Professor Chinua Achebe Is Dead

Chinua Achebe, one of the world’s most celebrated writers and author of the classic novel Things Fall Apart, is dead.

Achebe died in a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. He had been sick for some time. He was 82 years old.

Feeling very sad to hear about the loss :'(

Oh my heart, if one should say to you that the soul perishes like the body, 
Answer thus: The flower withers, but the seed remains.

You will always live in our hearts

Boko Haram vs Christians: Who Blinks First?



Attacks on Nigerian churches



A battle line seem to have been drawn in Nigeria's religious circle. Whichever way you chose to describe it, the battle between the Christian faithful and the radical Islamic sect is one that tests the faith of every living Nigerian in all 36 states of the nation. It is a battle of faith versus reality. A battle of either physical self-defense or the belief in a spiritual victory.

No doubt, there is an urgent need for independent intelligence gathering and security step-up in the Christendom as churches in the North have remained second major target, aside the continued attacks on security facilities across the country by the radical Islamic extremist group.

The effects of attacks on Christian faithful are imminent reprisal attacks which usually force many to either trust in the unseen God to defend them or fight with physical weapons in self-defense.

Attacks on churches have always been bloody, deadly and horrific - as the casualties involve both adults and children. In some cases, the priests are not spared. One minute, the people  would leap for joy and begin to rejoice heartily. And for several other hours, their joy would diminish, paving the way for long lasting agonies, wailings and mourning over the loss of a dear one who had been blown apart by the bombs of some defiant messengers of death. The suicide bombers, with an aim to destroy as many lives as possible, often ram their bomb-laden vehicles against the church walls, having outwitted security men. Sadly, the agents of death or suicide bombers as they are literally called, are not always spared of their own evil.

Strengthening the government's effort to curb the recurrent weekend attacks, most churches, streets, highways and government establishments in northern Nigeria are now manned by armed-to-the-teeth military and security operatives. For instance, a visit to the Nigerian national Christian center on a Sunday morning would reveal a long queue of worshippers waiting to be cleared by fully-armed security operatives. With water-tight security in full glare, everyone (young or old) is a suspected "suicide bomber", unless he or she has passed the strings of security check.

Long queue of worshipers awaiting security check

Tucked in Nigeria's capital city of Abuja, the National Church of Nigeria (previously known as the Nigerian Ecumenical Center and officially known as the National Christian Center) is the primary Christian place of worship in Nigeria and the symbol of unity of Christendom in the country.

The National Church, with a rotating altar placed within it, is an interdenominational church, making every Sunday service a remarkable one with full congregation.

National Church of Nigeria

Nigeria has the largest Christian population, compared to any country with Christians in Africa; with more than 70 million of its citizens belonging to churches of various denominations. Although the northern part of the country has the highest domination of Muslim faithful, violence against non-Muslims has increased since the introduction of Sharia penal law in some of the northern states.

What can be done to stop Boko Haram from terrorizing Nigerian Christians? Where and how did Christians offend the Muslims? How do Christians put an end to this religious war? As much as the Christian ideology and doctrine preach and supports peaceful dialogues, these and many more are the questions that continue to traumatize every Nigerian.

Should the Christians pick up arms and face the reality, what will become of the nation? The doctrine of love and peaceful co-existence is long overdue in the face of weekly killings and bombings of yet another family member. If no truce is met as soon as expected, things might continue to fall apart in Nigeria!

Ariticle by: Chi Josh

Audio Conversation Between Farouk Lawan And Femi Otedola Arranging $2.5 million

The text conversation between Femi Otedola and Farouk Lawan arranging to pay/collect the balance of a certain $3 million deal:

Femi Otedola: I don’t want to bring it to my house
Farouk Lawan: You will take it to your house?
Femi Otedola: No, I don’t want to bring it to my house. It’s a lot of money.
Farouk Lawan: Yes, hurry because I am rushing to the…they are at the airport now?
Femi Otedola: Yes, they are at the airport in the aircraft
Farouk Lawan: And before they can come over now….unless I send somebody to…I can’t…by the time they come I should be in the chambers. I have a lot of things to do myself.
Femi Otedola: Is there anybody you trust I can give it to or maybe I should postpone my …till tomorrow
Farouk Lawan: No no it’s ok. I will arrange with someone. Let me give you his number
Femi Otedola: Ok
Farouk Lawan: His number is 080….
Femi Otedola: Hold on hold on…080…
Farouk Lawan: 365133**
Femi Otedola: What’s his name?
Farouk Lawan: Yeah, TJ
Femi Otedola: So, I will give him the balance, that’s 2.5 million dollars yeah?
Farouk Lawan: Hold on, just hold on, I am calling him to be sure



But sincerely, who is guilty? The giver or the receiver?

"From that moment onward I knew my life was at risk" - Ghanaian born British consultant under threat in Nigeria

 I Pray this gets to the appropriate authorities

For his persistence in demanding his consultancy fee for over three-year service, Ghanaian born British consultant, Kofi Manu feels threatened by his client turned assailant, one Dr Alhaji Abdulganiyu Obatoyinbo, his wife Iyabo Obatoyinbo.

He said the couple who had accumulated consultancy fee in excess of 869,000.00 British Pounds Sterling have now refused blatantly to pay for his services rendered them since the third quarter of 2009.

Mr. Manu, who has to go into hiding in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country for the safety of his life, said he was originally hired by his alleged assailants for their social care business in Ezy Care Home Services Limited located at 42 Exbury Lane Milton Keynes MK4 4FE in the United Kingdom.

According to him, the couple subsequently invited him to Nigeria, first in February 2009 for further assignments for which he had to return to Nigeria to carry out on their behalf.

“In the third quarter of 2009 when he was unexpectedly retired by the President Yar’Adua government from the Nigerian Civil Service, Dr Obatoyinbo and his third wife, Iyabo impressed upon me to assist them setup Redbricks Consultants for its continuous operation,” the consultant said in an emailed message from his hiding in Nigeria.

This activity, he said kept him in provision of his consultancy services to the Obatoyinbos businesses in England and in Nigeria.

He explained that due to the cordial relationship he had had with his clients he made the mistake of deferring payment for them over the period.

“They appeared genuine and honest, they have invested in properties in England, some held in third party names which I am aware of hoping that if things ever went wrong I could fall back on that. I never considered that deferring payment for them would ever turn the relationship into the ugly monster it has developed into,” Mr. Manu maintained.

The consultant said the projects he worked on for the couple included a proposed multi-million Health and Social Care business with over Two Million Pounds capital requirement in Britain until they withdrew for fear of the downturn in the housing market in 2008 onward.

He said the couple also had existing businesses in Nigeria including Micro Finance Institutions, Water and Beverage Production Line, Micro Hotels and Estates which all were poorly managed.

The consultant alleged that the couple began to show their true nature first when he (Manu) refused to participate in a 98 Million Naira fraud perpetrated against the Nigerian Police under the guise of providing anti-corruption training for senior officers of the Nigerian Police Force in July 2011 in a contract awarded by Ministry of Police Affairs as part of the Nigerian Police Reforms programmes by the government of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Then the heavens came tumbling down when I hinted Dr Alhaji Obatoyinbo that I wanted a meeting with him and his wife Iyabo to discuss my remuneration with a view to bring my engagement to an end and return home to London,” Mr. Manu stated.

He went on that “on 23rd December 2011 they evicted me without notice from the hotel accommodation they provided for me at Maitama in Abuja – Q Palace Hotel which is owned by Dr. Obatoyinbo; after a bogus meeting they convened on 22nd November 2011, to resolve the issues didn’t go their way.”

“From that moment onward I knew my life was at risk and have to take precaution, and relied on my private investigation skills to ensure my protection,” Mr. Manu added.

When the a Nigerian law firm representing the Ghanaian-born British consultant wrote on June 12, 2012 after a long period of silence, to remind the Obatoyimbos of their indebtedness, they wrote back through one Dr Francis Omotayo Oni (a cousin of Mrs. Iyabo Obatoyimbo) who acts as their legal counsel to deny Mr. Manu ever carried out any work for them.

In addition, the letter signed by the learned Dr. Francis Omotayo Oni, made a criminal counter claim to the effect that Mr Manu who apparently never worked for them, left with their “laptop and expensive softwares” worth a total of 600,000,000 Naira ” about 3,745,000 in USD equivalent or 2,404,000 equivalent in Great British Pounds.

They have even denied the existence of the contractual relationship in England relating to their social care business, which is expressly held in the register of the regulator – Ofsted; says the Ghana born British Investment and Strategic Management Consultant.

At least, for now, Mr. Manu’s Accra office has provided pictorial evidence of activities carried out involving him and his client in Nigeria.

When contacted, Dr Alhaji Obatoyinbo, who first denied knowing anyone by name Kofi Manu, later admitted knowing him by the name Julius Manu.

“He never did any work for me, and I don’t owe him anything,” he insisted, adding that the consultant had stolen his software and laptop.

When told of pictures available of him and Mr. Manu as well as other people at work, Dr. Alhaji Obatoyinbo laughed and asked this reporter to go ahead and publish his story.

Although he admitted owning Redbricks Consultants he denied owning Ezy Care Home Services Limited in the UK.

“He is a wanted man in Nigeria: The Police are looking for him. Ask him to report himself to the police and pay my debt,” he insisted in a telephone interview.

Unperturbed by these claims,. Mr. Manu reiterates that “My only concern for now is my safety. Nigeria is a beautiful country but the systems are not adequate and many things happen untraced.

“They can hire people to kidnap or kill me in cold-blood; I could disappear without a trace if they knew my whereabouts, just to evade liability for my consultancy services.

“They have frantically made several efforts to reach me using their assistants and unconnected associates. My greatest fear is that some senior officers in the Nigerian Police Force could be involved in the 98 Million Naira fraud scheme and by their counter criminal claim I can be unlawfully arrested if found and silenced, I mean murdered whilst in police custody before any investigation can take place.

“That way they get away without payment for my consultancy services, and the vital information I hold relating to the 98 Million Naira Fraud Scheme against the Nigerian Police under the guise of providing Anti-Corruption training to the Nigerian Police also die along with.”

Nanny Watched As Cleaner Raped 5yr Old Girl In Abuja

The rape of a five-year-old girl is generating the interest of the attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, Muhammed Bello Adoke (SAN), who on Wednesday applied to a Wuse Magistrate Court to take charge of its prosecution from the Police.

Canadian born Eliana Melekwe was allegedly raped at Bolingo Hotel by a certain Godwin Okon, a cleaner in the hotel

However, counsel to the accused, Suleiman Usman, opposed the application, arguing that the AGF could not takeover a criminal case without the fiat of an attorney general of the state, taking Abuja to possess the status of a state.

After both sides had been heard, Magistrate Folashade Oyekan fixed Monday 25th June for counsel’s submission of written addresses on the propriety of the AGF’s desire.

Mother of the rape victim, Queen Moses Idris, had reported the matter to the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria, citing weakness of Police prosecution. But she was advised to first exhaust all internal mechanisms before inviting the Commission.

She consequently sought the intervention of the AGF, who instructed a lawyer in his chambers to follow the case up.

 In a letter to the AGF, she accused the Police, particularly the IPO of deliberately frustrating the matter by not turning up in court. The house help, Miss. Bright, who was in custody of the minor at the time of the rape, has since been apprehended by the National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP).

According to Idris, her daughter is currently receiving treatment at Kings Care Hospital Abuja, after contracting Sexually Transmitted Virus (STV) from 35-year-old Okon. She said her daughter, who was unable to eat, drink or excrete for more than a week, is suffering from “Yielded profubed staph spotter Utlus” and “mellonotigreen mecid discharge” on her vulva.

“We logged into Bolingo Hotel in Abuja on 11th March 2012. Two weeks later, I secured a 28-year-old house help called Bright, through an agency; and on 8th May, my daughter was sexually molested. I will say rape because it has to do with oral sex,” she said.

“The 35-year-old Godwin Okon, who works as a house cleaner in the hotel, connived with my house help and did anal sex with my daughter. This man is a professional because at the end of the day nothing happened at the front (vagina). He penetrated my daughter through the anus and gave her his manhood for sucking. The house help, being an accomplice, told my daughter that ‘If you tell your mum, she will spank you,’ so my daughter became scared and she didn’t tell me about the first incident.”

Meanwhile, THEWILL can report that the management of Bolingo had in the past few weeks spent huge sums to compromise the case at the local police post where it was first reported.  They also moved to lobby local media houses not to report the incident.

Having failed in their effort to get the media out of the story, management has cooked up a denial saying the infant’s mother owes them over a million naira in unpaid bills adding that she came up with the rape story after she was written to pay up

Source: TheWillNigeria


AAAARRRHHHHGGGG!!!!   So disgusting!!! o_o

Air Nigeria Suspended For Safety Checks

Nigeria’s second-largest air carrier has been grounded for safety checks following a strike by its engineers, Officials say.

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority official Harold Demuren said Wednesday that Air Nigeria would be able to fly again after investigators finished their checks. The investigation comes after engineers at the airline carried out an on-and-off strike at the carrier.

A spokesman for the airline could not be immediately reached, though an operator at its call center said the airline hoped to resume flights Thursday.

The temporary grounding of Air Nigeria comes after a Dana Air flight June 3 crashed in Lagos, killing all 153 people on board and others on the ground. A cause for that crash has yet to be determined.

17yr Old Boy Sentenced To Death By Hanging

When the argument ensued, it was my brother that ran into the house and brought out a matchete which he used to hit me several times. I then went into the house and brought out a gun to defend myself.” Those where the words of 17-year-old Solomon Ezukwa while trying to defend his action after he was charged before Justice Tambe Ebuta of the Calabar High Court.

 His defence, however, couldn't convince the Judge who, on Friday, found him guilty of shooting his step- brother, Joseph Banyio, to death using a locally made single-barrel gun. He was thus sentenced to death by hanging.

The incident took place in Aliki village, Cross River State. According to the prosecuting police officer, Christian Ugwouke, who investigated the matter, the accused intentionally killed his brother. 

Ugwuouke told the court that the two brothers were playing a game when an argument ensued between them. He also tendered a medical report during the trial as evidence which showed that Joseph Banyio di*d as a result of wounds sustained from a gunshot at close range.

I wonder what this world is turning into. Just an argument?

When did cutting off heads become solution for headaches? How can you involve guns and machetes just to come to terms? 


Hmmm...





 

Man Dies During Intercourse

Peace Idorenyin, a commercial sex worker in Cross River State, has been arrested by the police in connection to the death of Ete Samuel, 30, a resident of Calabar, who allegedly slumped and died on Sunday while having sex with her.

Samuel, who until his death resided at 14, Ekpo Abasi Lane in Calabar South, allegedly went with Idorenyin to a motel on Atu Street for an evening sex session before the incident happened.

The owner of the motel, who did not want his name published, said that he was drawn to the room when he heard a shout. “When I got there, I went into the room and saw a young man on the floor with foam coming out of his mouth and I called the police who came and took the corpse to the mortuary and the lady to Atakpa Police Station,” he said.

Idorenyin, when contacted, said she was not the cause of the death of Samuel, adding that this was not the first time they had sex. She said she noticed that Samuel was shaking and she thought he was about reaching orgasm, “but when he did not make any move of coming down from my body after some time, I pushed him and saw that he was foaming in his mouth.”

“I did not kill him as many men have slept with me and they did not die and this was not the first time Ete Samuel was doing it with me,” she said. “I could have escaped, but since I know I am not the cause of his death, I had to wear him his trousers before calling people to help me.”

The state’s police spokesperson, Hogan Bassey, said investigation was still ongoing in the matter and that Idorenyin was still in custody so as to provide more information “on how the man died.”

Source: Dailytimes

Dead Obese Woman Set Building On Fire During Her Cremation

Austrian crematorium officials have blamed a deceased woman's obesity for causing a blaze which had to be tackled by firefighters.

Firemen in the southern city of Graz were covered in thick sticky soot as they tried to prevent the blaze from taking hold of the building.

The case has been widely reported in Austrian media, including in the ORF - the country's equivalent of our BBC - and has ignited calls for a weight limit on bodies to protect against future fires.

Firemen whose clothing was left covered with a layer of sooty grease were snapped as they tackled the difficult to extinguish blaze in special breathing gear to avoid inhaling the fumes.

Some countries such as Switzerland and the UK already have facilities which cater for extra large bodies, in line with the growing trend of expanding waistlines.

Speaking to the Daily Mail online, funeral director Christea Bogdan, of Gillman Undertakers, Tooting, south London, said he had never before in his career heard of such an event.

'I have never come across such a case,' he said.

An expert report on the Austria fire has revealed that the woman being cremated weighed more than 200kg - or 31st 7lbs - and her size had caused the oven to overheat.

Graz-based fireman Otto Widetschek said: 'Crematorium officials need to be more responsible and not just automatically put everybody in to be cremated.'

He said that in Switzerland there were moves now to make sure that XXL bodies were routinely shipped to a special crematorium able to deal with the extra heat caused by larger bodies.

Source: Dailymail

History of Airplane Crashes In Nigeria

November 20, 1969 – The first plane crash in Nigeria occurred. Government-owned DC-10 aircraft from London crash-landed in Lagos killing and all 87 passengers and crew on board.

January 22, 1973 – Royal Jordanian Airlines flight 707 carrying 171 Nigerian Muslims returning from Mecca and 5 crewmen died in crash in Kano, Nigeria.

March 1, 1978 – F28-1000 a Nigeria Airways aircraft crashed in Kano killing 16 people.

November 28, 1983 – Nigeria Airways F28-1000 crashes on approach in Enugu killing 53 on board.


December 3, 1988, Nigeria Airways Forker-28 crashed in Enugu, killing 103 passengers while in December 1988,a Skypower Brandeironte aircraft overshot Ilorin Airport runway and killing all passengers on board.


February 24, 1991 British Helicopter crashes in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, killing all nine people on board.

May 21, 1991 An Okada Air Bac-11 also crashed in Sokoto on killing three people.

July 11, 1991 – Nigeria Airways DC-8-61 crashes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from system failure killing all 261 on board.


June 26, 1991 Cessna Citation 550 of Ashaka Cement, Hombe, crashed killing all on board.

September 26, 1992 – Nigerian Air Force A C-130 plane crashes minutes after take-off from Lagos killing all 200 on board amongst who were 157 military officers.

June 24, 1995 – Harka Air Services Tupolev 34 crash-landed in Lagos killing 16.

November 13, 1995 – Nigeria Airways Boeing 737-2F9 crash-landed in Kaduna killing 9.


17 January 1996 Ibrahim Abacha, first son of then Head of State, late General Sani Abacha, and 13 others were killed in a plane crash .

November 7, 1996 – A Nigerian ADC( Aviation Development Corporation ) Airline Boeing 727-231 flying from Port Harcourt to Lagos with 142 passengers and 9 crew members crashed on landing, plunging into a lagoon with all on board killed.

January 31, 1997 – SkyPower Express Airways Embraer 110PIA crashes on landing in Yola killing 5.

September 12, 1997 A NAF Dornier 228-212 in Nguru, Borno State ran into a ditch during the take off, none of the 10 people died.

January 5, 2000 – SkyPower Express Airways Bandeirante 110P1A crashes on landing in Abuja killing 17.

October 26, 2000 A Dornier aircraft plunged into a thick bush in the Niger Delta, the 6 occupants sustained injuries.

May 4, 2002 – Nigerian EAS Airlines’ BAC 1-11-500 plane from the Kano airport en route to Lagos carrying at least 76 people crashed and burst into flames into buildings in a poor, densely populated suburb of Kano. The 76 on board were killed, including 72 on the ground bringing it to a total 148 dead.


March 20, 2003, 100 people on board an ADC Boeing 737 from Calabar Airport which skidded off the runway escaped death.

December 29, 2004 A Boeing 727 of Chanchangi Airlines and A Kenya Airlines aircraft crashed- landed at the Muritala Mohammed Airport (MMA) on same day with the later attributed to gear fault.

July 26, 2004 A Pan African Airlines’ helicopter crashed into the Atlantic Ocean in Escravos, Delta State killing 4 people on board.

January 28, 2005 Nigeria Air Force fighter plane crashed into a farmland in Yar Kanya, Kano State.

February 25, 2005 ADC’s B73 aircraft had its tyre burnt while landing at Yola airport.

March 27, 2005 A Boeing 737 of Bellview airlines had one of its engines caught fire.

June 12, 2005 A Boeing 727-200 aircraft belonging to the domestic Chachangi Airlines overshot the runway at Muritala Muhammed airport in Lagos, while yet another overshot the runway at the Jos Airport the day before.

June 24, 2005 A Russian aircraft belonging to Harka Air crashed on landing at the Muritala Muhammed airport(MMA). All the people on board died.

July 6, 2005 Air France A330 plane crashed into a herd of cattle at Port Harcourt airport sustaining serious damage and killing many of the cows. The airport had no perimeter fence and herdsmen usually take their cattle across the tarmac, sometimes abandoning them there.


July 13, 2005 A Ugandan-registered cargo aircraft, belonging to Almiron Aviation, overshot the runway at Murtala Muhammed airport. There were no casualties.


July 23, 2005 A Lufthansa aircraft crashed on landing at Lagos airport and was badly damaged with no life was lost.


October 22, 2005 – A Nigerian Bellview Airlines Boeing 737 airliner with 117 people on board crashes and disintegrates in flames shortly after take-off from Lagos killing everyone on board were killed.

December 10, 2005 – A Nigerian Sosoliso Airlines DC-9 crashes in Port Harcourt, killing all 103 on board. Among those killed were 62 pupils of the Loyola Jesuit School Abuja, who were returning to Port Harcourt for the Christmas holiday. Pastor Bimbo Odukoya, Lagos based preacher also died in the crash.


September. 17, 2006 – A Nigerian 18-seater Dornier 228 Air Force transport plane with registration number 228-212, carrying 15 senior army officers and three crew members crashed leaving only three survivors that sustained serious injuries. The plane crashed in Oko village in Vandeikya local government area of Benue State, northern part of Nigeria at about 10:30 a.m local time.

October 29, 2006 – A Nigerian ADC( Aviation Development Corporation ) Airline Boeing 737 with 104 on board crashes minutes after take-off from Abuja’'s airport during a rain storm. All but 6 perished in the disaster. The spiritual leader of Nigeria’s Sunni Muslims, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido was among the dead.

August 2, 2007 Bristow-owned helicopter crashed inside ExxonMobil facility in Port Harcourt.

March 15, 2008 Beechcraft 1900D plane marked 5N-JAH, belonging to Wing Aviation crashed in the mountainous forest of Busi in Cross River State on its way to Obudu airstrip. The wreckage was not found until 6 months after the disappearance of the aircraft. All 4 man crew on board died.

March 14, 2012: A Helicopter belonging to the Joint Task Force (JTF) crashes in Kabong, Jos, Plateau State killing all members onboard including 4 senior Police officers.

June 3, 2012 Dana Air flight carrying 153 passengers from Abuja en-route Lagos crashed into residential buildings in Iju, near Lagos killing everyone on board and 40 others on ground. Among those confirmed in the ill fated Dana Air flight was Mr Levi Ajeonuma of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC).

Psalm 91

Woman Killed Her Son, Ate Part Of Brain

A woman accused of beheading her 3-week-old infant son used a knife and two swords in the attack and ate some of the child's body parts according to the San Antonio police.

William McManus, San Antonio Police Chief told reporters on Monday that Otty Sanchez's attack on her son, Scott Wesley Buchholtz-Sanchez, was "too heinous" to fully discuss.

According to him, Sanchez ate part of the newborn's brain and bit off three of his toes before stabbing herself twice.

Police say the 33-year-old Sanchez told officers who were called to her house early Sunday that she killed her son at the devil's request.

Sanchez is charged with capital murder and is being held on $1 million bail. She is recovering from her wounds at a hospital.

Source: AP

Vogue Italia Features Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan

La Naija President Goodluck Jonathan la features in May - june issue of Vogue italia, la Italian edition of Vogue magazine , and also published on Vogue's website.  

La Presido La look vewy pwety in la photo wella. So, La me la jealous la presido. :)

Dont mind me jare. The article was published in Italian language but translated with google tranlate capability. So, at some point you'll get it twisted  just read on and you'll understand.

Enjoy!!!

The feature below:

It's Thursday, January 5 when we land in Abuja, Nigeria's capital . The ultimatum expires today of Muslims to Christians. We have police and army escort us to have total security. We are going to the Palace of the President and does not have much time. At 6 pm, at best, we should take off. No real danger, reassure us, but better to avoid risks. The streets everything is calm and there is no confusion, and Abuja is beautiful with lots of greenery and imposing houses hidden behind high walls......continue reading.

It is a city rich-looking and with a totally clean everywhere. We're late for our appointment because of the flight before ours, we must also pass an endless series of checks: first stop for cars, second for us to photograph and inspect the documents, then searched us and deposit all cameras and mobile phones. The situation is not simple at this time in Nigeria and all do their work carefully .

The real disappointment is not being able to get the camera equipment. They understand that it is a problem for us and offer us a book with many photos of the president. We can choose the ones you want, tell us. "No", explain politely, "the pictures we do, we have a style of Vogue and we want to keep." I stay with the book in hand and with all eyes on me, yet I could almost ask themselves what to say or do. "Calm down, let me speak with the president and then we'll see."Among the disappointment of a photographer and cameraman, and the uncertainty about the arrival of the president I feel bad for everyone .

A guard and the chief of protocol we are going to welcome in the Oval Office where he should be held soon after our meeting. I turn and look at all my group a bit 'down. "Smile please, and not a request" .Welcomed, therefore, our smiles and himself with a good-natured expression under a wide-brimmed hat, elegant in a blue tunic and trousers, and a gold chain that slips into the pocket, enters Goodluck Jonathan, President of Nigeria, elected April 16, 2011.

It is followed by the vice president, Mohammed Namadi Sambo (with him in the photo on this page) - who is a Muslim while he was an evangelist. Enter also the oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, a beautiful and elegant woman in traditional dress, princess, with a master's degree at Cambridge, who now commands - first time for a woman - the most important Ministry of Nigeria, the eighth exporter of crude oil per world.

Impressive in its size and authoritarian with a broad-brimmed hat like the President, also comes Edem Duke, the Minister of Culture and Tourism. We sit. I am close to calling Goodluck Alison-Madueke to take the parol a. The Minister explains in detail our design firm and Fashion 4 Development and our intention to dedicate a whole number to Africa "photographing" from a positive point of view, just to give the idea of a country that is not only death and hunger, but it has great potential for growth and job openings towards new initiatives and development.

Advocates both projects and looks at me with kind eyes that do not allow replies. "Stories and convincing", seems to say. And so I begin. "President, thank you for accepting our request to interview her. It is true that we are a newspaper image, but I think there is much to do in this regard in your country , which currently does not appear as rich and secure while having oil and great prospects. " I stop, interrupted by his gaze and his voice informs me that the motto of the country right now is "Rebranding Nigeria". "Really I could not agree more. But I want to revive your textile industries that were once strong and that since there is oil have been neglected, if not forget it. And why sell the patent for the tie dye-Chinese who move so the production in their country? In this way, within a few generations, there will be your knowledge of this tradition. If only we would produce in Nigeria would work for your local and not disappear culture. You have a potential crazy, just look what happened in Brazil and many European and American companies produce in China. Why this is not possible to do it again in Nigeria? ".

She smiles and missing his head. I continue: "All Nigerians rich spend their money abroad because here there are no shops, no hotels from African flavor and chic restaurants, meeting. Why not build a Rodeo Drive" Africa "in Lagos or Abuja with stores and shops with both foreign and Nigerian products? ". I stop, maybe I'm exaggerating. He looks at me and says: "You know our designers: they are good and have great creativity." "Sure", I continue. "Have you for example Duro Olowu who is famous as Louboutin America and Europe, as well as many other designers. Mercedes sponsor many fashion weeks and he could talk to do something here too. In short, ideas are not lacking, need do, and quickly. Nigeria is, in north-central Africa, the country with more opportunity. Why not use them? ".

Now I am silent. The President looks at the ministers, he looks happy and seems to share what I said. Speaks up and agrees to help us to ensure that this does not remain just a good speech. "I agree, I agree and this will be for us the basis on which to start thinking.We have a variety of problems and some very serious, but this will not prevent this country to progress and change its image . And also because he spoken out in no uncertain terms. Is there anything I can do while you're here though for a few hours? ".

I laugh and raised directly, without wasting a second, I reply: "Yes, a photo taken by us in Vogue style. Just a nod and they'll get all the equipment." He looks around with his gentle smile and shy. "How to say no?" She says. While I go out, the Minister of Tourism says: "It's always true That dynamite comes in a small package"

HIV Positive Gay Commercial Sex Worker Claims "he sleeps with top Government Officials"

This is one sad and very annoying report, I will like you prepare your mind for what you're about to read. Please feel free to drop your comments.

It was like a scene from one of those Hollywood movies. People gathered around, not believing their ears as they listened to the young man who was not the least ashamed of his trade. Ifeanyi Benedith Agah told the astounded crowd in the Upper Area Court of Maraba, Nassarawa State how he plied this trade in the suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). And what is his trade? Commercial sex! BLESSING UKEMENA writes

Men are fast becoming part of commercial sex workers especially in major cities of the country. Before now it was mostly done in secret but it has now taken a new dimension with the men standing by the road side soliciting for clients.

According Ifeanyi, he used to stand the streets of Wuse Zone 4 which is acknowledged as one of the red light zones in the FCT or Jabi, a suburb of Abuja for business. He also owned up to having been into the business for about five years.

He said: I have been doing this for five years now. I was disvirgined when I was 12 years. I used to perform in cultural dances with the females in my school. One day my principal saw me, called me and told me that he liked me, that is how we started.

He was the one who initiated me into Being Intimate through the anus.

My parents were not taking good care of me. They left me in the village while they were here in Abuja. It was the principal that was taking care of me by paying my school fees and other such things"

The-17-year-old who hails from Afikpo Local Government Area in Ebonyi State, claimed that, at first his parents were not aware of his intimate activities but when they eventually found out they took him for HIV/AIDS test and it was discovered that he was HIV positive.

HIV WHAT ?!?!?! :o
  
Agahs parents subsequently disowned him and threw him out of the house and so like most persons in the commercial sex; he claimed he went into the trade for economic reasons, adding that he joined the females to stand by the streets for clients at night.

Problem, however, started when he encountered 32-year-old Rabiu who approached him for his services on the March 11, 2012.

According to Agah, he usually charged N10,000 for each round of sex but Rabiu had pleaded with him to accept the same sum for two rounds of sex, but the client gave him only N1,000 after their time together and asked him to return the next day for the balance of N9,000.

The accused person stated that Rabiu did not live up to his promise as he gave him only N3,500 which upset him leading to an argument that landed both parties in police station where they had gone to have the issue resolved but were detained and charged to court the following day.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP SUNDAY, Agah stated that all sorts of persons patronise him for intimate gratification. Some of them are ministers but they will not tell you their full names. The good ones among them will give me up to N40,000 to N45,000 per night and the stingy ones will give N25,000 for three rounds per night

The accused who did not seem repulsed by what he has been doing, further stated, When I sleep with other men I feel like a female LovePeddler. I do not have feeling for females, only the males so they are the ones that take me out for business and treat me well.

I cannot tell them that I am HIV positive because it will spoil business for me. Some of them use condoms. Nobody apart from my parents knows that I am HIV positive. I stay with female LovePeddlers because I do not have my own place. Even the girls I live with do not know that I am HIV positive, he said.

Agah surprisingly told our correspondent that he would not advise anybody to join his trade as he insisted he was in it because of his financial difficulties, just as he said he would advise those in the cat to stop it stating: This is hand work because I need to take care of myself but I would advise others that are doing it to stop it. I am doing this because of my condition. My parents stay in Gwagwa, a suburb of the FCT, but I have not seen them in two years.

Rabiu, however, refused to make any comment as he bemoaned the possibility of going to jail having been found guilty of unnatural offences by the Upper Area Court, presided over by Judge Abdullahi Mariga. Police Prosecutor, Inspector Abu asked the court for preservation of sentence so that more investigation might be carried out as there were other developments while trial was on.

The court convicted the accused as charged and ordered that they remain in police custody till the sentence is passed.


CURLED: LEADERSHIP SUNDAY

30,000 Youths Rendered Jobless In Plateau State

The ban on commercial motorcycling in Plateau will leave 30, 000 youths in the state jobless, idle and open to nefarious activities, the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) has said.

The National President of the association, Alhaji Babagida Maihula, said this on Wednesday in Jos while reacting to the decision of the Plateau Government to ban commercial motorcyclists popularly known as 'okada', in Jos and Bukuru metropolis.

He said that the 30,000 youths could become the "devil's workshop" as a result of idleness resulting from the ban on 'okada'.
"What we have been calling on the government to do is to provide an alternative, provide a palliative measure because you cannot lay off more than 30,000 able-bodied youth and you say you are trying to make peace within the city". He said.

The Plateau government had, after an emergency State Executive Council meeting on May 4, banned commercial motorcycle operation in Jos and Bukuru metropolis, citing the security situation in the state capital as reason.

It also said the law enforcement agencies were ``expected to comply with the law banning motorcycle operations by checking activities of ``those who might want to disregard it in any way".

Businessdayonline.com

Drogba Leaves Chelsea For China

Didier Drogba brought down the curtain on a trophy-laden career at Chelsea when he announced he would be leaving the club after eight years in West London.

The Ivory Coast striker will leave when his contract expires at the end of June and is now odds-on to follow his former team mate Nicolas Anelka to China.

He leaves the club on a high after a starring role in Saturday's Champions League final when he scored an emphatic late headed equaliser before coolly slotting home the decisive penalty in the shootout.

It capped a glittering period at Stamford Bridge where he also won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups.
"I wanted to put an end to all the speculation and confirm that I am leaving Chelsea," Drogba said on the club website (www.chelseafc.com).

"It has been a very difficult decision for me to make and I am very proud of what we have achieved but the time is right for a new challenge for me."

Drogba, 34, joined Chelsea from Olympique Marseille in 2004. His menacing physicality was ideally suited to the fast-paced hubbub of the Premier League.

He found goals easy to get, scoring 157 times in 341 appearances, making him the club's fourth all-time leading scorer, while his 34 European goals are a Chelsea record.

He won the Premier League Golden Boot twice, most recently in 2010, but his Chelsea career appeared to be coming to an end when the club signed Fernando Torres for a British record fee of 50 million pounds ($79.01 million) in January 2011.

Former manager Andre Villas-Boas tried unsuccessfully to re-invigorate his team by phasing out Chelsea's older players, with Drogba and midfielder Frank Lampard his principal victims.

The Ivorian striker frequently found himself sidelined to accommodate a below-par Torres who struggled to make an impact following his big-money move.

The departure of Villas-Boas, however, led to a renaissance for Chelsea's 'old guard' who helped to propel the club to a golden finale in which Drogba featured prominently.

On top of his Champions League heroics, he also scored in the FA Cup final as Chelsea beat Liverpool at Wembley.

"Didier is undoubtedly a Chelsea legend and will always be part of the Chelsea family," Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said.

"He is certainly leaving on a high after Saturday night but he feels the time is right for a new challenge.

"We have known for some time that this outcome was likely but Didier and the club only made a final decision on that in the last couple of days, because for obvious reasons neither Didier nor the club wanted to distract focus away from the Champions League final.

Ad Feedback "The talks were amicable all the way through and we wish him all the best for the future. He is welcome back to Stamford Bridge at any time - either as a player or as a guest of ours."

Drogba has been linked with a move to Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua where he would join up with former Chelsea team mate Anelka who left Stamford Bridge in January.

- Reuters


I wonder how Chelsea fans are reacting to this revelation from their top striker?

2012 UTME: JAMB Slashes Cut-Off Marks

THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the 2012 Unified Tertiary matriculation Examination (UTME) national cut-off mark, to kick-start admission processes into universities and other tertiary institutions in the country.

The national cut-off mark for admissions to universities in Nigeria for 2012/2013 academic session was fixed at 180, while the board set 160 as the cut-off mark for admissions into polytechnics, colleges of education and other diploma-awarding institutions.

The cut-off points were decided in Abuja, on Monday, at the 2012 combined policy committee meeting on admissions to degree-awarding institutions, National Diploma (ND), Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and National Innovation Diploma-awarding institutions.

Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, who chaired the meeting, urged the various institutions to adhere strictly to admission guidelines, which stipulated a 70:30 ratio for technology and non-technology for ND programmes and 60:40 science/arts ratio for the universities and colleges of education.

She also told them to observe the admission criteria of merit, catchment area and educationally less developed states in the Federal Government’s guidelines.

While commending JAMB for prompt release of the UTME results, the minister urged all the tertiary institutions in the country to establish e-testing centres, where the next UTME could be conducted.

Meanwhile, the Registrar and Chief Executive of JAMB, Professor ‘Dibu Ojerinde, speaking on the occasion, warned private universities in the country against conduct of illegal admissions of students.

Tribune.com.ng

Will this in anyway to promote reading culture among Naija youths or is it to reduce carrying ''expo''. 

Well, It obviously shows the degradation in the educational sector. To me its 2 ways, either the students or teachers aren't putting in their best or the curriculum is phase out.

Parents Killed Daughter Over Her Westernised Lifestyle

Killed ... Shafilea Ahmed

A GIRL told cops how she watched her parents kill her sister during a row, a court heard yesterday.

Pretty Shafilea Ahmed, 17, was murdered after her Westernised lifestyle “brought shame” on her strict Muslim family’s honour, it was claimed.
Her body was dumped by a river near Sedgwick, Cumbria, hours after the alleged killing in September 2003.

Shafilea’s remains were discovered five months later. But her death remained a mystery for seven years, until October 2010, when sister Alesha spoke to police. Prosecutor Andrew Edis, QC, told Chester Crown Court that the evidence of Alesha — now 23 but 15 at the time — was “the final piece of the puzzle”.

Mr Edis told how A-level student Shafilea had clashed with father Iftikhar, 52, and mother Farzana, 49, over her wish to have boyfriends and wear Western clothes.

The parents took her to Pakistan six months before her death in an attempt to force her into an arranged marriage. But during the trip Shafilea drank bleach in protest and they had to bring her back to the UK for medical treatment.

Accused ... Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed

Mr Edis said the couple killed their daughter at their home in Warrington, Cheshire, “because her conduct was bringing shame upon them”.

Alesha made her claims after being arrested for a robbery at her parents’ home which she admitted.

Both Mr and Mrs Ahmed deny murder. The case continues.

South-South Indigene Confesses To Being Part Of Boko Haram

An indigene of Akwa-Ibom states, Augustine Effiong has confessed to be a member of the dreaded Islamist group [Boko Haram].

The South South 25 year-old young man also confessed to Police that he was part of the team who killed worshipers at Bayero University in Kano just of recently where two Professors including 15 other worshipers.

The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Idris who disclosed this in a press statement made available to reporters said that, Mr Effiong had confessed to be one of those behind the attack on Christian worshipers at BUK.

Mr Effiong, though an indigene of Akwa Ibom was born and brought up at Maiduguri before he later converted to Islam. The police said, “he has been transferred to Abuja for discreet investigations”.

The command said Mr Effiong was arrested over an attempt to murder a civilian at Danlasan Village in Warawa Local Government Area of Kano state.

During the preliminary investigation, the suspect, a resident of Bulunkutu Abuja Quarters in Maiduguri confessed to have relocated to the Kano state last April.

“He confessed to have participated in a series of attacks, killing of policemen and military personnel in the state (Kano), including the recent attack and killings in Bayero University Kano (BUK),” the police said.

Attackers with bombs and guns opened fire at church services at BUK last month and killed about 20 people including two professors as worshippers tried to flee.

“I was involved in the attack at BUK,” he told reporters in Hausa.

He further confessed to being part of a “20-man killer squad” charged with targeting the security services around Kano.

Boko Haram has repeatedly targeted the security services in Kano and has claimed attacks that have killed more than 1,000 people since mid-2009.

“I killed many people, including five soldiers at checkpoints,” in Kano, Mr Effiong said.


Curled: Dailypost

Pastor Calls For Death of Gays and Lesbians (WATCH VIDEO)

The pastor, identified on YouTube as Charles L. Worley of Providence Road Baptist Church in Maiden, N.C., condemns President Obama's much-publicized endorsement of same-sex marriage while calling for gays and lesbians to be put in an electrified pen and ultimately killed off.

"Build a great, big, large fence -- 150 or 100 mile long -- put all the lesbians in there," Worley suggests in the clip, reportedly filmed on May 13.

He continues: "Do the same thing for the queers and the homosexuals and have that fence electrified so they can't get out...and you know what, in a few years, they'll die out...do you know why? They can't reproduce!"

He also said that if he's asked who he'll vote for, he'll reply, "I'm not going to vote for a baby killer and a homosexual lover!" Many of the congregants cheer and reply, "Amen."

Worley added, “It makes me pukin’ sick to think about -- I don’t even know whether or not to say this in the pulpit -- can you imagine kissing some man?”

Ewww!!!

The pastor's comments seem in line with statements made by Ron Baity, founding pastor of Berean Baptist Church in Winston-Salem and head of the anti-marriage equality organization Return America, who told his own congregation that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people should be prosecuted as they were historically, and Pastor Sean Harris of the Berean Baptist Church in Fayetteville who advocated parents "punch" their male child if he is effeminate and "crack that wrist" if he is limp-wristed.

Similarly, Tim Rabon, pastor at Raleigh's Beacon Baptist Church, condemned states such as Massachusetts, Connecticut and Maryland which have already "re-defined" marriage to include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) couples before asking his congregants, "What is stopping them from refining marriage from a person and a beast? We're not far from that."

Kidnapped Pastor Found Dead After Payment Of N500,000 Ransom

The lifeless body of Pastor Anslem Iwuala has been picked up by members of his immediate family, seven days after he was kidnapped and a N500,000 paid to the hoodlums to secure his freedom.

Late Iwuala, who was on his way to his country home, Egberede Nguru, Aboh Mbaise local council area of Imo State, was abducted by gunmen along the ever busy Okpala-Mbaise road.

Narrating the family’s ordeal to newsmen, the deceased’s cousin, Mr. Odinakachi Iwuala, confirmed that his uncle was kidnapped by the hoodlums while returning from Aba.

Odinakachi disclosed that the family made frantic efforts to reach their bread winner, adding that his abductors finally got in contact with the family at about midnight of the ill-fated day and demanded N100 million.

Continuing, Odinakachi revealed that the hoodlums said they were sent to kill the pastor/businessman, promising that they would spare his life if they paid the ransom.

“The family, however, paid the sum of N500,000 to the kidnappers. We all thought that our prayers had been answered until we received a telephone call from his abductors to rush down to Okpala but what we saw was his corpse,” Odinakachukwu lamented.

Although no police officer at Uvuru Mbaise was ready to speak on the issue, Vanguard, however, gathered that the police was making frantic efforts to apprehend the perpetrators of the sordid crime.

Vanguardngr.com