I guess we no longer have a choice than to admire Nkiru Anumudu's different hats.
You like?
If We Speak Against The Incompetence Of Some People In Their Duties, Nigeria Will Be A Better Place- Omoni Oboli
Her 13th wedding anniversary celebration couldn't stop her. Omoni Oboli is still
very much angry that she lost a friend, Deji Falae and other Nigerians in the
Associated airline plane crash. Even as she celebrated Omoni managed to pen this
down. She thinks Nigeria should have moved beyond plane crashes due to human
errors, and if we come together as a Nation and move against people who
consistently display incompetence in their jobs, Nigeria will be a better place.
I am Omoni Oboli, and I represent Naija!
I haven’t been this sad for a long time, owing to the passing away of a friend, Deji
Falae. I can’t imagine that we still lose people in that manner. We have passed
through this road of plane crashes and I thought it was a thing of the past, but
here we are again. What’s wrong with us? Where did we begin to operate in this
spirit of hatred for our own such that we end up killing ourselves. Our negligence is
not just an irresponsible act that we need to change but something that could
cause the death of another human being. I’m just so saddened by this incident,
because it could have happened to anyone. No one in his right mind would get on
a plane if there was the least shadow of doubt to its airworthiness. That is why the
passengers got on board.
There’s a process that an airplane must go through before it is cleared for take-
off. Various experts, who have been paid to carry out several checks on the plane,
put their expertise to work to ascertain the flight worthiness of the aircraft before it
is given the all clear to fly. This process has been done by the same airline or
airport staff on ground (not the minister, President or governor) trained in this duty
for years, so that they can ensure the safety of the passengers, who have paid,
and put their trust and their lives on the line, in the hands of the “able” experts to
get on board the aircraft. The unsuspecting passengers get on board without the
slightest idea that some personal issues, incompetence or any other depraved
excuses by the workers in charge that they may be able to concoct under the sun
have made the aircraft their final coffin. I’m trying to paint a graphic picture of the
senselessness, insensitivity to the conscience and wickedness of many people, who
find time to blame the government, anyone or anything else for their irresponsible
acts that have caused the death of the very people their competence was supposed
to protect. We should weep for our many acts of wickedness, which stem from our
lacklustre attitude to work. The most appalling thing of all is that they also have
the audacity to blame God for all their actions, calling it “an act of God.” Why
would anyone call it that, when there was nothing that even remotely suggests that
the plane crashed due to errors beyond human control. True to our Adamic nature,
we blame God and every other thing but ourselves.
If we all spoke with one voice against our neighbours who consistently displayed
incompetence in their duties at work, knowing that the blind eye we turn today
could lay the foundation for an unforeseen disaster tomorrow, we would begin to
see the fruits of that attitude in our nation. This culture of “manage” has caused
many of us to settle for the mediocre instead of demanding the excellence we
deserve. A workman delivers a job that is distasteful to the eye and less functional
for the purpose the job was made to achieve and asks you (the one who pays with
his hard earned money) to “manage” it, because he doesn’t want to be made to
pay for his mistakes with his own money. This is a tragedy because the workman
will never grow beyond that level of competence to achieve excellence in his
chosen field.
The pilot of a plane has the duty to check his plane before he gives it the
clearance to fly. He should not rely on his “super skills” to fly a plane that he
thinks may be less flight worthy than it should. He shouldn’t use the lives of his
passengers to test his skills. There are rules and regulations, and the people at the
helm of affairs should ensure that they are strictly adhered to for the safety of the
passengers.
Today, there are very few airlines operating in Nigeria, thank God! When are we
going to wake up from our slumber and see that there should be few instead of
many because safety should not be compromised and if only the few can deliver,
then so be it.
Many businesses do not see the light of day solely because many complacent
workers are there. They are quick to gather themselves into small groups within the
office to talk about the one who has positioned himself to provide the very job that
gives them the food they eat so that their mouths can curse them. How very sad!
We talk behind our bosses instead of talking for our bosses. We spend their money
to pretend that we follow their vision, all the while trying to see ways that we can
do our own business, using their time, which they are paid for. There’s nothing
wrong with doing your own business, but do it in your spare time.
I can’t imagine going on set of a movie, after being paid, and then make up an
excuse to go on another movie production because I want to make more money.
That is stealing! We should be more diligent and learn to cherish our jobs. Look
around you and see that many others are praying to have the job that you are
showing contempt for.
You will be dearly missed, Deji Falae, and my condolence to the other passengers
and crew on board the ill-fated aircraft. May this serve as a wake up call for
Nigerians to begin the change towards a better future.
Former Lagos State Governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu's first daughter, Folashade
Tinubu Ojo was today October 29th installed as the new Iyaloja of Lagos and the
President General of the Market Men and Women of Nigeria, taking over from her
late grandmother, Habibat Mogaji, who died in June this year.
The installation took place at the palace of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu 1.
Before her new appointment, Folashade was the Deputy President General of the
Market Men and Women.
So is she qualified to be Iyaloja of Lagos or did she get the title because of her
father? #Justasking
Nollywood actress and ex-beauty queen, Mina Horsefall in an interview with
Encomium magazine this week said she was betrayed by two people who were
once very close to her; her first cousin and her boyfriend who she dated for two
years. Mina, who is first cousins with another ex-beauty queen, Helen Prest Ajayi,
says still hasn't gotten over the shock of their betrayal...
Mina tells Encomium what happened
"My first cousin and my ex betrayed me. The whole story is complicated. She
dated my boyfriend and married him. I had no idea what was going on until
they were about to get married because she was pregnant for him. I did not
introduce him to her. She knew him. He was my Uncle's best man and we
were in the bridal train. He met us together and went after me. We had a
relationship for some years, two years at a stretch, then it became off and
on and all those times she knew. She was even engaged to someone else at
the time. Unknown to me she 'worked' her NYSC down to Lagos to have my
boyfriend. She was living with him and it didn't make any sense to me. Until
later on, I found out they were getting married. What pained me most and
the worst part of it was when I got to hear about it and confronted him, he
said he can never do anything with my sister.and there you are getting her
pregnant and marrying her. It got all messed up. This happened in
September 2012. I haven't forgiven them. I don't think I ever will"
Will Lionel Messi be crowned World's Best Footballer for the 5th time in a row or
will Christiano Ronaldo get it...for the second time? Or maybe there's someone else
who deserves it instead? The 2013 Ballon D'or shortlist for World's Best Player and
Coach of the Year has been unveiled.
See the nominees below...
(1) Gareth Bale (Real Madrid/Wales)
(2) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich/Germany)
(3) Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich/Germany)
(4) Manuel Neuer (B ayern Munich/Germany)
(5) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich/Germany)
(6) Mesut Ozil (Arsenal/Germany)
(7) Robin van Persie (Man United/Netherlands)
(8) Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich/Netherlands)
(9) Edinson Cavani (PSG/Uruguay)
(10) Luis Suarez (Liverpool/Uruguay)
See the rest after the cut...
(11) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona/Spain)
(12) Xavi (Barcelona/Spain)
(13) Neymar (Barcelona/Brazil)
(14) Thiago Silva (PSG/Brazil)
(15) Radamel Falcao (Monaco/Colombia)
(16) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus/Italy)
(17) Frank Ribery (Bayern Munich/France)
(18) Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Portugal)
(19) Eden Hazard (Chelsea/Belgium)
(20) Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG/ Sweden)
(21) Robert Lewandowski (Dortmund/Poland)
(22) Lionel Messi (Barcelona/ Argentina)
(23) Yaya Toure (Manchester City/Ivory Coast)
Coach of the Year
(1) Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid)
(2) Rafael Benitez (Napoli)
(3) Antonio Conte (Juventus)
(4) Vicente Del Bosque (Spain)
(5) Sir Alex Ferguson (ex-Manchester United)
(6) Jupp Heynckes (ex-Bayern Munich)
(7) Jurgen Klopp (Borussia Dortmund)
(8) Jose Mourinho (Chelsea)
(9) Luiz Felipe Scolari (Brazil)
(10) Arsene Wenger (Arsenal)
Swag so turned up..
The police in Lagos State have commenced investigation into how a nine-year-old
girl died, after sustaining injuries caused by alleged consistent rape.
According to police authorities, the deceased was raped over five times, by a 14-
year-old student, Onyi Adimabua, in the Ikorodu area of the state.
The father of the deceased, Simeon Jigo, told PUNCH Metro that Onyi is the son of
the proprietor of the school his daughter attended.
He said his daughter opened up about the rape when she started having medical
problems.
The 77-year-old man said his daughter died on October 3, 2013. He said:
“Up until my daughter’s death, she was a pupil of Fulfilled Greenland School,
Ikorodu, and she was in primary three. One day, she came home and started
complaining of pains around her vagina, stomach area.
We rushed her to Ikorodu General Hospital. A doctor checked her and after
conducting some tests on her, told us that my daughter had sustained medical
complications due to forced sexual intercourse.
I was alarmed by this; so, I had a private discussion with my daughter. She told
me that it was her school proprietor’s son, Onyi, that had been raping her. The boy
had threatened to kill her if she ever told anyone about it.”
The indigene of Ondo State told PUNCH Metro that after initial treatments, he took
his daughter to Arogbo in Ondo State to be taken care of but her condition
continued to deteriorate.
A few days after the troubled father travelled to Ondo State, Onyi, accompanied by
his parents, also travelled to Ondo State, to apologise to Jigo’s family. The girl,
however, was said to have died that very day.
“On getting to the house where my daughter was, we discovered that she was
dead. Onyi confessed that he had been raping my daughter prior to her death,’
Jigo said.
PUNCH Metro learnt that after the girl’s demise, irate youths in the area attempted
to lynch the 14-year-old boy. The bereaved father was said to have intervened and
reported the matter to a nearby police station, where the teenager was held for safe
keeping.
The next morning, Onyi and his parents travelled back to Lagos.The alleged
rapist’s parents, in company with a chief in Ikorodu, reportedly visited Jigo when
he returned to Lagos.
The group were said to have pleaded that the bereaved father should not pursue
the case but he refused. Jigo said:
“I went to the Ikorodu Police station to report the case but was surprised when the
policemen on duty said I should not write any statement. They only told me to
write down my telephone number and said they would call me later.
After waiting for many days without any call, I wrote a petition and the matter was
transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.”
It was however learnt that Onyi had been taken to his father’s hometown in Delta
State thereby stalling police investigation.
The teenager’s parents, however described the incident as the handiwork of the
devil.
The 14-year-old boy’s father, Andrew Adimabua, said:
“I trained that boy in the way of the Lord and expected so much from him. He has
confessed to the act; there is nothing to hide. He told me that he learnt about sex
by watching blue (pornographic) films.
We are not hiding him and we will cooperate with the police. On the day the little
girl died, he was beaten up and made to stay in the rain for hours. As a result, he
contracted pneumonia so we sent him home for treatment. When he recovers, he’ll
be taken to the police for questioning.”
Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, who confirmed the incident to our
correspondent on the telephone, expressed shock at the development.Braide said
Onyi would be re-arrested in the course of investigation.
“It is appalling that a teenager could indulge in such act. The matter is under
investigation and the culprit will be re-arrested.”
Afro-Hip Hop
sensation
Wande Coal has released the video of his hit song, Rotate. The video
shot by ace director Sesan Ogunro. The Black Diamond entertainment
CEO Wande Coal released the video which was shot in the UK on his
label, Black Diamond Entertainment.
Some reports
have hit the the
internet that ace female comedian, Princess and her husband Adeshola
Jeremiah, are expecting their first child.
My sources tell me that, the growing baby bump isn’t so obvious because of
her plus-sized figure.
You will recall that the large size comedian, who is allegedly in her second
trimester; had one of the biggest weddings this year.
If this news is true, then a big congrats to them!
Young ladies go out looking for fake beauty without finding out about negative
side effects....This is shameful.
A 27-year-old
woman,
Chiamaka Nnajiofor, was yesterday, sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by
an Ikeja High Court, for her culpability in the death of her housekeeper, Oliver
Arakwe.
Nnajiofor was convicted for manslaughter by Justice Lateefat Okunnu,
instead of the charge of murder preferred against her. The sentence is to
commence from September 22, 2011, when she was first arraigned.
The Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, had charged Nnajiofor
and her 41-year-old husband, Elochukwu, for murder.
The DPP said the couple tortured 14-year-old Arakwe to death on August 17,
2010 at 81, Femi Tella Street, Ago Palace, Okota, a Lagos suburb.
The couple had pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder.
In his ruling Okunnu said; “There is nothing to show that he was part of the
flogging his wife instigated that day, and available evidence indicated that
he was not in the apartment when it happened.
“The prosecution also failed to prove the charge of murder against
Chiamaka beyond reasonable doubts.
“Oliver was a severely malnourished boy and the beating of the boy with a
belt would have had a lesser effect on a normal 14-year-old.
“It is on this basis that I find Chiamaka, the first defendant, not guilty of
murder. I find her guilty of manslaughter. The second defendant, Elochukwu,
is discharged and acquitted,” the judge ruled.
It seems the prayers he made in Israel have finally opened the eyes of President
Goodluck Jonathan to the rot in his government and the sins of people like Stella
Oduah, the embattled Minister of Aviation. Jonathan finally took his first obvious
action against Stella on Monday with the last-minute decision to stop her from
signing the much-publicised Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with Israel.
Following the refusal of many Nigerians to say "Amen" to prayer for Stella Oduah
in Israel on Sunday, it then dawned on President Jonathan that he can no longer
allow Stella to sign another official document...
In her stead, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, signed the
agreement on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Stella Oduah was
shocked as she was present at the venue.
Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, confirmed that Stella Oduah did not
sign the BASA agreement on behalf of the government. He however refused to
explain why she was not allowed to sign.
But a top Presidency source on the entourage of the President in Israel told Punch
that the decision to stop Stella from signing the agreement was taken shortly after
Jonathan arrived in Israel.
That same reason, he added, informed the decision of the President’s aides to keep
the minister away from the President since their arrival in the country.
Stella Oduah, NCAA chiefs risk five years in jail
The House Committee on Public Procurement had said in Abuja that Stella and
officials of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority risked five-year jail term if found
guilty of breaching procurement regulations in purchase of the controversial and
"highly inflated" N255m bulletproof cars.
A builder who loved a joke was given a fitting send off – with a pair of work
boots sticking out of his coffin.
Avid Stockport County supporter Jason Calvert, 40, suffered a fatal brain
haemorrhage earlier this month.
He had no life insurance so his family were about to take a loan out to pay for
his funeral.
But fellow County fans, Jason’s work colleagues and friends raised £3,500 in
just two weeks to pay for the service
His sister Joan McNulty, 48, said: “Words cannot express how grateful I am
that people would do this in a time of austerity, it brings back your faith in
humanity.
“It’s been fantastic and helped the grieving to know that it is not just me, and
that he has touched lots of people’s lives.
“Everyone loved Jason, he got on well with everyone and loved a joke.
“He also loved going to County and was a big supporter. When he was 15 he got
a tattoo on his arm which he had to hide.”
At the funeral on Monday, the coffin was draped with a flag and scarf of
County, who play in the Conference North.
There was also a guest appearance from County manager Alan Lord.
Jason, from Cheadle Heath, Greater Manchester, leaves behind partner Lara
Backhouse, 24, niece Bethany McNulty, nephew Michael McNulty and brother-
in-law Kevin McNulty.
Alan Lord said: ‘It is only a small token of our appreciation for his many
years supporting the football club.
“All our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.’
HAHAHA
What do you guys think?
share with friends
Sam Adeyemi is the Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre. As one who has
passion for the development of Nigeria, he has joined other Nigerians to express
his thoughts on the proposed national conference.
Pastor Adeyemi, host of the popular programme - Success Power - which airs on
radio and tv stations within and outside the country, says he doubts if the
outcome of the conference will see the light of the day.
In a series of tweets, he says the antecedents of the ruling party with previous
conferences “raise doubts as to the implementation of the outcomes of this
conference, if any.”
He laments the “utter wretchedness” and worsening living conditions being faced
by many Nigerians, saying the situation does not necessarily require the
convocation of a national conference for it to improve. He therefore accused the
ruling class of “governing the nation without conscience.”
The cleric, who notes via his Twitter handle that he has been drawing inspirations
from a book entitled “Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and
Poverty,” says the Federal Government should ensure the “evolving of institutions
that will ensure prosperity of the citizenry.”
He says, “Nigeria’s government is taking steps towards organising a national
conference now. This gives cause for cheer, but there are questions on my mind.
Do we need a national conference to build good roads, schools and hospitals etc?
“Sadly, I have seen utter wretchedness in the living conditions of Nigerians in
recent times. Will the Nigerian elite class have enough conscience to create a
Nigeria where all citizens can equally prosper? It doesn’t matter whether they are
military or civilian, or belong to different political parties. Will this elite class, which
has frustrated previous conferences and annulled elections, execute our decisions
this time?
“Will the outcomes of this conference, if any, ever become a reality? Is there a way
for citizens to shift the balance of power so they have control over the politicians?
Or should we encourage the conference to hold and pray that God should hijack
the direction somehow?
“Do all constituent parts of Nigeria really want development to happen? Many
questions on my mind.”
Adeyemi says it is unfair for a “small elite group” to take charge of political power
and use such to control the economy to benefit themselves. He asks political
leaders to rule with conscience, adding that the Federal Government should learn a
lesson or two from the developmental policies of the United Arab Emirate and
England.
Continuing, he notes, “Most countries that have developed did so by evolving
inclusive institutions and policies that make prosperity possible for all citizens. So,
citizens have control over the elite that control the economy.
“England changed when parliament whittled down the power of the monarchy and
created policies to empower citizens to prosper. The Industrial Revolution followed
through innovation by citizens. Dubai, which runs a monarchy, has transformed
because the elite have a conscience.”
He urges the Nigerian masses to make use of the sanctity of the ballot to kick out
inept and bad leaders, and to also make the political class to be in tune with the
yearnings of the populace.
Adeyemi asks, “Does the Nigerian populace have the enlightenment and gut to
whip the political class into line when the elections come? Is there a way for
citizens to shift the balance of power so they have control over the politicians?”
Since Cossy's boyfriend left her, she has been finding it difficult to get another
man to replace the young dude in order to prove to the guy that she is not missing
him. Anyway, it seem she has now shifted her focus from just trying to get a
boyfriend and now searching for a husband. See what she posted below...
Cossy says she has so much love to give a man, and wants to know if you can
marry a girl like her. Lol!
When a dude is with his babe it's always hard to control a stubborn manhood.
Can you see what am seeing?
*Action Time!*
The guy who brought controversy and probably more popularity to the Gulder
Ultimate Search reality show in the season he participated in, Vaughn Apochi,
married his sweetheart, Noella Ekuma in the traditional way on October 13, 2013,
at the bride's hometown in Cross River State.
Vaughn and Noella will have their white wedding on December 14th, 2013.
Congrats!
The level some men go these days just to satisfy a woman's needs is quite
ridiculous. As you read this, a 48yrs old father, Adeyinka Adebayo, has confessed
in the custody of the SSS how he masterminded the kidnap of his own 9-year-old
son in the Badagry area of Lagos.
Adebayo said he committed the shameful act because he thought his church will
give him money for the ransom so that he could use the money to take care of his
28yrs old girlfriend.
"At the end of the day , I was able to raise N450,000 from my church
members and friends, who earlier refused to help me," the father confesses.
The girlfriend, Kehinde Alonge, alos participated in the sham kidnap. Parading
Adebayo and his lover before journalists, the Director, Lagos State Command of the
SSS, Mr. Victor Achu, explained that Adebayo had on October 3 reported at the
command that his son had been kidnapped.
Achu said: “The command swung into action. Preliminary investigations confirmed
the kidnap of the boy by one Kehinde Alonge, who demanded a ransom of
N350,000 for his release and directed that the money be paid into a UBA account.
“The account was later discovered to be owned by one Taiwo Faloye. After series of
tactical planning, the owner of the account and Kehinde were arrested at Ilesha,
Osun State, while trying to withdraw the money.”
A mild drama, however, unfolded following an argument between Adebayo and
Kehinde over who brought up the kidnap plan.
While Adebayo claimed Kehinde hatched the plan to get the N200,000 she needed
to open a hairdressing saloon, she interrupted, stating that “he is lying. I was in
Ilesha when he called me to come to Lagos that some people owed him money.
“He said the only way to collect the money from them was for me to come and take
his son away, while he pretends that he had been kidnapped.
“I came to Lagos on October 4. I intended going to the school to pick the boy, but
Adebayo advised I picked him from the house. Since the children knew me, I told
the boy to follow me to get something outside and entered the next available
vehicle to Ilesha, Osun State. His father even gave me N3,000 for transport.
Counter allegation
But Adebayo insisted that his girlfriend needs the money. He said: “My girlfriend
said she needed money to open her own hair dressing saloon. Since I was not
financially buoyant, I decided to raise money by masterminding my son’s kidnap.
“I am a vulcanizer and business had not been booming. Anyone I approached for
money usually declined to assist me. To get money from my church members in
particular, I had to mastermind my son’s kidnap.
“He spent nine days at my girlfriend’s house. I regret my action because my son
may never forgive me if he is told. I feel ashamed also because his mother has
been down with stroke, though we are no longer married.
“I beg to be forgiven. It was the handiwork of the devil.”
The SSS is however insisting that Mr Adebayo and Kehinde would be charged to
court.
The suspects, according to Ochu, would be charged to court.
According to new reports, the police officers indicted in the lynching of two
innocent young men (Ifechukwudi Nwanikpor, 25, and Kazeem Onayemi, 26) in
Ajara, Badagry, have been granted bail.
From Today's Telegraph
The officers were arrested due to their alleged involvement in the mob action
that led to the brutal killing of the two young men as captured by various
video clips which later went viral on the internet.
According to our source, Inspector Adefemi Ashogbon, Sergeant John
Sanayon and seven other police officers were granted bail due to their
deteriorating health in detention and were allowed to seek medical attention
pending the outcome of the investigation and date of their trial.
A video recording by some bystanders exposed Inspector Adefemi Ashogbon
and Sergeant John Sanayon, who were attached to the Badagry Police
station, at the scene of lynching while seven others police officers were
detained for allegedly planting guns on the victims and labelling them armed
robbers.
Several calls were made to the Lagos state police spokesperson, Ngozi
Braide, in a bid to ascertain the grant of bail. However, they went
unanswered.
Barely a month after the Associated Airlines plane crash, another air disaster was
averted at the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport, Abuja on Monday as a Med-View Airlines
aircraft from Lagos suddenly took to the air again at the point of landing in Abuja.
Puch reports that the airline Flight VL2104 which had about 150 passengers on
board took off from the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos at noon and was
scheduled to land in Abuja at about 1.05pm.
The pilot had already announced final descent into Abuja and asked all
passengers and cabin crew to fasten their seat belts only for him to suddenly take
off to the air again with barely 30 seconds to touch ground.
Definitely, his action caused big panic, commotion among the passengers who
bursted into prayers, yells to know what was happening, especially when the plane
entered into turbulent weather on air.
The PUNCH correspondent who was among the passengers while telling his story,
said that among the passengers were five different complete families.
One of the passengers, a nursing mother, who was breastfeeding her son at the
time the pilot took off again withdrew the breast from the boy’s mouth and started
praying profusely while the baby’s cry rented the air.
It wasn't until after about three minutes of gaining altitude, the pilot announced
that he had decided to take off again to avoid colliding with an aircraft that was
on ground.
According to the pilot, after he had been granted clearance to land, it was later
discovered that the other aircraft was not fast enough, hence his decision to take
off.
The aircraft hovered for another 20 minutes in the air before finally landing at
about 1:30pm.
When the plane finally landed, the passengers struggled to disembark.
“Are you still sitting down? Let me rush down in case it will suddenly take off
again,” a middle-aged man was heard asking one of his co-passengers.
Kim K's third wedding will be as extravagant as her second wedding if her fiance
Kanye has his way. Kanye, in a radio interview yesterday with Power 106's
morning radio show, hinted at an extravagant wedding to take place next
summer.
When asked for a hint about his upcoming wedding, Kanye said;
"Two words: 'fighter jets'" He went further to explain "Kim knew I was
eventually going to ask her to marry me. I just had to get that ring right. I
worked with four different jewelers. Three rings were made and only one hit
the ringer and that was Lorraine Schwartz's. 'I actually changed the ring the
night before. The ring was less than four hours old when I gave it to her.'
"I wanted to marry that girl from the first time I saw her,' he said. 'Kim and I
are the perfect balance.''I had to wait through a bunch of other relationships
to finally get the chance"
A group known
as Concerned
Independent Aviation Observers, CIAO, has said that there was budgetary
allocation for the purchase of two armoured vehicles by the Nigerian Civil
Aviation Authority, NCAA, which was approved by the National Assembly.
According to the group, the purchase of the controversial cars, which is now
a subject of the administrative panel of enquiry by the Federal Government,
followed due process as it was captured in the 2013 Capital Expenditure
budget of the NCAA approved by the National Assembly.
The group said the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Hope
Uzodima, and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Hon. Nkiruka
Onyejeocha, signed the NCAA’s capital expenditure, which contained the
request for the Operational Vehicles.
The National Coordinator of CIAO, Dr. Michael Aburime, in a statement
explained that the National Assembly approved the purchase of 25
operational vehicles for N240,000,000, out of which the controversial
armoured cars are only two.
Aburime said the armoured cars are not for the Aviation Minister par se, but
for the “operational and safety/security needs of NCAA, especially for
hosting international regulatory aviation officers on official visits to Nigeria.”
He also said that due to paucity of funds, the NCAA did not engage in
outright purchase of the vehicles like other government agencies but
adopted lease financing to procure 52 vehicles.
According to him, “the lease financing in the NCAA was financed by First
Bank Plc at monthly payment of N23,249,181. And for the 2013 expenditure,
about N116,245, 905 would be paid. From the brief detail above, it becomes
obvious that the NCAA did not actually pay such bogus amount of money
being alleged and bandied about in public discourse by uninformed people.
“In fact, the transaction NCAA entered into is N123,754,095 less than the
approved amount, as contained in ‘NCAA Capital Expenditure for 2013’.” He
argued that rather than being vilified, the NCAA should be commended for
demonstrating understanding of project financing and management.
“It is standard practice for public agencies like NCAA to purchase operational
and administrative vehicles. So, what the NCAA did is not something
exceptional. All public agencies do purchase operational vehicles and NCAA
has only done the statutory thing by following due process in getting the
National Assembly approval and making the process transparent by
spreading the payments over time through lease financing.”
Aburime said the lesson from the purported purchase scandal is for the
whole truth to come to the public glare. “We do not see any act of
impropriety in the NCAA car purchase that should warrant the volley of
indignation and vituperations that have erupted in the public space. NCAA is
also an important member of various global aviation associations whose
members do visit Nigeria periodically to verify and approve our civil aviation
standards,” he added. [Vanguard]
Nollywood actor, Ray Daniels Okeugo died on October 25, 2013, Friday, after a
brief illness. This has been reported by 24/7 Nigeria News Update.
The nature of the sickness that took the actor away was not made known to us as
at press time.
Ray Daniels Okeugo starred a number of soap operas and home videos before
taking into photography.
Late Okeugo was a founding member of the Invisible Borders Trans-African
Photographers and was strongly involved in the organisation’s activities.
A statement by the organisation describes Okeugo as a man who will be
remembered for his unquenchable energy and one who exudes the demeanour of
“the last man standing.”
“Everyone who knew him can attest to the fact that he carried within him an
undying urge towards selflessness. He made himself readily available and good to
go no matter the situation. We will miss him everyday henceforth, and nothing will
ever be the same with his indefinite absence.”
Okeugo’s burial arrangement will be made by the Lagos Chapter of the Actors’
Guild of Nigeria led by Victor Osuagwu.
Ray Daniels Okeugo was 33 and had recently returned from a Photography master
class in Sudan before falling ill due to what sources say was a kidney infection.
Many guys go gaga at the sight of a lady with a well-endowed ' ikebe' but the sad
reality is that most times men are just being deceived by such ladies. But why are
ladies deceiving men with these things...
How do you differentiate between fake and real?
And the ladies will do anything to have a feel.
Iyanya was in Tanzania last night for a show.
Another picture after the cut
The Niger Delta
Indigenous
Movement for Radical Change, NDIMRC, has defended the Minister of
Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, over the controversial N255 million bullet-
proof cars, warning the House of Representatives not to contemplate
arresting her. The group also condemned the panel set up by President
Goodluck Jonathan to investigate the purchase of the cars.
In a statement by its President, Nelly Emma; Secretary, John Sailor and
Public Relations Officer, Mukoro Stanley, the group said the Aviation Minister
did no wrong and held that Nigerians were too much in a hurry in
condemning the minister over the purchase of the bullet-proof cars.
According to the group, “Our Checks revealed that the bullet-proof cars were
bought so that they can be used by the Aviation Ministry when the country
hosts dignitaries from IATA, ICAO and other international bodies and it was
through lease financing.
“Princess Stella Oduah has changed the face of airports across the country.
She is going out of her way on a daily basis to bring our airports to
international standard and should be applauded rather than be crucified,”
the group said.
The House of Representatives had threatened to issue a bench warrant for
the arrest of the Aviation Minister, Princess Oduah, if, by tomorrow
(Tuesday), she failed to appear before its Committee on Aviation to respond
to the two controversial armoured BMW cars said to have been bought for
her by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.
The national leadership of
the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, has berated the
Imo state governor, Rochas
Okorocha, for attempting to
undermine the sacred
institution of the judiciary
by alleging that President
Goodluck Jonathan is
going to influence the
Supreme Court judgment on
a pending case challenging
his (Okorocha) emergence as governor.
The ruling party
said the
allegation was part of the governor’s strategy to whip up sentiments and
blackmail the judiciary into believing that he is a victim of a political attack.
The party slammed Gov. Okorocha for attempting to divert attention from the
substance of the Supreme Court case slated for October 31, 2013.
The apex court will rule on the case challenging Okorocha’s mandate as
governor.
Okorocha had reportedly accused President Jonathan of planning to
influence the judgment of the Supreme Court on the suit challenging his
emergence as governor, which has been slated for Thursday.
PDP, which made its position known in a statement issued by its National
Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said Okorocha had always been wary of the
fact that justice would prevail against him for allegedly stealing the peoples’
mandate in 2011, hence his latest resort to blackmail and attacks on the
Judiciary and the Presidency ahead of the apex court’s ruling on the case.
“This governor has been living in morbid fear of having justice prevailing
against him at the Supreme Court for stealing the mandate of the people in
2011,” the party said in a statement.
“As such, he now seeks to use the instrumentality of blackmail and political
subterfuge to divert the attention of the Supreme Court from the substance of
the case against him ahead of the apex court’s ruling on October 31, 2013.
“It is to say the least, despicable that a state governor who swore to defend
the constitution, will in a desperate bid to retain a stolen mandate,
condescend so low to attempt to hoodwink and undermine the sacred
institution of the Judiciary, even the Supreme Court.”
The ruling party said while it remains steadfast in its belief in the impartiality
of the judiciary, it was calling on this institution to note the activities of such
undemocratic elements, who attempt to use every means to undermine and
derail it.
“Moreover, the APC is aware that it will lose the 2015 general elections and
even the governorship of states presently under its control. As such, it is now
using the Imo state governor’s attempt to blackmail the Judiciary a test for
a bigger plot to weaken this institution ahead of 2015,” the party said.
The Lagos Fashion Week has ended but not without having Nollywood's fashion
queen Rita Dominic step out in style on her red carpet.
Someone said Rita looks like a 'madame' in this outfit.
Meanwhile, please guys do accept my sincere apologies for yesterday.
Family time completely overwhelmed me. My 5th wedding anniversary is coming
up, November 15, and in the spirit of that, hubby took our family out for a trip/
shopping out of town.
We returned very late yesterday, was really dogtired and still had to prep things for
work and kids' school for the week. I practically passed out when I was done.
Please, no vex. I'm fully back now. No more slacks, promise! *winks*
