Saturday, 9 July 2016

Deadly ride! Man seen carrying 6 children and another man on a bike in Kano

According to journalist, Jaafar Jaafar, these photos were sent to him by a citizen reporter. The photos were taken yesterday, July 8, along Hadejia Road/Ahmadu Bello Way, Kano. See more photos after the cut...



Widow and her children (who were living in an uncompleted building) get 2-bedroom furnished bungalow from Imo State First Lady

Wife of Imo State Governor, Mrs Nneoma Okorocha, handed over the keys to a fully furnished bungalow to a widow who has been living in an uncompleted building with her children. What the photographer who shared the photo, Michael Omoboriowo wrote after the cut..


"The story of this widow Mrs Perpetua Ogbonna who for a longtime had forgotten what Smiling feels like is synonymous with that in the Bible which reads thus "When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream" For before this day she and her children used to live in an uncompleted building under the scorching sun and the heavy rain pour they lived and usually prayed to God not to send the rain because it filled the house. However, the Lord turned her life around when Her Excellency Mrs Nneoma Nkechi Rochas Okorocha came to her aid through her SNARP(She Needs A Roof Project) officially commissioned and handed-over a modern Two-Bedroom furnished Bungalow in the Ihitte Uboma L.G.A of Imo state."

Blood of Jesus? Pastor sells 'the blood of Jesus' in plastic bottles...(photo)

      
According to this unconfirmed report by Zambezi Reporters, Malawi pastor and the founder of ECG ministries, Prophet Shepherd ‘Major 1’ Bushiri is allegedly selling 'blood of Jesus" in plastic bottles. Prophet Bushiri is one of the richest pastors in Africa and had made news earlier this year when he acquired his third private jet in a space of two years. Below is what the report alleged:
"The blood is being sold in 500ml and 750ml plastic bottles. One congregant who confessed to be a loyal member of ECG ministries revealed that the blood heals every calamity and problems.
"We have been using anointing oil which is called “The Lion of Judah” before and we have been using anointed mantles, bracelets and DVDs but this time the power is released. Major 1 introduced “The Blood of Jesus” which is real blood of Jesus which was extracted at Calvary when the Son of God was crucified. As sons and daughters of Major 1 we don’t really care what people will say, we understand this revelation as a ministry (ECG family), people are on the move to drag our fathers name into disrepute but God elevated him to address our problems. The blood of Jesus is being sold at our worship center the smallest bottles 500ml are costs R20 000 and the 750ml bottle costs R30 000. We don’t care about the price but the results, as we are speaking the Blood of Jesus has resurrected reported five people and healed hundreds since launch."

'How they mislead our leaders' - By Dele Momodu (must read)

In his Thisday Column this week, Ovation publisher Dele Momodu wrote about the quality of appointments we are seeing lately in Buhari's government, describing it as 'appallingly lacklustre'. He also criticized the way the president broke the Ramadan fast with so much fanfare at the State House and talked about Buhari's new fashion sense, calling it 'overly flamboyant'. Read the write up below..
"I’m back this week with my weekly epistle to fellow Nigerians and Africans. You must be wondering about the title of my article today, especially the word “they” and who it refers to ultimately. You don’t have to guess too much as I will explain to you in a jiffy. The “they” are those groups of men and women who litter the corridors of power in our dear beloved country Nigeria.
They are some wonderful people who understand how to manoeuvre their ways through the labyrinth of power. They are professional hijackers who know how to hold powerful people, particularly our leaders, hostage. Nigerians usually call them the cabal or Mafia or whatever nomenclature is in vogue at the time. Truth is, they exist in reality.
What is often baffling is that these folks perch like rattlesnakes and pounce at the slightest opportunity on the men of power. They inflict their poison and, sooner than later, their victim begins to behave unusually, even sometimes irrationally. The more the poison permeates the body, the more the victim sinks deeper into the abyss and onlookers begin to observe a complete transformation and transfiguration. Surprisingly, these guys were and are never around during the struggles. Once the struggle is over, they crawl out of whatever holes they were ensconced in whilst things were hot! And they soon become the greatest beneficiaries of a campaign they never partook of. Trust me, every government has them. If you ask me, it is one reason most of our governments have failed so spectacularly.
My preamble is predicated on my deep observation of what is going on in Nigeria at the moment. I can say I know President Muhammadu Buhari reasonably well even if I was a latter day convert to Buharism. But once I got hooked like a drug addict, I was ready to go the whole hog and I have never looked back. Buhari’s appeal is based on his populist credentials. We all saw him as a man of the people and a Mr Scrooge who would never waste scarce resources on frivolities. But the “they” of Nigeria have repackaged Baba to the extent that many now refer to him as the “Gucci President”. Every fashion designer’s delight, as he has become a veritable fashion trendsetter. Of course, this is not to denigrate the President because his previous austere style suits him as much as his now trendy look becomes him! The fact is that by his handsome, gangling and fit nature, the President will always appear impeccably turned out and well groomed. However, now, his paraphernalia of power has become somehow bloated and overly flamboyant as well. How are the mighty changing!
The existing theory is that President Buhari has inadvertently fallen victim of political 419ners who have persuaded him about how powerful a Nigerian President is and why he must play the part always by being overtly fashionable. I’m sorry to say that they are stylishly setting Baba up for monumental failure. I expect their agents to swarm the internet and abuse anyone who dare say anything about the grand scam currently going on but it won’t be strange. Every government I have known since I became an adult had such acolytes to sing their praises and hold them up as infallible. But no sooner than the baton of power changes than they disappear only to reappear sometime and somewhere in the no distant future screaming adulations of the unsuspecting new leader.
I vividly remember the period of the Shehu Shagari Presidency. The poor teacher and humble farmer could do no wrong. There was a popular Yoruba song specially composed and sang for him: “Oluwa lo yan Shagari, Shehu Shagari…” Shagari’s apotheosis was instantly assured. Those who saw the rot in the outlandishly profligate government were tagged dangerous dissidents and told to shut their traps up. Wole Soyinka, our own William Shakespeare, was one of the most vociferous critics at the time.
As days climbed days and months rode on months, the Shagari government became neurotic and saw enemies everywhere real or imagined. Out of fear for its safety and stability, the Nigeria Police Force was over-militarised as if in competition with the Nigerian Army. We watched incredulously as the police under the iron grip of probably the most powerful Inspector-General Police Nigeria ever employed, Mr Sunday Adewusi, became ostensibly omnipotent. The Shagari government controlled the heavens and the earth. The 1983 general elections was the last straw that broke the back of that government.
The end came on December 31, 1983. A terse announcement by a relatively unknown soldier at the time, named Sani Abacha, shattered the invincibility of the Shagari regime into smithereens. A new Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari and his ‘deputy’, Babatunde Idiagbon were promptly installed. They in turn wasted no time in pronouncing the direction of their government which was predicated on ‘war against indiscipline’ (WAI). That war encapsulated everything that was wrong with Nigeria. While it was a worthwhile, expedient and necessary move, the government failed to understand the complexity of Nigerians. Our people love the concept of change in the metaphysical sense but not in any way that hurts them and their families or friends. That was the reality that soon hit Buhari and Idiagbon like thunderbolts. While they were busy jailing and punishing the corrupt politicians, they were undoubtedly amassing enemies. They were goaded on by fifth columnists within and before long, it was time to strike. The end came on August 27, 1985.
The same Abacha who announced Buhari’s arrival pronounced his departure. It was such a cruel twist of fate. A supposedly friendlier, humane and urbane Head of State, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, was catapulted on to the national stage. He was projected as Buhari’s fairer alter ego. He opened up the cells and disgraced and humiliated politicians in their various stages of dilapidation spilled out like locusts. Buhari immediately became the bad guy and Babangida the benevolent dictator.
Where Buhari was stern-faced, Babangida wore his famous toothy smile like the archetypal good guy. That was it. Everything Buhari had built got dismantled. The solid foundation of discipline and incorruptibility he was laying was uprooted in one fell swoop! Nigerians’ penchant for good life and happy living won the day.
It wasn’t long before the “they” started digging the grave for Babangida himself. He assembled arguably one of the best teams ever, no doubt, but it remains a mystery who his real advisers were that persuaded him to turn Nigeria into a game of football. His sobriquet of Maradona, though very apt, was also an albatross. He dribbled so much and resorted to endless transition time tables. So much so, that he eventually dribbled himself into scoring an own goal. Politicians were banned and unbanned according to the whims and caprices of one man. When the elections eventually took place, on June 12, 1993, they were programmed to fail spectacularly.
Till this day no one knows what truly happened that led to our best elections ever being truncated and annulled. Pity that none of the influencers in the Nigerian polity could dissuade Babangida from committing this unfortunate and costly hara-kiri. Even worse, no one or group has come out to say they advised him against such perfidious act but he did not listen. Nigeria is yet to recover from that stupendous tragedy.
The fall came on August 27, 1993, when he suddenly stepped aside and handed over to a lame duck Interim National Government (ING) headed by Chief Ernest ‘Degunle Shonekan.
This government was as weak as they come. It lacked the liver to deliver on revalidating the annulled mandate freely given to the winner of the Presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. This would have enjoyed the wide support of the people but sadly such opportunity was missed by the inept team and the interim government was soon sacked by General Sani Abacha. Babangida had apparently set up the ING with a view to returning as a civilian President but man proposes and God disposes. His nemesis was Abacha his erstwhile compatriot and friend!
The understanding when Abacha seized power in a military coup was that he was going to right the wrongs of the June 12 elections, clean up the remnants of the Babangida loyalists and give power back to the man elected freely by Nigerians.
That turned out to be a classic case of naiveté at its most ludicrous. The man simply collected power pronto and sat down pretty. No Jupiter was going to remove him from that gilded cage. The Abacha government failed like others to learn the lessons of history and most importantly that no leader had ever succeeded in enslaving Nigerians…
I’ve deliberately taken us down memory lane to demonstrate how the demons of power have sentenced Nigeria perpetually to stupidity and backwardness. And it seems a fool at 56 is almost irredeemable from its tomfoolery unless a miracle happens. That’s the miracle we gave to President Buhari last year on a platter of gold after his fourth attempt. But things seem to be spiralling out of control. I know the President would be told all is well by those benefitting from the current state of things but, walahi, I will always tell Baba the truth. I’ve come to see him as the last hope of the masses and if he fails we all fail.
The first truth is that this government is looking too elitist and ceremonial. I’m not sure this is intentional. The amount of time, energy and resources being deployed on hosting this and that is becoming ridiculous. Whoever suggested that the President should break Ramadan fasts with so much fanfare did not do any good for a government with too many horrendous challenges. If I had any influence in this government, I will advise that government needs to demonstrate its commitments and seriousness at tackling the intractable problems. We should see pictures of brainstorming sessions. We should have and see a brilliant economic team at work.
We should see the President supervising projects nationwide in his jackboots. We should see the President appointing the many Nigerian geniuses that litter every part of the world to assist him use the power God has bestowed on him to benefit ordinary Nigerians. The qualities of appointments we are seeing lately have become appallingly lacklustre. This is not the best Nigeria can offer.
I do not really care if even if all appointees come from Daura, I would leave that agitations to others, who may be myopic or selfish. I’m more interested in the merit, competence and patriotism of such people. President Buhari can make do with a star-studded team regardless of political and religious affiliations. It is never too late to CHANGE!

Ebonyi state House of Assembly member says she will be selling the new Prado SUV received from the state governor

Maria Ude Nwachi, a Legislator in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, was one of the beneficiaries of the Prado SUVs given out by the Governor to members of Ebonyi House of Assembly. However, Marie noted that although the car is their official entitlement, as done in all states, she plans on selling the car and using the money generated to grant loans, aid those in need of small funds to start a business, invest in her on-going projects for her people and then take a little (200k) for her personal use. How wonderful of her! Read what she wrote after the cut...




Sweetest Afikpo, this is for you....

Honourable members of Ebonyi house of assembly were presented with swank brand new Prado SUVs each, on Thursday. It was really exciting. I was like WOW!! The cars are looking tempting, baddest and sooo mega hot. Soooo sooo yum-yum...

As yum-yum as the car looks, as baddest as the car looks, I will NOT drive it. The spoils of this car must be enjoyed by every living being and organism in Afikpo and even beyond. For Afikpo so love their daughter/mother, ‪#‎BCEL‬, that they stood their ground, made national history, by electing a political nobody like me, a person without a single political structure, no godfather, limited mula, no nothing, via a party, PPA, that did not even have an office in Ebonyi state. Unheard of! I remain the only elected member of PPA in the whole federation and the only member of a minority party in the entire Ebonyi state house of assembly. So what are we talking about here, this hot ride is yours biko. You no dey drag am with anyone. Na yours!!! Ooogini. Uka akpawo onwue.

This ride will be turned into liquids! The proceed will be used towards massive empowerment. Revolving loans, and to aid those in need of small funds to start a business or kick life into their businesses. A portion of it will go towards some of my on-going projects for the sweetest people of Afikpo. Onwe be nu gu ihe nji onwo mu emeee oooo. Na you be my mission. Period.

I will personally chop 200k of this liquid, what will I use it for? Buy as much wax/ankara as I want. Sow as many wax gowns and wrapper/blouse as I want, can't sow enough of them. lol. Hey, I gotta have my own fun. Body no be fayawood.

Ahem, my Facebook constituency, you know how we do it, winkz. Na we we things nah. Your share dey there...Chill.

A special thank you to HE. Engr. David Nweze Umahi, my Right Honourable Speaker, and my fellow honourable members!!!

Note to all: This ride is our official entitlement. Literally every state in the federation has already given their honourable members their cars, Ebonyi is basically the last to do this. Our Governor was even under fire from various quarters for not having yet given us our own. This has been the norm since the advent of democracy in this nation. Ebonyi cannot be different. If any change has to be made; it has to be a national change. To those wondering if our Governor pays salaries, our governor is not among the state governor not paying salaries of workers.

Addendum: Winning election no easy oo. That is why there are less than 3000 people elected in the whole of this country. Every elected should be able to do what they want with their entitlement. I chose to do this because it is convenient with my lifestyle. It coincides with my person. And it is my personal choice. Do not judge others based on my personal choice because they also have their own way of doing good things for those they're representing.

Dear Greatest Afikpo, your burden remains my burden, happily, joyfully! You ain't see narrin yet, at all. I love you, madly,
Yours Truly,
Maria Ude Nwachi (Afikpo Chic).
#BCEL - Best Chic Ever Liveth.
Legislator- Ebonyi State House of Assembly.

SA rapper Aka spends time with his daughter on her 1st birthday

South African rapper Aka celebrated his daughter Kairo's 1st birthday yesterday. Kairo is his daughter with his ex, popular SA DJ, Zinhle Jiyane. Zinhle also shared beautiful photos from her daughter's birthday. See more photos as you continue..
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Serena Williams beats Angelique Kerber to claim 7th Wimbledon title

Tennis Champion Serena Williams finally clinched a record 22nd grand slam singles title in the Wimbledon final today. The world number one is now tied with Steffi Graf at the top of the open era women's champions list and just two short of Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 titles. Beyonce and Jay Z, Natalie Portman, singer Alesha Dixon and others were present to watch the Wimbledon ladies final. See more photos after the cut....


 

Photos from actor, Seun Akindele's wedding

Actor Seun Akindele's wedding to his fiancee, Toun, took place in Lagos today July 8th. Congrats to him and his wife.

Reese Witherspoon and her look-alike daughter

                     
The resemblance between the 40 year old actress and her 16 year old look-alike daughter is amazing. Beautiful!

TY Bello shares portraits of children at the Borno IDP camp (Photos and video)

                                        
MAMAGANA : I want to be a tailor when I grow up . I really like fashion . I have my brother here with me .
TY Bello who visited children at Borno IDP camp said the children shared incredible stories with her. She shared some of the stories and some portraits of the kids she photographed. She also made a video where she taught the children how to say 'Hi'.

MAGAMA Im still a little confused . I was asleep when Bokoram came to our town so I still don't understand why I'm at the camp.
My name is Hafsat Mohammed .Boko Haram Terrorists came to our town .. They killed my brothers and sisters . I now live here at the camp and go to school. I am in primary 2. When I close my eyes I imagine a tomorrow Where I'm a doctor and I'm helping other people . 

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I want people to follow my good example- 2face Idibia

                                 

In an interview with CNBC Africa, music legend Tuface Idibia talked about how he is growing as an individual and as a singer. He also talked about how he has inspired a lot of people through his music. He said a lot of people have come to him to say that they achieved success by following his example.
He said:


“I have heard people say that I have mentored them, I would like to say that I am just doing my own thing and I am trying to grow and if you see the positive ways that I am following, follow it. “I’m human, many things take place in people’s lives so I want them to follow my good example.”

Pharmacists are not Doctors- Internet user narrates near-death experience

                                           


Internet user and photographer with the IG handle @demilader narrates how he almost died when a pharmacist prescribed medication he was allergic to