A closer look at the children of The First Family...

The President, his wife, Aisha and his late wife definitely have
good genes. Their kids are beautiful.
Pictures shared by Dele Momodu of Ovation magazine
International.

Madonna slammed for making reference to her son's eggplant on instagram

Singer Madonna was slammed by fans after appearing to
make reference to her 14 year old son's eggplant in an
Instagram post. A few days ago, she uploaded a video of her
son Rocco Ritchie doing a backflip in a garden while wearing
a pair of bright orange boxer briefs and wrote;
"Rocco's preferred profile #nosausage,"
Some laughed but others thought it was wildly inappropriate
and really insulted her. Is there anything wrong in what she
said? #nosausage is the issue here...

Woman who stabbed husband to death, remanded in Bayelsa

Mrs. Victoria Ambakadrimo, the 28-year-old woman
that stabbed her husband, Late Barr. Henry Gagariga,
to death with a kitchen knife on the throat around
11pm of Wednesday, February 4 after a quarrel in
Bayelsa has finally appeared before a state high court
in Yenagoa for the first time.
The presiding judge, Justice A.S Rotimi, adjourned
proceeding to 18th June 2015, to enable the
prosecuting (the state) hand over certain forensic
evidences to the defence counsels before hearing
commence.
However, an appeal by the prosecuting counsel to have
Victoria remanded at the Okaka medium security prison in
Yenagoa until final judgment is read was granted.
Though frail looking Victoria pleaded not guilty to the one
count charge of murder leveled against, she sobbed over and
again as she was escorted to prison at the end of the court
session.
The alleged husband slayer before killing her husband works
at the Bayelsa State Council for Arts and Culture, and is
reportedly the daughter of a renowned journalist and retired
director in the state Ministry of Information.
Recall that Victoria stabbed her husband, Gagariga, to death
during a domestic quarrel in their bedroom and was sighted by
neighbours while attempting to dump his body on the road.

Amber Rose shares half nude sultry photo in the pool

Ms. Rose shared this sultry photo of her chilling in the Pool
half nude.

Media Perspectives partners and leading Nigeria brands to Launch Good Morning Nigeria

Leading Media buying and planning agency, Media
Perspectives, in collaboration with ARM, Coca-Cola, Jumia,
Leadway, Mansard and Samsung has announced the launch of
the Good Morning Nigeria initiative.
Good morning Nigeria ( GMN ) is a CSR as well as advertising-
funded initiative that will enable subscribers enjoy free talk
time within the hours of 5am to 8am daily.
The initiative, which will kick off on Democracy Day, May 29,
2015, will require callers to subscribe to make them eligible to
enjoy free calls.
Speaking during a press conference to announce the GMN
initiative the MD/CEO, Media Perspectives, Tayo Oyedeji stated
that the campaign was a CSR initiative conceived to enable
phone users to make extended phone calls. He added that for
subscribers to enjoy this free call, they have to make a 3-
minute straight call to an MTN number and get 30 minutes
FREE to continue on the same call. To receive this benefit,
customers will be required to text GMN to 131. The service
which is available only on the MTN network is an innovation
that will deploy mobile advertising while making phone calls
free.
Speaking further, Oyedeji said, “We appreciate how important
communication is to the lives of the Nigerian people. We also
recognise that the current economic situation has caused a
reduction in spending power. The campaign aims to put
money back into the pockets of subscribers so they can use
the savings for themselves and their families. We are happy to
collaborate with likeminded corporate organizations to provide
an opportunity for phone users to enjoy quality talk time for
free through the GMN initiative.”
While addressing the media on the GMN initiative, Head,
Corporate Communications, Leadway Assurance, Olubunmi
Adeleye, represented by Mr. Victor Achudume, commended the
partner companies for bringing the campaign to the Nigerian
people. In his words: “We believe in the potential of this
country and we are always looking for ways to better the lives
of our customers. Democracy Day is a key milestone of our
evolution as a country and that is why we are celebrating it
by partnering with Media Perspectives to launch this
campaign on May 29. We hope that this will be the beginning
of similar partnerships that will benefit the Nigerian people”.
Also speaking on the partnership, Head, Offline Channel Unit,
Jumia, Afam Anyika, described the GMN campaign as a
medium for the organizers to appreciate their teeming
customers. He stated: “What is significant for us is that we
appreciate the custom and support of Nigerians. We represent
different brands but a central factor that binds our customers
together is the need to communicate. So for us, this is a
platform to say thank you to our consumers and encourage
them to support us even more”.

Photos: Chimamanda at Wellesley College giving a commencement speech

Inspiring woman. Love her yellow head-wrap. See another
photo of the Wellesley 2015 graduates waving their copies of
Chimamanda's "We Should All Be Feminists"

Buhari And A New Nigeria By Etcetera

I wasn’t born in 1960. So, I have no memories of the
euphoria of the first Independence Day. My early
memories of independence are the celebrations in the
small government school I attended. My well starched and
ironed school uniform, national flags made of paper,
singing the National Anthem, and a speech by the
headmistress were the highlights. In my final year, I was
allowed to pin a small flag on my shirt and hold a slightly
bigger one in front of the school because I was a school
prefect. Those were proud moments! Even after so many
years, the pride still remains. It is totally different today.
Back then, it was more about Nigeria, our country! There
was nationalism all around. Even as young kids, there
was unflinching commitment to the country. Reading
Chinua Achebe and Cyprian Ekwensi was a passion. I was
told so many times by my father that the first few images
of post-independent Nigeria weren’t of food shortages,
poverty, hunger, inadequacy of almost everything. There
was hope!
Where are we after 55 years, and where do we intend to
go? As I listened to Buhari’s speech yesterday, I felt
sorry for Nigeria. How did we get here? Everything in
Nigeria has changed and, in many ways, changed for the
worst. We still see poverty everywhere we turn. We are
still worried whether the next ship will bring enough food.
We are a country floating on crude oil yet we wake up
every morning to fuel scarcity, wondering whether we
have enough money in our pockets to buy fuel for our
generators and cars for the next day. Although our choice
of cars is no longer limited to the Peugeot 504 and the
Tortoise cars our parents cruised in the 60s, and we may
not live in a black and white TV era with just one channel
anymore, and there are no more long queues at telephone
booths, does that give us comfort? Have we progressed?
No. We still have to solve our more complex problems to
move forward and we are impatient. We are still looking
to developed countries for aid or to the World Bank for
more loans. We are still not confident enough or ready to
take on the world.
What are the things Buhari needs to do and urgently too?
1: Contain divisive forces and actions. We seem to divide
ourselves in the name of tribe, region, religion, group, sub-
group, constituencies, and we never unite in times of
crisis. There are a number of external forces which may
not want Nigeria to become developed and powerful.
These forces are creating difficulties both inside and
outside the country. They predicted our disintegration in
2015 and they almost made sure it happened. We must
differentiate our enemies from our allies. It is also very
important that, as a multi-cultural society, we learn to
live and grow together and to resolve our differences
through dialogue within ourselves and not external
influences. Any form of violence, for any reason
whatsoever, should be avoided. Instead of expecting the
government to solve all our problems, let the civil society
take its role seriously and do its bit. The large majority of
Nigerians want to get on with their lives in peace. This
majority needs to assert its presence.
2: Release the energy of Nigeria’s youth to generate
growth and prosperity. Take a look at any young man or
woman in Nigeria today, you are sure to find that unusual
level of confidence, a confidence to take up a challenge to
better the best in any part of the world they find
themselves. They are willing to work extra hours, learn
new things, and innovate. It is this confidence and the
attitude of “Naija no dey carry last” that is Nigeria’s most
valuable capital today. We need to support this with the
best quality education, infrastructure and training and
research facilities, be it in the private or public sector.
Nigerian youths shouldn’t be entangled with issues of
language or religion. They should be focused on their
careers and their growth, which will in turn be Nigeria’s
growth.
3: Get the infrastructure right. Young Nigerians are
becoming impatient, and rightly so. They want to get
going. Inadequate infrastructure, whether it is physical or
social, is holding them back. Roads, power, basic services
like water and sanitation, social infrastructure like
healthcare, education need urgent attention if we want
this country to grow. Many of these could come through
private sector investment, innovation and efficiencies. The
government will still play a major role both in terms of
providing funds, encouraging investments and ensuring
regulation. Instead of focusing on irrelevant issues, we
need to focus on quality and cost of services.
4: Fight inefficiency and corruption. We are all worried
about corruption. But when it comes to standing up
against corruption, we have failed. Buhari must deter
Nigerians from further engaging in corrupt practices by
making scapegoats. He has to start by appointing only
credible people into his cabinet. They must be
discouraged from looting the treasury. If you ask me, I
will suggest that Goodluck Jonathan’s government should
be probed and those found guilty of corrupt practices
should be sent to Kirikiri. All forms of corruption are bad,
but it is only the bigger cases that we pay attention to,
forgetting that the petty corruption is just as cancerous.
It affects the poor more and makes life miserable for the
average Nigerian. The civil society needs to stand up and
force the change we have all been clamouring for. Luckily,
we now have the Freedom of Information Bill which is an
effective tool in the hands of the Nigerian citizen to
ensure transparency. If Aba manufacturers are
empowered, we do not need technology from outside, we
just need the will to change age-old and opaque
processes. Society needs to make its demand for this
change loud and clear.

Fani Kayode, Fayose and Anenih react to Pres. Buhari’s Inaugural Speech

Some Nigerians yesterday reacted to the President
Muhammadu Buhari’s inaugural speech where he said:
"I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody.A few
people have privately voiced fears that on coming back
to office I shall go after them. These fears are
groundless. There will be no paying off old scores. The
past is prologue"
One of them was Former Minister and PDP presidential
campaign chairman, Fani-Kayode who said:
‘’I believe his part of non vendetta will be true, all
Nigerians should join hands to see Nigeria move
forward. “I believe it was a promising speech and
sincerely hope that he is true to what he has said
especially on the issue that he will not be on a
vendetta mission. I hope he is saying the right thing;
hope his words will be proved to be truth. “It is
incumbent upon all of us as politicians to ensure that
the next four years go on smoothly. I trust that all will
be well and the country will move forward.”
According to the statement issued by the governor’s Special
Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere
Olayinka, The Governor of Ekiti State Ayodele Fayose, said:
“The content of the President’s speech showed a
man who is desirous of making a success of his
administration.Nigerians, including those who voted
and did not vote for President Buhari were eagerly
waiting for his inaugural speech.
The speech, if followed in practice, shows that he is
ready to govern Nigeria and it is a sign that the
president is ready to live above board and lead a
government that accommodates all.
“It is my prayer that the Almighty Allah will grant our
president the courage and wherewithal to make a
success of his administration and further deepen
democratic governance, especially in a
confederation like Nigeria, by sustaining rule of law,”
In regards to former President Jonathan, he said:
“With what Dr. Goodluck Jonathan did, history will
never forget him as the man who laid an enduring
foundation for democracy in Nigeria.”
Another reaction was from the Pioneer National Woman leader
of the PDP and former Minister of Women Affairs and delegate
to the 2014 National Conference Iyom Josephine Anenih.
She said: “I like President Muhamadu Buhari’s speech.
He was very kind to former President Jonathan by
acknowledging the role he played in keeping Nigeria
one and united.
His avowed blueprint when implemented will definitely
spell a positive Change for this country. His speech
was very states manly. Very reassuring to the nation.
Source: Vanguard

Foluke Daramola's husband says he isn't bothered that she was a rape victim

Despite several controversies that may have surrounded the
union between actress, Foluke Daramola and her husband,
Kayode Salako, they still seem inseparable. Foluke launched a
foundation called Passion Against Rape in Africa dut to the
fact that she was once a rape victim, she said.
Rape victim or not, her husband, Kayode, isn't bothered by it.
Speaking to Saturday Beats, Kayode said,
“I have always told my wife something which I believe
is the reality of life. I did not meet my wife as a virgin
and when you did not meet her as a virgin, you cannot
expect to be the one to deflower her. I am a liberally
inclined person who is very realistic. My orientation is
western inclined, so things like that do not bother me.
Either she is a rape victim or not, what I am going to
say is that I did not meet her as a virgin.
“The painful aspect and what hurts me the most about
the situation is that she was introduced to sex against
her own wish. That is one of the things I really hate
about the experience. That she is a rape victim does
not bother me at all. I am glad it did not cost her life.
It bothered her psychologically for a while in life but I
did not meet her in such a situation. She had overcome
the ordeal before we met and the two of us have been
living together in harmony. You would not even know
that she is a rape victim if she did not tell you. I am a
liberally inclined person and I don’t attach meanings to
things the way a typical African man would. That is
why my wife and I have been enjoying ourselves,” he
said.
Foluke also told Saturday Beats that she wants to be known
as the voice of rape victims in Africa.
“I want to be the voice of the voiceless and Punch is
the reason I have a platform like this because it was
the first paper to share my experience with the world.
After the interview I had with Punch about my rape
experience, a lot of people began to call me to ask me
what I was thinking to grant such an interview. I also
had people who called me to share their experiences
with me. In the process, I had a documentary with a
France-based organisation and they asked if I had a
foundation but I told them I did not have one. It was
after the interview that the idea of Passion Against
Rape in Africa came to me. That was about two years
ago. I decided to be the voice of the voiceless because
I know a lot of people do not have the courage to
come out and talk about their experiences. I want to be
the voice of rape victims all over Africa. That is the
aim of my foundation. I feel that as a celebrity who
has gone through that ordeal, victims of rape would
find it easy to relate with me,” she said.

Veteran actor Peter Bunor laid to rest

The remains of veteran actor, Peter Bunor who died earlier
this month following protracted illness will be laid to rest
today at his home-town, Ogwash-Uku in Delta State.
According to funeral arrangements released by the family, the
Service of songs took place yesterday Friday, May 29, 2015 at
his residence located along Dominion Hostel, through Nshiagu
College, Delta State Polytechnic Road, Ogwash-Uku.
Funeral service and internment will hold at the same
venue today Saturday, May 30 from 10am while reception
follows immediately at the same venue.
May his soul rest in Peace.. Amen

The First Lady of Nigeria Aisha Buhari closes beauty parlour

The First Lady, Aisha Buhari, until recently, owned one of the
biggest spas and beauty institutes in the country. Situated
along Camp Road, a high brow area of Ungwan-Rimi
Government Residential Area in Kaduna State.
She owned Hanzy Spa and Hanzy Beauty Institute. The
beauty Institute was the first beauty institute in Northern
Nigeria and is a National Board of Technical Education
accredited vocational training centre and registered by the
Ministry of Education with the aim of exploring the untapped
wealth in the emerging beauty industry.
However, since the victory of her husband in late March, Mrs.
Buhari closed down the beauty parlour to take up the new
role as Nigeria’s First Lady. The spa and beauty institute
patronised by individuals across class, was sighted closed to
the private residence of the immediate past Vice President,
Namadi Sambo. The institute was consulted by the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation/Kaduna Refining and
Petrochemical Company to help train individuals under its
Youth Empowerment and Skill Acquisition Programme.
Ms. Buhari, a trained esthetician who obtained a diploma in
Beauty Therapy from the Carlton Institute of Beauty Therapy,
Windsor, United Kingdom and a certificate course from the
French Beauty School, Esthetique Academie Dubai, is a
member of the United Kingdom’s Vocational Training and
Charitable Trust and the International Health and Beauty
Council.
In an interview she granted Thisday Style last year, the
beautiful Adamawa State-born mother of five said:
“I’m a very busy person who does her things quietly. I
keep to my profession as an esthetician, managing my
spa and beauty institute both in Kaduna and Abuja. I
also personally perform some advanced facial
treatments like mesotherapy, gold facial and
application of TCA etc. I have a number of
documentations on my experience in this area including
writing a book titled “The Essentials of Beauty
Therapy."
She has since closed her beauty businesses now that she has
bigger responsibilities as the First lady of Nigeria,
Punch.

Nicki Minaj shares throwback photo of herself

The 32 year old rapper shared this photo of herself when she
was younger and captioned it 'Chase your dreams'. When you
chase your dreams with hard work, perseverance and
dedication.. and sometimes luck, dreams do come true.

A customer complains to amazon, the resulting conversation is awesome

A customer ordered a book from Amazon and it didn’t arrive
through the post, so he contacted customer service to
complain. He was connected to Amazon online chat and a
customer service rep named Thor. The convo that ensues
between them is awesome

Get ready for extradition hearing, NDLEA tells Kashamu

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has advised the
Senator-elect for Ogun-East senatorial district, Mr. Buruji
Kashamu, to concentrate his effort on defending himself before
the Federal High Court where he is expected to appear on
Monday (today).
The agency reiterated that the decision to drag him before the
court followed a formal request for his extradition by the
United States.
In a statement by its Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Ofoyeju
Mitchell, on Sunday, the NDLEA urged Kashamu to save his
energy for the hearing of the extradition application.
Kashamu is the Chairman, Organisastion and Mobilisation
Committee of the PDP in the South-West and he was a
staunch supporter of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-
election bid.
He fell out with former President Olusegun Obasanjo and
teamed up with President Goodluck Jonathan during the battle
for the control of the party in Ogun State.
The agency said it was wrong of Kashamu to finger Obasanjo
and a leader of the PDP in Lagos State, Chief Bode George, as
being behind his present travails.
According to the NDLEA, Kashamu had been on the wanted
list of both the US Drug Enforcement Administration, and the
Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the Department of
Homeland Security.
The statement read in part, “According to an official report,
Kashamu has been on the wanted list of both the US Drug
Enforcement Administration, and the Immigration and
Customs Enforcement of the Department of Homeland
Security.
“Kashamu was indicted in the Northern District of Illinois,
United States, on charges brought against him by ICE.
“According to the United States court documents, Kashamu in
his days as the leader of a prolific heroin-trafficking ring
based in Chicago, Illinois, was known as ‘god,’ ‘Daddy, and
‘Kasmal.’ He is wanted to stand trial for charges of
conspiracy and importation of controlled substances, namely
heroin, into the United States dating back to 1994.
“Kashamu, who holds dual Nigerian/Beninoise citizenship, has
taken multiple pre-emptive actions to thwart US extradition
efforts such as claiming that he was being mistaken for his
deceased brother whom he claimed committed the alleged
offences in the US.”
The statement also said that Kashamu had filed injunctions at
courts in the Northern District of Illinois, United States, and in
Nigeria to prevent his arrest and prosecution.
The NDLEA said, “These are issues that Kashamu should
prepare to address rather than point accusing fingers at
eminent elder statesmen who have no connection with the
ongoing investigative process. The senator who was placed
on house arrest at the weekend is expected to appear in court
in less than 24 hours.
“We expect Kashamu, as a distinguished senator-elect, to
demonstrate ample confidence in the Nigerian judicial system
and stop the blame game.”
Meanwhile, armed NDLEA operatives have gained access into
the residence of the embattled politician, where he has been
confined to his bedroom.
His lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, who spoke with our
correspondent near the residence, on Sunday, said Kashamu
had not been allowed to leave his bedroom since Saturday.
Oluyede said, “He has been locked inside the room while about
15 armed operatives are in the house. As I speak to you, I
have not even seen him. We have only been talking through
the door.
This is disheartening because his little children and his
pregnant wife are all in the house with him.”
When asked to comment on the allegation that Kashamu
threatened suicide, the lawyer said, “He is obviously
traumatised but I wouldn’t say he is suicidal.”
Oluyede alleged that the NDLEA had no plan of taking
Kashamu to court on Monday (today) but only later decided
to do so because the media got involved.
“Their plan was to get him as early as 4am and put him on
the plane to the United States. It was never their plan to take
him to court. It was when the media reported the incident
that they decided to take him to court,” he said.
About 15 patrol vehicles were seen blocking all entries that
lead to Kashamu’s home while over 20 security agents were
seen patrolling the street.
Residents of the estate were made to take alternative routes
as all roads leading to Kashamu’s home were blocked.
In his reaction, the media aide to Kashamu, Austin Oniyokor,
however, berated the drug agency, accusing it of being the
mouthpiece of Obasanjo and George.
The statement said, “We do not know when the NDLEA
becomes the spokespersons for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and
Chief Bode George. We do not need them to tell us to address
our issues.
“We are addressing our issues. We had told the court of the
planned abduction of Kashamu and the NDLEA was
represented. The court had given an order asking all the
parties to stay action, pending the determination of the suit
which had been fixed for Wednesday.”
Oniyokor explained that Kashamu refused to hand himself over
to the NDLEA operatives, who stormed his Lagos residence on
Ladipo Street, Lekki Phase 1, on Saturday, because they could
not produce a warrant of arrest.
He said if the NDLEA provides a warrant of arrest against
Kashamu, the PDP chieftain would “hand himself over to them
but if not, he will not.”
But a member of PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Ebenezer
Babatope, described the allegation by Kashamu that George
was behind his travails as sad and ridiculous.
A statement by Babatope on Sunday said, “It is sad and
ridiculous of Senator-elect, Chief Buruji Kashamu, to accuse
Chief Bode George of being behind his current ordeal with the
men of the NDLEA.
“This allegation is not true. I have known George for over 46
years and I know him never to go on a witch-hunt of anyone
as a result of personal differences or disagreements. Though
the wife of George is the Director-General of the NDLEA, he
can never attack the person of Kashamu.
“I call on Kashamu to look somewhere else in locating those
who might have been involved in his travails.”
Culled: Punch

Check out the queue for fuel at Capital Oil this morning

Last night Ifeanyi Uba's Capital Oil announced that it will
release 13 million litres of fuel. Well, Nigerians are there this
morning to get some of it. This is the fuel queue at Capital
Oil, Berger. Cars began to queue as early as 2am.

Fuel crisis worsens nation’s power problems

The current nationwide scarcity of refined petroleum products
has reached a crisis point with a litre of petrol selling for
between N200 and N600 in many parts of the country, while
diesel, household kerosene and liquefied natural gas have also
become elusive.
Also, with power generation dropping to an all-time low of
1,327 megawatts, most Nigerian households are now living
without electricity as they have also run out of fuel to power
their generators.
Even before the dip in power generation, most Nigerian
households have been relying on generators as the main
source of their power supply while using the public power
supply as a backup. However, the fuel shortages which
started over a week ago, have made it impossible for
households to even get fuel to power their generators.
Although, daily fuel consumption nationwide is about 40
million litres per day, it is estimated that a sizeable proportion
of the demand goes into fuelling of generators.
“It is now impossible for me to get a four-litre fuel to run my
small generator,” a man who was in the queue in one of the
filling stations, told one of our correspondents on Sunday.
Also, a resident of one of the upscale estates in Magodo, who
identified himself as John Adebayo, told one of our
correspondents that he had been unable to run his generator
for three days because he could not get diesel to buy.
“I have money to buy diesel but it is just not available
anywhere. I can’t even pump water, it is really pathetic,”he
lamented.
Already, the situation has started affecting companies with
some firms like MTN and Airtel saying that they could not get
diesel to run generators at base stations.
Unless urgent steps are taken by the Federal Government and
all concerned stakeholders, many citizens will find it difficult
to get to their various places of work and business as from
today (Monday) due to the crippling scarcity of refined
petroleum products occasioned by the refusal of marketers to
import them and a strike by tanker drivers.
Our correspondents reported on Sunday that petrol had dried
up in almost all the filling stations nationwide, while black
marketers capitalised on the prevailing scarcity by selling the
product in jerry cans for between N200 and N600 per litre in
places like Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Kaduna and Oyo states, as well
as the Federal Capital Territory.
The situation affected vehicular movements in many parts of
Lagos and Ogun states on Sunday, with attendance at
religious centres unusually low, while commercial transport
operators raised their fares by over 300 per cent.
All the filling stations owned by major oil marketers visited by
our correspondents were under lock and key. Majority of the
independent petroleum products marketers were also not
selling petrol on Sunday.
The very few independent marketers with petrol were selling
the product for between N150 and N400 per litre, while black
market dealers were selling for between N500 and N600 per
litre in some of the stations visited.
A motorist plying the Berger-Mowe route traversing Lagos and
Ogun states, who simply identified himself as Ola, expressed
disappointment with the slow response of the government to
the problem, adding that with the situation on the ground,
workers would have to part with a lot of money to get to their
offices on Monday (today).
A commercial transport operator in Ikorodu, Lagos, told one of
our correspondents that he bought 30 litres of petrol for
N12,000 instead of N2,610 at the regulated price of N87 per
litre.
It was gathered that virtually all the filling stations in Osun
State had run out of petrol as of Sunday, thereby forcing the
residents to stay indoors.
A major petroleum products’ marketer told one of our
correspondents that the Federal Government had refused to
meet them to resolve the lingering issues surrounding the
payment of the subsidy arrears owed the marketers.
The marketer, who pleaded anonymity, said since the last
meeting they had with the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, on May 4, nothing had changed.
The Executive Secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of
Nigeria, Mr. Thomas Olawore, said though the marketers had
reached out to the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, on
the lingering fuel supply problems, they had yet to get a
positive response.
He confirmed that the marketers were not importing petrol at
the moment, because they did not have the wherewithal to do
so.
The spokesperson for the Department of Petroleum Resources,
Mr. Saidu Muhammed, said the product scarcity was primarily
due to the ongoing workers’ strike in the NNPC.
He said, “Products are not coming out from the depots and
there’s virtually nothing anybody can do for now. But
hopefully, when they resolve the strike, things may become
normal.
“The strike by the NNPC workers is affecting all the depots.
And until the strike is called off, there will be no loading.
There is no loading in almost all the depots across the
country and so products are not coming out.”
Meanwhile, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry has
noted with concern the current energy crisis facing the
country, which it describes as unprecedented.
In a statement signed by its President, Alhaji Remi Bello, the
LCCI called on President Goodluck Johnathan to bring a halt
to the imminent collapse of economic and social life in the
country.
Bello said, “There should be an immediate engagement of
stakeholders in the petroleum industry to discuss the
outstanding issues of indebtedness and related labour matters
in the interest of the economy and the citizens. The situation
should not be allowed to degenerate any further.
“The Lagos Chamber urges the incoming administration to
immediately deregulate the oil and gas downstream sector on
assumption of office in order to provide an enduring solution
to the recurring problem of petroleum products’ scarcity,
corruption inherent in the subsidy regime, the collapse of
refineries, lack of investment in the downstream sector, loss of
jobs and so on.
“Options available to the incoming administration in this
matter are very limited. The current regime of subsidy and
government’s direct involvement in the operations of oil and
gas sector should be discontinued. Government needs to get
out of the way, so that the sector and the economy as a
whole can make progress. This will pave the way for the
restoration of normalcy in the sector and attract private
capital, boost investments and create jobs.”
Similarly, a Global System of Mobile communications provider,
Airtel Networks Limited, said in a statement that its
commitments to delivering best-in-class quality of service and
seamless telephony experience to all Nigerians was being
affected by its inability to procure diesel for its base stations.
The company stated, “While we are currently doing everything
within our means as well as going the extra mile to ensure
that all our base stations and switches are up and running, it
is sad to note that it is becoming increasingly difficult to
replenish current stock of diesel due to the lingering scarcity
of the product.
“We are also concerned that, if the situation persists, it may
have adverse effects on our network, impacting both voice and
data services.”
MTN Nigeria had issued a similar statement on Saturday.
A faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress led by Mr. Joe
Ajaero said on Sunday in Kaduna that the current fuel scarcity
across the country was a war against Nigerians.
It, therefore, warned that should the scarcity persist,
organised labour would have no choice than to embark on an
indefinite strike.
This was contained in a statement by the factional Deputy
President of the NLC, Alhaji Issa Aremu, which was made
available to newsmen in Kaduna on Sunday.
Culled: Punch

GTB to close all their branches at 1pm due to fuel scarcity

They shared the info on their social media pages. This is
getting serious!

Oby Ezekwesili, BBOG replies Gen Olukolade, debunks claim of engaging in hate campaign against military

Former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili and other key
members of the Bring Back Our Girls Group have responded to
the letter by Defence Spokesperson, Gen Chris Olukolade in
which he accused them of engaging in hate campaign against
him and the military.
In its response dated May 19th, the group stressed that it was
only demanding the military to find the missing Chibok girls
and is in no way engaging in any hate campaign against
them. The group stated that no single individual determines
the direction of the group as their decisions is based on a
collective ideology. The letter reads in part...see it after the
cut...
"We acknowledge receipt of your correspondence dated
14 May 2015 and noted your concerns about our
advocacy movement #BringBackOurGirls which has
since April 30, 2014 been advocating for rescue of the
219 #ChibokGirls abducted 400 days ago at their
school on April 14, 2014. We especially noted the
following four key messages in your letter to our
Movement. We wish to respond to the four key issues
raised in your letter as follows: Our #BringBackOurGirls
movement is a Citizens- led movement with open
membership of all citizens who choose to identify with
the cause of our 219 #ChibokGirls. No one individual
or group of persons within the Movement can
determine the direction or position of our Movement on
the issues we advocate.
This is because, the basis of all our decisions is
Collectivism. Moreover, both our Movement and our
members are guided by a set of Core Values of Hope,
Unity, Motivation, Affability, Nationalism, Integrity,
Transparency, Empathy, Equity, Discipline and Sacrifice
(HUMANITEEDS) in our advocacy. In our public and
private communication, we are also guided by our rule
of highest respect for adherence to the sanctity of facts
or empirical evidence rather than anecdotes. Our
communications- statements, briefs, member
representations – all pass through one of the strongest
internal quality control process to ensure accuracy in
our messages.
Therefore, we wish to strongly assure you that
#BringBackOurGirls has never and will never be
susceptible to the kind of influence of any one or group
of individual(s) engaging in a “hate campaign against
you or our military”. Such act would contradict our
Core Values and our strictly empirical advocacy for the
Government and military to deliver on their duty. Thus,
our singularity of purpose remains the rescue of our
#ChibokGirls and all other abducted victims of the
North East terrorist scourge. We shall continue to be
civil and professional in our advocacy as we have
widely been acclaimed to be since it commenced more
than a year ago.
As a Citizens’ movement, #BringBackOurGirls is a
demand for accountability from especially our Federal
Government which has the constitutional duty for
security of all citizens. In shaping our demand, we rely
on publicly available news from your Directorate as
well as all known credible media platforms. In
furtherance of our civic duty to be eternally vigilant we
launched our Accountability Tools for rigorously
monitoring, organizing and analyzing all news reports
on the counter insurgency war in order to draw out key
issues on which we could engage as citizens with our
Government to help improve the prospects of success
of the military efforts.
As earlier stated be reassured that all our statements
and posts on social media conveying the results of our
Monitoring/Accountability Initiatives have to undergo
stringent quality control processes. It is after these
that they are released with utmost sense of
responsibility and a readiness to defend our position
with evidence. We therefore stand by all our analyses
and assessments as conveyed in our statements. This
explains why, so far, we have never had to recant,
deny, or apologize for any statements we have made in
the more than one year of our advocacy. Nevertheless,
we are open to receiving any specific instances or
episodes of factual inaccuracy resulting from our
monitoring, analysis, assessment, questions, scrutiny
and statements.
We also recall our meeting of the 6th May 2014 with
you and the Chief of Defense Staff team at the Defense
Head Quarters. We had at that meeting agreed that the
military will act in ways consistent with civil-military
relations and democratic accountability by hosting us
to a regular meetings to discuss the progress of your
rescue mission for our girls and more broadly, the
prosecution of the counter-insurgency war. It is
regrettable that subsequently following that agreement,
none of such meetings ever happened again and that
instead, our attempt to participate in your National
Information Center briefings was frustrated and then
prohibited.”the letter read

Buhari must start his administration by jailing thieves – Kokori

Human rights activist, Chief Frank Kokori, says the President-
elect, Muhammadu Buhari, should start his administration by
prosecuting and jailing looters as soon as he's sworn in on
May 29.
Kokori, who is a former General Secretary of the National
Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, said this on
Thursday.
The activist said by immediately prosecuting looters,
Nigerians would have an idea of what the Buhari
administration stands for and change would gradually set in.
He said,
“You cannot change everything in four years but when
Nigerians start seeing little changes in three to six
months and then in one year and you see people being
prosecuted and jailed for stealing public funds, and the
government ensures that all the funds that were taken
overseas are recovered, there is no way the needed
change will not come.
“Why should Nigeria have up to $250bn in stolen funds
abroad and only $35bn in our foreign reserves? The
international community is aware of this and the
incoming government is not foolish. Anybody that
thinks he has stolen and will go scot free must be
deceiving himself because if any thief goes scot free,
then the All Progressives Congress-led government is
not serious.
“So, the APC government must make sure that
Nigerians that stole money are prosecuted and jailed
while the money should be retrieved. Nobody should
run a government by saying you will forget the past,
no. The way Nigeria is today, people must be punished
for the pains they have subjected Nigerians to.”

Magazine cover of a model mom breastfeeding her child that has everyone talking

Australian model mom, Nicole Trunfio brought her newborn
baby boy along for her Elle Australia shoot and a photo of her
breastfeeding him landed on the cover.
Some people think it is offensive while others think it's
magnificent because it shows the bond between mother and
child.

Osun State Civil servant tries to kill himself over unpaid salary

Mr. Ojo Owolabi, a senior civil servant in the Obokun Local
Government Area of Osun State,tried to kill himself by drinking
a large quantity of insecticide.
It was gathered that Owolabi tried to kill himself because his
salary hadn't been paid for the last 6 months, hence was
unable to feed his family.
According to Punch, the incident which took place last
Saturday caused panic in the neighborhood when the news
spread that Owolabi had tried to commit suicide.
Owolabi, who is a sanitary officer at the council was
receiving treatment at a hospital.
A source close to Owolabi said he became frustrated because
he couldn't take care of his family.
The source said: Baba Ibeji (Owolabi) drank herbicide.
He was frustrated because he has been unable to feed
himself and other members of his family. You are
aware that the state government has not paid workers
for some months now. I think he just lost hope and
decided to take his life by drinking Gramoxone.
Members of his family rushed him to a hospital in Ile Ife,
where he was admitted.
A factional Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr.
Gambi Yusuf, said the unpaid salaries had caused the workers
untold hardship. Yusuf said:
Anybody who is not paid for six months is a walking
corpse. What do you expect him to eat? Even if the
workers can fast, won’t they break their fast? How do
you expect them to feed their children? The
government of the day should be more serious about
workers’ welfare. We are appealing to the government
to pay workers because workers deserve their wages.”
Owolabi’s wife and children could not be reached for
comment.

Fuel situation in Lagos

The fuel situation in Lagos currently is horrible. You can't
even find black market to buy. What's the government doing
about this?

Want a new phone? Trade-in your old one at Slot!

Now, you can swap your phone for a brand new one with the
Slot Trade-In. Simply walk into any of the designatedSLOT
stores, hand in your old Blackberry, iPhone, Samsung, Nokia,
HTC, Infinixor Tecno phone, pay the price difference and you
will get yourself a brand new phone.

Senate Presidency: We will not compromise merit - Tinubu

National Leader of APC, Bola Tinubu says the party will not
compromise merit as it chooses the new Senate president for
the incoming 8th National Assembly. According to Tinubu, the
party has ruled out zoning of the seat because it could
compromise the credibility and qualification of an individual.
He said for anyone to aspire to be the Senate president, such
a person must be competent and possess the character of a
leader. He said this while speaking to newsmen in Abuja
yesterday May 21st.
"Well, you have heard from the party; you have heard
from leadership. My desire is not to rock the party. I
am a disciplined party man and we will look at it
critically. However, the nation is expecting us to take a
decisive leadership decision. Merit would not be
compromised. You have to be competent; you have to
possess the character for the leadership. You have to
be PAN Nigerian and be a very solid character to lead
the National Assembly and that is what we are talking
about,’’ he said.

Adamu Mu'azu resigns as PDP Chairman

The embattled PDP Chairman tendered his resignation letter
this morning May 20 and his resignation is said to be with
immediate effect.
According to reports Muazu said he was tired of all the stress
he has been subjected to since the party lost the presidential
elections. Ayo Fayose and Femi Fani Kayode have called for
his resignation and that of other National Working Committee.
A PDP member confirmed Muazu's resignation on twitter and
also claimed that Jonathan has asked members of the PDP
Board of Trustees including Chief Tony Anenih to resign.

Wifi service to go live at MMIA Lagos on Monday

Minister of Aviation, Chika Chidoka took to his twitter handle
to make the announcement but didn't say if the service will be
free.

8 Silly Things Men Do During Sex That Leads To Pregnancy [ADULT ONLY]

I will not blame the female folk today until next
time. Guys are going to get the heat for this one.
Here are 8 times men get silly during S3x and
produce an offspring.
1. “I Pull Out Before I Shoot Out’
Oshey, Lord Withdrawal! Didn’t they tell you that
your pre-cum has enough sperm from your last
self-service session to father a child? Oh okay, you pee in-
between sessions. Nice move. But you can’t
honestly tell me that there weren’t a few slip-ups in
all your pull out encounters. You and I know that
the sweetest part is when you offload all your
goods in the right warehouse. So stop applauding
yourself for staining the sheets. And just a little
reminder, someone in the bible days died because
of this type of thing.
2. ‘It’s The Woman’s Responsibility To Handle
Contraception’
This is how so many clueless men have been lied
to. She tells you she’s on the pill or that she’ll pop
some after and you believe and go in without
protection. This same babe will come back a month
later and tell you the pill(s) didn’t work. Dude, never
believe any of that nonsense a woman says before
S3x. Always have yourself locked and loaded.
3. ‘I Tear Open The Condom Package With My
Teeth’
It’s good to get the mouth, and sometimes even the
teeth involved during S3x but please, use your
fingers to tear open the condom package. Why? To
avoid poking a hole into the condom, silly. The
only hole you should be poking should be… never
mind. The wise ones understand what I’m talking
about.
4. Putting On Or Taking Off The Condom During
S3x
Okay, seriously I don’t get this part. You start having
S3x then halfway, for whatever reason, you say
‘oops! sorry, I forgot to use a condom’ and then you
put one on. Have you heard of pre-cum? Obviously
not. Google it. Then for those of you who decide
‘this condom thing is killing my vibe’ and decide to
remove it halfway, please go for quality stuff next
time or learn how to wear on a condom correctly or
just get married and stay faithful mbok.
5. ‘We Had S3x During Her Period’
First of all…eww!
Second, don’t deceive yourself.
Women have and can get pregnant during their
periods. Some medical practitioners will not agree
to this but others will. It has been found that some
women ovulate when they are menstruating, so
next time while dipping into the Red Sea, be sure
to use a life jacket. If you go releasing your little
swimmers with no protection, one of them is
bound to swim upstream and catch something
you’re not prepared for.
6. I’ve Had The Condom For Three Years
My dear brother,
I know it’s a quality brand
product and probably cost you a few hundred
naira and you’re saving it for prime V, or just
maybe you haven’t been laid in a long time; but it’s
no reason for you to leave it in your wallet until it
either expires or becomes useless. Use it when it’s
still good or throw it away.
7. ‘I Like My Condom Tight’
And so you push your p*n*s all in to fill the
condom tip. Bros, unless your p*n*s is shaped
exactly like a condom, please desist from
tightening things in there. You have to leave that
space for the spill. If you don’t, the condom will
break. I’m tempted to say it’s not ‘rocket’ science
but erm…
8. ‘We Had S3x While Standing’
First of all, buhahahahaha! For real? So, let me
understand the logic. You did it while standing and
all of the Fluid spilled to the floor and none was
left in her. Hmmm… In physics, following the law
of gravity, it makes sense. But not in biology,
which may have a law somewhere that states ‘what
goes in, stays in’. You should know that the v*g’i’na
is one place that may not have a door but has a
way of keeping things in. Be Warned!
Basically, just don’t be silly during S3x. Protect
yourself and your woman. Use a condom.

Keri Hilson's boyfriend accidently puts his eggplant on display while taking a selfie with students

Congolese-Spanish basketball player Serge Ibaka who is
currently dating singer Keri Hilson visited students at at the
Comanche School District in Oklahoma recently where he gave
an inspirational speech and took a selfie with the students.
The photo above is what the school released from Serge's
time with the students...they cut off the selfie and you can't
blame them - because the full photo odikwa dangerous.

Check out the new ink on Wizkid's arms

Wizkid who has always professed his love for Fela Anikulapo
Kuti's music went further to show his love for the legend by
tattooing the Ebami Eda on one of his forearms and tattoed a
Lion on his other forearm.

Emmanuel Adebayor comes for his older brother in new FB post

Emmanuel Adebayor needs to stop this, or he'll mess his
family up. The footballer shared another epistle on his
Facebook page this morning detailing how his elder brother
Kola (pictured with him above) messed up the opportunity of
becoming a recognized footballer in Germany and how he tried
to help him become something in life to no avail. He also
wrote that his family members have started writing letters to
his football club and radio stations. Read what he wrote
below...
If I decide to bring out the Part 3 today, it is because
my brother @Kola Adebayor and my other siblings have
decided to talk about our family issues on social
medias, through letters to my club, radios…I could
write an autobiography and sell it but I decided to
share with you here.
25 years ago, my big older brother Kola went to
Germany and he became the hope of our family. We all
thought he could change the way we were living. Years
after he left Togo, we still had no electricity and no
phones. If he wanted to talk to us, he would call the
Atlantic Hotel that was very close to our house. We
would then run to the hotel reception and talk to him.
When I got the opportunity to go play football in France for
the first time, we needed money to for the flight tickets and
other expenses. My brother was nowhere to be found. Only
God knows what he was doing in Germany.
When I arrived in France, I did all the paperwork with my team
and they allowed me to stay in the academy. A few months
later, my brother wanted to come visit me. I was running out
of money and I was living at the academy. Therefore, I had to
borrow money so I could pay for his hotel. At that time, my
teammate Sega N’diaye from Cameroon was kind enough to
lend me some money. I also had to borrow some more money
because I had to give my brother some money for his trip
back to Germany. Keep in mind he is my older brother.
A couple years later, things started to get better. Thank God, I
signed a contract with Metz. Since then, my brother would
contact me whenever it was time to pay his bills. Sometimes,
he would say his son is sick… I had to get used to all this.
Again, I was lucky enough to get an offer from Monaco and I
signed for the football club. One day, Kola and the late Peter
Adebayor came to visit me in Monaco. My two brothers did
not let me know they were coming. Someone said “blood is
thicker than water” so I took them in. They arrived early in the
morning and I was on my way to training. When I came back
home, we had a discussion and they wanted to start a car
business. Obviously, it involves a lot of money. I told them
that I could help them out as soon as I get paid next.
At that time, Thierry Mangwa was staying in my apartment
because he was struggling with some personal issues and
needed a place to stay. One day, I came back from training
and he was crying. He never told me why. My brothers could
also not explain. Another day, one of my friends Padjoe came
to visit me and as he was leaving the house, I believe I
offered him about €500. My brother Kola noticed that and was
very upset. He was trying to understand why I gave my friend
some money right away but not him. My reason was very
simple; the money he (Kola) needed was a huge amount of
money that I did not carry in my house. We went on and had
an argument about it.
Another day, after training…I was very tired and decided to go
take a nap. I woke up and a knife was held to my throat. As I
opened my eyes, both of my brothers were there. They were
shouting and they claimed that I was wasting their time. Peter
was going mad and Kola was supporting. I asked them: “Is
this the only way to solve this issue? I yes, then kill me and
take the money”. It’s only at that moment that he put the
knife down. After all this, I found a way out of my own
apartment and I called my parents. My mom suggested that I
call the police. That was the only way for me to get back into
my house safely… I had training the next day, by the way. So
I did what my mom said. Police came and they settled down.
Again, “blood is thicker than water”, so I let it go. A few days
after, Peter went to visit one of Kola’s friends in Paris. That
means I was left in the house with Kola; for my own safety, I
found a way to get him the money as soon as I could. Only
God knows how much I gave him that day.
A few months after all this, I went back to Togo and I was
surprised when my mom started to ask me why I called the
police on my brothers, she continued and said I am the bad
person in the family. That is another story I will leave for
later…
Every time I went back home, everyone kept asking me why
my brother never visited after all these years. Immediately, I
organized a flight for him and he came back to visit the
family, at my own expenses.
On April 22nd 2005, we received some bad news. I received a
call and they announced that my father passed away. I was
devastated. I called my big brother and told him that we all
have to be there. Again I made sure there was a flight ticket
ready for him. We all went back home and I took care of
everything. A long time before my dad died, he was in the
hospital one day and he asked me to make sure his funeral is
not a moment of sadness. He wanted us to celebrate his life.
I leave it to God to decide if the funeral I organized for my dad
was what he wanted. The man who calls himself the “big
man” in the family did not contribute to anything. But he still
has the boldness to say I do not take care of this family.
In 2006, I had another big opportunity to go play for Arsenal.
Since then, my brother has started to come up with series of
false accusations against me.
On July 22nd, 2013 sad news hit us in the family. My brother
Peter Adebayor passed away. His death was sad and I was
affected by it. One thing I find difficult to swallow today is
that Kola was accusing me of Peter’s death. He is saying that
the shop I opened for Peter was not good enough. He kept
texting saying that my career would be destroyed. I did
everything for Peter when he was alive, I brought him to Metz,
and Monaco with me. What can Kola say that he has done for
Peter? Nothing. The man did not even show up at the funeral
even after all the money I sent for the trip back home.
He is saying that I also made my mom suffer, but he forgot
that when he was in Germany, at some point I was the one
always by my mom’s side. As soon as I started to make a
living with football, I did everything you could imagine for our
mom. That is normal. But my brother is never satisfied. He
said I bought a shitty car for my mom.
Why can’t he buy a better one? All I want from him is to take
his responsibilities. Since I am not doing it right, he should
show the example as a big brother. He has been in Germany
for more than 20 years, but he never brought our mother there
to visit. Even to go back home for a visit is another struggle.
All he keeps saying is that my father said I should build a
house for each one of them. I don’t think my father said that.
Does that even make sense for him or anyone? As a big
brother, he is supposed to be doing all that I am doing for the
family. He should stop hiding and take his responsibilities.
When he came to Europe, he was young enough to become a
football player too. Anyways, some people are drivers here but
they are able to take care of their families. They even bring
their parents and other family members. Why has he not done
anything like that but he keeps talking? As a matter fact, he
should at least bring Rotimi, Bidemi or his own son Aziz here
before talking about “taking care of the family”. Actions are
louder than speeches.
A lot of people are saying that I never went to school, but
they forget that it is because we could not afford it. I never
blamed my parents for that. But thank God, today I am able
to speak more than 3 languages and I can send my daughter
to school. I am proud of that. People can accuse me for not
going to school, but in the end it is all about who you become
and what you teach yourself. It is also about what life
teaches you and what you learn from it.
Many times I wanted to give up. Ask my sister Iyabo Adebayor
how many times I have called and was ready to commit
suicide? I kept these stories for years… But If I die, no one
would know my story, no one would learn from it… Some
people say I should keep these stories private, but someone
has to sacrifice himself; someone has to talk about it. I know
people would relate to my story and others would learn from
it. For every one who knows me, I’d do anything for my
country and my people.
Final message from the younger brother to the older brother:
Quit Smoking and Quit Drinking. That was my story.

Man who slumped while jogging in Lagos yesterday has died

Remember the man who slumped while jugging along
Stepping Stone bus stop in Satellite town Lagos yesterday
morning? (read here ). The man has died. A close family friend
said the man, who has been identified as Sunny Enebong,
died yesterday. He probably suffered a heart attack but didn't
get help in time because instead of calling an ambulance,
passersby surrounded him and was just staring at him.

Maheeda completely topless innew photos

Maheeda at it again. I'm sure many of you are tired of seeing
her body parts. But if you're not, peep it

Game of Thrones comes to Nigeria

Game of Thrones, the global phenomenon that has become
arguably the biggest show on TV comes to Nigeria for the first
time, exclusively on DStv. From Monday 18th May to Friday
19th June at 10pm daily, DStv will broadcast every episode
from all five seasons in crystal clear HD.
That means fans and newcomers alike can get to experience
all the twists, turns and heartbreak that has made the show
so popular!
Watch 2 episodes back to back on Mnet Edge Chanel 113, the
home of HBO in Africa. Plus, if you own the DStvExplora
Decoder, you can programme it to record every episode for
later viewing at your convenience!
Also log on to www.dstv.com for more information, and
ensure that you activate parental control to restrict viewing as
this series is not for persons under the age of 18.

What do y'all think about the lady who bared her boobs at Cultural day?

A student of Rivers State University of Science and
Technology this past Saturday bared her bare boobs during
the school's Cultural Day. The pic went viral on Saturday and
till today, people are still talking about it. Many think she
went too far. But if you're depicting a culture, shouldn't you
go all the way? Thoughts?

J.Lo caught using her phone during Mariah Carey's performance at the BMA

Jennifer Lopez who has repeatedly denied having any beef
with Mariah Carey seemed more interested on texting and
scrolling through her phone than watch Mariah Carey's
performance at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday night.
A video clip caught her using her phone while Carey sang
"Infinity,".

Northern govs elect Shettima as new chairman

The governors of the 19 northern states under the aegis of the
Northern Governors’ Forum, on Monday, elected the Borno
State Governor, Kashim Shettima, as the group’s new
chairman.
Shettima replaces the outgoing Governor of Niger State, Aliyu
Babangida, whose tenure ends this month.
The Kano State governor-elect, Abdullahi Ganduje, also
emerged as the vice chairman of the forum.
This decision was reached at the end of a meeting of the
Northern Governors’ Forum held at the Niger State Governor’s
Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.
The forum also agreed to intervene in the lingering crisis in
the Nigerian Governors’ Forum by uniting the Governor Rotimi
Amaechi-led NGF and the one led by Plateau State Governor,
Jonah Jang.
Speaking after the closed door meeting, Aliyu said the
northern governors were determined to mediate in order to
unite governors across party lines for the development of the
nation.
Aliyu said, “The goal is to mediate and unite the Nigerian
Governors’ Forum that has been fragmented in the past few
years.”
He explained that the northern governors resolved among
other things, to address the Boko Haram insurgency in the
North, tackle the problems of poverty, marginalisation and
unemployment.
Aliyu also disclosed that the forum was also working with the
office of the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, to revive some
companies in the North.
In his acceptance speech, Shettima assured northerners that
under his leadership, the governors would unite against the
war against the Boko Haram sect.
He also promised to work together with his colleagues
irrespective of religious, ethnic or political affiliation, to
confront the challenges confronting the North.
Those who attended the meeting include Governors Ibrahim
Dakwambo, Gombe; Bala Ngilari, Adamawa; Muktar Yero,
Kaduna; Aliyu Babangida, Niger; Gabriel Suswam, Benue;
Ahmed Abdulfatah, Kwara; Shettim a, Borno; Abdul’aziz Yari,
Zamfara; and Isa Yuguda, Bauchi.
The governors-elect of Kano and Kogi states also attended
the meeting.
The new leadership is to be inaugurated either in June or
July, with all former governors of northern extraction expected
to be in attendance.

Woman recounts how B’Haram prepares girls for bombing missions

One of the women freed by soldiers from Boko Haram’s
captivity, Meriam, 36, has narrated how the sect fighters
trained and prepared girls and women for suicide missions.
Meriam, who had just arrived at one of the internally
displaced persons’ camp in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital
from Gwoza, revealed this to the New York Times.
She narrated how she was imprisoned with dozens of other
women including some who were being trained as suicide
bombers.
According to her, the suicide bomber after being brainwashed,
will be assured of Allah’s forgiveness after death.
“The Boko Haram would recite the prayer for the dead,”
Meriam said. “Then they would put on the hijab,” covering the
suicide belt.
After they had prepared, “They said, ‘God will forgive us,’” she
said. “Then, they would enter the vehicles, and they would
send the women away.”
Meriam said she had seen a few of the Chibok village girls at
the hospital in Gwoza, and said that the Boko Haram
appeared to give them a special status.
The New York Times also reported that hundreds of women
and girls captured by Boko Haram had been raped, many
repeatedly, in what officials and relief workers described as a
deliberate strategy to dominate rural residents and possibly
even create a new generation of Islamist militants in the
country
In interviews, the women described being locked in houses by
the dozen, at the beck and call of fighters who forced them to
have sex, sometimes with the specific goal of impregnating
them.
“They married me,” said Hamsatu, 25, a young woman in a
black-and-purple head scarf, looking down at the ground. She
said she was four months pregnant, that the father was a
Boko Haram member and that she had been forced to have
sex with other militants who took control of her town.
“They chose the ones they wanted to marry,” added Hamsatu,
whose full name was not used to protect her identity. “If
anybody shouts, they said they would shoot them.”
Yahauwa, 30, used her green head scarf to wipe away tears
as she clutched a plastic bag full of medicine. She had just
tested positive for H.I.V.
“Is it from the people who forced me to have affairs with
them?” she asked a relief worker, tears streaming down her
face.
Later, she explained that she and many other women had
been “locked in one big room.”
“When they came, they would select the one they wanted to
sleep with,” she said. “They said, ‘If you do not marry us, we
will slaughter you.’  ”
As the women spoke, two trucks crammed with more people
arrived at the rudimentary camp guarded by watchful soldiers.
Even the local news media are kept out.
Many of the residents of the camp spend the day outside in
blazing 100-degree-plus heat here. They dare not return
home.
The humiliation of what the refugees have been through led
many of the women interviewed at the camp to deny being
abused by the militants. But relief workers here said that
when they arrived, many acknowledged that they had been
raped.
Yana, a young woman wearing sparkling golden bangles, said
the fighters had “parked” her – a word many women have
used to describe their imprisonment – with about 50 other
women in a house in Bama, Borno State’s second city, with a
population of several hundred thousand. Bama was occupied
by Boko Haram last September.
Inside the house, “If they want to have an affair with a
woman, they will just take her to a private place, so that the
others won’t see,” said Yana in a singsong voice. She could
not recall her age; a relief worker at the camp here said she
had been raped so often by Boko Haram that she was
“psychologically affected.”
Yana said the militants had forced her to have sex with them.
Her feet and stomach were swollen and the relief worker said
she was likely pregnant, though her test results had not come
back yet. Others workers here said many of the women had
signs of physical and psychological trauma from being raped
repeatedly.
Fanna, a delicate 12-year-old who had arrived at the camp
here three days before, crouched on the floor, clasping her
knees, and insisted in her thin child’s voice that Boko Haram
had not touched her.
“The sect leaders make a very conscious effort to impregnate
the women,” said the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima.
“Some of them, I was told, even pray before mating, offering
supplications for God to make the products of what they are
doing become children that will inherit their ideology.”
“It’s like they wanted to have their own siblings, to take over
from them,” added Abba Mohammed Bashir Shuwa, a senior
state official in Maiduguri.
A relief official at the camp who is working closely with the
abused women echoed that thought. “We are going to have
another set of Boko Haram,” said the official, Hadiza Waziri.
“Most of these women now, they don’t want these
pregnancies. You cannot love the child.”
The militants have openly promised to treat women as
chattel. After Boko Haram militants kidnapped nearly 300
schoolgirls from Chibok last year, the group’s leader called
them slaves and threatened to “sell them in the market.”

Kidnapping: Ekiti varsity lecturers give Fayose five-day ultimatum

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Ekiti State University
chapter, on Monday, protested against the kidnap of some of
its members .
The protest took place just as the Inspector-General of
Police, Solomon Arase, promised to dispatch a rapid
response squad to check kidnappings in the state.
But the protesting EKSU teachers, who gave a five-day
ultimatum to the state government to secure the release of
their colleagues from the kidnappers’ den , vowed to go on
an indefinite strike if their call was not heeded.
They said that five of their colleagues were kidnapped at
various locations in the state within two weeks out of which
two had been freed to go and look for N210m ransom for the
release of the others.
A lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Femi
Omisore; Folasade Alade of EKSU and Kikelomo
Adegun, wife of the former Chief Medical Director of the EKSU
Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti are those in the kidnappers’ den.
The protesting university teachers carried placards with
various inscriptions like “ASUU say no to kidnapping,”
“Kidnapping is a crime against humanity,” “ASUU demands
unconditional release of its members “ and “Ensure safety of
lives and property.”
They started the protest from the EKSU Teaching Hospital
before moving to the palace of the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti where
they were addressed by Oba Rufus Adejugbe and members of
his council.
The lecturers were led by the Chairman of the EKSU
chapter of ASUU , Olufayo Olu-Olu; the chairman OAU
chapter, Caleb Aborisade and the chairman of the Federal
University of Technology, Akure chapter, Bola Oniya.
After being addressed at the palace, they moved to the
Governor’s office where they were received by the Deputy
Governor, Kolapo Olusola.
At the governor’s office, they expressed worry that kidnappers
had been making them and health workers their targets.
The lecturers urged the government to do all within its powers
to rescue the state from sliding into anarchy.
Olu-Olu said, “This is the same way Boko Haram started in
the North. It started like a child’s play but today, a visit to
the North would show the level of callousness and damage
the sect has done to the system.
“On this premise, the government must act fast and stop this
nonsense.
“These kidnappers erroneously think our members are rich;
but they do not know that we have not received salaries in
EKSU since March, 2015. Three of our members are still being
held and they are demanding for N70m on each of them.
“Our fear is that, immediately these people realise that we are
not rich, they may decide to waste those that they are still
holding.
“We are therefore pleading with Governor (Ayodele) Fayose to
act fast because it seems the police and the DSS have no
clue to how the victims can be saved.”
The deputy governor told the protesters that Fayose had
gone to Abuja to meet Arase over the development.
He engaged them in an open prayer for the release of those
still being held by the kidnappers.
Olusola said, “It is very unfortunate that this is happening at
this critical time. This issue is not whether those that were
kidnapped were rich or poor, kidnapping is a crime to a
society. This singular act is capable of scaring away investors
from Ekiti State.
“Fayose’s government has written to the IG to intervene in
this matter. Mr. Governor himself has gone to Abuja to meet
him personally to discuss this issue.
“We appeal to you not to withdraw your services because
such may heighten the tension that had already mounted. But
all we need now is for all of us to turn ourselves into security
experts by extracting every useful information that we can
give to the security agencies to be able to arrest the
situation.”