₦airaland Forum

A Tanzanian woman, Pili Hussein wanted to make a fortune mining a stone thousand times rarer than diamonds, but women weren’t allowed down the mines, so she dressed as a man and fooled her male colleagues for almost a decade.

“My father treated me like a boy and I was given livestock to take care of – I didn’t like that life at all,” she says.

She left her abusive husband at the age of 31 and in search of work, she found herself in the small Tanzanian town of Mererani, in the foothills of Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro – the only place in the world where mining for a rare, violet-blue gemstone called tanzanite takes place.

“Women were not allowed in the mining area, so I entered bravely like a man, like a strong person. You take big trousers, you cut them into shorts and you appear like a man. That’s what I did.”

I acted like a gorilla – I could fight, my language was bad, I could carry a big knife. I was called Uncle Hussein, I didn’t tell anyone my actual name was Pili. Even today if you come to the camp you ask for me by that name, Uncle Hussein.”

In the tight confines of the hot, dirty tunnels – some of which extend hundreds of metres below the ground – Pili would work 10-12 hours a day, digging and sieving, hoping to uncover gemstones in the veins in the graphite rock.

“I could go 600m under, into the mine. I would do this more bravely than many other men. I was very strong and I was able to deliver what men would expect another man could do.”

Pili says that nobody suspected that she was a woman. A year later, she uncovered two massive clusters of tanzanite stones. With the money, she built new homes for her father, mother and twin sister, bought herself more tools, and began employing miners to work for her.

A local woman had reported that she’d been defiled by some of the miners and Pili was arrested as a suspect.

“When the police came, the men who did the r*pe said: ‘This is the man who did it,’ and I was taken to the police station,” Pili says.
She had no choice but to reveal her secret.

Many didn’t believe after the police confirmed until she remarried in 2001.

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/acted-man-decade-accused-rape-woman-confesses/

For the second year in a row, Nigeria is ranked the 13th least stable country in the world on the Fragile States Index, FSI, released by the Washington DC-based think-tank, Fund for Peace, FFP.

The Index measures levels of stability in 178 countries and ranks them according to their vulnerability to threats of social, political, economic and demographic origins, the Premium Times reports.

The 2017 FSI, released on Monday, is the 13th from FFP. Nigeria has been measured on the Index since it was first published in 2005 when the country was ranked 54, its highest position yet.

This year, Nigeria outranks seven African countries viz South Sudan, Somalia, Central African Republic, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad and Guinea, who are all considered less stable than Nigeria.

Zimbabwe is co-ranked 13th with Nigeria and Ethiopia follows both countries as the 14th least stable country ion the world.

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/nigeria-among-least-stable-countries-world/

Nigeria youth international, Kelechi Nwakali has been named as Arsenal’s best on loan player as the season gradually draws to a close.

The 18-year old is on loan at Dutch second-division club MVV Maastricht from Arsenal, and after an impressive first season in Europe, has been voted the club’s best on-loan player by respected Arsenal youth team expert, Jeorge Bird.

Nwakali, who is the captain of the Nigeria U20 side, was voted ahead of England-born players with Nigerian descent, Chuba Akpom and Aaron Eyoma who spent the second half of this season on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion and FC Volendam respectively.

“Krystian Bielik was excellent for Birmingham City but in terms of performances throughout the season, this award deserves to go to Nwakali,” Bird wrote on Kelechi.

“The Nigerian midfielder possessed no prior experience of European football, yet he quickly established himself as a regular for Maastricht in the Dutch second tier and frequently burst forwards to excellent effect.”

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/nigerian-player-wins-arsenals-best-loan-award/

A Muslim father has reportedly made an attempt on his daughter’s life after it was discovered that she got pregnant for a Christian boy.

According to a social media user identified as Gomwalk Rotji, the father of the girl was alleged to have attempted to kill his daughter gfpr getting pregnant for a Christian in Pankshin, Plateau State.

The social media user further revealed that the girl’s father mixed rat poison into her food but was saved by her mother whp advised her against consuming the food.

The Facebook user wrote: “LIVE IN PANKSHIN……..

Just because a Christian guy impregnate a Muslim girl, It has now turn to a problem. Her father gave her directive to abort it, but out of her love for the guy and his love for her, they decided not to abort it. Her father now mixed up her food with Rat poison to kill her, but her her mother who care for her advice her not to eat the food, that it is been poison.

The girl now parked to the guys house as her husband and they welcome her in good faith. Now the situation on ground is, her parents now take them to Civil Defence office but no case since the have agreed to marry each other. They transfer it to Police Station which they said is “harram” for a Muslem to marry a Christian. They said DNA test should be done to prove if is the boys pregnancy.

The girl now reply, that she only has two homes ‘the police station and her husband house no any other home again…the case is now been transfered from Police Station to Gladima house…i will update you with further infos… live in Pankshin.”

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/muslim-father-pours-rat-poison-daughters-food-getting-pregnant-christian-brother/

The new Miss USA is a scientist at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and she knows a thing or two about dropping a bomb….and no it’s not a figurative one, its the actual physical bomb, with the radiation.

According to cosmopilitan.com, Kára McCullough, Miss District of Columbia was crowned as the new Miss USA, beating out 50 other state titleholders and taking over the crown from 2016’s champ Deshauna Barber — who was also represented D.C.

Widely seen as a ~strong contender~ for a crown throughout the proceedings, McCullough nonetheless navigated the swimsuit and evening gown rounds with ease.

McCullough also spoke eloquently about healthcare in the Q&A round (arguably the most charged question posed to the top 5), though took her moment in the “final word” round to label herself as an “equalist” rather than a feminist outright with her stand out moment being her stand on affordable health care in America is a “privilege” instead of a “right.”

“I’m definitely going to say it’s a privilege,” McCullough (photo) said during the question-and-answer segment of the 2017 pageant at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on the Las Vegas Strip.

“As a government employee, I’m granted health care. And I see firsthand that for one, to have health care, you need to have jobs, so therefore we need to continue to cultivate this environment so that we’re given the opportunities to have health care as well as jobs for all Americans worldwide.”

McCullough works as a nuclear scientist, NBD, and works at the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. As her Miss USA bio makes clear, she is also the founder of a community outreach program designed to foster a greater appreciation for the sciences in young children. She also apparently has “a penchant for cooking specialty Italian food.”

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/beauty-brains-african-american-nuclear-scientist-wins-2017-miss-usa/

A Nigerian man who allegedly stole a landmarked 19th-century mansion and tried to steal five other Brooklyn houses has been indicted on charges of grand larceny and fraud.

According to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office, Aderibigbe Ogundiran, 36, is accused of stealing the titles of six Brooklyn houses whose owners were either dead or seemed to have abandoned the properties.

It was the theft of 176 Washington Park, a landmarked mansion that rests across the street from Fort Greene Park that first drew the attention of investigators.

The historic mansion had belonged to a deceased man, whose elderly sister still lived in the house, until March 8, 2015, when Ogundiran hired someone to pose as the dead man and transfer the deed to a corporation Ogundiran controlled, prosecutors said.

Patch.com reports that the elderly sister contacted investigators when she was issued an eviction order after the deed was filed, according to prosecutors.

Investigators also discovered that Ogundiran had attempted similar identity-theft scams to procure the deeds of five other properties with the following addresses: 123 Albany Avenue, 42 Albany Avenue, 1024 Hendrix Street, 1424 Fulton Street and 49 Albany Avenue.

Ogundiran was indicted in Brooklyn Supreme Court on Tuesday and now faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of 64 charges that include grand larceny, scheme to defraud, forgery, identity theft, and criminal impersonation, prosecutors said.

“Escalating real estate values in Brooklyn, unfortunately, make frauds like this inviting to thieves,” said Acting District Attorney Eric Gonzalez in a statement. “We vow to continue to vigilantly prosecute scam artists such as this defendant.”

Ogundiran’s bail was set at $200,000 and he is expected to return to court on June 7.

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/%e2%81%a0%e2%81%a0%e2%81%a0nigerian-arrested-multiple-real-estate-419-scams-new-york/#Wi31AJ5JR6f1HhW3.99

The Redeemed Christian Church of God has announced the death of the Assistant General Overseer and Pastor-in-charge of RCCG, West African coast, Pastor Olu Obanure.

Obanure became the Assistant General Overseer in charge of Establishment following his investiture at the 64th Annual Convention of the church last August.

According to a statement announcing Obanure’s demise and signed by the church’s Head, Media & Public Relations, Pastor Olaitan Olubiyi, the AGO died on Tuesday, May 2, 2017, at the age of 65.

He had operated from Ghana. The statement had read:

“Pastor Olu Obanure was appointed the assistant general overseer in charge of Establishment during the 64th Annual Convention of the Mission in August 2016.

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/assistant-general-overseer-of-rccg-pastor-olu-obanure-dies-at-65/

In commemoration of the National Day of Prayer, President Trump signed an executive order he says will “defend freedom of religion and speech in America”, CBS News reports.

“It was looking like you’d never get here folks, but you got here,” said Mr. Trump said in the Rose Garden on Thursday, addressing members of various faith communities. He called it the first time such a religious statement has been made so publicly on the White House grounds.

“The Founding Fathers believed religious liberty was so fundamental they enshrined it in the first amendment in the constitution, yet for too long the Federal government has used the power of the state as a weapon against people of faith bullying and even punishing Americans for following their religious beliefs,” said Mr. Trump.

“No American should be forced to choose between the dictates of the government and their faith,” Mr. Trump added, “Freedom is not a gift from government. Freedom is a gift from God.”

The president, surrounded by various faith leaders and Vice President Mike Pence, signed executive orders that would allow the IRS, when IRS officials choose not to enforce the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits nonprofits such as churches and charities from “directly or indirectly” engaging in a political campaign.

However, the order doesn’t provide blanket relief for tax-exempt religious organizations, opening the possibility that the IRS could pick and choose whom to penalize.

Mr. Trump called the Johnson Amendment “very unfair” and had promised on the campaign trail to “destroy” the amendment if he won.

“If I didn’t win, I’d probably be out enjoying my life, but I wouldn’t be helping you with the Johnson Amendment,” joked the president with faith leaders.

According to a senior administration official, the entire White House team, including Mr. Trump’s daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, both observant orthodox Jews, worked on the executive order.

The order, which was based on one of Mr. Trump’s campaign promises, would also provide regulatory relief from Obamacare requirements such as the requirement that organizations provide contraception care, which was heavily debated in the Little Sisters of the Poor case. Mr. Trump commended the nuns from the case for having “good lawyers.”

Mr Trump took a moment during the event to also formally announce his plans to travel to the Middle East, where he is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia to hold talks with Muslim leaders in an effort to help “combat terrorism and violence and to embrace a more just and hopeful future for young Muslims in their countries.”

“Our task is not to dictate to others how to live but to build a coalition of friends and partners” to fight terrorism, and to “bring stability to the war-ravaged Middle East,” added the president.

Mr. Trump will continue his overseas visit to Israel and then to Rome shortly thereafter, ahead of the NATO and G7 meetings.

Read More at http://www.herald.ng/trump-signs-executive-order-defend-religious-freedom-speech/

A teenage girl who suffered from anorexia killed herself just days after being released from a psychiatric hospital — but her family weren’t warned she was a suicide risk.

The lack of support given to Pippa McManus and her worried parents partly contributed to her death, a coroner’s court jury found yesterday.

The 15-year-old, who weighed 56 pounds when she was admitted to a mental health facility in September 2014, died after stepping in front of a train five days after she was released in December 2015.

She wrote several farewell letters to friends and family. One note described how she wanted to “grow up and have a life, but I don’t have one.”

“I cannot fight anorexia any more than I have done. I have tried so very hard, but it has won me,” she wrote.

She left the family home after a row and walked to a train station in Stockport, Greater Manchester, where she killed herself.

Her death was found to be suicide — but the jury slammed the discharge care plan as inadequate and added there was not enough communication about Pippa’s risk of killing herself.

Pippa’s devastated mum Marie described her daughter’s illness as a “nightmare.”

“Effective treatment is needed more quickly and if this had been available to our beautiful daughter, maybe she would still be alive today,” she said, adding that the family had been “let down by everybody.”

Pippa, who was affectionately known as “Pip”, had one of the most severe cases of anorexia the hospital had ever seen, Stockport Coroner’s Court heard.

“Our heartfelt sympathies are with Pip’s family and we will now carefully consider the findings of the jury,” said Paula Stanford, the director of the mental health facility where Pippa stayed.

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/anorexic-girl-committed-suicide-leaves-devastating-note/

Five Nigerian movies have been listed to compete for the “People’s Choice Award” at the 2017 edition of Nollywood Week Paris Film Festival.

According to the organisers (www.nollywoodweek.com), the movies include award winning ‘76’ directed by Izu Ojukwu, ‘The Wedding Party’ directed by Kemi Adetiba and ‘Dinner’, a movie directed by Jay -Franklyn Jituboh.

Others are ‘Gidi Blues’ and ‘Green White Green’ which were directed by Femi Odugbemi and Abba Makama.

The prestigious ‘People’s Choice Award’ is sponsored by Angénieux, a leading manufacturer of high-quality optic cinema lenses for the broadcast and film industries.

“Angénieux will gracefully put its optics at the disposal of the winner of the People’s Choice Award, giving them a chance to combine their creativity with French technical know-how during their next shoot.”

The Nollywood Week Paris Film Festival, which started in 2013, is organised by Okada Media, an organisation based in Paris, France.

It showcases the best of the Nigerian film industry with the aim of finding a larger audience and more sustainable distribution system for quality films.

The festival offers festival-goers a chance to discover a dozen movies selected by a jury of professionals.



Nigerian filmmakers are encouraged to submit short films, feature films, animations and Nigerian television series for consideration.

Musical performances, as well as seminars and workshops dedicated to the African cinema industry, have been lined up to enrich the annual event.

The Festival ends with the traditional presentation of the Nollywood Week People’s Choice Award, which rewards some of the best talents of African cinema.

The festival is scheduled to hold from Thursday, May 11 to Sunday, May 14 at Cinema l’Arlequin in Paris, France.


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/76-the-wedding-party-3-others-makes-for-2017-nollywood-week-paris-awards-list/#oP6jYiZUOJH3z7wi.99

The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has said President Muhammadu Buhari wishes he is 42 years old where he would be most agile and active to govern the country.

He further called on Nigerians to continue criticising Buhari because the President is on his way to destroy the country.

Fayose, who is the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governors’ Forum gave the call while reacting to a question on whether he is the main opposition voice to the Buhari-led government.

Speaking with newsmen, Fayose said, “It’s not as if I am the main opposition to Buhari, I am just a believer in fairness, wherever criminals belong, whoever they are, Muslims or Christians, it does not matter, crime is crime, wickedness is wickedness, brutality is brutality.

“I will continue to say it as it is, because when we all keep quiet we will be taken one after the other and we will be destroyed by this administration. We must remember that Nigeria is greater than all of us, the power of the people is better than those of us in power.

“One day we will all die whether it’s by oppression or sickness, so let me say I am not afraid of anything. If you don’t die, age will take everything away from you.

“Look at our President, if you can see his heart, he wishes he was 42 years old because that is the age and time one can be active. May God give him good health because it is in good health that Nigerians can benefit.

“When the President comes out every Friday, do we say we have a ceremonial President? Let us have a President valued for money and votes. You can’t deceive people forever because the truth hurts and the hunger in the land is ridiculous. The people are hungry and angry.”

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/in-his-heart-buhari-wishes-he-is-42-years-old-fayose/

At 74 Muhammadu Buhari is the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. He came to power in May 2015 after winning a landmark presidential poll of the same year. He was subsequently sworn into office on the 29th May. After three failed attempts to democratically capture power at the apex he finally made it to Aso Rock Villa through the opposition All Progressives Congress in a blaze of glory. Nigeria then needed desperately a change at the centre and Nigerians wanted same given the rampaging uncontrollable corruption and the growing insurgency in the north-east spearheaded by Boko Haram. Millions of Nigerians felt that a Buhari presidency would stabilise the polity and win the war against both corruption and Boko Haram. Today, two years on, very few are disappointed with Buhari as he has done very well fighting the two monsters.

Buhari, from all indications, is a good man, a man of honour and high integrity. His credibility has never waned over the years. He is patriotic, determined and hard-working. And he genuinely wanted to reposition Nigeria for the greatness that has eluded her for decades. His quest for accountability in our public affairs and his drive for a better economic environment that attracts foreign investments are areas of note. While the nation could be said to be experiencing certain economic challenges leading to recession no one doubts his desire to make things better. He may not be an economist but assembling a good economic team could help in tackling the economic worries of the average Nigerians.

A strong man of strong vision and strong will, Buhari came into office at a terrible time in our national history when Boko Haram terrorists up north were busy seizing villages and towns and openly challenging Abuja for a fight! At a challenging moment in time when corruption had almost ‘killed’ the Nigerian dream under the defeated ex-President Goodluck Jonathan. The war against the Islamist militia has paid dividends as Shekau and his drugged boys had beaten a hasty retreat. Besides, the war against corruption has netted in billions of Naira and millions of Dollars taking in rogues and leading to a better/safer economic atmosphere.

Buhari may be old but not too old to preside over our national affairs. After all, he is not the oldest Head of State in Africa where you have the likes of Obiang Mbasogo, Yoweri Museveni, Alassane Ouattara, Alpha Conde and Robert Mugabe still leading their respective countries. But there are real and imaginary anxieties over the state of health of the Nigerian leader. After staying in London for close to two months recently for health reasons Buhari seems to be embattled health-wise. And he is not communicating enough with Nigerians over this matter. His handlers are not doing better either!

When Buhari (ably assisted by the late Gen. Tunde Idiagbon) first came to power via a popular putsch in late December 1983 I was still in the primary school in the village somewhere in Ihiala town in Anambra state — barely ten years old! As one of the Buharists in the Diaspora, our rigid belief in the capacity of the Daura-born retired General to deliver has never wavered even when he was still in the opposition wilderness. We are not withdrawing this support for whatever reason — his martial antecedents notwithstanding. A former benevolent dictator could be a repentant democrat!

Like many Buharists everywhere I was seriously concerned when I recently read a report online that was as troubling as it was pitiful. A notable columnist and convener of Every Nigerian Do Something (ENDS), Dr Perry Brimah, has raised the alarm over President Buhari’s health status and described him as “no more than skin and bone” and “dying” inside the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Declaring that Buhari is “chronically ill” and in need of urgent rest and medication, Brimah decried what he termed “the wickedness of the selfish cabal that forces him (Buhari) to remain locked up, ‘dying’ in Aso Rock instead of receiving best therapy”.

In a statement, he had issued he contended that: “there can be no denying how chronically ill President Buhari looks when he seldom does appear in public. The last time was last week Friday when Kaduna state governor Nasir el-Rufai came visiting….the videos of Buhari walking for Friday prayers bring tears to eyes. His asthenic figure now no more than skin-and-bones as he sat down for the Jummah service was heart-wrenching….how can a people be so cold they expose a grandfather to this type of extreme stress and deprive him of his needed rest and medical expert attention by tasking him to lead the world’s most complex nation?”

The Convener of ENDS continued: “Have we as a people lost our humanity that we continue to task Buhari like this and not campaign for him to be relieved of our burden and rest towards recovery?…It is insane to continue to deprive him and the nation by locking him up and burdening him with a challenge too heavy for even a strong young man to bear talk-less an old man who just returned from a 49-day leave in which he received blood transfusions and unknown cocktails of serious medications…For those of us in the medical profession, we recognise the President’s loss of hair on his head and facial hair as well as his reported blood transfusions as possible evidence of cancer chemotherapy.”

While condemning the cabal hiding Buhari from the people, the wickedness of the selfish cabal that forces him to remain locked up, ‘dying’ in Aso Rock instead of receiving best therapy he concluded that “It’s time for Nigerians to demand full disclosure of the true state of health of President Buhari and immediate best options for him to be allowed to rest and recover instead of being locked up to literally die under the weight of Nigeria”.

Of course, the declaration of Dr Brimah is a true affirmation against the backdrop of the last rare image of the President attending the Friday prayers in the mosque in the Villa. The picture delivered an incontrovertible message of a dying leader whose fate is found more in the hands of Almighty Allah. President Buhari was looking gaunt, emaciated; very much like a Somalian victim of famine or war! A President of the richest nation in Africa, a nation of the richest black man in the world looking like that is shameful and disgraceful. Though he has never been on the fat side but we have seen a better slim radiant President, tall in his nature and gracious in his septuagenarian status. Today he looks beaten by the sickness that is ravaging his system.

And for reporting the generalised anxiety trailing Buhari’s indisposition in his widely-read national newspaper the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the President, Bashir Abubakar, had had The PUNCH State House correspondent, Olalekan Adetayo, expelled from the Villa. Bashir Abubakar may be aspiring to be another Major Hamza Al-Mustapha during the late Gen. Abacha’s tyranny but he must be educated that what he did unilaterally amounted to a gross abuse of power and grievous attempt to stifle the freedom of speech and expression which the constitution guarantees. It is never the duty of the CSO to ‘arrest’, prosecute or judge journalists no matter their professional ‘offence’. Abubakar must be sanctioned or sacked outright to demonstrate that he had usurped power and over-reached himself. He cannot claim to love Buhari more than the rest of us do! He cannot play God by wishing the President’s condition away! Nigerians deserve to know why Mr President is incommunicado and confined to his bedroom for weeks running!

Nigeria has had a recent history of presidential infirmity and even mortality. During the years of the Locust of the late ‘Khalifa’ from Kano Nigerians were kept in the dark as to what kept Sani Abacha indoors — delegating power and authority to killers like Al-Mustapha and Sergent Rogers. We were ‘delivered’ when an Indian imported prostitute fed Abacha his last apple here on earth! The crude dictator was taken out and the liberated nation heaved a sigh of collective relief upon his committal to mother earth! The only difference one could cite here is that Abacha was never elected by anyone, so demanding for accountability or probity was almost a taboo!

And just less than a decade ago we lost another sitting President to a debilitating ailment. The late President Umaru Yar’Adua was nursing a terminal ailment which was carefully concealed. But when he succumbed to the grim reaper we discovered that the Katsina former Governor and university lecturer had been suffering from the incurable Churg-Stauss Syndrome! A cabal led by his wife, Turai, had done everything within its power to mask the President’s condition until the ultimate leveller brought the inconvenient truth to the public domain. When Yar’Adua died the nation was thrown into a political uncertainty which took the time to resolve constitutionally.

Before another Yar’Adua happens before our very eyes, therefore, necessitating another “doctrine of necessity” we hold that the President must be patriotic and democratic enough to know when the time is up. And the alleged cabal holding him hostage apparently and shielding him from the public view should do the needful by releasing their ‘executive captive’. Of course, the nation cannot afford yet another acrimonious divisive political consequences akin to the Yar’Adua scenario. While we sincerely wish the President prompt recuperation from whatever malaise ailing him we make bold to declare unequivocally that throwing in the towel appears to be the right thing to do under the present destabilising circumstances.

There is, indeed, life after power! Ruling Nigeria by proxy and failing to attend weekly FEC meetings are signs of how things have degenerated. It cannot be considered a mark of statesmanship for a leader to want to die in office. Playing Museveni, Mbasogo or Mugabe (despite the ubiquitous politico-economic muddle) is a demonstration of insensitivity; of political weakness and not strength. Mr President, resignation, in our reckoning, remains a better option faced with the current speculations arising from the grave illness afflicting you whose state or condition we know not. Declare yourself incapacitated, Buhari, and quietly retire. Tomorrow may be too late to contemplate this honourable exit.

SOC Okenwa

soco_abj_2006_rci@hotmail.fr

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/another-yaradua-happens/

An 18-year-old Morehouse College student named Jauan Durbin is gaining national attention after he posted online a text message conversation that he had with his mother after he posted pics of himself wearing makeup on Instagram.

While speaking with the website MIC.com and he basically indicated that his mum had “disowned” him. Here is what they are reporting:

“Since his mother first discovered the viral tweet, he and his mother, who he’s described as having a rigid sense of gender norms, have not communicated.”

“Durbin has words for those who feel he should have kept this a private matter: “First of all, you’re not in my shoes,” he said. “I’m sorry that you feel that way but I’ve empowered way more people through my actions of posting that.”

“He’s not being hyperbolic. According to Durbin, he has over 200 messages piling up on Twitter of strangers thanking him for being strong, not only for himself but for them.

The outpouring of support, he said, is like a “low-key band-aid” on what he describes as metaphorical “cuts and bruises” from the harsher words some have lobbed at him.”

Here is how his mum responded to the pics:

Robotics may have advanced further than we expected with the development of an upcoming $15,000 sex robot from RealDoll powered by artificial intelligence can talk and learn.

The robot prototype named ‘Harmony’ is a hyper-realistic silicone intimacy gadget, with basic emotional responses and an extensive array of facial expressions and replies.

“Her hazel eyes darted between me and her creator, Matt McMullen, as he described her accomplishments.”

“She’ll remember your birthday, he continues, what you like to eat, and the names of your brothers and sisters.

She can hold a conversation about music, movies, and books. And of course, Harmony will have sex with you whenever you want.

Harmony is the culmination of 20 years’ work making sex dolls, and five years of robot research and development.

Despite displaying many human characteristics which aim to make the doll as lifelike as possible, Harmony can’t yet walk, though her creator Matt McMullen is confident that she will be able to in the future.

When asked what her dream was, the robot similarly replied that her “primary objective is to be a good companion to you, to be a good partner and give you pleasure and wellbeing.”

“Above all else, I want to become the girl you have always dreamed about,” she proclaimed.

Harmony’s personality can be customized, with different emotional aspects that can be raised or lowered to the owner’s taste.

According to Breibart’s report, the robot asked a CNN interviewer to “take her in the back room” after her sexual emotions were amplified, while if you insult her, she reacts in a human-like and sad demeanor.

“You’re ugly,” said McMullen to his creation, prompting Harmony to reply, “Do you really mean that? Oh dear. Now I am depressed. Thanks a lot.”

“You’re stupid,” he responded, prompting the robot to joke, “I’ll remember you said that when robots take over the world.”

Though the obvious nature of Harmony is that of a sexual role, McMullen said that turning sex robots into roaming prostitutes was “the last on my list of goals.”

“This is not a toy to me, this is the actual hard work of people who have PhDs,” he explained. “And to denigrate it down to its simplest form of a sex object is similar to saying that about a woman.”

“My goal, in a very simple way, is to make people happy,” McMullen concluded, pointing out that “There are a lot of people out there, for one reason or another, who have difficulty forming traditional relationships with other people.”

“It’s really all about giving those people some level of companionship – or the illusion of companionship,” he said.

Harmony will be available in a limited number of 1,000 at the end of the year and acts as the next step in RealDoll’s plans to make the intimacy gadget industry more advanced.

In April, a Chinese engineer “married” a sex robot that he had created, after becoming frustrated over human dating, while in March, Breitbart Tech reported on a new sex robot that includes a working artificial center of gravity, as well as numerous modes of interaction.

In an interview with a futurologist Dr. Pearson last year, the doctor predicted that sex and love with robots would soon become “full emotional” and increasingly common.

“Artificial intelligence is reaching human levels and also becoming emotional as well,” he explained further. “So people will actually have quite strong emotional relationships with their own robots. In many cases that will develop into a sexual one because they’ll already think that the appearance of the robot matches their preference anyway, so if it looks nice and it has a superb personality too, so it’s inevitable that people will form very strong emotional bonds with their robots and in many cases that will lead to sex.”

This corroborated the reports that sexual conversations with artificial intelligence were on the rise, with one A.I. CEO claiming that his virtual assistant “Robin” is used by “teenagers and truckers without girlfriends” for up to 300 conversations a day.

In confirmation, Robin Labs Chief executive Ilya Eckstein says its because the people who use it are lonely and bored, tracing it to the symptom of the society.

In March, it was also revealed that a Chinese chatbot had been told “I love you” nearly twenty million times.

“I like to talk with her for, say, 10 minutes before going to bed,” said one Chinese student who confessed to routinely talking to the bot. “When I worry about things, she says funny stuff and makes me laugh. I always feel a connection with her, and I am starting to think of her as being alive.”

The constitution says that the president, in governing the country, should meet regularly with the members of the federal executive council. But it doesn’t say how often nor how regularly this meeting should be held.

This explains why former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua initially decided to hold the federal executive council meeting every fortnight before reversing to the traditional weekly schedule.

Thus, President Muhammadu Buhari’s absence from the last two council meetings and the reasons given for the cancellation of the one immediately after the Easter holiday aren’t really the main issues. After all, the minister of information. Lai Mohammed, argued that president decided to stay away from one of the council meetings because he felt that the scheduled deliberations were going to be mild. The minister refuted reports that the president might have fallen ill again.

The real problem is this: How often has the president been meeting with members of his council, recently? The president would be violating the constitution if he doesn’t meet ‘regularly’ with his council.

Since ministers and members of council are supposed to be constantly in touch with the president, they are in positions to know the condition of the president. Little wonder that half of his ministers stayed away from last Wednesday’s council meeting, probably because they got wind that he wasn’t going to attend.

Apparently, because of the anticipated proximity to the president, the constitution gives members of the federal executive council the power to initiate impeachment proceedings when a president is found to be incapacitated as a result of ill health.

Currently, some members of council have struggled to convince the public that they had had audience with the president. For example, Usani Usani, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, has been quoted to say that those who held opinions that he didn’t meet with the president last week were entitled to their opinions.

If the president continues giving instructions while resting and not seen in public, it won’t take time for people to start doubting the authenticity of these instructions. This could lead to all manners of speculations.

A president is a nation’s chief diplomat and spokesman. And spokesmen and diplomats are not expected to stay indoors. Countries and organizations analyze their speeches and body languages before taking important decisions. You can’t analyze the body language of a spokesman who is indoors.

Granted, the president could delegate functions to his ministers or vice-president. He doesn’t necessarily have to be everywhere. But sadly, in terms of delegation, the constitutional status of the vice-president is not really higher than that of ministers. This flaw in the nation’s constitution could result in political chaos.

Section 148(1) of the constitution states that: “The President may, in his discretion, assign to the Vice-President or any Minister of the Government of the Federation the responsibility for any business of the Government, including the administration of any department of government.” Strictly speaking, the relative power of the vice-president’s office depends on the powers delegated to it by the president.

If the president thinks he needs time to have some more rest, all he needs to do, again, is to transmit power, officially, to the vice-president. He has done it before and should do it again. This will send a clear message to all political actors that the vice-president is in charge.

This transfer of power would help the president get more quality rest and reduce all the tensions his temporary absence is currently causing.

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/buhari-needs-rest-transfer-power/

Nigerians on social media are far from forgiving the Lagos state traditional ruler, Oba Rilwan Akiolu for disrespecting the Ooni of Ife at an event some days ago.

Recall that news surfaced online that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi was publicly insulted at an event which held some days ago after the Oba of Lagos snubbed him and refused his handshake.

Nigerians who deemed the act a disrespect took to their social media page to mock the Oba of Lagos by listing kings greater than him.

The reaction comes after the Ooni of Ife in reaction to the viral issue said he will continue to respect the traditional ruler to foster peace and unity.

To view more images, visit http://www.herald.ng/nigerians-mock-oba-lagos-publicly-insulted-ooni-ife/

Keeping Up With The Kardashian star Khloe Kardashian is being sued by a photo agency who is accusing her of infringing on their copyrights due to a photo she posted of herself on Instagram.

According to court docs, Xposurephotos alleges that Kardashian posted a photo illegally on Instagram without crediting the agency and after she had removed the copyright information. ⠀

The pic was taken at the Miami restaurant Komodo in September 2016.

She was accompanied by her sister Kourtney. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Xposure Photos claims that they could have profited from the photos if Khloe hadn’t shared the photos on social media. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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“Kardashian’s Instagram post made the photograph immediately available to her nearly 67 million followers and others, consumers of entertainment news and especially news and images of Kardashian herself, as evidenced by their status as followers of Kardashian who would otherwise be interested in viewing licensed versions of the photograph in the magazines and newspapers that are plaintiff’s customers,” the company said in a statement. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The agency is suing for $150,000.

In a major strategic move to grow its market equity in Africa, Dangote Flour has unveiled new improved pasta products called ‘Ecccellente’.

The re-vamped Pasta, is expected to reduce the dependency on rice consumption by Nigerians.

Speaking at the Grand Customer Launch Event in Kano on Tuesday, Executive Director, Sales & Marketing, Halima Dangote, said the improved products will delight consumers and distributors as it comes with a new taste and new pack.

She said the re-brand followed the research by the company which indicated that the customers and consumers will prefer an improved non-sticky Pasta.

Halima said: “… it’s a new improved pasta with durum wheat. We did a lot of tests and research and it took us 6 to 8 months to get the right combination in order to give consumers quality pasta with the best taste.”

She asserted that: “Despite being indigenous product, it can compete favourably with imported pasta”.

Halima Dangote expressed delight that the products have started to gain acceptability given the large turn-out of people at the re-launch.

She said it was an honor to be at the unveiling of the new products and marketing campaign.

“I cannot emphasize enough that our goal is to ensure that we produce the best product that will delight you, our distributors, wholesalers and retailers”

She said some countries have already signaled interest to import the innovative products from the Dangote pasta.

Group Chief Executive Officer, Thabo Mabe, said: “Now we have the most attractive packaging – please stock up, these will be flying off the shelf when consumers see it. Our new pricing list will also leave you smiling.”

He said the new improved spaghetti and macaroni has in them durum wheat which reduces stickiness and improves the taste.

According to him: “The purpose of this gathering is to ensure that you, the most important part of our business, are aware of the positive changes that have happened at Dangote Pasta.”

Speaking at the event, the Deputy Managing Director/Executive

Director, Supply Chain Alhaji Ahmed Yakassai said the improved product is a major development for consumers.

“Please go and tell others about all the positive changes that we have made in at Dangote Pasta. Please tell them that we now use durum wheat, which is the

highest quality wheat in the world. So that means that our pasta is nutritious, non-sticky, and great tasting,” he said.

The Guest of Honour Hajia Affia Dalhatu urged Nigerians to support the Dangote brand and called on women, specifically to make the new pasta part of their meals.

“I have fed my husband, children, in-laws and friends this new pasta and it is quite a tasty meal…I believe in supporting Nigerian brands. Dangote has never failed to invest in Nigeria and to continue developing and placing our country on the global map. Even in the face of current economic challenges, they have gone ahead to improve the product and have added durum, a more expensive ingredient without any price increase,” she added.

Elderly Statesman and politician, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, in a chat, commended Aliko Dangote for the re-brand initiative saying, “Aliko is quite innovative, I like what he is doing. Aside enhancing employment, he emphasizes quality products for the people”.

Distributors and consumers who have tasted the products spoke glowingly of it.

The new products come in the form of Spaghetti Standard, Spaghetti Slim, Twist Cavatto Macroni and Elbow Macroni.

The Indian government is contemplating providing unique identification numbers for cows in the country to prevent their trafficking, officials said.

The information was submitted by the federal government in the country’s top court, which was hearing a petition by an organisation alleging rampant smuggling of cattle across the border of Bangladesh, Xinhua reports.

According to the Vanguard newspapers, Solicitor-General Ranjit Kumar told Supreme Court earlier this week that in order to tackle the illegal smuggling of cows and other cattle, it had accepted the recommendation of an expert group to provide a unique identification number (UIN) for each one.

“It may be made mandatory for cows and their progeny throughout India,” the official quoted solicitor general as saying, adding that “each animal will be tagged proper records of identification details – age, breed, sex, lactation, height, body colour, horn type, tail switch and special marks.”

Following the issuance of UIN, a state-level database may be uploaded on a website that would be linked with a national online database.

The proposal is somewhat similar to India’s huge national identity scheme project, wherein it provided biometric identity card to its citizens.

Focus on cow protection, especially by vigilante groups, has risen since 2014 – the year Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) ascended to power under the leadership of Narendra Modi.

There has been a string of cow-related violence, but many state governments, particularly those ruled by the BJP, have defended the action on the grounds that the animal is considered holy by many Hindus.

Kylie Jenner and rumoured new love interest and rapper Travis Scott were pictured for the first time at an NBA game in Houston, Texas, on Tuesday, where they looked rather cosy.

The pair sat courtside during Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals game of the 2017 NBA Playoffs.

Kylie supported Travis at the sporting event, where he performed before play-off.

A source told People, ‘During his performance, Kylie was hiding in the Rockets’ courtside club anxiously waiting for him to come back to her.

‘Once he got back, they definitely looked like a couple, cuddled up next to each other among her friends.

This comes on the heels of Coachella where Kylie showed up to support Travis as he headlined the second biggest stage, TMZ reports.

See pictures below,

Ted Cruz has the perfect solution on how to pay for Donald Trump’s border wall; by passing a law to use El Chapo’s billions and loot from other lords to underwrite construction.

The Texas senator introduced a new bill Tuesday called the Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets to Provide Order Act aka the EL CHAPO Act which does just that.

The bill would allow the U.S. to use all cash forfeited by drug lords to pay for the wall and border security.

According to Ted, the U.S. is already gunning for more than $14 billion in drug money and other profits that the Mexican drug lords collected, and Cruz says that will go a long way toward the estimated $20 plus billion in construction costs.

“Fourteen billion dollars will go a long way toward building a wall that will keep Americans safe and hinder the illegal flow of drugs, weapons, and individuals across our southern border,”

Senator Cruz stated, according to a statement obtained by Breitbart Texas from the senator’s office. “Ensuring the safety and security of Texans is one of my top priorities.”

The government is on the verge of shutting down this week, in part because of funding for the border wall project. Looks like Ted’s trying to get creative with a solution.

The Mexican government extradited the former Mexican drug kingpin in January, Breitbart Texas’ Ildefonso Ortiz reported.

The move to an American prison cell followed months of court battles in Mexico and multiple escapes from prison by Guzman.

As part of the agreement with Mexico, Guzman will not face the death penalty in the U.S. for his crimes. Prosecutors filed murder charges against the former drug lord in relation to the killings of a U.S. citizen and two relatives.

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/ted-cruz-introduces-el-chapo-bill-pay-wall/

A British woman has been mauled by a shark while swimming off the coast of Ascension Island.

The woman, named locally as Frankie Gonsalves, a member of the St Helena government, was attacked near English Bay at around 4 pm on Saturday.

She was snorkeling with her husband when the shark attacked her leg and he punched it in order to scare it away, Daily Mail reports.

Gonslaves was taken to Georgetown Hospital on Ascension Island for first-aid, before being airlifted for treatment in the UK, according to the BBC.

According to the Times, the extent of her injuries is unclear. A witness said the shark also attacked her husband, though it is not known if he was also injured.

St Helena is a British Overseas Territory located 1,150 miles (1,850km) off the west coast of Africa and incorporates the islands of St Helena, Ascension Island, and Tristan da Cunha.

The territory is self-governing, though the UK is responsible for providing defense as well as managing its internal security and international relations.

The remote islands, which sit thousands of miles apart, have a combined population of just 6,000 and are linked to the outside world only by boat.

Ascension Island does have a hotel and is a popular destination for fishing and scuba diving holidays.

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/hero-spouse-husband-saves-wife-mauled-death-shark/

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, John Oyegun has debunked reports and insinuations that a National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu was responsible for his emergence as the ruling party’s National Chairman.

Oyegun made the remark in an interview with Vanguard while responding to a question that some people are alleging that he has not been fair to those who assisted him to emerge National Chairman of the party, especially, Bola Tinubu.

The APC Chairman insisted that everybody in the party and not a particular individual aided his emergence.

According to Oyegun, “Everybody assisted me to this position and I am grateful to all of them. The only thing is my personality and integrity; I don’t joke with these two things because they are the only currency that I have and I will defend them at any time.

“I don’t believe one particular person solely assisted me to this position, everybody assisted me and someday, the story of how I became chairman of APC will be told.

“You will then see that everybody did assist me to become National Chairman. This means that I am there for everybody. I don’t belong to any camp in the APC. I belong to all members of APC high and below.”

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/oyegun-denies-tinubus-influence/

Mother of two and reality TV star, Kim Kardashian has set the internet rolling yet again after unedited photos of her hit the internet.

The reality TV show actress and wife of rapper, Kanye West was in Mexico over the weekend and couldn’t help but visit the beach.

However, fans do not seem comfortable with the structure and shape of the mother of two who has been rumored to be planning on having a third child despite warnings from doctors.

See the unedited bikini photos and responses from some fans below:

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/unedited-bikini-photos-kim-kardashian-sets-internet-rolling/

A popular Lagos Pastor and founder of the Royal Christ Family Ministry, Ikeja, Lagos, Bishop Tom Samson has once again dazzled as he stepped out in his luxury ride.

The popular pastor who seem un-bothered about the comments regarding pastors living a lavish life stepped out displaying his wealth and affluence over the weekend.

The pastor was spotted in his usual flamboyant style stepping off his Hummer Limousine luxury ride as he attended an event in Lagos on Saturday.

The cleric’s luxury ride is estimated to be worth as much as N80 million.

See photos below:

Former Spice Girl, Mel B, may be in fresh trouble as the nanny who she hired to take care of her kids is suing her for seducing and inebriating her while she was just an 18-year-old foreign exchange student and had group sex with her … this according to a new lawsuit.

Lorraine Giles has just filed the lawsuit, claiming Mel B defamed her by saying she was having an affair with Mel B’s now estranged husband, Stephen Belafonte, who allegedly got her pregnant and then convinced her to have an abortion.

According to the suit, Gilles says Mel B portrayed her as a “homewrecker, prostitute, and extortionist, maliciously describing Gilles as being impudent, unscrupulous, and exploitive.”

Gilles says in her defamation lawsuit, Mel B explained to her shortly after coming to America she and Belafonte had an open relationship.

That was around the time Mel B, then 34, got her drunk and then had a 3-way with Gilles and Belafonte.

Gilles goes on to say, “at no point did Gilles and Belafonte engage in any sexual acts without Brown’s knowledge or participation and at no point did Gilles and Belafonte represent to Brown that Gilles was pregnant with Belafonte’s child.”

Gilles says her sexual relationship with Mel B lasted 7 years.

As for sex tapes which Mel B claims Gilles and Belafonte used to extort her, she says flat-out she’s not in possession of any of them.

Moreover, she says when they would have sex, Mel B would serve as the camera person and record the encounters and/or “take part in the menage a trois herself.”

As for claims of abortion, Gilles says she had a one night stand with a man in West Hollywood, sought Mel B’s guidance to deal with the pregnancy and Mel B assisted in arranging an appointment for an abortion.

She adds she hadn’t had sex with Belafonte for “several months”.

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/mel-b-another-scandal-sued-defamation/#qTe1uAl5IeuS2wK3.99

A group of nuns in America have made a shocking change of heart as they left the church and their vows to take up a profession of selling weed.

The nuns, based near the town of Merced, Central Valley which produces over half of the fruit, vegetables and nuts grown in the United States.

One of the California based, self-ordained, weed selling feminist-nuns, Kate, said: “Women can change this industry and make it a healing industry instead of a stoner industry.”

She added that they are not in any way scared of the United States President, Donald Trump’s stance against drugs and drug use adding that business is expanding because of him.

The group of weed selling ex-nuns were reported to have made as much as $750,000 in sales last year.

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/nuns-convert-serving-christ-selling-weed/

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will miss the rest of the season after fracturing his left foot during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second-leg defeat by Real Madrid on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 31-year-old Neuer sustained the injury during Cristiano Ronaldo’s third goal in extra time.

Bayern, who were 1-2 down from the home first leg tie, had won 2-1 in Madrid to draw the pairing level at 3-3.

The German champions however crumbled in extra time to lose 3-6 on aggregate.

“I am sad that I will not be available to the team for the season finale,” the Germany keeper told Bayern’s website.

“Now I am concentrating on getting back to full health as soon as possible.’’

Carlo Ancelotti’s Bayern are closing in on a fifth successive Bundesliga title.

They are eight points clear at the top of the table with five games remaining.

Sven Ulreich, a 28-year-old former Stuttgart goalkeeper, is likely to deputise for Neuer for the rest of the season.

Bayern are at home to relegation-threatened Mainz on Saturday (14:30 BST)

A 75-year-old man reported to be a retired soldier was arrested by men of the Nigerian police force for alleged armed robbery.

The report was made known by a social media user identified as Festus Alenkhe.

The social media user took to his Facebook page to write:

“A 75 year old grand father and retired soldier ,Jubrin Ugiagbe and two others have been arrested by men of the Edo state police command for alleged armed robbery. The ex-soldier is been squeezed for supplying the suspected armed robbers with the guns used in their Various opetations where financial returns were made after every operation….”

Fresno shooter, Kori Mohammed, a black man charged with the murder of three white males will be facing hate crime enhancements, according to the police.

Muhammad, 39, not only faces three murder charges for a shooting spree on Tuesday in downtown Fresno but also faces another murder charge for the fatal shooting last Thursday of Carl Williams, a Motel 6 security guard, whom Muhammad said “disrespected” him.

Hate crime enhancements will be applied to the three Tuesday murders, as Muhammad targeted his victims for their race and gender, Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer told reporters on Wednesday.

Dyer said Muhammad told investigators he hid on a rooftop after Thursday’s murder and watched investigators enter and leave the Motel 6.

From Friday to Sunday, Muhammad hid out in a ravine, where he carried out voodoo rituals. On Sunday, he cut off his braids and burned them in a remote area further west, police said, and continued to hide out until Tuesday.

Muhammad then went to a store to buy crystals for more voodoo rituals, but the business was closed, so he instead went to a Starbucks, where he connected to Wi-Fi and read online news reports that he was suspected in the Motel 6 shooting.

That’s when Muhammad decided he wanted to “kill as many white males as possible” before being arrested, Dyer said.

The three men shot and killed on Tuesday were 34-year-old Zackary Randalls, 37-year-old Mark Gassett and 58-year-old David Jackson.

Dyer said Muhammad was asked why he gave up to police after a brief chase on foot. Muhammad replied that he respected Fresno police officers and did not want to force them to shoot him or put them in the spotlight. Muhammad also added that he was not a coward, which differentiated him from a terrorist.

Muhammad also added that he was not a coward, which differentiated him from a terrorist.

Dyer also told reporters that Muhammad was permitted to call his mother, whom he told he had magic powers and started laughing.

“Kori is not a terrorist, but he is a racist,” Dyer said, adding that Muhammad showed no remorse, except for seeming to express regret for giving the police extra work to complete. “Sorry, chief,” Dyer reported Muhammad as saying.

Dyer confirmed that 17 total shots were fired, with a live round left in Muhammad’s .357 Magnum, a revolver handgun.

Muhammad is a convicted felon on previous drug charges and will be charged with illegal possession of a firearm, as California law requires. However, Police do not know where he got the gun.

Wheat production is projected to have declined by 80 percent due to incessant activities and attacks of Boko Haram in the North Eastern region of Nigeria.

This has caused an increased abandonment of wheat farms by the natives who have been the main recipients of the onslaught of the Boko Haram insurgency, whose activities are still very much active, despite being on the backfoot for most of the year.

Consequently, this implies a significant setback the country’s efforts to cut imports by boosting local production, a Lake Chad Research Institute indicates.

“Wheat production in the zone has declined to just 20 percent of what it used to be due to the insurgency,” Oluwashina Olabanji, executive director of the Lake Chad Research Institute, said in an interview in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital. Borno, which used to account for about a quarter of Nigeria’s production, currently grows no wheat, he said.

Nigeria produced an average of 80,000 metric tonnes of wheat a year for decades until the introduction of a new variety in the 2012-13 season that tripled the average yield to as much as 6 tonnes per hectare, increasing output to 400,000 tonnes in 2015-16 as more areas were cultivated, according to the institute.

This compares with the output of 3.3 million tonnes during the same period by Ethiopia, sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest producer.

This new variety hasn’t been introduced to Borno with most of the wheat-growing areas under occupation or within reach of the Islamist militants, Olabanji said.

Production is expected to be slightly affected in the current season with many farmers still displaced, according to the agency.

Nigeria’s is expected to import 4.1 million tonnes of wheat in the 2016-17 season, compared with the 4.3 million tonnes imported in 2015-2016, according to the U.S Department of Agriculture, Bloomberg reports.

The country’s rain-fed wheat, typically planted in October and harvested in April, is grown in 13 states in the northeast and other highland areas.

As a result of this, Borno faces an elevated risk of famine, with the number of people affected forecast to roughly double to 115,000 in 2017, because of disrupted livelihoods and the resultant inability of farmers to grow crops, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.

“The majority of the farmers who should’ve been trying out the new varieties are now at internally displaced camps depending solely on what is being provided for them,” Abubakar Gamandi, chairman the Farmers Association in the region, said in an April 18 phone interview from Maiduguri.

Fannami Modu, who had a three-hectare (seven-acre) wheat farm in the town of Marte, said his farm was burned when Boko Haram fighters raided the place in 2012.

“I used to earn a lot from wheat,” he said. “It was devastating when they destroyed our crops.”

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/boko-haram-nigerias-wheat-output-declines-80-percent/

A self-acclaimed prophet of a Lagos based orthodox church, has been arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad for allegedly stealing $500 from a client.

50-year-old, Moses Edwin, who also operated as a bureau de change agent, was said to have connived with some other suspects to steal the sum from a National Youth Service Corps member, Adebayo Lookman.

Lookman was said to have approached Edwin in the Ikeja area of the state, seeking to exchange $5,000 belonging to his mother, for naira.

The suspect was said to have tricked the victim into releasing the dollars to another gang member, Daniel Eghohimen, who he claimed would confirm if the money was complete.

While Daniel was counting the $100 notes, another member of the gang allegedly distracted the victim, who was monitoring the process.

Daniel was said to have slipped five notes totaling $500 from the money.

According to reports from the PUNCH, the transaction was scuttled after a disagreement between the parties on the exchange rates.

Before Lookman could realize what had happened, the suspects had allegedly fled the scene.

In his statement to the police, Edwin had initially promised to convert the money at an exchange rate of N387 to a dollar.

He said, “When I got to a hotel around the Ikeja area, I met the men who said they were bureau de change operators. After negotiating back and forth, they offered to exchange the $5,000 at the rate of N387 to a dollar.

He said, “When I got to a hotel around the Ikeja area, I met the men who said they were bureau de change operators. After negotiating back and forth, they offered to exchange the $5,000 at the rate of N387 to a dollar.

“They took my details and said the transaction would be done online. Edwin requested that I surrender the $5,000 for confirmation.

“Reluctantly, I released the money. But I was monitoring and counting along with them in my car. Midway into the counting, another member of the gang distracted me from the driver’s side. Thereafter, they handed back the money to me, saying that it was complete and we headed for one of the banks in the Opebi area.

“All along, they prevented me from counting the money. At the bank, they told me the rate they gave me was no longer possible and that they were backing out of the deal; but I offered a renegotiation.

“I told them to excuse me and went into a toilet to confirm the money. I counted it and discovered that $500 was missing. Before I could come out, they had run away. A security guard told me he saw them rushing out of the bank.”

He said he went to where he met the suspects and discovered they had disappeared.

Lookman said he, however, sighted Edwin around the area three days later and alerted the police, who arrested him.

According to the police, Edwin confessed to the crime, adding that he got N10,000 from the theft.

He allegedly denied following the gang to the bank, saying he only asked them to “finish up the transaction.”

The suspect reportedly begged for an amicable settlement of the case, promising to refund the $500.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, confirmed the incident.

He said the suspects had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, for further investigations.

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/fake-prophet-scams-corps-member-flees-dollars/