Olamide, Don Jazzy, Dammy Krane at APC Presidential Rally

The APC Presidential Rally went down yesterday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos and a lot of people turned up for the rally as there was a huge crowd showing support for General Muhammadu Buhari – as well as some Nigerian Celebrities.

Don Jazzy apparently, hasn’t hidden the fact that he supports APC, Olamide also!
Meanwhile, Olamide has recorded two songs for APC and also performed the two at the gig. Listen and download Them Here

Shoki Ahhh! – Governor Fashola Shows off his Dance Moves

You will definitely be loved if you’re the playful type.
Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola was pictured earlier yesterday showing off his shoki dance moves again at the APC Presidential Rally which held at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Don Jazzy, Olamide and Dammy Krane were present for the rally yesterday . Since Olamide was present at the rally, Governor Fashola was probably dancing ‘Shoki’ while olamide was performing (:.

Day 2: Psquare and Their Wives in Anambra as They Rock Matching Ankara Outfits

Its the Day 2 of Pa Okoye’s Burial Ceremony in Anambra. The Event is going down at his hometown in Ifitedunu, Anambra State.

The Okoye Twins and Their Beautiful Wives, Lola Omotayo-Okoye and Anita Isima-Okoye as well as their elder brother, Jude Okoye were all spotted wearing matching ankara outfits.
The Outfits are really beautiful (:

Check them out below! Oh, and By The way, Jude’s wife, Ifeoma Umuokeke-Okoye is also at the Event too, but the wife who’s nursing their new born daughter hasn’t been spotted yet!

SA Rapper, AKA Finally Granted Nigerian Visa | To Be In Lagos Tomorrow

Run Jozi rapper, AKA an Intercontinental rapper from South Africa who has worked with loads of Nigerian artistes like Ice-Prince, Burna Boy amongst others was denied a Nigerian Visa last week.

He had to reschedule his Industry Nite gig that was to be held in Lagos following that. Now, he has been granted a Visa from the Nigerian embassy and he announced that he would be in Lagos tomorrow.

After announcing this,his SA fans told him to be wary of the Boko Haram insurgents as they might end his life when he sets foot on Nigerian soil.

AKA replied his ignorant fans:

“Can you ignorant f*cks please stop with the Boko Haram “jokes” … Thanks …,” he said in a tweet.
He then said:

“Ignorant South Africans in my mentions … I’m off to LAGOS tomorrow … Are you intelligent and informed enough to know what this means?”

…to let them know that there aren’t Insurgents in Lagos state.

Kim Kardashian West Shares Photo Of Her And Hussy, Kanye With President Barack Obama

Popular Reality TV Star/ Model who is getting even more famous as she is being featured on the front page in lots of fashion magazines, Kim Kardashian recently shared his photo of herself and her husband striking a pose with U.S President Barack Obama.

The photo was taken from a state dinner which took place sometime in October last year and it looks like the White House just recently sent the official photo to the Kimye West family.

The photo has a handwritten message by the President inscribed on the background of the picture which reads:

“Thanks for the support, and best wishes to you and your daughter.”

Etcetera’s Memo To All Buhari’s Supporters

A new article by Etcetera which touches the subject of APC Presidential aspirants supporters.
Check on it below:

Stupid is a word that has a broad range of applications, but it generally means a person lacks rudimentary intelligence or the ability to reason. It can also imply a congenital lack of capacity for reasoning, or a permanent state of daze or slow-mindedness.

However one defines or applies the word stupid, you can hardly think of the word without directly relating it to the utterances of some Buhari’s supporters; especially the supposedly literate ones.

Over the past week, it became apparent that the level of stupidity inherent in those inclined to support certain politicians at all cost is beyond comprehension.

In fact, it is frightening that so many Nigerians of voting age lack the fundamental reasoning ability of a second-grader and are even less-informed about basic facts than a kindergarten.

I have heard some of the most bizarre ideas peddled by some Buhari’s supporters and I am really concerned about the future of this country.

I have heard troubling statements like: “It really doesn’t matter if Buhari is qualified or not, he must be the next president and we’ll vote for him. Even if he presents a NEPA bill as certificate, we don’t care, we will vote for him. Are these people for real?

To base your position on whatever absurdity your favourite candidate espouses; regardless of reality is the reason why we are in this hell of a nation.

These are exactly the type of supporters Nigerian politicians bank on to win elections. These goons should know that in a democratic system, we live by the constitution and the Nigerian constitution in section 131 (d) gives a specific order for all presidential candidates to show proof of education up to a minimum standard not below school certificate or its equivalent.

If Buhari doesn’t have the required qualification, he should be disqualified immediately or if it is proven that his certificate or result was doctored or forged, he should be arrested and charged to court for deception.
Atahiru Jega and his INEC got us into this embarrassing position. How can someone refer INEC to the Secretary of the Military Board for his credentials when it is stated clearly that every contestant should attach copies of their qualification to their forms? INEC is a joke.

If elections are conducted like job interviews, can the applicant direct his would-be employers to his previous work place for his credentials? Won’t the applicant be chased off the premises with a stick or security dogs?

How do we bring about the clamoured “change” in the nation when we can’t treat the nation’s business as ours? Nobody is saying you shouldn’t support Buhari or any candidate of your choice but it shouldn’t be based on sentiments of any kind.

The other day, a radio presenter was screaming like a banshee on radio of how Buhari is a man of great ideas, you shouldn’t be the one telling us what Buhari’s ideas are. As a radio presenter, it is against NBC regulations for any presenter to influence listeners’ votes. Buhari should sell himself convincingly enough to earn their votes. Aren’t we tired of having leaders who can’t sell their ideas themselves? That’s why they haven’t approached the subject of how they are going to revive the economy in any of their campaign speeches?

Let’s not be stupefied into supporting any candidate. We are screaming for a corrupt free nation, yet we are refusing to see that electing someone without the required qualification is as good as endorsing corruption. No one would want to admit that half of this country’s population is inherently stupid, much less ignorant, but at the rate politicians garner votes based on sheer fantasy and lies, there is no other conclusion that makes any sense whatsoever. One thing is certain; if Nigerian voters were not so stupid, they would not knowingly go against what is right, whether for their personal, ethnic or religious interest.

Our politicians know that without stupid people, most of them would be extinct as viable political forces. But they are far from going extinct and it is all down to the level of stupidity permeating this sad ignorant nation.

Bruce Jenner Decision to Become a Woman Made More than a Year Ago

Bruce Jenner's family is now regularly leaking out stories that have been obvious to all for quite some time ... that the Jenner patriarch is becoming a woman.

The latest leak is to "People," quoting a family source that Bruce is making the change.  As we reported more than a year ago, Bruce underwent an operation called a laryngal shave, to smooth out his Adam's Apple, and at the time our sources were clear ... it was, as one put it, "one of the first steps."

We spoke to Bruce at the time and he said he was "absolutely not" transitioning, but the denial was part of his plan to make the change gradually, which he has done over the last year, to the point it simply became obvious and an announcement became almost irrelevant.  But his decision to transition had been firmly made months before.

Our sources say Bruce is now far along in the process, has undergone various procedures and psychological counseling, and is ready to show his journey to the world.  Our sources say it's so far along his docuseries will air as early as May.

People is reporting his family is supportive but not all family members are on board 100%.  As we told you, the family filmed Bruce's formal announcement to them last month and during the conversation Kris freaked out.  The other kids -- the boys and the girls -- have been more supportive, especially the older ones.

A leader in the transgender community tells TMZ they've know for "way more than a year" Bruce was doing this and some felt he should have announced it when he had the laryngal shave.  But we're told Bruce decided a gradual transition followed by a revelation would be better for him and his family.

And we're told part of the plan to reveal the decision is for various family members to start speaking out. What Kim said this week about Bruce's "journey" was no slip of the tongue.

Taylor Swift trademarks 'This sick beat' but not 'Shake it off'

 

 If you were planning on using a Taylor Swift-penned phrase on, say, a locket or a jewelry box, think again. Because you could be trying to shake off a legal bill. 

T. Swizzle, whose business savvy is rivaled only by her aptitude for earworms, has taken out several trademarks for phrases like "Party Like It's 1989," "This Sick Beat," "Cause We Never Go Out of Style."

This means you'll need Swift's permisison if you want to use any of those phrases on a whole host of stuff: aprons, "non-medicated" toiletries and -- we kid you not -- walking sticks. 

The filings are on top of dozens more she's held for years. They were reported by Vox, citing the legal database, Justia.

Interestingly enough, "Shake It Off" is not on the list. Perhaps because that trademark is already held by a diet company. 

Swift took out the patents last year on the heels of her fifth studio album, "1989."

Given the incredible success of that album, you can't blame a girl for wanting to protect her brand. And if you're hate, hate, hating on her for that, well, you know what you can do.

Ebola outbreak: Virus mutating, scientists warn

Hundreds of blood samples are being analysed to keep track of the virus

Scientists tracking the Ebola outbreak in Guinea say the virus has mutated.

Researchers at the Institut Pasteur in France, which first identified the outbreak last March, are investigating whether it could have become more contagious.

More than 22,000 people have been infected with Ebola and 8,795 have died in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Scientists are starting to analyse hundreds of blood samples from Ebola patients in Guinea.

They are tracking how the virus is changing and trying to establish whether it's able to jump more easily from person to person
"We know the virus is changing quite a lot," said human geneticist Dr Anavaj Sakuntabhai.

A virus can change itself to less deadly, but more contagious and that's something we are afraid of”

Dr Anavaj Sakuntabhai Geneticist

"That's important for diagnosing (new cases) and for treatment. We need to know how the virus (is changing) to keep up with our enemy."

It's not unusual for viruses to change over a period time. Ebola is an RNA virus - like HIV and influenza - which have a high rate of mutation. That makes the virus more able to adapt and raises the potential for it to become more contagious.

"We've now seen several cases that don't have any symptoms at all, asymptomatic cases," said Anavaj Sakuntabhai.

"These people may be the people who can spread the virus better, but we still don't know that yet. A virus can change itself to less deadly, but more contagious and that's something we are afraid of."

But Prof Jonathan Ball, a virologist at the University of Nottingham, says it's still unclear whether more people are actually not showing symptoms in this outbreak compared with previous ones.

"We know asymptomatic infections occur… but whether we are seeing more of it in the current outbreak is difficult to ascertain," he said.

"It could simply be a numbers game, that the more infection there is out in the wider population, then obviously the more asymptomatic infections we are going to see."

The current outbreak began in south-eastern Guinea and spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone

Another common concern is that while the virus has more time and more "hosts" to develop in, Ebola could mutate and eventually become airborne.

There is no evidence to suggest that is happening. The virus is still only passed through direct contact with infected people's body fluids.

Infectious disease expert Professor David Heyman said
"No blood borne virus, for example HIV or Hepatitis B, has ever shown any indication of becoming airborne. The mutation would need to be major"

Virologist Noel Tordo is in the process of setting up a new from the Institut Pasteur in the Guinea capital Conakry. He said,

"At the moment, not enough has been done in terms of the evolution of the virus both geographically and in the human body, so we have to learn more. But something has shown that there are mutations,"
"For the moment the way of transmission is still the same. You just have to avoid contact (with a sick person)"

"But as a scientist you can't predict it won't change. Maybe it will."
Researchers are using a method called genetic sequencing to track changes in the genetic make-up of the virus. So far they have analysed around 20 blood samples from Guinea. Another 600 samples are being sent to the labs in the coming months.

A previous similar study in Sierra Leone showed the Ebola virus mutated considerably in the first 24 days of the outbreak, according to the World Health Organization.

It said: "This certainly does raise a lot of scientific questions about transmissibility, response to vaccines and drugs, use of convalescent plasma.

"However, many gene mutations may not have any impact on how the virus responds to drugs or behaves in human populations."

'Global problem' The research in Paris will also help give scientists a clearer insight into why some people survive Ebola, and others don't. The survival rate of the current outbreak is around 40%.

 

Prof James Di Santo explains the work being carried out to try to find an Ebola vaccine

It's hoped this will help scientists developing vaccines to protect people against the virus.

Researchers at the Institut Pasteur are currently developing two vaccines which they hope will be in human trials by the end of the year.

One is a modification of the widely used measles vaccine, where people are given a weakened and harmless form of the virus which in turn triggers an immune response. That response fights and defeats the disease if someone comes into contact with it.

The research may explain why some people survive Ebola and others do not

The idea, if it proves successful, would be that the vaccine would protect against both measles and Ebola.
"We've seen now this is a threat that can be quite large and can extend on a global scale," said Professor James Di Santo, and immunologist at the Institut.

"We've learned this virus is not a problem of Africa, it's a problem for everyone."

He added: "This particular outbreak may wane and go away, but we're going to have another infectious outbreak at some point, because the places where the virus hides in nature, for example in small animals, is still a threat for humans in the future.

"The best type of response we can think of… is to have vaccination of global populations."

MH370: Malaysia declares flight disappearance an accident

Relatives are still waiting for answers nearly a year after the crash

The Malaysian government has officially declared the disappearance of Malaysian Airline flight MH370 an accident and says there were no survivors.

No trace of the Beijing-bound aircraft has been found since it disappeared on 8 March 2014.

Officials say that the recovery operation is ongoing but that the 239 people onboard are now presumed dead.

The plane's whereabouts are still unknown despite a massive international search in the southern Indian Ocean.

The declaration on Thursday should allow compensation payments to relatives of the victims.
'Deepest sorrow'
 
Malaysian officials said that the recovery of the missing aircraft remained a priority and that they had pursued "every credible lead".

Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) Director-General Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said that it was "with the heaviest heart and deepest sorrow that we officially declare Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 an accident.''

"All 239 of the passengers and crew onboard MH370 are presumed to have lost their lives," he said.

 

Azharuddin Abdul Rahman: "We have reviewed all available data" 

 

Following Thursday's announcement, China's foreign ministry called for compensation for the victims' families.

"We call on the Malaysian side to honour the promise made when they declared the flight to have been lost and earnestly fulfil their compensation responsibilities," spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement.

The majority of the passengers on MH370 were Chinese.

Despite Thursday's announcement, the Malaysian authorities are not ruling out foul play, reports the BBC's transport correspondent Richard Westcott.

He says it is a legal move designed to help families claim compensation.

Declaring the missing plane an accident should help unlock compensation payments for bereaved relatives 

 

 Malaysia Airlines said they would be contacting the families to proceed with the compensation process.

But in China, some family members refused to accept the official position that the plane was lost.

"They have found nothing," said Li Jingxin whose brother is missing.
"With nothing found, how can they make any announcement?''

He told the Associated Press news agency that his family would not accept compensation from the airline at this time.

Analysis: Jennifer Pak, BBC Malaysia correspondent In a pre-recorded statement on national TV, the Malaysian authorities announced that the disappearance of flight MH370 was an accident and that there were no survivors.

But some families were upset that the government decided on the fate of their loved ones without any concrete evidence.

Others complained on social media that the authorities should have informed the families before making the announcement.

Ten months on, it is clear that the Malaysian government is struggling to rebuild trust with families of the victims.

Many have refused to begin the compensation process, worrying that if they do then officials will stop searching for the plane.

However, Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai says the governments of Malaysia, China and Australia remain firmly committed to the ongoing search.

'No evidence'
 
Four vessels are currently searching the seafloor with specialised sonar technology in a remote stretch of ocean where the plane is believed to have ended its flight.

Based on analysis of satellite and aircraft performance data, MH370 is thought to be in seas far west of the Australian city of Perth.

The DCA plans to release an interim report on its crash investigation on 7 March.

 

 

 

 

Suicide Bomber Kills 16 At Funeral

An Afghan official, Thursday said that a suicide bomber struck a funeral for the victims of an earlier Taliban attack, killing 16 and wounding 39 in eastern Laghman province.

Sarhadi Zwak, a local governor’s spokesman, said the bomber detonated his explosives and blew himself up among mourners gathered for the funeral, in the provincial capital of Mihtarlam.

The funeral was for a police commander and three other people killed, earlier in the day in a roadside bombing. Officials said the Taliban were behind that attack. Zwak said police investigations chief Khlil Nyazi, was among the 16 killed, with three other police officers. Nobody or group has claimed claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing.

Kim Kardashian Wants To Have More Babies

                    Kardashian and her baby

Kim Kardashian

, Thursday revealed that her daughter has a naughty streak – but she can’t wait to give birth to more children. The reality TV star, 34 and husband,

Kanye West

, 37, already have a 19-month-old daughter, North. She told People magazine that the couple were “really trying” to conceive.

“We’ve really been trying for another kid. More kids can’t come soon enough,” the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star said. Kim told of how their daughter recently threw Kanye’s mobile phone down the toilet.

“She took Kanye’s phone and put it in the toilet and flushed it,” she said. Kim said that she hoped her daughter would be “strong enough to handle certain things she’ll read” about her famous parents when she’s older.

“But when North is old enough I’ll probably be a crazy mom, and of course I’ll have her password and monitor everything,” she enthused. Kim disclosed how she ended up getting snapped in the snow in a fur bikini, in pictures she put on Instagram.

“We were in Utah with eight couples for my best friend’s birthday. We went into this fur store and there was a fur bikini and boots. ‘I just have to get this, but I don’t know when I’m ever going to wear it’ And then Kanye was like, ‘Let’s do a shoot in the snow’ It was so fun,” she said.

AFCON 2015: Guinea Qualify For Q/Final After Winning Drawing Of Lots

Guinea will play in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter-finals after qualifying instead of Mali by the drawing of lots at a ceremony in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Thursday.

Lots were drawn to determine second place in Group D after both countries finished level after their three opening round matches. Ivory Coast won the group.

Three successive 1-1 draws for both teams meant they could not be separated by points, their head-to-head result, goal difference or goals scored. Guinea will now play Ghana in Sunday’s quarter-final in Malabo.

It was only the third time in African Nations Cup history that a draw had to be conducted to separate two teams after the group phase. Previous drawing of lots in 1972 and 1988 favoured Congo and Algeria.

Brad Pitt To Star In Angelina Jolie’s Next Film

Brad Pitt could be teaming up with wife Angelina Jolie again on her next film project, Africa. According to The Wrap, Pitt is in talks to star as archaeologist, Richard Leakey who campaigned to protect elephants against poachers, in the biopic penned by Oscar-winning scriptwriter Eric Roth. Jolie is set to direct the movie.

The couple met playing spy team Mr And Mrs Smith in 2005, and are set to reunite on screen as husband and wife in Jolie’s latest movie By The Sea, due out later this year.

Jolie will re-team with her Unbroken cinematographer, Roger Deakins on the project, with shooting due to start in the summer.

She said in a statement when she boarded the project last September: “I’ve felt a deep connection to Africa and its culture for much of my life, and was taken with Eric’s beautiful script about a man drawn into the violent conflict with elephant poachers who emerged with a deeper understanding of man’s footprint and a profound sense of responsibility for the world around him.”

Pitt and Jolie have six children together. Their ten-year-old daughter, Zahara was adopted from Ethiopia and their first biological child Shiloh, eight, was born in Namibia.

My Regrets – Bill Gates

                                Gates

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has revealed what makes him feel like a fool. The global philanthropist was asked on Reedit, a social network chat “Ask Me Anything”,Wednesday, if there was anything in his life that he regretted? “I feel pretty stupid that I don’t know any foreign languages, I took Latin and Greek in high school and got A’s and I guess it helped my vocabulary but I wish I knew French or Arabic or Chinese. I keep hoping to get time to study one of these – probably French because it is the easiest,” the 59-year-old told Skynews.

While paying glowing tributes to Mark Zuckerberg,  founder of

Facebook

founder  said he was delighted with the Chinese audience last year with his Mandarin skills. Mr Gates continued: “I did Duolingo for a while but didn’t keep it up. Mark Zuckerberg amazingly learned Mandarin and did a Q&A with Chinese students – incredible.”

The former Microsoft chief, who is the world’s richest man with a net worth of more than $80bn (£53bn), can certainly afford the language lessons.

Nigeria Elections: Mixing Religion And Politics

President Jonathan and Buhari are appealing to the religious vote

As tensions rise ahead of next month’s general elections in Nigeria, some fear the country’s unity will face a new test and divisions will be exacerbated by a vote which sees a Christian presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the south, Goodluck Jonathan, facing stiff competition from General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), of the All Progressives Congress (APC) a Muslim candidate from the north.

It is not their first face off but is likely to be by far the most closely contested. But to what extent will voters pay attention to the religion of the candidates? “If the Christian leader does not have what it takes to provide good leadership I will not vote for him merely because he is a Christian,” said Arome Okwori at his home in Jos, Plateau State.

Jos: neither churches nor mosques are hard to find

                A mosque in Jos

“However, I will make a choice between that Christian leader and a Muslim leader who may not guarantee freedom of religion, so to that extent I may lean to the Christian leader but that is not how it should be,” the father of two young children added.

Okwori stated that, he knows many other Christians who fear that Buhari has a hard-line Islamist agenda and wants stricter implementation of the Islamic law known as Sharia. “Gen Buhari believes in the secular nature of Nigeria, he is not a religious bigot. He is not a fundamentalist. That is mischievous talk,” said Lai Mohammed, spokesman of the APC.

There are Nigerians, and by no means only Muslims, who believe Jonathan is too close to some of the hugely popular “super pastors” who have grown rich from their Pentecostal churches.
Nigerians are notoriously religious and the voting patterns will once again no doubt look very different in the predominantly Muslim north compared to some areas in the south where more Christians live.

“You can never divorce the religious sentiment from a typical Nigerian, but the way things are going people are beginning to downplay the role of religion in deciding who you vote. I hear people talking a lot about credibility,” Khadijah Hawaja Gambo argued.

Gambo, a Muslim mother of six added that she wants a leader who can end the insecurity in Nigeria and “take the country back to where it used to be with people co-existing peacefully, not the kind of Nigeria we are seeing today.”

Jos is in a way a microcosm of the whole nation, straddling the north and south. It is religiously mixed and in some ways divided along those lines. There are parts of the city, where the influence of Islam is visible and audible, with calls to prayer from the mosques as veiled school children head home.

Other areas are dotted with signs like “The Blessed Hair Salon” and churches of all shapes and sizes, whilst you will see fewer hijabs and more jeans on the streets.

The danger comes when religion is mixed with politics. It is worth remembering 800 people died in northern Nigeria during clashes after Buhari’s loss in the 2011 election.

“Religion by its very nature and content appeals not so much to reason. It’s a heart matter and carries with it huge emotions,” said Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi, who has played a key role in diffusing religious tension in Jos.

“When religions like Christianity and Islam have a huge following of hungry not very educated people on both sides, then politicians will explore the areas of religion, to get them on their sides.

That’s a very dangerous and bad thing to do. It’s not fair and it’s not right,” the Anglican archbishop of Jos stressed.

The whole of Plateau State has tasted the combustible consequences when politicians focus on faith. Deadly clashes have erupted since 2001 and have been rooted in disputes over access to land, power and jobs between the indigenes, who happen to be mostly Christian and “settlers” who are largely Muslims.

Religion is not the primary trigger but politicians have used it for their own gain.  “There was never a time in the history of Plateau or anywhere in Nigeria where a Christian stopped a bus to find out if the driver was a Muslim before boarding or saying you want to know whether the maker of the cloth in a market is a Muslim or Christian,” said security analyst Abdullahi Bawa, who feels some politicians are better off if they do not have to campaign on real issues.

Bawa, who is also executive research associate of Network For Justice added: “It is their own kind of local divide and rule. By the time they discover people will unanimously stand together for the good of all, the politicians will go and use the sentiment of tribe, region or religion.” He said people have now come to understand the game the politicians play and this is why there is now more peace on the Plateau.

As some voters look at the religion of the candidates as they try to make up their minds, they may come across politicians of any faith who are willing to thank them in advance for their vote with a gift.

“Money and religion in politics, they go together, when you find unscrupulous politicians who are just desperate for an office, not for what they will do for people they just want the office, for what they can get for themselves – to retain the office at all costs they will use anything. They will use money and the religious sentiments to do that,” Archbishop Kwashi argued.

It is the desperation of the politicians and their parties which raises the stakes and tension. There will be plenty of prayers for peace in Nigeria’s mosques and churches. But it will largely be up to the politicians to reduce the tension and ensure there is harmony across the religious divide of this diverse nation.

Many voters dream of a day when the electorate is better educated and can see beyond the tricks of the candidates.

“I am hoping we will get to a stage where these differences that politicians easily manipulate, that are not relevant to the quality of leadership will become less and less important, then we can look at people on the strength of their policies and the quality they can provide,” said Okwori.

Presidential Election Roundtable Holds Friday

                         Buhari and Jonathan

On Friday, 30 January, some of the country’s leading political analysts and newspaper editors will gather to discuss next month’s presidential election at the newsbreak.ng Presidential Election Roundtable.

The event, the brainchild of Platinum Crest Communications,

Among the issues lined up for discussions by our A-list panel of experts are the strengths and weaknesses of the two major candidates, President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party and General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress; the readiness of the Independent National Electoral Commission, campaigns of the two major parties, quality of public debate around the election, major battle grounds for votes and the likely winner of the crown.

The result of the deliberations will be published in major newspapers and on online news platforms.

Buhari Campaigns In Lagos On Friday

Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) will Friday campaign at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos State.

The campaign according to Henry Ajomale, Chairman of the APC in Lagos, will start at 10 am.

Boko Haram: Arrest South African Mercenaries – Minister

South Africa’s Defence Minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Wednesday, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, asked its government to arrest the over 100 private soldiers, who are on their way to Nigeria to help fight extremist Boko Haram sect.

She said the ex-military men, should be arrested upon arrival in South Africa, to serve as deterrent to others. “There are consequences when somebody leaves the country and provides any form of military assistance that is not part of the government’s deployment,”

she said.Mapisa-Nqakula said no South African National Defence Force member was deployed to Nigeria, adding that South Africa has not received an official request for assistance or weapons. On Tuesday Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, expressed her disappointment at the South Africans’ involvement.

Don’t Cover Up For Buhari – PDP Warns INEC

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential Campaign Organisation said it perceived that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is covering up for Muhammadu Buhari’s non-compliance with the electoral law concerning his school certificate.

The organisation wants the electoral body to come clean on the issue. At its press briefing, Wednesday, the organisation director, Femi Fani-Kayode, noted Buhari on 27 January said his certificate was with the INEC, which he said was different from his initial claim. Fani-Kayode, referring to Buhari, said it was another “squalid attempt to give Nigerians the impression that INEC has his certificate”.

“If this is true, it represents a somersault from his original position which was that INEC has his affidavit and it once again reveals Gen. Buhari for what he is. With this latest antic, Gen. Buhari is obviously trying to smuggle a newly acquired certificate into INEC through the back door.

“If this is true and if INEC allows such a thing to happen, it would put a serious question mark on its impartiality and credibility. It would mean that it has collected his newly-acquired certificate, 40 days outside the stipulation of the Law,’’ he said.

Fani-Kayode also stated that Buhari had said enquiries on his certificate should be directed to INEC’s legal adviser, but that the same adviser in December 2014 told journalists they have published all documents submitted to them by presidential candidates. He faulted the statement on the basis that Buhari only submitted FORM CF001 (no  certificate attached) and an affidavit.

Fani-Kayode queried how the affidavit transmuted into a document. “The electoral body must come clean on this matter; otherwise we will be compelled to pass a no-confidence vote on it.

“If INEC is complicit in the desperate and despicable attempt to extricate Gen. Buhari, without compliance with the provisions of the law, from this lingering embarrassment, we will have no other choice than to harbour the suspicion and fear that the electoral body is already compromised and can lend itself to the ungodly agenda of truncating our victory when our candidate wins.

“If INEC is complicit in the desperate and despicable attempt to extricate Gen. Buhari, without compliance with the provisions of the law, from this lingering embarrassment, we will have no other choice than to harbour the suspicion and fear that the electoral body is already compromised and can lend itself to the ungodly agenda of truncating our victory when our candidate wins,” he stated.

Danjuma Asks For Tompolo, Asari-Dokubo, Boyloaf, Others Arrest

A former military leader, Leiutenant General Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), Wednesday, tasked the security agencies on arresting former militants, who at a recent meeting in Bayelsa State, threatened war against the country’s sovereignty should President Goodluck Jonathan loses next February election.

The said former militant chiefs are Mujahideen Dokubo-Asari, Government Ekpudomenowei and Victor Ebikabowei (aka Boy Loaf).

The three men issued the threat in the meeting attended by Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Kingsley Kuku, and   President General, the Ijaw Youth Council, Udengs Eradiri.

“For every Goliath, God created a David. For every Pharaoh, there is a Moses. We are going to war. Every one of you should go and fortify yourself,” Asari-Dokubo thundered at the meeting.

Boyloaf equally boasted that the Niger Delta would secure the country’s oil deposit in the region, if the north got back power.

Danjuma argued that the crude oil resource in the region belongs to all Nigerians and berated the ex-militants for heating up the polity.

“You should arrest Asari Dokubo, Tompolo, Boyloaf and other Niger Delta militants for making reckless statements; They create a war situation.

“Those were reckless statements coming from irresponsible individuals; they should be condemned and   arrested immediately,” Danjuma said.

Danjuma advised that “In a situation like this, the issue of entrenching peace in the country is what is needed most. We should not allow some miscreants to hold us to ransom.”

The former Defence minister during the Olusegun Obasanjo civilian administration, spoke in Kano. He was in the state as a guest of honour and inaugurated the Kwankwasiyya City built by Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Tax Evasion: Agbaje Replies Fashola

                                              Agbaje

Mr. Jimi Agbaje, Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, has replied to an allegation levelled against him by Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State.

Fashola, Wednesday, at the 8^th Annual Lagos State Taxation Stakeholders’  Conference, said  JayKay Pharmaceuticals, owned by Agbaje, did not pay the Land Use Charge between 2009 and 2012.

But a statement issued Thursday, by Felix Oboagwina, Director of Media and Publicity of Agbaje campaign organisation, described the allegation as an attempt to ridicule the PDP candidate.

“I have made it clear that I will run a clean campaign based on nothing but the issues and facts. I will not engage in a smear campaign where anything, including the kitchen sink goes.

“The people of Lagos know better than to be blinded by APC’s smokescreen of accusations and diversions. Let me be clear. I wouldn’t stoop to engage in such desperate tactics that has been exhibited by Governor Fashola and the APC over the last couple of weeks,” the statement said.
Agbaje expressed surprise at the attack against by Fashola.

“Just in January, the Commissioner for Finance sent a personal letter to Mr. Agbaje, commending him for his faithfulness in payment of taxes relating to his residence.

“It is a curious contradiction that several days later, the Governor himself would express sentiments clearly in contradiction to the spirit and letter of that voluntary and unsolicited commendation from the state.

“Are they feeling the heat of Agbaje and PDP’s impending victory in the state, or how does one explain this recourse to personal attacks recently embarked upon by chieftains of APC?” the statement asked.

Oboagwina said Agbaje left the directorship of the company in 2006.

But Fashola, at the APC rally in Epe Thursday, said the letter Agbaje is flaunting does not contain evidence that he has paid for the years, for which he is alleged to owing. Speaking in Yoruba, the governor said he was challenging Agbaje to produce evidence of payment for those years.

Serena To Face Sharapova In Aussie Open Lady’s Final

                                                              Maria and Sharapova

Serena Williams battled past gallant Madison Keys Thursday, to set up a dream Australian Open final between the top two seeds after arch-rival Maria Sharapova defeated Ekaterina Makarova.

The two players in the world have a long history and the odds are stacked in Serena’s favour ahead of the Melbourne Park decider on Saturday, with the American holding a major psychological advantage.

Serena has a 16-2 record against Sharapova, with the Russian five-time Grand Slam champion losing their every encounter since 2004.

Despite the ominous statistic, Sharapova has been in outstanding touch and blew away fellow Russian Makarova 6-3, 6-2 on a blustery afternoon on Rod Laver Arena.

She is now in her fourth Australian final, having won in 2008. Serena was made to work harder by rising American teen Keys, who fought to the end, saving eight match points.

Coached by former US great Lindsay Davenport, Keys forced Serena to a first set tiebreak before her illustrious opponent took charge to win 7-6 (7/5), 6-2.

“It’s really great to be in the final again, I didn’t come here with that expectation so it’s really exciting,” said Serena.

In reaching the final at 33, she became the oldest player to make the Australian Open decider in the Open Era, surpassing Chris Evert.

It also ensured that she keeps the number one ranking she has held for more than 100 weeks. Sharapova could have claimed the accolade if she had won the title and Williams had failed to make the final.

In another warning sign for Sharapova, her rival has won all five of the previous finals she has made in Melbourne. Williams is now in her 23rd major final, and has claimed 18 of them.

Facebook Political Debates Deserve X-Rating

                                                        BAMIDELE JOHNSON

On Sunday, a tweet had me scratching my head. It said Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church (alias Winners Chapel) proudly announced that he’d open the gates of hell get to anyone opposed to President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election into afterlife’s mega-furnace.

In no time, it was frenziedly tweeted and retweeted, getting everywhere (including news websites) and Buhari’s supporters into an almighty fit of rage. Cue X-Rated curses.

The alleged threat was issued with the President in attendance as a worshipper in the church.  On

Facebook

, which allows you deliver considerably more venom and malice than Twitter’s 140 characters do, curses were delivered in commercial quantities. Manufactures of the curses had no evidence (video or audio) that the preacher said what was attributed to him.

 They did not want any. Belief that he said it was more important that the fact that they were not in church, where he purportedly said it, and were not in possession of any electronic proof. They cursed him to their hearts’ desire. His presumed offence was his support for Jonathan.

This is typical of political discussions on Facebook which, because the elections are already upon us, delivers Boko Haram-scale violence, though in words.

A recent Facebook post by a friend appeared to capture the lunacy. “It is good, he posted, “that the political discussions on Facebook are not done physically, otherwise some guys would have resorted to blows.”

By physically, he meant face-to-face, obviously. My friend isn’t the type that goes fight-hunting on Facebook or one that would pick a fight with himself even if he was the only one commenting on his Facebook post.

As much as I agree with him,  he understated the menace accruable from political debates on Facebook. If  political debates on Facebook were held with debaters within reach of one another, blows, I am certain, would be the least harmful tools that’d be used in the combat.

Bayonets, cutlasses, knives,  and most likely, military-scale firearms, will be generously deployed. Debates on Facebook are getting more poisonous, as debaters get increasingly estranged from reason and restraint.

These days in my Facebook orbit, politics is the new religion, with Jonathan’s zealots taking on Buhari’s fundamentalists. Nothing else is responsible for this descent other than our inability to understand that what we believe is not necessarily what is true. A belief remains a belief, not a fact. A fact does not depend on belief to make it a fact. It is only in religion or superstition that beliefs are taken as facts.

Supporters of the two major presidential candidates appear to see the two men as deities. Each side holds a faith position, which leaves no room in between.

What it delivers is zealotry, the type we have driving debates on social media and elsewhere.

 Supporters of Buhari are godless, have short memories, are infantile and unpatriotic, allege Jonathan’s supporters. Buhari supporters react the same way, treating members of the other camp like members of a rival religious sect.

The belief that Buhari cannot be a good president is nothing more than a belief. It is not fact. Buhari’s supporters claim that Jonathan will be worse in his second term, is similarly, not fact however hard we try to make it so.

A point of view isn’t necessarily valid or invalid because we agree or disagree with it. It doesn’t become idiotic or godless because it goes against what we believe. On Facebook, I have seen friends swap the vilest of insults on Facebook, with one alleging that the person with whom he disagreed had threatened him with physical harm. Why? Because they sit on opposite political benches.

The men over whom we fight are not as foolish as we are. Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi spent years spitting at each other. Today, they are broom wielders in the same party. Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Rauf Aregbesola acted like men who’d happily kill each other. For some seven years. Today, they are associates. Femi Fani-Kayode spent some time on the side of the APC, where he was a fountain of anti-Jonathan venom. We all know who he is currently crusading for.

Stoned Again: Yola Youths Attack Jonathan’s Convoy

                                     Jonathan

A group of angry youths Thursday, stoned President Goodluck Jonathan’s electioneering convoy in Yola, Adamawa State, breaking windows on some of the vehicles. According to the Associated Press, the youths were angry with President Jonathan for his failure to stem the tide of insurgency that has bedevilled the North-eastern part of the country.

Police used tear gas and whips to disperse the crowd.

Soldiers guarded billboards and posters of Jonathan. Yola is housing tens of thousands of people driven from their homes in the five-year insurgency.

President Jonathan Visits Warri Billionaire, Ayiri Emami

The President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, just paid a friendly visit to Warri Billionaire, Ayiri Emami’s Home. The younger brother to the Billionaire took to his instagram page to share the above picture with the caption:

Oscar Noms: A Lot to Celebrate, Mourn and Ponder (Analysis)

THR's awards analyst on surprise inclusions, shocking snubs and brewing controversies.

 

I was at the announcement of the 87th Oscar nominations, bright and early on Thursday morning, and as the hosts announced the categories — all 24, for the first time — I quickly filled up page after page with notes about things to celebrate, mourn and ponder.

 

The eight films that landed best picture noms — Warner Bros.' American Sniper, Fox Searchlight's Birdman, IFC Films' Boyhood, Searchlight's The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Weinstein Co.'s The Imitation Game, Paramount's Selma, Focus Features' The Theory of Everything and Sony Pictures Classics' Whiplash — were my top eight picks. None were really shockers. If there had been two more, I think they would have been Nightcrawler and Foxcatcher, but there were not. Many are disappointed that Gone Girl and Unbroken — one about a woman, the other directed by a woman — were left off the list; had either of those films or Interstellar made the cut, they would have been the only ones on the list to have grossed more than $100 million. Foxcatcher and Interstellar, meanwhile, become the films with the most nominations but no best picture nom (five) since, you guessed it, another film by the enigmatic Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight, the snub of which led to the expansion of the best picture Oscar category in the hope of increasing the diversity of the nominees. Alas, even with the option of nominating as many as 10 films, the Academy continues to gravitate toward certain genres and subject matters and not others.

For point of reference, the BFCA's 10 best picture Critics' Choice nominees included seven of the eight (not American Sniper); the HFPA's 10 best picture Golden Globe nominees (five drama and five musical/comedy) included six of the eight (not American Sniper and Whiplash); the AFI's top 11 films included six of the eight (not The Theory of Everything and Whiplash); the PGA's top 10 films included seven of the eight (not Selma); and the National Board of Review's top 10 films included four of the eight (not The Grand Budapest Hotel, Selma, The Theory of Everything and Whiplash), and their best film (A Most Violent Year) was not nominated for best picture for the first time in 14 years (since Quills).
 

Oscar Nominations 2015: The Complete List

'Whiplash,' 'Selma,' 'Birdman'

 

The nominations for the 87th Academy Awards were revealed on Thursday, Jan. 15, at 5:30 a.m.
For the first time, the entire list of nominees was unveiled live in a two-part announcement at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

Directors J.J. Abrams and Alfonso Cuaron announced the first group of nominees for the awards show's 24 categories, and then Into the Woods actor Chris Pine and Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs took the stage to announce the remaining nominees.

Eight films were nominated for best picture. Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel topped the nomination with nine each while The Imitation Game followed with eight noms.
 

Watch Adam Lambert Get Nervous As He Recreates His ‘American Idol’ Audition

Click here to Watch . Lambert nails 'Bohemian Rhapsody' again for the judges. 
Who knew that when Adam Lambert auditioned for “American Idol” in 2008 he would return to the show to sit behind the judges’ table?

Lambert filled in for Keith Urban on Thursday night, joining judges Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick, Jr., who pointed out that he can be kind of a jerk to the contestants. Had he no recollection of what it was like to audition in Season 8 of the show, which launched his career after he finished as a runner-up (behind Kris Allen)? Remember Simon, Adam?

The only way to remind Lambert of the pressure and fear of rejection was to put him in front of the judges once again. As Connick pushed him to give them the full Adam Lambert experience, he left and re-entered the room, telling them that he wasn’t “scurred,” just like he had said in 2008 to Randy Jackson. And as he sang Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” footage of his old audition floated in and out, matching up perfectly with the guy who became a star.
And, not for nothing, the current lead singer of Queen.

Chris Brown’s Probation Revoked Again After Club Shooting

Chris Brown‘s probation has been revoked again. A Los Angeles judge decided to violate Brown on Thursday after finding out that the singer had traveled to San Jose on Sunday for a birthday show without the court’s approval and was present when five people at the Fiesta Nightclub were shot and wounded.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Brandlin did not order Brown to be taken into custody, but asked for more investigation and a hearing on the singer’s status.

CB was released on his own recognizance and scheduled to return for a hearing on March 20. Brandlin also reportedly expressed concern that Brown was present during another shooting at the 1OAK club in August, when he was on stage when several people were shot, including former Death Row Records boss Suge Knight.

Brown posted a Vine of his reaction to Sunday’s shooting and reportedly tweeted that he was “100″ following the incident (that tweet has since been deleted.)
District attorney’s spokesperson Jane Robinson said in court that Brown had specifically violated a provision that forbids him to leave Los Angeles County; he also still has 200 out of 1,000 community service hours to complete. Brandlin noted, however, that there was no evidence that Brown was involved in either shooting.

Brown’s probation from his 2009 assault on then-girlfriend Rihanna has been revoked before, including last March, when he was sent to jail for violating the rules at a treatment program. According to TMZ, if Brandlin finds that Brown “willfully” violated probation, the singer could be sent to prison.

Critics' Choice Awards: The Winners

The critics have spoken.
Boyhood took best picture, Birdman's Michael Keaton won Best Actor and Julianne Moore took home Best Actress at the Critics Choice Awards for her work as a woman suffering from Alzheimer's in Still Alice.
"All these little imperfections we carry around with us, that's the essence of life itself," said Boyhood director Richard Linklater, who also took home directing honors. "Life doesn't give you perfect, but it does give us all the opportunity to care about one another."

Birdman came out with seven wins, while Boyhood nabbed for awards and The Grand Budapest Hotel took three.

 

The Lego Movie, snubbed for an Oscar nomination early in the day, took home best animated film honors, with the filmmakers calling it an emotional day. Chris Pratt and director James Gunn accepted action movie honors for Guardians of the Galaxy, with Gunn pretending to think Pratt played Dwight on NBC's The Office.
Gone Girl writer Gillian Flynn and the writers of Birdman were among the early winners at The Broadcast Film Critics Association's 20th annual Critics' Choice Awards. Boyhood's Ellar Coltrane took the Best Young Actor/Actress honor, remarking that a year ago he didn't think anyone would care about the movie, adding that he'd had to get used to saying "thank you" for the accolades. The cast of Birdman won acting ensemble honors.

Kevin Costner, Ron Howard and Jessica Chastain received special honors at the awards ceremony, which was held at the Hollywood Palladium and broadcast live by A&E. Michael Strahan, co-host of Live with Kelly and Michael, hosted the ceremony.

‘Magic Thief’ Caught, Tortured and Stripped By Soldiers in Calabar

This happened in calabar and a witness who was there live at the scene said;

It happened yesterday afternoon along Ikot Ansa Road in Calabar, this dude went to buy boxers and gave the seller N500, immediately the woman inserted the money in her wallet, all the money she had sold for the day disappeared. Shocked, she shouted ”Inor’! Inor’! (Thief! Thief).
Unfortunate for the dude, soldiers were passing at the time. They chased and caught him, then they removed his clothes and made him swim in that gutter pool. With enough koboko and swimming, the money appeared back.

See pictures below..

2face Idibia Celebrates His Son, Nino, as he turns 9

Many of you might not know 2face Idibia has about 7 children from 3 different women.
He has 2 Sons with Banker/Born Again Christian, Sunmbo Ajaba; Zion and Nino (Pictured below). He also has 3 children (A Daughter, Rose, a Son, Justin and a Newborn son in April 2012).
. . and With His Beautiful Wife, Annie Macaulay-Idibia, 2face has 2 daughters, Isabella and Olivia



The proud dad took to his instagram page to Celebrate his son, Nino Birthday..Posting the picture above. .2face wrote:

F.G of Nigeria claims $9.3M cash

Just yesterday, The Federal Government of Nigeria has confirmed its involvement in the $9.3m illegally imported by two Nigerians and an Israeli citizen to purchase arms on behalf of its security services and insisted that the deal was legal.

Earlier on, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, The National President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, whose private jet, a Bombadier Challenger 600 marked N808HG, was used to convey the money denied any involvement in the deal.

The Document and data pertaining to the transaction process has been relaeased by the Federal Government of Nigeria to South Africa, thereby validating that the entire operation involving the aircraft was 'genuine'.