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Sean Tizzle Takes Possession Of ‘Next Rated’ Hyundai SUV

Mohammed Useni
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Sean Tizzle Takes Possession Of ‘Next Rated’ Hyundai SUV

 

Difference Entertainment jewel, Sean Tizzle has been presented with a  brand new car, a red Hyundai Tucson YIX35 SUV. This is part of what comes with winning the “Next Rated” category at the HEADIES Award late last year in Lagos

 

He was pitched against the likes of Burna Boy, Phyno, Seyi Shay, and Dammy Krane in that category but he came tops

 

Sean Tizzle just got back from South Africa recently where he gone to shoot multiple videos. He quickly signed the necessary documents and jumped into his new toy after Ayo Animashaun and the HEADIES team had presented his trophy to him

sean9 sean8 sean7 sean5 sean4 sean3 sean2 sean

Group Issues Governor Amaechi 14-day Ultimatum To Account For Missing Funds

Mohammed Useni
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Press Releases

Rotimi Amaechi PHOTO CREDIT: PUNCH NEWS
Rotimi Amaechi
PHOTO CREDIT: PUNCH NEWS

Accountability and Good Governance Forum of Rivers State (AGGFRS)

“14 days notice to governor chibuike rotimi amaechi to account for the under listed projects”.

We, the undersigned, on behalf of the members of the Accountability and Good Governance Forum of Rivers State, and for the good and growth of Rivers state, give the governor of Rivers state, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, fourteen (14) days with effect from the date of publication of this notice to account for the (missing) funds allocated to the:

1. Mono rail project
2. Greater Port Harcourt
3. Karibi Whyte hospital
4. The several allocations for the provision of water in the state
5. The model secondary schools in 18 local government areas
6. The various loans so far taken.

If Rotimi Amaechi fails to account for what he calls “the spoils of governance” within this period, we shall get to the next level.

Signed :

Boma Thompson
Stephen Chukwumati
Godwin Atako
Alabo Tubotein
Kpalap Ndume

‘A Faithful Marriage Will Bring You Happiness’ Pope Preaches Sanctity On Valantine’s Day

Mohammed Useni
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NAN

Credit: Getty
Credit: Getty

Pope Francis, on Friday, celebrated St. Valentine’s Day by hosting an audience of more than 20,000 engaged couples and urged them to respect the sanctity of marriage and resist the temptation for divorce.

He told the couples, gathered at St. Peter’s Square that “today, many people are afraid of making definitive choices.

“For their entire life, it seems impossible. This mentality leads many to say, ‘we will stay together so long as love lasts.’’’

He also urged the couples not to only rely on fleeting sentiments “but on the rock of true love, the love that comes from God.

“The love of God is stable and everlasting, so we want such love to be the foundation of every family.

“Staying together and knowing how to love one another forever is the challenge for Christian spouses.’’

Francis also made a similar point in a Twitter message when he said “dear young people, don’t be afraid to marry. A faithful marriage will bring you happiness.’’

In his audience, Francis also repeated his advice for a happy family life as he emphasised the use of “thank you” and “sorry” between couples.

He urged couples not to worry too much about banquets, photographs, dresses and flowers.

Lagos Magistrate Court Remands Father For Defiling Daughter

Mohammed Useni
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Lagos Magistrate Court Remands Father For Defiling Daughter

An Apapa Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Friday remanded a 49-year-old businessman, Wale Akinusi, in prison custody for allegedly defiling his 17-year-old daughter.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Oluyemisi Adelaja, did not take the plea of the accused, and ordered that he be kept in prison custody pending the advice of the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Akinusi, who resides at Ojo Igbede Road, Ajangbadi, Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of unlawful defilement and killing of an unborn child.

Earlier, the prosecutor, SP Soji Ojaokomo, had told the court that the accused committed the offences on Nov. 2, 2012 at their residence.

He said that the accused, forcefully had carnal knowledge of his daughter without her consent and unlawfully killed her unborn child.

“When Akinusi noticed that his daughter was pregnant, he took her to the hospital to abort the unborn child.

“After she aborted the unborn child, the accused started having carnal knowledge of her again.

“The complainant decided to ask for help when she reported the case to the police, who immediately arrested the accused,’’ Ojaokomo stated.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 137 and 234 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 137 stipulates life imprisonment for convicted offenders, while Section 234 also prescribes life imprisonment for unlawful killing of an unborn child.

The case was adjourned to Feb. 20 for mention.

‘Presidential Villa Is Not Vacant’ Group Ask North To Wait Until 2019

Mohammed Useni
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Credit: NAN
Credit: NAN

A youth group under the aegis, the Nigeria Mandate 2015 Thursday said there is no vacancy for the position of Nigeria’s President until Jonathan completes his second term by 2019.

At a press briefing, the youths led by its National President Dr. Ojona Okongor Eno argued that the north must save its energy for 2019 and not seek for the ouster of President Goodluck Jonathan.

He noted that the 2015 presidential election was already concluded in favour of Jonathan and the focus should be on seeking a credible young presidential candidate for 2019.

The group said in four years Jonathan will be through with his second term and after Jonathan, the next president of the country can come from the north or elsewhere.

Ojona Okongor who explained that the group worked in 2011 for the election of President Jonathan, said it was already drumming support for his candidacy in next year’s election.

“We were also at the forefront the campaign to elect President GoodLuck Jonathan in 2011 and we also want to express our support for him to contest for a second term in 2015 presidential election based on the fact that he has performed creditably. What his has done in the last two and half years speaks for itself, especially in the power sector which has witnessed significant improvement.”

He then advocated for young Nigerians to aspire for the office of the President in the next election year after Jonathan must have finished his tenure.
“As we speak today, we are already conducting a search for a credible candidate of the northern extraction for the 2019 presidential election. Henceforth we must insist that no aspiring Nigerian president shall be above the age bracket of 40 and 45 years.”

“We need someone who can understands the needs of teaming youths of the country and can align the programmes of government to suit such needs . You know President Obama is succeeding today in America and the same goes for
British Prime Minster because age is on their side and they have enough strength to withstand the rigours of office.”

N255m BMW Cars: EFCC To Make Public Probe Report on Sacked Aviation Minister

Mohammed Useni
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N255m BMW Cars: EFCC To Make Public Probe Report on Sacked Aviation Minister

Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, who heads the Media and Publicity department of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Friday said the report on the bullet-proof BMW cars will be made public.

“I can tell you that the commission is on top of that case; we are doing it, we are investigating it and in due course, we shall tell you the outcome of that investigation.

Uwujaren addressing newsmen promised to make public the outcome of its investigation into the purchase of two cars by the Nigerian Aviation Civil Authority in 2013, costing N255m.

He said the EFCC were still investigating the scandal under the supervision of the former Aviation boss, Ms Stella Oduah.

He did not disclose to newsmen if the commission will be inviting the minister for interrogation but said it would be improper for any law enforcement agency like the EFCC to give a prior notice of invitation to a suspect.

“I think the issue is not whether we are going to invite Oduah or not; what should interest Nigerians at this point in time is whether EFCC is on that matter or not.” He said

“I have told you that we are investigating the Oduah matter and that in due course, we will let you know the outcome of that matter.”

Road Transport Employers Ask Govt To Ban Sale, Consumption Of Alcohol

Mohammed Useni
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NAN

PIC.4. CHRISTMAS TRAVELERS AT A MOTOR PARK IN KUBWA, ABUJA ON FRIDAY (21/12/12)
The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in Kwara on Friday urged the state government to ban selling and consumption of alcohol in motor parks.

The Chairman of the association, Alhaji Salman Ayoku, made the call in an interview in Ilorin.

He said the ban would dissuade habitual drunkards, restore sanity at the parks and reduce rate of accidents on Nigerian roads.

Ayoku, who said that the union had taken steps in the past to arrest the ugly trend, urged the state government to use its machinery to discourage the ugly act at the parks.

He said alcohol could influence could influence the conduct of drivers against their passengers while driving.

He said: “We are not comfortable with the way some drivers portray the association.

“It would be inhuman not to take passengers into consideration while driving; we are aware of the health implications of drinking and smoking. That’s why we are calling for measures to be taken on time.”

Akaebube: True Confession, How We Share FG’s Recurrent Budget

Mohammed Useni
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NAN
NAN

Like Dbanj, I have a confession to make for the benefit of my audience: We are responsible for the growing recurrent budget. Please don’t take it personal – this advice is especially handy these days when many people seem to have difficulties with refraining from taking things personal. A conscious effort to remain objective in the analysis of an issue is very valuable if we are to make progress as a people. The 2014 appropriation bill is the issue in focus these days. It has generated heated debate in the National Assembly and even hotter debate on social media, mostly fueled by inadequate understanding of the fundamental issues around the budgeting process and the items of the budget.

The crux of the argument is that our recurrent budget for 2014 is too high at 74% compared to the capital budget of 26% – a deterioration in the capital budgetary provision compared to recent years. While governments would prefer the national budget to progressively see improvements in capital allocations compared to recurrent allocations, a few clarifications about the nature of the recurrent items on the budget may be useful. The recurrent portion of the budget contains items which are incidental on an annual basis and constitute a running cost of government. So it is right, as in any efficient operation, to seek to limit the running costs of government by controlling the recurrent allocation, or at least to contain the recurrent budget to the point where it grows slower than the capital budget. But a close study of the 2014 appropriation bill will show that the swelling in the recurrent budget came from items which essentially must be attended to.

Such items include salaries and pension benefits of staff of government ministries and parastatals. Under strong labour campaigns, we have seen salary increases in the health sector and the education sector. These salary increases will cause an inflation of the wage bill and thus increase the recurrent expenditure for the next budget year. Then workers ask for more money, embark on strikes, the opposition makes headlines out of it, and government is pressured to agree to increases which reflect in the next recurrent budget. And a bump in the recurrent budget becomes a campaign point for the opposition. The cycle continues. When Nigerians hear of calls for salary increases, as was the case during the ASUU strike, when the President was under enormous pressure to meet the huge allowances and salary demands by university lecturers, we should remember how it impacts on the recurrent budget; and be less surprised when the recurrent budget grows disproportionately compared to the capital budget.

The President Jonathan administration is making tough choices in cutting down wastage in the budget but the reality is that something structural needs to be done in order to eliminate wastage hence the setting up of the Oronsanye committee. It will be recalled that government had set up the Oronsaye committee in August 2011 out of a genuine concern to cut down on cost of governance and the over bloated public sector that leads to extremely high recurrent expenditures. The committee submitted its report in April 2012 and recommended the reduction of 263 statutory agencies to 161 and the scrapping of 38 agencies.

However, the implementation of the Oronsanye report cannot be singlehandedly achieved by the president given that these departments and agencies are creations of laws which were passed by the National Assembly. The right direction is for the National Assembly to repeal such laws establishing those agencies considered as unnecessarily duplicative.

In her piece titled “National Assembly is partly to be blamed” and published on THISDAY Newspapers of Monday, January 20th 2014, Ijeoma Nwaogwgwu reinforced my notion that the legislature should be held liable for their inability to quit playing politics with the economy and do the needful by enacting laws that will rationalize and streamline the public sector for efficient service delivery. She was of the view that insofar as the National Assembly continues to legislate on new laws setting up departments and agencies of government and lacks the political will to repeal or amend the laws of institutions that duplicate and inefficiently fall over one another, the executive would always contend with the challenge of heavy recurrent expenditure.

The Minister of Finance & cordinating Minister of Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala captured it succinctly in her Budget speech presentation viz :

“I’m also strongly appealing to the legislature and the National Assembly that we will need their help with the review and repeal of some of these laws if we are to achieve the objective of curbing waste, streamlining government expenditure and getting a balance”

Sadly, ours is a National Assembly peopled by politicians who are more concerned about politics and party equation in the NASS than the Oronsanye report. This explains why House of Reps Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal chose the resumption of plenary session (after a long summer break) to invite the Baraje group of the PDP to address members. This also explains why Hon. Femi Gbajiabimila (APC, Lagos) can afford to throw banters and make sweeping remarks at Leo Ogor (PDP, House Leader) thereby igniting conflicts and drama that paralyzed legislative activity. This also explains why Adulmumin Jibrin, House committee chairman on Finance, resorted to compiling 50 JAMB questions for Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and has refused to read and mark the 109 page answer script thereafter. This also explains why NASS fails to give us details of their own budget but lumps up 150 billion as their own allocation.

It is only a sincere President that is intent on getting it right with recurrent expenditure that will take the steps GEJ has taken so far (Oronsanye Committee). It behoves on our legislature to complement his efforts by repealing the relevant establishment laws. That is my confession.
________________________________________________
Ebubedike Akabuwa is an Abuja based legal practitioner. He tweets with the handle @akaebube

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Enrico Letta Resigns!

Mohammed Useni
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Enrico Letta Resigns!

Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta has finally submitted his resignation after the call of his party, Democratic Party for a new administration.

39 years old party leader, Matteo Renzi had argued that a change of government was needed to end “uncertainty”. Mr Renzi was elected party leader in December and is now being tipped to be nominated for the post of prime minister.

Prior to his meeting President Giorgio Napolitano to resign, Mr Letta thanked everyone who had helped him during the past 10 months as prime minister.

Chelsea Plans Summer Swoop For Khedira

Mohammed Useni
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Chelsea Plans Summer Swoop For Khedira

Injured Real Madrid midfielder, Sami Khedira is being considered by Premier league outfit, Chelsea for a potential transfer in the summer. Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho signed the German for Real Madrid in 2010 from Stuttgart in a deal worth £11.5m

The German international is out injured after damaging his cruciate ligament in November and out for the rest of the season. The midfielder hopes to recuperate in time for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Reports have it that PSG is also considering a move for Chelsea’s David Luiz.

If Khedira arrives at the Bridge next season, it is expected that Nigerian midfielder, John Mikel Obi may have to be shipped out.

‘Wenger Is A Specialist In Failure’, Mourinho Blasts Arsenal Manager

Mohammed Useni
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‘Wenger Is A Specialist In Failure’, Mourinho Blasts Arsenal Manager

Chelsea Manager, Jose Mourinho is at it again. The outspoken Portuguese was speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea’s FA Cup match at Etihad Stadium tomorrow.

He had confirmed John Terry was still out injured just as Gary Cahill is also a big doubt for the fixture. Mourinho made it clear that he would be going all out to win against Manchester City tomorrow to avoid a replay at Stamford Bridge.

When asked about Arsene Wenger’s recent comments (which appeared to be directed at Mourinho) about managers who rule themselves out of the title race due to fear if failure, the Chelsea Gaffer went ballistic:

‘He is a specialist in failure. I’m not. If supposedly he is right and I’m afraid of failure it’s because I don’t fail many times. Maybe he’s right.

‘The reality is that he’s a specialist because eight years without a piece of silverware is failure. If I do that at Chelsea, eight years, I leave London and I don’t come back.’

Read Denrele’s Emotion-Filled Tribute To Goldie One Year After Her Demise

Mohammed Useni
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Read Denrele’s Emotion-Filled Tribute To Goldie One Year After Her Demise

How time flies! It has been a year since late Nigerian female pop artiste, Goldie died in the arms of her best friend, Channel O VJ, Denrele Edun upon her return from the Grammy Awards.

Denrele has penned a very emotional tribute to his late bestie, one which will bring tears to a lot of eyes.

 

“A friend who dies………it’s something of you who dies.
Trying to figure out what to write today has been one of the most draining and difficult things I’ve ever had to do and what I realized is that these mechanisms of my body, mind and language are too ill-equipped to portray with justice the gravity of the loss that I feel.

 Goldie Harvey was my soul mate. Everything about Goldie was unique. Everything about Goldie was complex. She wasn’t only beautiful, she was so captivatingly beautiful in and out that no eye could avoid her, and once she had hooked you with her charming innocence, you were blown away by a beauty that was at once shy and confident, sultry and innocent, inviting and biting and as such, I always described her as a Siren of Sorts!

 I used to tell my friends, “Wait until you meet my personal person Goldie, you go love am die.” And I was never proven wrong. We have all been in love with Goldie Harvey.

 When I met her, I was blown away by the bizarre and beautiful world that was wrapped up in this tiny whimsical creature.

 It was sometime in early 2006; I got a call from a certain Bimpe who wanted to shoot two musical videos in a row. (At that time, I had featured in D’banj’s “Why Me” and was already crowned with the invisible sash of “Most-Sought-After-Video-Vixen” as every artiste believed a cameo appearance from me would not only boost the ratings of the vid but also garner enough airplay from the station I used to work with).

 I thought to myself, “Another feature? Na wa!”.

 In usual artistic fashion, I kept posting this “Bimpe” until I got another call from a Damilola (who happened to be Bimpe/Goldie’s PA at that time) asking for a meeting. Why not? So right after work, I decided to stop by at this person’s residence somewhere on Etim Inyang street in V/I.

 Lo and behold, every female artiste who was a friend of mine was in the building!! Never one to say no to a party, I thanked Baba GOD for making my toothpick legs waka well. I also ran into Seyi Brown (we used to model for the House of KeseJabari in my hey days) and it looked like the house party was in full swing.

 “Where is Bimpe ooo??” I kept screaming. And there she was, sprawled on the couch and looking a little pale.

 “HA, wetin happen?” I asked and she motioned for me to sit next to her. Headache, she gestured. Amidst the chaos and chattering all around the house, she poured me a glass of white wine (which later became our favourite drink) but I declined.

 Drink joor”, she whispered.

 “Sorry, I don’t drink or smoke”.

 “Just a glass. See it’s the one I’ve been drinking from”

 “I’ll rather watch you drink” and then she gave up on me.

 “So you asked to see me?” (Me no like to dey waste time. I was eyeing the pastries in the corner of the living room).

 “Oh, I’m shooting a new music video. Track is titled “Spin Me”, DJ Tee is directing and I would like you to make a cameo. You were amazing in “Why Me” and Abeg I need your Rockstar self to sell my market in this video. So what would you charge me?”

 I thought for a minute. ”Can I listen to the song first?”.

 Then she took out her phone and typed 50k and showed me. Omo mehn, I was shocked! 50k gees at that point was good cool cash. Heck, I was earning 65k per month at work and it was strenuous work Monday to Sunday.

 But there was something vulnerable about this girl and without thinking, I blurted out “You know what? Don’t worry about the cash. I will do it. When and where is the shoot plus what are you wearing so I can match up with you?”.

 Now it was her turn to look shocked. She sat up sharply despite her heavy migraine and looked me in the eye. “You are kidding me. Denrele be serious jo”.

 I stood up and said, “Get Damilola to call me with details of the shoot. My madness is good to go. I’m hungry, I wan chop cake.” And so I waltzed round the room, mingled with my people, foil-papered serious take away, grabbed some promo CDs and left. I went back to the office (I used to sleep at the office then), listened to the song over and over and fell asleep on my desk

 The day of the Video shoot; I was late as usual, Goldie was freaking out, DJ Tee was being DJ Tee and I had to play a right handed guitar for the opening sequence. Despite my left handedness, I pulled through but not without bruising my fingers badly. I was bleeding all over the place. Goldie was so worried, she tore out the netting under her dress and tied my fingers so the bleeding could stop. Needless to say, the shoot was a success and I made a new best friend!

 Fast Forward to 2010 and I became Goldie Harvey’s alter ego in all her videos!!

 Never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect for her to leave so soon- her wonderful voice only a phone call away, her smile that would light up a room in seconds, and her warm heart that could melt a glacier.

 She was a jewel that shone across oceans into the hearts of so many.

 She was an adventurer, ready to hop on a plane in a heartbeat and experience life to the fullest.

 She was a gifted artiste who could weave a song that left you breathless and laughing out loud.

 She was a friend who offered encouragement when you needed it most.

 She was my long lost sister who opened up a whole new family for me that time and distance will not deny.

 When I think of what she accomplished, my heart soars with pride and I feel gratitude that yes, you can accomplish your dreams.

 We openly shared our dreams and secrets- Goldie and I- and what I admired the most was her genuineness and style- taking risks, stepping out of her comfort zone, offering her advice and knowledge to total strangers in an effort to empower their hearts and lift their spirits.

 Now she is free to work even more miracles from the other side.

 I lift my heart to her in honor, and with joy, knowing that she is finally free. And if I experience just a tiny drop of the happiness she feels now, I will consider myself so fortunate to be alive.

 So fortunate also to have mended fences when we clashed severely. Right after her “Jawo Jawo” video shoot, Goldie and I fell out heavily. We had finished shooting a couple of scenes at Zizi Cardow’s showroom and I noticed a change in her behavior. Because I was heavily involved onset, I felt she was unappreciative.

 On the other hand, she didn’t find my humor appealing. She took some of my jokes in bad taste and then, we didn’t speak to each other for three months! But there was a bond; I found myself marching to her house and we had a shouting match that lasted for close to four hours. Exhausted from the ordeal, we sat back and laughed our differences off.

 I recall Ilami Precious (who had just won the NextMovieStar at that time) sitting quietly and observing us. After then, we grew even closer than ever!

 People often speak of happiness in tragedy. The most important thing Goldie taught me was how to be a friend. She was a good friend to everyone she loved, even those who at times she found impossible to like.

 She was friends to some simply because she felt that they needed her to be. Goldie would give you fuel money, buy you lunch, give you a place to stay if you had nowhere else to go, or even fight a fight that she couldn’t win.

 If I needed anything, Goldie would do everything she could to help me. She always knew when I was hungry or broke and always bought me the most amazing gifts. Just an hour before she passed on, she gave me a Hermes perfume she got for me in the States and told me, “When I was passing Hollywood Boulevard, this scent hit me and I thought of you immediately.”

 She always came home crying every time she heard someone say nasty stuff about her to other people or even print unprintable things about her. Comments on blogs and social media always got to her however dis-interested she tried to act but I could see through that facade. She even told me about a couple of Industry heavyweights that were getting to close for comfort but we always laughed that off. “You are hot stuff nah. Enjoy the attention”……I told her.

 Best friends. Period.

 Honestly, every life is like a book. Some are long. Some are short. And, I remind myself that a long book doesn’t always mean that it’s a good book. Some long books- and lives- are filled with pain, bitterness and sorrow. Maybe it’s a long life that is void of love. Goldie was going to be one of those great, yet short books.

 The kind that hits your heart with every page of every chapter. And just when it’s getting really good, you find yourself on the last page. Desperately wanting more. And so incredibly moved by all that you’ve absorbed.
Well, it’s been a great book Goldie.

 Every word.
Every page.
Every story in every chapter.

RE: Life does go on and we should celebrate. Hopefully, we will all leave behind people that love us and have wonderful stories to share about us. How are YOU living your life??

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