₦airaland Forum

2011: 2 more ministers resign •FG approves 3 more federal varsities
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Written by Leon Usigbe, Abuja
Thursday, 23 December 2010

BARELY a week after the resignation of Professor Dora Akunyili as Minister of Information and Communications, two more ministers have resigned from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to pursue their ambition to be the governors of their states, prompting President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately name their replacements.

Those who quit the cabinet during Wednesday’s FEC meeting presided over by President Jonathan were Adamu Maina, erstwhile Minister of Police Affairs and Ibrahim Isa Bio, who was the Minister of Sports.

According to the Minster of Information and Communications, Mr Labaran Maku, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, both of them resigned to enable them to pursue their individual aspirations to be governor of Yobe and Kwara State respectively.

The Minister of State for Interior, Humphrey Abah, has now been elevated to the position of the substantive Minister of Police Affairs, while retaining his former portfolio in the Interior ministry.

Professor Taoheed Adedoja was named the new Minister of Sports even though he would combine it with his present portfolio as the Minister of Special Duties.

Maku said President Jonathan who wished them well, regretted their exit from the cabinet, knowing that they were some of the more active members of the Council.

He revealed that FEC has approved the setting up of three more federal universities, bringing the total so far approved by the Jonathan administration to nine as the president seeks to ensure that all states of the federation has a federal university and expand access to university by young school leavers in the country.

Jonathan has, therefore, directed the Education Trust Fund (ETF) to release the sum of N14.5 billion to the new universities at N1.5 billion each to enable them to take off in the coming academic session.

The nine institutions which are spread in the six geopolitical zones are specifically to be located in Taraba State (Wukari); Gombe State (no decision on town yet); Katsina State (Katsina); Bayelsa State (Otueke); Ebonyi State (Ndofu Alike); Ekiti State (Ikole-Ekiti); Kogi State (no decision yet on town); Nasarawa State (Lafia) and Jigawa State (Dutse).

Maku, who noted that only about 30 per cent of school leavers has access to university admission in the country, stated that “in spite of the challenges facing the existing federal universities, President Jonathan believes that there is still room for more. The president thinks of equity and wants each state to have a university.”

He added that decision was yet to be taken on the establishment of three others to complete the existence of at least a federal university in each of the 36 states of the federation.

Meanwhile, the power sector received a boost, on Wednesday, as more contracts were approved for award, bringing the total amount of investments in the sector this year to about N79.2 billion.

The FEC meeting of Wednesday approved a total of 25 different items that were brought for consideration and also gave the go-ahead for the implementation of a Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) memo presented by President Jonathan for the upgrade of motor licensing system and number plates.

The Minister of Information said the upgrade was necessary to check the illegal duplication of motor licences and also enhance the ability of authorities to monitor criminal activities around the country.

He said new motor number plate plants would be set up in Awka, Anambra State and Abuja, to complement the existing plant in Lagos, which would also be upgraded.

Maku added that when operational, citizens would be given 12 months to upgrade their existing licences.

Other sectors which had various contracts approved for award included finance, transport, petroleum resources, health, education, national planning, commerce and industry, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

FEC then adjourned till February 19, 2011, to enable members to participate in the various activities ongoing around the country.

Barrister’s death tears family apart
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Written by Gbenga Olumide
Wednesday, 22 December 2010

THE death of Fuji icon, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Balogun, is said to be generating ripples among his family members.

Balogun, a.k.a Barrister, who died on Thursday, in London as a result of complications arising from an initial surgery, was said to have requested to be buried wherever he died.

Nigerian Tribune sources revealed that, this last wish of the late music icon had begun to pitch family members against one another.

It was gathered that the moment the news of his death got to Nigeria, his family members, including his children who reside in Nigeria, started planning how to bring his corpse down to Nigeria for burial.

However, Nigerian Tribune gathered that his foreign-based children, especially those living in London and Dublin, sent messages to people at home (Nigeria) that their late father would be buried in London according to his wish when he was alive.

It was reported that his family members in Nigeria immediately rejected the idea of burying him in a strange land, saying Alhaji Agba was an icon and they cannot allow him to be buried outside the country.

Nigerian Tribune’s source also gathered that apart from the snow that had disrupted the movement of flight for a couple of days, his children living in London, Wasiu Alabi otherwise known as Danjuma, Babatunde, Moruff, Rasaki and others have vowed not to allow their father’s corpse come to Nigeria.

It was gathered that the family members in Nigeria had held series of meeting, and they had concluded that they would never allow the corpse of their bread-winner to be buried in a foreign land.

According to a family friend, who claim anonymity, the family has concluded plans to send a delegation to London so as to bring the body of Barrister back to Nigeria.

i just read it on pm news now - what a shame !

so there is a stadium named after siasia?

@ nthread poster - kindly replace the word 'when' at the begining of the thread title to 'why'

@ ujujoan - no i never stayed in benin. i stayed in ibadan - why do you ask?

back in the days in the 80s, there were these stories that always tend to spread around like wildfire and one wouldn't know if they were real or fictitious. There was one about a lady who killed her boyfriend and while she was driving, she stopped to pick a passenger only to discover that the passenger had pins as his teeth, then out of fear, she told the man to drop. Apparently the man was the ghost of her late boyfriend - then as she stopped again few minutes later to pick another passenger, she started relating what occured to her previously and the man suddenly opened his teeth saying "like this?!" and the lady froze to death in fear.

There was another story about Ajayi the tailor - a tailor in Akure who used his girlfriend for money making ritual and made love to the lady in a burial ground - thereafter, the lady started getting thinner by the day until she gave up the ghost.

did anybody hear these stories? have you got more stories like this to share?

I measure every grief,


I measure every grief I meet
With analytic eyes;
I wonder if it weighs like mine,
Or has an easier size.

I wonder if they bore it long,
Or did it just begin?
I could not tell the date of mine,
It feels so old a pain.

I wonder if it hurts to live,
And if they have to try,
And whether, could they choose between,
They would not rather die.

I wonder if when years have piled--
Some thousands--on the cause
Of early hurt, if such a lapse
Could give them any pause;

Or would they go on aching still
Through centuries above,
Enlightened to a larger pain
By contrast with the love.

The grieved are many, I am told;
The reason deeper lies,--
Death is but one and comes but once
And only nails the eyes.

There's grief of want, and grief of cold,--
A sort they call 'despair,'
There's banishment from native eyes,
In sight of native air.

And though I may not guess the kind
Correctly yet to me
A piercing comfort it affords
In passing Calvary,

To note the fashions of the cross
Of those that stand alone
Still fascinated to presume
That some are like my own.


- Emily Dickinson

Japan's Fifa executive committee member has told the BBC that England's World Cup bid humiliation may have been a result of a backlash against the British media.

Junji Ogura, long considered one of England's closest allies, praised the strength of the England bid and its presentation despite the fact that it crashed out of the voting process in round one, eliminated after picking up only two votes.

"I thought England was a very strong candidate," said Ogura. "Their presentation was one of the best presentations.

It's totally complicated, nobody will say which country they voted for.

Junji Ogura
"But I think there was a big influence from the BBC and the Sunday Times. These reports possibly influenced people. It made damage for some people."

Russia was eventually named as hosts of the 2018 World Cup, beating Spain-Portugal and the Netherlands-Belgium in Thursday's election.

One of England's votes came from their own executive committee member Geoff Thompson, but there has been much speculation over the identity of the other voter.

Thompson and the England 2018 bid team believe African football president Issa Hayatou was their only foreign backer. Asked whether he had been the other person to vote for England, Ogura said: "I cannot say anything. It's totally complicated. Nobody will say which country they voted for."

there is one word to describe what your boyfriend is doing to you - he is using you - there is another word to describe his attitude - irresponsible - now there is another word to describe what you should do - quit!

owo blow was a classic

i remember my first experience - when the doctor called me in and said the test was 'negative' my heart sank! - he saw the look on my face and quickly went on to explain that negative meant that i had no hiv and positive would mean i did - very funny

i thought bouqui was supposed to be a gospel artiste?

link below

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2010/11/29/money-laundering-efcc-probes-oyakhilome/

A Presidential aspirant, ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar yesterday mocked ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo over the loss of the South-West by the Peoples Democratic Party.

In what appeared a retaliation of Obasanjo’s swipe at him on Thursday, the ex-Vice-President also said that with the victory of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, "We too dey laugh ooo!"

He said ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo should be blamed for the loss of states being controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West to the Action Congress of Nigeria.

He also asked Obasanjo to retire to his "huge fortune in Ota" instead of making a "fool of himself"

Atiku, who made his position known in a statement in Abuja through his Campaign Organization said the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division’s declaration of the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Rauf Aregbesola, winner of the 2007 governorship election in Osun State) was a "consequence of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s mismanagement of the PDP in the entire Southwest.

The statement added: "We are reaping the consequences of Obasanjo’s gross mismanagement of not only the PDP in the South west but the entire country. We too dey laugh ooo!

"Obasanjo should just get out of the party so that we can rebuild the party we formed. All Obasanjo had done in his southwest zone was to tear down the party, cause divisions and force out credible and loyal party members," the statement said.

"The organization advised the former President to retire quietly to his huge fortune in Ota and Abeokuta rather than continue to make a fool of himself."

congrats to all osun indigines - he (rauf) now needs to get a good razor and shave off that nasty beard of his

obowunmi:
a broadway play is not a documentary.

well, since it seems you don't know the meaning of what a documentary is, i went through the pain of looking up the meaning and pasting it here for you to see

documentary (ˌdɒkjʊˈmɛntərɪ, -trɪ)

— adj
1. Also: documental consisting of, derived from, or relating to documents
2. presenting factual material with little or no fictional additions: the book gives a documentary account of the war

— n , -ries
3. a factual film or television programme about an event, person, etc, presenting the facts with little or no fiction

docu'mentarily


— adv


any material that involves the visual potrayal of a real-life person either living or dead, is a documentary wether it says so or not

10 Relationship myths punctured

Kemi Lawal


Even when you find your soul mate, maintaining a relationship takes time, patience and commitment. In reality, the notion of finding one's true love, along with other legends surrounding love and relationships, can be tricky, especially if you don't distinguish fact from fiction. To help you do just that, here is clarification on 10 commonly held misconceptions about love, marriage and relationships.


Myth No. 1: Every person has one true love or "soul mate"

Truth: A person can have more than one soul mate.

The possibility that there are several potential suitable mates for each of us diminishes the romanticism of finding that perfect Mr. or Ms. Right. And that may be why many people hold firm to the belief that there is one true love out there for them, somewhere.

"It's possible to have more than one soul mate," says Audrey B. Chapman, a Washington D.C.-based relationship expert and author of Getting Good Loving (Agate, 2004). "You can have different soul mates in order to have different experiences and at different levels into your life."

Myth No. 2: Your ideal mate is someone with a personality similar to yours.

Truth: While it's helpful to have a lot in common with your significant other, maintaining one's individuality is important.

"There are differences even in people who are similar," says Dr. Bronwen Millet, a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in Washington, D.C. "You (can) create whatever type of relationship you want by working together with your significant other. What I've seen in practice is that couples (who are) committed, willing and able to step out to do the work have healthier relationships , Saying that there are too many differences for the relationship to work is an easy way out."

Myth No. 3: Love conquers all in a marriage and relationship

Truth: The concept that 'love conquers all' sounds good in love songs, but you need more than love to sustain a long-term relationship or marriage. The truth is, love is only a starting point , To survive, it needs to be tempered by tolerance, tenacity, humour and humility.

Relationship experts agree that there should be other variables in place to help nurture a healthy relationship. According to Dr. Millet, couples who share common values and maintain a high level of commitment are more successful at making their relationship work. In addition, each person in the relationship has to learn to apply coping skills. These include developing problem-solving abilities, learning how to listen and communicate effectively with regard to your mate, handling anger and stress in a positive manner, and applying patience when needed.

Myth No. 4: Each person gives 50-50 in the relationship

Truth: While most of us are taught that we must give equally in a marriage, it rarely happens.

"Someone can give 30-70 or 60-40," says Chapman. "What matters most is to ensure that the person who is giving 60 percent isn't resentful of the person who is giving 40 percent." This especially holds true in today's society, where traditional male and female roles have become debunked. Some women have assumed the role of the breadwinner, or earn just as much money (or more) than their partner. In addition, men have become more versatile in their roles regarding children and domestic responsibilities.

Myth No. 5: I can change my mate over time

Truth: What you marry is usually what you get.

Too often, people embark upon a relationship or marriage with the expectation of changing their partner into the ideal person they want. "To try to change a person is a setup (for a letdown)," according to Dr. Millet. "In order to change someone, you have to rework that person, starting from their childhood." Her advice is to get to know the person you are involved with and be able to understand and accept him or her for who he or she is before you commit.

Myth No.6: Getting married is a cure for promiscuity

Truth: Marriage won't ensure monogamy.

Experts agree that a person who is promiscuous probably has other issues that he or she is trying to avoid and will inevitable bring into the marriage.

"You take you with you everywhere you go," says Dr. Millet. "Whether it is sex, drugs, whatever - these are all distractions that have to be addressed before marriage. You can't run from yourself."

Myth No. 7: After a breakup, the best way to recover is with a new relationship

Truth: Jumping into a new relationship after you have just ended one is usually a recipe for failure. Time spent solo after a relationship or marriage ends (in addition to counselling for some) is necessary to heal a broken or bruised heart. Entering into a new relationship too soon might not give you a chance to work through all of your issues. To be happy in a relationship, you must first be happy with yourself.

Myth No. 8: My true soul mate will never cheat on me

Truth: Your partner may still cheat on you, even if he or she cares about you.

According to the experts, it's the quality of a relationship that will usually dictate whether or not a person cheats. People cheat because there is something missing from the relationship, or because there's something missing from the individual who is doing the cheating. Usually, the person going outside of the relationship feels the need to be confirmed by someone other than his or her spouse.

Myth No. 9: You can never date your best friend's ex

Truth: It depends on the circumstances.

Both Dr. Millet and Chapman say that you can date your best friend's ex, if the situation is right. "If you are dating your friend's ex two days after they've broken up, that's a problem," says Chapman. If, however, you start to become interested in someone whom your friend dated while you were both in high school or college and you all are adults now, that's acceptable and also less likely to seem like a betrayal to your friend. It's also important to communicate and to set boundaries, which will determine what is acceptable in the relationship, according to Dr. Millet.

Myth No. 10: All men cheat , eventually

Truth: There are still some good men out there who don't cheat.

While a larger percentage of men than women do cheat, according to relationship experts, not all have - or will. The truth is that, with the latest technology (cell phones, e-mail, Blackberries), it is easier to cheat on your spouse. Now for the twist: The number of women cheating has increased - as many as 40 per cent of women (up from 20 per cent) have had affairs. "Today, more women are cheating than did during their mothers' and grandmothers' generations," says Chapman. "And women are better at it," she adds.

Whether you have already found your soul mate, or are still looking for that special individual, know that any worthwhile relationship requires mutual commitment, as well as respect and communication. And that's the truth!

Read more: http://www.thirdage.com/marriage/10-relationship-myths-and-the-truth-about-soul-mates?page=0,3#ixzz15SSedBZm

Monday, November 22, 2010

The audience at Thursday's performance of "Fela!" on Broadway got an extra thrill when an unannounced guest arrived - the first lady.Michelle Obama and six girlfriends stunned theater goers when she arrived at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on 49th Street to catch the Tony Award-winning musical about Fela Kuti, the Afrobeat artist and Nigerian political activist.

"When the audience realized that she was in the audience, they just went nuts," said Stephen Hendel, who co-conceived and produced the show. "People started standing up and applauding, saying 'We love you!' and 'We love you, Michelle!' It took a minute or so to get the audience to settle down."


The musical features dancers mingling with the audience and the first lady's group was seated along Row G, where many of the dancers cross over. The Secret Service asked the dancers not to change their performance but to give Obama some extra space.

Hendel was one of only few people who knew ahead of time that the first lady was coming. The cast was only told 20 minutes before Obama's arrival. She and her friends arrived shortly after 8 p.m. as the overture was ending.

The audience also cheered wildly when the musical made reference in the first act to one of Kuti's nicknames: Black President. Said Hendel: "The whole place just exploded."


At the end, the first lady's group gave the musical a standing ovation and Obama stayed to greet and congratulate each sweaty member of the cast as they passed. "She was hugely gracious," said Hendel, who watched the night's performance with his wife, Ruth, also one of the show's producers.


"It's a wonderful feeling that this show would have Mrs. Obama come to it."Broadway shows have lured Obama before. She and daughters Sasha and Malia attended performances of "Memphis" and "The Addams Family" in March. And she and her husband saw "Joe Turner's Come and Gone" during a date night in 2009.


"Fela!" was nominated for a Tony Award as last year's best musical. It won for Best Choreography, Best Costume Design and Best Sound Design. In addition to the Hendels, it is also produced by actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith and hip-hop star Jay-Z.

A production opened this week at London's National Theatre with Sahr Ngaujah, who originated the title character on Broadway. The Broadway run, which features Kevin Mambo in the title role and Patti LaBelle as his mother, ends Jan. 2.

of course there can be pleasure in pain - e.g. if one is used to a particular mode of pain they get used to it and begin to derive some form of pleasure in it - for example, people who have lived alone for so long might not find a need to enjoy company of other people because they have become used to their loneliness

this info would be quite helpful

Is gambling a sin? What does the Bible say about gambling?


Question: "Is gambling a sin? What does the Bible say about gambling?"

Answer: The Bible does not specifically condemn gambling, betting, or the lottery. The Bible does warn us, however, to stay away from the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5). Scripture also encourages us to stay away from attempts to “get rich quick” (Proverbs 13:11; 23:5; Ecclesiastes 5:10). Gambling most definitely is focused on the love of money and undeniably tempts people with the promise of quick and easy riches.

What is wrong with gambling? Gambling is a difficult issue because if it is done in moderation and only on occasion, it is a waste of money, but it is not necessarily evil. People waste money on all sorts of activities. Gambling is no more or less of a waste of money than seeing a movie (in many cases), eating an unnecessarily expensive meal, or purchasing a worthless item. At the same time, the fact that money is wasted on other things does not justify gambling. Money should not be wasted. Excess money should be saved for future needs or given to the Lord's work, not gambled away.

While the Bible does not explicitly mention gambling, it does mention events of “luck” or “chance.” As an example, casting lots is used in Leviticus to choose between the sacrificial goat and the scapegoat. Joshua cast lots to determine the allotment of land to the various tribes. Nehemiah cast lots to determine who would live inside the walls of Jerusalem. The apostles cast lots to determine the replacement for Judas. Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast in the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”

What would the Bible say about casinos and lotteries? Casinos use all sorts of marketing schemes to entice gamblers to risk as much money as possible. They often offer inexpensive or even free alcohol, which encourages drunkenness, and thereby a decreased ability to make wise decisions. Everything in a casino is perfectly rigged for taking money in large sums and giving nothing in return, except for fleeting and empty pleasures. Lotteries attempt to portray themselves as a way to fund education and/or social programs. However, studies show that lottery participants are usually those who can least afford to be spending money on lottery tickets. The allure of “getting rich quick” is too great a temptation to resist for those who are desperate. The chances of winning are infinitesimal, which results in many peoples’ lives being ruined.

Can lotto/lottery proceeds please God? Many people claim to be playing the lottery or gambling so that they can give the money to the church or to some other good cause. While this may be a good motive, reality is that few use gambling winnings for godly purposes. Studies show that the vast majority of lottery winners are in an even worse financial situation a few years after winning a jackpot than they were before. Few, if any, truly give the money to a good cause. Further, God does not need our money to fund His mission in the world. Proverbs 13:11 says, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.” God is sovereign and will provide for the needs of the church through honest means. Would God be honored by receiving donated drug money or money stolen in a bank robbery? Of course not. Neither does God need or want money that was “stolen” from the poor in the temptation for riches.

First Timothy 6:10 tells us, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Hebrews 13:5 declares, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” Matthew 6:24 proclaims, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

My ordeal with Saidi Balogun– Funke Adesiyan
By SAMUEL OLATUNJI
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Funke Adesiyan
Photo: Sun News Publishing

This reads like a Nollywood story. They looked like they were headed for the nuptials. She looked like she was set to replace Fathia. Then the bubble burst. The cookies crumbled. Was Saheed a beast and Funke Adesiyan the battered beauty?
Excerpts:

A lot of people saw you in Eti Keta and they thought you were happy. How easy was it for you to have such a big burden on your heart and go about helping Saidi Balogun?
Eti Keta is more than a Saheed project. A lot of us were involved in it. We believed in the movie and I believe in Saheed. I respect his intellect a lot and I wanted to help him achieve his goal. I think he needed help a lot and I felt being there and rendering what I could as much as I could on that movie was necessary. So, despite the problem I had with him, I decided to concentrate on the movie.

Is it true that you broke- up before Eti Keta?
Yes, Saheed and I had broken up before the movie but it wasn’t public. We decided not to distract people, we decided to focus on the movie and I promised him that I was going to be with him till after the premiering . That I will render all I can. I was even supposed to travel at that time , because I was under a lot of stress. He called people to persuade me not to go. So I decided to help him with the project.

Is it true that you charged N20 million on the deal ?
Yes, it cost about that. It’s actually just another scene today. It’s above N20 million right now.

Well, you and I know that in this industry, that huge amount of money would not be paid to an actress. So could you tell us about the deal?
Well, doors opened for him while on that project. Some companies backed him up. A company in Ilorin started it. They had meetings and a lot of other people came in and invested a lot of money and he decided that instead of him buying a car, he would focus on that movie which I respect him for.

But how did your own N20million deal happen?
A bank in Nigeria wanted me to be their face .So, we had meetings and subsequently, I took Saheed to one of our meetings, because I didn’t just want to be going all by myself and I introduced him to them as my boyfriend and manager.

After a while, I spoke with their representative on phone and we became friendly along the line. He knew I was dating Saidi and he knows the relationship wasn’t a joke. At some point, Saidi began to suspect my relationship with the guy and he started to harass him, sending him messages and doing all sorts to the extent that the guy had to call me and say “… sorry, I don’t think we can do this deal if you cannot be in control of your life…”.

But why was Saidi insecure ? Did he suspect you were having an affair?
Well, I just feel as a young lady, a lot of people are attracted to me and I can’t hide that. I didn’t create myself. Instead of him feeling insecure about it, he should feel happy that someone admires me. Apart from that, I think he just decided to feel insecure about me, he doesn’t want men around me and all of that. At some point, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I really didn’t want what was happening between us to become public , because I thought I could control it but at some point, it was obvious that I couldn’t control it. So I just had to end the relationship.

We learnt that he called a man in Ghana and the person told him you were in Ghana?
Yes.

Were you embarrassed ?
I felt highly embarrassed . You can’t be doing that to people, it’s unfair.

But did the man ever call you?
I had to change my line when I told him we couldn’t date anymore. He saw me at a party recently and told me he has been trying to reach me but couldn’t and I told him I’ll call him later , because the party wasn’t a good place for such discussions.

What happened the first time Saidi hit you?
He came to my house and we had an argument over someone calling me. He wondered why the person was calling me and all of that. Though he was fuming, I thought he was just pulling my legs and the next thing he did was to pick his keys and told me he was going and I said no problem. That was some minutes to midnight. He didn’t allow me to see him off to the gate, so I saw him off to the gate in my car.

He came out of his car to meet me and told me I should go home and I said why not. While I was talking to him, he punched me in the face. I was just there, crying by myself. He drove off and later turned back. When I saw his car lights, I looked up wondering why he was coming back. So, I just drove out of the estate into the street, running for my life and he followed me. I was heading to the hospital because my ear drums were hurting. I didn’t even know what was happening to my system.

He caught-up with me at the hospital gates and begged me saying he was sorry and all of that. He offered to take me home in his car and I agreed. I was crying and he was begging me saying it wouldn’t happen again and that he didn’t even know what happened and I felt that people make mistakes and because it was the first time, I forgave him. But he continued beating me over every little thing, and the last one did it. I already told him I was no longer interested and we’ve broken up. We have both moved on with our lives and he once ran into me on the street and said he heard I went to Ghana and I said, Saidi, I don’t want to talk about it and he injured me.

When was that?
Recently. He took my passport and checked whether I had gone to Ghana recently and when he realized I didn’t , he checked my phone. He didn’t see the kind of messages he was expecting to see. He started to beg me and asking people to beg me and I told him that was the end because I didn’t do anything . We have broken-up, so whether I went to Ghana or I didn’t is none of his business.

Saidi is a good friend. He’s a nice guy, he will do anything to help someone in trouble but I don’t think he can handle a relationship. I think he has a problem with abusing women physically. I think he needs to sort that out. If he can do that, he’ll make a better person in future.

Can you remember the time he first beat you?
That was some months ago, July I think.

And between July and November, did he beat you ?
several times.

What happened recently… I heard that your mom was involved and Kate Henshaw too?
He wanted to shoot a scene in Eti Keta and he told me this month but I told him I wasn’t interested. So, he started to plead with me and I told him you’ll have to pay for this extra scene though he had paid me earlier for the job. He called my mom and begged her that I had to be in the scene and my mom called me. So did other people. He sent me a text which read “I just want you to come and finish this job, walai talai, I won’t fight you” and I replied him that he has to pay, because I’ll have to get a bodyguard.

The animal in him might rear its ugly head. He also sent a text to somebody, reporting that person to a Senator and the guy sent me a text that was really insulting which reads “you and your Mr. Balogun have to sort things out. He can’t be reporting me to people. For crying out loud, I don’t have anything to do with you, so why should he be doing this to me?” I apologized to him and I forwarded the two messages to Saidi telling him he couldn’t keep doing this. There is nothing between him and I anymore and even if there is, he’s not my husband or my father or my mother. He’s not my God, so he can’t tell me who not talk to .

Subsequently, I had a meeting with Stingomania Records boss, Ope Banwo and showed him the messages I received from the guy and my response. I also showed him messages from Saidi and my response. So, Ope Banwo told me not to go alone and he called my bodyguard and told him “… Stingomania wouldn’t let me go anywhere or let any of his artistes go where there seems to be danger …”.

He arranged a bodyguard for me and on getting to the set, he called me up and I walked to the place to work and the bodyguard was beside me and Saidi told the bodyguard “… sorry, you can’t come inside, you have to go downstairs and wait…” and the bodyguard said “… sorry, I have a job to do here and Saidi said”… who gave you the directive to do the job…” and he said my M.D. gave me the directive to protect Funke Adesiyan. At that point, he was really angry and he was yelling at me and he said, this scene is cancelled. I picked-up my bag and left. I met Kate downstairs and she asked what went wrong and I explained to her and the bodyguard even volunteered to be by the door, just somewhere close enough to know whether there is any emergency.

Kate said “… Saidi, this shouldn’t be a problem, the guy is doing his job and there’s nothing wrong with him being at the door, after all, you guys are shooting inside…” and he continued to yell. He called my mom and reported me and I called my mom and told her my side of the story. Kate stood by me and she said “… Saidi, I cannot cope with you beating up a woman, God Almighty forgive us and that’s the Man we do all sorts of thing to. Kate didn’t support his action at all . Saidi then told people around that Funke called one MD to bring one bodyguard for her not knowing who the MD was and he continued yelling at me and I left.

Did you later do the movie?
Yes, I went back to shoot and the guy stood by the door and my mom called Saidi and warned him not to come near me again.

Who were the other actresses on set?
We had Femi Ogedengbe, Eniola Olaniyan, Sunkanmi Omobolanle, Kate Henshaw, Kunle Afod, Blessing Okoye, Ademola and some other upcoming artistes.

So where did he beat you today?
He didn’t beat me today. He was just insulting me; my body guard was with me so he couldn’t come close to me. He was just yelling and insulting me as much as he could and I did not say a word.

Recently when he beat you, was it in public?
Yes, it was in public. At his office on Allen Avenue.

Did you go to the office or you were just passing by?
My mechanic took my car to his office when he finished, not knowing anything was wrong between us . He said he tried to call me, but he couldn’t get me, so he took my car to his office. I went there to pick up my car and he came down stairs to meet me and started yelling at me asking about my whereabouts. I said just let me be, why are you asking me where I went to. He said he heard that I went to Ghana, that we landed together, he followed me and I started to laugh. I believe my laughter provoked him and he started to hit me. He wanted to collect my bag forcibly and I was screaming as he was beating me .

In broad day light?
No,it was in the evening around 7. 30 pm. I was screaming, then the security guys at his office came out and tried to separate us. He wanted to seize my bag. He was hitting my hand against the wall to get me to release the bag. My hand ached and I was bleeding , so I dropped the bag. He took the bag away, so I went to the police station at Alausa to report, because my phones were in the bag with my hard money and my passport .I had a lot things in my bag.

The police at the station said the case was beyond their jurisdiction, that I have to go to Ikeja to make the report formally and that they were going to take a step on it. I couldn’t go to Ikeja, because I was tired, so I went home to my mother. I had to call her on the pay phone and she said someone had already told her that Saidi was beating me in public. That she went to his office with my brother and Said prostrated and begged her that it is not like that. He told my mom I was insulting him and bla, bla bla, twisting the whole thing around me and my mum came to the house and saw my injuries . My mum reminded him that he was still asking people to beg her for abusing me a few days back and wondered why he was annoyed that I brought a body guard to set when I didn’t feel comfortable.

For how long did you date?
We dated for nine months.

This year?
Yes.

What did you notice in him, a good person or a bad person?
He is a good person but he can’t handle a relationship.

Did he ever catch you with a man?
He never did.

Did you ever catch him with a woman?
Yes, I did and he told me he wasn’t seeing the person. I caught her in a room with a woman in boxers and he told me she was just there to have a meeting with him.

Who was the woman?
I don’t know the lady and there were others too. I just wasn’t looking at that side.I was concentrating on my job. I was working and aiming to achieve my goals.

He always lied about it, that he had nothing to do with them. That they are just friends and I told him one day that he’s attractive, I’m attractive, so one thing I have going for me is that I’m young , he’s not young. That for every woman he was dating , I had five men disturbing me and I am not even looking at their side. I was faithful to him because I thought we were trying to make the relationship work out.

So I was faithful, I was committed, I was interested in his career. He was on the Stingomania label. I’ve had a meeting with Stingomania on how they can help him to be a better person. I even had a meeting with the bank personnel, but Saidi was angry . He wondered why I would meet them without his knowledge. I went to discuss how they can sponsor Eti Keta, Saheed’s movie. I didn’t go to discuss any personal business or whatever with the bank. It was all about him and he was harassing me and others. It’s not acceptable.

How did he convince you to date him?
I don’t know. Before I met him, before we started dating , I didn’t know about his past relationships. I wasn’t even interested .

Why?
I felt it’s strictly none of my business. People told him bad things about me, they had told me bad things about him too. When we met, I found him to be a funny person and I thought he was straight forward and good . You can’t take that away from him. He will always want to help people around him, so I saw that as a positive thing in him and he tried as much as he could to convince me that he had nobody in his life then. So I went ahead with him, seeing the things that I’ve seen, seeing how far he had gone to stick his neck out for people and even to those that say that he’s bad . He will still help them.I didn’t know he had this proclivity to abuse women.

Since he has been beating you, why are you staying on with him?
Because I felt he was going to change.I didn’t know how to take a walk. I wasn’t bold enough to take a walk from him. I thought he was going to change, he always came back to say he was sorry it’s not going to happen again and all of that.He went to people I respect that I can not say no to , but at some point I realised that it’s either I say no or someday this guy will just kill me. So , I decided to take a walk. I sat him down and explained to him that it won’t work anymore.

Do you remember the date you finally broke-up with him?
I broke up with him four days to his premiering.

What do you intend to do now?
Right now , I’m just relaxing, I’m just getting back to myself.

Do you intend to take him to court ?
The police’s involved. I already lodged a complaint at the police station and I believe they’ve invited him to talk it over with him. They have to keep him away from me. So, if he doesn’t stick to that, if he doesn’t respect that, I can go to the next level .

You gave him some money while the relationship lasted and your money is still with him, not so?
That is not an issue really; money is not an issue between me and my friend.

What else do you do other than acting?
Right now, I’m concentrating on acting, strictly acting. I don’t want to be distracted.

Is it true that your relationship with Saidi has cost you some acting jobs?
Yes it has. I have always been a one man brand. I didn’t want to belong to anybody, I just want to be my own person. People felt like oh they are in this person’s group, they are in that person’s group and we can’t call her . She is dating Saheed. She is in Saheed’s group and all of that, you know.

When you were dating him, did you ever have an encounter with Faithia?
No, I never did.

You never spoke, you never exchanged text messages?
No, we never did.

But where did the rumour that she was fighting you come from?
I think some people just sat in the corner of their rooms and felt they should just write. There was never anything like that.

And she never sent anybody to you?
She never did. I see no reason why she will do such thing to me. We are in the same industry, we were never friends. We are not enemies and we are not friends, but I see no reason why she will attack me.

Do you think what happened between Saidi and Faitha was Faithia’s fault?
I don’t want to get into that, but I think both of them had their faults. I don’t want to get into that, it’s none of my business. What concerns me is me and Saidi, anything else doesn’t concern me.

What do you have to say against women battering ?
It’s not just right, you can’t just raise your hand and hit a woman and like I told you ,he always came back to say he’s sorry, he loves me. I told him, you don’t love me, if you love me you will not raise your hands to hit me. Over what? You will do it and realise that what you even did was not happening in the first place but you’ve already done it. What if you had killed me in that process?

When you now realise that you were wrong, will you undo that killing. It’s not possible, it’s not right, she is not your child, even if she is your child, you don’t have a right to hit your child and you are not her God. Even God Almighty doesn’t hit us, doesn’t beat us, so why should you beat a woman? She is not your slave. If you think you are too temperamental you can’t handle it, why not walk away? Women will always be what they are. At some point, men should be what they should be, that’s what I think.

Will you ever date an actor again?
I wouldn’t know. I don’t want to judge anybody by what someone has done or what someone is doing and I wouldn’t want to be judged by what other people are doing too.

Would you go back to him again?
That’s a matter for another day, but what I think is, he needs to seek help and he has to stop all this. He has to help himself by seeking help, he needs to get better.

Is it true that he’s petty?
Yes, I think so. A lot of writers have that problem, because when you are too creative, you see a big deal out of nothing.

Would you work with him again on set?
Why not?But the terms have to be stated clearly.

Would you work with Faithia?
Why not? I will. I can work with anybody. That’s why I’m a professional.

is it me or do i see saheed balogun in one of those picturea?

can anybody explain - why is this thing becoming so rampant in 9ja nowadays?

can’t stand the shame, take this baby
• Girl, 14, who had baby for dad, pleads with govt.
By MATTHEW DIKE
Thursday, November 18, 2010
•Victim and her baby
Photo: Sun News Publishing
More Stories on This Section

The 14-year -old girl in Lagos, Kehinde, who allegedly had a baby for her father, Yesiru Onojobi, is now in a dilemma over the custody of the baby.
The embattled girl told Daily Sun that she couldn’t stand the shame of making the list of girls who had illicit affairs with their biological fathers which resulted in having abominable children. According to her, because of the stigma and sad memories associated with such baby, she has decided to donate her to the government.

“My father has ruined my life. He has brought shame to me, I feel like dying. I don’t want to set my eyes on him anymore. I can’t look at him in the face. I want the government to come and take this baby now,” she fumed as she wept.

The girl is also concerned about the health condition of her new born baby as some traditionalists in her community ( masquerade) have warned her not to breastfeed the baby, as doing so could result in her death and that of her child. According to her, donating the baby to the government would guarantee her safety. “At least, they will feed her with nutritious food ,” she reasoned.

The Junior Secondary School I(JSS I) student narrated how her amorous father started sleeping with her since December 2009 which resulted in the pregnancy. Ironically, it was the father, who beat her black and blue over four years ago, when another man allegedly deflowered her. The father later converted her to his bedmate. “My father gave me the beating of my life. Less than four years after, the same father forced and had sex with me. He had sex with me each time I finished menstruating. I warned him that it would result to pregnancy, but he didn’t listen to me.”

He warned me not to tell anybody about the pregnancy, but one day, my cousins came, insisting to know the person responsible for the pregnancy. They tied my father’s hands and legs with rope and took me to the backyard and I told them the truth. My father later took me to Safeway Hospital and ran away,” she said. But the 50 years old randy father, who owned up to the crime said he only had sex with his daughter once, adding that he was tempted to do so when she formed the habit of removing her clothes in his presence.

“She did not raise the alarm because it was not her first time of doing it,” he said. He, however, said he did not know what came over him to warrant his having love affairs with his own daughter. Meanwhile, the police have described the action of the suspect as an abomination. The state police Deputy Public Relations Officer, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, who briefed the press on the issue, described it as a clear case of defilement. He advised members of the public not to take the laws into their hands, assuring that the suspect would be arraigned soon.

Fame? I disguise like woman in purdah to walk Lagos streets – Obesere
NKECHI CHIMA-ONYELE

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Many years ago, he was just a struggling musician. But today, with 33 albums to his credit, fuji star Abass Akande Obesere has surely come a long way. Only recently, Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola appointed him an environmental ambassador, a rare honour the musician so much appreciated.

Obesere




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In this encounter with Blockbuster, Obesere narrates the story of his struggling days, rise to stardom, connection with former president Ibrahim Babangida, and how he has become a prisoner of fame. Enjoy:


Beginning

I never knew I was going to be a musician even though I had been playing music since my primary school days. It was after getting into secondary school that I realized that I couldn’t do without music. I tried to learn some trades like printing, buying and selling of electronics and even went into boxing but all these did not work out for me.


Music, my destiny

My parents never encouraged me to go into music despite being from a home of musicians. My dad believed so much in education he wanted all his children to be graduates. But I was much more into music than taking a look at education. Though, I tried so much to go to school and my parents also did their best to make sure I was educated, it soon dawned on me that there was no way I could delay my destiny, which is music.


Outcast

My parents threw me out of the house because I insisted on playing music. They realized that they couldn’t stop me from following my heart desires so they sent me out of the house so as to break my resolve but it failed. Rather than being dejected, I took charge of my dream. I moved in with a friend who later relocated and left the apartment for me. I was paying N30 as house rent monthly. Whenever I came back from school, I had to go to where I was learning a trade. It was rough fending for myself but I was making some money to make ends meet and was able to save one naira daily, and at the end of the month, I had N30 which I gave to the landlord as rent. Those days were rough but I was determined.


The break

I did not really go to anybody to learn music. For me, music is inborn; it’s a gift from God. If you don’t have the talent, there’s no way you will do it well. I remember that then, I did not have money to sponsor myself but a musician, Alhaji Mustapha Aremu Arisejafe, who played shows every Friday at Ebute Metta, Lagos, gave me a chance to be heard. That was the beginning of my journey to fame and stardom. One day, I went to hang out where he played. Incidentally, one of his back-up singers was absent. He then asked me to stand in for him. After backing him for 30 minutes, he handed over the microphone to me and I started singing. Within a short while, people loved my music and when he came back for the mic, the crowd insisted I should play on. After that day, he took me around to wherever he went and I was beginning to get my fan base. But he soon had issues with some promoters, so he went on strike. While the strike lasted, the band boys and I organised ourselves into a group and started playing. However, when Alhaji settled with the promoters and called off his strike, he called all the boys back into the band. But rather than go back to Alhaji, I chose to start my own band. I put my own band together and went to Alhaji for his blessings which I got. I was 23 years old at the time.


Mum’s blessing

Within a short while, I was playing shows in the neighbourhood and appearing on television. Soon, word began to spread that a new star was born, and within a short while, word reached my parents that I was the new music star. My parents didn’t have a choice but to accept me. It happened that my mother’s friends who had been seeing me on TV went to meet her and said, ‘please, give this boy your blessings. People like his music and remember, he comes from a home of musicians.’ So, one day, my mum came to my house at Ebute Metta unexpectedly and when we saw each other, we started crying. I ran into her arms and embraced her. It was a tearful reunion. She gave me her blessings and prayed for me. To this day I am still enjoying her blessings. I have released 33 albums to date.


Life as teetotaler

I don’t drink and I don’t smoke. I don’t take Indian hemp either. We all have our ways of getting inspiration. I don’t need anything to perform or write my songs. Inspiration comes to me very naturally and it’s God’s gift. That’s why I am a different fellow entirely. If I get on stage now, you’d be shocked because I am like a lion on stage. But whoever takes anything before going on stage probably likes it that way and I don’t have anything against them. But you don’t really need to take anything as long as you know what you’re doing. It’s like saying that because I am a lawyer I should smoke Indian hemp before going to court. I am using this opportunity to advise young people that they don’t need any stimulant to be entertainers.


On his new hip-hop fuji album

Besides being a musician, I see myself as a promoter as well. A lot of artistes come to me for assistance. Most of them I give money to record their albums and sometimes I also feature on their works. I am currently working on a project but I don’t want to talk about it right now. There are things that I am doing privately that I don’t need to talk about in the public. But the fact is that in anything you do, you must always brand yourself. And then you must be dynamic so that people will not get bored too soon. As an artiste, you must be professional and capable of handling any kind of occasion. In fuji, we sing in Yoruba but now the language has been fused into hip-hop. I want people to know that I am a professional and very capable. As the paramount king of fuji music, I have to prove to people that I am capable and can handle any occasion. That was why I went into the studio to record a hip hop album entitled, Double Revolution. It’s a double album with a fusion of fuji and hip hop.


Prisoner of fame

With the fame I have, I can’t go to places like Mushin and it is saddening. I can’t get out and do those things I used to do before. But I have devised a way of moving freely. Once in a while I dress like an eleha (woman in purdah) and take okada to places like Mushin because I want to see what is happening there. I realise that I cannot go out just the way I want to and it’s painful. I have to go out in a car with tinted glasses or people would chase me all over. Area boys and okada riders are always after me. Danfo drivers would discharge their passengers and come after me once they sight me. That’s the reason I don’t use customized number plates; it only creates problems for you.


Relationship with female fans

If there are no women as fans of musicians, there’s no success. You see, there must be women because it is women that will first appreciate your music before men will appreciate it. And that’s the reason you don’t have to take them for granted. Now you ask me, how do I handle them? Most women are my friends. But it’s not every woman you come across that you must sleep with. If any woman wants you, once you know you don’t want to have anything to do with her, instead of hurting her, why don’t you just let her know you want to be just her friend? If you fall for them that means you have feelings for them. Don’t start what you can’t end. I prefer making them friends to hurting them because I know that if I start this, I can’t end it. You have to be very blunt. Sometimes I tell them that listen, ‘what you want is not possible. This is the kind of relationship I can have with you.’ And if they keep coming, I use wisdom to manage them because by virtue of my profession, I can’t avoid them.


Gov. Fashola and I

Recently, I was made an Environmental Ambassador by Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola. I believe that there must be one or two things that they have noticed about me before honouring me because there are a lot of musicians out there who also deserve the honour. It could be my music or my personality but in everything I do, I always have it at the back of my mind that people are watching me. So, for someone like BRF to give that to me is a great honour and I believe that the reason goes beyond the music. That honour came because of my contribution to environment in Lagos State. And that is the reason the state felt I had to be honoured. I have been preaching to people through my music and promoting the environment because of the dangers of green house gasses. The world is going green and we can’t be left behind.


Me, music and IBB

As a musician, I can work with whoever I like. If you become the Governor of Lagos State today and you want my services, I just might consider you. But as far as IBB is concerned, I want to state categorically that I have not received any money from him. All I know is that as a professional artiste, if anybody needs me to realise his political ambition, I am ready. All we need to do is give Nigeria a positive image; my music is already doing that. I am an artiste for everybody. My fan base cuts across the nation and all political parties. Just like TV stations advertise various products which claim to be the best because the producers are paying so too, I will sing for any politician who is ready. I am a businessman. Any politician is free to come for my services and that is the reason I don’t belong to any party; I am not a card carrying member of any party. I am a musician for all the parties and who ever pays me, I will perform for.


Why should I perform for only one party? Only one party cannot feed me. Whatever they say I would do. My job is to send their messages across. It is just like the newspapers. Everybody goes to them for adverts so also politicians can come to me for adverts. Once they pay me, I will do their jobs.

Already, there’s been a lot of toasting. Different politicians are trying to get me on their side and I am ready for everybody; I am just a channel. The toasting is coming from all over the country and I am in a right position to project their messages.

I am married to a pastor. Despite the fact that we are childless, we have lived peacefully for the past eight years. Recently, I noticed that the attitude of the house servant, a 15-year-old girl living with us, towards me, had changed.

After praying about it for awhile, I called the girl and questioned her. She confessed that my husband deflowered her three years ago. Even she added that he was still sleeping with her.

I confronted my husband with this revelation. At first, he denied sleeping with her. Later, he confessed to have done it. Till date, he has not apologised to me. Now I don't know if I can trust him again.

MK,

Black Sunday for Nigerians in London …As immigration officials launch raid on illegal immigrants
From ADEWALE SANYAOLU,London with agency reports

Monday, November 15, 2010

It was a black Sunday for Nigerian and Ghanaian illegal migrants yesterday in London as immigration officers stormed into Haley’s in Regent Street and detained contract cleaners from Nigeria, Ghana and Brazil.






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The dawn raid, which left four alleged illegal migrants arrested on Britain’s most famous toy shop caught the illegal migrants unaware. The immigration team, which searched all seven floors and rounded up 14 suspects in the teddy bear department, as the Met’s Territorial Support Group guarded the store’s exits.


One suspect, a 17-year-old from Brazil, was found in a locked storeroom cowering under shelves packed with toys. The raid comes as the stores gears up for the pre-Christmas rush. The cleaning staffs are all believed to work for Crystal Cleaning Services, based in Essex. None is employed directly by Haley’s and there is no suggestion that the retailer has done anything wrong.


Surrounded by stuffed bears and Christmas gifts, officers used mobile fingerprint scanners to determine whether the suspects had the right to be in Britain. At the end, four were arrested and could be deported within the next couple of days, while some were led away in handcuffs. Illegal immigrants are often forced to work for sub-standard wages and are frequently victims of trafficking. Tony Moore, a team leader at the UK Border Agency, said “ we are really pleased with the results today. More operations are planned in central London in the coming weeks.


Illegal working has a serious impact, taking jobs from those allowed to work. These employers often bypass health and safety and the minimum wage.” A Hamleys spokesman said: “We are more than happy to help the UK Border Agency.” Employers found guilty of using illegal migrants face a fine of up to’ Illegal working has a serious impact, taking jobs from those allowed to work.


These employers often bypass health and safety and the minimum wage.” A Hamleys spokesman said: “We are more than happy to help the UK Border Agency.” Employers found guilty of using illegal migrants face a fine of up to £10,000 for each one. Crystal Cleaning said it had followed guidance from the Home Office’s “Prevention of Illegal Working,” booklet.

Prince William to marry Kate Middleton next year
Prince William is to marry Kate Middleton in 2011.



Arrow Press, Empics Entertainment
The Prince, who is second in line to the throne, will wed his long-term girlfriend in the spring or summer of next year.

The pair, who are both 28, became engaged last month during a holiday in Kenya.

They began dating eight years ago while studying at St Andrews University in Fife, where they shared a house.

The engagement was announced by Clarence House.

The statement said: "The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton.

"The wedding will take place in the spring or summer of 2011, in London. Further details about the wedding day will be announced in due course.

"Prince William has informed The Queen and other close members of his family.

"Prince William has also sought the permission of Miss Middleton's father.

"Following the marriage, the couple will live in north Wales, where Prince William will continue to serve with the Royal Air Force."

'Absolutely delighted'
The Queen said she was "absolutely delighted" for both Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Prime Minister David Cameron's spokeswoman also said he was "delighted" and sent the couple his very best.

Labour leader Ed Miliband said "the whole country will be wishing them every happiness."

Kate Middleton is the eldest child of businessman Michael Middleton and former air hostess Carol. She was raised in a five-bedroom detached house in the Berkshire village of Bucklebury. Her family, who are self-made millionaires, run a mail order toy and party goods firm.

Both William and Kate graduated in the same ceremony from St Andrews in 2005. Their families joined them for a celebratory lunch.

The couple's relationship became public in 2005 when they were photographed together on the Swiss ski slopes of Klosters. They split briefly in 2007.

If the pair get married in the summer of 2011, the ceremony will fall close to the 30th anniversary of the wedding of his father, Prince Charles, to the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

Visual search: the line of succession
See photos of the couple on Bing

recently i witnessed a scenario where a woman was beaten to pulp by her husband - the lady in question now went ahead to report the incident to her mum (a woman obviously). The mother chided her daughter for wrongful behaviour and blamed her for the beating she got. She even hailed the husband to "teaching her daughter sense" - the question is why do some women support domestic violence even against their own gender?

not bad for a 33 year old! the first picture is good but the rest are rubbish