lights when you leave the room.If you are really doing bad financially, go see a debt counselor. Find a company that gives free counseling sessions and set up an appointment to go over your debts and bills. The debt counselor will look at your debts and expenses and help you come up with a plan to become debt free. Make sure you have a list of all your debts with all the relevant information such as how much you owe, who you owe it to, and how much you pay each month. The more information you bring with you, the better the counselor will be able to help you.If you decide to work with the consultant, you'll have a monthly budget prepared for you, and the company will negotiate with your creditors to get a payment plan you can deal with. Although debt management might be the only way for you become debt free, you should know that debt management programs affect your credit score, so make sure you understand the implications before you start. Sound advice for financial freedom and personal sovereignty.EDMARK INTERNATIONAL is very interested in the topics of financial freedom. If you are in debt and want to learn how to become completely Debt Free in 1 Year or sooner, no matter your income level or where you live, the secrets that EDMARK discovered may interest you. For more information go to WWW.EDMARKER.COM and learn what THEY did.
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It is one of the rich traditional soup of Cross River State in the South East region. It is very expensive soup to prepare. There are two different ways that edikaikong soup can be prepared, is either prepared with palm oil without water or mixed water with palm oil. But for this weekend let us use only palm oil. Edikaikong ingredients1. ugu leaves(2 heads) or 2 standard packages of spinach.2. water leaves (2 heads)3. crayfish (1 cup)4. dried fish5. snails6. goat meat or beef(assorted meats including beef intestines)7. kpomo8. palm oil9. onions10. fresh pepper11. salt12. magi13. periwinkleHow to prepare Edikaikong soup After plucking the leaves from the stem, discard the stems. Collate the leaves and chop into thin slices, do likewise to water leaves. Use electric grinder to blend the crayfish into coarse powder, rub the lemon on the snails until slime is gone and becomes gritty to the touch. Break up the dried fish in a bowl, pour in boiling water add two spoon of salt wash the fish in the hot salt water to remove dirt and sand. Grind pepper to a paste. Method A medium sized cover pot. The assorted meats including the intestines, kpomo, sliced onions, salt and maggi without water cover the pot till meats are tender for about 20 mins.Then you can add water leaves and coarse powder crayfish, until the liquid in the pot evaporates. Add palm oil. When the snails are over cooked it becomes leathery. But it becomes crunchy and Easy to chew when you are putting the snails towards the end of the cooking. Add pepper and stir. Add ugu or spinach, stir and allow it to boil for 3mins. The food is ready to serve with fufu or pounded yam .
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A19-year-old girl, Asma’u Ibrahim, of Kwado Village near Katsina, hanged herself to protest against an alleged forced marriage by her parents. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the incident happened in the girl's family house at about 10:30 p.m.The deceased was said to have committed suicide by hanging herself with her veil when the family members had gone to sleep. A source close to the family told NAN on Monday in Kwado that the girl had initially resisted her parents' plan to force her into the marriage and threatened to kill herself if they went ahead with the plan. The source said that just a few hours after fixing the date for the ceremony in the family compound, the deceased hanged herself. According to the source, the girl had wanted to complete her secondary education before marriage, but the parents allegedly insisted on marrying her out. When contacted, the Katsina State Police Commissioner, Mr. Dan’azumi Doma, confirmed the incident. Doma, who described the incident as very unfortunate, said the police had commenced investigation to unravel the circumstances behind the suicide.
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