AY survives tragic car crash

A-list comedian, Ayo Makun, popularly known as AY of the AY show was on Sunday, April 29 involved in a car crash in Abuja.


According to reports, the accident occurred between This Dome and Nitel at the central district Abuja,  involving a Peugeot  406 and Sienna.

AY was reportedly resting at the front seat in his car after a church event at Hilton Hotel, Abuja, when the auto-accident with a 406 Peugeot car occurred.

His manager has confirmed the accident stating that AY is alive and that no serious injuries occured.

CP Escapes Death As Sucide Bombers Hit Taraba State.

A round of suicide bomb attacks on Monday led to the destruction of a portion of the Taraba State Ministry of Finance in the state capital, Jalingo, and consumed valuable documents and property.
The News Agency of Nigeria quotes the spokesman for the state police command, Ibiang Mbasike, as saying that the blast affected a large part of the building and a nearby market.
The bombs exploded at about 8.45a.m when workers were resuming for work after the weekend break.
The blasts were triggered by two suicide bombers riding motorcycles and were apparently targeted at the Commissioner of Police, Taraba State Command, Mamman Sule, as he made his way to his office.
There was no information about the state of the CP but some reports said he escaped unhurt. However, three police officers and the two suspected suicide bombers were among those killed while a dozen others were injured.
One of the explosives hit the rider leading the police commissioner’s convoy.
The police headquarters in Taraba is 40 metres away from the main entrance to the finance ministry. The ministry’s premises forms part of the entrance into the building leading to the police commissioner’s office.
“The Police Commissioner usually has to go through the Ministry of Finance to enter his office.
“He was passing by that usual route when the explosives were thrown. So the Police Commissioner’s convoy was clearly the target,” a top police source, who preferred anonymity, told NAN.

Genevieve Nnaji to Star in a Movie Adaption of Chimamanda Adichie’s Best Selling Novel “Half Of A Yellow Sun”

 

By Damilare Aiki 
 
Acclaimed Nigerian actress Genevieve Nnaji announced today that she has secured a role in the film adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie‘s best selling Novel “Half of A Yellow Sun“.

The star actress who was named one of Forbes “Most Powerful African Celebrities” joins the star-studded cast of Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anika Noni Rose and Thandie Newton in the highly anticipated movie. Genny will play the role of Ms Adebayo, another professor who develops a flirtatious relationship with her colleague Mr Odenigbo, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor.

The movie will be produced by Andrea Calderwood, the BAFTA winning producer of The Last King of Scotland and Gail Egan whose The Constant Gardener drew Oscar claim. Nigerian playwright Biyi Bandele, who has had a number of successful features on the London stage, including his adaptation of seminal post-colonial novel “Things Fall Apart” is making his directorial debut with this project.

This Day Bombing: Kaduna Office Bomber Arrested

The suspected Boko Haram member who drove a bomb-laden car into the Kaduna office of Thisday today was arrested by vigilant bystanders, before he could flee the scene.

It was gathered that after the suspected bomber parked a Honda Civic car in the newspaper’s compound located at Ahmadu Bello Way, by Kontagora, Kaduna, he quickly came out of the car and tried to get away from the area. But some youths ran after him and asked him why he left his car there when he does not have an office in the building.

News feeds coming in reveal that as they were beating him and dragging him towards the main road, he kept warning them that the car would explode. Suddenly the car exploded, killing 3 persons in its immediate vicinity.

The suspect who was wearing a blue kaftan and reportedly spoke impeccable English was handed over to soldiers and policemen who drove him to the police headquarters in Kaduna.

When the car was searched two gas cylinders were found in its booth. As at the time of going to press, the man whose identity had not been released was still being interrogated.

The state Police Commissioner is expected to brief the press anytime from now on their findings. (PM News)

10 DEAD AS BOMB ROCKS "THIS DAY" PAPERS OFFICES

By Olusesan Ogunyooye.

About ten lives have been lost in Kaduna This Day News Paper office and another 3 in, including a lone car bomber, and several others injured as a suicide bomber drove into This Day News Paper Office, Jabi, Abuja and Kaduna. 

The attack happened in Jabi/Utako area directly opposite the Jabi Motor park. Eyewitnesses said a huge explosion shook neighboring building.

According to former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and member of the editorial board of the paper, Malla Nasir El-Rufai, on his Twitter page, "most of the dead would be those packing and transporting newspapers & those leaving after the overnight shift. May their sous rest in peace".

He added that This Day has got a phone warning in January based on their reports on the Boko Haram activities.

.... Story Developing....

KNOW YOUR STATUS: 13 MOST USELESS GRADUATE COURSES/CERTIFCATES

Unemployment is a major defining factor of Nigeria's skewed economy. But a recent revelation shows that some certificates are 'useless', thus reducing their employment potentials and earnings. Another argument to the 'uselessness'; of these graduate certificates is that almost anybody can function in their place with formal education. For example, their are loads of people who are gifted to write without a course in English Language or Journalism. Also, Dr. Sid, a Nigerian Dentist-musician has proved that a certificate in music might just be a waste of time; not to talk of others like, D'Banj, 2face, etc, with little or no education.However, Fela, Asa, Beautiful Nubia's music art might knock out these...

Beyond these, even when the courses/certificates are relevant, what is the percentage needed? How much edge can carriers of the certificates cut with employers? A host of other certificates are listed in this new research. Does and can these relate to Nigeria? 

Take a voyage and share your views please!     

Bomb Blast at Football Viewing Center in Jos

As football faithfuls all over celebrate the victory of Chelsea FC  and sulk in the defeat of Barcelona FC, tragedy seem to have struck at a viewing center in Jos, reported Saharareporters:

A bomb explosion has rocked the Tundun Wada area of the central city of Jos on Tuesday night, reports said. According to breaking news reports published online, the explosion had hit in a football viewing center in the city.

Eyewitness in the area confirmed the attack in the area, which is said to be prone to frequent attacks by Islamic militant sect, Boko Haram. It is unclear the extent of the damage caused by the attack. There were no casualties recorded at the time of filing this report.

There was a similar explosion in Yobe state on Saturday, targeting a viewing center where football fans had gathered to watch a match.

Naija Gurls No Go Kill Us ooo. Can this be real?lol

What will Naija girls not do to look beautiful. I can only tell guys to beware...

Exposed: Oil Marketers Milking Nigerians' Common Wealth.

The under-listed are part of the companies indicted by the House of Representatives committee probing the misappropriation of the Petroleum Subsidy Fund and have been required by the House to refund  N8,664,352,554.00.

IBAFON OIL
Ibafon Oil Limited is a private Limited Liability company incorporated in Nigeria on 10th of March 1998, and commenced business in 1999. Area of core competence over the years has been construction & leasing of tanks.

IBAFON OIL LIMITED presently runs 31 million litre capacity Tank Farm at Ibru Jetty Complex, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria for the storage and marketing of select petroleum products. It operates service stations in Ibadan, Oyo State and in Kaduna.

Aquitane
Aquitane Oil and Gas Limited was incorporated in April 2005 as a direct response to the emerging trends in the dynamic Oil and Gas industry of the West African sub region. Though a relatively new operating entity, the company is itself an amalgamation of individuals with industry competencies that cut across the various segments of the energy sector.
The company has been able to enter into major products trading transactions with market leaders like Addax, WABECO, Global Fleet, Sahara Energy and Zenon, quickly surpassing all industry benchmarks over a 12 month period.

Politicians have failed to resolve conflicts – Adeboye

General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, on Sunday said world leaders had failed in their quest to restore global peace and resolve conflicts.

Adeboye made the statement when he was hosted to a day of tributes,  tagged ‘This Is Your Life’, by interfaith groups from Israel, Korea, Indonesia, Austria, the United Kingdom, United States and Nigeria to mark his 70th birthday anniversary in London.

“It is clear that politicians have failed to solve the problems of conflict and violence all over the world.

“You kill a terrorist today; a dozen others are rising up to take his place,’’  the News Agency of Nigeria  quotes Adeboye as saying.

FG Slams BUARI; Revolution will consume you, CPC

The Federal Government yesterday told former Head of State, Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), that any revolution in the country would consume him and his party, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).
Speaking through Information Minister Labaran Maku, the government said the revolution would wipe out the CPC and its men, not the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains.

Gen. Buhari, who was the CPC presidential candidate in last year’s elections, while speaking in Kaduna at the weekend, expressed indignation over the unsavoury state of affairs in the country.
He cautioned that if the ruling PDP did not wake up to the challenges of governance, it would be consumed by the peoples’ revolution.

“If there is no social justice, there will be revolution one way or the other. The PDP doesn’t believe in real democracy and I hope they are strong enough to go through the consequencies of their injustice… People are dying in twos, while others are syndicates of thieves, with people stealing and keeping money in their houses up to the tune of N2billion. By 2015, whoever steals public funds has automatically sentenced himself to death,’’ Buhari said at the launch of a poverty alleviation programme’’.

LEKKI JAKANDE ESTATE: A Dying Legacy or Living Archetype?

State of majority of the buildings in the estate: Photo by Olusesan Ogunyooye

When Governor Lateef Jakande proposed and delivered about 20,000 units of low cost housing estates in 1980/82, little did he know that; one, there shall be none of its kind in the country 30 years after; and two, that his legacy can be murdered, at least, during his life time. 

One of those estates is the Lekki Jakande Estate. Olusesan Ogunyooye  Writes

A foot path ‘decorated’ by abandoned vehicles; jarring noise of grinding machines greets passersby; and popular hip hop music oozing from a rickety Ken Wood speaker animates the market by the road side. Heaps of refuse contest for attention from the very dirty, dilapidated high-rise, buildings mostly with brown rusted roofs. This sight ‘disfigures’ the aesthetics of the coveted, high-brow Estates that lace the controversial Lekki Toll Road. Welcome to Lekki Jakande Estate, where residents live in squalor!

As I wonder how to sail the messy, blackish, stagnant water that carpets the foot path, two women just walk past – straight into the water.  One of them even has a baby strapped to her back.  As I kept hanging to the only piece of dry land under my feet, one concerned shop keeper urges me to ‘enter inside the water.  Just remove your shoes, don’t worry, you would not fall down’.

REDAN GETS LICENSE TO OPERATE OWN MORTGAGE BANK.

Chief Bode Afolayan, President of REDAN

By: Olusesan Ogunyooye.

In its quest to boast real estate development and save its member from the bureaucracy of Primary Mortgage Institutions (PMIs), the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) has disclosed that it has secured license from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to operate its own mortgage bank, which will begin operations within the next ninety days. This was disclosed last week by the association’s President, Chief Olabode Afolayan, in Lagos.

According to Chief Afolayan, the move became necessary because of the bureaucracy of PMIs in making funds available to its members. He said “this is designed as an exit strategy for developers who are many a times held hostage by the PMIs”. “We feel we have the funds so we approached the CBN in December 2011, and I am happy to inform you that we secured the license and we will commence operations in ninety days time”. 

FOI: Okonjo-Iweala Under Fire Over Lavish Expenditure On Funeral of Father-In-Law

By SaharaReporters, New York

 

Exactly how much did the Federal Ministry of Finance spend on last month’s lavish funeral of Rev. Dr. Warigbo Esonu Iweala, the father-in-law of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for Economy?

How many members of staff of the Ministry were sponsored by the Ministry to attend the ceremony in Umuda Isingwu in Umuahia North, Abia State, including detailed information on the purchase of air tickets for the entourage of the Minister, other staff of the Ministry and its parastatals, as well as hotel accommodation for staff of the Ministry who attended the burial?

D'banj's explosive new interview: Opens up on feud with Don Jazzy

Written by Ayeni Adekunle of Thenetng.com  

‘There’s an important person in that building, right?’ the cab driver asked. ‘Important musician?’

I nodded, too tired to let any curious driver drag me into a conversation.

He got the message and left me alone the entire drive from Canary Wharf to the London Marriot Hotel, in Grosvenor Square.

Then, as I got down to get my suitcase from the trunk, he gave me a knowing look, smiled, and said ‘are you the musician?’

‘Of course not’, I said to him, smiling this time. ‘The musician is in Canary Wharf, his name is D’banj’.

Silence. Confused look.

‘D’banj?’

Yes, D’banj. He’s big in Africa. You know ‘Oliver Twist?’

Silence again, then as his final ‘no’ came, I said ‘Google him.’

It was 4am on Saturday, April 21. I arrived in London eight hours earlier, and had spent almost all of that time chatting with D’banj, in his first interview with a Nigerian newspaper in a long time, and his first interview on the Mo’Hits brouhaha.

FUNKE AKINDELE FOR GBAGAUN AWARDS

The Nigerian association of Gbagaun(NAG)
wants to honor popular thespian actress
Funke Akindele A.k.a Jenifa with the title "best
and most creative Gbagaun of the year".This
award ll be given to her for her creative use
of grammar in her award winning movie
Jenifa and d sequel" The Return of Jenifa" .
In an interview with the P.R.O of the
association.He said d association is proud of
Jenifa cos she has given gbagaun a new
phase in Nigeria as even sophisticated babes
use these phrases,sentences and words often
without stress.Examples are:

Stephenie Okereke's Wedding Pictures

After all the ado, Nollywood actress finally marries her Price charming in London Yesterday. If Mr. President attended is a story for another day. Happy Marriage Life our own Steph... 

Revolution is Coming, If.... - Buari

Former Head of State and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday in Kaduna said if ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) continues with its corruption and short-changing of Nigerians, revolution will certainly occur in Nigeria.
It is only a matter of time, he warned.

N15m Scam Still Rocks Jim Iyke. Mobbed in Cameroun, Goes Tough on Fans!

Do you remember the N15 million Naira share scam rocking “bad boy” Jim Iyke? Report said he was also recently mobbed and hospitalized in Cameroun for undisclosed reasons.

All effort by ace Nollywood actor, James Ikechukwu Esomugha, a.k.a Jim Iyke, to stop trial over an alleged N15 million share scam rocking him has hit the brick wall as as Abuja Chief Magistrate Court has okayed him for prosecution. 

A mild drama also ensued at the court as Jim instructed his aides to seize the handset of one of the fans, and allegedly wiped the contents of his memory card in a bid to forestall the publication of his pictures within the vicinity of the court.

Magistrate Azubike Okeagu in a ruling he delivered on Tuesday, said he was satisfied that the Nigerian Police Force has successfully established a prima-facie criminal case against him.

President Jonathan Responds to Times Magazine Listing

President Goodluck Jonathan has responded to Times Magazine for naming him as the 62^nd most influential person in the world. Read his response has posted on his facebook page and comment if it is well deserved honour or not....

"My attention has been drawn to a publication in
the highly influential Time Magazine on my
inclusion in this year’s edition of ‘The 100 Most
Influential People in the World’ list.

 As the list is
compiled from votes received from the public, I
am humbled by this gesture and would want to thank all Nigerians, Africans and citizens of the
world who voted for my inclusion in the 2012 list.

WHO IS IN-CHARGE OF NIGERIA: MY Husband Or...?

By Olusesan Ogunyooye

Patience: These Boko Harams; who born them? Is it not a women? Look at how they have turned innocent children to widows?

Reuben: Your Excellency, I have warned that it is better you leave me to do all the talking instead of creating this national embarrassment. The world is laughing at us!

Patience: I warned Joe boy before he brought you into this government. I told him that your mouth is full of words and you have insulted me too much when you were a Editor-in-chief in your newspapers. But he won’t listen to me. Look, let me tell you, me is the first lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; and your wife with all are certificates is not better than the grass in my compound.

Love across ages and colour.

I think Nigerian guys are more interested in this marriages these days... isn't this like what you are thinking? For me, its Happy Marriage Life bros.

BOKO HARAM: Shall We Then Not Beg For Our Lives?

By Olusesan Ogunyooye

I hate to write that this nation is a failed state. I hate to define our democracy as “Government of the people by Boko Haram and for the people”. I hate to think our Nigeria; once “A Fuji House of Commotion, has become A Hammer House of Terror”. I hate to admit that life in this country is now brutish, nasty and short; and the only things we can all do is pick one of Ola Rotimi’s works and ask; where is the “Hope of the Living Dead”?

Yoruba says; “if your mother’s concubine is powerful than your father, you must call him daddy”. This is the ugly reality in this nation today. Therefore, if Boko Haram is bigger, ubiquitous and more determined than our government; shall we then not beg for our lives?

Today, we are like the proverbial monkey who strives not to be shamed; and once it is disgraced; it strives not to die. If we strive not to be shamed as a people, and Boko Haram has seized into the ineptitude of our government to make us dance naked in the market; shall we then beg not to die?

Real Estate Finance: Private Equity can ease Nigeria’s problem – ACTIS

For a nascent market like the Nigerian Real Estate industry, there are loads of problems punctuating the flow of development to make it compete favourably with other emerging markets. Core in these baskets of problem is finance: as finance windows such as mortgage, pension, bonds, and so on appear more as paper tigers.

In this chat with 3Invest Intelligence, Mr. Chu’di Ejekam, Director of Real Estate, Actis, opens up on the concept of Private Equity, especially in the Nigerian market.