Son of late afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti , Seun , took to the streets to protest the failure of the government in ensuring that the girls that were kidnapped are returned back to their parents amongst other things.

 
Unfortunately, according to the activist and musician, they were teargassed. Singer Waje and designer Ugonna Umero were also part of the protesters

12 Nollywood stakeholders; Ramsey Nouah, Biola Alabi, Charles Novia, Mildred Okwo, Chineze Anyaene, Ngozi Okafor, Olumide Amure, Kene Mkparu, Emeka Mba, Chioma Ude, Akin Salami, Mildred Okwo and Shaibu Husseini have joined members of the Nigerian Oscars Selection Committee (NOSC). The selection was approved by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

Committee members will pave the way for Nigerian entries to be considered for the world's most prestigious prizes for films. Each year, countries with an approved selection committee may submit one film for consideration for the Foreign Language Film Award Oscar; only 5 films are chosen from all international submissions for Academy members to cast their votes and choose a winning foreign language film.
"This is a great opportunity for Nigeria to have a voice in the international film arena", said Chineze Anyaene, filmmaker and committee chairperson.
Shuiabu Husseini, another member of the board agrees. "The Nollywood film industry needs to play globally so people begin to look towards us."

The NOSC comprises twelve outstanding professionals who have over time proved their mettle as some of the finest in the movie industry and will select one Nollywood movie each year to be submitted for the Oscars. According to Academy rules, the members will consider submissions on seven criteria, which are: story, direction, acting, cinematography, sound, music and universal theme.
Every Nollywood movie selected each year will compete with movies from eighty-five (85) other countries for the coveted Best Foreign Language Film Award. Academy members will then pick a shortlist of five foreign language pictures ahead of the awards ceremony.
The approval of NOSC represents a milestone for the nation's movie industry which has been recognized as one of the top largest movie industries globally. For years, stakeholders have been trying to further improve its standards and this represents a move in the right direction. Sooner or later, Nollywood movies will win – maybe consecutively even – the Oscar statuette for Best Foreign Language Picture.

Dillish Matthews, rumoured girlfriend of Nigerian singer, Flavour and winner of Big Brother Africa ‘ the chase’ has finally addressed the rumour on her relationship with Flavour.
While in Nigeria recently for the Mr. Nigeria contest, the Namibian beauty, said “Flavour and I are just friends. I mean he’s hot and I’m sure he thinks I’m hot, but we’re just okay with being friends. Besides, he hasn’t made any moves like that and I haven’t either. And No, I’m not expecting him to make a move. He has a girlfriend and I hear she’s a hottie.”

She further opened up on how she felt winning the prize; ” I still find it unbelievable. I mean seeing all those people who came from different countries during the opening ceremony. I still ask myself how I made it. People used to say I was too reserved and didn’t kiss or have sex but I guess if it’s your time, it’s your time. I’m still humbled by the fact that I won.”

Her take on Nigerian men “I think there’s a possibility that I’d either marry a Nigerian or a Ghanaian. There’s just something about them that I find attractive.”


On why she broke up with her fiance, Stephen “All I have to say is that not everything reported is true so don’t believe everything you read. Sometimes people make stories up so that the media can leave them alone.”

It was an unprecedented carnival sort of when the Chairman & CEO of Nepal Oil & Gas, Elder Ekeoma Ekeoma and his delightsome wife Ngozi Ekeoma hosted everyone at their first daughter's Igba Nkwu Nwanyi last weekend in Igbere, Bende LGA of Abia State.

From the Owerri Airport has you land, everyone knew something major was happening somewhere in town, there were several Toyota Hiace buses owned by the Young Shall Grow Transport company ready on ground to convey most of the guests landing from all over, just confirm you were here for the Ekeomas or the Anyasos, then you were immediately given the royal treatment, off you go in the air-conditioned buses for the 1 and half hour journey to Igbere. In preparation for the many guests coming to town the families involved had booked all the hotels & guest houses for their guests, so as you land you get taken to your place. Truth be told it was a massive event.

By the time we arrived at the expansive country home of Elder Ekeoma & Ngozi, you could  see very clearly that preparation had been done to receive a colossal number of guests. The place was superbly decorated and gift bags containing bags of rice and other gifts were already placed on each chair ready to be picked up by the guests. Because Ezinne is Chima Anyaso's niece and Kelechi the groom his friend, he  put in so much effort to make sure all things were on ground to host all his hundreds of friends and other guests that were coming to celebrate him and his family.

By like 2pm the traditional wedding ceremony began, the master of ceremony was the incredible Okey Bakassi, who was dressed like an Honourable member of the House of Assembly, in his resource control outfit, atop a beautiful pair of suede shoes, as usual he was on the top of his game, dishing out jokes and instructions with authority and great aplomb, to the delight of all.

Kelechi the groom is a very handsome guy, much to the delight of all that were at the venue, we are sure many of the single ladies at the event would have loved to have him as theirs, Ezinne also,  is young nubile beauty, who could have won a beauty contest any day, were she to have been taller. The first to arrive as tradition dictates was Kelechi and he came with many of his friends in tow, he was welcomed to the occasion by Chima Anyaso, thereafter he was received by the family. Later on the superbly gorgeous Ezinne was called out, and she came out in her tradition outfit with native beads adorning her body looking every inch like a Princess, she was in the midst of her many gorgeous friends who all wore sunflower yellow outfits, sown in very may stylish ways. They equally looking gorgeous and the bride were a delight to watch as they danced in, to Ezinne's favourite song.

Thereafter all that tradition dictated to be done was done, the sharing of kolanuts etc. Ezinne was told to go find her husband, something she went away to do with aplomb and thereafter both were joined together according to the Igbo's native law & custom. The drama and display of culture was a beauty to behold and even be a part of.

It was a gathering of the movers and shakers of the Eastern parts of Nigeria mixed with guests from many other parts, some of those we saw were the likes of the former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, billionaire mogul & owner of Ibeto Groups of Companies, Clement Ibeto, Senator Andy Uba, Professor Anya O. Anya, Senator Joy Emordi, Dr. Alex Otti MD/CEO of Diamond Bank, Kalu Idika Kalu- Former federal Minister for Finance, Charles Odunukwe, a Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe- the Chairperson of Fleet Technologies Ltd & ED of Enterprise Bank, Hon. Chinenye Ukeaje, Dimgba Igwe, Ahmad Damcida, Dada Awosika, Kunle Robert, Sir J.I.A Arumemi-Ikhide, Chairman of Arik Air, Princess Mrs. Nzeribe, Chief Kalu Ogbonna, Eze Uche I.C Dimgba, Dr. Uche Ogah, President Masters Energy Oil & Gas Ltd, Uju Ifejika and very many others.

We were on ground to cover the beautiful event for your viewing pleasure. The upcoming white wedding we hear is set for Saturday, August 9, 2014 in Lagos at the Oriental Hotel, on the Island, that is sure going to be another superlative occasion.


CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS

Ini Edo's 32nd star-studded beach party on 27th April 2014 were attended by Bryan Okwara, Monalisa Chinda, Annie Macaulay-Idibia, Moses Inwang, Emem Isong among others.

Aggrieved mothers and other indigenes of Chibok, Borno State, today in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, staged a protest to demand the immediate rescue or release of the more than 200 secondary school girls abducted by suspected Boko Haram insurgents on April 14.

The protesters, most of them members of the Kibaku Development Association, Chibok, converged at Eagle Square in Nigeria’s capital. From there, they marched to the National Assembly to submit a protest letter. The women were led into the premises of the national legislature by a group of senior female police officers.

Senators Barnabas Gemade and Helen Esuene received the protesters, telling them that the Senate was considering a motion in relation to the abducted girls. The two senators assured that the content of the Senate’s resolution would be communicated to the women later today. The senators appealed to the protesters to calm down and show restraint, pledging that everything would be done to secure the release of the girls in due course.

Some of the protesting women, who were all dressed in black, seemed unimpressed by the senators’ tepid words. A number of the women betrayed their emotion and wept profusely, a few of them rolling on the ground.


CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS

Some sources in the state have told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that some of the abducted girls had been ferried across into Chad where they were being married off for 2000 naira per girl.

Nollywood actress, Halima Abubakar is making people realize she doesn't take nonsense from any guy that tries to harass her. She has also encouraged girls to do same.

Halima said; "guys, do not try anything funny with Halima Abubakar, you may end up with a red eye or at worse bleeding nose. Ahh, Halima is serious when it comes to respecting her privacy, she may look vulnerable but don’t take that for granted because she is one tough nut when it comes to segxwally harassing her. She can head butt you. She didn’t actually say that because our Halima is not a tomboy, but she can really embarrass you. Halima doesn’t believe ladies who said they have never been harassed, what makes them a lady then?

“Halima talks about harassment from me, ‘It might come in the form of ‘toasting’. I wasn’t blocked now, while some will just tell you to your face. As a woman, you have to respect yourself and set boundaries, regardless of what people think. Some people think that sleeping with someone will give them what they’re looking for, but it doesn’t. That’s the way I see life. You are not supposed to do anything (sleep with someone).

“So what I do is, I look at the person’s face and tell him this is wrong, because I’m sure that aside from me, he will harass another person. The only easy way is to disgrace the person so that he will be shy to do that to the next person.

“My dear, I’m not here to joke, neither am I here to be rude to anybody. But you know, you meet some very rude people that don’t know how to talk. So when you meet such people, you just give it back to them. You raise your voice and embarrass them, they won’t try it again.”

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has slammed the Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Basil Ganagana, with 10 counts of allegedly defrauding the state government.

When the hearing came up for mentioning at the Delta High Court in Asaba, however, the trial Judge, Justice Mabel Omovie, adjourned the matter to May 28 when she will rule on an application by the defendant to quash the charges.

Mr. Ganagana, who was charged along with his wife, Joan Ganagana and his brother, Thaddeus Ganagana, in case no A/ICPC/1C/2014, is alleged to have used his office to confer corrupt advantage upon his relatives, contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the ICPC Act 2000.

The charge sheet perused by Gistmania shows that Mr. Ganagana allegedly nominated Thaddeus [for employment], leading to his engagement as his political aide under the name of Thaddeus Ekpo while still an employee of the Delta State Ministry of Education (Basic and Secondary), thereby receiving salaries simultaneously from both organizations.

He was also alleged to have retained his wife, Joan Amaebi Ganagana under a falsified name, “Amaebi Okoro” as his legal assistant while she was still employed by the Delta State Ministry of Justice, thereby leading to her receiving salaries simultaneously from both organizations.

The Deputy Speaker is also charged with obtaining money by means of an act constituting a felony, contrary to Section 13 and punishable under Section 68 of ICPC Act, 2000.

Our correspondent reliably learned that several invitations extended by the anti-graft agency to Mr. Ganagana were rebuffed, contrary to Section 28(1) (a) and punishable under Section 28(10) of the ICPC Act, 2000, under which he is being charged.

14 year old Endia Martin (pictured above) was killed on Monday April 28th by another 14 year old girl after they argued on Facebook about a boy. Is this what 14 year olds should be doing? Fighting over boys and killing each other? My goodness!

According to Chicago Times, the handgun used to kill Endia Martin had been brought to the scene by someone who knew the suspect and knew 'there was going to be a fight' a Chicago police officer said
"What would have been, under any other circumstance, probably a fistfight between 14-year-old girls, because they were fighting over a boy, turned into a murder. You introduce a firearm and you have a murder." The police said
Endia was walking home from school when the other girl approached, pulled the gun and opened fire around 4:30 p.m on Monday in West Garfield Boulevard, Chicago, according to police. Endia was hit in the back and killed instantly.


The 14 year old girl has been charged as a juvenile with murder, while her 24-year-old uncle and a 17-year-old boy are also facing charges. The two are being held for giving the gun to the killer.

A Magistrate Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State Capital yesterday sentenced two Akure community Chiefs,  Ayokunle Omolade and B.O Omolewa to one year imprisonment each for violating environmental laws.

The chiefs, in a separate suit no. MAK/0/27EC/2014 and MAK/0/22EC/2014 were brought to the court on three separate count charges.

The duo were arraigned following their failure to provide sanitary dustbin in their various houses, and failed to put their kitchens, toilets and bathrooms in good order.


The accused persons pleaded guilty to the charges.

However, there was a mild drama in the court room as one of the chiefs,  Omolade who looked frail, suddenly went on his knees in the witness box, weeping and begging the court for forgiveness.

While pleading, Omolade said, “Your Lordship, I know I am guilty and I am aware that no sinner will go unpunished. Kindly pardon me. I have been on the sick bed at the state specialist hospital here in Akure for some days now. I promise to make amends”.

Presiding Chief Magistrate, Olayinka Omole who read out the penalties for the chief offences from the state environmental Law book, later convicted the chief to one year

imprisonment each or to pay N36,000 and N25,000 each as options of fine.
Similarly, a 72 year-old woman Mrs. Monisola Falaye was also sentence to three months imprisonment for the same offence.


Mrs. Falaye in a suit number MA/0/21EC/2014, was accused of cooking in an unhygienic environment and also failed to provide a sanitary waste bin in her house at No 34 Ajegunle Street, Akure.

She was charged for keeping loads in the passage of her house which was contrary to the Ondo State Environmental Law of 2006 Cap 54.

The accused however pleaded guilty and prayed the court to tamper justice with mercy.

Chief Magistrate, Omole in her ruling sentenced the Septuagenarian to three months imprisonment with option of fine of N5000

Two other people, Mr. Samuel Ali of No 22 Oluwatuyi road, Akure and Mrs. Ola Olawumi of No 17 Sijuade Street, Akure also appeared before the court over the violation of environmental laws.

They were fined  N7000 each or be made to spend five months in jail for living in an unkempt environment.

Nicole Chikwe, the beautiful wife of Nigerian rap star Naeto C, debuted her baby bump at her first public outing since the announcement.

The couple who have a son together, are expecting another Lil C – no word on the sex yet.


Nicole dressed her lovely new accessory in a pale pink dress at the One Nite Live with Naeto C event on Saturday 26th April 2014 at Soul, Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos.


She accessorized with gold drop earrings and a pink clutch.



We love all this baby news…It just shows our celebs have been busy.

Billboard Magazine has named Beyoncé the highest earning black artist of all time.

Mrs Jay Z has overtaken earning records by the late King of Pop Michael Jackson as well as Prince and Janet Jackson, because of the huge success of her “Mrs Carter Show” World Tour.

For the year long tour, Bey raked in $212 million (£126 million). Over 1.8 million tickets across 126 dates were sold.

Her recent dates in Europe, from February to March spanning across 25 dates, earned her $41.1 million (£26m) alone.

Beyoncé will also be touring with Jay Z for the summer.

Following reports that popular Nigerian singer and entertainer, Terry G was involve in a public brawl in a hotel in his Iju neighbourhood in Lagos, the ‘Akpako Master’ has now come out to clear the air and also express his anger on the issue.

The music dude, who was recently unveiled as a Peace Ambassador, revealed that he was shocked that anyone would strive to taint his image at this point in his career.

He reacted to the allegations via a statement which reads;

‘Right now, I am not happy at the reports circulating on social media. Yes, I do crazy hit songs, Yes I say I am crazy, Yes I act crazy in my videos, I do all that for the money. In my saying, it’s better to be a mad man making money than a handsome nuisance. Why on earth at this point of my career will I be involved in such?

"I am not writing to convince anyone. Every lovely Nigerian is entitled to their own personal opinion. I might have a thick skin as a celebrity but I am also human. I have blood flowing in me and not engine oil. It’s only natural to feel bad when such stories are not true. Is it wrong for me to settle a misunderstanding between two parties without waking up in the morning to see such headlies and (not headlines)? Will I at this point swim at a public hotel without paying?

"My darling Nigeria bloggers, you have played a positive role in my career right from my RnB days to this day. Please, always try, not only on my behalf, but to my other colleagues to confirm any story from both parties before publishing. My energy is for entertaining my fans worldwide and not for street brawls. Life is for the living. Make the best of every moment.

"God bless Hon Peace Ambassador Terry G, God Bless my fans and God bless Nigeria. PRA!!”

Adaora Ukoh recently added another year, and she decided to mark the day with her friends and associates. She celebrated her birthday at Maddox night club. Here are the faces at the event:


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Abuja policemen reportedly released tear gas on polytechnic lecturers and students who were engaging in peaceful protests today at the National Assembly complex.

The protesters staged the event in order to urge the Nigerian government to have a dialogue about reopening Nigerian polytechnics. The lecturers have  been on a 1o-month-strike due to unmet demands.

Armed policemen allegedly fired tear gas canisters at the  protesters and used hot water hoses to disperse the crowd,

Here are some photos from the scene:

Yoruba actress Ronke Ojo popularly known as Ronke Oshodi Oke, has explained why she and her husband don't live together...despite the fact that they both live in Lagos. Ronke's husband, Anthony Gbolahan, who she married in January 2009, lives in Surulere, while Ronke lives in Ijaiye, Lagos. Explaining the arrangement, Ronke said the reason she doesn't live in Surulere with her husband is because the area is too populated. She refuted reports that they live apart because their marriage is in trouble...
"If you have a partner or spouse who is your friend, you will understand each other very well. Fine, I am a reserved person and on the other hand I am also into showbiz. So for me to manage these things, you have to be in a reserved person. For instance when you are going out or coming in, nobody knows your movement. Secondly I am friendly but I don't really like crowd. My husband likes Surulere, he is a Surulere person. I like surburbs like Abule-Egba, Ijaiye area and so on. So both of us know how to manage the situation. Continue...
Whenever I say I am going to Surulere, I just go there to catch fun, see people and things I love to see. But the fact remains even if I am in Surulere, people don't really know I am there because I don't go out. I am not an outgoing person. Most of the events you see me, its either I am invited as a Master of Ceremony or the celebrant is my friend. Anytime I don't go out and I am not on set, I go to my husband's place in Surulere and he understands me very well. All these kidnappings here and there, one needs to be very careful. When they kidnap your child and they say they need ransom, what would you do? So we know how we manage the situation. He also comes to Ijaiye where I live. That's where my mum lives" she said.
When asked if her marriage was in trouble as being speculated, she responded;
"There is nothing wrong with my marriage. That's how people are just feeling. Recently City People magazine celebrated me. I received an award. My husband was there with me. So if there was anything wrong with our union, would he be there? Things like that you can't hide them from the public. I just believe people only like fabricating issues for whatever reason or reasons best known to them" she said

You know you are truly loved when someone risks their life to save yours.

Sophie Rosser, a 23-year-old architect, died while trying to rescue her fiance, 28-year-old Oscar Silva, from a burning block of flats in East London that they lived in, which was on fire.

Rosser, who had just returned from a party early one morning, saw the fire, and called Silva on the phone to alert him to evacuate the building, as he had been asleep at the time.

He did not respond, and so she dashed into the building to try to save him. But unknown to her, Silva had taken the elevator to another floor in an attempt to escape the fire. They missed each other in the midst of the chaos, but paramedics were able to rescue him.

Rosser on the other hand, was unconscious when paramedics found her. She later passed away.

So sad.

A 30-year old house wife, Mrs Chizoba Ejike, has been charged before the Ejigbo Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State, western Nigeria for allegedly biting off her neighbour’s ear and swallowing it in anger.
The victim, Mrs. Ndid Eze, was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, but the chopped off portion of her ear could not be recovered as it had been allegedly swallowed by the suspect.
According to their neighbours, the suspect committed the offence while fighting the victim at their residence at 20, Brinfalami Street, Ejigbo, Lagos State.
During the fight, Mrs. Ejike allegedly grabbed the victim’s left ear and bit off a portion.Gistmania learnt that the two women have always fought since they started living in the house.
When the suspect was initially charged before Magistrate M.B.Folami, she pleaded guilty and was remanded in prison custody at Kirikiri, Lagos.
The court adjourned the matter for sentencing.
However, when the matter came up on Monday, Mrs. Ejike changed her plea to not guilty and her counsel, Barister Ogbedeleto, prayed the court to grant her bail.
The prosecutor, Sergeant Paul, informed the court that the complainant had written a withdrawal letter to discontinue with the matter. The court consequently struck out  the case and the suspect was set free.

Ogun State APC Chieftain, Bashorun Bayo Awosanya, who allegedly battered his “wife“ has been arrested by the Nigerian police in Ogun State.

Awosanya reportedly went into hiding after the incident was publicized. However, he turned himself  in at the Sagamu Police Station in Ogun State yesterday

He has reportedly confessed to beating his “wife,” and will be interrogated further by the police. He will be charged to court upon conclusion of  investigations.

According to a report, Ambrose Ezewani, an ex student of the University of Lagos and former President of the National Association of Delta State students, UNILAG chapter, who blew the lid on a systematic student bursary racketing allegedly spearheaded by the Commissioner for Higher Education in Delta state, Mr Hope Eghagha has been handed over to the Delta state Government
 

Police officers in Sabo Station yesterday afternoon handed him over after the Delta State officials visited to ask for his transfer to Asaba, Delta State where he will be most likely tortured and “tried” for revealing the fraud perpetrated by officials of the state.
Ezeanwani was President of the National Association of Delta State Students Union at the University of Lagos. During his tenure, he revealed that the bursary system was fraught with fraud, which he said was being perpetrated by men in the scholarship board in Delta State. Continue...

Ezeawani alleged that the irregularities surfaced since the current Commissioner for Higher Education in the State, Mr. Hope Eghagha came on board. Mr. Eghagha a former professor at the University of lagos was a former newspaper columnist and critic of the Delta state government before bagging a government appointment a few years ago.

Ezeawani claims that  Eghagha’s office had created a system for students bursary application where non-existing students are awarded bursary by the state.

He said in his investigation, which the UNILAG students’ records office corroborated, the names published as “approved” for bursary awards every year where non-existent in the Institution’s official records.

Ezeawani further stated that his research  discovered that the office of the Commissioner for Higher Education in Delta State led by Eghagha had generated about 23,000 fake students and bank accounts and sorts codes throughout institutions across the country to siphon bursary funds while publishing fake names of beneficiaries in the print media every year.

Although few genuine names of students are mixed in the published bursary approval list every year, it is observed that most of the genuine students are shut out of the scheme while non-existing names are paraded.

Ambrose had led series of protest marches calling for investigations into the  scam, however,  the Economic and financial crimes Commission EFCC) to whom he directed his protests did nothing to investigate the fraud.

Last Wednesday on his way to Federal college of education (Technical)  Akoka   some men in mufti pulled up in front of him and attempted forcing him into their car. Ezeawani said he resisted and headed for the police station in Sabo instead. The men followed him and asked the police to hand him over but the police refused. The men apparently sent by the Delta state government then asked that Ezeawani be detained for them to go and prepare documents from Asaba to facilitate his hand over.
He has now been handed over today to policemen from Asaba who are suspected to be doing the bidding of the Delta State officials.
 
Ambrose had before now done an underground investigation over bursary allocations to indigines of the state nationwide and discovered that the Commissioner's office had over the years produced  about 23,000 fake students and bank accounts and sorts codes throughout institutions across the country to siphon bursary funds while publishing fake names of beneficiaries in the print media every year. In UNILAG, the student record office collaborated Ambrose's claim that most of the Delta state students published for bursary allocations were non-existent to the school.
 
Ambrose wrote several petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission but none of his petitions was attended to.
 
Last Wednesday, April 23, while on his way to the Federal College of Technology Akoka, Ambrose was accosted by plain clothed men who demanded he entered their vehicle and follow them which he refused since he did not know who they were. He then decided to walk to the nearest police station within the area there which was the Sabo Police station with those men tailing him. On getting to the police station, he told the police men there what happened and the police men refused to let him go saying whoever wanted him arrested should come with a warrant of arrest and so they kept him in their custody with the men pleading that they do not allow him go as they would soon return with a warrant
 
Two days ago, they got the warrant and Ambrose has been taken to Delta state.