God chose me says Sanusi on his triumphant entry into Emir’s palace

The new Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sunusi Lamido Sunusi 11, yesterday afternoon made a triumphant entry into the Emir palace seven days after he was so appointed by the Kano state Government.

A mammoth crowd of well wishers, Royal guards, and heavily armed policemen escorted the new emir whose appointment was greeted by violence in the city to the palace.

However, police ended their five-day siege on the palace Thursday night. Armed police moved out in batches.

Heart of Kano old city began

Till date, Police have not offered explanation as to why they took over the emir's palace and officials are keeping sealed lips over the matter.

Sanusi surrounded by Royal Guards as he entered the palace

The journey to the palace tucked in the heart of old city began from Government House, Kano by 3.30pm shortly after the new emir led the Juma'at prayers at the state House.

The emir, while at the palace, also conducted Asr prayers (late evening prayers) inside the palace mosque and was received by hundreds of jubilant subjects.

Sanusi who drove into the palace in the official vehicles of the emirate, stepped into the palace of his forefather through a new gate that was erected for him in line with tradition.

Thereafter gunshots fired to herald the entrance of the new emir. This was essentially conducted by the palace guards as a mark of honour to herald a new beginning.

In his Friday sermon to the congregation, the new emir called on all Muslims to fear God in all their dealings, adding that its through the fear of Allah "we can get it right".

Alhaji Sanusi pledged to continues to exhibit high sense of transparency, fairness, responsibility, maintaining that he would continue to treat everybody as equal.

The new emir said that "God gives power to whom he wants and that he was not the best among the candidates but God has chosen him to lead".

Emir Sanusi II also urged Muslims to always turn to God in times of difficulties for divine intervention and resolution on such challenges.

The Emir said: "I enjoin Muslims to draw my attention to whatever wrong I have committed, for I know that to err is human, but to forgive is God's".

Via: Vanguard

RMD Finally Addresses Sickness Rumours

There have been rumours both online and on entertainment magazines that Nollywood icon and Delta State Commissioner for Culture & Tourism, Richard Mofe-Damijo, has health issues probably because of his recent weight loss. I saw him a while back and he looked more handsome than ever!

Anyway, RMD has reacted to the rumours, saying he's better than ever.
"What else do you need? You saw me on stage, did I look sick? People are probably so disappointed to see me looking so much better they want the news to be true. Unfortunately for them, I am in the best shape of my life.
"Have you not taken photos of me. It amazes me how people cling to bad news. I am a public servant in Delta State, I go to work every day. I am not sick. I changed my lifestyle and lost weight and I am looking better than I have ever looked in my adult life. For the records, I am not on Facebook and my colleagues that they used their names as those who posted the stories have all denied it."RMD told Weekend Groove

Nollywood Is Now Boring –– Jim Iyke Speaks On His Next Move

Nollywood actor and reality TV star, Jim Iyke, speaks with Punch's Jayne Augoye about his adventures in recent times and important issues. Getting Jim Iyke for the interview has been a long chase. In-between movie sets abroad and running his foundation and some other business ventures, the actor has been busy.
Speaking on the controversies hunting him, Jim said: "I've heard that I deem myself something of a puppeteer and that I orchestrate these media maelstroms to maintain relevance and news. I wish I was that creative! The other side of the debate – the more discerning would argue – I'm a victim of PR machinery gone wrong. Perhaps my handlers in the earlier stages of my career saw a need to create an unfathomable media being that was as audacious as the characters I played in films.
"It caught on. Caused quite a stir, then quickly spiralled out of control. There were days when I wondered if I could have done something about it; like a campaign to state I was a different person. But then, the media loved it too much. It sold millions of movies. It sold papers. It also sold my privacy and peace of mind. I struggled for years to understand what it was doing to my psyche, my relationships, my family, my spirituality."

On why he has been out-of-touch with Nollywood of late, he says…
He is simply seeking for new challenges. He says of Nollywood, "Nothing was challenging anymore. It was too easy and too perpetual. It was too boring and too predictable. I had no room to pursue or hone other skill sets I had. I didn't have time for extra curriculums like hobbies, family, and friends, personal and social advancements. Something had to give! After all, I was the guy that made 38 films in a year," he boasts.

With his reality TV Show, Jim Iyke Unscripted, which is set to run for the third season, he declares, "It is the biggest celebrity reality show on the continent with over 10 million viewers. We did 12 countries in season one, another 10 in two. It's the story of a man's journey through his eyes and his words. If for nothing, to whom It may concern, I would have gained perspective and hopefully a better understanding of the idiosyncrasy that rules my day."

Nollywood is said to be a major contributor to Nigeria's GDP, Iyke says the feat is not translating to progress in the long run. "Ours, if it isn't oil and politics, then it isn't attainable. They tie up funds in bogus and outlandish conditions and make bold and futuristic propaganda-driven statements as to how it is accessible to every practitioner that simply has to ask for the taking.

"The sad part is that the practitioners do not even recognise the most basic of their fundamental rights. How can you ask, when you don't understand what you're asking for? The ones that do understand and fight to the helm of affairs are busy fighting each other and developing schemes to enrich their shallow pockets."

So will he ever consider vying for the Presidency of the Actors Guild of Nigeria? He said, "I've had occasion where they tried to drag me into this unpredictable territory. I assure you categorically Nollywood politics holds no iota of interest for me."

A conversation with the actor is incomplete without his lover, Ghanaian actress, Nadia Buari, whom he refers to as Skittles. Asked about the current status of the affair, he waxes philosophical, saying, "She (Nadia) is a solid down-to-earth woman. I'm a man that translates variables in ways many people find incomprehensible. We have embraced who we are and learnt to create our own world and expectations. We have ups and downs like every other couple.

"We have our strength and weakness as well. At the end of the day, rumours of break ups and make ups ought to abound. It really doesn't matter. A relationship is a continuous work. Those that give up, perhaps weren't committed enough. Those that go in for the long haul suck up and square up to the variables life throws at them. The people that judge harshly are obviously the ones that live far from their desired lives. We just live the best way we know how and leave the rest to the author and finisher of all things."

The future is already looking good as far as Iyke is concerned. Having just featured in a Hollywood film, titled There Comes Love alongside Hollywood actors, Brian White and Gracie Beauvis, Jim Iyke is diversifying into other areas of interest already.

Love or hate him, he continues to stay afloat amidst several controversies.

2face’s Dad Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer

Tuface's dad has been diagnosed of prostate cancer, but the good news is that it was detected at its mildest state.

Tuface announced this on the 8th of June, 2014 at the CECP Cancer Charity event which held at the Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos.

Mr Idibia who would be turning 68 next month, is expected to commence chemotherapy soon.

Sad News: Gospel Artiste, Kefee Is Dead

Gospel singer, Kefee Don Momoh, has been confirmed dead.

She reportedly passed on in the early hours of today,Friday, after being in coma for weeks in an undisclosed American hospital.

She allegedly went into coma, after collapsing on a 14-hour flight on her way to Chicago for an event about a two weeks ago.

Kefee's Publicist, Adeline Adelicious Adebayo, in a statement said that she died of lungs failure this morning.

A close family source revealed she was diagnosed of having pre-eclampsia – pregnancy induced high blood pressure.

Also he said in contrast to all earlier rumours and stories in circulation, Kefee wasn't 6 months pregnant and neither did she have pre-eclampsia.

Also Yaw, an On Air Personality (OAP) and a close friend of her husband, Teddy Don Momoh confirmed the news on Wazobia Fm this morning, saying: "One of her our very own is dead. May her soul rest in peace."

Kefee whose music career started at age eight in her church choir, was famous for her gospel songs 'Branama' and 'Kokoroko'. She won several awards including the best collaboration Headies Award in 2010.

Until her death, she resided happily with her husband in the US and managed her restaurant, Branama Kitchen, in Lagos.

Update On My Father's Burial

This is to announce to you my dearest page viewers that my Dad Chief James Ilesanmi Abiara, Ankara now Available! Interested Friends Shu Contact Me for Booking On 26A6ABBE Or Call My Numbers 08062771254, 08131315140. Abiara Benedict Tosin For The Family

Akunyili used her talent to promote Nigeria —Ekaette

Abuja—Nigeria's first female President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Senator Eme Ekaette, has described the late Director-General of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and  Control, NAFDAC, Prof. Dora Akunyili, as a pacesetter who used her talent to uplift the country's image in the drug market.

Senator Ekaette, who spoke in Abuja, noted that it was Akunyili, who risked her life to transform the drugs market in Nigeria and brought sanity into the business thereby attracting huge foreign investments into the sector.

Ekaette, who said she was very close to Akunyili as a result of their membership of PSN, described the deceased as a heroine, who played a major role in remoulding Nigeria's battered image through her relentless war to rebrand the country.

Via: Vanguard

Police beef up security around Fayemi, Fayose, Bamidele

Security has been intensified around the three major contenders to the office of Ekiti State governor ahead of June 21 governorship poll.

A  security source told the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday that the security beef-up had become necessary in view of some violent incidents which broke out in the state.

Besides, the source said the alarm, raised by Governor Kayode Fayemi, who doubles as the candidate for the ruling All Progressives Congress that his life was under threat, also necessitated the action.

NAN investigations revealed that visitors wishing to see any of the three candidates are now being restricted.

Full-armed riot policemen now keep vigil at the entrances to the Government House and the campaign offices of the three candidates.

The source also said private property identified with the candidates were being closely watched.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, Victor Babayemi, confirmed the beefing up of security in the state.

Babayemi assured residents that their lives and property would be protected before, during and after the election.

NAN learnt that over 13,000 policemen would be deployed  to provide security during the election.

Photos: Check Out Rita Dominic Stunning Pics In Paris

Actress Rita Dominic is in Paris for the Nollywood Week Film Festival which rounded 2 days ago..Her film The Meeting won The Audience Award for Best Film.

Photos: Check Out Lola Omotayo’s New Look

Lola Omotayo is wearing a new look and you just can't hate on this one.

She shared photos of her new hairstyle which she calls 'Made in AFrica. She captioned the photo: Made in Africa…..Black Russian….Embracing my roots#proudtobeafrican.

Why Nigerian women will never stop bleaching

The Nigerian obsession with light skin has been well documented and it is common now to see women with different tinges of black, pink and green marking their skin, all telltale signs of lightening attempts.

Everyone claims not to understand the trend; "Love your skin", "Be proud of your colour" are the messages people scream aloud but a subtle yet much clearer voice is heard saying "Lighter is better".

When Dencia's product "Whitenicious" was released, I was sufficiently outraged, like many other people were. I joined conversations about how she wasn't proud of her skin and was intent on taking advantage of those who were like her.

But then my mind, unforgetful sponge that it is, cast me back to a time when I was not so different from Dencia and her "kind". As a teenager, I hated myself, plain and simple. The only thing I thought God had gotten right about me was my brain.

For everything else I faulted him; my eyes were too small, my nose shaped like shorts, my hips too big and my skin? Gosh how I hated it. I would daydream for hours about the kind of life I would've had if I had been mixed race.

I'd concoct an entire family line where my father was American and my mother Costa Rican or she could be Indian and he a mixed race Yoruba man. I even got myself a name to fit the part; Natasha. I loved the sound of it. For some reason I felt that lighter skinned girls had the best of everything and it certainly seemed so a lot of the time.

Maybe if I was like them, then the boys would look at me in adoration. Maybe if my skin looked like warm chocolate milk, my boyfriend wouldn't have cheated on me with Nadia, the half-German girl. Maybe, the guy I liked wouldn't have chosen Mary the Asian instead of me. Maybe, just maybe.

The world constantly chooses light coloured women over dark ones. It's there in the modelling industry, it's there in music videos, it's there in Hollywood. There are those dark skinned women who stand their ground and pull through, but they are the exception rather than the rule.

I managed to conquer my self-esteem issues before they did any real damage, but the main reason why I never bleached my skin, and never will, is because I've seen the after effects, and they're not pretty.

I resisted bleaching not because I didn't want lighter skin, but because I didn't want to ruin the skin I already had and because I didn't want to face the health risks that could arise from having bleached skin. This means that the only thing that differentiates me from the "bleachers", is a little more foresight.

The truth is that life is hard on dark skinned women and not everyone can deal with the discrimination that comes from being several tones away from what's widely acceptable. The reason why Nigerian, and indeed African, women will never stop bleaching, is that there's too much pressure to do it and there's too much to gain from being lighter skinned.

Everyone wants to be appreciated and valued and so that dark girl will lighten her skin just to attract that "fine boy" or to get that ushering job, or to secure herself at the top of a career that focuses solely on beauty. Insecurity is rampant and it is very expensive to maintain.

There are those women who love their skin and would never bleach and there are those who will continue to put money in Dencia's pockets. The skin bleaching industry will continue to grow and people will continue to find better and better ways to do it until the results are almost seamless.

The world can stop this, of course, by taking its focus off beauty and physical appearances and starting to look at what a woman possesses on the inside. However, we all know that this will never happen. So, let the bleaching continue.

Kelly Rowland is Pregnant,announces in the cutest way...

Kelly Rowland is pregnant with her first child.She made the subtle announcement when she shared a pair of jordans with a baby version next to them and captioned it "I'll be stunting like my daddy".

The 33 year old married her Manager Tim Witherspoon last month in Costa Rica....
Congratulation

Kenyan celebrity Vera Sidika Brags About spending $170,000 To Bleach Her Skin

BBC Trending reports that Vera is often referred to as "Kenya's Kim Kardashian" because just like the reality TV star, she is fond of posting photos of her derriere on social media.

Speaking openly about her skin lightening treatment, she says, "Looking good is my business. My body is my business, nobody else's but mine."
Vera who also posts images of herself rocking pricey designer duds, says she has had skin lightening done in the UK at a cost of almost 15 million Kenyan shillings ($170,000/£100,000).

The treatment has clearly helped her business. She says there has been a demand for her services ever since she lightened her skin.
The presenter who interviewed her was criticised on social media.

He says, "I was accused of promoting or endorsing a white-centred view of beauty for African girls by interviewing her. The criticism was quite intense."
After the reaction, NTV decided to run a program asking people to share their thoughts with the hashtag – #BleachedBeauty. More than 4000 people responded.

Larry Madowo calls the reaction "hypocritical", stating many men in Kenya prefer light skinned women which they call "yellow yellow", while dark skinned ladies are referred to as "tinted"

Serious Tension In Kano Over Rumors President Jonathan Has Reversed Sanusi’s Appointment As Emir

The atmosphere in the ancient city of Kano on Wednesday is tensed. The story spreading in the town is that the new Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, is about to be arrested and detained on the orders from above as the President, Goodluck Jonathan, has decided to reverse Sanusi's appointment immediately.

The few indigenes of Kano, who are angry by Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso's decision to pick Sanusi among the three men presented to him by the King Makers, are said to be jubilating the news spreading across the state that Jonathan had finalized plans to remove Emir Sanusi and detain him...

The immediate past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and now Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamiso Sanusi is a political foe of President Jonathan. The two men disagreed over whether billions of dollars in oil money had been stolen by people working for Jonathan in Abuja. Jonathan suspended Sanusi from the CBN after the nation's banker accused officials of the NNPC and the Ministry of Petroleum of failing to deposit oil revenues worth more than $20 billion in the Central Bank as required by the law of Nigeria.

A source close to Gov Kwankwaso told Sahara Reporters that the Presidency is being those orchestrating the fake news about the removal of Emir Sanusi from the throne.

"This whole rumor was calculated to cause a new set of rioting in Kano," said the source. He said Jonathan and his cronies had designed a plot to create destabilization in Kano in order to give a pretext to declare a state of emergency in Kano in the high populated state under the control of APC.

President Jonathan has yet to congratulate Mr. Sanusi on his appointment as the new emir.

TV personality Juliet Mgborukwe releases stunning new photos

TV personality Juliet Mgborukwe releases beautiful new photos as she turns a year older today June 11th. Happy birthday Juliet
                                 

Attacks in Plateau state, 6 dead, 2 churches razed

Gunmen launched an attack on residents of Gako and Tanjol communities in Riyom LGA of Plateau State in the early hours of this morning June 11th, killing at least 6 people and burning 2 churches.
 
Residents of the communities say five officers of the Police Special Task Force were also killed but this has not been verified.
 
Confirming today's attack, an Assistant Superintendent of Police and state Police spokesperson, Mr. Dominic Esin who spoke with Premium Times said 5 other people were injured in the attack and they have all been hospitalized
"On June 11 at about 1 a.m., unknown gunmen invaded two villages of Gako and Tanjol, shooting sporadically and in the process killing 6 persons, and injuring 5 others. The injured persons where rushed to the Vom Christian Hospital. Normalcy has been restored in the attacked areas and members of the public are advised to go about their lawful business and report any unscrupulous elements to the security agencies" he said.

19-Year Old Nigerian Teenager Becomes Youngest UK Councillor

 19-year old Nigerian teenager, Aisha Eniola who resides in the United Kingdom has emerged the youngest councillor in UK.

Taking after her father who was once a councillor, Eniola who represents the Harlesden Ward, won the residents of the ward over with her intelligence which showed through during the pre-election debates.

She had the highest overall votes of 2,160 beating her other counterparts who had 459 and 313, to emerge the youngest councillor in UK. The final year student of Mass Communication says she hopes her victory will encourage other young people to participate in politics.

2015: ‘Jonathan’s opponents are fighting God’

Any Nigerian politician opposed to the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 is working against what has already ordained to happen, so says a former Special Adviser to Governor Timipre Sylva on Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Jude Tabai.

Speaking with Vanguard in an exclusive interview in Abuja on Tuesday, Tabai warned that the desperate attempt by politicians to demonise Jonathan and stampede him from enjoying his constitutional two terms was unacceptable to the people of the Niger Delta.

Tabai, who also played a prominent role in the Niger Delta struggle, pointed out that it was unfair for politicians to stoke the embers of violence in the Northern part of the country all in a veiled bid to bring down the Jonathan administration.

The former adviser described the current Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast as a political weapon being employed by those opposed to the present administration to weaken the government and pave the way for the opposition to take over.

Tabai said: "Jonathan as a Nigerian has the right to contest and it would be very unfair for anyone to try to stop him from contesting in 2015. If you don't want him to be president in 2015 the best way is to campaign against him at the poll. "But it is unacceptable for anyone to incite bombing and killings just to give Jonathan a bad name so as to lose the election.

"It will never and can never work in this country. And we the people of the Niger Delta will not fold our arms and allow him to be pushed away just like that," Tabai warned.

Asked to suggest ways of ending the spate of insurgency in the North, the former Bayelsa State adviser said that it was imperative for the people of the three states to take the lead in exposing the malevolent elements involved in the attacks with a view to making them to lay down their arms.

Tabai pointed out that it was the people of the Niger Delta, who took the lead in working on the militants to list their demands and adopt measures for ending the violence that halted oil production by more than 60 percent.

Answering a question on the apparent delay by the President to take decisive actions to deal with the insurgents, Tabai defended Jonathan, saying that he was not expected to behave as a military tyrant who has no regard for human rights and rule of law.

Tabai said, "The President's disposition is tied to his respect for human rights and the rule of law. He is using the best and most peaceful approach to issues and we believe it is working for us in the Niger Delta.

"As we speak if the President moves against those who are accusing him of being slow and incompetent, they would be the same people to accuse him of committing genocide.

"I would not encourage him to take any decision that would portray him as a Southern President out to kill the northerners. That is why I think that his calm and friendly approach to issues suits the moment in which we have found ourselves.
That is why I cannot blame him for being calm and calculated in his actions," the Bayelsa youth leader said.

Via: Vanguard

Fred Amata appointed Acting Festival Director of AIFF

Lagos – The Board and Management of the 11th Abuja International Film Festival (AIFF) said on Wednesday in Abuja announced the appointment of Fred Amata as its Acting Festival Director.

The Head, Media Communications of AIFF, Mr Louis Okpoto, announced the appointment in a statement.

The statement said that he would take over the leadership in an advisory capacity from Fidelis Duker who founded the film festival almost 11 years ago.

It noted that Duker had over the last 11 years developed AIFF to an enviable height globally as the foremost and longest running independent film festival in West Africa.

According to Okpoto, Amata will be leading a team of creative individuals to the 11th edition of the festival..

The theme for this year's festival which will hold from Sept. 23 to Sept. 26, is "100 Years of Films in Nigeria: A Retrospective".

One of the most recognised screen figures in Nigeria, Amata, is a scion of the renowned Fred Amata Film dynasty that has produced some of the most recognised and celebrated names in African Film.

He made his debut as an actor in the Award-winning TV series, Legacy in 1986.

In a career spanning almost three decades, Amata has earned directorial, acting and performance credits in over 150 productions spanning almost the entire genre of film, theatre and cinema.

He has won the coveted Nigerian Best Actor Award (Mortal Inheritance, 1997), Best Director Award (Light and Darkness, 2002), and several other awards and recognition.

He won the Afro-Hollywood Awards for Outstanding Performance, London (1999);

Others are the Outstanding Performance and Contribution to the Nigeria Film Industry,
Washington DC (April 2004) and Nollywood Ambassadors Award, Kenya (May 2010).

Amata has consulted for several organisations on the use of Nollywood (Film) Content for advocacy and was inducted into the Movie Makers Hall of Fame, U.S. in Oct. 2009. (NAN)

APC/PDP clash: LP chides APC for re-branding corpse

Labour Party candidate Opeyemi Bamidele has faulted the APC for seemingly making political gain from the murder of Taiwo Akinola last Sunday.
Bamidele said  that the APC in Ekiti state has been "acting in a manner as if the slain youth was its card-carrying member until he met his death, thereby pretending to be on the defensive."

According to him, "the body language of APC leaders and that of Governor Kayode Fayemi in the last seventy two hours indicated that they were playing to the gallery, trying to look innocent where they are guilty."

In a statement by his media aide, Ahmed Salami, the governorship candidate bemoaned the APC for turning the unfortunate incident to politics.

"We are amused by the recent horse trading trailing the death of Taiwo Akinola who was killed in Ado Ekiti on Sunday morning by the ruling APC in Ekiti. Part of APC's attempts to pull the wool over the eyes of Ekiti people in this tragedy was the dramatic covering of Akinola's corpse with an APC-JKF branded vest at a time when a first aid support should have been offered him."

Via: Vanguard

Factions battle to control Edo assembly

Benin – The leadership tussle in Edo House of Assembly entered its third day on Wednesday as the factions battle to control the polarised assembly.
It was observed that the free for all which ensued between APC and PDP assemblymen resulted in the smashing of some glass doors in the complex.

Wednesday's crisis started when the nine PDP lawmakers led by the suspended Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea, enter the hallowed chamber for the day's proceedings.

The 15 APC lawmakers led by the Speaker, Uyi Igbe, also came into the chamber and this led to a free for all, as the lawmakers openly exchanged blows.

The quick intervention of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Foluso Adebanjo, calmed the frail nerves.

Adebanjo immediately meet the feuding parties in a closed door session in the hallow chamber.

Security was, however, beefed up around the assembly complex as sniffer dog, Armoured Personnel Carrier and police vans were stationed around the complex.

Major roads leading to the King Square, where the Edo assembly is located, was also condoned off.
The usual hustling and bustling as well as business activities were crippled in and around the square. (NAN)