LOL! WTF? A University in the US offers blowjob classes?

This image is supposedly from a blowjob 101 class at Ohio University. Lol. While we wish that was actually true, I'm pretty sure it's not. But I wonder what the story is here....

Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade get engaged

After 4 years together, NBA player Dwayne Wade, 32, and actress Gabrielle Union, 41 are engaged. Dwayne popped the question yesterday Saturday December 21. They announced the good news via their twitter and instagram accounts instead of releasing an official statement. This will be the second marriage for both of them. Big congrats to them.

Chris Okotie reportedly buys N120m Rolls Royce to mark anniversary

According to a report by Sunday Punch, Pastor Chris Okotie, the Head Pastor at Household of God Church, recently bought a 2014 Bespoke Edition of the Rolls Royce Coupe, worth a staggering N120million to mark his 30 years as a born again Christian and 27 years as a pastor.

According to Okotie’s close aide, the pastor spent N120m on the luxury car and had earlier spent N33m on a Range Rover Autobiography to mark a milestone of his church.

The source, in a text message, said, “Pastor Okotie just bought a Rolls Royce Coupe, 2014 Bespoke Edition at N120m to mark his 30 years as a born-again Christian and 27 years as a pastor. He had earlier bought a Range Rover (Autobiography) 2014 Model for N33m, reputed to be the costliest SUV in the world to mark this ministry’s milestone.” Punch reports

Beyonce steps out in see-through dress & thigh-high boots at album party

Beyonce stepped out in this see-through black mini Tom Ford dress with matching thigh-high boots at a party celebrating her new album yesterday Saturday December 21 at New York's School Of Visual Arts Theatre. Fierce! See more photos after the cut...

SEE GOBE! President Jonathan finally replies Obasanjo's letter

President Jonathan has finally replied former president Obasanjo's 18-page letter where he accused Jonathan of taking actions calculated at destroying Nigeria. President Jonathan's reply below...

His Excellency,
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR
Agbe L’Oba House, Quarry Road,
Ibara, Abeokuta.

RE: Before It Is Too Late

I wish to formally acknowledge your letter dated December 2, 2013 and other previous correspondence similar to it.

You will recall that all the letters were brought to me by hand. Although both of us discussed some of the issues in those letters, I had not, before now, seen the need for any formal reply since, to me, they contained advice from a former President to a serving President. Obviously, you felt differently because in your last letter, you complained about my not acknowledging or replying your previous letters. Continue...

It is with the greatest possible reluctance that I now write this reply. I am most uneasy about embarking on this unprecedented and unconventional form of open communication between me and a former leader of our country because I know that there are more acceptable and dignified means of doing so.

But I feel obliged to reply your letter for a number of reasons: one, you formally requested for a reply and not sending you one will be interpreted as ignoring a former President.

Secondly, Nigerians know the role you have played in my political life and given the unfortunate tone of your letter, clearly, the grapes have gone sour.  Therefore, my side of the story also needs to be told.

  

The third reason why I must reply you in writing is that your letter is clearly a threat to national security as it may deliberately or inadvertently set the stage for subversion. 

The fourth reason for this reply is that you raised very weighty issues, and since the letter has been made public, Nigerians are expressing legitimate concerns. A response from me therefore, becomes very necessary. 

The fifth reason is that this letter may appear in biographies and other books which political commentators on Nigeria’s contemporary politics may write. It is only proper for such publications to include my comments on the issues raised in your letter.

Sixthly, you are very unique in terms of the governance of this country. You were a military Head of State for three years and eight months, and an elected President for eight years. That means you have been the Head of Government of Nigeria for about twelve years. This must have, presumably, exposed you to a lot of information. Thus when you make a statement, there is the tendency for people to take it seriously.

The seventh reason is that the timing of your letter coincided with other vicious releases. The Speaker of the House of Representatives spoke of my “body language” encouraging corruption. A letter written to me by the CBN Governor alleging that NNPC, within a period of 19 months did not remit the sum of USD49.8 billion to the federation account, was also deliberately leaked to the public. 

The eighth reason is that it appears that your letter was designed to incite Nigerians from other geopolitical zones against me and also calculated to promote ethnic disharmony. Worse still, your letter was designed to instigate members of our Party, the PDP, against me. 

The ninth reason is that your letter conveys to me the feeling that landmines have been laid for me. Therefore, Nigerians need to have my response to the issues raised before the mines explode. 

The tenth and final reason why my reply is inevitable is that you have written similar letters and made public comments in reference to all former Presidents and Heads of Government starting from Alhaji Shehu Shagari and these have instigated different actions and reactions. The purpose and direction of your letter is distinctly ominous, and before it is too late, my clarifications on the issues need to be placed on record.

Let me now comment on the issues you raised. In commenting I wish to crave your indulgence to compare what is happening now to what took place before.  This, I believe, will enable Nigerians see things in better perspective because we must know where we are coming from so as to appreciate where we now are, and to allow us clearly map out where we are going.

You raised concerns about the security situation in the country. I assure you that I am fully aware of the responsibility of government for ensuring the security of the lives and property of citizens. My Administration is working assiduously to overcome current national security challenges, the seeds of which were sown under previous administrations.  There have been some setbacks; but certainly there have also been great successes in our efforts to overcome terrorism and insurgency.

Those who continue to down-play our successes in this regard, amongst whom you must now be numbered, appear to have conveniently forgotten the depths to which security in our country had plunged before now.

At a stage, almost the entire North-East of Nigeria was under siege by insurgents. Bombings of churches and public buildings in the North and the federal capital became an almost weekly occurrence. Our entire national security apparatus seemed nonplussed and unable to come to grips with the new threat posed by the berthing of terrorism on our shores.

But my administration has since brought that very unacceptable situation under significant control. We have overhauled our entire national security architecture, improved intelligence gathering, training, funding, logistical support to our armed forces and security agencies, and security collaboration with friendly countries with very visible and positive results.

The scope and impact of terrorist operations have been significantly reduced and efforts are underway to restore full normalcy to the most affected North Eastern region and initiate a post-crisis development agenda, including a special intervention programme to boost the region’s socio-economic progress.

In doing all this, we have kept our doors open for dialogue with the insurgents and their supporters through efforts such as the work of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and the Peaceful Resolution of the Security Challenges in the North-East. You also know that the Governor of Borno State provided the items you mentioned to me as carrots. Having done all this and more, it is interesting that you still accuse me of not acting on your hardly original recommendation that the carrot and stick option be deployed to solve the Boko Haram problem.

Your suggestion that we are pursuing a “war against violence without understanding the root causes of the violence and applying solutions to deal with all the underlying factors” is definitely misplaced because from the onset of this administration, we have been implementing a multifaceted strategy against militancy, insurgency and terrorism that includes poverty alleviation, economic development, education and social reforms.

Even though basic education is the constitutional responsibility of States, my administration has, as part of its efforts to address ignorance and poor education which have been identified as two of the factors responsible for making some of our youth easily available for use as cannon fodder by insurgents and terrorists, committed huge funds to the provision of modern basic education schools for the Almajiri in several Northern States. The Federal Government under my leadership has also set up nine additional universities in the Northern States and three in the Southern States in keeping with my belief that proper education is the surest way of emancipating and empowering our people.

More uncharitable persons may even see a touch of sanctimoniousness in your new belief in the carrot and stick approach to overcoming militancy and insurgency. You have always referred to how you hit Odi in Bayelsa State to curb militancy in the Niger Delta.  If the invasion of Odi by the Army was the stick, I did not see the corresponding carrot.  I was the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State then, and as I have always told you, the invasion of Odi did not solve any militancy problem but, to some extent, escalated it. If it had solved it, late President Yar’Adua would not have had to come up with the amnesty program. And while some elements of the problem may still be there, in general, the situation is reasonably better.

In terms of general insecurity in the country and particularly the crisis in the Niger Delta, 2007 was one of the worst periods in our history. You will recall three incidents that happened in 2007 which seemed to have been orchestrated to achieve sinister objectives.  Here in Abuja, a petrol tanker loaded with explosives was to be rammed into the INEC building. But luckily for the country, an electric pole stopped the tanker from hitting the INEC building.  It is clear that this incident was meant to exploit the general sense of insecurity in the nation at the time to achieve the aim of stopping the 2007 elections.  It is instructive that you, on a number of occasions, alluded to this fact.

When that incident failed, an armed group invaded Yenagoa one evening with the intent to assassinate me.  Luckily for me, they could not.  They again attacked and bombed my country home on a night when I was expected in the village. Fortunately, as God would have it, I did not make the trip.

I recall that immediately after both incidents, I got calls expressing the concern of Abuja.  But Baba, you know that despite the apparent concern of Abuja, no single arrest was ever made. I was then the Governor of Bayelsa State and the PDP Vice-Presidential candidate. The security people ordinarily should have unraveled the assassination attempt on me. 

You also raised the issues of kidnapping, piracy and armed robbery. These are issues all Nigerians, including me are very concerned about. While we will continue to do our utmost best to reduce all forms of criminality to the barest minimum in our country, it is just as well to remind you that the first major case of kidnapping for ransom took place around 2006. And the Boko Haram crisis dates back to 2002. Goodluck Jonathan was not the President of the country then. Also, armed robbery started in this country immediately after the civil war and since then, it has been a problem to all succeeding governments.  For a former Head of Government, who should know better, to present these problems as if they were creations of the Jonathan Administration is most uncharitable.  

Having said that, let me remind you of some of the things we have done to curb violent crime in the country. We have reorganized the Nigerian Police Force and appointed a more dynamic leadership to oversee its affairs. We have also improved its manpower levels as well as funding, training and logistical support.

We have also increased the surveillance capabilities of the Police and provided its air-wing with thrice the number of helicopters it had before the inception of the present administration. The National Civil Defence and Security Corps has been armed to make it a much more effective ally of the police and other security agencies in the war against violent crime. At both domestic and international levels, we are doing everything possible to curb the proliferation of the small arms and light weapons with which armed robberies, kidnappings and piracy are perpetrated. We have also enhanced security at our borders to curb cross-border crimes.

 We are aggressively addressing the challenge of crude oil theft in collaboration with the state Governors. In addition, the Federal Government has engaged the British and US governments for their support in the tracking of the proceeds from the purchase of stolen crude. Similarly, a regional Gulf of Guinea security strategy has been initiated to curb crude oil theft and piracy. 

Perhaps the most invidious accusation in your letter is the allegation that I have placed over one thousand Nigerians on a political watch list, and that I am training snipers and other militia to assassinate people. Baba, I don’t know where you got that from but you do me grave injustice in not only lending credence to such baseless rumours, but also publicizing it. You mentioned God seventeen times in your letter. Can you as a Christian hold the Bible and say that you truly believe this allegation?

The allegation of training snipers to assassinate political opponents is particularly incomprehensible to me. Since I started my political career as a Deputy Governor, I have never been associated with any form of political violence. I have been a President for over three years now, with a lot of challenges and opposition mainly from the high and mighty. There have certainly been cases of political assassination since the advent of our Fourth Republic, but as you well know, none of them occurred under my leadership.

Regarding the over one thousand people you say are on a political watch list, I urge you to kindly tell Nigerians who they are and what agencies of government are “watching” them. Your allegation that I am using security operatives to harass people is also baseless. Nigerians are waiting for your evidence of proof. That was an accusation made against previous administrations, including yours, but it is certainly not my style and will never be. Again, if you insist on the spurious claim that some of your relatives and friends are being harassed, I urge you to name them and tell Nigerians what agencies of my administration are harassing them.

I also find it difficult to believe that you will accuse me of assisting murderers, or assigning a presidential delegation to welcome a murderer. This is a most unconscionable and untrue allegation. It is incumbent on me to remind you that I am fully conscious of the dictates of my responsibilities to God and our dear nation. It is my hope that devious elements will not take advantage of your baseless allegation to engage in brazen and wanton assassination of high profile politicians as before, hiding under the alibi your “open letter” has provided for them.

Nevertheless, I have directed the security agencies and requested the National Human Rights Commission to carry out a thorough investigation of these criminal allegations and make their findings public.

That corruption is an issue in Nigeria is indisputable.  It has been with us for many years. You will recall that your kinsman, the renowned afro-beat maestro, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti famously sang about it during your first stint as Head of State. Sonny Okosun also sang about corruption. And as you may recall, a number of Army Generals were to be retired because of corruption before the Dimka coup.  Also, the late General Murtala Mohammed himself wanted to retire some top people in his cabinet on corruption-related issues before he was assassinated.  Even in this Fourth Republic, the Siemens and Halliburton scandals are well known.

The seed of corruption in this country was planted a long time ago, but we are doing all that we can to drastically reduce its debilitating effects on national development and progress. I have been strengthening the institutions established to fight corruption. I will not shield any government official or private individual involved in corruption, but I must follow due process in all that I do. And whenever clear cases of corruption or fraud have been established, my administration has always taken prompt action in keeping with the dictates of extant laws and procedures. You cannot claim to be unaware of the fact that several highly placed persons in our country, including sons of some of our party leaders are currently facing trial for their involvement in the celebrated subsidy scam affair. I can hardly be blamed if the wheels of justice still grind very slowly in our country, but we are doing our best to support and encourage the judiciary to quicken the pace of adjudication in cases of corruption.

Baba, I am amazed that with all the knowledge garnered from your many years at the highest level of governance in our country, you could still believe the spurious allegation contained in a letter written to me by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and surreptitiously obtained by you, alleging that USD49.8 billion, a sum equal to our entire national budget for two years, is “unaccounted for” by the NNPC. Since, as President, you also served for many years as Minister of Petroleum Resources, you very well know the workings of the corporation. It is therefore intriguing that you have made such an assertion. You made a lot of insinuations about oil theft, shady dealings at the NNPC and the NNPC not remitting the full proceeds of oil sales to the of CBN. Now that the main source of the allegations which you rehashed has publicly stated that he was “misconstrued”, perhaps you will find it in your heart to apologize for misleading unwary Nigerians and impugning the integrity of my administration on that score.

Your claim of “Atlantic Oil loading about 130, 000 barrels sold by Shell and managed on behalf of NPDC with no sale proceeds paid into the NPDC account” is also disjointed and baseless because no such arrangement as you described exists between Atlantic Oil and the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company. NPDC currently produces about 138, 000 barrels of oil per day from over 7 producing assets. The Crude Oil Marketing Division (COMD) of the NNPC markets all of this production on behalf of NPDC with proceeds paid into NPDC account.

I am really shocked that with all avenues open to you as a former Head of State for the verification of any information you have received about state affairs, you chose to go public with allegations of “high corruption” without offering a shred of supporting evidence. One of your political “sons” similarly alleged recently that he told me of a minister who received a bribe of $250 Million from an oil company and I did nothing about it. He may have been playing from a shared script, but we have not heard from him again since he was challenged to name the minister involved and provide the evidence   to back his claim.  I urge you, in the same vein, to furnish me with the names, facts and figures of a single verifiable case of the “high corruption” which you say stinks all around my administration and see whether the corrective action you advocate does not follow promptly. And while you are at it, you may also wish to tell Nigerians the true story of questionable waivers of signature bonuses between 2000 and 2007.

While, by the Grace of God Almighty, I am the first President from a minority group, I am never unmindful of the fact that I was elected leader of the whole of Nigeria and I have always acted in the best interest of all Nigerians. You referred to the divisive actions and inflammatory utterances of some individuals from the South-South and asserted that I have done nothing to call them to order or distance myself from their ethnic chauvinism. Again that is very untrue. I am as committed to the unity of this country as any patriot can be and I have publicly declared on many occasions that no person who threatens other Nigerians or parts of the country is acting on my behalf.

It is very regrettable that in your letter, you seem to place sole responsibility for the ongoing intrigues and tensions in the PDP at my doorstep, and going on from that position, you direct all your appeals for a resolution at me. Baba, let us all be truthful to ourselves, God and posterity. At the heart of all the current troubles in our party and the larger polity is the unbridled jostling and positioning for personal or group advantage ahead of the 2015 general elections. The “bitterness, anger, mistrust, fear and deep suspicion” you wrote about all flow from this singular factor.

It is indeed very unfortunate that the seeming crisis in the party was instigated by a few senior members of the party, including you. But, as leader of the party, I will continue to do my best to unite it so that we can move forward with strength and unity of purpose. The PDP has always recovered from previous crises with renewed vigour and vitality. I am very optimistic that that will be the case again this time. The PDP will overcome any temporary setback, remain a strong party and even grow stronger.

Instigating people to cause problems and disaffection within the party is something that you are certainly familiar with. You will recall that founding fathers of the Party were frustrated out of the Party at a time.  Late Chief Sunday Awoniyi was pushed out, Late Chief Solomon Lar left and later came back, Chief Audu Ogbeh and Chief Tom Ikimi also left. Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo left and later came back. In 2005/2006, link-men were sent to take over party structures from PDP Governors in an unveiled attempt to undermine the state governors. In spite of that, the Governors did not leave the Party because nobody instigated and encouraged them to do so.

The charge that I was involved in anti-party activities in governorship elections in Edo, Ondo, Lagos, and Anambra States is also very unfortunate. I relate with all Governors irrespective of political party affiliation but I have not worked against the interest of the PDP.  What I have not done is to influence the electoral process to favour our Party. You were definitely never so inclined, since you openly boasted in your letter of how you supported Alhaji Shehu Shagari against Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe and others in the 1979 presidential elections while serving as a military Head of State. You and I clearly differ in this regard, because as the President of Nigeria, I believe it is my duty and responsibility to create a level playing field for all parties and all candidates.

Recalling how the PDP lost in states where we were very strong in 2003 and 2007 such as Edo, Ondo, Imo, Bauchi, Anambra, and Borno, longstanding members of our great party with good memory will also consider the charge of anti-party activities you made against me as misdirected and hugely hypocritical. It certainly was not Goodluck Jonathan’s “personal ambition or selfish interest” that caused the PDP to lose the governorship of Ogun State and all its senatorial seats in the last general elections.

You quoted me as saying that I have not told anybody that I will seek another term in office in 2015. You and your ambitious acolytes within the party have clearly decided to act on your conclusion that “only a fool will believe that statement” and embark on a virulent campaign to harass me out of an undeclared candidature for the 2015 presidential elections so as to pave the way for a successor anointed by you.

You will recall that you serially advised me that we should refrain from discussing the 2015 general elections for now so as not to distract elected public officials from urgent task of governance. While you have apparently moved away from that position, I am still of the considered opinion that it would have been best for us to do all that is necessary to refrain from heating up the polity at this time. Accordingly, I have already informed Nigerians that I will only speak on whether or not I will seek a second term when it is time for such declarations. Your claims about discussions I had with you, Governor Gabriel Suswam and others are wrong, but in keeping with my declared stance, I will reserve further comments until the appropriate time.

Your allegation that I asked half a dozen African Presidents to speak to you about my alleged ambition for 2015, is also untrue.  I have never requested any African President to discuss with you on my behalf.  In our discussion, I mentioned to you that four Presidents told me that they were concerned about the political situation in Nigeria and intended to talk to you about it.  So far, only three of them have confirmed to me that they have had any discussion with you. If I made such a request, why would I deny it?

The issue of Buruji Kashamu is one of those lies that should not be associated with a former President.  The allegation that I am imposing Kashamu on the South-West is most unfortunate and regrettable.  I do not even impose Party officials in my home state of Bayelsa and there is no zone in this country where I have imposed officials.  So why would I do so in the South West?  Baba, in the light of Buruji’s detailed public response to your “open letter”, it will be charitable for you to render an apology to Nigerians and I.

On the issue of investors being scared to come to Nigeria, economic dormancy, and stagnation, I will just refer you to FDI statistics from 2000 to 2013. Within the last three years, Nigeria has emerged as the preferred destination for investments in Africa, driven by successful government policies to attract foreign investors. For the second year running, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Investments (UNCTAD) has ranked Nigeria as the number one destination for investments in Africa, and as having the fourth highest returns in the world.

Today, Nigeria is holding 18 percent of all foreign investments in Africa and 60 percent of all foreign investments in the ECOWAS Sub-Region. Kindly note also that in the seven years between 2000 and 2007 when you were President, Nigeria attracted a total of $24.9 Billion in FDI.  As a result of our efforts which you disparage, the country has seen an FDI inflow of $25.7 Billion in just three years which is more than double the FDI that has gone to the second highest African destination. We have also maintained an annual national economic growth rate of close to seven per cent since the inception of this administration. What then, is the justification for your allegation of scared investors and economic dormancy?

Although it was not emphasized in your letter of December 2, 2013, you also conveyed, in previous correspondence, the impression that you were ignorant of the very notable achievements of my administration in the area of foreign relations. It is on record that under my leadership, Nigeria has played a key role in resolving the conflicts in Niger, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Guinea Bissau and others.

The unproductive rivalry that existed between Nigeria and some ECOWAS countries has also been ended under my watch and Nigeria now has better relations with all the ECOWAS countries.  At the African Union, we now have a Commissioner at the AU Commission after being without one for so long. We were in the United Nations Security Council for the 2010/2011 Session and we have been voted in again for the 2014/2015 Session. From independence to 2010, we were in the U.N. Security Council only three times but from 2010 to 2015, we will be there two times.

    

This did not happen by chance.  My Administration worked hard for it and we continue to maintain the best possible relations with all centres of global political and economic power. I find it hard therefore, to believe your assertions of untoward concern in the international community over the state of governance in Nigeria

With respect to the Brass and Olokola LNG projects, you may have forgotten that though you started these projects, Final Investment Decisions were never reached.  For your information, NNPC has not withdrawn from either the Olokola or the Brass LNG projects.

On the Rivers State Water Project, you were misled by your informant. The Federal Government under my watch has never directed or instructed the Africa Development Bank to put on hold any project to be executed in Rivers state or any other State within the Federation. The Rivers Water Project was not originally in the borrowing plan but it was included in April 2013 and appraised in May. Negotiations are ongoing with the AfDB.  I have no doubt that you are familiar with the entire process that prefaces the signing of a Subsidiary Loan Agreement as in this instance.

 Let me assure you and all Nigerians that I do not engage in negative political actions and will never, as President, oppress the people of a State or deprive them of much needed public services as a result of political disagreement

  

I have noted your comments on the proposed National Conference. Contrary to the insinuation in your letter, the proposed conference is aimed at bringing Nigerians together to resolve contentious national issues in a formal setting. This is a sure way of promoting greater national consensus and unity, and not a recipe for “disunity, confusion and chaos” as you alleged in your letter.

Having twice held the high office of President, Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I trust that you will understand that I cannot possibly find the time to offer a line-by-line response to all the accusations and allegations made in your letter while dealing with other pressing demands of office and more urgent affairs of state.

I have tried, however, to respond to only the most serious of the charges which question my sincerity, personal honour, and commitment to the oath which I have sworn, to always uphold and protect the interests of all Nigerians, and promote their well-being.

In closing, let me state that you have done me grave injustice with your public letter in which you wrongfully accused me of deceit, deception, dishonesty, incompetence, clannishness, divisiveness and insincerity, amongst other ills.

I have not, myself, ever claimed to be all-knowing or infallible, but I have never taken Nigeria or Nigerians for granted as you implied, and I will continue to do my utmost to steer our ship of state towards the brighter future to which we all aspire.

Please accept the assurances of my highest consideration and warm regards.

GOODLUCK  EBELE JONATHAN

Deeper Life Kumuyi says Christmas is idolatrous, warns members against celebrating

The General Overseer of The Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor W.F Kumuyi warned his church members during their annual National December Convention which held on Saturday Dec 21st, against celebrating Christmas, because according to him it is idolatrous and unscriptural.

Kumuyi said;

“We don’t celebrate Christmas. It actually came from idolatrous background. That is why you don’t hear us sing what they call Christmas carol, Never! We always say it is the December retreat. We are only gathering together because it is the holiday period and love the lord more, and rededicate ourselves more.

“When you find anybody coming in, or any leader, trying to introduce the idolatry of mystery Babylon, that they call Christmas and you want to bring all the Christmas carol saying that is the day that Jesus was born, and you don’t find that in the Acts of the Apostles or in the early church, then you don’t find that in the church either.  If you don’t know that before, now you know.

Well, let's all try to respect other people's beliefs. Meanwhile, other Christian leaders have replied Kumuyi, saying Christmas is not idolatrous but biblical. Continue..



A Catholic priest, Monsignor Gabriel Osu, said

“I don’t know what he means by saying the practice of celebrating Christmas is wrong. Is he saying that Christ wasn’t born? That he didn’t come to die for us? Does he not celebrate his own birthday? Do Kumuyi’s pastors not celebrate him? It is not everything I react to; some people just seek attention. If Kumuyi is a Christian, then he must believe in Christ.

“The celebration of Christmas didn’t just start today; it is too public an event for anyone to say that they don’t know what it is about. “If Kumuyi is condemning the commercialisation of Christmas, I can understand that. Christ came to redeem us from our lost state; this was actualised through his coming, his birth; that is why we celebrate Christmas. It is the fulfilment of God’s promise.”

"Kumuyi is just saying what he feels; he is not making any doctrinal statement.”

Fade & Sesan Ogunro's dad shot dead by armed robbers last night

Beat FM OAP Fade Ogunro and her prolific music video director brother Sesan Ogunro lost their dad in the early hours of this morning Monday Dec. 23rd. Mr Sesan Ogunro Snr, who was an advertising guru, was returning from his church Christmas Carol with members of his family, including his children and grand children when they were attacked by armed robbers last night around 10pm in front of their church at the back of Marwa Garden in Alausa Ikeja.

Mr Ogunro was shot point blank by the robbers. He was rushed to the hospital where he died around 12.45am early this morning. He was in his sixties. Too sad. May his soul rest in peace...amen

Ciara pregnant? See photo

Over the weekend this photo of the newly engaged pop star was posted online. She looks absolutely, positively pregnant...even her face is all swollen up. Big congrats to her if she's pregnant

Ciara pregnant? See photo

Over the weekend this photo of the newly engaged pop star was posted online. She looks absolutely, positively pregnant...even her face is all swollen up. Big congrats to her if she's pregnant

Meet America's first openly gay Imam

The land of freedom, America, now boast of an openly gay Imam. And the Muslim community is not happy about it. Imam Daayiee Abdulah, the only openly gay Imam in America & possibly the world, was born and raised a Baptist Christian faithful in Detroit but converted to Islam while studying in China. Upon his conversion, he noticed the spiritual gap lesbians, gays & transsexuals in the Islamic faith had and decided to become an Imam so as to provide an ideal Islamic support for them, he says.

"Being an openly gay imam and having been identified as such, I do get a lot of feedback and also kickback, but that's OK,” he said. “I think that when people are unfamiliar with things, they tend to have an emotional knee-jerk reaction to it. Sometimes necessity is the mother of invention. And because of the necessity in our community, that's why I came into this particular role."

Abdulah, who says he told his parents he was gay at age 15, converted to Islam at the age of 33 and went on to study the religion in Egypt, Jordan and Syria. Asked what was his first spiritual act as an Imam, Abdulahi says it was the funeral for a gay Muslim who had died of AIDS. Continue...

"They had contacted a number of imams, and no one would go and provide him his janazah services. This pained me. I believe every person, no matter if I disagree with you or not, you have the right as a Muslim to have the proper spiritual rites and rituals provided for you. And whoever judges you, that will be Allah's decision, not me. The beautiful thing about God is that when you change your attitude, and say, 'God, I need some help,' and mean it sincerely, God is always there for you,”

Abdullah serves as the imam and educational director of the Light of Reform Mosque in Washington, D.C, a place he calls a a rare safe space for Muslim LGBT. In his Mosque, which he founded in 2011, women and men kneel side-by-side and women are allowed to lead prayers, an action that has sparked controversy in the Muslim world

British Airways Jet crashes into building in South Africa (Photo)

A Boeing 747 jet belonging to British Airways, yesterday Sunday Dec. 22nd crashed its right wing into an airport building inside the OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Pic above)

The flight, which was on its way to London, veered off the taxiway as it headed to the runway and buried its right wing in the 2-storey brick structure, injuring four airport officials, Daily Mail reports.

A statement from the South African Civil Aviation Authority's (SACAA) preliminary report, said the aircraft was cleared for takeoff on Runway 03L but took a smaller runway.

'The air crew got instructions from the Air Traffic Control to taxi using taxi way B. The crew continued onto taxi way M which is narrower resulting in the aircraft impacting on an office building behind the SAA Technical hangers.

A spokesman for OR Tambo airport said the 17 Crew and 185 passengers who were in the aircraft escaped unharmed. They were evacuated from the aircraft and spent the night in a hotel.

 

 

Canadian singer claims Beyonce jacked her video concept

A few days ago, Canadian rocker Anjulie posted a sarcastic Tweet saying she was honored to be the inspiration for Beyonce's Superpower video. The singer posted her own 2011 video and Beyonce's version and asked her fans to compare. Beyonce's camp hasn't responded to the claims yet. Check out the two videos after the cut and tell us if you see similiarities...

Anjulie's Stand Behind The Music

Beyonce's Superpower

Actor Desmond Elliot joins politics...

Actor and movie director, Desmond Elliot has delved into politics. He is now a card carrying member of Labour Party and plans to contest for the Lagos House of Assembly, Surulere Constituency, come 2015.

Desmond, who said he's going into politics because he wants to be 'an agent of change' will start his political campaigns soon. Or maybe he's already started...we are talking about it now...lol. Wish him all the best.

Actor Desmond Elliot joins politics...

Actor and movie director, Desmond Elliot has delved into politics. He is now a card carrying member of Labour Party and plans to contest for the Lagos House of Assembly, Surulere Constituency, come 2015.

Desmond, who said he's going into politics because he wants to be 'an agent of change' will start his political campaigns soon. Or maybe he's already started...we are talking about it now...lol. Wish him all the best.

Video: Enugu 1st Lady Clara Chime recounts ordeal, says she never had mental problems

In this exclusive interview with Channels Television, while recounting her experience, Enugu State First Lady Clara Chime debunked claims that she had mental problems and said she suffered from depression because of the treatment she got from her husband led to it. Must watch

Obasanjo and Iyabo's letters on sale: who wan buy? haha

Are these people kidding me? Gosh! na wa for 9ja oooo... hehehehehehehehehe.....

TV/radio personality IK Osakioduwa shows off his kids

The BBA host posing with his two children Sahar and Micah...

Photos: Funke Kuti poses with her son, Made

Femi Kuti's former wife Funke Kuti pictured above with her teenage son, Made. Made is Femi's first child. The afrobeat king has five other children with different women. Made is such a cutie...

More artiste jostle for space as 2013 Lagos countdown begins

Activities marking this year’s Lagos countdown took off effectively last Sunday with a commanding performance  by Terry G (afro hip pop act) at the bar beach, venue of the Lagos countdown.

As at the last count, over fifty artistes have been confirmed to perform at this year’s countdown. Some of them include Tu-Face Idibia, Davido, Omawunmi, Iyanya, Wande Coal, Timaya, J-Martins, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Iceprince,to mention but a few. Continue...

The Lagos countdown which started on Sunday 8th December will  run for the next 23 days with series of activities including Karaoke night, Outdoor Cinema, Unveiling of the  Oniru statues, Festival of Light, Kids play Arena and will climax with  spectacular fireworks on the night of the 31^st December 2013, as we cross over into  the New Year.

Some artiste who spoke on their expectations of the event expressed readiness to give Lagosians and tourist in attendance something to remember.First to speak was Kcee of the Limpopo fame;  “my fans are in for very good time and  it promises to be exciting night”. Also to speak was 2face Idibia, he urged all Lagosians to get ready for another level of fun as he will raise the bar at the biggest New Year eve party in Africa come 31^st of December.

As the Lagos countdown welcomes visitors and fun lovers to see the elegance and loads of fun awaiting them, organizers have promised visitors a lovely time. Some of the goodies at hand include free Wi-Fi for internet access as provided by ICSL limited. Also available to be won is a new 2013 Hyundai Veloster to be donated by Stallion Motors, teenage pavilion, Games section for kids, fast food court,, bars and shopping areas.Arrangements have been completed to transport fun lovers for freewith a bus ride at different locations to the venue of the Countdown.

'Anyone who says I bleach is stupid' - former Governor Alao-Akala

Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala

A former governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, in this interview with ADEOLA BALOGUN and TUNDE ODESOLA clears the air on some contentious issues

How did you get enlisted into the Nigerian Police?

It wasn’t accidental that I became a policeman.  It was a dream I nursed as a young lad. I had wanted to be enlisted in a profession where I would wear uniform. I would have loved to be in the military but unfortunately, the day I was to write a test for the police force was the very day the enlistment into the Army was done. I remember enlistment into the Army was fixed for The Polytechnic, Ibadan. I don’t know why those in charge did that. My number was WS44 in 1973. In the police, I would spend one year and become an officer. In the army short service, I would spend six months and I would become an officer. In the Army short service, there was a limit to where I could get to move but for full course, I would spend three years. I then decided to go for the police.

Why did you want to be a policeman?

I was a barrack boy. My uncle was in the West Africa Frontier; later he joined Ghanaian Army. He was caught up in Ghana Independence in 1957 while he was with the Frontier. They then asked them that anyone that was interested in joining the Ghanaian Army should indicate interest and he opted to stay in Ghana and he automatically became a member of the Ghanaian Army. I went to 3 Battalion Training School and I finished my Form 4 there. I knew how to take care of the khaki and I thus decided I wanted to join the force. So it wasn’t a mistake or accidental that I joined the police. When I joined the police, I discovered that I love the profession and I enjoyed it while it lasted.

To the man on the street, the police force is synonymous with corruption; was this so in your time?

It is unfortunate; what you are seeing in the police is a reflection of the society. It is what we have in the society that we are seeing in the police. So what is happening in the police is not peculiar to the police alone; it is in all spheres. If you say police force is corrupt, other forces are also corrupt because the people are recruited from the society. So, whatever you see now is the reflection of the society.

People are of the belief that no retired police officer can claim that he did not collect bribe while in service; did you collect bribe?

I am telling you now that I did not collect bribe. Do you know why I could not collect bribe? Firstly, I had the opportunity of working in the Administrative Department of the police for about 16 years. As a matter of fact, while I was at the headquarters for 16 years, I was being posted from one department to the other. I did not want to leave, I was pushed to the field and when I got to the field, I asked myself why should I be taking bribe? Let me tell you an experience; there was a relation of mine who had problems with the police and he didn’t want to tell me. The police asked him to go and bring N1, 000. He did not have N1, 000; he then went and sold some of his goods to be able to raise the money. While the fellow was looking for ways of raising the money, I was aware that he was raining curses on the police along the line which means that he might have even cursed the money he wanted to give as bribe. So the policemen unknowingly too would be mixing bad money with good money and spiritually, that has a long way to go in the life of a human being. As an officer, I would just do what I could for you. So, I just told myself that as God has placed me above you, why should I ask for anything from you? If I could help, I would and for God’s sake, an average Nigerian knows how to say thank you. If along the line, you say thank you and you give me something which I didn’t solicit, that is from you. But if you start negotiating bribe as I saw a cop (on the television) that was sacked recently, that is sad. An average Nigerian knows how to say thank you and if you help him, he would say thank you; why do you have to negotiate bribe where you can help?  Where would you even discuss a bribe with me? As a matter of fact, if I knew that you had a bad case, I would deal with you. That is where I could be ruthless. And for God’s sake, I worked under somebody like (Inspector General) Sunday Adewusi for many years and I was with him until he retired. So, the way we were brought up, you couldn’t take bribe because we were arresting bribe takers. I was working with Chief Adewusi (at Alagbon) and in those days, the fear of Alagbon Close was the beginning of wisdom.  When you hear of Alagbon Close, you will shiver. Then, we were not thinking of how to take bribe. And again when I got into the field, having dealt with a lot of people, I felt that people might want to deal with me too, so I had to be careful. Bribe was not that pronounced during my time.

Was that why you had to quit or you quit when you felt you had achieved satisfaction?

No, I did not quit. There was a time in the police, even among all the uniform forces, people were being branded NADECO. I was branded a NADECO officer and in any of the forces then, they could tell you to go anytime. So, some of us were being branded NADECO and that was the time a lot of people could not pretend not to be aware of the wrong being committed especially during the June 12, 1993 election. During the time, it was easy for your fellow officer to implicate you  by branding you as a NADECO agent and that was how many of us were dealt with and were asked to retire.

Were you a NADECO member?

I was not but as a Yoruba person, I had my sympathy for MKO Abiola when his election was annulled.

But some people said you were dismissed from the police.

Dismissed? I was not dismissed from the police. Nothing like dismissal has ever come my way and I don’t know what they mean by that. You see, don’t rely on politicians and their political allegations; politicians would tell you things like that. If you go to the Pension Office now, they will tell you how much I am taking as pension. Again, nobody would be dismissed and still receive pension; the police would have cried out that I am a dismissed officer. Again, you don’t have to blame your misfortune on anybody. If you are retired as a uniform person, you are retired. After all, I was not dismissed; I was given my emolument. What is today’s date? At the end of the month, I will receive an alert from my bank signifying that my pension has been paid. I always cherish it when I receive the alert for my monthly pension. It is not up to my driver’s salary, but at least, I am very happy to receive it.

At what age did you leave the police?

I was about 45 years. I served for 23 years before I left.

What did you go into, personal business?

I floated a private investigative company where I had staff working for me. Let me just put it this way, I went into private business. I retired in 1995 and I went into business immediately and in 1996 when politics started I joined politics.

What brought about your popularity as an Ogbomoso homeboy?

I have always been a homeboy. I started schooling from primary one to primary six in Ogbomoso and when you schooled in that kind of environment, you would naturally come across many indigenes of the town as schoolmates. When you went to school at your home base, you would have a lot of friends. I had a lot of them and, also, the love for my town was also there. Since I came back from Ghana in 1970 up to the time I am speaking to you now, I have never spent a Christmas outside Ogbomoso. The only time I spent Christmas night out of Ogbomoso was in 1980 December when I had to rush to Kano during the Maitasine riots – on an official assignment. I actually celebrated Christmas in Ogbomoso but I had to leave later in the evening when I had to report in Kano same day for the Maitasine riots. I have always been spending my Christmas in Ogbomoso. Since 1974, when I could afford it, I have always been throwing a party in my house and people have always been looking forward to the party every year. I belonged to a group called Soun Social Club. It was a club of my age group then based in Kano but they allowed interested people to join. Every 26 December for about 15 years or so, the late Ayinde Barrister always played for us and I was one of those championing the cause. So, everybody got to know me very well. At that time, my (official) house in Lagos literally became Ogbomoso ‘hostel’. If you were looking for job or anything in Lagos as an Ogbomoso indigene, you would be told to go to Akala house. The only place you could not occupy was my bed; every other space, you were free. God later blessed me with a personal house in Lagos and I was having an official quarters; my personal house became a very ‘big hostel’ for Ogbomoso indigenes. In fact, I was going there everyday to meet people and I called the place Ile Iya Alaro. I named it Ile Iya Alaro after my grandmother. So Ile Iya Alaro was very popular among Ogbomoso people in Lagos. These were the things that brought me into limelight in the town and when I retired, they were the ones that called me to come and become the local government chairman. And that is why I did not work for it. While everybody was struggling to contest on the platforms of Alliance for Democracy and Peoples Democratic Party, I used the All Progressive Party platform to win election in Ogbomoso. APP was not a popular party in Ogbomoso but the people voted for Akala, not APP. When I started politics, Baba Lamidi Adedibu of blessed memory noticed my political activities and my popularity back home. When the PDP needed Ogbomoso votes in bulk, he drafted me to come and be deputy governor.

Now that you mentioned Chief Adedibu, was he instrumental to your emergence as governor?

Yes, he was greatly instrumental.

What of the impeachment saga?

I don’t know anything about the impeachment saga but Baba Adedibu used the impeachment to weaken my boss, the governor (Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja). I don’t know anything about the impeachment and that is the truth.

It is believed that you betrayed your boss (Ladoja).

I was loyal to my boss to the last. If it was not because of constitutional requirement that I had to be governor, I wouldn’t have been governor. As a matter of fact, those who did the impeachment did not have me in mind (to be governor). They thought they could even impeach me and put someone else there. That was why it was not difficult for me when the court said that I should revert to the position of deputy governor, after all, I was deputy governor to him, not to someone else. That is why I always pride myself that I was once a deputy governor, a governor, a deputy governor and a governor. I was not part of the impeachment; those who orchestrated it did not want me. They had their plans; they wouldn’t have put me in the position but for the constitution. As a matter of fact, did you know what happened? I ran away (after the impeachment) and they were looking for me. They couldn’t do the swearing-in because they couldn’t find me. I ran away to Osun and it was a friend of mine, now Senator (Ayo) Adeseun, that came to (Osun) to fetch me. I didn’t want to follow him but they knew they could always send somebody like him to look for me.

You thought they were not sincere enough?

Not that I thought they were not sincere enough, they were not sincere at all; they had their own plans but the constitution did not allow them to carry out their plans.

In the tussle between Osun and Oyo over Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso people believe that you wanted the university to be the property of Oyo simply because you are an Ogbomoso indigene.

Why can’t it be the property of Oyo State?

But what was in the public domain was that LAUTECH was a patrimony of the two states as established by the founding fathers.

That is a lie. LAUTECH belonged to the then Oyo State before Osun was carved out of it. After Osun was created, we still believed that we could still have it together, so we then allowed joint ownership of the university. But there is no law that allows that joint ownership. You know that Oyo cannot enact law for Osun and vice versa. So how can there be a joint ownership law? Unfortunately for Osun, the university is situated on Oyo soil, so how can you enact law for something that is not on your soil? But gentlemen agreement, administrative agreement, yes, we had that. We said the two states would co-fund it, six months apiece. While they acquire the school of health science in Osun, they could enact law for that but in my own wisdom, when  Osun created Osun State University which is solely owned by Osun and they are running it like a private university. They have campuses in all their major cities. Oyo did not have anything; LAUTECH conferred half ownership on us in Oyo, so in essence, we have half university; there is no university we can call our own. I then decided that since Osun has got its own university, we too should have our own. But before we have our own, I said we should prepare the ground. The ground that I wanted to prepare was that there must be a teaching hospital and there must be a college of health sciences in Ogbomoso. And I can say it without fear of any contradiction that as at today in Nigeria, LAUTECH has the best college of health sciences in Ogbomoso; go and look at the building and the contents, the lecture theatres and everything. After building the teaching hospital in Ogbomoso, I said let us share the assets of the university, the movables and the immovable. Years back before I came in, they had stopped capital projects and any capital project that was done in Ogbomoso was done by Oyo State and anyone done in Osogbo was done by Osun State. So, I then said let us share the assets and go our separate ways. University of Ado Ekiti used to belong to the old Ondo State and when Ekiti State was created, they shared the assets peacefully. Ondo State believed that the university was not its own and when it was time, they shared the assets. So if they could do that, why should ours be different? I said you Osun, you have your own university, so let us go in peace. I then proposed that even though it could not be 50-50 between us again, I promised them their admission quota for the next five years, they disagreed. I then decided to fight it out. But initially, Oyinlola agreed when the National Universities Commission intervened that we could go but there was a change of government in Osun and the new governor disagreed. But he was lucky I did not win election.

What would have happened?

I would have made it a reality.

But if Osun could have its own state university, what stopped Oyo from owning its own?

This is our own landed property. LAUTECH belongs to Oyo State; it’s on our land. I prepared the ground before I started fighting and when I brought the accreditation team, they opened their mouth and could not close it. What I wanted to do that time was to change LAUTECH to multi campus with campuses at Isheyin and  Igboho. It was just a pure convenience for my people because Osun could not have one and a half universities while we would have half. But they were lucky I didn’t win election.

Your successor, Chief Abiola Ajimobi has faulted the quality of roads your administration constructed.

He is entitled to his own opinion; let him do his own that is of quality. Look at me, I am a quality man myself, with due respect. Look at my house, I used quality materials. So, why would I do something that is not of quality; something that I want to leave as legacy for unborn generations?  With due respect, I go with quality and if you are not of quality, you can’t flow with me. Everything about me is about quality. He is entitled to say what he wants to say and if I were him, I would just keep quiet. Let him do his own that is of quality.

It was alleged that you demanded for N1bn from the civil service for your re-election but in the process, the civil servants too helped themselves to several millions of naira.

I don’t know anything about that. You see, when you don’t know how government operates, you don’t talk like that. Anybody talking like this is very senseless; he doesn’t have any sense. Am I a signatory to the service account? I did not ask anything from anybody.

You talked about quality, is it in terms of dressing too?

In terms of everything, Akala is a man of quality. Look at me, I am a man of quality, with due respect. I use quality materials.

Is the use of jewellery part of it too?

Yes, I have been using jewellery as a young man. Do you know what they called Ghana before, Gold Coast. I lived in Ghana and that was where I got used to it early in my life. We make statement with our looks in Ghana. In those days when we were in Ghana, your wife bathed you and took care of you. I am from Ghana, so I have been using jewellery (he sends for an album). I want to show you some pictures. Pictures that I took some 40 years back, you would see chains on my neck. Look at my hand chains and rings in this picture. That is how I was brought up.  Even when I was in (police) uniform, I wore my chain with my uniform.

Is it not was illegal for you to wear necklace with your uniform?

It was not legal but my uniform would cover it.

Is it part of your own fashion to bleach?

Bleach? That is stupidity; you are asking a very stupid question, how can I bleach? You are very stupid to ask that question. What do you mean by that? What gave you that impression?

(He pulled up his clothe and singlet to show his fair complexion.)

Is this bleaching? Have you seen the cream that I use that makes me bleach or did you know me when I was black? So if you want to write that, put it there that I said you are very stupid to ask me that kind of question. Don’t ask that kind of question again. What you don’t know; you ask. You don’t even know my parents. Is my wife complaining or my children? I don’t know what gave anybody the impression that I bleach. You don’t know me; do you know what it takes to bleach?

Does your wife still bathe you?

She can’t carry me anymore; we are old. Don’t forget that the First Lady is not my first wife. My first wife is an old woman like me and she is still with me. She was also brought up in Ghana and that’s why I was able to marry her. Most of the people in Nigeria cannot keep up with my lifestyle of cleanliness.

What lesson of life did you take away from Ghana?

A  lot. It is what has been helping me till now. I took forthrightness away from Ghana. In Ghana, you don’t steal or cheat. If you hear of any stealing there, it is those who came to reside there. We were very straightforward with our fellow human beings. You don’t make your neighbour unhappy. Even till date, there is no serious armed robbery in Ghana. In Ghana, when you know how to do anything, you know how to do it very well. Even when they came here (to Nigeria), they always mastered what they chose to do.