Over four years after the murder of postgraduate student, Cynthia Osokogu, in a hotel in FESTAC Town, a Lagos High Court will on March 23 give judgment in the trial of four accused over the incident.

Justice Olabisi Akinlade of a Lagos High Court, Igbosere, had on Jan. 12, during the adoption of the final written addresses by all the counsel in the case, fixed the date to deliver judgment.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Osokogu was allegedly lured to Lagos by her Facebook lover and murdered on July 22, 2012, at Cosmilla Hotel, Lakeview Estate, Festac Town.

The four accused charged with the murder of the postgraduate student are: Okwumo Nwabufo, 33; Olisaeloka Ezike, 23; Orji Osita, 33, and Ezike Nonso, 25.

They were arraigned on a six-count charge of conspiracy, murder, stealing, recklessness, negligence and possession of stolen goods, to which they all pleaded not guilty.

During the proceedings, 10 witnesses gave evidence.

The court initially foreclosed the right of the second accused, Olisaeloka Ezike, to file his address.

The judge made the order due to the delay by his counsel to file his final written address.

According to the judge, there were several adjournments by the court to enable the second accused file his address but the counsel chose to sleep on the right of his client.

However, after the excuse of ill-health and change of counsel were given as reasons for the delay, the judge allowed the address to be regularised.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the murder trial began on Feb. 8, 2013, with the state calling the hotel’s receptionist as its first witness.

NAN also reports that the body of late Cynthia, 24, the only daughter of then Brig.- Gen. Frank Osokogu, now retired, was discovered in a Lagos morgue a month after she was declared missing by her family.

She was a post-graduate student at the Nasarawa State University and an entrepreneur, who owned a boutique at her base before her death. (NAN)

OCC/AOS/SOA

It has emerged that Dr. Alwell Orji, the medical practitioner who took his life last Sunday by jumping into the Lagos Lagoon, had attempted suicide a number of times.

According to the Sun newspapers, previous reports had emerged that the young man had four years ago attempted jumping down from the family’s two-storey house. Only the intervention of neigbors staved off the disaster.

“Four years ago he attempted to kill himself and, thereafter, had tried doing so on a number of times,” a man who pleaded anonymity said, adding, “since then, his family had been monitoring him. We don’t know the kind of sickness he was suffering from, but we knew he was being monitored. That was why he was assigned a driver to take him around.

“He was such a gentle boy, who never made any trouble. His family has lived on this street for long; his father died four years ago.

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/dr-alwell-orji-tried-kill-times-report/#LpXZUOtGBkOYlijF.99

The naira will trade at N415 to a dollar if the series of intervention by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are sustained, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe has said.

Gwadabe, President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that the new Forex policy had eliminated frivolous demand for dollar.

According to him, frivolous demand for dollar has been responsible for the weakness of the naira.

The ABCON chief said that CBN’s continued intervention at the Forex market would soon spell doom for speculators and currency hoarders.

“Currency speculators and hoarders would suffer more losses as the CBN injects more dollars to the interbank market.

“The sustained intervention by the CBN will technically take speculators out of business.

“My expectation is that if both volumes and applicable exchange rates are reviewed for the BDC sub-sector, the naira would be trading at N415 to a dollar,’’ Gwadabe said.

The ABCON chief said that the CBN had recorded a huge success because of its new policy, adding that the naira had continued to strengthen at the parallel market, exchanging at N435 to a dollar.

He told NAN that granting of more access to the BDCs at the International Money Transfer Services Operators (IMTSO) window would help to further strengthen the naira against the dollar.

NAN reports that the CBN has injected over 1.5 billion dollars since February when it started its intervention at the interbank market.
The apex bank said that its aim was to bring stability to the foreign exchange market and provide easy access of foreign currencies to businesses and individuals.

The CBN had on Monday injected additional 180 million dollars dollars since February when it started its intervention to meet bids for wholesale auction and requests for invisibles such as medicals, school fees and personal travel allowances. (NAN)
FBO/ENN/IGO

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday admitted Andrew Yakubu, former Group Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), to N300 million bail with two sureties.

Yakubu was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on six counts bordering on non-disclosure of assets and fraud, charges to which he pleaded not guilty.

Yakubu was alleged to have as “Group Managing Director of NNPC, between 2012 and 2014, within the jurisdiction of the court, with intent to avoid lawful transaction, transported to Kaduna $9.7 million and €74,000’’.

He was also accused of failure to disclose the sum of $9.7 million and €74,000 to the EFCC in his asset declaration form, a crime which contravened Section 27 (3) of the EFCC Act.

At the resumed hearing to determine bail application, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, said that from the arguments canvassed and placed before him by the defence team, Yakubu was not likely to jump bail.

According to him, the fact that Yakubu received an invitation from EFCC while abroad and decided to honour it, he does not strike me as someone who would jump bail.

The judge further said that the only grounds upon which a defendant could be denied bail as stipulated by law was where there was reasonable ground to believe that the person would commit another crime if released.

He also said that bail could be denied only where there were grounds to believe that the defendant would jump bail or interfere with investigation, adding that none of these was applicable in this case.

Mohammed said that bail was also granted particularly since the prosecution confirmed that it had concluded its investigation.

He therefore admitted Yakubu to bail, but refused the application seeking the release of his international passports to enable him travel abroad for medical treatment.

According to him, when a defendant is arraigned, the primary concern is whether he should be granted bail or not and not whether he should travel or not.

The other conditions of the bail are that one of the sureties must be gainfully employed and be resident in Abuja with a traceable address.

The judge also directed that the two sureties must deposit their recent passport photographs to the court’s registrar.

“Yakubu is also not to travel outside the country during the pendency of the trial and must remain in prison custody until he perfects his bail condition,’’ Mohammed ruled.

He adjourned the matter until May 9 for commencement of trial.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Mr Ben Ikani, had urged the court to deny Yakubu bail on the grounds that in view of the huge sum involved, he was likely to influence the witnesses named in the proof of evidence.

However, Mr Ahmed Raji (SAN), counsel to Yakubu, urged the court to grant his client bail since he surrendered himself to the EFCC upon their invitation even when he was abroad for medical treatment.

Raji had also argued that the offences Yakubu was accused of, which bordered on false asset declaration, money laundering and fraud, were bailable and that he had never been convicted before.

He said that moreover the 1999 Constitution provides that Yakubu was presumed innocent until proven otherwise. (NAN)

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says it will generate about 4,000 megawatts of power in the next 10 years to boost power supply in the country.

Saidu Mohammed, NNPC chief operating officer, gas and power, Saidu Mohammed, made this known in a statement signed on Monday by NNPC group general manager, public affairs, Ndu Ughamadu, the Cable reports.

Mohammed said the corporation would achieve this by building independent power plants over the next three to 10 years.

He said that the power plants, which would be built with joint venture companies, international power companies and Nigerian investors, would be structured after the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas business model.

“Power generation is a big business. As at today, NNPC has interest in two power plants, one in Okpai, Delta State and the other in Afam, Rivers State.

“Both were built by joint ventures with Nigerian Agip Oil Company and Shell Petroleum Development Company.

“These two power plants collectively generate up to 1,000 megawatts and they are the most reliable and cheapest source of power to the national grid in Nigeria today,” Mohammed said.

Mohammed said in order to make up the 4,000 megawatts, plans were underway to build Okpai Phase 2, Obite and Agura power plants to boost power generation in the country.

He said that the corporation had commenced the extension of its major gas pipeline infrastructure on Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano axis and other robust networks to connect various parts of the country.

“The main base-loads to justify such infrastructure are power plants that would consume the gas and for that, we are planning to build about 2,000 to 3,100 megawatts, combined in these three cities.

“The partnership will involve players who will bring in their various capacities as operators, builders of power plants and as investors.

“NNPC will also bring its strength of being a dominant player in the Nigerian gas value chain,” he said.

He said NNPC had developed capabilities in processing, transportation and marketing of gas for export and domestic utilisation, adding that the nation’s gas resources could change Nigerian economy for the better.

“If you generate enough power, the multiplier effect will revive most of the moribund industries across the country.

“NNPC intends to capture 50 per cent of the gas market by growing the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company from the 500 million standard cubic feet/day of gas that it is today to about 3-4 billion standard cubic feet/day in the next 10 years,” he said.

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/nnpc-start-providing-nigerians-electricity-set-4000-megawatts-target/#bUvc19hk1wB6cOT1.99

In a most recent development to the Tonto Dikeh-Churchill marriage saga, Olakunle Churchill, her estranged husband opened up in an interview.

Churchill in his interview, countered allegations of domestic abuse as well as provided evidence of what really transpired between the warring couple. However, due to the poor audio quality of the video released on the 19th of March, a transcript of the interview will be provided for the general purview of the readers.

Q: Who is Olakunle Churchill?
A: Olakunle Churchill is a philanthropist and the chairman of Big Church group of companies. We have six subsidiaries; Big Church Haven LTD, King Andrea Realtors, Big Church Consult, Big Church Entertainment, Big Church Green Agriculture and Mining, Big Church foundation.

Q: How did you meet Tonto Dikeh?
A: I met her at my brother’s birthday party at Escape night club two and half years ago.

Q: What then transpired?
A: We became friends, we exchanged contact and got along. After six months she got pregnant, so I decided to take her to her hometown to pay her dowry.

Q: In her recent interview she said she watched you make every dime you have now.
A: No that’s not possible, I met her two year, six months ago and I’ve been into real estate since I was 22 years old so I don’t understand where that is coming from.

Q: So are you saying that you were already made before you met Tonto and married her?
A: Well, I can’t say I’m made yet but I’ve been working since I was 22 and I’m good. When I met her, I had 4 companies and now I have 6 companies, people grow every day.

Q: Tell us about the incident that happened in Ghana?
A: I picked her from the airport just a day before her birthday, which was June 8, 2015. We had a misunderstanding and she decided to go to an hotel. I sent her a text the next day that I was going for a friend’s house warming, I got a call that she came home around 3, 4 and started breaking everything in the house. Luckily for me, I switched off the electric fence wire before I left the house, she started from the electric fence, pulled it down and jumped into my compound. I called the police and they were already in my house before I got there. My neighbors also called the police because of the noise, where I live in Ghana is very calm.

Q: What happened when the police got to the house?
A: When the police got to the house, she started attacking them and was about tearing their cloths. There’s this thing about my wife, it’s just like a crisis, it doesn’t stop for like two to three hours. I’m sorry I’m saying this, but I have to.

Q: What do you mean by crisis?
A: She gets too temperamental due to negative intakes. Alcohol abuse is negative, Marijuana is negative, anything that has something to do with drug abuse is negative. At the long run we got to the police station and she was rude to the superintendent of the police there. When her anger starts, even six men can’t hold Tonto down, talkless of me hitting Tonto. She uses everything she has to fight and destroys everything to zero. All I did was hold her at some point but it didn’t help. Even the police were surprised, she even spat on one of them. When she granted the last interview, she mentioned Ghana embassy and police. Ghana Police took her to the embassy because she was unable to pay for the damages and the embassy pleaded on her behalf. When that event took place, I covered everything. I took everyone’s phone and deleted every picture, I closed everything just to cover her because she’s a celebrity. She mentioned that she was beaten and then she ran to the embassy stark naked, and as soon as I saw that I requested for my own story and I have it here. So to those people saying I sponsored the police, you can’t sponsor Ghanaian police. This is the withdrawal letter, I can’t really explain but she destroyed a lot of things. When she’s in that state, even six men cannot hold her, even the police couldn’t stop her. So after this, she was locked up, I wrote a withdrawal letter and bailed her, I wanted her to replace my properties but I withdrew it, if not, she was going to jail. When I took her out from the cell, she said ‘if you forgive me, that means you are an angel’, and she promised never to go back to drugs or alcohol. Three weeks after this event, she took in. All through her nine months of pregnancy, she was a perfect woman and a perfect person till four months after she gave birth to King, then she started again. She has damaged over 66 million naira worth of properties. I’ve tried my best to revive her back to who she was when she was pregnant or just immediately after she had King but that’s been my major problem. I have evidences of some of the property she damaged. I have somebody around Tonto that monitors her and gives me updates on what she does; when she calls bloggers, when she tries to blackmail me, when she sends information.

Q: Tonto said you hit King your son, what led to this?
A: How would I hit King, no it’s not possible. King is not up to one year, he’s a little boy that can’t talk. What can a one year old boy do to you, that’s not possible. The day before my son’s birthday I called the nanny, and fortunately for me, the nanny was not inside the house with my wife. (Plays a recording of the phone conversation to the interviewer) I got a GMC jeep and thought I was going to be able to arrange something but all efforts proved futile. I was down on social media, I’m not a social media person but I was forced to drop comments to boost something because I was told that my wife can only be found on social media.

Q: Tonto showed several scars during the interview that she said you inflicted on her, what do you have to say to that?
A: There’s nothing like that, the only scar I’m aware about was the one on her leg. In my mum’s house, she was breaking stuffs and it got to a point that she was coming towards me, her best friend was trying to hold her back, her male best friend. It was like she was crazy, she already broke down everything: television, kitchen utensils, and dispenser. I was in shock because she has done this in my house up to four times and in seven to eight months I’ve lost over 66 million naira, but this was my mum’s house. As her best friend was trying to hold her down, her best friend is the one that gets her cloths. Infact he was crying and saying ‘ Tonto stop, what are you doing’, she just put her leg into the glass by the staircase and that’s how she got the injury. I have a video here, that’s where she got the cut from, anything apart from that is not real. (Shows the video to the interviewer) I’m a philanthropist, I’m against domestic violence, I have never raised my hands against any woman and I will never.

Q: Tonto stated that she lost her four months pregnancy due to the abuse by you?
A: There was no time, I met her six months before she conceived, then she was pregnant for another four months before she travelled, she got back and she’s been breastfeeding and she just stopped breastfeeding like three weeks ago so where’s the pregnancy from? I don’t understand. This woman told me earlier that she’s going to get everything to bring me down, because she has a foundation and I have a foundation too. Other things are involved but she’s been trying everything. I have somebody in her campaign that gives me all the updates. Even how she made all the scars in her body, she called somebody to makeup the scars. The only thing that happened to Tonto was the scars she got from my mother’s house. So I’m not a woman beater, I’ve never done that in my life and I will never beat any woman. I can never do that, but she’s trying everything hard because she knows the kind of person I am. She knows I have big plans for the future so she’s trying everything. I’m not an actor, I cannot act, I cannot cry. Her interview was like 95 percent lies; the only truth there was ‘I love my husband’. About sexual transmitted disease, I don’t even know, not in this millennium. The last time I had STD was in secondary school. At this stage of my life, STD is not possible. She’s just trying everything, I don’t know what she wants but I think she’s trying to stay out of marriage. I was not even around when she moved from my house, she came with two trucks, she moved everything and then she said that she left the house without nothing. She moved all her things, it was planned, she got another house and till date, I don’t know where she moved to. I tried to reach her even before King’s birthday but she didn’t give me access. Even till date, her family and my family tried to reconcile us for about 9 times. The ninth time was just ten days ago, and she always pretend as if we are cool but as soon as they leave, she blocks me and blocks my number so I don’t know what she wants. (Shows the interviewer the reconciliation video).

Q: Tell us about Rosaline, your wife said you left her and your son for Rosaline and that you are in love with her.
A: Rosaline Meurer has been with us since we started Big Church Foundation, I’ve known her for a very long time and she plays a major role in the foundation. My wife cannot tell me that she doesn’t know who Tonto is. I’ve known her before I met my wife and my wife has met her. It is not possible for my wife to say she has not met her before because there’s been an occasion where we hung out with Rosaline’s family and had dinner together. I have never been out of my matrimonial home for two months. We had a summit in Switzerland and I gave close to 22 people visas, all my staffs, I gave them European visas. How they got their tickets I was not aware. If I took a picture with Rosaline, maybe a group picture. If she has the picture let her bring it out. I never took a picture with Rosaline apart from group pictures. Tonto is just trying to bring out evidence that can nail me down. My wife cannot tell me she doesn’t know Rosaline, she’s major in anything that has to do with young ones and children, mother and child in my office. My wife actually knows all my workers, so I don’t know where that’s coming from. My wife is trying to show the world a negative side of me, and I’m not like that. I’m not a woman beater and I never had any issue with my wife about any woman. I heard when she said she pulled me up from a woman. It’s not possible, Tonto Dikeh, pull me up from a woman, where? Is it in my matrimonial home or where? We never had major problems, no cheating, no threats, but just a little domestic issue and she switches. She’s destroyed properties worth 66 million in less than seven months.

Q: Has there been a scenario where she fought your mum or has she been abusive to her verbally?
A: Yes to verbally but she has not fought my mum. The event took place at my mum’s house, I said it earlier. I told you earlier that Tonto is temperamental and she fights like six in one, she destroys everything. You cannot hold her talkless of beating her. She was dealing with me, I can’t say she was beating me. What she does is jack your cloth and makes sure she destroys it. What happened was, my mum intruded as she was holding me and she elbowed my mum and my mum fell down. So at that point, I thought that was extreme, I didn’t beat her, I just packed one or two things and went to Ghana. Tonto has an event, a road construction thing in Abuja which was just two days after the incident. Even in the scene, she bit my younger brother in two places for no reason as he was holding her and telling her to stop.

Q: Tonto said you never told her about your first marriage and that you have kids outside wedlock; 9 months and 2 years old children.
A: She said they called her, I watched the interview, and it’s not true. Tonto likes social media and I don’t like social media. She was all about Mr X and so on, so someone attacked her page, that was when I first met Tonto. The person called her a husband snatcher and warned her to leave her husband alone. My wedding pictures went viral so how come she doesn’t know I was married before. It was like 7 months after that I went to Port Harcourt to pay dowry. It was on the newspaper and everywhere that Tonto’s Mr X is married, so how come she didn’t know. The two year and nine months old boy or girl l have, should come out. I’m well educated and that’s why I wanted a family, I don’t do two women. Why are these women calling Tonto and not my mother?

Q: Tonto said the GMC car you claimed to have bought for King as his birthday gift is an internet photo and also that all the gifts she put on instagram were actually bought by her and not you.
A: No, that’s not true, I love to buy gifts for my wife always. I’m a busy man, I’m too occupied, to the point that I break down attimes so I buy these gifts to compensate her. I have the receipts, even the Rolex she was putting on in her interview, I bought it. I bought the GMC for my son, like I said, I wanted it to be like a surprise, but unfortunately I didn’t have access to him. I have all the receipts, and the GMC is real, I bought it for King but was unable to see him and present it. I know some day we will all be together again. I was not at home when Tonto packed her things but I had a discussion with her about going to rehab because of what had been happening so far after she gave birth to King. I think that may be the reason why she left the house.

Q: Are you open to reconciliation?
A: Actually I’ve tried up to nine times, the last time was when I invited her dad and the high chiefs. Each time we try to reconcile, she blocks me the next day. She pretends like she cool but at the end she’s not, but I still have her pictures on my instagram but I don’t think she’s ready. The car she said she sold, the Prado, I still have the original documents so I don’t know how she sold the car and in the system it’s not showing that the car is sold or that the car is missing. The car is still registered under Big Churchill HAVEN LTD. It is very painful that people would make up their minds after listening to one side of the story. All I did was love and honour my wife, and it hurts when i see the lies and deceit all over social media.
Thanks to MRH for coming through, Olakunle Churchill as you all know is a philanthropist, and is against domestic violence. I have never raised my hand on any woman and I will never. My wife was pregnant and she gave birth to King and there was nowhere she was pregnant for four months and lost it. It never happened, I’m here to clear my name and that of my company and brand. Thanks for coming through.

Q: Sorry, my last question, when you met Tonto, did you see or not see signs that Tonto might be temperamental?
A: Well, everybody said I saw this coming, that it was inevitable with my choice of wife. Facts and events were put before me; drugs and alcohol abuse, her philandering ways, and even talks of psychotic tendencies. Everyone has a past, even i inclusive, so I chose not to be judgmental. I turned a blind eye and deaf ears to the stern warnings, anonymous calls, and text messages that barraged me in the events leading up to the wedding. Even when I witnessed firsthand how temperamental and destructive she could get at the slightest provocation, I still saw good in her, and felt she was misjudged by many. I believed she would not only make me an awesome wife, but a wonderful mother to our children. If you call this love, you just might be right.

Based on the details of the interview and all you have been reading so far, what do you think? Share your thoughts with us on our comments page.

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/full-transcript-tonto-dikehs-estranged-husband-olakunle-churchills-tell-interview/#HjzqzWtGmaqebb5s.99

British Airways has announced that it will be charging eligible Nigerian students as low as $300 for return tickets.
The student fair is eligible to students who seek to go abroad for degree-awarding programs.

According to the cable, the campaign, which begins in March 2017, will offer students who desire to study overseas, access to promotional fares tailored to their travel budgets.

The offer, according to the company, is it’s effort to cushion the expense of students studying outside the country in view of Nigeria’s economic recession.

“It has become important to manage travel budgets in the times that we are in and that is why British Airways has introduced the Student fare especially to assist Parents that desire to continue giving their children or wards quality education,” said Kola Olayinka, British Airways country general manager.

“The British Airways Student fare program will be convenient as it fits into the fixed academic schedule of Universities abroad, thus making it easy for British Airways to plan bookings made by the students,” he added.

The airline company says the initiative is part of its student fare campaign.

To create awareness about the campaign, the airline will be organising the British Airways Student Fair at the EKO Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

Eligibility for the British Airways student fare is proof of enrolment in a formal, higher educational institution in Nigeria or abroad.


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/nigerian-students-pay-low-300-british-airways-return-ticket/#HSB6COWlySPo1cVD.99

The Naira on Monday appreciated in all the major segments of the foreign exchange market, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The Nigerian currency gained three points to exchange at N460, from N463 posted on Friday, while the Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N550 and 476, respectively.

At the Bureau De Change (BDC) window, the Naira was sold at N399 to a dollar, CBN controlled rate, while the Pound Sterling and the Euro traded at N547 and N482, respectively.

Trading on the floor of the interbank market saw the Naira closed at N306.00 to a dollar.





Traders at the market expressed delight in the interventions the CBN had made so far in boosting liquidity, adding that its sustenance would turn the economy around in the short to medium term.

Meanwhile, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), said the association was expecting an increment in dollar sales to its members this week.

Gwadabe said that due to the stability in the oil sector and the increase in the price of oil at the international market, the CBN was now comfortable in entertaining ABCON’s request to increase the volume of dollar sales to its members.

The ABCON boss said that a boost in its weekly volume from 8,000 dollars weekly to 15,000 dollars would sustain the existing efforts in stabilising the Naira exchange rate at the FOREX market.





“We expect that the CBN will increase the weekly dollar sales to about 3200 registered BDC’s nationwide this week.

“This development will help to crash the high exchange rate at the parallel market, thereby stabilising the market that segment of the market.

“The CBN is also collaborating with ABCON to reduce the hiccups encountered by ABCON members in filling their returns to the apex bank,’’ Gwadabe said.

The financial expert added that the Naira was expected to extend appreciation across the major segments of the FOREX market this week.

NAN also reports that since the CBN began intervening at the FOREX market, it had spent an excess of 1.4 billion dollars in boosting liquidity at the market.

Some concerned Nigerians have hailed the effort of the CBN in boosting liquidity at the FOREX market, but added that the liquidity boost had not yet translated to the reduction in the price of goods and services in the country. (NAN) FBO/MST


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/naira-appreciates-segments-forex-market/#fTTHRccmxPIyum6i.99

A former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo also known as Tompolo has been dragged to court by a financial institution in the country over unpaid debt.
The financial institution, Unity Bank Plc sued the limited liability company, Muhaabix Global Services, owned by the former Niger Delta militant for an accrued unpaid debt amounting to N5,320,953,095.40.

The case filed before the Federal High Court in Lagos by the financial institution is seeking to recover the N5,320,953,095.40 debt.

Unity Bank Plc in a statement of claim filed by Oluwafemi Atoyebi, a Lagos-based lawyer alleged that the former militant leader’s company on the 14th of November, 2014 voted for the authorization of Muhaabix Global Services Limited so that the company could borrow the sums of Euro 8,382,921.00, Euro 282,924.006 and N500,000,000 from Unity Bank Plc.

The borrowed funds were according to report meant to fund the importation of the two dredgers and their spare parts.

The statement filed by the financial institution noted that it granted all the requested sums which Tompolo’s company demanded for the completion of a contract awarded by NIMASA.

Unity Bank Plc in its suit noted that the violation of Tompolo’s company’s loan agreement with it had resulted in huge financial losses and damages to it.

The case filed before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo, has been adjourned till April 12, 2017, for a mention.


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/tompolo-in-fresh-trouble-over-n5-3billion-debt/#sp5EoFP9BjAh22IV.99

The damaging allegations by Canada based singer, Stephanie Otobo, that Apostle Johnson Suleman of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide was her lover can be debunked easily.
All ‘the man of God’ needs to do – to prove his innocence that he never had sex with the stripper, never exchanged lewd text messages and chatted with her on Skype showing her his manhood – is to pass the following tests:

1.) Provide his passport for examination to show that he was never in the same foreign country listed by her accuser at the same time.

Stephanie listed Naples (Italy) and New York (United States of America) as places they engaged in sex. Once both are never in those places, his case becomes easier.

2.) He should provide evidence that the money he gave her were for business and assistance.

And the amount should be in the church’s records. Or in the records of his personal expenses clearly identified as such.

3.) He should tell Nigerians what the subject of blackmail is.

And details of when the blackmail and extortion started, and what he did to the threat.

4.) Submit his phones, iPad and laptop for forensic examination to show that he never had sexual conversations with Stephanie.

Stephanie Otobo should provide all the telephone numbers and accounts used in the so-called conversations and chats.

5.) He should present himself to the police where both parties will be interviewed.

Since a crime of extortion and blackmail is being pursued, not to talk of the libel of monumental proportion, the meeting will go a long way between accuser and accused.

The purpose is for both to debunk allegations leveled by the other party. One claimed they met, the other denied.

Stephanie has to do more than the flippant details she’s providing. She has to remember dates and places and events that can be easily corroborated.


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/5-ways-apostle-johnson-suleman-can-prove-his-innocence/#IkwjOm4YKaKc3mkP.99

The news of a Nollywood actress, Oge Okoye, who claimed that the dogs of a Hollywood star were hers, was a top trending story on Google this week, the company’s spokesman, Mr Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, had said.
Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Anglophone West Africa, disclosed this in a statement he made available to newsmen in Lagos on Thursday.

He said that the top trending news from March 1 to March 8 was all-round sensational.

“Okoye sneaked into 2017 Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA) unnoticed.





“The popular actress earlier in the week was a trending topic; after she shared and claimed the American actress, Kenya Moore’s dogs, King and Twirl, as hers.

Though she later deleted the picture, the internet has not stopped trolling her,” the Google spokesman said.

The Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA) proved to be outstanding, Kola-Ogunlade said.

“The fifth edition of the AMVCA took place during the week at the prestigious Eko Hotel Convention Centre. It brought together some of the biggest celebrities in Nigeria.

“The mega event which has been judged a major improvement over the previous editions saw Izu Ojukwu’s ’76 winning most awards.

“The event has not stopped trending on Google since then,’’’ he said.

The Google manager said that Wizkid’s new song `Sweet Love’, which was in appreciation of his entry into RCA Records/Sony Music International family got online attention.

“Nigerian International superstar, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun , popularly known as Wizkid was officially welcomed to RCA Records/Sony Music International family on the social media.

“The crooner celebrated the announcement with a new song, `Sweet Love’ which showed appreciation and celebration of his fans,’’ he said.

Tempted to touch was the issue that triggered searches for the Big Brother Naija show, Kola-Ogunlade said.

According to him, one of the Big Brother Naija show housemates, Ekemini Ekerette, popularly known as Kemen, began to trend on the internet after he was disqualified before the eviction show on Sunday.

Kola-Ogunlade said that the participant was caught on tape handling Tboss without her consent and was accused of going against the house rules.

He said that since the report of his actions, he had been under fire on the social media.

Kola-Ogunlade said that the internet was abuzz this week with the sex-scandal of Canada-based singer, Stephanie Otobo and Apostle Suleiman of the Omega Fire Ministry.

“The singer who released a series of photos and chats with the pastor on her social media page was also docked at the Magistrate Court in Lagos earlier in the week.

“Apostle Suleiman was also in the news some time ago with the state agencies for inciting violence,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Google Trends which was launched in May 2006 allows one to see how popular search terms and their demography have been over time on Google. (NAN)


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/nollywood-actress-okoyes-doggy-story-trending-google/#udxyEJSczBirlkZF.99

A cross section of Nigerians have continued to react through the social media on the reported news that President Muhammadu Buhari will be returning home from London on Friday after his medical vacation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that many Nigerians have been showering praises on the originator of the news, Mr Femi Adesina who had earlier issued a statement indicating that the president would be returning on Friday.

One of the social commentators, Mubashsheer Mustapha said: “Femi Adesina, you have made my day by posting this good news. In fact, words are too scanty to aid the expression of my happiness on seeing this news.

“May God continue to bless you and your entire family, and also grant Mr.President a very good and sound health as well as the wisdom and courage to continue with the good governance of our fatherland.’’





Osquare Okpanachi said, “Baba while you were away, we the hailers match the wailers bumper to bumper and kept them quiet’’.

Jimoh Ibrahim merely posted “Allahu Akbar; Allahu Akbar; Allahu Akbar’’ while Olakunle Longe thanked God for answering his prayers on the president.

Longe posted, “Thank God for answered prayers. You have done a great and perfect job informing the populace about Mr President as being practice in other civilized countries of the world. Kudos’’.

Henry O. Henry, who saluted Adesina for breaking the news, said “I can’t wait to see my President and welcome him back home.Kudos to Mr Femi Adesina, Keep the good work going Sir’’.





Jide Adebayo, in his comments, said “salute to professionalism in information management. God bless PMB with greater strength to consolidate the gains of his administration and sanitisation of Nigerian nation.

“There can be no more cheery news at this hour.

Austine Ejeke, however, said “Shame to bad people! President Buhari is alive! Hale and Hearty!’’, while Auwal Hassan wished the president a safe return home, saying glad for the news….let’s the mischief makers go to …’’.

It is generally believed that the president’s arrival on Friday will put to rest the speculations about his health and will particularly shame death wishers.

In the past two weeks, President Buhari has been quite busy receiving visitors from Nigeria and making phone calls to some Nigerians, offering messages of succour, and felicitations.

On Thursday, President Buhari received the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Reverend Justin Welby. As it turned out, Welby merely came to say goodbye.(NAN)


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/nigerians-react-news-president-buharis-return-friday/#xWTtcAhZXZlC3qDD.99

American rapper, Remy Ma has in an extensive interview granted during a Facebook Live interview for Buzzfeed’s “Another Round” live podcast, opened up on her rap feud with female MC, Nicki Minaj.

Coming after Remy Ma released two diss tracks aimed at the opponent, the rapper in the interview granted on Tuesday Night at the New York’s women’s club, The Wing, admitted she wished she could have worked with Nicki Minaj instead of releasing the diss tracks to tear her apart.

While speaking with the hosts, Heben Nigatu and Tracy Clayton, Remy Ma who accused Nicki Minaj of sleeping her way to the top of the rap game had called the rapper several names in her tracks making reference to ger fake butt and claiming her lines weren’t hers.

She however in the interview said: “I do not condone or recommend the tearing down of another female.

“It just bothers me that this record that I put out where it’s literally picking apart a female went so viral, and every media outlet wants to talk about it and pick it up; I feel like we could’ve done the same thing working together.

“I just personally think it would’ve been so much cooler…if we came together and made something crazy. It could’ve been totally different.”

She continued: “I don’t regret it (shETHER), but I’m not particularly proud of it either.” She also described the process of recording the track, which set the internet on fire upon its release on February 25. According to Remy, she didn’t notice how long the recording was.”

Remy Ma during the interview admitted that she kept going on and on as she said: “I didn’t realize it was seven minutes until after it was done,” she joked.

“Have you ever had an argument with your man where you go in and you realize after, like, I was cursing him out for the last three hours?”

“Shether’s success was ultimately a bad sign for women in the industry.

She added: “It just bothers me that, this record that I put out, where it’s literally picking apart a female, went so viral.”

Remy Ma added: “We could have done the same thing, working together. I would have liked that so much better that way.”

Remy Ma, in response to a question posed on why she didn’t work with Nicki Minaj said: “It wasn’t me. You can’t force somebody to do something they don’t want to do.”


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/remy-ma-gives-afterthought-on-nicki-minaj-diss-tracks/#gG0MO2OHPMgZktkg.99

Lalasticlala

The General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman has made his first appearance to church yesterday after messy sex scandal reports.



It is noteworthy to recall that the embattled pastor has come under fire for allegedly impregnating and dumping Nigerian-Canadian singer Stephanie Otobo who produced a series of damning but unverified evidence that proves the allegation leveled against him.

Excerpts of interest from his sermon include

‘Nothing attacks reputation like allegations’
‘God can’t be fighting when you are fighting. God fights when you are still’

‘Only those who stand out are confronted’

‘If the devil/ kingdom of hell wants to get at you and make heaven stand firm for you/at your defense they will attack your reputation’


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/apostle-suleman-makes-first-church-appearance-sex-scandal-reports/#UibP4OwCO2rUYqrx.99

image: http://www.herald.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Prof-Osinbajo-Acting-President-620x400.jpg


The Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has released the government’s plan to pull the Nigerian economy out of a biting economic recession and into a period of economic stability that will surely usher prosperity for many.

The document which is entitled the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan outlines the five key execution priorities of the Federal Economic Team and the Federal Executive Council to enable Nigeria become a major player in the global economy. The document said this potential has remained relatively untapped over the years.
After a shift from agriculture to crude oil and gas in the late 1960’s, Nigeria’s growth has continued to be driven by consumption and high oil prices. Previous economic policies left the country ill-prepared for the recent collapse of crude oil prices and production.

The five key areas which the plan will focus on according to the document are Macroeconomic stability; Agriculture and food security; Energy; Transportation Infrastructure; Industrialization and focus on SMEs. The plan relies on the non-oil sector of the economy but also factors in the importance of recovering oil prices and the need for stability in the Niger Delta.

According to the Federal government, the plan will create 1.5 million jobs in 2017 and another 13.5 million jobs by 2020. Overall the plan aims to create 10 million jobs by 2019 just before the election year. The plan is however silent on the issue of minimum wage. A contentious contemporary issue as civil rights activists and labour leaders have called for minimum wage to be raised to 50,000 Naira monthly. At the current level of N18,000 several state governors are owing employees months of arrears.

You can read the government’s economic recovery & growth plan here


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/acting-president-unveils-new-plan-economic-recovery/#2gtlCM6ERw75rKi7.99

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed Money Deposit Banks to henceforth process and meet the demand for dollars and other foreign currencies within 48 hours.

In a circular made available to journalists, on Sunday in Abuja, the Director, Financial Markets Department,CBN, Dr Alvan Ikoku said the order would further make foreign currencies readily available to end users.

Ikoku said that banks have been directed to process and meet the demand for personal and business travelling allowances by customers within 24 hours of application.

For school fees and medical bills, the apex bank said that the commercial banks were to meet demand within 48 hours.





Ikoku said that non-compliance with these directives would attract sanctions, including but not limited to being barred from all future CBN foreign exchange interventions.

“In order to further ensure availability to end-users, all banks are hereby directed to open teller points in all locations in order to ensure access to foreign exchange by their customers without any hindrance.

“They are to have electronic display boards in all their branches, showing rates of all traded currencies,” he said. (NAN)


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/cbn-directs-banks-honor-dollar-application-within-48-hrs/#UWsw4sdt3HVIBB88.99

A 35-year-old man has narrated how he was forcefully undressed and abused spiritually by two women.
The Kenyan man identified as Eliud Njoroge made the shocking revelation of his struggles with the spiritual forces adding that the strange happenings has kept him fro having sex in the period of five years.

Sharing his ordeal, the Kenyan man who lamented that the strange happenings has cost him his wife told The Nairobian that two women usually visit him at oght to force him into sexual intercourse involving MouthAction.

He further revealed that the spirit women usually strip him naked and engage him in MouthAction for about 45minutes adding that they always left him drained, tired and thirsty after every encounter.

He said: “The problem started around 2012. That particular night, I heard footsteps and a girl crying outside my house. It was so real.

“I went out to see what was happening. I saw two women who upon seeing me, vanished.

“Days later, my wife traveled upcountry and the two women appeared again. This time, they came to my bed, forcefully undressed me and started sucking my penis. I was in a lot of pain and didn’t comprehend what was going on. I remember waking up very tired and weak,’ he narrated.

The Kenyan man also added that the women attack him only when he sleeps naked.

“I realised that whenever I slept naked, that is when they attacked me. I am a tormented man. I’ve never had sex for five years because of them.”

He revealed that the spirit women visit him at east tree times a week for the worrysome sexual encounter from which he is seeking a release


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/how-two-women-forcefully-undrseessed-and-abued-me-spiritually-man-narrates/#qEmSaGwIk32AWPxP.99

The Senator Ahmed Makarfi led faction of the People’s Democratic Party has asked the National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to vacate the party’s national secretariat immediately.
He said Sheriff, who was declared the authentic national chairman of the PDP by the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, should wait until the Supreme Court makes its own pronouncement on the matter.

The spokesperson for the faction, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, who stated this at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, accused the Police of favouring the former governor of Borno State in the crisis.

Adeyeye, a former minister of state for works, said that Sheriff must leave the secretariat in order to avoid breakdown of law and order.

Factional national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has asked the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, Rivers state to jail factional leader Senator Ahmed Makarfi, and some of his loyalists.

It will be noted that apart from Makarfi, Sheriff wants the trio of sacked factional national caretaker committee secretary Senator Ben Obi and publicity secretary Dayo Adeyeye as well as former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode jailed.


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/makarfi-faction-orders-sheriff-pdp-secretariat/#D1F7YS5mZ61tW6Sq.99

The Benue State first lady, Eunice Ortom has appealed to the Tor Tiv-elect, James Ayatse to constitute a body which will look into the bride price in Tiv land.
The wife of the Governor while appealing to the traditional ruler elect noted that the expensive nature of the bride price in Tiv land has hindered most young women from getting married as at when due.

Mrs. Ortom further noted in her appeal that the high cost of bride price has lead to the increase in number of men who elope with Tiv women in order to avoid the bride-price payment.

While decrying the high demands made on young men seeking to marry women from Tiv land, Mrs Ortom who described the exorbitant nature as very discouraging said: “Such high demands discourage many bachelors from even attempting to get married; the result is that many young girls cannot find husbands.”

She added while soliciting that changes be made, “Such charges are imported; our traditional rulers should discard them.”

Mrs. Ortom during the visit noted that while the bride price is important, she cautioned families against selling their daughters “especially since the relationship between in-laws remains, long after such marriage rites”.

She added that it is regrettable that many young men npw prefer to elope with Tiv women for the fear of the high bride-price demands.


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/this-is-why-men-now-elope-with-their-tiv-girlfriends-benue-first-lady/#whsMT9b5Ftro8m0O.99

New footage and pictures of Kim Kardashian and Ray J’s sex tape Superstar have allegedly been leaked onto the internet, online sources report.
The new footage which contains excerpts from the original sex tape that was never seen before shows clips and pictures of steamy sex that didn’t make the final cut before its exposure in 2007.

The anniversary of the release of the sex tape is a cause for celebration for Vivid honcho Steven Hirsh, who gave Radar a message for Kardashian: “I can’t believe it’s been 10 years. I hope you’re as happy as we are with the last ten years. Congratulations on all your success.”

Kim, who at the present is the wife of Kanye West and mother of North and Saint was seen wearing skin coloured bra, before taking them off for a few snapshots during the exclusive video.

See the photos below,


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/new-footage-kim-kardashian-sextape-surfaces-online/#PXEDyJCxM90GfyRu.99

When 15 million plus Nigerians voted for President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2015 General elections, their expectation was that he would be available to serve them 24/7/365, and that those who fielded him as their candidate had done their home work to avoid what is curiously becoming the Katsina problem in Nigerian politics. Katsina! But we have now found ourselves in a situation whereby our President is now in London, for more than one month sir, ma, and we are here, and we have an acting President, who according to everybody, including the extremists and the mischievous, and the politically partisan, is beginning to try his best, with his admirers, now praying for the worst.

For that reason alone, we have an emotionally, politically and spiritually divided country on our hands. Don’t mind what they tell you, and don’t deceive yourself, the Nigerian Presidency is in turmoil. It is not our wish. It is not what the voters asked for. But that is how democracy works. You cannot predict the results that democracy produces. Not even in America. Or Russia.

Now that we have found ourselves in this situation, anyway – an absentee President trying to remain relevant and an acting President struggling to put up appearances, and struggling harder not to be seen to be ambitious (sorry, Prof. I was your student but I have something to say sir, I don’t mean any harm – truth be told), where should the Nigerian people stand? For the past one month, we have all been trapped in a post-truth situation, pretending as if all is normal. We should stop pretending.

Those who supported and are supporting the APC that brought President Muhammadu Buhari to power and office cannot talk. They cannot talk due to embarrassment and shame. They are busy putting up a face. But for how long can they do this? The Nigerian media is also on its knees, looking so pitiable, with the exception of a few blogs, newspapers that we can’t even trust, professional media consultants who are in disarray, a few bloggers and then some gentlemen: Pa Ikhide, Farooq Kperogi, Sonala Olumhense, Omoyele Sowore, Pius Adesanmi and Okey Ndibe who have since been specially illuminated as they journeyed to Damascus.

I will return to this subject some other day. But I think right now, we should begin to take the subject of the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari more seriously. Bukola Saraki, our Senate President has visited him in London, twice, within two weeks. I don’t think we should leave this business of visiting the President to party chieftains, the executive and the Federal Legislature. If care is not taken, Senator Saraki may be tempted to visit the President again next week. And the week after and he may even be tempted to travel with all the members of the National Assembly. There must be equity in this matter.

Figure it out as follows: we all know that President Buhari is now in London and he is the man Nigerians chose as their President in 2015. We cannot forsake him. He is in London on working leave, for more than one month now, and we don’t know when that leave will end. We have been told it will end soon. Later. One day. Whenever. We are not God. Let the leave end when it will. But we, the people, have a duty to stand by our President. This is the point of this article. We are Africans. We have traditions. We respect elders. We don’t joke with old age. The time has come, right now, for Nigerians to behave like Africans.

We should therefore, not leave this business of visiting to Senator Busola Saraki alone. Party chieftains have visited Mr. President. The leadership of the National Assembly has also gone to London to be part of President Buhari’s working leave. I think Vice-President-Acting-President Yemi Osinabjo should also visit his boss, this week, next week, or ASAP. Henceforth, he should be in London at least once a week. Let us stop pretending that the President is not in charge. He is. If Aso Villa is now in London, let us make it work. The Acting President and the real President need quality face time. If the acting President must go to London everyday, let him do so, but don’t let us run Nigeria by telephone or DHL Am I making sense? I am not talking about common sense. I mean real sense. So, do I make any sense at all?

After the Acting President’s visit, all former Presidents should also start going to London to see the President. Those former Presidents are not as harmless as they pretend to be. They are projected to the public as advisers but they are more than that: they all left something in Aso Villa that makes them eternally powerful. It is like leaving your DNA in a woman’s body. They should be allowed or perhaps encouraged to visit President Buhari while he is on working leave. I think our Baba in Abeokuta, Ota and Ibogun should be the first to visit. That may negate the order of seniority, but trust the Ebora Owu to return from London with front-page news! After him, the others can start visiting and probably advise on the possibility of holding a Council of State meeting in London. As it were, the Nigerian Constitution does not insist that the Council of State Meeting must be held inside Nigeria. The main subject of that first historic, diaspora, Council of State Meeting should be phrased by OBJ in his own unique way: “Momodu: are you well or sick?”

There is something called the separation of powers. I don’t want to disrespect mi’lords but I think they too should go to London. The National Judicial Council (NJC) should put together a high-powered delegation of judges from every part of the country, from all divisions, and level, to proceed post-haste to London to visit, no, to confer with President Buhari on matters of judicial interest to the nation. But Sirs, don’t go there and talk about the welfare of judges, or the non-payment of your entitlements – if you try that, well, I won’t be in a position to tell you what awaits you on your return. You know mi’lords, as well as I do, that the law in Nigeria is now being made to look truly like an ass!

After the judges, okay may be the Nigerian Bar Association should also send a delegation, but I don’t trust many of our lawyers. They think they know the law, and they could go to London and say things that will disrupt the President’s working leave. To make that impossible, members of the NBA should be booked on an Arik flight to London, please. But if they get there, fine. The next delegation should be that of Permanent Secretaries. These ones should spend more than a week in London with the President. In fact, they can stay with him till he returns. If they also have medical issues, they should use the opportunity to ask for tests, with the condition that they must return immediately the President leaves London, notwithstanding the status of their own medical tests!

Once the Permanent Secretaries have been fully accommodated in London, the Ministers, those who were once dismissed by their own employer as “noise-makers”, and who have proven to be no better, should also visit London. They can go ahead and make as much noise as they wish in London and even enjoy the benefit of a full Federal Executive Council Meeting. I suspect that this will be a particularly productive FEC meeting. If the people in the Foreign Affairs Ministry know what they are doing, however, they would arrange ahead of that meeting in London, a special meeting with Theresa May, Prime Minister of Great Britain, followed by a dinner with Her Majesty the Queen of England, with a proviso, please, please, please, that nobody should bring up the issue of Biafra or Southern Kaduna after shaking the Queen’s hand, and there should be a strict guarantee that President Buhari will be accompanied by his extremely beautiful wife, Aisha, and he will not, meeting the Queen, no matter how excited, make the mistake of referring to “za oza room”.

Stop laughing, my friend; this is how you people cause problems for innocent writers. What I am now trying to add having made all these points above, is that the Governors’ Forum should also visit President Buhari in London. The Governors have already signified their intention to do so and that seems to be fine with the Nigerian public. The Governors should therefore appoint representatives who should proceed to London. When they meet with the President, they should hold a special prayer session with three prayer points: one, that President Buhari will not work for another person to come and eat; two: that the demons of Aso Rock will spare and forgive him and his family; three: that President Buhari will return to Nigeria with his two feet. The Governor to lead the prayer should be Peter Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State.

If he starts sounding as he has been sounding in recent times, Nasir el-Rufai should be asked to take the microphone from him. And if Nasir sounds like he is playing politics, as he has been doing, Adams Oshiomhole who will like to be there anyway, as a Governor ex-officio, should be given the microphone and asked to pray for the President as best as he can or as best as Trotsky could.

I have left out some people. In the past month, some Imams and ulamas and concerned relatives have been reported in the media, holding prayer sessions for a hale and hearty President who is just in London to enjoy the weather and do some quality check-ups, private and public. These prayer warriors have prayed and prayed in Abuja, Daura, Borno and everywhere else. The matter is so serious that nobody should be surprised if Rochas Okorocha or James Ibori organizes a prayer session for Muhammadu Buhari. This is the biggest business in Nigeria at this moment.

I think, therefore, that we should also encourage the ulamas and the imams to visit. Let them go to London and pray for their President. We have been told they have been sending prayers through skype, whatsapp and the air, the same channels that GSM service providers in Nigeria now want to block. Let the imams go to London then and let the verses of the Holy Quoran rain down. It will be unfair not to allow Christian leaders to go to London too. They are also anxious to go to London. Pastor Tunde Bakare, my beloved, secondary school senior should lead that team. His job should be to screen out any Pastor with Biafra, or Southern Kaduna or pro-PDP blood in him or her. I mean Pastors like Reno Omokri, Ebun Adegboruwa…. you get what I am saying? The prayer should be commissioned!

Traditional rulers, bloggers, public intellectuals, trolls, and journalists! Oh, I almost forgot. I think we should also be invited to London to have tea with the President. I volunteer to lead that team but if I am considered unpopular, since they say I am not one of them, let @ikhide, @akaebube, or @dejiadeyanju, @realFFK, or @YeleSowore, be the team leader. But please, make sure we have on that list, @lindaikeji, @SDimokoKORKUS, @emepretty1, @bellanaija, @omojuwa, @ChiomaChuka, @AbangMercy, @toyeenb, @MrStanleyNwabia and… and… My friend, STFU! I am not planning a special episode of #bbnaija. I just want to go to London and see …my President.


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/i-want-to-go-to-london-to-see-buhari-reuben-abati/#LiaELoLumEJIbk06.99

The Emir of Kano, Sanusi, Lamido Sanusi has said that he would introduce a law prohibiting poor men from marrying more than one wife, saying there is a connection between polygamy, poverty and terrorism.
He said because Muslims practice polygamous marriage, most poor men end up marrying up to four wives with as many as 20 children, whom are not educated in schools hence, some of them become thugs and potential terrorists.

The Emir gave the statement during a speech he delivered at a muslim gathering on Sunday. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Emir of Kano “Those of us in the mainly Muslim north have all seen the economic consequences of men who are not capable of maintaining one wife, marrying four.

They end up producing 20 children, not educating them, leaving them on the streets, and they end up as thugs and terrorists.”

The emir discussed different areas to be covered by the wide-ranging family law, which he said would be passed by the Kano state government.

“The law will address what Islam says on marriage, it will outlaw forced marriages, it will make domestic violence illegal, it will put in conditions that you need to fulfil before you can marry a second wife, it will spell out the responsibilities of a father beyond producing a child.”

“It is a big law which covers a whole range of issues from consent to marriage, to maintenance to divorce, to maintenance of children and inheritance. It will be the first time in northern Nigeria that a Muslim law on personal status will be codified.”


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/emir-kano-moves-ban-polygamy/#BBwLiLC07KhJ67zK.99

The Wedding Party, directed by Kemi Adetiba has been highly successful. As at the time of this post, the movie has grossed over N450m, it is sure to win awards when award season for Nigerian movies hits, it has by almost every standard matched the definition of success.

But has it been tribalistic?

A Twitter user @Belshagy seems to think so, taking to his twitter to say that the North was left out of the movie and were not properly represented.

Naturally with such a statement, people came with their observations, some with the opinion that such an arguement was needless as it didn’t have any Northern elements, some believing that this was indeed true.

You can check out his tweet below.




Read more at http://www.herald.ng/north-excluded-wedding-party-man-accuses-movie-tribalism-twitter-reacts/#0daZv0cTHRirQhMr.99

Nollywood actress, Chinazo Ekezie has in a recent interview opened up on her take as regards pre-marital sex.
The actress in an interview with tar Tracker noted that no woman is truly happy without sex as he is a supporter of pre-marital sex to avoid later regret

Read excerpts of the actress’ interview below:

What is your take on premarital sex?

You want my pastor to call me on the phone, right? But I will tell you the truth now, growing up, we were always taught that we shouldn’t have sex, we shouldn’t do anything before marriage, but now that I know better, or now that I’m grown and with the kind of experiences that I’ve had, and that of other people, I think it’s kind of important to have premarital sex.

Seriously, because you have your lifetime to spend with this person, so I think it’s important you need to find out what they like, how they like it, if they like it, if they are teachable, because some people will tell you that if you don’t like how your husband makes love to you then you teach him.

A lot of men are not teachable, a lot of men think teaching them how to make love to their wife is a crime. Yes, a lot of men think it’s a crime for a woman to say don’t do it this way, do it that way, aren’t you a woman, why should you have a preference?

A lot of couples’ sexuality don’t match, no matter how hard you try, and once you marry and you are not having good sex I don’t think you will be happy. I don’t think any woman would be happy if she’s not having good sex with her husband, it’s crazy.

And if I’m to spend the first 6-7years teaching you how to have sex with me, I’ll be frustrated.

What would you do if after marriage your husband becomes impotent?

Marriage is for better, for worse, because I expect that if I get married now and I have issues with fertility, my husband will stand by me, so yeah, I will stand by him.

When there is any situation, no matter how tough it is, it’s sorted by love, family pressure is secondary, if you let family pressure affect you, you might even lose your love for your husband.

I think two people who are ready to work things out, ready to spend the rest of their lives together should build a wall around their relationship.


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/no-woman-is-truly-happy-without-sex-actress/#HblXdlp19XQJ8KWe.99

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo recently revealed the saddest day of his life which was when he appeared before the military tribunal that tried him for alleged complicity in a coup against late former military dictator, Sani Abacha.

While leading a morning devotion to mark Valentine’s Day at his Presidential Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, Ogun state on Tuesday, February 14, he said:

“My saddest day was when I sat in front of a military panel set up by late former Head of State, Sani Abacha to try me over a phantom coup, and sentenced to death and later commuted to 30 years imprisonment.”

While speaking, he also read from the Bible book of Isaiah 45:1-4 and spoke of how when the jail term was given, he had asked himself if he deserved the treatment meted to him, but that he left everything in the hand of God.

“God has always been giving me immense favour beyond my own expectations and what I deserve from Him. And I used to tell people that God has been partial to me from childhood,” he said.

He also revealed how following pressure from international community leaders including former American president, Jimmy Carter, the Abacha regime reduced his sentence to 15 years.

However, when Abacha died, he spent only three years in prison. When he left prison, he said he met an agitation for him to contest for president, adding, “but the rest is history.”

He also said: “I was born in a village and anybody born in that village would have concluded that the popularity of those born there would not go beyond the next village. My parents were complete illiterates.”


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/saddest-day-life-obasanjo/#QjxFKRxr44Z0xSYe.99

Neymar Shares Loved Up picture with his girlfriend Bruna Marquezine for Valentine's day.

The Barcelona star looked relaxed in the picture sharing it on his instagram page with his many followers.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s signature has been allegedly forged in order to sell $19 million worth of crude oil in China according to a House of Representatives member, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma
Agbonayinma also accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of gross corruption while appearing on Channels TV.

“In this letter here, this is not President Buhari’s signature but it was forged by our people – by Nigerians who wanted to sell the crude in China worth about $19 million,” he said.

“I tell you the truth, the .Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) is also aware. We are working day and night to also do what is needed to get it right because he (the AGF) is the custodian of the laws in the nation.

“So, I’m saying I must tell you that the corruption in this country didn’t just start yesterday. It is a cancer, and to cure cancer, you need a radical approach getting the radical approach in this case means you have to step on peoples’ toes, which might affect those that are probably close to you.

“What is important is the ability to have that willingness to commit to the fight against corruption. This is not something that is new. As a matter of fact: this is a copy of the letter in which President Muhammadu Buhari’s signature was forged to defraud Nigeria.

“My dear Nigerians, this time I would like you to support the National Assembly when people want to divert attention from what government is doing by pushing up negative issues to the fight against corruption. Let’s give credit to Mr. President in the war against corruption.

“So as the National Assembly, we must do our part as well. Doing our part does not mean Nigerians should be kept in the dark? Nigerians must know exactly what is going on. What has happened to their money? The money that belongs to this nation belongs to you; it belongs to me,” he added.


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/corruption-alert-buharis-signature-forged-sell-19m-crude-oil-china/#rGQgpjc8MGO2QuvZ.99

Amber Rose has taken time to address the reason behind the kiss she gave her ex-husband and father of her son, Wiz Khalifa.
The Model who was caught on camera kissing the rapper, Wiz Khalifa as they both had a great time sparked rumors in the media that they had both gotten back together days after she broke up with her boyfriend of 5 months, Val Chmerkovskiy.

Amber Rose took to her Instagram page to clarify issues stating that she remains divorced and she wont be getting back with the rapper.

She wrote on her Instagram page:


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/why-i-kissed-wiz-khalifa-amber-rose-opens-up/#D3Wr2htoAODvKjji.99

A Nigerian civil society organization, Budgit, has called on the Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, to uphold transparency and ensure detailed disclosure of utilization of funds allocated to his ministry for capital projects in 2016.
In a statement two weeks ago, Mr. Fashola’s office declared that “no new contracts have been awarded to date based on 2016 Appropriation and as such no single kobo has been paid.”

However, Premium Times reports that the Budgit head, Olusegun Onigbinde, expressed worry at the minister’s declaration, asking him to disclose how funds released to his ministry under the 2016 budget was used.

The financial document released by the Office of the Accountant General revealed a sum of N170,425,193,94 was released to the Ministry as at October 2016 from a total capital budget of N353 billion.

“If the funds released to the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing are meant for old projects, what projects did the Ministry spend N170 billion on?” Mr. Onigbinde wrote.

“The Ministry of Works, Power and Housing should provide information on the projects currently being implemented, the actual cost released for each project, name of the contractors and the locations of the projects.

“This is a basic requirement to measure the judicious utilisation of public funds by any public office.”

The organization said its previous demand for detailed information on the utilisation of funds released for federal capital projects had not been honoured since December 2016.

The Ministry of Finance said N753 billion had been released to fund capital projects as at October 2016.

“But it was without comprehensive details of projects the fund was released for,” Budgit said.

“We did not request for nuclear codes nor details that could be dubbed as ‘threats to National Security’; we have only requested that governance functions the way it ought to.

“It is a common knowledge that government fails when citizens do not hold trust in the dealings of an administration hence the necessity to ensure there is mutual trust between government and the citizens through transparency.

“We have chewed this on many occasions that there is a deliberate attempt to keep citizens out of loop with respect to information. The lack of responsible public information breeds bad perception. The implication of this singular act could be measured on investment and investors who struggle to trust an opaque system with funds.

“The Federal Government’s anti-graft war needs more openness to work efficiently.”


Read more at http://www.herald.ng/fashola-withholding-details-2016-budget-implementation-civic-group/#UoMrWzOB3y154g1p.99