Nollywood Actress Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha Gives Tips On how She has Sustained Her Marriage for 10years

Many people wonder how actress, Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha has been able to sustain her marriage after being married for over a decade, while those who married after her have had broken marriages.
Sharing her experience, Chioma stated:

“I don’t think there’s any marriage that does not have challenges. Except the one Jesus and the church.”

The actress further added that her husband doesn’t get jealous, though he sometimes complains about her non-availability at home.
But she always tries to manage the situation as much as she could.
It would be mentioned that the actress previously preached the following:

“I have learnt a lot from been a married woman because it only take the Grace of God for two people who are completely different to stay together for the rest of their lives. One major thing I have learnt is patience and perseverance. One needs to tolerate one another. I and my husband not just see ourselves as being married; we are also friends”.

Excess crude account drops to $3bn

FOLLOWING the withdrawal of one billion dollars for   October allocation augmentation , the Excess Crude Account has dropped to three billion dollars.
Minister of State for Finance, Dr Yerima Lawan Ngama, speaking after the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting, in Abuja, Thursday, said that October revenue was short of the  budgetary allocation of N465.057 billion .
 “In the month of October 2013, the total mineral revenue that accrued to the federation account is 443.052 billion. This is a little short of N465.057 billion that is in the budget for the month of October 2013 hence we have a negative variance of N22.005 billion” he said.

Tears as Deji Falae is buried

The atmosphere at the St David’s Cathedral, Ijomu Akure, on Thursday, was that of sadness as wife, family members, friends and associates of the former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Ondo State, Deji Falae, wept profusely as his remains were buried.
Many of the people at the event, including the wife of the deceased, Ezeh; the state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko; his wife, Olukemi and other top government functionaries, betrayed emotion on sighting the corpse of Deji, the 43-year-old son of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae.ae.
Journalists, fellow commissioners and others at the cemetery could also not control their emotions as many of them broke down in tears while the casket was lowered into the grave.

Governorship Election: Anambra now in 36-hr Lockdown

IN his efforts to prevent incidence of electoral fraud and violence and to ensure a smooth and orderly conduct of the Anambra State election scheduled to hold tomorrow, the Inspector General of Police, Alhaji M. D. Abubakar, has increased restriction of movement within the boundaries of Anambra State to 36 hours, from its initial 22 hours, taking effect from 6.00 p.m today till 6.00 a.m on Sunday.
The high command of the Force also directed that states nearby Anambra, including Delta, Enugu, Imo and Abia, would be heavily policed during and after the election.
In a statement signed by the Force spokesman, Frank Mba, the Force said those on essential duties would not, however, be affected by the order.
This came as the Force warned all security details to desist from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres.
It reiterated that only police personnel specifically assigned for election duties must be seen within and around the election designated places.

Enjoy grapefruits daily for better health!

Grapefruits are well-known for their high vitamin C content, but the fruit certainly has more to offer. In this report by Sade Oguntola, experts say that grapefruit not only tastes great, it lowers cholesterol, helps the skin, and more.
There is no doubt that fruits and vegetables provide numerous health benefits.
Grapefruit has been around for decades and are a fantastic fruit that supplies the body with plenty of essential nutrients including vitamin A, B1, B3, B5, B6 and C, biotin, copper, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc bioflavonoids, and more.
Grapefruit is a delicious addition to any diet. Interestingly, the fact that it is filling and doesn’t contain a lot of sugar, yet is extremely satisfying, may be a key in understanding why grapefruit is such a highly regarded among weight watchers.

I haven’t lost my form, insists Mba

Sunday Mba insists that his form has not dropped despite failing to start for Nigeria in recent games.

Mba was the hero of the African Nations Cup where he scored not only the goal that eliminated the highly-fancied Côte d’Ivoire at the quarter-final stage, but also the one that decided the championship game.

Since then, however, he has dropped to the bench and did not feature at all in the last two games.

But the Rangers midfielder told KickOffNigeria.com that his form had not dropped.

“I’m still the same player, I’m still playing my normal game and I’m still doing well.

Eaglets to display U-17 trophy in Calabar

Nigeria will display the Under-17 World Cup trophy won by the Golden Eaglets in the UAE during Saturday’s 2014 World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia.

The victorious Eaglets squad will also be at the stadium to cheer their seniors to victory, according to NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire.

“The Fifa Under-17 World Cup that the Eaglets won in Abu Dhabi on Friday would be on display at the State Box on Saturday,” Olajire said.

“Already, Governor Liyel Imoke has invited the Eaglets, who spent the better part of their camping programme in Calabar, to be part of the occasion.”

Saturday’s match between the Super Eagles and the Walya Antelopes will be the 214th match of the Aminu Maigari administration at the Nigeria Football Federation.

And Maigari, says victory is guaranteed for Nigeria’s flag to fly in Brazil next year summer.

“I am confident that the Eagles will overpower the Antelopes at our beloved U. J. Esuene Stadium on Saturday. It has been a 17-month journey from the time we defeated Namibia in Calabar in June 2012, but a happy ending makes it worthwhile for everyone involved.”

In its 38-and-half months of existence, the Maigari administration has played 213 matches, winning 124 and drawing 32, while losing the rest.

Amaechi’s NGF holds retreat on FAAC, NNPC, others

The Nigeria Governors Forum under the leadership of the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, is holding a retreat in Sokoto, Sokoto State on Saturday.

The retreat, according to information received from the NGF secretariat, showed that the meeting would conduct a forensic examination of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation and the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee.

Nigerian governors have been at loggerheads with both the  NNPC and FAAC over the sharing of money accruing to the Federation Account for sometime now.

In fact, the governors elected on the platform of the All Progressive Congress had on October 22, after their meeting under the aegis of Progressive Governors’ Forum in Abuja, threatened court action over the matter.

The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said “We discussed issues that are pertinent to national finance, particularly the Federation Account Allocation Committee work.

I didn’t send DPO to disrupt G-7 govs’ meeting –IG

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, on Thursday denied that he was aware that a divisional police officer disrupted the November 3 meeting of the seven rebel governors of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja.

He said this when members of the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, grilled him over the alleged role of his men in disrupting the meeting.

The G-7 governors were said to be meeting at the Kano State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja when the DPO led a team of policemen to stop the meeting, claiming to be acting on “orders from above.”

The House had through a resolution directed the committee to investigate the “circumstances, which led to the police storming the Kano Governor’s Lodge.”

But, on Thursday, the IG told the committee, which headed by Mr. Musa Kurmo, that he did not send the DPO to disrupt the meeting.

He also claimed that the area in question was under the direct control of the FCT Police Command, adding that the right officer to have been in the know of what transpired was the Commissioner of Police in charge of the FCT.

Iyayi: Kogi convoy drivers rejected training, says FRSC

The Federal Road Safety Corps has said that drivers in the convoy of top officials of the Kogi State  Government have been shunning training programmes it organised for drivers of top government functionaries in the country.

The Corps Marshal and chief Executive of FRSC, Mr. Osita Chidoka, who said this while addressing reporters on the activities marking the 2013 Africa Road Safety and World Day for remembrance for road traffic crashes victims on Thursday in Abuja, blamed the frequent road crashes involving top officials of the state on unqualified and untrained drivers.

He recalled the Tuesday accident where the convoy of the state Governor, Captain Idris Wada was involved in an accident that led to the death of a former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Festus Iyayi.

Chidoka, who said that the FRSC had commenced investigation into the fatal crash, added that the outcome of the investigation would be made public.

Friends deserted me when I was sick – Paul Play Dairo

Bouncing back after a seven-year break, Paul Play Dairo recalls the medical challenge that affected his career, writes JAYNE AUGOYE

After a seven-year hiatus, ace music producer and artiste, Paul Play Dairo, is working towards staging a big come back. Having dropped a total of five singles since March, he says the response has been massive. In spite of the seeming lull in album sales, the RnB star who says he is up-to- beat with current trends in the music scene, still intends to drop a ‘luxury’ album.

“The idea is basically to fill in the gap since my last album and also sample people’s opinion. Thankfully, the online comments have been encouraging. So far, I have recorded 20 songs and some of them have already been released as singles. I am currently tidying my gospel and each track has an element of Nigerian flavor and pop.

“The bulk of the money is no longer coming from album sales because these songs are already online and people are downloading them. Music business is now streamlined to performance and endorsement. I am still going ahead with the limited edition album which will be expensive because that way I will be able to control and monitor the sales and distribution,” he discloses.

Outrage as Senate makes U-turn on Stella Oduah

THERE was outrage on Thursday as the  Senate rescinded its resolution to have  the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah,   appear  before  its members over the  October 3 Associated Airlines’ plane crash in Lagos.

Oduah  is now to appear before the Senate Committee on Aviation alongside the Chief Executive Officers of  the aviation agencies under her ministry.

The Senate Leader,  Victor Ndoma-Egba,  who moved a motion for the lawmakers to have a rethink on the invitation of the minister, had  argued that the  action was based on the Senate Standing Order 53 (6) which empowers  it to reverse its decisions.

He also explained that   the decision  was earlier  reached at an  executive committee meeting of the Senate last week.

Senator Ganiyu Solomon, who seconded the motion,   said,  “At  the executive session last week, the senators were unanimous in the decision  that  the resolution should be rescinded and that the minister should rather face the aviation committee.”

Obasanjo Address G20 In London, Visits Tony Blair’s Residence

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ) was in London some days ago where he addressed the G20. The PDP chieftain spoke on ‘Financing in Africa’ at the seminar and also had time to visit former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair at his residence to have a tea with him.Obasanjo participated in the panel of discussion for the sixth of White and Case’s Autumn Conference series, which he chaired. The panel extensively dissected ‘The Impact of Natural Resources Discoveries’ in Africa.

Also on the panel were Cherie Blair, Tsatsu Tsikata (former CEO of Ghana National Petroleum Corporation), Helmut Engelbrecht, Rebecca Campbell and Jason Kerr (who are both partners at White & Case).
The panel also reviewed the infrastructure development in the context of the tremendous growth seen in the mining sectors of many African nations.

Warn IG against rally disruption, Falana tells AGF

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has asked the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, to warn the Nigeria Police to desist from further dispersing meetings and rallies of Nigerians under any guise.
Falana said this against the background of an alleged cancellation of a ‘two-day colloquium on Freedom of Information convened by the Anti-Corruption Network’ scheduled to hold at NICON Luxury Hotel, Abuja on Tuesday.
He stated this  in a letter dated November 12, 2013, to the AGF. The letter was titled, ‘Contemptuous breach of the fundamental right of Nigerian people to freedom of association by the Nigeria Police Force’.
The Lagos lawyer argued that Tuesday’s disruption  gave “a dangerous impression that the Federal Government has declared a war against organisations.”

PDP peace process dead, buried says Nyako

The Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, has said the suspension of key members of the Abubakar Baraje-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party has not only killed the peace process, it has buried it.

Nyako, who said this on Tuesday, was reacting to Monday’s suspension of the factional chairman of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, the party’s National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and Senator Ibrahim Kazaure by the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur-led PDP.

He explained that the PDP under Tukur’s leadership shot itself in the leg by ignoring a legitimate court order to reinstate Oyinlola and taking actions which had “killed and buried” the peace process.

Nyako, who spoke through his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Ahmad Sajo, said he had always known that nothing good would come out of the discussions with a PDP where Tukur remained the national chairman.

He said, “We always knew there was no peace process. The peace process is dead and buried. The court had given them a soft landing but instead of obeying the court order, look at the step they have taken.

Mikel, Moses, others hit Calabar

Mikel Obi, Shola Ameobi, Bright Dike, John Ogu, and James Okwuosa are some of the Super Eagles players that had arrived in Calabar by noon on Tuesday for the World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia’s Walya Antelopes. The match is billed for the U.J. Esuene Stadium on Saturday.

A close associate of Mikel spoke with The PUNCH soon after the Chelsea midfielder arrived at the Transcorp Metropolitan Hotel where the Eagles are accommodated.

He said, “Yes he’s (Mikel) in town now. We just arrived at the hotel just a while ago.”

Chippa United of South Africa central defender, Okwuosa, was however the first player amongst those based outside Nigeria to arrive in Calabar. But by midday Victor Moses had joined the first set. The Liverpool attacker got in just ahead of Godfrey Oboabona and Nnamdi Oduamadi. Elderson Echejile joined his mates while they were already at training at the stadium, Eagles managers confirmed.

Tragedy hits ASUU as Iyayi dies

Hope of a possible suspension of the ongoing strike by university teachers  this week dimmed on Tuesday as a former National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Festus Iyayi, died in an accident involving a vehicle in the convoy of the Kogi State Governor, Captain Idris Wada (retd.).

Iyayi, a professor of Business Administration and Head of the  Department of Business Administration, University of Benin, died at 66.

His death made  ASUU  to postpone  its National Executive Committee meeting scheduled for  the Bayero University, Kano to discuss the position of its over 50 branches on the offer made to the union by the Federal Government.

Iyayi,   a member of the negotiating team of ASUU, was travelling to Kano in company with the Benin Zonal Coordinator of the union,  Dr. Sunny  Iyalo;  the National Welfare Officer, Dr. Ngozi Ilo, and the University of Benin Chairman of ASUU, Dr. Anthony Monye-Emina, for the NEC meeting when the accident  happened.

Eyewitnesses told one of our correspondents that the accident happened at Banda, a village  about three kilometres to Lokoja.

Corruption: Ghana sacks minister as Jonathan keeps Oduah on

The fight against corruption has assumed a new dimension in Ghana as President John Mahama has sacked the Deputy Minister of Communications, Victoria Hammah,  for allegedly making a statement that suggested that she could be corrupt.

On Thursday, a taped conversation that Hammah had with someone, in which she allegedly said she would not leave politics until she had made $1m, leaked. By Friday, she was sacked by the government.

This is coming at a time that Nigerians are impatiently awaiting a decisive step by President Goodluck Jonathan over the role of the Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, in the purchase of two armoured vehicles at a mind-boggling cost of about N255m.

Ghana’s decision appears to have reminded concerned Nigerians that by geographical standards, their country and Ghana are neighbours. They have also shared some historical moments, so much that they can sometimes be regarded as political allies. But despite such affinities, both countries are far from being on the same page when it comes to the treatment of corruption.

FG, India in diplomatic row over Nigerian’s death

Federal Government has demanded an unreserved apology from the Indian authorities over the death of a Nigerian, Obodo Uzoma Simeon, and discriminatory attacks on Nigerians in the Asian nation.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, disclosed this while answering questions from journalists at the pre-Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting press briefing in Abuja, Monday.

Tensions between Nigerians and Indians had escalated since Simeon was found dead in Goa, a popular tourist destination, in the country’s west region.

Simeon, according to reports, was stabbed to death on October 31 in Panaji, Goa State’s capital.

About 200 angry members of the Nigerian community were said to have blocked a highway while Simeon’s corpse was being taken to the hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Police reportedly brought the situation under control and registered cases of rioting, arson and damaging public property against 51 Nigerians and one Ghanaian.

UI, ABU, others support suspension of ASUU strike

More units of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, including the University of Ibadan and Ahmadu Bello University chapters, have voted for the suspension of the strike by the union during chapter congresses held nationwide.

The union met with a Federal Government team led by President Goodluck Jonathan last Tuesday in Abuja.

Government has promised to inject N220bn yearly into the public universities for the next five years.

The ASUU leadership, after briefing the zonal coordinators on the offer, had directed the local branches to organise congress meetings between Friday last week and Tuesday (today).

This is to enable all the lecturers to make input into the action the union would take after its NEC meeting on Thursday.

As at press time on Monday, 20 of the 28 chapters that had concluded their meetings supported the suspension of the strike, while the remaining eight preferred that the varsity teachers pressed on with the strike.

The teachers in the University of Abuja, for instance, supported the suspension of the strike but listed conditions that must be met by the Federal Government.

PDP crisis: Now, the peace process is dead

The peace process initiated by a committee of elders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party can safely be said to be either on life support or dead.

This followed Monday’s decision by the  Bamanga Tukur-led faction of the party to call the bluff of the Abubakar Baraje-led group by placing the group’s leading figures on suspension.

In the largely unexpected and unprecedented move, Tukur announced the suspension of the factional Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje and its Secretary Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, its deputy National Chairman, Sam Sam Jaja and Ambassador Kazaure who are considered pivotal to the operations of the group of aggrieved members.

Before Monday’s decision, the Tukur-led PDP had secured a court judgment declaring the Baraje-led faction of the party an illegal entity.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, had enjoined the security services to treat any member of the faction parading himself/ herself as a parallel official of the party as a criminal.

This happened before an Appeal Court in Abuja delivered a judgment in a suit filed by Oyinlola challenging his ouster as the party’s National Secretary.

I’ll never return to Chime again –Wife

Mrs. CLARA Chime on Monday left the Government House in Enugu claiming she had been under pressure to remain as wife of  the Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime.

She said she would have walked away from the marriage during the period Chime was sick and was away for five months, but remained on “very compassionate grounds.”

Mrs. Chime said her thinking was that the sickness would change the governor’s ways towards her but that he got worse months after his return from cancer treatment abroad.

According to her, on many occasions she attempted to leave but her family members, for pecuniary reasons, insisted she stayed put.

She said even when it was apparent that Chime no longer wanted the marriage, her family would not let her go.

She disclosed this through the mobile phone of one of her male siblings, about four hours after she eventually packed out from the Governors’ Lodge on Monday.

Eagles stars in, head for Calabar

Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi leads the list of Super Eagles players spotted in Nigeria on Monday as the camping resumes in Calabar for the final qualifying match against Ethiopia on Saturday. The PUNCH checks at the Metropolitan Transcorp Hotel in Calabar by 9.45pm on Monday confirmed that none of the foreign-based players had arrived in the city even though Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi and his assistants had already moved in days before the arrival date.

Our correspondent learnt that those from outside the country were cleared to arrive in Calabar by Tuesday as many of them featured for their clubs in league matches across Europe over the weekend.

The spokesperson for the Nigeria Football Federation Ademola Olajire, who spoke with The PUNCH, said everything was going as originally planned.

He said, “They (foreign-based players) are not in Calabar now because they don’t have direct flights from their bases to Calabar but players are already arriving. I am sure that by this same time on Tuesday it will be a completely different picture from what we have. But the camp has opened and those joining from the professional league here are already in Calabar.”

The first training for the match on Saturday is billed for Tuesday.

Eaglets get N2m each, national honours

President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday announced a cash gift of N2m each for all the players of the nation’s Under-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, who won the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Soccer Championship on Friday in Abu Dhabi, United Emirates.

The players, their handlers and key members of the Nigerian Supporters’ Club, according to the President, will also be honoured with national honours during the next award ceremony.

Jonathan announced the rewards at a reception he held in honour of the players at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The President announced a N3m cash gift to the team’s Head Coach; the assistant coaches get N2.5m each; the team doctor, physiotherapist and team secretary get N500,000 each while the team technical officer, team coordinator, medical officers and the curator will get N300,000 each.

ASUU set to suspend strike this week

Indications have emerged that the  Academic Staff Union of Universities may call off the over four-month-old strike on Thursday.

Barring a last-minute change, the National Executive Committee of ASUU will meet on Wednesday night to consider the position of the congresses of the over 50 public universities on the offer made by the Federal government to revamp the institutions.

The  union met with  a Federal Government team led by President Goodluck Jonathan last Tuesday in Abuja.

The  ASUU leadership, after briefing the zonal coordinators  on  the offer, had directed the local branches   to organise  congress meetings between Friday last week and Tuesday (tomorrow).

This is to enable all the lecturers to make input into the action the union would take after its NEC meeting on Thursday.