Bracket Buys N25M Automobles (Photos)

   

Still basking in the euphoria of the success of their last album, Cupid Stories, the duo of Vast and Smash popularly known in the music scene as Bracket have acquired new automobiles worth N25 million.

The Yori-Yori crooners increased the number of automobiles in their garage over the weekend with the acquisition of two brand new Range Rover Sports and a G-class.

The two Range Rover Sports which will carry the special plate number ‘Peace Ambassador’ will be used by Vast and Smash respectively, while the G-class is for their promoter, Ape Planet. Meanwhile, Bracket is currently on a music tour of the United States of America.

Bola Tinubu's week-long birthday celebration to cost N1 billion?

 

I heard N200 milllion, but Sahara Reporters is reporting N1 billion for his week-long, abi month-long birthday celebration.

From Sahara Reporters:

Former governor of Lagos, Bola Tinubu had another leg of his  60th birthday celebration at the Teslim Balogun stadium in Lagos yesterday. As SaharaReporters earlier reported, the former governor's month-long event is costing Lagosians and several Action congress states N1 billion with local government areas forced to cough out N10 million each. The government of Lagos state puts in N150 million. Governors of Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Osun, Oyo and Edo states all made N50 million donation each.

The rest of the money was donated by lawmakers and other politicians and contractors who benefit from the largesse dolled out during the former governor's reign in Lagos and beyond.

Wife throws sick actor Prince James Uche out of their marital home

 

The veteran actor has been sick and almost bedridden for over two years now, battling with diabetes and hypertension. What I hear now is that his wife, Ekene Uche, has thrown him out of their marital home because she's supposedly 'fed up with dealing with his illness, caring for him, and catering for the family all alone.' 

The actor is said to be squatting at a white garment church near his home in Gbagada. But when contacted, the wife said she didn't throw the actor out, he was only sent to the church to receive healing...

Check out Bola Tinubu's million naira birthday cake

  

Heard the week long birthday celebration is costing the ex-governor at least N200 million.The celebrations will continue till Sunday. This cake is one of many cakes made for his birthday that I hear all together cost millions...

Ini Edo: "I 'll Do Whatever It Takes To Make My Marriage Work"

Ini Edo in this exclusive interview with Ajibade Alabi, She opened up on her marriage to US-based Philip Ehinagwina, her charity foundation and her thriving acting career. Excerpts

You seem to have done a good job managing your career and marriage at the same time that none does not interfere with the other?
(Laughs) You think so?

Yes and everybody also thinks so…
Really?

Tell us the secret?
Well, it is not easy at all especially since my husband is based abroad. I was actually supposed to leave for the United States last month (February) but I got so preoccupied that I had to call my husband and ask if he could come over.

Eventually, I had to plead with him before he agreed that I should come at a later date. It is not easy but he is very understanding and he appreciates my job a lot. He knows I work very hard, so we have a good understanding and we communicate often.

Many people would be surprised, especially your critics, that Ini Edo’s marriage is waxing strong. What has been your staying power?
I have actually been able to hold on to my marriage. It depends on how you set your priorities and not get carried away by the whole fame thing. You should know where to be at the appropriate time and where not to be at all. I just create a balance between my career and my personal life.


Like I said earlier my husband is based in the United States of America, but we see each other all the time. He just left Nigeria in January, and I should be with him in the US soon we shuttle. It is either he comes to Nigeria or I go over to the US.

How does he react to controversies about you?
He knows that I am not a bad person, he knows me well enough not to bother about the stories, all he does is call me up to find out what is happening.(laughs) Talking about the scandals, my husband knows me more than any other person.

Sometimes, when they say things about me and we are together at such moments, he would look at me and say; are you the same person that people are talking about? He knows what I can do.

Are you in anyway thinking of quitting acting, so as to create time for your home?
I don’t think I will quit acting. I might divert to other areas that has to do with movies. My being involved in the entertainment world has not really affected my home, so there is nothing like calling it quits.

It is now three years since you got married...
(Cut in) oh, so you have been counting the years? Na wa for you o…

I am not the only one counting; Ini, people out there, especially your fans are counting.
It is three years and so what?

When should we expect Ini Junior or Philip Junior?
Well it is all about planning and having the right timing for it. My husband and I have discussed it.
We have an understanding that the timing is not right for now. I do not also want to say we are deciding on the right time for it, because nobody has the right to do so but God. Let me just say it will be very soon.

How many kids are you planning to have?
Let us leave that for now…

Civil society groups fault Labour’s endorsement of Oshiomhole

Some civil society groups in Benin on Thursday protested against last week’s endorsement of Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s second-term bid by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress in the state.
The New Nigerian Parliament and some other Edo-based civil society groups as early as 7am gathered at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Press Centre, from where they marched on the state capital.
One of the coordinators of the protest, Leo Martins, a former President of Ambrose Alli University Student Union Government, said youths and civil society groups in the state had lost confidence in the NLC and TUC.
He said, “The labour unions were supposed to create a level-playing ground for all candidates in the forthcoming governorship election (July 14) and also serve as pressure groups, together with civil society groups to monitor elections but have mobilised Edo workers to support a particular candidate.

PUNCH NEWSPAPER

Falcons, Banyana to clash in June

The Nigeria Football Federation and the South African Football Association have agreed on two international friendly matches between their senior women’s teams in June.

In a letter to the NFF on Thursday, the SAFA confirmed that the Banyana Banyana, will take on the Super Falcons in the first leg in South Africa on June 2 while the return leg fixture will take place in Nigeria on June 23.

NFF General Secretary, Musa Amadu, said, “We are delighted to announce that the two games have been confirmed, as it would be good knock-around for our girls. We believe the Falcons will overcome the challenge of Zimbabwe to go and defend their African title in Equatorial Guinea in November.

“Apart from these two matches with the Banyana Banyana, the NFF is also working hard to get more games for the Falcons in order to make them better.”

Nigeria can produce tech director – Rufai

Former Super Eagles goalkeeper and captain Peter Rufai says Nigeria has a large pool of coaches to choose it’s football Technical Director from.
The Nigerian Football Federation on Wednesday named 39-year-old Belgian Tom Saintfiet as the country’s technical director.
Saintfiet was offered a four-year deal and is expected to earn $20,000 monthly. He is also entitled to an official car and accommodation in Abuja.
Rufai said, “One Nigerian without hesitation for the technical director’s job is (Adegboye) Onigbinde and several others. I know Nigeria can produce a technical director but when the NFF goes searching for a foreign person for the job, its part of learning that we must understand.
“In the past, we used to have foreign coaches for the national team but today, Nigerian coaches are in charge. With time, maybe Nigerians will also occupy the position too.”

SSS parades seven for abducting UAE national

State Security Service on Thursday paraded seven suspects aged, between 22 and 33, in connection with the alleged abduction of a United Arab Emirate national, Mohammed Khamis.
The suspects, who were arrested on March 20, are Ojo Ajibade, Lamidi Akinkunmi, Olasunkanmi Temitope (aka Rasky), Nuremi Lamidi, Siyanbade Olalekan, Saka Kashim and Jelili Adeleke (aka Owuye).
The SSS Deputy Director, Public Relations, Ms Marilyn Ogar, who showed the suspects to the media in Abuja, said Khami, who was kidnapped on January 20, was lured to visit Nigeria for a bogus business transaction by a fake company, Finuche Investments.
According to her, the Arabian was abducted by the syndicate and held hostage for about 60 days at Aboriogun village in Ikoyi town, Isokan LGA, Osun State.
She explained that four other persons identified as the masterminds of the kidnapping were at large.
Ogar said, “Upon receipt of the report of Khamis’ abduction, this service immediately initiated an investigation. However, Khamis was released by his abductors on March 19, and dropped off in Ibadan, Oyo State.

PUNCH NEWSPAPER

Tsonga: Umpire favoured Nadal

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga accused the chair umpire of giving Rafael Nadal preferential treatment during their quarterfinal at the Sony Ericsson Open. Nadal said that’s not the case.

Nadal, bidding for his first Key Biscayne title, won 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in a match that ended shortly after midnight Friday. Tsonga complained during the match and afterward that when borderline calls went against him, umpire Damian Steiner was reluctant to overrule.

“It’s not fair,” Tsonga said. “If it’s really close, he would never say ‘out’ against Rafa. If Rafa doesn’t like him anymore, he would not be in the chair many times in a final and semifinal.”

Conflicting responses delay fuel subsidy report

Hopes for an early release of the report of the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy Regime Monitoring were dashed on Thursday, because of ‘conflicting responses’ from government agencies and companies involved in the importation of petroleum products.

The House had passed a resolution on January 8, mandating the ad hoc committee to investigate the application of subsidy funds by the Federal Government and produce a report within three weeks.

Chairman of the committee, Farouk Lawan, who briefed the House on the progress of the investigation on Thursday, explained that the committee had initially planned to lay the report on Tuesday, April 3, after members would have used the weekend to fine-tune it.

But he said that inconsistencies in the responses from respondents delayed the job.

“On almost every aspect of the fuel subsidy application, we got conflicting responses.

“This made the ad hoc committee to take a longer time to do a meticulous work on the report,” he said.

Lawan, therefore, asked for more time to enable members to clean up the report, which he said was ‘almost ready’.

He said, “The report is almost ready and we plan to submit it next week. I appeal to Nigerians to allow us clean up the draft of the report.

“We want to tender a report that Nigerians will be proud of.”

Source 

N14.5bn pension scam: Suspects remanded in prison

An Abuja High Court on Thursday remanded six persons arrested for an alleged N14.5bn fraud in the administration of police pension funds in prison.
The suspects – Esai Dangabar; a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Niger Delta, Atiku Abubakar Kigo; Ahmed Inuwa Wada; John Yakubu Yusufu; Veronica Uloma Onyegbula and Sani Habila Zira – were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on 16 counts of conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.
The charge sheet read to the suspects in the court indicated that between January 2009 and June 2011, in Abuja, the accused persons, being public officers, allegedly diverted the sum of N14.5bn from the police pension funds domiciled in First Bank of Nigeria Plc, an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria 2007.
They were also accused of stealing N8.9bn between January and December 2009; N4.7bn between January 2010 and February 2011; N858.3m between February 2011 and June 2011; N656.5m on or about January 31, 2011; N462.9m on or about March 24, 2009; and N407.3m on or about December 14, 2010.
They were also accused of stealing the sum of N400.2m on or about December 30, 2010; N18m between February 2011 and June 2011; N8.9bn between January 2009 and December 2009; and N4.7bn between January 2010 and February 2011, among others.
At the two-hour court sitting, Justice Ababakar Talba ordered the suspects remanded in prison.
The defence counsel led by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) and Mr. J. N. Egwuonu had pleaded with the court to return the suspects to the custody of the EFCC, from where they were brought to court, pending the determination of their bail application.
However, Talba refused the prayer and instead, ordered that the suspects be remanded in prison.
Source 

Fear of Boko Haram: Redeemed Church to Install CCTV on all their parishes

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Adeboye, has ordered that all Redeemed Church Parishes across the country should install the Close Circuit TV Monitors, in order forestall any form of attacks on the church and its members. Apart from the CCTV installation, which has taken effect in some parishes, some of the parishes now have security men in mufti parading the grounds of the church, staying vigilant, and monitoring everything that goes on outside, in case of suspected movement of persons or vehicles.

All this is because some churches in Lagos were advised by the State Secret Service to be more watchful, as suicide bombers target churches with a large congregation.

14 die in Kaduna-Abuja highway crash

FOURTEEEN passengers involved yesterday in an early hour accident along the Kaduna-Abuja highway have died, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) confirmed in Kaduna.
The Public Enlightenment Officer of the FRSC in Kaduna, Mr Olusogo Ogungbe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the incident occurred at kilometre 32 in Kakau on the highway.
According to him, the incident involved a Toyota Hiace vehicle marked Zamfara XA 545 TMA.
Ogungbe said the vehicle was carrying 18 persons. Of the lot, 14, including nine men and five women, were killed.
He said that four others, including three males and one female sustained injuries and were currently receiving treatment at St. Gerald’s Hospital in Kaduna.
Ogungbe attributed the accident to over-speeding, which he said made the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
He said the vehicle skidded off the road into the bush before it burst into flames.
An eye-witness, Salisu Ibrahim, said he saw six bodies burnt beyond recognition. Two others were lying at the scene of the incident.
Ibrahim said the vehicle was still on fire with other helpless victims in the vehicle before the arrival of the FRSC rescue team.

Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia: "Besides English Language, Yoruba Language Is Fastest Growing Language On Wikipedia In Africa"

Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia speaks during a seminar on youth marketing in Africa in Lagos, Nigeria, Tuesday, March. 27, 2012. The man who helped found Wikipedia says the end of the printing of the Encyclopaedia Britannica signals a new beginning for reference materials online.


Wales' first visit to Nigeria also highlighted the growth of other languages besides English on Wikipedia, particularly the Yoruba language of Nigeria’s southwest. While growth remains slow and uneven, Wales said he hopes more users for the community-edited website will begin offering new articles as creation on the English version has slowed as it now has nearly 4 million entries.

"I'm an optimist about the Internet as a force for preserving culture, while at the same time increasing global culture. I don't think we have to have either/or," Wales told The Associated Press in an interview in Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos.

9ice and President Goodluck Jonathan's total TRANSFORMATION, money good ooooh.lolzzz

                   See 9ice Before ... Before      After the transformation.God Is Good!

 The difference is clear in GEJ's case. God is a good story changer !!!

Stephanie Okereke picks wedding date at last

The Date is April 21st, 2012 according to linda. There's an exclusive guest list and the actress has already started calling and asking the quests where their IV's should be sent... Anyways congratulations to our dear Stephanie and Linus.

4 UNILAG Students Gang Rape 17-Year Old Female Student "almost to death"

Four students of the University of Lagos were on Tuesday charged before an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly gang raping a 17-year-old female student. The accused persons – Jeremiah Bamigbayan, 18; Lanre Olayemi, 19; Abisoye Atoyegbe, 18; and Nelson Onyeoziri, 18 – are facing a three-count charge of rape, conspiracy and assault.

The prosecutor, ASP Innocent Effiong, said the accused, all of the Business Administration Department, allegedly committed the offence when they conspired and raped their victim on March 17. Continue to read more... He said the victim, a student of History and Strategic Studies of the same university, was overpowered and raped at about 10.30p.m. at Ozolua Boys Quarters on the campus.

Effiong said the offences contravened Section 258, 259 and 409 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State 2011. The four accused persons all pleaded not guilty to the charges. Magistrate Adesola Ikpatt granted them bail in the sum of N100,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum. The case was subsequently adjourned to April 30 for trial.

Candidates record 90% failure in NECO

Ninety per cent of candidates who sat for the 2011 November/December Senior School Certificate Examinations of the National Examination Council failed the examination, the National Examinations Council Registrar, Prof. Promise Okpala, has said.

Okpala said this while announcing the release of the NECO results at a press briefing in Minna on Wednesday.

The report was monitored by our correspondent on Channels Television on Wednesday night.

According to him, only 10 per cent out of the 110,724 candidates that sat for the examinations scored credit and above in the core subjects including English Language.

Credit passes in these two subjects are required for university admission in the country. This will be the fifth year that NECO SSCE candidates would churn turn out a woeful performance.

For instance, only 20.10 per cent of the candidates that sat for the 2010 November/December NECO SSCE made credit passes in English Language while 34.18 per cent passed Mathematics.

Also, in the same examination in 2009, 98 per cent of the 234,682 candidates that sat for the examination failed to obtain five credits in subjects including English and Mathematics.

NECO that year stated that only 4,223 candidates got five credits in subjects including English and Mathematics.

However, Okpala, while releasing the results, noted that there was an improvement in the performance of candidates in Mathematics. According to him, 41 per cent of the candidates obtained credit pass and above as compared to the 17 per cent recorded in the same subject in 2010.