Germany beat Argentina to win the World Cup

Chidi Mokeme & Beverly Naya cover Redsheet magazine 24th edition

Nollywood stars Chidi Mokeme and Beverly Naya cover the latest issue of Redsheet magazine...

Ekiti State commissioner arrested for beating up NYSC member

Police in Ekiti has arrested the state’s Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr. Kayode Olaosebikan, for questioning over the beating up of a NYSC member at a registration unit in Otun Ekiti, Moba LGA of the state, Vanguard reports.

Olaosebikan (pictured above), who is also the Chairman, NYSC board in the state, was seen at the Criminal Investigation Department, CID, making his statement.

Olaosebikan allegedly beat up a youth corps member, Mr. Thompson Enobong, NYSC number EK/13c/1859, who is one of the NYSC members assisting INEC in the just-concluded registration.

I dont enjoy any special benefits as an MFR- Chinedu Ikedieze

Nollywood actor, Chinedu Ikedieze popularly known as Aki who got conferred with the MFR title by President Jonathan in July 2010 says the national title does not come with any visible benefits to him. Aki in a chat with Yes! magazine this week said there is no monetary value or special benefits to the title as obtained in western countries.

"The only joy in it is the recognition. When I am traveling and I get to the Airport, I get special preference and recognition. Apart from that, I don't get any other thing. I don't get paid, I don't get any special benefits as an MFR. As an MFR, I hold the same position with some of those who are Members of the British Empire (MBE) and they have some special benefits in the international community and honourary recognitions but those things are not here" he said.

Aki was also asked if he ever wonders why he was created in the form he is. His answer after the cut..

"Am I the one that created myself? Why would I ask myself such a question? You can only ask such a question when you are frustrated about life or if you are tired of life. But in my own case I am not. When you wake up in the morning and you have something to eat, you have people who can smile at you and you smile back  as well, then what else do you need? Then you go to bed, you sleep and you seldom go to the hospital, so which other gift is more important than that? As far as I am concerned, that is the greatest gift. There are some people who have all the money, cars, houses and all the things they want, but they are sick. They don't enjoy the money. So the perfect gift for me is good health".

Alleged N600m fraud: How Lagos Speaker spent funds on foreign trips, wife – EFCC

EFCC today March 18th revealed how Lagos Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji, squandered money on his wife, foreign trips and how on August 1, 2011, N4.4m was paid to him as “cost of allowance”; and his personal assistant and orderly pocketed N1.2m and N1.1m respectively.

Premium Times reports

The trial of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, continued Tuesday with the prosecution witness detailing how the defendants allegedly laundered millions of Naira.

Adebayo Adeniyi, the EFCC witness, told the court how the defendants collected N13.5 million for honorarium, N4.5 million for renovation of the Speaker’s residence, and N1.5 million for the Speaker’s Guest House every month for six consecutive months.

Mr. Ikuforiji and Oyebode Atoyebi, his aide, are facing a 54-count amended charge of money laundering amounting to over N600 million.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, accused the Speaker and his aide of receiving the money from the Lagos State House of Assembly without passing through a financial institution.

The trial was adjourned last January for the prosecution to provide a summarized version of the monies collected by Mr. Ikuforiji and his aide.
But on Tuesday, Godwin Obla, counsel to the EFCC, said that he would rather continue with his previous method to avoid any grounds for appeal.

It was a painstaking effort that required Mr. Obla to go through each of the transactions with the witness. The judge admitted that, but overruled the defence’s plea that the prosecution tabulate the relevant sections of the transactions.
“We’ve lost time. We vacated three days for that exercise to be done,” said Ibrahim Buba, the trial judge.
“What I understand the prosecution to be doing is trying to go through the records viz a viz each count of the allegation. They are entitled to do so.
“It is indeed difficult, if not laborious,” Mr. Buba added.

2011 TRANSACTIONS
Mr. Adeniyi continued his testimony by stating how the Lagos House of Assembly paid millions of naira to Mr. Ikuforiji; his wife, Mayowa; his orderly; his personal assistant; as well as the state’s Deputy Speaker.

All the monies were collected by Mr. Atoyebi and paid for in cash, the witness said.
On July 14, 2011, N5.4 million was paid to Mr. Ikuforiji for a trip to San Diego, California; his personal assistant and orderly collected N1.3 million and N1.2 million respectively, according to Mr. Adeniyi.

On August 1, 2011, N4.4 million was paid to the Speaker as “cost of allowance”; his personal assistant and orderly pocketed N1.2 million and N1.1 million respectively. Two days later, N10 million was paid to the Speaker for Ramadan, the witness said.

On August, 2011, N6.4 million was paid to Mayowa Ikuforiji, the Speaker’s wife; and N1.3 million to the wife’s orderly, the witness said.
Between January and June 2011, N13.5 million was paid as honorarium, every month, to the Speaker, Mr. Adeniyi added.

He said N4 million and N1 million were also paid monthly, within the stated period, for the renovation of the Speaker’s official residence and guest house respectively.

Asked why there were columns with Cheque Numbers in the cash register, Mr. Adeniyi responded that: “What they do is that a cheque is raised in most cases in the name of the Permanent Secretary and cashed from the bank.
“It is this cash that is eventually paid and registered in this document, the details of payments.”

2010 TRANSACTIONS
“Basically, these cash payments are supposed to be made through a financial institution, paid to the beneficiaries, not through cash payments. Cash payments stall the tracing of the monies.
“We discovered that some of it was paid into the account of the first accused person. Some of it was used for his credit card and other personal matters,” he added.

During cross examination by Wole Olanipekun, counsel to Mr. Ikuforiji, Mr. Adeniyi said that he was not aware what the Speaker used the monies for.

“Our investigation is not focused on knowing whether he spent the money on his personal house.
“From our investigation, we did not go in depth into who approved the disbursements, we were particular about the cash disbursement which was above the threshold of transactions by a Permanent Secretary.

“Any payment must be made through e-payment, most especially when it is above the threshold,” Mr. Adeniyi said.
When shown one of the cash registers by the defence lawyer, Mr. Adeniyi said that he could not “remember seeing it.”

Mr. Obla objected to that line of questioning, insisting that the defence must tender the cash register as an exhibit before it court be used for cross examination.
The judge, however, said that the defence was at liberty to use any document that had been brought before the court.

“You cannot file a document and your witness said he cannot remember seeing it. If it was filed by the defence, it is a different ball game altogether,” the judge told Mr. Obla.
“Once you have provided this document, it is for them (the defence) to use it at their own time during the trial, not at your own time,” the judge added.
The trial was adjourned till April 28 for continuation of trial.

Photos: Chief Rasaq Okoya and wife Shade renew wedding vows

74 year old bbillionaire businessman and his wife of many years and mother of his four youngest children, Shade Okoya, 36, renewed their wedding vows over the weekend at their palatial Estate in Lagos. In attendance were former Lagos State governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and current governor,Raji Fashola. Continue to see more photos ...

Oscar winner Jared Leto compares his looks to that of Jesus Christ

Hollywood actor and singer Jared Leto shared the photo above of himself and Jesus Christ on his instagram page yesterday and wrote "Haaaa! Fashion may go out of style but style never goes out of fashion. #ClassicLooks #FashionForward #ThanksJC #NotComparingToChrist xo" 

Lol. I'm sure he meant no harm but some people didn't find it funny!

Photos: The Idibia's attend Chidi Mokeme's surprise birthday party

Chidi Mokeme turned a year older yesterday March 17th and close friends, including 2face & Annie Idibia celebrated with him at his home. Continue to see more photos...

Kanye West sentenced to 2 years probation, 250 hours community service

Kanye West has been sentenced to 2years probation and 250 hours community service after the attack on a photographer at Los Angeles Airport in 2013, E! News reports.

Kanye pled no contest to one count of misdemeanor battery yesterday in response to videographer Daniel Ramos lawsuit against him. Kanye attacked Ramos at LAX airport in August last year as the paparazzo tried to take photos of him

Minus the two year probation and community service, Kanye is also required to complete 24 sessions of a level-2 anger management program and he must turn himself in to the LAPD for a formal booking. Kanye agreed to all this to make the case disappear from his record

Sanusi Lamido responds to allegations of financial recklessness

Suspended CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi yesterday Sunday March 16th responded to allegations of financial recklessness leveled against him by the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Federal Government. Find the full statement he released below...

I am compelled to make this public statement to address the various allegations levied against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and cited as the reasons for my suspension from office as the Governor of the CBN on the 19th of February 2014.

As a matter of record, the allegations were made in the following documents: Continue..

i. Briefing Note of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) dated 7th June 2013, Ref: PRES/188/T&I/89 to His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan [the Briefing Note];
ii. The Letter of Suspension dated 19th February 2014, which I received from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; and
iii. The petition dated 9th February 2014 by Mr Erastus Akingbola.

However, before I go into the above issues, let me reiterate for the records, the achievements of the CBN during my tenure as the Governor: 

The Record

Firstly, let me state that I have been extremely fortunate to have had a solid and supportive team led by the Deputy Governors and supported by the Departmental Directors, as well as thousands of hardworking and dedicated staff who must be given the credit for all that the CBN has achieved. I would also like to acknowledge for the record, the foundation laid by my predecessor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, in a number of areas. The CBN Act, 2007, which he championed, established the CBN as a truly autonomous entity of the Federation, and made it possible for us to take the difficult decisions necessary for restoring and maintaining macroeconomic stability. The FSS 2020 and PSV 2020 documents provided the principal strategic roadmaps that led to many of the innovations in payment systems, non-interest banking, financial inclusion, the Asset Management Corporation, IFRS, Risk-based Supervision, and the like.

Indeed, it will be impossible for me to review almost five years of revolutionary change made possible by the work of thousands of employees in the CBN in collaboration with other Regulators, Banks and Other Financial Institutions and Government Ministries in this press statement. However, I will mention a few of the key highlights.
On monetary policy, the Bank has improved the institutional framework for policy-making. A properly constituted Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) with a clear mandate for maintaining stability has been established. The MPC has been supported by improvements in research, data and forecasting capacity, and we have also paid attention to clear communication of our objectives to the market. As a result, headline inflation has remained below 10 per cent since January 2013, from a peak of 15.1 percent and 13.9 percent in 2008 and 2009 respectively. Core inflation declined from 11.2 per cent in December 2009 to 7.9 percent in December 2013, while food inflation maintained a downward trend from 15.5 percent in December 2009 to 9.3 percent in December 2013. In addition to the conventional liquidity management products, the Bank approved financial products to manage liquidity in non-interest financial institutions. The CBN also promoted the formation of the financial Markets Dealers Quotations Over–the-Counter (FQDM OTC) Plc as a self-regulatory OTC operator.

In the area of safeguarding the value of the local currency and maintaining stability in the foreign exchange market for the overall sustenance of macroeconomic stability and growth, the CBN over the period has successfully maintained a stable exchange rate regime and a robust external reserve position conducive to sustainable growth and development.

On the Banking System, I was appointed Governor in the middle of a global financial crisis when the Nigerian banking system was on the verge of collapse. The Bank moved swiftly to remove the managing directors and executive directors of the banks where major corporate governance failures were discovered, provided liquidity support, pioneered the setting up of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to purchase non-performing loans, recapitalize the banks and pilot a process that led to mergers and acquisitions, as well as recapitalization of all the weak and failing banks. As a result, all financial soundness indicators – Capital Adequacy, Asset Quality, Liquidity and Profitability ratios – were normalized. As a result of the work by the Bank, not a single depositor or creditor lost money in any Nigerian bank during or after the financial crisis.

In addition to the quantitative measures, we broke up universal banks and encouraged the setting up of specialized banks (including the first Non – interest Bank in the Country’s history), pushed for the adoption of IFRS and Basel 3, enhanced risk-based supervision, issued Competency Guidelines for the staff in the banking industry, established a Consumer Protection Department and developed a Financial Inclusion Strategy and Roadmap, among others for the CBN.

The Bank implemented policies aimed at reducing the excessive use of cash in the system to ensure safety, improve efficiency and curb money laundering. The transformation of NIBSS, the insistence on interoperability of channels, encouragement of electronic banking, the licensing of Mobile Money Operators, the Agent Banking and tiered-KYC frameworks have all led to rapid growth in volume and value of non-cash transaction and enhanced financial inclusion.

The Bank has played its leadership role in ensuring industry compliance with environmental sustainability and governance standards, including a strong focus on women and the handicapped.

The CBN in the last five years has taken a leading role in providing long-term low-cost funding to priority sectors of the Nigerian economy in a bid to help in bringing to reality the Transformation Agenda of the government of your Excellency. We have provided these funds at single-digit interest rates to micro, small and medium enterprises, as well as to companies operating in the power, aviation, and agricultural sectors of the economy, and also to large industrial enterprises with potential for structural transformation.

The Bank has invested in human capital, improved staff welfare and attracted and retained specialized skills in the areas of Banking Supervision, Information Technology, Shared Services and Risk Management.

On Financial Performance, the Bank has in the last five years kept a lid on overheads and cost of currency management. As a result, the Bank has continued to produce sterling results and contributed substantially to the Federal Budget. In the five years, 2009 – 2013, the Bank contributed N376 billion to the Federal Budget as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).Based on 2012 financials alone, we paid N80 billion to the Ministry of Finance. On the basis of the 2013 results and at the request of the Coordinating Minister of the Economy (CME), we paid N159 billion to the Ministry of Finance in February this year; the same month the audited accounts of the CBN were approved by the Committee of Governors (COG). Indeed, due to the precarious position of Government finances, the CBN in February 2014, upon the request of the CME, gave the Ministry a further ‘Advance IGR’ of N70 billion in anticipation of 2014 profits.

May I add that, in 2008, the year before my appointment, the CBN contributed N8 billion to the Federation Account. Although the Bank is not a profit-centre, in the first four years of my term, the Bank alone contributed 75 percent of the total IGR paid by MDAs leading to commendation by the House Committee on Finance at several Public Hearings. 

Recognitions
As a result of these achievements of my colleagues and staff, we received numerous recognitions consistently throughout my tenure from highly-regarded publications. These awards are based on a competitive process where analysts and economists rank Central Bank Governors across regions and the globe.

In 2010, The Banker Magazine, a publication of Financial Times in London, named me Best Central Bank Governor in the World and Best in Africa. At the Annual World Bank/IMF Meetings, Emerging Markets, a publication of Euromoney Institutional Investor named me Best Central Bank Governor in Sub-Saharan Africa for 2009, 2010 and 2012. The African Banker Magazine named me Best Central Bank Governor in Africa, 2012. This is in addition to being named Forbes Africa Person of the year 2011 and listed by TIME as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, 2011.

I have always regarded these honours not as personal accolades, but as a tribute to our nation and the committed and resourceful women and men of CBN.

Response to the allegations in relation to my suspension

On Wednesday 10th March 2014, I submitted a Memorandumto His Excellency, Mr President, with supporting documentation,effectively addressing all the allegations contained in the FRCN Briefing Note, the Letter of Suspension and the Akingbola Petition.

Having submitted my response to the President, I am further compelled, following the recent press briefing and comments by the Senior Special Adviserto the President on Media, as well as numerous other references to the allegations in both local, international and online media, to put to the public my responses, in the interest of transparency, accountability and my responsibility to the Nigerian people.Let me also state that I saw the FRCN “Briefing Note” for the first time when it was attached to the suspension letter. At no time was this report sent to the CBN either by the President or the FRCN for comments or explanations. As for the Akingbola petition, it is a rehash of baseless allegations he has been making since 2010 which apparently he must have been asked to reproduce on February 9, ten days before the suspension. It is indeed strange that the CBN Governor can be suspended based on allegations written by a man who ran his bank into the ground and against whom judgement has been obtained in a London court, and who furthermore is facing criminal prosecution at home for offences including criminal Theft.

A careful examination of the allegations contained in the FRCN Briefing Note to Mr President, will show that each of the allegations could easily have been resolved by a simple request for clarification or more careful review. There is no doubt that if the CBN had received the Briefing Note, which was prepared in June 2013, all the misconceptions, misrepresentations and erroneous inferences contained therein would have been cleared.

I am publishing these responses to enable the general public see that each and every allegation levelled against the CBN under my leadership is false and unfounded, and that many of the allegations were malicious and fabricated, having been designed to mislead the President into believing that the Management of the Central Bank was guilty of misconduct and recklessness.

Having provided detailed explanations, backed by verifiable documents, it is my sincere wish that His Excellency, Mr President, in line with his adherence to fairness and justice, will apply the same rationale and rigour to other agencies of the Federal Government that have had serious allegations and queries levied against them, and prevail upon them to provide responses and explanations with the same level of clarity and transparency.

In closing, I would like to place on record the dogged professionalism and patriotism of the staff of the CBN. They have, over the years, conducted themselves very creditably, and discharged their duties with the highest integrity.

Cassava bread to generate over N240bn for farmers annually

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, has said that the inclusion of cassava flour into bread processing in the country will generate about N240 billion for local farmers annually. He stated this while delivering a keynote address at the Centre for Value and Leadership lecture held in Lagos. He said, “The cassava bread is not just bread, it’s also about economics. This bread alone will put N240billion in the hands of all those small holder farmers and our local processors that we have all across this country. So we must patronize this bread if we truly believe that charity begins at home. As far as I am concerned, if bread is not produced and processed in Nigeria, eaten by Nigerians, it is not good enough for Nigeria.” He explained that the ministry is also revamping exports where Nigerian youths will have global dominance in agricultural commodity markets. He further explained that the agricultural sector is getting all the support it needs to ensure that it truly begins to drive the economy, even as a foreign exchange earner. He said, “The Afrexim Bank has supported our cassava export to China because we have a contract with China for 2.2million metric tons of dried cassava as export. Afrexim Bank has given Nigeria $40million to support our small holder farmers and chip processors to be able to process all that chips and take it to China and that alone will give our farmers about $802million if we are able to meet that contract. That’s what agriculture as a business does. It lifts people out of poverty by creating wealth of opportunities.” He said that the ministry has been able to secure loans from the banks to the sector to the tune of N25 billion in 2013 from a paltry N3.5 billion in 2011. “The banks recorded zero per cent on all the loan facilities that they made available to farmers for the past two years. This is where the money is going to be made and I think that the banks are stepping up to that,” he said. He further explained that, “To reverse the lack of food manufacturing companies in our rural areas, we launched what we called staple crop processing zones. These zones are areas of high food production.

EFCC may prosecute Sanusi over alleged fraud

The Suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, may be prosected by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged acts of financial recklessness in under administration’s as CBN’s head. According to sources close to the Presidency, it was disclosed that Sanusi may be invited this week for questioning on the allegations against him. President Goodluck Jonathan had last Thursday suspended Sanusi as the CBN Governor and appointed the most senior Deputy Governor of the bank, Sarah Alade, as acting Governor of the bank until the conclusion of ongoing investigations into breaches of enabling laws, due process and mandate of the CBN. Meanwhile,the president hado forwarded the names of The Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Godwin Emefiele, to the National Assembly for consideration as the new CBN Governor Although, Sanusi had gone to court to secure an order which restrains the Federal Government, the Nigeria Police and the State Security Service, SSS, from arresting him but he could still be invited by the anti-graft agency for interrogations.

Arsenal, Man City stay on Chelsea’s tail

LONDON (AFP) – Arsenal and Manchester City replied in kind after John Terry scored an injury-time winner against Everton to preserve Chelsea’s position as Premier League leaders on Saturday. Chelsea’s victory momentarily gave them a four-point lead at the summit, but Arsenal closed the gap to a point by overwhelming Sunderland 4-1 and City are three points back with a game in hand after edging Stoke City 1-0. Arsenal had been dealt a dispiriting 2-0 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday and they reacted in style by outclassing third-bottom Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium. Left on the bench against Bayern, Olivier Giroud was restored to the starting line-up to face Sunderland and the Frenchman responded with a brace of goals in the first 31 minutes. The former Montpellier man also played a role in the glorious move that led to Tomas Rosicky chipping in Arsenal’s third goal before half-time, with Laurent Koscielny heading home a fourth in the 57th minute. Emanuele Giaccherini claimed a late consolation for Gus Poyet’s side, who face City in next weekend’s League Cup final. “After playing for so long with 10 men in a difficult game in mid-week against Bayern Munich, it was good to win today,” said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. “We are still there in the table. It is down to consistency and our performances.” City also tasted Champions League disappointment in mid-week, losing 2-0 at home to Barcelona, and their return to winning ways was not quite as straightforward as Arsenal’s. Manuel Pellegrini’s side toiled in front of goal against Stoke at the Etihad Stadium and there was a sense of relief when Yaya Toure broke the deadlock from Aleksandar Kolarov’s cut-back in the 70th minute. “They were defending with 10 players in their box,” said City manager Pellegrini. “I thought we controlled the game and it was a matter of time before we scored.” Earlier, Terry’s last-gasp winner allowed Chelsea to hold onto top spot as they snatched a 1-0 victory against Everton at Stamford Bridge. With Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard in sparkling form, Chelsea looked set to drop points until Terry marked his return to the team after a three-game absence by toeing home a Frank Lampard free-kick in the 93rd minute. “When you score in minute 90-something, you could speak about being lucky, but the reality is that the boys chased it,” said Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho. “I feel sorry for Everton because a point would have been fair, but we were the team that was trying to win, which is our responsibility.” Terry’s strike was a bitter blow for an enterprising Everton side, who squandered an opportunity to close the eight-point gap that currently separates them from fourth-place Liverpool. Meanwhile, Felix Magath saw victory snatched from his grasp in his first game as Fulham manager after a 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion. Fulham were on course to climb off the foot of the table thanks to Ashkan Dejagah’s 28th-minute goal, only for Matej Vydra to plunder an 86th-minute equaliser with a shot that squirmed past Maarten Stekelenburg. “We were so near to a victory,” said Magath, who succeeded Rene Meulensteen as manager last week. “We are disappointed, but in the whole game, 1-1 was correct.” Vydra’s goal meant that Cardiff City remained second from bottom after they were crushed 4-0 at home by Hull City, who prevailed through a Nikica Jelavic brace and strikes from Tom Huddlestone and Nikica Jelavic. Hull are now six points above the relegation zone and West Ham United are a point better off in 10th after goals from Matt Jarvis, Carlton Cole and Kevin Nolan set up a 3-1 win at home to Southampton. Later on Saturday, Wayne Rooney will hope to celebrate his new Manchester United contract with victory when his side visit Crystal Palace, a day after he committed himself to Old Trafford until 2019.

I’ve no regret stopping Amaechi in 2007 —Obasanjo

PORT HARCOURT— FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo, Monday, said he had no regret over his decision to stop Governor Rotimi Amaechi from contesting as the governorship flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the April 2007 general elections. Obasanjo at the Ambassador Nne  Krubo Model Secondary School, Ebubu community, Eleme Local Government Area, Rivers State, before commissioning the institution, said he acted based on reports available to him then. He said: “I believe I took a decision I believed was right. When I took it, I had no apology. I fast and pray to take decisions on important issues. When I have something that requires action, it must be taken, otherwise I am not a worthy leader. A report came on Amaechi which indicated that there were some issues and I said yes, there are some issues, going by the report.” He said he was not happy with the court verdict which declared Amaechi winner of the election since he did not physically participate in the exercise. “I found the judgment awkward in the sense that, how can a man who had not contested an election, was not voted for, be declared winner? I laugh about it, but kept quiet.” COMMISSIONING—From left: Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Miss Alice Nemi; Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi; his wife, Dame Judith Amaechi and former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, at the commissioning of Amb. Nne Kurubo Model Secondary School, in Ebubu, Eleme Local Government Area, Rivers State, yesterday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke. He said the issues Amaechi had with his candidature were straightened by the judgment of the Supreme Court. “He took it to the higher court and at the Supreme Court, he won and that was the end. As far as I am concerned, the issues have been straightened out.” Obasanjo challenged those who are not satisfied with the apex court’s verdict to take their case to God. While commending the governor for his achievements so far in the state,  Obasanjo appealed to Amaechi not to blame his predecessor, former Governor Peter Odili, for his failure to emerge the PDP flag bearer in the April 2007 election, saying  that he (Obasanjo) should be held responsible for that action. “I phone Amaechi not to take anything against his predecessor. Hold me responsible for whatever decision taken against you, not your predecessor,” he said. “When you invited me, many people said I should not come. They said for security. There is nothing more dangerous than fear.  At my age what should I fear even if it is death?” Turning to the governor, he said “If I die tomorrow, send a cow for my funeral. They told me that one road named after me was cancelled by you (Amaechi). Why should I come, they asked me? If anybody named anything after me, good luck to him. I am not working for Nigerians to name roads after me. I want my name to be in the minds and heart of people of the world, not necessarily on roads. If you invite me and I didn’t come because of the road that was cancelled, then I don’t deserve to be honoured, I will be petty,” he said.

Some elected Ijaw leaders have failed our people —INC Western Zone

Yenagoa—The zonal leadership of Ijaw National Congress, (Western Zone), has rated low the performance of some elected leaders of Ijaw extraction, saying that they had failed the people. INC Western zonal chairman, Chief Robinson Ogunkoru, said though a few distinguished politicians and activists were desperately searching for ways and means to turn around the bad fortunes of the region through welfare programmes and infrstructural development plan, majority of the elected leaders were indifferent, selfish and have failed in their campaign promises to the people. Ogunkoru, who spoke at the unveiling and launch of the website, owned by the founder of the Nengi James Foundation, lampooned some elected representatives of the people in government, noting that many of them have failed to live up to the expectation of the people. Commending the initiatives of the Nengi James Foundation over its scholarship scheme, inter-school competitions among indigent Ijaw students, presentations of cash and computers to secondary students, he said  “even those who we toiled hard to elect, many of them have failed us. But here is a man, who has done so much with the little resources at his disposal for the cause of our people. “Nengi James is selfless and committed to the struggle for the emancipation of the people of the Niger Delta region. He is no doubt a dogged activist, who is concerned and committed to the emancipation of the Ijaw youths and the region at large. If only every Ijaw man can show so much zeal and commitment to the development of our people, then the Ijaw nation will be great,” he added.

A Guide to Celebrating Valentine's Day for the Single Ladies (the Healthy Way)

Valentine's Day has a way of making single people feel like they have the clap. Forget that! Take yourself out on a date and give the finger to the idea that V-Day is only for lovers. Here are some heart-healthy ways to spend a love-filled day with friends (or on your own) when Cupid comes bearing his bow and arrow. Rejuvenate With Some Spa Time: Pamper yourself on Valentine's Day by splurging on a spa package. Relieve pain, reduce hypertension, and boost immunity with a massage; sit in the sauna to loosen up muscles; or my favorite, indulge your skin with an antioxidant-boosting facial. Take a Fun Fitness Class: Fitness dates aren't just for couples! Rev up your Valentine's Day and try a class that is totally out of the box - pole dancing or trapeze lessons, anyone? Say Cheers: Grab a girlfriend and head to your nearest wine bar - your heart will love you for it! The antioxidants in red wine help reduce the risk of heart disease and raise levels of heart-healthy omega-3s. Home alone? Pour yourself a glass and raise a toast to yourself. Put on Your Dancin' Shoes: Whether it's in the privacy of your own home or out on the town, dancing is always a great way to celebrate. It's also a calorie burner: 30 minutes of dancing burns almost 150 calories. Whip Up a Healthy Meal: I always feel satisfied after taking the time to cook a homemade meal. Share the load and divide the meal up among friends - nothing beats cooking together! Make it even more of a Valentine's Day feast by incorporating these heart-healthy foods into your meal.

Why I left Tinsel – Damilola Adegbite

Over the past few years, Damilola Adegbite has become one of the most recognizable actresses in Africa.  She plays the role of ‘Thelma Duke’, the gorgeous actress in the day time soap, Tinsel on Africa Magic; a role which has seen her become a favourite of soap lovers. Damilola, who recently left the set of Tinsel to explore the film industry, during a courtesy visit to Vanguard, spoke on why she left the soap, life outside Tinsel, her relationship and more. Enjoy!
You left Tinsel. Why?
Well, it was… as much as people don’t believe me, it was a personal decision. I just wanted to experience more of the movie world. It really wasn’t an easy decision to make because Tinsel has been part of my life for a while and we are family. But the only thing constant is change; basically every human being should re-evaluate their lives more often and make decisions.
I wanted to experience film. I wanted to experience movie-making and that is what I am doing now. And, I am pleased with it.
Can you describe your experience on Tinsel? You were one of the first on Tinsel?
I will say I am one of the few that had it luckily. Tinsel is a very pretty platform. I didn’t have to deal with the exploitation that other actors go through for getting script and all that. I had a proper platform and it was a worthwhile experience and one I will always be grateful for. I enjoyed it while it lasted.
What is your relationship with Gbenro Ajibade?
Laughs.  We are ex-colleagues.  We are just friends.
For four years, you played Thelma in Tinsel. How did that role influence your life?
Definitely not negatively! Well, do you mean affecting my personal life or my career?
I mean both.
Well, personally, no. I learnt to detach myself from the characters of the roles that I play. Career wise, it gave me a beautiful platform that I am building on today.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/02/why-i-left-tinsel-damilola-adegbite/#sthash.hlpPiIjY.dpuf

Over the past few years, Damilola Adegbite has become one of the most recognizable actresses in Africa.  She plays the role of ‘Thelma Duke’, the gorgeous actress in the day time soap, Tinsel on Africa Magic; a role which has seen her become a favourite of soap lovers. Damilola, who recently left the set of Tinsel to explore the film industry, during a courtesy visit to Vanguard, spoke on why she left the soap, life outside Tinsel, her relationship and more. Enjoy!
You left Tinsel. Why?
Well, it was… as much as people don’t believe me, it was a personal decision. I just wanted to experience more of the movie world. It really wasn’t an easy decision to make because Tinsel has been part of my life for a while and we are family. But the only thing constant is change; basically every human being should re-evaluate their lives more often and make decisions.
I wanted to experience film. I wanted to experience movie-making and that is what I am doing now. And, I am pleased with it.
Can you describe your experience on Tinsel? You were one of the first on Tinsel?
I will say I am one of the few that had it luckily. Tinsel is a very pretty platform. I didn’t have to deal with the exploitation that other actors go through for getting script and all that. I had a proper platform and it was a worthwhile experience and one I will always be grateful for. I enjoyed it while it lasted.
What is your relationship with Gbenro Ajibade?
Laughs.  We are ex-colleagues.  We are just friends.
For four years, you played Thelma in Tinsel. How did that role influence your life?
Definitely not negatively! Well, do you mean affecting my personal life or my career?
I mean both.
Well, personally, no. I learnt to detach myself from the characters of the roles that I play. Career wise, it gave me a beautiful platform that I am building on today.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/02/why-i-left-tinsel-damilola-adegbite/#sthash.hlpPiIjY.dpuf

Over the past few years, Damilola Adegbite has become one of the most recognizable actresses in Africa.  She plays the role of ‘Thelma Duke’, the gorgeous actress in the day time soap, Tinsel on Africa Magic; a role which has seen her become a favourite of soap lovers. Damilola, who recently left the set of Tinsel to explore the film industry, during a courtesy visit to Vanguard, spoke on why she left the soap, life outside Tinsel, her relationship and more. Enjoy!
You left Tinsel. Why?
Well, it was… as much as people don’t believe me, it was a personal decision. I just wanted to experience more of the movie world. It really wasn’t an easy decision to make because Tinsel has been part of my life for a while and we are family. But the only thing constant is change; basically every human being should re-evaluate their lives more often and make decisions.
I wanted to experience film. I wanted to experience movie-making and that is what I am doing now. And, I am pleased with it.
Can you describe your experience on Tinsel? You were one of the first on Tinsel?
I will say I am one of the few that had it luckily. Tinsel is a very pretty platform. I didn’t have to deal with the exploitation that other actors go through for getting script and all that. I had a proper platform and it was a worthwhile experience and one I will always be grateful for. I enjoyed it while it lasted.
What is your relationship with Gbenro Ajibade?
Laughs.  We are ex-colleagues.  We are just friends.
For four years, you played Thelma in Tinsel. How did that role influence your life?
Definitely not negatively! Well, do you mean affecting my personal life or my career?
I mean both.
Well, personally, no. I learnt to detach myself from the characters of the roles that I play. Career wise, it gave me a beautiful platform that I am building on today.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/02/why-i-left-tinsel-damilola-adegbite/#sthash.hlpPiIjY.dpuf

Over the past few years, Damilola Adegbite has become one of the most recognizable actresses in Africa.  She plays the role of ‘Thelma Duke’, the gorgeous actress in the day time soap, Tinsel on Africa Magic; a role which has seen her become a favourite of soap lovers. Damilola, who recently left the set of Tinsel to explore the film industry, during a courtesy visit to Vanguard, spoke on why she left the soap, life outside Tinsel, her relationship and more. Enjoy!

You left Tinsel. Why?

Well, it was… as much as people don’t believe me, it was a personal decision. I just wanted to experience more of the movie world. It really wasn’t an easy decision to make because Tinsel has been part of my life for a while and we are family. But the only thing constant is change; basically every human being should re-evaluate their lives more often and make decisions.

I wanted to experience film. I wanted to experience movie-making and that is what I am doing now. And, I am pleased with it.

Can you describe your experience on Tinsel? You were one of the first on Tinsel?

I will say I am one of the few that had it luckily. Tinsel is a very pretty platform. I didn’t have to deal with the exploitation that other actors go through for getting script and all that. I had a proper platform and it was a worthwhile experience and one I will always be grateful for. I enjoyed it while it lasted.

What is your relationship with Gbenro Ajibade?

Laughs.  We are ex-colleagues.  We are just friends.

For four years, you played Thelma in Tinsel. How did that role influence your life?

Definitely not negatively! Well, do you mean affecting my personal life or my career?

I mean both.

Well, personally, no. I learnt to detach myself from the characters of the roles that I play. Career wise, it gave me a beautiful platform that I am building on today.

What other movies are you doing now?

Beside the movie I just finished with Michelle, which is premiering on 13th – and I am excited about that, I will be going into production with two Nollywood big names in February. I will rather not expose who they are now so as not to spoil the surprise. But, there other productions lined up as well.

Are you hoping for endorsements from companies?

Well, it depends on the plan that you have for yourself. Like I said, I am not really concentrating on endorsements now. I would like my acting to speak for me and then, from there, if anything else comes up, that’s fine. But I am just breaking off the platforms now and want to continue building something. So, endorsements are welcome, of course. But they are not really my focus right now but they are welcome.

Now that you are in another phase of your career, would you say Tinsel sort of limited you to an extent?

I will say ‘yes’ to a certain extent because of the time. It’s very time consuming working on soaps. Tinsel, I would say is a pretty peculiar production as well, because they emphasise a lot on quality and, you know, all of that is pretty time consuming. No producer would like to work with someone they cannot guaranty would be there. It would give their production as much time and you know effort. So, I would say that it did limit me to a certain extent; which is why I had to come to a decision.
 
Tell us a bit about your background?

 
Well, Damilola Adegbite was born into a family of four. I was born and raised in Lagos. In Surulere, to be precise, so I grew up in Surulere. I have a degree in Business Administration from Bowen University.
 
What childhood memories do you have of Surulere?

 
Wow! I had a fun childhood in Surulere; those street carnivals and all that. It was fun. And, the friends I had in that area, which would be exclusive to me. I had a lot of friends in the area, so you could basically just get up and walk into anybody’s house, eat with them and sleep there if you wanted to. Everybody’s door was open to you all the time in my neighbourhood, anyway.

 

How did you get into acting?
It’s always been a passion for me. Some people, along the course of life, decide to choose certain careers based on wherever life leads them. I am pretty focused and I know what I want and I always try to stick to that. I have always wanted to be in the arts. Even while growing up, everyone around me saw that that was what I wanted to do. I was always in some music or theatre-related issue. I was always doing something that had to do with the arts.
 
So what’s your style like? How will you describe your style?

 
My style will be: simple, classy, and comfortable. I don’t like discomfort, even if it means looking good. No. I like to be comfortable and relaxed wherever I am; free to move around without being afraid that my skirt is too short or whatever. So, I am just simple but classy.

You are always well put together on the red carpet. Do you have a special designer for your clothes?
Well, I try to patronize as many people as I can in the fashion industry. Especially, if your item or your piece flatters me or something I could rock. I basically source for most of the clothes you see.  They could be something I pick off a designer’s rack or something I put together myself.
 
So, do you have a role model in the industry when it comes to acting? Is there anybody you look up to?
Of course, there are a lot of people I admire in the industry. I learn a lot from them; I probably just watch their movies. A few of my personal favourites: I like Mercy Johnson. I like her acting. I think she is good. I like Mr. Ibu; he makes me laugh. There is something very unique about him. His talent is quite unique. I like Mojid Micheal as well. He is not a Nigerian but I think he is a very good actor. Everybody has something I like.

What would be your greatest fantasy?
I remember that yesterday I was reading a newspaper and it was talking about Mr. Aliko Dangote.  He was referred to as the richest man in Africa and there was a picture of him sitting down, eating a bowl of food.  I remember thinking to myself, to wake up in the morning knowing that you are the richest man in Africa and yet you are dressed in shorts and a tee-shirt!  You are just chilling. There must be a huge amount of self fulfillment in that.

Regardless of what it is, where I am, what I achieved, whenever, wherever, I want to be able to wake up in the morning, look at myself in the mirror and say: “You are not doing badly Damilola”. So, basically, I would want to, at all times, be happy with where I am.

What won’t you wear in the name of fashion?

I wouldn’t wear a loud wig in the name of fashion; a coloured wig.

You have a boyfriend?
Yes

How did you meet?

I saw him. I liked him and we started talking; from there till today.

Tell us what you don’t like about men.
I don’t like men who over-indulge in alcohol. I like men that have regard for themselves and for the people around them. You would have to come across to me as a very serious minded person to be with me.  That’s the honest truth.